“You seem to have known each other a long time.”

Seren was about to ask if the restaurant always had this kind of atmosphere when Miriam appeared.

Miriam had guided them to a table tucked away in a quiet corner by the window. From there, they could watch the sky gradually darken, as though someone were pouring blue paint across its vast canvas. The table itself was charming, adorned with a silver candlestick and a delicate vase of fresh flowers.

Aillen was sure that her friend had chosen the spot with her in mind, so she was taken aback by the unexpected remark. She was startled not only by the words, but also by the subtle sharpness in the speaker’s tone.

“We’ve known each other since we were children. We went to school together.”

Aillen chose to ignore the sharpness in Seren’s tone.

In truth, Seren had no reason to sound so curt. Yet her expression remained unreadable. She had seemed just as composed in the shop earlier, but there had been a warmth about her then.

However, it would be foolish to assume that she could read the mood of someone she had only just met.

As the tension between them grew, Aillen turned her gaze towards the window and allowed the silence to settle.

In fact, Seren herself was startled by what she had said. She did not understand why her mood had suddenly darkened. She didn’t usually allow irritation to slip into her speech. If she had, she would never have survived in the trade.

It was the same strange impulse she had felt when she first arrived at the Grandel Inn — the inexplicable urge to keep talking to Aillen, even when Aillen was clearly trying to avoid her.

At least then, she could justify it. She had come for that reason — to exchange a few words, if nothing else.

But now — why?

The only thing she knew for certain was that she did not want things to be awkward between them. After all, she had been the one to start it.

Seren was just about to smooth things over and tell him that she liked the place and was grateful to have been brought there when someone suddenly stepped into their space.

“Wow, sis, what’s this? It looks expensive. Wait a second—isn’t this an Anruvin box? What’s the occasion? Can I open it?”

Without asking permission, the intruder flipped open the box beside Aillen.

Aillen’s brows knitted instantly.

“Jessie!”

“Don’t call me Jessie. It’s Rosalyn.”

The girl corrected her, her expression rigid and unyielding.

Aillen let out a quiet sigh and shook her head.

Jessie — also known as Rosalyn — was Miriam’s younger sister. While the gap between them was not as wide as that between the Grandel siblings, it was still noticeable. She had turned nineteen this year, and Aillen had hoped that she might have matured a little by now.

Then again, Aillen herself had only become wiser after experiencing heartbreak. Perhaps she had no right to criticize Jessie for her poor judgement.

Nevertheless, a gentle reminder about manners would hardly be unreasonable.

“Hah… After all that, you brought back overalls from that shop? Sis… your taste is truly questionable.”

“I chose it.”

The words that Aillen had prepared to say escaped her lips uselessly.

Seren cut in first, her voice cool and sharp.

Both Aillen and Jessie froze.

Jessie, in particular, seemed not to have noticed anyone else at the table. Still stunned, she slowly turned her head to look at Seren. Her eyes widened further.

“Wow… oh. Hello. Are you from the city?”

Seren gave a brief nod.

Aillen realized it was time for her to intervene.

“Seren, this is Jessie Bolleneu—Miriam’s younger sister. Jessie, this is Seren, a guest staying at our inn. I’m sorry, Seren. She’s not usually so… abrupt.”

Aillen shot Jessie a pointed look, but whether she noticed or not, Jessie merely corrected her coolly.

“I told you to call me Rosalyn.”

“Yes, yes. Rosalyn. There’s a guest here, and this isn’t a good time to talk. Go on. We’ll talk later.”

“Huh? I want to talk to her. Where are you from, sister? Whislen? No—Rinamoth? Tell me about the city!”

Seren lifted her cup and took a sip of water. The motion was effortless and elegant.

For a moment, both Aillen and Jessie were distracted and stared.

Aillen was the first to recover.

“Je— I mean, Rosalyn. Not now. Later—”

“Later? What do you mean by ‘later’? Move aside for once! Sister Seren? Can I call you that? What’s the city like? Does everyone dress as stylishly as you? Honestly, I dream of leaving this tiny town behind. Can you believe that not a single person here owns a proper car, even in this day and age? Carriages! We still use carriages! I’ll do anything to leave. I could become a famous singer. Or an actress. Being a designer wouldn’t be bad either. Or maybe even a writer, even though I got terrible scores for composition. I’ll try anything, as long as it gives me the chance to start again and achieve something.”

Aillen tried to interrupt, but her efforts fell apart the moment she opened her mouth.

Jessie often spiraled into complaints about her life and this town, so it was nothing new. But at least she usually had some sense of timing.

Seren, who had been idly turning her cup between her fingers, set it down with a quiet but deliberate sound.

Aillen watched with growing unease as a sharp instinct rose within her, telling her that she truly needed to step in this time.

But before she could move, someone else acted.

“Complaining about a shabby town while doing shabby things—ack!”

“Jessie! Instead of doing what you’re supposed to, what are you doing here?”

“It’s not Jessie, it’s Rosalyn!”

“Rosalyn? What is that, rosemary? Your name is Jessie. Since when is it Rosalyn?”

“Tch. Who would want to use such a common, unimpressive name?”

“Hey. I’m doing just fine with my own name. What makes you think you can’t?”

“Hey, let go!”

“Just come with me! I’m dying of embarrassment! I’m sorry, Aillen. And you too, miss. Ah, was it Seren? I truly apologize for my sister’s behavior.”

Miriam appeared with a thunderous expression, seized Jessie by the ear, and dragged her away. With Jessie’s constant complaining and Miriam’s sudden arrival, chaos ensued.

As the tension drained from her body, Aillen sank back into her chair as though melting.

“I’m sorry. Jessie was rude.”

“That is not something you need to apologize for.”

Seren answered flatly, her fingers brushing the cup she had just put down. Although her tone made it clear that she did not blame Aillen, a hint of anger remained in her expression.

Aillen offered a small, bitter smile.

“She isn’t a bad person. She just desperately wants to leave this town. It’s the kind of dream that children from small, tucked-away places have at least once.”

Still, I’ll speak to her about today and make sure she apologizes properly.”

The thought came a moment too late. She was exhausted.

Seren held her gaze. Her blue-grey eyes seemed to look straight through her, as though they could see everything she was trying not to say.

“Were you like that as well?”

For an instant, Aillen went rigid.

Then she straightened her back.

“Well…”

She knew that trailing off like that would make it obvious that she was avoiding the question. But she had no choice.

There was simply nothing she could say.

Fortunately, Seren did not press her further.

Swallowing a sigh, Aillen chose silence over risking making the already tense atmosphere worse. Not that there was much left to salvage.

***

They finished their meal in silence.

After repeatedly apologizing for Jessie’s behavior, Miriam refused to accept any payment. In truth, it was probably only half an excuse — she had often wanted to treat Aillen to a meal anyway.

Knowing this, Aillen protested even more firmly. However, Miriam looked so distressed that Aillen could not bring herself to insist. Had she been alone, she might have argued longer. Yet Seren still seemed displeased, and in the end, Aillen relented.

On the way back, they had no choice but to take a carriage because of all the parcels they were carrying. Miriam had called for it.

“I should treat her to a meal next time.”

Resting her chin on her hand, Aillen gazed out of the window.

A few houses had their lamps lit, but the glow was faint and scattered; darkness claimed most of the town.

Strangely, that made it more comforting.

It felt like her future.

The name she asked to be called by changed every time, just as the dreams she proclaimed as her life’s ambition shifted with each telling. Yet just as her hatred of being called Jessie never wavered, neither did her determination to succeed and leave this place behind.

Aillen found herself quietly envious of that.

‘What about me? What is it that I truly want?’

Ever since Death had cast her back into the world, Seren had been unable to feel certain about anything.

She remained silent throughout the carriage ride. The faint sense of connection that had existed between them briefly in the shop now seemed like an illusion. They travelled in silence, exchanged stiff and awkward farewells, and withdrew to their separate rooms.

Only—

Lost in her thoughts, Aillen failed to notice the blue-grey gaze lingering on her back, watching her until she disappeared completely into the darkness.