He lightly pressed his lips on the back of my hand.

The warmth that passed over my damp hand as his lips brushed against it felt like a gentle flame.

“Is this something friends do?”

“It means more than just friends, it’s a close friendship.”

“Not just close friends but a deep friendship?”

Hertian didn’t answer that question.

Instead, he took off his jacket and put it over my head.

Then, he took out a handkerchief he had tucked away and wiped my face.

The handkerchief was slightly damp, but it was enough to wipe my face.

I focused entirely on wiping my face without caring for myself, looking up at him.

“Your face will get worn out.”

“Since we’re friends now, it seems okay to do it.”

“Be careful. It’s precarious right now.”

It might be precarious for me.

Because his lips passing over the back of my hand were still warm.

Although I said I would push him away, ultimately, it was because I wanted him.

“Do you plan to find that friend?”

I deliberately raised my head, avoiding eye contact with his question.

“No. I don’t want to involve Casian. But they might know the truth on their end.”

Since Mikael had Casian’s letter, he would undoubtedly know the identity. Tracking my sent letters was a mistake on my part.

He probably went through Casian’s belongings and stole my letters.

“I’m leaving it to Casian to think about it for now. It might be dangerous to seek out Casian now, so it’s a priority to deal with things first for Casian’s safety.”

I walked ahead, step by step.

And I looked back at Hertian, who didn’t follow.

Hertian was smiling faintly.

“The lady is indeed stronger than me.”

“What’s this all of a sudden?”

“It means stop making me fall for you.”

⭐⭐⭐

Rumors spread quickly that the Duke and Duchess returned like wet mice.

However, Nara and Hertian paid no attention and focused on their respective tasks.

Hertian considered it fortunate that I no longer intervened in the duel,

and I was glad to have the opportunity to prevent the duel using Mikael.

I couldn’t bring myself to tell Hertian that I had ordered Mikael.

I left the room early in the morning, anticipating he might ask.

The place I went to was the palace office.
I had some free time as I planned to meet the palace substitute around noon.

“There are quite a few people today.”

Unlike last time, several palace painters had gathered early in the morning. In the midst of them, I saw a familiar face with a small stature.

‘Lucky.’

In the morning, his face was a bit swollen, and it looked cute, making me burst into laughter.

“But what are you doing among them?”

Lucky was holding a mop again today. As if it was familiar, he casually lifted his arm and wiped away the foreign substances scattered on the floor.

And the other painters?

They treated Lucky like a transparent person, each busy with their own tasks. When Lucky raised his head from bowing to the floor at someone’s call, I hid behind the door, wondering if Lucky would see me.

Lucky took a handkerchief from his apron, crossed his legs, and wiped the shoes of a seated painter.

“That handkerchief is dirty. Don’t you have anything else?”

At the protest of a painter of similar age, Lucky dropped the handkerchief he was holding. Due to the wind, the handkerchief became as dirty as a mop. Lucky picked up the handkerchief and shook his head.

“This is all I have right now…….”

“Nothing? If there’s none, go get a new one and wipe it.”

“But Master Piero will be coming soon…….”

Piero.

I knew that name too. My mother sponsored young artists, so I was well aware of the names of most painters in the capital. Among the palace painters, Piero was the most renowned.

I had heard stories that the painters considered him their mentor and followed him.

“So I’m not telling you to go and come back. You should stay like this with dirty shoes when Master Piero is coming?”

Then, he could personally wipe them.

However, the young painter only fidgeted with his shoes. Then, as if he had found something, he got up from his seat and searched Lucky’s pocket. Soon, a white handkerchief emerged from Lucky’s pocket.

“Why do you say it’s not there when it is?”

“That’s not allowed!”

For the first time, Lucky shouted, trying to snatch the handkerchief from the painter’s hand. However, with his small stature, he was at a disadvantage.

The painter annoyingly fluttered the handkerchief and refused to give it back.

“Look at this guy. He lied to his seniors, saying he was recommended by the Crown Prince. Why? To curry favor when Master Piero comes?”

“I won’t do that. I won’t. So, please give me back that handkerchief.”

“Is this even a handkerchief granted by the Emperor? Is this some worn-out thing left behind by your dead mother?”

Despite the offensive words, no one came to Lucky’s aid.

“It’s not from the Emperor but from the Duchess. Would you return it if I said it was given by the Grand Duchess?”

Of course, I was excluded.