As Tien went inside, Ruela took out a wide straw hat that she had received as a quest reward from her bag and put it on. Then, while watering again, noisy hoofbeats were heard from the entrance.

When Ruela turned her head, she met the gaze of Count Gart, standing in front of the entrance.

Putting down the watering can, she sighed and walked forward to greet the uninvited guests.

“What’s going on again?”

Count Gart asked, examining Ruela’s attire with a stern look.

“What were you doing?”

“Do I have to report what I’m doing in the afternoon now? As you can see, I was watering the garden. I thought of growing summer flowers.”
Count Gart looked around the flower beds that Ruela had just watered, examining the watering can she had put down and the moisture around.

“It seems you haven’t been out today.”

“Are you joking? Didn’t your subordinates see it outside?”

Even though he looked around here and there, it was the figure of a young lady casually managing the garden. Still, why was there such suspicion?

As soon as Count Gart learned that something unusual had happened in the territory of the black dragon Asanik, he rushed straight to the Peroz Mansion.

While Duke Kuran seemed to dispel suspicions about these people, Count Gart remained uneasy.

Since those who had already captured Asanik would have left even if the observers came, he came directly to the mansion to confirm the suspicious individuals.

However, as if to say that his suspicion was wrong, Ruela Lominin was calmly watering the garden.

In the gaze that seemed to be about to turn away, he noticed that all the curtains in the mansion were tightly closed.

It was June, early summer. Although the full heat had not yet begun, it was abnormal to close the windows tightly and even draw the curtains on such a sunny day.

“While I’m here, I should greet Duke Fairmont. Since no one seems to be out, naturally, he should be inside, right?”

However, Count Gart did not seem to have the intention to leave just like that.

If he hesitated here, it was clear that only suspicion would grow.
Ruela deliberately made a displeased expression as she walked to the entrance and opened the door.

“Miss, please close the door quickly. It’s not supposed to be exposed to sunlight.”

Responding to Emma’s scolding, Ruela gestured for Count Gart to come in quickly, and she closed the door so that others couldn’t enter.

“What in the world!”

Count Gart made a bewildered expression at the delicious smell permeating his nostrils.

In the hall, thinly sliced chunks of meat were laid out here and there.

“I’m making ham. Emma’s secret method says that after leaving it indoors for about an hour, blocking wind and sunlight, and then drying it in a cool and shady place for a week, it becomes delicious ham.”

It was a story made up on the spot.

Ruela actually didn’t know how to make ham. However, since Count Gart wouldn’t know either, it didn’t matter much.

Emma probably hastily brought out the ham to eliminate the smell of monsters left in the hall.

Perhaps the windows were closed to prevent the sound of bustling from leaking out.

Through the open restaurant door, the smell of stew wafted out.

Looking inside, Meg was boiling stew on the stove.

“Oh, I woke up because of the delicious smell. Emma, what’s all this… huh? Isn’t that Count Gart?”

Hazen yawned as he came down and, upon seeing Count Gart, widened his eyes in surprise.
Looking at the disheveled hair, pajamas, and the gown thrown on top, it was evident how hastily they had washed up.

“You stopped by while passing by. It’s not like we’re close friends. You want to meet Kite,” Ruela said.

Count Gart, in response to Ruela’s words, awkwardly smiled and spoke, “I have something to ask about the trade items negotiated this time. The Duke wanted me to find out when he could expect the goods from Elabro.”

It seemed like an excuse was quickly concocted.

Hazen sighed as he looked up at the upper floor, seeming annoyed.

“Kite should be in the third-floor office. Should I tell him to come down? He might be busy…”

“The third-floor office?”

Count Gart looked puzzled, and as he tilted his head, Hazen laughed.

“Oh, our mansion, as you can see, is tightly managed by the ladies. Since the first floor is used for various purposes, we’ve all been chased to the third floor. We rarely use the first-floor office unless we’re receiving guests.”

“I see.”

“Oh, and regarding the trade items, I can answer that. I’m currently finishing up the final paperwork. If everything goes as planned, we’ll deliver to Elabro this afternoon, and if that happens, the first batch of goods will arrive within one to three days.”

Having received an answer to his inquiry, Count Gart couldn’t hold back any longer. However, he couldn’t shake the suspicion that Hazen might be intentionally preventing him from meeting Duke Fairmont.
It was a moment of contemplation, considering whether to straightforwardly express his suspicions and ask to meet the Duke. At that moment, a familiar voice from above caught his ear.

“Who’s there?”

As he raised his head, Duke Fairmont was coming down from the second floor.

Immaculately dressed and groomed, the Duke, without a single strand of hair out of place, descended to the first floor and handed a document to Hazen.

“These are the documents to be sent to Elabro. Go and deliver them.”