Looking at Klaus with his head bowed, Rozelia felt a strange tingling sensation in her chest. Rozelia, trying to ignore that feeling, turned her head nonchalantly and muttered.

“…I’ll tell you.”

Startled by her own words, Rozelia quickly bit her lip.

What on earth did I just say? Am I agreeing to meet him as Rozelia?

While Rozelia was confused, Klaus slowly raised his head, looking at her, and asked in a low voice.

“Really?”

With an expectant expression, Klaus asked again. Rozelia, avoiding eye contact, casually let out her words.

“I can say it, but I can’t guarantee I’ll come.”

Even with Rozelia’s curt words, Klaus couldn’t help but break into a grin.

“Thanks.”

At his unfamiliar smile, Rozelia coughed and turned her head.

“I’ll just deliver the message. Just words.”

It was just a polite gesture she would make in front of the Duke. For the time being, and unless absolutely necessary, she wanted to avoid meeting the Duke as Rozelia.

Why does he think that way while I’m contemplating his words? Rozelia watered the worn flowerbed almost collapsing from its railing, staring blankly at the wall.

Don’t think about it! There’s nothing to think about! What will I do meeting him as Rozelia?

“Oppa, do you have any concerns?”

Startled, Rozelia, who had just snapped back to attention, quickly turned her head.

There, Elin, who had tidied up considerably compared to before, was holding the neatly cleaned rag doll.

The first anonymous painting found was Abel’s daughter, Elin.

That’s right. She had come to Abel’s house as Antonio to deliver the sponsorship funds.

“Flood!”

Pointing to the flowerbed, Elin, who had been peeking, lifted the watering can in a hurry.

“Ah, sorry!”

Apologizing, Rozelia quickly raised the watering can.

“Dad! Something big happened!”

Oh no… is it too early?

While Rozelia scratched her head awkwardly, Abel, who had been drawing, approached with his hands wiping off paint on his apron.

“Just deliver the sponsorship funds and leave. Why bother with all this?”

Unlike before, Abel, now much more lively and cheerful, chuckled and said.

“Oh, there’s some time left.”

It was true that she didn’t want to enter the mansion for the impending Duke’s visit.

“Has your younger sibling’s condition improved a lot?”

“Oh, yes. Well…”

Although she usually came to deliver the sponsorship funds as Rozelia, this time, she came as Antonio under the pretext of Rozelia being unwell, just as she did with Nadia.
While trying to fill the time to avoid entering the mansion, Rozelia, in the process, ended up ruining a neglected flowerbed, making her scratch her head in dismay. Abel, who smiled gently as he observed her, sat down on the bricks of the flowerbed wall and spoke.

“Do you have any concerns? I apologize for overwhelming you on our first meeting. If it’s alright with you, I can help.”

“Yes? No, it’s not…”

“Your expression seems to suggest otherwise.”

In response to Abel’s amiable smile, Rozelia cleared her throat and sat down next to him on the adjacent flowerbed.

“Uh… well… there’s someone who keeps bothering me. Oh, no! It’s not like I like them! I just, well, care about them a little, or rather, a lot.”

“And?”

With an intrigued smile, Abel looked at her as if gazing at a younger sibling.

“Well… I shouldn’t have any romantic involvement with that person.”

If it continues, I might end up dead. That’s how the original story goes.

Seeing Rozelia’s expression turn serious, Abel, with a grin, observed her closely.

“But it seems that person keeps bothering you and getting on your nerves?”

“Yes…”

“Hmm… No matter what that emotion is, avoiding it might not be the answer. Aren’t you just avoiding and pondering like this even now?”

“But…”

With Abel’s response bringing them back to square one, Rozelia looked at the ground with a complicated expression. Abel, looking at her, smiled and patted her shoulder.

“Whether you cut ties or continue, it’s up to you. But to make a decision, you first need to be clear about your own feelings. To do that, you have to face it head-on.”

As Rozelia pondered without giving an answer, Abel stood up, looking at her shoulders.

“Rather than running away by becoming a man, wouldn’t it be better to face it first?”

Even though she’s not a man but a woman…

It was a valid point. Avoiding the situation wouldn’t solve anything; she just wanted to escape from the situation itself.

“And there’s no such thing as a relationship that can’t happen. Even if it’s a relationship criticized by the world, if it feels right to me and draws me in, it’s the right relationship, no matter how much the world objects.”

“Speaking from experience?”

In response to Rozelia’s question, Abel looked inside the house at Elin playing with a rag doll and grinned.

“Yes.”

Looking into Abel’s shining eyes, Rozelia slowly stood up.

“It’s been helpful. Thank you, Mr. Abel.”

“You’re very welcome.”

With her thoughts organized, Rozelia tidied up and left Abel’s house.

With her thoughts sorted out, she wanted to quickly deal with her work.