As the departure date approached, Medric and David worked tirelessly like men with their feet on fire.

Eve occasionally asked Hans about their well-being but didn’t visit Medric’s study again.

Thus, Eve and Medric didn’t see each other until the day of departure.

On the day of departure, news came that the knights and Medric had completed their preparations early.

Eve had overslept after staying up late the previous night making a gift for Medric.

Without time to properly fix her hair, she grabbed the prepared gift and hurried to the main gate where the knights were gathering.

The knights hadn’t yet formed their ranks. Judging by their casual conversations, they didn’t seem ready to depart immediately.

Eve sighed in relief and slowed her pace.

The Anas knights, fully armed for the campaign, looked overwhelming even from a distance.

She had traveled with them to the Grand Duchy before, but then they had been only a fifth of the current number and not so heavily armed.

As Eve looked around at the knights, her gaze fixed on one man who stood out among them.

The red-haired man had a long sword at his waist and was stroking the horse he would ride.

Perhaps because it had been a while since she’d seen him, she felt strangely nervous as she approached him.

Her hand holding the gift became sweaty.

She knew he would gladly accept even a mediocre gift, but she still worried.

Eve briefly examined the embroidered silk ribbon in her hand.

The gift was a glossy, luxurious-looking silk ribbon, but the embroidery on it could not be called well-done even as a polite compliment.

She had spent all her time embroidering, except for the mornings when she planned her affairs through correspondence with the Grand Duke.

Besides the time Lady Anna taught her, she had worked on the embroidery alone at night by the light of magic stones.

Yet the result was still like this.

Not only was the shape crude, but it was also crooked.

It was her first experience with such a sense of defeat—she who had always been praised for her dexterity and intelligence.

‘Perhaps I should have made it again.’

Eve thought briefly but shook her head.

She had lost count of how many ribbons she had already made.

She had used not only all the fabric she had acquired but even the leftover scraps.

‘That’s why I went to bed so late yesterday.’

Eve recalled how she had collapsed into sleep after making the final stitch yesterday.

Then she shifted her gaze to the knights and Medric in front of her.

The water was already spilled. She couldn’t make it again now, and even if she tried, she might not produce better embroidery. Better to deliver it straightforwardly and forget about it.

Having made up her mind, she strode forward with determination.

“My Lady.”

And there she stood before them—no, before him.

Seeing him up close after so long, his face looked a bit thinner, but his body seemed even more robust.

How had he gained more muscle when he hadn’t eaten or slept properly?

Eve approached him slowly.

“You’re out early.”

“Yes. It’s an important day.”

While Eve was making small talk with Medric, David, who was nearby, bowed in greeting. His face looked brighter than when she had last seen him.

“Viscount Iosif, you’re here too.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of His Grace.”

David truly looked like someone who had been waiting for the subjugation campaign. His voice sounded excited.

“I hope everyone returns safely. Please don’t worry about things here.”

As Eve greeted David, familiar knights gathered around.

“My Lady, have you been well?”

“Ah, Sir Siegfried. It’s been a while. Your arm seems fully healed.”

“Thanks to you, My Lady.”

From the respectful Siegfried to Winston and Gaspar—knights suddenly flocked to exchange greetings, causing Eve to miss her chance to present the gift. She didn’t want so many people to see her poor handiwork.

Eve watched for an opportunity to give Medric the silk ribbon.

Medric looked at her intently and asked:

“Do you need something?”

Eve flinched and tightly gripped the silk ribbon in her hand.

While she was hesitating:

“Preparations complete!”

A knight shouted loudly, and the knights surrounding Eve moved to their positions to form ranks.

‘Now’s my chance.’

Taking advantage of the moment when others’ attention was diverted, she raised her hand holding the silk ribbon and extended it to Medric.

Medric looked puzzled at the object in her hand.

“Please take it. It’s a gift I prepared for you.”

At her words, Medric’s eyes widened.

“A gift? From you?”

As the surprised Medric alternated his gaze between Eve’s outstretched hand and her face, Eve, feeling embarrassed, shook her fist holding the silk ribbon, urging him to take it.

Only then did Medric accept the silk ribbon.

After taking it, Medric stared at the gift for a long time. He seemed completely unable to identify what it was.

Eve bit her lip.

‘The embroidery must be really bad.’

Someone of Medric’s standing would have received gifts from many noble ladies, and any of those gifts would have been superior to hers.

Now that she had given it to him, embarrassment washed over her.

Why had she bothered to prepare such a gift?

Regret came belatedly. If she could turn back time, she wouldn’t have prepared anything with embroidery.

“…This is my first time.”

“Pardon?”

“This is the first time I’ve received a gift with such sincerity.”

Eve looked up at Medric.

His first time?

‘That can’t be true.’

Was he saying this just to be polite?

She stared at him blankly, not expecting such words.

“This is your embroidery, isn’t it?”

She couldn’t bring herself to respond to his question, fearing he might point out her poor needlework.

She answered after a pause.

“Yes, it is.”

“It contains even more sincerity than I expected. Thank you. You must have been busy.”

Medric expressed his gratitude briefly.

“Not at all. You’re the one who’s been busy.”

Eve responded to his words, feeling dazed.

“As David said, I was just paying my karmic debt for the work that piled up during my rest period.”

Medric clutched the silk ribbon in his hand as if it were precious.

“Thank you.”

She hadn’t expected to receive so many thanks from him.

It seemed like genuine gratitude, not mere courtesy.

Eve reflected on what she had done for him so far.

She had been desperate to survive and determined to reach her goals. So she hadn’t even thought to express gratitude to him. She had given him nothing.

Now, regret washed over her.

‘If I had known he would appreciate it this much, I would have given him a better gift.’

Medric drew the long sword from his waist and wrapped the silk ribbon around the handle, tying it securely.

The red embroidery on the black silk stood out against the beautifully carved sword handle.

“I’ll cherish it.”

Medric didn’t say a word about the quality of the embroidery. She smiled slightly, grateful for that.

The knights had formed their ranks and were waiting for their farewell to end. Eve realized it was time to let him go.

“Please take care.”

It happened in an instant.

As she bid him farewell, Medric knelt on one knee before her.

While Eve blinked in surprise, his lips drew close to her hand, almost but not quite touching. His breath settled on the back of her hand. It felt as if a faint warmth flowed from her hand throughout her body.

That brief moment felt like an eternity.

His soft lips slowly lifted from the back of her hand.

“I’ll be back soon.”

Medric gave his final farewell and mounted his horse.

“Shall we depart?”

At David’s question, Medric nodded, and the sound of a horn echoed. It was the signal for the subjugation force to depart.

The knights who had been waiting in neat formation began moving toward the main gate at the signal.

Eve stood motionless in the same spot until he disappeared through the main gate on horseback.

She couldn’t remember what Medric had said at the end.

More precisely, she couldn’t comprehend what had just happened.

It was her first physical contact with Medric.

Although it was merely a formal greeting, and only on the back of her hand.

Still, it was a kiss.

The dust near the path leading from the garden to the entrance took a long time to settle.
In her mind, the scene of Medric kneeling and kissing the back of her hand kept replaying.