As soon as I opened my eyes, my head felt like it was splitting. A terrible groan escaped from my dry throat.

“Ughhh.”

Just then, a glass of water was thrust toward me.

“Lady Calliphe. Water.”

Too weak to even turn my head, I shifted only my gaze to see Noah with a worried expression.

After drinking the cold water and feeling somewhat better, I quickly tidied my disheveled hair and asked.

“How long have you been here?”

“Oh, you suddenly collapsed yesterday. So I was worried and stayed here.”

“Yesterday…?”

What happened yesterday?

I helped nurture the conscience of a future secret merchant, got illegal magical tools to use on the silver-haired man, and strangely enough, ran into the silver-haired man…

“Noah is really cute. Do you know what his treasure is? Coins and buttons that look expensive but aren’t worth much… and the encouragement card I gave him as a gift!”

“I see.”

“And do you know what else is cute? The fact that the encouragement card I gave him is his treasure!”

“…Twentieth time and you’re still not tired?”

“I’ll say just one last thing. Do you know what Noah’s treasure is?”

“Shopkeeper. One rye bread, please.”

“The treasure is… mmphf!”

The silver-haired man shoved the rye bread into my mouth.

“You’re hungry right now. Eat.”

“I’m not hun-, mmphf.”

“Eat.”

“Mmphf.”

“……”

I just killed my own charisma. And in front of the important silver-haired man, no less!

‘If I drink too much again, I’m a do-, dog…’

I remembered the silver-haired man loading my drunk, misbehaving self into a carriage like luggage and dumping me somewhere.

‘…Come to think of it, before I passed out, I was wondering if I should visit Porsche Offensa’s grave.’

I ended up not going though.

Now I’m… quite busy and all… I’ll go later. Let’s go later.

I gestured to Noah, who was still hesitating, to leave.

“I’m fine now, go do your work.”

“Actually… I have something to do for Lady Calliphe.”

“Hm?”

Noah pulled out a small pouch.

When he untied the string at the opening, a jewel-like black stone came out.

It gave me an ominous feeling somehow.

Noah, who had been watching my reaction, carefully said.

“This, I took it from the young Marquis’s room.”

“What? The young Marquis’s belongings?”

“Yeah.”

Hesitating and fumbling, Noah explained everything.

He said he stole it as payment for the swordsmanship lessons. Because he didn’t want to touch my belongings carelessly.

Hearing that, my eyes naturally tensed up.

‘To think he’d do such an adorable thing. I really want to bite him.’

“…Hic. I’m sorry.”

Noah’s eyes began to waver, misunderstanding my gaze, so I quickly said.

“The bad one is the teacher who made you steal, not you. It’s okay.”

“You’re not… going to scold me?”

“Why would I scold you? You did well, rather.”

I reached out my hand to pat Noah’s head.

Noah stiffened at that.

‘Ah, did I rush again?’

As I hesitantly withdrew my hand.

Suddenly Noah furrowed his brows and urgently pressed his head against my hand.

Tap. Like a magnet.

Huh, what’s this?

Confused, I tried to avoid it by moving my hand left and right.

Noah’s head followed left and right, not detaching from my palm.

“Nnngh.”

His tiptoes, straining with effort, trembled.

‘The meaning of this action, could it be!’

While trying to calm my breathing that was becoming rough with excitement, I carefully moved my hand.

And.

Rustle rustle.

I stroked and patted Noah’s hair.

“……”

Noah fidgeted with his lips and blushed.

He was quietly accepting my touch.

‘Oh my goodness! Finally!’

I can pat Noah now!

The sensation of his soft black hair was indescribably moving and wonderful.

‘He’s really like a pu… puppy.’

After absent-mindedly patting for a while, I belatedly cleared my throat and removed my hand.

“Ahem ahem. Then I’ll keep the young Marquis’s item. By the way, did you make this pouch?”

There was embroidery on the pouch, looking like golden caterpillars clustered together.

“What lovely caterpillars.”

“…They’re roses.”

“If anyone says that, bring them to me. I cannot forgive those who dare mistake roses for caterpillars.”

Good. That was natural.

“But why did you choose roses?”

“The maid sister said that Lady Calliphe’s nickname is the Golden Rose.”

Well, that’s not exactly a complimentary nickname, but there’s no need to tell him that.

“So I made it to give to Lady Calliphe……”

“Along with this black stone?”

He had made the bribe in case I would scold him for stealing.

It was quite a clever ploy.

‘Now that I look, there are many wound marks on his hands.’

Thinking about Noah getting pricked countless times by needles while fearful of my scolding made me feel very sorry.

Although Noah was gradually opening up to me, it seemed more time was needed for his past wounds to heal.

If we had built enough trust, he could have confessed the truth without needing such bribes.

“Thank you. This will become my treasure from now on.”

“……!”

Noah nodded happily with an expression that seemed to ask, ‘Really? That much?’

I stored the suspicious black stone in the pouch Noah had given me.

To avoid trouble, I should probably return it secretly to its place, but.

‘Something about it smells off.’

My intuition was telling me.

About returning it, decide after figuring out what this black stone really is.

* * *

A few days later, an invitation arrived from Dietrich.

It was inviting ‘me’ to ‘my’ marriage announcement party, of all things.

The muscular maid who brought the letter was indignant.

“This is too much! How can they decide everything unilaterally when it’s Miss’s marriage?”

“The intention is obvious, isn’t it?”

It means my opinion is neither important nor necessary in this matter.

That’s Young Marquis Caiman’s will as well.

“But they even included a special postscript in my invitation, how kind.”

“A postscript?”

“Yes.”

This postscript was written at the end of the card:

You’d better come quietly. Unless you want to get married like a beggar without a single penny of dowry.

The young Marquis knows too, so don’t do anything foolish.

Better maintain your dignity while you still can, dear direct descendant ^^

They even drew a smiling face to make me angry.

But I found myself smirking instead.

‘Are you excited about being able to read and write freely?’

Enjoy while you can.

[‘Dietrich’s’ ability duration: Less than 3 days]

“Ah, Miss. Why are you smiling so frighteningly?”

“Ahem. Just thinking something interesting will happen after the party.”

“You’re taking this well. I’m so worried about you being humiliated at the party that I’m losing muscle mass.”

“Hmph, humiliation, is it.”

I’m not sure about humiliation, but I can guess what kind of incident will occur at the party.

‘It’s magical beasts.’

“I only sell to those who appreciate my work. There’s already a noble lord who bought a lot saying he’ll use them at the party—”

The illegal merchant had inadvertently leaked information about the noble lord, who must be Dietrich.

Since that’s the only major party scheduled in the near future.

“Come to think of it, the venue is Imperial Hall. Then they must have prepared performances and such?”

“Certainly.”

Party performances and incidents involving magical beasts.

…It seems the silver-haired man isn’t the only dangerous element?

‘I should bring defensive artifacts to protect myself, but.’

Artifacts with high-level magic inscribed for attack or defense needed to be connected to the user’s magical power.

But unfortunately, I’m magically incompatible.

Unlike regular magical tools with embedded magic stones, I couldn’t use artifacts.

Well, I could use them if I was prepared to die…

‘There’s Calliphe’s memory of nearly dying when an artifact forcibly drew out magical power…’

While safety is most important, I can’t risk death in the name of safety.

‘Anyway, I need protection other than artifacts.’

I did have something in mind.

“Maid. Did you get the items I mentioned?”

“Ah, you mean the high-grade potions?”

The maid who nodded quickly brought a box containing the potions.

“When I requested items in Miss’s name at the Magical Tool Management Department, they gave me this much.”

“Three high-grade potions.”

It would have been nice to get supreme-grade potions, but those are items that even the head of House Offensa can’t use freely.

‘But in the long term, I need a supply source where I can get items to use while avoiding the young Marquis’s eyes.’

It would be nice to have such a supplier right now. Just as I was feeling regretful.

“Ah, Miss. There’s a strange visitor… shall I let them in?”

Another maid announced an unexpected visitor.

The visitor’s identity was unexpected even to me.

“Take responsibility! You must take responsibility for this!”

The illegal magical tool merchant and Marino’s secret merchant.

Dovion fell to his knees before me, whining.