They had to somehow silence the imperial quartermaster.

It was a critical mission, but it was obvious that acting rashly would be unwise.

First of all, there were too many eyes watching.

He couldn’t interrogate the man in front of the quartermasters from Armin and Disha, nor could he do so in front of the people of the estate.

The key was to create a situation where the two of them could be alone, away from others.

And to do that, there was someone he needed to deal with first.

“My name is Tiria Portman. It is an honor to meet the heroes of the West.”

It was Tiria.

She was so meticulous with etiquette that she not only addressed the quartermasters as “heroes,” but also gathered all the estate staff at the entrance to welcome them.

Even her slight bow was elegant despite the situation.

“My lord, may I introduce them properly?”

“Ah, yes, of course.”

He just hoped his expression didn’t look awkward.

Standing beside Tiria, Elric spoke to the quartermasters.

“This is my wife. She is the one who manages this estate in practice. My lady, these gentlemen are…”

Ironically, the more one tried not to appear awkward, the more awkward one became. Elric was no exception.

Trying to act natural, he overdid it—smiling too much, speaking too enthusiastically.

His hand rested on Tiria’s waist.

And he called her “my wife.”

Though Elric didn’t realize it, these small details filled Tiria with deep surprise—and a flutter of emotion.

Then, a thin man stepped forward with a crooked smile.

“Ahem, I am Armin’s quartermaster.”

His gaze swept over Tiria from head to toe.

At that moment, Elric felt anger surge within him.

Perhaps it was because he was already on edge due to Polo, but even such small actions irritated him deeply.

“So, your wife is handling the negotiations…?”

The Armin quartermaster looked down at Elric.

Feeling the veins in his forehead tense, Elric replied:

“Haha, I’m not very skilled in such matters. I rely on my wife’s wisdom.”

“I see…”

The man smirked.

Then—

“W-well then, let’s head inside! We can’t just stand at the entrance forever!”

Polo hurriedly intervened.

He meant to save the Armin quartermaster—and it worked.

At least for now, Elric wouldn’t explode.

“Yes, this way.”

Tiria led the quartermasters into the estate.

Their luggage was handled by servants, and they were heading to the dining hall.

For Elric, this was troublesome.

‘I need to create an opening…!’

There was a ticking time bomb of a mouth right there, and once the meal began, he’d lose his chance to silence him.

Originally, he had planned to catch him alone while they were being shown to their rooms—but Tiria’s thoroughness had ruined that opportunity.

For a moment, he even resented her competence.

“I’ve heard meals on trains tend to be quite dry, so I prepared fresh dishes separately. I hope they are to your liking.”

“Thank you for your hospitality.”

Tiria handled the guests gracefully, as if such hosting came naturally to her.

It was a full-course meal.

That meant at least an hour of conversation here.

“Well then… shall we begin the meal?”

Elric tried to steer the focus toward eating—but things didn’t go as he hoped.

Again, it was the Armin quartermaster who spoke up.

The man’s loose tongue was practically flying.

“This is quite a quiet town. Don’t you find it stifling to live here?”

“I was born and raised here, so not particularly. The countryside has its own charm.”

“Hmm, is that so? I heard that the lord here…”

As the conversation turned toward him, Elric felt his composure shake.

His ten-year absence was a sensitive subject.

And bringing it up in front of Tiria made him suspicious of the man’s intentions.

“I heard that your wife managed the estate alone. So I was quite surprised to see you already returned.”

“…It hasn’t been long.”

“I suppose that’s why I hadn’t heard.”

The man’s smile made it clear.

It was provocation.

Elric tightened his grip.

Crack—

The knife in his hand bent.

At that moment—

“Experiencing the wider world and broadening one’s perspective is indeed important.”

Tiria’s hand touched Elric’s thigh.

He flinched.

Their eyes met.

She looked at the Armin quartermaster with a calm, expressionless face.

“We kept in touch through letters even while apart. My lord has diligently studied external affairs for the sake of the territory’s development. I focus on internal matters, while he handles external ones.”

It was a lie.

But it was exactly how she would respond.

She deflected the insult without being rude or aggressive—something Elric could never do.

Suddenly, Elric felt ashamed.

What would have happened if he had lost his temper?

Not only the deal, but even his original goal of hiding his identity would have failed.

Then Polo stepped in.

“W-what’s the point of bringing up the past! You two look so harmonious—it’s a pleasure to see! You make a wonderful pair!”

Tiria’s fingertips trembled.

“…Thank you for your kind words.”

She bowed slightly.

Polo felt relieved.

But he had noticed something others hadn’t—

The knife Elric had been holding had been bent completely in half.

That kind of grip strength was terrifying.

“If only we had met on the battlefield… I would have twisted your neck off.”

Why did that thought come to mind?

No—Polo knew.

If someone spoke out of line, either he or the Armin quartermaster would end up like that knife.

He trembled in fear.

The meal ended without further incident.

Detailed negotiations would begin after rest.

Meanwhile, Elric returned to the office with Tiria.

He had intended to go find Polo immediately—but she called for him.

“My lord.”

“You endured well,” she said, looking out the window.

Elric lowered his head.

“…That man insulted you. Are you alright?”

Out of everything, that was what he asked.

Tiria turned to him.

“He was rude, yes. If you wish, I can have him expelled from this territory.”

Elric couldn’t stand the idea of her enduring such insults.

More precisely—

He wondered how many times she had endured such things before.

Guilt surged within him.

“If it passes without incident, then it is fine. However, if it could become the seed of conflict, even the smallest possibility must be eliminated.”

She stepped closer and placed her hand over his.

“A noble’s words and actions must carry weight. Every word and every action bears the responsibility of the entire territory.”

At that moment, Elric realized—

How strong she was.

How rational.

And how worthy of admiration.

“I cannot harm the territory for the sake of my personal feelings.”

Elric knew he could never be like her.

“But thank you for your concern. That is enough for me.”

Her expression was calm, her words simple.

Yet something lingered in his mind—

If I… leave again…

Would she have to endure everything like this for the rest of her life?

For some reason, that thought pained him deeply.

And within him, an emotion he couldn’t yet define began to take root.