She briefly kept her gaze on me, then soon turned around and began to walk away.

“Turn around and return it.”

Reedmore’s shout brought Helena to a sudden stop. Without looking back, she offered her response.

“What are you talking about?”

“The heirloom of the Countess you took away.”

With one hand, she casually played with the necklace.

“…This is mine. I received it through a legitimate transaction with Khalia.”

At that moment, an inexplicable force surged from somewhere.

“No.”

A hoarse and rough voice emanated. Helena turned her head.

Reedmore stood beside me, carefully examining my face.

From behind, he supported me firmly and continued speaking.

“No. Helena, you forcibly took it. Otherwise, you wouldn’t care for the estate or the child. You reluctantly gave it because I said I wouldn’t take care of the child whether they live or die.”

“Do not spread lies with that mouth of yours.”

Reedmore held me firmly and continued speaking.

Helena was silent for a moment. It appeared she was lost in thought.

The son-in-law remained unusually silent, with occasional sounds of the wind rustling through branches and the distant cry of crickets.

A chuckle escaped from Helena’s lips.

“It’s just this.”

Unfastening the necklace, she held it in one hand, raised it high, and smiled at me.

As I opened my hand, it fell to the ground. A sharp intake of breath echoed from the side.

Maintaining her smile, Helena looked straight at me and kicked the necklace twice. Then, she laughed lightly and left.

“Hey…!”

Reedmore seemed angrier than I was. He rushed forward as if he had been insulted, but Helena didn’t look back and continued walking away.

I stood there blankly, watching Reedmore pick up the necklace and desperately trying to brush off the dirt. I also watched Helena move farther away from us.

“Khalia.”

Reedmore approached me, holding the necklace.

The amethyst necklace was delicate but beautiful.

Made of silver, the necklace had a slightly larger than a fingernail sized amethyst in the center, and small diamonds adorned its edges.

It shimmered even through the dust.

“I couldn’t clean it perfectly. Let’s send it to the family’s jeweler for repairs.”

Hesitant, he handed it to me. His sleeves were damp, wrinkled, and smeared with dirt.

I took the offered necklace. Reedmore, attempting to stop me, said somewhat perplexed, “It still has dirt on it.”

Once I finished putting on the necklace, he remained silent, observing as I gently caressed it.

The aftermath of the emotions surging like a waterfall within me seemed plainly visible in his eyes.

Young Master silently took a step back and turned away.

I genuinely felt grateful for the moment he gave me to be alone.

The sensation at my fingertips was so long-forgotten.

It was something so precious that I had carefully placed it in a jewelry box without daring to wear it, in an attempt to forget how precious it was.

It was so precious that I, with trembling shoulders, could only stroke it endlessly.

Tears fell onto the amethyst pendant. Despite my efforts to wipe them away with my palm, the tears kept falling, prompting me to repeat the action.

“…I’m sorry.”

Abruptly, he raised his head.

Reedmore had turned around and bowed his head.

Hastily, he wiped away the remaining moisture from his own eyes.

I cleared my throat to signal that it was okay, and he turned toward me.

In the next moment, I realized that the day’s surprises were not over.

Reedmore knelt down heavily, the impact resonating with a loud noise.

The impact was so strong that the sound was intense.

“I’m sorry. I was foolish. I was just a fool swayed by others’ words, incapable of thinking with my own head. I was too foolish, a guy who was so stupid that I didn’t even know I was stupid.”

‘What is this? What’s happening right now?’

I couldn’t properly understand the situation.

“I’m sorry. I know I can’t repay my mistake no matter what I say. Still, I want to apologize, definitely… I want to apologize.”

With that last word, I finally realized what was happening.

A gasp of surprise escaped me.

‘He is apologizing. To me.’

“Actually, even earlier, I came here because I heard Father and wanted to talk to you. I should have apologized right away, but… what I knew until now was so, so different from the truth that I was confused. I’m sorry. But now I know for sure.”

His voice trembled pitifully as he continued.

“You haven’t done anything wrong. You’re not the devil’s daughter.”

My stomach churned, and I felt like I might vomit. My head spun, and everything seemed dizzy.

Reedmore was silently prostrate, waiting for my reaction.

I wanted to pick up all the speeches and leave this place. On the other hand, I also wanted to repeat what he just said, shaking him by the collar, and pleading with him.

It was different from the time with Ayla. She never genuinely believed that I was the devil’s daughter.

It was just that our sharp temperaments and unsophisticated coarseness clashed, and for some reason, after I somewhat understood that, she approached me.

Reedmore was different. He had genuinely believed that I was the ‘devil’s daughter.’

He believed that inherited Father’s vengeance, and I would have tormented the good Barden family maliciously, and so unhesitatingly tormented me, thinking of repaying treatment.

Now, he knelt with his head bowed to the ground, awaiting my decision.

This was the first time.

Someone apologized to me.

“I’ll do as you say. If you tell me never to appear in front of you again, I’ll hide so well that not even a shadow will be visible. If you have any wishes, I’ll fulfill them all.”

My gaze on the back of his head wavered as he knelt and exposed his nape.

Do as I say?

Fulfill any wish I have?

I can’t. I don’t know how. It’s uncomfortable to do that.

Reedmore pleaded.

“Please. It’s not to ease my heart. I sincerely don’t mind if you continue to hate me… Just let me do that.”

“Why?”

The faint question passed through Reedmore’s strained throat like a breeze. Nevertheless, Reedmore understood it well and responded.

“Because that’s what I want.”

“Why do you want that?”

“Because, why… because….”

“Look up.”

I wanted to see his face as he spoke.

I sighed when I finally saw him slowly lift his head. It was the same face as before.

The face that came close at some point, blocking my path from Helena, firmly declaring its stance.

The face that, though momentarily shaken by the temptation of love and threats against the family, never gave up on me until the end.

“I want to protect you. I want to shield you from the blame and pointing fingers of people who know nothing. Because I know it was wrong. Because I want to rescue you from the clutches of those dreadful relatives.”

“Is that all?”

“I… want to get to know you… the real Khalia Estelle hidden behind false rumors and infamy. I want to see the person I’ve never thought of seeing before, as a member of the Duke’s family, and as a friend. If I dare… If it’s possible.”

How could I refuse?

“What you want is what I want, Reedmore.”

“What?”

An expression of disbelief crossed Reedmore’s dirt-stained face.Then a faint hope emerged.

I scrutinized that face carefully, absorbing every emotion and sincerity it contained. Finally, a smile adorned his dirtied face. I reiterated.

“I also desire what you want, Reedmore.”

He looked at me with a dumbfounded expression as I smiled. His face, marked by foolishness, displayed an even more pronounced upturn of the corners of his mouth.

The smile soon turned into laughter, starting small and growing louder.

I didn’t know the reason.

My body was so exhausted that even lifting a finger was difficult, and my mind felt like it might shatter from Helena’s swirling thoughts. Still, I just laughed. I laughed until exhaustion, tears streaming down my face.

When was the last time I laughed out loud?

I abandoned the task of counting the days.

I bent at the waist and laughed for a long time, tears streaming down my face.

“Help me up.”

I extended my hand toward Reedmore, who was looking at me with parted lips.

“Oh, sure.”

He awkwardly got up and quickly grabbed my hand, helping me stand.

Quite some time had passed. Gazing at the sunset-draped forest, I sighed with regret.

“Looks like training for today is out of the question.”

“Training? Here?”

Reedmore questioned, and I nodded.

“We first made the contract in the forest, and it’s quiet enough for solo practice.”

“Well, it’s risky at this hour. The paths are deserted, and there’s a chance that…”

He was about to say ‘Helena,’ but he closed his mouth. He leaned on my shoulder, changing the subject.

“Anyway, it’s late. Let’s head back to the dormitory. I’ll walk you there.”

In the end, I pondered how this would conclude, what the future held for both of us, and whether I had truly opened up to him. My face mirrored all the questions I wanted to ask.

Yet, it was admirable how he resisted asking the questions that intrigued him and devoted himself to supporting me. I surrendered myself willingly.

“Thanks.”

I added a little later.

“…Take care, friend.”

A slight tremor passed through his body. His steps gradually slowed.

Reedmore turned his head, meeting my gaze without avoiding it.

It was a complicated expression. It seemed unbelievable, yet at the same time, there was a sense of relief.

Reflecting on the moment we first encountered each other, I pondered over his thoughts.

At this moment, it seemed like he was having similar reflections.

From the disastrous first meeting, the conflicts in the Duke’s residence that seemed like they couldn’t get any worse, the turmoil in the dormitory…

Here we stood, facing each other in this secluded alleyway.

Suddenly, I realized how cringe-worthy the words I had spoken aloud were.

Later, embarrassment rushed in, and I turned my head to the crimson sky.

“Heh.”

This guy seemed to think the same. A small coughing sound reached my ears, and he nibbled at his lip slightly.

Then, a soft, almost inaudible voice followed.

“I also entrust myself to you, Khalia.”