In an instant, every pair of eyes in the crowd turned to Karsten.

“S-sister…?”

Daphne, standing closest of all, looked utterly bewildered.

“Breti, what is he talking about?”

“…”

Seeing their shocked faces, Breti found herself unable to say a single word.

“This girl you all call Breti is my one and only sister.”

Karsten’s voice rang out like a final verdict, leaving every face around him drained of color. He looked utterly unconcerned by their reactions.

“What are you saying? She’s our Breti!”

Everyone was too stunned to speak, except for Daphne, who didn’t back down and questioned him.

But Karsten crushed her protest without a hint of mercy.

“That girl is dead.”

“How can you say that…? Surely you’re mistaken!”

“Insolence. How dare you question His Grace’s word?”

It was not Benon this time, but another knight who stepped between Daphne and Karsten.

“This is the Duke of White, the master of this land who’s provided you all with shelter. And this is his sister, the lady of the house.”

“…Your Grace? Lady?”

“Show your respect.”

At his words, everyone immediately dropped to their knees, bowing their heads—even Daphne.

Karsten gave a small wave, signaling the knight to stand down, and began to speak again.

“Before I leave with my sister, I wanted to share news of the girl you all knew as Breti, who once lived with you at the inn.”

At the mention of Breti, anxious glances shot from one person to the next.

“She entered my household as a maid about a month ago, but fell ill and passed away not long after.”

“Oh, Breti…”

“My soft-hearted sister wanted you to know what happened, so we came here in person.”

After a long pause, Karsten turned to Breti with a faint smile.

“Laterna? You should tell them yourself.”

“…What?”

“You were the last one to hear Breti’s final words, weren’t you?”

‘Final words?’

While Breti hesitated, Karsten stepped aside, making it clear she had no choice but to speak. Now, every eye turned to her.

Standing in front of so many familiar faces, Breti had no idea what to say.

“…Th-that girl…”

After a long, painful silence, she finally forced out the words.

“She’s… gone.”

“Oh, no… how could this happen…”

Tears welled up in the eyes of those listening to Breti’s confession. Daphne bit down hard on her lower lip, fighting to hold back her tears.

Seeing her friend in such pain, Breti continued,

“She missed all of you until the very end. I wanted to deliver her final thoughts, so… that’s why I came.”

“Breti…”

At last, Daphne—who had tried so bravely to hold back—broke down and cried.

Breti bit her lip hard to keep her own tears at bay.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry to be the one to tell you this.”

“P-princess, then… what happened to Breti’s body?”

“…We feared it might have been the plague, so her remains were cremated, and her ashes were scattered at sea.”

Breti managed to reply, barely holding herself together beneath Daphne’s piercing questions.

At that, Daphne wept even harder.

‘I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Daphne. Please forgive me for lying to you like this…’

Breti offered silent apologies again and again to the people who had been like family to her.

After saying farewell to those she’d cherished, Breti watched them leave, loneliness washing over her.

It was then that she felt someone watching her intently from not far away.

“I’ll go check around the area. Stay here for a moment.”

“Ah… yes.”

Karsten led Benon and the knight who’d accompanied them deeper into the village. It looked as if they were carefully inspecting the village’s condition, checking every corner with meticulous eyes.

Watching him make the rounds, Breti also began walking through the village.

‘He really is trying to look after the people who suffered…’

There were so many who’d endured hardship because of Aba, the owner of the Aurora Inn.

Most had been forced into labor from a young age, left with neither skills nor education to build a life of their own.

Now, there was a school here for children like them, and even if the houses were small, at least there was somewhere for them to call home.

Breti looked around with a quiet sense of relief. When she finally reached the outskirts of the village and turned back toward where the carriage was waiting, a voice slipped into her ear.

“Did you enjoy yourself all this time?”

She froze. She knew instantly who the voice belonged to, even before she turned around.

Just hearing him sent a crawling, sick feeling down her spine.

‘Dylan.’

Aba’s son—she would never forget that voice.

“…Wh-who are you?”

But Breti had no choice but to pretend she didn’t know him.

“You don’t remember me? Breti, what are you now—a nobleman’s mistress? Dressed up in clothes like that?”

“W-what are you talking about…?”

She tried to feign ignorance, but Dylan, growing furious, pressed a knife to her throat.

“Acting so high and mighty with me all this time…”

The threat in his movements was unmistakable; it felt like he might slit her throat at any moment. Breti’s blood ran cold, and she instinctively reached for the end of her sleeve.

‘It’s not here.’

She always kept a dagger hidden in her sleeve—but today, it was gone. She realized, with a surge of panic, that she’d left it back at the manor.

Ever since moving into the Servien manor, Breti hadn’t had to deal with men harassing her, so she’d stopped carrying the dagger she’d once guarded so closely.
She wore an uneasy expression as Dylan threw his knife to the ground, then suddenly shoved her against a wall and began to choke her.

“Do you even realize what my mother’s going through because of you?”

“Ugh…”

“You should know. Isn’t that right, Breti?”

Consumed by rage, he tightened his grip around her throat with all his strength. Breti was utterly helpless. She was right on the verge of losing consciousness when, all at once, Dylan’s expression twisted in pain and his grip loosened.

“Cough, cough…”

Freed from his grasp, Breti collapsed to the ground, gasping and coughing uncontrollably.

As her coughing finally subsided and she caught her breath, she was able to take in the scene around her: Benon had subdued Dylan, and Karsten stood just behind him.

“So you’ve got a nasty habit with those hands, do you?”

Karsten said coolly.

“Let go! That—she’s the one who—!”

Before Dylan had finished speaking, Benon punched him hard in the face.

Breti, startled, squeezed her eyes shut. When she opened them again, Dylan’s nose was streaming with blood.

“Who do you think you’re talking to like that?”

“Th-that woman—!”

At a slight nod from Karsten, Benon struck Dylan again, and this time it didn’t end with just one blow—he hit him several more times.

Breti couldn’t bear to watch and turned her head away.

“Not only did you dare lay hands on my sister, but you had the nerve to insult her as well? Are you so eager to lose your life?”

“S-sister…?”

After the brutal beating, Dylan could hardly even form the words.

Looking at Dylan, who was only half-conscious, Karsten gave Benon his orders.

“Benon, turn him over to the guards at once. For insulting a noble.”

“Yes, sir.”

“I think it would be best if he never saw the light of day again.”

“I’ll see to it.”

Benon replied, dragging Dylan away without another word.

As she watched Dylan’s figure disappear, a single tear slid down Breti’s cheek. Only after he was gone did she feel the ache in her throat—and as her fear subsided, her arms and legs began to tremble uncontrollably.

“You were so brave before.”

Karsten remarked, watching Breti shiver in terror. He extended his hand toward her.

Breti glanced up at him cautiously, then slowly reached for his hand.

“Take it.”

“Thank you.”

She whispered as she gripped his hand, using it to steady herself as she struggled to her feet.

Karsten frowned as Breti’s hand touched his. There was something about her touch that unsettled him.

‘Why…’
‘Why does holding her hand leave this strange feeling, right in the pit of my throat?’
‘This discomfort, and even more…’

‘It’s as if I’ve forgotten something.’

What was this sense of dissonance?

“Thank you.”

Breti said again, her voice quiet.

Karsten, still gazing at their joined hands, finally looked away.

“Thank you?”