If Calix pursued the matter, her mother would have no choice but to comply.

After all, he was the family’s beloved youngest son. If he took a firm stance, his family would inevitably support him.

Seren had seen for herself how devoted Calix’s mother was to her son.

This was precisely why Seren had never wanted to marry into the family.

“As expected of you, Seren—you’re clever!”

“My thanks.”

Her expression was indifferent for someone who was supposedly grateful, but Calix paid it no mind. Swaying on unsteady legs, he strode forward and boomed as though he owned the place.

“You there! Prepare the carriage!”

Seren exhaled softly and rang the small bell once more.

“Yes, Miss.”

“Isaac, Calix says he will be leaving. See him out.”

The old butler bowed, though he could not quite conceal his confusion.

“I was under the impression he would remain the night. In his present state… will he be all right?”

Seren dismissed the concern with a careless wave of her hand.

“That is why you must send someone reliable to escort him properly. No—”

The moment she opened her mouth to speak, a thought flashed through her mind. She changed her words immediately.

A peculiar impulse, perhaps born of the faint hope that she might truly free herself from Calix, was ignited within her.

“On second thought, no. Have the carriage readied and wait. I will see him off myself.”

The butler’s expression remained puzzled, yet there was a trace of warmth in his eyes.

“Seeing the two of you on such amicable terms would surely please the Master.”

Seren’s expression tightened almost imperceptibly, but she remained silent. With a curt, dismissive gesture, she signaled for him to leave. He closed the door behind him with a strangely satisfied look on his face.

Leaving Calix sprawled comfortably on the sofa as though it were his own bed, Seren stepped into her bedchamber.

If she carried a travel trunk, it would invite suspicion. Instead, she chose a modest-sized bag and carefully packed several changes of clothes and a considerable sum of cash.

The Hennington Company doctor’s bag — a brand favored by both her and Calix — would serve well enough to disguise his luggage.

Though she disliked admitting it, she and Calix had similar tastes.

At times, their wardrobes even overlapped.

Her sister had once teased her relentlessly, asking, ‘Are you matching outfits already?’, and Seren had clenched her teeth in irritation.

Still, at least this similarity was proving useful now.

If she needed anything else, she could just buy it wherever she ended up. With this in mind, she only packed the essentials.

She tossed the bag beside Calix, making it look as though he had carelessly left it there. It looked entirely convincing.

Before long, the servants entered, hoisted Calix to his feet, and carried him out —

— along with the bag that they naturally assumed was his.

A faint curve lifted the corner of Seren’s thin lips.

At her command, the carriage surged forward. As the dim scenery slipped past beneath the glow of the streetlamps, she found herself wondering where she should go.

She had never acted on impulse before.

And so, she had no destination in mind.

A peculiar sense of freedom, tinged with quiet exhilaration, stirred within her as she gazed at the familiar streets of Rinamoth, the city she had known all her life. Shrouded in darkness, the city seemed entirely different from how she remembered it, exuding an air of mystery she had never noticed before.

Even after he had climbed into the carriage, Calix could be heard humming cheerfully under his breath, as though filled with foolish anticipation.

Seren opened the window. The sharp, dry, brittle scent of the winter night brushed against her hair and felt strangely refreshing.

When they arrived at the Aeinham estate, she did not get out. Instead, she remained seated and watched as the coachman helped Calix out of the carriage.

Her own bag remained hidden behind her feet.

She still hadn’t decided where to go.

Looking out from inside the carriage, with the window closed and the curtain slightly drawn aside, she saw Calix’s mother hurrying forward in alarm to receive her son. Bright light spilled from the estate behind her, stretching long shadows across the ground.

As Seren watched the scene unfold, she felt a sudden urgency tighten in her chest.

The coachman returned after handing Calix over to the Aeinham servants.

Seren did not hesitate.

“To the train station.”

“You will not be returning home, Miss?”

“There is business to attend to. Do as I say.”

The coachman asked no further questions, setting the horses in motion at once. He was still puzzled, but their young lady had never given a needless order before. He assumed that this was no different.

Had he known her true intentions, he might have tried to stop her.

Even the jolting of the carriage felt strangely pleasant. A warmth flickered in Seren’s eyes.

***

The night train was much quieter than she had expected.

Fortunately, she had bought a ticket without delay, so fortune seemed to be on her side. At this time of night, hardly anyone travelled in first class, and the carriage was completely silent.

Everything had unfolded too smoothly.

It was almost as though something were urging her down this path.

Resting her chin on her hand, Seren turned to look out of the darkened window and lost herself in thought.

Now that she was truly seated aboard the train, the exhilaration that had burned through her veins began to fade away. Reason returned in its place — slow, steady and unyielding.

A faint unease stirred within her. She lightly tapped her fingertips against her knee, as though striking invisible piano keys.

What exactly would change because of this impulsive act?

She had never behaved so recklessly before, not even during her adolescence.

The train let out a sharp whistle and began to move. The familiar landscape slowly receded from her view.

Although she had sounded certain, Calix would never have the chance to propose to her again. From tomorrow, he would be consumed with setting up a new branch in the Principality of Solica. She had heard that this brief journey south was merely a short reprieve before he started work.

Given his fickle temperament, which she had observed for a long time, his sudden infatuation would likely fade once he was swallowed up by the demands of business.

He would never travel all the way south just to burden an unsuspecting woman.

She spoke with quiet certainty.

And yet the unease refused to fade.

She could not tell whether it arose from this unplanned journey or from the faint guilt of having used an unwitting stranger as leverage.

What had she been thinking, heading towards the very place Calix had described?

When she had first resolved to go somewhere — anywhere — that destination had surfaced in her mind uninvited.

Along with the name Aillen.

Now, in the stillness of reflection, it felt painfully impulsive.

What did she intend to do once she arrived?

Announce that she had come to see the woman who had stolen her fiancé’s heart?

She didn’t love her fiancé, nor did she blame the other woman — but wouldn’t it seem as though she had come to confront her?

A hollow laugh escaped her lips, as though she had heard an unfunny joke.

But the choice had already been made.

There was no turning back.

All she could do now was move forward and hope that she would not come to regret it.

Outside, night fell into a vast stillness. Although the world submerged in darkness appeared serene, it was not.

This time, Seren decided, she would surrender to that inexplicable impulse.

***

Even for someone accustomed to staying up late, boarding the train immediately after finishing work was more tiring than she had anticipated.

Her eyelids rose and fell slowly and heavily, and she could not remember when they had first closed.

The journey from Rinamoth to Whislen was long enough for her to rest and ease her lingering fatigue, but this was replaced by the dull weariness of travel.

As the train travelled further south, the greenery outside became richer and deeper.

She had travelled extensively for guild affairs, so such landscapes were familiar to her. Yet it felt strange to see winter scattered so unevenly across a single country, as though the land were a patchwork quilt of different seasons.

At least she was grateful that she had brought a book. Although she had packed in haste, this small decision had been wise.

By the time she had read it so often that she nearly knew it by heart, the train finally pulled into Whislen Station.

“Hm.”

It felt as though she had stepped directly into summer.

The clash of seasons left her feeling slightly dizzy.

Shielding her eyes with one hand, Seren surveyed her surroundings. Whislen, the largest city in the south, was similar in size to her hometown of Rinamoth. Yet its colors were brighter and more vivid, and its streets were filled with people.

Unlike the northerners, who moved with clear purpose towards defined destinations, the people here seemed to wander simply for pleasure.

The damp scent of summer grass hung thick in the air.

Even after removing the redingote she had worn from the north, sweat clung uncomfortably to her skin. Although she had packed lighter clothes, she felt uneasy and restless — this would not be enough.

Though rows of trees lined the streets, their shade offered little relief from the heat.

Sticking to the narrow strips of shade, she walked carefully, idly brushing the petals of small yellow flowers whose names she did not know. Families dressed in crisp white garments passed her, carrying large picnic baskets, while children skipped alongside them, clasping soft toys tightly in their arms.

They looked as though they were heading out for a picnic, but they were dressed so similarly that she could not be sure.

By the time she reached the post office, her hair was damp and clinging irritably to her forehead and neck. Her clothes were no better.

The letter that she had hastily written before boarding the train and given to the coachman must have reached home by now.

They would understand the general situation.

Even so, she felt she should inform them of her destination at least.

After all, the letter had stated nothing more than her intention to take a holiday — her first in nearly ten years.

Although no formal announcement had been made, the air had already begun to shift towards the inevitability of a wedding. That was probably why so many of her engagements had been quietly postponed or suspended.

Despite leaving on impulse, she felt unexpectedly light, knowing there were no urgent obligations demanding her immediate return.

She did not love her work.

But she despised irresponsibility.

With calm composure, Seren handed over the letter.

“Where shall we send this?”

“Rinamoth. 1532, No. 3 Sailet Street, please.”

“Yes. One moment.”

While the clerk processed the mail, Seren leaned against the wall, a crooked smile playing on her lips.

Her family would undoubtedly be bewildered. After all, she had always said that she didn’t want to get married.

If they had chosen not to listen to her, that was their own fault.

Recalling the sleepless nights caused not by work or a struggling business, but by the mere thought of marriage, she thought they could endure some discomfort in return.

Perhaps they were even now trying to deal with the chaos that Calix had caused.

‘Let them struggle as I have.’

The thought of rebellion—something she had never permitted herself to contemplate in her youth—sent an unexpected thrill through her. A warm breeze brushed her face, and she let the last of her guilt drift away with it.

At the very least, her sister would probably laugh with delight when she heard about it.

When she stepped outside after posting the letter, she saw that the sun had already begun to set. To her, the day felt much longer than they ever did in the north.

Perhaps, in warmer lands, even the hours moved more slowly.

She had briefly considered spending the night in Whislen and continuing her journey the next morning.

But having come this far, she wanted to press on immediately.

While that unfamiliar spark still burned within her.

Without hesitation, Seren hired a carriage and set out at once for Titt Village.

“You two are more alike than you think.”

The memory of her mother’s voice rose in Seren’s mind, echoing the words she had once spoken about her and Calix.

Seren pushed the thought aside and continued.

Perhaps she should have rested for at least a day.

Then again, perhaps the southern heat was simply too much for her to endure.

By the time the carriage reached Titt Village, she felt as though she had nearly melted away.

The Grandel Inn stood before her, its sky-blue walls and white pillars looking fresh and welcoming. Though the paint was chipped in places, the inn did not seem worn or neglected. Instead, it held a quiet, tranquil charm.

A short distance away, the stable appeared to be well-maintained. In front of the inn, a large tree — probably a walnut — spread its leaves generously, casting a cool shade even from a distance.

As she drew closer, she noticed the white signboard bearing the name ‘Grandel Inn’. The lettering had clearly been repainted not long ago, appearing clean, precise and carefully crafted.

“Welco—…me.”

The reason she had come here slipped briefly from her mind, replaced by an urgent desire to lie down and rest.

She pushed the door open with more force than intended. To an onlooker, it might have seemed abrupt. But exhaustion filled her thoughts completely.

Until she saw her.

Green eyes met hers the instant the door swung open.

Seren froze.

Almost absently, she found herself thinking that Calix’s talent for description had improved considerably from spending time among artists.