It was certain that Teo’s naive face would be blushing red even if it couldn’t be seen. Akiya cut off Teo’s words as if it was too hard to continue listening.

“So, what is it that you want to say.”

“Well……. That is, I’ve been having a worry recently.”

“Your worry?”

“No, no! It’s a worry of a close friend of mine. Ah, I misspoke.”

Akiya felt like he already knew what the worry was about even before hearing it.

‘A story about a close friend.’ The common repertoire.

There was never a worry that started with those words that was truly about a friend.

“That friend likes his childhood friend, you see. A friend he grew up with like siblings from a really young age. He says that the girl doesn’t seem to see him as the opposite sex at all……. ”

Akiya could only laugh bitterly at the situation. It was obvious that the childhood friend was Lea.

‘So that’s why he’s been excessively attentive.’

He scrunched his eyebrows as if he found something irksome. However, Teo, who had no way of knowing the Count’s state of mind, continued his story.

“Should I confess my feelings to her? Or should I take more time and slowly approach her? Ah, but the childhood friend got a job in a distant city so we can’t meet often.”

It seemed Teo hadn’t noticed that he said ‘my feelings.’

“So, what I wanted to say is.”

Teo hesitated, unable to finish his sentence. Akiya had a bad feeling from Teo’s hesitation.

“Don’t tell me, you’re not thinking about doing something oldfashioned like a proposal, right?”

“Th, that’s correct……. I want to confess my feelings on this occasion. If she accepts, I’m also considering going to the territory where she works! Ah, no. My friend is. Haha.”

As expected. Upon hearing the expected words, Akiya twisted his lips.

A proposal, huh. If she accepts, are you going to get married and start a household in the Heidern territory?

‘It’s outrageous.’

The more he thought about it, the more absurd it was.

Although he hadn’t personally experienced dating, he could at least give advice. But he had no intention of giving a proper counseling.

‘What to do.’

He spoke after considering his answer for a moment.

“I know how to woo a woman.”

“Wh, what?”

“First, try to stay out of sight as much as possible.”

“Eh?”

Teo seemed surprised by the unexpected response. Before the young man could even question, Akiya continued his words.

“If you stand out too much, it’s bound to get annoying. So, it’s better to stay out of sight as much as possible. Then, something like fondness might develop, maybe?”

“If that’s the case, since I’m already out of sight, I’ve half succeeded!”

To Akiya’s madeup advice, Teo seemed as cheerful as can be.
“Indeed. And women do not like men who only focus on one woman.”

“Wha?!”

“They prefer men who have had experiences with various women. They despise novices. So, show yourself being friendly with as many women in the village as possible.”

Only then did Teo tilt his head as if he was somewhat hesitant. Akkia, seeing Teo like that, asked him a question while gazing at him with her narrowly squinted eyes.

“Hmm… Are you talking about Lea?”

Teo was surprised by this unexpected question and jumped up.

“How, how did you know!”

“How could I not know? It was written all over your face.”

Although it was dark, it was still clear that Teo’s face was flushing.

“Yes, that’s right. I actually like Lea.”

Then he blabbered on for more than ten minutes about why he started to like Lea. The count, who was letting the words go in one ear and out the other, sighed with pity.

“But what to do about it.”

“Why, why?”

“From what I know, Lea has a man she meets in the Heidern estate.”

“….What?!”

Perhaps shocked, Teo’s voice began to tremble. It was a pitiful sight, but Akkia’s mouth didn’t seem to want to stop.

“The two seemed quite compatible, don’t you think? He’s a good guy. He seems capable enough to take responsibility for Lea.”

He had no idea he was so good at lying.

As he spoke, Teo’s shoulders sagged more and more.

“I had no idea….”

Feeling slightly guilty seeing him on the verge of tears, Akkia got up and patted his shoulders.

“There are plenty of women in the world, so don’t be too disappointed. You’ll meet a good match someday.”

She swallowed the words ‘but that won’t be Lea.’

[This is the time divider.]

A dark night. Akkia, who couldn’t sleep, was walking around the garden.

After providing notsocomforting words to Teo for over an hour, her sleepiness had long disappeared. Briefly closing her eyes, she remembered the moment she left the mansion.

[I did as you commanded and told the maid that the count is sick with the flu. Conveniently, Bayern was on vacation, so there would be no one entering the count’s bedroom among the house staff.] [Good job. Please work hard in my stead.]

By chance, this was the time Bayern regularly went on vacation.

Not just the butler, but a few of the house staff also had their vacation. It was the perfect time for him to leave the mansion quietly.

But that didn’t mean he could leave his room empty. He instructed his subordinate to stay in his room pretending to be him.

No house staff would dare to enter the count’s bedroom without permission. He was severely sick with the flu, so his bedroom was effectively isolated.

[Why on earth are you leaving?]

He could not forget the look on his subordinate’s face when he suddenly announced his unofficial visit to Tren.

‘The reason….’

In fact, even Akkia couldn’t rationalize this impulsive decision. When Lea said she was going on vacation to Tren, he made the decision as if he was bewitched.

‘It wasn’t like me.’

It was like his first transgression. As he was walking around the garden, engrossed in his thoughts,

“Count?”

A familiar voice stopped his steps.