"...Duke."
When I added the title briefly, Leon blinked with a bewildered expression.
"It's been a while."
Ricardo's eyes slowly narrowed.
"Ha."
He let out a small laugh and nodded toward Leon.
"You're young Baron Owen? I heard you had returned."
"I've returned safely."
Leon shrugged lightly.
"Well, I'm truly glad to see you came back alive."
"You haven't changed."
Leon lightly dismissed Ricardo's words and met my eyes.
The moment I saw his eyes, sparkling like stars, something deep inside me surged.
...Leon really had returned.
"I'll be taking Bianca with me. Please understand if this seems rude. I'm sure a generous duke like you can overlook this much."
Leon smiled brightly and pulled my hand.
As I was being led away, I looked back.
Ricardo didn't even show a hint of regret.
...If that was the case, why did he grab me earlier?
He was truly an incomprehensible person.
I clearly remembered what Ricardo had said on the engagement day.
"I'd rather die than marry a woman like you."
He had said those words as if nothing was wrong.
He disliked me so much that he'd rather die.
Having read the original work, I tried to understand Ricardo.
Even if I was resented for something I didn't do, I simply accepted it.
...But how should I understand Ricardo now?
Was he truly just showing me the minimum courtesy, as he said?
I had tried to understand that he thought of me as someone not even worthy of basic courtesy.
But now, how should I understand this?
"Bianca."
Just then, Leon's voice reached my ear.
"Ah, brother."
"Have you been well?"
Leon wore a playful smile.
"Of course! I've even gained quite a bit of weight."
I proudly raised my arm.
"You're still too thin."
That really wasn't true.
I had definitely gained weight.
Well, compared to Leon's massive frame, my body probably looked insignificant, so I decided to just accept it.
"I even went to your homecoming ceremony."
"To the homecoming ceremony?"
Leon didn't hide his surprise.
"Of course I went. My brother came back..."
A bright smile spread across Leon's face.
Seeing that made me feel a little embarrassed for some reason.
"I didn't expect this."
What exactly did Leon think of me?
Did he really think I was that cold-hearted?
When I glanced at him sideways, Leon playfully ruffled my hair.
"You've really grown up a lot. You used to hate crowded places so much."
That was true.
But that was back when I had first possessed Bianca's body.
Being surrounded by strangers made me feel like I was going crazy.
I resented being thrown into a world I never asked for.
...Compared to back then, I suppose I've adapted quite a bit.
I smiled faintly and changed the subject.
I began telling him about what had happened to me.
Even though it was probably a boring story, Leon listened, occasionally bursting into laughter.
We continued talking until the tea, long gone cold, sat on the table.
"...And you, brother?"
"Me? I just hunted monsters. Nothing special."
Leon shook his head with a grim expression.
"Come to think of it, I heard you're engaged to Ricardo."
"News travels fast."
"It's news about you, so of course I hear it."
"..."
"How is Ricardo? Is that half-handsome face of his still annoyingly good-looking?"
What should I say?
It was a difficult yet easy question at the same time.
He's a strange person.
Someone I absolutely cannot understand.
I tried to organize the emotions I'd been feeling in my head, but there was no way Leon, who couldn't read minds, would understand.
"Not bad."
I finally answered neutrally.
"Really? That's unexpected."
"...What do you mean?"
Leon leaned back comfortably in his chair and crossed his arms.
"He's the complete opposite of you. I thought you'd naturally hate him."
I hate him.
I hate him a lot.
"I heard he's completely smitten with some young lady from the countryside."
"That's right."
I answered without thinking.
Then Leon's playful eyes instantly turned cold.
Wow.
So he hunted monsters with those eyes?
It was a good thing I wasn't possessed by a monster.
I quickly tried to cover it up.
"But she's truly a beautiful and kind person."
"Bianca."
"Hmm?"
"So are you."
At those words, I rolled my eyes.
Not knowing what to say, I just smiled brightly.
"I know."
Then Leon finally burst into loud laughter.
He laughed so hard his massive body shook with every breath, and showed no sign of stopping.
Only after a long while did he wipe the tears from his eyes.
"That's good enough."
Leon pushed the cookies on the plate toward me.
"...Thank you."
Just then, Leon glanced at me and asked.
"By the way, I wasn't interrupting earlier, was I?"
"Not at all. It was perfect timing."
Thinking back to earlier, my mood sank again.
"You were fighting, right?"
"...Yes."
"You nobles really fight elegantly."
"You're a noble too, brother."
"If it were me, I would've thrown a punch first."
Leon said, raising his massive fist.
I let out a small laugh.
Still, the unease in a corner of my heart didn't disappear.
Actually, there was something about earlier that bothered me.
The way he brought up the past.
Surely he didn't think the harassment Bianca had inflicted on Ricardo was something that could be brushed aside lightly.
...Right.
First, let's sort out the past.
Understanding Ricardo comes after that.
I tapped my fingers on the table, then cautiously opened my mouth.
"Brother, how do you apologize when you've done something wrong?"
"Apologize?"
"Yes. Let's say the other person thinks my apology is a lie."
"Why apologize? Just hit them. Ah, no, that's not right."
Leon bit his lip and straightened his posture.
"I... I haven't apologized much, so I'm not sure."
"..."
"If you think you need to apologize, it must be pretty serious."
Unlike usual, Leon seemed to be seriously pondering.
We both remained lost in thought for a while.
"Have you ever received an apology?"
"Something like..."
Had I ever received one?
I didn't recall ever receiving one, especially from Ricardo.
Whenever I was with him, I was so flustered that there never seemed to be an opportunity for such a thing.
"If the other person won't accept it, maybe they're not ready yet."
"..."
"If it's hard to say, write a letter. I always send an apology letter after I throw a punch."
A letter...?
His tone was rough, but it was surprisingly helpful advice.
Whenever Ricardo and I met, we fought, and the situation kept getting worse.
A letter might be a way to break that vicious cycle.
It was an unexpected gain.
Ugh, but what should I write?
I groaned as I stared at the pristine white paper.
Not this, not that...
The pile of crumpled paper on the floor was evidence of my frustration.
I had to be sincere.
But I also couldn't force forgiveness.
I needed to naturally mention the broken engagement, and also convey my support for Idette and Ricardo.
How on earth was I supposed to write all that?
...This is hard.
It's really too hard.
Ricardo Hessen, the head of the Hessen ducal family.
He had always lived a life befitting a noble.
Ever since he was young, everyone bowed their heads before him.
It was only natural.
His daily life was always peaceful, quiet, and stable.
And into that life, a woman entered.
That woman was Bianca.
That child.
...Bianca Roygin.
A name he had rolled around in his mouth countless times, yet it always felt unfamiliar.
The little girl who had only been pretty had now become a lady.
When they met again, she bore no resemblance to her past self.
The round eyes that had once captivated him had grown sharp,
and she casually uttered words that would have been unimaginable before.
Had that much time truly passed?
The woman he saw again was as unfamiliar as her name.
...Bianca, if you were going to act like that, why didn't you just keep pretending like before?
"Please show at least a minimum of respect to my younger sister."
It was Cedric.
The man who always seemed neat and impeccable.
But it was the first time he had seen him so angry.
"...I'm asking you."
He said he was asking,
but his gaze, as sharp as a well-honed blade, felt like it would cut him down if it were a real sword.
That arrogant attitude was quite irksome, but he wasn't wrong.
It was something he could say as her family.
...But Cedric.
It doesn't seem like your sister has any intention of respecting me either.
