It had already been a month since Helia arrived at the Duke’s estate.

Since their last tea time, Ruben hadn’t seen Helia once. From his perspective, there was no reason to go looking for her. Surprisingly, even though he expected her to be pestering him every day, Helia remained quiet. He didn’t know the reason, nor did he need to care. In fact, he should be grateful. With that, Ruben cut her from his thoughts, and time passed without notice.

“Where’s the princess?”

When Ikael visited Ruben in the study, the first question he asked was about Helia. Ruben replied indifferently as if it were trivial nonsense.

“Who knows.”

“What do you mean, ‘who knows’? You’re not telling me you haven’t met her even once since she arrived, are you?”

Despite Ikael’s shock, Ruben remained calm.

“And if I haven’t?”

“‘And if you haven’t’? Even if it was an arranged engagement, that’s no excuse. There’s a certain decorum expected toward a lady.”

Ruben stayed silent. For someone like Ikael Tyr, who often flirted with one woman or another, respecting a lady felt almost laughable.

‘Lady’. The image of Helia scowling, sneering, and mocking him flashed briefly in Ruben’s mind. Avoiding her as much as possible seemed best for both of them.

“Forget the nonsense and just hand over the documents.”

“Yes, yes. And where’s Enoch?”

“He’s in the administrative office for a moment. I’ll have him summoned.”

Ruben pulled on the servant’s bell, instructing them to fetch Enoch. As soon as the servant left, Ikael bounced a stack of papers in his hand and casually remarked,

“Our Duke really is bold. Even if it’s just an annex, he has royalty staying there and calls for materials to be brought to the main house.”

“I checked her movements. She spent the day at the annex again.”

“Well, well. You even know what she’s doing. That’s some excellent fiancé work.”

Ikael chuckled, his eyes still devoid of amusement. Just as Ruben was about to scowl, the study door opened.

A young man with a modest yet polished appearance walked in, each step measured. His thin frame and pince-nez gave him a slightly edgy impression. Ikael greeted him with a wave.

“It’s been a while, Enoch.”

“Good to see you again, Count.”

“It has been, hasn’t it? The Duke isn’t working you too hard, I hope?”

“Not at all.”

Ikael and Enoch laughed easily together, ignoring Ruben’s unimpressed look. After a moment, Ikael handed the stack of papers to Enoch, who now wore a serious expression as he took them cautiously.

“Is it the same as before?”

Enoch asked, already understanding the likely source of the documents. Ikael replied casually.

“Yes. Whoever it is, they’re definitely very close.”

“We owe them a lot.”

Enoch scanned the documents quickly, and his expression shifted as he noticed something. Ikael sighed as if expecting this reaction.

“This is…”

“Yes. It’s the biggest recent development at the royal court.”

Ikael clicked his tongue. The documents Enoch held contained detailed records of the royal family’s finances. They outlined the lavish spending on constant banquets, the queen’s ever-increasing upkeep expenses, the king’s sudden, costly obsession with hunting, and how much tax each noble paid to the royal treasury, among other details.

Most notably, it included records of the recent engagement ceremony between the lone princess of Bailey and the Duke of Effenberg. The cost of Helia’s dress alone was enough to feed the capital’s entire population for a month—a staggering extravagance.

“We can’t use these documents.”

“Why not?”

As Enoch, looking disappointed, set down the papers, Ruben responded impassively.

“If we release these, it could negatively impact public opinion of you, Your Grace.”

Enoch’s voice was almost pleading, but Ruben remained indifferent as if discussing someone else’s matters entirely.

“It’s true that it will damage the royal family’s reputation.”

“But…”

“That’s enough. Publish them.”

“Your Grace!”

Ruben lowered his head back into his book without looking up, signaling he wouldn’t accept any objections. Enoch opened his mouth, ready to protest, but then closed it, realizing it was useless.

Once Ruben made a decision, changing his mind was nearly impossible. Besides, he was holding documents that begged to be made public, even if they would sully the Effenberg name. When people learned how their taxes were spent, rumors of the royal family’s corruption would spread even faster.

“You’re willing to bear the disgrace?”

“It’s not disgrace; it’s the truth.”

“But the people won’t understand that you were forced into this engagement with the princess.”

“I know.”

It was an obvious fact that needed no further confirmation. Ruben’s gaze remained fixed on his book, seemingly uninterested. A soft chuckle escaped from Ikael.

“I figured you’d say that.”

Ikael laughed as if pleased by Ruben’s predictably principled decision. Then, with a slight gleam in his dark blue eyes, he asked, “So, are you going to keep things as they are with the princess?”

“What do you mean?”

“Since things are already this way, why not try getting along?”

“Rubbish.”

Ruben dismissed Ikael’s sly suggestion in an instant. Ikael shook his head, unsurprised by his response.

“Sure, getting too close would be odd, but is there really a need to keep her at such a distance?”

Of course, even this reaction was typical of Ruben Effenberg—a man who tolerated not even the slightest flaw, cold to himself and others.

When had it started, Ikael wondered? The time when the man had stopped smiling.

Knowing this, Ikael felt a pang of bitterness. He remembered when the brightness faded from the boy’s face, the moment he stopped searching for someone to stay by his side, the instant the light left his eyes. Ikael, who had been closest to him all that time, knew better than anyone.

Ikael spoke cheerfully, though it sounded almost mocking.

“Who knows? You might gain some valuable information about the royal family.”

“…”

“Just don’t get too close and end up attached.”

Ruben’s face remained expressionless as if he were hearing the most pointless suggestion in the world. Ikael chuckled as though he’d just succeeded in pulling off a prank.

‘The princess, though…’

If she were the fiancée of his dear friend, it would only be polite to greet her, right? Especially if this person had left his friend to undergo such changes without intervention. It wouldn’t hurt to confirm whether the princess matched her reputation.

A flicker of angry curiosity crossed Ikael’s eyes.

✥✥✥

At that moment, in the reception room of the annex, every servant was occupied with trying to avoid upsetting Helia, as they did each day. Though it had only been a month since she arrived, everyone, down to the lowest maids who never even saw her, spoke quietly, moved carefully, and kept their gestures subtle. And yet, there was no sign that Helia’s sharp temper was softening.

Head maid Della, in particular, was at her wit’s end over the invitations that would occasionally arrive for Helia.

“A letter from the Marquis of Wylde.”

The silver tray holding the letter trembled slightly. Helia ignored the tremor with a calm disregard.

“Tear it up.”

The curt command was merciless. Della couldn’t bring herself to tear up a letter the Marquis had personally sent before Helia had even looked at it. She trembled and simply bowed her head.

“Why haven’t you torn it yet?”

Startled by Helia’s cold voice, Della took a deep breath and, with shaking hands, picked up the letter. She held it in both hands as if to tear it in half, though she couldn’t bring herself to use any strength, and the letter simply shook in her hands.

Watching this, Helia clicked her tongue.

“Pathetic.”

At her gesture, Lina, waiting behind her, stepped forward. Taking the letter from Della, she tore it up without a second thought.

Everyone in the room watched silently as the shredded pieces of paper fluttered to the ground. Staring at the scattered remnants, they felt like they were glimpsing their future. It made them want to flee before they, too, were cast aside.

At that moment, a maid entered to announce a visitor, swallowing nervously at the icy atmosphere. She didn’t know what was happening but couldn’t stop herself from trembling. She managed to speak, though her voice quivered.

“Your Highness, there is a guest here to see you.”

“Who?”

Helia frowned, her expression instantly turning fierce. The maid, unable to bear looking, lowered her head, causing her voice to become muffled.

“It’s Count Ikael Tyr.”