The sound of Liam’s rolling eyeballs seeped between them. After a few minutes of silence, Liam clenched his fist tightly with determination.

“Will you not hold it this year either?”

“Hold what?”

“……The memorial service for the great masters. Today is that day.”

Ah. So that’s why I had that dream today.

Aaron shook his head with a wry smile.

“……I understand.”

Liam gave a slight bow, then left the bedroom saying only that he would prepare breakfast.

Aaron quietly watched him leave before getting up from his seat.

Though it was early dawn with the sun not yet risen, he didn’t want to go back to sleep today.

* * *

Eileen wore a purple dress embroidered with violets, and in her hair, she had pinned the hairpin Aaron had given her. The hairpin was also purple, so it matched well with the dress.

Of course, since all these colors reminded her of Aaron’s eyes, Eileen felt slightly embarrassed.

“By the way, Mom, can you tell me now where we’re going?”

Though she had prepared when told they were going somewhere, Eileen asked again because not knowing their destination made her anxious.

“You’ll find out when we get there!”

“Mom, I’m feeling anxious……”

“Oh my, Eileen! Trust your mother!”

Duchess Lia confidently assured her everything would be fine, but Eileen’s intuition signaled that she shouldn’t follow her.

“Can I really trust you?”

“Of course, why would I take my lovely daughter somewhere strange?”

“I guess so……”

Her awkwardly rising tone revealed her anxiety.

In Eileen’s mind, the belief that ‘Surely she wouldn’t take me somewhere strange?’ and the distrust of ‘But it seems suspicious?’ kept creating sparks.

“Eileen, hurry and get in! We’ll be late for our appointment.”

While Eileen was deeply contemplating, Duchess Lia quickly climbed into the carriage and urged her.

“Huh? Mom, what did you say?”

“I said hurry and get in?”

“No, not that.”

“I didn’t say anything else?”

Her evasive gaze while answering looked quite suspicious. However, Eileen had no choice but to follow.

‘Right. Surely Mom wouldn’t take me somewhere strange?’

Eileen boarded the carriage with a little faith in her mother, not knowing their destination. The carriage had just left the Ceres residence and was getting closer to the shopping district.

“Eileen.”

“Yes?”

Eileen, who had been absentmindedly listening to the clop-clop of hooves, turned her head at the gentle voice calling her.

“Does our daughter perhaps have any secrets she can’t tell Dad?”

“What? Secrets?”

Secrets out of nowhere.

Eileen tried to understand the intention behind Duchess Lia’s question, but she couldn’t figure it out.

“You can tell your mother anything.”

“Hmm…… secrets…… I don’t have any.”

“Really?”

Disappointment tinged her voice as she asked again. But Eileen couldn’t claim to have secrets when she didn’t. She gently shook her head.

“Then…… what do you think of Duke Aaron?”

“……What?”

“He saved you and all, so he seems like a good person.”

Her head tilting more and more seemed to hide something.

Unknown destination, secrets that couldn’t be told to Duke Kyle, and Aaron.

These unrelated things increased her anxiety.

“Hmm? Eileen, I’m really curious.”

“……What do I think of him……”

An annoying person, an irritating person, yet someone who saved me, someone whose recent actions I can’t understand.

Many answers crossed her mind, but she couldn’t voice any of them.

“Just……”

“Just……”

“Mom, we’re on a date together, how can we be thinking about someone else?!”

Eileen blurted out in an exaggerated voice. A small murmur of “What a shame” flowed out, but it was drowned by the coachman’s announcement of their arrival.

“Eileen, could you wait a moment?”

Duchess Lia’s gesture stopped Eileen, who was about to get out of the carriage immediately.

“Is something wrong?”

“Well, not really. I just need to check something?”

“Yes. I understand.”

She couldn’t run away now that they had arrived. Eileen sat back down.

“Eileen, you can come out now!”

After a few minutes of tedious waiting, Duchess Lia’s excited voice came from outside the carriage. Eileen took out the crutches placed on the floor.

“Th-this place……”

The most prime location among the many shops in the shopping district, the store most beloved by nobles and citizens of Bereut, a place where sweet fragrances wafted daily, and…

“It’s Patisserie de Monston!”

The place where Aaron de Monston, who had been troubling her heart lately, resided.

Eileen’s head began to ache at this unexpected destination.

“I brought you to the most famous place in Bereut because our daughter loves desserts!”

“What…?”

“Oh my, Eileen! Won’t you enjoy a date with your mother?”

When Eileen stared blankly at her, Lia grinned and extended her hand. Eileen reluctantly took her hand and got out of the carriage.

“Oh my! Duke Aaron. It’s been a while!”

“Ah. Duchess Lia, Lady Eileen.”

Aaron put down the documents he was holding and hurried over to greet them in response to Lia’s greeting.

He smoothly exchanged greetings with Lia, while Eileen stood there blankly, silently staring at him.

Had looking at Aaron always been this difficult?

Aaron seemed to sparkle too brightly, like magnificent jewels.

It wasn’t that he was covered in dazzling ornaments.

Nor was the sunlight pouring in so strongly that it hurt her eyes.

Rather, he wore a deep purple jacket without accessories for ease of movement.

Moreover, Patisserie de Monston had gentle sunlight coming in, making it more cozy than dazzling.

‘I told Aaron to go to the hospital, but maybe I’m the one who needs to go?’

No, he does have a handsome face. That must be why he seems to sparkle!

The thoughts that kept swirling in her mind made her groan involuntarily.

“Duke Aaron, do you still sell strawberry cake?”

“Of course, Duchess.”

Suddenly, something seemed strange to her.

The same kind tone he used in front of people, the gentle smile on his lips.

Everything about Aaron de Monston was perfectly smooth without any rough edges, but something felt ‘strange.’

“Since we’ve met by chance, I’d like to treat both of you to cake.”

“Oh my, thank you!”

Eileen tilted her head, blinked her eyes wide, and stared intently at Aaron, but she couldn’t figure out what was bothering her.

“My daughter! Would you like that window seat?”

‘He seems like the Aaron people know, but……’

“Eileen?”

‘Something…… something seems a bit off.’

Did his hairstyle change? No, not that.

By now, Eileen’s expression had transformed into one bearing all the world’s worries.

“What’s my dear daughter thinking so deeply about?”

“……Ah!”

Startled by the voice tickling her ear and the touch poking her cheek, she let out a strange sound.

“I was just lost in thought……”

“Oh my, Eileen! To be thinking of other things with your mother right in front of you! I’m so hurt!”

Embarrassment gradually washed over her, making her face turn red. Eileen kept fanning herself with her hand to cool down, but thanks to Duchess Lia sending suspicious glances with her lips curled up, the heat wouldn’t easily subside.

“I’m sorry, Mom! You mentioned the window seat, right? Let’s go!”

It was time to escape, regardless of whether Aaron seemed strange or not. Eileen bowed her head deeply and pushed Lia’s back. Duchess Lia gave Aaron an eye greeting and followed Eileen toward the window.

“Would you like to order?”

Soon after, when an employee approached, Duchess Lia ordered what Eileen liked. The two chatted briefly while waiting for the cake.

“Your cake order is ready.”

“Thank you.”

After a short while, an employee approached their table with a trolley. The employee gave Eileen a bright smile and began setting down the plates one by one.

“Here is your strawberry cake and……”

“Hmm……? The strawberry cake looks somewhat different……”

The strawberry sauce flowed over white cream like a canvas and the strawberries were piled excessively high. The strawberry cake placed on a gold-leafed plate was, well, the ultimate in luxury.

Eileen looked at the employee with bewildered eyes.

“The master asked us to pay special attention to making cakes for you two.”

But the employee shrugged as if it were nothing unusual.

“This is our shop’s new menu item launching next month. And this is……”

The empty table began filling up with desserts emitting sweet fragrances.

“I’m pretty sure we only ordered strawberry cake and madeleines……”

Before she knew it, the table was packed with colorful desserts. Eileen bit her lip and asked.

“This is a small gift from our master to you both. Well then, I hope you enjoy your time.”

“Oh my! Thank you!”

A slightly exaggerated voice flowed from Duchess Lia’s lips.

“My daughter, go ahead and eat.”

“Mmm……”

Why does he keep showing kindness……?

Eileen picked up her fork, cut the strawberry cake into bite-sized pieces, and brought it to her mouth.

“It’s really delicious! Mom, you should try some too.”

“Really? I’ll have a taste too.”

Though she still had many questions, the strawberry cake—with its sweet strawberries harmonizing with the cloud-like fluffy genoise—was delicious enough to blow away all her thoughts.

“Mom, after we finish eating, where should we go?”

Eileen hummed a small tune and asked with an excited voice.

“After this, let’s go see the flowers that my daughter loves……”

“Duchess Lia!”

The moment Lia opened her mouth, an unfamiliar voice wedged between Eileen and Duchess Lia.

“Oh my…… Marchioness Sally.”

“What an honor to meet you here, Duchess! I was planning to visit the Ceres residence soon to see you, what a coincidence!”

“I see.”

The gentle smile Lia had when looking at Eileen gradually faded, and coldness dripped from her expression. Her slightly awkwardly upturned lips contained displeasure.

“Duchess Lia, could you spare me a moment? I have something important to tell you……”

“I’m sorry, but now is rather inconvenient. Would you mind coming to the Ceres residence another time?”

“Ah……”

When Duchess Lia firmly refused, Marchioness Sally turned to Eileen with a pitiful gaze, seeking help.

“Mother, I’ll be fine.”

Seeing this, Eileen reluctantly nodded slightly.

“But……”

“I’ll eat cake while waiting, so please go ahead.”

“Then Eileen, wait for me just a moment.”

Lia gently stroked Eileen’s head before following Marchioness Sally outside the shop.

“Well, I’ll enjoy some cake!”