Sunlight filtered through the gap in the curtains, casting its glow across Breti’s face. The morning was so bright and warm, it was hard to believe it had rained just last night.

Startled by the sunlight stinging her eyes, Breti woke with a jolt.

‘What was that…’

The events of the previous night flashed vividly through her mind. Someone had come into her room. That same someone had called her by her middle name. What on earth had happened last night…

‘The only people who know my middle name are…’

Other than her mother and father, no one else knew.

Someone calling her by her middle name—how could that be?

Her mind was still hazy, so she couldn’t tell if what happened last night was real or just a dream. It was hard to make sense of it.

‘But that voice…’

There was one thing she was sure of. That voice—she had heard it often, somewhere.

‘Where could it have been?’

Breti struggled to understand whether last night’s events were a dream or reality. As she absentmindedly rubbed her forehead, where the owner of that voice had touched her, she heard a knock at the door.

With that, Bagi appeared.

“Oh my, you’re already up?”

“Bagi. You’re here?”

Bagi threw open the curtains and said,

“Hurry up and get ready to leave.”

Ah, that’s right. Today was the day they were supposed to leave this place. She couldn’t afford to waste time on something as trivial as a dream.

“…Alright.”

Breti quickly pushed her thoughts aside and got out of bed.

‘It must have been a dream.’

💙💙💙 💙💙💙

“Hurry up and finish getting ready. We have to leave before noon.”

At Karsten’s command, the servants and knights of the Servienne estate moved quickly. Karsten, watching their movements closely, shifted his gaze to Breti’s bedroom. Annoyance welled up inside him at the thought that she still hadn’t come down yet.

“Jena, my little bird.”

A voice that sounded so much like his own flashed through his mind.

‘Jena?’

Whose name was that? He was certain he’d never heard it before, yet for some reason, it felt strangely familiar.

Karsten shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts.

“You’re here, miss?”

Just then, Thompson’s cheerful greeting to Breti rang out.

Karsten quickly turned his head.

“I’m sorry I’m late.”

Breti was dressed in a sky-blue gown, elegant and neat. She wore only a single necklace at her throat, yet she looked as if she were adorned in the finest jewels.

Karsten, watching her, found himself unable to tear his eyes away for a long moment.

Breti, sensing his gaze, felt a wave of uncertain emotion. Was it fear, or something closer to anticipation?

“You’re late.”

Suppressing the turmoil within him, Karsten finally forced himself to look away. He opened the carriage door and gestured inside with a nod.

“Get in.”

With Karsten escorting her, Breti stepped into the carriage and took her seat.

“…!”

Karsten entered after her, seating himself across from her before shutting the door. Startled by his sudden presence, Breti’s eyes widened.

Feeling her gaze, Karsten spoke in a low voice.

“No one in the capital knows you’re here, except for those at the duke’s residence.”

“…Ah, yes.”

Breti realized there was nothing to gain by making a fuss; if anything, it would only work against her.

‘If I try to leave later, this could cause problems.’

It seemed Karsten was, in his own way, looking out for her.

“I can’t let someone as inexperienced as you be seen by others.”

But his next words made her heart sink. She knew she was still clumsy, but hearing it from him left her feeling even more dejected.

“I intend to keep things as discreet as possible.”

With that, Karsten knocked on the carriage door, and they set off.

‘But still…’

One thing bothered Breti.

Listening to Karsten’s voice just now brought back memories of the voice she’d heard in her room last night.

‘Why do they sound so alike?’

It was an unsettling feeling, almost as if Karsten himself had come into her room the night before.

‘No, that couldn’t possibly be…’

Breti shook her head slightly, trying to dismiss the thought.

The carriage rattled along the muddy road because of the heavy rain overnight, but the real problem was the awkwardness inside.

Breti couldn’t bring herself to look at Karsten, instead keeping her eyes fixed on the window.

By the time half the day had passed, they had settled into their journey.

Suddenly, the carriage, which had been moving smoothly, jerked to a stop.

Breti, sitting awkwardly, lost her balance and fell straight into Karsten’s arms.

“…!”

Startled, Breti scrambled to right herself as quickly as she could.

But it was harder than she thought. When she finally managed to pull herself upright, she immediately lowered her head.

“I’m sorry.”

Even at her apology, Karsten’s expression didn’t change in the slightest, nor did he spare her so much as a glance.

“Oh dear, I must’ve startled you by stopping so suddenly. My apologies.”

Hearing the coachman’s voice, Karsten opened the carriage door at once.

“What is it?”

“Well…”

The coachman, standing outside the door, stumbled over his words, looking flustered.

“There’s a woman blocking the road ahead.”

Before the coachman could finish, Benon spoke up for him.

No sooner had he finished speaking than the sound of a baby crying filled the air.

Karsten stepped out of the carriage. Just as Benon had said, there was a woman kneeling in the muddy road in front of the carriage.

“Please, help me. Please, I’m begging you.”

“For what?”

“My baby—he’s been burning up with a fever since this morning.”

Karsten’s gaze fell to the bundle in the woman’s arms. A tiny newborn, looking less than a month old, whimpered weakly against her chest. Even from a distance, it was clear how serious the situation was.

“Benon, give that woman some money.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Um…”

Just then, Breti, who’d been quietly observing from behind, spoke up in a small voice.

“If you don’t mind… may I take a look?”

“Don’t be reckless.”

“But…”

Breti looked at Karsten, unable to hide the regret in her expression.

The moment he met her gaze, Karsten’s eyes wavered ever so slightly.

“She’s more skilled than most physicians, you know.”

Thompson’s voice echoed in his mind.

‘Her skill, huh…’

Karsten found himself thinking that perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad to see her abilities for himself.

He gave a slight nod.

“Keep it brief.”

“Yes.”

As soon as he gave the order, Breti hurried to the woman’s side. She didn’t care that her dress was stained with mud as she knelt in front of the woman and pressed her hand to the child’s forehead.

“Miss, your dress…”

“When did the fever start?”

“This morning…”

As Breti examined the child carefully, she caught sight of a small rash spreading across the baby’s arm. Her eyes widened.

‘This is…’

If her suspicion was correct, she could improve the child’s condition quickly.

Breti glanced around, then noticed some bushes nearby and rose to her feet.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

With that, Breti hurried off toward the bushes. Seeing this, Benon quickly moved to follow her, but Karsten stopped him.

“Wait.”

“But…”

“I’ll go.”

Instead of Benon, Karsten followed after her.

“Amail…”

Muttering under her breath, Breti moved through the underbrush. Her dress, already stained with mud, now picked up streaks of green from the grass, but she didn’t care in the slightest. The only one bothered by her dirtied skirt was Karsten, trailing just behind.

‘She has an uncanny eye for herbs…’

Thompson’s words—how Breti could spot herbs better than anyone—flitted through Karsten’s mind.

“When His Highness was poisoned, she quickly found the right herbs and treated him.”

Why had she gone to such lengths to save him?

Back then, and even now, Karsten wondered the same thing. If Breti hadn’t healed him, she could have escaped this fate so easily.

‘Why?’

Why had she saved him?

“Why do you need a reason to save someone?”

A voice echoed suddenly through his mind.

Whose voice was that? It sounded strangely familiar…

Lost in thought, Karsten barely noticed that Breti had stopped. She brightened as she spotted a white flower blooming near the base of a tree.

“Found it.”

The plant she found was amail—an herb used in medicine.

Breti quickly gathered a handful of the herb and rose to her feet.