Rolling my eyes at the absurdity, Zero didn’t pay any attention. When I almost gave up and put down the pen, Zero grinned.

“This should be enough to show significant progress. Honestly, I didn’t expect much.”

“The last sentence is really annoying.”

“Ahem, it means that you’re doing well! I acknowledge you!”

My eyes became even colder.

“If you want acknowledgment, give it as a reward…”

Receiving acknowledgment from others, what’s the point? It’s not like food falls from the sky.

Showing a sly reaction, Zero complained embarrassingly.

“Ugh! Even if I praise you, you don’t react much, so it’s not fun! There’s no sense of accomplishment in praising you!”

“Yeah. Since I’m an uninteresting person, encourage me with a generous reward in the future.”

“Ugh, I hate it!”
Afraid that I might cling persistently for more rewards, Zero hurriedly ran away. The once lively office, now devoid of the noisy hamster, felt strangely empty.

“…I don’t know. Let’s just focus on work.”

I plunged back into the paperwork, ensuring that I dealt with the tasks at hand. I needed to remember those who provided relatively useful relief supplies, as they might prove useful later.

While grappling with documents alone, I heard a smart knock on the door.

“Who is it?”

Inquiring with a soulless tone, I received Rena’s friendly response.

“Milord! It’s me. I thought you might be tired, so I prepared a small snack.”

“…I’m not hungry.”

Glancing at the clock, I noticed that it was approaching noon. I had been working since morning, skipping breakfast.

“Has it already been this long?”

Now I understood why Zero had advised me to take a break.

Realizing that I might need a break from dealing with paperwork alone, Rena’s thoughtful judgment seemed to prevail.

“…Come in.”

Acknowledging my hunger, I allowed Rena to enter, and she brought a cheerful array of desserts on a bright tray.

There were lemon tarts, sweet meringue cookies, cream brûlée, cheese soufflé, and even a sandwich filled with ham, cheese, lettuce, and more, unmistakably prepared as a substitute for a meal.

As a beverage, there was iced Americano, my frequent choice. Rena poured the coffee like pouring an energy drink, looking at me oddly, which initially confused the kitchen staff, but now they did it naturally, and I appreciated it.

“…Isn’t it too fancy?”

It was a combination that shot down my taste, making my mouth water, but it was too much for one person. Rena patted her waist and nodded.

“Lately, Milord has been working hard. The local lords have been relieved due to the support, but Milord seems to be more concerned than anyone else, according to Lady Jang.”

‘Miliana said that?’

I flinched inwardly.

It seemed that the Duke’s servants were taking care of me more than I had anticipated.

‘…It’s okay.’

Accustomed to being alone, I wasn’t used to this kind of warm concern. I thought I would prefer Zero’s straightforward remarks.

‘I don’t know how to respond to this kind of kindness.’

Looking at the charming dessert table, reminiscent of a tea party in a salon, I hesitated.

Rena frowned when she saw me not reaching out to eat.

“Do you not like it…?”

‘Ugh!’

“It’s not like that. …I’ll eat it.”

Unable to refuse, I hastily picked up a tart. The crispy texture of the tart, breaking smoothly in my mouth, moistened my dry throat. The hidden sweet apple jam inside was exquisite.

“…It’s really delicious.”
“That’s right! I heard it’s the masterpiece of the head chef! I tasted it during the trial, and it was incredibly delicious.”

“…Do you want some too?”

I knew that I could enjoy such treatment when multiple sugar daddies arrived. Not wanting this dessert, crafted so beautifully for me alone, to go to waste, and because there was plenty to share, I suggested a heart-shaped tart to Rena. Rather than clapping her hands, she sighed.

“Oh, I’m okay! Sir, who works so hard, should have more.”

“I only need this one.”

As I enjoyed a neatly made ham and cheese sandwich, Rena made another crying sound.

“Milord… Compared to the days when you were active in high society, you’ve lost a lot of weight. So, the housekeeper and Lady Jang entrusted me with a special mission to make sure you eat more. If you eat, I’ll feel at ease too!”

“Um.”

To be honest, my weight had increased rather than decreased compared to before.

Should I say I gained weight in a healthy way?

Due to the daily training enforced by the instructors Michael and Ashton, who came up from hell, my body fat had reduced, and muscles had developed.

“A few days without meals won’t kill me… Was I taken care of too well during that time?”

Party members emphasized the importance of eating well and resting to build stamina for fighting against zombies.

Especially Ashton, who had been through thick and thin, warned me that if I skipped meals, he wouldn’t let it slide. Thanks to that, the level-up speed of the skill had been consistently on the rise.

“It’s excessive. I won’t die even if I skip meals for a few days. Making a fuss like this…”

“But you still need to take care of your body, right?”

Oh. The tiger comes when I talk about it.

Ashton was leaning against the doorframe outside.