Blair raised her eyes in surprise, following the hand. Mikhail was standing before her.

Blair naturally placed her hand on his and asked:

“How did you recognize me?”

“Usually, people who come to places like this are desperate to show off their status. Unless they’re trying to make their family crest more visible, it’s rare to see someone arrive in a hired carriage.”

“But surely there must be more than one or two people who come by hired carriage.”

“Well, let’s just say it’s magic.”

With a smile, Mikhail smoothly evaded the question and guided Blair into the art gallery.

This private art gallery holds an art auction once per season.

Today was the day of the spring auction.

Among the works to be auctioned today was a painting that Ivan’s servant was planning to buy.

Blair had come here to preempt that painting and to acquire a few pieces to fill the empty ducal residence.

“This way.”

Following Mikhail down to the basement, a large hall resembling a theater spread out before them. However, unlike a theater, it was brightly lit.

The two found seats in a relatively secluded area. Looking at the stage, it seemed the auction was still in preparation.

Blair kept looking around curiously. On the table in front of them were several numbered cards, an oak board, and a paddle with a circle drawn on it.

Mikhail watched Blair, who was examining her surroundings like a curious child, with an expression that seemed to find her adorable.

“It seems this is your first time at an auction.”

Only then did Blair realize her behavior wasn’t befitting a noblewoman, and she put down the paddle she had been examining.

“I never had the chance to leave the imperial palace. His Majesty forbade me from going out because it was dangerous, and I was also quite frail…”

In truth, there was another decisive reason.

Blair disliked drawing people’s attention.

She disliked how her every word and glance invited various speculations just because she was an imperial princess.

She disliked how many people judged her based on the fragmentary glimpses they caught of her in fleeting moments.

And then…

‘Blair, behave like a proper imperial princess. Please, don’t embarrass your mother!’

She disliked how Katrina became pathologically obsessed with her over a single mistake.

That’s why she still felt reluctant to draw people’s attention.

After becoming a duchess, Blair felt somewhat freer from those gazes and wanted to go out and see the outside world she had never properly experienced as an imperial princess. With Herdin.

She thought that if she were with him, the gazes of others wouldn’t matter.

‘Herdin, if you have time, could you come with me to see the clock tower in the square?’

‘I’ll inform the knights. It’s getting cold, so dress warmly when you go out.’

But he was busy, and when he did have time, it was difficult to leave the bedroom.

Back then, she believed that was love. After all, he still worried about her kindly.

Although she desperately wanted to see the outside world, being in his arms felt good too.

‘He always prioritized his own desires.’

Perhaps she had desperately tried to rationalize and pretend to understand him to avoid feeling miserable herself, even though she knew better.

Blair smiled bitterly at the sudden memory of the past. Seeing the bitter smile on her lips, Mikhail spoke with a grin.

“I’ll have to take you out more often under the pretext of requests. I know many good places in the capital. I suddenly feel a great sense of responsibility.”

Blair blinked at Mikhail’s words. She couldn’t understand why he was so readily offering his kindness.

After pondering for a moment, Blair easily came to a conclusion.

‘I guess money really can do anything.’

She thought his kindness was merely capitalist courtesy for a client.

It was difficult to imagine any ulterior motives behind his frank smile and ready kindness.

By now, the auction preparations were almost complete. Watching this, Mikhail spoke up.

“Before the auction officially begins, there’s something I’d like to ask you, Madam.”

Blair instinctively sensed that what he was about to say was related to Caligo. And as expected, he mentioned that name.

“Caligo Elparind, a knight of House Delmark. May I ask why you’re investigating him?”

Blair hesitated at his question.

One of the purposes of meeting Mikhail today was to hear news about Caligo. But she couldn’t speak in detail about him.

‘…I can’t exactly say he’s the man who will kill me in the future.’

As Blair hesitated to answer promptly, Mikhail, seeming to have expected such a reaction, asked again.

“If it’s difficult to speak about, could you at least tell me if you’re looking for him for a good reason, or not so good?”

“I’m investigating him for a… personal, unpleasant matter.”

Mikhail’s brow furrowed at Blair’s answer. The vague ominous feeling he had grew stronger.

Of course, it was still just a ‘feeling’ at this point.

If he spoke about something uncertain, it might put her in danger instead. He needed to dig a little deeper.

“I’ll investigate a bit more for now. He might be more dangerous than expected, so please keep your distance as much as possible.”

As Mikhail finished speaking, the auctioneer appeared on the platform.

Soon, the auction began.

* * *

The museum director stood with his hands folded neatly, looking up at the man standing beside him.

Tall with a straight posture, a handsome face that suited the adjective ‘beautiful’.

Even though he was just standing there appreciating a painting, he looked like a work of art himself alongside the picture.

It was Herdin Delmark, the largest investor in this art museum.

His mother, the previous Duchess Delmark, Eloise, came from the Viscount Piache family, famous for patronizing artists.

Perhaps due to growing up in such a family tradition, she too had a deep appreciation for art and supported many poor artists during her lifetime.

Her son, Herdin, was continuing her legacy by investing in the art museum.

But the director felt scared every time he saw him.

It was partly due to his unrealistically handsome appearance, but more than that, this man had an indescribably chilling aura of authority. This was true even without considering his background as the museum’s largest investor.

Especially today.

‘He seems unusually sharper today…’

Still, when his aide was with him, he wasn’t this scary.

The director, who had been carefully observing Herdin’s mood, cautiously asked a question.

“Um, did your aide not accompany you today?”

“He had other business.”

Luth had voluntarily gone out on fieldwork for several days.

The person in question was completely unaware that this was a choice made after carefully observing Herdin’s mood, which had been particularly sensitive since the talk of the contract marriage a few days ago.

“Ah… I see.”

The director’s expression darkened significantly, but Herdin, his gaze fixed on the painting, didn’t notice.

“After a brief look, there seem to be many good paintings. I’ll drop by again soon.”

Private art museums periodically changed their exhibited paintings. This was to attract visitors with new exhibits each time, as well as to discover emerging artists.

After the exhibition, these artworks were passed on to the nobles through auctions or sales.

“Are you planning to purchase paintings? If there are any works you’re interested in, please let me know now. I’ll set them aside for you in advance.”

“No, my wife will choose the paintings.”

A few days ago, Luth had relayed the conversation from when he had prepared for the banquet with Blair. Blair had said it would be nice to hang more paintings on the walls.

As he happened to visit the museum, that conversation came to mind, and he somewhat impulsively made an appointment with the museum director.

The director looked at Herdin with puzzled eyes.

‘Are they on better terms than I thought?’

When news of Herdin and Blair’s marriage spread, people thought he would mistreat Blair. The bad blood between the imperial family and the Delmarks was common knowledge, after all.

But now Herdin seemed to care for his wife, at least at a glance. Of course, it could be an act for the sake of public image.

Whatever the truth, it was enough to play along appropriately.

“Haha, indeed, the mistress’s eye is paramount when it comes to decorating the home. Well then, please give us notice the day before, and we’ll be waiting.”

Herdin left the viewing room with the museum director. Just then, a large group of people were emerging from the basement.

As Herdin looked at the scene, the director quickly explained.

“Ah, today is the day of the spring auction. It seems the auction has just ended. If you’re interested…”

As the director was explaining, after the first wave of people had left, a man and a woman came up later.

Herdin, who was about to pass by without much thought, stopped in his tracks when he saw them. Although the veil attached to her hat covered part of her face, he recognized her at a glance.

That the woman was his wife.

Blair, in conversation with an unfamiliar man, was smiling brightly as if enjoying herself.

That sight felt unfamiliar. How ridiculous.

The museum director was saying something beside him, but it didn’t even reach his ears.

“Your Grace?”

As the director called out to him, Mikhail, who had been looking at Blair with a gentle smile, raised his gaze.

The smile faded from his face as his eyes met Herdin’s.

Only then did Blair, noticing the unusual atmosphere, follow Mikhail’s gaze.

Her eyes widened in surprise as she discovered Herdin at the end of that gaze.

“…Herdin?”

Her blinking eyes held only surprise at the unexpected encounter, with no trace of the embarrassment of having a secret discovered.

Reading that emotion, Herdin’s lips twisted.