They had ended their dangerous life in the cabin.

Ertel, now returned to the Agnes household, no longer wore rags. She wore dresses adorned with elegant lace, befitting a noble young lady.

She admired her beautifully decorated bedroom.

Perhaps because Adin had taken special care, the room was filled with vibrant colors and noble ornamentation.

A golden carpet stretched across the floor, and the walls were covered in soft silk. The room was furnished with neat and elegant furniture, and all the jeweled accessories were purely for his daughter.

‘It feels unfamiliar…’

Unfamiliar, yet pleasant.

Ertel smiled quietly to herself and ran her hand across the luxurious vanity.

Just then, Adin entered the room.

“Do you like it? I told the butler to make sure it was decorated well.”

With an excited face, he looked at Ertel.

Having reunited with his daughter after twelve years, he wanted to give her everything—he wanted to show that in any way he could.

Fortunately, she was smiling happily.

“Yes, Father. It feels so cozy. It’s on a completely different level from the cabin I lived in.”

“Of course. Here, you can sleep peacefully. You won’t have to keep weapons by the door anymore.”

“No… and I won’t have to shiver from the cold. More than anything, my mother won’t have to worry about me anymore.”

“If there’s anything you need, just let me know.”

Seeing his daughter not resentful even after all this time filled Adin with a complex emotion.

Though he had been persuaded by Icarus, he still hesitated to go to the Yukai Forest. He had been afraid that his daughter, now grown, might resent him—and above all, he lacked the courage to face her.

But to think she had grown up so beautifully.

“Ertel…”

“…Yes? Father. Why do you look so sad?”

Ertel slowly approached him as he stood at a distance.

Her father wore an expression of deep sorrow. The guilt he had buried in his heart was too heavy for words to come easily.

Still, there was something he had to say.

“…I…”

“Yes? Father?”

“…I’m sorry…”

At last, he bowed his head.

“I’m sorry for coming to find you only now. That’s the kind of person I am. I was too afraid. Back then, everything scared me. After losing your real mother, I was afraid I’d lose everything… so I abandoned you.”

“……”

“I couldn’t bear the fate you had to carry… I… I couldn’t be your father… hrrk…”

Adin covered his face with his hands and collapsed to the floor. Tears he had long held back finally flowed, and his shoulders trembled with sobs.

Ertel gently embraced her father.

“It’s okay, Father…”

“Hrgh…”

“Really, it’s okay now that we’ve met like this.”

She was only sixteen, yet how could she be so mature?

Adin didn’t want to fall apart like this, but he cried in Ertel’s arms.

“Ahh… my sweet daughter…”

Though she was still just a girl, she seemed as serene as someone who had lived through a full lifetime.

Adin’s heart ached even more, knowing she must have matured like this because of him.

He swallowed his tears and gently touched Ertel’s cheek with trembling hands.

“Anyway, I’m relieved. I’m glad Juan didn’t appear as your enemy… but came as your protector.”

***

Icarus, in the name of being Ertel’s lover, visited the marquis’s estate once a week.

Even Adin, who had not yet fully dropped his guard, eventually opened his heart.

Icarus’s consistent devotion and care didn’t lack in any way that would hinder his daughter—it only helped her.

Because of that, Adin changed his prejudice.

‘The Juan family’s power is certainly formidable, but it seems that it doesn’t apply to our family.’

Icarus treated not only Adin but also Anna Leslie with kindness.

He provided rare delicacies and ingredients that were hard to find even at the market, and he regularly updated them on the movements of gemstone hunters.

In this way, Juan was gradually earning the trust of the Agnes household.

One day, as usual, Icarus and Ertel were out on a date.

The two of them strolled leisurely around a fountain with cool water gushing up.

Their days had become peaceful, filled with a deep sense of serenity.

They began to share their thoughts on returning to the past.

Icarus spoke first.

“Ertel, for me… I think it was the right decision to go to Mount Talin. I’m glad that back then, I didn’t dream of building the Juan Empire.”

“Do you really think so?”

“Yeah. Thanks to that, I’m here with you.”

“That’s true.”

“What about you?”

“Hmm…”

“You looked so happy when you saw Anna.”

“Of course I was.”

“Even I felt happy just watching you.”

Ertel squirmed involuntarily.

It felt strange to be chatting so casually and lazily with Icarus like this.

Avoiding his gaze, she murmured shyly.

“When I saw the mother I had longed for so much… my whole body trembled.”

“……”

“I thought I would never see her again. I was so convinced she was already dead, so even with the power of the stone, I couldn’t believe it was possible.”

“I see…”

“But seeing my mother breathing and alive before my eyes like this… it felt like everything… was forgiven.”

Icarus flinched slightly at the word ‘forgiven’, unsure of how to respond.

He leaned in closer, wanting to hold her hand. But he couldn’t muster the confidence to take it outright. Instead, he subtly brushed his fingers against hers, trying to approach naturally.

Ertel, who had been walking slowly, came to a stop. She looked up at Icarus intently and said,

“Do you want to hold my hand?”

“I always want to.”

“…”

“I’m just waiting for your permission.”

Ertel hesitated before answering, then let out a small laugh. The mighty Icarus being this flustered was oddly refreshing to her.

“Did you know?”

“What?”

“There was a time I loved you passionately.”

“Ah… really? When?”

It was the first time Icarus had heard this.

Of course, it made sense—due to Ertel’s solo regression, that version of events had ceased to exist.

She alone retained the complete memory of it.

Icarus tilted his head and asked,

“When exactly was that? You’re messing with me, aren’t you?”

“Yes, I’m teasing you.”

“Didn’t you mean to say you passionately cursed me instead?”

“That too is true.”

“What the—”

“Haha.”

Watching Icarus’s baffled face amused Ertel greatly.

She drifted away, as if she might reveal a secret but chose not to. Icarus smiled and trailed behind her like a shadow.

“Are you trying to make a man’s heart flutter with cryptic remarks?”

“There really was a time I wanted to kill you with all my heart.”

Like a butterfly fluttering, she reached out with her arm. He grabbed it and pulled her close in one swift motion, wrapping his arm tightly around her slim waist.

“Then what about now?”

“…”

“Do you still want to kill me?”

As if the world held only the two of them, they held their breath.

Icarus, overwhelmed by how lovely she was, was consumed with the desire to kiss her. His instincts had taken over before his will could respond.

Ertel, sensing the intense mood, closed her eyes. She knew he would tilt his head diagonally and come closer—but she didn’t avoid him.

Just as he was about to reach her moist, rosy lips, Icarus stopped.

Barely regaining his reason, he clenched his fist.

When nothing touched her lips, Ertel slowly opened her eyes.

“Icarus…?”

“You’re still a young girl right now.”

He stepped back to maintain a proper distance again. Then he cleared his throat.

“Ahem. I can’t just touch you so carelessly.”

Ertel took out a small mirror from her pocket and examined her face.

Since she had returned to five years ago, her face indeed looked younger—more childlike. She hadn’t lost her femininity, but she was clearly far from being an adult.

Still, a rebellious feeling surged inside her.

Her lips pouted slightly.

“Don’t tease me for being young.”

“When did I tease you?”

“I’m not that much of a kid, you know?”

“Pfft.”

“My heart is that of a grown woman.”

Why was that?

A new breeze stirred deep in Ertel’s heart.

She walked toward the retreating Icarus and reached out her hand. For the first time, she held his.

“…!”

Icarus’s eyes widened in surprise. It was something he had never imagined.

“Ertel…?”

“Holding hands is something I can do.”

The warmth in her palm reminded him again and again that this was real.

Ertel shyly hid her face behind her hair. But even so, she didn’t let go of his hand.

“…Thank you, Ertel.”

Icarus was overwhelmed, touched that she had taken his hand.

“For what?”

“For accepting me.”

It was clear this was the very first moment forgiveness had begun.