‘I shouldn’t tell him how to use it.’

With his mental power, he would surely read the contents of the letter she had included the moment she explained the method.

“I have friends sponsored by the trading company. Every year, we send a certain amount to friends who can’t conduct research due to lack of funds. This is the result.”

She added that she hadn’t brought the ones made of dandelion seeds because they would likely blow away easily in the valley’s wind.

While Rudfelix was examining the paper, Elena glanced at the mirror behind him.

‘My eye color has returned to normal.’

“It’s still called a practice paper because there are issues with commercialization. I used it to save others and prepared for the failure of the Crown Prince’s plan…… Huh?”

Elena stopped speaking in surprise at the large hand approaching her leg.

As Rudfelix rolled up her pants and looked at her leg seriously, Elena watched without being able to stop him.

“Your legs are swollen.”

“But I was just standing?”

She was about to say it was fine since she hadn’t been running around the valley placing papers.

“Even tension affects your legs.”

Rudfelix said as he massaged her legs. Every time his hands gently squeezed and released, Elena felt an indescribable relief.

“I couldn’t help but be tense…… Haa.”

She wanted to say, ‘How could I not be tense when I deliberately put myself in such a situation?’ but different sounds kept coming out of her mouth.

‘So this is why people ask to have their hair dried.’

She had never known that someone else’s hands could feel so refreshing and pleasant. Elena’s body relaxed languidly as she felt it.

“Thank you for saving so many people.”

Rudfelix expressed his gratitude to Elena for saving the Grand Duchy’s soldiers. Elena, who had been resting her head on her arm propped on the table, opened her eyes.

“Thank you for saving me.”

Elena saved the soldiers, and Rudfelix saved Elena.

“So you were a golden knight, Alix? That’s not something just anyone can do.”

She still vividly remembered the warm golden energy that had surrounded her body. That reassuring energy that seemed capable of protecting Elena from anything that might fall.

“Was that a secret?”

She leaned more toward the assumption that he had concealed the fact that Rudfelix was a golden knight because the imperial family would increase their checks and balances against him if it became known.

Elena, who had opened her mouth again, flinched when the hand massaging her leg brushed somewhere.

“I was going to reveal it eventually.”

The timing had just been moved up.

Elena tried hard to ignore the strange and sensual sensation blooming somewhere in her body and spoke to him.

“We were pretty cool today, weren’t we?”

Rudfelix’s expression remained unchanged, but his hand had left her leg and was boldly moving upward.

“You deliberately touched me like that just now, didn’t you?”

Elena, who had fallen backward due to Rudfelix lifting her leg, tried urgently to stop him, but without success.

‘My body won’t respond.’

She had thought her body was becoming languid from his touch, but now even the strength to resist had disappeared.

***

Only after confirming with his own eyes that Elena was safe did Rudfelix allow others into the room.

Elena forced a smile while barely suppressing her heated breathing.

‘What kind of checking takes three hours……’

“Elena.”

It was the former grand ducal couple and Count Jellisto.

Count Jellisto approached, wanting to embrace her out of relief.

“Father.”

Elena saw her father’s expression and reached out first to hug him. Hugging him while seated meant her face was buried against his stomach as usual.

“I was worried.”

“That must be why your stomach seems slimmer, Father.”

Elena rested her chin on his stomach and grinned.

“You rascal, didn’t I tell you to prepare thoroughly when going to such dangerous places?”

“I did prepare.”

“I heard you only took a few sheets of paper. It was too inadequate to rely solely on incomplete paper.”

Although she had saved many people with that paper, it wasn’t enough for Count Jellisto.

“Next time, take everything we have at home.”

Elena gave an awkward smile as she recalled one by one what was at home.

‘That’s too much!’

“Father, what would I do with all that?”

“I prepared it all for times like this, so of course you should take it and use it.”

Count Jellisto couldn’t hide his agitation about Elena having been in danger.

“I apologize.”

Rudfelix, who had been watching, stepped forward and apologized to Count Jellisto. He considered it his fault for not stopping Elena until the end and taking her along.

“No, Your Grace, why are you apologizing? Elena would have gone if she wanted to go.”

Knowing Elena better than anyone, Count Jellisto’s words made Rudfelix close his mouth.

“If she feels she needs to go, she’ll prepare two or three times over and definitely go. No one has ever been able to stop this child.”

“Father.”

Elena tried to stop her father from speaking ill of his impulsive daughter in front of the former grand ducal couple.

“Later we understand why she went, but how can we comprehend it while watching? We just want her to stay safe, but she doesn’t understand that and turns others’ insides out.”

“Father, that’s enough……”

Elena’s face was gradually turning red.

‘I don’t want to step forward either, but I had no choice.’

She sent a desperate look, hoping he would stop.

“You never know when or where she’ll bounce off to. She bounces around more unpredictably than a ball, making me anxious.”

“But you said before that I do a good job and am reliable.”

Now feeling wronged, Elena gave up trying to stop him.

“Still, thank you for taking care of my child.”

Count Jellisto bowed to the former grand ducal couple.

“Father?”

Elena looked around at everyone, not understanding what was happening.

Finding her confusion cute, Lady Schmie approached and explained what had happened.

“I heard you saved our soldiers.”

Since that was true, Elena nodded readily.

“They couldn’t meet you, so they came to see your in-laws. We were delayed coming here because we were receiving their thanks.”

“I didn’t know that happened.”

“The only reason we could send them away was by saying you would become my daughter-in-law.”

“Mother.”

Elena looked at Rudfelix as if seeking salvation.

‘I don’t understand how this situation is unfolding.’

‘Just watch.’

Rudfelix, who seemed to know something, took a step back.

‘Am I the only one who doesn’t know anything?’

“Elena.”

Lady Schmie took Elena’s hand. Former Grand Duke Kraicher stood with his hands behind his back, pretending to look out the window.

“I hope you’ll continue to stay here.”

Lady Schmie sat across from Elena with a benevolent expression.

“I don’t know when the Grand Duke will propose to you. I’m too impatient to wait, so I must speak first. Please become my daughter-in-law. I will love you very much.”

“Mother……”

She had received a proposal from her lover’s family first.

Elena’s face turned red at Lady Schmie’s proposal, and she couldn’t say anything. Even though they were both women, the words were so sweet and warm that Elena’s heart beat strongly.

‘I’ve been treated like a daughter-in-law all along, so why couldn’t I answer?’

The trembling of her heart seemed to spread throughout her body, and Elena silently held the end of Lady Schmie’s shawl. That seemed to serve as an answer, as Lady Schmie brushed Elena’s hair aside with a kind smile.

Rudfelix showed his displeasure that his mother had proposed before him.

“I won’t consider you a daughter. Since you weren’t born from my womb, I’ll treat you as a precious daughter-in-law. I’ll always care for you more and approach you carefully.”

Lady Schmie spoke in a different tone than when treating Elena as an aide, acting more familiar. After Elena moved her lips several times but finally kept them tightly shut, Rudfelix cut off her words.

“I haven’t proposed yet.”

He told her not to act as if she were already his daughter-in-law, but Lady Schmie turned to look at Rudfelix instead.

“Do you hate me for treating Elena as my daughter-in-law?”

“I don’t like that you proposed first.”

“Then why didn’t you do it first?”

Lady Schmie covered her mouth with her fan. Her narrowed eyes clearly mocked Rudfelix. Did he think she wouldn’t know just because her mouth was hidden?

“What good are hundreds or thousands of confessions? Not even one proposal.”

“A proposal is also a confession.”

“Then think of it that way.”

Rudfelix turned his head to the side at Lady Schmie’s relaxed posture. Anyone could see that Lady Schmie had won.

Elena, caught between them, gave an awkward smile. She wouldn’t have thought that ‘who proposed first’ could become a matter of contention, but it was happening right before her eyes.

“Elena.”

Lady Schmie removed her hairpin and attached it to Elena’s gathered hair. Then she firmly secured her victory.

“This is a gift I received when I got married. It might seem old-fashioned compared to newly made items, but it holds special meaning. Will you accept it?”