Ilenia still spent most of her days in the study. Whenever she clumsily held the pen, Meg’s sharp voice would inevitably cut in beside her.

“You’ve miscalculated there.”

“You mustn’t write it in that column.”

Yet Ilenia showed not the slightest sign of frustration. On the contrary, she accepted each correction readily and amended her work one by one. Sheets of paper piled up, fluttering as they stacked beneath her hand.

When she finally finished the last document and set her signature to it, Meg paused from burning the old papers.

“I’ll review it.”

Ilenia’s eyes clung desperately to the papers being taken from her hand, as if they were her lifeline. No matter how many times she went through this, she never grew used to that moment.

“You’re doing quite well now.”

“Truly?”

The weight of time that had been bearing down on her suddenly lifted when she quickly raised her head. Pure delight spread across Ilenia’s face.

“Of course, you’re still far from perfect, but to have come this far in just a few days means you learn remarkably quickly.”

“It’s thanks to such an excellent teacher. Thank you, Meg.”

Her radiant smile made no attempt at concealment; she didn’t even try to hide her joy. Meg, who had been on the verge of scolding her for failing to restrain her emotions, let the thought go. What right did she have to chastise her now? A lady who could shine so brightly from a single word of praise was impossible to dislike. True, as a mistress she ought to hold herself with greater dignity, but—

Just then, a commotion rose outside. In the usually quiet halls of the Lukehardt estate, such noise could mean only one thing.

Ilenia sprang to her feet at once. She turned sharply toward the window, pressing her forehead to the cold glass without hesitation. Her face, still flushed with excitement, was fixed intently on the sight below.

It took her only a moment to find him. Among the gathered figures, that single head of jet-black hair stood tall—as though it were the very axis around which the world revolved.

Watching her mistress act so like a young girl, Meg merely flicked her fingers. The attendants, recognizing her signal, stepped forward quietly to clear the study.

“Shall we end here for today, Madam?”

“Ah, yes… yes.”

Perhaps she was afraid that her feelings had been revealed. Ilenia fidgeted nervously with her skirts, her face turning red. With hasty movements, she gathered up the papers, placing the finished sheets with the incomplete ones. However, her haste betrayed her — the pages slipped and scattered across the desk. Finally, Meg, who had been watching in silence, offered softly:

“I’ll finish tidying the rest. Perhaps you should go.”

“I’ll leave it to you.”

Not long ago, the mistress would have balked at asking anyone for help. Yet now, though still hesitant and formal, she had grown more accustomed to relying on others. Meg realized then just how much time had passed.

“I’ll have everything put away perfectly.”

At those words, Ilenia gave her a youthful smile, brimming with trust. Unconsciously, Meg found herself smiling back.

“Thank you, Lady Meg.”

Once Ilenia departed, Meg began erasing every trace of her presence, one by one.

Although she might have wanted to boast about her steadily improving skills, her mistress insisted that she keep quiet until they were perfect. It was not difficult to guess who she was doing it for. Meg had no wish to hinder her resolve. This lady, who had always compared herself to her perfect lord and found herself lacking, was now beginning to show the slightest hint of confidence. How could Meg not respect that?

And yet, despite herself, Meg found her mistress slowly and timidly drawing closer to her master almost endearing. She quickly shook her head. Such insolence! Forcing the thought aside, Meg set to work with greater haste; her schedule had become more demanding since she started teaching the mistress.

By the time Ilenia stepped into the bedchamber, Delphius had already changed. His shirt hung loosely on his frame as he fastened the cufflinks at his wrists.

“Delphius.”

She breathed out his name, and at once his golden eyes turned towards her. Light poured from between the dark strands of his hair as he looked at her, smiling easily and welcomingly.

“Ilenia. Have you been well?”

She nearly nodded without thinking. It was nothing more than a polite greeting, yet the faint curve at his lips made her heart pound violently.

“Thanks to Lady Meg’s help with so many things. Today, I even explored the estate a bit on my own.”

“Is that so? Then you won’t get lost inside the house anymore.”

Ilenia’s cheeks burned red.

It was one of those rare days when she had managed to escape his constant presence. Acting on a sudden impulse, she wandered the mansion’s halls alone. Whenever Delphius was with her, the attendants would often withdraw to give the couple some privacy. This was partly out of consideration for their shy mistress, but more than that, it was due to Delphius’s uncompromising will — his refusal to allow anyone to intrude upon their time together.

The silence left by his absence unsettled her to the core. Perhaps her guard had slipped; the curiosity that had once defined her had returned, if only slightly. Nevertheless, she had gone too far, ignoring the attendants who asked if she needed anything, and wandering aimlessly through the mansion instead.

Now, Ilenia glanced around the room with awkward unease. She hadn’t wanted to admit it, but she finally had to face the truth: she had lost her way in her own home.

The seasonal estate of House Lukehardt dwarfed the Hildebalt manor beyond comparison. To make matters worse, years of endless expansion — new wings piled upon old — had turned its ceilings and corridors into a labyrinth. When she suddenly stumbled upon a central garden, she sighed with relief.

The servants she had seen here and there had long since vanished from sight. She remembered Lady Meg’s words about how Lord Delphius disliked keeping unnecessary staff, and how the household therefore employed fewer attendants than most.

After walking a little farther, Ilenia sank onto the nearest staircase. For no reason she could name, she found herself resenting the flawless, sunlit sky above.

“Ilenia.”

Her dark hair shimmered in the sunlight and flowed freely in the breeze. The shadow that fell across her body seemed tailor-made for her.

“What are you doing there?”

Delphius appeared before her as if conjured from thin air, extending his hand.

“The air is cold. Come here.”

Almost entranced, she placed her hand in his. His firm grip anchored her completely; it was steadier than any solid ground could ever be. She could still remember that feeling as she absently touched her own fingers. Suddenly, his teasing voice broke through her thoughts.

“So, does my lady no longer need signposts in case she gets lost?”

The mischievous lilt in his voice prompted Ilenia to respond curtly.

“Unfortunately for you, I don’t need them anymore. Lady Meg has shown me around the house so many times that I won’t get lost again.”

He clearly remembered the way she used to hesitate at the stairs, torn between going up or down. Yet Delphius held his tongue. For her sake, it was better that those moments were behind them. Nevertheless, the thought of never seeing her hesitate at the stairs again left him with an odd pang of disappointment.

“Is that so? Still, there are plenty of places even Lady Meg doesn’t know.”

“The housekeeper doesn’t know?”

“There are quite a few places left untouched. Too much trouble to maintain, too few hands, and frankly unnecessary.”

“…What if I accidentally wandered in?”

So much for her claim that she had memorized everything! Having forgotten her own words, she asked the question with such innocent concern that he couldn’t help but smile.

“It doesn’t matter. They’re not locked, and they don’t contain anything important. I’ve never felt the need to clear them out.”

“And what about that one?”

Something seemed to stir in her memory, and Ilenia quietly pressed further.

“Which one?”

“The room by the staircase leading up the north tower. Lady Meg never mentioned it, so I’ve been curious.”

“Ah. That one.”

His hand, which had been idly swirling a glass, froze. He put the glass down with a decisive clink, abandoning thoughts of evening indulgence. Her voice had made it clear that those pleasures would have to wait.

“That was my room when I was a child.”

“Your room… when you were little.”

“Would you like to see it?”

“I would.”

Her eager reply, tinged with excitement, drew the corner of his lips upward.

“There’s not much to it. Just an ordinary boy’s room, really. Smaller furniture made to mimic that of adults.”

“But still—it was yours. If I said I wanted to see it… would that be troublesome?”

“Hardly.”

With a gesture, he dismissed the waiting butler. Even that casual flick of his hand was as polished as a scene from an etiquette manual.

As if under a spell, Ilenia placed her hand in his. His touch was gentle yet firm, drawing her closer.

“If Lady Lukehardt commands it, how could I possibly refuse?”

His voice brushed her ear, every note a perfection she had never heard from him before.

“Though, I’ll admit, what tempts me more is taking you straight to bed.”

So unlike Delphius—words that shattered the mood in an instant, leaving Ilenia scowling in exasperation.

“The sun hasn’t even set yet, Delphius.”

“Why do you think I came home early?”

“Are you serious?”

Despite her exasperated tone, he remained completely unfazed. Instead, he pulled Ilenia closer and lowered his lips to her ear.

“When have I ever lied to you?”