Pryde barely concealed his inner beast-like turmoil, soon curling the corners of his eyes with an elegant and gentle face.

“…There are many things I need to take care of.”

“You said you manage the people of District 3, didn’t you?”

She asked questions in succession.

Unlike ten days ago, there was no trace of fear on her face as she scrutinized him.

She soon parted her plump lips, examining him with a provocative gaze while he maintained a mechanical smile.

“Exactly what kind of work do you do?”

…Until this late hour?

Pryde smiled bitterly, easily guessing the unspoken question.

If he were to confess in detail what he had just been doing with these hands, what kind of ‘cleaning up’ he had done, what expression would she make?

“…It’s not something you need to concern yourself with, my lady.”

As soon as those words fell, the proud woman’s eyebrows shot up towards the sky.

But that was only for a moment.

“…But I’ve been so bored lately.”

She looked up at him with a subtle gaze and whispered.

“You said you’d take care of letting me go out. But you haven’t said anything about it.”

Then, as if sulking, she slightly pushed out those red, plump lips.

Feeling blood rush to one place in his body, he clenched his fists so tightly that his veins stood out.

Did she always have such a habit?

If it was new, it was a very, very bad habit she had developed.

His heart, which had been tumultuous until now, was now pounding uncontrollably.

Pryde squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, only opening them again after barely managing to put on the mask of a gentle nobleman.

“…I’m worried that the atmosphere outside is still too turbulent, my lady.”

She pouted her lips again and whispered discontentedly.

“But it’s stifling to just stay in the mansion. I want to meet people soon.”

As soon as those words fell, the first emotion he felt was displeasure.

Why?

Pryde, who had unconsciously frowned, could immediately find the cause of his displeasure right in front of him.

Beautiful.

This woman standing before his eyes was, how should he put it, excessively beautiful.

The delicately extended bridge of her nose and the red lips pleasingly situated below it.

The beautiful red hair cascading down like a waterfall.

The slightly upturned eyes and the jewel-like pupils nestled between them.

She was a woman of such intense beauty that would captivate the soul, making it difficult for anyone who encountered her even once to take their eyes off her.

What had protected this beautiful woman until now was her status as a count’s daughter.

Born and raised as a noble all her life, she still didn’t know.

How the world outside treats those who have lost their noble titles.

How dangerous the world has become, especially for a woman hailed as the empire’s greatest beauty.

“…The flowers have wilted already. If you’re feeling lonely, I’ll have the garden redecorated.”

Despite his effort to speak as properly as possible, his voice came out hoarse.

If only he could keep her confined to the mansion, he would be at ease.

If she would just stay quietly in the mansion, he would pour out everything she needed, so what more could she possibly want?

Pryde spoke again to her, who gave no response.

“Or you could send letters to your friends. Have as many parties as you want in the mansion… No. Have tea parties, my lady.”

Dinner parties are not allowed.

Because then those fools in formal wear would attend too.

Pryde didn’t even realize he was already acting obsessively.

But isn’t it natural?

What madman would invite thieves into the mansion where his most precious jewel lives?

To him, all of this was a perfectly reasonable measure.

“…You’re saying I can’t go out, are you?”

“My lady.”

At his continued polite refusals, her gaze dropped to the floor.

She bit her red lips hard with her upper teeth.

This was a habit he was already familiar with.

Her pride was hurt by the fact that she needed his permission for even a single outing.

Even so, couldn’t she refrain from biting her lips?

Pryde anxiously ran his hand through his hair, feeling a tingling sensation that kept stabbing at his heart.

The motion must have been somewhat rough, as she flinched.

Fear crept back into her eyes as she looked at him.

It was the expression she would make when looking at him for the first few days after the wedding.

As their eyes met, she quickly bowed her head deeply with a tearful expression.

‘Damn it.’

Pryde’s displeasure immediately subsided.

Who was he to hurt her like this?

This wasn’t why he had pushed for the marriage. This wasn’t…

His own ugly possessiveness suddenly felt irritating and resentful.

“I’ll resolve it as soon as possible, my lady.”

Pryde bent his knees slightly to match her height, and gently stroked her lips, which had been chewed on, with his thumb.

He felt that if he could stop this action, his brain, which had been paralyzed since the moment he entered the room, would soon regain its rational activity.

“As soon as possible, when exactly?”

At that, she quickly raised her head and asked, as if her eyes had never been teary.

“It’s a matter that requires time. I can’t promise when exactly…”

Pryde hastily swallowed his breath.

It was because she had lightly placed her small hand on his forearm.

Because of this, the shawl covering her round, small shoulders slipped down with a soft rustle.

As the weather was getting colder, she was wearing particularly thin clothes today, and her body’s curves were subtly revealed through the fluttering fabric.

Pryde ran his burning gaze over her entire body.

Even with all the willpower he possessed, he simply couldn’t take his eyes off that seemingly supple body.

She shook her head slightly while looking up at him with moist eyes.

This caused her red hair to ripple at her chest.

Is this woman deliberately doing this to see him go crazy?

“…Four days, no, three days.”

Pryde opened his mouth as if entranced, looking at her.

“I’ll resolve it within that time. …My lady.”

As soon as the answer fell, her face brightened.

At that moment, a poignant realization washed over Pryde like a wave.

For this smile, he would give up the entire empire if asked.

Even if it meant sacrificing any part of himself.

The moonlight was particularly bright today, perhaps due to the full moon.

In the room suffused with that wavering light, he muttered as if making a vow, his gaze fixed on her eyes.

“If it’s what you desire, I’ll give you anything within that time. …My lady.”

The next day.

When Delphine opened her eyes, a man in perfect uniform was sitting at the tea table in her chamber.

He didn’t pretend to be busy and leave at dawn today, huh.

He smiled at her as she sat up groggily, then they had a simple breakfast together.

Only after that did the man mount his massive warhorse and leave the mansion.

“Well then, my lady.”

“Yes, take care.”

Left alone in the mansion, Delphine didn’t go to the window of her chamber as usual, but headed straight to the study.

Then she sat down with her chin in her hand, looking somewhat troubled.

So he had been leaving early and returning late to avoid me all this time.

But for all his efforts to avoid her so thoroughly, the man crumbled surprisingly easily last night.

The way his gentle mask cracked when she deliberately approached him and pretended to be pitiful.

Recalling yesterday’s events, Delphine was certain.

Though she didn’t know the reason yet, that man was incredibly weak to her.

And she intended to use that fact to its fullest extent in figuring out his true identity.

‘Three days. He said three days…’

Now that she finally had permission to go out, where should she go first?

Where could she go to find information about that man…

Delphine was lost in thought in the study when it happened.

“My lady.”

A servant carefully knocked on the closed study door and announced.

“A guest has arrived and has been shown to the reception room.”

“…A guest?”

“The master said it’s a dressmaker he called for.”

A dressmaker, why so suddenly… As she thought this, something flashed through her mind.

It seemed that man had remembered the excuse she had casually made at dinner before about ‘needing a dress.’

Delphine, who had just been focused on how to uncover his identity, suddenly felt a bit overwhelmed.

“That was just… just an excuse…”

But since she couldn’t turn away a guest who had come all this way, Delphine eventually left the study and headed to the reception room.

“Hello, my lady. I am Isabella, who runs a salon in District 2.”

Upon arriving at the reception room.

Delphine was surprised to see a woman in elaborate clothing bowing her head towards her.

Isabella was the owner of the most popular clothing shop in the capital.

Known for her high-handedness, it was said she never visited a client’s home first unless they were a member of the imperial family.

Delphine did own a few dresses from her shop, but they were all ready-made.

This was the first time she was having a dress custom-made at the mansion like this.

“Lord Pryde gave special instructions to take good care of you. Today, I will serve you with all my heart, my lady.”

Even that prideful madam kept bowing her head with such a humble attitude.

Could it be that she was threatened by that man…?

Delphine suspiciously examined the madam’s thickly powdered face for any signs of fear.

But the madam was just being extremely careful in her manner, with no particular signs of having been threatened on her face.

“Very well. I’ll be in your care.”

Delphine nodded slightly and approached her.

Naturally taking out a measuring tape and starting to take simple measurements, Madam Isabella asked.

“Do you have any particular outfit or design in mind?”

“Well. One dress for going out would be nice.”

“Just one?”

At Delphine’s answer, a troubled look crossed the madam’s face as she measured arm length.

“With just one… I’m afraid it will be difficult to use up all the advance payment I received from Lord Pryde, my lady.”

At those words, Delphine blinked, trying hard to appear nonchalant for a moment before carefully asking.

“…Advance payment?”