“I apologize if I’ve offended you. But as you know, the two of you… you understand what I mean.”

‘What is he saying?’

She was trying to concentrate on finding the perfect fabric for the screening, but his constant talking was getting on her nerves.

She spoke politely but with clear boundaries.

“Thank you for your concern. But there’s no need for you to worry, Sir Knight. Nothing will change by telling you about it anyway.”

“You never know. Sometimes listening to others’ advice can help in unexpected ways.”

“Sigh… have you ever been in love, Sir Knight?”

At those words, spoken after a sigh, Baron seemed momentarily speechless.

She was about to deliver a line straight out of a drama about not speaking so easily about love when you’ve never experienced it yourself.

“…I have a fiancée.”

Baron suddenly spoke up.

“Although I’ve never met her even once….”

There seemed to be more to the story, but…..

“Oh, I see. I’ll take this one! Please ring it up for me.”

She didn’t have time to listen to the life story of a man she’d just met today.

She paid for the fabric, took the wrapped package, and coolly turned around.

She could feel Baron’s incredulous gaze on her back.

“Let’s go, young master!”

Regardless, she grabbed Naran’s wrist and led him away.

Naran, who had seemed to regain some of his senses, once again followed like a paper doll, muttering “Uh, uhh….”

“We’ll go back on our own. It’s our precious time alone together.”

Before leaving the store, she turned to Baron and said.

“Goodbye then, Sir Knight.”

It wasn’t pleasant being with you, and let’s never meet again.

After bidding farewell, she left the store while holding Naran’s hand.

Somehow she felt Baron’s gaze following her back, but…..

‘Well, I don’t need to worry about it. We won’t see each other again anyway.’

After walking aimlessly while pulling Naran’s hand, she eventually let out a deep sigh when she thought they were far enough.

“Phew, that was close. Naran, snap out of it! You need to guide us back.”

“Huh? Uhh… you said we should go to the riverside together?”

She put down the fabric for a moment and lightly slapped both his cheeks.

“We need to go now. We have a lot to do.”

Naran, finally coming to his senses, shook his head lightly.

“I’m sorry, Lis… I mean, Lize. Let’s head back.”

Naran picked up the wrapped fabric and led the way.

And as he walked ahead, he cautiously asked if she really didn’t want to go to the riverside.

❖ ❖ ❖

Upon arriving at the Cayenne mansion, they entered through the same side door they had used to leave.

Fortunately, it was lunchtime, so they were able to return to the room safely without encountering any employees.

“Now then, shall we test how it looks?”

She immediately hung the fabric on the window frame and projected the image stone onto it.

The result was very satisfying.

The image was much clearer than when using the blanket, and there were no wrinkles to distort the view.

‘I’m glad I chose a thick and stiff fabric!’

“Amazing, the video looks so much better now, Lize!”

Naran, experiencing the wonder of a screen for the first time, exclaimed in amazement.

“Lize, you’re really amazing!”

The amazing thing wasn’t her but the ‘beam projector,’ a wonderful invention from her previous life, but she smiled with a “hoohoo.”

“I’ll use this to showcase my ‘movie’ to the nobles at the banquet. This kind of entertainment will be a first for everyone, right?”

“Those guys will be shocked. After all, it’s made by Lize herself. Lize, you’re truly amazing.”

She gently patted Naran’s head as he looked at her with eyes full of genuine admiration.

“Now the real work begins. I’m planning to turn the ballroom into a theater. I’ve gotten Martha’s permission and secured enough chairs for all the guests. The employees should have already started working, so I need to go now. Do you want to come along, Naran?”

“Yes, yes! I want to help you too.”

Naran nodded vigorously as he spoke.

With that, we stood up, carrying the fabric we had bought from the store.

“Let’s say we got this through Juan.”

When she winked with one eye, Naran immediately winked back.

“I’ll tell Juan to back up the story.”

Together with the baby angel who understood her perfectly, she headed to the ballroom.

❖ ❖ ❖

The work was finally completed late that evening.

Whenever she tried to do something, the employees and Naran would jump in alarm, shouting “Let me do that, Miss Lize!” or “Lize, I’ll do it!” and take the task away from her, so in the end, she mostly just directed the operation.

She looked around the completed theater with sparkling eyes.

‘It looks quite impressive…! No, I think it’s even better than a real movie theater!’

They had used expensive cushioned chairs, and elegant curtains were hung on the windows to block out light.

The large fabric hung on the wall in the center of the ballroom also gave a proper screen-like feel.

Looking at this scene made a corner of her heart tingle.

Movies had been the only thing she truly loved in her previous life, yet she hadn’t even been able to go to the cinema freely.

“This is so wonderful…! Thank you all so much.”

When she smiled sincerely, the employees and Naran looked at her.

Smiles gradually appeared on their faces, despite being exhausted from the long hours of work.

“I was happy to help you, Lize!”

“If you need anything else, please let us know, Miss Lize.”

“Helping Miss Lize is only natural…!!”

She was truly grateful to them for speaking so energetically as if they had never been tired.

‘They must have been busy with banquet preparations already….’

She silently looked at them and smiled.

For the first time, she started looking forward to the banquet for a reason other than the movie.

She wanted to announce to everyone that she had become a member of the Cayenne family as soon as possible.

❖ ❖ ❖

Just as she returned to her room after finishing all the work, there was a knock at the door.

“It’s me.”

It was Arkle.

She opened the door and smiled slightly at him.

“Come in. I was waiting for you.”

“You knew I would come?”

“Somehow I thought you might.”

The night before she first met Martha, Arkle had also visited her room around this time.

Because he thought she might be nervous.

‘And I think he awkwardly hugged me then… surely not now too?’

She looked up at Arkle.

He had a puzzled expression.

“Is there something you wanted to say?”

“I thought you were the one who wanted to… never mind, it’s nothing.”

She shook her head, feeling somewhat embarrassed.

“Are you nervous about tomorrow’s banquet?”

Arkle asked in a low voice.

Until then, she hadn’t thought she was nervous, but strangely, upon hearing those words, feelings she hadn’t recognized emerged.

“Actually, while I’m not worried about the banquet itself, I am a bit… nervous about the screening.”

“……”

“Film directors must have been amazing people….”

“Pardon?”

“Haha, it’s nothing…. Anyway, I always thought I was someone who didn’t care about others’ opinions. But maybe it’s just that I’ve had few opportunities to be seen by others.”

“……”

“Hmm, so the conclusion is… since it’s the first time I’m showing something I created, showing myself to so many people, I feel a bit nervous….”

She had to stop speaking.

Because Arkle wrapped his arms around her.

“…Arkle?”

Honestly, she was a little surprised.

And, she trembled a bit.

“I… practiced.”

Arkle’s voice was also trembling slightly as he spoke.

“Is it better than last time?”

‘So he remembered.’

She smiled slightly and teased him mischievously.

“What’s this, why did you pretend not to know earlier? And how do you practice hugging? You weren’t hugging a pillow by yourself, were you?”

“……”

“Don’t tell me I’m right? …Well, I’d rather you speak up. I could help you.”

“…T-then next time….”

“I’m joking.”

Arkle, who let out a small laugh, apologized quietly.

“I should also practice understanding jokes.”

“You were joking just now, right? Your skill level is fine. And your hugging has become much more proficient too.”

“So the practice was effective.”

“I guess so.”

She closed her eyes gently and rested her face against his chest.

She felt at ease.

“…I heard that this method is most effective. For alleviating fear, that is.”

She recalled how he had said that when he first embraced her.

‘Back then, he was too awkward to tell if it was effective or not….’

She couldn’t help but smile at the memory of directly placing his hands on her waist.

Now she could tell.

‘It really is effective.’

With her eyes closed like this, it felt as if everything else had disappeared from her mind.

It was as if only Arkle and she remained, with time standing still.

Only the faint sound of his heartbeat served as an indicator that time was still flowing.

“Don’t worry.”

“……”

“I enjoyed watching your work the entire time. Sincerely. And I believe others will feel exactly the same way I did.”

Those words seemed like they had been practiced many times.

It was his effort to convey his feelings, despite being awkward with expression.

“Thank you, Arkle.”

As he gradually withdrew his arms, he said kindly.

“Please rest now. Tomorrow will be a busy day.”

Just before he left the room, she held the door and said in a spirited voice.

“Thanks to you, I feel brave! I was nervous at first, but now I’m looking forward to it. I’m not completely free of nerves, but….. whatever happens, I’m going to enjoy it! One thing’s for sure—it’s a rare opportunity.”

Arkle, who had been looking at her, slowly smiled.

“I’m glad I could be of support this time.”

She wanted to tell him ‘You’re always reliable!’ but was blocked by the door that closed gently.

All she could do was make a promise to herself to tell him properly next time.

❖ ❖ ❖

The next day.

From early morning, the sound of employees moving busily could be heard.

It was finally the day of the banquet.