‘What do you mean?’

‘You’re either Sislin, Heinrich, or Kyle?’

I stared at the black-haired wall-like man who said strange things.

His face looked different from them.

“Lies.”

“..Really. Guess who I am.”

Even the voice was different from those of the three. It was as low as Sislin’s, but drowsy like Heinrich’s.

On the other hand, the way he spoke was somewhat similar to Kyle.

The characteristics of the three were equally felt.

“Hint number one, someone who is always around you and thinking of you.”

“.....”

The first one that came to mind was Sislin. But Heinrich and Kyle were the same..

The handsome man’s eyes curved.

“I see you even in my dreams.”

It was like an embarrassingly romantic confession disguised as a hint.

‘The ody scent is not Sislin’s.’

But was there a law that said a man who changed his appearance wouldn’t change his body scent?

I gazed at him with suspicion.

“What’s the next hint?”

Amidst an elegant and upbeat melody, we hugged and danced around.

It was a time to focus entirely on each other.

It felt like everything in the sparkling Imperial Palace had disappeared and only the two of us were left.

“Second.”

He whispered in my ear.

“Someone who wants to be with you all the time. It’s my dream to become an old man in the distant future and walk hand in hand with you.”

A faint smile formed on my lips. It was also a dream I longed for. This was always the future I drew in my dreams.

I imagined my husband and I, old but affectionate, holding hands and walking in the garden together, smelling the flowers.

It was a dream that always made me feel better.

“The last hint..”

A low voice flowed into my ear.

The waltz passed the climax, continuing into a calm melody.

“A person who will do anything for your happiness.”

Then the notes of the violin subsided, and the strength in his forearm, on which I rested my hand (when the waltz started, I took my hand off his chest and took a normal posture).

I finished the dance safely in his arms.

It was a comfortable dance.

Finally, as I did the last curtsy of the waltz, I looked up at him and said,

“I think I know the answer.”

“Really? I will give you three chances.”

“Pfft. I can answer three times, right?”

What’s that? The generosity of giving me three chances even though I have three answers.

He spoke quietly, leaning back.

“I don’t want to see the lady upset because she didn’t get the right answer.”

He was delicate and kind-hearted.

I took a step forward and whispered to him.

“The correct answer is ‘Mr. Kyle’.”

“.....”

He gazed at me without much change in expression. But I spot a small emotion flickering in those dark blue eyes.

I revealed why. The decisive reason I believe it’s him.

“You can make up the way you speak, but you can’t fake the warmth.”

“.....”

“I can feel?you.”

The mysterious masked man exhaled quietly.

Then he slowly lifted the mask, pulling it up.

In the place where the magic of the mask that changed his appearance was slightly dispelled, emerald-colored eyes were revealed. Warm curls flowed down like an autumn wheat field.

As he smiled slowly, a charming Indian dimple was embedded on his cheek.

“Owner.”

“Now, no matter how many masks you wear, I recognize you, Mr. Baby Squirrel Mask.”

Kyle’s bright smile deepened a little.

The boy, who wanted to be remembered by a girl and thus hovered around her and remembered her tastes, finally succeeded.

“Thank you.”

“What?”

“For recognizing me.”

Kyle kissed the back of my hand; I didn’t know what to say.

Putting on the mask again, he returned to a man with black hair and blue eyes, but the affectionate heart and body temperature contained in that kiss were completely his own.

━━━━???━━━━

When you’re so happy, your heart beats faster. It was a conditioned reflex, like dogs running around under the snowy sky.

“..Marquis Winston!”

No, would it be more correct to call him ‘innocent aspiring father-in-law’?

—Long time no see, Marquis Winston.

At present, in El Dorado, everyone understood the word ‘Marquis Winston’ as Kyle, but I was still used to calling his father, Bizet Winston, as that.

The only adult who taught me warmth.

The person who reached out without hesitation when I was young and planned to leave the Forest alone to protect the boys.

The one who put up with everything and was on my side.

All this while, wearing a mask and meeting me as the ‘phantom thief boy’,

Completely as Marquis Winston..

It had been a long time since I had met him the way he should be.

Maybe that’s why Marquis Winston didn’t even bother to wear a mask to change his appearance.

Through the mask, the mature face was visible. I vaguely remembered.

The moment I fell in love at first sight with my ‘ideal Dad’.

That instance of the past was not overshadowed. Bizet Winston, who I reunited with after a long time, looked very handsome despite having aged.

‘Oh my God, you should be middle-aged!’

Actually, except for the wrinkles around his mouth, he looked as young as his son, enough to call him a vampire.

“Our Annette, I miss you so much.”

“Me too, Marquis. I received your letter saying you were coming to the foundation festival, but I didn’t know you would come on the eve!”

“..Did you miss me?”

“Really, very much!”

I held Bizet’s hand tightly, unable to hide my joy.

“Oh, should I call you ‘Duchess Valienne’ now?”

“Not at all. I hope you can call me comfortably. It’s not even an official appearance.”

I shook my head.

“Besides, you are like a father to me.”

“..Annette..”

Bizet’s emerald eyes trembled as if he was truly moved.

“Ah, really, you have grown up to be such a beautiful girl.”

“Thank you.”

“.....”

“If the Marquis hadn’t taken care of me in the meantime, I might not be here now. I will always be grateful.”

“What gratitude? That was a deal, Annette. You’ve already paid me enough, haven’t you?”

..Enough payment?

All this time, I kept trying to pay less by cutting wages, making it ‘half-price’.

‘Hmmm, I paid it all off after that, though.’

‘I couldn’t help it because I was in the mad self-employed mode, Marquis.’

‘Besides, if it was a real deal, he wouldn’t have feuded with the prince and left for the outskirts.’

“The Marquis suffered too much for it to be a deal.”

“What loss?”

Bizet smiled warmly from the inside of the mask and covered my cheeks.

“I’ve assisted such a healthy and beautiful girl become a lady. With that, I’ve already been fully compensated.”

“.....”

My heart was pounding at the heart that truly cared for me, and I felt like I was about to shed a little bit of tears.

‘Thank you, Marquis.’

Thanks to this handsome long-legged uncle, what kind of love my mom and dad would’ve given me..

I could even guess.

There was no need for envy anymore.

I couldn’t cry in front of the dear man I hadn’t seen in a long time, so I smiled.

‘Because today is a good day.’

“Oh, Marquis. Instead, there’s a ‘wish coupon’ right?”

I still haven’t forgotten the promise I made from when I first struck a deal with the phantom thief boy.

“After you grow up, do one thing I want. That is the price of the transaction.”

He said he wanted a wish coupon in exchange for helping me escape.

Now, I have grown up well, and was big enough to give him anything he wanted.

“I’ll listen to anything!”

I confidently affirmed.

“Now I am in a position where I can do anything for you.”

He was the one who constantly took care of me under the guise of a ‘deal’ because he was afraid I would be burdened.

For him, I wanted to do anything as Annette and as ‘Duchess Valienne’.

―I wanted to repay him somehow.

For the grace and unconditional love he showed me.

“..Hmmm, I have a lot of wishes.”

Why?

‘All of a sudden, why do you have such an evil expression on your face?’

There was a young smile on the face of the innocent aspiring father-in-law who was in serious agony as he touched his chin for a moment (it was an expression that showed he wanted to request something great).

“Father.”

As if reading that expression, Kyle, who had been standing quietly, stepped out with an embarrassed face.

Like he was trying to stop him.

“Wait, Kyle. I have to choose the greatest of all my wishes.”

‘..What is the total wealth of the Duchy of Valienne?’

‘Which of the mines I own is the most valuable?’

‘How much could I achieve with the power of the Duchy of Valienne?’

‘Or.. maybe, marriage?!’

‘Marry your son, you’re not going to wish that, are you?’

By the time my nervousness reached my toes, Bizet lowered his head towards me.

And he confided. With a very sweet voice, the same as when he proposed to me to be his daughter-in-law the day we first met.

“Always be happy, Annette.”

“.....”

“Of all the wishes I have, that is the most valuable.”

Ame:?TT_TT kyle, you’re really sweet and warm, but daddy bizet is just the best

Tassie:?#daddy of the year #not like that #go to horny jail *bonk*