“……It’s over.”

When I first heard that Teuchen hadn’t become the western stronghold, I thought it would be difficult for years to come, but it would still be a manageable loss.

However, Riona mortgaged the duchy’s assets to purchase Teuchen’s land, and even touched the military loan funds granted by the imperial family.

“It’s all over, Mother. We have nothing left now.”

This was tantamount to committing treason on top of the family’s bankruptcy.

Riona might not be able to avoid the guillotine.

Even Duke Callian himself cannot guarantee the maintenance of his title.

Forget maintaining the title, he might even be imprisoned.

Though the Empress would use her influence to prevent it from going that far.

“……Sell the weapons and armor. Anything of value in the family……”

Callian ordered his subordinate.

“……Your Grace……”

“From metal dishes to floor decorations, curtains, even uproot and sell all the flowers in the greenhouse. Dismiss all the servants and maids…… Tell the knights and soldiers to find other masters.”

“……But……”

“It’s an order. Now Klaus……”

A deep despair shadowed Callian’s eyes.

“……has no hope.”

The long-standing ducal family he had been proud of was now a sinking ship.

It had become poorer than a merchant family of commoner origin, with neither honor nor money.

**

“They say she’s not a princess of Smichen but of common birth, yet she’s been acting like a noble lady as the mistress of Klaus until now, so this is divine punishment.”

“Come to think of it, it’s laughable. She’s no different from us. Yet she called us lowborns……”

“I hope we find a proper master at our next job.”

“It’s so annoying. I’m even ashamed to say I worked at Klaus. What can I say I learned under such a fraudulent mistress?”

The voices of maids could be heard from outside the door.

Sela was calmly brushing Esika’s hair.

Outside, servants were loading their belongings and leaving the mansion one after another.

The clattering sound of various metal objects being loaded onto carts could also be heard.

Merchants were flocking to the Klaus mansion.

They had heard the news that household items from the mansion were being sold.

“So it has come to this, my lady.”

Sela’s voice was heard.

“I knew this day would come.”

Esika’s mood was quite good as she sat quietly receiving the brushing and enjoying the breeze.

Even though Elmur wasn’t selected, there wasn’t much loss to speak of.

According to the original plan, Elmur would have been selected, made a huge profit, and then devoured Klaus whole without even selling its possessions, which is a bit regrettable.

Still, just the interest from the rent of Elmur’s land should be enough to operate the empty Klaus without difficulty.

Riona and Callian will be driven out empty-handed.

Other than not becoming suddenly rich, her other plans have been well achieved.

“They’ve taken your dresses too, my lady. The Duke really……”

“It was expected. And to make room for new ones……”

Esika said, looking out at the noisy window.

“One must overturn everything and pour out what’s there.”

Starting anew wouldn’t be so bad.

There was even a man who said he would bestow the glory of Elmur upon her before long, but……

“I have something to tell you.”

Before he left yesterday, Esika said to Resban.

Her chest pricked oddly as she continued speaking.

“I have no intention of taking a new husband. One marriage was enough for me.”

It was a rejection aimed at Resban.

“Even as a lover, not a spouse, you’re too good for me, Your Highness.”

It was something she had thought about for a long time.

Resban stared at Esika for a long time.

Then his lips moved.

“You mean to reject me.”

She knew his feelings for her.

That it wasn’t just simple goodwill, and that he had expectations of her.

It must surely be Esika’s heart.

Although uncertain past connections and scattered memories were mixed together, and perhaps this was why she was so drawn to him, Esika decided to find her reason.

Esika no longer believed in love.

Love is just a midsummer night’s dream. It disappears with time, becomes a thorn that pierces the heart as a weakness, and freezes with the snow when winter comes.

That’s why she couldn’t accept Resban’s heart.

Fortunately, Resban turned away without much to say.

She wasn’t sure if he had fully accepted the rejection, but… she thought it was enough to have conveyed her intentions.

And Elmur is a land of many possibilities.

Unless Resban deliberately excludes Elmur, it will shine someday.

Knock knock−

There was a knock from outside, and Sela put down the brush for a moment to open the door.

And she received an envelope from a servant.

“My lady, it seems to be a letter from your family.”

Esika opened the envelope and read the letter.

It was a letter from her eldest brother, Shupert Brigitte.

Esika’s eyes wavered as she read the letter.

After a while, Esika placed the letter on her lap with a complicated expression.

Sensing that her mood was not ordinary, Sela asked.

“What’s wrong, my lady?”

“……Elmur has been listed as the most likely candidate for the free commercial district.”

“……”

Sela blinked.

Of course, she couldn’t understand what this meant.

There was no free commercial district in Tureshian.

For decades, Tureshian had been at war, and war required enormous taxes, so part of the sale of goods was always military tax for the army.

In the free commercial district, more than half of the taxes on goods are exempted to stimulate commercial activities.

And if Elmur is designated as a free commercial district, it will be the first step towards commercial revitalization.

Is it the Emperor’s intention to gradually end the war and revitalize the country’s economy? Or……

“Is that good?”

“We might make more money than from the western stronghold.”

Is this what Resban meant?

A free commercial district, it was as important an issue as the selection of a military stronghold, but no one knew about it.

So it must have been carried out in utmost secrecy.

“……My goodness…… Really? If the profit is greater than being selected as the western stronghold, then…!”

Sela covered her mouth.

If selected as a free commercial district, they could earn twice as much as they would have if selected as the western stronghold.

In addition to buying Klaus, they might become as rich as her family, the Brigittes.

It was tremendous good fortune.

However, Esika wasn’t entirely at ease.

Because she remembered Resban’s intense gaze when she last saw him.

“His Highness the Crown Prince must have helped, right?”

Sela asked Esika excitedly.

Esika remained silent with complex feelings.

**

“Riona, that damn woman. Ha. The more I think about it, the more annoying it is.”

Yuri, locked up in a solitary cell in prison, curled her lip.

The story of Riona’s birth was already widespread in the empire.

“When did she call me lowborn, it’s not even funny.”

Once, she had been beaten until her calves bled just for desiring Callian.

Saying how dare a lowborn like you admire my son, she had spewed venom with snake-like eyes.

“I’m at least a lower noble…… While she’s a commoner from a fallen kingdom. At that level, she should be handling animal waste in Tureshian. That fraud.”

She wanted to rip out her hair if she saw her face again.

Yes, if only she wasn’t Callian’s mother.

“……Anyway, they’ll somehow rescue me.”

Yuri’s eyes flashed as she kindled hope.

There was still a Klaus child in this belly.

And fortunately, she heard that Esika had recovered her health.

If Esika had died, she would have been unable to avoid execution after giving birth……

For the first time, it felt fortunate that Esika was alive.

Of course, she was still charged with attempting to poison Esika.

Because of that damn Emilia.

She might end up giving birth to the baby in prison at this rate.

“I’m the only one who can become the mistress of Klaus.”

There are rumors that Esika, finally fed up with Klaus’s misdeeds, has requested a divorce.

Yuri desperately hoped that the divorce would happen.

If Esika divorces, surely the Klaus family will help her too.

With a Klaus child in this belly, anyone would think she’s the most suitable person to fill the empty position of mistress.

“Klaus is a carriage full of horse dung.”

Suddenly, Esika’s voice came to mind.

Yuri’s lips twisted, but she soon shook her head.

It’s common to denounce as bad what one cannot have, like sour grapes.

Esika must have spoken of Klaus that way because she wasn’t confident in receiving Callian’s love.

‘Klaus is my life’s lifeline.’

She had not yet heard the news of Klaus’s bankruptcy.