“I didn’t expect His Majesty to grant you this much wealth.”

His assets were comparable to the former wealth of Rearbon.

It had only been a few years since he was granted his title and became the lord of this land. Having accumulated such an enormous fortune could only be explained by the Emperor’s favor.

“Who said that? His Majesty is probably fretting over how to take this land back even after granting it to me.”

“Then, did Lord Maxis accumulate all these assets by himself?”

Even though he nodded, Leticia found it hard to believe. She thought she now understood why he wasn’t interested in raising tenant rents.

Tenant rents likely didn’t contribute at all to Siscreek’s wealth.

But then, why had Nora been upset about raising rents? And why had he tried to collect more rent from the tenants?

More importantly, there had been no reason for Leticia to instruct the Dorel tribe to farm in the first place.

“Are you surprised?”

“…Honestly, yes, I am.”

Despite her doubts, it was true she hadn’t expected him to have such a talent.

“I was lucky.”

But no one could amass this kind of wealth with mere luck.

“No one can build up such a fortune with just luck.”

He shrugged, not out of humility but as if that truly explained everything.

“Well, at least it means there’s no way I’ll fail my revenge because of money. Don’t you think?”

His words were playful, but they weren’t a joke.

He was right. There was more than enough money.

At least, failure due to a lack of funds seemed unlikely.

“That’s a relief.”

“Then I’ll leave the organizing to you.”

If he had the talent to amass such enormous wealth, organizing it should have been no problem for him.

Leticia couldn’t help but think he was doing it on purpose.

Still, this was an opportunity.

Once she thoroughly examined Siscreek’s assets, she might get a sense of where to start.

The overwhelming feeling gradually faded.

Leticia began by categorizing the documents.

By the time she finished, the sun was setting.

—

Nora was lighting the dim hallways. Although it was a task she could have left to other servants, she also wanted to check on Leticia, who was buried in paperwork in Callius’s office.

For a moment, Nora thought it was nice to see the two of them spending time together after weeks apart. But then she clicked her tongue at Callius’s decision.

Only Callius in Metherdea would treat his wife like a servant.

Clicking her tongue inwardly, Nora approached the office door and listened closely.

There was no sound inside.

Knock, knock.

She knocked, but there was no response.

Thinking Leticia might have returned to her room, Nora opened the door and found Leticia standing with her back to the door.

“Madam? Why are you just standing there?”

Leticia didn’t respond, as if she hadn’t heard Nora.

Nora cautiously approached her and was startled when she saw her face.

“My goodness! Why do you look so pale?”

Leticia’s complexion was deathly white, as if she might collapse at any moment.

“…I’m fine, Nora. I just feel a little dizzy.”

“It’s not just a little! Let’s get you back to your room. Lean on me!”

As Nora fussed over her, Leticia quietly set down the documents and allowed herself to be supported.

Even after they reached the bedroom, Nora busied herself pulling back the bed curtains and turning on the lights.

“You didn’t even light the lamps in your room… Oh dear. Come, lie down here, Madam.”

At her urging, Leticia walked like a ghost and lay down on the bed.

“What should I do for you? Please tell me.”

“…I just want to be alone for a moment.”

Leticia sighed as she spoke, her voice so fragile it seemed like it might shatter.

“But…”

“Please, Nora. I’m asking you.”

In the end, Nora relented to what felt like a plea and stepped back.

“Then… if you need me, call for me immediately.”

“I will.”

Lying on her side, Leticia watched Nora close the door as she left, then slowly sat up.

Her chest felt tight, as if something were lodged there. It felt like a severe case of indigestion.

But that wasn’t all.

Leticia covered her mouth with her cold hand.

While sorting the documents, she had come across a letter from the Emperor addressed to Callius.

It had been tucked among the piles of papers, seemingly unnoticed even by Callius.

The letter, bearing the Emperor’s seal, was clear in its contents.

…Handing over Filia is only a matter of time. When the time comes, I’ll make it seem as though I’m returning it to your wife. As always, I won’t forget the contributions you’ve made.

Callius knew that Filia was Rearbon’s territory.

It wasn’t surprising.

Filia was famous for its fertile land and vast plains.

But the idea of “returning” it to Leticia, only to make it seem like it was hers, was nothing more than wordplay.

Filia was no longer Rearbon’s property.

To nominally return it to Leticia meant it would end up in the hands of her “husband.”

Under the guise of a noble gesture, Leticia would still gain nothing.

That wasn’t all.

Filia was too valuable to give to anyone else.

Callius had mentioned that the Emperor was reluctant to even part with Siscreek.

So why would he give Filia to Callius?

He wouldn’t.

Filia would never fall into Callius’s hands. Not ever.

Callius must have realized that from the moment he received the letter, despite his contributions.

For the first time, Leticia thought that perhaps he resented her even more than she had imagined.

Her fingertips grew cold as she read the letter.

The small amount of food she had eaten for lunch now felt like a heavy weight in her stomach.

“…The contributions you’ve made.”

Leticia wondered what those contributions were.

Callius had accomplished many things.

Even the ones that were publicly known were numerous.

So the ones that weren’t known must have been even more so.

Perhaps helping to bring down Rearbon was one of them.

Before her father died, he surrendered alongside Rearbon’s knights.

This was because Mathias’s private soldiers had marched all the way to Filia.

“Mathias’s private soldiers.”

Had Callius been among them?

Had Callius Maxis also been there…?

Leticia closed her eyes tightly.

He wasn’t just the Emperor’s sword—he was the most useful blade in his arsenal.

Easy to wield, exceptionally skilled, and even easier to discard.

For a moment, she had forgotten.

[To the man who will hate you the most.]

She hadn’t expected to fully grasp the meaning of those words now.

If Callius had contributed to Rearbon’s downfall, then he was now tasked with cleaning up the ashes of what he had destroyed.

The woman he had loved so dearly was dead.

Because of that, he held a grudge against Mathias.

Even if all of that were true, one undeniable fact remained.

He was not Leticia’s friend or ally.

Leticia didn’t cry.

She wanted to weep, but she didn’t even have the strength for that.

Clenching her trembling fingers into fists, Leticia thought of Kelsior’s letter.

The part where she told her to seduce him and make him her ally.

Until a few hours ago, Leticia had thought it was an absurd suggestion.

She had thought it was something she couldn’t and shouldn’t do to him.

But was it really?

If he had played a role in Rearbon’s downfall, then pretending to love him with a face that resembled his dead lover’s was nothing.

Perhaps Leticia would regret the decision she made today in the distant future.

No, she certainly would.

But even so, she had to do it.

She had to make herself his weakness.

It seemed like the only way to wield him as a sharp blade while ensuring that blade didn’t turn against her.

—

Callius arrived at the dining hall a little later than Leticia’s usual mealtime.

But the long dining table was empty.

“The madam will be out soon. Please start eating.”

Nora casually served him food.

The variety of dishes on the table now looked like a proper noble meal.

There was no longer an excess of meat or an overwhelming spread of food no one could finish.

It was all thanks to Leticia, a true noblewoman.

“You’re a bit late. I was just about to go check on… Ah, Madam! Welcome. I was just about to bring out the food.”

Nora, bustling about, stopped in her tracks as Leticia stepped into the dining hall.

“Thank you, Nora. Please prepare it right away.”

“Yes, please take a seat!”

Once Nora left, only the two of them remained in the dining hall.

The silence during their meals had long since become not just familiar but expected.

“Did you sleep well, Lord Maxis?”

Leticia’s soft voice reached his ears.

It was truly soft, so much so that Callius wondered if she was speaking to someone else.

“…Well, yes, I did.”

“That’s good. Some people have trouble sleeping in unfamiliar places.”

“Are you talking about yourself?”

“I did at first.”

Callius began to wonder if she was subtly rebuking him for not being more attentive to her situation.

But then Leticia turned to look at him.

“Still, I must have adjusted now. I don’t have trouble sleeping anymore.”

It was only after meeting her gaze for a while that he realized she was smiling.

The eyes, nose, and lips of the woman he had loved so deeply seemed to shine on Leticia’s face now.