However, unlike previous social gatherings, the visitors wore mourning clothes in black and white.

Many of them hadn’t been invited but claimed they were acquaintances of Nicholas, asking for rooms to stay for a few days.

Victor, also in mourning clothes, clenched his tongue as he watched them.

‘I had suspected, but he had really been friendly with gamblers, lechers, and scum of all sorts.’

He didn’t think it was bad that his daughter could now quickly escape the Viscount’s clutches.

Especially because of the deal he had struck with Edith, Isabelle would be handsomely compensated for the two years she had endured as a neglected wife.

Victor approached Edith, who was mingling with the guests in the hall.

“My lady, I don’t know whether to deliver good news or bad news in succession.”

He showed Edith the same courtesy he had shown other ladies.

Then, he distanced Edith from the other Viscountess by mentioning Isabelle’s pregnancy.

Edith, pretending to speak of the pregnancy, gently touched her stomach.

“Victor, the favor I asked?”

“Hmm, hmm. As you know, the capital is rife with political infighting, so it was a bit difficult to secure a private wizard.”

Victor didn’t miss a beat.

“I’ve arranged a visit from a capital wizard. I’ve given a hefty advance and expedited the schedule as much as I could, but it will still take three months.”

“Three months… Understood.”

Though she had anticipated it, the time until the wizard’s arrival felt too long.

Noticing Edith’s slightly disappointed expression, Victor quickly added,

“If they arrive earlier than promised, I’ve agreed to pay double, so it might speed up.”

Victor had no choice but to be more obsequious than before, knowing that Edith was carrying the successor of the Portrion household.

After all, if the child became the head of the family, the mother would naturally receive more attention and favor.

‘Of course, the biggest reason is that I’ve promised to be left out of the inheritance division among the wives.’

A shrewd merchant always had multiple insurance policies to minimize risks.

In that sense, Victor thought Edith was a very clever woman.

‘She might have known about her pregnancy when she called me and Isabelle to propose the deal.’

Even if he was left out of the division of inheritance among the wives, if the child in Edith’s womb was from Nicholas, it would naturally become the head of this household.
So as Edith, the best course of action was to use the inheritance she would receive in her capacity as the Viscountess to oust Sophia, the real power in the mansion, and place her child in the Viscount’s seat.

How could she pull off such a perfectly timed maneuver?

“If we had met while still unmarried, wouldn’t you consider taking a seat within my circle?”

Victor felt a twinge of regret but became somewhat curious about why such a remarkable woman would summon a wizard.

“Thank you, Victor. Anything else you’d like?”

Victor concluded that Edith’s second request was an intricate strategy to gain control over Portrion.

“Spread the word to get the merchants on my side. Whitman may have taken the fall for everything, but Sophia didn’t notice the financial embezzlement, did she?”

“Correct.”

“We need to sway public opinion that it would be disadvantageous for the merchants to work with her if Portrion falls into her hands.”

Victor relayed her words without fully understanding why she was making such a request.

He instructed his subordinates to create the impression that Sophia would likely just take bribes and had no interest in Portrion’s affairs.

Seeing her outline such a grand scheme made him think that she must be contemplating at least taking over the leadership of Portrion.

Thanks to Victor faithfully following Edith’s proposal, the circle leaders were more attentive to her than to Sophia.

Even the lords of the circle who didn’t heed Victor’s words did not miss that the other merchants were trying to impress the Viscountess who was pregnant with the heir.

“During the banquet, I didn’t get a chance to greet you up close. I’ve been trading with Portrion’s circle for a long time, as a member of the western circle….”

As time passed, more and more of the big players gravitated towards Edith, and Sophia began to feel uneasy.

She knew full well that Edith’s child was not a Viscount but merely the offspring of an employee, yet when she saw how people treated her as the Viscountess, she began to sense an inexplicable crisis.

‘…That can’t be. Edith is the type to come to me with even minor issues to ask what should be done.’

Sophia reassured herself that it was needless worry and tried to calm her mind. However, as with all things, a nagging premonition always tends to be correct.