The candy had already been consumed by me, so there was nothing to be done. But the duke took the wooden sword and the puppy doll back, saying they needed to be inspected.

I recalled how the shoulders of the knights who followed him had sagged.

“Did he say he was going to Dalian?”

It must have been time for Dalian.

I wanted to see, but the duke told me to go in early and rest today, promising to show me next time.

However, news of my fever seemed to have spread throughout the mansion in just a day.

The servants I encountered on the way to my room all acted as if they knew me.

“Little one, I heard you were ill. Are you feeling better now?”

“Little one, do you still have a fever? How dare a cold infect such a small body!”

“Little one, come here. I have something to give you. Ah, it’s a secret from Sophia!”

The maid wiping the window frame, the servant hanging a picture, even Cusseus, the chef who always prepared my food. Everyone worried for me and handed me something.

It was usually jelly or candy, small snacks.

“They’re all going overboard.”

Among them, I popped a jelly into my mouth and burrowed into the blanket. My lips tingled, perhaps because of the sweet fruitflavored jelly.

Was it because so many people were worried about me for the first time?

Even knowing that their concern would soon wane, my heart couldn’t help but soften.

“I wonder if Clemens has heard?”

I naturally thought of Clemens. Just then, someone knocked on the door.

I was genuinely surprised when I opened it.

“Clemens?”

“Yeah, Dianne, hello.”

Clemens smiled at me as if nothing was amiss.

“Clemens is also a rascal.”

“What brings you to my room?”

“Yeah, I heard you were sick. I heard you’ve taken medicine and are better, but I thought I should still come and see.”

Clemens scrutinized my face with affectionate eyes. Meeting his gaze, a voice inside me suddenly piped up, feigning objectivity.

“It’s a lie, Clemens is only pretending to be concerned.”

“Are you okay now?”

Clemens asked softly again. I responded a bit late that I was fine.

After Clemens left, I reflected on the events of the whole day.

The inspected wooden sword and puppy doll lay neatly beside the bed.

According to Sophia’s advice, I decided to eat the snacks the servants had given me in moderation.

And the chocolate from the duke was sweet. Clemens came to my room because he was worried about me.

I shouldn’t fall for the villains; they’re the ones who’ll harm the protagonist soon.

…But what if I end up liking these villains?

The next morning, my body felt noticeably better, probably because I had taken medicine and slept.

Thanks to that, I could walk outside in even lighter clothing than yesterday.

Holding a thick book, I entered the library and found its original place.

It was a book about sealing gods, the book that made Silver Snake leave the house.

I put the book back in its original place and thought again.

“It’s a good thing.”

Being cured of a cold in one day was good, and Silver Snake leaving the house was also good.

“Of course it’s a good thing, yeah, definitely.”

Gods were never meant to be by my side or to make a contract with me.

Even though I hadn’t intended to chase away the god, it left on its own, which eased my mind.

“So, I don’t need to worry at all.”

I thought this as I walked out into the hallway, when I saw a new carriage entering through the main gate from the window.

“A guest?”

It wasn’t as grand as the carriage of the previous guests, but this new carriage was also fairly elaborately decorated.

“It could be a guest of the duke.”

I thought nonchalantly and was about to move on when I had to stop in my tracks.

It was because of a man getting out of the carriage.

If his clothes had been ordinary, I would have thought he was one of the guests I’d seen at the gathering before.
But for a noble who valued honor, his clothing was far too flamboyant.

‘All white.’

He was dressed in all white from head to toe, as if painted in that color, adorned only with white clothing and accessories.

Whether it was eyecatching or not, the gardeners who were tending to the garden had their gazes focused on him all at once.

Regardless, he gracefully dismounted from the carriage and began to lead the people who had followed him.

Likewise, those dressed in white clothing disembarked from the cargo carriage, carrying various fabrics, shoes, and bags.

‘Who is that person?’

That question was quickly answered thanks to Ian, who was also observing from the side.

“That’s Madame Vasily, the most famous tailor from Northern Hesera. She has been designing clothing for our lord and young masters since moving to Hesera.”

“Madame Vasily?”

“Yes, there will soon be a ball in the eastern hall. It seems she has come to fit the young masters for the occasion.”

Clemens had returned after attending academy classes for three months. The Duke always hosted a ball for Clemens, who had been away from the mansion for not an insignificant amount of time, something often explained in the original work.