Even a young child just starting to learn manners would know to quickly state their name and greet someone when a person of higher rank approaches first to greet them.

Therefore, if a grown adult were to commit such an improper act, it would not be a matter to easily overlook, to the point where their family would need to formally apologize.

“Lady Iolls.”

“I-I’m sorry, Viscount Kerenik. I am Mirea Iolls.”

Mirea felt chills run down her spine at the cold voice of Sandes calling her name.

The young man who had once frantically chased after his sister had now grown far beyond Mirea’s ability to handle.

In height, physique, and even social status.

Mirea’s mind began to freeze at the anger palpable even in his voice.

Could it be that he knew everything?

That was impossible.

The act of secretly bringing his niece had been done without anyone’s knowledge, and those involved were not in the empire.

When isolating his sister in the Iolls household, she had only one maid with her.

That maid would never betray her.

Surely it was absolutely impossible.

“Yes, you should be sorry.”

Since it was only proper to show one’s face after greeting, Mirea had no choice but to remove the hat she had been pressing down tightly.

“Please forgive my rudeness… Viscount.”

Mirea bowed deeply, clutching her hat.

Knowing that her actions could become an enormous issue if they reflected on her family, Mirea hurried to apologize.

Sandes simply looked down at Mirea’s pitiful apologetic form without responding.

Mirea could not raise her bowed body.

When seeking understanding or forgiveness from a higher-ranking noble, one had to apologize until a response was given.

Mirea’s body trembled with shame.

She was terrified that someone might see inside, clearly visible from outside.

She was afraid the jeweler’s owner would witness everything and spread rumors.

“I heard a very interesting story.”

Mirea’s body stiffened at Sandes’ opening remark.

“About my late sister, whom you know well…”

He leaned in slightly and whispered to Mirea.

“I heard she died after suffering greatly because of you.”

“Th-that’s not…”

“Shh, I haven’t responded to your plea for forgiveness, yet you dare to speak?”

At Sandes’ rebuke, Mirea trembled uncontrollably, unable to even breathe.

The pitch-black hatred overflowing from his words alone made it difficult for Mirea to keep her composure.

“Raise your head, Lady Iolls.”

Though he allowed her to lift her bowed head, Sandes did not forgive Mirea’s rudeness to the end.

Mirea slowly raised her stiff, creaking back.

Sandes took a step back from Mirea, wearing what appeared at first glance to be a gentle smile.

But facing him directly, Mirea felt as if she would burn up under his ice-blue eyes that made her heart plummet.

“I have some good news as well, Lady Iolls.”

Mirea could not possibly respond to his words.

“It seems I’ve found my niece, whom I thought was dead.”

At his statement, Mirea unconsciously took a step back.

She had been discovered.

He had come to know everything, down to the last detail.

Not knowing how he had found out drove her to the brink of madness.

“But it seems my niece endured unimaginably painful times.”

Sandes was smiling very brightly.

To anyone else watching, it would appear as if he were discussing something truly joyful.

“Because of you.”

“The appraisal is complete!”

The jeweler’s owner, seeing Sandes’ expression as so delighted, did not realize they were having such a brutal conversation.

Merely pleased at having quickly completed the task, he interrupted the two’s dialogue.

Mirea fled to the jewelry counter, escaping from him.

“My lady, due to the abundance of precious gems, the appraisal value is quite…”

“Just give it to me.”

“Pardon?”

“I said just give it to me!”

The jeweler’s owner was dumbfounded by Mirea’s terrified face as she shouted.

He couldn’t understand why she looked so frightened when the person she had been talking to seemed so delighted.

“Ah, yes.”

But as a mere commoner, all he could do was pretend not to notice and answer.

The jeweler slowly packed the jewelry and accessories into the bag Mirea had provided.

Mirea had to leave this place immediately, regardless of her insufficient finances.

She had to escape from that demonic person wearing a mask of bright smiles.

“Here you are, my lady.”

Mirea snatched the bag the jeweler held out and moved to rush out of the shop.

“Lady Iolls.”

But at the sound of his voice calling her again, she found herself unable to move with the door right in front of her.

Sandes slowly walked in front of Mirea.

“Look forward to it.”

Standing behind her, he quietly spoke to Mirea.

“I’m someone who returns as much as I receive, no, even more than that.”

At his final chilling words, Mirea fled the jewelry shop with her tail between her legs.

Though she hastily opened the door and ran out, Sandes did not try to stop her.

Mirea returned to the Iolls mansion, running for quite some time without even thinking to catch a carriage, gasping for breath.

“My lady!”

When Mirea burst in with a pale face, the head servant in the mansion approached in surprise.

“What has happened?”

“Th-that maid, where is she?”

“Maid? Which maid do you mean?”

“The maid I said I needed to keep with me to the end!”

“Do you mean Reni? Actually, I was going to tell you about that, my lady.”

At the head servant’s seemingly awkward words, Mirea sensed that something had gone terribly wrong.

“A few days ago, she said she had to quit due to a major family issue…”

“What…?”

“I tried to tell you every time, but you wouldn’t listen, so I couldn’t inform you.”

“Did you say Reni’s parents passed away?”

“Ah, yes. How did you know?”

Mirea collapsed to the ground at the head servant’s words.

The one who should have been the last to know had learned of it first.

It was a clear mistake to have been so preoccupied with the severe financial crisis that she neglected to pay attention to the maid’s parents.

Reni had been the maid she kept with her since her husband brought Sandes’ sister to the mansion and she began staying here.

Reni was extremely money-hungry, and Mirea kept her close, thinking she would not dare betray her as she had somehow managed to take Reni’s parents hostage.

In fact, she had never caused any problems even once.

Although Mirea thought there was a certain level of trust since quite some time had passed since they learned each other’s secrets, it was only her own thinking.

Reni had long thought there was no more money to be had from the Iolls family, and as soon as her parents, who were practically hostages, passed away, she fled.

“It can’t be.”

There was no doubt that she had gone to the Kerenik viscounty, which would pay instead of the Iolls, and spilled all of Mirea’s secrets.

It was a big mistake to trust someone other than her son.

Suddenly remembering something, Mirea abruptly stood up and headed to her room.

Entering her room, Mirea slammed the door shut and rushed to her vanity.

Carefully lowering the portrait next to the vanity revealed a safe door slightly smaller than the painting.

Mirea opened the safe door with trembling hands.

Various items were inside the safe.

Mirea pulled out a single sheet of paper from the very back.

The paper was boldly titled [WILL].

Mirea’s hand holding the paper shook violently.

It was a cruel will that she wanted to tear up and burn immediately.

But Mirea could do nothing with the will.

A will written by the head of a family before death is originally made in two copies.

One copy is kept by the department managing nobles in the imperial court, where even the emperor cannot handle it privately, and one copy is kept by the family.

Even if Mirea were to tear up the will in her hand, the undesirable will left by her husband would still remain in the world.

Mirea hated the words dancing on the crisp paper.

[I, Sotom Iolls, designate Peiron Iolls as my successor. Mirea Iolls shall manage everything until Peiron comes of age. Designated lands and assets are left to Daisy. If Daisy dies, those lands and assets pass to Daisy and my child.]

The largest text below the will’s title once again tore at Mirea’s heart.

Below the content was a list of lands and assets that Daisy, her husband’s mistress and Sandes’ sister, would receive.

It was a list amounting to no less than 1/3 of the assets comprising the Iolls family.

Her husband had hurt her in life by obsessing over his mistress in front of her, and now hurt her in death through his will.

The head of family’s will is first made known to those named in it and to family members.

The reason Mirea had been able to hide the will without anyone knowing was that those named in the will and family members were not present when it was to be revealed.

At the time, Peiron was severely ill with a high fever and unable to hear it, so Mirea was the only family member who attended.

The reason Sandes’ sister, Daisy, and Leorvil, the child of Daisy and her husband, could not hear the will was because Mirea had driven them out.

Mirea had long suspected that her husband would have written content for Daisy and Leorvil in his will.

So when she felt her husband had little time left, she pretended to help Daisy escape and drove them out.

She sent them out of the mansion in the dead of winter without a coat, without a coin for their escape, practically naked.

Because she wished they would simply die that way.