“I might have drunk too much champagne and felt dizzy. I came out to get some fresh air, and here you are, Count.”

The champagne served at the party was not too strong, even though it contained some alcohol.

As Philip folded his arms and tilted his head slightly, Dalina lowered her voice as if to excuse herself.

“I’m weak to alcohol.”

“I see.”

Philip looked around once and spoke indifferently.

“There’s nothing dangerous around, but since you don’t know the geography here, it would be better not to go to any dark places.”

“Thanks for the advice. Then, I’ll be going.”

Contrary to her innocent response, Dalina suddenly slumped in her seat.

“……Your Grace?”

“I’m sorry. I temporarily felt dizzy.”

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine… but a little dizzy. I think I need some help.”

Dalina slightly touched her forehead with one hand and reached out to Philip with the other.

Her appearance was so pure that it was impossible for any man to ignore her request for help.

However, instead of reaching out his hand, Philip moved his foot towards the mansion.

“Please wait a moment. I will send a servant to help you rest comfortably.”

Philip quickly left his seat.

“…….”

As the surroundings quieted down, Dalina stood up.

“Pretentious for a divorcing man.”

She swept back her fallen hair with a resentful smile.

“But I won’t let you go, Count. Do you know how much I’ve longed for you? Especially if you’re to become the king’s chief vassal.”

(This is a time separator.)

‘Yeah, don’t interfere. It’s hard enough to avoid a predetermined fate. Anything more is greed.’

Walking under the quiet night sky, my mind felt more at ease. The conclusion was the same as at first.

‘Isn’t it much better to live than before if you only avoid the dead end?’

I also thought about the 90,000 gold coins that had recently come into my possession.

‘Isn’t 90 billion in cash an enormous amount that even a fair number of corporate executives can’t touch?’

Even though I spent it all to settle the past, the thought that such a huge sum had been in my hands made me feel a little better.

‘Yeah, just don’t be too greedy.’

I stopped to look at the night sky and took a deep breath. Then I realized there was a problem.

Though the shoes were comfortable, my legs were tired and sore. My throat was also dry.

I should have turned back at the right time, but I hadn’t.

I looked around. Despite my eyes being accustomed to the darkness, I didn’t see a place to sit.

“Why are you doing that?”

Lord Mild, who had followed me as if he were nowhere near, came closer and asked.

“Because I can’t find a place to rest.”

“I’ll look for one.”

At the same time, my gaze briefly fell on a corner over there. The light leaking from the window was clearly a small wooden house.

“Isn’t that the servant’s house?”

“Ah, yes! We can rest there for a while.”

It didn’t seem like anyone was sleeping since the lights were on, but I still felt a little guilty about suddenly visiting a servant’s house in the middle of the night.

It was as if the boss suddenly visited an employee’s house.
A little closer to the front of the house, I saw a log big enough to sit on.

“Okay, let’s sit quietly on that log and take a rest.”

Mild Duke shook his head firmly.

“No. Even if I was asleep, I must get up now that my lady is here.”

‘Eek?’

Without a chance to stop him, Mild Duke strode forward and knocked on the door. Soon, the door creaked open.

“…….”

Sigh, it can’t be helped.

I’ll just take a quick rest and give some appropriate compensation tomorrow to the servant living in this house.

“Mild Duke?”

Coming out of the door was Heyde, wearing bluestriped pajamas and a sleep cap.

“What brings you at this hour?”

Heyde’s gaze turned to me as he spoke heavily.

“Ah, my lady?”

“My lady needs a place to rest for a while.”

Heyde’s expression brightened instantly, and he flung the door open.

“Please come in! It’s humble, but please come in!”

Despite the late hour, the atmosphere was genuinely welcoming. I felt a warmth in my heart and naturally smiled.

Heyde’s house, once we entered, was clean and dirty depending on its location.

The table and thick wooden shelves were untidy, filled with odds and ends.

In contrast, the area around the bed and fireplace, including the rocking chair and a small table next to it, was very neat.

A knee blanket and a bundle of variously colored crochet knitting were placed on the rocking chair, and quite a number of crochet dolls were quaintly displayed by the window.

The craftsmanship of the dolls was so meticulous that it demanded attention.

Then I spotted one goldenhaired doll with tan skin, wearing a straw hat.

The palmsized doll was dressed in blue overalls and unmistakably resembled Heyde.

Seeing that, I suspected that someone living with him had used Heyde as a model to make a crochet doll.

Perhaps they hadn’t come home yet?

He guided me to the rocking chair next to the fireplace and pushed the crochet knitting bundle to the bed.

“This is the best place to sit and rest in this house.”

Leaning back, I felt much more comfortable. Heyde quickly poured a glass of water and began rummaging through the pantry, scratching his head.

“If I had known my lady was coming, I would have kept something nice. Ah!”

Muttering to himself, he searched the bottom of the pantry, wiped off a few items, and brought them over.

What he presented was a small western pear, the same fruit Philip and I had picked on a walk earlier.

He knelt by the fireplace and carefully peeled the pear with clean hands.

Soon, two neatly peeled white pears were neatly placed on a plate and brought to the table.

“This should help with fatigue recovery since it’s a bit sweet.”

He then peeled a pear for Mild Duke and pulled out a log chair from under the cluttered table.

“You can sit here, Duke.”

His delicacy was fascinating, unlike his appearance of gulping down an apple in one bite.

Drinking a glass of water and eating a slice of pear quenched my mild thirst.

Despite his size, Heyde shyly smiled and took a whole unpeeled pear into his mouth.

Crunch, crunch, gulp.

He then sat on the bed and started his crochet knitting.

In his hands was a nearly finished palmsized crochet doll.

“You knit too?”

Heyde shrugged his shoulders, moving the crochet needle busily.

“Yes, making crochet dolls is my small hobby.”

I pointed to the crochet dolls hanging by the window.

“So you made those too?”

“Yes.”

“……I thought someone you live with made them.”

Heyde stopped his knitting hands.

“Hey, I live alone. I’m not married yet. I’ve never even had a girlfriend.”