“…!”

Karsten snapped back to his senses and, seeing Breti seated right in front of him, startled visibly. He quickly looked around, bewildered, then fixed his gaze on her.

“What happened?”

“I saw Your Grace wandering the halls while you were still asleep. Before anyone else could see, I hurried you here.”

Hearing that he’d been roaming about in his sleep made Karsten’s heart sink. He’d thought the worst of it was over—but apparently, it wasn’t.

Noticing his dismay, Breti tried to reassure him.

“No one knows, so you don’t have to worry.”

Karsten looked at Breti, sitting there quietly before him.

“I’m really indebted to you. It seems you’re always the one helping me out when things like this happen.”

“Sorry for always troubling you.”

“Not at all.”

Karsten pressed his hand to his forehead, struggling to recall anything, but his mind was a blank, as if someone had taken a brush of black ink to all his memories.

He gave up and looked at Breti.

“Actually… there’s something I’ve been wondering.”

“Yes? What is it?”

“What am I like… when I’m in that sleepwalking state?”

Karsten caught the brief flicker of anxiety that crossed Breti’s face and grew even more curious.

“It’s fine. You can tell me honestly.”

But Breti couldn’t answer so easily.

Watching her hesitation, Karsten’s worry grew.

‘Did I say something ridiculous?’

‘What did I do…?’

He tried once more to search his memory, but nothing surfaced.

Finally, he met her eyes.

“Whatever I might say when I’m like that—just ignore it, all right?”

“…”

“It’s just the nonsense of someone who’s not really awake.”

Nonsense. The word stabbed deep into Breti’s heart.

“Don’t let it bother you.”

“…Yes, Your Grace.”

His words left a deep wound on her heart, but Breti forced herself to reply.

“I’m just… dreaming, after all.”

But each word he added only made that wound deeper. Breti lowered her gaze, struggling to hide her feelings.

Karsten studied her in silence for a moment, then spoke up.

“Have you ever considered… being engaged to Gabriel?”

“E-Engaged?”

Breti gasped, utterly startled. For some reason, Karsten felt a strange sense of relief at her reaction.

“It’s just a question. You don’t have to feel pressured. Just answer honestly.”

She gave him a look of disbelief.

“For you to say such a thing, when you know better than anyone that I can’t… I just don’t understand.”

“If you ever want to be closer to Gabriel, I can make it easier for you to keep living as Laternna. I could make your position much more secure.”

‘To keep living as Laternna…’

The words made Breti’s heart sink. If she was truly destined to play Laternna’s part forever, then she and Karsten would always be siblings—nothing more.

If it really came to that…

‘Then I have to let go of these feelings for him. I need to let them go, before it’s too late.’

At the very least, she wanted to leave with her feelings for him safely tucked away—untouched, unspoken.

“No, I have no such thoughts. I’ve never once wished for things to go further between us.”resolute.

“Is that so?”

“Yes. I’m happy just like this.”

Breti said, meeting his eyes with a look of quiet strength.

‘I only want to stay by your side, just like this. I want nothing else. So please… don’t cast me aside.’

She looked at him, her gaze earnest, filled with a hope she dared not say aloud.

Karsten watched her eyes for a long moment—then, finally, he was the one to look away.

“Alright. I understand.”

He said simply, rising from his seat. But for some reason, there was the faintest trace of a smile at the corners of his lips. Karsten cleared his throat as if nothing had happened.

“I’ll go ahead. Take your time coming out.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

Soon, Karsten stepped out, closing the door behind him. The moment she was alone, Breti collapsed onto the floor.

“If I say anything in that state, just ignore it. I’m only talking nonsense in my sleep…”

His words just now kept stabbing painfully at her heart.

‘You already knew, you knew all along that he doesn’t remember anything from when he’s Adrian… and yet…

“Ha…”

A deep, helpless sigh slipped from Breti’s lips. Maybe, deep down, she’d still hoped—just a little—that he might remember something.

Breti buried her face in her hands. A faint, muffled sob escaped her.

💙💙💙 💙💙💙

Meanwhile, as Karsten left the room, he was met by Gabriel, hurrying toward him.

“Karsten!”

Gabriel called his name in a rush, his tone edged with concern—and just a hint of reproach.

“What on earth were you doing? You and the lady disappeared, and everyone’s been running around looking for you both!”

Karsten’s reply was cool, almost evasive.

“It was nothing… I just had something to discuss with Laterna. Why, did something happen?”

Gabriel’s face, which had been a touch grim just moments ago, suddenly brightened. In contrast, Karsten’s expression stiffened ever so slightly—he could already sense where this conversation was going.

“There’s just… something I wanted to ask you.”

“What is it?”

Gabriel hesitated, a bit of awkwardness flickering in his eyes at Karsten’s guarded tone.

“I was just wondering what you thought about me pursuing an engagement with your sister.”

The instant the word engagement came out, Karsten’s face hardened completely.

“And why’s that?”

“Oh, it’s just—”

Gabriel faltered, thrown by Karsten’s icy reaction. He’d seen a similar response before, but he hadn’t expected this level of seriousness.

“Recently, Lady Nox came to my brother’s palace, and she left looking absolutely miserable. I hear rumors about a possible broken engagement—things seem tense, even on the Empress’s side.”

‘Broken engagement.’

The words made Karsten’s brow crease into a deep frown. Suddenly, he remembered what Fedriol had said the last time he visited the manor:

“What would you say if I made your sister my fiancée?”

Karsten studied Gabriel’s face carefully. He could sense that Gabriel’s interest in Breti’s engagement wasn’t solely because of Fedriol; an unmistakable personal desire was shining through. This made Karsten feel oddly unsettled.

“I’ll think about it, for now.”

“Alright.”

Gabriel said, barely able to contain the surge of excitement in his chest. The thought of her possibly becoming his fiancée already had his heart racing. He tried to keep his feelings in check as he continued,

“By the way, you do know the Imperial Hunting Tournament begins as soon as the rainy season ends, right?”

“I do.”

“Are you planning to skip it again this year?”

“I haven’t decided yet.”

Gabriel let out a deep sigh at Karsten’s noncommittal answer.

“If you do go, will you bring your sister along?”

“That would probably be the case.”

After hesitating for a moment, Gabriel took hold of Karsten’s shoulder and spoke in a nearly pleading tone.

“You should come, Karsten. Seriously. There’s no need to give people more to talk about.”

Karsten ran a frustrated hand through his hair and sighed.

“…Unless something big comes up, I’ll try to be there.”

Just then, Breti appeared from the room Karsten had just left. Gabriel immediately brightened and hurried toward her.

“Lady Breti, I look forward to seeing you at the Imperial Hunting Tournament.”

“The Imperial Hunting Tournament?”

“Yes, it’s held every year after the rainy season. Please join us—Karsten will be there too.”

“I see. If my brother asks me to go, I’ll go with him.”

Karsten glanced between Breti, who was quietly observing his reaction, and Gabriel, whose excitement was plain to see. Seeing Gabriel’s delight only served to irritate Karsten further.

“I haven’t decided yet, Gabriel.”

But Gabriel was hardly deterred.

“By the way, your eyes look a little red.”

He spoke softly as he reached out to touch Breti’s face. The moment Gabriel’s hand brushed her cheek, Karsten’s gaze turned dangerously sharp.