News of the engagement between Duke Cabelased Cardia and Duke Amaterasu’s daughter Jieselgrante began to spread beyond social circles to the general public.

“Ladies, have you heard the news? It seems Duke Cardia and Duke Amaterasu’s daughter are engaged…”

“If these two houses, the Cardia ducal family and the Amaterasu ducal family, unite, there will be no one to fear within the empire.”

“I suppose that’s how it will be…”

A few people gathered in the bustling square were discussing this matter.

‘That fool from Amaterasu is engaged to Duke Cardia?!’

Countess Minster, who had just come out to look for work, widened her eyes at the voices she heard.

Then she glared at the people who had been talking about the engagement news until just moments ago.

“What’s with that person?”

“I know. Why is she staring with her eyes so wide…”

“Perhaps she’s… a bit lacking?”

“Ah, that could be it.”

The gathered people whispered while glancing at Countess Minster.

Countess Minster continued to glare at the people, undeterred by their critical voices.

“Let’s go. There’s nothing good that can come from getting into an argument.”

“You’re right. Let’s move.”

Countess Minster watched them hurriedly leave, then relaxed her eyes with a victorious smile.

“But how in the world did this happen…”

She simply couldn’t understand.

Although Jieselgrante wasn’t in her right mind to keep chasing after Cabelased despite his repeated refusals, for Cabelased to accept an engagement with Jieselgrante?

Truly, an impossible thing had occurred.

Unless he had been hit in the head with an arrow, there was no way Cabelased would have allowed an engagement with Jieselgrante.

‘Something is suspicious, extremely so…’

Countess Minster thought there must be some plot behind this.

Perhaps the Amaterasu ducal family had blackmailed Cabelased with some irrefutable weakness.

Otherwise, such an impossible thing wouldn’t have happened unless the world had turned upside down.

Countess Minster had harbored feelings for Cabelased long before Jieselgrante began courting him.

Besides her, there were many young ladies who had long been secretly in love with Cabelased.

They all just stayed quiet, not wanting to cause trouble.

So Cabelased was like an untouchable idol, someone who should never be approached carelessly.

While everyone else hid their feelings and only gazed from afar, Jieselgrante shamelessly confessed her love to Cabelased.

“Really, she doesn’t even know how to be embarrassed…”

As she muttered to herself, shaking her head, the worn sleeve of her dress caught Countess Minster’s eye.

A deep sigh escaped involuntarily.

“Looks like I won’t be able to find work today either…”

Since Countess Minster was neither physically strong nor particularly skilled with her hands, there weren’t many jobs she could find.

She had received a proper noble’s education, so she could read, write, and do simple arithmetic.

But places where such skills could be utilized required identity verification procedures.

It was difficult for Countess Minster, who had fled her mansion like a thief in the night, to find such jobs.

“Come to think of it… I ended up like this all because of that fool from Amaterasu!”

Countess Minster blamed Jieselgrante for the downfall of her family.

It wasn’t just her thinking alone.

The Count and Countess Minster also always said they had been completely deceived by Jieselgrante and squandered all their fortune.

Imagining Jieselgrante happily marrying Cabelased while they were reduced to such a pitiful state, wearing rags, made her blood boil.

‘I wonder if there’s a good way to make this engagement disappear…’

With her eyes shining for the first time in a while, Countess Minster hurried her steps back home.

Although she hadn’t found work again today, that wasn’t important right now.

As Countess Minster walked, lost in deep thought, an ornate carriage brushed past her.

‘That face seems familiar, like I’ve seen it somewhere before…’

Count Frederick briefly glanced at the woman visible through the carriage window.

But he soon dismissed it as a mistake and turned his gaze forward.

There was no way he would know a woman in such shabby attire.

‘Speaking of which, an engagement…’

The news he received immediately upon returning to the capital after hastily dealing with matters in his county was truly shocking.

Count Frederick tried to guess what could have happened between Jieselgrante and Cabelased.

Despite numerous rejections, Jieselgrante had never stopped pursuing Cabelased.

And Cabelased had steadfastly maintained his stance in rejecting Jieselgrante.

But until Count Frederick left for his domain, it seemed Jieselgrante was starting to come to terms with her feelings for Cabelased.

Yet suddenly they’re engaged?

This was certainly an event that would turn the capital’s social circles upside down.

Upon returning to his mansion after a long time, Count Frederick immediately summoned the Radcliffe Merchant Group.

And he placed an order that could only be deciphered with a code table.

Stating that he had returned to the capital and wished to meet and talk as soon as possible.

‘All that’s left are the Ratse marquis family, the Anteras family, and a few other houses…’

As Jieselgrante was reviewing her future plans, a maid from Duke Cabelased’s household announced that a visitor had arrived.

When she gave permission, the people who entered the bedroom were Lindsey and Ola.

Cabelased had taken the initiative to arrange for Lindsey and Ola to stay here.

It was common for a bride-to-be to bring a nanny or maid from her family when entering her husband’s mansion, and Jieselgrante had also planned to bring Lindsey and Ola to the Cardia ducal residence.

To achieve her goals, she needed people who would act on her behalf, and it was still too early to entrust tasks to the maids of the Cardia ducal family due to a lack of mutual trust.

“Young lady! I missed you.”

As soon as she saw Jieselgrante, Lindsey rushed to embrace her.

Jieselgrante was a bit unsure of how to react to Lindsey hugging her neck.

That’s when Ola briefly scolded Lindsey.

“Sister, you’re troubling the young lady.”

It seemed she was mindful of the Cardia ducal family’s maids.

But regardless of Ola’s reproach, Lindsey was busy expressing her joy.

Jieselgrante was also a bit taken aback by Lindsey’s intense display of affection.

But it wasn’t because she was conscious of the Cardia ducal family’s maids.

It was simply because no one had ever hugged her like this before.

As Jieselgrante slightly raised her arm to place her hand on Lindsey’s waist, who refused to let go despite Ola’s scolding, another maid entered the bedroom and asked:

“Someone from the Radcliffe Merchant Group has come. What should we do?”

“Please guide them to the reception room.”

“Understood.”

The maids of the Cardia ducal family all bowed to Jieselgrante and left the bedroom.

As Lindsey was looking at the Cardia ducal family’s servants with admiration for their disciplined demeanor, Ola grabbed Lindsey’s collar, who was still clinging tightly to Jieselgrante, unwilling to let go.

“Then we’ll be unpacking our luggage.”

Jieselgrante nodded and left the bedroom for the reception room.

Lindsey, who had been pouting with a reluctant expression as if she didn’t want to part so soon after reuniting, quickly put down her luggage bag and scurried after Jieselgrante.

Ola’s mouth fell open as she suddenly found herself having to move two large luggage bags at once, but Lindsey didn’t seem to care.

“Young lady, let’s hurry.”

As Jieselgrante looked at the grinning Lindsey, she turned her gaze to the maid standing behind Ola.

The quick-witted maid picked up Lindsey’s share of the luggage and smiled.

“I’ll move one of the luggage bags.”

“Then, although we’ve just met, I’ll accept your help…”

Ola bit her lip, clearly showing her exasperation at her thoughtless elder sister.

Jieselgrante turned her gaze from the two retreating figures to Lindsey.

“It’s okay if I tease her a bit. You know how Ola usually treats me, young lady.”

Chuckling, Jieselgrante made her way to the reception room.

As she entered the reception room, Prat, who had arrived earlier and was waiting for her, said with a bright smile:

“Congratulations on your marriage.”

Jieselgrante immediately corrected Prat’s words.

“It’s an engagement.”

“Ah! Yes. …For now, that is.”

Saying that, Prat handed over the product list he was holding.

Jieselgrante briefly glanced at Prat and quickly checked the contents.

The parchment contained news that Count Frederick had returned to the capital, along with a message expressing his desire to meet and talk.

‘A conversation that needs to be had in person…’

Jieselgrante sensed that there must be quite important news. So she casually asked Prat:

“Is there still no news about the silk I mentioned before?”

The sudden mention of silk to Prat was to create an excuse for going out.

Not immediately catching on to her hidden intention, Prat was flustered at first, but soon realized and opened his mouth.

“Ah, you mean the silk imported from the Eastern Continent. Unfortunately, you’ll have to wait another month before the merchant ships from the Eastern Continent arrive.”

“Why?”

Lindsey asked in response to Prat’s answer.

“Well, due to some special circumstances, there have been issues with the silk supply…”

As Prat was sweating and making excuses due to the unexpected intervention, Lindsey said:

“So you’re saying you can’t get what our young lady wants?”