“I was thinking of buying some gifts for my family.”

“O-Of course! I’ll guide you!”

To hide my embarrassment, I raised my voice in response.

At the same time, I saw a crack forming on the window behind Ilion with a cracking sound.

Fortunately, the window didn’t shatter, but it looked a bit dangerous.

“Oh my, the window cracked.”

Sebastian said as he examined the window.

“Could it be because of the cold weather?”

“That might be the case. I’ll have it replaced today.”

As I anxiously looked at the broken window, Ilion’s reaction was a bit strange. He ran a hand over his face and called for Spinel.

“Spinel, if you have time…”

“No.”

Unfortunately, he was flatly rejected before he could even get to the point.

Though it should have been embarrassing, since Spinel was the one who saved his life, Ilion took a step back and calmly asked again.

“Do you have any plans?”

“Even if I don’t, I don’t have time to waste on you.”

“……”

It seemed like their battle of nerves would be quite a classic.

After breakfast, I waited for Artia to come down at the entrance. Looking at the gloomy sky, I suddenly worried about the plants I had been growing in the vegetable garden.

I hope they haven’t died from being neglected for too long? Just as I was thinking I should go check on them when I had time, Ilion came down the stairs.

“I asked Lucas to accompany you. I’d like to go with you instead, but…”

Ilion glanced at Sebastian next to him with a somewhat resentful look.

“He told me to refrain from going out for a while.”

“I agree with that opinion as well.”

I also looked at Sebastian once and smiled slightly. Ilion nodded as if he had no choice.

“Alright, I understand. Don’t do anything dangerous, and come back early before it rains.”

“I told you I won’t do anything dangerous.”

Ilion stared at me after hearing my brazen reply. His eyes seemed to ask if I had any right to say such things.

The burning sensation on my face suggested that I still had some conscience left.

“…from now on.”

As I reluctantly added, I heard a low laugh. Soon after, Artia came down, and just as I was about to get into the carriage, Ilion stopped me again.

Wondering if he had more nagging left, I turned around, and he gave me a quick kiss on the cheek before stepping back.

“Be careful.”

“W-What just…”

I stared at Ilion in shock, holding my cheek where his lips had brushed, but he was looking at me as if nothing had happened.

No, why is he so calm? Am I the only one flustered right now?

As I was opening and closing my mouth, not knowing what to say, a sharp sound was suddenly heard.

Turning my head towards the sound, I saw that a vase placed near the entrance had shattered.

Could this have broken because of the cold weather too? At this rate, there won’t be any glass left in the mansion before winter even arrives.

While Sebastian hurriedly called for a maid, a soft sigh escaped from Ilion’s lips.

“Ah, this is maddening.”

I thought perhaps a cherished vase had broken, but judging by his expression, that didn’t seem to be the case. Then, out of the blue, he started looking for Spinel.

“Sebastian, have you seen Spinel?”

“I saw her returning to her room earlier.”

Ilion nodded in understanding and told me to have a safe trip before heading upstairs.

Artia, who was already in the carriage, poked her head out of the window and asked,

“Miss Ravenne, aren’t you getting in?”

“Ah, I’m coming now.”

While I got into the carriage, still trying to cool my flushed face, Artia was covering her mouth with her hand, seemingly struggling to hold back her laughter.

“D-Don’t laugh.”

“I apologize if I’ve offended you. Your expression just now was too funny.”

Her words of apology didn’t seem very apologetic, though?

It seemed that speaking her mind while maintaining a polite facade was her true nature. After watching Artia try to suppress her laughter for a while, I asked,

“Don’t you mind?”

“Mind what?”

“Well, the Duke…”

As I rolled my eyes, not knowing how to explain the situation of him kissing my cheek just now, Artia muttered to herself.

“It seems Spinel didn’t tell you. Well, I didn’t think she would listen to my request.”

“Pardon?”

After saying that, Artia looked out the window and asked a question.

“What are the specialties of the Ionia Empire?”

“S-Specialties?”

What were they again? Frantically gathering knowledge of this world in response to the sudden question, I barely managed to recall one.

“I think I heard that the chocolate is delicious…”

“Then shall we buy some chocolate?”

As I mumbled uncertainly, Artia smiled brightly and said it would make a good gift.

In the end, the important question passed by vaguely, leaving me feeling as if a weight had been placed on one corner of my heart.

Was it really okay for Artia to return like this?

Despite it being the middle of winter, the city was full of vitality. The long-awaited outing naturally began to lift my spirits.

Artia bought an armful of chocolates to distribute to her family as she roamed around the city, and not content with just that, she purchased spices and dried fruits that were hard to find in Bellion.

Her hands were already full of luggage to the point where they weren’t enough, but she hurried her steps as if she had discovered something else. Admiring her unexpectedly robust stamina, I hurried to follow her.

“This is…”

We arrived at a street stall selling accessories laid out on a display stand. Well, Artia was at an age where she would be interested in such things.

She examined the accessories closely and asked me,

“Which one do you think is the prettiest?”

After looking over the colorful accessories, my gaze stopped on a flower-shaped necklace with yellow cubic zirconia.

“This one. I think it’s pretty because it’s the same color as your eyes, Saintess.”

Artia’s eyes widened at my explanation, and she said that wouldn’t be bad and bought the necklace.

“Here, take it.”

“…Pardon?”

I stared blankly at the necklace she suddenly handed me and asked in surprise.

“…For me?”

“Yes. It’s a gift for you, Miss Ravenne. Although it’s not an expensive jewel.”

Saying that, she went behind me to put the necklace around my neck.

“After leaving the Imperial Palace, I wanted to talk with you like this at least once. I also wanted to express my gratitude for that day.”

Although I couldn’t see her expression well, I could imagine her gentle face just from the voice I heard near my ear.

“I wanted to help you as much as you helped me, but I’m not sure if my actions might have hurt you instead.”

“No, I’m the one who should be grateful. Thanks to you, I was able to save the Duke.”

“I feel a bit more at ease hearing you say that.”

Artia said it was done and tidied my hair once. Then she closed her eyes quietly and placed her hand on the necklace. It felt as if Artia’s warm energy was spreading throughout my body through the necklace.

“I infused the necklace with holy power. So that you can be safe even if something happens.”

“Is it okay for me to receive something like this?”

I looked at Artia while fiddling with the necklace.

“It’s far from enough compared to the help I received from you, Miss Ravenne.”

“That’s not what I meant by…”

As I hastily shook my head, Artia burst into laughter.

“Actually, I thought about making it a ring, but I felt there might be someone who would be disappointed if I stole their thunder.”

“Stole their… thunder?”

As I tilted my head, not understanding what she meant, Artia shook her head saying it was nothing.

“By the way, if I had known this would happen, I should have stolen a few of Klaus’s jewels when I left the Imperial Palace.”

“Saintess, you shouldn’t say such things.”

“One or two wouldn’t hurt, right?”

Artia asked nonchalantly, and then burst into laughter once again.

Artia, when she laughed like that, was so beautiful that I briefly thought protecting that smile might be the greatest achievement of my life.

“Ravenne, you once told me, didn’t you? That you hoped I would be happy. I feel the same way. I hope you will be happy.”

As I came out of my reverie, her golden eyes were gazing at me warmly.

“So, why don’t you be a bit more greedy for your own happiness?”

It was a vague statement that I seemed to understand yet didn’t quite grasp. Be more greedy for happiness? Aren’t I already happy enough?

“Oh, right. And please make sure to invite me to the wedding. If it’s Miss Ravenne’s wedding, I’ll drop everything and come running.”

“W-Wedding?”

When I was flustered by the mention of marriage, Artia covered her lips and muttered.

“Was I not supposed to say that yet?”

***

Artia left the mansion the next day to return to her hometown. She left with a request that I should visit Bellion sometime if I had the chance.

As she waved goodbye, her expression looked refreshed, as if she had no lingering attachments.

And after Artia left, I suddenly found myself with nothing to do.

“You seem particularly low on energy today.”

Lily asked as she looked at me.

“Don’t I seem too neglected these days?”

“Well…”

Lily tilted her head as if she wasn’t sure, but the word ‘neglected’ perfectly described my current situation.

Since waking up, Ilion had been sticking with Spinel at every opportunity, not intending to leave his room all day.

Spinel came out of Ilion’s office every day, irritated and saying she would never come again, but even then, she was caught by Ilion again the next day.

It was unclear how he managed to persuade her.

Even earlier, when I went to Ilion’s office hoping to talk to him after a long time, the two of them were in the middle of another argument.

‘No matter how I look at it, you clearly lack talent. Just admit it already!’

‘You’ve only been teaching me for four days, isn’t it strange to expect me to be good already?’

‘You said you’d respect me as a teacher, but why are your words getting more impolite by the day?’

‘Aren’t you being too strict with your lovely nephew? Mother would be sad if she knew.’

Spinel complained that he was not her nephew at all, lamenting that she had saved him for nothing, but she still didn’t get up from her chair.

It seemed Ilion was already quite skilled at handling Spinel. Seeing this, I really think Ilion has the worst personality.

Thanks to their argument echoing through the office corridor, I had no choice but to quietly turn back without saying a word.

And now I was pathetically enjoying tea time alone.

“Wouldn’t it be nice if I could at least go outside?”

Due to the increasingly cold weather, I couldn’t even attempt to go for a walk.

“How about going on an outing?”

“An outing?”

“There’s a large greenhouse garden not far from the capital. They’ve gathered plants from various regions to create a garden. How about visiting for a change of mood?”

Now that you mention it, I do want to go…

While I was contemplating, Sebastian added one more thing.

“It’s also famous as a date spot for couples.”

Oh, no, Sebastian. If you say it like that, it sounds like I really want to go on a date with Ilion.

I pretended to be uninterested and asked,

“S-So, where is this place?”