As she had mentioned, there were no special plans, so Aneta spent her time doing small tasks with Chris.

Although Chris had visited a few times, the places she had seen were limited to the garden, Aneta’s office, or the reception room.

This time, Aneta personally showed her around the mansion. The tour began with the hallway that Serce had admired. The hallway, lined with paintings she had purchased and sponsored, was meaningful.

Chris quietly admired the paintings Aneta cherished.

Watching her, Aneta habitually turned her head towards one side. It was the place where the paintings created by Lei had been displayed.

The three paintings had disappeared without a trace on the day Aneta returned to this world.

But Aneta didn’t regret it. She simply had Isabel replace them with other paintings.

“It really feels like Aneta’s own gallery.”

“Really?”

This place wasn’t just where the efforts of the artists were reflected, but it also served as proof of Aneta’s sense of deficiency.

Whenever she saw a painting that resembled one her mother had painted, she would buy it and sponsor the artist.

But that would no longer happen. Aneta no longer intended to view paintings while being tied to something.

It had been impossible before, but now it seems possible. If this could be called growth, then it could be growth.

With that thought in mind, Aneta smiled and asked Chris,

“Is there any other place you’d like to visit?”

“I’ve always been curious about the annex. Would it be alright to go there?”

“There’s no reason not to.”

Aneta readily accepted Chris’s request. She then turned to Isabel, who was following them, and said,

“Isabel, could you prepare it for us?”

“Yes, My Lady.”

As soon as Aneta’s command was given, Isabel moved off quickly.

Watching the butler walk away with a firm and orderly stride, Chris asked with a puzzled expression.

“Where is Isabel going?”

“To get the key.”

“Ah, I guess it’s usually locked?”

“Except when it’s being cleaned, it’s always locked. There’s a reason for that.”

You might wonder what preparation is needed just to visit the Annex, but the situation changes if it’s the Adenauer Annex.

“You’ll understand once we get there.”

Aneta smiled wryly and led Chris forward.

The two of them left the main building and headed west, toward the annex. Just then, Isabel, who had moved ahead, came down with the key she had kept and followed them.

“Now that I think about it, you’ll be the first guest to enter the annex after Her Lady’s succession.”

“Me?”

“Her Lady has never allowed anyone to enter here. Even Duke Baltimor has never been inside.”

“Is it alright for me to enter such a place?”

Chris was taken aback by Isabel’s words and turned her head toward Aneta. The fact that even Carlos had never been inside made her even more curious, but she also became cautious.

“Of course, there’s no problem. Carlos just never expressed a desire to go in, that’s all, so don’t feel burdened.”

If Carlos ever found out about this, Chris would likely get jealous looks from him for a while, but Aneta didn’t need to mention that.

Three guards were standing in front of the annex.

Though Aneta had stopped coming here, the management and security were still meticulously maintained.

Isabel, who had been in charge of the security, took out the bundle of keys from her coat.

There were more than a couple of locks. Several large ones, the size of an adult fist, fell with a heavy thud on the floor before Isabel finally opened the door that had been locked.

“My goodness.”

As the scene hidden behind the door was revealed, Chris couldn’t help but gasp in admiration.

The annex was filled with all kinds of expensive items from the entrance. It was a scene that firmly impressed upon her the immense wealth of Adenauer.

The first person to step inside was Aneta.

After a long time of not visiting the annex, she immediately made a face as if the flashing objects around her repulsed her.

While Aneta’s lips were tightly pressed together in displeasure, Chris’s lips were wide open in amazement.

Crystal-carved vases, ornamental armor decorated with large and small jewels, paintings, and even elegant swords hanging on the walls.

Among the things on display were items with obvious historical value that amazed Chris.

Chris knew that what was in this place was just the beginning.

She had often heard that Adenauer held the empire’s greatest wealth, but she couldn’t hide her amazement. It felt even more real than before she saw it with her own eyes.

“This place seems even more splendid than the main building or the imperial palace.”

Chris couldn’t help but express pure admiration. Seeing her clear eyes, which didn’t seem to carry any greed, Aneta felt her previously restless heart settle down.

“These are all things collected by past heads of the family. The annex is filled with such items.”

What was in the hall was only a small part. The reason for the multiple locks and guards was exactly that.

Even during cleaning, only those carefully selected by Isabel were allowed entry. Isabel’s supervision and attendance were mandatory.

Aneta would have preferred to sell everything in the annex, but they were family treasures.

While she valued them more for their worth than their price, they still bothered her, which was why they were kept in the annex.

“Are the items here never used?”

“No. They’re used to replace decorations in the main building. Only a few go in and out.”

In simpler terms, it served as a vault. Since the main building was so large and no family was living with them, there was no real need to use the annex. Cases like this, where guests stayed, were sporadic, which made it even more unnecessary.

Aneta took Chris around the annex, and Chris couldn’t hide her astonishment each time. Aneta found Chris’s reactions so cute that she couldn’t help but smile.

“This is the large bathhouse.”

The last stop was the deepest part of the annex—the large bathhouse.

Aneta glanced inside a place she had never used herself.

The most striking feature of the arid, waterless room was the bathtub, which was large enough that its diameter couldn’t be guessed.

“There’s a place like this in the annex? I’ve never seen such a big bathtub.”

Chris looked up at the high ceiling in admiration. Her eyes shone even brighter than when she saw the precious treasures. Aneta paused momentarily, thinking of something, and then looked at Isabel.

“Isabel. Is this still usable?”

“Of course. It’s been regularly maintained, so it should be ready for use immediately.”

Aneta nodded as if satisfied and turned her head toward Chris.

“If you like it, shall we take a bath here together today? What do you think?”

“I’d love to. You don’t know how lonely it’s been every time I had to bathe myself after going up to the territory.”

“When you were in the estate, did you bathe with someone else?”

“Before my mother passed away, we bathed together every other day. Other than that, sometimes with the nurse. At first, I felt a bit embarrassed, but in the end, I enjoyed doing things together. What about you, Aneta?”

“I’ve never done it. So, I’m looking forward to it now.”

Unlike Chris, Aneta had never shared a bath with anyone. The most she had were attendants who helped her with her bath outside the tub. She had never even thought about using the large bathroom alone since filling that vast space with water just for herself seemed impractical.

But now she had someone to share it with. Aneta didn’t hide her excitement.

“When should I have the bath prepared for you?”
Isabel, who knew Aneta’s situation better than anyone, asked with a tone of concern. Instead of answering, Aneta turned to Chris.

“When do you think is a good time?”

“Wouldn’t it be better to do it before bed? I think I’ll sleep better afterward.”

“Alright, let’s do it then.”

Once Aneta agreed, Isabel responded promptly.

“I’ll fill the tub by then.”

“Thank you.”

“It’s nothing. But perhaps it’s time to head back to the main building. Dinner should be ready by now.”

“Yes, let’s go.”

Aneta and Chris left the annex as Isabel suggested.

Isabel used the bundle of keys to lock the annex door again, ensuring it was securely fastened before following them. It was unsafe to leave the door open, even if they would return soon.

The dining room was filled with the delicious aroma of food.

Just as Isabel had said, as soon as they sat down at the table, dishes steaming with hot food began to arrive.

“It seems like everyone has put in their best effort for you. Eat a lot, Chris.”

Aneta had one of the maids bring the dishes that she thought Chris would enjoy.

Gratefully, Chris began to eat, moving her hands quickly to show her appreciation for the effort that went into the meal.

Fortunately, the food suited her taste, as Chris finished her meal satisfactorily. Then, as if a thought crossed her mind, she suddenly touched her cheek with a slightly worried look.

“I might have overeaten. What if I get bloated tomorrow?”

At Chris’s concern, Aneta glanced at the clock. It was only six o’clock, so her face seemed unlikely to puff up as she feared.

“Don’t worry. There’s still plenty of time until bedtime.”

“Then I’ll just eat this one last thing.”

At that moment, Chris picked up her fork again, eyeing the strawberry tart served as dessert.

Proving that dessert stomachs and meal stomachs are separate, Chris finished the plate that held the tart with ease.

After the meal, they spent some time apart.

After Chris’s guidance was handed over to a maid, Aneta went up to her office and took an envelope from the drawer. The expense report was the money spent to pay off Chris’s debt.

The loan note had been torn up as soon as she received it from Vernon, but this document was kept to record the financial transactions.

Now that the paperwork was done and it was no longer needed, Aneta thought to herself that it was about time she needed to inform Chris about this matter.

She wasn’t sure how Chris would react, but there were no regrets. Just as taking her in had been the right thing to do, paying off her debt was also right.

Aneta finally stood up, envelope in hand, and headed for Chris’s room. As she walked, she wondered how to start the conversation.