Just like the day when an unwanted marriage was thrust upon him, the current situation was the same for him. An unwanted divorce.

Every day had been a test for him, and he always had to make the best choice. He always had to be wary that a single choice could bring irreversible consequences.

Therefore, ensuring that maximum efficiency was guaranteed was the top priority for all his decisions. The highest priority was always, as it had always been, to completely take hold of Dietrich. To do so, he had to become the closest confidant of Johannes, who had taken the throne, to prepare for any situation.

Everything else was, in fact, a secondary issue.

But he couldn’t even open his mouth at Chloe’s confession. Not only that. Her last face kept appearing among the important matters piling up.

His eyes, still feverish, turned to the locket necklace placed on the console.

“House Declen.”

He murmured softly as he stared blankly at the photo inside the necklace.

He remembered almost nothing of that day 8 years ago when Chloe said she first saw him. All parties were just about that much anyway.

A repetition of greeting the host, spending just enough time not to be found fault with, and then exiting. But if he had formally greeted Chloe that day, he would have remembered that fact. Regardless of his initial antipathy towards House Hardin, it was clear that Chloe was of rare beauty.

His gaze was still fixed on the photo inside the necklace.

He couldn’t understand it himself, but he was acting as if Chloe’s face was embedded in there. Only after wrapping the thin silver chain around his hand did he finally lift his head. His gaze, following the rose pattern intricately embroidered with gold thread, stopped at the clock hanging in the center.

It was already well past midnight.

He knew well in his head. That he shouldn’t show any weakness when facing the Duke tomorrow. To do that, he needed to get even a little sleep to improve his condition.

But his mind was so chaotic that he didn’t think he could fall asleep.

Andert’s eyes began to trace the rose leaves along the wall again. As his tired eyes swept over the entire room over and over, time continued to flow relentlessly.

***

Chloe met Aaron again as the end of the workday approached.

And in an unexpected place, at Tickelon’s residence, Aaron, whom she encountered by chance, burst into a grin.

“We meet again like this. Chloe, have you been well?”

His casual smile was still the same, making their awkward parting after encountering Andert seem meaningless.

But Aaron is here. Chloe was taken aback by this unexpected encounter.

After the three interviews, Chloe had unexpectedly been assigned to manage Tickelon’s works. Judging by intuition, being assigned to him was considered unlucky. Tickelon was an artist who required a lot of work even within the association and was difficult to deal with.

To evaluate very accurately, it was like being left with someone that all other employees shook their heads at. But Chloe accepted the proposal without much objection. When she first arrived in Bergen, she wanted to learn as much work as possible, and that feeling hadn’t changed.

She thought this might be a new opportunity as well.

Today too, she had dropped by to check one of Tickelon’s works. And there sat Aaron, who had arrived earlier. Chloe was surprised but calmly finished her business first.

“I’ll come back next week. I’ll move the sculpture that needs to be sent to the capital then as well.”

“Yes. Do that, Miss Chloe. I don’t keep track of dates well, so please handle it yourself. There shouldn’t be anything else to check, so then.”

Tickelon, after answering perfunctorily, turned back to sit in front of his workbench. He was already immersed in his own world of art.

Chloe, who had learned the general pattern through a few experiences, turned around. Once the man sat in front of his work, he was almost impossible to communicate with.

Only after quietly closing the studio door did Chloe turn to Aaron and ask.

“But what brings you here? Ah… Are you discussing the Hussler Cultural Foundation exhibition?”

“No. Not yet. To be precise, I came to make proposals for the future.”

Ah… Chloe nodded briefly. As Tickelon was currently the most promising artist in Artion, it was a perfectly understandable situation.

However, he showed behavior that didn’t match his fame, which was that he didn’t attend exhibitions at all. This was in stark contrast to most artists who solidified their fame through prestigious exhibitions.

“Several foundation staff have come by so far, but they were all turned away at the door. So I came myself while I was in Bergen. At least I got inside the door, but it’s not easy.”

Aaron, who opened the door leading outside, complained softly.

It seemed he hadn’t even been able to properly bring up his purpose. Having experienced what Tickelon was like, Chloe guessed that Aaron’s plan wouldn’t be easy. As soon as they left the gray brick house, someone approached.

“Have you finished your conversation?”

The loud, male voice was directed at Aaron. Chloe, who didn’t know who the unfamiliar man was, quietly stepped aside.

Aaron had always been alone when she encountered him in Bergen. Come to think of it, given his status, it would be more fitting for someone to follow him.

“As expected, there’s no result. Let’s drop by once more before going to Oslo.”

“Yes. Then shall we go straight to the villa? The carriage is waiting over there.”

While the brief conversation between Aaron and the man was taking place, Chloe neatly folded the documents she had brought out and put them in her bag. She was thinking of turning around right after giving a final greeting.

From where she was at the Block 5, she would need to take a passenger carriage to return to the office. For that, she would have to walk to the main road at the entrance of the village.

But Aaron’s voice was a beat faster than Chloe’s greeting.

“Chloe. I need to stop by the association office too, so why don’t we go together?”

“To the association?”

“Yes. There are some documents I need to sign in the name of the Hussler Foundation.”

Aaron naturally pointed to the carriage waiting at the end of the residential area.

For Chloe, who was planning to return to the office, it was difficult to flatly refuse the situation. Even if she took a different carriage, it meant she would end up meeting him again anyway.

As Aaron said, the Bergen Artists Association and the Hussler Cultural Foundation had been maintaining regular business exchanges. Of course, the accompanying paperwork was the responsibility of the working-level staff. There was no particular reason for him to visit the association directly.

But Chloe didn’t delve into that part. In the carriage where only the sound of wheels rolling on the ground was repeating, Aaron spoke first.

“Chloe, what are you thinking about?”

“Hm?”

“You look like you’re worried about something right now.”

“Ah, it’s nothing.”

Chloe shook her head slightly without meeting his gaze. Then Aaron asked gently.

“Are you uncomfortable?”

It was a question without a subject.

Chloe faced Aaron in response to the question that seemed to have multiple meanings. After looking at him with a puzzled gaze as he waited for an answer, she asked back.

“What exactly are you asking?”

“This current situation. And probably including me too?”

“Aaron. That’s……”

Chloe trailed off at his too direct answer.

Aaron’s smiling face was no different from usual. Only today, the gray eyes meeting her gaze seemed particularly low in saturation. The eyes, which didn’t match his genial tone, were constantly directed at her.

In fact, until recently, Chloe thought there might be something between Aaron and Kate. This was because the two often had casual conversations in the office. So a few days ago, she casually brought it up.

“Kate, don’t you think your destiny might be closer than you think?”

“Closer?”

“Yes. For instance, someone who’s been frequenting the office lately.”

Kate seemed to be mulling over the roundabout conversation. Right after, as if she had figured out who Chloe was referring to, she burst into laughter.

“Chloe! What are you saying? I have no intention of being in that kind of relationship with Aaron Hussler. And I think Aaron is even more certain about that!”

Kate, waving both hands, had a face that said it was absolutely ridiculous.

Ah, was that not it?

Chloe was embarrassed by her friend’s frank rejection but soon stood up from her seat. It was because of the coworkers who suddenly barged in. But even if it was coincidental, it was strange to encounter Aaron this often. After all, even if he had a villa in Bergen, he wasn’t such a leisurely person.

The Hussler Cultural Foundation was dealing with the largest volume of artworks in Artion. At the same time, it was also a place that continuously organized large exhibitions in major cities.

It was natural for Aaron to be busy. Of course, there would be others in charge of the practical work.

Aaron, who seemed to be waiting for the conversation to continue, smiled slightly.

“Don’t be like that, Chloe.”

“……”

Like what exactly…? It was a question that momentarily arose, but Chloe held her tongue. The situation where it was difficult to avert her eyes in the enclosed carriage continued.