Chapter 0 - Prologue (1/2)

The weather today was especially good.

Whether it was the chilly air that appeared at inopportune times during late spring subsiding, or the azure sky.

The air was cool, but the spots that the sun shone on were still warm. The cats took their places on the marble that was baked a light yellow in the sun, basking in the sunlight. It was a peaceful day.

Edmund Deer opened his eyes on the study’s sofa, annoyed.

He straightened up and collected a book that fell onto the floor. He seems to have fallen asleep in the study while reading a book at dawn. He dusted the book a few times and placed it on the table roughly, before staggering as he stretched himself.

The suit that was worn to last night’s social gathering was crumpled.

“I should’ve drunk less.”

‘I’ll go back to my room and change my clothes, and give a draft for the magazine column… What else did I need to do?’

It was not long after he had woken up, so he was still dazed. Edmund left the study and headed for his room while holding his head.

Whether it was for ventilation that all the windows were open, the curtains in the hallway fluttered wildly in the wind.

“Good morning, Young Master.”

“…Good morning.”

He greeted the servant who passed by with laundry, and climbed the stairs to head to his room.

As he put his hand on the door handle and was about to enter his room, a voice called for him from the other end of the hallway.

“Sir Deer.”

“Mr. Velloa.”

The man that was wild with joy was one of the family’s lawyers. Edmund inadvertently showed a face of disgust as he walked over with a happy expression. Whenever he had such an expression, Edmund’s work would usually pile up into mountains.

“Did you hear the news?”

“…I’m still on vacation.”

However, he continued to speak without regard for Edmund’s reaction.

“The Merci family has filed for bankruptcy.”

“That’s good news.”

“It was about time that the Young Master came back. Apparently the collections of the Merci family would be auctioned off.”

That’s very good news.

Apart from the good news, it also meant that the family and the museum would once again become short-staffed. If this happens, Edmund would have no choice but to give up on his long awaited vacation, and return to the family’s art gallery, ‘The Deer’.

“Right now, rumors are rife that a painting from Sasha Summers is coming out. Not only that, but there will definitely be a lot of undisclosed works by Impressionist artists. I think that you should get ready to return. The director is looking forward to it.”

Edmund waved his hand a few times in acknowledgment, and the lawyer greeted him lightly before disappearing. As he stared at the end of the hallway where his lawyer disappeared towards, he let out a groan as he opened the door.

“…!”

And he faced a woman that’s on his bed.

It was the first time he saw her.

However, Edmund stared at the woman in front of him as if he were bewitched, forgetting to call anyone and even to breathe.

He slowly stepped forward.