Especially the elder nobles who sided with Marquis Borwen this time were all expressing their voices, insisting that they should take a larger share. The meeting held today was held to mediate among them. However, despite dragging on for several months, there was still no resolution reached today.

Frustrated, Hert loosened the rough button fastening his collar and quickly headed outside. Lange hurriedly followed.

“Are you going straight back to the mansion?”

“Don’t ask the obvious.”

“But there are still matters …”

“If it’s about the sugarcane field issue, tell Viscount Tiesen to expect a revision of the liquor laws soon. They’ll handle the negotiations themselves. No need to waste time dealing with that back-and-forth when they’re already playing hardball.”

Hert, one of the top decision-makers in the noble council, not only mediated in the council meetings but also dealt with disputes among nobles that the king found difficult to handle.

Originally, there was a separate position to handle such matters, but with the previous Duke Callias’ cleared, Marquis Borwen handed it over to Hert. This was partly to maintain Hert’s image as a just hero externally.

‘Damn woman.’

Piling up all the annoying and troublesome tasks on him.

“Then, regarding Count Zidia’s…”

“It falls under fraud, so tell them to handle it through legal proceedings. Tell them to work out an agreement on their own if there are objections. Damn it, they’re not even kids, and they can’t resolve it themselves? Geoffrey, you handle the rest. After all, you’re the expert in that field.”

“No, still…”

“I’m going.”

“Sir!”

With those words, Hert hastily mounted his horse and departed without looking back. He didn’t have time to spare for a petty squabble. Especially after wasting so much time dealing with the elderly nobles’ fight. He needed to hurry back to Tessa. The sun was already setting.
Hert arrived at the Duke’s residence earlier than expected. The butler who ran to meet him and getting out of breath informed him that Tessa was still undergoing counseling. Hert, who rushed up to his room to change clothes, discovered an oddly placed small basket on the table.

What’s this?

Hert looked puzzled at the basket he hadn’t seen before. He quickly glanced around the room just in case, but aside from the basket, the room seemed no different from usual.

Did Tessa bring this? At the moment he was about to open the basket, it wobbled. Hert instinctively reached for the sword hanging at his waist.

‘It moved…?’

Curious to examine the basket more closely, he reached out again. Eventually, as the cloth covering the basket’s opening rustled, a tuft of fur popped out and tumbled down. Without thinking, Hert picked it up.

“….What is this?”

Coo? The bright yellow eyes stared at Hert’s, causing him to narrow his eyes in response to the unexpected presence. Finding a bird in his room was quite unusual as it was not in the middle of the forest.

Moreover, it was an owl. Although still young, its pointed beak and sharp talons clearly indicated it was an owl.

“Who in the world would bring something like this…”

Meanwhile, the owl tensed up at Hert’s irritated muttering. The air emanating from the man felt like meeting a fierce beast, causing the owl to instinctively extend its talons, ready to attack Hert.

Tessa, who opened the door to the room, panicked at the sight of the owl in Hert’s hands and rushed in.

“You shouldn’t grab it like that, Her!”

“Tessa?”

“It’s still under treatment because it’s injured!”

Tessa hastily snatched the baby owl dangling from Hert’s hand and gently placed it back into the basket. Only then did the baby owl retract its talons and make a soft chirping sound toward Tessa.

“Sorry, little one. Were you surprised?”

Hert, watching Tessa speak affectionately to the baby owl, unknowingly furrowed his brows. Tessa had been completely ignoring him and focusing solely on the owl. However, he tried his best to act nonchalant; otherwise, he might seem jealous of a bird.

“Tessa, what’s with the bird?”

“Oh, I found it while taking a walk. It’s a baby owl.”

Isn’t it cute? Hert looked at Tessa, who showed him the baby owl in the basket.

“….You found it?”

“Yes. It seems like it fell from its nest. According to Lilah, its wing was injured, and the mother abandoned it. It’s pitiful. So, I thought… I want to take care of it.”

Hert couldn’t help but be bewildered by Tessa’s continued explanation.

“Tessa, do you… know what that is?”

“Why? It’s a baby owl…”

“No, I mean, that’s… a bird of prey.”

“…Why does that matter?”

Confused by Tessa’s blank expression, Hert began to question whether the bird of prey he mentioned and the one Tessa understood was different.

Gathering his thoughts, Hert spoke up.

“Tessa, birds of prey are dangerous creatures. Wild ones are especially not easy to tame, and it can eat mice as big as your hand.

“But this one seems so gentle…”

As if to prove her point, the baby owl approached Tessa, gently nuzzling her hand. See, Her? It’s incredibly gentle and follows me very well. Tessa said with a smile.

“It seems like it thinks I’m its mom!”

Caught off guard by Tessa’s pure joy, Hert was momentarily speechless. However, he quickly regained his composure to persuade Tessa.

“Tessa, I understand you want to take care of it, but… it’s not allowed. Despite how it looks, an owl is indeed a bird of prey. Especially for a pregnant woman like you, it’s too risky. What if it accidentally scratches you with its talons?”

“It’s not an owl, it’s a baby owl…”

“Alright, an owl. Anyway, it’s too dangerous for you. Let someone else take care of it. I’ll make sure it receives treatment, but having it around you is not an option.”

“But it listens well to me…”

“Do you know how sharp its beak and talons are? Even an adult male could have his flesh torn apart if caught. I understand your feelings, but I have to say no. I can’t stand the thought of you getting hurt.”

“But it’s injured…”

“Tessa.”

“….alright.”

Eventually, Tessa nodded her head. She didn’t want to create a fuss over this matter. Moreover, she was well aware of the danger posed by birds of prey.

However, despite all this, Tessa had grown attached to the baby owl, it was quite sad to part with it.

Hert, recognizing Tessa’s visible disappointment, reluctantly agreed to allow her to visit the owl some time. Tessa had obediently backed down so he could at least make a concession too.

“Really? I can go see it?”

“But, try not to touch it. It’s better if you keep your distance.”

“Thank you, Her!”

As Tessa happily expressed her gratitude, Hert sighed inside. Even though he had successfully persuaded Tessa to let go of the baby owl, an uneasiness lingered in his heart.

Most notably, the bright yellow eyes staring intently from the basket made him feel oddly uneasy.

‘Well, it should be fine.’

__