After docking the boat, he immediately transferred to a carriage.

He wondered how she had interpreted his instruction to contact him immediately if anything happened, as he’d heard about her meeting with Dillan from Joseph rather than from her.

Did she just happily accept his generous consideration and then forget about it?

Since she disliked being watched, he had graciously allowed Joseph to keep some distance if that was what she wanted.

Yes, as long as she remained within sight, no major incident would occur.

Additionally, suspecting she might not appreciate having all her conversations overheard regardless of whom she was speaking with, he had instructed Medlin that she needn’t listen to everything.

Of course, he had mentioned they shouldn’t be so far away that they couldn’t hear anything at all.

Yet barely two days after giving her this small freedom, she went to meet Dillan.

The scenery of meadows under the blue night flashed past the windows of the rapidly moving carriage.

“Does she really think they’re actual siblings?”

By now, he had no choice but to acknowledge that Lea truly was suffering from amnesia.

She genuinely seemed to believe that Dillan and she were blood siblings.

Blood siblings, nonsense.

In reality, Dillan was Count Azanie’s nephew who had been adopted shortly after birth and raised as the eldest son of the Azanie family.

It was such well-known information that no noble was unaware of it—except for her, having lost her memory.

“What kind of bastard looks at his sister that way.”

Even just observing how he treated her at the Imperial Palace, couldn’t she tell it was completely different from how one would treat a real sister?

As the image of Dillan holding her hand and pressing his cheek against hers surfaced in his mind, Carlo’s eyes instantly turned cold as the pale light of dawn.

How dare he put that filthy face against her skin.

“Huh…”

Then again, Lea’s face had been so innocent as she accepted it as a greeting, so she was blameless.

She had clearly understood it exactly as Baronet Swinton’s daughter, Violet, had explained.

If she had asked him, he would have told her to punch any man in the nose the moment he tried to press his cheek against hers.

“…Should I have done that?”

Belatedly realizing this, he frowned and swept back his hair.

He wanted to blurt out, “Don’t greet that bastard or any other bastards like that.”

But when faced with her innocent eyes asking if she shouldn’t accept greetings from her own brother, he couldn’t bring himself to say it.

He couldn’t appear like a madman unable to distinguish between social courtesy and affection, could he?

Of course, he was perfectly normal and clearly knew how to separate public and private matters.

So that emotion wasn’t born of jealousy—objectively speaking, that bastard’s gaze was simply too filthy.

“……”

What somewhat prevented his mood from worsening further was that Lea’s eyes showed no sentiment when looking at Dillan.

So it was natural for her, knowing nothing, to accept it without attaching any meaning.

“I apologize, Grand Duke. Meeting my sister after so long, I was simply overcome with joy…”

“Perhaps you disliked seeing siblings care for each other.”

It seemed the bastard was trying to be sarcastic in his own way.

He had heard that young ladies at the Imperial Palace were beginning to send marriage proposals to Dillan, but Carlo had clearly seen him ignoring all those women and focusing only on his “sister.”

It was a look any man would recognize.

Similar to the vile gaze of a hyena, silently prowling around to encroach on another’s territory.

It was completely different from how he looked at his other sister, Lily.

‘Disgusting bastard.’

The moment Carlo saw Dillan and Lea together on Rishelt Island, his unfiltered assessment of Dillan was immediately formed.

And he had gained further confirmation when he saw Dillan again on the day he left the Imperial Palace.

Carlo’s ominous gaze reflected in the darkened carriage window.

“…Why is it so far.”

Glimpsing his disturbed-looking face, Carlo tilted his head back with his eyes closed.

The road to St. Berte was excessively long.

Was it always this way?

“She wouldn’t have greeted him like that again, would she?”

Surely not, when he disliked it so much.

No, she was the type of woman who seemed to watch his reactions yet quietly did whatever she wanted, while diligently following what she believed was right when told to do so.

“Why must she be so innocent and diligent?”

“I have to go. It’s my job.”

As if anyone didn’t know it was her job…?

He had been generous enough to tell her there was no need to stubbornly continue when she was being insulted and physically harmed, yet she refused his consideration, which was infuriating.

“I won’t live as an irresponsible person.”

Her words were entirely correct and praiseworthy, but still unwelcome.

He couldn’t understand where such upright character came from in that small frame that looked like it would break if squeezed too hard.

Anyone would applaud a rabbit-like woman with a smile as bright as sunshine, who seemed to enjoy only gentle whispers, saying she would fulfill her duties.

Nevertheless, Carlo couldn’t prevent his mood from souring the moment he heard those words.

“D*mn it.”

How did it come to this?

The woman who saved him and then woke up had lived in his castle without leaving for a while, hovering before his eyes every day without fail, and reciting her daily activities without pause whenever their eyes met.

There had definitely been times when he found it annoying and bothersome… when he wished she would just shut up.

It was true that he had countless times told her to get lost because her presence irritated him.

Carlo slowly opened his closed eyes and leaned back deeply.

“Even if it had been a passing dog. She would have done the same.”

The image of her looking up at him with large, hurt eyes after his dismissive remarks was vividly imprinted in his mind.

He still couldn’t believe that he had immediately regretted his words upon seeing that expression.

“It might be nothing to you, but it’s not to me!”

He had almost laughed like a madman at her indignant response.

“Liar.”

“Seeing how you let me lie beside you after hearing all that… Carlo, you’re a good person.”

With just one compliment, he had found himself reflecting on whether he truly was a good person.

Of course, he had never once been a good human being.

He had cruelly slaughtered many on battlefields beyond what she could imagine and boldly beheaded those who committed crimes. He had long since discarded cumbersome procedures and courtesies for the sake of efficiency.

He knew how to create situations beneficial to himself, and routinely eliminated obstacles without mercy.

He had never left a blemish.

Until the St. Berte attack incident.

Such a blemish was impossible as long as he lived.

Unless, perhaps, he had been killed and lost his life then.

Everything changed from the moment of the attack when she saved him.

No, to be precise, it felt like she had transformed into a different person and suddenly invaded his life, stirring it up chaotically.

Since then, his orbit had moved beyond comprehensible boundaries, now seemingly deviating toward somewhere unpredictable.

The carriage entered St. Berte at high speed, racing through alternating neat neighborhoods and splendid towns.

Unlike his world, which was increasingly defined by her alone, her world kept expanding.

It seemed she was building her own world outside his castle.

She might now fly away lightly from his sight to somewhere else with that spirited, clear energy.

Her disappearance…

Carlo’s eyes instantly twisted fiercely.

It was unpleasant and unacceptable even to imagine.

The idea of her living somewhere other than by his side could never happen.

He didn’t want to imagine her smiling and living somewhere he couldn’t see, even if a knife were held to his throat.

Perhaps he could never allow her to be designated as the culprit and become someone who shouldn’t exist in the same space as him.

“……!”

At that thought, a chilling light flashed in his bluish eyes.

He hoped he hadn’t lost his mind enough to forget his duty and cover up crimes because of his infatuation with a woman over just a couple of months.

His frozen gaze sank deep like a winter lake.

Though she appeared in his thoughts multiple times a day, wandering in and out as if his mind were her home, he still denied her. He had only considered her as bait and a tool to catch the enemy.

Was it a vain hope to wish that she should be nothing, had never been anything, and would forever remain meaningless?

“……”

The feeling of stepping onto a path of no return.

The foolishness of burying oneself in an endless swamp.

Yet this was the reality he faced, inevitably heading toward it.

“Ha…”

I don’t even know how my days pass because of you, and you say you’ll forge your own path?

While pushing me into the mud?

“Your Highness, we have arrived.”

Before the servant could open the door, Carlo flung it open himself and strode toward the castle.

The dazzling chandelier hanging from the ceiling illuminated the interior so brightly it put the night outside to shame, and the neatly laid marble floors gleamed.

Carlo crossed that weighty space as if it were nothing.

The servants, startled by his appearance, hurriedly greeted and welcomed him.

“…Car…lo?”

At that moment, his steps came to an abrupt halt.

Mysterious eyes that shifted between bright light green and deep blue depending on the angle instantly captured his gaze.

White skin with slightly flushed cheeks.

Fluttering, thin rose-colored hair.

Adorable red lips that were beginning to part halfway.