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Chapter 25

"Then, if I may..."

Just as Emilia hesitated and was about to speak—

A maid entered the library.

"Aide Herald? The butler is asking for you."

"Yes, yes, I'm coming."

Herald's eyes instantly dimmed as he gathered his documents and rose from his seat.

"Oh, but what were you about to say to me just now?"

"Nothing."

At Herald's questioning look, Emilia quickly shook her head.

"It's nothing important."

"Is that so? I wish it had been something so important that I couldn't go to the butler."

He muttered with genuine regret.

"Anyway, Miss Emilia. Thank you so much for your help today."

With that, he trudged out of the library with heavy steps—

"Oh, right!"

He suddenly spun around.

"Goodness, I'm losing my mind. I almost forgot something important!"

"Huh?"

Emilia blinked, not understanding.

---

A short while later.

Emilia came downstairs and found Kayden preparing to go out.

He was adjusting his attire, fiddling with his cuffs as if something was uncomfortable.

Then, sensing Emilia's presence, Kayden looked up.

He took his hands from his sleeves and asked.

"Where are you going?"

"Ah, yes."

Emilia came down the rest of the stairs.

"I need to buy a few things."

"Necessities? You could just tell the staff."

Kayden asked, puzzled.

"I also have a letter to send, so I thought I'd do both."

In fact, she hadn't had any spare time since arriving in the capital, so she hadn't even been able to write to Mrs. Anderson.

She planned to send a letter now—

To let her know she'd found a decent job and was staying in a wonderful residence, so she shouldn't worry.

"And I wanted to buy some snacks for Ivan."

Emilia added with a slightly excited voice.

The "important thing" Herald had almost forgotten was her first two weeks' wages.

It was certainly an important matter for Emilia.

"Laura also recommended a dessert shop to me."

"Is that so."

Kayden let out a soft chuckle.

She sounded like a child bragging about buying treats for friends with their first allowance.

He began walking alongside Emilia, who had come closer.

"Since you arrived, Ivan seems to get along better with the staff than before."

At that, Emilia's eyes widened slightly, then she smiled.

"I'm glad to hear that."

As he said, Ivan had been talking more with others lately.

She felt proud that her efforts were paying off.

"How is Ivan's Imperial coming along?"

"He's learning very quickly. He must be naturally bright."

Emilia also explained Ivan's progress to her employer, whom she hadn't seen in a while.

"I think he'd pick up any subject quickly."

She didn't hold back in praising the child's intelligence.

As they chatted, they'd somehow made their way outside the residence.

Emilia spotted the duke's carriage waiting and stopped.

"Ah, then I'll be off..."

But Kayden walked up to the carriage, opened the door, and gestured with his head.

"Won't you get in?"

"Huh?"

Caught off guard, Emilia only blinked.

---

Hmm.

She'd gotten into the carriage in a daze, but Emilia secretly regretted it.

If I'd known, I should have brought a book to read.

Across from her, Kayden was flipping through documents.

Meanwhile, she had nothing.

Sitting there alone doing nothing was excruciatingly awkward.

Public carriages were terribly bumpy, and people constantly got on and off, making for a noisy ride.

So she hadn't brought anything to read, since it wasn't the kind of environment for concentration.

But Kayden's carriage barely jostled, and the interior was very quiet.

Somehow, the presence of the man sitting across from her felt even more pronounced.

In fact, facing him like this still felt unfamiliar.

Because until now, she had only known about him one-sidedly.

But now...

They were naturally sharing trivial daily conversations—like the one they'd just had.

Suddenly, she recalled the image of Kayden looking down at her with a low chuckle.

Feeling tense, she straightened her posture—

But her shoes scraped against the floor.

"Ah."

She met Kayden's eyes as he looked up.

"Sorry. Did I disturb you?"

"It's fine. I wasn't concentrating anyway."

He answered casually to her apology.

"Really?"

As if his focus had truly flown away, Kayden shifted into a conversational posture.

Thank goodness.

If he'd keep her company, she might not have to be so aware of the awkward atmosphere.

"By the way, Your Grace, where are you headed?"

But at that question, Kayden only looked at her without answering.

Emilia rolled her eyes awkwardly.

"Ah, was I not supposed to ask?"

"No. It's just that I don't think I've ever been asked that before."

Never been asked where he's going? Emilia's eyes went wide as she spoke.

"Oh, come on. You're joking, right?"

It was such a casual greeting—surely he'd heard it from the butler or Herald just this week.

As if reading her thoughts, Kayden said flatly.

"I meant from you."

Emilia blinked in bewilderment.

Had I really never asked?

It was certainly an ordinary question, but she supposed she'd never asked Kayden before.

Well, that's only natural.

It would be strange for a tutor to pry into her employer's whereabouts.

And besides...

Even if it weren't Kayden, she rarely asked such questions of anyone.

Whenever she asked Cedric or Mrs. Romains where they were going—

"Why are you so nosy? I'm just going out to clear my head, what's it to you?"

"Hey, you just focus on making dinner."

She'd stopped asking naturally after receiving such dismissive answers.

Emilia lowered her gaze for a moment, then quickly brushed the thought away.

She asked Kayden in a playful tone.

"Hmm, then shall I ask you every time we meet?"

"Yes."

"...Pardon?"

At the immediate answer, Emilia was instead taken aback.

"I said to do so."

There was no trace of a joke in the man's expression.

Instead, he quietly gazed only at her eyes.

"I-I will, then."

Emilia nodded without thinking.

Well, it's not like it's difficult.

She tilted her head as she looked at Kayden's face across from her.

For some reason, he seemed satisfied with that odd promise.

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