Only then did Carlos, who had finally taken his eyes off Irene’s leg, pick up the pants hanging on the hanger.

After changing into clothes and returning to the bedroom, Irene noticed Dewey standing next to Carlos and stopped.

Dewey greeted with a cheerful smile, “Good morning, miss.”
“……Yes.”

Even if it’s an empty phrase, she could have said good morning.

Unable to bring herself to do that, Irene gave a brief response and sat across from Carlos.

“Well, then I’ll prepare for going out.”

“Sure.”

Dewey left, and Jessie came in with a tray, setting the table.

Irene silently observed the scene.

Avoiding eye contact with Carlos, she kept her head down, but naturally, her gaze turned toward him.

“Do you need anything, miss?”

Thinking that she might look like she needed something, Jessie asked.

Before Irene could respond that she didn’t need anything, Carlos spoke first.

“There’s no strawberry jam.”

At his words, Irene checked the tray with the jams.

There were various kinds like rose jam, milk jam, etc., but there was no strawberry jam.

“Right. I’ll bring it right away.”

No! If Jessie goes out, Carlos and I will be left alone!

Although he would quickly return with just the jam, Irene hoped that Jessie wouldn’t leave.

“Please wait a moment.”

However, not understanding her intentions, Jessie, who seemed to think she needed something, immediately went out.

The door closed. The bedroom fell into the eerie silence Irene had expected.

What if he asks me about the mischief I committed yesterday? Irene anxiously glanced at Carlos, but he, as if her worries were in vain, just drank coffee and said nothing.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“…….'”

Rather, he looked at her as if he couldn’t understand why she was behaving like this. Irene, feeling confused, lowered her head deeply.

Saying it was nothing might not work, and saying it as it was might not feel right.

She had to come up with another excuse.

Thinking faster than ever, Irene, who was contemplating and hesitating, cautiously opened her mouth.

“I, I was wondering if Your Grace likes strawberry jam. I’ve never seen you eat it… If it bothered you, I apologize.”

Irene, who came up with an excuse she thought wasn’t bad, confidently lowered her head and apologized.

Thanks to that, Carlos didn’t suspect anything and replied without hesitation.

“I don’t particularly like it. If I had to say, I’d say I dislike it.”

Irene looked puzzled and raised her head.

“But then why did you ask me to bring it?”

“Because you like it.”

Thud! The sound of the coffee cup being placed down was unusually loud.

“So, I asked you to bring it.”

“……!”

In response to an entirely unexpected answer, Irene’s eyes widened like saucers.

How did he know that I like strawberry jam?

Even if he did know, asking me to bring it just for that seemed strange.
“Unless there is a special reason, His Grace, who is dignified, wouldn’t bother with such cumbersome things for a mere commoner….”

“Here is the strawberry jam.”

Amidst the confusion, Jessie brought the problematic strawberry jam.

Carlos placed it in front of Irene.

“There.”

“…….'”

In response to this action, Jessie looked slightly confused, glancing between Irene and Carlos.

Whether unfortunate or fortunate, Irene, focused on the strawberry jam, didn’t notice that Jessie was giving her a strange look.

“…….'”

On the other hand, Carlos, who realized it late, looked directly at Jessie.

Jessie, who belatedly regained composure, quickly lowered his head.

Daring to question the lord’s actions and sending a strange gaze; it seemed like lightning would strike.

But, contrary to expectations:

“Go out.”

Unexpectedly, a light expulsion order was given, and Jessie promptly left the room.

“…….'”

Carlos filled his coffee cup himself and continued to look at Irene, who was still eyeing the strawberry jam.

He vividly remembered Irene spreading only that on bread every time she ate it.

So, it was certain that she liked strawberry jam.

However, looking at her expression now, it seemed not just liking; she seemed to hate it very much.

“Do you dislike it by any chance?”

“……Yes?”

Only now did Irene, who seemed to regain her senses, slowly blink and look at Carlos.

This time, she didn’t avoid eye contact.

Perhaps it was because of what happened yesterday; Irene had been avoiding eye contact, making the atmosphere a bit uncomfortable. However, now that they met gazes like this, Irene felt relieved.

Strange.

This was the first time Irene avoided my gaze.

When we first met and even recently, she couldn’t look me in the eye, didn’t smile, and just shook with fear.

Maybe because I’ve seen her smile a few times.

It was so beautiful that now I didn’t want to see any other side of her.

Carlos asking Jessie to bring strawberry jam might be because he wanted to see Irene happily smiling every time she ate it.

“……I must be out of my mind.”

“…….'”

Thinking that Carlos’s roughly spoken words were directed at her, Irene, misunderstanding, was startled, and her shoulders stiffened.

“Ddukg”

So surprised that even a hiccup came out.

Irene, flustered, covered her mouth with her hands, but she couldn’t completely block the sound.

Ddukg, ddukg, ddwaalkg.

The irregular hiccups, mixed with a sense of inquiry, threw a confusion bomb into Carlos’s already perplexed mind.

“Phew.”

Infected by the bomb of laughter, Carlos burst into laughter loudly.

It was a rare and unusual sight, where, if Jessie or Dewey saw it, they would be gaping in surprise and awe.

“…….'”

Unfortunately, Irene, drenched in embarrassment, couldn’t properly see that sight.