Lucienne, realizing who Olivia was, was so shocked that she couldn’t speak anymore and just sat down.

“Young lady, why are you suddenly like this? Don’t worry. Now that Madam Canoloup knows, the Duchess won’t be able to bully the Viscount’s family anymore.”

“Bully? Who bullied whom? Young lady of the Viscount, if you tell the truth now, I might go easy on you, but if not, you should think carefully.”

“Ma- Madam, that is, I…”

“Young lady, why are you trembling like this? Madam Canoloup, as you just heard, the Duchess…”

Mercian, who had been listening to the conversation from outside the door, could no longer bear Lucienne’s words and opened the door to enter.

Click!

“That’s right. I’m curious too why my elder sister, who has done nothing wrong, is trembling. Elder sister, it’s been a long time. This is the first time since you left like that at the last tea gathering, right? It’s also been a long time since I’ve seen you, Countess. First time since the wedding, isn’t it?”

You. Why are you coming out from there?

“Me- Mer, why are you?”

Lucienne couldn’t hide her surprised expression at the sight of Mercian entering with a cold expression.

Susan, too, was momentarily stunned at the unexpected appearance, staring blankly at Mercian.

“Du- Duchess, since you’re here, I should at least say something. Even if you’re the Duchess, you shouldn’t mistreat the parents and siblings who gave birth to you like that.”

“Mistreat? Countess, how have I mistreated my elder sister and mother? They took all the items that came as my dowry, took my dowry money, and are also receiving 100 gold coins every month from the Duke’s family. Oh, and when we went to get my wedding dress fitted, my elder sister had 20 dresses made, right? So where are all those dresses, that you’re wearing my altered clothes?”

What’s this? Why is the Duchess speaking so confidently to the Viscountess?

Could it be that the Viscount’s daughter lied to me?

“… Wh- What is this, young lady of the Viscount, could it be that what the Duchess is saying is true?”

“Co- Countess, it’s all my fault. Mer, I’m really sorry. I promised not to talk about you outside, but I just felt upset and before I knew it… I’m really sorry. But don’t worry. I don’t resent you at all for not giving us a penny of the dowry. And the gold coins that come in monthly from the Duke’s family, we only use what we need for living expenses and save the rest. When you return to the Viscount’s family in 4 months, we’ll definitely return it. So… don’t be too angry…”

As Lucienne bowed her head and spoke as if she didn’t know what to do, looking at Mercian’s expression, Susan embraced her with a pitiful expression and said,

“Duchess, the dowry is originally money for the bride’s family to use. And it’s too much to count such things between family members. Now that Madam Canoloup knows her niece-in-law’s true nature, she should admonish her well. If you’re not careful, it could tarnish the Duke’s reputation.”

At Susan’s words, Olivia glared at Lucienne as if she was detestable and said,

“Susan, do you still not understand the situation?”

“Pardon?”

“Susan, what do you take me for? Do you think I’m someone who can’t distinguish right from wrong? And do you think it makes sense that the young lady, who you say can barely afford living expenses, comes to this shop to buy dishes? The expensive dishes in this shop cost as much as a decent dress. Even the cheaper ones are not affordable for ordinary nobles. Do you really think that a young lady who comes to such a shop to purchase dishes has no money?”

At Olivia’s words, Susan quickly grasped the situation and looked at Lucienne with an aghast expression and said,

“Oh my. Young lady of the Viscount. Are you saying that everything you’ve told me so far is a lie? Oh my, young lady, I didn’t think you were like that. I’m really disappointed. Duchess, I’m truly sorry. I misunderstood you after hearing the young lady’s words. Let me apologize. I believe you will understand with your broad-mindedness, Madam.”

Broad-mindedness? Is she saying she didn’t do anything wrong?

When did she curse me along with Luci as if she knew me well when she doesn’t even know me well? Now is she asking for forgiveness because she spoke without knowing anything?

“No, Countess, don’t apologize.”

“Pardon?”

“I didn’t want to hear it, but I heard what you said outside, Countess. Lucy is bad for cursing me, but you are clearly wrong for cursing me without checking the truth of Lucy’s words. I don’t want to accept an insincere apology as if you knew nothing after hearing my aunt’s words. So don’t apologize to me.”

Susan, irritated by Mercian’s refusal to accept her apology, said,

“Well, even so, when I’m apologizing.”

“That’s how I feel too, Susan. You should leave now. If you make any more slip-ups, I don’t know what I might do.”

“This is really unpleasant. Young lady of the Viscount, don’t ever tell such lies anywhere again. And Duchess, how could you reject an apology right in front of someone who is sincerely apologizing? I really don’t want to experience such an unpleasant thing again. Madam, I will take my leave first.”

Susan, heeding Olivia’s warning, quietly glared at Mercian and Lucienne before putting on a haughty expression and leaving the room.

“Aunt, I didn’t know you were here.”

At Mercian’s words, Olivia, who had been glaring at Lucienne, looked at Mercian with a gentle expression and said,

“Clea said she was coming to look at dishes today, so I came thinking I’d buy one as a gift for you. I came a bit early to have some tea, but I ended up just dirtying my ears unnecessarily.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Why are you apologizing? You haven’t done anything wrong. Isn’t that right, young lady of the Viscount?”

At Olivia’s gentle but chilling voice, Lucienne said with a flustered expression,

“Ma- Madam. That is…”

“Well, understand that I’m a bit of a petty old woman who holds grudges. I can’t make all the words the young lady said today into lies, you see. Mer, you might be criticized by people for being stingy, but don’t worry. No matter how badly people think of you, they won’t dare curse you to your face.”

“Pardon?”

Seeing Mercian’s expression of not understanding Olivia’s words, Olivia took Mercian’s hand with a benevolent face and said,

“I’m doing this because I love you. We can’t make your elder sister a liar, can we? Isn’t that right, young lady of the Viscount?”

“Pardon? Madam, what do you mean?”

To Lucienne’s question, Olivia replied with a kind smile,

“You haven’t forgotten what you just told Susan, have you? So, let’s return the dowry our family gave, without using a penny, to Mer as you said. And we won’t be sending the 100 gold coins monthly after this month. As you said, you only used living expenses from those gold coins, so there must be some left over. We’ve already given two months’ worth, so let’s give all that to the Viscountess. From next month, you can live on that. Now, this way, even if our Mer gets some criticism, it won’t be all lies what the young lady of the Viscount said, right?”

What? Taking back all the dowry? Not giving living expenses?

Oh no, if that happens, I’ll have to live in poverty again. I can’t go back to that!

Lucienne, forgetting her embarrassment for a moment, crawled on all fours towards Olivia, grabbing her skirt and said,

“Ma- Madam. That’s not what I meant. And Mer already gave the dowry to our mother to use, right Mer?”

I did? I never once told elder sister and mother to use those things.

No, they took it away before I even got it, and now what are you saying?

Mercian looked at Lucienne as if in disbelief and said,

“Elder sister, you must not remember, but you and mother took the trousseau, the dowry, and the living expenses all before they even reached my hands. When did you ever ask for my opinion?”

“Me- Mer, then what about mother? It’s fine if you hate me, but do you want mother to keep suffering? You won’t do that, right? You’re my kind little sister, aren’t you?”

Why is mother coming up here?

How can you not apologize to me sincerely even once in this situation?

Is it that hard to give a truly heartfelt apology just once?

I might have forgiven elder sister before.

But not anymore.

From the moment I left the Duke’s house in a carriage on that day of the tea gathering, both elder sister and mother became people unrelated to me.

So please don’t have any more expectations of me.

Mercian looked at Lucienne, who was even bringing up Penelope to pressure her, with a cold expression and said,

“I’m sorry, elder sister, but I have nothing I can do for you. I clearly asked to be removed from the Viscount’s family last time, didn’t I? I am now a person who has nothing to do with the Beano Viscount family. So please don’t ask me for anything anymore.”

“You. Are you really going to do this? Do you know thanks to whom you were able to become the Duchess now? It’s because I asked mother to put in a marriage proposal, you know? If it weren’t for me, how could you dare to be the wife of such a Duke’s family? And now, not only are you not repaying that kindness, but you’re even trying to take my money after ruining my future? You. Do you think I look easy because I’ve been quiet? When you were at the Viscount’s house, you couldn’t even talk back to me… How dare you!!”

Lucienne, unable to control her anger, picked up the hot teapot on the table and threw it straight at Mercian.

“Mer!”

With Olivia’s cry, Mercian unknowingly sat down on the spot.

Why. Why doesn’t it hurt at all?

Contrary to the thought that she would be drenched in hot water, nothing happened. When Mercian cautiously opened her eyes and raised her head, she saw a familiar figure in front of her.

“Ru- Ruan? Why are you here?”

At Mercian’s words, Ruan, who had been standing with his face covered by a cloak, smiled brightly and said,

“Madam, I’m here. So don’t worry.”

“Ruan, why are you here? Are you okay? You’re not burned, are you?”

Mercian jumped up and examined Ruan’s body here and there at his unexpected appearance, and Ruan chuckled and said,

“Well, Madam, I should return the words you said to me last time. Let’s talk one by one. So, for the first question of why I’m here, it’s because Aunt said you were choosing dishes here today and told me to come if I had time. How could I not come when it’s about seeing you, of all people? And if you’re asking if I’m okay, as you can see, this cloak is thicker than you might think, so that amount of water didn’t reach my body. Ah, that answers your third question too. Fortunately, I wasn’t burned. Now, Madam, please sit next to Aunt for a moment. I’ll just catch one bug and come back.”

“Pardon?”

After taking Mercian’s hand, who was standing there blankly, and seating her next to Olivia, Ruan turned around with a chilling expression.