“Might you be Duke Aaron?”

“Lady Eileen, it’s been a while! How have you been?”

Contrary to the belief that no one would recognize them, people approached to greet them with every step they took.

“……Hah.”

Having barely escaped from among the people, Aaron exhaled a long breath. He had long since removed the mask he was wearing.

“See? Everyone recognizes us.”

Eileen giggled as she handed him water.

“But we still haven’t met the prince.”

“But we’ve met so many other people?”

“……”

Unable to think of a rebuttal, Aaron kept his mouth shut.

“Still, I enjoyed meeting many people today.”

For Eileen, parties filled with many people were something she disliked.

No, she used to hate them. Being surrounded by people always made her tired.

But today was different.

People’s words that Duke Kyle would wake up soon, light compliments—everything was good.

“Maybe it’s because you kept holding my hand tightly, but today’s party was just warm and nice.”

Eileen smiled softly as she recalled the reason.

“I promised to stay by your side so Mary wouldn’t worry, didn’t I?”

Along with the glib answer came a touch, intertwining their fingers, which felt good.

“That’s right, we promised!”

Sorry to Mary, but it was a very enjoyable party.

“Eileen.”

“Yes?”

The hand that was holding hers slowly caressed Eileen’s waist.

It was a blatant gesture wanting something.

“No. What if someone comes in for tea?”

“Everyone’s distracted by the party and won’t come, so…… huh?”

Click, click.

Suddenly, unfamiliar heel sounds echoed in the space where they were alone.

Eventually, the sound stopped right in front of Eileen.

“Hello, Lady Eileen.”

Startled by the greeting from a stranger, Eileen first pushed Aaron away.

Though it was jokingly said that there was no one in Bereut who didn’t know they were lovers, she didn’t want to show that sight.

The expression Aaron made just before kissing was something she wanted to keep for herself alone.

“Hello.”

Having quickly gathered herself, Eileen greeted the stranger.

Due to the mask that completely covered the face, she didn’t know who it was, but it was polite to return a greeting when received.

“Are you happy, lady?”

“Pardon? What do you mean?”

“Just what I said. I’m asking if you’re happy.”

The voice was playful, but the look in the eyes hidden behind the black mask wasn’t visible.

But instinctively, something felt strange.

“Before saying such things, it would be better to reveal your identity.”

Aaron must have felt that look too, as he blocked Eileen and spoke in a low, reproachful tone.

“Duke Aaron, it would be better not to intrude on a conversation between women.”

Despite Aaron’s rebuke, the stranger mocked him with a sneer.

It was an attitude that showed no fear.

“And it’s not a wrong question to ask. Is it wrong to ask if you’re happy?”

The giggling laughter was so chilling.

Who on earth……

Eileen tried to think about who might be hiding behind the mask.

However, among the people she knew, there was no woman with such a rough voice.

It would be helpful to know their eye color, but even that was difficult because it was completely covered.

“Answer me quickly, hm? I’m asking if you’re happy.”

Even as Eileen continued to ponder, the stranger’s threats grew worse.

“Fine. If answering will end this, I’ll answer.”

Finally, Eileen slowly opened her mouth.

“Yes, I’m happy. Very much so.”

“Really?”

Though invisible to the two, one corner of the stranger’s mouth behind the mask curled up.

“Then I’ll make you unhappy right now.”

The stranger shouted while throwing off the mask that had been covering her face.

“Amber became unhappy because of you, Eileen!”

“……!”

“Die! Eileen!”

How long had she waited for this moment.

Amber took out the knife hidden in her bosom and lunged at Eileen.

— Listen carefully. Never rush in recklessly. Not even when the two of them are together.

— Then when do I stab!

— Well, when the two are separate. Stab Duke Aaron first, no matter what. Got it?

The conversations she had with the man flashed through her mind, but Amber thoroughly ignored them.

From the beginning, listening to others wasn’t in her nature.

“If only you weren’t here, if only you weren’t here!”

In her mind, there was only one thing.

Making Eileen miserable right here and becoming happy herself, that was all that existed.

Amber, intoxicated with madness as she charged forward, was more like a beast than a human.

“Die, die!”

Just one step to her target.

Amber took the final step and simultaneously swung her knife.

“Hehe, did I succeed?”

Something caught on the knife tip and then stopped moving.

Had she finally succeeded?

Amber raised her head, imagining the bright red scene that would unfold before her eyes.

“Huh……?”

But reality was very different from her imagination.

“Ugh…… Amber de Rozley.”

Before her eyes was not Eileen but Aaron.

The blade wasn’t piercing through anything but was firmly gripped in Aaron’s hand.

“You escaped from my sight only to have this as your purpose?”

Aaron struck Amber’s wrist with his other hand.

“Ack! It hurts!”

With a clang, the knife fell helplessly.

Amber screamed in pain while clutching her wrist.

At that moment,

“Aaron, duck!”

A loud voice was heard, and Amber’s clear vision was suddenly obscured.

“I can’t see anything, I can’t see anything!”

Terrified, Amber began flailing her arms and moving around.

Clang.

The fallen tableware made a loud noise in response to her movements.

Amber, finally calming down, removed what was blocking her vision.

“Ha, what is this!”

It was none other than a dark velvet tablecloth.

“Eileen, you! How dare you mock Amber with something like this?!”

Amber got up from her position, snorting angrily.

She hadn’t completed her revenge yet, so she needed to find them quickly.

“Don’t move. Amber de Rozley”

However, she could no longer move as the imperial knights had already surrounded her. The knights immediately restrained Amber.

“Argh! Let go of this!”

Amber’s screams filled the ballroom. Eileen didn’t even glance at Amber and took Aaron to the infirmary.

Knock, knock!

The infirmary door opened with an urgent knock.

“What’s the matt……”

“Please treat him quickly!”

Before the doctor could finish speaking, Eileen interrupted with urgency. Hearing the serious tone, the doctor immediately asked with a grave face,

“Where are you injured?”

Instead of answering, Aaron extended his hand. The doctor carefully examined it.

“The wound isn’t very deep, so it should heal quickly if you just keep it bandaged.”

Sensing Eileen’s worried gaze, the doctor first explained Aaron’s condition.

“Then excuse me for a moment.”

He then got up and brought a medical box filled with various medicines.

After taking out antiseptic, various ointments, and bandages, the doctor said in a smooth voice,

“It might sting quite a bit, so lady, please hold the duke’s hand.”

“Will it sting a lot?”

“Yes, it will sting unbearably.”

At the doctor’s words, Eileen carefully held Aaron’s uninjured hand.

“Then let’s begin.”

The doctor looked at the two with a satisfied expression. He carefully wiped away the flowing blood.

“Now it will sting.”

“Aaron, just bear with it a little!”

It stung a bit, but not to the point of being unbearable.

But Aaron deliberately furrowed his brow deeply.

“Does it hurt a lot?”

He liked that Eileen was worried about him.

Even he thought it was crazy, but getting injured didn’t seem so bad.

Of course, Aaron didn’t say this out loud.

If he did, her worry would surely turn to anger.

While Aaron was having these amusing thoughts, all the treatment was completed.

“Both of you, please wait here for a moment. I will bring His Majesty.”

Having finished the treatment, the doctor left Eileen and Aaron and went outside the examination room.

“Aaron.”

Eileen carefully stroked over the bandage.

Even though it wasn’t a deep wound, it was still upsetting.

“I’m fine, more than anything, I’m glad you weren’t hurt.”

Aaron caressed the cheek of Eileen, who was unscathed thanks to a small sacrifice.

“But Eileen.”

“Yes?”

“How did you think to throw the tablecloth at Amber from there?”

The tablecloth that flew from behind when he ducked.

Thinking about it again, it was both funny and admirable.

Of course, it could have been dangerous, but Aaron didn’t consider that.

The Eileen he knew was a wonderful person who would jump into water and enter a kidnapper’s den to save herself.

“Well, I needed to help Aaron, and the tablecloth was what happened to be in my hand!”

How adorable she looked, so proud of herself.

He didn’t feel like scolding her at all. Rather, he wanted to keep praising her.

“Really? Thanks to you, we were able to catch Amber more easily.”

In truth, even without the tablecloth, Amber could have been easily subdued.

But Aaron deliberately left that fact unspoken.

“Hey, Aaron.”

“Hmm?”

“How did Amber get into this party?”

Not only breaking through the heavily guarded imperial palace but also a party that couldn’t be entered without an invitation.

No matter how he thought about it, it seemed impossible for Amber to do alone.

“Did Count Rozley help her?”

“No, he’s a man without the backbone or money for that.”

He had people following her from the moment Amber escaped. But there was no unusual movement from Count Rozley.

“I want to meet Amber directly.”

So there was only one way.

“Can I come with you?”

“No, I’m sorry, but you can’t.”

Aaron was someone who would grant any of Eileen’s requests.

But this time, he couldn’t allow it. Aaron spoke firmly.

“I’ll go alone and tell you everything when I return, so wait at home, Eileen.”

He didn’t want to experience again the terror he felt when Amber lunged at Eileen.

In the purple eyes he faced, he could see the wounds he had seen before.

“I understand.”

Since she wasn’t unaware of his feelings, Eileen nodded.

* * *