Amid the sea of blue that filled the mountain, an unnatural green was staring at her.

How is it here?

She gasped softly. Oblivious, Tobias puffed out his chest and raised his voice.

“Look at my crossbow! This is a masterpiece crafted by the artisan Greener. Even someone untrained like yourself can handle it with ease. Here, take it and see for yourself.”

“Stop it, Tobias.”

Distracted by what she saw across the way, Bleria absentmindedly accepted the crossbow.

“You just hold it like this and pull this part. It might seem tricky at first glance, so let me guide your hands—”

“Tobias!”

At last, Emera shouted, but it was too late. A dangerous sound split the air, and an arrow was loosed. The sound didn’t come from Tobias’s crossbow; otherwise, the arrow wouldn’t have grazed his shoulder.

Thwack! The arrow buried itself in a tree on the opposite side, peeling away its bark. Had it been off by just a fraction, Tobias Filbert’s body would have met the same fate.

Amid the frozen crowd, a familiar voice spoke leisurely.

“Like this, I presume.”

Gopher lowered the crossbow he had aimed at the tree. As if only now grasping the situation, Tobias collapsed to the ground.

“Ahh!”

“I followed your instructions, but it wasn’t as easy as you said.”

“Lord Gopher! What brings you here…?”

“Well, I must have some business here, wouldn’t I?”

Apparently, it wasn’t even his crossbow. Gopher handed it to a nearby woman as if it were nothing.

“Everyone seems to be looking this way. Is there anyone else who has urgent business with my fiancée? If so, I’m happy to step aside.”

“…”

“If no one speaks up, I’ll proceed with my matters. Bleria, care to take a walk?”

With a calm smile, he extended his hand.

Perhaps to avoid the prying eyes of others, Gopher suggested heading into the forest. Bleria followed his lead.

Mixel had instructed her to enter the forest before the tournament began. Someone he had stationed there would guide her. She would head for the northern cliff if unforeseen circumstances arose and she met no one.

It was earlier than the time Mixel had specified, but at least she had shaken off the troublesome couple. Now, the only issue was Gopher.

I thought that would be the last time.

Her heart raced irregularly, caught between the relief of seeing him again and the unease of wondering how he had found her. Watching his back as he walked ahead, she couldn’t hold back her question.

“How did you know to come here?”

“You sent Daisy Cape to Count Kesio, didn’t you? Your maid.”

“Ah… Right, Daisy…”

Bleria bit her lip hard, trying to hide her unease. Thankfully, he couldn’t see her face, but her head buzzed.

Daisy came here?

Daisy Cape was the maid who had brought her various rumors. Just once? No, more than that.

“Close, you say? Haven’t you heard the rumors lately? He has a woman now.”

“The Count under investigation asked for you to visit, saying he wanted to apologize.”

“They’re talking about the accident you had as a child.”

“The young master is said to be escorting Lady Liche. I came to check if it’s true.”

Every single one of those messages had been delivered by Daisy.

So, she hadn’t been working hard out of gratitude for the necklace Bleria had given her. From the start, Daisy had been one of Mixel’s spies. She was probably the one who had left the second letter, too.

Bleria hadn’t trusted her completely, yet a cold feeling spread through her chest.

It doesn’t matter. It’s not essential.

Swallowing her dry throat, she pushed aside her sense of betrayal. Since she had decided to accept Mixel’s help, it was better to let these things go.

As she reached that conclusion, Gopher came to a halt. A twig beneath his foot snapped with a sharp crack.

They were in a secluded area with no signs of anyone nearby. With about thirty minutes left until the hunting began, no one was likely to come by. It was a good spot for a private conversation, but it also felt dangerously isolated.

Bleria tensed her fingers, realizing that she was still holding the crossbow.

I ended up bringing it with me.

She must have been more nervous than she thought. While staring awkwardly at the weapon, Gopher turned to face her.

“Last time… I didn’t mean to leave like that. I was caught off guard by the article and rushed to verify it. I’m sorry.”

“You already apologized in your letter. It’s fine, really.”

“…”

Gopher stared at her with an inscrutable expression. Even Bleria, who had known his true face for a long time, couldn’t read the emotions flickering across his features.

Eventually, his expression faded entirely, leaving a blank slate.

“I have something to say.”

His voice, too, was stripped of emotion. If you removed all feelings from a person, would they sound like this? It felt as though a hook had latched onto her spine, pulling it taut.

“I’ve thought long and hard about how to say this, but in the end, it doesn’t matter. What’s important is the content and the outcome, not the delivery.”

Gopher paused to take a breath.

Though his face remained unchanged, his gaze grew colder by the second. As if in response, Bleria’s thoughts gradually froze.

Why do I feel so uneasy?

She hadn’t been worried about what Gopher might say—she’d only been curious about how he’d found her. She had assumed he’d say something similar to before. His recent letters hadn’t contained anything unusual.

But… had everything indeed been as normal as it seemed?

Bleria couldn’t stop thinking about the letters she had left at the mansion, and the fact that no one else was around weighed on her mind. Her tension mounted, and she gripped the crossbow tightly. That’s when he spoke.

“My grandmother knows.”

Ah.

There was no need to foolishly ask what she knew. The moment he said those words, Bleria understood.

Stella Allnight knew she was a fraud.

Perhaps it didn’t matter anymore now that she was about to flee. Yet, Bleria felt an enormous shock she couldn’t quite understand. Reflexively, she retorted,

“You said there was no evidence.”

“That’s what I thought, but apparently, there was. The Intelligence Division brought something forward. I don’t know if they found something I overlooked or if they fabricated it.”

The Intelligence Division of the Allnight family… could it be Mixel Luke Dice?

Bleria’s eyes wavered. Was this something they revealed only now because she had decided to run?

Suddenly, the ground beneath her feet felt precarious. The apparent fact that no turning back hit her with striking clarity. Her mouth grew dry.

“As you know, she’s a perfectionist. If it became known that you’re an imposter, it would also damage me. A flawed substitute like you would eventually become a duchess, but the process would be delayed compared to now. Still, she said something unexpected.”

“…”

“With the attention of the capital’s nobility focused on us, she’s decided to cover up the mistake. She didn’t mention the title, so that’s likely proceeding as planned. Instead…”

Their misaligned gazes finally met, perfectly aligned. At that moment, a passing cloud blocked the sun, plunging the area into darkness. A shadow fell over Gopher’s face, deepening his features.

His eyes appeared dark. They were so dark they almost seemed black.

“She told me to abandon Bleria Heaven.”

A tiny droplet hit the tip of her nose.

Not just her nose—soon, her shoulders, the crossbow, and her boots were speckled with rain. The same went for Gopher’s cheeks, belt, and scabbard. A moment later, white streaks of rain enveloped the shaded forest.

Whoosh. The sound of rain pattering on leaves filled the air. Bleria thought absentmindedly,

It’s noisy.

Should she suggest they talk somewhere quieter?

Or ask him to wait until the rain stops?

If the rain didn’t stop, maybe they could talk another day. And if it rained that day, too, then the day after that.

They could put it off until winter passed and talk in the spring.

“I meant it when I said I liked you more than anyone else. That I wanted you by my side more than anyone else. You’re perceptive, know how to hide your true self, and became a noble that no one doubted in such a short time. I thought that would be enough.”

“Goph—”

“But that’s not love.”

It was strange. Despite the noise around them, his voice was so clear, as if he were speaking directly into her ear.

“You’re not precious enough for me to give up my entire life.”

Her strength began to leave her hands.

Just before she dropped the crossbow, Gopher caught her hand. Guiding her hand, he pointed the crossbow at his own stomach and said,

“Shoot, Bleria. I should pay the price for speaking so carelessly.”

Her vision swam. She had lost her sense of direction—she couldn’t tell if she was standing on solid ground or floating upside down.

“Fire the crossbow and run east. I’ve prepared someone there to help you. Leave the empire and never come back.”

His words engraved themselves into her mind.

Bleria tightened her grip on the crossbow. Following his instructions, she pointed it at him, and Gopher took a step back.

Perhaps this is for the best.

With this, Bleria would have no lingering attachment to the life she was leaving behind. No one remained to hold her back. She could congratulate herself for making the right choice.

But no matter how hard she tried to think positively, an overwhelming sense of injustice surged within her.