“Sigh… alright.”

Elena put down the paper and spread both hands wide. Showing her empty hands with a slight smile, the Count’s tense demeanor finally softened.

“I’m heading to work.”

“Alright.”

Count Jellisto patted Elena’s head.

“You’ve grown up so fast.”

“I’m a proper adult… soon enough.”

She started to say she was a proper adult but changed her words midway.

“Come to think of it, your debutante ball is coming up soon. More preparations to make.”

“That’s right. Father, I’ll be going then.”

“Alright. Tell me if things get difficult. I’m always on your side.”

Elena wrapped her arms around her father’s waist.

“I’m happy to be your daughter.”

“Having you as my daughter, what greater blessing could there be?”

“We’re connected by divine providence, aren’t we?”

Elena looked up at her father with narrowed eyes. How could anything be better than having such a good person protect and care for her so devotedly?

“Will you be home late again today?”

“We’ll see, but don’t wait up.”

“Alright.”

Elena left the office with such a big twirl that her skirt flared out. She smiled and waved goodbye to her father who couldn’t take his eyes off her until the last moment, then closed the door.

As soon as the door closed, her smile fell.

“Spark Merchant Guild, Baron Vulti.”

Elena’s eyes gleamed sharply as she recalled the merchant guild and its patron house that she had memorized in that brief time.

* * *

After arriving at work as an aide, Elena went straight to find Quiet.

“Just a moment.”

Quiet was busy too. His eyes constantly scanned some documents while sorting out what needed immediate approval.

“I need to divide these up before meeting Count Ephraim today.”

Seeing Elena start to step back, Quiet suddenly looked up.

“Since you’ll be doing this work together later, feel free to observe. And ask if you have any questions.”

It was thoughtful of him to make time during his busy schedule for his junior who had come to see him.

Elena scrunched her nose, touched by Quiet’s kindness. Then she shared the instructions she had received from the Grand Duke at the ball.

“It’s Baron Vulti.”

“Baron… Vulti, are you sure?”

“Yes. That baron approached, so he cleared the way.”

When that name she had seen in her father’s office was mentioned, Elena’s lips pressed tightly together. She tried to hide it from Quiet by raising her pen to her notebook, but couldn’t control her strength.

‘If it’s Baron Vulti, is it because of that incident?’

The friction between merchant guilds, the false accusations her father bore, and the debt he owed to Rudfelix…

“Did things go wrong because of the Jellisto Merchant Guild?”

‘If His Grace made an enemy because of our family…’

She had emphasized so strongly about not becoming bad, but she had spoken without knowing the full story.

‘Things just keep getting more complicated.’

Just when one misunderstanding with the Grand Duke seemed resolved, another arose.

“No. From the beginning, we could never get along with Baron Vulti. Since we can’t live together harmoniously, we have no choice but to drive each other out.”

Returning to his role as aide, Quiet smiled with his eyes while saying something frightening.

“He’s exactly the type His Grace hates. Yet at the ball, he openly declared him an enemy and said he would attack.”

Elena was about to make a brief note of Quiet’s careful explanation and leave.

“Haven’t you heard anything from Count Jellisto?”

Elena turned back to Quiet and shook her head instead of speaking.

‘Since Father didn’t tell me.’

She had only seen the name in the documents. When he mentioned her father, Elena watched his mouth carefully. She couldn’t simply let his casual words pass by.

“I thought you might know, Aide Elena, since I heard the merchant guild he patronizes took quite a hit.”

It was a subtle hint from Quiet. He was suggesting it would be helpful to investigate the merchant guild the baron patronized.

“Thank you.”

As Elena bowed her head, Quiet stood up from his seat.

“If there’s anything urgent, come to that meeting room from before. If not…”

Quiet hugged a thick bundle of papers.

“You can spend today as you see fit.”

“Thank you, senior.”

Though his workload had increased because of her plans, he was giving her time to investigate Baron Vulti, naturally leading her to call him senior.

The corners of Quiet’s mouth twitched at being called ‘senior’ – he seemed to like it.

After parting ways at the intersection, Elena stood there until Quiet was out of sight. Only when she was alone did she straighten her chest and take a deep breath.

“I have even more reasons to work hard now.”

After listing off to Rudfelix how bad everything was, she needed to uncover even his smallest secrets to make up for it somehow.

“So he’s the one who messed with my father.”

Moreover, someone who dared to touch her beloved father. A soft laugh escaped involuntarily.

“I’ll crush him.”

The sun sparkled behind Elena’s back as she walked away with determination.

* * *

The first place she went was the main store of the Spark Merchant Guild. She wanted to confirm with her own eyes what items they mainly sold.

A place dealing in herbs and animal hides.

Elena covered her nose at the sharp smell of herbs.

“Are you looking for something specific?”

A clerk approached with a friendly smile.

“I’ll look around first.”

She responded somewhat forcefully while pulling her coat tight, signaling the clerk not to come closer. Noticing she was nobility, the clerk flinched and backed away.

Left alone, Elena looked around the shop again. With quite a few people coming and going, she could browse comfortably.

‘The main store is quite large considering they’re only dealing in these two items.’

Elena examined the building’s interior. Someone with their hat pulled low, hiding their identity, passed by her side.

There was a moment’s hesitation as they passed Elena, but it was brief. The person walked in another direction and left the main store.

“As expected.”

Having received key information from an informant, Elena clapped silently.

“There’s no way they could operate on just this.”

As suspected, it wasn’t a transparently operated establishment.

The information she purchased from the guild at a high price turned out to be the greatest gain.

“Please come again.”

Leaving to the clerk’s farewell, Elena held her coat tight and slipped into a narrow alley.

“There was a reason for the double bookkeeping. It must have been easy for them since it’s what they usually do.”

Taking off her hat, Elena revealed her frustrated thoughts.

“The herb prices are ridiculously low and the animal hide processing is poor.”

But there seemed to be another reason for them targeting the well-established Jellisto Merchant Guild.

“So they’re running a night market?”

They openly operate a night market. They’ll sell to anyone, but secretly deal in illegal goods.

“Since it’s come to this, shall I go?”

“Where have you been wandering all day?”

As the dark figure approaching against the sunset drew closer, she could see a head of flaming red hair.

‘How can someone be so beautiful with red tints on white skin?’ she wondered admiringly as she asked Rudfelix:

“Did you tie invisible threads to my body?”

How did he know where she was to appear like this?

“It’s obvious where an aide would go.”

It was true he could guess the possible locations since she was following his instructions.

“I’ll take you home.”

“Hmm…”

Elena drew out her response to Rudfelix’s offer. Then she lightly tugged at his coat as he turned away.

“What is it?”

Looking down at her, she raised her head and glanced sideways.

“I’m not going home.”

Before she could say he didn’t need to take her, he firmly blocked her path.

“Planning to slip away?”

“Yes.”

Taking this to mean she wouldn’t ride in the carriage, he exuded a displeased aura.

“The sun will set soon, where are you trying to go…”

“Going straight home just because the sun sets… do I look like a child to you?”

“The night is dangerous.”

“Night comes equally to everyone. If it’s dangerous, it’s dangerous for Your Highness too.”

As Elena countered each point, Rudfelix’s gaze grew increasingly sharp.

It was because she was strongly expressing her intention to slip away.

As Elena just stared at him openly, Rudfelix suppressed a sigh, like he was dealing with a disobedient child.

“I’ll clear my schedule tomorrow, go then.”

“Tomorrow won’t work.”

What good would visiting a night market during the day do?

“I’ll be fine, please go.”

“Just where are you trying to go?”

Rudfelix took a step back.

“Well… if you’re curious, would you like to come with me?”

To explain, she’d have to start from Baron Vulti to the Spark Merchant Guild’s main store. Finding that troublesome, she made the suggestion, which caused him to look surprised.

‘What? Why is he so surprised?’

It was a casual suggestion, but did it sound strange?

She certainly hadn’t made her purpose clear. Elena was about to give a brief explanation but changed her mind.

‘He looks cute when he’s surprised like that.’

Enjoying his reaction, Elena whispered softly.

“Shall we stay together? Just Your Highness and me.”

I don’t want to go home now.