It seems she’s referring to the second-floor room where I woke up. I shook my head.

“You said you’re sensitive to energy. Wouldn’t it bother you if I’m bustling around next to you?”

Cedar tilted his head as if he found my question difficult to understand, then snapped his fingers lightly as he answered.

“Ah, do you think that room is near mine? No need to worry. There’s only your room on the second floor.”

“I see.”

It really seems there are no other people in this mansion except for the two of us. I nodded readily.

“I think these conditions are even more suitable for maintaining my comatose state. I won’t disappoint you.”

“What?”

Cedar’s brow furrowed. I paid no attention and continued with what I wanted to say.

“Still, you need to tell me where the laundry room and kitchen are. Sometimes people think mages can live like plankton with just magic power.”

“Laundry room? Kitchen? Are you saying you’ll do the work yourself?”

“What? Were you going to do it? Should I just stay on the second floor and not come down?”

“…?”

Unable to understand my words, Cedar’s eyes widened. I tilted my head in turn.

“It feels like we’re talking past each other. Is it that shocking that there seem to be no people?”

“Yes.”

At my sharp answer, Cedar’s face contorted. Feeling I might have been too rude, I waved my hand and added,

“Don’t worry about it. I used to do my own laundry and meals at the academy too. It’s fine if I don’t leave the second floor.”

“……”

But somehow, his face seemed to be contorting more and more.

Thinking this might not be right, I fidgeted with my fingers and added one more thing.

“I used to live sleeping in short naps in a lab half the size of my room, you know. This is spacious in comparison. And it’s nice and quiet with no people around.”

“…Why don’t you just stop talking.”

“Okay.”

Indeed, the more I spoke, the worse it seemed to get.

Having constantly lived with stagnant people at the academy, I was awkward at conversation.

‘Let’s just not speak.’

As I shut my mouth tightly as Cedar said, Cedar heaved a deep sigh.

Then he stopped his steady walk and turned to look at me. Brushing back his hair, he said,

“I didn’t mean for you to confine yourself. Do I look like an idiot who can’t keep his own people quiet? There are no visitors to this house, and only people I can trust are here, so you don’t need to worry. You can live freely.”

“But you said you’re sensitive to energy?”

“I don’t come to this house often in the first place. I’m busy.”

“I see.”

So he’s saying I don’t need to stay only on the second floor, but can move around freely?

‘Still, he should tell me where the laundry room and kitchen are.’

Just as I was about to ask again about the location of the two places, Cedar added with an eerily creepy smile.

“If by chance a guest comes, hide behind a curtain or something. They certainly won’t be a welcome visitor.”

“…Okay, I understand.”

I wanted to ask for examples of what kind of guests, but Cedar’s expression was unusual, so I kept my mouth shut.

‘His expression is exactly the same as when a professor plans a strange assignment.’

In short, it was an expression of annoyance at having to outwit someone he wanted to kill, using his brain.

For a Swordmaster, couldn’t he just slash anyone he doesn’t like?

‘I guess you have to hold back even at that level. Life really isn’t easy.’

Perhaps embarrassed at showing his emotions, Cedar turned his back.

“Let’s go eat.”

“Okay.”

I was hungry too, so I followed behind him without complaint.

Honestly, I thought we’d have to cook our own meals, but when we got to the dining room, the meal was already prepared.

But there was still no sign of anyone else.

‘It’s like fairies set it up.’

I knew better than anyone that it wasn’t fairies. Fairies or spirits are extreme lumps of magical power, so they can’t deceive my eyes.

So in the end, it means there is someone who prepares the meals.

‘Are they shy? Why don’t they show their face?’

There was a student at the academy who didn’t show themselves to the point where you’d think they were a shadow, not human.

Maybe the cook of this mansion is that shy.

As I sat down, Cedar walked out of the dining room again. I half-rose from my seat and called out to him.

“Aren’t you eating together?”

Cedar’s silver-gray eyes looked displeased.

“You eat a lot.”

“Okay. Sure, then.”

It’s not like you and I are on such friendly terms to sit and eat together, haha.

After Cedar left, the dining room became as quiet as a grave. Even the clattering of cutlery was grating.

The food going down my throat was rough and dry, probably because I hadn’t eaten for a long time.

In the end, I couldn’t even finish half of what was on my plate.

‘Cedar didn’t touch his, and I left this much. The person who made it will be upset.’

After pondering for a moment, I found a memo pad in the corner, wrote that I enjoyed the meal, left it on the table, and left the dining room.

True to his word about not staying home often, Cedar’s presence couldn’t be felt anywhere in the mansion.

Left alone in the house, I walked heavily around the second floor, my living space, lost in thought.

‘It doesn’t seem to be a duke’s residence.’

It would be surprising in its own way if a noble family like the Granite Dukedom lived in such a modest mansion.

‘Surely there must be a separate centuries-old historic mansion somewhere. It seems he lives separately on his own. Is it really because he’s sensitive to energy?’

I was curious about what kind of sensitivity to energy would make someone live without servants to this extent. Would he clearly sense people’s presence even while sleeping?

‘That would be tiring in its own way.’

As I was thinking this, just as I reached the end of the corridor and turned around swiftly.

There was an unfamiliar man standing behind me, and I froze with my eyes wide open.

He had flame-red hair and a cheerful impression. He bowed his head politely and greeted me.

“Hello, madam. I’m Hail, who manages Sir Cedar’s general affairs. You can think of me as the butler of this mansion.”

Oh, there really was someone managing the mansion! Feeling unnecessarily glad, I smiled warmly and bowed my head.

“Hello.”

“……”

“Hello?”

But he didn’t respond even after I repeated my greeting twice.

When I tilted my head and snapped my fingers to make a sound, only then did he slowly move.

“Ah, seeing you actually move makes it feel real that you’ve woken up. I’m sorry.”

“I was asleep for quite a long time.”

It doesn’t feel real to me either, though.

Hail seemed glad to see me and chattered about what had happened.

“Even when Sir Cedar told me to prepare meals for two, I just vaguely thought he was in the mood to eat a lot today. I had no idea you had woken up, madam.”

“The title ‘madam’ feels awkward.”

“Ah, of course it doesn’t feel real to you. I understand.”

Hail, who had lowered his eyes pretending to be gloomy, soon added in a cheerful tone.

“But Sir Cedar loves you so dearly. You’ll get used to it soon.”

“What?”

“How much he worried about you and stayed by your side even while you were asleep. I’ve been Sir Cedar’s disciple for a long time, but it’s the first time I’ve known he had such a romantic side.”

Hail rattled on about aspects of Cedar that I didn’t know, his eyes sparkling. I smiled awkwardly.

‘There wasn’t a speck of affection in his gaze when he looked at me.’

I could roughly guess how he was using me externally.

He probably said that he had admired me for a long time, and even when I fell into a comatose state, he wanted to take responsibility for me.

‘Diana must have written this kind of scenario.’

It was exactly the kind of romantic story that child would write.

It was welcome that my younger sister had a talent for writing, but it was regrettable that she used that talent to take away my property.

“Is Hail the only person working in this mansion?”

“Yes. There’s someone who manages the garden and someone who supplies groceries who come once a week on Wednesdays, but other than that, no one.”

“And they’re all men?”

“Yes. That’s right.”

After answering confidently, Hail seemed to realize something belatedly and added hesitantly.

“The reason there are no maids is because we didn’t know you would wake up like this…”

“No. It’s not necessary.”

“What?”

I wasn’t telling him to hire a maid. I smiled gently and answered.

“I took care of my own life at the academy too. Just tell me where the groceries are and where to do laundry, and I’ll manage on my own.”

“That’s… we can’t…”

“My husband said he doesn’t want to let people know that I’ve woken up from my comatose state. But if there are more people, won’t the word eventually leak out?”

“Sir Cedar said that?”

He tilted his head as if puzzled. Feeling awkward about explaining the reason, I quickly changed the subject.

“Does Hail stay here all the time?”

“No, that’s not the case. The Dragon Lance Knights that Sir Cedar commands are stationed near the mansion. I stay there.”

“Ah, so you’re here because of me. Normally, you’d only stay when my husband is here, right?”

“That’s correct.”

A line of information was added about Cedar Granite. The likely successor to Duke Granite, Swordmaster.

And commander of the Dragon Lance Knights.

‘So he got a house near the knights.’

He could eat there and sleep in his room there, so there’s no need to stay at home for long.