At this point, Magnus was not only greatly offended but also he couldn’t understand it at all.

How many favors had Serena asked of him until now?

He had reluctantly agreed to her forceful requests well over dozens of times.

Magnus was curious why she didn’t ask for something that could be easily done.

“Why the IMA?”

“I told you, because they’re devout pro-emperor, so I thought you could trust them. That way, even if we divorce, we can sleep soundly without seeing each other’s faces.”

“……”

Even the obtuse Magnus couldn’t help but think at this point.

‘Does she just really hate me?’

Of course, Serena had been reluctant to get close to Magnus since the accident.

Still, she would occasionally barge into the dining room or force him into tea time, acting as she pleased and seeing his face.

There were many times when she came to make requests disguised as demands and threats.

In other words, while they didn’t see each other often, it wasn’t rare either.

Even after he banished her to the annex, she would shamelessly come by every so often to complain about her grievances.

But now, it seemed like she was really seeing the end.

‘No, of course I’m thinking about the end, but…!’

Even as he thought this, Magnus couldn’t understand what he wanted to say.

“Why……”

Why didn’t you tell me?

He wanted to ask, but Magnus couldn’t say it out loud.

That’s because Serena was looking at him with eyes that saw him as the most troublesome thing in the world.

Magnus’s boldness, which had been so confident until just before entering the room, shrank in an instant.

“I told you, I don’t intend to bother you anymore.”

Serena emphasized once again.

“Even without this, once we’re divorced, I’ll make sure you won’t hear any news about me, so can you please get off me now?”

“……”

At Serena’s words, which sounded like they would never meet again, Magnus obediently got up.

For now, he knew that his intentions hadn’t been conveyed at all, he couldn’t ask what he wanted to ask, and the conversation had been a complete failure.

Magnus decided that when he met Roel, he would throw him out the window.

‘Did I push her too hard? Was banishing her to the annex too much?’

Magnus now began to reflect on his past actions.

Although Serena’s actions were unforgivable and his punishment was more lenient than expected, he began to feel remorse.

‘…Perhaps I was too harsh on a woman without any power.’

At that time, he had heard from Pamel that she had returned to the mansion because she was hungry and cold.

Serena is a noble lady.

She probably has never experienced hunger or shivered from cold.

‘Could it be that her increased appetite is a trauma from being banished to the annex?’

Magnus thought seriously.

Of course, this was just Magnus’s own misunderstanding.

Serena had always been in the habit of eating very little and squeezing out her energy to act.

She would eat food when she could, and there was even a time when she stood in severe cold for three hours in line for a restaurant the professor wanted to eat at.

Serena was the type to not even sleep when she started working.

But the world was peaceful, and Serena was idle. She was just slowly recharging her squeezed energy.

“By the way, don’t tell me… you came just to confirm that one thing?”

Magnus’s shoulders flinched.

There was much to say and things he wanted to ask, but now that he couldn’t bring them up, he had no excuse.

‘How much are you doubting me?’

She thought he might regret accepting her apology when she cried like she had suddenly changed 180 degrees, but…

She didn’t know it would be to the extent of threatening her life like this.

‘I should be even more careful. The power of a villainess is dangerous.’

Of course, it was Serena who deliberately pushed him to get forgive her, but unfortunately, she had no regrets about that.

“…No, I had something to tell you.”

Magnus frantically searched his mind and found something he could use as an excuse to convey.

It was something he had heard before, received an invitation for before, and even though the attendance date was approaching, he had completely forgotten about it because he had no intention of going.

But if he didn’t say even this…

“What is it?”

“There’s a year-end party at the Imperial Palace to wrap up the year. You need to attend too.”

“Ah……”

At Magnus’s words, Serena frowned.

She was reluctant to go, but remembering the contract, it was clearly something she had to do as the ‘Duchess’.

“I see. When is it?”

“……Two days from now.”

“……”

“…The Imperial Palace must have overlooked it, and it arrived by urgent telegram yesterday.”

Faced with Serena’s gaze that seemed to be looking at utter trash, Magnus reflexively shifted the blame to the Crown Prince and Crown Princess, the hosts, and kept his mouth shut.

* * *

“If I were an employee, I’d submit my resignation to a company with a boss who handles work like this.”

She growled, her dark eyes flashing fiercely.

“……”

Magnus, who had many things weighing on his conscience, remained silent in the moving carriage.

“The two of them… must have been very busy.”

“Does that justify sending an invitation two days before and asking us to come?”

“……Hmm.”

Magnus fell silent again at her words, which were absolutely right.

Because Serena was correct.

However, since he had previously shifted the blame to the Crown Prince and Crown Princess, he had to somehow alleviate their guilt.

‘Perhaps it would have been better to speak honestly?’

Magnus, pricked by his faint conscience, glanced at Serena with his arms crossed.

“Serena….”

“They probably sent it late on purpose. I know I’ve done wrong, but I can roughly guess how much they hare me. No, even so, two days before is really too much. What if I had been in another province?”

“……I’m sorry.”

“No, I’m the one who should be sorry. Because of me, you also got involved and had to prepare in a hurry. Besides, I’m sure you wouldn’t have told me late just to trick me.”

“……”

“But why did you call me?”

“…Ah, I was going to say we’re almost there.”

Magnus’s conscience instantly disappeared as he saw Serena’s black eyes filled with contempt and anger.

Magnus just decided to bury today’s events in eternal secrecy and closed his eyes, pretending nothing had happened.

* * *

“Oh my, Lady Melange! The finish on the fan you’re holding is so pretty. It looks luxurious, and even the color seems uncommon. And what about those jewels? I must ask which workshop you commissioned it from.”

‘It’s annoying, but I can’t help it, I can’t pretend not to know.’

“Hohoho, I ordered this fan from a workshop run by a craftsman called ‘Fan’. It’s made with star silk that seems to contain starlight and special dye ink, but it’s been two years since I placed the order, and it seems it might not suit the current trends anymore… The necklace you’re wearing, Lady Ruru, is also radiant and beautiful! I think it’s the first time I’ve seen such a large diamond. By the way, have you heard that a set of accessories made of rainbow gold will be up for auction soon?”

‘Why is she talking to me again, it’s so bothersome. And that fan looks like Fan’s signature design, what on earth is she talking about?’

“Oh my! Of course, is the necklace alright? I wasn’t too keen on it, but my husband kept insisting on buying it for me. I was a bit surprised when he suddenly bought it one day. With a 100-carat diamond, I thought it might be too flashy and not suit me, but I’m glad it looks good. By the way, rainbow gold… I wonder if Lady Melange is also interested?”

‘Everyone must know that I went on a hunger strike for ten days and nights to buy the one coming up for auction. How stupid…’

Amidst the gentle music of the orchestra, the noble ladies exchanged warm compliments and smiled brightly.

They smiled at each other, naturally inserting information that no one would be curious about between greetings, as if they were overjoyed to see each other.

“Have you heard? They say the black land in the north has expanded a bit more. I’m worried that taxes will decrease as much as the cultivated land has shrunk.”

“Ah, you mean that land of death. Of course, I’ve heard. An acquaintance of mine was there, but couldn’t hold out and moved west this time. By the way, congratulations, Your Grace Count Banro. I hear you’ve had some good fortune recently.”

‘I heard this old man struck gold in the mine he bought! Damn it! I should have bought it when I had the chance!’

“Haha, ahem. Have you heard? Well, it is good fortune that a gold vein was discovered in the mine I casually purchased. Come to think of it, I heard Baron Yom also acquired quite a rare sword recently.”

‘He must be feeling sick. Should I give him a gift later with the gold from the newly discovered vein? But I heard this guy got his hands on one of the 24 legendary swords.’

“Oh my, you’ve heard? I’m a bit embarrassed that I still haven’t outgrown my hobby of collecting. However, this sword is said to be one of the few legendary swords in the world, made by the now-extinct elven race in ancient times……”

The titled nobles first approached familiar faces they knew before the party was in full swing.

Naturally inquiring about each other’s recent situations, they then congratulated each other’s joyous events as if they were their own, and spoke quite humbly about what had happened to them.

“Ah, and by the way.”

“Yes, please speak freely, Count Banro.”

“Come to think of it, have you seen those accessories? Madam!”

“No, which accessories are you talking about?”

The atmosphere in the banquet hall was excited with the long-awaited year-end mood.

Everyone offered sincere congratulations to each other, laughter never ceased in the hall, and elegant speech and well-oiled tongues moved incessantly.

It was truly a time when everyone was politely, courteously, and excellently enjoying the long-awaited party.

Suddenly, a tense doorkeeper appeared at the door.

“D-Du-Duchess Serena Kelahinum, is entering!”

Thud–.

The fan, said to have taken two years to dye with special ink on star silk containing starlight, fell to the floor with a thud.