Chapter 7.1

“I didn’t know you were visiting again today. Is my sister alright?”

She asked the question under the assumption that Synox, of course, had already seen Aria first.

Yesterday, Aria had stayed by her side. Today, Rosaline should have been the one to check on her sister, but she’d completely forgotten.

I need to get it together. Rosaline gnawed on her lip. Their parents would be returning soon, and if her mind kept drifting like this, both of them were bound to be disappointed.

Synox, who had been quietly gazing down at her, finally spoke.

“I haven’t seen Lady Aria Rensier.”

Then why was he here?

The question barely had time to settle before Rosaline recalled something. Every time Synox visited the Rensier estate, it was always for the same reason.

She didn’t want to imagine them tangled together in bed in the middle of the day. Rosaline shifted her gaze away from Synox’s eyes.

“About what you said last time… I’ll try to find another way.”

“Why would you?”

Why?

Because you said you love my sister. The words rose to the back of her throat, but they never left her lips. Because no part of her wanted to say, I’ll step aside since you love someone else, to the man she loved.

Even if it was just pride, that was fine. Especially since this was a man she would soon have to part from, Rosaline didn’t want to show him the most pathetic version of herself.

Synox, receiving no reply, asked a different question.

“And how exactly do you plan on finding another way?”

She had no answer to that either. She hadn’t come up with a solution. Rosaline turned her head a little more to the side.

“If you’re thinking of getting close to a mage, I’d advise against it. They’re goal-driven and tend not to enjoy personal relationships with those who can’t use magic.”

“Not everyone is like that.”

It wasn’t that she truly believed that. She just didn’t want to agree with anything Synox said right now.

He seemed displeased by her answer. His brows drew together.

“Ignoring the odds isn’t wise.”

If I were the kind of wise person who cared about odds, Rosaline thought bitterly, I would never have taken a man who loved my sister to bed.

She let out a faint, self-deprecating laugh.

And then Synox said something strange.

“Or is there someone you trust enough to ignore the odds for?”

“What do you mean by that?”

Rosaline lifted her head. Synox was looking just slightly below her gaze.

Rosaline frowned slightly when she realized his gaze was fixed on the back of her hand.

Is there something on it?

She lifted her hand to check. As she did, Synox spoke.

“Never mind.”

He’s acting strange today.

Rosaline dropped her gaze from her clean hand and studied the man who, unlike before, was now avoiding her eyes.

Today, Synox seemed more irritable and jittery than usual.

No, not just today. Even the last time they shared a bed, he had seemed a little on edge.

When she asked if something was wrong, he hadn’t given her a proper answer…

Her thoughts drifted back to the last thing he said to her that night.

“This has to be the last time.”

Recalling the unpleasant memory, Rosaline’s face stiffened.

“Anyway, I’ll handle it on my own.”

“Why, when I can help you?”

“Because…”

Because you and I are about to end.

Or maybe, they had already ended. Now that Aria’s condition was confirmed treatable, there was no future for the two of them.

Troubled, Rosaline couldn’t bring herself to finish the sentence. Synox, meanwhile, continued trying to persuade her.

“Don’t think of it as asking for help. We can just do what we’ve always done. You said you wanted my body, didn’t you?”

“…”

“Don’t tell me your preferences have changed.”

“It’s not that.”

What the hell is he saying?

Rosaline cut him off, flustered, and let out a small sigh.

“You’re the one who said it. That we should stop seeing each other.”

And if he wanted to stop, she couldn’t beg him to stay.

That’s how unrequited love has always worked.

Rosaline took a deep breath.

“If you had said no even once, none of this would’ve started. So…”

“Miss Rensier, that day, what I meant was—”

Synox froze for a second. It seemed like he was about to say something when a lively voice called out.

“Rose!”

“Aria?”

Aria, her complexion much healthier than before, was walking toward them with her skirt gathered in her hands.

She rushed to where Rosaline stood and looked back at Synox, who remained frozen in place.

“Mother and Father are back!”

* * *

Dinner at the Rensier estate.

The Countess, who had rushed home after hearing that her daughters had been kidnapped during their brief trip, couldn’t focus on the meal. Her eyes kept drifting to the face of her eldest daughter.

“Aria, my goodness, just look at your face… You look worn down.”

“I’m alright, Mother.”

The Countess’s gaze then turned to the young man who had joined the dinner at this awkward hour.

“I heard Lord Aphlenta was very concerned. And on top of that, he even found the cure… I don’t know how we could ever thank you.”

“It was nothing.”

“No, really. You’ve always gone above and beyond for our Aria…”

Aria, sensing her mother trying to pull the quiet man into conversation, gently called out to her.

“Mom, maybe pay a little attention to Rose too.”

“Ah, yes, of course. I was just about to speak with Rosaline.”

The Countess turned her head toward Rosaline with visible reluctance.

“Rosaline, how are you feeling?”

Rosaline lowered her gaze, avoiding her mother’s green eyes. The same eyes she had passed down to Aria.

“I’m fine.”

Her relationship with her parents had always been a little strained. With her father, they rarely saw each other face to face to begin with. As for her mother…

Rosaline bit the inside of her cheek.

That day, the Countess had been utterly exhausted.