Ribeta asked nothing more. Pressing Diego with questions he hadn’t invited was not the right thing to do. But the stinging pain in her chest refused to fully fade.

Strange. The Count being on good terms with His Majesty and Her Highness is a good thing. So why does it feel like this…… this reluctance. And she had no right to feel it in the first place.

Ribeta wanted to shake off this arrogant, inexplicable feeling as quickly as possible. Then a thought came to her. A way to help the busy Diego. Something more practical and concrete than simply lending him her lap.

“Would it be all right if I attended the charity party in your place?”

Diego opened his eyes and looked at her. His expression seemed to ask what she was talking about, and Ribeta shrank slightly, but she had already started, so she pressed on.

“I thought that if I went in your place, greeted Her Highness briefly, and delivered the donation, you wouldn’t need to set aside the time. I’m sorry if I overstepped.”

“You’re not uncomfortable at those kinds of events?”

“I am, but…… if there’s something I can do, I want to do it. Greeting Her Highness isn’t that difficult.”

Diego studied Ribeta as she spoke carefully. He was someone who made decisions quickly and cleanly, and every time he went silent like this, Ribeta found herself gripped by a helpless anxiety.

Was it a foolish thing to say? Should she ask him to forget it? Countless unspoken words drifted through her mind when Diego reached out. His fingertips brushed lightly against her cheek.

“I really do want you for myself.”

“……”

“The more I see you, the more I want. Sometimes it’s hard to hold back.”

The words were direct enough to pass for a confession of love, and Ribeta’s eyelashes trembled.

Diego stroked the faintly reddened corner of her eye and withdrew his hand.

“You haven’t overstepped at all. You’re my wife. You’re welcome at any event.”

“…… Then, if you don’t mind, I’ll go in your place.”

“I’d appreciate that. If you’re all right with it.”

“Yes. More than all right.”

Ribeta nodded, and Diego smiled with quiet satisfaction and closed his eyes again.

“Thank you. You’ve taken a weight off my shoulders.”

Diego’s soft voice settled clearly in her ears.

The word thank you from him was what she loved most. She knew she would never hear the words she truly wanted. But thank you was sincere, and it meant she had been of use to him, and that was why she treasured it.

It felt like permission to stay by his side.

Ribeta gathered her courage and lightly touched Diego’s hair with her fingertips. She couldn’t feel any warmth, but the moment of contact was so joyful it nearly overwhelmed her. Diego lay still, as though allowing her touch.

For a while, the two of them shared each other’s warmth and passed the quiet night together.

❀❀❀

Dressed and ready, Ribeta came down to the front entrance on the first floor with Luna.

The party was hosted by Princess Celestina, but the venue was not the imperial palace. It was a villa outside the palace grounds. Even so, it was an event with imperial family in attendance, so the number of people she could bring was limited. She would be accompanied by Luna and two men who would serve as both coachmen and guards.

“Why is there no sign of Diego when the lady is going out?”

“It seemed like he came in late last night. He must be exhausted from all the work, so let’s go quietly on our own.”

“Shouldn’t you both be going together for something like this?”

Luna grumbled, and Ribeta smiled at her gently.

She was about to step through the door Luna had opened when a warm voice called out from behind her.

“My dear.”

It was Diego.

His expression was relaxed, but he looked drained. She hadn’t thought much of the empty bed beside hers when she woke up, since that was common enough, but it seemed he had come in and then shut himself in his study to work through the night.

“Count, haven’t you slept?”

“I caught some rest here and there, so I’m fine. I nearly got so buried in work that I missed seeing my wife off.”

He said it warmly and took her hand, pressing his lips to the back of it.

“I should be going with you, and instead I’m sending you alone. It doesn’t sit well with me.”

“I’m only going to greet Her Highness, so I’ll be back quickly. It’s somewhere new, so I’m looking forward to it too. Please don’t worry.”

“Your devoted Luna doesn’t seem to share that view.”

True to his words, Luna was standing behind Ribeta with wide, sharp eyes fixed on Diego. Ribeta glanced back at her and smiled quietly.

Diego tugged her hand gently to bring her attention back to him.

“Luna’s abilities are beyond question, but don’t let your guard down. Stay close to her at all times.”

“Yes. I understand.”

“I’ll come to pick you up when it’s over. Come back with me.”

“Are you sure? Please don’t push yourself on my account……”

“I want to see you sooner. Luna, send word as soon as it’s done.”

Luna didn’t answer. It was her own quiet protest against Ribeta being sent to the party alone.

Diego watched Luna, who had somewhere along the way started looking after Ribeta more than him, and gave a small laugh. He pressed his cheek to each of Ribeta’s in turn. To anyone watching, it looked exactly like a devoted couple’s farewell.

Not just to anyone watching. Even Ribeta was nearly fooled.

“Just greet Her Highness and come back, my dear.”

“I…… I’ll be off.”

The carriage was waiting outside. Luna climbed in beside her and grumbled.

“What good is sending just the carriage. Diego should be in here with us. Saying he wants to see you sooner sounds like a lie.”

“He’s such a busy person. I’m already grateful for this much.”

“You’re far too lenient with Diego, my lady. Please don’t end up like my brother Luca.”

Ribeta knew well enough that Luca served Diego with complete loyalty. She only smiled, and Luna turned away with a huff, telling her not to smile.

The carriage had been rolling along smoothly for some time when it came to an abrupt stop. Ribeta had been leisurely watching the scenery outside and lost her balance. Luna reacted quickly and caught her before she hit the floor.

“Thank you. What happened?”

“I’ll go find out.”

The grumbling attitude from moments ago was gone entirely. Luna checked the outside situation through the window first, then opened it slightly. The voice of Mario, one of the coachmen, came through in a startled shout.

“What do you think you’re doing, jumping in front of the carriage! You could have been killed!”

“I, I’m sorry. But my dad…… my dad……”

It was a child’s voice, filled with tears. Ribeta looked at Luna.

Luna gave a nod and stepped out of the carriage.

Ribeta was curious about what was happening, but she waited quietly inside. Acting on her own judgment when someone was protecting her would only make things worse. Through the open window, fragments of the conversation between Luna and the child drifted in.

She couldn’t make out the exact words, but the desperation in the child’s tearful voice was unmistakable. It was not something she could turn away from.

The door opened again and Luna came back in. Her expression was dark. Dark enough that anyone, not just Ribeta, would notice immediately. Ribeta asked carefully.

“What’s happened?”

“The child says a sick father is at home. She tried to ask for help from people nearby and no one would listen, so she came out to the road and jumped in front of our carriage because it looked expensive.”

Ribeta was quiet for a moment.

Luna could predict well enough what Ribeta would say. Something about how jumping in front of a carriage was dangerous, how the child could have been hurt.

Accidents involving commoners or slaves being struck by nobles’ carriages were not uncommon. About half were genuine accidents, and the other half were people deliberately throwing themselves in front of carriages. Word had spread like useful information that getting hit by a carriage meant receiving at least some compensation.

Once nobles became aware of this, many stopped showing concern when someone was struck and instead dismissed them as fraudsters. A vicious cycle in every sense.

But when Ribeta spoke, her voice was calm and composed, and her words were nothing like what Luna had expected.

“I’d like to meet the child myself.”