“Thank you for thinking that way. … I’ve prepared some precious Eastern tea for you. Would you like a cup?”

“Oh, no! How could I possibly have tea with you, Viscount! Just your words are enough to be grateful for.”

The jester waved his hands, rejecting Leonard’s offer. It was as I had instructed. Seeing his intense reaction, Leonard nodded slightly as if understanding and said:

“Well, if that’s the case. Take care on your way.”

“Yes, Viscount. Then I’ll take my leave now.”

The jester bowed to Leonard with an excessively polite attitude, then gathered up the contract and went outside.

I followed behind him, glancing sideways at Leonard. His figure, clutching the pouch of gold coins while whispering with the butler, seemed to pay no attention to someone like me who had transformed into a servant.

Satisfied, I quickly walked through the long corridor and boarded the carriage parked in front of the mansion’s main gate.

Soon the door closed and the carriage carrying me and the jester began to move slowly. After a while, the carriage arrived at a secluded alley leading to the slums. The jester handed me the contract and said:

“Here it is, my lady.”

“Good work.”

I deliberately answered coldly as I took the contract and handed him a pouch of gold coins.

“Thank you, my lady!”

He bowed his head repeatedly in a servile manner to express his gratitude, then quickly got off the carriage and disappeared into the dark alley of the slums.

After a short while, his footsteps faded away. Only then did I remove the mask I had been wearing.

“…Phew.”

And I exhaled deeply.

I had worried that Leonard might recognize me, but fortunately that didn’t happen. Grateful for Leonard’s indifference, I pushed the contract deep into my bosom.

Meanwhile, the coachman who had been waiting for my instructions spoke up.

“Where shall I take you now?”

I answered without hesitation.

“Take me to 14 Royal Street.”

“Understood.”

That was the name of a street close to the townhouse of Duke Yusten’s mansion where I lived.

As I felt the carriage start moving again, I took out the maid uniform of the Yusten mansion that I had prepared in advance. It was time to disguise myself once more to safely return to the mansion.

A short while later.

The carriage carrying me arrived in front of 14 Royal Street.

Having changed into the maid uniform inside the carriage, I immediately entered through the back door of the mansion. Passing through the garden and safely through the locked bedroom door, I caught my breath and checked the time. Fortunately, it wasn’t too late. I hurriedly took off the maid uniform and changed into a comfortable nightgown and robe.

Knock knock.

“My lady? Are you still asleep?”

Just as I was adjusting my clothes, Annie’s voice calling me was heard along with a short knock.

I answered her, pretending to have a languid voice.

“…No. I’m up. Why? Is something wrong?”

“The Duke has returned. And he asked me to bring you to the reception room in the main building, saying he’s looking for you.”

“…Is that so?”

I turned my gaze back to the wall clock to check the time. It was an unusually early return for the Duke.

‘Having been humiliated at His Majesty’s birthday celebration, and with his political ally Duke Klein still imprisoned in the tower, he must be quite anxious. That’s why he needs my help.’

I twisted one corner of my mouth upwards as I thought that.

Of course, I was willing to help. Though it might seem beneficial to Duke Yusten at first glance, it would ultimately lead him to ruin.

I opened the locked door. And looking at Annie standing in front of the door, I said:

“Alright, Annie. Then could you come in and help me change clothes?”

“Yes, my lady.”

At my words, Annie quickly entered the bedroom and immediately headed for the adjoining dressing room.

After wiping my face and hands with a damp towel, I changed into a light green dress with Annie’s help. Having finished getting ready in no time, I headed to the main building with Annie.

Entering the reception room of the main building, I saw Duke Yusten sitting in the central seat and Danae sitting next to him drinking tea.

I slightly bent my knees towards Duke Yusten and greeted him.

“You called for me, Uncle?”

“Yes, come here and sit down.”

Duke Yusten said, pointing to the seat on his left side.

I obediently went and sat down where he indicated. Then Danae looked me up and down and said:

“I heard you sent away all the maids saying you were taking a nap, don’t tell me you’ve been sleeping until now?”

“Yeah. I was a bit tired.”

I answered her question in a blunt voice. Danae looked at me with a strange gaze and said:

“Oh my, why? You’ve been going out frequently these past few days, is it because of that?”

That was clearly a probing remark.

I answered her words with a nonchalant expression:

“Yeah. That’s right. I had to deal with the aftermath of His Majesty’s birthday celebration. Plus, I had to handle the matter of Duke Klein… Father being imprisoned in the tower.”

“…What? Sister! Did you meet Lena… I mean, Viscount Klein? Alone?”

Danae shot back in a somewhat excited voice upon hearing my words.

Holding back the urge to openly mock her, I said:

“Yeah. I met him. Why? Is that not allowed? He is my fiancé after all.”

At my somewhat sharp question, Danae stumbled over her words, seemingly flustered as if she had made a mistake:

“Ah, no. …Of course there’s nothing wrong with that. …But, why didn’t you take me with you when you went? I was bored alone at the mansion.”

“It wasn’t a social visit, but to discuss family matters. I’m sorry if you felt left out, Danae. …But, I don’t quite understand why you’re reacting so sensitively to this.”

“Uh. Huh?”

“I mean, as I said earlier, he and I are engaged. It’s a bit strange for you to be so flustered and raise your voice over us meeting alone. Don’t you think?”

“…Well, that’s true… But still, I felt a little hurt that you left without me…”

When I countered, Danae answered with a slightly distorted expression, as if making an excuse.

I easily read the bewilderment and jealousy flickering in her red eyes. I inwardly sneered.

‘What’s there to feel so hurt about? Why don’t you just say it honestly? That you hate the fact that your lover and I were alone together without you knowing.’

In my previous life, I was momentarily fooled by Danae’s face pretending to be an innocent sister who loved her cousin sister too much, pretending to have no ulterior motives towards Leonard.

However, after facing death once and learning her true nature, her dark intentions became too obvious to read.

It was both disgusting and amusing to see her not even trying to hide her emotions.

‘There’s no need to be so anxious, Danae. I don’t need that man.’

So take him. I’ll give him to you. I said to her inwardly.

‘But not yet. When you and that man have nothing left, when everyone has turned their backs on you. When you’ve become miserable and even more miserable, when you have no value left even less than trash. That’s when I’ll hand that man over to you completely.’

Hiding my boiling hatred towards Danae, I smiled slightly at her and said:

“So that’s what you were upset about. I’m sorry, Danae.”

“Ah, no. Sister. I’m sorry too.”

Of course it was an insincere apology, but Danae awkwardly accepted my apology. At that moment, Duke Yusten cleared his throat and spoke up.

“Ahem. Danae, Christine. That’s enough idle chat. I didn’t call you here to talk about such things.”

Then Duke Yusten turned to me and said:

“Christine, I heard you told the young Viscount Klein to sell his territory to raise bail money for the Duke.”

“Yes. As it happens, there was a merchant willing to buy one of Father’s territories at a good price.”

“Territory? Where?”

“Anworth Castle, Uncle.”

“There was a merchant willing to buy that useless land? For how much?”

The Duke asked me with slightly furrowed brows, as if puzzled. I deliberately gave a meaningful smile, then opened my palm and wrote a number to show him.

The Duke exclaimed in surprise:

“They paid that many gold coins for that land? Who on earth…”

“A foreign merchant new to these parts. As he happened to want to build a mansion on quiet imperial land overlooking the sea, I told Leonard to ‘Sell the Anworth territory to that merchant.'”

“Well done, Christine! This resolves the Duke Klein issue!”

“Yes. He should be able to safely leave the prison tower within this week.”

I said that while giving the Duke a bright expression.

The Duke seemed to be in a good mood at my words, putting down the teacup he was holding and grinning. Resting his elbows on both knees, he rubbed his fingertips together as he continued speaking.

“…Then all that’s left is to soothe His Majesty the Emperor’s heart, which was hurt by the recent birthday celebration incident. Huh, that damned old man. He said he didn’t mind at the time, but occasionally he makes stinging remarks about that jewel during palace meetings.”

“…I see.”

“Don’t you have any good ideas, Christine?”

“Well, I’m not sure…”

I deliberately trailed off in response to Duke Yusten’s question.

To be honest, I didn’t want to solve with my own hands what I had worked hard to ruin. Rather, I wanted to see the Duke lose the Emperor’s favor and fall from grace by making the Emperor dislike him even more.

How could I push Duke Yusten into crisis again while hiding the fact that I was behind it? I pretended to ponder a solution for the Duke while actually contemplating ways to ruin him.

Just then, the hem of Danae’s luxurious dress caught my eye. As soon as I saw it, a thought flashed through my mind like lightning.