‘Why didn’t I remember that?’

While it was wrong that he hadn’t remembered in time, the consequences were devastating.

As the bigger picture came together, Dominic wished he could just die.

“Crazy fool. Why did I…”

More vulgar curses burst from between his proper lips.

He wanted to shoot his yesterday’s self with his own gun for spouting nonsense about basic manners. These were things that could only have been said by someone who had lost their mind.

It was because he had gotten too heated about having his feelings for Olivia discovered.

―Even the impressive Naval Brigadier General can’t help but look dumbfounded.

Karina’s venomous smile as she said those words came back to him.

Along with the soft sensation of her lips that had been haunting him for the past day.

Dominic, who had naturally raised his hand to his lips, startled and quickly moved his arm away.

He really was nothing but a crazy fool.

“Ha.”

* * *

Afterward, Dominic desperately tried not to be conscious of Karina. However, surprisingly, Karina, whom he thought he had no connection with, kept popping up everywhere in his daily life.

Friday morning before the weekend.

After attending the Naval Operations Command executive meeting and returning to his office, Dominic’s eyes caught sight of a man.

‘That person.’

Until just a few weeks ago, he — the third son of a certain viscount family — had been spreading rumors about his involvement with Karina Crawford.

Next to the man in his handsome naval uniform stood a woman holding a yellow freesia bouquet, smiling shyly.

For a moment, Dominic’s breath got caught. But he soon realized that her hair wasn’t the brilliant platinum blonde he knew.

“Oh?”

The aide walking beside Dominic followed his superior’s gaze and made a knowing sound.

“He finally achieved his wish.”

“Wish…?”

“Ah. You wouldn’t know, Brigadier General. He’s had feelings for his childhood friend since they were young. That woman beside him is the object of his unrequited love.”

“Unrequited love…”

It was a familiar story that didn’t feel like someone else’s.

Without taking his eyes off the man, Dominic asked his aide.

“Until just a few days ago, he seemed quite close with Lady Crawford.”

“Ah. That…”

“That?”

Dominic pressed for an answer from the aide who had stopped mid-sentence. But the aide shook his head.

“I apologize. While it’s not much of a story, it doesn’t seem right to easily share others’ affairs…”

“I see.”

The aide nodded slightly at the usual plain voice. However, the next moment, the aide had to doubt his ears.

“After the lady leaves, call that soldier to my office. There seems to be something I need to hear directly.”

It was a cold voice mixed with a strangely displeased nuance.

* * *

Naval Operations Command 2nd Fleet, Phiex Emgiet. He was called unexpectedly to the Brigadier General’s office, he was now in a very nervous state.

“You called for me…”

“Lieutenant Emgiet.”

“Yes! Your Grace!”

“I saw you had a visitor today.”

“Ah.”

Phiex blushed and acted shy.

“You saw?”

“What is your relationship with that lady?”

“We started dating a few days ago. We’re planning to greet both families soon.”

“Greet?”

Dominic’s expression was serious as he faced the extremely happy face.

“Weren’t you seeing another lady until just recently?”

“No! There’s no such thing!”

“Are you saying I’m lying right now?”

“W-well, not lying exactly, but such a thing…”

Phiex, trailing off under Dominic’s sudden interrogation, suddenly let out an “Ah!”

“Are you referring to Lady Crawford?”

Dominic just stared at him silently. Understanding the wordless confirmation, Phiex jumped up and denied Dominic’s words.

“That’s impossible. How could Lady Crawford and I…”

“I heard many people saw you spending time together.”

“W-well, that’s true, but.”

Flustered, Phiex stole a glance at Dominic.

‘Why on earth am I having this conversation here?’

Frankly speaking, if it were Lucas Crawford, he could understand it as a brother’s concern for his sister.

But this was Dominic Winchester.

Phiex carefully asked Dominic.

“Are you perhaps well acquainted with Lady Crawford?”

“No.”

The answer came quickly. Phiex scratched his head.

Should he say it? Should he not?

But he wouldn’t have any reason to meet Lady Crawford again in the future, and Phiex, having been called to meet one-on-one with the Brigadier General for the first time in his life, was in a very awkward situation.

‘Actually, it’s not even something worth keeping secret.’

It’s something everyone who needs to know already knows.

Having finished his mental calculations, Phiex promptly brought up the story Dominic was curious about.

“I received some help from her.”

“Help?”

“Yes.”

Phiex explained the whole story.

Karina Crawford, called the rising star of social circles, was an easy woman in everything. Whether it was meeting men, or discarding them.

Phiex had received help from such a Karina.

“Since our family only has male siblings, we’re awkward with women, so she helped me with that.”

The current fashion trends.

How to speak to gain someone’s favor.

Even how to hold someone’s hand gently and carefully like holding an egg when embracing them.

Dominic, who had been silently listening to Phiex’s earnest explanation, finally spoke.

“Look here, Lieutenant Emgiet.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

“If you say you received help, what exactly does she get out of it? There’s nothing beneficial for her at all, is there?”

“That’s not true, Brigadier General, Sir.”

“Not true?”

“Yes. You clearly don’t know Lady Crawford well.”

Phiex stated this newfound fact before quickly closing his mouth.

“To her, romance is just an interesting sport.”

“What?”

“Actually, I didn’t understand either, so I asked her once. About why she would offer to help me.”

“And?”

“She described herself as a collector.”

“A collector.”

“Yes. Like stamp collecting, for instance.”

Seeing Dominic’s gaze that seemed to ask for more details, Phiex scratched his head.

“According to Lady Crawford, every person in the world is like a different stamp. I was really impressed by those words. It’s exactly right. After all, there’s no one in the world who’s exactly the same as another. Why, even the same person’s heart changes from yesterday to today.”

“Continue.”

“Ah, yes. I’ll continue then. After hearing about my unrequited love, Lady Crawford said what I needed was a natural attitude toward women. And Lady Crawford was definitely right. With her help, I finally gathered the courage to confess my feelings to my long-time first love.”

While helping men in ‘real romance,’ she enjoys ‘fake romance’ without any seriousness.

Dominic was left speechless at this story that was even more absurd than he had expected.

With an embarrassed expression, Phiex rubbed his neck.

“I know. It’s a bit strange. But actually, there was nothing between her and me. While she coached me on dating, she helped me think of ways to capture Eitlyn’s heart — ah, that’s my girlfriend. Anyway, if it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t have even thought about confessing to Eitlyn.”

“Unbelievable.”

“Pardon? What do you mean…”

Dominic, who had been moving his lips, rubbed his face. Then he waved his hand at Phiex.

“Never mind. You may go now.”

“Yes sir!”

Clicking his heels together and saluting, Phiex left the room. Only after hearing the door quietly close did Dominic collapse onto his desk.

“Damn it.”

The feeling of chills running down his spine was so intense that all strength left his body.

To say she was a woman who simply enjoyed dating men, her kiss had been too skillful.

He had almost forgotten that this was the Naval Operations Command and nearly blurted out that unbelievable incident with Karina.

He barely managed to stop himself from making that slip at the last moment.

“What is that woman thinking?”

What was all this about collecting stamps and helping with romance?

Yet those nonsensical stories were very much like her, who couldn’t be found with even a speck of seriousness.

After being lost in thought for a moment, Dominic let out a hollow laugh.

‘How much do I even know about her.’

They were too much of a stranger to say something was ‘like her.’

It was him who was acting out of character, unable to shake thoughts of her for the past week and calling in a soldier to interrogate him.