It was a name she hadn’t heard before. In truth, if they were in different units, there was no occasion to exchange names, and it was impossible to know all the thousands of knights and soldiers.

Someone might know if she asked around.

No, Ian would have known. Suddenly she missed Ian’s presence, who wasn’t here.

Ian, who had been transferred to the 12th Division from a regular unit, knew quite a lot of colleagues. Since he had such a playful personality that enjoyed silly jokes, he got along well with others even while in the 12th Division.

Even after fierce battles, he was the only one who would still chat away despite being exhausted. It was quite different from her who spent time alone quietly.

She suddenly wondered which family Ian had gone to.

Since she hadn’t seen him since leaving the barracks, he must be serving some noble family by now. She couldn’t remember which family it was since she hadn’t paid attention when it was mentioned.

In fact, there was no guarantee he was even in the capital. They wouldn’t meet again anyway.

Flora erased the name that had briefly crossed her mind.

“What am I thinking, how could you know all those soldiers…”

“If I remember anything later, I’ll let you know.”

“There’s no need to go out of your way.”

Mary waved both hands, saying she was sorry for making Flora worry unnecessarily.

“I wonder if Tommy hasn’t started liking someone else in the meantime?”

Mary then sighed deeply like someone carrying a great burden.

“That definitely won’t happen.”

From what she had seen, Tommy was singlemindedly devoted to Mary. She had witnessed several times how they both looked at each other with eyes containing the same warmth.

Mary quickly regained her smile, saying that was fortunate and it absolutely had to stay that way, then suddenly poked her face through the white sheets.

“By the way, Flora, don’t you have someone you like?”

“…What?”

Flora’s hand froze in mid-air at the unexpected question.

However, she quickly forced a slight smile as if it was an absurd notion.

“How could there be someone like that?”

“Why not? Think about it. A man who keeps coming to mind without you realizing it, someone your heart goes to. None, really?”

Someone she liked — she had never thought about such things. Flora was about to protest that it couldn’t be possible when suddenly her lips felt stuck, unable to speak.

It was because one man had naturally taken over her thoughts at that moment.

* * *

Flap.

A falcon that flew in through the open window perched on the windowsill and flapped its wings. It was a messenger bird.

Claude, who had been reviewing documents, got up and skillfully untied the string attached to the bird’s leg to unfold the note.

[My lord. We have secured evidence. We are currently recruiting one witness. If you command, we will arrange to send them to the capital immediately.]

It wasn’t a note from Knight Commander Baren reporting on the southern situation, but from another faction carrying out his secret orders.

Claude leaned against the window, lost in thought.

He had selected some of his private soldiers stationed in the south to undertake a covert operation. This report was from them.

“What should I do…”

The falcon, seemingly bored, tapped its beak against the cuffs on his sleeve. Thanks to this, Claude emerged from his thoughts and immediately picked up his quill pen.

Soon, elegant handwriting was quickly scrawled across the paper.

[Secure more witnesses if possible, and stand by.]

After finishing, he rolled up the small note and tied it back to the falcon’s leg.

“Deliver it well.”

Understanding the words, the falcon immediately flew out through the open window. Claude’s eyes lingered on the sky until the retreating bird was no longer visible.

The direction the bird took back was exactly opposite to where the brilliant morning sun had risen over the mountains.

* * *

After finishing all morning duties, Flora gathered with Mary and other maids in the dining room to have snacks.

With each bite of the cookies Michael baked, large walnuts crunched with a nutty flavor.

Michael, who had recently become passionate about developing new recipes, watched the maids’ reactions and asked.

“How does it taste? Is it good?”

The maids exchanged glances and spoke primly while holding back their twitching lips.

“Well…”

“It’s not bad…”

“It’s delicious.”

While the maids were hesitating whether to tell the truth, Flora spoke up first.

Michael brightened up and was about to smile broadly, but suddenly stopped.

“Flora doesn’t count. You eat anything that’s given to you.”

Michael shook his head, saying Flora’s opinion was ambiguous since she ate everything given to her without complaint, let alone having any preferences.

When she was learning under him, she was like a tomboy, but now although she looked quite maid-like, he didn’t trust her taste.

Once when he accidentally served burnt bread, even then Flora ate it well by herself. So her opinion lacked credibility.

With his face showing disappointment, he urged the other maids to try the cookies again.

“Try them properly while savoring the taste.”

But it’s really good.

Despite Michael’s disbelieving expression, Flora took another crispy cookie to her mouth and crunched it.

“Is it really that bad? This is another failure. I even ground black sesame seeds with it because I heard it’s good for insomnia…”

Michael took off his white chef’s hat and slumped into a chair with an exhausted look.

In truth, Michael’s recipe was for the master who couldn’t sleep.

As the butler had recently hinted, he was creating dishes mixing various ingredients good for insomnia, staking his name as the Duke’s chef.

However, since he couldn’t present unfinished food to the master every time, he often had the employees taste it first like this.

Seeing this, the maids burst into giggles.

“We’re joking. It’s really delicious.”

Just as Michael was making a dejected face, saying he didn’t need consolation now, Deverik, who had been quietly drinking tea with proper etiquette at the end of the long table, spoke up.

“Flora. Take these to the master as well.”

Flora, who was about to put another cookie directly into her mouth, looked up.

“Me?”

Deverik took a sip of tea and nodded.

The butler was similar to the previous head maid in a different way. As the one responsible for managing the large mansion without a mistress, he was rather strict due to his considerable authority.

However, he wasn’t someone who discriminated or judged people unfairly, and was quite diligent in his assigned duties. He treated Flora the same as other maids.

Finally realizing the cookies weren’t a failure, Michael put his white hat back on.

“Butler, does it pass? Then I’ll go take them.”

“Looking at Mr. Michael, I think the master might refuse to eat them.”

The maids giggled looking at Michael with his scruffy hair and large belly.

The butler, showing slightly curved eyes behind his monocle, spoke once more.

“No. Flora will take them. He should be in his office now. While you’re there, ask if he needs anything else.”

“Have a good trip, Flora. I’ll save your portion.”

Yulvi waved and smiled brightly.

The new maids didn’t know about the situation with the previous head maid. They just privately assumed that Flora had become close to the Duke due to her achievements on that day when something terrible almost happened.

So after that day, most of the Duke’s personal attendance naturally fell to Flora.

“Yes. I’ll be right back.”

Flora, removing her hands from the plate, quickly wiped them on her apron. Soon a tray with a plate full of cookies and a fragrant cup of tea was placed in her hands.

* * *

The mansion’s corridor, bathed in noon sunlight, was quiet.

Flora carefully walked to the office carrying the weighted tray.

When she gave a brief bow to the guard knights at the door, it opened to reveal the Duke sitting with his back to the sunlight.

“I’ve brought refreshments.”

“Put it there.”

At the Duke’s casual response without even looking up, Flora respectfully placed the tray on the table.

“Do you need anything else?”

When she remembered to relay the butler’s message, he slowly raised his head.

As though he had just realized that the maid who entered was Flora, the Duke stared at her face intently.

Under his strange gaze, Flora’s fingers unconsciously gripped her skirt. He seemed like a different person in daylight, making her somewhat uncomfortable.

“If not, I’ll take my leave.”

As Flora was bowing her head, seeing no instructions forthcoming, suddenly there was the sound of a chair being pulled back as the Duke stood up. Then he came around the desk, walking unhurriedly.

As she followed his movement with her eyes, he was already in front of her, slightly bending his tall frame. His snow-white hair and straight nose bridge were right before her.