‘What did I just… hear?’

I looked at Cedric in disbelief.

I thought he would be at least a little embarrassed seeing my shocked face.

But Cedric just looked down at me with his usual relaxed expression.

“Is something wrong?”

He even had the nerve to ask that.

‘Are you really putting on this show couple act even here? No one… recognizes us here, you know?’

Watching Cedric so deeply immersed in his method acting, I couldn’t help but let out a wry laugh.

‘This is too much. I felt it in front of Adrian too, but this is going too far…!’

Unaware of the situation, the merchant burst into hearty laughter.

“Haha! That’s right, that’s right! A husband always sees his wife as the most beautiful woman in the world!”

“No? Mister, we’re not like that.”

Feeling awkward about the situation, I hurriedly waved my hands.

But the merchant already looked at me with a playful glance, as if he knew everything.

“I know, I know it all!”

“What do you know, mister?”

“Oh come on! What else, that you two are a very loving couple!”

The merchant looked fondly at Cedric and me in turn, then shouted boisterously once more.

“Hey! The husband is completely wrapped around your finger, isn’t he! As if we haven’t all been through that phase!”

Wrapped around my… what?

I looked up at Cedric in disbelief.

‘Did you hear that? He says you’re wrapped around my finger.’

But Cedric just shrugged his shoulders with a shameless expression, as if asking what the problem was.

Why on earth was he being so passionate about this?

Combined with that unique boldness of his, having lived his whole life without ever caring about others’ opinions, it was more than I could handle.

‘Once again, the embarrassment falls to me.’

I wasn’t sure if I should praise Cedric for his faithful performance as a show couple, or if I should try to restrain him…

It was a moment of deepening dilemma.

.

.

.

The distance from where the carriage stopped to the futures exchange was not very far.

After walking a bit more while sightseeing the market, a low hill appeared, followed by the vast grounds of the futures exchange.

“The building is quite large, isn’t it?”

“Yeah. I didn’t know it was such a well-built building!”

The central building with its tall clock tower was the operations headquarters.

On either side of it were two futures trading halls each.

So there were four futures trading halls in total.

The trading halls opened at set times every day, with different items traded in each hall at those times.

When we arrived, it happened to be during the time when trading was in full swing.

We headed to the Athena Hall at the back of the right building.

And the moment we entered the massive hall,

The hot investment fervor of the futures exchange hit us all at once.

The host on stage stirred up competition and raised the atmosphere, while investors held up their participation signs with excited expressions and shouted loudly.

“Here! Look over here! 410 ruts!”

“Yes! 410 ruts! How about that gentleman over there?”

“450 ruts!”

“470 ruts here!”

Perhaps due to the heat inside the trading hall, people were roughly unbuttoning their shirt collars with frustrated expressions.

As expected, futures trading in this era took the form of an open outcry auction.

“Now that you’re here in person, what do you think? I’m worried this market might be too rough for you to invest in.”

Cedric asked me as I kept looking around in wonder.

“Not at all! If anything, seeing how enthusiastic everyone is makes it seem even more fun!”

When I answered with great excitement, Cedric let out a faint laugh.

“It’s rewarding to see the futures exchange I put so much effort into creating.”

“…You created the futures exchange?”

“That’s right. I was the one who proposed to the Emperor to introduce the demon realm goods futures trading system in the Empire, and I was the one who set up the buildings and operating systems in each region.”

“…”

“It was a good business opportunity as well. I was able to create jobs for mixed-blood demons in the operations office too.”

“Oh?”

“There aren’t many places yet that provide jobs for mixed-blood demons who have come to the human realm.”

When I gave him a thumbs up in praise, Cedric slightly raised the corners of his mouth, seemingly not displeased.

“In that case, Cedric, as your friend and a potential investor in this market, may I make a suggestion?”

“…A suggestion?”

I pointed to the investors sending their servants on errands to buy drinks.

“Look over there. They’re all sending their servants to buy drinks, right?”

“That’s right.”

“The heat inside the trading hall is intense, so of course people will get thirsty. They’ll be looking for drinks all the time.”

“…”

“I think it would be good to have drink stalls inside the trading hall.”

“Drink stalls…”

Cedric’s eyebrows gently curved upwards.

“It could meet the needs of the investors while also increasing the income for the operations office and creating more jobs for mixed-blood demons.”

“…That’s quite a good idea.”

“Isn’t it?”

Cedric nodded slowly with a dazed expression.

After staying silent for a moment, he soon revealed a flustered look as he rubbed the nape of his neck.

“I never imagined… I’d be able to discuss business with you like this.”

I raised the corners of my lips in a slight smile.

“You’re quite slow to adapt for someone who didn’t expect this, Your Grace. Are you still far from getting used to being surprised by me?”

“Haha, I guess so…”

Cedric let out a faint but pleasant laugh, his gaze softly turning towards me.

“I really don’t know when I’ll stop being surprised by the new you.”

* * *

By the time the carriage entered the Twins’ castle gates again, it was already late afternoon.

Even until the front door of the Dark Mansion opened, Cedric kept standing by my side.

“Aren’t you going?”

When I asked, pointing with my chin towards the Light Mansion, Cedric glanced briefly inside the front gate and continued speaking.

“I thought I’d escort you to the Grand Duchess’s quarters. You used to be upset about that, didn’t you?”

I chuckled at his words.

“That was then.”

“…”

“I told you. I’ve changed now.”

His blue gaze, slightly lowered, lingered on me.

A look as if he wanted to say something.

But there were no other words.

“Anyway, thank you for today. Take care, Cedric.”

Cedric, who had been lost in thought for a moment, nodded slowly.

“…You too.”

After responding to him with a smile, I entered the mansion alone.

And as I climbed the central staircase, I was filled with anticipation as I recalled the futures exchange I had seen today.

‘The trading hall was more interesting than I expected. The investment fervor was intense too.’

In my previous life, whenever a new investment opportunity emerged, countless investors would swarm to it like bees.

I guess all places where people live are the same after all.

Here too, with the emergence of “demon realm goods” as a new investment opportunity, a strong wind of economic change is blowing.

‘All I need to do is ride this wind well using the original content.’

The trading price of “that item” I had my eye on was still hitting rock bottom.

But I knew that the value of that item would skyrocket in the future.

‘With that money, even if Duke Bold takes all my alimony, it won’t even make a dent?’

Just a dent?

I might even be able to buy the seaside mansion I wanted with money I earned myself.

Plus, I know the list of items that will be big hits in the future…

I will surely live a luxurious life.

Of course, that’s assuming I stay alive.

‘I think it’s best to use the money I’ll earn in the future to remove death flags first…’

It was as I was climbing the last step, lost in thought.

In the distance, I could see Bianca standing at the entrance to the Grand Duchess’s quarters.

Our Bianca coming to meet me!

I raised my hand in excitement.

“Oh? Bian…!”

But my movement soon came to a halt.

It was right after I saw Bianca hurrying along with several maids, her face anxious.

‘Why are they all acting like that?’

As I got closer, I could see the fear deeply etched on the maids’ faces.

“Oh, what do we do… Didn’t they say Madame Dmitri would return in a few days?”

“That’s right! Why did she come when Her Grace the Duchess is away…”

“You fool! What difference would it make if Her Grace was here?”

“W-well, true, the situation might have been worse… But still, poor Mina, what should we do!”

Bianca’s face grew even more terrified as she listened to the maids’ conversation.

Then the child’s eyes slowly widened as they found me.

“Your Grace…!”

Bianca ran up to me in one breath, her expression as if she had found a savior.

Not knowing what was going on, I first lifted Bianca into my arms and looked at the maids.

When our eyes met, the maids’ faces instantly turned deathly pale.

“Y-Your Grace! We’re sorry, we were just here because…”

“We’ll return to our posts immediately! We’re truly sorry, Your Grace!”

Even as they backed away, the maids kept glancing anxiously at the Grand Duchess’s quarters.

Something must have happened for sure.

I opened my lips with a hardened face.

“Stop right there. I need to know what’s going on.”

The maids’ shoulders trembled at my firm command as they came to an abrupt halt.

But I had no time to worry about them.

It was because of Bianca, who kept shaking in my arms.

“Bianca. What’s wrong? What on earth happened?”

“Y-Your Grace, I wanted to help, but I was too scared… I’m really a coward, I, I…”

I hugged the rambling Bianca even tighter and patted her small back.

“Our Bianca is absolutely not a coward.”

“Your Grace…”

“I don’t know what happened, but now that I’m here, everything will be alright. I promise.”

Bianca, who had been on the verge of tears, soon nodded and clung tightly to my arm.

Still holding the small child, I beckoned to a maid.

“You there. Tell me exactly what happened.”

“W-well…”

“Now.”

The maids exchanged glances before finally opening their mouths.

“Lady Camilla arrived a short while ago…”

The villainess Camilla is back already?

I thought she wouldn’t return for a few days.

My brow furrowed gradually at her earlier-than-expected appearance.

“And then?”

She came, but what exactly happened?

At my question, the maids’ faces gradually turned ashen.

“And, and now Lady Camilla is…”