“Wait a moment.”

Cain excused himself to Jane and took Nathan to a corner.

“Tell me the details.”

“I dropped Jessie off in the city a few days ago. I confirmed that she entered and exited a tavern after that. She went in alone and came out with some bear-like man.”

“I’m not interested in Jessie’s personal life. Keep it short.”

Cain tapped his watch.

“Yes. Her whereabouts have been unknown since she entered the inn.”

“You must have checked if she’s still staying at the inn.”

Nathan nodded.

“Did you look into that man? Any possibility he’s involved in a crime?”

“That’s the thing.”

Nathan handed over a note from his pocket. It was a note scribbled on a torn corner of a newspaper. After checking the contents, Cain snorted.

“If you want to meet Jessie, pay the money?”

It was a common hostage threat.

“What should we do?”

“Ignore it.”

Cain answered without hesitation.

“Should we try tracking them?”

“No. Forget about tracking too.”

“That woman could be in danger.”

That’s what Cain wanted. Nothing could be better if he could get rid of her without dirtying his own hands.

‘But she’s the child’s mother.’

However, Joseph was a concern. But he soon shook off the uncomfortable feeling.

He recalled what Jane had told him on the day he met Jessie.

Jessie was a mother who would be better off not existing for Joseph as well. If something bad happened to Jessie, he could just say she took money and went on a long trip.

It might be cruel, but it couldn’t be helped. It was to protect his family.

“Don’t worry about that side.”

Cain headed for the carriage, saying he had nothing more to say. The corners of Nathan’s mouth curved up.

He had been secretly worried that Cain would tell him to find Jessie or give her money. Because Nathan also hated Jessie very much.

He couldn’t stop her from coming of her own accord, but he didn’t want to find her himself.

Nathan was very pleased with Cain’s choice.

While Nathan was grinning, the carriage carrying Cain departed.

“I’m coming with you, Your Excellency!”

Nathan hurriedly mounted his horse.

Haley took note of the scene.

The day after Jane went on a secret outing and returned, Haley received a strange order from her.

It was a request to listen and report back if she could hear what Cain was doing when Jane wasn’t around. Jane also added that Haley should never intervene in dangerous situations.

Haley was puzzled but accepted Jane’s order.

Although there wasn’t a big age gap, Haley respected Jane as an adult she could trust and follow. She wanted to serve her for as long as possible.

So Haley vowed to do her very best.

But opportunities to prove herself were few and far between. As Jane’s attendant, it was extremely rare for her to encounter Cain separately. She was worried she would disappoint Jane at this rate.

That’s when she overheard the conversation between Nathan and Cain.

It was about Jessie, who had appeared at Somnium House a few days ago and turned the household upside down.

Haley’s heart raced at the thought of delivering news about the woman they were forbidden to even curse about by Mary and Norbert.

Haley prayed for Jane to return quickly.

* * *

The carriage stopped in front of a small forest. Today’s boating location was the lake that Jane and Cain had passed by on their first date.

“We’ll have to walk a bit to the lake. Will that be alright?”

Jane asked Joseph.

“Y-Yes, I love walks!”

Joseph answered vigorously. Jane gave the child’s head a big pat.

“B-By the way, where’s the boat? A-And our p-picnic basket?”

Joseph asked as they walked side by side.

“The boat is at the lake. I had the picnic basket moved early in the morning.”

“H-How did you move the boat? I-Is it small? C-Can we all fit?”

Joseph had many questions. Jane calmly explained one by one.

That the boat was originally tied up by the lake. But an awning was installed to block the scorching sun. Things like the mat, snacks for Joseph, food, etc. had already been moved.

It was thanks to the servants who had been busy since dawn. It was also thanks to Cain ordering them to prepare in advance so Jane wouldn’t have to worry.

“E-Everyone must have been busy in the m-morning. I was s-sleeping.”

Joseph looked dejected. He seemed to be bothered by the fact that many people had worked hard for his enjoyment.

It was a truly kind heart. A precious heart that children born and raised as nobles could not easily possess.

“That’s what they’re there for, ugh.”

Cain tried to teach the child from an extremely aristocratic perspective. Jane quickly elbowed him in the side.

“F-Father, are you hurt somewhere?”

Joseph’s eyes grew as big as a rabbit’s. Jane stood as if shielding Cain, who had a pained expression, and bent her waist.

Meeting Joseph’s eye level, Jane said,

“Joseph, everyone has been working for you since morning. Isn’t that wonderful? So you can play to your heart’s content. And later, when you meet people, explain to them what happened today. It would be even better to say thank you.”

Relationships can go awry if you take things for granted.

In fact, there’s nothing in the world that should be taken for granted.

Jane only realized that after hitting rock bottom.

And she had to struggle a lot to realize that fact.

She also learned that the moment you express gratitude for the ordinary, the world becomes a little bit easier to live in.

It was the principle of getting extras whenever you thanked the fruit vendor.

“Yes! I’ll make sure to say that! For sure!”

Joseph ran off excitedly. He had been twisting his body for a while, so he must have wanted to run.

Jane and Cain smiled as they watched Joseph running busily on his short legs.

“Are you going to run too?”

Cain looked at Jane.

When he was young, he used to run a lot. He would run barefoot on the grass and run around in the rain like a puppy.

Reminded of the memories, Cain impulsively suggested,

“A running race?”

Jane moved with a dull expression on her face.

“What running race? I’m wearing shoes.”

“Right. I was just saying.”

The end of Cain’s voice was a little blurred. Cain stopped and sorted out his excited feelings.

In the meantime, Jane steadily moved her steps and got quite far from Cain.

“Cain!”

Suddenly, Jane turned around and called Cain with all her might. She raised both hands high and waved them. In her hands were her shoes.

“Let’s start. If you lose, grant my wish as always.”

Jane ran. It was a sneaky move to overcome her physical disadvantage.

Even so, Jane wasn’t confident she could beat Cain.

Still, she ran hard until she was out of breath. The cool breeze brushed past her cheeks.

When was the last time she ran so joyfully?

Except for the times when debt collectors were chasing her after turning twenty, it was the first time.

The corners of Jane’s mouth naturally curved upwards.

“Huh? M-Mother?”

Jane caught up with Joseph, who had run ahead.

“Joseph, it’s a running race, ha, run faster!”

Joseph floundered and increased his speed. Seeing Jane in front and Cain close behind, Joseph made a tearful face.

“Joseph, you and I are on the same team.”

Cain, who had already narrowed the distance, picked up Joseph with a swoosh.

“I won’t let you off easy just because you’re carrying Joseph!”

Jane, who realized the situation behind, shouted.

“I don’t care.”

Cain was calm even as he ran while holding Joseph.

“F-Father, faster. Faster!”

The child’s competitive spirit was ignited.

Cain felt a little sorry for Joseph.

Cain had never won a single running race against Jane.

Today’s result would be no different.

* * *

“Water.”

Cain held out a water bottle to Jane, who was sitting in the cool shade.

Jane had washed her feet with the help of a servant, changed her socks, and was resting.

The impromptu running race was fun but left her uncomfortable in many ways.

The servant had also offered to fix her hair, so she had inconvenienced several people.

“Where’s Joseph?”

Jane took the water bottle, huffing and puffing.

“He’s looking at the boat.”

In the direction Cain stepped aside, Joseph was trying to hang onto the boat while Nash tried to stop him.

“A child’s stamina is unbeatable.”

“There’s a saying. ‘Only a child can beat a puppy in stamina.’ It’s really amazing.”

“Hmm, we’ll have to add one more person.”

Jane drank the water and handed the bottle back to Cain.

Cain said, “Huh?” and drank the water. His Adam’s apple moved up and down refreshingly.

The gently blowing wind, his golden hair shimmering…

Cain created a scenery even more splendid than the lake.

Jane hurriedly averted her gaze, worried that her heart would waver like the wind-swept surface of the lake.

Then she said,

“There’s one more person who can beat a puppy in stamina, you know.”

“Who is it?”

Instead of answering, Jane sent a glance.