Sleep Where I Can See You

While Eren was working on paperwork throughout the afternoon, Kazen was very busily bustling around every corner of the mansion.

Despite hearing thumping noises here and there, Eren deliberately pretended not to notice and focused on the documents. His mind was clear for the first time in a while, making it a perfect state to immerse himself in work.

“Eren.”

However, Kazen opened the study door and entered, so he could no longer pretend not to hear. Eren put down his pen and rose from his seat.

“What is it, Your Grace?”

Kazen wasn’t usually someone who stayed home much, but today, for some reason, he had cleared his entire schedule and remained in the mansion all day, which Eren couldn’t understand.

Apart from liking Kazen, when he was working, he found him distracting and wished he would go out. On top of that, causing such a commotion wasn’t helpful at all. He wished Kazen would sleep or read a book instead of loitering around where someone was trying to work.

“I’m rearranging the furniture; come and help.”

He had a mountain of documents to process right now, but he was being asked to help move furniture. Besides, Eren’s frail body wasn’t exactly suited for such labor, so he wouldn’t be of much help anyway.

“Yes, I’ll be right there.”

Still, he would do as he was told.

Eren roughly organized the documents on his desk and followed Kazen down the corridor. Since they were heading toward Kazen’s bedroom, he naturally assumed they were rearranging his bedroom furniture. But instead, people were coming and going from the room next to his.

“Are you cleaning this room?”

Kazen’s bedroom was the former Duke’s room, and the one next to it was originally used by the former Duchess, Catherine. It had been over a year since she left the house, so it had been empty for quite some time. Seeing them clean out that room suggested that Catherine was finally planning to return to the Ducal residence.

If so, had Aila finally requested to break off the engagement?

Eren wasn’t sure whether to be happy about Kazen breaking the engagement or depressed about Catherine’s return. Looking at Eren, Kazen placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Here, this is your new bedroom.”

Ah, I see. So Catherine isn’t returning.

As Eren inwardly breathed a sigh of relief, his eyes suddenly widened. A new bedroom meant he was being given the room Catherine used.

Rather than being happy, Eren’s first thought was, ‘Why is he doing this for me?’

“My, my bedroom? That’s a bit sudden….”

“Don’t make me say it twice. Move all your things here by today. Not that you have much anyway.”

Kazen strode into the room as if he wasn’t joking and commanded. Eren, still bewildered, followed him in.

All the mansion’s servants seemed to have entered the room, busily moving furniture and cleaning, completely absorbed.

“Who told you to put the desk by the window? I said to put it in front of the fireplace since it’s getting cold soon.”

“Ah, my apologies! We’ll move it again.”

Jerry wiped the sweat from his brow and shot Eren a glare. Then, fearing Kazen might notice, he hastily lifted the desk again. Watching this, Eren felt both sorry and awkward.

He wanted to stop Kazen, but he didn’t know how and could only inwardly fidget.

“Might I ask why you’re moving my room? My current room is much better for paperwork.”

Initially, Kazen had assigned Eren his room with that purpose in mind. And Eren was satisfied with it as it was.

“Do you think I’m moving your room for your sake?”

Kazen, who had been watching the servants work with his arms crossed, turned to look at Eren with a slightly furrowed brow. If moving Eren’s room wasn’t for Eren’s sake, who was it for?

“…Is it not?”

“Of course not. You may be under that delusion, but this is for my sake. So don’t talk back and just do as you’re told. If you answer back one more time, I might just make you sleep in the garden.”

Knowing Kazen, he was more than capable of actually doing that, so Eren clamped his mouth shut.

Yet the question stubbornly remained. How could moving his bedroom be a choice made for Kazen’s sake?

“Well then, how can I be of help….”

“You’re to check if the furniture arrangement is satisfactory.”

Saying this, Kazen grabbed Eren’s arm and abruptly pulled him closer. Eren stumbled and walked along behind him.

“The desk and bed position, even the wardrobe and washstand. Check everything.”

Having never owned such a large room or so much furniture, nothing particularly came to mind, but he felt he should give Kazen an answer, so he squeezed out an opinion.

“Well then, wouldn’t it be better if the bed were a little closer to the fireplace?”

“You heard Eren, right? Move the bed.”

At that, Jerry, who had been setting down the desk, visibly scowled. Realizing belatedly that moving a bed was no small task, Eren raised his hand.

“No, now that I look, the current position is much better….”

“But I’d also like to sleep warmly, so move it.”

However, Kazen’s answer was simple and clear. Eren watched the servants sweating profusely, their clothes soaked, with an apologetic gaze, then turned to look at Kazen.

The phrase ‘I’d also like’ bothered him. It had a nuance suggesting he, too, would sleep here.

“Could it be….”

Just as Eren was about to ask what that meant, Kazen pulled out his pocket watch. With a click, he opened the lid to check the time and tugged on Eren’s arm again.

“It’s dinnertime. Let’s go.”

Normally, Eren had to oversee all of Kazen’s meals—breakfast, lunch, and dinner—but for the past few days, due to paperwork and other matters, he hadn’t been able to. He heard that Brennen had been handling it in Eren’s place.

Although it was simply Brennen’s role returning to its proper master, Eren was still concerned. Because Brennen wasn’t particularly good at his job.

Sure enough, upon entering the dining room and surveying the table, Eren frowned.

“Th-this is dinner…?”

Since it wasn’t served in courses, there should have been at least four types of dishes on the table: an appetizer, two main dishes, and a dessert. But all that was on the table now were two plates of meat. It was a meal too meager and shabby for Kazen.

Swallowing his dismay, Eren cautiously spoke to Kazen, who was still holding onto him as if escorting him.

“Your Grace, let me tell them to prepare a proper….”

“Enough, just sit down.”

But Kazen, paying no attention to Eren’s words, pulled out the chair directly in front and tried to seat Eren.

“Am I to dine with you?”

“Would Brennen be sitting here if not you?”

Eren glanced at Brennen standing by the table, then back at Kazen, and reluctantly slumped into the chair.

Kazen casually pushed the chair in, and then Brennen pulled out the chair for Kazen. Kazen calmly sat in his seat and picked up his glass.

“Allow me to prepare the aperitif.”

Brennen, with a kindly smile, filled Kazen’s glass and then Eren’s in turn.

When they were with Harold, he had hinted that Eren shouldn’t drink, but this time, he seemed to have no intention of saying anything.

“I said I didn’t want to see you moaning in pain. So, until your health recovers, we’ll have dinner together.”

“No, Your Grace. My health has already recovered, and I’ve been eating properly….”

Just sitting at the same table with Kazen, eating the same food, was uncomfortable enough, but to do this every day? Eren was beyond not understanding Kazen’s attitude; he was starting to feel frightened.

Did Kazen somehow know he was going to die soon? He even entertained the vain delusion that Kazen might be trying to be kind to him for the last time. Of course, there was no way Kazen could know, and even if he did, he would have no reason to be kind.

“You’re looking at me as if to ask why. Thanks to you, we’ve signed a land lease contract with the Harrison family and also decided to make additional investments in the railway project. I told you I’d reward you if things worked out well. This is that.”

Kazen even added an explanation, lest Eren misinterpret his kindness.

As expected, Kazen had accepted the business proposal Arnold sent. What’s more, he had decided to invest as well. Things had worked out well, making Eren both proud and somewhat relieved.

“If that’s the case, I gratefully accept.”

Unable to refuse Kazen’s favor any longer, Eren bowed his head in thanks. And as he glanced at Kazen eating, he picked up his fork and began to eat.