“You found it?”

Mercedes asked in a surprised voice. Carlos slowly nodded his head.

“Your subordinates are truly capable.”

“Thank you.”

Whenever the two talked recently, they only discussed official matters. Even then, Carlos couldn’t respond with his usual leisurely jokes, so the conversations often ended abruptly.

Mercedes felt uncomfortable with that. The questions that came to mind despite knowing she had to endure them, the conversations that weren’t like before. She ‘didn’t like’ any of it.

And the moment she recalled that emotion, she was startled.

Had she ever dared to judge something as…’not to her liking’?

She had been angry and screamed, but in fact, all those emotions stemmed from revenge or… an inability to give up on her own life.

That’s right. Mercedes did not like the current situation. It felt really strange to her.

“Father is excitedly going around giving interviews.”

She suppressed the uncomfortably grating feeling and spoke to Carlos.

“Yes. If nothing else, he seems to be someone who survived just by his mouth. He’s slyly insulting you while pretending not to, making others curse you.”

“…Yes, that’s the kind of person he is.”

Naturally, all sorts of attention was focused on the Count, not just in high society. Since the Crown Princess had never opened her mouth about Sheim until now, people who had been curious about the murder case flocked to the one who knew the incident in Sheim best.

The Count often used cunning words.

What a preciously raised daughter. He was just happy to be in contact with her after a long time. He was only grateful to Her Majesty the Empress Dowager for inviting him. Wasn’t he disappointed in his daughter? How could that be! He heard her health wasn’t good.

In such trivial ways, he was hinting that Mercedes had not taken care of him.

And when attending social gatherings, he even insulted his hometown of Sheim, saying how great his private soldiers were and that the massive defeat in the territory war was the King’s scheme.

In an instant, the Count, who had the Crown Princess backing him, began to be called here and there in high society.

He could frequent gambling dens and join social clubs.

Every day, he spent his debaucherous nights currying favor with people using the money the Emperor had provided.

“- So here’s the thing. No one knows about it yet.”

“They’ll know soon. Since you mentioned it here.”

“Yes. In fact, it’s practically advertising. If you invest, I’ll be grateful for life!”

“I’m sorry, but I’m no longer interested in investing. I won’t do it anymore.”

A strangely enticing story reached his ears.

Upon closer look, the people in this gambling den were the big shots of the capital, and if one listened carefully, sensational news could be heard.

Much of it was no more than tabloid-level, but to the Count, everyone suddenly looked like a golden goose.

He had money from the Emperor and even the Empress Dowager’s support.

He fearlessly squeezed himself in among them.

In fact, the Count wasn’t completely devoid of a business sense.

However, his business sense worked in the small country of Sheim, when inheriting the solid business of the Count’s family.

It was comical to see him boldly proposing investments in a ‘sailing ship carrying luxury goods’ and a ‘mine’ in the capital based on things he had roughly overheard from people he barely knew.

The sailing ship was set to pass through waters where it was very prone to sinking, and the mine hadn’t even begun development yet, so the information was uncertain.

Of course… the people in that gambling den were whispering secretively as if one must invest in the sailing ship and mine.

Nobles who had rolled around enough in business immediately grasped the situation and withdrew, but the novice investor Count got swept up in a daze. And he received praise.

He paid for a big round of drinks, was flattered by the servants, drank strong liquor, and splurged gold coins.

It was a terrible sight. Of course, the nobles there weren’t much different, so no one found it strange.

Nobles always had a taste for this kind of pleasure. Besides, the Count boasted that he was originally rich, so, well. Such behavior seemed quite natural.

The sight of the Count freely roaming around and squandering money proved that Mercedes had indeed grown up in a noble family.

* * *

While Flora wasted bathwater at the mansion, saying she would die of disgust if Mercedes so much as touched her, she changed her attitude as soon as she went outside.

She didn’t know what trick that stupid wench had pulled, but the capital’s high society was abuzz with talk about Mercedes.

Even in Sheim, she was praised for her face alone, and it seemed she had been showing a different side lately, but…

No matter what, how great could her social skills be? She was a porcelain doll-like girl who was only thorough in etiquette.

Controlling the atmosphere was Flora’s specialty.

So the people here would also soon fall for the bright and lovely Flora.

Maybe someone would even fall for her.

Since she could become the Empress, she would have to act somewhat modestly, right? Firmly believing her father’s words that she might become the Empress, she had a lovely dress tailored and headed to where the blooming youth gathered during the social season.

From the moment she arrived, attention was drawn to her. It was because of the white carriage that the Empress Dowager herself had arranged and provided from the imperial palace.

Flora got out of the carriage under the gaze and whispers of the people, escorted by her elder brother Fredrick.

A beautiful night that held the gaze and murmurs of people along with candlelight in the mansion.

Flora really liked this atmosphere. It was a place more glamorous and exciting than the banquets in Sheim, as if hiding something inside.

It was completely different from when Mercedes had attended her first banquet, her fingertips turning cold from tension.

“Oh my, Flora!”

“Saviena! Your dress is so beautiful today?”

Her confidence in controlling the atmosphere was not a lie. She had already built connections by attending the welcoming ceremony and various tea parties she had been invited to afterwards.

And she attended the banquet, laughing with them.

Fredrick, as always, looked around, eyeing lonely-looking widows or married women. If there were beauties, he could have a pleasant night tonight as well.

Count Cromwell and the Countess dispersed separately as soon as they entered.

Tonight’s banquet was not a grand one, but there were many people.

The capital’s high society, which had been excited even at Mercedes’ appearance, had people flocking to it like a whirlwind since Count Cromwell’s arrival.

Count Cromwell, who was rumored to have immense wealth due to his profligate spending.

Slowly, somehow, newspaper titles like [The Crown Princess who was heartless to her family] started to appear.

Judging by that…

Something fun seemed likely to happen.

* * *

The reason Mercedes attended a banquet she didn’t necessarily have to was for the sake of Count Cromwell, as it was publicly stated.

While people recalled the sensational newspaper headlines like [Where has family love gone in this era? The story of Count Cromwell], they also expressed a strange curiosity about Mercedes’ extremely affectionate attitude.

The Crown Princess was even more beautiful today. These days, as the weather got hotter, she only wore bright colors, but today she wore an emerald green dress with an off-the-shoulder design.

The form-fitting dress was embroidered with beautiful gold thread, and along with glamorous accessories and her hair let down, it was impossible not to have one’s eyes drawn to her.

Carlos and Mercedes still seemed to be on good terms.

After appearing at the banquet hall and exchanging casual greetings with the nobles, Mercedes immediately spotted her family and ran to them.

With her usual ‘bright and lovely’ appearance, her eyes even filled with affection, the nobles had to wonder if the newspapers had written strange articles again.

“I heard you didn’t have to come to today’s banquet. Did you come for Flora’s sake, Your Highness?”

On the other hand, Flora didn’t like Mercedes being like that. Because the spotlight had been taken away from her.

‘The Crown Princess doesn’t necessarily have to attend even small banquets like this, so is this wench rebelling now?’

“It’s your first social banquet since coming to the capital, elder sister. How could I not take care of you?”

Mercedes laughed and linked arms with Flora. Although Flora thought it gave her goosebumps, she actively accepted it for now. After all, what mattered was shifting the spotlight to her side. She could do anything for that.

‘Wait, this girl…’

But it was strange.

Was this her original face?

Flora tried to strike up a conversation with Mercedes but had to stare at her for a moment.

There was a gleam in her eyes. Her smile was brimming with confidence. As if… she was alive. Unlike when she lived at the Count’s estate.

It momentarily made Flora afraid.

It wasn’t the face with the eyes that always obeyed. No, they were eyes that looked like they could thrust a knife at her at any moment.

‘The murder of the Crown Prince, could it be that it wasn’t a false charge…?’

Could Mercedes kill her? Did this girl have such skill?

“Wait a moment…”

Flora tried to slightly pull her arm out of Mercedes’ grasp.

“Why, elder sister?”

But Mercedes grabbed Flora more tightly and asked with an innocent face.

“Ah, that’s. Ah, it’s nothing.”

Flora gave Mercedes a forced smile and slightly turned her head. With her eyes, she searched for her father.

Today, Father had said he would somehow talk to Mercedes alone…

And at the end of Flora’s gaze, the Count appeared like salvation. As Flora sent him a desperate look, the Count approached.

At the same time, Carlos spoke loudly enough for those around to hear.

“- Oh dear, Mercedes. I’m afraid I have some business to attend to for a moment. I think I’ll have to excuse myself.”

“Enjoy your business, Your Majesty. I’ll stay here with my family.”

After a brief exchange, the Emperor disappeared. And the Count grabbed Mercedes’ arm, smiling affectionately, and whispered in her ear.

“Follow me.”

“…Yes, Father.”

The always forceful voice she used to hear.

If this sounded pleasing to her, like the climax of a long symphony crashing down, had she gone crazy?

“Hoho, Mercedes. Shall we take a stroll? I have so many things I want to talk to you about.”

The Count escorted her out, acting affectionately as if he wanted others to hear.

So Mercedes let go of Flora’s arm. Flora thought she somehow felt relieved and carefully stepped back.

The Count and the Crown Princess soon left the banquet hall. No one cast doubt on the stroll of the father and daughter with a good relationship.