The carriage carrying Eve arrived at a café located at the edge of the city.

She had deliberately worn her most subdued dress with a robe over it when she left.

“I have an appointment with a countess and will return in her carriage.”

“Yes, Madam.”

After deceiving the coachman and sending the carriage back, Eve fastened the front of her robe.

It was a secluded area with little commercial activity, so there were no people around.

She was supposed to meet the King and Queen of Hessen at the outskirts of Aria, on the way to Hessen.

The royal couple had already returned to Hessen since the contract period for the mansion in the capital, which they had temporarily rented under the pretext of the Crown Prince’s wedding, had ended.

Although Hessen was close to Aria, it was still a delicate matter for a king to freely enter and exit another country.

Since trains would attract attention, she had decided to purchase a single-person carriage and
drive it herself, making preparations in advance.

Having already scouted the area, all she needed to do was meet the person who was supposed to bring the carriage here.

After arriving at the meeting place with quick steps, she finally removed her hood and caught her breath.

Just a few meters ahead was the single-person wagon that had been parked there.

The person who had delivered the carriage was nowhere to be seen, perhaps having left due to being busy.

Eve looked around anxiously, moving her feet restlessly.

‘I’ve already paid, so it should be fine.’

“Where are you rushing to, Duchess?”

Suddenly, a low, frivolous male voice caught Eve from behind.

A chill ran down her spine in that moment.

It was a familiar voice.

A dreadful voice she never wanted to hear again, belonging to someone she never wanted to meet.

The man who would occasionally visit their home with gleaming eyes, looking for her mother.
Each time, her mother would hide Eve behind her.

“My, you’re still so beautiful whenever I see you.”

“Eve, step back.”

“M-Mother.”

“Lord, please leave. Aren’t you ashamed, even though you’ve become a noble?”

“Nobles aren’t bound by such constraints.”

‘Canon Hampshire?’

Her heart began to race madly.

“My, you’re still so beautiful, I must say.”

She felt a creeping sensation like insects crawling over her body.

As she slowly turned around, Baron Canon Hampshire was indeed standing there.

“Oh. It really is you, seeing you from the front.”

“Who are you?”

“Who am I? Don’t you know? Your lord. Do you know how long I’ve been searching for you?”

Baron Hampshire rubbed his hands together as he slowly approached.

‘How is he here? How did he know I would be here?’

She tried to step back, but her limbs felt paralyzed and stiff.

“I did well to follow after hearing from him. I knew your mother well. Yes, she was decent for a commoner. Though she’s dead now.”

The baron came closer, licking his lips.

“…You devil!”

“Yes. How could you pretend not to know me? But it was my wife who killed your mother.”

“It was because of you. If it weren’t for you!”

‘My mother wouldn’t have been beaten like that.’

“No, was it because of you?”

“What?”

“Actually, that day, on your birthday, it wasn’t your mother who was summoned, but ‘you.'”

“…!”

Eve’s face contorted with despair.

“So instead of me…”

‘So that’s what it was. Why didn’t I realize? Because of me, for me who wasn’t even her real flesh and blood, why did you do that, Mom?’

“Yes, quite remarkable maternal love. So you should be punished, shouldn’t you?”

“Stay away!”

“Come with me.”

The baron grabbed Eve’s hand abruptly.

The thin baron had surprisingly brute strength.

Before she knew it, she was being dragged along.

‘No!’

At that moment, thwack! A swift punch flew in from somewhere, sending the baron’s face flying.

“Argh!”

The baron fell flat on his back. With a split lip, he foamed and bled, gasping.

Before he could regain his senses, a longsword was driven directly through the back of his hand that had grabbed Eve.

“Aaaaargh!”

“Huk!”

As she stood there trembling, unable to even scream at the sight, someone helped smooth her disheveled platinum blonde hair.

“Are you alright?”

“What?”

Her purple eyes grew wider as she turned toward the voice.

King Peter Gion stood before her, fully armed.

His platinum blonde hair, identical to hers, fluttered in the wind.

“I couldn’t wait any longer at the meeting place.”

“…Your Majesty.”

Suddenly, the king lowered his eyebrows, spread his arms, and said:

“Come here, my daughter?”

It was a gentle and warm voice.

“…Ah.”

She had never cried deeply except when acting.

Even at eighteen when she had lost her mother so miserably, she had no shoulder to lean on.

But now, a generous father had appeared, offering his broad chest and saying:

That she could lean on him, that she could complain all she wanted.

That she could say she was scared, that it was hard.

“Waaah.”

Eve jumped into his outstretched arms.

“Shh, shh.”

The strong hand of her father stroked her back as she sobbed softly.

It felt as if her fear and terror were being washed away.

“Shh. It’s alright. You’re safe now.”

“Uuugh, thank you.”

“Eve, I’m grateful too. For being alive. Truly… wonderful.”

King Peter called Eve’s name several times, his emerald eyes curving.

“Shall we go meet your mothers?”

As she met his eyes, Eve’s cheeks turned pink.

To think this man was her real father, and her godmother too.

And her beloved mother was also alive.

“Yes!”

Eve genuinely showed her white teeth in a bright smile for the first time in a long time.

* * *

The marble quarry mining rights contract was concluded at the Winder mansion in Iberia.

The contract was finalized smoothly.

This was thanks to former Duke Duncan, who had gladly accepted all conditions.

“With this, the contract is established. Congratulations, Duke Mikhail.”

“Thank you, Your Grace.”

Just as the procedures were completed and everyone was about to part ways after exchanging greetings:

“Duke Mikhail, aren’t you curious?”

“Pardon?”

Victor turned his shoulder to look at Duncan.

“Why I suddenly offered this contract to the Mikhail family, overriding my son’s wishes?”

“…I have a guess. Is it because of my wife?”

“That’s right. She sent me a cute letter saying she would collect payment for saving my life.
Hoho, I quite like her.”

“What? But surely…”

Victor quickly gathered his thoughts.

“No. I didn’t say anything.”

That’s what she had said.

Duncan added to the confused Victor:

“She said she wanted to give it to you as a gift before her birthday. She was quite insistent that it had to be finalized quickly before then. I could feel it even in her letter. Hoho.”

‘What a heartwarming couple.’ Duncan Winder, having repaid his debt, left with a hearty laugh.

Victor looked down at the contract with a dazed face.

‘You lied to me…?’

“No, that can’t be. She said she had nowhere to go.”

He got up with a soft chuckle.

“Your Grace?”

Kay, noticing something was wrong, approached him.

“It’s nothing. Just a momentary confusion.”

Just then, a servant came with a telegram.

“This is from the head butler of the Mikhail household, Your Grace.”

“Thank you.”

Kay received it on his behalf and handed it to Victor.

His previously confident face turned ghastly pale.

“Your Highness, Madam has disappeared. She is missing.

-Head Butler Ralph.”

“Eve is missing…”

“Pardon?”

Victor’s body swayed heavily.

“Are you alright?”

“Quickly book train tickets.”

“What? Your Grace, please calm down.”

“We need to return home.”

“Now? Wouldn’t it be better to rest a bit first?”

Victor ran out of the mansion like a madman, not even taking the coat he had left on the sofa.

“Let me come with you, Your Grace! Your Grace!”

In all their time working together, Kay had never seen the Duke sweat cold like this.
Flustered, Kay hastily put the clothes and contract in a bag and ran after him.

* * *

After taking a train that crossed the continent to the final stop, they then took a carriage.
They traveled by carriage all night, covering a distance that normally took a week in just 5 days.

“D*mn it!”

He had once made the return journey in 6 days, but this time was sheer madness. Kay had guessed as much, watching his master mutter like a madman throughout the journey.

“Eve!”

As soon as they arrived at the mansion, Victor bounded up the stairs two or three steps at a time toward Eve’s bedroom.

The bedroom was empty and neatly arranged.

“Joan! Carrol!”

He called for the maids in a raised voice.

The two maids immediately came running from nearby.

“Your Grace, you’ve returned?”

“You’re back?”

Both looked at their master and were quite surprised. His hair, usually glossy and neat, was disheveled, and his collar was wrinkled. His beautiful lips, which typically gave orders arrogantly, had turned blue.

“What do you mean Eve has disappeared?”

“Yes. She went out saying she would return from an outing, but she never came back. At first, we thought she had returned late. We thought she was sleeping. She had been feeling quite drowsy lately.”

Carrol answered, sobbing. Head Butler Ralph also rushed over and testified by her side.

“I knew you were in the middle of a contract negotiation, but I was so alarmed that I sent an urgent telegram. I was the last one to see her off.”

“We need to report this first.”

Victor frowned, placing his hand on his forehead.

At that moment, Butler Ralph offered a reasonable suggestion:

“Could she have gone to her hometown where her family is?”

“No, not the south.”

Victor waved his hand and then rubbed his face.

The story about her being the daughter of a southern count was a fake he had created.

Where would a commoner woman go alone?

It wouldn’t be New Hampshire, the village where Eve’s mother had passed away.

Suddenly, a shout from Kay was heard from the direction of the office.

“Your Grace!”

Could there be a clue about Eve’s whereabouts?

Victor instinctively dashed from the Duchess’s bedroom to the end of the opposite corridor in an instant.

Without catching his breath, he ran into the office and asked:

“What is it?”

Kay stepped aside from the desk and pointed to it.

A newspaper was spread out with a small note inserted between the pages.

“I was about to organize the newspaper you had already read.”

“Yes. I’ve read it.”

It was the newspaper he always checked before meals.

Even as he answered, Victor’s eyes were fixed entirely on the note.

He glided over to it, picked it up, and unfolded it.

“How does it feel to be deceived? You’re not the only one who can use me, Duke. I give you that marble in place of the 100,000 rofran I owed you. The remaining amount is divorce alimony. Farewell.

-Eve Saint.”

“Eve, she left on her own… It wasn’t a disappearance.”

Victor dropped the note on the desk lifelessly.

The densely written characters on the small note slashed at the man’s heart.

Those elegant handwriting, resembling her, so pretty, inflicted a deeper pain than a knife cut.

His hand, raised to his heart, roughly clutched his chest.

“…Eve.”

He murmured her name with a groan.

Where on earth did she go?

He couldn’t think of any place Eve might have gone.

Marble as alimony!

She had left the marble as evidence that she had abandoned him.

It truly was the worst.