“Why did you come out in the cold? Go inside.”

Zen said with a frown. Startled by the sudden loud voice, Deborah blinked quickly and said.

“I’m fine.”

Deborah was honestly cold, but she could easily endure standing for a short while.

So she planned to follow Zen and Dia into the mansion once they went in.

But Zen had no intention of indulging Deborah’s stubbornness.

“I’m not fine seeing you, so go up right now.”

Zen said sharply. If Deborah insisted on waiting, he looked ready to rush up without considering Dia.

“…Then I’ll gratefully accept your consideration.”

As Deborah turned and entered the mansion, Sedrick felt relieved.

Honestly, if Zen hadn’t been here, Sedrick would have draped his coat over her shoulders.

“Miss Deborah. We’re back.”

Dia, who had climbed the stairs with small steps, immediately walked towards Deborah with tiny steps.

She looked like a child searching for her mother after going out.

“Did you enjoy the party?”

Deborah smiled at Dia. Dia nodded with a bright smile.

“Yes.”

“Huhu. I’m glad. Even if it was an enjoyable party, you must be tired, so let’s go to your room quickly.”

Just as Deborah was about to take Dia back to her room, Zen said to Deborah.

“See me later.”

Deborah silently drew a question mark in her mind. At this late hour?

‘What does he want to talk about?’

Blinking her eyes, Deborah soon smiled brightly and said.

“Alright. Should I go to the study?”

“Not there, come to the reception room.”

Deborah nodded and left with Dia. Zen let out a deep sigh and said to Sedrick.

“Stoke the fire in the reception room until it’s warm enough to sweat.”

“Yes.”

“And…”

Sitting in front of the mirror, Dia said dejectedly.

“Could he be calling because of me?”

“Absolutely not.”

“Is that really true…?”

“Of course. Mr. Baker often called for me. Though not recently.”

Deborah felt she had misspoken. The words she said to comfort Dia somehow sounded strange.

But the innocent Dia didn’t notice anything odd.

“What do you usually talk about?”

At the careful question, Deborah chuckled and thought.

‘Nagging…’

Zen often nagged Deborah about trivial things like wearing thicker clothes or asking the maids to do minor tasks.

She would accept any work-related nagging, but he tended to keep work talk brief and most of it was personal nagging.

‘He is a good master though.’

With a faint smile, Deborah said to Dia, who was looking back at her like a scolded puppy.

“We mostly talk about life in the mansion. I think today will be similar.”

Deborah tactfully described Zen’s nagging that way.

“More importantly, how was the party today?”

“Ah. Right. I met Baroness Rose today.”

“Oh my.”

Deborah was truly surprised. Baroness Rose was originally supposed to meet Dia at her second social event.

But they met today.

‘Actually, more than the order of meeting, it’s amazing that she ended up meeting Baroness Rose at all.’

Even though the future had changed this much, Baroness Rose approaching Dia must be because she’s a good person who can’t stand injustice.

‘So there’s a high chance the nobles gossiped about young lady today too.’

Deborah felt uneasy. But Dia’s expression as she chattered about her conversation with Baroness Rose was nothing but bright.

“I was able to have such a conversation with Baroness Rose all thanks to you, Deborah.”

As Deborah undid Dia’s hair to brush it, she said.

“No. It’s entirely due to your own efforts, young lady. I wasn’t even there.”

In Dia’s dark room, Deborah’s pleasant low laughter and the sound of crackling firewood echoed.

Though she had felt too excited to sleep earlier, now she felt like she could fall asleep at any moment.

Seeing Dia’s slowly blinking eyelids, Deborah immediately laid her down in the warm bed.

Gently smiling at Dia, who had snuggled into the blankets, Deborah said.

“Sweet dreams, young lady.”

“Yes… You too, Deborah…”

Hearing Dia’s sleepy voice, Deborah slowly left the room. Dia thought hazily.

If only she weren’t so sleepy, she would have told Deborah.

That today, she was with her. That she was never alone.

The reception room Deborah arrived at was full of heat.

‘My. How much firewood did they use?’

Zen’s attire as he waited for her was the same as before. Though enough time had passed for him to change.

‘Could he have been waiting, not knowing when I’d arrive?’

Hmm. Deborah soon thought her assumption was wrong. That was behavior too unlike ‘Zen Baker’.

No, not just Zen, but any employer wouldn’t act like this. They’d surely assume Deborah would be waiting.

‘Of course, Mr. Baker isn’t an ordinary employer. No employer would ask to see a servant in the reception room at this hour.’

As Deborah stepped into the reception room, she said.

“I’m sorry for being late.”

“It’s fine. I figured you’d be late playing nanny.”

Zen crossed his legs and smiled arrogantly. Deborah felt relieved that this was more like Zen, but she couldn’t help thinking.

‘If you thought I’d be late, you could have at least changed clothes… You must be uncomfortable.’

Sitting down, Deborah looked at the small soup bowl on the table and said.

“What’s this?”

“For you to eat.”

“Pardon?”

Deborah tilted her head and asked. Zen sharply turned his head towards the fireplace.

The firelight brilliantly illuminated Zen’s golden hair and tinted his white face red.

“I heard. Losing weight? Are you crazy?”

“Ah, did Mr. Rearford tell you?”

Deborah said sheepishly. Zen hesitated. He hadn’t expected Sedrick’s name to come up here.

“I don’t know how you heard, but I didn’t starve myself as much as you might think.”

Turning his head back to Deborah, Zen said slowly.

“But have you gotten that thin?”

“Rather than thin, I’d be grateful if you saw it as successfully losing weight.”

“Stop talking nonsense and eat properly.”

Zen said with a frown.

“Did you eat properly today? And why are you still up waiting when you woke up at dawn?”

Deborah thought with a smile.

‘So he called me to nag after all.’

But this wasn’t ordinary nagging. It was nagging mixed with concern for her.

‘Why is he caring for me this much? Is it still because of Madam Saint? I should be grateful anyway.’

With a gentle smile, she said.

“I was in the middle of reading a book. I wasn’t forcing myself to stay awake waiting.”

“What book?”

Zen said, his eyes flashing sharply.

‘It feels like I’m being interrogated.’

Deborah smiled awkwardly and said.

“It’s a mystery novel called ‘The Murder on the Noa River’.”

“How far have you read?”

“I’ve read up to around where the first incident occurs.”

“Then you must be curious about the culprit.”

Zen said, nodding his head. Deborah nodded.

“I suppose so?”

“If you don’t want to know the culprit now, eat that.”

Zen said with an arrogant smile, pointing at the soup.

Deborah’s eyes widened.

“Have you read that book?”

“Why are you so surprised? Is it that strange for me to read a book?”

“No. Rather, I thought you wouldn’t have time to read since you’re so busy.”

“That’s right. I haven’t read it.”

Zen said nonchalantly. Looking at Deborah’s quietly surprised expression, he said.

“I once met someone who wanted investment, saying they wanted to make that story into a play someday. So I know the content as well as if I’d read the book, though not in as much detail.”

“I see.”

“Yes. So if you don’t want to read the book you were enjoying unpleasantly, eat what’s in front of you now and take good care of yourself from now on.”

It was such an adorable threat. Deborah answered with a smile that seemed about to disappear like a snowflake.

“Thank you for your kindness. But you don’t need to worry so much.”

“Can that be helped?”

“Pardon?”

“How can I stop worrying?”

Zen said in a voice mixed with a sigh. Deborah was at a loss for words.

When he spoke like this, it really seemed as if he cared for her a great deal.

As if he was worrying about her purely of his own will, regardless of Madam Saint or Dia.

‘That can’t be.’

With a faint smile, Deborah picked up the still warm soup bowl. He must have woken the chef to make this in the middle of the night.

‘I feel sorry for the chef.’

But apart from that guilty feeling, she didn’t feel bad. Rather, it felt comforting.

Seeing Deborah scoop up the soup, Zen said.

“I don’t intend to just nag. If you ease my worries by eating properly from now on, I’ll give you gifts occasionally.”

Deborah swallowed a spoonful of warm soup and said with a chuckle.

“It’s alright. I’m not a child.”

“Well. I think you might change your mind when you see what I’ve prepared.”

Zen pulled out something from behind him and held it out. Deborah put down the warm soup bowl and reached for the can.

‘What is it?’

As she picked up the cold can, there was a rattling sound. And a faintly sweet scent lingering at the tip of her nose. This was definitely candy.

“Don’t you like it?”

Zen said with a smirk. His golden eyes, reflecting the firelight, were captured in Deborah’s large pupils.

His eyes were so intense, warm, and beautiful.

And Deborah knew a boy with eyes exactly like Zen’s.

That boy’s golden eyes were also intense, warm, and beautiful. Just like Zen’s now…