He wanted to unify Rusonia and Landhill. Though it sounded like unification, it was no different from wanting Landhill under his authority.

He had amassed great wealth since becoming a lord, but the conditions of the common people hadn’t improved at all. Andrew had somewhat caught on to the fact that Count Graham was secretly using the money he had gathered to look after the Empress. But unification?

Landhill had its unique characteristics. Though the land was barren with many mountains, it was still the precious homeland of the people.

It was clear that Count Graham wanted to push through this agenda for his selfish desires, even though the exact reason for unification was unknown.

Therefore, Andrew cast a vote against it.

The result of the vote was rejected. Five in favor, six against.

If he were to be annexed to Landhill, his vote would disappear, and a new member would be elected. Then could a fair person not influenced by Count Graham’s manipulation become a committee member?

He recalled the young lord brimming with confidence. Disregarding that he was royalty, Carson was not a person who deserved to be a lord of a small territory based on his achievements so far. But he was not in a position to dream any further either.

Andrew pondered for a long time, holding his complicated thoughts in the carriage on his way home.

(This is a time separator.)

At the end of the banquet, Carson called Noah to his office. Waiting for his aide, Carson reminisced about the conversation the two men and women had shared in the lounge.

“Did you call for me?”

Instead of responding, Carson tapped his desk with his finger.

“The smell of money…….”

“Yes?”

The count’s daughter had indeed said that. That Carson had an uncanny ability to smell money.

“There’s something we need to find out discreetly and swiftly.”

Noah became alert at the rare sharp tone in Carson’s voice.

“Speak, sir.”

“Get me a detailed report on Baron Swenden’s financial situation.”

“What? What do you mean by that? Surely, you’re not really trying to find out the size of the dowry?”

Noah grimaced at the audacious command. It was not something a person who made himself so materialistic would say. Moreover, considering his wealth, the dowry the baroness would bring would be like dropping a tear in a river.

“It’s true that Lady Ines Swenden has piqued my curiosity quite a bit, but I’m not a romanticist to decide on marriage after one dance.”

“Then why……?”

He brushed back his fine black hair that had fallen across his desk with the hand that had been tapping. Beneath his exposed smooth forehead, golden eyes sparkled with curiosity and interest.
“Swenden becomes part of Landhill, then it’s what Graham loses. We need to know that.”

Graham the Earl was second to none if it came to sniffing out money, just as Carson was unparalleled.

“So search thoroughly, without missing a single thing. Even the number of candlesticks inside the house.”

(This is a time divider.)

At that time, Ines was in a carriage on her way home.

“Did you enjoy today?”

Susan casually asked, smoothing out the dress of the young lady seated across from her. At that question, Ines laughed with pleasure.

It was a very longago memory, but Ines had not stayed at a ball for such a long time in those days. Susan also knew that Joseph would be at today’s ball.

“What do you want to know?”

She even went as far as asking for Carson’s portrait, so it was only natural to be curious about Ines’s day.

“No, just… wondering if you danced.”

At the question of whether she danced, Ines bit her lower lip for a moment. At that sight, Susan leaned forward, eyes gleaming.

“Did you dance? With a young gentleman from which family?”

Ines hadn’t danced with her father at a ball in over 10 years. The noblewomen of the Keinz Empire begin learning every dance from the moment they can walk, wearing shoes modeled after women’s footwear called sangteju. It meant they could dance as naturally as breathing from a very young age.

“With the Earl.”

Yet Ines was unsure. There were still moments when it felt new to walk without tripping over her feet.

“Yes?”

“His Lordship.”

While laying her hand on his arm and descending the long staircase, Ines estimated the steps in her mind. In a situation where she didn’t know which dance would start, it wasn’t much help.

But the moment she met his eyes, all the worries disappeared.

“Really?”

“Why would I lie about something like that?”

“Ah.”

Susan wore a dreamy expression, as though wandering in a dream. And Ines, too, walked the same dream path.