Conrad’s cool gaze, sitting quietly for a moment, turned to the aide who had just arrived.

“Fortunately, I seem to have arrived on time!”

Harrison, wearing a proud smile while holding a pocket watch, soon gauged his mood and carefully asked.

“Did something happen by any chance?”

“Did you handle the gifts every time?”

At the question without context, the aide tilted his head obliquely.

Then, soon realizing the subject, he let out a short sigh.

“Ah! If you’re talking about the duchess, it was indeed my doing.”

“Why do something I didn’t ask for?”

When Conrad, slightly frowning, let out a deep sigh, Harrison answered in a flustered manner.

“Well, back then you told me to handle it myself……”

At those words, Conrad recalled a conversation he had with his subordinate long ago.

“Your Grace, how should we prepare for the duchess’s birthday?”

“Must I worry about that too?”

“Ah…… then I’ll prepare it myself.”

“I’ll leave it to you from now on.”

As Harrison said, it was something he had brought upon himself.

But for some reason, Roina’s face from earlier wouldn’t leave his mind.

She, who had acted as if nothing was wrong, seemed as if she had given up.

‘What was that expression about?’

Surely he could just not care as usual, but somehow he felt stuffiness deep in his chest.

Loosening his tie for no reason, Conrad lifted his head to look at his aide.

“You handle things yourself.”

“Pardon? Are you  really leaving me behind……”

Harrison, about to say something with an aggrieved expression, shut his mouth tight at his superior’s sharp glare.

※※※

The carriage Conrad boarded arrived at the harbor construction site, crossing the coastline.

Once he started work, making the idle thoughts from the carriage ride meaningless, no thoughts came to mind.

After examining the construction site, he entered a meeting with those gathered in the conference room.

“Soon the government office will present coastal bridge construction rights.”

At Conrad’s quiet voice, the business partners gathered showed puzzled looks.

“Coastal bridge construction rights?”

With House Asheter’s harbor construction project recently completed successfully, the small town in the strait had rapidly emerged as a commercial city.

With the government office about to announce coastal bridge construction rights, nobles would move quickly to obtain them.

“So it would be good to buy up all the surrounding land as well.”

At Conrad’s attitude of reciting smoothly as if there were a predetermined manual, they swallowed short sighs.

The business partners, quickly calculating in their heads, hurriedly rose from their seats.

Since the government office hadn’t announced it yet, time seemed urgent.

“Your Grace, we’ll be leaving first—”

“We’d like House Asheter to handle this construction too.”

What Conrad could gain from this was simple.

“Of course, won’t we always trust and follow Your Grace!”

Only then did Conrad show a satisfied, benevolent smile.

After finishing the meeting, he headed to the outdoor terrace of the sparsely populated business site.

Taking a brief rest at a place overlooking the construction site, Conrad cast an indifferent gaze into the air.

A middle-aged man who had approached beside him skillfully lit a cigar with one hand. It was Duke Clovis, the leader of the conservative faction.

The head of House Clovis, who had recently started a cruise business, often visited this nearby business site.

“Won’t you smoke one too?”

“I quit smoking some time ago.”

Looking at the iron-walled man who refused without changing expression, the duke let out a bland laugh.

“Right, you said you quit smoking over three years ago. I seem to keep forgetting.”

Taking several puffs of the bitter cigar and exhaling long, he opened his mouth again.

“There happens to be my daughter’s tea party today.”

“……”

“Your wife is also attending. It would be nice to go back together.”

At Duke Clovis’s words that there was something to discuss closely, Conrad nodded with a hardened expression.

“I’ll do that.”

※※※

When House Asheter’s carriage stopped in front of the Clovis ducal residence, a waiting maid guided Roina.

Entering the greenhouse garden, flower scents and gentle tea fragrance filled her nose, and appetizing desserts were placed on the table.

The appearance of Duchess Asheter, who had ended her reclusive life, was enough to draw attention.

However, the ladies and young ladies who discovered Roina only gave light nods or bows, not approaching further.

‘It’s not particularly surprising.’

She had already heard the situation to some extent from Aila.

Still, the gazes touching her cheeks stung, so Roina swallowed a shallow sigh.

Though there was no need to visit a place where no one welcomed her, she wanted to find clues to her memory if possible.

Since the first memory she found was related to Daphne Clovis.

The day Roina first heard her diagnosis, the attending physician had given brief advice.

To recover memories, she had to directly confront environments she had experienced.

She could no longer just wait silently for memories to surface.

‘Who knows, I might recover part of my memory today.’

Just as Roina was about to head to what seemed to be her designated seat, someone approached and spoke to her.

“Thank you so much for making time, madam.”

It was a woman with blue hair like a painted sea and red eyes like holding roses.

The feeling of her heart pounding and all senses becoming sensitive seemed to reveal rejection toward the woman.

The woman before her was none other than Daphne Clovis.

Swallowing dryly with effort, Roina slowly pondered the words of the woman who had greeted her.

‘Madam……’

First greetings should usually include the family name and title, but Daphne seemed quite reluctant to acknowledge her as the mistress of House Asheter.

Ignoring the bitter taste circling in her mouth with effort, Roina gently curved her lips upward and answered.

“Of course I should attend your invitation, Lady Clovis.”

At her calm response, Daphne’s fine brow furrowed slightly.

Soon the woman, blinking her dense eyelashes, answered with a fresh smile.

“I was quite worried since you hadn’t shown yourself for a while.”

Though no one would be unaware of who had isolated Duchess Asheter from social circles, Daphne rather drew out her words as if regretful.

The women at the tea party just watched the subtle atmosphere flowing between the two with curious eyes.

“My body has recovered somewhat, so I’m planning to start social activities again from now on.”

When Roina added that it was thanks to Lady Clovis, Daphne’s expression crumpled subtly.

“You’re starting…… social activities again?”

“Yes, just as you heard, Lady.”

Daphne Clovis, still unmarried, was praised as the most beautiful woman in social circles.

Roina somewhat guessed why such a woman hadn’t had even one fiancé until now.

‘She must still have Conrad in her heart.’

Roina felt anxious. If Conrad still felt the same way about Daphne, would it be right for her to be by his side?

Though brief, a gloomy light appeared and disappeared in her violet eyes.

She knew she didn’t need to be oversensitive about something that might just be speculation.

Still, she couldn’t erase her anxious feelings toward the two.

※※※

After the somewhat chaotic atmosphere passed, all the tea party attendees sat around the long table.

Those seated around Roina seemed mainly interested in changes in her relationship with Conrad.

Judging by how the end of conversations always turned to Duke Asheter even while asking about her well-being.

“We’re having a couples’ gathering at our estate next time, would you attend with His Grace then?”

“I’ll check the schedule and attend if it’s convenient.”

Though she answered plausibly, Roina was certain that would rarely happen.

Just as she was bringing her teacup to her lips to erase the bitter smile that naturally spread, glancing toward the burdensome gaze she’d been feeling, she made eye contact with a woman.