The carriage rolled slowly along the tree-lined avenue, its wheels crunching softly over the gravel road.
Carina leaned gently out of the carriage and jumped down from the step before it had come to a complete stop. Her billowing princess dress swept up in a graceful arc behind her, then slowly settled.
Once she had her footing, she instinctively looked up-the silver-haired man was still reclining on the second-floor terrace.
Just as he had two days ago.
Just as he had yesterday.
Just as he had when she left this morning.
He lay on his back like that, one hand tucked behind his head, the other resting casually at his side. His azure eyes gazed at the sky, motionless, like a statue.
Carina clenched her fists.
She clenched them so tightly that her nails nearly dug into her palms.
She took a deep breath, nodded to the attendant approaching her, and tried to make her steps look calm and natural. But when she reached the door, she could not help looking up again.
That figure still had not moved.
Inside the living room, sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, spreading warm patches of light across the floor.
Nami sat at the workbench by the window, absorbed in drawing a nautical chart. Brushes of various sizes lay neatly arranged beside her, the ink bottle stood uncapped, and a faint scent of ink drifted through the air.
Carina walked in, kicked off her leather shoes, and casually peeled off her elaborate, puffed-out dress. It slid to the floor, revealing the close-fitting, flesh-colored bodysuit underneath. She flung herself onto the nearby sofa like a deflated ball, sinking deep into its soft cushions.
Without looking up, Nami continued adjusting the spacing between the routes on her chart and switched to a finer brush.
Hugging