That afternoon, famous gossip magazines like “The Lady’s Double Life” and “Secret Whispers” also rushed to publish extras as if they couldn’t lose.

The talk of the town, ‘Aria of the Mistress’. Was it actually an exposé?

[The lyrics of ‘Aria of the Mistress’ have been revealed to be based on the autobiographical experience of the composer, Ariana Lopez, causing shock. The full lyrics are as follows…….]

The subsequent article caused another uproar in the capital.

“Aria of the Mistress? Is this referring to the aria performed at Madeleine Square yesterday?”

“Yes, the one with the amazing melody but bizarre lyrics!”

“Oh my, so all those lyrics were…?”

“Wait, wait. What were the lyrics again? Oh, they’re all written here in the article.”

“In the garden, in the hallway, in a friend’s dressing room…? Oh my goodness!”

“Dressing room?! Good heavens! How scandalous!”

The capital was turned upside down.

[This is the timeline separator]

“Master. Duke Rainer has arrived.”

The head butler Oren reported respectfully.

As Dante raised his head, the uninvited guest strode in before receiving permission.

“Are you satisfied?”

Elias Rainer, who abruptly asked that, plopped down on the sofa. A sullen expression like that of a boy was etched on the duke’s face.

“Thanks to you, the capital has been completely turned upside down.”

“Congratulations.”

Dante glanced at Elias and turned his gaze back to the desk. His unclear pronunciation due to the cigar between his lips flowed out indifferently.

“The circulation must have exploded.”

“……”

Elias wanted to retort that was a newspaper that maintained its undisputed #1 position even without scandals, but he just kept his mouth shut.

It was true that today’s single day sales were so enormous that they exceeded the combined sales of the past two months.

As the owner of , it was something to be elated about.

But there was something weighing on his mind that kept him from being purely excited.

“You know.”

Elias decided to pour out his honest opinion.

“You seem a bit crazy these days.”

When that guy who was now nonchalantly smoking over there had sauntered into the president’s office, Elias couldn’t believe his eyes.

And when he heard the voice proposing to provide a good story, sounding like an arrogant devil, he couldn’t believe his ears.

……And when he confirmed the identity of that ‘good story’, he was truly shocked to the point of fainting.

Recalling that moment, Elias nodded and said again.

“Hmm. You’re definitely not in your right mind.”

He first had that thought when he heard the news that Duke Heigenberg had calmly left the wedding venue carrying someone else’s bride.

At that time, he thought it was a ridiculous rumor.

But surprisingly, Dante really did kidnap the bride. And brought her into his own house.

Gossipmongers were going crazy trying to find out what kind of relationship existed between Dante and the bride.

“Anyway, I definitely published the special article as you requested. As for the impact, well. As you can see.”

“Indeed.”

Dante raised the corner of his mouth while sipping from a coffee cup.

“This should be enough as a wedding gift.”

What lingered on that mouth was definitely a smile.

Elias was momentarily at a loss for words.

‘Who are you?’

The Dante Heigenberg he knew had been suffering from an illness for the past half year.

People talked every day about how brilliant his expertise was, how great his military exploits were in defeating the brutal barbarians, how bright his future would be now that he had finally claimed the duke’s position over his brothers, but Elias knew.

That the very subject of those countless rumors was actually immersed in a terrible illness.

An illness called ennui.

If pressed to pinpoint, the symptoms seemed to have started around the time of the inauguration ceremony.

He impulsively gathered singers and even gave it the grand name of Paradise, but at some point he let go of all management. As a result, Paradise transformed into a somewhat decadent lawless zone, contrary to its name.

‘Was it because he achieved too many grand goals in succession?’

He had led a long war to victory, and on top of that, he had grasped the position of duke, overcoming the stigma of being an illegitimate child based on that merit.

It was a time when an ordinary person would have experienced the height of joy, but Dante rather felt a sense of exhaustion. Like someone who climbed stairs and stairs only to witness that there was nothing but emptiness above.

Elias couldn’t understand that kind of emotion because there were too many joyful and interesting things in the world.

However, he was worried that his lifelong friend since boyhood was sinking into an untimely swamp of ennui.

‘But, what do you know.’

As if mocking his concerns, these days Dante was leisurely swimming in the midst of the most interesting scandal in the capital.

‘Come to think of it, a wedding gift?’

“……Are you really planning to get married?”

Everyone who knew, knew how persistently the imperial princess had been courting Dante for the past half year. If she had been a little more bold in personality, she might have even gotten down on one knee and proposed.

To reject such an imperial princess and choose some count’s daughter instead. And one who already had a fiancé at that!

‘Well, she did seem like an interesting girl though.’

Elias almost laughed as he recalled the silhouette he had witnessed recently, striking her brother’s head.

“You’re stating the obvious.”

Dante said, twisting his lips.

“If I didn’t intend to make her my bride, why would I have stolen someone else’s bride?”

‘……Who really is this guy?’

Had he gone slightly mad because the illness of ennui had gotten too deep?

Pondering seriously, Elias said in a grave voice.

“Let us have the exclusive on your wedding article.”

“Do as you please.”

[This is the timeline separator]

Ding-a-ling.

A clear bell sound rang through the shop.

The staff measuring dress sizes, the lady trying on lace, and the servant attending to her all turned to look at the door and frowned simultaneously.

“Hello.”

Elena smiled nervously amidst the pouring glares.

People turned their heads and resumed what they were doing. As if nothing had happened.

Elena bit her lip slightly, then quickly managed her expression and entered with a bright smile.

“Oh, Lady Olivia.”

Olivia, whose name was called, frowned slightly.

“The lace suits you so well. It makes your complexion look radiant.”

“……Ha.”

Olivia opened her fan with an irritated gesture and covered her face.

Elena gritted her teeth at the blatant rejection.

‘This damned girl……!’

Just a week ago, Olivia had invited Elena to her salon. Even adding that she must come.

A popular and beautiful soprano was a sought-after guest at salons and balls. Parties even competed over who could invite more popular singers.

‘Until just recently, she was fretting about whether I might go to her rival’s party…..’

“Is that her?”

“Yes. The one who seduced her sister’s fiancé……”

The staff began to whisper while looking Elena up and down. It was blatant whispering meant to be heard.

“‘It’s just a white lie as long as we don’t get caught’…… Did she really say such things?”

“My, how shameless.”

Elena’s fingertips trembled.

Since discovering that terrible article on the front page of …… No.

Since spotting Ariana sitting in the front row of the audience at her performance, Elena felt like she was walking through a nightmare.

‘This can’t be happening.’

It felt as if the castle she had painstakingly built had crumbled overnight.

The moment she realized that even noble gentlemen were the same in their basic nature, Elena felt as if she had discovered the secret of the world.

Enchanting people, especially men, was too easy for her.

If she utilized that talent, becoming the top soprano and thereby wrapping the entire capital around her little finger was not just a fantasy.

In fact, that goal seemed about to be achieved in the near future.

But now all the favorable gazes towards her had transformed into hostility.

‘No. This can’t be the end.’

It was just one scandal that had broken out, she was still young and beautiful. Her skills remained the same as well.

Wasn’t there a saying that scandals were actually essential for a star?

‘Yes. This is all…… just a temporary trial.’

Elena imagined herself after overcoming this ordeal.

The image of a bewitching, beautiful soprano who wore even a fatal scandal like an ornament naturally formed in her mind.

As she imagined the future that seemed within reach, Elena steeled her resolve once again.

At that moment.

“Are you Miss Elena Lopez?”

‘……!’

Someone was calling her. And with an honorific at that.

With her heart pounding greatly, Elena turned around.

“Yes, I’m Elena.”

“Ah, so it is you.”

The face of the woman smiling awkwardly looked familiar.

‘I’ve definitely seen her face before.’

A baroness’s daughter? Or perhaps a countess?

While Elena was flipping through the faces of nobles in her head, unexpected words flowed from the woman’s mouth.

“I’m a staff member working at the Celline Atelier next door. The manager was wondering when you would be picking up the dress you ordered a week ago.”

“……”

The woman was not a noble. She was a staff member from the shop where Elena had her measurements taken.

The memory of clinging to Edward, who was splurging in joy over sold-out tickets about a week ago, and getting two dresses out of him came to mind.

“We could deliver it, but since the payment hasn’t been made yet…… When would you be able to?”