“What do you mean, different?”

“You’re someone truly special, Miss—someone the master has long desired. The one and only.”

I could only laugh it off.

If I thought back to the day D’hiver and I first met, it was obvious.

He had simply been a kind, sympathetic adult and I had been nothing more than a child clinging to that sympathy.

“How would you know that, Suki?”

“Miss, I…”

Suki started to speak, then bit down on her lip.

Her already pale lips lost even more color.

“I… once wished to marry early, to have children, and raise them. Becoming a good mother was my only dream.”

Her words seemed unrelated but Suki had always spoken like that, so it didn’t feel strange.

“But it was a dream that was never allowed to me. Then how do you think I managed to survive here for fifty years? When all the Psyches before you died one after another?”

Her words still didn’t fully make sense, but there was something desperate in her voice.

“Please… do not go against the master. Live as though you are dead. If you simply follow his words, your life will be easier.”

She pleaded earnestly.

“So… it would be best if you stopped seeing Honoré.”

“D’hiver didn’t say anything about it, though.”

“Miss.”

Suki’s tone was unusually firm.

“Please trust what I am telling you.”

“What are you two talking about so seriously?”

At that moment, D’hiver appeared out of nowhere.

Unlike me, who flinched in surprise, Suki remained composed.

“It is nothing. However, have I not told you several times not to appear so suddenly?”

“I knocked several times. You were too absorbed in your conversation to hear.”

That… did sound possible.

I accepted it without much thought—but Suki narrowed her eyes.

“Is that lie truly necessary?”

“Oh? You didn’t fall for it.”

Wait. That was a lie?

While I stared at him in disbelief, Suki simply straightened her back proudly.

“Do you think I have only seen you for a day or two, Master? And how many times must I say it? You must respect the young lady!”

“What are you talking about now?”

“Shouldn’t you be saying that lying is wrong? You always tell me that, don’t you?”

D’hiver and I spoke at almost the same time.

Suki ignored him completely and turned to me instead.

“Miss.”

“Yes?”

“You and the master are not the same.”

I blinked.

Naturally, I asked,

“Then… is it alright for D’hiver to lie?”

“That is not what I mean. It is merely that priorities differ.”

With her hands on her hips, Suki raised her voice.

“What the master must observe right now is not barging into your room without notice! What kind of outsider man would dare—!”

“Suki, to me, Violette is…”

D’hiver let out a sigh, trailing off as he looked at me.

His crimson eyes—filled with something like longing—held me as always.

Who was he seeing, when he looked at me like that?

And yet, that gaze made my toes curl.

Unable to bear it, I took a step back and touched my cheek.

“Is there something on my face?”

“No…”

As if finally returning to himself, he murmured in a low voice,

“…I suppose Suki does say something right, sometimes.”

“I always say the right things!”

Suki protested, then suddenly pulled me into a tight embrace.

She was probably smiling wickedly.

“And our young lady will wear out if you keep staring. That’s enough.”

“Too pretty not to look.”

Ignoring her, his hand reached out and brushed against my cheek.

He gently removed a strand of hair that had stuck there.

“I’ve thought about it before—what Violette would be like at this age… and how she might change as time passed. I even found myself wanting to forget the pact… and return sooner.”

D’hiver smiled faintly.

His hand slid down, his fingertips tracing the shape of my face.

His crimson gaze softened.

“But you’re even more beautiful than I imagined. I think I finally understand what it means to lose oneself at the sight of someone.”

“You see? That’s all thanks to me.”

Suki quickly grabbed his hand away.

Straightening her posture, she declared proudly,

“You must know how hard I’ve worked. Truly, it has been a tearful journey!”

“Good work. Seems like our Suki is capable of something after all.”

“What?! Are you saying there’s something I can’t do?”

Suki jumped in place in protest.

But honestly, I agreed with him.

Suki really… wasn’t particularly good at anything.

Tone-deaf, directionless, clumsy—she had every kind of -less you could think of.

Still, that was part of what made her lovable.

D’hiver, still smiling faintly, only stared at Suki.

Just like me, Suki asked,

“I-Is there something on my face?”

“I was wondering if you’d at least wipe your mouth.”

“…What?”

At that, Suki puffed up in protest.

“That’s too much!”

“Hm? Why, Suki—did you want to be told you’re pretty too?”

“T-There’s no way I would, at this point!”

“Why not? You’re pretty.”

The words were tossed out so casually—and yet, for some reason, they sounded sweet.

Was that just my imagination?

Looking at Suki, D’hiver smiled in a way that was almost entrancing.

“Very.”

“……”

Suki’s face flushed bright red.

Her lips moved, as if she had a thousand things to say—yet none of them would come out.

For a moment, I too simply stared at him, half spellbound.

That fleeting smile—that atmosphere unique to him—was so captivating it felt as though it froze the air itself.

“M-M-Master!”

Breaking the moment, Suki suddenly raised her voice.

“Yes?”

“H-Haven’t I always told you? Have you forgotten everything in just five years?”

“Told me what?”

“How can you suddenly… h-hit on me like that?!”

At those words, D’hiver’s expression twisted instantly.

“…What are you talking about?”

“You always say—no matter how crooked your mouth is, your words should be straight! That remark just now was clearly…!”

“Alright, fine. I’m in the wrong. I won’t do it again, so let’s stop here.”

“M-Master!”

Grabbing my hand, D’hiver quickly walked away as if escaping.

Suki’s shrill voice followed behind us, but he didn’t look back.

After running for a while, we finally stopped near the library.

He glanced around before asking,

“Suki’s not here, right?”

“No.”

There was no way Suki—who had no sense of direction—could have followed us.

Letting out a sigh of relief, D’hiver gently touched my cheek.

“You’ve had a hard time, haven’t you? Suki… has quite a unique way of thinking.”

“No, it was fun.”

At my answer, he looked at me as if he couldn’t believe it.

“Fun?”

He repeated, as though needing confirmation.

“With Suki? Violette, are you…?”

“No, of course Suki can be a bit much for me to handle.”

My voice trembled slightly.

“But I was happy. It was the first time anyone ever cared for me.”

“…Ah.”

Only then did D’hiver seem to understand, letting out a distant sigh.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought that up.”

“It’s alright.”

I shook my head.

“I’m happy now. I can barely even remember the past.”

“Is that so?”

He murmured, his voice faintly subdued.

His hand slid slowly, coming to rest on my shoulder.

“May all the time you have left be happy—without regret.”

Just as I was thinking how beautiful D’hiver’s crimson eyes were, he suddenly pulled me into an embrace.

It felt no different from long ago—warm, familiar, filled with a gentle scent.

“By my side.”

I lingered in his arms for a long moment before finally speaking.

“You’ll… stay with me, right?”

“Of course.”

His gentle voice broke softly against my ear.

“I’ll be with you until the day your life comes to an end.”

I smiled faintly and embraced him in return.

The precious things I had gained at his side—Suki, Honoré, Blanc.

They were few, but each one was something I never wanted to lose.

But the very next morning, In the beautiful lake within the garden, my Honoré was found as a corpse.

***

“M-Miss!”

It was early dawn, the air thick with mist.

Suki burst into my room, gasping for breath.

Startled awake by the sudden noise, I rubbed my eyes.

The cold air of dawn wrapped around me.

“Suki…? What’s wrong at this hour?”

“S-Something terrible has happened!”

“Terrible?”

“H-Honoré… Honoré…! Miss, this is no time—please, come to the garden!”

Honoré?

Tilting my head in confusion, I rose and headed outside.

Normally, Suki would have scolded me for wandering around in my nightclothes—but now, she simply collapsed where she stood.

The garden was in eternal spring, lilacs blooming endlessly.

Beyond their intoxicating fragrance lay a vast, beautiful lake.

There stood D’hiver, his golden hair disheveled.

“D’hiver? What’s going on?”

“Don’t come.”

“…What?”

“Stay there. Don’t look.”

He stepped in front of me, blocking my way.

Then, pulling me into his arms, he tried to shield my view.

But I had already seen it.

Beneath the clear surface of the lake—a figure lay submerged.

Familiar brown hair drifted gently with the rippling water.

Wide, lifeless blue eyes.

A face drained of all color.

“…Honoré?”

My voice trembled as I called his name.

I struggled to break free from D’hiver’s grasp but the more I resisted, the tighter his hold became.

His low voice pressed against my ear.

“Vivi… don’t do this. It’s better if you don’t see.”

“Honoré…”

With a sudden burst of strength, I shoved him away.

Then I ran toward the lake.

And there—the unspeakable, horrifying sight beneath the water—seared itself into my eyes.