The servant dormitory returns with the same bell and ribbon. Dahee wakes with poison memory and immediate grief.

Dahee runs through the estate toward Caelum's study, breaking servant rules openly.

Caelum sits in his formal study, immaculate and cold, writing execution orders. He has no softness, no recognition, no shared history in his face.

Dahee tries to invoke their plan, but each word sounds insane to the duke in front of her. His hand moves to the sword.

Dahee backs through a side door into Caelum's private antechamber. The room is empty except for shelves, a mirror, and sealed books.

Private mirror reveal. Dahee's reflection now has metallic gold eyes instead of Elodie's brown. No other characters are present.

Dahee finds the romance fantasy volume she was coloring on Caelum's shelf. It is a physical book inside the world.

Dahee flips through the printed book: title page, Caelum character page, then a section tab marked villains.

The character page reveals a hated villainess with Dahee's exact face, gold eyes, copper streak, and red thread bracelet, dressed in black noble clothes in the illustration.

Dahee's memories fracture visually: balcony kiss, execution snow, office tablet, all overlaid with the villainess portrait. She fights the implication.

Caelum enters the antechamber behind Dahee, now the cold novel duke again. His drawn sword casts a long shadow over the villainess page.

Final cliffhanger. Dahee faces the mirror and book with gold eyes, Caelum behind her raising the sword. The villainess portrait remains open in the foreground.