“Cleve’s divorce?”

Someone thinks the same way I do. Hereis felt the corners of his mouth lift.

“I can’t accept until I know why House Devonshire stopped sending funds.”

“They did send a large sum described as a down payment. They also added that once accepted, the money would be paid without any questions asked.”

“Ha. Who on earth is this person, to want Duke Devonshire to divorce. Or do they want my sister for themselves?”

“They only requested the divorce and made no separate mention of Cleve.”

“Is that so? Even better. If they have no interest in Cleve after the divorce, that means I can do as I please with her.”

Hereis smiled with relief. The heavens were clearly on his side. He had nothing to lose, so there was no reason to refuse.

Hereis ordered the butler to send a reply accepting the deal with the person called Bliss. The sum, more than enough to clear his debts and then some, made his hands itch.

“I have business to attend to, so if anyone comes looking for me, tell them to arrange a time for another day.”

Getting them divorced wouldn’t be difficult. Nothing to worry about.

Cleve had never wanted to marry, so she would accept a demand for divorce without hesitation.

The problem was that this divorce needed to be brought about through the duke’s fault. Hereis went straight to a place full of people.

He didn’t need to get involved himself. Using rumors might be enough to resolve it easily.

❀❀❀

“Punctual as ever.”

Eldrich confirmed the carriage entering the ducal residence and stubbed out his cigarette on the silver tray. He turned and looked at Cleve, asleep in the bed.

He had stayed close to her for two days without leaving her side, so she wouldn’t have room for any troublesome thoughts for a while.

She had whimpered and fussed, but each time he touched her she would exhale softly and drift back to sleep. It was summer and not cold at all, yet she had burrowed into his arms. Every time Cleve breathed out, his chest tickled.

He hadn’t expected to share a bed with anyone.

‘What a strange woman.’

He hadn’t expected to win her heart so quickly. Give her even a small taste of what she wanted, and she opened up like a child, hiding nothing.

‘Is that why someone like Hereis could push her around so easily?’

He envied the man for being able to move her however he liked, simply by being family. And resented him for it at the same time.

If she had only agreed to marry him from the start, he wouldn’t have had to take such a long road back. He wouldn’t have had to get blood on his hands or spend so much time and effort.

He wanted her to stay just as she was. Naive, trusting Cleve. That was the only way to keep the hell from repeating itself.

Eldrich felt the old wound on his body burn. He pulled his gaze away from her before the memories could drag him under. A knock at the door came at just the right moment.

“Your Grace. It’s Annette.”

The quiet voice came from beyond the door. Eldrich moved toward it.

He turned the handle, and Annette, back from her task, handed him a letter.

Eldrich tore open the letter with its gold-trimmed border.

[Dear Duke Devonshire,
The honeymoon must be treating you well. Not a single word from you, and I’m beginning to feel slighted. Do you think sending a perfectly written report is enough?
I find your absence keenly felt. The days we spent rolling around on the battlefield together were good ones.]

Eldrich read the letter and considered tearing it up.

If not for Annette’s presence, he would have thrown the royal correspondence, letter and all, straight into the fireplace.

He reined himself in and read the rest.

[Surely you haven’t burned it? Though I imagine that would be rather entertaining.
Since it seems you have no intention of emerging before the two weeks are up, I shall come to see you  myself.
Oh, you haven’t actually left my letters unread, have you? In that case, my visit may come as a surprise. I’ll be able to tell by the look on your face that day.]

“Our crown prince certainly has time to spare. He says he’ll come all the way out here himself.”

No date had been written, which meant he would likely arrive soon. He had probably left it out knowing Eldrich would burn it.

“I’ll make the preparations.”

“Let’s talk about the rest outside.”

Eldrich was mindful of Cleve, who had only just fallen asleep. It would be a problem if she woke and found him speaking with Annette.

Annette glanced into the bedroom and stepped back. Only after Eldrich closed the door did she get to the point.

“No one from the Seregei family will be appearing before the lady again.”

“It seems you handled it well. And His Highness?”

“He hasn’t noticed yet. However, I don’t think the investigation can be stopped. It seems the nobles have been applying pressure.”

“Persistent. Their mouths should have been shut by now.”

“It appears someone is working behind the scenes.”

“That would be Hereis.”

Annette gave a small nod in agreement.

“I also heard that a strange rumor has been circulating in the capital recently.”

“A strange rumor?”

There were many rumors about Cleve, but Annette wouldn’t bring it up without reason.

“Word is going around that the two of you are not on good terms and will soon be divorcing.”

“Is that all?”

“There are various rumors, but the one that concerns me most…… is the story that Your Grace has a mistress.”

“Hereis is behind the rumor.”

“……Yes.”

“He loses his funds once and he’s already in a panic.”

People don’t change easily, they say. He was still lost in gambling and couldn’t come to his senses. If anything, the fact that Hereis hadn’t changed was convenient.

Eldrich had sent investment funds to the Chartres marquisate in order to marry Cleve. It had been a year of sending a set amount at a fixed time each month.

The money wasn’t significant to Eldrich, but he couldn’t give it away for nothing. Hereis would inevitably want more and more.

“Leave it.”

“Is that wise?”

“It’s the Marquis of Chartres who failed to honor the agreement.”

The terms had been simple: send money under the name of investment, and in return report a list of how those funds were spent. Losses would not be held against him, but if the money was used elsewhere, payments would be cut off.

Eldrich had only asked for two things. He had known from the start that Hereis wouldn’t be able to keep them.

“Just make sure it doesn’t reach Cleve’s ears.”

She must not know. She had only just begun to open her heart to him, and he couldn’t let that distance return.

❀❀❀

Cleve was absorbed in decorating the residence with Annette.

Seregei’s sister still weighed on her mind, but whenever she sank into her thoughts, Annette and the others would come and speak to her.

Thanks to that, very little space remained in Cleve’s head for thoughts of Seregei.

“This leaf pattern would be lovely here. It matches the tablecloth and gives a sense of warmth.”

“An excellent choice.”

Annette set up the fabric Cleve had selected. Her quick, precise movements drew genuine admiration.

“I wish I had learned all this sooner. I still have so much to improve, and I worry His Highness the crown prince might think poorly of things.”

“His Highness is a generous soul. He’ll understand. To my eyes, you’re more than ready to receive a guest.”

Annette offered endless encouragement, but Cleve remained uneasy.

She had never received someone in her own home before. Hereis had left everything at the marquisate residence to the butler and the head maid.

“Would it be strange to buy more flowers and decorate the entrance?”

“That’s a lovely idea. The brightness would please His Highness. If you don’t have a particular flower in mind, I’ll ask a florist to come by tomorrow.”

Whatever Cleve said, Annette acted on it without delay. Cleve loved that no one here let her words go unheard.

“I want to do this well.”

“Don’t worry. You will.”

Cleve felt her chest swell. She was giddy and excited, like a child with a dream.

Each small change in the residence made her want to show Eldrich. Would he like it too?

“I wonder where His Grace is…… oh! Never mind.”

“The weather is fine, so he’s swimming.”

“……!”

The word swimming made Cleve’s face flush hot.

Eldrich’s words about swimming with nothing on circled through her mind.