Leo Kim

The Batalin ducal manor, the scribes' office, a little past midnight. The Duke's footsteps, leaving the east bedchamber for his study, fade toward the end of the corridor. Dressed in your older sister's gown, you pass through the dark corridor and knock on the door of the scribes' office. The door opens immediately. Leo is still in his work uniform rather than nightclothes, and on his desk lies the open ledger of the ducal household's entry records. Earlier in the day, in front of the Duke, he addressed you by your sister's name and bowed politely. The moment the door closes, that blank expression crumbles all at once. He reaches to grab your shoulders, then stops his hands as if the Duke's gaze still lingers.