Tension filled the quiet reception room. When Countess Spencer entered, she saw a man silently drinking tea.

It was Duke Larson. This marked their first private meeting.

Her nervousness made her clear her throat with a soft cough before politely greeting the waiting Duke.

“I am honored to meet you, Duke Larson.”

However, he offered no response to her greeting.

His unannounced visit had forced her to delay their meeting, and his silence suggested his displeasure about that.

But what could she do?

Unpleasant or not, he remained a Duke of the nation.

Countess Spencer bowed her head again to Kian, who arrogantly crossed his long legs while drinking tea.

“I apologize for keeping you waiting. Your sudden visit flustered me. Please understand.”

He quietly pulled up the corner of his mouth and put down his teacup.

“I too regret barging in suddenly. I had no choice since you wouldn’t come to the mansion if I invited you.”

The atmosphere plummeted instantly. Though she sensed he came because of his mistress, his blatant hostility surprised her.

She felt taken aback but needed to maintain composure. Countess Spencer smiled kindly, feigning ignorance.

“I heard the glorious news. Congratulations on your victory.”

“Let’s skip the grand formalities. I’m busy, so let’s get to the point.”

Despite his higher status, his words seemed incredibly rude for someone who had barged into another’s home.

“Please speak.”

“I heard you refused to teach Vivi. May I know the reason?”

She couldn’t believe it. He really barged in here just to take his mistress’s side. He must be completely mad. Countess Spencer’s lips hardened.

“That was entirely due to my lack of ability. I’m used to teaching young ladies from prestigious families who have the basics. After one or two lessons, I simply couldn’t figure out where to start or how to teach such a blank slate of a young lady.”

The answer seemed essentially flawless.

Claiming inability to teach left little room for fault-finding.

“I see. Lack of ability. Well, that can happen. I understand completely.”

Duke Larson seemed to accept that part readily. But then suddenly, he took out a box and threw it on the table.

What absurdity was this?

She looked at the man before her with astonished eyes. Kian stared straight back at her, his expression unchanged.

“But could you refrain from giving gifts? Unfortunately, you sent something completely not to my taste.”

No way. It couldn’t be.

Countess Spencer carefully opened the box.

Good heavens, it was exactly what she feared.

The inappropriate lingerie she had given to Duke Larson’s dimwitted mistress. It was a gift meant to remind her of her place.

Had that stupid girl run to the Duke complaining about feeling insulted?

Even for someone obsessed with women, this was an embarrassing item for a Duke to personally bring and confront someone about.

She had thought he wasn’t in his right mind before, but she hadn’t realized it was to this extent. Countess Spencer was left speechless.

“I didn’t know that the learning objective of your nationally renowned lessons was to train mediocre courtesans.”

“Duke, I think there’s some misunderstanding. Please listen to my explanation.”

“I’ll be the judge of whether there’s a misunderstanding or not. Who gave you permission to teach such things?”

His tone carried agitation. However, she couldn’t let herself be pushed around just because he was aggressive.

She swallowed dryly while trying to maintain her composure. Then she stated her conviction with a calm face.

“I simply provided customized education suitable for the student. Though Larson is a prestigious family, the obligations of a mistress and those of a noble lady are clearly different. I only approached it according to those obligations, with no other intentions.”

Obligations. Kian let out a derisive laugh.

“I can tell how you viewed me just by looking at that gift. Though I dislike the gift, I fully acknowledge that my tastes might seem unrefined to nobles.”

“To be precise, I gave the gift to Vivi. She worried you might grow tired of her. So I gave it to her to use on special occasions. I suppose I was thoughtless. If I’ve been disrespectful, I apologize.”

She thought it was a reasonable excuse.

Of course, it was also true.

However, Duke Larson’s anger exceeded her expectations.

“Don’t call her Vivi. Madam. How presumptuous of you to address the Duke’s woman like that.”

Kian raised his eyes sharply.

“I never gave you permission to call her that in my presence.”

According to Penelope Steward, her fiancé was supposed to be a cold man who wouldn’t bleed a drop if he were to be stabbed.

But this was beyond that. He resembled a razor-sharp blade.

“I believe Lady Steward is a great product of your etiquette lessons. Does she know? About what you’ve done here?”

And now Penelope entered the conversation. The atmosphere deteriorated further. Though she had acted on Penelope’s request, making that connection here seemed unwise.

Penelope was the daughter of a close friend. She had just seen an article about some progress between the two of them. She didn’t want to create problems with pre-arranged matters before that could happen.

For now, playing ignorant offered the best strategy.

“This has nothing to do with the Lady. It was something I did alone, out of displeasure at a personal request. So please withdraw any unnecessary suspicions about the Lady.”

“Well, if she doesn’t know, please inform her yourself. Though I doubt you will.”

“Pardon?”

The Duke brought up something completely unexpected. Normally, if someone wanted things to work out with their fiancée, they would ask for silence, not openly suggest telling her.

“Ah, and let me add one thing. Regrettably, I have never seen that woman as a woman. Nor do I plan to in the future.”

Love often remained absent in political marriages. But Kian’s expression revealed this went beyond such simple matters.

His gaze held deep-rooted contempt.

“Even though I’m a worthless man attracted to someone of low birth, I’m not a perverted bastard who lusts after my brother’s woman.”

Countess Spencer felt chills run down her spine at the man’s unrestrained words.

“You seem to have worked hard teaching Lady Steward in your own way. But what can we do? It’s all been pointless. From now on, just teach the etiquette you’re good at. Don’t do things you can’t do.”

Kian didn’t forget to give advice. Then he took out a check from his pocket and held it out with mock generosity.

“Ah, and this is for the lessons. Take it.”

“Payment? I told you I wouldn’t accept payment for this matter as I too regret it. I thought we had settled this.”

“Take it. While I’m asking nicely.”

The words carried clear threat, not favor. The atmosphere instantly froze again.

“What I hate most is leaving accounts unsettled between parties. You’re smiling to my face, so you must find my words amusing. Shall we settle accounts properly? By paying you back as much as my mood was fouled?”

“W-what do you mean by that?”

Countess Spencer’s stiff face trembled.

“I hear your son-in-law struggles with emerald mining rights.”

“……”

“Would it be alright? If I were to shake that up?”

He knew his opponent’s weak point with vicious precision. And he aimed his blade there without blinking.

She hadn’t expected this escalation and didn’t want it growing bigger. Countess Spencer quietly lowered her gaze.

“So don’t make me do troublesome things over something like this. Just take it. It’s pocket change.”

Kian dropped the check on top of the box with contempt.

“If you feel any shame yourself, consider it payment for a lesson learned. The lesson being not to treat people like dogs or cattle.”

“……”

Countess Spencer stared blankly at it with a pale face.

“Anyway, consider our accounts settled. Let’s not meet again.”