The moment I saw Ains, it felt like my heart dropped, as if I had been caught gossiping.

It made sense; I had clearly heard from Rachel that he wouldn’t be back until late at night. So, I hadn’t expected to run into him now, especially while the royal banquet was still going on.

As I looked at him in surprise, Ains met my gaze with his unreadable blue eyes.

“It’s been a while,” he said.

Not expecting him to start the conversation, I awkwardly nodded.

“Yes, it has been a while, Duke. Um, I… as you know, I came to see my grandfather…”

“I know. You don’t need to explain.”

He interrupted me and walked past, heading straight toward my grandfather as if he had business with him.

I had been wary, thinking he had come to see me, but that didn’t seem to be the case. After watching Ains speak to my grandfather, I eventually left the room.

The sound of the door closing cut off Ains’s voice from inside. Even then, I couldn’t shake my surprise. I pressed my hand to my chest and felt my heart racing. It was understandable since I hadn’t expected to see him.

Taking a deep breath, I tried to walk as if nothing had happened.

“Viscountess, I’m sorry. Master clearly said he would be late today, so I don’t know why he returned early…”

Rachel, who had also seen Ains, approached me with an apology. I smiled at her.

“No, it’s okay. The Duke must have had some business. Even you, Rachel, can’t keep up with all of his sudden changes. You don’t need to apologize.”

“Yes…”

Seeing Rachel smile back, I entered the room I had used until the divorce. It looked just as it had before I left. I took a moment to look around, feeling refreshed.

“It’s the same here.”

“Yes. We hardly touched it after you left, Viscountess. We clean it every day.”

Rachel added, and I responded with a silent smile. Though it felt empty without my belongings, the furniture remained, evoking nostalgia.

This was the room where I had spent nearly ten years after entering the Graham Ducal House, filled with memories from that time.

Although I had taken everything worth keeping, I returned for one thing I had left behind.

I approached the desk with familiarity, lightly brushing its surface before bending down to open the drawer. In the last compartment, I found a small jewelry box.

I pulled it out and opened it, revealing a necklace with a small locket and a fountain pen. I picked up the locket necklace I had originally intended to take. Opening it, I saw four portraits inside.

The portraits were of my grandfather, Ains’s father Alex, a young Ains, and me.

This portrait had been drawn shortly after I entered the Graham Ducal House. I remembered being amazed by the magic that shrank the large painting to fit into the locket. After receiving this necklace, I wore it daily, constantly checking the portrait.

However, after my father passed away, I had kept it in the jewelry box, worried that Ains might be upset to see it again. When I left after the divorce, I hesitated to take it and ultimately left it behind, only to return for it now.

And…

I unintentionally glanced at the fountain pen in the jewelry box. It was engraved with my name, albeit clumsily.

Carefully, I picked up the pen. Ains had given it to me on my birthday shortly after I arrived at the Graham Ducal House.

I used to write with this pen every day, but after the marriage, I placed it in the jewelry box and never took it out again.

I stared silently at the fountain pen for a moment, recalling how I had put it away when my feelings for Ains had faded to a point I could no longer bear. I considered leaving it behind since I hadn’t planned to take it, but ultimately decided it was better to keep it than to leave it here.

In the end, I returned the necklace and the fountain pen to the jewelry box and took it with me.

“Viscountess, I’ll take care of it and give it to you later when you leave.”

“Could you do that?”

Thinking it would be cumbersome to carry the jewelry box while visiting my grandfather, I handed it to Rachel. Then, I left the room and headed back toward my grandfather’s room.

However, I had to stop when I saw Ains standing in the hallway past the stairs.

Noticing me, Ains looked directly at me, and I felt the complex emotions in his gaze.

“Were you waiting for me?” I asked hesitantly, and Ains nodded.

“Yes.”

“…May I ask why?”

He didn’t answer. I looked at him for a moment before sighing softly.

“Did you wait just to say nothing? If so, I’d like to pass by.”

“Is learning mana from Master Cesare going well?”

Just as I was about to walk past him, Ains asked.

“Thanks for your concern. If that’s all you wanted to know, I don’t wish to talk further.”

“If you ever change your mind, let me know anytime.”

“I don’t think that will happen. Even if I can’t learn from Master Cesare, I won’t ask for your help, Duke. Does that answer your question?”

“…”

Ains remained silent, staring at me with an intense gaze.

I bowed my head in greeting and continued walking. He didn’t stop me until I passed him, maintaining a tense expression.

Wanting to avoid further interaction, I quickened my pace, careful not to appear rushed.

As I walked, I listened intently for any sounds behind me, but there were none.

Upon returning to my grandfather’s bedroom, I found the door closed and let out a long breath.

“What’s the matter, Cecil?” My grandfather asked, noticing my hurried entrance and sigh.

I shook my head and managed a faint smile. “It’s nothing.”

I walked straight to the bed where my grandfather was lying. He greeted me, propping himself up slightly.

“Is something bothering you outside? You don’t look well.”

I shook my head again. “No, it’s nothing. By the way, the Duke of Graham visited earlier. Is something going on?”

To change the subject, I asked quickly. He looked at me with a hint of pity before offering a bitter smile.

“Cecil, I need to tell you something.”

“Yes? What do you mean?”

Reluctantly, my grandfather began to speak slowly. “As you know, my condition hasn’t improved; it has worsened. You understand that, right?”

“…”

I knew. Watching my grandfather grow weaker, I had anticipated that a time would come when I would need to prepare myself.

Though I tried hard not to dwell on it, it seemed my grandfather was about to address it directly.

If possible, I didn’t want my grandfather to have to talk about his own condition, but I couldn’t stop him now.

“You must have noticed. You’re a perceptive child, so there’s no way you wouldn’t know. And Dr. Watt, that meddlesome doctor, must have told you. Isn’t that right?”

A cruel question was directed at me. I bit my lower lip and bowed my head. Then, in a faint voice, I answered my grandfather.

“I know a little.”

Unable to refute, my grandfather smiled kindly and spoke.

“So, to sort out what I have left, I’ve been asking Ains for various favors recently.”