It had been so long—so very long—since she’d said his name aloud.

At first, she’d thought it was just someone with the same name. But when even the face matched, she knew: 

There are no coincidences like that in this world.

So then…

“You are him, aren’t you?”

It had to be him. He was taller and looked more solid than she remembered, but his face still held traces of the boy from her memories.

“Haiden.”

Did he know how much she had wanted to call that name again? Whether it was because she was still breathless from running, or something else entirely, her heart felt like it was swelling to the point of bursting.

Of course—meeting him again was something that had only happened in dreams.

The White Lions bowed politely and stepped back, saying they’d return ahead. Left alone with him, Kyla’s face flushed with tension.

“Haiden?”

Her grip on his sleeve tightened. She was afraid that if she let go, he’d vanish like smoke.

“What happened? I thought you were dead… Do you have any idea how shocked I was?”

“…”

“You were alive this whole time… so why didn’t you ever come find me? Is it because of my father? Do you resent me for that?”

If that were the case, she wanted to atone.

‘I loved you so much… but I couldn’t protect you.’

She was sorry for burdening someone who already had a hard enough life. She had replayed those regrets night after night.

‘But now I can help you. I can be your light.’

Her eyes shimmered with emotion. He was alive.

“Haiden, I really—I don’t even know what to say. Just seeing you like this…”

Her chest was bursting with joy. Her heart was pounding so violently she worried he could hear it through the fabric she clutched.

Kyla stood there, like someone who had lived her whole life in the dark and had just stepped into the light, completely blinded by him.

‘Just say something.’

She desperately wished he’d confirm it—just a nod would be enough.

But instead, he looked down at her hand gripping his sleeve, took a deep breath, and coldly pried her fingers off.

In that moment, it felt like her heart dropped into a void.

“I think you’ve mistaken me for someone else.”

“…That can’t be.”

“There’s no need to be embarrassed. It happens all the time.”

The joy on Kyla’s face, which had been overflowing just moments ago, slowly faded into shadow.

But he didn’t seem to notice—his expression was calm, almost smug.

“Ever since I took the title, I’ve been hearing that more. That I look like someone they know, that we must have met before.”

“That’s not what I meant…”

“Then prove it.”

She blinked.

“Say it yourself. Is my face that common? So easy to confuse with someone else’s?”

A smirk crept onto the duke’s lips.

It was late afternoon, the sun casting golden light across the garden. Under blooming cherry blossoms, a man impossibly handsome leaned in slightly, meeting her gaze.

“I don’t think so.”

And Kyla knew he was right.

Even if you gathered the most handsome men in the kingdom, a face like his wouldn’t come around twice.

But that only made it more infuriating.

“You’ve clearly misunderstood something. I’m not hitting on you, okay?”

“I know. You’re engaged, after all. You wouldn’t, and shouldn’t, flirt with me.”

‘You call that an engagement? Did you not just see what happened in there? And you say that with a straight face?’

Her expression twisted with frustration. The spark of hope in her eyes was quickly dying.

“Oh, and I think I forgot to mention something. I’m from the royal family, and you…”

He didn’t even need to say it. She already knew.

“Stop.”

She was rejected, and he was clearly drawing a line.

“You don’t need to rub it in. I get it. Maybe some of it was a misunderstanding, but since we clearly can’t communicate, let’s just pretend this never happened.”

Her pride crumbled. Her clenched fists trembled, but if she got angry now, how would she be any different from Gellensid—who tried to poison someone over a rejected proposal?

Kyla bit her lower lip hard, then raised her head. She didn’t know why he was pretending not to know her, but now wasn’t the time to press.

“Guess I made a mistake. The person I knew wasn’t nearly as unpleasant as you.”

“Of course.”

His smugly raised lips stirred a bitter whirl in her chest.

‘Why did he have to look like my brother?’ 

Every word from him felt like a dagger. A direct hit.

“Are you finished? Then you should go. Your friend’s waiting behind you.”

He gestured casually with his chin.

She turned her head and, sure enough, Everett was waiting in the distance. She did owe her a thank-you.

“Let’s not see each other again. It’s uncomfortable.”

“It’s bound to be uncomfortable, no matter when we meet.”

If the civil war were still raging, they’d probably be drawing blades the moment they locked eyes.

‘Still… did he have to say it like that? What a jerk.’

Boiling over with emotion, Kyla shot him a final glare before turning and storming off.

“Not like we’ll ever see each other again anyway.”

The Duke, as always, was either surrounded by people or too busy even to be seen.

‘It’s not like I attend political meetings like my father…’

Watching her retreating figure, striding away with a mix of defiance and frustration, Haiden also slowly began to walk.

The royal palace garden was bathed in sunset. The crimson light painted both of them in the same hue. But the two walked in opposite directions, lost in completely different thoughts.

***

The next day, Kyla was being dragged around by Mary to get ready for the ball held at the royal palace.

“Young Lady! Just one more decoration, please!”

It was a birthday celebration party for the Queen. Normally, Kyla could have skipped such events, but this was Queen Renezielle.

Queen Renezielle, a consort, had once been a friend of Kyla’s mother. She had married into the Blanverque royal family during the civil war to solidify ties between the royal family and the nobles, but had seemed increasingly sorrowful since then.

‘She wasn’t like that before…’

Kyla still remembered how regal the queen had been when she had first entered high society at fifteen.

With her mother gone, she had debuted under the care of Madam Yoker, and Queen Renezielle had greeted her with a warm, gentle smile. Back then, Kyla had wanted to grow into a noblewoman just like Queen Renezielle.

‘Didn’t quite work out, though.’

Kyla looked at her reflection in the mirror and smiled faintly.

“Oh my, Young Lady. Did you just smile?”

Mary, who had been fixing a diamond ornament in her hair, gasped and stopped.

“My heart almost stopped.”

“Why?”

“You can see it for yourself.”

Mary pointed cautiously to the mirror.

“At tonight’s ball, our Young Lady will definitely be the most beautiful one there.”

Kyla scoffed as she glanced at her reflection.

“Well, beauty is a given.”

Under the ballroom lights, her snowy white hair would shine even more. Her porcelain-like skin and delicate features were truly striking—even by her own standards.

‘Then why was my pride hurt yesterday?’

She still couldn’t believe how she had momentarily shrunk back in front of the Duke.

The memory kept creeping back to her—while eating, bathing, or even now as she dressed.

‘What’s wrong with me?’

Was it frustration? Should she seek revenge on him or something?

“No…”

Kyla shook her head. If she did that, she’d really be acting like Gellensid, taking petty revenge for being rejected.

Even if people called her a villainess, she had her own rules.

As night fell, the palace grounds became lively. Since Queen Renezielle had once been part of the noble faction, this was a rare event attended by both the royalists and the noble party.

“Your Majesty Renezielle, happy birthday from the bottom of my heart.”

She would normally have come with Gellensid, but today her father stood beside her.

“Kyla. I’m so glad you came. I think you’ve grown even taller?”

“You’re not teasing me, are you?”

“That” 

Kyla was laughing and joking.

The count watching from the side frowned deeply. Of course, he still considered Queen Renezielle a traitor for marrying into the royal family during the civil war, so this didn’t sit well with him.

Her father had always been someone who drew lines sharply.

“Father, I’d like to stay here and speak more with Her Majesty. You must be busy with your work, right?” 

It was a hint that he should leave her alone.

The Count turned away and left without a word. He was not one to wait or indulge.

Watching him go, Renezielle whispered to Kyla,

“Are things a little better these days?”

“It’s still hell.”

“Then we’re alike. When do you think we’ll ever be free of this wretched cycle?”

She smiled gently. Her gaze shifted as the king entered the hall. He was flanked by not one, but five queens, including the first queen.

The First Queen, mother of the crown prince, had her arm linked with the king’s, smiling smugly. Kyla’s brows furrowed involuntarily.

“…Someone should slap her behind the scenes. Might bring her to her senses.”

“If only it could be solved with violence, I’d have done it long ago.”

Renezielle slowly rose, and Kyla quietly slipped away so as not to be noticed by the king. From a distance, Queen Renezielle looked genuinely joyful as she welcomed the king.

‘What’s there to smile about when your husband shows up with all those women on your birthday?’

‘I could never do that.’

She admired Renezielle for her composure as she walked toward the back garden. She suddenly wanted to go home early.

As she descended the stairs outside the ballroom, she noticed a crowd gathered nearby.

“Duke! Just have one drink with us before you go!”

Haiden, holding a wine glass, looked like he was sweating from the heat.

“Later.”

She caught a glimpse of him—he looked a bit uncomfortable.

‘What’s going on with him?’

She was curious, but her feelings were still a mess. She didn’t want to talk to him.

She turned to leave, trying to head home quickly…

Thud!

At that exact moment, Haiden, who had turned suddenly, collided with her.

“Ah…!” 

With a gasp, the red wine in his hand spilled, pouring all over her dress.