Items that seemed to suggest human habitation began to enter the western annex courtyard, one by one.

First, a new rocking chair arrived.

After setting up a large parasol that had been stored in the warehouse for a long time and placing a small table, a space comfortable enough for Clard to rest alone was created.

“Are you the only one working in this mansion?”

“Your Highness, even with ten bodies it wouldn’t be enough to sweep, clean, and manage this vast mansion. The poor servants can’t possibly attend to this area too.”

“Then why are you doing it?”

“…I told you, it’s a gift for Your Highness. Isn’t it natural for the gift-giver to care?”

“Everything here was originally mine. Can this really be called a gift?”

Yuan focused on her work, etching patience on her brow in response to the sarcasm coming from behind her.

Don’t say anything, don’t.

She had started this work thinking it would be nice to take a walk with Clard in this western annex.

Once Clard started coming outside, he didn’t leave as if he had no bedroom, and kept needling Yuan.

Oblivious to her desire to surprise him, he kept asking similar questions, as if hoping she couldn’t concentrate on her work, which was still in progress.

Yuan, who had been scrubbing vigorously while thinking about his shapely lips, suddenly turned to look at Clard, who had gone quiet.

His long, large body was sprawled in the rocking chair, basking in the sunlight that the parasol couldn’t block.

The slightly overgrown golden hair beneath his tilted-back head sparkled.

If I plucked those hairs and made them into thread for embroidery, it would make such a pretty garment.

Would he get angry if I asked to pluck some hair for embroidery?

As she chuckled to herself, imagining strange things, she felt a piercing gaze.

Eyes like grape-flavored candy were staring intently at her.

“What’s so funny?”

“Your eyes are pretty, Your Highness.”

Yuan barely managed to erase the smile lingering at the corners of her mouth as she answered. Clard’s displeased voice immediately responded.

“Is something pretty funny?”

“Well, usually seeing something pretty makes me smile. And Your Highness’s eyes are just like grape-flavored can…”

Yuan’s lips, which had been scrubbing and making excuses, suddenly hesitated.

How would a man who doesn’t even flinch at being compared to the finest amethyst react to being told his eyes are like grape-flavored candy? Would he retort that her eyes are like potatoes roasted in the fireplace?

Clard is certainly the type of person who would shoot back with something like that, and more.

Yuan quickly shook her head. Naturally, Clard’s gaze became even sharper.

“Can… what?”

“The words came out wrong.”

Please just let it go. Let it go.

-Scrub scrub scrub scrub.

Her scrubbing hand sped up.

Clard seemed to be saying something.

Yuan focused intently on her work, as if she couldn’t hear him well.

Scrubbing was quite a busy task, perfect for making excuses about not hearing well.

And during that time, the sunlight pouring over Yuan lost its brilliance.

Yuan was startled by the sudden large shadow that fell over her and raised her head, which had been bowed.

The man who had trapped her in his shadow was staring down at her intently. Eyes like grape-flavored candy, without hostility or wariness.

Meeting those eyes that seemed like they would taste tangy and sweet, Yuan backed away while still crouching.

“Su-Suddenly–”

“Your forehead is red.”

“It’s from being in the sun.”

“Stop now, that’s enough.”

“If I just finish this line, it’ll be almost…”

“There’s no rush. I’ve already seen it all anyway.”

The man with the calm face was surprisingly pushy.

He had been like this all along.

When Clard first came out to see this western annex, he carefully examined the walls that had regained their red color like a tenant viewing a house, and looked around the annex fence that Yuan had been decorating bit by bit.

Then, after a long while, he offered the deflating comment that it was ‘not too bad’, and from the next day, he started lounging around from the morning when Yuan began her work.

In the end, he had large items like the rocking chair and table moved from the warehouse – causing the already busy servants to go back and forth to the distant warehouse several times – and loitered around like someone on a picnic at the zoo, watching Yuan and picking fights.

If that was all, she would have thought having such company was better than none.

But without fail, around noon when the sun was strongest, he would make up all sorts of excuses to prevent her from working.

“Get up.”

Just like now.

It’s barely the beginning of spring, she won’t get heatstroke from a little sun. Her skin doesn’t tan easily anyway, so she’s not likely to get sunburned.

He’s not an old nanny scolding a precious young lady not to tan before her marriage.

Yuan looked regretfully at her work that would be perfect with just a little more effort, and put away the brush she was holding.

“Oh?”

As she tried to stand up with an “oof,” her foot slipped on the muddy ground, still slick from yesterday’s rain.

In the moment Yuan stumbled in surprise.

-Grab.

A strong force gripped her wrist and pulled her forcefully.

Yuan’s eyes widened in shock.

Her cheek, which had been exposed to the still cool air, touched warmth.

It was Clard’s chest.

He usually dresses up a bit when going out, so why did he wear his usual carelessly-worn robe today of all days?

The scent of clean, dry laundry wafted to Yuan’s nose.

Along with the faint herbal scent of the cleaning solution Yuan had given to the laundry maids.

It was Yuan who pushed him away with enough force to make a ‘thump’ sound.

“Shouldn’t a thank you come first?”

Clard, who had hesitated, grumbled somewhat grumpily.

Yuan was glad her hair was loosely tied, hiding her ears.

She could clearly feel that her ears had grown hot.

Yuan hugged tightly the scent that seemed to cling to her body.

It felt too… strange that the same herbal scent came from his embrace as from herself.

“What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”

“Your Highness.”

Yuan shook her slightly whitened mind and rummaged in her pocket to pull out a small pouch.

“How about this?”

Yuan opened the pouch with trembling hands. She wanted to quickly change the subject.

Inside the pouch were flat seeds about the size of a thumbnail.

“Duke Lev sent them recently.”

Adding that they were a similar species to the vines that once covered the red brick mansion’s exterior walls.

Yuan took out a few seeds from the pouch and held them out to him.

The seeds, which had been soaked in warm water for about 2 hours in the morning, had swollen slightly into heart shapes.

Seeing that shape, Yuan’s ears turned red again, and she quietly clenched her fist to hide the seeds once more.

“Aren’t you the one who makes medicine and studies?”

His reaction implied, why are you showing me such things?

Yuan let her hair down to hide her reddened ears as she replied.

“It’s not for medicine, I’m planning to plant them here.”

Duke Lev had recommended the vines, which would climb the walls and cover the entire mansion, saying their large heart-shaped leaves would create quite an atmosphere when combined with the red bricks.

Yuan had originally planned to plant them alone, but thought it might be meaningful to plant them with Clard, so she handed him the seeds.

“You want me to dig here?”

“…I’ll do the digging, Your Highness just needs to place the seeds.”

Her reddened ears quickly regained their original color.

Yuan thought to herself, ‘It’s really hard to do anything with this person–‘ as she turned around abruptly and headed towards the corner of the annex that had regained its red color.

As Yuan dug into the ground with a trowel, thinking of Clard, he quietly curled up the corners of his mouth and handed her the seeds.

The capital Cielo, 1st Prince Boloniko’s Palace.

Today, too, after pushing through the long line of bribe-bearers to enter the palace, Duke Kompani headed straight for the training grounds.

There, Boloniko was tightly wrapped in protective gear, jabbing his rapier into the air as if he had a practice partner.

“Your Highness. There’s been movement from Gerret Peliesse’s side.”

As he reported hurriedly, panting, Boloniko removed his head protection and frowned.

“It seems they’ve sent people to scout around the Black Mansion. We only had suspicions before, but the bird reports seeing quite a few people loitering around that area.”

“This is completely different from when we sent the eighth bride. How’s the mansion?”

“The former Crown Princess is said to be tending to the mansion.”

“I suppose she wants to try to forget her situation somehow? That’s just the kind of thing a noble lady stuck in the countryside would do.”

Boloniko elegantly extended his hand.

Duke Kompani quickly pulled out a handkerchief from his breast pocket and offered it, but Boloniko didn’t take it, just lightly touching the handkerchief with his fingers.

Duke Kompani stepped closer and wiped the sweat from his forehead, while Boloniko wiped the sword he had been swinging in the air with his own handkerchief.

“Are they still getting along well? With that beast of a husband?”

Boloniko chuckled, remembering Clard howling like a beast.

After carefully wiping away his sweat, the Duke tucked the handkerchief back into his breast pocket and bowed his head with precision.

“Indeed, screams of agony–. After their coupling, it’s said he groans until dawn before finally falling asleep.”

“Painful coupling with an unattractive man. Even if she is the ‘former’ Crown Princess, it’s too pitiful for a member of the imperial family. It brings tears to my eyes, such a sense of responsibility.”

A smile, quite different from tears, slowly appeared on his pale face.

“What about the former Crown Prince?”

“Pardon?”

“Does that monster seem to have feelings for the woman?”

Duke Kompani carefully recalled the contents of the report.

Although they spend more time together, there doesn’t seem to be any special contact.

Judging from his usual personality, it appears he’s keeping her in sight and monitoring her, like when brides were first sent…

“That’s unlikely. Although Her Highness is beautiful, he seems to maintain his guard. I’ve confirmed that he doesn’t even glance at her when I visit occasionally.”

“How pitiful. Sister-in-law must be feeling very, very weak-hearted. How difficult it must be for her.”

Boloniko whispered, furrowing his brows with abundant sympathy.

“Come to think of it, I’m family too. I should help a little.”

Boloniko recalled Yuan’s pale face, terrified after being toyed with by the Emperor.