Klaus, who didn’t expect the Marquis to notice, stiffened his expression.

“There’s no need to worry. We are also making thorough preparations on our side.”

In response to Klaus’s firm words, the Marquis, stroking his beard, looked at him seriously over the teacup.

“I don’t know what’s going on, but it seems troublesome.”

“In the future, whenever Antonio goes to the Duke’s mansion, I plan to take him there personally.”

At Klaus’s reassurance, the Marquis nodded approvingly.

“Yes, that’s a good idea. I don’t know what schemes that Luberio is hatching again, but you and that child seem to be the targets, so be careful.”

“Thank you for your concern.”

Without realizing it, the Marquis, who had been gazing at the distant sky, sighed deeply and muttered a complaint-like remark.

“I didn’t have concrete evidence, so I left it alone… But with you, maybe we can find out.”

“What are you talking about…”

In response to Klaus’s question, the Marquis, momentarily lost in thought, sharply fixed his gaze and spoke.

“I have something to show you. Come back at this time tomorrow.”

“Can’t you show it now?”

“The item is not in the Marquis’s mansion right now.”

At the somewhat ominous words of the imposing Marquis, Klaus nodded solemnly.

“Understood. I will bring Antonio to you again tomorrow at this time.”

At that moment, Roselia, who was coming out of the mansion, approached them with a puzzled expression.

“What are you two talking about?”

“I was cursing you for being too sluggish.”

In response to the Marquis’s teasing words, Roselia pouted and protested.

“No, what if the Marquis doesn’t have anything to eat? I have to go out and buy something because there’s nothing here.”

Amidst Roselia’s words about going outside, the Marquis, with an indifferent remark, stopped her.

“Enough, just sit down.”

“What? You told me to bring something suitable for a light snack.”

“Did I say that?”

“…….”

Seemingly pretending not to remember, the Marquis nonchalantly took a sip of tea when Roselia suspiciously glared at him.
Observing the two, Klaus pondered on what the Marquis would present. Detailed information would be known tomorrow, so there was no need to act hastily.

????????????

Inside the carriage returning from the Marquis’s mansion, spending half a day together didn’t feel as awkward as when they arrived. It was surprising to recall Klaus, who had been accommodating to the Marquis. Roselia always thought he maintained distant relationships, so it was an unexpected side.

Around the time Roselia was having such thoughts, Klaus spoke as if talking to himself.

“I heard he had dementia, but he seems better than expected.”

“It’s hit or miss. Today he’s relatively well.”

“Did he end up like that after the death of the Marquis?”

In response to Klaus’s words, Roselia looked at him with a puzzled expression.

“You knew about it?”

“Perhaps you underestimate the Duke’s information network.”

Shouldering off Klaus’s blunt reply, Roselia shifted the topic to the Marquis.

“I don’t remember much about the Duke. I decided to observe for now as there seemed to be no good in mentioning it.”

“That’s probably for the best.”

With that, silence fell inside the carriage.

Feeling tired, Roselia leaned against the carriage door, gazing out the window. Klaus, who had been staring at Roselia intently, cautiously spoke.

“By any chance…”

At Klaus’s hesitant expression, Roselia turned her head with a puzzled expression.

Observing her like that, Klaus calmly looked ahead and spoke.

“What do you think about people of the same sex feeling affection for each other?”

The unexpected question left Roselia momentarily stunned.

“For example, if a man and a man like each other…”

Unable to gauge Klaus’s intention, Roselia pondered for a moment and replied decisively.

“Well, I think it’s possible. There are no conditions or reasons when it comes to liking someone.”

At Roselia’s words, Klaus’s face brightened momentarily.

However, upon hearing Roselia’s next words, his expression turned somber again.

“Still, it seems like a different world to me. Oh, of course, it’s not to belittle homosexuality!”

“I see…”

Klaus, his shoulders slumping, turned his head out of the window as if disheartened.

Observing him with curiosity, Roselia turned her gaze out the opposite window, seemingly indifferent.

????????????

The evening twilight approached as the sun gradually set, and Roselia, at the request of the head butler Jeffrey, ventured outside the mansion. One of the servants had collapsed, and since the relevant medicine had run out, Jeffrey asked her to fetch more.

The Duke’s personal physician happened to be on vacation, so Roselia hurriedly set off for the nearby hospital.
As she was about to step out to block the entrance of the Duke’s mansion, someone slowly walked out from the building across, facing the mansion.

Thinking he might be a beggar, she tried to step aside, but suddenly felt a man in a robe staring at her intently, causing her to stop in surprise.

Could it be… the shadow sent by the Grand Duke?

Stiff as a board, Roselia tried to turn her body to dash into the Duke’s mansion.

However, at the sound of a voice immediately after, she felt her ankle seize up as if caught by something.

“Hello… it’s been a while.”

With an expression of disbelief, Roselia slowly turned her head at the familiar male voice.

The man, familiar yet somehow unfamiliar, was looking at her with a sly smile.

“Roselia.”

Raising a limp arm, as if unsure where the other had disappeared to, he waved in greeting. From the tip of Roselia’s toes to her spine, chills ran down her spine.

Her lips, seemingly tightly sealed, finally managed to utter words.

“Antonio…?”