Sarah had barely let Ethan go before she headed to Juliette’s room, having already been informed by May that she was awake and had seen a doctor. It didn’t feel good to think of Juliette’s face, the way she’d fainted at the sight of blood. She felt bad that Juliette was going through a trauma she didn’t have to deal with.

“I hope she’s happy.”

Sarah was going to return Juliette to Park Haeing-in’s life today. Along with curing her of the blood phobia she shouldn’t have had.

“Master.”

Benjamin spotted her at the end of the hallway where Juliette’s room was located and approached.

“Everything is ready for you.”

“I know you’ve been busy lately, and I’m sorry to ask you to do this.”

“It’s Master’s work. It’s only natural for me to help, so don’t say that.”

A small frown creased Benjamin’s brow, and he shook his head in exasperation. He didn’t even seem to like Sarah’s apology, and she knew the answer that would please him.

“Well, thank you, then. I hear you’ve been working with Claude on some research lately. You have no idea how proud I am of you.”

“……It’s not much.”

Benjamin’s brow softened and his earlobes flushed faintly. He still looked like a child when he was praised. Sarah looked lovingly at her steadfast disciple.

“Just by cooperating with your research, Claude’s power will be kept in the right direction. How did you come up with that?”

“The brat, no, Claude asked me to do it.”

“Claude did?”

“Yes. You two are so busy that you can’t even go on a honeymoon after your wedding, with all the mess of the war to clean up.”

The Crombell Empire was in the process of being transformed from a continent’s public enemy to the guardian of the Magic Tower, which had saved the continent from black magic. In the wake of the war that had swept the continent, the new wave of change had been spearheaded by Duke Ambrosia and Sarah Millen, the head of the Magic Tower. They had been so busy that they hadn’t even had a chance to celebrate after the wedding, let alone honeymoon. But Ethan and Sarah hadn’t thought much about the time they would spend together, and they hadn’t thought much about honeymoons and celebrations. Was Claude thinking about that? Sarah asked anxiously.

“And what does that have to do with Claude’s request?”

“He said he wanted to help in any way he could, so he could have some time with you two.”

At Benjamin’s words, Sarah covered her mouth with her hands and her eyes narrowed.

“Has our Claude been lonely?”

He always waited for them to come back to the mansion to tell them what he was doing, and he was always there to greet them. Sarah wondered if Claude was feeling sad that they were both so busy, even though he said he was fine. As it turned out, Claude had been playing with the prices of the diamond mine today. But in the end, it was to help those affected by the war. It meant that Claude was trying to help Sarah and Ethan clean up the mess that they were trying so hard to do. He was trying to do what he could for two busy people, being still at the age where he wanted to spend time with his parents. When Sarah stumbled, shocked that she had missed that, Benjamin answered quickly.

“No. He was just having fun. The little brat is busy.”

“Busy?”

“Yes. He and Elexa are working on a plot.”

“What’s that…….”

She knew Claude was friendly with Elexa, but conspiring with him? What? Sarah’s eyes widened, surprised that there was a part of Claude’s life she didn’t know about.

“I’m sure no one in the manor would have alerted Master and His Grace, since he’s firmly restricted them from saying anything.”

Benjamin smiled, one corner of his mouth curling up. Then he spoke in a voice that Claude would have called ‘despicable traitor!’ if he had been listening.

“But I’m your disciple, so how could I keep a secret in your presence?”

Claude didn’t know Benjamin well enough to realize that while he could listen to everything else he said, neither Benjamin nor Belluna would ever listen to him when he asked them to keep a secret from Sarah. Benjamin felt sorry for Claude, who had confided in him about the grand scheme, and told Sarah everything.

“You have heard that the Empress is pregnant.”

“Ah, ah. Yes, I heard.”

Penelois, now Empress of the Crombell Empire, had recently announced that she was pregnant. If she were to have a child, she would like Sarah to bless it. Sarah cast a blessing spell on Penelois and prayed that the child would be born healthy. Elexa was also excited about having a sibling and would ask Sarah whenever he saw her if she could use magic to find out if it was a girl or a boy.

“The brat says he wants one too, a sibling.”

“What?”

“Elexa taught him how to have a sibling, and apparently he advised him to make lots of time for the two of you.”

“……!”

Sarah blinked in surprise at the unthinkable. Benjamin let out a small chuckle at the sight of his master like that.

“The sooner the cleanup from the war is over, the more time you two will have, and I suppose he’s calculated that he can have a sibling like Elexa.”

“That, that’s, well, no, I mean, where does Claude know how much time we both have, ah…….”

Sarah’s face turned bright red. What did Claude know to give the two of them time? What the hell had he and Elexa been doing to come to that conclusion?

“I figured if they put their heads together, they could figure it out, and they’re pretty smart these days.”

Benjamin, unlike Sarah, who was turning red, was actually quite impressed with Claude.

“They already know everything without being taught.”

” What do you know!”

Sarah snapped, slapping Benjamin on the back, needlessly bruising him.

“You didn’t think to protect Claude’s innocence, and you just let it happen?”

“Well, I thought it was a nice thought, but I didn’t feel the need to stop him. Next time, I’ll make sure to stop him…….”

“It’s too late!”

Sarah slapped Benjamin on the back, not knowing what to do, but Benjamin just shrugged his shoulders as if the message wasn’t even going to his brain. Sarah now understood why Claude would sometimes punch Benjamin in the thigh.

“Anyway, everyone at the Ducal House is of one mind, and if you, Master, would consider it…….”

“Benjamin!”

“Yes. I understand.”

Sarah’s face threatened to explode if he said anything more, so Benjamin obediently shut up.

“Anyway, let’s go in.”

Benjamin led Sarah toward Juliette’s room. Sarah wiped her face with her hands to cool off and was about to knock on the door when she looked back at Benjamin and asked.

“Do you want to say goodbye?”

“……No. I don’t really want to see him.”

“Okay.”

Sarah smiled at Benjamin’s answer, partly bittersweet, partly relieved. There was a knock on the door, and she heard a shuffling sound from inside.

“Miss Juliette, may I come in?”

Sarah asked out loud, and Juliette’s near-screaming answer came from inside the room.

“Just, just a second!!!!!”