Chapter 12

The next day…

He visited my gallery again.

Still wrapped from head to toe in that same black cloak.

Perhaps because his visit the day before had left such a strong impression on me…

I found myself genuinely happy to see him return.

“Welcome.”

“We meet again.”

Just like yesterday, he ordered a cup of hot coffee before glancing toward the paintings hanging on the wall.

“So…”

“You didn’t take them down.”

“…Ah, no.”

“I remember you saying you were thinking about removing them.”

“So you’ve decided to keep them?”

“That’s right.”

I smiled.

“Someone told me they liked my paintings.”

“So I decided to leave them where they are.”

People’s hearts really are fickle.

After hearing someone praise my work…

I began looking at my own paintings differently.

His compliments had made even my monochrome paintings seem charming in my own eyes.

“I think you’ve made the right decision.”

“Please don’t take them down.”

“I’d like to keep seeing your paintings.”

As though preparing to examine them more closely…

He removed the hood of his cloak.

His face slowly came into view.

I had just finished preparing his coffee and was about to hand it to him…

But I stopped.

“…Is there something you wanted to say?”

“No.”

It was just…

The face hidden beneath that hood was astonishingly handsome.

I had already guessed he was a young, well-built man.

But I had never imagined he possessed such extraordinary looks.

“You’re very handsome.”

“…Ah.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone as handsome as you.”

His silver-white hair shimmered brilliantly, almost like moonlight.

It suited his striking features perfectly.

But above all…

His eyes.

Deep blue, like the ocean itself.

There was an indescribable strength within them.

It felt as though they could see straight through anyone standing before him.

They left an unforgettable impression.

“I hear that quite often.”

“That’s one of the reasons I wear a cloak.”

He answered jokingly before smiling.

“…My name is Arwin.”

“I’m just an ordinary citizen.”

“I’m traveling.”

It was a gentle smile.

* * *

Lately…

The café had begun earning more money than the gallery itself.

As more customers visited, several suggestions began appearing repeatedly.

If I had to choose the most common one…

It would be this:

“It would be nice if you had desserts to go with the coffee.”

Everyone had their own reason.

Some simply wanted something to snack on.

Others hoped to enjoy elegant desserts like those served in cafés in the capital.

Some said carrying a teacup while walking around the gallery was inconvenient and wished for something easy to eat by hand.

Originally…

I had only planned to sell coffee.

But after hearing the same suggestion over and over…

I began considering it seriously.

There was really no reason not to.

Selling desserts would naturally increase sales.

And that would help support my livelihood.

Besides…

I had learned baking while living at the ducal estate.

Making desserts wouldn’t be too difficult.

After thinking it over…

I decided small handheld pastries were worth trying.

So I began experimenting with a few dessert recipes.

“What is this?”

“I’ve been developing dessert items lately.”

“Please give it a try.”

I offered Arwin a freshly baked scone.

He looked at me.

Ever since his first visit…

He had come to my gallery every single day without fail.

At first…

I assumed he was merely a wandering traveler who would soon leave.

So his constant visits surprised me.

Did he really like my paintings that much?

He usually came either early in the morning or late in the evening, when no other customers were around.

He would order a cup of coffee…

Then quietly admire the paintings.

He seemed remarkably knowledgeable about art.

Sometimes he would even comment on the other works displayed throughout the gallery.

Occasionally we chatted…

And little by little, we came to know each other.

According to him…

He came from an ordinary family that simply happened to have a bit of money.

He had traveled extensively beyond the Empire.

He loved paintings.

Whenever he visited another country, he always tried to stop by its museums.

Recently, however…

He had wandered so much that it had been quite some time since he’d visited one.

So discovering this gallery had made him genuinely happy.

Arwin was a cheerful and optimistic person.

He cherished every day.

He loved nature.

Yet at the same time…

There was something heavy and thoughtful about him.

His deep blue eyes always carried a quiet seriousness.

In other words…

He was a mysterious person.

The sort whose true thoughts remained hidden.

Still…

Every time I saw the vitality and strength he carried…

It somehow lifted my spirits.

At first…

I tried to maintain a certain distance.

I wanted no one here to learn who I really was.

I didn’t think a traveling young man passing through this countryside would know anything about the Duchess of a distant duchy.

Even so…

Just in case…

I kept my distance.

But looking back…

I think my desire to become friends with him had been sincere.

Not because he was a handsome man…

But because he was someone I wanted to know as a person.

The more I felt grateful for having met such a good acquaintance…

The more I wanted to give him something.

The scone I had baked was my own small gesture of appreciation.

“Please try it and tell me what you think.”

“It’s also my way of thanking you for visiting my gallery so often.”

“…Thank you.”

He looked at the scone for a moment.

Then a faint smile spread across his face as he nodded.

Taking it along with his coffee…

He returned to his usual seat.

After taking a sip of coffee…

He bit into the scone.

Almost immediately…

He looked up at me with surprise.

“It’s an apple scone.”

“I like the way the apple aroma spreads through your mouth.”

“Do you think it’s good enough to add to the menu?”

“I think it would sell very well.”

He finished it in no time.

Apparently…

He had genuinely enjoyed it.

Feeling pleased…

I decided to officially add the apple scone to the menu.

After that…

Whenever I created a new dessert…

I often asked Arwin to taste it first.

He always agreed willingly.

And he gave me honest opinions about everything I made.

By the time he had truly become one of my regular customers…

Unexpected visitors arrived at my gallery.

* * *

The door suddenly swung open.

I looked up to see several knights in uniform entering the café.

The insignia embroidered on their uniforms immediately caught my eye.

They were members of the Imperial Knights.

A feeling of caution immediately rose within me.

Why…?

It was completely unexpected.

What business would the Imperial Knights possibly have in such a quiet countryside?

Especially at a gallery they would seemingly have no reason to visit.

“…May I ask what this is about?”

“We’re searching for someone.”

Those words made my heart skip a beat.

For a brief moment…

I wondered whether they were asking about the whereabouts of the former Duchess.

I tensed.

Fortunately…

That wasn’t the case.

Instead…

They asked about someone called the Third Prince.

“We’re searching for the whereabouts of His Highness the Third Prince, who disappeared many years ago.”

One of them held out a portrait.

Only then did I quietly murmur,

“Ah…”

Now I understood why the Imperial Knights had suddenly appeared.

Adolf de Fontrich.

The Empire’s Third Prince.

He had disappeared seven years ago.

Since the incident had happened so long ago, I had assumed the matter had already been settled.

Apparently…

The search had never truly ended.

As a child…

He had constantly caused trouble.

Then, immediately after coming of age…

He ran away from the Imperial Palace under the pretense of traveling.

A truly notorious prince.

I remembered that during the early days of my marriage…

The Duke had frequently been summoned to the Imperial Palace because of the Third Prince’s disappearance.

It seemed the Imperial Family was still searching for him.

In other words…

Their visit here was nothing more than a routine inquiry.

I lowered my eyes toward the portrait.

Come to think of it…

Was this the first time I’d ever seen the Third Prince’s face?

It probably was.

Normally…

Nobles became acquainted with one another while attending the Academy before making their social debut.

But the Imperial Family followed different traditions.

Princes and princesses never showed their faces publicly until they came of age and attended their debutante ball.

The Imperial Palace was extremely strict about security.

They received all of their education within the palace.

Only after reaching adulthood did they enter high society.

And…

The very year the Third Prince was scheduled to attend his debutante ball…

Diana died.

At the same time…

I became the Duchess.

After that…

I remained in the Duchy.

The Duke had discouraged me from traveling.

Besides…

I believed my place was there.

Because of that…

I never attended another debutante ball.

Not even the one where the Third Prince made his debut.

So…

I knew absolutely nothing about his appearance.

I’d only heard people excitedly claim he was the most handsome of the three princes.

Of course…

He wouldn’t know what I looked like either.

Even if we happened to cross paths somewhere…

He would never recognize me.

Thinking that…

I quietly studied the portrait.

The man in it possessed beautiful silver-white hair.

His face matched it perfectly.

He was undeniably handsome.

Then…

My eyebrows twitched.

Although this was supposedly my first time seeing the Third Prince’s portrait…

Someone immediately came to mind.

The face in the portrait looked remarkably similar to Arwin’s.

…

No.

It was exactly the same face.