The Young Duke, who had barely glanced at the display case shown to him, walked to the center of the shop. 

 “Young Duke?” 

 The ‘ultra’ upper-class customer began showing interest in items he had kept out expecting someday a customer from the unreachable highest class would come. 

 The owner, who was habitually about to flatter him, swallowed. This set of necklace, earrings, and ring was very pretty and very expensive and very rare, but for that reason, it wasn’t suitable for a mistress. Perhaps it could be explained as being more appropriate as a bride’s wedding gift. 

 Especially that diamond ring. It was made solely for the purpose of proposals. In other words, it wasn’t something a mere mistress could comfortably wear around. 

 However, the young duke asked him the price. 

 “How much is it?” 

 “Pardon? Ah, yes, which product……” 

 “All of this. The necklace, earrings, and ring, everything.” 

 “If you purchase just the necklace and earrings, it’s three hundred pounds, if you include the ring, it’s five hundred pounds.” 

 The shop owner slightly inflated the price of the ring. He had heard well of Miss Montes’s violent tendencies. The moment she learned that her fiancé had bought a ring suitable for proposing to another woman, the young duke’s mistress might lose her head that very day. 

 However, the young duke seemed undeterred. 

 “Give me everything. What if the size of the ring doesn’t fit?” 

 Shortly after, a check for five hundred pounds proudly sat in the shop owner’s money drawer. 

 ***

 Pretty. 

 Looking at the jewelry studded with massive diamonds, that was all the appreciation a man of Young Duke Chesterfield’s status could muster. 

 How many carats, in which country’s style it was crafted, where it originated…… none of that mattered. It was pretty and expensive and rare. Meeting those three conditions satisfied the basic requirements for a gift to Celian. 

 ‘Maybe buying the ring impulsively was a bit much.’ 

 But even he, who knew little about jewelry, could tell at a glance. The ring he purchased today wasn’t something easily obtainable anywhere. 

 The diamond had a very faint sky-blue tint. So faint that it was hard to notice unless placed next to ordinary diamonds. It was as if you had taken a spoonful of sky and mixed it into her hair — that kind of color. 

 The prongs securing the diamond and ring reminded one of delicately overlapping crosses. Thanks to the prongs being designed so thin, the diamond’s own brilliance shone even more. 

 ‘I hope she likes it……’ 

 This is just a gift. When he properly proposed, he wanted to present something better, more precious. That would suit Celian. 

 Celian, ‘Berienne.’ 

 ‘Berienne.’ That name was so painful. That made him want to marry her even more. So that she could cover up the name that tormented her, so she wouldn’t be trapped in the name Berienne anymore. 

 He was dissatisfied that the name to cover it would be Chesterfield, but since he could give her the dazzling glory behind the cursed name, it would be a far better path than the penniless Ren. 

 Izer’s eyes fixed on the hunting rifle hanging on the wall.

From tomorrow for a week, the nobles including him and his adoptive father would leave for a hunting gathering. Since there was no reason to bring the child, they decided to leave Percy and Celian at the mansion. 

 When Izer returns to this house, everything will have changed. His red eyes sank heavily. 

 ‘Finally.’ 

 The conviction that his adoptive father had harmed his father, and the absence of his mother who would be shocked by his adoptive father’s death. From the moment these two conditions aligned, he had been waiting for the right time. 

 Knock knock. 

 “Come in.” 

 “……” 

 “Come in.” 

 “……” 

 After knocking, there was no sign of entry. Izer closed the box and stood up. 

 The corridor was empty. Wondering if he had heard things, he turned around to see a hem of clothing disappearing up the stairs. 

 Only one person would wear such clothes. Izer gauged the time. It was late at night now, and it wasn’t particularly appropriate for the owner of the house to have a private meeting with the tutor. 

 His hands instantly went cold. 

 Silent footsteps climbed the stairs. As soon as he set foot on the third floor, which he would never voluntarily climb without the Duke’s summons, he heard his adoptive father’s cackling laughter. 

 It was the first time since his mother’s death that that man had laughed like this. With a chilling sensation, he scanned the surroundings. Not even a mouse was visible, let alone the head butler. 

 The laughter turned into human words. 

 “Well done, Celian.” 

 “……” 

 “It was very successful. It’s so clear how completely that bastard has fallen for you…… What method did you use, Lian? How did you seduce that upright man, hmm?” 

 He felt like a flat dart board. The pins his adoptive father threw came flying one by one, sticking into his body. 

 Now his adoptive father clapped his hands. 

 “I wonder if he won’t go crazy wanting to die. When we return from the hunting gathering, the beautiful lady who was to save him will have run away!” 

 Single, 10 points. 

 “What should we do about that pitiful heart reduced to a few coins. If he learns he was defeated by just that much money, if he learns it was given by someone who despises money so much……” 

 Double, 20 points. 

 “After giving his pure heart, his feelings, and even his body…… To find out that this time too, he was the one who was the mistress, how painful it must be!” 

 Triple, 30 points. 

 “……When will you give me the money?” 

 Bull, 50 points. 

 ***

 Harris answered in a pleasant tone. He had laughed so much that tears had gathered in his eyes. 

 “I gave you half this morning, didn’t I? I’ll send the other half in a month. Contact me once you’re settled.” 

 “Beth is in Porchmen. When I disappear, the young duke will first send people to Porchmen.” 

 “Bring Beth after you’ve settled. If you need help, I’ll help you as much as needed.” 

 “……” 

 “It’s a well-deserved reward for doing such a good job.” 

 After finishing his words, he started laughing again. Utterly abandoned, trembling with betrayal, I wonder if he might go mad…… Rambling and spouting horrible words without hesitation, he already seemed inhuman. 

 “When we leave for hunting tomorrow, we won’t return for a week. Leave during that time.” 

 “……” 

 “It would be best to announce the farewell by letter. Write everything that happened. That I offered you money, and you followed my orders. If you want, you can write that you’re sorry. I’ll allow that much.” 

 “……If it becomes known that you made me do this, won’t it damage your reputation as Duke as well?” 

 “Such things lost their meaning long ago.” 

 “……” 

 “If I can see that face contort, I can do anything.” 

 Madness flashed. Celian’s blank eyes swept over the hunting rifle placed on Harris’s desk. 

 Celian imagined picking up that rifle and aiming it at Harris. Blowing away that head dyed an unnatural gold, and also blowing away the head butler who would come running in surprise…… 

 And then she would fall into Izer’s arms, whispering to run away together. You like me, and I like you…… Let’s throw away Chesterfield and Berienne and Ren, all of it, or maybe even throw away the names Izer and Celian and start completely anew. To be more realistic, suggesting they steal everything of value from this house and run away together. 

 Harris, who had been watching her with an amused expression, turned the rifle’s handle toward her. 

 “You look like you want to shoot.” 

 “……” 

 “Go ahead if you’re fine with Beth going to hell.” 

 Beth, my beautiful Beth. My poor little sister who can’t even remember mother’s face and had such little time with father. 

 Harris, who had been laughing continuously, picked up the rifle and hung it on the wall. Only after seeing this did Celian leave his room. 

 The head butler who passed by her side entered Harris’s room. She could hear the two men talking about something. She couldn’t make out what they were saying. She thought she heard Izer’s name, and it seemed the Duke laughed madly again. 

 The stairs from the third floor to the second floor were very long. Standing in the empty corridor, after glancing toward Izer’s room, Celian opened her room door located at the exact opposite end of the corridor. 

 Writing materials and paper appeared from the packed luggage bag. 

 Now Celian had to write a letter confessing the truth to Izer. Only then could she receive the remaining money. 

 “……” 

 What she wants is money. She decided not to dress up her filthiness with noble intentions like Beth’s wellbeing. Whatever the reason, her actions are the result of purely selfish thinking. 

 The pen moved. 

 To Izer Chesterfield. 

 Her unfocused eyes looked down at the letter that couldn’t continue beyond one line.