“She went out again?”

How long had it been since she had been released from confinement?

Kieron felt irritation curl tightly in his chest, his brows knotting together.

When Herald saw the look on his face, he shivered. If he was going to react this way, he might as well have told her not to leave the house at all.

He said he wouldn’t concern himself with her anymore, yet here he was, obsessing over her every move.

He had ordered the servants to stop monitoring her and withdraw the attendants stationed around her. He had told them never to report her whereabouts again. But, truth be told, Kieron reacted sharply to everything Ariadne did.

That morning, during his usual walk, he saw a carriage leaving the estate and immediately questioned Derrick about it.

When he found out that Lady Ariadne had gone out with her maid, his mood darkened immediately and dramatically.

“She said she’d be going out with Jay today. She also told us not to prepare lunch, as she’ll eat outside.”

“Why is that woman going out nearly every single day…”

Kieron, flaring up at Derrick’s report, abruptly closed his mouth.

‘Don’t think about it.’

To Herald’s eyes, it looked like he was hypnotizing himself.

‘Do not think about it.’
‘No matter what she does—do not think about it.’

But that strained expression, as if he was barely holding himself together, and that tense jaw, as if he was pretending to focus on paperwork while anger simmered just beneath the surface?

Anyone would be worried if their boss looked like that.

Herald fought the urge to sigh and glanced sideways at Derrick.

The seasoned butler’s expression wasn’t much different, although he bore the added weight of sorrow and concern from serving Herald since his youth.

Even so, Herald resolved not to involve himself any further. Nothing good ever came from digging into a problem that the master was determined to deny and avoid.

If only Derrick would do the same.

Herald looked at the overly rigid, painfully earnest butler and sighed inwardly. Despite his strictness and precision, Derrick was hopelessly foolish when it came to their master.

“Shall I inform you when my lady returns?”

“…Forget it. Don’t waste time, go do your work.”

Kieron tossed out the words as if granting a favor, then lowered his gaze to the documents again, as though none of his earlier agitation had occurred.

Fine.

If he refuses this strongly, there is no point pushing further.

Herald decided once and for all not to touch the matter again, then gave Derrick a subtle signal to leave.

“Then I’ll take my leave.”

Derrick hesitated briefly, then forced himself to step away. At times like this, the wisest thing was to stay quiet and avoid unnecessary meddling.

Herald watched him go for a moment, then shifted his gaze to Kieron, whose eyes remained fixed—unconvincingly—on his paperwork.

“Your Grace, I’ll step out to the restroom for a moment.”

Kieron waved him away without even looking up.

Herald immediately slipped out the door, closed it firmly behind him, and hurried toward Derrick, who was walking down the corridor ahead.

“Head Butler, may I have a moment?”

At Herald’s careful call, Derrick—who had been walking surprisingly fast for his age—came to a halt.

‘Good grief. How can an old man walk this quickly?’

Herald grumbled inwardly as he hurried to catch up.

Fortunately, they were far enough from the office that even their master’s keen ears likely wouldn’t pick up their voices.

“What is it?”

When Herald approached, Derrick looked puzzled and asked, ‘When?’

Although they served the same master, the two rarely interacted unless the matter was directly related to him. There was no real reason for them to cross paths in such close proximity, so Herald could understand why Derrick was confused.

However, Herald believed there was no reason for them to remain distant, especially in a situation like this, when they had every reason to stand together.

So he spoke quietly to the bewildered butler.

“Head Butler… for the time being, how about we avoid mentioning my lady to His Grace?”

“…Is that why you came running after me?”

He had assumed His Grace had given Herald an errand. Derrick’s last remark made painfully clear how distant the two men’s relationship had been until now.

Herald suddenly wondered if he truly had been that indifferent, and let out an awkward cough.

“I don’t always come to you because of His Grace.”

“Well, that’s how it usually seemed. Still, if you say that’s not the case, then I’ll take your word for it.”

Derrick responded smoothly, glancing pointedly toward the tightly closed office door. Noticing the gesture, Herald reassured him.

“I made sure the door was firmly shut.”

“It’s not the door that’s the problem. His Grace hears far too well.”

Having spent most of his youth on the battlefield, Kieron’s senses were far sharper than average.

Having survived countless situations where missing a sound could mean the difference between life and death, he had trained himself to heighten all five senses.

Not just hearing, but every human sense. At a reasonable distance and in most spaces, he could hear conversations perfectly.

“Just in case, let’s go downstairs.”

“Ah—yes, understood.”

So the two of them chose to put more distance between themselves and the master’s office. They had no idea that someone was watching them from behind.

***

“Jay, what about this one? I think the color would look lovely on you.”

“Oh, miss, if I wore something like that to work, I’d ruin it after only a few wears! I’m already more than happy with what you bought me earlier!”

This was the third boutique.

Ariadne was taking Jay from shop to shop.

At the first, she bought her an apron and a bonnet. At the next, she bought her high-quality stockings and handkerchiefs. Now, she was holding up different dresses and blouses, recommending this or that.

“More than enough? If you have something like this, you can wear it on your days off. Perfect for outings—or dates.”

“Oh, goodness, a date? Me? Absolutely not! Truly, I’m fine, miss.”

Having already received two sets of gifts, Jay tried to refuse any more, insisting she didn’t need anything else.

Jay had insisted over and over that she already had more than enough, that there was nothing wrong, that she needed nothing more. But regardless of how Jay felt, Ariadne wanted to buy her something even nicer.

“Still, Jay… I really wanted to get you something better…”

“It’s really enough! Honestly, please don’t make that face!”

Whenever Ariadne looked dejected and pitiful, Jay would panic and stamp her foot.

Whenever her mistress pulled that face, Jay would feel miserable all night, unable to sleep as she replayed it in her head. Today would surely be no different.

Yet Ariadne was truly fine.

Part of her wanted to beg her mistress to leave the shop immediately.

However, with the boutique owner watching them fondly and Ariadne looking so disappointed about not buying more, Jay eventually raised both hands in surrender.

“All right, all right. I’ll take that one. But only if we stop here, okay?”

“Okay! I promise. Thank you.”

Who else in the world would be this happy buying clothes for their maid?

Jay couldn’t help smiling helplessly as she let her mistress pull her along.

“What about this one? The fabric is different from the others—you could wear it on special days.”

“I don’t have special days, miss! Something simple for everyday wear is fine.”

Ariadne, however, was thoroughly enjoying herself—pulling things out, trying them against Jay, glowing with excitement.

Her joy was infectious, and before she knew it, Jay found herself smiling along.

“You two young ladies seem very close,” the shop owner commented.

“Oh, thank you.”

“You’re choosing clothes for this young lady, correct? In that case, I think this one might suit her even better.”

Hearing this, the boutique owner eagerly joined the conversation.

Jay only needed one simple, modest piece.

However, once the shopkeeper began excitedly pulling out garment after garment, the situation quickly got out of hand.

There was no longer any graceful way to slip out.

Resigned to her fate, Jay tried on everything handed to her, holding item after item up to herself.

At this rate, she truly felt as though she were about to turn into a mannequin.

At last, Ariadne reached a decision.

“I can’t choose between these two. Could you give me both?”

“M-Miss… you said you’d only buy one…”

Despite Jay tugging urgently at her sleeve, reminding her of their promise, Ariadne presented both outfits to the shop owner, both the ones Jay had tried twice each.

Neither she nor the shop owner cared to hear objections.

“Oh my, we’re very grateful. Then let me include some hair ribbons you can use every day.”

“Wow, thank you! I’ll have to come here often from now on.”

“It would be our honor. You’re welcome anytime.”

“Miss…”

Whether she hadn’t heard or had simply chosen to ignore it, Ariadne quickly paid for both outfits. Then she clapped her hands together with pure delight.

Seeing her so happy, Jay couldn’t bring herself to refuse.

Despite tears stinging her eyes, she accepted the generous gifts.

As long as her mistress was happy, that was enough.

Jay pushed the heavy feeling in her chest aside and stepped outside with her.

“Shall we get lunch now? Is there anything you want to eat, Jay?”

“I’m fine with anything. But I’m not sure if there’s anything around here that fits your tastes, miss.”

“I eat everything. You know that.”

Ariadne laughed brightly at Jay’s remark, telling her to just say whatever she wanted.

And that was the moment—

A hand suddenly thr*st itself between them.

“Ariadne Peyton?”

The hand grabbed her arm, and the voice called her by her maiden name.

Startled, both women turned.

“…Brother.”

Standing there were her third brother, Heidel—her dear friend Jade—and behind them…

“Rene.”

Her father, wearing a painfully stricken expression.