“……May I ask?”

“W-what?”

“About a date.”

So you’re asking if you can ask me out on a date right now?

If Renart hadn’t been in front of me, I would have wanted to pinch my cheek hard. That’s how unreal it felt.

“Me? Why?”

“I’m not sure myself.”

Huh? You’re not sure? What does that mean?

As I furrowed my brow, Renart let out a short cough. The gesture of touching his forehead clearly revealed his flustered state of mind.

“I want to be certain about my feelings.”

“To be honest, it’s a bit sudden… And it does feel burdensome.”

“I see. If a date is too much, even a short tea time would be fine.”

A tea time, huh.

‘Of course. If it’s a request I can fulfill, I should do it.’

Why did I say something like that?

I glanced at Renart, only moving my eyes. For someone who said he wanted to be certain about his feelings, he looked quite calm.

“After the subjugation is over, I’m supposed to teach you swordsmanship, Daisy. How about we talk briefly at the Duke’s mansion then?”

Renart gave a slight nod.

“That doesn’t sound bad either. At least I’ll be able to see Lady Rosebelia even after the subjugation is over.”

“……”

While I was momentarily at a loss for words, he raised the corners of his mouth and said,

“Then I’ll look forward to seeing you again at the Duke’s mansion.”

*

“The subjugation team will return to the capital tomorrow, they say.”

At Edwin’s words, Daisy’s hand stopped mid-air.

“Really?”

“Yes. They must be rushing back right now. I hear there were no major injuries this time.”

“That’s a relief.”

Daisy’s expression, which had been joyful like a child hugging the wooden sword tightly, suddenly turned gloomy. Edwin, who had been constantly watching Daisy’s face, tilted his head curiously and asked.

“Aren’t you glad that the vice-captain and Rose are coming back?”

“I still can’t do anything properly. I wanted to show a more impressive side to Lady Rosebelia…”

Even her pouting appearance seemed cute, as a faint smile spread across Edwin’s lips.

“Not at all. Thanks to your hard work in training, your posture has improved significantly, my lady.”

“Really?”

“Yes. And the trembling in your arms when holding the wooden sword is much less than before. Rose will be amazed to see that.”

With a face that seemed to say “Is that so?”, Daisy tilted her head slightly and gripped the wooden sword tighter.

She glanced up at Edwin, then quickly averted her gaze when their eyes met.

‘Why am I acting like this?’

As Daisy pretended to swing the wooden sword enthusiastically, she momentarily lost her balance and stumbled.

“Are you alright?”

Edwin, who was standing facing Daisy, immediately supported her small body.

“I’m fine.”

“You don’t look well.”

Daisy opened her eyes wide. As if the world was spinning, she blinked rapidly, but nothing changed.

“Why am I suddenly like this? I feel a bit dizzy…”

“My lady? Lady Daisy!”

Daisy’s body, which had been in Edwin’s arms, suddenly went limp. Edwin looked around urgently and muttered a low curse.

‘Of all times, not a single person passing by.’

“Excuse me for a moment.”

Edwin immediately lifted Daisy into his arms and hurriedly entered the main building.

“Lady Daisy has collapsed!”

His shout caused a commotion in the Duke’s mansion. After leaving Daisy with the physician, Edwin paced anxiously in the reception room.

Time seemed to pass much more slowly since entering this room. All he could do was wait for the reception room door to open.

How much more time passed? There was a knock, followed by the opening of the reception room door.

“Sir Edwin.”

The one who entered was Agnes, the Duchess.

“Duchess, is the young lady alright?”

“She says she’s fine, so don’t worry too much.”

“I apologize. I heard she shouldn’t overexert herself, it was my negligence.”

“That’s not true. Daisy has become much more active lately, taking regular walks and training with you. Even the physician who has been caring for Daisy for a long time said her complexion has improved.”

“But why today… Is she really alright? Shouldn’t we have her examined by another physician?”

Agnes’s eyes narrowed for a moment.

“Daisy hasn’t been sleeping well lately. That seems to be why she felt dizzy.”

“Pardon? But…”

Edwin ran his hand through his hair with a look of incomprehension.

‘Mother, I don’t think that was a confession. Sir Edwin is treating me the same as before.’

The way he urgently called out while carrying Daisy, and still being restless even though she said she was fine.

‘From what I can see, at least his feelings seem clear.’

“Our Daisy, you see. If you don’t show it outwardly, she won’t notice.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“As it happens, my birthday celebration will be held soon, and I’d like Edwin to attend.”

Agnes leaned slightly towards Edwin and whispered something. Agnes observed Edwin’s surprised expression and suppressed a smile.

“Then I’ll look forward to it.”

*

“How did it end up like this?”

“What do you mean?”

I snapped back to reality at the sound of Anne’s voice coming from somewhere. I blinked, and the familiar ceiling came into view.

“Huh? What did I just say?”

“You asked how it ended up like this, my lady.”

Ah, did I?

I must have unconsciously blurted out my inner thoughts while staring blankly at the ceiling.

So this is the Marquis’s mansion, and I’m lying on the bed in my room…

“My lady, did something happen during the subjugation?”

Something did happen. A lot, actually.

Is that why I feel dazed, as if I left my mind behind even though I’ve returned home?

As I half-raised my body, Anne moved closer to the bedside. Then she carefully examined my complexion as if trying to determine if I was ill.

“Anne, I’m fine.”

“You said you don’t have to go to the knights’ order for a week, right?”

“Huh? Oh, right.”

As soon as we returned to the capital, Gabriel declared that he would grant a week’s rest as per the imperial order.

He even threatened to send me right back if I returned to the knights’ order before the week was over, so it was practically forced rest.

“Please, at least for this week, rest properly at the mansion…”

“Sister!”

“Sister, may we come in?”

Saviors appeared just as Anne was about to start nagging. I completely sat up on the bed as I saw Vivian and Cayden entering the room.

“Of course, come in.”

At Cayden’s signal, a maid entered pulling a trolley. It was filled with everything from cake slices to fruits, cookies, and candies. It looked like a complete dessert set.

“This is all for you, sister.”

“Huh? It seems like too much for me to eat though?”

“Mark said you need to eat a lot. He said your face has become half its size.”

“Vivian, but somehow it seems like there are a lot of desserts you like?”

As Cayden asked with one hand on his hip, Vivian seemed to flinch and raised her voice instead.

“Mark said I should eat together too! That’s why there’s a little bit for Vivian as well.”

“Alright, Vivian, eat a lot. I’ll…”

“Sister, please eat.”

I quietly looked down at the cookie Cayden handed me. Having gotten used to eating hurriedly while in the ‘Abandoned Mountain’, I didn’t feel hungry even looking at food.

Still, Cayden and Vivian brought this all the way here, so I should eat it deliciously, right?

As I took a bite of the cookie as if to show them, Cayden handed me a cup of milk this time.

“It will taste even better with warm milk.”

I’m not sure who’s the older sister and who’s the younger sibling here.

“Thank you, Cayden.”

“I’ll give this to sister too!”

Vivian, who had been closely watching Cayden’s actions, grabbed a handful of candies with her small hands and placed them in my hand, not wanting to be outdone.

What’s with this adorable act?

Is this what it feels like to be full without eating?

Just seeing Vivian and Cayden so eager to take care of me filled me with warmth.

“Don’t just give them to me, you eat too.”

“My lady!”

Anne, who seemed about to leave the room with cleaning supplies, rushed in urgently.

“Anne, what’s wrong?”

“The master is coming this way!”

The master?

My thought process stuttered at the unexpected word.

So by master, does she mean… Herman?

“Why would father come here?”

“W-well, I don’t know either.”

“He’s probably just passing by on his way somewhere else.”

As I replied nonchalantly, Cayden showed a faint smile and said,

“That’s not likely, sister.”

Not likely?

But considering Herman’s behavior so far, I couldn’t imagine him coming to my room even if he was walking in this direction.

It was much more plausible to assume that Herman was coincidentally passing by here on his way somewhere else.

Tilting my head halfway, I called out to Anne. Just as I was about to wave my hand to tell her not to make a fuss, the door burst open.

“So you were all here.”

The one who appeared in the wide-open doorway was Herman.