Kartun spoke with a stern expression.

“Did you know you were being watched?”

Ah, Gabriel!

He must have assigned another surveillance team. Unfortunately, they seemed to have been caught by Kartun immediately upon arrival.

No matter how skilled his subordinates were, they would be no match for a Grand Duke who fought monsters.

Daphne swallowed dryly and asked, 

“You didn’t…… kill them, did you?”

“Are you concerned about their lives?”

Of course.

If they were captured alive and interrogated by Kartun about who was behind them, that would be troublesome.

Kartun surely knew this. He was clearly playing dumb. Daphne decided to adopt the same attitude.

“As I’m not just full of empty bravado like Your Highness suggested, I hired secret guards. If they die, I’ll have unexpected expenses to deal with, so naturally I’m concerned about their survival. Please return them.”

“I’ll verify their identities first, then send them back.”

“Your Highness has no right to do that.”

“Are you saying I shouldn’t interfere since you hired them with your own money?”

“If you understand, please return them.”

“You’ve been scammed.”

“What?”

“You paid for such incompetent guards that they were discovered as soon as I arrived. You’ve been deceived. Shall I introduce you to some exceptional people?”

I really want to ask how I’m supposed to trust you of all people…

She desperately wanted to say this but pressed her lips firmly together and held back.

Daphne hardened her expression and said, 

“Thank you for the offer, but I must decline.”

“How disappointing. Your declaration of fighting back caught my interest, but are you saying these mediocre mercenaries are better than my well-trained subordinates?”

“I’m more comfortable with them than with people who have been loyal to you for years, Grand Duke.”

“If you refuse even when offered, I can’t help it. I hope your version of fighting back doesn’t end as pathetic resistance. Though the probability is high that it will.”

“The probability has decreased somewhat since I rejected your people. Now, farewell.”

“It seems they’re preparing not just tea but a dinner as well?”

Kartun asked, but Daphne stood up anyway.

“Our conversation would have been much more beneficial to both of us if it had been conducted with proper courtesy. But since Your Highness seems to have no intention of that, I’ll take my leave if you permit.”

As she rose from her seat, a cool breeze blew in from the lake. The abundant wisteria flowers swayed, releasing their rich fragrance.

Daphne thought that from now on, whenever she smelled wisteria flowers, she would frown at the memory of this moment.

Kartun watched her retreating figure without wavering and savored the floral scent. He was certain that these flowers, resembling her purple eyes, would remain in his memory for a long time.

⁕⁕⁕

Kartun simply left.

‘He really left when I told him to?’

He wasn’t usually the type to hold grudges…

Daphne now classified him as someone she didn’t know at all.

Christine had prepared everything with great care but nearly stumbled when she heard that he had met only with Daphne before leaving.

That night, Gabriel came to see Daphne.

“My lady, I’m ashamed.”

Despite his words, Gabriel’s face clearly showed indignation.

“Don’t be. The Grand Duke is difficult for anyone to deal with. We should be grateful he sent them back alive.”

“You shouldn’t have asked him to return them.”

Daphne’s face darkened slightly at his cold response.

“Your judgment is correct. But I don’t yet have the ability to pay for four lives.”

“I’ll wait until you have the means to pay.”

He wasn’t saying he wouldn’t accept payment.

“Next time, don’t leave a trail that can be followed.”

“Then send me people skilled enough not to give him any opportunity.”

Daphne’s words had a sharp edge.

It had always been like this in her previous life.

He would urge her to be cold-hearted, and Daphne, not naturally inclined that way, would apologize to him each time.

Gabriel, having no such memories, observed her demeanor. The quickest and most effective education was to pointedly correct the first mistake.

But people had different temperaments, so he couldn’t treat everyone the same way.

He changed his approach and explained calmly:

“My lady, forgive me if I seemed disrespectful. But you must never reveal yourself to your opponent. Even small things can determine survival…”

“But why would the Grand Duke be interested in me?”

Daphne cut off what she had heard hundreds of times in her previous life, with a slight embellishment, and got to the point.

“If he were aiming for the imperial throne, he would have approached House Mücke, not the Armins…”

Hearing her words, Gabriel stated firmly:

“There’s no sign of him making contact with them.”

Daphne sighed softly.

“The Grand Duke is too big a variable to have many ways of dealing with him.”

“For now, we can only watch his movements. We’ll place surveillance—”

“No. Secretly monitoring him would be risky.”

In her previous life, Gabriel had consistently placed surveillance on Kartun but failed every time.

“Then I’ll focus on House Mücke. It would be safer to wait for the Grand Duke to make contact with them.”

“Good. Also, work on the other noble factions. And don’t come to see me like this. We might already have been discovered.”

Gabriel then took out a gray stone from his pocket.

“What’s that?”

As Daphne asked, the stone moved and sprouted wings.

It was a carrier pigeon.

“Start a hobby of raising birds. This one is well-trained.”

True to his words, the pigeon didn’t fly around recklessly but perched obediently on the mirror.

“I hate bird droppings…”

“It will be content with a small cage if you feed it regularly.”

“That won’t do. It will need to fly a lot from now on…”

Daphne looked at the pigeon with a slightly sympathetic expression.

Gabriel noticed the emotion on her face and smiled unconsciously.

‘A warm-hearted person.’

Though he still wasn’t certain of her goals, he felt her nature wouldn’t be helpful. This made him even more concerned.

He knew this wasn’t simply about profit, but he couldn’t stop himself.

He waved his hand, shrugged his shoulders at her dismissal, and disappeared into the darkness.

Daphne lay in bed, racking her brain for ways to send Kartun back to his home. She briefly imagined a large monster awakening in the Grand Duchy but shook her head.

“I can’t let people in the Grand Duchy get hurt just for my convenience.”

No matter how harsh her years had been, her innate goodness hadn’t completely disappeared.

Just as innate evil never truly does.

⁕⁕⁕

Around the time Daphne was falling asleep, Leonhardt was reading a letter from Anaïs, secretly delivered by a servant.

On the day he broke down the door with his sword and left, Leonhardt had gone to meet Anaïs. After sharing passionate love, they parted while resenting Daphne.

Fred had hushed up the incident, considering it fortunate that Leonhardt had returned safely. He feared Leonhardt might end up like Barbara if Fred found out.

Anaïs had promised to bribe a servant to send letters, and she promptly did so.

The letter was filled with concern and love for Leonhardt, with visible tear stains scattered throughout.

“Ah, my love…”

Leonhardt clutched his chest, overcome with intense emotion.

「Leon, I’m so sorry.

My homeland is trying to recall me. I begged you to make me your mistress thinking we wouldn’t have to part if I became yours.

Instead, I’ve only caused you trouble.」

Only then did he understand why the proud Anaïs had asked him to take her as his mistress.

How cruel fate was.

Leonhardt felt he couldn’t breathe without Anaïs.

Her homeland, the Kingdom of Lucia, was the poorest country on the continent.

The king neglected state affairs and only pursued women. The other royals were no better.

It was a miracle that a woman like Anaïs was born among them. Fortunately, she had come to the Empire early to study; otherwise, she might have become just like Daphne.

Leonhardt found his current situation unbearably frustrating. To be under house arrest at his age!

No matter how hard he thought, he couldn’t figure out a way to go see Anaïs.

He repeatedly rubbed his face dry as he thought of Anaïs, who must be longing for him even now.

“Called back by her homeland…… They must be planning an arranged marriage.”

The King of Lucia was famous for marrying off princesses and noble ladies to other countries for money. People mocked the Kingdom of Lucia, saying “marriage export” was all they knew how to do.

Ironically, this shameful custom could actually help Leonhardt and Anaïs’s love.

The continent had four kingdoms and one empire.

As the sole heir to a ducal family in the most powerful nation, Leonhardt would be welcomed with open arms by the King of Lucia, even for a position of mistress.

“I wanted to hold out until I became Duke…… This is troublesome.”

It was inappropriate for an engaged nobleman to have an official mistress, not just a lover. The situation was even more difficult because his fiancée was from the Armin family.

The bond between the two major families of the Empire was of paramount importance.

Leonhardt gritted his teeth.

“If only Daphne had quietly gone along with it, I would have had a chance. But now look at this mess!”