Ciela was startled, her eyes widening in surprise.

‘Why me…?’

She hadn’t expected to hear her name mentioned here, so she swallowed, her lips tight. When she didn’t speak, the lady in the white mask spoke to fill the silence.

“The husband of the lady who accompanied me used to be a judge for hunting competitions, so we heard stories about the Forest’s owner reappearing after 30 years.”

“Ah, I see.”

“Do you happen to know anything about this young lady?”

Looking into the woman’s eyes, sparkling in the moonlight, Ciela’s lips twitched slightly.

Should I admit that the ‘Ciela Arcel’ she’s talking about is me?

As she hesitated, someone knocked on the terrace door.

“It seems they’ve already arrived.”

The lady murmured softly with a hint of regret in her voice. When she had calmed herself and stopped her tears, she called the servant outside to help her find the companion she had come with.

As the lady rose to leave, Ciela also rose to bid her farewell.

“Meeting you has given me the courage to believe that I can be better.”

“All we did was have a pleasant, casual conversation, but I’m glad if it helped.”

“Meeting you today has given me a wish.”

The lady’s blue eyes sparkled with warmth, yet carried a firm determination.

“I want to work harder to improve myself and meet you again one day. Would it be all right if we met again then?”

“I look forward to that moment.”

Hearing these words, the lady smiled, her eyes crinkled at the corners, before leaving the terrace.

As Ciela finished her farewell and returned to her seat, something brushed against her foot. She stopped and stepped back, looking down.

“Huh…?”

It was a small yellow cat doll, no bigger than the palm of her hand. Lowering herself, Ciela picked up the doll and stared at it intently in her hand for a long moment before unconsciously turning back towards the terrace door.

“The texture of the fabric didn’t seem ordinary, but I didn’t expect to meet her so soon.”

Her Majesty, the Empress.

After the loss of her daughter, the Princess, and the emotional turmoil that followed, the Empress had finally overcome her longstanding wounds and returned to society.

This signal eventually led to her meeting ‘a certain young lady’ about a year later. From that point on, the Empress gradually recovered and eventually managed to meet with a small number of people. She later went so far as to organise small, informal gatherings in preparation for a more active return to society.

After her return, the Empress tried to find “a certain young lady” she had met, but was ultimately unable to locate her.

She made little mention of where or how she had met this young lady, so the original story contained very few details about her.

“Unintentionally, I ended up taking on that role.”

Ciela murmured softly as she looked down at her palm, remembering that one of the Empress’s distinguishing features was that she carried a cat-related prop that often went unnoticed.

“What did you take?” 

When she turned at the sound of the voice, Calix was there. Holding two glasses of champagne, he approached her. 

“How did you know I was here?” 

“I heard your voice.” 

As Ciela accepted the non-alcoholic champagne he offered, his gaze shifted to her palm. 

“What is that in your hand?” 

“Oh, it’s something the lady I was with earlier accidentally dropped and left behind.” 

“In that case, I’ll call a servant to find the lady and return it to her.” 

“No, that’s fine.”

Ciela replied with a meaningful smile and continued. 

“I intend to deliver this myself.” 

The moonlight washed over Ciela as she smiled radiantly. It illuminated her braided golden hair, the mask embroidered with red roses beneath it, the delicate folds of her eyes and even the tip of her delicate nose. 

Calix reached out and gently took her wrist. His fingers, rough as the surface of wood, wrapped around her wrist and Ciela’s eyes widened in surprise. 

“Why are you doing this?” 

“You smile brighter than the moon, so I held on to you, afraid the moon would get jealous and take you away.” 

“Your sweetness seems to get worse every day.” 

“Thank you for the compliment. But it’s all thanks to you, Ciela – I just say what I feel.” 

She let out a dry laugh, as if in disbelief, and quickly finished her drink. 

“Your shamelessness has also grown too.”

A breeze blew through, hiding the moon behind the clouds. Under the now darkened night sky, she looked at him. 

“Anyway, I’m glad you came. I wanted to ask you something, Calix.” 

His red eyes, which met hers in the dim light, seemed to ask silently what it was. Ciela hesitated for a moment, her lips moving as she debated where to begin. 

“When someone made a vow to me during the hunting tournament, it wasn’t you, Calix – it was Rune, wasn’t it?” 

Her voice was firm with conviction, and his Adam’s apple moved noticeably. His tight lips parted and Calix nodded in agreement. 

“Yes. I apologise for not telling you right away. Something urgent came up and Rune had to step in temporarily.” 

When he mentioned that it was an urgent matter, Ciela hadn’t pressed further, as it was in her nature not to get too involved in other people’s affairs. 

“Can you tell me what it was about?” 

“It’s confidential. I ask for your understanding.” 

She blinked slowly, her words following a beat behind. 

“In that case, I won’t ask any more about it. But may I ask you something else?” 

“I’m flattered that you’re so interested in me. Of course, go ahead.” 

Ciela lowered her eyes, her long lashes casting shadows as she looked down. She noticed the firm hand holding her wrist. Though hidden by pristine white gloves, she knew that scars probably marked his wrist underneath. 

“Why did you step forward in front of the Master of the Forest?” 

It was a question that did not occur to her until long after the event. 

“I don’t doubt your abilities, and with a proper sword, I’m sure the Forest Master would have been no challenge. But… you didn’t have a weapon at the time.” 

If I were Calix, my first thought would have been to find a weapon when I realised I was in danger. And if I couldn’t find one, or if I couldn’t think of another solution, I would have chosen to leave her. 

“You have so much to protect, don’t you?”

No matter how she thought about it, her worth could never outweigh his life or the burdens he carried.

And yet…

Even after coming so close to being torn apart by those sharp teeth, he wore an expression of relief.

As time passed, that expression only became clearer, as puzzling as it was.

“Of course, I have many things to protect.”

The warmth that had surrounded her wrist disappeared. Her eyes followed Calix’s hand, as though drawn to the fading warmth.

“Don’t you think you’re one of those things, Ciela?”

His long fingers, hovering in the air, grazed the back of her hand. Sliding smoothly between her fingers, he interlocked their hands and spoke once more.

“Especially since you’re the one I want to protect the most.”

Ciela lifted her head and looked at Calix.

Why?

Her lips, ready to ask, hesitated and froze the moment they met his gaze. Her crimson eyes, reflecting the moonlight that had emerged from behind the clouds, seemed to feign honesty.

This is absurd.

If you think about it logically, it’s nothing more than a ridiculous tongue twister.

“No matter how silver-tongued a devil may be, he can’t compete with you, Calix.”

“Thank you for the compliment.”

“Do you really consider it a compliment?”

“I do.”

“Well, illusions are free, so think what you will.” 

With a cold voice and an expression devoid of emotion, Ciela replied lightly.

The warmth flowing between her fingers felt uncomfortable and pointless, so she pulled her hand away. Her gaze shifted to the empty glass she had been fiddling with in her other hand. She frowned, feeling as if the moonlight that seemed to be almost overflowing from the glass might spill out at any moment.

It was supposed to be a question that would clear up her doubts…

But instead it only seemed to make her thoughts more chaotic. 

* * *

Calix opened his eyes at the sound of a knock at the door. Rune entered Duke Icarus’ office, bowing respectfully despite the exhaustion on his face.

“The mage hired by Lady Cana Blanchett disappeared without a trace while being transported to the prison. Meanwhile, the man who chased the future madam through the forest during the hunting competition has committed suicide.”

The presence that had persistently followed Ciela. When Calix met Rune in the forest, he had already ordered him to capture this person.

“Has her identity been confirmed?”

“The identity of the mage has not yet been determined, but we have successfully identified the other individual.”

As Calix studied the documents Rune had given him, he noticed that they contained detailed information about the man who had taken his own life. What stood out was that he was a knight who had served as Clara Arcel’s guardian even before her marriage. 

Loyal and devoted, the middle-aged knight had intended to take his secrets to his grave. But his identity alone was enough to reveal who was plotting to harm Ciela. 

“The culprit is, as expected…” 

“It must be them.” 

The deep voice was as cold as frost. Even though the murderous aura wasn’t directed at him, Rune felt a shiver run through his entire body and remained silent. 

After a moment, Calix stood up with the documents in his hand. 

“I’m leaving now.” 

After he had passed Rune and left the office, Calix went to a corner of his room where a small library was located. From the farthest shelf he took out a book marked with a red symbol and activated the hidden mechanism inside. 

Click. 

A staircase was revealed. As Calix descended, he was first greeted by the smell of books. The hidden room, hidden between the walls, was surrounded on all sides by shelves filled with books. 

Calix sat at the desk, which was piled high with books, and his gaze fell on the document he had brought with him. His blood-red eyes lingered on the part that read “Clara Arcel’s Guardian Knight”.

What orders had he received to follow her secretly? 

Why had he refrained from inflicting physical harm, only to suddenly change his mind? 

As his sharp, murderous eyes narrowed in thought, he pressed his lids together tightly. 

‘It is said that if you are poisoned by Huguak’s venom, you will begin to have nightmares the moment you lose consciousness.’

While unconscious from the effects of the poison, Calix experienced a series of terrifying dreams. 

When he was so small that his height barely reached an adult’s thighs, he remembered the moment his parents said they would only be away for a short time, only to never return due to a carriage accident. 

When it was still difficult for him to take care of his own body, the recurring dream of fleeing from assassins who came for him every night. 

The moment he realised that the truth he didn’t want to believe was real. 

And the last dream he had before he woke up… 

It was the image of Ciela dying alone. 

“I had such a terrible dream because I succumbed to that poison.” 

The veins on the back of his hand were clearly visible. The thought was so disturbing that he felt it would have been less unpleasant to pour stagnant water over himself. 

“You shouldn’t push yourself too hard for a while.”

The doctor had advised, prescribing deep sleep to allow his poisoned body to recover naturally, even with the help of the detoxifying herb. 

However, Calix seemed to have ignored those words. He set aside the documents containing personal information and turned his attention to the bookmarked page beneath them. 

The contents were written in the same ancient script used in old books that occasionally mentioned “fairies”. 

Calix opened the page where the bookmark had been placed. 

‘The nightmare I had then was nothing but a meaningless dream.’ 

If you’re not careful, the nightmare could become reality. 

Losing something in a dream is more than enough. 

That night, Calix’s night, seemed unbearably long and endless.