Before the blood could fall on the desk, I tried to press the cut part with my hand when Ranson’s hand suddenly approached. Then, with one hand he pressed the wounded area and with the other he supported underneath so that blood wouldn’t drip.

“You’d be upset if blood got on something you worked hard to make.”

“Th-thank you.”

My thumb was throbbing. It was fine right when it was cut, but as soon as I realized I was injured, the pain came flooding in.

I looked around searching for something to wipe with. There was paper, but it seemed like it would hurt because it was stiff. I decided to just wait for the bleeding to stop and then roughly wash it with water.

While I was thinking about this and that, Ranson’s hazy eyes were looking only at my thumb with worry.

“Wouldn’t it have stopped by now?”

At my question, Ranson carefully removed his hand. The cut flesh had stuck together, but blood was still seeping from the gaps.

“It would be better to stop the bleeding a bit more.”

Ranson pressed the wounded area again. I slightly frowned at the pain that spread as blood rushed in and then was pushed out again.

“I’m back.”

Just then, Anna returned to the office after running an errand. I shouted loud enough to be heard outside.

“Anna! Can you bring the medicine box from the drawer?”

“Medicine box?”

Anna asked in surprise, poking her head into the workroom. Then, upon discovering the blood-stained hand, she disappeared in a flurry.

Anna, who found and brought the medicine box, asked if it hurt while wrapping the bandage. Ranson said that since the flesh was cut, it needed to be wrapped more tightly, and wrapped another layer of bandage on top of what Anna had wrapped.

I quietly stared at my thumb that had become like a chicken wing. It was an excessive treatment for a cut, which made me uncomfortable.

But seeing Anna muttering that the young lady got hurt while she was out on an errand, and Ranson blaming himself for not being more careful, I couldn’t bring myself to say it was too much.

“If you get a fever or feel even slightly unwell, you must take medicine.”

“Okay.”

“Don’t just let it go in one ear and out the other, please remember.”

“I got it.”

Ranson told me with his arms on his waist. That pose looked just like Anna when she was nagging, making me shudder without realizing.

“Anna, how did it go at the post office?”

I needed a change of topic. So I decided to ask about what I had momentarily forgotten while getting treated.

“Ah! I sent what you asked for, and they said there was returned mail from Heling, so I brought it.”

It was the invoice calculating the cost of putting back the furniture at Black Swan that had been messed up.

Johnston had returned the invoice I sent him.

“What is that?”

Ranson asked curiously from beside me.

“It’s a personal matter.”

Ranson’s kind-looking expression froze coldly. I thought there was no need to tell him about unpleasant things, so that’s why I said that.

“It’s really nothing. So you don’t need to worry about it.”

Unlike me who was smiling brightly, his face was still frozen. I hurriedly hid it so the letters couldn’t be seen and said,

“I need to go to Luebga for a moment. I’ll leave Anna here, so if you need anything, just tell her.”

Perhaps realizing my intention of not wanting to talk more, Ranson also didn’t ask further about the mail. Instead, he asked about something else.

“Is the welcome party today?”

“Yes, we plan to have it today.”

His slightly hardened expression began to melt away smoothly. Anna looked at my finger and said,

“Will you be okay with your injured hand?”

It’s not like the bone is broken, just a small cut in the flesh.

“It’s fine. It doesn’t even hurt anymore.”

“Still…”

“We can’t postpone the welcome party any longer. They’re valuable talents for Black Swan.”

I asked Ranson who was standing blankly.

“Is there any food you dislike or can’t eat?”

Ranson, now fully in a good mood, smiled showing his white teeth.

“Anything is fine.”

“Then I’ll prepare as I see fit.”

I needed to let Muerteng know about this too, but I thought it wouldn’t be good to send Anna to the hotel.

“Would you come to the meeting place with Muerteng later at the arranged time?”

Ranson glanced at Anna and then answered.

“Yes, I’ll bring him.”

“Thank you.”

I said as I picked up my silk hat and handbag.

“It would be even better if it’s a place where we can drink alcohol, right?”

Anna and I, who came to the largest pub in Luebga, sat down first and waited for Ranson and Muerteng.

Ranson, who appeared thirty minutes later than the promised time, apologized for being late and added an explanation that Muerteng had gone out to play without thinking about the welcome party, so he was late because he had to catch him.

“I’m sorry, it’s my great fault for making the young ladies wait.”

Looking closely, Muerteng seemed to have already had a drink. The image of him that I had barely managed to maintain crumbled again.

“I’ll sit here.”

Muerteng sat down across from Anna with a grin. The remaining seat naturally belonged to Ranson.

The interior of the pub was lavish to match its size and full of things to enjoy. There were separate areas for just drinking and for enjoying games with cards laid out while drinking.

Above all, it was the day before a holiday, so the pub was crowded. A waiter who approached through the noisy sounds asked if we would order, holding a large tray. Muerteng winked and said,

“Cute miss, four beers here. And today’s set for 4 people, please?”

The waiter who took the order walked away. Muerteng stared intently at her back. I shouldn’t think this far, but.

‘He’s really unlikable.’

Beyond being greasy, he was the type I didn’t want to get close to. Anna and Ranson seemed to have the same thought, as they were empathizing through their expressions.

Unaware of how those seated with him viewed him, Muerteng, who had been staring at the waiter’s back, adjusted his posture and said,

“The grilled chicken dish here is delicious.”

“Have you been here often?”

“Yes, there are many people to meet here.”

I shouldn’t have asked. It felt like I heard about his private life that I didn’t particularly want to know.

“I see. I’ll order the grilled chicken dish too when the waiter comes later.”

“Sounds good.”

Just then, the beer arrived. We all raised our glasses together.

“Young lady, you should give a welcome speech.”

Anna set the mood first. I spoke loudly so my voice wouldn’t be drowned out by the noise of the pub.

“Thank you so much for choosing Black Swan. I’ll work hard so that you won’t regret that choice.”

As soon as Ranson finished replying that he looked forward to working together, Muerteng winked. Anna gulped down her beer while looking at him, and Ranson pushed a baguette rusk towards me, telling me to drink slowly.

As the food came out and the empty beer glasses increased, the atmosphere heated up. When Muerteng talked about his hometown and the background of how he came to paint “Life and Death”, Anna’s eyes were brimming with tears.

“What about Ranson?”

I wanted to hear about how he had lived. How he started sculpting, and how he ended up staying at the blacksmith’s shop, and so on.

“I have younger siblings in my hometown. They’re all gentle and kind children. I send a letter once a month, and recently the youngest sent one with their name written, saying they learned to write letters at the monastery.”

“You have siblings? Do they all look like Ranson?”

In my mind, I imagined a big bear, a small bear, and an even smaller bear next to it.

“Yes, they look a lot like me. That’s why Rita says she’ll suffer forever and dislikes it. Ah, Rita is my first younger sibling.”

“How many siblings do you have?”

“I have three. My mother passed away not long after the youngest was born, so I fed, clothed, and raised them.”

This time, my eyes were brimming with tears.

“You’ve been apart from your siblings for quite a while, don’t you miss them?”

“If conditions allowed, I’d like to bring them all here to live together, but… city life is still difficult.”

Ranson smiled awkwardly. I swallowed the feeling of being choked up and said,

“I’ll make sure to make you successful. Black Swan will firmly support Ranson!”

“Hahaha, thank you.”

Ranson held out his glass. I reaffirmed my determination, shouted a hearty toast, and then downed the beer.

Muerteng, to play and eat for life.

Ranson, to take care of his siblings.

I wanted to succeed to grow Black Swan and for the honor of the Baron Deli family.

Although what we ultimately wanted to achieve was different for each of us, we concluded the welcome party with words of encouragement to work hard for the single goal of success.

After finishing the payment and leaving the pub, we walked towards Black Swan on the night street where much of the daytime heat had dissipated. Muerteng staggered and tried to persuade Anna and Ranson to play more, but Ranson pushed away Muerteng’s arm around his shoulder, saying he would return to the workshop. Of course, Anna didn’t even give him a glance.

It was just as we reached the shopping street where Black Swan was located. A large and splendid carriage was parked in front of the office.

It couldn’t be a client coming to make a request at this late hour.

“Young lady, it looks like the Duke’s carriage.”

Anna, with flushed cheeks, pointed at the carriage. Muerteng chimed in, saying it seemed so.

I rubbed my eyes, hazy from alcohol, and strode forward. Then I met golden eyes looking at me from inside the carriage.

“Eek! Your Grace?”

“You weren’t at the mansion, so I came…”

His eyes touched on Ranson and Muerteng and then fell away.

“Don’t tell me you’ve been drinking?”

“Yes, but I’m not drunk.”

“You weren’t walking properly.”

I gestured to Anna to take the two inside. Then I put my hand on the carriage window and said,

“It’s unlikely, but did you come to pick me up?”

The Duke’s eyebrows twitched. He didn’t answer the question, but his reaction was telling.

“You’re so caring, Your Grace.”

“Your hand… is it injured?”

His gaze, which had been looking at me, moved downward. It stopped on my hand gripping the carriage window.