As Yuriel was heading out, the butler asked if she was alright.

Of course, he meant to ask if the young master was alright.

It must have been because her appearance was in such disarray.

Even though she often became tearful when visiting this mansion, she usually wiped away her tears before leaving.

Because of that, except for those like Hael who could eerily sense her mood, hardly anyone knew she had been crying.

But today, she couldn’t even manage that properly, so it was natural for the butler to look at her strangely.

To him, Yuriel spoke like a guilty person.

“I don’t think I’ll be able to come… starting tomorrow.”

The butler, seemingly accustomed to such situations by now, only sighed and sent her out.

If she had at least looked somewhat presentable, he might have tried to stop her, but it seemed he thought he couldn’t keep someone in this state until tomorrow.

Or perhaps he assumed that the esteemed young master had naturally dismissed her.

As Yuriel slipped out like she was fleeing, a gentle breeze brushed her cheeks.

The pink leaves were abundant on every tree, as if indifferent to her mood.

Passing by the dazzlingly beautiful scenery of the mansion, Yuriel walked aimlessly.

In reality, her steps, moving to get as far away from the mansion as possible, soon became no different from running.

That run, out of habit, passed through the bustling streets full of shops and entered a desolate alley without a single tree.

Only then, as if finding her place, did she let out a long breath.

Yuriel, with her eyes closed and body leaning against the wall, finally burst into tears.

This place near the dock, where one could cry loudly without worry, was quite deserted except for the evenings when people returned from their boat trips.

So, at least until the next job came in, she could stay like this.

A belated sense of helplessness consumed her.

At the same time, resentment towards that young master welled up.

Come to think of it, wasn’t it him who created this situation by being so picky and driving out all the serving staff?

Of course, it was wrong of her to enter under a false identity, but shouldn’t he have just dismissed her then?

Did he have to humiliate her like this while knowing everything?

The crying, mixed with resentment, sadness, and wretchedness, continued for a long time.

Suddenly, his last words brushed past Yuriel’s ears.

After all that, was he still not satisfied with her?

To her words about never appearing before him again, he had said strange things.

What did those words mean?

If one were to consider just the meaning of the words, it seemed as if he was trying to hold her back.

But that couldn’t be, right?

The indescribable expressions that had appeared on his face as he said those words made it hard to breathe just by recalling them.

Surely he wasn’t planning to do something to her even after she had quit her job?

Though it felt ominous, Yuriel shook her head, trying hard to shake off those memories.

He must have just said anything out of anger.

After all, someone as noble as Blanchet wouldn’t spare even a fraction of thought for someone as insignificant as her.

Yuriel tried to believe this as she struggled to get up.

Not predicting at all what was about to unfold before her.

Yuriel’s daily life became busy again as usual.

The void created by not having to visit the lord’s mansion was quickly filled by other jobs.

Now that she could no longer receive the enormous daily wage from that mansion, it was natural that she had to move busily.

Fortunately, Yuriel, boasting quicker hands and cheaper rates than others, was considered excellent help, and many sought her out.

The only difference was that sometimes the shop owners would give her extra money.

Often saying it was to help with her mother’s nursing care.

This was the result of people gradually learning that Yuriel’s mother was terminally ill during the recent incident with Mr. Litorn.

Sadly, now even if she had money, there were no medicines to buy except for painkillers.

Even the hope that had existed until recently had disappeared.

All the doctors in this town had diagnosed her mother with an incurable disease.

Still, how fortunate it was that she could buy her mother’s favorite foods with that money.

Yuriel, having purchased the fish her mother used to enjoy when she was healthy, walked home with quick steps.

Below the mountain ridge where the sun was setting, a red glow was embroidered like a long carpet.

At the end of it was also the mansion where the lord resided.

The mansion she thought she would never have occasion to visit again, yet wanted to see once more, and now never wanted to encounter again.

Suddenly, the terminally ill young master flashed through Yuriel’s mind.

He must be doing well.

Unlike her mother, he would be surrounded by numerous skilled personal physicians.

She felt no sympathy.

As he had said, she didn’t even have the right to feel such things for him.

Who was she to worry about whom?

Her mother wasn’t even given the chance to meet such good doctors.

Thinking of her mother, who couldn’t even move from her bed until this morning, still made her heart sink.

Having a terminally ill patient as a family member at home was like embracing a time bomb that could go off at any moment.

Being unable to do anything while watching that was accompanied by wretchedness.

Whenever she stood in the alley on her way home from work, she always moved her feet quickly like today.

Fearing that something might have happened to her mother.

Although Hael said he often checked in, that boy was busy all day managing the horses at the lord’s mansion.

It was already grateful that he looked in on her mother during his brief moments of free time.

Every day was a series of tensions for Yuriel until she reached the entrance of the alley, hurrying down the ominous path after finishing work.

How tense she had been when she couldn’t see her mother at that entrance the day before yesterday.

The tension from that day, when sweat poured like rain, was still vivid.

Her mother, whom she finally found after rushing into the house, smiled brightly and said she had just dozed off, but the handkerchief she had hidden was stained with blood.

She had coughed up blood again. And tried to hide it from her.

Yuriel always pretended not to know, lest her mother become upset.

As the frequency increased, Yuriel watched over her mother without getting proper sleep.

When she woke from dreams of her mother’s demise, Yuriel would only fall back asleep after checking her mother’s breathing.

Why did it feel today as if the road had no end, no matter how far she walked?

The distant mansion was still in Yuriel’s field of vision.

Ominously.

Recalling the many days when that young master had toyed with her, no, even just remembering his final mocking face, she never wanted to look at that place again.

In any case, it was truly fortunate that he had forgotten about her.

On the night she fled from there.

She heard from Mary that the young master hadn’t said anything.

Indeed, it must have been her own delusion that the young master might seek her out and do something.

Now that she had no reason to go to that mansion, there would be no more cause for tears.

It was true that she now had more time to spend with her mother.

It was rather a good thing.

Soon, the doctor from the capital that Hael mentioned would be visiting Alphonse, so perhaps they could regain hope.

Everything was flowing perfectly.

At the entrance of the alley she reached with slightly lightened steps, Hael was standing.

Her heart sank heavily.

“Mother?”

Hael smiled and, as always, kindly took my bag, saying as brightly as sunshine,

“She’s resting well at home. Don’t worry.”

Only then did a long breath escape.

But Hael being here meant her mother was alone at home, didn’t it?

Her steps naturally quickened.

It was only afterward that she wondered why Hael had come out here alone.

Just as curiosity struck, Hael turned me around.

“Yuriel, just a moment.”

His hesitant demeanor was more than a little strange.

“What’s wrong?”

Thoughts of her mother alone at home made her heart anxious.

Hael, who knew her feelings better than anyone, said something uncharacteristically frivolous today.

“Want to stop by the cafeteria for a bit?”

“Haven’t you eaten anything?”

“Yeah. Nothing goes down at that mansion, you know?”

Seeming to realize how odd he sounded even after speaking, Hael let out a long sigh.

Somehow, that behavior was strange. But in Yuriel’s urgent state of mind, such things went unnoticed.

“I’m sorry. Eat alone and come back.”

Though she felt bad refusing Hael’s request, Yuriel’s steps continued without pause.

Reaching home, the door was wide open. Unlike usual.

Only upon seeing the scene inside did she understand why Hael had acted so strangely today.

Inside were her mother and the person said to be a doctor from the capital.

The situation was understandable.

Her mother must have wanted to receive a diagnosis without her knowing.

Probably intending to hide it from her if the medicine costs were high.

Still, seeing the doctor taking her pulse with closed eyes, it was a relief that it wasn’t too late.

Her mother, upon noticing me, widened her eyes like someone caught stealing, but soon wore a natural smile.

It was upon seeing Hael beside me.

Hael, who couldn’t lie, was feeling sorry for letting me in against her mother’s wishes.

Mother turned her pale, drained face from Hael to me.

“Yuriel, are you going to keep our guest standing?”

“Ah…”

Only then did I turn to look at Hael, and as I was about to move, he seated me and took a place beside me.

He turned to the doctor with an expression even more anxious than mine.

“How is her condition?”

The doctor, who was said to have been at the lord’s mansion until just a few years ago, looked somewhat younger than the personal physician I had seen at the mansion.

Still, the gold-rimmed glasses said to be obtainable only in the capital gave him a trustworthy appearance.

He hesitated to give an immediate diagnosis, pausing for a moment.

As if about to say something important.

Is this what it feels like when your lips go completely dry? My insides burned with tension.

Though I said I wouldn’t hope, when the moment actually came, it was human nature to hope.

The pulse of my heart, audible to my ears, proved it.

After a few seconds that felt like hours.

Finally, the doctor gave his diagnosis.