“I feel like I keep expressing myself, but somehow I’m becoming more like family to Lady Sehera.”

Sehera heard Fredil’s bitter muttering. The two confirmed each other’s presence, but it didn’t reach Sana, who hurried away with quick steps, her mind racing to tell Romina about preparing dinner.

“Would it be impossible to actually become family? Though not the seat right next to you.”

In the end, words of rejection came from Sehera’s mouth.

Fredil, who thought he still had a bit more time to express himself, froze in shock.

Whenever he expressed his feelings, she would always give him a troubled or ambiguous smile while biting her lip slightly. Watching her, he’d felt bitter yet consoled himself that he could still hold these feelings in his heart a little longer.

He knew that if she didn’t accept him, he couldn’t keep expressing himself. That’s why he stopped short at Sehera’s sudden words directed at him.

“If not, then there’s nothing I can do about it.”

“This firm rejection… it’s because of that person, isn’t it?”

The two ended up stopping once more in front of the main gate, facing each other.

Unlike usual, Sehera wore a smile while Fredil’s face was serious without a trace of laughter—the contrast showing their reversed positions.

“I’m not exactly sure… but I think that’s probably influencing me. I don’t know if it’s positive or negative. Anyway… thank you and I’m sorry, Fredil.”

Her voice pronouncing his name made his chest tighten. Her hand seemed to squeeze his chest so hard he couldn’t breathe.

“Words that came to mind countless times but I absolutely tried not to imagine.”

Shadows slowly crept across his face as he lost his smile. The smile disappeared from Sehera’s face too as she watched his darkening expression.

“I didn’t want to lose you, so I said things like that. Asking you to become family. I knew you were subtly expressing yourself all this time, but I brushed it aside… to keep from losing you. Because you’re capable.”

Sehera hoped her gaze didn’t contain any pity. Please don’t let it look that way. She didn’t think of it like that at all.

Rather, she needed him, which is why she’d been cowardly holding onto him like this.

“So… just finish this matter, and after that, do as you please. If this place is too uncomfortable, you don’t have to stay.”

“…If I leave, will that person fill this position?”

Sehera was different from usual in firmly rejecting him, but this was also the first time Fredil spoke so directly while looking at her with a humorless face.

“Um… This is awkward to say, but… no one has ever filled that position.”

It was her first time revealing feelings she’d unknowingly covered up, but properly conveying her true feelings seemed like the courtesy she owed the man before her.

Even if she had to see him frown at her words.

“It’s not that I don’t need you anymore because that person will fill it right away. You don’t… think that, do you?”

Seeing how she didn’t doubt Ethan’s purpose in visiting Content today, Sehera felt a bit troubled thinking Fredil might think that way.

The more she saw Ethan, the more her heart stirred, creating internal conflict. She just wanted to convey her honest feelings while she still could.

“If you were cunning enough to act that way… you would have finished your business and disappeared long ago. I know very well that you’re someone who always handles my feelings carefully.”

Only then did Sehera smile slightly again. The difficulty wouldn’t change, but she at least didn’t want to remain as a wound to him.

So besides what she couldn’t do for him… she wanted to do as much as she could.

“My feelings won’t change for a while. Just like Lady Sehera firmly states her own.”

Sehera bit her lower lip but nodded. She couldn’t do anything about someone else’s feelings. What she could do was accurately convey her own feelings and hope he would understand.

“Mm, that’s something I can’t control. As long as those feelings… don’t hurt me. I think Fredil isn’t that kind of person… can I trust that?”

Sehera brought out each word very carefully. Only then did Fredil shrug his shoulders and smile slightly on his frighteningly stiff face.

“Really. I don’t know why even this is attractive. Harming you—that will absolutely never happen. I haven’t been staying by your side with such base feelings.”

Fredil’s words were always trustworthy. He was someone who had never once lied to her.

Knowing how difficult that was, Sehera hadn’t wanted to let him go either.

“It sounds like you’re saying I need to do proper business to stay by your side, Lady Sehera.”

Seeing mischief creep into his eyes, Sehera smiled her usual gentle smile. As warmth settled in her eyes too, Fredil nodded.

“That’s right. Whatever feelings you have are yours, Fredil, so just keep the boundaries well. If you do that… I’ll be grateful.”

Fredil was the number one contributor to making Sehera’s past year go smoothly. She might have connected with the villagers in spirit, but physically it could have been difficult. 

But thanks to Fredil properly demonstrating his abilities, not just her but the villagers too could achieve their goals relatively comfortably.

“Come on in. Let’s eat dinner, and since it’s late today, you can stay over. Want to work on the documents to submit to the imperial palace in the office and then sleep?”

Sehera entered through the still-open main gate first and brought up various topics to advance their work discussion.

Fredil naturally followed behind her.

“The count’s estate office is now like half my branch office. Can I bring Nea too?”

He mentioned his secretary who’d been guarding the capital office alone recently. Sehera was walking inside with light steps in a somewhat lighter mood when she flinched at the name that came from his mouth.

“Well… I don’t think Nea will come since she dislikes me.”

As Sehera walked in with a slightly sulky voice, Fredil, who had come right up beside her, walked alongside her and laughed loudly.

“Nea likes me quite a lot. I couldn’t help it.”

“It’s not my fault, but… I understand that feeling somewhat, so it’s not like I hate it or anything.”

While exchanging silly jokes, they arrived at the dining room.

“Why did you come in so late? I set out the food after hearing you two were coming… but it all got cold.”

The moment they opened the door and entered, Sana’s disappointed voice came from inside, making Sehera’s eyes widen as she’d been about to continue talking about Nea.

Food for two people was waiting for them on the table. A thin film had formed on top of what would have been piping hot soup, and steam was rising weakly from the roasted whole chicken.

“Oh my! Romina, I’m sorry! We started talking about work and couldn’t stop, so we ended up late.”

Speaking loudly toward the kitchen, Sehera took her seat. While Sana was wondering whether to take the food back to reheat it, Sehera was already slicing through the leg of the chicken roasted with delicious seasoning.

“Ah, but… it’s cold…”

“It’s seasoned so it’s good even cold. I was hungry, so it’s good I can eat quickly. Fredil, do you want to eat it hot?”

Though she said that, when she raised her eyes to meet his, her gaze said to stop fussing and eat.

“Ah, ah… yes, yes. Of course. Isn’t food supposed to cool down slightly so you can eat it without burning your mouth?”

Watching Fredil tease her with deliberately stiff speech, Sehera couldn’t help but let out a laugh.

“Oh no, Master Fredil, just a moment! I’ll go heat it up right away!”

Not realizing the two were joking, Sana watched them both nervously and really tried to take the whole chicken dish away.

“I’m really joking. How about Romina and Sana eat too? If you’re eating now, it’d be nice to eat together here.”

At the suggestion Fredil made while trying to calm the too-surprised girl, Sehera’s eyes widened.

“Oh! That’s a good idea. Sana, call Romina. Bring your tableware too. We made plenty of food, let’s eat together.”

“N-no… we, we were going to eat, but after you finish, then over there in the dining hall…”

“Romina! Romina? Come out here!”

They’d eaten and drunk together during the party, but regular meals were a completely different story. While Sana stamped her feet in confusion, Sehera called out toward the kitchen.

In the end, Sana and Romina each sat next to Sehera and Fredil to eat together.

The two had already been worried about serving cold food, and while they weren’t exactly comfortable eating together, they didn’t seem to dislike it either.

It was quite an enjoyable meal. Since Sana and Romina got along very comfortably with Fredil too, the atmosphere quickly became warm and friendly.

After the meal, Sehera and Fredil went to the office as they’d discussed when entering the estate.

He took Sehera’s seat and picked up a quill pen, beginning to write something diligently on paper with scratching sounds. Sehera also held paper and a quill pen, but sat on the sofa in a comfortable position scribbling letters.

A quiet and very comfortable time where they felt each other’s presence while concentrating on their own work.

Even with someone beside her, she could concentrate better because the person nearby was that trustworthy and comfortable.

Eventually Fredil became deeply absorbed in his work and started concentrating, and it seemed he’d even started on other work he was handling.