“Lady Mylar.”

Startled, I turned around to find Eden, who I had seen earlier in the Red Sugar Beet food line.

Eden Siegfried, Uncle Amrus’s son and the young duke of House Siegfried.

His brown hair and gray eyes appeared slightly reddish in the sunset light.

The boy walked steadily towards me and stood before me.

“……”

Even standing on my head, he would look like a perfect young nobleman.

Do status and beauty correlate for boys in this world…?

Briton was already otherworldly handsome, and Eden could put luxury kids’ fashion models to shame.

Well, Uncle Amrus was quite handsome too, despite his stern impression.

“Ah, hello, Young Duke Siegfried.”

At my greeting, Eden awkwardly lifted just the corner of his mouth and gave a slight bow.

“Actually, I saw you earlier… when you were in line. Did you come to buy Red Sugar Beet food? I wanted to set some aside for you, but I couldn’t. I’m sorry.”

I slightly bowed my head, apologizing for making him wait so long.

But the boy spoke with an unbothered expression.

“Not at all. If I had cut in line due to our acquaintance, it would certainly have caused a riot. People’s reactions were passionate. I can tell with 95 percent certainty that your choice to pretend not to see me was correct.”

Huh? Why suddenly talk about percentages?

“My reason for coming here today wasn’t just to buy Red Sugar Beet food. Especially not my reason for waiting until now.”

Indeed… the numbered tickets had already been distributed.

I looked at Eden and asked.

“Do you have business with me?”

Eden nodded at my words.

Then he spoke.

“Yes. I have something to discuss with you. If I may, could you spare me a moment of your time?”

The boy’s etiquette was so perfect that Lady Alens would have clapped with joy.

Though his eyes were unreadable, thinking that as Uncle Amrus’s son he couldn’t be dangerous, I nodded.

“Yes, please go ahead.”

After a brief silence, Eden spoke.

“Pardon my rudeness, but I’d like to speak somewhere else. On a special day like today, there’s about a 72 percent chance of interruptions.”

“Percent… what?”

“It won’t take long.”

The corner of Eden’s lips moved slightly. Just that small upturn gave a different impression from his earlier expressionless face.

After watching him for a moment, I said to Adam.

“I’ll go talk with Young Duke Siegfried for a bit! Could you finish up here?”

“Of course, young miss. And since the staff are preparing tomorrow’s Red Sugar Beet food, there’s no need to rush back.”

Adam added unnecessary comments.

House Siegfried, as the family of the chancellor who oversees the empire’s economy, holds tremendous power, and even Emperor Parmes executes national finances with Siegfried’s advice and cooperation.

So he probably thinks it would be good for business if I became acquainted with Eden, who will inherit House Siegfried.

Anyway, he’s more serious about rebuilding the marquis house than I, the daughter, am.

I started walking with Eden, taking small steps.

Eden placed a small paper on my house’s wall before returning to my side.

“Hm? What did you just do?”

“If the 72 percent probability is achieved, there’s about an 89 percent chance they’ll see that paper. It’s like a declaration of war for free competition. Also a sign that you’re not a monopoly good.”

“…Pardon?”

This kid seems strange, no doubt about it.

I glanced sideways at Eden.

“There’s a dessert shop two hundred and six steps away that Lady Mylar would like. The probability that you’ll like desserts is…”

“Let’s go. Just… let’s go…”

I cut off Eden’s words, not wanting to hear any more about probabilities.

This kid… is definitely weird.

***

Crown Prince Briton led a subjugation force with Duke Guermont after receiving reports of the Second Prince’s remaining forces.

Though they couldn’t completely verify the report’s authenticity since the base was completely burned down, they did gather some clues. And in the notes they exchanged, there was some content about Arinel.

Items that seemed to be used by a woman and evidence suggesting that the core forces of the remnants might be positioned around her.

Parmes himself would verify the validity of these findings.

‘Arinel has accomplished too many notable achievements to stay hidden, and she’ll certainly be exposed to enemies.’

The worst-case scenario would be their arrowheads pointing at Arinel.

The reason Emperor Parmes kept Arinel in Galnem for a year even after securing the imperial palace was to clean up the remnants that could endanger her.

Though most were swept away, he’s just angry at those who still remain rooted throughout the empire like weeds.

Although Parmes has already strongly protected her by declaring her as the Crown Prince’s fiancée as soon as he brought her to the capital…

If they dare to reach for Arinel, Briton won’t stay still. Even if she says she doesn’t like rough men.

Clench. Briton tightened his still childlike fist.

“Today seems… to be over.”

Arriving with a hardened face and complicated thoughts, Briton twisted his lips as he looked at the empty Marquis residence.

The opening day of Mylar Shop.

He could only reach the capital by sunset.

Even after entering the capital, he visited the Marquis’s residence first instead of the imperial palace…

The sales seemed to be finished.

He felt somewhat regretful having only one body instead of two. He could have helped Arinel.

“……”

In the darkening scenery, the beautiful mansion’s windows were lit.

What would Arinel be doing?

It would be rude to visit unannounced right now.

He was very tired, but…

“I miss you, Arinel.”

Arinel’s clear and cute smile came to mind. Could he at least see her face briefly before leaving?

There might be a gentle, modest, and gentlemanly way to excuse such a sudden visit.

Just as his heart started to flutter at the thought of seeing Arinel’s face.

“……”

Briton discovered a paper on the wall.

Someone had scrawled writing on it.

[I stood in line first today. Have an agile day.]

Crack-

The end of Briton’s eyebrow shot up like Mas’s as the paper in his hand instantly crumpled.

***

The dessert café had a small and cute atmosphere.

I was mindlessly admiring the small decorations while holding a fork between my tiny fingers.

“By now, he must have found the note.”

Somehow, Eden’s eyes seemed to sparkle with a strange sense of victory as he muttered to himself.

‘He really is weird after all.’

Though I thought this inside, I didn’t show it outwardly.

Eden continued speaking.

“Claiming monopoly rights over an unconfirmed preemption site violates fair trade procedures, so I estimate there’s about a 78 percent chance His Highness will rationally accept my challenge.”

‘What in the world is he talking about…’

But suddenly mentioning His Highness… is he talking about Briton?

I asked Eden with a dubious expression.

“What exactly do you want to tell me, Young Duke Siegfried?”

Eden silently lifted his teacup and sipped it, savoring the flavor.

Even his noble tea-drinking posture was completely identical to Duke Siegfried’s.

After gently setting down his teacup, the boy spoke.

“I’ll be direct. I would like to present Lady Mylar with a more rational option than His Highness the Crown Prince.”

Eden’s clear eyes were fixed on me.

Like a merchant seriously approaching a deal.

“A more rational option than His Highness the Crown Prince?”

To my bewildered expression, Eden spoke smoothly.

“Yes. If you take my hand, I believe I can more rationally improve your future.”

Future? I focused on those words out of curiosity.

“What future are you talking about?”

Eden continued.

“Certainly, if you marry His Highness and become the Crown Princess, you’ll be the highest-ranking lady in Albreon, but you’ll lose just as much.”

“…What do you mean by lose?”

My hand stopped as I was lifting the teacup filled with fragrant tea.

“From my observations, Lady Mylar’s ideology is over 70 percent more progressive and free than typical ladies of your age. And over 81 percent more practical. Of course, the precise decimal figures would require further observation.”

“……”

“However, unlike your current life where you can freely pursue your ambitions, if you enter the imperial palace, your actions will be restricted by about 40 percent. Given your personality, there’s a 72 percent probability that palace life won’t suit you. I believe the probability of regretting the marriage would be proportional to this.”

“Um, Young Duke.”

I spoke to Eden, who was sitting there talking about probabilities.

“Could you please stop with the percentage talk? It’s making me dizzy.”

“You dislike numbers? How unexpected.”

Eden looked at me as if viewing a pitiful person who’s bad at math.

This kid!

“Anyway, please get to the point.”

“Very well.”

Eden propped his chin on his hand and leaned his face closer to mine.