Nelia couldn’t help but smirk.

‘I’ve had quite a bit of caviar during my stay here.’

Duke Hart kindly explained to Layton, who was making a foolish expression.

“It’s a canapé made with caviar from armored sharks. I wonder if it suits your taste.”

Layton exclaimed excitedly, “Oh, this is caviar…! I’ve heard of it before!” and quickly began devouring the appetizer.

Nelia and Duke Hart also ate the appetizer.

Having finished the appetizer early, Layton looked around restlessly.

“All these decorations… and these high-end food ingredients… As expected, Duke, you must be very wealthy.”
Nelia almost spat out the food along with a cough.

‘How can one express such thoughts so openly?’

It seemed that there was no filter in Layton’s brain.

As Layton sparkled with his eyes fixed on the duke, the duke wiped his mouth with a napkin and replied.

“We have enough.”

“Ah, if you eat this kind of food, you must have an abundance. So, those expensive medicines too…”

Layton stopped talking abruptly. Nelia asked, looking puzzled.

“Expensive medicine…?”

Layton cleared his throat. Seeming embarrassed for a moment, he confidently explained.

“No, last time, I talked to you about the Duke’s vitality tonic. I mentioned that. There was a rumor that the Duke bought a lot of that vitality tonic.”

Talking about a rumored vitality tonic in front of the Duke…

As Nelia looked at Layton with an incredulous expression, he, perhaps having some conscience left, bowed his head.

“I made a mistake by talking about the rumored tonic behind your back. I apologize, Your Grace.”

“It’s okay. If it’s a rumor related to the vitality tonic, I already know about it. Of course, it’s an absurd rumor.”

Layton pulled a chair near the dining table and sat down. With a gleam in his eyes, he asked a question.

“Wasn’t the medicine you purchased from Griff not a vitality tonic?”

“Yes.”

Layton, with unnecessary curiosity again or perhaps sparked by it, did not stop talking even though the main course, veal steak, was served, holding a fork and knife in both hands.

“Then what about the medicine you regularly buy from Griff?”

Nelia, who had been silently listening to the conversation, frowned.

“Layton.”

“I want to hear a proper answer from the Duke to clear up the misunderstandings people have…!”

Is he telling the truth?

Before Nelia could say more, Duke Hart opened his mouth first.

“The medicine that people mistakenly believe to be a vitality tonic is actually a headache medicine. Since I often suffer from headaches, I specially request Griff, a skilled pharmacist, to buy a large quantity.”

Despite Layton’s somewhat rude question, Duke Hart answered without a change in his expression.

Layton, mumbling to himself, finally nodded.

“…I see.”

“Now that your curiosity is satisfied, shall we start the meal in earnest? The food is getting cold.”

As the meal began in earnest, Layton surprisingly became less talkative.

He only answered when the Duke asked, and his eyes occasionally stared fixedly at a particular spot, as if deeply contemplating something.

Looking at the quiet Layton, Nelia considered it fortunate.

She didn’t know what he was so absorbed in, but it was better to keep silent than to ask impolite and unnecessary questions to the Duke.

However, as if mocking Nelia’s thoughts, Layton began speaking again.
The conversation mostly consisted of questions that seemed to express concern about the Duke’s health, with a nuance of asking if there was any pain anywhere.

‘As expected, it’s strange…’

Earlier, the Duke asked if there was any pain, just like now. It seemed like he wished for some pain.

Layton, seemingly using concern as an excuse, questioned the Duke about various things. However, when the Duke confidently provided smooth answers without hesitation, Layton finally stopped his questioning.

Layton, grumbling disappointingly, mumbled through his food and eventually stood up.

Nelia’s gaze followed him.

“Where are you going?”

“To the restroom. Maybe because I ate unusual food, my stomach suddenly hurts.”

Watching Layton add unnecessary explanations at the dining table, Nelia furrowed her brows once again.

The Duke spoke to Layton, who had stood up.

“Ton outside the dining room will guide you to the restroom.”

“Oh, thank you.”

Layton quickly left the drawing-room.

Watching Layton’s disappearing figure, Nelia turned her head to look at Duke Hart.

“…I’m sorry, Your Grace. Layton is quite rude, isn’t he?”

“It’s okay.”

Duke Hart smiled gently.

“It seems Nelia’s brother is very concerned about my health.”

“That’s true…”

Fortunately, there was no sign of annoyance from the Duke.

He just smiled and looked at the seat where Layton had been sitting.

Exiting the drawing-room, Layton pressed his body against the wall, looking around. When he saw a butler standing in the hall, Layton walked to the opposite side.

“Suddenly, the stomach hurts?”

“It’s true, but it’s just an excuse.”

Layton had tried to find out about the medicine from the Duke, but he only received ordinary answers. If those answers were true, it would be fine, but according to what he had recently learned, Griff was not someone who sold ordinary medicine like headache medicine.

There must be something hidden.

Layton stopped in a secluded place where there were no people and pondered where he should go.

‘I want to visit the Duke’s room once…’

However, the mansion was too vast, and he had no idea where the Duke’s room could be. He couldn’t stay here forever, so it might be better to wander aimlessly for now.

First of all, there wouldn’t be the Duke’s room on the first floor, so he went up the stairs. When he arrived on the second floor, he saw a maid wandering in the corridor.

Layton quickly hid.

‘Ugh…!’

There were too many maids on the second floor, so there was no way to wander around. Layton had no choice but to go up the stairs again.

However, the third floor was the same. If anything, there were more maids on the third floor than on the second floor.

Layton panicked and went up one more floor. Fortunately, there were no maids on the fourth floor.

Looking at the quiet corridor on the fourth floor, it seemed like there might be nothing, but Layton thought since he had come this far, he should take a look around.

Layton opened all the doors on the fourth floor like that.
Layton opened all the doors on the fourth floor like that.

When he finally opened the door in the corner, he discovered a room with a somewhat different feeling.