Ruans only thought about his reputation. He was very satisfied with the good rumors that spread among the imperial citizens, noble ladies, and young ladies. However, he only thought about one thing. He couldn’t think of two things.

The fact that there would be no male nobles who would look favorably upon a prince who threw a white glove for the sake of a bastard child.

Thanks to Ruans throwing the white glove, they were able to bury Lady Anne as the greatest villainess in the Isuter Empire, and he was able to successfully enter the imperial palace to meet Teishar.

What would the nobles say about Ruans after finishing the duel with Lorirolls? They would surely point fingers at him behind his back. But Ruans clearly told himself.

Ruans clearly said he was okay with being pointed at for her sake. So she would make sure he was pointed at as he wished. Lorencia looked at Teishar.

“I think the other nobles won’t look favorably upon Prince Ruans throwing a white glove at Lorirolls Yeonsik because of a bastard child like me. They might point fingers at him behind his back.”

Ruans, who would be pointed at by the nobles.

“That’s a problem Prince Ruans will have to bear.”

The hilt of the sword that Ruans had been holding was now in Lorencia’s own hands. Ruans had always been in a position to look down on her and give orders from the past. However, he would be in a position to have to look up at her current self that she had twisted and beg.

She would put him in a situation where he would have no choice but to thoroughly beg, and she would say the same thing to him. That his words of love sound like telling her not to be mistaken.

“Lady Lorencia. From today, Evan will set up all the schedules you need to do.”

“Schedules?”

Lorencia tilted her head in confusion, not understanding what Teishar was saying. What she had to do now was study. But did she need a schedule for that?

“I don’t quite understand, Duke Spencer.”

“A typical noble young lady would always have a butler or head maid by her side to manage her schedule.”

“Ah…”

Come to think of it, she had heard Julie telling Illina what to do and where to go by her side. At those times, Illina would stop tormenting her and disappear to carry out her schedule.

“From now on, Lady Lorencia, you will have a lot to learn besides studying letters. Table manners, etiquette, and so on. Amelin here will do her best to teach you. But please let me know if you don’t want to learn.”

“Why would I not want to? I’ll learn diligently.”

“Excuse me for interrupting your conversation. Miss Lorencia.”

“Yes. Evan.”

Evan kept telling her to drop the formalities, but it was still unfamiliar to Lorencia.

“I will prepare dresses, matching jewelry, pens you need for studying, and other tools without any shortage. But there may still be things lacking, so you must feel free to tell this old butler.”

“Actually, you should call a merchant to look at the goods and purchase what you want.”

Amelin said with a regretful look.

“It can’t be helped. Amelin. Evan. Buy Lady Lorencia everything of the highest quality.”

“Of course. Master. Does Miss Lorencia have any favorite colors by any chance?”

“I don’t think I have… a particularly favorite color. Actually, I don’t think I’ve ever thought about it.”

Lorencia, who was contemplating whether to say gray, the color of fish porridge, as her favorite color, made eye contact with Evan. Evan’s black eyes, looking at her with affection, seemed warm yet somehow very sad for some reason.

“From now on, Miss Lorencia, you will have many favorite things. Favorite colors. Weather. Flowers. And even people…”

“Yes.”

Evan’s heart ached as he looked at Lorencia answering without confidence. The moment he first met Lorencia, he was surprised to see her skeletal thinness, but her hair and facial features were enough to remind him of the two people. Just that made Evan’s eyes hot with tears.

“Why are you doing that, Evan? You look like you’re about to cry.”

“I’m sorry. Someone I respect and am indebted to looks a lot like Miss Lorencia… I showed my foolishness.”

“Are you in a situation where you can’t meet the person you respect and are indebted to?”

“When you reach my age, it’s common for dear people around you to return to Goddess Ella’s embrace before you do.”

“I asked an impertinent question.”

“Not at all. Miss Lorencia.”

Evan still found it difficult to accept Musilla’s death.

“I’m sorry. Miss Lorencia.”

Lorencia looked at Evan and slowly shook her head from side to side.

“It’s okay. Evan.”

Evan looked at Lorencia, who was shaking her head, with a kind smile. She resembled the two people so much that it was clear she was Cain and Musilla’s daughter.

Evan had only hoped that they, who had suddenly disappeared, were hiding somewhere, had a child, and were living happily.

“My late mother once told me this. If you see someone holding back tears in front of you, tell them they can cry without holding back… she said to pass that message. Even to a stranger, she said to pass that message.”

“Your late mother said that?”

“Yes. If someone is holding back tears while looking at me… it might be because they are reminded of someone they can’t meet, she said.”

“Ah…”

Evan felt his eyes, which he had barely held back, become hot with tears again as Lorencia’s words seemed to be exactly what Musilla would say to him. In the end, he turned his head and wiped his flowing tears. The white gloves quickly became soaked.

“Here.”

Seeing Lorencia handing him a handkerchief as he wept, Evan politely knelt down, receiving the handkerchief with both hands, and deeply lowered his head.

“Thank you. Kind Miss Lorencia.”

Evan’s tears fell with a plop onto the rug on the floor. Lorencia was flustered by his appearance but soon looked at Evan with a sad face, lifting the corners of her mouth in understanding.

“You’re welcome.”

This was the first time Teishar saw Evan acting so emotionally. He was always expressionless and neatly handled everything, but at one word from Lorencia, his eyes reddened. Teishar looked at Amelin. Amelin was holding back tears well, but she turned her head slightly, sniffled, and wiped her tears with her sleeve.

Normally, he would have to say something to the servants who acted emotionally, but he heard that Musilla was a precious benefactor to them. So Teishar decided to pretend not to see Evan and Amelin’s sadness.

Seeing the small, precious young tree Lorencia kindly comforting Evan’s tears, Teishar’s left heart began to pound.

“Lord Lanslon. Where is His Imperial Highness, Crown Prince Adrian?”

Teishar asked, seeing Lanslon alone in the office.

“Actually, a guest has come, so he is currently in conversation in the reception room next door.”

“A guest…”

The person Adrian was supposed to meet now was himself. That’s how they had set the appointment. But if it was a guest Adrian couldn’t refuse…

“Lord Lanslon. Who is the guest that visited?”

“Well…”

Upon hearing from Lanslon who the guest was, Teishar’s brows furrowed as much as possible. Teishar immediately knocked on the reception room door. When Adrian told him to come in, he opened the door and entered.

The person he really didn’t want to see was sitting there.

“Duke Spencer. It’s been a while.”

“Count Pol Heredian. What brings you here?”

After giving a light nod to Adrian, who was sitting at the head seat, Teishar sat across from Brant.

“I was telling His Imperial Highness Crown Prince Adrian to return my daughter to me.”

“If you’re referring to your daughter, do you mean Lady Illina?”

Teishar asked Brant with a serious face. He was a heartless father who didn’t consider Lorencia his daughter. So he asked, thinking he only had one daughter, Illina.

“Illina is also my daughter, but I’ve come to get back my precious daughter that Duke Spencer took away. Are you pretending not to know on purpose?”

Brant glared fiercely at Teishar and asked. But contrary to Brant, Teishar laughed out loud.

“Count Pol Heredian. If you’ve come to ask for Lorencia to be returned, she can’t go.”

“My daughter is a child of the Pol Heredian family. No matter what decree the Empress Dowager has, it’s unacceptable to take my daughter without permission.”

“Did you just say in front of me that Lady Lorencia is your precious daughter?”

“Yes. Lorencia is my precious daughter.”

“Aren’t you curious why I laughed, Count Pol Heredian?”

Teishar, who had a smile on his face, suddenly made his expression expressionless and asked Brant.

“No matter how much I think about it, it doesn’t seem like Lady Lorencia has ever been treated preciously at the Count’s residence… So when Count Pol Heredian said Lorencia was precious, I laughed at the absurdity.”

Brant couldn’t refute his words. Because it was the truth.

“Please send our Lorencia back.”

“You keep saying to send Lady Lorencia back without any context.”

“Please send her back.”

“If she was truly precious, instead of asking for your daughter to be returned, you should first say things like ‘Isn’t my daughter’s condition very bad? Is she alright? Is she in a lot of pain?’ Then I would at least think you were somewhat worried. But Count Pol Heredian, you’re not asking about Lady Lorencia’s condition and just telling me to send her back.”

Teishar spoke in a tone filled with hostility. The anger he had been holding back in his heart burst out with overwhelming pressure at Brant’s words calling Lorencia his “precious daughter”.

“I really can’t believe it.”