Episode 9

Of course, many guests often visited the Bernadette estate.

From travelers stopping by the region to those arriving for personal or official business—there were many.

But none of the people who had passed through until now had meant much to me.

Because they hadn’t left even a trace on my life.

However, if this unfamiliar stranger called my name with such tenderness—

Then that was a different story.

“My goodness, could this beautiful lady be Liberata Bernadette?”

Huh? Me?

At the stranger’s words, I just blinked in silence, unable to respond.

‘Who are you even supposed to be?’

No matter how hard I thought, I couldn’t figure it out.

But more than that, what truly left me speechless was—

He was so beautiful, I wasn’t even sure if I was facing a person.

With soft, elegant ash-brown hair and deep ultramarine eyes as transparent as if they could coax out my deepest secrets.

While I hesitated, the gentleman before me seemed to scan me once, and then swiftly glanced at Jerlach.

“Heavens, Adrian!”

The moment passed, and Father called the man’s name warmly and pulled him into a sudden embrace.

‘What? Adrian? Who on earth is that?’

Try as I might, I couldn’t place him in my memory.

If I’d known this would happen, I would’ve read the novel more thoroughly. I was cursing my past self for slacking off.

“How have you been?”

“Oh, yes, of course. My, Adrian. I can’t believe what a fine young man you’ve become.”

Father clearly hadn’t seen this Adrian fellow in a long time.

“How long has it been?”

“Long enough that Lady Ribe wouldn’t remember me.”

Then he gave me a very peculiar expression.

A gaze filled with emotions too complex to name.

But no matter how he looked at me like that, I really didn’t know who he was.

“Wait a moment, Adrian. I was in the middle of seeing off a guest.”

Father quickly composed himself and introduced Adrian to Jerlach.

“This is His Grace, Archduke Cygnus, who has recently arrived in Mütten.”

“Your Grace.”

At Father’s explanation, the man called Adrian offered a courteous greeting.

His voice was calm, his posture perfect, and his demeanor impeccable, but for some reason, Jerlach didn’t look pleased.

“Sir Adrian Watford.”

“Welcome to Mütten.”

“And to you as well.”

That was all the exchange between the two men.

“Once I’ve seen His Grace off, we’ll continue our conversation. Louis, prepare the tea.”

Father gave a slightly excited order to Louis.

That was when Jerlach, who had been standing by the door as if ready to leave, suddenly turned and spoke.

“I couldn’t possibly miss out on this gathering. I’ll join you.”

Excuse me?

All of a sudden?

⚜ ⚜ ⚜

I couldn’t even tell whether the madeleine was going into my mouth or my nose.

The atmosphere at the table was cheerful, but I couldn’t bring myself to relax.

First, because I had no idea who this “Adrian” person was.
Second, because I kept glancing nervously at Jerlach without realizing it.

He said he was leaving, so why the sudden change of heart?

As always, he sipped his tea with an air of composed ease.

Completely unaware of my anxiety and unease.

‘Ugh, this is so uncomfortable.’

Had there ever been a tea time this awkward before?

There were two unfamiliar men sitting at our table—

One of whom I had no memory of, and the other I absolutely shouldn’t be involved with.

I kept smiling with just my lips, trying my best to read the mood.

‘Adrian? Did he say Adrian?’

Judging by my father, mother, and the servants’ behavior, this Adrian man clearly wasn’t just an ordinary guest.

Maybe he was someone connected to the Bernadette family.

But if that were true, why had I never seen him before?

‘Could he be my brother’s friend?’

My brother, Oliver Bernadette, didn’t have a major role in the novel.

He was a diplomat and often out of the country.

‘Hmm, judging by what people are saying, this man must’ve also been away from Mütten for quite some time.’

One thing was certain: in all nineteen of my regressions, I had never heard the name before.

So this could either be someone newly appearing due to my involvement with Jerlach,
or someone who couldn’t appear before because I always died early.

Ultimately, I concluded that the novel wouldn’t have detailed every personal acquaintance of a villainess.

“It’s been so long since I’ve seen you two together.”

How was I supposed to respond to a memory I didn’t have?

Unfortunately, my face showed everything I felt.

“But my Lord, Ribe looks like she’s seeing me for the first time.”

And unfortunately again, Adrian seemed incredibly perceptive.

Noticing my awkwardness, Father stepped in to try and save me.

“Liberata.”

“Yes, Father?”

“You’ve kept the bookmark Adrian made for you from dried rose petals like a treasure, haven’t you?”

I did?

“You wouldn’t even let me touch it.”

Oh no. Very unfortunately, Father was not my savior after all.

“Ah… That bookmark… right.”

I rolled my eyes as if trying to remember, but I was hopeless at lying.

I was the kind of person whose emotions immediately showed on my face.

“Dear me, Ribe, you really don’t remember a thing.”

And everyone in this world had an absurdly sharp intuition.

Flustered, I took a sip of tea, trying to hide my embarrassment.

I felt like I was shrinking under everyone’s gaze.

I couldn’t even taste the tea.

“Let’s stop teasing Ribe now.”

Adrian, glancing once at Jerlach, turned his body toward me again.

“She was only five at the time. It’s perfectly natural not to remember.”

Five?

So I knew this person when I was five?

“Ribe, but to forget so completely… I’m a bit hurt.”

He looked at me with a mischievous expression.

“Ah, um… I’m really sorry.”

I put down my madeleine and clasped my hands, but Adrian didn’t seem ready to stop teasing me.

“Ha, it feels like just yesterday that Ribe insisted she’d marry me.”

What? Me?

That must’ve been something the five-year-old me said, completely beyond memory.

Adrian continued to chuckle, either because my flustered face amused him, or because he simply smiled like that by nature.

“I’m sorry. It’s just been so long.”

“Is ‘sorry’ all I get? You’ve broken this big brother’s heart.”

“B-Broken heart?”

“Yes, it feels like it’s been torn to pieces. How will you make it up to me?”

Um, you don’t look particularly heartbroken, seeing how much you’re smiling right now?

Just as I was drowning in awkwardness and discomfort, the one who pulled me out of it was none other than Jerlach.

“If it’s been that long and she doesn’t remember, then it’s the same as being strangers. Isn’t it a bit much to talk about compensation?”

He casually threw out the comment and elegantly took another sip of tea.

Then Adrian, sitting across from him, wiped the smile clean off his lips.

“Is that so?”

“It seems unbefitting of a knight to corner a lady like that.”

Excuse me?

Who was it again that cornered me with such intense eyes just last night?

And who just called me a disgraceful human(?) a moment ago?

“Haha, Your Grace. Cornering her? It was just an expression of affection.”

Adrian responded with a warm smile.

“Affection?”

Jerlach’s dry voice shot back.

Ah…

This atmosphere… it’s turning dangerous.

Jerlach looked at me as if he had more to say, but all I could do was stare with wide eyes and an awkward expression.

‘He—he’s not about to bring up what happened the other day… right?’

As I trembled helplessly, Jerlach, seeming to have sorted out his emotions, spoke again.

“Whether words are affectionate or offensive should be decided by the person hearing them.”

At those words, both men turned their gazes to me at once.

“……”

Oh, heavens above.

“Bernadette, now it’s your turn to answer.”

Jerlach said.