Cersinia stared intently at Archen, who bowed to her. It was a face that she hadn’t seen in a long time. The last time she saw Archen was in the village of Rafleche. It was the first time she encountered him after she started residing in the Grand Duchy.

“Are you doing well, Archen?”

“Yes. May I sit next to you?”

“Sure, have a seat.”

Archen sat in a chair opposite Cersinia. She wanted to meet Archen to confirm the truth behind Ben’s rumours. But the question she never thought about came to her mind.

‘What can I do even if I find out about it?’

She’s going to leave this place soon.

“I heard that you are going to inspect the estate starting tomorrow. You must be busy.”

“There are still places that need to be inspected. We will be back soon.”

“Ah, yes.”

There was an awkward silence. It was uncomfortable because it was the first time Cersinia was alone with Archen. She wanted Verne to return quickly.

“Lady Cersinia.”

Archen, who wasn’t talking looked even scarier with his expressionless face, finally opened his mouth.

“Yes, Archen.”

She encouraged him. It was surprising that Archen broke the silence first.

“Did you enjoy the Harvest festival?”

Cersinia face hardened at his question.

“Nothing special happened, so I don’t have anything to tell you.”

Her tone was cold. It hurts every time that story is brought up, it was as if to remind herself again.

“Is that so?”

Archen smoothed his sleeve, thinking about what to say. His Master didn’t stay in his mansion since he came with Cersinia to the Grand Duchy. As if running away from whatever had happened, his Master left the mansion. He stayed in the warehouse to inspect the estate.

It wasn’t just that.

Archen asked his Master, who had been to the Harvest festival if everything had been well, and his Master’s whole body froze. His Master only stood blankly with an expression he had never seen before.

His Master often smiled softly ever since the day he brought Cersinia to the mansion until the Harvest festival. It was like he was the happiest person in the world. However, after returning from the festival, his Master looked despaired as if he had lost all his hopes. Even the people watching him from the side could feel his pain. It’s similar to how he cried when Archen brought him here three years ago.

Archen knew why his Master was wandering outside like a person who had lost everything.

Cersinia.

It was obviously because of her. Three years ago, then, and now, she was the only reason why his Master would act like that. He felt like he had to meet her. That was the reason he came to her today.

“Your Excellency’s complexion doesn’t look good these days.”

“…”

“I thought he would be back as usual, but ever since he came back from the Harvest festival, he hasn’t been eating properly and just focusing on his work.”

Cersinia was silent. What can she say when she was the one that sinned?

“Lady Cersinia, I’m ashamed to say this, but can you help Your Excellency?”

Archen asked with a desperate expression. Cersinia looked at the ground, playing with her nails. She pondered over what to say, but she only came up with one answer.“I can’t do that.”

“Lady Cersinia.”

“That’s out of my ability.”

Because she wasn’t the one who was supposed to be by his side for the rest of her life. In a way, it was natural as she wasn’t greedy, but it really made her heart slump to the ground while saying that. The more she thought about it, the more her heart ached.

“I’m a sinner.”

At the sudden words, Cersinia looked at Archen to ask what he meant. Archen had a troubled face, lowered his head, and continued to talk.

“I wish for Your Excellency happiness more than anyone else. I’m well aware that his happiness is being with Lady Cersinia. But selfishly, it was me who took that happiness away from him.”

“What…”

Cersinia couldn’t understand what he was saying.

“Three years ago, I was the one who took Your Excellency by force.”

Her expression hardened at his unexpected words. It was the story she heard from Ben. The story of a man from the Grand Duke family who dragged him away like a kidnapper. But Cersinia didn’t know it was Archen who did that. It was unimaginable since she could see that Archen worked hard and cared for Ben as his closest aide.

“…That’s unexpected. Especially the fact that Ben still keeps you next to him.”

How strong is his heart to keep the person who ruined his life next to him all day?

“It’s my destiny and karma.So I ought to carry my duties towards Your Excellency until the day I die.”

The heavy wind blew quietly between the two. Cersinia opened her mouth to ask Archen, who lowered his head like a sinner, the truth about the rumours she heard concerning three years ago.

“I recently heard that Ben woke up from his bed after being sick for a long time.”

Archen’s shoulders flinched.

“It’s strange. He was definitely with me three years ago.”

“…It’s the story that we told people who outside of the Grand Duchy.”

It was an expected answer. But there were more than one or two odd things, so Cersinia continued.

“Then why did Ben, the successor of the Grand Duke, live outside with his mother from an early age and become a slave? Why did you have to take him back three years ago?”

Archen didn’t answer any of her questions. His confused eyes looked everywhere but her. Cersinia knew intuitively that there was something.

“And three years ago, it wasn’t there when he was with me.”

At her words, Archen raised his eyes.

“What do you mean?”

“The wounds. The one on his back.”

Archen stiffened in surprise. Cersinia continued with keen eyes.

“Archen, as expected, you knew about it.”

Archen’s rigid behaviour was telling her that he knew about it. Cersinia was certain without prying any further. Archen knew the secret of all this strangeness.

“…”

Archen remained silent. He couldn’t estimate how far he could lie to Cersinia, who surprisingly knew more than he thought, so he had to organize his thoughts before speaking. The intended stillness covered the garden, but Cersinia waited.

Now that she asked, she just had to wait for Archen’s answer. However, Archen did not open his mouth as easily as she thought he would. Even until Cersinia calmed down, he remained silent with a worried face.

“Lady Cersinia.”

His eyes looked firmer.

“Please speak.”“I can do anything for Your Excellency’s happiness. But I know that even if I forcibly make his happiness stay by his side, that’s not what Your Excellency really wants.”

Archen has been saying only strange things since earlier. But even in the midst of this, he seemed to tell her that she was Ben’s happiness, and that made her heart shake subtly.

‘I’m really fed up with this situation.’

“So, I hope that Lady Cersinia will stay by Your Excellency’s side on your own accord. Since it’s time for you to be happy too.”

“Archen. I can’t even understand what you’re saying right now.”

“I’m sorry. This is all I can say. I’m just Your Excellency’s aid, so I believe you will understand that I cannot tell you his story carelessly.”

Archen eventually chose to not reveal anything about it. Because he knew that if he had lied, it would soon be found out. His Master vowed to bury his past when he stood in front of the Cersinia’s door house, waiting for her in the Rafleche Village. So he couldn’t dare to tell his story.

“After all, you can’t tell me.”

“I’m sorry.”

Cersinia leaned her body against the chair. She knew it wouldn’t easy to get him to tell her, but her mind was getting more and more restless.

“I understand. I won’t ask anymore.”

“Thank you for understanding.”

Archen’s words were really proving that something had happened to Ben. Something unpleasant enough for him to hide it, even to her.

‘What in the world happened…?’

‘Urgh! I don’t know.’

It was also funny that she, who would leave soon, was so obsessed with Ben’s past.

“Lady Cersinia, I sincerely ask you to reconsider the request I shamelessly made.”

Archen, who got up from his seat, bowed deeply.

“Don’t do this. Stand up, Archen.”

Despite Cersinia’s dissuasion, he remained firmly in his position.

“Your Excellency really wanted to be by Lady Cersinia’s side every single day.”

“…”

“And it’s all my fault that he couldn’t go. He really didn’t do anything wrong. I just want you to know that.”

Archen, who had been bowing down for a long time, raised himself up. He greeted her, walked away from his seat, leaving her with a confused expression on her face.

“I take a lot of your time. I’m sorry. Then rest well, Lady Cersinia.”

Cersinia slumped into the chair as she watched Archen’s back moving away.

“What do you want me to do…”

She buried her face deep in her hands in dizziness. Then she suddenly remembered the time she had reunited with Ben. Ben’s expression when he explained why he was missing for three years and the way he struggled the whole time he spoke. At that time, she couldn’t properly understand because of how disappointed she was.

‘What really happened to him?’

She remembered that it must have hurt so much that he wanted to hide it. It must be a painful memory, even if he didn’t say it aloud. Cersinia couldn’t ignore it for some reason.