"How can Ivy still be alive?"
Mr. Milano threw the coat he had just taken off roughly.

"I'm wondering the same thing," said Madame Maria.

Mr. Milano then looked at Madame Maria with a furious look.
"We have misplaced our trust in Mr. Marionet and Madame Liana, how will you settle this? They have taken so much from us, while what we expected was not done."

"I'm sorry, but I don't know anything about this either. I thought Miranda would do her job without anyone knowing."

Mr. Milano chuckled and then walked away.
"Take care of this! I don't want my only son to hate me for this."

Mr. Milano was furious and walked away from Madame Maria, who was now also thinking of eliminating Ivy. He also didn't want Race to hate him just because of Ivy.

"Why did I have to marry Race off to Ivy? I could have married him off to another Marionet," Mrs. Maria grumbled.
***
In Winter's pavilion, Ivy had just finished healing Winter. Also sitting there, Race looked at Winter and Ivy, who looked at each other.

"What made you two look at each other like that?" asked Race, a little uncomfortable with Winter's gaze on Ivy.

The two then looked at Race, Ivy releasing her hand holding Winter's earlier.
"There's a lot that makes me wonder about Winter's condition, Race. That's why I keep looking at her," Ivy replied later.

"And you?" asked Race again, looking at Winter.

"Because Ivy's pretty," Winter said honestly.

Race rounded his eyes in disbelief. Race then snorted in annoyance and stood up from his seat. Winter herself chuckled softly, and so did Ivy.

"Why are you playing a prank, Race. He's sensitive and short-tempered, Winter," Ivy said.

"I know, that's why I like it when he gets angry," Winter said.

"You two just love to make fun of me."
An annoyed Race walked away from Ivy and Winter. Ivy scrambled to go after her husband, but Winter held her back.

"Let me go after him, you rest! Your face is still pale, Iv," Winter said.

Ivy dropped her intention to chase Race, and she nodded in obedience to Winter's words.

Winter approached Race, standing next to the railing of Winter's pavilion terrace. Winter then tapped Race lightly on the shoulder.
"What brings you here? Just like that you're angry," Winter said.

Race glanced at Winter, Ivy's husband, then gently let go of Winter's hand.
"How can Ivy still ask?" Race said.

Winter smiled and then shook her head softly.
"Thanks to your sulking, she forgot about her questions about my condition."

"Thankfully, I didn't want her to know your true condition," Race said later.

"Why?"
Winter furrowed her brow in confusion.

"Not for now anyway, Winter. He's just recovering, I'm afraid he's going to expend a lot of energy knowing your true condition," Race explained.

"You're right. She's been expending a lot of energy lately. The opening ceremony is safe because Ivy's protective veil protects the palace. Tomorrow's festival venue is the same, and Ivy always does everything with totality. I also didn't want to do healing magic with Ivy. It's just that she keeps insisting on the reason that I have to be healthy during this festival," said Winter, who was also of the same mind as Race.

"So keep your condition a secret, Winter. I, for one, will see if there is a way to cure your illness without Ivy's magic."

"Is there?"

"We haven't looked yet, have we?"

"If there were, wouldn't I have been cured as a child, Race? This disease is a curse from that monster, only magic can cure this curse."

Race was silent at Winter's words because what Winter said was true. Since childhood, he had known about Winter's illness. It's just that Race didn't want it all to spread, including to Ivy.
***
Ivy had just finished bathing with Gareta's help. Ivy sat on the bed while Gareta held a towel to dry Ivy's hair.

"Leave me alone, Gareta. You can go back to your room and rest. It's getting late," Ivy said.

Gareta smiled and nodded her head in agreement. Gareta then handed Ivy the towel he was holding and left his mistress's room. After Gareta left, Race entered with his clothes changed into pajamas. Race saw Ivy drying her hair with a towel.

"Let me help you," said Race, who immediately took over the towel Ivy was holding.

Ivy looked at Race and nodded her head slowly. Race then began to dry Ivy's hair and looked back at the wound on Ivy's shoulder. Race let out a deep, heavy breath.

"What's wrong, Race?" asked Ivy.

"It's nothing," Race replied.

"Then why are you sighing like that?" Ivy demanded to know.

Race didn't answer immediately, and he was still drying Ivy's hair as he stared at Ivy's scars. That's when Ivy realized that Race must have been looking at her scars. Ivy then pulled away from Race quickly. Ivy then covered his shoulders again with her hair.

"It's dry, let's go to bed!" Ivy invited Race to avoid her.

Race still didn't answer and looked at his wife with pity. Race then held back Ivy's body, which was about to move to the side so Race could climb into bed.

"Why do you always avoid like that?" Race asked.

"What, I'm not avoiding, Race," Ivy replied.

Race sighed deeply. He held Ivy's body and then returned to lightly parting Ivy's hair.
"Don't, Race! You, ll be disgusted to see my scars," Ivy said, holding Race's hand.

Race didn't respond; he kept undoing Ivy's hair, and Ivy finally gave in. Ivy put her head down and started to cry. She always felt sad when she remembered how she got that wound.

Race himself gently rubbed Ivy's scar and looked at his wife pityingly.
"How did you get this wound? What kind of pain did you feel back then, Iv?" Race asked.

Ivy raised her head and looked at Race. Instead of answering Race's question, Ivy's tears could no longer be contained. Ivy was crying now. Race took a deep breath and embraced Ivy. He buried Ivy's head in his arms.

"I'm sorry," Race said.

"What are you sorry for?" asked Ivy in a hoarse voice.

"I'm sorry for loving you too late. Or you could say it wasn't too late, but you didn't want to admit it. I'm sorry, too, for being too late to bring you freedom from sorrow. I never knew your life in the Marionet family would be this hard," said Race, who felt very guilty for confessing his feelings too late.

"There is no need to apologize, in fact I am very grateful that you have been loved. I, am not a noble princess like other noble princesses, Race. I am disfigured by this scar. Moreover, I am a witch, I really don't deserve you."

"Who said that? You, in fact, are very worthy of me. Your scars are not your fault, it's all your parents' fault."

Ivy, who had always refused to admit it was her adoptive parents' fault, now nodded in agreement with Race's words. She agreed with her husband. Ivy felt disappointed when she found out that her adoptive parents were evil. Tesla and Doha had already explained about the poison Ivy had drunk. Ivy knew that the maknola sawdust poison only existed in the east, and Race's parents must have been looking for it with the help of Ivy's adoptive parents.

"Now tell me everything, Iv! Don't keep it to yourself! You, have to be honest with me about how they tortured you to have these scars."

Race urged Ivy to tell him, then released her embrace on Race. Ivy looked at Race and nodded her head slowly, and She agreed to tell him everything.
***