After putting the woman back to sleep, Dominic unpacked his belongings in a suitable empty room and soon fell asleep himself.

What woke him from his sleep was an unpleasant sensation. Opening his eyes to the feeling below, Dominic asked irritably,

“……What are you doing?”

The woman who emerged from between his legs greeted him with an innocent face. Although he had already confirmed that the symptoms of the aphrodisiac she had taken had disappeared….

Her small lips were moistly wet. Not content with that, she tried to lower her face again.

Dominic naturally thought that May’s condition wasn’t normal.

‘Is it some kind of aftereffect?’

That must be it.

The woman, who had calmed down somewhat, had shown a puzzled expression about what she had done. It was exactly the ‘Why did I do that?’ kind of face.

But even that felt somewhat off.

Because it wasn’t the timid, downcast-eyed appearance he had seen the day she handed over the will. A woman of that personality would have shown a more intense reaction the moment she realized her mistake.

And a person’s innate personality doesn’t change easily in a short time. Moreover, Dominic knew what she had been like as a child. At least the woman he first reunited with seemed to have grown up exactly like that younger self. Again, enough for him to easily recall those memories.

‘……But now she’s definitely different.’

Those gently blinking eyes remained the same, but the demeanor she occasionally revealed didn’t seem like her.

Of course, he hadn’t observed her for long, so perhaps this thought was ridiculous. But Dominic’s instinct told him that she had indeed changed.

Eventually, he began to carefully observe the woman who had fearlessly touched a sleeping man’s c*ck.

And he definitely realized something was wrong.

“I need something other than meals……”

The woman standing on a puddle smiled brightly as she spoke.

When he stopped her outstretched hand, her dissatisfied expression seemed out of character. Dominic spoke as if coaxing the struggling woman,

“……I’ll consider it if you eat.”

It was a lie, of course. But the woman’s face brightened at his words. Dominic raised an eyebrow as he observed her.

‘This is definitely strange for drug aftereffects or withdrawal symptoms.’

It seemed he would have to meet that servant who had supposedly left the mansion.

* * *

Having finished her meal, May sat across the table from Dominic. Though she felt awkward about the memory of needlessly clinging to him, she decided to put that aside for their conversation.

After all, they had more pressing matters to attend to than creating a vessel.

‘It’s been several days since you arrived, and we’re only now getting to the main point….’

May fidgeted with her hands as she placed the letters in front of him. Thinking about the main issue suddenly made her nervous. The man who hadn’t seemed frightening until just moments ago now looked intimidating.

Somehow, the silence was also difficult to bear. Probably because of the heavy atmosphere created by the man who had put on his glasses and started reading the letters.

Soon, a timid voice that couldn’t stand the silence emerged,

“……Um, Viscount Vicenti’s illness……”

Her face reddened with embarrassment for only asking about this now. The man glanced at May as he skimmed through the letters.

He answered indifferently, shifting his gaze over the letter he was reading,

“It’s bad.”

“Ah……”

“It’s better to suppress your curiosity about him. He’s doing the same.”

“……Pardon?”

“He wants to see you, but at the same time, he doesn’t want to increase the number of mourners at his funeral. He’s the type who says sorrow isn’t meant to be shared.”

May’s eyes trembled at the calm voice. She thought his illness was severe enough to prevent meetings, imagining him bedridden, but a funeral? Death was something she still couldn’t get used to. Even though she had lost both her parents within a year of each other….

Somehow, compassion welled up for a person she had never seen. Perhaps because she knew that most of the letters he had sent stemmed from concern and affection for “Emily,” her mother.

Dominic, glimpsing May’s sad face, asked,

“Do you remember?”

May looked at his eyes, which were slowly tracing the printed words, and asked in confusion,

“……Wh-what?”

“No, I asked incorrectly.”

Dominic answered indifferently as he neatly stacked the letters he had read to one side.

Only then did he raise his gaze to look at May. His eyes seemed to invite questions if she had any. The time had come to address the real issue.

‘……The brief glimpse I saw when we first met seems like a lie.’

He had shown some kindness then. But despite his appearance, he was a man who hadn’t refused her request. Swallowing hard under the ashen eyes that stared at her indifferently, May eventually opened her mouth hesitantly,

“I, I want to know everything you know……”

First, whether her grandfather was truly a bad person.

* * *

Walter Prieto. A man notorious for his ruthlessness since his cadet days. Everyone knew of his ambition, as he became the first commoner to secure the position of brigadier general.

Herman Vicenti, his classmate from the military academy, clicked his tongue as he looked at Walter’s expressionless face.

“Even training dummies are more human than you.”

“Nonsense.”

The voice that retorted was a very deep bass. Walter’s jet-black hair and deep blue eyes like the dark sea were quite the topic of conversation among female cadets.

Of course, all their fervent advances were deflected with cold rejections.

Herman grinned as he observed Walter’s tightly closed lips and cold eyes. Despite appearances, he became quite gentle in front of his true love.

Recalling the first smile he had ever witnessed on Walter’s face, Herman asked casually,

“……How is your fiancée doing?”

Walter’s brow furrowed slightly at the elbow repeatedly poking his solid chest.

“What’s it to you? And Colonel, you’ve been speaking informally for a while now.”

“Yes, yes, Brigadier General. But I have a right to know about her. Your adjutant treats me like a liar, saying you’re incapable of smiling and telling me not to say such frightening things.”

“……”

“Naturally, your lovely fiancée has become a fictional character too. Even though I clearly saw that beautiful blonde hair with my own eyes.”

Walter’s face visibly contorted as Herman continued his praise, that golden hair must have received the Sun God’s abundant blessing, those emerald eyes resembled the clearest color of the southern sea.

“You’re unusually talkative today. ……If you’re bored, let’s spar, Colonel.”

Herman laughed awkwardly at the voice that followed. He meant to compliment him, but apparently he missed the point. In the end, that day Herman had to endure a thorough beating from Walter under the pretext of training.

But he could still smile because….

“Where can I get that chocolate you bought last time?”

“You beat me up like this, and that’s what you ask?”

“Chloe asked. She told me to thank you. Said it was delicious. ……She also said she’d like to treat you to a meal if you have time. Of course, you’re scheduled to be unavailable.”

It was because his cold-hearted friend’s romance was quite entertaining.

……That’s why he couldn’t believe it. The news that Walter had promised to become engaged to one of the former admiral’s granddaughters.

It was information known only to the former admiral’s close associates, but that made it reliable. Herman committed insubordination for the first time after hearing this news from his father.

Herman went straight to Walter’s office and, instead of greeting the man whose face was no different than usual, drove his fist into it. Then, breathing heavily, he spoke in a suppressed voice,

“You had dinner with her the day before yesterday, and today I heard news of your engagement to another woman…… That means you haven’t broken up with Miss Chloe, right? You couldn’t have decided on an engagement in just one day and broken up with her.”

Walter, wiping the struck cheek with the back of his hand, spat out blood-mixed saliva and answered,

“It’s merely a union based on mutual interests. Chloe will understand too.”

It was a completely unexpected answer. No, it was fitting for someone less human than a straw dummy. But it wasn’t a sensible response. Dumbfounded, Herman let out a hollow laugh.

“……Cut off your d*ck. You crazy bastard.”

Followed by a spitting sound. After spitting out phlegm as if disgusted, he left Walter behind and ran. His destination was Chloe’s house, which he had visited two days ago.

‘D*mn, I can’t understand this.’

The two were obviously head over heels for each other. How many times had they gazed into each other’s eyes as if trapped in their own world? The invisible bond connecting them, their affection, seemed almost tangible.

Having decided to become a soldier like his father, he had given up on marriage early, but he felt a strange loneliness from the awkward atmosphere flowing between them.

That day before yesterday, when he found it both amusing and enviable, now seemed like a dream.

With his strong sense of justice, Herman thought he should inform the woman of this fact without delay.

‘Though it will be cruel to Miss Chloe.’

He also thought this damned engagement would fall apart before it even began. And above all, keeping that fact from her while knowing it would be deception.

But….