CHAPTER 29………………………………..
Trisha’s true destination wasn’t the Imperial Palace.
It was the tailor shop.
“This is the headquarters of that information guild from before, right?”
“Yeah.”
The information guild run by Millard.
Trisha’s face remained expressionless as she headed there, but inside, she felt a faint thrill.
It’s been a while. I’ll be seeing a familiar face again.
✦ ✦ ✦
“Someone’s here?”
Millard asked absentmindedly. Liam repeated the report.
“The Duchess of Mason has arrived.”
“So now that she knows where it is, she’s going to wear the place out coming and going.”
He spoke with indifference, but immediately rose from his seat.
Liam asked, puzzled.
“Where are you going?”
“A guest has arrived, hasn’t she?”
“…The Duchess of Mason is your guest, my lord?”
Liam’s eyes widened.
“Did you have an appointment with her?”
“Who makes appointments before visiting an information guild?”
“Well… still…”
Liam hesitated.
Millard didn’t care. He grabbed his coat and put on his mask.
Trisha already knew who he was, but you never knew what might happen.
With that thought, he was about to leave the office when—
“Um, but the Duchess already went into a room with someone else. Maybe that’s who she came to meet?”
Millard froze with his hand on the doorknob.
“Who?”
“We haven’t confirmed his identity yet, but they said he was a handsome man.”
“……”
Millard fell silent.
Then he removed the mask he’d been wearing.
Liam, watching his hair shift from black to blond, suddenly remembered something and added,
“Oh—apparently it wasn’t the Duke of Mason.”
“Obviously. If it were, he wouldn’t have even been allowed inside.”
What idiot would let an enemy walk straight into the heart of their organization?
At least, Millard wasn’t that kind of man.
Liam nodded awkwardly.
Then he cautiously brought something up.
“Should I tell His Highness that the Master wishes to meet him?”
“No.”
Millard answered without even breathing.
It was a rejection sharp as a blade.
“Yes… then next, regarding the mining investment—”
Liam didn’t press further and moved on to official matters.
The reports were endless, and time passed in an instant.
Just as Liam was lamenting that once again, he wouldn’t be leaving work on time, Millard suddenly spoke.
“Do you think they’re still together?”
“…Pardon?”
“The two of them.”
It took Liam a moment to understand.
“You mean… the ones who entered the room together earlier?”
“Are you talking about the Duchess of Mason?”
Liam asked carefully.
“Are you curious whether she’s still with that strange man?”
His face practically begged for the answer to be no.
But Millard didn’t grant that wish.
“I’m just wondering what she might be plotting again. It feels unsettling.”
Liam sighed, not daring to raise his voice at his lord.
“Well, still… if it’s here, it should be fine. It’s not like she’s openly going on a date.”
“A date? I’m only worried she might betray us and complicate things.”
He claimed it was for the greater cause, not personal feelings—
But Liam didn’t believe him.
Meeting someone in an information guild means she’s hiding something she doesn’t want others to know.
And if needed, that could become leverage.
“I’ll request a meeting with the Duchess.”
Since she’d responded last time, Liam was certain she would again.
“Are you sure that’s okay? The Duchess is…”
“She’s part of House Mason.”
Liam said firmly.
“But she saved Her Highness the Princess’s life. And honestly, I have a feeling she’s naturally favorable toward you, my lord.”
That was exactly why Millard had allowed her into the guild’s true base.
“Your charm might actually work on her. Or maybe it already has.”
“…Are you saying the Duchess of Mason fell for my ‘honey trap’?”
“I’m saying it’s not impossible.”
A honey trap…
Millard rolled the word slowly around in his mouth.
Then he felt as if cold water had been poured over him.
“I need to go.”
If his charm worked, then someone else’s charm could work too.
He didn’t know who that handsome man was, but he couldn’t allow Trisha to give her heart to a third party.
His sister already seemed to like her.
And…
If I can make my master completely one of us, everything ahead will become much easier.
That was all.
✦ ✦ ✦
At that very moment, Trisha was with a man.
Long silver hair tied back neatly, crimson eyes visible behind glasses—
A strikingly charming man.
It was Lloyd Rosenthal.
He had entered wearing a mask similar to Millard’s, so no one had recognized him.
“It’s been a long time, Brother Lloyd.”
Trisha met him in a private room inside the tailor shop.
Lloyd had deliberately given the spy Count Arno a vacation and come himself.
He’d even prepared an excuse—
That he was scouting the market for a new clothing business venture.
“Everything went exactly as you said, Trisha.”
Lloyd briefly explained the current situation of Milanette Bank.
“As you suggested, we offered higher interest rates than Berkshire Bank and began safeguarding wealth. More high-value clients have been coming in than before.”
So many that they were now close behind Berkshire Bank.
“As expected of you, Brother.”
Instead of accepting the praise, Lloyd voiced his deduction.
“You were the one behind this, weren’t you?”
“His Majesty likely played a part.”
Baron Berkshire had once been Edwin’s financial lifeline—
But now Edwin had abandoned him.
Which meant the Emperor had no reason to favor Berkshire anymore.
“Berkshire monopolized banking for too long, didn’t he?”
So this was the perfect time to restore balance.
“Use this chance to close the gap as much as you can.”
“With the current circumstances, it won’t be difficult.”
If Lloyd said that, then it truly wasn’t.
Trisha relaxed and moved on.
“Soon, someone will appear wanting to sell a mine.”
“A mine?”
“It may seem unprofitable at first, but investigate again and purchase it.”
Lloyd didn’t ask further—only nodded.
“Alright. If you say so, there must be a reason.”
After that, they spoke briefly about recent events.
Lloyd worried for Trisha, and Trisha offered more advice that could help him.
“Unfortunately, I should get going soon. If I’m away too long, it’ll raise suspicion.”
Lloyd checked the time, unable to hide his regret.
Trisha also felt reluctant, but knew parting now was the wisest choice.
At the entrance of the tailor shop, she stopped.
“Go ahead first, Brother. I’ll leave a little later.”
“Are you worried someone will recognize you? If so, I can call a carriage for you.”
“That too, but…”
Her gaze drifted toward the back.
A black-haired man stood there, his face hidden behind a mask.
“I think someone wants to meet me.”
“…Who?”
Lloyd asked, startled by the suspicious figure.
“The owner of this place.”
The answer didn’t come from Trisha—
But from the man himself.
The owner… then the guild master?
Lloyd leaned in and whispered so only Trisha could hear.
“Is he trustworthy?”
“As much as you are.”
At her unwavering reply, Lloyd couldn’t stop her.
“If I hear you haven’t returned home within two hours, I’ll send people immediately.”
“Don’t worry, Your Highness. I’ll escort her safely.”
“I can handle it myself.”
Trisha turned back to Lloyd.
“See you again, Brother. Here, we can meet without others watching, so you can rest easy.”
“Alright. Stay healthy until then. Don’t push yourself too hard.”
Lloyd hesitated several times before finally leaving the shop.
“You two are remarkably close siblings.”
Millard, still wearing his mask, spoke with arms crossed.
“Quite different from what the public believes.”
His tone sounded almost mocking, but Trisha didn’t care.
