Checking the time to gauge how long Elena had been gone, Jace glanced at the door.

“I’ll go out to meet the aide. She might be startled seeing the crowded restaurant if she just comes in.”

Jace set down the tray in the kitchen and walked to the entrance.

This space was the Grand Duke family’s secret, divided from the real restaurant they operated.

Since the entrance was different, though she wouldn’t notice when leaving, she might end up in the adjacent restaurant when entering.

When Jace said he would go greet her first so she wouldn’t be surprised, Rudfelix picked up his glass.

“No need to look after her so much.”

“What? Your Highness, do you think the aide might figure out the entrance’s secret? It took 12 years to make this door. We shouldn’t take lightly a secret that took 12 years of consideration to create…”

“Oh? Why are you standing here?”

“Well…”

Jace, who was about to leave, was startled as he almost bumped into Elena entering. Stepping back, he couldn’t hide his confusion as he glanced at Rudfelix.

“Were you worried I wouldn’t be able to get in?”

Elena looked at the door once and nodded as if understanding.

“It’s made with a revolving door structure, isn’t it?”

“R-revolving… how did you know that?”

At Jace’s surprised face, Elena opened her mouth in shock before closing it again.

‘Come to think of it, there’s no revolving door here.’

She thought it was nothing special, but Elena understood Jace’s reaction when she realized this era wasn’t familiar with revolving doors.

Though she considered pretending not to know, she had already entered. So she decided to just brazen it out.

“When I pushed in from outside, I couldn’t see the door closing back. You made identical doors to make it look closed and blocked the entrance to the restaurant on the other side, right?”

As he could only gape wordlessly, Elena brushed off her clothes and went inside.

Rudfelix covered his mouth, amused that Elena never failed to meet his expectations.

As he tried to contain his chuckling behind his hand, Elena approached. Then saying “Excuse me,” she swung what she was holding.

Along with the sound of fluttering fabric, he felt the weight of cloth wrapping around his shoulders. His laughter stopped at Elena’s touch brushing his neck.

“I apologize for touching you.”

Elena fastened the coat herself and put the hood on to cover his face.

Within Rudfelix’s limited view, he could only see Elena’s face.

As she adjusted his clothes, her slightly parted lips released warm breath.

Not even realizing her breath was reaching his face as she focused on the coat…

‘Dangerous.’

His instincts sounded a warning.

Meanwhile, Elena concentrated on fitting the clothes she had bought.

“It took time because they weren’t selling long coats that could completely cover Your Highness.”

While she could wear anything and have it fit well, Grand Duke Rudfelix was larger than average men, making it difficult to find something suitable.

She had moved so urgently that she lost track of time, but for the Grand Duke who had been sitting still, it must have felt quite long, so she added:

“Would you like to stand up?”

She needed to see if the coat that flowed below his shoulders would cover down to his ankles when it dragged on the ground.

Both Elena ordering the Grand Duke to stand and Rudfelix obediently rising seemed natural. But Jace, who was watching, was surprised, his eyes rolling in disbelief

‘Was my master always someone who followed others’ orders so well?’ he thought with bewilderment.

“As expected, Your Highness looks good in anything.”

A subordinate evaluating their master like this! Jace was dumbfounded by the continuing absurd situation.

He thought an aide would mainly do as ordered, but this Elena was too proactive. From going out on her own to buy a coat, to putting it on him and judging if it was suitable.

What in the world was happening! Just as he was wondering if he should step in to explain the situation, his eyes met Rudfelix’s.

‘Don’t do anything.’

‘But Your Highness.’

It wasn’t because Elena was raised as a noble lady. Just look at Quiet who was born as the precious son of a viscount family. It just seemed to be Elena’s natural personality.

And Rudfelix seemed determined not to suppress it.

As Jace slightly extended his foot, Rudfelix took Elena’s hand and walked.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes.”

Elena turned to look at Jace, slightly bowing her head before raising it. After Jace responded to her greeting, Elena moved in front of Rudfelix.

“I’ll go first.”

“As you wish.”

When Elena opened the door and went out, Rudfelix turned to Jace.

“Don’t stop her.”

“Your Highness.”

“Don’t just treat Elena as an aide. She works better when left alone.”

Leaving a warning for Jace not to stop Elena even when he wasn’t around, Rudfelix followed after her.

“Just… don’t treat her as an aide?”

Jace muttered, unsure why the instruction not to treat her just as an aide seemed to carry a different meaning.

Leading the way outside, Elena fearlessly unraveled the door’s secret.

‘It’s interesting that they used the principle of a revolving door.’

She wasn’t sure if it was three or four doors, but they were made to rotate. When pushed, the space where Jace was would open while cleverly concealing the entrance to the other restaurant.

The same happened when leaving. If the door was pushed in the opposite direction, it was designed to lead to a different passage.

Feeling Rudfelix’s pressuring presence behind her, Elena slightly stepped aside.

“Your Highness doesn’t need to do anything. I’ll take care of everything.”

“If it seems dangerous, we leave immediately.”

“Please protect me, Your Highness.”

Elena said matter-of-factly while looking around. Though unsure how to respond to such brazenness from a subordinate asking for protection, his hand was ready to reach for Elena.

‘Is it really okay to go like this?’

As the sun had completely set and darkness fell, the street’s atmosphere changed entirely. Elena remained alert while looking around, searching for the path the informant had told her about.

Toward the illegal black market disguised as an ordinary night market.

“Are you here to find double account books?”

Rudfelix had never secretly entered what was essentially enemy territory like this. He had always openly declared his presence and subdued those who attacked him to achieve what he wanted.

Even while following Elena, he never lowered himself. This experience was unfamiliar to someone like him who had lived proudly his entire life.

Elena looked around before turning to Rudfelix. She didn’t immediately understand his question about looking for account books.

‘So he thought that’s what we came for.’

But that wasn’t exactly her purpose.

“How could we find something like that here?”

Though she couldn’t say it definitely wasn’t there, finding it was the problem.

Elena gently grabbed Rudfelix’s coat, worried they might get separated.

“Where would Your Highness keep a jewel that must not be stolen by anyone?”

“I would create a secret space where no one could find and hide it there.”

“What if an intruder appeared and could steal it?”

“I would place someone trustworthy to guard it safely.”

Elena clapped her hands cheerfully as if that was exactly what she meant. Rudfelix was astounded when he understood the meaning behind her questions.

“It would be the same for others. But how could we find account books in a place we’re visiting for the first time today?”

That was assuming they even existed.

“Finding a needle dropped on the ground would be easier.”

“Then why did you come to the night market today?”

“To enjoy it, of course.”

Elena answered as if it were obvious.

“I heard there are illegal items too, so I want to look around and buy some if needed.”

“You came to buy items?”

“That’s what markets are for.”

Rudfelix could imagine Elena’s face thoroughly enjoying herself at the night market even if he hadn’t come along.

Her eyes would be busy scanning everything around her, and her hands would quickly touch various items.

“Who knows? We might find something while looking around.”

“I don’t think you’ll be diligently looking around just for that.”

Rudfelix felt he was starting to understand what kind of person Elena was.

From their first meeting, she had said everything she wanted to say even knowing who she was talking to. She was the type who needed to see things through to feel satisfied, someone who had to live life her own way.

“Speaking of which, shall we go see what that is?”

She immediately approached the accessories laid out at a stall. They didn’t look particularly special at first glance.

“How pretty!”

Elena exclaimed in admiration as she picked up one that caught her eye.