Ah…… Did I just make a sound out loud?

When I turned around, Iophe was standing there, slightly catching his breath.

“You didn’t make any sound.”

“I heard it. And……”

He draped the outer garment he was holding over my shoulders.

“It’s cold in the morning. Why did you come all the way here in your nightclothes…… You’ll catch a cold.”

Now that I thought about it, I was lightly dressed. No wonder I felt a bit cold. I slipped my arms into the garment Iophe had draped over me and said,

“Just taking a walk. Since today’s the last day.”

“That’s exactly why you should rest well. You said carriage travel is exhausting.”

“I’ll sleep plenty during the trip, so it’ll be fine. But anyway.”

I whirled around. Iophe, who had been standing behind me, looked at me as if asking what was wrong.

“You’re up early too. What’s the occasion?”

“……I always wake up at this time.”

“It’s still dawn.”

“I’ve been like this since I was young.”

How diligent. I find it hard to wake up in the morning. At our feet as we walked in silence, green grass was sprouting. I stopped.

“Do you keep a dog in the garden?”

“Not that I know of.”

Then what’s that? A black puppy sleeping under a tree. Is it sick? The grass is wet, so it must be cold…… When I approached and carefully stroked its head, it opened its eyes and even stretched. It was just sleeping. Iophe said from behind.

“It seems to have gotten lost from the forest.”

Oh dear. Now that he said it, it looked like just a nursing puppy. Poor thing…… Whether it knew my thoughts or not, the puppy just yawned and looked up at us blankly.

“Did you lose your mom?”

When I held out my hand, it rubbed its body all over. I moved my hand this way and that, playing with the puppy.

“If you like it…… you could take it.”

“Where?”

“You could raise it at the townhouse.”

“Mm…… But I can’t take responsibility……”

When I should be starting to clean up my affairs, creating something else to be responsible for wouldn’t be good. I stroked the puppy’s ears with lingering affection. The fluffy fur wrapped around pleasantly.

“You’re good at picking up similar things. You don’t like this one?”

“Similar things…… What else have I picked up?”

“You’re good at picking up people.”

At Iophe’s words, the humans I’d picked up so far came to mind one after another. Alfi, Aerdi, and most recently even a priest named Ranil. There are quite a few.

“That’s…… why I’m trying to stop now.”

But it was true that this soft texture was hard to refuse. Right, if this is the last time, let’s pet it thoroughly. I vigorously scratched the chin of the puppy that didn’t know what to do with itself from my touch.

“It looks like you’re holding it in your arms.”

“I’ll let it go once the sun rises and the grass dries.”

Still, what won’t do won’t do. I can’t take responsibility for you. I resolved inwardly. As I stood up holding the puppy, the black furball in my arms burrowed into my embrace. It must have been cold after all.

“I should go inside now.”

I decided to stop looking around the garden and go inside the castle. I was about to turn and walk when Iophe stopped me with an unexpected remark.

“Fireworks. Want to see them now?”

Fireworks? I asked back.

“What are you suddenly talking about?”

“……Didn’t you say you wanted to see them on your birthday. Since you collapsed, they’re still in the storage.”

Is this him saying, I bought them because of you, so use them? But it was an appealing offer. I readily nodded.

We walked to the back of the castle where the storage was, and while he went to get the fireworks, I decided to sit on the hill. Not long after, Iophe poured out bundles of fireworks onto the ground.

“……That’s a lot.”

So he wasn’t just saying I should watch them now for no reason. Iophe said,

“You told me to prepare properly. This is just part of it.”

The scale must have been considerable. I expected as much, but actually facing that quantity with my own eyes felt different. I was starting to feel slightly regretful about spending my birthday in bed.

Iophe lined up the fireworks in a row some distance away and picked up a torch hanging on the castle wall.

Sizzle!

The sight of him lighting them haphazardly looked like a crazed arsonist, so I giggled thoroughly at his back before covering both ears. Since it wasn’t my clothes, the sleeves hung loosely.

Bang! Bang! Boom!

Following that, loud explosions shook the dawn that was faintly brightening. Because it was neither day nor night, the fireworks weren’t even visible well, and it was a fireworks display with only thick smoke from the fireworks.

The black furball didn’t seem bothered by the noise, buried between the roomy clothes. With my ears covered, I shouted.

“It’s fun!”

Iophe seemed to be saying something over there, but I couldn’t hear him with my ears covered. I shouted once more.

“It’s pretty!”

Actually, I wanted to tell him thank you for really preparing fireworks. But that seemed like going too far, so I closed my mouth. This much was fine for me. This much…… was an event that left no regrets about parting with Hertus.

❀ ❀ ❀

The capital we returned to hadn’t changed much. If there was something that changed, it was about this black furball sleeping in my arms……? I briefly forgot about the task of finding Suave San and was absorbed in this cute little one’s antics.

‘So soft. After I leave…… Iophe said he’d raise it, so it should be fine.’

That morning, it was Iophe who thr*st back at me the puppy I thought I’d released outside the castle.

“Take it.”

“Ah, I……”

I was about to say it’s difficult, but Iophe placed the furball in my arms.

“I’ll take responsibility, won’t that work?”

“……Really?”

“Yes.”

And then the carriage started moving. I pretended to reluctantly embrace the small creature blinking its eyes and grumbled.

“Tch…… You can make time to play with it and all that? Animals get lonely too.”

“I can do that much.”

“I’m still not reassured.”

Even though I knew there was nothing I could do about it since Hertus Castle was already receding behind us. The furball that had been dragged all the way to the capital like that barked cheerfully, not even knowing how far it had come from its parents’ side.

“So cute. I can’t go out because of you.”

Dana appeared holding a bowl for the furball.

“I brought water!”

When she set the water bowl on the floor, the furball made lapping sounds as it drank. We smiled watching that sight.

“Make sure to take care of it even when I’m not here.”

“Yes.”

While we were entranced watching the furball, Tilla, who had gone out and returned, knocked on the door. I hurriedly told her to come in and took my eyes off the furball. Tilla, who came inside, said,

“The studio given to Suave San is empty.”

“I see.”

I expected as much. A faint anger boiled up inside.

“Where is he now?”

“It seems he got a new studio nearby.”

If it’s nearby, the rent would be similar to what I provided. Tilla spoke again.

“I got the address of the new studio. Should I go?”

“No. He won’t open the door anyway.”

Rather than getting angry standing in front of a door, it would be better to catch him off guard. Fortunately, I had memories from my past life.

‘I investigated him for a while when I wanted to buy his paintings.’

By now, the backer who made him file the lawsuit would have given him plenty of money. Then it’s obvious.

“He’ll be showing off at a nearby bar or cafe.”

“I’ll investigate the bars and cafes.”

“Right. He’ll definitely be there, so it’ll be easy to find out.”

Tilla bowed and left the room. Dana was peacefully watching the black furball.

“Dana.”

“Yes?”

“About your friend. That girl named Tanya from Viblide.”

“Ah…… Yes.”

Dana’s complexion noticeably worsened when the story of the maid named Tanya came up. Since they shared a room the whole time after coming to Hertus, the shock must have been significant. I fully understood Dana’s feelings, but that didn’t make me hesitate in executing the plan I had in mind.

‘I don’t know what happened and how, but you were the one who brought me the poisoned tea.’

You can at least do this much for me. I slowly began to speak.

“We said that girl ran away with a territory man from Viblide, right?”

“Yes……”

“Wouldn’t the servants here in the capital find Tanya’s story amusing?”

“O-others have already talked about it…… Everyone knows enough. Dinner time was quite noisy because of it last night.”

“I see. That must have been fun.”

This news needs to leak outside Hertus quickly.

“You worked at Fichero before?”

“Yes…… Briefly before coming here.”

“Are you close with the staff?”

“I, I visit sometimes. Not lately though.”

“I liked that place too. All the guest rooms are enclosed. Perfect for meeting someone secretly. The cake and tea are decent too.”

“I worked in the kitchen so I don’t really know the room layout…… But it’s true that the head chef’s cake is excellent. Everyone lined up to buy leftover cake.”

“Did that girl Tanya do that too?”

“……”

“You said it yourself. That she received expensive things from a friend and in return leaked stories about me.”

“Yes……”

“As far as I know, Rosie worked at Fichero. I met her there a few times.”

“I…… don’t know who the friend Tanya met was. She did ask me if I knew Rosie who worked at Fichero though.”

“Were you close?”

“Miss Rosie……?”

“Yes.”

“N, no! That lady came in after I quit, and she handled hall service, so we barely knew each other! I only saw her face a few times when I went to buy cake at Fichero! That’s all!”

Dana was startled and denied my words. I sat quietly, stroking the fluffy puppy in my arms. This furball is effective at stabilizing one’s mind and body. I said in a calm voice.

“I know you relay stories about me to Iophe.”