Dad looked up at Filen. Sensing Dad’s gaze, Filen lowered his head and spoke in a businesslike tone,

“Then, I’ll go prepare for the morning meeting first. We also need to prepare for the territory inspection. If there’s nothing else, sir.”

Dad’s expression as he watched Filen disappear was stern.

‘Filen… Is he okay?’

Now, it might be fine to leave right away, but there would be a situation where I would have to meet Dad again later.
After Filen left, only Doctor Garrison remained. Garrison approached me and carefully took my wrist, as if trying to examine me.

“Ah, it seems the young lady has been quite tired. If you rest deeply for a few days and take some time to recover, you’ll be fine.”

Clemens calmly responded to his words.

“Do you think it makes sense to say she fell asleep on the road because she was tired, Garrison?”

“But she doesn’t feel any particular discomfort in her body…”

“Check again.”

Clemens gently interrupted him. Garrison immediately grabbed my wrist again and began the examination.

“W-when I check again, it’s the same…”

Garrison looked almost on the verge of tears. Dayvon, about to say something, I quickly grabbed his shoulder and spoke.

“I’m fine now, Garrison. You can go.”

“Diana, even if you say you’re okay, I should still check.”

“Sure, let’s find the cause.”

Clemens and Dayvon restrained me. I spoke more firmly to them.

“I’m really okay, and nothing hurts!”

Clemens, suspicious of my words, narrowed his eyes. Dayvon also had an dissatisfied expression, but he kept his mouth shut.

I felt Dad gently stroking my head.

“Okay, it’s fine now.”

I felt the tension dissipate with those words. I raised my head slightly and looked at Dad’s face again; he didn’t look fine either.

His eye area was sunken, and his face seemed a bit haggard. Holding me tightly in his arms, it felt like he had worried a lot during the time I was lying down.

I sighed deeply. In fact, this incident happened due to my carelessness.

‘I thought I would be fine.’

I thought too lightly. Having faced the consequences several times, I thought I could easily overcome them this time too.

But apparently not. The headache I received this time was so severe that I could see the surroundings spinning.

‘On top of that, I fainted…’

I could clearly see how worried everyone must have been while I couldn’t see anything.

I felt sorry for my family, but at the same time, another anxiety gradually rose.

‘Surely, they won’t impose a ban on walks because of this?’

There was a time when my family gathered, and I spilled coffee on that occasion.

So, considering how worried they all were, including that day, I had no choice but to rest and undergo forced care for three days inside the room.

‘How frustrating it was back then!’

Before Dad could impose a walk ban again, I quickly spoke.

“Everyone must have been worried a lot. I’m sorry for causing you concern.”

With a sulky expression, Clemens responded kindly.

“It’s okay; it was our fault for not properly looking at you.”

“He’s right, so there won’t be such incidents in the future since we’ll be closer.”

‘Closer?’

I glanced at Clemens suspiciously. Although Dayvon also had an unsatisfied expression, he kept his mouth shut.
That’s another worry on its own. Before I could ask, Dad lifted me onto his lap and embraced me.

“You don’t have to feel sorry. It’s not because I want to worry you, but because I care about you.”

Their words made me slowly blink my eyes. The reaction was a bit different from what I had expected.

“Well…, then no walk ban?”

“That’s right.”

“No restriction on going outside?”

“No.”

I was deeply moved by Dad’s words. Honestly, I thought an immediate restriction on going out would be imposed because I collapsed outside.

“Wow, Dad, you’re so cool!”

Hugging Dad’s neck tightly, I wiped my face, and Dad gently stroked my shoulder.

While holding Dad, I suddenly remembered one thing I had forgotten.

“Dad, I have something I want to ask…”

“What is it? Go ahead and tell me.”

“Dad, do you happen to be seeing someone?”

“!”

Dad froze with a stiff expression. Clemens and Dayvon, with question marks on their faces, opened their mouths.

“What are you talking about, Diana?”

“Explain properly!”

Feeling uplifted by the actively asked questions, I nodded with a satisfied feeling.

‘It seems both of them share the same sentiments as me!’

In fact, I was all for Dad’s new beginning, but I couldn’t know how the brothers felt about it.

Especially, Dayvon’s eyes were much rounder than before.

“Well, there is something like that. I saw it last time…”

“Diana, wait a moment.”

It seemed that Dad was quite taken aback by my question. I understood that he was trying to stop me, so I nodded, indicating that I understood.

“It’s okay. Dad has been alone for a long time; it’s time to meet someone else.”

“Why on earth would you think like that?”

Dad slowly spoke in a surprised tone. Thinking that Dad was embarrassed, I deliberately spoke casually.

“It’s nothing, Dad. I saw someone send you a letter last time.”

A silence spread around me at my words. From outside the door, someone let out a loud sniff! like laughter.

But the sound seemed more like a sneeze close to laughter, or just a sneezing-like laughter.

‘Could it be the servants passing by?’

“Dad, anytime you want to meet someone new, just tell me. I’ll push you forward with gusto!”

However, a darker shadow than before seemed to be cast over Dad’s face.

Dad gently smiled at me and spoke.

“Yeah, you told me about it before Filen organized it.”

“Yeah!”

I answered boldly, but suddenly, a giggle was heard from outside the door.