The married couple unexpectedly encountered each other in the entrance hall after a long time.

When was the last time they had seen each other’s faces? It was last week, so they met just as the memory was starting to fade.

Today, Demian was wearing a red cloak over his shoulders. His already large frame looked even more massive because of the cloak.

‘Ah, since it’s a love marriage, we should show a good relationship.’

As she looked at his sharp profile, Arasila suddenly had that thought. They had both been so busy that they had forgotten to act like an affectionate couple.

Except for Duke and Duchess Hugo, who were always worried about their daughter, no one had criticized the couple’s negligent married life, which made it even more so.

Even the Vandermir ducal family hadn’t interfered much after the marriage…

Recalling her parents’ recent nagging to focus on her new family, Arasila approached Demian instead of passing him by.

The gazes of the servants gathered in the entrance hall for greetings followed her. Since the master and mistress were facing each other after a long time, everyone’s eyes held a hint of curiosity.

“Are you just coming home, Demian? I’m so happy to see your face like this after not being able to meet for a while because we’ve both been busy.”

“Yes, my lady. I missed you a lot too.”

Sensing the eyes subtly focused on them, Demian also played along. He too remembered that they should act like an affectionate couple in front of others.

As they drew closer to each other, the contrasting colors of their uniforms stood out.

“It seems you have a lot of work at the magic tower. I hear you always come home late.”

“There is a lot. But our research is making the world more convenient and advanced.”

Demian nodded as if listening attentively to Arasila’s words, while adjusting the angle of his hand to pretend to affectionately wrap her shoulder.

“Take it easy. Focusing only on research without seeing sunlight is not a healthy life.”

Demian advised sincerely, not out of spite. Looking at Arasila with her pale skin and thin body, he couldn’t help but worry.

There were many magicians who collapsed from malnutrition or overwork…

Wait, why am I worrying about this woman?

Suddenly having that thought, Demian added gruffly:

“If you carelessly have an accident, I’ll have to take responsibility during the contract period.”

As a result, from start to finish, it became perfect criticism to Arasila. It was even a low whisper that only she could hear.

This is criticism, for sure.

Arasila replied with a shy smile on the outside while gritting her teeth:

“Don’t worry. While I may take responsibility for you, I won’t create situations where you have to take responsibility for me.”

The servants had been straining their ears to listen to the master and mistress’s whispered conversation, but they couldn’t hear anything properly.

They only saw a faint smile appear on Arasila’s lips as she gently pushed Demian away and turned around.

Feeling she might get irritated if she continued talking with her husband, Arasila hurriedly climbed the stairs. But as she stepped onto the second landing, her feet tangled and she stumbled.

“My lady!”

Before the startled Audrey could rush over, Demian moved swiftly to grab Arasila’s waist. It was so slender that one arm could fully wrap around it.

Having lost her balance, Arasila ended up in his arms. Without realizing it, she placed her hand on his shoulder, which was very broad and firm.

The distance between the two was no more than a finger’s width.

“Are you not eating properly?”

Demian asked in a low voice, slightly furrowing his brow. His breath could be felt as he spoke.

“…I eat well.”

Arasila replied, blinking her eyes slowly. It was true. She made sure to eat regularly so she could have energy for long magic research sessions.

Demian disapprovingly scanned her slender neckline, exposed by her hair tied up high, and slowly opened his mouth.

“Then take better care. What if you collapse and bad rumors spread that I’m not taking care of my wife?”

“If I collapse, know that I will definitely write somewhere that you are the culprit.”

Arasila shot back primly as she extricated herself from his broad embrace. Then she spoke loudly so the servants watching them could hear:

“Thank you, Demian. Thanks to you, I didn’t get hurt.”

“Protecting my wife is my natural duty. I’m glad you weren’t hurt.”

Demian placed his hand on his chest and bowed his head politely. It was the image of a knight showing perfect respect to his lady.

Arasila smiled briefly at the handsome face that was still taller than her even though she stood one step above him.

She exchanged cordial greetings with him until the end before returning to her room.

After changing into a comfortable dress, Arasila reclined on the sofa as Audrey began carefully brushing her hair.

As she dozed with her eyes half-closed listening to the sound of brushing, a cautious call reached Arasila’s ears.

“Um, my lady.”

“Yes, Audrey.”

“The atmosphere among the maids lately seems unsettling.”

Arasila replied in a sleepy voice with her eyes fully closed:

“Why, are they making too many mistakes when serving?”

“…You knew?”

She chuckled. Though she had been away for a long time, she wasn’t foolish enough not to notice the subtle atmosphere.

Moreover,

“I’ve lived with a perfect maid by my side all my life, so of course I know.”

Given how flawless Audrey’s service had been all along, the slightly lacking service of the Vandermir mansion maids was even more noticeable.

“Then why are you staying quiet?”

“If I point out every little mistake from the start, it will only build more resentment. It’s better to overlook what can be overlooked to a reasonable extent.”

If she wanted, Arasila could crush the maids’ spirits and assert her dominance at any time.

But it was bothersome. And she wanted to show some respect to the maids who had worked in the mansion for a long time.

Above all, having always been respected in the Hugo marquisate, she felt less of the gravity of the current situation.

“Time will resolve it on its own.”

“…But I’m worried there are people harboring ill feelings towards you for no reason, my lady.”

Audrey set down the brush and knelt beside Arasila. Arasila opened her eyes and looked down at the maid.

“I’m especially concerned about Rosalyn.”

“Isn’t she just smitten with my face?”

Audrey didn’t laugh at the frivolous joke. It meant she was speaking seriously.

“Something feels off. I’m afraid Rosalyn might harm you if we leave her be.”

“Ah, we shouldn’t easily dismiss our Audrey’s intuition.”

With a smile playing on her lips, Arasila gently patted the maid’s shoulder.

“Alright, Audrey. I’ll take action immediately if she crosses the line.”

“…”

“So you tell me too if you think she’s crossed the line. I’ll deal with it right away.”

Audrey knew that Arasila could resolve the situation anytime if she put her mind to it.

She also knew that her mistress was being considerate and lenient towards the maids in her own way.

“I understand, my lady.”

So Audrey had no choice but to accept Arasila’s will and back down. The maids hadn’t done anything specifically wrong yet, after all.

‘I’ll just try to work harder myself.’

Then someday, the mansion maids would accept Arasila and herself.

They would also come to know how kind and gentle a person Arasila is.

Even if the current kindness wasn’t immediately apparent, everyone would feel it as time passed.

That’s what Audrey believed.

As Arasila generously overlooked the strange atmosphere in the mansion, Rosalyn became even more emboldened.

She openly ostracized Audrey and formed a group with the maids on her side. And she badmouthed Arasila while dressing up in a way unbefitting a maid.

The head maid, who should have restrained this, turned a blind eye due to pressure from the ducal family.

“I heard the relationship between the master and mistress is better than expected? They’re just busy, but it seems fine. He even saved her when she almost fell.”

One day, as Rosalyn was becoming increasingly bold, she overheard an eyewitness account from a maid who had watched the Vandermir couple that day.

Rosalyn immediately frowned. It contradicted the image she had been carefully cultivating that Arasila was using Demian rather than liking him.

‘Have they become close again?’

Such suspicion flowed briefly, but quickly dissipated upon seeing the couple living separately as before.

He probably just caught her because she was falling right in front of him.

Still, just in case, she decided to stop working on Arasila now and start approaching Demian in earnest.

‘If the couple’s relationship improves by any chance, it would be troublesome, so I need to wedge in before that.’

Having made up her mind, Rosalyn switched jobs with Demian’s assigned maid, making the excuse that it was difficult to work under Arasila and Audrey’s watchful eyes.

Then she put on a maid uniform one size too small and went to serve Demian when he returned home.

“Who are you? I haven’t seen you before.”

Demian paused as he was taking off his uniform jacket and narrowed his eyes. Rosalyn answered with the most innocent expression she could muster:

“I was originally assigned to serve the mistress, but I was switched to serve the master today.”

“Why.”

“…I think I fell out of favor with the mistress because I made frequent mistakes due to my inexperience.”

After hesitating briefly, Rosalyn made a detestably pitiful expression and slightly rolled up her sleeve. A wound that she had deliberately faked to look like punishment from Arasila was revealed.

It was aimed at gaining Demian’s sympathy while tarnishing Arasila’s image.

Even after clearly seeing this, Demian just nodded slightly as if he understood, without much reaction.

‘What’s this? Did it work?’

Rosalyn was confused because Demian’s expression was so hard to read. But since he didn’t drive her away despite her mention of frequent mistakes, it seemed to have worked halfway.

In reality, upon seeing Rosalyn’s wound, Demian thought:

‘How can such a thin arm sustain that? Did the head maid punish her? Just how many mistakes did she make?’

But in addition to that, he wondered how difficult it must have been for someone with an easygoing personality like Arasila to send this maid to him.

‘She must really be incompetent at her job as a new maid.’

Demian didn’t want such a maid under him either, but he decided to leave her be since he couldn’t carelessly fire people.

Not knowing this, Rosalyn drew the wrong conclusion.

‘Maybe the master found me attractive!’

Otherwise, why would a cold and aloof man like Demian accept without complaint a maid who was driven away for making many mistakes?

‘He must have liked my face or been drawn to my figure.’

Rosalyn applauded her judgment in wearing a maid uniform one size too small.

Failing to grasp that while Demian was indeed a cool-headed man, he was not one to easily mistreat his subordinates, she made an absurd misunderstanding.

‘That’s right, they say men have affairs with strange women even when they have beautiful wives.’

Filled with confidence, from that day on, Rosalyn gradually added subtle exposure to her maid uniform and dressed up excessively.

Yet Demian made no particular comment.

It was entirely because he had no interest whatsoever, but Rosalyn had no way of knowing his true thoughts.

‘I think I’ve made enough of an impression by now, should I be more aggressive?’

And so, about a week after she started serving Demian, she decided to make her move.

After sending only secretive glances his way all this time, she resolved to directly approach him.

“We will take our leave now, master.”

After greeting Demian with the other maids and servants and leaving his study, Rosalyn quietly fell behind.

She watched the other servants chattering as they moved away, then returned to the study alone.

Knock knock, with a nervous heart she knocked on the door, and a low, deep voice was heard:

“Come in.”

As she cautiously entered, she saw Demian, who had already taken off his uniform and was sitting at his desk in a light shirt.

“What is it?”

Demian asked, but Rosalyn couldn’t answer. His muscular body showing through the thin shirt caught her gaze.

Swallowing the saliva that had filled her mouth with greed, Rosalyn replied:

“I have something to tell you, master.”