-47-

Before long, we arrived at the Paltry Duke’s estate. Although the Paltry family is a ducal house, they have maintained a steadfast neutrality, neither aligning with the emperor’s faction nor the noble faction.

The Duchess of Paltry was already a venerable old lady over sixty years old. The former Duke of Paltry had passed away not long ago, and his middle-aged son had recently inherited the dukedom, making him the most influential person in the Paltry household.

While she was not a socialite who dominated society, her years of experience and gentle diplomacy had earned her a solid reputation. Alexandra had mentioned during our carriage ride that it would not be wise to underestimate her.

“The Duchesses have arrived. Welcome.”

The Paltry Duchess greeted us with a kind smile, her face marked by the passage of time.

“Duchess, that dress looks truly made for you. Which dressmaker do you frequent?”

“Alexandra, as always, you look especially beautiful today.”

The ladies seated around, as usual, exchanged flattering compliments.

They were all ladies I had met at previous gatherings, yet they acted as if they had forgotten everything that had happened yesterday.

Well, this might actually be for the best. Bringing up unpleasant matters would only sour the mood.

At that moment, I noticed a redhead sipping tea with a slightly stiff expression. Now that I thought about it, the ladies who usually chatted with her were unusually silent today. What could be the matter? My initial suspicions didn’t seem to hold true.

I had expected her to be making snide remarks or laughing brazenly as usual.

Could she actually be reflecting on her behavior? But that thought vanished as quickly as it had come.

She wasn’t the type to regret her actions so quickly.

“Marchioness.”

At that moment, Alexandra pointed to the redhead.

“Is something troubling you? You don’t seem to be enjoying yourself.”

“Ah, I’m not feeling very well today…”

…What? Why is she acting like this today? She looked like a dog with its tail between its legs.

She was certainly not the type to shy away after a hair-pulling fight with me. My feelings were a mix of bewilderment and curiosity.

Just when I was worried that today’s tea party might turn chaotic again, things were going along quite harmoniously.

“…Duchess.”

“…?”

The one who called me in a small voice was none other than the redhead.

“What is it?”

She seemed hesitant after calling me. I felt a bit uneasy seeing her face devoid of its usual venom. Whenever she called me, it never led to anything good…

“…I was rude yesterday.”

‘???’

“Pardon?”

This was beyond unexpected. I had never imagined, even for a second, that the redhead would apologize.

The noisy conversations at the tea party quieted down, as if a ripple effect spread from where I was sitting, eventually leading to a heavy silence.

“…I apologize for insulting Duke Bannister and for causing you harm.”

“…?”

I couldn’t fathom the reason behind this. It felt strange to see her acting so differently from yesterday.

“I am sorry to say this, but our merchant guild is facing considerable difficulties.”

Merchant guild? I had heard that the Nocturne family’s merchant guild was a crucial financial source for them. But why bring that up now? Her story seemed to be going off on a tangent.

“If it’s because of yesterday’s incident, I will apologize a hundred times over, but could you please, with your generosity, ask the Duke to forgive and forget?”

Her words were leaving me bewildered. It was a string of incomprehensible sentences. She mentioned the merchant guild and then suddenly asked if I could placate Roan’s anger?

“What are you talking about?”

“D-Duchess. While my words cannot erase the distress I caused, please, I beg you to consider my plea just this once.”

So, what is it exactly? I was genuinely asking because I didn’t understand. I felt a wave of frustration rising.

“Yes, you do seem quite shameless.”

The cold voice was Alexandra’s.

“So, you thought you could insult Duke Bannister and the Duchess and simply get away with it?”

Her voice was so even that it sounded even colder. I was momentarily surprised that she was defending Roan.

Contrary to her words, her expression remained impeccably elegant.

“But asking for forgiveness from the Duke is nonsensical. It was revealed that the Nocturne family’s merchant guild was embezzling taxes, so the Belcostar Bank withdrew its capital. It was a rightful decision. The Bannister family does not invest in losing ventures.”

“B-But to suddenly withdraw all the funds…”

“That is for us to decide.”

Alexandra cut her off in the most unyielding manner possible.

“…D-Duchess.”

Now, the redhead looked at me with a devastated expression, pleading desperately.

“Could you please forgive me for this once? If you withdraw all the funds amid these multiple issues, not only our merchant guild but also our entire family will be at risk.”

She was almost begging now. Rather than feeling satisfaction, I felt uncomfortable. I still didn’t fully understand the situation. While I had fleetingly wished for their downfall in a fit of anger, now that it was happening, I only felt uneasy.

I don’t even remember how I replied, vaguely glossing over her plea.

The tea party, which had sunk to an irreversibly subdued atmosphere, ended in a lackluster manner. On my way out, I apologized to the Duchess of Paltry for ruining the party. She smiled and told me not to worry too much.

In the carriage on the way back, I asked Alexandra.

“Mother, did you know what was going on?”

“Yes.”

“How did all this happen in just one day?”

“It’s self-inflicted. Embezzling taxes is clearly their fault. They created the opportunity for their own downfall.”

“Does that mean we are responsible for the sudden withdrawal of funds? Is the Belcostar Bank owned by the Bannister family?”

“Yes, it’s owned by the Bannister family.”

“…I can’t believe it.”

Even to someone like me, who isn’t well-versed in this world’s economy, the Belcostar Bank was a familiar name. I knew it was the largest bank in the empire, extending its reach beyond the empire to the continent. Its financial power was beyond imagination, with rumors saying it had more money than the imperial family.

I even recalled seeing it mentioned in novels. But to think it was owned by the Bannister family.

No wonder they were the most powerful in the empire. They had an enormous amount of money.

“Most likely, they didn’t know that Belcostar was affiliated with our family. We have professional managers running it separately.”

“Did you order the withdrawal of funds, Mother?”

Alexandra looked slightly taken aback by my question.

“What are you talking about? Why would the Marchioness beg you and not me if I were the one in charge? Currently, only one person has the authority to control Belcostar.”

She looked at me intently.

“Your husband.”

For a moment, my mind stopped. Roan? Roan did this?

Does that mean Roan knew everything she said? But no one told him.

“I didn’t say anything to Roan. How did he…?”

Alexandra seemed momentarily surprised.

“You didn’t tell him what you heard? You’re quite something. But even if you didn’t, there’s no way he wouldn’t know.”

“Do you think Roan was hurt?”

Even if it sounded selfish, I couldn’t help it. I was more concerned about him being hurt than about a family going bankrupt.

Alexandra looked at me with an expression as if she hadn’t considered that.

“Haha.”

She laughed so loudly that it echoed in the carriage.

“You really underestimate your husband. But he’s not so delicate as to be hurt by such words. In fact, this situation was quite surprising to me. Normally, he wouldn’t have bothered.”

Her cold demeanor subtly changed.

“But why was it different this time?”

It was a musing, almost as if she was asking herself.

***

Even after returning to the mansion, my mind remained troubled. After all, the issue between the ladies of society had escalated so dramatically.

I didn’t think Roan acted out of personal spite, but this didn’t feel right. Recalling the forced apology, extracted through coercion, left a lump in my throat.

While the morally bankrupt woman and the embezzling Marquis of Nocturne deserved punishment, what about their servants? What crime did they commit? What about the employees suddenly losing their jobs? Not being accustomed to collective punishment, I found this situation extremely uncomfortable.

“Your Grace, the Duke has arrived.”

Finally, the one I was waiting for!

I need to find out exactly what Roan’s intentions were. With that in mind, I quickly went down to the first floor.

TL NOTE: More advanced chapter of this story is already up on the site. Visit dusk blossoms for more advanced chapters and stories