“Hmmmm.”

While I was lying upside down on the bed trying to figure out this inexplicable uneasiness, Rick, who had been sitting unusually quietly, suddenly spoke up.

<Terry…>

“Yes?”

I quickly raised my upper body in surprise.

And for good reason, as his voice was more gloomy than ever before. Since we first met, I’d never heard his voice sound so deflated, so worry immediately took precedence.

“What’s wrong? Did something happen? Come to think of it, you’ve been strangely quiet lately. Don’t tell me… are you sick?”

Even though they say ghosts can’t get sick, Rick’s situation is unique among ghosts so things might be different.

As I hurriedly tried to pick him up to check his condition, Rick stopped me. Then he said something out of nowhere.

<People are not just their appearances.>

“Huh?”

<…I guess it doesn’t matter if there’s no direct connection. Anyway, with people, you need to look at their inner self, not their appearance. You’re smart so you probably know this but…>

He mutters something as if talking to himself, then suddenly starts lecturing about how a person’s inner self is most important. Though his voice was somewhat listless, his tone was no different from usual.

Seeing him like that, my tension deflated instantly like air being let out. I wondered what he was going to say, but he was just starting his nagging in a new way… I got worried for nothing, geez.

After confirming Rick was acting normal, I flopped back down. While habitually letting his nagging go in one ear and out the other, I returned to my thoughts about Damian.

‘Damian Carpendier… Since the Carpendier Count family isn’t a vassal of Everdeen, I don’t know much about them. I wonder if there’s anything in the library?’

Right. Though I’m not sure if he’ll really invite me, since I asked for an invitation, it would be better to study up a bit before going.

With that thought, I got up slowly. As I put on my cardigan, Rick, who had been continuing his nagging until then, said grumpily.

<Are you running away now? I’m being serious here.>

“…No? Running away? I’m just trying to learn more about the Carpendier Count family?”

<Then why can’t you meet my eyes?>

“…Tch.”

Was I caught? Though that wasn’t entirely untrue…

In the end, I had to leave the room carrying Rick, who was now lecturing even more enthusiastically than before.

Sure enough, I was already getting tired after just a few steps. I was about to click my tongue and dismiss Rick’s nagging.

“My ears are going to bleed at this rate. Like you said, I’m not stupid, and I don’t judge people just by their appearances, so please be quiet… Huh?”

That’s when something out of place caught my eye.

The interior of the Everdeen mansion featured an overall dignified color scheme with dark green wallpaper, the family’s symbol, and walnut furniture.

The carpet in the hallway connected to my room was definitely dark green too… but what was that white and red thing in the middle of the hallway?

<Terry, isn’t that… a cake?>

Rick stopped his nagging and asked, seemingly confused too. I rubbed my eyes and looked ahead again.

In the middle of the hallway, there was an adorable bite-sized strawberry cake.

‘Huh…?’

Why is there suddenly a cake? Wondering if it might be a model or decoration, I crouched down to look closer. But judging by the strong strawberry scent wafting from it, it doesn’t seem to be fake.

After hesitating, I picked up the cake and popped it in my mouth. A familiar sweetness filled my mouth.

‘This is definitely our chef’s handiwork.’

Why is the chef’s cake here? Gasp, could it be that someone was carrying it somewhere and set it down briefly, and I just ate it!?

As that thought suddenly struck me, I hurriedly looked around and discovered something else not far away. This time it appeared to be a macaron.

Wondering what was going on, I approached it, only to find a piece of éclair nearby. When I moved towards that, I found a piece of ganache next.

Starting from the macaron, I collected the dessert plates placed along the hallway one by one as I moved forward. Though I didn’t know who these desserts belonged to, I acted with the thought that I should return them.

But gradually my hands became full, so I had no choice but to start eating the desserts I was holding one by one.

<…Terry, your cheeks look like they’re about to burst.>

“I knoo.” (I know.)

By the time my cheeks were completely puffed up, I found my path blocked and when I looked up, I was in front of the Duke’s office. The office door was slightly open.

“…?”

With question marks floating above my head, the moment I poked my head through the gap in the office door.

Fwish-

Colorful paper confetti showered down on my head. Startled, I looked up to see Sebastian and Mina smiling brightly at me. They were each holding papers like banners.

「Welcome, Young Miss!」

「Welcome to the chef’s new dessert tasting party!」

Wh… what? New dessert tasting party?

As I stood there with my mouth hanging open in bewilderment, the Duke, who had been standing between Sebastian and Mina, stepped forward with an awkward smile.

「Um… Terry. If you’d like, would you take a break and try the new cake the chef made? I prepared your favorite honey milk too.」

In one of the Duke’s hands was a plate with an appetizing piece of cake, and in the other was a glass bottle filled with honey milk. When I reflexively looked at Mina, she quickly wrote with a smile.

「You can eat all of that today, Young Miss.」

It was unlike Mina, who always strictly managed my health, to say such a thing. My head tilted automatically.

Why are these people acting like this?

* * *

A few hours before Teresia stepped into Valerian’s office.

“What did you just say…?”

Crunch.

The fountain pen in Valerian’s hand crumbled like dough as he asked blankly. Sebastian gazed wistfully at the white gloves now covered in ink.

‘Well, for the master, there’s no difference between a quill pen and a fountain pen…’

Sebastian shook his head.

Since Valerian kept breaking writing instruments whenever something happened involving the child, he had switched from quill pens to slightly sturdier fountain pens. But it seemed that before Valerian’s superhuman strength, both quill pens and fountain pens were like eggs before a rock.

“Master, your gloves…”

“Is that important right now? At the Imeg Count family’s tea party… what happened?”

Though Sebastian, being the dutiful butler he was, tried to collect his master’s ruined gloves, Valerian’s attention was entirely focused on the story he had brought up. His golden eyes were wide open as if they might roll out.

Sebastian also realized this and withdrew his outstretched hand. He dropped his head dejectedly and continued his report.

“Young Master Damian Carpendier made several meaningful remarks to the Young Miss. He said he still remembers everything from that day, that he’s happy to meet again and it seems like fate… He even kissed her hand.”

“Carpendier, Carpendier…”

Valerian muttered while furrowing his brow. In his mind, half shocked and half angry, he tried to recall where he’d heard the name Carpendier.

He remembered seeing it a few times while reviewing the list of nobles in the east. But since they were a family with influence barely different from any baronial house, he hadn’t paid much attention to them…

‘…Should I eliminate them.’

Slap!

“M-Master!”

Valerian unconsciously harbored murderous intent before slapping his own cheek. Sebastian raised his voice in alarm at his master’s sudden action.

“I’m fine.”

However, for such an action, Valerian’s following voice was extremely calm. If his cheek hadn’t been slightly swollen, one wouldn’t even know he had just slapped himself.

‘No matter how annoying it is, killing isn’t acceptable. Get a grip, Valerian Everdeen.’

Valerian took deep breaths while desperately trying to maintain his rationality.

He was well aware of how impulsive and irrational his emotions were right now. Nevertheless, unpleasant feelings kept creeping over his heart.

It was strangely difficult to control his emotions when it came to matters involving Teresia.

Especially when the child put herself in danger, or when suspicious fellows tried to make moves on her, such tendencies grew stronger.

Elimination is not allowed, not allowed…

‘…Is it really not allowed?’

Valerian sighed at the murderous intent that was quietly raising its head again. He removed his ink-stained gloves and roughly messed up his hair.

Though he really didn’t want to, it seemed he should contact Marquis Amethris soon to check if this state of his was normal.

After organizing his thoughts, Valerian rested his elbows on the desk and interlocked his fingers. He spoke in a serious tone.

“Sebastian.”

“Yes, Master.”

“First, call Mina. And the chef too.”

“Eh? Not the Young Miss?”

“It would be burdensome to suddenly call her in and ask what she talked about with whom at the tea party. It would be better to make her open up naturally.”

Actually, whether asking directly or subtly inducing an answer, the essential intent to interrogate was the same. If anything, the latter scored overwhelmingly higher on the scale of sneakiness.

But Sebastian also cared for Teresia almost as much as Valerian did. He eagerly agreed as his eyes lit up.

“That’s a good idea. Mina would know which desserts the Young Miss likes, so with that…”

This was the beginning of Operation ‘Hansel and Gretel’.