Today, the magnificent flames of the kitchen were once again enveloping me.

“Tilt the frying pan like this, yes. That way, the soy sauce will caramelize slightly, deepening the flavor.”

“How fascinating to burn it for taste!”

Head Chef Babito watched what I was doing and followed suit.

Since the seasonings I had weren’t available here, I was simply teaching their uses, yet his eyes sparkled.

‘I feel like I’ve become the cooking expert uncle.’

The way he looked up at me was rather unusual.

“Well then, I’ll go check on the young princes.”

“I learned so much again today!”

I was able to leave the kitchen amid Babito’s enthusiastic farewell.

‘To think I’d end up teaching cooking too.’

I thought I’d have less to do at the duke’s mansion, but that wasn’t the case.

But I didn’t mind.

It felt quite nice to have people who wanted me.

‘Our little ones are studying much harder than expected, aren’t they?’

I was planning to let it slide once or twice if they skipped, but there was no sign of that happening.

I was glad they were keeping up well, even though they started their studies a bit late.

‘If there’s anything they want to learn, I’ll make sure they can learn it all!’

This nanny is here for my children!

As I was walking down the hallway, burning with determination, that’s when it happened.

‘Huh? It’s Ludvion.’

I saw green hair beneath the second-floor window. He was standing still among the autumn-colored trees.

‘Haven’t seen him in a while.’

Feeling glad, I rushed downstairs in one breath.

“Sir Ludvion!”

When I waved energetically, he looked flustered and turned his back instead of greeting me.

‘Did he not hear me? But our eyes definitely met.’

Ludvion was quickly trying to leave the spot.

Whether they had gotten used to it or not, even the weaker mains no longer avoided me now.

So why was Ludvion running away like that?

As I quickened my pace, Ludvion’s movements also sped up.

It was certain. He was fleeing.

“Sir Ludvion! Stop right there!”

“……!”

When I shouted as if chasing a criminal, Ludvion started running outright.

Dumbfounded, I started running too.

A strange midday chase began.

But it didn’t last long.

The main servants’ quarters still had stone paths.

I tripped properly on a protruding stone and fell forward.

“Why are you running… Aaack-!”

Just before my face hit the ground, something grayish was supporting me.

‘Wind?’

The moment I thought that, my legs that had been floating in the air successfully touched the gravel path again.

“…I’m alive.”

As I finally caught my breath, the grayish thing swirled around me.

When I carefully cupped it in my hands, I felt wind rotating around an axis.

“Lady Hallen, are you alright?!”

As if he hadn’t just been fleeing, Ludvion came running towards me.

The grayish thing escaped from me and headed towards him.

If so, then.

“That, could it be a spirit?”

At my words, Ludvion’s eyes became restless.

‘In the original work, he was especially good with wind spirits, wasn’t he?’

Ludvion could summon spirits of various attributes.

Among them, he could even summon intermediate and higher-level wind spirits.

‘Is that a low-level spirit?’

It was visible wind that hadn’t even taken a proper form yet.

“How fascinating. Can you show me more?”

When I reached out, the grayish thing shyly retreated.

After hesitating, Ludvion returned the spirit to nature right there.

“That’s not allowed.”

“Ah, it disappeared.”

Feeling regretful, I groped the air, but nothing was caught.

When I turned my head again, Ludvion was looking down.

I couldn’t understand the reason at all.

“I get that you don’t want to show the spirit, but why did you run away earlier?”

It had been a long time since I’d run like that. I felt I should at least hear the reason as compensation for the unexpected exercise.

But silence continued.

Just as I was starting to feel sorry for asking, he finally opened his mouth.

“Because I am a sinner.”

“A sinner? What are you suddenly… Gasp, get up!”

Ludvion was kneeling on the gravel-covered ground.

“I failed to protect you. Knowing how shameless it is, I still summoned a spirit.”

As I traced my memories at his words, I recalled our first outing together.

‘I didn’t know he was thinking like that.’

Although it was Kashar who protected me in that dangerous moment, I had never blamed Ludvion even once.

I thought he had just returned safely, but to think he was digging himself into a hole.

Before I could deny it, Ludvion placed his hand on the sword at his waist.

“I will repay with my life…”

“Wait, wait a moment! I told you I don’t like blood!”

Shocked to the point my eyes nearly popped out, I pressed down on his hand.

“Just try to draw that sword. I’ll really get angry.”

Truly, it was a world where I couldn’t let my guard down, not knowing when a gory scene might pop up.

When I spoke firmly, I could feel the hand gripping the sword slowly loosening.

“…I won’t draw it.”

“Do you promise?”

I removed my hand after seeing Ludvion nod.

His gaze moved to my hand and then away.

“Well, first of all… congratulations on summoning a spirit. I mean it sincerely.”

Regardless of the guilt he felt towards me, it was something worth congratulating.

“It seems my investment in you has paid off.”

“Investment, you say?”

“Of course. A swordsman who can handle spirits, how incredible is that! There are only a handful throughout history, you know?”

He was someone who would make his mark in the annals of history.

I wondered if I should get his autograph in advance, but the person in question seemed utterly deflated.

“But…”

Ludvion couldn’t sincerely accept the congratulations.

‘He must feel very sorry.’

It’s just that Kashar was like a monster, but the opponent back then wasn’t something that could be handled by one person alone.

But Ludvion’s potential for growth was limitless, and if he advanced just a bit more from here, he could blow away such riffraff in one go.

“I’m fine, aren’t I? Besides, you just saved me, right?”

Although he had given me the disease and the cure by making me chase him and almost fall, let’s overlook that for now.

I extended my hand to him as he knelt.

“If you’re really sorry, then please continue to protect me from now on.”

Eventually, after hesitating, Ludvion took my hand and stood up.

“I will protect you with my life.”

“That’s a bit burdensome. I don’t want Ludvion to die, you know.”

I didn’t want to see anyone die. Moreover, the reason for death being because of me. Just thinking about it gave me chills.

“…Then I shall strive to become stronger.”

“Well thought.”

Nodding at his words, thinking that’s for the best, I admired the falling leaves.

‘It’s really autumn now.’

The deep blue sky matched well with the colorful leaves.

As I was appreciating the full-fledged season, I suddenly thought of Kashar.

‘Wasn’t Kashar’s birthday around this time?’

Kashar’s birthday, which no one had ever celebrated, was first celebrated by Elsius, marking the beginning of his obsession in earnest.

‘Let’s see. One, two… Oh?’

I was counting the dates on my fingers when I was suddenly startled.

‘It’s next week!’

And there were only three days left until his birthday.

“What should I do.”

“Is something the matter?”

He seemed worried as I suddenly became anxious after being calm.

When I stared at Ludvion, he averted his eyes.

At a glance, I noticed his ears had turned red.

This man really had a shy personality.

“Say, Ludvion. What do men like?”

“…Things they like, you mean?”

Since he’s a man too, I thought he might know better than me.

Elsius gave Kashar a handmade cake as a gift.

I wanted to do something more special than in the original work, but I was unsure what would be good.

‘There’s not much time left either.’

I suppose it’s fortunate that I remembered it before his birthday.

“Will you help me?”

I asked, facing Ludvion.

If the imperial palace has the Street of Affluence, the capital has the Fountain of Nike.

Centered around the fountain carved with Nike, the bird symbolizing victory, various wealthy shops were gathered.

Unlike the street festivals mainly consisting of commoners, many people in elaborate attire could be seen here.

‘Maybe I can find something suitable as a gift here.’

The reason we came all this way was entirely because of Kashar’s birthday.

I alternately looked at Ludvion standing beside me and the pendant I was holding in my hand.

‘Please don’t say that I gave it to you.’

Mihail, who had given this to me, had emphasized this several times.

The pendant had a one-time return magic cast on it. In other words, I could return to the duke’s mansion at any time.

‘Surely nothing will happen, but still.’

With this much, the safety measures were more than enough.

I decided to start seriously looking for Kashar’s birthday gift.

“What do you plan to look at first?”

“Hmm, first maybe things like pens or ties? I think something wearable would be good.”

“Then let’s go that way. It’s where the accessory shops are concentrated.”

“Sounds good!”

Surely if we look around all day, we’ll find something.

Just as I was about to quickly change direction, it happened.

“This is the end of the line! We’re sorry, but those who didn’t receive a number ticket, please go back!”

As the clerk rang a bell and shouted, sighs could be heard from various places.

The long line of people was for my shop.

The dessert shop ‘Jeong (情)’, with its pure white plaster tiles and luxurious wood finishing, stood out even in this flashy street.

‘I forgot that I was supposed to visit the shop once.’

Seeing my shop for the first time, it had an elegant exterior and was bustling with people.

‘Looking at the exterior design, it seems they concluded their discussions well.’

Kashar had the rights to sell desserts and alcohol, while Frigia had the design rights.

Seeing how neatly it was finished, I felt quite pleased.

“Ludvion, let’s stop by there for a moment.”

“But…”

Ludvion expressed concern seeing that the number tickets were sold out, but there was no problem.

“It’s alright. That’s my shop.”

“Pardon?”

“You’ll see when we get there.”

I pulled the confused-looking Ludvion towards the shop.

Just then, a clerk guarding the front of the shop approached me.

“I’m sorry, but today’s tickets are sold out.”

“I know. That’s why it’s ‘Oreo Choco Pie Jeong’, right?”

When I said the pre-arranged password, the employee was shocked.

“Boss…!”

“Shh, keep it down. I’m just going to look around and leave today.”

“Ah, I understand. Then please come this way.”

The surprised employee guided us to an alley.

There, a back door for employees to use was visible.

We were able to easily enter inside.

There were quite a few people inside the shop as well, but thanks to limiting the number of people, social distancing was being well maintained.

‘That area has curtains, and that one is for floor seating.’

All the stairs were made of wood, and the walls were covered with low-chroma wallpaper, giving a calm feeling.

The shop’s appearance, which I had designed mixing Eastern and Western styles appropriately, was quite satisfactory.

‘Let’s see, today happens to be a sales day.’

The shop was offering various desserts by employing patissiers from Rihart.

Among them, the choco pie, which was brought in as a ready-made product, was a special menu limited to 15 pieces per day.

‘It needs to look high-class, so the decoration should be good too.’

The choco pies were served decorated on plates made by artisans.

As I was looking around, Ludvion asked as if he couldn’t believe it.

“Is this shop really yours, my lady?”

“Yes. But it’s my first time here too. I’m glad it’s doing well.”

Although it was my first time seeing the shop, I hadn’t missed collecting the settled amounts.

‘Combined with the place selling makgeolli, it’s more than a goose that lays golden eggs.’

I fondly recalled the guaranteed checks.

“Now, let’s go back to choosing a gift.”

So money wasn’t an issue. The problem was what to buy.

Since precious items needed to be ordered in advance, what I could buy was limited.

Just as I was about to leave my shop, it happened.

“How truly rude you are!”

A sharp voice caught my attention.

Standing there was.

‘Jeiana Enders?’

It was the appearance of the number one villainess from the story.