65. Nothing to Excuse

“Count Winters visited the Empress Consort’s palace?”

Herwen frowned upon receiving the report. He had heard this while conducting a background check on Count Winters, who had recently become strangely bothersome to him.

Larael and Dean Winters—he had never imagined such a combination.

“What kind of relationship could those two possibly have?”

“They say Count Winters is a cousin of the Marchioness of Argen, who is close to Her Highness the Empress Consort. The reason for his visit to Abella Palace was supposedly to collect a gift to deliver to the Marchioness.”

Herwen already knew that the Marchioness of Argen and Count Winters were cousins.

“She had to call Count Winters just to deliver a gift? In a palace full of people who could run errands? Does that make any sense?”

Herwen scowled. Suddenly struck by a thought, he slammed his desk.

“Could it be that she’s taken Count Winters as a lover?”

Count Winters was a handsome man. Despite his delicate, well-defined features, his tall frame and lean but toned body made him very popular among the noblewomen. If not for the rumors of his wayward lifestyle, his popularity might have soared even higher. Thinking of him, Herwen cursed under his breath.

He couldn’t help but suspect that Larael’s frequent visits to the Marchioness of Argen’s residence were actually for secret rendezvous with Count Winters.

‘Larael, if that’s the case, I won’t let it go.’

A strong sense of possessiveness toward Larael welled up inside Herwen.

After hearing this, a simple background check on Count Winters would no longer suffice. He wanted to know everything about him.

“Request information about Dean Winters from Four Seasons. Find out everything—even how many forks the Winters family owns.”

***

Ariella arrived at Abella Palace and cautiously entered the drawing room.

“Greetings to Your Highness the Empress Consort.”

Ariella greeted as politely as possible. Larael did not smile at her as she once had.

With her chin held high and her posture straight, Larael looked at Ariella, who greeted her, with a cold gaze. Ariella sat to Larael’s left.

She forced a smile, but Larael’s cold expression stung her pride, making her want to leave everything behind and run out.

Suddenly, she felt doubt about why she was so fixated on Larael. Perhaps it was just competitive spirit toward someone she had always considered beneath her.

“Your Highness, have you been well?”

Instead of answering, Larael simply lowered her eyes and nodded.

Ariella, her mouth dry, took a sip of the tea in front of her.

After a long silence, Ariella seemed to make up her mind and spoke.

“There has been a big misunderstanding between us, Your Highness.”

“Lady Nox, I can more or less guess what misunderstanding you’re referring to. But whether you two are engaged or get married, it truly doesn’t matter to me. So there’s no need to offer elaborate explanations about your relationship.”

“Your Highness, but it really is a misunderstanding. The Grand Duke and I are not involved in any way.”

“Then announce it publicly. Why are you telling me? I don’t understand why both the Grand Duke and Lady Nox keep trying to explain themselves to me. Whether I’m misunderstanding something or it’s true, I am not involved with either of you.”

“Has the Grand Duke visited as well?”

Larael nodded. A flash of anger crossed Ariella’s face, which she could not hide.

“Your Highness, if you say you’re not involved, then why do you avoid me?”

Ariella dropped her smile and looked at Larael with sharp eyes.

“I dislike being the subject of gossip. I’m not close enough to you to endure that and invite you into the palace.”

Larael scoffed as she spoke.

“Not close… you say…”

Ariella’s face flushed. She felt as if she might explode with anger, but she had to keep her composure.

No matter how much she looked down on Larael, Larael was now the Empress Consort.

“I’ve suffered from so many rumors that I don’t want to leave even the slightest room for more. If you marry the Grand Duke, we’ll be family, and we can talk about everything we haven’t discussed then.”

Ariella’s eyelids trembled. She closed her eyes for a moment and then opened them slowly.

‘I’ll make sure the Grand Duke ascends the throne, and I won’t let you be.’

Ariella made this vow as she looked Larael straight in the face. With that resolve, her heart felt unexpectedly lighter. A smile returned to Ariella’s lips.

“Yes. I understand Your Highness’s wishes, so I will take my leave.”

“All right.”

Larael raised her eyebrows and nodded with an innocent expression.

After Ariella left, a messenger pigeon arrived from Dean.

—All the interviews are finished. Kali Layton earnestly requests to meet Your Highness.

Larael sent a message to Dean, telling him to come to the palace with Kali Layton that afternoon.

As the afternoon came, Dean and Kali Layton arrived at Abella Palace at the appointed time.

Larael observed Kali Layton closely. Her brown hair was cut even shorter than Count Winters’s and neatly parted, and her deep brown eyes shone as she looked at Larael.

She wasn’t a striking beauty, but the more one looked at her, the more likable her face became.

Her greeting to Larael was impeccably polite, clean, and tidy.

“What is the reason you wanted to meet me in person?”

Once everyone was seated, Larael asked directly without beating around the bush.

“I heard that interviews were conducted with other candidates as well. I want to be Your Highness’s secretary.”

Kali’s eyes sparkled as she spoke, her gaze full of earnestness. As Larael gazed at her in silence, Kali hurriedly continued.

“You must have looked into me, so you probably know about my family’s situation. The main culprit in this affair is my second brother, and he and I are full siblings. We each have our own grievances and complicated circumstances, but it is clearly my brother’s fault, so I won’t defend him. I was disowned after my engagement was broken off and was planning to enter a convent.”

“I want someone capable. I can’t hire out of pity.”

“It was in this situation that Count Winters came to find me. This is like a last chance for me. If you hire me, Your Highness, you won’t regret it.”

Larael stared into Kali’s earnest brown eyes, then turned to look at Dean.

Dean must have brought Kali to Larael because he judged her the most suitable for the secretary position during the interviews. Dean gave a slight nod, confirming Larael’s guess.

“All right. I’ll hire Lady Layton as my secretary. May I call you Kali?”

Kali’s face lit up with joy.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

She nodded enthusiastically with a bright smile.

“Shall we draw up the employment contract right away?”

“Yes. I’ve prepared it in advance.”

Dean, acting as the interim secretary, had already prepared the contract.

As soon as the contract was signed, work began pouring in for Kali. She looked a bit flustered at first but quickly regained her composure and organized her tasks.

Dean handed Kali the documents regarding the building rental Larael had requested.

“Once you secure the office, please handle hiring and managing staff as you see fit. But always remember, the most important thing is not to let others find out what we’re doing. The first thing you need to do is prepare for Corneli, the musician I’m sponsoring, to enter the Royal Academy of Astria. I understand she can be admitted with a recommendation from the Kazel imperial family.”

“Yes.”

Kali wrote down Larael’s instructions.

“Have you decided where you’ll stay now that you’ve left the Layton family?”

“Not yet.”

“I’ve already prepared a secretary’s bedroom here in Abella Palace. Stay there for now… And you’ll also need a place outside the palace. Rent an office that can double as a residence, so you can stay there when working outside the palace.”

“Yes, Your Highness. Thank you.”

Kali replied in a trembling voice. She still couldn’t believe she’d been given this opportunity.

From today, Kali had no intention of returning to the Layton family. She truly wanted to succeed. She hoped that Larael would one day tell her she had made the right choice.