Ranson, who came to Black Swan to ask what to do with the animal sculptures he had made himself, found a small box placed in front of the door. When he shook it, he heard a rattling sound.

‘Has no one come?’

While he was debating whether to go inside or not, the flower shop owner who spotted him waved from across the street.

“Ranson!”

The woman, who had become familiar with him during his stay at Black Swan, gestured and said:

“Anna said she had somewhere to go, so she stepped out for a moment.”

“Is that so?”

He stared intently at the box before heading to the back of the Black Swan building. He intended to enter through the side door of the warehouse used as a workshop.

Ranson, who entered the workshop with the key Schmidt had given him, placed the box on the tea table in the waiting room. Then he drank a glass of water and plopped down on the sofa.

It was quiet inside because all the windows and doors were closed. Ranson got up from his seat, opened the locked door, and drew back the curtains.

Suddenly, he smelled a foul odor that made him feel sick.

‘Where is it coming from?’

Ranson checked the sink, under the sofa, and even the cupboard where food was kept. Of course, it wasn’t coming from there.

‘It’s the stench of something rotting.’

He could tell right away due to the environment he had lived in. Ranson walked around examining every corner of the office.

Then what caught his eye was the box he had brought inside. Since it was addressed to Black Swan and even wrapped, he naturally thought it was a package.

‘…No way.’

Ranson approached the box, enduring the increasingly intense stench. Then he cut the string tying the box with a letter opener.

An unbearable stench flowed out through the slightly opened gap. Ranson looked at the contents of the box in shock.

‘Damn it.’

Because of the warm weather, the decay of the corpse was progressing even faster. He didn’t want to see the squirming things on the dead rat’s body.

He immediately lit a fire in the stove. As he thought about burning it away, he also imagined what it would have been like if Schmidt had opened this.

At that moment.

“Ranson?”

He looked up at the familiar voice to see Anna staring at him with a pale face.

“What is this?”

Anna stammered in response to his question.

“Uh… Well, someone has been sending letters and packages to harass the young lady…”

Of course, she had never received packages or letters of this level before. So Anna was quite flustered.

“Where, where was it?”

“It was placed at the entrance of Black Swan. There was no postal mark.”

Anna staggered outside. Then she went to the flower shop, asked something, and came back.

“Ranson, I have a favor to ask.”

He nodded.

“Can you keep this a secret from the young lady?”

Ranson’s brow furrowed.

“She should know about things like this herself. Wouldn’t that allow her to prepare and be careful in case of any situation?”

“That’s true, but…”

Anna revealed that Duke Artenbach was looking for the recipient of the threatening letters and various packages. It was Anna and the duke’s wish that it would disappear once the culprit was caught, and they didn’t want to make Schmidt anxious in the meantime.

But Ranson was different.

“She needs to know. I think that’s right.”

Anna grabbed his arm as he was about to speak right away.

“No, you can’t. In the past, our young lady… because of gambling debts, she experienced something similar from loan sharks. She didn’t show it, but for over two weeks she barely ate and nearly died.”

“…”

“If she collapses like that again, I… I…”

A deep anxiety clouded Anna’s face. Ranson looked at her and sighed, then asked:

“Do you know who the culprit is? Even suspects?”

“Nothing has been revealed yet. When we looked at the stationery, we only found out that it was sent from a noble family with sufficient wealth. It seems like it’s the work of one person, but then again maybe not.”

Anna, fidgeting with her fingers, picked up some firewood piled next to the stove. Then she shoved the box into the stove that Ranson had lit.

“So please pretend you don’t know. I’m begging you, for the young lady’s sake.”

Ranson warned Anna, who was suffering from the stench, that Schmidt would find out eventually. Anna replied that she would desperately hide it until that time came.

As I was heading to the shared quarters with Rublion, Baron Tirel spotted us approaching first and bowed deeply at the waist.

The duke, who turned around in turn, looked at me and Rublion for a moment, then handed over a stack of documents to the workers and managers before striding over.

“What brings you here?”

“I was on a date with Mother.”

The duke took out his watch from his chest and checked it. Then he tilted his head slightly to the side.

“You should be attending class right now. Now.”

My heart ached for no reason. But at times like this, I should step in.

“He said he memorized the entire contents of today’s lesson and finished it.”

At my words, Rublion nodded his head with all his might.

“By the way, Father, if you haven’t had lunch yet, would you like to eat together? It’s a coincidence that we met like this.”

Rublion looked at the duke with sparkling eyes. I chimed in from the side.

“Yes, Askal, would you like to eat together?”

The duke hesitated for a moment before answering.

“I have to go to the government office as soon as the report is finished. It’s regrettable, but you two have your meal.”

Rublion’s shoulders slumped. I patted the child and replied:

“Alright, don’t worry about us and take care of your work.”

He nodded almost imperceptibly. Seeing Baron Tirel approaching, I instinctively took Rublion’s hand.

“Your Excellency, the report is finished. You can go straight to the carriage now.”

The secretary called from afar. The duke answered that he would be there shortly, then turned to us and said:

“I’ll try to have dinner together.”

“It’s a shame, but it can’t be helped.”

Rublion answered with the most merciful expression in the world. The duke stroked the child’s head once before turning away.

“Oh, by the way, My Lady.”

He suddenly called out to me.

“I’d like to spend some time with you tonight, if possible?”

“Pardon?”

“I have something to say, too.”

“Um, then should I go to your office?”

I thought I’d be used to it and could see it well, but looking at his expression now, I’m not sure what emotion it is.

“No, I’ll come to you.”

“Alright then.”

As Baron Tirel shouted that they should hurry, the duke quickly turned around. Then he strode away on his long legs.

“Mother, I’ll sleep alone tonight.”

Rublion looked up at me with a pleased expression and said. I replied that there was no need for that, but the child wouldn’t budge until the end.

The salmon steak was the most delicious thing I’ve ever eaten in my life. It was a taste that made me want to propose to the chef.

After finishing lunch without the duke, we decided to play a little in Lüb Square before leaving. There, we commissioned small portraits to put in locket pendants from street artists, and bought pendants from stalls to insert tiny portraits about the size of two thumbnails.

“Mother, do you have someone to give this to?”

There was a nuance in the child’s words that suggested he already had someone in mind.

“I don’t really have anyone in particular to give it to.”

“Really? Then can I give it to someone I want to give it to?”

“Who do you want to give it to?”

Rublion answered with a happy smile.

“That’s a secret.”

“Hmm, it doesn’t seem like you’re going to give it to me…”

“I’ll tell you later.”

Although he said it was a secret, I couldn’t think of anyone other than the duke to give a pendant with portraits of Rublion and me.

“I don’t know who you’re giving it to, but if you’re going to give it as a gift, shouldn’t we change the pendant to a better one?”

I decided to pretend I didn’t know. If I showed that I knew, it would deflate him when he was so happy.

“This one is not bad either. Or I can tell the recipient to change it to a better one themselves.”

Rublion, who answered breezily, put the pendant in his pocket. Then, looking at the sky about to set, he mumbled that we should go back now.

Rublion fell asleep in the carriage on the way back to the mansion. I entrusted the child to the accompanying knight and immediately met Anna.

“Anna, did you go to the trading post?”

“Ah, you’re back?”

She, who was cleaning the dressing table, got up from her seat and welcomed me.

“When I went to the trading post, they said they’d send a ship in two days. I arranged to bring in agave fiber on the return trip.”

“You’ve worked hard. There’s no change in the amount, right?”

“No. They said it wouldn’t change because it’s a special handling item.”

“That’s a relief. Good job.”

Anna grinned. I sat down on the dressing table chair that had just been wiped and asked:

“Was there nothing unusual at Black Swan?”

“No, there wasn’t.”

Anna wiggled her palm. It meant for me to close my eyes.

“Hmm, I thought there would be at least one person wanting to commission a painting from Myrtain. We even put out an advertisement about Ranson.”

A cold cotton pad touched my eyes. The familiar sensation of removing makeup caressed every corner of my face.

“You know, Anna. There’s something I’m curious about.”

“Please tell me, young lady.”

I couldn’t see anything because my eyes were closed. Feeling the warmth of the towel soaked in warm water, I said:

“Did something happen by any chance?”

“Nothing happened.”

“Then is there something you’re hiding from me?”

“Come on, what could I possibly hide from you, young lady?”

“Really?”

Judging by the tone, it definitely seemed like something had happened.

“You seem a little different than usual, so I asked. If you ever have any worries, tell me anytime. I’ll help you with whatever it is.”

“Yes, young lady!”

Anna removed the lukewarm towel. A bare face without any makeup was reflected in the mirror.

“It’s all done. Shall I bring some tea?”

I stared intently at Anna, who was smiling brightly, before answering:

“Yes, make it warm please.”