After finishing their meeting with Viscount Seltzburg, Yuri and the others had returned to the reception room of the Sant-Elmo Trading Company.
The wooden table was covered with papers, each filled with information they had gathered during the meeting. Some recorded locations and the movements of people connected to the incident, and on top of them rested chess pieces.
"In the end, all we really learned is that the Rosenkreitz Trading Company wants to crush the Belclair Atelier."
Sitting deep in his chair, Yuri looked in turn at Ophelia, Aina, Lily, Elise, and Elena around the table.
"I imagine they found the Belclair Atelier rather inconvenient precisely because it was far too skilled despite having no dealings with them."
Ophelia spoke in a cool, composed voice as she lightly touched the paper labeled "Belclair Atelier."
"If that were all, they could just target the atelier directly."
Yuri rested a hand against his chin and continued.
"There'd be no reason to go out of their way to drag the viscount into it. I don't think that's where the trading company's real aim lies."
"That is what troubles me."
Ophelia gazed thoughtfully at the paper labeled "Viscount Seltzburg's Daughter," where the white queen had been placed.
"For a mere attempt to ruin a workshop, the risk is far too high. If they are involving a noble, then surely some deeper motive is hidden beneath it."
"Unless we uncover that, we cannot decide how to move."
Elise said this quietly, tapping a finger against the paper labeled "Rosenkreitz Trading Company," where the black king sat.
"We have far too little information."
Ophelia murmured with a faint hint of dissatisfaction, one hand resting against her cheek.
"Leave the information-gathering to me. In exchange, could I ask you to handle the White Queen Happiness Plan?"
As Yuri said this, he lightly touched the white queen on the table.
Ophelia swept her hair back with elegant poise.
"Surely you are not thinking of making a heartbroken young lady 'happy' by welcoming her into your own harem, are you?"
She said it lightly, with a cool smile, almost as a joke.
Yuri's heart leaped hard.
"W-what are you saying, Lady Ophelia!?"
Yuri frantically waved both hands, desperately denying it.
"I wasn't thinking anything like that! Joining my harem doesn't automatically make someone happy or anything...!"
No, no, I may have been getting a little carried away lately, but that's not what I meant! Truly!
"Hehe. I was only joking."
Ophelia placed a hand over her mouth and laughed softly.
For an instant, her graceful gesture seemed as if it might ease the mood in the room. Yet in the depths of her eyes, Yuri could see something pointed lingering there.
Wait... Is she reminding me not to forget Celia's homework?
The words Celine had spoken to him before he left for the March of Ishurias rose in his mind.
"Since we are short on people for the plan, please bring back at least one consort or concubine.
"She need not have a large bosom, but do choose someone capable and useful."
Celia just doesn't understand romance! No, wait, this is not the time to be thinking about that.
Yuri hastily shook his head, trying to drive the distracting thoughts away.
"So, um, at the countess's soirée, I promised that we'd put the viscount in a wedding dress."
In that instant, the air in the room froze.
"Eh...?"
Lily stared at Yuri, completely still.
Elise's hand stopped with the quill still in her fingers, and she blinked.
...Huh? Did I say something strange? And why is Elise looking at me with such expectation?
Only then did Yuri notice the change in the room. He glanced around and found every gaze fixed on him at once.
"L-Lord Strauss, n-no, that is not it!"
Elena hurriedly rose to her feet and turned to Yuri with an apologetic look.
"The plan is not to put the viscount in a wedding dress. It is to have the viscount's daughter wear an evening gown and have the young lord propose to her!"
"...Oh. Ah, yes! Of course! That. That's what I meant! I would never say anything that strange!"
Yuri waved both hands in a desperate attempt to gloss over it, but the room was still wrapped in a strange tension, as if everyone were trying hard not to laugh.
"What a surprise. For a moment, I wondered whether my lord husband had chosen an entirely new path and decided to wed a middle-aged gentleman."
Aina sighed calmly and turned her gaze on Yuri.
"Ah. Or perhaps you have grown tired of undressing evening gowns, so next you have set your sights on wedding dresses...?"
Aina tilted her head with deliberate innocence and smiled faintly.
At her words, Yuri's face flushed scarlet, and he hastily waved his hands.
"A-Aina!"
Yuri's eyes widened as he tried with all his might to deny it, but his trembling hands only made him look even more suspicious.
Aina made a small gesture as if something had just occurred to her, gave a light nod, and pressed the attack even further.
"Of course. My lord husband prefers to stop halfway, doesn't he?"
"H-halfway!? What are we even talking about!?"
Yuri protested with all his momentum, but Aina showed no sign of caring. Her smile only deepened.
"I do wish you would spare a thought for the maids who have to wash the clothes..."
In that instant, Ophelia and Lily both went perfectly still.
Their faces turned red before Yuri's eyes, and they discreetly averted their gazes from him.
Wait, why are you both blushing there!? It was only a few times, but I'm sorry for getting them dirty!
Several memories came rushing back through Yuri's head, and he desperately tried to erase them.
Meanwhile, Elise's eyes began to sparkle. She pressed a hand over her mouth and murmured,
"Lord Strauss carving open a new path with a mature gentleman... That sounds rather fascinating in its own way."
"What!? Wait a second! There's nothing fascinating about it!"
Yuri hurriedly denied it, but Elise did not seem to hear him.
With bright eyes, she let her imagination expand even further.
"Ah, yes. So the story is that Lord Strauss half undresses from a dress. From there... Lady Ophelia gently—
"No, forcefully pins him down.
"And Lady Lily, showing just a little composure, would then—"
"No, I wouldn't be wearing it or taking it off! Though I wouldn't mind being pinned down a little..."
"W-wait, I would never do such a thing!"
Ophelia raised her voice in protest, her face bright red, though her eyes subtly avoided Yuri.
"T-that's right! If anything, my lord husband is the one who takes things off!"
Lily also tried desperately to explain, but by then the room had fallen into complete chaos.
Don't say it so plainly!
Yuri nearly buried his face in his hands, but somehow held himself back.
Then Elena, far too pure for the room she was standing in, clapped her hands together and nodded.
"I see. So Lord Strauss knew so much about dresses because he has been helping his wives change clothes."
At those words, everyone except Elena froze.
It was as though an arrow of clear, pure innocence had pierced every one of them straight through the chest.
Elena... You're too pure!
Yuri narrowed his eyes, as if enduring the brilliance.
In the midst of it all, Aina opened her mouth with a sigh.
"My, my... For a moment, I nearly lost consciousness from the sheer purity of that."
Aina kept her expression perfectly composed as she continued.
"Lady Elena, once this matter has settled, if you find yourself with nowhere to go, please come to the Reberk Barony.
"It would help us greatly if you could tailor dresses for the night.
"And perhaps you might join us for the daily laundry as well?"