“His Grace the Grand Duke would sell really well.”

With a cheerful smile, Maude finished her words and gazed intently at Sarah. Unlike her lady’s radiant face, Sarah looked ashen, her hands clasped together as if she were begging.

“M-My lady…”

But Maude paid her no mind. She only gave a small laugh, her shoulders lightly shaking.

“He does look rather impressive, doesn’t he?”

That laugh mingled with the sound of waves, echoing faintly into the midsummer night. The night breeze tossed Maude’s flaxen hair, revealing the soft blush of her rose-tinted cheeks.

It was the kind of summer night when everything seemed worth getting excited about. Between the great trees thick with green foliage, Maude’s eyes sparkled as she looked toward the Grand Duke. Since arriving in Bergen two days ago from the capital, Ness, this was the first time she’d shown such enthusiasm. Her face shone with a smile as bright as sunlight.

Meanwhile, Sarah was shuddering as she questioned why she and her lady had to hide in the thickets of Respon Castle just to spy on the Grand Duke.

“Even Queen Gria’s remarriage could work out with him… But since he’s never been married, that might be too much of a waste.”

“My lady, please… please! Let’s talk outside. This way, quickly!”

Sarah trembled all over at her mistress’s innocent remark, but Maude, as always, was unhurried. More than that, she even had the leisure to hum a little tune.

“He’s still quite splendid.”

Her soft voice followed the song. The Grand Duke, casually dressed in a simple shirt, sat perched on the edge of the central fountain.

A man whose long legs stretched out with such elegance. If he looked that tall while sitting, he must be rather towering when standing.

“His shoulders, too…”

A smile of satisfaction spread over Maude’s face as she thought of his well-built frame. Only her maid, Sarah, wore a long face.

Even as Sarah tugged her along, Maude couldn’t take her eyes off the Grand Duke. When they finally reached the castle entrance, Sarah carefully released her lady’s hand and crouched down.

“When we get to the hotel, I’ll draw you a bath first thing.”

She tidied the hem of Maude’s dress and gently plucked the leaves tangled in her hair.

“Thank you.”

Maude, gazing at her for a moment, returned the favor, brushing the leaves out of Sarah’s hair with tender hands. Such kindness always made Sarah’s heart swell—and her day ended with a smile.

“It was kind of fun, wasn’t it?”

Maude’s cheeks, tinged like watercolor, still carried a playful smile.

“No, my lady?! My legs are still shaking!”

Sarah pouted, her face on the verge of tears. Maude chuckled softly.

“Certainly, there’s nothing to lose with a wager.”

Her voice still carried a trace of laughter, but her tone brimmed with conviction. Maude, ever the shrewd entrepreneur, never let a chance to grow her ventures slip away. Her eyes shone with excitement.

***

About an hour later, their carriage pulled up before the hotel. It was Beckford, the most luxurious hotel in the city’s bustling center. In summer, the place always thrived with crowds flocking for holidays.

Beckford was especially renowned for its lounge café, Midnight Sun. The dazzling chandeliers and brilliant lighting were overwhelming, befitting its name—this was a place where darkness never seemed to fall. Even past midnight, the place teemed with people.

Since the lounge lay beside the staircase to the guest rooms, it was hard to pass by simply. Maude, hearing the noblewomen’s chatter, let her gaze wander.

“Surely, His Highness the Crown Prince meant to gift it to Lady Saena, his fiancée?”

“Perhaps. But since it’s obvious he has feelings for Lady Maude, who knows?”

Her gaze drifted upward, settling on the chandelier’s crown, where a diamond sparkled at the very top—the infamous diamond that had stirred high society just days ago.

There were rampant rumors that the Empress intended to purchase the rare pink diamond for the tiara of the soon-to-be-crowned Crown Princess, making it a hot topic regarding the upcoming coronation and its future owner.

However, the diamond, which was expected to be smoothly embraced by the Empress, took an unexpected turn, changing the subject of conversation.

Suddenly appearing at the diamond auction, Duke Felix Beckford boldly declared he would pay whatever amount was necessary, leaving the second son of the Steward Count family, acting as the Empress’s representative, unable to raise his paddle any longer.

The very next day, word spread that the steward’s son had been punished—his right hand severed and cast off to the borderlands. But, as always, the commotion soon quieted.

Thus, the pink diamond fell into Duke Beckford’s possession, displayed proudly at the Midnight Sun. Crowds swarmed to see it, boosting Beckford’s renown. The duke’s taunt—“If you can’t own it, at least come gawk at it”—only heightened the diamond’s glitter.

Clicking her tongue, Maude thought of the cheap tabloids that had plastered her name alongside that cursed diamond.

‘What an unfortunate diamond…’

She quickly dismissed it from her thoughts. The diamond and the petty contest between Felix Beckford and the Empress were of no concern to her.

Her thoughts were consumed with something else entirely: her wager with the emperor. Her head was filled to the brim with schemes of betting.

Though Maude was never particularly fond of chess itself, she relished the wagers she made over chess with Emperor Leopold Rizewell. What she loved were the rewards and the triumph of winning.

The prizes ranged from exotic sweets she’d only read about in books to a villa in the southern resorts. Each one uniquely fueled her ambition.

They were undeniably beautiful things. And it was those rewards and the sense of accomplishment that always drew her back to the chessboard.

The cheerful matches, once held in the palace, moved to the annex of the Hablein estate when the emperor’s new empress began showing interest in Maude. Even when the empress mentioned that she preferred playing in the glasshouse of the palace, the emperor merely smiled and patted her head.

But as Maude grew into a young lady, the laughter that once filled the reception room and the wagers that accompanied it began to fade. Her dazzling debut in society, coupled with her rapidly expanding business, left her too busy. And so, it had been a long time since their last bet.

That was why Maude greeted the emperor with her face full of joy. Yet, her delight did not last long. Before they had even set up the chessboard, he dropped his news onto the table.

“This time, it’s a wager without chess.”

“A wager without chess? That’s the first, Your Majesty.”

Maude smiled warmly at Leopold.

“Haha, is that so?”

Leopold chuckled along with her, then cut to the heart of the matter.

“This wager is simple: whoever accompanies Kyle to the Founding Festival banquet will be the victor.”

At the sudden name and the shockingly bold proposal, Maude froze and looked at him. Leopold met her gaze willingly.

“You mean His Grace the Grand Duke… who’s said to be in Bergen?”

The still-unfolded chessboard lay abandoned on the table.

“That’s right. You’ve likely never seen him properly either.”

Reclining on the sofa, his lips curved into an easy smile. As always, he lifted his teacup with a leisurely air while guiding the conversation.

“It’s a simple wager, but one that’s bound to be difficult…”

Difficult. A word that revealed his true thoughts.

“To keep things fair, the loser will forfeit, and the winner will take it all. If you win, Maude, I’ll invest in you. With my own private funds—as much as you wish.”

The emperor was putting the Grand Duke up as society’s most eligible prize.

“Of course, I’m not forcing you into this wager. The choice is yours.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

For someone claiming not to pressure her, his words carried a clear contradiction.

“But if you win, you’ll gain both the funds and the prestige. And I’m sure you understand their worth better than anyone.”

Maude caught a glimpse of the emperor’s impatience, thinly veiled. A Grand Duke, by virtue of birth alone, was a prize beyond compare.

‘Even with such a son at his side, he’s still…’

The emperor’s barely concealed anxiety made Maude’s gaze grow cold. To say she wasn’t tempted by the promise of an unprecedented imperial investment—and the glory that came with it—would be a lie. Since the founding of the empire, not once had an emperor publicly given his private fortune to anyone. It would be a unique and unparalleled honor.

Maude was certain this was the kind of opportunity that came once in a lifetime. Still, she had no intention of accepting the wager right away. Something in the emperor’s manner unsettled her.

Perhaps the Grand Duke was a flawed prize. And she never engaged in a deal that left her at a loss.

“If you permit it, Your Majesty, I would like to meet His Grace the Grand Duke first, before giving you my answer.”