“Don’t worry about it. It’s nothing much.”

“Since there won’t be another chance to meet, I took the liberty of coming to greet you. I’m always grateful. I’ll go see Vivian now.”

Rose’s gaze swept over Debbie from head to toe as she passed. Debbie looked up at Blake with an embarrassed feeling.

Was it just her imagination that Blake’s expression seemed even more arrogant?

* * *

“So you deliberately hired them to create scandals?”

While dining at a famous restaurant, Debbie asked Blake.

“Was there really a need to spend money for that?”

Blake put down the knife he had been using to cut his steak and picked up his wine glass.

Then he moistened his throat with the red liquid and said, “To put it simply, it was a case of covering scandals with scandals. I deliberately chose and hired actresses who had been wronged, and Vivian’s case was one where she gained attention again through those scandals and made a comeback.”

His eyes sparkled as he raised the corners of his mouth.

“Since Miss Debbie only thinks of me as the ‘Empire’s trash can,’ I was wondering how to clear up that misunderstanding, but you chose the musical featuring Vivian on your own. Thanks to that, I got a chance to explain.”

Blake shrugged his shoulders with a satisfied expression. Debbie smiled bitterly, thinking she had been caught up in his plan instead.

“But I don’t understand.”

Debbie said before putting a sauce-laden piece of steak in her mouth.

“What don’t you understand?”

“The more scandals there are, the more restrictions there are on your actions. You told me you’re not a philanthropist, but what you’ve described so far – if it’s not philanthropy, what is it?”

Saying this, Debbie popped the meat into her mouth.

True to being premium steak, rich juices flowed down her throat like it was melting in her mouth.

Delicious!

Debbie’s eyes sparkled.

“It was an investment.”

Blake said, putting down his wine glass.

“While pretending to date different women, I tracked who was spreading those rumors. That way I clearly separated enemies from allies. Of course, I recovered my principal too.”

He omitted stories about creating alibis and then infiltrating other places to steal transaction ledgers.

Debbie didn’t need to know such things.

“I’m sorry. I misunderstood you without knowing there was such meaning behind it.”

Debbie blushed as she apologized to him.

“Now that I know you’re not just a debauched person, the misunderstanding is cleared up. Can we stop the dating now?”

Blake’s eyebrows shot up.

“Debbie, are you bored being with me?”

“It’s not that, but…”

“How disappointing. To think you’re already planning to end things.”

Blake felt momentarily displeased, thinking that despite showing enough good sides today, she was still only thinking of running away from him.

“Simply clearing up misunderstandings isn’t enough. We must continue dating until you develop favorable feelings.”

Blake irritably put down his fork and knife, then gulped his wine. No matter how much he drank, it felt like his thirst only grew.

That small woman before him didn’t act according to his expectations in even a single instance.

Had there ever been someone who gave him this much trouble?

There were plenty of women who threw themselves at him body and soul for his title, his handsome face, and his considerable wealth, yet he couldn’t understand why he was tormenting himself like this over just this one woman.

Pouring money and time into making just this one woman develop favorable feelings toward him.

“You were the one who wanted to write a contract because you were worried the conditions might change midway. Are you planning to break your own word?”

Debbie realized she had fallen into her own trap.

“If you break it without reason, you’ll have to take responsibility. Didn’t we agree that you’d grant whatever the other party wants?”

Debbie swallowed what was in her mouth. How could she know what he might demand?

She realized she had only thought about getting one unconditional wish from him, without considering what she might have to do for him.

From that point on, conversation between the two completely stopped. They ate their meal in silence.

Eating in silence, Debbie ended up eating to her maximum capacity. Meanwhile, the man before her seemed intent on filling his stomach with wine after eating only a few bites.

Until they went outside, neither said a word. The moon and stars twinkled in the sky, and the wind was quite chilly.

As Blake looked up at the night sky and was about to light a cigarette, Debbie approached from behind.

“Shall we walk a bit to help with digestion?”

Debbie extended her hand to him.

“Is it awkward since we’re not in a theater?”

Because Blake was staring intently at her hand, Debbie felt a bit embarrassed and pulled her hand back.

Earlier he had reluctantly held her hand, but now he was looking at that same hand with an expression that seemed to ask what it was, making things awkward.

Debbie cleared her throat several times.

Still, for the sake of a smooth work life, she had to pretend to have developed favorable feelings from this date.

Debbie courageously extended her hand again. After another awkward silence, just as Debbie was about to completely withdraw her hand, Blake’s hand caught hers.

“Mm.”

Debbie’s hand slipped and intertwined between his finger joints.

Since Debbie had proposed holding hands first, a subtle thrill different from when they held hands before enveloped Blake.

Cold wind brushed past them. Then Debbie pulled their interlaced hands and tucked them into his coat pocket. Blake’s eyes widened.

Unintentionally, her fingers brushed against his trouser hem. Just that brief contact sent hot blood coursing through his entire body, concentrating in one place.

Blake’s face grew hot. Debbie walked silently with a face that seemed unaware of where her hand had brushed.

Damn.

Blake covered his mouth with his other hand.

It was just a brush.

Just that minor contact made him tense with blood rushing hotly through him, yet why did the person involved have such a calm expression?

He couldn’t tell if he was being oversensitive or if she was being obtuse.

Getting excited over someone who felt no excitement looking at him was like losing before even starting.

When their eyes met, Debbie smiled with an innocent face. It was the smile she made when feeling awkward or troubled.

However, at this moment, he recalled her expression of pleasure when she had been trapped beneath his arms.

He wanted to make that face look like it did then.

The woman who had grabbed him and asked him to give her her first experience was now stimulating him by casually putting her hand in his pocket with a nonchalant expression, forcing him to exercise superhuman patience.

If he progressed beyond kissing here, he would definitely be confirmed as the ‘Empire’s trash can’ again.

Whew.

He took a deep breath.

“The moon is really bright.”

Debbie said, looking up at the sky.

Blake struggled desperately to regain his composure because of her hand, regardless of the sky or anything else.

Whether Debbie was being calculating or truly innocent, she tapped his palm just like Blake had tickled her palm with his fingers at the performance hall.

Each time she did that, he felt even more stimulated and thought he might go crazy. So he mentally recalled chess fundamentals and imperial law codes, fighting against his crumbling mental strength.

“Thank you for today’s date. The performance and the food too.”

When he walked her to the front of her house, she said this while waving her hand. Blake barely restrained the impulse to follow her inside.

“How touching.”

Fret, who was driving, made a comment.

As soon as he got in the car, Blake, who had returned to his usual expression, asked Fret, “What happened with what Eli mentioned?”

“Well… same as always. They were scheming together to use money and power to suppress workers who are striking and fighting for survival over railroad construction. However, now that rumors about this side are starting to spread and they can no longer get workers through normal employment offices, it seems they’re trying to bring in military force.”

“They’re not planning to mobilize soldiers for labor, are they?”

“That would be fortunate. They were scheming about how to make an example by crushing somewhere, saying all this was because agitators were inciting people.”

“So. Where did you pass the source?”

“I handed it over to Mike Sandrick, editor-in-chief of ‘Essence’ magazine.”

At those words, Blake smiled quietly.

“Did Mr. Sandrick accept it quietly?”

“As if he would. As soon as he heard it, he rushed out like a foaming wild boar, saying he’d investigate it himself.”

“Heh. You have to acknowledge that guy’s passion.”

“He always causes trouble by being too eager.”

Fret paused for a moment before speaking.

“But we can’t keep doing good deeds for others forever. Just thinking about what they did when we handed the connected list to ‘Glory’ newspaper.”

Hearing this, Blake lit a cigarette.

“We’re ending up just digging up corruption instead of finding connections to the imperial family.”

“What’s the next plan?”

Blake exhaled cigarette smoke and watched the white smoke float through the air.

“His Imperial Majesty’s birthday.”

“Are you planning to rob the imperial palace directly?”

“Since we’ve robbed it once before, wouldn’t it be okay to rob it once more?”

“Luck won’t follow you twice.”

“We have to try. If we get caught, what more is there than death? If my birth circumstances become known in the process, that could be one way too.”

“By the way, will Miss Debbie be alright?”

Fret glanced at Blake with a slightly worried expression.

“It’s not like we’re dating, just rumors. People aren’t that interested in others. It’ll just be noisy for a while.”

“But it seems genuine, so I’m worried.”

“Genuine… genuine… But shouldn’t I be distracted elsewhere for them to let their guard down? In that sense, wouldn’t it be perfect for a momentary diversion?”

“That’s true.”

Blake sank deeply into his seat and looked out the car window.

* * *

A middle-aged man was lurking around the editorial office. Ashley, who had been discussing manuscripts with Debbie, recognized the man at a glance.

“Oh! Mr. Evan Simons! What brings you here in person?”

Though she said this, neither Ashley nor Evan looked particularly pleased to see each other. Evan cleared his throat several times, then pulled out an envelope from his jacket.

“Bringing this month’s manuscript.”

“You don’t need to come to the editorial office directly… Benjamin visits your home every time to collect deadline manuscripts.”

“Take it. My arm’s getting tired.”

Evan waved the envelope back and forth at the reluctant Ashley.

If he was going to give it, he should just give it, but he kept pulling his hand away when she tried to take it, then extending it again. Like he was trying to annoy her.

“You’ve been scarce at the workshop lately.”

“…I’ve been getting help from Miss Debbie.”

At Ashley’s words, Evan glared fiercely at Debbie.

“Novels should be reviewed by novelists. Getting advice from people in other fields is pointless. Don’t get foolish ideas and come back to the workshop. I have things to tell you.”

Ashley didn’t give any particular response.

“Come by today without fail. Otherwise, you know what happens, right?”

Saying this, Evan looked Ashley up and down, scanning her chest and hips, then left.

Debbie, who had been going to the editor-in-chief’s office to get approval for a proposal, read something unsettling in that gaze and returned to ask Ashley, “Is something wrong?”

“I’ve been getting advice from Mr. Simons, but since I haven’t visited him lately, he seems displeased.”

“If there’s a misunderstanding, I’ll explain it properly.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll handle it myself.”

Ashley’s complexion looked particularly poor.