“No. I don’t think I need to hear the answer. I’ll be going now.”

Somehow, I felt completely drained of energy.

Startled by my words, Blaine hurriedly made an excuse.

“Oh, no. I was going to answer you.”

“Do you know what kind of situation Dietrich is in?”

Blaine laughed as if to say there was nothing to worry about, seeing my expression grow more serious.

“Heidi. You’re worried that the young master might get hurt!”

“……”

I didn’t want to admit it, but that was true.

Even though Dietrich can be annoying at times, he’s the only one on my side in this mansion who knows my true identity.

Perhaps he realized how I felt.

Blaine shyly patted my shoulder.

“Don’t worry, Heidi. Just wait a little longer. You’ll soon hear the news that Young Master Dietrich has swept through the Zenovian Imperial Army.”

Blaine respects Dietrich. So isn’t that what he would think?

I was still feeling anxious when Uncle Calt, who had finished training, spotted me and waved, shouting “Hey!”

While coming to the training grounds to see Blaine, I had quickly grown close to Uncle Calt as well. Despite his appearance, he was talkative and kind.

Uncle Calt, who had approached with heavy steps, smiled brightly at me, whom he hadn’t seen in a while.

Uncle Calt also seemed to have no worries about Dietrich at all.

“What brings you here, Heidi! Want me to teach you swordsmanship?”

Laughing heartily, indicating it was a joke, he saw my gloomy expression and shrugged his shoulders at Blaine.

It was a signal asking why I was like this.

Blaine stood beside Calt and whispered quietly.

“Well, I think she’s very worried that Young Master Dietrich might not be safe.”

“Ah!”

As soon as he heard Blaine’s words, Uncle Calt roared with laughter and patted my shoulder.

Unlike Blaine’s, his heavy hand made my shoulder feel like it was sinking.

Anyway, he had a face that said he had heard something very interesting.

“Hahaha, you came all the way here because you’re worried about Young Master Dietrich? Oh my, Heidi. Don’t tell me you’ve fallen for the young master?”

“No, I haven’t!”

Blaine shouted, clenching his fists tightly.

…Why are you answering for me, Blaine?

Surprised, Uncle Calt nodded his head absentmindedly, then slowly opened his eyes.

Then, as if he understood something, he smiled at Blaine.

It was clearly a smile with the intention to tease, and Blaine’s face turned as red as a tomato.

“If not, then it’s not. Blaine, why are you getting angry?”

“Th-that’s…”

Blaine stammered and made an excuse.

“I asked her before, and she said no. Definitely. Right, Heidi?”

I didn’t know why Blaine got angry, but what he said was true.

Did I fall for Dietrich?

Ugh. I took a deep breath, feeling like I was going to gag.

No matter how handsome Dietrich is.

Of course, he’s not just ordinarily handsome. If he gets even a scratch on that face, it would feel like a flaw on a treasure.

Still, I only had Nocturne.

I preferred a warm and kind handsome man like Nocturne over a cold-looking handsome man like Dietrich.

“Absolutely not. I’m just worried about Young Master Dietrich.”

“If that’s the case, don’t worry. Young Master Dietrich is a very scary person. He’s as strong as steel, unwavering in everything, so he won’t get hurt anywhere.”

Quietly listening to Uncle Calt’s story, I somehow felt down.

They told me he would return without a scratch, but they didn’t seem to be worried at all that even he could get hurt.

The probability of a genius swordsman like Dietrich getting injured was indeed low.

But still…

“But Young Master Dietrich is also human, isn’t he?”

I wasn’t trying to argue.

I just wanted to clearly tell those who saw Dietrich as invincible.

I had never seen anyone in the mansion genuinely worried about Dietrich’s safety.

Everyone was busy spreading false rumors about Dietrich.

It didn’t matter to them whether it was true or false.

They were just absorbed in making up Dietrich’s image as they pleased, someone they had never properly faced before.

‘Is there anyone who worries about Dietrich getting hurt?’

No matter how strong and great a swordsman Dietrich was, the certainty that he wouldn’t get hurt was meaningless.

‘I’ll probably worry until Dietrich returns safely.’

Even if everyone says it’s okay, I’ll be anxious, stamping my feet.

Uncle Calt’s eyes widened slightly at the words that Dietrich was also human.

He silently nodded his head and readily admitted.

“Yes, since the young master is also human, he could get hurt. To think the young master could get injured. Haha, you’re the first person to say that.”

Uncle Calt said with a smile on his scarred face.

“Alright. Let’s pray for his safety and wait for him.”

“Okay!”

Waiting for him together.

Wishing with all our hearts that he won’t get hurt.

That was the only thing I could do for Dietrich.

And a few days later.

Dietrich returned in a clean and neat state, without even a speck of dust, let alone a wound.

And with Harpe dangling in his hand!

Dietrich returned safely to the Delgado mansion.

“You’re back, but how can you not call for me even once? Bad Dietrich. And if you took the sword, it would be nice if you told me. Bad Dietrich.”

“What have you been muttering about?”

“Stay still, Robert.”

In early summer, when the cicadas cry desperately until their throats give out.

Lying under the shade of a tree on a hill, staring blankly at the sky, I kept pondering Dietrich’s actions that had been bothering me.

‘I haven’t seen him even once since he came back.’

As a kitchen assistant, I didn’t stay long in the mansion, so I had almost no time to run into him.

The only channel through which I could at least hear about Dietrich’s daily life was Marie.

Although Marie was afraid of Dietrich, she would sometimes run into him and immediately come to tell me.

Marie had just come to tell me that she saw Dietrich going out somewhere after finishing his breakfast today.

Thanks to that, she seemed to have become quite close to Robert, whom she saw every time she came to deliver the news to me.

I heard Robert ask what she was muttering about.

But Marie, noticing that I was in a very bad mood, hinted to Robert.

“Heidi talks to herself too much. That’s not a good habit. If you have any concerns, you should share them with others.”

“Robert. Not everyone in the world is like you.”

“Marie. That’s a really special thing to say.”

“It wasn’t a compliment.”

I closed my eyes tightly with the sound of their bickering in the background.

It was a peaceful and quiet time.

The sound of cicadas crying and the lovely conversation of friends.

I didn’t know when this place had become so comfortable and familiar.

Except for one thing.

I had never had a proper conversation with Dietrich.

There was no way to know where Dietrich had gone.

Even the duchess, who had told me to give her letters about Dietrich’s every move, no longer sent Clara to ask me for letters.

‘I think it was the duchess who sent me to the kitchen.’

She seemed to have concluded that I wasn’t a very useful person.

She must have also known that Dietrich wasn’t particularly looking for me.

‘Hmph, all the better.’

There was no reason to become very close to Dietrich anyway.

We were just a contractual relationship formed out of necessity!

Thinking about it made me more annoyed.

I plucked the grass, recalling the ethereal turquoise eyes that resembled the early summer sky.

I didn’t know his handsome face could be so unpleasant to see.

“Argh!”

There was no point in lying down and staring at the sky, as it only reminded me of the heartless Dietrich who hadn’t contacted me once.

I abruptly sat up and shouted to Marie and Robert, who were looking up at me with surprised eyes.

“I’ll go to the main building for a bit!”

“What?”

“Why?”

It was almost sunset.

I saw their eyes widen at the sudden mention of going to the main building, but I turned around as I was.

There was no particular reason to go to the main building.

I was just genuinely curious about Dietrich.

Why did he take Harpe without a word, and why hasn’t he looked for me even once since he returned?

I wondered if he was injured anywhere.

Grabbing my fluttering skirt, I ran hard toward the mansion, trying to suppress the smile that rose on my lips.

I didn’t quite understand why I was smiling, but one thing was certain: I was happy that I could finally see Dietrich.

Even though I was the one going to find him.

‘So what!’

It’s right for the person who is more curious to go and find the other!

Although I was a bit resentful, it was clear that I was more curious about him than Dietrich was about me.

It’s disappointing that he took Harpe on the northern expedition without a word, but maybe he didn’t have time to tell me.

It wasn’t Dietrich’s will to go on the northern expedition without a word.

If he had time to tell me, wouldn’t he have done so?

I felt my heart, which had been stuffy like a tangled ball of thread, slowly unraveling.

The main building of the mansion where Dietrich would finally be was starting to come into view.

I clenched my fists and lit up my eyes.

Just wait until I see you.

I’ll have to check thoroughly if you’re safe!

Of course, not Dietrich, but Harpe!