Kana flinched and unconsciously lowered her eyes, avoiding his gaze. Even though it wasn’t intentional, she felt a bit embarrassed being caught looking at him secretly.

As she barely managed to compose her expression and gather her thoughts, Olivia, who had been observing the surroundings, whispered in a low voice.

“I knew the relationship between His Highness the Second Prince and Lady Letie wasn’t ordinary… but they’ve finally gotten engaged.”

“It’s something to celebrate. At this rate, they’ll probably get married.”

Kana offered an appropriate comment. The other young ladies nodded in agreement.

“That’s right. From now on, we should treat Lady Letie even better.”

“Yes.”

While they were exchanging small talk, Letie, who had been openly displaying her closeness with Richard, approached them.

Her purpose was to take care of those who had supported her first in social circles.

“So you were all gathered here. Thank you for attending the tea party.”

“It’s our pleasure. Thank you for inviting us.”

“I sincerely congratulate you on your engagement, Lady Letie. I hope you two continue to have a good relationship.”

“Thank you, Miss Kana.”

Letie smiled warmly. After conversing with the young ladies of the same faction, she left to greet other nobles.

Kana, after confirming that the female protagonist had rejoined the male protagonist, blended into the convivial atmosphere of the tea party along with the other young ladies.

The main topic of conversation was, of course, blessing and praising Letie and Richard. While there were some concerns from certain quarters, the response was mostly positive.

* * *

Kiriel, while adequately dealing with the nobles clinging to him, kept getting distracted by Kana, who was active at a distance.

Whenever she smiled brightly, it felt as if her surroundings lit up and flowers bloomed.

Seria clicked her tongue at the sight of the dazed Tower Master. Unable to bear it any longer, she finally nudged his arm lightly with her elbow and said,

“Tower Master, you look terrible. Instead of just staring hopelessly like that, why don’t you approach her like you did earlier?”

“It’s fine. I should respect Miss Kana’s request.”

Kiriel shook his head, trying hard to manage his expression. He remembered Letie’s advice that as long as he doesn’t do what the other person dislikes, he’s halfway there.

Seria exclaimed in genuine surprise and admiration.

“Wow, people really can change this much. Love is truly amazing.”

“I realized it belatedly too. Perhaps you would understand if you experienced it yourself, Young Marquis Hail.”

“Hmm, unfortunately, that won’t happen to me. I value myself and what I have too much to prioritize others.”

Seria retorted glibly, shrugging her shoulders. She preferred a relationship of mutual compromise and boundaries rather than a desperate, all-consuming love.

Kiriel nodded and let it pass.

Meanwhile, Alderaan, who was observing the key figures while blending in with the nobles, clicked his tongue at Kiriel’s blatant attitude and the subtly misaligned scene.

He somewhat understood the feelings of his industry friend who had been sighing deeply with a worried look. He unconsciously muttered to himself.

“…Hmm, is this okay?”

“Lord Alderaan?”

“It’s nothing.”

He brushed off the curious supporting characters appropriately.

* * *

The tea party maintained a warm atmosphere from start to finish.

Just as Kana, having exchanged pleasant conversations and farewells with the nobles in turn, was about to leave, Kiriel approached her with long strides.

She blinked slowly as she found herself accepting his escort, his hand extended with a smile.

‘Wow, I thought it might happen, but Kiriel really stayed until the end of this tea party.’

Although it slightly deviated from the flow for him to not leave midway even after attending, surprisingly, her star rating remained intact.

While feeling an inexplicable uneasiness but also relief, Kiriel’s voice pierced her ears.

“Miss Kana, shall we go to a teahouse and talk?”

“Ah, yes. Fria would be nice.”

“Alright. Let’s go in my carriage.”

“Sure.”

And so, after sending her carriage back to the palace first, they moved to the teahouse ‘Fria’ in his carriage.

Upon arriving at the teahouse, they took seats as far inside as possible and ordered just simple cookies and tea.

After the tea and cookies were placed in front of each of them, Kiriel snapped his fingers to cast a soundproofing spell. He looked directly at her, who had become a bit stiff with tension, and began seriously.

“Miss Kana, I have something I’m curious about. May I ask?”

“Yes, go ahead.”

“Do you perhaps have some kind of constraint on you too?”

His purple eyes shone sharply as he spoke directly. Kana’s lips parted slowly, involuntarily startled.

“…Why do you think that?”

Kana’s lips parted slowly.

“…Why do you think so?”

“During the last day of the Founding Festival, when I opened up to you about my strange constraints, you accepted it calmly, Miss Kana.”

“That was understandable. I knew you wouldn’t do anything troublesome on purpose.”

Kana sipped her tea and responded calmly. Kiriel, stroking his chin while recalling the situation, gave her a somewhat wistful look.

“That’s true, but I felt like you empathized somehow. Plus, your attitude and the atmosphere around you always change subtly when it’s related to certain people.”

“…Was it that noticeable?”

Kana’s eyes narrowed. Until now, she had never been called out on her attitude or atmosphere by the key figures, regardless of which faction she was working for.

Kiriel nodded, fixing his gaze on her.

“Of course, I’m always watching you, Miss Kana. Strangely, others say they don’t get that feeling. Perhaps they’re just saying that because they don’t know you well.”

“…I see.”

Kana closed her eyes and then opened them as she heard his voice tinged with subtle dissatisfaction.

The reactions of other characters were normal and typical. It was Kiriel who was special for noticing the meticulously crafted differences in attitude and atmosphere that matched her work.

He returned to the main point again.

“So, I thought your constraint might be related to Lady Letie Serade. Am I right?”

“That’s…”

Kana hesitated, trailing off. She was amazed at his insight, accurately guessing something similar without her ever hinting at it.

Thinking that her hesitation to answer was due to the constraint, he clapped his hands and suggested a non-verbal method.

“Ah, it might be difficult to answer. Then let me ask in a different way. If it’s true, blink once, and if not, blink twice.”

Kana hesitated but carefully blinked once. Although she had indirectly confirmed a key character’s question, her star rating didn’t decrease.

Kiriel’s face, which had been tense with inner nervousness, relaxed.

“…So it was true. Now I understand all of your actions when you’re involved with Lady Serade. You don’t know the cause, right?”

“That’s difficult for me to answer.”

Kana held back her words. She was worried that something might happen even at the ending because this novel had so many variables.

Kiriel understood generously and poured out his words.

“I see. Then what kind of constraint is it? It’s probably not like mine where certain situations are blocked… Is it that you have to stay close to that lady and accompany her, or help her achieve certain things?”

Instead of answering, Kana blinked once as a weak affirmation. She was quite surprised in many ways but tried hard to maintain a calm expression.

Kiriel smiled with his eyes and suggested actively.

“Then we should actively cooperate to resolve our strange constraints well. Let’s become closer from now on.”

“Why is the conversation flowing that way?”

“Why? Because we both know about these unexplained constraints, so let’s figure them out together. And while doing so, I’ll get to be closer to you, Miss Kana.”

“…You’re quite blatant.”

Kana’s face heated up unnecessarily, and she subtly avoided his gaze. Kiriel smiled brightly and spoke frankly.

“That’s how friendly I am. Because of this damn constraint, I can’t speak freely, so I have no choice but to show my feelings this way.”

“…But you don’t really need to do that.”

“Why not?”

“Even if we’re in similar situations, if your weakness of having a strange constraint is revealed, you have more to lose. What on earth are you trusting about me to reveal everything like this?”

Kana frowned openly, unlike her usual self.

Of course, she had no intention of telling anyone, but if she had been someone with different thoughts, she could have created plenty of reasons for him to be attacked.

Kiriel chuckled softly and gently stroked the back of Kana’s hand on the table with his finger.

“It’s that kind of caring side of yours that I trust, Miss Kana. You have my weakness in your hands, but instead of wielding it and threatening me, you’re worried about me first.”

“No, that’s… What foolish logic.”

“Foolish, that’s a word I’m hearing for the first time in my life. But I don’t mind hearing it from you, Miss Kana.”

Kiriel grinned, unlike his usual self. He had been creating plenty of variables before, but this situation was no less significant.

As Kana, feeling dizzy, rubbed her temples, he clapped his hands.

“Oh right, Miss Kana, have you ever seen a white cloth doll in your dreams?”

“No.”

Kana flinched for a moment, recalling the librarians of the Otherworld Library, but quickly erased the thought. He wouldn’t have mentioned them with them in mind, as he had never met them.

Kiriel tapped the table with his finger and continued questioning.

“Then what comes to mind when you think of a white cloth doll?”

“Hmm, puppet shows, old dolls, guides.”

Kana forced out an answer. Due to the form of the Otherworld Library librarians, recognizing them as a ‘guide’ was inevitably stronger in her mind.

Kiriel made an interesting expression.

“Guide… That’s quite unique. How did that word come to mind?”

“It just feels that way. Like it might be hanging at an entrance.”

It wasn’t entirely wrong, as the librarians of the Otherworld Library played a similar role. Kana, having given an evasive answer, carefully probed him, who looked complicated.

“May I ask why you suddenly mentioned a white cloth doll specifically?”