Chapter 54
“Hing, Sir Pepe, you’re mean. You’re such a grump.”
I grumbled with a sulky face. Then Pepe suddenly flapped his wings in a fuss, as if he was the one getting even angrier.
「That’s exactly what I want to say! Why are you suddenly swayed back and forth by that man like a reed? You don’t even know what scheme he had in mind when he brought you to the capital in the first place!」
“Huh? Do you think His Grace had some kind of hidden motive?”
I had already been in the capital for quite a while now, but Dante’s attitude toward me hadn’t changed at all.
‘If he had another intention, wouldn’t it have shown by now?’
At first, I wondered why he insisted on finding a silver-haired, green-eyed girl—enough to suspect he wanted to involve me in something shady…
「That could be the trap! He’s taking his time so you’ll lower your guard. The more effort you put in, the bigger the scam you can pull off!」
“Well… that’s true, but…”
Scammers do build a big stage when they want to pull off a big job.
But still—
“H-His Grace isn’t like that.”
I wanted to believe that the man who so willingly offered me his back to lean on… wouldn’t deceive me.
「Ughh.」
Clicking his tongue as if frustrated, Pepe dove back into my pocket. I let out a deep sigh of my own.
‘When my head is this messy, knitting is the best cure.’
I got up quietly and tiptoed toward the knitting room, when a deep voice echoed from the end of the hallway.
“Butler.”
‘Hiiik!’
It was Dante!
He wasn’t even calling for me—just the butler—so there was no reason to hide… but my body already darted behind a pillar.
‘I was literally just wondering if he liked me… how am I supposed to face him now?’
I told myself to wait for him to finish speaking with the butler and go back inside, but instead his footsteps drew closer… and closer.
‘Hik!’
Without even looking around, I bolted in the opposite direction of his voice.
And somehow, my steps led me straight outside the main building…
Right to the same garden bench where I’d been complaining to Pepe earlier.
‘I came out without thinking…’
I ended up in the exact same situation as before. I plopped down on the steps and propped my chin up. The clouds drifted lazily overhead, the garden grass was bright and green… but only my mind felt chaotic.
‘I’m scared… and nervous.’
Whenever I saw Dante, my heart thumped wildly. It was definitely frightening and nerve-wracking, and yet—for some reason—it didn’t feel bad. My breath would catch from how tense I was.
‘What is this feeling?’
Was it his large build making me feel intimidated? Or…
“Hello?”
As I was lost in thought, a dark shadow fell over my head. Someone greeted me brightly. I reflexively looked up.
“H-Hello?”
The man standing before me had narrow fox-like eyes and dazzling golden hair. His hair was so radiant it reflected the sunlight behind him—like he was glowing with a second sun.
‘Ugh… I’ve never seen hair that shiny.’
My silver hair was clean and bright, but gold was far more destructive. It was so blinding I squinted without meaning to.
He suddenly leaned in closer.
“So you’re the famous silver-haired fairy of House Christopher.”
“…Pardon?”
Silver-haired… what?
The nickname was so absurd I couldn’t answer—just repeated it dumbly. And then I let out a horrified scream.
“T-There’s such an embarrassing rumor going around?!”
A beautiful silver-haired fairy?! Even as a child, I’d never been called anything like that. My hands twisted nervously into my skirt. He just smiled.
“It’s a rumor circulating among people who know a little about the family. Honestly, until I got here, I thought it was exaggerated nonsense… but you’re far more beautiful than the rumors claim.”
“…Eh?”
It was the most embarrassing line anyone had ever said to me. I froze because I had no idea how to react.
I was stone-stiff. He smiled down at me. And that awkward moment stretched on and on…
Until a small side door behind me swung open—and Dante stormed out.
“Hey!”
“Yo, Dante.”
His voice was nothing like his usual calm and composed self. I shot up in surprise, trying to turn around, but Dante’s steps were faster. He strode past me and planted himself between us, shooing the man away like he was chasing off a stray dog.
“Get lost.”
“Aren’t you at least going to ask why I came before you kick me out?”
“Not curious. Leave. Now.”
“You treat your friends wonderfully, I see.”
I was startled by Dante’s icy tone, but the other man just kept smiling like it was nothing.
Dante scoffed and turned his head sharply.
“We were friends? Whatever thread of friendship we had snapped clean last week. We’re strangers now.”
“Come on, friend. Our friendship is eternal.”
“Right. Eternal enough for you to throw me in prison?”
“I thought you were going to kill me, that’s why.”
Listening to them, I blinked rapidly.
“P-Prison?”
The prison you go to when you commit a crime? But Dante was a duke—who could possibly throw him in prison?
‘Wait… that gloomy, damp place he said he was trapped in before—’
Was he being serious?!
I thought it was just a joke… but it was real?
Dante turned and met my eyes, looking unbelievably awkward. Probably because I’d heard he’d been imprisoned.
Seizing that moment, the golden-haired man—Bentley—grabbed my hand and pressed a kiss to the back of it.
“So, lovely lady, may I have your name? I am Bentley. You may call me Ben.”
“I—I’m…”
Was it okay to pull my hand away? A gentleman kissing a lady’s hand was a formal gesture, but I wasn’t used to it at all.
As I hesitated, Dante’s thick arm looped around Bentley’s neck like a lock.
“Come here. If you came to see me, you’re coming to the parlor.”
“I didn’t come to see you—ugh, hey!”
Bentley was dragged away, choking. My hand was freed naturally.
“Such a strange man…”
And that strange man was supposedly Dante’s friend.
‘But His Grace wasn’t acting like himself either.’
He seemed… more relaxed?
‘Maybe they really are friends.’
But what kind of friends throw each other in jail and threaten each other’s lives? I couldn’t understand their relationship at all. I shook my head.
As I put my hands on my hips, something vibrated in my pocket. It was where Pepe was.
“Huh? Sir Pepe?”
I checked inside—Pepe was trembling uncontrollably and making strange sounds, almost like he was having a seizure.
Realizing something was seriously wrong, I hurriedly took him out and met his eyes.
“Sir Pepe, what’s wrong? Your whole body is shaking.”
「Th-That bastard. That bastard is…」
If he were a living creature, I would’ve checked his pulse or done chest compressions. But Pepe was a knitted doll—I had no idea what to do. I just hovered anxiously with him in my hands.
Then Pepe let out a tortured scream.
「KRAAAH!」
“Eeek?!”
Like a wolf howling at the moon in agony, a burst of blinding light—like a miniature sun—exploded from Pepe’s tiny body.
When the light finally faded and I opened my eyes, everything around me had completely changed.
‘I’m in the future again.’
I knew instantly.
I had been outside the duke’s estate enjoying the fresh breeze, but now I was indoors again. Out the window, I could see the falling autumn leaves of Count Clyne’s mansion garden.
‘Looks like I’m in the count’s office…’
