Ha, Edmond burst into a chuckle and pushed the eavesdropping magic tool into his chest.

Where had the woman gone who had been making a sorrowful expression, saying she was hurt by her husband’s infidelity? She was now more than just brave; she was calculating.

‘Revenge.’

Viscountess Dien’s reputation in social circles wasn’t bad. Though full of vanity, it’s said she goes around praising her daughter-in-law to others until her mouth goes dry. Revenge against such a Viscountess Dien? Was there discord with her in-laws?

Lost in thought and furrowing his brow, Edmond quickly composed himself when he saw Etricia coming out the door.

“Is it over?”

“You must have been bored waiting.”

Edmond shook his head and followed her down the alley.

Glancing at her, he saw that the corners of her mouth, lifted at an angle, showed no signs of coming down.

‘She’s excited at the thought of taking revenge on her in-laws.’

Of course, revenge wasn’t wrong. Anyone who had their inheritance stolen through a manipulated will wouldn’t just quietly divorce.

But from what he understood so far, Etricia Vuel was impulsive to the point of recklessly requesting murder contracts when drunk.

It was chilling to think what she might have been up to behind the scenes during the past few years of living in seclusion.

It was worrying enough that his sister had been captivated without knowing this woman’s true nature, but even worse, her tongue seemed to be made of rubber, constantly flattering with great elasticity, trying to captivate even him.

At this rate, the nickname of Reclusive Countess was laughable. Fox Countess would be more fitting.

‘There might be another ulterior motive for keeping my sister alive.’

Edmond narrowed his eyes as he stared at Etricia’s back as she headed towards the carriage.

“Count?”

Etricia turned to look at him with a puzzled expression, tilting her head.

‘I’ll have to watch her more closely and meticulously.’

Having come to a conclusion, Edmond extended his hand to help her into the carriage before boarding himself.

The carriage, adorned with the golden emblem of the Mifidian Count family, suddenly crossed the paved road.

There was someone watching that carriage – a law enforcement officer who had been in service for nearly 10 years.

“That person is…”

When he had just entered the training corps after failing the knighthood exam, this nobleman of the same age had entered the Imperial Knights. Afterwards, he became renowned for subjugating monsters.

Moreover, the tale of him single-handedly entering a cave teeming with monsters for subjugation had spread widely like a legend. There was no way he wouldn’t recognize the figure he had admired, reading and re-reading newspaper articles.

The officer hastily grabbed a colleague and began to share his eyewitness account.

And the next day. An extra edition circulated announcing that the leader of the subjugation force, Count Mifidian, had finally returned to the capital after 9 years.

With Rail’s help, I called a peddler to the mansion and sold off the household goods from the Vuel Count’s residence that had arrived the day before.

They were distributing nobles’ items to wealthy individuals who admired aristocratic culture but were unqualified to purchase them directly.

Perhaps because of this, he dragged out time in the dusty warehouse, haggling and making my nerves raw.

Just as I was about to send him away, having reached my limit, he mentioned a frame placed in the corner.

“You want it thrown in for free?”

It was the burnt portrait that the butler had brought to curry favor, which had only fueled my anger.

I had postponed disposing of it, judging it beyond repair… but the peddler seemed to covet the jewels attached as frame decorations.

I sighed and said,

“Put it back.”

“My lady, the portrait is beyond repair anyway-”

“I don’t like repeating myself.”

As I glared at him in response, the peddler who had been approaching with a sly look retreated with a grumble.

Eventually, he paid and left with the cargo wagon.

I stared at the portrait left alone in the corner of the now empty warehouse.

“My lady…?”

I nodded to the maid who was watching nervously, unable to close the warehouse door, and she quickly shut it.

As the portrait of Count Vuel was buried in darkness with the sound of old hinges, I met his gaze.

Father was still smiling at me from within the frame.

Though I had been cooped up in the mansion for 4 years, I hadn’t properly looked at the portrait, overwhelmed by the hardships of life.

I couldn’t face the eyes in the portrait that seemed to reproach me, saying, “See? Didn’t I warn you?”

‘Only now that I’ve resolved to end this arduous marriage do I face you.’

How ironic that I had forgotten my real family while desperately seeking affection from Devon.

Creeak, bang-. Only after the door had completely closed did I turn away, having stared for a long while.

My nose stung just a little… a little, as the lingering image of his warm embrace and longed-for smile flashed in my mind – of him rushing to lift me up when I fell while frolicking in the meadow atop the portrait.

Late in the afternoon, while Lilien was out attending a confectionery class, I was sitting leaning on the couch armrest, reading Rain Burton’s letter.

Edmond had entered the palace the day before, receiving an imperial edict after news of his return to the capital had spread, so there was no observer at the mansion.

Ah, no. There was Rail, his right-hand man.

And it was this Rail who visited to deliver shocking news.

“Who did you say is here?”

Rail placed one hand on his chest and bowed his head as he replied.

“Miss Berita is earnestly requesting to see you.”

Huh, the Emperor’s reply hasn’t come, but…

I let out a light chuckle as I straightened my posture on the couch.

Berita.

In the original work, she was my sworn sister and the only person I hadn’t cut ties with during my reclusive married life.

She was also the one who recommended the underground guild, and the supporting character who blabbed at the banquet in the original story.

While I was lost in thought for a moment, Rail, gauging my intentions, spoke first.

“Shall I tell her to return another day?”

“…No, please guide her to the reception room.”

I folded the letter with an audible sound and placed it on the table.

I couldn’t turn her away when she came of her own accord. Upon hearing the report that she was waiting, I calmly stood up.

‘Well then, shall we go?’

It was time to give a gift to Berita, who would be waiting with an innocent face, knowing nothing.

Rail ushered Berita into the reception room and then guided me there.

It was a south-facing reception room on the first floor, well-lit by sunlight. This was also where I had conversed with Edmond in the early dawn.

As Rail slowly opened the door, I could see things I hadn’t noticed before due to nervousness.

Things like the gold-plated decorations around the door frame or the expensive wallpaper embossed with silver laurel wreaths.

After looking around at these, I finally faced the woman who was staring at me with a surprised expression.

She was a sorrowful beauty with light pink bobbed hair and purple eyes, with a tear mole beneath them.

“It’s been a while, Berita.”

“Elder sister!”

Berita knocked over the chair and ran to embrace me.

A deep scent of lavender wafted from her as she buried her face in my neck.

I listened for a long time, unable to break away from her breath melting moistly into my neck, so feeble and pitiful.

“Elder sister. What on earth happened? Do you know how worried I was? When I returned from my trip and went to the mansion, it was burned-”

“Calm down and sit.”

However, Berita flinched at my rather calm voice as she was blurting out words in excitement.

“Ah…”

Still under the aftermath of her passionate emotions, Berita awkwardly wiped her tears with the back of her hand and returned to her seat, watching my reaction. She had quickly sensed the dissonance.

After ordering tea from the maid and taking a seat, Berita pulled my hand resting on the table and held it.

It was a very rude action for a commoner to do to a noble, but as always, she didn’t care in the slightest.

“I hurried here as soon as I heard from Viscountess Dien that the mansion had burned down. Are you alright?”

I stared at Berita as she lowered her eyebrows in concern for me, then spoke.

“It seems you have frequent interactions with the Viscountess. Perhaps even more than I do.”

For a moment, Berita’s eyelashes fluttered as if she had many things to feel guilty about. After all, she had been very close with Antra.

“Th-that can’t be. You know that you’re the only family I have.”

Family. Family, she says.

Ha, as I sneered, Berita fidgeted with my hand awkwardly before speaking.

“Elder sister, I heard from the Viscountess that you’re… getting a divorce?”

Berita gazed at me coyly with bright eyes. They were innocent eyes brimming with faint expectation.

“Did you come running like a dog waiting for its master at that news?”

“How can you say such things… I told you I came because I was worried about you. Are you angry with me about something?”

When I didn’t respond to her whining or coaxing, Berita withdrew her hand and closed her mouth.

For the record, while I tended to be cold towards others, I wasn’t an unkind person.

Even if she was the root cause of the assassination attempt, knowing it wasn’t intentional, I would have at least greeted her as a sworn sister. However, Berita…

Click, I put down the teacup and asked casually.

“Have you been well?”

Berita’s eyes widened, then she sighed in relief as if I were the kind Etricia she knew.

“I’ve been well. It’s been a bit lonely since you got married, but-”

“No, not you.”

I stared at Berita, slowly opening my eyelids. Like tiny ripples on a calm surface, anger stirred in my quiet heart.

“I mean my husband.”

That is, if Berita hadn’t committed adultery with Devon.

“…!”