“I’ll tell my subordinates about the appointment. I’ll escort you, so you can come with me.”
Elisha nodded. She closed her eyes leaning against the bed.
“One more thing…”
Elisha asked quietly,
“I know that the property I earned after marriage is not mine. But if I have money in my hand, can I use it however I want?”
“Use your allowance as you will.”
Elisha was relieved.
It was a strange first sleep til morning together. Sleep seemed to elude Elisha even when she closed her eyes, instead her heart pounded in her ears for now apparent reason, like a drum refusing to let her sleep. It might be because of her uncomfortable posture. She leaned back.
It was morning when she woke up.
Her robe was tightly fastened, and her blanket was wrapped around her up to her neck.
Lucerne was nowhere to be found.
Elisha felt like last night must have been a dream.
***
The next day, the streets were buzzing with news of a victorious ending to the war. The wealthy nobles of the capital held large and small parties under the pretext of victory.
Restaurants discounted food prices, and alcohol sales were flourishing—it was even on the street. In the midst of the celebrations, in the middle of the bustling streets, there was only one woman who was in tears.
“Carola is really, really upset. Lucerne became a total war hero. Jacob is great, too. Wherever I go in society, people say Jacob is not as good as Lucerne!”
Carola whined and stomped her feet. Carola was from a prestigious family with a long history second only to the Cartier family in the Empire.
Of course, the power that the Marquis of Fullmoon held was no match to the Ducal House of Cartier that encompassed the world with it’s might. Nonetheless, except for the Cartier family, Fullmoon was the most dominant family in the country.
Carola was the apple of the Marquis couple’s eyes. When their only daughter, who returned to the capital, after a year and a half at the Cartier estate duchess, the marquis couple did everything to appease her with doting affection.
“Oh, poor Carola.”
The Marquis of Fullmoon looked upset to hear his daughter’s complaints. He coughed and attempted to comfort Carola.
“Carola, don’t cry. It’s a trivial thing. No matter how great of a general he is, he is ultimately an illegitimate child after all, right? Forget this, your father will give you pocket money, so go shopping. Who has aggravated my daughter’s temper so much? Umm?”
“That woman.”
Carola’s eyes flashed.
“A woman who is Lucerne’s new bride. She’s a really strange woman. Lucerne is being deceived!”
“Oh my, Carola. We couldn’t believe it after hearing it. Did Lucerne really marry your laundry maid?”
“Yes— A man like Lucerne has low standards, right? For such a man……. Rather, a woman like Carola befits–”
“Carola.”
Marquis’ eyes became stricter. Lucerne was a handsome man who captivated women and made them lose their reason once they had caught a glimpse of him.
Before, Carola had ambitions to become the Cartier Duchess, but because Carola had openly ogled Lucerne, the Fullmoon Marquis pushed forward her marriage to Jacob in haste.
Although Lucerne is a great talent, he calculated that Lucerne would be in danger if Jacob became the next Cartier Duke. Moreover, an illegitimate child was not a suitable marriage partner for the heiress of the Fullmoon Marquis house.
“Dad. But. That girl pretended to be so nice to Carola, but she tricked Carola and seduced Lucerne. Carola is so hurt!”
Carola conventionally squeezed tears out of her eyes.
“Hmm. If she’s a fallen aristocrat, there’s nothing much to it. She’s a bitch who made my child shed tears, so if I have a chance, I’ll give her a piece of my mind.”
Marquis Fullmoon hugged and patted Carola.
“Honey, you’re right. But you don’t need to bother with such a lowly girl yourself. That’s enough. Our Carola can solve it quickly herself. She just needs a little help, right? This mother has worked so hard on our Carola’s education.”
“That’s true. Haha, what’s important to a woman. Above all, you are born with status and dignity. Men value women like that, too.”
The Marquis of Fullmoon comforted Carola.
“I haven’t seen the girl’s face in person but I don’t need to, to know that that bitch is just a bitch to toy with for men! How can she be comparable to you?”
Carola was a little relieved after the Marquis couple comforted her for a lengthy time.
“Actually, Carola thought of an idea.”
“Really?”
“Carola is scared of killing someone……. However…. if something happens to Carola, right? If you let me retaliate a little bit…… A lowly woman like her will get divorced. After all, it’s not like they got married because they really love each other.”
“Of course. You’re right. “Carola. What can we do for you?”
“That’s why Dad, please save a few people. I want to solve this problem by myself and surprise Jacob. Because the insult my husband suffered is like an insult to me.”
“Alright. You should solve this problem neatly to get points from your husband.”
As if proud of her, the Marquis’ wife nodded. It was then. A servant came in with a note. Carola, who read the note, blinked.
“What’s it about?”
“This is a note from Jacob’s spies. I’ve got to hurry. The girl finally moved. I couldn’t find a chance because she was stuck inside the house while Lucerne was out at war.”
“…….”
“Today is the day.”
The couple nodded.
“So what are you planning to do?”
“You said you can mobilize people right away, right?”
“Of course. If I send a note right now, I can mobilize several people in 30 minutes.”
Carola smiled innocently. She had only asked the Marquis of Fullmoon a simple request.