Cella brought a warm water-filled tin basin, like a washbasin, for Esika who had entered the room.

Then she had her soak her feet and started washing them.

“Ah, it’s warm. When I was in that cramped room, those damn people only gave me ice-cold water…”

Today, she didn’t do much work, left it to Resban, and returned to the mansion.

Someone must be burning with anxiety upon hearing the news that Esika had returned safely.

They must be curious about how far their plan has failed.

But just as weeds aren’t pulled out only from the top, it would take a bit more time for the roots to come out.

“Did you deliver what I ordered earlier to Hans?”

“Yes. The butler’s expression hardened when he received it… What was it?”

Esika merely raised the corner of her mouth instead of answering.

This could be considered the second gift being carefully prepared for Riona.

In the imperial library, accessible only to some direct imperial family members and their authorized guests, there were documents that shouldn’t be known to the public.

Among them were materials collected from fallen countries.

Like Smichen.

“The butler will be away from the duke’s house for a while. Report to the duchess that he’s gone on a business trip for loan negotiations with Zuchen.”

“…Then does that mean we can’t use this warm water for a while?”

Cella’s expression hardened.

Everything provided to Esika was under Hans’s jurisdiction.

Hans had moderated Riona’s pace, saying that if Esika was abused too much as Callian and Esika grew closer, it could incur Callian’s antipathy.

Additionally, he had secretly taken good care of items for Esika.

“Summer is coming soon, Cella. We don’t need warm water.”

Around autumn, the imperial plans for the western base will be announced.

So now, the plan to wash hands with the tears of enemies has reached its midpoint.

Esika hadn’t forgotten the time when she ate rotten bread and moistened her throat with ice water in that cramped room.

Knock knock−

Callian standing in front of her door would have completely forgotten, though.

“Open it.”

As his attendant opened the door, Callian, his face full of intoxication, entered the room.

Cella hurriedly stopped the foot bath and left the room with the basin, along with the attendant.

As soon as the door closed, Callian approached Esika and embraced her in his arms.

Esika’s fine eyebrows contorted at the smell of alcohol seeping through her nostrils, but Callian didn’t care about such things at all.

“I couldn’t go to bed thinking of my wife.”

Heat could be felt from Callian.

“These days… I feel like I’ve become a different person. To the point where I resent my past self, I’ve changed a lot.”

Esika twisted the corner of her mouth and spoke softly to him.

“Doesn’t your mother always tell you to be cautious of me?”

Slightly startled by those words, Callian released Esika whom he had been embracing.

Then, looking into her eyes, he asked.

“How did you know that?”

“Isn’t she the one who teaches that even if it’s his wife, a man shouldn’t be too absorbed in one woman if he wants to accomplish great things? Since your mother handles the household affairs, you, Duke…”

Esika extended her index finger and lightly pushed Callian’s chest.

“Should prioritize state affairs above all else.”

That small touch felt to Callian like a mischief or aegyo she was displaying.

Callian, his eyes wavering as he looked at Esika, said to her.

“But I have one more duty.”

Callian raised both hands and placed them on Esika’s shoulders.

Callian never refuted Riona’s words as being wrong.

It’s not that her words were wrong, but that both her words and other assertions were correct.

“…To see my successor in you.”

In Callian’s purple pupils, a clear lust was burning.

“So even mother would understand tonight’s affair.”

At Callian’s words, Esika was on the verge of bursting into laughter inside.

He doesn’t understand Riona’s mind at all.

Riona hates Esika enough to want to kill her off, and even if things don’t go according to her plan, she would use the success of Zuchen as a stepping stone to drive Esika out.

And she would want to bring in a true noble lady befitting the Klaus ducal family and see an heir of impeccable lineage from Callian.

Of course, even then, it didn’t seem like Riona would treat the new daughter-in-law well.

“…Esika.”

Callian called Esika with a rough voice and panting-like gaze.

If Esika before regaining the spirit’s memories had faced the current Callian, she would have engaged in burning love with him.

Callian’s face drew closer and closer to Esika.

When his high nose bridge and red lips almost touched her breath.

“…!”

For a moment, Callian’s eyes widened as if surprised, then slowly relaxed.

And he collapsed to the floor just like that.

Esika lowered her hand that she had briefly raised and gazed at the fallen man with calm eyes.

She had pressed his acupoint to make him faint.

She looked out the dark window with emotionless eyes.

The moon was high in the sky, and tree branches were swaying in the cool breeze.

**

Yuri, standing in front of Callian’s door, was clenching her fist so hard that blood was coming from her hand.

Below her, broken plates, cheese, fruits, and wine bottles were scattered.

All were things she had intended to bring to Callian.

With her face slightly bowed, the ends of her eyebrows were raised sky-high, and her usually calm lips were so tightly pressed that they had lost all color.

“…”

Today was the first day of returning to the duke’s mansion.

Although Callian Klaus seemed cold at first glance, he always comforted Yuri well when she showed weakness.

Sending such a letter from prison now seemed a bit hasty in retrospect.

So today, she had planned to clear up the misunderstandings between them, but.

“…Esika…”

Tonight, Callian was not in his room.

When she asked Hans’s successor where he had gone, he coldly answered with a look as if seeing something blasphemous.

“He is spending the night in the duchess’s room.”

Callian spending the night with Esika?

The casual way he answered was even more shocking.

Then, does that mean Callian and Esika had slept together several times during the three months she stayed at the government office?

Yuri felt as if the ground beneath her feet was crumbling.

If Esika were to become pregnant at this rate… Yuri would become precarious.

Who would care about her when there’s a wife with the firstborn?

“This can’t be…”

Esika was supposed to be stupid and naive, unable to receive her husband’s love, in a position worse than a maid.

What joy she had felt when she learned that Esika was being abused by the duchess and coldly treated by Callian.

The sight of Esika Brigitte, who had everything Yuri didn’t, becoming the nominal Duchess Esika Klaus and falling apart was a great pleasure for Yuri.

Now, by her possessing the Klaus that Esika had tried so hard but failed to obtain, the perfect plan was for Yuri Anesis to become the ultimate victor.

But for it to crumble like this?

“I absolutely won’t let that happen.”

Yuri’s red eyes flashed with murderous intent.

“Even if by some chance that woman commits adultery, your testimony is not worth believing. If you really want to bring her down, find evidence and bring it.”

The duchess had coldly rebuked Yuri.

**

Callian opened his eyes.

Feeling a slightly rough bedding against his skin, different from his room’s, he slightly frowned and raised his upper body.

His head ached as if he had been hit by something, and he felt nauseous.

As if he had been lying on a cold floor all night.

“…This place is…”

Inside Esika’s room.

Sunlight and wind were coming in through the open door, and white curtains were fluttering gently.

Callian put his hand on his forehead.

“…What happened yesterday?”

He remembers entering Esika’s room.

At dinner, feeling a bit upset by his mother’s words to stay away from Esika, he drank repeatedly, but unable to sleep, he came to her room without thinking.

From the moment in his mother’s room where she was fitting a dress, when Esika asked if she was beautiful, she had never left his mind.

He had come after holding back for so long.

And it seems he tried to kiss Esika.

His head became a bit dizzy, and then he lost consciousness.

“Did I drink too much?”

Certainly, he had drunk more than usual.

Callian got up from the bed.

His head was still throbbing, but he could walk.

Esika’s room was empty.

Wondering if she had gone for a morning walk, Callian soon left her room as well.

He said to the attendant who was waiting.

“Change the lady’s bedding to the best in the mansion.”

“Understood.”

“By the way, when did the lady leave?”

The attendant waiting for Callian’s cough immediately answered.

“She left an hour before you came out, Your Grace. She said she was going for a walk.”

It was as he had expected.

Callian started heading in the direction she was said to have gone.

Although he felt ashamed for losing consciousness after drinking, his desire to see Esika was even greater.

As if he had reverted to a boy, lately he couldn’t control his feelings.

“…Your Grace.”

As he was about to enter the garden, he saw Yuri Anesis in a dress.

She approached Callian, who had stopped upon seeing her, and greeted him brightly.

Her blonde hair, seemingly well-groomed, was glossy, her cheeks were slightly red as if wearing makeup, and her eyes were slightly moist with joy. Her lips… were slightly stiff as if nervous.

A sight that anyone would consider beautiful.

“It’s been so long since I’ve seen you, I’m so disappointed…”

“I’m busy right now.”

However, Callian cut off Yuri’s words at once.

As his tone conveyed annoyance, Yuri’s pupils shook greatly.

Yuri Anesis was a strikingly beautiful stone, but to one blinded by jewels, she was just a worthless pebble.

Callian quickly moved his steps without even looking at Yuri’s face.

“Y-Your… Grace?”

She stammered at his retreating back, but Callian didn’t even pretend to hear.

Like someone completely absorbed in something.