Side Story, Episode 4
“…Truly.”
Dante murmured, his voice trembling.
“Can I really propose to you?”
Elze replied in a flat tone, “Then who did you prepare that ring for?”
Dante flinched visibly.
It was when he had gone to Wilshire to eliminate a group of smugglers. He had secretly commissioned an engagement ring from ‘Boniche & Ella’, intending to propose to Elze.
But after the Rosenkreuz boarding school went up in flames and Elze vanished without a trace, Dante had never been able to let go of that ring.
He kept it close to him at all times, often pulling it out to stare at it while lost in thought.
‘Did she know all along?’
He had assumed she was unaware, but it seemed she had simply chosen not to mention it.
Elze asked calmly.
“That ring—wasn’t it meant for me?”
Her voice was unwavering, as though she was entirely certain of the answer.
“I…”
Under her steady amber gaze, Dante bit down hard on his lip until it nearly bled.
“Can I really… do this?”
He clenched his fists tightly, the knuckles whitening from the pressure.
“I always wonder if I’m being selfish… if I’ve forced you to stay by my side.”
“Dante, that’s—”
“Maybe you’ve wanted to live more freely, to be somewhere else.”
Dante’s crimson eyes bore into her, filled with a heartbreaking vulnerability she had seen many times before.
It was the look of a child moments away from being abandoned by their mother.
“Then.”
Elze said softly, suppressing a sigh.
“if I were to tell you right now that I want to end things with you, would you let me go?”
“…”
Dante’s eyes trembled violently, his lips parting and closing as if trying to form an answer he couldn’t give.
Watching him, Elze let out a faint chuckle.
“See? You wouldn’t let me go.”
She gently placed her hand over his tightly clenched fist.
“I know what you’re afraid of. And honestly… it’s not entirely unfounded. You’ve made mistakes, Dante, and they’ve left scars.”
Dante remained silent, unable to respond.
But then, Elze continued, her hand soothingly brushing over his.
“Even so, staying by your side—that’s my choice.”
“…Elze.”
Her voice grew firmer, each word deliberate.
“I won’t pretend I’ve forgiven you completely. But…”
Her gentle smile was like a balm to his soul as she met his desperate, crimson gaze.
“I hope you’ll stop being afraid.”
At that moment—
Bang! Pop! Boom!
Through the windows, bursts of colorful fireworks illuminated the night sky.
It was the famous onboard fireworks display, the highlight of the cruise.
As vibrant blooms of light filled the air, Elze found herself reminiscing about a distant memory.
Several years ago, during the Harvest Festival, beneath a dazzling display of fireworks, Dante had spoken of their future for the first time.
[When I return from the South… let’s get formally engaged.]*
Back then, he had been so confident, so certain that she wouldn’t dare refuse.
But now, even knowing that she loved him, the Dante before her hesitated.
“Can I really propose to you?”
“Were you planning on coming all this way without proposing?” she countered teasingly.
At her words, Dante smiled faintly, as though he might cry.
“I don’t think I can live without you anymore.”
The once unshakable and self-assured Dante now gazed at her with raw, desperate eyes.
It was as if she were the only lifeline he had in an endless ocean.
“I know I’ve wronged you in so many ways. Even if I spent a lifetime apologizing, it wouldn’t be enough.”
Gritting his teeth, he steadied his emotions and spoke again.
“Still, will you give me a chance to make things right?”
“Dante—”
“Will you… marry me?”
Dante gathered every ounce of courage he had to ask the question.
The moment before her lips moved felt like an eternity.
And then—
“Gladly.”
Elze replied with a radiant smile.
She held out her slender hand with a playful flourish.
“So, aren’t you going to put the ring on me?”
Dante stared at her outstretched hand for a long while before cautiously taking it in his own.
When he had first obtained the engagement ring, he had imagined how it would look on her hand.
But the reality was far more breathtaking than he had ever envisioned.
“It’s beautiful.”
Dante murmured, his voice thick with emotion.
The ruby ring shimmered brilliantly on her pale finger, as if it had always belonged there.
* * *
After returning from the Cepora Archipelago, Elze and Dante officially became husband and wife.
Despite the arrival of a new mistress in the illustrious Offenheir March, they did not hold a grand wedding.
Instead, they quietly registered their marriage at the local office.
There were many reasons for this, but the biggest one was Elze’s desire to avoid public attention.
“I’ve already been labeled the villainess who seduced both the Marquess of Offenheir and the Duke of Kalleid. If I draw any more attention, I might actually make the Empire’s front page,” she quipped dryly.
“…”
Dante couldn’t bring himself to laugh at the joke.
Still, having Elze as his legal wife seemed to calm some of his previous anxieties.
Of course, that didn’t mean he had become any more cooperative when it came to work.
“For heaven’s sake, how long do you intend to lounge around like this?!”
It wasn’t until Liam, half-dead from overwork, practically begged him multiple times that Dante finally relented—albeit reluctantly.
Meanwhile, Elze took over managing the household affairs of the Offenheir March.
This shift allowed them both to settle into their respective routines.
‘Now that I think about it, this is the first time I’m having breakfast alone without Dante,’ Elze mused as she stared at her half-finished plate.
The maid attending her asked hesitantly.
“Is the meal not to your liking, Madam?”
“No, it’s just… my stomach feels unsettled. But I’m fine,” Elze reassured her.
For the past few days, her stomach had been uneasy, as if she were perpetually nauseous.
On top of that, her body felt heavy and lethargic, like a damp cloth.
‘Is it just fatigue?’
Tilting her head, she rose from her seat.
“Let’s go.”
Today, she was scheduled to meet with the head maid to review the townhouse’s storage rooms, grand hall, and various other facilities.
The townhouse was vast, and understanding its entirety on her own proved challenging.
“This is the parlor for entertaining small groups of guests. And over here is…”
As Elze walked alongside the head maid, listening to her explanations, she noticed a locked door at the end of the corridor.
“What’s this room?”
“Oh, that’s where the Marquess keeps some of his old belongings. He manages it personally, so we don’t usually enter unless it’s absolutely necessary,” the maid replied, pulling a set of keys from her belt.
“But if you’d like to see it, Madam, it’s no problem. I can open it for you.”
“Are you sure?”
“Of course. You are the lady of Offenheir, after all,” the maid replied with a warm smile.
“The Marquess specifically instructed us never to hide anything from you.”
“I see…”
Elze hesitated briefly, but curiosity quickly won out.
“Could you unlock it for me?”
“Of course, Madam.”
The maid unlocked the door, and the room was dim, its curtains drawn tightly shut.
*Whoosh!*
The maid strode in and pulled back the curtains, flooding the space with light.
As Elze glanced around, her gaze fell on something familiar.
“Is that…?”
On top of a dresser sat a shoebox.
Drawn to it, Elze opened the lid. Inside lay a pair of black high heels, crumpled and worn.
“…”
Her expression grew complicated as she closed the box and opened one of the drawers.
Inside was a jewelry box.
She lifted it out and opened it, revealing a honey-colored gemstone necklace that sparkled brilliantly in the light.
It was the topaz necklace she had received as a gift for her debutante ball.
In the wardrobe, dresses Dante had given her hung neatly, their folds pristine. Below them, her shoes were arranged in perfect order.
‘He didn’t throw away a single one of my belongings.’
Elze bit her lip, her emotions swirling.
Then, her eyes caught sight of a covered painting in the corner of the room.
“May I take a look at that?”
“Of course.”
The maid replied with a nod.
When the cloth was pulled away, a portrait of a young child with a stoic expression was revealed.
Elze’s eyes wavered as she took in the details.
“Dante?”
