“Coco will be okay.”

Just like Shawn, he would probably want the people left behind to be okay.

“And probably...”

Ren whispered the rest quietly. His voice was so soft it was nearly swallowed by the wind. The boy’s bright blond hair scattered in the air. The wind was strong enough to shake his body.

After his turn passed, Jepeto and Veron also respectfully placed flowers into the coffin.

People carefully observed Ren as he returned to his seat.

***

“I told you to get ready earlier!”

“I was perfectly fine before this, haa...”

“What a disgrace, truly! When exactly were you insisting on going in your father’s place?”

“You agreed it would look better if I went instead of Father...”

“That was because I didn’t know you’d oversleep!”

Count Riperoman’s house.

The shouts of a middle-aged woman and the voice of a young man tangled chaotically together. A purple-haired man hurriedly tied his necktie while shrugging into his coat.

“The gift!”

He jumped in alarm and looked around frantically. Clicking her tongue, the woman personally handed him the bag that had been carefully placed beside a cushion. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

“Haa, truly, there’s nobody but Mother.”

“Enough of that nonsense and hurry out already. Tom, you’ve had quite a time of it.”

Tom lowered his head apologetically.

“Young master, please hurry. At this rate, you really will be late. If you’re pushed entirely out of the nobles’ line, you may lose the chance to offer condolences at all.”

“That’s right. I heard even commoners are being allowed in? Though they won’t be permitted to throw flowers, of course. Going late and making a spectacle of yourself would be disgraceful, so don’t do that and come straight back. Hmph. This mother has no desire to send an apology letter, so I trust my son will arrive on time.”

“Haha, of course.”

“When you return, prepare to be severely scolded by your father.”

“Mother!”

Laughing, the woman turned away.

***

The funeral march echoed through the air.

White flowers piled within the coffin.

After returning to his seat, Ren looked toward Coco beneath the black veil hanging from her hat. She looked exactly as she had at the beginning, like a doll. Her hands were folded neatly together, and her gaze rested slightly below straight ahead. Except for occasionally smoothing the hem of her dress as it fluttered in the wind, Coco did not move at all. The two maids standing behind her were the same.

“Ren. Earlier... what exactly did you say?”

Jepeto finally asked after hesitating for a long time.

“I’m curious too.”

Even Veron joined in.

“Ah. Um. It wasn’t anything important.”

“I’m curious. I really want to hear it.”

He looked ready to grab Ren’s hands and beg. Ren hid his hands and opened his mouth.

“I just said Coco would definitely cry for him.”

“Ah...”

Jepeto nodded with a thoughtful expression.

‘Coco will probably cry for you. And she has friends who’ll wipe away those tears. Coco might even become a greater duke than you were. ...So please go peacefully without worry.’

Ren remembered the words he had said.

Even Ren did not know what he should say to someone he had never met before. But if the man had been someone bound by duty, someone who placed the greater good above his family... hadn’t he wished to become free someday?

Surely he had hoped his daughter would be okay, even while wanting her to carry on the duties he left behind.

Because Coco was warm, but strong.

His ears burned because it felt like he was pretending to understand too much based on shallow assumptions.

‘If I died, what would everyone want to say to me?’

Ren looked toward Jepeto and Veron, both staring silently at the ground. Feeling his gaze, Veron lifted his head. He asked what was wrong, but Ren could not bring himself to ask, “What would you say if I died?” Instead, he simply shook his head.

If they had anything to say to him, he hoped they would say it right before he died.

Words spoken after death would never reach his ears.

“The young count is here!”

“I heard he stopped by a gambling house yesterday, yet he still looks immaculate.”

“He’s the young count. He looks immaculate no matter where he is.”

‘Young count? Don’t tell me it’s Peruan?’

At the murmuring voices, Ren quietly lifted his head as well. Slowly turning his gaze, he spotted familiar purple hair at the far end.

‘Peruan!’

Of course! This was the kind of place Peruan would come to! After all, he truly was a noble through and through!

Ren had never expected him to come, and the sight delighted him like an unexpected gift. Since they had parted back then, Peruan had been difficult to see.

Peruan also noticed Ren immediately.

He wore a brief smile only Ren could see before erasing it and walking forward with a solemn expression. Tom followed behind him.

After quietly saying something to Hugh, he joined the line to mourn Duke Gannion.

“Epelus. Jivent. Aja.”

Strangely enough, he recited part of the prayer Kirky had spoken earlier.

After laying down his flower and returning, Peruan sat in a chair newly brought over by a servant.

When the nobles’ turn ended, the funeral music changed. It was lighter and more cheerful than before.

Following Hugh’s guidance, the commoners cautiously began walking forward. They kept their eyes fixed on the ground to avoid making eye contact with the nobles. In front of the coffin sat baskets prepared earlier by the maids of the ducal house. The commoners approached in line, wiping away tears as they reached inside the baskets.

Inside were delicate flower petals in many colors.

They grabbed handfuls of petals and scattered them near the platform where the coffin rested. The commoners’ flowers could not be placed together inside the coffin.

And so petals gradually piled beneath Duke Gannion’s coffin.

Then suddenly, a violent gust of wind swept through.

It was strong enough to carry dirt and sand with it. Everyone shut their eyes at once, grabbing at their fluttering clothes and whipping hair. After the gust passed, those who opened their eyes stared in shock.

“Wow...”

Even Ren could only gape.

Colorful flower petals were swirling through the air in wide circles atop the wind.

As though some giant hand had scattered armfuls of flowers into the sky.

The petals drifted down onto Coco’s hair, onto Kirky’s priestly robes, onto the hems of people’s clothing... and into Duke Gannion’s coffin.

Admiration and weeping mixed together above the cheerful music.

***

At last, all funeral rites came to an end.

The lid of Duke Gannion’s coffin was closed. The coffin would remain here for five days. Anyone wishing to mourn could return whenever they desired. Knights clad in armor surrounded the garden to guard the duke’s coffin. After five days, it would be moved to a temporary tomb. The ceremony held then would be attended only by direct family, collateral relatives, and a small number of invited guests.

Lady Kelberg had looked ready to start another scene, yet in the end she merely glared at them before leaving the ducal estate with her weak-looking son. She claimed she would return. But unlike her usual behavior of finding excuses to linger endlessly at the estate, she had left unusually quickly. It did not seem likely she would come back.

Coco personally saw each noble guest off one by one. Kirky stood beside her. Apparently someone had recognized him as the high priest’s direct disciple and spread the news. Kirky willingly took people’s hands and offered blessings, though occasionally he simply clamped his mouth shut instead. The nobles who failed to receive a blessing flushed red with embarrassment and stormed away pointing fingers. Quite a few people withdrew preemptively out of fear they might not receive a blessing at all, which spared Kirky some effort.

Giselle remained seated, silently watching them. Some nobles approached him, hoping to meet someone from the royal palace, but Giselle did not entertain any of them.

‘Why did he come here?’

If he had truly come to mourn Duke Gannion, Ren felt he would have already left by now. It seemed he had something else he wished to say, but what exactly that was...

Ren suddenly felt uneasy.

“Would you like to return to your room and rest?”

“You don’t need to escort me. Jepeto and Veron are with me too.”

“There are many nobles here.”

Hugh spoke with a troubled face.

‘Ah, right.’

Ren had already forgotten about Lady Kelberg tormenting him. Jepeto’s medicine worked well, so the swelling on Hugh’s face had gone down quickly, though the scratches left by her nails remained. Seeing Ren’s expression darken, Hugh changed the subject.

“The young Count Peruan requested the chance to speak with you. Where would you prefer to go, Ren?”

At the teasing question, Ren’s face finally brightened.

“Really? He wants to see me?”

Thinking he might sound too excited, Ren lowered his voice, but everyone—including Hugh—looked at him fondly.

“Yes. He earnestly requested that I help arrange time for him to speak with you. Shall we go inside?”

“I like the garden.”

“Then this way.”

Hugh guided Ren’s group toward another garden. Ren nervously worried Giselle might stop him as he moved away, but fortunately Giselle only watched him without calling him over.

Jepeto and Veron excused themselves, telling Ren to enjoy his conversation in peace.

Ren remained in the garden with Hugh.

“It’s good.”

The pastry the servant had prepared crunched softly in his mouth.

“I’m glad it suits your taste.”

“Hugh. Was Coco... close with the duke?”

“Hmm. I think it would be difficult to say they were close. He was a strict man.”

“He seemed like a good person.”

“He was a warm-hearted man, as strict as he was.”

Hugh smiled and nodded.

Ren bit into another pastry.

He wanted to hear the details directly from Coco later. Still, if Hugh spoke of him that way, then he probably had not been the worst father after all.

Relieved, Ren smiled softly.