WCSM 15

It’s very unusual, but beautiful.

It wasn’t a jewel-like, clear shade, since it was a low-saturation red. Still, it suited him remarkably well.

‘Honestly. What am I even thinking?’

Shaking her head inwardly, Iona hurried out of the president’s office after finishing her greeting. And then, somehow—

Something like a sense of accomplishment filled her chest to the brim.

‘I did it. I really did it!’

A tingling sensation shot through the top of her head, and her legs gave out without her realizing.

Gripping the railing, Iona panted for breath.

‘I cut off the shackles of long-standing emotions with my own hands.’

[The Constellation ‘No.1 in the Revenge Service Industry’ is pleased.]

[The Constellation ‘No.1 in the Revenge Service Industry’ has generously sponsored 500 diamonds!]

[▶ Current sponsorship amount: 800 diamonds]

The sound of gold coins pouring down rang in her ears. Like celebratory fireworks of victory, and Iona let out a small giggle.

‘Ah, I loved alone, expected alone, believed alone, and got hurt alone. And all that time, you were completely unaffected.’

Just wait.

You’ll see how I return it.

Countless memories overlapped and resurfaced, stirring up the emotions she had buried.

She had used anger as a shield, pressing everything else down, but it seemed she had reached her limit. A flood of emotions shook her as they passed through.

‘But… I’m getting more and more short of breath.’

The humiliation she had tried so hard to bury began creeping up and tightening around her throat.

She should be happy that she managed to land a blow on Felix Teresia. So why did she feel like this now?

‘It’s okay. I’ll be okay. I’m doing well.’

Let’s not think about pointless memories. Just go downstairs.

It must remain a secret that she visited this place today.

Quite some time had already passed, so she needed to hurry to the café.

She had to show her face to people and create an alibi.

Just as Iona, biting her lip, took a step forward—

Her foot slipped, and her body tilted forward.

‘Ah, I’m falling!’

Squeezing her eyes shut, she braced herself for the impact that would follow.

“……”

But no matter how long she waited, she didn’t feel the cold, hard floor. Instead… she heard someone’s heartbeat.

“Oh dear. You must have been startled.”

“…Ah!”

“Can you stand on your own?”

What just happened?

The constellations were cheering at the sudden turn of events, but Iona was simply flustered. Of course, she was grateful too.

“How…?”

Stammering, she asked. The man set her upright and carefully examined her condition.

“I was just on my way out and happened to see you, so I helped.”

“Thank you.”

“It was nothing. I’ll assist you to the lower floor.”

“That’s alright. I was just… dizzy for a moment.”

Thump, thump. Her heart was beating rapidly.

She had been startled, and being almost held in a stranger’s arms was a shock as well, so Iona quickly stepped back.

The veil—was the veil still in place?

Her face wasn’t exposed, right?

“If you have a headache or dizziness, I have emergency medicine. Would you like some?”

“No, it’s fine. I’ll be going now. Thank you.”

It must have been because she relaxed.

Rubbing her still-tingling hand, Iona quickly left.

Her heart was racing so fast she didn’t even know how to calm it down.

—

Dionhart looked down at the woman’s retreating figure as she hurried away like a rabbit, then lowered his gaze to his own hand.

‘Strange. The feeling is somewhat…’

Familiar.

It was quite unusual to feel this way about someone whose face he hadn’t even seen.

Even before he could think, his body had moved first.

‘No, rather… it felt like I knew she was in danger.’

He originally had no intention of stepping out onto the stairs. But while organizing the story she had told him, he felt a peculiar sensation that was difficult to explain.

As if someone was repeatedly warning him.

Unable to shake off the feeling, he opened the door—only to witness the very person he had just been conversing with collapse.

And toward the stairs, no less.

If he hadn’t caught her, she would have certainly been seriously injured.

‘It’s fortunate, but…’

Returning to the president’s office, he leaned casually against the window and looked outside.

He saw the woman adjusting her hat, glancing around, then disappearing quickly.

‘When someone runs away like that, it makes you want to catch them.’

Watching until she vanished from sight, Dionhart replayed the encounter.

‘The entire time I listened to her, she felt strangely familiar. I almost persistently asked if we had met somewhere before.’

That couldn’t be possible.

“I never thought I’d be recalling such an old-fashioned pickup line.”

“Pardon? Don’t tell me you fell in love at first sight with the lady who just came?”

Hearing his mutter, Nile suddenly poked his head in through the door.

Letting out a hollow laugh, Dionhart asked gently,

“Are you that idle?”

“Ah! No, sir!”

As Nile recoiled, Dionhart leaned back against the window again and muttered lowly,

“It didn’t seem like she came knowing who I am.”

“I agree, Your Highness. She didn’t seem aware that Your Highness is the owner.”

“If it was mere coincidence, then she deserves to be called a master of timing. Or perhaps God is helping her.”

Whispering that, Dionhart removed his mask.

Sunlight brushed over the sharp bridge of his nose and elegant lips. His flawless white skin and faintly gentle smile made him appear like a kind man.

However, no matter how skilled an actor someone might be, the eyes cannot be deceived. His pupils, half-hidden in shadow, gleamed sharply.

The lord of the frozen lands even God turned away from. The ruler of frost and ice.

Or perhaps, one bound by a musty, ancient curse.

Call him what you will—his name was Dionhart Kaelas.

“Nile, verify the authenticity of the information. If it’s confirmed, publish the article immediately.”

“Yes, sir.”

At Dionhart’s command, his subordinate Nile placed a hand over his chest in salute.

That same subordinate had just been dozing at the reception desk.

Naturally, the flustered behavior was all an act.

In truth, he was Dionhart’s long-time right-hand man and informant.

Pen and Sword was originally a newspaper company secretly established by the House of Kaelas. Whenever Dionhart visited the capital, he would give the entire staff leave and stop by to review the accumulated information.

And on just such a day, an unannounced guest had arrived.

Since he was already there, Nile, who had been organizing documents, added a comment to his contemplative master.

“By the way, when do you plan to visit the gallery?”

“Tomorrow. Judging from the Emperor’s letter, the meeting will likely run long. I’ll probably be tied up until at least tomorrow morning.”

Dionhart, the Grand Duke of Kaelas, had come to the capital today for several overlapping reasons.

First, when he was ‘in a position to attend,’ he had to show his face at the grand nobles’ council.

Since he was already here, appearing at the imperial year-end banquet wouldn’t be a bad idea either. Completely isolating himself from social circles wasn’t good in the long term.

Ah, and he should humor the Emperor’s whining to some extent as well.

The Emperor had trailed after him annoyingly since their youth, and even with age, that habit hadn’t changed.

If anything had changed, it was that ignoring him now would result in him becoming extremely, truly, sincerely bothersome.

But all of those things he had just listed were optional. Good to do, but not strictly necessary.

Even the Emperor’s pestering wasn’t unbearable.

If he truly hadn’t wanted to come—or if there had been no clear reason to visit the capital—

He wouldn’t have left his territory.

Dionhart ultimately decided to come after receiving certain information from an informant planted in the capital.

‘A painting of a cabin in a field blooming with blue flowers…’

He was told something similar to the painting he had been searching for was being displayed at a famous gallery in the capital.

Strangely, it wasn’t for sale, so it would be better to see it in person.

That was the primary reason for this trip.

‘I hope I can find it this time.’

A secret that wasn’t quite a secret.

Since his boyhood, Dionhart had been searching for the painter of a certain artwork.

A single piece by an unknown artist—he didn’t even know whether they were a man or a woman.

The only clues were that the paint indicated it wasn’t an old work, and that it had been sold through a shabby gallery run by commoners.

Naturally, he tried tracing it back, but even the gallery owner knew nothing about the painter.

All he barely remembered was that a well-dressed child had brought it in to sell.