Jeremy had been imprisoned in the tower, yet the Three Dukes were freely moving about the imperial palace, leaving Dietrich uncertain about what might happen at any moment, so he carefully stationed knights to guard the estate.

However, due to the previous incident in prison where one of his own knights had attacked Celia, Dietrich decided to deploy only a minimal number of troops, and even then, stationed them outside the estate rather than within.

“The Crown Prince has been confined to the tower, but the real problem is Empress Erpia. She won’t just stand by and watch. Illeon will surely exploit the fact that they’re from the same family. Things haven’t gone his way, so he’s probably preparing something serious by now.”

“Then our next move should be to corner the empress? As you said, we can’t bring Illeon down right now. He wouldn’t fall even if we tried.”

Celia and Dietrich were discussing future plans while drinking tea in Dietrich’s room.

Knock knock.

“Your Grace, visitors have arrived at the estate.”

Aside from Anderson, his aide and head steward, no one else would dare knock on his door like this.

Dietrich glanced at Celia. She understood his look and gave a small nod.

Both rose from their seats and assumed a pose that would appear as affectionate as possible to any onlooker.

Dietrich wrapped his arm around Celia’s waist, while Celia leaned her weight gently against his shoulder.

“This should be convincing enough.”

Celia whispered softly. Dietrich nodded in agreement and called out to Anderson beyond the door.

“Come in.”

At the command, the door opened.

“Your Grace, visitors have arrived at the estate…”

Anderson’s expression darkened instantly upon seeing the two of them, looking like a perfect, lovey-dovey couple.

He froze in place, speechless, like a statue.

“What is it?”

“Ah… um…”

Anderson’s gaze wandered blankly into the air.

“Who are the visitors?”

Growing impatient, Celia asked in Dietrich’s stead.

“Oh, that… it’s the family of your Grace’s beloved… or should I say, your future duchess? I’m not sure what title to use…”

“Just call her my beloved fiancée.”

Dietrich said it without changing his expression at all.

Celia was creeped out by his method acting.

How can he say something like that without even blinking?

She kept marveling inwardly.

“Oh, then… your Grace’s beloved fiancée?”

“Why did you add ‘beloved’? Just say ‘fiancée’.”

“Yes, of course… Fiancée.”

Anderson looked embarrassed, his jaw clenched tight, a blue vein bulging along his tense chin.

Celia had to bite her lower lip hard to suppress her laughter at the awkward title.

Meanwhile, Dietrich, the one who had insisted on being called that, showed no sign of embarrassment—only confidence.

Anderson took several deep breaths before finally getting to the point.

“Relatives are waiting outside. Their names, I believe, are Hariel Brillion and Gabriel Brillion.”

“……”

Celia’s eyes darkened.

“Did they say anything about me?”

“They said they were worried and came to check on you. Claimed you might not be adjusting well in the palace, so they came all this way…”

After selling her off to the old emperor, they now wanted to suck every last drop from what little remained.

Celia knew exactly how vicious these two were.

Back when she lived in the viscount’s household, while the Brillion men only thought of what they could do to her, these two—mother and daughter—tormented Celia in countless different ways.

“Eat moderately. If you get any fatter, you’ll lose all your value.”

While they gorged themselves on greasy food every day, they begrudged even giving Celia a bowl of plain porridge.

“Though she’s adopted, I cherish her just like my own daughter. So I only want suitors who can fully support her—men of sufficient means.”

Saying this, they paraded Celia in front of eligible men, even elderly ones, treating her as nothing more than a tool to make money.

She had thought she’d never have to see them again after entering the palace.

But if this is fate, it’s a stubbornly bitter one.

Seeing Celia’s troubled expression, Dietrich leaned close and whispered softly, so only she could hear:

“Want me to go kick them out? So they’ll never find you again.”

Celia shook her head.

“No. Let’s hear what they have to say first.”

“Mother, are you sure she’s really staying here?”

“Didn’t you see the guard go report inside? It must be true. You saw it yourself.”

Gabriel’s expression soured. Glancing warily at the knights guarding the estate, she lowered her voice.

“She must’ve thrown herself at Duke Calypso first. He has no idea how loose she is—probably took her in without knowing anything.”

“Of course. That X had plenty of talent when it came to chasing men. If she hadn’t been adopted into our family, she’d have become a well-known prostitute.”

Even as they came to see her, the two kept belittling Celia with baseless, vulgar remarks.

Just then, the estate gate opened, and Celia and Dietrich walked out toward the entrance.

“……”

When Gabriel saw Dietrich’s face head-on, her lips parted involuntarily.

Flawless skin, neatly shaped eyebrows, a nose as delicate as a veil, a sharp jawline.

Just looking at him evoked awe.

Even in uniform, his toned muscles were unmistakable, and his broad chest rising with each breath was strikingly captivating.

The large, firm hand holding Celia’s waist looked like it could protect her from any danger.

Gabriel was nearly driven mad with jealousy.

She wanted nothing more than to shove Celia aside and take her place right then and there.

But the sinister look on Gabriel’s face vanished instantly as Dietrich turned to glance at her; she quickly forced a sweet smile, playing the role of the kind ‘older sister’.

“Duke Calypso, hello. I never imagined you’d be protecting my dear little sister so attentively. I’m truly grateful.”

Dietrich stared at Gabriel with a completely emotionless expression.

Yet, when his indifferent gaze shifted to Celia, it softened miraculously, glowing with tenderness.

Feeling ignored, Gabriel assumed Celia must have said terrible things about her to Dietrich.

Suppressing her anger, she forced a warm tone toward Celia.

“Celia, you have no idea how worried I’ve been since you went to the palace. Seeing you doing well finally puts my mind at ease.”

But Celia didn’t respond at all.

She merely looked at Gabriel as if she were a complete stranger.

Expecting Celia to grovel and beg, Gabriel burned with inner fury when she didn’t.

Hurt in her pride, Gabriel was now replaced by Hariel, who stepped forward.

“Celia, we came all this way because we were worried about you! Why aren’t you greeting us at all? Don’t tell me you’ve become so arrogant after tasting palace life?”

“……”

As Dietrich opened his mouth to speak, Celia gently tugged his sleeve and slightly shook her head.

Dietrich respected her decision.

“It’s really laughable—coming here pretending to be family now, after pushing me into the palace back then.”

Celia curled her lips into a faint, mocking smile.

“What? Are you really treating us like this? After everything we’ve done for you? You crawled into the palace on all fours!”

“I came on my own feet.”

“Don’t lie! You begged to be sent to the palace because you wanted an old but powerful emperor!”

Hariel shouted, fabricating lies and raising her voice.

“Believe whatever you want. I don’t need to listen to any more nonsense.”

“Celia!”

Gabriel grabbed Hariel’s arm and apologized on her behalf.

“Duke Calypso, my mother is very upset because Celia is behaving so rudely, unlike before. I apologize in her place.”

“You should apologize not to me, but to my fiancée. And it’s you who’s behaving rudely.”

Dietrich’s words made Gabriel bite her lower lip.

“Apologize to my fiancée, not me.”

“……”

Gabriel was humiliated, but her desire not to appear unfavorable in Dietrich’s eyes outweighed her pride.

Forcing a smile, she gave Celia an insincere apology.

“Celia, I’m truly sorry. We’re family, so I hope you won’t hold this against me. You’ll forgive me, won’t you?”

“No.”

Celia’s firm reply made Gabriel’s lips tremble.

“Dietrich, now that we’re done, let’s go back inside. I’d like to be alone with you.”

Celia nuzzled her cheek against Dietrich’s shoulder.

Dietrich looked down at her with loving eyes.

Gabriel’s insides twisted with rage. She wanted nothing more than to slap Celia across the face until she felt satisfied, but with Dietrich standing right there, she could do nothing.

“I’ll make sure those people never cross your path again. You’ll soon become the duchess.”

Dietrich’s words cruelly scraped against Gabriel’s soul.

Before stepping back into the estate, he gave an order to the knights waiting outside.

“Throw those people out of the palace grounds immediately.”