As my back pressed firmly against his embrace, I instinctively curled up and fixed my gaze on the window outside.

I’m not some perverted demon.

This is a natural phenomenon. I learned about it in s*x education class in my previous life. I’m an intellectual, yes, that’s right.

Unconsciously swallowing hard, I stared at the gentle waves of the sea as if completely absorbed in the scenery beyond the window.

I didn’t even read that many adult novels…!

“Is there so much to see outside?”

His low voice, drowsy and deep, reached me slowly.

Why did this man have such a handsome voice too, further unsettling me when I was already disoriented from the morning?

He was clearly a man harmful to both body and mind.

“Ah…”

I remained completely motionless, like a taxidermied specimen, and put on a bright smile.

“It’s the… sea, right? Wow, the sea…”

Before I could finish my exaggerated admiration, I felt him burying his face leisurely against my nape, and my entire body froze.

His hot body temperature and languid sigh spread tinglingly through my veins.

“You must like the sea.”

“It-it’s sparkling.”

With his lips pressed against my nape as he spoke, his voice seemed to echo like it was coming from a well.

Though my neck involuntarily shrank from his ticklish breath, he showed no intention of stopping as he continued.

“Do you like sparkling things?”

“Of course. They’re pretty.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Sensing this might lead to some misinterpretation, I hurried to clarify.

“What I mean is… um… I enjoy looking at sparkling scenery like that.”

“I’ll note that too.”

“Aren’t you taking too many notes?”

“When deciding our next travel destination, I can choose a place full of sparkling things. Right?”

Next…?

The word he uttered struck my ear like an unexpected bullet, and my smile faded.

My mood tumbled as if something had gone awry.

That word, feeling like a distant future event, pulled me into a deep mire.

“Travel…?”

“Of course, travel.”

He spoke as if it were obvious while lightly picking up my hand and fiddling with it like a toy.

His warmth, resembling heat, seemed to fill my body completely.

I liked this man.

I liked him so much that I lacked the courage to refuse or the heart to decline. Perhaps I liked him to the point of seeming shameless.

Otherwise, I couldn’t have kissed him yesterday.

Though I couldn’t pinpoint exactly when it began, I was certainly conscious of him.

He was my sole protector who had abandoned even his family, the one person who had declared in front of everyone that my well-being was his top priority. He was the person who protected me.

And to such a person… what was I doing now?

A strange fear suddenly crept up my neck.

The fact that Lea had participated in a crime would inevitably be revealed as time passed.

I absolutely couldn’t hope for the St. Berte incident to be covered up just because I liked Carlo.

Those who had plotted for over ten years to kill him deserved punishment.

“We don’t necessarily have to go anywhere.”

I looked at his hand caressing the back of my hand while holding it and spoke.

I simply couldn’t bring myself to happily respond to his talk of future plans with lies.

I hoped that my true feelings for him would shine through, so that even if all the facts were revealed, my current self wouldn’t be interpreted as false to him.

But I knew it was right for me to leave his side.

“The days at St. Berte already feel like a vacation to me.”

My plan to escape from Carlo had come full circle and turned into an arrow pointing at me.

Planning to deceive him, take money, and run away was clearly a sin, so I too had to pay the price.

So this is how liking someone can be both joyful and sad at the same time…

This man was my first love. I wished I could have stayed by his side and continued to love him.

Though my heart ached as if pierced by needles, my path had been determined long ago.

For his sake, and for mine as well.

Just then, Carlo, who had been holding me from behind, turned my body to face him.

“Why? Don’t you want to go somewhere? You must feel confined staying only at St. Berte.”

Lying with his head propped up, he narrowed his coral-blue eyes.

Suddenly, I thought about how I had spent so many days with this handsome man, even if for a short period. How could anyone not fall for him…

I shook my head against the pillow and looked up at him.

“I didn’t even realize I felt confined.”

Because St. Berte was truly a beautiful place.

“Still, think about what you’d like to see or do. After the Novahans training ends, the schedule…”

He suddenly furrowed his brow slightly and ran his hand through his hair, perhaps recalling an unpleasant schedule.

“The social season will begin. Once that’s over, we’ll have some free time, so we can go anywhere then.”

“Anywhere?”

“Yes, wherever that may be. With me accompanying you, of course.”

Absolutely not alone. Carlo tapped my chin casually as if to make sure I remembered.

I chose to smile brightly and nod at him.

This man was quick to notice lies, so it was better to just smile like this.

If I could express all my feelings during the time I had left, that would be enough for me.

“Stay in bed a little longer.”

“But I want to get up too.”

“Rest. I was waiting for you to wake up before leaving. You might find it hard to adjust to an unfamiliar place.”

What’s this… his tone is gruff, but his words are sweet.

After tidying my hair, Carlo got up, and I silently closed my lips as I followed him with my eyes.

“Hup…”

However, as the man who had slept wearing only his lower garments nonchalantly rose, I didn’t know where to look and had to stare at empty space, waiting for him to pass by.

After deciding to depart from Novahans during the morning with Joseph and others, I was waiting for Carlo inside a tent.

With vigorous commands and bustling presences flooding in from outside, I peeked my head out of the tent.

The boat Carlo had taken was cutting through the water, arriving at the dock.

He had said he needed to go around and check on the commanders and trainees stationed on each island early in the morning.

“Eek…!”

When he disembarked from the boat and strode directly toward the tent, I excitedly ran out.

Under his pale golden hair, he spotted me in his uniform and smiled faintly.

His radiant epaulettes reflecting in the sunlight and the intricate medals he had received for his distinguished service in war spoke volumes about how remarkable the young Grand Duke of the Hedegen family was.

Wow, to think such a man is my husband!

“Sigh.”

D*mn Genevieve and the Azanie family…

It was too heartbreaking that I had to plan my escape from such a perfect man.

“There’s no other way…”

A lump suddenly formed in my throat, and a futile thought crossed my mind—how nice it would be if time could stop right now. But I suppressed the rising sadness and took a deep breath of cold air, trying to ventilate my emotions.

I can’t waste this precious time on sadness.

It’s too precious even to spend just smiling.

Composing myself, I waved at him.

For Carlo’s sake too, their crimes needed to be clearly exposed.

Also…

If I stayed by his side and became entangled when the actions of Genevieve and the villains were revealed, prison would be certain, with the guillotine as a bonus.

I didn’t want to tarnish Carlo’s honor that way, but still…

The thought of going to prison terrified me. Death even more so.

“……”

Once again, reality sank in. I had no choice but to run away.

“What were you doing?”

As soon as he approached, Carlo wrapped one arm around my waist as if it were the most natural thing and asked.

I smiled brightly, trying to cheer myself up, and opened my mouth.

“Just looking at the sea.”

“You weren’t bored?”

“Not at all. I was busy watching starfish that washed ashore and cleaning shells.”

“That’s certainly essential work for the Empire.”

At Carlo’s calm response, a smile escaped me, and the men watching us showed surprised expressions before hastily averting their gaze.

Perhaps it was because Carlo had wrapped my cloak around me again.

“Um… don’t you find this a bit embarrassing?”

“What?”

“Doing this in front of others.”

“Do I need to worry about that too?”

“Aren’t these normally eyes we should be concerned about?”

“Really?”

He responded nonchalantly and deliberately kissed my forehead.

Startled, I grabbed my forehead and looked up at him with wide eyes.

“I don’t mind such things…”

Carlo replied with an annoyingly languid smile and wrapped his arm around my waist again.

“Let’s go. There’s something we need to do.”

“What is it?”

“Something I thought of the moment I opened my eyes today.”