* * *

Some time later

When the screams echoing through the alley finally ceased, a knight guarding the perimeter stepped inside.

He glanced impassively at Taylor, now trembling on the ground.

Upon assessing his condition, the knight realized that Edwin had shown restraint; for someone who dared to target Henry Timothy, surviving at all was a mercy.

“What should we do with him?”

The knight asked as Edwin wiped his bloodstained hands with a handkerchief.

“Didn’t he suggest prison? Let’s grant him his wish.”

Taylor, who had mentioned prison in desperation to save himself, now faced the grim reality of being thoroughly humiliated and still sent there.

---

Meanwhile

Henry had recently made a habit of attending family dinners whenever he could.

Spending more time with Edwin had given him a newfound appreciation for being with his family, and his outings had become less frequent.

Initially puzzled by his daily appearances, his family grew accustomed to it within a week.

During one such ordinary dinner, Henry cautiously observed his family before speaking up.

“Well… Edwin and I are officially dating.”

Hena paused, her wine glass halfway to her lips.

The Duchess’s eyes widened, and Duke Timothy cast Henry a peculiar glance.

Feeling slightly embarrassed by their reactions, Henry averted his gaze.

While he had previously mentioned maintaining their imprint, he had never explicitly declared their relationship. It felt a little awkward to do so now.

Not that he hadn’t hinted at how close they were…

“After everything that’s happened recently, I’ve done a lot of thinking.”

In the haze of despair he’d felt during the recent crisis, it wasn’t his old self or some vague sense of salvation he’d sought.

It was Edwin.

In the face of danger, he hadn’t wanted to turn back time—he had wanted Edwin to save him.

If not for that incident, perhaps he would have continued living a life subtly out of sync, oblivious to what truly mattered.

But now, Henry was resolute in his feelings for Edwin, and he wanted to live the life he had been granted to its fullest.

“We’ve even completed the imprinting process, and Edwin will come by soon to formally meet everyone.”

Having revealed everything, Henry felt a mix of relief and anxiety.

What kind of reaction would his family have?

He glanced around, slightly tense.

Hena was the first to speak.

“Mother, where did this wine come from? The aroma is excellent.”

“The grapes are from Laira’s estate—famous for their quality.”

“Ah, that explains it.”

Hena nodded and resumed savoring her wine.

The Duke and Duchess returned to their meal as if nothing had happened.

Henry, bewildered by their nonchalance, couldn’t help but exclaim, “Why isn’t anyone saying anything?!”

At the very least, Henry had expected someone to ask why he had changed his mind so suddenly.

But when there was no reaction at all, he found himself, ironically, the one revisiting the matter he had hoped would pass lightly.

And then, as Hena picked up a napkin, she made an offhanded comment, almost as though she were tossing the words into the air.

“What kind of flavor do you think this wine will have?”

“What? Well, obviously, it’ll taste like grapes.”

“Exactly. You’re saying the obvious. So what else could I say?”

Hena muttered softly to herself, ‘Someday, we’ll probably seal the imprint properly.’

Hearing her, the Duke and Duchess exchanged a subtle nod.

“We’re going to get married anyway.”

Previously, when someone asked Hena if she intended to marry, she had replied with something like, ‘It’s possible,’ leaving the door open but not committing to anything.

She hadn’t been this direct before.

In fact, she had even warned people not to jump to conclusions, as nothing had been decided yet.

But now, no one seemed to be paying attention to Henry’s reaction.

“You said it would happen before autumn.”

“Me? When did I say that?”

“When the Duke Lorenz asked you what your favorite season was. Don’t you remember?”

“That was…”

Henry belatedly recalled that moment.

At the time, he had sensed something strange in the air, but he had gradually convinced himself it was just a casual meal.

Apparently, it hadn’t been.

“So back then…”

From the very first meeting, it had been a formal engagement discussion.

Frowning slightly, Henry revisited the conversations of that day.

His father had mentioned setting up a dedicated team, and Duke Lorenz had spoken about the experience of his butler.

On top of that, someone had asked what colors would suit Edwin best…

“You seem to know everything, but sometimes you’re so dense.”

Hena’s sharp remark made Henry slap his forehead.

Of everyone involved, he realized, he had been the most oblivious.

Even Edwin had known what kind of meeting that had been.

“So Edwin didn’t even tell me?”

Henry pouted, directing his misplaced frustration at Edwin.

Resolving to confront him later, Henry’s family all smiled knowingly at his expression.

“Henry.”

Realizing he’d been the only one tense about this, Henry let out a deflated chuckle.

“By the way, do you know where Edwin went today? He seemed to be heading somewhere,” Hena asked, recalling briefly passing Edwin earlier.

“No, I don’t ask about every little thing like that.”

“Really? Well, Edwin… never mind.”

Hena trailed off, remembering seeing Edwin head into a rather grimy alleyway.

She decided it was probably nothing and dropped the topic.

Just as Henry was about to press her for more information, his father spoke.

“Henry.”

“Yes, Father?”

“Have you thought about succeeding the dukedom?”

Duke Timothy’s question caught Henry off guard, making him pause to reflect.

He had always vaguely assumed he would become the next duke.

But with everything happening between him and Edwin, he had pushed the matter of succession aside.

“Well…”

After some hesitation, Henry looked up at his father.

“I think someone more capable than me should inherit the title.”

“Unexpected.”

Becoming the head of a noble family, especially a ducal house in the empire, was akin to holding immense power.

Many would go to great lengths, even suppressing their own siblings, to claim such a position.

Yet Henry was willingly stepping away.

“Why?” the Duke asked. “Even if you marry Edwin, there would be no issue with you leading the family.”

“It’s not because of Edwin.”

Henry shook his head.

“I just don’t think I’d make a better duke than you.”

This wasn’t modesty; it was a straightforward assessment.

Henry hadn’t even lived in this world for a year yet.

While he would do his best if he were to take on the role, he didn’t believe he could manage it as effectively as someone who had spent their entire life here.

That was why he could give up the position without regret.

“If that’s what you think, so be it,” the Duke replied, nodding as he observed Henry’s expression.

As always, the Duke never forced his decisions on Henry.

His easy acceptance left Henry feeling oddly worried.

“But won’t it cause problems if I suddenly step down? We’ll need to find a suitable heir.”

Feeling he had burdened his father by delaying this decision, Henry grew anxious, wondering if he should help find a suitable successor.

But the Duke waved his concerns away.

“That’s nothing to worry about.”

“But the dukedom isn’t a small house. We can’t just hand it over to anyone.”

“Of course not.”

The Duke puffed out his chest with pride, his expression filled with confidence.

Seeing this, Henry looked at him curiously.

“I plan to pass it to your sister.”

“To Hena?”

Henry turned to Hena, surprised.

* * *