Without a moment to catch my breath, the late Duke’s wife stepped close and tightly grasped my hand.

“Oh my! How long has it been? My dear little one.”

On the day of the wedding, she had only briefly appeared before disappearing, so I hadn’t gotten a good look. But up close, she was even more lively and radiant, a truly charming beauty.

‘She’s like sunshine itself. Her upturned eyes are exactly like Yezar’s. And calling me “little one”….’

I shyly greeted her.

“It’s been a while, Mother.”

Her eyes instantly widened, and she burst into laughter.

“Kyaa! Ember, did you hear that? Our daughter-in-law just called me ‘Mother’!”

“Yes, I heard. Please calm down.”

“But it’s been nearly a year since I last saw my daughter-in-law—how could I possibly calm down?”

After warmly exchanging words with Ember, she immediately began showering me with questions.

“So, how has married life been? Has Yezar been treating you well? He’s rather cold-natured, you know. I even thought about scolding him myself if he ever made you sad.”

“Cold-natured? You’re mistaken! Yezar always stays by my side when I’m upset, speaks gently to me, and…!”

As I answered in surprise, her eyes gleamed mischievously, as if she’d discovered something delightful.

“Is that so? Does he whisper sweet words to you? Maybe even give you sweet little kisses? Or perhaps… every night…?”

Her lowered voice whispered something that made my face instantly burn. I froze, my mind blank, unable to utter a word. Ember, standing beside me, quickly stepped in.

“Oh dear, the young lady is still so innocent. Please stop teasing her, Lady Garene.”

“Ember, teasing? I’m not teasing at all.”

“The young lady is very shy. She can’t keep up with the tone of your conversation, Lady Garene.”

I nodded subtly in agreement. I had never, not even once, experienced the kind of things being whispered into my ear just now.

I couldn’t help but wonder—how exactly did Mother spend her nights with Father? Seeing my flushed cheeks, Mother giggled like a young girl and gently led me forward.

“You’re still so pure. What an adorable daughter-in-law I have. I’ll behave.”

“Yes, Mother.”

At my reply, she laughed again, her expression tender, as if looking at a soft little child. Then she gently tugged my hand.

“No, come with me.”

“M-Mother? Where are we going now?”

“Obviously, I’m taking you to the place where all my son’s cute and precious childhood secrets are kept—while he’s conveniently absent. If he were here, he’d turn red and get furious, that much is certain.”

For a moment, I thought I should resist, but curiosity urged me forward.

Yezar’s adorable childhood secrets? As I hesitated, torn between curiosity and guilt, Mother paused and looked back at me.

“What’s wrong? Don’t you want to go? Then I won’t.”

Without a second’s hesitation, the words slipped out.

“No. I want to see them!”

“Aha ha. I love how honest today’s youth are.”

***

Arriving at the Emperor’s audience chamber, Yezar paused briefly to steady his breath. Telling Camileo the truth about everything so far wouldn’t be difficult. Even if it ruined their relationship again, he felt it was an unavoidable necessity.

But now, the woman he loved was Julietta—her. Confessing feelings that had consumed him like an obsession, he feared Camileo might misunderstand and believe he still harbored feelings for Her Majesty the Empress. The thought made resentment rise within him.

“The Countess has always cared deeply about my relationship with Camileo. But why can’t she understand that, to me, her feelings matter far more than our friendship?”

Physical closeness had naturally increased between them, and tender whispers had become familiar. Yet, somehow, his attempts to seduce her weren’t going as smoothly as he’d hoped, leaving him anxious.

‘As if we’re truly bound by a contract. She has no idea how impure my thoughts are toward her—how this dark, despicable man desires her.’

His brief reflection ended as a voice called him in. Stepping inside, he saw Camileo, his expression weary.

“…So, I heard you requested an urgent audience.”

There was a trace of despair in his voice, as if he already knew exactly what Yezar would say.

“There is something I must say, Your Majesty.”

“What could it be? No, I think I already know. Yezar.”

Camileo rose from his seat and stepped closer to Yezar, his voice strained, as if holding back tears.

“I deliberately delayed this. I didn’t want to know the truth. But Bertisha… she’s not the same as before. Ha ha… I suddenly get angry for no reason. She said she loved me—so why would she try so hard to win my heart back? Why lie and betray my love, wearing the face I once cherished above all?”

“Camileo, are you saying…?”

“Bertisha wept and told me I’ve changed. That the sun who always watched over her, comforted her, is gone—locked away in the Empress’s palace.”

Camileo’s face twisted in painful frustration, as if suffocating.

“Yezar, when did you first love Bertisha?”

“Since the days we shared friendship… But it was only a passing feeling, Camileo.”

Yes. To Yezar, the time he loved Bertisha had already passed. It was now a hollow, faded past—neither glorious nor beautiful.

“It wasn’t just a passing feeling. You skipped the state wedding, rushed into marriage, and lied about having a long-time lover—all because of Bertisha.”

“….”

Yezar remained silent, and Camileo took that silence as his answer.

“Perhaps Bertisha sensed your feelings long ago. I was already by her side, after all. If she chose to ignore it, I could understand. But I can’t understand why, the moment you married, she frantically rushed to you as if something had been stolen from her. Yezar, where has the bright, cheerful Bertisha gone? Who is this woman crying to me with lies over and over?”

Facing a confused Camileo, Yezar calmly recited the truth the other clearly didn’t want to hear.

“…She hasn’t disappeared, Camileo. It’s just a side of her we never knew.”

Camileo laughed bitterly—a twisted, broken laugh of a man whose heart had been torn apart.

“Yezar, do you still love Bertisha?”

Yezar looked at Camileo with pity and answered quietly.

“I don’t wish to dwell on the past. I love Julietta—my wife.”

“She wasn’t even a long-time lover. And you say you love her?”

It was true—their relationship had begun as a lie. But the version of himself who had acted so unlike his usual self, drawn to Julietta, was undeniably in love.

“The contract marriage was merely an excuse to keep her by my side. I love her more than anyone—she comforts my heart, consoles me, and supports me always. I’m no longer confused.”

“I see. When I look at your face now—the same expression I once wore when I loved Bertisha—I know it’s not a lie.”

Yezar offered no hollow comfort. He simply stayed by his old friend’s side for a while. Even a love that once felt like fate could become grotesque once betrayal and deceit took root.

***

Returning to the Duke’s estate with a bitter heart, Yezar discovered an unexpected guest. A single, dazzlingly ornate carriage stood before the mansion’s entrance.

Immediately recognizing its owner, Yezar stepped into a space he had kept tightly sealed, a place he had never once shown to his wife—driven by a sense of foreboding.

And there, unfortunately, were his mother and his beloved wife, together.

Mother was holding up a strange-looking painting, showing it to his wife.

“See, this is a picture Yezar drew as a child. He really can’t draw at all.”

“Goodness. So there was something he wasn’t good at.”

“W-what are you doing?!”

Yezar shouted, his face burning red. Mother greeted him casually.

“Oh. Hello, son?”

“I can’t say hello! Why—why did you show her this place?!”

“Hmm? I was just showing her your adorable, precious childhood drawing. Why are you embarrassed?”

His gaze naturally turned to his wife. Julietta was staring at his shameful childish artwork with sparkling eyes. Yezar felt as if he might just drop dead on the spot.

***

What on earth is happening? I sipped my tea nervously, staring at the scene before me.

“Aha, how funny. You’re still embarrassed about showing your drawings to others?”

“Why did you show her that place in the first place?!”

“Well, a person needs flaws to be relatable and lovable. Haven’t you seen what your beloved likes?”

“…I did like it, Yezar. The drawing was cute.”

At that, he lowered his head and covered his face with his hands. Seeing this, Mother playfully slapped Yezar on the back.

“What are you doing, acting so awkward in front of your wife who’s already seen everything—good and bad?”