CHAPTER 40….
Knock, knock—
“Father, may I come in?”
“Liri? Of course, come in.”
Linaria stepped into the office. She wasn’t empty-handed—she was carrying a tray with a tea set.
It looked heavy enough that Dante immediately stood up to take it from her.
“Why are you carrying this yourself?”
“I wanted to prepare it personally. It’s honey tea. The Tower Master told me it’s good when you’re tired.”
“Honey tea?”
“You’ve been very busy lately, haven’t you? You were still here in the office because you’ve been handling that trading company’s sudden request to buy glowstones, right?”
“Yes. I was surprised when they wanted to buy a large quantity of something no one else was looking for, but now I’m glad I followed your advice.”
When a new trading company first proposed buying glowstones in bulk for a new business, Dante’s attitude had been lukewarm.
After all, he hadn’t acquired the mine to sell glowstones in the first place.
The one who had persuaded him then was Linaria.
“Father, I really hope you’ll go ahead with this project.”
“We’ve nothing to lose… but is there some particular reason it must go ahead?”
“It’s a good cause. For now, they’re investing in the mining business, but I think its use could be expanded. For example, to impoverished people who can’t even afford light.”
Hearing that, Dante had made his decision.
“It seems to be going much more smoothly than I expected. The merchant is so capable that they started with a trial in the Brimstone Duchy’s mines.”
Father, that’s me.
Linaria swallowed the thought.
She had put forward a completely fictitious figure as the head of the company—someone with no connection to either herself or the Duke of Brimstone.
So Dante had no idea that the capable merchant was sitting right in front of him.
He had simply assumed that, since the glowstones came from Obel, the Duke of Brimstone would be repulsed by the idea—but instead, the duke had been eager to collaborate, which had surprised him.
“Oh dear, have I been boring you with nothing but business talk?”
“No, I enjoy it. But please pace yourself. You’ve only just recovered—what if your health worsens again?”
“It’s Ricardo who’s suffering more than I am.”
At the mention of Ricardo, Linaria fell silent.
“This is good tea. You should have some too.”
They sat facing each other and drank.
After a bit of light small talk, Linaria got to the point.
“Do you have time this evening?”
“Of course. For you, I can make time even if I didn’t have any.”
Dante smiled warmly.
“I’m planning to have dinner with the Duke of Brimstone.”
“The Duke of Brimstone?”
“Yes. There’s been… various incidents involving him recently.”
“More precisely, the rumor that you were attacked.”
Dante set down his cup with a low sigh.
“That day, if you hadn’t personally convinced me alongside the duke, I would have thought he was the one harming you.”
Others believed there had been a stabbing incident, but in truth, Linaria and the Duke of Brimstone had formed a partnership that day.
They had then gone to Dante to ask for his cooperation—without revealing the full truth.
“The moment I leave here, rumors will start saying I tried to kill your daughter.”
“Did you harm my daughter?”
“As you can see, I haven’t touched a hair on her head. I don’t intend to, either.”
“…”
“But I do have a rat in my house. I need to set a trap, and I’m asking for your help.”
“You think I’ll just watch my daughter be used as bait?”
“You misunderstand. This is a deal I made with Linaria, not with you, Dante Obel.”
Dante had been taken aback—apparently, he had been pulled into a deal with the Duke of Brimstone without even realizing it.
“If anything at all threatens my daughter, I will immediately reveal that the rumors are false.”
“Do so.”
Only after extracting several promises that Linaria wouldn’t be harmed had Dante agreed.
Knowing how much her father worried for her, Linaria held his hand tightly.
“The duke wishes to apologize for what happened.”
“…Apologize?”
Dante’s expression made it clear he found that hard to believe.
He had lived nearly twenty years under the duke’s open hostility.
He couldn’t imagine a man changing overnight.
And since this was a deal, the Duke of Brimstone had no obligation to apologize in the first place.
In a true deal, both sides exchanged something of equal value.
“He feels he owes you an apology for involving an outsider in his family’s affairs. And he says he has something to tell you as well.”
“That’s unexpected.”
From the tone, it didn’t sound like bad news.
First the Tower Master, now the Duke of Brimstone—
It seemed people with whom Dante had long-standing grudges were gathering around Linaria.
“Liri, don’t overwork yourself.”
“He’s the one who suggested it, you know.”
Even though she had been the one to make first contact, Linaria played innocent.
“By the way, have you been sleeping well lately?”
“Sleeping?”
The sudden question made Linaria tilt her head. In truth, she’d been napping more than usual.
“Yes, I’ve been sleeping fine.”
“If you ever have strange dreams, promise me you’ll tell me.”
“All right.”
It was an easy promise to make.
Linaria nodded and stood.
“I’ll be stepping out for a bit.”
“Out?”
“Yes. I have someone to meet. I’ll be back before dinner, so don’t worry.”
There was still one more thing she needed to do.
“Mother, why don’t you go out today? A little shopping in the marketplace might lift your mood.”
“…Perhaps.”
Since returning to her family home, Veronica had responded listlessly to her son’s suggestion.
She had once been bright and cheerful, almost girlish—but ever since fighting with her husband, she had wilted.
Staring gloomily out the window was one thing for a day or two, but August had finally decided he couldn’t stand it anymore.
“Or you could meet up with friends and have a nice chat.”
Veronica gave only a faint smile.
She couldn’t bring herself to tell her son that the only people she’d find outside were gossiping jackals eager to talk about her divorce.
In the end, she went out with August.
But when she noticed her son naturally drifting away from her side, she looked puzzled.
“Where are you going?”
“I need to patrol. That’s my job, after all.”
She’d thought he would stay with her out of concern for his downcast mother.
“Well, you never know—perhaps you’ll meet someone unexpectedly while walking.”
August was certainly her own child, but sometimes she wondered if he really understood what it meant to look after one’s parents.
The western campaign had been a prime example.
With no real experience, he had dutifully joined the war simply because the Imperial family ordered it. She had been aghast.
After sending him off to the battlefield, she had spent nights dreaming that he died.
Still… just having him come back alive is enough.
After parting with August, Veronica wandered between shops. But nothing caught her eye.
I don’t think I need shopping… there’s no one I want to see, either.
What did she used to do at this time of day?
Once, even watching petals scatter in the breeze had been enough to make her chatter happily—but that felt like a distant memory.
“Has there been any reply to the divorce papers?”
Turning onto an empty path, she finally broached the subject she’d been waiting to hear news about.
“No, my lady. There has been no word from the duke.”
“Still?”
“Yes.”
“It’s been weeks since I sent them. Is he trying to drag this out? Or maybe he’s already forgotten me.”
“…”
“That man only ever cared about my late sister.”
Though she spoke ill of her husband, her chest still felt heavy.
Feeling suddenly miserable, she stopped in her tracks.
Tap, tap—
Someone touched her shoulder from behind.
“Good day, Duchess of Brimstone.”
“I’ve agreed to a divorce, so I’d prefer if you didn’t—”
Veronica turned without thinking, but when she saw the speaker’s face, she covered her mouth with one hand.
“Oh my.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, madam. I’m Linaria Obel.”
“So you’re Linaria…!”
Veronica stared at her for a long moment, at a loss for words.
Then she straightened her posture, as if recalling herself.
“It seems you know who I am… in that case, I must apologize for the current situation.”
Linaria stopped her from bowing her head.
“There’s no need to apologize.”
“Even so, I’m still part of Brimstone—how could I not?”
“I imagine it’s hard to understand right now. Why don’t you come to my home first? The Duke of Brimstone is there as well.”
“What is he doing there…?”
“There’s a lot to discuss. Including some of the rumors going around lately.”
After a moment’s hesitation, Veronica agreed.
On the way by carriage, Linaria told her that the shocking things her husband was accused of were false—but Veronica remained doubtful.
However, when they arrived at the Obel estate and Linaria led her into the dining room,
Veronica saw two men sitting across from each other awkwardly.
She couldn’t hide her astonishment.
Her husband hated even stepping on the Duke of Obel’s shadow.
Linaria added an explanation.
“The two of them are on friendly terms.”
“Friendly…?”
Impossible. Veronica knew exactly how much her husband despised Obel—it was a hatred that might never fade in his lifetime.
Even now, the way the Duke of Brimstone was looking at Dante was cold—
Grab—
The Duke of Brimstone suddenly took Dante’s hand.
He even tried, very awkwardly, to lift the corners of his mouth while shaking it.
That’s not something he would ever force himself to do.
Searching for the reason, Veronica realized both men were aware of Linaria watching them.
The duke looked like he was breaking into a cold sweat under her gaze.
And no wonder—he was paying the full price of losing their bet.
“There’s only one thing I want from you, Your Grace. From now on, don’t disparage my father.”
“As long as I don’t insult him, that’s fine?”
“No. To be precise, I want you to be on friendly terms with him.”
“…Friendly?”
“Yes. Very friendly.”
“Ha ha.”
“Heh heh.”
Their awkward laughter echoed through the dining room.
LMAO