At Heliones’s firm reply, which left no room for even a thin bookmark to slip through, Nelia gave a rueful smile and inclined her head graciously.

“It seems my gift only caused you trouble.”

“Trouble? Not at all. I am grateful, in fact, as it gave Lucian the chance to display a painting by an artist she loves in the lodgings where she is staying.”

Why was Heliones the one expressing gratitude over a painting I had received? In truth, whoever had paid for it, the fact that I hadn’t purchased it myself made it equally uncomfortable either way.

“Then I am glad. If someone who appreciates the painting’s value keeps it close and enjoys it, the artist will be pleased as well.”

By any measure, it was a complete defeat. She had sent the painting hoping to create even a small opening, but clumsy advances had no effect on Heliones. Yet Nelia concealed the disappointment of defeat behind a pleasant, composed smile and took her leave with grace to the very end.

“But why pay for the painting…”

The moment Nelia disappeared from sight, I turned to face Heliones. I had been about to press him on why he had paid for it instead of simply returning it, but I stopped short when I noticed cold sweat on his composed brow.

Was he unwell? Was that why he hadn’t wanted to dance?

I studied Heliones with a worried look. Under my gaze, his lips twitched like a man being chased by something, and then, seeming to make a decision, he swallowed hard and took his leave of me.

“I am a little tired. I will retire for the evening.”

It was generally not done for the guest of honor to leave a banquet first, but this was the Emperor. One could hardly argue with the Emperor saying he was tired. And since Heliones’s face had gone genuinely pale, the way someone looks when they are truly ill, no one dared complain about his early departure.

I had wanted to give him the gift, apologize for overstepping earlier, and also speak to him about the painting, so his leaving was a disappointment, but what could I do when he said he was unwell.

These were conversations that couldn’t be had comfortably in a banquet hall full of watching eyes anyway, so I had no choice but to quietly save them for another time.

With no reason left to remain at the imperial palace, I called for Elren and left the main hall, leaving behind the banquet that still hummed with energy even after its guest of honor had gone.

I expected to head straight to the carriage, but Elren led me not back the way we had come but deeper into the imperial palace.

“Is this the right way? It seems like we’re going further inside.”

“It is correct. We are heading to the garden in the inner palace.”

“Pardon?”

At my question, Elren paused briefly and smiled with warmth.

“It is His Majesty’s command.”

“His Majesty’s command?”

“Yes.”

Elren offered no further explanation, and I asked no more. If it was His Majesty’s command, even Elren could not refuse.

But why a garden? Surely not a private dinner?

A thought that was not at all funny flashed through my mind and was gone. Two years since the divorce, and here I was thinking such things.

He must have something to say. That’s why he called for me.

Perhaps he wanted me to sign the newly drafted divorce papers. Ah, did I have a pen on me?

I assumed Heliones would have a pen ready and followed the palace corridor through a small door.

“Ah…”

A scene both familiar and unfamiliar spread out before my eyes.

The long table and the two solitary chairs were things I recognized, but the charming, well-tended garden was something I had never seen.

“You have arrived.”

Heliones rose from his seat at the end of the table to receive me. My mind went blank, and I sat down obediently as he pulled out the chair.

“I barely had a chance to eat properly.”

That made sense. Even at his own banquet, he had been occupied receiving greetings as the guest of honor.

Once I was seated, dishes were brought out one after another. Every single item on the menu was something I liked. My heart lurched suddenly, and I bit down hard on my lip.

Next came a dish of mushrooms and chicken. A savory, rich dish seasoned with the spices I liked, without being heavy. What was it called? I was trying to remember when a slight chill crept over me. I must have shivered a little, just barely.

Thud. A familiar warmth settled over my shoulders. A deep navy frock coat, different from the one he had worn at the afternoon parade.

Why should something like this make me want to cry?

I had just begun to tear up when Heliones, who had just draped the coat over me and was turning away, startled and asked.

“What is the matter?”

“Something must have gotten into my eye.”

Whether he believed my lie or not, Heliones waved his large hand and fanned the air around my face.

Warm. The same warmth, unchanged in the slightest from my memory.

I had thought our marriage had been nothing at all, but perhaps that wasn’t true.

Yes. There have been moments like this.

Heliones tilted his head slightly to check whether my tears had stopped.

I rubbed the corners of my eyes lightly and smiled brightly, as though to say I was fine now.

“Ah, they’ve stopped. Good.”

Reassured, Heliones returned to his seat.

I kept filling my mouth to hold back the tears that kept threatening to spill over. I glanced at Heliones and caught a faint smile on his face, looking rather pleased with himself.

A warm person. You will never know why I was crying.

You know how to show this kind of consideration for a former wife who made a difficult journey, but you were never someone perceptive enough to see inside me.

Even so. It is all right. You never need to know. I know. Because I am the one who will carry this warmth in my memory.

The meal ended. Over tea, I first presented the fountain pen I had prepared for Heliones. His expression brightened noticeably.

“Is this not a fountain pen from the workshop I love? How did you know!”

How did I know? He had used nothing but pens from that same workshop every single time, so how could I not.

It was nothing compared to the gifts he must have received, yet watching him delight in it like a child filled me with a quiet pride. Running into Roned had been unfortunate, but I was glad I had gone out in secret after all.

“I owe you an apology for a moment ago.”

“?”

Heliones, who had been happily admiring the pen, gave me a baffled look, the expression of someone who had just received a letter that made no sense.

“It was not my place to say anything about who you danced with. I overstepped.”

Heliones set down the fountain pen and chewed his lower lip slowly for a moment, as though turning something over in his mind.

“At the time I simply felt a little unwell…”

“Even so. And regarding the painting, I should have found some way to refuse it myself. I ended up leaving the cost of it to you, and I am truly sorry for that.”

I was bowing my head politely when I heard Heliones’s footsteps. His faint shadow in the soft moonlight stopped before me.

I looked up slowly to find Heliones’s face cast in deep shadow, the white moonlight sitting above his head. The backlight made it difficult to see his expression clearly, but the fine line of his lips seemed to curve upward just slightly.

“I was happy today.”

“?”

“The guest I most wanted to invite came.”

“!”

Could he mean me? No, surely not. There had been so many guests at tonight’s banquet.

Right. It couldn’t be. But then why, with all of them there, was Heliones having dinner with me?

Many questions rose to mind, but I couldn’t bring myself to ask any of them, so I simply looked quietly at Heliones’s face.

Ah, it was dazzling. Has the moon been this bright tonight? Unlike him, hidden in shadow, my face must have been fully lit. What kind of expression was I making?

A sudden shyness came over me and I gently turned my gaze away. Strangely, even without looking, I felt I knew exactly where his eyes were directed. The right ear turned toward him was growing warm, but that was surely because of the moonlight, which was simply too bright.

“There is no need to worry about the painting. I simply did not want something purchased by another person in the lodgings where my w… where Lucian is staying.”

“Yes.”

I answered in a small voice, looking away from the Emperor in a manner that was perhaps a little impertinent.

It was still a source of some discomfort, but his answer, that he simply didn’t want something paid for by another person in a residence he owned, was so entirely like him that it settled my mind a little.

The painting now belonged fully to him, so I could simply leave it behind when I left the lodgings after the divorce papers were finalized. Just like the jewelry and clothing from my days as Duchess of Gertil that the servants had packed up and brought along when I moved to the capital.

“From now on, I will use only this fountain pen. I have never received such a precious gift.”

Right. I would leave it all behind when I went. I had intended to leave behind every piece of clothing Heliones had made for me as well.

“It is far too little compared to the kindness you have shown me.”