On the way to the capital, I stopped at an inn in a village to have a meal. At that time, Elize heard people talking.

“The Oltbea mansion is almost finished with its renovations now. I went in briefly while delivering food this time, and my goodness, it was the most beautiful mansion I’ve ever seen. All the windows and floors were sparkling, and there wasn’t a speck of dust on the stairs. The mansion was full of plants I’ve never seen before and strange ornaments. Moreover, some of them, which were clearly pure gold, lined the corridors.”

“Is that true? Then, as rumored, is Kalon Ash, the owner of Ash Trading Company, going to live in Denertum?”

“That’s right. I heard the servants there saying that he’s coming, but he probably won’t stay long. At most, 1 or 2 years?”

“So you’re saying he bought a new mansion, repaired it, and decorated it lavishly just to stay for such a short time?”

“That’s what I’m telling you. Rather, the people from Ash Trading Company seemed worried that it might be too modest compared to the leader’s wealth.”

“My goodness… They say he’s the richest man on the continent. It’s truly incredible.”

While saying this, they said that important people from Ash Trading Company would frequently come and go to Denertum along with Kalon Ash.

They also said that not only people from Ash Trading Company but many people from the Empire would visit Denertum.

‘It might be fine to catch one of them. And if I get the chance…’

What if I could catch that Kalon Ash himself, not just an employee?

As long as he was a man, his age didn’t matter. I thought that in Denertum, age doesn’t matter if the conditions are right anyway.

After leaving the inn, on the way back to the capital, Elize deliberately passed by the road where the Oltbea mansion that people talked about could be seen.

Even though I only looked from afar, I could tell its beauty the moment I saw the mansion.

Using a mansion larger and more splendid than the royal palace as a home to stay for just a year. I was speechless at the unimaginably vast wealth that truly exceeded imagination.

‘Anyway, even if it’s not Kalon Ash, if I marry a wealthy foreigner.’

My rumors would never reach my husband’s ears for the rest of my life. And I could live happily ever after in a country with more things to enjoy than Denertum.

Elize, who had been depressed and cooped up in bed since arriving, finally got up.

There was no time to hesitate. If something had to be done, it needed to be done quickly.

‘But… how do I make connections with Ash Trading Company?’

When Elize passed by the road next to the Oltbea mansion, the mansion’s servants were guarding the entrance to the mansion very strictly.

Ash Trading Company will surely take care of those who do business with them first.

As more time passes, nobles will also flock to that mansion, so I had to find a way to attend various events that would be held at that mansion as soon as possible.

“That’s right. Rida. …She was friendly with the people from Ash Trading Company.”

But when they visited for the second time, I put her in the room and didn’t let her meet them.

‘If only father hadn’t hit her then!’

After that, Ash Trading Company never came again.

Thinking she had missed a good opportunity, Elize grabbed a cushion from the bed and threw it.

Thud!

The flying cushion hit the wall and rolled on the floor. Elize, who was watching this, looked puzzled for a moment and then looked around her room.

“What? …How did it change like this?”

When I arrived, I was so consumed with anger and shame that I didn’t properly look at the room. That’s how much anger blurred my vision.

But after finding a ray of hope, when I calmed down and looked at my room again, I was speechless with surprise.

I heard there was a fire. And that the servants had left.

When I heard that news, I was so irritated. If Aelfrida had been in front of me, I would have pushed her down the stairs right then and there.

But soon I thought that I would live in the Grand Duke’s residence from now on, so it didn’t matter what happened to the room in such an old house, and I had completely forgotten about it.

‘Was there no fire?’

Did she lie to get money from father?

But looking at my room now, it was clear that the whole thing had been renovated.

The walls and ceiling were neatly arranged, and silk wallpaper of the same color as the old room, but clearly more expensive, was applied. The curtains were also changed to much more luxurious fabric.

The floor, which used to be covered with a carpet because it was worn out, was also changed to shiny, good quality wood, and the carpet was also a very clean, high-quality one with clear patterns.

“Rida, what have you done?”

It must have cost a lot of money to do the room like this, but how did that penniless thing manage to do it?

In the first year of her social debut, not only did she fail to find a suitable husband, but she also lost all the money spent on her debut because she got on the bad side of the old nobility.

After that, she lived as a parasite in the family, not doing anything well.

How could such a person get the money to do this renovation?

“Did she perhaps agree to marry someone and receive a gratitude fee in advance or something?”

Suddenly, Elize stood up.

When she was at the summer villa, the baroness often talked about the marriage between the villa manager and Aelfrida.

She was happy, saying that she had already received quite a lot of money from the manager and that she would be able to receive the rest of the money after sending Aelfrida.

At that time, I didn’t pay much attention to it, but now I felt dizzy at the thought that she might have decided on a marriage partner on her own while we were away.

‘Then shouldn’t we return all the money received from the manager!’

When returning to the capital, I thought we could manage with the money received from the manager for now.

I was planning to buy the clothes and accessories I needed to meet others again with the money the manager would pay later…

“Rida!”

Elize immediately opened the door and went outside.

“Rida, you! Where are you!”

As soon as I shouted like crazy, I heard a sound coming up from the basement kitchen.

Looking down the stairs, I saw Ael coming up.

“…?”

Elize’s eyes narrowed as she watched.

‘Something’s different…’

The person coming up was clearly that thing, but it felt completely different.

In the past, when I called, she would come up with her head bowed like a sinner, trembling, but now Ael was coming up with her head held high, walking as gracefully as if she were a noble lady.

As Ael finished climbing the stairs and stood in front of Elize, Elize felt even more unfamiliar.

Ael, who always used to look at the ground, had raised her face and straightened her back, putting her in a position to look down at me.

“What’s the matter, Elize?”

Even her voice was different.

Instead of the creeping voice, she was looking straight at me and asking very clearly.

‘Why is she suddenly acting so confident?’

Seeing Ael treating her completely differently than before she left, Elize glared at Ael with suspicious eyes.

‘Did this thing find a husband somewhere?’

If so, it would explain the repaired room and this arrogant attitude.

Then Elize’s gaze turned to the clothes Ael was wearing.

The color was similar to what she used to wear, but it was made of much better quality fabric and even had delicate lace attached. It was clearly a dress that Ael didn’t have before.

Seeing the clothes that fit her body perfectly and her clean face that had gained weight without scars, Elize gritted her teeth and said,

“You, who did you sell what to get these things?”

Ael’s face hardened at Elize’s words. She realized what Elize was thinking.

“Elize, I don’t know what you’re thinking, but what I sold was my ability.”

“Don’t talk nonsense. What can you do? Be a governess?”

Selling her ability?

The only legal jobs a woman can get in Denertum are menial tasks.

At best, noble women can work as governesses, but even that is hard to earn a lot of money.

“That’s absurd. Which house would take you as a governess when you were practically kicked out of high society in disgrace? You, tell me honestly. Where have you been disgracing the family? Where did you meet a man and receive money? Have you already slept with him? Is that why you received a gratitude fee in advance or something?”

At Elize’s blatant words, Ael finally frowned.

Of course, she might have suspected the source of the money after seeing the renovated room, but to think of such things first?

‘What did she usually think of me?’

Feeling the rush of unpleasantness, Ael let out a hollow laugh.

In the past, when Elize confronted her like this, she would have just mumbled that it wasn’t like that. But not now.

Elize, who had arbitrarily condemned her with vulgar imagination, just looked pathetic and unsightly.