The butler started talking about what he had seen and heard all day.

  It’s been a week since Viese had worked as an acting patriarch.

  Lulak is briefed by John about Viese’s work every day.

  Every few days, he reports Lulak about Viese work, but John put his personal feelings aside and spoke from a third-party perspective thoroughly.

  And not surprisingly, the two reports are very different.

  "……As expected."

  Lulak laughed bitterly.

  When he entrusted Viese as the acting Patriarch, he had a glimmer of hope.

  He thought Viese would realize his responsibilities as Patriarch and show another side of himself.

  "How is Viese feeling?"

  "……He looks really good."

  "Huh……"

  Then, it meant that he was not even aware of the mistakes he was making.

  “It would be nice if Viese could see her own shortcomings.”1

  Lulak wanted him to learn how much responsibility comes with the position as Lombardy householder.

  So Lulak wanted he put down that greed.

  “Was that even greed……”


  Lulak couldn’t hide his sadness and let out a long sigh.

  “Now I have to let go of my regrets.”


  "Sir……"

  John called to Lulak anxiously.

  "Ah, I’m fine. Don’t worry. I just feel sorry for the vassal."

  Lulak smiled bitterly and said.

  “So, shouldn’t it be time to recover your health and get up from your bed?”


  Johan smiled gently to comfort.

  "Yes, thank you, thank you."

  There were still worries about the next Patriarch, but Lulak tried hard to smile.

  “Fortunately, they found it early and said that as long as you take the medicine and rest, you will be fine.”


  "Oh, that’s a relief!"

  "To be honest, I didn’t expect much since she’s still young, but Dr. Estira……"

  Tap tap.

  "Grandpa!"

  Suddenly a cheerful voice knocked on the door.

  "Tia?"

  Lulak, who recognized who she was just by hearing her voice, tried to get out of bed and walk.

  The face of John, who stopped Lulak and opened the door for him, was full of smiles.

  "Grandpa, I’m here!"

  "Oh, yes, Tia is here…… Hmm?"

  Lulak casually greeted his granddaughter and opened his eyes wide in surprise.

  Tia wasn’t the only one standing at the open door.

  Larane, Craney stood next to her, and even the twins standing at the backs together.

  Children who did not seem to resemble each other were filling the doorway with bright faces.

  Tia smiled brightly at the surprised Lulak.

  * * *

  "……Yes. Come on in."

  A smile slowly formed on my grandfather’s face.

  It was an inexplicable smile.

  "I’ll prepare drinks and snacks for you."

  The butler said so and quickly started to pack the bread and juice that had been placed on one side.

  In the midst of the clatter, I said with a slight nudge on Craney’s back.

  "What are you doing, Craney? You’re going to visit our grandfather."

  "Did you bring gifts?"

  Grandpa looked at Craney and asked.

  "Well, that’s…… Ugh."

  Craney turned his face red and held out a small bouquet of flowers hidden behind his back to his grandfather.

  "Get well soon, Grandpa!"

  "Hah……"

  Grandpa knew how shy and unapologetic Craney was.

  So how courageous him to give this prepared gift to a grandpa he scary of.

  "Yes, thank you, Craney."

  Grandpa patted Craney on the shoulder as he accepted the bouquet.

  "You have a very good eye for flowers."

  This compliment too.

  "I, I’ve been picking the flowers all day from the mansion field!."

  "Yes, it is very beautiful."

  "Oh, I got praised."

  Craney’s smiling face was full of joy.

  He seemed to be ridiculed a lot by his brother Astalliu for liking books and pretty flowers.

  However, it was so good that his ears turned red when he was praised by his grandfather for his beautiful bouquet.

  “Grandfather, I……”


  Larane smiled shyly and handed him a book.

  "Sometimes when I’m sick, I don’t think there’s anything more comforting than a book……"

  Grandpa looked at the book for a moment as if he didn’t expect Larane to give him a gift, and laughed with great satisfaction.

  "Thanks, Larane. I just read all the remaining books, and they went really well. I’ll read them today."

  Larane’s face was also quite red.

  "The drinks are ready. Then I’ll go down to the kitchen, sir."

  "Well, that’s a good job."

  John stepped out of the bedroom, and the children crammed around the table with simple pastries and sweets.

  It was then.

  First, Mayron, who was taking a bite of the cake, patted Gilliu’s side and took two of the same cake from the small plate.

  Then Gilliu walked with him, played with him in his grandfather’s hands, and came back.

  "Delicious, Grandpa. Eat it."

  It was the way the twins took care of their grandfather, they didn’t say much either.

  Grandpa took turns looking at the cake on the round plate and the children sitting around and called out to me.

  "Tia."

  "Yes, Grandpa."

  "It must be your idea to come here with all your cousins, right?"

  How do you know that?

  I smiled and shrugged my shoulders once.

  "……Thank you, Tia."

  Grandpa said with a happy but bitter smile somewhere.

  "I’m glad you’re all right, thank God……"

  Because I understand the meaning of the word roughly.

  I just burst out laughing.

  Grandpa patted my head calmly, watching my cousin share a delicious meal together.

  * * *

  After a busy morning at the mining company, Shananet wrote to Gallahan as soon as she returned to the mansion.

  Tap, Tap

  "Are you there, Mrs. Shananet?"

  That’s when a strange sound knocked on the door.

  "Who’s this?"

  Shananet, who tilted her head and put down her flag pen, opened the front door herself.

  "Good morning, Shananet. I haven’t seen you in a long time. This is Grodic Bray."

  A slightly stiff-faced man quickly took off his hat and greeted politely.

  "Yes, it’s been a long time. Mr. Bray. Come in."

  Shananet opened the door wider and led Grodic into the living room.

  "Well, excuse me."

  "Would you like some tea? What would you like to drink?"

  "Oh, everything is fine."

  Grodic, who was about to sit on the living room sofa, quickly answered Shananet’s words from inside, releasing his hips again.

  "I can’t believe you’re giving me tea alone like this……"

  Grodic said awkwardly as he looked at Shananet, who came out with a tea after a while.

  "Because I like to do little things that I can do with my own hands. I’m a poor person too."

  Shananet’s face said so looking very calm.

  No one didn’t know how thoroughly Vestian Schultz tricked Shananet.

  But when Grodic saw Shananet, he thought she looked better than ever.2

  "You must be busy with your bank work. What brings you here today, Lord Grodic?"

  "Oh, that……"

  After a moment of hesitation, Grodic took out what he had brought and placed them side by side on the table.

  "Is this a check from the Lombardy Bank?"

  "That is."

  "But why check…… Do you have intentions to……"

  Shananet’s voice grew cold.

  Lombardy’s vassal family often faced this situation.

  Someone brings cash or jewelry and gives it as a bribe to have a good look.

  Grodic jumped at the thought that this situation might look like that.

  "No, it’s not like that! How could I……"

  Subconsciously, Grodic explained, taking out a handkerchief and wiping the sweat from his forehead.

  "One of the two checks here is fake."

  "What do you mean, fake?"

  "Someone worked really hard to make a fake check."

  "That’s what happened……"

  Shananet frowned.

  It was so good he never realized it until Grodic told him.

  He reached out and touched the fake checks.

  There is nothing else in the texture felt by the fingertips.

  "How many checks like this have been found now?"

  "There are five copies so far."

  "Five pages. You know, Lord Bray, but this is a serious matter."

  "That’s what I said!"

  Grodic was pleased to finally meet Lombardy, who appreciated the seriousness of the matter, and shouted involuntarily.

  "Well, I’m aware of the seriousness of the situation and I’m trying to figure things out with the bank staff. It’s not easy."

  "I believe you are."

  Identical fake checks.

  Shananet looked at the check with a stiff face and asked.

  "Did you tell Viese about this?"

  "This is the second time I’ve told him before."

  "But I guess it didn’t work out."

  "……That’s why I came to you, Shananet."

  Except for Lulak, Shananet was the only one who could control the reckless Viese.

  "I thought I’d tell Lord since it was a serious problem. But I couldn’t bring myself to do that……"

  Shananet was able to understand Grodic’s thoughts.

  Lombardy’s were very loyal people.

  Shananet also had a good idea that they felt deeply indebted about the fact that the old Patriarch had fainted from poor health.

  "Let’s think together for now."

  "Sigh."

  A deep sigh escaped from Grodic at Shananet’s words.

  It was not a sigh of dissatisfaction.

  That’s more of a relief.

  Shananet’s word ’Let’s think about it together’, which is no big deal, can’t be so entertaining.

  Besides, Shananet didn’t stop there.

  "Until we find a way to tell the difference between fakes, we have to stop issuing existing checks and create new ones……"

  “But that is Lord’s authority……”


  "What did Viese say about this?"

  "……If you find about ten fake checks, come and tell me……"

  "Heee……"

  Shananet finally sighed as well.

  It was frustrating, but now the Patriarch was Viese.

  "I’ll talk to Viese. So until then, Lord Bray must learn how to tell the difference between fake checks."

  "Yes, madam."

  Grodic, who had Shananet’s support, then brought the teacup to his mouth with a brighter face.

  However, Shananet’s dark eyes did not fall from the two checks placed side by side on the table.

  * * *

  Pellet Corporation Office.

  It’s been a long time since me, Clerivan, Violet, and Bate work together.+

  "Do you understand, Bate?"

  A little impatient, I asked Bate, who had just sat down.

  Today, Bate, disguised as a cake delivery man, nodded as he put down the box.

  "This is you."

  A large cookie box was placed randomly on the floor, and two long sheets of paper were placed side by side on an empty table.

  It was a check deposit with a Lombardy stamp on it.

  "One is a check issued by the Bank of Lombardy, the other is a fake. Would you mind guessing what’s fake?"1

  It’s not that hard.

  Because I know how to tell the difference.

  But for others, it may be nearly impossible.