“It seems things will progress faster than expected. Have you found anyone to help you?”

“For now, my family will help. If we need more hands later, we can look for them then.”

“Yes, that sounds good.”

“And this. It’s a book summarizing the medicines we’ve been working on.”

Mrs. Porter extended the book placed next to her toward Lamain.

“It contains much more information than what I gave you last time.”

Lamain flipped through the pages of the book she received.

The medicines they had researched over the past decade were neatly organized.

“It’s a treasure.”

“It’s a treasure yet to be revealed to the world.”

“Right.”

“Thanks to you, it will shine even more beautifully when it comes to light.”

For some reason, her heart swelled, and then a sense of melancholy followed.

“Will the world I desire come true?”

A faint smile appeared on Mrs. Porter’s lips.

“No one can guarantee the future, but nothing can be achieved without dreaming.”

“…”

“You may experience failure and frustration many times, but opportunities will come again.”

I don’t have much time left.

Softly smiling, I swallowed the words I couldn’t bring myself to say.

Mrs. Porter brought up the story of a young girl who visited them suddenly in the past.

“In the past?”

“Yes, it was about five years after the king made a cruel decision regarding our family.”

Lamain leaned in, listening carefully to her hushed voice.

“It was around the time we started researching medicines. Somehow, a young girl found us and offered to help.”

“…”

“She wanted to make medicine for sick people.”

Curiosity filled Lamain’s eyes.

“But back then, unlike now, we didn’t have much information. So, there was nothing she could do for us.”

“…”

“But she visited us every day. One day, she brought herbs, and another day, she brought plenty of food.”

Mrs. Porter’s face lit up with a subtle smile.

“But one day, she suddenly stopped coming. She didn’t say anything to us.”

Lamain blinked slowly.

“There must have been a reason she couldn’t come. We thought that way, but everyone felt disappointed. She was truly a kind-hearted girl.”

Mrs. Porter expressed regret with a sigh.

“According to my husband, she was a beautiful girl with red eyes.”

Having released her regret, she smiled gently.

“Whenever I see you, I often think of that girl. People still talk about her occasionally.”

Mrs. Porter gently wrapped her hands around Lamain’s.

“So, don’t worry.”

“…”

“Even if you don’t achieve something for us, it’s okay.”

Warmth welled up in the eyes that gazed steadily at her.
“But we will do our best.”

“…”

“So, don’t worry even more.”

Lamain blinked her eyes quickly to get rid of the moisture gathering above her pupils.

“By the way, how is your grandfather spending his time lately?”

Deciding to change the topic before the emotions intensified.

“I don’t know. He’s such a free-spirited person; I have no idea what he does wherever he goes.”

Lamain let out a small laugh at the sudden change in Mrs. Porter’s expression, like she had splashed cold water on her.

“Not long ago, he suddenly got into fishing and left the house empty for quite a while.”

“Fishing?”

“Yes. He even said it would be a big problem if he fell into the water. But he needs to listen to others.”

Tsk. Mrs. Porter, with a short tongue click, shook her head slightly.

“Still, he seems healthy. That’s fortunate.”

“Right. I’m always thankful for that.”

“I hope your grandfather is there next time I visit.”

“I can’t guarantee that; I haven’t seen him in a while.”

Behind the blunt aunt’s voice, Lamain’s pleasant laughter flowed.

Afterwards, there was a lengthy discussion about the detailed schedule for the development of the medicine.

The time when the sunset began to paint the sky beautifully.

Lamain left Mrs. Porter’s house to return to the mansion.

When she returned to the mansion, it was the beginning of the sunset.

Throughout the carriage ride back, Lamain was lost in thought.

She knew that not everything would go as planned, as Mrs. Porter said.

‘I dislike that.’

The strong desire to achieve what she wanted surged within her.

Walking down the long corridor with a sinking expression due to worries.

“Are you back now?”

Cedric was walking towards her from the opposite side.

In the space where darkness swallowed the sunset light through the window.

‘Didn’t he say he would visit the palace today?’

Her husband, who approached with a conquering posture over his perfectly proportioned body, looked unusually handsome today.

‘Is it because of the atmosphere?’

As he approached, looking only at her, the sound of her heart beating strangely intensified.

The worries that had clouded her mind for a moment became faint.

Looking at him quietly, she thought he had always been handsome.

No, it was more appropriate to say he was beautiful.

Even if she looked at him all day, she felt like she wouldn’t get tired of it.

She walked while silently gazing at her husband, who approached with open arms.

“Did you just come in too?”

Lamain, standing a step ahead, scanned her husband’s attire.

“Yes, I returned not long ago.”

Her husband’s gaze, answered with a low voice, roamed over her face as if inspecting it.

At that moment, while standing still, receiving his gaze.

Cedric reached out his arms as if asking her to take them.

Taking his arm, they walked together towards the room.

When they reached the room.

“Madam, I will prepare the bath.”

Jane, who was following them, spoke softly and left.

On a slightly warm day.

When she returned to the mansion, she had asked Jane to prepare the bath immediately.

“Shall we go inside?”
Before Lamain knew it, Cedric opened the door and said. As she released his arm, the sound of the door closing behind them echoed. And.

“……!”

Simultaneously with the sensation of a gentle pull on her waist, a warm touch settled on her nape.

She could instantly recognize that the owner of this warmth was Cedric’s lips.

“C-Cedric! That’s dirty!”

She spat out the words for a moment and immediately regretted it.

She regretted saying that her sweaty body was dirty; it was because she was afraid he might mistake it for saying his lips were dirty.

Swoosh.

A suggestive sound of sucking flesh resonated strangely pure in her ears.

“It seems you don’t dislike it.”

Fortunately, he didn’t seem to misunderstand her words.

“You always have a pleasant fragrance.”

He murmured with his lips pressed against her nape.

As the tickling sensation surged for a moment, she twisted her body, and the arm around her waist pulled her even closer.

Though she had somewhat adapted to his occasional peculiar words, ‘Something feels strange.’

She hadn’t yet accustomed herself to this peculiar intimacy.

“Cedric, I think I should probably take a bath.”

Trying to speak calmly.

“Then can I join you after you’re done?”

A difficult question came up.

While hesitating, Cedric descended his lips onto her nape once again.

Moist, moist, moist.

His lips, leaving small kisses along the slender neck, stopped at her blushing ear.

“Or should we bathe together?”