A graceful trajectory of the sword slices through the air.

Esika’s movements, spinning with a small sword, were as light as if dancing.

Turning her elbow and raising her wrist at a right angle, the sword playing in her hand stopped precisely.

Having finished her practice, Esika sheathed her sword.

The red sun was still peeking out from beyond the blue sky.

She had spent the quiet time productively, when the mansion was asleep and no one would disturb her.

‘The sun is heading towards its zenith.’

Suddenly recalling last night’s events, Esika thought.

Such a deeply hurt expression, it’s almost laughable.

‘But Callian, there’s still a long way to go before the sun sets.’

If Callian hadn’t pushed her down, causing her to hit her head on a stone, Esika wouldn’t have regained her memories.

So everything is Callian’s karma.

Even the meticulous misfortune Esika had prepared, all of it.

Esika lightly jumped up onto the mansion’s roof.

It’s better to return this way rather than encountering the servants unnecessarily.

‘By the way, what I thought was a variable turned out not to be a variable…’

As she opened the window and entered, she recalled Resban’s face.

The tyrant of Tureshian, Resban Deon Lucein.

He was showing possessiveness towards Esika.

‘And what I thought wasn’t a variable turned out to be one…’

Esika lay on the bed and sighed, looking at the dim ceiling.

Her heart was pounding, thump, thump.

“Spirit.”

It seems that in Hasetz, her consciousness as a spirit had awakened briefly.

Perhaps that had left some unforgettable impression on Resban.

He seemed to exude an atmosphere of being willing to chase Esika to the ends of hell after meeting her again after 20 years.

‘What on earth did I say?’

Her face flushed with frustration and embarrassment.

**

A smile filled Yuri’s face as she left the Grand Madam’s room.

Yuri, who had spewed venom at the maids watching her, saying she would soon drive them out of the mansion, walked down the corridor.

No matter if it was Riona Klaus, when in a dire situation, one would look for a lifeline to grab onto.

Even if it’s a rotten and unsightly lifeline, one is in no position to be picky.

Callian had all but cut ties with Riona, feeling betrayed by her who had abused his wife and lied, and Riona had to undergo investigations by the imperial investigation team almost daily.

“You know. There’s only one best way to clear up the misunderstanding with the Duke.”

“…Have you found evidence?”

Riona’s eyes flashed sharply.

“Before that, the Grand Madam must make me one promise.”

Riona was about to slap Yuri’s cheek, saying how dare she propose a deal to her, but Yuri cried out to Riona with bright eyes.

“I’m carrying his child in my womb.”

“…What did you say?”

“If anything happens to this child, what would the Duke say?”

Yuri added triumphantly to Riona.

“Mother.”

Riona’s pupils shook violently.

“I’ll help you, Mother. Together… let’s drive out that wicked girl.”

It was natural for Riona to be displeased with Yuri’s pregnancy.

Anesis, who couldn’t even be ranked among the lower nobility, not even matching Brigitta’s Esika.

But there was no way to undo what had already been done, and the situation was as tangled as it could be.

She wanted to drive both girls out of Klaus, but for now, priority was to teach a lesson to Esika who had put her in this state.

As for Yuri’s disposal… that could be thought about later. She could just take the child and drive her out.

Riona, who had been thinking quickly, reluctantly shook hands with Yuri.

And Yuri was in the midst of preparing a stage for Esika.

‘I spread rumors about Esika’s adultery in the square early this morning… it would be really good if a man came to the mansion after hearing that news.’

Love elopement, or such ridiculous things.

With pleasant thoughts, Yuri knocked on the door of Callian’s office.

And she quickly managed her expression, lowering her eyes.

Sad and resentful, this should do.

“…Duke. It’s Yuri.”

**

Even if one has made a very meticulous plan, unexpected situations can sometimes arise.

Esika furrowed her brows at the sight of Callian, who had abruptly sent servants to call her down.

Callian’s face was pale and there were dark shadows under his eyes.

It wasn’t just Callian who was waiting.

Riona, supported by Yuri, and Yuri, who gave Esika a cold smile.

That look in her eyes, as if she knew everything that was going to happen today, was irritating.

Esika thought that the person who had planned this troublesome stage must surely be Yuri.

Standing in front of Callian, Esika asked him.

“I thought our conversation was over yesterday.”

Callian silently stared at Esika.

Various emotions were mixed chaotically in his purple eyes.

Despair and anger, resentment, distrust, jealousy, even murderous intent.

“If you have nothing to say, may I leave?”

Before Esika could finish speaking, Callian grabbed her wrist.

Esika frowned at the strong grip on her wrist.

“What are you doing?”

“I thought the reason my wife had changed… was my fault. And I… mistakenly thought it was the fault of the mother who gave birth to me.”

“You said it was a misunderstanding? Ha.”

It was to the point where she couldn’t even laugh out of disbelief.

“Yes. It was a misunderstanding. Because the reason you changed wasn’t because of me, or because of the Klaus ducal family. You dared… you dared!”

Callian shouted in a burst.

Deep anger was swirling in his eyes.

“You betrayed me! You committed adultery with another man!”

His cry of anger echoed throughout the mansion.

Riona raised her cold gaze to look at Esika.

Esika slowly twisted the corner of her lips upwards and stared at Callian intently.

Engulfed in anger, Callian continued.

“Mother only punished you to make you repent… and I, not knowing you were such a filthy woman!”

For a moment, the smile on Esika’s lips faded at Callian’s words.

“Stop it, Callian.”

Riona reached out to Callian’s back with a sad expression.

“How could we expose the family’s shame when the imperial investigation team was there that day. It was all for Klaus.”

Esika organized the situation in her head.

This gathering was to rebuke Esika’s adultery.

To them, Esika was already a woman who had slandered her mother-in-law while committing adultery with an outsider, and Callian was a victim abandoned by his unfaithful wife.

Riona was a benevolent mother who knew everything but took the blame.

“…Esika. Beg for forgiveness now.”

Yuri, who had been supporting Riona, added.

“I couldn’t even imagine you were still meeting that man… When I found this in your room recently, I couldn’t just stand by.”

Esika twitched her eyebrow.

In Yuri’s hand… there was a ring.

An emerald ring that looked expensive and precious at a glance, its size was perfectly that of a man’s.

All the jewels sent from Brigitta were sized to fit Esika.

‘Oh dear…’

It was only after looking at the ring for a long while that Esika realized its identity.

It was a ring that had inadvertently slipped in when she had tea with Resban once.

‘Since we were going to be entangled like this so often, I should have returned it.’

Yuri seemed to have searched the room thoroughly.

She could imagine Yuri’s expression, desperate to find something, anything, and delighted to have found something suitable.

“No! How could the Duchess commit adultery! That’s nonsense!”

Selah, who had followed behind Esika, shouted urgently with a pale face.

“I’ve served the Duchess, but not once…”

“Do you, who’ve only served her for a few months, know Esika better? Or do I, who’ve been her childhood friend from her maiden home, know her better?”

“That… that’s!”

Selah had bravely intervened, but she was no match for Yuri.

They were deliberately framing Esika as the perpetrator of adultery.

“Duke…”

Esika, who had been calmly observing the situation, raised her head and met Callian’s eyes.

Callian’s pupils were so murky it made one want to sigh.

“Do you really think I had an affair?”

Callian’s eyebrow twitched at Esika’s bold question, asked without the slightest hesitation.

After a moment, he opened his mouth.

“If not, there would be no reason for my wife to treat me like this.”

“…What did you say?”

“You adored me and begged your father to let you marry me. And you had always loved me. You were always following me around, desperate to have even one conversation with me. You tried to cling close to me to the point of being tiresome.”

Callian continued, his eyes wide open.

“How could such a person suddenly change her attitude and say… she doesn’t love me? In the end, Mother’s abuse and my coldness were just excuses! Yes… no matter how I thought about it, it didn’t make sense.”

“…”

“Rejecting me… and turning away from me even after I apologized for my mistakes! That Esika Klaus. That Esika who knew nothing but this Callian Klaus! Saying she… no longer loves me…”

Callian’s lips were parched.

It was only after hearing Yuri’s story that all the puzzle pieces fit together.

Without bringing in an imaginary adulterous partner, Yuri’s claim of adultery is not perfect.

But Callian chose rationalization over reflection.

Why should he, the great Duke Klaus, apologize and be cautious around someone like Esika from Brigitta?

Esika’s adultery can clearly solve that difficult question.

And the master of the ducal family is Callian Klaus, this is a place where his will is done.

“…”

Esika let out a small sigh at this ridiculous situation and slightly lowered her head.

Callian roughly put his hand on her shoulder and exuded killing intent.

“Who is he? Which bastard has you so infatuated that you’d throw away Klaus’s honor and do such a crazy thing!”

His voice rang so loud it could deafen one’s ears, but Esika neither raised her head nor gave any answer.

Her shoulders just twitched slightly after a few seconds.

Yuri thought Esika was crying in embarrassment and felt relieved.

‘That’s right. No matter how much she’s changed, she’s still just a weak and stupid girl.’

However, that thought was soon reversed.

Because Esika, who had raised her head, started laughing softly as if she couldn’t bear how amusing it was.

“Pff… pfft… hehe.”

Riona glared at Esika as if she would kill her.

If she could just get her admission now, she could drive out that damned girl without returning the dowry and even receiving alimony.

But when Esika’s laughter finally stopped, something happened that even Esika hadn’t expected.

“I heard there was talk of someone looking for me, so I came.”

Esika flinched at the low voice behind her.

And she turned around with her eyebrows slightly stiffened.

With each step of his tall, sturdy frame, a faint vibration spreads across the floor.

His deep golden eyes seem indifferent, bored, or cold.

“…I couldn’t leave it alone.”

As his voice seeped into her ears, the tips of Esika’s fingers twitched.

Resban Deon Lucein. Everyone froze at the appearance of the Crown Prince.