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“Alright, so you suddenly wanted to meet me… Is there a reason?”

The Count of Lithuania, despite being known as the “Iron-Blooded Frontier Count,” spoke in a tone softer than usual. It was unusual for him, who was often described as cold and sharp-tongued, to the point where it was said that not a drop of blood would spill even if you stabbed him. But considering who was standing in front of him, it wasn’t hard to understand.

Lily, the daughter of his close friend, was the girl who had suffered a deep emotional wound because of his own reckless son in the past. After that incident, Lily had even developed a temporary aversion to men. The Count couldn’t help but feel guilty toward her, especially since he still vividly remembered her as a small child running around happily.

Naturally, his tone softened entirely because of this.

“First of all, I’m sorry for showing up unannounced.”

“No, it’s fine. I’ve always felt guilty toward you. If you ever feel like it, you can come here anytime and think of this place as your own home.”

Hearing the Count’s words, Lily’s tense expression softened slightly. She had been worried about how her sudden visit might come across, especially since she had decided to visit the Lion Heart Count Family and had sent a message right after. Even though her father and the Count of Lithuania were close friends, there were still basic etiquette rules between noble families that needed to be followed. Her hurried request to meet the Count was partly to apologize for this breach of etiquette.

Fortunately, the Count didn’t make a big deal out of it. In fact, he even told her she could visit anytime, which made her feel a bit lighter. For Lily, who had been worried about the consequences of her impulsive decision, this was a relief.

“Thank you, Count. I thought it would be rude to visit your estate without notice, so I wanted to apologize in person.”

“If that’s the case, then you must have something else to discuss. What brings you here? This place holds nothing but bad memories for you.”

Even for the Count, Lily’s visit was unexpected. The Lion Heart Count Family estate was the very place where she had experienced such a traumatic event. She hadn’t set foot here since that day, so her sudden appearance naturally piqued his curiosity.

Of course, he had one guess as to why she might have come.

“Did you come here because of that boy?”

“……”

Lily swallowed hard at the Count’s words, which seemed to have already guessed her purpose.

Was it because of his position as the Frontier Count? His ability to deduce the situation and arrive at the correct answer was almost frightening.

“Yes, that’s right.”

“That’s strange. As far as I know, Lily, you hated that guy, didn’t you?”

“Everyone deserves a second chance.”

“Even if that person did something so terrible that it’s hard to even talk about?”

“If they’ve earned the right to that chance.”

The Count quietly looked into Lily’s eyes. Her gaze didn’t waver, as if she truly meant what she said.

Was this also a butterfly effect caused by his son’s change? The Count clicked his tongue.

“You’ve gone soft.”

“Is that so?”

“Do you really think he’s worth that much? No matter what position he’s in now, the past doesn’t disappear. That’s something that can never be changed.”

“I know that. But I think Gilbert deserves a chance now. That’s why I came here.”

So, he must have done something.

The Count immediately understood why Lily’s feelings had changed. There was no way she would have come to give Gilbert another chance if he hadn’t done something to earn it.

As the Count, he thought it would be good if Lily could somehow move past the past. Although he hadn’t fully acknowledged it yet, it was true that his reckless son had changed.

“Alright. That’s entirely your judgment and your decision. I’ll prepare a place for you to stay, so feel free to stay as long as you need.”

“Thank you for your consideration, Count.”

The Count called a maid to arrange a room for Lily and then picked up some documents he had set aside earlier. It was a silent way of saying she could leave now that their business was done.

After expressing her gratitude, Lily followed the maid who was guiding her. Her personal maid, who had come with her, quietly followed behind, carrying Lily’s belongings.

Having cleared the first hurdle, Lily planned to settle into her room and then meet Gilbert. She hadn’t yet decided exactly what kind of opportunity she would give him.

She thought it would be fine to decide after meeting him. Depending on his reaction, things could change.

The room she was assigned was quite large for a guest room. It seemed like the kind of room reserved for important visitors. It was likely that the Count had personally instructed them to give her a good room.

Lily didn’t mind what kind of room she got, but she felt she should thank the Count again for his consideration. It was a very Lily-like thought—kind and considerate to everyone except Gilbert.

After thanking the maid who had shown her to the room, Lily asked if Gilbert had returned to the estate. Fortunately, it seemed he had arrived around the same time and was currently in the reception room with some guests.

Good.

Lily asked the maid to take her to the reception room, leaving her personal maid to unpack her things, and headed straight there.

“Camilla, you need to be careful with what you say.”

“I just told the truth, didn’t I? You two are traveling together, right?”

“That’s the problem. To be precise, you’re the one who tagged along uninvited, aren’t you?”

“So, you’re traveling together, right? What do you think, little brother?”

“I don’t know. My head hurts just thinking about it.”

The reception room was quite noisy. Aside from Gilbert’s voice, there seemed to be two other voices—likely the guests he had brought.

From what she could hear, it sounded like a woman’s voice.

Curious, Lily entered the reception room, and three pairs of eyes turned toward her.

“Oh? Lily!”

The first to greet her was Camilla, who attended the same academy as Lily. Since the heads of the three Count Families were close, Lily and Camilla had been friends since childhood.

In fact, it was Camilla who had pulled Lily out of her room after she had shut herself in because of Gilbert. Thanks to her, Lily had been able to regain her bright demeanor, and they had become best friends.

“Camilla? What are you doing here?”

“I came with Gilbert. I thought something interesting might happen!”

“Some things never change.”

Lily could already imagine what kind of nonsense Camilla had spouted to tag along. She was a precious friend, but her impulsive nature often dragged Lily into trouble.

“So, big brother. Who is this?”

“Lily Roseus Nobilitas.”

“Lily Roseus Nobilitas… Wait, could it be…?”

Dorothy, sharp as ever, seemed to realize something and her face stiffened slightly. She had heard about the person who had suffered the most because of her eldest brother’s reckless behavior.

She quickly straightened her clothes and approached Lily.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Dorothy Flamma Heart.”

“Ah, hello. I’m Lily Roseus Nobilitas. It’s nice to meet you.”

Unlike her attitude toward Gilbert, Lily greeted Dorothy warmly. The only person she disliked in the Lion Heart Count Family was Gilbert Lion Heart.

“By the way, what brings you here? I can’t believe you came here.”

Camilla, glancing at Gilbert, asked cautiously. She knew about what had happened between Lily and Gilbert, which explained her careful tone.

“I have something to say to Gilbert. Could you give us a moment?”

“Something to say to Gilbert… Alright. Little brother, can you take me to see Count Lithuania? And if possible, show me around the estate.”

“That’s not a problem, but…”

Dorothy glanced at Gilbert, silently asking if it was okay to leave. Gilbert, also curious about why Lily had come to see him, nodded slightly.

“Alright. Just follow me.”

“Then, excuse us for a moment~”

Like a storm passing through, Camilla and Dorothy left the reception room.

With the door closed, only Gilbert and Lily remained.

An awkward silence settled between them.

“You said you had something to tell me? Let’s sit down first.”

Breaking the uncomfortable silence, Gilbert spoke first. This was the first time he had properly faced Lily since delivering his apology. It seemed something had changed in her heart since then.

Gilbert and Lily sat facing each other. Lily was pondering how to start the conversation, while Gilbert was trying to guess what she wanted to say.

Both of them sat in silence, staring at each other, until Gilbert spoke again.

“Would you like some tea?”

“No, thank you.”

“Alright.”

The conversation stalled again. Gilbert was sweating internally, waiting for Lily to speak. In this situation, it was better for him not to take the lead.

Just wait patiently.

As soon as he thought that, Lily’s tightly sealed lips finally opened.

“Were you serious about what you said in the training facility before the Lion King’s birthday?”

“You mean the apology?”

“Yes. That.”

Gilbert studied Lily’s expression as he thought. So, that was why she had come all the way to Bismarck. She must have been dwelling on that incident.

Assuming she had come here after much deliberation, he carefully chose his words.

“I remember. That apology was sincere.”

“What were you thinking when you said those things?”

“I told you then. I thought it was necessary.”

“And before that? You said you had no intention of apologizing, that it was for my sake.”

“That’s true. I thought it would be better if you hated me completely.”

Gilbert answered, recalling the day of the General Assessment. Perhaps it was arrogance, or maybe he was still foolishly treating this world like a game. Wanting her to hate him completely—now that he thought about it, it was an embarrassing thing to say.

Lily looked at Gilbert, his face as stern as the Count of Lithuania’s. Strangely, his words felt sincere.

Was it really right to give him a chance to make up for that day?

Even though she had made up her mind, doubts crept in.

But Lily shook her head slightly. Having decided to come here, giving him a chance was already a done deal.

“Assuming you meant what you said… I’ve decided to give you a chance.”

“A chance?”

Gilbert’s eyebrow twitched.

“Yes, a chance. I believe everyone deserves a chance to make up for their mistakes.”

So that’s what this was about.

Gilbert sighed inwardly as he looked at Lily, who was being almost naively kind. So, this was why she had come all this way. She wanted to give the person who had caused her trauma a chance.

It was a reminder of just how kind-hearted Lily was.

“A chance, huh? What do you want me to do?”

“I don’t know. That’s for you to figure out.”

It was an abstract answer. She was giving him a chance, but it was up to him to make the most of it. What could he do besides apologize?

No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t figure out how to seize this opportunity Lily was offering.

“This is tough.”

“Did you think it would be easy? If you had answered without hesitation, it would have been over right there. At least you’ve improved since before.”

Lily’s cold retort left Gilbert silent.

“Anyway, that’s why I came here. So, think about it.”

That’s all I have to say.

With that, Lily left the reception room.

As the door opened and closed, Gilbert, who had been staring at her intently, finally let out a sigh.

This is going to be tough.

Gilbert pressed his fingers against his temples, feeling the sudden onset of fatigue.

It seemed like he had just gained another task to deal with here.

 

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