“Lord Roos, we have arrived.”

Roos, who had been dozing off, snapped his eyes open upon hearing the coachman’s voice. Fatigue washed over his face as he grabbed the documents he had placed next to him when getting off the carriage.

As always, Mason was there to welcome him. About to greet him as usual, Mason noticed the dark circles under Roos’s eyes that had deepened over the past few days, prompting him to put on a wry smile.

“Are you alright?”

“…I can’t confidently say I’m alright with empty words, but fortunately, I’m still alive. How about you?”

“I’m in the drawing-room.”

The expected response came as usual from the past few days of inquiries. Mason guided Roos to the drawing-room and asked, “Will you have the usual tea?”

“Oh, today, I’ll have coffee, please. Strong. And, don’t forget the brown sugar.”

After specifying his preferences, Roos entered the drawing-room and leaned against the sofa. When Mason returned with the prepared documents, Roos had already laid them out in front of him.

After taking a sip of coffee with brown sugar, Roos looked at Mason with an expression that seemed to indicate he was finally feeling alive.

“By the way, how is the mistress doing?”

After the rumors spread about the incident from ten years ago, both internal and external public opinion blaming Blair intensified. Despite avoiding outings after the kidnapping incident, the recent visit from the emissaries of Delmarque, who caused a commotion at the mansion, indicated that Blair was aware of the current atmosphere.

It had been bothering Roos throughout.

“Well, I haven’t seen the mistress’s face for a few days.”

Mason answered with a troubled expression. It implied that Blair had been held captive by Herdin for several days and hadn’t left the bedroom.

Hearing this, Roos’s demeanor became composed.

‘For the two to have a contractual relationship and talk so warmly… Well, it’s probably for the best in the current situation.’

Even if Blair sensed this atmosphere, it would only agitate her further.

Knowing the external circumstances better than anyone, Roos was worried about Blair, who was probably not hearing any good news from anywhere.

The reason Herdin had been postponing all the tasks to Roos for several days was apparent.

‘I want to wrap up this matter as quickly as possible. If we capture the mastermind behind the kidnapping incident and obtain conclusive evidence from ten years ago, the truth will be revealed, and public opinion may quiet down on one side.’

So, he wanted to resolve this matter as soon as possible for the sake of the long-stained reputation of Esmeralda buried underground and for Blair, who was receiving the brunt of public opinion.

Although it was somewhat amusing for him, who once thought of Blair in a somewhat unfavorable light, to be concerned about her.

While Roos was grappling with his guilt, Herdin, who had entered the drawing-room unnoticed, sat across from him.

“Ah, you’ve arrived.”

Acknowledging Roos’s greeting with a nod, Herdin casually swept his slightly disheveled bangs to the side. After taking a drag from his pipe and releasing the smoke, he immediately picked up the documents placed in front of him.
A subtly displeased expression lingered on his lethargically disheveled appearance.

“Is this all the urgent documents?”

“Yes.”

Herdin, skimming through the documents, took the fountain pen Roos offered and promptly signed. Roos, gathering the pen and documents he returned, spoke in a curious tone.

“So, you captured the dark mage who had contact with the kidnappers last night?”

“Yes. To avoid the risk of confinement at the mansion, we kept him in an outlying villa.”

“Then, we should be able to uncover the mastermind soon.”

Even though Roos already suspected the involvement of Queen Taehwang-hu as the mastermind behind the kidnapping, he couldn’t definitively prove it due to the lack of evidence.

Revealing the mastermind behind the kidnapping could serve as circumstantial evidence linked to the incident from ten years ago. Just like the rumors currently circulating.

Thus, Roos thought Herdin would naturally show enthusiasm upon hearing this news. However, for some reason, Herdin didn’t seem particularly pleased with the story.

Perplexed by Herdin’s reaction, Roos assumed it might be merely because of his current mood and proceeded to the next topic.

“Also, as Your Excellency is undoubtedly aware, the public opinion toward the mistress is unfavorable. Once we find clues, it would be best for you to negotiate with the palace as soon as possible.”

Herdin’s cold pupils, upon hearing this news, quietly sank into stillness.

“…I know.”

Now, time was truly of the essence.

Blair, in a drowsy state, suddenly felt the emptiness next to her and opened her eyes.

Herdin was gone.

Wondering if he went out to smoke his pipe, she turned towards the balcony, but he wasn’t there either. Considering the silence in the drawing-room, it seemed like he had left the room altogether.