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Since opening the door to the powder room, Matilda had remained standing near the door, never once losing her smile.
Even for someone like Yevgenia, it would have been difficult to even harbor a suspicion.
‘If I hadn't gone to pick up the hat, I probably wouldn't have noticed at all until we finished our conversation and parted ways.’
Whether Matilda had dropped the hat on purpose or it was a mere coincidence remained unknown.
Either way, it was a win for Yevgenia.
‘If it was intentional, it's good because it means I passed Matilda's own little test; if it was a coincidence, it's also good because she'll think highly of my keen observation skills.’
Even if the former were true, the thought—How dare a Viscount's daughter test me?!—didn't particularly cross her mind.
Compared to Yulan, who openly sneered and picked fights, Matilda, who simply dropped a hat, was practically an angel.
In fact, pressing the issue would only reveal her own narrow-mindedness, so it was better to pretend she hadn't noticed.
Furthermore, Yevgenia was currently in a position where she needed to stay on Matilda's good side.
‘The daughter of a wealthy Viscount family, and from the lineage of the historic Imperial Times newspaper. On top of that, she seems to want to cover her eyes for certain reasons.’
Wasn't she the most timely target imaginable?
Following the promotional articles and sponsored columns, this was a golden opportunity to secure an influencer—a walking billboard—all at once.
‘Yulan had pointed out that tinted glasses were too expensive and a luxury item with a limited customer base, and that had been weighing on my mind.’
At the time, she had managed to brush it off by saying she would employ a high-end luxury strategy, but in truth, it had bothered her.
It wasn't as if she lacked money, nor would her reputation increase simply by venturing into commerce, so one might wonder why she was so obsessed.
However, Yevgenia kept recalling the advice the Duke had given her, and she felt it would be a waste to simply let the tinted glasses item slide.
‘Even if Yulan continues to operate only among commoners, I can't be certain that there isn't a single person among them who knows nothing about the Second Imperial Prince. His eye color is that unique.’
That said, she couldn't exactly tell the head of a guild to pretend to be blind based on the Duke's advice.
There was no telling how many people who had encountered Yulan remembered the color of his eyes.
Therefore, if he started wearing tinted glasses to cover his eyes from now on, at least his information wouldn't spread further in the future.
‘Matilda probably wants the same thing.’
Matilda must have spent grueling hours practicing how to maintain a natural smile for long periods without her face twitching.
If Matilda could finally relax her expression even for a moment, there was a high probability she would feel an implicit sense of gratitude toward Yevgenia.
‘But, it would be amateurish to act like I know the truth and push it on her right now.’
Carefully, slowly.
The way of the master was to wait patiently, like a predator stalking its prey.
Wearing a deep smile, Yevgenia adjusted Matilda's hat.
"Excuse me. I think it looks better worn like this."
"...Ah, thank you."
Taking another step back, Yevgenia spoke.
"Write the article however you wish. However, I will not tolerate any content that belittles me or my lover, even in the slightest."
"How could I possibly... your lover, Imperial Princess..."
Matilda immediately shook her head, her eyebrows drooping in a look of apology, but Yevgenia continued her warning without a care.
"You, of all people, should know better than anyone how far I am willing to go for the 'person I love.'"
"..."
"You'd best behave. My father is a man who considers everyone connected to the opponent's family, but I'm the type who prefers to just crush one person thoroughly."
Following the chilling warning, Yevgenia clapped her hands loudly amidst the rapidly stiffening atmosphere.
Startled, Matilda's shoulders jumped involuntarily.
Yevgenia pretended not to see it and issued a direct order for her to leave.
"You may leave now, Lady Matilda Benson."
As soon as the command fell, Matilda hurriedly bowed and backed her way out of the powder room.
As Yevgenia watched Matilda recede, a thick, golden family crest plaque was rolling around in her hand.
* * *
A short while later, inside the carriage of the Martyr family.
"My Lady, I'm sorry I'm late! I tried to come back as quickly as possible, but there was an accident that required the auction house master to step in personally, and he kept delaying things...!"
"I told you it's really fine. It wasn't before or after the auction, but during it, so the master must have had a good reason."
In the midst of the auction's peak heat, there weren't many people capable of causing a scene significant enough to make the master move.
Perhaps the accident hadn't happened somewhere in the auction house, but right before the master's eyes.
And someone with that much audacity was certainly in a position that surpassed most ranks.
‘If it's someone who would make Martyr wait, it's obvious who it is. I'll feel more at peace if I just treat him as if he doesn't exist.’
At the casually tossed remark, Anna's eyes widened, and she looked around the carriage.
If Yevgenia was being this cautious even inside a carriage where no one else could overhear their conversation, it clearly wasn't a normal story.
Narrowing her eyes, Yevgenia snapped the curtains of the carriage window shut.
Since she hadn't lit the lamp, the interior became so dark that it was difficult to distinguish shapes, providing enough privacy for someone to share a secret.
"Um, My Lady. On my way back from meeting the master, I heard something strange."
"Yes, what was it?"
"That... you won the Rose of Light because you haven't yet forgotten your 'former' fiancé..."
One of Yevgenia's eyebrows twitched upward.
She had expected gossip since the bidding war with Raymond began.
However, for that gossip to spread this quickly, and to reach Anna's ears of all people, was a different story entirely.
As she looked at Anna sitting in front of her through narrowed eyes, she could just barely make out Anna's silhouette.
Seeing how Anna was huddled up, it was certain that the person who delivered this 'strange story' was no ordinary person.
And there was only one person who would go out of their way to find Anna in that vast auction house to spout such nonsense.
"Raymond stopped you while you were passing by and told you that, didn't he?"
"Huh? Ah, My Lady, how on earth did you..."
"It's too obvious. He probably wandered around looking for an easy target to recover his bruised ego after losing the money war, and he found you. Tsk."
Yevgenia clicked her tongue with a cold assessment.
At that, Anna gasped loudly in surprise.
Before long, words began pouring out of Anna's mouth like a flood.
"As expected of My Lady! How can you tell right away without even seeing it? Heavens, I really thought he was a good person. Since you were... so deeply infatuated with him. But honestly, hearing him belittle you when he doesn't even know you makes me so angry! I can't tell you how hard it was to hold back the boiling rage in my chest before I left!"
Upon hearing that Raymond had badmouthed her to Anna, Yevgenia struggled to suppress a scoff.
He was angry enough to insult someone who wasn't there, yet he still had the mental capacity to selectively target and harass someone of a status where they couldn't even dare to resist him.
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