“Who is it?”

The voice of butler Wilhelm asking for the visitor’s identity was heard.

“…A jeweler? From Pierre? …Please wait a moment. I will check with the master.”

Hearing the voice that followed, I inwardly suppressed a smile.

It was perfect timing. Almost uncannily so.

[This is the timeline separator]

“Oh my, it seems the jeweler has arrived just in time.”

Ariana smiled brightly, then turned around and left the reception room.

Lucas stared blankly at her fluttering, butterfly-like steps.

“Duke…!”

Elena tugged firmly on Lucas’s sleeve.

Her tearful face looked so pitiful that it would make any man feel sympathetic.

“What’s going on? It seems my sister has misunderstood something… What should we do?”

“…I should go out and see.”

Lucas swallowed his confusion and followed after Ariana.

The jeweler Pierre, standing at the entrance, spotted Lucas and smiled with a pleased expression.

“Ah, Duke Fedegrin! Good evening. The crafting is complete, so I’ve come to deliver.”

‘Why did that fool come crawling all the way here?’

Lucas inwardly ground his teeth.

He had said he would come pick up the jewelry when it was finished, not to have it brought over.

“…How did you come here?”

“Ah! I heard Your Grace had headed to the Lopez mansion, so I thought you must have gone to the lady who will be the owner of these jewels. I thought it worked out well!”

Jeweler Pierre smiled broadly as he opened the jewelry box.

A dazzling blue light, like rippling waves, emerged and teased the eyes.

“Oh my.”

Ariana smiled happily as she gazed at the topaz necklace.

“It’s truly beautiful.”

“Hoho, I’m glad you like it.”

Pierre smiled contentedly, then carefully lifted the necklace.

“I’ve perfectly engraved the initials you ordered as well.”

As he said, delicate lettering could be seen engraved near the halo surrounding the topaz.

A.L.

A flicker of amusement passed through Ariana’s eyes upon seeing the initials.

That smile, which seemed almost mocking for a moment, so chilly it made one wonder, bloomed into a full smile before a moment had passed.

“You even engraved my initials. When did you prepare something like this? I’m truly touched, Duke.”

Crunch.

A sound like teeth grinding came from behind where Elena was.

But it didn’t reach Lucas’s ears.

He was looking at Ariana’s bright face and having an untimely thought.

‘So she’s a woman who can smile this broadly.’

Ariana Lopez was, if one had to say, a rather boring woman.

She didn’t know how to gently ensnare, nor how to bewitch a man’s soul with coquetry or affectation, so it couldn’t be helped.

However, the music drawn by those unskilled hands was real.

The Fedegrin ducal family’s coffers were somewhat empty now due to failed investments passed down from previous generations, but their honor was no less than any other family’s.

As the only son of a noble family, Lucas had been raised surrounded by only precious things.

It was natural that his standards had become high.

Even to Lucas’s artistic sense, honed on only the finest things, Ariana’s music was special.

So much so that he could hear the clinking of gold coins that would pile up if invested in well. Her pretty face was just a bonus.

But when that pretty yet dull face was lit up with a bright smile, it gave a different impression.

‘This isn’t bad either.’

Lucas licked his lips.

It felt quite nice to see that usually quiet face smiling gently at him.

She wasn’t as flashy or alluring as her sister Elena, but there was something quite charming about how purely delighted she was by a single topaz necklace.

‘Anyway, it can’t hurt to win Ariana’s heart.’

It’s not like the leash is completely tied until walking down the aisle.

Lucas swallowed and said with a smile spreading across his face:

“That’s right. I prepared this with you in mind. Seeing you so happy makes me happy too.”

“Duke!”

Elena cried out in a sharp but small voice, sounding incredulous.

Instead of answering, Lucas wrapped his arm behind Elena’s waist and squeezed it before letting go.

Elena, who had been trembling with anger, barely managed to calm her temper at that blatant gesture.

‘Satisfying both women is certainly not an easy task.’

Things had gotten a bit tangled due to a slight misunderstanding, but it was nothing that couldn’t be fixed by gifting Elena another necklace as well.

Though the Fedegrin ducal coffers weren’t what they used to be, a topaz necklace or two was nothing. It’s not like it was sapphire.

What kind of man can’t even gift that much to a woman?

‘Since there’s been an unexpected expense, perhaps I’ll visit Ariana’s room tonight.’

Just as Lucas was thinking that, it happened.

“What are those beside it?”

Ariana asked in an innocent voice. Her gaze was scanning the other accessories hanging next to the necklace.

Those weren’t jewels Lucas had ordered.

However, jeweler Pierre, who had naturally displayed other matching accessories alongside the necklace as a strategic move, brightened.

“Ah, you mean this bracelet and earrings? Don’t they look just like a picture next to the topaz necklace?”

Lucas’s eyes twitched.

The bracelet and earrings were set with high-quality aquamarines which, though smaller, were each more expensive than the necklace.

“Yes, they’re very beautiful.”

“You truly have an eye for beauty. As expected of the discerning taste of the future Duchess Fedegrin!”

Future Duchess.

At those words, Elena’s chest heaved once greatly.

Seemingly unaware of the piercing gaze directed at her, Ariana smiled brightly.

“Not just the necklace, but a full set… Thank you so much, Duke!”

Jeweler Pierre subtly rolled his eyes.

As planned, the future duchess had taken the bait. All that remained was to see if the duke would pay for it as well.

With all eyes on him, Lucas clenched his teeth slightly.

‘…How much is all that?’

That damned merchant.

Lucas’s teeth ground at Pierre’s scheme, but the milk was already spilled.

Under Ariana’s direct gaze, Lucas clenched his fist.

Buying all of that would certainly be a major expense.

But his male pride wouldn’t allow him to say ‘It’s too much to buy all that as well’.

In the end, Lucas gritted his teeth and said:

“…Of course, it’s all an expression of my sincerity for you.”

“My, as expected of the Duke! With such generosity, your fiancée must be overjoyed!”

Pierre grinned broadly, having unexpectedly reeled in such a big fish despite only sneaking in the extras out of subtle greed.

“…Ha!”

With a short, frustrated sound, Elena stormed off, unable to contain her anger.

No one tried to stop her as she left.

Elena found even that fact absurd.

Despite her presence, neither the owner of the jewels nor the focus of attention was her.

This was unprecedented since her debut as a soprano.

‘Stealing my jewels!’

Before ascending the stairs, Elena glared painfully at Ariana surrounded by jewels.

To snatch away jewels obtained through all sorts of coquetry and flattery over a mere moment’s misunderstanding. Even a thieving cat stealing fish from a market stall would have more conscience than that.

‘I’ll take them back. And I’ll return this humiliation.’

She would definitely reclaim the jewels, and she must return this disgrace.

With that firm resolve, Elena made her lonely exit from the stage.

[This is the timeline separator]

“How curious.”

I murmured quietly as I looked at the box full of jewels.

These jewels I’d received today alone would cover several months of living expenses for the ducal residence.

It was quite amusing.

Back when I was the Duchess Fedegrin.

Even when I requested basic funds for necessities and servants’ wages, it was extremely difficult to get Lucas to open his wallet.

“I’m glad to see the Duke has properly shown his sincerity to the young miss.”

Perhaps thinking I was happy about the jewels, butler Wilhelm commented discreetly.

When I turned to look, Wilhelm wore an expression of strange relief.

I suddenly recalled an old memory.

“I believe I hear something coming from the study, Madam.”

“A sound?”

“Perhaps you should take a look?”

If Wilhelm hadn’t told me that before I died…

I would probably still be living foolishly deceived by my family.

“Wilhelm.”

I spoke in a calm voice.

“Yes, young miss.”

“If we sold all these jewels, how much money would we get?”

“…Pardon?”

Wilhelm blinked.

“Ah, um. I believe it would easily fetch at least 50 million kardina.”

“Good, that should be enough.”

“Young miss, could it be…?”

‘Surely you’re not really going to sell them?’

Instead of answering his unspoken question, I just smiled slightly.

“Do you know of any pawnshops that would buy jewels at a good price?”

Wilhelm wore a very confused expression, but like a dutiful butler, he answered my question.

“Thank you. This is for the referral and to keep quiet.”

As I handed him a small jewel with those words, Wilhelm’s face turned as pale as a corpse, beyond mere bewilderment.

I looked at the butler who had served this mansion since my maternal grandfather’s time and whispered secretively:

“Keep it a secret for now that I’ve sold off all the Duke’s gifts.”

This little commotion wasn’t something I had planned.

But I intended to make good use of the opportunity that had rolled in.

‘As it happens, I have a good use for the money.’

[This is the timeline separator]

The next day.

I tucked a jingling purse of gold coins with quite a substantial weight deep into my clothes.

The jewels Lucas had gifted me had turned into exactly 50 million kardina in my pocket.

As I left the pawnshop, I headed to my next destination.

When dealing with the pawnshop owner, I had added another small jewel to get a recommendation for a useful information guild.

After all, places that handle high-value items like jewels tend to be hungry for good information.

‘Is this it?’

Though I had to wind through some alleys, the address I was looking for turned out to be quite a respectable-looking building.

I inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.

I was a bit nervous since it was my first time coming to a place like this, but thankfully the atmosphere wasn’t as rough as I had imagined.

‘Well. These days information guilds are said to have come out into the open, even taking on trivial tasks like finding lost cats.’

Creaaak.

When I opened the door to the building, it made an ominous sound unlike its outward appearance.

Fortunately, there was someone inside.

A shadowy human figure turned towards me at the sound.

“Ah, the owner’s not in today so we’re not open for busi— Bwup?”

Bwup?

I tilted my head at the strange greeting.

Looking at the silhouette standing at the counter, I saw the man hurriedly flip up his hood.

I slowly stepped inside and asked:

“I came because I have something I’d like to request. You’re not open for business?”

“A, a lady with a request?”

‘What’s this? His voice seems strangely higher than before.’

Come to think of it, the voice sounded somewhat familiar, like I’d heard it once or twice somewhere…

“Uh, um, yes. Please have a seat. My name is Ri… onard. I’m the owner of this guild, yes.”

I saw the man who introduced himself as Rionard strangely glance to one side.

When I unconsciously turned my gaze in that direction, I nearly fainted.

‘…There was another person?’

If I hadn’t looked closely, I probably would never have noticed.

The man blended into the shadows like darkness itself.