“You don’t have to be so uptight. My mansion isn’t that kind of place.”

Lysith finished her tea and set the cup down silently, smiling softly.

“Next time, should we drink tea outside? Or maybe on the terrace.”

“Whatever you wish is fine.”

“It might be too hot outside for you. But on a cool day, it should be okay, right?”

“…Yes.”

Penchev’s voice, somehow subdued, softly echoed through the room.

* * *

It seemed okay to take her time with Penchev. Unlike the other male leads, he wasn’t difficult to meet, and rushing things wouldn’t do any good.

“Hmm…”

There was about a month left until the Emperor’s birthday. The Grand Duke and the Emperor wouldn’t be available until then.

She briefly considered visiting the imperial palace like in some romance fantasy novels, but reason always held her back. What would she do once she got there…?

When she read about someone else’s story, it was just a simple novel, but even if this was a game, it felt like reality to her, where she had to deal with everything.

Walking through the modest garden bathed in the evening glow and returning to the mansion felt quite peaceful and leisurely. It was almost like living a relaxed life in the countryside away from the city.

Though it wasn’t reality at all.

‘I don’t plan to attend social gatherings for a while, and Ashites said he’d visit, but who knows when…’

Given Ashites’ personality, he probably wouldn’t send a letter in advance. He’d likely show up one day and ask her to go somewhere with him.

As she entered the mansion, she saw two maids who had been chatting excitedly come toward her with light steps.

“Miss!”

“What?”

“We’re curious about something…”

Their sparkling eyes made her guess what they wanted to ask, even though she didn’t want to. Suppressing a laugh, she answered.

“What is it?”

“Is the Master of the Magic Tower really that handsome?”

‘Ah, so that’s what it is…’

Well, it was understandable.

He was a man who only attended banquets on national holidays and then left quickly, so only the nobles knew his face. Among those who hadn’t seen him, stories circulated that the Master of the Magic Tower had blond hair, heterochromatic eyes, and was very handsome.

“To be honest, the butler is also handsome.”

“That’s true. Though he’s a bit scary.”

Judging by their good eye for appearances, it seemed they didn’t feel fear just because of his eyes.

“Hmm, the Master of the Magic Tower is indeed handsome.”

“If you say so, Miss, he must be extraordinary.”

“But his personality is a bit…”

“Ah…”

At the mention of personality, the two maids fell silent. …They had all witnessed her relationship with the Grand Duke.

“Still, he’s better than the Grand Duke!”

Despite Lysith’s hasty attempt to defend him, the hall fell into silence.

They seemed to think that even the new man had a terrible personality… something like that.

Unable to endure the atmosphere, Lysith cleared her throat a few times and tried to break the silence with a cheerful announcement.

“Ahem, ahem. He said he’d visit, so you’ll get to see him.”

“Really?”

“To see you, Miss?”

“Fool, he’ll come to escort her.”

They had only met twice, but the maids were already squealing and imagining a wedding.

She wondered if her romance was that enjoyable for them, but in a world without smartphones or games, someone else’s love life was probably the most entertaining thing.

Watching the two maids lost in their imaginations, Lysith suddenly remembered something.

“Come to think of it… Do you remember when you first started working here?”

“What? Of course.”

“Do you remember how I chose you?”

This was what she was most curious about among her missing memories.

Everyone in the mansion was kind to her and bore no ill will. Even though her personality had changed a bit, they still saw her as Miss Lysith Gronevelt.

“You chose us in a very unique way.”

“Did I…”

“Yes. You looked each of us in the eyes one by one and then told us whether we were hired or not.”

“You didn’t even tell us the criteria.”

It wasn’t just unusual; it was almost supernatural. Deciding someone’s fate by looking into their eyes sounded like something out of a fantasy.

However, as far as Lysith knew, she possessed no such abilities.

She had always felt that this mansion seemed tailor-made for her after she transmigrated here.

It was unsettling to dismiss it as simply being for the player’s benefit because this was a game. The actions of the ‘previous Lysith’ clearly differed from those of a mere game character.

It was as if she had known she would disappear.

Moreover, she even doubted whether this place was truly inside a game.

But then again, the fact that she could see the system window…

“…Miss?”

“Oh, sorry. I was thinking about something else.”

Lysith made an excuse for her distraction and parted ways with the maids, heading up to her room on the second floor. She opened the door to the terrace connected to her room, letting the outside air blow in and ruffle her white hair.

There was much to think about and many unresolved questions. But in the end, there was nothing she could definitively know at the moment.

…Speaking of a sunset terrace, it brought to mind a memory.

It wasn’t her own memory but one from the previous Lysith.

At an imperial banquet, while everyone else avoided her due to the intimidating presence of her stern father and brother, nineteen-year-old Lysith fell in love for the first time.

“May I have the honor of your first dance?”

He was a man with black hair and blue eyes, two years older than her.

Of course, the reason he could approach her without fear of her father and brother’s sharp gazes was his position as a Grand Duke, but to Lysith, his very existence was a refuge.

As the dance neared its end, he took her to the terrace where the sunset had begun, as if he didn’t want her to return…

“Sigh…”

He had been so kind then, so why was he so cold at the wedding?

No, whenever she thought of their marriage, it was always like that.

If he had shown even a tenth of the kindness he had back then, things might have been different.

In Lysith’s memory, this was the last of Dietrich’s kind gestures. Yet, she always immersed herself in this memory, loving Dietrich Clonair.

Love, really, was endlessly irresponsible.

* * *

The peaceful atmosphere of Lysith’s mansion was disrupted less than a day later.

Lysith was in the study, choosing a book to read, when Serena approached her silently.

“Miss.”

“Yes.”

“The Master of the Magic Tower has come to visit…”

“…Now? Outside?”

“Yes…”

She expected that he wouldn’t send a letter in advance, but to show up so suddenly…

He danced so well that he could outshine noble young men, so he seemed familiar with noble etiquette. Yet, this behavior suggested otherwise.

‘Maybe it’s because he’s in a position where he doesn’t need to consider others.’

Thanking Serena for informing her, Lysith quickly headed to the drawing room, where she found Ashites sitting leisurely, elegantly crossing his legs.

“Oh, you came quickly.”

“It would have been nice if you had given some notice…”

“I don’t do that.”

Indeed, who could stop the Master of the Magic Tower from visiting?

Ashites didn’t seem to notice the same sour expression that Serena had shown a moment ago.

“Don’t noble ladies usually take a long time to dress?”

“Usually, yes.”

“Hmm.”

Touching his chin, he then confidently extended his hand to her.

“Well, give me today.”

Asking for a day was typically a way to ask for a date, wasn’t it…?

As Lysith tilted her head in confusion, Ashites, looking frustrated, furrowed his brows and spoke again.

“Let’s go out together.”

“Oh.”

Surprisingly, it was indeed a date invitation.

As Lysith widened her eyes, Ashites relaxed his furrowed brows and smiled lightly, telling her to dress like a wealthy commoner and come down. Then he promptly kicked her out of the drawing room.

“…What?”

She was the mansion’s owner, yet she was the one kicked out of the drawing room.

It was a favorable situation since a target character had asked her out first, and she should have been happy, but it felt rushed and haphazard.

Nevertheless, she had to get ready, so she headed upstairs.

Like the last outing, she dressed like a wealthy commoner in a white blouse and navy skirt. As she left her room, Eve, who was following her, seemed excited.

…It seemed that even her personal maid found her romance entertaining.

“By the way, where’s the butler?”

“He’s sorting documents at this time.”

“I see.”

Fortunately, there was no awkward three-way meeting. Though she might have to deal with it later.

Feeling a bit overwhelmed, Lysith sighed lightly. Well, she’d deal with that when the time came. No need to worry prematurely. Encouraging herself, she opened the drawing room door, only to find Ashites standing right in front of her.