Chapter 23
With a radiant smile and a polite nod, Leo stood from his seat.
When El glanced toward the door, she noticed he wasn’t alone—his companions must’ve arrived.
As he walked away, a quiet sigh of relief slipped from her lips.
She straightened her posture and muttered to herself,
“Baron Healy? That name sounds kind of familiar…”
But whether she’d heard of him or not, it hardly mattered.
It wasn’t like she’d be crossing paths with a nobleman like that again.
Gathering up her books, she began mulling over the most pressing issue: How can I help Kalen succeed in love?
First things first—she’d need to bring the books home, sort through them, and read carefully.
“Yep. That one gold coin wasn’t a waste after all.”
She shook her head with a half-hearted laugh, trying to brush off her completely unnecessary regret.
***
El made her way to House Elias, moving carefully so as not to draw attention.
Today, she couldn’t waltz in confidently—she had no cabbage to use as an excuse.
Crouching low, she crept along the edge of the greenhouse until she finally reached the annex. Only then did she let out a long breath.
“Earning money really isn’t easy…”
Just as she was about to enter the annex, feeling the weight lift from her shoulders, she froze.
Someone was standing at the entrance of the greenhouse.
She knew Kallen had given strict instructions—no one was supposed to come near the annex at this hour.
The sudden presence of another person sent a jolt of tension through her.
“Who’s there? Madam Grand Duchess?”
She called out carefully, but the presence disappeared.
She thought she caught a glimpse of soft, curly blonde hair, but it was gone too quickly to be sure.
A chill ran down her spine.
“Don’t tell me… someone else knows about this? Is this job really supposed to be a secret?”
There was no way to be sure. With no time to waste, she darted into the annex.
Inside the study, trying to shake off the unease, El ran her fingers over the papers she’d brought.
She’d been taking notes from the books—jotting down anything that might help Kallen improve in the art of romance.
But knowing him… he probably wouldn’t read them.
“I’ll have to explain it myself.”
She opened the pages and gave them another once-over.
Just then, the door opened—and in came Kallen, with his usual shadow in tow: Conrad, trailing behind like a goldfish poop stuck to the tail of the fish.
“Greetings, Lady Moora! What a splendid day it is! You, of course, look even more radiant than usual—ha ha ha!”
El couldn’t help but smile.
As expected, the moment they met, he was already talking a mile a minute.
“Hello, Mr. Secretary.”
“A fine day to read love letters! I daresay, a lesson in romance is bound to sink in nicely today. Well then, I’ll leave you to it.”
Conrad set down the tea and exited, his expression practically glowing.
Ever since the young lady started coming around, things had gotten so much easier.
Just not having to deal with the Duke all day made him feel like he had energy coursing through his body again.
Once Conrad left, El glanced at the papers in her basket.
Before they read the letter, she should probably explain some things first.
That way, Kalen would have something to apply while reading it.
“Um…”
“Young Lady.”
They spoke at the same time—and both stopped just as quickly.
A small awkwardness filled the space between them.
Kalen was the first to break the silence.
“Go ahead.”
“Oh, it’s nothing major. I just found some things that might help with your… love life, so I thought I’d explain before we read the letter.”
“Sounds good.”
“And you? What did you want to say?”
“I have something for you.”
“For me?”
From atop the desk, Kalen brought out a large box and held it out to her.
It was so big she had to take it in both arms.
El looked puzzled, glancing from the box to him.
Kallen hesitated for a moment, as if searching for the right words.
Then, finally, he spoke.
“This is compensation,” Kalen said, “for the clothes that were ruined the last time—because of Odin and Sif.”
“Compensation? Oh, there’s really no need for that. I was able to wash and mend the dress. It’s still wearable.”
“I can’t just turn a blind eye when something happens because of the animals I’m responsible for. I want to make it right.”
There was a quiet sincerity in his eyes.
It felt a little too serious for El’s liking, but still, she set the box down and opened the lid.
Inside was a dress—a rich shade of blue. Even at first glance, it was clear this was no ordinary garment.
“It only looks expensive. It’s really quite modest,” Kallen added quickly, as if sensing her hesitation.
He knew El too well—she was the type to haggle down any price, no matter how fair. So Kallen had instructed Conrad to choose something simple.
A dress that looked like something a commoner might wear—but with better fabric, finer stitching.
Nothing gaudy. Nothing extravagant. Just enough elegance to make someone feel good wearing it.
Something she could accept without hesitation… and feel genuinely happy to receive.
Fulfilling that very specific request had kept Conrad running in and out of every boutique for days.
Truth be told, commoners didn’t buy dresses—they made them. So finding one that looked common without actually being homemade was nearly impossible.
In the end, they had one made from scratch, based on Kallen’s vague recollection of El’s measurements.
Conrad still remembered the look on the designer’s face—utter confusion. Who in their right mind would commission a tailored dress made of plain fabric, with a practical, no-frills design? It must’ve been a first in the designer’s entire career.
“It’s comfortable to move around in,” Kallen explained. “And the fabric is easy to clean.”
El gently lifted the dress from the box and held it against herself. Just as he’d said, it wasn’t too flashy, and it looked like it would be easy to wear.
It was the first gift she’d received—aside from what Brina had given her.
Her cheeks flushed pink.
“Well… if you insist, I’ll accept it. Thank you. It’s really a beautiful dress.”
Her voice trembled slightly, misted with unexpected emotion.
Kallen had heard countless thank-yous before, but this one left him at a loss for how to respond.
Something about the way she said it made his usual composure slip.
Seeing her face brighten like that—her fingers gently stroking the box, her smile soft and glowing—it made his chest tighten, and his face flush with heat.
He cleared his throat awkwardly and quickly sat back down.
“Ahem. Let’s move on to the letter, shall we?”
“Yes, let’s.”
El carefully returned the dress to the box, still blushing, her hand trailing softly along its edge.
Brina’s dresses, though far more luxurious, had never felt like her own. She’d always accepted them with the thought, I’ll sell these off when I get the chance.
But this one—this was different.
It wasn’t just hers because it was new. It was hers because it was chosen for her. Not too lavish, not too cheap. Made with care, in a way that respected who she was.
It was her first new dress since her father had passed. And the realization stirred something inside her.
Trying to steady her rising excitement, she gave the box one last stroke before pulling the letter chest toward her.
“Okay, the letter… Oh, wait! Before that, I should share what I found out.”
“Go ahead.”
“It’s just… something I looked up about love. I thought instead of just reading love letters all day, maybe we could use this to actually choose someone worth pursuing.”
“What kind of information?”
“Well, to fall in love, you need to feel something first, right? So I thought it’d be better to narrow it down to ladies who match your personality—even a little.”
“A lady who matches my personality…” Kallen echoed. “And what do you think my personality is?”
El paused to collect her thoughts.
He’s got the coldest resting face I’ve ever seen. Never shows any interest in what other people are thinking. He does have a kind side, but it only comes out in awkward bursts. His letters read more like formal reports than anything remotely romantic…
The more she analyzed him, the more she wondered if anyone could actually suit him.
Still, she looked over at him, determined, eyes sharpening with a sudden idea. She clapped her hands together.
“You like dogs, right?”
“You mean Odin and Sif?”
“Yes! I’m sure at least one of the ladies who wrote to you loves dogs. That could be a great way to start. You could talk about your pets—it’d make the conversation more natural. Maybe you could even invite her over to meet Odin and Sif!”
“Odin and Sif are… rather particular creatures.”
“There must be a young lady out there who’ll like them,” El said with certainty.
“You misunderstood,” Kalen replied flatly. “I’m not worried about whether I’ll like her. I’m worried about whether Odin and Sif will.”
El’s lips twitched at his cold, unwavering tone.
Right. I forgot—he doesn’t leave room for interpretation. He just tells the truth like a hammer to the face.
He had a way of stating even the simplest things with an unflinching bluntness.
Lowering the hands she had been passionately gesturing with just a moment ago, El crossed her arms and replied with mock indifference.
“They didn’t seem that picky last time, did they? I mean, they showered me, a complete stranger, with affection the moment they saw me.”
Kalen’s face stiffened at her words.
That was precisely what had been nagging at him.
Well-trained hunting dogs typically didn’t warm up to just anyone.
Odin and Sif had been raised by him since they were tiny pups, which was why they were so loyal.
Even now, only a handful of people could handle them without trouble.
But the way they had instantly taken to El?
That had been… peculiar.
“They liked me, didn’t they?” she said brightly. “So there’s got to be a young lady they’ll like too.”
“Would you like to go see Odin and Sif now?”
“I’m sorry—what? Right now?”
“Now.”
What was with this sudden topic shift?
Before El could even properly react, Kalen was already walking out the door.
She had no choice but to follow him out into the garden.
Barrett, having received Kalen’s message, was already there with Odin and Sif.
The dogs barked in delight when they saw Kalen—but the moment they spotted El, their tails wagged furiously, and they rushed toward her, panting with clear excitement.
Their enthusiastic reaction lit up El’s face.
She’d only met them once, but it already felt like she was attached.
“Woof!”
“Woof, woof, woof!”
“Well, hello again, Lord Ross!”
“Ah… G-good day, Baroness.”
Barrett’s cheeks flushed red as he bowed stiffly.
The shy knight was still reeling from the unexpected order to bring out the dogs.
It was a request completely out of character for the Duke.
“Hey there, my handsome friends,” El cooed as she crouched down, gently stroking their ears and heads.
Then she turned to Barrett, who still held the leashes.
“Which one’s Odin and which one’s Sif?”
“U-uh, this one—”
“The sleek one with the golden coat is Odin. The reddish-brown one with the glossy fur is Sif,” Kallen interrupted smoothly.
Barrett’s eyes went wide.
He interrupted me…?
The Duke—interrupting anyone?
Kallen was always the type to listen to others, no matter how nonsensical the conversation.
He might crush them with words afterward, but he listened.
Always.
But now?
He’d cut him off without hesitation.
Something was definitely off.
Startled, Barrett cast a long, searching glance at his master.
