Episode 75

“I—I can’t do this anymore…”

“Just a little more. You can do it.”

My eyes met the woman’s, who had her nose buried against the floor.The arm stretched diagonally upward appeared pitiful, as if sending out a silent plea for help.

“Sonnet!”

“I brought some refreshments. There are dried grapes and chocolate biscuits. Which would you prefer?”

“Ute Velvet is trying to kill me!”

“He is a doctor. That is simply his job. Don’t try to sneak up—sit down, miss. I need to pour the tea.”

The collapsed body twitched as it attempted to rise.

Leaning fully against the chair, Ruby Zephyrite muttered sulkily,“Isn’t anyone on my side here?”

“What do you mean? We’re both on your side, miss.”

If we weren’t, I wouldn’t have gotten tangled up with Candidate Dad No. 2 like that.

Right after the bazaar, Rezit Dahl had willingly shared how to approach the informant.

He had gone on about trust and loyalty, but at least there was the decency to uphold a basic level of faith.Thanks to that, the lady didn’t have to wander long before meeting the informant.

“Do you think things will work out?”

“Yeah. They seemed surprisingly friendly. A bit unsettling, though.”

“In what way?”

“In the original version, he was this ruthless merchant with no blood or tears… but he kept chuckling to himself? Could it be that the person I knew isn’t even the same character?”

“Well. Maybe he fell in love or something.”

“Love? With a lowly villainess like me? I couldn’t see his face properly, but his voice was deep.”

Soon, he’d become a love interest.

My gaze met Ute’s in midair.

‘He said I didn’t need to worry about the romance…’

It really did seem like it would unfold on its own without interference.

‘In that case, I’d better focus on the parts that do require intervention.’

Besides, she now had reason to act early.

I pushed aside the messy books and pens, then moved the tea and snacks as I broached the topic.

“The master and the eldest young master are returning.”

“So soon? Why?”

“What do you mean, why? It’s because of the rumors about you not having your full memory, Lady.”

“Ah, sh*t…”

“The master said he would come down directly from the estate, and the young master said he’d return to the townhouse as soon as his business trip ended… so both of them will be here within the week at the latest.”

“…”

“Which is why we’ll be heading north before that.”

For Lady Zephyrite’s business.

‘Neither of them runs a seasonal business, right?’

If so, it was better to act swiftly.

Ute nodded as if in agreement.

“We’ll need new identities to conceal ourselves. How’s that going?”

“They said they’d be ready within two days.”

“Then there should be no problem.”

Within the mansion, we were out on business under the lady’s orders. In the North, we’d become servants of a ‘new’ merchant group.

Ute was handling the fine-tuning, so I didn’t have much to prepare.

Yes.

There really weren’t any major issues but…

“Is there something troubling you?”

“Hmm, uh, it’s not that exactly…”

The young lady hesitated for a moment before awkwardly pulling her lips into a smile.

“I just wonder if you're leaving in such a rush because of… the Marquis? Is that related?”

“Of course it is.”

“Ah, I knew it. What reason, exactly?”

“Even one of them alone is overwhelming. If both come at once, the mansion will be in complete chaos.”

Ah, these noble ladies!

Of course, the current lady wasn’t the kind to look down on others—but neither was she someone who grasped the plight of servants.

“So it's obviously!”

“Obviously?”

“Because I don’t want to deal with all that stress.”

“…Excuse me?”

“With both the master and the eldest young master around, imagine how noisy the mansion will be. The number of attendants will increase… The head butler is already drafting a deep-cleaning schedule.”

It's better to run away before that happens.

The young lady’s mouth dropped open, as if the reason hadn’t even crossed her mind.

Ute gave me a double thumbs-up.

---

The dawn air was chilly.

Ute gazed directly into her eyes and whispered,

“Miss, just because I’m not around doesn’t mean you can skip your assignments. Ask questions at the academy if you’re stuck.”

“And who exactly am I supposed to ask…?”

“For example, your fiancé, who enrolled with you and is now a teaching assistant.”

Her golden eyes narrowed slightly.

The teacher, who understood the young lady’s learning style better than anyone, implored her earnestly.

“Under no circumstances must you repeat a year. Absolutely not, no matter what.”

Without a doubt, Ute feared the lady repeating a year more than she herself feared facing her fiancé.

“Of course, I trust you.”

“Doesn’t look like the face of someone who does.”

“Ahem! Ahem!”

A rather obvious cough broke the fruitless exchange.

The head butler, who had been standing solemnly in the corner, spoke in a low voice.

“May your journey be safe.”

“Yes, sir.”

Seriously… why was he even here?

‘It’s not like the lady or the young master are departing.’

For two mere servants heading out on business, having the head butler send them off at dawn was strange.

If he were someone overflowing with sentiment, maybe—but Sage Wedon was… not remotely the sentimental type.

“Are you truly not going to tell me what task has been assigned?”

“I apologize. It’s top secret.”

Servants were not to pry into their master’s affairs.

The man rubbed his temple and looked back and forth between me and Ute. A deep sigh escaped his lips.

“By all means, be cautious—very cautious—”

“Wait!”

Why are you here again…?

He slid down the banister dramatically.

“You can’t leave me out of this. I’m coming too.”

“All of a sudden?”

“Young master!”

The butler, who had only just come to terms with the situation, looked as though he’d seen a ghost.

“Young master, what are you saying?”

“Good morning, Sage. Sonnet, it would be my greatest honor to accompany you.”

“Young master!”

“Why not! I’m going, don’t try to stop me.”

The young man, brushing aside the butler’s protests, stood before me with a large travel bag already secured in his pale hands.

“We’ll have to go together. Surely you can spare a seat for me.”

“It’s not about the seat… Why, though?”

“Because you tend to neglect your own health, Sonnet. Someone has to watch over you.”

“I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself. And it’s not like I’m going alone.”

“But I can’t relax unless I'm with you. And you promised, remember?”

“Promised?”

“You said that if anything happened, you’d tell me.”

“What does that have to do with—”

“If we’re apart, you’ll just use that as an excuse not to say anything! So I’m going. You can’t stop me.”

His bright golden eyes didn’t seem to contain a single lie.

Ute studied him quietly.

“Tell us the real reason.”

“What are northern women like?”

His innocent reply made me chuckle.

Well, a laugh’s a laugh. Lapis shamelessly pressed on with his case.

“If it’s under my sister’s orders, wouldn’t it make sense for her younger brother to tag along?”

“I still can’t tell you what we’re doing.”

“That’s fine.”

When he was this determined, there was no reason to waste energy trying to stop him.

‘We’re used to traveling as a trio anyway.’

When I turned to the head butler, he reluctantly gave a small nod.

Our luggage count had increased from two to three, but the difference was negligible.

“Hold on, Posa.”

The man who had loaded Lapis’s bag himself called out to me.

He pulled a small velvet pouch from his coat.

“Use this if necessary.”

“The lady already provided our funds.”

“This is… something I’m giving you personally. For emergencies. Or just think of it as pocket money.”

What was with this man?The moment I received the pouch, I could tell exactly how much was inside.

Pocket money? It was more than a month’s wages.

“Why are you suddenly giving me this much—”

“Sonnet, we’ll miss the train!”

What kind of relationship does he think we have…?

But there wasn’t enough time to question him properly.

And so, I had no choice but to carry the butler’s “pocket money” with me to the North.

---

“Ughhh…”

From carriage to train and back to carriage again.

After four long days of travel, Lapis had completely lost his mind.

“What kind of estate is tucked away this deep into nowhere…”

One of us had sprawled out entirely, so the remaining two had to sit side by side.

In the jostling carriage, our hands kept brushing. Neither Ute nor I moved away.

“How much longer?”

“We’re nearly there.”

“You said that a while ago, too.”

“This time for real. We just crossed the outer wall of Eaudranca. The inner wall is close to the center.”

The scenery beyond the window was unlike the capital.

Though it was spring, when everything should be in full bloom, the sunlight appeared pale and cold.

“They say the procedures for entering the inner wall are quite strict. How did we get permission?”

“We didn’t.”

“…What? Then how—?”

Just then, the inner gate came into view—just as formidable as the outer wall.

The high iron gate bearing the ducal crest.

As the carriage came to a stop, Ute opened the door and leapt down lightly.

“Just wait here for a moment.”

---

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