Fazel looked at the house. Instead of the shabby house he’d lived in when he first visited Asnel territory, the newly built house from not long ago shone brilliantly. Happy laughter could be heard as well.

What could make them so joyful?

Fazel opened the front door and entered. Inside, Trean and Suran were making food.

“Fazel, you’ve arrived.”

Suran spotted Fazel and approached. Her belly was already swollen, making her pregnancy obvious at a glance.

“My son, you’ve worked hard.”

Trean took Fazel’s luggage.

“I was cooking with Suran.”

“Is that so?”

Fazel looked around his room. It was exactly the same as before he left for the Academy, so he didn’t feel anything particular.

After putting down the luggage, Trean asked Fazel.

“What kind of sibling do you want to have, Fazel? A daughter would be nice, right?”

Trean’s eyes sparkled. Fazel pondered, then smiled brightly.

“If it’s a little sister, she’ll be cute. If it’s a little brother, I can play with him.”

Trean nodded.

“I hope for a daughter, but Suran wants a son.”

What difference did it make whether it was a son or daughter!

“I just hope the baby is born safely.”

Trean gently stroked Fazel’s head.

“Thank you.”

“Father and Mother have been well, right?”

“Of course. Well, we’ve been a bit busy since the family is growing.”

Fazel’s face flushed at his words.

“I was very surprised when I received the letter.”

“It wasn’t easy for us to bring up either. After all, it could be a somewhat sensitive matter.”

“Not at all. I’m happy.”

Two was better than one. And why would he dislike that his mother was having a child with someone she loved?

Fazel shook his head.

“I’ll take good care of my sibling.”

He spoke like making a promise. The sibling born between Trean and his mother would be more precious than anyone.

Trean smiled and ruffled his hair.

“Let’s go out and eat.”

They’d prepared soup and meat for Fazel. They’d bought plenty of the meat cuts Fazel liked.

Fazel walked to the dining room with anticipation.

The table was already full of delicious meat. Fazel ate the soup and meat.

Watching her eldest son properly mixing vegetables and meat, Suran felt pleased.

“Ah, I have something to tell you. I’m thinking of visiting the villa of a friend Louelle and I made at the Academy.”

They’d agreed to meet together at Liliet’s villa.

“Whose villa is it?”

“It’s Liliet’s villa.”

At Fazel’s words, Suran nodded.

“Are you getting along well with Caslan Jennell?”

“Well enough to greet each other and eat together.”

“That kid is no ordinary fellow. The Jennell family itself excels at swordsmanship.”

Fazel agreed with Trean’s words. In swordsmanship class, he always competed for first place with Caslan. This time he’d won by a hair’s breadth, but he didn’t know what would happen next time.

“I’m going to work even harder.”

Fazel clenched his fist.

To protect himself and Louelle with his own strength, he had to become stronger.

Seemingly satisfied with his son’s attitude, Trean wore a pleased expression.

* * *

I finally arrived home. After dropping Fazel off at his house, I came to the castle, opened the door, and got out.

When I attended the Academy, Fazel opened the door for me. I felt his absence here.

‘Fazel must be resting well, right?’

I already missed him, and my head automatically turned toward where Fazel was.

“You’ve arrived.”

Father was waiting at the entrance. He seemed to know I’d arrive now.

“I’m back.”

I snuggled into Father’s arms. Father embraced me, now grown a bit taller.

“It was hard without you. I felt the shortage of hands.”

Father smiled and joked, then entrusted my luggage to a servant and entered the house.

“Aren’t you disappointed about losing first place?”

I shook my head at Father’s words.

“I got a perfect score in my favorite subject.”

Competing with Fazel—why would I do such a tiring thing?

I just needed to do well in the subjects I liked.

Father looked at me with curious eyes.

“Most people don’t think that way.”

He smiled quietly, then opened the door and entered the dining room.

I was surprised to see the food Father had prepared.

There was only things I liked!

The salad and pasta looked appetizing.

“Today Fazel will also eat a feast. I can’t lose either.”

“Did you cook this yourself, Father?”

Father nodded and sat in the seat next to me.

“I did it myself. To celebrate my daughter.”

It was food made with Father’s devotion. He could have had the chef do it, but he did this for me. I was moved.

“I’ll eat well.”

Though it would be hard to eat all this, I planned to eat as much as possible without leaving anything.

I was hungry anyway.

I took some salad and ate it. It was already well-mixed with dressing and delicious.

“Please eat too, Father.”

“I will.”

Father also took some salad.

While eating pasta and salad, I spoke to Father.

“Ah, and I’m going to visit Liliet’s villa.”

“With Fazel?”

“Yes!”

“Liliet is the daughter of a great merchant.”

Father seemed to already know everything around me.

“Have a good trip. Since Liliet’s parents do business with our trading company, they’ll treat you well.”

Father spoke while eating neatly. The occasionally visible cold gaze seemed to show his businessman side.

Having received permission like this, I just needed to go meet Liliet on the promised date.

“After we finish eating, let’s visit your mother.”

I nodded.

Father often visited Mother’s grave. I followed along each time.

Since I’d returned from the Academy this time, it was about time to go.

After finishing the meal, I rode in a carriage with Father.

Mother’s grave was in the ancestral mountain.

This mountain was where descendants of the Count’s family had been buried for generations, and since it was the family’s mountain, commoners couldn’t enter.

The mountain was an hour’s distance from the Count’s castle.

Drowsiness washed over me and I dozed off nodding, then woke up. When I woke, the carriage had already arrived near the mountain.

It was full summer. The scenery was so beautiful I opened my mouth without realizing it.

“Let’s get out.”

After arriving, Father and I slowly opened the carriage door and got out.

“Your birthday is coming soon.”

“That’s right.”

“You’re 18 years old.”

“Correct!”

One year later, I’d be an adult too. Then I’d formally get engaged to Fazel and marry quickly.

Thinking of that future, I slowly climbed the mountain following Father.

The sunlight was harsh, but there was shade so it was bearable to walk.

Climbing the hill, the graveyard came into view.

Where Mother was buried was where Count’s wives had been buried for generations.

Father and I slowly entered the grave entrance.

Next to Mother’s grave was a small spot. Father said he’d be buried here when he passed away and told me to remember it well.

People die someday. To live a short life without regrets, shouldn’t we live as our hearts desire?

Originally, Count’s wives and Counts were buried separately, but Father lightly ignored that and asked me to definitely lay him to rest next to Mother.

He still had many years left to live, but he was already thinking like this.

That was probably because he loved Mother that much.

Standing at the grave entrance, a magic circle activated. It was a magic circle only descendants of the Count’s family could pass through.

The blue light approached me too.

The magic circle that reacted to my blood disappeared.

Opening the graveyard door and entering, I followed Father while climbing the stairs.

Mother’s grave was at the highest place in the graveyard with the best view.

Roselia Asnel.

Seeing her name, strange emotions washed over me.

In the novel, she was briefly mentioned, but I remembered her.

When I possessed her daughter and shared memories, I felt the nostalgia of a kind mother.

Before I became Louelle, my parents were cold.

They were desperate enough to try to sell me off.

So I escaped from that house.

Then one day, I possessed Louelle’s body.

I stroked the gravestone with my hand.

“Mother, I’m back.”

I spoke toward the grave like whispering. Then the flowers moved lightly in the wind. It seemed like Mother was smiling and answering.

‘Is your romance business going well?’

If Mother were alive, wouldn’t she have said something like this?

I spoke like Mother was alive.

“The romance business is going well. We agreed to formally get engaged like this if there’s no one else who attracts our hearts even after coming of age.”

“That happened.”

Father tilted his head slightly.

“The current Fazel is an attractive groom candidate.”

I was the one who approached him when no one else looked at him. The result was more satisfying than I thought.

“Of course.”

Do you think I picked just any man?

I smiled slightly and straightened my shoulders. Taking a confident posture, I told Father.

“I did well, right?”

“Yes, though I was flustered at first.”

“Ah, is that so?”

“Of course. Suddenly approaching a boy, giving him flowers and helping him. Like you’d been waiting for that boy.”

That was correct.

Since I couldn’t tell him honestly, I just made an excuse.

“The photo was too much my type.”

I spoke a bit more to Mother, then left the graveyard with Father.

Looking back at where Mother rested, Father became lost in thought.

“When Roselia died and I buried her, I cried a lot. If it weren’t for her last words to keep living and for you, I don’t know what would have become of me.”

That’s how absolute and beloved Mother was to Father.

I firmly held Father’s hand. Father embraced me.

Like embracing Mother.

* * *

Several days passed after visiting Mother’s grave. I sent a letter to Liliet saying I’d received Father’s permission.

The reply said to come visit next week.

“Wow, it finally feels real that it’s summer vacation.”

Marlene asked curiously.

“Really? Didn’t it feel real because there’s no homework?”

“I was working with Father, so I didn’t really think about it.”

Hearing the answer, Marlene smiled slightly.

“That’s right. Miss is busy both at the Academy and here.”

Work followed me everywhere.

I brushed my hair back and drank tea. I could show Fazel this letter when he came. Though we no longer studied together, we had tea time together once a day.

Originally once a week would be fine, but Fazel said he’d come every day.

I turned my head to look at the vase. There was a bouquet that had dried and become unsightly. It was the gift Fazel first gave as an apology. I could throw it away, but I couldn’t bring myself to do so.

I smiled remembering how prickly he was when we first met. I’m glad the time when Fazel was wary of me and treated me prickly wasn’t that long. If it had been too long, even I would have been deeply hurt.

I looked at Liliet’s letter while waiting for Fazel. There was also a letter sent only to me. I nodded while reading the letter. It contained Liliet’s inner feelings.

“She’s come to like Caslan.”

As expected, Liliet had given her heart to Caslan. But Caslan didn’t particularly get along with anyone. So Liliet wrote that she wanted to get along well with Caslan.

‘Caslan must be developing feelings too by now.’

In the original work, the Mastermind Fazel, Caslan, and Liliet played together at the villa. And there, Caslan and Liliet confessed their feelings to each other.

Fazel, who’d been about to confess first, saw that scene and silently threw away the bouquet he’d prepared.