The news that the Montague ducal carriage went to Duke Lysenford’s townhouse and then headed to the imperial palace quickly spread throughout Klein city.

It was rumored that the duke was too busy working in the imperial palace without even having time to stop by home, so the Duchess of Montague chased after him to the palace.

The social circles were burning with curiosity to know if the Duchess of Montague had met with Duke Lysenford, and if so, what conversation they had.

Of course, the Duchess of Montague succeeded in meeting Peon by pushing through recklessly. It was possible if one threw away all face and manners and forced their way through.

“How could you do this? Our Beatrice only has eyes for you, how could you completely abandon such a pure maiden!”

Peon stared at the Duchess of Montague with tired eyes. She boasted great beauty in her youth, and still retained that beauty, but her face had been much damaged from living through difficult times while being chased by creditors.

That wasn’t her fault. It was the fault of Duke Montague and his ancestors who had incurred gambling debts.

But in the process, the Duchess of Montague had lost her sense of shame and become extremely brazen, even starting to consider others’ things as her own. And she too was quite extravagant in her spending.

“Do you know how old Beatrice is already? If we were going to marry her off, we would have done so already. Do you know how many marriage proposals she receives?”

He knew. It’s just that they were all men not sufficient to pay off all the debts Montague had incurred.

Only Lysenford’s level of fame and wealth could save Montague, as well as maintain Montague’s face. This point was really important. The Duchess of Montague didn’t just want the debts paid. She wanted more.

“Yet despite rejecting all that and sitting idle at that age, what do you think the reason is? Huh? Of course, it’s because I knew how much you liked Beatrice, so I left her be!”

Her voice was rising. Peon, sensing things had gone too far, dismissed all his aides whose expressions were turning grim.

Then he took, or rather just quietly observed, the bombardment the Duchess of Montague was unleashing recklessly. At this point, she would craftily bring up the Empress and poke at Peon’s weak spots.

“And don’t I think of you like my own son? If Her Majesty the Empress hadn’t collapsed like that, she would have agreed with me. How diligently I raised you like my own son.”

That was the Duchess of Montague personally receiving economic help from the Empress, and using the money she was given separately to buy and provide things Peon needed. It was something anyone could have done, not just the Duchess of Montague.

“Our Beatrice only had eyes for you, Peon! Yet you abandon our child like a dog on a rainy day? How could you do this, Peon!”

Peon felt like his already tired nerves were about to snap. He’d listened enough by this point.

“First of all, it seems there’s been a misunderstanding.”

“Misunderstanding! His Majesty the Emperor announced the marriage because you said you agreed!”

He slightly tilted his head back and leaned against the backrest. As the cold purple gaze of Duke Lysenford with closed lips flew, the Duchess of Montague belatedly flinched. She realized she had gotten too excited.

“Anyway, isn’t that right?”

As expected, Beatrice hadn’t told her mother that Peon had proposed marriage. That’s why she came chasing after him, all worked up and panting. The Duchess of Montague, her face red, had an attitude of ‘speak if you have something to say’.

Peon fingered several cards. He could say that he had proposed to Beatrice and also spoken to His Majesty the Emperor.

But if that reached the ears of the Duchess of Montague, rumors would spread everywhere, the Emperor would be criticized for separating perfectly fine lovers, and furthermore, Kaella would have to continue living in Beatrice’s shadow. It would be a repeat of before.

Yes. Up to this point, it was similar to what he had experienced in his past life.

“I’m grateful for your care during my childhood, Duchess. But you also received compensation for that from my mother, didn’t you? A not insignificant sum was paid to the Montague duchy from the Empress’s palace. It would be troublesome if you thought I didn’t know about that.”

As a child-like figure pointed out the money that had passed between adults, the Duchess of Montague’s face turned bright red.

“Peon! How can you say such things!”

In his past life, when the imperial order to marry Kaella came down, he immediately proposed to Beatrice.

No, he was about to. Before he could propose, Beatrice cried saying it couldn’t be helped because of the imperial order, and he ended up crying together with her in despair. And the Duchess of Montague came and overturned everything and demanded answers in the same way.

Peon just apologized for hours on his knees as a sinner, saying he was sorry. He was always stupid and powerless and didn’t properly know what was important. Now he’s sick and tired of it. He was suffocating in self-loathing.

“Isn’t it the truth? And above all, if someone were to come, shouldn’t it be Beatrice? Why are you coming, Duchess?”

“Our daughter doesn’t even have the strength to walk now! As soon as she heard the news of your marriage, she fell ill! How can you be so cold-hearted, Peon?”

It’s not that she has no strength, but that she can’t get up during the day because she’s been in and out of Soleil Palace all night.

“If you’re displeased with my marriage, it would be right for you to go to His Majesty the Emperor who decided on the marriage. If I refuse the marriage, that would be defying the imperial order, are you telling me to defy the imperial order now, Duchess?”

Everyone tends to treat those who seem easy harshly, and flinch before those stronger than themselves. The Duchess of Montague was the same.

“How can you interpret it like that? What I mean is, as a man and a knight, you should show responsibility towards a lady!”

“Then please petition His Majesty to do so. If it’s an imperial order, I will follow it.”

“Coward, Peon! You coward!”

“Yes. I am a coward. And one more thing, Duchess.”

He decided to say something he hadn’t intended to declare so early in this life.

“Your daughter and I are no longer in any kind of relationship.”

In fact, he had intended to use even his relationship with Beatrice. He could have used anything to drive her and the Emperor to ruin.

But if that relationship would hurt Kaella and damage her honor, he had to give it up even if it could be used advantageously. That was right.

“We are merely in a relationship where we cherish good old memories and wish each other happiness, so I won’t tolerate anything beyond this. Wilberk.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Please guide the Duchess to the exit.”

“Yes, Your Highness. Duchess, this way.”

“How dare you, Peon! You!”

As the Duchess of Montague shouted, unable to contain her anger, Lord Wilberk’s expression immediately hardened.

“Please show respect to His Highness, Duchess. This is the imperial palace ruled by His Majesty the Emperor, and that person is the only Grand Duke appointed by His Majesty the Emperor.”

Of course, the Duchess of Montague caused an even bigger scene at those words, but neither Peon nor his subordinate officers paid any attention to her words.

The expelled Duchess of Montague immediately spread what Peon had said throughout Klein city, angrily asking how he could do this.

So Peon became a scoundrel who abandoned his debt-ridden and extravagant childhood friend to choose a wealthy heiress.

He thought this was much better than being called a fool who couldn’t forget his childhood friend out of loyalty and mistreated his wife.

*

Wedding preparations began urgently. If the engagement period had been longer, they could have prepared step by step, but everyone was rushing headlong towards the wedding at an unprecedented speed for an unprecedented event.

“Your Grace?”

Lord Wilberk, who was reporting, carefully called out to Peon.

“Shall we stop if you’re tired?”

Lysenford too was turned upside down by the sudden news of the engagement.

Years ago, when creditors swarmed Montague, Beatrice often took refuge in Lysenford. Since then, the North had assumed that the Grand Duke would naturally marry Beatrice.

But suddenly marrying a lady from the South? And it was a marriage decided by the Emperor, so the people of Lysenford were upset, saying our Grand Duke is being dragged along by the Emperor again.

“No, I’m listening, continue.”

“Yes. The mineral coming out of the newly discovered mine is indeed diamond, as Your Highness said.”

The secretly mobilized experts were dumbfounded and excited, saying they should raise a toast, but the Duke of Lysenford, who had actually instructed to precisely locate and investigate the mine, was calm.

He rather looked tired. Perhaps because he was in the midst of wedding preparations.

“The scale is enormous.”

“For now, keep it hidden and start mining in utmost secrecy. What happened to the first diamond that was mined?”

Instead of answering, Lord Wilberk opened the large box he had brought in front of Peon.

“We cut 4,300 carats and got a total of twelve diamonds.”

The craftsman who was secretly mobilized to carefully cut such an enormous rough stone had lost a lot of weight, they say. Peon looked down at the twelve huge diamonds that the Emperor was sure to covet.

This mine will be a great boost to Lysenford’s finances. Lord Wilberk cautiously predicted that the other three mines the Duke had ordered to investigate might all be of tremendous value.

Around the time Her Majesty the Empress collapsed, the Duke of Lysenford he served had changed somehow. He didn’t know exactly, but he seemed more confident and at ease.

“Good. And?”

The report was quite long, and also very secretive. It covered the ongoing surveillance of Lady Lavalley’s movements, suspicious regular comings and goings at Soleil Palace, as well as investigations into Lysenford’s internal affairs.

The last investigation was truly incomprehensible, but Lord Wilberk, along with Lord Renard, was like Peon’s limbs. He simply carried out orders silently and reported.

“…Thus, all of Lysenford is taking the news of Your Highness’s marriage quite shockingly.”

“A forced marriage by His Majesty, you mean.”

“Yes.”

Though uncomfortable, it was the truth, so Lord Wilberk had no choice but to answer. In his previous life too, Kaella had arrived in Lysenford already branded as the Emperor’s person from the time of her marriage.

Peon knew well how closed-minded the Northerners’ high pride was. And he knew it was much more rough than the capital.

“Still, we must properly prepare to welcome the bride.”

Lord Wilberk looked at Peon as he rose from his seat. In just a few days, he had become thinner and his face more haggard.

Serving Peon closely, he knew that Peon was neither eating nor sleeping properly. He was clearly troubled by Her Majesty the Empress’s collapse on top of the marriage issue.

“If I may be so bold, will you go through with the marriage?”

It was nauseating. Peon couldn’t stand how nauseating he found himself. No matter how he searched for a way, he found himself most nauseating for being unable to avoid marriage in this situation.

“They say a bastard should marry a bastard’s daughter.”

“You’ve even heard such words?”

“How could I not hear about a marriage that’s being pushed for me to hear about?”

The Emperor may look like he’s smiling, but he’s a sinister person.

He prevents the House of Ostein from marrying foreigners, and while fulfilling his duty to the Empress’s child who has become dear to him, he ultimately mockingly binds bastard bloodlines together. He’s sneering. Especially Peon, who was sensitive to insults, couldn’t not know.

“Because of me, the lady is hearing words she shouldn’t have to hear.”

Peon muttered as he closed the box containing the twelve diamonds. Lord Wilberk immediately noticed the respect and courtesy towards the Ostein lady in Peon’s words. At the same time, there were no memories built up since childhood.

“Even if the engagement period is short, we must prepare everything properly. Tell them to prepare thoroughly.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“I will not tolerate any foolish pranks.”

“Yes.”

The Emperor was driving the Duke of Lysenford like herding sheep or pigs, ensuring he wouldn’t dare to marry Beatrice or make other plans.

The date was arbitrarily announced, and Peon knew that this marriage was coldly beneficial to Lysenford and himself. Knowing made it more painful.

Then what good was there for Kaella? A husband who would respect her enough and divorce her later as promised?

The noble Ostein lady needed a better man than that, not one who had already spread rumors with another woman.

He had returned to properly take revenge this time, but on his shoulders also rested Kaella’s happiness that he had personally shattered. Revenge still needed time, and rebuilding her happiness also needed time.

Peon covered his anguished face with his hands. He had no face to brazenly meet the light.

*

When Kaella went to the imperial palace, she could see people gathered in threes and fives at corners or across corridors, whispering as they looked at her.

Such things were common even before she died. As she was the uninvited guest who broke the famous love of the century, she was used to it now.

Her father was preparing for the wedding, but Kaella had no interest.

She just mechanically and cursorily attended to the internal affairs of the palace that the Emperor had entrusted to her after the Empress collapsed. She had already been seriously ill and unable to work for a few days, so she needed to make a brief appearance today.

“Hello, Countess.”

“Hello, Your Highness.”

“The weather is nice today, Lady Ostein.”

“Indeed it is, Viscountess Tullenang.”

Still, when facing people, she had to exchange greetings. She also received congratulations on her marriage. Ah, yes, thank you. Yes. Busy preparing. Yes. She walked on, mumbling formal words she didn’t mean.

Kaella’s expression was indifferent as she continued further inside, leaving behind the noble ladies gathered to pray for the Empress’s recovery. Seeing this happen even after dying and coming back to life, it seemed that marrying the Duke of Lysenford was Kaella’s destined fate.

‘And then I’ll die. Comfortable and easy.’

Having died once, she could die better next time. Thinking this as she walked, Kaella encountered the Duchess of Montague sitting on a chair by the doorway.

“Hello, Duchess of Montague.”

Proper greetings between nobles were basic, and Adeo had especially strictly taught his daughter that she must greet elders properly. It was a natural greeting.

But the Duchess of Montague looked at her coldly, then closed her eyes and turned her head away sharply.

Kaella looked at the Duchess for a moment before turning her body to continue on her way.

What could the foolish her do by arguing? It was better to just stay quiet. Besides, she was tired. As she walked, somehow, belatedly, she felt as if she had been slapped hard for no reason.

It was a feeling she could skillfully brush off because it was familiar, but one she couldn’t forget.