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CHAPTER 61
He genuinely hadn’t expected it.
That Amelia would be the one to suggest storming the “slave auction” site first.
What she had just said was something Vincent had thought about—but hadn’t even shared with Oscar.
Oscar, of course, would have agreed right away. But what bothered Vincent was something else entirely.
“Then we can solve everything at once! That’s incredible!”
It was the sound of an excited Oscar—and the fact that Amelia was listening to him.
Whether she was an illegitimate child or estranged from her family, once a Wentworth, always a Wentworth.
That wouldn’t change even if the Wentworth family were to fall.
If Vincent carried out only as much as he had planned, this would end with nothing more than ensuring that the Moulton Marquisate’s wealth didn’t flow into the Wentworth Duchy.
The only loss the Wentworths would suffer was the money the Duke of Wentworth had lent to the Marchioness of Moulton.
It wasn’t a small sum, but at least it was a matter the two families wouldn’t make public, and the Duke would just have to bear the frustration quietly.
However, if the Imperial Palace were to conduct a public raid on the slave auction as Amelia proposed, it would no longer remain a secret.
The entire world would know that such an auction existed—and that the Moulton Marquisate had been attempting to pass its funds into the Wentworth Duchy.
And even worse, the fact that the Duke of Wentworth had engaged in high-interest lending to fellow nobles to increase his wealth would come to light, shattering his reputation completely.
With his power and influence, society wouldn’t fully turn its back on him, but once his honor and credibility were ruined, it would take a long time and a great deal of money to restore them.
If that happens, Amelia…
Even if she took the opposite stance from the Wentworths, no one would acknowledge her. As long as she bore the name Wentworth, her status would fall with theirs.
It was strange that Vincent even considered her reputation or standing as part of his calculations at all.
In truth, the reason he’d chosen to reveal everything so openly to Amelia was to observe her properly this time—to understand who she really was.
Only four people knew about the Moulton affair so far: Vincent, Oscar, Stephan, and Amelia.
Even then, Stephan didn’t yet know about the “slave auction.”
If this plan were to leak back to the Wentworths after being shared with Amelia, Vincent’s entire operation could collapse—or worse, backfire.
But even that, he thought, might not be such a bad thing.
At least it would clear up this confusion I feel about her.
No matter how much she had changed, Amelia was still a daughter of the Wentworth family.
If the plan failed because of her, he would never hesitate around her again.
With that thought, Vincent leaned back against the sofa armrest and looked at Amelia from the side. She seemed to sense his gaze and turned to meet it.
“Are you really sure about this?”
“……”
Amelia smiled faintly. Seeing that soft smile made Vincent’s lips twitch.
He was trying to stay composed, but right now she looked far too beautiful.
Even in a simple maid’s uniform, there was an air of grace and poise in the way she sat quietly, eyes lowered.
Why had he never noticed this before?
He had always known Amelia was beautiful—he wasn’t blind. But that beauty had always been hidden under her personality and behavior.
Maybe he’d never truly looked at her properly until now.
“When the nobles find out tomorrow, they’ll flood the papers with anonymous criticism of the Duke of Wentworth.
That’ll be quite the spectacle, don’t you think?”
Because Amelia seemed calm—and genuinely fine with the plan—Oscar was now openly mocking the Duke without restraint.
“Oscar, have some tea before you say another word.”
“Right. The Tower Master will probably—ah, my apologies. I got too carried away.”
Vincent’s quiet comment seemed to cool his excitement. Oscar cleared his throat awkwardly and sipped his lukewarm tea.
“Wait a moment, I should recheck the numbers.”
“Take your time.”
Oscar grabbed a sheet of paper and headed to his desk. His workspace was set at an angle, hidden from view of the sofa.
The sound of him scribbling busily filled the air.
Meanwhile, Vincent and Amelia were left alone.
Amelia reached for one of the reports on the table and began reading intently.
Vincent watched her in silence.
Her crimson eyes blinked slowly as she read, her elegant nose casting a delicate shadow, her soft pink lips moving faintly as she whispered the words.
Her peach-like cheeks looked impossibly smooth.
He realized he had never looked at her this closely before.
Then, one loose strand of violet hair fell from her bun, and it caught his attention more than it should have.
Almost without thinking, he reached out slowly—and tucked the hair gently behind her ear.
“……?”
Amelia blinked and looked up at him. Their eyes met, and her red pupils trembled faintly.
“Ah.”
Only then did Vincent realize what he had done.
He quickly composed himself, masking his flustered state, and said casually,
“It was bothering me.”
Amelia gave him a look that said she had plenty to say but just nodded in understanding.
“Vivian tied it tightly, but I guess it came loose.”
Then she reached back, untied the ribbon, and began gathering her hair again with her fingers.
The ends of her hair brushed against the back of her white neck.
The moment Vincent’s eyes caught that pale skin, he shot up from the sofa.
Amelia looked up at him, still holding the hair tie in her mouth.
“Zhnah?” she mumbled.
“I think Oscar’s taking too long, I’ll go check on him.”
“Go ahead.”
After tying her hair neatly again, Amelia gave a polite nod.
Vincent left quickly, muttering under his breath,
“Ha… I’m losing it.”
He raked a hand through his neatly slicked-back hair, now completely disheveled, and walked toward Oscar’s desk.
Oscar was furiously scribbling calculations, while Vincent only hovered beside him, not really helping.
The air felt warm, almost stifling, so Vincent went to the window behind Oscar and threw it open.
A cool autumn breeze swept in, instantly clearing his head.
Maybe I’ve been holding back too long.
It was getting harder and harder to restrain himself whenever Amelia was around.
If this kept up, things could get complicated.
“Your Highness, please!
It’s freezing!
Close the window!
Why are you even here, disturbing my work?” Oscar complained.
“Bear with it a little.”
Vincent brushed off his protest and stood by the open window. The colorful garden outside was soaked in the scent of autumn.
He even imagined walking there with Amelia—it would suit her perfectly.
Then, from the sofa, he heard a muffled sound.
“Ah-choo! Where did that cold wind come from… Ugh, it’s really chilly now.”
Vincent’s face stiffened slightly. He reached for the handle—
Clack.
The window shut, and the cold wind stopped.
