‘People who have this are connected to each other.’

‘Even when far apart?’

‘Of course. Absolutely.’

‘Then please make another Jade. I’ll give it to Rebecca later.’

But it seems Jade gave her doll to her father instead of her neighborhood friend Rebecca.

The child came to like him at first sight.

And Edric’s eyes as he looked at the doll were deep and profound, as if gazing at something beyond.

A smile suddenly spread across his face. It was a smile she had never seen before, one that spontaneously arose from deep emotion welling up from within.

“……”

Melly tiptoed back to her room.

After quietly closing the door, she pressed her hand to her chest.

Otherwise, she felt she might burst out laughing due to the emotions welling up inside her.

She murmured softly, almost in a whisper.

“Thank you, Edric.”

For cherishing Jade. For not just pretending to love, but truly loving.

Early evening, as dusk began to settle.

Even after all the customers had left, the shop was still bustling with the owner’s busy hands.

Wiping the remaining moisture from the dishes, Melly muttered.

“Once I finish this, today will be over.”

Finally, after polishing all twenty or so plates until they sparkled, Melly arranged them on the shelf by color and size.

The built-in shelves in easy-to-reach locations had increased by a few more.

Melly made good use of them to separate frequently used items from those rarely used.

Day by day, the shop was becoming an increasingly efficient space. Thanks to whom.

“Phew-, finished.”

At last, the tidying up was complete, and Melly took off her apron with a light heart.

Before leaving, she took one last look around the shop.

It was still a modest shop, but somehow it looked different from before.

This was so even though hardly anything had changed.

‘Did you redecorate? The shop seems a bit different.’

She would occasionally hear such questions from customers. But Melly had truly not done anything to the shop.

The accessories were exactly as bought from the market, and the wooden tables and chairs, as well as the porcelain teacups, were all the same as before.

Even down to the wooden coasters for the teacups, everything still reflected Melly’s modest taste.

But at this moment, Melly suddenly understood what they meant.

The shop had become more refined.

With just efficiently placed shelves, tables with smoothed edges, and a few books brought in for customers to read, the shop looked far more elegant.

It must be due to the atmosphere brought by that someone.

The energy he emitted had seeped into the furniture, adding luster to them all.

Edric had slowly melted into this world that seemed so incompatible with him. While maintaining his own color.

Melly wanted to hurry back to the home where he was waiting. And into the embrace of family, where another one, his exact likeness, had been part of for ten days now.

Melly wasted no more time and turned off the shop lights.

But as soon as she locked up and turned around, the sight that greeted her made her stop in her tracks.

“Mom-!”

Jade ran towards her with a beaming smile and hugged her. And Edric stood with his arms crossed, leisurely taking in the scene.

“Dad and I came to pick you up.”

Jade said, looking up from her embrace.

Jade called him ‘Dad’ very naturally. She also liked and followed her dad very much. As if they had never been apart since birth, blood ties pulled them together quickly.

Oof-.

Melly picked up Jade and walked towards Edric.

“Didn’t you say you had a lot to do today?”

“I took a break for a bit. To come pick you up.”

He gestured with his arms, asking her to hand Jade over to him.

Melly said with an apologetic face.

“You didn’t have to.”

“But I wanted to.”

Jade had already been transferred to his hands. Although the child’s physical development was remarkable, in her father’s arms she still seemed no different from a baby.

“Then do you have to work late again today?”

“Maybe.”

He responded plainly to Melly’s concern and added.

“But today is the last day. I’ve decided to stop handling palace-related work from now on.”

Melly’s eyes widened as if she had heard something unfamiliar. Edric shook his head and continued.

“I was already sick of it, so it’s just as well. From now on, I’ll just rest and take care of the duchy’s affairs.”

He spoke as if he wasn’t regretful at all. But Melly didn’t believe those words.

“But you enjoy palace work…”

“Yay-, I’m so excited!”

The child’s loud voice cut off Melly’s words.

The child was simply overjoyed, bouncing with excitement at the thought of having more time to play with her dad.

Edric kissed Jade’s head and told her they would play a lot from now on.

Seeing the happy father and daughter who looked so alike, Melly closed her mouth. It seemed best to respect his choice. At least for this moment.

Ha ha ha.

Jade let out a clear laugh as her father gave her a piggyback ride.

The three of them returned home happily.

To that very house at the edge of the village that Melly had once said she must buy.

Now it was the shelter for the three of them.

“Aunt Louisa. Play with me.”

Jade pleaded, tugging at the skirt of Louisa who was helping with kitchen chores.

Louisa looked troubled and glanced at the other servants as she spoke.

“Young master, not now. I have things I need to do right now… And how many times do I have to tell you? You shouldn’t call me aunt anymore.”

“Why? Why not?”

“Because…”

Melly, who was heading to the entrance to leave for work, paused when she heard the conversation between the two.

Since moving here, Louisa had been using extremely formal language with Jade.

Because she knew he was the heir to the Pelton duchy, the most powerful family in the empire.

“The young master and I are of different social status. We live in different worlds.”

She tried to explain to Jade like that, but Jade didn’t understand at all.

“Why are we different?”

When we live in the same house?

“Well… social status is predetermined.”

Louisa was sweating profusely trying to explain the social hierarchy.

“I don’t like that. Hug me, Aunt Louisa. Hug me.”

Seeing Louisa, who until recently had cared for the child comfortably like a niece or grandchild, now treating the child formally and with difficulty, made Melly feel uneasy.

Living in different worlds…

Nobles and commoners. And even within the nobility, finely stratified ranks.

Why does the social hierarchy system divide people with partitions and make them regard each other with difficulty?

And why is it that when two people of different status come together, one side must always cross over the wall into the other’s world?

Like how Melly once crossed into Edric’s world, and now Edric has crossed into Melly’s world.

She left the house with a heavy heart.

Edric said he would step down from all his positions after visiting the palace today.

‘I might be late, so sleep with Jade.’

He left by carriage with a seemingly happy face. As if he really wanted to quit his work.

It was a factor that weighed even more heavily on Melly’s mind.

The tea shop prospered even more than before.

Not just for the taste of the tea, but the story of Melly and Edric also played a part. In fact, that was the main reason.

People finally found out about Edric’s status.

So they came to the shop curious about what kind of woman could drive a minister of the country to ruin, and then they kept coming because they liked the taste of her tea.

It turned out well, so Melly wasn’t too displeased.

Except for the fact that people were a bit disappointed by her appearance, which had been exaggerated to an excessive degree.

Thanks to this, Melly even had to hire an assistant.

“Ma’am, should I put these tea leaves in this cabinet?”

Mia, with her rosy complexion and kind impression, asked. She was a woman four years older than Melly, raising two children on her own. She was quick-handed, learned well, and made good tea.

She said her dream was to one day run her own tea shop like Melly.

‘You can do it. You’re more than capable, ma’am.’

Melly encouraged her like that.

It was when the sun, which had been high in the sky, slowly began its descent.

“A delivery order?”

Melly’s eyes widened at the unexpected delivery order.

“Where’s the location?”

“Travis Hill. Seems there’s some kind of event there.”

It was a famous spot for watching the sunset. It was quite a distance from here, so they needed to prepare and leave right away. But…

“Don’t worry, ma’am. I’ll handle it well.”

Seeing Melly’s worried face as she looked at the tables full of people, Mia said.

“I managed well before when you were briefly away, didn’t I? Don’t worry and go. It’s a good opportunity.”

Mia’s smile was full of confidence. Melly was reassured by her smile.

“I’ll be back soon.”

Melly packed the tea and cookies and left the shop.

As she rode the carriage up the gentle slope, the sun sank even lower.

The sky slowly turned a deep reddish-purple. Soon the sunset would grow even more intense.

Though she had only seen it once or twice, the sunset view from Travis Sunset Hill was truly magnificent.

Just like that sunset she once saw in Milord Square.

“Ma’am, we’ve arrived.”

The carriage rattled to a stop in front of a tower built of ash-gray bricks, and the driver announced.

Melly shouldered her backpack containing the cookie box and bottle, and stepped onto the ground.

‘Is there some kind of event?’

Melly wondered, looking at the tower decorated with flowers and balloons, and women dressed in flowing chiffon dresses.

‘Well, they must have ordered tea because there’s an event.’

Melly adjusted her backpack and slowly made her way through the crowd.

But people glanced at her. No, they stared openly.

Their faces were smiling, or full of expectation.

It felt strange. As she reached the temporary structure with gaps filled by wooden planks, the suspicious feeling reached its peak.

Because most of the people there were people she knew.

Not just Elsa and Leon, Lisa and Rena, but even the butler and Wilson. And…

“We’ve been waiting.”

Oz took the bag from Melly’s hand and passed it to Rena as he spoke.

“For me… why?”

“Why, you ask.”

Oz whispered in Melly’s ear.

“Because today is the young lady’s wedding day.”