The place where Kaius escorted her to was in front of a stone building. The two-story building had its first floor slightly raised from the ground, and when they entered, it looked as if it had been in business until recently.

“Take a look around.”

“…Could it be, is this a candidate for my shop?”

Seeing Kaius nod, Ariel’s face lit up with excitement. The same was true for Anna, who was following behind.

“Is my sister-in-law planning to do business too?”

Rashid, who had followed them in the end, asked as he looked around.

“Yes, I’m planning to open a specialty shop that mainly treats insomnia and headaches with fragrances.”

Even as she answered, her glancing around showed her unmistakable excitement.

“Sister-in-law, there’s really nothing you can’t do. The more I see, the more I realize what a valuable talent you are. I’m envious.”

“It’s just a small skill.”

Ariel responded to Rashid’s smooth words with a smile and humility, then began to examine every corner with Anna. As Kaius was about to follow behind her, Rashid held him back.

“Let’s talk for a moment.”

“Lemon, you explain things as you follow them around.”

“Understood.”

The day after receiving the list of potential shop locations, Kaius had looked around three places with Lemon. Among them, this place they visited today was the best in terms of location and internal structure that she needed.

“Let’s step outside for a moment.”

Kaius and Rashid, who had come out of the building, took out cigars and lit them.

“Kaius, I’ve been to the Bern Kingdom and the Roshan Kingdom recently, and I heard some strange rumors.”

“What is it?”

“As you know, everyone was wary of Letiana bonds. But it seems someone is buying them up.”

Kaius nodded as he exhaled a long stream of smoke. He had already received reports about this through the Triss vault. Who on earth would buy bonds that might become worthless scraps of paper? And why?

He had ordered an investigation, but according to reports so far, they were operating as a cellular organization, making it difficult to identify who they were.

“So you knew. Well then. What are your thoughts? It doesn’t seem to be with good intentions, no matter how I look at it.”

“Well, it’s still under investigation.”

However, some speculation was possible. Buying up bonds meant there was a purpose, and that meant there was a very high probability that it was a place that already held a considerable amount.

The Klardeus Empire held twenty-five percent, the Triss vault and the Allen Kingdom each held ten percent, the Bern Kingdom, the Roshan Kingdom, and the Schürn vault each held five percent, and the rest were divided among large and small merchant groups and vaults.

Timing-wise, it was after the competition, so among the things that gained fame after that, only two were related to Letiana. Ariel and Elia Spices.

Someone who knew both, had the wealth and boldness to buy bonds that might become worthless scraps of paper. When the thought continued that far, only one person came to mind.

Emperor Hart.

Then another question arose. Why on earth would he? Surely he doesn’t intend to become the owner of Letiana just to control one Elia company? Really?

Kaius exhaled another long stream of smoke and raised his gaze, only to be stabbed by the white sunlight.

“At first, I suspected you might be buying them up. But after seeing the two of you today, I’m certain that’s not the case.”

Kaius looked at Rashid with narrowed eyes, and he spoke again.

“It’s hard to pinpoint, but it’s quite strange. When I saw you at the palace, you seemed a bit softer than before, but now you’ve become even colder. No, more ruthless, I’d say. Even I feel hesitant to approach you. The look in your eyes when you see your sister-in-law has changed too.”

Rashid looked at Kaius in confusion, but Kaius didn’t give an answer to that. He just silently continued to smoke his cigar.

No one should know the reason why he was attacked by demons or that he might die within the next 10 months, and that his wife was the cause of all this. Even if it was due to threats from demons, not a single person around him would accept it willingly. He had already made his choice anyway.

To keep his wife by his side, even if it meant enduring all of that.

So they would either live together or die together. Truth was meaningless in this situation.

“Has some problem arisen? Is your sister-in-law perhaps in a deep relationship with that blonde from before?”

At Rashid’s words, Kaius’s eyes sank even colder as he recalled Edward.

“Let’s go back inside.”

Knowing he wouldn’t get an answer, Rashid just chuckled.

“No, I should be going now. It’s a long-awaited family gathering, so I can’t miss it.”

“Alright, go ahead.”

“Give my regards to your sister-in-law.”

Kaius nodded and entered the building with his still emotionless face. As he was grinding out his cigar in the ashtray placed on what used to be the counter, Ariel, Anna, and Lemon came up from the stairs leading to the basement. Spotting him, Ariel approached with a flushed face.

“Kaius, I want to contract this place.”

As he had expected, his wife liked this place.

“Lemon, the contract.”

At Kaius’s words, Lemon handed Ariel the envelope he had been holding since they entered.

“Here it is. You just need to sign.”

Ariel was a bit surprised that everything was proceeding faster than expected, but she soon turned her attention to the documents. As she was about to start reading the papers placed on the counter carefully, her gaze went back to the top.

It was a purchase contract.

“Kaius, I was planning to rent a place to start my business. Buying a building from the start is too burdensome.”

She couldn’t invest a large sum of money from the beginning in something that might not succeed. In response to Ariel’s words, Kaius took a pen from Lemon and wrote his name in the buyer’s section. It was an elegant handwriting.

“…Why?”

“I’ll buy the building and rent it to you.”

Having finished signing, Kaius fingered the end of the pink ribbon touching Ariel’s shoulder. In an instant, he pulled the ribbon, removing her bonnet as he slowly bent down. His large hand firmly blocked his wife’s back as she unconsciously looked around and stepped back.

Watching this, Lemon quickly left the building with Anna. With the sound of the door closing, silence fell.

“Even if you don’t believe in yourself, I believe in your abilities.”

At his words, thrown with a sneer, Ariel’s excited mood sank to the bottom, but she had no time to dwell on it.

Kaius, gripping her chin, overlapped their lips. The fierce breath that rushed in erased the miscellaneous thoughts in her head. As the kiss deepened and became more intense, Ariel’s legs weakened and she staggered. His hand on her back strengthened, holding her body as if supporting her. Only when she was out of breath and could no longer endure did he let go, taking out a handkerchief to wipe his lips. And then hers.

While Ariel was panting, out of breath, Kaius didn’t even have a single breath disturbed.

As he put her bonnet back on and tied the ribbon, his eyes were excessively dry. It was impossible to see him as the man who had just given such a passionate kiss. The feeling that nothing had changed, as he had said, became a little clearer. Ariel, gripping her trembling hand, raised her lowered gaze and smiled faintly.

“Thank you. For believing in me.”

She had to endure. Even these emotions that she could feel because she was alive were happiness.

Ariel turned her attention to the contract, leaving him be. The look in Kaius’s eyes as he watched his wife was as cold and clear as the white snow piled up outside.

***

Upon returning to the mansion, Ariel summoned Butler Laymon, Carsen, Ostian and Victor, and even Lemon to the reception room. Kaius watched quietly with his arms folded.

As soon as they left the shop, Kaius had left, telling her to return first, and Ariel had personally prepared gifts by visiting various places. It was a gesture of gratitude for those who had been taking care of her closely, and also a bribe.

“Laymon, this is a voucher for getting glasses fitted at Rossi Opticians. I’ve noticed your eyesight seems to have gotten much worse lately.”

“Thank you. Such a gift… is a first in my life.”

Deeply moved, Butler Laymon stared at it for a long time before secretly turning around to wipe away his tears.

“For Sir Carsen, it’s an invitation to the Biche Opera House. You can make a reservation for the date you want. Your wife mentioned wanting to go before, didn’t she?”

Even Sir Carsen, who rarely showed his emotions, was visibly excited.

“It’s really hard to get, I’ve failed numerous times… How on earth did you… Thank you. My wife will be truly delighted.”

Seeing the Viscountess of Biche among the invitations that came in while complaining of headaches, she had gifted her peppermint oil and made a request, and in return, received an invitation with an open date. Ariel’s gaze now turned to Ostian and Victor.

“Sir Ostian, this is a voucher for an Ilron sword from the Jif Forge. And for Sir Victor, it’s a lodging and meal voucher for the Metron Hotel. It’s a 10-time voucher, so you can use it every time you go on vacation.”

Victor gratefully accepted the gift, but Ostian hesitated.

“This is too expensive a gift, I’m not sure if I should accept it.”

Victor patted Ostian’s shoulder, who was expressing hesitation. Urging him to accept it quickly.

“Take it. This isn’t just a free gift. It’s a bribe for you to look after me well in the future.”

At Ariel’s playful words, Ostian also accepted the gift, and Ariel turned to Lemon. Lemon’s eyes sparkled as he watched the previous gift-giving. Ariel asked Lemon, who was as tall as Kaius, to lower his head.

“It’s a voucher for couple rings from Nero Jewelers.”

She whispered softly as she handed over the gift so that Anna couldn’t hear. Surprised by the unexpected gift, Lemon was momentarily flustered, and then cleared his throat awkwardly.

“…Thank you, Madam.”

Lemon was at a loss for words at the Madam’s thoughtful consideration. Also, curiosity arose about what gift the Master might have received if she had given him such a gift. He looked at the Madam’s hands, but they were empty. Anna’s hands too. And the sofa as well. Immediately, Lemon’s gaze naturally turned to the Master’s face.

Fortunately, he didn’t seem to be paying much attention. Rather, he seemed satisfied with the image of a considerate mistress of the house, and was smiling at his wife.

That was exactly the face.

“I’m tired, so I’ll go up first.”

Ariel, after politely greeting Kaius, left the reception room with Anna. As silence suddenly fell, Lemon unconsciously shifted his gaze to the Master’s face. He was looking at the door of the reception room with a deeper smile than before. It looked gentle at a glance.