Chloe put aside her continuing thoughts and organized her desk. Originally, she planned to stay and work, but today she just wanted to rest.

“Chloe, shall we walk a bit? You know, that place from last time. I can’t remember the name right now, but that restaurant with the delicious skewers.”

“Ah, I know where. You mean the one two blocks away, right?”

Chloe nodded as if she knew exactly where. Though it was a bit of a walk, she didn’t mind. Their footsteps leaving the office headed straight outside the building.

The main street, where dusk had already begun to fall, was much more crowded than before. As expected, there was no sign of Andert and Daniel.

So, is this really the end? Just as Chloe unnecessarily adjusted her grip on her wallet, Kate, who had linked arms with her, spoke up.

“Do you know what happened to me today? There were two big dogs at the painter’s house I visited today. You know, I told you before. The house with the black and white dogs.”

“Yes, and?”

“Today one of them suddenly disappeared. So I ran around the whole neighborhood with the painter. Fortunately, we found the dog playing in someone else’s yard. But I couldn’t even start the work I was supposed to do today.”

“Well, at least you found it.”

“Tell me about it. In the end, I thought I would collapse first.”

Chloe tried to focus on the conversation, setting aside her complicated feelings. Above all, she wanted to be with someone’s voice right now rather than being alone. Of course, she didn’t intend to hide what had happened earlier from her friend. She just didn’t want to talk about it today.

Her green eyes, having swallowed many emotions, turned toward the street where pitch darkness had begun to fall.

***

At the same time, Andert was in a carriage heading toward Bergen’s downtown.

He stood on the main street for a while, watching Chloe’s retreating figure. Daniel had broken a sweat trying to get the man into the carriage afterward.

“Go to the hotel.”

Daniel, who glanced at the face that gave just this one instruction, wiped his forehead with a handkerchief. For his own well-being, he hoped Lady Dietrich would please change her mind and return to the capital.

But based on today’s encounter, Chloe seemed to have no such intention. Accordingly, Andert’s mood had rapidly frozen over.

Just how many months has it been now?

Originally, Daniel spent more time following Andert around than doing his actual lawyer work. But lately, it had been excessive. Of course, House Dietrich had three or four other legal counsels. Among them, Daniel was definitely Andert’s man, responsible for his personal affairs.

He had no complaints. After all, being with House Dietrich was proof of that much ability. Moreover, though he hadn’t inherited the title, Andert effectively controlled Dietrich.

The problem was the man who was already sensitive had now reached peak irritability. Even now in the silent carriage, Daniel couldn’t even breathe deeply.

Through the carriage window, the building towering opposite Bergen Station came into view. In this place, which wasn’t a tourist destination or major city, there was only one place suitable for Andert to stay.

The Bergen Hotel.

A reservation was made for two days. Just until tomorrow night. So Andert’s planned schedule still remained. Of course, that schedule seemed to depend entirely on Lady Dietrich’s will.

Daniel, who had gotten out of the now completely stopped carriage, quickly entered the hotel. He didn’t want to irritate the nerves of his clearly displeased master even slightly.

“Rest well.”

After Daniel disappeared with a bow, Andert removed his gloves and jacket.

Though it shouldn’t have been possible, his whole body felt heavy, as though he was carrying a mass of water-soaked cotton. After quickly loosening his neatly tied necktie, he completely removed his dress shirt as well. But the oppressive weight pressing down on his entire body didn’t lighten at all.

“Damn it.”

A curse he couldn’t quite swallow leaked through his teeth. Today had been an absolute mess. Of course, there was some gain. He had confirmed with his own eyes that Chloe was safe.

Compared to the helplessness he felt in the mortuary in Saphi, it was certainly a dramatic reversal. But besides that one thing, everything was getting worse.

Chloe was much more composed and calm than expected. In contrast, he was full of mistakes. He couldn’t understand it himself, but today he just couldn’t maintain his composure. Moreover, when she cut off the conversation and turned away, she didn’t look back.

“I was never someone who suited you from the start.”

The face that ended the conversation in a definitive tone was clearly holding back anger. This time, he could tell precisely. Because since their reunion in Bergen, he hadn’t taken his eyes off Chloe.

He wondered if she had worn such an expression in the past when he turned away without really seeing her. Andert felt indescribable as he looked down at her trembling eyes.

Previously, he had just been extremely indifferent, but he wasn’t lacking in judgment. Rather, he was quick to notice things he was interested in. He soon realized exactly what point had made Chloe feel uncomfortable. But he couldn’t stop her.

What could he say next? That he hadn’t meant to insult her and simply didn’t like anything about Bergen?

“Pointless words.”

Andert looked down on himself. Either way, it meant the same thing.

Without even getting to say the important things, what was this… Tsk. Clicking his dry tongue, he finally looked around the room. He pulled over a water bottle neatly arranged on one side of the table and drank it all at once without even taking a breath.

He needed alcohol more than water, but he was too bothered to call someone again.

After unbuckling and removing his pants, he headed straight for the bathroom. First, he wanted to pour hot water over himself. He didn’t think it would be easy. Chloe, who left wanting nothing, wouldn’t return at once.

Under the stream of water that began soaking him from his head, Andert organized his thoughts. First, he should meet Chloe again tomorrow. At that moment, her cold voice echoed in his ears again.

“So next time, please meet someone who matches you.”

But Andert wanted to ask instead.

Chloe, who exactly would that be?

It was their first meeting in two months. And now Chloe told him to please meet someone else. Her rejection, which he heard for the first time from her, was firm and cold.

The emotional wounds that hadn’t yet been fully washed away flowed slowly down with the stream of water at his feet.

***

The next day, Chloe was greeted by a blindingly bright weekend.

Her whole body ached, probably because she hadn’t slept properly all night. It was her decision to end her relationship with Andert. But it seemed she hadn’t been able to shake off all the emotions built up over a long time. The man’s afterimage that had tormented her all night remained painfully clear.

She first saw him at a party hosted by Countess Declen.

When she arrived in the capital at the invitation of the Countess, who was close friends with her mother, she couldn’t hide her excitement. In fact, the seventeen-year-old Chloe hadn’t been counting down the days because of the grand party.

Countess Declen was famous for her deep knowledge of the arts. The mistress of Declen hadn’t forgotten her promise to show Chloe rare books and artworks that were hard to find in the market, and led her by the hand.

“Here, you can freely look at any of these books, Miss Chloe.”

“Thank you for your kind consideration.”

“I’m very happy to have someone appreciate my collection so preciously. By the way, Miss Chloe, there’s an Art History department at the Royal University. It’s a field that deeply studies artworks and culture. How about pursuing that direction?”

“Art History?”

That advice became the decisive factor in Chloe’s decision to attend the Royal University. Even after Countess Declen and her mother moved to the party hall, she remained in the library where she was permitted to stay.

Since it was a rare opportunity, she wanted to see as many paintings and books as possible this time. Her careful hands took out hard-to-find ancient books one by one from the public library.

The books filling the wall were very diverse. From sketch collections drawn by artists dating back several centuries to first editions by authors whose names alone commanded high prices.

Chloe became absorbed in the books, forgetting about her sky-blue dress with its abundant folds sweeping here and there. It was while she had been in the library for quite some time, losing track of time that suddenly, she heard unfamiliar voices.

“So Raymond, which side are you on?”

“Obviously Andert’s. Why ask something so obvious?”

“So you’re saying Dietrich will win this time too?”

“Yes. It doesn’t matter who the opponent is. The person right in front of us has never lost in fencing.”

“I knew that, so I’ve already bet on Andert.”

There were at least three or four men in the conversation. The problem was where these voices were coming from. After the Countess left, Chloe was definitely alone here.

Her round eyes carefully scanning the surroundings stopped at the wide-open window. The source of the unfamiliar voices seemed to be the balcony parallel to the library window.