Count Jellisto couldn’t compose himself while welcoming Rudfelix, who had suddenly appeared. In meetings between nobles, appointments took precedence, so a servant sent by Rudfelix had visited the Count’s residence. When the knight who received the message rushed to the guild to deliver it, the Count was more shocked than if lightning had struck from a clear sky.

“I’ve made the Count busy.”

“Not at all.”

Before Count Jellisto could catch his surprised breath, Rudfelix apologized for his sudden visit. Considering that countless people would drop everything to run to him if they could meet him, this matter would not harm the Count.

“It’s been a month, but it feels like we haven’t met in a long time.”

Rudfelix recalled when he had last met Count Jellisto. It had only been about a month, yet why did it feel like such a long time?

Count Jellisto nodded at the greeting, which sounded like one exchanged between nobles who hadn’t met for years.

Since placing Elena as his aide, the Count had deliberately avoided visiting the Grand Duke. He feared that if they met, he would ask how his child was doing.

“Is Elena doing well?”

That’s why he had avoided attending the ball, but as soon as they met, he immediately asked this question.

Though confident his child would do well, he couldn’t help but swallow nervously, knowing that others’ hearts were not the same as his own.

Rudfelix looked around the mansion, which had a warm atmosphere.

The employees pretended to be busy while glancing at them, indicating they weren’t afraid of Count Jellisto.

Elena’s ability to speak her mind while still being mindful of his mood must be partly due to the atmosphere of this household.

Though aware that Count Jellisto’s anxiety increased the more he withheld his words, Rudfelix deliberately took his time.

“As for Aide Elena……”

As he began, Count Jellisto’s lips trembled noticeably.

“She’s the kind of talent I’d like to keep by my side for life.”

Understanding his meaning, Count Jellisto’s face visibly brightened. His raised shoulders returned to their normal position, and his tense expression relaxed.

“There was a reason for the Count’s confidence. She is intelligent and wise. Though sometimes awkward in everyday matters, she is flawless when it comes to work.”

The more Rudfelix spoke, the wider Count Jellisto’s smile grew until he was beaming.

“You know my Elena so well, and indeed, my daughter is truly brilliant.”

Belatedly, the Count realized he had kept him standing and asked him to follow. With his tension relieved, he returned to his usual self.

“Was Aide Elena always so intelligent?”

Rudfelix casually deflected while elevating Elena’s status, causing Count Jellisto to melt into a puddle.

Who could maintain their composure when hearing praise of their daughter?

“Of course. From a young age, she insisted on doing whatever she could by herself, choosing her own clothes and tying her own hair.”

With just a few words, he easily learned about Elena’s past. Rudfelix listened attentively to Count Jellisto as he walked alongside him.

“She would run all over the mansion with such energy that her skirts would wear out so quickly that the staff would come to me lamenting about it.”

However, hearing it from the Count’s subjective perspective meant the content was somewhat biased.

Rudfelix smiled wryly, feeling the father’s love.

He had planned to ask the butler directly, but this meant objective information was now out of reach. Yet listening to Count Jellisto’s stories wasn’t unpleasant.

“She loved books so much……”

Reading a lot was a common boast among parents. But the story needed to be heard to the end.

“She would stack them into towers, clapping with delight when they grew taller than herself, but unfortunately, the books I needed for business were often at the very top. She would proudly create a roof with them and ask what I thought, but how could I retrieve them? It was quite troublesome.”

Count Jellisto touched his forehead and shook his head, but ultimately, it was still praise for his daughter.

“I ended up giving her quite a few books that way. I never dreamed she would read them and learn about merchant business.”

Books could always be replaced, so he simply gave them to Elena, but years later, she returned the favor many times over.

“Although I recommended Elena to Your Highness as an aide, it wasn’t just because she’s my precious daughter.”

The story about stacking book towers eventually circled back to the topic Rudfelix was interested in.

“The merchant company once faced a serious crisis.”

Rudfelix knew about this. It was information Quiet had compiled for him.

“When all the managers left at once, everything came to a standstill. The company I had built over a lifetime was about to collapse, but then Elena walked into the company as casually as if taking a stroll and took matters into her hands.”

The Count’s demeanor grew warm as he described how Elena had subsequently solved all the company’s problems without hesitation.

“I thought she was just a kind and pretty child who knew nothing. She had been hiding that clever mind so well—who could have known? Sometimes I wonder why she never revealed herself.”

Rudfelix also highly valued Elena’s abilities.

‘Yet her name wasn’t widely known.’

That’s why he hadn’t known. Had she not revealed how capable she was behind that youthful face, he wouldn’t have known either.

“It’s been such a short time since Elena helped with the company, but now that I’m running it without her, I don’t know how the days pass.”

“It seems your workload has increased because you sent her to me.”

“It’s all work I volunteered for. If you ask whether I regret it, not exactly, but since Your Highness is satisfied, that’s enough for me.”

Elena’s departure from the company had made Count Jellisto busier, but Rudfelix had gained a competent aide. The Count’s eyes held not a trace of deceit when he said that was enough.

‘What an impressive person.’

The fact that he was a count who ranks lower than himself was completely irrelevant. As the head of a family, he loved his family and was dedicated to his work—what more could one ask for?

He was someone worthy of respect.

Understanding this, it made sense that Elena had grown up so properly.

“But where did you leave Elena to come here?”

“The workday ended a while ago. She left on time, and I came to meet you, Count, so I don’t know where she is.”

“Is that so? Then she must have stopped somewhere. She’ll be surprised when she learns Your Highness is here.”

Rudfelix was accommodating him when he noticed a wide-open door.

Inside the spacious hall, employees were bustling about.

“It seems your house is hosting a banquet.”

Since banquets were common in noble houses, he asked about it, but Count Jellisto gave an unexpected answer.

“A banquet of sorts. We’re preparing the stage for Elena’s debutante ball.”

“Debutante.”

Rudfelix rolled the word “debutante” around in his mouth, catching on it.

“Since she’s not attending the debutante ball at the imperial palace, we’re preparing to celebrate it here at home.”

The usual procedure for noble daughters was to attend the debutante ball held by the imperial family and then hold individual ceremonies for each family. The Count explained that Elena wanted to simplify this formality.

“When will it be held?”

“I was planning to set a date and send out invitations after meeting with her today or tomorrow. Since we’re only inviting a small number of people, there’s no rush, but I think it will be after the imperial debutante ball.”

Rudfelix recalled Elena saying nothing when he mentioned he would soon be going to the Grand Duchy. He could understand why she hadn’t mentioned it without needing to hear her thoughts.

As he looked around the hall and followed Count Jellisto, a complicated expression flashed across Rudfelix’s face before quickly disappearing.

Count Jellisto, focused only on the path to the reception room, didn’t notice the brief change in Rudfelix’s demeanor as he continued talking about his daughter.

“When people talk about a well-raised daughter, they’re talking about someone like Elena, haha.”

In the middle of his rambling, Count Jellisto suddenly laughed as if remembering something.

“What is it?”

“I’m thinking of the day I resolved to put Elena in as your aide after receiving your favor, Your Highness.”

His voice lowered. This seemed to be something not meant for others’ ears, though not so quiet that interested parties couldn’t hear.

“I told her that the Grand Duke was indeed, as rumored, a fine man to whom I’d want to give my well-raised daughter, and she was absolutely horrified.”

Rudfelix raised his eyebrows as the conversation turned to him.

“Her face when she thought I meant she should marry Your Highness because she was my well-raised daughter—it was so funny.”

Count Jellisto probably intended it as a light joke to pass over, but Rudfelix wasn’t taking it that way.

Elena wasn’t just a simple aide to him—he had sought out Count Jellisto specifically to learn about her past.

“This is the reception room,” said the Count, turning to look at him, but fell silent when he saw the serious eyes staring back at him.

“I have something to discuss with you.”

Rudfelix briefly clenched his molars before slowly parting his lips.

* * *

On her way home, Elena stopped by the Jellisto Merchant Company and noticed the brightly lit mansion.

The lights being on after sunset might not seem significant, but they illuminated the entire mansion, including the hall used only for banquets, which naturally caught her eye.

“Father must have come home early.”

Unaware of this, she had gone to the company and processed some accumulated paperwork that hadn’t been handled yet.

“Where is Father?”

As soon as she entered the mansion, Elena asked Ginny, whom she encountered immediately.

“He’s in the hall upstairs.”

Ginny stammered slightly but pointed to the second floor.

“Is something wrong?”

“A guest has arrived.”

“Who is it?”

“Well……”

Ginny wrung her hands, clearly wanting to answer but hesitating as if watching for others’ reactions.

“I understand.”

Elena quickly gave up and sent Ginny away, intending to see for herself. Ginny hurried off, and Elena, not having had time to observe her expression, went up to the second floor.

“Who could it be?”

The staff seemed as agitated as when the Crown Prince had sent a gift, which naturally quickened her steps.

“Father will be disappointed if I say I want to make the debutante ball even smaller.”

A debutante ball was like a coming-of-age ceremony for a daughter, and suggesting to make it even simpler than planned wouldn’t please him. But the timing was too awkward.

“He’ll understand.”

She thought simply that her father always let her do as she wished.

The day felt unusually long, Elena massaged her shoulders. Naturally, the Grand Duke’s face, which had been with her all day, came to mind.

“He really was trying to fatten me up.”

He had constantly paid attention to what she ate, called her weak, and even carried her books.

“He’s always given me work before, so I don’t understand why he did that.”

They had been together until they left the library, spending the entire day together.