The skilled Duke was engrossed in managing the growing funds from the Cheilo Merchant Guild day and night.

Therefore, it was not easy for the three of them to gather, and at the dinner table where they finally met, Biare casually revealed her intentions.

“I want to get engaged to His Highness the Crown Prince.”

Gaizen, who was drinking water, choked and looked at her with a pale face.

“Cough- What are you saying, elder sister?”

“Exactly what I said.”

‘Because that’s how I can protect Sion.’

The Duke put down his cutlery and wiped his mouth with a napkin, then asked his daughter with a curious yet gleaming look.

“Biare, what’s gotten into you all of a sudden?”

It was understandable, as she had always detested and ignored the Crown Prince until now.

“I’ve developed a desire for the position of Empress.”

“Elder sister, are you in your right mind? How could you with such a person……”

Gaizen couldn’t even finish his sentence, his mouth gaping in disbelief.

Meanwhile, the Duke was barely hiding his rising cheekbones with the brightest expression he had shown in recent days.

It was a moment where joy and sorrow intersected for the Ruschef father and son in the same space.

“As expected, Biare, you are the pride of the Ruschef family.”

The fact that Ivan had left the position of Crown Princess vacant until now meant that he had been keeping it in mind for Biare.

For him, in-law power would be as important as political foundation, so he must have kept that position open until now.

Ivan would accept the Duke’s request for an audience at once, and soon he would accept that proposal.

Biare looked at her father, who was making a fuss about raising a toast, and smirked.

‘Is that how much you want to form ties with the imperial family?’

According to her thoughts, the culprit who killed Dension was the imperial family.

And the one who passed on information about Dension to them must have been her father.

While running the information guild, he must have been dealing closely with the imperial family.

That’s why Biare, who had always respected and loved her father, now found him very hateful and resentful.

She wanted to confront him about how he could participate in sending the man she loved to his death.

However, as it was something that had not yet happened in this life and should not happen again, she struggled to compose herself.

“Come, let’s all raise a toast.”

The Duke raised his wine glass towards the children, and they reluctantly raised theirs as well.

“To the glory of the Ruschef family.”

Biare brought the wine glass to her lips and drew a bitter smile.

After finishing the meal and returning to her room, she sat at the mahogany desk lost in thought.

A bitter laugh escaped at the unbelievable reality that it had to come to this after all.

‘Maybe you were too good for me from the start.’

If there was a fate that they should never have met, it would have been Dension and herself.

Biare was overwhelmed with deep despair as regrets from the past flooded in.

However, that time she spent with him was the most brilliant and happy time for her.

That was an unchanging fact, and it would continue to be her only solace in the future.

As fatigue washed over Biare and she was pressing her throbbing temples, it happened.

Knock knock-

Two knocks echoed through the door, and soon after, a familiar voice was heard.

“Elder sister, may I come in?”

“Yes, come in.”

Biare greeted him calmly, pretending nothing was wrong.

“What brings you here?”

“I just wanted to talk with you, elder sister.”

Unlike usual, Gaizen’s low and calm voice seemed to carry worry and concern for her.

He must have come to this room to persuade his elder sister.

“Elder sister… are you really going to get engaged to the Crown Prince?”

“Yes, I’ve already made up my mind.”

Gaizen’s red eyes shook uncontrollably, as if he still couldn’t believe his elder sister’s choice even after hearing it again.

“No matter what, with that vulgar bastard……”

Biare knew well what worries her younger brother had.

However, she had to get engaged to Ivan in order to protect Dension.

And she would pay him back ruthlessly. So that her revenge could be worthwhile.

‘You will come to resent me.’

Trampling his happiness mercilessly when Ivan was happiest, that was her plan.

Biare, who had been wearing a bitter smile, looked at the worried Gaizen and said.

“Don’t worry too much. There aren’t even rumors anymore.”

Several years had already passed since the Crown Prince, who used to be surrounded by all sorts of scandalous rumors, had quieted down.

It seemed to be an established fact that he had not kept any bedchamber women by his side during that time.

Gaizen, who had been looking at Biare resentfully, raised his voice in frustration.

“You don’t even like that bastard!”

He had always said that if Biare ever found someone she loved, he would sincerely congratulate her.

That’s why Gaizen must be furious, raging against a marriage that would make his elder sister unhappy.

“……”

Biare was at a loss for words, wondering how to make him understand this situation.

As her younger brother said, she did not like Ivan, and it was unlikely that she would ever love him.

Nevertheless, she had pinned a small hope because there was something she absolutely had to protect.

“Most nobles in this world are the same. Our parents are the unusual ones.”

“Elder sister……”

“Just as you chose a path that would benefit our family, I’m choosing that path too.”

“But why do you have to do that? You don’t need to sacrifice yourself too!”

“I told you. I’m greedy for the position of Empress.”

“……”

As if he didn’t like the situation he couldn’t understand at all, Gaizen was messing up his hair randomly.

“Can you go back now? I want to go to bed early today.”

“… Alright, I understand.”

Watching him leave with slumped shoulders, Biare covered her gaunt face.

Thinking of Gaizen made her heart heavy, but she couldn’t tell him everything.

‘I’m sorry for being a troublesome elder sister, Gaizen.’

She couldn’t even be certain if a day would ever come when this long journey would end and all the truth could be revealed.

On the day when the train project promoted by the Alhenbar Count family was made public through the newspapers, Biare visited the East with Gaizen.

When she had hinted at negotiations with the East last time, the Duke was able to successfully conclude negotiations with the Count’s family using his daughter’s connections.

It was precisely to use the oil drilling rights held by the Ruschef family to exclusively trade the oil needed for the Alhenbar Count family’s train project.

That’s why Biare was invited to the celebration party for the train project held at the Alhenbar Count’s family.

Gaizen attended the event with Biare as the next head of the Cheilo Merchant Guild, representing the Duke.

The East, despite its harsh winters due to the mountain ranges, had relatively mild weather, and flowers were in full bloom throughout the streets.

‘How long has it been since I came here….’

The Verdeum estate was located in the East, and since Biare turned back time, she had only visited here for the funeral of the previous Marquis and his wife.

Unlike the times when she knew nothing, visiting the East now was a burdensome and uneasy task for her.

Even though it was the imperial family’s plan, the person who provided the information and clues for this was Duke Ruschef.

Because it was her own father who contributed to driving Dension and his parents to their deaths, Biare could only secretly atone to them.

The Ruschef Duke family, which she once loved, had long since crossed an irreversible river.

Reaching the entrance of the banquet hall with her partner Gaizen, Biare waited for the doorman to announce their entrance.

“The young Duke and young Lady of Ruschef are entering.”

As they entered the banquet hall, the nobles of the East, like those of the Arkan capital, were busy examining them.

It was just this morning that it was revealed that the Cheilo Merchant Guild would cooperate with the East’s train project, so it was enough to draw attention.

In the buzzing atmosphere, it was none other than the Alhenbar family, the protagonist of the celebration, who welcomed the Ruschef siblings warmly.

“We greet the young Duke and young Lady of Ruschef.”

“We greet Count Alhenbar and his family.”

Biare and Gaizen greeted them more politely than before, as it was an official occasion.

It occurred to them that the Alhenbar Count family might be the only nobles in the East who were favorable to them.

In the Marta Empire, the East was particularly severe in its vigilance and exclusion, and most were not friendly to other families.

The reason Biare was able to build friendships with the nobles of the East was because she had attended their parties a few times with Dension before her regression.

Therefore, under the pretext of helping her family, Biare could spread her reputation.

Just by being the merit of this negotiation, that proof was sufficient.

Replacing coal, which would be the driving force of the train, with oil supply was a very innovative thing in this era.

To this, Count Alhenbar seemed to want to discuss more business with Biare, but his daughter, the Count’s young lady, naturally linked arms with her and said.

“Father, may I introduce the young Lady to the nobles of the East?”

“Yes, that would be good since we’ll be in a long-term agreement.”

The young lady, who smiled brightly at her father, rescued Biare from him and said with an apologetic look.

“My father, but he talks a lot.”

“It’s alright, young lady. My father is the same.”

As if this business had been connected through the daughters’ friendship, they got along quite well.

The Alhenbar young lady whispered quietly while observing her reaction, then trailed off.