Chapter 14

Snap. The sound of sparks snapping pulled Bleria out of her thoughts.

“Even now, it’s clear how absurd that was.”

Despite hearing such nonsensical words, she had tried. At the time, she would have done anything Gopher asked of her.

Just as she had with her parents and Norma, she went beyond mere obedience, actively involving herself in uncharacteristic ways. She stayed that way until her hopes were broken.

She glanced back at the fireplace; the flames were nearly extinguished. This should be fine, she murmured to herself and turned around. On the table where the vase had once sat four years ago, there was now a half-finished teacup.

Bleria picked up the cup and poured the remaining tea over the glowing embers. A strange sound escaped as the embers died out.

Just as she moved to return the now-empty cup to the table, snap, her wrist was caught. She glanced down, meeting Gopher’s slowly focusing eyes, tinged faintly with irritation.

“I told you not to come.”

“Did you know?”

Bleria shrugged and perched herself on the edge of the table. It was far from the “noble composure” he valued so highly, but that hardly mattered in front of Gopher.

In fact, on this day, she made a point of acting even more casually—to lighten the weight of the anniversary, the day he had lost his family.

Though he claimed to be okay, Gopher sank into melancholy every year on the anniversary of his parents’ death. Once she realized it wasn’t a coincidence, Bleria made visiting him on this day a habit.

He noticed, of course, and reacted sharply, but not sharply enough to drive her away.

“I was bored. You won’t let me help with the preparations, so I have nothing else to do.”

“That’s fine, but Bleria, would you want me by your side on the anniversary of your parent’s death?”

“When would that even be?”

Her calm tone carried not a shred of disturbance. Gopher stared at her intently.

The clock’s second hand ticked twice, no, three times.

Then he tugged on the arm he was holding and embraced Bleria. His warm breath spread across her shoulder, and she froze slightly.

“That was a slip of the tongue. I’m sorry.”

“You’re unusually edgy today. Did something happen at Allnight?”

“I’d like to say no.”

With a faint laugh, Gopher released her. Bleria moved to sit across from him at last.

“Mixel is here. He says he’s attending the wedding.”

The thought of all days crossed her mind for the second time. Mixel was one of two survivors of the Allnight fire—the other being Gopher’s cousin.

“They say Her Grace will pass the title to you after the wedding. It’s already a done deal.”

“It’s been settled for ages since Mixel failed to keep his position and was exiled abroad like a stray dog. Still, seeing him after so long leaves a bitter taste. What can I say…”

A faint, inscrutable emotion flickered across his face before he suppressed it.

“Enough of what I can’t explain. No need to make myself look foolish. Oh, I have a gift for you.”

Gopher rose, opened a drawer, and retrieved a box.

The way he had prepared it in advance made it clear—despite telling her not to come, he had expected Bleria to be here today.

‘Was he waiting for me?’ A soft warmth swelled in her chest, but she quickly shoved it down, forcing herself to think negatively.

‘He probably expected me to ignore his words like I always do. Don’t hope. Don’t expect.’

Bleria accepted the gift and opened the box. Inside was a necklace featuring a fire opal as its centerpiece. She was briefly captivated by its vivid crimson hue but soon noticed its dull, cloudy sheen.

‘See? I told you not to expect anything.’

Her grip on the box tightened, her fingertips whitening. To hide her feelings, she spoke evenly.

“It’s imitation.”

“It is.”

Gopher admitted it nonchalantly.

“It came through the merchant guild. Even the certificate of authenticity was forged. Bold, isn’t it? Mixel caught it, though. Whether he truly uncovered it or deliberately slipped it in to make a statement, who knows…”

His lips twisted briefly before returning to their usual expression.

“The real one is here.”

He pulled another box from his coat. When he opened it, a dazzling white light sparkled—a diamond ring. Unlike the necklace, this was genuine, but her subdued mood refused to lift.

“I picked something noticeable. There have been some unpleasant rumors lately.”

“You mean about you having a mistress?”

The words slipped out before she could think. Bleria froze, resisting the urge to clap a hand over her mouth. That would only draw more attention to her slip. Instead, she forced herself to appear calm and added:

“I wouldn’t care if you did, but wait until after the wedding. It’s only three months away.”

“…No.”

What did he mean, no?

The ambiguity of his response unsettled her. She suppressed the urge to press him further. Gopher wore a strange expression as he rubbed his chin.

“It’s not a mistress. Hmm. Can we put this off for now? I’ll explain when I’m sure.”

Though frustration welled in her chest, Bleria nodded. There was no other choice.

Satisfied by her compliance, Gopher took her hand and slid the ring onto her finger. His lips brushed her fingertips in a kiss, cold to the touch.

“It won’t take long.”

Even his usual smile seemed unfamiliar.

Bleria wished she could stay by Gopher’s side all day, but it was another unfulfilled desire this year. He claimed he had much to do, so he sent her away—this time even earlier than the year before.

Bleria sighed deeply as she stepped into the carriage.

‘Setting a wedding date doesn’t change anything, does it?’

Gopher remained the same. Sensitive on anniversaries, testing her with “fakes,” and withholding his complete thoughts—nothing had changed.

Perhaps, though, that consistency was a positive sign. If his behavior hadn’t changed even with the wedding planner, it meant his intentions had been consistent.

“Marry me, Bleria.”

“I’ll make you real.”

That was enough. If she could believe in those words, nothing else mattered.

Bleria clenched her fist, only to notice the unfamiliar sensation. She looked down. The bright white ring dominated her vision, glaringly large and unmistakable.

“He said it was to quell rumors.”

If Gopher had prepared something like this, it might indicate that he intended to continue associating with that woman for the time being.

But he said she wasn’t his mistress, so she had to believe him. Gopher had never shown interest in any other woman…

As she tried to calm herself with those thoughts, Bleria bit her lip hard.

“Why did I say that?”

Claiming she didn’t care if he had a mistress—what a hollow, thoughtless lie. It was foolish to assume such a pretense would shield her from hurt.

Bleria turned her head toward the window, intending to draw the curtains.

The carriage wheels began to roll, and the scenery moved slowly. Amidst the passing landscape, she spotted a carriage at the Allnight estate.

Someone stepped out—a woman around her age. The figure had their back to her. Long hair cascaded down, fluttering like silken threads in the wind.

“They say he’s seeing someone new.”

“My friend works at the Allnight estate. She saw it with her own eyes while cleaning the annex.”

“A silver-haired beauty whispering secretly with the young master behind the annex.”

The silver hair shimmered, flowing like waves.

***

Bleria’s own silver hair was inherited from her mother, Charlotte.

Charlotte, a member of the royal family of the small Weiley kingdom, bore a hair color unique to a rare ethnic group within the kingdom. Weiley was so distant from the Empire that such a shade was rarely seen here.

‘Could that woman also be from Weiley?’

Bleria ran her fingers through her hair. The silver strands had shone like velvet in her memory, but now they felt coarse. It was only natural—her hair had whitened from illness. Still, it bothered her.

Did others see her hair as too artificial? Did they whisper about it? Would Gopher… compare them?

Since she had begun coveting her “rightful” place, the thoughts circled endlessly, cutting into her like thorns.

“I’m so sick of it.”

When would she stop having these thoughts? When everyone around her had aged and turned gray? Would she even live that long? The very idea of such a distant future made her weary.

***

“We’ll need to adjust the waist and upper sleeves slightly.”

Bleria’s drifting thoughts sharpened as she focused again. She had been in the middle of having her wedding dress fitted.

The tailor was taking measurements and marking the fabric with precision.

“Have you lost more weight?”

“It happens often to brides-to-be,” the tailor replied. “Even joyous occasions can be stressful when it changes one’s environment. If the Lady ensures she eats well, it would delight me immensely. But don’t worry too much; the dress will be perfect.”

After confirming the measurements, Bleria changed back into her usual clothes. Just before leaving, the tailor noticed her hand and smiled.

“That ring suits you beautifully.”

Promising to return next month, the tailor left with her assistants, leaving Bleria alone.

Bleria sank into the chair with a deep sigh, no longer needing to hide her exhaustion.

Her gaze fell to Gopher’s ring at the edge of her vision. Before her thoughts could spiral into familiar murky depths, something else caught her attention—a foreign object lying next to it.

“This is…”

Bleria approached the mirror and bent down. Beside it was a letter, sealed with red wax. But a pressed flower marked the seal instead of her family’s crest.

Who could have left this here?

She broke the wax and unfolded the letter.

「To my dearest Lady,

Please forgive me. I cannot introduce myself, but I am wholly on your side.」