“See you again. Next time—with Beth.”

With the swift grace of a wolf, he leapt through the window.

Despite his dull wit, he moved quickly. In an instant, Jace was gone.

Once she was certain she was alone, Sveta turned to the mirror and hastily smoothed her dishevelled hair.

Her eyes and the corners of her mouth were red, as if she had been crying.

That would never do. If she went out looking like this, it would arouse suspicion.

“Open the door.”

“…Yes.”

The door had barely creaked open when she threw her arms around the Duke’s waist.

Aiden froze for a moment, then rested his hands on her back and the back of her head.

His touch was gentle as he drew her closer. The warmth radiating from him felt startlingly real.

It made her want to cry for no reason at all.

“My lord…”

“Did something happen?”

“No, it’s just…”

Sveta rubbed her cheek and chin against his shoulder—unyielding and hard as stone.

“Oh my!”

The gasps came from Renée Pedy and the shop assistants who had gathered outside.

They must have been preparing to pick the lock when the door opened — that explained their presence there.

“I love the dresses. Thank you.”

Sveta whispered sweetly. Imitating her foster mother Dalia’s tone and mannerisms wasn’t all that difficult.

Aiden looked down at her briefly, then half-turned his head and spoke.

“The sky-blue gown in ten days. The rest as soon as they’re ready.”

“Ah—yes… of course!”

Leaving the nodding attendants behind, the two returned to the carriage.

◯◯◯

The carriage rolled slowly along Uniburn Street. Rene Pedy, with her loose tongue, would surely spread the story quickly.

As he had intended, Aiden cast a satisfied glance at the woman seated across from him.

“Well done.”

She had been sitting with a dazed look, but at once straightened her back and asked.

“Did you really buy all those gowns?”

“You asked for them, did you not?”

“I didn’t think you’d actually buy them all.”

Her expression brimmed with wonder.

“There’s no need to place meaning on such a trivial thing.”

“Yes…”

Only then did he notice that she was still wearing a tatty dress. Her flowing locks and finely drawn, striking features lent her enough nobility to hide the shabby sleeves.

Sensing his gaze, Sveta shifted her arm so that the frayed hem wouldn’t be visible.

“Do the same at the banquet.”

“Of course.”

She replied briefly, then turned to watch the luxury shops passing by outside.

Her face lit up, as though she had just received a gift, yet it was also oddly subdued and tinged with gloom. He studied her intently.

By then, the carriage had left the shopping district and was travelling along the riverside. Strengthened by the carriage’s quicker pace, the wind blew in through the partially open window.

Her expression grew bleak. She stared out at the scenery with lifeless eyes.

Pale — unlike her. The rims of her eyes were red, too. This displeased him.

“….”

Money meant little to him, yet what he had just given her equaled almost three years’ worth of revenue for that luxury boutique.

At the very least, she should have looked pleased for three hours.

He thought it petty of himself to calculate such things, yet he found himself looking at her again.

The orange strands caught on her nose and cheeks like silk threads, irritating him.

Perhaps that was why the thought came to him: The urge to touch.

“Take it off.”

He said, reaching out his hand.

“…Pardon?”

“Your gloves.”

“….”

Her small hands, covered in elegant lace, slowly slipped them off for him.

Aiden caught her slender wrist before it could drift away, like a blade of grass tugged by the breeze.

Startled, she dropped the gloves.

“Ah… the gloves…”

“There’s no need to pick them up.”

He pulled her closer. The rough texture of the lace against her delicate wrist felt almost provocative.

Pushing back her worn sleeve, he slowly traced the pale length of her arm from the round bone of her wrist to her elbow.

The skin beneath his touch was impossibly soft, moulding to his caress.

She trembled faintly.

“Are you cold?”

Her white arm felt as cold as morning mist. This was strange, given that the night before, when he had touched her back, she had felt warm.

“Yes, a little… no.”

Even as he brushed the strands of hair clinging to her flushed cheeks away, she didn’t move. Her face burned like tempered steel.

His long fingers traced slowly down her face, over the tip of her nose, her soft lips and the curve of her chin. Each place felt different.

Finally, when his touch settled on the graceful curve of her neck, she flinched.

Her unfocused, drifting eyes turned to him. In them, Aiden glimpsed several things: anticipation, shyness, and — heavier still — affection.

The moment he recognised this, his sharp reason snapped back into place.

He flung aside the wrist he had been holding. Startled by the sudden release, she nearly stumbled.

“…My lord?”

This woman must not toy with love. She had no right to it.

For Aiden, touching her was nothing more than curiosity—an experiment in the unfamiliar warmth of another’s skin. Nothing more.

That was what he told himself. That was what he needed to believe.

Her cheeks flushed deeper, and now her damp eyes shimmered with confusion, shame, and sorrow.
Yes. This was better.

“If you continue like this—”

“….”

“I… my heart feels as though…”

She trailed off, hiding her frayed sleeve once more. Her voice was barely a whisper.

“As though I’m sinking to the very bottom.”

“I don’t see why you should say such a thing to me.”

He replied flatly, crossing his long legs slowly and deliberately.

Watching him, Sveta fell into a state of helpless despair.

Seeing how openly she was revealing her sorrow, Aiden let his lips curl upward in satisfaction.

◯◯◯

Four days later, in the afternoon.

As always, Aiden had finished loosening his body with sword drills in the training yard, and was now gripping his bow.

“Jace Gould appeared behind the dress shop.”

“And?”

Aiden nocked an arrow and drew the string taut. His muscular arm pulled the horn bow into a clean arc.

“He must have hidden there the day before. He suddenly leapt out and threw himself into the river, so quickly that—”

A gust of wind stirred, and Aiden’s straight brows drew together faintly.

“We failed to catch him. I apologize, my lord.”

The arrow whistled through the air, slicing it cleanly before striking the target dead center.

“….”

“The current was strong. He won’t have survived.”

Another arrow, then another—both struck the same mark, driving into the center without error. Only then did Aiden speak.

“The body?”

“…Four days of searching, but it hasn’t been found.”

“He’s alive.”

A man like that wouldn’t die so easily.

It was no coincidence that Aiden had allowed word to spread about his planned visit to Renée Pedy’s shop. The rumour was bait intended to lure Jace Gould out of hiding.

Of course, he hadn’t been certain that the man would appear. Nor had he expected to capture him so easily.

That would have been far too easy.

“…I’ll order more thorough searches along the riverbanks and question the locals.”

“I’ll send another knight. You—stay with her.”

“Yes, my lord.”

The rising wind tousled his dazzling golden hair. At the same time, the arrow shot forth with terrifying speed. Whish! It flew sharp and true, striking the target and quivering in place.

Watching, Failin lowered his voice.

“The jewels you ordered have been delivered to the young lady.”

“And?”

“She expressed her thanks.”

“Don’t report the obvious.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“…Is that all?”

Aiden picked up the last arrow. Seeing his lord standing tall with his bow drawn towards the target, the knight finished his report.

“Since the last outing, the young lady has hardly been eating.”

“That, too, is not a concern. Don’t report it again.”

“Yes, my lord.”

Failin bowed his head and withdrew.

Fixing his gaze on the target, Aiden muttered quietly.

“…So seeing her father’s wound has taken her appetite?”

Even on ordinary days, she ate no more than a bird’s portion. The fact that she had stopped eating altogether bothered him, although he could not explain why.

At the same time, the way she wore her feelings so plainly on her sleeve seemed laughable. Pathetic, even.

“….”

Aiden released the final arrow. It struck exactly where he intended. Slowly, he lowered his arm.

Yet his thoughts circled the same place over and over.

‘No matter what happened, she never once skipped a meal. But the moment she saw her father… she refused to eat.’

Something surged suddenly up his throat, hot and unwelcome. He could not name the emotion.

◯◯◯

Time passed quickly, and at last the day of the May Festival arrived.

With a face tighter and more solemn than ever, Sveta lifted her gaze to Failin.

“…Thank you, Sir Failin.”

She clasped the small vial he handed her between both hands.

“It isn’t dangerous.”

“Ah.”

“….”

“Then… it really is a contraceptive?”

Failin lowered his eyes. His thick brown lashes cast shadows over his large eyes. He inclined his head slightly.

‘So the medicine Lady Elise gave me truly was for me…’

There were moments of both thrill and fear: the sudden heat of wandering hands, followed by the harsh way they would push her away without warning.

Sveta could never quite win the duke’s heart.

She guessed that he would never actually sleep with her. Still, it was better to be careful.

Her life was already over. If she became pregnant, she might want to keep the baby.

So she wanted to eliminate every possibility completely.

‘Besides, it’s not as if he would let me live anyway.’

In a steady tone, she asked,

“Did you tell His Grace about this medicine?”

“….”

He clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

He had not reported it, after all.

Gratitude and guilt surged through her all at once.

“I’m sorry, sir.”

“….”

“I won’t ever ask such a thing again.”

“…Yes, my lady.”

“I mean it. I won’t trouble you with requests that put you in a difficult position.”

Failin bowed his head slightly.

“A maid will arrive shortly to help you dress.”

“Alright.”

He had barely finished speaking when Lady Elise arrived, accompanied by a maid he didn’t recognize.