“But are you really okay? Is there no problem between you and Lord Vandermir?”

“Us? No, there’s none.”

Arasila answered without hesitation. Her face showed she didn’t understand why he would worry about such a thing.

Paula’s expression turned relieved.

“That’s good. Frederick did it unilaterally, so I was briefly worried that Lord Vandermir might misunderstand and say something to you.”

“Demian wouldn’t do that. He trusts me.”

It was such a confident reply that even Paula looked at her with renewed interest.

Arasila went on to tell her friend about the things Demian had done for her. From uncovering the true culprit with the juniors to lifting her up when she was down.

Paula’s eyes widened. She uttered “Oh my, oh my” in a different tone, bringing both hands near her mouth.

“Lord Vandermir is a much more romantic person than I thought.”

“He does have many unexpectedly thoughtful aspects.”

“It makes me happy to see that your husband seems to really love you.”

Paula lightly patted Arasila’s shoulder. Arasila, who had been drinking tea with a pleased expression, flinched for a moment.

Demian would have done it out of loyalty and trust rather than love…

‘Is that how it appears to others?’

Paula, not noticing the subtle change in expression, smiled and drove the point home.

“Honestly, at first I was very worried if you could live well together, but it was all my needless concern. You’re a couple who sincerely care for and love each other like this.”

“…Do we look like that?”

“Yes, both Lord Vandermir and you seem to like each other quite a lot, don’t you?”

Arasila couldn’t offer any particular rebuttal and just rolled her eyes.

Thinking that Demian liked her, far from feeling awkward or displeased, she felt a sort of heat rising to both cheeks.

‘Strange, why don’t I dislike it? It’s a violation of the contract, and it could put me in a difficult position…’

Unable to accurately understand her own feelings, Arasila was confused.

Even after finally ending the conversation with Paula, her mind remained complicated throughout the carriage ride home.

She couldn’t get a grasp on where to start untangling the tangled skein.

‘…But Demian doesn’t really like me, so why am I worrying about this?’

Demian hadn’t said anything about his feelings, so there was no certainty that troublesome things would happen.

Then why was she concerned about how he thought of her?

The sudden question led Arasila’s thought process in a different direction. How she thought of Demian, that is.

‘I… Demian…’

Arasila couldn’t easily continue the latter part of the thought. Tens of thousands of words swirled in her mind and disappeared.

In fact, she could predict to some extent. If there had been no trigger, she wouldn’t have been this troubled after hearing Paula’s words.

But she didn’t know how to define this emotion in words.

Before she could finish organizing her thoughts, the carriage arrived at the mansion.

Arasila got out of the carriage, holding the unfinished sentence in her heart. Demian, who had arrived a little earlier than her, had just stopped as he was about to enter through the main entrance.

“What a coincidence to meet you here, my lady.”

Demian, who had been waiting silently until Arasila came close, greeted her cheerfully. His eyes narrowed neatly, and his mouth formed a refreshing arc.

That smile again.

As that radiant smile she had seen in front of the courthouse rose again on Demian’s face, Arasila’s heart began to beat rapidly just like then.

“Did you have a good outing? How was your day today?”

“Ah, yes. Everyone congratulated me on my return to work, and it was nice. It was fun and exciting to go to the lab after such a long time.”

“I’m glad. I was worried all day that you might have had a hard time.”

“…You were?”

Arasila’s heart lifted. Hearing that Demian had been thinking about her and worrying all day long made her feel strangely good.

An inexplicable joy seemed to envelop her.

When Paula had said similar things, she hadn’t felt like this.

Why was that? She should be grateful that an old friend was worried about her, but why did Demian’s concern feel more welcome?

Demian, who had glanced at Arasila lost in serious thought, readily extended his hand.

“Well, shall we go in together?”

The large hand straightforwardly reached out to Arasila. Arasila, who took that hand, quietly looked at Demian.

A face still smiling.

Could her heart flutter this much simply because his smile was splendid?

‘Perhaps it’s because I…’

Like a bolt from the blue, some realization suddenly rushed over her.

The sentence that had remained incomplete in the carriage finally became whole. Arasila’s lips gradually hardened.

It was her side that had violated the contract clause. Paula, who had praised their marital relationship, had at least seen her accurately.

Arasila unknowingly gripped his hand tightly. Feeling that strength, Demian slightly lowered his head with a puzzled face to look at Arasila.

“What’s wrong, my lady? Are you feeling unwell somewhere? Your face seems a bit red.”

“…No, I’m fine. It’s because of the sunset, the sunset.”

Arasila averted her gaze slightly as she replied. The reddish sunset light seemed to have struck only Arasila’s cheeks and ears, but Demian accepted it without comment.

If his wife said so, then that must be it.

Instead, he escorted Arasila inside, firmly holding her hand.

Sweat began to form on Arasila’s palm. For someone who rarely sweated even in midsummer, this was a special occurrence.

Audrey, seeing Arasila who had come to the bedroom alone after parting with Demian at the end of the stairs, tilted her head.

“Madam, are you alright? Your face is as red as an apple right now.”

“…Audrey, my heart is beating too fast.”

“What? Really?”

Arasila, leaning against the doorframe, nodded as she placed her hand on her chest.

The storm-like resonance caused by the awareness of her emotions was spreading from her heart throughout her body.

Audrey, unaware of the inside story, worriedly looked her mistress up and down.

“Is it arrhythmia? I’ll go call a doctor right away.”

“No, no… This isn’t arrhythmia.”

Arasila, tightly grasping Audrey’s sleeve, lowered her head deeply. The cause of this mad pounding and trembling was not that.

This is because I…

‘Like Demian.’

Swallowing the words that lingered in her mouth, Arasila bit her lower lip.

She couldn’t help but worry about what consequences this sudden realization would bring.

Philip easily undid the magic cast on Monica’s jewelry box. This was partly because he was a great magician, but there was a separate, practical reason.

“…The Tower Master made this?”

“Hohoho, that’s right. It’s a product I made and sold in limited quantities a long time ago.”

Arasila’s eyes widened. To think that the person who made the jewelry box with complex locking magic was none other than her master.

Philip, who had easily undone the magic he had cast himself, stroked the jewelry box and continued speaking.

“I made it for storing very secretive and precious items. I heard they were all sold to nobles through auction, and it’s been a long time since I’ve seen one myself.”

Arasila lowered her gaze and stared intently at the jewelry box. No wonder the magic was difficult to undo.

While she understood now that it was because it was her master’s, she also felt frustrated. It meant her skills still didn’t match up to Philip’s.

Philip seemed to have noticed this fact too, as he wore a mischievous smile on his lips.

“You still have a long way to go before you can catch up to me, hoho.”

“Just wait a little. I’ll definitely become a magician who surpasses you, Master.”

“Give it a try.”

Philip replied cheerfully. Nothing made him happier than seeing his disciple burning with the will to surpass him.

As he watched Arasila packing up the jewelry box and getting ready to leave, he suddenly said,

“Still, Arasila, you might receive some good news soon.”

“What kind of good news?”

“Well, we’ll have to wait and see. Hohoho.”

Philip waved goodbye with an enigmatic smile. Arasila, with a puzzled face, gave her greetings and left for now.

At the moment, she was more eager to quickly check the contents of the jewelry box.

Returning to her lab, Arasila sat down and carefully opened the jewelry box. Inside were a book that looked like a diary, a small glass bottle, and a folded note.

Arasila took out the glass bottle first and examined it from various angles.

‘What’s in this? Tea leaves?’

Something that looked like dried leaves of a dark red color filled about half of the glass bottle. Arasila, not having much interest in tea, couldn’t identify what it was and put the bottle down.

Her hand next went to the diary with an elegant brown leather cover. Arasila frowned as she was about to open the book.

‘What? This also has magic cast on it.’

Unlike the locking magic cast on the jewelry box, this time it was fusion magic that would only activate if certain conditions were met.

Seeing the phrase ‘If you want to read the contents inside, ― the ―’ that appeared when she infused magic, Arasila held her forehead.

Even Philip would find this difficult to solve. Finally giving up on opening the diary, Arasila picked up the note.

Hoping there might be at least a simple message left, she unfolded the neatly folded paper to find only five letters written.

Sian Mondor

Arasila tilted her head at the unfamiliar name. Who was this person to be left in the first duchess’s jewelry box?

‘I wonder if Demian knows who this is? I should quickly take it and show it to Demian too.’

Thinking about seeing him after work, Arasila’s lips curled up involuntarily. Her heart beat a little faster and she felt excited.

Since realizing that she liked him, just thinking about him made her lips twitch like this for some reason.

The funny thing was that in front of Demian, she actually became oddly awkward. She couldn’t look him in the eye properly and felt restless for no reason.

Just like now.

“Um, Demian. I undid the magic cast on mother’s jewelry box. Do, do you want to take a look?”

Why am I stuttering? It’s not like I’m saying anything particularly difficult.

Arasila felt like biting her tongue hard, but she tried to appear as calm as possible as she held out the jewelry box.

Fortunately, Demian, not noticing her oddness, obediently took the jewelry box and examined the items inside.

Arasila stood beside him, tilting her head together and explaining.

“This diary also has magic cast on it. It can only be undone if certain conditions are met, but I don’t know what those conditions are yet.”

“I see.”

“And the contents of this glass bottle look like tea leaves, do you know what they are?”