Attempting to regain composure after the belated shock was futile.

I had observed Duke Kreundel’s profound surprise quite clearly.

 ‘I suppose you didn’t expect me to ask such a question.’

Having successfully piqued his interest, it was now time for me to take control of the conversation.

Naturally, Duke Kreundel feigned ignorance.

“I’m not sure what the Lady is talking about.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

How absurd that I once believed him to be too morally upright to tell lies! His face showed no hint of deceit. If it weren’t for Greed’s insight, I might have fallen for it.

I discreetly glanced at the spot where Duke Perdia had disappeared.

Not knowing when he would return made me impatient.

I needed to wrap this up quickly.

Image management was not among its contents.

 “Duke Kreundel, was also present during the founding ceremony, wasn’t he?”

 “Yes, that’s correct.”

“If you were there, you must have witnessed the miracles I performed.”

Admitting to it myself felt embarrassing.

Unfazed, Duke Kreundel responded calmly.

 “Yes, I am aware that the Lady was chosen as the savior by the goddess Ishtar. I saw it with my own eyes.”

“You seem well-informed, hmm. Then you also know that it is not strange for me to learn that your Grace has made a pact with sin.”

I looked Duke Kreundel straight in the eye.

With the determination that there is no use in pretending not to know any more. In the end, it was Duke Kreundel who averted his eyes first.

 “Your Grace?”

 “Fine.”

What’s fine?

 I raised an eyebrow, prompting him to exhale as if he had given up, and then he spoke.

“Please report it.”

 “Huh?”

 “I will follow the temple’s instructions.”

Wait, this isn’t……!

 “Your Grace, please calm down and listen to what I have to say-.”

“I have committed deeds unbefitting of a descendant of a family that sealed a sin. The Savior has seen my transgressions with eyes of truth, and I can no longer hide them. I apologize for the lies, my lady.”

His sudden repentance, admitting guilt, and urging me to report him, was beyond my expectations.

 ‘Why did he suddenly become a paragon of virtue!’

It would have been better to keep pretending not to know.

I couldn’t help but scrutinize the agonized expression on the duke’s face.

 “Are you prepared to accept any consequences?”

 “Yes.”

“Even if it means stepping down from the position of the head of your family?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“You might be expelled from the country, you know?”

“Yes. I am prepared for that.”

 “…….”

His current demeanor seemed to reflect Duke Kreundel’s true feelings.

‘You seem to be feeling guilty about contracting a sin.’

Even though I, too, had established a connection with one, it wasn’t to the extent of a pact with a sin.

However, I felt no guilt.

In any case, I had no intention of reporting Duke Kreundel to the temple for his pact.

“But, Your Grace, if I keep quiet, no one will know that you made a deal with a sin.”

 “What?”

“I just want to propose a deal.”

“….What do you want from me?”

Duke Kreundel looked at me with a wary expression, and it was understandable.

After suddenly exposing his weakness, I was now suggesting a deal.

‘But we don’t know when the Duke of Perdia will come back, and it might take some time to persuade him.’

It was better to make a strong impression now.

With a thoughtful expression, I replied.

“I cannot disclose the details of the deal right now. I’ll inform you when you agree. Will you engage in a deal with me?”

“I will listen first and then decide.”

 “What shall I tell you, Your Grace?”

 “…….”

 “Just as your secrets are strictly confidential, so are mine. So, I cannot reveal anything to an untrustworthy party.”

I handed a note to Duke Kreundel with the code for my communication magic device.

“I’ll give you time to think. One week. No more than that.”

 “…….”

 “Please don’t let me turn you in, Your Grace.”

Although presented as a proposal, it was, in fact, a veiled threat.

I wanted to open up and share everything, but it was not possible.

Since I would be using the power of sin to contact the Duke of Serveres, I had to be careful what I said, and it would be best if it were not known that I was his biological daughter.

 ‘What if he turns himself in……?’

With my paranoid nature, the possibility of such an extreme measure couldn’t be entirely ruled out.

I subtly dropped a hint.

“Perhaps, I might be able to help with finding the person you’re looking for. It’s a part of the deal.”

Duke Kreundel’s eyes widened slightly. Although he seemed to have questions to ask, the words that came out were a simple acceptance.

“…I will think about it.”

 “By the way, my father doesn’t know anything, so let’s keep this between us.”

“Yes.”

Duke Kreundel responded, and not long after, Duke Perdia entered the reception room.

 “Pardon me. The conversation seems to have extended.”

 “No problem, Duke Perdia. I was just having a chat with the lady.”

 “……I see.”

I wondered why the duke’s expression darkened at the mention of a guest and a host having a chat, but I breathed a sigh of relief that I had achieved my purpose of the visit, which was to make contact with the Duke of Kreundel.

I tried to eavesdrop on their business conversation, hoping to find any useful information, but my mind became increasingly blurred.

 [Kurr…….]

The insatiable Greed was already snoring and sleeping soundly.

Sleepiness overwhelmed me as the conversation was full of difficult topics.

 I desperately tried not to embarrass myself by falling asleep in someone else’s house.

“Then I will send you a written report of our discussion.”

“Yes, please take care of it, Your Grace.”

My eyes snapped open at the words that sounded like a conclusion, regardless of who heard them.

 ‘It’s over!’

I quickly stood up, following Duke Perdia, who was leaving the room.

 “You may then proceed, Duke Perdia, and …… the Lady.”

 “Thank you, Duke Kreundel, for your kindness, it’s been an educational experience. Until next time.”

I’d handed over the code for the communications tool anyway, and there was nothing immediate to discuss with the involved parties.

‘I thought I was going to die of boredom.’

We promptly boarded the waiting carriage. After sitting for several hours, my body felt stiff. When I tried to move around to loosen up, Duke Perdia glanced at me.

“Is your business with Duke Kreundel finished? If you want, I can arrange for more meetings.”

“No, it’s enough.”

Then Duke Perdia turned his head to the side and muttered inaudibly.

“…Seems like you weren’t pleased.”

“What “

“Never mind, it’s nothing.”

What does he mean by not being pleased? Although I found his words puzzling, I wasn’t curious enough to ask further.

“Are we going back now?”

As our business was done, it was a straightforward question about returning to Perdia Manor. However, Duke Perdia stared at me without giving an answer.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Hmm.”

“Is it because I stubbornly followed you?”

“…Did you forget anything?”

The Duke of Perdia asked, uncharacteristically coyly.

I naturally understood what he meant.

“Of course, I haven’t forgotten, Father.”

 “Hmm.”

My prediction was correct; as soon as I addressed him as ‘Father,’ the duke’s expression softened.

‘A conversation I couldn’t have imagined before.’

Things that were once invisible gradually came into view.

Something like the part where his expression softened slightly when he was being generous.

It seemed that his words of trying weren’t just empty words.

Feeling a bit embarrassed, I lifted the curtain of the carriage to glance outside.

However, something seemed off.

The scenery outside was moving in the opposite direction.

“Um… doesn´t it feel like we’re being kidnapped?”

 “…….”

“We’re not heading towards Perdia Manor!”

“I know.”

 “What? Then, Father, are you kidnapping me?”

With a sigh, Duke Perdia nodded.

“Yes, I am the kidnapper.”

His confident declaration left me speechless.

‘He could have just said he had somewhere to go and took us there…’

***

From the time the father and daughter left the house of Perdia, there were those who stealthily followed them.

But Sylvester left them alone.

Their true identity was that they were reporters blinded by a scoop.

These guys come in like a pack of hungry hyenas looking for something to write about.

Normally, Sylvester would easily shake them off, but today was different.

 There was only one reason for that.

In order to show off the close father-daughter relationship with Elodie. He wanted many witnesses, and extensive coverage, and he hoped the news would spread throughout the entire empire.

There had been a few articles recently about the Duke of Perdia’s love for Elodie Perdia, but it wasn’t enough. This was to lay the groundwork to be able to claim that she was his daughter even if Richard Severes did wake up.

“Where are we going?”

“You’ll know when we get there.”

Sylvester continued to gaze out the window, observing Elodie’s side profile, still seemingly curious about their destination.

He recalled how surprised he had been when she unexpectedly requested him to arrange a casual meeting with Duke Kreundel. This time, he was secretly worried that she might announce her intention to marry Duke Kreundel.

In that case, he had even prepared to gracefully exit the scene to respect Elodie’s wishes.

However, the result was different. Throughout the business discussion, Elodie, who seemed disinterested and on the verge of falling asleep, swiftly left the Kreundel Manor as soon as the conversation ended.

He remembered the face of Duke Kreundel, looking at his daughter with lingering regret.

‘He’s out.’

Leon Kreundel, indeed, was not suitable as Elodie’s match.

 Finally, the carriage entered Toinette Street, an upscale shopping district. 

Elodie, scanning familiar shops, turned to the duke and asked.

“Do you have anything you want to buy? If so, you can instruct your subordinate to handle it.”

“I came out on purpose.”

“On purpose?”

 “Yes. To have a quiet date with my daughter.”

Elodie momentarily forgot to breathe.

“A da-date?”

It was a strangely unfamiliar phrase coming from Duke Perdia.

“Well, you’re busy.”

“I’m not busy.”

“You must be busy…….”

 “I’m not busy at all, so come and visit me often.”

Sylvester stepped out of the carriage with Elodie, who was surprised by his words.

This time, he got out first and escorted her down so she wouldn’t jump off alone.

Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, and it was lovely to see.

 “If there’s something you want, just let me know.”

“I can’t think of anything right now.”

“Really? Well, then let’s take a stroll for now.”

The arrival of the Perdia’s caused a stir in Toinette Street.

 Sylvester Perdia was the wealthiest figure in the Empire, and whenever he and the Duchess visited Toinette Street, the sales of the shops they visited skyrocketed.

 “This is the first time he’s been here alone with his daughter, isn’t it?”

 “As far as I know.”

The merchants out on the street were chatting and glancing at the Perdia father and daughter duo.

Sylvester was an extraordinary human being. He really swept the streets of Toinette.

This is because he bought everything that caught Elodie’s attention even for a moment.

[sc name=”add_image” image_url=” https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ABLVV85DC4dZhimBE9k7vCce7bVIdLQIgph6Xxwn_7AnzNpe9yQUNalPvEao5qSa1fiFz_gpEhlxx2SNz3Pm7BJ–XT4ms1vkJVcNfNX3yH4rhdH5Sx0jKs=w2400″][/sc]

At first, Elodie enjoyed shopping according to the whims of Duke Perdia, but her expression gradually soured.

“Father! This is too much!”

“Perdia and ‘too much’ don’t go together, Elodie.”

“It really is too much!”

“Same thing, isn’t it? Now, let’s go to the next store.”

Elodie followed the duke with a tired expression.

‘Is this some kind of Perdia-style financial education, part three? Scary!’

Sylvester, not even aware of how Elodie was looking at him, was conscious of the gaze of the journalists watching them.

‘The news will probably come out tomorrow.’

It’ll be about how close the father and daughter are. . . . . . As Sylvester expected, a news article was published the next day.

[Duke Leon Kreundel and Lady Perdia’s Secretly Romantic Relationship? A relationship also approved by Duke Sylvester Perdia…….]

The article was published. In a completely unexpected direction.

“…….”

Crunch…….

The newspaper crumpled in Sylvester’s hands.

Heh heh… Themis, who had been watching the spectacle, covered the corners of her mouth with her fan and laughed loudly.

 “Well, well. It seems the young man has stolen the show, Your Grace.”

Indeed, it was just like she said.