I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "House Verde? Why would Countess Verde be writing to me?" I asked, taking the letter from Lady Edyth. Duke Claude, who had been gazing out the window, turned to us, his expression curious. "Did something happen to the Verde County?" he asked, his voice low and smooth.

Lady Edyth hesitated before speaking. "Your Grace, perhaps it's important since the Countess contacted you in such a hurry." I nodded, breaking the seal on the letter and unfolding the parchment. As I read the contents, my brow furrowed in concern.

The letter was a plea for help, written in a formal, ornate script. Countess Verde explained that the Verde County was beset by financial difficulties, thanks to her brother's reckless gaming habits. She begged for my assistance, hoping that my wisdom and experience might shed some light on their situation.

I looked up at Duke Claude, who was watching me with interest. "Claude, Countess Verde needs our assistance in finance," I said, summarizing the letter. "She desperately needs money because of her brother's debt. What should we do? Should we help Countess Verde?"

Duke Claude's expression darkened. "That punk really is a troublemaker," he muttered. "How can he spend all the money of the county at a casino? I should teach him a lesson." He paused, his eyes narrowing. "Do you think it's kind of suspicious that she chose to seek help from our Duchy, out of all the houses?"

I hesitated, unsure of what to think. "I don't think the Countess would do something horrible to me," I said finally. "She's like a sister figure to me since I was a kid. She's always been there to support me, so how could she do something cruel to me."

Duke Claude's face softened, and he took my hands in his. "Right, let's not jump to conclusions," he said, his voice gentle. "I'm sorry, my dear Celeste. This husband of yours has done something to upset you, haven't I?" He put my hand on his face, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

I couldn't help but laugh. "Claude, you don't need to ask for my forgiveness," I said, smiling. "You're already forgiven." Duke Claude grinned, satisfied, and kissed me before standing up. "I'll see you at the front yard after I have my conversation with Lance," he said, striding out of the chamber.

As he left, I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. Something didn't feel right about Countess Verde's letter. Why had she chosen to seek help from our Duchy, and not her own relatives? The more I thought about it, the more I felt like there was more to the story than met the eye.

Meanwhile, in the Duke's office, Duke Claude was in a serious discussion with Lord Elesten. "Lance, did you get the information I asked you to search?" he asked, his voice low and intense.

Lord Elesten nodded, his face grave. "Your Grace, apparently House Sinclair is collecting revenue from the last four years in the empire. And I heard that they're trying to form an alliance with the Black Myca assassins. I have people who have tracked the Sinclair people as they went to a secluded forest in the eastern part of Riza, where the Black Myca assassins' hideout is located."

Duke Claude's eyes narrowed. "They must be planning to increase their manpower to overpower the Cubresia Knights," he growled. "The audacity of that lowly blood wretch to wreck havoc on our Duchy."

Lord Elesten nodded in agreement. "That should be the case, Your Grace. Though their method is a bit risky, they still have a chance to overpower our knights. We need to take measures now, I suggest."

Duke Claude nodded, his mind racing. "Have the knights' training extended to one hour. Also, please have someone tail Countess Verde. The Sinclair must have reached her for her to contact my wife suddenly." Lord Elesten nodded, his face set in determination. The game was on, and they would not back down.