For now, he emphasized that her status was more valuable and higher than an illegitimate child's so that she would not feel it.

"Thank you very much. Even if you make me an unnamed n.o.blewoman, I am greatly indebted to you, but I am the cousin of Count Valerian! I'm glad to hear that."

At her face of pure joy without calculation, Adam softened his doubts. However, it was too early to let go of his thoughts.

He looked at Sir Caden, who was delighted to say congratulations to Dian, and then had eye contact with Valerian. Valerian also offered his congratulations, as if he had noticed his intention.

"I'm happy to have such a beautiful cousin. As your older brother, I'll try to marry you off to a good family as soon as this matter settles down."

"First of all, Miss Dian takes Miss Regina to Bertino, and then heads straight to the Chartreu Dress Shop in the capital. You can stay there for a while to dress up and get some education. You can move to Valerian's mansion as soon as you're ready."

Dian didn't know what to do at the honorific expressions, which were significantly different from the previous ones. "Please lower your words. I'm not even a n.o.ble yet…"

"What did you say? Now you need to get used to this kind of honorific expressions and hospitality. Now, Miss Dian, get ready to leave Tilia."

Dian, whose face was red, ran out of the office.

"You will go to Baden Territory immediately after Miss Regina has left, arrest the Count, and go to the capital."

Valerian nodded at Adam's words.

"Wouldn't it be better to kill Miss Regina?" Sir Caden suggested, since he thought it would be better to kill her, leaving no seeds of future trouble.

"I haven't got the permission of His Highness yet."

When Adam sighed, Valerian replied, "He must have delayed that decision because of the princess. Actually, she thought about making Miss Phoebe an illegitimate child, but she seems to have hesitated. She seemed to feel guilty because she thought all this had happened because of her role as a subst.i.tute. So, it's going to be hard for her to accept Miss Regina's death."

"That kind of sympathy or guilty mind could make things go wrong. By any chance, if there's something wrong, we'll kill her right away and make it look like she died of a disease," Adam said, and held out the two papers he was holding. "Now, there's a family registry application and a blood certificate. In addition, I want you to deliver Sir Caden's opinion on the killing of Miss Regina. I also think it's good to be clean and tidy, and not to leave seeds of future trouble."

Adam added as his brow furrowed, as if he didn't like anything, "As for Miss Phoebe... maybe there will be a lot of people out there who recognize her, but it's not for us to decide. His Highness will judge."

Valerian took the papers and slipped them into his jacket.

Caden also nodded as if he were in favor of Adam's words, went to his desk, took out a thick pile of papers, and returned. "This is a report sent to me by a person who monitors the town for any suspicious people, as His Highness ordered."

Adam's eyes grew bigger as he silently looked at the doc.u.ments that Sir Caden had given him. "There was a man questioning closely about the princess. Isn't this a report that came a few days ago? Why haven't you reported this to His Highness yet?"

"I only saw it today, because I went to Vicern with the Duke and returned. I'm sorry."

Many things had happened at once, and it seemed that an important report had been missed.

There was no guarantee that this kind of thing would have only happened here. Thinking that he should check the whole reporting system, Adam went through the report once again.

'Was it a simple investigation to ask about the princess? Or did someone do it with suspicion? Who the h.e.l.l asked him to investigate?'

"Valerian, I'm going to head to the capital. I need to report this to His Highness right away. I don't feel good about."

Caden had simply thought that it was an investigation of a person wondering about the princess, and he was surprised when Count Adam took it sensitively.

"Isn't it that people wonder about the princess? I guess it was because the princess's sudden debut made headlines."

Who would think this would happen? Adam shook his head even after Sir Caden said he didn't think it was that much of a deal. "It doesn't apply to the princess. Even if they ask a simple question, some people might feel strange at the ordinary story. Sir Caden, if you go up to the capital now, you will serve His Highness Killian near him. The Imperial Castle is a scary place, where even the slightest thing can turn into a big one. You have to be in the habit of questioning everything and looking at it again, without slowing your tension and vigilance, if you wish to protect His Highness."

Even the mental att.i.tude of Adam was different from Caden's mindset. Adam didn't say that he would be safe. He said that the only way he could protect His Highness Killian was by doing so.

Caden sincerely regretted it. He felt ashamed of himself for neglecting the report which had been on his desk since yesterday, and only submitting it now.