As we discussed such things while walking through the long corridor covered with dense carpet, a massive door appeared at its end. The palace servants standing on either side of the door deeply bowed at their master’s appearance.

The servants opened the door. Sunlight poured in through the gap.

I curtsied slightly, and Castor took my hand and lightly kissed the back of it. A series of courtesies was performed as naturally as flowing water.

As I tried to withdraw my hand from his grip—

“Well then, Duchess.”

Castor applied pressure to his hand, holding onto the tips of my fingers.

“What do you think about Duke Penvernon?”

“Pardon?”

“I became curious. Do you think he’s happy?”

Rashid……

For a moment, I felt short of breath. It was as if he had thrown a stone into my chest. The ripples that broke the calm surface echoed like an echo, asking again.

Is Rashid happy?

Thinking about it, my current happiness was because of him. In every scene I recalled, Rashid was always by my side.

The stability Rashid gives me. The warmth provided by the time spent with him. When flowers bloom because they bloom, when wind blows because it blows, when snacks are sweet and books are interesting and newly embroidered needlework is beautiful, I felt comfortable being with Rashid.

Sometimes when he showed aspects different from what I expected, his unexpected sides were interesting, and when he was exactly as I imagined, I was happy, feeling like I understood him better.

But why is that happiness to me?

Because I have no inconvenience in food, clothing, and shelter? Because life is comfortable? Because I’m surrounded by valuable things and live luxuriously?

The more I think about the reasons, the heavier my ankles feel, as if sinking in water. It felt like being swallowed by a bottomless swamp.

Rashid, is he happy? Why? Because of what?

“What do you think?”

Castor smiled and urged an answer.

I couldn’t say anything.

* * *

“Going so far as to see someone off, when you’re not that free. What are you plotting?”

Jeanne shot a cold look at her brother. Knowing what kind of person he was, her gaze grew even colder.

Castor, who had returned to the Imperial Princess’s reception room after seeing Alisa off, maintained his usual gentle expression, unbothered.

“I don’t understand what you mean, sister.”

The artificially bright face had now completely stuck to her brother’s face like a mask he couldn’t remove. Could he even make other expressions anymore? That constancy was now frightening.

He was a pureblood of the imperial family, born destined to become Emperor. From the beginning, he was an existence meant to reign, always having to sit alone in an elevated place. That unchanging face, that composure that never showed true feelings, must be a habit born from that.

Though she knew this, sometimes Jeanne found it incredibly frustrating and painful.

“Stop pretending not to know. Other people’s jewels seem unnecessarily bright only because they’re not yours.”

“If it were mine, it might shine even brighter.”

“You should consider the owner’s feelings too.”

“The jewel might choose its own owner.”

“That’s excessive confidence.”

Jeanne clicked her tongue. Her brother, while maintaining an extremely benevolent face, was more calculating than anyone. If necessary, he would discard people without hesitation, and feel no guilt while doing so.

‘This isn’t normal.’

He must have completely lost his mind by now. There’s no other explanation for this behavior.

“Don’t harbor unnecessary greed.”

“Do you know what happens when you want something but can’t have it?”

“Why don’t you think of it as learning how to give up? You haven’t had much experience with that. Consider it receiving valuable teaching, that too would be meaningful.”

Castor just smiled calmly as always. Seeing him hide his true intentions even from his sister, Jeanne shuddered.

She knew when he acted like this. He was being stubborn right now.

“When you don’t even really want it.”

With the maid dismissed, only the two of them remained in the room. Jeanne poured the tea herself. After the trickling sound of tea being poured, the room fell into silence.

She stared directly at Castor. He met her gaze briefly before turning his head away.

“…… You just hate that person. That’s why you want to hurt him somehow.”

“Do you admit it could hurt him?”

“Of course.”

The rumor that Rashid Penvernon was devoted to his wife was quite public. Since he didn’t try to hide such inclinations, and since he quietly allowed Alisa to buy plenty of dresses and jewels and acquire mines and villas, people came to think he must cherish his wife.

Extravagance, waste…… Well, it’s the House of Penvernon after all. Especially for a wife who receives her husband’s favor.

And since she had shown remarkable insight and even made profits, people could no longer simply criticize her as a foolish and base woman.

Originally, Rashid Penvernon was a man who had little to fear. Though he became Duke after killing his brother, he didn’t seem to have any lingering ambition for the position. He seemed like a man who just drifted along wherever fate led him.

But now Alisa Penvernon had become that man’s weakness. Perhaps his only, truly vulnerable weak point.

No one expected Rashid would develop such a thing. No one could have imagined he would cherish and treasure a wife from a political marriage so much.

‘So naturally they want to stab that tender flesh.’

People like Father or Brother…… those who want to make that man kneel and tame him.

“Yes. That must be it.”

“She’s my friend.”

“I know.”

Castor snickered, suddenly reminded of a certain conversation. The strong assertion of a certain man claiming that pink-haired woman as his own once again brought a sneer to his lips.

“What are you planning?”

“You’ll see in time.”

“Brother!”

“Don’t worry so early, Jeanne. Nothing will happen.”

Yes, at least for now……

Finding those words rather ominous, Jeanne frowned.

Castor propped his chin and leaned closer to her.

“You seem more energetic after the Duchess’s visit.”

“Do I? I think I’m the same as usual.”

“Haven’t you been worried lately?”

“…… I can’t deny that.”

“When do you plan to tell me?”

Jeanne gave a bitter smile.

“Don’t you need a reason to suspect others?”

“Not easy to wait.”

“You seem to lack patience too, Brother.”

At this cold rebuke, Castor instead smiled pleasantly. It was an expression that came from genuine feelings.

“I’ll try to endure just this once.”

He straightened his back and looked around. The Imperial Princess’s reception room was a refreshing space decorated to her taste.

He liked this place that was so like Jeanne, with nothing false or unnatural about it. He even welcomed her words and actions that pointedly called out the mask he wore. That’s why he felt somewhat better when he was here.

“Yes…… I feel good.”

“What?”

“They say these moments accumulate to create happiness.”

“What are you talking about?”

Jeanne lightly tapped the table with a face full of suspicion. The sunlight filtering through the curtains drew a long line across her hand.

Castor, who had been quietly watching that, stood up and threw open the curtains. Light poured into the room.

* * *

“You’re late.”

When I arrived at the mansion with complicated feelings, Rashid was waiting outside the front gate.

Perhaps because I had been thinking about him the whole way back, my heart beat faster when I saw him. It felt like my heart was startled to suddenly encounter the protagonist who had occupied my thoughts.

“What brings you here?”

As I asked while getting out of the carriage, he came closer and extended his hand. I took it.

“I was about to go pick you up.”

“Did something happen?”

“No.”

“Then why……”

“Because you weren’t coming.”

“What?”

“I was wondering when you’d return.”

Is he scolding me? But it’s still daylight, and it’s not like we had any appointment. I found it difficult to understand his mood.

“Did you meet the Crown Prince?”

“Ah, yes. Briefly.”

Then Rashid interlocked our fingers.

“I should have gone with you.”

I shrugged my shoulders lightly.

“I just saw him briefly before leaving. Should you not have let me?”

“I’ll try to accompany you from now on whenever possible.”

“You must be busy.”

“It’s fine.”

I feel like I’m being overprotected. It seems he dislikes my contact with Castor itself. Did something happen between them? Should I ask? I kept pondering as we entered the mansion.

But that concern was soon forgotten. When we entered the living room together, I saw an interior that looked like it had been hit by a bomb. Various decorations were overturned everywhere, and flowers that had escaped their vase lay scattered on the table.

“What, what is this?”

When I asked, unable to hide my bewilderment, Rashid answered very calmly.

“Ah, until just now I was looking for what you mentioned.”

No, but still! I rolled my eyes, annoyed at his proud expression after making such a mess of the living room.

Sighing, I called for the maid outside.

The maid who came in seemed just as shocked as I had been earlier, but she succeeded in responding calmly without showing such emotions.

“Let’s go to the bedroom while they clean up.”

After asking the impressively patient maid to tidy up, I moved locations. He docilely followed behind me.

Rashid had been preoccupied lately with finding the four-leaf clover I had hidden.

One day he spent the entire afternoon walking around the garden, and another day he even came to lurk around my bedroom. He even checked the stables and kitchen.

‘He really wants to find it.’

Though his excessive enthusiasm was somewhat surprising, I was pleased that he was seriously playing along with my game.

After searching here and there for a while and bringing out various things, Rashid soon started making disappointed sounds.

“There are too few clues.”