Suddenly, Colin Martora tripped over his own feet while climbing the stairs and tumbled backwards.

Magnus looked down incredulously at the man rolling on the floor with what seemed to be documents he was holding.

“How can one possibly trip over their own feet where there’s nothing?”

“Hahaha, just bad luck. It’s fine! If Master is here, I can overcome such bad luck with my love for learning!!”

“……You’re having a nosebleed.”

“Uh, uwaah, no. I-I can’t let it get on the documents. Please hold this for a moment.”

“…Is that the problem here?”

Magnus had an absurd expression.

There was no reason not to. A man with blood streaming from his nose, stomping his feet while holding up documents high.

Magnus felt his rising jealousy disappear in an instant.

It felt like someone had poured ice water on his head. He shrugged and nodded.

“There shouldn’t be any problem then.”

“What? Colin, are you okay?”

“Y-Yes! I’m fine, Master.”

“Let me see.”

Serena grabbed both of Colin Martora’s cheeks and was about to help stop the bleeding by holding the tissue he was pressing against his nose.

That is, if Magnus hadn’t intercepted the tissue and Colin Martora in between.

“There is a problem.”

“…What is it then.”

Magnus touched Colin Martora’s nose, pressing it quite roughly.

Soon after, the blood flowing from his nose stopped.

“What, what did you do?”

“I stopped the bleeding. And in the future, I’d prefer if you didn’t touch other men so carelessly…”

“Let’s go, Colin.”

“Yes! Master!”

Serena reached out her hand, saying this in case Colin might fall again.

Magnus, whose words were cut off midway, rushed over and grabbed Serena’s hand himself, then roughly pushed Colin into the carriage with one arm.

“……What are you doing?”

“It’s a farewell handshake.”

“What on earth is that.”

Serena let out a hollow laugh at Magnus’s brazen words. He rubbed his nape a few times and then sighed.

“Anyway, I won’t forgive infidelity.”

“Infidelity……”

“If you cheat on me, Serena, I’ll lock you up and make that guy a eunuch.”

Serena burst into a small laugh at Magnus’s vicious words.

“That won’t happen. I’m married to you, so there’s no need for me to see other men.”

“Still……”

“It’s rare to find someone as handsome as you. And your body……”

Serena nodded and looked Magnus up and down.

At that blatant gaze, Magnus pressed his forehead, let out a deep sigh, and then nodded slightly.

“I’m glad you like me. Anyway, take care.”

“Okay.”

“It’s Colin! I’ll be back, Your Grace!”

“……You don’t need to come back.”

Magnus sighed deeply and replied to Colin Martora, who was interjecting between their reluctant farewells.

Finally, the carriage departed.

“……It’s hard to pretend to be a nice person.”

Magnus muttered lowly as he brushed up his hair.

Only after the carriage disappeared from view did he turn around. The butler, Pamel, noticed Magnus coming in and slightly bowed his waist.

“Has the madam departed?”

“Yes, what about the matters I asked you to look into before?”

“I’ve organized them and left them in your office.”

“I see… let’s do some cleaning while Serena is away. Let’s thoroughly shake down the nobles this time.”

Magnus said with a fierce smile.

He knew there were quite a few who had submitted petitions for execution when Serena was accused, even before the investigation was properly concluded.

It seems the Crown Prince had blocked that part, but still… what’s displeasing is displeasing.

‘When I’m the one conducting the investigation……’

The fact that they dared to doubt and distrust was the problem to begin with.

“I think there might be severe backlash after shaking them all down……”

“Why? It’s good to fill up the empty national treasury. How many do you think haven’t properly paid their taxes, playing dumb? Because of their backdoor deals.”

In fact, the imperial family was in a position to turn a blind eye to a certain level of backdoor deals.

If they were to shake out everything, there would be almost no one left in the empire.

Unless it was a family with a rigid and old-fashioned mindset like the Marquis Lavernia and Duke Kelahinum families, there was bound to be at least a speck of dust.

“And it’s not like I’m going to shake down everyone.”

Magnus smiled faintly. Pamel slowly nodded at that wickedly unparalleled face.

“Then…?”

“I’m only going to shake down those who put their names on the petition. Oh, by the way, I got His Majesty’s permission.”

Whether that could be considered permission or not was uncertain, but it wasn’t Magnus’s concern.

After all, he had simply thrust a paper at the Crown Prince, telling him to sign the permission if he felt even a little sorry for barging in on him.

“I’m worried we might face retaliation if we make too many enemies.”

“Pamel. That’s an unnecessary worry. There’s nothing to shake down from the ducal family.”

To begin with, they didn’t particularly like backdoor deals, and the Kelahinum family didn’t engage in large-scale business.

They already had plenty of money coming in anyway.

Just properly running the information guild was enough to feed not only the family’s servants but also the territory’s residents to some extent.

“I’ll finish everything before Serena returns.”

“……Yes.”

Pamel briefly dreamed of retirement before sighing and answering.

* * *

“Welcome, Serena.”

Marquis Lavernia, who had immediately sent a reply the day he received Serena’s letter a few days ago, came out to the entrance to greet her.

“I’ll be in your care for a while.”

Feeling quite embarrassed by his pleased expression, Serena rubbed her arm once and then slightly bowed her waist as she spoke.

“What do you mean ‘in your care’, don’t say such hurtful things. You’re welcome anytime.”

Marquis Lavernia, now quite accustomed, embraced Serena and greeted her.

Serena flinched, then slightly hugged him back before quickly pulling her hands away as though they burned.

“Thank you for coming.”

“…No, I’m sorry for making you come every time.”

It was always awkward because he never came empty-handed each time he visited.

As she glanced around, Marquis Lavernia slightly moved his body aside.

“Come inside first. Have you eaten?”

“No, I… thought you might not have eaten yet……”

Serena scratched her cheek.

Marquis Lavernia’s eyes widened slightly. He smiled, which had become a bit more frequent recently, and nodded.

“I haven’t eaten yet either, let’s have a meal together.”

“Okay.”

“Butler.”

At Lavernia’s call, the butler quietly bowed his waist.

In fact, Marquis Lavernia had just finished his meal a little while ago. He had eaten earlier than planned because Serena was coming today.

That was because he thought Serena would have eaten before coming.

‘I ate for nothing.’

Marquis Lavernia sighed softly. Since the other family members had already finished their meals, it seemed they would have to eat just the two of them.

“…How is Mother?”

“She’s still sleeping, not feeling well. Nocturne has entered the palace.”

Serena nodded at Marquis Lavernia’s answer.

When it was just the two of them, there was never much to talk about.

Although Marquis Lavernia wasn’t particularly talkative, he would initiate conversations, but Serena didn’t know what to say.

She didn’t have anything particular to report to him, nor did she have any special stories to tell.

“Are you getting along well with the Duke?”

“Ah… yes. Actually, I kind of ran away because we’re getting along too well.”

Serena answered, slightly furrowing her brow.

“Getting along well but running away? Why…… Oh.”

Marquis Lavernia seemed to understand Serena’s words, nodded, and lightly raised his hand.

“I understand.”

Marquis Lavernia’s face darkened.

He knew, but hearing his daughter say that didn’t make him feel good. It was like feeling that his daughter had been taken away by another man, even though that man was her husband.

‘……I never felt this before she got married….’

He never thought he would feel this way now.

Marquis Lavernia sighed. How annoying must it have been for her to think of running away here.

“So you ran away. Rest well while you’re here. I’ll make sure that guy doesn’t come near.”

Serena smiled faintly.

“It is true that I ran away… But I also came to see you, Father.”

“……Ahem, I-I see. Anyway, th-thank you for coming.”

Marquis Lavernia spoke once more. Serena walked beside him, smiling faintly and nodding.

“I should be thanking you for accepting me right away. And… thank you for visiting me every time.”

“…I wanted to do something for you because I’ve done many things I’m sorry for.”

Marquis Lavernia said honestly.

In truth, it was because of his strong sense of guilt. Still, he was grateful that Serena was approaching him as much as he was approaching her.

Marquis Lavernia gently took Serena’s hand.

“I’m sorry you had to go through difficult times alone recently.”

Serena slowly shook her head at his words.

“It’s okay.”

The two entered the dining room together.