“No, it’s okay. You don’t need to apologize. This is all because of my own actions.”

I quickly waved my hand to comfort Miss Veronica. However, she looked at me with sad eyes, far different from her usual demeanor, and responded.

“That’s not true. If I hadn’t asked you to check the crops back then, you wouldn’t have met Duke Berzel. Then you wouldn’t be going to Duke Berzel’s estate against your will.”

“Oh, you don’t need to think like that. I’m really just taking a break, I promise.”

I held Miss Veronica’s hand and tried to console her as she looked upset.

In truth, this situation made me realize how much Miss Veronica and the master’s family cared for me, which made me a bit happy.

Just as I liked them, they liked and cherished me too.

Having lost my parents early, the people here had truly become my family.

Count Maynard and the Countess had taken care of me like parents, and Miss Veronica cherished me like a younger sister.

Honestly, I was worried about following Alex, but I wouldn’t hesitate to do what was necessary for the Maynard family.

“Well then, I’ll be off.”

“…Alright.”

After barely calming Miss Veronica, I packed my things and stepped outside.

Alex and the Rose Knights were already waiting. Of course, Count Maynard and the people of the Maynard household were also there to see me off.

Behind Alex was a grand and luxurious carriage that I had never seen at the Maynard estate.

“Please give us your luggage.”

A person I had never seen before spoke to me politely.

He appeared to be the butler of Duke Berzel’s estate. Seeing that even the butler had come, it seemed Alex had really thoroughly prepared for this.

I handed my luggage to the butler and approached Alex.

“You made the right choice.”

Alex smiled deeply.

I looked at him for a moment and then turned around.

Count Maynard was looking at me with a worried expression.

“Well then, Count, Madam, Miss. I’ll be back after taking a rest for about three months.”

“If anything happens, send us a letter anytime. We’ll send someone to fetch you.”

Count Maynard gently patted my shoulder.

I smiled brighter than ever to show my gratitude.

“Yes, Count. Please stay healthy in the meantime.”

Before leaving, I bowed deeply to Count Maynard, the Countess, and Miss Veronica.

After the bow, I turned around and took a deep breath, looking up at the sky to hold back tears.

The early winter morning sky was unusually bright.

Maybe that’s why tears seemed to well up in my eyes.

Before the tears could fall, I walked over to Alex.

The carriage door opened, and I got in first.

Alex followed, and the door closed behind him.

“Let’s go.”

At Alex’s command, the carriage started moving.

Starting today, for exactly three months.

If I spent these three months safely at Duke Berzel’s estate, I could return here.

I resolved to behave as quietly as possible, avoiding anything that might upset Alex.

I smiled at Alex, who was staring at me.

***

The carriage slowly moved away from the Maynard estate.

I etched the sight of the receding estate into my mind through the carriage window.

Since being born as Claire Evernizer, this was the first time I was leaving the Maynard estate alone without Miss Veronica.

It wasn’t a big deal, but I felt a strange sense of sentimentality.

Though I would be back in three months, it felt like I was leaving forever, making my heart feel heavy and restless.

It was like the feeling of moving out of a house where I had lived for a long time.

I kept looking out the window until the Maynard estate was out of sight.

After calming my uneasy heart, I finally took my eyes off the window.

“Are you feeling very sad?”

“Yes. I never thought I’d leave the Maynard estate. Except for when we went to Sergal for Miss Veronica’s debutante.”

“So that was the first time.”

“Well, yes.”

It was a place where I had grown attached over 23 years.

Even though my mother had passed away when I was twelve, the people of the Maynard household always treated me like a daughter or sister, so I never felt that void.

And I felt it clearly yesterday and today.

The people of the Maynard household were all good people.

I was just a maid.

Duke Alexander Berzel wanted me.

Which noble would stand against Duke Berzel to protect a mere maid?

They could have just handed me over to Alex and maintained a good relationship with him, but they didn’t. They respected my opinion to the end and worried about my safety, which moved me deeply.

So, it wasn’t unreasonable for me to make this decision for them.

After all, if I spent just three months at Duke Berzel’s estate, nothing would turn out like the original story.

Of course, I was hoping that Alex might lose interest in me after watching me for three months.

Originally, Alex was supposed to like someone else, not me. So, if he kept me close and watched me, I thought his feelings for me would quickly fade.

Well, that was just my guess.

Anyway, I planned to spend a relaxing time at Duke Berzel’s estate.

Considering the facilities at Duke Berzel’s estate were likely better than most hotels, and since I was going there as Alex’s guest and supposedly the person he loved, they wouldn’t make me work. I could just rest comfortably.

“You seem to be planning to return to the Maynard estate after exactly three months.”

Alex seemed to have read my thoughts and smiled at me.

I wondered if I had given something away and touched my cheeks with both hands.

“Me? No, that’s not it.”

I tried to pretend otherwise, but it seemed my thoughts were more apparent than I realized.

Alex let out a low chuckle and looked me up and down with his jewel-like blue eyes.

“Such thoughts are pointless.”

“Why?”

“Do you know why I accepted your condition?”

I did wonder why Alex had agreed to allow just three months.

It was a very disadvantageous condition for him.

But for some reason, Alex had accepted all my conditions without hesitation.

As if he was challenging me.

“Three months is enough. Enough to make you choose Berzel’s ducal estate over the Maynard estate.”

His overly confident tone made me pout.

“That’s something we’ll have to see. Choosing the place I’ve stayed for just three months rather than the one I lived in for 23 years over seems strange, doesn’t it?”

“Well, we’ll see about that.”

Alex seemed overly confident, almost arrogant.

It was as if he was certain I wouldn’t choose to return.

Had I fallen into Alex’s trap?

Even though I thought I was being clever, I couldn’t read Alex’s intentions, making me feel like I had been outsmarted.

I squinted at Alex. He shrugged his shoulders.

It meant he wouldn’t say more. It was very annoying.

Not knowing his true intentions, I couldn’t draw any conclusions.

Was he planning to imprison me after three months?

No matter how luxurious life at Duke Berzel’s estate was, I wouldn’t abandon the Maynard estate.

The Maynard estate was my home, so there was no way I wouldn’t return.

No matter how good life was elsewhere, the best place was my home, where I could rest.

“You’re not planning to imprison me, are you?”

There was no reason to hold me so tightly. I hoped my fears were unfounded as I looked up at Alex cautiously.

Alex wore a serious expression and slowly spoke.

“Oh, did I get caught?”

“What?!”

Startled, I shouted, and Alex burst into laughter.

“I’m joking. I wouldn’t do such a thing.”

Alex laughed it off as a joke, but I felt a chill and couldn’t laugh it off.

What if I had really misunderstood?

Should I break the contract and return to the Maynard estate now?

Thinking back, Alex was more than capable of imprisoning someone.

This was an R-19 dark romance novel, after all.

Imprisonment was a basic trope of dark romance, so why did I overlook that?

Oh no, what if I end up spending my life in a prison-like place instead of living luxuriously for three months?

As I rolled my eyes and remained silent, Alex slowly crossed his legs and tilted his head slightly.

“Well, if that’s your preference, I can respect it.”

“No, it’s not at all.”

“That’s a shame.”

What’s a shame about that?

I felt a cold sweat down my back.

It seemed I had really gotten involved with the wrong villain.