“You’re saying something heartless. Today, I’ll clean this room, so please stay quiet over there.”

The Viscount, who made stubborn remarks with a solidified expression, gazed out the window in a vacant manner.

After doing the cleaning for some time, suddenly hearing the doorbell, Rozelia looked at the door with a puzzled expression.

“Grandfather, do you have any guests at the Viscount’s mansion today?”

“I don’t know.”
With a nonchalant response and again staring blankly out the window, the Viscount’s posture made Rozelia sigh deeply, and she approached the door. The doorbell, unable to endure the wait, rang loudly again.

“Yes, I’m coming out now!”

Approaching the door, Rozelia opened it, confirming the visitor and frowned slightly.

“Lady…?”

“Oh my. What’s with that appearance?”

Looking at Rozelia, Closet, with a wrinkled expression, passed her suddenly and entered.

Observing the unbelievable state of the mansion, Closet’s actions left Rozelia perplexed, and she followed her.

“What’s going on here?”

“Lately, Antonio hasn’t been playing with me, so I came myself.”

Saying so, Closet looked at Rozelia with a mischievous expression.

Then, as if looking for something, Closet wandered from one room to another, and Rozelia followed her with an embarrassed expression.

“Where is the Viscount? I should greet him first.”

As if finding the room where the Viscount was located, Closet smiled brightly.

However, the Viscount’s expression, looking at Closet, remained indifferent.

“Don’t buy anything!”

At the sudden outburst from the Viscount, Closet was taken aback.

“What? I’m not a salesperson…”

Equally surprised, Rozelia hurriedly interjected between Closet and the Viscount, adding, “She’s the Lady of Duke Valtasar.”

“Lady or whatever, don’t buy anything!”

Grandfather, a Lady wouldn’t go around selling things…

While Rozelia forced a wry smile, Closet, approaching, covered her mouth with her hand and asked quietly, “Why is he like that?”

“He has dementia, and his condition has worsened lately.”

Awkwardly smiling, Rozelia’s explanation made Closet frown.

“Could it be that the demented old man is the painter you’re looking for?”

“Yes… As you can see, he’s in such a state that he can’t even enjoy painting.”

At Rozelia’s complaining words, Closet suddenly raised the corners of her mouth with a mischievous smile.

In the mischievous smile that Closet revealed when there was something tricky, Rozelia had to awkwardly respond with a heavy heart.

“How is my painting, Grandfather?”

Using the paints that Melda had brought, Closet spread an easel and energetically asked.

In response, the Viscount, scrutinizing the painting for a moment, bluntly replied, “Even drawing with your foot would be better.”

It was a plan prepared to provoke the Viscount, but Closet, now deeply immersed, genuinely expressed annoyance and protested.

“Then why don’t you try drawing, Grandfather?”

“Why should I?”

“Then what should I say?”

Even as Closet, pouting, complained, the Viscount responded with a calm expression.

“Don’t draw where it’s visible.”

“Well…”

Observing the bickering pair, Rozelia, unintentionally, let out a soft laugh.
Rozelia, who had been looking at Closet and the Viscount’s workshop as if finding it cute, suddenly checked the sunset by the window and approached the two.

“It seems like the tidying up is almost done, so let’s get up, milady.”

The Viscount, who was sitting nonchalantly, opened his mouth, looking at them.

“Leaving already?”

Seeming indifferent, yet when she mentioned leaving, the Viscount’s voice sounded regretful, and Rozelia smiled sweetly.

“I’ll come again soon.”

Even though the Viscount turned his head with an indifferent expression again, Rozelia, aware of his underlying disappointment, smiled brightly.

Closet, who was waiting outside the Viscount’s mansion, got on the carriage and asked bluntly.

“Is that grandfather really a painter?”

“Definitely.”

Certainly, in the original work, Viscount Klaus was described as a painter. There was a probability that his son, the junior viscount, could be the painter, but… considering the active-duty military service of the junior viscount, he wouldn’t have much time to paint. Due to dementia, his mental state fluctuated, causing an issue. So, the probability of the Viscount being the artist was higher.

While Rozelia was contemplating such thoughts, Closet, who didn’t seem to dislike the time spent with the Viscount today, casually blurted out.

“I guess I have no choice. I’ll have to go help him from time to time.”

Just because she was bored…

Looking at Closet with a cute expression, Rozelia smiled playfully.

Johannes, who had been staying in the annex palace exclusively for the reception of the diplomatic corps of the Rugbelzet Royal Family, entered the study and casually opened his mouth as he glanced at Lognen.

“Have you investigated?”

In response to Johannes’ question, Lognen nodded as if he had been waiting.

“The name is Roselia de Hesingk. It seems she is the orphan of the fallen Viscount.”

Was she a noble of Rugbelzet?

However, judging from her appearance and the fact that she traveled without any luxurious arrangements like a carriage, she didn’t seem like a noble…

As if sensing Johannes’ skepticism, Lognen immediately added.

“Viscount Hesingk incurred debts and passed away, leaving the Hesingk siblings to repay the debt.”

Debts… So that’s why they had dealings with the Viscount.

Johannes felt uneasy hearing about the Viscount’s reputation for not hesitating to deal with money matters. Even without seeing it, he could imagine how the ruthless Viscount would treat a debtor.

Suppressing the discomfort, Johannes looked at Lognen and asked.

“Do they have any other siblings?”

“Yes, she has an older brother. However, it seems he is not her biological brother.”

After saying so, Lognen looked at Johannes with a curious expression, surprised by Johannes’ unexpected interest.

“Viscount Hesingk remarried and adopted Roselia and her biological mother into the Viscount’s family.”

“When was that, that her mother and she were adopted into the Viscount’s family?”

“It seems to have been about 19 years ago.”