“Indeed.”

After saying that, I nodded with a confident attitude.

“The spores spread by those cunning poisonous mushrooms sometimes grow into mushrooms resembling truffles. However, they only resemble truffles in shape, scent, and taste, but they are absolutely not real truffles. They contain poison, so consuming them can be life-threatening.”

“So… are you saying that our master consumed poisonous mushrooms grown from monster spores?”

“That’s one way to put it.”

Hearing my answer, the old butler staggered as if shocked.

I was worried he might collapse, but fortunately, he regained his breath and calmed down safely.

Meanwhile, Fritz asked me.

“I see. A cluster of mushrooms… Is that why you called it a unique rift?”

“It’s unique indeed. There are probably countless mushrooms swarming beyond that rift, and it won’t be easy to find which one is the queen hiding the magic stone among them.”

After hearing my words up to that point, the old butler let out a worried sigh.

“If there are that many monsters…”

“Don’t worry too much. As I said earlier, I know how to eliminate them with minimal effort and maximum speed.”

Before explaining that method, I made one request to the old butler.

“I’d like you to prepare as much oil as possible.”

“Oil?”

“Yes, those poisonous mushrooms have incredible reproductive abilities and can grow wherever their spores land, but they can’t move on their own. In other words, they can’t run away or extinguish themselves even if set on fire.”

“…!”

Fritz showed a surprised expression, as if he hadn’t thought there could be monsters that couldn’t move.

I smiled gently at him and said,

“Originally, mushrooms taste best when grilled with oil. Let’s try to grill them nice and crispy.”

Afterward, the old butler hurriedly left, saying he would obtain as much oil as possible.

While the oil was being prepared, our group stayed at the baron’s residence.

And so, at present, I was resting in the mansion’s garden after having a quick dinner.

It was then that Fritz, who had appeared without my noticing, suddenly approached me.

“May I sit down as well?”

I immediately nodded to his polite question and pulled out a chair at the garden tea table for him.

He thanked me with a gentle smile and then asked,

“What were you doing alone in the garden?”

“I was just getting some fresh air. While worrying a bit.”

“Worrying?”

I nodded lightly at Fritz’s question.

“When I look up at the stars, I’m reminded of the people dear to me. So at some point, I naturally fall into worry. Worrying about family, friends, colleagues…”

Is Johannes doing well?

Is he living happily with Lady Adelheid?

How about Elma? Is she lonely without me?

And… how is Karl doing?

Is he still loyal to Ernant, unaware that he was deceived by him?

Various worries were busily floating around in my head, but the one that troubled me the most was this:

“I’m most worried about the Captain.”

Fritz remained silent.

In place of his quiet demeanor, only the crickets hidden in the grass chirped loudly.

Since I hadn’t expected an answer in the first place, I continued speaking.

“The Captain may seem strong at first glance, but he’s surprisingly easy to break.”

“Is that so? I had no idea.”

“People who know how to bend their hearts are actually less likely to break. The Captain is the complete opposite. He’s so straight and rigid that… he can’t deflect shocks and breaks easily.”

Before my regression, the Captain had only treated me sternly.

He had never shown me a gentle side, so I thought he hated me.

I thought he hated me because I was Ernant’s person…

That same Captain, how pained his expression was as he stood by my side while I was dying from poison.

That’s the kind of person he was.

Someone who clumsily hides his honest feelings, only to suffer alone in sorrow when he finally loses the other person.

Because he was that kind of person, I couldn’t help but worry and care about him.

“He’s someone who tries to hide everything to appear strong. His feelings, his wounds.”

Fritz, who had been quietly listening to me, suddenly wore a smile as hazy as moonlight.

“Yulia.”

“Yes?”

“You have a surprisingly cruel side.”

“What??”

Suddenly calling me cruel.

I asked back, wondering what he meant, but he didn’t answer.

He simply said this as he got up from his seat:

“I hope that someday I can become someone you worry about too.”

Only then did I realize why Fritz had said I was cruel.

I had behaved somewhat insensitively, worrying about another man in front of someone who had confessed his love for me.

Fortunately, Fritz’s mood didn’t seem to have been affected by what happened during the night.

When morning came, he reappeared with a bright demeanor as if he had never been gloomy.

That was a relief.

We would have to stay in Ketrenburg together until the poisonous mushrooms were removed, and it would have been difficult if the atmosphere became awkward.

So, whether he was really fine or just pretending to be, I spent some more time idling in the territory with him.

And finally, on the third day since our arrival here, the old butler brought welcome news.

“All the oil has been prepared.”

I immediately smiled broadly to show my joy.

I had been bored to death, but now we could finally go beyond the rift.

However, my smile was shattered by another piece of news the old butler delivered right after.

“But there’s a slight problem.”

“A problem?”

To my question, he answered with a face full of concern.

“Yes, you see, we couldn’t gather enough oil in our territory no matter how much we tried, so we received help from the ‘Kölnhausen Count family’ who rule a nearby territory. But the second son of the Kölnhausen Count family…”

The old butler sighed heavily as if it was painful to speak, and barely opened his mouth.

“In exchange for providing the oil, he’s demanding to arrange a private meeting with Sir Schneestern.”

For a while, neither Fritz nor I could say anything after hearing the old butler’s words.

We weren’t angry.

We were just taken aback.

So I barely managed to string together some words with my dazed mind.

“The second son of the Kölnhausen Count family requested a private meeting with me?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“In exchange for providing the oil?”

“Yes… They made such a request after we had already received the oil. Since we had already accepted it, we couldn’t bring ourselves to refuse… So I told them I would at least ask Sir Schneestern about it.”

The old butler, looking 10 years older than yesterday, quickly added:

“Of course, you can refuse if you wish. We’ve already received the oil. The reason I’m telling you this is just—”

“Alright.”

“Pardon?”

“They did help us after all, so why not meet once. If only to express gratitude.”

As I said this, Fritz, who had been quietly listening to our conversation, interjected.

“Sir, I don’t think the ‘private meeting’ that the count’s second son wants is just a casual chat over tea.”

“Yes, I know. He probably wants to meet as a man and a woman.”

“…And you’re still willing to meet him?”

I approached Fritz with a faint smile.

Then I whispered quietly in his ear.

“If I completely refuse the meeting, it will put the Ketrenburgh Baronial family in a difficult position. They’ve already received the oil but would be refusing the request to arrange a meeting.”

“Ah…”

“So I’m planning to meet him first. After that—”

I trailed off ominously, then slowly whispered the rest.

“I intend to teach him a lesson. To show him what happens when he tries to use a struggling neighbor for his own selfish gains.”

I’m not exactly a crusader of justice who can’t stand injustice, but I’m not so cold-blooded as to put the baronial family, who has treated me so well, in a difficult position.

The baron’s family and the old butler have treated us without lack even in difficult circumstances.

So what if I just ignore this situation on my end?

After our group leaves, the petty Kölnhausen Count family might seek small-minded revenge on the devastated baronial family.

So I planned to meet him in person and kick him to the curb.

Then at least he won’t think of retaliating against the baronial family.

While I was thinking this, Fritz suddenly said something strange.

“I didn’t expect to fall for you again like this…”

“Pardon? Fall for me?”

“I think I’ve fallen for you once again just now. To care so deeply for others like that. I’d like to learn from that delicate thoughtfulness.”

“…”

Was he serious?

Or was he just teasing me?

In any case, his sparkling sky-blue eyes were so burdensome that I quietly averted my gaze.