‘Could it be that Letsy too!’

Beji covered her mouth. Had Letsy fallen victim too? Is that why the girl who had sworn never to fall for the witch had changed?

Or… perhaps she was being blackmailed with some weakness.

She had asked Letsy several times about the witch, but Letsy had kept her mouth shut. When she mentioned this abnormal situation to Paul, he only answered, ‘Why, isn’t it convenient that she doesn’t interfere…’

‘I must reveal the truth. I’ll find the witch’s weakness and protect Letsy and my workplace.’

While thinking this, the opportunity came sooner than expected. Since Letsy was going to her hometown for a few days, Beji was to attend to the duchess during that time.

⟨You don’t need to help with bathing. As for clothes, she dresses herself including undergarments, so you only need to help with outer clothes.⟩

She had expected it to be demanding, but there were too many things she didn’t have to do. The duchess didn’t even have garden walks or teatimes. That made Beji even angrier. Wasn’t this disrespectful to servants?

Actually working with her, the duchess seemed more comfortable and didn’t seem to have a bad personality, but Beji, with her mission to protect Letsy, wasn’t easily swayed.

‘Perhaps I’ve already been enchanted by the witch!’

Such thoughts filled her mind even as she prepared refreshments for today’s boat ride.

“Beji!”

Just then, someone beckoned to her.

It was someone familiar to Beji, Marchioness Panianna Monder.

“Come here, Beji.”

Though Beji hesitated due to her duty to guard her post, what could she do when a marchioness called? Since it was just a few steps away, she turned her back to the table and hurried toward Panianna.

“It’s been a while, Lady Panianna.”

“It has been. My, how have you been?”

“Very well, thanks to your concern, Lady Panianna.”

Beji had served tea to Panianna quite often when she visited the Reynes residence. Panianna quite liked Beji for her quick efficiency, and Beji felt a subtle sense of elation from this.

Look at today too. Wasn’t she calling over a mere servant like Beji and greeting her warmly?

“I’m sorry, I haven’t been able to visit the duke’s residence much lately. But I was curious about how you were doing.”

“I’m doing well. Thank you for asking.”

“Mmm. There’s a new family member at the duke’s house. How is it?”

“……She’s a good person. I’m serving her with all my heart.”

Though she didn’t actually think so, Beji refrained from badmouthing Janet here as it would be like spitting in her own face.

“Is that so? Listen. About Janet. I’m worried because she’s been physically weak lately. Especially on a day like today, with the river breeze and all… I’m more concerned.”

“Yes, don’t worry. I’ll take good care of her.”

“No, that’s why I’m saying this. If Janet seems unwell, take her home anytime.”

“Oh, but……”

“You know, right? How she collapsed last time trying to push through an external schedule……”

“Yes, yes.”

“She seems to collapse quite often. So making Janet rest when she looks tired is Beji’s duty as a professional servant. Health comes first, so you can tell Rihanel later.”

“……Yes! I’ll do that!”

Beji nodded at Panianna’s words, which seemed genuinely concerned about Janet. In fact, Janet didn’t look particularly unwell today, so she thought it was advice for some distant future contingency.

But the situation arose today itself.

“I’m sorry… strangely sleepy……”

Watching the duchess who had been consistently weak, Beji wondered if she was feigning illness. But the duchess even closed her eyes mid-sentence and started to fall sideways.

This is real?

At times like this, she should take her home.

Eventually, Beji ran to call for a carriage.

But… when she returned, Janet was nowhere to be seen.

“My, my lady!”

And when she searched everywhere for Janet, she was already boarding someone’s boat.

***

“Hmm……”

From a distance, the pleasant melody of woodwind instruments sounded, and a bit louder than that, birdsong could be heard.

Between the sensation of gently drifting somewhere, her body occasionally swayed lightly.

Trying to gather the sensations that were floating and mixing dizzily, Janet opened her eyes.

Only then did the scattered, floating sensations focus on her vision.

The first thing she saw was a white-painted wooden surface. Turning her head, she saw a sky spread with a mysterious blend of pink and navy blue.

What is this, a dream…? Janet blinked slowly.

“You slept well.”

“……!”

At that voice, Janet quickly sat up. The boat swayed gently. The light blue summer jacket that had been covering her slipped down.

On the opposite side of the boat, a man in a white shirt was leaning back, looking at her askance.

“Rihanel?”

Janet asked, narrowing her brows.

“Why the question mark? Did you hope to wake up on someone else’s boat?”

“No, that’s not it……”

Before Janet could finish, Rihanel leaned forward. He reached out to her. His large hand touched her slender neck and lingered for a moment. Then it moved to her forehead.

“Are you feeling alright?”

“Yes, I’m fine.”

“Think carefully again. I need to be able to trust what you say.”

Rihanel’s face was full of discontent.

But Janet truly didn’t feel anything particularly wrong. She wasn’t sure exactly when she had fallen asleep… but now she actually felt light, as if she had slept well and woken up refreshed.

“Really.”

“Did you eat anything given to you somewhere else before coming?”

“……No.”

“Were you feeling unwell since morning……”

“I’m fine. I must have been very tired. I’m sorry.”

At Janet’s words, Rihanel stopped speaking and stared at her. Then he pulled away and returned to his place.

Janet composed herself and tried to recall what had happened before she fell asleep.

Her memories remained only as hazy fragments. Suddenly drowsiness had overwhelmed her, but it was probably nothing serious. Even in prison, she would sometimes collapse like this after days of starvation. Just falling asleep and waking up—it wasn’t a major issue.

But she thought she had built up quite a bit of stamina recently… To collapse again at an official event. She felt like a burden.

And anxiety gently raised its head.

“Did I… did I actually board Rihanel’s boat directly? I didn’t board someone else’s boat, did I?”

She vaguely remembered boarding a boat after seeing a color similar to Rihanel’s clothes, but she couldn’t be certain. She needed confirmation that she hadn’t made a mistake.

“You really don’t remember?”

“……No.”

He stared at her as if piercing through her innermost thoughts. Did she really board someone else’s boat? Whose boat? If so, how did she end up on Rihanel’s boat now…

“You came straight to my boat.”

“Really?”

“Yes. You seemed to be sitting well, but then you suddenly fell asleep.”

Janet felt a small sense of relief.

Just then, along with the sound of rowing, a boat passing not too far away came into view. Though the conversation couldn’t be heard, expressions would be visible.

Rihanel smiled affectionately. Even knowing that it was a smile he would never genuinely give to Janet, her heart rippled a little.

“Let’s pretend to have fun a bit.”

Janet followed Rihanel and gently raised the corners of her lips.

And Rihanel took in the sight of her.

The sunset, which had already dyed the sky a deep orange, illuminated Janet. A corner of Rihanel’s heart stirred hotly at the woman’s smile that captured the sunset.

“The last time I went on a boat ride like this was with you, Rihanel.”

That’s when Janet spoke up.

“We rode boats on the lake a few times, just the two of us. You know what? I still don’t know the name of that lake. Because it was always a place you took me to.”

If he collected firewood for someone living nearby, they would lend him a small boat. He had done this work and borrowed the boat many times because he wanted to see Janet enjoying the boat ride.

Though he had already forgotten about it, hearing it now… it gave him quite a nostalgic feeling. To avoid falling into unnecessary sentimentality, Rihanel spoke up.

“But in Silonya……”

He let his words trail off.

Oh. He had seen Janet on a boat with Theo Randipel in Silonya through her memories.

Across from him, Janet was staring at him with wide eyes.

Rihanel continued naturally.

“……You traveled to Silonya. Surely you went boating there.”

“Hmm.”

Janet tilted her head and remained silent for a moment, as if recalling memories. Then she slowly shook her head.

“I did go on a sightseeing boat with some people. While listening to stories about Silonya.”

“……Isn’t that boating?”

“Isn’t it a bit different from a boat ride?”

Her wide-eyed question made Rihanel chuckle involuntarily. Then he raised one eyebrow and replied playfully.

“Because the size of the boat was different?”

“No, rather… it’s the difference in purpose.”

“Purpose?”

At Rihanel’s question, Janet hesitated a bit before answering. But soon she calmly explained the reason.

“The sightseeing I did then was to better understand Silonya’s history and culture. But the purpose of a boat ride like this is just… to spend better time with the person you’re with.”

“……”

Rihanel was momentarily speechless.

Spending better time with the person you’re with.

It felt strange to be having such a purposeful boat ride with Janet.

Yet, he was quite pleased to hear that what she did with Theo Randipel in Silonya wasn’t a boat ride.

“……Don’t worry. I don’t mean we’re actually having such a time.”