Charlotte waited for Merian under the porch of the clothing store. More than 10 minutes had passed since Merian went in, but there was no news. She contemplated returning to the shabby inn room where the drunkard was staying.

Long ago, he had been an opponent she fought over Edwin’s matter, and moreover, it was true that he tried to kill the person most precious to her.

Asking such a person for help was no different from falling into self-contradiction.

‘But he’s Eveline’s friend. He can’t be that bad of a person.’

She was about to chide herself for evaluating Eveline that way while treating her badly, but stopped. Otherwise, the conversation would go back to square one, and worry and anxiety would only grow.

Moreover, Charlotte, exhausted to the limit, relieved her worries by entrusting everything to Merian.

This should be enough, let’s go back.

Knowing that Evans would not willingly accept her, she judged it better to back out before being further embarrassed. She knew she was putting on airs even in this situation, but there was no other way.

“Young lady!”

At that moment. As the bell of the clothing store rang, an excited voice floated. Merian waved her hand happily, telling her to come in.

Having just made up her mind, her steps hesitated to enter the clothing store. Then, as Merian came out and pushed Charlotte’s back, she entered the enemy’s clothing store. As soon as she did, she encountered Theo glaring at her, and she bowed her head awkwardly and embarrassedly.

“Th-thank you.”

Despite Charlotte’s kind greeting, Theo walked away without a word.

“He’s so rude, isn’t he?”

As Merian whispered softly, Charlotte stopped her with a sharp look. Intimidated, Merian stepped back, and Charlotte mustered up courage to walk towards where he had gone. In a small room, his hands touching the dress with a pin in his lips were more delicate and careful than when holding a gun.

Unable to go inside, she stood at the doorway and barely opened her lips.

“I know it would be easier not to make such requests if possible, and the same goes for Mr. Evans. So I’m sorry and grateful. Thank you for accepting this request even though you probably don’t have good feelings towards me.”

“What’s your name? Come to think of it, I don’t even know your name.”

The arrogant and haughty Theo spoke as if Charlotte were a mannequin wearing a dress, without even looking at her eyes.

“…Charlotte Windler.”

“Don’t misunderstand, I didn’t willingly open the door for you. It’s solely because of Miss Eveline. Just explain the situation yourself. I need to know at least what happened to our young lady.”

Such a grateful yet annoying person.

She narrowed her eyes, looking at Evans pinning the dress. Yet as she escaped the crisis and her mind became comfortable, her ill feelings towards Theo quickly disappeared.

***

Vivian’s steps towards the library were more modest and elegant than ever. It was a self-defensive attitude that no one could treat casually. There was also a naive belief that the ingrained dignity would protect her.

Arriving at the library, Vivian looked around at the dense collection of books that could fill the ballroom and more.

Her father, who loved books, said it remained in his heart that he couldn’t bring the books left in Preston as he moved. Instead, he created this library hoping that his beloved daughter would have plenty to read even after getting married and having children.

Her father wouldn’t have known.

That the space meant for his beloved family would become a playground for a man who appeared to destroy his beloved family.

“You came?”

He, who was reading a book he had taken out, greeted her as casually as if to make the incident at the lake feel like a dream. Rather, as yesterday’s expression of looking down at her became clear, her cheeks turned red with shame.

“Why did you call me?”

Vivian avoided his blue eyes. She didn’t want to face them deliberately. She didn’t want to remain a submissive lady to him whose suspected actions all pointed to one intention.

“You’re not wearing it?”

But Edwin’s question mercilessly shattered Vivian’s resolve.

His blatant blue eyes scanned Vivian’s body up and down. The situation was different from yesterday’s defenselessness. Vivian, who felt as sturdy as if wearing armor, had no intention of enduring the malice he showed.

“Be careful, Duke. How dare you insult a lady with such actions, such words?”

Edwin’s gaze, which had touched Vivian’s toes, quickly rose to meet the ashen eyes that had caught fire.

“Mr. Sheffer made a great mistake to me. If I meet Mr. Sheffer later, I will tell him all about your low-class behavior. That you are a very bad person who enjoys touching and looking at a lady’s body. Then Mr. Sheffer, who praised you, will change his attitude. And as more time passes, the people of New Way will all know about the unforgivable things you did to me.”

Vivian’s voice drew curves. Her pale skin, hardly able to calm down, was flushed red and blotchy. Her small, round shoulders shook as she panted, and she gripped her skirt so tightly that deep nail marks could be imagined.

Edwin closed the book he was reading with a smirk. The smile he showed provoked Vivian’s anger.

“You’re the same. You’re no different from the men who came to see the mansion right before the auction, a person of low quality. Do you think I, who stood firm amidst countless temptations and taunts, would be different in front of the Duke? If something like yesterday happens just one more time, if you mock me like today…”

She stepped back to avoid him as he approached holding the closed book. But her back pressed flat against the densely placed bookshelves of the library.

“If I mock you, then what. What next.”

“If, if you mock me, I will…”

The tips of their shoes touched. She looked up at the man who overwhelmed her with his much taller height. He showed no sign of being shaken by the unfamiliar vicious evaluation. Rather, the loser of this fight was determined as she flinched and shrank, tightly closing her eyes in surprise at his outstretched arm.

But what she worried about didn’t happen. Vivian opened her eyes she had closed at the faint vibration against her back touching the bookshelf.

“Well, think about that slowly or whatever. You should answer my question.”

What she confirmed by rolling her eyes was the book no longer in his hand, and the wide space that had suddenly appeared between their bodies.

“I asked why you’re not wearing the clothes I sent.”

Her confused eyes trembled finely. The heat that had boiled enough to make her head dizzy met cold air and rapidly dropped in temperature.

“Didn’t you need clothes that maintain proper dignity while not standing out? If the young lady wears such dirty clothes that even maids wouldn’t wear, you’ll be a good target for the beasts at the auction house.”

“…”

“But would Evans’ clothes be different? Well. That would make you my target.”

“Ah…”

Too exhausted to make any retort. As she slowly organized her thoughts, realizing that today’s misunderstanding was not a shameful thing, and thus there was no need to feel sorry or guilty about the misunderstanding, around that time.

“So for the sake of my good intentions, would you not tell Mr. Sheffer?”

Vivian’s face flushed hot. As he flashed a playful smile, the flustered Vivian was embarrassed that she couldn’t hide her heated cheeks.

Uh, um, ah, those short exclamations substituted for an answer. Leaving behind a gentle laugh, Edwin turned around, took out another book, and gestured with his chin for her to follow.

As she followed him, Vivian was immersed in regret.

Why did she bring up Mr. Sheffer of all things? There must be many sharp words that could rebuke Edwin’s bad behavior, but she used Mr. Sheffer, who would have no impact, to attack Edwin.

The two who arrived at the study sat facing each other across the desk. Then Vivian naturally reflected on an unforgettable moment. The moment she first encountered him. That cold spring day when she signed the promissory note.

“How’s your body? Ah. I mean. I’m asking about the pain from hard labor.”

Eyes that could hardly meet him before sharpened to stab at the mischievous Edwin.

Meanwhile, heavy raindrops fell violently to the ground. As raindrops spilled in through the open door, a servant closed it. And Edwin dismissed the servants so that only the two of them could remain.

The sound of rain hitting the glass windows was as light and fresh as the fluttering of flying butterflies. In that quiet noise, Vivian examined the appearance of the arrogant man.

Due to his head tilted sideways, his already sharp nose bridge created a deep shadow, making his expression even colder. Under his thick eyelashes, icy eyes sparkled even in the gray air. His clean and flawless impression, pursuing perfection, was generally dry and cold.

“Last evening, Sophie massaged me a lot, so I feel much better.”

Nodding his head slowly, he took out a checkbook from the desk drawer and picked up a fountain pen. Just as she was becoming curious about what he was writing down, he pushed what he had written in front of Vivian. Naturally, her gaze first read the amount of 3,000 mori. Her brow furrowed slightly, and she slowly crumpled the content into her mind.

“It’s a receipt saying that 3,000 mori has been repaid. For the amount Miss Eveline owes me.”

With her eyes wide open, Vivian picked up the check, no, the receipt in front of her without even maintaining composure and read it more carefully.

It was certain.

It was a receipt with Edwin’s signature stating that the large sum of 3,000 mori had been repaid. Vivian looked at Edwin with disbelieving eyes.

“After receiving the last weekly wage, the settlement had not been made. This includes that value and compensation for the disturbance and mental damage my servants caused to Miss Eveline.”

“Bu-but this is too…”

3,000 mori would reduce the debt by one-tenth and was an amount that would take over a hundred weekly wages to repay. Vivian repeatedly blinked her eyelids and lips, alternately examining the receipt and Edwin.

She showed the thoroughness of even checking the back of the receipt, in case it was another childish prank.

“Is this… real?”

Vivian’s defenses hit rock bottom. The woman who had been angry and sharp evaporated, leaving only a woman shining with joy in her place. Vivian could not hide her excitement, to the point of having the illusion of hearing her rapidly beating heart.

Edwin was equally satisfied with the more generous response than expected.

“Miss Eveline. A signature is a fearsome thing. The moment you put your name on it, you can’t be free from all legal responsibilities. The fact that my signature is in there means that.”

Vivian’s face noticeably brightened upon receiving a firm answer. Unable to hide her overwhelming emotion, her gaze lingered on Edwin’s name stamped on the receipt long enough to wear it out.

“And from now on, I will continue to write receipts with my signature for Miss Eveline.”

She looked at Edwin with a face full of fighting spirit, as if she could do anything. She felt unpleasantly like she had degenerated into a materialist to that extent, but it didn’t matter.

Because there was nothing more prioritized in her life right now than paying off the debt.

“So do what you can. In front of my eyes, where I can see. Then I will buy Miss Eveline’s efforts. With my name written on the receipt.”

The elegant smile that spread across his face was not calculating. It was meaningless to read such sincerity in a businessman, but Vivian simply chose to believe.

As long as it wasn’t a path leading to the death of the spirit, she could endure any physical pain.