“By the way, I’ve called a painter for the afternoon.”

“But we still have card games left?”

“Today is a special pass.”

“…?”

Audrey tilted her head in confusion.

This was a change to Arnold’s schedule, which had been without a single exception for the past 10 years.

However, the person in question casually replied while munching on a sandwich.

“We should have at least one family portrait! Drey has grown so much.”

“Weren’t we going to have it painted again when Oppa comes out of the magic tower?”

“Hmm. I just thought it would be nice to paint it a little earlier while the idea came to mind.”

“Ah.”

Audrey secretly held back her laughter.

‘He really can’t lie, can he?’

He was trying hard to act nonchalant, but his lie was obvious to anyone.

It seemed like he was hiding something.

For example, good news about coming out of the magic tower soon.

‘Brother is such a fool.’

But Audrey decided to willingly pretend not to notice.

“Father! Come quickly!”

“Yes, I’m coming. Coming.”

Before having the portrait painted, the Kevelson family gathered together to take a family photograph.

It was the first photo they had taken in 10 years.

Count Kevelson acted embarrassed, saying it was unnecessary, but actually spent 30 minutes deliberating between two brooches.

Arnold and Audrey just giggled at their father.

“Now, I’ll take the picture! One, two, three.”

After the bright flash went off.

Count Kevelson was the first to stand up.

He lingered around the photographer and casually broached the subject.

“Ahem. I don’t look too old, do I? I think I might have had my eyes closed.”

“Not at all. You look the same now as you did ten years ago.”

“That’s a relief then.”

“Oh, Father.”

“I was just curious. Just curious.”

At that moment, Arnold’s excited voice could be heard from a distance.

“Father! Drey! The painter is here!”

“My goodness. He’s so restless.”

“Don’t be like that and let’s go over there together. It’s Brother’s wish.”

“If my daughter says we should go, then we must go…”

Count Kevelson allowed himself to be pushed along reluctantly.

However, he was more sincere than anyone when it came to choosing the background.

“Hmm. ‘Forest Path’ is nice, and ‘A Drawing Room’ looks good too… Father, what do you prefer?”

“Since this is a painting that our descendants will see, I think something dignified like ‘A Drawing Room’ would be better. After all, we must maintain the dignity of a Count’s family.”

“Then we’ll use this as the background.”

“Very well. Now, would all three of you please stand in front of the background. My assistant will help you with the poses.”

The portrait session was a series of tedious moments.

While the painter worked on the basic sketch and preliminary work, the three of them stood in front of the backdrop, killing time.

The remaining half of the day passed quickly.

“Drey, my sister.”

“Mmm.”

Just before departing for the magic tower.

Arnold held his sister tightly and wouldn’t let go.

“I wish I could have played with you more.”

“….”

“Why does time go by so quickly?”

But Audrey didn’t scold her brother and stayed quietly in his embrace.

It was because of the regret that always came belatedly whenever she had to send him off.

‘I should have spent more time with Brother…’

In truth, Audrey owed Arnold an enormous debt of gratitude.

And the same would be true for their father.

At 14, Arnold faced a turbulent adolescence with the death of his mother.

But he never showed any sign of it in front of his young sister.

Instead, he would pick up Audrey’s favorite doll and imitate a funny voice.

‘Hello? My name is Dungdungi. I like to eat poop. Yum yum!’

‘Kyaak!’

‘Would you like to eat poop with me?’

His innocent sister would laugh brightly and run around the room.

She would cling to him childishly, saying that she loved her Brother, who played with her, more than anyone else in the world.

But isn’t there something that only becomes visible when you grow up?

There were moments when she suddenly became curious about Arnold from that time.

‘What must have been going through brother’s mind?’

It couldn’t have been easy for a boy of that age to play with his young sister.

She was grateful to Arnold, who always stayed by her side without showing any signs of embarrassment or boredom.

Thanks to her guardian angel-like brother, the young sister was able to grow up without knowing the adults’ sorrow.

But Arnold at that time was also young.

However, he had nowhere to lean on.

His young sister was too young to understand their mother’s death, and their father was so immersed in grief that he didn’t know what to do.

Arnold was always alone.

And by the time the sorrow that had fallen over the Kevelson family had barely begun to lift, he had to part with his family.

It was because his magical powers had manifested.

‘Where did Brother place his heart all this time?’

Whenever Audrey thought of Arnold from that time, her heart ached unbearably.

She also felt guilty for not responding to each of the 70 letters that had arrived without fail every day for 10 years.

“Brother…”

“Yes?”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t reply to many of your letters.”

“Hmm? It’s okay. I can just send more.”

“….”

“Really, it’s okay?”

Audrey hugged her brother tightly with an apologetic heart.

Then she handed him a communication orb that she had prepared in advance.

“This is a communication orb.”

“Huh?”

“With this, you don’t need to send messenger birds. We can talk while seeing each other’s faces.”

“Oho. So it’s a gift from my Drey?”

Arnold examined the unfamiliar communication orb with curiosity.

Then he put on a deliberately serious face.

“But I like messenger birds too. It’s so much fun to read old letters sometimes.”

“You kept all of them?”

“Of course! What kind of brother could throw them away? Letters written by my sister in crooked handwriting.”

“….”

Oh, Brother.

In the end, the two agreed to use a mix of messenger birds and the communication orb.

“Always take care of your health. Even when you’re busy, eat properly, and don’t stay up all night or overexert yourself writing letters. Health comes first.”

“Father, really, am I a child?”

“…Right. That’s right.”

“Stay healthy until we meet again. Both Drey and Father!”

Arnold gave Count Kevelson and Audrey one last tight hug before returning to the magic tower.

The Kevelson family returned to their ordinary daily life after two weeks of busyness.

However, Count Kevelson, having sent off his son, barely touched his dinner.

“You’re not eating more?”

“I just don’t have an appetite.”

“….”

“Arnold must be hungry, too. We should have fed him before sending him off.”

Audrey, who had risen from her seat, hugged her father, who looked bitter.

Then she stayed by his side, chattering about trivial matters for a long time.

It was only after her father had gone to bed early that she went out to meet Charlotte.

***

“Charlotte, what should I do? Things have gotten a bit complicated.”

Audrey reported the situation with a dejected face.

The dubious existence of Emilia, and Claude whose intentions were unclear.

Especially Duke Frith, who charged forward frightfully, was like an obstacle to Audrey.

It was truly gratifying that he liked her, but she couldn’t let him interfere every time like this.

“…I need some kind of plan.”

“It certainly looks that way.”

“What should I do? What would be good? Hmm?”

All of this was because Duke Frith’s feelings toward Audrey were greater than she had thought.

‘This is really troublesome…’

Just over two months, just one letter.

That was all the kindling that had been mistakenly delivered to Duke Frith.

But for whatever reason, he had diligently fueled the fire on his own.

And then he came at Audrey like a large bonfire.

He had fallen completely in love.

“First, calm down. So, the problem now is that you need to get rid of that fierce man, right?”

“Yes, that’s right, but have you seen him before?”

“…Anyway! What about rejecting him directly?”

“That’s a bit difficult.”

Audrey listed the reasons why she couldn’t do that.

“First, I’m concerned about the relationship between our families. What if there are disadvantages for Father or Oppa?”

“That’s true. To put it bluntly, what if he draws his sword because you rejected him?”

“…!”

“Sorry. Forget what I just said.”

But it wasn’t wrong.

He might act benevolently now because he likes Audrey, but who knows how he might react if things go wrong.

She didn’t want to provoke Duke Frith unnecessarily.

“…So, I think the safest method is for me to be rejected.”

“Then there’s nothing I can help you with?”

“Uh, huh? Why?”

Audrey rolled her eyes in complete bewilderment.

Charlotte, who had been cooperative until now, had suddenly drawn a line.

Her haughty crossed legs exuded the aura of a master who had reached the pinnacle of romance.

“I’m sorry, but rejection is not my specialty.”

“….”

“I’m the one who does the rejecting.”

Her red lips curved gracefully.

‘Master…!’

Audrey wanted to kneel down and beg for her teachings right away.

Indeed, Charlotte was the only one she could rely on.

***

The fourth-floor corridor of the ducal mansion was still piled with boxes that hadn’t even been opened yet.

These were the traces of the birthday ball held for the first time in 10 years.

Lucas carefully stepped between the gifts as he approached Duke Frith’s bedroom.

Knock knock.

“Your Grace. It’s Lucas.”

“Enter.”

“There are still gifts in the corridor-, Hieeeek!”

“….”

However, upon seeing his lord’s complexion, the aide’s face turned almost faint.

“Your Grace! Wh-what on earth ha-happened overnight!”

Dark shadows under his eyes.

Bloodshot eyes.

Dry, parched pupils without a hint of moisture.

He looked almost like a walking corpse.

“You’re being dramatic this morning.”

“Did, did you not sleep properly last night?”

“…There was such an occasion.”

Derek carefully held the healing magic stone he had been fiddling with all night and stood up.

Somehow, it seemed to be shinier and more polished than when he had received it.