“…Yes?”

“What surprises you? I got engaged to your father when I was nineteen.”

The Marchioness smiled meaningfully with a playful face like a naughty child.

“Since you will officially appear in front of everyone today, aren’t you thinking about marriage? Ah, just thinking about it already gives me a headache…”

She pressed her fingers to her temples.

“If you continue to go to balls and parties, you too will someday fall in love and dream of a greater future with your chosen one. So, as a parent, shouldn’t I get excited and prepare ahead of time? But don’t worry too much though. Mom and dad won’t accept arranged marriages. Therefore, you will marry whenever you want.”

“Ah, that’s what it sounded like.”

Isn’t it because of Ray? Yurina clutched her hot cheeks, still trembling at the Marchioness’s words.

“Well, maybe you already have someone you love.”

“Yes?”

“Who could have known how greatly everything will spin.”

Seeing the Marchioness shrug unnaturally and look away, Yurina was convinced that her mother had already found out about her relationship with Reynard. But instead of being offended by this, she was surprisingly pleased with it, so she just laughed.

“I know, right.”

“Yes. Oh, I have to prepare, but I took too much time. I wasn’t here to talk about this.”

Marchioness looked at the half-open door and clapped her hands. One of her maids, who had been waiting outside her, entered her with a dark purple box. She opened the box in front of Yurina.

“Uh? This…”

Inside the box was a headdress with a rose flower, the symbol of the Carthia family. Until last year, this hat was worn by the Marchioness whenever she went to an important event.

Yurina picked up the hair ornament and carefully brushed the rose ornament with her fingertips.

“This…”

Can I wear this? These words got stuck in her throat and didn’t come out of her mouth. During this time, Yurina received many gifts from her family, but the symbol of the family was on a completely different level.

When Yurina looked at the evening hat and hesitated, the Marchioness took it out and carefully placed it on Yurina’s head.

Marchioness’s hair was as blonde as Yurina’s. In view of this, the hat sewn for the Marchioness fit Yurina as well.

“Now it’s ready.”

The Marchioness looked into the mirror and smiled in satisfaction before gently kissing Yurina on the cheek.

“It suits you much better than me. Seeing this reminds me of when your mother was young.”

“…”

“Do you like it?”

Yurina put her hand on the cheek where the lips touched her and nodded.

“Yes.”

She murmured again as she looked at her smiling face in the mirror wearing a rose headdress.

“I really like it.”

For the past seven years, Yurina had experienced a strong sense of guilt whenever she had a serious conversation with the Marchioness, like a mother would with her daughter.

But this time everything turned out differently. Instead of bitter guilt, Yurina felt as if the passions in her heart had subsided.

Although she had already received a lot of affection from her, it seemed that right now she was truly recognized as a daughter.

No, perhaps only now she recognized in the Marchioness her real mother.

* * *

“Um, but doesn’t Yurina need to be with a partner?”

Edwin muttered angrily as he saw Yurina trying to get into the carriage, accompanied by Reynard. Next to him, Justin also silently nodded with a face no different from Edwin’s.

Yurina apologized to Reynard and looked back at the two men.

“What kind of questions is it? Everything is already decided without you.”

“Maybe so. But seeing the two of you together…”

Edwin muttered as he looked at Reynard standing behind Yurina before elbowing Justin in the side.

“It’s just so weird.”

“Yes, that’s what I meant.”

“What is bad? Just know that what your brothers are doing now may make you feel worse.”

Yurina clicked her tongue at their lines. Then Edwin and Justin looked at Riggs as if asking for help. Riggs looked at Yurina once and then at Reynard.