A beautiful carriage gently came to a stop in front of the grand Blanchet mansion.

The intricate golden decorations atop the pure white color, visible even from afar, revealed at a glance that its owner was a high noble.

The knights who remained in the territory as guards, upon seeing the Periot crest embedded in the center of the carriage, hurriedly sought out Lady Elise.

Soon, following Lady Elise’s instructions, the doors of the ducal residence opened, and the Blanchet knights lined up on both sides.

It was Lady Fiocelle who stepped out of the carriage, escorted by a knight.

She elegantly removed her fedora, revealing her snow-white face.

After quietly gazing at the Blanchet banner fluttering in the sunlight, she proceeded through the open garden gate.

Around the center of the well-landscaped garden, Lady Elise soon came into her view.

Elise greeted Fiocelle with a bright smile.

Approaching Fiocelle, Lady Elise removed her gloves and gently clasped her hands.

“I was thinking of meeting you anyway… Thank you for contacting me first.”

“You didn’t have to come out. Thank you for your warm welcome.”

In response to Fiocelle’s coquettish words, Elise gracefully curved her eyes and led the way inside.

Fiocelle had contacted Elise a few days ago.

Now, with Cassian absent, the reason for sending a messenger was obvious.

Cassian had recently made a bombshell declaration to Periot about breaking off the engagement.

In reality, since there had never been an engagement, the word ‘breaking off’ itself was meaningless.

So, her son’s intention in directly conveying this unpleasant decision to Periot was clear.

He must have expressed his anger and warned about how Fiocelle had tried to do something to that girl.

Elise observed Fiocelle, who resembled her younger self, with a pitying gaze.

As the two arrived at the grand hall and took their seats, prepared tea was soon served on the table.

Elise affectionately tilted the teapot to pour the tea.

The gurgling sound created an unexpected serenity in the uncomfortable space.

“It’s jasmine tea, known to calm the mind.”

Fiocelle, with a smile on her lips, slightly bowed her head towards Elise.

“Thank you for your thoughtfulness.”

Afterwards, silence briefly spread over the space.

Lady Elise gently pushed the teacup towards Fiocelle with a smile.

Fiocelle gradually came into her view.

Her light pink lips and pastel-toned dress accentuated Fiocelle’s inherent modest aura.

Compared to her usual appearance at banquets with a glamorous face, it was clear she had put effort into her appearance for this visit.

After taking a deep breath, Fiocelle carefully set down her teacup.

A faint sigh spread over the subtle sound of the cup touching the table.

Soon after, as Fiocelle lifted her head, there was a moist gleam in her eyes.

“I wanted to at least give him a handkerchief, but it’s such a shame. He refused that too.”

In the Empire, it was a common custom for lovers to give handkerchiefs to those going to war as a prayer for their safe return.

However, it was unlikely that Cassian, who had even declared the breaking off of the engagement, would have entrusted that task to Fiocelle.

‘Perhaps he entrusted it to that girl.’

While having such thoughts, Lady Elise’s expression didn’t change in the slightest.

The situation was somewhat predictable, and she already knew about it, so there was nothing particularly surprising.

Fiocelle, hesitantly clutching her teacup, added more words.

“He said to forget about the engagement, and after that day, he became so cold…”

Tears eventually streamed down Fiocelle’s eyes.

Fiocelle continued speaking while observing Lady Elise, whose composure made it difficult to read her true feelings.

The day Cassian came directly to say such things.

The shock she received that day.

If a person who thinks as rationally as a statue made of bloodless iron had acted like that, it would be enough to make anyone fall over in shock.

It was difficult to read even the slightest change in Lady Elise’s demeanor.

Looking at such an impassive Lady Elise, Fiocelle finally revealed the main point.

“It’s awkward to say this when he’s out on the battlefield, but…”

Fiocelle raised her head, and her tear-filled eyes pierced through Elise.

“I felt I had to tell you.”

The sound of the teacup being set down created a crack in the space.

On top of that, Fiocelle’s voice, now much heavier than before, was layered.

“Young Master Cassian has another woman.”

Since Elise already knew that Fiocelle was aware of Yuriel’s existence, she didn’t show much change in her expression this time either.

Given that she even knew the young lady had dragged the Sleyre chapter to try to do something to that girl.

However, Elise never revealed this outwardly, and instead curved her eyes.

“That can’t be possible.”

“I saw him together with that woman. He also moved with her in Alphonse.”

After that, words continued to flow gently from Fiocelle’s lips.

Elise quietly observed Fiocelle while listening to a few more details added to her son’s activities, which she already knew about.

If she knew all this, the young lady must have had people following her son.

Of course, it would be natural to do so after knowing there was another woman.

However, the young lady’s actions were unlikely to appear attractive to a man.

Especially to a man who had no feelings for her.

It would be better to just leave things be in such a situation, but human hearts are not so simple.

“I met that woman. I wanted to resolve it at my level somehow.”

At this new information, faint wrinkles appeared on Lady Elise’s face.

“But she didn’t even blink at the envelope of money. As if she had received a promise to be by his side.”

To think she even went with an envelope of money.

The young lady Fiocelle’s heartbreak was understandable.

However, Elise didn’t agree with her words. Unless her son had gone mad, he wouldn’t promise a place by his side to such a girl.

Her son, who always maintained propriety, was not the kind to throw everything away for some girl.

The young lady Fiocelle must have seen it that way in her excitement.

Even so, the fact that she came here showed her clear determination for marriage.

Well, Periot would gain much more benefit from a union with Blanchet than the other way around.

Elise put down her teacup and gently curved her eyes in a soothing manner.

“It’s probably just a temporary wandering, so don’t worry too much.”

There was conviction in Elise’s tone.

After a few more exchanges about the war, Fiocelle rose from her seat with an ashen face.

Her appearance, as if she might collapse at any moment, was completely different from her nickname, the vibrant ‘Rose’.

Elise looked at her worriedly before giving a slight nod to the knights positioned at the side.

Following her order, the knights moved to escort Fiocelle outside.

Only after boarding her carriage did Fiocelle wipe away all traces of tears from her face.

Her face, now with thickly applied lipstick, quickly regained its vitality.

The sorrowful young lady who had been in front of Elise just moments ago had disappeared, and only the composed Fiocelle was reflected in the carriage window.

Fiocelle curled up one side of her red lips.

Coming all the way here, spouting nonsense, and observing the Duchess’s reactions were all intentional.

Now, all plans had come to an end.

She had transferred all the burdens on her back to the Duchess, who would surely take action now.

When a person’s greatest fear is scratched, they are bound to move.

As Fiocelle drew the curtain with a swish, the carriage soon began to move smoothly.

Elise, standing by the window, quietly watched the retreating figure of the Periot carriage.

Only after it had disappeared from sight did Elise’s face harden.

The elegant smile that had adorned the Duchess’s face until moments ago was nowhere to be seen, replaced by a dark aura full of intimidation.

Elise reflected on Fiocelle’s words.

As is typical of human thought, the more she dwelled on it, the more unnecessary worries accumulated.

Especially when it came to matters concerning her son’s life, which she had staked her own life on crafting, Elise didn’t want to leave even the slightest margin for error.

In that sense, there was something in young lady Fiocelle’s words earlier that kept gnawing at her.

That the girl of such lowly birth didn’t even flinch at the envelope of money.

‘Could it be that, as Fiocelle said, she’s actually aiming for the position of Duchess?’

That can’t be. Unless she’s gone mad, how could a girl of such lowly birth dare to aim for the heir of Blanchet?

However, separate from that, it was true that questions arose.

If money wasn’t her goal…

‘Does it mean that girl has other motives?’

As the ticking of the clock deepened and permeated the space, Elise’s thoughts also deepened.

Whether that girl had other motives, or even if she was mad enough to try to become the Duchess, one thing was certain.

Her son’s heart had tilted more towards that girl than she had thought.

As Elise tilted her head, a Blanchet knight who had been keeping out of sight quickly approached her.

Without looking at the kneeling knight, Elise fixed her gaze outside the window and quietly ordered.

“Find out everything about that girl, Yuriel. Including her relationship with Cassian.”

“Understood.”

Elise’s face was as cold as a sharpened blade as she watched the retreating figure of the knight.