“What…?”

He rose, approaching Roselia with a fully displeased expression.

Roselia felt she was ‘screwed’ but tried to keep a straight face and didn’t back down.

Klaus approached Roselia, who was looking at him without retreating, and spat out words with a fierce glare.

“You’ve barely been here for a month, what do you think you know?”

“Have you not considered that because I haven’t been here long, I can judge more objectively than anyone else here?”

Klaus exhaled in exasperation, looking at Roselia who was responding without backing down.

“Do you know why I’m so desperate for work and money?”

“I may not know your circumstances, Your Grace, but I do know this. What’s important for your relationship now isn’t money.”

His eyes finally flared with anger at Roselia’s words, which seemed to negate everything he had achieved so far.

“Damn it, Antonio.”

As he suddenly approached and growled as if about to grab Roselia’s collar, Roselia faced him with a grumpy expression while clenching teeth in tension.

“You don’t need to get on my nerves with such things now. My head is about to explode. If it weren’t for you, no one here would dare say such things to me.”

That must be true. That’s why Closet grew up like that.

Roselia felt sorry for Closet, who must have built walls around herself, trying to get used to the loneliness and solitude hidden beneath her haughtiness and prickliness.

“If money is Your Grace’s way, why didn’t you do the same for Her Highness the Crown Princess?”

It was a reproach to him who doted on the Crown Princess, hovering around her, while trying to make up with money and gifts for Closet.

“Damn it! Her Highness the Crown Princess is already overflowing with money! All I can do is comfort her loneliness and solitude!”

Roselia calmly looked at him as he got excited and said one thing.

“You can see the Crown Princess’s loneliness and solitude, but not your sister’s?”

“What…?”

For a moment, his navy blue eyes froze with a chilly light.

Klaus remained frozen for a while, unable to continue speaking.

Roselia stared at him, who seemed to have finally realized something, and said one thing.

“Don’t tell me you thought the Young Lady was fine all this time?”

“…”

No, how could he be so oblivious to his own blood’s feelings while worrying so much about the Crown Princess?

As Roselia stared in disbelief, Klaus muttered softly.

“I always gave her the best, everything she could want. I thought that was the best I could do.”

How could you think that would be enough?

Roselia sighed and shook her head.

“After the Duke and Duchess passed away, it was just the two of you left, wasn’t it? The Young Lady only had you left. How lonely must she have been at such a young age?”

The exact timing of when the Duke lost his parents wasn’t explained in the original work, but it was said to be before the Duke came of age.

The Duke is about to turn twenty now, so it must have been at least 10 years ago, which means Closet, now 15, had lost her parents before she could even speak.

Thinking about it that way made Roselia feel even more sorry for Closet.

Growing up under this cold-blooded man who only knew money, at an age when she should have been receiving her parents’ full love.

It was understandable why she was closer to her nanny Melda than to the Duke.

“I’m sure the Young Lady is hurt inside, even if she doesn’t say it.”

Klaus, who had been rubbing his forehead as if his mind was complicated by Roselia’s nagging words, answered coldly.

“Even if you say so, I can’t postpone my schedule just for a birthday party. She’s about to come of age, she’ll understand. So stop meddling unnecessarily and focus on figuring out how to repay your debt.”

“But this isn’t just a simple birthday party, it’s the Young Lady’s debutante…!”

“Antonio.”

At the threatening call of her name, Roselia had no choice but to shut her mouth.

“Don’t make me say it twice. My head is throbbing because of you right now, so I’d appreciate it if you’d leave immediately.”

Roselia opened and closed her mouth as if to protest, but soon gave up and bowed her head politely.

“I apologize for wasting Your Grace’s precious time. Then I shall take my leave.”

With that polite greeting, Roselia left Klaus’s office with a dark expression.

Closet, sitting in the salon of a dressmaker’s shop in the bustling district waiting for her custom-made dress to be ready, spoke with a grumpy face.

“Don’t worry about it. I wasn’t expecting anything anyway.”

Roselia’s heart only grew heavier at the sight of Closet sipping tea brought by the shop with a nonchalant face, as if she truly didn’t care even a bit.

“Still, it’s Your Ladyship’s debutante…”

“I said don’t worry about it. If this was the first or second time, I might be disappointed, but it’s nothing new now.”

Roselia couldn’t help but smile at the sight of her drinking tea so haughtily, looking like a precocious lady.

Just then, the madam of the dress shop entered the salon carrying Closet’s completed dress.

“Young Lady~ Did you wait long? Here’s the cyan blue dress you ordered~ As you can see, we’ve appropriately arranged sapphires, diamonds, and aquamarines to emphasize a cool and refreshing feeling.”

The excited madam began to give a detailed explanation of the dress.

“Especially this part, with blue diamonds as a point inspired by Your Ladyship’s blue eyes…”

Closet, who had been listening to the madam’s lengthening explanation with a bored expression, soon waved her hand and replied.

“More importantly, I want to order a tailcoat for my il domestico too. Is three days possible?”

“Indeed, cyan blue suits Your Ladyship better than cobalt blue… Pardon?”

The madam, who had been enthusiastically explaining the dress, asked with wide eyes.

Closet then added with her usual arrogant expression, as if driving in a wedge.

“I need a tailcoat for my il domestico to wear in just a week.”

“Even so, three days is too…”

“You know the Duke’s mansion only deals with this dress shop, right?”

“Four days! Please give us four days!”

As the madam answered with renewed vigor, Closet nodded haughtily.

The madam, now with an urgent task at hand, hurriedly began calling for her assistants.

Suddenly surrounded by three or four women, Roselia had to have her measurements taken with a bewildered expression.

Closet, who had been staring at this scene, glanced over the dresses lined up on the nearby display stand and smiled mischievously.

“Madam, I’ll give you more time, so please make two sets.”

“Pardon? Then… would you like two identical tailcoats?”

At the madam’s question, Closet gestured for her to come closer and whispered in her ear.

The madam’s eyes widened as if she had heard something strange, and she looked at Closet’s face.

“What? Are you serious?”

“Stop talking and just get ready. I’ll send Melda to pick up the next outfit.”

“Yes…”

The madam looked like she was about to cry, but soon turned away with a determined expression and began to drive her assistants.

Only the assistants looked panicked, as if struck by lightning from a clear sky.

At the same time, Roselia, held by the assistants, had to wear an exhausted expression.

Fortunately, they didn’t undress Roselia.

It seemed that detailed measurements had been provided by Melda, so there was no major problem.

Closet’s expression was quite excited as she left the dress shop.

In contrast, Roselia followed behind Closet with a haggard expression as if she had stayed up for three nights.

“I’m looking forward to it. Aren’t you? Heheh…”

Well, all men’s tailcoats are pretty much the same, aren’t they?

Unlike Closet’s excited reaction, Roselia looked quite tired.

It was then.

As they were walking to board the waiting carriage of the Duke’s mansion, a voice calling out to Closet was heard.

“Lady Closet.”

Closet and Roselia’s gazes naturally turned to the direction of the voice.

There stood Jusid, whom they had seen at Herden Marchioness’s tea party before, along with a man who appeared to be an il domestico.

Closet’s expression didn’t look very pleased.

On the other hand, Jusid looked haughtily at Closet before meeting Roselia’s eyes and blushing.

Oh no… you too…?

Seeing Jusid’s reaction, similar to other ladies who were infatuated with Roselia, the il domestico standing next to her wore a very resentful expression.

Roselia alone became embarrassed by the fierce glare of the il domestico.

“Isn’t this Lady Jusid? What brings you here?”

“Oh my, didn’t you know? I’m a regular at this dress shop too.”

Closet’s expression suddenly crumpled.

“I thought Lady Jusid used a dress shop in the center of the bustling district?”

“Well, I felt the clothes here suited me better, so I switched.”

Jusid, who said this, had her hair up just like Closet.

Was that all?

She was even wearing the same sapphire necklace that Closet had been wearing frequently lately.

Jusid’s eyes were also similar to Closet’s blue eyes, but unlike Closet’s clear and deep sapphire-like eyes, hers were closer to a blue-gray.

Roselia’s expression furrowed as she finally guessed the situation to some extent.

It seemed that this girl named Jusid was jealous of Closet while imitating everything Closet did.

“Oh, did I mention this? My brother said he would take me to the Lapelios Empire recently. My goodness, I’m so busy with invitations to parties here and there these days.”

“I see…”

“Ah, may I come to Your Ladyship’s debutante party with my brother?”

“…I would be grateful if the Young Viscount could grace us with his presence…”

“Surely the Duke won’t miss this party too, will he?”

“…”

“Even if he’s busy, he’ll attend since it’s Your Ladyship’s debutante, right? I’m already nervous at the thought of seeing the Duke.”

Roselia sighed softly as she grasped the unfolding situation.

It seemed that this Delmont Juice or whatever, unable to surpass Closet in other areas, was trying to feel superior by bringing up the topic of ‘brother’, which was Closet’s weakness.

Roselia, understanding the situation, politely addressed Closet.

“Your Ladyship, the carriage is waiting, so shall we hurry?”

“Huh? Oh…”

Finally freed from Jusid’s boasting, Closet caught her breath and continued.

“Lady Jusid. Then I’ll be going first. We’ll send you an invitation, so let’s meet at the Duke’s mansion party.”

As Closet was about to move while saying this, Jusid added.

“It would be nice if Antonio could bring the invitation…”

Suddenly, Closet and Roselia’s gazes turned to Jusid.

Why me?

While Roselia wore a bewildered expression, Closet, unlike before, glared at Jusid with full hostility.

“I don’t send Antonio on such errands, you know?”