I heard a strangely trembling voice from beyond the door, but I decided to ignore it.

It’s not surprising.

The Mage Duchess and I hadn't met or spoken after I delivered that scathing verbal attack. It was only natural that she'd still be in a state of panic. The person behind the door right now was probably Beatrix and not the Mage Duchess.

Besides, there was no need to focus on a slight stutter when there were so many ways to shake her. And it should be done in a way that made her happy, not by picking on something embarrassing.

"You may enter."

Once permission was granted, the secretary who had guided me to the chamber stepped back.

I’d been here more than once so I honestly didn’t need the secretary's help, but the intense stares from the other mages made it hard for me to insist on going alone.

If the tower had a blacklist, then I could be pretty sure I was at the top as ‘the jerk who made the Tower Master cry.’

"Your Grace, I'm coming in."

I thanked the secretary and grasped the doorknob.

The final warning to brace myself before entering was just a bonus.

“C-c-come in.”

Unfortunately, the warning didn’t help much.

Her voice was still trembling, and her ears were twitching slightly; her face was definitely not calm judging by the way it was awkwardly flushed.

Still, it was a relief. At least the other mages didn’t see this.

“I came to pay my respects before the year ends. I hope I'm not interrupting anything?”

“Oh, I have plenty of time to see you, so you can come whenever you like.”

I greeted lightly, and the Mage Duchess responded with a nod.

Wow.

I almost laughed out loud at the sight.

The once trembling ears had calmed down. The eyes that had been darting around now hesitantly glanced at me. It was as if she was too embarrassed to ask for what she wanted directly, hoping I'd notice first.

It might be a bit impolite to think this about someone much older than me, but honestly, it was cute. I could guess why she was hesitating so much.

“Thank you, Beatrix.”

So, I gave her what she wanted.

“Hic...!”

The effect was immediate.

The Mage Duchess's already flushed face turned tomato red. She’d probably burst if I just tapped her.

Even her ears started twitching at a pace I'd never seen before. She seemed embarrassed, but clearly pleased.

“Looks like I’ll have to drop by more often. You're sure I can come anytime, right?”

The Mage Duchess nodded repeatedly as I said this and approached her.

“Y-yes, a-a-anytime...”

“But your words and actions don’t match.”

At those words, the Mage Duchess, who had been inching backward, froze in place. She must have moved without realizing it.

And now that I had pointed it out, she was caught in a dilemma; too embarrassed to retreat but too awkward to stand still.

Seeing this, a playful urge welled up deep inside me. I normally wouldn’t dare tease a duke. However, the fact that I was now the one making fun of her gave me an unexpected surge of courage.

"Now there's no place left to run."

With a small smile, I reached out my hand.

Yes, the current me was brimming with courage. I felt like I could do anything.

So, I touched the ears that were no longer twitching and were standing straight. Honestly, I'd always been curious about this. What did an elf's ear feel like?

"…"

Surprisingly, the Mage Duchess didn't react at all when I grabbed her ear.

No; to be precise, she couldn't.

"Beatrix?"

I cautiously removed my hand from her ear after checking her condition.

Her body which had been trembling intermittently suddenly went limp, and even the light in her eyes faded as it turned dull.

...Oh no.

She looked like she had died standing up.

***Fortunately, the Mage Duchess’s mind returned quickly. It wasn't that she fainted; she just blanked out for a moment from the shock.

Still, perhaps realizing she'd been teased, the Mage Duchess spoke in the calmest voice she could muster.

"Baby, I am a Duke and the Tower Master of this tower. No matter how close we are, there should be a minimum level of respect—"

"So you didn’t like it?"

"..."

Of course, her scolding had no effect. She didn’t lose her composure because she disliked it; on the contrary, she seemed too happy, so she had nothing else to say.

I chuckled softly at her silence and then spoke again.

"If Your Grace didn’t like it, then I’ll go back to the way I used to speak."

"I-I didn’t say I didn’t like it..."

"Then you'll just have to get used to it little by little."

At that, the Mage Duchess cautiously nodded. She probably knew better than anyone that she needed to get accustomed to this pattern.

However, there seemed to be some sadness in that nod. It was as if she was happy to be called by name and to share these small touches, but sad that she was unable to fully enjoy that happiness. If I had to guess, she seemed to be mourning her weak defenses.

The Mage Duchess’s defenses really were fragile. It seemed worse than when Marghetta was at her lowest.

Is it okay to give it now?

I felt more conflicted the more I felt the case in my pocket. If just calling her name had this effect, then what would happen if I gave her the ring? Would she actually faint?

However, my hesitation was brief. If I kept finding excuses to delay, then I'd probably never be able to give it to her.

"Beatrix."

Ring number 2, here we go.

***These feelings were something I had never experienced before. I was both happy and sad, filled with a sense of longing but, at the same time, also a deep satisfaction.

Baby had always taken my firsts. My first love, my first hug, the first time I set aside my pride—it was all with him. And now, he had also brought me to feel these new emotions.

And look at me now.

It felt bittersweet. While baby had given me countless firsts, I could barely bring myself to act.

He showed his emotions freely. He called me by name and spoke informally without hesitation. Of course, I didn’t mind it. In fact, I loved it. I was so happy that I could listen to him say my name all day long.

But I couldn’t do anything in return. I was always too embarrassed to speak whenever he called my name, and I ended up backing away whenever he tried to approach me.

This isn't right.

How could this be called love if I couldn’t even communicate properly?

I should be able to call baby with affection and respond warmly when he comes near. Love should be about mutual exchange and not a one-sided affair.

So, I needed to try harder. Maybe I should start by addressing him differently, just like he did. Not just ‘baby,’ but perhaps something more intimate like ‘ dearest’ or... ‘m-my husband’?

"Take your time; there's no rush."

I suddenly recalled the time he ignored my attempt to call him ‘dearest’, but I quickly pushed that memory aside.

In any case, I needed to get used to expressing my feelings. That was the only way to avoid what just happened.

If only I had endured.

Embarrassing and tingling thoughts crept into my mind. What might have happened next if, just if, I hadn’t lost my senses when he touched my ear?

Would we have hugged? Would he have patted my head? Perhaps even a kiss—

"Beatrix."

The sound of baby’s voice made me flinch while I was lost in my happy daydreams. Had he somehow caught onto my thoughts?

“Actually, I didn’t just come to say hello.”

I blinked at that.

Did it matter? Whether he came for a greeting or anything else didn’t matter; the fact that he came to see me was what was important. I’d likely greet him with a smile even if he came here to borrow money.

“It’s time I gave you my answer.”

I froze again when he spoke and pulled something out.

Time to give me an answer?

My mind, which usually worked quickly, seemed to slow down. What answer was he talking about? Could it be what I was thinking it was?

My heart began to race. My instincts screamed that it was true, but my rational mind told me not to get my hopes up too high. There was nothing more pathetic than getting excited only to be disappointed.

But when I saw what baby pulled out—a small case, tied with a white ribbon—and when that ribbon was undone and when he took out a ring, all my anxiety vanished, replaced by an indescribable happiness that filled my chest.

“It’s not much compared to what I’ve received, but it’s the best I can offer.”

I quickly shook my head as he smiled awkwardly while saying that. I couldn’t agree with what he said.

Not much? If anything, it was what I had given him that was insignificant. The ring baby was offering was more precious and beautiful than anything in this world.

“U-um, baby...”

As I looked at the ring, a thought I had been trying to avoid came rushing back.

“Is that... one of those rings that combine into one?”

I asked cautiously while looking at the ring on his finger. I never dared to desire it because I thought it was too much for me, but deep down I wanted it more than anything.

I’d known for a while that baby gave a unique ring to Lady Marghetta. I heard it from a mage stationed at the academy and confirmed it myself by looking at his hand.

It wasn’t an ordinary couple’s ring but a single ring that split into two. It was a design so unique and beautiful that it was impossible not to covet it.

“...Of course.”

Baby paused for a moment before answering my question, but then he smiled and scratched the ring with his fingernail.

The ring split perfectly in half. When I saw that, I felt like I was going to cry.

“I’m sorry it took so long to give you an answer. I spent a lot of time worrying about how to respond in a way you’d like.”

He then took my left hand and slipped the half-ring, which held half of the world, onto my finger.

"Maybe a single action would’ve been better than a hundred words. Was I too late?"

“No.”

I shook my head again at his words.

I looked at the ring on my hand, then at baby, and back at the ring. How could this small object feel so heavy?

“...You weren’t late at all.”

I smiled as I answered.

As long as I heard his answer in my lifetime, it was never too late.

***I couldn’t help but glance down bitterly as I watched the Mage Duchess brim with joy with the second half of the ring.

There, lying alone in the case, was a single ring.

I’m sorry.

Apologizing to an inanimate object might seem ridiculous, but it felt appropriate in this case. I was truly sorry.

A ring that was supposed to adorn someone’s finger and bring them happiness would now forever remain hidden from the world.

I never expected the Mage Duchess to want a half-ring, too.

It’s my fault for messing up the first step.

It was sad, but it couldn’t be helped. I wasn’t even married yet, so I couldn’t afford to give the impression of playing favorites with rings.

Besides, I instinctively knew it. The moment the second half-ring was created, there would be no stopping the third, fourth, or fifth. My fate was to keep splitting these rings.

I closed my eyes in frustration, then opened them again. The lonely ring caught my eye once more.

...I'll find a use for it someday.

But was that just my imagination?

It almost sounded like the ring was cursing me out.