“So where is my daughter-in-law?”

“My lady, wouldn’t it be proper to greet first when you’ve returned?”

Odin saw Elaina, who had just returned and hadn’t even changed her clothes yet.

Despite her age, she was still beautiful. Even as she looked at Odin’s gentle smile, Elaina’s expression was displeased.

“That’s not what’s important right now.”

“It’s the most important issue for you and me. If we’re not careful, others might misunderstand our relationship.”

“What misunderstanding? Fine. The journey was more enjoyable than expected. But there were some regrets too.”

“Regrets?”

At Elaina’s words, Odin glanced at Matilda standing behind her.

Matilda, meeting Odin’s gaze, broke into a cold sweat.

He was a very caring person to Elaina.

No matter what he said, he always spoke softly and often smiled like this.

But he became a completely different person to others besides her.

Even now, as soon as the word ‘regret’ left Elaina’s lips, he transformed into a fierce gaze, silently questioning Matilda.

A wordless question about what exactly had happened there.

But the atmosphere was soon lightened by Elaina.

“It just wasn’t that much fun without you by my side.”

“…I see. Then I understand. I too found the time at the Imperial Palace boring without you.”

Hearing Elaina’s words, Odin smiled again.

Seeing that smile, Matilda inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.

If different words had come from Elaina’s mouth here, who knows what might have happened.

Reading Matilda’s thoughts, Elaina smiled and approached Odin.

“So where is the child who’s to be our daughter-in-law?”

Daughter-in-law.

Odin burst into laughter as he recalled the person Elaina mentioned.

“Why are you laughing?”

“Because you’ve already decided she’s our daughter-in-law without even meeting her.”

“Our son chose her, so he must have done so wisely. That child is already an adult too.”

“Then how about we go see her in person?”

“Now?”

“Yes, now.”

Originally, Odin tended to stick to and maintain his schedule as much as possible.

He could spare time to talk with Elaina when she came to visit, but it was difficult for him to allocate more time than that.

Elaina also knew that Odin was a very busy person, so she didn’t particularly feel hurt by it.

But while she was away, Odin often showed signs of acting spontaneously.

Not knowing this, Elaina couldn’t help but be surprised at the sudden proposal to go meet Clea.

Odin put down the documents he was looking at on the desk and stood up.

“I’m as eager to get to know our daughter-in-law better as you are curious about her.”

“It’s so strange to hear you talk like that.”

At Elaina’s words, Odin swallowed what he was about to say.

‘I too find my current self very strange.’

Odin didn’t take much interest in others.

Except for Elaina, not in his blood relatives, friends, or other nobles he frequently met.

He didn’t develop any particular interest.

“You said she’s from the Odoi family, right?”

“She came out of the Odoi family.”

“Came out?”

“There’s much to say about that.”

For now, Elaina nodded when he suggested going to meet Clea.

“Then which palace is she currently residing in?”

“The Crown Prince’s Palace.”

“What? But they’re not married yet?”

“Admund has been keeping her hidden away in his palace.”

“Oh my.”

Elaina said with a smile.

“He takes after you, doesn’t he?”

“I don’t understand.”

“They say similar people often don’t understand each other.”

The two then headed towards the Crown Prince’s Palace where Admund was.

* * *

Grit was looking for a way to extract Clea from the Imperial Palace somehow.

He thought that at least if she were in the Odoi Duke’s residence, he could set things right.

But finding a way was not easy.

Since Odin’s ascension to the throne, it had become difficult to plant people in the Imperial Palace.

On top of that, news came that security at the Crown Prince’s Palace had been strengthened.

“How about filing a lawsuit?”

“Against whom?”

“Well, against the Crown Prince…”

“Talk sense! With the Emperor as the judge, do you think he’d rule against his own son?”

Moreover, Odin’s gaze towards Clea was very gentle.

It was the first time he looked at someone like that, except for the Empress.

Because of this, Grit felt an even greater sense of crisis.

It was already apparent that Admund had taken a liking to Clea.

The only people Grit had somewhat counted on were those higher than Admund, the Emperor and Empress.

But if Odin also liked Clea, the only person left was the Empress.

‘To think that child might become Empress.’

Grit thought.

He imagined what it would be like when the person they had only seen as a tool until now became Empress.

Until now, they had ignored Clea, ostracized her, and didn’t hesitate to speak insultingly to her.

Not only did they prevent her from enjoying what she should have, but they even drove her out of the family.

‘That must never happen.’

Clea would no longer try to be involved with the Odoi family.

She would surely announce to people that she had already left the Odoi family and been expelled.

At least, the last time he saw her, she appeared adamant and seemed unlikely to be persuaded.

If such a person later became Empress, would she leave the family that tormented her alone?

Especially when he thought of Admund, he felt even more uneasy.

“Contact the Hersher family.”

“The Hersher family, sir?”

“Yes.”

Realizing that he would be in danger if things continued as they were, he wanted to prepare for a different move.

It was an opportunity to somehow prevent her from becoming Empress while simultaneously letting people know who the recognized Crown Princess was.

“Lord Duke! We have a problem!”

“What is it?”

At that moment, Grit frowned at the sound coming from the doorway.

There stood the butler.

As the butler appeared, gasping for breath, Grit and Steve felt uneasy about what could have happened.

Then the butler spoke quickly.

“The Grand Duke and his wife have just arrived at the mansion!”

“What are you talking about!”

Grit couldn’t help but be flustered.

He couldn’t believe that the Percy Grand Duke couple had suddenly arrived without any notice.

Until now, they had never come without at least some form of communication beforehand.

So Grit was about to ask the butler to explain in detail.

“It’s exactly as you hear, why are you shouting so loudly?”

“That’s right. It’s not like we’ve come somewhere we shouldn’t, is it?”

Until the Grand Duke couple appeared beyond the door.

“…I was just surprised by your sudden visit without prior notice.”

“Between soon-to-be family, there might be times without notice, don’t you think?”

After facing the suddenly arrived Grand Duke couple, Grit and Steve’s expressions hardened.

They had never come so abruptly before.

Despite being close, these people who always emphasized etiquette appearing like this made Grit feel uncomfortable.

‘How much do they know?’

Grit thought they must have heard rumors and come to see them.

Thinking there was no other reason for such a visit, he tried his best to manage his expression.

While trying hard not to show any signs of agitation, this very attitude of Grit’s dampened the Grand Duke couple’s mood.

“It’s been a while, we’d like to see Clea too. Could you call her for us?”

The Grand Duke mentioned Clea before Grit could say anything.

Suppressing the feeling of his insides turning, Grit avoided answering.

“She’s not feeling well, so it might be difficult to meet her now.”

“We’ve come all this way, couldn’t she come out just for a moment to greet us?”

“My lady, I apologize, but she just took her medicine and fell asleep. Wouldn’t it be better to let her rest comfortably now?”

As they kept insisting on meeting, Grit repeated that Clea was ill and it would be difficult to see her.

Normally, the Grand Duke couple would have followed Grit’s words out of concern for Clea.

But they had already heard something from Admund, so they were no longer fooled.

The Grand Duchess, who had been wearing a gentle and soft expression, spoke to Grit with a sharp gaze.

“I can’t listen to this anymore.”

“Grand Duchess.”

“Duke, did you think we would be fooled until the very end?”

Feeling no more value in dealing with him, the Grand Duchess turned her head away.

Meanwhile, the Grand Duke observed the reactions of Steve and the butler, rather than Grit, at intervals.

Especially Steve’s reaction was quite a sight.

‘To think such a person will inherit the Duke’s family. The Odoi family will soon be finished.’

Steve failed to manage his expression from start to finish.

He showed signs of tension as the Grand Duke couple continued to request a meeting. This only made the Grand Duke couple more certain.

It was exactly as Admund had told them. They had been deceived by such people all this time.

‘I’m in no position to worry about others now. The future of our family alone looks bleak.’

Seeing Steve’s behavior, the Grand Duke inwardly thought of Lloyd.

Feeling frustrated at the sight of his still immature son, he turned his attention back to reality.

He handed Grit a document he had prepared.

“Grand Duke, what is this?”

Grit’s expression hardened as he looked at the document the Grand Duke presented.

“It’s the debt that the Odoi family must repay within this month. If you can’t repay it, then we’ll have to see what happens, Duke.”

“G-Grand Duke! Why are you suddenly doing this! Grand Duke!”

After putting down the document, they stepped outside as if they had no more business there.

Trying somehow to hold them back, Grit called out until his voice was hoarse, but he couldn’t stop their departing footsteps.

‘I have no face to see that child. It’s pathetic and infuriating that we foolishly trusted such people.’