She wants to help Dahlia.

 

Nicole has secretly thought about it ever since.

 

When Grace heard the aftermath, she laughed low.

 

“I see you still have a good side. Maybe you’re just not cut out for this.”

 

“I think so, too.”

 

When Nicole nodded in agreement, Grace waved her hand.

 

“You said Marlin hated you because you had a backer, right?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Then why don’t you use that to your advantage? I’m going to show you how to manipulate people. It’s simple, you tell someone what they want to hear, and let them think what they want to believe that you make a very easy living with your backer, which in return makes them jealous of you and covets what you have.”

 

Nicole listened intently to Grace’s words.

 

“Go tell her this.”

 

<You know, there are actually spies among us in this class, people who have already been recruited as agents. They’re hiding in here, watching us, grading us. Like secret examiners. Want to know how I know that?>

 

“So you think she’s inclined to mistake me for one of those ‘agents’?”

 

“There’s never a more deceptive moment than when a person is jealous of someone, because they have an inflated view of the other person, and they make up their own minds. They must have something to envy, who are better than themselves, and I think it is advantageous for you to make use of those jealous people.”

 

Grace explained.

 

‘I wonder if this is how Raul was trained?’

 

Nicole really hadn’t had many close encounters with anyone in her two lives.

 

And Raul…… was the most unique person she’d ever known.

 

‘He could sit in the office and move things around and solve complex conspiracies in one fell swoop, sometimes digging his own traps…….’

 

Since her regression, Nicole has gotten into the habit of asking herself, when faced with a challenge, what would Raul do?

 

Taking on the identities of Jen and Karen was a corollary of that thinking.

 

Unbeknownst to Nicole, her behavior and mindset were moving her closer to Raul.

 

“Now don’t make any more noise. I don’t want you to be tired, and you’re such a good student, you’ll get the job without doing much.”

 

Nicole returned to training the next day and quietly warned Marlin. Marlin was intrigued.

 

“Hmph, thanks for the tip. I guess you’re pretty useful.”

 

“…….”

 

“Let’s keep in touch.”

 

From then on, Marlin stopped bullying Nicole and seemed to be more subtly harassing Dahlia in classes where Nicole wasn’t present.

 

Marlin also started a rumor that she was actually a hidden examiner, which made her even more domineering among the girls.

 

‘What is it with the mindset of people like this?’

 

Nicole was reminded of Isabelle and felt increasingly disgusted.

 

Besides, Marlin was too loud, and Nicole didn’t want her to disturb her peace anymore.

 

Marlin even clung to Nicole after that day and pretended to be friendly. Of course, that didn’t mean she was being nice.

 

A few days later, Nicole quietly commented.

 

“Marlin, you know what? The best spies are scouted out.”

 

“Scouted?”

 

“You don’t know who it is that brings us here and trains us, so until we pass, we have to think about who our master is. Don’t you see? How could I have someone in high places behind my back?”

 

“Master…?”

 

“Yes. In fact, I think…… there is a great opportunity for you, too.”

 

Nicole thought back to how Marlin had been disposed of in her previous life.

 

Marlin’s owner was Mrs. Forina. Who was Mrs. Forina…….

 

‘The woman who bore the Grand Duke’s illegitimate child.’

 

The former Grand Duke was said to have been similar to Raul.

 

A workaholic, arrogant perfectionist. He was elite in the best sense of the word and inhuman in the worst sense of the word.

 

Somehow, he managed to have a few affairs with a widowed woman from a fallen aristocracy whose identity is unclear.

 

The woman was lucky enough to become pregnant with the child of the noble Grand Duke of Valentine.

 

Of course, when the child was born, the Grand Duke did not approve.

 

The Empire did not accept illegitimate children. It was not easy for a bastard to be recognized as an enemy.

 

However, there are exceptions.

 

‘If the child is descended from a family of power, and the power is manifested.’

 

Raul’s much older half-brother.

 

His name was Julian. Julian had shown some abilities at a very young age.

 

Because of this, Lady Forina was recognized as a proper mistress.

 

The Grand Duke did not take her into his home. He graciously gave her the title of Viscountess, bought her a mansion, and allowed her to live off the family treasury.

 

The Viscountess Forina was usually called Lady Forina.

 

She was eager to push her son into the Grand Duchy.

 

Unfortunately, as the child she bore, a boy named Julian, grew up, it was discovered that he was not intelligent. Lady Forina was driven mad, scrambling to hide the fact.

 

She rarely took her son out and kept him at home.

 

‘She…… hated me.’

 

In the midst of all this, she began to have an absurd thought.

 

She believed that she had to interfere in Raul’s marriage in order for her to be recognized as the Grand Duchess, the laughing stock.

 

It was due to the vain ambitions of the capital’s nobility who had a daughter.

 

After all, Raul was a high nobleman with power and beauty, and a young Lord.

 

The marriage of such a person would normally be organized by the older members of the household, especially the ladies.

 

But Raul knew only a few women of influence.

 

Among them were the nobles, who came to Madame Forina grasping at straws.

 

“Please take this and arrange a meeting between the Grand Duke and our daughter.”

 

These were the ones who made the most ridiculous requests. Usually, Lady Forina would say that she was in and out of the Grand Duke’s house on a regular basis, and the uninformed would be fooled.

 

‘If they have a beautiful daughter, they would want to try. My ex-husband, Raul.’

 

Nicole smiled bitterly at the thought.

 

‘Anyway, he did take me back and marry me.’

 

But no one really thought Nicole was the Grand Duchess. She could be dethroned at any moment, she thought.

 

A year or two passed, and Raul still hadn’t divorced Nicole.

 

Then Lady Forina began to believe that she could preside over Raul’s remarriage only if Nicole, who was in the way, disappeared.

 

Some of the nobles even promised to help Julian become a grand duke in earnest if he married their daughter.

 

‘Eventually, several of them, including Marlin, were bought off by Madame Forina…….’

 

When this was discovered, Marlin was removed.

 

It was later revealed that Lady Forina had even planned to assassinate Nicole.

 

It ended with her being exiled to a faraway country with Julian.

 

‘I thought at the time that Raul had used me to get rid of Mrs. Forina.’

 

Looking back, she doesn’t know why she thought that.

 

‘I wonder if Marlin was bought off by Mrs. Forina at some point?’

 

What would happen?

 

Nicole decided to try a little experiment.

 

“Marlin, listen to me. If you go to 6th Avenue in the 13th arrondissement of the capital, there’s a luxurious house with a cobalt-blue roof. If you go to the backyard of that house, there will be white roses in bloom. If you go there and spill a little bit of the story about this training center, that you’re being trained as an agent in a secret place, they’ll ask you, ‘Would you do anything for me?’“

 

Nicole smirked.

 

“After that, it’s your choice.”

 

Marlin looked thoughtful.

 

‘If you’re not suited to this job, you should quit sooner rather than later.’

 

There’s nothing worse than an agent with no loyalty.

 

Nicole took a rotten apple from Raul’s basket.

 

‘Stupid, immature Mrs. Forina.’

 

But she had one thing going for her: greed.

 

When she hears the story of this institution, Mrs. Forina will immediately recognize that it belongs to the Grand Duke.

 

And she would use Marlin against him.

 

‘Someone who needs an excuse to influence the Grand Duchess, and a disloyal mole who needs a master.’

 

A perfect match. Nicole awaited the outcome with interest.

 

***

 

Marlin went to visit the cobalt-blue-roofed house that very day. That night, Marlin walked out the back door of the mansion with a deep pocket.

 

Very stealthily, to be sure.

 

The next day, Marlin began to fly in and out of Mrs. Forina’s mansion like a sparrow to the mill.

 

Nicole’s experiment was a success.