Due to the inexplicable sense of discomfort, I unconsciously stopped eating and stared intently at the count and his eldest son.

Noticing this, Damian glanced this way and smiled sadly while softening his eyebrows.

“…I suppose Father and Brother are still uncomfortable with me.”

“…Huh?”

“Wh-what do you mean.”

At Damian’s words, the eldest son and count stiffened their shoulders with a start. Their utensils clattered against the dishes with a sharp noise.

Damian spoke leisurely with a composed, almost resigned expression.

“Well, I suppose it makes sense. Having left the family since childhood due to health issues and only returning now… I might feel like a stranger to you for now. I completely understand.”

His purple eyes held such a sorrowful light that they seemed ready to spill tears at any moment.

The count and eldest son’s lips quivered as if wanting to object, but they eventually let out deep sighs and nodded. Their shoulders were slumped.

“Well, that… I’m sorry, Damian. That you’re also my son…”

“…Sorry for being awkward.”

“I didn’t bring it up to hear apologies… but thank you anyway, Father, Brother.”

When the count and eldest son bowed their heads together, Damian seemed flustered and put down his spoon, but eventually showed a faint smile.

After that conversation, the tense atmosphere in the dining room changed to a warm one.

The count and eldest son carefully began speaking to Damian – mostly about how he had been doing – and Damian answered with smiles. It was truly a picture-perfect scene of a harmonious family.

‘Certainly… it’s an understandable reason, but.’

However, something about watching that scene left me feeling unsatisfied.

Both Damian’s question and the count and eldest son’s answers seemed to address my doubts perfectly. If this situation feels like a well-rehearsed play…

‘Am I being too sensitive…?’

Well. It’s not like I was secretly observing the count and eldest son – I was openly staring at them. Maybe they were just being considerate since I seemed hesitant to ask questions myself.

“My lady, please try this too. Though our family isn’t very wealthy, our chef’s skills aren’t bad, and these braised beans are quite good.”

“Ah, thank you.”

As if on cue, Damian kindly spoke while serving some braised beans onto my plate. That made me feel guilty about having doubted this situation just moments ago.

‘Ah, I must be overthinking!’

After all, there’s no way anyone else could know about that night. Even Rick doesn’t know what I did when I disappeared briefly during the festival.

After that, I tried to focus on the banquet while pushing away unnecessary thoughts. But perhaps because I was dining among unfamiliar people in an unfamiliar place, something felt a bit off.

* * *

After the strange banquet ended, the count and eldest son withdrew, citing work and sword training respectively. Left alone with me, Damian asked.

“Since it’s cold outside, how about having tea time in the greenhouse?”

“Ah, that sounds nice.”

When I nodded, Damian called the servants and ordered them to prepare a place in the greenhouse. That’s when Rick, who was in my arms, nudged my arm.

“What?”

When I looked down and whispered, Rick said.

<Please leave me behind.>

“Huh? Why suddenly?”

<You said it’s your first love… right? I’ll give you space to talk comfortably. I’ll stay inside the building.>

“Hmm.”

True… I need to have Damian try on the mask and ask about what happened at the Empire’s Founding Festival, so it would be better if there were no other people or ghosts around.

After hesitating, I caught one of the servants and held out Rick.

“I’m worried he might get dirty if I drop him in the greenhouse. Could you look after him for a moment?”

“Ah, yes. Of course. I’ll keep him near the entrance, so please let me know when you’re leaving.”

The servant nodded kindly while taking Rick.

Watching Rick being held by someone other than me felt a bit strange, and I was staring at him blankly when Damian’s touch on my shoulder made me turn around.

The Carpendier Count’s greenhouse was beautiful. For a moment, I even forgot about having to buy the Oblene Viscounty and thought ‘Should I ask to have one built at the Duke’s mansion…?’

‘Hah, no. Teresia Everdeen, get it together!’

This was different from simply buying necessary magical tools for the Duke or seasonal clothes.

Though a greenhouse might help with the mansion’s landscaping, people usually didn’t want to set foot in the ghost-filled Everdeen mansion.

Wasn’t that sufficiently proven by Callios’s reaction when he first came to the Everdeen mansion?

So building a greenhouse at the Everdeen mansion now would be pure luxury. Luxuries can wait until after buying the Oblene Viscounty!

“Please sit here.”

While I was steeling my resolve with clenched fists, Damian pulled out a chair placed in the middle of the greenhouse.

I nodded lightly to show my thanks and sat down, then Damian sat across from me. A sweet fragrance wafted from the desserts placed on the table.

‘It’s a bit different.’

Though slightly sweeter than the desserts usually served at the Everdeen mansion, it suited my taste well enough when eaten with tea.

After finishing a cup of tea out of courtesy, I gestured to Mina to bring the gift box I had prepared. Mina handed me the box and retreated to a distance where she couldn’t hear our conversation.

Damian blinked and put down his teacup.

“My lady, is that…?”

“Ah. It’s a gift I prepared to thank you for the invitation. Though it’s nothing special…”

Actually, it wasn’t purely a gift, as I had the ulterior motive of wanting to confirm Damian’s appearance with the mask on… Trying to ignore my guilty conscience, I handed him the box with a smile.

Taking the box, Damian slowly untied the ribbon. Then, discovering the sparkling half-mask inside, his eyes widened.

“A mask?”

“Um, yes. Since you’ve fully returned to the east now, I thought you might attend masquerade balls and such.”

Though usually the hosts of masquerade balls prepare masks in advance, I heard sometimes people bring their own masks, so it wasn’t a complete lie.

‘And Beth said this would be neither embarrassing nor excessive as a gift.’

The mask I gave Damian was similar in style to the one I saw at the festival. White base with gold patterns. I added some crystals decorated with irite dye as extra embellishment.

“…”

Damian was silent for a moment. He fingered the irite crystals on the mask with a strange expression and asked.

“Is this… irite dye?”

“Yes. Even transparent crystals can shine in rainbow colors when painted with irite dye.”

“…It’s beautiful. Thank you, my lady.”

Damian bowed his head with a satisfied smile. I waved my hands saying it was nothing and casually suggested.

“Would you like to try it on? We should see if it fits your face well.”

“Ah, yes. Gladly.”

Damian smiled brightly and lifted the mask. I watched his face intently while trying to control my nervousness.

“How is it? Does it suit me?”

Damian asked with a smile after putting on the mask with an elegant movement.

When he smiled wearing the mask, this time he really looked exactly like the face I saw at the festival. So much that I couldn’t possibly think it was someone else.

It was then that Damian stroked the mask covering his face with his fingertips and spoke softly.

“…This mask reminds me of the festival I spent with you, my lady.”

‘Ah.’

The moment I heard those words, I unconsciously held my breath. Without needing to ask anything else, those words were as good as confirmation.

That boy who danced with me at the Empire’s Founding Festival. Damian Carpendier was that very boy.

‘…?’

Finally realizing that Damian was indeed the boy I had been looking for, strangely, my heart remained calm.

While tilting my head and quietly placing a hand on my chest, I noticed Damian staring at me intently. Under that gaze, I hesitantly opened my lips after some deliberation.

“Then at that time…”

“Yes.”

“Why… did you kiss me?”

Aaah. It’s even more embarrassing now that I’ve said it out loud!

The moment those words left my mouth, I reflexively squeezed my eyes shut from embarrassment. Because of that, I couldn’t see what expression Damian made at my question.

“Obviously because I fell in love with you at first sight, my lady.”

“Cough.“

A moment later, an answer far more direct than expected came back. It made me choke on my breath and open my eyes while coughing. Unlike me, Damian’s face remained unperturbed with a smile even after saying such an embarrassing thing.

Ow, I’m heating up. I gulped down some tea trying to hide my flushing cheeks. As I swallowed it, Damian asked naturally.

“By the way, I heard Count Imeg will be holding a ball soon, would you be my partner?”

“Yes… no, um. What?”

Being preoccupied with cooling my cheeks, I understood his words a beat late.

Damian was gazing at me with expectant eyes. Seeing those eyes made it difficult to refuse, so I nodded hesitantly after some consideration.

“I’ll ask the Duke first.”

“This time I’ll be able to dance with you without a mask, my lady.”

Damian spoke with a smile like someone who believed the Duke would certainly give permission. Feeling embarrassment rise again at those words, I took another sip of tea.