It was a notable defeat in Sylvester’s near-perfect life.

 He’d led Elodie to Toinette Street on purpose, hoping to get a headline, but he’d lost the whole thing to Leon Kreundel.

 Themis, who had already read the paper and knew the story, turned to Sylvester, who was still staring at the headline and asked lightly.

 “Is Duke Kreundel our Lili’s next potential husband?”

“Of course not.”

 “Whether it remains a rumor or becomes the truth remains to be seen; they’re both young.”

Thud, Sylvester slammed the crumpled newspaper down and turned to his wife.

 “Themis.”

 “Oh, did I say something wrong?”

She faced him, ready to take whatever he had to say with a smile.

 It wasn’t that he didn’t have something to say, but Sylvester just sighed.

 He hadn’t called Themis to talk about this unseemly business.

 ‘I don’t know where to begin.’

Knowing that the other party had already anticipated everything, he couldn’t figure out where to begin.

 After much deliberation, Sylvester broke the ice.

 “Themis, there is something I need to ask your forgiveness for.”

Themis covered her mouth with her fan and smiled with her eyes.

 Sylvester looked straight at her without avoiding her gaze.

“There’s something I haven’t told you.”

“What is it?”

 “That Elodie is not my biological daughter. Of course, you probably already knew.”

Confirming Sylvester’s later guess, Themis’s eyes widened in surprise for a moment, but she didn’t react strongly.

 “Why is he doing this all of a sudden…….”

As if gauging her husband’s intentions, Themis, swaying the fan, murmured, then abruptly folded the fan with a snap.

 “Yeah, I already knew that.”

Themis had already known about the woman who had visited the Perdia household one day.

The arrogant, cold-hearted Sylvester Perdia, and the commoner woman he loved. And the fact that the woman didn’t love him.

She wasn’t so foolish as to propose a contract marriage without thoroughly investigating the contracting party, especially since she hated losing.

Moreover…

“How could I not know? From appearance to inborn personality, she doesn’t resemble you in any way.”

 “…….”

Sylvester was momentarily speechless at the piercing words.

“Even if she resembled her biological mother, there’s a limit. She doesn’t resemble you at all.”

“You only need to say it once.”

“She really doesn’t resemble you…”

Ignoring Sylvester’s words altogether, Themis insisted three times that she didn’t resemble him. Sylvester’s face contorted miserably.

“You have to admit it, Your Grace.”

“I got it. So, stop.”

 “Of course, that wasn’t the only clue I had. Who has such a hard time with their biological daughter?”

He, fearing that his first love’s daughter might be afraid of him, had hidden her in a separate building without even showing his face. Meanwhile, all the considerations he deemed as care for Elodie ended up making the child lonely.

 “…….I never had a girl before.”

Compared to their first son, Jansi, who was born strong and healthy, Elodie was tiny as a newborn.

Sylvester was afraid he might unintentionally exert too much force.

“I understand, Your Grace.”

Themis also had the same thought. It was when she looked down at the newborn Elodie who couldn’t speak.

The soft, fluffy baby hair that looked like it might melt if touched, and petal-like pink eyes looking up.

‘Has an angel descended to this gloomy Perdia?’

So, for a while, she silently stared at the baby.

Of course, Elodie wouldn’t remember that encounter.

 “I already knew that she wasn’t Your Grace’s biological daughter, but I was a bit surprised when the child said she manifested powers. I thought the mother was a commoner, so I assumed the father would be from one of the four major families.”

With that thought, there was only one person who came to mind.

“That child, Lili, she’s the daughter of the Duke of Severes, isn’t she?”

“Yes.”

 “They have the same aura.”

“…….”

Seeing Sylvester’s displeasure, Themis chuckled.

 “If it bothers you so much, Your Grace, you should have been the one to conceive that child.”

 “…….”

Sylvester looked at Themis as if he couldn’t believe her words.

In the face of Sylvester’s seemingly invisible honest reaction, Themis, once again, covered her mouth with the fan, smiling delicately.

“Today, of all days, there’s a taste of teasing you, Your Grace.”

In a situation where forgiveness was sought, Sylvester couldn’t offer any counterarguments.

In this situation, the one with the absolute authority was Themis Perdia.

Themis, who briefly enjoyed that authority, lost her smile.

“If you had told me the truth from the beginning, you wouldn’t have to left Lili alone like that.”

“It was my misjudgment.”

 “You mean you didn’t trust me enough to do so.”

A contractual marriage of mutual interest.

Although she gave birth to Jansi, Perdia’s heir, he didn’t fully reveal the circumstances of the birth of the child he had received from his first love.

 ‘I suppose he thought I might do some harm to her blood.’

A bitter smile tugged at Themis’s lips. She had first heard the rumors of her husband’s mistress’s arrival in Perdia, and then Sylvester’s visit to her, telling her not to interfere with the child.

It was a marriage made through a deal, something that could be said adequately. Since there was no affectionate emotion between them, such a restriction felt rather unpleasant. That’s why Themis remained indifferent, not even sparing a glance at Elodie, who was left neglected due to their relationship.

‘If I had known it would turn out like this, I would have given up the grudge.’

Elodie was left abandoned in their relationship, tangled in such a way.

Between the flamboyant fan, Themis and Sylvester’s gazes met.

 “Do you think I’m a reliable partner now?”

 “……Yes.”

There was still no affection.

However, between the couple who raised two children together, there was an indescribable camaraderie and a consideration that could not be expressed in words.

 Themis laughed softly.

“You don’t even say with empty words that it was the best choice. Well, I think the same way.”

Becoming the Duchess of Perdia, gaining unparalleled power. What other choice could be better than that? Themis still looked at her husband, who maintained the dignity of his youth.

He said he was seeking forgiveness, didn’t he?

“All right. I forgive you, Your Grace.”

In the moment of Themis’s declaration.

Sylvester’s expression, subtly frozen, softened for a moment.

 Themis thought it looked like relief.

 A question crossed Themis’s mind.

A person who hadn’t said a word for 20 years suddenly seeks forgiveness. There must have been some reason.

The trigger was undoubtedly –

“Hmm, was it Lili who asked you to seek forgiveness from me?”

It would be Elodie Perdia.

Without denying or hiding anything, Sylvester, who had no intention of doing so, nodded without hesitation.

“That’s right.”

 “So, you’re saying that Lili learned the secret of her birth, too?”

 “Yes. She said she knew since around summer.”

 “That’s when she was negotiating with me over the antidote.”

The summer for Elodie, when the person believed to be her father turned out not to be, and the family members treated her coldly.

Instead of succumbing to despair, Elodie chose to find a way out somehow.

‘Even proposing a deal to someone like me.’

She was a strong child.

She even planned to use the money from making and selling the antidote as independent funds to leave the mansion.

Knowing the secret of her birth that shook her world, Elodie also considered Themis’s feelings.

 “In the midst of all that, worrying about others, she’s really become kind.”

“She is a kind child.”

Sylvester agreed with satisfaction.

 But he couldn’t help but narrow his eyes at Themis’s next words.

 “She’s too good and pure for a child of Perdia. She really doesn’t resemble you at all. Your Grace should know that.”

The phrase ‘does not resemble’ has been repeated four times this time. Until when will this d*mn phrase continue?

 “I don’t know.”

 “You do.”

 “Someone mentioned that her glaring face resembles mine.”

“Who?”

“….”

Sylvester couldn’t bring himself to say that he had been thinking that way alone.

In any case, in some corner, she did resemble him.

Themis looked at her stubborn husband and shook her head in amazement.

***

 <Eart Hawk Mercenaries>, Somnia Branch.

Having read an interesting article, Deputy Commander Mario, using the report as an excuse, entered the commander’s office humming a tune.

His stern boss was still working on some paperwork while keeping a communication magic device in plain sight, the only one used for communication with a single person.

So that he could receive the call immediately, no matter when it came.

 ‘Sincere, it’s sincerity.’

Mario stacked the newspaper on top of the papers he’d brought with him for the occasion.

 “It’s hot in Somnia again today, our Lady Lili is quite the sensation. How many scandals has she been involved in already? Divorcing the First Prince, a scandal with the Second Prince, and now the Duke of Kreundel!”

Mario laughed cheerfully.

Leaning against the desk and staring at the documents, Raeyan slowly raised his head.

“Shut that mouth of yours.”

“Oh, if I shut my mouth, how can I report-.”

With a triumphant look, while speaking with force, at that moment.

Swoosh! Something sharp passed by Mario’s face like a swift gust of wind.

 “……!”

Stiffened, Mario looked down, only to find that the newspaper he had arrogantly spread on top of the documents was gone.

“Did you just throw the newspaper like a knife? At me?”

 “Isn’t that what you brought it for?”

 “Of course not!”

Though Mario complained with goosebumps, holding his shivering arm, he shouted loudly.

 “I brought it because I was worried about you and all you did was bully me. I hate you…….”

While Mario was grumbling, Raeyan didn’t even look at him. Staring intently at him, Mario asked in a serious tone.

“Lady Lili is so popular, will you just stand by quietly?”

Mario was not only Raeyan’s long-time follower but also a devoted servant. He had been with him since the founding of the mercenary group, accumulating power and becoming an integral part of the founding members.

The vice-captain became another set of eyes and ears for the captain.

 Naturally, Mario knew that Raeyan was the sole heir of the Vietan family and had a significant interest in the young lady of the Perdia family.

He acted as if Elodie Perdia were his only life goal.

Mario found that utterly frustrating.

 “And if she does indeed become engaged to the Duke of Kreundel.”

 “It’s none of my business.”

 “Really?”

 “…….”

“Aren’t you bothered at all?”

Mario scrutinized the unchanging expression on his superior’s face, trying to decipher what thoughts might be hidden behind that inscrutable visage.

It was an expressionless face that made it impossible to discern any thoughts.

 “Captain, you have feelings for Miss Lili.”

 “It’s not that kind of feeling.”

 “Are you sure you have no other feelings?”

“I am.”

Mario, at a loss for words, snorted and walked out without looking at him again. Once again left alone in the office, Raeyan, who remained focused on documents, found it hard to concentrate.

Suddenly, he remembered the conversation he’d had with Elodie when they’d met to debrief Duke Kreundel’s investigation.

“How do you plan to get close to him? Perhaps you’ll use your beauty as a weapon?”

“If necessary.”

Perhaps these scandals were part of Elodie’s plan.

As long as she achieved her goals, she didn’t care about her reputation. But why did it bother Raeyan so much?

 He couldn’t concentrate on the paperwork.

He wanted to meet Elodie, but it wasn’t something that could be achieved just by wishing. Usually, their meetings happened when Elodie sought him out first.

After much contemplation, Raeyan picked up the communication device.

Soon, the connection was established.

 [Raeyan].

 “…….”

Upon hearing the voice, he was momentarily breathless, unable to utter a word.

Then Elodie asked in surprise.

 [What’s wrong? Is something the matter? Where are you?]

“No, nothing’s wrong.”

[Really? That’s a relief.]

The image of Elodie’s bashful smile seemed to appear before his eyes.

Raeyan stared at the communication device as if he were glaring at it.

You are so affectionate to everyone, not just me. It made him wonder at that moment.

 ‘What do I want to be to you?’

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