News from the capital flew in directly via messenger bird.

A few days ago, after proceeding with the trial without Aden who did not respond to the summons, he was determined to be the true culprit who murdered Kedilen and Baron Rodic Fell.

The court sentenced him to death, the highest punishment. Accordingly, the Imperial Family announced their position to bring Aden from Habertz through extradition procedures.

Beressa, who had already agreed with Neser, postponed the decision by asking for more time on the Imperial Family’s position.

It would be more important to drag out the time than to have a declaration of war drop immediately.

However, contrary to their plan, the Imperial Family urged Habertz’s decision and eventually expressed their intention to dispatch investigators to bring Aden directly.

Accordingly, Habertz expressed its intention to refuse the visit of the investigators.

That was the process until just three or four days ago. The messenger bird that arrived now contained the Imperial Family’s ultimatum.

It was a much faster progression than expected.

“It seems we should bring the Duke.”

They couldn’t prepare for war without Aden. At Neser’s suggestion stemming from anxiety and worry, Beressa bit her lip.

The situation was progressing faster than expected.

At this rate, a declaration of war could come as early as a week later, and an order to start the war in two weeks.

“Let’s give a little more time.”

“But if war breaks out like this……”

“It’s not an immediate outbreak. Give me a little more time.”

It had only been a few days since Aden left.

If he hadn’t gotten lost, it would have been about two days since he met Ludmila. She couldn’t take away even that brief time allowance.

Looking at the frustrated Neser, Beressa raised her head.

“Even if Aden returns right now, there’s nothing we can do. The mobilization order has already been issued and the unit formation is complete. So you don’t need to worry.”

“Morale is the problem. If it’s revealed that the Duke is not here, there may be those who say he caused trouble and ran away.”

“Isn’t it our job to prevent such talk from arising?”

As Neser closed his mouth, Beressa pushed up her lips.

“We just need to think about finishing all preparations before Aden returns. It won’t take long. At most ten days. We’re not so weak that the clan will be annihilated in that time.”

“……I understand.”

“For now, let’s strengthen the defense forces at the gate to respond to any local battles. I’ll ask you to do that.”

At Beressa’s words of balance, Neser nodded his head and retreated.

In the silence that followed after the door closed, Beressa returned to her desk and examined the documents.

Military data and maps recording topography and objects spread out in disarray.

For Beressa, who had been far from such things all her life, it was already at the limit just to endure like this now.

But she couldn’t back down here.

She would endure until Aden returns.

As time passes, Aden will return. So she could give him a little time, as much as needed.

For him who would return to this place where his grave with his name engraved was placed, anything.

“What happened?”

She asked about the situation on the way home.

Where the rosy hue had lingered, only the cries of insects, deep darkness, and the footsteps of the two people remained.

“I was feeling stuffy, so I went for a walk and they asked for help saying they were short-handed, so I followed. I didn’t know it was where you were.”

At the nonchalant answer, Ludmila let out a sigh. She couldn’t question the truth of those words.

It didn’t matter what the truth was. The current situation was just ridiculous.

Once things went wrong, it was enough to collapse her peaceful daily life in half a day.

What kind of relationship is it. How many years have they been meeting. How and why did they meet, and so on.

Receiving the concentrated attention of the women, Ludmila had no time to recall what answers she had given and whether they were really appropriate answers.

She was just tired and wanted to avoid the situation quickly. Even on the way home after the preparations were finished, the confusion did not subside.

How were things going to flow like this.

Lamenting the situation that had now slipped out of her hands, Ludmila glanced at Aden.

The face of the man looking ahead with a smile filled her eyes. A cool breeze blew.

It was then that her eyes met Aden’s.

“Have you eaten?”

Though she had committed no crime, as their eyes met, her lips opened with the embarrassment that washed over her.

As her voice flowed, hoping her flustered feelings wouldn’t be noticed, Aden simply raised the corners of his mouth and nodded.

“The stew must have been unpalatable because it was burnt. I’m sorry. That was all there was to eat.”

“Don’t worry about it. I personally found it very delicious.”

“You’re lying.”

Even with a generous assessment, it wasn’t food that could be called delicious. When stew burns and sticks to the bottom, it all becomes inedible.

It’s not so bad that you can’t eat it, but it’s just right to make you frown every time you eat it.

As memories of her experiences making stew for the first time here came to mind, Ludmila let out a sigh.

“Let’s stop by the grocery store on the way and buy ingredients. If you haven’t had dinner, let’s eat together.”

Aden answered by just nodding his head once without moving his lips. As the voice cut off, silence naturally descended.

The footsteps of the two people treading the quiet night road. And only the cries of summer insects filled the silence.

Those steps continued until they stopped by the grocery store to buy simple ingredients and returned home again.

After turning on the wall lamp of the house where darkness had settled and lighting candles, she put down the groceries in the kitchen.

Meanwhile, Aden was wandering outside without entering the house.

Silently watching his back visible through the window, Ludmila let out a sigh as she dropped her shoulders.

Ludmila still didn’t know why Aden had come here.

A man who came saying he just wanted to see her, not to take her away.

But it was an action that could put the clan in danger by being discovered that he had come here.

Ludmila was not naive enough to vaguely understand and accept the fact that the man who was the leader of the clan and responsible had come to find her just led by emotion, knowing that.

Moreover, the fact that Beressa had willingly revealed her location.

There must be some circumstances. He just doesn’t want to talk about it.

Even if it was a thought originating from intuition, from her position of knowing Aden, it seemed somewhat correct.

Ludmila looked at Aden with complex eyes and then shook her head.

Don’t worry about it. He’s a man who will leave in a week. Yes, a week.

A time-limited meeting chased by a set time. Suddenly, at the thought that the relationship was familiar, Ludmila felt a bitterness in her mouth.

She fills a pot with water and puts it on the hearth, chops vegetables, and prepares meat.

Until the end of that series of processes, Ludmila focused on cooking while deliberately ignoring her emotions.

After putting the ingredients in the boiling pot and washing her hands, Ludmila looked at Aden who was still outside and turned around.

Ludmila went upstairs, brought down spare bedding and pillows, and entered the small room on the first floor.

At that moment, an incredulous smile appeared on Ludmila’s lips. It was a room that was no different from a storage room where only simple luggage was placed.

Moreover, a bed was placed in the middle of the room, which should have been almost empty as there wasn’t much luggage.

It certainly wasn’t there until this morning.

As Ludmila’s eyes narrowed, footsteps were heard from behind. When she glanced back, Aden had already approached.

“Did you see?”

“I did. Where did you bring it from?”

“A nearby furniture store. They readily let me take it when I said I’d rent it for about a week. Of course, I paid for it.”

Yes, that’s right. If it wasn’t stolen, it must have been brought from a furniture store.

But thinking about what conversations might have taken place while bringing it, and what words might be heard behind their backs after today, Ludmila felt astonished.

He certainly wouldn’t have introduced his identity normally.

If Aden hadn’t carried it on his back, the person carrying the cart would have seen this house. There was a high possibility that they asked what kind of relationship he had with the owner of this house.

“By the way, the fence in the backyard was broken.”

“I’m planning to repair it later.”

Just one day. It had only been a day since Aden came, but there were too many chilling things happening.

Having to endure six more days. She couldn’t imagine how her future would change after that time passes completely.

Swallowing a sigh, Ludmila put down the bedding on the bed Aden had prepared.

“You had a spare?”

“Yes. For now.”

“I guess other people often stayed over?”

“That’s not it. It’s just……”

Ludmila hesitated as she was about to continue. Her eyes glanced at Aden briefly, then she closed her lips tightly and turned around.

“Ludmila?”

“……It’s nothing. More importantly, come out after organizing. Meal preparations are done, so let’s eat.”

After finishing her words, Ludmila retreated and the door closed.

Left alone in the room, Aden silently looked down at the clean and neat bedding.

It was summer bedding, not winter bedding. As he was touching the end of it with his hand, Aden let out a chuckle.