Right after the voices of those welcoming the host grew louder, Count Declen took a seat next to Andert. Only after someone approached Aaron did their gazes, which had been locked for a while, turn away. 

A short while later, Aaron left the table, but Andert continued to stare at his retreating figure. 

“Hahaha, didn’t I tell you? Even with all the misfortunes, the trading port won’t be affected.”

The table Count Declen joined was boisterous. Andert simply sat there, nursing his drink. The refilled amber liquid swayed precariously. 

Like a deep ripple added to the heart that had been in turmoil since officially becoming strangers with Chloe. 

***

The day after Viscount Hardin’s visit, Chloe left her accommodation at the usual time. 

Even if she had deep concerns, it wasn’t reason enough to postpone going to work. Today, too, Chloe was the first to arrive at the office and threw open the windows. Then she sat down at her desk and organized her notepad. 

She was in the process of outlining Tickelon’s exhibition, so she had to check the exact number and types of works. 

Alright, today’s Tickelon’s exhibition. 

Chloe took a deep breath after deciding what she had to do first. Of course, just because she was sitting at her desk didn’t mean she could completely forget about her father’s business. But neither could she tolerate throwing away the precious job she had worked so hard to get. 

Pulling herself together, Chloe looked through the newspaper she had picked up from the stand in front of the building. She had to meet a variety of people, so she needed to be aware of some basic topics beforehand. 

The world was changing rapidly. And so was the art world that Chloe was a part of. Along with the artistic principles that had been firmly established over the years, artists and works that sparked new interest were gaining ground. 

Her eyes, clear with purpose, began to scan the pages from the front page. Then, her gaze, which had been scanning the articles without pause, stopped at one point. 

It was the advertisement page, densely packed with text. 

「Bond Issuance: Seeking Long-term Investors」

The announcement seeking investors was located at the top. Normally, it was a phrase she would have skipped over without a second thought. But at that moment, something suddenly came to mind. 

The bonds that Andert had given her as alimony. She didn’t know the monetary value of that paper. 

But wouldn’t she be able to return some of the money Andert had paid her?

It was alimony she hadn’t wanted in the first place. And now she owed him a debt. 

Of course, Andert hadn’t asked her to pay him back. But she didn’t want to pretend she didn’t know after shouldering the burden of her conscience like this. 

But she was clueless about bonds, so there was nothing she could do about it now. Even the unfamiliar name of the company was fading from her memory. 

Fortunately, she had a bag in her accommodation that contained her few belongings. Chloe decided to check the documents on her way out for her field visit later. 

***

The main street, the most crowded in the capital city of Vasa, was packed with people today as well. The carriage Andert was riding in had just crossed the brightly lit Edesa Bridge. 

The Dietrich mansion was located south of the Deve River, at the end of a residential area where high-end townhouses were clustered. The maple trees, lined up neatly in four rows outside the window, quickly passed by. 

Andert finally put down the documents he had been looking at all day. As the actual owner of a holding company for investment purposes, he received a vast amount of reports every day. 

He had to check the numbers he had to remember every day and the risks he had to keep in mind as quickly as possible. Having finished his share for the day, Andert gently pressed his tired eyes. The carriage, gradually slowing down, began to turn onto the driveway leading to the mansion. 

Soon, the streets would be filled with more passenger cars than carriages. Although there was still an atmosphere of skepticism about their practicality. 

But in his judgment, the commercialization of personal automobiles was just around the corner. Andert, who had invested heavily in engine and oil companies, had no choice but to pay attention to the situation. 

“Welcome home, Your Grace.”

As usual, Roman, standing neatly at the entrance, took his bag familiarly. The mansion, which in reality had only one resident, was eerily quiet for its size. 

In his study, where the accompanying attendants and servants had all withdrawn, Roman began to report on the main issues. They were mainly about the important matters that he had to take care of in the name of the Dietrich family and the Duke’s personal affairs. 

In any case, most of the work had been left to Roman, the experienced butler. Andert simply nodded in response to the steady stream of reports. 

However, Roman seemed different from usual today. As if he was wondering how to bring something up. 

After a moment of hesitation, he held out a neatly folded piece of paper. At the same time, his composed voice, having ended his brief internal conflict, confessed. 

“A telegram arrived for you this evening, Your Grace. It’s from Miss Chloe of Viscount Hardin’s household.”

Chloe?

At the unexpected name, his calm eyes flickered for a moment. It was a moment when he fully understood why his competent butler had hesitated. 

Andert raised his hand, which had momentarily stopped, and received the telegram. In that short moment, dozens of thoughts rushed into his mind at once. He honestly wanted to see Chloe again. 

But for her to be the one to contact him first… why?

An inexplicable sense of anticipation was added to the excitement that was slowly building up. Andert immediately unfolded the stiff paper and checked the contents. 

「Your Grace. 

I know this is sudden, but I would like to request some of your time. 

Please let me know your preferred time and place, and I will see you then. 

— Chloe Hardin」

That was all there was to the short, two-line message. But it was definitely a proposal to meet. 

Andert slowly reread the phrase asking for his time. No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t figure out why Chloe would suddenly make such a request. 

She had been eager to leave when they had the awkward meal he had prepared. 

But there was no reason to hesitate at a time like this. He was the one who had been trying to find a way to see Chloe again. 

Andert picked up his fountain pen. Soon, his elegant handwriting began to write down a reply without pause. It took less than a few minutes for Roman to receive the paper. 

“Send someone to the post office first thing in the morning.”

Roman, who had been waiting in a perfect posture, bowed his head as if he had been waiting. 

The butler, whom Andert had known since childhood, was that kind of person. He never expressed any personal opinions unless his master asked first. 

“Please get some rest, Your Grace.”

It was the Duke who called back the butler who was turning around after giving the same greeting as always. 

“Roman, from your perspective, what kind of husband was I?”

“……”

The butler, who had stopped in his tracks, had his usual serious expression. But Andert knew that his tightly pursed lips meant he was in deep thought. After all, they had spent many years together, so it was only natural to some extent. 

Even Andert, who preferred immediate answers, waited patiently. It was because he wanted to hear the opinion of someone who had observed him and Chloe from a somewhat objective point of view. 

Roman, the wrinkles on his forehead deepening, finally opened his lips with difficulty.

“Your Grace is… a very busy man. You have many important matters to attend to, so you’re not the type to notice those around you. Miss Chloe, who was your wife, always watched your retreating figure. I wouldn’t dare comment on the matters between the two of you during your marriage. However, when I first met Miss Chloe, she was a much brighter and kinder person than she is now.”

There wasn’t a single direct word, but it was a piercing remark. It was almost identical to what he had in mind when he asked the question, so there was nothing wrong with it. 

However, while he was listening quietly to the answer, another doubt suddenly arose. Roman’s loyalty to the Duke, who had served the family all his life, was rooted in legitimacy. 

Roman, how would you react if you knew the whole truth?

Andert looked at his butler, who couldn’t possibly have imagined that there was a secret to his birth in the Dietrich family. It was pointless to assume something that had not happened. Knowing this, Andert couldn’t shake off his lingering thoughts. 

What about Chloe?

‘Could you have loved me even after you heard the whole story of what happened at the villa in Daloa a long time ago?’

Even after Roman left, Andert stood there as if rooted to the spot. 

Suddenly, everything he held in his hand felt like an illusion. The past days when he had struggled to fully claim the name of Dietrich. 

He could stand alone anywhere. And it was that time. A time when wealthy people who possessed tangible assets were gaining power over those with only the name of honor. 

Of course, there was no denying that his title as Duke had given him wings. Despite this realistic awareness, Andert couldn’t shake off the bitterness that was deeply embedded in him. 

Still, it was the day Chloe had asked to meet him, so it was a day to remember. 

T/N: more chapters here