Scratch scratch-

The sound of the pointed pen nib dancing on the paper echoed solemnly in the room. It had been a long time since Lily held a pen due to Herald’s stern warning not to work until she fully recovered.

Except for the first day when she lost consciousness from high fever and the next day, her physical condition had improved enough to be able to work. The doctor said it would be fine as long as she didn’t overdo it, but Herald still wouldn’t allow it.

“Rather than resting half-heartedly and having a relapse, I think it would be better to rest fully and completely recover your condition.”

When he said that, Lily had no choice but to follow. Since it had come to this, she thought she should rest thoroughly and fully recover her tired body and mind.

After spending several days eating and playing more idly than a loafer, she began to wonder if this was okay. The doubt soon turned into guilt and her heart felt uneasy. She was also anxious because she needed to earn as much money as possible to prepare for the days ahead.

In the end, Lily took out the documents she received from Count Stacy while Herald returned to the Maximilian estate. Knowing he would stop her from working once he returned, she diligently moved her hands to get as much done as possible beforehand.

The new documents she received this time were letters, not contracts, so there were no unfamiliar terms. However, her head tilted in confusion at the occasional incomprehensible content like “If you spread chocolate on your nose, I will begin.”

“Is this some kind of proverb?”

I’ll have to look up what it means. Lily wrote down only the sentences that needed further investigation.

…This doesn’t seem to be a proverb?

Lily chewed on the pen tip and stared blankly at the translated sentence. She didn’t know what the golden lion’s skin was, but she knew about Parklano. It was a port city located at the southernmost tip of the empire and an important trading center.

But handing that place over to someone from the Herta Kingdom? It was absurd.

Moreover, as far as she knew, it was illegal to hand over imperial territory to foreigners. She was aware that doing such a thing would result in punishment similar to committing treason, so she was very perplexed to see such content written here.

“Am I mistaken?”

If not, is the Parklano written here referring to somewhere other than the place I know?

Lily checked the Garta language dictionary just in case, but the word Parklano was not there. There was no city with that name in the Herta Kingdom either.

What on earth could it be? A frown formed on her pretty brow. In fact, there was no need to agonize over this. Her role was simply to translate the documents. It wasn’t her business what Count Stacy exchanged with the other party. Nevertheless, it bothered her because she didn’t want to be involved in anything illegal.

Lily stopped everything she was doing and took out a piece of stationery, thinking she should clearly confirm this part.

But how should I ask Count Stacy? As she was contemplating that directly asking if he was committing a crime seemed dangerous, there was a knock at the door. It was Herald.

“You’re not working, are you?”

“No, I’m not.”

Until a moment ago she had been working, but now she was writing a letter, so it wasn’t a lie. Lily pushed the stationery aside so he wouldn’t take interest in it and stood up from her seat.

In her widened field of vision, she saw him dressed in a stylish suit. Unlike usual, his hair was neatly combed back, making his handsome face stand out even more.

Realizing it anew, this man is really good-looking. To the point she had the absurd thought that if there was a creature God had painstakingly made, it would be him.

There was no way he had dressed up like that simply to meet her.

“Are you going somewhere?”

Herald nodded, a bitter smile taking place on his face.

“Yes. Her Majesty the Empress wishes to have a meal together, so I must go for a bit.”

“Lunch? Then shouldn’t you leave right away?”

The current time was 10:20. Even if he hurried, it would take at least an hour to get from the Braden estate to the imperial palace, so it would be tight on time even if he left now.

“There’s still some leeway. The appointment time is at 1 o’clock.”

Herald’s gaze passed over Lily and landed on the stationery on the table.

“You were writing a letter?”

Since the stationery was in plain sight, Lily nodded with some tension, unable to hide it.

“To me?”

The golden eyes gazing at her sparkled with anticipation. Only then did Lily’s tension unravel and she let out a small laugh.

“Judging by your laughter, I suppose the letter isn’t for me.”

“Do you want to receive a letter from me?”

“No.”

Herald lifted the corners of his lips and answered in a hum.

“I prefer you telling me directly rather than a letter.”

There’s something you want to hear from me. While curious about what it was, Lily didn’t ask anything, feeling like it was something she shouldn’t know for some reason.

“Then I guess I’ll have to eat lunch alone with Lord Lampard today.”

When Lily smiled as if she no longer wanted to discuss the letter, Herald laughed in response. However, in his downcast golden eyes, there was a hint of bitterness and coldness swirling.

“Unfortunately, it seems you’ll have to eat lunch alone.”

His voice expressing regret was flat without inflection.

“Lord Lampard has also been invited to Her Majesty the Empress’s luncheon.”

Although the letter said she wanted to treat Dillon to a delicious lunch for risking his life fighting for the empire, no one believed those words at face value.

No matter that he had received a noble title, Dillon was a commoner. It made no sense for him to sit face-to-face and eat with the most noble lady in the empire.

“Are you certain my name is written there? It’s not Milon or… someone else’s name?”

Yesterday, Dillon, who had come to find his missing commander, was also very flustered upon hearing the story and asked again. Even when Herald confirmed it, he couldn’t believe it and checked the Empress’s handwritten letter himself. After seeing the letter, he pinched and slapped his cheeks to check if it was a dream or reality.

“So I’m asking, do you have any plans to go out?”

Herald asked while glancing at the letter. Lily, immediately understanding the meaning behind his gaze, shook her head.

“No. I’m going to send the letter by messenger, so I don’t need to go out.”

“That’s a relief.”

With a knock, Dillon’s voice was heard looking for him. It meant they needed to leave now. Checking the time on his pocket watch, Herald clicked his tongue and said to Lily,

“I can’t promise, but I’ll try to return by dinner at the latest.”

“You don’t have to push yourself.”

“I must. When I have a guest waiting at my estate.”

Guest. It was a correct and appropriate term, but for some reason Lily’s mouth felt bitter as if she had chewed medicinal herbs, so she bit her tongue hard.

“Then I’ll be back.”

Bidding farewell by kissing the back of Lily’s hand, Herald immediately turned around and left the bedroom. Ignoring Dillon’s chatter about why he was coming out so late, he strode down the long corridor and only stopped after fully descending the central staircase.

“……”

Not a hint of warmth could be seen in Herald’s gaze as he looked up the stairs. It was only cold, like perennial snow that never melts. He disliked Lily’s attitude of feigning ignorance despite knowing what he wanted, but there was a bigger reason.

It was anxiety. He had an ominous feeling that if he left the estate now, he wouldn’t see Lily again, making him even more reluctant to go to the imperial palace.

But I’ll have to go. He couldn’t ignore the Empress’s invitation.

He had considered rejecting it, saying he had business to attend to, even if it was somewhat rude. But there was no way a refusal would work at an occasion where even Dillon was summoned. And Dillon couldn’t even commit that rudeness, so Herald forcibly took steps he was unwilling to take.

Lily, who had finished the letter she stopped writing due to Herald’s visit, asked Harry to deliver the message. She added that it would be great if he could bring back Count Stacy’s reply right away.

It was somewhat rude for a mere viscountess to make such a request to a count, but she had no choice. It was that important of a matter.

Please, let it not be something illegal. As she waited anxiously, barely eating lunch, Coleman Jones came to see her.

“A letter has arrived, madam.”

Lily, who had flinched at the word letter, let out a small sigh upon recalling that Harry had not returned yet. In other words, the letter Coleman brought was not the reply sent by Count Stacy.

Then who could it be? Lily checked the letter handed to her by Coleman with doubt. She had worried it might be from Fredrick, but fortunately, it was a letter from the Security Department.

Or was it fortunate? The Security Department wouldn’t send a letter for a good reason.

The only good news, so to speak, would be that they had caught the grave robber who dug up her father’s tomb. Lily tore open the envelope, hoping it would be that news. Coleman Jones’s gaze observing her wavered slightly.

The green eyes filled with worry, anxiety, and doubt all turned to perplexity the moment they saw the name engraved at the bottom of the letter. No matter how many times she looked, the written name did not change.

Lily looked at the butler with trembling eyes. Meeting her gaze, he gave a small nod, confirming that the name she saw was true.

Huh. Lily swallowed empty air and looked down at the letter again. Seeing the Security Department’s emblem stamped on the envelope, she had naturally assumed it was sent by them, but it was a letter from the Duchess Maximilian.

That alone was perplexing, but what made her even more flustered was that Olivia had requested to meet. The reason wasn’t written, but Lily closed her eyes tightly, feeling like she knew.