“But there are things you can’t help. When your head knows you should cut ties, but it doesn’t work well. My family is like that.”

Clementina’s last words were bitter. Though somewhat bothersome, Dion had received overflowing love from the Emperor and Empress. So Dion had no choice but to close his mouth. He couldn’t say not to worry needlessly. For her, this was a lifelong problem.

“Not just Bella. Claire too, and Father. They’re all people who only hurt me, but there were times when they didn’t. Actually, I think I keep hoping based on those good memories. While knowing it’s not true. Huh? Huh? Where on earth is she going?”

Cool water flowed from one wall of Issiliad Palace’s corridor. Some water flowed down walls like babbling streams, but some places formed small ponds where water poured from walls like small waterfalls.

Bella, who’d been shamelessly viewing ponds like someone out sightseeing at a market, shook her head left and right as if surveying her surroundings, then suddenly quickened her pace.

It was a completely different direction from where Bella stayed. Without any hesitation, she left the palace and headed to the courtyard.

Issiliad Palace’s courtyard wasn’t a wide open space but a garden. A stream flowed through the courtyard’s center dividing it into two parts, connected by bridges. Five bridges total, each decorated with flowers and trees.

Butterflies and bees busily came and went between colorful flowers filling the courtyard.

In the midst, the conspicuously plump Bella tried crossing a bridge then suddenly stopped and whirled around.

Seeing this, Dion and Clementina turned and quickly hid behind a pillar.

Dion had always stationed watchers around her room, ready to move whenever Bella moved. And he’d definitely expected Bella to act from the first day of arrival.

Once Bella knew he was here, she couldn’t wait any longer.

Just then, he was emerging from the opposite palace. Like they’d promised, he smiled with delight rather than surprise at seeing Bella.

Tender and affectionate eyes.

Seeing this, Dion felt like vomiting in disgust. Utterly detestable.

“Bella!”

“Duke Kowan!”

The man Bella had fallen in love with was Jerbek Sichenti—younger brother of Umbarot Kingdom’s Queen, Duke of Kowan of Umbarot Kingdom, simultaneously holding the title of Count Suderel of the Ronakia Empire.

“Lady Bella! I thought I couldn’t meet you. When did you arrive? How did you come?”

Jerbek greeted Bella boisterously in a high-pitched voice. His gaze looking down showed no confusion. This place wasn’t Sustain or Drasia. Southern Ronakia Empire’s Derin had no connection to Bella. Yet Jerbek wasn’t surprised at all. He was already prepared.

He might have intended meeting in such a romantic place.

He remained as splendid as when they’d met at Dicon Harbor last time. Just this time he’d wrapped himself head to toe in white cloth with gold embroidery and colorful accessories.

Displaying his presence must be very important to him.

“Hello, Duke Kowan. I followed my sister. You know, right? My sister is the Duchess of Drasia.”

Bella blushed like a girl in love and gently lowered her head. The very face of a shy girl.

“I said I was fine, but the Duchess insisted I must attend this ball together, so I had no choice.”

Jerbek smiled fishily and placed his hand on Bella’s shoulder.

“My, having a beautiful flower like you at this ball will be truly splendid.”

“You think so?”

“Of course. You’re different from those ordinary country bumpkins.”

“Naturally. I’m not a country miss.”

Bella straightened her head and lifted her chin. Doing so in maid’s clothing was utterly ridiculous, but Bella clearly hadn’t thought that far.

Acting like a maid while doing that. Where would such a maid exist?

“I was worried having no news all this time.”

“Oh my? You really worried about me?”

Bella unconsciously leaned her hand on Jerbek’s chest. Jerbek slightly frowned when his collar wrinkled, but Bella didn’t notice.

“Of course, Lady Bella. How could I not worry about you? Who’s protecting such a small, fragile woman—I worried every day.”

“Oh my!”

Jerbek took Bella’s hand and removed it from his collar. Then he stroked the back of her hand so she wouldn’t feel disappointed.

“We can see each other at this ball. Then I’ll meet the Duke of Drasia and……”

“Then you’ll also learn she’s not a woman worth coveting.”

Bella and Jerbek, absorbed in their own world, didn’t notice at all. Dion, who’d come near the bridge, finally removed his hood and revealed himself.

Dion had to confirm on site that they knew each other. If it was that snake-like Jerbek, he’d make excuses anytime if he thought he’d lose out.

Next, he absolutely had to reveal himself before the two did anything. If they crossed the line, cleaning up would surely be troublesome.

“Y-Your Highness!”

Bella hastily bowed her head and flustered.

“Duchess Drasia’s younger sister—her name is not meant for careless tongues, Count Suderel.”

When Dion rebuked Jerbek, Bella sharply raised her head.

“The Duke of Kowan has never once dishonored me. Please don’t misunderstand, hic.”

Bella bristled at Dion’s words and retorted with her head held stiffly. But when she met Dion’s cool blue eyes, Bella shrank like a mouse in a trap.

Bella lost her words and began hiccupping at Dion’s cold reaction she was experiencing for the first time.

She’d emphasized Duke of Kowan, defending Jerbek Sichenti’s existence, then got scared by one cold look from Dion.

Why was this woman so pitiful and foolish?

Dion suddenly felt extremely grateful his wife was Clementina. Though he hadn’t tried to compare deliberately, the sisters were so clearly different the contrast was too stark.

Caroline’s condition was ‘save my daughters.’ If Count Sustain hadn’t tried so hard to hide Clementina, he could have found her earlier. Or much later.

Then not Clementina but her older sister Claire could have become his match. Or this pitiful woman might have become his match. Either way, Dion didn’t care. If it was magic connected by Caroline’s blood, any of her daughters would have opened the cave’s magic circle.

But Dion hadn’t done so. Strangely, he didn’t feel that way.

Only Clementina’s lemon-colored hair and golden eyes stirred his heart. That remained true now. He still didn’t clearly know the reason.

“Hic, hic.”

“It’s been a while, Duke Drasia.”

Jerbek greeted Dion while blinking red feathers on his eyelashes. Then he turned and nodded his head up and down.

“Still beautiful, Duchess Drasia.”

Crack.

In the blazing midday sun bright enough to reveal every tiny speck, the only sound breaking the peace was butterfly wings. In that tranquil moment came the sound of Bella grinding her teeth—crack.

She clearly didn’t like hearing Clementina praised. But Jerbek paid no attention to her reaction. No, perhaps he’d deliberately aimed for that.

Dion and Jerbek looked at each other without even glancing at Bella. “Glared” would be more accurate, but neither intended to hide the fact.

Bella stood in maid’s clothing, having thrown her splendid dress aside in her room, breaking her thumbnails with sharp snaps. Somehow Clementina felt sorry for her and wanted to hold her hand.

Just like Dion always did for Clementina.

“This is Duchess Drasia’s sister. Miss Bella of House Sustain. Did she perhaps offend you?”

“Not at all. Lady Bella was indescribably virtuous.”

“Then you haven’t offended her, have you? Am I worrying needlessly?”

Dion smiled, twisting up one corner of his mouth. Clearly a warning gesture toward Jerbek, but he remained unperturbed.

Jerbek turned toward Bella, waving a fan made of white bird feathers.

“Lady Bella. If I’ve made any mistake, I beg your forgiveness.”

“No! What could the Duke of Kowan possibly have done wrong? Nothing. Of course not.”

Bella shook her head repeatedly with wide eyes.

Even when Jerbek’s attention turned to Dion, Bella didn’t take her eyes off him. The look of a woman terrified of being abandoned—exactly that.

The problem was Jerbek showed no such signs at all.

Clementina sighed briefly where no one could see and pressed her forehead with her hand.

Anyone could see Jerbek intended to toy with Bella, but only Bella didn’t know.

“Then I hope nothing like that happens in the future. Ridiculous rumors shouldn’t spread.”

“Are rumors ever entirely false? They pile lies on top of a bit of truth.”

Dion stepped forward to face Jerbek. His cold blue eyes pressed down on Jerbek’s silver-gray ones. The song spreading from Umbarot Kingdom was surely this bastard’s doing too.

Why did this man torment Dion so?

And how could he be so brazen before Dion? Though he had nothing and always liked puffing himself up, he’d never once been intimidated. Rather, he acted like someone who’d entrusted something to Dion.

Always someone demanding Dion hand over what was his. That was thoroughly disagreeable. So Dion reminded Jerbek every time they met.

Before you were born, everything I had was never yours—not for a single moment have you possessed what’s mine. He wanted to make clear it wasn’t taken but was never his from the start.

He had to make known that the Ronakia Empire Emperor’s throne belonged solely to his brother.

Whether Jerbek lacked understanding or was intoxicated by his own delusions, he never comprehended Dion’s attitude. Perhaps he chose to feign ignorance to the end, clinging to his dreams. His restraint from touching Bella until the end followed the same pattern.