* * *

I had a strange dream. Luna thought so, waking up suddenly before anyone could wake her.

It wasn’t a joke, it was indeed a strange dream.

While talking about a person named Deborah, it suddenly became a confession time, and unexpectedly, Luna appeared accepting the confession; an utterly bizarre dream.

It wasn’t the usual dream-like conclusion where ‘they lived happily ever after.’

That was the end. Funnily enough, in the dream, she succumbed to overwhelming fatigue and fell asleep in Antes’s arms.

So she couldn’t think of it as reality. No, who accepts a confession and immediately falls asleep in someone’s arms?

Luna shook her head, getting up from the bed. She felt she needed to wash up and have something to drink.

With that thought, she headed out of the room to find a servant, but instead encountered Antes, wearing a refreshing smile as if he owned the world.

“Good morning.”

“…Why, why are you here…?”

Luna couldn’t finish her sentence and stopped at the top of the stairs.

Half of her wondered, ‘What are you doing in someone else’s mansion this early in the morning?’ and the other half thought, ‘Surely not.’

Despite her cold reaction, Antes seemed unperturbed.

“I knew you’d respond like that, so I stayed.”

“…Pardon?”

“You were drunk and looked tired. I thought you might just dismiss last night’s events as a dream.”

That was exactly it.

As if he had read her mind, Antes calmly replied, approaching Luna.

“How about a stroll in the garden before breakfast? It’s a bit early for breakfast.”

Saying that, he naturally took Luna’s hand. Although he often took her hand while escorting her, this time it felt different.

It felt like a real couple sharing a morning greeting, whispering love, in a situation so embarrassing and uncertain on how to react…

“Huh? Miss, you’re already up? I thought you’d sleep in after the hard day you had yesterday.”

Just as she was thinking this, Laura, who was passing by, greeted Luna.

Taken aback, Luna screamed and darted up the stairs.

“Eek!”

“M-Miss?!”

A startled Laura called out to Luna, but she had long disappeared up the stairs.

“Did, did I do something wrong…?”

It didn’t seem like it. But Laura, with a sorrowful face, asked Antes who consoled her.

“No. If anything, it was Lady Luna’s mistake.”

Luna might attribute it to a delusion, but it was real. It was a relief that she remembered. If she claimed not to, that would have been a headache.

From the start, Antes was content with their pretend relationship becoming official. Once started, there was no choice but to see it through.

* * *

On the other hand, Luna, who had fled to her room, took a moment to sort out her thoughts.

She wasn’t elegantly reflecting with tea but instead wringing her head buried in her disheveled blanket.

‘Is this real?! Did I really accept Antes’s confession yesterday?!’

It hadn’t been long since she realized she liked him…? It would have been slower to roast beans over a campfire.

How did she go from the realization of affection to official dating in such a short time?

Luna, who was unaware that her feelings were so obvious, questioned the world while mindlessly kicking her blanket.

‘I should’ve taken a moment to think before answering!’

Suddenly, Antes started a countdown, and she impulsively agreed. Of course, even if she had gone back to yesterday to have time to think…

‘…I would still give the same answer.’

She didn’t dislike Antes. No, she actually liked him.

How could she not? He was always kind to her and helpful when needed.

And he was also very handsome, especially that face that could charm anyone with just a smile. It should have been a national treasure.

‘Maybe the Crown Prince thought the same, being attracted to his shining presence.’

A hint of jealousy appeared in Luna’s thoughts. Despite her embarrassment, she couldn’t help liking him.

“Miss! It’s time for breakfast!”

While she was deep in thought, she heard Laura’s voice from outside. Checking the time, it was already time to eat.

After pondering a bit more, Luna rose from her blanket.

If she would have made the same choice even if she went back to yesterday, there was no reason to run.

With that decision, Luna left her room but unexpectedly faced Antes instead of Laura, who had called her.

“I thought we could go down together.”

Seeing the look on her face, which seemed to ask ‘Why isn’t Laura here but you?’, Antes offered his hand and said that even before she could ask.

After glancing at his hand for a moment, Luna closed her eyes, then bravely grabbed it.

Thankfully, since she had sorted out her feelings, she wasn’t startled like before.

In fact, there was a tingling and fluttering feeling in her heart, making her mood somehow brighter.

“…How about a stroll after breakfast?”

Gathering more courage, she saw Antes’s eyes widen in surprise. But it lasted only a moment. His eyes soon softened with warmth.

“Sounds good.”

Thanks to you, even Luna’s face relaxed a bit. Her cheeks did flush, but she realized it was a pleasant thrill only after she experienced it.

As she was holding hands with Antes, heading to the dining room, she suddenly remembered an important matter she had forgotten.

“Ah, by the way, I want to continue the conversation we couldn’t finish yesterday.”

“The unfinished conversation from yesterday?”

“Yes. The discussion about my diamond with Deborah.”

She had to differentiate between personal and business matters. Especially now that there was a stake with the diamond, she needed to grasp the entire situation properly.

“Actually, I thought of the perfect person for it.”

“The perfect person?”

“Yes, the one who planted a spy in the Duke’s family. Thanks to the young lord.”

Only then did Antes think of Royer, unknowingly furrowing his brow.

He too had thought of monitoring the Duke’s situation through Royer, but for some reason, he just felt uncomfortable.

“It’d be nice if you could call him after the walk.”

“Understood.”

So when he suggested calling him a bit later, Luna smiled in agreement.

Then, Antes, feeling better, managed to smile again.

* * *

Thanks to a significant investment, the jeweler was more responsive than expected. Especially since its owner, Luna, had recently been raising the stock price daily.

When news spread that she had discovered a diamond mine, everyone was talking about Luna.

And naturally, this reached the ears of Duke Rodrian.

The Duke invited Deborah for a meal and calmly asked:

“I heard you went to a jewelry store.”

“Ah, yes…”

Seeing Deborah’s response, he remembered Lady Peils, who also prospered after finding a gold mine and now a diamond mine.

If he had known, he would have kept her closer from the beginning.

Seeing Deborah, who resembled Luna, made him unreasonably angry. He was even more irritated thinking about Fersen, who he locked up.

In his anger, the Duke tore into his steak, not minding table manners. He couldn’t concentrate on anything.

No, not only that, but everything else was out of reach.

Was Fersen planning to ruin his family name and live well on his own? The Duke was so infuriated that he couldn’t contain himself and called for his servant.

“Do something! Do you plan to just let it be?!”

He then sharply reprimanded the servant. Even though he didn’t clearly state his intentions, the servant understood the reason for the Duke’s anger.

“…I’ll send people to all three mines.”

Promising to handle it, the servant bowed and left the dining room. Only then did the Duke seem a bit relieved.

He then turned to Deborah and asked:

“So, how was the jewelry store? Was it as amazing as the rumors?”

“Ah, no…!”

For some reason, Deborah instinctively denied it. She already knew that the Duke had a grudge against Luna, and his words about sending people to the mine sounded threatening.

Her fear was evident on her face, but the Duke seemed satisfied with her answer.

Yes, a potential heir should at least be that observant. The Duke, now in a better mood, took a bite of his steak.