It seems beyond my ability to convince Lirien. Maybe if I bring it up when I’m with Edmun, I can express my position clearly or shift the topic.

“By the way, Lady Lirien, do you still tend to your garden?”

With a stiff smile, I changed the subject. Thankfully, Lirien readily engaged in the conversation.

I sat at an outdoor table until late afternoon, watching Lirien tend to her garden with the maids. Occasionally, when our eyes met, I would wave to her, enjoying the view of her gardening.

Lirien’s laughter, clear as a bird’s chirp, made me smile. Today, her vivacity seemed particularly striking, filling me with a sense of unease.

‘Well, it’s a bit unsettling, but it should be fine…’

With that self-consolation…

Thump!

Antla threw a bundle of newspapers onto the table in a fit of rage and hysterically stomped her foot.

“Ugh… That cunning wench…!”

She furiously crumpled the newspapers and threw them into a corner. Still unsatisfied, she angrily stomped on the shawl she had thrown off.

Sitting on the bed with his hands over his ears, Devin lifted his head, looking exasperated.

“Stop it! I should be the one angry here. Look at my face!”

Devin gestured to his face, which was bruised and cut, with dried blood on his lips.

Hah! Antla folded her arms in disbelief.

“Where do you get off? I can’t even show my face because of you! Your father is threatening divorce if I don’t bring Etrisha back, and I can’t even attend gatherings because my face is burning with shame!”

“That damned gathering, gathering! You waste time on useless things! If only you had been a bit kinder to Etrisha, none of this would have happened! What did you do to her to make her change so much? She used to be so timid and obedient!”
“All this mess is because of your disgraceful behavior with cheap women! Why did you have to get involved with them and spread such rumors? The reputation of the Baron family is ruined because of you!”

The two of them raised their voices in anger, their faces flushed red. They quarreled, dredging up each other’s faults, and glared at each other with resentment.

“Damn it!”

Devin was the first to look away. Fuming, he menacingly glared as he rubbed his thumb over his chapped lips.

Devin knew well the sensitive nature of his wife, who had lived rubbing shoulders with him for the past few years. She was a timid person, who couldn’t bear causing trouble to others.

He thought she had completely changed, but he didn’t expect her to confront scandal with scandal so boldly.

Irritated, Devin scratched his head in frustration.

He had bribed an official at the Tower of Magic to investigate the authenticity of her will, and the inquiry turned out to be true. Panicked, he repeatedly requested a meeting with Etrisha through the Miphidian Count’s family, but there was no response. Surely, Edmun Miphidian was blocking his attempts like a solid fortress.

Devin’s eyes narrowed fiercely as he stormed out of the room, ignoring Antla’s call.

“Devin!”

As he hurried down the stairs, he startled upon encountering Berita.

Since his return and the revelation of his relationship with Etrisha, he had been avoiding Berita. Realizing that Berita’s presence in the mansion was due to Antla’s influence, Devin glanced back at the open door with a venomous look.