Chapter : 70
“Eek…! No! That horrible crystal collar…!”
The Duchess muttered softly, shaking her head.
Then, as if a thread of reason had returned, she furrowed her brows and spoke.
“B-but still! Preparing the family’s important affairs is the lady of the house’s duty! I’m already working so hard managing these tasks—does it make sense for you to just lounge around and have fun?!”
Ah… so that’s why she was picking a fight she couldn’t even win.
I realized that was her true thought.
I gazed at her intently and whispered in a gentle voice,
“Shall I help you right away, then?”
“!”
“Honestly, I was looking forward to it a little too. The birthday banquet for Harten, decorated by both you and me working together~. Of course, there might be times when our opinions don’t match… but just like before, you’ll take responsibility and coordinate everything, so there’s no need to worry~.”
“!!”
As I spoke, the Duchess, who had been growing pale, finally shouted,
“Coordinate, my foot…! Fine! Just go out of this mansion and enjoy yourself however you like! Absolutely don’t worry about the banquet preparations!”
Her voice rang so loudly that everyone in the mansion could hear.
I smiled slyly.
“You’re being so considerate, worrying I might struggle. Truly, only a mother-in-law can love her daughter-in-law like this~. I almost misunderstood that you were going to scold me~.”
“Eek!”
“Why~? Did I say something wrong~?”
The Duchess trembled at my calm words, forcing a smile and gritting her teeth.
“Scold you! It’s only natural that we care for you. Now, go enjoy yourself.”
“Hehe, I knew you’d say that~. Then please take care of the banquet preparations~.”
I waved my hand leisurely, leaving the Duchess behind.
From behind, there was a small commotion:
“Eek! So frustrating! My chest feels tight!”
“My lady!”
“Hurry, take the lady to the infirmary!”
But what could I do?
Everyone has to deal with their own consequences~.
Thanks to the Duchess, I had obtained the perfect excuse not to help with the banquet. Maybe it’s time to enjoy a pleasant outing.
The carriage that carried me arrived at the tallest building in the capital city—the main branch of the Quind Hotel.
The moment I stepped down, the staff approached and bowed politely.
“We’ve been expecting you, Miss Naselle. I am the General Manager of the Quind Main Branch.”
“Nice to meet you~.”
“It is an honor to meet you as well. I will guide you to the Marquess’s office. Please this way.”
The staff, including the manager, guided me flawlessly with impeccable posture.
Watching their disciplined demeanor, I smirked inwardly.
Indeed, the atmosphere is very different from our resort in the vacation area.
The Quind Hotel emphasizes luxurious elegance, proper etiquette, and noble sophistication. Being the main branch, that ethos was evident everywhere.
I passed through the lobby, furnished with antique, classic furniture and low-saturation brown interiors, and headed toward a separate magical elevator.
“This elevator goes directly to the Marquess’s office.”
Riding it comfortably to the top floor, I soon met the Marquess of Quind waiting in a spacious office.
“Long time no see, Miss Naselle.”
“How have you been~?”
“Busy and living each day fiercely, thanks. Ah, did you meet your personal mage?”
“Of course~. They were quite an interesting person~.”
“The talkative one is fun? Lucky if you weren’t driven crazy.”
From her words, it seemed the Marquess still didn’t know that Ashill had sent a substitute for the personal mage leader.
Well, the fewer people who know about this, the better.
I merely smiled faintly and sat on the office sofa. While sipping the coffee her secretary served, the Marquess began speaking.
“First, I want to thank you once more. I sent a letter, but it didn’t seem enough.”
“No need. It was a contract we made to achieve what we wanted~.”
“Still, I was the one who needed it more. Thanks to your help, I got through a major crisis.”
I smiled faintly and glanced at the newspapers on the table. Among them was one from the familiar Areph newspaper.
The headline on the front page, carrying the most important news, read:
“A historic, unprecedented divorce begins! What is the fate of the Quind Marquess couple?!”
Noticing my gaze, the Marquess gave a wry smile.
“The article made a big fuss, but the behind-the-scenes work is already done. Using the letter you gave me, we found the husband’s hidden contracts and decisive evidence of the fake company. We submitted them to the Imperial Court, so the results will come quickly.”
She sipped her tea from the cup in front of her.
“The lawyer confidently said the case is winnable. He claims he can secure full custody of the children, so I’m much more at ease.”
“How many lawyers did you hire?”
“Three from the firm. They specialize in alimony negotiations and tax issues.”
“Hire a few more, Marquess.”
“Hm? More here?”
I nodded at her question. After observing countless wealthy divorces, I had learned something crucial.
“I also noticed the husband collaborated with Quind Hotel through his charity work~. If he claims that he also contributed greatly to the hotel’s management and that the hotel is marital property in which he has a stake, that could cause problems, right?”
“Ah!”
“To prevent that, you’d need a criminal law expert to prove he’s a clear culprit and get him imprisoned. Also, a corporate dispute lawyer would be good to protect management rights.”
“I didn’t think that far. I focused mainly on custody since it’s the most important.”
Realizing something, the Marquess murmured softly. She crossed her arms and tilted her head slightly.
“But even the law firm said it’s unprecedented to have three lawyers for a divorce case. I wonder if we need more.”
“Marquess, your divorce will become a defining example of a ‘noble divorce,’ whether you like it or not. It will also cause upheaval.”
“!”
“In this empire, divorce laws traditionally favor men. But your position is entirely unique… I can clearly see how your trial’s outcome will stir society.”
“Ah….”
“Therefore, a complete victory for you is crucial. Your victory can become someone else’s hope.”
“……”
“Don’t be complacent. Hire more lawyers to approach the trial perfectly.”
After sipping my coffee, I smiled at the Marquess watching me intently.
“After all, money spent on lawyers is never wasted~.”
Her eyes blinked slowly, then let out a small chuckle.
She gave a look of disbelief and asked,
“Miss Naselle, have you ever been divorced before?”
“Of course not. Harten is my first and last~.”
“Unbelievable. So you’re giving me advice while still unmarried?”
She laughed incredulously, then nodded.
“That’s why I specifically called you here.”
“I was curious too. If it was just to thank me, you could have invited me to the mansion. Why the hotel office?”
As if to discuss official business. The Marquess blinked at my question and spoke in a serious tone:
“I want to request a new contract from you.”
“A new contract?”
“…It concerns the Mana Tower.”
The Mana Tower…!
Curious about the news, I put down my teacup.
“Please, tell me.”
I wanted to know how that troublesome situation was unfolding.
