“…Hoo.”

Releasing the breath she had been holding, Ilenia pressed a hand to her chest. Her heart, still shaken by the sudden encounter, pounded violently, refusing to calm.

She could not forget the sharp eyes that had locked onto her. The proud line of his nose, set between deeply carved brows, was more beautiful than any statue she had ever seen in a country chapel. Even now, her fingertips tingled from their brief collision, and she found herself unconsciously rubbing them as if to recapture the sensation.

“…That could have been a disaster.”

She drew in the cool air brushing against her cheek, pulling her thin shawl tighter around her shoulders as she turned her head.

Fortunately, it had amounted to nothing more than a minor mishap. Otherwise, she might already have returned to the Hildebalt estate.

Click, clack.

The sound of polished heels striking against the floor reached her from beneath her skirts. Once, that sound alone had been enough to send chills down her spine. Hearing it now, Ilenia slipped into the habit of remembering her past.

On Tilea Hill, no fool would have worn heels on a dirt road where wagon wheels sank deep into the earth.

“I can’t run in them. I can’t even walk properly. They’re uncomfortable—so why wear them at all?”

Exactly! The thought brought a faint smile to her face as she remembered her own childish joke from years ago. Everything about her now seemed foolish, from the clothes she wore to her willingness to wear them without protest.

The ball was in full swing, so there were few people outside. No one thought it strange that a young lady had wandered beyond the mansion’s walls.

“Here!”

Ilenia quickly hailed a carriage and climbed aboard. Seeing her fine dress, the coachman did not question her, but instead treated her with the utmost courtesy.

“Please take me to the City Guard.”

When she handed over the fare, the carriage lurched into motion, its wheels gliding smoothly without a single jolt.

On the day she had believed there was no other path, Ilenia had overheard a rumor—that the venue for her debut ball lay near the City Guard.

It was for that reason she had ceased resisting and thrown herself wholly into study. She could not risk her own inexperience betraying her plan and keeping her from this place.

Reaching into her cloak, she drew out a small pouch. Beyond the few coins left after paying the fare, it held trinkets that glimmered faintly—buttons, scraps, little odds and ends.

She did not think of them as stolen. To her, they were nothing more than part of the payment given in exchange for her body—set aside as her rightful share.

“…I can’t rely only on the help of others any longer.”

In the end, nobles were human too. For all their power, they would not easily involve themselves in matters that were not their own. She had learned that much.

Altruism without cost did not exist.

Which meant only she could save her parents.

When she stepped down from the carriage, the air had grown even colder, reddening the tip of her nose.

‘Just up these stairs, and I’ll see Mama and Papa again.’

The very thought stung her nose and churned her stomach. Sniffling, she pulled a grim face and climbed onto the first step of the ladder.

“I’ve come to pay the bail for the Kurdy couple.”

“…Your name?”

Unlike the officer she had seen last time, this one barely spared her a glance, flipping through papers with a listless expression.

“Ilenia…”

Her lips faltered as she gave her name.

“No—Leni.”

She took out her pouch and tipped its contents onto the desk. When the tied string came loose, the glittering trinkets scattered across the surface.

“Will this be enough?”

The man sifted through the buttons and ornaments mixed in with the coins. Then he let out a heavy sigh.

“Are you trying to make a fool of me?”

“Pardon?”

“I wondered what was going on when I saw a lone woman come here at this time of night. But offering me these worthless trinkets? Really? Stop wasting my time and get lost.”

“But the bail—”

“That trash won’t cover it.”

Trash? Ilenia flinched before she realized it.

“Even if you stripped off the dress you’re wearing, it wouldn’t be nearly enough. And you dare hand me garbage and ask for their release? Are you mocking me?”

She had never seen anything like it in her life. The buttons were carved so finely, and the ornaments were inlaid with jewels — she had never seen anything like them before. Of course, she thought they were valuable.

‘Now what am I supposed to do?’

Back to the start? If she returned to the estate now, she would surely be sent straight to that loathsome old man.

Then what…

Her tangled thoughts had no chance to unravel before a voice cut in.

“I’ll pay the bail.”

A hand appeared suddenly, plucking one of the buttons from the small pile of trinkets Ilenia had offered. Her gaze followed it upward—and froze on the man’s face.

The man from the ball. The one with whom she had exchanged only a few words after spilling her drink.

But here—how…?

For an instant, her eyes locked with his brilliant golden gaze.

Delphius turned the crudely engraved button over in his hand—the figure of a woman etched upon it, smiling as though through tears—before slipping it into his pocket.

“I don’t have the money on me at this moment… but would a promissory note suffice?”

“Ah, of course. Then, for a simple document, if you would just…”

The officer, who had previously shown Ilenia little more than disdain, now bowed deeply and ushered the man forward. His usual curt manner had disappeared, replaced by courtesy, as he saw that the matter had been resolved swiftly.

When the officer returned, he was not alone.

The instant Ilenia saw the figures huddled at his side, her breath caught. A sharp sting rushed to her nose. She had never forgotten their faces, yet before her now stood her parents, aged far beyond anything she had ever imagined.

“…Mama. Papa.”

Why do you look so worn…?

Unable to hold back any longer, she threw herself into their arms with a murmur.

“Leni, our daughter. Our beloved daughter. How long has it been? Let me see your face.”

Not Ilenia. Leni.

“You’ve grown so beautiful… Have you been well? Not suffering among all those nobles?”

“Mm, no. I’ve been fine. The food is good, the room is warm. I’ve been so well that it makes me feel guilty, knowing how much you’ve suffered…”

“What is there to be guilty for? If you’ve been well, that’s all that matters.”

“Papa…”

Unlike the tidy Ilenia, the two of them smelt of musk and hardship. But Ilenia paid it no mind. She rubbed her face against each of them in turn, clinging desperately to them and aching to be closer.

“I worked hard even without you, harder than I ever thought possible. I’ve never tried so hard in all my life.”

“Our daughter… you’ve done so well. Truly, you’ve made us proud.”

Their rough, calloused hands moved hesitantly over her elegant attire, and then one of them reached up to stroke her hair gently.

The moment she had longed for had finally arrived. The tears she had held back throughout her ordeal finally broke free, streaming down her cheeks endlessly.

How long did she weep for? She could not tell. It was only when the joy of the reunion began to turn to worry that she finally managed to stop crying.

Her parents looked at her with profound relief, their hands brushing her cheeks gently and affectionately again and again.

“Our daughter. How lovely you are, dressed so fine.”

With those words, Mrs. Kurdy nudged her husband.

“…It’s true. You’ve grown so much.”

“Papa…”

Just as her eyes brimmed again with tears of emotion—

“Lady Hildebalt.”

A flawless, clear voice. Its perfection cut through the dreamlike haze and dragged her back into stark reality.

“I’d like a word with you.”

······ ✦ ✧ ✦ ······

The man had easily persuaded the officer to lend him a room. Having so openly exploited his position of authority for personal gain, he showed no sign of shame, even gesturing for Ilenia to take a seat.

But Ilenia did not sit down. Instead, she bowed before him.

“Thank you so much. I don’t know how I could ever repay this favor…”

“I didn’t arrange this place just to receive your courtesies.”

“Then—”

The corner of his mouth lifted.

“The bail I paid only covers their release for now. It merely allows them to wait until trial.”

“Trial…?”

“Yes, it’s not far off. Didn’t you know?”

Her surprise lasted only a moment. The realization that her parents were not yet truly free drained the color from her face.

“If they’ve only been released, then what…”

“Once the date of a trial is set, not even the Emperor himself can overturn it.”

“J-just one more time, if I could only raise the funds…”

She knew how contradictory her thoughts were. After all, the bail had been paid with this man’s money. There was no way she could raise enough money to free her parents once the trial began.

For a moment, she even considered asking him for more money. The fact that she had even considered such a thing showed that she truly had no pride left.

How could she be so reckless with someone she hardly knew? Besides, who could say he would lend her any more money?

Even the bail that had already been paid was probably not an act of pure kindness or pity. Asking for more would be like begging for charity.

Her first impression of him had been disastrous, to say the least.

Ilenia stole a glance at him. His clothes had long since dried, though faint traces of the stain still lingered.

Meanwhile, Delphius regarded her as though weighing the growing burden of obligation on her shoulders. Her restless figure was utterly exposed beneath his gaze.

Unconsciously, he brushed the corner of his mouth.

“…Is it really that important to you?”

Ilenia’s eyes flickered upward at once. From the hand she had clasped without realizing it, her desperate sincerity reached him.

“It’s not that they can’t be freed.”

“Truly?”

“It wouldn’t be difficult. All it would take is guiding the trial in their favor.”

“T-then, could you…”

“Bribes, schemes, and outright crimes—that’s what it would amount to. Do you have the money or the connections for that?”

Delphius drew the button from his pocket and returned it to her.

“With trinkets like this, you wouldn’t even get the chance to try.”

Ilenia’s face burned scarlet. It was as if he had unearthed the tatty dolls she used to play with as a child. Stray strands of hair slipped across her flushed cheeks, shielding them from view.

Delphius’s hand moved on impulse.

Silken strands slid through his fingers as he gathered her hair, never once brushing her skin, only sweeping each lock back and tucking it gently behind her ear.

“Lady, you make me want to help you.”

Through the hair he had smoothed aside, her crimson-stained face emerged. The flush blooming across her pale skin was lovelier than any rose nurtured by a gardener’s lifelong devotion.

“Who knows? I might suddenly decide to help someone I’ve never met before.”

“…I…”

Ilenia parted her lips, but no words followed. The man before her had everything—what could she possibly offer him?

“There’s nothing—nothing I can give…”

“Then the negotiation is over.”

He straightened his back, no longer leaning toward her.

“Spend what little time remains cherishing those you hold dear.”

“Wa—wait!”

She reached out quickly and urgently, grabbing the lapel of his coat.

“Please. I beg you—save my parents!”

“If I save them, what will you give me?”

“I’ll give you anything I can.”

“Hah.”

Delphius let out a short, scornful laugh—an unmistakable sneer.

“Unfortunately, the only useful thing you can offer seems to be your body.”

“That doesn’t matter.”

“It doesn’t?”

“If you save my parents, I’ll give you my body.”

At last, Delphius’s eyes lit up with interest. He had been waiting for this answer. Seizing her as though he were a victor, he gripped her jaw.

“Hmph!”

The sting of the rough hand made her wince only for an instant. Then, stunned by how close he had come, Ilenia’s eyes widened.

“Marry me and bear my child, Ilenia Hildebalt.”

Their noses almost touched. His sharp tip, which one might have thought would cut easily, pressed close and, to her surprise, softened against hers.

“That will be your only worth.”