Of course, in this life she had lived within certain boundaries as a noble lady.

Thinking about her previous life when she had lived wildly unrestrained, there had been far more extreme things.

‘Time will solve it.’

As Karina was consoling herself while breathing in the fresh air, she heard footsteps behind her.

Turning around, Karina blinked in surprise as she recognized the owner of the footsteps.

“Brigadier General Winchester?”

Why is Dominic here? Unable to understand for a moment, Karina furrowed her brows.

Suddenly upset at her reaction, Dominic raised his eyebrows and took a step toward her.

“It’s been a while, Lady Crawford.”

“Ah… yes, um. It has been a while, Brigadier General Winchester.”

Karina rolled her eyes around. She didn’t know what to say in this awkward atmosphere.

“But, um. Why did you come out? Did you come out for some fresh air?”

Dominic couldn’t answer her question.

Right. Why did he come out here?

While Dominic stood there confused, Karina quickly looked around. Fortunately, the garden seemed empty.

“That’s a relief.”

A relief? What’s a relief? Dominic looked down at her as if asking what she meant.

Her white neck was clearly visible with her hair neatly pulled up. The strapless dress revealed her upper chest. Dominic hurriedly averted his eyes. He felt pathetic that his eyes were drawn to Karina’s body even in this situation.

“What’s a relief?”

Finally managing to feign composure, Dominic spoke gruffly.

“That there’s no one here.”

Why would it be a relief that no one was here?

Then Dominic suddenly seemed to understand what she meant. His face turned bright red.

No one here… Right. It was much better than having someone watching.

“Um. That… Lady Crawford.”

For a moment, Dominic looked around. Behind the tree, they could definitely kiss without anyone seeing… No, what was he thinking?

This was Her Highness’s debutante ball. While thinking they shouldn’t create an awkward situation at an event where all the notable nobles had gathered, Dominic’s eyes couldn’t leave the area behind the tree.

Karina’s fresh voice reached his ears.

“Well then, enjoy the rest of your time out here. I’ll head back to the banquet hall first.”

“Head back? Now?”

“What if someone sees us two together? Lady Lindid would surely misunderstand.”

Her expression truly seemed relieved.

“Please be more careful where you go from now on. I’ll take my leave now, okay?”

Unable to even think of stopping her as she left with a light laugh, Dominic blankly watched Karina’s retreating figure.

* * *

“Lady Lindid?”

“Ah. I’m sorry. I was just looking for someone.”

He let out a small laugh. It was obvious who she was looking for.

“Don’t you think your affection for your childhood friend is a bit excessive?”

“I’m just… I suppose so? But Dominic is like a child left by the water’s edge.”

“A child……”

Since when was there a child over 190cm tall? Though he liked her personality that was kind to everyone, Dominic and Olivia’s friendship wasn’t particularly welcome to him. Whether he’s ascetic or impotent — it was especially annoying that despite the numerous women throwing themselves at him, he never left room for any possibilities.

Only Olivia was the sole woman allowed within the 190cm man’s boundaries.

That’s why he disliked it even more. Even if their relationship wasn’t the kind to worry about.

“But where could he have gone?”

Olivia was quite worried after hearing from the Marchioness that he hadn’t been himself lately. Indeed, he seemed absent-minded lately, as if his spirit was somewhere else. A few days ago, he even took leave, which he never did, and went home early.

“Ah. There he comes.”

The man’s fingertip pointed to Dominic entering the banquet hall.

“Looks like he went out for some fresh air.”

“Ah. I see. May I go to Dominic for a moment?”

“……Well.”

The man who had been smiling without answering had a strange change in his expression.

“Even if I give permission, I don’t think Lady Lindid’s turn will come.”

“What? What do you mean?”

At the smiling man’s response, Olivia turned her head.

Dominic, who had returned to the banquet hall, looked around and then approached someone with a completely stiff face.

“Oh my?”

And at the end of his path was Karina Crawford, surrounded by men.

* * *

“Lady Crawford.”

No. Why is that man coming here again?

She had deliberately gathered men around her like clouds. The saying ‘a thief is most wary of their own footsteps’ perfectly described her current situation. No one had even seen anything.

She wanted to appear completely unrelated to Dominic at all costs. After all, the virtuous and ascetic Dominic would never make a fitting picture with someone like her who mingled promiscuously with men.

Karina gave Dominic a look as he approached, oblivious to her efforts.

Please don’t talk to me and go away!

And Dominic clearly understood her meaning. Frowning between his usually handsome brows for whatever had irritated him, he walked steadily forward. Standing right in front of Karina, Dominic bent down to meet her eyes directly.

“I have something to discuss. Would you spare me some time?”

“M-me?”

“Yes. You, Lady Crawford.”

“Uh… You can just say it here.”

Dominic ran his hand through his hair. It was a rather decadent gesture for the usually polite and proper Dominic.

“Would it be appropriate here? I don’t mind, but considering Lady Crawford’s reputation, it might be better to talk privately.”

“Re-reputation?”

It sounded as if there was some tremendous story between them. People exchanged glances. The men who had been crowding around Karina had already stepped back about five paces.

“Bri-Brigadier General?”

“It won’t take long. Please spare me some time.”

Though his tone was polite, somehow it felt like a threatening request, almost like a growl.

* * *

“Lady Lindid?”

“Yes?”

“It’s the last dance.”

“Wait. Dancing isn’t important right now.”

Olivia was on her tenth plate of finger food.

Dancing. Of course it’s important.

But not right now.

“I’m sorry. We can dance anytime, but I can only see my childhood friend’s historic moment right now.”

“Historic moment? They’re just talking.”

“You really don’t know anything about Dominic, do you?”

With a slight laugh, Olivia picked up another plate beside her.

“That’s why it’s historic.”

A conversation with a woman? And he initiated it himself?

This was a great development for Dominic, like a child taking their first steps.

“I wonder what they’re talking about?”

“Who knows. Probably a normal date request.”

“Oh my! Oh my, my. A date request? That’s moving too fast!”

The man shook his head with his hand on his forehead at Olivia’s reaction as she squealed and couldn’t take her eyes off them for a moment.

Though he had decided to like her, Olivia wasn’t exactly a normal woman either.

Meanwhile, Karina’s face had turned pale.

She couldn’t understand why the man in front of her was acting this way.

“Are you crazy?”

All eyes were on them due to Dominic’s deviant behavior. Karina spoke like a ventriloquist while maintaining a smiling face.

“After I went out of my way to be considerate. How could you act like this?”

“Considerate? What consideration?”

“Ah, really… This is why you can’t talk to someone who doesn’t understand anything. Fine. What do you want to say? Let’s say it quickly and part ways. Lady Lindid is watching us.”

Though it might have been a way to provoke jealousy, judging by Olivia’s interested expression, it seemed completely wrong. Rather, it seemed Olivia was making all sorts of misunderstandings that shouldn’t happen.

“What if Lady Lindid misunderstands our relationship?”

“Misunderstand what? What kind of relationship do we have?”

“We don’t have any relationship.”

“No relationship?”

Ha. A laugh of disbelief escaped his lips. It was so unlike Dominic that Karina looked at him in surprise.

“Where’s the blade?”

“Knife? Suddenly? What blade suddenly?”

“The one I left in Lady Crawford’s room.”

“Ah, that! If it was so important, you should have said so earlier. I’ve been keeping it because I felt uneasy about throwing it away. Do you know how worried I’ve been about Brother finding it?”

Karina nodded with a greatly relieved expression.

So it was about the blade.

“I’ll send it to the Naval Headquarters. I’ll deliver it to you while pretending to send a package to Brother…”

“No.”

“What?”

“I’ll come to get it personally. Because it’s important.”

“What?”

“I’m saying I’ll visit Crawford mansion to retrieve my possession.”

“Ah. Why are you so troublesome? Isn’t it better to just receive it by package?”

“No. I want to receive it personally.”

Dominic stubbornly insisted, using the blade as an excuse. Though he felt childish creating conflict over something so trivial, he couldn’t help it.

“Ah… Fine then. Do as you please.”

And it seemed Karina felt the same way. Thinking there was no need to show the people that they were talking alone just for this kind of conversation, she quickly nodded.

“Is that all you wanted to discuss?”

“No. We’re not finished yet.”

As he said this, Dominic frantically searched his mind for another topic. And without realizing it, he blurted out a word.

“A date. Shouldn’t we have one?”

“What? What did you say?”

Karina shouted in surprise at the sudden appearance of this word. A date? A date?

Though Karina rarely showed agitation, she waved her hands in denial with a reddened face.