Vivianne had disappeared.

After acknowledging this fact, Kian’s first action was to regain his composure. She couldn’t have gone far. This rational and realistic assumption allowed him to maintain his sanity.

Vivianne was a woman naive to the ways of the world. She had been confined to the bedroom all this time, had no money, and her physical condition was weakened by morning sickness. 

How reckless of her to leave while pregnant and carrying a puppy too. What could she possibly be thinking? It was maddening.

Who could he blame but himself? This was the price of his leniency. Yes, removing the shackle had been a mistake. The moment she saw an opportunity, she chose to flee. He should have kept her bound before leaving. No, he should have taken her to the Imperial Palace with him.

She had looked so fragile, seemingly about to break, so he had freed her. Why hadn’t he realized that was better than losing her altogether?

Vivianne, you should always be mine. You should have waited patiently only for the sound of my footsteps. Only then would there be meaning in sheltering you—a deranged woman who insists she was once a mere creature.

Matilda was the last person to see Vivianne. She said she had locked the door after confirming Vivianne was asleep just before turning off the lights in the main house. Laughably, she had pretended to be asleep again. Despite being held close and cherished, she had only grown more cunning and deceitful.

Then again, he had kissed and caressed her even when she struggled and tried to stab him, calling her beautiful all the while. Her insolence was entirely his own doing.

They would need to search every inch of the area within a day’s travel. The estate was surrounded only by beaches and low forests, with so little game that dangerous beasts rarely appeared. She had likely left on impulse and was now hiding somewhere, frightened.

Some knights were already searching the area. Kian ordered additional search personnel while considering the possibility of an accomplice. The bedroom door had been locked from the outside, with no signs of forced entry or escape through the window. Someone must have unlocked it.

Only three people had keys to the master’s bedroom: Richard the butler, Matilda the head maid, and the cleaning maids. Kian summoned them all to his office. Initially, he suspected Matilda, as she was the only one with any meaningful connection to Vivianne.

“Weren’t there three cleaning staff? Why are there only two here?”

There should have been six people gathered, but only five were present in the office. The cleaning maids’ faces turned pale at Kian’s question.

“W-well… Julie hasn’t been seen since this morning.”

Problems always seemed to emerge from the most unexpected places.

* * *

In the reception room of Marquis Steward’s mansion, Penelope Steward maintained her composure despite her fiancé’s sudden visit.

“What brings you here without notice, Duke Larson?”

Though he surely knew everything already, there was no need to incriminate herself. She hadn’t refused his visit because she wanted to personally witness her fiancé’s distraught appearance after losing his precious toy.

Penelope scrutinized the man before her. Disappointingly, he appeared completely composed, without a trace of dishevelment.

“I wanted to see my fiancée. It’s been quite a while.”

The maid serving tea glanced at them briefly before looking away. His uncharacteristically affectionate pretense was clearly meant to mock her.

Penelope moistened her lips with tea while watching him impassively. “You said you had something urgent to discuss.”

Only when their eyes met did she notice something strange about him. His pupils seemed oddly relaxed—somewhat raised, somewhat seductive—irritating her in a peculiar way.

“That’s enough. You may leave us now.”

This wasn’t a conversation that should be overheard. Penelope dismissed the maid as instructed. Once they were alone in the reception room, the usual awkward atmosphere settled between them.

Kian, noting her teacup was half empty, personally lifted the teapot. “What are you doing?”

With a gentle pouring sound, the teacup was filled to the brim. Though she hadn’t expected a noble man to be skilled at serving tea, the precariously full cup looked rather dangerous.

“Drink. It will get cold,” he whispered in her ear as he set down the teapot with a clatter.

“I’ll drink it slowly.”

Though her mouth was dry from tension, she found herself unable to drink. Regardless of her startled reaction, Kian returned to his seat.

“How did you do it?”

“Do what?”

“What did you do to Vivi?”

Some things never changed—his shameless habit of using a pet name for his mistress.

“If you knew what was in that tea, you’d probably be more concerned than I am. Are you sure you’re alright?”

“What are you talking about…?”

As Penelope processed his words a second time, her complexion turned ashen. “What have you done to me?”

“What have I done? The same thing you did. It’s simple. Bribe a rat, poison a drink.”

So he had poisoned her tea? Right here, right now? She couldn’t believe it. This was the Steward reception room, and his visit had been unannounced. She hadn’t even suspected he might harm her in her own home.

“Are you insane? Do you think you can commit such an outrageous act in my home and escape consequences?”

“You crossed the line first. I’m merely returning what I received. Is there a problem with that?”

“What did you say?”

“Did you think you could harm my woman in my own bedroom and escape consequences?”

Penelope’s eyes grew bloodshot with a sensation like her throat was being constricted. “You devil!”

“A devil, you say.”

He chuckled, then pulled out a small vial from his pocket and dangled it tauntingly.

“With this in my possession, what will you do? Are you going to beg the devil now?”

It must be the antidote. He was clearly toying with her, but she had no choice but to play along. Penelope’s face contorted with urgency.

“Sh-she asked me to help her escape first. She wanted to run away but had no money and didn’t know how. I just gave her a train ticket to Barsel and had a carriage take her to the station.”

“I already know that much.”

Her frantically moving lips suddenly froze.

“What I’m asking is why the carriage stopped in the forest instead of at the train station.”

If he had already found the carriage, further lies were pointless. A bitter laugh escaped Penelope’s lips. “If you were me… what would you have done with that woman?”

“Eliminated her.”

“If you know that, why are you here?”

There was no point in begging for mercy from a man who wouldn’t show any. If he were a reasonable person, he wouldn’t have behaved so unreasonably in the first place. He must have lost his mind after his mistress disappeared.

She needed to stay calm. In this situation, fighting back seemed better than pleading.

“Listen, Duke Larson. I understand you’re angry, but poisoning me over a common mistress? Don’t you know that poisoning a high noble is a serious crime?”

He gave no particular response to her accusations. Penelope swallowed dryly and continued, “Give me the antidote now. Then we can pretend none of this ever happened…”

“Listen, Penelope Steward.” Kian cut her off sharply. “How can you make something that’s already happened disappear?”

“What… what do you mean?”

“I mean there is no antidote for the poison you drank.”

“Th-that’s impossible… Stop lying! Th-that’s the antidote, isn’t it? It must be! Q-quickly, give it to me!”

Her vision began to sway, perhaps from the poison taking effect. Amid the blur, only his smile remained clear.

“Why do you think I came here? To kill you, of course.”

He placed the vial in her trembling hand. She tried to open the cap, but her fingers kept slipping.

“I just gave you a chance to confess while I was here. Who knows? If you confess and beg for forgiveness, perhaps God will take pity on you and spare you from h*ll.”

When their eyes met, a pleasant smile spread across his face.

“Y-you’re the one who’ll go to h*ll.”

“I suppose so. Go ahead and wait for me there.”

“No matter how powerful a duke you are… do you think you can commit such an act and escape punishment? I’ll tell everyone you’re behind this! I-I won’t die alone! Never…”

Penelope burst out frantically and rose from her seat to pull the bell cord. She couldn’t tell if her shortness of breath was from excitement or the poison.

She hadn’t really wanted marriage at this point. She simply couldn’t bear being the only one suffering. She had only damaged him as much as he had damaged her…

Stumbling as she walked, Penelope didn’t get far before her legs gave out and she collapsed. Kian approached her, crouched down, and whispered softly:

“People are coming from the Imperial Palace, so why not tell them? Or ask your mother. She seems quite knowledgeable about poisons.”

“W-what?”

As she asked in surprise, he suddenly gripped her throat tightly.

“I heard the Marchioness made quite a contribution to the poisoning of the previous Empress.”

He responded gleefully, like someone watching the final struggle of a dying animal.

“Whether the daughter of a soon-to-be-extinct family dies from poisoning or strangulation—who would investigate?”

Her eyes became bloodshot, looking ready to burst.

“That’s why I told you to find out what cards I’m holding.”