“How much of the cleanup is left?”

“It should be finished before dinner. I’ll tell them to hurry so it doesn’t interfere with tomorrow’s work.”

“Good. I’ll go straight to the office.”

“Yes.”

The ducal mansion was unusually quiet.

This was because a day off had been given before and after the ball.

Apart from the occasional voices of workers and the sound of things being carried, there were only footsteps echoing from time to time.

‘I shouldn’t have given them a day off.’

Derek, entering the empty office, already regretted it.

It meant he wouldn’t be able to see Dodori’s anxious face for a whole day.

‘How absolutely dreadful!’

He felt like immediately revoking the holiday.

Moreover, why did the clothes he had casually chosen look so stylish?

Usually, he’d put effort into his appearance from dawn and still be dissatisfied…

Today, his attire was perfect.

The only flaw was that there was no one to show it to.

‘Dodori should have seen me like this.’

A short jacket ending at the waistline and pants that allow for movement.

These were enhanced by the blue marbled fabric, shining even more brilliantly.

Every time he moved, it was as if cool waves were rippling.

Especially, the jacket sleeves rolled up in the shape of a paper boat were particularly stylish.

And what about the light blue shirt worn underneath?

The ruffled decoration running diagonally from the right shoulder to the left waist was bold and experimental.

The brand new white riding boots he had personally chosen also completed the perfect set.

‘I should save this to wear tomorrow!’

Ah, to think he couldn’t show off this stylish figure to Dodori?

For Derek, it was truly lamentable.

He looked at his outfit with eyes dripping with regret, then sighed and sat down.

At the same time, a mountain of work began to pile up before him.

“These are documents that need urgent attention.”

“All of them?”

“Well, you’ve been so busy with your romance project lately.”

“….”

“It would be good to set aside time and resolve them now.”

Derek silently furrowed his brow.

Even if he had briefly thought about Dodori, there was no way this much work could have accumulated.

‘It was just for a very short time.’

He had merely glanced at Dodori’s face once for each line of the document he read.

He didn’t remember neglecting his duties.

“For these documents, it’s enough if you just sign them urgently, Your Grace? You should take the pen.”

“That’s what I intend to do.”

Derek hurriedly moved the healing magic stone from his right hand to his left.

But Lucas wasn’t one to miss such an opportunity.

“What is that? It looks like a magic stone.”

“It’s a healing magic stone.”

“A healing magic stone? Since when did you use such a thing…”

His clenched left fist slowly opened. At the same time, a light pink magic stone was revealed.

He seemed eager to show it off.

“It was a gift.”

“What?”

“As you well know, a healing magic stone is not something you give to just anyone. But I received this as a gift.”

“What are you-“

“This precious item that is only exchanged between ‘special’ relationships.”

“…What?”

A healing magic stone?

That healing magic stone that anyone with money could buy by the handful in Lokt?

‘This seems like quite an overinterpretation…’

Lucas stood there with an expression that suggested he was hearing something quite bizarre.

But Duke Frith was already deeply immersed in the light pink magic stone.

‘How did she manage to pick one that’s so like her?’

The magic stone Dodori had given him was particularly cuter, smoother, and rounder than the others.

It was just as lovely as Dodori herself.

To others’ eyes, all magic stones might look the same.

Meanwhile, Lucas, having caught Duke Frith’s pleased expression, felt a chill.

‘So that’s why he couldn’t sleep. It’s obvious.’

He could clearly picture his lord examining the magic stone all night.

‘They say love makes you a fool…’

But still, this was too much.

Is it normal to lose sleep just looking at a mere stone?

Is it normal to stare at it until your eyes are bloodshot?

‘He’s gone mad.’

His persistence was enough to give one goosebumps.

Somehow, he seemed determined enough to insist on being buried with it.

But Duke Frith’s eccentricity didn’t stop there.

Knock knock.

“Your Grace, the new flag has arrived.”

“Finally. Bring it here.”

“When did you order a flag-, Your Grace!”

Lucas was on the verge of fainting when he saw the newly arrived flag.

‘My goodness…!’

Next to the flag bearing the Duke Frith family crest.

A new flag had been placed, which was like an enlargement of the temple’s ‘Certificate of Purity’ by about 10 times.

It had such a presence that it was impossible not to notice.

“What is that!”

“There’s nothing wrong with being certain.”

“Even so, this is too much!”

The words “Why not just put an advertisement in the newspaper?” almost rose to the tip of his tongue.

‘I must be going crazy!’

Ah, assisting a lord who had fallen in love was truly a headache.

Especially when that lord was a lifelong single who had learned about romance only through books.

Lucas was truly at his wits’ end today as well.

***

Friday morning.

“Ah!”

“Please, accept this.”

“Sir Knight?”

Audrey received an unexpected shower of flowers.

Judging by how they were roughly woven together by the stems, it seemed handmade.

The knight in a tuxedo sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck.

“I was late last time. This is my apology.”

“You didn’t have to do this… but thank you, I’ll gladly accept!”

The unknown flowers had bright yellow stamens and purple petals.

Audrey thoroughly enjoyed the scent of flowers after a long time as she reached her destination.

However, the moment she opened the office door, she couldn’t help but be startled.

‘Wh-what is that…!’

It was because the ‘Certificate of Purity,’ which had grown larger than before, now occupied an entire wall of the office.

Duke Frith turned around as if he had been waiting.

“You’re here.”

“…!”

He somehow looked imposing.

So much so that one might believe the thing fluttering behind him was a victory banner rather than a ‘Certificate of Purity.’

Audrey tried hard not to show her surprise.

“G-good morning.”

“…too.”

“Pardon?”

“I… too… good.”

Swish.

Having said his piece, Duke Frith turned around like an angry person.

Then, without waiting for a response, he strode back to his place.

Was it an illusion that his steps seemed to creak with each stride?

‘Why is he acting like that?’

Audrey couldn’t understand his stiffness at all.

Clearly, on the day of the ball, he seemed to have fallen quite hard for her.

Today, she couldn’t understand why he was acting like an angry person.

‘Does he like me or not?’

Audrey sat down, nervously watching his reactions.

Then she placed the bouquet received from the knight in a small vase and poured water into it.

‘Oh, how pretty.’

It had been a long time since she received flowers as a gift.

Although there was already a large cherry blossom tree on the fourth floor office, Audrey’s gaze remained fixed on the vase on the desk.

However, Audrey wasn’t the only one distracted by the vase.

‘Where did those flowers come from?’

Derek, unaware that his ears were burning, kept glancing noticeably at the desk across from him.

Purple flowers.

And beyond them, Dodori’s round face.

‘Ugh…!’

Ah, cruel Dodori was clearly trying to make his breath stop.

What a cunning assassin!

‘Damn it.’

Derek trembled, clenching his fists.

He wanted to pound his left chest furiously.

It felt like his heart had a cramp, or like insects were crawling, causing an itch.

‘Here it goes again.’

Even taking deep breaths didn’t alleviate the inexplicable tightness.

Couldn’t Dodori be less lovable for just one day?

After putting him in danger dozens of times with her breathtaking cuteness, was she now trying to send him to the next world?

Duke Frith couldn’t utter a single word throughout the work hours.

He felt that if he opened his mouth, his heart might jump out before his voice.

His pining for Dodori continued until closing time.

“I’ll be going now.”

“….”

“Ha-have a good weekend!”

“…!”

At 6 PM.

Leaving a brief greeting, Audrey left the office as if escaping.

Derek followed her retreating figure with aching eyes.

“Haah…”

Only after Dodori had completely disappeared did he come to his senses.

Duke Frith sheepishly wiped his heated face and took a deep breath with ease.

‘She said to have a good weekend.’

Nonsense.

How could he have a good weekend when he couldn’t see Dodori’s face?

It would be a terrible weekend.

The desk across from him already felt empty. Just because Dodori wasn’t there.

Then his gaze suddenly fell on the vase.

‘Come to think of it, that’s strange.’

Derek stood up abruptly and observed the vase with sharp eyes.

It was suspicious that Dodori, who usually carried no personal items, had appeared with flowers today.

Thirteen anemones.

And Dodori, who kept looking at the flowers with meaningful eyes.

“…!”

Derek had a sudden realization.

This must be a signal from Dodori!

“Your Grace, dinner is ready-“

“Move.”

“Eh? Where are you going? Your Grace!”

“Don’t worry about it.”

Duke Frith immediately headed to the library.

Then, skipping dinner, he locked himself in and rummaged through the bookshelves for a long time.

“Finally found it.”

The book he finally discovered in a corner of the second floor was “1001 Plant Encyclopedia.”

Derek scanned the table of contents with a very serious look.

“Anemone, anemone… Yes. Page forty-four, is it?”

He finally felt like he was getting closer to deciphering Dodori’s code.

However, Derek’s excitement didn’t last long.

《The Twelfth Flower, Anemone》

Anemones boast a variety of appearances and splendor!

But did you know that despite their beautiful appearance, they are full of sad stories?

“…!”

Unlike other flowers, the lengthy, sad stories that followed made him feel uneasy.

To make matters worse, the superstition that the number 13 signifies bad luck crossed his mind.

‘That can’t be, that can’t be possible.’

Derek deliberately blurred his vision.

And he skipped all the sad stories.

Then finally, the brief flower language caught his eye.

Flower Language: Betrayal, Hopeless Love

“…!”

Thud.

Duke Frith dropped the book in shock.

Dodori, Dodori couldn’t do this to him.