"...I don't know what you're talking about."
"If you had told me honestly, I wouldn't have doubted you."
Ilya's mouth snapped shut audibly.
Wells didn't want an answer, nor did he expect one, so he continued without pause.
"As a guest staying at my manor without even considering being our ward, I don't think I would have allowed Lady Ilya Titonsser to go out without an escort, no matter how safe the plaza was."
"..."
"Why did you go to Proud Mansion without reporting to me? Tell me what you talked about with Elliot Proud."
"Duke, what are you talking about?!"
Ilya's expression gave the perfect impression of innocence and ignorance, but Wells knew she was lying through her teeth.
He recalled the contents of the urgent letter sent to Honeywell Manor that very morning.
Arriving promptly from the Imperial Palace, it contained the identity of the culprit who kidnapped Rose.
A man Wells knew all too well.
"Stanley Gardner."
Wells uttered his name in disgust.
As the name flipped a switch, Ilya's shoulders shook violently, all too noticeable to be quickly hidden.
"The Imperial Family secretly found out the identity of the culprit who kidnapped Rose. It was found out that he is Stanley Gardner, the second son of Baron Gardner."
"..."
"Wasn't he the man Lady Ilya Titonsser was close to not long ago?"
"Duke, I have nothing to do with him. I don't know why he kidnapped Rose! If he's the culprit, he's acted entirely on his own! It has nothing to do with me."
Ilya tried to keep her composure as she tried to wipe herself clean of suspicion.
Since she knew that Rose had easily believed her and moved on from the incident, Ilya assumed that Rose's older brother would be the same.
But Ilya had looked down on Wells Honeywell too much.
He had become a duke at a young age and stepped into the aristocratic world. He was a completely different person from Rose, who grew up as a flower in a greenhouse.
Wells, who was sitting upright, leaned back and crossed his legs comfortably.
He simply changed his posture, but Ilya found it hard to breathe from the pressure he exerted.
"Lady Ilya Titonsser, I would have said it earlier if you had been honest. If you'd been honest, you wouldn't have raised any suspicions so quickly."
Wells paused, and during that short period of silence, Ilya quickly shook her head like a rattle.
...What does the Duke of Honeywell know?
Under the silent stare of the Duke of Honeywell, Ilya pondered over what lie to tell.
Unfortunately, Wells didn't give her the chance to spin up a suitable story.
"Then, I guess I'll have to call Rose's maid and hear about the conversation between her and Lady Titonsser."
It was then that Ilya discovered how Wells planned to corner her.
The news that Anne was going to the post office was a fact that Ilya had found out by personally asking her.
Pretending to be a coincidence, Ilya had casually asked Anne, whom she bumped into while going back and forth in the hallway, while using a greeting as an excuse.
Anne had reported to Wells every little word that was mentioned during that time.
Wells slowly rose to his feet, heading for his office desk.
On the desktop lay a small brooch with a small, barely noticeable button attached to it, which connected him to the butler, who always carried the sister brooch.
[TL/N: Sister brooch: they are pairs, look the same, and are connected to one another.]
It was a magical tool that Wells used to summon the butler from afar.
He seemed to be thinking of calling Anne through the butler.
When Anne comes, the Duke will know that I lied, then...
Ilya called out to Wells urgently before he grabbed the buttoned brooch.
"Wait! Duke Honeywell!"
Wells came to a stop and looked back at Ilya.
"I will tell you everything. Before that, the only conversation I had with Anne was when we were walking down the hallway and I asked her how she was. I was just glad to see her after a long time."
Wells' continuous silence made Ilya even more nervous.
Wells was quite a friendly character at the manor. Needless to say, he was kind to the manor's employees and to Ilya, who was sponsored by his family.
That's why Ilya overlooked the fact that Wells Honeywell was as formidable a man as Elliot Proud.
Don't let the plan go wrong, Ilya. I can't be let out of this manor yet.
I need to say something so that Duke Honeywell can take his suspicions off of me. What should I say to dispel the suspicion that I went to the Proud Mansion?
The most important thing now is to let them know that I am not a threat to the Honeywell family.
Ilya was unaware that Wells had come to stand directly in front of her nose as she desperately thought of an excuse at the top of her head.
It was the shadow cast over her head that made her aware of Wells' presence belatedly.
"Lady Titonsser, I'm sorry, but I can hear the gears in your head moving about all too clearly."
Wells smiled. It was the friendly smile that Ilya had come to know well.
"You don't have to speak if you don't want to, but I have no intention of sponsoring you any longer. I'm sorry, Lady Titonsser, but you have to pack your things right now and go back to your barony. I will lend you a carriage."
Ilya's heart sank with a thump.
...You want me to go back to that little barony of Titonsser now? I've barely made my debut on the capital's social scene!!!
Ilya had a hunch that if she returned home now, she would never set foot in Tristan's capital again.
There's no way Wells would let her come back. It was clear what action he would take after she left for the Barony of Titonsser.
The baron's daughter urgently grabbed the hem of Wells's clothes as he stepped away.
"I went to the Proud Mansion because the Duke requested it!"
"A request from Duke Proud?"
"Yes! Duke Proud has been neglecting his relationship with Rose lately... He said you want to restore the relationship. Since I'm close to Rose, I wanted to find out what he thinks of her. So, the duke asked me to talk---"
"Ah, alright, Duke Proud made such a request?"
Ilya nodded vigorously.
Wells stared at Ilya with his arms crossed and a corner of his mouth raised. It was a completely different kind of smile from the one that had expressed friendliness just a moment before.
"Then I will ask Duke Proud himself. Will that be okay?"
"...You can do that if you don't believe in me."
I am in the same boat as Elliot. Elliot won't pretend he doesn't know, as he'll need me to get back the object he wants to steal from Honeywell.
The baron's daughter put on a relaxed expression and obediently accepted Wells' proposal.
"Good, then, I will send a letter to Duke Proud right away."
Wells approached the desk, took out a piece of paper, and quickly jotted something down.
Soon after, he slipped it into an envelope and sealed it with the Honeywell seal. He called the butler and ordered him to quickly send the letter to the Proud Mansion and wait to receive a reply.
The butler hurriedly left the office, and Wells sat down on the couch in front of the tea table.
"Let's wait here comfortably until we hear back from Duke Proud."
"Great, but, Duke, if what I say is true, what will you do?"
"Hmm? I see, you're looking for a reward. Good then. If Lady Titonsser's words are true, then I've made a big mistake, and of course I should make amends. What do you want from me?"
Ilya let out a satisfied laugh inwardly, as if Wells had played into her palm and given her the answer she wanted.
Currently, although she had made her debut, there were few invitations from noble ladies that flew her way. It was as if she had not established herself in a position that showcased that she was supported by the Honeywell family.
Elliot had promised her the position of Duchess Proud, but Ilya greedily wanted more.
There was only one thing that came to her mind.
"Duke, I want to be this year's 'Gloria of Tristan'."
Wells immediately frowned.
Gloria of Tristan.
Every year, in early summer, the Tristan Founding Festival is held.
In this ceremony for the first emperor of Tristan, who defeated the monster that ruled this continent and established an empire, there was also a custom to thank the goddess who raised her hand in victory to the first emperor of Tristan.
Around the end of spring, the empire selected a woman to announce the opening and closing of the founding festival as the incarnation of a goddess.
The participation condition meant that any woman who had the name of a noble belonging to the Tristan Empire and had passed the age of maturity could do so.
The woman chosen as the Gloria of Tristan danced in Tristan Square on the first day of the foundation festival, and on the last day, she danced in the Imperial Palace to give thanks to the first emperor of Tristan and the goddess of victory.
So, to become the 'Gloria of Tristan' in that year meant to be a being that received the envy and admiration of not only many aristocrats but also the people of the empire.
The baron's daughter imagined herself in the center of everyone as 'Gloria of Tristan'.
Everyone, admiring me.
Everyone, loving me.
...And between them, watching from the sidelines, was Rose.
Even the Rose of Honeywell can't beat Gloria of Tristan.
Ilya waited for Wells' answer with a heavy heart.
Wells was silent for a long time.
Deep in thought, with his chin propped up, he slowly opened his mouth.
"Lady Titonsser, I don't know much about Tristan's election of Gloria. But that's not something I can do even if I use my strength. I am not the only one who judges."
"You can still help. I want to be Tristan's Gloria."
Wells stares into Ilya's eyes as if searching for something. Then he let out a sigh.
"Good, once we receive confirmation of the reply, we will allow you to participate. Lady Titonsser has to work hard to get elected, but you knew this was when you told the truth, right?"
"Of course."
Just in time, the butler came with a knock, announcing that Elliot Proud had come to Honeywell's Manor.
With different hopes in their hearts, the two welcomed Elliot.
Entering the office, Elliot hesitated for a moment at the sight of the two pairs of eyes that warmly welcomed him, although he did not show it.
He went over to Wells, trying to ignore their focused gazes.
"You called me to the Honeywell Manor in a hurry. From the letter, I thought you had eaten some kind of poison."
"If it were so, I would never have invited you."
"However, an unexpected guest has arrived."
Elliot's indigo-blue eyes touched Ilya's nervous form and then fell.
Wells got down to business without inviting Elliot to sit down.
"I heard an interesting story, which is why I called to ask you if that's true. I beg your pardon."
"You've already called me, so let's listen. I want to know just how interesting the story is that you have to invite me to your manor."
Elliot crossed his arms and waited for Wells to speak.
He had a rough idea of what he was going to say, but he had no intention of interrupting Wells by speaking first.
"The story is that you asked Lady Titonsser for help in order to deepen your relationship with Rose. Is this true?"
"Hmm..."
Elliot crossed his muscular arms and tapped his forearm at regular intervals as he rolled his eyes and looked at Ilya.
Ilya had a confident expression on her face, practically bouncing in her confidence that this matter would play out as she desired.
She could clearly see her intentions to confuse Wells with her cunning mix of truth and lies working out to her benefit.
...I see you know how to use me to your benefit. Should I say it's unique to you?
"Why aren't you talking?"
When Elliot didn't speak, Wells urged him, causing Elliot to take a deep breath.
"I don't know what you mean. I've never had a conversation like that with Lady Titonsser."
Elliot noticed Ilya's expression turning blue.
He didn't even cast her a fleeting glance.
...But I need to let you know that it's only me who uses you.