“D-Did I say something wrong again? But I thought you had someone since you’re wearing an engagement ring……”

I wiped my mouth with the handkerchief Ophelia handed me and stammered a response.

“This isn’t an engagement ring, it’s a token of promise. And marriage, I……”

At that point, I suddenly realized something incredible.

‘Wait, if Sir Cherry is Grand Duke Baluasten, that means I almost ended up in a contract marriage with him.’

I wanted to keep Sir Cherry by my side, but that was only because I desired him as my escort knight and Leo’s teacher.

Even though it’s already in the past, thinking that we might have become family in a different sense makes me feel quite…

“Oh, oh! That expression just now was extremely suspicious! You do have someone, don’t you?”

“He’s just someone like family.”

“Of course, of course. People who are like family are the most dependable. When you depend on them emotionally, you start depending on them physically, and when you depend on them physically, your lips end up meeting and such.”

“That’s not it.”

“Oh come on, it is… Ahem, c-could I have some more lemon?”

When I raised an eyebrow, Ophelia cleared her throat, rolled her eyes around, and asked a nearby maid for a lemon.

She placed a fresh slice of lemon that the maid had cut into her tea, then removed it while naturally changing the subject.

“Anyway, now that this kingdom has become my home, I’m planning to travel around the kingdom for about a month starting next week.”

With that opening, Ophelia took out a map of the kingdom and began explaining her travel plans in detail.

Watching her chattering away without formality as if addressing a close friend, I finally had to admit it.

Despite the discomfort I felt on the first day, Ophelia was an honest and good person.

So let’s stop testing her.

“Ophelia.”

“Yes?”

I continued speaking inadvertently while observing her expression reflected in the teacup.

“Have you ever heard of <Hirome>?”

***

Through the translucent glass wall of the greenhouse, I could see the hired carriage carrying Ophelia moving away.

I turned to the maid who had been serving us and asked.

“Jerry, what do you think?”

Suddenly, the expression disappeared from the face of the maid who had been skillfully serving us with a constant smile, and a low male voice answered my question.

“Judging by the imperial accent in her speech, her habit of putting lemon in tea as if it’s natural, and the fact that while she wears the bustle dress currently fashionable in the kingdom, she insists on imperial-style ribbon knots and lace, it’s certain she lived in the Empire for a long time.”

Jerry’s words would be accurate, given his skill at observing and imitating people.

He continued speaking while wiping off the makeup that had been shaping his features.

“There was no lie in her reason for coming to the kingdom either. After the Bermang family lost their title, they tried to sell their daughter as a wealthy nobleman’s second wife to clear a large debt. When Ophelia couldn’t bear it and attempted suicide, nearly dying before fleeing the Empire, it became quite a famous scandal in that country’s social circles.”

Ophelia, who came to the royal capital wanting to live life on her own terms.

I had no idea such a heavy story was hidden behind her cheerful explanation.

I recalled Ophelia’s reaction when I asked about <Hirome> with a somber face.

“<Hirome>? Hmm, I feel like I’ve heard it somewhere… Any hints? I really want to get it right!”

For a moment, her face reflected in the teacup remained calm without any agitation.

She really seemed to know nothing about <Hirome>.

‘Well, just because she was a player character doesn’t guarantee she’s possessed by someone like me.’

The strange discomfort I felt when I first met her might simply have been my imagination.

“If you’re concerned, should we have someone follow Miss Ophelia on her journey?”

I was about to instinctively ask him to do so, but I hesitated.

“I’m glad that Your Ladyship is the first person I’ve befriended since coming here.”

I recalled Ophelia’s face when she said those words with a shy smile during our first tea time.

I ran my fingers through my hair and sighed.

‘Damn that Sybel’

Because of that bastard, trusting people feels incredibly difficult.

It makes me immediately suspicious of whether this person has ulterior motives.

On the first day, I even wore lie-detector glasses to confirm whether Ophelia’s goodwill and apology toward me were lies.

After hesitating, I finally shook my head.

“No, that won’t be necessary.”

Ophelia has no ill intentions.

Having reached that conclusion, I stood up and saw Vivian running toward us from afar with her hair flying.

She was so distracted that she almost crashed into the closed glass door of the greenhouse, but Jerry saved her by leaping forward to open it.

“Lady Belinda! On my way back from the workshop, I saw Seedo… Oh, thank you for opening the door.”

Vivian paused mid-sentence and bowed her head to Jerry… Huh?

‘When did he change clothes?’

I looked back at Jerry, who had somehow already returned to being the vague-featured assistant from the dress shop.

At this speed, he’s not just skilled at disguise; it’s almost at the level of a magical girl transformation.

“N-no, I’m glad, ahem, that you weren’t hurt.”

Oh? What’s this?

A person who can imitate anyone’s speech pattern if he wants to is stammering?

And even though I just saw him wiping off his makeup, why are his cheeks flushed as if some makeup remains?

‘Could this be?’

Even if it’s one-sided, this ticklish pink atmosphere!

“Lady Belinda, I think you should return to the main building quickly! Seedo has come back looking like a chestnut burr!”

“A chestnut burr?”

“I mean… he came back from the academy looking like he’d been pulling hair with someone.”

“What?!”

I hurriedly ran to the main building.

In the distance, I could see Leo standing in front of the mansion, trying to tidy himself up.

“Leo!”

At my call, Leo flinched and glanced at me briefly before hurriedly fixing his hair, but I had already seen everything.

Just as Vivian said, his hair was disheveled like a chestnut burr with spikes sticking out.

His tie was twisted around to his back.

And his uniform was full of wrinkles as if someone had manhandled him.

My heart sank to the floor at the sight of him looking like he’d been beaten up somewhere.

I quickly examined Leo’s body thoroughly. Thankfully, there didn’t seem to be any scratches.

“Leo, what happened at the academy?”

I didn’t want to frighten Leo, but my teeth gritted at the thought of the audacious person who dared to touch my Leo.

Leo glanced up at me briefly, then hurriedly avoided my gaze as if he’d seen something he shouldn’t have, and after much hesitation, he finally spoke.

“N-nothing happened.”

“What?”

“R-really.”

As Leo said this, his pupils were trembling as if there had been an earthquake.

Even without lie-detector glasses, I could tell.

That Leo had just lied to me.