“It’s lemon tea. I made it by soaking lemons in sugar and honey.”

She had adjusted the sweetness appropriately, so it wasn’t unpalatable. Rather, she thought the strong lemon flavor might make it more acceptable as something new.

‘He’s drinking more.’

The tea flowed past his red lips. Seeing that made her feel a bit proud.

Since they didn’t drink fruit teas here, even her father was intrigued when Elena first made lemon preserve tea.

When drinking the sweet and sour lemon tea preserved in sugar, it made her tired body feel somewhat refreshed and improved her mood.

She had prepared it hoping it would help him a little, given how busy he was.

“So…”

Rudfelix looked up understanding as he stared at the fruit garnishing the lemon tea.

“You’re the type to return favors in kind.”

Elena flinched at Rudfelix’s gaze.

“Drying my hair was in return for the matter regarding Baron Kitai, and the lemon tea is for yesterday.”

Though it was only twice, he understood that Elena’s kindness was an expression of gratitude.

“Think what you will.”

Elena hugged the tray and retreated almost like she was fleeing.

As Rudfelix tilted the cup once and twice, it revealed its bottom.

Among teas steeped from leaves, this fruit-preserved tea came across as unique. Though unfamiliar, it had its own charm.

Just like Aide Elena.

No one could simply pass by Aide Elena. Even the Crown Prince showed interest yesterday, making him wonder if he should just have her quit her aide position.

[She’s a child who originally stayed at home with no interest in social circles.]

At 18, she was at the age when one would typically frequent social circles.

He thought administrative work didn’t suit someone with such a blooming appearance.

[Many nobles don’t know my child.]

However, Count Jellisto said she would suit it better than anyone.

[Honestly, she’s so clever I would have wished she were a son. But since she faces restrictions for being female, I hope she can fully show her abilities as the Grand Duke’s aide with this opportunity.]

He said that would be the water to make his child’s vitality bloom.

“Your Highness.”

Quiet approached.

“Shall we send a letter to Count Ephraim?”

Quiet had assumed the Grand Duke would naturally reject the Count’s request. Rudfelix himself thought similarly.

“Even if he says he’ll send the territory’s people on his own, how can he move so many people? Moreover, His Majesty won’t look favorably upon it.”

“Yes, that’s true.”

However, though it was a frontier territory, it was still part of the empire. Knowing that if that place fell, the empire would shake, it was difficult to refuse outright.

In that situation, he also liked how Count Ephraim acted according to his principles for the safety of his territory’s people.

Rudfelix, who didn’t want to reject his proposal, looked up and met Elena’s eyes who was watching him.

“I finished the tea.”

“Then I’ll clear away the cup.”

Elena, who had quietly risen from her seat, confirmed the cup was empty and approached.

While clearing the cup, her eyes darted around as if she wanted to say something.

Quiet smiled slightly at her obvious hesitation, like a puppy wanting to ask for something.

Elena fiddled with the report under her tray.

“I did something unnecessary and I’m not sure whether to throw it away or not.”

“Let me see it before throwing it away.”

At his clean response implying he would throw it away if it was useless, Elena closed her eyes tight and held out the report.

Rudfelix paused before flipping through it when he saw the title. However, he soon quickly scanned through the contents page by page.

‘I’m nervous.’

Her throat went dry as he turned the pages, and when he tapped somewhere, her hand unconsciously tried to rise.

As Rudfelix turned page after page, his eyes grew increasingly serious. At some point, his eyes that had been moving while reading stopped, fixed on one spot.

“You made this yesterday?”

When he ran his hand over the paper, he could feel it was still damp as the ink hadn’t completely dried.

“Yes.”

Elena was tense because she had made it before any decision was made, when she should have moved according to her superior’s will.

‘Count Ephraim probably becomes the Crown Prince’s advisor because of this incident.’

The condition of the Crown Prince providing his troops… that wasn’t compensation for receiving Count Ephraim’s teachings.

He paid the price in troops to make Count Ephraim completely his man.

‘But Count Ephraim asked for help from the Grand Duke first.’

She wondered what would happen if she created conditions that would make it impossible for the Grand Duke to reject his help.

The Grand Duke didn’t seem to dislike Count Ephraim either.

“You’ll procure carriages to accommodate the territory’s people through rental?”

“It would be most efficient to borrow as much as possible using the merchant guilds of each territory.”

Elena expanded on the contents of the report more smoothly, following Rudfelix’s words. After focusing on her story for a while, he suddenly laughed loudly.

“Ha, haha.”

Elena’s eyes widened round as she saw her superior laugh for the first time. Though it passed very briefly, his laughter remained etched in her eyes.

“So this is the aide’s vitality.”

“Pardon?”

She asked back, not understanding what he meant. However, Rudfelix didn’t answer and put down the report with a sound.

“Well done.”

He stood up from his seat. Elena, dazed by his pleasant laughter, belatedly understood his meaning.

“Then…”

“We’ll proceed with this, Quiet will work out the details.”

Quiet, who had been watching the situation beside Elena, picked up the report. Having already sensed his superior’s mood from his rare laughter, he had been standing by.

Not expecting her report to be approved so quickly, Elena looked up bewilderedly.

When her eyes met Quiet’s, he wrinkled his nose bridge and then smiled, lifting his lips slightly. Elena also smiled softly at her superior’s smile.

* * *

When Quiet left saying he would check the margin of error in the security costs, only Elena and Rudfelix remained. Quiet even left sandwiches he had ordered in advance as thanks for Elena’s lemon tea.

‘Though I’m grateful…’

She ended up having to eat sandwiches face to face with her superior.

Though she could smell the sliced ham and fruit from the sandwich in her hand, she actually couldn’t tell what smell it was.

That’s how strong her superior’s presence was.

“How did you come up with that plan?”

As if the sandwich didn’t matter at all, Rudfelix’s gaze was focused solely on Elena. He didn’t miss anything from her fidgeting fingers to her moving eyes.

It seemed like solutions flowed smoothly from that small head of hers, making him wonder if she wasn’t the goose that laid golden eggs.

Elena stumbled over her words, uncomfortable with her superior’s unfamiliar gentle questioning.

“Since merchant guilds specialize in long-distance travel and delivering goods far away… I combined those elements.”

While land to settle the territory’s people was important to Count Ephraim, Elena calculated the actual movement.

“How long did it take you to work that out?”

“About eight hours.”

Elena’s voice grew progressively quieter as she sensed her superior’s mood becoming sharp during her response.

Like a student tensing up before a teacher for not doing homework, she watched his reaction carefully.

“You went home after finishing all that, right?”

“Yes.”

He’s eerily good at knowing these things.

Though she hadn’t done anything wrong, Elena felt strangely guilty and couldn’t straighten her hunched shoulders. She should have been proud about making it in just one day, but the situation was flowing strangely.

“You probably lost track of time while working?”

Rudfelix clicked his tongue. He leaned back in his chair and looked down at Elena.

It was both amazing and foolish how she managed to endure that time with such a small and thin body.

“Well, when you focus on work, you need to maximize output…”

Adding excuse upon excuse, it ended up being just a string of unnecessary words.

‘Isn’t it good that I work well?’

Why is he looking at me with such strangely displeased eyes over nothing?

Elena pouted and turned her head.

“It’s good that you work well, but I can’t trust it completely.”

“Thank you.”

Though he said he couldn’t trust it, she quickly picked up only the praise about working well.

Elena smiled, trying to somehow change this atmosphere of being scolded.

Infected by her smile, Rudfelix’s stern expression softened.

She’s quick-witted and diligent. She’s punctual and often moves ahead while remembering schedules.

“I won’t make you talk, so eat.”

Only then did her small mouth bite into the sandwich.

Rudfelix watched her. As she munched with her cheeks full like a rabbit nibbling grass, she looked more like a young girl still growing rather than a lady about to have her coming-of-age ceremony.

‘Even though she’s like this, she’ll probably be bold again when working.’

She looked so weak when she shrank away from the Crown Prince’s hand. He wasn’t sure which was the real her.

No, actually, they were probably all Elena.

“When this work is finished, we’ll return to the grand ducal residence.”