By Zephyria 
“It’s a small sanctuary on the estate. You’ll find it easily if you walk behind the castle. It’s a small chapel where everyone gathers to pray whenever a priest visits about once a month. Other than those times, the Count mainly uses it. We only pop in every day or two to clean or stock up on necessary supplies. Of course, it’s not forbidden for us, but still… most people prefer not to run into the Count, after all. And it’s not the only place to pray.”
Penelope chuckled, but Bliss’s interest was focused elsewhere entirely.
“The Count must have a lot to pray about, huh?”
Of course he would. He probably acts all innocent in front of people while saying the nastiest things behind their backs. That liar, that jerk!
As he clenched his fists, recalling the anger he had briefly forgotten, Penelope spoke.
“Rather than that, I’d call it meditation. I think he goes there when he wants to organize his thoughts or just rest. Though, that’s just my guess…”
Having said that, Penelope murmured to herself.
“It’s a good place to rest in silence, and he must be very tired…”
“Pardon?”
Bliss, who hadn’t quite caught that, asked, but instead of answering, Penelope swung open the next door.
“Now, this is the game room.”
After showing him the game room, which housed a large billiard table, she gave Bliss a moment to scan the interior before closing the door and moving on.
“If he’s not in either place, he’s likely out horseback riding or clay shooting, so he’ll be somewhere on the estate. Of course, those spots are also love point opportunities.”
With a secret little smile, Penelope guided him through a few more rooms before opening the innermost door.
“And here we are. The grand finale—the bedroom.”
Beyond the wide-open door lay an endless expanse of green land. Without realizing it, Bliss let out a gasp of admiration. A vast field that felt as though it opened up his chest stretched out toward the horizon. Looking at the land so wide that one felt they could gallop on a horse forever, Bliss was momentarily speechless.
Having grown up in a city of concrete forests since childhood, this was a sight that was both foreign and thrilling to Bliss. It felt just like the great plains he had seen in documentaries where ostriches sprinted; it was incredibly refreshing. He felt as if all his stress would vanish if he looked at this scenery every day!
“The Count is very sensitive, you see.”
“Huh?”
Bliss, who had been immersed in the view, turned his head at the unexpected comment. Penelope continued as she skillfully tied back a drooping curtain.
“The servants attending to him are limited to just me, and on the rare occasion I cannot do it, Latif fills in. Latif hasn’t been in England long, so his English isn’t very good.”
But can he even serve him properly?
As Bliss tilted his head in confusion, Penelope added, as if reading his mind.
“That’s why there’s a lower chance of him leaking useless information to others, and since the Count doesn’t make many demands of him, it’s safe.”
Ah, that’s why.
Reading the look of understanding on Bliss’s face, Penelope thought to herself:
It’s a relief that he doesn’t understand even when the Count curses at him.
Then, she continued her explanation with a smile.
“The Count’s routine is mostly fixed. The secretary informs me of the schedule once a month. If there are changes or issues we need to prepare for, they contact me separately. Then, I distribute the work among the employees as needed. However, that rarely happens, and things usually proceed according to the routine, so you don’t need to worry about that part.”
Opening the next door and standing before the bathroom, Penelope glanced back at him.
“As I mentioned before, because he is sensitive, he doesn’t appreciate changes in his daily life.”
Even someone as clueless and dense as Bliss could understand the meaning of those words. The fact that he was standing here right now was a massive gamble, and the fact that Penelope had offered to help him meant she was providing him with a huge advantage.
That was probably why the Count used so few servants and disliked outsiders.
Penelope entered the bathroom first and heaved up a basket containing used towels and clothes. Seeing this, Bliss hurriedly stepped forward.
“I-I’ll take that.”
“Thank you,” Penelope said naturally, handing the basket to Bliss. After finishing the tidying of the bathroom, bedroom, and the connected living room, Penelope stepped back into the hallway, closed the door, and looked up at Bliss.
“Do you understand everything I’ve told you, Bliss?”
“Yes, y-yes…”
Bliss stammered, his face pale. It was only natural, as since then, Penelope had listed roughly five things Cassian Strickland liked, roughly a hundred things he hated, and mentioned that ‘the Count is sensitive’ about 1,000 times. There was no way he could remember it all.
But one thing was certain.
Following behind Penelope, Bliss thought: regardless, it would be best to stay out of the man’s sight as much as possible.
The problem was that he was in no position to actually do that.
“As I said before.”
Because the Count is sensitive…
As Bliss automatically recalled the rest of the sentence upon hearing Penelope’s lead-in, she spoke.
“Because the Count is sensitive, he does not welcome sudden situations.”
“Yes.”
Bliss timidly added ‘I get it now’ in his head while forcing a smile on the outside. Penelope nodded to him and finally got to the main point.
“So, I’ve already informed the Count. I told him I found a new person and they would start working from today.”
Well, I guess so. After all, that bastard is the employer, so a report is necessary…
Penelope continued.
“…So, Bliss, you just need to show your face when the Count returns home later.”
Bliss, who had been nodding along, froze instantly. To the blank-faced Bliss looking down at her, Penelope declared with a beaming smile.
“Congratulations, Bliss. It’s finally your debut. You’re going to introduce yourself to the Count!”
Hieeeek!
The color drained from Bliss’s face instantly, and a scream echoed from the depths of his chest.
“A-already?”
His heart hammered wildly against his ribs. As Bliss asked the question unconsciously, cold sweat pouring down his back, Penelope tilted her head as if he were the strange one.
“What do you mean ‘already’, Bliss? How much time do we have? The sooner we start, the better, right?”
She was right. That had been the goal from the start, so he should be happy.
Suddenly, Bliss realized that he wasn’t prepared to meet him at all. It was a completely different story from hurling insults at him alone through a screen. Cassian Strickland would walk, talk, and move right before his eyes. Naturally. Because he was a living person.
What if he recognizes me?
“What’s wrong, Bliss? Is there a problem?”
Sensing that his complexion was unusual, Penelope asked worriedly. Bliss almost said no, but then shut his mouth. Was the pounding of his heart due to anxiety, or…
“Actually, I didn’t think about this until now… what if Cassian recognizes me?”
It had been over ten years since he met him. Since he had grown this much, the probability was slim, but… Penelope seemed to think the same, as she waved her hand and chuckled.
“He won’t. Don’t worry.”
“But you recognized me, Penelope.”
As Bliss pointed this out in a lacking voice and lowered his head, Penelope gently stroked his arm.
“That’s because you were a memorable little boy.”
He looked up half-doubtingly, and Penelope met his eyes with a smile.
“Indeed, this platinum blonde hair and sapphire blue eyes. The face of the child who used to run around so innocently is still right there.”
“If that’s the case, then Cassian might…”
“But that’s in my case.”
Penelope cut him off firmly, her tone shifting. To the startled and silenced Bliss, she softened her voice again to comfort him.
“I’ve always been concerned about you.”
“Me?”