I must never let on that I had misunderstood what needed to be done differently. So I quickly racked my brain and answered.

“I meant to say it goes into… average living expenses.”

“Hmm.”

The Duke looked at me with suspicious eyes. But soon returned to his usual impassive expression.

With that, our conversation ended and we walked in silence. It was truly a suffocating time that made my blood run dry.

In the distance, the training ground came into view. I could see soldiers running laps shirtless while shouting vigorous battle cries, and my father directing them.

Seeing those muscular, large men made me feel pleased without realizing it. I covered my mouth with my hand to avoid looking too obviously delighted.

As the Duke and I entered the training ground, the soldiers who noticed us stopped running and saluted in unison. He responded by raising his palm to his forehead.

“Your Grace, what brings you here?”

My father approached, his forehead dotted with sweat. It was a passionate sight I hadn’t seen in a long time.

“I have some questions about the research in progress.”

“I see. Then let’s move somewhere to discuss.”

My father gave orders to the soldiers to continue their laps. Though I wanted to take in the view a bit longer, I reluctantly turned away at his suggestion to go to the company commander’s office.

* * *

Seated in the company commander’s office, I sipped the tea my father served while waiting for their conversation to end.

“…so the stock…”

“…the size of the magazine is still…”

Though it was clearly my language, I couldn’t understand the content. If they were going to leave me here like a sack of barley, they should have at least let me watch the training.

“It may take longer than expected.”

“Yes, sir.”

The conversation seemed to be wrapping up. I fiddled with my empty teacup, waiting for the right timing.

“Let me know as soon as you have meaningful results. I’ll come right away.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

The Duke stood up, receiving my father’s dutiful response. I bowed my head in lieu of a verbal farewell as he said he was finished and would leave first.

As soon as he left the office, I spoke up.

“Father.”

“Oh my, my daughter must have waited a long time.”

My father, transformed from the businesslike subordinate addressing the Duke to a doting parent, approached with a big grin.

“Father, I have something to ask you.”

“Yes, yes.”

“How did you repay the money borrowed against the pink diamond?”

I asked directly. My father froze for a moment, then let out a short “Ah!” of realization before answering.

“I forgot to tell you. I got the investment money back from that con artist. Not all of it, but some.”

“…The con artist returned the money? Why?”

It was unbelievable.

“Duke Artenbach caught the con artist trying to flee to the Western countries. We got most of it back, except for a few.”

“This doesn’t make sense… Then where did you get the rest? What about the early repayment interest?”

“I took care of it with the lump sum I received upon enlisting.”

“…”

The tip of my nose stung. It was from the relief of narrowly avoiding a life mired in debt.

“I’m sorry, Schmidt. You’ve suffered a lot because of your incompetent father, haven’t you? I won’t make you suffer anymore.”

My father stood up from across the table and came to my side. He gently embraced my shoulders.

“I opened an account in my name at Artenbach Bank. I deposited what was left of the lump sum after using some. You’ll be able to withdraw my salary from that account too.”

The wrinkles on my father’s forehead deepened.

“I set it up so only you can withdraw. Use it as you need.”

“What about you, Father?”

“Your old man will be fine. I eat here and sleep here, so I don’t need money.”

“…Thank you, Father.”

“I should have done this sooner. Heh heh.”

Watching my father bow his head sheepishly, I smiled brightly. If we could just live like this, even without grasping power, we could enjoy small happiness.

I believed this would be the first step in raising Black Swan and reviving the Baron Deli family.

* * *

After finally sending back my father who insisted on escorting me to the base gates, I trudged alone down the path I had walked with the Duke.

Mulling over my father’s words about how the con artist caught by the Duke would have violent fits at the mere sight of a barrel, I realized anew just how terrifying the Artenbach family was.

‘What on earth did they do with that barrel?’

I was curious yet didn’t want to know at the same time.

‘Anyway, I should stop by the bank first. I need to call a repairman and fix up the second floor of the mansion too. I wonder if I can give Anna some money for keeping up appearances.’

Setting aside worries about that bad man, I added plans to my happy imaginings.

‘Should I look for more talented people? Then I’d have to reduce consultations.’

The calculator in my head spun busily. I thought it would be good to bring the artists from the art gallery to Black Swan under better conditions.

As I walked along smiling brightly like that, I soon reached the entrance. Then I realized.

‘I didn’t tell the rickshaw driver to wait!’

The entrance was empty. It would take quite a while to walk to the village.

‘No wonder I felt like wearing especially comfortable shoes today.’

I must have had a premonition this would happen.

I took a deep breath and exhaled.

‘Oh well, I’ll just walk.’

Just as I took my first step with that determination, I heard the sound of horse hooves in the distance, then growing closer.

I moved to the side of the road to make way for the carriage to pass easily. Anticipating wind, I held my hair with one hand and my skirt with the other.

But contrary to my expectations, the carriage stopped right next to me.

“My lady.”

I slowly turned my head at the cavernous voice that pierced my ears. As expected, it was the Artenbach ducal carriage.

“Get in.”

“No thank you. There should be a rickshaw driver a short walk away.”

“It’s quite far to the village.”

“I feel like walking today. The weather is nice too.”

“…”

The Duke’s eyes rose to the sky. Following his gaze, I saw dark storm clouds gathering ominously.

“Thank you…”

There was no more room for refusal. People may be scary, but the carriage itself was innocent.

The coachman jumped down from his seat and opened the door. Contrary to my expectation that the Duke would be riding alone, a man with brown hair and blue eyes smiled brightly and extended his hand.

“Please board, my lady.”

I hesitated for a moment before taking his hand and climbing into the carriage. The Duke was resting his chin on one hand, indifferently looking elsewhere.

The coachman closed the carriage door and signaled departure. I sat uncomfortably, staring only out the window.

“It’s an honor to meet the Baron Deli’s daughter I’ve only heard about.”

I turned at the brown-haired man’s words. He was smiling good-naturedly.

“Ah! I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Rimon Tirel. I serve His Grace the Duke.”

“Tirel? So you’re a baron? Pleased to meet you. I’m Schmidt Deli.”

Unable to stand up, I bowed my head and waist slightly in greeting. He chatted on about how he’d heard a lot about me from the young duke.

“The young duke likes you so much, he even said he wishes you were his mother!”

Among the words pouring out like a waterfall, the word “mother” stuck in my ear. But before I could react, he quickly moved on to another topic.

“Rimon.”

It seems the Duke’s ears were bleeding like mine. At the ominous call, Baron Tirel shut his mouth.

“I got carried away with excitement… Haha. Please understand, my lady.”

He started speaking again less than 5 seconds after falling silent. The Duke looked at him pitifully.

The chatter continued as the carriage traveled for quite some time. So long that I wondered what would have happened if I’d walked this distance.

The village entrance came into view in the distance. Just as I was about to prepare to get off.

Thump. Crash.

I had risen gently, but the unexpected jolt made me immediately fall forward.

Though the carriage interior was spacious, the momentum of trying to stand combined with the sudden bump caused my face to bury itself in the Duke’s firm yet warm chest across from me.

“I-I’m so sorry!”

I jumped up in alarm. Then I hit my head on the carriage roof.

“Are you alright, my lady?”

“Yes, I’m fine.”

I forcibly controlled my expression that was about to crumple as I answered the baron’s question. I pressed my palm to the top of my head, inhaling the suddenly tense air inside the carriage.

The pain was secondary – I was so embarrassed and ashamed that my face turned bright red. The Duke was frozen as if he would grab the back of my head and bury me in the ground at any moment. My heart sank.

Baron Tirel kept asking if I was okay while watching the Duke’s reaction. Each time, I nodded while also watching the Duke nervously.

The icy time finally ended as we arrived at the village entrance. I desperately told the coachman asking if we should continue to the Deli mansion that I would get off here.

As soon as I escaped the carriage, I let out the breath I had been holding in. The outside air was so clean and refreshing that it felt like I could forget everything that had just happened.

‘…As if! I never want to face him again!’

I stomped the ground once with all my emotions. But the embarrassment still wouldn’t easily fade.

* * *

As soon as Schmidt got off, Rimon quickly approached Askal. Recalling how many bottles of sedatives were in his bag, he assessed his condition.

“Are you alright?”

Askal answered slowly to the careful question.

“…How strange.”

“Do you need medicine?”

Rimon hurriedly took out a sedative from his bag. He opened the cap and held it out to Askal.

“No, it’s strange that I feel fine.”

Rimon stared at the calm-looking Askal for a moment. He didn’t seem agitated or distressed.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

Rimon wasn’t the only one surprised. Askal was quite shocked as well.

“Perhaps it was too brief? But even that level of physical contact has triggered a reaction before… If not that, then.”

Rimon furrowed his brow slightly and spoke seriously.

“I think it may be that the lady has no attraction to Your Grace, so there was no rejection response.”

“…”

Askal’s eyebrows twitched greatly.

“We can confirm it.”

He snatched the sedative from Rimon’s hand. Then he gulped it down.

“I’ll take the medicine. It seems I’m not entirely unaffected.”

Rimon watched him silently as he drank the bitter medicine, then muttered.

“If it’s not the case, just say it’s not. Why say it doesn’t seem to be?”