“You can use this room, young lady.”

A butler who was somewhat acquainted with Lily guided her to the bedroom. It was the same bedroom Lily had used last night. Lily had only stayed for a day, but she looked around the space that felt familiar as if she had gotten used to it.

“If you don’t mind me asking, may I inquire about your relationship with the children who came with you?”

“They are my attendants.”

“Then shall I give them adjoining rooms, young lady?”

Personal attendants used adjoining rooms so they could rush to their master’s side whenever called. Lily nodded her head in agreement and looked at the butler’s face for a moment.

The butler smiled kindly, his dimples showing, and asked,

“Do you have something to say to me, young lady?”

“…I’m not a young lady. I’m… married.”

The butler’s eyes widened for a moment. He seemed to have not expected at all that Lily was married.

No wonder. These people think I’m that man’s lover.

Lily had no idea that not correcting the misunderstanding that night would come back to her like this. Unable to look the butler straight in the eye, Lily lowered her gaze slightly. The slightly raised corners of her mouth were awkward.

“Oh my. I have committed a grave mistake.”

Coleman, who had worked for the Maximilian ducal family for a long time, quickly composed himself, clasped his hands neatly, and bowed.

“I apologize for not recognizing you, madam.”

“It’s alright.”

I should be the one apologizing. I should have told you beforehand that I’m married…

Lily was about to say that but stopped herself. It felt like a thief making excuses for their actions. It seemed like the misunderstanding would only grow rather than be resolved.

“Thank you for your generous understanding, madam. Then I shall take my leave. Please call me whenever you need anything.”

After Coleman left, Emily and Harry took his place. As Emily grabbed the luggage as if to unpack, Lily shook her head.

“I’ll unpack by myself, so you two go unpack your luggage as well.”

“But…”

“It’s fine. As you can see, I didn’t bring much luggage so I can handle it alone. You may go.”

After sending out the hesitating children, Lily put the luggage bag on the table and opened it. Since she hadn’t unpacked at the hotel, everything was still packed as she had brought it.

“There’s nothing much to organize.”

Most of the items were fine to keep in the bag. However, Lily took out the documents Count Stacy had given her, Herald’s letter, and the box containing her mother’s paintings, as papers could get crumpled.

The large framed paintings had all burned in the fire two years ago, and all that remained were a few paintings kept in palm-sized frames. They weren’t in perfect condition, but they were still recognizable.

Lily brushed the slightly faded box with her palm. Whenever she missed her mother, she thought of her paintings. So she wanted to take them out and look at them, but she had suppressed the urge, worried that touching them carelessly might damage them.

“……”

But now, holding the box in her hands, the desire to see them surged. With the emotions she had tried hard to ignore welling up, it was difficult to resist. After staring at the paintings for a long time, Lily was about to open the lid of the box when the door opened.

“Ah…!”

Lily was startled like a thief caught in the act and stood up from her seat. At her rough movement, the table shook and the luggage bag fell. As the contents spilled out, the even more flustered Lily hurriedly gathered the items.

Puzzled by Lily’s unexpected intense reaction, Herald picked up something that had flown to his feet. It was the letter he had sent to Lily. The fact that she had brought it all the way here brought a satisfied smile to Herald’s lips.

“Don’t forget this too.”

As Herald held out the letter, Lily’s eyes wavered greatly. Snatching the letter almost as if snatching it away, Lily hid it behind her back and rolled her eyes. Thinking harder than ever about what to say, nothing came to mind. Only the thought ‘What should I do?’ filled her head.

“What were you looking at so intently that you didn’t hear me knock?”

Fortunately, Herald didn’t probe deeply about the letter. Lily sighed deeply with relief and surreptitiously slipped the letter between her pajamas. Then she showed him the box she had put down briefly to pick up the fallen items.

“I was looking at this. It contains my mother’s paintings.”

“Paintings by Lady Grace?”

“Yes. It’s not the case now, but painting used to be my mother’s hobby.”

Come to think of it, there was such information in the investigation report. Herald, who had momentarily forgotten that fact, asked,

“I’m curious about what kind of paintings Lady Grace painted. May I see them?”

“Ah, I’d like to show you, but I don’t think it’ll be possible. The condition of the paintings isn’t good.”

“The condition of the paintings isn’t good?”

“Yes. They’re paintings that barely survived the fire scene, so the paper can crumble with the slightest mistake. That’s why I can’t bring myself to open it either.”

Lily’s gestures as she stroked the box were filled with regret, bitterness, and longing. Her face was the same. Seeing her dewy eyes, Herald felt sorry for her and made a suggestion uncharacteristic of him.

“How about restoring the paintings?”

Lily shook her head.

“I want to, but it’s more expensive than I thought…”

Lily was too embarrassed to finish her sentence and closed her mouth. As she lowered her head slightly, her exposed earlobes were a shy peach color. Well aware of her situation without needing her to say it, Herald smiled and asked,

“By any chance, can they be used for practice?”

Lily asked back, somewhat dubiously.

“…Practice?”

“Yes. I have an acquaintance who studies in this field, and he said he’s looking for a painting to practice restoration on. If it’s alright with you, how about entrusting it to him?”

Using it for practice meant not charging a fee, but at the same time, it also meant not taking responsibility if the painting was completely ruined. The thought of her mother’s few remaining paintings being completely destroyed was terrifying. So she was about to refuse, but Herald added,

“By the way, his teacher is McQuaid.”

McQuaid. He was one of the best masters in the field of art restoration on the continent, so even if his student was still learning, he would be far more skilled than most masters.

If they’re lucky, maybe McQuaid will help out.

As her train of thought reached that point, her determination wavered. After pondering for a moment while looking at the box, Lily soon nodded.

“Please do.”

Both Herald and Fredrick were famous figures who frequently came up in people’s conversations, but the nature of their fame was completely different.

While Herald was talked about in a positive light as the empire’s hero, the best marriage candidate, and a considerate gentleman, Fredrick was talked about in a negative light as a male prostitute and a plaything for noble ladies.

With their statuses as different as heaven and earth and their occupations being different, the two had never been mentioned together until recently.

“Did you hear that story? Count Braden and Marquis Benjamin had a fight over the Marchioness Benjamin!”

When the rumor first spread, people generally snorted in disbelief.

Who was Herald? He was the second son of the prestigious Maximilian ducal family and a hero of the empire. With his looks rivaling any actor or model, he was the perfect top marriage candidate with no flaws.

How could anyone readily believe the absurd claim that such an outstanding man had fallen head over heels for the insignificant Liliana Benjamin and had a fight with her husband Fredrick Benjamin?

However, as one or two eyewitnesses who claimed to have directly seen Herald and Fredrick’s fight emerged, the number of those who believed the rumor increased.

When a reporter who received an anonymous tip wrote a detailed account of the day’s events in a gossip magazine, the rumor spread throughout the empire in less than two days.

Naturally, it also reached the ears of Herald’s parents, the Duke and Duchess Maximilian.

“Darling, have you heard that rumor by any chance?”

It was the duchess, who had heard the news first, who brought it up to her husband at dinner. Only then learning of his son’s unsavory news, Duke Maximilian frowned.

“Have you verified if that rumor is true?”

“From what I hear, it seems to be true, but…”

“Rumors can’t be trusted. We need to ask the person directly.”

Just then, Herald, who had been out, returned, and Duke Maximilian stopped his meal and called him to the study. The duchess also tried to go in together, but the duke dissuaded his wife, saying that he would have a conversation between men first.

“Do you know why I called you?”

“I know.”

That was it. Herald did not make excuses like the rumor was false or that there had been a misunderstanding.

In other words, it was no different from admitting that the rumor was entirely true, deepening the furrows etched in Duke Maximilian’s brow. The duke sighed deeply, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“I won’t say anything about you touching a noble lady. You’re a man too, so you can be overcome by a moment’s desire and do that.”

Although his voice was chillingly cold, his eyes looking at his son were filled with worry and concern.

“So stop it here.”

“I don’t know what you mean by stopping.”

“Herald.”

“I haven’t started anything, Father.”

To be precise, he had tried to start something, but Lily had rejected him with tears, so he couldn’t. Realizing this fact anew, Herald smiled bitterly and tilted his head.

“The reason I fought with Fredrick Benjamin that day was because that bastard was plotting something strange.”

“Something strange?”

“Yes.”

Stepping closer to his father, Herald continued in an even lower voice.

“And about that, there’s a favor I’d like to ask of you, Father.”