Viscount Flerino barely controlled his expression that was about to contort, inwardly cursing.

‘Damn it…!’

He had only mentioned the Emperor to prevent Count Greykin and Count Zimmer from making a bigger issue out of this.

While the Empire’s laws did not consider insulting and slandering others a crime, it was a completely different story if the target was a member of the royal family.

Who would dare risk being suspected of disparaging the sun of the Empire?

Even ten lives wouldn’t be enough.

He knew well that it was the habit of nobles to turn their backs coldly on anyone who might tarnish their reputation, even slightly.

So he gave them a little push.

Implying that if they listened to and sympathized with those people’s words, they would be equally guilty of insulting the Emperor.

For a moment, things seemed to go according to his plan, but the atmosphere in the salon suddenly reversed with the question raised by Duke Amaterasu’s daughter just now.

Feeling the nobles’ gazes turn strange, Viscount Flerino quickly scanned the salon.

Some noblewomen were whispering among themselves, hiding their mouths behind fans.

Judging by their expressions and eyes, they seemed to be spouting words of criticism towards him.

There was even an elderly gentleman hastily leaving his seat.

With his life experience, he was likely being cautious.

While reactions varied, it was clear that the gazes directed at him were not favorable.

‘What’s this… atmosphere? Surely, they don’t all believe that stupid woman’s words?’

Viscount Flerino was greatly shocked.

He couldn’t shake off the feeling that he had been pushed back in an argument with the stupid woman known as Amaterasu’s fool, who was mocked by nobles throughout the Empire.

Viscount Flerino glared murderously at Amaterasu’s fool, who was looking at him with a relaxed expression.

‘It can’t be. Yes, it won’t be… It must be a coincidence.’

Having finished his mental victory, Viscount Flerino chose words to refute Duke Amaterasu’s daughter’s claim.

However, his mouth, which had won countless arguments before, felt stuck as if glued shut today.

Moreover, as he faced Duke Amaterasu’s daughter’s emotionless gaze, he felt strangely intimidated.

Even though she was much smaller in stature than him, he had an odd feeling of facing something far larger than himself.

Sweat began to seep from his palms, and cold sweat ran down his back.

This was a first for him.

While he was fumbling, unable to counterattack immediately, Countess Tarel, who had briefly left her seat, walked into the spacious hall where the nobles were gathered.

Countess Tarel, reading the atmosphere that had turned incredibly cold, widened her eyes and observed the nobles’ expressions.

Then she immediately asked a noblewoman.

“What happened while I was briefly away?”

The noblewoman whispered something into Countess Tarel’s ear, hiding her mouth behind a feather fan.

Viscount Flerino, keenly observing Countess Tarel’s startled reaction, finally remembered his original purpose that he had momentarily forgotten.

The Flerino viscounty had long followed the Empress.

And the reason Viscount Flerino had bothered to visit the government salon was to manipulate public opinion.

Recently, the popularity of Countess Tarel’s salon, which had been frequented only by lower nobles who couldn’t join the inner circle, had soared.

Though he didn’t want to admit it, there was even a joke going around that if you wanted to quickly access new information, you should visit Countess Tarel’s salon.

As the situation changed, the Empress also became wary and pressured the nobles who frequented Countess Tarel’s salon.

Saying that if they continued to visit there, they would be opposing the future Emperor.

But such threats were soon forgotten in the nobles’ minds, and the nobles who had been cautiously watching began to visit Countess Tarel’s salon again.

To this, the Empress came up with a new strategy.

If they couldn’t stop people from going, they should go there and cause disruption.

That’s how Viscount Flerino was deployed to Countess Tarel’s salon.

It was also because the information coming from the butler of the Tarel family, whom the Empress had planted long ago, had become difficult to trust.

Sometimes he provided correct information, and other times completely inaccurate information, and as confusion only increased, they decided to no longer trust the information coming from that person.

Of course, there seemed to be a few others who regularly visited Countess Tarel’s salon and relayed messages to the Empress, but they didn’t know who each other were.

They could only roughly guess.

At first, Viscount Flerino counted Count Zimmer among those who, like him, visited Countess Tarel’s salon on the Empress’s orders.

Seeing Count Zimmer making statements today that could be harmful to the Empress, he had to reconsider that thought.

“Viscount Flerino. Let’s have a chat for a moment.”

Countess Tarel said quite firmly.

Though her voice wasn’t particularly loud, the nobles’ gazes turned to Viscount Flerino.

And at that moment, Viscount Flerino felt shame.

It might have been due to Countess Tarel’s gaze, which seemed to be about to point out his behavior.

“I don’t know exactly what words you received or how, but if you have something to say, say it in front of everyone.”

At Viscount Flerino’s words, Countess Tarel’s eyes sharpened a bit.

“If that’s what you want. I was wondering if you came here to cause discord.”

“Me? Causing discord?”

Viscount Flerino widened his eyes and asked back, as if it was absurd.

“Yes. Last time and today too… you’ve made the precious guests who visit here uncomfortable.”

“If some were offended by minor arguments, that would be my fault.”

“…”

“But think about it, my lady. In gatherings where many people mingle, there are always small conflicts. Isn’t it somewhat biased conflict resolution to label all of that as discord I’ve caused?”

This time, Viscount Flerino started to paint Countess Tarel as someone who only favored her own people.

Then a red-haired lady who had been sitting quietly in the corner all along spoke up, agreeing with his words.

“Actually, I’ve been thinking the same thing. I couldn’t say it because of the atmosphere, but I feel a bit relieved that Viscount Flerino mentioned that part.”

“I also thought there was something to that, so I’ll add my support to the honest opinions of the two who spoke up.”

Another viscount who had been watching the situation with a blank expression added his words.

It was another moment when public opinion was changing.

“You see? Rather, if you intend to make the salon a treasure trove of cultured and intellectual people, it seems that Countess Tarel is the one who should listen to the opinions of individual participants.”

Viscount Flerino claimed triumphantly.

Countess Tarel’s face showed bewilderment at the suddenly changed flow.

Afterwards, Viscount Flerino continued to present his arguments like a seasoned politician.

Saying that it would be good to create rules for everyone’s benefit going forward, and how about discussing that part productively?

The two viscounts who had been pleading their families’ grievances were long forgotten.

Angered by this, Count Zimmer snorted and threw out a comment.

“What can you expect from people who act without principles, falling for smooth talk…”

Then he turned and left the hall without looking back.

It was clear who he was referring to.

It was a sarcastic remark aimed at the salon guests who had changed their attitudes at a single word from Viscount Flerino.

Count Zimmer’s statement was enough to incur the wrath of many.

Soon, voices of criticism towards Count Zimmer poured out from here and there.

Viscount Flerino looked at Duke Amaterasu’s daughter with a victorious smile.

He was confident in the part about instigating the majority to form public opinion.

Though he had failed to refute immediately earlier, in an unsightly manner, the one who wins in the end is the victor.

Viscount Flerino boldly moved his steps towards Countess Tarel.

And he whispered quietly so that only she could hear.

“It’s ridiculous. To think that a lowly mistress would dare try to teach me.”

Countess Tarel, who had frozen in shock for a moment, soon glared at Viscount Flerino.

And soon after, Countess Tarel, with her eyes reddened like a rabbit’s, ran away covering her mouth.

A noblewoman who happened to be standing nearby and heard Countess Tarel’s sobbing publicly criticized Viscount Flerino.

“That’s truly the worst. To make a lady shed tears!”

Then some nobles who had been observing the situation without intervening openly expressed their displeasure towards Viscount Flerino.

Viscount Flerino could not understand the nobles who were trying to oppose him for the sake of a mere mistress.

Moreover, how would he know the hearts of the frontier nobles who couldn’t join the inner circle?

With this, it seemed he would no longer be able to set foot in Countess Tarel’s salon, but he had achieved his goal nonetheless.

Discord.

The peace-loving nobles would feel fatigue from the continuous discord, and then they would stop coming here.

Amidst the complaints erupting here and there towards Viscount Flerino, Jieselgrante watched the departing Viscount Flerino with a meaningful expression.

‘Viscount Flerino. I didn’t like him much to begin with… and he keeps doing things I don’t like.’

Jieselgrante, who had just alighted from the Radcliffe Company’s carriage, thought this as she walked into the Kardia ducal residence.

She wanted to return straight to the Amaterasu ducal residence, but she had no choice as there was one more appointment left.

Before leaving the Tarel residence, she had heard an unexpected story.