Sincerity

When the name "Lloyd" came out of Clayton's mouth, Dalia's heart sank.

She wondered if he had recognized him at a glance because of the resemblance, but Clayton's cold gaze made her instinctively realize that wasn't the case.

Just as an unfathomable unease swept over her, Lloyd, who had been standing behind Dalia, stepped forward.

His voice was calm, as if he had anticipated this situation to some extent.

"There's no need to lie anymore."

"…Lloyd?"

"The Duke already knows everything—that I've been pretending to be Rose all this time."

Dalia's gaze began to tremble as she looked back and forth between the two.

In contrast, Lloyd did not avoid Clayton's icy gaze directed at him.

"What are you…?"

"The Duke knew everything but just pretended not to—to reassure you and bring you here."

He had overlooked such a huge secret just to bring her here? The more Lloyd explained, the harder it was for her to understand.

The heavy silence lingering between the three was broken by the sound of waves crashing.

An invisible tension began to strangle the air. Just as the atmosphere became increasingly suffocating, Clayton was the first to break the silence.

He chuckled softly.

It was a light laugh that didn't suit the heavy atmosphere.

Clayton, with a look that seemed to say, "Go ahead and keep rambling," finally spoke.

"Your imagination runs wild, Lloyd."

A smile lingered on his lips, but there was a faint hint of malice in his eyes.

But Lloyd, clenching his fists as if refusing to back down, retorted.

"Imagination, you say… Surely you know what Hudson was used for in the past."

"So what?"

At Lloyd's probing remark, Clayton tilted his head slightly, as if to say, "What's the problem?"

"This place is beautiful. I simply wanted to show it to Dalia. Anyone would think I've imprisoned her here."

Then Clayton turned to Dalia.

"Dalia. What do you think?"

"…What?"

"Did I lock you up here?"

Not at all.

If he had intended to confine her here, she wouldn't even have been able to stroll alone on the beach, let alone leave the villa without his permission.

And when she thought about what she and Clayton had done on the beach just before sunset, Dalia couldn't help but side with him.

So, Dalia actively defended Clayton.

"I don't know what's going on right now, Lloyd, but you've really misunderstood. We've decided to return to the capital in a week, so imprisonment? Where did you hear such nonsense?"

At her words, Lloyd's face twisted in frustration.

With a look that said he found it hard to believe her, Lloyd began to present another argument.

"Then why didn't you say anything all this time, even though you knew I was Lloyd? Wasn't it your goal to reassure your wife and bring her here?"

"Lloyd."

Clayton cut off Lloyd's baseless accusations.

"After I learned the truth, did I ever harm you or your sister? Did I ever drink your blood after that?"

"That's…!"

"I didn't hide it—I just didn't feel the need to say it. It was my generosity toward the young brother who sacrificed himself for his sick sister."

At those words, Lloyd bit his lip, seemingly at a loss for words.

He seemed frustrated that the situation wasn't going as he wished. Clayton, who watched Lloyd with a disdainful gaze, shook his head.

"It seems you ran all the way here expecting something. Sorry to disappoint you."

At Clayton's seemingly provocative remark, Lloyd clenched his fists tightly.

"You must have gone through a lot to get here. I can at least arrange a room for you."

With that, he extended his hand toward Dalia.

"Dalia."

With a glance suggesting she take his hand, Dalia slowly approached him.

* * *

The sun had completely set. As darkness crept in, the once warm sea breeze turned cold.

An awkward silence settled between the two as they returned to the villa together.

Perhaps because of her guilt, the situation of being alone with Clayton felt uncomfortable and awkward.

Dalia approached Clayton, who was silently gazing out the window.

It was Clayton who broke the silence first.

"When did you first learn Rose Hertz's true identity?"

Dalia hesitated briefly before slowly speaking. The time for questioning had finally come.

Dalia exhaled deeply, as if trying to ease her tension, and continued speaking.

"…I happened to see a black carriage enter the estate. I saw a woman get out of the carriage in the middle of the night, and when I followed her, I found a cabin. That's when I learned everything—that you drink human blood and that Rose Hertz is actually a man."

Clayton, who had been silently listening to Dalia's answer, responded.

"Then why didn't you tell me that Rose Hertz was a man?"

"That's…"

Because he asked me to keep it a secret. Dalia had sympathized with Rose Hertz even before she came to inhabit this place.

She felt so sorry for him because he had been sacrificed for the sole reason of being born into the Hertz family, something beyond his control.

Since it was a secret that remained undisclosed in the original story, she thought it would be fine as long as she kept her mouth shut.

So, she wanted to help the Hertz siblings as much as she could. But…

'I can't tell the Duke about that.'

The moment she expressed pity for Lloyd and Rose, Clayton would become the perpetrator.

Strictly speaking, she knew he didn't drink blood because he wanted to and that he had suffered greatly because of it since childhood.

However, she couldn't remain silent any longer, so Dalia struggled to open her mouth.

"It hurt my heart to see him cross-dressing for his sick sister… So, I wanted to help as much as I could. That meant keeping their secret."

She spoke as honestly as she could. Clayton silently gazed at her.

Only then did it feel as if all the pieces of the puzzle were falling into place.

If that was the case, he could somewhat understand why she hadn't been able to tell him Hertz's secret.

His expression softened compared to before.

He recalled the situation on the beach a little while ago.

When he first realized that the person with Dalia was Lloyd, his initial emotion was surprise.

After all, Lloyd had boldly stepped into a place that wasn't easily accessible to just anyone.

But that surprise quickly faded and was replaced by a heated frustration when he realized that Dalia had known Lloyd's identity all along.

He had approached them as if he was ready to cut off Lloyd's hand, which was holding Dalia's wrist. But at that moment…

'Lloyd, I think you're mistaken. The Duke has no reason to confine me here, nor is he the type to do so. I trust the Duke.'

Those words felt like cold seawater being poured over him.

The flames of anger that had flared in his eyes had long since vanished.

Only Dalia's voice kept echoing in his mind.

Strangely, that single statement quelled his anger toward Dalia for deceiving him.

"…I'm sorry for deceiving you, my lord."

Dalia sincerely apologized to him.

No matter the reason, it was true that as the Duchess of Seayer, she had deceived her husband.

As a result, she wouldn't be able to complain even if Clayton felt betrayed.

"Are you very angry?"

When Clayton didn't respond to her apology, Dalia anxiously asked again.

'Am I angry?'

Yes, he had certainly been angry.

He was angry that Dalia had secretly met Rose Hertz, knowing his true identity as a man. The memory of her lying to protect Lloyd churned his insides.

But…

"At the Lantern Festival, the wish you made… Was it sincere?"

"…What?"

Even so, if you would just stay by my side…

When he suddenly brought up the festival, Dalia was quite flustered, but the atmosphere made her feel compelled to nod.

"Of course."

Then…

I can forgive you. I can act as if nothing ever happened.

"Still the same now?"

"Yes."

Before Dalia's answer was even finished, Clayton pulled her into an embrace.

Caught off guard by being pulled into his arms, Dalia's eyes widened.

"…My lord?"

"Then that's enough."

Clayton's arms tightened around her.

As if he had no intention of ever letting her go.

"That's all I need."

"My lord…"

Dalia's hesitant hands wrapped around him. How much time passed like that, she couldn't tell. Clayton, who had buried his face in her neck, finally lifted his head.

Contrary to his words of contentment, Clayton's gaze, as he stared into the void, was chilling.