Upon noticing Seira’s uneasiness, Fersen inquired with a hint of perplexity:

“Why do you look like that?”

“It’s just… if we go through with this contract, I worry that something bad might happen to you later on.”

And such a contract could also harm the Marquis’s family who arranged it. Fersen frowned as if he couldn’t understand why she’d feel that way.

“What kind of contract are you talking about? I don’t understand. I intend to adhere to all the stipulations in the contract, and where it’s lacking, I’ve devised ways to gain some benefit,” he explained.

Meaning that the contract was very subtle and deceitful. However, Fersen insisted that he had negotiated the contract fairly and squarely.

“I will fulfill the contract according to what is written. If there were disagreeable terms, they should have been scrutinized before agreeing.”

And so, vindicating himself again, Fersen argued that he was in the right, while those who didn’t check the contract were at fault.

Seira’s eyes trembled like a storm. Something was definitely wrong, and it needed to be rectified, but she didn’t know what went wrong and where.

“There’s no need to worry. My father also praised it as an excellent method. I think so too. If the Antares Merchant Guild falters through this contract, I will seize the opportunity and take over the rest of the trading partners.”

Having finished explaining, Fersen lightly kissed Seira’s forehead in appreciation.

Thanks to her, they could smoothly execute this venture.

Seira, who had been endlessly shaken, steadied her heart. As Fersen said, I thought it was their fault for signing the contract carelessly.

Besides, the trading partners who switched to Fersen this time were families of no significant power or prestige, so she thought it’d be fine as long as they kept them under control, and suppressed her anxiety.

* * *

As always, after finishing her daily duties at the Duke’s office, Seira returned to the Marquis’s residence only after sunset.

Ever since she started managing Fersen’s volatile state, her days revolved around him.

Being unmarried still, her parents naturally worried, but the subject of her attention was the heir of a Duke’s family.

On the contrary, the Marquis and Marchioness of Granada were not pleased with Seira’s movements.

After dinner, pondering on what else she could do for Fersen before retiring to bed. And then, upon waking, she had to meet Fersen again.

Such were Seira’s thoughts when she stepped out of the carriage upon arriving at the Duke’s residence.

“Lady Seira!”

“Flory?”

Flory Flora had come looking for her. It was quite late to be visiting someone else’s residence.

Upon inquiring, Flory, with reddened eyes, complained.

“I tried to see you several times, but you were not there, so I waited! I have something very important to tell Lady Seira, but you were always away…!”

“Oh, I’m sorry, I was busy.”

“I even left a note…!”

Recalling the note Flory left, it asked for contact as there was something important to discuss. Twice at that.

‘…Annoying.’

Seira’s expression turned cold. Just because she was visited, didn’t mean she needed to meet. Nor did she need to respond to a note.

She barely had time to meet Fersen, let alone spare time for Flory.

Moreover, Flory, who always whined whenever they met, drained Seira’s energy every time.

“I apologize. I am a bit tired. Can we talk about it later?”

Of course, later meant never. It was a gentle way of expressing her disinterest. Catching the drift, Flory was quite flustered and clung to Seira.

“It’s a must, a must-hear story! It’s about that woman!”

“That woman?”

Luna Peils? The name of the woman who turned Fersen this way made Seira, who was ignoring Flory and heading inside, stop in her tracks.

“Yes…! It seems that woman is intending to torment me this time!”

“Is it because of the incident at the last gathering?”

Though unrelated, Flory nodded, fearing that Seira wouldn’t listen otherwise.

“Well, yes, yes! It seems so.”

She was intent on asserting her innocence when it came to the gold mine issue. Using a letter she tricked Fersen into receiving, she pushed him into the abyss, continuing to torment not only him but also those around him.

Indeed, she was a wicked woman full of lies, Seira concurred and accepted Flory’s conversation.

Of course, her acceptance wasn’t purely for Flory’s sake.

If that wicked woman had started her nefarious acts again, she intended to expose those acts widely to alleviate Fersen’s injustices, even if slightly.

“Alright. Let’s go to the reception room. Sorry, but it’s late, so please get to the point.”

Flory, with a change of expression, hurriedly followed Seira.

Before the servant could even bring out the tea, Flory, who was seated on the living room sofa, poured out her situation.

“I met her at a coming-of-age ceremony party, and well~ there was this woman acting differently around him, dancing and laughing with him! Just like what happened to Seira, without a doubt, she tried to drive a wedge between him and me!”

Flory forcefully matched the situation to what Seira had experienced, hoping she would sympathize and get angry.

Moreover, it was half true. The man who caught her eye at first sight was snatched away by Luna Peils and they danced together. It wasn’t a lie.

So, she thought Seira would immediately take her side, but Seira frowned as if she couldn’t understand, and retorted.

“But wasn’t that woman dating young lord Vincent? I’ve heard such rumors. They danced together at the party and left after having a long conversation.”

That had also caused a rift between Fersen and Seira. Since hearing that Luna was meeting with Antes, Fersen started to fall apart.

Adding the question whether that man might be Antes, Flory vehemently denied.

“No! He was very kind, tender, and polite! He definitely wasn’t the crazy person from the rumors!”

“So you’re saying, while she was dating young lord Vincent, she also reached out to lady Flory’s man?”

“Yes! It’s clear! It happened before the party started, probably to torment me before the crazy guy from the rumors came!”

With Flory confidently blaming Luna, Seira, who had been doubting the situation, began to take her side.

“…Doing such things again. So, the words denying it were all lies. She enjoys seeing others in agony.”

Seira couldn’t hide her anger, overlaying her own past onto Flory’s demeanor.

“Which family’s young man is he? It seems he doesn’t know how wicked that woman is, so how about paying a visit and informing him? If he needs a witness, I’ll step up.”

It was realistic advice, but Flory was perplexed. She didn’t know which family’s the young man was.

They had parted before even exchanging full names, so it wasn’t appropriate to express such anger towards him.

She just couldn’t bear the thought of the man who made her heart race for the first time in her life being snatched away by Luna.

So, after a moment of contemplation, Flory mixed truth and falsehood in her explanation.

“The truth is, before having such a conversation, that woman snatched him away from me… As soon as I was trying to get along with him! She had been watching!”

Flory pulled a handkerchief from her bosom and wiped her eyes. Knowing her words lacked persuasiveness, she resorted to tears.

Even if everything Flory said was true, the blame wasn’t on Luna but that man.

If he had moved on to another woman while things were going well with Flory, it was him not keeping his courtesy.

But Seira, who had been tormented by Luna before, thought differently. She accepted it as if Luna had snatched that man away while really watching over Flory.

“Next time you meet him, expose that wicked woman’s true colors and drive her away. If he came to the coming-of-age ceremony party, he would come to the New Year party. I’ll help you. No one has been tormented by her more than me.”

“But what if that woman comes along too? As I mentioned last time, I’ve made a vow, so I can’t act recklessly towards her… I don’t know what wish she might make.”

Flory shed tears again. It was very unfair and sad, and she felt miserable for not being able to say a single word.

Seira comforted Flory, telling her not to worry.

“Don’t worry. I’ll talk to him. If the situation isn’t good, we can just call him separately and talk.”

“Really? Thank you!”

Upon that, Flory held Seira’s hand. Indeed, there was no one but Seira. She seemed fragile, but she was assertive when it came to Luna.

It would be easier to talk to other young ladies now that Seira, who had a good image in society, was on her side.

Now, she could also explain the outcome of the trial being due to the letter Luna tricked Fersen into receiving.

By doing so, if many sided with her, she could certainly drive Luna Peils away.

She aimed for a time to exchange full names with the young man, build a good relationship, and take things further.

Without even meeting Antes yet, Flory, who already imagined having a close relationship and strolling by the lakeside with him, left the Marquis’s residence with a pleased expression.