When Stella finally opened her mouth, it was while drinking the last tea that came out.

“I was wondering if you went out and slept because of me.”

He had gone out because he wanted to go out, but he couldn’t understand that face filled with guilt.

Rather, he knew full well what would have happened if he hadn’t gone out.

Or was she acting like this while knowing but pretending not to know?

“I drank with guys from the same school. Since I got married, they kept trying to make me drink a lot, saying congratulations and whatnot.”

“Then shouldn’t you drink something?”

At the mention that he had drunk a lot, Stella asked. Worry showed on her face.

“When I look at other people, they always drink something after drinking a lot. Was it alcohol mixed with raw eggs?”

Stella’s head tilted to the side. Her brown hair tied in one bundle moved to the side along with it.

“There was also someone who ate some fruit, but what fruit was it?”

“Raw egg alcohol or fruit, that should be sent to the guys who were drinking with me, not me.”

Kalian replied leisurely.

“In the end, they all crawled out.”

It wasn’t that Kalian was particularly good at drinking.

He could just drink moderately for enjoyment while creating situations that made others drink more.

After confirming that Kalian was really okay, Stella smiled.

“I’m glad your stomach is fine.”

“But, wife.”

However, it was Kalian whose stomach was twisted. He put down his cutlery.

“You seem to have seen many people who drank a lot.”

“Ah, since the place I lived was what it was……”

Stella trailed off as if embarrassed.

Right, she lived in a house on the street.

If she had been an ordinary noble, she would have somehow hidden such a shabby past.

House Ambrose had spent such a long time in a street house that it couldn’t be hidden, so he, the king, and all other nobles knew about Stella’s past.

It was an open secret.

“I saw many drunkards on the street.”

But Stella’s answer didn’t inspire Kalian’s belief.

Hadn’t she worked at a tavern?

Using a name that looked like an alias to anyone, drawing people’s attention with shabby clothes among flashy people — he had witnessed it clearly with his own eyes.

Who is she telling such a shallow lie?

“I see.”

The heart that had been pounding for unknown reasons until just now was slammed to the ground by one lie.

“Come to think of it, I once saw someone who looked quite similar to you at a tavern.”

Stella’s hand, which had been eating a dish made with beans, stopped.

“She broke the most expensive bottle in the store and was covered in alcohol, so she looked a mess.”

Kalian observed Stella while pretending to pour tea into his teacup.

Her gaze had fallen downward, and both hands were frozen stiff in the air. Her breathing gradually became faster.

“So I remember giving her a few coins out of pity. What was her name again?”

Kalian’s eyes reached Stella.

“Was it Laura?”

The hands that had been frozen in the air fell onto the table. She turned her head.

“I see.”

Though desperately suppressing it, Stella’s voice was trembling aimlessly.

“I’m sure that person was happy too.”

Look at her, unable to even properly meet his eyes.

Wasn’t she showing such a reaction because she had lied to him?

Kalian sneered inwardly.

“Wife.”

There was still a lot of food for two people left on the table.

But it was the limit.

He could no longer sit facing each other affectionately.

Kalian, who stood up, stood beside Stella.

When he stroked her cheek with his long fingers and tapped as if telling her to look at him, she hesitated then soon turned her head to look at him.

They were eyes that reminded him of an animal he had raised as a child. That creature had also looked at him with eyes saying it was harmless and weak.

But the moment he was bewitched by those pitiful eyes and removed the collar around its neck, it bit him and ran away to the forest.

“No matter how much money it costs, go out tomorrow and buy everything you want.”

Every time Kalian stroked Stella’s cheek, she flinched and trembled. Even such behavior further aroused Kalian’s suspicion.

“Flashy and beautiful to suit your taste.”

Vulgar things.

Kalian whispered softly in Stella’s ear.

⁕⁕⁕

“Good morning, Madam.”

A middle-aged woman with a somewhat warm-looking impression bowed her head.

“I’m Addin Poff, who will be in charge of managing the Rochester ducal mansion from today in place of Mrs. Karen. Please feel free to call me Mrs. Poff.”

“Nice to meet you, Mrs. Poff.”

Stella dropped her gaze while trying to hide her bewilderment. A bundle of storage keys, which could be called the symbol of a head maid, hung at Mrs. Poff’s waist.

It was something that had been in Mrs. Karen’s hands until yesterday.

“Since it’s breakfast time, I brought a meal while greeting you. May I come in?”

“Of course.”

When Stella stepped aside, Mrs. Poff entered the room pushing a trolley loaded with food.

“Um, Mrs. Poff.”

When Stella, who had sat at the table, carefully called her, the lady who had been placing food sent her a look as if to say speak.

“Do you happen to know what happened to Mrs. Karen?”

“Mrs. Karen? I understand she will now be managing the mansion in the Grove region.”

“The mansion in the Grove region?”

“Yes, she wasn’t feeling well originally. She went down there for recuperation and to stay permanently. I think she left early this morning by carriage.”

When she briefly woke up at dawn, she had thought something was unsettled, and it seemed Mrs. Karen had left by carriage then.

“Did you have something to say to Mrs. Karen, Madam?”

“Mm, no. I just asked out of curiosity.”

Stella shook her head. She fidgeted with her fingers under the table.

‘Didn’t she say she had worked here for a long time?’

She had heard that Mrs. Karen had worked at this mansion continuously since Kalian was young. She had also been told that she was the person who had worked the longest after butler Wilter.

To send such a person away so quickly.

And to find a replacement so quickly.

“……”

Somehow feeling something hard stuck in one side of her chest, Stella pressed her chest area.

Meanwhile, something caught her eye. The food on the table was exactly one person’s portion.

“It seems His Grace won’t be dining together.”

Unless he suddenly barged in like yesterday to eat together, there was a high possibility that Stella would have to eat alone sadly today.

“His Grace went out early this morning.”

As if to comfort such Stella, Mrs. Poff answered in a kind voice.

“He seemed to have important business.”

Stella nodded.

It was because until just now she had been somewhat afraid of His Grace who had driven out Mrs. Karen who had been with them for a long time, yet she found herself ridiculous for immediately becoming gloomy at the news that they wouldn’t be dining together.

‘I really need to fold this heart somehow.’

Being in a state of neither this nor that, she felt like she was going between heaven and earth dozens of times a day.

All the dishes from the trolley were placed on the table. Stella unconsciously opened her mouth.

“Thank you.”

Oops. After saying it, she realized her mistake. She had been told not to just give such thanks.

Mrs. Poff met Stella’s eyes again.

And smiled.

“My goodness! I didn’t expect to hear such kind words.”

It was a completely different reaction than expected. The lady’s smile bloomed brightly as if truly happy.

“Mm, I’m overflowing with energy. I’ll be able to work even harder.”

“……Is it okay?”

Stella asked carefully.

“As far as I know, I was told not to say such things to servants.”

“That can’t be!”

Mrs. Poff raised her voice for the first time.

“Of course it would be good to restrain yourself a little in important or official occasions, but there’s no need to do so in the mansion.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, originally the atmosphere of the mansion is led by the lady of the house. And now the lady of House Rochester is you, Madam.”

Mrs. Poff wore a kind smile.

“You can do as you wish, Madam.”

As she wished.

When had she ever heard such words? Had she heard them when she was young?

No, she hadn’t heard them even when she was young.

Though her parents loved her, as the family declined, they demanded maturity from her.

“Yes, thank you, Mrs. Poff.”

Stella smiled. It was a smile that came from the heart.

“Thank you so much.”

As if responding to the thanks, Mrs. Poff smiled brightly while holding the tray.

“By the way, you really are as kind a person as I heard, Madam.”

Stella, who had been about to put fruit in her mouth at Mrs. Poff’s words, stopped.

“Who said such things?”

“Oh my, who else.”

Mrs. Poff, who had been placing the tray on the trolley, answered energetically.

“Duke Rochester, of course.”

⁕⁕⁕

“So what’s the reason you wanted to see me so early in the morning?”

Kalian leaned back against his chair and stared at the man sitting across from him.

“Sir Ambrose?”

“Ahem.”

The person having a private meeting with Kalian was none other than Baizel.

After clearing his throat once, he smiled. It was a smile that looked servile at first glance.

“It’s nothing else, but I have something I’d like to ask Duke Rochester.”

“Please speak.”

“How should I bring this up…… It’s difficult, really difficult hahaha!”

Stop wasting time and just get to the point.