It was when I was immersed in restlessness. The carriage door creaked open, and an unwanted face took a seat across from me.

“Are you going to leave without even looking at my face?”

It was Havel, his cheerful face on the opposite side.

“Were you also at the mansion?”

“The Duchess is coming, so I took the time to wash and dress.”

He swept his neatly combed hair, showing a charming smile.

I thought I might be a little glad to see him again.

But seeing Violet suffer in front of me made my heart colder.

So, my impatience burst out.

“Havel, it seems like you have time to dress up, but no time to take care of your sister.”

“Oh, the promise we made back then? Of course, I kept it! I suggested eating together with Violet, but she eventually refused.”

“Then, I don’t need to keep the promise I made with Havel. Please leave now.”

Havel, who had planned to have a meal with Violet, had decided to meet him before going north.

But there was no need for someone who came to see me without knowing that his younger sister was lying sick in the same mansion.

Havel loosened his neatly tied tie, looking frustrated.

“Did Violet say anything about me to you?”

“No.”

I shook my head firmly. I didn’t want to be seen as the one tormenting the painful Violet.

“You never mentioned family matters. No, maybe you couldn’t bring yourself to talk about it.”

“Then please tell me why you suddenly talk about Violet. If I’ve done something wrong, I’ll apologize to Violet right away.”

Tears that I didn’t even notice flowed down at Havel’s words.

Seeing my tearful appearance, he seemed taken aback.

“They say indifference is the scariest. That was a true saying. Did Havel know that the Duchess shouldn’t eat peaches?”

“…….”

“With your family being so indifferent, Violet can’t say anything and just endures it. Today, only the peach fuzz from the Duchess’s teacup was piled up. It’s strange, isn’t it? To call it a coincidence, my teacup was fine, and the peach fuzz was only in the Duchess’s teacup, which heats up her body when touched by peaches.”

I explained to him in detail as he listened silently.

Although I tried not to make it rude, curiosity led me to tell him.

“Who would do such a thing…”

“Whoever it is, they’re likely a member of the Duke’s household who knows that the Duchess can’t eat peaches.”

It might sound impolite.

But being a member of the Duke’s household includes everyone, including servants and family members.
“I will talk to my brother and father. It’s true that I’ve avoided Violet since she entered the family, but I never ignored her to the extent of letting her go through this. I genuinely didn’t.”

Havel added, explaining. It sounded like an excuse to me.

“You don’t need to explain to me. I only speak because it’s heartbreaking to see the Duchess in pain. I hope you don’t hate or resent the Duchess because of my words.”

“You probably won’t listen no matter what I say now.”

“I’m sorry, but it would be better if you left. It’s uncomfortable to talk and laugh right now.”

I turned my gaze away from him. Although he had helped me, it was difficult to have a conversation with Violet’s face overlapping.

Havel might feel unjust. He might think that he, who had stayed silent because of his illegitimate younger sister, was now hearing unpleasant words.

However, indifference is also an assailant.

Indifference makes people even more miserable.

“Then I will go. I will investigate the circumstances of the incident to prevent harm to Violet and ensure that such an incident does not happen again.”

I didn’t respond.

Havel didn’t wait for my answer and disappeared outside the carriage.

I stared blankly at the place where he disappeared.

I felt a momentary regret for causing unnecessary trouble.

‘But leaving Violet like that is too pitiful.’

No one would know that she was sick, and they would probably whisper that she was silently sitting in her room as usual.

I couldn’t bear to see that sight.

“Is there a problem inside the carriage? It was shaking a lot.”

It was a question from the coachman who didn’t know that Havel had come and gone.

I said it was nothing and asked him to continue on the same path.

The mood that was good when I arrived at Sharpenen’s mansion was now gone in an instant.

It was painful just to watch a precious person live unhappily.

I turned my eyes away from Sharpenen’s mansion, which was getting farther away.

I couldn’t go back feeling gloomy like this.

Hertian, who noticed that I had cried, would surely be worried.

“By the way, Hertian said he had something to see today. I wonder if he came back.”

It would be better if he was nearby. If I met him now, I might be able to vent this heavy feeling.

I had no way to contact him, but I could know where he was.

The enchant I had given him.

As I rolled up my sleeves, a bracelet in the same color as the one I had given him was revealed.

“Do I seem like a stalker a little?”

Ah.

Even if he knew, Hertian would understand.

The operation was simple.

I turned the enchant clockwise once.

Then, a small window popped up like magic.

Inside it was a map that mimicked the empire.

It looked like a mini-map from a game.

“Is the red mark Hertian’s location?”

The flashing light from the capital felt distant and was difficult to distinguish.

When I waved my hand with the flashing light, the point gradually became clear.

“It’s amazing.”

I thought it was a good idea to buy the enchant.

The events that had just happened were somewhat forgotten.

“Huh?”

But the light at the stopping point was strange.

“This is Sharpenen Mansion.”

The enchant was tracking Sharpenen Mansion, where Violet and Havel were.

I had clearly given the tracking enchant to Hertian.

It was unlikely that Hertian went to Sharpenen Mansion.

He wouldn’t have come to pick me up, and there was no separate reason for him to go to the mansion.

“The color is the same as the brooch I gave to Hertian.”

It seemed that I had brought the wrong item.

It seemed that Violet had the ability to track locations.

Looking at the steady light at Sharpenen Mansion, it was clear.

“I can’t ask him to switch the gifts and go back now.”

After some consideration, I turned off the location tracking device.

I’ll switch them later. Without Violet knowing.

When I arrived at the marquis’s mansion, I heard that Hertian had some business and went to the townhouse. I also said my final goodbye and left the marquis’s mansion. I refrained from asking my mother what kind of medicine she gave Hertian. I didn’t ask because I didn’t know when I would see him again. I left a message saying I would come again if there was a chance before heading to the townhouse where Hertian was. The townhouse was bustling somewhere. The resident servants were busy, and, most importantly, Hertian was also moving briskly. Along with various dishes neatly arranged under splendid decorations.

“What’s all this?”

“We invited a friend of the lady today.”

“Oh? Cacian?”

“Yes. Since we received a message as the marquis, we invited him to dinner tonight.”

Indeed, Hertian, who was meticulous, had taken great care. There seemed to be no specific area where I could help.

“I’m looking forward to meeting him. I have high expectations.”

However, for some reason, a ominous sign could be felt from the corner of his mouth, which curled up with a sly smile.