“You said Matilda, right?”

Marchioness Baldwin seemed to already know about Matilda’s existence.

How should she tell her about this?

Vivianne’s eyes widened in surprise. She had been worrying about this the entire carriage ride.

“I heard she was exclusively in charge of taking care of Vivi at Larson.”

“That’s correct.”

“I’ve prepared accommodations where you can stay.”

“Thank you for your kindness.”

“Kindness? This works out well for me too. I was actually considering getting a dedicated maid, but I was troubled because I couldn’t find anyone trustworthy. She’s like a daughter to me, so please take good care of her.”

“I will do my utmost, my lady.”

Matilda bowed her head respectfully.

“Josephine, show Matilda to her quarters and give her a tour of the estate.”

As soon as the order was given, Josephine led Matilda away.

How did this happen?

The nervous Vivianne swallowed dryly and hugged An in her arms a little tighter.

“So you must be that smartest and most adorable dog in the world. What was your name again?”

“His name is An.”

“He looks like just an ordinary dog to me. Let me see.”

Marchioness Baldwin, who had been studying him intently, took An and examined him from all angles.

“How did you know?”

Vivianne couldn’t contain her curiosity and asked abruptly.

“Know what?”

“About Matilda and An. You spoke like you knew they were coming in advance. And about An being smart too. Actually, I worried the entire way here about how to tell you.”

“Such unnecessary worrying. Am I still that difficult for you?”

“…”

When Marchioness Baldwin scolded her, Vivianne lowered her eyelashes.

“The Duke sent word before you returned. He said he would be sending Matilda and An to Baldwin, asking me to let them stay with you.”

“Kian did?”

“Look here. He even wrote letters of recommendation.”

Vivianne took the letter of recommendation that Marchioness Baldwin held out and read it in bewilderment.

It was filled with praise for Matilda and An, written in a very polite tone requesting that they be allowed to stay together.

An, nestled in Marchioness Baldwin’s arms, began acting cute and licking her hands.

“Quite a clever little fellow. He even knows how to flatter.”

It seemed like she didn’t know yet that she and Kian had separated.

‘When did he prepare all this?’

While she felt relieved that Matilda and An could stay with her, thinking about Kian made her feelings complicated.

* * *

Whine, whine, whimper.

An clung to the feet of Marchioness Baldwin, who was sitting in her chair, whimpering.

“This tiny thing has picked up quite the spoiled habits.”

Marchioness Baldwin looked at An’s bright eyes and clicked her tongue. Seeing his tail wagging like a windmill, she pretended to give in and picked him up. An, seemingly satisfied at last, settled on her lap and curled up in a ball.

“Spoiling him only makes him more demanding.”

Though she grumbled, the way she skillfully scratched under his chin showed she was quite pleased with his affection.

When should she tell her? She still hadn’t confessed to Marchioness Baldwin that she and Kian had separated.

Vivianne, who had been embroidering while constantly watching for the right moment, quietly pulled her sleeve to cover her wrist. She didn’t want her injuries from Larson to be discovered.

Knowing that Kian had even taken care of the Matilda and An situation in advance made her feel so unsettled that she couldn’t bring herself to speak.

Had he been worried all along?

She kept remembering Kian standing blankly at the window, watching her.

Most of all, she hated herself for worrying about someone else even in this situation.

She had wanted to die from anguish. Next to Kian, she had been as helpless as a living taxidermied mermaid.

Annabel had died, and the baby had died too. Kian had known everything but deceived her until the end.

So why did she keep thinking about him?

Like the engraving on the compass, Kian carved into her heart became clearer the more she tried to erase him.

“Is the room cold?”

“No, it’s fine.”

Had she noticed her covering her wrist with her sleeve? Caught off guard, Vivianne fidgeted and tried to deflect.

“Vivi.”

“Yes?”

“You certainly take your time whenever you have something to say.”

Right. Vivianne should tell her. She couldn’t carry this burden in her heart forever.

Since she had decided to live happily without regrets until she turned into sea foam, she needed to get this off her chest quickly.

“…Mother, I actually broke up with Kian.”

She squeezed her eyes shut and blurted it out. Though she had practiced in her head many times how to say it, her heart pounded because she didn’t know how the Marchioness would react.

“Did something happen at Larson?”

“…”

She couldn’t avoid the most difficult question after all.

Should she say her memory had returned?

That she found out her actions had caused the baby’s death, and that’s why she tried to follow it in death?

Marchioness Baldwin was the one who first rescued and treated Vivianne when she fell into the sea.

She probably also knew about the baby’s death but chose not to mention it.

‘Maybe she didn’t want me to be too sad. Was that why Kian didn’t tell me either?’

When her thoughts reached that point, her heart sank even heavier.

No matter how she thought about it, she couldn’t bring herself to tell the truth honestly. There wasn’t much time left. Rather than worry Marchioness Baldwin until the moment she turned into sea foam, she wanted to only make her smile.

“No. Nothing happened.”

After a long silence, Vivianne forced herself to smile broadly.

“I just got tired of him and dumped him. I got bored because we were always together.”

Getting tired and dumping him was one of the things Marchioness Baldwin had advised when she gave permission for the engagement.

But was that too unlike her?

Marchioness Baldwin, who had been staring at Vivianne, ended up laughing along with her.

“Well done, Vivi.”

“You’re not going to scold me?”

“Scold you?”

Even though she had given such a trivial reason, Marchioness Baldwin didn’t probe further or reproach her.

She had made such a fuss about getting engaged. Now she was saying she broke up because she got bored. It would have been reasonable to lecture her about being immature, but she seemed unbothered.

“I was secretly disappointed about sending you away. This worked out well.”

“…”

“Whatever choice you make, Vivi, I’ll be on your side, so don’t worry.”

Vivianne jumped up and went to Marchioness Baldwin. She bent down and hugged her tightly.

“Thank you. For believing in me.”

“Such a fuss.”

Though she scolded, she patted Vivianne’s back.

“But Vivi, how long are you going to keep calling me ‘my lady’?”

“What?”

“Even if the marriage is canceled, you still have to keep your promise to become my daughter.”

How could she tell such a good person that she would have to leave her side forever?

She felt gloomy.

“It might be awkward at first. There’s no rush, so take your time.”

“…Yes.”

If she hesitated because it felt awkward, she would turn into sea foam and disappear before she could get used to it. She didn’t want to hesitate about becoming happy anymore.

“Mother.”

At the sound of the small voice calling her, Marchioness Baldwin’s eyes widened slightly.

* * *

“Please sign here.”

Kian finished signing under the guidance of Viscount Hersen, Larson’s legal advisor.

He was probably trying not to show it, but Kian could feel him glancing over repeatedly.

Well, of course. The Duke of Larson’s will.

It wasn’t unusual for a head of household to formally document the inheritance of property through official documents. However, it would be somewhat unusual behavior for Larson’s young master.

Even if he was preparing for contingencies, he hadn’t made a will even when serving in the navy and traversing battlefields, yet he was writing one after discharge.

If he had married and gained universally recognized heirs like a spouse or successor, that would be different. It was certainly not typical behavior.

“Do I seem strange to you too?”

“…Oh, no sir. I was just…”

“Well, you never know what might happen to a person in an instant.”

Kian smiled faintly.

Everything happens in an instant.

Finding that n*ked woman on that coral beach that day. Worrying about her needlessly even while holding her because of his anxiety. Being forced to watch her being devoured in the sea. Even having to send her away with his own hands despite wanting her again and again.

This is how unpredictable human affairs are. Even a few weeks ago, he never imagined he would be writing his own will.

He decided to distribute Larson’s wealth among the people he cared about. Richard, Matilda, and Theodore would each inherit certain portions.

He had also set aside a share for Dante, his closest friend, and planned to show sufficient gratitude to Marchioness Baldwin for taking care of Vivianne.

The moment he disappeared, Larson would also be extinguished. Well, what could he do? It was undoubtedly the best ending a sacrifice who had devoured the original could choose.

When he commanded the mermaids to be killed, he had said that since the sacrifice was still alive, they should try casting a curse. If this was the response to that, if this was his fate, he had to accept it accordingly.

Besides, he didn’t want her to become the target of the curse in his place.

He requested that his remains be scattered in the sea. It had to be the sea. Once the contract was broken, Vivianne would become a mermaid again and return to the sea.

It would be nice if they could meet even for a moment while being swept around by the waves. The coral beach where they first met would be good. Kian specified this part in detail in his will.

After the procedures were finished, the lawyer left. Kian, who had been lost in thought for a moment, pulled the bell cord.

“Did you call for me, master?”

Before long, Richard entered the study.

“The town house. Is it still as it was?”

“Yes. Shall I have it cleaned up?”

Kian shook his head.

“No, I’m going there. Please prepare for departure.”