“All right, I’m finally done……”


  Scratch, scratch……the pen in my hand moved quickly over paper, signing my name on documents.

  My work today was finally done.

  “Now that all those people who were loitering around at home are back at work, everything is much better. My workload has finally become manageable!”


  Although it wasn’t quite decorous, I slumped on the table.

  My head felt so heavy.

  “You’ve worked hard, milady.”


  With a smile on her face, Tanya poured tea for me.

  “Excuse me.”


  Appearing alongside a knock of the door was Dean.

  “Dean!”


  Caught off guard, I tried to comb through my hair with one hand.

  He kept appearing so suddenly……!

  “Long time no see, Miss.”


  “Ah, yes. It really has been a long time.”


  Since last time I encountered him and Letty?

  When I learned that Letty was his sister, I was a bit panicky……perhaps if I thought a bit longer about it, I was shifting blame.

  I didn’t have any right to limit him.

  When there was no contract, even though we weren’t complete strangers……we were just normal acquaintances.

  The times when I was busy, where I might happen to travel……all that stuff, I almost revealed to him.

  Ah, I couldn’t keep thinking like that.

  Thinking hard back to my rather cold reception of Letty, I almost wanted to burrow into a hole in the ground somewhere.

  “I’m very sorry. While you were so busy, I wasn’t able to come here and help.”


  “That’s fine. You have a lot to do too.”


  As I said this, I gestured for him to sit.

  Tanya was already preparing tea for him.

  And then I started to talk about things that had happened in the territory.

  Although some of it was just complaints, Dean’s expression showed no impatience. He just kept listening and occasionally nodded in affirmation.

  “Then have you been out on the streets since you’ve been back?”


  “Well……no. I’ve thought about going……”


  But I’d never been able to make up my mind.

  Even though everyone seemed to understand me……I think?

  Every time I thought about it, I kept shrinking back from the prospect.

  Mostly it was also the fact that so much work had piled up recently.

  “So you want to go out after all?”


  I nodded.

  “Then I’ll also work as hard as I can. As for you, milady, as long as there’s any work left, you’ll use it as an excuse not to go onto the streets.”


  “Mmph……”


  Even though he said it with a smile, it was exactly what I was thinking.

  “All in all, when your work comes to a head, please do go out and talk a stroll on the streets. If you don’t, you’ll probably feel down as well.”


  “.……that’s true.”


  If I kept running away from doing it, then it would only get harder to ever get up and go. The contradictory mood I’m in would only get worse, and I’d end up dragging it out forever.

  “Since we’ve made a goal now, that means we have to go……Dean, will you help me?”


  “Of course.”


  Dean answered with a smile.

  In that case, it was time to do our best.