Rain fell on the Empire as usual.

Black smoke billowing from the factories in Cheap Side mixed with the humid air to create a dreary scene, while the Saint River flowing through the center of the capital Lilbon swelled dangerously from the downpours of the past few days.

With this landscape as a backdrop, a carriage raced along the riverbank.

Eventually, the carriage entered a street in Upper Side where the capital’s nobility resided and stopped in front of a small mansion.

The coachman climbed down from his seat and promptly opened an umbrella.

“We’ve arrived, madam.”

The coachman said as he opened the carriage door.

As Yvonne carefully extended her foot outside the carriage, he held the umbrella closer to shield her.

“Thank you, Thomson.”

Yvonne said as she took the umbrella.

The coachman tipped his cheap bowler hat slightly upward as a gesture of acknowledgment before climbing back to his seat.

Yvonne stood with the umbrella, watching the carriage leisurely depart down the street, then turned around.

The small iron gate of the Greenwood residence greeted her.

Yvonne opened the iron gate with practiced ease and climbed the shallow stone steps.

Upon reaching the front door, she knocked a few times on the faded gold iron door knocker carved with a lion’s face, and soon the door opened.

“Young madam, you must have had a difficult journey. Please come in quickly.”

It was the housekeeper, Mrs. Hans. As Yvonne folded her umbrella and stepped inside, Mrs. Hans welcomed her mistress by taking the umbrella.

“Oh my, when will this rainy season ever end?”

The middle-aged Mrs. Hans grumbled as she shook the wet umbrella outside before closing the door.

“Rain falls frequently in the Empire regardless, Mrs. Hans. It’s the same even when the rainy season ends.”

“That may be true, but this rainy season has been particularly heavy with rain.”

“……”

“Perhaps because of the humidity, mold has appeared again on the third-floor corridor wall. We had workers repaint it not long ago.”

Mrs. Hans said while cautiously observing Yvonne’s reaction.

Strictly speaking, since it concerned the Greenwood household affairs, Mrs. Hans as a housekeeper had no reason to be cautious, but knowing her employer’s difficult circumstances, she naturally became so.

The Greenwood family had fallen on hard times several years ago.

This was because the head of the household and Yvonne’s husband, Count Rupert Greenwood, had repeatedly ruined the family business ventures.

They could maintain their noble dignity only thanks to the Rosier Hotel, which Yvonne had inherited from her family.

But recently, even the hotel management had not been going well.

Nevertheless, the Greenwood family’s extravagance continued unabated, further worsening the household’s financial situation.

“Please call for workers. If something needs fixing, we should fix it. Especially since Silvia’s room is on the third floor.”

Yvonne said as she handed over a few silver coins.

Mrs. Hans accepted them respectfully and walked toward the umbrella stand.

“Yes, the young lady complains every time she sees that wall……”

After muttering while putting away the umbrella, Mrs. Hans returned and sighed regretfully as she looked at Yvonne.

‘The young madam takes such good care of her sister-in-law and mother-in-law, and even supports the entire household in place of her incompetent husband….. What could the elder madam possibly be dissatisfied with?’

Tsk. She clicked her tongue softly and glanced at the door of the first-floor reception room.

“The elder madam was in such a foul mood. She urgently called for you, then complained about you being late again… good heavens.”

Mrs. Hans shuddered as if the memory had resurfaced.

For some time now, her mother-in-law Caroline had been giving Yvonne trivial errands.

They were menial tasks typically assigned to maids, yet she deliberately summoned her daughter-in-law.

The problem was that each time, Yvonne would be handling the operational matters of the Rosier Hotel in place of her incompetent husband Rupert.

The round trip from the Rosier Hotel to the Greenwood residence took at least an hour by carriage, even when traveling urgently.

Even the servants pitied Yvonne for this obvious harassment.

How pitiful her situation was—supporting the Greenwood family in place of her incompetent and dissolute husband, yet being persecuted for daring to act more capable than her husband.

It would be better if she could divorce him, but even that was not easy in the Empire, making her situation all the more unfortunate.

Unless her husband or in-laws were trying to kill her, a spouse’s economic incompetence or “slight” harassment from in-laws did not constitute grounds for divorce.

‘Instead, people would criticize our young madam for trying to divorce for such trivial reasons. They have no idea how much she suffers inside. In this Empire, only we women are unfortunate, really.’

Sympathetic sighs escaped repeatedly from Mrs. Hans’s lips.

“Please go inside quickly, madam.”

“……Yes.”

Yvonne calmly replied and immediately walked toward the reception room.

Eventually, her steps gradually halted in front of a dark brown door.

A long, tension-filled breath escaped from between her lips.

When she finally resolved herself and opened the door, she saw a mother and daughter engaged in conversation while sitting on a green velvet sofa.

They were her mother-in-law, Caroline Greenwood, the former countess, and her sister-in-law, Silvia Greenwood.

“Mother, could I also present a marriage proposal to him?”

“Of course, certainly. What reason could there be for you not to? I’ll make sure to tell your brother not to forget to submit one.”

Caroline affectionately said as she tucked her daughter’s reddish-brown hair behind her ear.

Confidence infused Silvia’s smile. In her hand, she held what appeared to be a small invitation.

‘Perhaps I should have waited longer before entering.’

While Yvonne was seriously considering whether to leave the reception room again, Caroline noticed her, and the smile on her face gradually faded.

“You’ve come, dear.”

At her mother-in-law’s words, Yvonne slowly approached the mother and daughter.

“Yes, Mother. I came straight away since you called urgently. Do you have an errand for me?”

Yvonne instinctively added that she had come straight away.

Not only was it true, but it was also to somewhat defend against the reproach that would come for being late.

However, for some reason, Caroline’s voice was much gentler than usual.

“No. Today I didn’t call you for an errand.”

Caroline said, pointing to a chair across from her.

“I have something important to discuss, so please sit down here first.”

Yvonne went to where she pointed and slowly took a seat.

Watching her, Caroline’s face briefly flashed with displeasure, but she quickly composed her expression.

Then, a soft voice flowed from Caroline’s lips.

“We were talking about the grand mansion in the center of Upper Side’s 3rd Avenue. You know it, don’t you? The mansion that has remained empty for years because no one could afford to be its master.”

No noble born and raised in the capital could be unfamiliar with that mansion.

It was a mansion built by the Merriott Grand Ducal family decades ago, but it went on the market after the family moved to the provinces due to friction with the royal family.

That had happened over ten years ago.

No one had appeared who could readily afford the grand mansion built in the center of 3rd Avenue in Upper Side, where the nobility lived, and where land prices were the highest.

Then about a year ago, rumors began circulating among the Upper Side nobility that someone had purchased the mansion.

In social circles, numerous stories went around about who the new owner of the grand mansion might be.

Some said he was a businessman who had returned after running a large business in the colonies, while others said he was a great noble from a neighboring country.

Since Yvonne had also heard the rumors circulating, she slowly nodded.

“Yes, I’ve heard about it. That a new owner is coming……”

“Indeed. But do you know who it is?”

Caroline’s eyes darkened with expectation as she asked.

The same was true for her sister-in-law Silvia, sitting beside her.

Caroline took a long breath as if trying to calm her rising emotions and then said emphatically:

“Hugo Wenner.”

The mother and daughter waited with sparkling eyes for Yvonne’s reaction.

However, Yvonne merely calmly repeated the name to herself.

‘Hugo Wenner……’

It was a name she had encountered several times in newspaper articles.

A businessman from the United States of Markel in the New World who had become extremely wealthy by aggressively investing in the railway business during the early stages of industrialization.

The news that such a man was moving his residence to the Vertis Empire, the center of the Old World, had significant implications.

First, that the railway business would officially begin within the Empire.

Second, that families with daughters of marriageable age would each harbor grand dreams of welcoming the great businessman as a son-in-law.

Just like the mother and daughter of the Greenwood family right now.

“There have been many rumors, but I learned today after receiving this invitation. Hugo Wenner is hosting a housewarming party at that mansion.”

Caroline was elated like someone intoxicated with hope.

“I guarantee Hugo Wenner will be satisfied with our Silvia. This child resembles me with her good looks and straight figure, and she also knows how to handle men appropriately.”

“Oh, Mother……”

Silvia lightly chided her mother as if embarrassed, yet showed a smile mixed with coquettishness.

Caroline smiled contentedly at her.

Then, without even looking at Yvonne, she continued:

“I suppose I should have several new dresses made for Silvia. To catch the eye of the wealthy magnate, it would be best to get them from Madame Roland’s boutique, wouldn’t it?”

“……”

“So, Yvonne.”

A gaze so nonchalant it appeared dignified fell upon Yvonne.

“You’ll need to provide about twenty million gold for your only sister-in-law.”