Shhh, heavy rain poured from early in the morning. Lily translated the contract given by Count Stacy with the sound of rain as background music. The contract was only 10 pages long, but the problem was that there were too many unfamiliar words.

In a way, it was natural. She was ignorant about business. Even looking up the Gartan dictionary, it was often difficult to understand what it meant, so she tilted her head and made little progress.

“I’ll have to go to the library and borrow an imperial dictionary.”

Heavy rain was still pouring outside the window. Going out in this bad weather was foolish, but there was no other way. She wanted to finish translating the contract as soon as possible. That way, she would get money from Count Stacy and be able to move on to the next job, so it was right to hurry as much as possible.

Putting the contract and translations into her bag, a vase with pink roses came into view as she turned around. It was the flowers given by Herald, beautifully arranged by the maid. Perhaps they used a special method when arranging the flowers, as the roses were still fresh after two days.

Two days. It was also the period she hadn’t seen Herald. Herald, who sent an apology letter along with the bouquet of roses, had not appeared since then. Without even saying when he would come, it was frustrating and worrying if something had happened to him. The Herald she knew was not one to disappear without a word.

“Should I ask Sir Lampard?”

That man, who was Herald’s assistant, seemed like he would know something.

Lily smiled bitterly, recalling Dillon’s cold expression toward her. She knew from the moment they first met that he didn’t like her. She also knew the reason well, so she fully understood his cold treatment of her.

However, she didn’t understand how he uncannily noticed and followed her whenever she left the bedroom. Even when asked why, he wouldn’t give a reason and stubbornly insisted on going together, which was even more absurd.

“He’s really a strange person.”

Would he give a proper answer if she asked such a person?

It was doubtful, but there was no one else to ask besides Dillon. Lily thought she would wait a day or two more, and if there was still no contact by then, she would ask him, and pulled the bell rope.

Shortly after, Emily entered with a knock. Harry could also be seen behind her. The siblings who always went together were cute, so Lily said with a faint smile.

“I’m going out, so prepare for me, Emily.”

“Going… out?”

Emily asked back somewhat reluctantly, glancing at the window. Lily added an explanation to the action that seemed to be asking where she was going in this weather.

“I’m going to the library to borrow an imperial dictionary.”

“If it’s something like that, I’ll go alone. It’s raining so heavily, there’s no need for you to go out of your way, Madam.”

“It’s alright. There are many types of dictionaries, so it’s better to choose them myself. Since I’m going, I’m also planning to borrow a few novels.”

It was a straightforward explanation, but Emily couldn’t nod her head. It was because she had received an order from Herald to never let Lily out of the mansion. This order was a secret, so she couldn’t explain it to Lily either.

According to Herald’s order, she had to stop Lily from going out, but she couldn’t think of a good way, so Emily fidgeted anxiously, only tapping her feet. Harry also looked troubled, staring at the floor, then said to Lily.

“Then I will tell the butler to prepare the carriage.”

At those words, Emily turned her head so sharply it made a whoosh sound. Her younger brother, whose eyes met hers, winked one eye. It was a signal to just trust him. What on earth was he trying to do? Emily was curious, but since he was always a reliable younger brother, she wasn’t anxious.

After Harry left, Emily helped Lily prepare to go out. To buy time until her brother returned, she moved as slowly as possible, but Lily didn’t think it was strange. She just lightly passed it off as Emily still being clumsy.

After wearing the corset and changing into an outdoor dress, there was a knock.

“Pardon the interruption, Madam.”

It was Dillon Lampard. Emily’s face brightened as she instantly noticed why he had come, but Lily, who knew nothing, answered in puzzlement.

“Come in.”

Dillon, who entered after opening the door, raised his eyebrows upon seeing Lily changed into outdoor clothes.

“Are you going out?”

“Yes. I’m going to the library.”

“If there’s something you need, have the servants do it, Madam.”

“No. It’s something I need to look for myself.”

When Lily politely expressed that she must go out, Dillon’s expression noticeably crumpled. Only then did Lily sense something strange and said with furrowed brows.

“Sir Lampard seems to disapprove of me going out.”

“Yes. I disapprove. Because if you go out, Madam, I’ll have to go out with you.”

“You’re also going out with me?”

What does this mean again? When Lily asked back in confusion at the words she couldn’t understand, Dillon let out a deep sigh and brushed back his disheveled hair.

“Unfortunately, I don’t have the skill to beat around the bush, so even if it sounds a bit rude, I’ll be blunt.”

What was he trying to say by saying such things? Lily, who was slightly tense, gulped her dry saliva.

“I really hate going out on rainy days. So I’d appreciate it if you also didn’t go out, Madam.”

At the following words, the string of tension that had been tightened completely loosened, and Lily exhaled the breath she had been holding as if in a chuckle. The corner of her loosened lips curved up diagonally.

“I don’t see what your dislike for going out on rainy days has to do with me going out.”

“I told you earlier. If you go out, Madam, I’ll have to go out with you.”

“So why are you going with me?”

“That’s because I’m your guard, Madam.”

He’s my guard?

Lily’s eyes widened at the story she was hearing for the first time. Only then did Dillon, who realized that Herald hadn’t told her anything, click his tongue inwardly.

Even if he can’t tell her everything, shouldn’t he at least inform her of such trivial matters?

“The Commander ordered me to protect you, Madam. So if you go out, I’ll have to go out with you. That way, if something happens, I’ll be able to protect you.”

I see. So that’s why he persistently followed me whenever I tried to go somewhere.

Lily, who finally understood Dillon’s strange behavior, nodded briefly.

Dillon continued speaking with a stoic face.

“I’ll say it again, but I really hate going out on rainy days. So I hope you won’t go out either and stay in the mansion, Madam.”

At first glance, it sounded like he was speaking a request or wish, but no. This was clearly coercion.

Lily stared blankly at Dillon, who was preventing her from going out just because he didn’t want to go out on a rainy day, finding his attitude absurd. Dillon didn’t avoid her gaze, and while they were looking at each other as if in a staring contest, the first to turn her eyes away was Lily.

“…Alright. I’ll stay obediently in the mansion today.”

Even if she told Dillon that she would go alone and for him to stay in the mansion, it didn’t seem like he would listen, and it wasn’t an urgent matter that she had to go out stubbornly.

Furthermore, she had to go out tomorrow no matter how much it rained, so Lily decided to do as he wished just for today.

“Thank you, Sir Viscount.”

As Dillon left Lily’s bedroom and returned to his room, Emily, who had followed him, suddenly thanked him, so he looked down at the child in puzzlement. His gaze soon shifted to Harry, who was standing still next to Emily. Harry, whose eyes met his, bowed his head deeply.

“Thank you for listening to our request.”

Only then did Dillon realize why the children were acting this way and waved his hand with a chuckle.

“It’s fine. Rather, I should thank you. Next time there’s a problem like this, don’t do anything and just tell me. I’ll take care of it.”

Unlike Emily, who was smiling brightly and saying she would, Harry’s expression was serious. Dillon looked at the face that was a jumble of worry and anxiety, unlike a child, and asked.

“Why are you like that?”

“Madam will try to go out tomorrow as well.”

Dillon was about to ask what he meant by that, but realized that tomorrow was the day to visit Grace Benjamin and frowned.

“This is big trouble.”

Lily, who cherished her mother more than her own life, would surely try to visit her mother no matter what happened tomorrow. Dillon had no confidence in stopping such a Lily. There was no way to stop her either.

Did Herald know about this? He probably didn’t. It would be more accurate to say he forgot. He had been busy lately trying to quell the rumors circulating in the world. That was also why he couldn’t come to the Braden estate.

As much as he knew how busy Herald was, Dillon wanted to solve it on his own as much as possible, but this was beyond his ability. He had no choice but to get his help, so he patted Harry’s shoulder.

“Thank you for letting me know. I’ll ask you again next time.”

The boy’s ears turned slightly red at the unfamiliar praise. Harry nodded his head greatly as if to say just trust him.

Leaving the children behind, Dillon returned to his bedroom and unfastened the buttons that had been tightening his neck. Anyway, since Lily was also an aristocrat, he had fastened them to be polite.

Dillon, who also unbuttoned his sleeves and sat comfortably on the sofa, quickly scanned the newspapers on the coffee table. They were all the newspapers published by every newspaper company in the empire. Dillon picked up the most eye-catching newspaper among them.

On the front page of the newspaper with a sensational headline, there was an article about the princess of the Herta Kingdom visiting the empire for a national marriage, along with huge photos of the second princes, Derius and Herald.