Amel lowered her head and spoke respectfully. Cervel looked down at the top of her bowed head before asking in a low voice,

“For what?”

“I apologize for coming to your room without notice while you were resting. I must have put you in a difficult position.”

Amel phrased it indirectly, but Cervel seemed to understand what she meant and nodded.

“Indeed. We keep running into each other like this.”

“I’m deeply sorry.”

“Forget it. It’s my fault for not closing the door properly.”

When Amel raised her head, Cervel casually waved his hand as if to say it was fine.

“Come to think of it, I definitely locked the door. It’s been acting up since the last time, though.”

“You locked the door?”

“I always lock it.”

‘Then why does this happen every time I come here……?’

Amel looked at him in confusion, and Cervel gazed down at her. Resting his chin on one hand, he spoke quietly.

“The lock seemed loose. I should have it looked at. It’s fine, so don’t worry about it.”

“But still…….”

“I was careless, too. Let’s call it even and leave it at that.”

Cervel waved his hand again, assuring her that it was all right. Amel said nothing more. It would have been impolite to keep pressing the matter.

Cervel tapped his knee lightly and offered,

“Would you like something to drink? Come to think of it, a guest has come to visit, and I haven’t offered her anything.”

“……I’m fine.”

“Beer? I have wine, too.”

“If you would offer me something, I’ll have whatever you choose.”

“Then wine.”

“Then, just a little, please.”

“Only drink as much as you can handle.”

Cervel brought over a bottle of wine and two wineglasses. Pointing to the bottle, he said.

“I bought it because I was planning to drink some.”

He held out his wine glass. Their glasses clinked softly together.

It was a gesture intended to leave the events of the day behind them as they shared a drink. It was a nobleman’s way of handling things.

They faced the awkward situation with the composure expected of nobility, letting it pass with grace. Even so, things were still awkward, and Amel gave him an embarrassed smile.

“Oh, and thank you for yesterday.”

“Hm?”

Cervel met her eyes, clearly wondering what she meant. Amel took a sip of wine to wet her throat before answering.

“Th-the digestive medicine. It worked really well.”

“Did it? That’s good to hear.”

“My stomach had been bothering me throughout the journey, but it got better thanks to you.”

Cervel raised only his eyes as he brought the glass to his lips. He lowered it without making a sound.

“You said you were traveling after breaking off your engagement, right?”

“Yes.”

“How did the engagement end?”

“Breaking off my engagement?”

“I was just wondering what happened.”

“……All of a sudden?”

“Is this an uncomfortable subject for you?”

“No. It’s all in the past now, so I’m fine.”

“I didn’t get to hear the whole story last time. Was it some kind of love affair?”

“Yes. It was an embarrassing scandal involving an affair.”

‘It had been a pregnancy scandal, of all things.’

They had conceived a child just three months after meeting. Amel explained what had happened in a quiet voice.

“I was lucky.”

“How so?”

“Because I found out before the wedding. If it had happened after we were married, it would have been a headache. Either way, it worked out for the best for me.”

Although ending the engagement had been humiliating, it had ultimately been a blessing.

If it had happened any later, it would have caused her a great deal of trouble. If she had married Daniel, she would have become the laughing stock of society — a mistress who became pregnant before the legitimate wife.

Even under such circumstances, therefore, breaking off the engagement had been a blessing in disguise.

“Talking about it makes me feel embarrassed.”

Amel smiled and raised the wineglass to her lips. Her tongue tasted bitter. The under-aged grapes were both sweet and tart.

“So, are you relieved now that the engagement is over?”

“I feel relieved and regretful at the same time.”

“Do you regret it?”

“It’s not quite that. I feel sorry for him. It’s just……complicated.”

She felt sorry for herself, too. Self-pity crept in.

The time she had spent could never be recovered. Amel held her glass and gently swirled the wine.

“And there wasn’t much time left until the ceremony, either.”

“Right. The wedding invitations had already gone out, hadn’t they?”

“Yes, that’s right. You received one at the Grand Ducal Castle, didn’t you?”

She remembered sending him an invitation, since the bride was responsible for preparing and sending them before the wedding.

“I think I received it by mail at the Grand Ducal Castle.”

“I’m embarrassed.”

“Did you do something to be embarrassed about?”

“No, but I ended up looking foolish along with them, anyway.”

‘They were the ones who should have been ashamed.’

Even when he was dating Lady Liz, Daniel was indecisive.

Although he was seeing her, he was evasive about marriage, saying that he wasn’t sure.

He insisted that marriage and dating were separate matters, but he was still uncertain about his future with her.

Then Liz became pregnant, turning everything upside down.

While Amel was relieved in that sense, she also felt a deep emptiness.

“Ah!”

Amel awkwardly tried to take another sip of wine, but the purplish liquid spilled down her chin and onto her collarbone. The wine pooled there, forming a stream from her chin to her collarbone.

“Would you like a handkerchief?”

He held one out to her. It was a spotless white handkerchief.

“Thank you.”

Amel wiped her collarbone with it. Red liquid streamed down, staining the pristine white fabric.

“What did you say?”

Cervel seemed to have said something, but she had spaced out for a moment and missed it. He shook his head, saying it was nothing.

“I didn’t say anything.”

He picked up his wine again. The wine passed between them, and they continued sharing their drinks.

***

‘How did things end up like this? How?’

She had already had quite a bit to drink, and before she knew it, she was drunk enough for her head to feel fuzzy.

“That bastard was an idiot.”

“Wasn’t he?”

“Good thing you broke off the engagement.”

As she and Cervel spoke ill of her former fiancé, they gradually grew closer. She felt free. It had been a long time since she had felt this liberated.

And that was why she drank far too much.

Her head grew hazy, and the tension in her body began to loosen.

“Ahh!”

Perhaps something had gone wrong with her mind after that. M*ans echoed through her head as though they were reverberating inside her skull.

“Nngh! Yes! Ah!”

“Your legs.”

“Nnh, ah!”

“Spread your legs and lift your hips. Don’t you like it?”

“No, that’s not it. Nngh!”

“If you don’t like it, I’ll pull out.”

Even as he said that, he continued pushing his body inside hers. He spread her b*ttocks and thr*st his p*nis in to the root.

That had been last night.

“Ahh…… My head.”

Her head hurt terribly, yet her memories remained painfully clear.

Those vivid memories tormented Amel.

She tousled her hair, which had been flattened against the pillow, then looked around the room.

Fortunately, no one was there.

‘Was that a good thing, at least?’

Amel tried to get out of bed, but the blanket caught around her ankles, causing her to fall forward onto the floor.

“Ah!”

Her strength gave out, and she collapsed.

Her legs were trembling. Her knees buckled, and she struck them against the floor.

She was too frantic to even notice the pain.

Amel knelt on the floor and looked around. Her clothes were scattered across the room like discarded rags.

She hurriedly gathered them up and began putting them on when—

Click.

The door opened.

Startled by the sound, she dropped back down where she was.

“Ah, ah!”

“Miss Amel?”

Cervel opened the door and stepped inside. He was dressed neatly in comfortable indoor clothes.

“Why are you so startled?”

“……Ah, the door suddenly opened.”

“This is my room.”

“……”

“What are you doing on the floor?”

“Um, I fell when I was getting up. What time is it now?”

“Four in the morning.”

Cervel glanced at his wristwatch before continuing.

“Actually, it’s half past four. You’re up early.”

“Pardon? Oh, yes. I just got up. I only just woke up.”

“Why aren’t you sleeping longer?”

“I’ve slept enough. And I’m thirsty.”

Cervel handed her a flask. Amel accepted it instinctively.

“……What’s this?”

“Drink. You said you were thirsty.”

“……Thank you.”

Perhaps because she felt so awkward, her mouth had gone completely dry.

Even swallowing her saliva made her throat feel parched. Without refusing, Amel took a drink to moisten her throat first.

As she slowly wet her dry mouth, Cervel looked down at her and asked,

“How are you feeling?”

“Pardon?”

“Are you all right?”

“……Yes.”

Her voice came out hoarse and cracked.

“Does your throat hurt? Your voice is cracking.”

“It’s morning, so I suppose it’s dry.”

“Drink more water.”

“I’m fine now. Um, yes, I’m fine.”

Amel looked at him awkwardly. As she swallowed, her throat began to sting again.

‘Am I coming down with a cold? Or did I injure my throat somehow?’

The inside of her throat throbbed as though it had been torn. She struggled to swallow past the sharp pain, all while Cervel stared at her.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“It’s nothing. If you’re finished drinking, give it to me.”

Cervel took the remaining water and drank it himself.

“We have something to talk about, don’t we?”

“……Ah, yes? Yes.”

“First, get up. Don’t sit on the cold floor.”

Cervel looked down at Amel, who was still sitting on the floor, then held out his hand, telling her to take it and stand.

She grasped his hand and managed to get to her feet.

“Are you feeling a little more clearheaded?”

“Pardon? Yes.”

“Has the alcohol worn off a little?”

“Yes. It has.”

“Then, how much of what happened last night do you remember?”

“Yesterday……”