“My Lady, would you like me to add more wood to the fireplace?”

Kieren, who was combing Reneb’s hair, asked with a worried look. He seemed to think that her trembling was due to the cold.

“Would you please?”

Reneb did not refuse.

Considering the piercing cold, it seemed that the white blood cells were not working well today.

“If you’re feeling a bit under the weather, shall I bring your meal to your bedroom?”

After throwing wood into the fireplace, Kieren asked, stirring the inside with a poker.

“…….”

After a moment of contemplation, Reneb shook her head.

Perhaps she felt guilty for leaving tea time early yesterday, or because Princess Rachel had invited her to eat.

“I’d rather eat in the dining room.”

“If that’s what you wish…….”

Kieren, heading toward the door, seemed to remember something and added.

“……Could you please wait a moment?”

Watching Kieren quickly head to the next room, Reneb tilted her head.

Soon after, Kieren returned with a creamcolored lace shawl.

“Just in case.”

Grinning, Kieren was met with a smile from Reneb.

“Thank you.”

Not satisfied with just a thin shawl, Kieren even brought silk gloves.

(This is a time separator.)

“I’m, I’m sorry!”

During the walk to the dining room, a maid, shaking violently as she almost fell on the marble floor, came into view.

Cleaning supplies were scattered around, and a young man stood in front of her.

“Sigh…….”

The young man let out a deep sigh and closed his eyes for a deep breath, suppressing his surging anger.

No wonder, water was dripping from his blonde hair.

“If it’s alright with you, would you like to use this to wipe yourself?”

Reneb offered her shawl to the man.

“It’s a creamcolored shawl, so it seems it won’t be usable again after washing. Is that okay?”

Considering he was splashed with dirty water, he had every right to be very angry.

But the man very gentlemanly worried about Reneb’s shawl.

“It’s fine. It’s better to wipe yourself before catching a cold.”

“Then I’ll use it gratefully.”

The man, taking the shawl, wiped the dripping wetness, and quietly spoke to the maid beside him.

“I will administer a fitting punishment to you.”

“Yes, yes. Of course, Your Lordship.”

With a cold gaze, the man looked down at the maid’s forehead and turned to leave.

Reneb looked at the maid, who was crouching on the floor, shaking, and asked.

“Are you okay?”

The maid slowly raised her head.

“Are you talking to me?”

Reneb nodded, and the tearsoaked maid wiped her cheek and nodded back.
“Ah, well then. It’s a blessing that it ended with this much. If the nobleman hadn’t shown restraint…….”

Her words were true.

The servant nearby had called the man a minor duke, so there was a sharp contrast between the maid’s status and his.

Had the man not been of a generous nature, the maid would have been hung upside down and flogged, unable to resist.

Nevertheless, Reneb noticed her, shivering with utter fear.

“Get up now. You’ll catch a cold.”

Reneb reached out her hand to the maid.

Perhaps because of her dirty hand, the maid looked at Reneb’s hand but couldn’t hold it. Kieran stepped forward and supported her.

“Th, thank you, Lady.”

“You should clean yourself before you catch a cold.”

Reneb handed her a handkerchief and then proceeded to the dining room.

(This is a time separator.)

In the dining room, Princess Raina, Rachel, was already waiting for Reneb.

“Hello.”

Rachel smiled brightly when she spotted Reneb.

As she smiled back and headed for the spot opposite Rachel, Reneb discovered an additional place setting.

“Hello, but who else is coming?”

“Ah, I invited the minor duke of Venistan, Belkein. Come to think of it, I didn’t tell you beforehand.”

“That’s okay.”

Since there was no harm in building friendships with foreigners from different countries, Reneb let it be.

However, despite the soup being ready, the minor duke of Venistan, Belkein, did not appear.

“What could have happened?”

Rachel wore a troubled look, gazing at the cooling soup, when a maid approached and bowed.

“Duke Belkein has sent a message. He thanks you for the invitation, but it seems he cannot join us for dinner today.”

“Why?”

Rachel furrowed her brow.

“He simply said that a sudden problem has arisen.”

Rachel sighed faintly and gestured for the maid to leave.

“Does dining alone with me not appeal to you? I quite like having dinner with the princess, just the two of us.”

Reneb’s words smoothed Rachel’s furrowed brow.

With one sentence, Rachel’s mood was lifted, and the two were able to enjoy an intimate meal.

The afternoon sun was warm, and the neatly arranged landscape was beautiful.

After the meal, the tea brought by the maids was fragrant. Desserts, plated neatly on a threetiered tray, looked lovely and appetizing.

“He said he couldn’t come, but there he is.”

Following Rachel’s gaze, Reneb turned her head.

A blond man was walking towards them.

The tall youth quickly closed the distance to the table. As his face drew near, Reneb’s eyes widened slightly.

It was the same man she had seen earlier.

Similarly, recognizing Reneb’s face, the young man’s blue eyes also widened.

“We meet again. I’m the minor duke of Venistan, Belkein.”

Duke Belkein pressed his lips to the back of Reneb’s hand.

“Fortunately, it seems you haven’t caught a cold.”

At Reneb’s reply, Duke Belkein’s eyes rounded in surprise.

“It is thanks to a kind lady who happened to pass by.”