The grand birthday celebration had gone on until the wee hours. The mansion’s spare rooms were provided as lodging, and everything they ate or wore was on the house.

As much as she wanted to accommodate Helena, this was excessive. It only had a negative impact on a family that was already disregarded for its miserliness.

Chloe, who had merely shown her face at the party, rummaged through the duke’s ledger as soon as it ended.

“No one can open the safe without the master’s permission, as long as I protect the mansion!” the butler who had been so assertive, readily opened it at Chloe’s unspoken request.

“Pathetic.”

Finally, Chloe clicked her tongue as she read the ledger detailing the finances of the past year.

Even if the royal family doled out money, the waste was egregious. All the money that had been spent on territorial management and other matters had all been used for his extravagance.

This worthless ledger might as well be used to wipe a horse’s droppings.

“It’s about time for them to arrive…”

As Chloe stared into the void, loud footsteps approached the door.

Soon enough, the person in question burst through the door, charging as if to break it down.

“Chloe!”

Holding a royal-sealed letter in one hand.

“It has come.”

Chloe casually set down the glasses she had been wearing.

“What’s going on, Duke? I thought you’d be wallowing in your bed drunk.”

“Shut up, just read this!”

Callis went straight to the point, too occupied to respond to her snide comment.

She snatched up the letter pushed onto the desk and read it.

The letter stated that the royal family had rejected Callis’s funding request.

“Is it such a big problem that the royal family rejected the mansion’s security application?”

“The royal family is supposed to pay the mansion every month! How can they break that promise?”

“Well, they might not be willing to cover the expenses for your extravagant party.”

As she shrugged, Callis’s face turned beet-red in indignation.

“Don’t you dare, you know what I’ve asked the royal family for!”

Callis must have footed the bill for this birthday celebration to the royal family. All he needed was the amount minus the celebration fee from the substantial monthly royal subsidy.

Yet, the royal family had cut off the living expenses.

“Ah, I forgot to mention. It seems the royal family doesn’t feel the need to subsidize your governance.”

“Heck, so because I have governance, they cut me off? Is this some petty trick because they can’t divorce me? It’s not even child’s play!”

Chloe frowned at the Duke who was furiously venting.

“Who else would make a fuss like this over not getting money, Duke?”

“What? There are external expenses you don’t know about, that money is…”

“For the dowry upon our marital agreement.”

The Duke’s attempt at an excuse was interrupted by Chloe.

He hurriedly tried to continue, but his mouth wouldn’t move properly in his surprise.

His pupils, which had enlarged a few sizes, displayed the red veins prominently. His thick double eyelids were markedly clear.

“How did you…!”

“Well, who do you think told me? The royal family who must keep secrets or you, who had to hold that over me as a weakness?”

“Stop beating around the bush, and ask straight who told you!”

“Sure, think about it, Duke. Besides those two, who else would know? Who would be foolish enough to expose such a secret?”

The Duke’s eyes gradually narrowed. His gaze flickered aimlessly.

Eventually, his gaze settled on one place.

On the flower pot delicately placed on Chloe’s window sill, with flowers as endearingly pink as a bashful girl’s cheeks.

“If you’ve acknowledged my integrity, would you kindly leave now?”

“Shut up. Don’t try to sidetrack with nonsense!”
The man who wanted to deny reality vented his misplaced anger on the innocent. Grasping the doorknob with fury in his steps, Callis yelled.

“The festival is over, and you remember that Helena and I are getting married, right? I’m planning to visit the palace for that day, so stop your nonsense while I’m gone! If the Emperor favors me, I won’t need such a trifle as the royal family.”

“So what. Save your gifts for the Emperor. We’re short on money to manage the territory anyway.”

“Shut up!”

With the force to break the knob, Callis soon exited the room. The door trembled, unable to withstand the tremendous impact.

“Anyway.”

Tsk, Chloe shook her head dismissively.

How loudly he yelled. The silence that followed was all the more discordant.

‘He said he’s going to the Empire for the marriage with Helena.’

Chloe looked at the letter next to the desk clock.

‘Then I should get ready too.’

“Helena!”

Callis sought his lover with a panting voice.

Helena, who was reading in bed, came to his side in surprise.

“Did you talk to Chloe?”

“What are you talking about?”

Unnecessarily interrogative, Helena felt uneasy.

Whatever he was asking, it had nothing to do with Helena.

It was the first time she’d seen her lover so passionately angry.

Except for last year, when she had sent knights before the princess’s birthday party.