The servants in the house, after hearing Father’s angry voice, seemed to watch carefully and then completely disappeared from Father’s sight.

And what caught Father’s eye were me and Brother Rubert.

“You two. You would have attended the banquet held after the coming-of-age ceremony.”

Hearing that, my brother and I nodded.

“Did you hear anything there? About me, or about the dam project, or even about land-related matters.”

Hearing Father’s words, my brother and I shook our heads.

It wasn’t a lie; truly, at the banquet, there had been no mention whatsoever of Father or his business.

Hearing our answer, Father irritably ran his hands through his hair and then seemed to stomp toward his office.

And the moment Father turned the corner and completely hid his figure, my brother and I looked at each other and smiled with satisfaction.

The operation was successful.

The contract with the emperor was concluded, bringing good results to both parties.

Satisfied that the contract with the highest authority in the empire had been successfully completed, I stretched my body fully and took a refreshing stretch.

“Good job.”

“You too, Brother. It’s going to get busier from now on. You know that, right?”

Hearing my words, my brother nodded.

So we shook hands in victory and returned to our respective rooms.

And it is said that Father spent all night frantically trying to find who had leaked the information, having people thoroughly investigate the truth of the incident.

* * *

A few days later, Father called us to the training ground where the knights of the Masipacius Knight Order were training.

He looked at us entering the training ground with a very frightening face after finishing a match with the knight commander.

“Tomorrow is the day the Gels Council will be held.”

Father seemed to get angry just hearing those words and snatched the towel the knight commander was offering him irritably.

“Leave us.”

Hearing Father’s words, the knight commander showed his respects and quickly turned around and left the training ground.

Judging by his appearance, he seemed to have been the target of Father’s anger.

No matter how much of a knight commander he was, he couldn’t hit the master he served, so he probably just endured the beating.

The retreating figure of the knight commander looked extremely pitiful.

“I’ve gotten a grasp of where and how the information about the land leaked.”

As Father spoke, he made eye contact with each of us with murderous eyes.

Leila, who was seeing such a side of Father for the first time, trembled slightly and hid behind Brother Bershua, apparently frightened.

Father sighed as he looked at Leila.

“Leila, you leave. I said not to call you…”

Hearing that, Leila looked at Father and Brother Bershua nervously and stamped her feet.

“I said leave!”

“Ah, I just… I…”

At her hesitant attitude, Bershua gently pushed her back.

“Just go back for now.”

“But…”

As Leila just stamped her feet without taking action, Father sighed once more and irritably raised his head toward Leila.

“Didn’t I tell you to leave!”

As Father’s voice grew louder, Leila bowed deeply and left the training ground as if fleeing.

“Now. About where the information about the land leaked from…. Do any of you have any guesses?”

Hearing that, we all shook our heads simultaneously, as if by agreement.

I momentarily broke into a sweat, but maintained a calm expression as if I truly knew nothing.

Even if Father really knew that I had initiated the rumors, there was no evidence related to it.

I just needed to make an aggrieved face, as if I had been unfairly branded as the instigator of rumors inflated among the young ladies.

So Father approached us, kicking up dust with each heavy step.

Rembro was trembling like a newborn deer, apparently terrified of Father.

It wasn’t a scene from a normal family.

The person Father pointed out as the culprit was none other than Bershua.

I inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.

“You are the information provider, Bershua Masipacius.”

Bershua’s face turned pale at those words.

“Father, what are you…”

“I found out that you were spreading information related to the business plan among the nobles. The information about the land must have leaked out then as well.”

Bershua shook his head at Father’s words.

“Veltune Crescent.”

He looked at Father with a shocked expression upon hearing that.

His gaze seemed to imply, how do you know that?

Seeing Bershua like that, Father gritted his teeth.

“Veltune Crescent was openly talking about it. That the Masipacius family would attend the next Gels Council instead of the Kredion family. He said since he heard it from the eldest son of that family, it must be certain.”

“That… that, Father. First, let me explain…”

Bershua called out to Father, waving his hands in the air, but Father showed no emotional fluctuation in front of such a Bershua.

It felt as if Father’s emotions were completely filled with just one thing: anger.

“I… I was trying to get back the decision-making power over the business from Rubert… No, that’s not it… I was trying to recruit sponsors for Father’s business…”

“Silence!”

He was probably jealous of having his position taken by Brother Rubert and was looking for other nobles to help him.

So he approached Veltune Crescent, a member of the imperial family, spreading stories about the Gels Council to gain his attention, and that’s probably how he and Leila were able to receive invitations in his name.

But Bershua misjudged the person.

Members of the imperial family never make deals with someone based solely on that person’s word.

Veltune must have spread information about the Gels Council to people to verify if what he heard was true.

And that information must have reached people other than Pelena’s father, Marquis Clevan, resulting in this mess.

Well, thanks to that, I won’t even be considered a suspect.

Thank you for this one.

“I’m truly sorry, Father. Please forgive me just this once.”

At Father’s shout, Bershua withdrew his hands that were trying to do something and knelt before Father.

But Father let out a mocking laugh as if his apology wasn’t satisfactory.

Father seemed more angry than expected at the eldest son of the Masipacius family who had trampled on his dream of attending the Gels Council.

“Knight commander!”

Father called out loudly for the knight commander whom he had sent outside.

As soon as Father finished speaking, the knight commander opened the training ground door and entered.

And through the closing door gap, I could see Leila watching the inside of the training ground with a rather serious expression.

“From today, Bershua Masipacius will lose the Masipacius name, at least within these walls.”

Bershua’s eyes widened at Father’s words.

The knight commander also looked back and forth between Father and Bershua as if bewildered.

“What does that…”

“It means that from today, Bershua will work as a low-ranking knight in the Masipacius guard.”

Everyone in the training ground, including Bershua, wore shocked expressions at Father’s drastic measure.

The eldest son of a marquis family becoming a low-ranking knight…

“Father, what are you…!”

Just then, Leila hurriedly opened the training ground door, rushed in, and shouted at Father.

“…Leila? I clearly told you to go back…”

Father, who was always kind to Leila, was different today.

“Father! This is unfair!”

Father frowned as if he had a headache.

“Leila, stop…”

“I heard about the rumors at the coming-of-age ceremony! They said such rumors were circulating mainly among ladies my age! And the only one who attended a banquet where she could meet many ladies a few days ago was… Sister Rowenloa!”

Hearing that, I inwardly applauded Leila.

Very accurate, isn’t she?

But there’s no evidence.

So Father, unlike his usual self, hardened his face and spoke to Leila.

“Leila, do you have any evidence that Rowenloa is the source of those rumors?”

Hearing that, Leila seemed to flinch momentarily, then looked at Bershua kneeling on the ground, and bit her lip as if she had made some decision.

“Still… the circumstantial evidence is enough!”

“Circumstantial evidence alone isn’t enough to do anything. So if you want to say Rowenloa is the culprit, find clear evidence that she is the source of the rumors. This matter could potentially determine the future of the Masipacius family. People who had shown interest in our business are now trying to distance themselves from our family because of this commotion.”

Father appeared angry but calmly explained the current situation to Leila.

Hearing that, Leila quietly avoided Father’s eyes as if she had nothing more to say.

“In a situation where there is clear evidence that Bershua is the culprit, I can’t accuse Rowenloa based solely on your word. Do you understand?”

Leila nodded at Father’s words.

Father stroked her head a few times, then ordered the knight commander to take her out of the training ground.

Once again, only Father, my brothers, and I remained in the training ground.

“Bershua, I believe you have keenly felt your ignorance and hastiness through this opportunity.”

Bershua lowered his head as if he had nothing to say in response to Father’s words.

“I believe this punishment will make you reflect and grow at the same time.”

Father left the training ground without ever helping Bershua up, and soon after, the rest of us also left the training ground.

As soon as we left, we heard a sound like someone stomping on the ground, accompanied by rough curses.

Oh, what a fool.

And Father, expecting reflection from such a person… is also a fool.