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'I just sent someone to the estate yesterday, so they couldn't have arrived yet. It seems we missed each other.'
Clicking his tongue inwardly, he unfolded the letter and saw the contents written in a familiar handwriting.
[Letitia.
I've only just heard your news because I've been away from the Empire.
And it's quite astonishing. What, a divorce? Are you out of your mind?
How dare a woman mention divorce first? And for such a trivial reason!
And, you're dating a Grand Duke when you're not even properly divorced yet?
I swear, I'm too ashamed to show my face. Are you still not mature enough at your age...?
You need to be realistic now that you're older. Do you really think a Grand Duke would take a divorced woman as his Grand Duchess? You're just a fleeting plaything.
Come to your senses now and beg the Duke for forgiveness. As a father, I'll beg for your forgiveness with you.
I'll be going to the capital soon, so think about what you've done wrong and how you should beg for forgiveness.]
'...Oh, he doesn't deviate from my expectations at all.'
It was a relief that her father was still the same.
If he had taken her side now, her heart might have softened a little.
She was about to crumple the ridiculous letter, but she noticed the presence of the butler and Idris and held back.
However, she couldn't hide her expression.
"Borman, if Baron Cloel comes looking for me, absolutely do not let him into the mansion."
Instead of asking why, the butler looked at her with slightly surprised eyes.
"I've cut ties with my father."
She added the explanation calmly and then, trying to appear nonchalant, said to Idris.
"I'm going to wash up, so let's have dinner together."
Idris seemed like he wanted to say something to her, but when she smiled at him first, he didn't stop her after all.
The smile disappeared from her lips as she turned away.
It was because she remembered the words at the end of the letter, that he would come to the capital.
'I should look into a mansion quickly.'
If she stayed in this mansion, her father would definitely approach Idris, given his personality.
'I can't drag Idris into my family problems.'
Just thinking about it made her feel like the blood in her body was turning cold.
Of course, it wasn't past the time when Idris would commit treason yet, so it was a bit unsettling, but...
Since they hadn't even terminated the contract, she would be able to stay as lovers and figure out the situation.
'First, I need to resolve my father's problem as quickly as possible, and then focus on Idris's problem.'
She made a plan like that and moved her steps to the annex.
A few days later.
After a long time, the small bell on the door of the real estate agency rang with a clear sound.
"Welcome—"
The real estate agent, who had gotten up with a happy expression, gasped as he checked the customer's face.
"It's been a while. I stopped by about a month ago, do you remember?"
"O-Of course!"
How could he not remember!
How could he forget that face?
She was a beauty that you couldn't forget after seeing her once, and she was also the lover of Grand Duke Delua.
Most of all...
[Any residential building that Lady Letitia Cloel wants to buy is strictly prohibited from being sold.]
...She was a person of interest to whom such a directive had been issued, so he couldn't forget her even if he wanted to.
"D-Did you come to see a mansion?"
"Yes. I've been busy since then and hadn't been looking, but I'm going to start looking again now. Do you have any good properties that have come on the market in the meantime?"
"Ah, that is... Strangely, good properties haven't been coming on the market lately."
"Is that so?"
The real estate agent was sweating profusely as he watched Letitia sigh with a worried face.
'Why is the Grand Duke making me do this!'
Of course, he had received more money than the brokerage fee, and he was selling the house to someone else, so he had nothing to lose.
But he felt uneasy about deceiving someone who didn't know anything.
After a moment of hesitation, the real estate agent decided to show Letitia something to alleviate his conscience even a little.
"There is a property that meets the conditions that you want, but..."
"What kind of property is it?"
The real estate agent took out a document and handed it to Letitia.
"It's this building."
Even in the picture, it looked like an old mansion.
"What's the price?"
"It's 9 million gold. It's a bit expensive considering the condition of the mansion."
"Hmm, that's true."
"As I said, it's 'the best' of the available properties, but it's not a very good property, so I wouldn't recommend it. It's been neglected for so long that there are many places that need to be repaired."
He thought that Letitia would definitely not buy this building.
'She has a lot of money, so there's no reason to buy a defective and expensive property.'
The reason he showed her the property was that he felt that he had to pretend to sell something to Letitia, who had come all the way here, in order to feel better.
But...
"I'll buy it."
"You don't like this property after all, do you? A better property... No, huh?!"
The real estate agent, who belatedly understood Letitia's words, was so shocked that his eyes almost popped out.
"First, offer the homeowner around 8.8 million. If it's absolutely necessary, say you'll do 9 million."
"W-Wait a minute! Are you really saying you're going to buy this mansion?"
"I'm a bit in a hurry."
"N-No..."
"First, I'll put down a deposit of 90,000 gold. Negotiate with the homeowner and give me a call."
Letitia quickly finished her business and left the real estate agency.
The real estate agent, who was caught off guard by her actions, could only gape until she left.
At this moment, the only thought that dominated his mind was this.
'I'm screwed...!'
At that time.
A carriage stopped in front of the Delua Grand Duke's residence.
The people who got out of the carriage were...
"So, Letitia is living here?"
Letitia's stepmother, Rozanna, who was all dressed up.
"Well, we'll find out when we check."
Baron Cloel, Jade, was dressed up in a plausible manner, without any trace of the beggar-like appearance he had when he first came home.
He held his head high and approached the gatekeepers who were guarding the mansion.
"Excuse me, is this the Delua Grand Duke's residence?"
"That's right."
"I am Baron Cloel. I heard that my daughter is staying at this house, so I came to see her."
He thought that if he revealed his identity, the gatekeepers would be startled and bow down to open the door.
Even if the Grand Duke got tired of Letitia and kicked her out someday, it seemed clear that he cherished her at the moment.
'He will treat me with the utmost respect as the father of the Grand Duke's mistress.'
But his expectations were shattered.
"I am sorry, but you have not been authorized to enter."
"What?"
"I am sorry."
Not even treated with the utmost respect, but turned away at the door?
The gatekeepers' reaction was far from what he had expected, and Baron Cloel grabbed the back of his neck.
"Does Grand Duke Delua treat his guests like this? Or are you insulting him as you please?"
"I am sorry."
"Sorry, that damn sorry! Open the door if you're sorry!"
Despite Baron Cloel's shouting, the gatekeepers didn't respond any further.
Completely ignoring him, Baron Cloel's face turned red with anger.
"You insolent bastards, you're just lowly employees, who do you think you're ignoring? You'll all be fired if I tell my daughter! Huh?"
He grabbed and shook the iron bars of the gate, and even kicked them, but the gatekeepers didn't even glance at him.
Rozanna, who couldn't bear to watch, stopped her husband.
"D-Darling. People are all looking. Think about your dignity!"
"It's all because that girl Letitia treats her father like a bug! Insolent... Ugh!"
Even with Rozanna's dissuasion, Baron Cloel continued to kick the iron bars, but lost his strength and fell backward.
"D-Darling!"
"Ha! They don't even care if a guest falls down. Do I have to die in front of this place for them to look at me!"
Rozanna hurriedly offered an alternative, lest her husband grab the iron bars again and cause a ruckus.
"Honey, don't do this. Why don't we go to a newspaper company and write an article?"
"...An article?"
"Letitia is running a business these days, right? She's been building up her reputation, wouldn't it be difficult for her if an article came out saying she's mistreating her parents?"
Baron Cloel paused for a moment at Rozanna's words, but soon shook his head.
"No, no. We should save that as a last resort."
"Then how are you going to meet her? Looking at the current situation, it doesn't seem like she'll meet us..."
"No, we don't necessarily need to meet Letitia."
Rozanna looked at Baron Cloel with puzzled eyes.
He got up from his seat with a meaningful smile.
"Come with me. I have a good idea."
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