Todd replied in his characteristic stiff tone to the owner of those naive eyes filled with vain hope.

“Yes.”

“Then……”

A faint pink blush appeared on her white cheeks. At that moment, Dia’s mother interjected into the conversation.

“Wait a minute! What do you mean the wedding is cancelled? Surely you’re not backing out now? This is troublesome when you haven’t even paid the balance yet!”

Dia shrank her shoulders at her mother’s harsh voice. The smile like early spring sunshine disappeared without a trace.

“We rejected all the marriage proposals that came for this child because of our promise with you! What are we supposed to do now if you cancel like this!”

Todd stared blankly at the skinny middle-aged woman raising her voice at him, recalling what Zen had said. He clearly said she would react like this. Then he just had to answer as Zen instructed.

“Do not worry, madam. Though the form may have changed slightly, our contract remains valid.”

Saying that, Todd took out a silk pouch from his inner pocket and placed it in the hands of Countess Blaise.

A smile spread like waves across the face of the Countess as she hurriedly opened the pouch.

“We will soon welcome Lady Blaise to the Baker family.”

“What? That means……”

“Yes. The lady will have to stay there from now on.”

Dia clasped her hands at her chest. Seeing her eyelashes tremble gently, Todd continued.

“Do not worry. While it is not common to move residences first to receive bridal training, it is not unheard of either.”

“Bridal training……?”

Dia forgot even to blink at the unexpected words.

“Yes. After receiving bridal training, you will need to participate in social activities as Lady Blaise. In other words, although the order has changed slightly, what Miss Blaise needs to do has not changed much.”

Dia felt her heart being weighed down by burden and a sense of obligation with each word Todd spoke. Nevertheless, the word ‘training’ especially caught her ear.

At that moment, the Countess spoke.

“No. It’s very different. An unmarried lady living in a man’s house…… And you’re saying she has to participate in social activities? I can already imagine what other nobles will whisper about!”

She continued in an agitated state.

“Oh, you’re not planning to just use Dia and then abandon her, are you? That absolutely cannot happen! Even if they don’t marry, everyone will know that Dia stayed at the Baker mansion. Who would want to marry Dia then?”

This too was something Zen had predicted. Todd quietly waited for her to finish speaking.

“If Dia can’t get married, this Blaise Count title will pass to distant relatives. We won’t last more than a few days with the money in this pouch, so we’ll end up starving to death in the end!”

It was an excessive exaggeration. Nevertheless, Todd did not even furrow his brow.

“Madam. That will not happen.”

“How can I know for sure that it won’t happen?”

Her bloodshot eyes clearly revealed her desires. Without hesitation, Todd took out a pre-prepared check from his pocket and handed it to the Countess.

“Go to Chris Bank and show them this. They will give you the money.”

The Countess clutched the check as if she were a hungry stray dog tearing into food.

Dia’s face turned red with shame. Her eyes that had been full of life when hearing about training now turned towards the ground.

Todd felt no particular emotion seeing Dia’s embarrassed face that looked like it would burst into tears at any moment, or the Countess’s face as she muttered “Mr. Baker really is the best catch” while looking at the amount on the check.

The seasons were changing. With only colder days ahead, today was comparatively warm compared to the days to come.

As if to prove this, the sunlight flowing in through the window was cozy. But Deborah had no time to enjoy the warm sunshine. Right now, her mind was filled with thoughts of what was to come.

‘The beginning is important.’

As soon as Madam Saint left, Deborah sat at her desk and wrote something on about fifty sheets of paper. And by morning, she had condensed the fifty sheets into two pages.

‘This should do, right?’

Though her head ached from not sleeping at all because of it, strangely her heart felt calm.

‘The most peaceful feeling I’ve had recently.’

Having finished her task, Deborah finally noticed the warm sunlight shining down.

‘It’s already morning, huh. I wonder when Mr. Baker will return……’

In the novel, Zen was always described as a busy person.

Zen, who had gone out again yesterday while Deborah was talking with Madam Saint, had not returned even now that morning had come. Seeing this, that description was certainly true.

‘Oh?’

As Deborah absently gazed out the window, a vehicle entering the mansion grounds came into her view.

‘Speak of the devil.’

Deborah hurriedly pulled the cord to ask a maid for washing water. The maid who brought the washing water rolled up her sleeves to help change clothes as well, but Deborah refused.

“What? It’s alright. I’ll help you.”

“No, it’s okay! I can do it myself!”

To the regretful maid, Deborah asked a different question.

“I’d like to meet Mr. Baker. Where can I see him?”

The maid thought it strange that Deborah didn’t ask if Zen had returned home and instead directly asked where he was, but she answered anyway.

“If you mean the master, I believe he headed to the study at the right end of the 3rd floor.”

“I see. Thank you.”

After the maid left and Deborah neatly groomed herself, she took a deep breath. Then, carefully holding the two sheets of paper she had diligently written so they wouldn’t crumple, she headed towards Zen.

Just as Deborah reached the central staircase on the 3rd floor, Zen had just inserted the key into the study door handle.

At the sound of clicking heels, Zen unconsciously turned his head and could see Deborah slowly walking towards him.

For some reason, Zen’s eyes wavered greatly at that sight.

“Good morning, Mr. Baker.”

The moment their eyes met, Deborah stopped walking and bowed her head in greeting. Thanks to his Adam’s apple bobbing uncontrollably, Zen could not easily produce a voice.

“……How did you know I was here?”

“I happened to see you returning home while looking out the window, so I asked a maid. Where I could find Mr. Baker.”

Deborah answered with a faint smile. Zen stared at Deborah for a moment without saying anything.

‘Why is he acting like this again? Ah, maybe……’

Seeing his unusual reaction, Deborah asked in a careful tone.

“Was it a mistake for me to suddenly come looking for you?”

“No, it wasn’t.”

At Zen’s quick denial, Deborah gently crinkled her eyes and said.

“Then that’s a relief.”

Then, without hesitation, she continued in a polite tone.

“If it’s alright with you, could you spare some time? If now is inconvenient, you can set an appointment for whenever is comfortable for you.”

“Now is fine, so please come in.”

As Zen turned the key the rest of the way, a pleasant click sound rang out.

When Zen removed the key and opened the door, the distinctive dusty smell of paper wafted out.

Another scent mixed in was clearly the smell of cigars. This handsome man with elegant features must have been fighting in an inelegant battlefield with a cigar in his mouth.

Smelling the paper and cigar scents, Deborah slowly followed Zen’s steps. And as Deborah took one step into the room, she unconsciously widened her eyes.

‘Oh my.’

The paper he used seemed to be very high quality. Documents were piled like mountains filling the room, yet the smell was only this much.

‘It’s truly a mountain of paperwork. Right. Making money can’t be easy.’

Deborah hoped Zen would go further into the study. But Zen stopped near the entrance and showed no signs of moving.

‘What’s going on?’

At that moment, Zen, who had only been showing his broad back up close, spoke while staring straight ahead.

“Please wait a moment.”

Saying that, Zen strode without hesitation towards the end of the study with his long legs. And with an unhesitating hand, he opened the window.

The cool breeze blowing in from outside ruffled Deborah’s hair. Needless to say, the documents closer to the window were affected even more.

As if fairies were playing a prank, the documents fluttered in the air. A bewildered light appeared in Deborah’s eyes as she watched this mystical scene.

‘What should I do about all this?’

Why did he suddenly open the window! However, the owner of these documents was calmly looking out the window.

But when he turned to look at Deborah, his eyes wavered slightly. Clearly, until just now, not a trace of emotion had appeared on his beautiful side profile.

But Deborah failed to notice that Zen’s eyes had wavered when looking at her. The study was spacious, and the distance between them was correspondingly far.

“What should we do about all this?”

Deborah said, looking at the documents fallen on the floor.

“……It’s not something for you to worry about, so don’t mind it and just come in.”

Zen said in his characteristically sharp tone.

‘Hmm, is he telling me not to meddle unnecessarily?’

Deborah was fine with Zen’s prickly tone and cool response. But entering the study now was burdensome. How was she supposed to avoid this minefield of documents?

‘Still, it’s not impossible.’

Steeling her resolve, Deborah gently grasped her voluminous skirt. Then she tiptoed to avoid each document as she approached Zen.

‘It’s like walking to avoid puddles on a rainy day. A bit fun.’

Deborah was focused on watching her feet, so once again she did not notice how Zen was looking at her.

She would never know that he couldn’t take his eyes off her until she approached him, no, even after that.

Zen was fine with that. It didn’t matter.

“Mr. Baker, would you please look at this?”

Having arduously arrived in front of him, Deborah held out the documents she had brought with a bright smile. Zen received those documents and slowly examined them. More than the content, the neatly written handwriting caught his eye. Even the handwriting was like Deborah.

“I heard from Madam Saint. That you want to entrust me not only with Lady Blaise’s grooming, but her overall lifestyle as well.”

“I’m the one who hired you, yet I’m hearing about it from the madam.”

Zen smiled bitterly.

“Was it not discussed with the madam?”

“No, it was. So what about it?”

As Zen waved the paper and spoke, Deborah, who was standing straight with her hands clasped in front, answered.

“Those are my requirements for you, Mr. Baker.”

“Requirements?”

“Yes. If you don’t agree to these requirements, I’ve decided to return to Madam Saint.”

Zen’s arrogant smile instantly evaporated.