After the disastrous failure of the business presentation, Baron Florence temporarily postponed the opening of the accessory shop that was scheduled to open in the city.

A dejected Julia spent the whole day cooped up in the annex, and thanks to that, I had a quiet week without encountering her for once.

During that time, I exchanged several letters with Duke de Lenoir.

The contents of the letters we exchanged were extremely stiff and conventional.

Occasionally, social gossip or personal anecdotes were added like seasoning, but not to the level of being suspected of adultery.

‘Well, if Felix knew I was corresponding with Duke de Lenoir, he would be quite displeased just with that.’

Of course, that alone wouldn’t be enough to drive me out.

Even if the exchange of letters was discovered, I could say I was trying to please the Duke to make up for the mistake I made at the ball earlier, so there would be nothing to say.

Then one day, Mari came to me with a letter.

“Madam, a letter has arrived.”

“A letter?”

“Yes. Just now.”

I looked up from organizing documents.

Until now, all the letters sent by Duke de Lenoir had been brought by the mail servant. Felix wasn’t interested in household affairs, so it hadn’t been discovered that way.

But the fact that Mari brought it personally meant it was a letter with some important content.

I opened the letter nervously.

「The date we talked about earlier is not far off. I can’t yet gauge how much moonlight will fall on the ground, but do you think I have a reason to reach for the elusive moon, Madam?」

It was like a riddle. There wasn’t even a sender’s name written.

But I immediately understood the hidden meaning of the note.

Earlier, I had informed the Duke of the amount Felix had invested in the mining rights auction. And I persuaded him to definitely outbid Felix and secure the mining rights.

But Duke de Lenoir’s response was skeptical.

For good reason, the silver deposits of Nancy were not yet accurately known. Investing a significant amount in the mining rights auction was a kind of gamble.

I counted the days. The final deadline for the auction was not far off.

And I had grounds to persuade Duke de Lenoir. It was a rather complicated story to spill out in a letter.

“Mari, I need to go out for a bit.”

“I’ll prepare clothes for you to change into.”

“No, that would draw more attention. Prepare the carriage and a dress. If Felix asks, say I went to a dressmaker in town to get fitted for new accessories.”

Duke de Lenoir’s castle was very close to the shopping district filled with accessory shops. I could use shopping as an excuse to secretly meet the Duke.

Moreover, Felix had a tendency to avoid conversations about accessories since Julia’s business presentation.

Rather than acting suspiciously, it was better to make an excuse and go out confidently.

An hour later, I headed towards the shopping district in the family’s silver carriage.

***

“I’m glad to see you’re in good health, Madam Elisabeth.”

Duke de Lenoir, whom I met again, was still overflowing with composure.

We entered a salon near the shopping district and sat face to face. It was a place where no one except those permitted could enter or see the entry records.

“Let’s get straight to the point. Do you still think I must absolutely acquire the silver mine in Nancy, Madam Elisabeth?”

I answered without hesitation.

“Yes.”

“Why?”

The Duke tilted his head.

“Because that mine is actually not a silver mine.”

Duke de Lenoir raised his black eyebrows. I calmly revealed information that no one in Elendril currently knew.

“I once called in a chemist to appraise the silver ore from the Nancy mine. What’s deposited in the Nancy mine looks like silver, but it’s actually not silver, it’s platinum.”

Platinum was the same color as silver but a distinctly different mineral.

However, to the ordinary eye, it was not easy to distinguish between silver and platinum.

This was true even for the ruling class, so in Elendril, platinum was treated almost the same as silver.

Its uses were limited to making silver coins or silverware, and it wasn’t generally valued much more than silver.

That is, for now. Only for now.

“Although Elendril doesn’t yet have the technology to extract pure platinum, the secret of refining pure platinum is already widely spread among the technicians in my homeland, Araz. Perhaps by now it’s known in your homeland, Lorraine, as well.”

Until now, all platinum had been circulated with impurities, but if there was pure platinum without impurities, its applications would be much more diverse.

“Unlike silver, platinum doesn’t corrode and doesn’t turn black. If we advertise it as ‘sacred jewelry that doesn’t change color,’ we could sell it at a much higher price than silver tableware and jewelry.”

I continued without hesitation.

“That’s not all. Recently in Pietra, research is being conducted to create new weapons using pure platinum. There, platinum is incomparably more precious than pure gold.”

Duke de Lenoir listened to my story seriously.

“Soon, when that technology enters Elendril, the value of platinum will skyrocket, literally. Of course, it might be decades later, but isn’t it a worthwhile investment when you think about the future?”

“Do you have evidence?”

“If you don’t believe me, call someone separately from Lorraine. Lorraine’s border is adjacent to Araz, so surely among your compatriots, there must be someone who can distinguish between silver ore and platinum ore.”

Light seeped into Duke de Lenoir’s eyes.

“You’re amazing.”

After a brief exclamation, he carefully continued.

“However, there’s one thing I’d like to ask.”

“Please, go ahead.”

I faced the Duke confidently. I was sure I could answer perfectly whatever question he might pose.

But his question was completely different from my expectation.

“If my ally happens to be your enemy, what will you do then?”

I opened my eyes wide.

“What do you mean?”

“I recently started a partnership with a noblewoman living in another city. If I invest funds in the Nancy mine, I’ll naturally be more indebted to that person. She might come here soon.”

The Duke revealed in a serious voice.

“Madam Elisabeth, you’re cooperating with me now, aren’t you? I can’t be close to that person knowing full well that you would dislike it.”

“Who is this person?”

The Duke quietly lowered his head and brought his lips close to my ear.

After briefly shuddering at the breath touching my ear, I frowned reflexively upon hearing the name he revealed.

It wasn’t a big problem, but why of all people…

“To me, she’s a reliable business partner. But if you dislike it, I’ll prevent her from coming to this city.”

The Duke said carefully.

I inadvertently raised my gaze to face the Duke. His expression looking down at me was neither cold nor ruthless.

He was clearly watching my reaction.

‘Are you worried I might get hurt? Why you?’

Even my legal husband who lives in the same house doesn’t care about my feelings.

Your interests should take precedence over my emotions. That’s natural. We’re just business partners after all.

I put on a fake smile.

“Thank you for your concern. But it’s fine. I can endure that much.”

“Are you sure? You don’t have to force yourself.”

“She’s someone I’ll have to face someday anyway.”

The answer was already decided.

No matter how uncomfortable the person I might encounter, it was ultimately my personal matter. I had to resolve it on my own somehow.

***

Leopold continued to talk with Madam Elisabeth for about an hour more.

Madam Elisabeth also informed him about when and how much to invest in the auction to outbid Count Tolomiès.

Before they knew it, it was time to part.

Leopold personally went to the entrance of the salon to see Elisabeth off.

“Thank you for today, Elisabeth.”

Elisabeth smiled lightly and said,

“It’s better if you just call me Countess in official settings. There’s no benefit in pretending to be close.”

“But isn’t it too stiff to call you Countess even in letters?”

To that, Elisabeth playfully retorted,

“Well then, shall we make a secret name or something?”

Leopold was about to respond with a joke. But suddenly, an unexpected answer popped out.

“That’s not a bad idea.”

Elisabeth looked at him with a surprised expression.

Leopold started with the most common nickname for ‘Elisabeth’.

“Lizzy?”

Elisabeth slightly furrowed her brow. Leopold quickly offered another name.

“Ellie.”

This time, the other’s reaction wasn’t bad.

Leopold carefully took hold of Elisabeth’s wrist. Then he slowly wrote the secret name he had thought of on her gloved palm.

−Ellie.

It was an uncommon nickname.

It wouldn’t be written on the jewels of the Tolomiès family, nor on the marriage contract between Felix de Tolomiès and Elisabeth de Tolomiès.

“If it’s alright with you, shall we use this?”

Madam Elisabeth blushed.

Leopold smiled and wrote another name on her palm.

−Leo.

“Please call me this from now on as well.”