Antonio, who had been leaning against the wall looking up at the sky, muttered as if to himself.
“…It can’t be, right? Even if it were true, he wouldn’t just abandon us so irresponsibly and leave.”
Though hopeful words followed, they didn’t reach Diego’s ears. His mind was already completely filled with other thoughts.
‘He’s handsome, he governs the entire northern territory, and above all, he’s an extreme dominant Benic. He’s truly someone who could take anyone as a partner.’
‘There’s a rumor that he’s finally found his fated partner. A man with black hair and refined features.’
Voices that had remained somewhere in his memory tangled dizzily. Diego unconsciously squeezed his eyes shut and opened them, shifting his gaze to the side. What flowed out next was a voice so sunken it was unfamiliar.
“Are you sure?”
“Huh?”
“Are you sure the master hasn’t been seen for several days?”
“Probably. Neither have I, and there aren’t any guild members who’ve seen him. Somehow request distribution seems to be continuing, but the atmosphere is a complete mess.”
When the conversation broke off, a silence as heavy as the sound of rain arrived. Antonio’s gaze quietly turned to the side. The guy who was about a head taller than him was staring straight ahead with his mouth firmly shut.
He had said various things thinking the guy didn’t know anything since he’d been out continuously, but Antonio’s heart was just as heavy. However, not wanting this atmosphere to continue either, he deliberately changed the topic in a slightly more cheerful voice.
“What did you need to report?”
“A request for an extension came in.”
Antonio, remembering what work Diego was handling, added:
“Guess they still haven’t caught them.”
Diego responded with silence instead of an answer. There was something oddly bothering him, so he had planned to ask the viscount’s daughter about it today when the work ended. But his plan went awry when he received an unexpected confession, and moreover, receiving a contract extension request made it difficult to bring it up. So he had come to the guild intending to see Roman’s face and ask his opinion, but what awaited him was the news that the master had been absent for several days.
“Hang in there.”
“…Yeah.”
The rain, which had been briefly calm, began to pound the ground again with terrifying force. Antonio said he should rest now and ran toward the lodging, and Diego stayed in place for a while before belatedly returning inside the office. His footsteps walking down the corridor were unbearably heavy.
***
The work extension was ultimately approved through Isabel. After carefully reading the request form sent again by the Rood household, Isabel pressed the jade stamp firmly against the bottom of the parchment.
Next was Diego’s turn. The new contract proceeded smoothly with him signing next to the stamp. But instead of leaving immediately, Diego spoke to Isabel in a rather cautious tone.
“The master… is he really absent?”
Then Isabel seemed to hesitate for a moment before smiling brightly and answering.
“Yes. I don’t know the exact date myself, but he will return.”
It was a tone full of conviction. But instead, Diego felt the anxiety he had barely suppressed starting to raise its head again stealthily. Depending on how you heard it, it could also be interpreted to mean he would return briefly for a different purpose.
Another week passed after that, but Roman still didn’t appear. During that time, Diego continued to stay by the viscount’s daughter’s side. Regardless of his inner feelings, he had a duty to faithfully perform the work he’d been assigned, and he also knew well that his work performance affected the guild’s reputation.
The one fortunate thing was that Grace’s attitude wasn’t much different from before. As always, she was sharp and capable, yet when their eyes met, she would show him a bright smile.
‘As I thought, she was just momentarily shaken.’
Thinking about it again, it was something that didn’t make sense. Anyway, it was much better than an awkward or uncomfortable atmosphere lingering, and Diego intended to do his best at his assigned work as before.
This morning too, Diego left the house side by side with Emily. As always, after taking Emily to where the hired carriages were, he quickly rode his horse toward the viscount’s residence.
Passing through the plaza and continuing north, the pointed spire standing in the distance revealed its majesty. Having reached close proximity, Diego stopped his horse next to a large tree near the mansion and waited for the carriage carrying the viscount’s daughter to emerge.
Diego was the only one waiting. Martin hadn’t renewed his contract, and he had been quite flustered when he learned that fact the next day. While it was true that contract extensions were ultimately in the client’s hands, the situation of continuing work alone while leaving behind someone who was far superior in both experience and skill didn’t feel entirely comfortable.
How much time had passed? Thinking that it seemed a bit late today and continuing to watch the entrance, he saw someone come outside and look around.
‘Are they looking for me?’
Somehow he had that feeling. Diego pulled the reins and moved forward a little, and sure enough, the person immediately started running this way. A servant who still looked young caught his breath and delivered the news.
“There was a message from the lady to escort you to the mansion. Can you come with me?”
“Of course.”
Diego soon followed him toward the mansion. The interior that appeared beyond the open door was as spacious and splendid as ever. A butler who greeted him politely guided him somewhere. It was the very reception room he had visited when he first came here.
“Please wait a moment.”
When the butler withdrew, two maids entered as if in shifts. The teacup with delicate carvings was filled with fragrant tea, but Diego didn’t reach for it. Instead, he sank into thought with a somewhat stiff expression.
‘If it’s the lady, it must be Viscountess Rood… Why does she want to see me?’
He saw the young lady’s face almost every day, but the only time he had seen the viscountess was on the first day he took on the request. Without knowing more, he had a feeling it wasn’t for a good reason.
At the sound of someone’s presence shortly after, Diego quickly turned his head. Seeing the woman in a pale green dress entering, he hurriedly stood up from his seat.
Even accounting for being a female Neo, Viscountess Rood was quite thin and petite. But she was a person with an indescribable sense of intimidation, and today was no different.
“Please sit.”
Eventually, the two sat facing each other with a table between them. An expressionless face, and a gaze containing an even cooler air, turned toward Diego.
“I’ll get straight to the point without preamble.”
“Yes. Please go ahead.”
“Not long ago, Grace said this to me. That there’s someone she admires, and that she wants to form a marital bond with that person.”
“…”
Diego swallowed a groan inwardly. Without even thinking about it… she must have been talking about me. Otherwise, there would be no reason to call someone early in the morning and bring up this kind of story.
“But unexpectedly, she said she was rejected. I thought you’d naturally welcome it with both hands raised.”
It felt like this must be what it’s like to step on a sharp thorn with bare feet. On the other hand, he found it somewhat puzzling.
The fact that a noble young lady had favorable feelings toward a commoner could itself be considered a disgrace, and there was no way Grace wouldn’t know what he knew. Moreover, since she had been rejected, even if unintentional, her pride must have been considerably wounded. So it was extremely unexpected that she had revealed even the fact of being rejected to her mother, when she should have hidden it tightly.
“I apologize.”
“I didn’t bring this up to hear an apology. Even now, do you not intend to accept Grace’s feelings?”
“…”
Puzzlement was quickly layered onto his frozen expression.
He had naturally expected to hear displeasure or reproachful words saying how dare he, a commoner, embarrass her daughter. But asking if he wouldn’t accept her feelings even now… The question of whether she was speaking sincerely rose to his throat.
As he looked at her with that expression, the viscountess, who had taken a sip of tea, met his gaze again. It was still an expression whose depths couldn’t easily be read.
“You look like you can’t understand. To be honest, I’m not pleased about it at all. If it were any other household, they would have flown into a rage and immediately sent her off to marry elsewhere.”
“Then why on earth…”
“Grace is a daughter who’s no different from my everything. I always want her to be happier than anyone else, and I want to do anything I can for her. Even if that means marriage to a commoner man.”
A shadow of regret rose on the viscountess’s face.
Over ten years ago, after divorcing her husband who had been incorrigibly unfaithful, Viscountess Rood experienced the greatest trial of her life. Forget attending gatherings—she felt only fear at even showing herself in front of others, and her devastated spirit gradually ate away at her life.
The person who became a small salvation to her was Grace. The daughter who was only five years old would silently hug her mother tightly or smile brightly and generously say she loved her.
Thanks to that, on a day when she was gradually regaining her spirits, the viscountess heard news that made her heart sink. Grace, who had gone up the hill behind the house with her nanny, had accidentally lost her footing and tumbled down.
Rushing to Grace’s room in shock, she saw her daughter sitting on the bed with scratches all over her arms and legs. Grace, who had swollen eyes from crying and a red nose, smiled brightly as soon as she saw her mother and spread her arms wide.
