Chapter 63

Her dirt-stained hand fluttered toward Demius.

He bent down slightly, pretending to yield to her gesture.

“Look at this, it sprouted!”

Melissa’s eyes sparkled as she showed him the tiny green bud.

“Isn’t it beautiful?”

“Yes, it truly is.”

Demius looked at her softly and murmured,

“It’s beautiful indeed.”

Melissa’s expression dimmed slightly.

“It’s a shame. I wanted to show this to Lady Natalianne too.”

“Yes, a real shame.”

He nodded, suppressing a smile that tugged at his lips.

Fortunately, Natalianne was away.

The situation had gone like this.

When she heard that the suspicious circus that dealt with Smile of the Spirits had vanished, Natalianne had suddenly turned grave.

‘I’ll fetch the materials I gathered.’

If she didn’t, her master might be in danger.

Leaving only that one sentence behind, Natalianne departed for the Magic Tower immediately.

Of course, Demius knew she hadn’t left only because of that.

‘I strengthened the patrols, but still…’

His brows creased in thought.

Despite reinforcing the guards, there were limits to how far their manpower could reach, especially with monsters appearing so frequently, even near small towns.

Recruiting new soldiers meant finding funds to sustain them, and he already had nowhere to pull a new budget from.

Resources were scarce since most gathering areas were infested with monsters.

He frowned, but then, catching a flicker of orange beside him, his expression softened.

Amid the greenery, her orange hair shone vividly as she bent down, caring for the seedlings with tender attention.

‘Right.’

A faint smile touched his lips.

As Melissa often said, perhaps this was a blessing in disguise.

With Natalianne away, he could have Melissa all to himself.

He tightened his grip on the bouquet hidden behind his back and took a deep breath.

“Um, Miss Lili.”

“Yes?”

Her clear green eyes turned to him.

Seeing his reflection in those eyes, Demius’s lips felt dry. He barely managed to speak.

“I… I wanted to give you these flo—”

“Young Master!”

What?

Startled by the sudden interruption, Demius turned around, frowning.

A servant was running toward him, pale-faced and breathless.

“L Lady Valenstein, your fiancée, she’s arriving soon!”

What?

The servant’s steps halted abruptly.

He hadn’t noticed the small woman crouched in front of Demius.

His pupils trembled.

‘Great Spirit, please let the lady not have heard that.’

But his prayer was meaningless.

Melissa’s green eyes had gone wide.

“Fiancée?”

Thud.

The bouquet slipped from his hand and hit the ground.

The servant shut his eyes tightly.

* * *

“This is a misunderstanding!”

Demius hurried after Melissa, voice desperate.

“Truly, it is! She isn’t my fiancée!”

“But he said she is.”

Melissa didn’t look back as she spoke, her tone firm.

“I have to go apologize.”

“Apologize?”

His heart dropped.

“No, Miss Lili, you’ve done nothing wrong! There’s no reason for you to…”

“You married me without knowing you already had a fiancée.”

Her words cut sharp and clear.

“This is my fault.”

“No, it isn’t. It’s entirely my fault. And she’s not really my fiancé…”

“Lord Demius.”

His heart sank like a stone.

Hearing his name from her lips instead of the familiar Miss Mimi chilled him to the core.

Melissa stopped walking.

A long, heavy silence followed. Then, slowly, she turned around.

When their eyes met, the light that once shone in hers, bright like the sun over the garden, was gone.

“I think this is where our contract ends.”

“…What?”

Everything in his body froze.

What did she just say?

He spoke without realizing it.

“W… what do you mean?”

“I can’t keep pretending and cause trouble for someone else.”

Melissa’s lashes lowered.

When her eyes lifted again, they held quiet resolve.

“I’ll meet her myself and apologize.”

“No.”

His voice trembled as he shouted, the ground beneath him seeming to fall away.

“No, Miss Lili, if you’re going, then let me explain! Please, just…”

“No.”

Her head shook slowly.

Her tone was gentle but steady, with a will that could not be moved.

“I’ll go.”

Then her eyes softened with regret.

“And please, don’t call me by that nickname anymore.”

Her calm voice wavered faintly as she continued,

“Your fiancée might misunderstand.”

Ah.

Demius felt as though his chest were being crushed.

Why…

Why was she still smiling like that?

Even now, even in this moment, she smiled.

‘Damn it.’

His fists clenched so hard his knuckles turned white.

No, he couldn’t blame her.

This was his fault alone.

And yet for an instant, he had blamed her in his heart.

How disgraceful.

“Then, I’ll take my leave.”

While he stood there silently condemning himself, Melissa lifted her skirt slightly in farewell and turned away.

Her orange hair fluttered in the sunlight, scattering gold around her like the wings of a butterfly.

“Lili…”

No.

“…Melissa.”

He called softly, his voice breaking.

But the small back didn’t turn around.

That distance, just a few steps away, felt deeper and farther than the cliff he once fell from.

His blurred eyes followed her retreating figure as his heart throbbed painfully.

* * *

What was that just now?

Melissa blinked rapidly, trying to steady her breathing.

She hadn’t walked far since leaving Demius, yet her chest rose and fell as if she had been running.

Why did I do that?

She replayed the moment in her mind.

Why had she turned away so quickly?

Normally, she would have listened calmly to his explanation, soothed him, and assumed it was all some misunderstanding.

So why…

Her gaze darted around, restless and confused.

Why do I feel like this?

She had never felt something like this before.

As she blinked, trying to process the strange emotion, someone approached.

“My lady.”

“…Lawrence?”

She looked up in surprise.

The butler bowed politely, his smile gentle but shadowed.

After a moment of hesitation, he held out a silver tray toward her.

“Here, this arrived for you.”

On the tray lay a thick piece of fine paper, its surface smooth and slightly glossy.

Noble stationery used for invitations.

Melissa blinked and carefully picked it up.

A pearly white envelope with elegant handwriting gleamed faintly under the light.

[You are cordially invited to a tea party.

Ines Lynn Valenstein]

Her eyes lingered on the flowing, graceful script.

Ines.

What a lovely name.

Just reading it conjured the image of a delicate beauty.

A noble lady born into prestige, adored by all, raised in warmth and grace.

A woman like that would surely suit Demius perfectly.

“Oh?”

Melissa blinked suddenly.

What was that thought just now?

She frowned, replaying it.

Of course they suit each other.

After all, that’s his real fiancée.

Someone like her could never compare.

A faint trace of guilt passed across Melissa’s lowered eyes.

“My lady.”

The butler spoke softly, watching her with quiet concern.

“You are not obliged to accept every invitation.”