“My Lord, are you really terminating the contract? The, the penalty fee is quite substantial.”

Cain glanced at Baron Ailet sitting in front of him and checked the time. It was almost time to leave work.

That meant he had no more time to talk with this dimwit.

“Nathan, bring the checkbook. Pay the penalty fee right away.”

Cain extended his hand to Nathan. While Nathan was getting the checkbook, Baron Ailet knelt beside Cain. And he grabbed Cain’s hand.

“My Lord! I was wrong!”

Cain’s eyebrows furrowed mercilessly. He shook off Baron Ailet’s hand as if disgusted by a bug’s touch.

Baron Ailet, who had fallen backwards, sprang up like a coil and knelt again.

Nathan shook his head.

If Baron Ailet wanted to change Cain’s mind, he shouldn’t act like this. Whatever he does, the contract would be voided, but for the sake of the future at least.

If Baron Ailet had the composure to read the room, he would have quietly withdrawn, but he was too desperate to even think of that.

The loan he had taken from the bank, using the supply contract with Hays Company as collateral, was enormous.

The penalty fee Cain would return wouldn’t even cover half of that loan.

That’s not all. When the supply contract with Hays Company became known, those who had cut ties before contacted him again. Of course, he signed new contracts. There were three such contracts in total.

But what if things go sour with Hays Company? If that fact becomes known?

Those contracts would end too.

Baron Ailet’s shipping company would go bankrupt.

He and his family would inevitably become beggars.

They wouldn’t be able to set foot in the gentlemen’s club, and even if they did, it was clear they would be ignored.

Moreover, they would have to send away all the servants, and Lady Ailet would have to sweep and clean the house herself. Baron Ailet would have to repair the mansion with his own hands.

It was horrifying just to think about. He’d rather go to jail than that. For Baron Ailet, who grew up without getting a drop of water on his hands, it was beyond harsh, it was humiliating.

It only took one word from Cain to bring him down to the bottom.

“Please, My Lord. Please reconsider.”

“Nathan, what are you doing not bringing the checkbook?”

At Cain’s blatant disregard, Baron Ailet crawled on his knees and grabbed Cain’s trouser leg.

“My Lord!”

Baron Ailet shouted, tightening his stomach muscles. Loud enough to make his throat sting.

Only then did Cain look down at Baron Ailet. A chill ran through Baron Ailet’s body as their eyes met.

Cain’s shining eyes were filled with cruelty. It was a look that only someone who had sent someone’s life to ruin could show.

“Take your filthy hands off.”

Baron Ailet, who had been frozen, woke up at Cain’s words.

“Do you feel wronged?”

Unlike his sharp gaze, the gentle voice made Ailet nod as if bewitched.

“Yes, yes, I feel wronged. What did I do so wrong? What happened at the palace was purely due to a misunderstanding. I heard that you were not on good terms with the Duchess. If there’s any fault, isn’t it the fault of the person who spread that rumor? I… I…”

Cain laughed briefly and shook his head. Baron Ailet was beyond help. He just kept making excuses. Indeed, there was no need to give him a chance.

A grown adult who doesn’t know his own faults, and doesn’t know how to act after making a mistake. And to think such a person is a nobleman.

Cain was disgusted at even being categorized with him.

“I no longer wish to converse with you.”

Cain stood up.

It’s all over. As that thought struck him, Baron Ailet lost his reason.

“My Lord! What did I do so wrong? I only made a mistake after hearing rumors that you mistreated the Duchess! Isn’t that possible? There were widespread rumors that you were going to divorce the Duchess soon, are you saying I should have acted as if I would give her my liver and gall?”

Nathan’s mouth fell open. He quickly opened the door to check the corridor.

An employee holding documents was coming towards Cain’s office.

Nathan hastily waved his hand, signaling them to go back down. He also warned them with all sorts of hand signals not to come near this floor.

After the employee who roughly understood disappeared to the end of the corridor, Nathan closed the door and windows well and even drew the curtains.

From now on, only Nathan, Cain, and Baron Ailet would know what happens in Cain’s office.

Nathan prayed that everything would pass without incident.

Cain stood still like a statue until Nathan finished all those tasks.

Thinking his attack had worked, Baron Ailet spewed more nonsense.

“In the first place, if you had done well so that we wouldn’t misunderstand, why would such an unfortunate incident occur? Moreover, does it make sense for you, who are crushing the Rose Faction, to get along well with the Duchess who is rumored to be meeting with those bastards? This is disrespecting His Majesty and us nobles, guk!”

It happened in an instant.

Cain grabbing Baron Ailet’s neck and lifting him up.

Baron Ailet’s face, whose feet left the ground solely by Cain’s strength without his own will, was painted with terror.

“Guk, guk, M-My Lo, guk.”

Cain stared at Baron Ailet, regardless of whether his breath was choked or not, whether his face turned red and blood vessels burst in his eyes or not.

“You, you really speak carelessly.”

Though his tone was flat, killing intent flowed in his eyes. Baron Ailet’s hair stood on end.

“M-My Lord, p-please spare me, kuk.”

Baron Ailet’s eyeballs rolled back and forth as his neck was tightly squeezed.

Nathan sighed and approached.

“My Lord, I will take care of this.”

Cain didn’t hear Nathan’s words and only glared at Baron Ailet.

All his consciousness was directed at himself.

He chewed over Baron Ailet’s words, dissected them, and helplessly watched the knife hidden in them stab him.

What Baron Ailet did was clearly wrong, but the words he spat out at the end were true.

It was all his fault.

If he had immediately corrected the rumors that spread after Jane entered Somnium House, if he had clearly rejected Scarlet’s feelings before that, or if he had dealt with the Rose Faction earlier…

It was just hypothetical, but if he had done so, Jane wouldn’t have suffered humiliation at the palace that day.

Realizing this fact, the strength left his hand.

With a thud, Baron Ailet collapsed to the floor. Cain took out a handkerchief and wiped his clean hands.

As if Baron Ailet himself was filth.

Baron Ailet observed Cain at the suddenly relaxed atmosphere.

Did Cain perhaps change his mind?

But his expectations were shattered.

“Nathan, I don’t want to be involved with the Ailet baronial family ever again.”

“I will take care of it.”

Nathan opened the door and whistled, and two burly men rushed in.

“Drag him out.”

Nathan said in a low voice.

“M-My Lord! Weren’t you agreeing with what I said? Isn’t that why you let me go?”

Baron Ailet flailed to the end.

“Whatever the situation was, whatever the reason was, it doesn’t erase the fact that you did wrong. If you’re an adult, you should take responsibility.”

Cain showed one last mercy to Baron Ailet who had given him a realization.

“I’ll send the penalty fee to your home.”

Cain put down the handkerchief he had meticulously wiped. Before that handkerchief could touch the floor, Baron Ailet was dragged out.

Baron Ailet’s shouts that had been echoing in the corridor for a while also subsided.

Probably one of the burly men had gagged him.

Nathan thought it was a very appropriate measure.

“What are you going to do about the other families?”

Nathan let out a sigh of relief that this matter was settled for now. However, he couldn’t rest.

How many people had wronged Jane at the Children’s Day event?

It would take more time and effort than expected to deal with all those families.

“Block their funding sources first.”

“They’re close to the old raccoon. Will it be okay?”

Nathan very cautiously added his opinion.

“How about just calling them in and admonishing them?”

It’s just called admonishing, but it would involve some intimidation and violence.

In the case of Baron Ailet, since he caused trouble in front of all the court servants, there wouldn’t be much issue even if he was taught a lesson, but for others, it’s ambiguous.

So Nathan hoped to pass it over as quietly as possible.

“There could also be rumors that you’re being swayed by the Duchess.”

“That’s true.”

“Pardon?”

“I’m going to make it true.”

“So what exactly?”

“I’ll let Jane sway me to her heart’s content.”

Isn’t it right to prevent future mishaps caused by the rumors he ignored, which ended up hurting Jane?

“Let’s call it a day.”

Nathan, who had been momentarily dazed trying to grasp the meaning behind Cain’s words, suddenly came to his senses.

“Your Excellency, no, Boss! Let’s go together!”

* * *

From the day after Cain declared, or rather non-declared, that he would be swayed by Jane, he acted quite attentively towards Jane.

From Nathan’s perspective, he couldn’t really tell what exactly was being swayed, but Cain himself was making an effort.

His effort was very simple.

Leaving work and having dinner together with Jane.

And.

“From now on, don’t mind me and go out freely.”

He gave Jane freedom.