When I was with Robert, I used to bump into adults’ legs all the time, but now that I’m with the tall Camry, such incidents never happen.

After a short while.

Crunch.

The two of them, who had escaped to the outskirts of the sparsely populated city, were sitting by the road, enjoying a snack. When Izeline complained of a sore leg, Camry, who knew the place, brought her there.

It was truly a hidden gem.

Looking up, they could feel the liveliness of the bustling downtown in the distance while at the same time enjoying the tranquility away from the crowded crowds.

“How was today?”

Camry asked, watching Izeline eat crispy french fries dipped in Andalusian sauce. She moved her mouth, chewed, and replied.

“It was so mwuch fun.”

Camry smiled back at her, satisfied. As she cleanly finished the crispy french fries, Izeline dusted off her hands.

“Should we go back now? It’s been an hour already.”

“Izeline.”

Camry grabbed her as she was about to get up from her seat.

“Hm?”

Confused, Izeline looked at him as he hesitated. What was going on? They had already reconciled and resolved everything earlier…

“I’m sorry.”

“…?”

There was something that had been bothering his conscience. He had apologized to her, but wasn’t there someone else he needed to ask for forgiveness?

“Well, I mean… If you could pass it on…”

“What? I can’t hear you well.”

“I’m sorry… I should have… Ugh!”

“Camry!”

Izeline turned her body quickly in response to the shadow that engulfed them.

Whack!

And just like that, without a chance to retaliate, she too lost consciousness and fell down, following her friend.

* * *

The dawn was quiet.

Robert couldn’t fall asleep, his heart pounding with anticipation.

‘Please, let the sun rise faster. Please, please. I want to see her as soon as possible.’

Tick-tock.

However, indifferently, the hour hand flowed at its usual pace.

In the past two days, the emptiness of her absence would wash over him. Only Oren and Michael would noisily knock on the door, barging in, somehow making time pass. As the reunion drew near, restraining himself became unbearably difficult.

Eventually, unable to endure it any longer, he got up from his seat and quietly opened the door. In the dimly lit corridor, only moonlight trickled through.

Step, step.

He walked along the silent corridor, devoid of anyone, until he stopped in front of the adjacent room.

Creak.

Knowing it was an empty room, still, he turned the doorknob and entered.

A strange feeling seized him.

Izeline’s scent lingered throughout the room.

Why did he hate her for leaving only her scent behind? In his attempt to soothe his loneliness, the longing seemed to grow even stronger. He wondered if she had forgotten about him and was doing well.

‘I tried to forget, but I keep thinking about her…’

Robert puffed up his cheeks and then plopped down onto the empty bed. The scent of her hair that he had smelled from the pillow filled the air.

“What two do…”

When winter came, would she leave if her father came to find her?

He experienced and realized it this time. Even if it was just two days, he didn’t want to be separated from her.

“It’s bad…”

Mumbling without knowing who to blame, he nestled closer to the pillow as if it were Izeline, finding some comfort in it.

He needed to fall asleep quickly.

He closed his eyes tightly, hoping for the morning sun to rise soon. When he opened his eyes again, he prayed she would be by his side.

* * *

Robert tossed and turned in his sleep, feeling the sunlight flickering through his eyelids. Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind, and he jolted awake.

‘It’s morning!’

Izeline might have returned. In a flash, he sprang up like a pop-up doll. She might be sleeping next to him… or she might be sitting at the table, eating cookies…

“Not hewe…”

As he wandered around the room, he jumped out of bed and dashed towards the bathroom.

“….”

But she wasn’t there, not even washing up…

Uneasiness surged in his chest when he couldn’t find any trace of her in the room.

‘Oh well. Let’s go to the dining hall.’

She must have gone to eat something as soon as she woke up.

Without further thought, Robert headed towards the dining hall. The busy morning hours seemed to be the reason why the maids were bustling around, their voices resounding everywhere.

‘…What?’

He felt a strange discomfort from the gazes that glanced at him. Normally, people would pass by him as if he were invisible…

“Hey.”

Someone grabbed the hem of his clothes. It was Michael.

“What is iwt?”

He unintentionally spoke with an annoyed tone to the person he had seen too much of in the past two days.

“Haven’t you heard?”

“What?”

Annoyed by Michael’s perplexing remark, Robert furrowed his brow, though Michael said something strange.

“Izeline is missing.”

“….”

“They say she went to the downtown area and disappeared.”

“N-nonsense…”

Robert didn’t find his joke funny. None of this was amusing at all.

“The aide has mobilized soldiers to search the city, and the master has gone too.”

There was not the slightest hint of amusement on Michael’s face as he spoke. He was the kind of guy who wouldn’t crack a joke if a sword came flying at the nape of his neck…

Robert shook anxiously like a pillar losing its support.

“Who said swuch absurd things?”

“Everyone is talking about it. Haven’t you heard?”

When he consciously heard around, the noise of maids chattering and gossiping flowed into his ears.

“She disappeared suddenly, without anyone noticing.”

“Now, what will the young master do? His only friend is gone…”

They were obviously exaggerating and making things up. At that moment, Robert noticed someone approaching from the other side of the corridor, so he pushed Michael aside and stepped forward.

“Monica!”

Look at this. Since Monica had returned, Izeline must have come along as well.

“Moni…ca…”

However, he stopped abruptly, unable to take a few more steps. Her face was unfamiliar with a vacant expression. Her green eyes, identical to Izeline, were unfocused and trembling uncontrollably. His heart felt like it was plunging into an abyss.

The petrified Robert, after a brief hesitation, asked in a trembling voice.

“It’s bween two days. Where’s Izeline?”

“I’m sorry, Young Master…”

“Answer me! Is Izeline here?”

“….”

His mind failed to comprehend, but his heart accepted the reality.

Thump. Thud, thud. Thump, thump, thump.

His irregularly pounding heart was accompanied by an unprecedented shock. The mana that had been protecting his heart began to unravel.

“Ke…ugh!”

“Young Master!”

“Robert!”

Monica and Michael let out startled screams. The faces of the maids around them were also filled with astonishment.

A crimson stream of blood flowed from Robert’s lips.

—