A single sincere thought, never spoken aloud, was the only thing receiving an eye. Lately, Baelter, looking at Edith, had the thought that he didn’t want to send her out.

He inhaled the sweet scent from her abundant golden hair, whispering in a slightly intoxicated voice.

“Edith, even if you use a fake identity at the evaluation, I will keep watching over you.”

“…….”

“If you find yourself in a dangerous situation or if someone suspicious approaches you, I’ll run toward you. Then, claiming to have attentively protected an outsider woman, my reputation may turn into trash.”

Edith swallowed dry saliva. Sometimes, jokingly calling her ‘Madam, Madam,’ it felt cute that the Viscount, in the name of the Duke, was making threats that didn’t suit him.
“I’ll be careful, Baelter, even considering your reputation.”

As she let out a light laugh, tension flowed into his body. Edith didn’t avoid the increasing closeness of his warm body.

The morning of the Rob Berry Evaluation day. Marquis Humphrey, lagging behind, looked out at the central square of the estate from his study.

As the evaluation was one of the most significant festivals in a small territory, the residents couldn’t hide their excited expressions, putting effort into decorating the streets.

For a moment, everyone seemed to forget the fact of living in a somewhat ordinary estate with nothing special to boast about during the winter chill.

Speaking as if addressing a virtual crowd, Marquis Humphrey mumbled to himself, “I am most pleased that soon I can make my estate residents happy by discovering a substantial marble mine in the estate.”

If you only considered the compassionate gaze and voice, Marquis Humphrey could be mistaken for a lord who only thought about his estate.

However, Betty, the housekeeper standing outside the door, scoffed when she heard those words. Working for the Humphrey Marquis for the third generation, she knew his nasty and dirty temper better than anyone.

‘Pretending to think only about the estate, especially that trash who illuminates a young girl.’

Moreover, the Marquis had kept the fact that a tremendous marble mine was discovered in the estate a secret for a very long time.

If he planned to use those resources in a good way in a just place, there was no need to go to such lengths to keep it a secret.

Betty felt no need to respond to her muttering and knocked once again.

“A guest from the capital has arrived, Marquis.”

“Thank you, Betty.”

The Marquis greeted her with a refined manner of nobility, claiming to practice noble language.

When Betty withdrew, several people, dressed like neat merchants, appeared.

Marquis Humphrey distinctly remembered the name of the person in the middle. Wasn’t he the younger brother of Patricia Huangbi, who even bore the royal family’s son?

Since it was natural for the family to drop some hints to their family first when Patricia started her supremacy, it seemed good to show that they were getting along well.

“Oh, Gilbert! Thank you for stepping into this humble estate. I’m sorry if the cheap clothes are uncomfortable for you….”

“No, it’s fine.”

Due to the overly slick attitude displayed by Marquis Humphrey, Gilbert began to misunderstand that he had become something. In fact, he chose the inconvenience of walking to far places himself, even though he had no abilities, just to stay in Patricia Huangbi’s favor.

‘If it seems like I’m putting effort into it, Lady will surely think about it, right?’

Even if he didn’t know anything else, he had to make the marble mine a perfect property of Gatoruk.

Only then could Lexion, producing outstanding magicians through generations, have a decent scenario even if it came to a fight with Lexion.

‘Only I can do something like this.’
Gilbert sat on the sofa, revealing his excessive self-esteem as a pretense. Marquis Humphrey, commanding tea to be brought, explained his recent situation without being asked.

“Well, they say the Marquis of Lexion is attending the Rob Berry Evaluation. I wonder if he plans to capture public sentiment while staying in the territory and stepping on our family a bit….”

“Since I’m here, he won’t be able to do that. Don’t worry too much, Marquis.”

Gilbert, who unintentionally boasted, paused for a moment, as if he had found a good opportunity. It was because he had a conversation with Count Gatoruk couple.

“If the Marquis of Lexion had handled things properly, Lady Huangbi wouldn’t have tested our abilities.”

“It’s already too late. Unless an unexpected accident happens to the Marquis…”

As he said that, the Count and Countess clearly wore faces that desperately wished for an accident.

‘But why would the Marquis attend the evaluation?’

Moreover, the Marquis in front of them seemed dull and foolish, with a lot of ambition and appeared willing to let his hands get dirty.

“Marquis Humphrey, I came in person to confirm your sincerity.”

As Gilbert said this, his eyes gleamed with a chilling light, akin to that of a venomous snake.