“Don’t look at me like that! I swear, it was fair compensation for my work! And I didn’t even ask for it!”

“But you accepted it.”

Roir still vividly remembered the amount on the invoice Raylin had suddenly sent him. She had never been one to spend large sums, aside from her occasional investments in firearm research.

“How do you remember such trivial details, Duke Greuga?”

“Because it’s about Raylin.”

“Ah… I see.”

Arian nodded reluctantly. Then, as if struck by a sudden thought, he changed his expression and leaned in closer to Roir.

Looking even more wary, Roir pulled back slightly and asked,

“What is it now?”

“Lord Roir. No, Duke Greuga.”

The frame of Arian’s glasses gleamed under the light as he continued speaking.

“The Greuga Ducal House possesses an enormous fortune, doesn’t it? It’s a family older than the empire itself. So, I was thinking…” 

“I’m not investing.” 

“It’s not about investment.” 

“I’m also not co-signing anything. That’s a rule passed down from my ancestors.” 

“It’s not about co-signing either.” 

“Then what is it?” 

“Teach me how to manage and grow money! I’ve heard all about it. Everything Duke Roir touches turns into gold!”

As Arian drew closer with enthusiasm, Roir stood up from his chair and stepped back, furrowing his brows. 

“Even that kind of information is leaking? I need to be more careful with security.” 

“Ah, Lady Greuga told me. I value my life, so I never pry into matters concerning His Grace.”

Just as Arian proudly flaunted his unexpected connection with Raylin and was about to step closer to Roir again—

“That’s something I’m curious about as well.”

Aiger’s voice suddenly rang from behind them, as if he had appeared out of nowhere.

“You’ve arrived.” 

“Your Highness! I’ve finished my work! I can leave now, right? And I should be paid more than what was promised! Considering how much you’ve made me—ouch!”

Aiger swiftly silenced Arian’s nonsense with a kick to his backside, crossing his arms as he scrutinized the two men. Under his dark blue gaze, Roir and Arian instinctively sensed something and flinched, stepping back.

As if casually suggesting they have dinner together, Aiger spoke to Roir. 

“Roir.” 

“Yes? Yes.” 

“I appoint you as Chancellor.” 

“Yes. I understa—…”

He handed over the position of a nation’s Chancellor as casually as offering candy from his pocket. Roir stiffened, and Aiger turned to Arian.

“You’re the new head of the Intelligence Bureau. You can stay in the back alleys if you want, but Kertan will be assigned to you. You know his personality, right? Be careful.” 

“Wait, wait a minute! Your Highness? This is so sudden—what about my opinion—Your Highness! Where are you going?!”

Aiger vanished as silently and without a trace as he had arrived, leaving Arian’s long, drawn-out wail behind him.

***

“Agnes, welcome.” 

“Raylin!”

As soon as they met, Agnes threw herself into Raylin’s arms, and Raylin embraced her in return before offering her a seat.

After some time, just enough to finish a cup of tea, Raylin carefully asked, 

“How is the child you were looking for?”

At the top of the rescued missing persons list was a shy boy Agnes had always been fond of.

Agnes responded with a bitter smile. 

“Not well. He’s not in any life-threatening danger, but he has permanent disabilities. More than anything, he’s still very scared and cries a lot.”

Most of those who had been sacrificed as experimental subjects likely felt the same way.

“I see. We can only hope time will help.”

Wounds heal over time. Though scars may remain, and some may reopen, even those will pass in time.

“Yes. We have to hope.”

With a deep sigh, Agnes shook her head and gestured toward the maid behind her.

“Take this.” 

“Huh?” 

“It’s nothing much. It’s a gift my fiancé and I prepared together. You’ll be heading to the imperial palace soon, right?”

As she said, after Aiger’s coronation, Raylin was to reside in the imperial palace.

Since she had not yet married Aiger, she was not officially entering as Empress, which led some to attempt to subtly attach their own bloodlines to Aiger.

However, Aiger warned them with a voice so chilling it sent shivers down their spines.

“The only one who will stand by my side is Raylin Greuga. I will not allow even a single other person.”

Given that one of an emperor’s most crucial duties was to produce heirs to continue the imperial bloodline, some might have argued against his stance.

However, the people had already experienced an emperor who had only one empress and one crown prince before. Understanding this precedent, they withdrew without a word.

First, the sheer murderous intent radiating from the emperor himself had already made their hearts shrink in fear. Then, the dissonance they felt from the ever-smiling Roir, the next Duke of Greuga, further solidified their hesitation. Even Theron Lucart, who typically showed no interest in others’ affairs, openly regarded them as pathetic.

Unaware of these behind-the-scenes struggles, Raylin simply nodded in agreement about moving to the imperial palace and accepted the small box Agnes handed her.

“Open it. Quickly!”

Prompted by Agnes’s urging, Raylin swiftly unwrapped the package and opened the box, gasping softly in admiration.

“My goodness, it’s beautiful.”

“Isn’t it? Even I think it turned out wonderfully! Look here—you can see how we perfectly blended the colors representing Greuga and Reinhardt, and also incorporated the shades you love…”

Agnes, as if waiting for this moment, began eagerly explaining every detail of the intricate firearm, her words tumbling out nonstop.

Raylin listened attentively until she had to hastily interrupt Agnes’s next statement.

“At first glance, it looks like a decorative ornament, so you can always carry it with you. And if anyone annoys you, you can just shoot them—”

Moreover, Agnes showed no hint of joking, teasing, or playfulness.

She was entirely serious.

“Thank you! I’ll make good use of it!”

“Don’t mention it.”

Agnes, who had been throwing out harsh and even rough words with excitement, suddenly smiled brightly as if it had all been a lie. She then chattered on about different topics for a while.

Then, as if something had just come to mind, she set down her teacup and asked,

“Have you heard that rumor?”

“What rumor?”

Hearing the word “rumor” from Agnes, who had been tormented by them for so long, Raylin widened her eyes in surprise.

“I’m not saying this just because of rumors. My fiancé saw it.”

Shaking her head, Agnes added in a lowered voice, as if she were sharing a secret.

“They say the Duke of Lucart has someone he loves, and that person is staying at the ducal residence! My fiancé went there and saw them strolling hand in hand like lovers, and he practically had a seizure!”

Agnes animatedly imitated her fiancé’s reaction as she delivered the news with great enthusiasm. However, rather than being surprised, Raylin simply nodded calmly.

“Your fiancé must have been quite shocked.”

“Exactly! I mean, love? The Duke of Lucart in love? I thought he’d stay single for a thousand years!”

“That couldn’t be. He fell for her at first sight, his eyes practically dripping with honey.”

“What? Oh my, Raylin. Don’t tell me you actually know the details of their love story?”

Just as Agnes’ transparent eyes began to sparkle in excitement, and she was about to lean in eagerly—

Knock, knock.

A knock sounded, and a maid entered to announce,

“Young Lady, Lady Everett has arrived.”

Agnes froze with her mouth hanging open, and Raylin spoke to her,

“I was planning to introduce you two today anyway. It was meant to be a surprise, but… well, you do seem quite shocked.”

She gently closed Agnes’ gaping mouth and instructed the maid,

“Show her in.”

Not long after, Agnes found herself sitting across from Julia, staring at her with eyes even more dazzlingly transparent than before. Julia, sensing the intensity of Agnes’ gaze, looked somewhat flustered but did not avert her eyes.

After a brief moment of silent observation between the two, Raylin offered them caramel candies.

“You both like these. Having at least one shared interest in a friend isn’t bad, right?”

“Of course! I love it already!”

“I-I like it too.”

Following Agnes’ enthusiastic agreement, Julia nodded as well, prompting Raylin to beam warmly.

“Then shall we call each other by our names? Agnes, Julia—would that be okay?”

“Of course, Raylin! Julia!”

“R-Raylin… Agnes.”

Unlike Agnes, who immediately called Julia’s name without hesitation, Julia still seemed a little awkward, her voice slightly quieter.

Raylin smiled brightly at both of them and, after setting down her teacup, took a deep breath before leaning forward slightly.

“Let’s chat until night falls today.”

“Agreed! Absolutely!”

“I even cleared my schedule for this.”

The three friends exchanged glances before bursting into laughter all at once.

That night, news of their overnight stay spread to both the Count of Mifaro’s residence and the Lucart Duke’s estate, where Julia was staying.