Terio Alte went out onto the terrace. His expression was terribly subdued, but surprisingly, his attitude was gentle.
Goyo guessed it was probably because he didn’t want to draw attention with a quarrel between a broken-off couple. Otherwise, it might have been because he, as a noble without a title, felt burdened by the Marquis.
“Thank you.”
Anyway, since she did receive some help, Goyo briefly expressed her gratitude.
Instead of answering, the Marquis wore a smiling face and moved towards the railing. Since the distance was a bit far for a conversation, Goyo also walked a few steps to follow.
The Marquis’ gaze went upwards. Goyo, without much thought, also looked up and saw the moon.
In the middle of the pitch-black night, there was a dark reddish moon, darker than the Marquis’ hair.
“Tonight is the witch’s moon. They say strange things happen on nights like this.”
The witch’s moon.
Usually, the moon that shows a pale yellow light sometimes appears red.
When the mana circulating in the atmosphere stagnates for some reason, the mana in the atmosphere condenses, making the moon appear dark.
People called the moon that rises on such nights the witch’s moon.
Whether it was due to the oversaturation of mana or not, strange things often happened on nights when the witch’s moon rose.
Strange phenomena that couldn’t possibly be achieved by human magic occurred in very irregular forms.
‘It’s a creepy moon.’
Goyo frowned. The witch’s moon rose on the day Goyo Alte closed her eyes. It also rose on the day Goyo Rubiette opened her eyes.
Though she couldn’t believe she had returned to the past, the red moon played a part in making her somewhat accept it as reality.
“They say on stormy days it behaves mischievously, and on clear days it shows favor. Fortunately, today is a clear day.”
“Did you come because you had something to say?”
It seemed the Marquis Bethelgius enjoyed letting the conversation flow as it pleased, so Goyo redirected the topic to where she wanted.
Only then did Bethelgius turn his eyes from the moon to Goyo.
Although neither Annecy Bethelgius nor Goyo Rubiette had red eyes, the influence of the moon made both pairs of eyes appear tinged with red.
Eyes of a similar hue met.
“I came because I regretted our unfinished conversation…”
The Marquis’ fingertips briefly touched Goyo’s forehead before retreating. Reflexively stepping back, Goyo Rubiette’s back touched the railing.
“You don’t seem to be in good health, so I’ll postpone it.”
For today. The man, who smiled softly, turned around.
Not once, but twice, was he going to disappear after mere small talk?
Goyo frowned. She decided to let things go as they may, but even so, the Marquis lingering and staying silent in front of her was frustrating.
If his intention was to make Goyo Rubiette sick with worry, he was indeed a skillful trickster.
Before the Marquis Bethelgius took more than two steps, Goyo called out to him.
“Marquis.”
“Yes, Lady.”
“Are you going to propose to me?”
His steps halted. The man’s face, as he slowly turned his head to look at Goyo, no longer held the smile that had been there all day.
Even so, he spoke quietly as if talking to himself with an expressionless face. So, that’s what you knew.
“If you know that I am trying to form a closer alliance with the nobles, it’s something you could have expected.”
“I plan not to attend any balls for a while, so there won’t be any occasions to meet you. If you have any intentions, please tell me now.”
“…If that’s the case, lady.”
Annecy Bethelgius stepped closer. Trapped by the railing with no way to retreat, Goyo was encased as the Marquis placed his large hands on either side of her. It was almost as if she was enclosed in the Marquis’s embrace.
She felt a scent, unsure whether it was perfume or body odor, which she hadn’t noticed while dancing.
Inside the hall, it seemed the scent was overshadowed by other smells.
The fragrance itself wasn’t strong, but it was sufficiently intense up close. Bothered by it, Goyo bit her lip.
Not stopping there, the Marquis bent down as if to kiss her, tilting his head slightly. The Marquis looked down and smiled, perhaps aiming to fluster Goyo.
“Would you accept my proposal, Lady?”
Her brown eyelashes trembled slightly. The close scent was too extravagant, the headache that had been bothering her didn’t subside, and the cold air made her body shiver slightly.
The Marquis’ behavior now seemed more like teasing rather than having any serious intentions.
More than anything, the situation itself was unpleasant.
Even though it was a life and marriage thrown away out of desperation, the situation unfolding as if she genuinely desired marriage with the Marquis was extremely annoying.
Unable to withstand the stress, Goyo Rubiette grabbed the face right in front of her. Then, before the Marquis Bethelgius could avoid it, she brought his face closer and…
Annecy Bethelgius recoiled in surprise, but the deed was already done.
For the first time today, the Marquis showed a flustered expression, covering his mouth. He was so shocked that even his fingertips trembled slightly.
“I will gladly accept it. Your proposal, Marquis.”
“L-Lady…?”
“I hope you send the proposal letter without much delay.”
It felt a bit better now that the annoying composure was shattered. Goyo Rubiette, looking somewhat satisfied, passed the Marquis and left the terrace. She had no more business with him.
Returning to the Duchy, leaving behind her family, including Terio, at the ball, Goyo threw herself onto the bed.
What she thought was a simple stress-induced headache had turned into a cold on her way back.
Touching her forehead to feel the heat, Goyo finally understood why the Marquis had touched her forehead earlier.
* * *
“I love you, Terio.”
It took a year to get a confession in return, but Terio Alte’s expression didn’t change.
Already tense, Goyo’s heart filled with anxiety. She thought Terio’s feelings hadn’t changed, but had they over the past year?
However, the short-lived anxiety was proven wrong as a tear dropped from Terio’s otherwise expressionless face.
“Terio…?”
“Goyo, thank you. I’ll really do well. I really… I’ll really do well.”
“No, I’ll do well too. It’s okay, don’t cry.”
“I’m not crying, who says I’m crying?”
However, with his face covered in tears, Goyo pulled out a handkerchief to wipe them away, but Terio turned his head frantically, avoiding showing his face.
Determined, Goyo tried harder to wipe away the tears, but it was impossible to touch the face of a skilled knight.
Eventually, Goyo Rubiette gave up on wiping the tears and burst into laughter at the situation. It was a clear laughter.
Terio’s eyes naturally focused on Goyo, who was busy avoiding his gaze.
Terio suddenly hugged Goyo tightly.
“Eek! What’s this all of a sudden?”
“I love you. This time it’s real. I’ll love you forever, I’ll never change. Goyo. I love you, I love you.”
Goyo’s face turned bright red.
How could he say such embarrassing things repeatedly? Just saying it once made her heart feel like it would burst!
The sweet words continued to pour out. Unable to bear the ticklish feeling in her heart, Goyo also hugged Terio tightly.
When Terio, who she thought would be a lifelong friend, confessed his love, Goyo felt a world-crashing sense of betrayal.
It was unbelievable that her only friend saw her with different eyes, and it was hard to accept the shift from the most stable relationship of friends to the unstable one of lovers.
But in the end, Goyo Rubiette lost. Even her own heart, which she had resolved to see Terio only as a friend forever, had changed, so now she could no longer blame Terio for breaking the declaration of eternal friendship.
But maybe this is okay too? Though the sweet excitement might not last forever, if she marries Terio and has children, Goyo could achieve her biggest dream of having a harmonious family.
And perhaps, Terio might love her forever.
It was a vow of love from a man clearly in love. He had betrayed her once, but it was the result of being overwhelmed by feelings greater than friendship.
Goyo, embraced by Terio, closed her eyes. The words of her mother, always kept in her heart, flowed through her mind.
‘Goyo, marry someone you love. A marriage of convenience cannot bring happiness. Having children with someone you don’t love isn’t happiness but a tragedy. That’s when hell begins.’
‘Mother, why do you say such things…?’
‘You must be happy. Even if I wasn’t, you must be.’
Yes, mother. If I had married someone I didn’t love, if I had entered a marriage of convenience with someone who met the conditions, I would never have known this happiness.
But Goyo found love. Because he was Alte, there was no reason for her father to oppose the union due to conditions.
Unlike her mother, who met a miserable end, Goyo believed her end would be filled with happiness. Unable to contain the rising happiness, a smile broke out on her lips.
“I love you too, Terio. If your love is eternal, so will mine be.”
I love you.
‘You killed Melissy.’
I love you.
‘If you hadn’t refused the marriage proposal, if you had let me go, Melissy would be alive now.’
I love you.
‘The child with not a drop of Rubiette blood would now be crying in my arms.’
“Terio?”
The person who had been hugging her pushed Goyo away. Looking at Goyo, who was thrown to the ground, with an unbelievably cold voice.
‘The one I love is not you.’
In an instant, the dream crumbled and the long nightmare ended.
Goyo, who quickly opened her eyes, took a rough breath.
Her heart pounded fiercely, as if it might burst out of her chest at any moment.
Barely managing to sit up, Goyo leaned against the headboard of the bed. Her whole body was drenched in cold sweat.
Damn Terio Alte.
The rough words, rarely used in life, slipped out naturally. Trying to calm herself, Goyo tightly closed her eyes and then opened them, brushing back the bangs stuck to her forehead.
It had been a very long time since she dreamt of the past.
Then the door opened and Annie, Goyo’s maid, entered. With a somewhat awkward expression, Annie greeted her as usual.
“You’re awake, miss? Wait, why do you look so pale!”
“Annie.”
“Look at the sweat! Did you have a nightmare?”
“It was just an unpleasant dream.”
It wasn’t uncommon for Goyo to have nightmares. Nodding sympathetically, Annie handed her a cup of water on a tray.
As the cold water passed down her throat, Goyo finally felt a bit more clear-headed.
“Is it past nine?”
“No, miss. It’s only half past eight.”
“Then why are you here so early? I told you to wake me at nine after the ball.”
“Well, miss… There’s something urgent I need to tell you.”
What is it? Goyo asked as she handed back the cup. After a moment of hesitation, Annie spoke.
“There’s a marriage proposal from Marquis Bethelgius.”
Goyo blinked slowly, momentarily holding her breath.
Did you know? Yesterday, the two of you danced together… Annie cautiously inquired, as if instructed to get a response from the Duke, but Goyo didn’t hear her.
No wonder she had a restless dream. He sure acts quickly. Her heart thudded with a different meaning than before. Amused by her own agitation, Goyo laughed weakly.
‘Marry someone you love. A marriage of convenience cannot bring happiness.’
No, mother. Marriage to someone I loved was the most excruciating hell for me. Even if the other path meant certain death, I would never choose it again.
“No, I didn’t know.”
In that case, choosing the less painful death is the only option left for me.
Isn’t that right, mother?