For a moment, Gaben’s hand holding the teacup twitched greatly.

Gaben looked at Esika with bewildered eyes.

Esika, who had been shining with innocent eyes, was now smiling calmly with cold eyes.

“……Ma…… Madam……”

He never thought such words would come out of the mouth of the duchess he thought was naive about the ways of the world.

Had she known from the beginning?

“Wh…… Whatever nonsensical story you may have heard, prostitution and orgies……”

“Ah, don’t worry. I just……”

Unlike Gaben, who was so flustered his hands were trembling, Esika remained calm.

As if hearing that her husband participated in prostitution parties every month didn’t bother her at all.

“I was purely curious.”

As far as Esika knew, Callian Klaus had no mistress or lover for years.

Even the fact that he associated with courtesans was something she only learned yesterday.

“……Madam……”

Gaben’s mind was covered in confusion.

The image of his wife that Callian had expressed was summed up in just six words: ‘a thoughtless, evil wife’.

That’s why, although he was somewhat tense, he never expected her to ask such questions.

Gaben couldn’t even tell if the words coming from Esika’s lips were sincere or not.

“Cl…… Claude was a straight-laced man, so he… he hardly ever enjoyed prostitution. He’s the most uptight man among us. When there were no courtesans to his liking, he would leave the parties early……”

It was when Gaben was stammering to cover up.

“Esika!!”

Callian’s voice was heard.

Gaben was afraid of the conversation he just had with Esika being revealed, but he was also glad for Callian’s appearance.

‘Yes…… Seeing that the woman carrying the duke’s child is the duchess’s friend, she might have simply been curious about Friday’s party.’

Gaben stood up with an awkward smile.

But Callian’s expression was different from usual.

“……Why……”

Dark shadows were cast under Callian’s eyes.

And eyes of disbelief were directed at Gaben.

“Why are you with my wife?”

“……?”

Gaben Pelope, Callian’s close friend, was, well, a born playboy.

From his academy days, he was so fond of women that it was tongue-clucking.

He had no intention of giving up his promiscuous relationships with women, so he hadn’t married until now, and he had three mistresses, including a married woman.

To Gaben, Callian Klaus was a man who didn’t know how to enjoy life.

Although Callian had relationships with some prostitutes, from the perspective of the playboy Gaben, he was quite clean, so to speak.

So when Esika mentioned the ‘Friday party’ and talked about Callian, he felt almost indignant on his behalf.

Of course, there are still naive young ladies in the world who think that men will only look at them after marriage, but as a handsome noble man, one can’t just pass by the flowers hoping to be plucked.

So Gaben was trying to defend Callian in his own way, saying that he ‘almost’ never had relationships with women.

“……Answer me, Gaben!”

But now Callian’s eyes, as he grabbed Gaben’s collar, were burning with jealousy.

Gaben was momentarily stunned by his eyes, which seemed to look at him with contempt, as if looking at something dirty.

“Y…… Your Grace. What are you saying now…… I……”

“Esika is my wife. She’s not a woman for someone like you to set your eyes on!”

Callian shook Gaben’s collar.

Looking into Callian’s eyes, Gaben forcefully removed Callian’s hands.

Callian seemed to be out of his mind right now.

Nevertheless, Gaben was extremely offended by Callian’s words.

“Someone like me……?”

When they were rolling around together among courtesans, where was this, and now Callian was looking at Gaben with eyes of disbelief, as if dealing with something dirty.

“Am I right in guessing that you think scum like me is trash, and you’re angry because it looks like this trash is trying to seduce Your Grace’s wife?”

“……”

Callian didn’t answer.

That silence meant affirmation.

Gaben shouted at Callian, incredulous.

“How am I any different from Your Grace that you insult me like this?”

He was angry at Callian for treating him this way after he had just tried to cover up his loose behavior in front of his wife.

“If you have no business here, I’d like you to leave.”

But Callian only issued a cold order of expulsion to Gaben.

Gaben’s eyes wavered.

After a moment, Gaben spoke to Callian.

“I understand Your Grace’s wishes well. Let’s end our long friendship here.”

Then he turned and walked away.

Seeing Gaben leave, Callian turned to Esika.

She was looking at Callian with cold eyes.

Callian, with dark shadows under his eyes, grabbed the lower part of Esika’s shoulders.

“What did Gaben…… tell you?”

“……”

Esika just looked at Callian in silence.

Callian became even more impatient at her tightly closed lips.

“Gaben Pelope, that guy doesn’t hesitate to work on even married women for his own pleasure. He might try to seduce women with fancy words, but in reality……”

“I called him first.”

The conflict between Gaben Pelope and Callian was an unexpected harvest for Esika.

Well, what kind of loyalty could there be between men who played dirty?

Men’s friendship? Nonsense.

“What……? Why?”

Callian’s hands gripping Esika tightened.

It’s almost laughable to see his clouded eyes tinged with jealousy.

If he was going to be this obsessive, why did he neglect her for so long in the past years, letting her heart fester?

“The Second Prince’s birthday is coming up, so I wanted to ask what kind of gift would be good.”

“……Is…… Is that so?”

“I thought Lord Gaben Pelope would know well what gifts men like, since he has wide connections.”

“……”

Callian’s eyes wavered as he realized he had misunderstood Gaben.

But she couldn’t let him go after him now to clear up the misunderstanding.

“But, he was talking about unnecessary things.”

“By unnecessary things, you mean……”

“He asked my opinion, saying you were a straight-laced and frustrating person. He seemed to have a lot of complaints about you……”

The spirit was skilled at sowing discord among enemies, effortlessly dividing them.

“As expected, that trash!”

Callian, removing his hands from Esika’s shoulders, glared at where Gaben had left.

“He must have spoken ill of me to distance you from me……”

A whole novel was already complete in Callian’s mind.

“That bastard tried to cause trouble in our family.”

Gaben had been boasting about his experiences of how he seduced married women.

And this time, he must have tried to use those vile methods on his friend’s wife.

Callian regretted not cutting ties with him earlier.

“I’m sorry, Esika. For making you go through this discomfort because of my bad friend.”

Callian spoke to Esika with a sorrowful look.

Since when had he started using the word ‘sorry’ to her so naturally?

A cold smile briefly lingered on Esika’s lips.

“……I’m tired. I need to go in and rest.”

“I’ll support you.”

Callian reached out his hand.

“It’s fine.”

However, when she removed Callian’s hand trying to wrap around her shoulder, Callian’s eyes wavered for a moment.

Esika turned around and walked away, not caring whether he did so or not.

The fight between those of the same kind was enjoyable to watch, and she felt quite satisfied that she had pushed away one place Callian might reach out to in the future.

**

The staff of Robelia Dress Shop bowed deeply to Riona, expressing their gratitude before leaving.

Riona, who had purchased several of the latest dresses, was in a good mood.

‘When the Cuchen investment money comes in, rather than making the dress shop go bankrupt, it might not be bad to acquire it myself.’

For her who had lost everything, Cuchen was the only sweet dream.

The imagination of acquiring Robelia Dress Shop and standing again as an idol of the imperial social circle was quite sweet.

Although her reputation has been ruined because of that Esika woman, if she has money, she can stand again.

People will gather again if you spread jewelry and money around.

If only the Cuchen announcement is made…… Yes, she’ll really make big money.

Money that would make the dowry from the Brigitte baronial family seem like nothing.

‘Although the military supply loan is involved……’

If she makes excuses, she can delay the repayment of the military supply loan for up to a month.

If only the investment money is recovered, that loan would be nothing but pocket change, so there’s no need to worry about it, Riona tried to ignore her anxiety.

“……Um, Madam. Outside, the head maid…… no, Yuri is waiting to see you.”

Riona, who was in a good mood, frowned at Lusa’s words.

“Send her away. Who does she think she is to……”

“Madam! How can you turn me away!”

But before she could finish her words, Yuri’s desperate cry was heard from outside the door.

Her voice was mixed with sorrowful tears.