The atmosphere froze completely due to the topic Admund brought up.

Perhaps they had been too complacent, as it was an aspect about Clea they had felt at ease about.

The Duke and Duchess momentarily laughed at the shocking news that came from an area they had not paid attention to.

“Haha, rumors are nothing more than people’s gossip, are they not?”

“That’s right. There’s a high probability it was amplified as it passed through mouths after she went somewhere briefly.”

Admund observed the expressions of the Duke and Duchess while drinking tea.

They seemed to feel more discomfort at such rumors circulating rather than fear that the rumors might be true.

The Duke and Duchess didn’t seem to notice what expression their son was making.

‘His expression is quite a sight.’

Lloyd’s complexion was visibly worsening.

Without a trace of his dignity as the Duke’s son, he was trembling like an aspen tree, hands and feet shaking.

Admund inwardly clicked his tongue at the sight of his longtime friend.

‘If only you had treated her well, my friend.’

If he had done so from the beginning, at least he wouldn’t be trembling in anxiety like today.

Admund wondered if he should be grateful to Lloyd on one hand.

Thinking that Clea had come to him because this man was so worthless.

He finished the remaining tea in his cup and opened his mouth again.

“Smoke, you see, only rises once a fire is lit.”

“Your Highness, this is false rumor spread by those trying to slander our Percy family and young lady Odoi’s family.”

“That’s right. There’s no way Clea would have done that. She’s the child who will become our daughter-in-law.”

The Duke and Duchess had rather liked Clea, who was to become their daughter-in-law.

Clea’s eyes always held something heavy. Her behavior was imbued with an indescribable nobility.

Along with that, she had the background befitting the mistress of a Duke’s household.

Except for Hersher, only Odoi was of a level suitable for the Duke’s family.

So the two thought Clea was the most suitable partner for Lloyd.

Therefore, the two who had decided to make Clea their daughter-in-law granted most of her wishes.

They thought it was right to fulfill the requests of someone who would become the future mistress and family member.

But there were people who took advantage of these two’s goodwill in the middle.

Admund, who easily noticed that those people were Lloyd and the people of the Duke’s household, sneered.

“Then how about this? The rumor that a young lady of the Duke’s family was expelled from the family for some reason.”

“Your Highness, what are you trying to say now?”

When he mentioned a rumor that strangely seemed to point to someone, the Duke and Duchess sensed something was amiss.

At least the Admund they knew wouldn’t laugh off such words as a joke.

From the beginning, they couldn’t easily access rumors circulating in the world.

Who would dare to bring up words difficult to mention to the Duke and Duchess unless they themselves tried to find out?

Only then did the Duke and Duchess observe Lloyd’s expression.

“Lloyd, do you know anything about this?”

The mood of the two who saw Lloyd’s expression began to hit rock bottom.

The Duke and Duchess were certain that Admund would not have brought up this topic to tarnish the honor of the Duke’s family.

Then there was only one thing left.

“Have you heard anything recently regarding Clea? You attended the recent banquet together as partners, didn’t you?”

“Well…”

“Speak quickly, Lloyd.”

Lloyd agonized, biting his lip until it bled.

Whether to spill everything that had happened so far in this place.

But no matter how much he thought about it, he concluded he couldn’t do that. In the end, he tried to smile and say there was no way that could be true.

Precisely until Admund spoke first.

“Not long ago, while wandering around the capital in the middle of the night, I met a woman. A woman with shining silver hair and blue eyes.”

“Admund!”

As Admund spoke first, Lloyd hurriedly tried to cut off his words.

He had to prevent this story from reaching his parents’ ears, even if he had to cover his mouth.

But Admund poured the tea from his newly filled cup right onto Lloyd’s pants.

As the hot water soaked his leg, he screamed, and Admund calmly continued his next words.

“She said she had completely left home. So she was no longer a person who had anything to do with that family.”

“…Your Highness.”

“I presume the Duke has already realized what I’m trying to say.”

Contrary to Admund’s thoughts, the Duke didn’t fully understand what he was saying.

It was confusing because too much information was suddenly entering his ears, but more importantly, Lloyd hadn’t said anything about this.

The current Duke and Duchess were people who met through free love.

The two, who had been deeply hurt by their families’ interference, decided not to interfere with their own children.

They were people who thought that matters between the sexes could only be resolved by each other, not by someone else’s involvement.

So they had left their son alone until now, trusting him.

They hadn’t thought the reward for their trust would come back like this. The Duke barely held back his boiling anger because of Admund.

“According to that woman, since she left her family, she had no relationship with Lloyd.”

At Admund’s words, the expressions of the Duke and Duchess hardened.

They thought that now it was more important to know where Clea was than about Lloyd.

They needed to go to her, listen to what had happened, and comfort her.

Meanwhile, Admund’s words sounded as if they had lost even that chance. Unable to bear it any longer, the Duchess opened her mouth.

“Your Highness, this is a family matter. So I would appreciate it if you refrained from further interference. Still, we are truly grateful for the part you have informed us about. If you hadn’t told us, until now…”

“Duchess, have you forgotten that I mentioned two rumors?”

Admund had not lowered the corners of his mouth since entering this place.

Even now, he remained relaxed while making eye contact with the people of the Duke’s family.

In contrast, the Duke and Duchess were shocked by Admund’s words.

“As always at the banquet hall, a woman who was a wallflower caught my eye, and a few days later, I noticed her wandering in the capital in the middle of the night. She looked empty, as if she wanted to give up everything.”

Recalling what happened that day, Admund felt anger.

He still vividly remembered her image, left alone and receiving criticism from people with their eyes and mouths.

“She said she was expelled from the family as she left home. Before leaving the family, it seemed she had met someone from the family.”

Admund stood up from his seat.

Everyone’s gaze remained fixed on Admund, unable to look away.

He spoke lastly while looking at Lloyd.

“And immediately after that, rumors spread that she was having a secret meeting with the Crown Prince. When I asked her, she said she had no relationship with Lloyd as she had been expelled from the family. What do you think?”

No one dared to answer this readily.

“I shall take my leave now. I enjoyed the tea. Duke.”

After that, Admund stepped outside.

As he hadn’t expected an answer to the content he had delivered, he only anticipated what would happen next.

No one held back Admund as he left.

And there was not even anyone to see off Admund as he departed.

* * *

The Duke and Duchess were unable to curse at Admund to his face like Lloyd did.

While Lloyd could be forgiven once as he was Admund’s friend, the Duke and Duchess were subjects who had to be loyal to the Crown Prince.

Therefore, the two glared at the person remaining after Admund left.

“Lloyd Percy!”

“Father! Please listen to me! This is Admund’s fault!”

“If you had behaved properly from the beginning, Clea wouldn’t have strayed onto a different path!”

“Ah, Father!”

Admund, who had not yet completely left, felt relieved as he heard their conversation at the doorway.

‘Though my work has increased, you should feel pain too, shouldn’t you?’

While someone was meeting a disliked person and pretending to be fine with a pale expression as if about to collapse at any moment.

Admund lowered the corners of his mouth that he had been forcibly raising in front of them and stepped outside.

The path out was quieter than ever before.

The servants of the Duke’s family, unsure of what to do about the commotion coming from the reception room, soon decided to see off Admund as he quietly left.

They thought that if the master couldn’t show courtesy, at least the servants should.

But Admund didn’t even glance at such things and thought.

‘Clea.’

What would she be doing if he returned now?

Would she be alright by now?

He struggled several times even while leaving the Imperial Palace.

Wondering if it would be more appropriate to stay by her side even for a little while now.

Whenever Clea seemed precarious, Admund felt a heaviness in his chest as if something was weighing on it.

He didn’t want to hurt her anymore, as her heart was already completely scarred, but things didn’t go as well as he thought.

As he boarded the carriage and looked at the reflection of the Duke’s residence in the window, he instructed Oberon.

“Tarnish Lloyd Percy’s honor.”

“You might clash with the Duke’s family if you do that. Will that be alright?”

Oberon was concerned.

No matter how angry he was about Clea’s situation, the opponent was the sole heir of the Duke’s family.

It was unlikely that the Duke and Duchess would overlook the work of plummeting the honor of such an heir.

Unlike Oberon, who was worried that this could turn the Imperial family and the Duke’s family into opposing relationships, Admund was calm.

“The Duke’s family will make a decision too. Whether they choose me, or that disappointing fool of an heir.”

Admund didn’t care even if relations worsened.

One thing was certain: Lloyd was the person who had inflicted the greatest wounds on his precious person.

“Just by spreading all of his actions that the Duke’s family has been hiding, that bastard won’t be able to show his face in public.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Oberon only worried about Admund’s intentions, but did not try to break his resolve.

As he said, the work of uncovering hidden parts rather than fabricating non-existent things was not a crime.

At least if Lloyd had been upright, there would have been no reason to hide anything.

And Oberon also harbored dissatisfaction about Lloyd avoiding his gaze and entering the Imperial Palace to face Clea.

Even the incident where she somehow spilled blood on the floor right after meeting him.

‘I’ll congratulate you on your future becoming a thorny path, Lloyd.’