The unchanging daily routine continued. The scent of spring breeze carried by the wind grew a bit stronger, and Emilia’s expression seemed somewhat lighter as she headed to Duke Michele’s mansion after ballet practice, but everything else remained similar.

Previously, she would have thought at least once about not wanting to go to the duke’s mansion, but now her face was slightly flushed, perhaps because she had a new goal of seeing the items her parents left behind.

Enrico also seemed unchanged. The last night in Bakota was a bit strange, whether it was really due to the poison making him lose his senses, but now he appeared to be interested only in her dancing as before. He only glanced at her when the ballet started and left without lingering as soon as it ended.

Emilia stared at the empty chair for a moment while catching her breath. She felt a strange feeling somehow.

At best, they had been in a relationship where she was treated as an art piece rather than just an object, but it seemed they had been together too long in Bakota. Unless his poison had somehow rubbed off on her, she wouldn’t feel this momentary emptiness inside.

‘Am I just tired?’

She should quickly wash up and go back to rest. Ah, but she also needed to look at the box brought from Bakota. Emilia finished preparing to leave and approached the butler waiting in the corridor.

“The master is waiting for you in the dining room.”

“Ah…”

Hearing those words made her feel a bit better about the emptiness inside. Was it because she was hungry? Just the thought of eating seemed to fill her up a bit. Emilia nodded and followed the butler towards the dining room.

Enrico didn’t even glance at Emilia as she entered. There was no chance to talk to him due to the food being served as soon as she sat down. Was she just going to eat and go home like this? Her stomach was gradually filling up, but she felt increasingly bloated somehow.

‘Still, I should ask what I need to ask. I came here to ask about the box in the first place.’

As the meal ended and Enrico picked up his wine glass as usual, Emilia cautiously opened her mouth.

“Your Grace, where can I see the box from Bakota?”

“Ask the butler on your way out.”

“Ah… Yes.”

It felt like a coldly delivered answer. Was it just her imagination that the atmosphere had changed a bit? Emilia gave a small reply and unnecessarily looked down at the dessert plate in front of her. She felt completely stuffy inside.

Perhaps she was having indigestion, or maybe she could look at the box before leaving today – she was lost in her own thoughts when…

“Instead, look at the box when you come back after work tomorrow.”

Enrico said as he put down his wine glass. At his words that seemed to pierce through her thoughts, she blinked her eyes rapidly.

“Tomorrow?”

“Yes. If you’re thinking of staying overnight, you can look before you leave.”

“…No! I’ll come to see it tomorrow.”

Though his tone was still indifferent, somehow the chilly atmosphere seemed to have dissipated a bit. He was certainly a willful person, but was he always this much so? But…

‘Why am I being so mindful of his mood?’

She found it even stranger that she was constantly aware of him throughout her time at the duke’s mansion. Originally, her purpose was just to receive information regardless of what he said, but since when did she know Enrico so well? Her brows furrowed slightly at this belated realization.

“Do you dislike it that much?”

“Pardon?”

“Your expression looks unpleasant.”

“Ah… That’s not it.”

Yet the one speaking also looked displeased. With the atmosphere suddenly turning cold again, she thought today was really unpredictable.

Emilia, now somewhat aware that once he caught onto something, it would become tiring, quickly racked her brain.

“I was reminded of the masked men who attacked in Bakota. I was wondering if I could ask what happened to them…”

Now that she said it, she was genuinely curious. It was her first time seeing so many masked men, and her first time witnessing a real fight that she had only seen in plays before.

Emilia unconsciously looked at the arm where Enrico had been injured. With a poisoned blade, it shouldn’t heal quickly, yet he was using his arm too normally.

‘Or not. Come to think of it, he was holding the wine glass with his left hand.’

Thanks to having eaten a decent meal, she could tell he was right-handed. Whether wine or cigarettes, that was the hand he mainly used.

“We did bring back one intact, but he committed suicide by taking poison.”

“Poison? Oh my…”

Emilia covered her mouth with both hands, her eyes wide open. It sent chills down her spine, reminding her of assassins she had only read about in novels. To even commit suicide, were they hiding something? She was at a loss for words at the surreal situation.

In Bakota, she had been distracted by not only the sudden attack but also Enrico’s strange atmosphere, but now looking back, the situation seemed newly serious. It was fortunate that he fought well; otherwise, she might have found him collapsed and bleeding in her own mansion. A chill ran down her spine for a moment.

“…Ha, it’s surprising that in this day and age, there are people who would send a group of assassins.”

“They must have targeted me when I was alone. This mansion is difficult to approach.”

She had thought he was just living a carefree life, but there seemed to be more than meets the eye. She had believed that as a superior and powerful high noble, no one would dare touch him, but perhaps having so much meant having many enemies?

But even though his personality wasn’t great, she never imagined someone who quietly devoted himself to art could be in such a predicament.

“…Are you alright where you were injured? And please don’t go out alone from now on. You should be careful.”

Emilia lowered her hands slowly and spoke seriously. At her grave expression, Enrico tilted his head slightly. A strange light passed through his purple eyes that had been indifferent until now.

“Are you worried about me?”

He raised an eyebrow as if finding it amusing.

“That’s unexpected. If I die, the contract would be automatically terminated. Wouldn’t that be good for you?”

Her eyes narrowed. She was about to open her mouth, seemingly displeased at having her sincerity denied, but his additional words were faster.

“Ah. Are you worried that the investigation might stop?”

“No matter how urgent the investigation is, it’s not more important than a person’s life!”

The words she had hesitated to say burst out. Emilia trembled her lower lip, unable to hide her agitation. He fell silent at the sight of her eyes suddenly turning red. No, it would be more accurate to say he couldn’t react at all. His mouth opened slightly at her jade-colored eyes filled with sincerity.

“…So please don’t get hurt.”

Emilia gazed intently into his eyes as if admonishing him, then removed the napkin she had placed on her skirt.

“It’s gotten quite late. I’ll be taking my leave now.”

Before he could answer, she had already turned her back. He might have said something as she quickly left the dining room, but his gaze remained fixed on the chair where she had just been sitting.

Silence filled the air. Enrico’s eyes were slightly unfocused, as if confused. He was intrigued by the unfamiliar emotion but was annoyed by her constantly planting confusion in him like apple trees, so he had intended to observe the situation for a while.

But unexpectedly, it felt like the fruit had suddenly ripened. A fruit he neither particularly liked nor wanted.

Enrico stared at the empty seat for a long time. Until Emilia had returned home.

This week somehow felt like it was passing by quickly. It was already the day of the [Cinderella] audition. Or was it because she hadn’t been to the duke’s mansion since that day?

On the day she went to check the box brought from Bakota, Enrico wasn’t at the mansion. She didn’t know why she had assumed he would be there, but she felt it was just as well, feeling a bit embarrassed about getting worked up telling him not to get hurt.

‘Miss Emilia, I will check the box and separate the contents, so how about you review them then?’

‘You will, butler?’

‘I’m worried it might be too much for you to organize alone, and it could be taxing on your health to do this late into the night.’

‘Ah…’

‘And the Duke said you don’t need to come this week, and to focus on preparing well for the audition.’

When the butler who had quietly followed her relayed Enrico’s message, she felt a bit unpleasant at first, but then conflicted at the last part.

She thought it was too arbitrary to cancel the schedule just like that despite the contract, but mentioning the audition made it seem like encouragement to focus.

‘…He did tell me to take the lead role. That must be why.’

Emilia jumped in place a few times as if to shake off her wandering thoughts.

At first, when the butler said he would separate the items in the box, she thought she should do it herself, but then realized that if she did, she wouldn’t be able to properly prepare for the audition, and she might not finish organizing the box this week and end up still checking it next week.

‘He said he’s separated everything, but tomorrow is Sunday so it might be awkward to go? Should I go on Monday?’

Soon the judges entered, and the dancers waited for their turn. The chair where the director used to sit had disappeared, and Deputy Director Silvia sat in the center, calmly conducting the audition.