“Oh come on, what engagement. We’re just… friends. Yeah.”

I waved my hands dismissively while forcing a smile. Harien and Libel exchanged quick glances before turning their heads back.

“That’s a relief then…”

“But why did you ask that?”

Usually, Harien was such a calm and polite child that it was hard to believe her age. Even after becoming close friends and speaking informally, she would always greet properly first when meeting in private…

‘But just now she asked questions right away even in the middle of the ballroom.’

That bothered me belatedly, so I asked back.

Harien hesitated for a moment while holding my hand firmly in both of hers. Then, as if having made up her mind, she took a deep breath and opened her mouth. The grip on my hands tightened.

“Um… Terry.”

“Yes?”

“I feel bad saying this since I was fooled too but… whenever I see the Carpendier Young Master, it feels similar to back then.”

“Back then?”

I tilted my head, not knowing what time she was referring to. She continued hesitantly.

“The feeling I got when I saw my uncle… that is, the former Baron Lionel.”

Ah.

My breath stopped involuntarily when I heard those words. Sadly, what Harien said was…

“I want to believe him, think that there’s no way this person would deceive me… But still, it feels like there’s a stone lodged in my heart.”

“…”

“Maybe that’s why I accepted what you said more quickly.”

Because it was the same emotion I felt every time I saw Damian.

‘…Ah. Could this teddy bear be yours?’

‘Seeing this mask reminds me of the festival I spent with you, My Lady.’

Looking at his smiling face, hearing what he says, it really seems like he’s the one I’ve been looking for.

‘…I suppose Father and Brother are still uncomfortable with me.’

The discomfort that rises occasionally keeps stirring my heart.

Each time I tried to dismiss it as my imagination… maybe it was because I wanted to believe that the one I met wasn’t just a mirage.

Because if he was really a ghost or fairy, I might never meet him again.

‘So did Damian really deceive me?’

But how? Surely even the Duke and knights don’t know who I met and what I did during the festival.

How did Damian know all that?

As I was trying to sort out my complicated feelings while looking down, I suddenly raised my head to find three pairs of different eyes watching me with concern. Though their colors and shapes were all different, the worry contained within them was the same, which made me smile suddenly.

Come to think of it, the situation is quite peculiar. Before, I was the one who separated Harien from Baron Lionel. Now it seems somewhat reversed.

“Thanks for worrying about me, Hari. I understand what you’re trying to say.”

“Are you okay?”

“Yes. But I think I need to organize my thoughts a bit, so I’ll go to the balcony for a moment.”

“Okay, got it. Want to come see the lake in the garden with us later? There are quite a lot of fish there.”

“Sure.”

After finishing the conversation with my friends like that, I turned around.

Glancing around, Damian seemed to still be talking with Count Imarg’s daughter and others I saw at that tea party. Then he probably won’t look for me right away.

“Duke.”

「Terry?」

The Duke, who had been quietly conversing with some people, turned to me in surprise. He slightly nodded to excuse himself from those he was with and came over.

The Duke lowered his upper body to meet my eyes and asked.

「What’s wrong? The Carpendier Young Master seems to be over there.」

“I just need to think about something. I’m going to the balcony for a bit.”

「…Are you alright?」

The Duke, who had been examining my face with a peculiar gaze, suddenly spoke different words.

At first I blinked several times in surprise, but soon realized why he asked that and ended up chuckling. My expression must have looked bad because I was thinking about Damian.

“What wouldn’t be alright?”

「…Well, that’s good then. Would you like me to bring you a glass of honey milk? You can go ahead first.」

“Ah. Honey milk… here?”

I looked around and whispered in a low voice.

Well, this is a ball after all. Since it’s not specifically a party for children, most drinks were either fruit juice or alcohol.

Wouldn’t it be inconsiderate to ask them to prepare milk and honey separately here…?

‘Sigh, I want it but… what should I do.’

Usually I’d down a glass of honey milk without any hesitation or worry… but maybe because my head was complicated with thoughts of Damian, I found myself craving it.

Perhaps such conflict showed on my face. The Duke smiled gently and stroked my head.

「Don’t worry, I’ll ask nicely. Go on ahead.」

“Hehe. Okay!”

That touch somehow made my heart tickle and lightened my mood. Right, the Count and Countess Imarg have a daughter too, so they’ll probably understand this much, yeah.

‘I feel better now.’

Thanks to the Duke, I entered a suitable balcony with a much refreshed mood. I lowered the curtain to signal someone was here, and approached the railing.

“Oh. Is that the lake they were talking about earlier?”

Beyond the railing, the mansion’s main gate and garden were visible at a glance. I took in the cold air while looking at the garden and lake where the children said fish were swimming.

This seems to help clear my mind a bit. With my clearer mind, I pondered what to ask Damian.

‘What… should I ask? Would it be too obvious that I’m suspicious if I ask like twenty questions?’

While I was contemplating this, I heard the door opening behind me.

Though it seemed a bit early, I turned around naturally thinking it would be the Duke, but.

“Duke… huh?”

“So this is where you were, My Lady.”

It was Damian. He smiled brightly as he closed the balcony door behind him.

The very person who had been making me wonder how to interrogate him appeared before my eyes. Like a thief startled by their own footsteps, I almost stepped back reflexively but managed not to.

I quickly curled up the corners of my mouth to form a smile.

“Welcome, Young Master. You seemed to be having a pleasant conversation so I didn’t call for you…”

“Chatting with friends is nice, but I should return to my partner, My Lady. Aren’t you cold?”

Damian asked that but didn’t wait for my answer before taking off his jacket and draping it over my shoulders. I ended up accepting and fidgeting with it in surprise.

“Th-thank you.”

“Not at all.”

Damian smiled brightly with his back to the light seeping from the ballroom.

A face so similar it could be called identical to that ‘boy’. Seeing that face made me feel like I would become confused again.

I firmly gripped the jacket he had draped over me and shook my head. Steeling my resolve, I looked straight at him and opened my mouth.

“Um, Young Master…”

During the Founding Festival, do you remember exactly what time we parted?

I planned to start with that question and probe him about various things. Until my confusion and doubts were cleared.

But I couldn’t continue my question because his face was gradually getting closer.

‘Huh?’

Damian’s face slowly filled my vision. His purple eyes slowly hiding beneath his eyelids…

“…?!”

Oh my, what is this!

Just before Damian’s lips could overlap with mine, I quickly raised my hand to block his lips.

As a result, his lips landed firmly on my palm like stamping a seal. Rather than ticklish, that sensation gave me an oddly creepy feeling.

What was he trying to do just now?

“Why are you so surprised, My Lady.”

Regardless. Though Damian slightly furrowed his brows, his expression remained as composed as ever.

He raised his hand to remove mine. I tried to resist but couldn’t due to the difference in strength. Though my words didn’t come out smoothly due to shock, I shouted urgently.

“N-no. You’re the one who…”

“You’re being shy all of a sudden. I greeted you like this that day too…”

His purple eyes curved gently. The subtle whisper and breath brushed past my ear.

After saying that, Damian lowered his head as if to kiss me again. Seeing that made it certain.

This bastard is a fake.

“Ahhh!”

Thwack-!

As soon as I was certain Damian was fake, I raised my leg with all my might.

Using the force, speed, and direction that Redin and Mikhail had enthusiastically taught me, my leg accurately struck between Damian’s legs.

Nice shot!

“Kuh, urgh! What are you doing!”

Damian immediately screamed and rolled on the balcony floor. He curled up in pain then turned to glare at me with bloodshot eyes.

You think looking at me like that will scare me? You’re dead.

“What are YOU doing, you fake bastard?”

“What do you…”

“It’s no use pretending. Just what are you? Why are you pretending to be my first love? Damian Carpendier isn’t your real name either, is it?”

“…”

At my words, Damian’s contorted face slowly settled. At the same time, far behind me, commotion could be heard from the direction of the mansion’s main gate.