"Why… why isn't it here?"
"It should definitely be here…"
"Dig a little deeper over there!"
The frantic search in the rose garden intensified. The maids and attendants, sent by Camilla to find the hidden ring, hurriedly scoured the area.
"Why isn't it here?!"
"Damn it!"
After more than two hours of searching, they had found nothing—not even a scrap of wire.
"It hurts…"
Their hands were already scratched and pierced by thorns.
"What are you doing? Dig faster!"
"…Got it."
But they had no time to worry about their injuries. If they didn't find the ring today, who knew what consequences awaited them?
Camilla could easily dispose of them without a trace if she wanted to.
Or, as she had ominously suggested, if a suicide incident really occurred…!
"…It's not here."
"Not here either."
Time passed. It was already getting dark.
"I'm going crazy!"
"It has to be this way!"
Exhausted, they all collapsed onto the ground.
Where could the ring have gone? Was one of them secretly digging it up to sell?
For a moment, they suspected each other but quickly shook their heads.
None of them were foolish enough to steal and sell noble jewelry.
Valuable gems reveal their origins through craftsmanship alone. Anyone caught could easily be branded a thief—who would risk that?
"Get up."
"Let's search more."
"Damn it!"
The maids and attendants stood up again.
They had to find the ring. They needed to bring it back and plead with Camilla once more.
"What are you all doing here?"
At that moment, someone approached them slowly.
"M-Master."
It was Butler Rube.
"I asked what you're doing?"
"W-Well…"
Rube's usually smiling face was cold. Everyone struggled to respond.
They couldn't confess that they had hidden Camilla's ring and were now unable to find it.
"Follow me."
With that, Butler Rube turned sharply and walked away.
Realizing something had gone terribly wrong, they quietly followed him, holding their breath.
Yet, as he walked ahead, a smile began to form on his lips again.
'He has definitely changed.'
He had already figured out why they were acting this way in the garden.
Yesterday, he had accidentally seen Camilla digging up the ring. That explained why she had been digging up the garden months ago.
Now he could also guess why they were in such a panic. Just as Chef Gerard couldn't even look at Camilla, they too must have something hanging over them from her.
Butler Rube silently chuckled at their predicament.
Crash!
"Stealing?"
"…"
That desk took five years to make!
Rube sighed internally as he looked at the cracked corner of the desk made by Duke Sorfel. Would it be repairable?
"So that's why Camilla ruined the rose garden last time?"
"It seems she was looking for the ring."
Crash!
Watching the desk completely fall apart, Rube quickly began estimating costs for a new one.
"I can't understand."
Why hadn't she said anything to him?
"If that was the case, she should have just told me…"
He remembered calling Camilla when she had damaged the garden to ask why, but she had remained silent without offering any excuses.
In the end, he had sent her away with a warning about facing severe punishment if there was another disturbance.
"Why…?"
Both what happened in the dining room and this incident left Duke Sorfel puzzled. He turned his gaze back to Rube.
"Bring Camilla."
"Yes, sir."
As Rube exited, Duke Sorfel let out a small sigh.
He recalled when he first met Camilla. The little girl who wouldn't even look him in the eye.
He understood; it was natural for her to feel awkward and uncomfortable since a stranger suddenly took her father's place.
'I felt the same way.'
He hadn't tried to approach her either; he hadn't wanted to force an interaction with someone so distant.
He thought he was doing his part by providing her with everything she could enjoy as a duke's daughter.
'But…'
How was his daughter treated within the duke's household?
Knock knock.
A moment later, Camilla entered the room.
***
"Father, you called for me?"
Despite her bright smile, she felt anything but at ease. A sense of unease made her grip her hands tighter together.
Duke Sorfel had never called for her like this without reason. Had something happened without her knowledge? Had Ravi done something reckless again?
'What on earth is going on?'
Seeing Duke Sorfel's stern expression only heightened her anxiety.
"You lost a ring."
"…What?"
To her surprise, those words came from Duke Sorfel's mouth.
'What?'
Had word reached him already? So soon?
'That's strange.'
If they were sane, they wouldn't have dared mention stealing the ring at all!
That would be an outright crime. She thought they would come up with some excuse for searching through the rose garden if caught by others.
'Impressive.'
Unaware that Butler Rube had already caught them red-handed, Camilla briefly admired their ability to deceive others while wondering if something truly disastrous had happened without her knowledge.
'But then…'
The atmosphere felt strange. He didn't seem angry but rather downcast?
She was the one who lost the ring; why did he look so gloomy?
"Why didn't you say anything?"
After a moment of silence, Duke Sorfel spoke again.
"Why didn't you tell me right away?"
The "that time" likely referred to when Camilla first lost the ring and dug through the rose garden looking for it.
'If I told him… would he have believed me?'
She vividly recalled his gaze that day; it seemed to ask 'What trouble have you caused again?'
Disappointment mixed with irritation—and resignation—was clearly visible in his eyes. What could she have said in response?
'Just as they said.'
Even if she spoke honestly, he wouldn't have believed her anyway.
He would have listened more closely to what his maids and attendants cried about than believed her words and ultimately branded her as a lying child once more.
Who could she blame? The one who kept quiet and sulked was herself all along.
'Still…'
She still couldn't understand why he seemed so serious now?
'Why is he so somber?'
It should have been simple enough for him to issue commands and resolve everything as usual. That was how things always went concerning her affairs!
She couldn't grasp Duke Sorfel's intention behind calling her aside like this and asking for explanations about everything that happened.
"You should have told me sooner."
Duke Sorfel clicked his tongue repeatedly. He seemed genuinely regretful…
'Regretful?'
That man? About Camilla?
For over twenty years, she had watched him treat Camilla coldly and indifferently countless times.
Recently, perhaps things had improved just slightly—very slightly—but…
'We both know our relationship isn't like that.'
Camilla reminded herself not to let down her guard as she bowed her head apologetically.
"I didn't want to bother you with unnecessary matters."
"Unnecessary matters?"
Camilla offered him a sorrowful smile in response to his slightly raised voice.
"I didn't want you getting more tired with my problems when you're already busy with work."
"…"
"I'm sorry for being inadequate… I just thought I'd try solving this on my own somehow…"
"Why are you apologizing?!"
Duke Sorfel raised his voice suddenly but quickly realized his mistake upon seeing Camilla's downcast expression resembling that of a scolded child.
He hastily continued speaking before she could withdraw further into herself.
"Camilla."
"Yes?"
"In the future, no matter what happens, tell me first."
Unlike usual, Duke Sorfel's voice held an unexpected gentleness.
'What is this?'
His expression mirrored that softness as well.