The sky looked ominous. Dark clouds were visible and thunder could be heard. I didn’t have an umbrella with me, so I searched through the boxes of items removed from the warehouse, but there were no usable umbrellas there either.

‘It looks like it’s going to rain soon.’

I stuck my palm out the window. It was only cloudy for now, and it didn’t seem to be raining yet.

Just as I was contemplating closing up early and returning to the mansion.

In the distance, a familiar carriage was approaching Black Swan.

‘Is it Rublion?’

Did he come to pick me up because of the bad weather?

Lately he’s been playing with the twins and not spending much time with me.

If it was Rublion who came, I ran through simulations in my head of how I should react. Finally, the carriage stopped in front of the office.

“My lady.”

The identity of the person who got out of the carriage was unexpected.

“Oh? Duke, what brings you here at this hour?”

I stuck my head out the window and said. He must be busy, with plans to go on an expedition tomorrow.

“Work finished early. So I was thinking of spending some time with you, if you’re not busy?”

He approached me, rather than the door, and asked.

“No. I’m not busy at all.”

“Then may I have a cup of tea?”

“Yes. Please come in.”

I quickly opened the door for him. He entered with long strides, removing his hat.

“Please sit here.”

When I pointed to a place to sit, he dusted off the sofa with his hat before sitting down. That gesture reminded me of Rublion and made me smile.

“Um, I have coffee and Western red tea. Which would you like?”

“I’ll have the same as you, my lady.”

“Haha.”

I still couldn’t get used to Askal’s changed way of speaking. It made me cringe when he used honorifics with me.

I set down two steaming cups of red tea on the table and sat down. It felt strangely awkward.

“How did it go with the agave fiber?”

“It was resolved successfully. Thanks to Askal.”

“If you ever need anything or want something, please let me know anytime.”

“Yes, I will.”

The conversation stopped after that reply. There was no sound except for the clinking of teacups and noise from outside.

“My lady.”

The duke, who had just taken a sip of tea, called out with a rather serious expression. I put down my cup and looked at him.

“The Artenbach ducal family operates tourist resorts, art galleries, banks, and trading companies.”

He suddenly began introducing his family.

“Although there are managers for each business so I don’t need to run them directly, I occasionally need to check to ensure no one is committing fraud.”

“…I see.”

I was puzzled why he was saying this, but decided to keep listening for now.

“The main Artenbach branch is the largest bank, and there are branches in other territories besides here. Monthly reports on performance and vault status will come in.”

He swallowed once before continuing.

“Even without me, Baron Tirel will lead the government office well. Don’t worry about the shooting unit, as Baron Deli is there.”

The words ‘even without me’ stuck in my ear. So all he had said before was a handover in case of any contingency.

“Askal, I believe you will certainly return.”

His stiff face gradually softened.

“I will certainly return alive, if only for your sake, my lady.”

Concern leaked through his voice as he conveyed his determination. I looked him straight in the eye and said:

“The tourist resorts, banks, art galleries, and trading companies have managers, so you don’t need to operate them directly. But inspection is necessary. Is that right?”

Askal nodded with a grin, looking satisfied.

“Askal, this may be out of the blue, but can I ask you one thing?”

“Anything is fine.”

He crossed one leg and answered in a sensual pose.

“I’d like to think I’m being overly sensitive, but it seems like you’re… uncomfortable with women touching your body. Is that right?”

“…”

He suddenly went silent.

“If it’s difficult to explain in detail, you don’t have to. Just let me know if there’s anything I should be careful about.”

“You don’t need to be careful, my lady. I’m just considering where to start explaining.”

He turned his gaze from me to look at the teacup. Just as I was about to say I wouldn’t listen out of guilt for possibly touching on a sore spot.

“My mother didn’t see my father’s face until right before she died.”

Askal began calmly yet nonchalantly telling a story from his childhood.

[This is the timeline separator]

I don’t know how hard I tried not to cry in front of him. If I could, I wanted to erase the childhood that inevitably led to his aversion to women.

“Why are you crying, my lady?”

I deliberately tilted my head up, but the tears that had welled up rolled down the side due to their weight. Askal handed me a tissue.

“Because I’m sorry. I heard from the butler about the mural Askal painted.”

I continued speaking while sniffling.

“I had vowed to someday complete the unfinished painting of Tid Mountain Falls, but I feel so sorry for having such thoughts.”

In truth, I cried out of pity. The excuse I just gave was only one of ten reasons.

“If you wish, my lady… I will try to complete that painting.”

“Don’t do that. I don’t want to see Askal suffering while remembering his mother because of me.”

I slowly stood up and put the used tissue in the trash. Then I looked up at the office ceiling to keep more tears from falling.

Askal got up and stood beside me. Then he too looked up at the ceiling.

“…What are you doing?”

He turned only his eyes to look at me while keeping his head tilted up.

“I thought it might be awkward if you were like that alone.”

Askal cleared his throat with a “Ahem.” Then he muttered in a barely audible voice, wondering if there was something up there.

“Pfft.”

The tears that were about to surge up disappeared. How could someone be so adorable?

“Askal, you’re quite a gentle person.”

It was a sincere comment. He took my hand and said after lowering his gaze from the ceiling:

“I’m only gentle with you, my lady.”

[This is the timeline separator]

Askal didn’t let go of my hand even in the carriage returning to the mansion. Normally we would have sat facing each other, but he suddenly asked to sit next to me, so I allowed it and now here we were.

“By the way, Askal. Is it okay for you to touch me?”

“You mean the trauma?”

“Yes.”

“I wonder about that too.”

Askal asked if I remembered when he fell in the carriage. I answered yes, as it was an unforgettable incident.

“At that time, you touched my chest with your hand, my lady. You also brought your face close.”

“That wasn’t touching, it just happened unavoidably.”

I cooled my reddening face with the back of my hand as I watched him speak in a way that could easily be misunderstood.

“Usually, that level of skinship would require me to take a sedative. But strangely, there was no adverse reaction.”

“I wonder why?”

“I’m not certain, but I have one cautious guess.”

“Oh? What is it?”

Askal answered with the most serious expression:

“Because it was fated to be this way.”

I was quite surprised by the unexpected answer. He looked like someone who should explain things with numbers and scientific logic, so it felt like a different person speaking of fate.

“Askal.”

“Yes, my lady.”

“Do you believe in things like fate and destiny?”

“I can’t say for certain, but I seem to have believed since meeting you, my lady.”

My expression hardened without me realizing. I had a suspicion about why he was acting this way, which was unlike him.

“You don’t still have that book on how to speak like a woman, do you?”

“…”

His silence confirmed it.

“Stop reading that. It’s not accurate at all.”

[This is the timeline separator]

Eventually, it started raining. The three of us had dinner together for the first time in a while, and we spent time no differently than usual despite tomorrow’s expedition.

The expedition was scheduled to last about two weeks. Of course, it was uncertain whether it would end in two weeks, as it was an earlier departure than before.

“Mom, I’m going to sleep alone starting today.”

I was planning to stay by Rublion’s side until he fell asleep, but asked why upon hearing this unexpected declaration.

“Just… it’s about time, isn’t it? You don’t have to make time to put me to bed anymore. Even if I wake up, I won’t go to your room, and I won’t visit father’s room either.”

I couldn’t understand why. Honestly, I felt a bit disappointed being told not to come.

“If that’s what you think, I’ll respect it. But can I stay beside you tonight?”

“Hmm…”

Rublion looked out the window at the steadily falling rain before speaking.

“Okay. But you have to go back to your room after I fall asleep, okay?”

“Alright.”

Rublion got into bed. I pulled a chair right next to it and sat down.

“Mom. Do you remember that?”

“What?”

“That it rains on the day father leaves the territory.”

“Ah! That’s right.”

A forgotten memory came to mind. That time when I wanted to protect Rublion, who was shivering like a wet puppy.

“Father will leave tomorrow, and it will keep raining until tomorrow too.”

“Will it be like that this time too? But it’s really strange. How does it rain every single time?”

It was too consistent to be Murphy’s law, which made it fascinating.

Then a fun idea suddenly occurred to me.

“Rublion, shall I give you a quiz?”

“What is it? I’ll try to solve it.”

I cleared my throat like a narrator before speaking.

“If it doesn’t rain for three years, what should we do?”

Rublion raised his hand high.

“Send father outside the territory.”

“Correct answer!”

I clapped my hands. I thought again that Askal was truly an interesting man.

At that moment.

“My lady. I’m glad you’re enjoying talking about me behind my back, but could you spare me a moment?”

Askal was leaning against the doorframe, looking at us. I was about to answer that I’d go when the child fell asleep, but Rublion acted faster.

“Snore, snore.”

I was dumbfounded watching Rublion with his eyes tightly shut, obviously pretending. The child slightly opened one eye and waved his hand. It meant for me to hurry and go see.

“Sleep well, Rublion.”

After kissing his forehead, I covered him with the blanket up to his chest and stood up. I could still hear fake snoring sounds until I left the room.