Chapter 06
**[ To the Duke.
We are grateful that you have looked into the circumstances of our family, but as this is ultimately a matter concerning our own house, we will accept only the sentiment behind your offer.
Furthermore, we do not wish to cause any further inconvenience, so we ask that you make the decision that best serves your noble house.
—Ruben Estella ]**
After attaching sealing wax bearing the crest of the Estella family to the letter, Eve let out a long sigh.
“This should be enough that he won’t notice.”
At the end, she had added a declaration of breaking off the engagement along with her father’s signature.
Having assisted her father with paperwork since childhood, imitating his handwriting was not difficult for her.
This should be enough for the Duke to understand… She could only pray that he would.
A golden-haired man, far too handsome to be believed middle-aged, sat in his office with his brows drawn together.
Those who possessed the power of the sun aged slowly. And the only house capable of inheriting that power was the Ludwig family.
As the head of that family, he cast his gaze down at the desk.
At the end of his line of sight lay the letter from the Count’s estate, neatly opened with a letter knife.
“The Count is not the sort of man to seek such help. A refusal is only natural.”
The Duke of Ludwig, usually as rigid and cold as ice, closed his eyes with rare regret.
Had Eve heard him, she would have corrected him at once—he was gravely mistaken. Unfortunately, she was not here.
“Now that it has come to this, it is regrettable even for me.”
The Duke’s words were sincere.
The reason he had offered to grant half his fortune lay with Valerian.
His son, who always played the role of a virtuous clergyman and showed no interest in inheriting the title, had promised to accept the ducal seat if he were to marry the daughter of House Estella.
‘And yet they refuse.’
The Duke did not wish to trample on the will of a man determined to uphold his own faith and convictions.
“Even if it pains you, letting this go is respect toward the Count’s house. To persist further would be to mock the Count’s integrity.”
“No, that will not be necessary.”
The blue eyes that had not left the letter narrowed.
“This is not the Count’s handwriting.”
The Duke’s blue eyes—identical to Valerian’s—flashed coldly.
“On what grounds do you say that?”
“If we compare it with previous letters from the Count and commission a handwriting analysis, we will know.”
When Valerian spoke so decisively, there was always reason behind it. Trusting his son greatly, the Duke turned to his aide, Rain Pedro.
Reading the signal instantly, Rain Pedro nodded.
“I will summon a handwriting analyst at once.”
Soon after, an analyst—said to be the most skilled in the Empire—arrived at the Ludwig estate.
“Examine whether these two letters were written by the same person,” Rain Pedro instructed.
Entering the Duke’s office, the analyst felt an overwhelming pressure and stiffened.
“And here is a contract stating that you will not disclose the contents of these letters.”
The analyst signed at once.
“If you leak the contents, the family will intervene immediately. I suggest you ensure you are not included in that intervention.”
Adjusting his glasses, Rain Pedro delivered the warning quietly. Swallowing hard, the analyst nodded.
The examination began. After about ten minutes, the analyst finally spoke.
“A truly meticulous forgery. An ordinary person would never have detected it.”
The Duke’s brow twitched.
“So it is indeed forged?”
“Yes.”
The analyst nodded firmly.
“To dare forge such a thing.”
The Duke’s blue eyes turned razor-sharp. He had nearly believed the letter and abandoned the donation to the Count’s house.
“Can you identify the culprit?”
If caught, the offender would be made an example of—so that no such precedent would remain.
In the frost-like chill filling the room, the analyst trembled.
“To determine that… we would need another letter written by the forger.”
The Duke frowned. Finding another sample was realistically impossible.
“I am sorry to say… that will be difficult.”
The analyst bowed deeply, shaking.
But Valerian already knew whose handwriting it was.
He had seen it during his visits to the Count’s estate.
It was Eve’s—the handwriting she used when handling matters on the Count’s behalf.
‘Eve Estella.’
Why would she do such a thing? Valerian wanted to ask. His blue eyes darkened.
“Prepare at once. We are going to the Estella estate.”
The Duke rose, the letter clenched in his hand.
That very evening, after sending the letter, Eve nearly collapsed in shock.
“The Duke has come here?”
And he had brought the very letter she sent. Her heart dropped.
‘Have I been found out?’
Following her father, she hurried to the reception room. The Duke of Ludwig was already seated there, waiting.
“Fortunately, it seems the house has not been mortgaged.”
After glancing around the estate, the Duke spoke. Eve and the Count couple kept their mouths tightly shut. After all, the family had never been on the brink of ruin to begin with.
“And what brings you here, Your Grace?” the Count asked.
The Duke withdrew two letters.
“You received my letter regarding the donation, did you not?”
The Count immediately sensed something had gone wrong.
When he failed to respond, the Duke continued with a knowing look.
“I noticed you seemed troubled over the engagement between my son and Lady Estella, so I intended to assist.”
But at his next words, Eve and her parents’ jaws dropped.
‘He even hired a handwriting analyst?’
All these years helping her father, she had never once been exposed.
Struggling to keep her hands from trembling, Eve steadied herself.
“The conclusion was that it was forged. Whether the matter originated within your house or outside, I cannot say—but caution is advised.”
Fortunately, the culprit had not been identified. Eve suppressed her sigh of relief.
‘Then who suspected it?’
Calling an analyst meant someone had doubted the handwriting from the start.
But no one close enough should have noticed the difference between her handwriting and her father’s.
‘…Even Valerian wouldn’t know.’
He had only seen her handle work on her father’s behalf a handful of times.
He was not particularly perceptive either.
At least, that was how the original story had portrayed him.
“Thank you for your concern… Duke Ludwig,” the Count managed.
The Duke assumed he was shocked for different reasons.
“I do not know who plotted this, but they were thorough. Do not trust those around you too easily. Keep watch.”
With that final warning, he departed in the Ludwig carriage.
Before leaving, he added:
“Read the letter regarding the donation carefully and take your time. In matters like this, preserving the family line is more important than pride.”
Though it sounded as if the choice were Estella’s, the Duke’s presence said otherwise.
‘If we refuse, he will make sure we accept.’
The Duke was a man who achieved whatever he resolved to do.
The complete opposite of Valerian, soft as a ripe peach.
‘How are they even father and son?’
She would never understand.
Only then did Eve realize Valerian had not come with him.
‘Is he busy?’
If such a matter arose, he would usually have come to see her. Something felt off.
Back in her room, Eve gulped down cold water the moment she sat. Her throat had been parched all along.
The Count followed her in.
“Eve, at this point, we may have no choice but to accept.”
“Absolutely not.”
She feared that accepting the money might somehow lead to actual rebellion.
“But the Duke himself came. It would be difficult to refuse. And if we decline and he instead insists on assisting our business…”
Eve’s face stiffened. If he began investigating under the guise of support and uncovered something—
“And what if he discovers something while digging around?”
Her father had a point.
“…You’re right.”
“I must say, I am impressed by Lady Estella’s capability.”
Crown Prince Xavier smiled at Eve. But no one could mistake that smile for praise.
The very next day, Eve visited the imperial palace.
The news of the donation had clearly reached the Crown Prince. His gaze toward her was laced with contempt.
Under the chilling atmosphere, Eve kept her lips pressed shut.
‘I didn’t expect it to turn out like this either.’
Things had spiraled to the point that she had inadvertently deceived even the Crown Prince.
