“M-Mother! Father!”

As the carriage carrying Jane and Cain arrived at Somnium House, Joseph stomped his feet impatiently.

Joseph rushed towards Jane as if to embrace her as soon as she alighted, but stopped when he saw Cain.

“Th-The, the g-goddess’s…”

Jane jabbed Cain in the side.

“You can skip the greeting.”

Joseph’s face brightened at the permission to hug Jane. The child immediately clung to the hem of Jane’s dress.

“M-Mother, d-did you have fun? What did you see?”

“It was really fun. I saw an enormous train station.”

“D-Did you ride a train? It’s super fun!”

“Unfortunately, we didn’t get to ride one this time. Shall we ride together next time?”

Joseph nodded enthusiastically. Jane lifted Joseph into her arms. Then Cain swiftly snatched the child away.

Joseph and Jane looked at him with bewildered expressions, and Cain shrugged.

“Heavy.”

Joseph squirmed in Cain’s arms and lightly protested, “I’m not heavy,” but was ignored.

“Welcome back, my lady, my lord.”

As if they had been waiting for the family reunion to end, Mary and Norbert greeted them.

“Was everything alright?”

Cain entered the foyer of Somnium House while holding Joseph.

“The troubles were what you and the lady experienced, weren’t they?”

Mary’s eyebrows drooped. She looked about to burst into tears, so Cain cupped the back of Joseph’s head and pressed it down to his shoulder.

There was no need for the child to see and hear unnecessary things.

Moreover, it was surprising that everyone seemed to know about the incident in Delphion.

It seems Nathan controlled the outside public opinion well, but didn’t have the capacity to handle the internal matters.

It would be troublesome if it spread here as well.

“After dinner, you must rest without exception, understood? I’ve even had a doctor on standby just in case. Pudica has also prepared lots of food that’s good for your health.”

As expected.

Cain felt burdened by Mary’s affectionate concern.

“Mary, I haven’t even unpacked yet.”

It seemed Jane felt the same, as she stepped in to stop Mary’s nagging.

When Cain turned to look at her gratefully, Jane smiled shyly.

For a moment, Cain’s arm holding Joseph tightened.

Was Jane always this beautiful?

He had always known she was pretty, but just now Jane shone far beyond his usual assessment.

It’s unlikely Jane’s appearance changed in just a few days, so it must be a reaction caused by the change in his own heart.

Cain’s mouth went dry.

“Joseph, can you walk on your own now?”

Cain asked only when they reached the second floor.

“Yes!”

Cain set Joseph down and said to Jane.

“I’ll see you at dinner.”

“Are you going to work again?”

While work was part of it, avoiding her was the bigger purpose. Cain turned away without answering.

Jane watched Cain’s back sadly as he headed to his office.

Then she looked down at the warm sensation in her hand. Joseph was tugging on Jane’s hand.

“M-Mother, t-tell me about your trip!”

Jane smiled awkwardly. There wasn’t a single story from this trip that she could tell Joseph.

The historical explosion, being investigated at the security office, and the subsequent hotel stay with Cain were all inappropriate for a child’s level.

She could tell him about dating Cain, but Jane found that embarrassing.

So Jane suggested something else.

“How about we open your presents? I bought lots.”

“F-For me?”

“Of course for our Joseph!”

Among them were Jane’s souvenirs as well.

A Princess Secret doll.

Jane recalled Cain’s uncomfortable expression as he entered the all-pink store.

Laughter kept escaping through Jane’s teeth.

* * *

As if the passionate night at the hotel had been a lie, Cain hardly sought out Jane after returning from Delphion.

The twice-weekly marital relations clause had already become useless, so it wasn’t a problem that he didn’t come at night.

However, she was worried.

“Is Cain not coming home again today?”

Jane closed the documents after giving Norbert instructions related to the duchy’s relief efforts.

In the few days she had been away on vacation, Jane’s work had piled up considerably.

Having to put everything back in order, including the areas Burnett had touched, made every minute precious.

If she was like this, Cain must be even worse.

“We haven’t received any contact yet. Shall I reach out?”

“No, it’s fine. But did he often not come home before?”

The ‘before’ Jane referred to was before she came to Somnium House as the future duchess.

During her stay here, she had never gone this long without seeing him.

Even when he was busy right before the wedding preparations, they had at least eaten together once.

“Yes, it was common.”

He must really have a lot of work. I wonder if his body can handle it.

“Are you worried?”

“Huh? No!”

Jane quickly shook her head. She suddenly began tidying up the documents on the table. Watching her busy hands, Norbert smiled slightly and checked the time.

“He should be at Hays Company. Come to think of it, I heard he requested evening snacks to be sent…”

“Those need to be delivered, right?”

Jane was quick on the uptake.

“I’ll go.”

“I’ll prepare it right away.”

After Norbert left, Jane also prepared to go out.

And 30 minutes later, Norbert knocked on Jane’s door.

“It’s ready, my lady.”

“I’m coming.”

Jane called out, stretching her neck, and checked her appearance in the mirror.

She wore a light green dress and had her hair tied up in a single knot.

Finally, she put on modest ruby earrings, carefully styled to look neither overly done up nor careless.

“Not bad.”

Jane smiled satisfactorily at her reflection in the mirror and hurriedly went outside.

As she boarded the carriage, Norbert placed the snack basket next to Jane’s seat.

“Have a safe trip.”

After Norbert closed the carriage door, Jane tapped on the carriage wall.

“To Hays Company, please.”

The coachman announced loudly and cracked his whip. The carriage moved forward vigorously.

* * *

Cain rubbed his heavy nose bridge. As Jane had guessed, Cain was in the midst of a hectic schedule dealing with Hays Company matters.

“Why don’t you take a break?”

Nathan, feeling sympathetic, brought over some strongly brewed tea.

“Are you telling me to rest or to work more?”

Cain grumbled, not quite complaining, as he drank the tea full of sleep-chasing ingredients.

“Please don’t misunderstand my intentions. If you rest, I can rest too.”

Nathan showed a cup with the same tea and returned to his place.

There’s enough time to drink a cup of tea.

You need to rest that much to have the strength for the next task.

Cain left his desk, trying not to think about work at all.

He opened the door, intending to take a short walk, but coincidentally, there was a visitor at the door.

“You’re not here to pick me up, are you?”

Vincent removed his fedora and tucked it under his arm.

“What brings you here at this hour? Especially at this time.”

Night was when Vincent, the owner of a gentlemen’s club, was busiest.

“I have something important to tell you.”

Vincent’s expression was quite serious.

“Come in.”

Vincent entered through the space Cain made. Cain also checked if there was anyone in the hallway.

Thanks to employees who strictly followed the boss’s order to leave work on time, there was no sign of life in the building.

After closing the door, as Cain returned to his seat, Nathan said,

“It must be important. Otherwise, you’ll have to work overtime instead of me.”

It was Nathan’s pointed joke about having his barely gained break time interrupted.

Even with that joke, Vincent’s expression didn’t lighten. The atmosphere grew heavier as someone usually full of laughter didn’t smile.

Cain tapped the table as he set down his teacup. At the gesture to report without delay, Vincent cleared his throat.

“Rose petals are fluttering in the gentlemen’s club.”

“We’re alone, so speak comfortably.”

“Yes, Your Grace. Rose Party members have been frequenting the gentlemen’s club recently.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. I even confirmed them entering the Rose Party building you mentioned last time.”

Cain stroked his chin.

“At first, I thought they were ordinary nobles who liked alcohol and cards. But they weren’t. They were saying strange things.”

“What kind of things?”

Cain tilted his head.

“It was about the duchess. They said the duchess was providing information to the Rose Party. And…”

Vincent studied Cain’s expression.

“What is it, why do you stop talking in the middle, making me nervous?”

Nathan was more impatient than Cain.

“Speak comfortably.”

“There are rumors that Your Grace is wrapped around the duchess’s little finger and unable to make rational judgments.”

Vincent could only finish speaking after taking a breath, facing Cain’s increasingly cold gaze.

Silence settled in the office.

Nathan and Vincent watched Cain’s reaction. He stared somewhere into space with a calm expression.

As the silence lengthened, Vincent let out a long sigh and opened his mouth.

“Your Grace, the duchess needs to make her position clear.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“The duchess needs to draw a line, stating she has no connection to the Rose Party. Directly. If not, rumors will spread like wildfire.”

“So, what kind of rumors?”

Vincent hesitated and studied Cain’s expression.

Was Cain really asking because he didn’t know? Or was he expressing his displeasure with the situation through questions?

“Rumors that I’ve gone mad over a woman and don’t know anything, be it my parents or whatever?”

It seems he doesn’t like this situation.

“Or what, rumors that I’m planning a rebellion?”

Vincent’s face became miserable.

Nathan was startled.

“Surely not? Ah, surely… Is it true?”

Ignoring Nathan’s dramatic reaction, Vincent said,

“We can correct this. The duchess just needs to cooperate in catching the Rose Party.”

“Jane is off-limits.”

Cain drew a firm line.

“Your Grace, please reconsider. What if these rumors reach the weasel? It will be a real mess.”

Nathan tried to persuade Cain, but Cain didn’t even raise an eyebrow.

Rather, he leisurely drank his tea as if it were a pleasant tea time.

It’s only me who’s burning up inside.

Nathan thumped his chest as if frustrated.

Then, Vincent asked,

“Have your feelings for the duchess changed?”

Cain’s hand holding the teacup paused for a moment.