Eva remained standing in place for a long time, even after the castle gate closed, until the sound of hoofbeats faded and could no longer be heard.

Just as in Divlik’s joke, as if the one she had seen off were her own lord, a distant, melancholic air could be read beyond Eva’s covered eyes.

“Eva, please come inside now. The dawn breeze is cold.”

The reason Eva stood there for so long despite Hannah’s urging was because she was reminded of Leon leaving in the morning dew just like this.

* * *

“No. I can’t let you go. Leon. If you’re going, take me with you. No. No. Leon.”

It had been agreed upon dozens of times beforehand. They would be apart for just three years, exactly three years, while Leon received knight training in the capital. But regardless of how much she understood the situation or had agreed to it, Eva simply couldn’t let go of his hand as he prepared to leave.

Eva grabbed and pulled at his hand, who had already prepared to ride out and was sitting on his horse. Don’t go, if you must go then take me with you, she pleaded while scattering tears.

“Miss Eva. Step back. It’s dangerous to stand next to the horse like that.”

“I hate it, Leon. Don’t go, I hate it. Leon. You can’t go.”

Christine had told Eva that a person couldn’t be a pet, but to Eva, Leon was nothing short of a pet. Whenever Eva extended her hand, he always came running and placed his rich black hair under it. Having entered the Marquis Cloud household holding Eva’s hand like that, for ten years, Leon had stayed by Eva’s side with steadfast and constant affection toward her.

“Leon. You won’t go, right? Tell me you won’t go. You’re the one who always does whatever I say.”

“Eva……”

Leon desperately wanted to jump off the horse right then, say he wouldn’t go, and embrace Eva, but he couldn’t.

Leon, who had grown into a young man, found that simply wanting to be by Eva’s side, as he did when they ran thoughtlessly across the hills, was no longer enough.

* * *

One week earlier.

“You’re thinking about a future with Miss Eva, aren’t you?”

Leon had become the adopted son of Butler Kate, who had served the Cloud family, less than a year after entering Eva’s household. Perhaps because he had spent his life in a position of serving others, Butler Kate knew something that even Eva, who still treated Leon like a lion cub, didn’t know. That as Leon’s body had grown, so had his feelings for Eva.

“Yes. I can’t live without Eva.”

Strictly speaking, Leon and Eva’s relationship was no different from that of employer and employee, but fortunately, no one saw them that way. Only the childish Eva lacked awareness—everyone else thought the same. That Leon would be the one to carry on the name of Marquis Cloud by Eva’s side.

“I’ve arranged a position for you in the knight order.”

“By knight order, you mean……”

“You’ll need at least a knight’s title to stay by Miss Eva’s side until the end.”

Though he didn’t oppose it, that didn’t mean there were no obstacles. Eva, who had grown up with Leon, attracted people’s attention with her beauty that seemed to scatter sparkles wherever she went. Now Florin was known for Eva’s name before its flowers.

“This is nothing compared to what will happen when she makes her formal debut as a debutante next year—suitors will line up. No matter how favorably the Marquis views you, it won’t be easy to refuse all other families if they desperately pursue Miss Eva.”

The judgment was that if the Marquis could say, “I gave my daughter to someone with at least a knight’s title rather than someone with nothing to show,” it would hurt the pride of the rejected party less. Thanks to Butler Kate’s efforts, Leon was told that if he completed three years of training in the knight order, he would receive a knight’s title as long as his skills weren’t too poor.

Moreover, they had already secured Marquis Cloud’s firm promise that he would not give Eva away to any grand family that might want her during that time. He had explained the situation, and Eva had smiled and told him to become a splendid knight and return, but now that Leon was actually leaving, she was acting like this.

* * *

“Eva, I don’t want to leave you either.”

“Then don’t go. Stay with me. Why do you need to become a knight? You’re going to marry me and inherit my father’s title anyway.”

“Eva. Wait for me. I will…… definitely return to your arms.”

Leon lowered his head to kiss Eva’s hand, then coldly removed her hand. It goes without saying how hysterically Eva cried behind him, but Leon also cried day and night throughout the month-long journey to the capital.

“What’s wrong with your face? Were you kidnapped? You look like you were dragged to this honorable knight order induction ceremony against your will.”

Even the capital’s knight commander, who had seen countless knight aspirants, found it absurd.

* * *

Thanks to their hard riding that kicked up dust all around, Divlik and Finn’s party were able to cross the Elan border before sunset.

“Did you have something urgent to tell me? You came to Elan Castle right after I sent back your subordinate with gifts.”

Joseph, whom they met in the reception room of Elan Castle, which boasted as much grandeur as Frentz Castle, sat with women on both sides and didn’t even bother to stand up to welcome Divlik.

Finn’s face hardened at Joseph’s rudeness, but Divlik countered by sitting down in a chair that hadn’t even been offered.

“How could I remain idle after receiving such a precious gift? Though I come from humble origins, I know my manners. Finn. Present what we’ve prepared.”

“Yes, Lord Divlik.”

At Divlik’s signal, Finn had other soldiers place a long wooden box in front of Joseph.

“What is this? Is it some precious jewel hidden by a Yarden Empire noble?”

“It’s something more precious than jewels.”

At Joseph’s gesture, two servants standing in the corner of the reception room approached and opened the heavy wooden box, revealing a large sword in a scabbard decorated with splendid jewels and gold.

Joseph lifted himself slightly to check the contents of the box and, though he didn’t show much change in expression, couldn’t hide the furrowing of his eyes.

“You’ve brought such a precious sword.”

“It’s the sword the former emperor used when he captured Hael Castle. I thought it would make a great gift for Grand Duke Joseph, so I brought it. Do you like it?”

The clear eagle emblem engraved on the end of the handle—it was the sword of the former emperor that Fabian would have passed down through generations had he kept the emperor’s position. Bringing that sword here was equivalent to Divlik declaring before Joseph that the Yarden Empire was his. That the Frentz family could never again be the masters of the Yarden Empire.

“It seems you were quite pleased with the gift I sent.”

“I was very pleased. Especially that child with the purple eyes.”

Divlik hadn’t liked any of the women Joseph sent, and he had particularly shown displeasure at the woman who resembled Eva. Despite this, his expression of being pleased was a sarcastic remark twisted several times over. For Joseph to understand this as sarcasm meant he must have known about Divlik’s displeasure…

Finn couldn’t even guess what was passing between Divlik and Joseph, who were both smiling leisurely. An invisible current flew about, sharpening its blade like a knife.

“My, what poor hospitality for a guest. Seeing how early you’ve arrived, you must have skipped lunch. Look forward to it. I’ll prepare an abundant dinner. You there, what are you standing around for? Bring tea.”

“Lord Divlik, if you have no other orders, may I go outside to check on the condition of the tethered horses?”

While Joseph was ordering a servant to bring tea, Finn excused himself, saying he would prepare for their return, and left the reception room.

“He seems like a loyal subordinate.”

“He’s like my limbs.”

“Are you preparing to return right after arriving? You could rest here for a few more days.”

“I’m busy.”

“You came all this way to give a gift when you’re so busy?”

“Something like that.”

“What keeps you so busy? I heard you’ve dispatched commanders to reorganize the regions.”

“Former Emperor Fabian left quite important things in the castle when he departed.”

“Important things? What did my brother leave behind?”

Despite surely knowing, Joseph asked with eyes that knew nothing.

Sending a woman who resembled Eva and then pretending not to know.

Divlik, not to be outdone by such a Joseph, also pretended to know nothing and answered with exaggeration.

“The empress. When I entered the castle, a beautiful woman was waiting for me. Thanks to her, I’ve been greatly helped in recovering from the fatigue of war.”

“I see.”

Joseph reached out with apparent disinterest to grasp his teacup, and Divlik continued.

“That’s also why I’m hurrying to return. I hate to miss even a single day.”

“If that’s the case, it seems the gift I sent wasn’t much help…… How strange that you said you liked it.”

The gift wasn’t much help? How much does this man know?

Joseph revealed his inner thoughts, suggesting that he suspected Divlik hadn’t slept with Eva. Joseph’s sending women to Divlik wasn’t simply to mock him by implying there was no difference between the former empress Eva and these women. It was more like saying, “Can’t you take a woman as you please? Try these instead.” That matter contained even more mockery than Divlik had anticipated.