A lone rider traveled on horseback. A young man in fine riding clothes with a sword at his hip. He maintained an easy trot that wouldn't tire his horse, and he himself seemed to be in good shape. He arrived early at the Esaton counts' mansion in Hosca. He introduced himself to the guard at the entrance as Marco Lacor, heir to Baron Lacor and Bianca Esaton's fiancé. His intention was to see her and inform her that he was breaking off their engagement. Truth was, he didn't need to talk to her about it, but out of courtesy, he wanted to explain his reasons before making it official with her father, the count. When he was a child, both their parents arranged the marriage. He, as heir, would gain the prestige of marrying a count's daughter, and she would also bring a generous dowry. For her part, Bianca would become a baroness since the county title would go to her elder brother. However, Marco had trained and studied hard during his childhood and teenage years. When he turned eighteen, he chose not to take the academy entrance exam, preferring to shoulder part of the family business responsibilities instead. Their lands were farmland, and with his studies, he realized they could increase harvests and soil quality by changing some crops and negotiating with the neighboring barony for more irrigation water from their reservoir. With this, the barony's prosperity was growing, and he no longer needed Bianca's dowry. Since the girl was rather dull and lacking personality, always laughing at whoever's jokes she thought she should, it was actually a relief to break off the engagement. Of course, he'd consider marriage in the future, but with someone whose company wouldn't make every day feel like torture.

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However, the guard told him the young lady had left at dawn. He didn't know where to. Given the choice between going in to wait or searching for her, he chose the latter. He didn't feel like wasting too much time. He figured she'd headed to the nearby village and directed his horse there. When he asked around and realized no one had seen her, he decided to search the fields and then the forest.

He felt increasingly frustrated. What was that airhead doing wasting time when she was supposed to be studying?