Chapter 82…………….

The Muton dukes’ greenhouse had been cleanly burned to the ground. The duke, who had lost everything overnight, was beside himself.

“Damn it — why is everything going wrong lately?!”

Even though he was already bald, he felt the stress as if his hair were falling out.

He ordered his men to investigate thoroughly, to catch whoever had set the fire like a rat, but—

“Sorry, Your Grace. There are no traces of anyone setting the greenhouse on fire.”

“What do you mean by that? You’re saying someone didn’t set it — it ignited by itself?”

“Ye—yes… that appears to be the case.”

His blood pressure spiked at the notion that there wasn’t even someone to hold responsible — it was simply an unlucky accident.

“How… is that possible?! Why would a perfectly fine greenhouse suddenly catch fire on its own!?”

“We’ll need to investigate more closely, but it’s not unheard of — there are various causes—”

“Get out! Just leave!”

Unable to contain himself, he yelled and drove his aide out, then took out a cigar.

“Goddamn it, this is maddening.”

He breathed out smoke and reflected on his recent life.

An eldest son who hadn’t even awakened, a daughter blinded by love and always making trouble, a young and pretty but utterly useless wife.

No one in the household was any help, and he suddenly felt regret.

“…If only Priscilla were by my side right now, things would be better.”

The duke, who shamelessly missed the wife he had killed with his own hands, found himself thinking of Claire.

She looked exactly like Priscilla, yet was younger than his current wife, Charlotte.

“Judging from how things are going, that young lady might even be better than Priscilla.”

He was well aware of Claire’s recent steady advancement as the junior duchess’s daughter-in-law. Perhaps such a person would truly befit the title of duchess.

“But unfortunately she’s the crown prince’s lover…”

He clicked his tongue with disappointment. If only it hadn’t been for Theodore, he could have married just as he did with Priscilla.

Sighing, the Duke of Muton turned to dealing with the immediate problem.

He wrote a long, pleading letter to the Gilo Kingdom trying to arrange a deal — if they gave him time he could rebuild the greenhouse, or if not the greenhouse then perhaps they could lend the power of blessing when needed, and so on.

He proposed various alternatives, but the Gilo Kingdom rejected them all.

They wanted a greenhouse they could use immediately, one from which they could freely take whatever they wanted whenever they wanted.

In the end the deal between the two sides completely collapsed, and the Duke of Muton suffered a crippling blow.

“Your Grace, here is this month’s sales report.”

“What is this? It’s nearly half of last month!”

“It seems more families have suspended dealings with us…”

“Ingrates! They sucked my power dry like leeches when I gave them pocket change, and now they stab me in the back?!”

Unable to hold back his fury, the duke crushed the papers his aide brought and ground his teeth.

“Especially that Marquis Ferroz… making such a fuss because I didn’t give them a few herbs — as if his wife died over that! Who is Ferroz Construction trading with right now?”

“That would be the Minerva Trading Company.”

At the unwelcome name, the duke scowled.

“Fine. What about Count Kesher?”

“They’re with Minerva as well…”

“Baron Lus?”

“The baron is also with Minerva…”

The aide trailed off, watching the duke’s face redden. The duke clenched his fist and slammed it down on the desk.

“Minerva, Minerva, Minerva!”

“Your Grace, please calm—”

“Shut up! Those bastards must be scheming behind my back! They want to make me pay!”

Having immediately landed on the truth, the duke ground his teeth.

“Do they think I’ll just sit still and take it? I won’t be the only one getting screwed…”

He muttered softly, eyes gleaming with a sinister light as he dreamed of revenge.

A few days later, in the crown prince’s office.

Jake came to see Theodore while he was working and reported, hands clasped behind his back.

“The Muton dukes have secretly contacted one of the underworld guilds.”

“Why?”

“They asked them to set fire to the Minerva Trading Company building. It’s scheduled in three days.”

“He’s insane.”

Theodore frowned. News that the Muton greenhouse had been completely burned had already stirred the capital once.

All the rare plants that the family had treasured for generations had been scorched to ash.

People assumed the blessing’s power would quickly restore them and were unconcerned, but the Muton household had been oddly passive about it.

“Instead of quietly salvaging the greenhouse, he’s trying to drag others into the swamp of misfortune with him.”

Theodore clicked his tongue and immediately sent the information to Claire using the name Teddy.

He assumed she’d naturally respond asking him to deal with it, but unexpectedly Claire only sent a brief message of thanks.

“What’s that about? She wouldn’t just let the trading company burn…”

Puzzled and worried, that night he disguised himself as Teddy and sneaked into the Minerva Trading Company.

As he slipped in through a slightly ajar second-floor window, something lunged from the darkness and pressed against his side.

“Don’t move.”

“…….”

Theodore froze and looked at the person. Someone with a deep-hooded robe slowly revealed themselves.

Moonlight seeped through the window. The light showed Theodore’s face and the other person’s voice sounded surprised.

“Teddy…?”

“Yes, it’s me.”

Knowing the person to be Claire, Theodore answered calmly.

Claire, who thought this was an intruder sent by Muton and had pointed a dagger, quickly withdrew her hand.

“No—what are you doing here…?”

“Well, why are you here alone in danger? Didn’t I tell you to be careful?”

“I came to protect Minerva. I’m not alone. Ron is waiting outside to report anyone suspicious.”

Hearing the unsurprising reply, Theodore frowned.

He had worried she might take matters into her own hands without telling him. He hadn’t expected she actually would.

“You should have asked me to handle that.”

“Why do you always make me do the dangerous stuff? Money doesn’t make everything okay.”

Claire’s chiding contained a sigh; she calmly countered.

The words made Theodore flinch. It wasn’t merely putting distance between them; there was worry directed at him.

It felt more like thinking of Teddy than simply marking a boundary, and impulsively Theodore spoke.

“…You don’t see me as just a guildmaster, do you?”

“Huh?”

“What do you think of me?”

He immediately mildly regretted asking.

Not because it was a problematic question, but because as Teddy it felt awkward to ask.

“You…? Uh, not like a little bro—”

“Don’t say ‘like a sibling.’”

Even in that moment she firmly cut him off where it mattered.

Claire let out a small laugh. Even with a mask on, he could imagine the sulky expression beneath it.

‘Weirdly, I picture His Highness’s face when I imagine that expression…’

Perhaps because there was a connection between them.

But since she didn’t want to be rude to the crown prince, she shook off the distraction and smiled brightly.

“Then—maybe… like a friend?”

“A friend.”

Theodore quietly mulled the word over. The only people he could consider friends were Alicia, Jake, and Rune.

But Claire was so different from those three. It was hard to explain exactly why just yet…

‘Still, better than a little sibling.’

Judging it not bad, Theodore slowly spoke.

“If we’re friends like you say, then help me with things like this from now on. Okay?”

“You want me to help you that much?”

Claire countered with a peculiar expression.

Teddy always wanted to be of some help to her. Even though they were connected by assignments and didn’t have to, he still wanted to help.

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Theodore hesitated, about to answer, when—

Click.

Suddenly there were sounds at the door. The two of them hid quickly behind a tall pile of boxes.

Shortly after, three masked men entered the room.

“You asked us to burn the place, right?”

“Yeah—put a lit cloth into bottles and throw them.”

“Good.”

The men prepared to light the cloth. Watching them, Theodore signaled Claire to stay hidden and stepped forward.

“Stop right there.”

Startled by his sudden appearance, the intruders went on guard.

“Who the hell are you?!”

“Mind your manners.”

Theodore, cool and indifferent, picked up a long rod leaning against the wall.

“Leave while I’m being polite.”