“Why can’t it be done!”

“No matter how much you shout, what’s not possible is not possible.”

Grit continued to ask the legal expert in front of him.

Why on earth couldn’t the contract be terminated?

The expert, unable to hide his disgusted expression, pointed to clauses in the contract and said:

“Do you still say such things after seeing these items?”

The parts the legal experts pointed to were all the same.

It was content stating that rights would be completely relinquished upon receiving the money.

It was absurd to make such unreasonable demands at a point when the contract had already been concluded and funds received.

The individuals who guaranteed the contract were all well-known figures in the empire.

Especially, this contract had even received imperial certification.

So even if one had connections to the imperial family, it would be impossible to ignore all of them and terminate the contract to regain rights.

“In a situation where funds have already been received, what Your Grace is doing now is a breach of contract.”

The expert furrowed his brow.

He had come in person due to speculation that relations between the Odoi family and Clea had improved somewhat recently, but he realized it was all in vain.

“If you’ve received a fee, do your job properly!”

Grit was in an urgent situation now.

Rumors were spreading that the businesses he had handed over would be successful.

Various gems including diamonds were coming out of the mines, and the newly built port was seeing many merchant ships come and go after recently discovering a new route.

Things that were expected to make money only after decades were suddenly gaining momentum and doing well.

Seeing this, Grit felt sick to his stomach and wanted to somehow get back the business rights that were once his.

“Then Your Grace should have received the money late, shouldn’t you have?”

But there was nothing that could be reversed.

If he hadn’t received the money, he might have tried something by paying a penalty, but he had already received the funds.

“The advice I can give Your Grace is to quickly ask His Highness for forgiveness, even now.”

It might be an impertinent remark, but the honor of the Odoi family was already completely on the ground.

Even the merchants in the market completely disregarded the Odoi family.

They had collapsed so suddenly that it didn’t seem at all like a family that had produced the Crown Princess.

“Who are you to-!”

Perhaps hearing the advice as mockery, Grit grabbed the expert by the collar and threw a punch at his face.

“What right do you have to say such things to me!”

The expert fell straight to the floor.

He wanted to say something to Grit, but seeing that he had no intention of listening anyway, he just clicked his tongue.

Rising from his seat, he brushed the dust off his clothes and tried to go outside.

“Where are you going! I’m not finished talking!”

Feeling that further conversation would be fruitless, the expert turned and said:

“I will return the retainer fee. So please do not seek me out again.”

“Stop right there! I said stop!”

Grit raised his voice to the end, ordering the people outside to quickly seize him.

But no one followed his orders.

The control of the household had already completely left his hands.

The true master of the duke’s residence now was neither Grit nor Steve.

Clea, who was once in the lowest position in this household, had become the true master.

Unable to accept this until the end, Grit resisted.

‘Things will not go according to your will. You’d better give up the idea that you can easily take the successor position like the Grand Duke’s family.’

Grit was greatly mistaken.

He thought Clea would only take away the position of successor to the duke’s family.

Perhaps because of this, he was not properly looking at what would happen in the future.

* * *

“What should we do with this person?”

Hearing what Aria had done in the alley, the duke inwardly heaved a deep sigh.

He had just thrown her out, and this was what she did.

Fortunately, she was no longer a member of the Hersher family, but she had been a duchess of the Hersher family until recently.

Thinking about how the Hersher family would be viewed by people in the future due to her behavior, he had a headache.

“Did Aria really do this?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

The duke looked at Lloyd.

His clothes were no better than rags, and wounds covered the torn parts of his clothing.

Especially noticeable was the stab wound on his abdomen that Aria was said to have inflicted.

There was no more bleeding thanks to proper hemostasis before bringing him.

Seeing him still breathing, the duke gritted his teeth.

‘The Grand Duke has betrayed me.’

He still couldn’t forget the image of the Grand Duke appearing by opening the door at the meeting Clea had arranged.

Sending the family’s knights to the imperial palace to deal with the maid was all because of his advice.

If it weren’t for his words, the duke would never have done such a thing.

‘He even tried to use me to dispose of a useless card.’

As if it wasn’t enough to deceive him, he even tried to push for marriage with Aria.

Even though the Grand Duke knew why he had actively accepted the marriage with Lloyd.

The duke had tried to somehow turn public opinion around through Aria and Lloyd’s marriage.

He intended to show that there was no more conflict with the imperial family based on the image of working together with the Grand Duke’s family.

If that hadn’t been the case, Aria would have become a queen of another country or been sent to another promising family.

Thinking about this point, the duke felt like tearing Lloyd apart with his own hands.

But he rather tried to turn this into an opportunity.

“When was the trial date set by the imperial family?”

“Three days from now, sir.”

Even after meeting with Clea, all the nobles had not left the capital.

They wanted to remain here and see with their own eyes what would happen soon.

The fall of the Hersher family and what would unfold afterwards.

Not only was the number of those who applied to attend the trial enormous, but some who couldn’t get seats were even looking into scalped tickets.

Given the situation, the duke looked for a card that would make him a bit more advantageous.

“Our family must end as being used by the villainess Aria.”

“Your Grace, then…”

The duke had completely given up on Aria, but there were still those among the family members who had not given up on her.

There were those who argued that Aria had fallen into a trap, so they should step up and save her.

The duchess also had the same opinion.

However, the duke felt it was more important to survive right now.

He was thinking of bringing Lloyd to the courtroom.

He wanted to reveal Aria’s character by bringing Lloyd.

“Keep this person alive, but imprison him in the underground dungeon.”

But that didn’t mean he intended to give Lloyd special treatment.

“Do your best for treatment, but for everything else, only do the bare minimum to keep him alive.”

When Lloyd wakes up in the underground dungeon, he may wish to die, but freedom no longer existed for him.

The duke ordered everyone present not to tell anyone else about anything related to Aria.

He was worried that if it reached the duchess’s ears, she might do something rash.

“What is Aria doing now?”

The duke was curious what Aria, who had reduced Lloyd to this state, was doing now.

To this, the knights answered:

“She’s wandering the streets, Your Grace.”

With that one sentence, the duke could imagine what kind of situation Aria was going through.

‘You must regret this whole situation to the bone. You will come to know well how difficult it is to maintain the things you’ve been enjoying all this time.’

* * *

“Please, buy some bread with this.”

The resources that the duke’s family had provided when Aria was expelled were considerable.

It was enough for a noble to live comfortably without working for about a month, and for a commoner to live frugally for several years.

But Aria didn’t know much about the value of money.

Until now, she could have anything she wanted with just a word.

Perhaps because she had lived such an abundant life? She took out a gold coin to buy a piece of bread.

“The price has gone up, so that money’s not enough anymore.”

“How can the price go up so much in just a few hours!”

“If you don’t want to buy it, you don’t have to.”

In fact, the shops in the market area didn’t accept her money.

Whether she took out silver coins or gold coins, the reaction was all the same.

At least the street thugs would take her money and buy things for her instead, but as time passed, the price kept rising endlessly.

Aria was furious at those who were deceiving her.

But no one helped her.

They feared that if they got involved unnecessarily, they too would end up in trouble.

The only people who approached Aria were those aiming for her money.

“Do you think you’ll be safe after doing this to me!”

“Haha, why don’t you try and kill us then?”

“Now that your precious family’s knights aren’t by your side, where does this confidence come from?”

Aria was furiously angry at the situation she was in.

Before, there were plenty of people who feared offending her. But now, everyone was busy laughing at her.

Aria bit her lip and left the place.

Her appearance was a mess.

The shoes she had been wearing were lost after coming off while running on the rainy streets, and her dress was torn in places.

She was soaked from the rain and hadn’t bathed, so she looked utterly disheveled.

But then:

“The trial will be held soon! So stay safe until then!”

Someone shouted towards Aria.

Aria was overcome with fear at the words that a trial would be held soon.

She had to meet Barwin somehow. She had to get back the item she had handed over to him.

‘If Barwin really betrayed me.’

Was it because she hadn’t met him directly yet?

Aria wasn’t sure if he had really betrayed her.

The image of him working hard for her still lingered.

Aria decided to visit the Rockin Viscount’s residence again to meet him.

Hoping that she would eventually meet him if she waited until he returned home.