I inhaled sharply, startled by the unexpected voice.

“D-Duke? What are you doing here?”

Ilion was sitting in a chair, looking at me.

“I was waiting for you to return.”

“……”

Why didn’t you at least turn on the lights while waiting? It’s scary to wait in the dark like that.

“H-Have you been waiting long?”

“You said you’d be back by dinner, yet you show up in the middle of the night.”

In his hand was the note I had left for Lily.

“W-Well, that’s……”

“Were you meeting Michael again?”

“Of course not. Sir Michael? Really?”

Thinking I might have been caught already, I hurriedly shook my head.

“Well. If not Michael, I wonder how you left the mansion. Perhaps you have some artifact I don’t know about?”

“I’m not sure what you mean……”

I tried to brush off the situation with an awkward laugh, but Ilion’s expression remained stern.

He stood up and walked towards me. His approach resembled that of a grim reaper.

Just as I was thinking that if he only had a scythe, he’d be the perfect image of death, he stopped in front of me.

“Fearing you might have some misguided thoughts, I searched the mansion thoroughly. But it seems my worries were unfounded.”

As he said this, Ilion clenched his fist. The note in his hand was mercilessly crumpled. Is it just my imagination that my future might not be much different from that scrap of paper?

“……”

“Don’t you think an explanation is in order?”

Ilion’s tone was menacing. It had been so long since I’d seen this expression on his face that it felt almost unfamiliar.

Unconsciously, I wiped my sweaty palms on my clothes.

I had somewhat anticipated this situation even before leaving the house.

But the reality was indeed different from what I had expected.

I looked at Ilion, trying to compose myself.

I thought this was a conflict we’d have to face eventually. To unravel the tangled story and for him to find his place, our relationship needed to be severed once.

I had just been hesitating about when would be the best time, but reality pushed me into a corner, as if whipping my indecision.

As it always did.

“I just went out for a bit. It was boring staying in the mansion. When I thought about it, I realized there was no reason to be confined like this.”

I answered his question, trying to act as nonchalantly as possible. Ilion just listened to my words silently.

“Day after day, living a life worse than a caged bird, how could I endure it?”

“……I was too harsh. But……”

“No, Duke. There’s no need to apologize.”

I quickly cut off his words, as if I didn’t want to hear them.

Having seen the report about Bert and knowing that the culprit was still at large, I could guess why the confinement was prolonged.

He must be worried that I might get caught up in another incident. Although the protection was a bit excessive, I wasn’t so foolish as to not notice that.

So I didn’t listen. Because if I did, I felt my resolve might weaken.

“To be honest, I’m tired of pretending anymore. So, Duke.”

Steadying my wavering heart once more, I looked directly at him. His eyes began to tremble slowly, anticipating what I was about to say.

“I request to break off our engagement.”

His lips moved a few times, seemingly choosing his words.

“Why……”

And he finally managed to utter a word.

Looking at him still unable to recover from the shock, I burst into laughter as if to show off.

“Why, you ask? As you know, Duke, my parents are quite insistent, aren’t they? We’ve already received money we can’t repay, and we can’t return it, so what choice do we have?”

“……”

Deliberately ignoring Ilion, who was slowly becoming rigid, I continued.

“So I endured, but then I realized that it’s too precious to waste my life by your side. So, if I had to say… it’s for freedom? And, of course, to find true love as well.”

“……Is that Michael?”

“I told you, it’s not Sir Michael.”

I quickly denied it, fearing unnecessary trouble might arise.

I’m not sure if he believed me or not, but Ilion was still struggling to suppress his surging emotions.

“Breaking off the engagement. It’s not as simple as you think.”

“I know. If it’s about compensation……”

“Do you think that’s all there is to it?”

His eyes, brimming with emotion, were looking at me fiercely.

“How do you plan to account for the fact that you’ve been deceiving me all this time, and all the incidents I’ve been cleaning up after you?”

“……”

I could only close my mouth at this sudden counterattack.

As I bit my lip unconsciously, pondering how to answer, Ilion, not missing my reaction, pressed me once more.

“Are you getting cold feet now? It seems you don’t realize who you’re dealing with.”

How could I not know that you’re someone who would do it if you said you would? It’s because I know that I’m doing this.

As I stared into space for a while, avoiding Ilion’s gaze, a softened voice was heard from above.

“……Just lie to me.”

What does that mean….. I looked at Ilion, unable to understand his words.

“Tell me you did this because you wanted my attention again…… Say that.”

“……”

“Didn’t I say? That I would turn a blind eye to lies about loving me. So…… please……”

His voice was trembling like a soap bubble about to burst.

I recalled the conversation I had with him in the attic.

In the end, Ilion knew from the beginning that I didn’t like him, and yet he had been turning a blind eye to all my actions.

He was truly a foolish person. How could someone who calculates gains and losses so well become such a fool in matters like this?

I did like that Ilion from the original story, but my heart wasn’t meant for him.

It took me 10 years to get over losing my grandmother. No, actually, I’m still not sure. Whether I’ve really moved on from that memory or not…..

If Ilion were to die because of me too, how many more years would that take…..

Others say time will heal everything, but time doesn’t solve everything. The guilt only deepened and became heavier as time passed.

So before I regret it more, let’s each return to where we should be. I’ll leave this place, and you’ll return to Artia’s side.

Like that, trying to steady my heart that seemed about to crumble, I pushed Ilion away more coldly.

“No. I’m tired of lying now. You don’t believe me anyway, Duke.”

“Ravenne……”

“Just do as you wish, Duke. If you don’t want to break off the engagement, you can watch me wither away like this.”

Hoping my words would appear sincere to him, I spoke calmly, putting strength into my trembling voice.

His darkened eyes looked at me, and I too met Ilion’s gaze without avoiding it.

If he’s someone who’s infinitely kind to the person he likes, he won’t be able to watch me wither away.

And I used that point to push him.

I chose the easiest and most cowardly way to change his mind.

“I see. So now, you won’t even lie.”

Ilion nodded with a self-deprecating smile.

“Because there’s no need to lie anymore.”

And so I told another lie. As I always have.

Ilion stepped back from me and turned his gaze away.

“I’ll lift the ban on going out. But I’ll increase your guards to two.”

“I requested to break off the engagement.”

“……”

“Are you listening, Duke?”

Knowing it was cruel, I still urged him for an answer.

“About that…… Give me some time to think about it.”

Saying that, Ilion left the room.

As I listened to his footsteps fading away, I let out a sigh I had been holding back. My heart was beating incessantly, and my legs felt weak.

Slumping to the floor, I stared into space for a while, recalling my conversation with Ilion. His hurt face seemed etched in my mind, refusing to leave.

One emotion that I had denied, denied, and denied again, painfully gripped my heart, making it hard to breathe.

I knew but pretended not to. I didn’t want him to become someone precious to me, so I didn’t want to acknowledge it.

Fearing that if I acknowledged it, I wouldn’t want to leave this place. Afraid that I might unknowingly turn a blind eye to reality…..

But it seems I can’t do that anymore.

The tears that seemed about to burst flowed incessantly, despite my efforts to hold them back.

A self-deprecating sigh escaped.

“How could I lie……”

The words ‘I like you’…… are no longer a lie.

***

“Oh my, Miss. Are you alright? Your face……”

Lily, who came to see me early in the morning, approached me in surprise when she saw my condition.

“What’s wrong with my face?”

“It’s, it’s quite swollen……”

Hah…..

I got up from the bed with a soft sigh. My reflection in the mirror was a mess, enough to justify Lily’s fuss.

“Um, Miss. Did you go somewhere yesterday?”

Lily cautiously asked, perhaps finding it strange that I had been staring silently at the mirror for a while.

“Just…. sightseeing outside.”

“If you’re going to go out, please give me a heads up next time. I was so worried yesterday.”

Lily pleaded with a tearful expression at my answer.

“I’m sorry.”

Unable to promise not to do it again, I only offered an apology.

Lily’s lips moved a few times as if she wanted to say something, but seeming to sense the bad mood, she just closed her mouth.

A moment later, after changing my clothes, I asked Lily,

“Please prepare the carriage.”

“What? But……”

“The confinement has been lifted from today. So I’m planning to go to town.”

There was a lot to prepare to save Artia.

So I couldn’t just keep lamenting over my swollen face.

“Miss, wouldn’t it be better to stay home today……”

“Lily.”

I called her name firmly. Lily, who was trying to stop me, glanced at my face and then bowed her head.

“Yes. I’ll prepare it.”