Zephion stopped walking.

“Why?”

His grip on her shoulder tightened, causing her to flinch slightly.

“Let go, Pipi.”

“What is he to you?”

She hesitated. How much should she say?

Should she say it was just a meeting? That she wanted to talk about marriage?

After a brief moment of deliberation, she made up her mind.

“He might be someone I’ll marry.”

“…What?”

His golden eyes trembled violently.

Reina gently swatted his hand away.

“I can’t keep living like this forever. It’s time I started thinking about marriage.”

“Why now? Why now, of all times?”

Zephion’s face twisted in anguish.

“You’ve never even thought about marriage until now…!”

“Miss, the Duke has arrived.”

A servant quietly announced behind them.

“I understand.”

“Reina!”

She ignored Zephion’s shout and gripped her cane tightly.

“You’re joking, right? Please… tell me it’s a joke!”

“It’s not a joke.”

Would he be horrified if he knew that he was one of the biggest reasons she’d decided to marry? Reina turned away, avoiding the boy desperately clinging to her.

“Reina… you’re not really going to get married, are you?”

How could she convince him?

A storm of emotions swirled in Zephion’s golden eyes—betrayal, fear, despair, confusion, shock. She pretended not to see it.

“You really think that man will let you go?”

Despite despising Kaelid, he mentioned him anyway, shouting almost in a panic.

Reina could tell that he was in a difficult position just from the fact that he’d mentioned Kaelid.

“Reina! At least—at least wait until I’m an adult before you get married!”

Zephion blocked her path. He hesitated, then suddenly dropped to his knees, his lips pressed tightly together.

“Please… just give me a chance. I told you I’d take responsibility for you! I promised!”

His large hands clenched tightly around her dress.

“You’re still just a child.”

Reina said firmly, then gently brushed her hand across his tearful face.

“That’s why I’m getting married. Because you’re still too young.”

“I-I’m not a child! I’ll be an adult soon—really soon!”

She gave a bitter smile. She had no intention of saying everything that was on her mind—nor did she think she could make him understand.

What would Zephion say if she told him that she had dared to dream of something so foolish? That all she wanted was for him to live a normal life? Would he believe her if she said that she wished he could grow up without hatred or revenge, even if it meant abandoning everything she had raised him for? Even if it meant abandoning her own need for vengeance?

She had no words to explain the feeling that had taken root inside her.

Reina gently wiped at the tears welling in his eyes. Her fingertips came away damp.

“Be good, Zephion.”

She spoke softly, like one scolding a child—then quietly walked past him, leaving him kneeling behind her. She could feel his burning gaze stabbing into her back.

***

“You  are more entertaining than I expected.”

Reina said with a soft smile.

The man laughed, clearly pleased.

“Did I come across as that stiff?”

“You’re not exactly the type someone can approach easily, are you?”

“And yet, you still thought to write me a letter.”

“Did you dislike it?”

“Not at all. In fact, I found it intriguing.”

The Duke of Kinanas stepped a little closer to her.

“Now I’m even more curious why you rarely show yourself in society.”

“As you can see.”

She gave a slight shrug and tapped her cane lightly against the floor.

“I imagine there must be a long line of men eager to be your legs.”

“Would you be standing in that line, Your Grace?”

In place of a verbal answer, the duke pressed a kiss to the back of her hand. He hadn’t said outright that he was open to marriage—but his feelings were more than clear.

She had cursed her beauty more times than she could count. But now, it seemed, the day had finally come when it worked in her favor.

It was this very face that had caught Kaelid’s eye—and it might be this very face that would finally let her escape him.

Reina gave a shy smile as she gently withdrew her hand.

“Would you care for a walk?”

“Are you sure it’s all right?”

“If you don’t mind my pace.”

“The slower, the better.”

The duke replied with a soft smile.

With her cane in hand, Reina slowly stepped out into the garden. She wasn’t sure how much he knew about her circumstances, but he kept stealing glances at her face.

Feigning ignorance, she lowered her gaze slightly.

“I meant to stay inside, but I started to feel like I was… in the way.”

“And who would dare say that about you?”

“My brother.”

It took a great deal of resolve to say the word ‘brother’. She had never treated that man as family, nor had she ever addressed him as such.

Reina instinctively clenched her teeth for a moment, then continued as if nothing were wrong.

“He’ll have to settle down someday, and I think my presence makes that harder. After all, if a man has a disabled younger sister, it might make him less appealing as a marriage partner.”

She forced a bitter smile.

Kaelid had never shown the slightest interest in marriage. After all, for him, there had only ever been her. But that didn’t mean he had any intention of actually marrying her.

How could she put it…?

For nobles, marriage was a transaction—and to Kaelid, Reina held no value as a bargaining chip. If marrying another woman had promised greater benefit, he would have done it without hesitation. It was just that no such woman had come along.

‘Still, I suppose I’m lucky. At least I have the title of the Berend family’s daughter.’

Of course, the Duke of Kinanas had no idea she brought nothing—not even a sliver of power—to the table.

In that sense, she was deceiving him. But what else could she do? He was the only one who could help her leave this place.

Eldan wouldn’t care if she got married. Though Kaelid would be furious, there was nothing he could do about it publicly. At least that was fortunate.

“With a sister this beautiful, I doubt he sees you as a burden. If anything, I imagine he only wants to protect you more.”

“Thank you, even if it’s just words.”

As she dipped slightly and lifted her skirt, her cane suddenly slipped. Of all things, there had been a fairly large stone right where she planted it.

“Ah!”

Because she’d been putting weight on the cane, she collapsed straight to the ground with a startled cry. Reina let out an ungraceful yelp as she fell, then quickly lifted her head in alarm.

Zephion was standing right beside her, she hadn’t even noticed when he appeared. At any other time, he would have rushed to offer a hand. But now, he simply stared down at her with a hardened expression.

“Are you all right?”

The duke extended his hand. Though they were standing on grass, the ground beneath was still dirt, and his hand had picked up some soil.

“Thank you.”

Reina gave an awkward smile and reached out to take his hand, but Zephion snatched her hand away first. As if to say it was his responsibility to help her when her leg gave her trouble.

“You can’t even walk without your cane.”

“Who is this?”

“This is Zephion… a child I’ve been looking after.”

“Ah, I see. It’s a pleasure to meet you, young man.”

The duke offered a polite smile as he withdrew his now-soiled hand. However, Zephion’s expression only became more rigid, whether because he was being treated like a child or simply because he disliked the duke was unclear.

“Your dress is dirty.”

He bent slightly and gently brushed off the dirt that had clung to her dress.

“It’s fine. Please don’t—it’ll dirty your hands.”

“It’s all right. Even brushing it off leaves a mark. I’m afraid you’ll need to change.”

“Please wait just a moment.”

“I’ll be waiting with pleasure, I can only imagine how stunning you’ll look next—just thinking about it makes the wait worth it.”

With practiced grace, the duke extended his arm, clearly intending to escort her himself. Reina reached out, but before she could take his arm, Zephion tightened his grip on her hand.

“Zephion, let go.”

However, the boy lifted his chin defiantly, locking eyes with the duke as his expression contorted.