The fireplace blazed warmly with red flames.

“…”

“…”

Lily and Blake were the only ones in the hall on the first floor.

Blake was terrified that he might be the reason she acted like an old, broken watch. Was he scared? It was a modifier that never suited him, but the man he now definitely was.

‘Is it because of me?’

Blake couldn’t stand it and made contact with her.

If it was the original Lily, she would have noticed his thinking and denied it. However, Lily was caught up in her past and had no energy to even think about the memories of that day.

“You look bored.” (Blake)

Blake fidgeted and let out a low, laborious voice.

“I’m okay. Thank you for your concern.” (Lily)

“I heard you skipped dinner tonight.” (Blake)

“I’m not feeling well.” (Lily)

“Can you drink tea on an empty stomach like that?” (Blake)

Lily looked up at Blake, who was sitting across from her. She didn’t remember learning anything like that.

“I don’t know.” (Lily)

“Then not. Give it to me.” (Blake)

She wrinkled her expression lightly. It meant she didn’t like it.

But Blake couldn’t tolerate any disturbing elements.

Taking the tea from Lily was not enough, he drank it in one gulp.

“Wow, the smell is disgusting.” (Blake) 

“It’s like a sensitive rookie.”

“I should rinse my mouth with brandy.” (Blake)

Lily nodded her head slightly.

As she fell into a world of her own again, Blake looked into her eyes.

‘Are you really saying I’m the problem?’  But… Even if time goes back to the day they danced, he wasn’t sure he would be able to resist his desire to kiss her.

‘So, I warned you not to think about staying alone as a family member.’

Besides, if it was another woman, he might think differently, why Lily?

He sipped the brandy on the shelf in a frustrated mind.

Still, the red eyes continued to stare at Lily.

Blake didn’t want to be abandoned. Really.

Losing his father in a mysterious accident, losing his men on the battlefield, and now losing his first love? Blake didn’t want to admit it, but Lily was definitely his first love. It was a harsh first love that opened the door to his young heart.

Time went on and on.

The man had been restless for several days, but the situation was still the same. Lilly was quiet, the servants couldn’t find a solution, and Winter Castle was as quiet as before.

The only difference was the fact that Blake couldn’t concentrate on his work at all.

“I can’t read the words. I’ll see the papers later, so put them away first.”

“But, sir, it’s already been two days… .”

“We can do it all at once later.”

To make matters worse, not long ago, gunshots had been heard near the mansion.

“My head hurts.”

It was as if the war neurosis had a needle in his brain and danced a tango.

It was because of the employees who lived at the bottom of the mountain. After realizing late that the Sebastian they encountered was a criminal, they widened the scope of their actions to find him and apologize to Blake directly for their mistake, but then used a gun close to the castle.

‘The last time I had war neurosis, Lily Hedwick helped me.’

On that thundering day, the atmosphere in a place that was nothing more than an abandoned house was very good, but why is it like this now?

IlDexter was equally troubled.

If the processing of documents was delayed at this rate, financial problems could arise. He thought, looking at Blake.

‘Isn’t there any solution that can evoke the atmosphere in the castle?’

Rather, he hoped that a letter from Miss Lily’s ex-husband would arrive sooner.

That would give Blake a reason to talk to Lily for a long time, so maybe it could work out the awkward atmosphere between the two of them.

A few days later, IIDexter’s wish finally came true.

“It’s here!”

IIDexter opened the door of the winter castle and came in with a cold wind. His glasses were fogged.

He shouted as he saw Blake leaning against the red wall.

“Sir, the third letter has finally arrived! You’re going to write a reply and tell Miss Lily, right? You promised, right? You just pretend you don’t remember?”

The aide brought Lily’s ex-husband’s letter and was excited.

It wasn’t just the original reason. During this time, he suffered a lot of heartache. It was because he had to hide all these facts from Lily, who always smiled. Did her ex-husband find out her whereabouts? Still, Blake was silent. He was also very anxious.

“Promise?” (Lily)

Surprisingly, it was Lily, not Blake, who answered.

Lily was in a place where IIDexter couldn’t see because of his foggy glasses.

Blake was talking to Lily, who was going down the stairs.

“What promise, Mr. IlDexter?” (Lily)

“….!”

Blake almost smashed the wine glass he was holding with his grip.

And IlDexter also sensed his death.

The steam slowly disappeared from his glasses.

The first floor of the castle on a cold evening with a stone wall. A cold staircase away from the center glowing red around the fireplace.

He looked at Lily who was with her eyes wide open as if curious about what was going on.

He also saw Blake staring at him from a distance with a monster-like grim expression.

“After Lord Blake sent a reply, he’ll tell me. I’m curious what you were saying.” (Lily)

Lily kindly reviewed the lines.

“That, that, that, that is the word….”

At this moment, IIDexter has no thought of promotion.

He had to somehow get over the situation and save his life..…

Or come up with a quote to be engraved on his tombstone.

As he faltered because he could not find an excuse, the glass of wine in Blake’s hand cracked.

Thanks to that, the adrenaline was released, and IIDexter’s brain worked.

All of a sudden, lies came out.

“I ordered a large number of magic stones this time! Aren’t Miss Lily and I the only ones who can inspect it?” (IIDexter)

“Hmmm.”

“In other words, our work has increased, and His Excellency said that I have kept my mouth shut until the goods arrive. He’s always angry, don’t you agree?” (IIDexter)

Fortunately for IlDexter, he did not bring up the word ‘ex-husband’.

Her ex-husband was the same noble as Lily and Blake, a class that IIDexter had to keep his head down from a job standpoint.

Thanks to that, he avoided the word ‘ex-husband’ and just said ‘a letter came’, but that saved his life.

“That’s right, Lord Blake always kills.”

Lily nodded obediently to IIDexter’s lies.

“Because not long ago, he took away the tea I was drinking.” (Lily)

“Isn’t that a very terrible act?” (IIDexter)

The two talked hard in front of Blake, where the beats were right.

“In the past… …… .”

At the secret whisper of IIDexter, Lily’s eyes widened.

“Really? Did he really do that?” 

“I told you. But I’m not surprised. Lord Blake is basically a martial arts rookie.”

“Did you know that? Not long ago, while pouring alcohol, I accidentally spilled it on his head, and he got angry like fire.”

“Oh…… I’d like to curse if possible, but it seems that there’s a little bit of your fault…”

Blake’s feelings became increasingly uncomfortable.

It was good to turn the topic off of Count Fox’s letter, but IIDexter was really…..

“Hmm.”

Blake coughed low, still leaning against the wall.

IIDexter was excited to be able to lie to Lily, and then came back to his senses.

“Oh, Miss Lily, while talking about it. Would you like to go check the magic stones right away? It arrived in the afternoon and I put it in a room in the hallway on the right of the third floor.”

IIDexter didn’t want to be alone with Blake right now.

“Okay.”

Lily simply nodded her head.

After it was finally revealed that she was a sorceress, Lily was helping hands in an appropriate place.

Blake also raised his large body from the wall.

“Then I’ll go on a night patrol. I’ll have to check my bow skills after a long time.” (Blake)

“The knights say that the mountain range is unusual, so please have a safe trip!” (IIDexter)

“Yes. I’ll go back and share the situation, so I’ll see you later, aide.”

Blake smiled. His teeth looked fierce.

For IIDexter, it was a smile that came only with fear.

“Yes……”

Lily headed to the third floor, leading the frightened aide.

She had such a soft expression on her face. However, as she circled the wolf statue in a clockwise direction, she suddenly raised her eyebrows.

‘They’re deceiving me.’ (Lily)

She was also the one who noticed when the couple, who hated her, lied that they had postponed the sponsorship date by three days.

Of course, she was aware of such a clumsy lie. But she also knew that there would be no income even if she questioned them right now. It was cute to see the two men lying hard, but…

Lily’s pretty eyes turned cold and then returned to normal without anyone knowing.

‘Should a person like me know the truth that I don’t even know what it is? Or should I become a puppet who knows nothing as I have been living all this time?’

She soon felt exhausted. It was not of her own will, but she became dazed again, as she had been for a while.