“What request? Tell me.”

I had been pondering how to get Sarang away from the Duchess… and now a suitable person to use was right in front of me.

I clearly stated what I wanted to Benjamin.

“I heard you’ll be released soon. When you return to the Duke’s residence, would you send Antoinette to Philia Islands?”

“Who is Antoinette?”

Benjamin frowned, showing he had never heard that name before.

“She’s the cat your mother kidnapped from Philia Islands.”

“…Ah. That white cat?”

As I nodded, I remembered the promise I made with the Duchess.

The promise that I would ensure the Duke’s family wouldn’t be harmed for kidnapping me.

‘Though things got a bit complicated because Demian is a prince, only Benjamin has been punished, so it should be fine, right?’

From what I’d heard, no sanctions were imposed on the Duke’s family for Benjamin’s actions.

The imperial palace seemed to want to settle this incident as a personal matter between Benjamin, me, and Demian.

I didn’t want to make things bigger either, so I decided to be satisfied with that.

Looking at it positively, because my kidnapping by Benjamin had been publicly revealed, I was able to reclaim my original name and no longer needed to live in hiding…

‘And most importantly! I became absolutely certain that Demian and I feel the same way.’

The kidnapping incident clearly established the relationship between Demian and me, which had been ambiguous, seeming like close friends at times and like a couple at others.

‘I wonder if Demian has returned? I miss him.’

I wanted to end this disgusting conversation and go meet Demian.

“So, will you do it?”

When I pressed him, Benjamin nodded.

“After tolerating your birds’ droppings, dealing with one cat is nothing.”

Then Benjamin quietly muttered to himself when a thought seemed to cross his mind.

“But one of those birds was a person… No, I must have seen wrong.”

Benjamin’s eerie gaze briefly fell on Bless, who was firmly guarding behind me.

He seemed confused about whether the other man he had seen at the wedding was real.

Before Benjamin could figure out Bless’s identity, I quickly said.

“You need to bring that cat to the Jinjijo branch.”

“If I do that, what will you do for me?”

“I’ll forgive you a tiny bit for kidnapping me.”

Benjamin snorted.

“I don’t think that was wrong, so why should I seek forgiveness?”

…To feel no remorse even while being punished like this. Isn’t he beyond redemption?

“But if I can win your heart even a little by doing so, I’ll do it.”

“That won’t win my heart.”

At my negative response, Benjamin gripped the iron bars tightly.

His suddenly closer gaze was burdensome, so I stuck close to Olivia.

“I won’t kidnap you again. Since you now have the imperial palace backing you. I value my life too.”

“….”

“But remember this. I still like you.”

Not wanting to talk with Benjamin anymore, I whispered to Olivia.

“May I leave now?”

“I’ll go with you.”

Saying that, Olivia waved goodbye to Benjamin.

“We’ll be going now. See you next time at the Center.”

“Get lost.”

That conversation felt very strange to me.

In the original work, Benjamin hadn’t been this hostile toward Olivia, who reminded him of Diana.

“Yerena, you… see you again later.”

Without answering, I left the prison first. I heard Olivia following behind me.

As soon as we exited the prison, Olivia burst into hearty laughter.

“Isn’t Lord Benjamin’s state laughable? It’s absurd how he still pretends to love Lady Yerena despite being so broken…”

“Does Lady Olivia like Benjamin? You said earlier you had feelings for him.”

“I’m not sure. Of course, among the three men who pursued me, I like Lord Benjamin the most.”

I thought I knew the reason.

“Because he’s the most handsome?”

In the original work, Olivia liked Benjamin’s arrogant face and excellent physique.

“Oh my, how did you know?”

“I just do. But since that man likes me… don’t you resent me?”

I briefly worried that Olivia might torment me like Rosie did.

…Though, being slightly unhinged, she probably wouldn’t act like Rosie.

“Not at all. Rather, it ignites my fighting spirit. How satisfying would it be if a man who likes another woman falls for me instead?”

Indeed, she was no pushover.

I felt I should never cross Olivia. If I did, my life could become complicated again.

At that moment, I heard a voice desperately calling me from far away.

“Yerena!”

That urgent voice was certainly familiar. I even felt like I’d heard it recently.

Olivia and I turned our heads toward the sound in perfect unison.

There was Demian, running toward us with his cape fluttering.

Having spotted me first, he came to a halt right in front of me in one breath.

Demian exhaled roughly with a flushed face.

That breathing sounded strangely sensual, making my cheeks heat up too.

Meanwhile, having caught his breath, Demian shouted with all the indignation of someone throwing a tantrum.

“Really! Where did you go again? Do you actually want to see me go crazy with worry about you?”

He didn’t seem to even notice that Olivia was beside me.

It felt like—He can only see me.

Though I felt sorry for the furiously angry Demian, I liked hearing him say he was going crazy with worry about me.

Because it sounded like he was saying he loved me.

“Did you look for me a lot?”

“How can you even ask that…!”

I decided to use a special trick that could calm Demian down.

It was to wrap my arms around his waist and nestle into his embrace.

He must have been running around a lot, as the heat coming through his clothes was unusual. His back also seemed damp with sweat when I touched it.

“….”

I heard Demian sharply inhale.

“D-don’t touch me like that.”

Despite saying that, he absolutely didn’t push away my hands that were caressing his back. Really now.

“I’m sorry for making you wait. Demian, will you forgive me?”

“I think my weakness has been discovered. Knowing that my heart melts with just one hug…”

“Actually, I could do more…”

“Ye-Yerena?”

“But since Lady Olivia is watching us with interest, I can’t do more.”

“What?”

Demian seemed to have just noticed Olivia’s presence.

“…How long have you been there?”

“From the beginning.”

Olivia answered playfully, sticking out her tongue.

“I saw everything from the beginning, too.”

The person who answered next with a voice full of complaints was Bless.

Since I had introduced him to Olivia as my guard, she didn’t have any particular questions about Bless.

Olivia stared at Demian intently, then suddenly exclaimed.

“Ah! Master Duncan!”

“….”

“There were rumors that Master Duncan was the Second Prince. So it was true.”

“Yes. I thought it wasn’t something I could keep hidden forever anyway.”

“And you’re also the same person as the master of the Hot Potato Guild.”

“…!”

I could feel Demian’s body, which I was embracing, flinch in surprise at those words.

“I found out that Lady Yerena and Anya are the same person. The way you two cling to each other… it’s exactly like what I saw at that guild.”

I gently patted Demian’s back, whose identity had been completely exposed.

“N-no. Lady Olivia must have seen wrong.”

“Yes, it’s a secret, right?”

“….”

I could only pat Demian’s back again.

“Hmm, anyway, Lady Olivia, please return safely. I’ll be taking my person with me.”

Demian gently caught my wrist. His face, which I looked up at, was as red as the sunset.

“Lady Olivia, see you next time!”

“Yes!”

As we took a step away, Olivia’s voice was heard again.

“You two have a beautiful love!”

At that boisterous shout, I giggled, while Demian let out a dry sigh.

***

Demian didn’t return directly to the Second Prince’s Palace.

After sending Bless back to the palace first, he crossed straight through the garden behind the palace.

Then a gentle mountain path appeared.

“Shall we walk a little?”

“I’d like that.”

Although it was a mountain path, it was well-maintained, so there was no discomfort in walking.

As Demian said, even though we hadn’t walked far, the top of the hill came into view.

Behind the imperial palace, at a spot overlooking the imperial capital, a long wooden bench was peacefully placed.

“Where is this?”