She wanted to stand up, but her body wouldn’t move easily. She blankly stared at Burzan’s tear-soaked eyes as he charged toward her.

It’s too unfair to die after trying to save Isabel!

The well-sharpened dagger gleamed as it caught the light.

As that was the last thing she saw before squeezing her eyes shut and curling up her body, something flew through the air with a thud, followed by a crashing sound. Something poured down on her along with a moist liquid.

Am I already bleeding?

Where was I stabbed? It doesn’t seem to hurt.

Hearing people inhaling sharply, she opened her eyes slightly.

What covered her body were flowers, and around her were shattered ceramic fragments. And Burzan had collapsed beside her, bleeding from his head. Someone had thrown a flower vase at him.

With water inside, it certainly wouldn’t have been light. The impact had made such a loud sound that it would be fortunate if he wasn’t dead, but she had no thought of checking on Burzan’s condition. Her dress was soaked and ruined.

As she reflexively covered her bodice, something was draped over her back. She could see the women across from her all widening their eyes and becoming agitated.

“Excuse me. It was urgent.”

A languid, deep voice brushed past her ear.

Her heart felt like it had dropped to the floor.

Without turning around, she kept staring straight ahead. And at Rupert’s shout, her heart was thrown down once more.

“Lord Lars!”

It felt as if someone had struck her head with a massive club.

That name could never be called out in front of so many people.

It was a name that had to be spoken carefully after checking the surroundings. A secret name that she had never shared with anyone except Kirhin.

“Isn’t the purpose of sending invitations to prevent incidents like this?”

At the cynical tone, Rupert gave the butler a stern look. The butler, who had turned pale, hurriedly bowed his head.

“I-I’m sorry, master. Everyone except Lady Bickman over there came with an invitation, but……”

Everyone’s eyes turned toward her. The gazes were not sympathetic but tinged with amusement.

She must have been quite a spectacle, soaking wet and covered in flowers. Isabel, standing beside Rupert, just stared at her blankly without adding a word. This was entirely expected.

Normally, she could have stood up nonchalantly and said something, but now her mouth wouldn’t open, and her legs wouldn’t move. Though she knew she should turn around, she was too afraid to look and couldn’t budge.

Amid growing whispers and snickering, a quiet voice that seemed to be suppressing anger cut sharply through them:

“If it weren’t for Lady Bickman, someone would have been stabbed by that man’s knife. So this is how the Belzak family treats someone who saved a life.”

Isabel flinched. Only then did Rupert hastily signal to the butler and approach her, extending his hand.

“Are you alright, Miss Lucienne? I was so shocked that I… Please forgive my rudeness. Quickly bring something to dry off and warm tea!”

She awkwardly took Rupert’s hand and stood up. The jacket draped over her shoulders was roomy, comfortably enveloping her. Isabel, who had been watching her father’s reaction, approached her and nodded slightly.

“Thank you for saving me. Your courage is remarkable.”

“……It’s nothing.”

She barely moved her lips to speak. Rupert bowed to the person behind her.

“Thank you as well, Lord Lars. It seems he harbored feelings for Isabel and, unable to overcome his jealousy after hearing of the engagement, committed this act. Take that man away immediately.”

“Well.”

The man who had been standing behind her walked forward slowly and bowed. A pocket watch had fallen where Burzan had been forcibly dragged away.

She barely managed to turn her head slightly to see the profile of the man picking it up.

The silhouette from her memory naturally overlapped. He was looking at the back of the watch with a cold smile.

“Could it have burned so fiercely without kindling?”

After glancing at Isabel’s rigid face with indifferent eyes, the man lightly tossed the watch to Rupert. Rupert’s cheeks tightened as he looked at the back of the pocket watch just as the man had done. It seemed that Isabel’s initials were engraved there.

“Why, why don’t you introduce your guest to everyone, Rupert? Everyone is curious about this stranger’s appearance.”

As the situation settled somewhat, a woman with flushed cheeks whispered to Rupert while fluttering her fan. It seemed she wasn’t the only one staring at him without blinking.

Every woman present was observing that glossy black hair that slightly covered his nape, the black high-neck shirt that partially concealed his masculine neck, and the beautiful skeletal structure made up of firm muscles revealed beyond it.

Rupert cleared his throat with an “ah” and politely extended his hand to indicate the man.

“This is Duke Lars Karaman Diconmeyer of the Grand Duchy of Freemont. He came to Edmus recently to deliver a peace maintenance request from Freemont III, the king of the Grand Duchy. He attended this gathering due to his acquaintance with my father, the captain of the royal guard.”

People’s gazes changed at the unexpected high title. Women rushed forward to pay their respects.

“Welcome to Edmus, Duke. I am Stephnie of the Marquis Ruhein family. Ruhein Castle is surrounded by forests and is very beautiful right now. I must invite you sometime……”

“For beauty, our Leamini mansion is a step above. A wide field of marguerite flowers spreads around an open lake. The scenery is so beautiful that there’s a legend that even fairies rest there. You absolutely won’t regret it. I’ll send a carriage anytime so you can visit comfortably.”

“Which region of Freemont do you reside in? I’ve visited Freemont several times since childhood, perhaps it’s a region I know?”

They quickly surrounded Lars and chirped like birds. However, he answered concisely with an impassive expression:

“I didn’t come for recreation. Thank you for the invitations, but I must decline.”

Though his tone was polite, it conveyed a coldness that discouraged further conversation. Feeling the distinct distance, the women looked at him with longing expressions, their lips moving silently. She stared at his profile as he deliberately avoided looking in her direction, then calmly opened her mouth.

“……Duke Lars Karaman Diconmeyer?”

His prominent Adam’s apple moved.

After a long while, he lowered his eyes and reluctantly turned his head toward her. Only then could she see him completely.

It was him.

His glossy wheat-colored skin and emerald eyes that shone like jewels confirmed it was him.

His streamlined jawline, without any excess, had become even firmer, and on the left side of his forehead, which was neatly exposed by his slicked-back hair, was a scar she hadn’t seen before.

Though he exuded a rougher aura than she remembered, it was definitely him.

The one who was a priest, Damian, and Lars.

Now that she faced him, she felt like she couldn’t breathe. She had imagined this day before, but not like this.

She had so much to say, yet couldn’t utter a single word. Because those beautiful eyes directed at her were furrowed as if looking at an annoying nuisance.

Her chest ached as if it would tear apart.

He showed no intention of treating her as he had before. During those four years, where had he been, what had he done, how had he obtained the title of duke of Freemont, did he know about Kirhin’s death, had he not even thought that she would worry… His eyes showed no intention of answering such questions.

If she rashly pretended to know him, she would be pushed away much more embarrassingly and coldly than the women who had swarmed around him like bees.

And what she feared more than him ignoring her here was him disappearing forever again.

She clutched the hem of her dress tightly.

“I want to express my gratitude for your help.”

“Anyone would have done the same.”

Without a moment’s hesitation, Lars answered gruffly. She didn’t take her eyes off him, though he wouldn’t look at her, and spoke again:

“You saved my life, and if I don’t repay you, it would tarnish the name of the Bickman family. Please allow me to be a sister who wouldn’t shame my late brother, the former baron.”

Was it her imagination? For a moment, it seemed as if a sigh seeped through his calmly lowered gaze. His deep voice flowed out:

“Your safety is reward enough, Lady Bickman. It would be better if you paid a little more attention to your own safety.”

Though his tone wasn’t at all affectionate, her heart tightened.

He was concerned about her safety. And since he didn’t seem surprised when she referred to Kirhin as the “former baron,” he likely knew about Kirhin’s death.

“There was a brief disturbance, but don’t forget who the protagonists of this occasion are. Congratulations on your engagement.”

Lars redirected everyone’s attention back to Rupert and Isabel with an elegant but impenetrable tone. He seemed to be planning to leave.

She had to stop him. Somehow, she needed to create a connection. Otherwise, he would vanish from her sight like smoke again. He would surround himself with walls and leave no breathing hole for her to enter.

Perhaps this was the last chance to be close to him.

He seems to have forgotten.

I’m not the type to wait patiently, Lars.

“Despite the shame and ridicule that may come, I cannot hide my burning heart, so let me speak honestly.”

Standing directly facing him, she spoke in the clearest voice she could muster:

“I fell in love at first sight.”

Everyone drew in harsh breaths. She could feel the air of astonishment spreading throughout her body. It was truly rare for a noble lady to express her feelings in such a way in front of so many people.

Lars’s beautiful eyes also widened as if caught by an unexpected ambush. Glimpsing the tension in his eyes, she unhesitatingly executed the next attack, which would surely be fatal:

“With everyone here as witnesses, I, Lucienne Bickman, formally propose marriage to Duke Diconmeyer.”