“Tomorrow is the annual prayer. You should rest well.” After placing my favorite cake in front of me, Paul said to me, who was busily preparing for the annual prayer.

  Yet, I had no heart to respond to his suggestion. “How can I rest now when my daughter is this busy?”

  It was scheduled for me to attend the annual prayer that year. It was proposed by Cardinal Peter. At first, before we responded to Cardinal Peter’s proposal, Paul and I prepared numerous counterarguments for various scenarios of her refusal; yet, it was all for nothing. We were surprised that Aria readily agreed to it when we first proposed it. Aria also decided that it was time for me to take center stage.

  That was how it all began, Lucy.

  At that time, it was I who should be responsible for organizing the annual prayer. However, I could not do much. I missed too much from my ten-year retreat. It was Aria who actively supported me. She took it upon herself to prepare everything for me. I could only play a small part in it.

  Perhaps, because he understood my inner thought, he gave up immediately.

  After he let out a sigh, he sat down in front of me. “I will talk to Milady after this.” He spoke to me with a troubled face.

  “I don’t think she will listen to you.” Yes, if she had listened to us, she would have done so from the beginning.

  Then, silence enveloped us for a long time.

  “How about the three of you, including Lucy, taking a nap together? I think she won’t refuse it.” It was only when I finished my work that he said to me.

  “… Sound good. It has been a while since we shared a bed.” Looking out the window, it was about the time for your nap. That was the reason I agreed to it without looking back at him.

  I also thought it was a good proposal. Aria should also rest a bit. I believed that Aria would not refuse it.

  Although he had proposed it, and although I had already agreed to it, he did not reply to me; he did not go to find Aria. He just silently looked at me with a red face.

  As I was certain that he had no intention to go out, I brought up another topic.

  It was my foolish decision. “Before that…. What should we do about Duke Willow?”

  In response, he just closed his eyes. “… Milady seems to hold him in high regard.”

  I sensed that it was about time we lighten our mood a bit before going to meet Aria. Thus, I leaned forward and peered into his face. “Are you dissatisfied with it?”

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  “My opinion does not matter. It is up to Milady to decide.” He turned his face away from me.

  Seeing him like that, I could not help but narrow my eyes. “Jealous man is not popular, you know?”

  “…” he did not respond.

  Yet, I could see his ear turn red. That was when I could not hold my laughter back. “fufufu”

  Then, without turning his face back, he said to me. “What we should be concerned about is not Milady. It is Duke Willow. How he thinks of Milady is the most important.”

  “… Indeed… Regarding Lily's case, you did hide it, right?” Yes, it was the most important part. All my preparation would go to waste if he learnt about it.

  I was preparing for his meeting and Aria. I planned to disclose some of Aria’s activities to him in the hope that he would become her main support. It was done on the assumption that he did not learn about Aria’s involvement in the case of Lily.

  I thought that if he became close with Aria, Aria would find more confidence in herself. She would become less desperate. She would learn to love herself. She would. She would…

  “I can guarantee it.” After he said this with his eyes closed, he turned to me. Then he opened his eyes and looked straight at me. “However, I cannot guarantee on Duke Willow’s part. Last year…, during last year's annual prayer, he seemed to see Milady in a negative light.”

  “….” I looked back at him without saying anything. I was not there, so I could not confirm it. I could neither agree nor disagree.

  Seeing me left dumbfounded, unsure of how to respond, he added. “It is my instinct. We should not let Milady interact with him. Nothing good will come out of it.”

  Although I knew his worry was not baseless, I still tried to push through it. “… Still, I trust the character of the man my daughter falls for. I hope, by gaining his trust, Aria would feel more confident.”

  At that time, I was unsure whether Paul was correct. It might be due to his bias. He might not view Duke Willow in a good light. As I said, I thought he might be envious that Aria held Duke Willow in high regard.

  Aria seemed to have unexplainable trust and respect for Duke Willow and Iris.

  If it were Iris, I could understand. The legend of Iris is still told even now. She might look up to Iris after listening to her legend. Following Iris’s rebellion, the church initiated a comprehensive reform. Every aspect was improved.

  That act of Iris earned respect from many low-ranking personnel, yet it also brought much displeasure from many high-ranking personnel of the main church. We created many enemies as a result. However, we did not regret it.

  Because of that, Iris chose to leave the main church when her master, the previous Duchess Willow, graduated from being the saintess candidate. She followed her master to the South.

  That part I could understand that Aria would respect Iris.

  Yet, I could not understand why Aria also held great respect for Duke Willlow.

  I made a guess. Considering his personality when I met him, Aria might see his chivalry and sense of justice as admirable. That was the only reason I could find. Yes, whenever she talked about him, I could feel her admiration and longing for him.

  Paul, indeed, has a great sense of justice. However, he lacks chivalry. His code… although he places Aria at the highest place, he mostly follows the code of a sellsword and his own code.

  I speculated that was what made him envious of Duke Willow.

  Seeing my determination, he stood up and walked away. “… I, as Milady’s guard, should not speak too much.”

  “Sorry, you have to endure my stubbornness.” Looking at his back, I softly let out my apology.

  “It is a far cry from Milady’s.” Without looking back, he just waved his hand at me.

  I should have listened to Paul.