Kana and Letie simultaneously directed their gazes at him. Flustered by the sudden attention, he cleared his throat and added,

“Ahem, I was just curious.”

“Oh, I see.”

“…Just stop talking. It sounds like an excuse.”

Though there were slight differences, both Kana and Letie’s reactions were indifferent. Kana’s was more nonchalant, whereas Letie’s reaction carried a hint of annoyance.

To change the awkward atmosphere, Kana adjusted her clothes and shifted the conversation.

“Lady Letie, since we’ve finished discussing the additional matters, I’ll be heading back now.”

“Oh, I’ve kept you too long. Please, go ahead.”

Letie responded politely, waving her hand. With a faint smile, Kana left a meaningful remark to emphasize the connection between the female protagonist and Kiriel.

“I hope the remaining elements go well too.”

“Yes! If that negotiation is successful, I’ll be sure to contact you, Miss Kana.”

Letie answered confidently with a smile. She escorted Kana to where the Round family’s carriage was waiting. Dain followed them from a slight distance, subtly trailing behind. Letie’s eyebrows rose.

“Why are you following us, Brother? You’re not planning to threaten Miss Kana, are you?”

“Of course not. I just have something to ask.”

Dain denied it, standing firm. Kana silently clicked her tongue at the sibling’s bickering. She had a feeling it would become bothersome if left unattended. Eventually, she turned around just as she was about to board the carriage.

Letie, who had been glaring at Dain, was startled and waved her hands.

“Miss Kana, you don’t need to accommodate my brother just because he’s the heir to our family.”

“I’m fine. Lady Letie, you must be tired from our discussion earlier. Please go inside.”

“But…”

Letie hesitated, casting anxious glances at her brother. She was reluctant to leave the two alone.

Kana pointed to the spirit on her shoulder with a faint smile.

“I can protect myself. If anything unfortunate happens, I’ll inform you immediately, Lady Letie.”

“Yes. If anything happens, I’ll do my best to ensure there are no repercussions.”

“That’s reassuring. Thank you.”

Kana gently persuaded the hesitant Letie to go back inside. Left alone with Dain in front of the carriage, she snapped her fingers.

“Young duke Serade, I don’t know what you want to say, but I have no intention of divulging my conversation with Lady Letie. It’s a matter of trust and mutual promise.”

“…I’m not here to pry into that. Rather, how did you gain her support?”

Dain was genuinely curious. Letie, who was either sharp or indifferent towards her family, became particularly gentle with Kana.

Kana chuckled at his focus on the result rather than the process.

‘In the novel, it was portrayed that he couldn’t help Letie because he couldn’t express himself well… But in reality, he was just indecisive and passive. Seeing it firsthand, it’s even worse.’

She responded matter-of-factly.

“Is an explanation necessary? It means Lady Letie sees me as a trustworthy friend.”

“……”

“If you want to gain someone’s trust, you need to approach them and gradually build a relationship. Especially if the relationship is already strained, it naturally takes more time and effort.”

“I…”

Dain, struck by the truth, struggled to continue. Kana, with a calm expression, asked sharply.

“Have you ever taken care of Lady Letie, who was ostracized in your family?”

“I was busy, and unlike Cordelia, she is the legitimate heir of the family. I thought she could handle it herself.”

Despite being considered the dullard of the family, he believed Letie could manage on her own.

Moreover, he had many responsibilities, and with Cordelia joining the family, his already limited attention was further divided.

Kana sighed deeply at the additional labor and pointed out calmly.

“That’s precisely the problem. On the surface, it might have seemed like the two ladies were close. But in reality, it was festering inside.”

“Hmm.”

Dain’s eyebrows furrowed. It was an uncomfortable truth for him to hear. But Kana, unaffected by his reaction, continued.

“People won’t know unless you express it directly. No matter how much you think and act internally, the other person might just think, ‘Why is he acting like this all of a sudden?’”

“You’re quite sharp.”

Dain chuckled dryly. Despite being the heir of the Serade family, one of the four great families ruling the East, she spoke without hesitation. Kana responded indifferently.

“Does it matter? You were ready to hear honest advice anyway.”

“That’s true.”

“By the way, don’t meddle unnecessarily under the guise of helping Lady Letie. It’s better to support her quietly from behind or assist her subtly when she asks for help.”

Kana finished her statement cleanly. She was satisfied, knowing it could indirectly help Letie.

Dain, exuding an air of arrogance and nonchalance, scanned her face.

“I’ll keep that in mind. Since you gave me honest advice, shall I give you one as well?”

“Go ahead.”

Kana met his gaze confidently. Dain wiggled his fingers and said,

“Being calm and upright isn’t bad, but it’s better to consider the other person. Some people might take offense and retaliate.”

“I’m well aware.”

Kana had dealt with many people in the industry and other characters while playing her supporting role. She didn’t need Dain’s advice to navigate such matters.

Celia’s laughter echoed. To Dain, who couldn’t properly hear the spirit’s voice, it sounded like a breeze. He smirked and sneered.

“Relying solely on a meager spirit and the temperamental Master of the Magic Tower seems a bit precarious, doesn’t it?”

“It’s fine. My spirit is a reliable partner.”

Trust filled her green eyes. The bond between Kana and Celia was not so fragile as to be shaken by one person’s words. The spirit scoffed.

[Wow, who’s calling who meager? And his so-called advice is just nonsense. He doesn’t know anything about us. Ridiculous.]

‘I agree.’

Kana fully agreed with the spirit. Moreover, mentioning Kiriel in a mocking tone to someone who often worked with him professionally was quite petty.

Dain blinked, slightly taken aback by her casual mention of only the spirit.

“…What about the Master of the Magic Tower?”

“Regardless of his personality, Lord Kiriel is reliable in handling matters.”

Since he wasn’t the central figure in her tasks, that was sufficient. If Kana had been a supporting character close to Kiriel, she would have been more attentive, but that wasn’t the case in this novel.

Dain, seeing her draw a firm line and assert her stance, thought of his sister. The quiet and gentle lady was quite different from the rumors. He muttered to himself.

“…You’re quite cold, yet it’s hard to tell if you’re detached or resigned.”

“That’s not something for you to worry about, Young Duke Serade. Since we’ve said everything, I’ll be going now.”

Kana turned away from him and boarded the carriage, returning to the Round estate.

* * *

As discussed with Kana, Letie arranged a meeting with Kiriel. Although it wasn’t easy due to his busy schedule and indifferent attitude, she managed to secure a meeting by pleading for just one chance.

Standing in front of the towering Magic Tower, Letie took a deep breath and waited. Soon, Kanto came out to greet her.

“Lady Letie Serade, you’ve arrived. I’ll take you to the Master of the Magic Tower. Please follow me.”

“Yes.”

Letie followed him into the Magic Tower. They used a separate teleportation magic circle for guests, which is directly connected to the Master’s office.

In the blink of an eye, they arrived at the top floor, in the Master’s office.

“Tower Master, it’s Kanto. I’ve brought Lady Letie Serade.”

“Come in.”

Kanto led Letie inside.

The Master’s office was somewhat disorganized but relatively tidy. The bookshelves were filled with magical texts, a door leading to a workshop, a desk piled with documents, and stacks of magical tools.

Without looking up from his documents, Kiriel spoke indifferently.

“Sit on the sofa for a moment. I’ll be with you once I finish this.”

“Yes.”

Letie sat on the sofa. Kanto used a simple spell to prepare tea for her and then stepped aside.

After finishing his review, Kiriel sat across from Letie, who was sipping her tea. He started bluntly.

“So, what’s so important that you went to such lengths to arrange this meeting?”

“I have a proposal. With your help, what I’m trying to do will be much easier.”

Letie answered calmly, taking out the prepared proposal and contract from her pocket. Kiriel, barely glancing at her, took the documents from her and retorted.

“Lady Serade, as you know, I’m not a man of leisure. I hope this isn’t a waste of my time.”

“Please read it first and then decide.”

Letie straightened her posture and looked at him resolutely. Though her stomach churned, reminded of his past self, she calmed herself by recalling Kana’s encouragement.