Three days had passed since then.

Jocelyn’s presence quickly faded from the minds of everyone at the duke’s estate. While there were some who couldn’t easily forget, at least superficially, it seemed as if everyone had moved on.

Just as Cedric had mentioned, as if the figure named Jocelyn Stafford never existed, every trace of her was wiped clean, down to the smallest detail.

The unseen and cold side of Cedric, who had not been seen before, as well as the peculiar and sarcastic atmosphere created by the two princes, Harmon and Cloph, residing in the mansion, made some of the employees very uncomfortable.

Those who mainly kept an eye on Jocelyn and skillfully took advantage of Cedric’s frequent absence were the ones feeling the discomfort.

“Soon, most of the employees will be replaced. Jemero will oversee it.”

Ash, leaning against the sofa, retorted mockingly at Cedric’s words.

“Prevent those who insist on wearing only black from setting foot here.”

When Cedric smirked, Cloph asked, “Did that woman always wear such tight clothes? Surprising. Why? She already looked gloomy enough without it.”

Circling his finger around the wine glass, Cedric, who had been silent for a while, adjusted his posture.

“It must have been mourning attire. For my father’s death.”

“When was that absurd… No, forget it. Talking about it might turn it into a nightmare.”

Cloph waved his hand.

Harmon said, “Cloph and I are going back today, what about you and Ash?”

“I won’t go near the capital for a while. I’ll leisurely spread out in the ownerless house and get some rest.”

Just thinking about the capital made Ash shudder. He had no good memories of El Rautica, not even when he worked as a professor.

Cedric said, “I’ll leave in a few days. Would you like to stay a bit longer and accompany me?”

“I’d like to, but my, um, grandmother is waiting for news. And you’re not coming alone, right? Your daughter is coming… Probably to prepare a place for other nobles.”

“A place? What place?”

Seeing Cedric’s puzzled expression, Harmon looked at him as if to ask if he was serious.

“You have to officially introduce your daughter. How long are you going to hide and raise her in this remote place?”

Cloph snickered.

“Indeed, nobles are different. To call this vast duke’s estate ‘this remote place.'”

“Shut up, Cloph.”

While the two argued back and forth, Cedric closed his mouth again with a thoughtful expression.

Although he had thought of introducing Ariante to King Elmerat, he had not considered showing her to other nobles. Even if King Elmerat insisted on it, he might have subtly expressed opposition.

At that moment, Cloph spoke up.

“Thinking of nobles reminded me. There’s a very peculiar person in the capital’s social circles these days. Do you guys know? Lord Morin.”

Ash burst into laughter.

“That scoundrel. The one who changed his wife four times.”

“Ah, until you left the capital, it was four times. Updating the record, it’s the fifth now. The methods are the same every time. Claiming he didn’t properly care for the stupid son born before marrying the first wife, he divorced her and married a younger woman.”

Ash made a disgusted expression. Harmon and Cedric’s faces weren’t much better.

Circling his finger around the wine glass, Cloph chuckled.

“The new Lady Morin, who recently entered the scene, is the youngest among all the wives he swapped, but she has an incredibly cunning and obsessed lord. In the capital’s social circles, no one knows who she was.”

Ash chuckled sarcastically.
“It’s obvious by her background.”

He didn’t say it out loud, but everyone knew what kind of category he was considering. Cloph, with a vague expression, tilted his head as if pretending to be foolish and laughed foolishly.

“Ash, your thoughts might be correct. But I don’t really know. It’s like… she’s a woman with no distinctive features.”

Harmon interrupted him.

“Enough of that story. Anyway, Cedric. The dowager duchess is going to host a ball for you and Ariante. Even if you oppose, she’ll probably force it through pretending not to know. Be aware in advance.”

That might be the case, Cedric thought. And he also felt that it was an inevitable event that he couldn’t avoid forever. At least until Ariante officially debuted as a debutante, it was a mountain he had to cross someday.

“Yeah, got it.”

He nodded.

While the four gathered in Cedric’s reception room talked about the capital and the ball, the splendid front gate of the duke’s estate opened wide, and a carriage slid smoothly inside.

The surface reminiscent of dark chocolate had a glossy sheen, and the decorations on the roof were beautiful. It was Alt Viscount’s carriage, somewhat familiar even to the duke’s employees.

Since the moment Mayana saw the viscount’s carriage passing through the garden, she wanted to hide somewhere, but it was impossible. As soon as she tried to sneak out, Arianthe, who had been listening to the wheel rolling sound with her ears perked up, discovered the viscount’s carriage, and that was the reason.