Thanks to Vincent’s deliberate excuse, Gabriel finally had the opportunity to speak to Winter alone.

Nevertheless, he found himself carefully considering every word before speaking.

Maintaining a conversation had never been difficult for him.

The difficult part was closing the distance between them slowly, so as not to make Winter feel pressured.

Treating the woman who constantly occupied his thoughts as nothing more than a friend was far from easy either.

As time passed, Winter set down her empty teacup.

After checking the time, she picked up her coat and hat, as though politely asking to be excused.

“Gabriel, I should be going now. I need to get back to the salon.”

Gabriel, who had hoped they could spend a little more time together, rose to his feet almost immediately.

“I’ll go with you. I was just about to stop by the salon myself.”

It wasn’t an entirely fabricated excuse.

But in truth, he had no urgent reason to visit the salon.

Fortunately, Winter didn’t seem suspicious as she carefully tied the ribbons beneath her hat.

“The salon? If it’s something you need delivered, I’d be happy to take it for you.”

“Ah, I wanted to ask Mrs. Roche about a painting. I was planning to stop by sometime today or tomorrow anyway.”

Gabriel replied with his usual easy-going smile, silently hoping that Winter wouldn’t ask any more questions.

He didn’t want her to realize that his real reason was something else entirely.

Vincent’s office and Roche Salon were only a short carriage ride apart.

However, if they walked, they would spend a little more time together.

“Shall we?”

Gabriel opened the door and led the way down the stairs.

He didn’t want to miss the chance to spend a little more time with Winter.

He still couldn’t shake the feeling that they were standing still and never moving forward.

At the very least, though, he wanted the chance to show her who he truly was.

He wanted Winter to see him as a man, even if only for a moment.

Perhaps if moments like these continued to accumulate naturally…

That chance would eventually come.

He could only hope it would.

He had no intention of forcing his way into her heart.

He simply wanted to gather his courage and face her honestly.

No more speaking in circles.

No more swallowing his feelings in silence.

***

Even after arriving in Santero, Robert, the Mayer family’s butler, stuck to his usual routine.

Although the villa had its own steward and permanent staff, which reduced his workload, he still got up earlier than anyone else to start the day.

Preparing the duke’s breakfast and tea remained one of his most important duties.

As he listened to the faint sound of running water from beyond the door, Robert turned his gaze back towards the window.

The Duke had gone straight to the bathroom to shower, ignoring the breakfast that had been prepared for him.

The butler stood by the large window, quietly watching the waves crash against the rocks.

Before he knew it, the morning sunlight had reached his feet and was casting long shadows across the floor.

Robert liked the villa, too.

It was the perfect place for a peaceful retreat.

Its location and scenery were ideal, with an unobstructed southern view of the sea that made the estate all the more remarkable.

The Duke’s bedroom in particular commanded a breathtaking panorama stretching all the way to the distant horizon.

Robert considered reheating his untouched breakfast when he heard footsteps approaching.

He walked over to the tall man, who was casually brushing back his damp hair.

Draping a thick robe over the duke’s shoulders, Robert urged him to eat breakfast first.

After taking his seat, Eden asked.

“Parker was supposed to arrive around noon, wasn’t he?”

“Yes. He’ll be coming to report with the chief engineer of the new steel mill.”

Pouring a pale apricot-colored tea into the cup, Robert searched for the right moment to say what had been on his mind.

Since they had come all the way to Santero, he wanted the Duke to do something besides remain indoors.

“After the meeting, perhaps you could spend some time outside. The weather is beautiful today, and the wind is quite calm. A ride along the coast—or even a short trip aboard one of the sightseeing boats—might do you some good.”

Even after suggesting activities that could not be done in Vartz, he received no response.

Suppressing a sigh, Robert silently resolved to get the duke out of the villa somehow.

Since arriving in Santero, Eden had rarely left the villa, only doing so when absolutely necessary.

Most days, he would sit by the sea-viewing window or remain alone in a darkened room late into the night.

Robert, who had been standing with perfect posture, finally relaxed his shoulders.

Perhaps…

Just for a moment…

It would be all right to speak to Eden the way he used to when the Duke was still a young master.

“You should get some sunshine and breathe in the sea air. No matter how handsome you are, Young Master, you’ll wither away if you stay cooped up inside all the time. It’s the same for flowers… and for people.”

His tone remained respectful, but the affection of many years was unmistakable in his words.

“On a day as bright as this, I can’t help but remember the day you first learnt to ride a bike. I can still picture it so clearly: You held the reins tightly and galloped off without looking back once. It was your very first time, yet you were so brave.”

Ever since he had inherited the dukedom, Robert had observed impeccable formalities.

Nevertheless, he wanted to lighten the mood in any way he could.

He quietly nudged the prepared breakfast closer to the Duke.

The loyal butler had packed his belongings and travelled all this way with only one wish in his heart: to see his master become the Eden Mayer he once knew.

Robert made himself a solemn promise.

No matter what it took, he would help the Duke regain his strength before returning to Bartz with peace of mind.

But almost immediately, he felt overwhelmed.

‘How, exactly, was he supposed to do that?’

Remembering what had happened not long ago, Robert’s expression darkened.

“B-Butler! You need to come to the second floor right away!”

“What happened?”

“It’s… His Grace… I think you should see for yourself.”

Hurrying up the stairs behind the flustered maid, he could not have imagined what awaited him.

She led him to a spacious sitting room bathed in sunlight that streamed in through a large window.

The room overlooked both the sea and the gardens.

And there stood the Duke.

The moment Robert saw Eden standing before the shattered window, his legs nearly gave way.

“…Your Grace.”

Forcing himself to stay upright, Robert’s first instinct was to check whether the Duke had been injured.

The moment he saw blood dripping steadily from Eden’s hand, he rushed forward in alarm.

“Please don’t move. I’ll call the physician at once—”

Just as Robert turned around in a panic, the doctor summoned by another servant rushed into the room.

He was the Mayer family’s personal physician and had accompanied them from Vartz.

Having come over with no idea what had happened, the doctor paused for a moment at the sight before him.

After quickly assessing the duke’s condition, he began administering first aid immediately.

Only then did Robert take in the room around him.

The shattered window.

The broken shards of glass scattered across the floor.

The bloodstains on the carpet.

His expression hardened.

Standing by the doorway, he silently signaled to the maid and footman.

“Have them clean this up as quickly as possible.”

Fortunately, the staff Robert had brought with him to Santero were among the most discreet in the Mayers’ household.

While the servants hurried to carry out his orders, Robert stood staring into the Duke’s vacant eyes for a long time.

He didn’t dare ask why Eden had smashed the window.

Eventually, the sitting room was restored to its former state.

Nevertheless, Robert avoided going there whenever he could.

Eden still spent long hours on the sofa facing the window.

Ultimately, Robert alone made the decision to move a piano into the room.

Standing quietly beside the Duke, who was barely touching his food and was only sitting there out of habit, the butler spoke calmly.

“By the way, the piano we ordered will arrive tomorrow. I’ve arranged to have it placed in the sitting room. I thought it might be nice for Your Grace to have something to play.”

Robert didn’t know why the Duke spent so much time in that room.

However, he thought that placing a piano next to the solitary sofa might make the silence feel less oppressive.

Once again, Eden showed no particular reaction.

He merely nodded slightly to indicate that he had heard him.

Having worried about him the whole time, Robert tried to persuade him to eat some more.

“Please have a little more. It’s a dessert of fresh figs, grown along the sunny coast and preserved in honey. Apparently, the gentle sweetness is especially good for restoring one’s appetite.”

“…”

“For dinner tonight, the chef is preparing a special seafood meal using the freshest ingredients. If there’s anything in particular you’d like, please let me know and I’ll make sure it’s included. I’ll make sure it’s prepared.”

The Duke, who had remained silent until then, suddenly spoke up just as Robert was about to excuse himself, having run out of ways to encourage him.

“I’ve heard there’s a place in Santero called Roche Salon.”