In the dim dawn before the sun had fully risen, a few restless birds chirped outside. The automatic reflex to that clamorous sound made my eyes pop open.

It was currently 6 AM. The usual time I would wake up to take care of the samemmer.

“It’s a habit…”

I sighed, placing a pillow over my face. There’s not much to do even if I go out early today.

I tossed and turned with my eyes closed, but sleep wouldn’t come. Having no choice, I got up.

Today marks the second day of my vacation. Yesterday was hectic, taking care of the sick researchers and fixing the broken breeding facility, but starting from today, I’m perfectly unemployed.

What should I do to pass the time all day? A depressed unemployed person chose some suitable clothes to change into and then sluggishly went down to the first floor cafeteria.

In front of the cafeteria was a cart with breakfast sent from the Kronen Palace kitchen. The cart only had one portion for me.

I always ate alone anyway, but thinking about how I’m the only one in this spacious building made me feel even more empty inside.

“Lonely…”

The bread spread with peach jam, which should have been delicious, felt as dry as chewing on a pile of sand.

After finishing the depressing meal, I left the research center to take a light walk.

Usually, my fluffy samemmer would naturally be by my side as I walked, but today I’m alone.

Thanks to that, I could slowly look at the sky and observe the trees along the path, but… it wasn’t very enjoyable.

“Desolate…”

I quickly finished the walk and headed to the breeding facility. The spacious breeding facility, repaired so neatly as if the fence had never been broken, was completely empty.

“Hmph.”

Sniffling, I took a seat on the pergola. The vast empty lot with only a few clumps of white fur rolling around felt as hollow as my heart.

“I miss our babies.”

And I want to work. Because right now, I’m the only useless human lazing around with nothing to do in the castle!

It was just yesterday afternoon when I realized that and my excitement for the vacation completely vanished.

Honestly, until then, I had felt a bit of anticipation for the rare vacation. I had even made various plans in my head.

I should borrow and read a few interesting novels. If the kitchen has some free time, maybe I could borrow a corner and bake some cookies. In my spare time, I should study about veltraum… Those were my grand plans.

So to execute those plans, I first headed to the royal library, but the entire castle was unusually busy that day.

I grabbed a palace servant I was acquainted with and asked what was going on in the castle.

“You didn’t know? The summer banquet where the lords of each territory will all attend is being held soon. So starting from today, everyone is frantically preparing for the banquet.”

The palace servant hurriedly disappeared to do his work after answering like that. Left alone, I clutched my head.

‘So I’m the only one slacking off right now?’

No, why did such an important event have to happen during my vacation of all times?

I felt guilty about playing by myself when everyone else was busy. In the end, I withdrew all my plans and decided to hole up in the breeding facility to avoid being noticed.

I didn’t want to annoy busy people by idly wandering around when I couldn’t even properly help with the banquet preparations. My conscience wouldn’t allow that.

As my range of activities decreased, naturally the things I could do also decreased. Thanks to that, I’m bored to death.

I sighed heavily and took out a few scraps of cloth. I should make a bunch of samemmer toys while I’m at it.

Hm, the babies have grown a lot, so I should make them about four or five times bigger than usual.

I was diligently sewing when the doorbell hanging on the fence rang with a clang. I looked up with a bright face. A person!

‘Who is it?’

The man standing in front of the fence was wearing the clothes of a low-ranking official, a face I had never seen before.

As I approached, the man bowed his head.

“Hello, Lady Shuria. I’m Noie, working in the Import Management Department. I came to inform you that a package has arrived for you.”

“A package for me?”

“Yes. Do you have some time right now? I’d like to check under your supervision if there are any problematic items in the package. It’s a rule that all imported goods entering the castle must go through an inspection, so please don’t be offended.”

Mr. Noie carefully explained. But I didn’t really mind. It’s only natural to thoroughly manage items entering the monarch’s castle.

More importantly, the fact that I finally had something to do was far more significant. And if it’s a package for me, it must be the coat for Rumel that I ordered two weeks ago!

“Let’s go right now!”

I took the lead, giggling with joy. Then I realized I didn’t know where the Import Management Department was located, so I meekly followed behind Mr. Noie.

The finished coat was perfectly stylish and soft. Now all that’s left is to deliver it to Rumel.

So at noon, after writing the observation log for the “silverware tree” that Sek had requested, I grabbed the package and headed straight to Rumel.

“Ruuumeel-!”

I powerfully swung open the door to Rumel’s office. But the office was empty.

“Rumel?”

Where did he go? Rumel is usually always in his office.

I entered the office and looked around. The office, which was always neatly organized, was very messy today. As if he had tried to do a major cleaning but gave up…

“Lady Shuria?”

As I was contemplating whether to come back later, I heard Rumel’s voice. Turning around, I saw Rumel coming out of the pharmacy.

“Rumel! I was wondering where you were!”

“There were a lot of medicines to make, so I was in the pharmacy the whole time. I was so focused that I didn’t even notice you had come, Lady Shuria.”

Rumel approached me with a gentle smile. Today, Rumel had his long green hair tied up high. It looked refreshing and nice.

“But what brings you here? You’re not here because you’re sick somewhere, are you? Don’t tell me the researchers’ cold spread to you or something…”

“Nah, no way! I’m healthy. I’m probably the healthiest in all of Belloy.”

“That’s a relief then. If Lady Shuria was sick, I would be really sad.”

Rumel said playfully. Then, noticing the large box I was holding, he reached out his hand.

“What’s that? It looks heavy, give it here. Let’s set it down for a bit. Since you’re here, you’ll have a cup of tea with me, right?”

“I could drink a hundred cups of tea with Rumel. And this isn’t meant to be set down here, it’s for you, Rumel.”

“What is it?”

“It’s a gift! Open it up.”

Rumel sat on the sofa with wide eyes. I also sat next to him and watched as he unwrapped the packaging.

Soon, Rumel’s eyes grew big as he saw the contents.

“…! This is-”

“It’s a coat! I had ruined your coat before. I prepared this to repay you for your kindness, so accept it without feeling burdened.”

“But… this is a coat made from frost rabbit fur. To just accept it…”

Rumel furrowed his brows as if troubled. I firmly stopped his hand that was trying to cover the box again.

“Compared to what I’ve received from you, this is incredibly cheap! If you say you won’t accept it, I won’t leave and will lie down in your office until you do.”

“Lady Shuria…”

“A-And you’re the first friend I made since coming here, Rumel. This is a gift of friendship.”

“…”

“…You’ll accept it, right? Don’t tell me you didn’t think of me as a friend, Rumel? If that’s really the case, I might collapse from dehydration after crying!”

As I pretended to really fall backwards, Rumel hurriedly grabbed my arm.

My mischievous eyes met Rumel’s flustered ones. We burst into laughter at the same time.

Rumel stroked the coat.

“If it’s a gift of friendship, I can’t refuse. I’ll gratefully accept it. Thank you so much, Lady Shuria.”

“Yay! Here, try it on!”

I stood Rumel up and draped the coat on him. The coat, white as freshly fallen snow, suited him perfectly as if he had worn it since birth.

‘White looks great on him. Is it because his skin is pale?’

I felt deeply satisfied. I circled around Rumel several times.

“You have to wear it often, okay?”

“I will.”

“Great!”

The surprise gift was a success!

As I examined Rumel’s outfit one more time, the messy state of the room suddenly caught my eye. I brushed Rumel’s clothes to smooth out the wrinkles and asked,

“By the way, the room seems a bit messy. Were you in the middle of cleaning?”

“Haha, how embarrassing. I got some new books and supplies, so I was trying to reorganize everything while I was at it. But I kept putting it off because I didn’t have time, and it ended up like this.”

Cleaning? When it comes to cleaning, I can’t be left out.

“Want me to help? I happen to have quite the knack for organizing.”

“Then I’d be too sorry. You’re on vacation right now, Lady Shuria.”

“No need to feel sorry! I was so bored that I was about to start scrubbing the floor with my belly. Helping you is much better than doing something weird like that.”

Rumel hesitated but eventually nodded.

“I was in a bind, so I’m really grateful.”

And so, we promised to meet in the office at 1 PM tomorrow.

I finally have something to do!

Just having work to do makes me feel this good – I must be truly addicted to work.

After leaving Rumel’s office, since I was already at Kronen Palace, I went to the ward where the researchers were staying to visit them.

The medicine Rumel made must have worked really well, as the researchers looked quite bright. Just until yesterday, they had burning fevers.

As I entered the ward, Prom slightly lifted his head and scolded me.

“You know, if you’re going to visit the sick, it’s basic etiquette to at least bring a small gift, right?”

…They recovered too well? I feel like beating him up a few times to make him groan in pain again.

Ignoring Prom, I looked around at the other researchers.

“How are you feeling? A bit better?”

“I feel great after getting some good sleep for the first time in a while~.”

“I, I feel like I shouldn’t be resting so comfortably like this though…”

“Snore-”

“Hey, why aren’t you asking me?”

Seeing them all energetic again is a bit of a relief. At this rate, they’ll return to the research center in a day or two.

I went and sat on the chair next to Sek’s bed. I had something to report to Sek separately.

“Sek, the observation log you requested – I diligently wrote it well yesterday and today. So don’t worry.”

“Thank you~.”

Sek closed his eyes, looking ready to fall into a deep sleep. But this guy sleeps with his glasses on. Come to think of it, the other researchers are the same.

Curiously staring at his face, a question suddenly popped into my head and I blurted it out.

“By the way, there are a lot of other plants in the greenhouse, is it okay to not pay attention to those?”

“It’s fine~ The silverware tree is the most important.”

“What kind of tree is the silverware tree that you pour so much care into it?”

Just then, Sek abruptly opened his eyes. Yikes!

Whether I was startled or not, he smiled at me meaningfully.

“Curious?”

“Yeah, well…”

“That tree, you see-”

Sek wiggled his finger as if telling me to come closer. I obediently leaned my upper body towards him.

He brought his lips to my ear. And then whispered secretively,

“My life depends on it.”