The carefully constructed mask begins to crack.

To Kedilen, who had never heard such insulting words anywhere and always walked the path of a gentleman, Aden was like a germ.

A disease that exposes one’s flaws and brings out what one wants to hide.

His grip on the golf club tightened.

He felt the urge to swing this club and split that man’s skull right then and there. However, even in this situation, reason held him back.

“…I apologize, Your Excellency. You have spoken to me in a similar abusive manner before. I don’t mean to blame you for your inappropriate behavior, but I would appreciate it if you could at least maintain some decorum in my mansion.”

If only that dull beast could understand his words.

Kedilen tried to calm himself as he spoke, but Aden’s response, who should have understood the meaning, was cynical.

“The Marquis is so consistent. Even before, you swallowed the insult to your wife but reacted to your own insult. I don’t know how great your honor must be to have a fit over a single word, but from what I’ve seen, a man who spouts nonsense doesn’t seem to have much that’s remarkable.”

“You’re going too far.”

“I’m saying it to be heard as going too far, Marquis.”

Ludmila barely swallowed the laughter that almost burst out at the nonchalant retort.

Those words, which sounded familiar, were what Celia had said to her.

Who would have thought Kedilen would receive those exact words back. And through Aden’s mouth, no less.

As she was being held, Ludmila’s mind, which had been shaken by confusion, gradually became clearer.

Although she rarely made decisions for herself, Ludmila was not dull-witted. The three instances of help given after returning to the past.

Moreover, Aden’s first intentional help had given her a certain conviction.

“Go ask the passing servants. I wonder how many would believe what you’re saying. Ah, of course, the servants you hired would say no. But, Marquis, if what happened today spreads outside…”

Aden trailed off, wearing a vile smile that only a villain would make, and tilted his chin.

“Could you handle it then?”

“…”

“I may be barbaric, but that doesn’t mean I lack mercy. I’m a reasonable fellow who can be flexible and move on if you admit it properly. What do you think?”

The vulgar conversation that had dragged Kedilen’s dignity and honor, which he so desperately wanted to protect, to the bottom was nearing its conclusion.

Somehow, the negotiation table had been set. Aden had laid out the cards he could offer.

All Kedilen had to do was decide whether to accept this hand or present a new one.

‘Damn it.’

Of course, there was also the option of overturning the table entirely.

He knew that the old nobility, who held the majority of parliamentary seats, disapproved of him, but he had the strong backing of the nouveau riche.

Even without that, Habertz was more hated than he was disliked.

He could somewhat mitigate even extreme situations.

For instance, situations like bringing this solid club down on that man’s head.

But would his position and the status he had barely attained remain safe even after doing so?

Well, it was questionable enough to warrant a question mark.

The masters of the Send Highlands, the Habertz family, had been called Bartr, the great black wolves, for generations.

The Empire had spent hundreds of years trying to tame these barbaric people.

They were fiercer than tigers, with savage claws and teeth that could tear out the throat of a grizzly bear.

‘…What am I thinking now?’

Kedilen quickly shook his head as he met the golden eyes glaring at him.

Tame that beast? The momentary clouded judgment caused by the overwhelming anxiety had obscured his reason.

Fortunately, Kedilen came to his senses, swallowed, and carefully exhaled.

“What do you want?”

He couldn’t understand how the situation had developed this way.

By the time he came to his senses, the vulgar dignity that had dragged him down had already led him to the negotiation table.

Aden, who had been staring at Kedilen as he bit his lip, slightly pushed his dry lips.

“Compensate me for the clothes your wife ruined.”

“…Is that all?”

Kedilen wore a puzzled expression at the unexpectedly simple proposal.

Was that cunning man planning something else by saying such things? As if reading Kedilen’s thoughts, Aden added:

“By principle, I should have received compensation from the Marquise, or more precisely, from the sister you cherish so much. However, I came here today to receive it, but given the situation, the possibility of getting compensated seems low.”

The matter seemed to be resolving more easily than expected.

Although he hadn’t completely dismissed his suspicions, as Kedilen was thinking about why Aden had changed his attitude, he remembered reviewing the recent budget proposal.

He had also seen reports that the Habertz territory was experiencing difficulties with increasing debt year by year.

‘Not a wolf, but a sly fox, this one.’

His seal as the Minister of Commerce was needed to pass the budget proposal.

It was a matter of life and death not for just one life, but for the entire clan.

This man had crawled all the way here from the Send Highlands and had been staying for months already for this purpose. He probably didn’t want to return empty-handed.

In other words, what was placed on the negotiation table seemed to be himself at first glance, but in reality, it was Aden.

Did he take such a high-handed attitude to create this situation?

It was a negotiation technique that was hard to believe coming from that beast-like man, but it didn’t matter.

All he had to do was defuse this situation and take Ludmila back. He intended to educate Ludmila again when they returned.

He could not overlook the fact that she had deceived his family and put him in danger.

Of course, he also planned to vent his anger over the humiliation and insults he had received while he was at it.

Kedilen, who quickly noticed this, pulled the corners of his mouth to indicate his acceptance of the proposal.

“Very well.”

It would be perfect if he could also get confirmation. The negotiation was over.

Now that they had accepted each other’s cards, it was time to take Ludmila back. Kedilen extended his arms to his wife again with a smiling face.

“I have a designer I frequently visit, so I’ll ask them to take care of the clothes.”

“Not a bad decision. However.”

Kedilen’s hand, which was about to receive his share, stopped midway.

Aden’s arm supporting Ludmila pulled her body towards him, creating that much distance.

Wasn’t the negotiation over? Kedilen frowned at his appearance of adding an afterthought.

“Duke?”

“No matter how important compensation is, shouldn’t you take care of your wife’s health first?”

“Of course. I was planning to do so accordingly.”

What nonsense is he trying to say now? At this point, anxiety began to surge beyond irritation.

Aden, observing such a reaction from Kedilen, let out a chuckle.

“You didn’t understand my words. I’m saying that you need to send your wife to the hospital right now.”

“Pardon? Suddenly, that’s…”

“Do you intend to leave your frail wife, who has collapsed from illness and shock, in the mansion until a doctor arrives? If you take her to a well-equipped hospital for examination, diagnosis, and treatment, she could recover much faster.”

“…”

Statements that considered practicality and greater good were always awkward to respond to.

Aden, looking at Kedilen who could only move his lips speechlessly, took a step back.

“Let’s postpone the clothing compensation and take your wife to the hospital first. We’ll discuss the rest afterward.”

“But this is…”

“Or.”

Aden, cutting his words short, flashed a chilling gaze within a strange smile.

“Would you prefer that I take her?”

“…”

That was what he wanted to avoid more than anything. Kedilen glanced at Ludmila and nodded while biting his lip.

It can’t be helped. There’s no choice but to wrap it up like this. Prolonging the conversation would be troublesome in many ways.

Unnecessary rumors always send smoke up the chimney. Kedilen gestured to the butler to give instructions for preparation, then supported Ludmila.

It was amusing to see the narrow-mindedness of the man who, for the sake of his own dignity, willingly allowed his wife’s feet to touch the ground when he could have carried her, but Aden had to be satisfied with this much as well.

Aden, who left the mansion first, watched as Ludmila boarded the carriage.

As the door closed, his turning figure seemed to say that his role was now over, feeling even dry.

The carriage, moving in the opposite direction from Aden, quickly widened the distance between them.

Ludmila, who had been scanning Aden’s receding figure from inside the carriage as the street scenery changed and disappeared, soon closed her eyes tightly while biting her lip.

“How can you say that…!”

“Sister, sister!”

Kedilen quickly covered Celia’s mouth as she was about to shout frantically.

Conversing in the lounge adjacent to the hospital room, Kedilen rolled his eyes slightly.

It wouldn’t matter if Ludmila heard the conversation, but he felt awkward due to what had just happened.

Fortunately, she had taken medicine and fallen asleep, so she probably wouldn’t hear the conversation, but it’s better to be cautious.

Celia, who had heard about the recent events from Kedilen’s mouth, expressed her emotions intensely as if she herself had experienced the humiliation.

Her face looked as if she wouldn’t be satisfied unless she went into that room right now and slapped Ludmila’s cheek.

“Calm down, sister. Fortunately, the situation has been resolved well.”

“Are you in your right mind? How can you say this has been resolved well? Because of that stupid woman, your honor, mine, and moreover, the honor of the Erdi family has plummeted, and you’re saying it’s fortunate?”

“Please calm down. It couldn’t be helped.”

“Then do you intend to overlook such laxity!?”

“Of course not. Even without you saying so, I intend to educate her well this time.”

Celia, seemingly not appeased even by her younger brother’s attempt to persuade her with his whole body, irritably brushed her hair back.

It felt as if the insult she had suffered at the cafe that day was vividly revived.

As if understanding his sister’s feelings, Kedilen smiled gently with the kindest face in the world.

“Don’t worry too much. Everything will be fine.”

“Kedilen. You seem not to understand because you’re too gentle and kind, but people tend to keep climbing when treated well. Especially such a lowly person. If you’ve seen a sprout, you should cut off its roots entirely. Do you understand what I mean?”

“You don’t need to worry. I’ve already taken all the measures.”

Kedilen gazed at the closed door with the corners of his mouth raised.

“As soon as the examination is over, I plan to take Ludmila to the Erdi Marquis territory.

If I say I’m taking a vacation for my wife’s recuperation, no one will suspect anything.”

His eyes, clear with purpose, flashed coldly in the soft lamplight.

“I intend to educate her thoroughly there and bring her back. By then, there will be no more baring of teeth. I must make her live obediently like a doll, doing as she’s told until her usefulness is over. So don’t worry, sister. The next time we meet, she’ll be a very docile dog.”

Kedilen also gently raised the corners of his mouth at the sight of Celia’s satisfied expression.

The two enjoyed an atmosphere of harmony with each other alone.

In fact, they were unaware that Ludmila was listening to all of this conversation from beyond the door.