Deborah quietly waited for Zen, who had only called her name and maintained silence, to speak again.

As if he had no intention of maintaining silence until the end, Zen chuckled and pointed to the soup bowl in front of Deborah, saying,

“……It seems to have become cold, not just lukewarm.”

“Ah. I’ll eat it quickly.”

As Deborah carefully put down the candy can and grasped the soup bowl again, Zen rested his chin on his hand and said,

“Please eat slowly. I wasn’t trying to rush you.”

Deborah smiled slightly and, contrary to Zen’s worry, slowly brought the soup with a subtle warmth to her mouth.

Honestly, when Deborah first received the soup bowl, she was worried it might not go down well.

Given the time, and the situation of having to eat alone in front of someone wasn’t exactly comfortable.

But contrary to Deborah’s worries, her stomach felt at ease.

The soup was smooth, and that late hour alone together was more comfortable and enjoyable than expected.

“By the way, isn’t the detective’s behavior a bit strange?”

“Huh? Detective?”

Suddenly, what detective? As Deborah opened her eyes wide, Zen nodded and said,

“Yes. The detective in that novel you’re reading. That…”

“…Wait a moment, Mr. Baker. I think it’s better if you don’t say anything.”

As Deborah stopped him, Zen gave an annoying smile.

‘This, he’s doing this on purpose, isn’t he?’

Zen tried to talk about the book’s content playfully several times, and Deborah had to stop him several times, grimacing.

Returning to her room and lying on the bed, Deborah smiled as she recalled Zen’s face with his playful smile.

‘He’s more mischievous than I thought. Really…’

It was at that moment when Deborah’s cheeks slightly flushed. Dia’s face appeared in Deborah’s mind.

There probably weren’t only good things at today’s party, but if there were only bad things, she wouldn’t have made such an expression.

‘Perhaps it’s because Mr. Baker kept his promise to me.’

Even if it wasn’t perfect kindness as if drawn, Zen must have done his best effort possible.

‘Indeed, Mr. Baker is a good person.’

Although coercive and his tone was prickly, he was still a good person.

‘Why would such a person do that?’

Even if everything else was conceded, why did he cross the line with another woman?

No matter how much Deborah thought about it, she couldn’t understand, like reading a poorly written story with broken plausibility.

‘Enough. Let’s stop thinking about it. You know. That story is neither the past nor the future.’

A non-existent story, like a nightmare. So there was no need to understand, nor any reason to.

‘That incident doesn’t even involve me. I just need to focus on the present. Just the present…’

Deborah tried hard to ignore her growing discomfort and struggled to fall asleep.

Until then, she didn’t know.

That although the story had changed, the Zen Baker from the original and the current Zen Baker were the same person. But she realized this fact later.

And through a truly unexpected incident.

After returning from the party, Zen didn’t go out for a while. As if waiting for someone.

But since Zen couldn’t avoid work, he started calling people to the mansion.

Deborah thought as she looked down at the arriving or departing carriages through the window.

‘When I first came to this mansion, he didn’t invite outside guests into the mansion.’

He would meet them outside, but never brought people in.

‘Except for his closest aide, Mr. Glass.’

What could be the reason for Zen’s change of heart?

‘Ah, maybe it’s not that he changed, but that there’s no need to be careful anymore?’

Before, he had to keep Dia hidden, but now that he revealed Dia at the recent party.

‘Whatever the case, it’s good. Mr. Baker has an obligation to rest a bit.’

Of course, he was still busy with work at home, but it seemed better than working outside.

“The guests are endless,” Airin said with a laugh in her voice. Deborah smiled slightly and said,

“I wonder when Mr. Baker will rest.”

At that moment, Dia, who was writing, flinched. Her busy hand stiffened, and her pale cheeks turned red.

“Is there a difficult part?” Airin approached Dia and asked. Dia hurriedly shook her head and said,

“Ah, no. It’s fine.”

Airin tilted her head, finding Dia’s behavior strange, but soon dismissed it.

Watching this scene from a step away, Deborah smiled awkwardly.

‘She reacts like that just at the mention of Mr. Baker’s name.’

Since first coming to this mansion, Dia had always flinched when hearing Zen’s name.

But if you ask if her reaction now is the same as before, it wasn’t.

‘Back then she was scared, and now…’

It was clearly affection. Why on earth did her feelings change like that?

Deborah found it quite strange that Dia had developed feelings for Zen.

In the original story, Dia sympathized with Zen after learning about his family history, and that sympathy soon turned into love. But now?

‘Perhaps Mr. Baker told the young lady?’

Well, given Dia’s personality, if she had heard such a heavy story, it would have been obvious from her expression.

‘Then did something happen at the party… Ah.’

Suddenly, Deborah recalled the time when Zen had saved Dia. Perhaps that moment had been the catalyst.

‘Mr. Baker was quite cool then.’

No, Zen was always cool.

Honestly, you couldn’t find someone as handsome as him anywhere in the world.

And what about his voice? Even Deborah sometimes got goosebumps from his low voice.

And his eyes, beautiful like the moon in the night sky, and that deep gaze were special.

‘If he didn’t just hurt others with cruel words, anyone would fall for him.’

Yes. It wasn’t strange for Dia to fall for Zen, and it wasn’t a bad situation either.

‘If Mr. Baker had been a terrible bastard like in the original story, I would have done my best to stop the young lady, but…’

However, the Zen that Deborah had experienced was far from a terrible bastard, rather he was secretly kind.

A person who worried about the health of a mere servant, and could lead interesting conversations with a cheeky tone.

So there was no reason for Dia not to love him.

‘Rather, it would be good if things work out. They’re going to get married in a year anyway.’

Deborah imagined the wedding of the two.

On a beautiful day, in a warm church, Dia, more beautiful than anyone in the world, and Zen, more handsome than anyone in the world, walking down the wedding aisle together naturally came to mind.

And she would be enthusiastically applauding from the seat where the maids sat. That would be truly happy and beautiful…

‘Huh?’

Deborah, continuing her imagination, felt uncomfortable in a corner of her heart and opened her eyes wide.

Why am I like this? Deborah let out an awkward laugh.

‘Hmm. Am I perhaps wanting to sit in the close associate’s seat? You should know your place, Deborah Johnson.’

Deborah suppressed this discomfort with a light joke. She didn’t want to know why she felt this emotion. She shouldn’t know.

“Hmm.”

Belus was frowning at a document in front of him.

This single document that Belus had received from Zen on the day of the party listed the investment amount that Baem Company wanted.

‘I had roughly expected it, but.’

It was an amount too burdensome for an ordinary individual to handle.

Of course, Belus wasn’t an ordinary individual, so if he decided to liquidate his private assets, he could prepare this amount of money anytime.

‘However. I don’t want to pour everything into this.’

Belus hoped to remain the sole winner of this investment in the future. Wouldn’t that surprise everyone, including his brother?

But he also wanted to minimize the risk as much as possible.

It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Zen, and losing this money wouldn’t kill him, but pouring everything into one place was unsettling.

‘Hmm. Who could help me secretly without others knowing?’

His friends were too greedy, so they were out. And in John’s case, he was very loose-lipped.

‘An investor who will bring the spotlight solely to me…’

Belus, frowning and pondering, soon recalled a woman with a foolish face.

Every time he thought of that face, he felt bad, but not today.

‘Right. If it’s that woman.’

Belus immediately sent someone to Duke Buin’s house. When Margaret confirmed the card Belus had sent, she blushed and said to her nanny,

“I, I need to prepare to go out.”

“Pardon? I think it would be better for you to rest today as you have a slight fever.”

Margaret hugged the card preciously and shook her head.

“He, he asked to meet outside for the first time.”

The nanny didn’t feel good about it, but she couldn’t keep stopping the young lady when she was so happy.

So, Margaret, all dressed up, headed to the cafe written on the card.

Arriving 10 minutes earlier than the appointed time, she naturally thought Belus wouldn’t be at the cafe.

He had never kept his appointments with Margaret on time. But…

“You came early.”

Belus was already there. Margaret tried to calm her pounding heart and said,

“Go, good afternoon, Mr. Delta.”

“There’s no need for such formal greetings.”

Belus said as he stood up and pulled out a chair for Margaret. Margaret carefully sat down.

“Th, thank you.”

Belus sat opposite her, rested his chin on his hand, and smiled brightly. The sunlight coming through the window at that moment illuminated his dazzling appearance.

“Come to think of it, you keep calling me Mr. Delta. I don’t think we’re in that kind of relationship.”

“Ye, yes?”

“Please call me Belus, Margaret.”

Margaret’s face turned red as if it might burst.

It was the first time she had been called by her name by him, and also the first time she had been allowed to call him by his name.

“Ye, yes… Be, Belus.”

Hearing the trembling, shy voice, Belus thought with his eyes gently narrowed,

‘Ah, really easy.’

Belus led the conversation with a smooth voice. Margaret couldn’t keep her senses with his sweet tone, different from usual, and affectionate concerns.

Thinking it was enough, Belus naturally raised his purpose.

“It seems Duke Buin doesn’t approve of me. Honestly, I’m quite lacking compared to Margaret.”

“Th, that’s not true! Belus is really ex, excellent!”

Margaret clenched her fists and answered urgently. Belus continued, frowning,

“No. I don’t have a family to inherit, and I’m not even involved in the family business.”

Margaret worried, looking at his eyes filled with a groan.

“So I’m making personal efforts to gain the Duke’s approval, but…”

“Ef, efforts…?”

At Margaret’s voice full of concern, Belus nodded and gave a sorrowful smile.

Margaret wouldn’t know. That smile, which just looked beautiful to her eyes, was actually the cunning smile of a snake.

“Margaret. Can you please keep a secret?”

Margaret nodded as if enchanted. Belus smiled with satisfaction, wearing an angelic smile.