Returning early in the morning, Akia instructed to prepare for a journey right away.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m planning to return to Duke Belarus. There are still things to be resolved.”

It seemed like he was heading straight back to the capital. But before that, he seemed to have the intention of meeting Duke Belarus. As the carriage, which had been running for a while, entered the Belarus mansion, the butler, Barton, came out to greet them.

Bowing deeply at the two getting off the carriage, Barton greeted with respect.

“Welcome back, Your Grace. Duke Belarus is waiting inside. Eddy, guide His Grace.”

“Yes. My lord, this way, please.”

Then, a servant who was next to the butler came forward and guided them. The Duke turned back to Lea as he walked towards the mansion.

“You rest in your room. I have some matters to discuss with the Duke.”

“Yes, of course.”

As the Duke disappeared into the mansion, Barton swiftly approached Lea.

“It must have been a challenging journey. Allow me to guide you to your room. Please follow me.”

“Yes? Thank you.”

Naturally, Lea thought that Barton would guide the Duke. But the butler entrusted the Duke’s guidance to the servant and took charge of guiding Lea himself.

‘What’s going on?’

Since the last time, Lea had felt it, but Barton was exceptionally kind to her, a commoner. With a puzzled look, Lea entered the mansion.

As she walked through the mansion, she suddenly remembered the dress she had borrowed from the butler. It was a dress that had become a mess during the mine collapse.

“Butler. I have something to say…”

Calling the butler with a determined voice, Barton stopped in his tracks.

“Is there any problem?”

The butler’s face, looking at her, was filled with excessive concern. Seeing such a worried expression on the butler’s face, Lea hesitated to say that the dress had been ruined.

‘It looked quite expensive…’

Before leaving for the mine, Barton had lent her several dresses that were lively in design. The colors may have faded a bit, but the fabrics and decorations of each dress were all luxurious.

With a gloomy face, Lea took the dress out of her bag. The dress was so damaged that its form couldn’t be recognized.

“I’m sorry. The dress you lent me got completely ruined. It must have been an expensive dress, but I don’t know what to say. I will certainly compensate…”

“Haha, no. It’s okay.”

“What? Really?”

Looking at the butler who laughed heartily, Lea’s eyes widened.

She had intended to offer compensation right away. However, the butler, with a face that didn’t mind at all, smiled broadly at Lea.

“Yes. It’s just an old dress. Don’t worry about it.”

Such an attitude from the butler left Lea bewildered. When she muttered to herself that she had ruined the dress, Barton, with an affectionate gaze, looked at Lea, who was holding the damaged dress.

Lea was taken aback by his gaze, full of longing.

It was at that moment when she was contemplating it alone. The butler, who had been observing her for a while, quietly added.

“Moreover, it suits you very well.”

“What?”

“I mean this dress.”

Lea looked down at the dress she was wearing. The modest deep olive-colored dress went quite well with Lea’s red hair.

“Thank you. But it seems like the owner of this dress had a similar body type to mine. It fits me like tailored clothing.”

Even if it was a dress tightened with a corset, dresses were originally custom-made. Especially in the case of designs that snugly fit the waist, if it wasn’t her size, it would feel awkward.

‘It fits me as if it were my size.’
Since I borrowed clothes from the butler some time ago, I found it strange. In response to her words, the butler’s expression subtly changed, and he mumbled.

“Yes, it can’t be helped.”

Although Lea didn’t hear the butler’s mumble.

As Akia entered the study, Duke Belarus, with neatly combed red hair, stood up from his seat.

Duke Belarus welcomed Akia, who walked in.

“It’s been a while, Duke Heidern.”

Smiling with a friendly face, Duke Belarus’s pupils flickered subtly.

‘Duke Heidern returned alive and changed.’

Even though it was a northern region far from the capital, Duke Belarus had long heard rumors about Akia.

As if trying to find the answer to those rumors, Duke Belarus’s eyes, filled with a searching gaze, swept over Akia.

“Duke Belarus also seems to be in good health.”

At the low voice that reverberated in his ears, Dimitri’s eyes widened.

It had been more than a decade since Duke Heidern lost his voice. The dignity felt in the unfamiliar voice overwhelmed Duke Belarus.

“It seems the rumors of you recovering were true.”

Duke Belarus led him to the seat with a meaningless smile.

“Sit down for now. Did you resolve the issue at the salt mine? Honestly, I replied to Her Majesty that you didn’t have to come all the way here.”

As Akia sat down, a teacup with steam rising was placed in front of him. Duke Belarus continued nonchalantly.