Growing impatient with Cassian’s silence, Sion continued pressing his opinion.

“Regardless of my lady’s wishes, House Valleris or the imperial family could intervene at any moment. If word of her abilities reaches the imperial family, they will attempt to prevent this marriage even if doing so comes at a cost.”

Although they had already held the oath ceremony, the marriage could still be called off at any time if the imperial family or House Valleris intervened.

That was precisely what Avenne feared.

“It would be best to hold the wedding as soon as the one-month restriction following the oath ceremony is lifted.”

Although the curse posed a complication, it should not present much danger since the wedding would take place shortly after the beginning of a new month.

Cassian placed one hand upon the pile of documents.

“You may leave now.”

“Your Grace, please consider what I have said……”

“I will have to announce the marriage in advance through the letters being sent abroad. The letters that have already been dispatched must also be recalled and amended.”

With a weary expression, Cassian pressed his fingers against his temple. He took out the sheet of parchment he had just finished writing and hooked a fountain pen between his calloused fingers.

“So I trust there is no need for me to explain how busy I am.”

A smile spread across Sion’s face as he understood his master’s meaning.

“Yes. Please summon me at any time if you require assistance.”

Having achieved what he wanted, Sion was about to leave the office.

“There is something I want you to investigate first.”

Cassian suddenly called him back.

“Search for any records concerning a white butterfly.”

“A white butterfly, Your Grace? I do not believe there are any records of white butterflies inhabiting the North. It would be even more impossible with winter approaching.”

“I am not referring to an ordinary living butterfly.”

Cassian’s fingers slowly came to a stop upon the documents.

“I have not yet determined its exact nature, but I suspect it may be some kind of spirit or familiar.” Find out if anyone on the ducal estate has seen anything like it recently. Investigate it thoroughly.”

In a sense, finding someone who had seen a butterfly in the north was both the easiest and most difficult task imaginable.

Anyone who saw one would never forget it, but it was unlikely that anyone had seen one in the first place.

At that moment, Sion recalled the duchess rushing out of the conservatory in the middle of the night.

“Come to think of it, I believe my lady mentioned seeing a butterfly.”

Cassian lifted his head in surprise.

“……Avenne did?”

“Yes. She said she had come outside after following a butterfly in the middle of the night. She quickly corrected herself and claimed it had merely been a slip of the tongue, so I did not think much of it at the time…… Is it connected to the curse?”

“I cannot be certain yet.”

Cassian replied flatly, his eyes darkening as though he were recalling what had happened that day.

“But whenever I obeyed Avenne’s commands while transformed into a monster, I saw white butterflies.”

“Is that true?”

“Yes. And strangely enough, whenever those butterflies appeared, the urge to rampage seemed to subside.”

In the quiet office occupied by only the two of them, Cassian recalled the vision of white butterflies fluttering into the air.

He had first seen them when Avenne issued that absurd command.

“Do not bite me, and lie down! Do not get up until I give you permission.”

Whenever Avenvenne gave Cassian an order, white butterflies would flutter towards him.

Her instructions were etched deep in his mind, leaving him with no option but to obey.

At first, he thought it was a magical curse.

After all, the idea of a rampaging monster becoming docile because of a few simple orders defied common sense.

Yet the sensation the butterflies gave him felt more like salvation than a curse.

Beneath the fluttering of those white wings, the impulses that tore at his flesh and twisted his bones subsided instantly.

“Understood. My lady does not appear to know about the butterflies, so I will investigate them myself first.”

After bowing respectfully and wishing Cassian a good day, Sion left the office.

As the door closed, the silence that had been absent only moments earlier descended upon the office.

Cassian put down his fountain pen, rested his chin on the back of his hand, and remained motionless for a long time.

‘To think Avenne saw those butterflies as well.’

So far, Avenne and Cassian were the only confirmed witnesses who had seen the butterflies.

And the butterflies Cassian had seen appeared to be entities that obeyed Avenne’s commands.

‘No, perhaps she might even be their master.’

Could the coincidence that compelled him to obey Avenne’s commands actually have been a miracle rather than an elaborate trap?

The image of Avenne facing his monstrous form suddenly came to mind.

Her face had turned deathly pale with fear.

Yet she had not fled. Recalling her duty swiftly, she reached out without hesitation to accomplish her goal.

Cassian’s gaze slowly lowered towards his wrist.

The injury caused by the sharp restraint pressing into his skin was clearly visible.

***

“We will hold the wedding in fifteen days, as soon as the restriction following the oath ceremony ends.”

That evening, while they were having dinner together, Cassian informed Avenne of their wedding date.

“I see. Is there anything I need to do?”

“I can gather enough guests to ensure your reputation remains untarnished. You need not concern yourself with the attendance.”

Honestly, she had expected Cassian to say something like that.

A man who was reluctant to accept help, even from Avenne — who had come to break his curse — would hardly ask her for help with something as trivial as the guest list.

Avenne merely smiled awkwardly and slowly began to cut her steak.

At that moment, Cassian, who had been sitting rigidly with a vaguely dissatisfied expression, spoke up.

“However, there would be no harm in having more guests.”

“…….”

“So…… I am asking for your help.”

His manner was hardly appropriate for someone requesting a favor.

He had not even properly explained what he was asking her to do.

Yet Avenne lifted the corners of her lips as though even that was enough.

“I will do my best.”

Perhaps it was because he had hurriedly made the request, bearing her earlier advice in mind, but she found him strangely endearing.

There wasn’t a single endearing quality about him, and yet he had somehow seemed almost adorable at that moment.

“Come to think of it, what will you do about your family? Given your circumstances, their absence may cause problems.”

He was asking how she intended to persuade the members of House Valleris to attend the wedding.

Unlike Cassian, Avenne’s family were still alive and well, and her close relationship with her father was widely known throughout high society.

If her closest relatives failed to attend the wedding, Avenne would naturally become the subject of gossip.

“I will handle that matter.”

Avenne had also spent a long time contemplating the issue.

She wanted their marriage to be free of even the slightest blemish.

If Count Valleris did not attend the wedding, people would naturally start to question the validity of their union.

Some might even assume that she had committed a grave offence that had caused her marriage to Victor to be called off.

As the true victim, she did not want to bear the burden of such a misunderstanding.

Moreover, she still needed the Valleris name to introduce Noctaven into high society.

Everything would only proceed smoothly if she succeeded in bringing the count to the wedding.

However, the Count was unlikely to willingly attend the wedding of the daughter who had ruined his marriage to Victor by choosing Noctaven over him.

But before long, someone would come looking for her — and that person would make him act.

“Someone will come looking for me soon anyway.”

Avenne sipped her tea leisurely as she pictured that person’s face.