“I’ve known you for a long time, Michael.”

“……”

“Despite that, I put you through various tests when you rushed here saying you couldn’t bear to see someone else marry Catherine. Don’t you resent me for making you go through unnecessary hardship?”

Michael didn’t think the Count hated him. Nor was he trying to scold him.

Michael could have refused him at any time, but he didn’t because he wanted to put the Count’s mind at ease.

Yet even though he hadn’t passed the final test, the Count’s eyes had become much more relaxed.

“…Kid, you’re allowed to hate me.”

Count Notrisha had watched Michael grow up, if not like his own son, then like a nephew.

For the Count who had no son, Michael, who always held Catherine’s hand tightly, had always given him comparable satisfaction and contentment.

When the two children he loved most wanted to love each other… how could he stop them?

The Count suddenly raised his head with a doubt that occurred to him.

“But does Catherine love you too?”

Michael, who had been quiet, smiled slightly.

“I’ll have to make it so.”

“What?”

“Well, she seems to almost love me already……”

At Michael’s absurd answer, Count Notrisha laughed helplessly and kicked Michael’s shin.

“What are you doing? Then hurry up and make sure of Catherine’s heart. Go, quickly. I’ll put Catherine’s marriage arrangements on hold.”

The Count, who had flopped back onto the bed, waved his hand dismissively to send Michael away. Just before opening the door to leave, Michael turned to look at the Count lying down.

“Thank you, Count.”

The door closed quietly with a click. Lying still in the dark room, the Count chuckled and muttered:

“Ordinary yet special… That’s a good way to put it.”

Yes…

Love her in an ordinary yet special way.

⁕⁕⁕

Lady Macbeth’s masquerade ball was splendid.

It was only natural, as it was a ball deliberately organized by the Macbeth family, who ran one of the largest trading companies in the kingdom.

Since it was an event to promote mysterious fabrics from exotic lands across the sea that the Macbeth trading company had recently acquired, everything was gorgeous and attracted public attention. Naturally, the dress code was set as “exotic or never-before-trendy.”

The Macbeth trading company released a large number of items that would entice noble ladies to coincide with the date of the ball.

The items sold out as soon as they were released. People went wild even for a single accessory sold by Macbeth, and servants had to struggle to find the items their masters wanted.

With just one ball, the trading company could earn enormous profits.

Catherine also had a dress made from fabric Lady Macbeth had gifted her. She layered the golden fabric full of exotic patterns over a red dress similar to her hair color.

It was a stylish dress that captured attention without being excessively flashy. Laura and Cindy had greatly helped with the its creation.

Having heard “you’re pretty,” “you’re the best,” “it’s a shame Michael can’t see you like this,” and “you look amazing” so many times during the carriage ride that she could grow calluses in her ears, Catherine felt that her reflection in the window looked quite impressive.

But what did it matter? Michael, whom she wanted to show this appearance to, was nowhere to be seen…

“…Hmm.”

Catherine took a sip of her wine and looked around. She had been feeling several glances directed at her for a while now. Some were from men, others from women.

Men were one thing, but… why did that woman keep staring?

Catherine stared back at the woman who was openly watching her from a short distance away. When their eyes met, the pink lips beneath the beautiful butterfly mask curved upward slightly. The woman smiled brightly and approached Catherine.

“Your dress is very pretty. Did you purchase it from the Macbeth trading company as well?”

The woman’s voice, which addressed her without hesitation, was clear like rolling beads.

Ah, she must have been curious about the dress. Catherine engaged in conversation with the woman without any suspicion.

“Yes, a friend gave it to me as a gift. My maid is very skilled with her hands and added beautiful lace to it.”

“My, she must be very talented. It looks bright yet gives off a dignified atmosphere. I don’t think I’ve seen you at a masquerade ball before… You don’t appear often, do you? Perhaps you’ve come from far away?”

“No, that’s not it… I’m just not one to enjoy parties.”

The butterfly-masked woman naturally raised her glass, and the two clinked their glasses.

As they conversed, the woman had somehow linked arms with Catherine and was leading her to the terrace.

Catherine glanced back briefly to look at Laura, who was waiting with the bag she had brought just in case. Laura nodded, keeping her eyes fixed on Catherine’s position.

“It’s a bit hot in there. Coming out here is refreshing.”

“Indeed.”

“Actually, even though it’s a masquerade ball, everyone knows each other. The masks are just a small blindfold for them. Pretending not to know even when you do, pretending not to have seen even when you have…”

The butterfly-masked woman, who had been chuckling, suddenly grabbed Catherine’s hand.

Her white, soft hand was not as small as Catherine had expected. The woman’s fingertips unhesitatingly slipped between Catherine’s fingers and interlocked them.

“But… you’re truly unfamiliar. Your unfamiliarity makes you even more attractive. Everyone has been stealing glances at you while pretending not to. Wondering who this pretty young lady with the feathered mask might be…”

Catherine was bewildered.

She could see heat gathering in the woman’s eyes as she moved closer.

W-what on earth is going on?

Catherine’s pupils darted around as she struggled to grasp the situation. The woman smiled brightly and glanced over Catherine’s shoulder. Then someone entered, pushing aside the curtain.

“She’s right. I too was very curious about where this beautiful young lady had been hiding all this time. If Nana hadn’t beaten me to it, I’m certain I would have approached you first.”

And who is this man?

Catherine looked at the man who naturally put his arm around the waist of the woman who had introduced herself as Nana and kissed her hair.

Even with the mask on, his handsome appearance was evident. He was tall with a good build, but not as impressive as Michael.

By coincidence, the man’s eyes were also blue. They were a lighter, sky blue, different from Michael’s, but enough to remind her of him.

Catherine found herself staring intently at the man’s eyes as he approached.

Had he misinterpreted her gaze? The man took one of Catherine’s hands that Nana had been holding and kissed the back of it.

His faint breath clung stickily to the thin lace glove. Catherine flinched as she felt his fingertips tracing the pulsing veins below her wrist and tried to withdraw her hand, but it was held too tightly to pull away.

“Don’t be afraid. I simply… have an interest in you, my lady.”

“We’re siblings. Although we have different mothers… Ray and I get along very well. Well enough to share everything.”

As they said this, the half-siblings looked into each other’s eyes and smiled. Their smiles seemed somewhat similar.

Then both of them looked at Catherine simultaneously. Nana was the one who approached. She briefly kissed Catherine’s cheek and whispered:

“What happens here, in this moment, can remain buried beneath the mask. As I said earlier, we can know each other yet pretend not to. It’s also convenient to pretend not to recognize each other later even if we do. So… tonight, we can create as many secrets as we want, my lady.”

…No matter how innocent Catherine might be, she couldn’t fail to understand what this meant. Her cheeks flushed. Nana looked at her as if finding it cute.

“S-so now… like this, together… creating… secrets…?”

Surprised, Catherine stammered and pointed her finger at the man, the woman, and herself, counting the three of them. The man casually shrugged and added playfully that four would be fine too if she preferred.

She must be crazy!

Catherine stepped back with round eyes. On one hand, she felt curious.

No, wait… is it possible with three people? And even four people?

Her rapidly beating heart urged her that maybe she should try it once, but part of her also felt a strange aversion to the thought of engaging in that intimate act with someone other than Michael.

“We’re very good at it.”

Nana whispered playfully. Catherine, who had been blinking rapidly, looked back and forth between Nana and Ray with an expression that said “what should I do about this?” It was then that—

“No matter how good they are, they can’t please you better than I can.”

Huff!

With an urgent, heavy breath, someone strode onto the terrace.

It was a voice and scent she knew well.

Her heart responded first, pounding loudly before she even needed to turn around. A hot, large hand wrapped around Catherine’s waist and pulled her away from the man and woman.

“And… I don’t like groups of four.”

Michael, who had pulled Catherine tightly to his side, bit her earlobe and whispered her name like a passing breeze.

“Cathy……”

At that whispered sound, Catherine hunched her shoulders and looked up at him.

The ocean-blue eyes she briefly met were the ones she knew so well. Like blue jewels, like the blue sky, like the sea she had once seen below the cliffs of Roaca…

Michael brushed back his sweat-dampened hair irritably and glared at the surprised siblings.

“So look for someone else.”

His hand pulling her along conveyed his impatience. Even with an ordinary black mask, Michael radiated light.

Curious eyes followed the two as they practically fled the ballroom, Catherine’s wrist firmly in Michael’s grip.

Among them was Lady Macbeth, who had invited Catherine to this place. She waved her fingers at her with a pleased expression.

It seemed that Lady Macbeth was the one who had let Michael in despite his complete failure to match the dress code. It was obvious she would be smiling with an intrigued expression behind her ornate mother-of-pearl mask.

Dozens of faces flashed by as Catherine was led out of the hall by Michael’s hand. In the distance, behind a pillar, she could see Laura hurriedly following them.

And finally, they escaped the noisy hall and entered a quiet corridor.