“Damn it! You should have told me in advance. You stupid bastard. Why lie about something like that?”

Daemond was furious at Hook and his servants, realizing the bodies found on the duke’s estate were the women he had killed.

“But Your Highness, I didn’t know the details either. It was handled by Her Majesty the Empress.”

At Hook’s aggrieved expression, Daemond pounded the floor with his fist and muttered.

“Even Mother knows? Haa. I’ll have to give up bringing in women for a while. By the way, why is there no news of that girl from the duke’s family?”

“Well, she hasn’t come out of the duke’s residence for a while.”

“Harmen is returning to the empire, so the duke will make a move soon. Haa, of all times, Kaimen can’t support me now. Anyway, you must let me know when that girl comes out alone. Understand?”

Does he not realize it’s because of him?

Hook looked at Daemond, who was irritated as if he had done nothing wrong, and answered.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Hook sighed as he left the Crown Prince’s palace, watching Daemond become increasingly uncontrollable.

A few days later.

Frustrated that Daemond wouldn’t meet her no matter how hard she tried, Lucienne said to a servant.

“Please tell His Highness the Crown Prince that I know about his woman problem.”

Hearing this message from the servant, Daemond met Lucienne to understand what she meant.

“What do you mean by that, Lady?”

Daemond asked Lucienne with an irritated look.

“I mean, Duke Canoloup knows about Your Highness’s woman problem.”

“My woman problem? What woman problem do I have?”

Seeing Daemond who seemed to have no idea what she was talking about, Lucienne looked around and lowered her voice.

“Well, the subject of the rumors circulating in the imperial capital is the Crown Prince… Eek!”

“Say that again. Who knows what now?”

Lucienne was terrified of Daemond who approached her as if he would strangle her right away, but she endured with all her might and said.

“Didn’t I just say? Duke Canoloup and my brother know that the subject of those rumors is Your Highness the Crown Prince.”

“Haa. What is this now? Don’t tell me, the duke spread this rumor?”

How dare that soon-to-be-dead bastard orchestrate all this?

Daemond’s anger surged.

“I’m not sure about that, but I came to warn you to be careful.”

“Lady, surely you don’t believe that nonsense?”

As Daemond looked carefully into Lucienne’s eyes, she nodded as if it were obvious and replied.

“Of course not, I certainly don’t believe it. The Your Highness I know isn’t that kind of person. It seems the duke is trying to tarnish Your Highness’s reputation this way since it’s difficult for him to rebel, so I came because I was worried. But since my brother believes it, I was concerned Your Highness might become the subject of gossip if he makes a slip of the tongue somewhere.”

Seeing Lucienne give him a strange look while expressing genuine concern, Daemond felt irritation rising but suppressed it and spoke with a gentle smile.

“Thank you for letting me know. By the way, Lady, does anyone else know about this?”

“Well, my mother knows too, but don’t worry, Your Highness. We absolutely don’t believe my brother’s words.”

“As you shouldn’t. Why would I do such a thing? Lady Viscountess, I’m truly grateful you told me this. Oh, I heard your circumstances aren’t very good, and seeing you like this pains my heart. So I’d like to help you both as a reward for today.”

At Daemond’s words, Lucienne was overjoyed inside but spoke with a serious expression.

“No, I’m just telling you because I believe Your Highness would never do such a thing, so no reward is necessary, Your Highness.”

Despite Lucienne’s refusal, Daemond called a servant as if it was fine.

“You there. Give Lady Viscountess 300 gold coins.”

“But, Your Highness, I…”

I want Your Highness’s heart more than gold coins.

“For now, go back and take care of your household. I will come find you when this is over.”

As if reading her mind, Lucienne bowed to Daemond upon hearing his answer.

“Really? Thank, thank you so much, Your Highness. Then I will await your contact.”

As Lucienne repeatedly bowed to Daemond who smiled brightly at her and left, Daemond’s expression suddenly turned cold as he stared at the door Lucienne had exited for a while and muttered.

“So that girl knows too? Well, now I really have a reason to meet that girl.”

.

.

.

Unable to bear seeing Lucienne suffering and unable to let go of her lingering feelings for the Crown Prince, Penelope told her what she had heard about the Crown Prince from Mercian during a tea gathering.

After hearing her story, Lucienne went out happily, and Penelope anxiously stared at the door of the viscount’s residence, worried about Lucienne who had not returned.

Everything was going as Mercian had predicted.

A while later, Lucienne returned from the imperial palace.

“How did it go? Surely the Crown Prince didn’t really do that?”

As Penelope hurriedly approached Lucienne entering the viscount’s residence and asked, Lucienne nodded as if it were obvious and said.

“Of course not, Mother. That Mer wench must have misunderstood. His Highness was so kind. He even gave me 300 gold coins to thank me for telling him.”

After greeting the servant who came following Lucienne and put down the gold coins, Penelope opened the box of gold coins and exclaimed.

“What? My goodness, how grateful!”

“Mother, the gold coins aren’t important right now. His Highness said he’d contact me when this matter is resolved, so Mother, I might even become the Crown Princess!”

“That’s really wonderful then.”

Seeing Penelope’s overjoyed expression, Lucienne looked out the window as if she had made some decision.

Mercian, how dare you try to bring me down by siding with the duke’s family?

What can you do with the duke’s life that has less than 2 months left?

Just wait and see, maybe even your precious husband’s life is over now.

I’ll make sure to see you shedding tears of blood after losing everything.

Lucienne smiled coldly, thinking of Mercian who would soon fall off a cliff.

***

“As expected of the Duke. To so easily tie up Duke Graft’s feet like this.”

Thanks to Bisseruk’s warning, Kaimen was unable to go to his estate.

Because of this, Cassel was able to take people to search the estate and find all the female corpses they had been desperately looking for.

“For now, identify the women’s identities as much as possible and make sure they’re all properly buried in the public cemetery.”

“Yes, Duke!”

After Cassel left, Ruan approached the window and looked down.

The imperial garden visible from the office was busy with preparations for Prince Harmen’s upcoming wedding.

Prince Harmen will be back soon.

Ruan took a sip from the glass of alcohol next to him to wet his throat.

***

A month after having Cassel set up blood-soaked women in the duke’s estate every night to play ghost games…

At first, people thought it was just a baseless rumor, but as more and more people witnessed it, rumors began to spread, and within a month, they reached the capital.

Along with this, rumors of missing women…

As planned by Ruan, the rumors grew bigger and bigger and entered the imperial palace.

There were many nobles who were dissatisfied with Kaimen but couldn’t openly say anything, so Ruan only needed to throw a small spark among them.

Then they would fan the flames themselves…

Who would have thought the Crown Prince would be helpful in this matter?

Thanks to him, the bodies were discovered more easily.

Of course, he wouldn’t have known. The fact that Kaimen was disposing of the women he had killed…

Well, thanks to that, the incident blew up even bigger, and just the fact that the bodies of women who disappeared from the capital were found on Duke Kaimen’s estate was enough to hold the duke back.

The Crown Prince will also be busy dealing with the rumors circulating in the capital, so he won’t be able to pay attention to Prince Harmen for a while, right?

Now all that’s left is to solidify the prince’s position after he safely marries the princess.

Nominally, do I have about a month and a half left on my time limit?

Ruan quietly looked at the solid line that had become even fainter.

Until I officially enter the grave, I just need to solidify Prince Harmen’s position, and after that, I won’t have to worry much.

Of course, that’s on the condition that the Crown Prince stays quiet.

But knowing the Crown Prince as he did, he surely wouldn’t stay still.

If only he would start a rebellion, that could be used as an excuse to completely bring him down.

Ruan almost wished the Crown Prince would rebel.

When the Crown Prince’s matter is well settled, I should tell my wife.

That I’m no longer terminally ill and that I can never let her go…

Let’s pretend our contract never existed…

Ruan unknowingly smiled as he recalled Mercian’s face when she had whined, drunk, asking why he was being so nice to her a few days ago.

That round face so soft it seemed like it would burst if touched, always plump and squishy. And even that bittersweet kiss that day.

It seems my wife still doesn’t remember that day…

Her drunken appearance was just too cute.

“Makes me want to eat her up.”

“Pardon? What do you want to eat up? Duke, are you thinking of going hunting?”

At Cassel’s question as he entered the office, Ruan frowned and replied.

“Stop talking nonsense and make sure Prince Harmen arrives safely!”

Hey, who started the nonsense talk!

“Yes, Duke!”

Cassel felt indignation welling up but bowed to Ruan before going out.

Canoloup Duke’s residence, Mercian’s room.

“Clea, what is all this?”

Mercian, who was drinking tea in her room, asked as she saw Clea enter with her hands full of booklets, and Clea put the booklets down on the table and said.

“Every year when the new year starts, all the curtains and bedding in the duke’s residence are changed.”

“Really?”

They changed all this every year?

But why are they all changed to such dark colors?

Mercian looked at the somewhat dark curtains in the room and spoke, and Clea opened a booklet and placed it in front of Mercian, saying.

“Usually, Lady Canoloup would come and do it, but this year it seems Madam needs to decide.”

“Me?”

“Of course. You’re now the mistress of the duke’s residence, Madam. People are scheduled to come this afternoon, so please choose what you like from this booklet.”

Ah, that’s true for now, but…

Mercian quietly looked at the booklet Clea had opened, then spoke with a troubled expression.

“Clea. Of course I’m the duchess now, but I’m someone who will leave the duke’s residence in just a month and a half, so wouldn’t it be better for Aunt to do it this year too?”

“This time, Aunt said to leave it entirely to you, Madam. And we also want you to choose, Madam.”

At Clea’s words, Mercian let out a small sigh as if she had no choice and said.

“Alright, then I’ll choose this time. Leave it here for now and go out. I’ll choose slowly.”

“Yes, Madam.”

At Mercian’s words, Clea bowed and left the room.

As January passed its midpoint, the weather was getting colder.

Mercian’s self-reliance plan was also progressing smoothly.

The money she had saved from the living expenses she received already exceeded 1000 gold coins.

With this much, it seemed she could buy a house and live without worrying about money for a while.

At least I’m leaving in early March, so it won’t be cold when I go.

But to choose the curtains and bedding for the duke’s residence…

The atmosphere is a bit dark and gloomy now, so it might be good to brighten up the duke’s residence a bit this time.

When both Ruan and I are gone, the duke’s residence will feel empty, so it would be better to choose warm colors, right?

Mercian began to carefully choose while looking through the booklet and considering the overall atmosphere of the duke’s residence.