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“But are you really not buying a gift? You’re just going like this?”

“…Well, I guess I’ll buy a flower or something.”

“It’s been a while since you last saw her. Will that really be enough? I don’t think she’ll like it much.”

“I don’t care. I have no intention of trying to impress her.”

“Hmm…”

Ghislain was being sincere.

In his previous life, when he knew nothing, he had always fretted over trying to impress the beautiful Amelia. But now, he had no desire to appear appealing to a woman who was bound to become his enemy in the future, nor did he wish to maintain their engagement.

‘This time, I’ll make sure she doesn’t waste all that money.’

No matter how strong a military force was, it would amount to nothing without financial independence. War consumed an enormous amount of money and resources. Without the funds to sustain an army, it was as if there was no army at all. Hadn’t he painfully learned this when he faced the kingdom’s relentless waves of supplies in his past life?

They couldn’t afford to feed and equip the soldiers properly, and it was impossible to do so in such a situation, no matter what they wanted to do.

‘I need to move faster.’

Although returning to the past was fortunate, the current situation was not ideal. At this point in time, the Delfine Duchy had already extended its influence over most of the territories and was just beginning to reach out toward the north. The assassination of Elena was part of that plan.

Ghislain suppressed the growing sense of urgency within him.

‘Amelia, if you don’t want to be humiliated, you’d better prepare to hand over a hefty sum.’

The horse carrying him continued to race towards the Raypold estate without rest. As Ghislain imagined how much he could extort from Amelia, the anxiety that had weighed heavily on his heart lightened just a little.

* * *

The group arrived safely at Raypold Castle. Besides being covered in dust from riding for several days, there were no significant issues.

As Ghislain headed straight for the castle’s main gate, Belinda stopped him.

“Are you really going in without washing? You’re covered in dust and look filthy. Lady Amelia will hate it.”

“I told you, I don’t need to impress her.”

“Huh, what’s with this sudden change?”

Belinda looked at Ghislain’s back in bewilderment. Just a few months ago, Ghislain would turn red at mentioning Amelia’s name. It was hard to believe this was the same person.

“Are you going for a ‘bad guy’ look or something? Right now, you just look dirty…”

“Enough. Well, since it’s been a while, I guess I should at least buy a gift for the visit.”

Ghislain headed for Raypold Castle carrying only a bouquet of flowers he had picked up from the marketplace.

“Stop right there. What’s your business?”

The guards, with relaxed expressions, blocked Ghislain’s path. With few attendants and covered in dust, they hadn’t recognized him as a noble.

Belinda immediately stepped forward.

Her usual playful demeanor vanished, replaced with a solemn and dignified attitude.

“This is young lord Ghislain, the young lord of the Ferdium Estate. He has come to see his fiancée, Lady Amelia. Please convey this message to her.”

It was customary for nobles not to step forward when they had attendants. Ghislain simply watched as Belinda handled the situation.

“Y-young lord G-Ghislain?”

The guards exchanged uneasy glances. They had also heard the rumors about Amelia’s worthless fiancé.

As they hesitated, Belinda frowned.

“What are you doing? Hurry up and go inform them.”

“Ah, yes, understood.”

One of the guards turned and entered the castle, muttering curses under his breath. It wasn’t long before the guard returned, wearing a troubled expression.

“Um… the lady isn’t feeling well at the moment, so she sends her apologies, but she requests that you return for now…”

Before he could finish, Belinda’s eyes flared as she stormed up to the guard.

“The young lord himself has come here, and she won’t even meet with him? She won’t even provide accommodations and is asking us to leave? Does she think the Ferdium Estate is a joke?”

The guard stammered. Honestly, they did think little of Ferdium, but he couldn’t say that out loud.

“It’s not that… It’s just that the lady…”

“Hey!”

As Belinda unleashed her formidable aura, the guard stepped back, his face going pale.

‘W-What is this? She’s dressed like a maid, but… she feels like some kind of secret bodyguard or something?’

Overwhelmed by the pressure, the guard’s body trembled. Only then did Ghislain step forward.

“Enough, Belinda.”

“But, young master…”

“It’s fine. I’ll handle it from here.”

After dismissing Belinda, Ghislain approached the guard and whispered quietly.

“Tell them I have something to discuss regarding the merchant guild. If I leave now, who knows what I might say? I’m not exactly known for keeping my mouth shut.”

“Y-Yes, I understand.”

The guard hurriedly fled back inside the castle.

A short while later, the same guard returned, bowing deeply to Ghislain.

“The lady has requested that you be shown inside.”

The sudden change in their attitude made Belinda’s eyes widen as she glanced at Ghislain, curious about what he had said to make them so compliant.

Ghislain smirked and whispered to Belinda.

“Seems she’s fond of me. Ah, the curse of my irresistible charm.”

“Oh my, where did this sudden confidence come from?”

Belinda scolded Ghislain playfully, saying he was becoming cheekier by the day. Still, she preferred this to his old self, who always used to be angry.

The group was guided to a lavish reception room. As they walked, Ghislain looked around, clearly impressed.

‘Wow, they’re definitely rich. I’m glad I came. Looks like I’ll be able to secure a lot of funding for development.’

Raypold Castle was beautifully adorned with expensive materials, completely unlike the rough and rugged Ferdium Castle. It clearly showed off the wealth of the estate.

Belinda and the knights waited in the adjacent room while Ghislain was left alone to wait for Amelia.

‘She’s late. Considering what I said, she must have a lot on her mind.’

Amelia took a considerable amount of time to appear. Even after Ghislain finished his tea, he continued to wait, eventually growing bored. Finally, the door to the reception room opened, and a woman entered.

Bright brown hair cascaded gracefully over her shoulders. Her slightly lowered eyes and raised chin gave off an impression of arrogance and coldness. This was Ghislain’s fiancée, Amelia Raypold.

“Nyaang.”

A cat followed behind her, its tail raised high. It was a cat known as Bastet, with short gray fur that shimmered with a bluish tint and a sleek, graceful body. Much like its owner, the cat exuded an air of elegance and pride with every step and expression.

“It’s been a while, Amelia. Did you miss me? Oh, it’s been a while since I’ve seen that cat too. What was its name again?”

Ghislain greeted her casually, but Amelia only raised an eyebrow, not bothering to reply.

‘Who does he think he is, calling my name like that? Miss him? This pathetic fool who does nothing but guard the frontier? Has he lost his mind?’

When Amelia first heard that Ghislain had arrived, she had scoffed and told the guards to send him away. There was no need to meet someone who had come unannounced, especially someone as disappointing as Ghislain. She had absolutely no intention of seeing him. However, after hearing the single message Ghislain had sent, she had no choice but to let him into the castle.

‘What exactly does he know?’

The fact that Amelia was growing a merchant guild was a tightly guarded secret. It wasn’t just a matter of starting a simple trading company.

Unaware of Amelia’s inner turmoil, Ghislain flashed a bright smile and continued speaking.

“Your birthday is coming up soon, right? Here’s a gift.”

A flash of contempt crossed Amelia’s face as he handed over a bouquet of flowers.

‘Did he really bring me that as a gift? Does he dare offer something so pathetic to me, Amelia Raypold?’

In all her life, she had never received such a worthless present. No one had ever dared to offer her something so cheap. Although she wasn’t usually the type to care about the value of gifts, the fact that Ghislain presented it made it unbearable.

“Nyaang!”

Even Bastet let out a displeased meow as if to express its shared disgust.

With graceful steps, Amelia walked over and took the bouquet from Ghislain’s hands.

“Thank you. It’s a lovely bouquet. However, flowers like these wilt so quickly. There’s no need for me to keep them.”

Amelia casually tossed the bouquet into a corner of the reception room.

It was an act designed to humiliate the giver. For someone who valued their honor, especially a noble, such behavior would be considered unacceptable under normal circumstances.

But Amelia had purposely thrown the bouquet in plain sight, hoping to provoke Ghislain into an emotional response, to make him act rashly. However, instead of blushing or getting angry, Ghislain merely shrugged, leaning back on the sofa without a care in the world.

“Our estate doesn’t have much money, so that I couldn’t get you an expensive gift. But it’s the thought that counts! The thought!”

With an unwavering expression, Ghislain played innocent, and Amelia responded with a smirk on her lips.

“Even if your estate is poor, that’s not something to boast about, is it? Don’t you feel ashamed? And if you want to express your feelings, the gift’s value also matters. You can’t express sincerity with garbage.”

Amelia spat out harsh words, aiming to provoke Ghislain. It was something unimaginable for her, given her usual reserved nature, but right now, she had no other choice.

If she wanted to gauge what he knew and how much he knew, she had to shake him up emotionally.

However, Ghislain, even after being insulted outright, replied with a calm expression.

“Being poor isn’t something to be ashamed of. Unless, of course, you’re doing something dishonest. I once thought about forming a band of thieves but decided not to because it’s too disgraceful.”

His words carried a deeper meaning. Amelia’s face stiffened.

His tone and behavior were as if he was boldly declaring that he knew something.

‘He’s different from before. He’s never shown such strange confidence. What happened?’

Until recently, Ghislain hadn’t been able to hide his affection for her. Whenever he stood before her, he was always shy, unable to even speak first.

But now, she couldn’t sense any of those feelings from him. Instead of trying to impress her, it seemed like he didn’t even care.

The sudden change in Ghislain’s attitude made her more wary.

“Well, fine. What’s the reason you wanted to meet? I’d appreciate it if you got straight to the point.”

“I like how direct you are. I need some money. I’m in a bit of a tough spot right now.”

Ghislain winked and made a circle with his fingers.

Amelia’s face briefly froze at the unexpected request.

Who in the world would ask for money so boldly and arrogantly!

“Ha, is that why you came to see me? Asking your fiancée for money—do you have no pride, my lord?”

Ghislain smiled awkwardly and waved his hand.

“No, no, you misunderstood. I’m not asking to borrow money.”

“Then what?”

Ghislain leaned in slightly, bringing his face closer to Amelia’s, and whispered.

“I’m asking you to just give it to me. Between us, you could do at least that much, right?”

“……”

“You will, won’t you?”

As she listened to Ghislain’s words, Amelia made a serious decision.

She would break off the engagement with him today.