Leah quickly turned her head toward him.

“But that guy is definitely a dragon, right?”

To her suspicious question, Helix replied.

“He’s certainly a strange one. To feel both dragon and human energy… People talk much about him making a contract with a dragon, not just a simple contract but a covenant… Even so, something alien exists about him.”

After finishing, he examined Leah’s expression.

“Leah. Are you worried about his proposal?”

“He’s not the type to back down quietly if rejected.”

She recalled the golden flames that had risen in Archaik’s black eyes. It sent chills down her spine.

“Marriage with that madman… I absolutely refuse.”

Helix firmly gripped her trembling hand.

Cold mana seeped through her fingertips.

“That will never happen.”

At his resolute words, Leah looked up at him.

“It won’t, right?”

“Absolutely not.”

***

Meanwhile, some saw this as an opportunity. Specifically, the marriageable men from Grand Duke Calosi’s side.

‘You useless fools, do something worthwhile!’

‘Either gather information like Rikeil Piert and build up a trading company! Or become a Swordmaster like Ruyan Piert! Even Leah Piert elevated her family name at the trial!’

Since the trial, Grand Duke Calosi had constantly mentioned the Piert family while scolding his sons and grandsons.

And now, the Oken Empire’s crown prince had proposed to Leah Piert.

Public opinion erupted in uproar, declaring they couldn’t hand over the Swordmaster’s leash to the Oken Empire. Prince Patrick hesitated to step forward, mindful of the empire’s potential reaction.

The men of the Calosi family thought:

‘What if I catch Leah Piert and finally earn Father’s approval?’

‘If I get Peirlily, I’ll gain public support, a powerful in-law family, and a beauty—why not go for it?’

The Calosi men began swarming around Leah like bees.

“You’re still beautiful, Lady Piert.”

The first to approach Leah at the party was Walter Calosi, the third son of Grand Duke Calosi.

‘Why is he suddenly acting like he knows me?’

Leah hid her true thoughts and responded politely.

“It seems like it’s been a while since I last saw you, Lord Calosi.”

To her formal greeting, Walter smiled broadly and said:

“It’s the first time since your debutante year three years ago. I’ve been living in the empire since then.”

He proceeded to share his recent history without being asked.

“I’ve just returned from the empire for good.”

Walter Calosi lowered his eyes with a melancholy expression.

“After losing my wife, my heart felt so empty that I couldn’t stay in the empire any longer.”

“Ah… I see.”

Leah responded absently before suddenly becoming suspicious.

‘Is this person actually trying to advertise to me that he’s a widower?’

Surely not.

Or maybe?

Surely the sons of Grand Duke Calosi wouldn’t all be as clueless about their place as Baron Durford. She felt uneasy and rolled her eyes.

Walter Calosi, in his early thirties, exceeded Leah’s age by a full zodiac cycle, and possessed nothing going for him except his father’s backing.

His looks barely passed acceptable, his physique remained mediocre, and regarding intellectual scholarship, sword skills, or artistic insight—none existed to speak of.

And did his personality shine? She could definitively say no.

‘I’ve heard rumors too.’

These rumors had already spread quietly throughout Peiren’s social circles.

Until recently, Walter Calosi had lived under the name Walter Calosi Elm. He had studied abroad in the Oken Empire for a long time and married into nobility there. His spouse was none other than the daughter of the Elm Marquis family, who served as the empress’s right hand.

However, throughout their marriage, his in-laws and wife apparently looked down on him for being a noble from a small country.

Walter had always wanted a divorce but couldn’t break the marriage due to the grand duke’s desire to maintain connections with the empire’s political circles.

But recently, his in-laws, the Elm Marquis family, faced extermination for treason against the imperial family. They met destruction when Crown Prince Archaik first cut off the empress’s right arm. Walter escaped from the marquis family alone and fled to the Kingdom of Peiren.

‘So he didn’t really lose his wife?’

‘It’s not admirable behavior, but it’s understandable. They weren’t on good terms anyway.’

‘That’s not the whole story.’

The specific rumors continued in whispers.

‘I heard his wife begged him to take her with him. She said she’d divorce him and even give him money if he just saved her life, but he rejected her and fled alone.’

‘Then what happened to his wife?’

‘She died, of course. They say the crown prince’s subordinates display incredible cruelty.’

‘My goodness.’

‘And I heard that as soon as he arrived in Peiren, he even held a celebration party with his friends? Saying he was free now.’

Recalling the rumors, Leah stared at Walter Calosi in front of her.

‘The rumors about how you treated your former wife circulate all over Peiren… and now you’re trying to flirt with me? How could that work?’

***

Walter Calosi misunderstood her gaze.

‘Leah Piert is focusing on me!’

When he had heard about Baron Durford chasing after Peirlily, he had clicked his tongue in disapproval. But now, seeing Leah looking at him, he felt he could understand the man.

‘I’ve never seen such a beauty even in the empire.’

Desire welled up inside him. Walter racked his brain to find a topic that would interest Leah and make himself look impressive.

“My lady. You must be careful.”

Walter spoke quietly, seemingly sharing important information.

“From what I heard in the empire, Crown Prince Archaik possesses a very cruel and merciless temperament. You must not accept his proposal.”

So that’s what he planned to say. Leah felt dumbfounded. This qualified as common knowledge among nobles here, even without visiting the empire.

“Ah, yes… Thank you for the advice. Please continue discussing the empire with others.”

That’s enough, now go away.

Leah conveyed this message with her eyes as she cut him off, but Walter Calosi, captivated by her beauty, failed to notice.

“I’m serious. You shouldn’t take my words lightly. In the empire, people say one shouldn’t ignore marriage advice from someone who has been married.”

“I see.”

Leah responded indifferently as she opened her fan. Despite this clear gesture that she didn’t want to talk to him, he persisted.

“So why not look for a husband who can protect you from the crown prince, someone to use as a shield?”

“A shield?”

One of her eyebrows shot up.

“Surely you’re not suggesting that Lord Calosi could be such a husband?”

“Haha, it would be my honor to take on such a role.”

Walter said with a smiling face.

He remained unaware that his past actions constituted common knowledge in Peiren’s social circles, and he assumed Leah merely acted coy.

‘She certainly lives up to her face. Quite feisty.’

Having been badly burned by his former wife, he had vowed that if he ever married again, it would definitely be to a docile woman.

However, in front of this peerless beauty, past resolutions proved useless.

‘As expected of Peirlily. She has such a proud charm!’

Growing even more excited, Walter Calosi said suggestively:

“Still, the empire wouldn’t dare do anything to our Calosi family.”

“That remains to be seen. Has the Oken imperial family ever been a trustworthy party?”

Just as she used the tip of her fan to push away Walter Calosi’s chest as he moved closer—

Tap.

Walter grabbed the tip of her fan, pulling her hand, and brought his lips to the back of her hand.

“How cold you are, my lady. Nevertheless, I look forward to our next meeting.”

“…”

“Haha. In the empire’s social circles, this represents a sophisticated gesture.”

Leah stood dumbfounded.

Forcibly pulling a lady’s fan when she pushed him away constituted rudeness, whether in the empire or elsewhere. And then to use the empire as an excuse to paint the other party as an ignorant country bumpkin who didn’t understand etiquette—

Snap.

She pulled her hand away and quickly opened her fan. Walter winced as he nearly got hit by the sharp edge.

“Dangerous…!”

“Indeed dangerous, Lord Walter Calosi Elm.”

Leah lowered her voice. Walter’s eyes widened at the unexpected mention of his old surname.

“This hardly seems the time for you to peddle the empire’s name.”

She looked directly at Walter while gently waving her fan.

“You must have learned a lot from the Elm Marquis family, the ringleaders of treason? So much that you can’t forget it even here in Peiren?”

“…!”

Walter Calosi’s face turned pale, then red with humiliation. But he couldn’t think of anything to say in response.

Leah snapped her fan shut.

“Next time we meet, I hope you’ll have washed off some of that empire stench. Don’t you want to live well, at least here in Peiren?”

Cold sweat ran down Walter’s back. A sudden realization hit him.

The crown prince had sent an envoy here to propose to this woman in front of him. If someone branded him as a remnant of the Elm Marquis family harassing her, no way out would exist.

But he couldn’t retreat with his pride so wounded. He clenched his fist. On his left hand, he wore a ring with a fairly large gemstone. If he swung it at this woman’s face…

“Aaaaargh!”

“Ah, excuse me.”

Gray eyes looked down at him dispassionately.

A handsome man with long silver hair had grabbed Walter’s extended fist. The strength felt tremendous.

As he released the bloodied hand, which couldn’t even remove the ring, Helix looked down at him. His tightly pressed lips parted.

“Whether in Peiren or the empire… custom demands making an example of those who try to attack a lady.”

***

But the Calosi family’s attacks didn’t end with just one incident.

A few days after Walter Calosi fled with his injured left hand, Leah attended a party at Duke Seigan’s mansion.

“Leah, let me borrow Helix for a bit.”

Ruyan, excited from discussing swords with Duke Seigan, took Helix away to explain about auras. Leah, whose legs ached at the time, nodded.

“Then I’ll rest a bit.”

“Will you be alright alone?”

“Of course. Come back soon.”

In truth, she felt glad that Helix would be away for a moment.

She thought she could just take off her shoes and rest her legs on a chair, but if Helix knew, he would insist on massaging her legs or infusing them with mana, making a fuss.

‘That might be fine at home, but it would prove embarrassing at a party venue.’