“Young lady.”

The boy with the beautiful smile pushed the ledger he was using to the side and stood up from his seat.

His dark brown pants and a beret of a similar shade matched like a pair.

Until last year, he was a child cared for in the monastery, but perhaps because of his quick calculations and pleasant demeanor, the owner of the herb shop offered him a job at the store after he left.

“What kind of herbs are you looking for today?”

“I want to brew a medicinal tea good for colds during the change of seasons. Three bags each of dried cinnamon, pear, and ginger. And if you have burning bird leaves, give me those too.”

“Yes, I’ll look for them. But I’m not sure if we have any burning bird leaves left. We’ve been really low on stock.”

The boy who went into the back storage room came out after a while with a regretful expression.

“As I thought, we’re out. If you had given me a heads up, I would have set some aside.”

“It’s alright. It hasn’t been long since the last shipment, but the stock is already depleted. Is it because of the change of seasons?”

“It’s not so much that, but we’ve been low on stock lately. There’s been a severe drought in the southern coastal areas, which are the main production regions. They say it’s difficult to cultivate even with potions.”

Diana lowered her eyebrows and nodded slightly.

“Do you still meet often with the friends you became independent with?”

“…I do meet them, but it seems they’re all struggling to find jobs and going hungry. Because of the drought, food prices have gone up, so places are trying to cut labor costs, and farm tools aren’t selling at all. Many restaurants, cafes, and blacksmiths are closing down. It’s quite difficult.”

Diana placed a few more gold coins next to the money pouch she had prepared and smiled bitterly.

“The support money you received when you became independent won’t be nearly enough. Since I don’t have any other way to meet them, gather the kids and treat them to a meal at least.”

“You don’t have to do that…!”

“Please. You understand, right?”

“I shouldn’t have brought it up… Thank you. There are friends who’ve been evicted because they couldn’t pay rent, but this will help cover it.”

While Diana was conversing, Raoul naturally packed the bags beside her.

“Then I’ll see you next time.”

“Yes! Take care on your way.”

Diana gave a small eye greeting and turned around.

As she stepped out from the warm interior into the alley, the cold air of early April struck her face.

Raoul took off the robe he was wearing and draped it over Diana’s slightly shivering shoulders.

Wrapped in the loose black cloth, Diana blinked her round eyes. She had the face of a pure white, innocent rabbit, oblivious to the ways of the world.

“You can’t take responsibility for all the children.”

“…Of course I know that.”

“If you give money like that without any conditions, they’ll come straight to you whenever they’re in trouble.”

“So what? They need at least one hill to lean on.”

“There are more than just a few children from the monastery.”

“The castle I live in, the clothes I wear, the food I eat. It’s all enjoyed from taxes collected from the territory’s people. How else would we run the business our family does if there’s no money? How would we pay the knights and servants’ salaries? It’s a noble’s duty to take care of the people in their territory. What should I do if I don’t even do that much…?”

“Still, don’t give them money. That’s not a solution.”

“I just gave them some pocket money to buy a meal. Don’t worry about it. Understand?”

Raoul was firm at times like this.

‘To think I have to be so cautious about spending my own money. When did he grow up like this?’

Fundamentally, Raoul had a pessimistic attitude that distrusted all things in the world.

So, he worried that Diana might get hurt if she was too kind or too friendly to someone.

“…It’s not about a bit of money. I’m worried you’ll get hurt.”

“…”

“You don’t know how awful humans can be when they’re backed into a corner. What if you give them everything and then get stabbed in the back later?”

“…That’s why we should help so they don’t get backed into a corner.”

Raoul had no reply. Somehow, the air felt colder than when they entered.

Diana moved closer to Raoul’s body to change the atmosphere and looked at him carefully.

“It would be best if I could arrange jobs for them, but that’s difficult right now. Even if I try to talk to Benjamin, they’re in the process of reducing staff.”

As Diana spoke as if making an excuse, Raoul enveloped her hand and lowered his gaze.

“I didn’t mean to push you.”

“I know.”

The warmth of the hand enveloping Diana was as hot as Raoul’s heart.

She also knew that Raoul’s advice came from concern for her. After all, he doesn’t nag people he’s not interested in.

Diana gently stroked the back of Raoul’s hand that was holding hers.

It was uncertain how to make this loyal wolf feel at ease.

As the two emerged from the alley, Biche, who had been dozing off leaning against the monastery’s stone wall, startled and straightened his back.

“You’ve arrived, young lady.”

“Let’s go now.”

Diana boarded the carriage with Raoul’s escort.

As she sat down, she heard the sound of the coachman loading the herb bags into the luggage compartment.

Raoul, holding onto the carriage door, only nagged at Biche not to doze off during duty.

“Aren’t you getting in…?”

“I just came for a brief shift change, so I need to head back now.”

No wonder he came back early. Diana stretched out both hands towards Raoul’s neck.

Raoul naturally lowered his head and leaned his upper body into the carriage.

“Your body won’t last…”

“You know I’m tough.”

“Still, this is too much. Other knights work every other day, don’t they?”

“I’ll try to come back tomorrow.”

Diana unwrapped the robe draped over her shoulders and put it over Raoul’s shoulders.

He probably hadn’t even had a chance to wash properly, but Raoul’s body smelled of cool grass. Even at a glance, his body and face were immaculate without a single unkempt spot.

“Then I’ll see you at the castle.”

Diana said as she tied the robe’s strings for him.

“Okay.”

Their faces were very close. Diana naturally straightened her back and nodded.

Click. The door closed. Diana leaned her forehead against the glass window to cool down.

Her heart fluttered at every little action. These emotions were not good for the future.

The next morning, Raoul met Biche, who had returned for his shift change.

Something must have happened in just one day, as there was a sense of satisfaction brimming in his purple eyes. He also looked a bit dazed.

“Get your act together. Don’t get attacked while making that stupid expression.”

“…I proposed to Helen.”

“What?”

Raoul’s brow furrowed at the sudden shocking statement.

It had been quite unpleasant to see him reciting love poems alone recently, but it seemed he had finally done something rash.

Honestly, Raoul thought he would succeed in proposing only after at least a year passed at this rate.

Even Vincent, who was older than him, was growing old as a bachelor.

They say the quiet cat climbs up to the kitchen counter first, and that saying was precisely about Biche.

“Did she accept?”

“Yes.”

Raoul’s face crumpled even more. Biche, oblivious to others’ feelings, grabbed his cheeks and wiggled his body.

“With no wars or tournaments, we’re not in a financially abundant situation. Still, I should be able to prepare a small house within the territory for Helen.”

“Why did she accept when nothing is prepared?”

“Well, Helen probably wants to build a stable home now too? We’re both not young anymore. Above all, is there such a thing as perfect preparation? Helen was even angry that I didn’t speak up sooner. If I only keep preparing and a more wonderful man appears, it’ll be too late to regret it then!”

Raoul’s body stiffened. The mention of a more wonderful man bothered him. Could feelings that were once there change?

He asked Biche, who was excitedly shooting his crossbow:

“If you hadn’t proposed earlier, do you think Helen’s feelings might have changed?”

“It’s possible. Helen thought I was playing with her because the proposal was delayed. She was afraid I might only date her but marry someone else…”

“Is such a thing possible…?”

“If you love someone, there’s no reason not to give them assurance. Of course, there might be shy men like me…? I should be grateful to Helen who waited for a full two and a half years. I’ll really do well…”

Kweeeek!

The fallen beast on the ground writhed disgustingly. And Raoul’s heart also writhed anxiously.

“If a woman confesses but the man doesn’t give a clear answer, what would she think?”

“…How long has it been since the confession?”

“Seven years.”

Biche was surprised and glanced at Raoul.

“After seven years, wouldn’t she obviously think she was rejected? Is there anyone who postpones an answer for seven years?”

“There could be circumstances that can’t be spoken about. Like it being too shameless to bring up.”

“Then he rejected her because it was shameless.”

“He didn’t reject her. He just couldn’t answer.”

“Not answering is rejecting… Isn’t that too much? She must have gathered courage to confess, but she was rejected without even getting an answer…”

Raoul frowned in frustration.

“I didn’t reject her. I’ll propose when the time comes.”

“And she says she’ll wait until then?”

“…”

“Whether it’s shameless or whatever, if you can’t accept it, you should make it clear. Is it that you don’t dislike the woman but are waiting because you think a better woman might appear?”

“Are you crazy?”

“That woman might be thinking that way. What if she gives up and meets another man? It’ll be too late to regret then. Seven years might already be too late…”

At that moment, Vincent, who had appeared from somewhere, cut off the monster’s head with a haggard face and agreed.

“Yeah. There’s no such hope torture. I’m going through it right now.”

Vincent had proposed but hadn’t received an answer from Angela for months.

Angela had even left for a vacation to her hometown.

“There’s still hope since you haven’t been rejected yet.”

“Why does she keep avoiding an answer? Is it that she’s reluctant to give me to someone else but doesn’t want to have me either? Or is she just ignoring me?”

“It’s okay. There’s someone who’s been having that worry for seven years.”

“Doing this for seven years? I’d rather die.”

Blue pupils shook rapidly.

His heart pounded loudly, and his lips went dry.

Raoul recalled what he had done all this time. He wanted to rush back to the castle right away and explain to Diana.

‘Did you hope alone and get disappointed alone because I didn’t answer? Is that why you engraved the forget-me-not flower?’

In Raoul’s heart, a small Diana sobbed.

The girl who always tended to beautiful flowers or read books in the fields had hurt her knee while chasing after the wolf that had jumped over the fence and was crying.

“But is it possible to like someone alone for seven years? I think I’d give up because it’s too painful.”