[Dear Michael,

A fire in your territory? Oh, dear. Are there any injured people? I believe you’ll take good care of your people as you’re an excellent lord.

Since your territory is not far from our Notrisha territory, would you give my regards to Father if you have time? I’ll be hoping you finish your work safely and that I can see you.

From your Catherine]

⁕⁕⁕

[To my Catherine,

The weather is getting cold, Catherine. Summer is almost over, so make sure to dress warmly. You absolutely must not catch a cold. My schedule is taking longer than expected. I hope I can return soon and see you…

P.S. Are you feeling well?

From Michael who misses you]

⁕⁕⁕

[Dear Michael,

I don’t remember the last time we were apart for this long. Our territories are close to each other, and we used to go there together.

It’s already been a month, Michael.

I wonder what’s keeping you there for so long.

From your Catherine]

⁕⁕⁕

[To my Catherine,

The territory… the fire is fine. It’s been resolved well. Another matter is taking longer than expected. But I think that will be resolved soon too. No, it has to be.

By the way, Catherine, you’re not sick anywhere, are you? Why won’t you answer that? Are you feeling unwell somewhere? Please, tell me you’re safe and not sick.

From Michael who is concerned about your well-being]

⁕⁕⁕

“…Hmm.”

Catherine read Michael’s last reply for a long time, reading it again and again, raising one eyebrow meaningfully.

“He does seem concerned about me…”

She folded Michael’s letter and tapped on the table.

‘Fire? No, I haven’t heard about any major fire?’

Lady Macbeth, whom she met the other day, was located in North Torios, between the Notrisha family territory and Michael’s personal territory.

It was a transportation hub, good for hearing various news, and Lady Macbeth, who had spent the summer there, had just come up to the capital a few days ago.

Catherine, who had occasionally met with her since childhood due to their close territories, asked about news of Michael’s territory when they met after a long time.

Lady Macbeth’s family also published newsletters, so she was well-versed in various rumors and scandals.

According to her, there was no news of a fire in Michael’s territory, that is, the Allegroy region. Especially not a fire big enough for the lord himself to come down and assess the damages.

After hearing her words, Catherine became puzzled.

Was Lady Macbeth lying? If not, it meant that Michael was lying to Catherine.

But no matter how she thought about it, there was no reason for Macbeth, who had returned to the capital a few days ago, to lie to Catherine.

When she met Lady Macbeth last winter, the two had chatted for hours about desserts, enjoying themselves, and parted with smiles promising to meet the next year.

And a few days ago, when they met again after a year, Macbeth hugged Catherine tightly, saying she had missed her so much.

Catherine didn’t dare to be certain, but she didn’t think the bright smile Macbeth gave her was a lie. Moreover, Lady Macbeth was as simple and innocent as herself. That’s why they got along so well.

So then…

“It means Michael is lying.”

But why? For what reason?

Similarly, there was no reason for Michael to lie to her.

‘…But that’s just my thought. He might have his own reasons.’

The two had spent a night so lewd and sticky that they couldn’t tell anyone about it. That night was too impure to even mention how they cherished each other. And since that night, Catherine hadn’t seen him once.

Could it be that he was avoiding her because of what happened that night?

“Why?”

Was there something wrong with that night? But that didn’t seem right…

Catherine hadn’t forgotten Michael’s desire-filled expression as he looked at her.

Things like Michael’s firm grip on her b*ttocks whenever she squirmed, and those greedy kisses where he sucked on her tongue.

“Hmm.”

Catherine, who had been tapping the letter, sat at her desk and took out a snow-white quill.

To understand Michael’s true feelings, she needed to summon him before her.

Catherine began to write his name with a trembling quill.

⁕⁕⁕

[Dear Michael,

I’m sorry, Michael. I made you worry.

Yes, I’ve been a bit sick. I caught a cold after being in the chilly wind. Unfortunately, I’m still bedridden.

But Allen says I’ll be able to get up tomorrow, which is such a relief. I’m supposed to go to Lady Macbeth’s masquerade party in ten days.

I’m really looking forward to it. They say many interesting things happen at masquerade parties. The days without you have been so boring and unbearable…

I miss our occasional chess games and reading time in the garden so much.

I wish you would come soon, Michael.

P.S. Oh, by the way. That night, since we spent two nights together, should we count it as two times? Or since we were together for three days, should we consider all three times done?

I’d like to know what you think, Michael. It seems too hard to wait for too long.

From your Catherine]

⁕⁕⁕

“BANG!”

As soon as he read Catherine’s letter, Michael jumped to his feet. His face turned pale and contorted anxiously.

I knew this would happen. I knew it.

“D*mn it, Catherine…!”

Michael paced around the spot with uneasy steps, clenching his roughened fist. His sunken heart wouldn’t easily calm down.

Michael glanced out the window. The face of a thin, haggard man appeared.

In that short time of just under two months, Michael’s face, which Catherine had called sacred, had become much rougher.

Though he couldn’t write it in his letter, the hardships he had endured over the past two months were not trivial.

To catch a silver fox, he endured in a deep cave in the Cosantia Mountains, where they say the eternal snow never melts, without eating or sleeping.

For ten days.

He barely caught the miraculously appearing silver fox by crawling after it. Even catching it in just ten days was lucky.

Since he had to capture it alive without taking its life, Michael had to capture the fox with his whole body. Thinking this might be his last chance to catch the creature, he clung to it as if he would die.

The fox scratched and bit him. It kicked and resisted wildly. His forehead was torn by the fox’s claws, and his shoulder was twisted from rolling on the ground. Blood dripped from his fingers bitten by the fox, but he never let go.

After fifteen days of such hardship, he finally caught the fox and brought it to Count Notrisha.

“…You look terrible.”

Count Notrisha, that is, Catherine’s father, didn’t even glance at the beautiful captured fox and only looked at Michael’s ragged appearance.

He had a face of disbelief that Michael had actually caught it, even though he himself had asked him to do so.

He looked at him with a complicated expression for a moment, then touched his forehead and only told him to go get treatment and rest.

Having known Count Notrisha for as long as Michael and Catherine had been close, the count was like an uncle to him. The same was true for the count. He felt conflicted seeing Michael, who was like his nephew, come to catch a fox in such a miserable state at his request.

He thought that would be the end of it. But Michael’s hardships didn’t end there.

Count Notrisha, who had been half-doubtful when he asked Michael to catch the fox, began to test him in earnest.

“Try to defeat me. You’re young, so you should easily be able to give this old knight at least one scratch. Don’t go easy on me because I’m old, come at me with all your strength.”

Count Notrisha was a Margrave. He was a veteran who had faced the most ferocious barbarians on the frontier.

Though his territory was now stable and the barbarians had been absorbed into the kingdom, Count Notrisha had once been quite an infamous military officer.

For Michael, who had grown up as a capital nobleman, to challenge him, even though he was said to be skilled with a sword, was a reckless act.

But Michael sparred with him every day without a single complaint.

Although he had been considered quite skilled during his academy days, he was just a puppy compared to the veteran who had fought hundreds of real battles.

Michael was defeated again and again. When his body was too damaged, he would go to his own territory to handle affairs there, and when his body recovered, he would rush back to Notrisha’s domain and clash swords with the count all day.

Another fifteen days passed like that.

Clang—!

Without hoping for luck or using cheap tricks, but by honestly figuring out the count’s sword techniques and memorizing his habits, he managed to exploit a single opening.

It was just a small wound on the thigh, but he succeeded in surprising Count Notrisha.

“You, Michael, you’re quite talented with the sword too.”

“You flatter me. I was just desperate.”

“…Desperate, huh.”

Count Notrisha smiled as if he liked that one word. At his smile, Michael thought everything was finally over. But the count presented one more condition.

“Weren’t you two friends? Prove to me that your feelings are not friendship but love. Just convince me.”

That was a much more difficult condition than the previous two.

Michael was not good with words. How could he express love beyond simply saying it was love? He was confused, wandering for days.

“I love Catherine. Sincerely.”

…he said, but Count Notrisha just smiled enigmatically without giving any answer. Well, anyone can say they love someone. Even if it’s just friendship, one can say such words.

While he was agonizing over this, it was already approaching two months since he had left the capital.

And Catherine, unable to endure those two months, sent word that she was going to a masquerade party. Saying she would quench her boredom without him through a dangerous party.