Chapter 3

“You’re a doctor?”

Shiorin, much calmer than before, took a sip of her tea.

Daniel nodded, looking at her as if she were some fascinating animal.

“You know Chabel? Haha. It’s a small rural village in the west… that’s where I’m from. To be honest, there are more livestock than people there, so I practically lived as a veterinarian.”

No wonder.

The scent of grass and soil clinging to him was the very essence of the countryside.

She vaguely remembered seeing the name Chabel on a map once, printed in tiny letters.

As she elegantly brushed her hair behind her ear, she suddenly caught herself.

“What are you doing, Shiorin? Are you on a blind date with this man or something?”

“Still, I didn’t expect Grandfather to be gone. He kept telling me to come to the capital. I thought he’d welcome me. But hearing that he left two years ago…”

“That man… I mean, Bern… was always fickle. He probably doesn’t even remember inviting you. We’d be lucky if he still remembers his own address.”

Tsk.

She clicked her tongue despite herself.

Just thinking about that drunken, chain-smoking old man made her blood pressure rise.

Yet at the same time, a lingering worry surfaced.

She had tried hard not to think about him.

And now his grandson had suddenly appeared.

“But that room…”

“…Bern was a very messy person.”

“So it’s been like that for two years?”

“…Would you like some more tea?”

Without answering, she quietly poured him another cup.

Watching her, Daniel smiled innocently.

His bright blue eyes rounded beneath his slightly wavy black hair.

He looked like a giant country dog happily greeting its owner after running through the woods.

“So where are you going now?”

Shiorin deliberately shifted the conversation away from the room, which looked more like a storage closet than a bedroom.

Daniel blinked in surprise.

“What do you mean?”

“Bern isn’t here.”

“But the house is. And I don’t have anywhere else to go.”

“…What?”

“I’m sorry to put you in an awkward position, Miss Shiorin, but I really don’t have anywhere else. I came here blindly, trusting only my grandfather’s words. Haha. What should I do now?”

Daniel rubbed his face with one large hand, looking troubled.

Shiorin’s thoughts immediately became complicated.

“Nowhere to go? Is he saying he’s planning to stay here?”

The first floor was the reception area.

The second floor only had her bedroom and study.

There was an attic on the third floor, but she couldn’t exactly offer that to a complete stranger.

“Am I seriously supposed to live with a man I just met? I don’t care if he’s a doctor. Absolutely not.”

Feeling sorry for him but determined to send him away, Shiorin forced a smile.

Ever since she heard he was Howard’s grandson, she’d felt a strange sense of danger.

And now that danger seemed close to becoming reality.

A fierce ownership battle over the Howard Detective Agency.

She gracefully set down her teacup.

“I’m sorry, Daniel, but—”

“What if I use the attic on the third floor?”

“…Huh?”

“Excuse me?”

“I was worried the detective agency might have moved, so the first thing I did after arriving in the capital was check the property registration. Luckily, I found Grandfather’s name. The address was exactly the same as I remembered from childhood.”

“Wait, what?”

“I was so relieved. Haha. I know my sudden appearance must be inconvenient, but I’ll live as quietly as a mouse. You can have the entire second floor, Miss Shiorin. I only need enough space to sleep.”

“…”

His overwhelming thoughtfulness hit her like a tsunami.

For a moment, she was speechless.

“So he’s a doctor, is he? Meaning his brain works just fine. Is that what you’re telling me?”

Before even arriving, he had checked the property registration.

Shiorin mentally reviewed every inheritance law she could remember and instantly lost the will to fight.

He was a Howard.

He had documents.

He had evidence.

Compared to that, she had only a single letter saying the detective agency had been entrusted to her.

That wasn’t nearly enough to claim ownership and throw him out.

“Where would the attic key be?”

Daniel asked gently, as if he had already settled the entire matter himself.

Shiorin bit her lip and glared at him.

Seriously…

Honestly…

This man was really…

“…It’s under that flower vase.”

Her voice cracked slightly as she pointed at the vase.

That night, the most unforgettable night of her life, an unexpected cohabitation began.

***

“How can someone be this handsome? Huh? He looks as polished as one of those bronze statues in the fountain! And look at that build. He looks strong enough to lift an ox!”

Holding a pumpkin in each hand, Martha shouted excitedly.

The blush on her cheeks was even more noticeable than her brilliant orange hair.

This plump middle-aged woman was Martha Shedowin.

She owned the oldest vegetable shop in Estreet and was like an aunt to Shiorin.

Standing nearby, Shiorin looked completely fed up.

But Martha’s excitement showed no signs of stopping.

“His name’s Daniel?”

“Just give me the pumpkin, Auntie.”

“So you’re telling me that old man Howard had a grandson this handsome?”

Daniel gave an awkward smile.

And that only made Martha even more excited.

She went on and on about how adorable he looked when he smiled.

It was becoming physically painful to listen to.

Shiorin stared at her blankly.

“Auntie. He’s thirty years old. What do you mean ‘adorable baby’?”

Martha immediately clapped her hands.

“Oh my, listen to you! You’re a baby in my eyes too! I’ve known you for ten years! Ever since you were that precious young lady from the baron’s family—Mmph!”

Shiorin quickly covered her mouth.

“Haha…”

She laughed awkwardly.

It had already been five years since she abandoned the wealthy Berche name.

Very few people here knew she was the daughter of Baron Berche.

And for good reason.

The Berche family was famous throughout the capital as a newly rich noble house.

Even if she introduced herself as Berche, nobody would ever imagine she belonged to that Berche family.

Not that she wanted them to know.

She glanced at Daniel.

Fortunately, he didn’t seem to have heard.

He was too busy carrying their groceries.

In fact, he looked worried and asked if something was wrong.

Relieved, Shiorin secretly motioned for Martha to stay quiet.

Then she grabbed another pumpkin.

As if by instinct, Daniel immediately opened the shopping basket.

“Are we done shopping now?”

“Yeah. More or less.”

She placed the pumpkin on top of the already overflowing groceries.

It had been a week since Daniel became her housemate.

And during that time, Shiorin had learned quite a bit about him.

First.

Despite his enormous size, he mostly ate vegetables.

After spending years treating livestock, he’d naturally started eating less meat.

Second.

He loved exercise and went jogging before sunrise.

A true miracle-morning enthusiast.

He was the complete opposite of Shiorin, whose default setting was oversleeping.

Third.

He loved reading and was very comfortable with silence.

Apparently, it was a habit he’d developed after losing his parents and living alone from a young age.

Bern had felt sorry for him and invited him to the capital.

“Tonight’s sweet pumpkin soup—ugh!”

The memory of Daniel happily finishing her soup a few days earlier briefly warmed her heart.

But that warmth immediately vanished.

Instead, a curse nearly escaped her mouth.

“Miss Shiorin!”

Daniel rushed toward her in alarm.

He dropped all the groceries and hurried over to support her.

“Wow… Hahaha…”

Staggering back to her feet, Shiorin let out a disbelieving laugh.

Someone had just slammed into her shoulder in broad daylight.

Immediately, she turned a murderous glare toward the culprit.

“Hic… sob!”

“What? I haven’t even said anything yet!”

The culprit burst into tears.

Not just tears.

She began openly sobbing.

Confused, Shiorin looked her over.

She appeared to be a maid from some noble household.

The middle-aged woman wailed loudly.

“Oh dear heavens! What am I going to do about my young lady? I’ve raised that little girl since she was tiny! Do you know how much I cared for her?”

Martha, who had witnessed the scene, hurried over.

She looked at the frozen Shiorin.

Then she recognized the woman crying hysterically.

“Oh my goodness! Catherine? What on earth are you doing here?”

Apparently, the woman called Catherine was someone Martha knew.

The moment Catherine saw her, her eyes lit up.

She immediately jumped to her feet from the dirt road.

Grabbing Martha by the shoulders, she shouted desperately.

“Martha! I need her! That female detective you’ve been praising nonstop!”

She shook Martha violently.

The large woman wobbled helplessly under the assault.

Seeing Martha being shaken around, Shiorin was startled.

Then a booming voice echoed throughout the alley.

“Where’s that detective?! Tell me! Tell me already!”

That was when—

“Ah! If you’re looking for that detective, she’s right here.”

The cheerful voice of a country puppy answered the furious roar.

Shiorin froze in horror.

Her sharp gaze instantly whipped toward Daniel.

Daniel blinked his blue eyes.

Then he casually said, “Ah,” as if everything made perfect sense.

With a gentle smile, he stepped aside.

And the detective he had been standing in front of was suddenly revealed to everyone.

“…”

“…”

“…Hello, Catherine.”

The hostility from moments ago had completely disappeared.

Shiorin simply offered a polite smile.