Yuri suddenly recalled a childhood memory of Sabina.

“Yuri, make sure you stay here! Until I finish eating!”

When Yuri, having finished his dinner first, tried to get up from his seat, Sabina pointed to the spot next to her, insisting he remain seated.

“I have nothing to do. I’m bored. I’m going to go upstairs and read a book.”

Sabina’s response to Yuri’s suggestion was quite something.

“What’s boring? Just looking at my face makes you happy. You’re pretty, so I’m letting you sit next to me specially.”

Wasn’t that something only someone who believed the world revolved around them would say?

But Yuri couldn’t argue or resist. Back then, he wasn’t a mage, and both his father and Yujin had instructed him to keep Sabina happy.

“Just play along. It’s not that hard, right?”

It wasn’t hard, but suppressing his feelings to play along was unpleasant.

Did they really not understand that?

He never wanted to run into Sabina again.

There were plenty of other unpleasant memories, but Yuri chose not to dig them up.

As he tried to shake off the memories that surfaced unconsciously, Titiana, blushing shyly to the tips of her ears, stammered a thank you.

“If I’ve become happy, it’s thanks to your support, not your face. Thank you, always.”

Yuri, who had been wide-eyed for a moment, soon replied with a bright smile.

“I really like you, Titi.”

“Ugh, saying you like me is banned! You say it too much.”

“I’ve only said it twice.”

“You were counting? The fact that you’re aware of it means it’s not just an ordinary sentiment!”

“Haha!”

Yuri burst into hearty laughter.

He couldn’t remember the last time he had laughed so genuinely because he was truly happy.

***

Yujin sat silently, propping his chin on his hand in the office chair. His gaze was blankly fixed somewhere, and the aides standing before him exchanged glances.

‘Why was he acting like that all of a sudden?’

‘I don’t know.’

Yujin Esrenche inherited the title of Count at the age of fifteen after losing both of his parents.

He was just a boy who seemed a bit smarter than average, nothing more. Everyone associated with the Esrenche family knew the amount of blood, sweat, and tears he had invested to become who he was today.

Even the black shirt and dark gray outerwear he wore were part of those efforts.

Many dismissed him at first sight due to his young age, so he needed his attire to convey weight. It was his battle attire, meant to intimidate and make him appear older.

He had always been unwavering.

He pursued perfection obsessively, as if showing even the slightest flaw would mean losing everything. This was despite the fact that his childhood, filled with relatives trying to take what was his, was long gone.

But lately, Yujin Esrenche seemed a bit off.

Especially after he had gone out and returned recently.

He appeared lost in thought at the drop of a hat and no longer visited the palace daily.

‘And he even sighed occasionally while working.’

Publicly, it was said that he was working from home due to health issues, but inside the mansion, he seemed no different than usual.

‘Ah, maybe it’s because he hadn’t gone out at all.’

No matter how disciplined someone was, staying home could lower efficiency.

‘All urgent matters had been settled anyway.’

The young master was clearly unaware of his own fatigue.

Part of an aide’s job was to monitor their superior’s condition and suggest rest at the appropriate time. With a warm smile, the aide spoke to Yujin.

“Aren’t you going out today?”

Yujin, who was lost in thought, looked up. He reached out and gently tapped the round leaves of a small potted plant on his desk.

“Is there a reason I should go out?”

Yujin’s voice was dry, as if he were questioning the purpose of such a pointless suggestion. The aide, startled, quickly waved his hands.

“No, it’s just that you used to go to the city frequently, but it seems like you suddenly stopped.”

“Did I?”

He hadn’t even realized it. This was unlike the usual Yujin Esrenche.

‘By now, he should have been buying sweets and heading to the palace. Wasn’t it about time Princess Sabina called for him?’

It was the first time he hadn’t visited Princess Sabina for such an extended period.

‘Oh, maybe something happened between him and Princess Sabina.’

Since Sabina had spent her childhood at the Esrenche estate, everyone there knew her well. Many believed the two would eventually marry.

The aide, who knew Yujin closely, understood that he had no romantic feelings for Sabina.

‘Still, he must have had some affection, considering he visited her three or four times a week.’

Sabina was also needed as a promotional model for the Esrenche Trading Company.

With a cheerful smile, the aide spoke as if hw was giving Yujin a little push.

“Shall I contact the Cimer Pastry Shop? I can ask them to set aside some éclairs and cream puffs.”

“Éclairs, cream puffs…”

Yujin repeated the words as if they were unfamiliar to him. These were the treats he bought every week for Sabina.

The aide, waiting for an order, was met with a heavy voice.

“Forget it.”

“Sir?”

“…?”

Yujin fell silent after saying that, fiddling with the plant in front of him. The round leaves looked small compared to his large hands. This behavior was also unlike Yujin.

The aide tilted his head in confusion.

‘Why was he acting like this all of a sudden?’

He rarely showed emotions, making this unusual.

Unable to fathom Yujin’s thoughts, the aide hesitantly asked, “Do you have something on your mind?”

“Something on my mind?”

Yujin frowned at the aide’s question.

If he had nothing on his mind, he would have laughed it off as nonsense, but instead, Yujin kept his mouth shut.

“…”

‘Could it be true?’

Life was full of surprises. The aide felt a strange delight at witnessing a more human side of his seemingly impenetrable superior. With a chuckle, he said, “Even if I can’t help, just talking about your worries can lighten the load. Think of it as talking to a wall.”

It was a mature thing to say. Feeling proud of himself, the aide watched as Yujin pondered for a moment before speaking in a heavy voice.

“Are there women in the world who dislike sweets?”

“What?”

Women?

It was an unexpected concern, but the aide answered straightforwardly, “Tastes are personal, so there could certainly be women who dislike sweets.”

What followed was even more surprising.

“I see. Then, what would be a good gift to apologize to a woman who dislikes sweets?”

“Well…”

‘A woman who dislikes sweets?’

The mention of a woman was surprising at first, but hearing it again piqued the aide’s curiosity. With sparkling eyes, he asked, “Have you recently taken a liking to a young lady? Who is she? Which family does she belong to? Just give me a hint, and I’ll find out everything for you.”

Finally, even the stiff Count seemed to be experiencing the gentle breeze of love! The aide was excited.

Yujin sighed loudly, ensuring the aide heard him.

“Not at all. Do you think every interaction between men and women is about romance?”

“But isn’t this the first time you’ve been concerned about a woman?”

“That’s…”

Yujin opened his mouth to argue but then closed it again. The aide was right. He rarely concerned himself with the preferences of others, male or female.

‘So why?’

He had spoken to relieve his mind, but it only became more tangled. Yujin ran a hand through his hair.

“Anyway, it’s not like that at all. I shouldn’t have brought it up.”

It seemed he was about to withdraw again. The aide quickly continued, “Usually, you give flowers to a lady!”

At the aide’s suggestion, Yujin frowned. He thought he would be ignored, but surprisingly, Yujin replied smoothly.

“Flowers have no meaning.”

“Or maybe jewelry?”

“…Forget it.”

Yujin waved his hand dismissively. The aide felt both useless and amazed at the same time.

‘What kind of woman was she?’

She didn’t like flowers or jewelry.

It was strange to see Yujin Esrenche so troubled. The aide, utterly baffled, asked again, “But why do you need to apologize?”

Yujin, being a perfectionist, rarely acted rudely toward others.

He was authoritative yet fair with subordinates and always polite, though not warm, to superiors. He never let personal feelings affect his interactions.

‘Especially with women, he would never act rudely.’

Given how seriously he was considering an apology, he must have made a significant mistake, but it was hard to believe.

‘What kind of mistake could he have made?’

Could he have confessed in a moment of passion? The aide thought it unlikely but then chuckled.

Yujin might be overly proper, but he was still a young man full of energy.

He could easily have acted foolishly after falling in love at first sight.