She had not heard the exact reason from Duke Haribo.

“What business is he talking about doing with me? Medicine business?”

She recalled the man who brought up the business topic with words of interest.

“I didn’t graduate from pharmacy nor oriental medicine, so how would I know about herbs? And even if I do, I can’t guarantee that the same herbs exist in this world.”

It was Lamein who was interested in herbs, not herself.

She quickly wiped the already crossedover business from her mind and became lost in other thoughts.

“What did Lamein really use all that medicine for?”

With curiosity that wouldn’t resolve, her chest now felt suffocated.

“Lamein, tell me, huh? Where did you use all the medicine you bought?”

She asked, looking at Lamein in the mirror.

“I am you, but I don’t know your mind.”

A thin sigh flowed in succession.

“You have to tell me. I can do what you wanted, right?”

What were you thinking?

Frustrated, Lamein, who threw a question at herself in the mirror, spat out a weary laugh.

“What am I doing?”

With a deep sigh, Lamein rose from the vanity.

“I should read a book.”

And she gazed out the window as darkness began to fall, then headed for the library.

.

.

.

In the deep night when everyone was asleep.

Sarak.

With the faint sound caught in the flowing wind, blue eyes flashed in the darkness.

“I am a little late.”

Sylvia bowed her knee in courtesy before Cedric.

“You’re always late, what’s new?”

Crum. Sylvia made a small noise as she stood up.

“Begin.”

As Sylvia was about to part her lips to report to her waiting master,

“Did anything happen today at Ben’s house?”

Cedric asked, unable to wait even a second.

“Nothing special, except……”

“Except what?”

“Duke Haribo proposed a business to the madam.”

“Business? What business?”

Cedric’s eyes crinkled fearsomely.

…it’s not a love business, so calm down.

Sylvia, holding back the words, opened her mouth again.

“They were talking quietly, so I couldn’t hear the details, but it was about herbs.”

“Herbs?”

Cedric asked with a slightly calmer expression.

“Yes. And the madam gave Duke Haribo some advice.”

“What advice?”

“She was worried about Duke Haribo’s daughter’s health and…”

Sylvia recited verbatim what Lamein had told Duke Haribo.

Listening impassively, Cedric slowly nodded.

It seemed plausible that a woman who would leave her husband to rush to someone’s illness would do so.

“And?”

“They did not hear anything that was spoken in the drawing room.”

That’s the most important part.

Cedric, muttering under his breath, took a deep breath.

“Sylvia.”

With the voice of his master lowered excessively,

“Yes, sir. Tell me.”

Sylvia answered in a tense voice.

“Have you ever heard of the Myers family people?”

Sylvia thought for a moment in silence.

“Are you referring to the people who were massacred by order of the previous king?”

“Yeah.”

“I don’t know the exact details, but I have heard of them.”

Sylvia would have been young at that time.

So it was natural not to know.

“I became a little curious about those people.”

“…….”

“Find someone who knows about them as soon as possible.”

With a heavy nod, Sylvia closely observed Cedric’s face.
“Is something the matter?”

“……Perhaps not yet, but something might happen.”

Silvia sealed her lips and asked no further, feeling an eerie response.

“Make sure nobody knows I’m looking for those people.”

“Yes. I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Let’s call it a day.”

“Yes.”

Silvia, who answered briefly and boldly, quickly disappeared into the darkness.

(This is a time separator.)

The next day.

Lamein finished breakfast and returned to her room.

“Ah, I’m tired.”

Then she collapsed onto the bed.

She hadn’t slept much because she read late into the night.

Thinking she needed to sleep a bit more due to the fatigue washing over her.

Knock, knock.

“My lady.”

Jane entered the room.

“Huh? Why?”

“Lady Elina says the cake she ordered has arrived and she’ll wait in the garden.”

“Now?”

She began to wonder if she should ask to eat it later instead of now.

“Yes. The Duchess is also joining.”

But she gave up on sleep and got out of bed with the new news from Jane.

“Get ready right away.”

“Yes, my lady.”

Lamein, having quickly prepared, headed to the garden.

A bright and sunny day with the morning sun shining down.

“Lamein, come quickly.”

“Lamein, hurry up.”

The Duchess and Elina, sitting side by side at a table in front of a large tree, greeted her with bright smiles.

“I hurried over. You got here before me.”

“We just got here too. Sit down.”

She moved to the opposite side of the Duchess, who was again smiling warmly, easing people’s hearts.

“But Elina, why the sudden cake order?”

The Duchess asked as she was about to sit down.

Lamein glanced at Elina and slowly lowered herself onto the chair.

She thought she would just say she bought it because she wanted to eat it, but.

“Actually, I made Lamein angry.”

“……!”

Thanks to the straightforward Elina, she almost fell from the chair onto the floor.

“What are you talking about? You made Lamein angry?”

Mrs. Roger widened her eyes in surprise, looking back and forth between Lamein and Elina.

“It’s actually my fault….”

Elina recounted what had happened that day, without taking a breath, in front of the Duchess.

Wow……. she’s a really scary kid.

The fact that she can do that without thinking is even scarier.

“So I prepared Lamein’s favorite cake as an apology today.”

The scary kid said, smiling brightly.

“I see.”

The Duchess looked at Lamein, speaking in a calm voice.

Lamein, who had been pulling a sullen face, quickly composed herself.

Waiting for what the Duchess might say to her at that moment.

“Let’s try the cake quickly. I’ve heard that the cake here tastes quite excellent.”

The lady quickly changed the subject, smiling softly.

Lamein, who had been making eye contact, grabbed the fork in front of her with an awkward smile.

True to her words, the taste of the cake prepared by Elina was quite excellent.

Lamein didn’t participate much in the conversation, thanks to Elina’s constant talking.

Soon the plate with the cake and the teacup filled with herb tea were emptied.

‘I can go back to my room and rest now.’

As she was waiting for the sudden end of tea time.

“Ah, that’s right. I heard that the rose garden construction is finished. Shall we go see it together?”

Elina’s cheerful voice echoed through the garden.