The newspaper article published by Galdensia was a bombshell.

After the article exposing the identity of the person who created the Chainer lace that had excited women across many countries on the continent, Hamilton General Store had to go through a war.

From people requesting refunds to those throwing eggs or stones at the store, all kinds of reactions emerged.

“I know everything about Chainer in great detail.”

James said to Terran, who was reading the newspaper with a serious face. Then Luke stepped forward and spoke in a tone that seemed to reproach James.

“There must be a spy among the employees of the duke’s residence.”

“Luke, how could that be? How thorough are the housekeeper and I in training the employees?”

James was upset. However, the article included details from Chainer’s background to her favorite foods, and even her habit of splashing around in the garden pond on rainy days.

As a result, James was quite embarrassed.

“Luke is right. There must be a rat hiding in the duke’s residence that carried information out.”

The fact that the Galdensia Imperial Newspaper broke the story first was suspicious, and the feeling was not good.

It would need more confirmation, but it seemed like someone’s influence was strongly involved. No, the expressions ‘conspiracy’ or ‘scheme’ would be more appropriate.

At Terran’s cold response, James bowed his head.

“Find them. As soon as possible.”

“Understood, Your Grace.”

James’s face turned pale. The most important rule among those that employees must follow is not to disclose anything that happens in the duke’s residence to outsiders.

Yet now, a crack had appeared in the previously impregnable duke’s residence, so it was indeed a very serious situation.

“Has Grace seen the newspaper?”

“She must have by now.”

Since the newspapers had been publishing the same content for several days, even if one opened an old newspaper, they would know immediately.

Meanwhile, Luke hesitated as he looked at Terran. He looked anxious, like someone with something urgent to say.

“The Empress has sent a letter.”

“The Empress?”

Terran hurriedly opened the letter to check its contents. Soon, wrinkles formed between his brows.

Just then, Lea came to see Terran along with Pauline, and Luke tactfully excused himself.

“Terran.”

Lea focused on the letter in his hand. Judging by the imperial seal stamped on the paper, it was a letter from the Empress.

“Is that a letter from the Empress?”

“Yes. To be precise, it’s addressed to Grace.”

As soon as Terran finished speaking, Lea walked over in one breath and held out her hand to him. However, Terran clutched the letter and seemed unwilling to give it to her.

“This isn’t protecting me.”

Lea tried to persuade him in the calmest tone possible.

She had already guessed that the contents of the letter were not good. But it wasn’t something Terran could cover up for her.

Finally, Terran gave the letter to Grace. Lea quickly read its contents.

“The Empress is inviting me to a royal tea party, isn’t she?”

Lea answered as if it was nothing. But that was just an excuse; it was a party that all the noble ladies of Revon would attend.

It was a place to formally introduce the lace, as well as a place where Grace, who had Chainer with her, would have to answer truthfully.

“You know it’s a hearing disguised as a tea party, right?”

“I know. There’s no reason to avoid it.”

Lea was confident. It was as if she had anticipated something like this happening. However, Terran was serious.

If she were to offend the Empress even slightly, she could suffer greatly right then and there.

That wasn’t all. All the noble ladies who controlled Revon would be gathered there. It wasn’t a place Grace could handle alone.

“It would be better if I enter the palace with you.”

Lea hesitated for a moment. She wanted to say that she could handle it sufficiently on her own and ask him not to be overprotective.

“Grace will have to resolve this.”

Rather, he drew the line first.

Lea was surprised, but soon understood his intentions from Terran’s solemn gaze.

“Thank you for treating me like an adult. But please come to the palace with me.”

“Is there anything I can do?”

Although it might sound cold, Terran was giving her an opportunity.

“With Terran by my side, I have nothing to fear.”

At Lea’s words, Terran lowered his head. It was sweeter than any words he had heard from her before.

“I hate it when people coddle me just because I’m a fiancée. But you’re not that kind of person anyway.”

“Because I trust you, Grace.”

A gentle smile blossomed on Terran’s face as he raised his head. He elegantly walked to where Lea was standing.

“Don’t forget. You are the fiancée of Duke Courtois.”

“I’ll endure with that pride.”

Words that sent chills down to the scalp. A strange heat circulated in Terran’s heart. With each passing day, his heart was sinking deeper into the swamp called Grace.

“You shouldn’t just endure.”

“Please believe in me, that I can overcome this first trial faced by the businesswoman Grace Bizac.”

‘When did she become such a strong woman?’

Terran felt proud watching Grace change day by day, like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon.

At that moment, Lea walked gracefully towards Terran and lightly kissed his lips.

“!?”

“Thank you for coming to the palace with me.”

Lea turned around and left the office.

On the other hand, Terran stood frozen like a statue, unable to move a single step. The soft breath that had just brushed his lips…

For a moment, he thought it was an illusion. He raised his hand and touched his lips where Grace’s had touched.

‘Damn, it feels good.’

* * *

Lea went to see Rapha with Pauline. As expected, the store that had been bustling with customers was now very quiet.

“Countless customers come every day asking for refunds. Even from the provinces, they’re sending back goods saying they want to return them.”

“What reason do they give?”

Lea asked Rapha, even though she already knew.

“They say it’s fraud, selling items made by a gypsy and what did they call it, a mentally ill person, as luxury goods.”

“Ha!”

If that was the reason, it wasn’t fraud. The lace was originally a luxury item.

The price of luxury that women crave includes the cost of vanity the most.

It’s just that the feeling of fraud they experience is disappointment for betraying that vanity.

“Rapha, at times like this…”

“I know. It was smuggling, but I’ve lived my whole life doing business, why wouldn’t I know? Don’t worry about here, just make sure our Chainer doesn’t get hurt.”

“Chainer won’t be hurt.”

“Yes, I’ll keep doing business steadfastly too. Even if I die, I won’t close the general store.”

“Thank you, grandfather.”

Lea looked around the general store and then said to Pauline.

“Buy some purple lace thread, Pauline.”

“What are you going to make?”

“I’ve been invited to a royal tea party, so I need to wear appropriate clothes.”

Pauline bought the lace thread and accessories that Lea had chosen.

Rapha tried not to accept payment, but Pauline insisted it was the young lady’s order and paid the proper price.

After visiting the general store, the two went to a famous dessert café and bought cake for Chainer. She would probably be feeling down with no work to do right now.

The two sat in a somewhat secluded spot. They had to wait until the cake was packaged.

Just then, the bell rang as the café door opened.

Soon, a group of women entered and sat at the largest table, laughing boisterously.

“Oh! Who are they?”

Pauline seemed to know the women.

“Do you know them?”

“They’re employees working at our duke’s residence.”

“I see.”

There were too many employees working at the duke’s residence to know all their faces. But Pauline kept glancing at them.

“I didn’t know Nancy could afford to come to a place like this.”

Although the employees’ salaries at the duke’s residence weren’t low, it was very rare for them to come to such a high-end dessert café.

Even she only came because she served by Grace’s side. Alone, she wouldn’t dare come to a place that felt like a waste of money.

Moreover, many employees were from the provinces and usually sent most of their wages home.

“They seem to have bought cosmetics and clothes too.”

“Don’t mind it. The cake seems to be ready. Let’s go.”

“Yes, young lady.”

As Lea and Pauline stood up, Nancy and her friends who were seated on one side jumped up in shock.

They all turned pale, like people caught stealing. Lea smiled brightly at them and gracefully left the café.

“It’s the same as lace, Pauline.”

“Pardon? What is?”

“The psychology of women wanting to come to cafés like this and wanting to buy expensive lace shawls is the same.”

“That’s true.”

“We can’t say anything about that desire itself. It’s their freedom.”

“But…”

Pauline shook her head.

The noble young lady who had lived without want since birth didn’t know the world well enough.

When someone’s salary is fixed but their appearance suddenly changes and they start going to expensive cafés, it’s evidence that their source of money has changed.

Very occasionally, there were examples of maids whose circumstances drastically changed after becoming the mistress of a wealthy man.

Other than that, it wasn’t easy for a salaried person to spend money recklessly.

* * *

Lea enjoyed the dessert deliciously with Chainer and Pauline.

“Pauline, could you bring the lace thread we bought today?”

“Yes, young lady.”

Pauline took out the purple lace thread from the bag. Then Chainer grabbed the thread excitedly and exclaimed.

“Wow! It’s like ripe cherries. It’s so pretty!”

“Isn’t it?”

Lea had bought that thread because she felt the same way. The day when she would stand before the noble ladies under the pretext of a tea party at the imperial palace was not far off.

“Chainer, will you make me the prettiest cherry-like dress in the world?”

“Is it for you to wear, unni?”

“That’s right, I need to be, how should I put it… captivating.”

“Mm-hmm, I’ll make a dress for my unni, a dress fit for a princess.”

“Thank you, Chainer.”

Moreover, she needed to look very strong. So that no one would look down on her.

For that, she needed a beauty that others couldn’t help but acknowledge. She needed to create something that would make people open their wallets, not because of the status of the lace maker, but because they were enchanted by the item itself.

Lea needed a dress that anyone would feel was sublime and couldn’t help but buy in a frenzy.

Knock knock, just then there was a knock at the door, and Pauline ran to open it.

“Butler.”

“Give this to the young lady. It’s a document from Bern.”

Pauline handed Lea a large document sealed with wax.

‘It’s finally here.’

When Chainer came to live at the duke’s residence, she had sent a letter to Bern, and the result arrived today.