Rachel got into the carriage first. Instead of sitting down immediately, she extended her hand to help Erika, who was still small and had difficulty climbing into the carriage.

Erika took Rachel’s hand and struggled to get into the carriage.

“Thank you, sister.”

Finally aboard the carriage, Erika smiled brightly at Rachel.

Rachel gently stroked Erika’s cheek before taking her seat. Erika also plopped down next to Rachel.

“Please depart.”

“Yes.”

As Catrin, who had boarded the carriage after them, instructed the coachman to depart, the carriage slowly began to move along the ground.

“Sister, you seem very different now.”

Erika suddenly said to Rachel. Even Erika, as family, seemed to have noticed Rachel’s changes.

Rachel looked at Erika with a bitter feeling. Her green eyes, the same as Rachel’s, seemed to sparkle brightly.

“Does that make me strange?”

“No! Why would it be strange? You’re still my sister. Besides, I like that you’re so cool now!”

At Erika’s bright smile, Rachel momentarily held her breath.

It was so different from the reactions of others who found the suddenly changed Rachel awkward and strange.

It was a great comfort to Rachel that there was someone who accepted her for who she was, both before and now.

Rachel brushed Erika’s hair, tucking it behind her ear.

“Thank you, Erika.”

“For what?”

Not understanding what Rachel meant by her thanks, Erika looked up at Rachel with wide eyes. Rachel answered with a smile and a shake of her head.

After the carriage had traveled for quite some time, they arrived at the Hestein estate.

At the main gate, the coachman and the Hestein estate guard exchanged words, and soon the gate opened.

The carriage entered and stopped at the portico entrance of the mansion. Viola and Edward were already waiting at the entrance to greet them.

“Viola! Ah!”

“Be careful, Erika!”

As soon as the carriage door opened, Erika jumped out in one bound. Seeing Erika’s precarious balance, Viola quickly ran to her and caught her. Thanks to that, Erika fortunately avoided falling.

“I missed you, Viola!”

Erika looked up at Viola with a broad smile, already forgetting that she had nearly fallen.

Viola, who had been calming her startled heart, belatedly chuckled.

“I missed you too, Erika. You weren’t here when I visited yesterday.”

“I came back yesterday evening.”

“So that’s why we missed each other.”

Viola nodded in understanding.

Next, it was Edward who extended his hand to Rachel as she descended from the carriage.

Rachel made eye contact with Edward and smiled. Then she placed her hand on his.

Edward gently wrapped his hand around hers as Rachel slowly stepped down from the carriage.

“Did you get home safely yesterday?”

Edward asked Rachel.

“I wanted to escort you home, but circumstances didn’t allow it.”

Rachel smiled faintly at Edward’s words.

“It’s fine. You had matters to attend to.”

Despite Rachel’s reassurance, Edward still looked apologetic.

“Still, it’s fortunate that His Highness the Crown Prince escorted you. I heard you had walked here without a carriage.”

“The Crown Prince escorted you home yesterday?”

Viola, who had been listening to Edward and Rachel’s conversation, asked Rachel with a start.

“Yes. It just happened.”

“It just happened? Really? Is the Crown Prince personally escorting you home something that can be explained away as ‘it just happened’?”

Viola looked at Rachel with an intrigued expression. Her eyes seemed to demand an explanation of what had occurred.

“Let’s go inside first. We’re not going to keep standing here, are we?”

“Ah, right. Let’s go in.”

Belatedly, Viola answered Rachel with a smile. Then she took Erika’s hand and began to enter the mansion.

“Let’s go in too.”

“Yes.”

Rachel nodded in response to Edward’s words.

After entering the reception room of the Hestein mansion and sitting on the sofa, a maid prepared refreshments for the four of them.

“By the way, Tervan will be coming later too.”

“Tervan?”

Rachel frowned as she asked.

Viola, who was watching Erika pick up a cookie, didn’t notice Rachel’s change in expression.

“Yes. But anyway, what exactly happened? I heard you met my brother at the Magic Tower, but suddenly the Crown Prince?”

Viola began with interest.

“It’s nothing special. I stopped by the Magic Tower yesterday evening because I had some business, and when the Tower Master summoned me, His Highness the Crown Prince was there. As it happened, His Highness had also finished his business and escorted me on his way out.”

Rachel explained briefly, but Viola didn’t seem convinced.

“Did His Highness not say anything special?”

“No.”

“A person who has never danced with other ladies not only danced with you but also went out of his way to escort you home. Could it be that he has feelings for you?”

Viola asked Rachel with mischievous eyes. Rachel nodded with a displeased expression.

“He did say so.”

“What? Really?”

When Rachel confirmed it, Viola’s eyes widened. Edward also looked at Rachel with surprised eyes.

Rachel opened her mouth nonchalantly, as if she had anticipated their reactions.

“But I declined.”

“Why not?”

Viola asked in surprise at Rachel’s straightforward statement.

Then, as if something had occurred to her, she carefully began to speak.

“Is it… because of Tervan?”

When Tervan’s name was mentioned, Rachel’s hand, which had been lifting her tea, paused. Eventually, she slowly lowered her hand and placed the cup on the saucer.

The clinking sound seemed to echo unusually loudly throughout the reception room.

Viola realized she had misspoken and watched Rachel’s reaction.

Fortunately, Rachel gave Viola a faint smile and looked at her.

“It’s not because of Tervan. It’s true that I liked Tervan all this time, but not anymore. I’ve moved on. My rejection of His Highness’s feelings has nothing to do with Tervan.”

When Rachel answered in a calm voice, Viola’s lips moved several times without speaking.

Rachel sighed softly as she observed Viola’s hesitation.

It was an uncomfortable topic to bring up with Edward present, but it was something Rachel needed to tell Viola eventually.

This was because Viola, knowing that Rachel liked Tervan, would stop trying to arrange unnecessary situations for Rachel and Tervan to be alone together.

“And I’m sorry, but I’d rather not talk about His Highness. I came today because Erika, who just returned from the academy, wanted to see you.”

When Rachel suggested this, Viola nodded.

“I’m sorry if it made you uncomfortable.”

Seeing Viola apologize, Rachel hesitated for a moment before speaking.

“No. It’s just… as you know, it wasn’t easy for me to get over Tervan. My feelings are still unsettled, and receiving a confession from His Highness in this state made things more complicated.”

“Yes, I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.”

“But even though it might be uncomfortable, can I ask just one thing?”

When Rachel nodded readily, Viola struggled to speak, opening and closing her mouth repeatedly.

“Why did you decide to move on?”

Rachel understood why Viola was curious.

Rachel had been in love with Tervan since childhood. Even Viola, who wasn’t particularly perceptive, had noticed.

All this time, Viola had supported and encouraged Rachel, who had never properly confessed her feelings yet couldn’t give up on Tervan.

So it was understandable that Viola found it strange that Rachel had given up her feelings for Tervan.

Rachel wondered if she needed to explain here, but decided it was better to get it over with quickly if she was going to bring it up anyway.

“It’s about time, isn’t it? Waiting for feelings that won’t be returned. I’m just tired. My heart doesn’t race anymore when I see Tervan.”

Viola seemed to have something to say, but after hesitating several times, she gave up and nodded.

“I’m sorry. It must have been hard to talk about.”

“No. It doesn’t bother me anymore.”

That was the truth. But Viola, not knowing this, only looked more guilty.

The atmosphere grew heavy.

Edward also looked uncomfortable, not having expected such a conversation.

Even Erika, sensing the heavy conversation between Viola and Rachel, just munched on her cookie while watching the two carefully.

Rachel looked around at them for a moment and gave a bitter smile.

It was then.

[Someone is eavesdropping outside.]

Creon, who had been quiet all along, spoke to Rachel.

‘Who?’

[The human you tried so hard to save.]

‘It must be Tervan.’

Rachel glanced at the door.

She already knew Tervan was coming from what Viola had told her. Normally, he would have entered right away, but he didn’t.

From Creon’s description of “eavesdropping” and the fact that Tervan wasn’t readily entering the reception room…

Rachel felt the need to go out and speak with Tervan directly.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

As Rachel finished speaking and stood up, Viola nodded.

“Sure. Take your time.”

Rachel stepped out of the reception room.