Two days ago at the Imperial Palace, the Emperor shows Prince Ian the telegram with the war threat from the Kingdom of Kutan over the broken engagement. To prevent war, Ian proposes breaking off his sister Erika and Leo's engagement and marrying Erika to Kutan instead. The Emperor demands a huge scandal in which the blame for the breakup will be pinned on Leo. In return, Leo asks for the destruction of his father's will, which could be used to incriminate his mother. In the present day, Lady Violetta Hernandez is summoned to the Leopold Dukedom early in the morning, and the Duke asks her to have an affair with him.