Of course, I already knew that the Guildmaster was the Second Prince who had disappeared from the imperial palace.

I had even guessed that he had received some kind of wound that I couldn’t understand, causing him to flee from the palace.

That’s why I wanted to be his support.

Because I was concerned and worried about him, who must have walked only thorny paths.

But I never expected that the Guildmaster was Duncan.

It felt like being hit hard on the back of my head with a heavy club.

That feeling stemmed from bewilderment rather than disappointment.

Strangely, I wasn’t disappointed in Duncan.

Why did you deceive me? Was it fun to lie to me all this time? Didn’t you ever feel guilty?

I was simply too shocked to question him about any of this.

I just stared directly into Duncan’s eyes.

Those eyes that seemed to wish for forgiveness, hoping I wouldn’t hate him.

The tips of his fingers resting on his knees were trembling slightly.

At that moment, a somewhat cold wind blew in contrast to the warm sunlight.

Winter seemed to be approaching quickly after everything we’d been through.

I recalled the various memories we had shared since the season when warm winds blew.

Among the memories with Duncan and the Guildmaster, there were none I wanted to discard.

Although he had hidden his identity, every day spent with him was enjoyable.

Above all, precious.

Remembering those happy memories, I simply couldn’t hate him.

Even his past self, who asked nonsensical questions about whether I liked Duncan or the Guildmaster better when they were the same person, seemed cute to me now.

They say when you love someone, even their flaws appear lovable.

Is it because I love him that I can’t hate him?

Even if Duncan told another lie that I couldn’t accept, even if he committed a wrong that everyone would condemn, I didn’t think I would be disappointed in him.

My feelings for him must be greater than I can handle.

That’s how I sorted out my feelings.

I haven’t been disappointed in you for deceiving me, and no matter what your identity is, my desire to be your support hasn’t changed.

That I love you that much.

But separately from that, it seemed he should still be punished for the crime of being presumptuous.

“And is there anything else you need to confess?”

I crossed my arms tightly.

I tried to harden my expression too, but I’m not sure if it worked.

Looking at Duncan’s nervous face, I simply couldn’t keep a stern expression.

‘Even in this situation, Honey looks so cute. This is serious.’

The man who had been playful as the Guildmaster and reliable as Duncan was now fidgeting nervously.

And because of me, anxious that I might be disappointed in him.

I liked seeing Duncan being anxious. It made me feel how much he liked me.

“Something to confess…”

I wanted to know everything about Duncan in this opportunity. I wanted to know all that he had hidden from me.

“I’ve deceived you all this time, and I don’t know if I should say this without being forgiven.”

“I’ll gladly listen, so go ahead and try.”

“I like you.”

That sudden honesty made my heart drop.

Soon after, my heart began to flutter uncontrollably.

Thump-thump. A fluttering I never felt when I was with Benjamin.

I took a deep breath. My face felt hot, and soon my whole body seemed to be warming up.

“I like you very much.”

“….”

“I think about you all day.”

Duncan seemed unable to contain the sincerity that was pouring out like a bursting dam.

Hesitantly, his hand came closer and grasped the tip of my hand very lightly, not enough to cause any discomfort.

His hand was still trembling.

“Please don’t hate me. Me, who can now only think of you…”

The last confession seemed too much for even Duncan to handle.

He lowered his head deeply and waited for my answer like a prisoner awaiting sentencing.

The tips of his ears, visible through his soft hai,r had turned red.

A smile finally escaped me.

I tried to force my curling lips down, but I couldn’t stop the smile from spreading.

It was fortunate that Duncan had his head down and couldn’t see my face.

“Of course, I’m not asking you to accept my feelings right away. Nor am I asking you to forgive me immediately.”

“Then what?”

“Give me a chance to make amends. I’ll stay by your side and work to earn your forgiveness.”

This cunning man.

Does he think I don’t know that he’s using forgiveness as an excuse to stay by my side?

Yet I decided to play along.

“Alright. From now on, you must make desperate efforts to receive my forgiveness.”

Separate from forgiveness, I also didn’t want to be apart from Duncan anymore.

I wanted to stay right by Duncan’s side and be his support.

“Of course. If you want me to be your servant, I’ll do that.”

“I’ve gained quite a reliable servant.”

“…Yes, Master.”

Despite answering readily, the tips of Duncan’s ears turned even redder.

I was worried they might burst if touched.

I wanted to see Duncan’s face. I was curious how red it would be.

“Now raise your head and look at me.”

“Not yet… Please give me a moment.”

“My, my servant is quite talkative.”

Duncan hesitated and slowly raised his face.

The face he reluctantly showed was truly lovable.

The blush on Duncan’s cheeks made him even more endearing.

Will there ever come a day when I can hate this man?

Duncan took the hand that had been holding my fingertips and rubbed his face in a tired gesture.

“I’m dying of embarrassment.”

Is this the same man who fearlessly pointed a gun at Benjamin?

Duncan, rubbing his face with his large, white hand,s was too cute.

“But shouldn’t you have told me at some point that you and the Guildmaster were the same person?”

“I didn’t intend to keep deceiving you, but I was waiting for the right timing and it was too late. Do you remember the last contact I made in the Philia Islands?”

“Hmm… Don’t tell me what you said you’d tell me in person was related to your identity?”

Duncan nodded.

“If only Benjamin hadn’t interfered, you would have confessed more smoothly than now.”

“Of course, that’s true, but I don’t want to blame Benjamin. After all, I was the one who deceived you.”

How admirable. He won’t even blame others? What flaws does Duncan have?

If it were me, I would have complained about Benjamin and resented him.

“To earn my forgiveness, you’ll have to work very hard for a long time.”

“Yes, I’m prepared for that.”

“So stay by my side for a long time.”

“I’m prepared for that too.”

While watching Duncan’s efforts, I should also confess my feelings.

Well… Duncan seems to already know my feelings to some extent.

“Oh, by the way, since we’re on the topic, what happened to Benjamin?”

As soon as Benjamin was mentioned, Duncan’s face, which had been like a boy in first love, hardened.

“Benjamin…”

Perhaps because he began so ominously, I found myself tensing up.

Even though I had seen Benjamin in a miserable state, I couldn’t believe he would die so easily.

Benjamin seemed like someone who would stubbornly survive even if the world ended, and still see the world in purple.

After keeping me in suspense for a while, Duncan suddenly raised his hand.

Then, bringing his two wrists together, he smiled wickedly in a way I had never seen before.

“He’s in shackles.”

Hoo-hoo—. He even laughed like that. Very creepily and crudely.

That appearance reminded me of the Guildmaster who used to completely empty the customers’ pockets.

“Shackles?”

“Yes, he should suffer exactly as Yerena did.”

…In some ways, I thought this man might be even more wicked than Benjamin.

Of course, separate from that wickedness, I also welcome Benjamin being in shackles.

“Was that possible because you’re a prince?”

Duncan answered ambiguously.

“Partly that, and partly borrowing some other power.”

Other power?

“…So, shameless as it is, I have an urgent matter to ask of Yerena.”

I pondered what Duncan had said.

That the man before me, whom I knew as Duncan, was the Guildmaster I liked and also a prince.