By now, the flower buds that had been clustered together had bloomed magnificently, and the once chilly wind had turned warm on a spring noon.

“Miss, have a good time!”

“Yes, Mary. I’ll be back!”

Eileen boarded the carriage heading to the Royton mansion for her dinner appointment with Cordelia.

“Good. My plan is perfect.”

Get closer to Cordelia and make plans with her. Then use Cordelia to get revenge on Aaron.

Pleased with her flawless plan, Eileen smiled and looked at the flowers swaying in the sunlight. They were so beautiful that joy naturally overflowed.

“It’s Lady Eileen!”

When the Ceres family carriage, led by a horse whiter than snow, stopped at the Royton mansion, Cordelia’s calm heart began to flutter.

“Lady Cordelia!”

Soon after, the firmly closed door opened, and Eileen stepped out of the carriage with a bright smile.

“Lady Eileen, I’ve missed you so much!”

Cordelia greeted Eileen with a radiant smile.

“Lady Cordelia. I’ve been counting the days for this moment too.”

“Really?”

Flutter flutter.

‘My goodness.’

She had the illusion that a fluffy tail was swaying through the wind.

When the sight of Cordelia overlapped with a cute puppy in her mind, Eileen blinked rapidly several times.

“This is a gift I prepared myself. Would you accept it?”

Cordelia smiled lightly at Eileen, who was staring blankly at her, and handed her a small box wrapped with a red ribbon.

“Ah, may I open it?”

Eileen, finally coming to her senses, scratched her cheek slightly in embarrassment and asked,

“Of course!”

When Eileen untied the neatly tied red ribbon, a jewel box wrapped in soft velvet revealed itself.

“A necklace?”

Inside the jewel box was an elegant and simple necklace suitable for everyday wear. In the middle of the necklace was a peridot with a brilliant hue, matching the green of Eileen’s eyes.

“Do you like it? I chose each piece thinking of you, Lady Eileen!”

“Thank you so much, Lady Cordelia.”

“I also made one with the same design, thinking of our friendship. It’s a friendship necklace!”

Following Cordelia’s finger, Eileen saw a brilliant orange imperial topaz sparkling on her neck.

Seeing that necklace, Eileen felt a sudden bitterness.

Unlike herself, who acted with a purpose, Cordelia was purely happy to have made a friend.

“Was making a friendship necklace already too much……?”

Cordelia asked in a careful voice when she saw Eileen’s face darken.

“No, Lady Cordelia. This is my first time experiencing something like this, so I’m just happy……”

The corners of her mouth curled up awkwardly, but Eileen did her best to smile.

Though she was full of lies, she hoped to give some joy, even momentarily, to the kind and gentle female protagonist.

“Are you Lady Eileen?”

A middle-aged gentleman with the same fluffy chestnut-brown hair as Cordelia approached Eileen, who was chatting with Cordelia.

“Ah. Yes! I am Eileen. Are you Count Roman?”

“That’s right, Lady Eileen.”

“Thank you for inviting me, Count Roman.”

Eileen grasped the hem of her dress and bowed her head slightly to show respect.

“I should have invited you, the lifesaver of my daughter, as soon as possible to express my gratitude, but due to personal circumstances, it was delayed, and I’m truly sorry. And……”

Count Roman expressed his gratitude with a voice that seemed about to break with tears. The moment he saw Eileen, emotions seemed to well up again.

“My, my daughter…… for saving Cordelia……!”

Finally, when he kissed the back of Eileen’s hand as a sign of respect, the tears he had been holding back leaked out, wetting the back of her hand.

“Ah, I apologize. Such rudeness…… Lady Eileen. I am just so, so grateful……”

The count hurriedly took out a handkerchief and tried to wipe away the tears that continued to roll down, but they wouldn’t stop easily.

“Are you alright?”

“I’ve shown an unseemly display. I’m truly sorry, Lady Eileen.”

After shedding tears for quite some time, he seemed to have calmed down and cleared his throat.

“Not at all, Count. I’m used to it.”

Eileen shook her head lightly, recalling the image of Duke Kyle shedding tears that flashed through her mind.

“Then, Lady Eileen, shall we go inside now? I’m concerned you might catch a cold if I keep you outside for too long.”

“Yes, Count…… Ah!”

Just as she was about to follow Count Roman to the reception room, Eileen remembered what Duke Kyle had earnestly instructed her.

She had heard it until it was etched in her ears, right up until he left Bereut for a business trip two days ago, and she had forgotten about it.

Eileen let out a small sigh.

“I have something to give to both of you…… Count, Lady Cordelia, would you wait a moment?”

After asking for their understanding, Eileen returned to the carriage and came back to the two with large boxes.

“This is from my parents who are on a business trip abroad, and this is from Daniel who couldn’t attend due to personal reasons, both gifts with their apologies to you.”

“To prepare gifts when they couldn’t attend because I suddenly made an appointment……”

Count Roman’s eyes began to redden again. Eventually, it took a long time before Eileen could enter the count’s mansion.

“I hope the meal is to your liking, lady.”

“Lady Eileen! This lobster thermidor is the pride of the Royton family!”

Inside the count’s mansion they entered, a feast no less grand than any banquet awaited.

“It looks delicious! Count Roman, Lady Cordelia, thank you once again for inviting me to dinner.”

Eileen sat down in the prepared seat with a bright eye-smile.

The dinner was quite enjoyable.

Cordelia and Count Roman listened attentively to Eileen’s stories, and Eileen did the same.

Though Eileen had initially brought gifts for her purpose, she eventually genuinely enjoyed the time.

As they conversed, the sky, which had been tinged red, spread with a dark blue hue.

“I really enjoyed today, Lady Cordelia.”

“I really enjoyed it too, Lady Eileen!”

Before boarding the carriage, Eileen carefully asked a question to achieve her purpose for visiting the Royton family.

“Um, Lady Cordelia. Do you happen to have time this week?”

“I’m free all week! I can meet you as early as tomorrow!”

Cordelia nodded quickly without a moment’s hesitation in response to Eileen’s question.

“Th-then could we meet tomorrow?”

Surprised by her quicker-than-expected answer, Eileen asked with a slightly awkward smile.

“Where shall we meet? Should I come to the Ceres mansion?”

“No. Let’s meet at Patisserie de Monston. It’s a place I’ve always wanted to visit.”

“Of course! The cakes there are truly delicious!”

Patisserie de Monston.

A shop run by the Monston ducal family, the most popular dessert specialty store in Bereut, and a place where Aaron, who had a one-sided love for Cordelia, went to work every day without fail to meet her.

Therefore, it was the perfect place for her revenge against Aaron.

“Really? I’m very much looking forward to it!”

What expression would Aaron make when she brought Cordelia?

How would he feel seeing her closely attached to Cordelia’s side?

Eileen concealed her dark schemes and spoke with a voice full of anticipation.

* * *

The clear sound of a tinkling bell resonated throughout Patisserie de Monston.

“……?”

Wavy dark brown hair gradually appeared through the slowly opening door. Simultaneously, Aaron’s heart began to pound fiercely.

‘Cordelia?’

Aaron originally had no interest in running the shop. With so many responsibilities as the head of the Monston ducal family, how could he possibly have the energy to worry about a dessert shop?

However……

The day he heard that Cordelia loved the cakes from his shop, he began waiting for her there every day unless he had special business.

Hoping for days like this when his waiting would be rewarded.

“Duke, hello. You’re here today as well?”

When Cordelia acknowledged him, Aaron’s heart beat even faster. It pounded so rapidly that he felt pain.

“Welcome, Lady Cordelia.”

It’s fine if she doesn’t know my feelings yet. If only I can talk with her like this!

Aaron broke into a smile, overwhelmed by rising happiness.

“Eileen, please come in! Duke, today my friend Eileen has come with me!”

“……Eileen?”

Surely it couldn’t be that Eileen?

There must be more than one or two people named Eileen in this vast Bereut, but somehow he felt a chill.

The ominous premonition gradually slowed his racing heartbeat.

“Thank you, Lady Cordelia.”

When the now all-too-familiar gleaming golden hair entered his sight, the smile that had spread across Aaron’s face completely faded away.

“Oh, Duke Aaron personally runs the shop? I had no idea.”

Her slightly raised head and clasped hands were unbearably awkward.

She had come knowing everything.

This quick conclusion made Aaron’s insides twist.

“Oh? Eileen! Do you know Duke Aaron?”

“Yes. We met at a party recently.”

“Really?”

“Isn’t that right, Duke?”

Eileen’s slightly upturned lips asked many questions.

How do you feel now? Can you show your true self in front of Cordelia?

“……That’s correct.”

The answer to numerous questions was just one.

He had to endure.

Aaron bit his lip and painfully forced out each word.

‘He’s trying so hard.’

What a sight—pretending to be nice in front of someone you like.

A mocking laugh escaped from Eileen’s lips.

“Shall we go, Lady Cordelia?”

“Yes, Eileen!”

The green eyes that had been burning with rage when looking at Aaron were filled with warm vitality when turned to Cordelia. Unaware of this fact, Cordelia took Eileen’s hand and headed toward an empty table.

“May I take your order?”

Having dismissed the employee, Aaron approached the two women with an order pad. His gaze was fixed on Cordelia.

‘How annoying.’

His demeanor seemed so affectionate that Eileen felt a bitter taste in her mouth.

“Lady Cordelia, do you have any recommendations?”

“The strawberry cream cake is delicious!”

“Really? That’s my favorite!”

This made her want to torment him even more.