“What are you thinking?”

“Trying to seduce you with my body?”

“……”

“I know that’s nonsense.”

Breck frowned. But if he were someone who would yield to such things, Evangeline wouldn’t have come this far. She laughed brightly.

“If I don’t come tomorrow and the villagers say they don’t know someone like me, the Viscount will find it strange, right?”

She was right.

She smiled calmly and walked around the back of the villa, saying she was going to work. Breck clicked his tongue. The gaze he felt from the window had already disappeared.

Lily wasn’t angry. It wasn’t accurate to say she was shocked either. Even at the Viscount’s house, Breck attracted the maids’ attention, and it sometimes made her feel proud.

‘Is it because Eva is beautiful that I feel this way?’

She knew that wasn’t the case. She was jealous because Eva seemed genuinely close to Breck and they looked good together. Eva wouldn’t have to sneak kisses or secretly enter the bedroom, nor would she have to leave at dawn like a thief. Breck also seemed more comfortable talking to her.

No matter how she looked at it, they didn’t seem like just old acquaintances, and Eva clearly had feelings for Breck. But what could she do about it? According to Breck, they were just ‘mill mates.’

Even if Breck met another woman, she had no right to say anything. She herself initially approached him not with serious intentions but just wanted to try it once while disguised as someone else.

So, is she serious now? That’s also unclear. They’re not engaged or officially dating, so she has no right to monopolize him.

“Phew…”

Lily sighed. She had many things she wanted to do in this secluded place, but now she didn’t want to do anything. Breck seemed to be the same, not sneaking into her bedroom or touching her freely. It seemed like he was mindful of Eva.

She tried to tell herself she was being paranoid, but unfortunately, her observation skills were recognized by the dragon slayer.

“Madam.”

Eva brought her a cold lemonade. Lily, lost in thought, was startled. Eva asked.

“I’m sorry. Did I do something wrong?”

“Oh, no. I was just lost in thought and didn’t hear you coming. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Lily took the lemonade. It was unusual to thank a maid, but she did so without thinking, and Eva accepted it naturally. Lily realized a moment later that it was strange.

“Is it time for you to leave now?”

“Unless you have more tasks for me.”

“I don’t. Thank you.”

This time it was a formal statement to someone giving orders. Eva smiled and bowed to Lily before heading outside.

In fact, Evangeline was also troubled. She had heard that Breck had a woman, but she didn’t thought it was a serious relationship.

Isn’t that right? The opponent is that dragon slayer, Revaston. Even as the first princess of the empire, she couldn’t fully match up to him. The Dragon Lord saw her standing with Breck and nodded approvingly with an “Hmm.” and that was all.

So she thought it was rather an opportunity. The old Breck avoided women so much that she wondered if he was cursed to lose his abilities if he lost his virginity.

But now that he wasn’t in such a state, she thought she might have a chance. She was pretty, capable, and worked well with Breck. So if she stayed close, something might happen.

She often told herself, but she didn’t really expect to bring him into the empire as a consort. She just wanted to have a child. If it was a child with Revaston’s blood, it would surely be the best.

But she was wrong.

As she took off her apron and came out into the garden, Breck was sitting on a ladder pruning branches. Although it hadn’t been maintained for years, Evangeline always thought the garden of this villa was terrible.

“Sir Revi.”

“……”

Even though he must have noticed her, Breck didn’t respond.

“Sir Revi!”

“I warned you not to call me that.”

“Then Breck.”

“…That sounds just as unpleasant.”

Without coming down from the ladder, Breck glanced down at her and clicked his tongue. Though it wasn’t intentional, the violent aura he didn’t bother to hide swept around Evangeline. She held her breath and activated the magic tool in her pocket.

Woooong——

It created a powerful magic barrier around her that could even block dark energy, but against Breck, it was merely a comfort. Evangeline forced herself to appear calm as she spoke.

“I didn’t think you’d hate me this much.”

“Did you come expecting to be welcomed despite being an uninvited guest?”

“I thought you wouldn’t care.”

Breck looked at her indifferently. It could have been that way. Until last summer, he would have just ignored her, said a few words, and left her to do whatever she wanted. He couldn’t go to war with the empire. Conversely, the empire wouldn’t start a war either. The empire knew that if they ended his reclusive life, he would retaliate.

So the only reason he was angry now was that his trip was interrupted. Breck realized this anew.

Watching him express his anger with a blank face, Evangeline sighed.

‘This is completely hopeless.’

Evangeline assessed this outing as such. If she wanted to recruit Breck, it might be faster to target Lily instead.

“How about I help you?”

“With what?”

“You’re not going to live as a gardener summoned by the lady forever. If you want to be possessive, you need a fitting status. You’re not a mage.”

“Are you saying you’ll forge an identity for me?”

“I can manipulate the memories of the entire village. You know who I am.”

Breck chuckled.

“Don’t bother me. It’s not because I lack the ability to change my life that I’m doing this.”

“I see. Gardening must suit you well.”

“Yes, it does.”

He spoke sincerely. There were joys you could only find as a gardener.

Evangeline brushed off her skirt and spoke straightforwardly.

“If you promise to contact me first when you want to change your life, I’ll quietly leave and replace the maid with a good, innocent one.”

“It’s absurd to try to negotiate after causing me trouble, but you’re threatening me.”

“Imperial nobles wouldn’t need memory manipulation like those of the Kingdom of Aiphe.”

“The Kingdom of Aiphe may seem tiny to us, but not everyone knows each other.”

“That’s true. Then, I’ll leave before I’m hated more.”

Evangeline said with a sigh. She was just saying it once, and it was enough if Breck remembered that she was willing to cooperate.

Well, her leaving didn’t mean the entire Imperial Secret Intelligence Service would withdraw. Love affairs eventually end. When that time comes, she could attach a suitable woman. Though it wouldn’t be her.

Evangeline drooped her shoulders and trudged out. Breck enhanced his hearing and listened to the sound of the luxury four-wheeled carriage she had arrived in leaving.

‘How ridiculous.’

He was more baffled by how irritated he was just because Lily’s attitude had changed slightly. Her somewhat cold and expressionless face was familiar to the employees at the Viscount’s house.

If Lily had shown her usual behavior when they were alone, he wouldn’t have been so angry. But she was the same even in the afternoons when no one was around. It wasn’t like she noticed the secret intelligence agency’s watchful eyes.

“Good grief.”

Thud!

The pruned branch fell to the ground. The garden was such a mess that having a lot to do was better since it left no time to think.

“Coming all the way to the sea.”

Breck grumbled, smelling the salty breeze carried from afar. At this rate, he’d spend the entire stay pruning branches and pulling weeds.

He got off the ladder and gathered the cut branches into a bundle. One corner of the garden was finally a bit tidy. Cohen would probably be delighted, thinking he had a proper chance to practice.

He could continue pruning, but since one corner was clean, he wanted to finish it. He wasn’t lying when he said he enjoyed gardening. He could understand why people spent all day in the garden as a hobby.

Nothing was better for clearing the mind than weeding. With now quite skilled hands, he dug up the ground and pulled weeds when suddenly a shadow fell over him.