The day to leave the Duke’s residence had quietly arrived.
Sylvia, having woken up early in the morning and finished her grooming, sat alone on the terrace, enjoying the dazzling dawn that began to illuminate the garden, and felt a variety of emotions.
It had been a long, yet short social gathering, but it was much more enjoyable than she had expected.
Of course, there were still many people who sent her negative glances, but she wasn’t bothered by it, as she had anticipated such things.
She was simply satisfied with the time she spent with Kyle.
Though at times when some women, who disliked her, deliberately approached Kyle, she felt like she might lose her temper, yet whenever Kyle shielded her and moved away, her heart fluttered.
Anyway, for someone so stoic, why was it that he understood women’s hearts so well?
If he was so good at understanding women’s hearts, couldn’t he understand mine as well?
“Haah….”
Pouting her cheeks in annoyance, she sighed and calmed her mind with a warm cup of tea.
As the light of dawn began to spread between the mountain ridges and cover the Duke’s mansion, she felt a faint presence behind her.
“You’re up early.”
“Oh, Lord Ryard.”
It was Kyle, looking somewhat disheveled from just waking up.
He hadn’t finished grooming yet, and his hair was sticking up, which made Sylvia laugh without meaning to.
“Heh, are you planning to adopt a family of magpies?”
“I couldn’t sleep well last night, so I woke up late.”
“Really? Why? Are you not feeling well?”
At first, she had laughed playfully, but after hearing Kyle’s words, she immediately changed her gaze and stood up to look at him with concern.
The distance between them was so close that, without thinking, Kyle took a step back, raising both hands to his chest in a gesture as if to push her away.
In reality, he hadn’t had a sleepless night, but rather, he had stayed up late talking with Vermillion, and now he felt guilty for having misled her.
“Oh, it’s nothing. I just had something to think about for a moment.”
“Still, you should get enough rest. If I’d known, I would have sung you a lullaby.”
“I’ve outgrown lullabies.”
“Hehe, well, it’s fine either way.”
She laughed playfully and offered him a seat, and only then did Kyle realize that this was the Sylvia he knew, so he sighed softly and sat down.
“So, we’re finally leaving today.”
“Yeah, I suppose so.”
At his usual remark, Sylvia pouted for a moment but then realized that it was pointless to argue, so she added,
“It’s a bit sad, though. I had such a good time.”
“I didn’t enjoy it that much.”
“Hmph, at least say it was enjoyable.”
However, at his blunt response, a sharp retort escaped her.
Kyle quickly waved his hand to show he hadn’t meant it that way and hurriedly added,
“That’s not what I meant. It’s just that I kept hearing things I didn’t want to hear, and it was rather bothersome.”
“Is it… about me?”
“To put it simply, yes.”
“Ah….”
Upon hearing his explanation, Sylvia realized that the reason for his discomfort wasn’t because of being with her, but because of the gossip behind her back, and she couldn’t help but exhale in realization.
What a petty man.
He always claimed that their relationship was just a facade, a contract, so he didn’t have to treat her kindly.
But now, he spoke such sweet words so effortlessly—how could a woman’s heart not be shaken?
His usual indifferent attitude and even the coldness he showed others were also part of the problem.
If he were just a considerate person, she might have understood it as his natural personality, but he occasionally showed kindness only to her, which made other women—if they had seen it—most likely fall for him.
“…Lord Lyard, you really are petty.”
“Petty? What do you mean by that?”
“Everything.”
Finally, Sylvia mumbled with a pout, and Kyle was left wondering, as a question mark appeared above his head.
Though he prided himself on knowing Sylvia well, he felt that women’s hearts were something he could never fully understand.
“You’re here. A secret meeting from early in the morning, huh? You two seem quite close.”
“Oh, Lord Drake.”
Just as they were enjoying their quiet time together, Vermillion appeared unexpectedly, and Sylvia’s eyes widened.
Though she tried not to show it, Sylvia, who had doubts about Vermillion Drake, honestly felt uncomfortable with his sudden appearance.
“What brings you here?”
“I was just out for a morning walk. When I saw you two, I thought I’d stop by and greet you.”
“Well, now that you’ve greeted us, you can leave.”
“…….”
‘Were they really that close?’
As she watched Kyle speak so casually with Vermillion, Sylvia felt a strange sense of unease.
Vermillion had always used honorifics, so that wasn’t surprising, but Kyle speaking so comfortably with him was unusual.
He only spoke like that with Georg or the servants in the mansion. What had happened in such a short time?
‘Could it be that they’ve had some secret conversation?’
Suddenly, Sylvia felt a surge of anxiety and subtly pulled her chair closer.
She then leaned in next to Kyle, covering his hand with hers and spoke to Vermillion.
“Sorry, Lord Drake. We were just having an important conversation… Could you give us a moment?”
“…Lady?”
Kyle looked at her with surprised eyes, and Vermillion also looked taken aback, as he hadn’t expected her to be so blunt in dismissing him.
However, since he had only come to greet them briefly, he had no reason to stay.
“…I understand. I apologize for the intrusion.”
He bowed his head and turned to leave the terrace, and Sylvia, still looking at him with wide eyes, gave Kyle a stern look.
“Lord Lyard, don’t get too close to him. Understood?”
‘Tsk.’
As if scolding a son who hadn’t grown into a proper human being for associating with the wrong people, Kyle, for a moment, was stunned, blinking his eyes before nodding his head.
He couldn’t bring himself to say that they were already in the same boat in front of her.
Finally, the time for the carriage to depart was approaching, but before that, Kyle had to take a brief step to answer the call of the lord of the estate, Wilhelm.
“Sorry to bother you, a busy man like yourself.”
“It’s no trouble, Lord Esfelt.”
As Kyle lowered his head, Wilhelm gestured for him to sit opposite him and said, “Make yourself comfortable.”
Though Kyle wore a slightly uncomfortable expression, he obediently sat down, and Wilhelm’s narrow, sharp gaze pierced him.
“I watched the duel the other day. To achieve that much at your age, quite impressive.”
“You flatter me.”
Knowing that Wilhelm hadn’t called him just to offer a friendly compliment, Kyle simply bowed his head, trying to read the atmosphere.
Part of him was genuinely surprised.
Because, during that duel, which had been nothing but a one-sided beating, Kyle hadn’t even realized that Wilhelm had been there.
‘Is he really not an ordinary person?’
On the surface, he appeared to be a carefree, legendary figure, but was he really one of the most skilled individuals in the Empire?
After all, he had helped develop the Duchy of Espelt, which was once teeming with monsters, into its current state. Wilhelm Esfelt’s achievements were undeniable.
The aura he exuded now was enough to make Kyle’s skin tingle. If this man ever revealed his true strength, Kyle couldn’t even imagine what he might be capable of.
“However… From what I saw, it doesn’t seem like you acquired that strength through ordinary means.”
“May I ask what you mean by that?”
“Surely, you know what I mean. No matter how much you try to hide it with white magic, you can’t fool my sharp eyes.”
‘As expected, he noticed.’
Kyle couldn’t help but admire Wilhelm’s sharp perception.
Even his own father hadn’t been able to catch on to the source of Kyle’s strength, yet Wilhelm had pinpointed it so accurately.
“Yes, you’re right. It’s not strength obtained through the usual, normal methods.”
“Quite frank, I see.”
“Well, it wouldn’t be of any use to pretend otherwise now that you’ve noticed.”
“True enough.”
Wilhelm nodded thoughtfully, his eyes still fixed on Kyle.
Realizing that the look demanded a more detailed answer, Kyle paused for a moment, took a sip of water, and then spoke up.
“Though it’s not normal, the power I gained wasn’t obtained through any wrong method either.”
“Not the wrong way, but not the right way either?”
“That’s right.”
“It’s complicated. I don’t know how to judge you.”
Kyle felt as if he was being scrutinized from head to toe under Wilhelm’s narrowed gaze.
Even though Wilhelm wasn’t carrying any weapons, Kyle felt as though an invisible sword was strapped to his waist.
The sheer force of his presence was sharp and cold, like a well-forged blade.
“Of course, even if you went down the wrong path, I don’t have the right to punish you. However, if I thought it would harm the world, I would have made a move right here.”
“Then why didn’t you?”
“You’re the first person like you.”
Tap. Tap.
As Wilhelm lightly tapped his index finger on the table in rhythm, he seemed to be pondering his evaluation of Kyle.
He was a strange man.
He didn’t feel like a noble hero, yet didn’t seem like a villain either.
It wasn’t that Wilhelm couldn’t read him, but Kyle didn’t give off any suspicious vibes.
“You don’t need to worry. I don’t plan on using this power for the wrong reasons.”
“Strange. It’s supposed to be a typical response, yet when you say it, I somehow feel a strange trust in you.”
Usually, villains would say such things to hide their true intentions, but for some reason, Wilhelm felt sincerity in Kyle’s words.
“Then let me ask you one last thing. Did you seek that power to benefit the world, or for your own gain?”
Despite the vague phrasing, Wilhelm’s question was straightforward.
In essence, he wanted to know whether Kyle had chosen that power for a greater purpose or for personal ambition and desire.
Kyle paused for a moment, then lifted his head slightly, meeting Wilhelm’s gaze as he answered.
“It’s for the happiness of one woman.”