Rosetta Toulon stepped back a few paces as if she had seen a ghost.Even in that moment, she gripped the door handle tightly to prevent it from opening by mistake.In that fleeting instant, all sorts of thoughts raced through her mind.

Why was Turner here?Was he already acquainted with Cardier Montrosa?Or had he been summoned to interrogate her about Melvin?Perhaps she had seen it wrong.Come to think of it, Turner in Cardier’s study?That was absurd.Rosetta let out a hearty laugh and cracked the door open again.

And then, she immediately met four pairs of suspicious eyes staring at her.She quietly closed the door again.She hadn’t seen it wrong.Turner was really there.

…Damn it.Where had she slipped up?She had openly interacted with several informants besides Turner.She had spread a smokescreen by bombarding them with useless requests—bond investment tips, society gossip, and the like.The idea was that anyone digging into her would only uncover meaningless information.

It was quite unfortunate that Cardier hadn’t fallen for it.Especially now, when she was hiding so many cards up her sleeve.

That damned Turner.What had he done to get himself caught?Rosetta turned her head as if to ignore reality.Her eyes met those of a few maids who were watching her with concern.She waved her hand at them to signal that everything was fine.

Then, she pressed her ear against the wooden door again to listen for any movement.No distinct voices came from inside.There was a faint sound of something being dragged, but what it was…

Clunk.

The moment she felt someone grab the door handle from the other side, Rosetta jumped in shock.She tightened her grip on the handle with all her strength.But there was no way to overcome the overwhelming difference in force.Rosetta was dragged back, still clinging to the door.The door cracked open slightly, and Turner poked his face through.

“What are you doing?”

He narrowed his eyes.

“No need to act like you’ve seen a ghost.It’s not like we’re strangers.”

“…Why are you here?”

“Strictly speaking, the young duke hired me as your swordsmanship instructor.It’s not strange for me to be in his study.”

Rosetta scoffed loudly.

“Cut the nonsense.If this was about my swordsmanship progress, you’d be at the training grounds.Why are you really here?”

“I was asked to look into the substance on the clothes.”

“Did you find something?Did you figure out what it is?”

“I wouldn’t be here if I hadn’t.”

“You reckless fool!If you found something, you should’ve come straight to me…”

“Both of you, sit down.”

Cardier’s voice cut through from inside.Rosetta keenly sensed a chilling edge beneath his calm demeanor.If he was that angry, Turner must have already spilled everything…

While Cardier wasn’t looking, Rosetta jabbed Turner’s side with her elbow and whispered.

“You idiot.What exactly did you tell him?”

“Tell him what…”

“He’s practically glaring daggers!”

She grabbed Turner’s earlobe and whispered again.But instead of explaining, Turner gestured with his chin toward the table.

“Look for yourself.”

Following his gesture, Rosetta turned her head toward the center of the room.There was a round table, and on it lay a piece of dress fabric she recognized all too well.Even the rough cut she had made was unmistakable.The moment she saw it, Rosetta kicked Turner’s shin without hesitation.

“Argh!”

Caught off guard by the sudden blow, Turner clutched her shoulder, hopping in pain.Rosetta grabbed his collar.Her eyes blazed as she gripped it so tightly her knuckles turned white.

“You worthless fool…”

“What kind of noble lady kicks like that…”

“Trust?You’ve got less conscience than a mosquito’s bone!”

“Wait, just let go for a second.”

As Turner waved his hands frantically in front of her face, Rosetta pretended to bite at them.

“Both of you, that’s enough.”

As if his last shred of patience had vanished, Cardier stood up.He strode over in an instant and grabbed Rosetta’s wrist.Then, his thick arm wrapped tightly around her waist.

He acted as if this level of familiarity was perfectly natural.If not for Cardier’s cold expression, one might have thought their past conflicts were long buried.That was exactly what stung her.

Cardier gestured with his chin toward Turner.

“Get out.”

“What?We haven’t even gotten to the main point!”

“I’ve heard enough.Get out.”

“Damn it, my leg…”

Rosetta watched in silent shock as Turner, with a sour expression, limped away without a proper retort.He was even obeying Cardier’s orders faithfully.This was the same man who demanded payment for every little thing he did for her.

That wretched fool.While Rosetta stood there, stunned, Turner exaggeratedly limped toward the door.

“Fine, I’m going, I’m going.”

“Pause your swordsmanship training for now, too.No unnecessary moves.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Rosetta let out a hollow laugh, utterly dumbfounded.She should have realized there was something between them sooner.She had thought Turner was chosen as her swordsmanship instructor for convenience in passing information, but it seemed they had been in cahoots from the start.The thought that she had been played from beginning to end made her blood boil.Rosetta gritted her teeth.

“Who said you could leave?Turner, sit down.”

“…What?”

Turner, who was about to slip out the door, frowned and turned back.Cardier, who had been adjusting his cufflinks, also looked down at her with an unreadable expression.Rosetta stomped her foot and insisted stubbornly.

“I said, sit down.”

“Why?”

“Because I don’t understand a single thing about this situation.I need to know what’s going on between you two first.”

“…”

“I said, sit!”

Turner, who had been inching toward the door while glancing at Cardier, shrugged as if to say, What am I supposed to do?

“I’m saying this clearly because you seem confused… I’m not a dog.”

“Lea, that’s enough.”

Rosetta ground her teeth.That’s enough?What did he mean, that’s enough?Pretending to know nothing in front of her while scheming behind her back!And now they were trying to stop her from even asking questions?

While Rosetta bristled with anger, Cardier physically pushed Turner out of the room.The sound of the wooden door closing echoed.As the two of them were left alone, a sharp silence lingered.Rosetta huffed like a steaming kettle.

“How long has this been going on?Since when have you had people following me?”

“Is that the important issue here?”

“I need to know.”

Cardier twisted his lips slightly.

“Since the first day you went out.That’s when it started.”

“How many people did you put on me?”

He didn’t answer, just held up two fingers.

“Two?”

“Twenty.”

Rosetta’s lips trembled as if she were about to spit out a curse.She held back, not because she couldn’t curse, but because she couldn’t bring herself to hurl profanities at that infuriatingly refined, elegant face.She carefully chose her words, softening them as much as possible.

“Stop it right now.Or I’ll pluck out their eyes and shove them where the sun doesn’t shine.”

“Do you really have to go that far?”

“And do you really have to spy on me like this?”

Cardier turned his head and let out a faint sigh.

“Fine, sit down, and let’s talk.”

Rosetta sat at the table with as much brazenness as she could muster.She immediately crossed her legs and arms, making it clear she wasn’t eager to talk.Cardier spoke first.

“I’m sorry for putting people on you.”

Rosetta snorted involuntarily.An apology, just like that?The sudden shift in Cardier’s attitude felt highly suspicious.

“I did it because I was genuinely worried about you.I knew you wouldn’t like it, so I kept it hidden.”

“…”

“If you don’t want it, I won’t do it again.”

Despite the sincerity of his apology, she had no defense against that ridiculously handsome face pleading so earnestly.Damn it.It was the kind of face the state should protect, not interrogate.Rosetta barely held herself back from falling for it completely.This was a moment that required strict caution.

“…Don’t ever do it again.”

“I won’t.”

“And that guy you put on me… I don’t want to see his face for a while, so keep him away from the training grounds.”

“I will.”

Cardier nodded obediently to every word she said.After she had laid out all her demands, her boiling anger finally seemed to subside a bit.

“Anything else you want?”

“Hmm. I don’t think so.”

As she let out a satisfied breath, Cardier straightened from his slightly slouched posture.

“Then.”

With a smooth smile, Cardier’s expression suddenly hardened, as if nothing had happened.His piercing blue eyes reflected her like a mirror.

“Now it’s your turn to answer.”