The surrounding nobles were watching the Duke and First Prince carefully.

“Rumors are just passing wind. No one will doubt that Your Highness the First Prince will become the next Emperor.”

“You talk well.”

The First Prince threw out a barbed comment.

Recently, support for the First Prince within noble society had been concerning. Some were even quietly defecting to support the newly rising Second Prince behind the scenes.

Most of the Second Prince faction consisted of insignificant nobles leading small to medium merchant guilds, but as their numbers grew, the Second Prince faction had become a force the First Prince could no longer ignore.

This was roughly the imperial political situation that most nobles, including Daphne, knew about.

However, even Daphne didn’t know the First Prince had sent a gift to the Seyfried ducal estate yesterday.

To be precise, it came addressed to Astaire. And Astaire used Daphne while thoroughly maintaining boundaries.

‘Don’t cross the line.’

That was the one thing Astaire wanted her to promise when he made Daphne the Duchess. Never rebel against what he does. Don’t even be curious.

Just quietly do only what the Duke orders.

Like a doll.

“I have something to discuss that only gentlemen can share.”

The First Prince hinted to Daphne that she should leave, suggesting it would be good if she excused herself.

Daphne made the obvious excuse of fetching drinks and immediately left their side.

Coming to the terrace, she gasped for rough breaths.

First Prince Carlos was a man who exuded a peculiar sense of intimidation every time they met. 

He was always like a viper opening its jaws wide to swallow its opponent. The sharp atmosphere he gave off was always hard to endure.

Then, someone stepped on Daphne’s shadow.

“Duchess Seyfried.”

Without needing to turn around, she could tell from the voice alone.

Reina Melanian.

“…Yes, my lady.”

Not even perfunctory greetings like “good evening” came out.

Daphne slowly turned around to face the woman her husband loved.

“Where has Astaire gone, leaving you here alone?”

“He’s having a conversation with the First Prince.”

“You’re not joining them?”

“It’s not a place for me to intrude.”

Reina snapped open her fan and covered her mouth as she spoke. Somehow her voice seemed tinged with laughter.

“Is there any place in this Empire where the Duchess Seyfried cannot intrude?”

At Reina’s undisguised sarcasm, Daphne responded without backing down.

“Shouldn’t you also stop being with me and hurry to join the First Prince and His Grace?”

Reina raised one eyebrow like she didn’t understand.

That’s when Daphne realized.

Reina wasn’t choosing not to be with the First Prince and Duke. She couldn’t be. For whatever reason.

“His Grace must be desperately looking for Lady Melanian. He cherishes you more than anyone.”

“He does, me?”

Reina drew out her words like she didn’t understand. But Daphne clearly saw it. The joy in her eyes.

Something felt off for a moment.

Wasn’t Reina supposed to be the mistress disguised as Astaire’s childhood friend?

If that were really true, naturally Reina should have accepted it matter-of-factly that Astaire loved her.

Yet she reacted with such delight, like hearing it for the first time.

Expectation.

It was closer to the expectation of wondering if Astaire might have feelings for her.

“Doesn’t my presence bother you, my lady?”

Daphne could feel Reina holding back anger as she spoke. Daphne played innocent like she didn’t understand.

“Even handsome, noble aristocrats like His Grace sometimes get bugs clinging to them. If you worry about every single bug, life becomes terribly tiresome.”

She spoke sincerely.

Since she’d decided to leave Astaire and divorce him anyway, whether he had an affair with his childhood friend Reina or whatever else didn’t matter.

From the start, Reina was a good match for him and she herself never suited Astaire at all.

“H-how could you…”

Reina’s face turned bright red at Daphne’s blatant expression comparing her to a mere insect.

She snapped her fan shut with a sharp sound and bit her lip hard. Her lips twitched like she wanted to argue back, but ultimately she couldn’t say anything.

“I’m also very busy with my own affairs.”

Astaire’s love life had nothing to do with her.

She wasn’t the least bit curious about what woman Duke Astaire Seyfried, once called the Empire’s most eligible bachelor, would take as his new wife after divorcing her.

“Anyway, good luck, my lady. Though I don’t know if it’ll work out.”

“What are you saying, my lady?”

“Who knows.”

Responding coldly one last time, Daphne passed by Reina and left the terrace.

“Would you excuse me? I want to rest.”

Meaning even dealing with you is exhausting.

Reina’s face turned bright red. But she ultimately couldn’t stop the Duchess.

* * *

Was that the right thing to do?

She hadn’t intended to provoke Reina that much.

In the past, she might have been shocked to learn the man she had a one-sided crush on had another woman, and collapsed crying.

But they say when people are too shocked, they actually become calm.

Daphne found herself unfamiliar. Did she really have the courage to snap at a woman having an affair with her husband? It felt strange.

But more than that, something else was strange.

She’d felt it on the terrace too, but it seemed like someone was following her.

“Who’s there?”

Daphne stopped walking, turned around, and shouted.

Then the figure that had been lurking stopped abruptly.

With a rustling sound, a person appeared.

“I apologize, I didn’t mean to startle you, my lady.”

Despite being a scoundrel secretly following someone, his voice sounded surprisingly soft and gentle.

“Wh-who are you…?”

Daphne opened her mouth, trying not to let her voice tremble. Just in case, she stepped back two paces while keeping her eyes on the man ahead.

The man carefully took one more step forward. Then his body and face, which had been submerged in the darkness of night, were fully revealed.

Daphne was shocked for a moment.

His curly silver-white hair looked soft as silk just from looking at it, and his tall, solid build made him look like a strong knight.

“Phaios di Blanterian Avont.”

But what unsettled Daphne most was the name that came from his mouth.

“People call me the Second Prince.”

“…I greet the Second Prince.”

Unlike Phaios who smiled gently like a breeze, Daphne hurriedly gave her greeting.

When she raised her head again, Phaios was actually stiffening his expression awkwardly, like the current situation was uncomfortable.

Why is he making that face?

Thinking that in her head, she spoke.

“I congratulate Your Highness the Second Prince on your safe return. Thanks to you, the entire Avont Empire is in a festive mood.”

“Haha, hearing Duchess Seyfried say that gives me new feelings.”

“Excuse me, but do you know me?”

“Yes, of course. How could I not know you?”

The fact that Phaios knew her was even stranger.

After all, when she graduated from the Academy and officially debuted in high society, the Second Prince would have been on the battlefield.

No matter how famous she was in high society, the battlefield wouldn’t be leisurely and relaxed enough for news of society figures to reach there.

“I get to see the famous ‘Star Lady’ in person.”

“Ah…”

This time Daphne smiled awkwardly. Though she skillfully managed her expression like a proper lady right after.

Star Lady.

Now it was a title as distant as stars, as much as her name. It was a bit embarrassing.

After her glamorous debut in high society following Academy graduation with Duke Seyfried’s support, people gave her that title.

A lady who appeared like a comet and became the brightest star in high society.

That’s why she was called the “Star Lady.”

“It’s a rather outdated title now. I’m married now too.”

Daphne said, forcing a smile. Though she was planning to divorce the Duke soon.

“Even after becoming a lady, you still shine brightly.”

“Thank you.”

“Actually, I couldn’t take my eyes off you from the moment you entered the palace hall.”

“…Pardon?”

Daphne asked quietly.

Even for royalty, it was the kind of statement that could cause misunderstandings, inappropriate to say to a married noblewoman.

“Ah, please don’t misunderstand.”

Seeing her stiff face, Phaios smiled gently and added.

“Because, actually…”

The Second Prince leaned in close, seeming about to say something very important. Unable to hear his voice well, Daphne naturally leaned toward him too.

Step, step, step.

That’s when it happened.

Not far away, someone’s footsteps could be heard.

The sound deliberately announced their presence.

At those footsteps, both Phaios and Daphne held their breath and slowly turned around.

“…Ah!”

“Even under the moon, my wife shines so brightly I couldn’t take my eyes off her.”

It was Astaire.

He pulled up the corners of his mouth in an utterly cold smile.

Unlike usual, his coldly gleaming green eyes were fixed on Daphne.

Truly like he couldn’t take his eyes off her.

But the moment she saw his eyes, Daphne felt all the blood drain from her head.

Considering the conversation she’d just had with the Second Prince and how the two of them being together must have looked from behind.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say he’d misunderstood.

“…Your Grace.”

Flustered, she unconsciously called him by the title Astaire usually told her not to use. A stiff title unbefitting a loving couple.

In response, Astaire quietly raised his eyes instead of speaking.

“Daffy.”

He even called her by a pet name he absolutely never used normally.

“Astaire, this is the Second Prince.”

Daphne naturally corrected the title while changing the subject.

Suddenly, she thought it was strange that she was the one flustered.

Since she’d declared divorce saying her heart had left Astaire anyway, whether he was upset or not wasn’t her concern.

Yet why was she shrinking like she’d committed a crime in front of him?

Reminding herself of that fact, Daphne put strength in her neck to avoid bowing her head before Astaire.

“Ah, my apologies. My wife shines so brightly I almost overlooked the Second Prince for a moment.”

Astaire spoke like he’d only just noticed Phaios.

He was smiling on the surface, but to Daphne, that wasn’t a sincere smile but perfect cynicism.

Mixed with hostility too.

“Understandable. We’re not exactly on friendly greeting terms anyway.”

Phaios smiled back like it was nothing. But to anyone listening, it wasn’t a friendly tone at all.

The surrounding temperature seemed to drop by more than two degrees.

“Then may I take my wife now?”

“I don’t know why you’re asking for my permission. You can do as you wish, Duke.”