TISND Chapter 65

Chapter 65

It was Azelize Street, where all the fashionable people of the capital gathered.
The street was filled with ladies holding parasols and gentlemen stylishly donning bowler hats.

At that moment—

Slap!

A sharp scream and a woman’s piercing voice echoed across the street.

“Do I look like I’m joking to you? I told you to get that necklace no matter what it takes!”

“I’m sorry, my lady! But they said they couldn’t sell ‘The Tear of the Ocean’…”

“You should’ve gotten it at any price! That necklace is something I’ve wanted since last week!”

Even as people passed by, a servant knelt before a woman, trembling in fear.

“I’m sorry, my lady! I’ll find an even more beautiful necklace for you!”

“I specifically said I wanted ‘The Tear of the Ocean’! I don’t need anything else! How dare you make me wait? Do you think I’m a joke?”

The sharp voice of the blonde woman quickly drew attention, and the identity of the speaker was soon recognized by the crowd.

It was none other than the infamous ‘Rosalith Eskel.’

Known as the most beautiful woman in the Empire—and equally notorious for her bad temper—she was a figure many had only heard of in rumors.

She was dressed in the most extravagant gown and adorned with accessories as heavy as her greed.

People were initially awestruck by her beauty, only to be taken aback again by her foul temperament.

“She was under house arrest until recently, wasn’t she? And now she’s back out in public.”

“I heard the Crown Prince stood her up.”

Standing beside Rosalith, her maid cautiously spoke up, aware of the growing attention.

“My lady, wouldn’t it be better to discuss this elsewhere?”

Rosalith had already been reprimanded by the Count of Eskel over her marriage issues, resulting in her recent confinement.
If she caused another commotion, it was certain she’d face his wrath again.

Of course, her master adored her too much to punish her severely, but the maid wanted to avoid unnecessary trouble.

Scanning the surroundings, the maid whispered carefully, ensuring no one else could hear.

“People are staring, my lady. Perhaps we should move to a quieter location?”

“Did I do something wrong? What’s the problem?” Rosalith retorted, her voice ringing louder than ever.

Her voice, honed through years of childish tantrums, had only grown louder as she aged.

It was impossible for anyone passing by not to hear her booming tone.

“I pay this servant to work for me, and they failed to fulfill my request. Of course, they deserve punishment.”

“My lady, it’s because people are watching.”

“What does it matter if they’re watching? I did nothing wrong. It’s this servant who’s at fault!”

From a young age, Rosalith would throw a tantrum whenever she didn’t get what she wanted.
Even as an adult, her stubbornness and greed remained unchanged. Her face flushed red as she fumed with anger.

“Why are you trying to stop me when I’ve done nothing wrong?”

“My lady, do you not recall what the Count told you?”

The maid gently tried to placate her fiery-tempered mistress, treating her as one might handle a willful child.

She couldn’t afford to reprimand Rosalith harshly; losing her job—or worse, her life—was a very real risk.

“The Count instructed you to remain calm for the time being, didn’t he? You haven’t done anything wrong, of course, but he asked you to avoid any commotions.”

“Hmph, is that so?”

The only person who could rein in Rosalith was the Count of Eskel.

“I suppose I have no choice. I’ll graciously show mercy and forgive you this time.”

“You there! Thank the lady for her generosity at once!”

“Thank you, my lady!”

Seizing the opportunity, the maid quickly moved to escort Rosalitg away.

“Losing your temper must’ve exhausted you, my lady. Let me assist you.”

With that, the maid hurriedly led her away from Azelize Street, successfully escaping the curious gazes of passersby.

However, the maid failed to notice one critical detail.

“Why are there so many people here?”

As they exited Azelize Street, the normally quiet roads were packed with people.
In fact, the further they went, the more densely the crowd gathered, making it nearly impossible to take a step.

“Where’s the carriage? Where is it? Tell them to come here right now!”

“My lady, with this kind of crowd, it’d be nearly impossible to bring the carriage through,” the maid muttered before clapping her hands.

“Oh my goodness! I completely forgot today was ‘that’ day.”

“What day is it?”

“It’s the day the Duke of Frantor returns to the capital, of course!”

“And what does that have to do with anything?”

“He’s a hero who has saved the Empire countless times. Naturally, this kind of crowd is to be expected. Ahem, although, judging by how he treats the Count lately, he doesn’t seem to be a particularly virtuous man,” the maid added, carefully lowering her voice.

But Rosalith seemed entirely clueless about the relationship between the Duke of Frantor and the Count of Eskel.

“I suppose he’s returned victorious from battle again. Every time he enters the city, crowds like this gather.”

“Is he more impressive than His Highness the Crown Prince?”

Although Rosalith frequented high society, she had never met the Duke of Frantor even once.
After all, he rarely stayed in the capital and often avoided attending social events.

“If he’s not better than the Crown Prince, I’m not interested. Tell them to clear this crowd and bring my carriage immediately.”

Thus, the Duke of Frantor was entirely outside her realm of interest.

Having been accustomed to the best from a young age, she naturally believed she would marry the most exceptional man in the Empire.
But every suitor her father presented was disappointing—and unattractive to boot.

“How am I supposed to disperse this crowd, my lady?”

“Stop making excuses and just do as I—”

Rosalith didn’t finish her sentence.

“Is that man the Duke of Frantor?”

From a distance, she could clearly make out his face.

His eyes stared straight ahead, giving no attention to the cheering crowd. His expression seemed indifferent, even haughty. Somehow, that only made him more appealing to her.

She had always dismissed men in the military as dull and rigid, based on her preconceived notions.

But ‘this’ man’s rigidity was captivating.

His spotless shirt and outerwear, with every button fastened, exuded an air of restraint that felt intensely alluring.

“He’s handsome,” Rosalith murmured, almost sighing.

“Well, he is famously good-looking.”

“What? Why didn’t you tell me that? How come I didn’t know until now?”

“Because the Count and the Duke don’t get along, my lady.”

“What does that matter? I can just make him like me!”

Rosalith began throwing one of her signature tantrums.

“He didn’t even attend the last wedding. It’s no wonder you haven’t seen him until now.”

“Wedding? Is he married?”

“Did you already forget? He married Lady Helena.”

“Helena? That dull-witted fool?”

Rosalith stared longingly at Caligo’s retreating figure, his back turned to her.

—

Jeremy seemed deeply shaken by the recent incident.

“Here, hold on.”

It was the day Caligo was finally returning to the estate.

He was supposed to return directly after entering the capital yesterday afternoon, but he had to stay overnight at the Imperial Palace due to reports and meetings.

This morning, Helena descended the central staircase to greet him as he arrived at the mansion.

“Huh?”

“Hold my hand.”

Although the central staircase was one she climbed several times a day, the child insisted she never go down it alone.

“It’s just stairs, not a cliffside. What’s the big deal?”

“You could fall! Just hold my hand already.”

“You weigh less than me. If I fall, I’ll just pull you down with me.”

“Even if I weigh less, I’m strong! If you trip, I’ll catch you. So hold on!”

He refused to leave her side, no matter what.

The boy, who already followed her around the estate like a shadow, had grown even clingier lately.
Still, she appreciated the concern he showed.

“You’ve grown up. You’re quite the gentleman now.”

“Hmph, I’ve been a gentleman since the day I was born.”

Holding the boy’s hand, she walked toward the front entrance. Just then, Caligo dismounted from his horse.

Everyone in the estate had come out to greet him. Even Aiden stood by with a somewhat reluctant expression.

“I’m glad you’ve returned safely.”

“I thought I saw you on the street yesterday,” Caligo said, his first words to her.

She hadn’t expected him to ask such a sudden question right after their meeting, and she blinked in surprise.

“Why did you just leave?”

Yesterday, she hadn’t been in the mood to face him.

Knowing that her days were numbered, she couldn’t bring herself to greet him warmly.

“Ah… There were a lot of people on the street. I didn’t want to get in the way,” she replied, her voice tinged with sadness.

Her face still bore traces of sorrow as she managed to answer.

“Father!”

Jeremy, jumping into the conversation, greeted Caligo enthusiastically.

The family headed inside, sharing updates and chatting as they spent time together.

Then, suddenly—

“Master! Madam!”

The butler rushed in with an urgent tone.

“What’s the matter?”

The butler hesitated, glancing nervously at Helena before cautiously continuing.

It was rare for the butler to be so wary of her. Curious, Helena widened her eyes and waited for him to speak.

“Lady Rosalith of the Eskel family has arrived to visit the estate.”

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