“Do you happen to know anyone from the Ignora Guild?”

“…We’re not close. Probably.”

Even though it was the truth, admitting that we were not close was difficult.

I recalled Roger treating me as an outsider until the end.

“Can you tell me more details?”

Both Philone and Rodney, hearing a new story for the first time, were sending me looks asking for an explanation.

“It’s a subtle relationship.”

“A subtle relationship?”

“I can’t say more.”

Philone couldn’t hide her disappointment.

At that moment, a lively melody played in the hall.

People who were talking separately found their partners and moved to the center of the hall. It was challenging to have a conversation amidst people dancing with linked fingers.

Philone also noticed this and smiled bitterly.

“I’m sorry for making an unreasonable request.”

“I’ll try to say more.”

“Really? Is it okay?”

Philone became excited, opening her eyes wide at my words.

Certainly, what I said was not for Philone’s sake.

I brought up the subject of the Ignora Guild related to the back alleys, considering it suspicious. More precisely, I had a lingering concern about Roger, who was affiliated with that guild.

“Yes, but I can’t say more than that.”

“Enough, miss! If this goes well, many things will change. Various irregularities in the back alleys and the conflicts between the Penthon and Marsen families might disappear overnight… Ah.”

Philone peeked at me while talking, and even she mentioned the Penthon family, not just the Marsen family.

It confirmed to me again that the story Rodney told had become quite widespread.

“I, well, the Marsen family… It won’t collapse easily. The Marquis does favor the back alleys, but he has accumulated achievements so far. The Marquis is a very intelligent person. Anticipating the gradual disappearance of the feudal system, he gave money to impoverished nobles in exchange for receiving territories. As a result, the land business became active.”

Philone hastily added to her faltering words, looking uneasy. I nodded.

“That’s right. I don’t know exactly what misdeeds my father committed. About the back alleys, too. I only know that it’s full of rumors about gambling, illegal transactions, and conspiracies. It might not be as serious as people think.”

“…”

“There are also things hidden behind the Marsen family. They won’t face the death penalty for that matter.”

“Of course!”

I didn’t react at all to Philone’s confident answer.

‘Now it’s my turn…’

It was time to escape from the future placed in the Marquis’s family.

The fact that the same blood flowed in my father and me did not change. Rather than being subjected to unjust treatment in the ruined Marsen family later, it would be better for me to make the first move, even if it meant I would suffer.

‘Ah, I hate this complicated and annoying situation.’

How nice it would be if the situation were as clear as a chess game.

“Don’t worry too much. I didn’t mean for you to do it alone.”

“Is that what you’re going to say?”

I slapped Rodney’s lips with a pop.

“You just need to provide the materials.”

“Are you telling me to provide materials for cooking?”

“You don’t even need to make it. Real-life strategies are absurdly simple and fleeting. And very instantaneous.”

“…”

“If that doesn’t work, abandon the strategy and push forward with force. Simple, right?”

“Really, that mouth!”

I slapped Rodney’s lips once again.

I leaned against a large tree at the end of the garden.

The inside of the hall was noisy, making my ears stuffy, and there were many gazes near the lake. Rodney said he had something to discuss with the Moses newspaper reporters and left me alone.

There was a proposal from Philone to continue the conversation together.

No way I would intervene between them.

Even if I spent only a few minutes with them, I was not the kind of person who would be swayed by such a big proposal.

Even if I lived my life again, I was still someone who knew how precious life was.

I stared blankly at the inside of the hall.
Felicia suggested having drinks and changing dance partners during the afterparty. This is getting completely out of hand.

The other siblings, on the surface, called each other affectionately as “Lize, Lize,” but in reality, it was more of an indifferent manner.

Bernard was still busy following his step-uncle from behind, and in the distance, Silke seemed like she was about to burst out if her dance partner pleased her.

“We won!”

Dumfree’s voice was heard from afar. He rushed over, holding the chessboard and breathing heavily.

Urick was with him. Dumfree was joyfully expressing his victory, while Urick, who had some displeasure, had strangely exchanged expressions with Dumfree compared to before.

“I won! I defeated Viscount Penthon!”

He jumped around, revealing the joy of victory.

“Play chess with me quickly!”

“Ah…”

Sorry to Dumfree, but I had completely forgotten about his existence amidst conversations with the Moses newspaper reporters. There was no leisure to play chess right now.

“Jigiral, I should have won.”