“My lady, you are only saying this because you are in shock. Your emotions are overwhelming you right now. Once some time has passed, you will realize the truth yourself—it is not love you feel for me, but confusion born from pain.”

“No! Why will you not believe me?”

“My lady, please calm yourself. Take one more day to think clearly. Bringing me into your room and tearing off your dress like this… this is not who you are. Do not do something you will regret. Take a moment to breathe and think.”

“…….”

It was the first and last time that Carlo had spoken to her with genuine sincerity.

After gently consoling her — knowing that her grief had clouded her judgement — he rose from the bed. He simply stood there, looking down at her in silence.

Her dress hung loosely from her shoulders, barely concealing her trembling body. Her eyes were swollen and red, so raw that it was almost painful to look at them.

“……Haah.”

Carlo sighed and reached out to help her rise from the bed. Without a word, he began fastening her dress once more.

It was the least he could do. Perhaps this small gesture would ease the bitter, revolting guilt gnawing at him.

After fastening the final button, he stepped back and offered her his parting words.

“My lady, I regret that matters had to end this way. But I am certain that one day, you will find happiness with someone else—someone far better than me.”

“…….”

Roselina remained silent. Tears streamed down her face as she looked up at him, her eyes filled with emotions he could not decipher. Was she furious that he had rejected her until the very end? Or was she grieving because he had truly let her go?

Carlo bowed courteously before slowly turning to leave.

But at that moment—

Bang!

The sudden pounding of hurried footsteps and the sound of a door bursting open made him freeze.

“……!”

Roselina stood upon the balcony, climbing onto the railing.

“My lady!”

Carlo’s panicked shout rang through the room, followed by screams from below. The servants stationed outside the main building had spotted her.

“Please, step down!”

“No.”

“My lady!”

Carlo clenched his jaw, afraid to approach too quickly in case any sudden movement startled her. Her eyes were wild and unwavering—she genuinely intended to end her life.

He might have despised her, but he had never wanted this.

“My lady, look at me. Do not think about anything else—just keep your eyes on me.”

“Hic… I told you that I love you! Why will you not believe me?”

Perched precariously upon the railing, Roselina swayed as though even the slightest breeze might send her plummeting.

Below, Duke Crussian was nearly frantic as he shouted for someone to save his daughter, but no one dared climb up to reach her.

Roselina screamed that she would jump if anyone attempted to come closer.

“I will listen to everything you wish to say, my lady. So please, step down. Come to me, all right?”

“Lies… You will leave the moment I come down! I would rather die than continue living with this humiliation!”

Roselina’s voice trembled, but her stance upon the railing remained resolute. She looked entirely prepared to cast her life away.

“I will not leave you! Please, come down!”

Carlo took a slow, measured step toward her, careful not to frighten her. Every movement had to be deliberate. Only three steps remained between them.

“You should not show me this side of yourself. How much more do you intend to anger me?”

“Anger you? Why would you be angry? You said you no longer loved me!”

“I never said that. I left because loving you caused me so much pain. Please, do not do this to me.”

Carlo continued the performance, allowing false emotion to tremble through his voice. For now, saving her life mattered more than telling the truth. If desperation was what she needed to see, then he would show it to her.

“My lady, please come down. I am terrified… If anything were to happen to you—”

He spread his arms wide as though preparing to catch her, and Roselina’s gaze wavered.

“Do you… truly love me?”

“Yes. I love you.”

At last, a faint smile of relief appeared on Roselina’s face as she brushed away her tears. For one moment, Carlo believed she might finally be regaining her senses—

Until—

“Kyah!”

“My lady!”

A sudden gust of wind swept across the balcony, causing her to lose her footing. Without thinking, Carlo lunged forward and caught her just as she began to fall. They rolled across the floor, him holding her tightly in his arms.

He had saved her by the narrowest of margins.

Relief swept through him, accompanied by the grim realization that he was now far more deeply involved with her than he had ever intended to be.

Exhausted by her hysteria, Roselina soon lost consciousness. Carlo remained beside her, watching over her until late into the night.

It was far too late for an unmarried man and woman to be alone together, yet no one in the ducal household seemed to question it. Instead, they praised him as a hero — the nobleman who had saved their precious young lady.

“Haah…….”

Leaning back in his chair, Carlo released a heavy breath and closed his eyes.

‘Laila must be waiting for me.’

He had kissed her forehead and promised to return quickly. Yet everything had gone awry, and now he found himself sitting beside another woman’s bed.

When he caught Roselina as she fell and rolled across the floor with her, the horrified Duke and several knights had rushed into the room.

Nearly in tears, Duke Crussian seized Carlo’s hand and declared—

“You saved my daughter. You are our savior—our benefactor!”

Under normal circumstances, the Duke’s words would have thrilled Carlo. This time, however, he could barely suppress a weary sigh.

This was because of Laila.

If revenge had been his only goal, he would have considered this turn of events ideal. But the promise he had made to her weighed heavily on his conscience, preventing him from enjoying his victory. His relationship with Roselina was becoming increasingly complicated with each passing day.

Knock, knock.

A quiet tapping disturbed the stillness of the room. When Carlo turned his head, he saw one of Roselina’s maids standing in the doorway.

“What is it?”

He asked softly, careful not to awaken the sleeping lady.

“His Grace sent me to ask whether you require anything, my lord.”

“No, I am fine. Is His Grace still awake?”

“Yes, my lord.”

“Where is he?”

“In his study.”

Carlo nodded.

“Understood.”

The maid bowed and silently withdrew.

‘Since matters have come this far… I might as well tell the Duke about him.’

Now that he had earned the Duke’s complete trust, it was time to act. Having reached that decision, Carlo rose from his chair and headed directly toward the study.

Knock, knock.

“Your Grace, it is Carlo Siren.”

“Come in.”

Upon receiving the Duke’s permission, Carlo entered the study. Duke Crussian welcomed him with a relieved smile.

“You have done well to remain with her so late. You must be exhausted.”

Noticing the change in the Duke’s attitude, Carlo offered him a calm, courteous smile and took a seat.

“I am fine, Your Grace. However, I believe it is time for me to take my leave.”

“Leave? Roselina will be disappointed to hear that.”

Concern tinged the Duke’s voice, as though he feared his daughter might fall into another fit if she awoke and discovered that Carlo had left.

“I am certain Lady Roselina has calmed down by now.”

“Hmm…….”

“If she awakens tomorrow and asks for me, please send word. I will come immediately.”

“Very well.”

Carlo rose as though preparing to depart, only to pause midway and turn back toward the Duke.

“Ah, Your Grace—may I ask for your assistance with something?”

“Of course. I would do anything within my power for you, Lord Carlo.”

“A few days ago, I had the honor of meeting His Highness, Crown Prince Theodor.”

The Duke’s brow immediately twitched. This was clearly not something he was pleased to hear.

“His Highness asked me to locate someone for him.”

“Someone? Who?”

“Crook Zegner.”

“……!!”

The Duke’s eyes trembled as though a sudden tremor had shaken him. For a man renowned for his cold-blooded composure to falter so visibly, there could be no clearer confirmation.

‘So it truly is him, Carlo thought. Zegner is undoubtedly one of the Duke’s men.’

“It appears that His Highness is searching for him discreetly, but the man seems to have vanished without a trace. His Highness was unable to locate him, so he requested my assistance.”

“I-I see. Ahem… Did His Highness explain why he is searching for this man?”

“No, Your Grace. He did not tell me. I found it strange as well, but what could I do? A request from His Highness is not something one can easily refuse.”

In truth, Carlo had no intention of helping Theodor to find Zenger. He wanted to use the Duke to find out Zenger’s whereabouts.

The Duke’s reaction had confirmed this. If Theodor was searching for Zenger, the Duke would undoubtedly try to hide him, and Carlo intended to take advantage of the resulting turmoil.

If he played his cards right, the Duke might even reveal Zenger’s location directly to him.

By dawn, Carlo had finally returned to his mansion. Without stopping to rest, he headed straight to Laila’s room.

Knock, knock.

“Laila.”

He waited, but no answer came. For a moment, he considered turning the handle and entering, but he stopped himself and turned away.

‘She will leave for the battlefield in a few hours. She should at least be allowed to rest.’

With that small act of consideration, Carlo walked away, leaving only silence behind him.

Inside the room, Laila sat on the floor with her eyes wide open. With her back pressed against the wall and her knees drawn tightly to her chest, she squeezed her eyes shut.

‘You are only returning now?’

Dawn was already beginning to filter through the curtains. What had kept him at the Duke’s mansion for so long?

When he knocked, she had wanted to open the door and question him, and see his face. Yet her body had refused to move.

She had spent the entire night waiting, worrying and torturing herself, until she no longer had the strength to stand.

‘You could have come inside… and simply held me.’

That was what she had hoped for—that he would enter quietly, find her awake but pretending to sleep, and embrace her from behind without saying a word.

But after knocking only once, Carlo walked away as though he had fulfilled his obligation and nothing more needed to be said.

“Hic…….”

A soft, broken sob escaped from within the room.

Contrary to Carlo’s wish that Laila sleep well before her departure, she could not close her eyes even once. Not until it was time for her to leave.

***

The following morning, Laila released a weary sigh as she rubbed her dry, pallid face.

“I should prepare.”

It was nearly time to depart for the imperial palace. She hurriedly washed, and when she stood before the mirror afterward, droplets of water trickled down her long golden hair.

“……I should probably cut it.”

No matter how tightly she tied it, her hair always came loose whenever she wielded her sword. During training, she could pause and bind it again, but on the battlefield, she would have no such luxury. Cutting it was the only practical choice.

“How long did it take me to grow this… four years?”

She gave a faint laugh and picked up the scissors resting upon the bathroom shelf.

Snip.

Her golden hair fell silently to the floor. It seemed almost absurd that something she had spent four years growing could disappear in a single instant.

The reflection in the mirror now appeared unfamiliar. With her shortened hair, sharp eyes, and quiet air of determination, she looked like someone wearing another person’s face.

“This is… who I am now.”

Laila whispered, her voice barely audible above the steady dripping of water from her hair.

“So… it is all right.”

She met her reflection with an unwavering gaze. She was no longer the girl who hesitated in the shadows of others or the woman who waited endlessly for someone to come back.

The severed hair lying at her feet felt much lighter than she had anticipated. All that remained was her resolve: cold, clear and unyielding.