As usual, after finishing lunch, a letter arrived from Uncle.

He said he had heard about the divorce and inheritance through the news, and conveyed his deepest sympathy and regret for the past marriage. He said other relatives also heard the news and swallowed their sighs.

Uncle, who had no children after marriage, treated me like a daughter. Even when my father passed away, he patted my back, saying I could rely on him anytime.

For him to be so concerned about me, who had heartlessly cut off contact after marriage. Just from that, I could tell they were people with gentle hearts.

With a warmed heart, I wrote a letter to send to Uncle.

It was a request for a meeting, hoping to meet with senior management at the estate I would be visiting in two days.

In reality, the Vuel family’s business was the estate itself.

The livelihood of the estate residents was more mining than agriculture, with most being miners. As lebron was trading at prices 10 times that of ordinary magic stones, civilization was more advanced than surrounding estates, and the economic level of residents was also relatively high.

Ultimately, managing the estate and business would be no easy task. It would be easiest to entrust operational rights to Uncle, who had extensive management knowledge.

Uncle was not greedy and enjoyed a simple life, but he also had a close relationship with Father and jointly promoted non-profit organization sponsorships, so he would readily take on the management proposal.

I pushed aside the letter to send to Uncle, and this time read the letters from the senior executives who would be working hardest on estate management.

They enthusiastically cheered at the news of my recent divorce. They were either people who shuddered at Devon’s haphazard management style or traditionalists sensitive to hereditary systems.

I wrote letters to them as well.

It was a request to organize the current business status, trading partners, and quarterly sales figures, as I would be visiting soon for a three-way meeting with Uncle.

I went to Rail with the two letters. It was to entrust the letters to him.

“Understood.”

Rail smiled readily and accepted the letters.

And then I leaned against the railing with my arms crossed, watching the direction Rail was heading.

With the suspicion that ‘Could it still be going through Edmond’s hands?’

There was nothing in the letters that Edmond shouldn’t see.

But that and being under surveillance were separate issues.

Fortunately, Rail was heading in a different direction.

‘So he really isn’t monitoring anymore.’

In fact, Edmond was someone who would keep his word even without the stone of covenant. Because he was a conscientious and honest person.

But I felt satisfied after clearly confirming with my own two eyes.

A relationship built up like a wall with stones of trust, not wariness.

For some reason, a smile crept up from an inexplicable satisfaction.

I tapped the railing and headed towards the garden courtyard where Lilien would be.

I sat side by side with Lilien at the tea table in the garden courtyard, drinking tea. It was my favorite time.

“I’m thinking of going down to the estate for a few days.”

“What?”

Lilien lifted her head abruptly.

“Oh, when? For how long…?”

Lilien lowered her eyes, seeming disappointed. Finding her expression cute, I smiled lightly and placed an almond cookie on her plate. To lift her mood with something sweet.

“Hmm, in two days for about two or three days? I have quite a bit to do, meeting with executives and Uncle and whatnot.”

In reality, it was more than just ‘whatnot’, but a ton.

Adjusting imperial transaction prices, entrusting management rights to Uncle, re-sponsoring non-profit organizations, accessory subsidiary businesses…

Ah, it’s suffocating.

When I closed my eyes tightly and opened them, Lilien tilted her head and examined my expression. I met Lilien’s eyes and smiled brightly.

“Anyway, I’ll probably stay at the estate for a few days.”

“I’m sad. I can’t accompany you, can I?”

“I’d love to show Lilien around the estate, but I don’t think I’ll have the leisure.”

It’s not that I hadn’t thought about it. But it was obvious that once I went down, I’d be too busy moving around to take care of her.

As I lowered my eyebrows with an embarrassed look, Lilien waved both hands.

“Ah, no! Don’t worry about it. I was just being childish.”

“Alright, I’ll invite you when we find a good day, and we’ll go together then.”

Lilien blushed lightly and smiled broadly.

“I’ll look forward to that time. Take care and have a good trip.”

Ah, how cute.

I wanted to fondly pinch her soft cheeks, but it would be rude to treat a noble lady like a child.

“Then while I’m gone, eat well and sleep well, okay?”

“Of course!”

“Don’t meet anyone who comes forcibly, and don’t carelessly talk about giving money, okay?”

“Ah.”

Stung by my last words, Lilien’s eyes widened like a rabbit’s.

She avoided my gaze and picked up her teacup, drinking with a slurping sound. She slightly lowered the cup from her mouth, glancing at me.

“Th-that was because I was so angry when I saw that person… And I was worried they might approach you again, Lady Etricia…”

“So if they come again, will you meet them?”

“N-no! I absolutely won’t meet them!”

Lilien shook her head quickly.

“Alright, that’s fine then.”

I drank a sip of tea with a satisfied smile.

At the time, I was glad to see her defending me or responding with determination, but I didn’t want to let her meet Berita again.

Well, Berita probably won’t think of coming again after being so firmly rejected.

But why do I feel strangely uneasy? Is it because of Berita’s final image, sitting dejectedly in the cafe, lingering in my mind?

She herself doesn’t have the ability or situation to do anything.

“Lady Etricia?”

Suddenly I met Lilien’s round eyes.

“It’s nothing.”

I shook my head to erase the negative thoughts that were arising for no reason.

After finishing a short conversation with Lilien, I went up to the mansion. Then I asked Rail about Edmond’s return time.

He answered that he would arrive soon, with a questioning look.

“I think I’ll need to visit the Vuel estate soon. I’ll be away for a while, so I should inform the master of the mansion.”

“I see. He’ll probably be very disappointed.”

“Who? Lilien?”

“Haha, well…”

Rail smiled ambiguously and adjusted his monocle. There was a clinking sound as the chain hit his shirt collar.

Come to think of it, Rail often fixed his monocle when bowing to me or pouring water into glasses.

Isn’t it uncomfortable?

“Rail, do you wear the monocle because it’s comfortable?”

Rail smiled gently and replied.

“No, it’s to maintain a solemn appearance as a butler.”

“Hmm. Is that so?”

Not solemn at all. No matter what, he looked like a child wearing an adult’s things, so I suppressed my twitching lips and smiled as if I understood. Then I killed time in the bedroom until I heard noisy sounds and headed to the second floor terrace.

Edmond had just alighted from the carriage and was heading towards the mansion, giving some instructions to Rail.

With cold-looking eyes and tightly closed lips.

‘Seeing him like that, he seems like such a distant person.’

Edmond dealt with the servants with an expressionless face and unrealistically beautiful features that seemed flawless.

To think this person knelt and made a vow to me. It was such a strange thing.

What was his expression like then? It wasn’t like this, I think.

Just then, Edmond noticed me.

His cold eyes that came up to the terrace widened slightly, then immediately filled with warmth.

“What are you doing there?”

So I was a little surprised to see that.

Wondering since when he had looked at me with such eyes.

For a moment, it seemed like he crossed the boundary between others and his own people.

“Ah, little broth-”

I was about to say, but realizing there were servants around him, I bit my lip lightly.

“I have something to say to Duke Mifidian, so I waited.”

“I understand. I’ll be up soon.”

Edmond said that and arrived at the terrace not long after. Is he so fast because his height itself is different from others?

I smiled gently while leaning on the railing, thinking idle thoughts.

“Did you visit the estate again today? Estate management must be very difficult, right?”

“Well…”

Edmond agreed casually, then met my gaze.

“Is that what you waited to talk about?”

“No, do you remember what I said before I went on vacation? About estate management and new business.”

“I remember.”

“That’s good. It seems I’ll need to-”

Just then, the wind blew in the opposite direction. It was a humid and strong wind for early summer.

Is it because the rainy season is coming soon?

I gathered my hair that was fluttering and scattering annoyingly. Then fine hairs tickled my cheeks and nose as they fluttered.

‘Ah, it’s itchy.’

I rubbed my cheeks and nose with the back of my hand and focused on gathering my hair.

Even though Edmond was waiting for me on the opposite side, I was completely focused on the hair that kept slipping from my hands, and was starting to feel self-conscious.

Whoof, a familiar body scent wafted strongly. When I closed my eyes and opened them, I saw Edmond’s chest that had suddenly come close.

Edmond unhesitatingly reached behind my neck and swept up the fallen hair. At the same time, his cold fingertips slowly brushed my nape.

A chill ran up to the back of my head at the subtle sensation that was both chilling and ticklish.

“…”

Edmond looked down at me once with questioning eyes as I stiffened with tensed shoulders, and tucked the fine hairs between his fingers.

“Is that better?”

When his pleasant voice pierced my eardrums, I suddenly came to my senses.

“Ah, thank you.”

Coincidentally, my voice was trembling.

Edmond blinked his eyes slowly in response and stepped back.

I tied my hair as if not to leave a single strand and turned my body towards the railing.