As soon as a satisfied smile appeared on his sickly face after fixing it, I grabbed Cassian’s hand and dragged him to the bed, making him lie down abruptly.

“As much as I’d like to respond to your seduction, Rose—”

“Shut your mouth.”

Though I would have played along normally.

“Just be quiet and sleep now.”

“……Rose, but the mages……”

“Don’t even think about being a burden to me with your sick body.”

When I spoke more harshly on purpose, Cassian nodded as if admitting defeat.

Instead, he took out a small cube from his pants pocket.

“I’ll leave this to you.”

With a smile full of trust.

*

Soon after, I heard Cassian’s wheezing breaths.

I carefully dried his wet hair so as not to wake him and searched the cottage to find a hot water bottle.

While maintaining humidity by boiling water, I helped keep his temperature stable by putting the hot water bottle under the blanket.

‘This really reminds me of the old days.’

Though he was literally one step from death back then, so maybe this is better?

The memory was still vivid of how I trembled thinking he could stop breathing any moment, yet pushed myself on.

‘I think I was crying while telling myself I had to do it, had to do it.’

Compared to that, this was just like a bad cold, so it was a much better state.

I called a messenger bird to let the butler who might worry know that I would be very late seeing the night view of Ilium with Cassian, then placed my hand on the cube.

It was similar to the cubes made by mages who served at the Winter Palace, but somewhat different, so I started solving it carefully.

‘Cassian probably deduced the transaction location, and got threatened by mages in the process.’

He must have jumped into the river or something when it got too dangerous, ending up in this state.

So this must contain evidence as clues.

‘But did they conduct the transaction on a pleasure boat again this time?’

Why did he escape so wet?

Compared to the previous lake, the river here wasn’t very wide, so it couldn’t accommodate large pleasure boats.

At most, the capacity would be limited to around one to two hundred people even at the absolute maximum.

‘With so few people, it would be impossible to hide.’

For illegal transactions, that is.

Then was the pleasure boat itself just a diversion?

Probably closer to that.

As things became clearer in my mind, my hands working on the cube also sped up until all sides matched in color.

The next moment, with a faint light, a rolled-up bundle of documents fell to the ground with a thud.

And seeing the contents of the documents the next moment, my eyes widened.

*

After watching over Cassian until dangerously late, I decided to stop by the Lopez’s villa first.

Just in case, I changed the water in the hot water bottle and didn’t forget to set up magical devices around the cottage so people wouldn’t notice it.

Though I returned late because of that, the villa’s butler looked greatly relieved.

“I’ve prepared bath water. Lady Wilhelmina specifically asked us to serve you without any lack.”

At those words spoken with a gentle smile like looking at a granddaughter, I felt slightly guilty but thought it couldn’t be helped and said:

“Thank you, I think I’ll sleep here tonight and leave early tomorrow morning.”

“Is something the matter?”

“I am His Highness the Second Prince’s assistant. His Highness says the dawn in Ilium is beautiful and told me to prepare early.”

“……After keeping you out this late?”

“He tends to act a bit blindly when he wants to show me things he likes.”

At my words, the butler’s eyes crinkled sympathetically.

I felt like I had somewhat damaged my superior’s image, but decided not to mind.

Anyway, I soaked my surprised body in the warm bath water to relieve tension and got a short but good night’s sleep.

Since the remaining schedule in Ilium would surely be busy and tiring.

I woke up early at dawn, made up an excuse to the chef, and received some stew ingredients.

After his temperature had run so high yesterday, Cassian would need something warm for his stomach when he woke up.

Before leaving the villa, I asked them to send my remaining unpacked luggage to the capital, saying I would likely return there directly with His Highness after finishing the schedule in Ilium.

Then I didn’t forget to ask the butler a few things.

“By the way, I heard from Wilma……”

“Yes?”

“That among the pleasure boats that travel to and from Ilium, some belong to Wilma.”

“That’s right. She received it from the Duke as an eighth birthday present. But it’s strange……”

“Yes?”

“After the Grand Madam, Miss’s grandmother, collapsed while riding that pleasure boat and became bedridden, she never even mentioned it.”

“She hasn’t ridden it since coming here either?”

“Of course not, even when she has business in Ilium, she always takes a carriage.”

After saying that, the butler asked with a questioning look.

“Did Miss offer to lend the pleasure boat for you to spend quality time with His Highness?”

“No, I was just curious about something Wilma mentioned in passing.”

“Ah, I see. If you ever need it, please let me know, I’ll contact the managing agent in advance.”

I just expressed my thanks for that offer and left the villa.

Thanks to that, it became clear.

This world’s and the Imperial Consort’s malice.

*

As soon as I arrived at the cottage, I took out a large pot and started making stew with the ingredients I had received.

I crushed tomatoes moderately, chopped vegetables into chunks, and added the broth and spices the villa’s chef had thoughtfully provided. Soon, a nice aroma began to rise.

While absently watching the stew boil, thinking I just needed to add salt for the final seasoning.

“……It smells good.”

I felt a warm temperature against my back.

“Are you feeling better?”

“……Yes”

At his voice clearly still half-asleep, I let him cling to me as he wrapped his arms around my waist like a spoiled child.

One should show mercy to sick people after all.

“Can you eat?”

“Of course.”

Cassian lightly rubbed his forehead against my shoulder, either trying to shake off sleepiness or perhaps just seeking warmth—I wasn’t sure which.

I waited a moment to let him do as he pleased, then patted the hands around my waist and spoke soothingly.

“Then go wash up, I won’t serve food to eyes still crusted with sleep.”

“Because it’s not pretty?”

He asked and chuckled softly.

Just as I thought the sleepiness had mostly left his voice, he slowly detached himself from me.

“I can’t have Rose dislike me.”

Unlike when he approached, he headed to the bathroom with his slippers brushing against the floor.

While listening to the water starting to run in the bathroom, I also briefly heated the bread I had brought in the oven.

By the time he finished showering and came out, the completed stew was steaming on the table.

I sat down while putting small portions of butter and jam on the table.

“To think you cooked……”

Hearing that, I unconsciously recalled the past.

‘I fed him terrible cooking when I was young……’

Completely overcooked and clumsily scrambled eggs, half-burnt bread, and soup that had boiled down because I couldn’t control the heat properly when I just tried to reheat what I had secretly taken from the chef…

“Are you afraid to eat it?”

“Of course not.”

When I asked politely while recalling the past, Cassian shook his head with a gentle smile.

“I feel like I’ve gained precious time.”

Saying that, he split the well-baked bread that retained its moisture, spread butter and jam on it, and put it in his mouth.

Without any hesitation.

‘When I was young too, he ate the terrible food I made without any wariness, didn’t he.’

Just like now.

Though a prince, Cassian Artez wasn’t particularly picky about food.

Rather, I was the picky eater between us.

He ate the thick, boiled-down soup without complaint.

Even when I told him to spit it out because it seemed too salty, young Cassian’s face only looked puzzled.

‘……But back then, that was definitely his face for eating something that tasted bad.’

I had thought his emotions just didn’t show well on his face at that age.

Seeing his face as he took a big spoonful of the tomato stew that even I found tasty, I could tell he had just been intent on filling his stomach back then.

“Thank you, Rose.”

Very politely, he didn’t forget to both compliment the taste and thank me for making the meal.

Really.

‘Thank you, little lady.’

It made me recall young memories I had tried to forget, wanting to escape this world’s fate.

*

“I finished analyzing the documents from the cube.”

“Yes, it contained the date and location of the actual transaction, and even contingency plans for if things went wrong.”

Since Cassian volunteered, I left the cleanup to him and reported about what he had entrusted to me yesterday.

I felt strange watching his back as he skillfully washed the dishes.

‘Though he’s a prince, why does even this look natural for him?’