“I’ve received word from Attorney Taylor.”

As Hendrick listened to his attendant’s report, his gaze remained fixed on the riverbank.

Although he had been entrusted with the honorable title of imperial attendant, James of the Labrie family carried out his duties as an aide without complaint.

Hendrick found himself reconsidering his initial impression of James at that moment.

He was somewhat delicate yet meticulous, and although he had an air of innocence about him, this only served to make his composure all the more striking.

If there was one thing Hendrick ever envied William for, it was his attendant, Noah.

If William were to hear that, he would likely react like a naïve young lady who had just been slighted. But, in truth, there was little to envy in the life of a royal second son, who was burdened with far more responsibilities than privileges.

Noah was capable, almost excessively so, given the trivial matters he often had to manage for William.

Hendrick cast a glance at his own attendant.

With the right guidance, he might become just as capable.

In truth, he already seemed far more at ease than when he had been bound to the imperial court.

“The matter regarding Baron Morgan and the guardianship has been resolved without any particular issues.”

The summer heat had arrived earlier than the year before, bringing heavy rains with it.

The Porus River, swollen as if it might overflow at any moment, reflected the blazing summer sunlight in brilliant waves.

“Good.”

When Henrietta returned from the Lorenzo Salon three days ago, she was clearly tense.

No matter how hard she tried to hide it with a smile, the stiffness in her posture gave her away.

However, she didn’t appear to be wounded by humiliation.

Clearly, something had happened.

However, his wife, full of secrets, showed no intention of telling him.

Come to think of it, she had always been like that.

Rather than confiding in him, she would simply steel herself and endure it alone.

Rather than pressuring her, Hendrick quietly investigated what had happened at the salon.

There had been some trouble, but she had responded flawlessly.

In fact, he found himself wishing he had been there to hear her address the noblewomen in person.

But what exactly had shaken her so deeply?

As that question lingered in his mind, James’s report continued without pause.

“The complaint against Lady O’Brien has been formally accepted. The first hearing is scheduled for next month.”

“Find out who the presiding judge is. It will undoubtedly be someone connected to the Brien family.”

“Then we’ll need to investigate the judge as well to ensure a proper ruling.”

Hendrick finally pulled his gaze from the river and looked at James with mild surprise.

The attendant, whose youthful face was softened by a slight fullness in his cheeks, was clearly someone whose mind worked faster than his body.

“You’re learning quickly.”

Upon receiving the unexpected praise, James smiled shyly and lowered his gaze back to the documents.

He was better suited to resolving immediate problems systematically than navigating the complexities of political intrigue.

As the carriage left the riverside behind and sped towards the bustling city, James reflected on this.

But the moment they entered the city streets, the sky darkened as if by magic.

“It looks like it’s going to rain.”

Hendrick gave no reply; his eyes were fixed on the papers James had handed him.

Tap. Tap.

Without warning, it started to rain, and the heavy air inside the carriage changed instantly.

Unlike the gentle spring rain, this downpour struck fiercely, drumming against the walls of the carriage.

The scent of damp earth rushed in through the open window.

“By the way… why are we heading to Sandot?”

Sandot was a district where publishing houses were located.

James knew that his master was the true owner of Sidestone.

Although James had not served the prince for very long, one thing was certain: he never moved without purpose.

If he chose to go somewhere in person, it meant that something needed to be handled swiftly and discreetly.

James steadied his racing heart. He had never resented inheriting his father’s position as an imperial attendant. But he had never felt any real passion for it, either.

He had simply been grateful to fulfil a duty befitting his noble birth.

When he first learned that he would be serving Hendrick, he was deeply disheartened.

But now?

James found himself watching Hendrick, almost captivated.

Had his heart ever raced like this before?

Every day at Hendrick’s side brought something new.

As for the man himself, he was never impatient, yet always quick. He seemed relaxed, yet he was more meticulous than anyone.

He could attend to countless matters without rising from his seat and would go anywhere without hesitation when necessary.

In short, he was exactly the kind of emperor this era needed.

As James’s admiration turned to unwavering loyalty, the carriage began to slow.

Only then did Hendrick lift his eyes from the documents and look outside.

“I came… thinking I might publish a book.”

Hendrick tapped sharply against the carriage wall, his movements quick—an unmistakable signal to stop at once.

“A book?”

“Yes.”

When James heard Hendrick’s voice drop slightly, he turned his gaze outside.

By then, the carriage had already come to a complete stop.

In front of them stood a three-storey wooden building, tucked away on the outskirts of Sandot Street, that looked old.

The first things to catch his eye were a man and a woman.

As the woman stepped forward, the tall man moved quickly behind her. He reached out to close the door, then opened a long umbrella and gently rested his hand against her back.

They exchanged a brief look and a soft smile before walking on together.

James cast a quiet glance at Hendrick.

Why had Her Highness the Crown Princess come all the way here without an attendant?

The way the two of them moved suggested that they were far too familiar with one another.

He tried to read Hendrick’s expression, but the man’s profile, fixed on the scene outside, revealed nothing.

Then, suddenly, Hendrick pushed the carriage door open.

Only when cold rain splattered against the seat, leaving dark stains, did James realize that the prince had stepped out without an umbrella.

Startled, James hurried to open his own umbrella and follow him.

For some reason, he couldn’t bring himself to call out.

Quickening his pace, James steadied his breathing as he caught up.

The path was narrow.

Though it lay at the edge of the city, it was still an expensive district. Most of the buildings were three storeys high or more and cast long shadows, making the area feel darker than the rest of the city.

The man and woman moved swiftly through the narrow, dim alleyway, as if they had walked it many times before.

James barely dared to breathe.

He glanced at Hendrick once more, but his expression remained impassive.

The steady patter of rain against the umbrella only served to heighten his unease.

For a moment, as he wiped the rain from his face, the two figures vanished, as though swallowed by the darkness.

It felt unreal.

James hesitated, but Hendrick did not stop.

With no other option, James followed silently behind.

***

Henrietta left the estate, saying that she was going to visit Evelyn.

Despite Berta’s insistence on coming with her, Henrietta left her behind and set out alone.

After stopping her carriage outside Evelyn’s house, she transferred to a hired carriage that she had arranged in advance and travelled to Sandot Street.

Three days earlier, immediately after returning from the Lorenzo Salon, she had tried to contact Mark. However, all she received in reply was that he had gone away on holiday.

Mark, the publisher, was from Hangderhood.

He was the illegitimate son of a viscount from Sersenfers.

His mother came from a noble family without a title, and ultimately, his father never acknowledged him.

Fortunately, he had been permitted to take his maternal grandfather’s surname.

This is how he had been able to enrol at the school in Hangderhood.

Although he was two years older than her, they took most of their classes together.

He had arrived in the capital two years earlier, finding work at a publishing house.

Then, four years ago, he finally opened his own publishing house on Sandot Street.

It was small, but he said with quiet pride that it lacked nothing.

As education became more highly valued, demand for books rose sharply.