Ojenil ultimately failed to become her match.

The man who had been stubbornly sitting with his heavy bottom couldn’t maintain his composure at the word ‘Fredic’ that came out of Ludmila’s mouth.

Just by mentioning the name of Ojenil’s competitor, someone in the same line of business, she was able to topple the balance that had been level until then.

Ojenil’s arrogance was ultimately because he wanted to have the upper hand in the investment contract, which required a massive investment.

While I don’t deny that his desire to save even a fraction of the investment dividends is a virtue a businessman should have, it wasn’t a reason to look down on the Khan people.

Ludmila, who had mercilessly shattered the illusion that had swelled up at the thought of swindling ignorant country bumpkins, succeeded in securing perfectly favorable contract terms from him.

It was to the extent that if someone said she had threatened him with a knife, there would be no objection.

And that also meant that even if she left this place, the Khan people and Aden wouldn’t fall back into a pile of debt.

The smile gradually faded from Ludmila’s lips as she looked at the contract with a satisfied face in the shaking carriage.

As the contract was being perfectly finalized and her work here was coming to an end, the time to leave the Send Plateau was approaching.

Knowing this, the smile on Ludmila’s lips couldn’t help but be a mix of welcome and complexity.

“Ah-. I’m really relieved.”

Barhan, sitting on the opposite side organizing the documents she had requested, sighed and smiled.

Thanks to that, Ludmila, pulled out of her thoughts, raised her head.

Barhan smiled softly as he arranged the documents in order.

“I was so nervous thinking the contract might fall through. When you said you had a plan, I wondered what it was. I never imagined you had set up appointments elsewhere too. If you had such a reliable backup, why didn’t you tell me earlier? My heart was pounding… Whew-.”

Ludmila swallowed a small laugh at the sight of him shuddering as if just imagining it was terrible.

“Even if I wanted to tell you in advance, I couldn’t.”

“Ah, was it a secret operation?”

“No. Because there was no such thing.”

“Pardon?”

Barhan’s smiling expression froze. Ludmila calmly pulled up the corners of her mouth.

Barhan, who had been staring blankly at her silently smiling figure, seemed to come to his senses belatedly and hurriedly opened his mouth.

“Th-Then. The appointment with Fredic you mentioned…”

“Of course, it was just something I made up.”

Ludmila held back a thin smile, amused by Barhan’s gaping expression.

It wasn’t something that needed to be hidden that Fredic was what Ojenil was most sensitive about.

As they were competitors doing similar businesses, they were actually wary of each other.

Knowing this, it was a card she had prepared, believing it would definitely work.

Even if Ojenil found out the truth later, he couldn’t back out once he had stamped the contract.

“Hiya-, Lady Ludmila. I’m ashamed of myself for doubting whether you were really a merchant when you said so. Looking at your appearance, you seem so noble and elegant like an aristocratic lady, far from a merchant. Now I think I understand a little. Please forgive my ignorance.”

“It’s alright. That can happen.”

Rather, it would be strange for someone to nod readily at being called a merchant.

Ludmila turned her gaze from Barhan, who was chattering away with a thin smile, to the window and scanned the passing commercial buildings with her eyes.

Ludmila’s lips were tinged with bitterness at the sight of the imposing and tall buildings befitting the capital.

She had set foot again in this place she thought she would never return to.

It was an easy visit, to the point of feeling hollow when she thought about how desperate she had been to escape from here in the past.

Moreover, contrary to feeling like something big was about to happen, the capital was peaceful.

She had seen her name in the newspapers a few times, but that was just gossip.

Political stories like investments for the future of the empire, future war trends, and the selection of the imperial successor were now placed more prominently.

The story of Ludmila Perez and Kedilen was certainly a sensational one, but it wasn’t worth chewing over for a hundred days.

The moment she confirmed this, Ludmila could feel a slight sense of relief.

She even thought there might not be a need for her to cross the frozen land and leave.

From what she heard, the Erdi marquis family was losing public trust and staggering.

As they weren’t a family built on authority and honor, if their business lost power, they probably couldn’t hold on either.

They might end up abandoning their life in the capital and returning to their hometown, falling to the status of wealthy local nobles.

If that happened, would there really be a reason for her to leave this place?

Ludmila let out a chuckle at the thoughts that kept leading to one another.

Just a few months ago, she was the person who insisted on definitely fleeing the empire to a distant foreign country, and now she was gauging the possibility of staying here.

While finding such thoughts amusing, at the same time, she was reminded of the man who made her think this way, Aden.

‘Come to think of it…’

Ludmila, who had been lost in thought pondering something, raised her head while rubbing her chin.

The hunting festival that Aden was supposed to participate in was just around the corner. Originally, the participants of the hunting competition receive a token from their lover or fiancée.

It could be a hair tie or a handkerchief.

It was a culture originating from the superstition that God doesn’t take the life of someone who has a partner.

He was a man without a fiancée or lover. No, even if he had one, he wasn’t the type to bring his partner there.

That meant there was no possibility of receiving a token.

Ludmila, who had been biting her lip and organizing her thoughts for a moment, raised her head as if she had made some decision.

“Please stop for a moment.”

“Ignorant fool.”

Benjamin grumbled quietly. Aden, who had said to depart early in the morning, directly contradicted his own words.

He got on a horse with Benjamin not in the morning, but at dawn, even before the east had brightened.

Then, around the time the dawn was breaking, they set out on the road to the capital.

“We didn’t need to come this urgently.”

On their way here, the two had encountered a messenger carrying news that Ludmila had safely arrived at the count’s residence.

She had arrived yesterday evening and was now resting, they said.

At that, Aden felt relieved but at the same time increased his speed. Because of that, only Benjamin was suffering, following behind him.

“I never imagined I could cover that distance in half a day.”

Strictly speaking, it took a bit longer. Usually, it was a distance that took about a day, changing horses at the relay stations set up along the way and taking some rest.

But this time, they only stopped at a relay station once, and moreover, took the shortest route to the capital.

Aden raced at a crazy speed on a path that was usually avoided for being too rough.

If it weren’t for the fine horse Aden had provided, Benjamin might have become a ghost after falling off his horse more than once or twice on the mountain path.

“Stop whining. Before you got married, didn’t you ride Rubik every other day to meet Melena?”

“That was then, and this is now. I’ve gotten old now. Besides, it’s been ages since I’ve done any physical work.”

Aden gave a light rebuke to the grumbling Benjamin, then looked out at the street where even the sunset was fading.

Shops with oil lamps and shops closing for the day. Aden closed his lips tightly at the sight of the street with its varied scenes.

“The annex is a bit further from here.”

Benjamin kept reciting the location as if worried that Aden might veer off into some strange place.

Of course, regardless of that, Aden didn’t pull on the reins since they had to go to the annex to meet Ludmila anyway.

“Please move your carriages elsewhere as the street is not wide!”

They were just passing the square when a voice rang out, breaking the quiet and peaceful night that was beginning to settle over the capital’s streets.

Aden’s gaze shifted to one side. A shop that was two stories taller than the other imposing buildings in the capital caught his eye.

It was natural for eyes to be drawn to its appearance, doing business while emitting light bright enough to illuminate the surroundings.

“It’s a precious goods shop.”

“Precious goods?”

Benjamin, who had been scanning the scene, glanced at Aden and answered slowly.

“It’s a place where you buy things like gifts. It’s the most famous in the capital and only deals in luxury items, so all the noble ladies, young ladies, and children from wealthy families use it. Plus, the hunting competition is coming up soon, right? Everyone seems to be flocking there to buy tokens as gifts for their husbands, lovers, or someone they have in mind.”

“…”

“Why? Are you thinking of buying one too?”

Aden stared intently at Benjamin’s face as he recited that women are weak to gifts given with them in mind, and started to ramble about how he had wooed Melena. Then Aden changed the direction his horse was walking.

“Hey, where are you going? Are you really going to buy something?”

Benjamin, who had been talking on and on to tease Aden for making him suffer, widened his eyes at Aden’s movement.

Aden, who had parked his horse on one side, jerked his chin at Benjamin who was following.

It meant to just watch the horses well here.

Benjamin let out a bewildered laugh at this strange sight and shook his head. Meanwhile, Aden was already entering the shop.