I didn’t mean to make her cry. I thought she would be happy.

He immediately approached her as she stood frozen, holding the letter in her hand and silently shedding tears.

“I didn’t mean to make you cry.”

It was true.

Cheston reached out and wiped her tears. Isn’t it normal for everyone to be happy when receiving a gift? He hadn’t expected this kind of reaction.

“I was mistaken. Don’t cry.”

As the tears wouldn’t stop, Whitney kept wiping them away with the back of her hand. Karl felt as if a shower was falling, with the transparent liquid endlessly flowing down.

The feeling of endlessly sinking emotions and a blinding downpour of rain. The distant feeling from the sound of rain falling on the ground.

Cheston stood there blankly watching her pour out her emotions, then reached out his hand. And then he hugged her. He couldn’t think of anything else to do.

He comforted her by gently patting her back as she was in his arms. Her slender body trembled slightly. Seeing her crying silently without making a sound made him feel sorry, and he hugged her without realizing it.

“Like this, no one will see you and you won’t see anyone, so cry as much as you want.”

He wasn’t sure if those words would comfort her, but at least others wouldn’t see her. He stood there for a long time, catching her tears.

After some time, he lowered his head at the stirring in his arms. Seeing her not knowing what to do with her face buried in his chest, he loosened his grip. Whitney then slowly slipped out of his relaxed embrace.

She raised her head then quickly lowered it. The redness of her nose and around her eyes was etched in his mind and wouldn’t disappear.

“……Please don’t look at me, it’s embarrassing.”

“Ah.”

“I probably look ugly to the point where you can’t even see me. Whew.”

Whitney fanned her eyes that had reddened from the wind to try to calm them down. Ugly, he thought, it would have been better if that’s how she looked. Even that appearance of hers…

I must be crazy.

He felt heat rising to his face. Feeling that his mood would become strange if he kept looking at her, he turned his head away.

Though he knew why his face was suddenly heating up and why he couldn’t look her straight in the eye, he still averted his gaze. Worried that she might see his reddened face since the sun hadn’t set yet, he quickly covered his face with his hands.

“Thank you so much.”

Whitney smiled brightly at him. Not knowing his feelings, she smiled so prettily.

“Thanks to Your Highness, I think things will work out better. I don’t know how to repay you…”

“I think we should talk about that after this matter is over.”

At those words, Whitney nodded and was about to enter the mansion when she approached him.

“Does it show that I cried?”

“If you go in like that, I think it will. But isn’t that better?”

“……Pardon?”

“Who wouldn’t cry after learning the truth about their father’s accident? So go in just as you are.”

She nodded as if she had finally grasped the meaning of his words. Cheston stared intently at her back as she entered the mansion. As if his feet were tied to that spot, he stood there, following the lingering image of her with his eyes.

Whitney returned to the mansion and placed the letter on the table.

Everything can be ended now. With the truth about her father’s accident revealed, Cecilia will no longer be able to escape punishment.

She clenched her trembling hands and entered the room. She had finally found evidence to completely let go of her mother. It was the moment she had longed for after such a long time.

“I have discovered the truth about my father, the Duke of Orlean’s death. There is testimony from the coachman who received instructions from Cecilia, no, Louise Ann, that woman, on the day of the accident. With this, she will likely be sent to a noble trial. From fraud to solicitation of murder.”

Whitney was smiling, but inside she was in turmoil. The coachman had actually intended to eliminate Whitney, not kill the Duke. He had lurked around waiting for an opportunity, and when he saw Whitney stumble and fall on the road, he immediately moved the horse. At that moment, her father spotted her and threw himself to push her away, losing his life to the carriage that couldn’t overcome its speed.

Learning the truth made her heart heavier. In the end, it felt like it happened because of her. Why should she feel guilty when her mother was the one who did wrong? Even when she tried to hold her head high, the image of her father kept appearing, making her bow her head.

People’s gazes changed noticeably. When there was no visible evidence besides testimony and suspicion, they were indifferent, but once there was a direct eyewitness and confession from an accomplice, one by one they faced the situation. A young woman who had just come of age. They must have seen her not as the head to lead the family, but as a child throwing tantrums to her mother.

Since money was involved, they pretended to be scared on the surface, but inwardly they seemed to think she would give up before long. Their eyes were full of discontent, and one could almost hear them scheming to take something from Whitney.

“It would be best for everyone to think carefully. I now have nothing to lose, so you all should be on your guard too.”

Whitney went through the debts and various Orlean properties that had been taken away one by one. She had especially found relatives who were receiving money by sending managers to estates that hadn’t been managed at all. Not only did she hold them accountable, but she also sold unnecessary estates for money.

The meeting continued, and the faces of those present gradually hardened. Whitney’s expression watching this wasn’t entirely pleasant either.

The family meeting went on until late, and Whitney obtained almost everything she wanted. Only after sending the case regarding the Duke’s family to the investigative authorities did she take a breath.

As those who were angry left the Duke’s residence, Whitney got up from her chair and went to lean on the sofa.

“You look very tired.”

At her aunt’s words, Whitney shook her head with a faint smile. It would take time to bring all the people from the Duke’s residence. Since she also had to inquire about their whereabouts, she needed to contact an informant.

“I just feel a bit empty. I need to focus because there’s a lot to do. I’ll recover everything.”

“Whitney, there’s something I’ve been wanting to ask.”

“Are you curious about how I found out about father’s accident?”

The aunt said with a smile. She said the process of finding out wasn’t important. Then she continued, saying there was something she was really curious about.

“I wonder why His Highness Cheston, who was standing stupidly outside before leaving, was acting like that. He had an expression like he’d been hit… Nothing happened between you two, right?”

If something had happened, her head wouldn’t be hurting like this. Only then did Whitney feel that the blue eyes looking at her earlier seemed different from before. Her chest tightened again and her throat felt constricted.

“……No, nothing.”

She didn’t know that sadness was mixed in her forced smile.

The Queen heard that Cheston had visited the Duke’s residence. At this rate, it was a given that Whitney would become the head of the Orlean family.

“That woman has been taken by the investigative authorities?”

“Yes, it seems she will be handed over to a noble trial and receive punishment.”

“A useful flower will wither.”

“However, it seems Melissa will avoid a heavy sentence. She’s denying any involvement, saying she was just an innocent child who didn’t know anything.”

“Hmm. Is that so?”

Having Melissa around could be useful in tripping up Whitney. If we portray her as an innocent child who knew nothing, she could at least avoid death. If she had bought her status and killed nobles as a commoner, there would be no answer other than execution.

When the upper nobility learn of this fact, their gaze towards Whitney will change a lot. The Queen was concerned about that. But if done well, couldn’t the public opinion be used to make her roll in the mud?

“Whitney becoming the head of the family is certain, and if that happens, Cheston’s support base will grow even larger.”

“……It seems His Majesty the King allowed their relationship for that reason.”

“We can’t let that be. Then all the groundwork I’ve laid so far will crumble. We can’t plant false hope… What should we do?”

“It’s best to remove what’s in the way. If it’s a hindrance to Prince Karl, I think it would be better to act now.”

“You think so too?”

The Queen sipped her tea, lost in thought. As Jane said, it was better to remove any obstructing figures. She felt frustrated that no good ideas came to mind.

“Is the young lady at the Orlean Duke’s residence now?”

“Yes.”

“Find out when she’ll return and send someone discreetly. It wouldn’t be bad to send someone who can handle it. What would be the cleanest way?”

“Your Majesty. Rather than sending someone to handle it, how about stimulating the young lady’s trauma? Like a carriage accident. It seems Prince Cheston hasn’t returned yet. Wouldn’t he be watching from nearby?”

The Queen smiled with satisfaction as she grasped the meaning of Jane’s words. Indeed, the subordinates’ minds work well in these kinds of matters. It’s quite necessary to have people who can handle dirty work without getting one’s own hands involved.

“Then can you handle it well so I don’t have to worry?”

“Of course. How fortunate that Prince Cheston now has a weakness. If the timing doesn’t work when she returns, it might be good to target her when she’s at the palace. She’ll likely be going out frequently due to the Duke’s family matters from now on.”

“Even if they know, they won’t be able to act. I’ll make sure of that, so leave it to me. I should send a letter to Carulo.”

The Queen went to her private room and wrote a letter. She wrote and sent letters not only to Carulo but also to the Kingdom of Petontra. Asking them to come a bit earlier than the scheduled date.

The royal family will be busy due to the friendly relations, and with many eyes watching and the Kingdom of Petontra present, the government’s son won’t be able to step in openly for his own sake.

“The sight of those two will be truly beautiful. This is why I love romance. I hope it will be a relationship where they can’t live without each other.”