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Chapter 05.
“Lady Ichel clearly said she liked the Duke, didn’t she?”
“Y-yes, that’s right.”
“But not long after saying that, it seems she’s been seen with another man. Lady Clen, do you know anything about that?”
“……No. That’s the first I’ve heard of it.”
Violet clenched her fists, visibly furious, but somehow managed to keep her composure.
“Lady Revián, did anyone else see the two of them together?”
“I was the only one. I haven’t told anyone.”
“Truly?”
“Yes. After what happened at the tea party the other day, I didn’t want to say anything that might damage Lady Ichel’s reputation.”
Violet looked genuinely moved by my restraint, even as she simmered with anger toward Merina.
“Oh my, how generous and kind-hearted you are…!”
She clasped both my hands and confessed her true feelings.
“I must have misunderstood you completely, Lady Revián. You rarely attend parties and only talk to a few people, so I thought perhaps…”
She hesitated, and I smiled kindly.
“That I’m cold, aloof, and heartless?”
“Oh, Lady, no, not at all—”
“I’ve heard those rumors too. But I suppose there’s little I can do if people insist on believing them.”
When I smiled gently, Violet’s cheeks flushed red.
If I truly wanted to dominate social life, I could have done so through power alone.
But the world of high society isn’t that simple—force breeds backlash.
“It hurts, you know, being misunderstood when I’m really not like that.”
“That’s why you hosted that tea party recently, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
Even as the daughter of Marquis Revián—one of the most powerful nobles—I could still be betrayed.
Conversely, it’s also a place where someone with less power could topple a greater one.
“That wretch—no, that Lady Ichel, to treat someone like you this way…”
I lightly placed my hand over Violet’s trembling one.
“I’d be grateful if you’d stay close to me, Lady Clen.”
“Of course! I’ve actually always wanted to speak with you—thank you for inviting me today.”
I nodded with a smile, then lowered my voice.
“Lady Clen, please keep what we discussed a secret, yes?”
“Yes, of course. I’ll quietly look into what kind of relationship Lady Ichel and Lord Gerdon have.”
“I’d appreciate that. Lady Ichel is acquainted with my younger brother as well… I’d hate for her to get caught up in any unpleasant rumors.”
“Oh my, oh my…”
Tears welled in Violet’s eyes, moved by my supposed virtue.
Having tied the conversation up perfectly, I took a calm sip of tea.
* * *
Lexian stayed in his study late into the night.
—Why me, of all people?
—My, must I repeat myself a third time to a gentleman? Because you are the Duke, of course.
He had been left speechless by the sight of Rosia’s soft smile—
Rosia Revián, who had always spent parties chatting quietly in a corner.
It was strange—he barely knew the woman, yet when she smiled,
he’d found himself thinking, “Beautiful.”
They had hardly ever interacted.
At most, they exchanged greetings at imperial functions, nothing more.
So for her to suddenly ask him for a dance was bizarre—
and yet, from that moment on, he felt as though he had always known her.
“I must be losing my mind.”
Running a hand through his hair, Lexian opened his safe.
The House of Lisianthus had long inherited a single box.
A box that could not be cut by a sword nor burned by magic—
and one that only the head of the family could open.
According to legend, the first duke had received it from a dragon who was his friend.
The golden box was small enough to hold in one hand,
yet heavy, and normally kept hidden in the duke’s office.
“When I checked earlier this year, it was empty…”
He usually inspected it twice a year—purely a formality,
since it had always contained nothing but a spare family seal.
But after that sudden encounter with the Marquis Revián’s daughter,
the box came to mind again.
When he opened it absentmindedly,
he found twenty-five long black strands of hair inside—
tied neatly with a crimson ribbon.
They weren’t his, nor his late father’s.
Only one person came to mind—Rosia Revián.
“Black hair isn’t common.”
It couldn’t really be hers… but he couldn’t think of anyone else,
and he needed to know for certain.
If Rosia Revián entered his mansion and approached the box,
he could find out whether those hairs belonged to her—
for the hair would glow when its owner was near.
To rid himself of this unease, Lexian resolved to find a way
to invite Rosia Revián to the duke’s estate.
* * *
After attending a few social gatherings,
I finally managed to slip away from the mansion alone.
No maids, no escorts—just me,
wearing a veil and a hooded cloak over it.
I took a public carriage to the busiest district of the capital—Trafal Street,
lined with shops and bright with life.
My destination was a shabby antique store tucked behind Trafal Street, 7th Alley.
“Welcome.”
An elderly man and a younger one—perhaps his grandson—greeted me.
“Welcome to our humble antique shop.
We carry everything from old books to ancient vases—feel free to browse.”
I stepped closer to the old man and quietly slipped him a gold coin.
“Page seventy-four. The secret lies beneath the lamp.”
The kindly looking grandfather raised an eyebrow,
then motioned for me to follow.
This was no mere antique shop—it was an information guild.
They sold knowledge only to those who knew the code.
The back office was just as I remembered: no windows,
only a desk, a few chairs, and a filing cabinet.
A man with uneven blond hair stood up from behind the desk.
His hair was so messy that his face was hard to make out.
“Welcome. I assume you’re here because you need something.”
“Information on Blue Bird.”
Blue Bird—a criminal syndicate known for every kind of illicit trade,
expanding their reach even now.
They ran gambling dens throughout the capital,
but what interested me most was that, eventually,
they would meddle in forbidden realms.
They had a magician among them—
unlike the Tower’s mages, who remained neutral,
Blue Bird’s magicians used magic for profit
and would do anything in pursuit of new knowledge.
In my 46th life, I had stumbled into one of their hideouts
and there learned about Delphoi, the “center of the world.”
I had once paid the Tower handsomely to dig up information
about Blue Bird and Delphoi, but the results were disappointing.
To uncover Delphoi’s truth, I’d need to get close to Blue Bird myself.
“Why do you want information on Blue Bird?”
“An information guild asking why someone wants information?”
“It’s classified as high-level intel, my lady.”
I gave him a mocking smile.
“How high are we talking? If it’s that valuable,
I’ll pay more. Is it top-tier?”
There were several guilds in the capital,
but this one—the Spider’s Web—was the most powerful.
“You know our guild well, I see.”
“So will you take the job? Or decline?”
“We’ll take it.”
The man pulled out a form and began writing down my request.
“At present, Blue Bird information is classified as high-level,
though it could be upgraded to top-tier.
If you agree to that, the base fee is forty gold coins.
Half must be paid up front.”
I placed the prepared pouch of gold on the desk.
He counted it quickly.
“Twenty gold coins confirmed.
If the information is upgraded to top-tier,
you’ll owe an additional forty later.”
“Fine.”
“Then please return in a week.”
Whii–.
As I turned to leave, a soft whistled tune followed me through the closing door.
That melody—
I was sure it was the one the guildmaster himself often whistled…
“No way.”
“Pardon?”
“Nothing. Show me the way out.”
Following the old man’s guidance,
I left the antique shop quietly behind.
