“Yes. I have a report written on mansion maintenance. If you wish to check, I’ll guide you to the study.”

The study? That study that’s been neglected because the walls are in such a mess that they can’t be touched?

Slightly dazed, I followed Jolland as if in a trance.

Throughout walking the corridor, I tried to figure out what had changed.

The creaky second-floor corridor had become spotless. The cracked wooden doors of each room had been replaced with new ones.

‘They came to clean.’

A mansion that didn’t need such attention.

The Duke had been taking care of parts I hadn’t even noticed.

“It’s here.”

Jolland opened the door for me. I cautiously took a step inside.

[Schmidt, mustn’t make noise when mother is working?]

The desk that seemed so tall. There was a time when mother sitting in front of it looked even taller.

“Really……”

The study that had been like a haunted house had transformed into the space from my childhood memories.

The deeper I went in, the more I felt like I could hear mother’s voice. Without realizing, my eyes grew red. Thinking it would be unseemly to cry here, I hurriedly wiped my eyes with the back of my hand.

“It’s exactly the same as before. You’ve done a great job.”

I forcibly suppressed the emotions welling up and acted nonchalantly.

Jolland and Rublion stared at me intently before breaking into wide smiles.

Anna and I inspected every corner of the mansion that no longer needed cleaning. And we took the report Jolland gave us. When I asked him to take good care of my father who would be returning from the troops, Jolland said not to worry and recited his career at length.

“I’ll come again.”

“Yes, we’ll be waiting.”

As we left, escorted by Jolland and the maids, we wondered what to do next.

“Young lady, I’ll go to Black Swan. I need to visit the trade office once more today.”

“Okay, do that.”

Anna spoke to the knight behind her.

“Please take good care of the young master and young lady.”

The man in the Artenbach uniform nodded. Then he helped Anna into the rickshaw she would ride.

“Shall we go to the harbor? It would be good to play until lunchtime and then eat at a nearby restaurant.”

“Ah, would you like to go to a place I recommend?”

Rublion said, his eyes sparkling brightly.

“It’s a shop behind the Artenbach logistics warehouse, and the salmon steak is incredibly delicious.”

“You want to eat salmon steak?”

“I went with the Duke… I mean Father, and it was so delicious. So I thought Mother should try it too.”

I stroked his soft black hair as I spoke.

“Alright. Let’s play at the harbor and then go there for lunch.”

[This is the timeline separator]

Anna, who came to Black Swan alone, took the letters from the mailbox and entered the office. Though the sender wasn’t written, the recipient was clearly marked as Black Swan.

Anna opened the letter without hesitation. She had a feeling this was something Schmidt shouldn’t see either.

‘Another threatening letter perhaps?’

Although she hadn’t told Schmidt, all sorts of letters had been coming since they returned from Lady Tirel’s gathering.

The atmosphere had been good, and everyone seemed nice, but…

Considering they started coming after the marriage to the Duke was made public, it seemed clear that people at the gathering had been gossiping about Schmidt behind her back.

There were letters with blood smeared on Black Swan’s advertisements, and malicious letters saying things like ‘what would someone like you know about art’.

At such times, Anna was glad she managed Black Swan’s letters, and threw them into the fireplace.

Though it would be fine to not look at such letters, there were occasionally people who sent requests by mail or telegram, so she couldn’t not look.

‘100% chance it’s a threatening letter.’

Anna opened the envelope with a letter opener. Inside was a letter written in neat handwriting.

‘The reason there’s no sender is…’

Anna caressed the emblem stamped in the corner of the letterhead. This was not something she could burn at her discretion, nor was it a threatening letter.

Anna, who had suddenly stood up, judged that this news needed to be delivered immediately. After asking the owner of the flower shop across the street to keep an eye on Black Swan for a bit, she quickly hailed a rental carriage.

“Where shall I take you, lady?”

To the coachman’s glib question, Anna quickly climbed into the carriage and said,

“The Artenbach government office.”

[This is the timeline separator]

“The maid intercepted the letter.”

Mabel, soaking in the bathtub, quietly looked up at the knight who had brought the news. Her inscrutable gaze was chilling yet beautiful.

“Where to?”

“She headed for the Artenbach government office.”

“Hmm… Looks like she’s guarding diligently.”

She rose languidly from the tub. The knight, unintentionally seeing his mistress’s naked body, hurriedly turned his head to the side.

“It’s only a matter of time before Askal finds out, so keep sending them until the baron’s daughter receives the letter directly.”

“I shall obey your command.”

The loyal knight raised his arm. Then the new maid who was helping Mabel into her robe spoke cautiously.

“There’s a rumor that the Duke of Artenbach never forgives those who touch what’s his. I’m worried you might get involved unnecessarily, my lady.”

The atmosphere in the bathroom froze. The other maids present were shocked and glared at the maid who dared speak to the Duchess of Rumps.

“Oh my, is that so?”

The maid nodded vigorously. Mabel smiled like an angel and said,

“How long have you been working here?”

“It’s just over two weeks now, my lady.”

The maid smiled broadly along with her smiling mistress. Everyone else’s faces turned ashen.

“How cute.”

Mabel gazed steadily at the young maid who was smiling obliviously. Then she suddenly changed her expression and spoke.

“Take her away and sew her mouth shut.”

“M-My lady?”

The confused maid blinked her eyes. Mabel said with an emotionless face,

“What are you waiting for? Hurry up and get rid of her.”

The knight who received the order roughly grabbed her arm. The new maid, who hadn’t understood the situation, finally grasped what was happening and burst into tears, but it was already too late.

[This is the timeline separator]

Exploring the harbor with Rublion was truly enjoyable. We listened to the work songs of sweaty sailors at the docks, and watched the old man’s fishing net cast between the gaps of fishing boats and merchant ships.

As we climbed the harbor hill, the place where Rublion and I used to make wildflower bouquets appeared. Much more colorful than before, it was now bustling with people out for a harbor excursion like us.

“There are a lot of people.”

Rublion said in a disappointed voice.

“I guess our timing was good last time. There’s no place to sit under the trees.”

It used to be my secret place full of memories.

It seems that while I was growing up, this place became many people’s secret spot. No, there are too many people to call it a secret.

“It’s okay if we don’t sit. Shall we hold hands and walk, us two?”

Rublion grinned and held out his hand. The child’s body heat was warmer than the sunlight.

Giving up on playing on the hill, we decided to slowly walk along the sea at the harbor. Then we saw people moving materials piled on the pier at the very end of the harbor to a site outside the harbor.

“Mom, do you know what that is?”

“Hm? That?”

Where Rublion pointed was a construction site for a building as large as the government office. Workers covered in dust were busily unloading materials from wagons.

“It’s public housing. They said they’re building it for outsiders who come for beast subjugation to stay. Also for workers and commoners from the territory.”

“I see.”

The Duke of Artenbach is a capable person. Unintentionally, rumors about his private life spread a bit strangely, but when it comes to managing the territory and growing the family business, no one can match him.

‘What an amazing person…’

I’ve read it in some book. A ruler must sometimes show warmth while not sparing iron-blooded coldness.

“Mom, what are you thinking about so deeply?”

Awakened from my reverie by Rublion’s words, I smiled lightly as if it was nothing and answered.

“I was just thinking anew how amazing the Duke is.”

“Right?”

A smile spread across the young boy’s face.

“It’s not because he’s family, but Father manages the territory well and handles the art gallery, trade office, and even the tourist complex.”

Rublion continued speaking while looking at the sea.

“If I become the Duke of Artenbach, will I be able to do all those things? I want to do even better than Father, but can I?”

“Yes. You’ll become a much more capable duke than His Grace.”

I meant it sincerely. He’s only ten years old, but he’s already strategic and knows how to handle people. Rublion seems like he could govern a country well, not just a territory.

“Hehe.”

The child’s cheeks flushed as he laughed shyly. It was so cute that I unconsciously squeezed his cheeks.

“But Mom, that person over there. Doesn’t he look like Father?”

Where Rublion pointed was towards the public housing construction site. Among the people busily carrying logs and stone materials, there was a group exuding a different aura, and they were familiarly giving instructions to the workers’ representative.

“The black-haired one looks like Father, and the one next to him seems to be Baron Tirel.”

I slightly furrowed my brow and squinted my eyes.

“It really does look like His Grace.”

“Shall we go over?”

Rublion tugged at my hand. They must be busy working. Though I wondered if we might be a bother, I moved towards the public housing, matching the child’s pace.

[This is the timeline separator]

The street of shops where more people were coming and going.

The flower shop owner was busy selling bouquets and potted plants to more customers than usual.

Though she remembered Anna’s request to keep an eye on Black Swan amidst her busy schedule, she had no time to pay attention as she dealt with the questions and negotiations of the flocking customers.

“Did a group of tourists come?”

It was a situation that could only lead to such thoughts. Thanks to this, the flower shop owner’s pockets were getting heavier, so it was a good thing for her.

Anyway, right after the customers ebbed away like the tide, she briefly went outside the shop and looked at Black Swan. The door was still closed and nothing suspicious was visible.

‘Nothing must have happened, right?’

The owner rubbed the back of her neck. Then she went back into the shop and started calculating how much money she had just earned.