They say that what is said during the day is heard by the birds, and what is said at night is heard by the servants of the manor. As a servant, I can attest to the credibility of those words better than anyone. Information travels fast among the staff. While sweeping the floors, wiping the windows, or passing through the garden, one accidentally overhears vital secrets or catches gossip from other servants that one didn't particularly want to know. The reason it's so easy to hear secrets or gossip that people are reluctant to share is probably because the presence of servants in the manor is close to zero. That must be how I heard the news that the young master I serve is getting married.

For an ordinary servant, the marriage of the young master they serve is no big deal. Marriage means the young master will eventually leave the manor, and for a servant burdened by daily chores, the disappearance of a master is actually good news because it means less work. If my relationship with the young master wasn't so special, I would have been secretly happy to hear about the marriage proposal. However, I don't feel good right now. It's because the time I've spent with the young master, with Dio, is long, and we are close. We went on expeditions together and got pricked by the thorns of rose bushes; on days when Dio came back after being hit by his father, we stayed together in silence before I went back to work; we shared snacks away from everyone else's eyes. If it weren't for the social barrier of master and servant, we would have been called friends. To hear the news of Dio's marriage from someone else's mouth... I'm sure there are no romantic feelings involved, yet my heart feels bitter.

When I head to Dio's room, the scene I see is Dio lying on the bed, a glass of wine on the side table next to him, and something that looks like a formal document. Seeing his usually tidy blonde hair slightly tangled, it looks as if he's been clutching his head in frustration.