After roughly finishing my own organization and coming down to the living room, I saw a large figure putting firewood in the fireplace. It was Sion, the firewood keeper.

“Sion, you must be tired from driving the carriage.”

“Not at all.”

“But why do you always light the fireplace? The temperature is already being regulated by magic.”

“Don’t you like it, Lady Lora?”

“Huh?”

“Watching the firewood burning in the fireplace, I mean.”

He stared at me with a direct gaze. Sion seemed like someone who couldn’t speak in roundabout ways.

Now I understand.

So that’s why he was putting firewood in the fireplace even at dawn—it was for me.

“You knew? Thank you.”

When I spoke while scratching my cheek with my finger, Sion smiled brightly. It was a smile suggesting he was playfully winking.

“Not at all. It’s my duty.”

“I suppose it is.”

We smiled at each other, and I turned toward the room where the child was.

Behind me, I heard his soft laughter.

***

Inside the room, the sunset shone in.

The silhouettes of a small child and a frail woman created shadows on the wall as they caught the sunlight.

“The child isn’t waking up.”

Soho, who was sitting close to the child and placing a wet cloth on their forehead, looked up at me with a tearful expression. I picked up the damp cloth and neatly placed it in the basin.

“Soho, wet cloths are used to bring down fevers. Someone whose body temperature has dropped like this needs to be kept warm.”

“…!”

Soho opened his eyes wide and quickly went outside the room.

Then he returned, dragging his own blanket, and covered the child with it.

Gently stroking Soho’s head, I bent down to meet his eyes.

“Let’s watch until tomorrow, and if the child doesn’t wake up, we’ll call a priest.”

“Yes!”

“Soho, keep a good watch, and if the child wakes up, call an adult.”

“I will!”

Tak—

Leaving Soho and the child behind, I returned to my room and began searching through the drawers.

Click—

“Where is it… Ah! Found it.”

What I had been searching for was a crystal ball.

When I pressed the round surface, it lit up with a “swoosh.”

“I should probably leave the exhausting things for later, right?”

Good. I decided the order of contacts.

I raised my hand and started pressing numbers.

Diririk—

When I pressed the complete button, the screen turned black and a dial tone played.

After waiting for a moment, the screen rippled.

Swoosh—

As the screen lit up, I slightly curved my eyes at the welcoming face on the other side.

“It’s been a while.”

He also crinkled his eyes toward me.

“Lora, have you been well? You seem a bit thinner. Did something happen?”

“Limpe. Are we the kind of people who only contact each other when something happens?”

Limpe Delman. He looked at me with concern before smiling helplessly.

The weight loss was definitely due to the Kalschmitz group, but I decided to skip the explanation for faster progress. Besides, just talking about it would only raise my blood pressure.

“That’s not true. It’s good to see your face after so long.”

“Actually, there is something.”

“What is it?”

“Limpe, what have you been up to these days?”

He fidgeted with a frog figurine on his desk, avoiding my gaze.

My head tilted sideways at his behavior.

“Don’t tell me you’re still doing that flirtation disguised as a love business?”

“Well, I’m still doing that, but as you suggested, I’m looking for another path.”

“Oh. What kind of path? Is it going well?”

“Well, there’s no progress. It’s not easy doing something behind the family’s back.”

He laughed awkwardly with a smile. Though he was smiling, there was an indelible fatigue settled around his eyes.

Anyway, this works out well for me.

“Then would you like to do business with me?”

“What kind of business?”

Limpe asked, stroking his chin with his finger at my suggestion.

“Charity work.”

“Charity work. That sounds good. Specifically?”

He nodded with a bright smile and calmly waited for my next words. That clear face without a trace of doubt.

Feeling sorry for his appearance that seemed ready to accept immediately, I asked.

“Limpe, are you having a hard time lately? You haven’t even heard what it is.”

“That’s how much I trust you, Lora.”

“Hmm? Well, if you say so.”

“Haha. Actually, it is a bit tough.”

He lowered his eyes with a tired expression.

That meant he was backed into a corner. Understanding how he felt, I opened my mouth to comfort him.

“Deviating from the set path to create your own way means hardship, poverty, and pain.”

“Hardship, poverty, and pain. That’s accurate.”

“I’ll be the lifeline to help you escape from there.”

When I smiled brightly, he laughed for a long time again.

Leaning back on the sofa, I waited until he finished laughing before continuing.

“I’m thinking of establishing a care facility and school to help slum children, and I want Limpe to run it.”

“I’ll do it.”

This time, he accepted seriously. It was a very quick affirmation.

Well, the sooner we started, the better. Even at this moment, there would be children freezing in the cold.

“If you’re not busy, could you come to the north now?”

“Hmm. It will take about a week to wrap up what I’m doing now.”

“Then I’ll see you in a week. Please bring any good people you can work with.”

“I will. Ah, Lora. Do you need anything?”

“Hmm, peace of mind.”

As I stared into space with an empty laugh, this time he gave me a pitying look. We had many similarities, after all.

“Seems like you’ve been through a lot too. Let’s talk when we meet.”

“Sure.”

“Lora. Please eat well, sleep well, and take care.”

“You too.”

“I will.”

It was a smoothly conducted negotiation.

After saying goodbye, I reached out to press the power button, and at that moment, his mouth opened again.

“Ah! Lora Demi—”

Swoosh—

But by then, my finger had already pressed the power button.

Before his words were finished, the screen disappeared, leaving only a straight line.

“Well, if it’s important, he’ll contact me again.”

After dismissing it casually, I opened my notebook and pressed the next crystal ball number.

This time, it was my turn to gather all my anger and pour it out.

“Whew.”

After taking a deep breath, I composed myself. It might take longer than expected.

At this moment, only one thought filled my mind.

Let’s finish this quickly and rest.