Justice Through Money and Beauty - ✿ dusk blossoms ✿

The maid nodded.

“Yes. When you were here, Young Master and the knights used to patrol frequently. It seems they’ve appeared again while patrols have stopped lately, just waiting for your return.”

“These stalker bastards?”

Leah jumped up.

‘So these obsessive fans were camping in front of our house even when I wasn’t here, and they saw me return with Helix? They saw us yesterday and now social invitations are piled up like a mountain in just one day?’

The conclusion was obvious.

The fan club members must have spread rumors everywhere saying Peirlily has returned, riding a horse with a man.

This is no time to just sit around. She opened her wardrobe with a militant attitude.

‘I better strike first in high society!’

***

At that same time, Count Trow was having similar thoughts.

“You say Peirlily secretly returned to the capital? On horseback with a man?”

“Yes. Quite a few people saw the horse carrying two people enter the Piert mansion.”

Lord Trow continued.

“The social circles are buzzing with talk. You know how many young nobles are among Peirlily’s devoted fans? At every gathering, people are talking about Peirlily and that man.”

“Is that so…”

Count Trow fell into thought.

Leah Piert.

She was a girl who had been becoming more and more of an obstacle in his path.

When did the gap between Piert and Trow in the pharmaceutical industry start widening so much? It was since Leah began dominating social circles with her nickname Peirlily. People were enchanted by Leah’s delicate beauty and bought up Piert Trading Company’s medicines and cosmetics.

Count Trow had tried his own methods to advertise his products. Since he had no daughter, he would dress up a distant female relative, or even sponsor the daughter of a fallen noble family known for her beauty to introduce her to society.

‘But it was absolutely impossible to win.’

The Count, furrowing his brow even deeper in thought, asked his eldest son.

“Yan, why do you think Peirlily is so popular?”

Blinking stupidly at the unexpected question, Lord Trow answered.

“Because she’s pretty?”

“…”

What an insufficient fool. As his gaze turned cold with contempt, Lord Trow hurriedly added.

“W-well, isn’t that how it is? Young ladies in society receive attention as potential wives, but Peirlily is a girl who can’t even dance because of her weak body.”

The Count’s eyes softened slightly in understanding. Lord Trow eagerly continued.

“And is she docile in personality? She barely acknowledges most courtships, relying on the Piert family name. I wouldn’t take such a woman as my wife.”

“Yet Peirlily remains popular, doesn’t she?”

“So it must be because of her beauty, right? And her family background is top-tier too. Any man would covet that face and background.”

Lord Trow continued.

“Young men from unremarkable families must dream about it. That since she’s so pretty but weak, the Piert Ducal Family won’t want their dying daughter to suffer and will take a son-in-law from a modest family. They hope it might be them.”

“…So they think if they’re lucky, they could get both the most beautiful and famous woman in Peiren to show off, along with powerful in-laws, is that what you’re saying?”

“That’s right. If they’re even luckier, Peirlily might leave them an inheritance when she dies.”

Foolish bastards. Count Trow clicked his tongue. Did they think the Piert Ducal Family would be so easily manipulated?

But he had gained one insight.

‘If that’s what they’re thinking, people will be sensitive to Peirlily’s relationships with men.’

High society was already harsh on young ladies’ scandals. The Count’s lips curved upward.

“Yan, look into this man who came with Peirlily.”

“What?”

Lord Trow wore an expression of incomprehension.

“Father, is that really necessary? Aren’t you paying too much attention to just one girl?”

“You insufficient fool.”

The Count berated him sharply.

“Have you forgotten that Peirlily might have taken the secret drug? Have you forgotten that we’re connected to Baron Durford’s assassination attempt?”

The secret drug wasn’t just a deadly poison. It was a secret item received for participating in the Oken Empire’s human experiments.

But they had lost that drug, and the spies planted at the Piert villa to assess the situation had disappeared. The assassination attempt on Leah commissioned by Baron Durford had failed, and the human experiments being conducted in the north had fizzled out with all related personnel vanishing.

“There are too many things that could cause big trouble if exposed. Besides, is Baron Durford trustworthy?”

“…Absolutely not.”

“He’s the type who would sell us out without hesitation if things turn disadvantageous or if he wants to get in Peirlily’s good graces.”

At the Count’s words, Lord Trow also became serious.

His father was right. Peirlily and Baron Durford were too deeply connected to the Trow family’s dark secrets.

“Then should we deal with Baron Durford?”

“Peirlily is more urgent than him. This is our chance to lower Peirlily’s reputation in society. Don’t you understand? We’ll be safer if we make people doubt everything that woman says.”

Lord Trow nodded at Count Trow’s words. The Count continued.

“So dig deep into this man who came with Peirlily. Let’s use any scandal with him to drag down Peirlily’s reputation.”

***

“Helix, let’s have you debut in society right away.”

Helix was surprised by Leah’s words as she barged in first thing in the morning.

“Me? In society?”

“Yes.”

Leah nodded firmly.

“I’ve been thinking, you’re going to stick with me anyway, right? Rather than trying to hide it awkwardly, it would be better to just have you properly debut in society.”

At her words, Helix also fell into thought, stroking his chin.

“…There is logic to that thinking. I was also worried about you being in danger in society.”

There had been an assassination attempt at the northern villa, so the capital wasn’t necessarily safe either. Since the likely suspects would also be active in society, they needed to watch even more carefully.

As he was nodding, he suddenly furrowed his brow.

“But won’t the Kingdom of Peiren’s society be centered around nobility? Don’t you need a title to be active there?”

“What are you worried about?”

Leah puffed out her chest.

“We can just ask my father to give you one.”

Helix blinked his gray eyes.

“Leah, you just… looked like a naive noble lady for the first time.”

“Hey now, that’s rude. At least call me a silver-spoon noble lady.”

“What’s the difference?”

“There’s a huge difference. The difference between throwing your weight around without knowing it, and doing it while knowing exactly what you’re doing.”

“…”

***

Leah, in the spirit of swift action, immediately stormed in to see the Duke with Helix.

“Please give Helix a title.”

“Alright.”

Unexpectedly, the Duke readily agreed.

‘Huh?’

Though she had asked for it, she was taken aback by how quickly the approval came. Leah hesitated as she looked at the gathered family members.

“Um, I just asked for a title for Helix?”

“Yes. Father just said he agrees, didn’t he? I think it’s a good time for a debut as well.”

“A title would be necessary for comfortable activity. Would a baron’s title be good? Anything above count needs the king’s permission so it would take time.”

The Duchess and Young Duke Rikeil chimed in. The Duke also added with a cough.

“You’ll need him to keep looking after your health and magic anyway.”

They all acted like this was something that needed to be done anyway. Even Leah, who had brought it up, was somewhat bewildered.

‘Didn’t you just meet Helix yesterday? Why are you all so cooperative?’

She didn’t know yet.

That the physician had been writing letters about Leah’s health every day in the beginning.

<After rescuing Lady who was afflicted by an unknown poison, he nursed her for three days and nights…>

<Infusing mana for Lady every day, taking her on walks, magic lessons…>

<Lady’s pulse has become more stable with Helix’s mana training method… health… ate an entire bowl of food…>

Being both a magic enthusiast and considering Helix a benefactor, he had written detailed praise of Helix, and the Duke and Duchess had read those letters until they were worn out.

Moreover, letters had been coming from Ruyan recently.

<Thanks to the capable Helix who has been of great help to both Leah’s and my health and achievements…>

For Ruyan to praise a man near Leah, it was like the sun rising in the west.

Upon seeing that letter, Young Duke Rikeil’s wariness of Helix was completely disarmed.

‘Though Ruyan only cares about his sword and Leah, he was born with good animal instincts. He never misjudges people.’

Just saving Leah’s life and making her healthier already made him a lifelong benefactor. But now that he had also passed Ruyan’s character test(?), the hearts of the Piert family members were already an open door for Helix.

If there was any issue, it was only his uncertain status, and that could be solved with some social laundering.

“For now, let’s have him debut by attaching him to our branch family nobility…”

Just as the Duke and Rikeil were making concrete plans.

Bang.

“Duke! We’re being flooded with anonymous letters!”

“What? Anonymous letters?”

Anonymous letters were rare for the smoothly running Piert Ducal Family. The Duke asked in surprise.

“What kind of letters?”

“That… um…”

The aide who delivered the news couldn’t continue and looked nervously at the Piert family members.

“T-that Lady should mind her behavior…”

“What?!”