“I came because you called, but it doesn’t seem like you’re very happy to see me.”

“Shut that mouth.”

Duke Orphe, a low voice that seemed to threaten the other party burst out from Basilov. It seemed he was quite angry.

“Is what’s in the newspaper true? About the woman from Rubelsa.”

A fierce light settled in his purple eyes. Duke Orphe, with slightly darker golden hair than Damion and purple eyes, had an appearance that was exactly like his son, as if to show off their father-son relationship.

His older brother Kardian took after their mother with soft wheat-colored hair and golden eyes, so the brothers had favorably taken after both parents.

To his father who seemed to have many questions for him, Damion replied with a grin.

“Wow, I didn’t know the Duke also subscribed to Morning Noblesse.”

“Answer the question I asked.”

“It’s exactly as it appeared in the gossip column.”

“You!”

The Duke rose from his seat. He approached Damion with large strides and raged.

“Rubelsa, you dare attach such a family name to Orphe?”

“With so much interest in romance from the start. I’m worried you might faint at the wedding.”

To the Duke who had completely scrunched up his face, a carefree answer returned as if it were someone else’s business.

“Are you saying you’re thinking of marriage?”

“Are you not pleased? I carefully chose a marriage partner thinking you’d be very wary of the spouse’s family affecting my position.”

As Damion spoke mockingly, Basilov seemed to be boiling inside.

Eventually, unable to hold back, Basilov raised his hand high.

“Father, stop it.”

At that moment, a quiet voice stopped Basilov. Damion’s dry gaze turned to Kardian’s back.

Without even turning to look this way, Kardian, who had been leisurely cutting his food, spoke gently.

“It’s not just family paying attention to Damion right now. If there were to be wounds on the face coming out of the Duke’s residence, what would people think? Don’t you think so too, Bekishi?”

At those words, his wife Bekishi nodded. She stood up and approached the Duke.

“Please don’t get too angry, Father.”

At his daughter-in-law’s affectionate dissuasion, the Duke finally turned and sat down at the table.

Kardian glanced at Damion and asked.

“Cheap sympathy? Or are you playing with her?”

“Neither. I don’t have a hobby of still playing with toys like you, brother.”

At the biting words, Kardian held back a sneer.

“Toys, what childish talk.”

“How do you find the new Emperor to your liking?”

“He is one I serve with all my loyalty. I hope you’ll refrain from disrespectful words.”

“I hear the revolutionary army is growing by the day. You should be careful too, brother, being close to His Majesty.”

“Thank you for your concern.”

Kardian smiled faintly. Damion grinned back at this and bowed his head to the Duke and Duchess.

“Enjoy your lunch.”

As the sound of footsteps faded away, Kardian focused on his meal again. During the conversation, the meat had cooled.

“Bring it again.”

At the gentle request, the chef hurriedly grilled and brought out new meat.

After finishing his meal, Kardian quietly headed to his room. The newspaper he had been reading in the morning was placed on the table.

Kardian, who had sunk deeply into the sofa, lowered his eyes to gaze at the newspaper.

The headline where it was open was about how the revolutionary army that had destroyed the Emperor’s statue in the square was immediately caught and awaiting execution.

“Worms crawling around for nothing. Why do they bother…”

A voice tinged with pity escaped. Tap tap, as he patted the armrest of the sofa, his emotionless gaze turned to empty space.

Ansi de Rubelsa.

That woman clinging to Damion, would she be a worm, or not?

Along with the question, a small interest arose.

Kardian decided to support this marriage, taking the side of his beloved younger brother.

The art exhibition held at Spring Hall in the capital was one of the most long-standing exhibitions held in spring. Many people gathered at Spring Hall to purchase artwork and seize opportunities for networking.

However, Henet could not fully focus on the artwork there, due to the shocking news he had heard recently.

“What are you thinking? Rubelsa, of all people. What could you possibly gain from that woman?”

“Yes.”

Damion’s answer was simple. But no matter how much he thought about it, Henet couldn’t understand. What aspect of that woman could possibly be a plus? Anyone could see that Damion was on the losing end.

“Don’t tell me you’re planning to go to the Benue River with her too?”

“Well…”

What, not ‘no’ but ‘well’?

Henet’s mouth fell open.

At the end of April, the boat ride held on the Benue River in the capital was an event where a male-female pair would enjoy riding a small boat.

There were cases of riding with parents or siblings, but usually it was an event for couples. Young men and women riding together was not simply boat ride partners, but an implicit expression that they considered each other as dating partners.

Even if they were temporary partners until the Baylis family’s ball, if they went to the boat ride together, doesn’t that mean they’re thinking about it seriously?

“What about you, Henet?”

Without taking his eyes off the still life painting of a clock, Damion asked. Henet pouted his lips.

“I broke up with Reni a while ago, remember? Because someone was going around pretending to be my lover.”

“Then you can ride with Miss Helsia.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. I’m already frustrated because Helsia said she’s riding with some worthless guy. Do you know how I feel not being able to keep an eye on her when I need to?”

“I heard there’s a ball at Grand Light Hall tonight. Find a partner there.”

“All the women who gather there are looking for marriage partners. I don’t like giving false hope when I’m not even interested.”

How soft. Softening those words gently, Damion said indifferently.

“My, how warm-hearted. Then it would be fine if it’s someone you can hurt. How about riding with the woman pretending to be your lover?”

At the casually thrown suggestion, Henet’s eyes widened.

“Should I really do that?”

“Be mentally prepared, it might not be a woman.”

“You should be careful not to get rejected by the Rubelsa lady. Shouldn’t you have come here with her today?”

“Why?”

“Because exhibitions are good date spots.”

“They’re also good places for investment.”

“How clever of you.”

But he couldn’t argue. Last winter, some paintings Damion bought at an exhibition had increased twenty-fold in value.

“Wouldn’t it be better to date and invest at the same time?”

“She’s a woman who doesn’t enjoy crowded places.”

So she probably didn’t come.

While thinking this, as he moved his steps leisurely through the empty spaces, Damion shifted his gaze to survey the hall.

Ansi wasn’t there.

Instead, there was a painting that caught his eye.

A large painting with white dots on a black background.

It looked like it depicted the night sky, but didn’t seem particularly special. It was a painting that didn’t attract people’s attention. The fact that it was displayed not in the main hall but further inside proved this as well.

Damion stood in front of it. Seen up close, the painting’s large size gave an overwhelming feeling at once. A languid satisfaction flashed across his face.

He lightly raised his hand to call an employee.

“I’ll purchase this.”

A ‘sold’ tag was soon attached next to the painting. Henet shrugged his shoulders as if not quite understanding.

“Does this really have investment value?”

“It’s not for selling.”

“Really? What do you like about it?”

“Personal reasons.”

Henet, who had been staring at the painting with narrowed eyes, finally shook his head.

“I prefer brighter paintings. If you’re going to stay here, shall I leave?”

Henet left without waiting for an answer. Damion stood there, examining the black sky more closely.

How gloomy it would look when hung in the mansion.

Still, he was confident that she would like this painting.

“Damion?”

Just then, a quiet and clear call was heard. Damion slid his gaze to the side.

That woman, Ansi de Rubelsa, was standing there.

“We should have come together, Ansi.”

“Indeed.”

Ansi turned her body to look at the painting.

Her blue eyes rolled like marbles, touching the ends of the sky and returning to the center. Her red yet transparent lips parted slightly.

And then, an exclamation escaped.

Damion felt as if he had become a child who had gotten the right answer.

“I like it. How about you, Ansi?”

“I… perhaps it’s my favorite in this hall. It looks as if it was painted carelessly, but it’s clearly a meticulously painted picture.”

“How so?”

The brush strokes weren’t particularly detailed, nor was the color combination especially delicate.

Since the canvas was large, quite a lot of materials and time must have been used, is that what she meant? Wondering what exactly this woman’s definition of meticulousness was, Damion waited for Ansi’s answer.

“It’s accurate. The arrangement of the stars.”

It was an answer he hadn’t thought of at all. Damion looked at the painting again. An exceptionally large and bright star and the stars connected to it.

“…Boötes.”

“You remember?”

Ansi brightened her expression with a voice that seemed pleased. A liveliness that hadn’t been there before swirled in her blue eyes.

Was she a woman who could make such an expression?

“It’s a painting of spring. See how Arcturus in Boötes, Spica in Virgo, and Denebola in Leo are connected, forming a triangle. And in front of Boötes…”

The woman continued speaking in a calm voice. However, her slightly reddened cheeks revealed that she was excited right now.

For a moment, Damion felt as if his heart had sunk.