“Lady Ford! Ah, no, Lady Antler Top? What should I call you…? Anyway, come on in! It’s wonderful to see you.”

Mercedes nearly ran up to Nadia as she entered her room. She was also smiling brightly as if in a great mood.

She was in the middle of her usual ‘naive woman’ act.

Nadia smiled back at Mercedes.

She thought of Mercedes at the Empress Dowager’s banquet, who had left at an appropriate time without making any promises of future meetings, preventing Nadia from feeling awkward.

It was clear that she had properly learned etiquette and how to behave in high society from the Emperor.

So even if she seemed purely innocent and somewhat empty-headed, she seemed like someone who would quickly absorb knowledge. It was still just a suspicion, though.

Anyway, Nadia was in a pretty good mood when visiting her today. Mercedes’ description of the pearls was still impressive.

“Just call me Nadia. Since we’re meeting privately.”

“Then I, I’ll also… um. Call me Mel! Since Mercedes is long.”

Coming up with a nickname for Mercedes was extremely embarrassing and burdensome. But she had no choice but to worry about it in order to get psychologically closer to Nadia while acting like a lively maiden.

The maids had told her that ‘nicknames’ were a shortcut to becoming close with someone.

“May I dare to do that?”

Nadia grinned mischievously. Mercedes nodded her head up and down vigorously.

“Of course!”

“Then… Mel. Thank you for inviting me.”

“You’re welcome, Nadia!”

It felt really strange to actually be called that when it was awkward even just thinking about it. But Mercedes excellently hid her emotions and answered cheerfully.

“It was really amazing that we have the same taste.”

“I agree. I was so happy! Calling pearls old-fashioned. Honestly, I started to doubt the aesthetic sense of the people gathered there that day.”

“Haha. Mel is quite bold. Actually, I felt the same way.”

The two of them continued their discussion about pearls again, and then slowly drifted to talking about the East.

Mercedes had intentionally steered the conversation that way.

As expected, Nadia, who took great pride in the East, talked at length.

Mercedes let Nadia talk about the East to her heart’s content. It was nice to see her flushed face, and she would feel like they had gotten closer that way.

“Ah, I’ve been talking too much by myself.”

After a long time had passed like that, Nadia stopped her chatter in a daze.

As she apologized for talking too much to the point of being rude, Mercedes shook her head.

“No! It was so much fun. Nadia, you really love the East. Please tell me more!”

Mercedes begged her.

Nadia smiled involuntarily and placed her hand over Mercedes’ hand that was grabbing and begging her arm.

“It’s alright. I really talked an embarrassing amount… And above all, I want to hear about you too, Mercedes. Are you planning to order pearls?”

“Yes! Definitely. I don’t know when the next banquet will be, but the pearls Nadia boasts about must be beautiful.”

“I take pride in them.”

Nadia looked proud. After a few more exchanges like that, Mercedes managed to get her to talk about her company.

How deals were made, the scale of the company, what the current trends were, how diverse the products they handled were.

“The next banquet will probably be Viscountess Boyd’s banquet marking the start of the social season. Mercedes, you’ll likely be able to attend as well. Since there’s only a month left, I’ll move quickly to bring you the most amazing pearls possible.”

“Thank you so much.”

Having gleaned an appropriate amount of information, Mercedes looked at her very slowly, hesitating as if deliberating.

“Um, Nadia. Actually, aside from ordering pearls, there’s something else I’d like to request from the Antler Top Company.”

The quick-witted Nadia straightened her posture and prepared to listen attentively to Mercedes’ words.

“What is it?”

“Well. I’d like to… send a gift to my father in the Kingdom of Shame, Count Cromwell.”

Mercedes spoke pitifully, putting on a lonely expression. Curiosity naturally bloomed on Nadia’s face.

They said he was a murderer. One who nearly brought ruin to his own family by killing the crown prince at that.

But Nadia thought it was absurd for this woman to be a murderer. At most, she might have instigated a murder. Of course, instigating murder was also a grave sin, but anyway, it was hard to believe that this woman had directly committed murder.

Most of those who attended the Empress Dowager’s banquet probably thought the same.

The reason was simple. Mercedes was excessively slender.

Nadia was also on the slim side, but Mercedes’ wrists were even more slender than hers.

How could someone like that possibly murder the crown prince, who was said to have trained in swordsmanship, with a dagger?

“I don’t think it’s polite to ask about a buyer’s circumstances. As a merchant, I’ve also developed a habit of not inquiring about the other party’s situation.”

Nadia hesitated before speaking.

Even if she wasn’t a murderer, it was still true that she had killed the crown prince and nearly ruined her father’s life.

Surprisingly, according to what the well-informed Nadia had found out as a merchant, it seemed Count Cromwell was still doing well.

Anyway, sending a gift to such a father?

Was it a gesture of reconciliation?

“Are you curious?”

Mercedes met her eyes and asked very calmly.

In an instant, Mercedes’ lively demeanor vanished without a trace.

Mercedes’ pupils were a transparent green color that seemed to reflect people’s hearts. A color that didn’t seem likely to tell lies.

Nadia was reflected in them. Unable to resist the welling urge, Nadia nodded.

“I’m sorry, but… yes, that’s right. Did you really commit such a deed? It seems impossible with your strength from what I can see.”

Mercedes thought ‘the time has come’ at Nadia’s question.

She had endlessly run simulations for moments like this. It was something she would have to answer eventually.

In order to remain in high society here, she had to make her crime ‘nonexistent’. Hiding her abilities was a given.

So she had to claim she was innocent.

“…It’s. Difficult for me to answer, give me a moment.”

Of course, she considered herself a sinner. Because she was indeed a murderer.

She knew that she should have chosen suicide over murder as the right thing to do. That would have been the moral choice.

Probably, based on what she had learned, that seemed to be the case.

But… what could she do?

She had become a sinner and survived with the body of a sinner.

Moreover, far from atoning for her sins, she was preparing to stick a knife in her father’s throat as well.

Mercedes believed that if she died, it would be natural for her to fall into hell.

“That day was like an accident. Just by me being there… So. Um…”

But when she actually tried to speak, it was a bit difficult.

Was it scary that the memories she had barely set aside while studying in her room and experiencing a warm bed were suffocating her again?

Mercedes pressed her fingertips hard.

She pressed so hard that her fingertips turned white and deep nail marks were left.

Mercedes even gnawed at her lips.

That sight was engraved in Nadia’s eyes.

“So… yes. It was an accident. Ah, I mentioned this. Um, my late husband was active and loved drinking with his acquaintances. He especially enjoyed dangerous games played while drunk. I don’t know the details though.”

As Mercedes continued speaking, all sorts of memories flooded her mind.

The time after she was ordered to commit suicide. The strange peace she felt on the verge of death, Richard and the people of the Count’s family who had tormented her for a long time…

With her emotions in turmoil from the overflowing memories, Mercedes’ complexion gradually turned pale.

“That, day, my husband called for me… and I went… but that was… I went, and already, really, already…”

She chose lies while trying her best to find reason.

Nadia, watching such Mercedes, also bit her lip. She felt sorry for asking the question.

She could be convinced without hearing more. This woman was not a murderer. Even if she had really committed or instigated murder, she must have had a justifiable reason. No matter how you look at it, this isn’t the appearance of a perpetrator, but… a victim.

Mercedes’ unique dignified air, and even her helpless appearance. Nadia’s sympathy skyrocketed.

“Stop. Mercedes. You can stop talking now.”

“No, I can say it. Nadia, you’re curious. And probably the other people in the room will be curious too.”

Mercedes tried to speak as calmly as always.

But strangely, her heart was pounding like crazy. Was it guilt from telling lies?

All sorts of memories she had forcibly recalled after a long time shook her violently.

Fortunately or unfortunately, thanks to that shaken appearance, Nadia came to believe Mercedes.

“You’re curious. So I can say it.”

Mercedes repeated the same words, which Nadia found quite pitiful. Nadia moved to sit next to her and held her cold hands tightly.

“No. I really mean it. Please stop talking. Anyone can see it.”

A resolute voice comforted her from close by. Some unknown warmth was gripping her hands tightly.

For a moment, her nanny came to mind. Someone who ultimately wasn’t on Mercedes’ side.

But during the time Mercedes remembered, she had always hugged and comforted her kindly.

“Um, I’m sorry. Nadia. I’m a bit… reminded of old times.”

Nadia was now even hugging her shoulders. Mercedes leaned on Nadia’s shoulder and closed her eyes.

It was okay to tell lies. No, it had to be okay.

But she didn’t know why she was being comforted now. This went against her plan.

Fortunately, Nadia seemed to view this sudden flow of emotions favorably, but…

But this was just a one-time stroke of luck. She hated herself for not always being able to do things perfectly.

“Don’t worry, Mel. Everyone will understand.”

Because of that hatred and her warm embrace, Mercedes felt a bit like crying.