With Iren’s confinement lifted and the new butler and head maid in place, the chaotic atmosphere of the ducal palace quickly settled down.

The new butler and head maid skillfully managed the many servants and placed them where they were needed most. They excellently handled the affairs, leaving no sense of the absence of their predecessor.

The day after Iren emerged from her bedroom, the imprisoned Brown and the old hunter were also released.

She thought that if Lahart had not given the order, Iren would release them herself.

She could not back down on this matter. She steeled herself for a confrontation with Lahart if necessary. Fortunately, she didn’t need to do that.

After breakfast, Iren immediately went to her office. Soon after, an aide came with documents in hand. Seeing the significantly reduced pile of paperwork, Iren asked the aide for an explanation.

“Is this really all there is? I remember there being much more than this.”

“While you were recuperating, the Duke reorganized the work system.”

“Reorganized?”

“Yes. His Grace mentioned that he would like you to focus on agricultural matters from now on.”

“I see. Please tell the Duke not to worry, I will do as he wishes.”

Indeed, as the aide had said, the various miscellaneous tasks that had been overflowing were now neatly gone. Being in charge of only agricultural work was certainly a happy thing. There had always been too many other tasks that she could not concentrate on agriculture as much as she wanted due to lack of time and energy.

But Iren couldn’t be purely happy. She found it hard to guess what Lahart was thinking.

‘Why all of a sudden… Has this incident completely withdrawn his trust in me? Is that why he’s reducing my authority and trying to eliminate my influence?’

Iren scoffed briefly as she pondered seriously.

Don’t be delusional, Irelaide. Authority? Influence? You never had any of that to begin with. No one thinks you improved the seeds. It’s not your name that’s known for inventing efficient plowing methods and developing fertilizers. What influence could you possibly have?

‘It’s not that no one knows. Hilda’s family does.’

The cheerful Hilda, Brown, and Michel provided a different kind of comfort than Jane did. Perhaps it should be called a sense of achievement.

At the right time, she would make an excuse to inspect and apologize to Brown at Hilda’s farm. Just the thought brightened her darkening mood.

After dealing with the urgent documents, lunchtime approached swiftly. It was time to go to Lahart.

Iren organized her desk and stepped into the corridor. But it was unusually noisy outside.

Looking out the window, she saw Lahart’s knights lined up in formation.

Her gaze was briefly stolen by their gleaming armor. The knights were young and handsome, with quite a few maids favoring them, but that was of no concern to Iren.

But when Iren was about to move away from the window, she became rooted to the spot like a tree.

Lahart. Her husband shone brilliantly under the sunlight.

Clad in armor and cloaked, he mounted his horse in one swift motion. Iren watched his back blankly.

Love is such a cruel thing. Just by watching him like this, any resentment or sorrow she had towards him melted away.

Then a knight approached Lahart and said something. Lahart turned around. Exactly towards where Iren was.

Their eyes met across the void. What should she do in such a moment? Iren was about to open the window, her hand raised in confusion,

Lahart turned his head away coldly. He spurred his horse into a gallop. The knights followed after him.

Iren’s fingertips felt a sense of futility as she watched his silver-white figure rapidly.

How heartless. To you, am I… someone not even worth a moment of your time?

Iren withdrew her hand. As she stood idly in the middle of the hallway, she felt as though she was suddenly lost.

Where should I go? With Lahart gone, there was no reason to visit his office. Nor did she want to return to her own.

It seems my place is only in the laboratory with the poison.

Someone suddenly appeared in front of Iren as she turned to leave with a bitter step. Her eyes, which had been looking down, widened in surprise.

“Ehehe.”

“……A child?”

The child beamed a smile. A cute little girl with freckles on her round cheeks and brown hair tied in pigtails.

Iren bent her knees to sit and matched the child’s eye level.

The ducal palace was vast and there were many people, but there were no young children like this. Perhaps a married servant might secretly bring one occasionally, but at least Iren had never seen such a small child.

How old was she? Iren observed the child but she couldn’t guess. After all, it wasn’t just in the castle; throughout her life, her encounters with children were rare.

“What’s your name?”

“I’m Lenny. Lenny! My mom is Jessica.”

Jessica?

It seemed like a name she heard somewhere before. The name didn’t feel unfamiliar, and Iren tilted her head in thought. Lenny’s eyes went round as she pointed at Iren’s hair.

It was a great impoliteness to point fingers at a noblewoman, especially a duchess, but Iren didn’t mind. her short and plump fingers were adorable.

“Sister, your hair has snow on it! It’s not winter now. They said it doesn’t snow in spring.”

“That’s right. My hair is white, isn’t it? Is it strange?”

“Yes. Lenny’s mom has the same as me. Tree color!”

Lenny lifted her pigtails. Iren let out a small laugh.

Normally, ‘tree color’ would make one think of green leaves. But with the long winters here, the trees in Sirencia hardly have a time when they are lush with leaves. It was a thought typical of a child from Sirencia.

“Lenny likes snow. Sister’s hair is pretty. I wish my hair had snow too.”

“Lenny’s hair is also pretty. Did you come here alone? Where is your mother?”

“Mommy is working! She needs… umm, what was it for making bread?”

“If it’s the white powder for making bread, it’s called flour.”

“That’s right, that thing. Flour… She went to make that. So I’m here.”

The child’s words seemed logical yet somehow didn’t quite connect properly, making it difficult to understand fully. Surely such a young child wouldn’t have come in alone. There must be an adult who accompanied her.

It would be best to ask the child one question at a time.

Thinking this, Iren changed her question.

“Who did you come here with?”

“With my aunt.”

“You came with your aunt. Then where might your aunt be?”

“I don’t know! She just told me to sit still. She doesn’t even know I snuck out. Auntie is a fool. Hehe.”

Lenny laughed mischievously. Judging by her comfortable clothes made of tough fabric he wore, she seemed to be a very active child.

I didn’t know who Lenny’s aunt was, but I felt sure she must have her hands full.

“Lenny! Where are you, Lenny! How far could this child have gone. It’ll be trouble if the duke or duchess find out… Lenny!”

“Jane?”

Jane came up the stairs calling out for Lenny.

Ah. Now I remember. Jane had an older sister named Jessica.

“Madam! Oh my, Lenny! You were here. This damn little rascal.”

“Waaah! I don’t like it. Let go! Auntie stupid. Auntie pig!”

“Can’t you be quiet? I’m really sorry, Madam. This cheeky little one has been rude without knowing any better. Say sorry to the Madam, now!”

“Rude? I was in the middle of talking with Lenny, wasn’t I, Lenny?”

“Yes, Madam!”

Lenny quickly mimicked Jane’s words. Jane glared at Lenny, about to give her a flick on the forehead. Eek! Lenny squealed and hid behind Iren.

“Sister… I’m scared of Auntie. Auntie scolds me.”

“This is really! Won’t you quickly come here? Do you know who the Madam is? You can’t just call her ‘sister’. And you definitely can’t touch Madam without permission!”

“Waaah, Auntie is a monster! Scary. Always scolding just me!”

“Don’t be too harsh on the child, Jane.”

“Oh my, Madam. You have no idea how cunning Lenny is. She’s got more tricks up her sleeve than most adults.”

Lenny clutched Iren’s dress hem, sobbing.

Iren stared at Lenny’s hand intently. That small hand that was barely half the size of her own seemed desperate.

A part of her heart felt a pang.

So this is what it feels like to have someone delicate and frail depend on me. It was a first for her. To have someone rely on her. She had only been used by people, abandoned, hated, and despised.

She wanted to protect this small hand that reached out to her first. To hold it without fear and comfort it. Lenny was probably just hiding because he didn’t want to be scolded by Jane, but Iren was sincere.

“It seems like your sister asked you for a favor. What were you planning to do?”

“Well… My sister has to work and she couldn’t find anyone else to take care of her, so she forced it onto me. I could look after her since you were busy with work in the morning, but now… I was thinking of asking the head maid.”

“Did you think about asking me for help?”

“Se-eriously! I could never bother you with such things!”

Jane went pale and frantically waved her hands. After a moment of contemplation, Iren spoke up again.

“Earlier, I saw the duke leaving with the knights. Do you happen to know where they went?”

“They say that monsters were spotted near the city walls, so he went to investigate and subdue them. It seems he will return late at night.”

“You know quite a bit, don’t you?”

“Hehe, actually… I’ve recently become friends with a knight. His name is Herald. Do you know him, Madam?”

“Well, I don’t really have encounters with the knights.”

“Herald is not only handsome but also very kind. He answers everything in great detail when asked.”

Jane blushed and twisted her body coyly. There had been several instances like this before. Jane was the type to fall in love easily and move on just as quickly, which could be nicely described as someone without lingering feelings.

Iren looked at Jane with a mix of worry and fondness, then stroked Lenny’s head.

“I have a good idea.”

* * *