89.

‘That time… it was also during the harvest festival.’

Back then, the Lepherian Viscounty was buzzing with excitement for the harvest festival.

My father had taken my half-brother, born from my stepmother, out to enjoy the festival.

I pretended to be indifferent and holed up in my room.

But feeling secretly upset, I bit my lip and looked out the window.

‘……’

Unfortunately, I made eye contact with my father as he was heading towards the carriage.

His face twisted with displeasure.

[That girl Elze, she’s not the least bit endearing.]

Climbing into the carriage, my father muttered loudly enough for me to hear.

[So gloomy… just like her dead mother.]

With those words, my father, stepmother, and brother left in the carriage.

Left alone in the Lepherian mansion, I forced my eyes open wider to keep from crying.

Time passed, and when they returned, my brother was holding a fluffy cloud of cotton candy.

[Be careful eating that, your hands will get sticky.]

My father scolded my brother affectionately.

[Shall we go wash your hands first?]

My stepmother gently patted my brother’s head.

Honestly… I was jealous.

Not of the cotton candy, but of the attention my father gave him.

But expressing that jealousy felt like a betrayal to my deceased mother.

‘……’

So I deliberately slammed the window shut.

After leaving the viscounty, I never felt the need to try cotton candy.

I never attended such festivals, so I never encountered a cotton candy vendor.

‘Strange.’

I clenched my fists.

Technically, these memories weren’t mine.

They belonged to ‘the original Elze.’

‘So why do they make me feel so… sorrowful?’

At that moment,

“Do you prefer pink or green?”

Dante asked suddenly.

Startled, I widened my eyes.

“Pardon? I… uh…”

“It’s okay, you don’t have to choose just one.”

Dante shrugged and approached the cotton candy vendor.

After a brief exchange, he returned with a large cotton candy.

“Here.”

He thrust the cotton candy towards me.

It was a mix of pink and green, skillfully intertwined.

“Thank you.”

Feeling awkward, I took the cotton candy.

Taking a bite of cotton candy for the first time felt like…

Eating a cloud made of sugar.

It was sweet, fluffy, and melted away instantly.

“Is it good?”

Dante watched me eat with a gentle smile.

I nodded silently.

“That’s good.”

“And, Marquis…”

Feeling embarrassed eating alone, I hesitantly asked.

Dante shook his head.

“No need. Do you think I’d take away your food?”

…He often did take my food, though.

Swallowing my retort, I took another bite of the cotton candy.

After a few more bites,

“Mmm.”

My fingers had become sticky…

Feeling awkward, I looked up at Dante.

“Um, Marquis, could you get a handkerchief from my bag?”

Dante raised an eyebrow slightly before speaking.

“Show me your hand.”

He gently took my hand and retrieved a handkerchief, carefully wiping the sticky residue from my fingers.

“……”

A lump formed in my throat.

It was a very strange feeling.

I possessed all of the original Elze’s memories and knew well what kind of life she had lived.

Neither her biological father nor her stepmother, who was legally her mother, ever took care of her so tenderly.

They had always ignored her…

‘So, why is it that…’

This man, who would one day crush me without mercy, was being so kind to me now.

Why was he showing me warmth that even my parents never did?

‘Even though… you…’

I bit my lower lip hard.

You will choose the heroine of this world.

The moment she appears, you’ll discard me like trash in a wastebasket…

“Did you know, my dear?”

Dante spoke gently while wiping my lips with the handkerchief.

“This is actually my first time at the harvest festival and night market too.”

“……”

“Since it’s your first time and mine too.”

Dante’s cheerful smile was devoid of any shadows.

“It’s somewhat fair, don’t you think?”

Then he straightened up and asked,

“Shall we go?”

“Go where?”

“To watch the fireworks, of course.”

Dante shrugged lightly.

“Did you think I would just leave you wandering around on the street?”

Holding hands, Dante and I walked through the night market.

Amidst the colorful festival scenery,

somehow, only Dante stood out in my eyes.

‘So sweet.’

Maybe it was because of the lingering taste of cotton candy…

…my mouth felt overwhelmingly sweet.

 

* * *

 

We arrived at a three-story restaurant.

The rooftop had been converted into a dining area with a fantastic view.

Below us, the vibrant scenes of the night market and people enjoying the harvest festival were visible.

It was clearly a prime spot to watch the fireworks.

However…

‘Why is it empty?’

I was a bit taken aback.

Such a prime spot should be crowded with people.

Yet, the rooftop was empty.

There were only a large table and two chairs.

Dante and I were the only patrons.

“Why are you looking around like that?”

“There are no other guests…”

“Of course not.”

Dante shrugged.

“I reserved the entire restaurant for tonight.”

“……”

I was speechless.

On the day of the festival, the rooftop of a building with the best view of the fireworks.

Even reserving a single spot here must cost a significant amount.

Yet Dante was saying he had reserved the entire restaurant…

‘This feels… really like a date.’

I bit my lip hard.

‘Uncomfortable.’

Dante’s consideration wasn’t that unfamiliar anymore.

At my debutante party, at Diorlance Club, and even at the cocktail party in the palace.

Dante had shown me more consideration than I expected.

Yet it was still uncomfortable.

…It felt like wearing jewelry that didn’t belong to me.

“Sit down.”

Dante pulled out a chair for me.

“Ah, thank you.”

An employee approached, waiting for us to sit down.

“Shall we bring the food and drinks now?”

“Yes.”

Dante nodded.

Soon after,

the table was filled with a variety of dishes.

Fried potatoes and sausages, potato pancakes, meatballs with tomato sauce, fresh salads, and more.

The sheer amount of food was overwhelming.

‘How are we supposed to eat all this?’

I was momentarily shocked but quickly remembered previous meals with Dante and understood.

‘Well, Dante will probably finish it all.’

Chilled beer was served as well.

I looked at the large mug of beer with bubbles rising to the surface.

‘This really feels like celebrating the harvest festival.’

During the harvest festival, people usually drank beer made from grains and ate potato and sausage dishes, the staple food of farmers.

The festival itself originated from farmers giving thanks for the year’s harvest.

However,

“Will you like these dishes?”

I glanced at Dante.

These foods were completely different from the gourmet dishes he usually enjoyed.

Dante chuckled.

“What kind of person do you think I am?”

“Well…”

A psychopath, a capricious person, a pretty-faced jerk…

Of course, I couldn’t say that out loud, so I kept quiet.

Dante leaned back in his chair and continued,

“Do you really think I’m not used to this kind of food?”

Ah.

I was caught off guard.

I blinked.

‘Right.’

Dante was indeed a self-made man.

And “self-made” included overcoming a difficult environment.

Dante’s life had not been easy.

Since his mother lost her sanity and committed suicide, Dante had completely left behind the hollow protection of the royal family.

Eventually, he rose to dominate the empire’s underworld.

Dante had indeed clawed his way up from the bottom.

“I’ve scavenged through trash, eaten dog food, and even dined with corpses in front of me.”

“……”

“This is luxurious in comparison.”

Dante shrugged as he finished speaking.

I felt a heavy weight in my heart.

In the novel, it was simply stated, “Dante overcame countless hardships to conquer the empire’s underworld.”

But for Dante, it had been his life.