SEM 21

#021

The marquis’s death was a convenient shackle.

At first, it had merely been a tool to threaten Eliana. But once the marquis’s death came to light, the one who would suffer the greatest damage was Viscount Hoffman.

Everything he had built could vanish in an instant. That was why he had rushed the marquis’s funeral.

“……”

“If you were the viscount, who would you bet on?”

At Grady’s question, the hand holding the teacup trembled slightly. Viscount Hoffman lowered his gaze in an attempt to hide his anxious eyes, but Grady’s gaze was relentless.

“That’s a rather inappropriate joke.”

“A joke? They say the reason no one proposes to a young, beautiful, and wealthy widow is because they’re afraid of dying.”

Grady took a sip of his freshly brewed coffee. Though his lips touched the white porcelain, his sharp eyes remained fixed on Viscount Hoffman.

“That’s a ridiculous assumption!”

The room was so quiet that not even a breath could be heard—everyone inside was secretly eavesdropping. Even the usual café music seemed to have vanished, as if in reflection of the nobles’ heightened attention.

Grady waved a hand dismissively at the fuming viscount.

“What did I say that has you so worked up? You’re making yourself look suspicious.”

As Grady replied with feigned innocence, Viscount Hoffman gripped his glass tightly.

He hadn’t expected such blatant provocation.

“……”

“She doesn’t even realize I’m sacrificing myself for her—just gets angry. It puts me in quite a tough spot.”

It was like watching a play.

Grady gave a sly smile before feigning a gloomy expression, playing the victim.

“I feel the same way.”

“Bold words from someone who sells off his daughter. Rather offensive.”

Grady sipped his coffee elegantly, his expression wry.

Meanwhile, the back of Viscount Hoffman’s neck began to ache.

Everyone knew he had exploited Eliana for wealth and fame. But for the sake of noble decorum, people merely whispered behind his back. No one, like Grady, openly criticized him.

Some even secretly envied the wealth he had amassed. That’s why this level of insult was a first.

“……”

Glancing sideways at the tight-lipped viscount, Grady spoke again.

“I wouldn’t be such a bad option for you.”

“……”

“People forget sometimes. Maybe because she treats me like a bastard. That makes others think they can treat me like a dog too.”

“……”

“Did you forget too? Or are you pretending to forget?”

“I don’t understand what Your Grace is saying.”

The viscount’s blunt reply couldn’t hide his anger.

Grady set down his spinning teacup and leaned forward.

Their eye contact broke. Now, because Grady had lowered himself, the viscount was looking down at him.

Grady looked up at him with arrogant calm and spoke.

“Idiots tend to forget I’m second in line to the imperial throne.”

It was a quiet yet piercing threat. The viscount instinctively straightened his posture and lowered his head. Cold sweat trickled down his back under the chill in Grady’s gaze.

The other nobles in the café reacted the same.

Everyone, as if slapped across the back of the head, checked their posture with stiff expressions.

Grady, apparently pleased with the sudden shift in atmosphere, leaned back in his chair with a languid smile.

“It’s just a scoundrel and a temptress getting hot and heavy. One piece of trash cleaning up another. I don’t get why you’re so tense about it.”

“……”

“Even His Majesty approved.”

“…His Majesty approved your marriage?”

Viscount Hoffman looked completely stunned.

Grady called over a waiter and had his half-finished coffee cleared. Even in that brief moment, the viscount didn’t take his eyes off him.

“I delivered the invitation myself, with Eliana.”

“I heard about that too.”

The viscount nodded. Due to the nature of the issue, he had been closely watching Grady and Eliana’s movements.

“His Majesty gave his permission in front of the ministers.”

“Really?”

Viscount Hoffman ran a hand through his neatly parted hair and sighed. The knot he had twisted himself into for so long was finally beginning to unravel.

His stomach, ruined by nights of heavy drinking, groaned in protest.

“You should have received one too.”

Grady pulled a golden invitation from his jacket pocket—the emperor’s invitation. As it swayed in Grady’s hand, the viscount’s face twisted in confusion.

“I was wondering about that. Isn’t the wedding scheduled on the opening day of the Season?”

“It’s a surprise wedding.”

“Pardon?”

“Why don’t you take the lead and help improve relations with His Majesty?”

Grady beamed, waving the invitation in his hand. The viscount’s eyes followed its shimmering gold edge.

“Me?”

“The royal villa would be nice. Its garden is especially beautiful.”

“……”

“I may be the emperor’s younger brother, but using the royal budget for personal reasons draws attention.”

“The emperor himself?”

The viscount tilted his head. Everyone in the empire knew about the emperor’s extravagance.

“…It’d hurt His Majesty’s pride to pour money into a servant dog.”

“Ah…”

“Besides, it’s your daughter’s wedding. Or… unless those rumors are true?”

As if he had just thought of it, Grady widened his eyes and gave the viscount a penetrating look. The viscount gripped his teacup tightly, afraid of what nonsense Grady might spout next.

“I don’t want to hear it.”

“No, listen. Maybe you’ve slithered your way into profit until now, but not anymore.”

“……”

“I’m not dumb enough to let someone else steal what’s mine.”

Grady’s black eyes reflected the viscount’s clenched jaw and trembling lips.

“Well, shall we start doing the math?”

Grady smiled brightly as if to lighten the mood. But Viscount Hoffman, who had been pushed around since the moment they met, felt a rising sense of crisis.

“Let’s start with the dowry, shall we?”

The viscount ground his teeth, the sound sharp and clear.

“Father-in-law still has strong teeth. Still healthy too—must be good at work. Tell Eliana not to worry about her old man.”

Lady Laola’s Diary – Today’s Entry

I never imagined someone could actually fleece Viscount Hoffman!

He handed over all the wealth he amassed by selling off his daughter—what could he possibly be thinking?

The man who profited from every one of his daughter’s marriages… would he really hand over a dowry this time?

Before half a day had passed, news of Grady and Viscount Hoffman’s meeting had spread across the entire capital. A gossip column found its way into Eliana’s hands thanks to Madame Quarnet.

“This is going to be difficult.”

Madame Quarnet sighed and held her forehead at Eliana’s request. Even finishing the wedding dress within the deadline was going to be tight.

“Too difficult?”

“I’ll try!”

Madame Quarnet, having sketched something based on Eliana’s request, handed it over.

“Oh!”

A pink sheet slipped out from between the pages of her sketchbook and fluttered to the floor. Emma’s eyes sharpened momentarily—but just for a second.

“It’s Lady Laola’s diary.”

“I got it outside the hotel.”

Madame Quarnet rolled her eyes and glanced at Eliana.

She had long been responsible for the dresses of the capital’s most famous lady, so her shop was always crowded.

Some clients truly came for dresses, but most came hoping to overhear gossip about Eliana and Grady’s wedding.

All of them began with, “I was just passing by and thought I’d check out the new collection,” but ended up prying for wedding details.

“You must be delighted to spend the rest of your life with such a dependable archduke.”

Madame Quarnet watched Eliana read Lady Laola’s diary from the side.

“A dowry?”

That hadn’t even crossed Eliana’s mind regarding Viscount Hoffman. She swallowed hard, a glint of light flashing in her eyes.

“See? That’s just how he is.”

“Pardon?”

“Father would’ve handled it quietly, but now he’s going about it like this. How undignified.”

“Viscount Hoffman is giving a dowry?”

Not even a passing dog would believe that. Everyone in the empire knew of the viscount’s reputation for selling off his daughter. Most believed that if anyone were to pay, it would be Grady—not the other way around.

“Of course.”

Eliana nodded like it was only natural. The smile at her lips was as fresh as morning dew.

“He couldn’t offer one at the first wedding because we were too poor then.”

“Ah…”

Very little was known about Eliana’s first wedding. Only that her first husband had been a viscount, owned several ships, and made a fortune in the New Continent trade. And that just three months after marrying, he had returned from the sea as a corpse—and all of his fortune had gone to Viscount Hoffman.

“Since we’re settling things anyway, it’d be best to wrap up the marquis’s estate too.”

Eliana tilted her head and said it casually.

“Pardon?”

“He’s a bit clumsy, so I worry. Better to do it all at once—it saves time and is cleaner.”

“That… that’s true.”

Madame Quarnet nodded, albeit awkwardly. Since Eliana was a widow remarrying, it made sense for her new husband to take control of her estate.

But the fact that her father was Viscount Hoffman made even the most obvious things seem complicated.

“Oh! Where were we?”

Eliana looked back down at the sketch. Her long neckline caught the light as she leaned.

Knock, knock.

Just as she turned with the grace of a dancer, a knock sounded at the door—right on cue.