AFRPR 45

Chapter 45

For Lennox, people who would do anything for money were actually easier to deal with.

If you pay them well enough, at least they won’t have stupid ideas.

Fortunately, he had plenty of money.

“No refunds.”

“You gave me a faulty product.”

“If you want a refund, we need to find out if the medicine was actually the problem. Maybe your wife just has a rare condition.”

Claude kept talking non-stop to avoid giving a refund.

“Bring me a small sample of your wife’s blood. Or better yet, bring her here. I’ll find out the cause within a week.”

“And if it really is the medicine’s fault?”

Claude scoffed.

“That’s impossible. I’m a genius.”

“…”

“If something went wrong, the problem would be with the world, not me.”

Lennox thought: So you have to be this insane to become the Tower Master.

“I hope you keep that confidence when the results come in.”

“Of course, of course.”

At least now there wouldn’t be any talk of refunds for a while.

In a good mood, Claude hugged the gold coins like a beloved treasure.

“You planning to die clutching all that money?” Lennox asked, baffled by Claude’s obsession.

“I have things to spend it on.”

“Like what?”

Claude froze, scratched his head.

“…Huh. What was it again? I forgot.”

Truly a ridiculous eccentric.

Meanwhile, in the capital’s busy center

There was a strange shop here—strange because it often drove customers away.

“I’m so sorry. Please come again next time.”
“We truly apologize.”

This famous boutique never gave anyone special treatment, not even nobles.

Except today.

“Is she really coming?”
“I told you, yes!”

The staff whispered in excitement.

Ding!

The customer arrived.

Everyone held their breath.

Black hair. Red eyes.
A deadly, intimidating face that made your knees weak just by looking.

“Is this the right place?”

It was Glessia Winterlen.

The pink-haired woman beside her answered casually,
“This is my gift to you.”

“…Why?”

“We’re family. I can buy you a few outfits.”

“….”

“Is that… not okay?”

Estelle gave her a pitiful look.

Without thinking, Glessia replied,
“I’ll take them.”

“Me too!”

“Alright, Duren, let’s choose clothes with Aunt Glessia.”

“Yeah!”

Estelle’s voice soon filled the store:
“I’ll take this, and this, and that one too.”

Duren got tired and pretended to sleep—then actually fell asleep.

“Lady Glessia, are you tired?”
“…Mm. No? No.”

Glessia shook her head quickly, trying not to show her dazed expression.

“Tia, do whatever you want.”

Even though Lennox’s bad reputation overshadowed everything about the Winterlens now, Glessia’s own personality was just as intense.

“Lady Glessia, try this.”

Estelle popped a store snack into her mouth without hesitation.

To everyone’s shock, Glessia obediently opened her mouth like a baby bird.

“It’s good, right?”

“…Mm. Uh-huh.”

She actually thought it was just okay—but she nodded hard so Estelle wouldn’t be disappointed.

“See?”

Estelle then took out a handkerchief and wiped sugar from Glessia’s lips, as if she’d done it many times before.

Glessia shut her eyes tightly, trying her best to behave.

Like a wild beast hiding its claws.

“Ah!”
“Duke! Welcome!”

Lennox entered the store.

With two Winterlen family members present, the atmosphere grew so tense the staff’s hands shook. Some even had trouble breathing.

“Is your work done?” Estelle asked calmly.

“More or less. And you?”

“I think I’ve bought almost everything.”

“Then let’s go.”

But something caught Lennox’s eye before leaving—a hairpin shaped like a flower, made of yellow diamond and platinum.

“Shall I show you?” the clerk asked.

He nodded.

Lennox held it up to Estelle’s hair.

“It suits you.”

“I already have a lot like this from wedding gifts.”

“Do you?”

He had given her so many random things back then, he couldn’t remember exactly.

It felt a little disappointing—he thought she might not accept it.

“Excuse me,” he said, and gently touched her hair.

I should’ve paid more attention when Duren was styling her hair before… then I could pin this more nicely.

He looked up, locking eyes with Estelle’s wide gaze.

“Put it on the bill,” he told the clerk immediately.

Estelle blinked, startled. She was about to ask why, but he spoke first, silencing her.

She’s beautiful.

That was all it took for him to want to buy it.

“Thank you,” she said.

“It’s nothing.”

Ah… this is just part of pretending to be a normal married couple, Estelle thought, playing along.

Still staring at her, Lennox easily picked up the sleeping Duren.

“Goodbye, please come again!”
“Take care!”

As soon as they left, the staff started whispering.

“They touched, right?”
“They did.”

Lennox… touched someone? That was unheard of.

People had died just for almost touching him.

When news of their marriage broke, everyone said the same thing:

One of them will be dead soon.

“Who started that rumor?”
“…I even placed a bet.”
“On which side?”
“…Doesn’t matter now. I’m betting again!”

“On what?”
“That they’ll stay together forever. All in.”

“Have you heard?”
“About that woman? Of course!”

The Duke and Duchess of Winterlen were back in the capital, and gossip about them was everywhere—especially about Estelle.

“They say she went on another spree yesterday.”
“She bought up rough, dangerous land just to build a villa for a child.”
“She poured money into some penniless dreamer’s project.”

To the public, she was now a foolish, vain, wasteful woman.

Winterlen Estate

“Duchess! I’ve composed a song for your beauty!”

Early in the morning, a man’s singing woke Estelle.
It was awful.

She wasn’t the only one suffering.

“Now even flies are coming,” Lennox muttered, scowling out the window.
He was ready to kill.

“Do you know him? If not, you don’t have to answer.”

She didn’t recognize him.
It was obvious why he’d come—

“A beautiful lady! Please give me some gold—!”

He wanted investment money.

Ever since Estelle had once given a poor adventurer enough to set sail, more people like this had shown up.

“Keep sleeping. I’ll deal with him.”

Lennox went outside.

A short scream later, the singing stopped.

When he returned, his outfit was different.
Estelle guessed exactly what had happened.

He probably took care of it himself, then cleaned up.

“Too many useless pests trying to get your money,” he said.

“Maybe I look like an easy target,” she replied.

Lennox froze.
“…Wait. I’ll go back to that guy.”

He wanted to make an example so no one would dare again.

“Now? We have breakfast with Duren.”

“…”
“After breakfast, you have to take Duren for a walk.”
“…Then after that—”

His plan kept getting pushed back.

“Estelle, I’m not telling you how to spend your money, but…”
He hesitated.
“At least cut back on giving it away. Otherwise people like him will keep coming.”

“I’ll try.”

That “try” really meant no.

Lennox had once wondered if her spending had some hidden motive. But she spent money so randomly, he couldn’t predict it.

She doesn’t seem like someone who enjoys luxury, he thought.
Instead… she’s more like someone who enjoys looking at her own little treasure box.

There were people like that sometimes.

Shaking off the thought, he said,
“By the way, I need some of your blood. Is that alright?”

“My blood?”

“The Tower Master wants to study your condition after taking mandrake medicine. It could be valuable research.”

I think you’re unwell, and I want to check.

But he didn’t say that out loud—she was hiding her illness.

“If you doubt it, you can go to the Tower yourself for testing,” he added.

Estelle hesitated.
She was trying to lure the Tower Master through her spending, but meeting him like this was risky.