“Make sure you tell the one currently crashing at your place. Watch out for that old fox whose specialty is stabbing people in the back.”

“Do I need to know?”

For the first time, a trace of exasperation surfaced on the Duke of Sephra’s face, which was usually impossible to read.

“Yeah. It’s a waste giving her to you.”

“...What?”

“She’s got a good personality, a pretty face, and even a good family. You really think she suits you?”

As Arsian’s energy grew sharper and sharper, the Duke of Sephra turned his gaze back to the cushion.

“And some people don’t even have hand skill.”

“What kind of nonsense are you spouting!”

“I’m saying I’m not giving her to you.”

“Ha!”

If someone heard you, they’d think you were her father!

“Petro too. She’s a waste on that guy.”

“That’s obvious—no, I mean, why are you worrying about that!”

“Then at least try making that properly.”

“What?”

“If you don’t have the ability, you should at least show sincerity.”

“That isn’t for that guy! It’s mine!”

“Good luck.”

Ignoring his shouting completely, the Duke of Sephra headed out with Rio. A chill seemed to trail after him, like he was properly irritated.

“Big bro’s mad.”

“Seems like it.”

“Does that man hate big bro?”

The Duke of Sephra paused at Rio’s question.

“I only provoked him.”

“Provoked?”

“So he won’t get stolen by someone else.”

Rio tilted his head, not understanding a word.

“You too... you want Camilla, that girl, to become our family, don’t you?”

“Yeah! I like Big Sis!”

The Duke of Sephra gently patted Rio’s head as Rio nodded hard, having understood that part perfectly.

Now, even this kind of behavior no longer felt particularly awkward.

At first, it had felt awkward to even look the child in the face.

“Hehe.”

If anyone could be credited with making bright laughter ring through this parched space again, it was that girl.

So......

“Should we come provoke him again tomorrow?”

“Yeees!”

Even though he didn’t know what “provoking” meant, Rio answered enthusiastically at the thought that doing it would let him live with Big Sis.

And so the one who got thoroughly provoked: Arsian Sephra.

“Haah.”

He’d only thought that he had to see her right away, but when he snapped back to himself, he was already in Camilla’s room.

He couldn’t even properly remember how he’d slipped through the ducal estate’s strict barrier. It felt like he’d used every ability he had to avoid being caught......

Only after seeing her sleeping softly did Arsian come to his senses. He crouched down on the floor and clawed at his hair.

Sneaking in at midnight without permission! If she found out, how pathetic would she think he was?

He always did whatever he pleased in front of others, but in front of Camilla, he became strangely timid.

‘This is all because of that damn man!’

When he remembered the Duke of Sephra deliberately riling him up with ridiculous talk like “she’s a waste on you,” anger flared up again.

“Mm... mmm.......”

Arsian flinched at the sound of Camilla shifting, and hurriedly erased his Killing Intent.

Worried he might wake her, he was about to use teleportation immediately. He meant to leave.

But some inexplicable regret made his gaze drift back to Camilla one last time. Since he’d already come, he wanted to see her face once more before he went.

“......!”

Then, the moment he turned his head, his heart dropped with a heavy thud.

“Why......”

Camilla was crying.

Without a sound.

At her tears, Arsian froze like a statue.

Thinking she might have woken, he stepped closer, then stopped. She was still deeply asleep.

‘Is she having a nightmare?’

Should he wake her? Seeing her cry, Arsian—unlike himself—didn’t know what to do.

And then his face slowly hardened again.

“Why......”

There was no sound in her tears. Like a child who’d lost her voice, she was only letting tears °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° spill endlessly.

Isn’t it easier to cry in dreams? Why can’t she even sob in her dream?

“.......”

Arsian carefully reached out. He touched her damp eyelashes.

He hesitated at the wetness on his fingers, then gently wiped the corner of her eye. Of course, tears filled again immediately.

“What kind of dream are you having.”

Still wiping at her eyes, Arsian finally extended his arms and pulled Camilla into his embrace.

As if instinctively searching for somewhere to be comforted, she burrowed even deeper into him.

With her body curled up as much as possible in his arms, sniffling like a child, he carefully patted her back.

Is this what it means to feel sorry for someone?

Watching her cry without a sound made his chest feel tight. And the emptiness hit too: the fact that there was nothing he could do for her right now.

Feeling his arms tighten around her without thinking, Arsian let out a short breath and forced himself to calm down.

He softly smoothed the corner of her eye again, still crying without sound.

“What is it that’s hurting you?”

Holding her tight once more, he slowly patted her back.

As if copying what she’d done for him before.

*****

She dreamed about something from when she was very young. Something she didn’t even remember now.

‘Did that ever happen?’

She didn’t know what it was, but she was being beaten again by the man who was her father.

Then again, what did the reason matter? He always beat her over things that made no sense.

He beat her for spilling water. He beat her just because she looked at him, whenever he felt like it.

A child not even four years old cried bitterly.

But then she got beaten for crying.

And so the child learned how to cry without making a sound.

At that young age, she only let tears pour down her face.

Fresh misery swelled up inside her. What had she done so wrong that he hit her like that? What kind of unforgivable sin had she committed that she had to beg like that?

Why me? Why, exactly?

Yeah. This is all.......

“Dorman, you son of a—!”

Huh?

Waking with a shout she hadn’t meant to make, Camilla blinked rapidly.

‘What is this wall?’

Even though her eyes were open, something in front of her blocked her view.

“Hk!”

Realizing it was someone’s embrace, Camilla’s pupils slowly widened.

‘W-who?’

She lifted her head in a rush—and a familiar face came into view.

‘...Arsian?’

No, why is he here?

‘Am I still dreaming?’

What even is this...!

She rolled her eyes around, trying to grasp the situation, when strangely, the back of her neck prickled.

What was this chill in the middle of summer? Had she slept with the window open?

Swallowing hard, Camilla slowly sat up—then froze again.

“Sleep well, daughter?”

Duke Kais Escra greeted her.

He was speaking to her, but his blazing gaze was locked on Arsian.

He looked like he was debating exactly how to drag that bastard off the bed and kill him.

“You had a guest last night.”

And the bigger problem was that he wasn’t the only one in the room.

There were three more, radiating cold air no less than Duke Kais Escra.

The Duke of Sorpel. Ludville. And Ravi.

They were staring holes into her and Arsian.

‘Hey. Wake up.’

Camilla shook Arsian’s arm over and over.

How are you sleeping in a situation like this? Explain what the hell happened!

“So, about that......”

I don’t know what’s going on either. Camilla looked back at Arsian again.

Only then did he rouse himself, messy-haired.

Like he’d slept amazingly, he even stretched and yawned.

“You’re up?”

This is not the time to be greeting me casually. Your life is literally on the line!

“Arsian.”

“Hm?”

“What happened?”

“What?”

“Why are you here?”

“Ah.”

Still blinking like he wasn’t fully awake, he reached out and lightly rubbed the corner of Camilla’s eye.

What are you doing! She jolted back, pulling away, and he gave her a faint smile.

“You looked uncomfortable on your pillow.”

Pillow?

“What......?”

He tapped his own arm lightly.

Only then did she realize she’d been using his arm as a pillow until just now, and her face flushed faintly.

At the same time, the cold air washed over her again. Camilla turned and offered an awkward smile toward the four men now radiating an even more murderous aura.

Only then did Arsian look at them too.

After taking in the way they seemed ready to draw weapons at any second, Arsian looked back at Camilla.

“I’m hungry. Can’t I at least eat before you kick me out?”

Could you?

Camilla watched Arsian get dragged out by the four of them with a mournful look.

‘Please stay alive.’

“...Ugh.”

Seeing Arsian come back after being hauled off by the four of them, Camilla stared in disbelief. She couldn’t even speak.

“What happened?”

He looked awful.

Sure, getting dragged off by those four would do that, but this was Arsian Sephra.

He was not someone who’d quietly let people beat him.

So what the hell is this state?

“I’m not dead, am I.”

“Are you insane? You want them to actually kill you?”

“They looked like they were about to.”

“That’s true—no, not that! Why did you just take it?”

At least defend yourself!

Camilla frowned, checking his injuries. Those men—what, did they beat a person like he was dried fish?

“It was something worth getting hit for. I did come into your room without permission.”

Right. She still hadn’t gotten a real answer.

“What happened yesterday? Why did you come to my room?”

“To see you.”

“Why? Did something happen?”

If it were urgent, he would’ve woken her.

“Just to see you.”

“So why?”

“Because I wanted to.”

He stared at her like she was asking the most obvious thing in the world, and in the end, Camilla looked away first.

Am I really sick? Why does my heart ache again? It almost feels itchy, too.

“Heal yourself.”

He knew healing magic well enough, yet he was leaving the wounds as they were. Camilla sighed.

“They told me not to heal with magic.”

“What? Who?”

“Your fathers and your brothers.”

These men...!

“Beating you wasn’t enough, so they told you not to heal too?”

“They didn’t say not to heal. They meant not to erase the pain instantly with magic.”

“How are you supposed to face the Duke of Sephra after this!”

“I don’t know. I don’t think he’d say much.”

He’d probably say it served him right.

“Enough. Just heal. Why are you letting them push you around!”

Since when did you ever listen to people so well? 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

“Because they’re your family.”

“Huh?”

“I don’t want your family to dislike me.”