88.

“……”

I remained silent.

Every time Dante showed me such consideration…

…I felt strangely lost.

“How long has he been waiting?”

“He’s been waiting for about an hour.”

“……”

I was at a loss for words once again.

‘An hour?’

Dante was one of the busiest people in the empire.

And he had been wasting time waiting for me.

It was unimaginable behavior for the usual Dante…

“Where is the Marquis now?”

“He said he would be in the garden.”

“Got it.”

With that conversation over, I hurried down the stairs.

As I walked quickly towards the garden, I saw Dante standing there under the red sunset.

He had his left hand in his pocket and a cigarette held casually in his right hand.

His gaze was fixed on the garden trees, which were starting to turn vibrant colors.

But it seemed like he was not truly appreciating the garden’s scenery, rather lost in some deep thought.

His crimson eyes were just calm.

…I couldn’t fathom what he was thinking.

“Marquis.”

I called out to Dante.

He turned around swiftly.

Like the morning sun instantly painting the surroundings red.

A smile spread quickly across his once-expressionless face.

“You’re here?”

Dante stubbed out his cigarette in the nearby outdoor ashtray and opened his arms wide towards me.

“Come here.”

“……”

At that moment,

something surged from deep within my chest.

Why was he so kind to me?

He considered my love as worthless as trash.

In the end, he would choose the heroine of this world.

He would throw me away like a discarded toy without a second thought…

Yet, I steadily walked towards him.

Dante pulled me into a crushing embrace.

“I missed you.”

“…I missed you too.”

I whispered softly, burying my head in his chest.

“If you had let me know you were coming, I would have prepared earlier.”

I gave him a playful glare, to which he shrugged his shoulders.

“I wanted to wait for you, so it’s fine.”

Then, looking somewhat disappointed, he asked,

“Why aren’t you wearing the necklace today?”

“Pardon?”

“You know, the one I gave you at your debut. The one that matches your eye color.”

“Oh.”

I blinked and quickly responded,

“Shall I go back and put it on?”

“No, it’s okay.”

Dante shook his head with a smile.

“Well, it’s not like that’s the only piece of jewelry you have.”

It was a strangely meaningful statement.

But before I could ask what he meant,

“Shall we go?”

Dante offered me his arm.

“Yes.”

I placed my hand on his offered arm, smiling broadly.

Yet, I couldn’t shake the bitter taste in my mouth.

‘I feel like a moth drawn to a flame.’

Unable to rid myself of this irrational affection for Dante, I felt like a moth diving into a fire, knowing it would burn.

‘It’s okay, there’s not much time left for such worries.’

Once I leave Rosenkreuz Boarding School and part ways with this man for good, the anxiety that persistently follows me will finally dissipate.

Reassuring myself with these thoughts, I hid my complicated emotions behind a smile.

 

* * *

 

The harvest festival began with a parade.

It symbolized the bountiful harvest and the first spread of grain by the gods to this world.

Cheerful music filled the air.

“Wow!”

Colorful confetti fell in showers.

People in elaborate masks danced through the streets to the rhythm.

At the center of the parade was a tall float carrying a man in white robes.

He was a priest honoring the gods.

He wore a golden crown shaped like the sun, symbolizing divine authority.

In his hand, he held a golden sheaf of wheat.

“Bless the Empire!”

“Thank you for the bountiful harvest!”

Spectators threw flowers at the marching participants.

And amidst the bustling scene, Dante and I stood hand in hand.

‘This is… the first time.’

I watched the parade, entranced.

I realized that although I had been in the capital for years, this was the first time I had witnessed such a festival.

However,

‘There are so many people.’

This festival was renowned in the capital, and the crowd reflected its popularity.

Though I wasn’t particularly short for a woman, the problem was the people in front of me.

It had to be a father with his son on his shoulders.

With the added height of the child on an adult man, it was hard to see the parade clearly.

‘Well, nothing I can do.’

As I stood on tiptoe to catch glimpses of the parade, Dante leaned towards me and asked,

“How do you like it? Fun?”

The music was so loud he had to almost shout.

I felt a bit embarrassed for a moment.

‘Did I seem too excited?’

Normally, I would have focused all my attention on Dante, but now I was completely absorbed in the parade.

Dante noticed and smiled with his eyes.

“Your eyes are sparkling.”

“N-No, not that much.”

Feeling my face heat up, I turned my gaze back to the parade.

“Really? It seemed that way to me.”

Dante’s teasing reply came with a squeeze of my hand, pulling me closer to him.

‘Wait, what?’

Before I knew it, I was at the front of the parade.

Dante, standing behind me, wrapped his arm around my waist.

“If you’re going to watch, you should watch properly, right?”

“……”

Dante’s intention was only half successful.

The parade was indeed clearer now.

The problem was,

‘I can’t focus on the parade at all.’

I was acutely aware of Dante standing behind me.

The heat of the crowd around me.

And most notably, Dante’s warmth.

“……”

I bit my lip.

My heart was pounding wildly.

‘Oh, really.’

The emotions of the original Elze were so troublesome.

Moreover, Dante seemed more interested in other things than the parade.

For example, playing with my hair.

Or sensually touching my nape…

“Marquis.”

Eventually, I furrowed my brows and called out to Dante.

But he continued to playfully tease me.

Unable to bear it any longer, I grabbed his hand firmly.

“What? Why?”

Dante’s grumbling protest came out immediately.

Suppressing a sigh, I spoke.

“If you keep doing this, I can’t focus on the parade.”

“Because of me?”

His response was a sly one.

“This is exciting.”

“……”

Forget it, I thought, deciding not to say anything further.

Dante chuckled softly and embraced me again.

Giving up, I rested my head against his chest and fixed my gaze on the parade.

The colorful procession and lively music.

People laughing and chatting joyfully as they enjoyed the parade.

Being amidst them, Dante and I seemed like any other ordinary couple.

…It felt strangely unsettling.

 

* * *

 

After that,

Dante’s eccentric behavior continued.

Holding my hand tightly, he led me into an alley where a night market was in full swing.

I was a bit bewildered.

‘Dante going to a night market?’

As far as I knew, Dante didn’t particularly like crowded places.

Moreover, his taste was quite refined, befitting someone of royal blood.

While attending the parade was one thing as it was a highlight of the festival,

I hadn’t expected him to visit a night market selling street food…

“Have you ever been to a night market before?”

Dante asked suddenly as we walked through the bustling market.

I instinctively shook my head.

“No, this is my first time.”

Dante’s face lit up with a cheerful smile.

“Really?”

…It seemed like my answer had instantly brightened his mood.

I couldn’t understand why.

Shaking my head inwardly, I looked around.

The alley was lit as brightly as day by colorful paper lanterns hung here and there.

The savory smell of dough frying in oil and the sweet scent of sugar filled the air.

While walking, I noticed one particular vendor.

The vendor was skillfully spinning sugar into thin threads and wrapping them around a stick.

‘Cotton candy.’

Even though it was a common street snack, I found it strangely captivating.

At the same time, memories of the original Elze’s childhood suddenly flashed through my mind.