《The Predator’s Contract Partner》 Chapter 1 in the Imperial Calendar. *Wham, wham.* A penis, swollen like a weapon, hit between her legs hard. It was as if a club was pping against a small hole. ¡°I''m going to break through this. Right?¡± The man whispered. ¡°Haa, ahh¡­.¡± Elisha''s girdles, which were made extremely short, were now wet with her sweet bodily liquid and clung to the crevice between her legs. If the man pulled the girdle to the side as he wished and stuffed it in at once, it seemed like it would swiftly slide all the way inside. Every time she thought of such a fervent situation, Elisha''s lower abdomen started to tighten and buckle. The good news was that they were in a tight spot. The man''s thrusting was nothing more than rough, dry humping. Until now. ¡°Ungh!¡± The man''s finger prated between Elisha''s girdle and pelvis. He pulled her underwear string with his finger rubbing it against her bud. ¡°Even if I broke this, it would still stick to your pussy because you are too wet¡­ It smells sweet.¡± Elisha who was held in one of the man''s arms was suddenly lifted into the air. ''What the hell¡ªHow did I get into this situat¡ª what do I do now¡ª'' Elisha barely managed to hold her wits about her ¡°Elisha.¡± The man recalled Elisha''s name. At the same time, Elisha also thought of the man''s name. ¡°You should have never crossed this line.¡± Lucerne. He put his lips on Elisha''s ear and whispered. The inside of her thigh, lifted to the limit, was stiff. Thanks to the posture, there was nothing else she could do but hang on to him with her arms. ¡°If you didn''t want it to be like this.¡± Feeling her trembling shoulder, Lucerneughed. ¡°Are you scared now? I''m just going to stick it in, just like this.¡± ¡°Hic, uhh¡ª¡± ¡°You have to do it properly. Are you not moaning because you''re not excited?¡± Elisha clenched her teeth and squeezed out a groan as the man wanted. ¡°Did you know? I have the serpent''s blood in my veins, and snakes swallow and eat things whole ¡­very slowly. You have weak skin, so by the time I am done, you''ll be swollen here.¡± The man stilled and didn''t speak for a long moment. Then, every time he touched her soft flesh protruding through her wet, thin underwear, he grabbed his ferocious cock and rubbed his ns. ¡°Haaa¡­¡­¡­Ohh¡­..¡± Elisha''s toes curled. Unintentionally, she had clenched and released the muscles of her vulva so hard that she made an embarrassing whistling sound. (a queef¡ªomg i would diiieee) ¡°You''re so bad. Makes me want to see it in person.¡± He murmured low in a voice drowsy and heavy with desire. Elisha put her fingernails slightly on the man''s neck. ¡°Rebelling? How cute.¡± ¡°Stop saying useless things¡­. Keep going.¡± Elisha whispered as if she was going to break. Soon, Elisha was moaning hotly, shaking her head from side to side. Thetest_epi_sodes are on_the ?elworld.c?om website. ¡°Haaa, ahhh, huhhh¡­¡­.¡± She thought at the same time, ''This has never happened before.'' The future of bing a fake concubine of a demonic man, being eaten to death¡ªconsumed down to her bone marrow. A future where the Ducal Family of Cartier would be torn apart by a power dispute. She only wanted to get out of that future. ¡°Louder.¡± He ordered. So, this man was her only option. She knew. She didn''t regret throwing herself into Lucerne''s arms. ¡°Huu, ohhh¡­¡­¡­ please¡­..¡± ¡°Yes. That''s how it should be. So those outside can hear everything. So there will be a ton of men masturbating to your moans. Then the stench of semen will fill the air outside this room, because of you.¡± ¡°Congrattions,¡± Lucerne whispered intensely in her ear as if he was just about to release a dark appetite. ¡°You''ve tempted this deranged man enough to make him do this crazy thing.¡± His red eyes gleamed dangerously. Yeah. There was no issue. Because she already knew a lot about him. Including the fact that this man, before and after her regression. Was the most notorious maniac in the Empire. The symbol of the Dukedom of Cartier was a giant snake. A mythical beast who, ording to legends, was four meters long in length. It was said that the first child of the Cartier family was between that serpent and a human woman. People med the ducal house''s obsession with money and power on the greedy serpent lineage they carried. But this drive to swallow everything in the world wasn''t only restricted to money and power. There was also the coveting of the flesh. A huge snake-like desire to mate for more than a week, burning up a female to death from exhaustion in the midst of an unrelenting lust, eager to swallow her whole. It was arge art piece that covered the wall above the stairs on the second floor. It depicted numerous snakes wriggling around each other. ¡°What are you looking at,e on, bring me the finished sewing!¡± The maid shouted at her, pulling her out of her reverie. Elisha''s shoulders moved with her deep, but quiet sigh. She walked away from the scene with stitching andce hanging off her arm. Arriving in the maid''s room, Elisha held out the cloth she was holding. ¡°This is theced dress you''ve asked for.¡± Stitchingyers ofce on a dress was difficult work. She was able to receive one silver coin more than the usual pay. ¡°Let''s see¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. This is ourdy''s clothes. You''ve done it right, I''ll put it in the ledger.¡± The maid looked carefully over the clothes and nodded her head. ¡°Now go do theundry. Work hard and pay off every penny. If you take a rest under the pretext of being sick again, you''ll only umte more debt. You should always be grateful for our generosity!¡± Elisha usually replied to the maid''s chastisements with a caustic ¡°Thank you.¡± But today, the girl was different. Elisha touched her needle-pricked hand and donned a peaceful visage. Visit ?elworld.c?om for a better_user experience ¡°Yes,¡± Elisha agreed promptly and headed to theundry behind the mansion. A girl was working on washing a mountain of clothes piled up behind her. Elisha recognized her face. She was a girl who came in a few months ago and was called, ¡°Freckles,¡± because of her cute face and freckles. ¡°Are you okay? You''ve been looking weaktely. I thought you were dying.¡± ¡°I''m all right. It doesn''t hurt anymore,¡± Elisha replied as she silently sorted out theundry, which umted all the dirty things in this mansion. It was their plight to have to deal with the terrible stench. ¡°It''s hard to die. Doing this will help me reduce my debt.¡± Freckles patted her on the shoulder and asked, ¡°You said your name is Elisha, right? How much debt do you owe?¡± Elisha answered expressionlessly while shaking out theundry. ¡°30,000 gold coins.¡± One silver coin could sustain a wholemoner''s family for a day. Ten silver coins were equal to one gold coin. Out of all the people in the mansion, Elisha had the most debt. ¡°Eeeek! That''s awful. Even if you worked your whole life, you wouldn''t be able to pay that back. What kind of family did you hail from that you are so much in debt?¡± Thirty thousand gold coins could purchase a small parcel ofnd. ¡°It''s reparations from war.¡± ¡°¡­¡­War?¡± ¡°My father injured a knight from the Cartier family, and a war broke out on the pretext of that. Of course, we lost.¡± Instead of her father, who died in the war, the responsibility ofpensating ¡ª including the costs of the war ¡ª fell on Elisha Freckles, who was listening to Elisha, duly nodded. ¡°So, you''re an aristocrat.¡± ¡°I used to be the daughter of a Count. Now, I''m the Countess.¡± Freckles gawked with fresh eyes at the marvel of a noblewoman¡ª namely Elisha¡ª doingundry alongside her humble self. ¡°Is it because you''re from a noble family¡­.? You are pretty. With plentiful blonde hair and clear white skin. It''s a shame you are doing something like this.¡± Elisha wanted tough. She was rather grateful that she could pay off her debt this way, or she would have had to sell her body. ¡°I owe 2,000 gold coins. At least my situation is better than yours. My father ran a small business, but he got addicted to gambling, so I was sold here,¡± said Freckles evenly. ¡°Even if we work here all day long, we''ll only earn one silver coin. Meh, why didn''t I kill him when I had the chance?¡± ¡°When can we pay off our debts? Have you heard of someone paying off their debt?¡± Elisha finally looked away from her task and met Freckles'' eyes. Elisha spoke calmly, ¡°I can''t pay back my debt, even if I worked my whole life and died.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°My debt. I said it is 30,000 gold coins. It would take me 821 years to pay it back. That''s without dying. That''s how long it would take me to pay back everything, without rest or sickness.¡± Elisha rified with repose. Moreover, her debt, after all this time, did not decrease. At the end of every year, the cost of food, clothing, medicine, and traveling to the temple for prayer were calcted. The sum was revealed all at once, and it was all added to her debt. ¡°At the end of the year, when our costs of living are added, sometimes my earnings turn negative.¡± Freckles'' face turned white. ¡°Then why are we working here?¡± It was a very obvious question with a very obvious answer. The Cartier family took the weakest of them all and squeezed out everyst drop of their usefulness. The source of this_chapter; ?elworld.c?om Elisha spoke softly: ¡°The debt is just a formality¡ªan excuse.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°Usually, after destroying a family, they spare only a young woman to take responsibility for the family''s debt and bring them here. Then, they write up a memorandum to transfer all of the property to them and make you sign it. No matter how small, poor, or petty your family is. Being here means they have already seized all of your assets. For example,nd, rights, patents, trades, ormercial associations.¡± In Elisha''s case, it was the fertile territory of the Count. ¡°And the name of a living person is used for more than you think. If you are nobility¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ a title is another thing they can bargain with.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..Really?¡± ¡°Yes, in the future¡­ it will be rather eventful.¡± Freckles'' countenance turned paler. ¡°Transfer of property can only happen after the age of 19, so they give us a little bit of work and food until then. After that, our survival is based on our luck.¡± Freckles was here for several months now. She bit her lips. ¡°Isn''t there any way? What if someone pays off our debts and saves us¡­.. A mighty and strong man.¡± ¡°This is the Cartier family; plenty of powerful peoplee in and out of here. What if we were to seduce¡­.¡± Elisha knew why Freckles was saying that and clinging to such a dream. There was a legend amongst the women here. Jacob, the eldest son of the Cartier family, awarded a knight with an indentured servant from the Cartier''s mansion. ¡°It is said the knight made a great contribution¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤. That''s the story.¡± Jacob tried to reward the knight with gold, silver, all sorts of treasures¡ªeven beauties¡ªbut the knight only wanted one of the coteral servants trapped within the Cartier mansion. For a long time, he had been in love with a woman who did theundry here, as they were doing now. It was said that the woman was now happily living with the knight as his wife ¨C what a groundless story. ¡°It won''t be easy.¡± Elisha answered shortly, standing up and stretching. Numerous clothes hanging on the clothesline were fluttering in the wind. Elisha began to walk between theundry lines, ready to assist Freckles. But Freckles'' gaze was fixed in the distance. ¡°Yes, for example ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°That kind of person.¡± Then, there was the sound of a carriage running in the distance. The back of the mansion was so quiet that they could hear all the voices chattering in the distance. Elisha approached the road with a dry cloth as if possessed by something. ¡°Come with me, Elisha!¡± An eye-catching ck carriage was approaching from afar. It was built with the finest ebony wood, finished with a glossy ze, and decorated with gilded gold ornaments. The carriage''s presence on the dark forest road was heavy. There was a g. -''There''s no way a man like that would look at debtors like us. Besides, what would he take us for?'' In her previous life, that was what Elisha said to Freckles when this same scene urred for the first time. But this time it was different. Elisha didn''t say that this time. Because she had her memories. Hot tears flowed out from Elisha''s eyes. ¡°What''s¡ªare you crying? What''s wrong? What happened?¡± ¡°Exactly¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ you''re right.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°That''s right. Yes. You weren''t mistaken.¡± Elisha wept in sorrow. What she had been going through until now was nothingpared to what she would have to face in the future. ''All those things really did happen.'' Foll_ow new_episo_des on the ?elworld.c?om tform. It was the third day since Elisha had turned back time. Chapter 2 based on their whims. By the time Elisha was born, Count Laurent Lor and his wife had also divorced. Shortly after her birth, her father abandoned her mother. The old kingdom had copsed, and he needed a wife who was of an imperial aristocratic family. Her mother took Elisha to the monastery. She said, ''For people like your father, a wife is like an outfit; it''s easy to change.'' Elisha acknowledged that fact without much sympathy. Growing up and living with her mother at the Mugwort Monastery was all she knew. Her mother grew sickly from a lung disease, and by the time Elisha was six years old, her mother had passed away. And she was left all alone in this world. She continued to live in the monastery, and although she was lonely, she was able to eat and study. She lived, thinking that her father just didn''t exist. ''If I just think of myself as an orphan, this is a life worth living.'' When her life was ruined by the father she never knew, her feelings were full of fathomless resentment and detestation. ''Now that there are 30,000 gold coins to repay, I''m suddenly your daughter?'' The ducal house of Cartier was a family that prospered throughout the empire. From the most expensive real estate in the capital to the smallest shop in the countryside, there was no locale where their influence didn''t touch. They were a family of greedy snakes. A family that consumed everything. The family''s eldest son, Jacob, was the one who captured Elisha. ''You are now thest remaining blood of Lord Lor. Congrattions on bing the Countess. First, sign here. You''ll need to pay for the war your father had caused.¡± Elisha sat down on the floor haphazardly¡ª bound by her cursed blood and bad luck ¡ª and the session ceremony to seed the Count seat took ce right then. There, Elisha became the Countess with nothing to her name but a preposterous amount of debt. Elisha was 14 years old. Elisha was confined to a corner of the vast Cartier estate where women, like Elisha, who had be indentured servants, were brought in. Women in her situation were called ''coterals.'' All of the women belonged to Jacob, the eldest son of the Cartier family. Jacob was their first master, and if he died, ownership would be transferred to another member of the family. In truth, they were their ves. So Elisha turned 20 without hope or expectation. Somehow, she had managed to live for another year. ''I''ve really survived hell¡­.but how long can I endure? Will I just be like the others who disappeared without a word?'' Elisha lived poorly in her monastery and had to rely on herself. To earn a couple of pennies, she made her own way by learning skills from transcribing to sewing. Herce and embroidery were especially popr in the monastery and continued to be useful in the Cartier mansion. ''That''s why I happen to be alive, but it''s not enough to extend my life for long.'' There wasn''t enough work, so she kept herself busy withundry and cleaning of the main mansion. She worked like an ant. And at the age of 20, her life was like a me of a candle in the wind. One day, the twenty-year-old Elisha went to pray at a small temple. That day, Elisha had an ominous omen. ¡°Ah!¡± ''Oye, a person fell here!'' Elisha fell in front of the temple as she passed by a slippery icy road. She wasn''t injured, but she had a full day ahead. The next day, on New Year''s Day, she got up early and started working. Her fall might have been a sign of misfortune. Since that year, Elisha''s life had fallen even further. The twenty-year-old Elisha was broke. Once her property was stolen, it was inevitable that she would be sold. A distraught Elisha, who was on the verge of being sold to a madame, seized the head maid and begged: ''I am good at embroidery, I can speak and write foreignnguages, and I am good at calcting sums. Please, I''ll do anything.'' Visit ?elworld.c?om for a better_user experience The maid, who had been her supervisor, contemted for a while. After she had gathered her thoughts, she told Elisha to follow her and took her to meet someone. The person she faced was someone she had never wanted to meet again. Jacob. He was the eldest son of the Cartier family and the one who imprisoned Elisha here. ''It''s been a while. Have you gotten prettier? Let me see. Is she a virgin?'' As if he was doing her great kindness, he entrusted Elisha to organize his books. Jacob had a dark heart to covet and sell Elisha several times. Not knowing that, Elisha desperately did the job she was given. Her first misfortune came quickly. ''My w-wife. I don''t know what''s going on.'' ''You said that noble seduced Car''s husband? A bitch like you should be punished!'' One day, Jacob''s wife, Car, came in at a menacingly slow pace and made the maids hold down Elisha as she smeared a strange liquid on her face. It was so unbearable that Elisha screamed and rolled on the floor in pain until she passed out. ''My face¡­¡­ It''s burning¡­¡­. Somebody please give me water ¡­ Please I''ll take¡­¡­.'' After a few days, she woke up with an agonizing scar that covered the entire right side of her face. Her beautiful white skin became like melted wax; a blue eye became a ss egg; her blonde hair became dull and brittle. After that day, her life lost meaning. After seeing Elisha''s skeletal state, Jacob exploded. ''What happened to you? Before I went on my business trip, I should have eaten you earlier.'' It was by mere chance that Elisha''s mathematical ability was discovered, thereby prolonging her life. When she lived in the monastery, seeing Elisha having soaked up math concepts like a sponge, the Archbishop had told her that she was a genius. That talent of hers lifted her debts in the face of her death. Seeing the books Elisha hadpleted, Jacob said with relish: ''Well, they say ounting should be done by ugly bitches like you. There is a myth that half-hearted things run away with money because of an affair. I''ll let you keep working.'' At that time, she felt fortunate that she extended her lifespan, even though she struggled with a deep despair. Even though she knew that her life was torture, she had no choice but to keep going. ''If you make a mistake, it''s death. I can''t sell you to a brothel, so your life is even cheaper.'' Jacob said. Elisha waspetent. In her third year, she became Jacob''s secretary, and in her fourth, she became Jacob''s assistant housekeeper. Elisha carried secret notes from the spywork at Jacob''s orders, and she was also a maid to Jacob''s wife. Elisha''s formal position was a housekeeper, but she did whatever that was asked of her. Truthfully, she was closer to an errand boy. Suddenly, strange rumors about her began to circte. ''They say Sir Jacob, the eldest son of the Cartier family, is in love with a disfigured woman!'' ''He has a perverted hobby like that? People''s nightly amusements are truly surprising!'' Elisha was known as the clown pitied by Jacob. Thousands of people mocked and spit on her while they saluted him. It was almost a miracle that Elisha wasn''t forced into such a situation. There were many beauties around Jacob, and so Elisha''s existence didn''t need to be touched. What Elisha''s life taught her was that every Cartier family member was the same. The Cartiers, who had all the wealth in the world, would decide a sessor, not through birthright, but through a series of tests and trials. Only one person could win and inherit everything, in order not to divide their cumtive wealth. As a result, there was a fiercepetition for the head of the house. Elisha was well-known as Jacob''s confidant, so many members of the Cartier n threatened her. She was sometimes beaten and nearly murdered by the sessor candidates, who held grudges against Jacob. Shortly before her death, Elisha was so miserable that she couldn''t even entertain the thoughts of what was right. She was so impoverished that morality wasn''t something she could afford. For more_novel, visit ?elworld.c?om ¡°If I died, I thought it would be after Jacob became the ducal head.¡± Jacob''s status as a sessor was being jeopardized. His situation was bing desperate. At that time, he had a fearsome enemy threatening his position. Lucerne de Kayas. It was the name of his old rival. A person of the Cartier n but did not receive the Cartier surname. A high-ranking general who had abandoned his family and took the Empire''s side. He had apprehended Jacob''s drug trafficking ring. ''Elisha, I believed in you. I hate drugs¡ªit''s the enemy of my lineage and my family''s honor.'' Jacob decided to me everything on Elisha. ''I can''t believe you''re even running a drug cartel to make money for me.'' It was a ridiculous usation. But, there was evidence. Jacob established severalpanies under Elisha''s name, and he was dealing drugs in one of those shops. ''A woman who loved me so much that she even pushed drugs. It will go down in history as a heartbreaking story of a desperate unrequited love. Cheer up. You''ll be a famous ugly hag. How wonderful.'' Jacob prepared an absurd fake will. Then forced Elisha to sign it with her blood. The date for the hanging was set. ''I didn''t live like this so I could die in vain.'' Even at that moment, Elisha wanted to live. She ran away. But she was quickly apprehended. ''Tsk, tsk, it''s not a day or two you''ve eaten out of my family''s hand. Hmm? Didn''t you know? There''s a pattern on your body. This pattern will follow you wherever you go. All the coterals in the mansion like you are imprinted with this.'' ''Let go of me.'' Elisha struggled. Then she grazed Jacob''s cheek with her nails. Jacob was a man who had cruel eyes and a broken nose that gave him an awful appearance. His eyes became fierce. When his eyes twitched, it meant that one of the people around him would die. ''Ah, fuck! Crazy bitch! He pushed Elisha to the floor. At that moment, her vision turned red. ''Ahhhh'' There must have been a pointed stone on the floor. She lost her consciousness as her eyes became cloudy. She touched her head. There was blood. Elisha closed her eyes. ''Oh shit, are you dead? I guess I''ll have to treat it as suicide. Shit, what should I do?¡± Absurdly, those were thest words Elisha heard right before she died. When she opened her eyes again, Elisha was on a bed. ¡°Where¡­¡­ where am I?¡± A nurse, who was taking care of Elisha, replied. ¡°Don''t you remember? You fell in front of the temple and passed out. You didn''t break anything, and you didn''t hurt your head. All you did was lose consciousness. You''re lucky.¡± Elisha was embarrassed. She asked the nurse a few more questions. ¡°Then this year¡­¡­ is the year 995 of the Imperial Calendar?¡± Elisha had an excellent memory, so she effortlessly remembered details from the years of her past. ¡°Five years ago, on New Year''s Day, I fell in front of a temple. Is today that day?¡± She couldn''t believe it. ¡°Hey, what are you doing?¡± Elisha''s hair was loose, and she walked around in the annex with bare feet. The most up-to-date nov_els are published_here > ?elworld.c?om Shabby clothes, stretched out underwear, and a few belongings. Freckles and the other ''coterals''. Decaying furniture and scraped walls. It was the same as those in her memories. Elisha had returned to the past. ''Is this hell? That was possible. ''Cause there''s no punishment as big as repeating that life again.'' For five years, she had lived amongst demons, so hell was a logical conclusion. ''But¡­ ¡­ .'' Elisha pinched herself several times. She was undoubtedly alive. ''It''s not a dream. Five years of life. That must have happened.'' So could it be that she had turned back the time? Elisha was in a state of disbelief. One day, Elisha doubted her sanity; the next day, she doubted if she was in a dream. Laundry was done every day, and her debt never decreased. ''This is¡­¡­ ¡­ this is reality.'' Her days at the mansion were monotonous. She worked every day and struggled with her debts. Finishing up theces for Car''s dress, chatting with Freckles¡­.. The windows kept creaking at the sound of the heavy rainst night, and she couldn''t fall asleep while trembling. It was all so ordinary. ''I need an opportunity to make sure. To be certain.'' So Elisha decided to test whether her memories were real and reliable. ''Today is the day I will meet that man.'' The man who arrived in time for the Duke''s birthday. An unforgettable man. Lucerne de Kayas. Jacob''s foe, who had terrified him his whole life, would arrive at the mansion today. ''If he really appears¡­¡­ ¡­ ¡­ then it''s true¡ª I have gone back in time.'' Elisha doubted that she went back in time, but if she really did¡ªshe could think of all the things she would do differently with the knowledge that she knew now. But if all of this were her delusion, then¡­ ¡­ ¡­ ''I would rather die. But, if I really meet Lucerne today, I will try one more time to change my life.'' Elisha decided to use today''s events to determine the path she would take at this vital crossroad. And when the man''s carriage appeared while she was doingundry, tears poured out of Elisha''s eyes without her knowledge as she stared, stunned. They were tears shed sorrowfully for her future of life in hell. At the same time, they were tears for future Elisha, who died in vain after toiling in agony for five years. ¡°Stop crying. Are you okay?¡± Freckles asked, embarrassed. ¡°¡­ I''m okay.¡± ¡°Stop¡­¡± The main ducal estate of Cartier was so huge that it could be called a terrority. Within, there were hunting grounds, rivers, forests, and dozens of outbuildings and mansions for each descendant. They were standing by the stream behind the annex. The road that came up, right next to the stream, was a shortcut to the Duke''s main residence while passing through Jacob''s territory. ¡°That ck carriage, that g. I''ve heard of it. It must be the esteemed General''s carriage. Stop crying, let''s watch. Hmm?¡± For more_novel, visit ?elworld.c-om As the road became narrower, the carriage slowed down. Its window was open. Elisha saw his face. It was him, Lucerne. Chapter 3 Elisha wiped away her tears with the back of her hand. Freckles was whispering. They were now snooping among the trees near the outer road and gazing at the carriage. ¡°He''s got an angel''s face¡ªso handsome! I would have never been able to imagine such a face,¡± said the girl. Even from afar, they could tell man''s face was not ordinary. ¡°Then take your time looking,¡± Elisha murmured. ¡°Huh? How do you expect me to do that?¡± On the other side of Lucerne''s wagon, another wagon was running at a gallop. ''Gallop Gallop''¡ªthe sound of hammering hooves rang in Elisha''s head. Lucerne''s wagon stopped just before the carriages crashed into each other, and both came to a standstill. The carriage came to a rough stop, sshing muddy water on Elisha''s dress hidden between the shade of the tree. Elisha quietly frowned. Whoa, whoa, whoa! shouted the horseman. Creak¡ª the carriage door opened. The wagon that blocked Lucerne''s carriage was white. It was a carriage stered with the motif of the Cartier crest. Freckles'' eyes opened wide with realization, and looked at Elisha in shock. ''What? Did you know the carriage would stop?'' It seemed that way. ¡°They must be crazy; if they had stopped a littleter, both carriages would have turned to powder,¡± Freckles whispered. Lucerne''s carriage door was firmly closed. Wham¡ª Instead, it was the white wagon that opened the door. ¡°Oh! General! This Car, she is so surprised. She can''t believe you''re here. Are you going to the main residence?¡± What got off the wagon was a woman in a white dress with morousce embellishments. Her brown hair was lifted into an elegant bun. A soft, birdlike slender body with a girly face. However, she looked a little odd because of her big breasts. When Elisha saw her, she clenched her hands. This was the woman who would ruin Elisha''s face in the future. It was Jacob''s wife, Car. A few days ago, Elisha was wearing ace carefully sewn. The maid said it was an important dress, so she rushed to Elisha. Now it seemed she was trying to get noticed and impress Lucerne. Only then did Lucerne''s carriage door open slowly. ¡°Car is always curious about how you are doing, General.¡± Car said coquettishly, leaning against his carriage like a child and talking in the third person. ¡°I want you to stay away from my carriage.¡± Soon a voice came from inside the carriage. It was deep, low-pitched, and intense¡ªhardly forgettable. ¡°Yes?¡± Car''s voice broke, distorted. ¡°You''re blocking my carriage door now, so get out of the way. Or do you want to cling on the door like this instead and go inside?¡± From Elisha''s position, one could see the back of Car''s neck. Her throat turned red. Carol stepped aside. Visit ?elworld.c-om, for the best no_vel_read_ing experience Atst, he got off the carriage. The moment she saw him, a light piercing blow prated Elisha''s bosom. The man''s hair was ck, and his eyes were very dark and impressive. They seemed to be reddish-brown at first nce, but when sunlight hit those eyes, everyone noticed that the man''s eyes were intensely red. The man was tall enough to have to stoop down from the tall carriage, and he had very broad shoulders. On the other hand, his waist exposed under his cape was narrow, and his thighs were solid and firm. He was wearing a military uniform that was tailored perfectly and tightly against his whole body. Even from a distance, his hot energy seemed to hurt. He was an overwhelming male. Freckles never saw a man like him before in her life. Elisha watched her hands trembling gently as her eyes were filled with joy. ¡°Oh, my gosh. It''s really him. It''s him¡­¡± Lucerne clicked his tongue while looking at Car. It was the natural arrogance and dominant temperament of a ruler. ¡°I would have told you not toe out. Such an unpleasant reception.¡± Car blinked, undeterred. ¡°Car was on her way out, and then she saw a nice carriage and told them to stop. She pondered if the horseman needs to be educated again. He stopped the carriage suddenly. Carol was also very surprised,¡± said Car, twisting herself like an embarrassed toddler. Lucerne, with dark eyes, just stared at Car. He soon turned away as if he had lost interest. Suddenly Lucerne''s gaze turned to the shade where Elisha hid. Elisha was stunned. ¡°Who''s there? Come out.¡± Elisha hesitated, then stepped out of the shade. Freckles followed with a shudder. Freckles was astonished and watched Elisha, her mouth agape. She didn''t notice because she was so excited to see Lucerne, but Elisha''s appearance was extraordinary. ¡°How did you¡­¡± From Elisha''s exposed white cleavage to her clinging skirt, muddy water was everywhere, dripping slowly off of her. Lucerne''s wagon had stopped in a hurry and baptized Elisha with dirty water. Additionally, Elisha''s eyes were still red and shiny; her tears were still flowing as she held some ruinedundry tightly in her arms. Lucerne''s gaze slowly searched Elisha. It was a gaze that seemed to gently investigate her whole body. Elisha felt naked in front of him. Self-conscious, she felt like she was going back to the Elisha of her previous life, who had sustained burns on her face. He was a man with eyes who could make taste sensations through its power: a man who would make you doubt yourself, a man who was perfect and would hurt others. At the same time, the memory of the day before the return came to mind. That day Elisha was standing in front of the snake painting. Before she knew it, someone was close to her. Elisha noticed who he was and held her breath. Jacob''s archrival. Lucerne. ''Hey, concubine.'' ''Jacob asked me why I, a bastard, am coveting the family.'' ''Go and tell your master. I swore to myself when I was seven. I''m going to tear everything apart that is out of my reach. Especially since the more I can''t have it, the more I want it. So I''m going to get my hands on the House of Cartier that can''t be mine and destroy it, and then disy the broken pieces all over the world, and take only what I want from the family.'' Updated_at ?elworld.c?om ''I''m not a lunatic. It is what it is.'' At Lucerne''sst words, Elisha suppressed her overflowing fear. Her whole body was shaking. ''Cartier''s leech.'' ''So decide. Will I break it or not.'' ''If not.'' Elisha felt nauseous. She lowered her eyes. ¡°What''s wrong with her?¡± Car''s gaze followed Lucerne. She looked as if she saw a stray. ¡°Isn''t this Jacob''s terrority?¡± Lucerne murmured softly. ¡°Why is that woman crying and hiding?¡± Car was unhappy. She was upset that Lucerne was paying attention elsewhere. ¡°They¡­ they are maids who work here¡ªthe children ofzy families who are able to send their daughters away to pay off their debts. I felt sorry for them, so I gave them easy and simple work likeundry. Aren''t you interested in Car?¡± Even the talkative Freckles felt tired from her incessant talking. Car continued to talk, regardless. ¡°¡­Maybe. Maybe she was crying because she was scared of ghosts. Did you know? A man killed himself in this creak. After that, there are rumors about ghostsing and going. Car takes care of it. The lowly things are dumb so we know how to deal with them. ¡° Lucerne nced at Car, disgusted. As it was, Lucerne turned his gaze back to Elisha. ¡°Indeed, the maid.¡± ¡°Is a good-looking maid.¡± Elisha doubted her ears. Lucerne''s and Car''s carriage almost crashed. Car''s flirtation with Lucerne and evident desire for an affair. Elisha in hiding, soaked with muddy water, watching the situation. This all happened in her previous life. But there was only one different thing. Elisha had wanted to observe Lucerne closely. She had taken one more step out of the shade with a desire to study him. Maybe that was why Lucerne noticed her presence. ''It was the day after when Car beat me and Freckles side by side for witnessing this.'' But now it was subtly different from her first timeline. Car''s voice went shrill. ¡°Lucerne is temperamental. He wonders what''s the matter?¡± ¡°I never said you could say my name.¡± Lucerne cut her off sharply. Car mumbled her lips like a child and looked back at Elisha. You can_find the rest of this_content on the ?elworld.c?om tform. ¡°Youe here!¡± As Elisha approached, Car ordered: ¡°Apologize to the general right now. Does Car have to teach you that, too?¡± Elisha looked at Car with a nk face. A maid utterly unafraid of her was a foreign sight to Car and Lucerne''s men. ¡°What do you want me to apologize for?¡± Elisha asked calmly. ¡°The Grand General is a precious guest, and here you are with your dirty self in front of him. It''s sad if Car is misunderstood that she doesn''t take good care of the maids. You''re all in front of the general because you want to show your spoiled and messy appearance, aren''t you?¡± Pretending to be dumb, Car''s voice that mimicked baby speech became bizarrely clear the moment she attacked someone. Elisha spoke politely. ¡°Should I take off my clothes?¡± ¡°What?¡± Car looked at Elisha with the irate eyes of a madman. ¡°It''s an ident that dirtied my clothes. But if you say it''s not an ident, it means there''s me, and the sin is not on me, but my clothes. So if you''re ufortable, I''ll take off my clothes. But I can''t apologize for something I didn''t do.¡± Elisha spoke softly. Lucerne was quicker than Car and understood her meaning. Lucerne''s lips curled up. ''Look at this,'' his amused expression seemed to say. If one thought about how her clothes became stained, the cause of the ident is that the wagons stopped and poured muddy water on her. So she had to me either Car or Lucerne''s carriage. So Elisha said what she couldn''t point out. ¡°Ahh, these days, the lower ones are so bothersome. So mean! What kind of ugly thing are you doing in front of the general?¡± Car, who was hit by a blow from her, peeked at Lucerne while grinding her teeth. Lucerne ignored Car and then inquired of Elisha: ¡°Why are you crying? I think I asked that.¡± Elisha pressed her eyes with one hand. Even the back of her hand was soaked with muddy water. She bent her knees slowly and curtsied. ¡°I am sorry to dy the decision of Mdy. I just cried because I was sad that theundry was ruined.¡± Lucerne nodded. ¡°Yes, you deserve to be upset.¡± Lucerne beckoned to Elisha toe close to him ¨C his servants hurried to receive Elisha''sundry. Elisha approached Lucerne gingerly. ¡°You cried in front of me, so I''llpensate you.¡± Lucerne nced at his lieutenant, who took the purse out of his chest pocket. ¡°How much do you want as a reward?¡± ¡°It''s all right.¡± ¡°Then what shall I give you?¡± ¡°Then please be merciful and let me go.¡± ¡°Really? That''s disappointing.¡± He said without changing a single expression. His emotionless eyes were even sultry. ¡°Well, It''s not money that''s needed for ady.¡± Lucerne loosened his cloak from his shoulder. The long, dark-colored cape with a golden ornament on its shoulders was obviously a luxury item. He draped it over Elisha''s shoulders. His eyes rested on Elisha''s muddy breasts. ¡°Be careful, go well-covered, so that no one looks at you.¡± Updated_at ?elworld.c?om He whispered. ¡°Especially after your mouth asked if you should take it off.¡± Chapter 4.1 Chapter 4.1 ¡°¡­¡­..¡± Elisha looked into his eyes. Her eyes ran into his red ones, and she quickly avoided eye contact. She was wondering what it meant, but she didn¡¯t ask. Car hurriedly took a step towards them. ¡°High General, please go to the mansion with me¡­¡­¡­ get in my carriage, and¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I have standards, ma¡¯am,¡± Lucerne said sharply, cutting her off. ¡°If I were to enter the mansion with you, everyone would be imagining an affair between my cousin¡¯s wife and I. And if you don¡¯t want to be the subject of your servants¡¯ ridicule tonight, you should refrain from proposing such actions. Especially since it¡¯s also disgusting to think that I¡¯ll be involved with you. ¡° Car¡¯s face turned pale. She trembled like a child who was about to burst into tears. But Elisha, with her blonde hair tied together, was just hanging still and slightly bowing. *** ¡°Make sure the girl¡¯s job never allows her to enter Jacob¡¯s residence. If Lucerne, who isn¡¯t interested in women, covets her, Jacob will also covet her. Car¡¯s nervous.¡± Car climbed into the carriage and whispered to her close aide, her nanny. The nanny nodded her head. ¡°You¡¯re not a cruel girl. You need to be careful.¡± ¡°Yes, she is going to scold them when Lucerne and Jacob aren¡¯t around. But not today. That¡¯ll make them shut up.¡± *** ¡°That ck carriage¡­¡­,¡± The carriage rang loudly. The butler, who was looking out of the window with his dim eyes suddenly opening wide, rushed out to the front door in a fit of surprise. ¡°The youngest grandson is here!¡± Herees the bastard Lucerne, who makes even the Duke Cartier¡¯s blood tremble and dry up! The High General, the ruthless and brutal war-tested murderer. When the attendants became aware of the situation, they began to whisper. Step. Step. Lucerne walked onto the thread of the golden sand carpet in his boots. His men, dressed in knights¡¯ uniform behind him, walked with him. When he finally stopped, one of the Duke¡¯s servants crawled on his knees and polished up his fine leather boots. When the servant had finished his act, Lucerne moved his feet as if he were pushing the nuisance away. It was that unquestionable confident attitude he had. The servant backed away with a few steps. The butler walked in after him and rubbed his hands together. ¡°Wee, Sir Lucerne. The Duke is waiting.¡± ¡°I brought the Duke¡¯s birthday present.¡± ¡°He prefers to be called ¡®Overlord¡¯.¡± Smirk. At his words, Lucerne said: ¡°How typical of him.¡± As if the title given by the Empire was nothingpared to the head of the house. His grandfather would always emphasize that he was the patriarch. ¡°But those sacks, by the way, could they be¡­¡­,¡± When the butler saw the loads on his men¡¯s shoulders bing watery, he asked about them. ¡°Be careful of the blood.¡± Lucerne whispered. At the words, his men smiled and tilted the sacks. With a thickly dripping sound, thick drops of blood fell loudly on the carpet. ¡°It¡¯s my grandfather¡¯s birthday present.¡± ¡°Is, is this what you mean? What in the world is inside it?¡± The butler doubted his eyes. It was green blood. ¡°This year, he told me to bring a birthday present.¡± Lucerne blew his words again because the old man was about to die. The butler pretended not to hear. ¡°I¡¯ve been hunting for something that stands out. You¡¯d better use the leather. ¡° ¡°¡­¡­..¡± The butler eximed dismay when he saw the dragon¡¯s neck, which had fallen out of the sack. *** The butler called in the servants to decorate the dragon¡¯s head and somehow make it look like a gift. The servants, almost in tears, prepared to adorn the dragon¡¯s head which was the size of an adult male, with silks and flowers. ¡°Is he really Lucerne de Kayas?¡± One of the servants whispered to the old servant, and the old man had been working in this mansion for a very long time. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s a bastard¡­.rather¡ª more than anyone.¡­.¡± ¡°Yes, I know, that proud look, an appearance is nobler than from a real aristocrat.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The servant nodded his head. With glinting red eyes and shiny ck hair, he thought he saw a god who came down from heaven. He was striking, enormous, and powerful-looking. Byparison, the other grandchildren¡­¡­. . The servant stopped thinking right there¡ª it was not his right to even do so¡ªthe Duke of Cartier and his family did not wee servants with opinions or thoughts. They only wanted obedient hands. *** Chapter 4.2 Chapter 4.2 A vast decorative silver table had sprinkled diamond dust on its rim. The top of the table was covered with silk cloth. It was not the endless amount of food that took center stage on the infinitelyrge table, but the dead dragon¡¯s head with its long tongue stretched out. Colorful flowers bedecked the dragon¡¯s head. It was a bizarre and grotesque sight. Against that backdrop, Lucerne was quietly drinking tea. ¡°My grandfather is noting. I¡¯m going to the room.¡± ¡°Please wait. He¡¯ll be ready in a minute¡ª¡± The butler was startled and tried to dissuade him. Ready? It was a strange word. Lucerne¡¯s forehead frowned for a moment when the door opened. Women in colorful dresses entered the room. ¡°What is this? ¡° ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡­¡± The butler whispered to Lucerne¡¯s ear with a troubled face. ¡°They are all fallen aristocrats, who are above a certain level of rank, but also poor¡­¡­they are women who have no rtives, so they¡¯re going to inherit their titles.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t given up yet. What an absurd predicament is this.¡± Anger flowed from Lucerne¡¯s eyes. The women flinched at the astonishing furious energying off of him. But they did not leave and stood firm. Marriage with the Empire¡¯s most beautiful general was too good of a hope for fallen nobility. ¡°Go, leave the room.¡± When Lucerne¡¯s expression became unusual, the butler momentarily drove them away. ¡°What did my grandfather say?¡± ¡°He said ¡®in the name of a hereditary peerage,¡¯ this is absolutely necessary for you to be a real aristocrat.¡± ¡°And?¡± Lucerne growled. ¡°Isn¡¯t it a waste to give all thend you¡¯ve taken away.¡­¡± ¡°Ha.¡± Lucerneughed; he was a general, but status-wise he was a knight. Even if he had a child, he could only pass on his knighthood to his children. That was his limit as an illegitimate child; knights couldn¡¯t own an estate. However, the story would change if he married a woman with a title and became a son-inw of the family. The son-inw could inherit the title until a son was born between the two. There were many things you could do if you became an aristocrat with a manor and a hereditary title, although temporarily. It was also possible to take over another lord¡¯s territory in war. ¡°Why do you keep trying? I don¡¯t desire much within or outside this family, right?¡± The butler dropped his eyes, unable to say anything. ¡®You speak such things with insatiable eyes.¡¯ ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll find each and every one of their faults by myself. Or should I do it since the butler knows?¡± asked Lucerne, caressing the sword like a hawk. The butler closed his eyes tightly and raised his head. ¡°Next time, I¡¯ll make sure to give you a list and make sure you are served by those you take favor to.¡± Lucerne lifted his head, ¡°If I may say something presumptuous, sir? Just bring in any woman and marry her. If you be a real aristocrat, you¡¯ll have more advantages.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Please just bow to the Lord a little.¡± Lucerneughed. ¡°Butler. Bowing is something that only those of non-Cartier stock enjoy. It¡¯s not my family, but that is one thing I know for certain.¡± *** The night came without fail. Elisha was sitting on a narrow bed, looking at the crimson cape on herp. All of ¡®the coterals¡¯ or indentured servants used one room. Now there were only three young women left, including Elisha. There were many people in this room but only one candle to light their night. ¡®He is still the same dangerous man.¡¯ Elisha stroked the cape. ¡®Lucerne de Kayas.¡¯ Elisha, who worked with Jacob¡¯s spies, knew all about Lucerne. ¡®The Great General, the hero of the Empire. The Duke¡¯s youngest grandson¡­¡­. the only descendant to have had the coveted special abilities passed down in the ducal house.¡¯ ording to the hereditaryws of the Empire, if the mother was low born, the child also took after her status. Lucerne¡¯s mother was poor and already passed away, so Lucerne should have never been a threat even if she had awoken from the dead. Additionally, Lucerne¡¯s father was the youngest son of the current Duke, and died as soon as he was born. And in spite of his status as an illegitimate child, orphan, andmoner, Lucerne¡¯s brilliance and the fact that he was the most aplished individual in the ducal house could not even be dismissed. If that wasn¡¯t enough, he had inherited the mythical serpent-like red eyes that proudly disyed the Cartier¡¯s snake origins. It indicated that the child born to a low-born possessed the special powers of the Cartier family. When his powers had manifested, they said that even the Overlord, who had neither tears nor blood, feltcking and hit the ground. ¡®Also known as the crazy psycho devil in war.¡¯ Lucerne was first sent to the battlefield when he was thirteen. It was a ce he was sent to die¡ªpreferably chopped into pieces. But somehow, by some miracle, with only 15 soldiers under hismand, he had won great victories. A forest overran with vicious monsters had been cleared, and two viges were liberated from enemy encampments. News of his exceptional triumphs spread like wildfire throughout the Empire, thoroughly shocking the popce and turning society upside down. Even now, yearster, it was still being talked about. The next year. The Duke sent him back to the front line. He came back victorious again; then he was sent abroad, and then¡­¡­. He started off as a knight, but now at the age of twenty-five, he was the High General who presided over all the troops of the Empire. It was all aplished without the help of the Cartier family. So he was called by two names. The first wass ¡®High General.¡¯ The second one was ¡®Kayas,¡¯ but not ¡®Cartier.¡¯ Chapter 5 Chapter 5 ¡°What if someone takes care of our debt and saves us? A very powerful and strong person.¡± Freckles¡¯ fairytale words were utterances that she would haveughed at in the past. But now, those very same words lit a fire in Elisha¡¯s heart. ¡®After all, I can¡¯t get out of here, even if I die and rise from the dead, again.¡¯ Elisha touched her neck where there was a small tattoo. It was a seal indicating that the Duke of Cartier owned her. As long as this existed, she would be followed to the ends of the earth. Elisha once saw the end of a coteral caught running away when she was 16 years old. Two years after she ran away, she was eventually caught again. ¡®Oh, no. I¡¯m scared¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ She had never seen such a terrible and cruel death before or since. Several times she had nightmares. ¡®What was my debt before I died? I had a lot, but¡­ ¡­ . there was no way to pay it back.¡¯ It was only a form of very, with the excuse of owing the people of the Cartier family. However, that form alone was enough to crush and destroy a person¡¯s life. Elisha earned 100 gold coins a month, working as a secretary and aide to Jacob. It was a huge sry, but¡­¡­ It didn¡¯t matter anyway. Since she had never really been paid the money with the intention of writing off the debt, it was outrageously not enough to get rid of her debt of 30,000 gold coins. ¡®In the end, it¡¯s money. Even if I¡¯m the Countess¡­ ¡­ . .in the end, without any money, you can easily be a ve,¡¯ All of the women who became coterals met bad ends. Even Elisha, who worked harder and suffered more than the other coterals in her past life was met with a miserable dog-like death simrly to the others ¨Cwho at least in the meantime did not die by struggling like her. ¡®Will I end up living like that in this life, too?¡¯ Bing Jacob¡¯sckey would prolong her life by several years. But it didn¡¯t mean anything. Elisha bit her lips. There was nothing different from her previous life. ¡®But now¡­¡­.. I know some of the secrets and information of this family.¡¯ Anyone interested in the duchy would covet her information. In her previous life, Elisha had considerable insights into the hidden secrets of the Cartier family. ¡®I need to find a person who has a grudge against Jacob¡­. a person who has the considerable power to deal with him¡­. and a person who will pay him my ransom of 30,000 gold coins¡­ ¡­ ,¡¯ The answer was obvious. ¡®Besides¡­¡­. Lucerne is the only one inside the family who didn¡¯t screw with me in my previous life.¡± Elisha recalled Lucerne¡¯s face. ¡®Can I persuade that man?¡¯ Elisha¡¯s stomach twisted and turned as she recalled Lucerne¡¯s reputation. There was a reason people were afraid of him. ¡®But he is known as a person who was fond of his subordinates and would reward them. What if I begged him to use the information I got in myst life as a bait?¡¯ Lucerne had trained famous knights, regardless of their status or gender. The Knights of the ck Lion under Lucerne were celebrated throughout the empire. ¡®Because he was also considered as someone of low-status.¡¯ Elisha swept her hair to the side, trying to organize her thoughts, ¡®The information I have is explosive¡­¡­. it will set off all the battles of this family¡¯s war of session for the head of the household. Maybe such knowledge could turn that man into a family heir. If I persuade him easily, I could even make him pay my debt¡­¡¯ Elisha breathed evenly. The only problem was just¡­¡­ ¡®That man is dangerous. He is a man who makes ns to smash his family by joining the imperial family¡¯s side just because he can¡¯t be the Duke.¡¯ However, no matter how many times she thought about it, there was no other way. If she didn¡¯t want to die in debt like this, she had to throw herself onto Lucerne; there was no other way¡­ ¡­ . ¡®In the end, if Jacob will still be alive, I¡¯ll never be able to escape him¡ªinstead, I have to approach his enemy and archrival.¡¯ *** ¡°Are you really okay? In thest few days, you keep writing things down¡­ ¡­ . . Huh, what is this, did you even sketch a maze garden?¡± In just a few days with a short pencil, Elisha wrote down so much in a notebook that there was barely any room left. If one looked at it closely, indeed, it looked like a map of abyrinth. Elisha closed the notebook and hid it. ¡°Lottie.¡± She remembered. Freckles¡¯ real name was Lottie. ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°If you seduce someone, you¡¯re not selfish. He doesn¡¯t take responsibility for women; he is just an inactive coward. In the past, I thought you were foolish, but now I know you¡¯re one of us who tried to escape this horrible situation.¡± Elisha knew the future of Freckles, Lottie. Always on the prowl for new women, she would seduce Jacob. Lottie would be Jacob¡¯s girlfriend and would finally leave this small vi. ¡®It was a long time ago that we were close. Don¡¯t pretend you know me, I¡¯m ashamed to have known you.¡¯ Some people change with the tide of hardship. Lottie was such a person. Once Lottie became a favorite of Jacob, she pretended not to know Elisha andughed at her, who had be ugly. ¡®I understand. At that time, I was a shabby pathetic woman who covered my whole body with a cloak and only looked for protective shade amidst the hardship I was going through.¡¯ Due to gastritis, Elisha, in her previous life, could not eat properly. Her face was increasingly dull like a corpse. She had always lived in anxiety, barely holding to her nerves. Her expression looked as cold as ice, and there was no smile. Jacob called Elisha a witch. Later, following Jacob¡¯s example, everyone called Elisha, the Witch. ¡®You must¡¯ve been looking down at me like that because you started eating good food and wearing fancy clothes.¡¯ But it was all meaningless. Lottie lived just like that for a three mere months when she was living within Car¡¯s grasp, and one day, Car tightened her grip on Lottie, and she died as food for wild dogs. No matter how many women there were, Car was the only wife Jacob had, and no one could match her, who was armed with her narcissism, her crazy bitch-like madness, and wealthy parents. ¡®Yes, in the end, no one gets away.¡¯ Still, Elisha was saddened by Lottie¡¯s death. That was herst memory of her before her untimely death. ¡°Do you understand? Remember what I told you¡ªIf I disappear one day, you can take all my stuff. I secretly collect some silver coins. Under my bed, there¡¯s an empty space beneath the floorboard. Take it.¡± It seemed like turning back time also got her spirit to return to what it was like in the past. Before her demise, Elisha was always on the verge of dying, invariably numb to emotions¨C let alonepassion or sympathy. However, after turning back in time, Elisha¡¯s personality returned to its moral, empathic, and ordinary state; additionally with her regression came calmness and maturity. ¡°What is it? You are acting like someone who will die tomorrow.¡± With just those words, Elisha turned her head. This favour was all she could do for her. ¡®Tonight, let¡¯s approach Lucerne.¡¯ Luckily, there was little sewing work. Elisha quit working early, feeling her eyes blur. She waited for everyone to fall asleep without wrapping herself in a nket and waited for the dawn toe. *** It was dawn when everyone went to bed. Elisha carefully rose from her bed. All-night castle was what they called the Cartier family¡¯s main residence. They lead a life twice as long as other people. This was because the permanently shining spirit light stone, which did not turn off even at night, illuminated the entire mansion. It was a mercy that was not given to the small separate building, where the lowest-ss of indentured servants like Elisha lived. Elisha pulled out her candlestick from under the bed. The girls in the same room as Elisha were silently asleep. asionally, only someone¡¯s snoring urred. Elisha couldn¡¯t even afford to change clothes. It would make a bigmotion. It was a big deal when someone woke up to someone¡¯s noise, which usually stirred the others up. Elisha wore Lucerne¡¯s cloak upon her shoulders. She was nning on using the excuse of returning his cloak as an excuse to speak to Lucerne. Elisha stood outside the room, wearing pajamas under her cloak. She only took the pages she needed, and the notebook documenting memories of her past life were thrown into the wall stove, consumed by fire. Tiptoeing, she reached the annex entrance, which was locked outside with a triple lock, where even a rat could not escape. ¡®If my memory is correct¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Elisha gained the knowledge of many secrets while working in the mansion of the Cartier family, and that included the buildings on their estate. The same was true of the structure of the annex. ¡®I heard that Lucerne always stays in the room where he grew up when hees to the estate.¡¯ It was said that Lucerne had been treated poorly as a child and grew up in a room near the shabby stairs. One day, Jacob¡¯s now-deceased father visited Lucerne one day, saying that he would fix Lucerne¡¯s habits, and locked him in the room for days. Even now, when he was an established and proven militarymander with an esteemed status, he stayed only in that room. And it was like that in the future. ¡®Lucerne, are you staying there to protest me?¡¯ There was a time when the head of the Cartier family went berserk and shouted at Lucerne out of anger right before he copsed. The uproar was quite a big event, so she knew where he stayed. The problem was that Elisha couldn¡¯t just walk and knock on the door just because she knew about Lucerne¡¯s location. Lucerne¡­ ¡­ . was an illegitimate child, but he was a Cartier. In the Cartier world, beings like Elisha were ones who could easily lose their tongues just by uttering a mistake to Lucerne. That was his status in the Cartier family. ¡®If Lucerne kills me tonight¡­ ¡­ . . He¡¯ll have to pay Jacobpensation.¡¯ Perhaps Lucerne would not be charged with murder but for hurting his cousin¡¯s property. ¡®I still have to do it.¡¯ Elisha thought calmly. ¡®If I miss this opportunity to sell him the information, he will also end up regretting it.¡¯ The Cartier family was a gold-crazy family that would do whatever it took to make money. In their determination to distribute and sell all the goods around the world, Elisha learned a lot. ¡®The Cartier family is a merchant family. I learned a little from them.¡¯ A good merchant knew how to sell even if they had nothing. A dance between fraud and gain with a silver tongue. Elisha learned how to speak like a merchant. She killed the noise of her footsteps and went up the stairs of the second-floor hall. ¡®Please, let my memory be correct, please be here¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Just above the stairs on the second floor, there was a huge painting over the living space. Elisha illuminated it with a candle. The white snakes were twisted like lustful human bodies. Then, there was a ck serpent in the middle, twice as long and twice as big as the other snakes. Its mouth was spread wide, its fangs shown and its head raised as if ready to strike and eat the other snakes. The title of that one was ¡®Head*¡¯. (As in head of the household) ¡®Did you know? Ghosts live in this mansion. You can hear the sounds of ghosts roaming, stomping beyond the wall.¡¯ During the first day of arriving here, the girl who showed her around told her this. A long time ago, this shabby vi was said to be the ce where a most beloved wifemitted suicide. Elisha, in the past, didn¡¯t know the rumors or what this painting meant. But now Elisha knew the secret; she tapped the ck snake. Creak, a very small sound was heard beyond the picture. Elisha sighed. After this, she had to be more careful¡­ ¡­ . Elisha pushed the image. Then there was an open ck space, a hidden secret passage. ¡®There, there. I remembered it right¡¯. Elisha quickly leaned into the narrow passage and entered. Soon the aisle door was closed. The long narrow passage was like the inside of an endless serpent. Elisha slowly lit the surroundings with her candlelight. There was a smell of damp water and something rancid. ¡®Why, and who made this secret passage?¡¯ Even though the future Elisha identally found the secret passage in the mansion, the question was not resolved at that time or now. But the answer was easy to imagine. ¡®Because this is an ancient mansion¡­ ¡­ ,¡¯ Some nobles made escape passages in case of emergency. It was said that there were many secret passages that were transmitted only through the mouths of the heads of the household. Because they were transmitted so secretly, many secret passages were forgotten by the owner. Elisha walked carefully through the dark aisle, holding the hem of her pajamas and wearing a cape on her shoulder. In her previous life, Elisha trembled every time she walked through this passage, but today, Elisha did not. She walked this passageway as though she was very familiar with it. *** Chapter 6 He was soaking in arge marble bathtub that would fit four or five people. He lifted his head, pushing back his hair from his eyes. As he slowly closed his eyes, he felt a sense of foreignness and lifted them. Poor noblewomen standing in a row. And¡­ ¡­ . . That maid, hugging theundry with tears running down her eyes. ''She was crying so sadly.'' There was only the sound of tears falling like raindrops; other than that; she had been silent. If she was already so sad, she would never be able to withstand what was toe. ''This mansion is going to swallow that woman.'' If you had nothing to be desired, you were sold. It even happened to himself. Like when he gave her the cloak he cherished. But if there was a problem¡­ ¡­ . ¡°Why did it stand?'' It couldn''t be. His penis stood tall¨Cin shock, he rose from the water. Out came arge body woven with strong and perfect muscles, and in his center stood his penis swollen like a rod. ''This can''t be happening.'' ''Look, Lucerne. If you''re a sincere and faithful child, there''s no way you''ll get an erection after seeing these bad things. You can''tmit a crime against the family. An illegitimate child must not leave seeds. If you get an erection, I will whip you.'' A devastating memory came over him. Lucerne frowned and came out of the bathtub, putting on a gown roughly. His body froze. He heard a very faint sound. ¡°Who is it?¡± Lucerne whispered. There was no sound behind the door, Lucerne was going to call an escort, and he realized that it was quicker to deal with it himself. He snapped his finger. ¡°Shadow, find the suspicious guy.¡± Dark shadows came out of the blue, covering the floor. Shadows were the beasts and guardians of the Cartier family. It was the ability that only the blood of the Duke of Cartier had, which was only passed down to Lucerne¨Clike his red eyes. Then, the shadow twisted its body like a beast with a tail and ran towards someone hidden in the darkness. ¡°Ahh!¡± The target assassin screamed and fell from the ceiling. When Lucerne beckoned, the shadow put the man down. There was a sound of his shoulder des cracking. ¡°Who sent you? Among my cousins, was it Marco or was it Jacob?¡± Lucerne whispered fiercely. The assassin pulled out the knife and rushed to Lucerne. Lucerne avoided the man running like a bull. ¡°Really.¡± The assassin''s neck was sandwiched between Lucerne''s arms. ¡°This is how they say hello to the family.¡± Lucerne squeezed it. ¡°In this family, this is my best regards,¡± The assassin trembled. New_chap_ters are pub_lished on ?elworld.c?om Crunch. The assassin with a bruised neck fell to the floor. ¡°You didn''t give up; he chose the right person.¡± As an assassin''sst attack, he swung the dagger even though his neck suffered. Lucerne grabbed his man''s arm and broke his wrist. Picking up the dagger dropped by the assassin with his left hand, Lucerne stabbed the de in his opponent''s back. ¡°Argh!¡± There were sounds of soft flesh being torn apart and bones fracturing. Lucerne moved the shadow at the same time. ¡°Shadow.¡± Then the shadow made a screen to protect Lucerne''s body. Lucerne''s gown did not be stained from a single drop of blood. Lucerne looked numbly at the body of the assassin, trembling as it was. ¡°Fuck, I''m even more excited.¡± Lucerne gritted his teeth. He smothered a cigarette as he leaned against the bathtub. It has been his long-standing habit that his excitement rises temporarily after killing a person. He moved his body, and his blood circted more. ''Why do I keep thinking about her?'' That woman with blonde hair. He had to admit her appearance was impressive¡ªeven for him¡ªwho was not very interested in the beauty of others. The image of her with water on her bosom strangely aroused him. ¡°Shadow.¡± At Lucerne''s call, the shadow beast fell from the ceiling. ¡°Melt it and eat it.¡± He jerked his chin, pointing to the dead body. Then the shadow made a small shrieking sound and began to swallow the body from his toes. The body began to disappear little by little from the feet. However, the speed was so slow that it was only visible after close observation. He saw his penis was still standing up, ¡°It''ll take a little bit of time until the shadow eats the whole corpse.¡± Really, this was his first time. ¡°I don''t have a hobby like this in front of a dead body.¡± He made a low groan. It was a voice of pleasure mixed with difort. ¡°Lucerne de Kayas, reporting on April 16, 998 in the imperial calendar¡­ ¡­ . There are no women in particr proximity.¡± Elisha muttered in a soft whisper. ¡°Special monitoring target, reported on May 15th. No wife, no concubine, possibly homosexual.¡± ¡°The forty-third spy disguised as a courtesan. ess failed.¡± Elisha recalled the reports she had read about Lucerne. He was a thoroughly ascetic man. To a strange extent. New_chap_ters are pub_lished on -elworld.c?om Even he was extremely disgusted with marriage, to the extent that he hated the head of the ducal house for pressuring him to marry. In the end, he was unmarried even when Elisha died. Usually, a nobleman married at the age of 18 upon bing an adult, so it was unusual. ¡°It''s here¡­ ¡­ ,¡± Elisha stopped. The passage led to four doors. And the nearest passage¡­ That ce¡­ ¡­ . It was Lucerne''s room, ''The ce where I hid several times in my previous life and cried.'' It was pure coincidence that Elisha found this room. Two years from now, an aristocrat who would be a coteral like Elisha would go crazy. At that time, Elisha was twenty-two years old. It was a time when, under Jacob''s direction, she was working on doing the double ledger. At that time, she was given a private room on the second floor to herself because she had to concentrate. ''Someone? Anyone? Please save me!'' Even that day, she was at her desk until dawn, as usual, and doing heavy work. Then, she dozed off and woke up, only to find smoke everywhere. Later, Elisha learned that the young nobledy who went to the first floor broke the window and escaped. ''The stairs are already on fire,'' Elisha jumped out in confusion. The moment she was teetering on the verge of death, Elisha miraculously discovered it. ''Why is the fire not moving and burning this painting?'' It was a snake painting titled ''Head'', which was hung as if showing off its arrogance in front of the stairs on the second floor. ''There''s winding from there!'' Elisha ran into it as if possessed. Then, by chance, Elisha''s fist struck the ck snake in the middle and- Pop. A secret passage was opened. Elisha hid her body in the pathway. Soon the fire was tamed, and Elisha made an excuse about how she survived; she was hiding in the uppermost attic and opened up the window by the roof. Elisha''s well-being wasn''t important to anyone, so no one was interested. When Jacob saw Elisha, he swore that she was a lucky bastard. ''Since then, this secret passage has be a space only I know.'' As it turned out, the secret passage was connected throughout the residences and to the main mansion. It was also connected to the second and third floors, mainly used by the family members. Among them, there was one room that Elisha found. It was an empty room that no one used. ''At the time, I couldn''t even imagine the identity of the resident of the room¡­ ¡­ ,'' When Elisha reached her mental limit, she would often stay in the room she had found. There, she sobbed until she swallowed her tears secretly at dawn. Then at dawn, she contemted suicide several times. ''It turns out that the room where I even decided to die in was Lucerne''s room.'' At that time, Lucerne rarely came to the mansion, so she thought it was an empty room. She didn''t know how weak she became when she found out about itter. The room was like an empty tiger''s den. Try the -elworld.c?om tform_for the most advanced_reading experience. ''But, tonight I¡­ ¡­ . , Even if I know there is a tiger, I am going into its cave.'' Once I encounter Lucerne, let''s stay calm.Elisha mumbled. Elisha''s pace stopped. Elisha''s hands counted here and there and drew her maps with her head. This was the destination. Elisha leaned against the wall. ¡°Ah!¡± It was that moment. Elisha lifted the hem of the long cloak over her shoulder. There was a pool of water under her feet. Elisha managed to prop herself up against the wall. The wind extinguished her candle. ¡°Oh,e on¡­ ¡­ .'' And when Elisha opened her body, what he heard in her ears was an ominous sound. Riiiiiiiiiip- Elisha''s eyes widened. Thece on her bosom and the fine part of her pajamas was hung on a protruding stone. ''My pajamas.'' It was cool from her breasts to her thighs, where her pajamas were ripped. Elisha closed her eyes. She held her clothes precariously and knocked on the door. The secret passage opened silently. The smell of cigarettes entered her nose as she stepped through the secret passage. ''It''s dazzling¡­ ¡­ .'' The sound of dripping water tickled her ears. A light came into her eyes. Elisha was in the closet, where it was empty. She went outside. There was a person in the bathroom. ¡°Ah.¡± Elisha''s grip was released. Her tight ripped pajamas revealed her bra. With a cloak on her shoulder, Elisha saw a distant sight. ¡°What is¡­ ¡­ ,¡± She doubted her eyes. ''Special surveince target, Lucerne de Kayas. There seems to be a high probability being a pervert. Still, there are no women around. Sexual function is normal¡­ ¡­ , Confirmed.'' In Elisha''s past life, the report that she read one day in her previous life came into her mind. Elisha was now watching Lucerne lean against the bathtub as he sucked on a cigarette and masturbated. Underneath his feet was a body covered in a sticky ck substance. Craaackle-¨C The Shadow made a crackling sound. ''What am I looking at now?'' Elisha, who had gone through all sorts of hardships, was also embarrassed, but she couldn''t help but peer harder and frown. Because, Lucerne- Chapter 7.1 Chapter 7.1 Elisha didn¡¯t know if she should be embarrassed to see the blood smearing on the marble tub floor or to see the baton-like big penis in Lucerne¡¯s hand. Thud, thud. There was ascivious sounding from his grip. ¡®Now is this person¡­ ¡­ . masturbating over a dead body?¡¯ *** That was Elisha¡¯s big misunderstanding. The corpse was not even in Lucerne¡¯s gaze. He was masturbating, thinking of Elisha. However, that very person walked into the room without a sound. Lucerne didn¡¯t even bat an eye at this absurd situation. Instead, he was rather displeased. He thought someone was ying a prank on him. ¡°What kind of n is this?¡± Lucerne muttered after seeing Elisha. He was not embarrassed at all . Elisha was dressed in torn pajamas with Lucerne¡¯s cloak on her shoulders. Her underwear inside her skirt could be seen from top to bottom. Lucerne rubbed the cigarette against the wall. In his gown, he swept his head and stepped toward Elisha. ¡°Excuse me, I¡­ ¡­ .¡± She froze like a herbivore, looking at Lucerne. ¡®It¡¯s that maid.¡¯ ¡°¡­ ¡­¡± ¡°What is going on here?¡± Lucerne¡¯s eyes shined with contempt. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ ¡­ .. .¡± Elisha¡¯s lips were sweet. ¡°Gasp¡± *** Lucerne grabbed Elisha¡¯s neck and pushed it against the wall. His hand was so big that even Elisha¡¯s lower jaw fell into Lucerne¡¯s grasp . The white throat trembled in Lucerne¡¯s huge hand. ¡°You thought I¡¯m passionate about you, so you¡¯re sneaking into my room tonight¡ªdid Car make you do it¡ªor Jacob?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it¡­ ¡­ , I¡¯m¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I guess they are good at training their spies now¨Chow did youe in without a sound? Or is this a feint retreat with that bastard?¡± Lucerne¡¯s eyes dangled over Elisha¡¯s whole body. ¡°Hey. If you want to take it off, take it all off until the end.¡± Lucerne released Elisha¡¯s body. A crimson cloak slid down over her shoulder. Lucerne¡¯s face was filled with contempt and lust. Elisha¡¯s whole body trembled. ¡°I- I¡¯m Elisha.¡± Elisha just barely said it. ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m your lower body, so why do I need to know your name?¡± Lucerne spoke in a soft tone, but his red eyes sneered. Elisha bit her lip and shut her mouth. ¡°Where did you get such believable acting skills? You look like you¡¯re terrified,¡± Lucerne muttered. Elisha tried to calm down, and she quietly closed her lips. Her appearance further stimted Lucerne¡¯s appetite. ¡°I didn¡¯te here because someone ordered me to.¡± Elisha clung to the wall and said, ¡°I have something to tell you. Very important, something like¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Like?¡± ¡°Making a deal.¡± Lucerne nced at Elisha. ¡°In this outfit?¡± ¡°It¡¯s important¡ª well. Are you going to fuck me?¡± Gasp, Elisha held her breath. ¡°You¡¯ve been looking like this, but how can your words be different.¡± Lucerne¡¯s big hand raised her chin. Elisha did not avoid his gaze even though her eyes were trembling. Lucerne couldn¡¯t understand himself. ¡®Now I see this is a problem with the eyes,¡¯ Her eyes were the problem. Her beautiful eyes caused an unexpected attraction. This woman had the rare talent of arousing his lust. ¡®I don¡¯t think that is the case.¡¯ ¡®When you get excited about a woman, you are rebelling against God. You, bring the whip.¡¯ Simultaneously, his unpleasant memories struck again; Lucerne cast his eyes on Elisha¡¯s swelling bosom. A look full of suspicion and lust rested on her chest, which was lifted up by her remaining bustier. Elisha bit her lips. ¡°I have brought information that will ensure the General will never lose. I didn¡¯te for Jacob or Car, but rather I came to side with the general.¡± ¡°Convince me. I¡¯ll give you 30 seconds,¡± Lucerne said indifferently. His eyes were as if he would throw away all her clothes immediately. ¡°I want to help you kill Jacob in numerous ways.¡± Elisha looked like she was breathing hard. ¡°Did Jacob order you to say that? Of all the spies he¡¯s sent, you¡¯re the worst.¡± After hearing that, Lucerne¡¯s lower body began to stand again. Lucerne was now looking at Elisha¡¯s exposed immacte thighs. ¡°This time, the n was set up properly. But¡­ ¡­ .¡± Lucerne¡¯s hand rolled up Elisha¡¯s pajamas. The girdle was so thin that even the colour of her body seemed to be seen through under the subtle light. ¡°You¡¯ve wasted time wearing something like this while ying a badger game, and this is the poorest temptation I¡¯ve ever seen.¡± Elisha¡¯s feet turned red. Her underwear was stretched, stained, and worn down. ¡°I know, I¡¯m here on my own, so I¡¯m trying to find a way to live¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Does your life serve a purpose for me?¡± Lucerne grinned. ¡°Yes, I guess I do have some things I need to have washed.¡± ¡°I have a proposal.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t do those sort of deals with a woman¡¯s body. Why should I when I can just have it?¡± Lucerne¡¯s passion slowly began to cool off. He looked at her. How do I do this; should I tear her apartpletely? Between desire to kill and mercy, he struggled for a moment. At that time, Elisha grabbed Lucerne¡¯s arm. ¡°I ¡­ ¡­ ,¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°I know how to make you the head of the family.¡± It was Lucerne who reacted. Chapter 7.2 Chapter 7.2 ¡°In this world, such a thing is impossible.¡± Lucerne¡¯s mother was a low-born who ran away with his father, the youngest son of the Cartier¡¯s patriarch. In the end, both men and women who eloped returned as dead bodies. Even if Lucerne¡¯s mother was a ruined noblewoman, he could have used her status to his advantage, but since she was a poormoner, there was no way. Amoner¡¯s son could never be the Duke and head of the house. ¡°There is a way. I know a lot of secret information about this family. In particr, there is a lot I know about Jacob. Based on that information, I can advise you.¡± Lucerne looked bewildered, as if a monkey could suddenly speak to humans. With that expression, he looked at Elisha, but he did not ignore her. Was this Jacob¡¯s ploy? He wondered if he was capable of such a maneuver. ¡°And, I know information about your mother, about her situation at the time of her death.¡± Elisha gradually reimed her calmness as Lucerne became interested in her words. ¡°Please do whatever you want.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ ..¡± ¡°If you want to degrade me, you can do that. But if you do not listen to me, you¡¯ll regret it. At the risk of my life, I swear it.¡± The embarrassment disappeared from Elisha¡¯s face, and a calm expression gradually returned. Elishalooked like a doll blinking quietly while having Lucerne under her control. ¡°How can I believe those words?¡± Lucerne¡¯s red eyes were bright. Elisha closed her eyes tightly. And she took it slowly. ¡°My dear Ayres, from the time you were in the stomach until now, we have called you a tree. Because I am of a lowly and unspeakable rank. I had to hide your growth in the stomach. So my husband and I would say that the tree was growing. One rainy day, we were under the Ayres tree. And again, your birth name was ck Pearl. Because I dreamed of a ck snakeing out like the ck pearl¡­ ¡­ ,¡± Elisha trembled, and she spoke out the words to the end. Her face was calm, but she couldn¡¯t hide her tension, and tears struck her eyes. Lucerne blocked Elisha¡¯s mouth. ¡°Stop.¡± He came right up before Elisha and whispered. ¡°Who are you?¡± His name was ck Pearl, and he was conceived beneath the Ayres tree. It was the words that his dead mother whispered to his ear in the hut where he had been hiding. It was a fact no one knew. Neither the Head nor Jacob. No one in the world knew this. ¡°Where the hell did you hear this?¡± Tears fell from Elisha¡¯s eyes, which were blue like the sea. Lucerne¡¯s hand slowly slipped off her mouth. *** ¡®Jacob. Do you know what¡¯s the biggest reason you¡¯re called the Next Great Head?` ¡®That¡¯s because I¡¯m the eldest grandson in this family.¡¯ ¡®A big reason was that that my sons died while arguing over the session of the duchy and Icked virtue. However, that is not the biggest reason. The reason is that I support you.¡¯ He pushed his hand and pointed to Jacob. His gaze was staring at someone who wasn¡¯t here. ¡®It¡¯s because Lucerne¡¯s mother is a poormoner. If it weren¡¯t for his mother, it would have been possible for him to be your rival. If you be the Duke, don¡¯t forget that fact.¡¯ Jacob returned like an angry bull that night, his pride severely hurt. He summoned Elisha to vent his anger on her and finally stopped after picking trivial faults on her and pping her cheeks. Elisha waited for Jacob to calm down, bleeding around her mouth, and over her trembling shoulders, she saw Jacob smashing and throwing things. Elisha covered her ears and closed her eyes while sobbing. *** Elisha¡¯s memory stayed with her. That was right, the biggest reason why the Head session was inclined most predominantly to Jacob was because of Lucerne¡¯s status. If Lucerne had equal status, the patriarch would have put Lucerne on the scale. So when the hidden truth was revealed, Jacob copsed. He crawled up to Car on all fours. ¡®Lucerne could be Duke this way. The secret we learned today must never be known to the world. Ah, Car. When this bes known, both the Empire and grandfather will take his side. At least until I be Duke¡­ ¡­ . I can¡¯t give up this position! You can have all the wealth in this world, but he must be an illegitimate child!¡¯ ¡®¡­ ¡­ . .¡¯ ¡®Damn it, I know how many years he¡¯s been talking about! uh? ¡® Jacob spoke in fits. Carforted him. ¡®Look, my beloved. I burned all that information like this. No one knows the truth anymore. His only card is gone.¡¯ ¡®Oh my gosh. Oh, my God. This is a tremendous fact.¡¯ The secret passage behind Elisha¡¯s ¡®Head¡¯ painting didn¡¯t just lead to Lucerne¡¯s room. It also led to Jacob¡¯s office. After that, Elisha sometimes would enter the secret passageway and peek at various things on listless nights. Elisha was hiding in her secret aisle, and she was studying in Jacob¡¯s office, and at that moment, Elisha had repeated what she had learned. My dear Ayres¡­ ¡­¡­ Fortunately, Elisha had a good memory. She will remember this moment without fail, and if Jacob wanted to kill her, she would use it as herst resort. *** ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know more about your mother¡¯s death?¡± Instead of answering, Lucerne picked up Elisha. And he took Elisha to his bedroom. Restrained by his stiff arms, Elisha trembled like her captive doe. Lucerne threw Elisha on the bed. ¡°Take it off.¡± He ordered very briefly. *** Chapter 8 Jacob came homete at night. Reports of Lucerne''s arrival greatly displeased him. If an outstanding illegitimate child was a high-ranking general with even more power, he would still make people shudder even though he was a smear and ugly deficit. He got interested when his men told him what happened today between Car and Lucerne. ¡°If she''s a maid¡­¡­Was it¡­ ¡­ . That ce where the coteral got sshed? There are only a few people there¡­ ¡­ . It''s not a time to cheat.¡± Jacob pondered, lost in thought. Car sat next to Jacob with a somewhat nervous face. ¡°So was she that pretty? Who was it?¡± Car gritted her teeth. ¡°Car doesn''t know. Does Car have to know the name of a maid? At first nce, she seemed to be around adulthood. So she''s going to die soon, right?¡± ¡°That''s right.¡° Jacob''s mouth became sloppy. ¡°I have to taste it once before selling it.¡± ¡°Oye, what ¡ªat this time¡ª?¡± Car''s face harderned. ¡°It''s the woman Lucerne coveted. I''m curious what he will do if I ate her up right now and showed him the body tomorrow. That girl, what did she look like? ¡° She said, ¡°She is an ordinary blonde. Her skin was very white¡­ ¡­ . ¡° Jacob pondered for a moment. ¡°Ah, that doll-looking woman. It''s Elisha. Yes! That''s the name.¡± ¡°Y-you¡­ ¡­ . ¡° Car''s face became outraged. Jacob ran to the maids'' quarters in a gleeful hurry. Car made no progress in seducing Lucerne and instead created an opportunity for Jacob to cheat. She became angry and began to smash her table and stomp the floor like a child. ¡°Car should crackdown on the maids! There must be witnesses among the servants. Why isn''t anyone helping Car?¡± ''Take it off?'' Anyways, it was a body that had been beaten and ridiculed by Jacob countless times. Elisha didn''t think her own body was precious. But¡­ ¡­ she was scared of Lucerne, her whole body was trembling, and her thighs were growing rigid. Elisha clenched her teeth and took off her pajamas. Her shabby underwear appeared. ¡°Raise your arms. ¡° Lucerne whispered. At first nce, he sounded like he was talking to his lover. ¡°Ekk!¡± Elisha raised her arms. Lucerne grabbed Elisha''s wrists at the same time and pressed her against the bed. ¡°Shadow, search her.¡± A shadow appeared behind Lucerne''s back. It was Lucerne''s ability to control demons, which she only heard from rumors. Elisha closed her eyes tightly. ¡°Huh¡­ ¡­ ,¡± Then, his beast slowly scaled Elisha''s forehead to her toes. Even her secret vulva hidden by her cloth. Eventually, the shadow stopped investigating her. ¡°There are no hidden weapons.¡± ¡°Sometimes, there are weapons in the body.¡± ¡°My hand¡­ ¡­ Please release me.¡± Lucerne slowly released her hand; her wrist felt like it was burning. When Lucerne nced at her, she pulled up a sheet and covered her body, ¡°Say what you want to say.¡± Lucerne whispered. Elisha felt a nervous tension that Lucerne would vite her at any moment, but Lucerne didn''t touch her. ¡°Firstly. Tell me how you got in here.¡± At Lucerne''s words, Elisha inhaled. ¡°A secret passageway?¡± Lucerne clearly thought Elisha''s words were ludicrous. ¡°Yes, I can show you¡­¡­,¡± Elisha showed him a map. Lucerne pped his fingers together. There was a ck shadow that appeared. ¡°Go see.¡± He ordered with a whisper. It flew into the closet. Elisha opened her eyes wide. ¡°You can just check the space.¡± Lucerne soon nodded his head. ¡°There really is space behind the wall. You identally found it?¡± ¡°Yes, I did¡­¡­ by ident¡­¡± ¡°What does that have to do with knowing my mother''s will?¡± Elisha swallowed her saliva. From the time she thought she had made a regression, Elisha had practiced and recalled the words she had prepared. ¡°I came here when I was 14. And as soon as I discovered the secret passageway, I knew I found a way to live¡­ ¡­ . I lived as a ghost in this house for six years. I wandered around the mansion and stole secrets.¡± Elisha knew how to make a lie believable by telling the truth and mixing up lies. She has been around for six years since she was 14 years old and excluded other facts. Indeed it was true; Elisha, in her previous life, wandered the secret passage and lived as a ghost in the mansion. Most of the days, it was in vain, but one day she could glimpse several things. ''Jacob and Car used me as messengers and made all sorts of tough things happen. But it kept me from essing critical information or secrets.'' There was someone who handled such secret things separately. Elisha wanted to find a way to live, so she searched for secrets. She died out of the blue and absurdly, so she couldn''t use it. ¡°You said you came up with that thought at fourteen?¡± ¡°I grew up in a monastery. There was an Archbishop. He is¡­ ¡­ . I mean, Archbishop Rosaria is a former military officer at the temple. I grew up learning from him like a disciple.¡± Lucerne looked like he was thinking of something. ¡°I know Archbishop Rosaria, too.¡± ¡°Yes, ask him about me. He will probably remember me.¡± It was true. Thanks to the strategies and knowledge that Elisha saw and learned from Archbishop Rosaria, she could survive in her previous life. ¡°So ¡­ ¡­ . . I found a way to get in and out of Jacob''s office. Jacob''s office is also essible through a secret passageway. Jacob is careless. There''s a lot of material on his desk that I''ve seen¡­.. Reports from his subordinates, the field data,¡­ ¡­ . I''ve collected all the secrets I could.¡± ¡°Do you expect me to believe that?¡± Lucerne seemed to have wasted his time. Elisha clenched her fist. Desire makes people brave. Elisha now had to sell her fiction. ¡°I know your desire.¡± ¡°What desire? ¡°The wish of ??an illegitimate person like you is obvious. You will want a seat. If not¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°You''re thinking of destroying the family. Anything you can''t have will be ruined¡­ ¡­¡± ¡°You want to die.¡± Lucerne blocked Elisha''s mouth. As he did, he crushed Elisha''s lower jaw. Elisha didn''t avoid his eyes. Lucerne looked into her eyes for a long time, frowning as if holding something in, and lowered his hand. Elisha moved her lips again. ¡°I can help you be the Duke.¡± ¡°I will say one more time.¡± Lucerne said slowly, ¡°There is no way in the world where an illegitimate child can be the Patriarch.¡± ¡°Let''s say there''s a way. Then what do you want?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ ¡­ ¡­ Please lend me money.¡± ¡°What?¡± Lucerne''s eyebrows drew together in a frown. This was another expression. ¡°The excuse used to hold me hostage here is debt. Please take that debt for me. And get me out of here.¡± Although he wasn''t as crazy wealthy as a tycoon, Lucerne was also known to be rich. ¡°You could pay 30,000 gold coins this evening.¡± The war, the wealth that the family had taken away from the Countdom, and until there was nothing but a manor. ¡°Why should I, for a source of uncertain information?¡± Elisha moistened her dry lips. ¡°I''ll put myself on the line. You can think of me as your subordinate until you are convinced that my information is correct. I will do whatever you ask.¡± ¡°I am good at everything.¡± Elisha said, looking at Lucerne''s lips. She hoped the words of affirmation fell from those lips. Lucerne seemed to be contemting. His eyes suddenly frowned at her as he stared at her. She said, ¡°Jacob will sell me for money. I am 20 years old this year, and transfer ofnd or property bes effective a year after bing an adult¡­.. So, Jacob has already taken everything he''s going to take from me.¡± ¡°How much is the debt.¡± ¡°30,000 gold coins.¡± ¡°Why do you need that much?¡± Indeed, that amount was enough for Lucerne to stick his tongue out once. On her shoulders sat down the worth of a small manor. ¡°¡­ ¡­ ¡­ . Territory warpensation. My father is Lor, a nobleman from the old kingdom. ¡°It was the Count.¡± Lucerne seemed to know. ¡°There is no thing as stealing for Jacob.¡± ¡°Strike the back of the Jacob. You like that.¡± Lucerne looked at Elisha with her dark eyes. ¡°My cousins like to back-stab each other more than eating.¡± ¡°Yes. So- if you buy me with money, and I''ll show more value than that price¡­ ¡­ . I can bother Jacob, so¡­ ¡­ .¡± The more she spoke, the more she self-praised. Elisha''s ears turned red. ¡°I know a lot of the secrets of this house, from misceneous things to important things. I''ve been gnashing my teeth for six years and collecting secrets¡­ ¡­ . ,I thought that''s the only way to live.¡± ¡°Living like a ghost in a secret passageway?¡± ¡°That''s what it is.¡± Elisha nodded her head. In fact, Elisha, in her previous life, was really a ghost or witch. Because she was a being, who was ignored and despised by everyone as if she had no value. ¡°And, if you think my information is useful and valuable, then please get rid of my debt.¡± Elisha spoke, finally reaching her most crucial point. She showed the seal behind her neck¡ªit was her yoke. ¡°As long as I have this emblem, I can''t escape from this family. I heard. This trace emblem is a magic that only the Cartier family uses.¡± Lucerne checked her nape. ¡°You have all sorts of thoughts.¡± Lucerne seemed to still be finding his tongue; he was still thinking. ¡°A little ghost in the secret passage, it''s pretty cute.¡± ¡°That''s I''ve listened so far, unfortunately, but your words have no basis.¡± ¡°That¡­ ¡­ ,¡± ¡°It''s very likely that I''ll get stabbed in the back in the head by Jacob. You''re attractive, but I''m not stupid enough to buy this kind of information.¡± ¡°Don''t think it''s the first time I''ve been confronted by a scammer bringing my mother''s story to me. Dozens of scammers and spies a year approach me just because I have Cartier''s blood. Oh, the will and the pattern already have precedent, and the one who fluttered that will now has no tongue.¡± Lucerne said in apletely nonchnt tone. Elisha didn''t show it outwardly, but a cold chill ran through her. He didn''t even seem interested in his biological mother at all. ''This is it?'' After she gave Lucerne some of the information that would earn his interest, she tried to persuade him. But Lucerne was tougher than she thought. I had to do something. It was then. Ring, ring At that time, Elisha was struck with a throbbing shock as if her brain was ringing. She reflexively gripped her neck. ''Uh, how?'' The girls in the same room all slept like logs. Did someone get up and report that Elisha wasn''t there? The pattern on the back of Elisha''s neck was evidence that she was a ve to the Cartier family. That tattoo is burning. Jacob was looking for her. And he was in a crazy hurry. Chapter 9 Jacob ran to the annex with a sweaty face full of desire. When he reached the maid''s boarding house, he opened the lock and rushed into the room where the coterals slept. And what Jacob found was an empty bed. ¡°No! Damn it! Lucerne must have taken her! That''s right¨C Lucerne would have the same thoughts as me.¡± ¡°Keep calm, Jacob.¡± His escort dissuaded him. The women who woke up were shivering against the wall. ¡°Call the wizard¨Coffer any amount of money and bring it back right now! I need to find her!¡± Jacob pushed a maid and walked over. ''He''ll find me and then I''ll be caught by Jacob¡­ ¡­ ,¡± All of Elisha''s internal screams raised her goosebumps; her hands and feet trembled. ¡°Oh, no. I don''t want to go.¡± Bang Bang. There was a knock on the door. ¡°High General! There''s a woman who escaped and is hiding in your room.¡± Elisha looked at Lucerne as if asking for her salvation. ¡°Please open the door, it''s dangerous, I''ll search the room.¡± ¡°The people who are looking for you havee.¡± Lucerne''s red eyes were very cold. Elisha thought. ''If I go to Jacob like this¡­ ¡­ .'' She would probably die. Then her second life would just end like this. ''I have this opportunity, but really¡­ ¡­ , Will it end like this? It can''t be.'' BangBangBang! ¡°Sir Lucerne.¡± ¡°Then, just make me your subordinate. I will do anything.¡± There was a sweet smell from Elisha''s mouth. His head spun. Elisha''s face would be broken again. She would be dragged to see her ugly face in a mirror. She would be forced to confess again and again, ask that her sins are overturned and die¡­ ¡­ , It was a terrible fate. It was better for her to kill herself now. ¡°Why can''t I? You could make me a subordinate and a female knight! The people of the world say that you are baptized and fair to your subjects, and I¡­ ¡­ . In the past, I did everything¡ª so that everything was taken away and not sold to the brothel¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha was serious. ¡°How do I try more¡ª I got so much information in my hands¡ª and even I''m a Countess. Why is my life like this¡­ ,¡± Elisha was caught up in the Cartier family''s war of session. Those who weren''t qualified just because they were of the Cartier family had a lot of wealth. She lived with her neck naked and exposed to them, as they sneered at others as they sinned and paid no price. [PR: ¡°neck naked¡± means no protection] Even Elisha''spetence was a consumable to them. Rather than savoring a little bit of Cartier''s wealth, Elisha had to live every day, worrying about her life. He asked himself quietly, ¡°Was she the Countess?¡± Lucerne stared at Elisha with dark red eyes. ¡°Right. You inherited the title.¡± It was a scorching gaze. But Elisha didn''t notice it. ¡°I''m sorry. Sir Lucerne, I will open the door.¡± There was a loud noise from outside, as people were crowded around the enterance. Elisha closed her eyes. She had to be calm. What card could she use anymore? She thought and scrambled for anything desperately. ¡°If I get out of here, I''ll tell everyone you''re a pervert.¡± Elisha said thest thing she could think of. Her face was nk. ¡°What?¡± Lucerne''s actions stopped. Elisha felt that she was strangled just by the changing energy of his body. He was too strong. ¡°I saw you masturbating to that corpse. When you kill people, you get excited. I''ll go around spreading that rumor.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ Do you really think I masturbated to a dead body?¡± Lucerne grabbed Elisha''s arm and pulled her, Elisha closed her eyes. ¡°I saw it clearly.¡± ¡°Um. It''s true that there are times when people get excited when they kill people. Really¡­.¡± Now it was either dying or living. Elisha had nowhere to retreat. ''Think, let''s think¡­ ¡­ ,'' She had no idea Lucerne was so unfeeling and detached from his mother. It was surprising that Lucerne had a cooler personality than she heard. ''Why was Lucerne a single man?'' Elisha did not believe in powerful men. On the surface, they seemed elegant on the outside, but it was always the same. Car did the job of training a courtesan and dispatching her as a spy. If it was a hundred, then the men of a hundred came over. The same was true for a man who was known to have good wealth. ''Lucerne de Kayas, possibly a perverted misogynist.'' ''There is no woman in his circle.'' ''This man, Lucerne¡­ ¡­ . He''s a lot more cautious than I thought.'' The report passed by. Lucerne at least did not appear to be gay. ''Then¡­ -¡­ Since an unusual sexual kink can be a weak point, why don''t you put a woman on him?'' There was only one thing Elisha could use now. ¡°Then ¡­ .,¡± Elisha bit her lips. ¡°That, I¡­ your perversion¡­ ., I''ll cover for you.¡± ¡°Because your enemies have surrounded you, you have kept women away. Even for a man like you in your position, it''s still a vulnerability. You have nothing to lose if you use me to shield and satisfy yourself.¡± Elisha decided to throw in her lot; it was herst chance. But despite what she said, Elisha didn''t have the skills nor the confidence to satisfy a man. But that was the only thing she could throw out at the end. ¡°You really think so, Elisha? You think I''m ashamed of my perversion, so I avoid women?¡± Lucerne asked quietly in a subtle tone. Her face red. Elisha turned her head and avoided his eyes. ¡°If not¡ªif you want to send me away right now¡­¡­. Strangle me with your hand and kill me right away. And I''ll be left as a thought in your life¡ªjust another thought in an unopened box of ''what ifs'' in your mind.¡± Elisha''s eyes were suddenly red. It meant that if she died today, Lucerne would eventually remember this and wonder about what might have been. ¡°Do you usually offer to spread your legs like this?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Elisha doubted her ears. At first, she thought he was teasing her with a facetious question that she understood a few seconds toote¡ª this was his response to her asking him to kill her. ¡°If so, 30,000 gold coins feels cheap.¡± ¡°What¡ª is that¡­ ¡­ ,¡± ¡°Yeah, it doesn''t matter if you always do. Come here.¡± ¡°I don''t want to go.¡± Elisha shook his head. She hated to imagine what would happen if Lucerne threw her out of his room. Lucerne looked around after Elisha''s protest. ¡°Ekk!¡± Elisha fell down at the enterance. Lucerne pushed her against the door. ¡°Quiet,¡± ¡°Officially, it''s the day your pussy''s cherry has popped. Strip, we need to be making the same sounds.¡± S-strip? Elisha''s eyes widened. Lucerne touched Elisha''s chin. ¡°Ah!¡± The next moment, Lucerne''s arms wrapped around and lifted her from under her knees, pushing Elisha against the wall. ¡°I''m going to fuck you from now on. So¡­¡± ¡°Scream and moan, Elisha. Loud enough that they can hear everything outside.¡± Elisha couldn''t even breathe, her eyes running around frantically. ¡°If that''s the case, I happily ept.¡± With Lucerne, they blocked the door with their feet as if to herald the beginning. What is this situation. Elisha thought. ¡°Huh, hu ah ah¡­ ¡­ ,¡± Creak, bang, bang,the wooden door began to shake. Lucerne''s sturdy arms dug under Elisha''s knees; her legs trembled in the air, not touching the floor as he rubbed his body against hers. ¡°Make some noise.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ I can''t¡­ ¡­ ,¡± Her face was bright red. Lucerne was telling her that they should pretend that they were having sex. But it was too embarrassing. In her previous or present life, there was no way Elisha, who was a scoured outcast, ever climaxed. ¡°You said you''d appease my libido. Have you changed your mind already?¡± Lucerne pushed Elisha''s back further. As if they were having real sex, her back shook against the door. ¡°You should work hard.¡± Lucerne whispered his lips on Elisha''s ear. ¡°So they will give up and go back. They''ll give up if they believe I''ve already done it.¡± ¡°No one, including Jacob, would have the guts toe in for you while I''m ying with you.¡± Lucerne was a first-rank high general. A high warlord pulling a woman into a room and having sex with her¡ªwho would have the guts to interrupt him? When Elisha''s body wasn''t rxed, and her voice couldn''t be heard, Lucerne''s arm grew stronger. Now he was pulled her body tight against his. ¡°As if we were really doing it¡­ ¡­ . Please do it.¡± Elisha said, closing her eyes tightly. There was full of silence beyond the door. No one said a word. But often, there were rhythmic sounds of something moving and banging. Elisha and Lucerne paid attention to each and every one of their actions. Chapter 10.1 Chapter 10.1 ¡°Ugh!¡± Elisha curled up her waist. Lucerne¡¯s penis gently pressed over Elisha¡¯s torn and sloppy undergarments that barely covered her pussy. Even though she had felt it for only a moment, he was huge. It was tremendous even when it was half-erected, but when it would be fully revealed¡­ ¡­ , Elisha even felt fear. ¡°Ah!¡± Without realizing it, a loud yell burst forth. With Elisha¡¯s ass propped up with his hands, Lucerne looked deep into her eyes. He looked like he would just do it. Elisha whispered: ¡°It¡¯s too big. This¡­ ¡­ , will hurt. I can¡¯t go all the way right now.¡± ¡°You sound like you¡¯ve done it with me before.¡± ¡°Uhhhg!¡± Elisha¡¯s eyes shook. She suddenly froze as if she had been stabbed. Lucerne interpreted her reaction in a different way; he raised the corners of his mouth, ¡°Ah, did you mistake me for some other guy?¡± Lucerne calmly whispered in Elisha¡¯s ear, his words seeped into her eardrums like a slick slime. It felt like her mind was also getting wet, he slowly struck and rubbed against her again. ¡°Ahhhg!¡± Thuck! The towering penis pierced precisely between her swollen lower lips, on her underwear, pressing on her entrance. ¡°Except doing it all the way ¡­¡­ everything else is fine.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going crazy, really.¡± Lucerne said, touching Elisha¡¯s forehead with his own. ¡°In fact, it keeps standing since earlier because of you.¡± Lucerne whispered intensely, Elisha unconsciously swallowed her breath. She couldn¡¯t figure out if he was making it up or trying to get her excited. ¡°Even if you¡¯re a spy. From the beginning, all I could think about was wanting to strip you and make you wet.¡± Whether these words were meant to arouse Elisha¡¯s moans or were sincere, Elisha didn¡¯t know. Perhaps, it was the former, Elisha thought. ¡°Unnn¡­ ¡­ ,¡± ¡°I¡¯m getting hooked on you even though you are wearing such a rag. I have never been like this.¡± ¡°Hnghhh¡­¡± At the next moment ¡ª her mind went nk. Their lips touched, hers were swollen and sore. His lower part continued to rub against her. Lucerne¡¯s lips nibbled Elisha¡¯s lower lip as if devouring it. He bit her mouth like a beast and and opened her mouth wide. The sound of lewd wetness rang in her ears. His saliva mixed with hers. It was warm and his whole body smelled inticeing. It was her first kiss in both lives. ¡°Put out your tongue.¡± Lucerne ordered upon seeing Elisha¡¯s red face, kissing her lips furiously. A shy-like tongue slipped through her lips. Lucerne¡¯s tongue touched hers in the air. As if it were a prelude, two wet tongues tangled like tree vines in the air. Elisha¡¯s breath was burning from the heat in her chest. ¡°Haaaa, unghh¡­ ,¡± Slurp, slurp. The sound of the two rubbing tongues lustfully resounded in the room. As if they were having real sex, he rubbed his lower half over Elisha¡¯s body. ¡°Haaa, eung¡­ ¡­ ,¡± Lucerne quietly whispered to Elisha, slowly moving his body, saying: ¡°Snakes are supposed to be long and big. If we really did it, you would have been hurt and torn, because your skin was weak. You would have passed out before I ejacted.¡± Creak! Creak! ¡°Uhhhng, hugnnh¡­ ¡­ , hooo¡­ ¡­ ,¡± Elisha panted lewdly while in Lucerne¡¯s arms, feeling stranger and stranger. It seemed that her underwear was getting wet. ¡°Yeah. You¡¯re good now,¡± affirmed Lucerne. His voice was clear, but it was so quiet and low that it rang and was only transmitted to Elisha¡¯s ears. ¡°I have to do this. So those outside can hear everything. There will probably be a ton of men masturbating after hearing your moans. Then the stench of semen will fill the air outside this room, because of you.¡± Elisha¡¯s waist softly shook. ¡°Now I have to go until the end,¡± Lucerne whispered. His voice seemed to be exhausted by his patience and was strangely strained. Lucerne released Elisha¡¯s upper body. He pushed her body against the wall¡­ He leaned in front of Elisha. ¡°Strengthen your legs. If you fall, I might plunge into you. I don¡¯t want you to be sprawled on the floor and me stuck in you for the first time.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ ¡­ ¡­¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to be punished, do it right.¡± Lucerne jokingly said with a mirthful smile in his eyes; Elisha felt an electric current run up her spine at his words. Lucerne¡¯s hand got caught in her underwear strap. Elisha shook her head, covering the back of hisrge hand with her own. ¡°Oh, wait¡­ ¡­ ,¡± (PR: DON¡¯T STOP HIM DNDNDN) Chapter 10.2 Chapter 10.2 There was no reason. Even if she wanted to save herself now¡­¡­.it wasn¡¯t unpleasant. It was a life or death situation anyway. ¡®I weird, I don¡¯t feel sick about doing it with him in this crisis?¡¯ However, she was just afraid. To do it to the end. ¡°Okay.¡± Lucerne nodded his head. ¡°We will do it over our clothes.¡± (PR:NOOOOOOOOOO) As if that would work, he looked up at Elisha with burning red eyes. Elisha nodded, embarrassed and strangely excited when Lucerne knelt in front of her. ¡°I will do everything instead.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ ..¡± ¡°It¡¯s something you can do over your clothes.¡± Lucerne yed with Elisha¡¯s girdle. It was a girdle that was made so short to save on fabric, but even so, was able to cover the part where the lower belly and thighs were connected. Lucerne had ripped the right side, so the entrance between her legs and her pubic hair also came out. ¡°Uhhng, ahhhah¡­ ¡­ ¡ªOh!¡± Lucerne opened up the mound protruding through her underwear with one hand. Along with a strange feeling, her secret ce was wet. Lucerne seemed to be devouring the beautiful secret covered in a thin girdle cloth. He buried his mouth over the fabric. ¡°Ohh, aah! Haa, if you do that¡­ ¡­ . Ahh, ahhh!¡± Elisha bit her finger, resting her back on the wall. Her suppressed moans burst out to the point it reverberated outside the room. Lucerne raised her up, then licked not only the top of her mound but also her opened hole. His saliva mixing with the sweet love juices leaking from her entrance kept Elisha¡¯s thighs wet. ¡°It gets wet easily. Your lower mouth is so good.¡± Lucerne whispered. ¡°Oh, haaa¡­ ¡­ ,¡± Lucerne scooped up her thigh and sucked up the sweat and juices flowing on her legs. The flesh of her thighs seemed to swell up thickly. Then, as soon as he gave strength to his finger on Elisha¡¯s clit through her underwear, her tightness opened. If Lucerne followed his whim a little more and tore off and poked through her remaining underwear, all of Elisha would be fully revealed under Lucerne¡¯s eyes. Everything from her secret ce inside her body, the hole that was flushing with heat and letting out love juices, and even thergebia that looked like a rose flower was surrounding it. ¡°It¡¯s bigger, it¡¯s supposed to be this big.¡± Kiss. Lucerne kissed her clitoris, which was thickly revealed over her wet underwear. ¡°If I look directly at it, I think it¡¯s very red. It¡¯s swelling up, right? It would be really great if I could suck it with my tongue for you.¡± Lucerne whispered, looking at Elisha with beast-like eyes. Elisha¡¯s knees weakened. ¡°Aahhh¡­ ¡­ ¡­ , Uhhng¡­¡± ¡°You like this, or no?¡± Lucerne asked, teasing his fingers over her fabric. His hand was merciless, as though he was shoving his penis against her. Elisha even felt the desire to cum on his fierce and thick fingers. ¡°Ah, haa, it¡¯s weird¡­ ¡­ , it¡¯s feeling so weird.¡± ¡°What is?¡± Lucerne asked, tenaciously teasing her with his hand. Elisha blurted out without even knowing. ¡°What¡­.I think something wille out¡­ ¡­ . Huhg¡­ ¡­¡± ¡°Do it.¡± Lucerne chuckled. He got up as his fingers continued to insistently fondle the top of her mound. ¡°Grab the door and turn around.¡± Lucerne whispered. Elisha moved obediently. ¡°Uhhhhg!¡± Lucerne pulled himself up against her, his penis staying on her body, between Elisha¡¯s thighs with a girdle in between. He dug in between under her ass. ¡°You said you¡¯d ept all my perversions.¡± ¡°Huuuu¡­ ¡­ , Ahhhh¡­ ¡­ ,¡± Elisha breathed hard. Lucerne stroked Elisha¡¯s clit and grabbed her bulging breast over her clothes. ¡°Whoo¡­ ¡­ . Uhhhng¡­ ¡­ , Ahhhng¡­ ¡­ ., Ahhhhh! Lucerne!¡± He rolled around his palms as if kneading bread dough and sped her breasts together. His waist didn¡¯t stop at all. Creak, wack. Thrust, thrust. A pping soung of ramming in the gap between her ass and thighs, and his scrotum rang. Elisha breathed hotly and brought the inside of her thighs closer to him, unconsciously applying strength. Her inner thighs grew sore, and her head soon felt distant. ¡°¡­ ¡­ ¡­ .¡± Lucerneughed. He released Elisha¡¯s body. ¡°Turn around..¡± Elisha, who copsed on the floor on her own, turned her head. Then she watched Lucerne stroke his own penis, balls bouncing. ¡°Haaa.. ahh¡­ ¡­ ,¡± ¡°Don¡¯t turn away.¡± Lucerne whispered. Elisha felt like a captured animal. ¡°Your whole body makes me crazy, Elisha.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do it again, these kinky ¡ªperverted things. A lot.¡± Lucerne said with augh. Hot semen exploded on Elisha¡¯s right cheek. Ssh. The rich and thick liquid flowed down from Elisha¡¯s red cheek down to her corbone. Lucerne reached out his hand and careful rubbed his semen away from her eye with his thumb. ¡°Haaa¡­[sigh] ¡­ ,¡± Only then did Elisha¡¯s whole body rx. At the same time, fear came over her. Will she be able to escape this family safely without beingpletely swallowed by this man? That was what she worried about. *** Chapter 11.1 Chapter 11.1 -11- Squeak, squeak. Haaah, huh, uhhnn¡­¡­Aaaaahhh Haaaa, aaahhhh ¡­. Only lewd sounds and lustful moans could be heard beyond the door. Jacob¡¯s men were speechless, their mouths dry. They were more afraid of Lucerne than they were of Jacob and didn¡¯t dare to force the door open even before they heard the sounds of passion. ¡°What the hell¡­.¡± An awkward silence came and went. However, The High general was with a woman, and no matter how illegitimate he was, no one had the courage to intrude while a Cartier family member was doing it. Squeak- Then the door opened, people were startled. Through the half-open door, Lucerne appeared wearing only a robe and looking at them. The woman was hidden from sight. ¡°Lu-Lucerne. Uh, err, ording to the wizard, the woman Jacob was protecting¡­ Uh, that woman¡¯s name is Elisha. She¡¯s in Jacob¡¯s possession¡­¡­.¡± Jacob¡¯s guard, who was overflowing with confidence until now, was rambling. ¡°She was in Jacob¡¯s possession.¡± Lucerne said leisurely. The guard¡¯s face fell and turned pale when he realized he would return empty-handed. ¡°Get out. Don¡¯t forget to exin to Jacob in detail, step by step, what I did and how¡­ And, bring some food. It¡¯s not over yet.¡± [t1v: omgggg my fav ML¡ªhe has the right priorities] ¡°¡­¡­Food?¡± ¡°I need to feed the woman and continue.¡± No one needed to ask what was continuing. Bang. The door mmed in front of them. Lucerne came into the room. Exhausted, Elisha crouched on the bed. ¡°The people¡­..¡± Elisha got up, Lucerne wanted tough. She was so weak that he wondered how she was going to ¡®ept¡¯ him from now on. ¡°Gone.¡± Elisha¡¯s eyes were filled with relief. ¡°Wash up, your scent stimtes me.¡± Elisha¡¯s cheeks turned red, he wasn¡¯t joking. It hadn¡¯t been really inserted, but they had rubbed against each other for a long time, and her body, massaged by Lucerne¡¯s fingers and tongue, smelled strangely hot and sweet with musky sweat. What part of this scent turned Lucerne on, Elisha didn¡¯t know. ¡°But the body in the bathroom¡­¡­.¡± ¡°The shadow must have swallowed it by now. I handled the beast.¡± Elisha nodded silently, he looked as if he knew what the shadow knew. Btedly, Lucerne realized that her whole body was still burning red with desire. Lucerne said casually, ¡°If you¡¯re going to masturbate, leave the door open, because I want to watch you y with your pussy.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I will not, mastrubate¡­ I¡¯m not going to do either.¡± Elisha¡¯s cheeks turned red as if they were going to explode, she took a breath, held it in and barely was able to respond. Then she wrapped her whole body in a sheet and waddled to the bathroom. ¡®Which side of you is the real you?¡¯ It was quite amusing to witness her discuss a deal with courageous words and a bold attitude but now she can¡¯t even make eye contact with him. Her doll-like face blushing, trying to stay calm made him hot. Elisha aroused him. It was not long before the sound of water came out of the bathroom. Lucerne smoked while sitting on a bench. He said it like an off-handed joke, but it was really strange. ¡®Why did I do that?¡¯ Lucerne¡¯s father was the youngest son of the current patriarch, the Duke of Cartier. He, who was the most distinguished in amassing wealth, forsook the expectations of the Head, fled the family and returned as a corpse, leaving only Lucerne behind. At that time, there were Jacob¡¯s father, the eldest son and Merha, the second son who returned to the temple. The Head contemted whether to kill Lucerne or save him. Due to his caprice, he saved Lucerne. But it was also because he looked like his youngest son, whom he was particrly fond of, while inheriting ck hair and red eyes, particrly coveted characteristics of the Cartier family. The Duke kept Lucerne at the main estate for a while before he sent him off to the temple. It wasmon for an illegitimate child of a noble family to be left to the temple where they would grow up with an exceptionally strict education. ¡®An illegitimate child is a child made by the devil to seduce people tomit crimes. If your parents were sane, they wouldn¡¯t have made children like you.¡¯ Lucerne¡¯s second uncle, Merha, ordered the priests to treat Lucerne more severely and abuse him. As such, a high-ranking priest appointed by Merha was in charge of Lucerne¡¯s education. And he was a really unpleasant human being. He was obsessed with Lucerne, a child who was as beautiful and powerful just like an angel. The priest abused Lucerne in various ways as soon as he was old enough to identify Pia. In particr, he had a morbid interest in suppressing Lucerne¡¯s libido. He often brought the priestess who was having an affair with him and showed him them having sex. Chapter 11.2 Chapter 11.2 ¡®Lucerne, if you see this and get an erection, it proves that you¡¯re a nasty child. Look, if you have a sincere heart, you should never get carried away. If you¡¯re excited, you¡¯ll have another illegitimate child like yourself and you¡¯re a dirty, nasty seed who rebels against your family.¡¯ Lucerne was sick and tired of seeing the priests swap women and having sex. He did not touch Lucerne¡¯s body, but when Lucerne, who was getting to know the castle, reacted a little bit, he whipped him. Lucerne first erection and ejacultion ured a lotter than others. ¡°Ha, ha, ha¡­¡­.¡¯ Lucerne remembered his first moment of rutting. It was the day that the priest who abused him was torn to death by the power of the shadow demons. It was his first day of liberation, he peaked for the first time in front of the cold corpse of the priest. ¡®I haven¡¯t had an erection in front of a woman since.¡¯ He wasn¡¯t homosexual as gossiped. However, he had a strange taste that he only got hard after a murder. ¡®Why did I react to her?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t understand it at all. At first, he thought it was an illusion, leaving theundromat behind, she had muddy water on her chest. Then there was a body¡­.and then Elisha appeared, so he thought it was definitely the excitement of the murder that made him stand up. But the excitement did not end. He felt a desire that he had never felt before, as he squeezed his penis between Elisha¡¯s tight thighs. He wanted to bite, suck, swallow, and fuck ¡ªhave herpletely. He wanted to fulfill his endless desire. ¡®Fuck, I¡¯m think it¡¯s going to stand up again.¡¯ Besides, there were many things that were interesting about her. ¡®You brought information about my mother?¡¯ Lucerne was dumbfounded, it was harder to think that she wasn¡¯t a spy. It was like a full package box packed with interest and desire. He found it unbearable to not open it. ¡®It¡¯s unpleasant.¡¯ Lucerne hated it. His rational judgment was paralyzed. She was sweet, fascinating and seductive¡ªmaking him lose his edge. He had swore to himself that he would never be swayed by such sentimental feelings. So he didn¡¯t even fall for his mother¡¯s story. Lucerne didn¡¯t remember much about his mother. It seems she took care of him with loving and kind devotion. He used to think of his mother a lot when he was young, but he trained himself to stamp out his feelings until his practice resulted in apathy. It was the end. She was dead and would nevere back. That was all. ¡®But¡­¡¯ Born as an illegitimate child of a family that epasses the world, he had to be rigorous to maintain his position. Curiosity and sexual desire were enough to make him lose his mind, but he did not. Surely there had to be a reason for his actions. The reason to ept her at the risk of loss. ¡®She should be worth using.¡¯ Unfortunately or fortunately, she was worth the use. He tried to suppress the horribly intriguing charm to appenage. *** ¡°I¡¯m done washing. If you want to¡­¡­.¡± Elisha was standing near the bathroom with an embarrassed face. Lucerne doubted his eyes. She was wearing his shirt. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t have anything to wear.¡± It was a big deal, he had wanted to see her wet appearance, even before the deal was even made. Lucerne grinned. ¡°Tell me more about Jacob¡¯s information. What does he know about my mother?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t tell you right now.¡± ¡°You said you were sure?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I have¡­Uh, I mean¡­¡­. I can¡¯t survive today¡¯s disturbance without your protection. If you send me back, I¡¯ll have to deal with Jacob¡¯s anger. I¡¯ll probably die of something terrible.¡± Elisha licked her lips in anxiousness to read Lucerne¡¯s nk expression. Lucerne nced at her. He didn¡¯t know why she was making such a fuss. ¡°And there¡¯s another reason. I heard that General Lucerne de Kayas is a man who makes clear and cold verdicts. Even if I give you the information now, would you believe it if there¡¯s no evidence? In the future, I want to give you information with conclusive evidence.¡± ¡°Are you saying there is no evidence of that now?¡± ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t have it now. That¡¯s all I can say.¡± ¡°Sounds like a fraud. They sell what they don¡¯t have in their hands, they¡¯re futuristic. It¡¯s abstract, but ask for a price again.¡± ¡°At least you gave Jacob a blow tonight. Anyway, I¡¯m known as Jacob¡¯s coteral, so people willugh at him for you taking me away.¡± Elisha said. Lucerne wanted tough out loud. ¡°I¡¯m more suspicious of this deal being deceitful when you say such attractive things.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Come here, Elisha.¡± Elisha approached with hesitation. Lucerne pulled her into a chair. ¡°Okay, you¡¯ll be willing if I¡¯ll lend you the ransom?¡± ¡°Yes, I promise. All the women caught by Jacob have bad ends. If I¡¯m lucky, I¡¯ll be sold to a whorehouse and die.¡± Lucerne nodded. ¡°Good. I¡¯ll give you 30,000 gold coins.¡± Elisha¡¯s lips dropped open, her expression was very brief. She took a breath as if to calm her excitement. Her doll-like face had some life. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah, but I have a condition that you need to fulfil right now.¡± Elisha fiddled with her hand as if she was nervous. Then she spotted something. *** Chapter 12 Chapter 12 Lucerne continued casually. ¡°First. Give me a map of the secret passage.¡± ¡°Yes, I will. But please ept this as a contribution. As far as I know, it¡¯s information that only I know.¡± Lucerne nodded. And Elisha pricked her ears, alert for his second request. ¡°Second.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Elisha nodded resolutely. ¡°Marry me, right now, tonight.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The copse of Elisha¡¯s expression gave Lucerne a new pleasure. ¡°Yes¡­. W-Wha, I beg your pardon?¡± ¡°I need a bride.¡± ¡°Now?¡± ¡°Yes now. Don¡¯t you know me?¡± ¡°That¡ª¡± Elisha touched her lips. She lowered her head. ¡°You are a Count¡ªa countess, a hereditary noble. I need a hereditary noble wife. Besides I need a girl that¡¯s likeable and willing to do everything. Marry me and take me into your family* [t1v: it¡¯s implied that he takes on herst name and lives with her family¡ªa reversal of tradition where the wife typically does this instead]. That¡¯s what I want.¡± ¡°But¡­.¡± Elisha looked embarrassed. ¡°Why¡ªYou don¡¯t want to marry an illegitimate child?¡± Lucerne asked without hesitancy. ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. I know why you need a hereditary aristocrat. But isn¡¯t it too much of a loss for you to get married for that reason?¡± ¡°¡­¡­What?¡± ¡°If you paid one-tenth of that, you would get to choose from tons of brides willing to throw away their names and their families. It¡¯s worth the tremendous price of 30,000 gold coins.¡± Lucerne beamed. ¡°It looks like I¡¯ve chosen well since you are already worrying about me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Elisha, you have the footing to be my bride. The next is need and interest about information that you im to have. The coteral is your body.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You will prove your worthiness, you will act as my wife and receive properpensation. It¡¯ll be mostly money or whatever you want. It may take awhile, but if you want and the timing and conditions are favorable, I¡¯ll divorce you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°If you cheat on me or if you¡¯re Jacob¡¯s spy, you¡¯ll face a terrible fate.¡± Lucerne saw Elisha¡¯s hands shaking thin. ¡°What if I disappoint you?¡± ¡°Then I can handle the coteral as I please.¡± The coteral was Elisha¡¯s body. ¡°Are you going to kill me?¡± ¡°No way, how could I kill a woman like you.¡± Lucerne had a very sarcastic tone. ¡°Followmon sense, what do a bride and groom do when they get married?¡± Elisha shut her mouth. Lucerne spoke in a sweetly friendly tone. ¡°If you were Jacob¡¯s spy, you¡¯d be trapped in my bedroom, crawling on all fours. You¡¯ll live with your body, not your head.¡± Elisha¡¯s eyes shook, it was visible she was trying to calm down. ¡°So, I hope you¡¯re not Jacob¡¯s spy. you can do it well. Elisha.¡± ¡± ¡­¡­Yes.¡± She soon nodded with calm eyes. She couldn¡¯t have been calm if she knew how much joy her aloof look had given Lucerne. ¡°Then I¡¯ll y with my coteral until you give me that precious information.¡± Lucerne whispered. Elisha avoided his eyes. *** ¡°I can¡¯t forgive you for humiliating me!¡± Jacob was jumping up and down. Car was also upset. ¡®Why did you have to get involved with some bitch that doesundry?¡¯ Lucerne, who she had been working so hard to approach for a long time was bewitched by some maid, not her. In addition, Jacob looked angry as if the maid were his lover. Car felt like an insignificant thing had stolen the attention of the two men. ¡°This is a big deal. Let¡¯sin to the Head.¡± Jacob said. Car nodded from the side. ¡°Poor you. Car is so sad, too! We¡¯lle with you and plead with the Lord.¡± Once upon a time, a member of the Cartier family said, ¡®Within a few days on the Cartier estate all kinds of life altering events ur, such things take ce within a year of the small royal family.¡¯ The main dish of today¡¯s family breakfast was Jacob¡¯s angry face. ¡°Is the Head of the Houseing to the dining room today?¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯re not in good shape¡­¡­. But he said he¡¯de out.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, um, you should!¡± Jacob spoke with a swagger. Soon, Jacob¡¯s cousin Marco came out to the restaurant. His wife, Arien, was nowhere to be seen. Marco smiled slyly and talked to Jacob. ¡°Hey, I heard you. I heard you received a blow from the illegitimate kidst night.¡± ¡°You bastard¡­¡­. It¡¯s just aundry wench that was taken away. He would look triumphant with that.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it insane, eh? What family in the world tolerates an illegitimate child striding around like this?¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. Doesn¡¯t the Lord look upon him fondly now? Let¡¯s just wait and see¡­¡­.¡± Marco and Jacob exchanged nces. Marco¡¯s father, Merha, was the only son of the living patriarch. However, he was now a priest who went to the temple. He was aiming for the position of the Great Pope, the pinnacle of the temple¡¯s power. It was the result of reckoning that between Jacob¡¯s father and Lucerne¡¯s father, the youngest and genius son of the Head, would not be able to beat them. So Merha chose a different path. No one betted on both son¡¯s croaking. Instead Merha gave Marco all his strength, saying, ¡°If I stayed still, I would have been the sessor.¡± However, Jacob was the eldest son, and Marco, who inherited such desire, had the same opinion on the Lucerne issue. An inferiorityplex, a sense of fear, and a desire to subdue Lucerne. ¡®When we be the patriarch, we remove that illegitimate child first.¡¯ *** Soon after, when the Lord arrived at the dining hall, Lucerne¡¯s seat was empty. The Head was an old man with a dignified appearance. His stubborn mouth retained a satisfaction and prestige peculiar to a powerful man who held everything within his greedy grasp. ¡°Lucerne has arrived,¡± announced the butler. Soon the door burst open, and Lucerne sauntered in. The Lord, who had already heard the newsst night, frowned. ¡°What¡¯s this habit of beingte for a family meal?¡± ¡°I¡¯mte because I had some work.¡± Lucerne calmly sat in the chair. The butler nced at Jacob and Merha who were nervous. As usual, the meal went by awkwardly and quietly. But soon that frail silence was broken. Because Jacob made a loud noise. ¡°Lord, how long are you going to pretend you don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on in this house?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± The Head¡¯s eyebrows were twitching. ¡°Lucerne¡ªthat guy stole a woman I¡¯m protecting. And it is said he took her against her will, she was scared and hated it. The woman¡¯s crying moans are said to have been ringing in the mansion all night, but are you pretending you don¡¯t know?¡± Marco added cautiously: ¡°I¡¯m not on anyone¡¯s side, but I think these actions are out of line this time. There are rules we must obey as a high-ranking noble family.¡± ¡°Rules?¡± Car blinked without missing a chance. Marco coughed for nothing. ¡°Why¡­¡­¡­ if an illegitimate child takes away the property of a family, usually in a noble family¡­I can¡¯t bear to say it myself.¡± Marco slipped out. Jacob raised his bloodpressure. ¡°Lord! I have to whip Lucerne and cut off his arm for coveting my possession ording to thew.¡± A faint irritation coloured the expression of the Head. There was never a day when an incident did not happen in this house. ¡°Lucerne, is it true that you stole Jacob¡¯s possession?¡± Lucerne held out his ss with a void expression. The servant hesitated and poured dark red wine into the ss. He took a sip of wine. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Why are you so brazenly admitting to it? What the hell are you thinking?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the one who¡¯s curious. What¡¯s the problem?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I just embraced a woman to follow the Lord¡¯s instructions.¡± Jacob and Marco looked like they heard a strange noise. ¡°The Head of the house has long instructed me to take a woman of proper nobility as my wife. Jacob¡¯s maid was a woman the rank of a Count, so we promised to marryst night and passed the time with affection. I am in a hurry, I never know when I have to enter the battlefield. Today¡¯s life could be tomorrow¡¯s cold body. We just had the first night that we agreed upon.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to get married?¡± Even the words of the Head trembled. *Chang* Car couldn¡¯t hide her trembling hands and dropped the fork. ¡°If you¡¯re sleeping with a woman of noble birth, you¡¯ll have to take responsibility and get married. That¡¯s the education I¡¯ve learned in this family, and why can¡¯t anyone think of such a basic thing?¡± Jacob¡¯s face turned red and green. ¡°Lord, he¡¯s making a bizarre excuse. She¡¯s the woman I¡¯ve been fond of!¡± ¡°She¡¯s a woman who is in debt to Jacob. You dragged a 14-year-old to do theundry and shores until her hands were swollen. Is there a man who makes his beloved woman work like that? That¡¯s what I learned from my grandfather, how about you?¡± Lucerne continued to eat, speaking softly. Jacob¡¯s face turned red and blue. No one else thought about lifting a fork. ¡°Don¡¯t y with words! ¡®Cause it¡¯s true that you stole the woman!¡¯ ¡°Lucerne, if you wanted a woman, you could have negotiated with Jacob. You¡¯re ying with words to hide your sins.¡± The Head made sense. ¡°Besides I¡¯ve already arranged some women for you. I can¡¯t believe you did all of this so suddenly¡ª after insulting the women and sending her back. Are you looking down on this family?¡± The Lord broke the table. At that momentum, everyone around the table looked frozen. ¡°The women sent by grandfather were not of good quality.¡± ¡°What? Are you saying the women werecking?¡± ¡°No, they¡¯re too high-status and valuable.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Give me the status of a nobleman and I can do whatever I want. I don¡¯t need a precious woman. She is the most desperate woman I¡¯ve ever seen of noble status. Besides, Jacob doesn¡¯t care much about the Countess. Someone else¡¯s trash is a treasure to me, there¡¯s no reason why I wouldn¡¯t want her.¡± ¡°Ha, this guy¡­¡­.¡± He looked very discouraged. ¡°And it¡¯s good for Jacob, too.¡± Lucerne threw a cherry. He put it down and said lightly. ¡°She said she was about to be sold to the whorehouse soon. There is no way to pay off her debt of 30,000 gold coins by selling her, so I thought Jacob would benefit if I paid back the debt instead. I acted too hastily for Jacob.¡± ¡°You, you¡­¡­.¡± Jacob was stunned by his impudence. Listening to Lucerne, the Head¡¯s eyebrows twitched. ¡°Lucerne, you¡¯re so arrogant. But¡­.¡± The Lord slowly turned his head and looked straight at Jacob. ¡°What do you mean by 30,000 gold coins in debt? How can a woman owe such arge sum of money?¡± Chapter 14.1 Chapter 14.1 At least it was a much more agreeable contract than being with Jacob. She would be fine as long as she didn¡¯t do anything stupid. ¡°You don¡¯t want a wife for life anyway.¡­.¡¯ To the people of the Cartier family, the wife was nothing more than an exchangeable part. There was only one exception. ¡®If the wife¡¯s parents are powerful.¡¯ For example, Car had imperial blood. Marco¡¯s wife was the granddaughter of the former pope. Or Arien. Such people could be tenured wives¡ªa real wife with a permanent and stable position. By the time Jacob was 30, he had changed his wife four times before marrying Car. Jacob¡¯s life-long wife would probably be Car. ¡®More and more the value of titles and statuses of aristocrats will diminish.¡¯ The Empire¡¯s wealth would grow exponentially in the years toe. There is much more money in the city, so there will be a migration of taxable residents to urban areas from rural areas. There will be a series of nobles who cannot maintain their territories. ¡®Eventually, money is king.¡¯ The reason why aristocratic names were now valuable was that with titles, they had certain business advantages. In order to suppress the newly rich, the Empire granted nobility perks when they were involved in business. There were numerous tax exemptions, exclusive contracts, extensive distributionws, etc.¡­. So all the newly affluent wanted to marry into nobility. Rich men married into a noblewoman¡¯s family and used her identity. The same was true of noblemen in particr circumstances like Lucerne. A noble¡¯s status was a valuable product. That¡¯s why in her previous life, Jacob did all of his illegal businesses under Elisha¡¯s name. ¡®A Countess who never had a penny to her name.¡¯ When Elisha thought about it, sheughed disparagingly at herself. In any case, fallen noblewomen who sold their titles were subject to ridicule. The derision also extended to their married lives, where their husbands secretly ignored them who had only their titles and their wounded pride. The shunned wives of fallen aristocracy. These women were treated like ghosts in the house they lived in. They were called ¡®contract wives.¡¯ High-ranking women like Car were named ¡®new wives.¡¯ Elisha knew only too well to which group she belonged to. She was a ¡®contract wife.¡¯ ¡°If Lucerne divorces me, he will find his wife for life.¡± Too many thoughts crowded her turbulent mind. Marrying Lucerne had not even been a perceived possibility for her in this life. *** ¡°Madam, are you all right?¡± Elisha felt Nora¡¯s gaze and looked up. Nora¡¯s expression wasposed. Elisha noticed that Nora was ignorant of the contents of the contract. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Do I have to sign now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s better to do so. He finds negotiating bothersome.¡± Nora answered without blinking, but there was no sign of urgency. Elisha asked softly, ¡°If I don¡¯t sign, will I put thedy knight in trouble?¡± ¡°What?¡± Nora looked like she doubted the words of consideration she heard. ¡°Ah, no¡­¡­, but¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll sign when hees. Well, there¡¯s something I¡¯d like to say on my side.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Nora nodded her head. ¡°Thank you.¡± Elisha had already returned to her doll-like look as usual. ¡®The ck Lion Knights are important.¡¯ Besides, Nora was an acquaintance. Once during her previous life, she was caught by Car, disciplined, and beaten in the Cartier castle. Not knowing that she was bleeding, Elisha was on her way back to her room. A dignified, beautiful woman held out a handkerchief to her. ¡®You¡¯re bleeding. Use it.¡¯ There was the initial ¡®L¡¯ on the handkerchief. Nora was a gant woman who knew chivalry. Elisha remembered that remarkable kindness with great gratitude. ¡°It¡¯ll take some time for the General to arrive.¡± ¡°Where did he go?¡± ¡°He went to the bank. He said he needed arge sum of money in a hurry, so they¡¯re going to issue a check.¡± Nora answered briefly. Elisha realized that he had gone to pay her ransom. Elisha suddenly touched the pattern on the neck. As long as she had this seal, she would never be free from debt. ¡°Don¡¯t worry; the General will fix your seal. You¡¯re going to be his bride.¡± Nora added softly after she had paused and pondered for a moment. Elisha smiled briefly and nodded. ¡°It would be better to put on makeup and get dressed and ready.¡± ¡°At this hour?¡± Was Lucerne already ashamed of her appearance? Elisha suddenly thought. ¡°No, Jacob¡¯s people areing for further negotiations. The General said so.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You should be in better shape than when you were with Jacob. Everything¡ªfrom head to toe has to be new.¡± Elisha¡¯s cheeks turned slightly red. Ah, she knew where thisment wasing from. Elisha recalled the shabby underwear she worest night. Nora, who did not know what was going through her head, only made a curious expression. *** Chapter 14.2 Chapter 14.2 ¡°Are you all right, ma¡¯am?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine.¡± Elisha closed her eyes. It was surprising. A young man was dressing up Elisha. He introduced himself as Ian. Elisha didn¡¯t know much about him, except that he was a close aide to Lucerne, a famous knight of the ck Lion Knights, and that he was popr with thedies for his ruggedly handsome appearance. ¡°I¡¯ve worked as a spy before, so I¡¯m good at disguises. Because there¡¯s no maid, so I¡¯ll help you with your makeup today. Please understand.¡± For Elisha, it didn¡¯t matter who put on her makeup. Soon Ian began to apply makeup on her with a variety of brushes. ¡°Well, and¡­I need to help you get dressed.¡­.¡± Elisha looked at the gown thaty on the table provided by Lucerne. ¡°Nora, can you help me get dressed?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll do it.¡± Nora, who was standing in the shadows, nodded. Then she heard the door open. *** ¡°What are you doing here, Ian?¡± ¡°High General.¡± The knights, Nora and Ian, rose from their seats and bowed their heads with greetings. Only Elisha was in front of the mirror beyond a divider. Lucerne stood in the doorway wearing a long coat. Just his appearance spread a chill over the room. ¡°Because there was no one to help with the makeup.¡± Lucerne¡¯s eyes alighted as if he just remembered makeup existed in the world. ¡°Now, all she has to do is put on her clothes.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it, so get out.¡± Ian and Nora nced at each other and left the room. Elisha was in front of the mirror, beyond a partition. The partition covered everything under her neck, so only her face could be seen. ¡°Why are you pretending to be naive?¡± ¡°I never did that.¡± Elisha replied, lowering her eyes. ¡°Just fasten the back, please. The dress is on the table.¡± ¡°I told them to give you a new outfit. Did they do that?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes, they did.¡± Elisha nodded softly. ¡°Then show me. Before I put forward the topic of checking.¡± Then Elisha turned her head, looking at Lucerne. Her cheeks turned red. Elisha finally appeared out from behind the partition. Elisha¡¯s body in new underwear was revealed in the bright light. ¡®Did he want to see me walking around in front of him in my underwear?¡¯ Elisha didn¡¯t know whether to be ashamed or relieved that she wasn¡¯t wearing shabby underwear this time. Still, it was strange that she did not hate Lucerne. Lucerne took in Elisha¡¯s appearance. A new bustier decorated with silver and a short, adhesive girdle with a garter belt and stockings. ¡°Did my knights see you in this?¡± ¡°Of course not. I can put on underwear by myself.¡± ¡°I was wondering if you¡¯re the type to walk around in your underwear.¡± Lucerne said indifferently. Elisha had nothing to say. She hade into Lucerne¡¯s room in underwear through a secret passagest night. ¡°It was an ident.¡± ¡°Okay, then. Next time, don¡¯t be in the same room with anyone else other than me in your underwear.¡± Elisha looked into Lucerne¡¯s eyes as if she were trying to read his intention. ¡°I¡¯ll wear a robe even when I¡¯m with the maids.¡± ¡°Okay, that¡¯s nice.¡± Lucerne spoke like a child. ¡°¡­¡­Please button it.¡± Elisha turned her back first. She lifted up in her dress. There was a string on the back to tighten the gown. It was easy to put on because there were no sleeves. Lucerne grabbed Elisha by the waist and drew her near. The dress between the two was so fragile. ¡°You¡¯re too skinny. you need to gain some weight.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I don¡¯t care. Even if I gain or lose weight, I¡¯ll still be your wife,¡± Elisha murmured quietly. ¡°You¡¯ve got a variety of thorns.¡± Lucerne didn¡¯t even flinch. His breath tickled the back of her neck, making it increasingly difficult for Elisha to think rationally. ¡°I have something to say. About the marriage contract¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you sign the papers?¡± ¡°¡­¡­I was thinking of bringing up my requirements that I want to be reflected in the contract.¡± Lucerne¡¯s hands tightened. Elisha gasped. Lucerne tied up the cord. She felt like she was suffocating. Her waist was ridiculously tight; it looked almost like a child¡¯s waist. ¡°Too tight¡­ Please unbind the string¡­¡± Lucerne¡¯s hand caressed the cord. It was a gentle touch. Elisha continued with a short breath, ¡°No, not before the first night.¡± Elisha was going to match Lucerne in a war of nerves and acted like he wanted her body. ¡°I didn¡¯t think of doing so, but it¡¯s a shame.¡± Lucerne said softly. The hand that touched her lower abdomen was strengthened. At the same time, the waist strap loosened. Elisha looked up and breathed a sigh of relief. Chapter 15.1 Chapter 15.1 Elisha, wearing a green dress with long hair and a ck ribbon, looked like a precious, refined youngdy who grew up in a carefully attended greenhouse her whole life. Additionally, her calm and detached attitude, in contrast with her young and lovely face, made her look even more adorable. Lucerne looked at Elisha silently. His eyes seemed to be pessimistic. ¡®Do I look weird?¡¯ Elisha held back her desire to nce in the mirror and check herself. It was the first time in both of her lives that she wore such an elegant dress. Maybe it looked funny to dress such a shabby woman in a fancy dress that didn¡¯t suit her. ¡°Let¡¯s wrap up the contract while you¡¯re pretty.¡± Lucerne said a few secondster. Elisha tried hard to look aloof. *** ¡°In 30 minutes, Jacob¡¯s men wille to get the money. We¡¯ll finalize the terms until then,¡± Lucerne said. A contract was ced in front of them at the table. Elisha nodded and asked bluntly, ¡°When is divorce possible?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you progressing too fast?¡± Lucerne said as if he was dumbfounded. ¡°My motive is to be free from Jacob.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I do that?¡± ¡°The end of escape is usually freedom. Thank you for saving me from Jacob, but¡­¡­. if there¡¯s an end, I¡¯d like to know in advance,¡± Elisha said calmly. ¡°I want to be free of this family. My goal is to be independent and live an ordinary life like a normal person. So¡­¡­. I¡¯m wondering when I can get a divorce.¡± Lucerne¡¯s eyes were unmoved. ¡°It will be difficult if your willingness to do anything has changed already.¡± Elisha tried to still her heart firmly. She hid her fists so she could conceal her shaking hands. ¡°I¡¯ll do it. I¡¯ll follow you. But¡­¡­. I need to ask questions. It¡¯s up to you to decide whether or not you¡¯ll listen to me, but you¡¯ve never told me not to say what I want.¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± He stared at Elisha with red eyes. ¡°What if I earned 30,000 gold coins during my marriage? Then can I get rid of the debt?¡± ¡°Our little ghost has a naive side.¡± Lucerne smirked. ¡°If I allow you to do that, you¡¯ll use your identity as my wife to make money by any means. How can I trust such a wife?¡± Elisha nodded. That was right. If she was the wife of a general, she would be able to take bribes or do dishonest things. ¡°And divorce urs in two cases: When I don¡¯t need you or when I have your recement.¡± Elisha¡¯s mind trembled nervously. Elisha thought she had mastered the Cartier family¡¯s behaviors: Sell what you don¡¯t have. Make an advantageous deal. Never lose money. But the man she is dealing with now was also a Cartier. He was speaking, and his words were straightforwardly and honestly conveying as if he were willing to divorce. But he wasn¡¯t saying a single lie¡­¡­. ¡°Then I¡¯ll choose my sessor to help you both materially and mentally. And make money somehow.¡± ¡°Elisha, why do you keep trying to obtain an advantage?¡± Lucerne leaned over. ¡°I¡¯ve lost a lot. There are plenty of people who would sell me their titles and lineage for 1,000 gold coins, nevermind 30,000 gold coins.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­ It¡¯s too much to write a physical waiver memorandum.¡± ¡°Only if you betray me. Besides, I don¡¯t sell women. If youmit a crime, I will protect you from the imperial family. Isn¡¯t that generous?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t know what will happen while you are under my protection, but I¡¯ll keep you safe in any way you can imagine.¡± Lucerne wasn¡¯t easy either. Elisha said softly. ¡°Then¡­¡­ Why don¡¯t you do this? Interrogate me and allow me to consume confession drugs. You can deal with it the way you usually deal with spies.¡± Lucerne¡¯s forehead creased into a frown. ¡°But limit the interrogation to whether I¡¯m a spy or not, please. Investigate me and make sure I am Jacob¡¯s spy or not. I want to make you believe me, too. I¡¯ll consent with everything you want as long as I don¡¯t get cut or broken.¡± Elisha spoke calmly. Lucerne was silent. ¡°I don¡¯t know what the hell you¡¯re trying to do.¡± Lucerne replied a few secondster. ¡°Do you know what a truth-telling drug is like?¡± ¡°I heard that near Jacob¡¯s office, too. In the secret passage.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve learned all the bad things.¡± Lucerne spit out coldly. ¡°I¡¯m serious about wanting to earn your trust.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t throw yourself in front of me. I dislike being illogical.¡± Elisha found a ray of hope in those words. ¡°Then let me ask you one question.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Do you want to be a¡­ ..the Lord of the House?¡± ¡°If you knew how much I want it, you won¡¯t be able to say the word ¡°Lord¡± in front of me.¡± Lucerne spoke frighteningly calmly. Elisha¡¯s eyes shook. ¡°Then when you be the Patriarch¡­ If you be Duke of Cartier, I don¡¯t need me to maintain your status as the Count¡¯s son-inw, do you? No. Rather I won¡¯t be able to keep my title as your wife.¡± It was just as Lucerne said. In that situation, Elisha will be unnecessary. Being a Patriarch means he would get his title and power from the Duchy. ¡°You told me, if you don¡¯t need me, you¡¯ll divorce me.¡± ¡°Keep talking.¡± Lucerne said without blinking. ¡°I¡¯ll help you be the Head of the house. I¡¯ll do it. If you want¡­¡­After you be the Duke, we can separate, and you¡¯ll write off my debts. There¡¯s nothing for you to lose. Really, just if you be a Lord. Only in that case.¡± I thought it was a good condition for Lucerne. Anyhow, if you¡¯re the Head, you¡¯ll need a rich and high-ranking wife, not a contract wife like Elisha. So, it was clear that Lucerne would be satisfied if Elisha left by then. ¡±It¡¯s called treason when an illegitimate child tries to be the Head. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to safeguard my life if I rebel.¡± He even spoke in a bored tone. ¡°Jacob or Marco will never leave you alone. They will never endure their deficiencies being exposed and put up with the existence of an illegitimate child who is better than them.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°War will happen regardless. At least you can get your family and smash them. And¡­¡­. Jacob is a very persistent man. He must be irate because you and I are married. He¡¯ll try to retaliate against me somehow. He¡¯s an enemy to me too, so I hope he disappears.¡± ¡°Umm, he¡¯s your enemy. Interesting.¡± Elisha saw Lucerne¡¯s lips form a pleasant smile. ¡°Are those all the conditions?¡± Elisha took in a deep breath. She seeded in persuading Lucerne. She suppressed her tion as if she were running and flying. ¡°Only two more things.¡± ¡°There¡¯s even more? You¡¯re a beauty.¡± Lucerne grinned. ¡°¡­¡­I don¡¯t mind what you do in my name. But if you do business, you can never do illegal businesses. I especially hate drugs and arms trafficking.¡± Lucerne nodded as if he had understood her intentions. ¡°Okay, I don¡¯t care about that.¡± ¡°Second, please remove the issue of adultery.¡± Lucerne froze. ¡°Why, do you have anyone in mind?¡± *** Chapter 15.2 Chapter 15.2 ¡°No, adultery¡­¡­. It¡¯s too easy to make up.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Elisha¡¯s way of speaking didn¡¯t change. However, his eyes were vignt. ¡°If you make up my adultery and I get divorced, then I¡¯m the only one who¡¯s breaking the contract. You can kick me out without money or ceremony.¡± It was the stunt that caused Elisha¡¯s biological mother much suffering. Her father hired a knight to nder and falsified a scandal with her mother. After kicking her out like a beggar, her father never looked for Elisha and her mother again. Just before she died, Elisha¡¯s mother wept sadly as she rted the story to her. Her mother was also a contractual wife to her father, who became the Lord and Head to his family. ¡¯She was different. She¡¯s an Imperial nobleman.¡­ She¡¯ll take him for the rest of his life¡­¡­.¡¯ Elisha didn¡¯t want to be like her biological mother. ¡°How does one make up adultery?¡± Lucerne asked without a hitch. ¡°Buying the right man to seduce me. A simpler way would be to push him in a room with me and force him to do his job. It¡¯s also a technique in practice.¡± Even if she wasn¡¯t Elisha, plenty were often miserable with the words of a contract wife. A noble without money was easy prey, after all. A bride with better conditions could be reced at any time. ¡°Ha.¡± Lucerneughed. ¡°Are you even imagining a situation where I would buy a man, have him rape you, and then kick you out, penniless?¡± Elisha shut her mouth. She seemed to have upset Lucerne. ¡°Why don¡¯t you imagine this?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°If I want that, I don¡¯t kick you out. I could erase about 3 million gold coins of debt and then get divorced.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°And after remarrying another woman who¡¯s going to be your sessor, I won¡¯t release you. You¡¯re locked up like that, and then you be my concubine. Is that a good scenario? Why do you imagine the worst? If I had the drive to make up adultery, I wouldn¡¯t get that much out of it.¡± Elisha¡¯s hands trembled. She lowered her gaze to avoid his eyes. ¡°¡­¡­I apologize if I offended you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. If you¡¯re weak or I¡¯m weak.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Or did you secretlymit a crime? Do you doubt others because you were stabbed?¡± Elisha flinched. Why is this man so quick-witted? Elisha spoke intently without being obvious. ¡°There is no one in the world who is not a sinner. And whoevermits to not hurting anyone their life will sin as long as they are bound by such hellish of a family.¡± There was a pang of strange guilt in Elisha¡¯s eyes. Elisha recalled her past life. Lucerne pressed his eyes. ¡°Okay, fine. I¡¯ll get rid of the adultery use. But I¡¯m not saying adultery can bemitted.¡± ¡®I don¡¯t think so. I¡¯m not in the position of being your real wife. I know you¡¯re getting married for my name.¡¯ She didn¡¯t bother to say it because it was a given that Elisha didn¡¯t deserve to stop Lucerne¡¯s adultery. Elisha was the lowest of contractual wives. ¡°Let¡¯s do this,¡± Lucerne whispered. ¡°I¡¯ll erase your punishment for adultery. Instead, put this on the contract.¡± Lucerne held out the pen to Elisha. Elisha blinked, notprehending. ¡°Write it down with your own hands.¡± Elisha¡¯s eyes narrowed with suspicion. ¡°What is this about?¡± ¡°The bride takes care of all the groom¡¯s sexual desires, alone. No recements.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Likewise, only the husband can enter Elisha de Lor¡¯s holes. Your husband.¡± Lucerne whispered in Elisha¡¯s ear. ¡°Only through Elisha de Lor¡¯s holes can he release his libido.¡± Elisha¡¯s hand shuddered. Before Lucerne changed his mind, Elisha wrote letters with quivering hands. ¡°If his wifemits adultery, it will be considered that the husband has failed to release her sexual desire.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You deserve to ask for financialpensation. Besides, every time Imit adultery, I will erase 10,000 gold coins from your debt.¡± Elisha¡¯s hand shook. She looked at him with astonishment. ¡°Are you serious?¡± Lucerne was looking at Elisha with a fine face. ¡°Would you like to agree?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes.¡± How could she refuse? Lucerneughed as if he was having fun. ¡°What are the exceptions to the use? Can I wash it with my mouth, bite it, stick it in, and then mix it with my tongue¡­ you¡¯ll get sick of it even if I have to use your thigh likest time. Don¡¯t you think so? Do you want to write that part down, too?¡± ¡°Stop¡­¡­.¡± Suddenly, Elisha¡¯s fingertips were burning. Elisha did not know whether Lucerne was teasing or trying to stifle her. ¡®¡­¡­¡­I shouldn¡¯t irritate this man uselessly.¡¯ However, this condition was absolutely advantageous to Elisha. Even if Lucernemitted adultery, Elisha could not protest, but he would admit his fault if she cheated on him. ¡®Is it because he could ignore the contents of the contract whenever he wanted?¡¯ Elisha bit her lips. Why? In front of Lucerne, she felt a little nervous and inhaled a taste of something in her mouth. Her body was shaky, and her stomach felt nauseous with strange excitement and fear. ¡°So, are you satisfied with the new items?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have to crackdown. So our little ghost doesn¡¯t fly away.¡± Lucerne spoke indifferently. His hand stroked Elisha¡¯s lips and fell away. ¡°Remember, Elisha. If you really cheat, there is no more courtesy between us from that moment. The elimination of the use doesn¡¯t mean that your legs are free. Understand?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.Yes.¡± His warning was scary, but Elisha just nodded because she didn¡¯t have the desire to cheat. ¡°Don¡¯t bite.¡± Elisha felt like she was under his control. She nodded and obediently moved her pen. A few obscene sentences and a line of neat signatures,ter¡­ That alone made Elisha the wife of Lucerne. Chapter 16.1 Chapter 16.1 As Lucerne said, Jacob¡¯s people soon arrived. Elisha was worried that Jacob would personallye, but fortunately, his secretary, ountant, and wizard came instead. ¡°I¡¯ll be receiving the check.¡± A check worth 30,000 gold coins was handed over. He then signed the debt settlement papers. Now Lucerne incurred the debt. ¡°What about the tracking magic?¡± the wizard asked. Lucerne bounced his hand, and his shadow demon appeared. The wizard stared at the demon with eyes full of wonder. ¡°Feed it to my shadow.¡± The wizard nodded. As he reached out his hand, Elisha felt the seal vibrating. ¡®The pattern on the back of my neck throbs with the pattern on the wizard¡¯s robe. It¡¯s a pair.¡¯ Patterns and seals that are identical find each other, making great tracking devices because they find each other. The seal from the wizard floated into the air. Crunch. The shadow ate the seal as if it were eating a snack. Elisha rubbed her neck. ¡®It stings.¡¯ A feeling of being altered came over her. Elisha wanted to check the mirror. ¡®Now, if I run away, Lucerne can catch no matter where I run away to in the world.¡¯ A sudden sigh flowed out. Elisha thought Lucerne looked quite pleased. Jacob¡¯s people nced at Elisha until they left. Their eyes were filled with curiosity. ¡°If you want to walk out on your two legs, lower your gaze,¡± Lucerne said calmly. They scrambled out. Elisha nced at him and went straight to the mirror to check the nape of her neck. The color of the pattern had turned ck. It was so small you had to look at it closely. ¡°They must be very curious. What kind of woman are you that I paid 30,000 gold coins to make you my bride.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°They must have been talking about you all night in the mansion.¡± Lucerne remarked indifferently. Elisha thought they might have been disappointed. She was just an ordinary fallen aristocrat. ¡°Don¡¯t forget your promise. You¡¯ll also release me from this seal when I¡¯m free.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Lucerne agreed. The shadow yed in the air with the seal that matched with the symbol on Elisha¡¯s neck. ¡°What should we do now?¡± ¡°First things first, I¡¯ve got some problems to tackle.¡± ¡°Problems?¡± ¡°The Head is suspicious of our marriage¡ªwondering if this is the real marriage. I¡¯m not going to be fickle.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Elisha recalled the fact that the Head had long urged Lucerne to marry. ¡°So what should we do?¡± ¡°We have to hold a wedding ceremony.¡± ¡°A wedding ceremony¡­ ¡­when?¡± ¡°Three dayster, here.¡± Elisha¡¯s eyes were bing dizzy. ¡°So, in the Cartier family¡¯s mansion?¡± ¡°Yes, and only those present are the Duke¡¯s immediate family.¡± A wedding which had only enemies as guests. After all, being Lucerne¡¯s wife was not a normal thing from the beginning. At that moment, even Elisha couldn¡¯t resist frowning from concern. *** Three dayster, Elisha was sitting in front of a mirror again. She was getting her makeup done with her eyes closed. Lucerne was waiting for Elisha¡¯s, smoking by the window. ¡°Touch moderately and finish up, don¡¯t get too close.¡± ¡°No¡ª how can I put on makeup without getting close? Please take a look, General¡­¡± Ian snorted at the injustice. At the same time, Ian quickly moved his hand. Bright pearl dust mixed with pink sprinkled around Elisha¡¯s eyes. ¡®This must be a very expensive cosmetic.¡¯ Elisha thought unconsciously. Then the gravity of the situation began to dawn on her: ¡®Now I can never run away.¡¯ Today was her wedding day. *** It was a wedding prepared in a hurry. The Duke prepared the arrangements. Elisha and Lucerne only had to dress up and attend the wedding. Of course, there was no wedding dress prepared. Lucerne instructed the butler to bring several silk dresses from the Duke¡¯s treasure trove. The dresses brought from the Duke¡¯s vault, where all the wealth of the world was said to be hidden, were incredibly colorful and beautiful. Elisha chose a in white dress with no decorations. Chapter 17.1 Chapter 17.1 Elisha had vaguely dreamed of getting married when she was a child living in a monastery. A nice groom, a white wedding dress, but the imagination was always vague. ¡®Who would take me? Marriage is all about identity trading and dowry.¡¯ A merchant or knight who wanted to get a wife of noble status was the most she could imagine, and that was only possible if she was lucky. So the imaginary man was always in and simple. ¡®But my marriage partner is Lucerne de Kayas.¡¯ She never thought she¡¯d end up in a wedding hall with him, a war hero loved by imperialists, an unlucky illegitimate child, a man who will shape the times. She was going to walk down the wedding aisle with him. It was something she couldn¡¯t imagine even in her wildest dreams. *** Elisha looked in the mirror and touched her cheek out of habit. There were no burn scars. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± It was quiet beyond the room, Ian went out. Suddenly Lucerne was looking at her. ¡°Because¡­. My face is unfamiliar.¡± Lucerne sat on the chair. And beckoned her, ¡°Come here.¡± As Elisha approached, he put her on hisp. Why? Somehow, when he touched her, the nerves all over her body were on edge. Elisha shrugged her shoulders. ¡°I don¡¯t have a dress that I won¡¯t need your help to tie up today.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Lucerne acknowledged briefly. ¡°Marriage is when I can touch you without making excuses like that.¡± Elisha¡¯s cheeks turned red. Lucerne said, stroking Elisha¡¯s neck lightly. ¡°I can¡¯t tell if I¡¯m going to a wedding or a funeral.¡± ¡°There¡¯s someone who has murderous intent, so your spection isn¡¯t wrong. Someone who ruined my life will attend the wedding,¡± Elisha spoke calmly. This would be her first time seeing Jacob aftering back in time. After suddenly returning, she remembered seeing Car while doingundry. ¡®I was so nervous back then that my hatred of Car was on the back burner.¡¯ Emotions swelled up for a moment. The feelings for Jacob and Car, which had been full of extreme horror in her previous life, were now about to be revived with hatred. ¡°If you really want to kill Jacob one day, I¡¯ll be your man,¡± Lucerne said, wrapping his arms around Elisha. ¡°At least until the divorce.¡± Elisha hesitated and opened her mouth. ¡°Thank you for saving me. And I can act calmly in front of Jacob. I¡¯ll do my best from now on. If you¡¯d like, I¡¯ll be more obedient¡­¡­¡± Elisha said calmly. ¡°You don¡¯t have to.¡± Lucerne grazed the spot behind Elisha¡¯s neck and twirled his finger around her seal. ¡°When you enter the wedding hall, you don¡¯t have to say anything but the bride¡¯s oath.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°But if you want to.¡± Lucerne whispered as he buried his lips on Elisha¡¯s nape and whispered. ¡°Behave like my wife.¡± His tone was as if he was set forth a test. ¡°¡­¡­Alright.¡± Lucerne¡¯s hand went down lightly. Elisha clutched her thighs together. ¡°It¡¯s annoying. I¡¯ll engrave a new one for you.¡± Lucerne tapped on Elisha¡¯s neck it was where Jacob¡¯s people first carved the pattern. ¡°Ah!¡± She was bitten so hard that she screamed. Feeling strange, Elisha closed her eyes tightly. She felt like she was going to bleed. The pain became a peculiar sensation and dug down into her spine. ¡°The mark is imprinted. Your skin is so weak that it leaves a clear mark, it¡¯s round, and it¡¯s swollen up beautifully.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ don¡¯t exin it¡­. like that.¡± Lucerne probed over the pattern. ¡°But I still like this colour better.¡± Elisha turned her head and looked into Lucerne¡¯s eyes. It was better being Lucerne¡¯s contract bride than Jacob¡¯s ve. ¡°Did it hurt?¡± ¡°¡­¡­yes.¡± ¡°Then focus on the pain and be patient. It¡¯ll be over soon.¡± It was a strangely soothing remark. Elisha thought it was unexpected. ¡°I have a favor to ask of you.¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to spend the first night in this mansion. Is it okay to go somewhere else?¡± ¡°Alright, we will leave right after the wedding.¡± Elisha nodded. Suddenly, fear rose from her stomach. It was hard to tell whether it was because of her unfathomable fate, which was so different from her previous life, or because of the vague tension over her first night. *** It¡¯s a small wedding. The only guests were the direct descendants of the Duke. In front of the wedding hall, Lucerne¡¯s knights lined up and waited, including Ian, who helped with Elisha¡¯s makeup until thest minute. Some knights looked rtively young. ¡®Knights of the ck Lion.¡¯ The most elite of the ck Lion Knights were called Sid. They were all famous knights, Sid. The sun shined on their fine armor and capes. When they saw Lucerne and Elisha, they simultaneously paid tribute with a fist to their hearts. No one was wearing ck or a sword. ¡®It¡¯s the Head.¡¯ The current Duke and Lucerne¡¯s grandfather looked suspicious. It was so pleasant to see Lucerne¡¯s knights allowed to line up in front of the wedding hall but did not allow anyone to hold a sword. ¡®He¡¯s like an old snake¡­..everyone says the same thing about the Head.¡¯ Then someone shouted from inside the building. Trigger warning: mentions of abuse, kidnapping ¡°Groom and bride, step before the sacred altar,¡± said the priest officiating the wedding. He was a priest who lived in the Cartier family residence and prayed for the family. The bride and groom simultaneously entered. Elisha walked in with a bouquet of Lily of the valley while holding Lucerne¡¯s hand. ¡®It¡¯s dazzling.¡¯ It was her first thought when she entered the temple. The wedding venue was very fancy. A chandelier decorated with gold was hanging from the ceiling, and the venue was decorated with seasonal flowers. The carpet on the floor was red. It was a carpet withplicated patterns embroidered with silver thread and sprinkled with diamond powder. ¡®This is a ¡°simple¡± wedding.¡¯ The altar, the ce for officiating, was adorned with precious sacred objects. ¡®That¡¯s an extraordinary fortune.¡¯ This room alone could easily beparable to the treasury of a small kingdom. On the other hand, Elisha¡¯s outfit was very simple and elegant; a white, ankle-length silk dress with ace hairband on her hair. Upon entering the wedding hall, she saw the Cartier family seating. There were the Head and Jacob and the Head¡¯s second grandson, Marco. The officiating priest was wiping the sweat off his forehead as if he were nervous to perform in front of the Cartier family. ¡®I know you all, but¡­¡¯ Previously, she crawled in front of them as a servant that was more humble than anyone else. That she would be among them as a wife of one of the wives of their own flesh and blood¡­¡­. Elisha could never have imagined it. ¡®Jacob, Car.¡¯ In particr, when she saw Car and Jacob sitting side by side, who had cut and destroyed Elisha¡¯s past life, her hands trembled. ¡®Mad bitch, you need to be beaten to wake up, right?¡¯ ¡®Car is sad. We take good care of you, and you always look at us with irreverent eyes. Don¡¯t you know your manners?¡¯ She recalled how those demons hurt her, and their words flooded her mind. Suddenly, her hands and feet got cold. Elisha almost stumbled over her weak legs. Lucerne¡¯s hand holding Elisha¡¯s hand grew stronger. At least, she was not standing alone in front of them. ¡°Rx, walk,¡± Lucerne whispered. ¡°This is my inscription.¡± Lucerne whispered in Elisha¡¯s ear. His long fingers caressed the teeth marks he made on the pattern behind Elisha¡¯s neck. ¡°Because you are not his, get up. You are mine.¡± Strangely, Elisha felt her mind clear. It looked like Lucerne was whispering to himself. The Head peered heavily at Elisha. When she spotted his re, it made her flinch. His presence alone made people get chills and goosebumps. He was an old man who was both dangerous and frightening. ¡®Still¡­ he¡¯s got a strong aura about him.¡¯ He had arge body that made one forget he was a sick old man. His chin was proud and his mouth stubborn. Looking at it now, Lucerne seemed to resemble the Gaju (Head) the most among his grandchildren. (PR: here ¡°mouth stubborn¡± means his words were always precise, never bent down for the sake of others especially his family, in short he is a blunt person who is very stubborn) Gaju was looking at Elisha with these eyes that said, ¡®What the hell is this thing Lucerne bought at an absurd price of 30,000 gold coins.¡¯ The look made Elisha¡¯s head cool again. ¡®I have to be impressive.¡¯ If she wallowed in her trauma and made a mistake today, Lucerne would be a fool who spent 30,000 gold coins for a stupid woman. By the Cartier family standards, a felony. *** Finally, Elisha arrived in front of the priest. ¡°I will pray before the Lord.¡± It was a solemn wedding without congrattions or congrattory songs from family and friends¡ªof course. When the priest held their two hands and prayed for about 10 minutes, the wedding would be over. In the Empire, only priests were entitled to approve marriages. It was not long before a ring was on Elisha¡¯s finger. She had never seen such a huge ck diamond ring before. It was hefty enough to make her hand heavier. Elisha looked at the ring and hid her hand. It was decided on by Lucerne. *** The event immediately led to the reception. Elisha changed her dress during a short break. This time, it was a scarlet dress with a mermaid-like line that revealed her body¡¯s curves. Wearing a gorgeous and morous dress, Elisha¡¯s appearance looked more brilliant and more striking than before. The family nced at Elisha. ¡®She¡¯s a beauty. Lucerne likes that kind of girl,¡¯ Their eyes seem to say. *** Chapter 17.2 Chapter 17.2 The reception hall was right next to the chapel. The venue for the reception was even more astonishing. What caught Elisha¡¯s eye, in particr, were the items adorning one table. ¡®This is¡­¡­¡¯ Elisha looked through them. ¡®A piece of a saint¡¯s body, a dragon¡¯s neck, the costly paintings of a famous artist.¡¯ They were significant objects. The fact that they¡¯re separated¡­¡­. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Someone approached Elisha. Elisha turned her eyes away. It was Marco¡¯s wife, Arien. She was very thin and elegant. ¡°It¡¯s a gift from the grandchildren to celebrate Gaju¡¯s birthday not too long ago. Is it interesting?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­I thought it was great. It¡¯s full of rare things. Especially the hard to obtain bone fragments of the saint and prophet Ristral.¡± The saint¡¯s corpse was one of the most expensive items at the temple. Sculptures of a saint brought God¡¯s protection, so every time one died, the temple held a raucous auction. Elisha thought it was dreadful. ¡°Ho-ho, that¡¯s my husband¡¯s gift. You have a more discerning eye than I assumed.¡± Arien¡¯s expression seemed to ask where she would have seen such a precious object. Elisha knew Arien. During her previous life, when Jacob and Marco were fighting in the War of Session, Marco kidnapped Elisha since she was known as his aide and detained her for several days to threaten Jacob. Marco beat Elisha and handled her harshly, and Arien had her starve and helped Marco by tormenting her with verbal insults every day. She was a cruel person to Elisha. Elisha looked around the room. There was no one in her previous life who did not abuse and torture Elisha. Except for Lucerne, it was a feast full of enemies. But in the middle of the room, there was a luxurious setting, and she was wearing a sparkling gown. ¡®What is this?¡¯ There was a smirk. The Head beckoned Elisha. Lucerne was talking with Gaju about something. ¡°Come here.¡± Elisha approached Gaju curtsied, bowing her knees. He slowly moved his wrinkled face to look at Elisha. ¡°Indeed, I don¡¯t understand Lucerne¡¯s whims. But since you¡¯ve won against his obstinacy not to marry, you¡¯ve already made a contribution to the house.¡± Jealousy spread over the faces of Car and Arien. Gaju referred to the couple as one in mind and body. If the wife won favor, her husband¡¯s chances of seeding the Cartier dukedom increased. ¡®How amusing, thinking of your wife as a watch piece that can be reced at any time.¡¯ Internally, Elisha smirked at them. Lucerne caressed Elisha¡¯s back. ¡°She¡¯s a pretty intriguing woman. She¡¯s interesting.¡± Gaju looked as if he could not discern Lucerne¡¯s intentions. *** The banquet went as predictably as ever. There was the courtship of the candidates trying to win the Head¡¯s favor while Lucerne alone stood aloof. And, of course, the wives who tried to assist their husbands. ¡®Why do you keep staring at me?¡¯ Elisha was concerned that Car kept looking at her without blinking throughout the banquet. Elisha frowned inwardly. It was then. Car suddenly acted strangely. ¡°Huh¡­¡­.¡± Car covered her mouth and suddenly began to tear up. And everyone froze and started to whisper as if they were anticipating an amusing performance. ¡®What are you doing, Car?¡¯ Jacob quickly approached and asked anxiously, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Car?¡± ¡°Really, Car is so happy¡­¡­you know. Husband and I, we ¡®cared for¡¯ Elisha so far. Elisha, who¡¯s been protected from our ¡®below,¡¯ met such a great groom. It¡¯s so touching¡­¡­. So, without realizing it, tears¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The Head¡¯s brow frowned. However, Gaju did not respond to Car¡¯s foolishness because he knew she was actually smart. Somehow he began to observe Elisha and Car. ¡°Thank you for congratting me.¡± Elisha answered with a calm and detached voice. ¡°It¡¯s the people of this mansion who have provided me with a safe ce so far. Thanks to this grace, I even got married. My husband paid my ransom, and everything went well, so let¡¯s have only good feelings in the future.¡± Gaju¡¯s eyes became strange. He imagined a fool, someone who was doing theirundry since she was a child, but unexpectedly, Elisha¡¯s words were witty. Gaju knew Car¡¯s words were far-fetched. An ordinary person would get angry when the people who captured her abused her and had her do tasks likeundry said something like this. But at the same time, Elisha calmly passed over, stressing that ¡°there is no more debt between us.¡± It was to acknowledge, liquidate and end her past as aundry maid. Furthermore, by saying, ¡®I¡¯ve been safe,¡¯ she implied that she was a bride, not inferior to her sisters-inw. ¡°But¡­¡­.Car.¡± Car¡¯s lips quivered. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± Elisha asked softly. ¡°¡­Car wishes Elisha would be a beloved bride. Sincerely.¡± Elisha realized that Lucerne was watching her as if amused. Before she knew it, everyone¡¯s eyes were on her. ¡°Lucerne¡­¡± Car slowly opened her mouth, enjoying his gaze. Especially since she didn¡¯t usually get much attention from Lucerne. ¡°What, the High General?¡± ¡°So, Car wonders if Elisha is mistaken about why Lucerne is marrying Elisha¡­¡­.¡± Chapter 18.1 Chapter 18.1 ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Why, before, when Lucerne came to get permission from the Lord to marry¡­ everyone heard. That the reason he¡¯s proposing to Elisha is because¡­¡­ because Elisha is in a pitiful situation.¡± ¡°And what else did he say?¡± After hearing Elisha¡¯s subdued voice, Car¡¯s lips went up like a straight shot. ¡°And he said, I want to marry a woman who has a ¡®no chance of her parents being upset.¡¯ I want to marry Elisha because she¡¯s a ¡®powerless, poor and desperate aristocrat¡¯.¡­.¡± Car pretended to cry as if she was affected by what Lucerne said. He said he wanted to marry a woman who bes a ghost at any time. ¡°Car¡¯s heartaches. There¡¯s nothing more precious than affection between men and women. Car would be so sad if we were in Elisha¡¯s shoes!¡± (PR: Car has a habit to talk in 3 pov so when she says ¡°we were in Elisha¡¯s shoes¡± she is referring to herself only) Car¡¯s voice became clearer and louder. ¡°Elisha has been under Jacob¡¯s protection all this time. Actually, wouldn¡¯t Car, his wife, care for Elisha? Car says this with the same heart as her mother¡¯s sister.¡± A smile spread across Ariane¡¯s mouth. ¡°I didn¡¯t know the inside story, but it¡¯s heartbreaking to hear it. Elisha is a very innocent-looking person, so I hope you don¡¯t get hurt.¡± Ariane and Car thought that Elisha¡¯s pride would be destroyed. As if she had never been aundry maid, Elisha¡¯s back was upright and her eyes calm. ¡®The only thing left is pride for fallen aristocrats like myself.¡¯ It was the Cartier family¡¯s daughters-inw that could destroy a powerless fallen noblewoman in a single blow with their mouths. ¡°Elisha needs to know what everyone knows, right?¡± Car looked around with her eyes wide open and asked, Ariane retorted; ¡°Oh, that¡¯s very thoughtful of you. Now that I¡¯m looking at the situation, you should really appreciate the gesture. Why don¡¯t you say thank you?¡± Ariane especially looked forward to seeing Elisha humiliated. ¡®I wish you would cry. If you do it in front of the Lord, it will be great.¡¯ But far from crying, Elisha looked very rxed. ¡°Why should I?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Car, why are you crying about what we all know? Did the High General ask you to tell me? You have a cheaper mouth than pigeons delivering a whole book.¡± Car doubted her ears. It was even the way she spoke. She had heard this way of speaking before. Lucerne spoke this way. His words struck you like a club on the back of the head, leaving you stunned. ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ Car quickly changed her expression as if she were naive. ¡°Car¡¯s good intentions¡­¡­.¡± Elisha looked at Car incredulously as if she were a strange person. ¡°Good intentions? Where are your good intentions?¡± Elisha retorted without giving Car a chance to answer. There was even a cold smile around her mouth. ¡°First of all, you¡¯re insulting your husband. I know you and Jacob are a very happy couple, so did your husband get married after seeing your mother?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Besides, arrogance is the virtue of the nobility. If there are a hundred couples in the world, there are a hundred different types of rtionships. So what if he is attracted to my poor family background? Why is that not love? Your premise is baseless without any context.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like that. Car is¡ª¡± ¡°And besides.¡± Elisha spoke clearly and cut off Car. ¡°Why do you say that I don¡¯t have my own family? Don¡¯t tell me, did you all forget how Lor the Great died?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°How can someone who cares about me bring up my father¡¯s story on my wedding day?¡± As if she found it genuinely strange, Elisha tilted her head. She donned an expression like she really didn¡¯t understand. It was Jacob who killed Elisha¡¯s biological father, Lor. ¡°That¡¯s in the past. How can you be so rude? Do you want to hide the past?¡± Jacob raised his voice. Jacob was an ugly man with a stubby nose and rough skin. Jacob¡¯s big face turned red and green. ¡°Are you actually ming my family? Tell me!¡± Jacob, who was drunk, slurred. It was then. *Thunk.* It was that moment, Lucerne kicked Jacob¡¯s chair leg with his long legs. Jacob fell on his back. ¡°*Snort*!¡± Jacob made a pig-like snort. He btedly noticed what happened to him and scrambled to his feet. *** Chapter 18.2 Chapter 18.2 ¡°This¡­¡­ this¡­ You¡¯re the one who can¡¯t say anything in front of the Lord? Where is this¡­¡­. Uh¡­.¡± Lucerne red silently at Jacob. ¡°Where¡­¡­.¡± As Jacob and Lucerne seemed to be fighting, Car raised her voice, not forgetting to shake as if she were frightened to death. ¡°Lord! Car is so scared! The High General isn¡¯t that kind of person. There¡¯s already a dispute in the house because of the wrong type of woman entering the house in a chaotic way. Don¡¯t you agree, Ariane?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Indeed. She should endure it, but she¡¯s not careful, and instead, she stirred up a fight!¡± Ariane added. Gaju was already annoyed. He didn¡¯t care for his inw¡¯s quarrel. But he didn¡¯t bother stopping them because he was quite curious about how Elisha would react. Elisha did not budge again this time. ¡°Why is this a family dispute? I¡¯m the wife of a High General, and you¡¯re an imperial noble, so isn¡¯t it just a conflict?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± There was nothing to say. No one would dare argue that Lucerne was an enemy of the family. In addition, Lucerne was the highest-ranking general withmand over all soldiers in the Empire. No matter how prominent of an aristocrat one was, they had to pay tribute to the general. Car quickly realized she was rude to the High General¡¯s wife, realising the trap of logic she had missed, and became even more indignant. Ariane promptly shut her mouth. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a piece of advice because you seem to enjoy meddling in other people¡¯s affairs,¡± Elisha said tenderly. ¡°I think you¡¯d better beg the Lord for forgiveness.¡± Car¡¯s eyes got bigger. ¡°Even though Car was a little loud, she was always like that¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care what kind of woman Car is,¡± Elisha interrupted and stopped talking gently. Car¡¯s expression went nk. ¡°I advise you to apologize for saying something you shouldn¡¯t have said in front of the Lord.¡± ¡°What do you mean? Car never made a mistake!¡± [t1v: Car speaks in 3rd person] ¡°¡®The most important thing between a couple is affection.¡¯ You have disturbed the Lord by saying such stupid words.¡± ¡°What?¡± Everyone¡¯s expressions reflected their surprise at her words. It was natural to say, as an idiom, that affection between a couple was important. ¡°Car, you are the wife of the eldest son of the great Cartier family. So you have to be the model to thedies. A woman crying because of her spouse¡¯s love doesn¡¯t suit this family. You are a person of such high status; why are you poking your nose at other people¡¯s love affairs? Such weakness¡­¡­.¡± Elisha spoke with calm eyes. ¡°I think it¡¯s a sin. There are many crimes in the world, but weakness is the biggest sin.¡± The Lord¡¯s eyes changed. He tilted his head. Gaju first wondered if Elisha was a trained actress. (PR: From here it¡¯s head¡¯s POV) A woman who was cold, detached and clever in everything. Such a woman¡¯s image that he thought was perfect. Elisha was a granddaughter-inw who was precisely his taste. He was strangely pleased. The next question was if it was not really acting¡­¡­. ¡®Where was she hiding, and how did Lucerne get her?¡¯ (PR: Here the POV ends) *** (PR: shback of previous timeline) Elisha was able to describe the Cartier family and pick them out with her eyes closed. She had spent herst life quivering between them. She even knew a certain extent about the Head. One day in her former life, Jacob had ¡°loaned¡± Elisha to Gaju for several months. ¡®There¡¯s a woman under you who¡¯s good at making double ledgers like a ghost. Let me borrow her a little.¡¯ It was as if he was lending a dog. So Elisha was sold and became the Lord¡¯s servant for several months. During those months, Elisha took care of the Head. Gaju was a suspicious person, so he made Elisha inspect jobs and checked her work frequently. Elisha learned to please Gaju. The Lord loved Elisha¡¯s ability so much that he sometimesvishly praised her. ¡®It was the first time I was recognized for my abilities.¡¯ Even when she worked to death, she was kicked and abused like a dog every day. Elisha, who had no self-esteem at the time, had truly thought she was ipetent. Then, Elisha¡¯s heart melted when the Head, a god-like creature, praised her. It was not long before she held him in reverence. ¡°As you know, it¡¯s our family tradition that the butlers do double ledger-making. My butler is old and sick. Would you like to learn how to do the work?¡± Gaju even offered Elisha a side job. Elisha believed in the Head¡¯s generosity. So he pleaded before the Lord. ¡®Jacob is holding me in debt. Please save me. Have mercy on me. I live like a ve.¡¯ Now that she thought about it, it was such a foolish plea. ¡®Elisha, your sin is weakness. He who tramples on others is innocent. But your strength has kept you alive so far, so there¡¯s nothing wrong with that either. You¡¯re living in your way.¡¯ ¡®¡­¡­.¡¯ ¡®Remember. Weakness is the greatest sin,¡¯ the Head said as if it was annoying. Then, Gaju stopped paying all attention to Elisha just because she appealed to him emotionally. He was that kind of person. Elisha then felt despair and gave up all hope for others. ¡®Now I know what kind of person the Gaju is.¡¯ So, in reverse, Elisha said what the Lord liked most.- Chapter 19.1 Chapter 19.1 ¡°It¡¯s too noisy.¡± The corners of the Lord¡¯s mouth slowly rose. He looked genuinely pleased. ¡°Car, stop crying. Keep your wits about you.¡± Car lowered her whimpering face. She looked at the Head wanting sympathy, but he ignored her. Gaju¡¯s eyes were fixed on Elisha. ¡°This one.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Your bride is not an ordinary person, Lucerne.¡± ¡°I said she was an interesting woman.¡± Lucerne replied as if it were natural. ¡°Maybeter you¡¯ll say her 30,000 gold coins ransom was a bargain.¡± Elisha lowered her eyes gently. Pretending she was ignorant of all that had passed. *** The Head nearly scolded Arien. She just sat beside Marco, silent as the dead. ¡°That woman is so sexy; her looks could kill. Lucerne has quite the eye.¡± Marco whispered to his wife, who was sitting down. Marco¡¯s wife pressed her foot hard on his. ¡°Right, his taste is a low-life slut he can look at.¡± *** The banquet quickly concluded. Car kept her mouth shut and didn¡¯t even pretend to be happy. Arien nced at Elisha with envy. Arien never received much praise from Gaju. Gaju stared at Elisha from time to time, reigning like a king, and calling his grandchildren to talk about this and that. ¡°Lord, my father is always concerned about your health. He prays for the health of the Lord every worship service.¡± He nodded at Marco¡¯s words. ¡°I¡¯m grateful that Merha hasn¡¯t forgotten me.¡± ¡°Yes, he is really putting a lot of effort into this election for the Great Pope. If the Lord helps¡­¡­.¡± It was when Marco was fawning over the Head that Gaju gestured to Elisha. ¡°Come here, bird. Car, Arien,e here too.¡± Elisha slowly approached the Head. She knew instinctively that Gaju had summoned them to test them. Merha, Marco¡¯s father and second son of Gaju was trying to get elected to the Great Pope selection. ¡®The Lord will want someone other than Merha to be the Great Pope.¡¯ Among the candidates for the Great Pope, there was another candidate from the Cartier family. He was from a minor branch of the Cartier family that was experiencing a decline. The Head yed a prominent role in the temple no matter which of the two would be elected. He controlled the game. Furthermore, Merha was still too young. It would have been okay for him to run in the next election. The reason why Merha insisted on the position of Pope was clear. ¡®It¡¯s to help Marco be the next Head.¡¯ So, as if Marco¡¯s tale was too dull to listen to, Gaju beckoned Elisha. ¡°Do you know what these things are?¡± Gaju pointed to his grandchildren¡¯s gifts that he had proudly disyed. ¡°Yes, I was working on theundry at the time, but I heard your grand birthday party from a distance. I could only congratte you from afar.¡± Elisha replied with a doll-like face. The more Gaju looked at her, the more he liked her. Elisha¡¯s words sounded more sincere than Car, who was always trembling trying to act cute. ¡°You all think your husband¡¯s gifts are the best. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± Gaju first looked at Arien. ¡°Of course, my Lord! My husband carefully prepared the bone fragments of the prophet for a long time. He was so concerned about the health of the Lord. They say that if you have a part of the body of the prophet, you will live a long life. My husband is always worried about the health of the Patriarch,¡± said Arien. Arien, the daughter of a high priest, spoke in a graceful manner. Car¡¯s face altered as if she was determined she couldn¡¯t lose. She wanted to make up for being humiliated in front of Elisha today. ¡°Lord, please look at the painting of the artist Ilump that my husband prepared. It¡¯s the 34th installment of a fantasy series. Car was so really touched! The money that bought the painting was our husband¡¯s own money that he earned! Maybe it¡¯s because he learned from you, our husband is an excellent businessman! Our husband¡¯s painting auction house is so sessful.¡± Car praised her husband as if she had oiled her tongue. Gaju nodded. And this time, he looked to Elisha. ¡°Then, what do you think of your husband¡¯s gift?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen it, and it¡¯s a gift that I didn¡¯t help with, so I have nothing to say. I think it¡¯s worthy since you received it.¡± Elisha spoke indifferently. Car and Arien seemed to be frightened by Elisha¡¯s haughty and detached remarks. ¡°Why don¡¯t you take this opportunity to glorify your husband? The one who married you. He caught a dragon as if he went rabbit hunting.¡± Gaju, who was a little disappointed, gave a rarepliment to Lucerne. In fact, it was a gift that could not bepared to a frame with jewelry and a picture or bone fragments. Above all, it was a gift from Lucerne himself. ¡°Then I¡¯ll be honest with you. It seems to be smaller than the Artartan dragon I heard the General caught three years ago. It¡¯s said that it¡¯s head was as big as a house.¡± It was already quiet, and a tide of silence filled the banquet hall. Even the men sitting down didn¡¯t say a word while. Even the wives vying for the Head¡¯s attention now opened their eyes at Elisha wide in surprise. Elisha calmly continued her speech, ignoring the res asking what kind of nerve she had. ¡°A bigger dragon will be a gift to the 80th birthday party of the Lord. I think it means to live a long life and stay healthy until then. Besides, the General couldn¡¯t have caught a small dragon on purpose. He¡¯s done his best now, so in a few years,rger dragons will appear. There will be a better chance.¡± Elisha showed humility among the beggarly ttering wives. Her husband was alreadypetent and strong, so she didn¡¯t have to inte him. Additionally, Marco¡¯s father scratched the insides of the irritated Head. The inner thoughts of Gaju didn¡¯t want to make Marco¡¯s father Merha the Great Pope yet. It was weighed against the intention of ¡®There will be a better opportunity in a few years.¡¯ Elisha¡¯s victory ended the Lord¡¯s examination to gauge the women¡¯s abilities. Gajuughed so hard it tore across his mouth. *** Chapter 19.2 Chapter 19.2 It was the first time in years that everyone saw Gaju smiling as if he were truly happy. ¡°Did you say it¡¯s Elisha?¡± ¡°Yes, Lord.¡± ¡°Come without even business. I want to talk to you often.¡± ¡°My husband works in the military, so I¡¯ll do it without causing any unnecessary misunderstanding.¡± The Head approved of Elisha even more as he witnessed her cautious attitude. Gaju even told Elisha and Lucerne to go back to their rooms for the first night. ¡°In fact, we¡¯re leaving like this. Now that I have a wife, I have to introduce her to the house she¡¯ll live in. We have no more time to dy. I¡¯d like to finish packing and get out of here.¡± Lucerne spoke casually. The Lord usually liked to hold the back of Lucerne¡¯s neck due to his arrogant attitude, but instead, he was pleased to give permission. ¡°Butler. Give Elisha a present.¡± He even generously gave away gifts. The faces of the two daughters-inw who heard the words became ashen for different reasons. When Arien and Marco first got married, Gaju did not remember Arien¡¯s name until the second meeting. On the other hand, Car simply couldn¡¯t stand Elisha receiving a gift. ¡°Thank you.¡± Elisha spoke politely. Elisha¡¯s attitude was proud but kept her manners making the Head more satisfied. When she saw Elisha and Lucerne go out to pack, Car red at Jacob. Car¡¯s anger red up because she received no gift from the Lord ever since she entered this house. *** ¡°Dear, Car is so upset. Elisha¡ªhave you seen that girl? Car spied on the butler this morning. When they opened the treasury full of precious ancient gold coins, Car expected it to be awarded to her. She¡¯s so sad. The property of this house will eventually be all of Car¡¯s, but she¡¯s intercepted by a bitchy thief!¡± Car grabbed Jacob and whined. ¡°How dare she insult Car like this. Elisha, that bitch ignores us withoutprehending our kindness!¡± ¡°I can see and hear ¨Cthat damn bitch! I can¡¯t let it go.¡± ¡°Poor you, poor Car¡­¡­. If you¡¯re too nice, the lower ones will climb on top of you.¡± Jacob soothed Car with a pat. Simultaneously, Jacob grated his teeth together. Jacob was seven years older than Lucerne. As soon as young Lucerne entered the mansion, the child became a thorn in everyone¡¯s eye. A beautiful child, like an angel who inherited the family¡¯s coveted characteristics. However, his personality was foul, and his talent is better than anyone else. The deficit did notpare to him. Jacob would pick on Lucerne several times a day, beating him, tricking him, smacking him, or ordering the servants to starve him. At first, Lucerne, who had been silently beaten, turned seven years old. He lured Jacob into a forest, right into a trap that hung him in the air from a branch and nearly beat him to death. Jacob¡¯s arm broke and begged Lucerne, who was much younger, to stop. When Lucerne tried to shoot his head with a stone, he even cried and prayed. What was particrly traumatizing is that the Lord punished Lucerne lightly. Then Gaju said, ¡®Lucerne is a little boy. Jacob, reflect on yourself. I can¡¯t believe a kid much younger than you put you in this state. Weakness is a sin.¡¯ After that, Jacob blindingly hated Lucerne, but he couldn¡¯tpare to him. So Jacob turned his arrow to the easy prey, Elisha. ¡°Is a prostitute trying to seduce a man? Car, I¡¯ll never forgive her while I¡¯m alive. She¡¯s a contract bride anyway! I¡¯m sure it won¡¯tst long. As soon as she gets out of Lucerne¡¯s protection, I¡¯ll catch her and make her a ve.¡± ¡°We only trust you. You know you¡¯re the only one who can repay the insult Car received today, right? Jacob felt at ease when Car gently coaxed him. Then there was the sound of a carriage. ¡°Those two must be leaving the mansion right away.¡± ¡°Already?¡± Lucerne¡¯s ck wagon stood in front of the temple. Jacob ran out without even looking. ¡°I have a bone to pick!¡± ¡°Oh, Jacob¡ªCalm down! Jacob?¡± Chapter 20.1 Chapter 20.1 The couple gave their formal farewell to the Lord and immediately left the wedding hall. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Lucerne whispered. ¡°A carriage will be arriving soon. We will board it and leave.¡± ¡°Right now?¡± Elisha didn¡¯t even have time to change her clothes. ¡®There¡¯s no way I can pack my things.¡¯ Elisha quickly waived her thoughts. Her luggage would be old pencils, a notebook, and some clothes that were falling apart. It was only a few coins she had saved like treasure. She couldn¡¯t go to Jacob¡¯s detached outbuilding for maids and gather her things. ¡°I¡¯ll buy you everything you need.¡± Elisha nodded. ¡°You¡¯re in a hurry.¡± ¡°You said you didn¡¯t want to spend the first night here.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go to a better ce. Before tonight ends.¡± Elisha was stunned. ¡®What a great man.¡¯ Jacob and Marco acted like clowns to please the Head. Lucerne¡¯s demeanor was great, he was ready to leave right after the wedding. ¡°Are we the only ones leaving? Didn¡¯t you bring knights?¡± ¡°I¡¯m waiting for them. My subordinates said they needed time to prepare.¡± ¡°¡­¡­how much time did you give?¡± ¡°Well, it was just before I entered the wedding hall, so it was two or three hours.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± He was no tyrant. Even excellent knights needed time to pack and ready themselves for a journey. Elisha nced at Lucerne. She wondered if Lucerne was pleased with how she handled herself today. Now that she was Lucerne¡¯s person, whether she liked it or not, there is nothing to be ashamed about seeking his approval. Lucerne brought it up first. ¡°Don¡¯t you think youid it on too thick?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What do you mean I¡¯m going to catch a bigger dragon?¡± Lucerne¡¯s eyes twinkled, containing mirth as if he found it funny. Elisha searched her memory, wondering if he was a man with such a smile. ¡°There¡¯s ten years left until his 80th birthday. Will he remember?¡± ¡°That old man, he has an excellent memory.¡± ¡°You can capture it.¡± Elisha stared at Lucerne with conviction and continued, ¡°But if you don¡¯t think you need to, you don¡¯t have to.¡± Lucerne chuckled. ¡°Where did you learn how to flirt with a man? The monastery?¡± Elisha looked away, her cheeks turning red. ¡°Don¡¯t say that.¡± Then Elisha thought, ¡®Even if I flirt and say pleasing words, I will be thrown out when I¡¯m useless.¡¯ She knew it from the memory of her past life. When it came to women, Lucerne was an unseducable man. He was a perverted man but possessed enough control over himself. He would not favor Elisha due to sexual desire. ¡®Besides ¡­.¡¯ She recalled Car¡¯s words attempting to divide them. ¡®I want a wife who can always be abandoned¡­..¡¯ It was a matter of course, something she already knew. But it was a bitter pill to swallow because it confirmed to her that Lucerne was also of the Cartier family and mindset. Elisha felt desperate, certain if she became a worthless chess piece, she would be thrown out right away. ¡®I have to do well, so we can continue to use each other, like now.¡± Elisha had a mild headache. Maybe because she was in a ce swarming with Cartier family members for a long time. ¡°What¡¯s our little ghost thinking about with that look on her face?¡± Elisha flinched. ¡°You told me to act like your wife. I was wondering if I went too far.¡± ¡°Thanks to you, I enjoyed a family gathering for the first time.¡± It seemed to mean that she had done well. Elisha nodded. ¡°¡­¡­is that so? Then I will continue to do so in the future.¡± Lucerne smiled unexpectedly; he caressed Elisha on the back of her neck. Then his hand fell, and he asked, ¡°Are you upset, by any chance?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be angry about,¡± Elisha answered quietly. ¡°Well. I didn¡¯t take your side.¡± Elisha felt as if someone was poking her heart. It¡¯s just a matter of moving on and ignoring it. Why did he sound like someone who wanted to hurt her? He was a strange man. ¡°¡­¡­ It¡¯s enough that you didn¡¯t ignore me in public. Besides, I don¡¯t care what Car says.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Lucerne¡¯s brow wriggled. Elisha¡¯s confusion deepened. Did they need a clearer definition of their rtionship? ¡°I know my situation. Even if we¡¯re married, it¡¯s my job to survive. There will be no useless emotions or childishness that will hold you back. So, rest assured.¡± *** Chapter 20.2 Chapter 20.2 Lucerne looked down at Elisha. Elisha was a little nervous for unknown reasons. ¡°Is that it?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s it.¡± Lucerne nodded at her confirmation. Then finally, Lucerne¡¯s carriage arrived. Elisha thought it was fortunate that the awkward silence ended. Lucerne opened the carriage door. Elisha grabbed his hand and climbed into the carriage. The coachman immediately urged the horses to pull the carriage as he had been instructed. Elisha inhaled deeply and stuck her head out the window. She was now leaving this hellhole. The corners of Elisha¡¯s mouth went up a tiny bit. ¡®Finally¡­¡­¡¯ Even if Lucerne mistreated her, it would be heavenpared to her experience here. It was then. ¡°Hey, you fucking bitch!¡± She heard someone shouting. Elisha was surprised. ¡°Four years¡ªI fed and clothed you¡ªcurse it! Repaying my grace with enmity?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Lucerne, don¡¯t tter yourself for stealing a woman from me. Do you think I left that bitch alone? Of course, I ate it once¡ªI did. I¡¯m, uh, was so excited to take a whore, not a virgin. Fucking cunts. Go to hell!¡± Elisha¡¯s brow furrowed. Jacob was drunk. *** Jacob dered he would give Lucerne a piece of his mind. However, he shrank back just by looking at Lucerne¡¯s wagon. He tried to sneak back quickly. Then Jacob spotted Elisha looking out through the window. Elisha, with her bridal make-up and her hair curled up, looked strikingly stunning. ¡®I can¡¯t believe I lost her to Lucerne. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ve done it. Lucerne, if he marries a bitch who was once mine, I¡¯ll be able to talk about it for the rest of my life.¡¯ He rationalized and tried to hold it in, but Jacob¡¯s anger exploded when he saw a smile grace Elisha¡¯s face sticking out of the window. The fact that none of Lucerne¡¯s knights were around also encouraged him. ¡®How dare you smile, you lowly thing, making me sick to my stomach?¡¯ So Jacob hurled insults at the carriage as it began to move. He did not forget to adjust his voice so that the Gaju could not hear him in the temple. He was relieved. Until the carriage stopped. *** Elisha¡¯s heart was pounding. The memory of violence was always crystal clear. When he was drunk, screaming and yelling like that, Jacob would always hit Elisha. She felt a weightless numb terror. ¡®What should I do if you believe him?¡¯ What if Lucerne believes Jacob¡¯s lies that he was sleeping with Elisha? It struck her. She was well informed of the psychology of powerful men. They were promiscuous and messy, but they couldn¡¯t stand a woman with experience. ¡°Is that how they curse you?¡± Elisha nodded. Most of them were memories from her past life. ¡°Yes.¡± Lucerne mmed the wagon¡¯s wall. The horseman stopped the carriage. He sped his leather-gloved hands and got out. ¡°Wait¡­¡­.¡± It was finally a day that Lucerne had won approval from the overbearing Head. What Jacob said was a load of bullshit. It was not worth responding to but worth supporting and reading on the og trantors site. Elisha tried to stop him. ¡°Don¡¯t close the door and look properly.¡± If Lucerne had not looked into Elisha¡¯s eyes and said that, she would have told him not to get off. Lucerne opened the carriage door and went out. The next moment Elisha doubted her eyes. Bang! Lucerne, who approached Jacob, punch Jacob¡¯s cheek with his big fist. Not a single expression has changed. ¡°Uh¡­¡­.¡± Jacob¡¯s head was bent down very slowly before Elisha¡¯s eyes. He beat him so hard that blood flowed from Jacob¡¯s mouth. ¡°Gee, what have you done now¡­¡­. Do you think the Lord will forgive this¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Raise your head. I¡¯m not done.¡± ¡°What?¡± Jacob shouted an exmation. Bam! ¡°Wooooo!¡± And Lucerne¡¯s fist stuck in his other cheek. Lucerne abandoned the sprawled-out Jacob and boarded the wagon. Jacob, who Elishast saw, was crawling on the floor with a nosebleed. Lucerne took off his gloves and threw them on the floor. Snap, the carriage door was closed. Lucerne looked at Elisha with dark eyes and said, ¡°Elisha.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Congrattions on your wedding.¡± Elisha kept her mouth shut. Her heart pounded. Indeed, it was the most thrilling congrattions she¡¯d ever heard in both her lives. Chapter 21.1 Chapter 21.1 Lucerne briefly exined their schedule. ¡°Tonight, we¡¯ll stay at a hotel, leave at dawn tomorrow and arrive at my mansion in the capital.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Elisha nodded. That¡¯s all there was to say between the two. Perhaps it would be nice to stop there. Elisha couldn¡¯t stop her pounding heart as the carriage began to move. It was the first time someone had beaten Jacob in front of her. Lucerne¡¯s hand sped Elisha¡¯s hand. Lucerne¡¯s hands were really big. His thick thumb touched her chin. They were big but proportional, pretty hands. Then Elisha opened her mouthimpulsively. ¡°High General.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Do you think being weak is a sin?¡± Elisha had said it to curry favor with the Head. Weakness is a sin. Elisha, who demons had trampled upon, mimicked the devil better than anyone else. ¡®I¡¯m sure he¡¯s the same¡ªhe¡¯s a Cartier.¡¯ But on an impulsive whim, Elisha asked. Lucerne studied Elisha¡¯s face, staring. Sunlight came in between the half-open curtains, but Lucerne¡¯s face was covered in shadows. ¡°Yes,¡± Lucerne answered shortly. Elisha felt as if she swallowed an arsenic. ¡®Yes, of course.¡¯ How foolish, she wanted to believe he beated Jacob for her. What¡¯s the difference? What did she expect? ¡®So, the fact that I died like that in my previous life, ording to this family¡¯s logic, is because Imitted the sin of being weak.¡¯ Lucerne continued, looking forward indifferently, ¡°Did you expect me to say no?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Did you mean what you said to the Head?¡± ¡°No,¡± Elisha said briefly. ¡°I just said what would please him.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m d you¡¯re honest,¡± Lucerne nodded. At the bottom of the wagon was a stationary water bottle. Lucerne poured a bit of the water from the bottle over his fingertips and wiped his hands with a handkerchief. ¡°Why hands¡­¡­.¡± Then suddenly, her view shook. The next moment Elisha¡¯s body was pushed against the carriage wall. ¡°Elisha,¡± Lucerne whispered fiercely. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me. I want to swallow you every time you do that.¡± Lucerne twirled his fingers, pressing on the back of Elisha¡¯s neck. ¡°In fact, I wanted to engrave a marking from me somewhere other than here.¡± ¡°¡­¡­hmm.¡± Elisha gulped. Lucerne pulled the back of her neck and made eye contact. ¡°How can I loath weakness when I have an erection for such a weak and helpless person like you?¡± Elisha blinked rapidly. ¡°Is this the answer my wife expected?¡± Lucerne bit her ear. At the same time, his fingers stroked her knees and then went up her skirt. ¡°What¡­¡­.¡± She didn¡¯t know what answer to believe. Elisha¡¯s chest felt stuffy¡­. not because she was frustrated. But because she was truly baffled. ¡°What are you thinking¡­.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the use of thinking? I want to y with my wife.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Lucerne¡¯s hand came into Elisha¡¯s girdle. He leaned down and went into the skirt. Up and down. Up and down. Elisha¡¯s ass in the carriage seat began to shake. There was no reason to stop him this time. They had already signed their marriage registration¡­¡­. The wedding is already over. Elisha closed her eyes tightly. ¡°Raise your ass,¡± Lucerne instructed. The next moment, her skirt came up to her chest. Elisha sped her dress and lifted her hips slightly. The girdles decorated withyers ofce fell down. For the first time in front of Lucerne, Elisha was embarrassed and wasat a loss at what to do. Lucerne stared at her for a few seconds. Elisha was born with less body hair than other people. [t1v: can¡¯t rte] (Jas: same here) ¡°You¡¯re white here, too.¡± Lucerne threw it(girdle) off. ¡°And you look pretty here, too. How can it be such a pretty line? It¡¯s not even crooked.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that¡­¡­.¡± Lucerne applied very little force with his finger on her pinkbia lips, clit, and secret entrance thatwere revealed. ¡°No, our first night¡¯s ce¡­¡­. I don¡¯t like it here.¡­.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Lucerne said. ¡°I don¡¯t know who you had your first time with, but I¡¯ll make you feel better than with other men,¡± Lucerne whispered. ¡°Ahh¡­¡± Lucerne¡¯s fingers swept through her intimate area. ¡°At least it¡¯s been a long time since Jacob¡¯s caught you, and you haven¡¯t been able to date a lover.¡± ¡°Aung, unn¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°It would hurt if you did it after a long time.¡± As if Lucerne was concerned he would not fit into Elisha¡¯s body, he touched her roseyered vaginal wall, pushed his finger up, and pressed down on her clitoris. ¡°I¡¯m going suck and wash you up¡ªa lot. It¡¯ll be twice as soft once it¡¯s time for our night.¡± ¡°Uhhhhhh¡­¡­.hmm.¡­.¡± Lucerne fondled Elisha lightly inside her thigh. ¡°So it won¡¯t hurt when I thrust into you, and you squeeze me. That¡¯s right.¡± Elisha tautly grabbed her seat. Lucerne¡¯s head was stuck between her legs. A hot, long tongue tickled Elisha¡¯s clitoris. It wasn¡¯t long before he started to suck on it. ¡°Haaaaaa..¡­Ahhh¡­¡­¡± Liquid sshed all over the ce. Elisha¡¯s ass and hips trembled as her thigh muscles flexed. Lucerne¡¯s head was between her thighs. ¡°I see; I¡¯ll suck it sufficiently, so don¡¯t tighten up too much.¡± Lucerne whispered, stroking Elisha¡¯s thigh with his palm. ¡°Hunn¡­.¡± His tongue, which had been massaging Elisha¡¯s clitoris for a long time, prated into Elisha¡¯s body. She closed her eyes tightly. ¡°If you let go of your skirt, I¡¯ll punish you,¡± Lucerne whispered. ¡°Haaa¡­..Uhhhh, Oh oh¡­¡­.¡± The vehicle rattled, moving roughly. Elisha tightened her grip on the hem of her skirt. *** Chapter 21.2 Chapter 21.2 Sniffle Sniffle. The crying of a boy rang inside the carriage. The four-seater carriage was big enough for several adults, but the story of five long-seater riders changed. The boy who was whimpering couldn¡¯t hold back and opened his mouth. ¡°Oh, fuck. Why are you in someone else¡¯s carriage? Uh, huh? This is my carriage. It¡¯s my contract. Sniff¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Ah, you¡¯re too noisy, Lapis. Eh? Does that matter now? Let¡¯s get together sometime. You always eat, battlefield, eat, and train. When we¡¯re together, you¡¯re shinning his shoes.¡± ¡°Uh, there¡¯s a shadow ¨C maybe it¡¯s the High General!¡± Lapis cried out in a fit of irritation, nonchnce. ¡°What is the general eavesdropping?¡± Corinne, who spoke, looked around in surprise. Nora looked at him pitifully. ¡°The General does not eavesdrop. Corinne,e in here confidently, and I¡¯ll kick you.¡± Nora caught their attention. ¡°You saw her, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°What do you mean, ¡®her¡¯?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t pretend you don¡¯t know. The wife of the General! Countess Lor?¡± The sobbing of the boy, Lapis, grew louder when the story came out. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s so loud. Stop crying, Lapis!¡± Corinne shouted irritatedly. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± A dark boy resembling Lapis pulled out a handkerchief and wiped Lapis¡¯ eyes. The two had the same appearance, but their skin and eye color were different, so people could easily distinguish between the twins. ¡°Stop crying, huh?¡± ¡°My brother, I can¡¯t stand it. The High General¡­ The trash that disciplines us if we make a mistake.¡­I knew he was a god, but I knew.¡­. but a woman¡­¡­. a woman¡­..¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°No, he doesn¡¯t touch women. You can¡¯t always take the initiative when you beat them up like that. Uh, uh, uh, uh. I¡¯m a genius wizard, and I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m serving such a man.¡± ¡°Be quiet, Lapis!¡± In unison, everyone used one voice to swear at Lapis. Ianughed as if he were in trouble. ¡°So why are we all here in this carriage?¡± ¡°No, let¡¯s sort things out. The High General got a contract marriage!¡± cried Corinne. ¡°He¡¯s not trafficking.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Nora said, cutting them off. Just beforeing here, Nora had temporarily escorted Elisha at the request of the General. It was only for a few days, but only Nora and Ian had met her. It was Ian and Nora who entered the ducal estate behind Lucerne¡¯s buggy. They saw Elisha¡¯s first encounter with Lucerne, who was hugging shabbyundry on her way out of theundromat. But both of them kept their lips sealed. It was not good for the knights to know that Lucerne¡¯s new wife was a woman who was aundry maid. They wanted to protect the honor and esteem of the newdy. So Ian just said vaguely that she seemed like a good person. That¡¯s all the information they could get from Ian, a former spy. Nora was much harder to get information out of because she was naturally silent. But there was no lie in her words. So it was natural for the knights to pick up their ears. ¡°What do you mean? Exin it, Nora. Huh?¡± ¡°Did you say she was kidnapped with your own mouth?¡± The knights scramble to ask. ¡°No, she didn¡¯t seem to have been arrested or threatened,¡± Nora spoke sinctly. ¡°Well, didn¡¯t she get pulled out of Jacob¡¯s mansion, right?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t think she was a spy?¡± ¡°What do you think? Is she pretty?¡± A series of simultaneous questions from the knights popped up. The reserve Nora head started to throb. ¡°She¡¯s¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The knights¡¯ ears perked up. ¡°Good.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± It was a nondescript word. ¡°She is quiet and well-behaved. I told you she didn¡¯t look like a bad person. Who¡¯s able to fool the High General in the first ce?¡± Ian said with a shy look on his face. ¡°She¡¯s pretty.¡± Nora added. ¡°Yeah¡­¡­ she is.¡± ¡°But the General said he would never have a contract bride. There were so many brides lined up to exchange their titles with him.¡± ¡°Right, saying two different things with one mouth.¡± Once again, the carriage became noisy. Lapis eventually added a word. ¡°I can¡¯t believe he didn¡¯t invite us to the wedding¡­.. See, this is a breach of contract. Look, this is my employment contract. Two days prior to an event, I must be notified. That way, I can attend¡­¡­. I didn¡¯t get invited, let alone a glimmer of a notice. I can¡¯t live to be treated like this. Hm¡­¡­ I¡¯m¡­¡­. I¡¯m going to run away from home.¡­.¡± Lazri looked at Lapis with warm eyes and said, ¡°Lapis, you know what? The 80-year employment contract is just a ve document, so the general will not keep it.¡± Chapter 22.1 Chapter 22.1 ¡°When you sweet talk me¡­¡­. I can¡¯t live. Haaa [Sigh]¡­.¡± With Lapis¡¯s cry filling the carriage, afterward there was utter silence, but after some time, words broke the fragile stillness. ¡°No¡ªhe didn¡¯t even introduce us to thedy!¡± ¡°This is ignoring us!¡± ¡°Did he beat me and pick me up from prison for this? If he¡¯s going to treat me like this, I¡¯m going back to prison!¡± Corinne gritted her teeth and said. ¡°I am not even tired!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s drink!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t get a congrattory gift¡­¡­. Oh, is this a good thing?¡± Lapis began to sniffle even more. ¡°By the way¡­..Why was she under Jacob¡¯s control¡­.?¡± The Seeds of the Knights of ck Lion were all people with deep stories andplex pasts. The circumstances of those Lucerne brought from somewhere varied widely. Some were brought from prison, and others were attacked by the Cartier family. Lucerne saved people even if they thought they were not cut out to be knights, regardless of gender or cast¡ª some were women, and others were lowly. So their loyalty to Lucerne was great. Lucerne¡¯s sudden marriage was a shock to them, and it was also a disappointment. Besides¡­¡­. ¡®He¡¯s never had a scandal with a woman!¡¯ She was a woman tied to Jacob. This incident stabbed their pride. The most shocking part is that they weren¡¯t invited to the wedding. ¡°No way. When we get to the hotel, we will go by roll call.¡± ¡°Yes, I can¡¯t hold back anymore¡ª I¡¯m a wizard with feelings!¡± ¡°Right, let¡¯s talk.¡± Everyone exchanged opinions. After two hours, the carriage stopped in front of the hotel. It was a luxury hotel with a lower level of amodation for employees. The knights exchanged nces and got off first and lined up in front of the carriage. The general¡¯s carriage door was still firmly shut. *** *** So they stood steadfast in front of the hotel. They were determined to dere, ¡°At least you should have informed us before you got married.¡± However, even after a long time, Lucerne did not get off the wagon. The subordinates nced at each other. Thump. After a while, the carriage door opened. Lucerne got off the wagon. However, no one followed out after him. ¡°Can you walk?¡± Lucerne looked in the carriage and asked. It was an unexpectedly sweet voice. The bystanders¡¯ eyes grew round with awe. ¡°Come out. I¡¯ll hold your hand.¡± It was not long before a white hand was seen emerging out of the carriage. Lucerne pulled the hand. ¡°Ah!¡± Lucerne lifted the woman who got off the wagon. The knights surrounding the carriage held their breath. The woman¡¯s hair was disheveled, her cheeks were red. Her eyes looked hazy. It was enough to discern what happened within. The words of the knights dried up. ¡°Why are you standing there, gawking?¡± Lucerne said with a cold face. The knights immediately stood at attention. ¡°We¡¯ll reach the gate early tomorrow morning, so gather at dawn.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°Do you have something to say?¡± The knights exchanged nces. Even the sniffling Lapis couldn¡¯t say a word. ¡°None,¡± They dered as if they were throwing up. Elisha, who was helplessly embraced by Lucerne, made them imagine a lot of things. The knights¡¯ mouths didn¡¯t open; it was as if their jaws were glued together. They didn¡¯t know whether to be surprised or sympathetic that Lucerne was a straight man. Lucerne entered the hotel, holding Elisha. The knights exchanged nces in unison. ¡®We¡¯ll talk to himter. Of course, it¡¯s not because I¡¯m scared.¡¯ So, today, the Seed¡¯s 59th attempt at defiance went up in smoke. *** Elisha wanted to be a capable wife. It was natural, as her abilities in her previous life saved Elisha. ¡°Competence¡± included receiving good reviews from Lucerne¡¯s closest aides. Elisha had a hunch that the Seeds didn¡¯t regard her as an equal, let alone a master. ¡®I¡¯m screwed.¡¯ The Knights of ck Lion. The most elite, the Seeds. In a year or twoter, their poprity would soar, and they would be the hope of the people of the Empire. ¡®Of course, I have to look good to them.¡¯ But what they just saw¡­¡­. ¡®I looked like a concubine.¡¯ Elisha was discouraged. She pulled on Lucerne¡¯s cor to ask him to stop. ¡°So now you can walk?¡± He asked sarcastically. ¡°It¡¯s okay. If you had given me some time, I would have walked myself.¡± Elisha spoke calmly. She was a little upset. ¡®Where the hell did my underwear go?¡¯ There was an emptiness between her legs. She didn¡¯t even know where the girdle was. Chapter 22.2 Chapter 22.2 The price of holding Lucerne at bay was huge. During the two-hour carriage ride, Lucerne never let Elisha¡¯s body go. He caressed her whole body with hisrge palm, kneaded her nipples, stroked herbia, and teased only her clitoris for more than ten minutes. ¡®How many times did I cum?¡¯ He didn¡¯t even put it in, but she spewed out water-like fluid, and her thighs trembled. Her whole body seemed to float, her head turned white.¡­. And yet¡­¡­. ¡®I think I¡¯m bing strange.¡¯ Her body is still oddly sweetly troubled. She felt like she became a sensual flesh-crazed animal. Did she want to put a man¡¯s penis in a ce she had never touched before? Her body was craving something inside as if something was missing. Elisha was afraid of her uncontroble sex drive. All the more so for Lucerne, who was simply curious and lustful. Lucerne dropped her off long after crossing the long garden. She was forced to walk, holding Lucerne¡¯s arm. The garden of the hotel was incredibly striking, but Elisha didn¡¯t even have time to notice. Soon a man who appeared to be the manager came out in a hurry. ¡°I¡¯ve emptied the guesthouse. It¡¯s an honor for the high general to visit. If you have time, maybeter in the evening at our hotel salon¡­¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the first night. If you disturb me, I¡¯ll cut off your neck.¡± When Lucerne spoke in a tone dripping with ice, the manager groveled and repeatedly said, ¡°It¡¯s an honor.¡± *** The manager rushed to the small house behind the hotel. It was a small building that was too luxurious to be called a house. The manager opened the door with a key, and Elisha went inside. The maids from the hotel were there. Elisha was guided into the bathroom by them. ¡°We will leave in an hour and won¡¯t be visiting until tomorrow morning. I¡¯m going to help you change and get ready,¡± one of the maids informed her politely. Roses were floating onthe bathwater. Since when did he prepare this? ¡®But he wants to have the first night with all the procedures. ¡® Elisha thought it was an unexpected luxury. ¡°I¡¯ll do it myself, so you can go out.¡± ¡°Still¡­¡± ¡°I know how to remove my makeup myself, and I know how to wear pajamas. Just help me take off my dress.¡± The maids looked around and agreed. In her previous life, Elisha often served Car. So she knew how to handle expensive dresses and how to remove and put on simple makeup. Elisha asked just when the maids were going to leave. ¡°What¡¯s the date today?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s September 23rd. It¡¯s 8 p.m.¡± Elisha nodded her head. She felt like she could finally live when she used the finest rose oil to remove the heavy makeup and soak her body. Elisha went into the bathtub. She tapped the bathtub and calcted the date. ¡®It¡¯s about to be¡­. Maybe today.¡¯ While she was at it, she began to think about what would happen in the future. Fortunately, she had a good memory and often read newspapers. Things that were the past and will be the future. The events of Elisha¡¯s past life were partly fuzzy and partly clear. Fortunately, she remembered all the important information. Her thoughts stopped because of the throbbing pain between her thighs. ¡®What a beast he is.¡¯ Dizzy at the sight of her body reflected in the water, she couldn¡¯t recognize the original color of her skin because he had bitted the inside of her thigh in the carriage. There was still a tingling sensation left. Elisha thought as she poured water on it, ¡®Really¡­¡­ he is going to do it.¡¯ (PR: sleep with her) Elisha felt her head go nk in the hot water. ¡®Car was crazy because she wanted to sleep with Lucerne. Lucerne¡­.has an appearance that causes women to lose their reason.¡¯ Car dreamed of sleeping with her husband¡¯s arch enemy Lucerne once. It was a crazy idea, but it was possible for Car. Car and Jacob were of the same kind. Car was a little more careful than Jacob, but Car sometimes cheated on him, too. Car had all the qualities that men would like. Skillful charmness, blond hair, big chest, soft skin. Cute face with a small build¡­¡­. ¡®He was a man who never knocked her down.¡¯ Well, she wasn¡¯t the only one who coveted Lucerne. ¡®Later, the greatest beauty of the time, even the royal family, came at Lucerne.¡¯ Whether it was a woman or man, if a perfect personcked about 5%, you¡¯d want to fill it up. The great nobles had status, and Lucerne had everything but his identity as an illegitimate child. Therefore, there were many women who loved him with a desire to fulfill hisck of identity andmit to him. ¡®Why did I offer to assuage his sexual desires?¡¯ There was really nothing else she could think of at the time. She thought any route would be better than going back to Jacob¡­¡­. ¡®Maybe because I¡¯m the only woman who knows he¡¯s a pervert?¡¯ [Jas: LOLOLOLOL] Chapter 23.1 Chapter 23.1 She didn¡¯t know what he expected from her, but Elisha was certain about one thing that, ¡®His expectations of me won¡¯tst past the night, I won¡¯t have to wait for long.¡¯ She knew that simple biting and sucking and the forey they were having was different from sexual intercourse with an end. In her previous life, Elisha was an ugly woman with burns to her face. Men used to look at her with scorn as if they were disgusted. She would never forget those eyes. Working under Jacob, she saw a lot of women. Even though some women were considered ugly in appearance, they captivated men by being flirtatious and wielded great charm. So Elisha concluded that from the core, she must be an unattractive woman. ¡®I¡¯m confident in my abilities, but¡­..¡¯ A bitter smile broke out. She would not be able to sexually satisfy Lucerne tonight. So, after his brief favor and the inevitable waning of interest, she would have to prove her worth and abilities in other ways. ¡®It will be enough if I can be treated like a human.¡¯ As long as she wasn¡¯t beaten, verbally abused or starved for making a mistake¡ªit would be enough. For Elisha, a small room with good food and clean clothes would make her content. ¡®I don¡¯t think Lucerne will be as petty as Jacob.¡¯ Anticipating the future made her body tremble with tension. Elisha tried to clear her head and control her emotions. There was the sound of the door opening. Elisha instinctually covered herself, curling up in the bathtub. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Lucerne was standing in the doorway looking at her. ¡°Just¡­ just thinking¡­¡­.¡± Her body was getting hot but her lips were turning blue. Lucerne stripped down and took off his clothes. His short hair, which he hadbed back to match his formal suit attire, fell forward. There was a ssh. Lucerne came straight into the bathtub. The bathtub was big enough for two people to soak in. Elisha¡¯s body grew rigid. The steam from the hot water hovered over his broad shoulders. ¡°Come closer.¡± Elisha hesitated before approaching Lucerne. This was inevitable anyway. If it was something she had to go through she might as well get it over with as quickly as possible. With her knees folded up and covering the front of her body, Elisha grabbed Lucerne¡¯s arm and pulled herself over while floating in the water. It was like asking for touch, Lucerne¡¯s wet hands caressed Elisha¡¯s body. ¡°You¡¯re so small,¡± He said as he rubbed her shoulders. Elisha¡¯s body was curled up like a ball. Lucerne had an unknown expression on his face. Elisha rubbed her tongue against the top of her mouth until it burned. ¡°I¡¯m of average build.¡± Elisha was about 160 cm [5¡¯2¡±] tall and was average. Imperial women typically had slender bodies, so many women had the same build as Elisha. ¡°Really?¡± Lucerne asked. Elisha felt silly. Indeed, for Lucerne, a giant nearly 190cm [6¡¯2¡±] tall, most women would look small to him. ¡°But then why are you so special?¡­ If you said you¡¯re normal.¡± Lucerne murmured. He had a skeptical look in his eyes. He ced Elisha¡¯s body on hisp. His erect penis poked her between her ass cheeks. Elisha flinched but didn¡¯t avoid it. Trying to calm down, Elisha leaned back against him. Lucerne in turn became harder. He kissed Elisha¡¯s ears and cheeks while fondling her buttocks in the water. Her anxious trembling slowly stopped and the quiver of pleasure started to take over her body. ¡°Despite what you may say, you are anxious to swallow me up.¡± As Lucerne caressed her ass, his hand slowly stroked her asshole, Elisha moaned and gasped. Her eyes looked back at him in surprise. ¡°There¡¯s an erogenous zone here too, but I won¡¯t cram it in there. I¡¯m not that kind of pervert.¡± Lucerne said as if thinking of such a thing was ridiculous. A kind of fire, even amid her self-loathing, dominated Elisha¡¯s mind as his hard arms hugged her waist. It was sexual desire ¨C how brazen she was to yearn for this man. When did she feel shame? After being held hostage to Jacob¡¯s wrath, she could no longer think of it when she was starving. If she didn¡¯t deserve to be treated as a human being, she shouldn¡¯t have any desire but the body always roared if its needs were not met. Perhaps her mind forgot she was a person, but her body did not. Her body always asked for more. Food, warm bed, peace, and safety. Elisha¡¯s whole life was like that. Every night she fell asleep trying to imagine the love from her deceased mother that she couldn¡¯t even recall. She wanted someone¡¯s attention and love. Tears sprung up around Elisha¡¯s eyes. She couldn¡¯t figure out why she felt this way. Here she was, having the first night with a man that everyone wanted, and instead, she was harboring miserable thoughts. ¡°Why are you crying?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not crying.¡± ¡°Even if you have tears in your eyes, you can¡¯t bear to lose a word.¡± Large fingers smoothed Elisha¡¯s eyes. Her fear and trembling subsided. Elisha looked into Lucerne¡¯s eyes and plucked up the courage to kiss him. Quickly Lucerne sucked on Elisha¡¯s lips. Their lips entangled together in lewd ways. Elisha couldn¡¯t move her tongue, so she closed her eyes tightly. Lucerne¡¯s tongue moved impatiently as if it were trying to pull out Elisha¡¯s tongue. ¡®I¡¯m weird.¡¯ She felt like an animal. As soon as she wasn¡¯t abused, she couldn¡¯t control herself. ¡°I licked your bottom like that, and I got excited when I washed my upper lip.¡± *** Chapter 23.2 Chapter 23.2 ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°What have you done to me? Or have you ever met¡­?¡± Lucerne mumbled, touching Elisha¡¯s lower lip. Elisha¡¯s hair stood up. ¡°What ¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Your eyes are filled with guilt. What¡¯s tormenting you? Hmm, our dear little ghost.¡± Elisha avoided his gaze. ¡°I never did. Rather¡­¡­.¡± She sped Lucerne¡¯s hard arm as she spected, ¡®Only after the first night¡­¡­ will I be his wife.¡¯ Her face was calm as she faced Lucerne. Of course, being Lucerne¡¯s wife was Elisha¡¯s only way to live. The first night to aristocrats was a process of verifying the functionality of each other¡¯s bodies. If Elisha failed to consummate their marriage, Lucerne could file an annulment. ¡°Be patient,¡± Lucerne said. ¡°Is it because you were so aroused in the carriage?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Lucerneughed. Then there was a loud rumbling sound that reverberated in Elisha¡¯s stomach. Elisha¡¯s eyes widened. ¡®Oh,e on.¡¯ This was ridiculous and not funny. Elisha bit her lip. Lucerne chuckled deeply with a low base note. *** After washing up, Elisha attempted to put on new underwear. ¡°You don¡¯t have to wear it.¡± Ultimately, Elisha wore a single thick robe over her naked body. Elisha while wearing the robe felt embarrassed . When she came out, there was a steaming feast on the table. She was terribly hungry. While preparing for the wedding she had nothing but apple juice. It was difficult to eat once she put on the dress. ¡°Eat, so you can stay up all night.¡± Elisha¡¯s cheeks turned red. She didn¡¯t know what to eat, feeling overwhelmed when she held the spoon. ¡°Do I have to feed you?¡± Lucerne asked dumbfounded. Elisha shook her head and scooped up the soft potato cream soup in front of her. Food seeped into her stomach. After eating a small loaf of bread and bowl of soup, Elisha put down her spoon. ¡°Eat more.¡± Lucerne scrutinized every piece of meat that entered Elisha¡¯s mouth. Elisha had to eat even a tender steak. Lucerne made sure Elisha finished eating as he ate slowly. He even examined Elisha¡¯s mouth, rinsing himself. ¡°Put it in your mouth and spit it out.¡± With powdered toothpaste, edible rose juice, and salted water, Elisha rinsed her mouth and spat out the water into a brass bowl as he instructed. The thought of being treated as a child made Elisha feel strange. As she looked at Lucerne, he repeated the same behavior. *** ¡°Umm, oh¡­¡­.¡± The hotel suite was enormous. Including the living room where Elisha and Lucerne ate, there was another room with a huge bed. It was a luxurious ce. As Lucerne pulled her robe¡¯s sash, Elisha effortlessly became nude. He also took off his garment. Lucerne put her on hisp and leaned his back on the bed. Their lips ovepped, and quickly animal-like breaths were exhaled, and they swapped saliva. Hisrge firmness and Elisha¡¯s smooth naked body entangled as if they were one. Lucerne¡¯s hands squeezed Elisha¡¯s butt and fondled her. ¡°Hnng¡­¡­.¡± Elisha looked at his body with curiosity. Even under the dim candlelight, she could tell he had no ordinary body. Was this why women swooned upon just hearing Lucerne¡¯s name? ¡®I think I understand.¡¯ Lucerne felt Elisha¡¯s gaze on him and smiled softly. ¡°Do you want me to lick you?¡± Elisha shook her head a little. ¡°I¡¯m sore. No more of that¡­¡­.¡± It hurts even if with a slight touch with how much he sucked and licked her down there in the carriage. He didn¡¯t touch the inside of her vagina, so she was probably fine, but Elisha was worried if his genitals would fit in her entrance. Elisha closed her eyes tightly. She leaned towards Lucerne¡¯s penis. ¡°I can do it.¡± Lucerne said with a smile. Elisha bit her lips. ¡°You can do it.¡± As she allowed Lucerne, he caressed Elisha¡¯s head and ears with his big hands. The heating off of him circted in her head. Elisha closed her eyes tightly. ¡°Ugh!¡± Lucerne pulled her head, and hisrge penis suddenly came into her mouth at once. He groaned. ¡°Suck it a little. How can I get all the way into this little mouth?¡± He spoke with a grin in his voice and brushed his fingers around Elisha¡¯s mouth. ¡°It¡¯s a big deal to get in this mouth.¡± ¡°Huh¡­¡­¡± Elisha licked the tip of his ns like candy. Her mouth hurt already. ¡®Am I¡­..doing this¡­¡­, right?¡¯ When she worked under the promiscuous Jacob she got a glimpse of a lot of lewd things. So she knew at least how men and women enjoyed their rtionship. It was knowledge she had seen and heard of but her technique was clumsy. Slurp, slurp¡­.. Despite Elisha¡¯s clumsy mouth, Lucerne¡¯s organ grew bigger and bigger. ¡®How big is this thing?¡¯ Elisha shuddered with fear. She couldn¡¯t believe something like this really went into a human body¡­¡­. Chapter 24.1 Chapter 24.1 It was too big. Elisha was scared that if he went deeper it would poke her throat and trigger her gag reflex. Elisha¡¯s face turned white. ¡°Just once¡­ suck me deeply, and I¡¯ll take it out.¡± Lucerne grabbed Elisha by the head. His pir poked down her throat. He groaned so low she could feel his body throb in her mouth. Elisha held back her tears and kept sucking his pulsating member. She kept sucking in his organ like Lucerne sucked and swallowed her own. ¡°Take it out.¡± Lucerne was annoyed. Elisha shook her head. ¡°Leave it.¡± ¡°Unn¡­¡­. Huhhn¡­.¡­.¡± Lucerne grabbed Elisha¡¯s head and began to move gently. Even though his member almost reached the back of her throat, she barely managed to get her lips around his pir. Elisha¡¯s hair was a mess. ¡°You can¡¯t even do it.¡± He kicked his tongue. She felt like she was being reprimanded. Elisha lowered her eyes. It was a habit of her to hide her facial expression when in trouble. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t do this¡­.What the hell is wrong?¡± [t1v: it seems like this phrase is ambiguous. Elisha thinks he is talking to her but he may be talking to himself too] Soon she heard hisboured, heated breathing above her head. When Lucerne sped her head, Elisha was forced to take her lips off of him. Her lips and jaw were tingling. Elisha looked up to find Lucerne smiling pleasantly. It waspletely unexpected. Lucerne took Elisha¡¯s hand. Elisha already felt fatigue settling in. From dawn, she had been preparing and getting ready for the wedding, the dinner, plus a carriage ride¡­¡­. It was strange that she hadn¡¯t already passed out. ¡®But I need to pay the first night¡¯s debt.¡¯ It was as if she was looking for a rationale. Elisha felt strange¡­¡­. She felt like she had to continue what they were doing in the carriage because of this strange feeling. Lucerne wiped Elisha¡¯s eyes with his thumbs. He held Elisha¡¯s hands together and led her to hold his penis. Lubricated by her saliva, Elisha rubbed the towering column-like penis up and down with her hands. A lewd sound of wetness squeaking rang in her ears. He was extremely big and handsome and it even extended to his blood-filled genitalia that Elisha couldn¡¯t stare closely at. ¡°I have to take it out. You will have to do it three or four times to get rid of it, but if your body takes it you will faint.¡± ¡°Really¡­.No¡­¡± Perhaps it was painful. Some people say that their first experience felt like their body was splitting in two. Elisha heard there was a woman who fainted in the middle. [t1v: fyi first times can bepletely painless and bloodless, join the sex-ed channel on my discord for more] Doing it three times? It seemed out of the question. ¡®Especially with something so big.¡­.¡¯ Elisha didn¡¯t want to think of the disgusting man at this time, but she remembered seeing Jacob¡¯s genitals when picking up his clothes. It looked so different, small, and ugly. The thought of it raised disgust. ¡®Why do you think of him at times like this?¡¯ She couldn¡¯t hide her expression. Lucerne looked dimly down at Elisha. ¡°What do you hate so much?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Or are you thinking of another man¡­¡­¡± Elisha¡¯s body got goosebumps. Lucerne¡¯s grip was strained. Lucerne¡¯s hand was so big that it covered Elisha¡¯s entire hand. As he rxed his hand, Elisha was able to stroke him up and down quickly. His hefty penis lit up in her hand as if it were alive and humming with hard energy. A strange feeling came over her as she touched him, extending down her spine to her vulva. ¡°Hurry up and get rid of my frustration. ¡®Cause I¡¯m angry. It didn¡¯t seem like he was joking. Elisha¡¯s back shivered when she saw his eyes were not smiling. She urgently hurried to the point of making her wrist ache. ¡°Ah¡­¡­!¡± Shortly after, Lucerne¡¯s genitals shook, and cloudy semen shot out. Elisha had been stroking his cock with her head down in concentration and close by, so there was cum on her cheek. Elisha looked at Lucerne in surprise. There was no expression reflected on her mouth and cheeks, but her blue eyes were round and big with surprise like a rabbit. ¡°Really¡­¡­.¡± Lucerne took a deep slow breath andid Elisha down beneath him. Stuck under Lucerne¡¯s arm, Elisha gulped, not even having a chance to wipe her cheek. Lucerne caressed Elisha¡¯s cheek with his big hand. The hot, strange-smelling semen was spread out. She felt so weird. ¡°I¡¯m in trouble because I want to go easy on you.¡± Lucerne spoke in a low, soft voice. Elisha blinked quietly. Come to think of it, she seemed to have semen on her eyshes; she tried to hide her expression even more. Lucerne put his hand on the inside of Elisha¡¯s knee and lifted it up. ¡°It¡¯s swollen. Did I lick it too much?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Lucerne swept through the long, straight, secret area with his fingers. ¡°Your pubic hair is so thin that I can see everything. Yes, I can even see what it looks like here.¡± Elisha tried to close her legs but Lucerne held them open. She felt like an animal. Elisha blushed and covered her face. ¡°If you have a small mouth, you shouldpensate by having a big mouth down here. If they¡¯re both so small, how can they ept my dick?¡± Lucerne asked reproachfully as he rubbed Elisha¡¯s mound with his palm. The lewd fluid leaked out. At the same time, that same bizarre sensation, that deep ache grew stronger in her. ¡°Ugh [sfx: Gasp]¡­¡­!¡± Lucerne¡¯s thick fingers dug into Elisha¡¯s pussy. Elisha¡¯s back trembled and she grabbed the sheets. This time, he moved round and round with just one finger as if he were teasing her. A soggy sound rang out. *** Chapter 24.2 Chapter 24.2 ¡°Rx. It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°Uh-huh¡­¡­.Uh¡­¡­¡­.¡± Lucerne put his second and third fingers together and put them inside Elisha¡¯s body. Perhaps thanks to Lucerne¡¯s careful release, there was a sound of water sshing and dampening. It was tight but with it came a bearable pressure. ¡°Oh, ohh¡­¡­.¡± As Lucerne moved his fingers as if pushing up, she couldn¡¯t help her pelvis, hips, and ass flinching. Squelch, Squelch. He began to twirl his fingers quickly. Elisha¡¯s inner thigh trembled. Then, he leaned down and bit her clitoris with his lips. The sound of sshing water became louder and louder. He caressed Elisha with his tongue and hands for a long time until Elisha begged him to stop. ¡°Ha, ha, haaa¡­¡­. ah¡ªOh, no¡­¡­.No more¡­.¡± Elisha wasn¡¯t even in her right mind. She was exhausted from the carriage and now was having another session. She used to have no energy, but now she was more easily aroused just by caressing and touching. Elisha¡¯s body, that reached it¡¯s peak with his fingers without realizing it, quivered all over. Strange liquid-like water leaked. Elisha¡¯s eyes went nk with embarrassment, she thought she peed herself. ¡°No, I just¡­¡­.¡± ¡°How many times is it just today?¡± Lucerne chuckled. ¡°You should wait until I hit it. Umm? I¡¯ll go slow, but why is your pussy swallowing and contracting on everything?¡± Elisha was so embarrassed that she couldn¡¯t say anything. Her lower abdomen slowly went up and down, and her slightly open hole was still swallowing Lucerne¡¯s fingers. Lucerne¡¯s penis was more ferocious than before¡ªfar from calming down. Lucerne pulled out his fingers. ¡°Just let me take a little break ¡­¡­.and then¡­¡­.¡± Elisha said. Lucerne let out a low sigh. He hugged Elisha and stroked her shoulder two or three times. Elisha closed her eyes tightly. It was strange. She was sore but could stand the pain. After all, she had been deemed worthless in her previous life, so no one had wanted her body. She thought she wouldn¡¯t be affected but¡­¡­. Strangely enough, she was continuously flustered. ¡®I don¡¯t hate it, but why do I keep¡­¡­. my heart is getting shaken.¡¯ She had to be calm. Elisha sighed and unwittingly put an arm around Lucerne¡¯s shoulder. She wasn¡¯t even aware of what she did. Lucerne¡¯s back muscles became extremely taunt. ¡°Huh?¡± He really couldn¡¯t help but think she was giving him a sign that she was ready and willing to embrace him. Lucerne sat between Elisha¡¯s legs, his breathing feverish. ¡°Ohh¡­¡­.Uh¡­¡­.¡± It was that moment. A dark sound that seemed to cut through the night sky came into the room. Roooooooooo. It was a dark sound, like a horn. Elisha and Lucerne both knew the meaning of this sound. Lucerne let out a curse and dropped his member that had been ready to enter her. The sound of the horn meant that war had broken out. When the opponent is a man or monster. Or both. It was a sort of rm. ¡°Ugh, fucking hell.¡± He seemed terribly angry, so Elisha sealed her lips. He looked at Elisha as if he were dumbfounded. Rather than irate at Elisha, he seemed disgruntled at the situation itself. ¡°Stay here for a second,¡± Lucerne said. ¡°Don¡¯te out until I tell you to.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± Elisha said as covered herself with a sheet. Soon there was a knock on the door. Probably his subordinate. Lucerne fastened on his clothes. When he opened the door roughly, serious-faced men stood. Elisha stood up, hiding in the doorway, listening to what they were saying. *** ¡°Demons areing from the forest at the foot of the mountain.¡± ¡°In this season?¡± Monsters usually ran wild during spring when magic stones exuded energy. Raids weremon, attacks urring at the foot to the bottom of the mountain. Many hibernate in caves from early fall tote winter. The knights lowered their voices even further. Elisha could only hear if she was concentrated. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ A revolt broke out. It looks like the Suzu estate has fallen. The remnants of the Old Kingdom woke up the demon. Looks like they¡¯re trying to take control of the gate. Cartier¡¯s estate will be safe, but¡­¡­. There seems to be a shortage of soldiers in this town. The neighboring territories will send reinforcements, but there is nomander.¡± ¡°I understand. All right, let¡¯s leave right away,¡± Lucerne said. Chapter 25.1 Chapter 25.1 Elisha listened calmly to the story. ¡®As expected, it was today.¡¯ At the time, Elisha was doing theundry at Cartier¡¯s ducal estate, so she heard the news a few dayste. The Old Kingdom was a kingdom unionposed of dozens of territorial federations and fiefdoms. It was also the country where Elisha¡¯s father, High Lord Lor, belonged to. The Old Kingdom was called the Kingdom for convenience, but it was really like a union of territories, so solidarity was virtually impossible. As the Loiara Empire rose rapidly, the territory, which served as the capital, copsed several times during the small wars. Subsequently, there were asional small rebellions by the remnants of the kingdom. But even that will be soon over, too. ¡®The fall and capture of the Suz estate is thest straw.¡¯ The copse of the Old Kingdom¡¯s Union brought the end of the Great aristocracy and ushering in the era of empire and releasing gold coins to the world. Elisha grew up in a monastery isted from the world, expelled from her father¡¯s estate when she was very young, and had no memory of it. So, it was all just stories that she had heard or read about. ¡°However, the reason why this insurrection is growing is that there are wizards with the rebels.¡± If there were mana stone mines in the mountains or forests, the wizard could breathe mana into these magic gems. When mana stones awoke and began to emit mana, beasts residing around the awoken magic usually went mad and attacked nearby viges. In addition, the madness of monsters spreads to other beasts. Each time they traversed and descended through a forest or mountain, more mad beasts joined them. ¡®It happened right after Gaju¡¯s birthday, so Lucerne, the High General, was staying here with some of his men.¡¯ Lucerne takes the knights he brought, first capturing the Suz estate. Then he beats back the demons back admirably. Lucerne¡¯s fame and reputation spread across the empire and his prestige grows even greater. And now that he¡¯s a Count, with her title, he¡¯ll rise even higher, Elisha thought. *** There was the heavy sound of the door closing. Lucerne, who was talking to his subordinates in the doorway, left. The sexual tension eased. Elishay on the bed, rubbing her body wrapped in sheets. ¡®I feel weird.¡­.¡¯ She wished she had done it sooner, she thought. When they stopped in the middle, she felt a strange sense of lethargy. ¡®But, on the battlefield, how do you handle the excitement?¡¯ He¡¯s definitely a pervert who gets an erection when he kills a man.¡­. with one¡¯s own mouth¡­¡­. Elisha shook her head. ¡®I don¡¯t want to know.¡¯ That was not a matter for Elisha to worry about. The immediate issue at hand was how to survive today. She got up from her seat and drank a ss of wine. Her head calmed down a little. She was terribly tired. Shey in bed and began to organize what was toe and her future situation. Rather, alcohol helped. *** ¡°Did you hear anything about the situation?¡± ¡°The monsters within the forest have been summoned and are appearing. Even if reinforcementse by using the gate, it will take three days. It is estimated that there are about a thousand demons.¡± ¡°The monsters are something I can handle by myself. The rebels are more of a problem. You¡¯ll have to deal with one of them.¡± Lucerne asserted that he could handle a thousand demons himself, a tremendous task. But no one wasughing at Lucerne¡¯sment. Lucerne lightly rubbed his neck. Lucerne looked particrly disheveled. It was no wonder, he was disturbed on his first night. The knights sneakily took in the sight. ¡°Get ready for the war. If it¡¯s this size it should be sorted out in a week.¡± ¡°Yes General!¡± The knights stood at attention. Lucerne studied the profiles of his knights. ¡°Corinne, Nora, Lapis. Escort my wife to her home in the capital.¡± The knights were silent. Lucerne¡¯s knights were all valiant, and they all wanted to go to war. ¡°To escort the nobledy¡­¡­.three of us?¡± ¡°I never gave you permission to speak,¡± Lucerne proimed. He said nothing more. The faces of the knights, who were assigned as escorts, turned white. As war enthusiasts who resemble their master telling them not to go out to the battlefield was almost equivalent to disciplinary action. *** Elisha awoke from her deep slumber. It was noisy outside as dawn broke. The patrons staying at the hotel seemed to be rushing up to the capital to escape the war. Elisha rubbed her eyes. She could feel Lucerne¡¯s presenceing in. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± Elisha greeted Lucerne with an unfazed, expressionless face. Lucerne signed to Elisha to not get up. ¡°Go up to the capital and stay calm.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Elisha nodded her head and didn¡¯t ask any more questions. Lucerneughed as if he was satisfied. ¡°Unnm¡­¡­.¡± The next moment, his lips hotly hit Elisha¡¯s. Lucerne raised her chin and kissed her. ¡°Unnh¡­¡­.¡± Elisha struggled, now less half-asleep with his rough tongue. His lips fell off of hers. Lucerne bit Elisha¡¯s lower lip, full of regret. Her lower lip swelled thickly with his heated touch. ¡°Haaa¡­¡­.Haa¡­¡­.¡± [breathing sfx] Elisha looked at Lucerne with questions. ¡°Until the next time we meet, I¡¯ll have to put up with this one kiss.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Wash your face first. What if other people see your sexy face? There are still traces of our affair.¡± ¡± ¡­¡­I¡¯ll take care of it,¡± Elisha said as her ears tinted red. What a strange man. He said such crass things with a stoic face¡­ Lucerne didn¡¯t take his hands off of her and fiddled with Elisha¡¯s chin. ¡°I worked hard on it, but I don¡¯t want to waste your hole.¡± ¡°¡­You cane back soon after you are finished. The first night isn¡¯t over yet.¡± Elisha didn¡¯t know what was wrong with him, his eyes were slightly bent with a twinkling mirth; he didn¡¯t seem to be listening to Elisha¡¯s words. ¡°Alright, until then, touch yourself while remembering the touch of my fingers.¡± *** Chapter 25.2 Chapter 25.2 ¡°¡­¡­I don¡¯t do that.¡± Elisha unknowingly red at Lucerne with an uneven sullen look. He smiled more clearly this time. ¡°Don¡¯t sleep in your underwear the night I get back. I think it¡¯s going to be urgent.¡± Elisha nodded her head. It was embarrassing¡­¡­There¡¯s nothing you can¡¯t do if you¡¯re going to take it off anyway. Lucerne was expressionless again, deciding to cease teasing her. ¡°I put the letter on the table. Give it to the butler.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You can do the rest as the butler tells you.¡± Elisha nodded her head and looked at Lucerne quietly. He caressed her back as Elisha stared at Lucerne. ¡°See you in the capital,¡± Elisha spoke in aposed tone. There was nothing more to say. Lucerne nodded his head. That was the end of the farewell. *** ¡°Pleasee this way. I¡¯ll take you there.¡± Numerous aristocrats flocked to the gate, but when Elisha appeared, the staff made a separate way. ¡®They say we have to wait a few days to get permission to use the gate once.¡­. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m using the entrance exclusively for the royal family.¡¯ Elisha was on her way to the capital before anyone else through the entrance to the gate exclusively for the royal family. Elisha¡¯s carriage was escorted by nk-looking knights. They seemed displeased, perhaps because they were excluded from important missions. Only Nora cared about Elisha, but she wasn¡¯t one to talk much and was as quiet as her party. *** It took less than two days to reach the capital. Elisha gazed out of the carriage¡¯s window, studying the capital andpared it to the capital she saw in her previous life. It was still crowded and bustling. Jacob spent half of the year in the capital and half of the in the dukedom. So when she first came here, it had been because of Jacob, Elisha forgot where she was and opened her mouth. She wondered if there was such a busy ce in the world. ¡°This is it.¡± The coachman stopped the carriage. Elisha slowly opened the wagon door and got off. ¡®This is Lucerne¡¯s mansion.¡¯ The golden fields of the capital. In the middle of the most expensivend in the Empire, there was a mansion with arge garden. A road leading to the Imperial Pce in front and to the side was a road that ran through downtown. It was an unusually old mansion, as was the case with the expensive houses in the capital. Originally, the white building had turned into an off-white, cream color. The brass front door opened. Elisha nced at the wall of the mansion where the golden ivy was growing. From now on, it was the ce for her to nest. *** ¡°I greet Lady Elisha. From now on, inside the mansion, we¡¯ll call the Lady, Ma¡¯am, and whoever we meet outside will address you as Lady.¡± An old butler stood in front of the mansion. He looked upright and orderly. He referred to Elisha as Lady. ¡®Lady Elisha¡­¡­.¡¯ Originally, Count[ess] Lor was correct [t1v: this seems like a genderblind term inferring she¡¯s the head]. But the title would be now used by the inheriting son-inw, Lucerne. It was a marriage deal to trade titles. Although General itself was not a title, themunity would address her as Lady as to respect to his wife. ording to the social order, it was abel just below Duchess. The butler guided Elisha into the house. ¡°It¡¯ste, but congrattions on your marriage. I¡¯m the butler of this family. Please tell me if you need anything.¡± The butler said his name was Anri. Elisha was relieved that his impression was softer than she initially thought. Traditionally the hostess led the family, so there would be a lot of work to do with the butler in the future. An arrogant butler asionally would ignore a weak hostess, but Anri didn¡¯t seem like that. ¡®Besides, I heard that Anri is a retired knight.¡­.¡¯ Lucerne was also well-known for recruiting many employees with odd careers. Rumor has it that Anri was once nicknamed an executioner that had neither blood nor tears. ¡°I¡¯ve prepared a bed for the knights as well.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Corinne with a disgruntled countenance and Lapis with a stiff uneven jaw brushed past Elisha without saying goodbye. Only Nora paid a silent acknowledgment. All this time they didn¡¯t say a word to Elisha. ¡°I guess they are upset that they couldn¡¯t go to the battlefield. But now that the Lady has arrived, it¡¯s an important duty to protect the mansion.¡± At Anri¡¯s words, Elisha nodded silently. It was Lucerne¡¯s job to order the knights, not hers. Only then did Elisha survey around the house. And what Elisha felt was turmoil. ¡®Why is the house like this?¡¯ Chapter 26.1 Chapter 26.1 A spiral staircase was seen from the foyer from whilst she stood. From the lobby, she could see the stairs leading to the second floor where there was a huge clock hanging on the ceiling that had stopped. ¡®This timepiece¡­ it can¡¯t be.¡¯ Elisha stared at the watch while hiding her astonishment. ¡®¡­that¡¯s Fibina¡¯s Clock of the Flowing World made in the year 553 of the Imperial calendar, right?¡¯ After a famous painter painted the backte, a wizard had cast permanent protective magic on it. The second hand, minute hand, and hour hand were all made of jewels such as obsidian and sapphires. Even if its hands were still, clouds flowed on it during the day then it would be dyed red during sunset, and naturally turned ck in the evening. It was a treasure even the imperial family would have desired. ¡°That thing¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s a gift from the Imperial Family. The general is not very smitten with art, so he often instructs us to hang it anywhere.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± The more Elisha went inside, the more spectacr the mansion was. First of all, Lucerne was much richer than she had thought. ¡®He won¡¯t have to run a business like his other brothers.¡¯ As soon as Elisha entered the house, she saw a vase rolling on the floor. On it was a verification that the vase was an ancient relic and a genuine item from an auction. Real golden flowers were scattered in the air as a piglet with a magic stamp on its body ran past. The maids were chasing after him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. The pig escaped from theb again,¡± A sweaty maid told the butler. ¡°You! Why aren¡¯t you taking care of my pig?¡± Lapis yelled as he chased after the pig. Elisha stepped in front of the pig, cornering it. Lapis slid across the floor in front of her and grabbed the pig. He nced at Elisha as he passed her with a hostile look. ¡°Lapis! You should say thank you. Huh¡ªreally¡­..¡± The butler huffed, Elisha winked to indicate she was okay. ¡°Please understand. Lapis-nim is only 14 years old.¡± ¡°It must be puberty.¡± ¡°Puberty¡­¡­.? Yes, puberty. Indeed. Lapis-nim and his twin brother, Lazri-nim are wizards¡ªof only 97 wizards in the Empire. So please a little¡­They may do something unusual.¡± ¡°All right, you can¡¯t force the wizards to be polite. But I will make it happen.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± The butler seemed to be surprised that Elisha understood what he was saying so quickly. Elisha looked at him as if asking if something was wrong. ¡°Hmm. Yes. Then I¡¯ll continue to show you around.¡± It is obvious that the house without a hostess wouldn¡¯t be the same as a house with a mistress keeping order but Elisha had never seen such a chaotic house before. Elisha saw famous paintings haphazardly hanging on each wall. If they put them all up for auction, even the affluent would be moved beyond tearspeting over these precious items with high bids. ¡°Are all of these belongings¡ªgifts?¡± ¡°Yes, these are items received every time the masteres back from the battlefield¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± How many wars has he fought in his 20s? Elisha became genuinely curious. The butler said as if reassure her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The ones that really matter are well stored in the treasury.¡± Somehow, Elisha suspected the treasury would be even in a more terrible state. The butler also coughed with embarrassment, ¡°Due to the hasty nature of the sudden war the enlisted men were dispatched¡ªbecause of that I was so busy so the house wasn¡¯t organized properly even though our mistress has arrived.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right. You did fine,¡± Elisha replied calmly. She didn¡¯t expect, as a new bride, who came home without her husband, to receive a huge reception. In addition, although the capital may be peaceful, the west was now a battlefield. The high general¡¯s wife had to show a frugal attitude at times like this. ¡°More than that, I think there are some soldiers in the house. Where are they staying?¡± ¡°Oh, yes. Would you like to see the drill grounds? Perhaps first you¡¯d like to go to your room and rest.¡± ¡°Since I have a lot of time to rest tomorrow, may I ask for your guidance today?¡± Elisha wondered why the butler looked so surprised. Maybe he was expecting a fallen noblewoman to be innocent as a doll with no sense of reality? Or maybe it¡¯s because her origin as aundry maid was so well known. Perhaps she was being looked down upon as a woman, noble in name only with a past as a ve. ¡®Either way, it¡¯s not a bad thing.¡¯ It was much more manageable turning a low evaluation to high regard than vice versa. Elisha was not angry at being ignored. Her previous life¡¯s experience made it so. *** *** Chapter 26.2 Chapter 26.2 Behind the mansion wererge barracks. Such a mansion and scale ofnd in an area of real estate worth a fortune in the capital was beyond herprehension. With some troops sent out to war, and only bored soldiers were duly wiping swords. Elisha greeted them. Everyone looked at her with curiosity. She inspected the soldiers¡¯ kitchens and their soon-to-be meals. It was not until she looked around that Elisha asked for directions to her room. ¡°Should I stay in the guest room?¡± ¡°No way. Although there aren¡¯t many maids in this house, and many shorings, I have your room ready.¡± The room the butler led her to was spacious and luxurious. A curtain with white sheets and softce hung from arge window. ¡®It¡¯s full of beautiful sunlight.¡¯ In her previous life, when she hade to Jacob¡¯s mansion in the capital, she had lived in a damp, dark storage room under the stairs. There were two reasons. Because the room was close to Car¡¯s, so it was convenient for her to stop by. It was always dingy and dark there. Elisha would turn on hermp to read, but it was still too dim. Eventually, over the years, Elisha¡¯s eyesight deteriorated rapidly, and even her vision became blurry. And since Elisha handled confidential information, she had to stay in the secret room where locking the door wouldn¡¯t show. ¡®Compared to the room I used to live in in the capital in my previous life, it¡¯s like heaven.¡¯ Elisha loved the bedroom. She looked around, entering the adjoining room, where there was a study and powder room for thedy. An oil painting of luxurious yellow flowers hung on a wall of gold-gilded royal blue silk wallpaper. The closet was empty and there was no furniture other than an old antique desk. But Elisha had never seen such a morous room before. She couldn¡¯t take her eyes off it for a few seconds even though she knew it wasn¡¯t her room to live in forever. ¡°I¡¯ve only put in basic furniture so you can decorate it yourself. I will call the furniture dealer tomorrow,¡± the butler said politely. ¡®It must have been hard to prepare in a short time.¡¯ Elisha surveyed the space and felt relieved that she wouldn¡¯t be treated inadequately. It would change again depending on how, upon returning, Lucerne would treat Elisha. The position of a bride with weak parentage was determined by her husband¡¯s interest.¡­. ¡®You can¡¯t expect that. That man¡­ he doesn¡¯t seem the type to dote on and be generous with women.¡¯ Elisha suppressed her thoughts of Lucerne. Strangely, upon thinking of him, she felt like something was stuck in her throat. ¡°This ¡­¡­.¡± Elisha found a familiar treasure box in the dresser drawer. It was as wide as two adult male palms put together. It was a luxurious wooden jewelry box. ¡°Oh, I heard this was your only baggage.¡± ¡°¡­¡­It was a gift from the head of the Cartier family.¡± It was received after the wedding. It hadn¡¯t even urred to her to open it because she thought it wasn¡¯t hers. Elisha opened it. ¡®Gold¡­¡¯ The box was filled with dazzling gold. They were all ancient gold coins. It was wealth Elisha had never had in her hands, having been in debt for both of her two lives. ¡°Keep it safe. Fordies, it¡¯s an important asset.¡± Elisha suppressed her surprised heart and nodded. She couldn¡¯t help but want to calcte how much this would be. Elisha left the dressing room. ¡°What about the door across from me?¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t open that locked door. This space is not usable.¡± Elisha nodded her head. Finally, Elisha held out a letter to the butler. It was a letter Lucerne had told her to deliver to him. ¡°A letter from the general for me?¡± The butler looked curious as he received the letter. Even Elisha didn¡¯t know its contents, because Lucerne sealed the letter with wax. She didn¡¯t mean to open it in the first ce thinking it might be a test from Lucerne. ¡°Ah¡­¡­, is that so?¡± The butler read through the letter for a long time. He soon raised his head with a serious look and muttered. He was also a little surprised. ¡®What the hell is it?¡® Because of the angle, the contents of the letter were not visible to Elisha. Chapter 27.1 Chapter 27.1 There was a knock. A maid came in and introduced herself. ¡°My name is Sophie. Please take care of me. I look forward to your kind cooperation. I have five years of experience as a maid!¡± ¡°Nice to meet you, Sophie.¡± Sophie was an older sister-like woman who looked cheerful. ¡°You must be tired. The maid will attend to your bath. Have a good night¡¯s rest.¡± [butler] ¡°Okay.¡± Elisha nodded her head. The butler bid his farewell and left the room. Elisha asked Sophie to help her change. Elisha was nothing short of a simple gentlewoman. ¡®I need some clothes. I¡¯m going to need cosmetics, too.¡¯ She was wondering if Lucerne would buy her something like that. It was not from a desire to adorn herself, but to maintain the minimum dignity as the wife of the general. After changing her clothes and eating, Elisha sat on the bed. Her tired body seemed to be melting into the bed from the fatigue from her trip. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t rx.¡¯ Lucerne¡­. before parting¡­¡­ seemed quite interested in her. However, he might change his mind after the war. Elisha wouldn¡¯t have been surprised if he even forgot her name. Because the powerful were indifferent to those in low positions, and rather fickle. ¡®My priority is staying here safely¡­¡­ and leaving once that man be the Head.¡¯ All Elisha wanted was to leave and live peacefully. Without worrying about money, no fears about being beaten, no hunger, staying quiet and healthy¡­. ¡®It¡¯s not an easy road. Jacob and Marco need to disappear.¡¯ Elisha knew the people of the Cartier family. Elisha was on the same boat with Lucerne. Neither Jacob nor Marco never ever let go of their prey. Those who ruined and sphemed her in her past life had to be destroyed. Their downfall would be Lucerne¡¯s victory, which would be directly linked to rewards for Elisha¡¯s serenity. Maybe one day she would even have a family. Strangely, she felt a pain in the pit of her stomach when she thought of it. It was Elisha¡¯s old dream to have a family. But it was a luxury for her now. Her goal was to survive right now. [t1v: Elisha is us living in post-pandemicte-capitalism era] First, she would have to prove herself as hostess and mistress of the house. Elisha reflected. A man like Lucerne was a man of great importance. ¡®You¡¯ll ignore me at first, but¡­¡­.I want to show you¡­¡­.¡¯ Her eyes got heavy. ¡®What was in that letter? I¡¯ll have to see if I can find a butlerter. To get rid of doubt,¡¯ Elisha thought. ¡®More than I believed¡­ I may have a lot of wealth to gain from living in this house.¡¯ Elisha recalled the wedding ring she had left out by her bedside. A ck diamond ring would be worth at least 2,000 gold coins. ¡®I¡¯ve been in debt for the rest of my life because of 30,000 gold coins.¡­. while these people can give things like this casually.¡¯ But Elisha didn¡¯t even have the right to pay her debts. There is only one way for Elisha to settle her debts and that was granting Lucerne a divorce. ¡®It¡¯s like a casino chip.¡¯ She thought of casinos that she¡¯d been to several times along Jacob in her previous life. A chip that looks like a toy turned into tremendous gold coins. One couldn¡¯t exchange chips until you left the house. That was their marriage condition. ¡®At Lucerne¡¯s request¡­¡­because of the marriage conditions acknowledgement of property acquired during marriage is only when we¡¯ve divorced amicably.¡¯ It was funny. She¡¯d taste a lot of wealth, but nothing would actually be hers. Nevertheless, it was abundantly better than before. Because now she could see hope. Elisha smiled as her eyes grew heavy. It was not long before she fell asleep due to her exhaustion from her journey. *** The butler read Lucerne¡¯s letter and was astonished. Firstly, due to the size of the letter. ¡®You wrote a letter that was six lines long? All about the madam?¡¯ 1. Inform my wife about the mansion in moderation. 2. Don¡¯t allow her to go out. 3. Buy whatever she needs, regardless of the money. 4. Be polite. 5. Keep a close eye on whether anyone is contacting her separately. And, number six¡­¡­. The butler knew Lucerne well. He had never had ady in a mansion because she was so detached from women. ¡®ording to the rumors, was it passion at first sight? Or is she a contractual bride for a status trade?¡¯ The butler forgot his duty for a moment and wondered. The saga of Elisha and Lucerne was widely known throughout the capital. The city was only two days¡¯ travel by gate from the Dukedom of Cartier. Gossip was carried far and wide with the news of the war. The story of the two¡ªa man and woman who spent the night moaning and groaning¡ªmocking the Cartier family was spreading to the level of legends. But the fifth and sixth items¡­¡­. ¡®It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t understand why she¡¯s being monitored, but thest, sixth-order¡­.. This is a bit¡­¡­¡¯ It was an embarrassing order for the butler. ¡®Should I do this myself?¡¯ However, he was unable to ask further questions. It would be a sin to send a letter to Lucerne, who was at war, asking about frivolous matters. Indeed he must be crossing the battlefield now. The butler burned the letter with a serious countenance. *** Thus her life in the mansion as hostess began. ¡®What¡¯s the big deal if a mistress came? It would be a considerable feat for you just to learn about this mansion.¡¯ When the butler first saw Elisha, he thought her nk face was the spitting image of a doll. She was a typical imperial beauty. A soft oval white face, slightly young, thick lips, and big eyes. Her bare face without makeup was beautiful, but not shockingly so. It wasn¡¯t a face with extraordinary features. Her posture was straight, her hands were rough, but her expressionless face looked quite haughty. Perhaps she was an arrogant noble. ¡®You¡¯re a typical fallen aristocrat.¡¯ The butler got the impression that her pride must have been solely supported by her precarious body and title. *** Chapter 27.2 Chapter 27.2 Indeed, in the rich capital, many people were deprived of wealth and fallen aristocrats weremon. The butler who lived in contact with the nobility knew it well. Most of the fallen aristocrats who called upon their workers as guests were ignorant. Fallen noblemen were despised but relied on their one pride. Contract brides who married to exchange status trade were often defeated and ignored by their servants. ¡®But I don¡¯t think you¡¯re gonna make it that far.¡¯ That was the sentiment of the butler who saw Elisha walking around the mansion. The next day, the butler went to see Elisha after breakfast. Her attire was nothing short of frugal. She seemed to have only one dress. Elisha asked quietly, ¡°Can I go out for a bit? I have things I need.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I think it would be better to discuss that with the general when he gets back.¡± ¡°He must have banned me from going out.¡± Elisha made a slight frown. The butler spoke in a gentle manner that he called upon a merchant toe in the afternoon so she could order from thefort of home, ¡°So the only thing he¡¯s allowed me to do is shop?¡± Elisha asked without hesitation. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡­.¡± Her way of conversing was clear and concise. That was the second impression the butler had of Elisha. He tried to be a little tactful. ¡°You can do whatever you want. Inside the house. If there¡¯s anything you want, I¡¯ll do it.¡± ¡°Then how about cleaning up?¡± ¡°What?¡± The butler doubted his ears. Elisha¡¯s downcast hazy eyes were suddenly looking straight at him. ¡°Can I clean the house?¡± ¡°¡­There¡¯s nothing you can¡¯t do¡­.nothing wrong with it. Why do you have to¡­¡­. You don¡¯t have to do anything. You can learn the housework slowly¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t bezy when my husband is out on the battlefield. Besides, my body starts to ache when I¡¯m still.¡± Elisha¡¯s words shocked the butler even more. ¡°Oh, and¡ª¡± Elisha added calmly. ¡°The cleaning I¡¯m talking about is not just sweeping and polishing.¡± Elisha pointed to the hallway. ¡°Let¡¯s sort out everything that¡¯s rolling out there.¡± And ten dayster, the butler changed all his first impressions of Elisha. *** ¡°I think we can save a little money from this side. Also, please add only one servant who can write well. I think I need to make a list of the artworks in the house. I¡¯ll draft it, and this is¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Excuse me¡­..dy. Can you read the books?¡± ¡°Do you think I can¡¯t read the numbers?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not saying that. Ledgers aren¡¯t just numbers.¡± Elisha smiled softly. It was a smile that was almost invisible, and that was the biggest change of expression the butler had ever seen. ¡°When I was in the monastery, Rosaria-nim, the head of the monastery and archbishop, took me under his wing, teaching me read this novel on that 1 viiness, how to bookkeeping for the monastery, and that¡¯s when I learned the basics.¡± ¡°Oh, do you mean Rosaria-nim, the war hero? Indeed¡­¡­.¡± I guess you¡¯re not an ordinary person. The butler thought it was the first reversal of his assessment of her. The next day, more surprising things happened. ¡°The general is on the battlefield, so you don¡¯t know when he¡¯ll be back. Since I am short on time, I¡¯d better go around the mansion and introduce myself to the employees.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes? So you¡¯re going to say hello to the subordinates?¡± ¡®Yes, am I not allowed to? When servants encounter me in the mansion, they are so startled as if they had discovered a ghost.¡± ¡°Ha. But¡­Madam, as you may have heard, the general does not consider rank or status when selecting men. So¡­¡­, especially the knights directly under the general, they can be very rough.¡­.¡± ¡°They¡¯re rough?¡± Elisha tilted her head as if she didn¡¯t understand. ¡°Ian and Nora were very kind.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The butler thought of Ian, a former spy who had been a drug addict. He was secretive. Nora was a woman who rarely spoke. In addition, Corin, one of the knights, had been a prisoner. ¡°They don¡¯t swear, they don¡¯t hit anyone, they¡¯re good at carrying out orders even if they haveints.¡± ¡°Then¡­..Are you¡­?¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go right away. I¡¯ll do it on my own. Take your time, butler.¡± That day, Elisha made a full-day tour of the mansion and greeted each employee lightly. Everyone looked shocked. And the following week she said something astonishing. ¡°I heard that today was the day the general was supposed to eat with his men. The general and I should be present, so I¡¯ll go out instead.¡± ¡°¡­are you serious?¡± Once every two weeks, Lucerne had a banquet with his men. Elisha was going where the rough soldiers and knights appeared? It was an rming tale. Elisha tilted her head as if asking what the problem was. Chapter 28.1 Chapter 28.1 Lapis was annoyed by everything. It is also upsetting to be separated from his other half, Lazri [his twin], and being with these ignorant things brought him to the table. He only ate silently at the table prepared for the knights. ¡°I don¡¯t care whether she¡¯s the hostess or not. I can¡¯t stand the fact that they didn¡¯t take me to the battlefield.¡­.¡± Lapis also had a lot ofints about the High General¡¯s new wife. She must have made a fuss and was so dissatisfied that she didn¡¯t invite him to the wedding. Corinne was certain adolescence had turned him into a tired man. ¡°It looks like this war willst longer than we initially thought.¡± Corinne also looked like she ate something bitter. Corinne was fond of nobility. She went to prison in the first ce because her noble master had framed her. That¡¯s why even though she didn¡¯t know Elisha she agreed with Lapis¡¯ unfavorable assessment of Elisha and hated her for no reason. ¡°Is it because of the war? The rice which is usually tasteless is somehow worse today.¡± Lapis¡¯ petition to rehaul the menu had recently been rejected for the 24th time. ¡°Cori. Don¡¯tin about your meal. You¡¯re not a kid.¡± Nora quietly pointed out. ¡°No, I¡¯d rather go out to the battlefield than eat something like this. Why hasn¡¯t he summoned us?¡± Corinne grumbled. ¡°Even if it was just a telegraph wire, I would immediatelye to the frontline¡­.it¡¯s a little disappointing.¡± Nora rarely expressed her feelings. It was really strange. Usually, everyone would be called on and have fun ughtering enemies on the battlefield. ¡°Is there anything to protect in this mansion?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Everyone was quiet. The only recent change in this mansion was the general¡¯s new wife. Then Lapis¡¯ eyes grew wide. ¡°Is that person here¡ªalone?¡± Simultaneously their eyes turn towards the head of the table. The soldiers eating greedily stopped in mid-bite. Despite their stares, Elisha sat in the prepared seat alone. No one talked to her. She ate a minimal amount of food quietly. An ordinary noblewoman would have cried¡ªterrified when asked to eat alone among soldiers. But she didn¡¯t look ufortable. ¡°Her courage is considerable,¡± Corinne said as if she was exasperated. Then, Elisha got up and unhurriedly approached them. ¡®Right now¡­ She¡¯s walking this way, right?¡¯ Everyone exchanged befuddled nces at each other, perplexed. They were troubled. First of all, they were not fond of Elisha due to various factors. Moreover, they didn¡¯t know how to treat her. Their master never properly introduced Elisha. ¡°Hello.¡± Elisha approached them and greeted them formally. Then she stared at Lapis with her nk doll-like face and spoke, ¡°Why is Lapis here?¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± Lapis looked up in annoyance. Elisha spoke calmly and softly, ¡°ording to Lapis¡¯ employment contract paragraph No. 73, he has the right not to be summoned anywhere on the fourth Tuesday of every month. Today is the fourth Tuesday. So Lapis is not obligated toe out here. Go into the room and eatfortably. I ordered a servant to have your meal delivered. A wizard needs time alone because magic is a creative endeavor like art.¡± They were certain it was the first time they had heard so many wordse out of Elisha¡¯s mouth. Lapis doubted his ears. At the same time, he got up from his seat. ¡°Are you serious? Will you tell the generalter?¡± ¡°It is in your employment contract. Is there a reason why it should not be kept?¡± The corners of Lapis¡¯ mouth began to twitch. ¡®You¡¯re pretty thoughtful, aren¡¯t you?¡¯ Lapis turned and skipped to his room, excitedly and mockingly singing .¡¯ Corinne pouted. ¡®What is up with this woman? Are you trying to suck up to us?¡¯ It seemed that she was trying to please the ck Lion Seed Order. Elisha¡¯s gaze went to Corinne this time. ¡°You said you were Corinne.¡± ¡°Hmm, what? That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Take the food from my table and eat it. It¡¯s too much for me to eat alone. I¡¯ll tell them to fix the menu.¡± The food in front of Corinne was ck bread, macaroni, and grilled pork legs. ¡°Thebination of food is terrible. I¡¯ll talk to the chef about the menu selection. We should improve our meals, so please let me know your suggestions. The meal today does a disservice to our knights.¡± Elisha spoke in a reposed, quiet tone, but her pronunciation was clear. ¡®Do you know what this meal means?¡¯ Corinne thought, amazed. When she heard Elisha¡¯s words, she doubted her ears. Roasted pork, grain porridge soaked in water on barley ck bread, and macaroni. It was the food diet that came out 7 out of 10 times while she was in prison. Even so, it wasmon to have only bread and water. It was a pure coincidence that the chef chose these foods.¡­. It was natural that ordinary people did not know the hidden meaning of this menu. Corinne stared at Elisha. She asked in a more polite tone. ¡°Have you been there?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°That bread ce¡­¡­. Well, um, you know.¡± When she heard her question Elisha smiled as if she saw through Corinne¡¯s question. It was a very faint smile, so others didn¡¯t even notice it. ¡°I just overheard it by chance. You suffered in prison unfairly, so we should be considerate of small things like this.¡± Corinne enlisted as a prisoner. Some prisoners were offered to serve their sentences in the military. Later, after meeting Lucerne, she appealed her charge with his help, and it was revealed through the trial that she had been condemned of a crime unfairly. ¡°Fortunately, there were many foods prepared for me. I¡¯ll order a servant and move them to this table.¡± Corinne¡¯s simple mouth opened in surprise. *** Chapter 28.2 Chapter 28.2 ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of me,dy?¡± Even if Corinne was innocent, high-statusdies would be terrified of anyone who had been to prison. Elisha looked like she heard a strange question. ¡°Should I be afraid of my husband¡¯s knights?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Eatfortably. Nora. If you need anything,e and see me anytime. You¡¯ve always been kind to me, but I never said thank you.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± Elisha affectionately added a few more words to Nora. Nora rarely talked, so the conversation ended quickly. However, it was apparent that Nora liked Elisha. Elisha gently turned her back. *** ¡®Have you been to bread?¡¯ Elisha had no choice but tough at the question. It was thest of her memories of her previous life. It was when she was detained and threatened with being hanged if she had been found guilty for Jacob¡¯s crime of trafficking drugs at a store under Elisha¡¯s name. At that time, she had been detained in prison for a few days under the pretense of an investigation. ¡®That macaroni and ck bread.¡¯ The food they had served had been the same day and night to the point Elisha couldn¡¯t stomach it. Even before that she had been hardly able to eat due to her pre-existing stomach ailment. Elisha managed to run away just before the trial but was captured and murdered by Jacob. That was thest memory of her previous life, so she knew the regr prison menu that Corinne knew. That evening, Elisha encountered Lapis while walking down the hallway. Lapis greeted her with his eyes. Lapis was heading somewhere with a book full of arms. ¡®Even if he¡¯s fourteen, he¡¯s not an adult.¡¯ Nevertheless, he and others his age were in warfare. There didn¡¯t seem to be any parent figure¡ªor even a nanny who looked after him. At that moment, Elisha felt a rush of sympathy. ¡°Do you want me to send someone to help you, Lapis?¡± ¡°Section 12.¡± ¡°Magician¡¯s data cannot be touched carelessly by others. Exceptions shall be made in the case of obtaining prior permission from the principal or proxy permission from the brother Lazri. Alright.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Lapis dropped the books from his hands. Bam, the books fell on the floor. ¡°What about Article 33 of the employment contract? Do you know that too?¡± ¡°You shall be notified two days before the Employer¡¯s celebrations. Oh, right. I¡¯m sorry. I couldn¡¯t notify you of the wedding. As you can see, we got married in a hurry.¡± ¡°S¡­¡­ Sorry. Are you apologizing to me for that?¡± ¡°Rather than an apology, I¡¯m asking for your understanding. I wasn¡¯t in a position to invite anyone to the wedding, and I didn¡¯t know you, Lapis, at the time.¡± Lapis¡¯ hand trembled at the words that fell from Elisha¡¯s mouth. ¡°Sensible, rational, civilized.¡± Her¡¯s was the sweetest manner Lapis received after he came to this house. Elysia didn¡¯t know why Lapis was so thrilled. She tilted her head. ¡°Did you read my entire employment contract?¡± ¡°No.¡± Lapis frowned. That¡¯s right. You can¡¯t have read it all¡­¡­. ¡°I memorized it all. I¡¯m good at memorizing what I read.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°It was generally reasonable. There is equity among the Knights, so I will protect what I can, if not everything. Then¡ª Lapis?¡± Elisha thought Lapis¡¯plexion looked poor. ¡°Are you okay? Is there anything I can do to help?¡± Elisha said automatically, without thinking. As the wife of the High General, it was her role to take care of his soldiers. Lapis replied gently, ¡°Not now.¡± ¡°Then tell me whenever you need help.¡± ¡°Like an older sister?¡± ¡°Older sister¡­.. yo?¡± [t1v: she btedly adds the ¡®yo¡¯ which is a polite form of talking in Korean, if you are close to someone and like an older sister to them, you don¡¯t use the ¡®yo¡¯ at the tail of your sentences.] Elisha¡¯s expression became odd. Was there a difference between just offering help and offering help as an older sister? ¡°If you want, do that.¡± Lapis recalled his previous resolution. The decision to boycott Lucerne¡¯s marriage who had ignored the Knights of the ck Lion Order. Lapis forgot about the past and answered brightly. ¡°Yes, sister!¡± That was the moment when Elisha made Lapis, the most difficult member of the ck Lion Knights, on her side. Chapter 29.1 Chapter 29.1 Time went by quickly. There was daily news concerning battles and skirmishes through newspapers and telegrams. The warsted longer than initially expected. It was already two weeks since Elisha arrived at the mansion. During that time she worked diligently as the mistress of the household. While conversing with the soldiers, she focused on cleaning up the mansion and improving the food. The reason was simple. It was because of a lesson Elisha learned through her past life. ¡®Buying a person¡¯s heart is directly rted to survival.¡¯ The old man and the Head of the Cartier family was often dubbed as a crafty, treacherous, and terrifying being. Later, the people scrutinized his lineage, in particr the Head¡¯s three grandchildren, including the illegitimate Lucerne, and assessed that Jacob had inherited his craftiness, Marco inherited his treacherousness, and Lucerne inherited his ability to instill fear and intimidation. ¡®Sly Jacob was an evil-hearted man.¡¯ Suspicious Jacob would spontaneously interrogate and scrutinize his aides. Did they hold duplicitous intentions? Were they stealing money¡­¡­. In her previous life, Elisha was a woman who was treated like an anathema by everyone. However, there were the rare exceptions, people who did her a favor when no one else offered her a helping hand. For instance, an old maid who had been waiting on Jacob for a long time advised Elisha when she was first in charge of keeping the ounting books. ¡®Jacob-nim often tests people. Don¡¯t ever fail.¡¯ Soon, the moment of the test came. A young knight approached Elisha, saying he was in love with her. He spoke softly of some crass hogwash that he fell in love with Elisha¡¯s heart, regardless of her appearance. ¡®Run away with me. Will you? Because I know how to get rid of the pattern on the back of your neck. There¡¯s an amazing wizard.¡­. Instead, you just have to give me a few pieces of information I want.¡¯ The knight was a trap. Would Elisha report to Jacob or would Elisha conspire to flee? Or would she not do either? He was a male agent sent to unearth such things. Elisha, who was lonely, almost fell for him. Soon, she had made up her mind, pulled herself together, and cut off the rtionship. After she realized the truth, she trembled. ¡®If it hadn¡¯t been for that maid¡¯s warning then¡­¡­. I may havemitted a fatal blunder.¡¯ If she had, she probably wouldn¡¯t have evensted for those meager five years. So, no matter what situation Elisha was in, she prioritized gaining and buying the favor of people around her; there was nothing she could lose. At best there may be someone like that old maid who unexpectedly helped Elisha. Moreover, what if Lucerne tried to get rid of her? Sid, a close aide to Lucerne, would probably be in charge of killing her. ¡®If I¡¯m buying his favor at that time, it will at least soften your hand.¡¯ Compared to Jacob¡¯s men, Lucerne¡¯s men were undoubtedly exemry knights. She remembered Jacob¡¯s men, who acted more like gangsters and often spit on Elisha¡¯s appearance. ¡®The hostess of a noble family must win the hearts of the vassals with a friendly personality and charm.¡¯ When Elisha was very young, she had read books on societal duties and social order at the monastery. She remembered the book asserting such duties for a noble mistress. Elisha got up from her seat and walked in front of the mirror. The woman that looked back at her was expressionless, her face had no vitality or charm¡ªher whole countenance was lifeless. When she was young, she was told that she had a pretty face, but it had been so long ago that it seemed like a myth and became inessible. During that time, she had no time to look into the mirror because she was overwhelmed with toiling over various sorts ofbor, includingundry. Additionally, after going back in time, every time Elisha looked in the mirror, she expected she would find a woman terribly burned; her face destroyed. ¡®I have no confidence that I¡¯ll be liked for my appearance or attitude.¡¯ Ordinary people expect from their wives the following traits: Kindness, tenderness, sweetness. Flirt with men anxiously like Car, or be elegant and haughty like Arien. Such attitudes were not in Elisha¡¯s arsenal. The only thing she was good at was work. ¡®The work of a general¡¯s wife¡­¡­. It said that she must take good care of his subordinates and make sure the soldiers¡¯ conditions are the best they can be.¡¯ So likewise in this life as well, she simply did her best silently. As if that was the only thing that she was valuable for. *** The first two weeks kept her busy, but now at night, she had quite a bit of free time and nothing to do. Elisha decided to use her spare time sewing. The day after arriving here, the butler called in a merchant from a luxury store and allowed Elisha to purchase various items. She precisely understood her ce, so she didn¡¯t want to spend a lot of money. Elisha carefully chose only four dresses. They weren¡¯t too expensive but were well-made attire at a reasonable price that didn¡¯t look cheap. One was a dark pink dress that could be worn at a ball, and two were casual outfits in gray and beige. They were suitable to be worn when greeting guests at the mansion. And the other set was blue evening apparel sufficient enough to be worn for outdoor events including pics. Even though she strived to save money, she secretly spent a lot of money. ¡®If you dress too cheaply, it will embarrass your husband.¡¯ She thought at least this much would be fine. Unexpectedly, she also received plenty of matching lingerie. ¡®Is it¡­¡­ too much?¡± *** Chapter 29.2 Chapter 29.2 Elisha didn¡¯t even need a lot of undergarments. She could wash and reuse them, but when she first met Lucerne, she embarrassingly remembered donning shabby underwear, so she ended up with a few sets. Fortunately, she could embellish and embroider them herself. ¡®But I¡¯m d I still have dresses to work on.¡¯ Still, four dresses were not enough. Fortunately, there were several gowns in the mansion that no one wore. Those were the garments that the butler brought from the warehouse. ¡®Perhaps it is loot or possibly they were one of the many gifts he received from the imperial family?¡¯ Elisha could only guess since the butler did not allow her to enter the treasury. Probably they were a gift from the imperial family for Lucerne¡¯s future wife. One dress, in particr, was dazzlingly beautiful. The gown was made of beautiful green silk fabric with an elegant embellishment on the chest. ¡°My mother also had a dress like this.¡¯ Elisha had only a few memories of her biological mother. She recalled her mother having few belongings but the most precious of them were a few old invaluable outfits. She had inherited her mother¡¯s elegant green dress. ¡®If I had a chance to debut in society, I would have wanted to debut in that green gown¡­..¡­.¡¯ But that outfit had also been stolen by Jacob. Later in her past life, Elisha had found it in the warehouse while organizing Car¡¯s clothes. Car nced at the dress and said. ¡°What is that trash? Burn it right now. Don¡¯t think about stealing it. Do it properly!¡± Eventually, Elisha lit the dress on fire, in tears. She had been exceedingly dismal then. But she was now delighted to find a simr dress. Additionally, the gown from Lucerne¡¯s warehouse was simr in color and design, but much more luxurious. Elisha roughly remembered future dress trends. So as she recalled and searched through her memories she had modified the dress with a design that was only slightly ahead of the current trends. ¡®It¡¯s so lovely.¡¯ It felt alien and unbelievable to be in possession of such fine things. Even though she knew one day she would have to leave everything behind, she had still worked hard on it. In Elisha¡¯s previous life, she had only acted as a spectator to the overflowing wealth of the Cartier family every day while she had acquired nothing. ¡®But don¡¯t I seem lucky this time? I eat well and receive things like this too¡­¡­.¡¯ Moreover, people were surprisingly polite. If possible, she strived to not be despised or meworthy by anyone until it was time for Elisha to leave this house. It was then¡ª Knock, knock There was a knock on the door. ¡°Come in.¡± Elisha was baffled. The door opened and the butler entered the room ¡°What is the concern at this hour?¡± The butler looked very ufortable. He said ¡°Madam¡± and then kept silent for a long time as if trying to find the appropriate words. He then looked at Elisha. ¡°Uh¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Say it.¡± ¡°The High General will be back soon. Before that, he told me to deliver this medicine to you.¡± Elisha watched the medicine for a long moment. It was a pink liquid in a bottle. ¡°Is it poison?¡± ¡°Oh no¡ª of course not. It doesn¡¯t harm the body, but it¡¯s a kind of nutritional supplement. Soon, when the general returns, you will be busy in one way or another. I thought it¡¯d be better to eat it in advance, so I bought it.¡± Elisha studied the drug for a sometime. ¡°It is precious medication. I¡¯ll take it a week before the general returns. Probably around next month.¡± ¡°The general will soon¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have enough time to take it.¡± The butler noticed that there was nothing more he could say. ¡°Butler, this contraceptive is sufficient to be taken a week before sexual intercourse,¡± Elisha spoke frankly to put him at ease. Instead, the butler¡¯s face turned bright red and he coughed heavily. ¡°Did you already know? That it is¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to keep this secret. If it is known that the High General¡¯s wife takes contraceptives, rumors will spread.¡± The butler nodded. ¡°Good night.¡± Elisha spoke first. It was like an order. The butler quietly closed the door, feeling embarrassed. ¡®But¡­¡¯ It was also startling that she was exceptionally quick-witted. But he had noticed something unusual. ¡®I¡¯ll eat it a week before. When the generales.¡¯ It sounded as if she roughly knew when Lucerne would return. ¡®I heard that the war that was originally estimated to be concluded within two weeks had dragged on as the number of monsters increased.¡¯ [t1v: This could be the butler recalling Elisha¡¯s words, or his/her own thoughts the Korean doesn¡¯t seem to make it clear] Lucerne brought her, so fittingly she was a strange and intriguing woman. The butler tilted his head several times. Chapter 30.1 Chapter 30.1 ¡°Therefore, if my research is sessful, I can develop and improve magicalmps. At this rate, I¡¯ll be celebrated on the battlefield again. I¡¯ll give my final product to the Lady first. Oh, by the way, I don¡¯t always sit in the corner of my room and study. I¡¯m good atbat too.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°There was a time when I wiped out hundreds of monsters all by myself. If Lady Elisha finds herself in danger, you can rely on me.¡± It had been two months since she arrived at the mansion. Elisha procured an unexpected friendship with Lapis no less. ¡®Why is he being like this to me?¡¯ Elisha was amazed at Lapis, who expressed excessive affection towards her. She couldn¡¯t imagine him liking her. ¡®Well, if you are civil to me, it¡¯s enough,¡¯ Elisha reflected. Lapis was only 14 years old, but he was not someone to be looked down upon. Lapis was an aplished wizard who spilled blood on the battlefield and an inventor who developed numerous magic tools while off the battlefield. The 97 wizards in the empire had a ranking system ording to their abilities, and amongst them, Lapis ranked second. ¡®A wizard¡¯s ability is determined by their talent.¡­.¡¯ So age was irrelevant. Regardless, it was no inconvenience to her. It was easy to listen to Lapis when he seemed to approach her for no reason and talk. Elisha wasn¡¯t one to chat idly, so she was impressed by Lapis¡¯ conversation skills. ¡®Being young is a blessing. I wish I had a younger brother, too.¡¯ When the thought urred to her she couldn¡¯t help butugh at herself for the ridiculous notion. Already life was difficult enough for Elisha as she tried to take care of herself¡ªif she also had to protect a younger brother¡­? ¡®Am I even capable of protecting anyone?¡¯ The thought made her heart ache. It was very odd. Periodically her heart felt empty and open as if she had forgotten something. ¡®It¡¯s been like this since I received contraceptive medicine through the butler.¡¯ What was wrong with her? Even if Lucerne hadn¡¯t handed over contraceptives, Elisha would have asked for it first. It was crazy to even contemte having a child in her situation now. ¡®It precisely reminded me of my standing, that you don¡¯t want a child from a contract bride like me. There¡¯s nothing wrong about it.¡¯ She tried to think positively. Before she realized it, Lapis had been studying Elisha¡¯s eyes and reading her countenance. ¡°Madam, are you ill? Are you upset that the general hasn¡¯te back?¡± ¡°What?¡± Elisha looked up. ¡®Why, are you watching me?¡¯ Elisha was unfamiliar with this. side of Lapis. Lapis was a person in a position that did not have to be observant and aware of other people¡¯s moods. ¡°The general and I are not like that.¡± ¡°Then you don¡¯t want the general toe back?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Elisha changed the topic. ¡°Lapis, we were talking about war earlier. You were in the middle of your story.¡± ¡°Oh, yeah¡ªso one day, I faced and cut down 457 beasts in one night. Among the knights, I was currently No. 1 for the record of cutting down monsters. The High General couldn¡¯t stand it.¡± Lucerne was also in this story. Elisha smiled bitterly inside, there was no avoiding him. ¡°I can¡¯t even imagine it. How could there be a stronger warrior than a man who ys 457 beasts overnight? I think Lapis is strong.¡± ¡°I can¡¯tpare when ites to the records,¡± Lapis grumbled. ¡°How many did the general end up ying?¡± Lapis held out two fingers. Elisha looked at Lapis with curious eyes. ¡°200?¡± ¡°No?¡± Lapis rified, ¡°20,045.¡± ¡° ¡­¡­.¡± ¡°That¡¯s our High General¡¯s record of ying monsters in one night.¡± As he spoke, Lapis¡¯ face grew terrifyingly hostile. His expressions flickered with a variety of emotions as he recalled the awe, fear, and pride he had for Lucerne. Elisha studied his face as a distant spectator. *** The enemy corpses were piled up on the floor, with blood flowing down into a stream. The work of organizing the remnants of the former Union of the Old Kingdom which gathered around the Suzu Castle ended sooner than expected. The problem was that the wizard of the rebels went crazy, retreated to the mountains, and began to infuse magic into the mana stones in a frenzy. ¡°How many beasts are on the front?¡± ¡°About 500 monsters, this seems to be thest wave of them.¡± After two months of war, Lucerne¡¯s fluttering ck hair was covered in blood. The same was true of his cheeks. It was as if a thick shadow of death was approaching them as the man riding a ck warhorse loomed near. ¡°Lazri, make theme and attack me all at once.¡± Lazri, who had the same face as Lapis except with darker skin and brighter cat-like eyes, came forward. He was also a wizard, like his twin brother. ¡°Instruct the whole army. Step back and don¡¯t disturb the High General.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Everything will be over in 15 minutes. I will ughter the enemies so prepare to return back to your families.¡± The sight of a divinely beautiful man covered in blood, standing before a mountain of corpses was awe-inspiring. It was as if they were seeing the god of death, inspiring loyalty, and amazement. A bright light exploded from Lazri¡¯s hand. Krayyra-ra-ra-ra-ra-ra! The roar of trolls rang from the mountain range. Lucerne¡¯s hand went up. A ck shadow in the form of a snake appeared from his hand. The majestic snake grew bigger and began to crawl on the ground with a body growing as big as a dragon. Crack, crack! Whoosh! It was only a few secondster that a troll¡¯s head, which was rushing to the vanguard, exploded. Lucerne drew out his sword and his horse sprinted forward, galloping towards the beasts. The ck snake wrapped around him as it was protecting him. *** Chapter 30.2 Chapter 30.2 Kyyyyyaaaaaa! [sfx: Roar] As the creatures approached Lucerne their limbs were sliced and flew; their heads spewing green body fluids. Other beast-type beasts spewed red blood. When Lucerne cut down a beast in front of a soldier, thebatant peed his pants at the ghastly sight. The rest of the ck Lions Knights followed him. As he promised, it took 15 minutes. 15 minutester. A bloody man stood in the middle of a bloody battlefield where the corpses of 500 demonic beasts were scattered about. It was the end of the war. *** The rebellion was suppressed, and the war was over. Additionally, Lucerne took the opportunity to clear out the monster nests near the west gate. As a result, Elisha knew there would be a new trade route, and the merchants and traders would be thrilled. Lucerne informed the butler of his return. ¡®He will be returning tomorrow,¡¯ Elisha thought as shey on her bed. ¡®Then will you arrive around morning?¡¯ ording to the butler, the imperial family would meet him in person at the gate tomorrow. Obviously, citizens would flock to the streets to celebrate. The kingdom was rejoicing over the eradication of forest monsters. It would probably be a boisterous return ceremony. Elisha recalled Lucerne¡¯s return, which she saw only once in her previous life. Among the mor of people, he stood on a balcony and looked at the crowd. Everyone cheered for him. ¡®It¡¯s a relief that you¡¯re not asking me to meet you.¡¯ ording to the butler, there is no need for her to go out to meet him. It would be hectic because there would be so many people. ¡®I haven¡¯t been introduced to high society yet as the general¡¯s wife so it wouldn¡¯t make sense for me to meet him tomorrow. You can go out next time, of course, if there¡¯s another event like this.¡¯ Elishay down on her bed. For some reason, she couldn¡¯t sleep. Suddenly, Lucerne¡¯s words appeared in her mind. ¡®Don¡¯t sleep in underwear on the night Ie back. I think I¡¯ll be in a hurry.¡¯ Suddenly, her cheeks burned. ¡®Right, he must be kidding.¡¯ When Lucerne returned this time, she would not be able to avoid it. Definitely¡­ they would do it until the end and consummate their marriage. He would have ughtered countless people and monsters on the battlefield¡­ she guessed he must be terribly excited. ¡®If either of usmits adultery, you will be exempted or add to the debt by 10,000 gold coins.¡¯ [t1v: the raws in Korean don¡¯t seem to specify who does the adultery¡ªit might be he¡¯s implying if he does the adultery 10,000 gold gets written off of her debt] It was hard to know how serious Lucerne¡¯s words were. Since he wasn¡¯t the type of man that joked around in that kind of way, she didn¡¯t think there would be a woman on the battlefield with him. Elisha tossed and turned several times because she couldn¡¯t sleep. ¡®Should I take a bath?¡¯ The good thing abouting here was that she could take a bath at will. The bathtub was made with temperature-controlled mana stones, so she could soak at any time she desired. That one thing was very pleasing to her. Elisha took off her clothes. She took off all her underwear and put on a bathrobe. Then there was a rattling sound somewhere. Elisha was startled. ¡®The room that the butler said I couldn¡¯t use.¡¯ The tightly closed door was rattling. Elisha took a step back. Kreeeen¡ª The door opened. ¡°Lucerne?¡± An unexpected person stood before her. Elisha doubted her eyes. It was definitely him. He walked calmly in his travel clothes as if he were a person who was casually returning from a short trip. Looking over the surprised Elisha, he leisurely scanned her body. ¡°It¡¯s a long time ago, but I guess you remembered.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Elisha¡¯s cheeks turned red. On their second meeting, Lucerne had been in the bathroom with a bathrobe on when Elisha met him there by ident. Their roles were now reversed so Elisha felt flustered. Elishapleted the knot on her bathrobe with trembling hands. ¡°What are you doing here?¡­ No, didn¡¯t you send word that you would be returning tomorrow? The soldiers¡­.¡± ¡°The soldiers are stationed near the gate. I¡¯m going to board the warpgate as scheduled tomorrow morning.¡± He raised the corners of his mouth and an eyebrow. Elisha glimpsed into a spark of fervor in his eyes. ¡°Then why are you¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Well,¡± Lucerne whispered. ¡°I have a lot to do, so I came early.¡± ¡°You can open a gate at this hour?¡± ¡°I can open it.¡± Elisha recalled that gates she used to travel to the capital were for the imperial family to use unless someone was granted permission. It had been a stupid question to ask Lucerne, who could even open gates exclusively for the imperial family at will. ¡®But¡­ the High General left his soldiers behind?¡¯ The more she listened to his story, the more odd it seemed. Chapter 31.1 Chapter 31.1 But Elisha didn¡¯t inquire further. ¡°Then go to the general¡¯s bedroom and rest.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m here.¡± He looked at Elisha as if it was obvious, his eyes reflecting how funny he thought herment was. Elisha¡¯s gaze headed to the normally locked door that Lucerne hade through. The doorway was ajar. At a nce¡­¡­. It was connected to a wide study. It looked like a library full of books. ¡®Ah¡­ If that room full of books belongs to Lucerne¡­¡­.¡¯ A bedroom in which the wife¡¯s space and the husband¡¯s space are connected by doors on both sides. It was just a bedroom for a noble couple. It was unexpected. Even among aristocratic couples, sharing bedrooms meant the couple got along very well. ¡°Originally, this used to be my bedroom, but now you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°You mean this is a couple¡¯s bedroom¡ªthat¡¯s what it is called outside in the world.¡± ¡°Why did you ask if you already knew then?¡± Lucerneughed. Elisha felt dizzy. She wasn¡¯t confident of her ability to share a bedroom with this man every night. It was clear that she would be extremely tense every night. ¡°So¡­¡± Lucerne whispered, ¡°Do what you were doing.¡± ¡°I was going to wash up.¡± Lucerne approached her. Elisha inhaled the refreshing smell of his body. He smelled unexpectedly pleasant for someone who had been rolling around a battlefield. ¡°Then wash.¡± He looked as if he was going to follow her to the bathroom. Elisha looked at him silently. ¡°I¡¯m fine, I was going to wash up because I couldn¡¯t sleep.¡± Elisha¡¯s heart fluttered. Lucerne¡¯s aura gave off a strange, suggestive and ambiguous atmosphere. He looked drowsy and rxed, but something unnerved her as a tiny chill ran up her spine. He looked like a hungry beastnguidly eyeing her. If such a beast hunts, it would only be for pleasure. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Before she could blink he apprehended her wrist and pulled Elisha gently. She rxed her body. Lucerneid Elisha on the bed. Their eyes met. And in a sh, their lips ovepped. Smack, chu¡­..chu¡­.. [kissing] Lucerne¡¯s lips rubbed against her lips, and then nibbled on them, causing her to loosen her jaw and open her mouth a little. While massaging her swollen lips with his own, he suddenly pushed his tongue in and dug into her mouth. Elisha came to her senses and responded to his tongue, entwining with his. When his lips fell, his eyes were red. ¡°You smell good.¡± [Elisha] ¡°What an odd thing to say right now.¡± ¡°¡ªI was wondering where you washed up.¡± Elisha replied as she mumbled while holding onto Lucerne¡¯s shirt, newly freed from his breathtaking kiss. ¡°If you¡¯re doubting me, you don¡¯t need to. I won¡¯tmit adultery and reduce your debt by about 10,000 gold coins.¡± ¡°¡­.I didn¡¯t mean it like that.¡± An unknown sensation filled Elisha, she didn¡¯t know whether she was relieved or disappointed. Nevertheless, she felt bizarre. ¡°I washed up at the hotel. There¡¯s a victory party in full swing there. They are eating and drinking, whether it¡¯s in the garden or the interior of the hotel.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.Can you really leave your soldiers behind?¡± ¡°I have ordered the Seeds to immediately punish those inclined towards nonsense, such as looting or rape, so it¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± He was truly a great man. When she listened to Lucerne¡¯s words, everything in the world seemed very simple. Lucerne caressed Elisha¡¯s cheek. His hand slowly descended and stroked the curves of Elisha¡¯s body. ¡°Have you practiced?¡± ¡°¡­.Practiced what?¡± ¡°To prepare to swallow my cock through your slit so it doesn¡¯t hurt. If we do it next time, I won¡¯t be able to relieve myself¡ªperhaps we¡¯ll be in a hurry.¡± ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t do that.¡± Elisha bit her lip. Lucerne¡¯s hand caressed her lower lip. ¡°Don¡¯t bite your lips. You¡¯re my coteral, so you can¡¯t hurt yourself as you like.¡± Elisha felt unusual. She took her contraceptives a week ago and before Lucerne came, she had been detained in the mansion under the guise of her safety and protection. There were a lot of disappointing facets, but her words ofpliant were stuck in her throat. ¡®Because we¡¯re not that close.¡¯ Elisha calmly organized her thoughts and cleared her mind. Now she was powerless. She didn¡¯t have the right to be angry at Lucerne¡¯s words. ¡°Please go to sleep. So don¡¯t do that. You have to go out to the gate early in the morning. You should wee the soldiers.¡± ¡°If you say so,¡± Lucerne whispered as he conceded. Surprisingly, heid down next to Elisha. She was taken aback. Startled, she lifted herself up and sat up. Lucerneid his head on her exposed thighs. ¡®Ah¡­¡¯ Elisha¡¯s body stiffened. ¡°I have to sleep for two hours and leave. Or else the imperial family will attack me foring.¡± ¡°Why¡­¡­¡¯yo¡¯?¡± [t1v: first she asks candidly and then adds the respectful but more distant ¡®yo¡¯ at the end of sentence btedly¡ªit symbolizes how curious she is and/or she feels a little closer to him] ¡°Well, I guess they think they need to make a fuss and put on a show so the people forget their poverty. That¡¯s what happens when you return victorious.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.I see.¡± Elisha nodded. Lucerne closed his eyes. Elisha was ufortable, but she didn¡¯t pull herself away. Lucerne wrapped his arms around her waist so she couldn¡¯t move even if she wanted to. ¡®Is this also what a wife does?¡¯ If so, there was nothing better for her to do anyways. Regardless¡­ he was a man who just returned from war. Elisha thought perhaps she should be more amodating andfort him if she wanted to maintain this harmonious atmosphere. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you let me go out of the mansion?¡± ¡°Ah, that. Do you want to go out?¡± asked Lucerne, sleepily. ¡®You forgot what you ordered.¡¯ Elisha quickly noticed with his apathetic tone. ¡°I thought the war would end shortly.¡± ¡°¡ªI see. Can I go out for a bit tomorrow?¡± ¡°Do it in the morning.¡± ¡°What do I have in the afternoon?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to eat with you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Elisha blinked. What did she hear just right now? ¡°If you want to propose to a girl, you should treat her to a meal first.¡± ¡°At this bted hour?¡± Elisha joked back. The timing of their proposal had happened at night and now they had already been married. *** Chapter 31.2 Chapter 31.2 ¡°I¡¯ll tell my subordinates about the appointment. I¡¯ll escort you, so you cane 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 ufortable posture. She leaned back. It was morning when she woke up. Her robe was tightly fastened, and her nket was wrapped around her up to her neck. Lucerne was nowhere to be found. Elisha felt likest 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 heldrge and small parties under the pretext of victory. Restaurants discounted food prices, and alcohol sales were flourishing¡ªit 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. ¡°Car 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!¡± Car whined and stomped her feet. Car 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 epassed the world with it¡¯s might. Nheless, except for the Cartier family, Fullmoon was the most dominant family in the country. Car 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 Car.¡± The Marquis of Fullmoon looked upset to hear his daughter¡¯sints. He coughed and attempted tofort Car. ¡°Car, 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.¡± Car¡¯s eyes shed. ¡°A woman who is Lucerne¡¯s new bride. She¡¯s a really strange woman. Lucerne is being deceived!¡± ¡°Oh my, Car. We couldn¡¯t believe it after hearing it. Did Lucerne really marry yourundry maid?¡± ¡°Yes¡ª A man like Lucerne has low standards, right? For such a man¡­¡­. Rather, a woman like Car befits¨C¡± ¡°Car.¡± 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, Car had ambitions to be the Cartier Duchess, but because Car had openly ogled Lucerne, the Fullmoon Marquis pushed forward her marriage to Jacob in haste. Although Lucerne is a great talent, he calcted 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 Car, but she tricked Car and seduced Lucerne. Car is so hurt!¡± Car 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 Car. ¡°Honey, you¡¯re right. But you don¡¯t need to bother with such a lowly girl yourself. That¡¯s enough. Our Car can solve it quickly herself. She just needs a little help, right? This mother has worked so hard on our Car¡¯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 Fullmoonforted Car. ¡°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 beparable to you?¡± Car was a little relieved after the Marquis coupleforted her for a lengthy time. ¡°Actually, Car thought of an idea.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Car is scared of killing someone¡­¡­. However¡­. if something happens to Car, 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. ¡°Car. 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. Car, 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 nning 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.¡± Car smiled innocently. She had only asked the Marquis of Fullmoon a simple request. Chapter 32.1 Chapter 32.1 ¡®Why does Lucerne suddenly want to dine outside?¡¯ wondered Elisha in passing with a mild doubt. ¡®Do you have free time?¡¯ Usually, after a big war is over, state affairs be busy. It was natural for Lucerne, the High General in charge of the Imperial army, to be busy as well. Perhaps Elisha didn¡¯t know enough about statecraft, regardless she would do as he requested. Eating together was not a difficult order. Additionally, thanks to the appointment she would be able to go out. Elisha was busy getting ready to go out in the morning. ¡°Just don¡¯t overdo it. It¡¯s not a special outing.¡± ¡°Oh, my¡ªdon¡¯t worry I¡¯ll adorn you appropriately.¡± Sophie assisted Elisha with her makeup and dressed her in a newly tailored outfit. ¡°You¡¯re so pretty. Even if you don¡¯t dress up fancily, you¡¯re perfect.¡± Sophie had endless admiration. Elisha became a little embarrassed. She was able to ept harsh words casually. But she was not immune to these ticklish words. ¡°Madam, one of the Seeds of the ck Lion Knights will be your escort today. Who shall thedyship choose?¡± After she was ready, the butler came and inquired of Elisha¡¯s preference. ¡°Should I? Do I have to bring the knights with me?¡± ¡°Why are you asking such a thing?¡± ¡°Now that the victorious general has returned, the ck Lion Knights should return to theirmander¡¯s side. They must have been impatient in the past, but if they also take on the boring task of escorting me today¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Madam, the general ordered it.¡± Elisha was quickly persuaded. ¡°Then I hope Noraes with me.¡± The butler informed her that the appointment¡¯s location was a luxury hotel in the middle of the city. Elisha was doubtful. This is because it was a restaurant in a luxury hotel that was difficult to enter even if a reservation was made a month in advance. Since the venue was such a small ce, even the wives of the most esteemed members of capital society lined up to enter. It was even a ce where the women of the imperial family frequented. ¡°How could he make a reservation there so quickly?¡­. No, it¡¯s nothing.¡± Elisha realized the answer as soon as she asked it out loud. Lucerne was not just anybody. If Lucerne arrived at any establishment, they would be thrilled, saying, ¡°Thank you for boosting the prestige of our restaurant.¡± Because he was a general loved by the entire empire. ¡®Well, it works out. The ce I need to go to is near the hotel.¡¯ Elisha inquired while looking at the butler, ¡°Then can you ask the horseman to stop somewhere else first? It won¡¯t take long. I got permission from the general.¡± Surprised, the butler realized that Elisha¡¯s destination was an unexpected ce, but replied that he understood. *** It was Nora and Ian who would be attending her. Elisha greeted the two before getting on the carriage. She hadn¡¯t seen Ian in a long time. ¡°You two have worked hard.¡± ¡°Thank you, hurry up and get in the carriage.¡± Ian opened the carriage door with a smile. As Elisha got on the wagon, Nora followed her. It seemed that Nora would be in charge of escorting in close proximity such as in a carriage. The wagon began to move slowly. Since neither woman enjoyed chatting, there was a long moment of silence in the carriage. Elisha opened her mouth first. ¡°The general must be busy because he¡¯s back. I don¡¯t know if requesting you was a hindrance.¡± Nora didn¡¯t like talking at length. When Nora was nominated for Elisha¡¯s escort role today, the knights, including Corinne and Lapis, were secretly jealous. When Nora was asked to choose apanion she chose Ian, who was quiet. Ian was concise with his words, omitting the fact that he was secretly jealous. ¡°Most Seeds don¡¯t enjoy imperial banquets,¡± Nora replied bluntly. Elisha managed to discern a bit and thought out loud, ¡°Are you saying that if there¡¯s a schedule from now on, it¡¯ll be like an imperial banquet? I know. You don¡¯t likemotions.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Nora btedly answered a few beatste because she was slightly stunned that Elisha understood her so well. Nora nodded. Elisha and Nora¡¯s eyes met in the carriage. Elisha looked at Nora. Neatly cut hair. Long and slim fingers. At first nce, she looked like a handsome knight. ¡®As the ck Lion Order¡¯s fame grew, Nora became a popr knight.¡¯ A detached androgynous beauty with a tall stature. One of the most talented knights, an aplished female warrior amongst the best. Thedies were also enthusiastic about Nora. Nora felt Elisha¡¯s regard and exined bluntly: ¡°I have a preference for men, and I¡¯m a real woman. In addition, I have no intention of having a lover within the same Order. I dress like this because it¡¯sfortable to wear men¡¯s clothes.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Elisha frowned for a moment. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°These are the facts thatdies are most curious about when they see me. Mydy is the wife of my master, the general, so she is like the master. I thought there was nothing bad about telling you first.¡± Elisha looked at Nora for a moment. She smiled. ¡°You must have been ufortable because I was treating you with care.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not a fragile object to be cautious about, and my difort is not your concern.¡± If it had been heard by someone else, her words would have caused offense due to their rudeness. But for some reason, Elisha didn¡¯t dislike Nora, nor take offense. Maybe it was because Nora gave her a handkerchief in her previous life. ¡®I was¡­ a really hungry woman, starving for love.¡¯ Almost no one in her previous timeline did Elisha unconditional favors. She held the memories of them like precious jewels. In her previous life, there was an old maid who gave advice about Jacob. In the end, the maid also exhorted Elisha, saying that she owed her. The debt that she paid off had been quite expensive. ¡°That¡¯s not why I treated Nora so gently,¡± Elisha spoke calmly. She took something out of her pocket. It was a small bouquet of pure white pansy flowers. ¡°I was wondering if I should give it to you or not, so I just took it. If you don¡¯t need it, you can throw it away.¡± ¡°What¡­¡­ is this?¡± Nora¡¯s eyes shook. Chapter 32.2 Chapter 32.2 ¡°Do you remember the dried pansy flowers that girls received at the monastery of the Archbishop of Rosaria after they took their first oath? I spotted pansies blooming in the garden, remembered such a thing, and picked it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Nora¡¯s mouth was sealed. ¡°I¡¯m also from the monastery of Archbishop Rosaria. He managed several monasteries, and probably Nora and I attended at different times.¡­. probably we were also in different monasteries. So I¡¯m sure we¡¯ve never met. But since I heard rumors that Nora was from a monastery, I knew.¡± Elisha thought back to the handkerchief she had received from Nora in her previous life. On that handkerchief¡­¡­. The patterns and initials of the monastery Elisha was born in were embroidered. It was a very old handkerchief. It was then she realized Nora was a fallen noblewoman like herself. Perhaps Nora was an illegitimate child of a noble, or from a fallen aristocratic family. ¡°There are a lot of monasteries. How did you know that I was from Rosaria¡¯s monastery among the monasteries?¡± ¡°I read all the knights¡¯ employment oaths and backgrounds. The butler gave it to me. The ck Lion Knight Order are individual knights of the General, and do not belong to the imperial family, so their history is kept in the mansion.¡± Elisha spoke softly and evenly. It was awareness from her previous life, but she double-checked when she read her history a while ago. ¡°Actually¡­ I was a littleforted. I was seized by Jacob from the monastery and lived in frustration. Nora became a knight. I wondered how it would have been like to live like that. That¡¯s all. So¡­¡­. I want to have a conversation. That¡¯s what I thought.¡± ¡°Why with me?¡± ¡°It was encouraging to see doing well from a simr situation. Like a shining light from afar. Sometimes, I wasforted. In addition, I found out that you were from the same group of monasteries managed by Rosaria-nim.¡­. I was happy. It¡¯s just my personal feelings that don¡¯t mean much.¡± Elisha saw Nora¡¯s downcast eyes. Usually, thedies liked Nora. But sometimes they resented her proximity to men. Nora was regarded as such¡ªeither over-admired or bitterly debased. It was the first time ady, namely Elisha had said something like this to her¡­ rting to her and humanizing her. ¡°¡­¡­..Thank you, ma¡¯am.¡± Elisha nodded. The carriage began to run quietly again. They were on a road now where the sunlight and noise from the outside reached the vehicle. Elisha opened the window and looked out. Nora was quietly lowering her eyes. Nora¡¯s cheeks in the sun were a little red. *** ¡°Is this the right ce?¡± Ian tilted his head, opening the carriage door. Elisha nodded. Where the wagon stopped was an old, very small signboard. Spencer Brokerage. Ordinary people wouldn¡¯t even know what it meant. Elisha visited a real estate office. It was a narrow, old workce, but amusingly in one day, a few mansions were bought and sold within these very walls. ¡°Is this your first time?¡± the gatekeeper inquired as he looked at Elisha. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Guards, please wait in front of the door. Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s safe.¡± In the capital, real estate investments by aristocrats were newly in vogue. Since the stakes were high in real estate, there had been instances where apanying escorts caused disturbances if the transaction did not go well. After that, there was a firm rule to leave guards by the front door. ¡®Works for me. I can¡¯t let Lucerne know about what I¡¯ll buy here.¡­. at least not yet.¡¯ ¡°The streets will be in chaos when the parade begins soon. It is impossible,¡± Nora refused sharply. ¡°There are no exceptions,¡± said the gatekeeper. When Nora ced her hand on the sword on her waist, Elisha shook her head. ¡°Nora, I¡¯ll be right back. I won¡¯t be in danger,¡± Elisha reassured her softly. ¡°Promise me that you¡¯ll be done in 10 minutes.¡± When Ian said that, he looked around the store with a troubled expression and added, ¡°Please promise me that you will never leave the store without us.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Elisha entered the store. Chapter 33.1 Chapter 33.1 The old wooden wall was full of information on real estate for sale on memo paper. ¡®Oh, this real estate is going to go up. But in a few years¡­¡­. It¡¯s already up for sale over there.¡¯ Everywhere she went, money was king. The feudal status fell to the ground and the noblewomen who brought money were cherished. Like Elisha, it wasmon for women to invest in real estate. Elisha was familiar with the capital¡¯s condition through her previous life. Seeing Elisha reading the memos, the owner spoke kindly: ¡°Wee. What are you looking for today?¡± Presently, the capital was full of prosperity. Buying real estate worthy future investments was of great interest todies. ¡°Yes. I want to see some properties for sale around Yurif.¡± ¡°Ah, you mean Yurif, a vacation spot for aristocrats. It has hot springs, it¡¯s very close to the capital and there¡¯s a gate, so it¡¯s the best choice! These days, there are many pretty mansions, so they are very popr. You will never regret it if you buy a ce there. It can be used as a vi or as an investment sale. These are the mansions that are currently for sale.¡± Elisha looked at the list. There was nothing she was looking for. ¡°Is there anynd near Yurif¡¯s Enchanted Forest for sale?¡± The owner¡¯s eyes grew bigger. He looked around and lowered his voice. ¡°How did you know about it? You¡¯re quite informative. There will be an auction soon but.¡­. It¡¯s not something you¡¯d be interested in.¡± ¡°I want thatnd,¡± Elisha said clearly. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s not right now, so give me any information you have.¡± The owner¡¯s eyes narrowed. Elisha looked at them without avoiding her eyes. In her previous life, Elisha frequently visited the real estate office for Car¡¯s errands. Car would send Elisha to the real estate office to hear stories instead and choose one of the rmended offerings. That¡¯s how she got to know the booming real estate market so well. ¡°I¡¯ve already been to the president¡¯s office. It won¡¯t be long until that muchnd will be released and incorporated into Yurif. I¡¯m not looking for a short-term investment property. Please show me themercial property for sale.¡± Elishapetently used terms that the agents used. They were terms one picked up on if someone went to the real estate once or twice, but it felt quite different when Elisha, who was young and looked like a noblewoman, said it. Elisha moved her hand slightly. The owner looked at her hand donning an enormous ck diamond on a ring. The owner smiled slyly and disyed a scrawled note. ¡°This is the estimated price.¡± Elisha nodded. ¡®As expected, it¡¯s expensive because it¡¯s a resort city for aristocrats.¡¯ It was a little more expensive than expected. However, in order to make Lucerne the Head, it was a must-have estate. ¡°I¡¯m telling you as someone in the know, but thend for sale requires too much investment for most business owners. If you don¡¯t clean up the forest and build a hotel, it won¡¯t be worth it. Besides, there are some dirty rumors.¡± The owner slowly opened up thinking Elisha had some money and was worthy of establishing a working rtionship with. ¡°There are rumors that thend is cursed because it¡¯s owner went missing, hence why it is up for sale. If you¡¯re going to buy a vi, I¡¯ll ry what¡¯s at a good price.¡± Elisha shook her head. ¡°I like the spaciousnd. Plus, I want to build a new vi altogether. The entire city is a hot spring area, so if I dig the ground here, a hot spring maye out.¡± After hearing Elisha¡¯s words, the real estate agent made a face. It was an eye for a beginner who heard something from somewhere. Elisha didn¡¯t care. It was also what she intended. There was a possibility that this conversation would reach Lucerne¡¯s earster so she would rather not exin everything. ¡°Just because it¡¯s in a hot spring zone, doesn¡¯t mean there are hot springs everywhere if you dig into the ground. If you buynd where hot springs don¡¯te out, it will be a loss. You can spend your money elsewhere and save money.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a pretty lucky person. Please write down the listing information.¡± The business operator reluctantly wrote it down. Elisha roughly memorized the information just in case. ¡®I¡¯ll need to get some money¡­¡­.¡¯ She had to find a way to persuade Lucerne to buy this. If she had to use private loans she would be in more debt. Of course, there is a clear way to pay back. She smirked. ¡®I don¡¯t know if I should get a private loan in addition to my debt of 30,000 gold coins.¡¯ It was extremely Cartier-like. They were united by desire, so they drove those who were captured by the family to debt-very extremes like Elisha. Sooner andter, it would lend to more and more illogical choices. The promised 10 minutes were up. As Elisha was about to leave she spotted a pamphlet on the opposite desk. ¡°A new mansion will be built. It¡¯s a very pretty mansion for single people.¡± The employee in front of the table smiled and exined. Elisha picked up the pamphlet as she read the contents: ¡®Rose Mansion.¡¯ ¡®Mansion for single women. Completely guarded. A safe paradise for wealthy singledies with their maids. Rmended for heiresses!¡¯ It was a mansion promotional pamphlet scheduled to be built in a wealthy small town near the capital. ¡°If you write down your address, I can send you more information if you like?¡± ¡°Yes, I would like that.¡± Elisha wrote down the address of the Duke¡¯s estate. ¡®Someday.¡¯ When she divorced Lucerne, she wanted to get a mansion like that and move in as soon as possible. A wealthy woman living alone was quite dangerous even in the city. Mansions with bodyguards and maids will be popr in almost a few years. It was Elisha¡¯s dream in her previous life to get a mansion like that and live quietly. ¡°Ah.¡± Elisha, who was about to leave the real estate, found the streets to be utterly chaotic. People were clustering from all directions. Ian and Nora raised their hands, buried among the people. ¡°Lady! Come to the back door!¡± The horseman pulled the horse frantically. Nora was looking over there. Elisha went to the back door without dy. Pah-pa-rah! Someone blew a trumpet that made a loud noise on the street. The back door of the real estate was a quiet and very narrow alley. Elisha realized why people were flocking in one direction like a school of fish. ¡®Oh, it¡¯s Lucerne.¡¯ Chapter 33.2 Chapter 33.2 Arge hotel was built in the middle of the capital. There was a veryrge balcony in the hotel. The hotel was famous for its frequent use by royal family members. A princess in a golden dress stood on the hotel¡¯s balcony. ¡°The High General has announced his victory. Blessings from St. Undine!¡± The public went wild when she shouted at the people. Soon after the roar subsided, Lucerne appeared. He was wearing a navy blue elegant military uniform decorated with gold and ck boots. People¡¯s shouts grew when he appeared with hisrge physique. Reigning like a god in front of the people, he looked more handsome than usual. The closer Elisha looked at him, the farther away he seemed. ¡®I can¡¯t believe I really married him.¡¯ Elisha smiled. The physical distance between them wasn¡¯t much, but strangely they seemed worlds apart. ¡°Long live the general¡±! ¡°The general protects our empire!¡± It had almost reached the level of religious fever. Before she knew it, Elisha took a step into the alley and was captivated by the scene before her. ¡®Is this the person I sawst night?¡¯ It seemed so long ago that Lucerne had fallen asleep on herp. If it wasn¡¯t for the fulfillment of his promise to eat together today, Elisha might have thought it was really a dream. ¡®Ah.¡¯ Suddenly, Elisha felt as if her eyes had met Lucerne¡¯s, who was gazing into the crowd. ¡®That¡¯s impossible. How many people are here? I¡¯m as delusional as those girls.¡¯ Elisha saw the girls in the front row who were particrly enthusiastic, shouting and shedding tears. They may be imagining the same thing as Elisha: Lucerne is looking at me¡­¡­. Suddenly, Elisha¡¯s gaze touched an old poster on the wall between the alleys. ¡ªSaint Undine protects us. When a saint dies, their souls remain in the empire for several years and bless the people. St. Undine was a woman who was as popr as ever with her beautiful appearance. ¡ªThanks to Saint Undine, we won the battle. Someone scrawled their wind at the end of the poster. Elisha thought that a saint had a very exhausting and difficult job. Elisha, who lived in hell in her previous life, could only hope for death. ¡®Even in death, a saint doesn¡¯t get a break?¡¯ A life with nothing but work, she only wanted a break. However, even after the death of a saint, there were many things that people wanted. ¡®Where are the knights?¡¯ The alley itself was quiet, but there were so many people outside the alley that it made Elisha feel nauseous. If she took a step outside she would get caught up by the swarms of people. Elisha turned to enter the real estate office again but the door had already be tightly closed, as if afraid of an angry crowding in. ¡®Is the carriage safe?¡¯ It was that moment. Bang! Something pped Elisha in the face. She stumbled, her eyes blurry. ¡°Ah!¡± Elisha screamed. Two smelly homeless men were snickering at her. ¡°Uh!¡± Something was stuck in her mouth. It was a reeking fabric. The next moment, the men put a leather bag on Elisha¡¯s head. The dirty leather smelled of wet mud. ¡®Nora¡­¡¯ She couldn¡¯t see. Bang! Her body fell to the floor. ¡°Quickly take it off!¡± ¡°She looks like a noble. Can I really rape this bitch?¡± ¡°Aye. They told us to make a mess of her and throw it away at the intersection if possible.¡± No. She struggled. Rip¡ª rip. Her dress was ripped. The cold wind touched Elisha¡¯s skin. Chapter 34.1 Chapter 34.1 ¡°Don¡¯t hurt tha¡¯ face!¡± Someone shouted in a drunk tone, reflecting a strong ent. Elisha quickly gauged the situation. They weren¡¯t trained men. They were probably street vagrants who someone had paid off. Elisha was wearing a coat-type dress over an outer dress over an inner dress and fastened with a string. Soon, she was in her underwear and bustier. As Elisha continued to struggle, the men slightly lifted the sack on her face. Her eyes were still covered, so she couldn¡¯t see. They put something on Elisha¡¯s nose. It smelled like fresh and sour herbs with a faint smell of nutmeg in the undercurrent of the odor. ¡°This is paralysis incense¡­¡± Elisha, who Jacob had trained during her previous life, knew it well. The paralysis aroma was not fatal, but it was a medicine that made the body muscles feel too tired to move. And¡­ It took some time for it to take effect. ¡°Hehe, she¡¯ll be quiet now¡­¡­. Argh, fuck!¡± Elisha wed at the man with her ringed hand. The pointed ck diamond scratched the man¡¯s cheek. Elisha pushed the man away and ran out of the alley with all her might. ¡°Damn it¡ª Catch her!¡± The men shouted and followed Elisha. Soon Elisha was swallowed by the crowd¡¯s water. ¡°What¡¯s this? You¡¯re pretty.¡± ¡°Where do you work?¡± Elisha stumbled down the street. She was in her underwear so the eager man thought she was flirting and advertising herself. Her whole body was covered in goosebumps. ¡®No, if I am found like this¡­¡­.¡¯ The general¡¯s wife walking amongst themoners in her underwear¡­ and they had just been newly married. The couple would be theughing stock of the entire empire. It was a good reason for a divorce. Elisha entered another alley quickly across the street with unsteady steps. Those who had been previously intrigued by her scantily d appearance had promptly forgotten about her. ¡®You have to pull yourself together. Let¡¯s calm down. No¡­ Where..¡­. I have to find a ce to hide.¡­.¡¯ Elisha walked instinctively towards a deserted ce and covered her face with her hands. ¡®Until the knightse to pick me up¡­¡­.¡¯ There was a decline in her vision. It was a temporary symptom of the paralysis scent. After about 10 minutes, when the fragrance took effect, her sight would also recover. Elisha blinked with her face covered. Lights flickered in her hazy view. ¡°Ah!¡± Elisha felt an intense headache. Only after a moment was she able to register the sensation with pain; her senses were that dull. ¡®It hurts¡­¡¯ Her pain was an asional side effect of the immobility odor. Elisha concluded. She stopped walking. Stumbling, she grabbed at the low stone wall, sensing it through her touch. There was a sound ofughter and conversation from a crowd of boisterous people. Elisha stood up on her legs and then leaned over the wall to hide. It was then. What Elisha discovered between her iplete sight: It was someone¡¯s bright smile. A terrible malicious smile was climbing up a wicked arc. The mouth opened: ¡°Oh my! Madam. What are you doing in a ce like this?¡± Only after hearing the voice did Elisha know who was talking. ¡®Arien!¡¯ Lucerne¡¯s cousin¡¯s wife, the spouse of his second arch enemy, Marco. Elisha¡¯s heart dropped. ¡°I¡¯m lost,¡± Elisha barely answered. ¡°In that outfit? Everyone, take a look at this. This is the general¡¯s new bride. Thankfully, she made a surprise appearance at our meeting!¡± She raised her voice, delighted. Soon thedies flocked. Elisha looked around. Her blurred vision began to discern her surroundings dimly. While wandering through the dark alley, Elisha had reached the garden of a small and pretty building. The wall had been low, and the doors were wide open, so Elisha didn¡¯t even know where she had entered from. ¡°She¡¯s the new wife of the high general?¡± ¡°No way, it¡¯s a courtesan who ran away to receive customers.¡± ¡°You¡¯re so funny, hohoho!¡± I¡¯m finished. Elisha¡¯s eyes darkened. The fact that she had almost suffered and escaped abduction and rape would not be an excuse. On the contrary, Lucerne¡¯s enemies would destroy them for her appearing in her underwear at adies¡¯ gathering. Elisha was desperately trying to find a way out of this situation. ¡°Elisha.¡± Elisha slowly looked up. It was the voice of an unexpected person¡ªa heavy, mellow, and low tone. ¡°Lu¡­cerne?¡± She couldn¡¯t believe it. Indeed, he was standing in front of her. ¡°How could you leave in the middle of it? Were you that excited?¡± Lucerne clicked his tongue. Only then did Elisha look at his attire. His clothes were sparse and sloppy. The shirt was undone and loosened up to his abs, revealing his solid stomach and strong pectoral chest muscles¨C his belt was untied. ¡°H-High General?¡± Arien looked at Lucerne with trembling eyes. Lucerne ignored her and covered Elisha¡¯s shoulder with a cloth over her shoulders, and embraced Elisha. ¡°I was with my wife, and she drank too much, so I think she was a little excited. Isn¡¯t today a good day? I hope you can pretend you didn¡¯t see this mess on a day like this day,¡± he said casually. Elisha couldn¡¯t see well, but she could feel that all thedies looked like they couldn¡¯t breathe. One woman couldn¡¯t take her eyes off Lucerne¡¯s shirt, which hade loose. Arien stammered and asked, ¡°Where in the world were you?¡± Lucerne¡¯s gaze quietly turned. Lucerne was looking at the bushes in the dark space behind the garden. *** Chapter 34.2 Chapter 34.2 ¡°So¡­ The bushes over there?¡± Gulp¡ª Thedies standing next to Arien swallowed their dried-up saliva, feeling rather parched. ¡°There was no one in the backyard. We were supposed to have lunch together here, but a fire broke out before we even got to the hotel room,¡± Lucerne whispered as he looked at Elisha. ¡°If you¡¯re going to stop in the middle, you should have said no from the beginning. Did you n on ying tag?¡± Once in a while, it was known that noblemen and women who were excited at a ball ate* [t1v: had sex] together outdoors when they were bored. The difference was that these entanglements were of the illicit affair sort, whereas the high general was devouring his legal and newlywed wife in the garden¡­. It¡¯s not a w, but¡­¡­. It was a scandal that everyone would like. The imperial aristocrats were fascinated by scandals, and everyone seemed to want to believe that this was the truth. ¡°Your wife doesn¡¯t seem to be well. Are you okay?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m shy.¡± ¡°You should have said so. Didn¡¯t you say you got lost?¡± Arien bit her lips and asked. There was resentment in her voice. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Elisha¡¯s ears were red. She leaned on Lucerne¡¯s hard chest. ¡°I was too embarrassed in the middle¡­¡­. So I asked him to go to the hotel room. He said he¡¯d reserved a room. But I was so drunk that I misunderstood the location and went down the stairs for employees.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I mean. Whenever I see this woman, I can barely restrain myself. So it would be better to refrain from medicine and alcohol from now on.¡± ¡°You made your wife take drugs?¡± asked one of the noblewomen, a chubby woman. Lucerne looked at her. Elisha thought Lucerne looked at her as if he was regarding a fool. ¡°I took it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s a therapeutic drug. They gave it to me on the battlefield.¡± It was obvious what kind of medicine the drug was. It will be an arousal agent or hallucinogen disguised as a pain reliever. At least that¡¯s what the noblewomen in the garden thought. Everyone shut their mouths and looked at each other. Lucerne kissed Elisha¡¯s temple, ¡°Let¡¯s go up and continue, my little one.¡± ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s go quickly.¡± Elisha barely managed to nod. Lucerne took Elisha and walked casually into one of the hotel rooms. Elisha couldn¡¯t breathe until Lucerne put her on the bed. ¡°How did you appear¡­¡­.¡± ¡°What¡¯s engraved on the back of your neck is not a decoration. My knights immediately sent a messenger to the hotel because you had disappeared,¡± exined Lucerne. Elisha recalled the strange pain, like a headache that had gued her. ¡®Lucerne can use the glyph to find me¡­¡­.¡¯ She did not know whether her head hurt or the back of his neck hurt because of the confusion the paralysis scent caused her. Now her vision waspletely restored, and Elisha was aware of her situation. Only then did her tongue move properly. ¡°Were you around here? How did youe and find me right away?¡± ¡°This is the hotel we¡¯re supposed to meet.¡± Elisha had run away as soon as possible and ended up where Lucerne had been waiting for her. She was exceptionally lucky. She didn¡¯t know what would have happened or how she would have suffered if she had stumbled to another ce. ¡°Thank you for your help,¡± Elisha said softly. Lucerne looked at her, waiting for her to exin herself. Elisha described what had happened to her. She had been attacked by miscreants but had managed to flee right away, after inhaling a strange scent¡­¡­. ¡°What did the scent smell like?¡± ¡°It smelled like sour herbs. I also smelled some nutmeg and cloves.¡± Elisha knew that the smell was a paralyzing essence, but she didn¡¯t say it in fear of raising suspicion. Being able to distinguish poison and incense was the knowledge of spies. ¡°It was probably the scent of paralysis,¡± Lucerne asserted. Lucerne asked Elisha if she saw the description of the men who attacked her, and Elisha replied as soon as she remembered, ¡°I was wearing my wedding ring. The men tore my clothes off without touching anything of value. It was probably someone else¡¯s order. If it had been a random thief who attacked a woman, then my body would have been searched first.¡± ¡°That makes sense.¡± Then Lucerne rang the bell and roughly fixed his clothes. When the hotel bellboy came, Lucerne briefly ordered a few things. The bellboy returned, carrying something on a tray. ¡°Drink.¡± Lucerne held out the ss to Elisha. It smelled warm. Chapter 35.1 Chapter 35.1 ¡°What is it?¡± It smelled sweet. ¡°I put some alcohol in the cocoa drink. The immobility incense has affected your senses, so you need to drink a little to calm it down.¡± Elisha sipped and drank the liquid. The sweet taste upied her tongue first, and the taste of alcohol came in as an aftertaste. She had a headache. Elishaid on the bed. ¡°Sleep,¡± he bluntly whispered. ¡°We can¡¯t leave here for a while anyway. They will be wagging their tongues downstairs because you and I are supposed to be fucking like crazy.¡± Elisha nodded slowly. Her whole body felt very heavy as if she was a cotton ball soaked wet in water. ¡°It¡¯s better to go out tomorrow morning.¡± ¡°¡­..Yes.¡± Elisha settled herself in bed. Thest time she had seen him, his eyes had been frightening. Elisha closed her eyes. Did symptoms of paralysis include a sudden desire for sleep? She rubbed her drowsy eyes. She thought so. *** Klok! There was a sound of something being struck. Elisha lifted herself up. She was still donning only underwear and an underskirt, with a thick robe draped over her. She spotted Ian and Nora standing side by side in front of her. ¡°You¡¯re lucky I don¡¯t have a sword in my hand right now.¡± ¡°Yes, General.¡± ¡°I¡¯m ashamed.¡± Elisha¡¯s focus sharpened and cleared up. Lucerne was wearing a glove on one hand. He pped Ian in the face with that hand. Nora was standing next to him. ¡°Give me an excuse. Both of you.¡± ¡°I have nothing to say. It¡¯s all our fault. The entire process for terrain identification, variable calction, and escort of your wife was insufficient. We will make up for it.¡± Ian¡¯s prostrated. Nora also spoke in a low and sober timber, ¡°Please bestow a punishment on me. I¡¯m deserving of it and will fully ept it.¡± Elisha sat up, lifting herself up. Ian and Nora¡¯s eyes followed her as she rose from the bed. ¡°Stop it,¡± Elisha said softly. ¡°If we try to hold everyone ountable, I am also liable. I ordered both of them not toe into the office with me. And¡­. Judging from the fact that they nned to attack me, I think it was the work of those who kept monitoring my movements, waiting for me to leave the mansion. The ck Lion Knights¡¯ main duty is to fight on the battlefield. To act as an escort to a nobledy is trivialpared to what they usually do, so please don¡¯t indict them.¡± Lucerne nced at Elisha. She was startled because the anger in his eyes did not subside. ¡°I made a mistake on a rtively trivial matter, please understand.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Why do you decide that? It¡¯s not your job to decide the weight of my orders. Elisha.¡± Elisha shut her mouth. Lucerne ordered his knights: ¡°Get up.¡± The knights got up. Elisha was nervous that Lucerne would p Nora across the face. Lucerne saw Elisha¡¯s stony face and shoulders tighten with tension. His annoyed eyes nced at Nora and Ian, irritated. ¡°Out¡ªboth of you. Go through the window so you don¡¯t get caught.¡± ¡°We understand and ept.¡± ¡°And, Elisha said, the attackers seemed to be vagrants. If it¡¯s Jacob¡¯s or Marco¡¯s work, the attackers would have already been killed. From today onwards, investigate unidentified corpses.¡± ¡°Yes, we understand and obey.¡± They also bowed to Elisha and left. Elisha tried to raise herself from her sitting position, but was struggling. Lucerne looked down at her. ¡®How long did I sleep?¡¯ It¡¯s still bright outside. She saw Ian and Nora wearing the same clothes as the morning before, so it didn¡¯t seem like many hours had passed. Lucerne approached her. Hisrge body cast a shadow on Elisha. ¡°How much of your senses have you regained?¡± ¡°Enough to move my tongue. But it¡¯s like I¡¯m wearing weights on my limbs.¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s slow. Do you want to drink more?¡± Elisha shook her head. She didn¡¯t know what senseless state her senses would return to her if she drank more. Lucerne took off his glove and peered closely at Elisha. ¡°So, it is your fault?¡± ¡°The attackers did it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying something different from before.¡± Lucerne noted as if it were ridiculous. ¡°If I have to pick one¡­ I said¡­ I ordered Ian and Nora not toe into the office. It was a very small office, and¡ª¡± Elisha shut her mouth. How could she admit how spellbound she was by the sight of Lucerne on the balcony from the alley? ¡°How should you make up for it? I didn¡¯t scold Ian and Nora enough.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Do you want to be punished instead?¡± Elisha spoke obediently: ¡°Please do whatever you want.¡± Chapter 35.2 Chapter 35.2 In the next moment, Elisha closed her eyes, expecting Lucerne would p her across the face. But he didn¡¯t do that. She felt his bare hand on her. A substantial hand held her cheek and raised her chin. ¡°Wake up. When you get involved with the Cartier family, this urs as regrly as a meal.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± His tone imparted a warning. And.¡­.. That was it. Elisha was relieved. Lucerne made Elisha drink cold fruit juice. ¡°You have to keep moving to gain your senses back.¡± Elisha nodded. Lucerne gazed at her and inquired sarcastically, ¡°So, what should we do now?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Should we rub against each other and moan at the door likest time, to spark rumors?¡± Elisha blushed. Still, he was a little mean. Elisha quietly peeked up and looked at him. ¡°Don¡¯t I just need to drink alcohol to get rid of my paralysis intoxication?¡± Lucerne moved closer to her. His smile reflected his amusement. ¡°You¡¯ll feel better when you retrieve your senses.¡± Elisha suddenly found her bodyid on the bed and trapped between his arms. ¡°The paralysis aroma makes your limbs rx. By the way.¡­.¡± He tugged at Elisha¡¯s bustier that wrapped around her smooth, jiggling breasts and then caressed her softness. ¡°When your body heats up, your senses wille back.¡± The palm of his hand slowly swept down, stroking Elisha to her navel. ¡°They say the more you go towards the center of the body, the more your senses be alive. Maybe you¡¯ll be more sensitive.¡± Elisha gawked at him with her ears bright red. When she bit her lip from habit, Lucerne grabbed her lower lip with his index finger and thumb. He grasped and fondled Elisha¡¯s supple lip with his hand. It was a strange feeling. ¡°¡­¡­ I see. That¡¯s a possibility. We have plenty of time.¡± It was the most bravado Elisha could feign and muster up. He chuckled. ¡°How fortunate, Elisha. That masturbation isn¡¯t adulterous.¡± Without hesitation Lucerne¡¯s hand untied Elisha¡¯s robe. He lowered her girdle slowly. Elisha was aware that her lower belly felt very empty. ¡°On the days my body was drenched in my enemy¡¯s blood I thought of you every night. I came and got off several times while imagining your shabby underwear,¡± Lucerne whispered. ¡°I mastrubated imagining your wet slit, your whole body soaked from my spraying semen. Not¡ª¡° ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Indeed, the sensations from her vulva were acute. No. As the feelings of her arms and legs became dull, the prominence of her lust grew, bing more sensitive. Lucerne¡¯s fingers slowly swept Elisha¡¯s entrance between her legs. ¡°It¡¯s always wet even before I suck it. Yes, here¡­¡± Lucerne whispered. His hand reached the inside of Elisha¡¯s thigh, lifting one leg high up. ¡°It¡¯s a more obsecenly erotic than I remember. A seductive allure I want to suck on.¡± ¡°Uhnn¡­ ¡­.Oh¡­¡­.¡± Her blood was circting rapidly. Elisha clenched her fists. Her body moved easily, but she felt numb. Instead, all her awareness was focused on her lower body¡¯s senses. Lucerne gently licked her clitoris and rolled it with his tongue. ¡°It¡¯s still a little big here.¡± ¡°Do¡ª Don¡¯t,¡± Elisha weakly protested. ¡°If you say that¡­¡­.¡± ¡°What? Are you horny?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Lucerne chuckled. ¡°You can¡¯t say no. I guess so.¡± ¡°Ahhh!¡± Spitting on his finger Lucerne used his saliva as a lubricant and teased her clitoris with more strength. Elisha¡¯s ass began to twitch involuntarily. ¡°I¡¯ve been patient and held it in for a long time. I¡¯ve wanted to thrust into you from the beginning.¡± ¡°Ahhhh! Huek¡­.¡± As Lucerne¡¯s hand pushed up again and again on her clit, Elisha¡¯s vagina got wetter and wetter every time. Then a finger slowly moved down, caressed her pubic hair while stroking her lips, ovepping like petals,yer afteryer. ¡°Haaaa¡ªOhhhnn¡­¡­.¡± A strange feeling ran along her spine. Elisha¡¯s sense of her toes began to return. She curled her toes. His finger tickling and stroking her vaginal mouth, entered her. The thrusting fingers stirred in a circle and pressed against her walls firmly. ¡°Hnnghh¡­ ohh¡­¡­.¡± Now Elisha was shaking her ass. Her leaking sap had even soaked her perineum. ¡°Do you feel any better?¡± ¡°Ohh¡­¡­ Haa *Sigh*..¡­.¡± [t1v: ¡°oh¡± in Korean can also double as yes like mhmm] ¡°No, were your senses alive here from the beginning?¡± Puk, Puk, Schlip, Squelch, Squelch¡ª Sloppy, sticky transparent fluid sshed from Elisha¡¯s vegina with every movement of his finger. ¡°But once¡ª¡± Squelch¡ª Sputter¡ª ¡°¡­.I put my finger in, you¡¯re much softer. I guess you¡¯re learning. How rewarding.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°From now on, you¡¯ll only have to swallow my fingers.¡± Chapter 36.1 Chapter 36.1 [t1v: girrllll yesss¡ªfinally!] ¡°¡­¡­Huek¡­¡­¡­. Lucerne,¡± Elisha sobbed. ¡°I should lick it before I put it in. You like that.¡± He did not put his lips to Elisha¡¯s thick mound this time. Instead, he pulled down Elisha¡¯s bustier. Her pale, milky breasts popped out. In the meantime, he smirked at the pink nipples rising and getting hard. Chu, chu [kiss sfx] ¡ªhe kissed her nipples and bit them softly with his lips. The tingling sensation tickled her spine, so Elisha tightened and loosened her vulva. ¡°It turns out there are many good ces on our little ghost¡¯s body. ¡°What¡­ What do you mean nice?¡± ¡°It¡¯s light and honestpared to your mouth, look how good you are.¡± Lucerne rolled Elisha¡¯s nipples on the tip of his tongue. In the meantime, his hand swept over her mound. A strange frictional sound arose when hisrge palm rubbed her bush that had already grown drenched with erotic wetness. ¡°Hnngh¡­¡­. hmm¡­. Unn¡­..¡± Elisha¡¯s body couldn¡¯t stay still with this ticklish and strange feeling growing. Her upper body bent upward slightly as her breasts jiggled. ¡°S-Stop¡­¡± Elisha grabbed Lucerne¡¯s arm. ¡°Why? You like it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s so weird¨C I keep¡­¡­. feeling¡­.¡± Elisha looked at Lucerne with wet eyes. ¡°Do you want me to eat you out?¡± At his low words, Elisha realized¡ª It was not that..¡­. she wanted more. She wished he would just quickly prate her. Elisha was scared of these emotions and sensations that she couldn¡¯t control. She wanted to see the end quickly. Even Elisha didn¡¯t know if it was because she wanted to run away or if she wanted to savor more in her sexual desire. Her mind was a mess. ¡°Where do you want me to lick you up with my tongue? Say it with your own mouth.¡± ¡°¡­Rather¡­. Below¡­.¡± Lucerne stared intently into Elisha¡¯s eyes, then slowly put his head under her skirt. ¡°Haa, ohhh¡­¡­. Un-ohh¡­ Ah!¡± She couldn¡¯t bring herself to say it, but he knew what she meant and decided to tease her meanly. As soon as his tongue touched Elisha¡¯s vagina, she got so wet. Smooch. Lick. Chu. Lucerne stuck out his tongue and licked her clitoris to her hole. Then he sucked on her pussy. He even thrusted his tongue in her enterance. Elisha¡¯s thighs trembled. ¡®Why are my senses sharper?¡¯ She felt like her head was overheating because of her lower body. ¡°Then I¡¯ll teach your pussy the next lesson too. About what to eat in the future.¡± Lucerne removed his face from Elisha¡¯s pussy. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The next lesson is¡­. Unconsciously, Elisha gaze headed towards his firm penis. Lucerne took out his penis and stroked it. She could see the veins swollen and protruding on the hideous genitals when his hand came off. Elisha felt saliva pooling under her tongue. ¡°You are already very wet, I see.¡± When he said that, his second finger poked around Elisha¡¯s entrance. As his finger caressed around her hole, Elisha¡¯s ass buckled as if she was sticking out her pussy to him. It was instinct. ¡°Now, I can hit it.¡± He whispered as if he was having fun. Elisha blinked. She tried to stop her facial expressions from altering due to her lust. But her eyes and cheeks turned red, and her lips instinctively parted slightly. ¡°Shall I?¡± Lucerne whispered; he seemed insistent on bringing out her shame. ¡°You have to answer. Our smart little ghost. You¡¯re good at answering.¡± Lucerne pressed near her hole and grazed her clit with the tip of his finger. Elisha looked at him with resentment, but she didn¡¯t mean it. ¡°Do it¡ªSex,¡± Elisha whispered. ¡°I¡¯m your¡­. Because I¡¯m your wife.¡± ¡°Those are the prettiest words I¡¯ve ever heard.¡± Unlike his words, Lucerne had no expression. Elisha took a deep breath. Lucerne¡¯s cock pressed down on Elisha¡¯s hole. ¡°Rx. Don¡¯t be nervous now.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Spread your legs more,¡± Lucerne gently encouraged her. Elisha¡¯s hand holding on to his arm moved to his shoulder. She lowered her eyes with a red face. ¡°And¡ª¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Lucerne began to insert his penis slowly. Elisha shook her head. ¡°¡ªLook into my eyes as I fuck you.¡± Lucerne said, putting his hand behind Elisha¡¯s neck. He looked down at her as her upper body was slightly bent and raised off the bed. Lucerne frowned. His penis pressed in and stuck in her wet pussy. Elisha¡¯s fragile skin unfolded as she received and swallowed his member. Her soft, fragile pink inner wall trembled as it spread, making way for him. ¡°Haa, oh¡­¡­. Ah!¡± Elisha¡¯s body shook. Lucerne kissed her ear and temples. ¡°Shh. I¡¯m only halfway in. Rx your body.¡± ¡°No, if you put it all the way in¡­¡­. Oh, no. It will really¡­.¡± Hurt. Elisha, who was about to say that, sealed her mouth. ¡°Haaaa, unn¡­¡­. Huek!¡± [sfx: whimpering/sobbing] ¡°Hang in there,¡± Lucerne calmly said, soothing her. His ferocious, veiny genitals filled her all the way to the end. Elisha¡¯s vulva was stretched to its limits and swallowed his pir. She felt like her body was twisting inside. Her wet internal walls had already wrapped, tightened, and pulled on Lucerne¡¯s. However, since it was her first time, it was so tight it was difficult to move forward. ¡°Breathe, Elisha.¡± ¡°Ooh, ahh!¡± Lucerne kept squeezing in. His testicles touched Elisha¡¯s ass. In the end, Elisha¡¯s nails dug into Lucerne¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Sniff¡­huuu ¡­. hup.¡± Lucerne bit Elisha tightly on the back of her neck, so instead, his lower back was calm. He nibbled and licked Elisha¡¯s neck and chin and slowly shook his hips. p! ¡°Anngh!¡± *** Chapter 37.1 Chapter 37.1 Goosebumps popped up all over Elisha. It was the first time for Elisha at this point. Her whole body was still stiff and aching, but she was going to do it one more time like this? ¡®With such a big thing, deep inside¡­¡­?¡¯ Lucerne¡¯s genitals began to swell in her body as she thought this. Elisha moaned and pushed against his chest. ¡°Really, I can¡¯t. No¡­¡± Unconsciously, Elisha shook her hips. ¡°Let¡¯s take a break and then do it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Please.¡± Lucerne reluctantly came out of Elisha as if he was disappointed. ¡°Haa¡­¡± [sigh] Elisha¡¯s whole body was covered with sticky sweat when shey on the bed. Lucerne finally took off his clothes. A solid, wellposed, gigantic physique caught Elisha¡¯s eyes as he rested next to her. ¡°How long should we rest?¡± asked Lucerne as he stroked Elisha¡¯s lower abdomen. Elisha¡¯s sticky buttocks were covered with her robe. She adjusted her butt. She wanted to run away from Lucerne¡¯s sexual desire. When they did it¡­ It was good, but her body was so tired. ¡°Today¡­ It¡¯s too much already.¡± Lucerne¡¯s hand reached the inside of her thigh. Elisha grabbed his arm. Lucerne¡¯s movement stopped. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Diluted, thin blood was wetting her gown. It was faint, but the blood was clear. ¡°Did it hurt?¡± ¡°¡­¡­it still hurts.¡± Elisha looked into Lucerne¡¯s eyes and confessed. He swept his hair back,id Elisha down, soaked a towel in warm water, and wiped her off. ¡®Unexpectedly¡­¡­. You¡¯re doing this.¡¯ He was generally mean, brutal, and a little overbearing. However, his kindness popped up unexpectedly. It seemed like a trivial twist in a storybook. But, from Lucerne¡¯s perspective, he should have had no reason to be kind to Elisha. ¡°I¡¯m going crazy. I held it in for two months.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I believed in the words that you would relieve my sexual desire, but what should I do now?¡± Elisha, who was about to frown at Lucerne¡¯s words, realized that he was joking and rxed her body. Lucerne¡¯s hands were now massaging her thighs as if he was trying to rx her. Lucerne was typically mean, but sometimes she was ever meaner, Elisha thought. ¡°¡­.Do you get aroused when you kill people?¡± ¡°Mhm,¡± he affirmed briefly. Elisha thought, Indeed, after all, all the people of the Cartier family are pervs. ¡°Imagine how much it would have piled up. How many men did I kill, and how many?¡± Lucerne spoke affectionately and covered her with a nket up to her neck. ¡°We¡¯ll be busy starting tomorrow to release all of that.¡± Elisha stared at Lucerne. He watched her with carnivore-like eyes. Finally, she quietly lowered her eyshes. *** Lucerne called room service. After eating, Lucerne¡¯s body didn¡¯t shrink at all, so Elisha gave him some relief with her mouth and hands. In the end, he ejacted all over Elisha¡¯s breasts. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± The semen was very thick. Additionally, so much was on Elisha that his semen flowed down from the chest to her navel. Lucerne took in the sight for a long time and then cleaned it up. ¡®He¡¯s no different from a wolf in heat.¡¯ Even after, Lucerne couldn¡¯t take his hands off Elisha¡¯s body. While hugging her tightly, he fondled Elisha¡¯s breasts. She started to breathe heavily, heating up as he continued to y around near her hole on her lower half with his fingers. ¡°Really¡­ You¡¯re recovering as much as you invested.¡± Elisha eventually couldn¡¯t stand it and sarcastically said. Lucerne¡¯s movement stopped. ¡°Did you and I agree to trade bodies?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true. Since you traded the position of your wife, your body is now titled and therefore has more value. You are now the County¡¯s son-inw* just by having sex once.¡± [*t1v: in Korean, there¡¯s a term where the son-inw is adopted by the wife¡¯s family and bes the heir] Lucerne put his upper body over Elisha¡¯s body. ¡°When one buys an outfit, you¡¯ll wear it three times. That way, it¡¯s three times more profitable,¡± Lucerne said with a smile in his eyes. He was not wrong; Elisha shut up for a moment. She was afraid that her conscious efforts not to give meaning to sex would be seen. ¡°From now on, please hand over my birth control pills yourself. The butler thinks it¡¯s weird. Rumors may start,¡± Elisha continued quietly. ¡°Why, were you upset?¡± ¡°No. I don¡¯t know if you know, but I also have basic shame. I was embarrassed.¡± Lucerne nodded. ¡°Right.¡± Elisha sealed her lips. Indeed, this was not an appropriate conversation for newlyweds who just consummated their rtionship. ¡°Elisha, do you want children?¡± Elisha almost choked. Chapter 37.2 Chapter 37.2 ¡°No, no way.¡± ¡°Good. Not now,¡± Lucerne agreed. ¡°Why?¡± Elisha asked out of simple curiosity. ¡°Because the Head will go crazy.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You¡¯re an excellent woman. Smart, of sound mind, and a noble. And me¡­¡­. I¡¯m the only grandson who has what he wants.¡± Elisha understood Lucerne¡¯s words. Lucerne was the owner of a unique ability that very rarely manifested in the people of the Cartier family. In the ducal family, several shadow monsters acted like guardian deities. Sometimes, the demigods chose descendants of the ducal family and protected them for the rest of their lives. Why and how this happened, no one knew. ¡°The child I give birth to is much more likely to manifest simr abilities than Jacob¡¯s or Marco¡¯s.¡± ¡°I think I¡¯ve heard of it before. When a guardian deity emerges with a descendant, the probability of manifesting that ability in their offspring increases over 50%.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. And even if they didn¡¯t have this ability¡­¡­. Think about it withmon sense. What kind of great-grandson would you think the Head would want? Jacob, Marco. Would their wife¡¯s children be better off? Or would it be better to have the children you and I gave birth to?¡± Elisha also understood his meaning without difficulty. An innocent child is easily molded and influenced. If Gaju wanted to raise him ording to his taste, he would definitely want Lucerne¡¯s child. ¡®Jacob makes money well, but he is foolish and violent, Marco is smart, but he is cowardly and small, and Lucerne is perfect, but he is free-willed and an unmanageable beast. But at least the first two are human, right?¡¯ That¡¯s what the past life¡¯s Head had once said to himself. He probably didn¡¯t even know Elisha was next to him when he said that because he was mumbling to himself. Nevertheless, she remembered those words clearly. ¡°So if an excellent son should be born between you and me, the Head wouldn¡¯t need all the rest of the grandchildren. If I was the Gaju, that¡¯s what I would do.¡± ¡°Would you kill all of your grandchildren, take the child away, and set him up as heir?¡± [Elisha] ¡°Even if you raise him until he¡¯s 13, a child is still a human being. In addition, my goal is to live to the age of 100. I have a lot of greed.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Plus, if he is the son of a Count, he could be the enemy of the Cartier family. Since I am now a titled Count and you are from a noble family, he wouldn¡¯t be amoner.¡± Elisha understood his words. Gaju hoped for an excellent lineage. If a child were born from Lucerne, the Head would surely try to steal them away. ¡°Unlike you, I would like to try to raise my child to be obedient and loyal, willing to do anything for the family.¡± ¡°Right. I got a brilliant woman who understood me right away,¡± Lucerne muttered. Elisha did not show it, but she shuddered inside. She remembered. That was the reason Lucerne never got married in her previous life. ¡®This person has also had to live fiercely in his own way.¡¯ A person who had nothing to be afraid of. He carefully observed and examined his surroundings. The wisdom and qualities of a snake. He was the essence of what it meant to be a Cartier. ¡°That¡¯s why you gave me birth control pills. I understand that you don¡¯t want children.¡± ¡°I never said I didn¡¯t want them.¡± Lucerne caressed Elisha¡¯s belly. ¡°Just not now.¡± Elisha¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°I hope you will be pregnant with my child someday.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Of course, if you agree.¡± Elisha didn¡¯t know what to say. But definitely¡­¡­. He will take the child away. When he bes the Head¡­¡­. he won¡¯t need her anymore. Elisha decided to pretend that she didn¡¯t hear him. ¡°I¡¯m going to keep taking the contraceptive pills.¡± ¡°Do that. But if you change your mind, just tell me.¡± Lucerne kissed Elisha¡¯s stomach. ¡°I¡¯m happy to wait. At least, when the Head is out of power.¡± Eventually, Elisha wasn¡¯t able to fall asleep until veryte. *** That night, Elisha dreamed of what had happened in the future that had disappeared. It had been a Cartier family gathering. Gaju said with a tired face, ¡°If you get apetent woman as a subordinate, treat her.¡± He said it while looking at Elisha. Elisha was sitting next to Jacob for some reason that day. Unfortunately, Jacob was already drunk, and Car had left the banquet early. ¡®The seating arrangement is terrible.¡¯ Marco was sitting next to Elisha. Next to him was Arien, his wife. Elisha swept the scar on her face like a habit. Elisha found her humble self more apparent in this morous ce. ¡°Why is this woman sitting at the same table as us?¡± Right. It was Marco who asked such a rude question to the Head. Marco looked down at Elisha with a sneer. She didn¡¯t hear the answer from the Duke. This is because Jacob started talking nonsense as usual. ¡°Grandpa, I¡­¡­. I¡¯m¡­ I want to be the pride of my family,¡± Jacob dered. ¡°If you want, I¡¯ll give you any number of women like this girl. Well, I¡¯m not saying this bitch is useless.¡­. grandfather needed ¡­.¡± Oh, right. This was a memory of when the Duke ordered Elisha to create a double ledger. Chapter 38.1 Chapter 38.1 Elisha pondered. Periodically, owners give their dogs and cats a treat by letting them eat at the same table where the owner eats. The reason Elisha sat with the Cartier family members side by side at the table today was simply because of the Head¡¯s whim. ¡°It¡¯s just like an ugly girl.¡± Marco muttered with disgust as he eyed Elisha. She covered her cheek and turned away. She lowered her eyes, regretting that she did not wear the cotton veil over her face as she usually did. Kreeeen¡ª There was a sound of the door opening. Elisha, who was only looking at the te, was surprised. The atmosphere quickly changed and became tense. Elisha looked up. Lucerne was standing at the doorstep, standing tall in his military uniform. Although she had rarely seen him, Elisha was always terrified of him. ¡°Why did you call me here? He¡¯s the one who¡¯s going to ruin our family!¡± Jacob¡¯s veins stood up. Gaju frowned and beckoned Lucerne. ¡°Lucerne, sit down. It¡¯s yourst chance to negotiate with the family,¡± announced the head of the house. Jacob looked indignant after he heard the words. ¡°Lord. There¡¯s only so much favoritism you should grant. Don¡¯t you know what Lucerne is doing? He¡¯s going to devour our family!¡± Marco shouted this time. Elisha immediatelyprehended what they meant. Lucerne became a man of the imperial family. To fight the candidates vying for the position of the patriarch of the ducal house of Cartier, Lucerne wanted to belong to a family even though he could not be the head of the household. Therefore, he intended to dismantle the Cartier house and vacate the Gaju. ¡°You are all the same. Jacob¡ªyou are a small merchant that exploits families by any means possible. Your technique is shallow and criticized by the entire empire. And Marco¡ªYou! You are siding with the temple to strike the backs of the imperial family and our family. After all, isn¡¯t that your motive to take over the family?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Lucerne, you are the ck sheep of our family. A ck sheep among white sheep. Indeed, yes, there¡¯s someone here who will destroy our family. Aren¡¯t you aware of your faults?¡± shouted the patriarch. Everyone except for Lucerne started to tremble. Overwhelmed by the malevolent spirit of Gaju, Arien even shed tears. ¡°So, what do you want? Should we all repent, find enlightenment and at least open our minds? Now you¡¯re talking about it?¡± retorted Lucerne. ¡°Hey, punk. Still sarcastic in front of the Lord! You bastard!¡± Marco said. Lucerne raised an eyebrow and smirked. Jacob had an overwhelming advantage in the session race at that time, but there was still Marco¡¯s father. Marco became a strong contender after his father, Merha, won the Great Pope election in a few years¡¯ time. Afterward, the temple stabbed Gaju in the back and fully supported Marco. But during this time, Marco did not look well. His countenance was ashen and under his eyes were dark as if he was riddled with worries. Marco, a naturally weak and cowardly man, yed cat and mouse with female employees when he was dispirited. In particr, when he spotted Elisha, Jacob¡¯s close aide, he was uneasy because he could not harass her. ¡°Ah!¡± At that time, Elisha identally dropped the fork. She leaned down. It was that moment. Someone caressed Elisha¡¯s thigh. Elisha stood up as if she had been struck by lightning. She looked around, rmed. At that time, Elisha¡¯s elbow hit the ss. Ding¡ª The cup rolled on the floor. Elisha¡¯s face clouded. It was a cast ss covered with jewels. If she broke an expensive cup, she would be beaten by Jacob. Elisha leaned down and searched the floor. It was to find the cup. Under the table¡­¡­. ¡®Marco, you freaking bastard.¡¯ Marco was kneading Elisha¡¯s thigh. In addition, as she leaned down, he reached out to her upper body. ¡®No!¡¯ Chang-gong! She heard a loud noise above her head. ¡°Smile, you damn punk!¡± It was Jacob¡¯s voice. It was clear that Jacob threw something at Lucerne. The fork fell on the floor, across Elisha¡¯s seat. At the next moment, Elisha thought she was dreaming. Lucerne leaned under the table. It was a very brief moment. Lucerne¡¯s eyes met Elisha¡¯s under the table. Elisha was startled. At that moment, Marco¡¯s hand had grabbed her chest. Elisha wanted to cry¡­¡­. ¡®How horrible to be showing him this side of you.¡¯ It was a strange feeling. Elisha hated it even more because she showed such a shameful thing to Lucerne. What did he think? Her hands shaking, Elisha picked up the expensive agate-studded brass cup and sat down properly on her seat. She bit her lips. Across the table from her, Lucerne was holding a fork in his hand. ¡®Repulsing.¡¯ Elisha knew Marco was looking at her with strange eyes. Fear and shame knocked on Elisha¡¯s heart. And then it happened. Lucerne got up from his seat. Skreech¡ª Lucerne got up from his chair and slowly poured red wine over Marco¡¯s head. ¡®Unbelievable.¡¯ Elisha gawked at the spectacle. Marco¡¯s hand had long since separated from Elisha. ¡°I heard even those in the temple drink wine.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°So, what are you doing? Drink.¡± The atmosphere became tense. Even the Headmaster gawked in disbelief at the sight of Lucerne¡¯s audacity. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you answering?¡± Smack! Lucerne pped Marco across the face. ¡°Lucerne!¡± Gaju roared in outrage. Jacob jumped up from his chair, screaming and rushing at Lucerne. Then, attempting to attack Lucerne, he didn¡¯t even spare Jacob a look and stabbed a fork between his fingers without even looking. Blood flowed. ¡°I return it. You should cherish the family¡¯s property.¡± ¡°Uh¡­Uh¡­. This crazy dog¡­¡­. You punk¡­¡­.¡± Lucerne swept his hair back. He tapped Marco¡¯s frozen cheek with my finger. ¡°The assassins of the temple you sent me were well received. I¡¯ll repay the favor soon.¡± Chapter 38.2 Chapter 38.2 ¡°Stop, Lucerne,¡± Gaju ordered coldly. ¡°If you leave now, you will lose your family. I will never show you mercy again.¡± Lucerne chuckled. ¡°I don¡¯t think I should be any more attached to this disgusting family.¡± He turned, his back going away. The door shut. Elisha jumped up from her seat. She bowed and left the room, avoiding the angry men. Elisha ran. Through the window in the hallway, she could glimpse Lucerne going out. Elisha suddenly stood by the window. Eerie red eyes. But they were beautiful eyes. What was that?¡ªWhen those eyes had shed uncannily under the table? Elisha barely stood still, holding onto the window sill. Definitely, their eyes had met.¡­. [t1v: ugh, my heart hurts for past Elisha¡ªLucerne save her damn it!] Right then, someone pulled Elisha¡¯s cor. ¡°Car saw.¡± Car was snickering insidiously. Elisha was horrified. She couldn¡¯t understand. [t1v: oh fuck no] ¡°W-what do you mean?¡± ¡°That everything in the world is the same. You know, our mother told Car: it¡¯s women and money that move men. In the end, only those two make men fight!¡± Car cackled. Sometimes this unhinged madness of Car¡¯s frightened Elisha. Finally, Elisha politely held her hands together and quietly stood there. ¡°Car saw everything through the crack of the door of the dining hall earlier. How can there be a man like that? Not even the Head of Cartier, who everyone in the world is afraid of, can use his strength in front of him.¡± Car¡¯s face lit up. ¡°As expected, Car¡­¡­. Car needs to have that one. You are going to help us.¡± Car whispered to Elisha as her eyes widened. ¡°You can do it, huh? Because you have to do anything for this Car.¡± *** Last night, Elisha dreamed of her previous life; it was a nightmare as vivid as reality. Elisha was greeted by breakfast at the hotel. As soon as Elisha came to her senses, Lucerne was ready to return home. ¡°Be careful.¡± Lucerne helped Elisha. ¡®My legs are stiff.¡¯ It had been only one night. Thin, diluted blood soaked her underwear overnight. She waddled and stumbled as she walked. ¡®The first time..¡­.. hurts.¡¯ Severaldies recognized Elisha as she held Lucerne¡¯s hand and walked gingerly. They smiled strangely and exchanged nces with each other. It seemed that Elisha suffered from Lucerne without sleeping a winkst night. Elisha was wearing a modest beige dress. It was a dress for casual wear that she had recently had tailored. Lucerne had sent someone to the mansion overnight to bring her clothes. ¡°Lucerne!¡± Then someone called Lucerne. It was a bright and healthy voice. Elisha turned her head towards it. ¡®Who is it?¡¯ Strangely, she looked familiar. She had her golden-brown hair bound high up and was donning a well-fitting military uniform. ¡°Princess.¡± Lucerne nodded bluntly. ¡°What happened? I waited for you in a separate room with mama yesterday. Ahh¡ª¡± It was only then did she notice Elisha and greet her. Then Elisha recognized her. She was Princess Illione. ¡®The only princess in the empire. Active duty soldier¡­.¡¯ That was what Elisha knew about her. Princess Illione was multi-talented, rich, outstanding in many ways, and one of the most influential sessors to the throne. After Lucerne became a soldier, he received protection from the imperial family and was able to safeguard himself from the beastly family sessors. The princess was the representative patron of Lucerne. ¡°Perhaps is she¡ª¡± ¡°Yes, she¡¯s my wife.¡± Lucerne introduced Elisha without changing his expression. ¡°I greet the Imperial Princess. My name is Elisha de Lor.¡± Elisha bowed her knees in a curtsy during her introduction. The princess faced her politely and also bent her knees in a half-curtsy. Although she was dressed in a military uniform with pants, she had aristocratic dignity when she greeted Elisha back. ¡°Nice to meet you. I was looking forward to Lucerne introducing his wife yesterday. It¡¯s unfortunate. Do you know me?¡± ¡°The princess is famous. It wasn¡¯t difficult to infer because you seemed close to my husband and looked dignified in a military uniform.¡± She blinked her dark brown eyes and soon burst into a pleased smile. ¡°You speak very well. Pleasee and yter. I want to talk unhurriedly in my pce.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Elisha said that instead of saying she would be delighted. Chapter 39.1 Chapter 39.1 Illione acted brightly, but Elisha read a strange disappointment in her eyes. ¡®You must have had some feelings for Lucerne. Well, he is handsome, so it¡¯s easy to see him as a man.¡­.¡¯ In addition, Empress Illione was a woman who would court Lucerne five yearster. For political reasons. Lucerne did not answer the proposal for a long time, and it was said that she worried like a child. Elisha watched them to see if the two were lovers. Lucerne¡¯s reaction was dry as usual. ¡®What does it have to do with me? Who cares what their rtionship is?¡¯ Elisha decided to turn off her nerves. Then the princess approached Lucerne, whispered a few words, and fell back. ¡°Got it? If you miss this meeting, my Royal Father will be furious.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to leave early so I won¡¯t bete. Then, I¡¯ll see you at the imperial pce.¡± ¡°Ah ah, I see. Yesterday¡¯s lunch¡ªwhat a waste.¡± Shemented and turned away. Elisha looked at her retreating back, took Lucerne¡¯s hand, and climbed into the carriage. ¡°If it was lunch¡­. Was the Empress at the hotel for lunch yesterday?¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Lucerne replied briefly. If it was lunch yesterday, it was the day Lucerne requested her attendance for lunch at the hotel. Elisha almostughed to herself. ¡®Ah, that¡¯s why you called me to the hotel.¡¯ It was clear that it was a ce to introduce him to the Empress, who was politically and personally close to the princess. But he couldn¡¯t keep the appointment¡­ because of what happened yesterday. *** Lucerne took Elisha to the carriage and boarded. Elisha studied Lucerne as they swayed in the wagon. ¡°What?¡± Lucerne asked without moving. ¡°No, I think you and the princess are close.¡± ¡°Are you jealous¡±? ¡°Never.¡± Elisha turned her head away from his gaze, but she could feel Lucerne looking through her. ¡°You can be jealous. I like wicked women who are talented in wielding their temper.¡± ¡°Jealousy is not wicked, and I don¡¯t enjoy wasting my emotions.¡± Elisha turned her head away even more. Suddenly, Lucerne¡¯s face was incredibly close to hers. Elisha couldn¡¯t make eye contact with him without feeling like she was being stabbed. ¡°Our little ghost is cold too.¡± Lucerne lightly caressed Elisha¡¯s lower lip. It wasn¡¯t far from the hotel to the mansion, so the wagon soon stopped. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Lucerne opened the door for her. Elisha stumbled down with him assisting her. ¡°If you can¡¯t walk, I can pick you up and take you to your room.¡± ¡°¡ªit¡¯s okay.¡± Lucerne nodded. The butler was running towards them from afar. ¡°You¡¯ve arrived! I was surprised that you two didn¡¯te backst night¡ª¡± The butler said, holding his panting his chest. Lucerne told the butler. ¡°Take my wife and take special care of her. You must have been surprised. Did you hear what happened?¡± Elisha¡¯s eyebrow twitched. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°I have to go to the imperial pce. Since the war is over, the National Parliamentary Assembly begins.¡± Elisha nodded. In some cases, statecraft meetingssted for several days. Maybe he won¡¯te back again for a while. ¡°When¡­¡± As Lucerne tried to turn around, Elisha asked quietly, ¡°Are youing back?¡± ¡°After work. An ambiguous answer was provided. That¡¯s right. Elisha nodded. ¡°Why, because you¡¯ll miss me?¡± ¡°No. When you arrive, I have to get ready to greet you. Now I¡¯m the hostess of this house.¡± Elisha replied dryly in a tone of business cooperation. Lucerne nodded. ¡°Stay still. Don¡¯t go out anywhere.¡± After saying that, Lucerne closed the carriage door. His wagon left. Feeling tired, Elisha entered the mansion with the help of the butler. *** As soon as Elisha came home, shey down on her bed. Sophie, her maid, made a fuss when she saw Elisha¡¯s condition. ¡°Are you in pain, madam?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m a little tired. Please give me clothes to change into.¡± Elisha wasfortable with Sophie¡¯s presence, but she was unfamiliar with it too. This is because, in her previous life, she yed a role in serving the Jacobs. In the process of changing her clothes, Elisha¡¯s blood-stained underskirt was spotted. ¡°By any chance¡­¡± Sophie looked at it and realized that it was not blood from her period. Elisha mumbled, embarrassed, ¡°My back hurts a little. I¡¯m not used to it.¡± At Elisha¡¯s words, Sophie quickly discerned the hidden meaning. The fact that Lucerne and Elisha had a bted ¡®first night¡¯st night. Sophie nodded quickly. ¡°Because he went to war.¡± Elisha nodded her head. ¡°You don¡¯t have to talk about it.¡± Sophie knew what to do in this situation from her experience in another mansion. First, she prepared clean new pajamas and hot bathwater. After Elisha soaked herself in water, she changed her clothes and kneaded her limbs. ¡°I think I¡¯m being toozy. It¡¯s the middle of the day, but I¡¯m just lying on my bed.¡± At Elisha¡¯s words, Sophie massaged her arms and legs with a light oil with soft fragrance and spoke cheerfully, ¡°You have to hurry up and get better so that you two can spend time together again, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Elisha felt strange. Chapter 39.2 Chapter 39.2 Lucerne was deeply disappointedst night. It was scary to think of his genitals that stood tall like a pir and did not wane or diminish. How many times did he need to do it for his hardness to calm down? ¡®If you get excited like that every time you kill a monster¡­¡­.¡¯ There was a time when he cut down 20,000 of them. Her eyes grew dizzy from the implication. Elisha did not understand how Lucerne lived without a woman in her previous life. Or did he meet with them so discreetly that he was never caught? ¡°Ah, didn¡¯t your skin get swollen? You have to apply this mild ointment. Drinking a warm drink and a good night¡¯s sleep will help.¡± Without even hesitating, Sophie tried to roll up Elisha¡¯s skirt. Startled, Elisha stopped her: ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± Elisha sighed. She didn¡¯t know why everyone was so frantic. Sophie wasn¡¯t the only one who was paying attention to her. That afternoon, several knights snooped around the bedroom numerous times. Of course, they didn¡¯t dare toe in, but they seemed only to ask how she was from outside her door. ¡®Everyone is fussy,¡¯ Elisha thought. She usually told the knights, ¡®Tell me if you want anything.¡¯ So during Lucerne¡¯s two-month absence, she had made a point to go around the mansion once a day to talk and acquaint herself with the knights. Perhaps that¡¯s why many knights wereing today, saying they had business. ¡°No, there was ck bread again for lunch. Huh?¡± First, Corinne came and filed aint. They say that all the ck bread they hated came out for breakfast and lunch. ¡°Tell Corinne that you can¡¯t get rid of all of the ck bread from the menu, Sophie.¡± Of course, she couldn¡¯t eptints like that. Despite Elisha¡¯s cutoff, Corinne kept hovering around to say a word. ¡°No¡­ I came here to see if you were okay. I was wondering if I remembered any of their faces.¡± Elisha tilted her head. ¡°Did the knights know that I was attacked?¡± She didn¡¯t like that. When it bes known that Elisha wandered among the crowds in her underwear¡­¡­. It was terrifying. In addition, Lapis came every two hours to check what Elisha was like. ¡®Lapis is a chatterbox. Aren¡¯t boys usually reticent at that age?¡¯ There was no boy she couldpare him to. But then, it urred to Elisha that Lapis might be lonely. He was only 14 years old, but he was already on battlefields without an adult to care for him. ¡®I¡¯ll have to go and take care of you when I wake up.¡¯ Elisha quickly got bored lying down. Sophie¡¯s care was so extensive that Elisha raised her arm to do something she caused an uproar about her not resting properly. Elisha opened the window and sipped on the cocoa Sophie gave her. ¡®Really, it¡¯s been peaceful as if it were a dream. The mansion is quiet today.¡­.¡¯ Her presumption broke precisely a minuteter. This is because outside, there was amotion. Elisha closed the window as Sophie entered the room. ¡°Sophie, what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not a big deal, mydy.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s not a big deal¡­¡±¡­.¡± Sophie hesitated and said. ¡°Knight Nora said she was going tomit suicide, so the knights stopped her¡ª¡± *Cough! Cough!* Elisha almost spat out the cocoa she was drinking. ¡°I beg your pardon?¡± *** There was already an uproar when Elisha arrived at the knights¡¯ quarters. Corinne and Ian were desperately holding onto Nora and barely hanging on. ¡°Nora, please stop!¡± ¡°Let go. Mydy deliberately requested me, trusted me, and asked me to guard her¨C but rather than fulfilling my duty, I was careless and betrayed her trust. As a knight, it¡¯s so shameful, so I¡¯d rather die.¡± ¡°Oh, man. This is why talented ones are the problem. They¡¯ve never failed, so their world is falling apart like this!¡± Ian said, irritatingly pushing back his hair. ¡°Get out of the way!¡± The maids¡¯ mouths sealed up, and the servants ran out of her way. Then, as Elisha approached them, everyone hurriedly stepped out of the way. ¡°Ma-ma¡¯am?¡± Ian and Corinne¡¯s eyes became rounder. Lapis and Lazri stepped back. ¡°Nora. What are you doing?¡± ¡°Madam.¡± Nora pulled out a sword and fell to her knees. ¡°I said it wasn¡¯t a mistake.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Did you do this because you didn¡¯t believe me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it. I¡­ I¡¯ve heard much from thedy. But I let you down.¡± Nora spoke quietly. Her face was already bloodless, as if she had already resigned herself. Looking at her closely, there was even blood on her arm. At that moment, e ven Elisha had a headache. ¡®There are really such pure people in the world. I can¡¯t believe you even hurt yourself.¡¯ What good fortune did Lucerne have that these knights followed him? Elisha was astounded. Chapter 40.1 Chapter 40.1 All of Jacob¡¯s men followed him in fear; no one had true loyalty towards him. However, Nora genuinely felt guilty about not protecting her lord¡¯s wife. Elisha looked at Nora and said coldly, ¡°Nora, don¡¯t put me under duress.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°If a dear knight dies for this, my husband will reprimand me, and I will be that1viiness wife. Is this how Nora takes responsibility for the failure of a mission?¡± Nora¡¯s head lowered. ¡°If you truly acknowledge your mistake, faithfullymit to your future duties. I¡¯m disappointed. The knight¡¯s life belongs to their lord, but you are choosing to run away over responsibility.¡± Ian¡¯s mouth was agape, and he looked at Elisha¡ªhe was genuinely shocked. She wasn¡¯t the quiet madam that he thought he knew. ¡®What is this? Where the hell did youe from?¡¯ Ian and Nora knew Elisha¡¯s history. She suffered from brutal, ve-like treatment and was trapped in Jacob¡¯s mansion. It was surprising that such a woman had impressive spirit and imposing dignity. Nora looked at Elisha, deep in thought. Soon the guilt on Nora¡¯s face disappeared, and she bowed and repented in front of Elisha. ¡°I, Knight Nora, willpensate for my crime by swearing an oath to my lord to protect his wife in the future.¡± ¡°Skilles from level-headedness. I¡¯ve already said I had forgiven you, Nora, so don¡¯t make a fuss about this again.¡± Elisha¡¯s voice was so cold that one could feel a chill. Nora nodded with a severe countenance. Corinne sighed. Elisha turned her back. ¡®It almost blew up into a crisis ¡­¡­ I did it.¡¯ There was a cold sweat all over her. If Nora had actuallymitted suicide, Elisha would have had to deal with Lucerne¡¯s wrath for losing a member of the ck Lion Order. Naively, Nora innocently thought Lucerne regarded Elisha as a genuine wife and mistress of his estate. Elisha returned to her room and asked Sophie to send Nora medicine to wrap the wound and silk cloth to wipe off the blood. Just in case, she also sent a note containing constion. ¡®This mansion.¡­.. It¡¯s not like this every day, right?¡¯ Wondered Elisha as she slightly frowned. *** ¡°Lucerne, you said there was a reason you wanted to enter the Imperial Pce a dayte and have a day off. Why?¡± Princess Illione, dressed in a military uniform, was walking alongside Lucerne. Lucerne had wanted to take a day off before entering the imperial pce after he arrived in the capital. As the emperor highly favored him, he said he understood and granted Lucerne¡¯s request by dying the Parliamentary Council by one day. ¡°What reason are you referring to?¡± ¡°Well, Lucerne¡¯s wife¡­¡­.¡± Lucerne stopped walking. Ilione already felt Lucerne¡¯s cold gaze looking down at her. He was tall and intimidating¡ªhis eyes giving off a sharpness and tremendous pressure. Even if she treated Lucerne as a colleague, sometimes her hands and feet trembled because it was asionally tricky even though she was born in the royal family. ¡°Now that I think about it¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never allowed the princess to call me by name. We¡¯ve known each other since we were young, so you naturally called me by my first name, but now I have a wife, so I hope you refrain from it.¡± Lucerne spoke in the utmost polite tone, but the words of the densemand pressed onto Ilione¡¯s heart and made it ache. Illione nodded in an affirmative. Even if it was unfortunate, it was already inescapable. ¡®Marriage or dating is not easy for someone like me, so there is no need to me orin.¡¯ ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll call you General from now on.¡± ¡°Very good.¡± A short smile stood around Lucerne¡¯s mouth. ¡°And who disclosed that I made a reservation for lunch yesterday? It¡¯s not pleasant if you secretlye to see me before I introduce my wife.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The hotel Lucerne was supposed to have lunch with his wife was owned by Princess Illione. When she had heard Lucerne was bringing his wife, Illione had a drink before lunch and naturally ran into him to create an opportunity to be introduced to his wife. ¡®His wife seems to bete for their appointment today.¡¯ She expressed regret that she could not meet his wife and only met Lucerne at the hotel. The Empress was also there. Lucerne, who saw through the encounter disguised as a coincidence, refrained from pointing out the obvious. ¡°I was just curious because the General didn¡¯t introduce his wife. We¡¯re goodrades, right? So if it was rude, I apologize.¡± Lucerne nodded silently. She had forgotten; the princess reminded herself to be careful in everything when dealing with Lucerne. Lucerne did not like those who crossed the line. ¡°So, what kind of person is your wife?¡± Illione asked lightheartedly to change the atmosphere. ¡°Well, she has an obedient manner.¡± ¡°¡­¡­manner ¡­ What do you mean?¡± ¡°She¡¯s a fascinating person because she doesn¡¯t follow my presumptions. Instead, she acts like she is obedient and docile while having hundreds of thoughts in her head.¡± Lucerne looked ahead. Illione was startled at the sight of him smiling faintly. ¡°The parliamentary meeting will begin soon. Let¡¯s go in.¡± Lucerne nodded lightly. The government conference was held in the grand hall. The emperor got up from his seat and greeted him. Apuse poured out for the General, who returned after a victory. Lucerne stood in front of them. ¡°Okay then, now, let¡¯smence the statecraft assembly.¡± After hunting, the empire¡¯s finest knight was back. As always, his teeth were full of precious meat. The nobles gathered around him, wondering if there was any way to get a piece of flesh. Chapter 40.2 Chapter 40.2 Lucerne had been staying in the court for three days. State discussions continued during the day, and banquets were held in the evening. Lucerne was at the center of all the events. In between, people asked Lucerne if he was married. Rumors seemed to have already spread to the capital. ¡°My wife wasn¡¯t feeling well, so I didn¡¯t bring her this time.¡± Lucerne roughly answered their annoying questions. Each time, people gave a strange look. ¡°Aside from that, the general finally received a noblewoman as a wife. You finally drew your sword.¡± One nobleman even whispered profanely in Lucerne¡¯s ear. Indeed, Lucerne was now a Count, butpared to his preceding title and position of High General, his aristocratic title was too humble, so no one addressed him as a mere Count. During the banquet on the third day, Lucerne received a note. Lucerne headed to his room in the Imperial Pce without dy upon seeing the message. Ian was waiting for Lucerne in the room. ¡°General, how have you been? How did the parliamentary assembly go?¡± Ian asked politely. ¡°It¡¯s always the same. They¡¯re trying to negotiate and get things from each other. I specte I will receive a forest and an estate.¡± He was referring to the mountains and forests where he had subjugated monsters, including the four territories recaptured from the remnants of the Old Kingdom. After purging the rebelling nobles of the Old Kingdom who teamed up with the revolt this time, a total of six territories were now the spoils of war. Lucerne was supposed to acquire thergest of them, the Suzu territory and the Noron Forest. Noron Forest was infested with monsters. Although troublesome and dangerous, it also meant that there were many manastones yet to be uncovered in the bedrock. The beasts came to be after eating the energy of magic stones. Regardless, it was a fairlyrge booty. ¡°If it¡¯s Suzu¡¯s estate, that¡¯s good. Thankfully, now that you¡¯re a Count, you¡¯ll be able to get a manor too.¡± ¡°You mean to say it¡¯s thanks to my wife.¡± Lucerne spoke indifferently, but his chin poked slightly up. ¡°You looked into it. What has transpired?¡± ¡°Three unknown bodies were found along the river. It matches the number and the men¡¯s appearances.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°The investigation confirmed that they were members of a violent rogue organization in the back alley. They didn¡¯t aim at murdering the madam, so they didn¡¯t use any weapons. Instead, it seemed that the intention was to insult the madam and nullify andplicate the General¡¯s acquisition and position of count.¡± ¡°So, after raping and dumping my woman, they aimed to watch and see if I abandoned her or not?¡± Lucerne bluntly and candidly said what Ian couldn¡¯t. Ian¡¯s eyes searched the floor, unable to meet his lord¡¯s eyes, and nodded. Lucerne rubbed his face dry. He was strangely anxious and disturbed. ording to the scales of previous conspiracies, this was not even a cruel affair in this family. But, nevertheless, he was so furious that it took him aback, and he couldn¡¯t understand himself. ¡°I¡¯m annoyed.¡± Was it because of his own iprehensible feelings, or was it because of the person behind the assault on Elisha? Unfortunately, Lucerne could not pinpoint the reason for his irritation. ¡°Continue. Jacob or Marco?¡± ¡°The rogue organization is known to have sponsors. Although it¡¯s an anonymous sponsor¡­¡­. The identity is believed to be the Marquis of Fullmoon. Nearby vagrants have seen several contacts between Marquis Fullmoon¡¯s aides and the leader of the rogue organization.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s the Marquis of Fullmoon, is it Car¡¯s house?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Lucerne nodded. ¡°Did you bring data on the Fullmoon Marquis from the Information Guild?¡± ¡°Here you are.¡± Ian¡¯s memo contained top secret information that the Information Guild usually does not sell to customers. These were the weaknesses of the great noble Marquis of Fullmoon. The reason he was able to get his hands on this was self-evident: Lucerne was the owner of one of the capital¡¯s information guilds. When Lucerne obtained Ian, a former legendary spy, Ian was being chased by an information guild. Lucerne solved the problem, made Ian a knight, and ate the entire information guild. Since then, Ian has established an agent and operated an information guild only for Lucerne. Information up to Phase 2 was sold to other customers, but top-secret information, so-called Phase 1, was opened only for Lucerne. -Speciality is managing privacy, difficulty in managing personal life. The Marquis and His wife are known to have a good rtionship. More than 60% of the property is in the wife¡¯s name. It is said that the wife brought in arge amount of dowry at the time of marriage. In particr, he is cautious about women¡¯s affairs. ¡°Was the Marquis of Fullmoon originally poor?¡± ¡°The tax revenue has decreased substantially, but he brought in a rich wife rted to the imperial family and rose up again. Now they say he could take down flying birds.¡±* [t1v: Korean idiom meaning his power is so great, he can do whatever he wants] Lucerne nodded. It was not difficult to think of a way to fuck over the Marquis of Fullmoon. Chapter 41.1 Chapter 41.1 ¡°There is only one blemish on his otherwise clean private life. He has a hobby of going to illegal gambling dens. But it doesn¡¯t look like he is enjoying it too much, though. Still, this is enough. Is there a gambling house run by the Information Guild?¡± Ian understood Lucerne¡¯s implication. It was to set up a trap. ¡°Yes, we will prepare.¡± ¡°This time, the Fullmoon Marquis should be beaten with a whip for his foolish son-inw and neglecting his daughter¡¯s education, Ian.¡± ¡°Yes. General.¡± ¡°It took two days to figure this out; next time, it should take only one day.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ian affirmed without hesitation. Lucerne looked through Ian. ¡°How long has it been since you¡¯ve been active?¡± ¡°¡­ Do you want me to leave?¡± ¡°Women say that¡¯s their weakness. My wife is scared.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°It stings more when you urately choose the right whip for a person. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± Ian looked like he had forgotten how to breathe for an unguarded moment, but soon, he schooled his expression. ¡°I understand; it¡¯s for the madam¡¯s sake.¡± Lucerne felt a strange sense of surprise and deja vu at Ian¡¯s words. He didn¡¯t know why Elisha came up. But he didn¡¯t dwell on it and moved on. ¡°Going back home will be dyed for a few days. This operation won¡¯t bepleted anytime soon.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Get ready.¡± ¡°I hear and obey, my lord. Then Nora¡­¡­. Nora wants to take revenge.¡± Lucerne eyed Ian¡¯s swollen cheeks. ¡°Nora was initially in charge of the task of escorting my wife, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll count this as Nora¡¯s second part of her punishment. You, spy, take responsibility, and then receive the rest of your punishment.¡± ¡°¡­.yes.¡± Ian replied with a slightly subdued manner. However, he knew what he received was a light punishment from Lucerne. But, of course, Nora, who has a great sense of responsibility, would want to die in endeavoring towards revenge. ¡®When ites to an understanding of ¡°what whip¡± to use on people, he¡¯s a genius.¡¯ Ian wanted to bite his tongue. *** The Marquis of Fullmoon was a fine father and a good husband. Sometimes he went to illegal gambling dens to enjoy the thrill under a pseudonym, but even that was kept tame. The marquis was in an excellent mood that day. This was due to spotting a beautiful dealer for the first time. ¡°Since you won three games, you can move to the VIP room. Let¡¯s continue the game inside. We have prepared food and drinks.¡± The tall beauty had long, curly blonde hair with sexy and captivating brown eyes. After he noticed her, he was possessed and agreed. ¡®Today, maybe¡­¡­. something good will happen?¡¯ Indeed, Marquis Fullmoon genuinely loved his wife, but he was intimidated by her enormous wealth and exceptional lineage, for she possessed imperial blood. When he cheated on her, he was particrly prudent and cautious. He never had a regr lover and never bought a courtesan for fear his wife would notice. Nheless, he never hesitated to take a chance when the opportunity presented itself. Ripe with anticipation, he met the eyes of the beautiful dealer who was smiling at him. ¡°In the VIP room, guests enjoy intimate, fun pastimes. So please enjoy the games to your heart¡¯s content.¡± ¡°Uh-huh. I see.¡± The marquis nodded. Feeling hopeful, he drank another martini. He felt strangely exhrated, attributing his vitality to the tion of winning. As he watched the beauty shuffling cards, his eyes started to twitch. ¡®That¡¯s weird. Did I get too excited?¡¯ The moment the thought urred to him, he passed out. Dust flew overhead. Candles rippled in the dark, dank cer. The marquis opened his eyes to thick cigarette smoke lingering in the room. ¡°Where am I? How did I get here?¡± ¡°You¡¯re awake! Please enjoy the special service of our VIP room. It¡¯s a service that only one man in the empire can receive no matter how much others may try to buy it!¡± The beautiful dealer smiled brightly. She looked down on the marquis, who was tied to a stool. ¡°I¡¯m annoyed,¡± a man behind her said. His voice was as heavy and thick as the cigarette smoke that filled the room. As the woman stepped aside, a familiar man came into the eyes of Marquis Full Moon. ¡°Lu¡ªLucerne de Kayas?¡± ¡°Long time no see. This is my knight, Ian.¡± The dealer smiled and took off his wig. Now that he saw it, the dealer with a gender-neutral appearance had a fairlyrge skeleton. ¡°I-I¡¯m rusty since I haven¡¯t yed in a while.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough. Bring the tools.¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯ll prepare the service tools here.¡± ¡°I told you I am annoyed.¡± Ian brought a bag full of torture tools. After the marquis noticed the rusty tongs used to remove teeth, he began to tremble. ¡°Look here, General! I think there¡¯s a misunderstanding. I¡­¡± ¡°What misunderstanding is there for erroneously educating your daughter? It¡¯s a fact.¡± Lucerne dragged the chair. He sat down and spread his legs to keep his ze. Lucerne clutched his chin and stared at him, looking very much like an angel from hell. ¡°If you dared to touch my wife, shouldn¡¯t you be ready for at least this much? ¡°What the hell are you talking about? Even if there¡¯s a misunderstanding¡ªhow can you do this? I¡¯m a noble!¡± ¡°A noble? So what?¡± Lucerne swept his hair up. ¡°You touched my woman, so you need to pay the price. Man to man.¡± Chapter 41.2 Chapter 41.2 Lucerne nced at Ian. Ian proceeded. ¡°Lapis, Lazri.¡± The three of them were not the only ones in the room. Fullmoon Marquis btedly noticed two youths only after they emerged out of the shadows. ¡°Wh¡ªwho? Who are you guys?¡± ¡°These weak-looking guys are rated as 1st and 2nd in the ranks of the imperial mages,¡± Ian politely exined with a service-like smile. ¡°I¡¯m the first,¡± Lazri expressionlessly stated. ¡°W-What?¡± There was no one in the empire who did not know that there were powerful wizards under Lucerne¡¯s employ. ¡°The second surprise-special service we¡¯re offering is that these boys will clean up the marquis¡¯s mind after we¡¯re done,¡± Ian smiled softly and spoke kindly. ¡°No way¡­ No, magic altering the human mind is ouwed¡ªyou can¡¯t¡­.¡± Lucerne raised a corner of his mouth at the Marquis Fullmoon¡¯s words. Lapis pouted his lips and said, ¡°The Imperial Magician Special Act states: A person born with magical talents, a magician or wizard, or withparable special abilities is prohibited from using magic to manipte the human mind and erase memories. In other words, it¡¯s aw for one person.¡± Lapis and Lazri smiled and held each other¡¯s hands. ¡°We¡¯re twins.¡± ¡°To be exact, we are twin mages with special talents. So¡ª¡± ¡°Mind magic is only possible when there¡¯s the two of us.¡± ¡°Therefore¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s illegal.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not.¡± ¡°Please file aint with our parents for giving birth to prodigy that¡¯s too outstanding.¡± ¡°People who don¡¯t even know what their parents look like are saying all sorts of things,¡± Lucerne said as if he was dumbfounded by the absurdity. ¡°*Sigh*.¡± Lapis looked at Lucerne in tears, but Lazri said nothing. ¡°Just so you know, after we¡¯re done with you, you will find yourself in a hotel room dazed by alcohol with my clothes as evidence. Of course, your wife will be furious at her adulterous husband, so what really happened to the Marquis Fullmoon will be left behind, right?¡± Ian kindly rified the whole scenario. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s a sin to break up a peaceful family. I¡¯m doing this because it¡¯s an order, but it¡¯s not my will.¡± Lapis grumbled, but no one replied. Lucerne tilted his head, looking at the marquis. ¡°Your teeth look so healthy, Marquis of Fullmoon.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t be able to tell even if one is missing. When I was six years old, I smashed Jacob¡¯s mrs on both sides, and they all healed. So don¡¯t be too nervous. I¡¯ll avoid your mrs for now.¡± Lucerne picked up the tongs. ¡°Ah,¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°After Jacob and Car got married, you saw me in the imperial pce and had a lot to say.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You couldn¡¯t believe I didn¡¯t attend your daughter¡¯s wedding. That I should be honored by the generosity of the Cartier family for raising me, an illegitimate child, and that I should know my station.¡± Lucerne rubbed his temple. ¡°Can you believe this small man said something so impertinent?¡± The marquis trembled and urinated. Lucerne¡¯s eyes were bent and narrowed. ¡°But what should I do? I guess I should start beating that small man today. It¡¯s a pity,¡± Lucerne said with a face without a shred of pity or sympathy. Bang! Marquis¡¯ head turned around. Then Lucerne struck the other cheek. The dumbfounded marquis even forgot to yell until afterward. Ian smiled at the twins when the room got noisy. ¡°Now, it¡¯s time for the kids to go out.¡± *** The next day, Lapis was in high spirits. ¡®So I got to punish the Fullmoon Marquis, who was behind the men who insulted Madam?¡¯ He wanted to run up to Elisha, boast, and be praised for his aplishment. But he was bound to secrecy by Lucerne. Then Lapis spotted Elisha¡¯s maid, Sophie, carrying a newspaper. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Oh, this is today¡¯s newspaper. I¡¯m going to bring it to the lord¡¯s wife.¡± Sophie smiled when she saw Lapis¡¯ expression. ¡°Knight Lapis, would you like to deliver it to her?¡± Bashfully, Lapis coughed and pretended to ept her ¡®request¡¯, taking the newspaper reluctantly. ¡°Wee, Lapis. Would you like a cup of tea?¡± Lapis was fortuitous. Elisha was preparing tea and beckoned him to the table. ¡°This is the newspaper¡ª¡± At that moment, Lapis¡¯ hair stood up as he was about to hand over the newspaper to Elisha. The cause was none other than the front page article sshed across the newspaper. Chapter 42.1 Chapter 42.1 ¡ªThe Hope of the Future: Princess and the High General, Greet the People. ¡®There¡¯s already a madam in the General¡¯s house. What¡¯s this? Who the fuck is the editor-in-chief? If you get caught by me, I¡¯ll set your hair on fire!¡¯ Even 14-year-old Lapis immediately knew Elisha would feel terrible when she saw this article. A man with a wife¡ªher husband¡ªwas standing in public with another woman. Moreover, the newspaper never even mentioned Lucerne¡¯s marriage. ¡®Why is the portrait so well drawn?¡¯ On the newspaper¡¯s front page, there was a special article with detailed portraits of the Princess and Lucerne, who bowed and greeted the imperial people from the hotel balcony. Lapis quickly hid the newspaper in his elbow. [t1v: omg i luv him] ¡°Please give me the tea! I¡¯m hungry.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you have breakfast?¡± ¡°No¡ªjust, because¡­. I¡¯m awfully hungry today.¡­.¡± Elisha didn¡¯t delve further. ¡°That¡¯s possible when you¡¯re growing up.¡± Lapis liked Elisha¡¯s concise interpretation. Elisha pushed the cookies and scones prepared for her towards him. The fruit basket on the table was fragrant. Lapis didn¡¯t like sweets very much, so he ate little. ¡°What¡¯s bothering you, Lapis?¡± ¡°No! There¡¯s no way. I¡¯m just interested in telling you what kind of research I¡¯m doing these days.¡± ¡°I¡¯m curious. I want to hear all about it.¡± Enthusiastic, Lapis said this and that. Oddly enough, Elisha was rather knowledgeable. She seemed to understand about 20% of Lapis¡¯ words. It was surprising since ordinary people understood less than 1% of magic research. Growing thirsty while talking, Elisha extended the tea in front of Lapis. ¡°Other knights seem to visit you often. Everyone talks about the lord¡¯s wife. As Lapis gazed into his cup, he looked forlorn. Lapis was 14 years old, and he understood reality. Just as he realized at the age of three that he was an orphan, he knew that Elisha had already won all the knights¡¯ hearts and minds. ¡°Don¡¯t we all live together?¡± ¡°The environment in this house has improved a lot since the mistress came.¡± Elishaughed briefly at the words. She didn¡¯tugh well, but she was really bright once sheughed, so Lapis felt better. ¡°Lapis is the first person I get to serve tea to. I¡¯m grateful and happy you think so.¡± Laspis¡¯ hand holding teacup trembled once. So, you¡¯re saying I¡¯m the only knight who got to have tea with you? ¡°Do you mean ¡­. I¡­.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Are you favoring me?¡± How did Elisha feel around Lapis? It was frankly so. ¡®Favoritism? Why am I showing favoritism?¡¯ Isn¡¯t favoritism to be nicer than others? Come to think of it¡­¡­. Since Lapis was young she seemed to care more about him than others. ¡®It¡¯s not discrimination to give preferential treatment to young people, so you can do that much favoritism.¡¯ Elisha nodded without thinking further. ¡°If favoritism is what you like, I think so. However, that doesn¡¯t mean I will distinguish you from other knights regarding external affairs. That¡¯s not fair.¡± Elisha¡¯s authority was enough to decide on the meal menu or approve payments for clothing for the mansion¡¯s people. I couldn¡¯t make a distinction there. However, Lapis¡¯ eyes twinkled as if her words seemed exceptionally pleasant. ¡®Favoritism¡­¡¯ Lapis, like Lazri, was thrown away in a baby basket in front of an orphanage when they were newborns. To a bright and sensitive child like Lapis, the orphanage was no less than hell. Teachers at the slums national orphanage were rough and did not treat children with respect. Adults seemed to hate Lapis, who was apprehensive about everything and did not look up to them. If Lazri hadn¡¯t protected him, Lapis would have been beaten to death by the teachers. Lapis had never received the favoritism or love of his superiors. ¡®Then that means you like me more than other knights¡­¡­.¡¯ Lapis¡¯ heart fluttered¡ªpounding. While heughed and shrugged. ¡°Um, Lapis. You don¡¯t seem to like sweets. Fruits would be better,¡± Elisha indifferently noted, unaware of Lapis¡¯ heart. On the table was a fresh red apple picked this morning. Elisha picked up the knife. ¡°Are you going to peel it for me?¡± ¡°Do you want to eat the skin¡±? ¡°No! No, I don¡¯t like the skin.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Elisha peeled an apple with an impartial countenance. ¡°May I cut the skin into a bunny shape?¡± ¡°Yes? Yes!¡± When she cut the apple and put it on a te in front of Lapis, Lapis ate the apple with a happy face. ¡°It¡¯s delicious.¡± ¡°Good. That¡¯s a relief.¡± Lapis was in a good mood and held out his bowl for another apple. But, as a result, the newspaper under his elbow fell on the floor. ¡°But Lapis, why are you hiding the newspaper?¡± Elisha inquired evenhandedly. Lapis flinched and looked around. ¡°Er¡­ I don¡¯t like the quality of the articles. There¡¯s only false news in the Imperial Newspaper.¡± ¡°Really? I think today¡¯s front page is the same as the Kingdom Daily¡¯s. Isn¡¯t Lucerne¡¯s portrait on the front page?¡± Lapis hesitated. He searched the floor with his eyes, looking for an answer. ¡°Can you please pick up the newspaper?¡± Lapis hesitated and picked up the newspaper. Elisha looked at the newspaper. Then, Elisha casually looked at the front page of the newspaper. Lapis couldugh in a monster¡¯s face, but a cold sweat ran down his back at that moment. Chapter 42.2 Chapter 42.2 ¡°It doesn¡¯t do him justice.¡± ¡°Righ¡­ t.¡± Lapis was relieved when Elisha seemed fine. ¡°Did you think I¡¯d feel bad seeing this?¡± ¡°Well¡­ That¡¯s right. The General is already married, but I don¡¯t know why he¡¯s having an affair with the princess. Anyway, everyone is stupid.¡± Lapis grumbled. Elisha smiled quietly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with this? Everyone likes them because they look good together and get along well.¡± ¡°¡­Madam is weird sometimes.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Why, when I see those childish young maids, theyugh and gossip over small things every day. Honestly, even if I think from a male and female way* [*from a love/rtionship point of view], I would have felt bad about this article.¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m not young. Besides, I don¡¯t like wasting emotions. I know well that my husband doesn¡¯tmit adultery with the princess. But, even if he does, I can¡¯t help it.¡± Does the madam not like Lucerne? Lapis became curious. ¡®Indeed, that guy¡­ it must be because you¡¯re an awful bastard.¡¯ Lapis felt a little sorry for Elisha, but she seemed to have forgotten about it already. ¡°May I peel a peach for you?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Then there was the sound of the door opening. Elisha raised her head while holding the knife; Lucerne was standing in the doorway. She was flustered. ¡®I can¡¯t believe the butler didn¡¯t even notify me that he was back.¡¯ It was polite to greet and wee her husband after a long absence. Elisha put down her knife. ¡®Huh?¡¯ But Lucerne looked strangely offended and unhappy. His eyes were on Lapis¡¯ apple slice. *** As soon as Lucerne arrived home, he witnessed a bizarre sight. ¡°Wee, General. Congrattions on your victory.¡± Lucerne quietly returned home. The butler rushed out to greet him. ¡°You don¡¯t know how surprised I was when you came home at dawn without a sound a few days ago. Are you back for good now?¡± ¡°Nothing will happen for a while.¡± The butler smiled. Lucerne walked into the house. When he had stopped by a few days ago, he hadn¡¯t even looked around the house because he was quietly entering the room. The servants he hadn¡¯t seen in a long time hurriedly bowed their backs. ¡°Congrattions on your victory.¡± ¡°Congrattions on your return, General.¡± Lucerne greeted with a wink. Wait a minute¡­ he looked around the house slowly. Something seemed to have changed. ¡°Was everything okay while I was gone?¡± Lucerne asked. The butler replied, ¡°Quite¡­.. A lot has happened.¡± The inside of the mansion was a little different. Firstly, the maids and servants were wearing matching ensembles. Additionally, they all look new, very clean, and elegant. Finally, the paintings were properly arranged on the wall, and all the precious pieces were inside. Fresh flowers were in the vase. After looking around for a long time, wondering what had changed, Lucerne realized: the mansion was clean. ¡°Did the servants clean the house?¡± ¡°Yes, ording to thedy¡¯s instructions.¡± ¡°Is that all she did?¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡± The butler spoke enthusiastically about what Elisha had done: She improved the cement of household goods, organized the warehouses, and stored lists of expensive items that had been randomly ced. She fixed servants¡¯ shifts, relocated maids, created publicundry areas for clean clothes every day, and increased rest areas for employees.¡­. It was a significant business reform. ¡°She did that in two months?¡± ¡°Two months and six days.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°General, I don¡¯t know if I can ask you this.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°By any chance¡­ Where did you hire her?¡± [t1v: LAWLLL] Lucerne halted in his steps in the doorway of his office. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°She¡¯s so¡­¡­.¡± The butler said with moved eyes. ¡°So perfect. I was wondering where the General had strategically recruited her. I¡¯ve never beheld anyone so excellent at their job.¡± Chapter 43.1 Chapter 43.1 Lucerne remembered that the butler was a retired, famous knight. He had never thought neglecting the mansion was a problem¡­¡­. and he had bothered about contemting his abilities as a butler. ¡°I don¡¯t sleep with women I pay. What employment?¡± Lucerne said as if the inquiry was utterly absurd. He sat at the office desk and checked the urgent correspondence. Then, since the butler was still waiting, he decided to question further. ¡°Is my wife alright? She must have been a little ill.¡± ¡°Ah. Yes. The Seeds of the ck Lion Knights were also restless and came by to visit multiple times.¡± ¡°Those guys?¡± Lucerne knew the Seeds; it would be fortunate if they didn¡¯t overtly neglect Elisha. They were born with talent and had formidable egos. They were a difficult bunch to get along with. ¡°Why the hell do they care about Elisha?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because she¡¯s kind and considerate.¡± What an absurd story. The Elisha that Lucerne knew sat still like a doll, telling strange thorny stories or avoiding Lucerne¡¯s eyes. It was only during their first meeting she seemed embarrassed or excited, and after that, her calm, leveled demeanor was always consistent. ¡°Are they the kind of fellows that will follow someone because they are kind? In particr, Corinne hates all aristocrats.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± the butler remarked gravely. ¡°As you know, the most important thing for knights¡­.¡± ¡°What? Resilience?¡± ¡°No¡­ Don¡¯t you always say this before you beat up the knights? Not when you¡¯re in battle, but normally.¡± ¡°Then, what is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a meal. A meal,¡± the butler spoke solemnly. ¡°After improving their diets and scouting the chefs herself, the quality of food changed within a day. The variety and quality improved.¡± ¡°Did you get permission to expand the budget?¡± ¡°There was no need.¡± ¡°¡­..What do you mean?¡± ¡°After changing the source of ingredients and making a meal n, the budget we needed decreased.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Lucerne frowned slightly. He didn¡¯t know how to process this news that his new bride was doing a fantastic job. He got up from his seat. ¡°I need to see my wife.¡± Soon, he arrived in front of Elisha¡¯s drawing-room; her voice was flowing out of the room. Then, holding the doorknob, he gently opened the door quietly and overheard the conversation. ¡®I don¡¯t like wasting emotions. I know well that my husband doesn¡¯tmit adultery with the princess. But, even if he does, I can¡¯t help it.¡¯ Lucerne opened the door and entered. Lapis, who was eating an apple, stood up in surprise. Elisha looked up at Lucerne with fruit in her hands. The smile on her face disappeared as soon as Lucerne entered. ¡°Oh, General. Already¡­ You¡¯ve arrived?¡± ¡°You sound unhappy that I came.¡± Lucerne said softly. Lapis looked at the wall, avoiding his eyes. Lucerne looked at a piece of rabbit-shaped apple that had been peeled beautifully in his hand. Inside, Lapis shed tears and let go of the apple. ¡°Stop bothering my wife and leave.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never said I¡¯m annoyed.¡± ¡°Now you know how to answer.¡± ¡°Fine. Don¡¯t hit me.¡± Lapis looked sad and got up from his chair, holding his te of fruit. ¡°Put that down and go.¡± Lapis pouted and put the te down. Willfully, Lucerne sat across from her. ¡°I feel like I¡¯ve be a viin. Did I interrupt your leisure time?¡± Elisha looked into Lucerne¡¯s eyes. ¡°¡­ You came without any notice. If I had known, I would havee to meet you.¡± Elisha put down her knife. ¡°Why? Won¡¯t you peel me a slice?¡± Elisha looked at Lucerne with an expression reflecting that she couldn¡¯t believe what she was hearing. ¡°I¡¯ll get my maid to peel it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make me utter petty, childish things.¡± He stole Lapis¡¯s apple slice and put it in his mouth. ¡°Do you want to eat an apple?¡± ¡°No,¡± Lucerne replied shortly. ¡°I want to eat what you cut with your hands. It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s an apple or a peach.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°It would be nice if you could give it to me with your own mouth. Will you feed me in bed?¡± [t1v: OMG yyy is this #ALL_MEN] Elisha¡¯s cheeks hosted a soft pink. Lucerne enjoyed it when her doll-like facade cracked. Finally, she seemed like a human, and he could feel her attention focused on him. ¡°Why did you suddenly say that as soon as you came in?¡± Elisha avoided Lucerne¡¯s eyes. His gaze spotted the imperial newspaper on the table. Heprehended the context of the conversation he had overheard just before entering. ¡®There are all sorts of articles being written out there.¡¯ It was amazing. Elisha didn¡¯t look at all displeased. Lucerne¡¯s mouth tasted strangely sweet. He licked his finger; it was exceptionally sweet, thanks to the person who cut it. ¡°Why can¡¯t you be jealous when you¡¯re good at everything? I¡¯m disappointed.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you at least be excited if the princess and I have an affair? I would have to pay off the debt.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not excited. I know you aren¡¯t cheating.¡± ¡°You know me well.¡± He put the rest of the apple pieces in his mouth and chewed slowly. ¡°What happened? You seem a little different from before.¡± Elisha tried to change the topic. Her face regained its calm demeanor, but Lucerne saw her ears looked slightly warm. ¡°I heard you did a good job. The house looks bright.¡± ¡°You saw it?¡± Elisha looked at his eyes. There was a sense of pride on her face. She looked so cute that Lucerne almostughed out loud. He had no idea when the corners of his mouth became so loose. ¡°Well done.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± This time, Elisha¡¯s two pink ears turned red. I¡¯m in trouble. Lucerne muttered to himself. He had a lot of work to do, but he already wanted to lick and suck on her ears first. Chapter 43.2 Chapter 43.2 ¡°So, do you want an award? You¡¯ve worked hard.¡± Lucerne expected Elisha to avoid his gaze, saying not to make fun of her. But, instead, she looked at him straightforwardly. She looked nervous when she licked her lips. What¡¯s going on in that head? Lucerne was genuinely curious. ¡°You¡¯re not being sarcastic.¡± ¡°Do you think I wouldpliment you for courtesy¡¯s sake?¡± Elisha was convinced. She nodded her head in affirmation. ¡°I thought I was the only one bewitched by you, but that¡¯s not the case.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I think this mansion has fallen for you.¡± Elisha looked like she wanted to sigh deeply. ¡°When did I bewitch you?¡± ¡°I was captivated. From the day we first met, when you took off your clothes in front of me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°To the point of arousing me to live with this contractual marriage and propose.¡± ¡°You¡¯re embellishing those incidents however you want. You just paid off my debt and bought me from Jacob.¡± Lucerne¡¯s brow slightly furrowed. ¡°How could you simply treat me like I bought you? It¡¯s disappointing.¡± Elisha¡¯s eyebrows rose in surprise. Quickly the expression disappeared. ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Will you really give me a reward?¡± Lucerne pulled the chair back. ¡°I guess you¡¯re good at other things, too.¡± Lucerne stretched out his arms. ¡°Come here, Elisha.¡± Elisha looked at him with her eyes blushing and slowly approached him. Lucerne put her on hisp at once. She sat on hisp, and he looked down on her face. ¡°You have a good memory. You have to look into my eyes.¡± Only then did Elisha turn to Lucerne and held his gaze. Lucerne felt something filling his heart. It was for this moment he had continued to provoke and elicit a reaction from her, knowing that she was shy and trying to avoid him. Still, when she stared at him, he felt strange. It was like looking for a milestone on a foggy road. Yet, at the same time, Lucerne felt a fresh passion he had never experienced before slowly heating up his heart. ¡°Don¡¯t try too hard. Just sit on myp and tell me what you want me to do.¡± [t1v: envisioning the book cover *__*] ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You¡¯re sopetent for no reason¡ª touching people¡¯s hearts.¡± Lucerne lightly rubbed Elisha¡¯s cheek. Soon, a big hand wrapped around her cheek. She closed her eyes. ¡°Ummm¡­¡­¡± Lucerne¡¯s lips kissed Elisha¡¯s lips without hesitation. It was a soft, pecking-like kiss contrary to his harsh, bitter words. When Elisha opened her mouth, off-guard, Lucerne enveloped her lips. He sucked up her lower lip, those soft lips quickly swelling up. Then, when Elisha¡¯s mouth waspletely open, Lucerne¡¯s tongue rushed in. Kiss, chup, chu¡­.. The sound of tongues weaving together reverberated in the room. Elisha was leaningpletely against Lucerne. Lucerne stroked Elisha¡¯s lower back and right away put his hand into her skirt. While fondling her round buttocks over her underwear, he rubbed his penis between Elisha¡¯s legs. Before she knew it, his cock swelled up again. ¡®This woman is driving me crazy.¡¯ Even though he initially had no intention of doing so, when he touched Elisha¡¯s body, a mysterious heat overtook him. *** ¡°You can do it?¡± Lucerne asked in a voice heavy with lust. While kneading Elisha¡¯s ass, his hand slowly stroked over her underwear. ¡°Yes, I can.¡± ¡°Are you still bleeding?¡± ¡°It got better quickly, afterwards. I was just¡­ I wasn¡¯t used to it.¡± ¡°Show me.¡± ¡°Now?¡± ¡°Take it all off.¡± Elisha felt like her head was turning red. Really, this man came home after a long time, and she couldn¡¯t figure out what he was thinking. ¡®Really¡­ Aren¡¯t you treating me like a bride you bought?¡¯ First, he was in the imperial pce for a week. There were banquets and official events where he walked side by side with the princess, and when he got home, he tried to alleviate his libido¡­¡­. What a jerk. She tried to control her emotions but couldn¡¯t hide any of her spite. ¡°Hurry up. Then you¡¯ll get an award, Elisha.¡± Elisha looked at Lucerne silently. ¡°I don¡¯t like that. Then you too¡­¡­. Take it all off,¡± Elisha asserted, holding Lucerne¡¯s cor. She slowly saw a smile spreading across Lucerne¡¯s mouth. It was a carnivorous smile threatening to greedily consume her whole body someday. Chapter 44.1 Chapter 44.1 ¡°Great. Take it off first,¡± Lucerne said calmly. Elisha was relieved to read the nervousness at the end of his words. ¡®Even after the first night¡­¡­. I guess you¡¯re not tired of it.¡¯ They would probably have sex at least a couple of times. [t1v: *cough cough*] Elisha got up from her chair and slowly took off her clothes. It was still daytime; with each article of clothes discarded, her naked body was tantly revealed. Finally, Lucerne got up and put Elisha on his chair. ¡°Open your legs, and let¡¯s see how pretty you look today.¡± Elisha bit her lips. ¡°¡­ pervert.¡± Even though she knew it was a daring remark for someone of her lower station, Lucerne wasn¡¯t offended. ¡°I¡¯m only a pervert with you. Why don¡¯t you spread it and show it off yourself?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± She couldn¡¯t deny him when he spoke so brazenly. Elisha put her thighs on each armrest on the chair as Lucerne instructed. Both of her legs were wide open. Elisha turned her head away. Lucerne leaned down in front of her. ¡°It¡¯s just as it was before.¡± ¡°Heuk!¡± Lucerne caressed Elisha¡¯s mound with his hand. The sensation of being naked and being fondled in broad daylight was unusual. A bizarre phenomenon ran along her spine. ¡°You look like you want me to suck on your whole body.¡± Lucerne¡¯s fingers lewdly and slowly spread open Elisha¡¯s heat. ¡°You¡¯re beautiful. All the way to the inside of your pussy¨CEverything.¡± After a few days, her pubic area and puffy, swollen inner walls had resumed their original condition. Elisha closed her legs. ¡°As promised¡­.. Hurry up and take it off.¡± As Lucerne assured, he took off his clothes in front of Elisha. Revealed under her gaze was a solid and perfectly woven body. His penis, as heavy as a pir, was half swollen. Elisha unhurriedly gazed at his physique. Indeed, the world was not fair. There are creatures in the world that God has worked especially hard on. Like Lucerne. ¡°What, you like it?¡± Elisha did not deny it. She met Lucerne¡¯s eyes indicating her soft affirmation. He raised the corners of his mouth. ¡°You can go to bed to watch more. There, you can appreciate my embrace too.¡± Lucerne stretched out his arms and hugged the nude Elisha. Then, he lifted her and headed straight to the bed. As Elisha wasid down she looked up at the stripped Lucerne with wide eyes. ¡®This body is what makes Car and other women crazy.¡¯ Does Car know? That he was even more stunning when he is naked. ¡®Did I also be a pervert?¡¯ Maybe because Elisha herself didn¡¯t have a normal constitution, she wasn¡¯t offended by his perverted desires. Lucerne settled between Elisha¡¯s legs. ¡°What¡¯s¡­¡­. this?¡± Elisha found something like a faint scar on Lucerne¡¯s hard chest. It looked like a whip mark. It looked so faint that she could only see it when she looked closely. ¡°It was acquired at a temple.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Elisha fumbled over what she knew about Lucerne. He had grown up in a temple for several years during his childhood. It was said that he was supervised by his uncle, Merha. ¡°In the temple, if an orphanmitted a mistake, they were whipped and punished.¡± ¡°You must have been a bad kid.¡± ¡°I guess by their criteria, yes.¡± Several scars stretched to the shoulders. Elisha thought, ¡®Shouldn¡¯t Merha, who scratched this piece of art, be punished?¡¯ Then, perhaps because of her tickling touch, Lucerne grabbed the back of Elisha¡¯s hand. Elisha flinched, afraid her hand would break. ¡°Stop kidding around.¡± Elisha shut her mouth. ¡°I¡¯m in a hurry, but your body is too frail.¡± ¡°Hnnn¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know where to start. How can you have so many tempting ces to touch?¡± He fondled Elisha¡¯s soft bosom with his hands and kneaded her white, soft breasts. At the same time, he rubbed her nipples between his fingers, making them pointy and making her feel very tingly. ¡°Ahhhh, hnn¡­.¡± Lucerne brushed over her belly to her lower abdomen with the otherrge hand and slowly grazed over her pubic hair. Elisha¡¯s bottom was already wet and slippery, drooling over the chair. ¡°I¡¯m really hard. When I see you get wet easily,¡± said Lucerne. Chapter 44.2 Chapter 44.2 ¡°Really.¡­..¡± Elisha looked at Lucerne. Didn¡¯t he feel a little closer to her after having a physical rtionship? Now she was able to discern what she was observing. At her stare, Lucerne smiled as if he found it amusing. ¡°I still have to be careful. It¡¯s a little swollen,¡± Lucerne remarked wearily. At the same time, he took a bottle from the bedside. Elisha briefly wondered if the butler had put it there. ¡°Don¡¯t think about anything else.¡± Lucerne opened the bottle and gradually dribbled it on Elisha¡¯s vagina. A sweet smell of flowers filled the room. Her flesh softly opened as if it were breathing when Lucerne¡¯s fingers stroked it. ¡°Do you like being rubbed¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± ¡°Or do you like when I thrust it in quickly?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know..¡­..¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t know, you should experience it. Which one do you like better?¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Lucerne¡¯s hand smoothed and pulled apart the lips to her intimates and slowly put in his finger. He swiveled his middle finger and pushed it up in a beckoning motion. There was a sound of wetness. ¡°Ha, hic. Ooh!¡± Without pausing what he was doing, Lucerne leaned over and bit her are. ¡°Ha, haaaaa! Haaa¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I thought it¡¯d be pretty if I made a mark here.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ It hurts.¡± ¡°It hurts?¡± Lucerne licked the ce where his teeth had made an imprint. Elisha felt a tingling heat on her swollen skin. At the same time, the movement of his finger slowed down and then sped up as if revving her up. Her love liquid dripped down to her perineum. Her legs trembled. ¡°No¡­ .. I like it now¡­¡­. Even if it hurts¡­¡­. It doesn¡¯t matter, but gently¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Elisha wondered for a moment why Lucerne was silent. The next moment, Elisha¡¯s thighs were floating in the air by Lucerne¡¯s hand. ¡°Really.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°Even if I try to do it slowly, my little ghost gets me so hard, how can I endure and not hammer your brains out? Even the sound of your breathing makes a person go into heat like this.¡± ¡°Hnn¡­ ¡­Haaa.¡­¡­. Ah.¡­.. Slowly¡­¡­.¡± Lucerne¡¯s round tip was stiff and pressed over Elisha¡¯s hole. He put his hands behind her knees and put his thighs between her legs. His club-like cock rubbed and mmed over her entrance a couple of times and slowly began to fill her. Elisha¡¯s dripping pussy, began to swallow his member. Stroking, his pir made way and invaded Elisha¡¯s body without hesitation. ¡®His power¡­ is really strong¡­¡­.¡¯ Elisha¡¯s waist was helplessly floating in the air as she received his manhood. Elisha was gasping. She breathed and closed his eyes. Then his cock pulled out. Elisha opened her eyes wide with the sudden emptiness. m! The next moment, Lucerne¡¯s shaft came in suddenly. ¡°Huuunnn, oooh!¡± Elisha made a lilting moan and grabbed the sheet. He began to move Elisha¡¯s body up and down in the air. ¡°It¡¯s too big..¡­¡­¡¯ It took her breath away the moment it entered her. Elisha¡¯s body was half raised and shaking like a creature born to get aroused and impaled. Her hair was tousled, and her nipples and breasts jiggled violently. p, p, p, p! It blended in with the sound of wetness. The lewd frictional cacophony rang loudly. Lucerne put Elisha¡¯s thigh on the bed and repeatedly pounded her, pushing her back and forth. ¡°Ha, heuk¡­ Hgnh¡­¡­. Ah¡­!¡± Elisha climaxed when he went to her depths. Spewing out, the fluid secreted from her inner wall kept leaking, wetting his balls. Lucerne sighed and endured cumming on the inner wall that swallowed Lucerne¡¯s member as if sucking it all over his body. Squelch, squelch. When he stirred his organ with a slightly softer motion, Elisha¡¯s lower abdomen poured with energy. ¡®Strange¡­ Compared tost time¡­¡­. It feels different.¡¯ She had felt it at their first encounter, but the circumstance was different this time. Unknowingly, her toes curled, rubbed, clenched, and unclenched the bedsheet. The electric current, which started from the ce of impact, engulfed her whole body, and it felt so thrilling her head went nk. The bottom of her belly tickled, and her inner wall tangled with him, twitching and gulping. She was going crazy. ¡°Hmm¡­ Hmm¡­ Yes ohh¡­¡­.¡± Instinctually, Elisha shook her ass without realizing it, asking to cum. ¡°It¡¯s hot, inside. It¡¯s like your body is crazily fighting to stick to me.¡± Lucerne looked down at Elisha¡¯s face trapped between his hands and grinned with a sweaty face. ¡°You don¡¯t usually shake your ass like this.¡± ¡°Huek, no more. General¡­.¡± ¡°Ahh, okay.¡± Lucerne answered generously and pistoning more impatiently. Elisha shook her lower abdomen and endured the pleasure. ¡°I¡¯m tired. Stop now. You.¡­..Ahhh¡­..¡­.¡± ¡°Not that one.¡± Lucerne kissed Elshia¡¯s temple loudly. Elisha wanted to cry. It was not because she didn¡¯t like it, but because her heart was being tightened strangely. He shouldn¡¯t have done that. Sex simply had to be just sex. It should have been something that was done bluntly and brazenly, like any other unloving couple. ¡°It¡¯s hard.¡­.. Lucerne¡­..¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Lucerne¡¯s eyes changed; he suddenly became extremely excited and went wild. ¡®What¡¯s the matter with him?¡¯ Lucerne began rubbing the inside of Elisha¡¯s thigh and started pounding again. ¡°Uh, ah, ahhh, ooohhh!¡± Fireworks constantly erupted in front of her eyes. Finally, her head was nk, and she regained her senses. The ticklish me swallowed her whole lower stomach and made the area numb. ¡°Huuu, uh¡­¡­.¡± Sensing the end of a long-held lust, Elisha wrapped her legs around his waist. The sound of pounding began to ring loudly in her ears. ¡°Oh, ahh!¡± For a long time, she was swayed by pleasure, and could barely do anything but cry and breath. Her head went nk, unaware of how much time had passed. Soon after, thick and hot semen was released in Elisha¡¯s core. Gush, pour, ooze. The thick semen flowed down to Elisha¡¯s perineum. ¡°That¡¯s a lot of cum, isn¡¯t it?¡± Elisha¡¯s reddened gaze looked at him as if he wickedly took pleasure in the sight of her. ¡°¡­¡­..Yes.¡± Lucerne put his forehead against Elisha¡¯s forehead. He slowly opened his lips. Then, feeling his lips, she gently intertwined her tongue. Even though his member subsided in her body, they rubbed her adjoined vulva and his pir, lustfully entangled up and down. Thud, thud. The sound tickled her ears for a long time. Chapter 45.1 Chapter 45.1 ¡®What time is it?¡¯ Elisha opened her eyes weakly. Her whole body seemed heavy and limp like wet cotton. When she looked around, a magic toolmp lit the half-dark room. The moment Elisha opened her eyes, she felt like someone was dragging her whole body. Lucerne hugged and pulled her from behind. Elisha sighed. There was still a sense of residual pleasure in her body. ¡®I can¡¯t believe my day went by like this.¡¯ Having breakfast¡­. And now it was night. She managed to get up as Lucerne watched her and tilted his head. ¡°Wash up. Dress up nicely too. Let¡¯s eat dinner.¡± Elisha nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll wash up first.¡± ¡°Wear your outerwear.¡± Elisha¡¯s eyes got bigger. ¡°At this hour?¡± ¡°It¡¯s dinner time. Let¡¯s have the meal we couldn¡¯t eatst time.¡± Exhausted, Elisha¡¯s whole body was stiff, so she wasn¡¯t in the mood to move. Regardless, she headed to the bathroom, thoughtfully puzzled. *** The resonance of a slow musical performance rang in the hall. Elisha was sitting side by side in a hotel restaurant with Lucerne. In the evening, the luxury restaurant was packed. It was clear that the wealthy men and women dressed up like peacocks came for secret rendezvous or trysts. ¡®Everyone is looking at Lucerne.¡¯ The women at the tables have been ncing at Lucerne since earlier. ¡®Is it because he¡¯s handsome or because they recognized you?¡¯ It was already 8 p.m. All she did was have sex and drool in her sleep. [t1v: #goals] And she was still sleepy. Drowsiness was the only sensation that upheld her body. On the other hand, Lucerne, who put his hair back and wore a neat suit, seemed like a different person. Elisha let Lucerne order from the menu for her. ¡®It¡¯s a restaurant attached to a hotel.¡¯ Elisha looked around. Perhaps the princess would appear? ¡°What are you looking for?¡± ¡°No¡­ Suddenly, you invited me here, so I was wondering if there was anyone I should introduce myself to.¡± ¡°I¡¯m having dinner with my wife. Who should I introduce?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± That is to say¡­ Shouldn¡¯t such a thing be done with a genuine wife? Elisha¡¯s very sensible question arose. Moreover, Lucerne looked strangely happy. It was then. ¡°A¡ªa man dressed up as a woman attacked me. He¡¯sing to catch me¡ªhe¡¯s going to get me! The sudden disturbance shook the hotel. There was a spiral staircase against a wall of the eatery, and everyone knew that the staircase led to the hotel on the second floor. A man who took the stairs was running out, causing widespread bewilderment. ¡®What¡¯s that?¡¯ The man¡¯s appearance was spectacr. He was half-naked with only underwear on his lower half, a bustier around his neck, and a feminine silk shawl hung over his shoulders. Even the man¡¯s girdle fell behind him as he ran. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him? It looks like he¡¯s running away after cheating on her wife,¡± someone muttered. Laughter and gossip spread among the crowd witnessing the insane man. ¡®That person¡­.¡¯ Elisha recognized the man. ¡®The Marquis of Fullmoon?¡¯ It was the Marquis of Fullmoon, Car¡¯s father. The Marquise of Fullmoon, the marquis¡¯ wife, and their seemingly harmonious and friendly marriage was the object of envy of many noblewomen. But that same marquis was running around a hotel like that right now? ¡®He was an object of fear in my previous life.¡¯ Car¡¯s self-indulgent and unruly personality came from a family environment that indulged her. Of course, not everyone became spoiled when they were overly pampered, but in the case of Car, she was. In particr, during her previous life, Car couldn¡¯t stand the fact that Jacob¡¯s aid was a woman. She strangely hated Elisha for some reason and found out whyter. ¡®My mother recently saw a fortune teller, and she told her: There¡¯s an ominous woman next to Jacob. She says that bitch will take all of Car¡¯s men away. By the way, you¡¯re the only woman who¡¯s stuck to Jacob!¡¯ It was such a ridiculous reason. But Car often harassed Elisha by wielding her father¡¯s power. One day, taking issue with Jacob and Elisha¡¯s association, her father dragged her and ordered his subordinates to rough house her, spit, and torment her. ¡®How dare you touch my daughter¡¯s man! My daughter was upset and cried because of you!¡¯ She definitely heard that. It was terribly unfair. She didn¡¯t remember exactly what happened before and after that.¡­. ¡®What happened during that situation?¡¯ She was confused because there were too many dreadful events and cruelties Car hadmitted against her. But, regardless, she was certain Car loathed her. ¡®There are definitely gaps in my memory ¡­. I remember most of it, but¡­¡­.¡¯ Elisha was lost in thought for a moment. Then people began to whisper. ¡°He¡¯s the Marquis of Fullmoon! I was wondering who it was!¡± ¡°Oh my! He must have done something perverted in this hotel!¡± Lucerne drank his wine, with a rxed and pleased face. Chapter 45.2 Chapter 45.2 ¡°Why are you looking at me like that? Do you feel sorry for him?¡± ¡°I know who it is, and I feel pity for him.¡± Elisha feigned innocence and ignorance. ¡°It¡¯s the Marquis of Fullmoon. Car¡¯s father.¡± Elisha observed Lucerne. Maybe this person¡­¡­. Doubts emerged within her. ¡°Really? I see that¡¯s her father and how Car grew up,¡± Elisha neatly concluded. Lucerne seemed to like her words quite a bit. He seemed to be having fun. Marquis of Fullmoon spoke gibberish to the employees, trying to dissuade him. ¡°No- I mean, I¡¯m innocent. A man dressed up as a woman seduced me¡­¡­. went into the room¡­¡­. suddenly beats me up¡­¡­. No¡­ I¡­¡­.¡± Suddenly, Elisha had an appetite. Elisha resumed her nibbling on her meal and happily relished her wine. ¡°It was an interesting sight,¡± Lucerne decided indifferently. ¡°Indeed. I guess he must be crazy.¡± ¡°Unless someone has messed with his head.¡± At Lucerne¡¯s words, Elisha¡¯s doubts deepened. But she didn¡¯t dig in. There was nothing Elisha could do even if she dug into it. ¡°Is it tasty?¡± ¡°Yes. Very good. This restaurant. I love (it).¡± [t1v: he¡¯s always hinting at a double meaning, it¡¯s weird in english but flirtatiously ambiguous in korean] It bothered her that Lucerne was staring at her strangely. It wasn¡¯t a bad evening at all. No, it was a lot better than ¡®not bad.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m relieved. I feel good.¡¯ The corners of Elisha¡¯s mouth were already twirling slightly up. As soon as Lucerne¡¯s gaze reached hers, the appearance disappeared. A look of regret shed on Lucerne¡¯s face as he gazed at Elisha. She told herself that she had misread his expression. *** While riding the carriage on the way home, Lucerne quietly asked her a question: ¡°Where did you get the chef?¡± Elishaprehended his question. While he was away, she had hired a new cook to improve the mansion¡¯s meals. ¡°I went to the square, grabbed people, and asked if they knew if there was a local big inn selling the most delicious food at a reasonable price. Of course, I told the butler to ask them on my behalf. After we had some leads, I chose one of them and scouted him.¡± Lucerne silently listened to Elisha¡¯s story. ¡°Before that, the cooks were even in charge of cooking for the people of the mansion. I put a cook under the chef. Oh, I looked up the military code that was not a vition of the military mandate. In the mansion, cooks can follow the instructions of a civilian chef.¡± ¡°Did you learn that from Archbishop Rosaria?¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t teach the answer; he shows how to find your own. If you need anything, go to the right ce to ask questions and find answers.¡± It was a smooth answer like a well-polished jewel. Lucerne epted it and nodded. ¡°Where did you learn how to read books and where to receive ingredients?¡± ¡°I learned how to read a ledger at the monastery. We renegotiated the delivery of food ingredients with existing workmen. A lot of old ingredients were thrown away.¡± Lucerne¡¯s eyes sparked with interest. Elisha thought it was a good sign. Lucerne was never a person who would spend an extended amount of time on something he was not interested in. ¡°Since when have you been so smart? From birth?¡± Elisha felt a little better because she had earned Lucerne¡¯s recognition. She was not very confident in herself as a woman. However, she was quite proud of her aptitude for work that saved her in her previous life. ¡°When I was young, I had no money. My father¡­¡­. didn¡¯t pay for my stay in the monastery. Then, the monastery only fed me bread. So I needed money.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°At that time, whenever I went to a vige near the monastery, I observed the market closely. And I discovered that branded cheeses and wines were sold at higher prices.¡± Lucerne nodded lightly, showing that he was listening. ¡°I made a trademark for the monastery where I grew up.¡± Elisha told the new officer who was taking care of her and suggested it. She told them to use morning dew and promote the liquor as handmade by the priests. ¡°It was sold at exactly twice the standard price. After that, Priest Rosaria called me and made me his direct disciple.¡± Elisha brought it up to make her story more believable to Lucerne. She thought it would be reasonable to emphasize her real past as to why she knew so much when he found her locked up, doingundry. In fact, Elisha, in her previous life, survived because of her five years of learning under the tutge of Rosaria. ¡°That¡¯s sincerely incredible. Whether I¡¯m being tricked by you or you¡¯re pulling me in.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Every word is so touching and pertinent, so it should be said it¡¯s rather suspicious. If you were already so smart at the age of 14, you must have lived twice as much life as others.¡± Elisha was startled. Lucerne really had a good sense. Chapter 46 Chapter 46 He must have noticed that there was something dubious about Elisha¡¯s words. ¡°Why? There are people like Lapis. At 14, he¡¯s already the second-highest wizard in the empire.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I mean¡­ I can y my duty as a wife well. If there¡¯s a clear reward and punishment, I¡¯ll work even harder.¡± ¡°Impressive.¡± Lucerne turned his head. Elisha was relieved when his cold mask loosened. ¡°I¡¯ll call the jewelry. Buy anything you want.¡± Lucerne said apathetically. Elisha realized he was talking about her ¡°award.¡± ¡°Jewelry¡­ It¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t have to go out right now.¡± She did need jewelry. When she imagined the future, the more money she had, the better. However, Elisha¡¯s property ownership in the contract would only be recognized after divorce, so it was like a casino chip that could only be used in the building. It doesn¡¯t mean anything if you just carry chips without exchanging them for money at the casino. A chip is just a toy. The only way to exchange the chip for money was to make Lucerne the head of the household and divorce him ording to their contract. ¡®Besides, I need something more than jewelry now, so I¡¯ll have to you to do it.¡¯ Elisha thought of visiting the hot spring resort town of Yurif. There, there would be a hidden key to the session war ahead. ¡°Do you want anything else?¡± ¡°I want to go on a trip. A ce I¡¯ve never been.¡± Elisha cautiously brought it up. ¡°Do you want to go on a honeymoon?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Elisha doubted her ears. Honeymoon¡­¡­. It was a word that didn¡¯t suit Lucerne and herself at all. Additionally, honeymoons amongst the aristocrats were only in vogue for young newlyweds with love marriages. ¡®I can go alone.¡¯ Elisha¡¯s words rose to her throat. Frankly, she wanted to go alone. But she intrinsically felt that if she said so, she would displease Lucerne. ¡®Well, there are positives about himing along. If you coordinate the situation well, you can get what you want with Lucerne¡¯s help more easily than you initially assumed. Maybe we¡¯ll even get a little closer.¡¯ Increasing her intimacy with Lucerne was the same as increasing the likelihood of not dying at Lucerne¡¯s hands even if things went south. ¡°You¡¯re busy; it won¡¯t be easy.¡± ¡°How long do you want to go? Do you want to travel around the world for about half a year?¡± ¡°A trip around the world?¡± Elisha wondered what he meant. It would be extremely costly to travel around the world. ¡°No. It¡¯s enough to go on a short trip nearby. I heard about it when I was in Jacob¡¯s mansion. Ladies often visit and rest at a resort near the city with a hot spring.¡­. I heard it¡¯s good for your skin. I¡¯ve been longing to go.¡± Lucerne seemed to think of something. ¡°Yurif has hot springs. Are you talking about that?¡± Elisha nodded and tried to maintain an aloof attitude so as not to look suspicious. ¡°Car also has a vi there. Coteral servants like myself who worked in Jacob¡¯s mansion¡­¡­. We were all envious of Car,¡± Elisha exined quietly; she hoped Lucerne would not doubt her words. ¡°It will take a few days, of course, the general is always busy, so if you¡¯re not avable¡ª¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Lucerne casually said. Elisha¡¯s eyes instantly brightened up. ¡°Happy?¡± Elisha honestly nodded. ¡°Yes, I really wanted to go there.¡± One corner of Lucerne¡¯s mouth discreetly rose. He said nothing more. *** Since morning, the general had been diligently busy. It was because of the lord¡¯s sudden whim. ¡°Yurif? The general is going to a ce like that?¡± Yurif, was a spa resort town with hot springs very close to the capital and rather a popr holiday spot for aristocrats these days. Lucerne was not interested in taking such holidays, so there were no vis that he had in Yurif, let alone regr hotels that the lord had already stayed in. The butler urgently had to find a suitable hotel in Yurif by wire. Fortunately, he was able to get a reply and quickly book since it was not during peak season. Wherever Lucerne went, Ian apanied him as his close aide. Plus, Nora would escort them. Since Nora was obviously chosen as Elisha¡¯s escort, the other knights were slightly jealous of her. *** Sophie hastily packed for the madam¡¯s sudden trip. Usually, it took at least half a day to prepare and pack for a hostess¡¯ trip. This was because when nobledies went to resorts, they did not just y and eat but went to parties and walked around locales wearing beautiful clothes from the morning to evening. But Sophie finished her work much quicker than anticipated. ¡°The packing¡­ is done.¡± Elisha¡¯sck of possessions was the main reason. Sophie had even packed all the cosmetics and essories she had, packing one casual outfit and two or three dresses she had. Sophie became a little upset. In society, the status, prestige, and esteem a hostess held were reflected by the quality and quantity of jewelry and colorful dresses. The household was not even wealthy at the former estate where she worked before, but they had more than Elisha. If a master¡¯s authority was insignificant, their subordinates suffered. ¡°Well done, Sophie.¡± Maybe Elisha was ignorant of Sophie¡¯s thoughts because she only looked at the books and rxedly spoke about the meals until just before she left. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Was it tough to pack up?¡± ¡°N-no, mydy.¡± Sophie hid her subdued expression. Then there was a knock on the door. Sophie opened the door. Unexpected people stood at the door. It was Lapis and Lazri. ¡°Wee, Knight Lapis. It seems Knight Lazri apanied you, too?¡± Elisha got up from her seat and greeted Lazri politely. Chapter 46.2 Chapter 46.2 ¡°Hello, I stopped by because my brother Lapis said he was indebted to you a lot, mydy. It must have been hard to listen to his rambling but thank you. I¡¯m sure he was a bother.¡± Elisha bowed her head lightly and greeted them. ¡®Indeed¡­ Lapis knows his stuff and talks a lot about the magical sciences.¡¯ But Elisha had a natural talent for listening to others. Lapis often visited, and there were times when what he said was fascinating. However, Lapis is firmly entrenched in making magic tools these days. Moreover, the field was soplicated that she barely understood half of what he was talking about. Lapis licked his lips. ¡°No¡­ I didn¡¯t mean to bother you.¡± Lapis nced at Elisha, hoping she would say she wasn¡¯t troubled by him. However, there was also a rising anxiety about what to do if she inside had really been annoyed with him. ¡°On the contrary, I don¡¯t know the field, so I¡¯m not a good friend for Lapis to talk to. I¡¯m d that youe by often when having a hard time. Thanks to you, I¡¯m not lonely.¡± She spoke calmly. Lapis¡¯ face turned bright. ¡°Give it to her.¡± ¡°No, you give it to her!¡± Lapis was embarrassed and annoyed by Lazri¡¯s words. Elisha tilted her head. Lazri eventually grabbed him by the back of his neck and dragged him forward. ¡°This is¡­ a gift.¡± Lapis held something out, and Elisha received the item. It was a stunning silver bracelet. When she looked closely, there were tiny, elegant details that were paper-thin. It wrapped around the wrist two or three times. The pattern was incredibly impressive. ¡°It looks like real silver. It¡¯s gorgeous. Why are you suddenly bringing such a precious item¡­..?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a magic tool made by Lapis, saying he wanted to gift it to thedy. He wouldn¡¯t stop talking about it. I¡¯m better at crafting magic tools, so he waited until I returned from the war and finished it together.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Elisha fiddled with it in her hand. ¡®These days, he¡¯s only been talking about magic tools¡­¡­.¡¯ She had thought it was a little boring because she didn¡¯t understand what he had been talking about. But his many words were because of his enthusiasm while creating a magic tool for her. She was not used to unexpected kindness. Elisha couldn¡¯t control her face due to the flood of unforeseen emotions she was not prepared for. The happier she was, the tighter her face became, and her cheeks turned red. ¡°But it¡¯s almost madepletely by Lapis¡¯ power alone. I only helped at the end and assisted the silversmith.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? Hush!¡± Lapis grumbled for no reason. Elisha tinkered with the bracelet for a long time. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my first time receiving such an extraordinary gift.¡± This time, Lapis¡¯ face turned red, and he turned his back and walked away. Elisha tried to catch him. ¡°Listen to the exnation, first. This is a magic tool, a bracelet that makes sounds if there is corrupted mana or equivalent to bad energy around it. It detects very strong and contaminated mana. For example, a monster from a high predator ss.¡¯ ¡°I see.¡± Elisha nodded. She knew well that such magic tools were extremely expensive. Its price would far outweigh its equivalent weight in gold. ¡°Please tell Lapis that I will use it well.¡± Lazri nodded. She wrapped it well in a handkerchief and put it in her arms. With that packing for the trip was finally over. *** Yurif was very close, and there was a direct gate in the capital. They departed in the morning and arrived at the hotel before lunch. It was typical for hotels in hot spring locales to have VIP rooms with several quarters with private baths. Elisha unpacked her luggage when she arrived at the amodations and looked around. ¡°Do you like it?¡± Lucerne asked. ¡°It¡¯s a nice space. I¡¯ve never been to a ce like this,¡± Elisha admitted in a calm but candid tone. Sophie quickly unpacked. While changing clothes, Elisha mulled over how she could move around freely. ¡®I have to get out somehow. My purpose is not to sightsee. I¡¯m here to find it.¡¯ Lucerne, unaware of Elisha¡¯s inner thoughts, beckoned to her. ¡°Then, let¡¯s start with hot springs like you wanted.¡± [*viiness cackle*] He spokenguidly like a carnivore. ¡®This¡­ It¡¯ll be over soon, right?¡¯ Elisha had goosebumps. What do couples usually do on their honeymoon? Chapter 47.1 Chapter 47.1 ¡°Ahhh, hoo¡­¡­. huek.¡­.¡± Ssh, ssh¡ª The answer was obvious. The next moment, she was undressed and on Lucerne¡¯sp. He teased her, poking his erection while they were in the water as if he was about to put it inside Elisha. Perhaps the body seemed to adapt faster than the mind. Elisha got hot in the water, quivering and twitching her ass involuntarily. ¡°I know, I want to fuck you, too. It was hard to hold back even on the way here,¡± Lucerne divulged as if he was amused. He clenched her ass and slowly stuck it in while they were under water. The water pped at the same time as she bounced her back. ¡°Hmm¡­ It feels different because it¡¯s underwater,¡± she whispered. As her inner wall sucked in his penis, water also infiltrated. ¡°It gets better the more you do it. You know I wouldn¡¯t lie to you,¡± He pressed herear as if rolling it around with his thumb and mmed her pelvis down. Elisha¡¯s whole body fluttered. ¡°Ah, haa, haa¡­¡­.¡± Her body felt like it was melting in the hot spring water. Lucerne bit her ear as if in praise. ¡°Let¡¯s take it slow. Since you shouldn¡¯t lose too much strength on our first day.¡± Elisha was worried and her stomach began to tremble. What if I get stuck in the room and don¡¯t go outside throughout the trip? ¡°How on earth¡­ How did you endure it?¡± ¡°What?¡± He began to raise his pelvis while sitting down, speaking in a breathy voice. It became difficult for Elisha to concentrate on her thoughts. Her inner walls loosened by the hot water, clung on and swallowed and sucked on Lucerne¡¯s. ¡°Your sexual desire¡­¡­. Hup¡­No women¡­ ..¡­. Car said¡­¡­.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all nonsense. As you can see I like being nasty, I will teach you everything. What did you overhear? Our little ghost.¡± Ssh! ¡°Haaah!¡± Elisha hung tightly around Lucerne¡¯s neck. ¡°So, you shouldn¡¯t have seduced me.¡± Really, she thought he was being unfair. The deal she offered him was not really a physical deal. It was Lucerne was the one who turned the information transaction into one involving her body and her life. ¡°Then¡­ You¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Ah, ah, of course.¡± He replied as if he were soothing a child. And Elisha really couldn¡¯t counter. p, sttering! Lucerne got up from the spot with his hand under Elisha¡¯s knee. It seemed that in the water there was an inconvenience for him. ¡°Ah, Lucerne!¡± Scared, she hung onto his body. Elisha, of average height and slender, was easily lifted like a doll in front of Lucerne who had many times more strength then of the average person. Thump, thump, thump. As Lucerne began to pound her fiercely while standing, Elisha was stuck from underneath and her body began to bounce and sway up and down in the air. Her legs were trapped in his arms, drawing an m-shape. Without even a wall to lean on, Elisha calmly surrendered to his tough body. Every time he hit it, her pale, soft asscheeks waved and shook. ¡°Hmm¡­ unn¡­. Oh¡­..!¡± The sound of his testicles pping against her vulva was loud. She struggled as if she had been prated by a pir of fire and couldn¡¯t breathe. ¡°Ah, ahh, Lucerne¡­¡­.¡± But it was strangely good. As if her core was on fire. The more she was stuck, the more pleasure was building up. Elisha gasped, tightening her asshole. ¡°Hmm, I¡­. ¡­ feel¡­ ¡­.. weird¡­ ¡° ¡°I know. Let¡¯s go at the same time, okay?¡± Lucerne said. She gasped and barely nodded. Lucerne began to hit it frantically. Deeply pierced, Elisha twisted herself in the air. However, even that was not possible because her whole body was held in the air by him. ¡°Oh, ooh.¡­.¡­. Ahhh! Elisha¡¯s pussy squeezed him tight, and Lucerne erupted semen. ¡®I did it yesterday, why¡­¡­.¡¯ Arge amount of semen flowed down, mixed with her natural lube, water, and sticky sweat secreted from the inside of her thigh, flowed down. Finally, he put her down. Contrary to his strong gestures from before, he dealt with her with a very careful attitude. Elisha copsed in the bath. Suddenly, she could see his semen being released in the bathtub water. Elisha blushed and avoided it. When Lucerne reached out, she barely stood up in his arms. ¡°Oye,¡± Lucerne whispered. ¡°I¡¯ll have to wash you all over again. Every corner. I should wash the inside first.¡± [t1v: in Korean wash/lick/suck is the same word so he is sexy double-speaking, as usual] ¡°I can wash myself.¡± Elisha muttered softly. She conveyed her dissatisfaction by pushing Lucerne¡¯s hand, but it was not noticeable even when she applied more strength with her small hand. He only hugged her tighter, finding her unbearably adorable. Eventually, on the first day, Elisha wasid on a lounge next to the bathtub. Lucehered and rubbed her whole body on the pretext of cleaning her. Whenever he stimted the sensitive and wet parts of her body with his fingertips, Elisha trembled andter fell asleep. Eventually, with his soapy fingers tormenting her vagina, shenguidly climaxed twice without insertion. And Elisha and Lucerne did not leave the room for a full day and a half. Chapter 48 Chapter 48 Chapter 48 ¡°General, it¡¯s been a while.¡± ¡°Congrattions on another victory.¡± Lucerne introduced Elisha as his wife. Numerous people flocked towards her, many wanting to kiss the back of her hand. She kept some distance from them, with her eyes gazing at them politely. ¡°She¡¯s really beautiful.¡± ¡°Actually, I thought it was just a rumor, but she¡¯s more than what they say.¡± Many people whispered about Elisha. Some people were already rushing to invite her to their events. ¡®It looks like being a general¡¯s wife will be troublesome.¡¯ Elisha looked at Lucerne. Fortunately, he cut people off for her. *** Only after Lucerne went to the men¡¯s cigarette room was Elisha able to take a breath. Ladies gathered around her, inquiring about her background. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of Lady Elisha¡¯s parents. However, since you are from a noble family of the Old Kingdom, then you muste from a venerable, historical family.¡± ¡°Yes, it is an old family. But no one in the capital knows about them. I am also looking forward to meeting many new people,¡± Elisha responded evenly, treating everyone with equal ambivalence. Fortunately, she was used to how noblewomen spoke. She served Car and Jacob, so she had had to deal with numerousdies. ¡°Did you hear?¡ªThe Marquis of Fullmoon¡¯s wife is so pitiful¡ªwho knew he was such a pervert?¡± ¡°I heard she fell ill. How funny. When a husband cheated on his wife, she was indiscreetly bragging that her man was different. Those who seem spotless have more to hide, don¡¯t they?¡± ¡°ording to the servants, they¡¯re getting divorced and fighting a lot.¡± Elisha, too, had heard rumors that the Marquis of Fullmoon family was being ridiculed and humiliated in high society. It was pleasing news. ¡°Lady Elisha, what do you think of the rumors about the Marquis of Fullmoon?¡± Thedies observed Elisha with strange, expectant eyes. The Marquis of Fullmoon was the father-inw of Jacob, the eldest grandson of the Cartier family. Elisha couldn¡¯t bring herself to say anything good about the Jacobs. ¡°I do not know.¡± She skillfully evaded the question and changed the topic. ¡°I don¡¯t know much about affairs in the capital. Are there any interesting eventsing up soon on the social calendar?¡± ¡°Ah, yes. There¡¯s a temple festival soon, and Saint Undine will make a public appearance. Everyone is waiting with bated breath for it.¡± ¡°Because Saint Undine is very beautiful. It will be a bigger event than there was for Prophet Risralpho.¡± The Prophet Risralpho was not a priest while he was alive. It was said that one day he realized the will of the gods, and he became a prophet. He predicted and prevented a flood and two gues during his lifetime. Additionally, all of his lesser divinations came to fruition as he had foretold. Moreover, Risralpho¡¯s reputation was spotless, and he died young. It meant¡­ ¡­ . ¡®It means he¡¯s making a lot of money for the temple.¡¯ Prophets were deemed a step lower than the Saints. But Risralpho was a famous prophet. So when he died, after the five years of customary mourning, the well-preserved body of Risralpho was put on disy in a ss coffin, earning a tremendous amount of money from the exhibition for several years. Risralpho¡¯s corpse was then preserved by wizards and sold in bone shards. For astronomical money. It was said that the temple made a fortune after Risralpho¡¯s funeral. Because of the myth, having a bone fragment of a prophet prevented misfortune and brought in wealth. Besides, the value as a collectible is enormous. There were also those who had sphemous hearts and participated in such bone-carving auctions as an investment. ¡°My husband has a piece of Risralpho¡¯s bone. Because of this, he was able to buynd in the capital, and the price went up tremendously.¡± ¡°How incredible. Such fortune¡­¡­. I am sure it is from Risralpho¡¯s blessing?¡± ¡°Is it a blessing?¡± Elisha asked indifferently while drinking champagne. Thedies¡¯ expressions changed. ¡°What?¡± ¡°No, nothing. Risralpho aplished many great things while he was alive. For example, finding the source of an epidemic or predicting a flood.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Besides, he even pledged to donate his body. How meaningful even helping the poor in death.¡± When the bones of the prophets were sold, the money fell in the hands of the temple. The money was then used ¡®to help the poor,¡¯ so it wasmendable. Only Elisha was softly smiling with ridicule. ¡®If it were me, I would never let my body be sold. Is it something noble?¡¯ Moreover, the temple said that ¡°part¡± of the proceeds was used to help the poor. Even that word was meaningful. Elisha had never seen that the mary records were made public. *** ¡®But why are men looking at me?¡¯ Elisha stroked her cheek. She kept recalling her past life. When she saw men staring at her strangely, she wondered if there was still a scar on her cheek. Then there was the sound of the terrace door opening. Elisha¡¯s eyes widened. ¡®Marco.¡¯ Lucerne¡¯s cousin and the Duke¡¯s second grandson. It was Marco. He seemed normal, his steps even, but she intuitively thought he was a little drunk. Elisha¡¯s shoulders stiffened. ¡°Oh, who is this? Hello, should I call you Lady Elisha now?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know you would remember my name,¡± Elisha responded with an icy countenance, ¡°I was about to leave. Please excuse me.¡± Elisha turned her back. She was about to leave, notifying him to maintain the bare minimum of courtesy. At that moment, Marco grabbed her wrist tightly. Her eyebrows frowned. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°I heard from Arien that you were clinging on to Lucerne in public and doing perverted things, umm? Anyway, there are plenty of quiet-looking bitches like you. You must have thought your future is secure because Lucerne has some Cartier blood in him. But regardless, that bastard will remain a nobody his entire life, unable to be the Duke. Do you really think the next Head of Cartier will leave him be with him running around like that?¡± ¡°What?¡± Elisha wondered what she was listening to. Marco continued, interpreting her reaction to his liking. ¡°You better get in line too. Heh, you¡¯ll find out with time. It is better to be the mistress of a man like me than to be the wife of an illegitimate punk.¡± Elisha doubted her ears. So ¡­¡­. ¡®Right now¡­¡­. Are you trying to seduce me?¡¯ It was unbelievable. She really couldn¡¯t help but question if her ears were functioning correctly. Marco was looking at her with sinister eyes. Elisha knew him well. He liked to bully and nitpick on the women under his authority, and he had often vented his anger towards Jacob on her numerous times. Furthermore¡­¡­. ¡®He was trying to do something weird to me.¡¯ Whenever he saw her, He cursed her for being a disgusting, ugly woman, but Marco harbored a twisted lecherousness for her. It was partly because of him that Elisha shrank from and avoided men. In her previous life, she was terrified and had to endure his sexual harassment. But now she¡­¡­. didn¡¯t. At least now she was on the same boat with Lucerne. ¡°Really? Is that so?¡± Elisha donned a smile on her face without realizing it. It was a cold smile. ¡°Yes. Of course.¡± Marco raised his chin and voice, perhaps gaining confidence from her reply. ¡°It would be better for you if you pleased me. After all, the Gaju¡¯s words arew in this family.¡± ¡°I¡­.¡± Elisha said kindly, ¡°I only was recently introduced to the members of the Cartier household, so I don¡¯t know much about the family. So, will Marco move on to the next generation?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Marco bit his mouth. ¡°The next time I see the Head, can I ask that? Has a sessor to the ducal house been appointed? That¡¯s what Marco said. May I pass it on?¡± It was only then he realized he was being mocked. Marco¡¯s hand trembled. ¡°You slutty bitch. You dare make fun of me? Oh, do you do this when you spread your legs to Lucerne?¡± ¡°No. She¡¯s nice and pretty when she spreads her legs to me. My wife has a good eye for people.¡± A heavy voice was heard. Elisha raised her head. Suddenly, the door to the terrace was open, and Lucerne was standing there. ¡°I¡ªI¡­ ¡­ .¡± Marco¡¯s face turned white. She wanted tough at him. Cartiers were like this. Demeaning and ridiculing behind Lucerne¡¯s back but unable to utter a word in front of him. Click¡ª Lucerne closed the terrace door. He blinked, and the curtain closed on its own. ¡°The garden is quiet. There¡¯s no one is here.¡± And the terrace door was tightly closed, separated from the ballroom. Marco was sweating. Elisha quickly moved to Lucerne¡¯s side. ¡°I heard a lot of interesting things about my wife.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s try and recall it again, shall we? What did you say?¡± Lucerne approached him, his red eyes shining dangerously. Marco¡¯s body began to tremble. ¡°Oh, you must have a bad memory. When I was young, I was taught that if I was dumb, I¡¯d have to learn by getting beaten.¡± Shhhaaaa¡ª Something ck appeared in his hand. Elisha recognized it. It was Lucerne¡¯s shadow beast. Chapter 49 Chapter 49 Chapter 49 ¡°You have to open your mouth, um?¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± Lucerne stomped on Marco¡¯s foot. He screamed and the shadows disappeared and seeped into his mouth. ¡°Take your time and teach him a lesson,¡± ordered Lucerne as he twirled with the traces of the shadow left on his hand. ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Even if you die or manage to survive and continue being the useless coward you are, this punishment will still torment you. So take this opportunity to reflect on yourself and train your memory.¡± ¡°Argh¡ªUgh, ahh!¡± Elisha didn¡¯t even want to imagine what was going on inside Marco¡¯s body. Lucerne extended his arm to her. She took his escort and left the terrace. Her back was drenched in sweat. ¡°Can you do this?¡± Elisha felt exhration and anxiety at the same time. Even Gaju knew his family fought dirty behind each other¡¯s backs. But the only thing the Head would never tolerate was murder amongst his family members. This was especially after the loss of Jacob¡¯s and Lucerne¡¯s fathers. The patriarch¡¯s rules were stricter than the imperialw. If someone did not abide by that single decree, the duke would draw his sword, and that meant the offender would recieve the death penalty. ¡°It won¡¯t be serious. The Lord turns a blind eye when we exchange a couple of punches amongst each other.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like a couple of punches.¡± Lucerne looked at Elisha and clicked his tongue. ¡°My shadow attacked him, a demon he can never control. So he will neverin about it to the Lord.¡± Elisha understood what he implied. The shadow beast was a kind of guardian deity of the ducal family. But this ability had only manifested in Lucerne. So it was a catch 22 for Jacob and Marco. Because even if they were to cry and protest to the Head, they would also be admitting that they were ipetent. ¡°Once he washes the inside of his body with magic, his head will be clear, and he won¡¯t die.¡± Elisha couldn¡¯t help but admire him. The sight of Lucerne punishing Cartier¡¯s men made him look even more incredibly attractive. Unconsciously, she squeezed the arm he was escorting her with. ¡°What? Do you want me to kiss you?¡± ¡°Your joke is¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Did you think I was joking?¡± People were paying attention to them. Lucerne whispered in her ear, pretending to tenderly and affectionately touch Elisha¡¯s hair. ¡°Everyone is talking about us.¡± Elisha¡¯s shoulders stiffened. ¡°I heard that you and I got married because we are perverted nymphomanics that are utterly crazy about sex. They say we can¡¯t get enough of each other, sticking together outdoors, in the stables, and even in the halls of the duke¡¯s mansion.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I can¡¯t even say anything because it¡¯s well-founded hearsay.¡± Her cheeks glowed softly. She now realized why all those men were looking at her today. (L) ¡°Well¡­¡­. It merits to be rumored all over that way.¡± It was clear that Marco¡¯s wife, Arien, was the one spreading gossip. It was when Elisha was attacked on the street and walked around in her underwear. She then met Arien in the hotel garden, who believed that Elisha and Lucerne were having sex outdoors. (L) ¡°It¡¯ll be amusing to know how many people asked to have an affair with you in the short time I stepped away from you.¡± She knew that Marco tried to seduce her. They thought she would be easy since she and Lucerne were a perverted couple who were crazy about sex. (L) ¡°You got a man like that. Of all things, the dirtiest dung fly.¡± Their faces grew closer and closer. (L) ¡°Then I can¡¯t have your expectations disappointed again.¡± His eyes shed. Lucerne swallowed Elisha¡¯s lips. ¡°Uh, unn¡­¡­ .¡± A deep kiss followed. Elisha closed her eyes tightly without pushing his tongue away as he rushed into her with passion. Instead, she unconsciously grabbed his cor. When they fell from each other slowly, Lucerne¡¯s eyes became fierce. ¡°I can¡¯t stink to you anymore, right?¡± He chuckled and wiped Elisha¡¯s lips with his thumb. The wives [t1v: and readers] sighed in regret and envy, and the men looked at them with intrigue. She rested her face in his arms. Perhaps, even after divorcing Lucerne in this life, it looked like it would be difficult for her to remarry to an imperial nobleman. It was good she had no intentions of doing so. *** Lucerne was able to tolerate thedies who gave him strange nces. However, the way men looked at Elisha he found was strangely offensive and unpleasant. He wanted to p every single one of them across the cheek. ¡®You look pretty today.¡¯ Lucerne went up the stairs and saw Elisha. A bright green silk dress that showed off her immacte arms, revealing the curve of her bosom looked perfect on her. Suddenly, he recalled a nobleman who had been bothering him by grabbing his arm earlier. ¡®I heard that you and your wife have been showing off your passion for each other in the Duke¡¯s mansion and in the capital? Of course, I hope you fully enjoy your honeymoon as newlyweds. But, after that¡­¡­. There is much more to enjoy. That¡¯s what the married life of aristocrats is like. My heart is always open.¡¯ Lucerne here tried to ignore him without saying a word. But he added, ¡®By the way, your wife is very pretty. I guess she hasn¡¯t put on her new dress. Looking at the bottom of her dress, you can see the finish on her hem that was popr a few years ago. Those wives with good eyes must have already noticed. To fix an old dress, you have to be more thorough. Since she is already a beautifuldy, she shouldn¡¯t be wearing such a wless dress. Jealous people will curse her behind her back.¡¯ It was only then that Lucerne slowly looked at Elisha¡¯s attire. He opened the door and asked her, ¡°Is that a new outfit?¡± ¡°No, I fixed what was in the mansion.¡± ¡°I knew it,¡± Lucerne remarked indifferently. ¡°Among your expenses, the cost of clothing was unusually low. With how small it was, I thought you were going around naked.¡± Elisha did a great job managing the mansion. But her personal expenditures were bizarrely low. It was almost non-existent. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± She frowned. ¡°What are you going to do if I take it off?¡± ¡°You should be punished. You should only do that in front of me.¡± He spoke casually, and Elisha nced at him slightly. ¡°Don¡¯t do that again.¡± She entered the room and released her hand that held on to his arm. Her hand flinched without realizing it. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°This kind of work.¡± What Lucerne was talking about was, of course, her dress. Elisha remembered a fewdies today admiring and praising her outfit. ¡°I did it because I had the skills and the time.¡± ¡°Really, and who are you trying to impress?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not happy or proud of you for being frugal. You have to spend my money well to save face.¡± Elisha was speechless. ¡°You are good at everything, I understand. But you have to make good use of my money to please me,¡± He said evenly as if he was bored. Elisha looked at him. ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll go shopping right away. Can I do it tomorrow?¡± This time she couldn¡¯t help but raise her eyebrows as she asked; she barely managed to nod her head calmly. She was strangely upset; her heart felt like it was pierced. *** One day in Elisha¡¯s previous life, the day before she was forcibly seated at the Cartier family¡¯s banquet where Lucerne stabbed a fork between Jacob¡¯s fingers. At that time, Elisha had a habit of walking and hiding in the shade of trees. It wasn¡¯t until she had burn marks on her face that she hated and feared being around people. As she walked down the street, Elisha spotted Lucerne and the Headwalking side by side. She hurriedly hid behind a small tree. She was a tree tall enough to cover her body. ¡®Why are the two of you having a friendly conversation?¡¯ Elisha wondered. ¡°Really, it¡¯s such a waste. If only she had a pretty appearance, she would have lived afortable life. If she were such a clever woman¡­ ¡­ . I wanted her. But I think her heart is too weak, so she won¡¯t be with me for long, so I¡¯ll send her back to Jacob. I tried to raise her well but stopped.¡± Elisha was startled. The Duke was talking about her. The only person Jacob gave and was by Gaju¡¯s side was her. ¡°Grandfather,¡± said Lucerne. ¡°As long as someone is connected with this family, it is impossible to livefortably. This includes me. It¡¯s a little ridiculous to say that.¡± ¡°Do you feel pity for that ugly child?¡± ¡°I have no sympathy for anyone.¡± ¡°If not sympathy? Are you saying you hold her in your heart? It¡¯s the first time you¡¯ve reacted to a woman¡¯s story.¡± Judging by the tone of the Head¡¯s voice it was one of the rare times he was joking around with Lucerne. If Elisha had been a woman with an ordinary appearance, the Lord would have never made the joke. He would have never allowed them to even meet the few times they hade across each other. ¡°I don¡¯t care about anyone.¡± ¡°If you fall in love with someone, I will find it and kill it horribly. Lucerne. If a man like you loves someone, it¡¯s over.. Isn¡¯t the person without anything to lose the scariest?¡± The Head¡¯sughter deepened; he would treat his grandchildren like this from time to time. But he soon returned to his cool-headed sober state. After all, it was simply a whim for him. ¡°Soft things don¡¯t suit you.¡± ¡°I know. Something like that, I¡¯ll cut it down with my own hands.¡± Lucerne nced at Elisha. Contrary to what she had thought, the tree with its lush leaves did not cover her entire body. Instead, behind the low branches, a part of her body was revealed. ¡°Considering the life I¡¯ve lived, wouldn¡¯t it be disrespectful to them?¡± ¡°What?¡± Gaju stopped in his tracks. ¡°Lucerne. No matter how hard you try, you can¡¯t be the Head. ept it as a fact of your life. Don¡¯t fuss about it anymore.¡± The Head constantlypared Jacob to Lucerne. He pretended Marco was a favourite but excluded him from the most important work. And¡­¡­. He favored Lucerne but publicly stated that he never intended to make him the Duke. ¡®Why isn¡¯t it obvious to everyone?¡¯ The other candidates for session harbored a deep-seated sense of inferiority; some even had seizures and feared Lucerne. However, in Elisha¡¯s view, Gaju was not the kind of person who would respect an illegitimate child. Above all, the Head ced great importance on obedience to himself, and Lucerne had be an unruly monster toorge for the Lord to control. Therefore, Gaju constantlypared, undermined, and used his three grandchildren. He used Lucerne, in particr, to motivate the other ducal candidates to work harder. ¡°I don¡¯t even dream, for something like the Duke¡¯s position.¡± ¡°Ha [sigh], you arrogant foolish bastard.¡± The Headughed. ¡°By the way. The woman.¡± ¡°Are you talking about Elisha?¡± ¡°Seeing that my grandfather knows her name, she seems to be doing an excellent job.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Lucerne continued while Gaju was speechless for a moment. ¡°That woman named Elisha. When she wore green, she was pretty.¡± They disappeared. Coming out of the shade, Elisha¡¯s face was pale and tired. But soon, the tips of her ears began to turn red slowly. Not because she was shy, but because she was ashamed. ¡®What kind of human makes fun of any woman¡­¡­.¡¯ Elisha didn¡¯t have a single green outfit. So she looked down on herself. The hem of her skirt was protruding through the branches. Shabby off-white clothes. A cheap dress made of cotton fabric. A summer tree hung over that dress¡­¡­. It was all green. A very brilliant green. A silky deep green. Chapter 50 Chapter 50 Chapter 50 Last night, Elisha dreamt of a lost future. Her heart felt terribly uneasy. ¡®You should go shopping.¡¯ She concluded that she should only believe half of what Lucerne said. It would have suited him more if the man had a knife in his mouth. When he spoke, it was clear that he was taunting others. Moreover, he was the same man who said that even a disfigured woman like Elisha in her previous life had been pretty. ¡°Nora, I¡¯m going out. Would you like toe with me?¡± ¡°Yes, mydy.¡± She told Lucerne that she would take Nora as her escort, as he had requested. *** ¡®I¡¯ll take this opportunity to earn favor and get on madam¡¯s good side,¡¯ vowed Nora, secretly nurturing her ambitions. Even if Elisha didn¡¯t call Lapis first, it seemed they were on good enough terms that he could go and chat with her. After the fifth time of him proiming, ¡®I¡¯m the only knight she¡¯s ever treated to tea!¡¯ all the Seeds were annoyed. Still, at the same time, she was envious. ¡®If I go with you, I can take care of and look after you!¡¯ said Elisha¡¯s maid, Sophie, who took care of her necessities. Often when ady went shopping, the maid attending her would receive a ribbon at the store as a bonus. Not only was she upset about that, but she would miss out on taking in all the morous trends and inhaling the air where beautiful objects lived. Nora, of course, was unaware of such circumstances. ¡®Madam, you are very pretty. It¡¯s looks very nice,¡¯ Nora was determined to say such if Elisha asked for her opinion while shopping. ¡°Nora, are you okay? Is this kind of store ufortable?¡± asked Elisha while looking at a hat. Nora lost her chance to tell Elisha, ¡®Very pretty,¡¯ and became a little depressed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Nora. This is a personal errand. After all, this must be very boring, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°No! It¡¯s not like that. I am the one who¡¯s¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Nora bit her mouth. She was too taciturn. Perhaps, she should learn how to foster familiarity and kindness from Ian, the master of dressing as a woman. Her shoulders visibly slumped. ¡°Nora?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing, ma¡¯am¡­¡­.¡± *** Elisha slowly wandered down the street. Where wealthy aristocrats gathered, money circted, and without fail luxury boutiques were built. A high-end shopping district was also concentrated in Yurif. ¡®Madam¡­¡­. seems to enjoy shopping.¡¯ When Elisha was doing her shopping, Nora didn¡¯t notice that she was scrutinizing the public announcement notices outside of the city hall and offices. ¡°May I take a look around this office for a moment?¡± Elisha stopped at the Spencer¡¯s Real Estate Brokerage Agency at the Yurif branch office. Nora nced at the sign and realized that it was where the madam had visited in the capital. ¡°It¡¯s a real estate office?¡± Elisha thought that Nora might report her whereabouts to Lucerne afterwards. ¡°Yes. I heard at yesterday¡¯s party that all thedies have a vi or hotel memberships in Yurif. After hearing that, I think I will have to look into it a bit more to see if it is true. That¡¯s all.¡± Nora was convinced by her exnation. ¡®You¡¯ve been working hard and studying a lot too. Even though madam is so slender, she is busy running the house; it must be difficult.¡¯ Nora was naive. It was then. Someone¡¯s voice was heard from the office. ¡°I will pay any amount of money, so please make it happen! Don¡¯t you understand? I really need that parcel ofnd.¡± The yelling belonged to Marco¡¯s wife. It was Arien¡¯s voice. Instinctually, Elisha ced her finger on her lips, signalling to be quiet. Nora understood her intentions and held her breath. The door was slightly ajar. ¡°So, when ites up for auction, I need you to make the proxy bid. I have a few decent names.¡± The office was tiny, and luckily there was no one else on the street. Elisha could clearly hear the following voices, ¡°Listen well. Never reveal my name. I need to purchase it under a borrowed name. Can you do it? I¡¯ve been told it would be a piece of cake.¡± Elisha stepped into an alley. Soon the door opened, and Arien looked around several times and walked three blocks to get into her wagon. ¡°That was just¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Yes, Marco¡¯s wife, Arien. I saw her face at the duke¡¯s estate. What is that woman up to?¡± Everyone knew that the duke¡¯s grandchildren were hostile to each other, to the point where they casually exchanged assassins when they were bored. Rightfully so, Nora saw them as enemies. In fact, there were times when Lucerne¡¯s army was harmed by Jacob¡¯s or Marco¡¯s schemes. Nora nced at Elisha and was startled. She was always the kinddy to Nora, and at that moment, she seemed like a stranger. Like a mysterious flower submerged in deep water, she gave off an eerie air of an unknown entity. She was lost in thought and utterly still. Eventually, Elisha released her hand from her lips. ¡°Nora, I have a request. I will give you gold coins. Go inside and give these gold coins to the staff. And find out what property Arien wants?¡± Nora looked at her expression and nodded her head. ¡°I see, madam, but why would thedy do this¡­¡­.?¡± ¡°I am ashamed,¡± Elisha whispered. ¡°I heard at the party yesterday, Car and Arien¡­¡­. The wives of the other grandchildren of Cartier were not ordinary. I heard that they were no less than their husbands¡¯ adviser. That¡¯s why I also want to get some information, so please do it.¡± Nora didn¡¯t like her words. She hoped herdy would be protected and remain kind and beautiful. But she couldn¡¯t refuse her request, so she nodded her head and agreed. Had Nora known the consequences of that action, she would have never heeded Elisha¡¯s request. *** Lucerne was handling business in the hotel room. When he arrived at the capital, he still had a lot of things to attend to. Thanks to the fact that he was in a city just a short distance from the capital, he received quite a few telegramsst night. ¡°Excuse me.¡± Amidst this, there was a knock on the door. ¡°I think they¡¯re here again.¡± Ian let out a sigh and opened the door. A hotel employee with his arms full of red boxes was standing at the entrance. Lucerne nodded, and Ian received the packages. Gift boxes that had already arrived were piled up near the sofa. Ordered by: Elisha de Lor Violet Dressing Room. ¡°Now, take a look at what it is.¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re not asking me to look at the stuff; I am conducting a safety check. Sir, those are stockings. Silver.¡± When Lucerne heard the word stockings, he burst intoughter. Ian pretended not to see the scene. ¡°Close it now.¡± ¡°Oh, yes.¡± Ian repackaged the box again. ¡°It looks like your wife is enjoying her vacation. Didn¡¯t you say that this was a trip that the madam originally wanted?¡± ¡°Well, she also has a cute side.¡± As soon as morning came, Elisha went out to the streets to shop and, as if to prove something, goods continued to be delivered to their shared hotel room. Lucerne found it highly amusing because her actions felt like a kind of protest. She was a woman with a tingling taste. It was just the kind of thrilling exhration he wanted to roll on his tongue. Even as a child, he was a child who always ate bitter, sour candy that made his tongue tingle. But it was strange. The more you swallow, the sweeter it gets. Lucerne thought. Then there was a knock. *** The door opened, and Nora entered. Nora was carrying many boxes in her arms. ¡°Is that also thedy¡¯s?¡± Ian epted the boxes. Nora nodded her head. ¡°My wife,¡± Lucerne asked without turning his gaze away. ¡°Having a cup of tea in the salon downstairs.¡± ¡°Well, how was everything?¡± Nora hesitated. Then Lucerne raised his head from his work. ¡°What.¡± ¡°As instructed, I closely watched whatever she was doing and was by her side. But¡­¡­.¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°She looked very upset. It¡¯s a bitplicated to tell you¡­¡­.¡± Ian was also paying attention now. ¡°If I have vited any military ordinance, please punish me.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± At Lucerne¡¯s inquiry, Nora slowly put together her words. ¡°Actually, it seems that thedy and I have been to a dangerous ce. However, I¡¯m not sure about that either. So¡­¡­.¡± Her remarks made his brow furrow. ¡°My wife got hurt?¡± *** Nora¡¯s report was truly strange. ¡°You spotted Arien on the road?¡± ¡°Yes. But¡­¡­. Suddenly, she asked me to go buy thatnd.¡± ¡°Thend in Yurif that Arien wanted to buy?¡± ¡°Yes. Thend was just around the corner.¡± ¡°Did you follow her again?¡± ¡°Mydy moved so quickly that I had no choice. I didn¡¯t want to use force to stop her. But it¡¯s really bizarre¡­¡­. The site was just a t, dismal, empty in where grass did not grow in the middle of the forest.¡± ¡°What¡¯s so peculiar about that?¡± asked Ian, who became frustrated. Chapter 51 Chapter 51 ¡°Then something remarkable happened when we stepped on thatnd. Mydy was wearing a silver bracelet. The silver bracelet suddenly floated into the air and broke. The impact left a small wound on her wrist.¡± ¡°A bracelet?¡± ¡°The bracelet made by Lapis and Lazri?¡± Nora gave a brief exnation. ¡°Yes. They said the bell on it would ring in ces full of tainted mana.¡± Nora calmly exined the scene. Although it is a small bell, it chimed in the air so loudly that it was impossible to imagine. Lucerne seemed to know what the bracelet was. Demonic beasts emitted contaminated magical energy. So, there were objects that made a sound or vibrated like an rm when they found twisted magical power. It was an object that sometimes could be made by the best of magicians, priests, and swordsmen who had reached the heights of power. They were high-level magic tools. ¡°That kind of bracelet reacted? Were there some crazy beasts or lively assassins around?¡± Ian asked in surprise. ¡°I was also baffled and looked around.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°But, there was really nothing there.¡± Nora looked disconste. ¡°I didn¡¯t even know that the madam was hurt because of that¡­ ¡­ . I didn¡¯t even cover her hand with my handkerchief.¡± ¡°No, wait. I am starting to get confused,¡± Ian remarked. Lucerne looked thoughtful. ¡°And?¡± ¡°Other than that, nothing happened. So the madam asked me: ¡®Very bizarre. Is it possible that Lapis¡¯ item was defective?¡¯ ¡®And I replied, ¡®The things Lapis and Lazri made would never malfunction.¡¯ ¡®Then it¡¯s working properly. But how can this be just a coincidence? How could something like this happen on thend that Arien is coveting? If I had been a little more experienced in this field, I would have investigated this to the end.''¡± Lucerne put down his pen. Ian and Nora were startled by his expression. ¡°Exin the exact location of thisnd.¡± *** Elisha was drinking tea slowly. ¡®If I give you a hint like that, Lucerne will figure it out right away.¡¯ He was intelligent and quick-witted. He would soon discover the secrets of that property. She calmly drank all of her tea and after some time, went up to her hotel room. A year before Elisha¡¯s death, to the day, she peeped through a secret passageway into Jacob¡¯s office. Through the faint cracks, she spied Jacob and Car. [shback] ¡®Hoo, I didn¡¯t know we were going to get it.¡¯ ¡®You did very well. Thanks to the stupid Marco couple¨Cwe were just mocking them for fun. We¡¯d been holding it for so long; I didn¡¯t expect a secret to be hidden there. You¡¯re lucky. I¡¯m d I didn¡¯t sell it or give up and kept investigating.¡¯ ¡®Exactly. Who knew that thend that Arien wanted to gain could have such a secret? I did a good job stealing it out of their hands and getting it by any means.¡¯ [end shback] Right now, no one knew that this soil held a secret that would destroy Marco. Even Car, who would soon take thend by cowardly means, would not know anything at this time. Lucerne was not in the hotel room when she returned. And he didn¡¯te back untilte. Elisha went to bed alone, tossing and turning, half anxious and half excited. *** Elisha fell asleep and then opened her eyes. Lucerne was sitting next to her. She was startled. ¡°What are you doing awake?¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be asking where I¡¯ve been?¡± She mped her mouth closed and bit her lips. When a husbandes back from silently disappearing, it would have been normal for her to ask where he¡¯s been. Lucerne raised an unexpected question in a dark voice, ¡°She said you were injured.¡± ¡°Tis but a scratch. Just a flesh wound¡ª[t1v: ;)] how can it be ssified as an injury?¡± He held out his hand, and sheplied and showed her hand. ¡®Is this important?¡¯ He only let her go after confirming that her wounds were insignificant. Anxiety was spreading in her heart. ¡®No way¡ªdid this persone here in vain?¡¯ So, when Lucerne said the following, she was relieved: ¡°I will not be able to permit you to go out early in the morning.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Today is the only exception. Get up, Elisha,¡± said Lucerne. He wrapped his cloak around her and covered her face. ¡°I¡¯ll show you what you found.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°It seems like you have obtained some merit.¡± He took Elisha into the woods. *** Now the weather was quite chilly. There was no light in the quiet forest. Ian and Nora led the way with antern powered by a magic crystal. On the barbed wire, there was a sign: There was a long warning message stating, ¡°If you approach, you may be punished under the imperialw.¡± ¡°How did you jump over this barbed wire? You brought Nora here?¡± ¡°There was a hole in the barbed wire, so I crawled in,¡± Elisha said evenly with a monotonous expression. Stunned, Ian listened quietly for a moment but eventually couldn¡¯t keep a straight face. Obviously, Nora mentioned earlier. ¡®The madam moved so fast that I couldn¡¯t stop her.¡¯ He felt dizzy just imagining thedy crawling through barbed wire at an incredible speed. Lucerne remarked as if the predicament was absurd, ¡°You¡¯re a little boy, aren¡¯t you? Do I have to check your knees and hands every time youe back home?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re going to do when you¡¯re even crawling around and ying outside.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Elisha¡¯s cheeks turned red. Fortunately, it was night, so it wasn¡¯t apparent in the dark. ¡°I don¡¯t always crawl around¡­.¡± she said as she took the lead. Luckily she didn¡¯t have to crawl through the barbed wire this time. Lucerne had already opened the barbed wire. How did he dare do this without hesitation to a location controlled by the state? Elisha also thought he was crazy. Nothing changed from before. There was nothing on the vacant lot. ¡°Why are we here?¡± Elisha pressed down her own nervous heart and asked calmly. ¡°Is there anything here?¡± In fact, she was hoping more than anyone that Lucerne had found that ¡®something.¡¯ ¡°Take a good look,¡± said Lucerne. Soon a shadow appeared in the air. ¡°My shadow found something beneath thisnd. So I sprayed magic on it.¡± ¡°Why did you use magic?¡± ¡°Sometimes there are monsters in a locale where magic waves ur, but there are times when magic crystals are buried in the ground. The General uses the Shadow Beast, which has the ability to detect monsters and find manastones,¡± Ian kindly exined. The shadow split the air. Then it started to make a slight tremor. There was the sound of something opening. A secret device that had been hidden under the dirt floor appeared. Lucerne gestured, and the shadow opened a secret iron door with a handle. ¡°What¡¯s in there?¡± Elisha with her eyes wide. This was something she really didn¡¯t know. Ian made a strange expression. He winked at Lucerne. ¡°Let¡¯s show her. I think thedy would want to see it.¡± ¡°What¡­¡­.¡± Before she could finish her words, Ian beckoned. He pointed thentern down. She suppressed her fluttering chest and lowered her body to the ground. The next moment, Elisha gasped and covered her mouth. Insidey the corpse of her man, with his eyes wide open. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The body was in excellent condition. If it wasn¡¯t for the blood flowing from the swollen eyes and the corners of the mouth¡­¡­. She would have thought he was alive. And she realized that she had seen this man¡¯s face. ¡°This man¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t his face familiar?¡± said Lucerne. His eyes seemed to be searching Elisha as if they suspected her and asked, ¡®You really don¡¯t know?¡¯ ¡°I think I¡¯ve seen him somewhere,¡± Nora muttered. At the same time, Elisha thought, ¡®If you¡¯re an imperial citizen, there¡¯s no way you¡¯ve never seen a portrait of this man.¡¯ This man¡¯s true identity¡­¡­. He was the Prophet Risralpho, who was said to have died eight years ago. *** ¡°It¡¯s Risralpho, isn¡¯t it? When he died, his pictures and portraits were stered everywhere, including all the temples across the country. This man¡¯s face is still hung in the temple I attend,¡± Nora recognized Risralpho¡¯s face and bit her lip. ¡°That¡¯s really¡­¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a real corpse. I went down to check.¡± whispered Lucerne. ¡°And I checked the tattoos.¡± ¡°Tattoo¡­¡­?¡± Lucerne answered Elisha¡¯s question sinctly: ¡°When beings such as saints and prophets manifest their powers, bluish tattoos appear on their bodies. That¡¯s the first sign. Risralpho¡¯s tattoo is wavy; I¡¯ve seen it once when he¡¯s alive.¡± ¡°So, the tattoo was on the body¡­.¡± Elisha murmured. Nora added: ¡°Then it¡¯s definitely Risralpho?¡± ¡°Probably. So if this is the real Risralpho, the temple has been auctioning off fragments of some other man¡¯s bones. That means that this information could destroy everyone involved with the temple.¡± Lucerne¡¯s captivating voice mesmerized people. Ian shook his head, waking up from a daze, ¡°Like who?¡± ¡°Merha and Marco.¡± ¡°So members of the Cartier family¡­¡­. Wait. What? Why Marco?¡± ¡°Marco used to be a boy priest. Plus, exhibitions and auctions are held every time an adult dies. All of that is handled by a proxy, namely Marco¡¯s tradingpany. Before Marco was fifteen, thepany was founded in his name,¡± Lucerne exined. While Nora was confused, she was also surprised. He wasn¡¯t the kind of person to kindly exin things. And even though she was a little dull, Nora could tell that this was for Elisha¡¯s ears. Chapter 52.1 Chapter 52.1 ¡®Merha asks Marco to handle a lot of business connected to his survival in the temple.¡¯ Elisha nodded her head slightly, indicating that she was listening. ¡®In the end, the most important thing for the Head is their business proficiency.¡¯ The Cartier family were merchants, starting in the finance business and circting their money throughout the country. After all, to prove your ability as the ducal head, you need to demonstrate your business aptitude. Marco had no business ability and was stigmatized for failing in whatever he did. However, the reason why he managed to persevere as Jacob¡¯spetitor was simple. ¡®His father is supporting him from behind.¡¯ Thanks to his father, Merha, Marco lived a splendid life and sauntered around in pride. In fact, in her prior life, Elisha thought that his arrogance was enormous, considering that he seemed to be advertising that nepotism and corruption gave him his standing. ¡°May I go inside and have a look?¡± ¡°You¡¯d better not go.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It¡¯s better not to look closely.¡± Elisha tilted her head. From her position, only the face and upper body of the corpse were visible. Ian briefly reported. ¡°It is filled with bonds, paper bankbooks, jewels and relics, and a ¡®Blood Pigeon,¡¯ the highest level manastone.¡± ¡°In whose name are the bonds and bankbooks in?¡± she asked quickly. ¡°Er¡­¡­. Everything is in the name of Risralpho himself.¡± Elisha looked at Nora. ¡°Then who is the owner of that warehouse?¡± ¡°Do you mean that secret warehouse belongs to Risralpho too?¡± Nora asked in a bewildered voice. Risralpho was dead, imprisoned in his safe, and died perfectly preserved. ¡°Then did hemit suicide in there?¡± ¡°No. He had a stab wound in the stomach. He was murdered.¡± ¡°The auction of Lystralfo¡¯s corpse was about eight years ago. If he¡¯s here now¡­¡­. It doesn¡¯t make sense. It doesn¡¯t.¡± Elisha had never seen Nora speak for so long. Indeed, she had been raised in a monastery and was very interested in the temple¡¯s business, so she was able to find the information Elisha was looking for. ¡°Well, it¡¯s really very strange.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°What do you think, Elisha?¡± Lucerne watched her as if inhaling her faint figure in his eyes. ¡°What is the correct answer? To this mystery.¡± ¡°That¡¯s something I don¡¯t know,¡± Elisha answered quietly and turned away from his gaze. ¡°But if this is the real Prophet Risralpho¡¯s corpse, then you have information that could mortally wound and bring down Marco. Congrattions.¡± At her words, the corners of his lips rose. ¡°It¡¯s thanks to you for finding this ce, by chance.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Yes. I was lucky.¡± ¡°Yes. Thank you very much.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a night full of thoughts. The most important lesson imparted on me was that sweet things are always a trap.¡± He wrapped his arms around Elisha¡¯s shoulders. Her back was rigid with tension. She read Lucerne¡¯s gaze: Satisfaction, doubt, and another emotion that she could discern nor understand. It was a very unusual gaze; a fierce look resembling a beast wanting to devour everything. Yet, with thisplex gaze, he was watching Elisha. ¡°It¡¯s chilly. My wife can¡¯t catch a cold. Shall we go back for now?¡± murmured Lucerne in her ear. It was then that she was consciously aware of her stiff shoulders. *** Even Elisha didn¡¯t know everything. But she knew one thing for sure. That there was a secret hidden on the property. And that Risralpho¡¯s body was enough information to destroy Marco. ¡®Well, there is a secret vault under the ground containing the prophet¡¯s body.¡¯ It was Car who discovered this secret during her previous life. Car noticed that Arien coveted the parcel ofnd and bought it from underneath her on a whim. It was only four yearster when the secret of thend was discovered. ¡®The cer where the corpse is located is a secret vault sealed with Risralpho¡¯s power. Only a high-ranking wizard could find and open it.¡¯ Four yearster, Car recalled the vacantnd and decided to build her new vi there. Afterwards, she found out the mysteries there with the help of a wizard who apanied her. Other than that, Elisha didn¡¯t know much. Risralpho had been murdered, and she knew only that Jacob had taken advantage of Marcos¡¯ weakness. ¡®That was the beginning of Marco¡¯s downfall.¡¯ She recalled memories of her past life. The banquet where Marco had molested her. It was around then. Car discovered the secrets of that site. *** Chapter 52.2 Chapter 52.2 ¡®The Prophet Risralpho was of a humble origin and of the people.¡¯ He was an adult who developed his abilities as he got older. ¡®He had a family. It¡¯s obvious what will happen if you have very poor families that you need to support.¡¯ Risralpho was greedy for money and a snob. Upon hearing Marco swear, Jacob told Car the story many times. He often hid his goods from the temple and sent them to his family. ¡®The biggest problem was that he refused the pledge to donate his body.¡¯ Then, the temple could not profit from his death. Merha was a man of great ambition. ¡®Besides, a prophet who died while young and beautiful yields even greater dividends.¡¯ The members of the Cartier family, like Merha, didn¡¯t seemoners as human. How dare a prophet refuse his words? There was no way Merha could leave him alone. In the end, he was ined. None other than in Yurif. On thend that he owned. *** The truth hidden behind it was only known after a long time by Elisha. Risralpho, who was stabbed by a sword and ran away, escaped into the woods. Merha and Marco, who followed him into the forest could not find him; it was as if he had vanished into thin air. The two were bewildered. They wandered through the forest around Yurif, but they couldn¡¯t find him in the end. ¡®In the final moments of his death, Risralpho hid in his own secret vault.¡¯ But the wounds on his stomach were so fatal that he had not survived. He died there, locked in a safe. It urred eight years ago. *** The adventure concluded at dawn with Lucerne casting a locking spell with his shadows so that no one could find Lystralfo¡¯s body. He said: ¡°It willst around three months. I¡¯ll leave some of the shadows and go. No one will be able to open this vault.¡± In the morning, Elisha and Lucerne were able to receive detailed documents about Risralpho and thend owner. Inside, she was astonished. ¡®Even the VIPs of the Information Guild can¡¯t get documents this fast.¡¯ This was much faster than Jacob¡¯s spies. She was sitting on a chair in the hotel room. Lucerne slowly walked around the room, looking at the documents. He was holding a piece of paper. She looked at it, impressed. Perhaps Lucerne had asked Ian to fetch the documents from the information guild at the same time as collecting the real estate title. He looked through the papers and pondered, then opened his mouth. ¡°The owner of thatnd is currently missing, and it says he has arrears because of the high taxes for several years.¡± ¡°The price ofnd Yurif is very expensive, so the tax is unusually high too,¡± Elisha concurred. ¡°Yes. And it¡¯s been eight years since thendlord went missing, so it¡¯s going to be auctioned off soon. The proprietor has no family.¡± ¡°Who owns the site?¡± ¡°A man who used to be the prophet¡¯s secretary. He is known to have been Risralpho¡¯s brother who he had brought with him to the temple.¡± Atst, Elisha felt the final puzzle piece in her head solving the big picture. The corpse that was sold in lieu of Risralpho¡¯s¡­¡­. It must have been his brother. ¡®So thendlord is missing. Besides, since they were brothers, they must have looked alike.¡¯ It was a terrible crime. ¡°Elisha, what do you think of this information?¡± ¡°I do not know. You said there was a wound on his stomach. Besides, he was found in his vault, so maybe he escaped into it?¡± Elisha hinted at him, pretending it was her idea. Lucerne is indeed an extraordinary person, and he immediately spected on the truth Jacob and Car had taken four years to find with just a clue. ¡°It is certain that Risralpho¡¯s body that was sold off was a fake.¡± Upon hearing Lucerne¡¯s words, Ian and Nora¡¯s faces became pale. ¡°Insane. How could hemit such a crime?¡± ¡°Exactly and it¡¯smitted by people of the temple¡­ ¡­ .¡± Nora, who was too innocent for her age, had a terrified expression. Elisha was touching her forehead. ¡°But that¡¯s really Risralpho¡­¡­. right? I recently saw a picture of him hanging in a temple. No matter how young a person is, after eights years, traces of the years will be on their face¡­ ¡­ . He looked the same as the picture painted before he died. What the hell is going on? When did he die?¡± ¡°He must have died eight years ago,¡± concluded Lucerne. ¡°The reason that the corpse remains look so fresh is because of the time magic that created a forcefield around him.¡± ¡°What¡¯s is that?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a treasure trove of the finest, highly powerful manastones around the body. Additionally there¡¯s a lump of divine power.¡± Elisha couldn¡¯t understand. Ian and Nora nodded and gently exined to her. ¡°Magic and Holy Power have conflicting properties, so when the two meet, they sometimes create a huge barrier where time stops. This is a phenomenon that only happens once every few hundred years.¡± ¡°So, the magical elements are present due to the manastones, and the divine power¡­¡­. Are you talking about Risralpho?¡± ¡°Yes. Plus, it is said that the moment a prophet dies, a tremendous amount of divine power is released, and the magic stones offset that power thus creating a time barrier.¡± Elisha nodded her head. ¡°So it time perfectly stopped. I understand.¡± At Elisha¡¯s ¡®perfectly¡¯ deration, Ian had an awkward expression. ¡°What?¡± Chapter 53.1 Chapter 53.1 ¡°That is¡­¡­. It is not perfectly preserved. It¡¯s true that a Temporal Magic Field was created, but there¡¯s no guarantee it¡¯ll ever be perfect.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± The rest was exined by Lucerne. ¡°The corpse¡¯s lower half looks like jelly. It melted and stuck to the bottom of the secret vault. It happens sometimes in the magic field.¡± Elisha realized why Lucerne had previously kept her from seeing the entire corpse when they mentioned the lower half. She changed the subject. ¡°But do Arien or Marco know what¡¯s hidden at the site?¡± When she asked Ian, he offered his opinion. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. Had they known, they would not have left thatnd alone and unspoken for until now. With the disposition of the Cartier family¡­ ¡­ . uh¡­ ¡­ . Well.¡± ¡°Why are you looking at me?¡± As he spoke, Ian noticed that he might be swearing at his master. Lucerne snorted. Everyone who knew the Cartiers were greedy ghosts and gold-crazed demons. Elisha nodded inwardly. ¡®Yes, that¡¯s right. Neither Marco nor Merha know the true value of that estate.¡¯ Had they known such a scheme existed, they would have set fire to state-ownednd or done something simr, and the body would have been disposed of. ¡°Then why do they want to buy that property?¡± Nora asked innocently. ¡°It must have been because they are uneasy. It was thend that Risralpho owned. Besides, there were stab wounds on his stomach.¡± Once again, Elisha discreetly nted suggestions eliciting people¡¯s thoughts. Before she could exin further, Lucerne replied, ¡°Those who killed Risralpho probably never found his body. Then the murderers would want to own everything that has to do with him, just in case. You¡¯re right. They¡¯re uneasy,¡± Lucerne said calmly. ¡°Risralpho loved luxury. He used to have a lot of fun when he went to Yurif. He was thinking of building a bungalow here. He talked about wanting to build a vi with hot springs. It seems like he had only made a secret safe and died before the construction of the vi even started.¡± ¡°Did you know him?¡± Elisha asked in surprise. ¡°Because I was in the temple when Risralpho was alive. I met him asionally. He was arrogant, but he wasn¡¯t a bad guy.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Ah.¡± Elisha nodded. ¡°Anyway, Risralpho seemed to have escaped to his underground secret vault hidden beneath the ground. For only he could have opened it.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Lucerne agreed with a nod. ¡°Then they must have tried to kill Risralpho in the vicinity, no. It was a murder. Then what Marco wants to buy is thend that is the site of the Risralpho murder.¡± Nora let out a small sigh. ¡°Ah, so that¡¯s why Arien wanted to buy thend under the borrowed names at the real estate office.¡± ¡°What a surprise!¡± Elisha pretended to be astonished, but inside she was pleased with herself. But then, again, Lucerne was a man who was unrivaled by the likes of Jacob and Marco. He got the facts right away with just a few hints from her. ¡®If I were a teacher, I would not only give him full marks to a student like Lucerne, but I would also give away my pocket money to give him a prize.¡¯ If he knew it, he would growl and want to punish her in its ce. Instead, Elisha decided to push further. ¡°Then how about taking that body? It¡¯s evidence of the Merha¡¯s crimes. After all, you¡¯re right that they auctioned off the wrong person¡¯s body.¡± ¡°The corpse is preserved in a special magical field. If you were make a mistake the whole body could turn into jelly,¡± exined Lucerne. ¡°Then¡­ ¡­ .¡± Ian and Nora looked at each other. Elisha leaned her back on her chair, slowly closed her eyes, and opened them. ¡°Whoever gets their hands on thatnd will have the weakness that could destroy Marco.¡± They exchanged nces without realizing it. Elisha was delighted. If she had been working with the Jacobs, they would have taken four years toe to the same conclusions, even with her hints. *** Lucerne set Ian and Nora off with some instructions. ¡°Well, then let¡¯s have a little talk amongst ourselves.¡± Chapter 53.2 Chapter 53.2 He rushed back with Elisha on his horse, with the whip still around his waist. Tak. Tak. Lucerne paced around the room for a moment, slowly beating the whip in the palm of his hand. He looked like he was thinking deeply about something. ¡°You know I can¡¯t be the Duke even if the other ducal candidates are doomed.¡± ¡°Yes, I know. And I didn¡¯t say ¡®this how to be the Head¡¯.¡± ¡°Ah. Yes. That n you are going to reveal?¡± Lucerne chuckled. Then he inquired, searching her face. ¡°How far did you know?¡± ¡°I knew Arien was aiming for a random parcel ofnd. Jacob and Carol also know that.¡± ¡°Did the little ghost spy on Jacob¡¯s office?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Elisha affirmed briefly. She actually knew more than that, but she didn¡¯t want him to be more suspicious of her. [t1v: uhhh, who¡¯s going to tell her?] ¡°And?¡± ¡°That¡¯s it. Just¡­¡­. What happened today is mostly a coincidence. I knew Car and Arien wanted something. I wondered if there was some kind of conspiracy involved with it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a very usible statement, as if you had prepared it in advance. It¡¯s not wless, but not to the point of digging into it either. So, this time too, should I just admire the pretty coteral, and let it slide?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°What do you think, Elisha?¡± Her heart began to beat anxiously. Again, he was no ordinary bet. It wouldn¡¯t be easy to move him at will. But the value of thisnd did not end here. It was absolutely essential in order to face Jacob and Marco in the future. ¡°And the rest¡­ ¡­ . You¡¯ve figured them all out.¡± ¡°Yes. I reasoned and deducted diligently as you intended. There¡¯s a lot of suspense in our marriage, isn¡¯t there?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ .¡± ¡°If you were so clever, you would have already taken everything into ount that would have raised my suspicions now. My little ghost.¡± Tap. Lucerne wrapped the whip around his hand. ¡°You met Marco yesterday.¡± Goosebumps grew on Elisha¡¯s back. It was quite a coincidence that she had met himst night on the terrace. He had even harassed her. ¡°Are you suspecting that Marco and I are having an affair?¡± ¡°Be more imaginative. Would my doubts end there?¡± He acted like he was making a bad joke. Elisha bit her lip. ¡°Let me ask a question. Why the hell are you so sure I¡¯m going to be the Head, and why do you want me to be the Duke?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the only way I can survive. If Jacob or Marco were to take over, they would never let me be. I¡¯m afraid we¡¯d both suffer. You may be protected by the imperial family court, but me¡­¡­. I have no such guarantee.¡± If Lucerne were to ask the imperial family for active protection, they would try to get rid of Elisha first. The imperial family had long desired to wee him as a son-inw. ¡°I don¡¯t think they would leave me alone even if I got a divorce. I¡¯ve been hurt by them, so I know¡­¡­. Once they bite, they will never let go.¡± ¡°But. Aren¡¯t we already deeply entangled? When we appeared in public yesterday, everyone knew that we were perverts,¡± Lucerne remarkednguidly. Elisha almost lost herposure for a moment, but she didn¡¯t fall for his provocations this time. She continued calmly, ¡°You may not believe it, but¡­¡­. I think you are a better person than the other grandchildren. At least¡­¡­. That¡¯s what I¡¯ve witnessed for the past few months. It¡¯s terrifying to think of someone like Jacob bing the Gaju and taking all the wealth in the world. I want a good person to rise to a high position. At least you are the general who saved the country.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°When I said I wanted to be your subordinate, I was sincere.¡± Hearing those words, Lucerne was silent for a few moments. And he set his whip down on the desk. ¡°Because it¡¯s so sweet, I have nothing more to say, my wife.¡± He approached her and raised her chin up. ¡°As a matter of fact, I¡¯m rather disconcerted.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I can handle you being a little suspicious. But the fact that you might have ¡°something¡± to do with Marco makes my blood boil right now. I was only suspicious of Jacob, but had not considered Marco before. For my wife is no ordinary woman and is not just a pretty doll.¡± Elisha doubted her ears. What did this have to do with anything? ¡°I¡¯m confused about what the hell you and I signed.¡± ¡°Our contract is an agreement where I am free after I make you the patriarch. And in order to be free, I have to be free of debt.¡± At Elisha¡¯s words, Lucerne smiled darkly. ¡°Well, that¡¯s very realistic.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ If that¡¯s not enough, I¡¯ll give you my sincere allegiance as a bonus. There would be no need to exert all your energy physically and mentally by requesting information from others.¡± She spoke with all her heart so that his doubts would be alleviated. At those words, Lucerne¡¯s expression became a little more subtle. ¡°Right, it¡¯s nice to get something from my cold wife.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ If you¡¯re pleased, then I¡¯ll request something too.¡± Pure revulsion emerged on Elisha¡¯s face. ¡°Don¡¯t ever try to connect me with a man like Marco again. Just thinking about it makes me nauseous.¡± He raised his eyes and looked at her. But additionally, she didn¡¯t seem to understand. Elisha had been somewhat cheeky with him. But suddenly Lucerne¡­¡­. he seemed to feel better when he saw the genuine disgust on her face. ¡°I understand, madam.¡± Lucerne put aside his suspicious regard towards Elisha. ¡°Then let¡¯s have a kiss of reconciliation.¡± Chapter 54.1 Chapter 54.1 Chapter 54.1 ¡°If you want to reconcile, you must apologize. Yesterday I was harassed by Marco.¡± Sost night, he gave Marco a beating. Just the thought of it made Elisha feel better. ¡°Of course.¡± Lucerne lifted her chin again. He bit and sucked on her lower lip and teased her gently with soft pecks. ¡°I must beg.¡± ¡°Unngh, Oh!¡­ ¡­ .¡± Kiss, chu. The more lewd the sounds were, the more Elisha¡¯s toes curled. ¡°Like this.¡± ¡°Haa, what are you¡ª¡± Elisha pushed Lucerne¡¯s arm away. But before she could register it, she was lying on the bed between his arms. He was truely a mysterious man. Was this something to be aroused about? ¡°This¡­ ¡­ . now¡­ ¡­ . I¡¯m going to make a n.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve already got a whole n, anyways.¡± Elisha stiffened. Lucerne¡¯s eyes curled in amusement, pleased with her confused, awkward embarrassment. She felt as if an angel was teasing her. ¡°And I had Ian and Nora do what was necessary.¡± ¡°Ah, umm¡­ ¡­ . Wait.¡± Slip. Her dress was undone. ¡°Until then, I¡¯ll have to suck, lick and wash my wife down with my tongue. What do you think?¡± Elisha blinked. ¡°I find you so sexy when you talk at length.¡± The men of the world disliked a woman who pretended to be smart and talked a lot. Elisha thought Lucerne¡¯s perverted tastes were indeed unusual. But she soon lost her mind. *** ¡°Your body is small and your pussy is so narrow, I can¡¯t even put my fingers in it.¡± Elisha¡¯s mind went numb when Lucerne suddenly touched and coveted her. Her whole body became hazy with heat, causing her to tremble against her will. She suddenly became naked with her legs spread wide, with his hand spreading her wetbia and his fingers poking and widening her slit. Squeak, squeak. His hands were so big and his fingers so long that all three of his knuckles could not fit. Water sshed from Elisha¡¯s pussy with each quick movement of his fingers. His fingers rubbed and made a continuous beckoning motion. All of a sudden, her pussy began to contract, opening and closing as she unwittingly constricted her navel as if she was expecting something. Each time, her belly button waved up and down as she tightened and loosened. ¡°Ugh¡­ ¡­ . Oh¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha was waiting for the next part. But Lucerne, this time, withdrew his fingers and paused. Then, he lifted her by her waist and suddenly turned her over. ¡°Ah¡­!¡­ .¡± ¡°Poke out your ass.¡± Elisha lifted her ass as her head rested on the bed. ¡°Ha, ha¡­ ¡­ .¡± It was their first time doing it in this position. She hadn¡¯t even touched him with her hands or sucked him off with her mouth, but his penis was already erect when it grazed her vulva. After tapping his cock on her vulva a few times, his heated penis mmed on Elisha¡¯s hole. ¡°Hnnngh¡­¡­ .¡± Her back shuddered as she lifted her butt higher. He slowly inserted his member. ¡°Ah¡­¡­. If suddenly¡­¡­ . If you go too deep¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha¡¯s entrance twitched open and began to twist and swallow hisrge veiny pir. Her wet, spasming soft inner flesh mped on his shaft. Soon, her core squeezed hard and pulled on him. ¡°You have a small body, but a lot of greed.¡± ¡°Ahh!¡± He lifted her back once, and Elisha lifted her head to look back. Her ass was lightly trembling, and her hair was shaking. Lucerne¡¯srge palms swept down and stroked her from her waist to her buttocks. Then he grabbed her white, soft asscheeks with both hands. He crushed her soft flesh in his hands, gripping so tightly that Elisha was in pain. His grip was too strong. ¡°Ha! Softly¡­ ¡­ .¡± p! ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know how to loosen if you clench on me. It feels like your body is stuck to me.¡± Every time there was a sound of body shing, Elisha struggled to support herself. His rough pubic hair brushed over her engaged vulva when he deeply railed her. Her body trembled with pleasure from the sensation of being stabbed to the most sensitive part of her inner core. Creaking, p, p, p. Squelch. The sound of flesh and sshing liquid rubbing together reverberated throughout the room. Elisha sobbed. ¡°Unn, ohh¡­ ¡­ .¡± Lucerne pressed hisrge palms against Elisha¡¯s spine and whispered as he immobilized her waist further. ¡°Then, let¡¯s hear the next move from my smart wife.¡± ¡°Huu, un, like this¡­ ¡­ ? Now¡ª sir¡­ ¡­ ? Ahh¡­ ¡­ .¡± Read more here ?????????? Chapter 54.2 Chapter 54.2 Chapter 54.2 He was mean. She bit her lips. Like a demon, he noticed her thoughts, reached out, and hugged her from behind. With only her upper body supported, she surrendered to receive his cock. Elisha reflexively ced one of her hands on his, wrapped around her torso like a rope. His grip would leave a handprint on her waist. Lucerne¡¯s other hand caressed her clit. ¡°Don¡¯t hurt my coteral.¡± [referring to her biting her lips] ¡°Unnhh¡­ ¡­ .¡± As he spoke, he poked his genitals back into contact that couldn¡¯t go any deeper. Splish. Squirt. p. Elisha¡¯s chest fluttered and trembled due to the thrusts that made her bounce up into the air. He repeated the throbbing she felt inside as if pushing it up slowly with a steady beat. A calm feeling of pleasure hit Elisha¡¯s lower abdomen like a wave. ¡°So, Marco. Ah¡­ ¡­ . Arien¡­ ¡­ . We have to keep them from noticing the secret¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ ¡­ .¡± Lucerne bit the back of Elisha¡¯s neck. His thrusts were getting stronger little by little. ¡°Well, the most basic way¡­¡­ to provoke Marco¡ª¡± ¡°A honey trap.¡± Elisha shut her mouth for a moment when Lucerne¡¯s movements stopped. Then, he tightened his strong, trunk-like arms around Elisha¡¯s waist. ¡°A beautiful woman for Marco?¡± ¡°Haa!¡± ¡°You haven¡¯te to your senses yet.¡± Elisha did not know why he was suddenly so violently angry. His eyes were dark. Her body spun around, and she sank into the bed. Lucerne smiled and lifted Elisha¡¯s ankle. ¡°I should take my time before cumming¡ª¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡ªthe first time.¡± Elisha was blinded by the morning. Puk! She couldn¡¯t think of anything when he came back in deeply. ¡®Oh, no¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Then he spun her on her back; Elisha wrapped her legs around his waist with a lilting sound. Vicariously, he slid his hand up and down over his erect, thick penis. Elisha tightened her vulva, and her body shook with anticipation. Lucerne bit Elisha¡¯s lower lip and put his hand into her hair. She felt like she was going to be devoured. Swallowed whole. A primitive fear consumed her ¡°Oh, uh, ah¡­¡­. Luce¡­¡­ rne¡­ ¡­ .¡± Her mouth, body, and hair were all a mess under him. Elisha let out a cry of pure pleasure. Scream!¡ªAn animal-like sound came out of her mouth. The sound of his clenched testicles hitting her asscheeks and hisrge genitals ramming her were so loud that she was terrified to see what her lower body looked like. An electric current shed across her vision. ¡°H-Haa¡ª ah! Ahh!¡± While connected, Elisha reached her climax. Her whole body tightened and strangled him. He gritted his teeth and then bit his lip to hold back and withstand her sudden attack. ¡°Nngh, enough.¡± He began to swing his back wildly again. ¡°Hnnn, ugh¡­¡­ .¡± Finally, he hit hard, rigid, and came after a long time. Then he began to bite and suck all over Elisha¡¯s body. She could not understand his actions at all. *** ¡®So I¡¯m thirsty, I think I¡¯m going to die¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ [t1v: that¡¯s what she said har har] Elisha was lying on the bed, utterly exhausted. It was already three in the afternoon when Lucerne half force-fed her lunch in bed. She woke up and couldn¡¯t go back to sleep, but her mind was clearpared to her fatigued body. If Elisha hadn¡¯t finally managed to say during sex, ¡°I¡¯ll send the honey trap to Arien,¡± she might not have gotten out of bed until the next day. She sighed, tossing and turning. It smelled like sandalwood, Lucerne¡¯s scent. He was holding her tightly from behind. ¡°You¡¯re too much,¡± used Elisha in a hoarse voice. ¡°Are you still angry? Shall we reconcile one more time?¡± ¡°No¡ª really¡­!¡­ .¡± She was startled. Heughed. ¡®Really¡­¡­ . I do not understand him.¡¯ Elisha was prepared to confess when she sensed that today¡¯s events had made him suspicious of her. ¡®I heard in my previous life, Lucerne¡­ ¡­ . I heard that he took his enemies to his cer, fed them truth-telling pills and whipped them until they turned into bloody lumps of flesh.¡¯ How clever and terrifying the technique was, that even a first-ss spy said he had incontinence just by looking at the first couple of letters of Lucerne¡¯s name. But suddenly, after sex, Lucerne was very kind to Elisha. ¡®Have you decided to put your doubts on hold for now?¡¯ She had faced all of his foul family members before, but she had never witnessed a Cartier like him before. ¡°I have collected all the additional information I can gather, concerning Marco, Merha and the property.¡± She nodded her head. That was very good. ¡°What do you want now, Elisha? If you have any questions, let me know, I¡¯ll find out more.¡± ¡°Now,¡± Elisha looked at Lucerne. ¡°I want to know more about you.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°High Priest Merha. How is your rtionship with him?¡± Elisha knew that Lucerne was openly hostile against the Cartiers. But how bad was it? Things could turn out a little differently, she thought, depending on how much resentment he harbored and towards whom he had held it against. Besides, Lucerne was also the one holding her leash. So she wanted to know ahead of time if there were any emotional attachments or weaknesses. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m being bribed by the pocket money I receive from Uncle Merha during the New Year holidays.¡± ¡°Say it isn¡¯t so. I don¡¯t know if we can exchange knives.¡± He readily agreed. They were definitely getting along better. ¡°Drink something first.¡± Lucerne helped her sit up on the bed. Elisha felt better as she drank the cold tea he had ordered before. ¡°As you expected, an abusive, violent rtionship. When I was young I grew up in a temple.¡± Elisha remembered the faint whip marks on Lucerne¡¯s chest. It was probably rted to Merha. Chapter 55.1 Chapter 55.1 Chapter 55.1 ¡°It was not as peaceful as the monastery you grew up in. Merha wanted to control me, so violence and hunger were a matter of course.¡± Elisha¡¯s eyes were downcast. Then, without realizing it, her grip on the sheet in her hand tightened. ¡°You wish for his ruin.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± said Lucerne. ¡°Do you want revenge on Merha?¡± ¡°Rather, it¡¯s a race for survival. There may be some royal family members who are able to survive the battle for the throne but there is no such thing amongst the Cartiers. Uncle Merha is just someone I have to get rid of someday in order to live. Revenge is just a perk.¡± ¡°Then should I make his disposal as painful as possible?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not desperate enough to leave it in your hands, but that¡¯s the aim.¡± ¡°Tell me more. Are there any weaknesses of Merha and Marco?¡± ¡°Even in the temple, education was mandatory,¡± Lucerne said calmly. ¡°At the time, Marco was a boy priest, and he never beat me no matter what he did. In studying, archery, and even memorizing the temple¡¯s scriptures. Each time, Merha scolded Marco, and he would rush at me afterward to pick a fight.¡± ¡°I guess you beat him up.¡± ¡°Marco grew up getting beaten up a lot by me.¡± Elishaughed involuntarily. It was fortunate that he was not the type of child to be unterally bullied. ¡®Speaking of which, Marco¡¯s weakness is also his sense of inferiority. Especially if he grew up beingpared to Lucerne. He doesn¡¯t have much of an advantage. He¡¯s just a timid second child.¡¯ While she concealed her thoughts, she asked, ¡°Was it bearable?¡± ¡°Generally.¡± ¡°Was there ever a time when it wasn¡¯t?¡± Lucerne¡¯s mouth closed. Unconsciously, Elisha pressed him impatiently: ¡°You said you would tell me anything.¡± After a moment, Lucerne opened his mouth again and continued, ¡°Just once. There was a time when I was truly terrified.¡± He traced the memory of his distant past. ¡°One day, after Merha chastised him excessively, Marco poisoned my meal.¡± ¡°Uh, that¡¯s¡­ ¡­ . a bit excessive.¡± ¡°It was not deadly poison. But it was a narcotic that made me blind and my body ache for a few days. At that time I was¡­¡­. I was very young. I thought I had lost my sight forever.¡± ¡°How old were you then?¡± ¡°Nine.¡± Elisha was shocked. Truly, the Cartiers were worse than beasts. How did 9-year-old Lucerne feel when he became sightless overnight? By all ounts, he would have been terrified. ¡°No matter what they did to me, I didn¡¯t care. But there are days when everyone gets weak,¡± Lucerne said softly. ¡°So that day¡­ ¡­ . was scary.¡± ¡°Then¡­ what did you do?¡± ¡°I ran away,¡± Lucerne said indifferently, his voice even as he buttoned his sleeves. Elisha got up and fastened the rest of his cuffs. ¡°And?¡± ¡°Naturally I didn¡¯t get very far. In the hallway, I grabbed and held on to anyone that happened to be walking down the corridor. Asking them to call a doctor and begging. Crying that I couldn¡¯t see.¡± Lucerne showed no sign of fear or shame about it. ¡°What did you beg for?¡± ¡°Well. I don¡¯t know. I can¡¯t remember.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I think I pleaded with them to save me. That my vision was dark¡­ ¡­ . ¡ªYeah, that¡¯s what happened.¡± She hid her clenched fist under a sheet. ¡°But no one helped me. It was like paying expensive tuition for a lesson with blood and tears.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°In the Cartier household, survival is a personal responsibility. From then on, I didn¡¯t cry or act emotional.¡± Elisha took a breath. She couldn¡¯t keep a straight face. ¡°Why?¡± [t1v: he¡¯s probably asking why she looks like that or why she¡¯s curious] ¡°No, nothing.¡± She shook her head. ¡°Then it¡¯s your turn to make Marco pay tuition.¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s right¡­ So, your strategy. I approve.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Keeping Marco and Arien in the dark about the vault. Passing this off as a simple squabble; threatening ¡®I¡¯m going to thwart your ns and steal what you want,¡¯ right?¡± She was impressed he understood her fragmented words during their passionate affair earlier. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°We need to make the spectacle bigger.¡± ¡°I can bring Jacob in. Oh, didn¡¯t you say Car already knew about this? Then it will be easy.¡± Elisha almost lost herself and was about to smile widely. When crafting their scheme, they thought on the same wavelength and were on the same page. This fight could have been a simple task for the Lucerne couple. But the Jacobs would be happy to intervene in their feud. Jacob was a coward, but he wouldn¡¯t want the two to quarrel without him because his self-consciousness and insecure pride were bigger than anyone else¡¯s. ¡°Then shall we go provoke?¡± Lucerne looked down at Elisha and remarked, ¡°We will have to go to the party.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Dress yourself up beautifully. Wear something new. Like they do now, make other men envy me.¡± Lucerne whispered. At times like this, like watching a snake, she could not guess his intentions. Elisha nodded. ¡°And Elisha,¡± Lucerne said lowly. ¡°I will follow your n. There¡¯s one condition though.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ What?¡± ¡°You are forbidden to smile at Marco.¡± Chapter 55.2 Chapter 55.2 Chapter 55.2 Elisha almost frowned. She wondered if she had ever smiled at Marco before. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Well, if you promise, I¡¯ll go along with you. There must be a direction in which you want me to move towards next time.¡± Elisha was bewildered by him. But his prerequisite was easy for her, so she nodded. ¡®But¡­ ¡­ . Can it be this easy?¡¯ She was anxious that there might be other traps. ¡°Why are you following my directions if you don¡¯t trust mepletely?¡± Elisha inquired. ¡°First, if your information is correct, there is no reason not to heed you.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Secondly, even if this is a trap, I can handle it. Even if you¡¯re a traitor, it¡¯s not a losing business for me, is it?¡± Lucerne raised Elisha¡¯s chin and exined, ¡°Then you would fall into my hands and what would there be to regret? I just have to deal with you and fix you.¡± Goosebumps sprouted on her back. Elisha turned away, conscious of the red eyes that bore into her. To Elisha, he was a mysterious man; she could not fathom how sincere he was. *** ¡°Get some rest. I¡¯ll be back after work.¡± Elisha tried to calm herself down. As Lucerne left the room, the tension in her body rxed. ¡®Still, it¡¯s the situation I wanted ¡­ ¡­ . I¡¯m d it worked out well.¡¯ As she gathered her thoughts, she tried to pull herself together. However, her body and mind were stirred up by someone. ¡®Is sex usually like this?¡¯ Her body felt utterly limp and heavy. She had not only run herself into the ground but had also used up all her future reserves of energy too. ¡®I have to think, I have to think¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ After 30 minutes, Elisha dozed off. It was the first time in both of her lives that she had be so defenseless. ¡®Maybe he¡¯s trying to control me¡­ he¡¯s¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Even though it was a very short time, she had a vivid dream. However, this time it was different from usual because she knew that it was a dream. Maybe it was because she had listened to Lucerne¡¯s childhood story. Elisha had had a simr experience. It was about a year before she died. After Car uncovered the secrets in the Yurif forest, Jacob and her used that fact to drain Marco¡¯s blood. Car, in particr, had a knack for bullying people. She drove Arien to the brink of a nervous breakdown. ¡®You¡¯re going to do this for Car. Give us this, too. Yes, get that!¡¯ She smiled and took Arien¡¯s jewels and dresses. Even the things in the temple weren¡¯t safe from her. Even in Elisha¡¯s eyes, demons didn¡¯tpare to her viciousness. ¡®Deliver this letter to Arien!¡¯ Car made sure that Elisha always delivered her threatening letters. After Arien¡¯s temper tantrum upon receiving the ckmail, she vented her anger out on Elisha. At that time, she had an intense hatred for Marco and Arien. One day, after Elisha had routinely brought a message, Arien detained her. She had suffered bitterly during her imprisonment. ¡®Hungry.¡¯ Elisha didn¡¯t eat well in her previous life. Due to the relentless terror and danger her life was under, her chronic anxiety manifested in her suffering from stomach pain. Even so, being starved was genuinely horrifying. ¡®Tell me what you know! How the hell did Car find out the secret in that forest? Fuck! Am I inferior to that dumb, big-breasted bitch? Huh?¡¯ The truth of the matter was that Elisha didn¡¯t know anything. Rather, she discovered more about what had happened after being caught and tortured by Marco and Arien. Piecing together questions during interrogations and inferring through arguments, Elisha began to paint a picture of what had happened through the daze of her harrowing abuse. She begged to be released; she had no information and was thus not worthy of being a hostage. But, of course, no one listened to her. And as expected, Jacob didn¡¯te to find Elisha. So¡­ ¡­ . From the beginning, Arien knew Marco well. There would be no consequences if ¡®someone¡¯ touched Elisha. Moreover, bizarrely, even from before, Marco was prone to harassing Elisha. There was no way that his wife did not know it, so Arien had been holding a grudge against her from since before. ¡®You¡¯re already a retarded, crippled bitch, but I¡¯m going to cut off one of your arms and send you back.¡¯ Arien looked at her cruelly and sneered. Then one day, she proposed a terrible game to Elisha. ¡®Let¡¯s y tag. If you hold out for an hour, I¡¯ll let you go. If you get caught, I will dig your eyes out.¡¯ So she covered Elisha¡¯s eyes, tied her hands, and made her run away. She then used her knights to drive Elisha like a rabbit. ¡®Hey, ugly witch! Run away!¡¯ ¡®Next time I catch her, I¡¯ll take her clothes off!¡¯ Elisha frantically sprinted off with those knights taunting and pursuing her. She had never been so terror-stricken before. In the first ce, Arien had no intention of returning her unscathed. Elisha already knew it. A sense of horror and dread pressed on her panicking heart as she ran when someone suddenly caught her. A firm hand had grabbed her as she was about to fall. ¡®Let me go, please.¡¯ Then she burst into tears. Her heart was beating so hard in her ears that she didn¡¯t even notice that their surroundings, while the man was holding her, were cold and quiet. Blindfolded, Elisha had no idea who her opponent was. ¡®Who is it? I will never forget your grace, so please let me go just once! Please pretend you didn¡¯t see me.¡¯ In wide-eyed desperation, she groveled. Elisha¡¯s enduring dignity waspletely shattered. She just cried and begged, not even knowing to whom. ¡®I can¡¯t see¡ª my eyes¡ªhup¡ªPlease¡­ ¡­ . let me go. Please pretend you didn¡¯t see me.¡¯ ¡®¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ ¡®Help me¡­ ¡­ . Please, save me just once¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Chapter 56.1 Chapter 56.1 Chapter 56.1 was dragged away. Then both of her hands were released from their bonds. The person tucked something into her belt. It was a cold, heavy piece of some unknown metal. Elisha held her breath, not understanding what was going on. ¡®Never¡ª¡¯ The man spoke in a low voice. ¡®Never appear in front of me again.¡¯ He leaned over and whispered. He was so close Elisha could feel the heating off his skin. His body gave off the scent of masculine sandalwood. It was a smell that was only acquired among the old-growth trees in the deep forests of the wild, well hidden away from humans. Suddenly, there was amotion around them. ¡®Who was that?¡¯ Elisha took off her blindfold. She was standing at the back door of Marco¡¯s mansion. No one had captured her. Then someone rushed past, almost bumping into her. Elisha realized that it was a young man. ¡®I¡¯m here to take revenge on the Knights of the Temple. All you sons-of-bitchese out!¡¯ Elisha peeked through the back door. There was a sea of blood on the man¡¯s path and sttered all over the man¡¯s body. ¡®It¡¯s Lapis of the ck Lion Knights! Everyone¡ª run away!¡¯ Elisha covered her mouth. The Seeds of the ck Lion Knights. The slender youth¡­¡­. Elisha recalled a famous young wizard, Lapis. After that, arge man* with an overflowing battle spirit jumped in. Corinne. This person was also a Seed. [*t1v: oops seems like Corinne is a he, in Korean it didn¡¯t specify until now, and ¡®Corinne¡¯ is a feminine name, literally meaning ¡®maiden¡¯ in French, but #downwiththegenderbinary I suppose] ¡®A battle between two different orders of knights. The fact that the Seeds of the ck Lion Knights are here¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Elisha fumbled with her belt. What¡¯s inside her belt¡­? ¡­ ¡­. It was an ancient gold coin made of pure gold. It was a very precious thing. Elisha staggered out into the street. There were chariots. ¡®This¡­ ¡­ . Is this for the carriage fare?¡¯ The fact that he gave her money to escape meant he knew who she was. He knew that Elisha wasn¡¯t Marco¡¯s subordinate and didn¡¯t belong there, so he gave her the means to go back. ¡®That man¡¯s voice¡­ ¡­ . It was the voice of someone I knew.¡¯ And Elisha realized the identity of the man who had set her free. No way. Even while she was second-guessing herself, deep down inside, she was sure. Lucerne. It was him. *** When she opened her eyes, Elisha realized that she had been weeping. ¡®Why did I cry?¡¯ [t1v: b/c you were traumatized af babygirl, disassociation is a mf] Maybe it was because she had a dream about long ago. Elisha rubbed her eyes. She let out a husky sigh. ¡®I see. That¡¯s what happened.¡¯ Why had Lucerne taken pity on her? Why had he freed her from Arien¡¯s torment after she was caught? In her past life, Elisha had wondered about it for a long time. However, when she heard his story today, her long-standing question had been finally answered. ¡®I can¡¯t see¡ª my eyes¡ªhup¡ªPlease¡­ ¡­ . let me go. Please pretend you didn¡¯t see me.¡¯ ¡®I think I pleaded with them to save me. That my vision was dark¡­ ¡­ . ¡ªYeah, that¡¯s what happened.¡¯ ¡®But no one helped me. It was like paying expensive tuition for a lesson with blood and tears.¡¯ Lucerne had seen his own childhood in Elisha while she had cried and pleaded with him on that day. Some people turned a blind eye to their past. When seeing a miserable person simr to their past self, some trample on them, ignore or mock them. But, others¡­ ¡­ . Don¡¯t look away when others resemble their past pitiful selves. Elisha¡¯s expression was something simr to a self-deprecating, bitter smile. Her past self in her previous life. That short shabby life was so miserably wretched. There were only two possessions she had treasured and kept when she died futilely at Jacob¡¯s hands. An old yellow handkerchief, and a long-held ancient gold coin. If she had any debt to pay off in her previous life, it was only what those possessions symbolized because she had lived a life where she had never before experienced the beauty of sincere kindness and honest goodwill. *** Chapter 56.2 Chapter 56.2 Chapter 56.2 *** The next day, a grand ball was held in Yurif. Yurif¡¯s City Hall was famous for its historic and antique architecture. Thergest monthly banquet was held there and hosted by the mayor. Even nobility who did not attend the smaller balls would appear there. Lucerne found out that Marco was on the party¡¯s list by exchanging a single note. So all Elisha had to do during this time was rest and get ready for the party. ¡°This silver bracelet seemed like a precious thing, it¡¯s a pity.¡± Sophie pouted, discontent. Elisha¡¯s essory situation was already bad enough. ¡°I know. I¡¯m very upset about it too.¡± Elisha fiddled with her bracelet. ¡®I didn¡¯t know it could be used only once.¡¯ Thanks to this bracelet, she could move things around with ease. Because this bracelet found the vault where Risralpho¡¯s body was buried. ¡®Since the divine powers and magical powers from Risralpho¡¯s corpse and vault have been around for a long time, it must havee out at a level that the mana was tainted. No wonder the bracelet worked.¡¯ Her spontaneous n had worked out perfectly. ¡®But Lapis made it with great care.¡¯ Now the silver bracelet was discolored and faded. Not only that, but even the tiny bell decoration had withered. ¡°Did you like that?¡± Elisha raised her head in surprise. Lucerne appeared, standing in front of the powder room¡¯s doorway. ¡°I just thought it was a waste. It¡¯s a precious thing.¡± Elisha turned her back. ¡°Mydy was upset. Since you only have one bracelet¡­ ¡­ . You said that it was the first time you received such a nice gift when you had received it,¡± Sophie said softly. Sophie was an experienced maid, and she knew that the condition of a mistress¡¯ jewelry and dresses came down to her husband¡¯s favour. So she hinted to Lucerne about the condition of Elisha¡¯s poor jewelry box. ¡°Sophie,¡± Elisha rebuked. Lucerne watched her response. ¡°You must have liked the gift Lapis gave you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a gift from someone else, how can I hate it? That¡¯s all.¡± Lucerne chuckled. ¡°Come out. It¡¯s time for someone to arrive from the store.¡± ¡°What?¡± Elisha was puzzled, but she followed. The luxury hotel where Lucerne and Elisha stayed had three rooms. Among them, the living space was connected to the door leading out. Soon there was a knock. It was precisely 2 pm. ¡°Hello, it is an honor to have you invite our jeweler.¡± A clerk from a high-end store politely bowed his head and took out a luxurious leather bag. Heid out and disyed numerous gems. They were so gorgeous and bright that they made her frown for a moment. ¡°Bring out the most expensive one. This woman needs some shock therapy,¡± said Lucerne. The merchant was overjoyed and took out a luxurious yellow diamond bracelet. It was a beautiful ancient-style bracelet with delicate gold decorations and a yellow diamond the size of a fingernail in the middle. ¡°What do you think? It¡¯s something you can¡¯t easily see even in the high-end stores in the capital. It won the most expensive bid atst year¡¯s jewelry auction.¡± The merchant politely began to exin the craftsmanship. ¡°This bracelet has a beautifully crafted pair of solid gold screws to adjust it. When wearing it, it looks best and feels the mostfortable when it fits your wrist perfectly with this adjustment mechanism. Likewise when you want to take it off, you need to have it unwinded. Your husband can help you with it.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ Can¡¯t you solve it alone?¡± ¡°It can be loosened, but it is very difficult to adjust. A bracelet like this is proof of love.¡± So, it was a bracelet that required her to ask Lucerne to put it on and off. It was very romantic, in Elisha¡¯s opinion. (L) ¡°What do you think?¡± It was a stunning piece of the highest quality. Elisha knew how to discern the quality and grade of jewels. When she calcted the item¡¯s price in her head, she got goosebumps on her back. She spoke bluntly. ¡°It resembles brilliant and beautifully crafted handcuffs, designed to firmly fit your wrist.¡± It wasn¡¯t because she didn¡¯t like it. In fact, inside, she was a little embarrassed. Elisha had a habit of reacting coldly to unexpected kindness. Anyway, the gift was generous. But she was suspicious of gifts with unknown intentions. ¡°Really? I really like your take. Then I better buy it.¡± Elisha looked at Lucerne. Regardless, his preferences¡­ ¡­ . ¡°I never asked for a reward.¡± ¡°Your prize is you may do as you like, whenever you want. Then why don¡¯t you just take advantage of me?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Well, when you don¡¯t know what to do you should just shrug your shoulders.¡± Elisha closed her mouth tightly and bit her lips. The green dress she had mended looked quite cheap in Lucerne¡¯s eyes. She was frankly a little offended and took in a small breath. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re buying it¡­ ¡­ . I feel ufortable when I receive such an expensive item. I feel indebted.¡± ¡°So what if you owe more?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Elisha, if you are sane, being involved with the Cartier family is your loss. I amfortable with spending money, and you should feel at ease about things like this.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I heard a woman needs to organize her slush fund.¡± Lucerne took off Elisha¡¯s rusty bracelet and put on a new one. ¡°This is all I need,¡± she said. ¡°I heard you only have one bracelet.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what Sophie said. Ah!¡± He quickly ced Elisha¡¯s body on herp. The merchant¡¯s shoulders went rigid, and he coughed, flustered, trying to pretend he didn¡¯t see a thing. ¡°Choose something pretty.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Buy everything. I¡¯ll leave you alone then,¡± Lucerne smirked. ¡°Um, then the next step is to suck on the back of your neck. Are you alright with that?¡± ¡°General!¡± Elisha protested in outrage. Seriously, this ruffian enjoyed ying with people. ¡®Yes. I¡¯m not asking him to buy it, but he is buying it. What can I do? He seems to think that he needs to dress me up expensively in order to maintain his honor.¡¯ Elisha¡¯s cheeks turned red, and she ended up choosing a sapphire bracelet, two silver bracelets and a pair of ruby earrings, and diamond earrings. Chapter 57.1 Chapter 57.1 Chapter 57.1 ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to choose a ne?¡± ¡°It¡¯s enough.¡± Elisha unconsciously rubbed the back of her neck. Lucerne¡¯s gaze followed her movements. ¡®I have a tracking tattoo anyway.¡¯ It was a very small tattoo that someone would have to inspect closely in order to see it, but it bothered her. So she usually left her hair down to cover the nape of her neck. If she was at a party or banquet and had to pull her hair up, she wore a homemade choker to cover up the tattoo. Lucerne stroked her tattoo once and bought the most expensive diamond and rubynes. Elisha was toozy to argue, so she let it go. Regardless, it had been stipted in the contract that, if divorced, all things obtained during her marriage would remain hers. ¡®Indeed, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to gain some belongings.¡¯ ¡°Thank you. How generous! How shall I¡­¡­. I¡¯ll have to pack up.¡± ¡°My men will be waiting outside the door. They¡¯ll write you a check.¡± The merchant was overjoyed and kept expressing his thanks again and again. ¡°And leave everything behind. She¡¯s always on the lookout for gifts, she¡¯ll pass out with joy if I take it and dress it up in wrapping paper..¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ General.¡± As Elisha swallowed her sigh and called his name, Lucerne yfully stroked her waist and thighs teasingly. The merchant, who couldn¡¯t meet her eyes, hurriedly took his box and went out. Finally, she got off hisp. Lucerne was gazing into her eyes. Suddenly, Elisha blushed and avoided his stare. ¡®Anyway, he is just being willful and arbitrary.¡¯ Still, he was so charming and attractive that she couldn¡¯t hate him. Instead, she was upset that she could only muster up a vague resentment ¡ªbecause he was her only way to live. ¡°It¡¯s a gift, not a prize.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Lapis isn¡¯t a baby, but a man. You¡¯ll just wear things other men give you on your wrist?¡± ¡°What does that have to do with anything?¡± ¡°Why doesn¡¯t it matter? How upset her husband must be.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha bit her lips. ¡®Should I say thank you for buying me things?¡¯ But this wasn¡¯t the gift she wanted. Furthermore, she hated how strangely she felt entangled with him during the day and night. If she couldn¡¯t stand aloof, she would be the only one hurting and lost. Seriously, he was a very strange man. ¡°Show me your neck.¡± Elisha meekly held out her white neck. His shadow moved over her. ¡°It stings when you move. Be still,¡± Lucerne softly whispered. Elisha¡¯s shoulders stiffened. ¡°What¡­ ¡­ .¡± Suddenly, a shadow passed over her neck. ¡°Now people won¡¯t be able to see the pattern. It¡¯s not gone, it¡¯s just hidden. You can think of it as camouge.¡± It was a brand engraved on her body since she was 14 years old. It had been inconceivable for her to imagine that the disgusting seal would disappear. She hadn¡¯t even dared to wish for it. This made her happy. It was a gift. Elisha suddenly felt good. She really hated the tattoo. ¡°Why are you doing this all of a sudden?¡± ¡°If you told me you had wanted it, I would have done it sooner,¡± Lucerne remarked, somewhat stunned. ¡°You like this better than jewelry. I understand.¡± It was only at that moment that she realized that his intentions behind buying her jewels might have been genuinely out of goodwill. Elisha bit her lip hard. She knew very well that she wasn¡¯t cute and was an unlovable woman. She licked her lips for a while, then spoke softly, ¡°Thank you. It¡¯s a surprise gift.¡± Elisha grabbed the cor of his shirt as he tried to stand up. And btedly, she added in a tiny voice: ¡°And¡­ ¡­ . jewelry too.¡± Lucerne was silent, then a beatter: ¡°Sure.¡± Lucerne acknowledged softly. Suddenly, their eyes met in the air. Elisha felt her body react strangely. For no conceivable reason, her heart was cold, and the nape of her neck was burning. Moreover, her heart was beating irregrly. The unexpected reaction made her nervous. Elisha let go of his shirt. Lucerne peered at her with strange eyes, and then she turned her back. Elisha rubbed her chest. Gems were sparkling on the table. They were beautiful and luxurious items she had never dreamed of during her previous life. She touched them one by one. But she quickly put them down. Elisha was a woman who had struggled over the meaning of an ancient gold coin over two lives. These jewels were so heavy that she didn¡¯t know how to process them all. Lucerne was right. If it was too sweet, it hurt. She was used to pain, but not the opposite. If he fooled and yed her with sweetness as a weapon¡­.. After that¡­. She would probably never get up again. Because she had already had a simr experience once before. *** Chapter 57.2 Chapter 57.2 Chapter 57.2 *** Lucerne¡¯s sudden barrage gifts did not end there. The party they were going to attend today was an evening soiree. Yurif had a warmer climate than other ces, but it was still chilly, sodies often wore expensive silk shawls or fur. Lucerne sent out a man in the morning to buy the best thing to wear over your shoulder in Yurif. What arrived was a beautiful fur shawl made of silver fox fur. ¡®You must have spent a lot of money, this man. I guess it doesn¡¯t matter because you¡¯re rich.¡¯ Elisha hid such thoughts, took Lucerne¡¯s escorting hand, and entered the party hall. With sparkling blonde hair, silver-gray fur, a diamond bracelet and a sapphire ne on a tinum chain, and a new dress custom-made from the capital, she was a dazzlingly beautiful sight to behold. The crowd couldn¡¯t take their eyes off Lucerne and Elisha. ¡°Your wife¡¯s clothes are very beautiful.¡± Her silver fox cloak had hung for a long time in the window of Yurif¡¯s most luxurious dressing room. Because it was so expensive, no one was willing to buy it. But, as Elisha wore it, people recognized her costly clothes and rushed to praise her. In addition, the yellow diamond bracelet that glittered on Elisha¡¯s wrist was also a famous gship item of the most expensive jewelry shop in Yurif. So it was only natural that the eyes of thedies who saw it lit up. ¡°Mydy, don¡¯t be surprised if you catch a cold when you¡¯ve astonished us with such valuable items. If I was loved like this, there would be nothing in the world to envy.¡± There was ady who ttered her like this. Jealousy fell from the noblewomens¡¯ eyes, and they did not even try to hide it. ¡®I never thought that I would receive this kind of gaze while I was living.¡¯ Because of her previous life, she was more ustomed to coldness and contempt. A surreal feeling settled over her as she greeted the women with a polite and light ceremonial smile. Elisha touched the bracelet on her wrist. Before arriving here, Lucerne had tightened the screws and fastened her bracelet himself. ¡®Keep wearing it until I take it off.¡¯ After saying that, he buried his lips in the back of her hand. At that moment, the red eyes that encountered hers had a strangely suggestive and heavy glow¡­ ¡­ . Upon recalling the mental image of that look, Elisha almost sighed. *** Elisha asked Lucerne before wandering around the party venue. ¡°Are you talented at antagonizing people?¡± ¡°If Jacob or Marco are my opponents.¡± She immediately understood. She recalled the day when Jacob had had a stroke after talking to Lucerne during her previous life. ¡°Then, today you can demonstrate your proficiency to Arien.¡± Elisha knew what she hated the most. She came from a proud and established family and was very arrogant. ¡°I overheard that Arien has a lot of pride and can¡¯t stand beingpared¡­ ¡­ . I want you to do this¡­¡± Elisha whispered. Lucerne¡¯s expression reflected his bemusement. ¡°Do I have to go that far?¡± ¡°There is a personal enmity between us.¡± Elisha thought back to her past life. Then, she had suffered terribly at Arien¡¯s hands. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Do you need a reason to hate the Cartiers? Do you choose who you will like and dislike among the enemies who will stab you on the battlefield?¡± Warmly, Lucerne nodded his head with a proud fondness. ¡°Well said. Alright, if my wife wants it, I¡¯ll dly do it for her.¡± They attended the party, greeted some important people, and parted ways. Elisha was drinking champagne slowly by herself when someone approached her. ¡°Who is this? Huh? I heard the handsome general these days has a woman on the side, while leaving your precious body wandering here and there. What a great world it is nowadays where illegitimate children are invited everywhere.¡± It was Marco. Elisha wanted to smirk. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You looked pretty sick earlier. Thest time we met.¡± At Elisha¡¯s carefree words, Marco¡¯s face turned white and red. ¡°Ha, cheeky bitch.¡± ¡°I am d to see you are in good health.¡± Marco sharpened his teeth. Elisha took another sip and spoke softly, ¡°I have to thank you, Marco.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°My husband was very jealous of Sir Marco¡¯s ¡®proposal¡¯ at thest party. Thanks to that, our marital rtionship improved. You bestowed such an original gift, so I¡¯m really appreciative.¡± Elisha deliberately spoke profanely to provoke Marco. Contempt crept across his face as he confronted her typical nonchnt expression. ¡°But shouldn¡¯t you be worried?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°My husband is a man of etiquette. He always repays a debt. So, this time he said he would make the same ¡®offer¡¯ to Arien.¡± Marco¡¯s offer to Elisha was to be his mistress¨Can extramarital affair. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Ah, it looks like Lucerne and Arien are over there, conferring together. I wonder what they are talking about?¡± Marco¡¯s face turned pale. Elisha became a little resentful of Lucerne. It was quite difficult not tough at Marco¡¯s face. Elisha turned her head. Arien was beaming while talking to Lucerne. Chapter 58.1 Chapter 58.1 Chapter 58.1 Arien thought, perhaps she was dreaming with her eyes open. She had never had a long conversation with Lucerne. The banquet hall was boisterous, but he stood aloof, looking distinguished amongst the crowd. All the women around him were stealing nces or outright staring at him in admiration. And then Lucerne looked at Arien, and she gave her a light nce. Just the meeting of eyes; thus inferring an acknowledgment and a greeting. That alone made thedies also look at Arien, making her the object of jealousy at tonight¡¯s party. Indeed, witnessing it so close up, Lucerne was a truly horrifyingly beautiful man. Arien was tall for a woman, but his head was far above hers, making her feel unconsciously shy. ¡°Since the general¡¯s marriage you¡¯ve often attended banquets.¡± Arien tried to keep a straight face as she spoke. But, unfortunately, she wasn¡¯t as expressionless as Elisha nor graceful because she was awkwardly trying to suppress her reddening face. It was even more humiliating because her usual elegance was her utmost pride. In fact, she hated seeing Lucerne at gatherings or banquets because¡­ ¡­ . Because everyone in the worldpared Marco to Lucerne. People said that the potential sessors of Cartier faded away when they stood next to Lucerne. It was even more so in Marco¡¯s case because he was half-hearted in every way. In aristocratic society, a couple¡¯s reputation influenced an individual¡¯s reputation. Each time, the prideful Arien shook her head. But Lucerne is standing in front of her¡­ ¡­ . Arien habitually and unconsciouslypared Marco and Lucerne. It was likeparing stones to the finest of gemstones. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ask the General for help. But I appreciate your suggestion.¡± [t1v: looks like we¡¯re getting cut into the end of a conversation] ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°I heard that there¡¯s a property you want, when you raised your voice in the real estate office the other day.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Arien¡¯s face looked like it was being drained of blood. Thend Lucerne referred to was the estate that was being prepared for purchase by order of her father-inw, Merha. He had urged them to use a pseudonym so that it would not be revealed that he had purchased thend. ¡°How did you¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let others know what you want. A fundamental rule amongst the Cartiers, but unfortunately you are less informed about this family, Arien. My wife learns very easily.¡± Lucerne¡¯s expression suddenly turned dark. ¡°Did you know? Your husband propositioned my wife.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°So, I am going to take away your husband¡¯s precious things.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Your expression suggests that taking away that parcel ofnd would be more suitable than you.¡± At that moment, Arien¡¯s face turned white. Only then had she realized that Lucerne had made a fool of her. ¡°General.¡± Then Elisha arrived. Lucerne watched Elisha nonchntly, then grabbed her by the waist, wrapped his arms around her, and pulled her into an embrace. ¡°It looks like you had a good conversation.¡± ¡°Can itpare to talking to you?¡± Elisha raised the corners of her lips slightly. She had asked Lucerne to do that very thing: Arien can¡¯t stand beingpared, so please do that. She predicted that Arien must be in a state where she might explode from anger. With the tiniest hint of disdain, Elisha calmly responded, ¡°Don¡¯t make fun of people too much, General.¡± ¡°Ha! You¡ª¡± ¡°Arien!¡± At that moment, Marco rushed forward in a huff. With the sudden outburst, everyone¡¯s attention was focused on them. ¡°Marco!¡± ¡°What are you doing now¡­ ¡­ . Lucerne, you bastard. Are you forcibly harassing my wife who turned you down?¡± Dumbfounded Elisha was taken aback by those brazen words. Rather, wasn¡¯t it Marco who harassed Elisha just a short while ago? ¡°You are very imaginative,¡± Elisha evenly addressed him. Marco turned towards her, he wasn¡¯t brave enough to re at Lucerne for a long time. ¡°This vulgar thing!¡± Marco attacked Elisha instead. As Lucerne raised his eyebrows, Marco quickly lost his will to continue and his words blurred into a meek silence. ¡°Marco, I¡¯ll exchange only a few words because you¡¯re not worth dealing with.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Your wife has a big mouth.¡± ¡°Oh, just like Car,¡± Elisha added nkly. ¡°morously rushing around Yurif just because she wants to buy a small piece ofnd. How uncouth.¡± Lucerne tightened his grip on Elisha¡¯s waist and pulled her closer. She was deeply surprised at his impressive acting skills. He was a really good person to have at her side. ¡°So I cannot but covet thend. You made me angry first, so I have to avenge you.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°How dare you make overtures at my girl.¡± At Lucerne¡¯s words, a roar spread over the crowd. People¡¯s eyes sparkled with delight. Elisha marveled at how much Imperial nobility lived for the scandals of the Cartier family. ¡°Lucerne, don¡¯t do this and let¡¯s go inside. You were supposed to meet the builder tomorrow,¡± Elisha said as she leaned against his arm. Lucerne nodded. ¡°I heard you are going to build a new vi. So I¡¯ll build a vi there for my wife.¡± Marco¡¯s face turned pale; he turned his head to re at Arien. His eyes were asking, ¡®What were you talking on about?¡¯ He obviously thought Arien had leaked information and cursed her. Arien¡¯s face burned with shame. ¡®Why would you make advances on a bitch like that?¡¯ Elisha roughly read her expression; she had witnessed this simr countenance during her previous life. Chapter 58.2 Chapter 58.2 Chapter 58.2 ¡°You promised, General. That you would buy thend in my name. It¡¯s thend that Marco wanted to buy for Arien. If it¡¯s a gift, it¡¯s only right,¡± said Elisha as she looked up at Lucerne. ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll buy it for you.¡± She said these words without thinking, but Lucerne stared nkly at Elisha for a few seconds as she spoke and replied softly with an affirmation. Elisha nodded with a barely visible smile. ¡°I¡¯ll see you at the auction house,¡± Lucerneughed and left. The next day, rumors circted that Lucerne and Marco had a quarrel involving their wives. And they decided to fight for a new vi. It was only a matter of time before the tales circting in Yurif spread to the capital. *** ¡°Are you satisfied?¡± ¡°Yes, you did well.¡± Elisha nodded calmly. Marco had an overwhelming inferiorityplex, and Arien only had inted arrogance. Insecure Marco was the type to cast me on others easily. Coupled with the fact that Arien would not tolerate his bullying, the two would fight and be unable to reason. The provocation was too easy for Elisha, who knew them thoroughly. ¡°If you fight so openly, it¡¯ll get into Car and Jacob¡¯s ears by now.¡± ¡°Those idiots have a habit of throwing tantrums everywhere.¡± ¡°Then you have to go to make the scene bigger.¡± Elisha and Lucerne looked at each other and exchanged nces almost at the same time. Strangely enough, at times like this, she even thought they were a natural couple. As in a master and servant rtionship or as a business partner. ¡°There is going to be and auction.¡± ¡°I suppose so.¡± ¡°If Car and Jacob intervene, the stakes will rise.¡± ¡°But they don¡¯t know the value of thisnd, so there will be a limit to how much money they will spend. How much can you afford?¡± Elisha was startled by the amount Lucerne had told her. ¡®How on earth are you so rich?¡¯ Elisha knew Lucerne was rich but had never heard of him starting a serious business. She wondered about the source of that wealth but did not delve into it. ¡°You don¡¯t have to spend that much money.¡± ¡°My little ghost can do it.¡± ¡°There is a way. And¡ª¡± Elisha said calmly, ¡°I will definitely win. I swear.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Lucerne looked at Elisha as if to measure her. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be on the sidelines and watch on as you wish. I will prepare your prize and wait.¡± Elisha nodded her head slightly. ¡°This time, the award¡­ ¡­ . Please let me choose.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Lucerne said softly. ¡°But if I discover you¡¯ve deceived me, I will choose the punishment.¡± Elisha was silent. But she politely nodded her head. Because she didn¡¯t expect that she would be able to easily win Lucerne¡¯s trust anyway. ¡°I won¡¯t let that happen.¡± *** It didn¡¯t take long for it to be widely known that Lucerne and Marco werepeting for some useless property. Both promised to build a new vi for their wives and purchase thend in their names. Yurif was already a bubble, wherend was as expensive as thend in the center of the capital. Moreover, the property in question was one whose owner was ¡®missing¡¯ and had owed taxes. Consequently, suchnd that was offered at public auctions had a starting price that was significantly higher than its actual value. Not surprisingly, the state has the right to moor thend since taxes have been overdue for more than eight years. However, there was a possibility that the owner would appear again. So, to purchase thend, the price would include pensation to be paid to the owner, just in case,¡± as the t unit price of thend. If the owner returned, they would have to pay a hefty reparation. On the other hand, if thendlord did not return, the money will be returned to the state ten yearster to be used as a tax. ¡°After all, the Cartier family is not normal. Only rich people would fight such a vain battle for pride.¡± ¡°Has this only been going on for a day or two? Don¡¯t you remember: Last time, the first and second grandchildren werepeting with each other.¡± ¡°Ah, right. At that time, the price of five buildings was blown away?¡± ¡°But this time the general is running.¡± ¡°After all, when someone gets caught making advances on his woman and her man¡¯s eyes will turn red!¡± ¡°I heard that thend is garbage that may or may not have hot springs?¡± Therefore, such public auction products were not sold but were auctioned several times and sold only after significantly cutting the price. Those who saw the two men engaged in a war of nerves over suchnd, of course, considered it apetition of folly. Chapter 59.1 Chapter 59.1 Chapter 59.1 ¡°Jacob, you know what? Car already has two cottages in Yurif, but she wishes we had a third.¡± Car knew that Jacob couldn¡¯t stand being left out of thispetition, so she spoke to Jacob first. ¡°Really? I can¡¯t help it if Car wants it. Let¡¯s participate in the public auction too!¡± Car and Jacob were conversing about how they would im thend. Besides, this time Car was absolutely antagonized. ¡®My father was humiliated. They are definitely behind it.¡¯ Car¡¯s father, Marquis Fullmoon, got drunk and drugged in a crowded hotel, appearing half-naked and going on a rampage. Car knew her father. He could have never done such a thing sane. ¡°Car is so angry and upset! We are going to show that annoying Arien and that girl whose best.¡± ¡°Yes, yes. Car. I¡¯ll pay whatever it takes to make sure they are humiliated and you can step on them!¡± When the three grandchildren of the Cartiers started this stupid rivalry, no one in the capital hadn¡¯t talked about it. The Cartier family had always been crude, squandering money and fighting dirty. It was always a great spectacle. Every conversation naturally steered towards gossip about the Cartiers. And there were constant whispers about the private lives of the duke-sessor-candidates and their wives. As a result, the capital¡¯s social circles soon began to brim with vitality. ¡°Who do you think will win?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t the third best?¡± ¡°Damn it. Yes, he is but that person¡­¡­. isn¡¯t he not even qualified? After all, it must be Mr. Jacob, the eldest son that has the most justification.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you just saying that because your firm has Jacob¡¯spany as your client?¡± ¡°You cannot ignore the power of the temple! The second grandson, the only one whose father is still alive, has a high chance too!¡± People even started betting money on their stupidpetition. So naturally, the size of the bet increased and grew in an instant. Yurif City Hall was very embarrassed. Two weekster, the public auction date was set. That day, an enormous number of spectators gathered. ¡®If it¡¯s be such amotion it would have certainly reached the Head¡¯s ears by now, so I can¡¯t back down.¡¯ Car and Arien thought the same thing at the same time. *** Soon afterward, a letter from the City Hall of Yurif arrived at each household. It stated that potential and prospective titleholders who wanted to purchase thend had to attend the public auction. Namely, Elisha, Arien, and Car. Of course, all three had to participate. But no one had actually thought this match was truly between the wives. After all, thetest format of their rivalry was an auction, so the oue would depend on how much money was spent. In the end, people wonder how much money each brother would spend on this stupid squabble. It was a question of how far their flesh-eating game would go. ¡°You idiot! Can¡¯t you handle one small task? I¡¯m uneasy, so I told you to buy thend. s, I still haven¡¯t been able to find Risralpho¡¯s real body¡­ ¡­ .¡± Merha pped Marco across the face and caused him to stumble from the force. ¡°Obviously, he must have died then. Do you still believe in his ghost? Won¡¯t you believe me when I told you I stabbed him to death¡ª?¡± ¡°Obviously he disappeared around there¡ªDamn it! I still haven¡¯t found his body, so I¡¯m still living in anxiety¡­ ¡­ . Besides, that illegitimate bastard dares to make a fool of us! What the fuck is Arien doing? You and her are the same!¡± In a normal partnership, one side would be upset if someone badmouthed and med the other person, but Marco resented and was irate at Arien. Even recalling Arien¡¯s blushing and flirtatious appearance in front of Lucerne angered him. ¡°That hateful youngest¡¯s brother¡¯s inexperienced son dares to try and humiliate me¡ª-?!¡± It was primarily because of Merha that his son, Marco, became such a terrible person, always calctive and suspicious of his surroundings. While Jacob¡¯s father and Lucerne¡¯s father were still alive, Merha was the second son in the middle, without merit or any particr distinction. Lucerne¡¯s father was a great genius, and Jacob¡¯s father had a personality simr to the Gaju¡¯s when he was young. So, Merha, who had no strengths, retreated to the temple early on to avoid fighting with them, concurring an enormous sense of inferiority that tainted everything. But his son, Marco, was simrly and equally the least loved by the family. Every time he thought about it, Merha was furious and didn¡¯t know what to do with his indignation. ¡°I knew it, I should have thoroughly broken little Lucerne when he was within my grasp at the temple. I should have done more.¡± ¡°How could we tame a man who didn¡¯t budge after swearing, starving, beating him? Besides, Luceer told the Head¡­ ¡­ .¡± At that time, when Gaju entrusted Lucerne to Merha, he had also nted spies around them. However, when Merha abused him too much while ¡®raising¡¯ him, the Lord eventually recognized his grandson¡¯s tenacious vitality and took Lucerne in. Because of this, Merha was even more despised by the Head. Nevertheless, Marco still believed without any basis that Lucerne must have told Gaju about their crimes, thus earning his disfavor. ¡°Anyway, do it right! The election of the Pope ising soon, so every action is very important! Your future depends on whether I be the Pope or not¨Cgot it?¡± ¡°Yes, I know. father.¡± Merha nodded. ¡°By the way, is that bitch¡ªLucerne¡¯s new bride¡ªso pretty? So pretty that Lucerne, who had been quiet until now, attacked you?¡± ¡°Well¡­ ¡­ .¡± How could Marco respond? He just shut his mouth with a paleplexion. *** Chapter 59.2 Chapter 59.2 Chapter 59.2 Merha wasn¡¯t the only one specting about Elisha. Gossip was going wild, people asserting that she was so ethereally beautiful that the usually calm Lucerne became furious, making him pull out his sword for her. Elisha suddenly became a well-known celebrity in the capital. Because of her newfound fame, she began to receive numerous invitations. She politely declined all of them. There were many high-end cafes in the center of the capital where nobles came and went. One of them was a cafe called ¡®The Breath of the Spring Wind.¡¯ ¡°Hello, Princess.¡± Elisha met her unexpected face while drinking her tea at the cafe she frequented. It was Princess Illione. As if the princess hade to drink her tea, she was dressed elegantly. ¡°What a coincidence. Would you like to have a cup of tea with me?¡± Princess Illione smiled as she spoke to her. Elisha got up from her table, formally greeted her with a curtsy, and offered her a seat. A tray full of snacks and tea was ced on the table by the window where the warm sunlight came in. ¡°I heard youe here to drink tea here often these days?¡± ¡°Yes, my husband told me not to travel alone for the time being for my safety. But he did not object to meing here.¡± Illione nced at Nora standing behind her. Knight Nora was one of the most powerful and skillful knights in Lucerne¡¯s entourage. That he had her escorted by such a talent reflected the favor he had towards Elisha. The princess thought he must really like Elisha. ¡°Do you like cafes?¡± ¡°It¡¯s frustrating always being inside the house. I like watching people on the street. Observing what clothes are worn and what items are in the shops lining the street today. How to find out how the capital works.¡± It dawned on Princess Illione that Elisha was more intelligent than she had previously assumed. She recognized it so fast because she, herself, was also a famously talented woman in the imperial family. Nevertheless, Illione maintained a light conversation with Elisha. ¡°By the way, may I call the general¡¯s wife by name?¡± ¡°Yes, of course, Princess.¡± ¡°Then I hope Elisha would call me by my first name too.¡± ¡°The princess¡¯s status is very precious. People will see me as disrespectful, so let¡¯s dy doing that.¡± Elisha politely declined. Since the princess¡¯ main objective wasn¡¯t to strengthen friendly ties, she didn¡¯t insist and brought up the real reason why she was here. ¡°Elisha, what do you think about persuading the General not to participate in the public auction?¡± ¡°Ah, the news of the auction must have traveled to the Imperial Pce. But, why would you suggest that?¡± Elisha gently set the teacup down. ¡°Elisha, it¡¯s for your own good. You don¡¯t know much about the Cartiers¡ªbut they are very scary people. Besides, the daughters-inws of the Cartier family are not ordinary people.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Elisha announced calmly. She said it was like someone who had really been through it. Illione continued to try and convince her while the back of her mind felt puzzled. ¡°It¡¯s typical for Jacob and Marco to fight over nonsense. Expensive carriages, famous horses, capital mansions, strong knights¡­ ¡­ . So there are quite a few people who have died caught up in the middle of such fights.¡± ¡°People have died?¡± ¡°One day, they were squabbling over which knight was more talented.. ¡­ . And among the knights they brought, Jacob¡¯s knight was defeated.¡± ¡°Did Marco¡¯s knight die?¡± ¡°Yes, he was a pdin and the next day, he emerged as a corpse on the riverbank. Everyone said that Jacob killed him in retaliation of hurting his pride.¡± ¡°It¡¯s worth taking note of,¡± Elisha nodded lightly in affirmation. The Cartiers thought they were above the imperial family. For their lofty arrogance, those lives caught in the middle were regarded as flies. ¡°My husband would be fine even if knights ambushed and came at him in droves.¡± ¡°Of course the General will be fine. However¡ª¡± Illione¡¯s next words were about to b, ¡®You could be seriously hurt.¡¯ But she deliberately left it unsaid. But Elisha understood and smiled very faintly. She was a fallen aristocrat and had a contract marriage with Lucerne in exchange for her status. So even if Lucerne¡¯s enemies were afraid to touch him, it wouldn¡¯t be strange if they instead pointed their arrows at his wife and she went missing. ¡°You must be worried that I will negatively affect the General.¡± Illione¡¯s movements stopped. She examined Elisha carefully. Chapter 60.1 Chapter 60.1 Chapter 60.1 Given the circumstances of Lucerne suddenly getting caught up in a fight between his cousins, many said that he had been bewitched by the beauty he married. Frankly, Illione presumed something simr. He was the noblest in thend, but after marrying someone beneath him like Elisha, Lucerne suddenly became imprudent and was stirred up by these frivolouspetitions. ¡°Do not worry. Is he the kind of person who would be swayed from the right course of action by a woman?¡± ¡°But wouldn¡¯t it be better to stop the General from having a gigantic confrontation with the Cartier¡¯s grandchildren?¡± ¡°Princess,¡± Elisha said politely. ¡°I would never ask my husband to run away with his tail between his legs.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Besides, I was told not to take advice easily from others when ites to a couple¡¯s marital affairs. So please understand.¡± Illione nodded her head reluctantly because she was right. She didn¡¯t like her very much, but she didn¡¯t want Lucerne to be humiliated because of Elisha. ¡°Then let me help you.¡± ¡°The Princess?¡± Elisha widened her eyes in surprise. ¡°There are many different types of skirmishes between nobles. Not all feuds are behind the scenes or in in sight, sometimes it¡¯s about appearances. Even if the auction is a trivial event, Arien and Car will show up in morous finery. So, at the very least, you should be prepared and go out with confidence.¡± ¡°Ah. There was such a problem,¡± Elisha remarked dispassionately. Illione had a headache. She had little interest in regalia, but she knew that the capital¡¯s aristocrats would talk all season about the garments Car and Arien wore and how much attention they received. It was the nature of high society. ¡°You should prepare two or three dresses so your dresses don¡¯t ovep with Car¡¯s or Arien¡¯s. I¡¯ll lend you my clothes. No, it would be better to get you some new clothes too, so let me introduce you to my designer.¡± ¡°I really hadn¡¯t thought of that before.¡± Elisha put her hand to her lips. ¡°Thank you so much. I guess we¡¯ll have to find out what kind of clothes Car and Arien will wear.¡± ¡°How do you expect to know that? People think women¡¯s roles are easy but on the contrary it¡¯s a dangerous field that torments me. Rather, strategy, tactics and military training are easier¡­ ¡­ .¡± Illione pointed out. Elisha just smiled lightly. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s going to be too difficult.¡± *** Initially, a public auction was an insignificant asion that even the neighborhood elderly would not pay attention to. However, today¡¯s bidding sale had already been reported in the newspaper. Spectators unashamedly gathered in crowds, eager to see the daughters-inw of the Cartiers fighting for their pride. To control the rush of observers, Yurif¡¯s mayor reluctantly opened the city hall¡¯srgest banquet hall. ¡°All knights may not enter, and you must wait on the second floor with the onlookers.¡± All of Lucerne¡¯s knights also appeared to cheer on the General¡¯s wife as she upheld their honor. That they were blocked from entering made the knights grim, but they could onlyply. Only the bidders were allowed to participate and enter. Even their husbands could not enter. People spected andpared them. Among the men of the Cartiers, it was so apparent that Lucerne was the most outstanding as he had made a name for himself as the High General. So now, people were excited topare their wives. Crowds of people gathered in front of the auction house to catch a glimpse of them. Originally, the city hall hosted balls, so ady of Yurif even held a free party in the garden to enjoy the auction as if it were a grand spectacle. ¡°Is she still in the Cartier family?¡± ¡°I wonder what she will wear today?¡± The eyes of the nobles twinkled as they strolled in the garden, eager to converse with the Cartier¡¯s wives. ¡°Oh, the first grandson¡¯s wife is here!¡± As reported, Car, who arrived first, was a lovely and pretty woman. She wore a pale pink dress that entuated her cuteness and hung arge diamond ne. The bottom of her pale pink dress was decorated with gilded gold flowers, revealing her voluptuous and sensuous body that contrasted with her cute face, enamoring the men. Soon, Car was surrounded by men, coylyughing and chatting. ¡°That¡¯s Ms. Arien.¡± Arien, who arrived second, wasparatively less attractive in appearance, but her stature was slender and elegant. She pulled up her brown hair and wore a blue dress reminiscent of a priest in a temple. Her figure made people recall a precious foreign sculpture. Soon, Arien was surrounded by friendly wives since she knew many people in the religious circles and capital society. When Elisha still hadn¡¯t arrived yet, people stretched out their necks in curiosity, looking for her. Everyone knew that Elisha was a beauty but didn¡¯t expect much from her. That was because, in the capital, you couldn¡¯t obtain lovely attire by just spending money. First-ss designers only sold clothes to thedies they liked. It wasn¡¯t where one could simply order some clothes after taking measurements. It was only after the designer anddy established a rtionship and had sufficient interaction that a designer would present their best work to a client who would be theirdy. Thedies knew that Elisha woulde adorned less beautifully than the other two wives. Chapter 60.2 Chapter 60.2 However, the bystanders were most interested in Elisha. Their curiosity and wonder couldn¡¯t be helped but be pinged by the rumored beautiful woman that had bewitched Lucerne. When Lucerne¡¯s ck carriage finally arrived, the crowd erupted in cheers. ¡°That¡¯s her!¡± The onlookers eximed. Elisha wore a very delicate golden dress. It was an exceptionally subtly pinkish-gold that resembled her flesh. If one looked closely, the elegant leaf-shaped embroidery with intricate patterns was adorned with gold thread. Aside from her vicle and cleavage, there was no part of her skin exposed, but her dress was perfectly tailored so that all of her body lines were illuminated by its close fittingness. Since the dress color was close to her skin color, she looked ethereally and subtly sexy. The patterns and colors of her attire were very solemn but decidedly a more colorful pattern than Arien¡¯s. So she looked pretty like Car but as strict as Arien. It was Elisha¡¯splete victory just by looking andparing their attire. She looked surprisingly and incredibly sophisticated. ¡°Where did she get that dress? ¡­ .¡± ¡°I can¡¯t tell who¡¯s the designer of those clothes!¡± ¡°Oh, my god, she¡¯s a real beauty as rumored.¡± Elisha smiled so lightly it was almost invisible. It had been so easy for her to figure out what color Car would be wearing today. ¡®It¡¯s obvious that this is what Car would wear.¡¯ In her previous life, Elisha did all kinds of errands for Car. So she knew about Car¡¯s dressing room in the capital and was actively involved in her attire because she often had to attach and repair thece on her dresses. One of the employees of the designer that Car frequented was very ill-mannered. The employee named Lulu had a habit of looking down on people. Because of Elisha¡¯s scarred appearance, she thought her beneath her; she deliberately dropped the corsage on several asions or made her stand up and wait for her. ¡®So if I brought the clothes in a damaged state, I would often get a beating from Car.¡¯ When Elisha asked after Car¡¯s orders, Lulu would rudely reply, ¡®Miss, how do you know about such an expensive item?¡¯ Later, it turned out that Lulu was hoping for thedy¡¯s tip, which was usually given. The dressing room was an arrogant ce, so haughty employees like Lulu were used to receiving bribes to acquire clothes. When a bribe was taken, employees like Lulu would move thedies to the top of the waiting list. Thedies who did not need to be on the waiting list, on the other hand, spent a lot of money, and if Lulu turned out clothes quickly, they gave her some pocket money. ¡®Car never spent money on that.¡¯ Car enjoyed wasting and beingvish, but she firmly believed she didn¡¯t have to spend money on her subordinates. Of course, she wouldn¡¯t tip her. Car thought that easily giving money would spoil the habits of her inferiors. In the end, Elisha was caught in the middle, having to bear the brunt of Lulu¡¯s hostility and endure her humiliation. There were even days when she gave Elisha clothes with a needle pin still in them on purpose. The day Car was poked by the pin, her maids pped Elisha several times. Finally, when Lulu handed her clothes, she insisted, ¡®Obviously, I told you beforehand to remove the pin.¡¯ ¡®So, in other words, it¡¯s very easy to buy a person like Lulu.¡¯ Elisha gave Sophie some of her money and told her to bribe Lulu. She confided everything about her in 10 minutes and gave her the home address of the designer Elisha wanted. ¡®Not to mention Arien. Car had bribed the maid in Arien¡¯s designer¡¯s studio.¡¯ A maid who was paid off by someone could also be bought by another. Those that were bought with money, not loyalty, were obvious. Elisha knew the outfits of the two in advance, and by making sure they would not choose any simr colors, she chose attire that would make her shine without difficulty. The process was so simple that Elisha didn¡¯t even ssify it as a job. ¡®Yes, I have to admit that Lucerne¡¯s shock therapy works.¡¯ She no longer cared about spending Lucerne¡¯s money, so she decorated her body with stunning jewelry and clothes to her heart¡¯s content. ¡®They must havee to see the grandchildren of the Cartiers fighting amongst each other like dogs to feel superior. But did they know that those who havee to see such an absurd thing look like idiots?¡¯ Elisha thought to herself as she gazed out over the onlookers. People surrounded Car and Arien, but Elisha greeted the people and crossed the party hall into City Hall. Chapter 61.1 Chapter 61.1 Lucerne could not attend the auction due to a critical secret military meeting at the Imperial Pce today. So Elisha simply said casually, ¡®You don¡¯t have to go out of your way to attend something like this.¡¯ It was tranquil inside the city hall. The auction was being held in thergest hall, and observers could only watch the auction on the second floor. ¡®The Cartier family is amazing.¡¯ There was even a waiting room for the women of the Cartier family. Even escorts were not allowed to enter the auction house, so Elisha could spend time alone. Soon the door to the waiting room opened. She looked up. ¡°Elisha. Long time no see. Car has missed you a lot.¡± Car smiled kindly. After that, Arien also entered. It looked like the two of them had formed a united front. ¡°I don¡¯t think we are on good enough terms to exchange greetings. What do you want from me?¡± ¡°Car wants to negotiate. It¡¯s just too stupid topete with money for something like this. Thend is not worth huge sums of our money.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Lucerne has already spent arge sum to pay off Elisha¡¯s debt. If he wastes more money on you, he will hate his wife. Car is so worried for Elisha¡­ ¡­ .¡± Car¡¯s acting skills were also genius today. Elisha wanted to bite her tongue. Sometimes it looked like Car wasn¡¯t acting, but she seemed like someone who actually believed what she said. ¡°Even if I give up, Arien will not give up. Isn¡¯t that right, Arien?¡± Arien was looking at Elisha with a pale face. ¡°Look at her, she is a really unruly, bad-tempered woman. If you hadn¡¯t encouraged Lucerne in the first ce¡ª¡± ¡°That is a very strange thing to say. This all started because Marco wanted to have an affair with me in the first ce. But it¡¯s easier to me me, right?¡± Elisha retortedposedly. Unable to reply, Arien¡¯s face quickly turned red. ¡°Hey, this one doesn¡¯t lose a single word. Look here, I¡¯m warning you right now.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t your ce. Even if the two of uspete, teaching your ce from one to tenes first. You are the wife of an illegitimate brat. How could a penniless beggar pretend to be a real aristocrat!¡± Arien looked like she was frantic and on the verge of a breakdown. ¡®It looks like Marco squeezed her a little too hard. He must have believed that information was leaked by Arien.¡¯ It was what Elisha had intended. An emotional person was an easy read. So, when Arien drew her ws, she didn¡¯t hurt Elisha in the slightest. Instead, on the contrary, she felt pity for Arien, who was already pale and still had a lot more to go through in the future. ¡°A real aristocrat?¡± Elisha inquired evenly¡ªalmost bored. But, simultaneously, she thought this situation was very amusing. In her previous life, she lived in fear of them and their contempt of her humble appearance. But now, she was dressed more beautifully than them and arguing in the same room as an equal. ¡°What does it mean to be a real aristocrat?¡± ¡°To be with history, honor and learning. Women like us.¡± Haughtily she regarded Elisha as pathetic. But, in contrast, she stared back at Arien with a nk expression. ¡°That is so. That¡¯s right. You are a noble aristocrat.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Arien¡¯s family for 14 generations has been noble. Ms. Car¡¯s family has been titled for 9 generations, so you two are real aristocrats.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d you know.¡± ¡°And my family, Count of Lor, has been aristocratic for 24 generations.¡± Arien¡¯s expression cracked, and her lips twisted. It was too easy for Elisha to upset her. Arien¡¯s go-to insult towards Car was, ¡®You¡¯re only a ninth generation noble¡¯ when she wanted to dismiss her. It was a story she had heard in her previous life. Indeed, both Car¡¯s and Arien¡¯s faces turned red and purple. ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± Elisha added softly, ¡°And regarding your credentials, I don¡¯t know if you two have any honor.¡± Car¡¯s usual smile had been long erased from her face. It was so weird. Usually, Car basked in Arien¡¯s humiliation. But perhaps at this moment, her hatred for Elisha was greater than her scorn towards Arien. ¡°Car doesn¡¯t want to be with her.¡± Car licked her lips as she narrowed her eyes at Elisha. ¡°Doesn¡¯t Arien think the same?¡± ¡°Right¡ª really. Ha, she¡¯s not even on the same standing as us.¡± Elisha checked the time. Soon it was time for the auction to start. After all, she didn¡¯t want to be with them in the same room either. ¡°You¡¯re position and ce suits you.¡± Arien grumbled as she started to leave the room. Elisha was tempted to retort back, but she didn¡¯t want to deal with her anymore, so she closed the door and left. The hallway was empty. ¡®I have to head to the auction first.¡¯ The auction was at the end of the corridor. She started to amble slowly there. ¡°Excuse me.¡± Elisha¡¯s shoulder bumped into a stranger who was walking across from her. He looked like a clerk or scribe in an old jacket, his hat pressed down and a tight cravat. He had a horsewhip around his waist as if he had just arrived on horseback. She only nodded and tried to pass him by¡ªBut he grabbed her by the hair. ¡°Umm!¡± Speechless, Elisha opened her eyes wide. Her shawl draped over her shoulders fell to her floor. ¡°Let go of me!¡± She struggled and shouted. ¡®Here¡ª it¡¯s forbidden to bring a guard¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Except for the two of them, the area waspletely empty. Elisha knew it. This was by design, by Car or Arien¡ª one of the two. Chapter 61.2: Tpcp 61.2 Chapter 61.2: Tpcp 61.2 ¡°If youe quietly, I won¡¯t be rough with you,¡± the man muttered. He opened the door to a storage room under the stairs. And threw Elisha in. ¡°Ugh!¡± The man pulled out a de. ¡°If you run away, I will cut you apart.¡± Her eyes darkened. They intended to tie her up to prevent her from entering the auction. ¡°Stay still! You don¡¯t want to die, do you?¡± The man pulled out a rope that appeared to have been prepared in advance in the storage room. Elisha realized that this had all been nned. Within an instant, countless thoughts ran through Elisha¡¯s mind. ¡®No, the value of thatnd¡­ ¡­ . This can¡¯t be the end.¡¯ Lucerne, Car, Arien¡­. No one knew. This parcel ofnd was absolutely necessary for Elisha to began anew. It was the beginning of her painting. Furthermore¡­ ¡­ . ¡®If you fail, you die.¡¯ The words of Jacob from her previous life echoed in her mind. Elisha did not want to fail. Lucerne¡­¡­ . She loathed the idea of him condemning and criticizing her like Jacob. No, she hated that Lucerne might think of her as useless. She didn¡¯t want to be deprived of the only pride and confidence she had. ¡®They are the same as I remember¡ª no. You always exceed my expectations with your cruelty.¡¯ Car and Arien regarded each other aspetition. But that wasn¡¯t the case with Elisha. To them, she was beneath them. Someone who could neverpete or stand on an equal footing even if the world was turned upside down. Even in an insignificantpetition like this, they were ruthless. They tried to stop Elisha even bymitting a crime and taboo with many eyes. ¡®Is this what you meant by teaching me from one-to-ten?¡¯ Elisha was frustrated. Even more so because she was stuck in a room beneath the stairs, with a knife stuck to her neck. In her first life, she had lived in Jacob¡¯s mansion in the capital, also in a storage room. Car and Jacob would abruptly barge in with a task and errands toplete, and when they were irked, both of them didn¡¯t hesitate to raise their hand. Like that hellish room, this room even smelled as damp; it was as if she was still there. ¡°I¡¯ve been instructed to stab you if you don¡¯t listen. If you stand still, I¡¯ll make a scar or two on your face after the auction is over and send you back nicely.¡± Elisha pretended to extend her hands out in a gentle manner. ¡°Arghh!¡± The next moment, she drew the man¡¯s whip from around his waist andshed the man on the cheek with a whip. ¡°Fuck¡ªbitch!¡± The man screamed. Elisha ran outside. That was the moment¡­ ¡­ . She felt a stinging pain in her shoulder. ¡°Oh, fuck it! I wasn¡¯t supposed to kill her!¡± She grabbed her shoulder and pressed down on it. Blood was pouring out. Her vision grew dark. She staggered towards the auction hall. Elisha did not look back. Bang! She opened the door to the auction hall. The man reaching out towards Elisha started to run away, clenching his teeth. *** ¡°Give it up to me on this one, Car.¡± ¡°Ugh, why? Is there something on thatnd? Car is very curious.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ There¡¯s nothing but I don¡¯t want to show Marco my ipetence. So I¡¯ll give you anything you want in return.¡± ¡°Then ¡­ ¡­ can you give¡­ Car wants that so much.¡± Arien¡¯s face turned white. That she could never give. In the first ce, it belonged to the temple, so she wasn¡¯t capable of stealing it. ¡°You¡¯re crazy! Delusional!¡± ¡°Fine, then, let¡¯s go as far as we can go. Indeed, Car can spend whatever money she wants.¡± Car and Arien were sitting side by side, talking in the hall where the auction would held. They had already made a move against Elisha. It was the first time that they had worked together towards the same goal with one heart, leaving them exhrated. ¡®If we lose to that Lucerne, our husbands¡¯ pride will be irreparable.¡¯ After all, everyone in the whole capital knew that Lucerne was the most outstanding in the family. They also knew that this was apetition for perseverance. It was more important not to lose to Lucerne¡¯s wife than to win. A wife¡¯s victory was her husband¡¯s too. Bang! Then there was the sound of the door mming open. It was Elisha. She stood by the doorway with a pale face. The other two couldn¡¯t believe their eyes. They were terrified ¡°What happened?¡± In particr, Arien¡¯s face became very nched. Elisha¡¯s shoulder was dripping with blood. Elisha shook her hand. She took in a shaky breath, herplexion pallid. She was holding the whip so tightly that her knuckles turned white. Chapter 62.1: Tpcp 62.1 Chapter 62.1: Tpcp 62.1 ¡®Fortunately, the auction hasn¡¯t started yet. The host hasn¡¯t even arrived.¡¯ Elisha bit her lip and wiped her forehead. She nced at the wound on her shoulder. ¡®Luckily, it doesn¡¯t look like a fatal wound.¡¯ Although her blood did not stop spilling, it probably wasn¡¯t deadly. It was bearable. Ignoring the astonished eyes of Arien and Car, she strode forward. Behind the auction setting was a small refreshment table prepared for them. Elisha stuck her horsewhip between her armpits. Then, she pulled out the tablecloth. sses and refreshments fell to the ground with a loud cacophony. Fortuitously, the tablecloths were ck. It was a short thing withce. Elisha wrapped it around her shoulder with her trembling hands. ¡°Y-you¡­ ¡­ . What are you doing now?¡± Arien asked, pointing her trembling hand at her. Elisha ignored her. Her hair was a mess, so she let her hair down that had previously been in an updo. Since she was wearing a garter belt around her thighs, she lifted her skirt and fastened the short horsewhip to her garter belt. ¡®The blood¡­ ¡­ . it¡¯s not stopping.¡¯ Elisha clenched her teeth tightly. She then brushed her hair with one hand while the other hand pressed down on the tablecloth to stop the bleeding. Her blonde hair shone like gold. ¡®I can¡¯t concentrate because of the pain.¡¯ Elisha always tried to maintain calm control over her mind. But the agony was screaming into her still psyche. Her head was spinning round and round. She pressed her temples together, trying to calm down and slowlye to her senses. ¡®Concentrate. Focus. Maintaining calmness is the only way we can live.¡¯ It was a spell that had saved Elisha in her previous life several times. She had always survived despite being beaten by Jacob or Car to a pulp and cornered. ¡°Is there something to see?¡± Elisha shot back at Arien and Car and sat down next to them. ¡®What should I do about this?¡¯ Arien¡¯s hands were trembling, and Car¡¯s face was pale. They had never thought that Elisha would get stabbed. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t you think you shouldn¡¯t be here?¡± Arien implored. Of course, not out of worry for her. On the contrary, she was frightened and distressed that she would have to take responsibility for this. Elisha may have acted like it wasn¡¯t a big deal, but Lucerne¡¯s wrath was terrifying. ¡°Why¡ªwhat¡¯s wrong with me and my condition?¡± ¡°You¡­ ¡­ .¡± Arien was speechless. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to acknowledge that she had been stabbed. Now, it was clear Elisha was stabbed by someone under Arien¡¯s orders. ¡°You must be crazy. Is it time to bid? Car thinks you are so weird and scary!¡± ¡°I am fine. What do you mean? Do you two see anything amiss?¡± Car and Arien were utterly speechless for the first time in their lives. And they had lived their lives by often brazenly speaking their minds. ¡°We have to postpone the auction,¡± Arien admitted reluctantly. Elishaughed coldly. ¡°Why should I trust you?¡± ¡°Look, you¡¯re the only one who¡¯s going to lose if you ruin yourself in a frivolous fight for pride.¡± Then there was the sound of the door opening. It was from the side office door. The mayor and the auction host came out as observers. ¡°Hurry up and proceed,¡± Elishamanded with a spiteful re, ready to show her poison. ¡°What¡¯s the point if a vain honor contest is going to kill you? Are you a moron?¡± Arien interrogated incredulously. The word ¡°moron¡± really stimted Elisha. From her previous life, Arien promised to send Elisha back when she was sure that she would be no longer of use. ¡°A fight for pride?¡± Elisha answered softly, ¡°Why do you call it a futile fight? My honor is my husband¡¯s honor. It¡¯s a couple¡¯s glory. And I will do anything to protect it.¡± Aloof, Elisha spoke evenly and detached, but her cold fury toward Arien dripped from her eyes. ¡°What you really mean¡­ ¡­ . Is this lowly one really going crazy trying to beat me, huh?¡± Elisha smiled callously, ¡°I would rather die than lose to you. I am willing to risk my life a hundred times or a thousand times. And, I will hold you ountable for this.¡± At that moment, Car and Arien realized. that they had deluded themselves. It was not a lowly but important issue. ¡®Lucerne didn¡¯t get married out of the blue to this girl for no reason.¡¯ There is no such thing as choosing a mate without reason in the world. Lucerne could have had any woman. She was a viper and was suitable to be a viper¡¯s mate. She wasn¡¯t the kind of person to be taken lightly and could not be dealt with by ying some shallow tricks on her. Car and Arien felt rm rising to the tip of their heads. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Then the auctioneer came out after hearing the noise. Since he was merely a civil servant working at the city hall, he had a keen sense of not wanting to get involved in this. The mayor, who soon agreed to oversee the auction with a public official, was also standing beside him. ¡°The time that the auction shouldmence has passed,¡± Elisha remarkedposedly. Everyone looked at the clock. ¡°If there is a problem, the auction cannot proceed¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get started.¡± For Elisha, the pain became more and more unbearable. Before, she had a collected tone, but now she couldn¡¯t stand it any longer, and she urged the moderator: ¡°Quickly!¡± Everyone in her room was overwhelmed by Elisha and got caught up in her urgency and rapid sense of pace. ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll start.¡± Chapter 62.2: Tpcp 62.2 Chapter 62.2: Tpcp 62.2 Bang. The wooden mallet, which signaled the start of the auction, was struck. The audience seats opened, and people came in like a tide. People struggled and scrambled to get the best seats with the best view, so for an instant, it became noisy. ¡°Quiet! Let the auction begin,¡± the mayor shouted. Then the presenter proimed, ¡°The auction starts at 2,000 gold coins.¡± At the ridiculously expensive starting price, there were shouts of outrage among the onlookers. The audience seats were on the second-floor balcony that overlooked the event taking ce on the first floor. Since the bidders were quite a distance from the spectators, they had not yet noticed the strangeness of Elisha¡¯s bloodlessplexion and her loose hair. ¡°Well, 3,000 gold coins.¡± Arien came to her senses a beatter and announced. ¡°6,000 gold coins.¡± ¡®What should Car do?¡¯ She had been wondering about what to do and reflexively ced a bid. Elisha slowly opened her mouth: ¡°30 thousand gold coins.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Car and Arien were terrified. They looked at each other in shock. ¡°Thirty-five thousand gold coins,¡± Car clenched her teeth and reluctantly said. Arien counted her hands, and she eventually opened her mouth. ¡°Forty thousand gold coins.¡± A shout spread among the people. However, people who noticed Elisha¡¯s situation began to murmur. Elisha closed her eyes tightly for a moment and then opened them wide. ¡°100,000 gold coins.¡± When Elisha proimed the bid calmly, a burst of exmation broke out. ¡°Uh, 104,000 gold coins.¡± Here, even Car winced. ¡°105,000 gold coins¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°200,000 gold coins.¡± Elisha called for almost double the amount this time as well. ¡®She is really¡­ ¡­ . Really crazy.¡¯ Car and Arien¡¯s expressions clouded. Eventually, the mayor gave up. ¡°Our city hall cannot afford this amount. Pause the auction.¡± Elisha stumbled, grabbed a chair, and stood up. ¡°The three participants are overheated. The three of you shoulde and discuss it.¡± Elisha¡¯s head was nodding strangely. ¡°No, more than that¡­ ¡­ . I think with her condition, we should stop the auction¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°What are you doing?¡± Elisha snapped, cut them off, and spat out. ¡°Without starting the ¡®consultation¡¯ right away!¡± Suddenly, Car and Arien were tired like nk sheets of paper. It was Elisha who had been stabbed, but they looked much more ill. They were frightened by her and trembling before they knew it, standing up as Elisha instructed. ¡°Lady Elisha is in a strange state! Stop the auction!¡± Someone shouted out from the second floor in a thunderous voice. Elisha recognized that the voice was Nora¡¯s. Then some people shouted to stop the auction. It was the voices of the Seeds. *** Those who came to see this pointless rivalry between the people of the Cartiers would never regret it for the rest of their lives. People looked dazed, their expressions in disbelief. Elisha left the city hall limping. The knights of Lucerne were lined up in front of the city hall, looking at her. Four people were standing: Nora, Lapis, Lazri, and Corinne. ¡°Madam!¡± Nora ran first and supported Elisha. Only then did she smile faintly, slumping with relief, when receiving her help. ¡°Why are you doing this? I shouted that the auction should be stopped¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I heard it. I had no idea Nora could have such a loud voice,¡± Elisha chuckled faintly. ¡°Ian went to get the doctor. He¡¯sing soon¡­ ¡­ .¡± She nodded. She didn¡¯t expect it, but being aware that her knights had waited for her like this, watching her from the audience gave her unforeseen strength. ¡°Who dares to do this!¡± ¡°He must have run away already. Can you hold this for me?¡± Elisha handed Nora the whip she was holding in her hand. Her head was dizzy. ¡°In the carriage¡­ ¡­ . A little¡­ ¡­ . I¡¯d rather be.¡± ¡°Madam¡­ ¡­ . Why is thispetition¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°In anypetition, you cannot lose if your opponent uses a cowardly trick. I¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha whispered. ¡°I won. That¡¯s the most important thing. How can I give my husband a defeat that even his knights don¡¯t give him?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I kept my husband¡¯s pride.¡± At those words, the knights trembled. She wasn¡¯t just a contract bride for status. She was Lucerne¡¯s chosen woman. She wasn¡¯t just a sweet girl who was simply kind. She was¡­ ¡­ . the lioness and mistress of their group of wild beasts, whom they were to serve and worship in the future. Then a ck carriage stopped in front of them. Lucerne got off the wagon. Elisha looked at him as Nora helped her by supporting her weight. ¡°Tell me how this happened,¡± Lucerne looked at her condition and ordered. Icy air dripped from his eyes. Elisha staggered and took a step closer. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡­ ¡­ . I got it. So¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I seeded.¡± And Elisha fell forward in front of her. Lucerne caught her in an embrace. A shout of the arrival of a doctor reached her ears, but she couldn¡¯t hold out any longer. Chapter 63.1: Tpcp 63.1 Chapter 63.1: Tpcp 63.1 ¡°The wound is not serious. Fortunately, she didn¡¯t get stabbed in a vital point. Her muscles are just torn¡­ ¡­ . It will take some time to heal, but as long as we are careful, there will be no problems.¡± Elisha felt an unfamiliar voice tickle her ears. ¡®Is it the doctor?¡¯ Her shoulder throbbed. ¡°Get up slowly and take your medicine.¡± Someone forcibly spilled medicine into her stiff mouth; she slowly swallowed it, unable to open her eyes. ¡®I need to wake up¡­ ¡­ . I can¡¯t get up¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Elisha felt arge hand caressing her forehead. A familiar touch. It smelled like sandalwood. ¡®Yes, I am safe now.¡¯ She was relieved; she was terrified of being kidnapped by an enemy again for a moment. Now she could put that fear to rest. ¡°Elisha, if your goal is to drive me crazy, you are seeding.¡± It was a desperate whisper. And Elisha fell asleep again. When she opened her eyes, she found Lucerne at her side. He was sitting on the bed, looking down at her. Elisha licked her dry lips. He didn¡¯t say anything and allowed her to drink her fill first. ¡°The situation ¡­ ¡­ . Did it work out?¡± Elisha whispered. Her voice was terribly cracked. ¡°Yes,¡± Lucerne said bluntly. Elisha became a little suspicious; he didn¡¯t seem to be in a good mood. She hadn¡¯t expected him to congratte her with a fuss, but he seemed terribly curt. No, on the contrary, he seemed to have harbored a chill and anger she had never seen before. ¡°Then¡­ ¡­ . What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I really want to ask¡ª Why?¡± ¡°What do you mean ¡®Why¡¯?¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you stop the auction in the middle?¡± ¡°¡­If we stopped the auction, somehow Car and Arien would have made it so that they would bid amongst themselves and continue without me.¡± After her exnation, she seemed at a loss for words and didn¡¯t understand a thing. She was perfectly sessful. Why on earth was he mad? ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious about how much I spent to get the property?¡± ¡°Is that what you should be saying right now?¡± Lucerne even seemed to be getting more and more irate. Elisha tried to get her body up. He grabbed her and held her torso so she wouldn¡¯t fall. She depended on his hand, barely managing to lean on her back against the bed. The pain from her injury was much less, perhaps thanks to painkillers. ¡°Why are you angry, Lucerne?¡± Elisha asked with a whisper. The steady expression on her face returned as usual. She had prided herself on excellentlypleting her task. ¡°If a knight below you did a good job, would you treat them like this?¡± Elisha saw a look in Lucerne¡¯s eyes only then. Indeed¡­ ¡­ . It was strange. It looked distorted. She thought he was annoyed. And he looked like he couldn¡¯t understand his feelings. Elisha was startled. ¡°So ¡®you¡¯re pretty and kind.¡¯ Do you want me to encourage you to do this again by even giving youpliments?¡± Her heartbreak came flooding in like a dam had broken in her chest at his words. Elisha bit her lip. Even after seeing that, Lucerne¡¯s expression did not change. He looked down at her silently, and she turned her eyes away. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that much. I¡¯m not a child.¡± Elisha wanted to take this opportunity to show that she could aplish as much as one of his vassals. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do with you.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Lucerne¡¯s expression changed slightly. This time, it contained a little bit of sad regret and bitter anxiety. ¡°Never again¡ª¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°¡ªYou are not allowed to be reckless with your body. It¡¯s an order.¡± Only after hearing those words did Elisha realize¡ªSurprisingly, he now¡­ ¡­ . It seemed he was angry with her because he was worried about her. And he himself was bewildered and embarrassed by his own feelings. Elisha¡¯s heart quivered and started pounding strangely. It was as if someone had thrown a stone in the calmke of her heart. Lucerne ruffled his hair. She bit her lips hard. However, she wanted to be recognized. She was sure she would be recognized. That¡¯s what should have happened. Lucerne bowed his body and stooped in front of Elisha. His red eyes met her eyes. She didn¡¯t know why, maybe it was because she was upset, but suddenly, Elisha¡¯s eyes turned red. Lucerne stroked her cheek. ¡°Answer me.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Hurry.¡± Lucerne¡¯s face grew closer. He was now close enough to touch her lips. Elisha closed her eyes. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Lucerne gently caressed Elisha¡¯s neck. He gently withdrew. ¡°If you had died today, I wouldn¡¯t have kept anyone alive, including those bitches.¡± Elisha couldn¡¯t even fathom something so iprehensible. If that happened, Lucerne would never be the Head. No, he would have been executed by the Duke. He would never forgive murdering amongst family members. ¡°Therefore,¡± Lucerne whispered. ¡°Do you remember anything about the person who hurt you?¡± Chapter 63.2: Tpcp 63.2 Chapter 63.2: Tpcp 63.2 ¡°I told you¡­. I aplished everything well,¡± said Elisha. ¡°The whip I entrusted to Nora¡­ ¡­ . Over there.¡± A whipy on the table near the hotel bed where Elisha was lying. Lucerne brought it. ¡°I took it from the man who attacked me.¡± ¡°It looks like something made to a certain standard,¡± Lucerne turned the whip while examining it. ¡°It looks like something the knights use.¡± Elisha nodded her head. A white pattern was engraved on the head of the ck whip. ¡°I struck the person who attacked me with the whip once horizontally and vertically. You just need to find either Jacob¡¯s knight or Marco¡¯s subordinate with a new scar on his face from today. And¡­ ¡­ . We just need to find the knights that are issued these weapons. It will not be difficult.¡± Lucerne nodded. ¡°You did well. Meanwhile, did he whip you?¡± ¡°Yes. But it didn¡¯t look like he had any intention of killing me. The goal was to lock me up during the auction¡­ ¡­ .¡± As Elisha spoke, she seemed to have made a slip of the tongue because Lucerne¡¯s expression turned cold again. ¡°You could have ended it by just resigning to being locked up.¡± ¡°He threatened to scar my face.¡± ¡°It¡¯s better than risking dying.¡± ¡°Are you serious?¡± Elisha wanted no part in that experience of her previous life. She never wanted to be a woman again whose face was disfigured by burns. She hated the idea of knife shes as well. ¡°Then I won¡¯t be able to act as your wife,¡± Elisha asserted firmly. Now Lucerne wanted her body, but what if her face was really ruined? He would probably change his mind. Lucerne thought she was ridiculous, replying in a tone of bewilderment, ¡°Well, there¡¯s one thing I know from this¡ª I let you go out and do what you want for half a day, but now that you¡¯re back.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I can¡¯t take my eyes off you.¡± ¡°Why the hell are you drawing such a conclusion?¡± ¡°And¡ª¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Be prepared to be locked up for a while,¡± Lucerne promised he would prepare a prize. But this was the exact opposite of what she wanted. Elisha tried to protest, but Lucerne¡¯s expression looked so bad she held it in. *** After Elisha had slept for a few more hours, the knights standing and pacing in front of her room arrived. She was leaning on the bed. ¡°It¡¯s time for my wife to eat. Get out.¡± Lucerne frowned. The knights looked at each other and pretended not to hear. It was a calcted risk that he would not hit them in front of his sick wife. ¡°She¡¯s been monopolized by the general for two whole days,¡± Lapis protested. Elisha heard that and blinked her eyes. It was surprising that he had been by her side for so long. Upon hearing this, Lucerne growled. ¡°Nora, take them all out.¡± Nora, who was the most obedient, flinched. ¡°Please, I¡¯ll serve the meal!¡± Nora eximed. Lucerne¡¯s eyes dimmed, looking bloodier. The Seeds had a gut feeling about the uing ¡®mental-strengthening¡¯ training, but none of them budged. ¡°Do as you please,¡± Lucerne finally said. He sat down on a chair at the table, a short distance from the bed. The knights gathered and huddled around Elisha, and Nora started pouring thinly boiled chicken soup into her mouth. ¡°Do you like it?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s good,¡± Elisha whispered with a sallow face. ¡°It¡¯s a soup that Lazri boiled for hours after the madam copsed!¡± Lapis said quickly. Elisha looked at Lazri in surprise and thanked him. Lazri replied with a nod. Nora began to seriously consider learning how to cook. Everyone rushed to ask about Elisha¡¯s condition, and then Ian carefully brought out her words. ¡°All of Yurif is now abuzz about the property. How the hell did you get it?¡± Elisha looked calm and collected. ¡°It seems that the general is not curious about how much I bought thend for.¡± ¡°Hey, we¡¯re curious,¡± Ian said hurriedly. No one knew the concluding bid of thend auction. This was because the agency delivered the relevant documents to the sessful bidder¡¯s home within a few days after thend¡¯s auction waspleted and the bid was settled. Because Elisha passed out afterwards, no one heard the details. ¡°Two thousand gold coins,¡± Elisha said quiescently as usual. The knights looked at each other. ¡°That¡­ ¡­ . Isn¡¯t that the starting price of the auction?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Elisha nodded. Apparently, the bid went up to 200,000 gold coins. Nora and Ian knew the property¡¯s secrets, but the rest of the Seeds did not. They thought that if Elisha had won thend for 200,000 gold, she might really be knocked out by Lucerne. ¡°How on earth?¡± Elisha¡¯s eyes widened as she recalled her conversation with Lucerne. ¡®General, I heard that the current mayor of Yurif has been indebted to you. He was originally a small-time mayor of a nominal town, but when themunity was attacked by monsters, the General¡¯s army saved them.¡¯ ¡®Where did you hear that?¡¯ ¡®Princess Illione,¡¯ Elisha continued. ¡®I want to ask the mayor for a favor.¡¯ ¡®If I say anything, he will listen without payment.¡¯ ¡®Great. Then, if the bidding price surges, please stop the auction and make an offer to the bidders to reach an agreement.¡¯ Moreover, Yurif¡¯s mayor was a good-natured but small-minded man. He was worried that if thend were sold at an outrageous price, it would negatively affect the town. So Yurif¡¯s mayor stopped the auction when Elisha called a bid for 200,000 gold coins. Chapter 64.1: Tpcp 64.1 Chapter 64.1: Tpcp 64.1 Elisha didn¡¯t rify that. ¡°Once the auction stopped, Car, Arien and I went to the mayor¡¯s office.¡± ¡°And?¡± Elisha pointed to her shoulder nonchntly. ¡°This made things easier.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I told you before. The assant dragged me into the storage room and tried to tie me up. The suspect must have been rted to either Arien or Car. This auction is so well known that they probably didn¡¯t intend to kill me there. If things went wrong, they would have to take responsibility for it.¡± The Seeds were terribly focused and listening to Elisha. She was typically taciturn, but as she exined, her timbre quivered with concentration and focus. ¡°Actually, it wasn¡¯t that fatal. It was painful and I was dazed, but¡­ ¡­ . It¡¯s not a dire wound. As you all know.¡± At those words, the Seeds choked up and cried, ¡°No, it¡¯s not!¡± ¡°You bled so much!¡± They seemed to want to insist that her wounds were severe. She didn¡¯t understand why, but she didn¡¯t argue the obvious fact, so she stayed quiet. The Seeds wanted to hear more, so they became quiet again. ¡°So, what happened then, madam?¡± ¡°I pretended to be dizzy and grabbed the table and said the bleeding wouldn¡¯t stop. Car and Arien¡¯s faces contorted.¡± Car and Arien looked like they wanted to stab her to death. But they knew that if Elisha died here, they would be held ountable. Besides, the Head was paying close attention to this auction. ¡®Is this situation real? What if this crazy bitch really dies?¡¯ Here, the two women began to lose their cool little by little. Arien was so anxious Elisha could see her whole body trembling. ¡°So I proposed a contest. The three of us decided to y a game to decide the winner.¡± ¡®What will the Head say when he finds out that we have foolishly spent a fortune here?¡¯ The Cartier family had so much wealth that it started to rot, but nheless, the family was crazy about capital. In a family that took killing for gold as a triviality, nothing more than a jest, wasting money was a crime punishable by death. Car then offered to y chess or a card game. Her scheme was obvious. Since Elisha was injured, her concentration would becking. Clearly, she thought she could win against her. When Elisha heard that, her knees weakened, and she began to breathe heavily. ¡°So¡­ ¡­ . You acted like you were dying?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she answered nkly as if it were of course. The Seeds looked at each other, at a loss for words. Holding his breath, Lapis made eye contact with Corinne, who was stabbing his thigh with a look of not knowing whether tough or cry. ¡°They ended up agreeing to the game because they were afraid I would really die. So I proposed ying cards with the one who draws the highest hand wins.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ Huh. But that would mean you¡¯d have to rely on luck¡­ ¡­ How did you win?¡± ¡°As soon as I entered the room, I scanned the table, and grabbed the table as if I was about to fall. While I was stumbling I drew a card. Luckily it was the Joker since I was bleeding a lot, there was blood on my palms.¡± ¡°Did you put blood on the joker card?!¡± Lapis asked in an unsettled tone. ¡°Yes. It was easy because Arien and Car¡¯s minds were in a state of disarray. The cards were drawn in this order: Arien was a Clover 3 and Car was a Queen. And I picked the Joker. Therefore, I bought thend at the price I wanted.¡± ¡°Hah- ha- oop¡­ ¡­ .¡± Lapis couldn¡¯t keep his mouth shut, and Lazri was pping silently. The rest of the Seeds also looked up in awe. ¡°Madam, I respect you,¡± Corinne said solemnly with a heart heavy of sincerity. After that, the Seeds boasted and praised her loudly. She was surprised at the earnestness of their words. ¡°Please stop it. I heard that the ck Lion Knights have a winning streak of victories. I¡¯ve only seeded once this time. Besides,pared to war, it¡¯s trivial. So, if you keep saying that, I¡¯ll be very embarrassed.¡± Elisha was not used to such appreciation, as it was her first time receiving praise. So, without realizing it, she spoke severely with a bit of a chill. But Elisha¡¯s cheeks were faintly pink as she spoke. Upon witnessing it, the Seeds forgot the circumstances behind them and were moved by Elisha¡¯s unexpected cuteness. ¡°Now, stop bothering her and leave.¡± If Lucerne hadn¡¯t spoken so irritably, evidently annoyed, the Seeds would have stuck by Elisha¡¯s side forever. Then, resignedly, they left the room. ¡®They are really naive. I guess even the Seeds, whose swords are soaked in the blood of the battlefield, have that kind of side.¡¯ After all, you could only get to know people once you met them. The Seeds Elisha knew were undoubtedly pleasant, sweet people to have around. Nevertheless, away from her eyes, as soon as the Seeds stepped out, their demeanour changedpletely. Not long after, Lucerne also left the hotel room. They walked along with him with stern faces. Chapter 64.2: Tpcp 64.2 Chapter 64.2: Tpcp 64.2 ¡°Did you find out anything, General?¡± Lapis asked coolly, abandoning his usual tone. ¡°Please order an investigation. Marco and Jacob, I¡¯ll figure out which one is responsible,¡± Nora dered seriously. The other knights looked like they were on the verge of taking revenge into their own hands. The Seed¡¯s hands twitched, barely holding back their questions. Lucerne didn¡¯t answer and walked deliberately. There were no other guests as the entire floor of the hotel room was rented. ¡°General¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I tell you, will you all stand still? You¡¯ll go on a rampage and smash through all of them. I know because I made you knights because of that,¡± Lucerne noted impassively. Nora knew he was right, but she was also resentful. ¡°Then I will write my resignation letter. I¡¯m going to take retribution after leaving the knighthood.¡± ¡°Is that true?¡± Lucerne paused. Having spoken his words, Lapis clenched his teeth and nodded his head. Lucerne looked at him paltrily. Tuk. Lucerne took a whip out from his arms and dropped it into the hallway. ¡°Don¡¯t make trouble. Come along Ian.¡± Click. Lucerne entered the room at the far end of the hallway, which had been set aside for office use. Nora picked up the whip as they looked at each other for an answer, rather bewildered. After a moment, she recognized the whip. Elisha¡¯s blood was smeared on the handle. She had held it like a treasure in an iron grip as she had hobbled out of City Hall. Still looking at each other, they decided to wait for Ian toe out. They knew Ian, a close aide to Lucerne, was the only person they could turn to for advice. *** A few days passed, and newspapers had widely reported that Elisha had won the auction by andslide. Elisha received an unexpected card while returning home with vignce and chaperoned by the Seeds. [Congrattions on your victory. Only the best suits a good woman.] It was a card from the Duke. And it was apanied by a hundred aroan roses, the most precious of the queen¡¯s roses. The rose was called a two-color rose because the color at the edges of the petals and near the center of the bud was different. ¡°Burn it,¡± Lucerne proposed in a tone of absurd disbelief. Elisha thought about whether she should feel good or offended for a few seconds. ¡®Car will go crazy if she finds out.¡¯ Car would regrly have tantrums when someone other than herself received attention or praise. She thought she should let it slip when she saw Car next time. Meanwhile, Elisha felt that Lucerne had been unusual for the past few days. He was still distant and cold towards her and didn¡¯t even caress her or even put her up on hisp with his obscene remarks as usual. ¡®Is he irritated because I can¡¯t satisfy his sexual desires because I¡¯m injured?¡¯ She thought about it too¡­ ¡­ . Apparently, he was very annoyed by the fact that she was stabbed. As usual, Elisha could only conclude that he was an exceedingly mysterious person whom she could not understand. He should have left her alone and gone far away if he didn¡¯t want to see her. The doctors advised Lucerne that they should sleep in separate rooms since Elisha was ill. He slept in the bed in the study next door to her, but he persistently walked in and out of her bedroom where she was resting. Elisha felt like she was spending her day looking at her boss, and her supervisor was watching her in turn. ¡®As expected, Lucerne is difficult.¡¯ As night fell, he went to the office, and it was quiet. Elisha put on a thick shawl and went outside. Although she hadn¡¯t received a fatal wound, people were making a fuss because of her status as the general¡¯s wife. Only her shoulder was injured, but her legs were fine. He even stabbed her left shoulder, so her right hand could write. Then, when she asked the butler for work, he ran away with a shameless, nk visage. ¡®Are you worried about me?¡¯ People who grew up receiving love and concern knew how to return the warmth. But since it was so alien to Elisha, the more affectionate people were, the stiffer she grew. Indeed, I am an unlovable woman, Elisha ridiculed herself with a scoff. The night wind was quite cold. It was now the middle of winter. It had been too cold in the attic of Jacob¡¯s mansion. Her whole body trembled at the thought of residing there. It was fortunate that Lucerne¡¯s bedroom was warm andforting. She never woke up in the middle of the night because it was cold like she had before. That man had an exceptionally high body temperature after sex. Elisha gazed at the moon. Then, startled, she suddenly realized that someone was standing next to her. It was Lucerne. A heavy presence was beside her. ¡°General.¡± Elisha looked at him and pursed her lips. ¡°Were you on a walk?¡± ¡°You know I¡¯m not. I have such a nice, clear view of the front yard from my office.¡± So, you followed me? On Elisha¡¯s face, there looked like something resembling a smile. Chapter 65.1: Tpcp 65.1 Chapter 65.1: Tpcp 65.1 ¡°My knights have an innocent side to them.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Elisha lightly nodded her head in agreement. ¡°They are good people.¡± ¡°You should see them run wild on the battlefield.¡± ¡°Are there any people who are wholly good out there? The bad guy on my side is the good guy. Now we¡¯re on the same boat.¡± Besides, Elisha has only seen their good side so far. Lucerne replied a beatte, savoring the sweetness of her answer. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°So my naive knights believed you, but I didn¡¯t. What did you pull? Trickery? What would you do if you hadn¡¯t been stabbed?¡± ¡°I tried to proceed by drawing cards orpeting in a game to win,¡± Elisha replied withposure. ¡°The stunt was real. It¡¯s true that I hid the card in my sleeve. But I didn¡¯t have to cheat, because I got hurt. So I just put the card in my sleeve and got it back.¡± ¡°You know how to do everything don¡¯t you? Did you learn that at the monastery too?¡± ¡°The winter in the monastery is cold and long. Moreover, when the season of strengthening the faithes, noble youths are sometimes not allowed to go out for more than a month. When that happens, there¡¯s nothing but card games to y,¡± she replied dispassionately. In addition, Jacob loved gambling card games. He would sometimes stay for several days at a time in a mansion where aristocrats yed card games. Car would make her fetch him at such times. Elisha would go to his location and secretly hand him cards. Then he would use that card to win the game to recoup his original bet. Jacob didn¡¯t like to waste a single penny in vain. ¡®I¡¯ve done all sorts of things, haven¡¯t I?¡¯ When she thought of her past life, she could help butugh at herself in self-deprecation. ¡°Why was it supposed to be a card game?¡± ¡°When you attend parties, you learn a lot. The mayor of Yurif is a card game fanatic. Such a person always has cards in the office. The structure of the office was given to me in advance.¡± ¡°What if that had not been the case?¡± ¡°I had about fifteen backup ns and measures to take in ce. All of them led to a victory. I was determined to win no matter what. And even if after all that we had lost, I would have caught them by their weaknesses and would have taken it back.¡± ¡°I am at a loss for words,¡± Lucerne said calmly. Men usually hated strong, sharp women, so Elisha thought he might have gotten tired of her. ¡°What do you think is the difference between you, Arien, and Car?¡± ¡°I do not know. Well¡­ perhaps, I just won¡¯t give up. No matter what ¡ªand by all means¡ª I am persistent and tenacious.¡± ¡°You¡¯re like me. You know what? We¡¯re a pretty good couple,¡± Lucerne¡¯s whispering words were like a gangster seducing a woman. Elisha was surprised. At first, she thought he gave off an ascetic air. Now there was another side to him. He was always new. ¡°I guess so, for now.¡± But in the future, Lucerne would be immeasurable because he would undoubtedly be the Lord and Head of the family. By then, it would be her time to disappear. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°About you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Do you want to be the wife of a Duke?¡± Lucerne was impassive. She shook her head. They were both rational people. He was probably wondering why Elisha was so dedicated. ¡°No, my terms do not change. I will leave when you seed.¡± ¡°Then, why are you doing this?¡± ¡°Everything I said is true. Nothing has changed in my mind. I want the best man to be the Head, and I hope that Jacob will never hurt me again.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°If you think I am useful, please just send me a lot of money when I leave. Because I want to live a peaceful, quiet and prosperous life until the day I die,¡± Elisha said evenly. But, far from being convinced, he gave off a darker and darker aura. ¡°Elisha,¡± said Lucerne. ¡°I have a strong suspicion. I know you¡¯re not Jacob¡¯s spy. But, I also know you are lying to me. However, I don¡¯t know which part.¡± Elisha was startled. At that moment, she had glimpsed his wildness. On a hellish battlefield, in childhood surrounded by enemies. The instinct and sense that saved him. It was demonstrated to her now. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re trying to prove something to me. Revenge on Jacob? Do you hate him so much for killing your father?¡± She sped her hands. Even she didn¡¯t know that. At first, she thought she just wanted to live. Either she is taken in by Jacob or sold to a brothel. She was determined to do whatever she could if she could only avoid that terrible future. However¡­¡­. Under Lucerne, the treatment was better than expected. The Seeds were kind, and the butler respected her. Lucerne was¡­ ¡­. was a little difficult, but he didn¡¯t hit or swear at her. Above all, he was a man worth following. It was enough to understand why his knights were so loyal. She was being treated the way she had always wanted to be treated now. She was treated like a precious person where her opinions were valuable. So when she recalled Jacob, Car, Marco, etc., her anger aroused at all those who trampled on her during her previous life. It was unusual that revenge and bitter retribution were the only things she could think of worth living for. But, if it was a life worth living, she thought it would only be right to have more positive sentiments. But¡ª ¡®I must have been born this way,¡¯ Elisha thought. ¡°You¡¯re not wrong, but it doesn¡¯t have anything to do with my father. I just want to prove it.¡± ¡°What do you want to prove?¡± ¡°I¡­ ¡­ .¡± Chapter 65.2: Tpcp 65.2 Chapter 65.2: Tpcp 65.2 She remembered the words she had heard from them in her previous life. ¡®Car hates seeing bitches like you climb up. Car¡¯s mother always taught her that ¡®worms should crawl on the floor like worms,¡± mocked Car, taunting her. ¡®Wretch! Bitch! Leach! You can¡¯t do anything right!¡¯ Cursing and abusing her was how Jacob talked to her. ¡®How could you be so ugly, huh? Why is Marco talking to a bitch like you?! At least it should be a normal woman, an actual human,¡± Arien snarled while torturing Elisha after she had kidnaped her. ¡®If I show interest in things like you, you should spread your legs in gratitude.¡¯ Even as Marco hissed this in her ear, he looked at Elisha with disgusting, sticky eyes full of sexual desire. For having held her hostage on the pretext of debt, and then abusing her because of her ugliness. And then tormenting her because they had already crushed her¡ª To them, Elisha was not a person. ¡°That I am a person. A human being, not amodity or a ve to be sold. I want to prove that,¡± confessed Elisha. Lucerne was silent. ¡°And I want to live. That¡¯s all.¡± He clutched her wrist and pulled her towards him. Elisha was gently dragged into his arms. When his body touched her, she flinched. As Lucerne held her from behind, her back was against his chest as his arms encircled her so she couldn¡¯t see his expression. ¡°Then don¡¯t provoke me any more.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°It won¡¯t do you any good if I¡¯m illogical. Because I keep on wanting you more and more.¡± Elisha¡¯s hand twitched. ¡°If you want me, what happens?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that. Do you want me to write you a love letter, or do you want me to serenade you?¡± he asked in disbelief. The body temperature on the nape of Elisha¡¯s neck rose. ¡°¡­¡­ .¡± ¡°Wanting you all the time means I keep coveting you, wanting to thrust into you, wanting to control and monopolize you. And you will live as mine.¡± She remembered the scene when she first arrived at Lucerne¡¯s mansion. Expensive art pieces and gold rolling around in his hallways. Elisha had a body that had never been deemed valuable before during her two lives. So, it was the norm for her to be treated as an object like those treasures. It was simply that, so Elisha was not disappointed with Lucerne¡¯s words. ¡°Why are you mad at me?¡± Elisha asked, ignoring her chest hosting an odd tingling and piercing sensation. She was sincere. Jacob had constantly reminded her that she would immediately be disposed of if she made a mistake. And he let her know that there were plenty of people who could rece her. Gaju taught her that appealing to and relying on affection was useless. Elisha, in this life, was doing well. She didn¡¯t cling on to emotions; she didn¡¯t make mistakes. She was demonstrating excellence. ¡®You said you didn¡¯t like Merha, so I gave you a weapon to corner him along with Marco.¡¯ More than half of Lucerne¡¯s childhood was ruined by his uncle Merha. Elisha knew that. It was important to bring what was needed. But what was wrong with Lucerne? She didn¡¯t understand why he wasn¡¯t happy with her. ¡°Well.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ .¡± ¡°I think the coteral is getting more and more valuable. Sometimes to the point where I can¡¯t think rationally.¡± Again, he was uttering nonsensical words. Lucerne¡¯s hands were still wrapped around her waist. Elisha hesitated to hold his hand. Eventually, she slowly put her hand down. ¡°What more do you want from me?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been working hard to win my trust, right?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ I hope you will trust me and cooperate with me.¡± ¡°You know I can¡¯t. You and I are alike. We can¡¯t trust anyone by nature. Because we¡¯ve never experienced it before.¡± Elisha nodded. He was right. They would not be alive now if they had trusted anyone and had given their heart. Although Elisha went through a humiliating wretched hell and Lucerne went through a hell called war. They both survived and withstood their own different but simr hells. ¡°Then there is nothing I can do.¡± This time, Lucerne chuckled. Then, he gently let Elisha go. ¡°Why don¡¯t you try and seduce me like a siren with some pillow talk? Please melt my heart.¡± ¡°I know it won¡¯t work since my body¡¯s condition is like this¡­ ¡­ .¡± she fumbled, startled by his jest. He gently released Elisha¡¯s hand. He turned her around, and their eyes met. ¡°I didn¡¯t have the intention to but¡ª¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Even with this body¡­ drives me crazy with the desire to kiss you.¡± Chapter 66.1: Tpcp 66.1 Chapter 66.1: Tpcp 66.1 Elisha¡¯s eyes grew wide. His lips ovepped with hers under the moonlight. What a strange¡­ ¡­ kiss. He touched and held her lips very carefully. Chu, smooch ¡ªA soft, hot kiss brushing against her lips met and parted and met again in the cool air. Waiting for his tongue, Elisha involuntarily licked her lips a little. Then, as Lucerne¡¯s tongue slowly seeped into her mouth, he gingerly held the back of her head. The wet sound of sucking each other¡¯s tongues echoed in her ears. As Lucerne slowly moved Elisha¡¯s head, his tongue moved like a me in her mouth. It felt like a small spark had exploded in her head. Her knees almost lost strength. Aroused, Lucerne excitedly began to tighten around Elisha¡¯s body, but his hands traveling down her back halted on her ass. His fingers spread wide, and both hands clenched an asscheek; he squeezed and then let go. ¡°How appetizing. You should get well soon.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Then I can love you in bed.¡± Elisha turned her head away, hiding her pink face. She rubbed the corner of her mouth, feeling self-conscious. ¡°Let¡¯s go in,¡± Lucerne whispered. He picked up Elisha very carefully and cautiously carried her to her quarters. And when he got to her room, heid her on her bed, and his eyes slowly swept up and down her body. Even if he had said earlier that he¡¯d wait, it was a look that would make one doubt the sincerity of his intention. ¡°When you¡¯re all better,¡± Lucerne said. ¡°I should tie your hands and hang them around my neck. And I won¡¯t let you go until you¡¯re crying with pleasure from bouncing on my cock as I hammer you from below.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha wanted to re at him. But she instead put the nket over her face and pretended not to hear him. Lucerne tucked her in, putting her nket all the way up to her neck. ¡°I can¡¯t trust youpletely. And you have to respect mymand. There¡¯s still a lot of things that are uncertain.¡± Elisha nodded. She didn¡¯t expect his full confidence. ¡°Do as you see fit.¡± ¡°But I¡¯ll cooperate with your n.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha¡¯s arm twitched. ¡°But, I don¡¯t know what you are thinking. I need to know everything about what you¡¯re nning and doing.¡± ¡°I know. I will not disappoint you,¡± Elisha said cautiously. ¡°So, how were you going to move me next time?¡± ¡°Please let me meet only one person.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Lucerne nodded in agreement. ¡°Do you know who I want to meet?¡± ¡°Know. It¡¯s probably one of the two. Both are possible.¡± Elisha¡¯s eyes widened at the name of the person Lucerne whispered. She nodded in affirmation. They were thinking the same thing. ¡°Yes. That¡¯s it.¡± ¡°But only after you get better.¡± ¡°Yes, and the purchase in Yurif. Then¡ª¡± ¡°We handled the payment without any problems, and will send guards to closely monitor the area so there is no tresspassing. You just have to decide how to wield that weakness and how ostentatiously to expose it.¡± Elisha couldn¡¯t help the rare smile that spread across her face. Maybe they¡¯re more of a viinous couple than Jacob or Car. But she thought Lucerne was a much better person than them, and she felt fortunate to work for him in this lifetime. ¡°And I might have to spend more money soon.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll set money for you from now on, just leave a record and use it as you like. I¡¯ll review itter, but you don¡¯t have to ask for permission for every single thing.¡± Elisha nodded. It was fortunate that Lucerne was much more generous than she had anticipated. ¡°Thank you, General,¡± Elisha whispered. ¡°Instead. I have a condition.¡± Intent, she opened her eyes wide. ¡°Address me by name.¡± It wasn¡¯t a difficult request. Elisha meekly bobbed her head. ¡°Yes, Lucerne.¡± Lucerne¡¯s hands rxed and returned. His hand was still on Elisha¡¯s upper body under the covers. ¡°Then. Good night.¡± Lucerne did not answer. However, his strange expression remained in her head for a long time that night. Indeed, he was a strange man, Elisha concluded, a thought she had over and over again for the hundredth time. *** Elisha spent her time recovering in bed. ¡®If you have money, you heal quickly,¡¯ she realized. Was it out of the goodness of his heart? Or was he trying to reward her? Lucerne summoned three well-known healers from the capital to examine her. Inwardly, Elisha was astonished. It was true that those with real healing powers encourage the body¡¯s functions to increase the ability to heal naturally. But their fees were usually in the billions. ¡®You better not ask me for this moneyter¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ In the first ce, it was not a fatal injury, and the recovery was quick, but Lucerne had the doctors and priests see and report the results of their treatment. Each time they did, their faces would turn gray. ¡®Even high priests and doctors are afraid of Lucerne¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ After living in the bed for a week or two, Elisha became more and more bored. Then came Lunar Day. At the beginning of winter, everyone went to pray on the day of the biggest full moon. She wasn¡¯t particrly religious, but since she was a child, she had always gone to the temple of the gods on Lunar Day, so she wanted to go to pray. Unfortunately, Elisha had a hard time getting her words out. ¡°On Lunar Day, it will be too crowded. But I¡¯ll be free the day after tomorrow,¡± Lucerne said bluntly. She missed the timing to say ¡®I can go alone¡¯ again. ¡®I didn¡¯t mean to ask you to go with me.¡¯ But Elisha knew that he would be angry if she ignored his sincerity. If she had known what would happen that day, she would not have nodded her head so calmly. *** Chapter 66.2: Tpcp 66.2 Chapter 66.2: Tpcp 66.2 As result of a fiercepetition over a coveted role, there was a lottery held amongst the knights. Lapis won the part by drawing lots and got to throw his glove. He triumphantly entered the Temple Knight¡¯s headquarters, throwing and pping his white glove against a knight¡¯s cheek. ¡°I came to im justice for the sin of harming our hostess. I demand a duel! A battle of knights against knights!¡± ¡°What? Is this fucking kid crazy?¡± The knight who got hit with the glove spat out swear words. ¡°How dare you not know your ce¡ªa puppy should not provoke a guard dog. You caught me on a good day, I¡¯ll break some bones and send you back where you came from.¡± ¡°Wait. Wait one moment.¡± However, a fellow knight dissuaded him. They looked at Lapis¡¯ clothes. A ck camise was tightly fitted to his body. The hem was a royal blue, and he wore a gold brooch on his chest. Among the knights rushing out, one recognized the garb. At that moment, they made shocked expressions. Usually, boys are not intimidating, but¡­ ¡­ . As he was a Seed of the ck Lions Knights and a young boy¡­ ¡­ . ¡°It¡¯s Lapis, the best magician in the Empire, run!¡± ¡°Damn it, is it Lapis?¡± At that moment, all the men who had attempted to run away floated in the air. ¡°Our Lord and leader, the High General, Lucerne, has a message:¡± ¡°Ugh! Ahh!¡± ¡°When you injure one, be prepared to lose a hundred.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I have cut down up to 400 monsters at one time. What about people?¡± Lapis smiled softly. ¡°Let¡¯s set a new record today.¡± ¡°Ughhh! Arghh!¡± The bodies of the men floating in the air began to bloat and shrink as if they were under the pressure of the air. It was Lapis¡¯ magic. Bang! Bang! At the same time, as if someone was ying the organ cacophonously, all the equipment the knights were carrying fell to the ground with a pounding thud. The knight who was running to strike Lapis in front copsed, peeing. *** The reason Lapis was beating the Temple Knights with a ferocity was simple. Lucerne did not allow the knights to take vengeance and pretended to be indifferent in front of them when he threw the whip Elisha had stolen from her assant. And Ian took it to investigate it and came in two weekster, reporting: ¡®This horse whip is an old whip that was temporarily distributed to the Temple Knights 4 years ago.¡¯ The knights looked at each other and smiled with ferocity. Thirty knights, including the Seeds, were dispatched to the Temple Knights Headquarters the next day. ¡°It was Marco,¡± Nora concluded. ¡°Yeah, so what happened to the guy who attacked the madam?¡± ¡°He was found escaping to the border. A temple knight with a cross scar on his face. He hid right away, but Ian said he got caught in a bar,¡± Corinne informed. Lazri stood still. Soon, a loud noise starteding from the inside of the headquarters, where Lapis entered first. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± The knights grinned and ran inside with their swords. Soon terrifying screams rang out. *** Elisha did not think that Lucerne would really follow her to the temple. The temple was as quiet as a dead mouse; she thought it was bizarre. ¡°There¡¯s no one in the High Temple today. But it¡¯s always noisy,¡± Elisha remarked as she turned her head, observing a gigantic picture of Risralpho at the entrance to the main hall of the new building. ¡°It¡¯s a day or two before Lunar Day, but the temple is quiet.¡± ¡°Well, they say Lunar Day is the most powerful day of the year. So everyone endures with hope until in two days time and goes back to their lives afterwards.¡± ¡°Do you believe that if you make a wish on a powerful day, it wille true?¡± ¡°No, if the world were that easy, everyone would pray every day. I¡¯m just here because it¡¯s a habit that gives mefort.¡± Elisha wasn¡¯t very religious in the first ce. For her, who grew up in a monastery, she dragged her feet when going to the temple. But still, it put her mind at ease. The days she spent in the monastery was the most peaceful years of her life. ¡°Are you going to make a wish?¡± Lucerne shook his head. He waited for Elisha to tour the temple. He was such a great and high-ranking person; it was unfamiliar for him to show her patience like this. In a previous life, people said that Lucerne was a cruel and cold man to everything. Except towards his own people. Elisha was a little delighted that she seemed to be getting closer to bing one of Lucerne¡¯s cherished confidantes. Chapter 67.1: Tpcp 67.1 Chapter 67.1: Tpcp 67.1 ¡°Why are you apanying me? It would have been enough to send a maid.¡± ¡°If I take my eyes off of you, I¡¯m afraid what you will be up to again.¡± ¡°You seem to think I am some kind of mischief-maker.¡± ¡°You look like an angel but when you walk around by yourself I find youing back to me bleeding. How can I let my guard down? It¡¯s full of thrills and amusement¡ªour marriage.¡± As she peered at Lucerne, she almost tripped on the threshold. He clutched Elisha¡¯s arm and pulled her gently. Her cheeks turned red as her body leaned on Lucerne¡¯s. ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Again¡ªshe was having strange symptoms like before. She wanted to avoid eye contact and, at the same time, wanted to keep looking at him. They had already done everything there was to do, yet she shivered as if her tongue had been deeply mixing with his with this light contact. [L] ¡°I guess you¡¯ve never prayed in your life.¡± [E] ¡°I did it when I was very young. When I was in the temple. It was so boring that I had nothing to do but pray.¡± [L] ¡°What did you pray for?¡± [E] ¡°Don¡¯t let my mother who raised me be born again and suffer in pain.¡± [L] ¡°¡­¡­.¡± [E] ¡°If she were to be reincarnated, let her be free from the burdens of our family.¡± Elisha nodded. One day, after countless hours, if Lucerne and her divorced¡­. while she would be enjoying life, maybe she would suddenly remember him. She would like to say such a prayer for him too. [E] ¡°It¡¯s a good prayer. I often said it for my mother. Next time¡­ ¡­ . I will also pray for you and my mother.¡± ¡°Do what you please.¡± This time, Lucerne turned his gaze away. When Elisha tried to return home, he dissuaded her. ¡°Let¡¯s take a rest first and then go.¡± ¡°I¡¯m alright.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t fully recovered yet, so it¡¯s not good to get on the carriage right away. Let¡¯s go drink something.¡± Elisha felt that she was spending too much of his time. Lucerne took her to the terraced caf¨¦ attached to the temple. ¡®Wait, this feels slightly odd.¡¯ Elisha paused. She remembered the day when Lucerne suddenly took her to the hotel restaurant. That day, she had watched Car¡¯s father, the Marquis of Fullmoon, running around half-naked in disgrace. It felt a little unnatural, just like that day. ¡®Why are you suddenly taking me to this cafe?¡¯ There were no customers in the cafe. Led by Lucerne, she sat on an enclosed terrace. It was winter, so the windows were closed, but the front yard of the main temple was clearly visible. A clerk with a bored face approached and politely took her order. Upon closer inspection, the clerk was a boy priest. ¡°I¡¯ll have the rose tea.¡± Elisha ordered a cup of tea. She looked out and found it quiet and peaceful. ¡®I must have developed a disorder of suspicion from living with this person.¡¯ As she sipped her tea, she internally scoffed at herself when she realized she was being overly sensitive. At that moment¡ª ¡ªAhhhhhhh! From a distance came an exmation. It sounded like a shout of excitement, so Elisha figured some people were ying sports. It sounded simr to the cries of an audience. Her head tilted. She got up and opened the window on the terrace. At first, what she thought was a yard was a gymnasium simr to the one in Lucerne¡¯s house. Several bleeding men were running there. Elisha was startled. ¡°Was there a battle?¡± ¡°Something simr,¡± Lucerne replied calmly. Soon two people ran out of the building and knelt to them. ¡®Ian, Nora?¡¯ Elisha¡¯s eyes grew wide. ¡°Help me!¡± ¡®Isn¡¯t that person Ian?¡¯ Of course, that gorgeous blonde was Ian. He sat on top of a man and had a dagger in his shoulder. Just the sight made Elisha feel a tingling sensation in her shoulder, and without realizing it, she wrapped her hand around her wound. As Nora kneeled, she skillfully grabbed the two fleeing men and kicked them in the belly. ¡°How dare you touch someone else¡¯s hostess. You should have been prepared to pay it back with blood,¡± she said icily. Elisha was startled. ¡®Nora, who is usually so gentle¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ It was so unexpected that she had goosebumps all over her body for a moment. It wasn¡¯t that she was scared; she was precisely positively startled. At that moment, their eyes met. Nora flinched, and then she ran back into the building without saying goodbye. Now she realized a suppressed scream came from inside the building attached to the sparring hall. ¡°Oh,e on! I told you not to let anyone escape! Take care of it inside! It¡¯ll get too noisy.¡± Someone inside the building yelled angrily. ¡®That¡¯s Lapis¡¯s voice.¡¯ Elisha could clearly imagine the scene without seeing it. Instead, the memory of seeing them in Marco¡¯s mansion in her previous life came to mind. One second it was a duel between knights and the next moment it had be hell in an instant. ¡®Like back then¡­ ¡­ . Did the people of the ck Lion Knights overrun the Temple Knights?¡¯ Then Elisha bumped into someone while backing up. It was Lucerne. Startled, she looked around. The inside of the cafe was as quiet as a dead mouse, utterly empty except for the two of them. The clerk seemed to have run away. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a prelude. The most precious lioness of their pride had been wounded. If they stood still, they would not be a ck Lion,¡± exined Lucerne. Elisha rested her back on his arm. She couldn¡¯tprehend what was happening. ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s obvious.¡± Lucerne wrapped his hands familiarly around her waist. And he whispered: ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re quick to understand when ites to certain things.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°So now I have decided to teach you physically.¡± ¡°What¡­ ¡­ . do you mean?¡± Chapter 67.2: Tpcp 67.2 Chapter 67.2: Tpcp 67.2 ¡°Remember, Elisha. One drop of your blood will lead to the death of a hundred people.¡± ¡°What¡­ ¡­¡ªwhy?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t understand, I¡¯ll forcefully engrave it,¡± he promised and lightly clicked his tongue. Elisha felt like she was an inferior student. ¡°You are my wife and you are mine. You¡¯re under my protection and precious. So, as long as I¡¯m alive, if someone harms you, I¡¯ll chase them to hell and make them see blood. Today, my knights, who are my hands and feet, did it. Without them, I would have done it myself.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Now does our clever little ghost understand?¡± Elisha recalled her own wretched past life at that moment. The many miseries she underwent from being imprisoned in Marco¡¯s house passed before her eyes. Then, she was a being that had no protection. And now¡­. knights are fighting for her. It was terrifying¡­ ¡­ . a bizarre sensation that was also an ecstatic hue. Nevertheless, at this very moment, there were people who were stepping out for her. Somewhere in this world¡­ ¡­ . there was someone on her side. People on her side that everyone feared. Strong people were protecting her. Such an intense sweetness engulfed her and was so frightening that Elisha choked on guilt. ¡°Why? Are you frightened and appalled?¡± ¡°No, no I am not,¡± she hesitated, and then she confessed, ¡°But it¡¯s also a little unnerving, too. I don¡¯t want the people of the Knights of the ck Lion to get hurt because of me.¡± ¡°Right, then learn from that worry. Don¡¯t get hurt next time, alright?¡± asserted Lucerne. He sat Elisha down, slowly dumped her cooled tea down on the carpeted floor and poured her new, hot cup of tea. ¡°Drink slowly.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°We should go home together. Umm?¡± She swallowed her tea as she held the cup with trembling hands. Btedly he entered her sight. ¡°Speaking of which, Lucerne.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You mentioned before, that if I saw the ck Lion Seeds go wild on the battlefield I would change my assessment of them.¡± Lucerne had guaranteed she would change her belief that they were a good people. ¡°I did.¡± ¡°My sentiment has not changed. You are not always right.¡± Lucerneughed. With an exceptionally jubnt manner. ¡°How admirable. Undoubtedly, you are,¡± he whispered as he wrapped his arms around her shoulders and led her out of the temple as if he were meticulously taking care that Elisha did not see anything more terrifying. That evening, she received surprising news: the Knights of the ck Lions had inflicted the same stab wounds that Elisha received on more than one hundred pdins. ¡®They are exceptionally strong people.¡¯ Fortunately, no one among the ck Lion Knights was seriously injured. The Lions of the ck Serpent always win. It was amon idiom in the capital. ¡®It was like that too in my past life. The present life is the same.¡¯ The ck snake was Lucerne, and the ck Lions were his seeds. *** The mansion was noisy. There were few injuries. They ate, drank, and chatted in the arena. Revenge was sweet, and they were belligerents who reveled in violence in the first ce. Elisha observed them from afar. She hade across Ian and Corinne in the hallway. She pretended not to know anything and inquired, ¡°The mansion is noisy, did something happen?¡± Ian and Corinne answered very calmly. ¡°There was a joint training with other knights,¡± he said. It was a lie that even an idiot wouldn¡¯t believe. But they were impressive enough that she told the kitchen to prepare a special meal. She stopped by Lucerne¡¯s room to discuss the management of the mansion and said cautiously, ¡°Lucerne. I¡¯ll be careful. Don¡¯t let the knights fight for me again.¡± ¡°Even if I had ordered them to, they would have disobeyed me,¡± Lucerne grinned. It was true. If they didn¡¯t respect and love Elisha. They would never have moved if they hadn¡¯t thought of her as their lioness worthy of following. ¡°But it¡¯s pleasing to hear you¡¯ll be careful. Keep your promise.¡± Elisha licked her lips at his words. ¡°Pretend you don¡¯t know. If they know you know, they¡¯ll be shy, and try to outdo each other and it will just make things bigger. Don¡¯t praise them for nothing.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .I understand.¡± It was good to know that if she said thank you for nothing, they might have a bigger fight next time. The excitement that ran through her was a one-time thing. Elisha didn¡¯t want to cause anothermotion. ¡°By the way¡­ ¡­ . it¡¯s everything alright? It seems like a considerable predicament.¡± ¡°Duel between individuals has been illegal for a long time, but knights dueling between knights are not illegal. It¡¯s alright since you¡¯ve been stabbed, and we have the evidence.¡± Even though Elisha assumed as much, she meekly nodded. Chapter 68.1: Tpcp 68.1 Chapter 68.1: Tpcp 68.1 Until the next day, Elisha was at a loss. She was appreciative towards the knights and, at the same time, worried that they might get hurt. ¡®Why me?¡¯ Although Elisha felt assured by the ck Lion Knights, she felt frustrated because she could not frankly thank them. Being so preciously protected made her panic. It was frightening to be treated too well. Because Elisha had had a hard life, she began to imagine the withdrawal of their fondness for her. As Elisha unhurriedly wandered through the backyard, she ran into Nora. Nora spotted her and then turned her head to avoid her. ¡°Nora, wait a minute!¡± Elisha followed her. She noticed Nora grabbing her arm. At a nce, she could tell her shirt was stained with blood. ¡°Did you get injured?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Nora turned her head and greeted her politely as usual. She wanted to avoid her but reluctantly gave her a greeting. Elisha had no idea why she was acting like this. ¡°¡­ ¡­ you¡¯re bleeding.¡± ¡°I tend to heal faster than other people, so I had taken my bandages off too early and my wound burst.¡± ¡°We have to stop the bleeding. Come here, Nora.¡± She took Nora¡¯s hand and led her to take a seat next to her on a bench nearby. ¡°Can you show me your injury?¡± she solicited. Nora held out her arm, and Elisha rolled up her blood-stained shirt and fastened Nora¡¯s wrist with her silk handkerchief. ¡°It looks like a valuable handkerchief¡ª¡± ¡°Not at all. This isn¡¯t important.¡± Elisha cut off such sentiments. ¡°There are other handkerchiefs that are actually very precious.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have it anymore. But it was a very old handkerchief.¡± ¡°So you had it in the past?¡± Elisha calmly nodded. ¡°Yes, I wasn¡¯t able to keep it for very long, but¡­ ¡­ . It was something I had kept until the very end.¡± Elisha recalled the old handkerchief she had received from Nora in her previous life. Obviously, Nora wouldn¡¯t understand her words. Nora tilted her head. ¡°Nora, are you disappointed in me for not expressing my gratitude?¡± ¡°Uh?¡± ¡°It looked like you wanted to avoid me. Am I wrong, Nora?¡± Startled, she looked up at Elisha and urgently mumbled, ¡°No, it is not. I just¡­ ¡­ .¡± Nora bit her lip and continued. ¡°I thought you may be disappointed when you saw me fighting.¡± ¡°Why would I be disappointed?¡± ¡°You must have thought I was a great knight. You found out it¡¯s a lie.¡± The more Nora spoke, the more Elisha could not understand her. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ When I go to war, I be a different person. I¡¯m violent. When I go berserk, chasing the enemy to the end and cutting them down, is the only way to satisfy me. It¡¯s like I explode with everything I¡¯ve suppressed during my time in normal society. Sometimes I be more cruel than necessary.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I am stricter on keeping my chivalry more than others, but¡­ ¡­ . My true nature is that. I¡¯m that sort of person. So, when the delicatedy saw me fighting, I thought it was inevitable you would be afraid of me.¡± Elisha understood Nora¡¯s words. She chuckled bitterly. ¡°Nora. It¡¯s really hard to be nice, and even harder to be sane in this world. Especially for children like us¡­ ¡­ . who were abandoned in a monastery.¡± ¡°Lady.¡± ¡°By your standards, I also¡­ ¡­ . I¡¯m the same sort of person. So, I am grateful enough that Nora is a good person to me. And seeing you fight didn¡¯t frighten me. It¡¯s just heartbreaking that you got hurt because of me.¡± Nora said nothing. Elisha also thought that she was a naive person. ¡®Come to think of it, there was a time when I saw Lapis, and wished I had a brother.¡¯ Elisha thought about Nora¡¯s age. She was neen years old. ¡®You are truly a genius. Nora.¡¯ Just as talent was essential to a wizard, talent was also crucial to a sworder above a certain level. Being an excellent swordsfighter was not simply attained with strength and skill, but one also had to be talented in magic. ¡®Come to think of it, when I was young, I wanted a younger sister.¡¯ When her mother passed away, she had grieved for a long time. It was a very old memory, and she infrequently remembered it. ¡®Maybe a younger sister like Nora would have been nice.¡¯ Women were everywhere in the monastery. So, if she had a family, she naturally thought it would be a woman. ¡°I¡­ ¡­ . Strangely, I feel close with you, Nora. I don¡¯t even know why.¡± ¡°Madam.¡± ¡°So, don¡¯t worry about these trivial things, Nora. I¡¯m really sorry I couldn¡¯t tell you before. Thank you for fighting for me.¡± Of course, they fought a little for Elisha and primarily for Lucerne. Or as their honor as knights. Elisha surmised as much. But even if the motive of fighting for her was as much as a speck of dust, she was genuinely pleased and grateful. She could swear by it. The two of them had a long conversation and then parted ways. She felt strangely at ease. *** No matter how turbulent it was yesterday, the mansion grew peaceful again. The knights trained in the gymnasium with the diligent Nora supervising them. Ian disappeared again, and after Corinne trained, he took a nap. Lazri and Lapis were locked in theb. In the afternoon, Elisha had called upon a merchant to the mansion to buy needed furniture. ¡®There will be no major wars for a while, so Lucerne will stay in the capital.¡¯ Then, they might wee guests and hold light gatherings like other aristocratic households. Unfortunately, the mansioncked tableware to serve guests, so Elisha spent the afternoon picking tes. ¡°Elisha.¡± When Lucerne appeared in the room, she was looking at tes with the dealer. Elisha was stunned. Chapter 68.2: Tpcp 68.2 Chapter 68.2: Tpcp 68.2 ¡°Lucerne, I didn¡¯t expect you to be here.¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to make sure you¡¯re not trying to save money again.¡± Lucerne¡¯s brazenness didn¡¯t end with his brusque words; he even shamelessly kissed Elisha on the cheek in front of the merchant. She was appalled. ¡®Really¡ªthis man. Sometimes he carelessly does crazy things.¡¯ Even though she knew he meant nothing by it, Elisha could not stop her emotions from fluctuating at moments like these. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve boughtmendable items.¡± ¡°Ah, I see. You are doing well,¡± noted Lucerne. Of course, it was hard to keep one¡¯s attention when the purchases were exined. But he¡¯d shown interest in what she had bought. ¡®Really, this person is a strange person.¡¯ And as if his actions weren¡¯t already indecipherable, the following words were growing increasingly iprehensible. ¡°What time is it now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s three o¡¯clock.¡± ¡°After your work, prepare tea.¡± She usually drank her tea at 3 o¡¯clock. But now, he was asking for tea. Elisha had no right to refuse. Even so¡­ ¡­ . It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t like it. Then someone knocked on the door. It was Ian. ¡°General.¡± He came in and whispered something in Lucerne¡¯s ear. Lucerne nodded his head. ¡°See youter in the tea room.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ I understand.¡± Elisha nodded her head and proposed, ¡°Lucerne, if it¡¯s urgent, we can drink teater.¡± ¡°I am not in a hurry. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Elisha acquiesced. ¡°A bad ident hasn¡¯t urred in the house today, right?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± he responded dispassionately. After Lucerne left, the oblivious merchant praised the couple for how loving they were. Elisha didn¡¯t know where to start to correct his misunderstanding, and so she just decided to change the subject. *** Mmph! Mmph! [sfx: of someone trying to speak while gagged] In the dark cer, old magic stonenterns hung from the ceiling and jerked. The man seated in the center was twisting his body, but the bound body did not allow much movement. The man had a cross scar on his face. He was the man who attacked Elisha at the city hall. ¡°Laying your hands on another man¡¯s wife and tying her up in a storage room. How could you touch her? This husband is upset.¡± Lucerne clicked his tongue. ¡°If you were going to run away, you should have fled properly.¡± As Ian released the gag, the man confessed desperately. ¡°They just said that if I do this one thing they would have to send me away¡ªI was deceived by taking a lot of money! I didn¡¯t even know it was the general¡¯s wife. I never meant to hurt her¡ª¡± Lucerne beckoned Ian, and he gagged the man again. With sharp, cold eyes, the corner of Lucerne¡¯s mouth snickered. ¡°Even if I give thest chance to make a will, it¡¯s always like this.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Ian agreed. He nced at Ian. ¡°Did you have fun with the Knights of the Temple yesterday?¡± ¡°Yes, the anger has been alleviated. However, the one who did direct harm to the madam, as expected, won¡¯t yield.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say it¡¯s enough to protect my wife. It is not.¡± ¡°If all the husbands in the world were like the General, there would be no families left.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Lucerne was not offended by his witticism. ¡°Fortunately, the woman is coping with hardship well.¡± ¡°Yes. I am d that the mansion is very peaceful.¡± Ian concurred with sincerity. Lucerne narrowly cracked his neck. A shadow moved slowly in front of the trembling man. ¡°Shadow,¡± Lucerne whispered. ¡°Take care of it. I¡¯m going to go get some tea.¡± Ugh, Argh! The man¡¯sst scream was stifled by his gag and muted. ¡°I will take care of thest one by myself.¡± At Lucerne¡¯s orders, Ian lightly bowed his head and stepped back. After work, Lucerne slightly cracked his neck. He took off his blood-stained gloves and wiped his hands. *** Elisha sat down at the table in the tea room and slowly brewed tea. Then, there was the sound of the door opening. ¡°Did you take care of your work? Did you get a call from the Imperial Pce?¡± she asked without raising her head. ¡°No. It was a minor thing.¡± Then Elisha looked at him. Lucerne seemed very rxed, just as before. ¡°I just have something to wrap up.¡± ¡°Concerning yesterday¡¯s work on settling scores?¡± ¡°Something simr.¡± Elisha nodded and handed him the tea. As he drank his tea unhurriedly, she stole a nce at him. As usual, there were no words between them. But it was not a frustrating silence. What a peaceful afternoon, Elisha thought. Chapter 69.1: Tpcp 69.1 Chapter 69.1: Tpcp 69.1 After a month of recuperating in bed, Elisha slowly became genuinely bored. It seemed Lucerne, the knights, and even the butler were of one mind to tell her to return to her room quickly, even if she was tempted to take a long walk. But, then, an unexpected person came to visit her. ¡°Elisha. It¡¯s been a while.¡± ¡°Princess, I¡¯m d you came.¡± Elisha greeted her with a curtsy. Illione was upset she had gotten up and quickly sat her down. ¡°Please sit down. I heard you were injured. I¡¯ve wanted to visit you sincest month, but Lucerne wouldn¡¯t let me call.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Elisha vaguely wondered why he had blocked her visit but didn¡¯t linger on the question for long. ¡°Thank you foring, but I wasn¡¯t seriously hurt.¡± ¡°I assumed so. But it¡¯s nice to see your face.¡± It seemed like Illione¡¯s attitude toward her had changed a bit. Before, Elisha got the impression that she hadn¡¯t liked her much. But now, she seemed to be rather interested in her. ¡°How are you these days? It¡¯s the social season, so I¡¯m very bored and busy with all these gatherings.¡± she grumbled begrudgingly. Illione was a bureaucrat and a soldier. However, since she was also a princess, she could not bepletely free from social affairs. ¡°I¡¯ve been spending my time at home. My husband says I need to rest so he won¡¯t let me go out yet.¡± ¡°Ah, yes since you¡¯re injured it can¡¯t be helped. It¡¯s a pity you won¡¯t get to see the gold gilded party.¡± ¡°A golden gilded party?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± Illione inquired in astonishment. ¡°Women are dressed in gold dresses and ck shawls, so thedies jest that it¡¯s a gold gilded party.¡± ¡°I suppose gold is in trend.¡± ¡°You really don¡¯t know¡­ ¡­ . It¡¯s what you made popr.¡± ¡°What?¡± Illione¡¯s subsequent words were even more preposterous: ¡°Reportedly, the scene of you walking out of the city hall in a gold, blood-stained dress with a ck shawl caused a sensation. I wish I had seen it myself. Furthermore, you earned a triumph. You had no idea you were so impressive thatdies wanted to emte you and began wearing gold dresses and ck shawls?¡± A ck shawl? Elisha recalled that she pulled off the ck tablecloth to hide and bond it around her wound to restrain her bleeding. She had draped it over her shoulders like a cape. ¡°Surprisingly it is in vogue.¡± At the same time, Elisha thought that people were really shallow. It was evident why there was so much attention on the auction. The ducal Cartier household had everything in the world. To see thempete in petty trifles gave those spectators with an inferiorityplex a sense of superiority. That was it. But now, the image of a victorious, bloody, and striking Elisha emerging from the auction was causing a phenomenon in high society? ¡°Besides, Lucerne¡ª no, the general¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°What about us?¡± Illione coughed. In fact, the poprity of Lucerne and Elisha as a celebrity couple was soaring day by day. ¡­ ¡­ In a rather strange way. ¡®They are so wildly amorous that they have been entangled for several days at a time. After having sex once, the bed splits in half!¡¯ ¡®Indeed. What a fearsome woman she is, even the other daughter-inws of the Cartier family have to give the general¡¯s wife respect.¡¯ ¡®She¡¯s exactly like her husband! There are no normal people in that household! A viper¡¯s mate is a viper.¡¯ A writhing pair that was as vicious and sensual as a serpent. A duo obsessed with carnality and victory. The couple became a raving sex symbol with a ruthless, passionate image in the capital¡¯s social circles. Even among themon people, their notoriety was widely spreading. Besides, what about the ck Lion Knights? Even the bizarre behavior and actions of the knighthood, going crazy because their hostess was injured, further bolstered Elisha as an extraordinary and enigmatic figure. ¡°Well¡­ ¡­ you two are bing famous.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because my husband is already such a well-known figure.¡± ¡°I ¡­ ¡­ suppose?¡± Elisha tilted her head. She wanted to ask more, but then Illione changed the topic. She had an amusing story to share. ¡°Did you hear? I heard Car broke into the famous dressing room she uses and grabbed one of her employees by the hair.¡± Elisha¡¯s eyebrow slightly twitched. There was something that came to mind. That day, Car grabbed her as she was leaving the auction. Since she had lost to Elisha, her re was full of bitterness and hostility. ¡®Fine. An auction is an auction. Why did you imitate Car?¡¯ ¡®What?¡¯ ¡®Now we¡¯ve seen it, Elisha has the same flower ornaments on her clothes as Car¡¯s. This is a flower decoration that she only wears in Car¡¯s dressing room! Right? It¡¯s Car¡¯s wardrobe, right?¡¯ Did she want to argue about such a thing and pursue it even in this situation? Elisha couldn¡¯t help but ¡®admire¡¯ Car. Chapter 69.2: Tpcp 69.2 Chapter 69.2: Tpcp 69.2 ¡®How the hell did you find out where Car¡¯s dressing room was? Did you find out her dress in advance too? It¡¯s so absurd that someone like youes in wearing prettier clothes than Car¡¯s. Spineless sneak!¡¯ She realized that Car was deliberately taking her time to make her suffer. Elisha was stabbed and bleeding. She curtly cut her off with a brief word: ¡®I do not know. If I were you, I would crack down on the female staff in the dressing room I attend.¡¯ It would be easy for Car to find the employee Lulu that Elisha had bribed. ¡°Car must have caused quite themotion,¡± she remarked. ¡°Yes. One of the young employees allegedly leaked information on her dress, so she had her maids drag her into the middle of the street, rip out her hair and p her across the face. I imagine it was quite the riotous spectacle.¡± Elisha imagined the cheeky employee, Lulu, being beaten by her maids. She could clearly see it. ¡°If you look at it that way, it seems like it was bought.¡± ¡°Car has quite the personality and good image to uphold. Until the very end, she was pretending that the maids weren¡¯t following her orders, saying, ¡®Car¡¯s so scared,¡¯ and ¡®I know you care about Car, but don¡¯t hit her too hard.¡¯ If there is a scandal she can justy the me on her maids who ¡®voluntarily¡¯ beat the employee.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not surprising. I heard she acts like that all the time.¡± Car¡¯s maids were brutal and strong. She knew it intimately because Elisha had been beaten by them several times in her previous life. ¡°How cowardly, I would never hide behind maids,¡± Illione proimed firmly. Elisha agreed with her sentiment. ¡°So what happened?¡± ¡°Right, the dressing room dismissed the low-level employee. She¡¯ll never be employed by a dressing room again. I pity her.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Elisha answered impassively, but she thought to herself, Humansmit the same tant sins in the face of desire. Perhaps life is a sadistic repetition of crude clich¨¦s. Elisha and Illione chatted. ¡°But, Princess. I¡¯m really d you came, but is there any other reason you¡¯re here today?¡± ¡°No¡ªjust¡­ ¡­ .¡± When Elisha asked her so straight-forwardly, she donned a slightly bashful expression. ¡°I want to get to know you a little more.¡± ¡°Are you¡­ ¡­ Are you talking about me?¡± ¡°Frankly, I was worried that the High General might go astray after meeting you. For example, engaging in a futilepetition and making a fool of himself like Marco or Jacob.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ You have expressed that concern.¡± ¡°But when I saw that thedy won the auction even while being stabbed, I realized I was being too narrow-minded. There is no senselesspetition in the world. You took the rivalry seriously and risked your life. It was very admirable,¡± Illione continued to exin. As a talented woman, she usually looked down on ordinarydies and the affairs of young girls. She confessed that she reflected on herself through this incident because of Elisha¡¯s actions. ¡®How remarkable.¡¯ Elisha¡¯s heart was astonished. Really¡­ ¡­ . If it were her, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to divulge her dark feelings so easily. Illione sparkled. Elisha wouldn¡¯t have been able to talk or stand next to¡ªnever mind make friends with¡ª such a shiny person in the past. It was moments like these where she felt the remarkable change acutely; she was amazed at how radically different her life was now. ¡°So¡­ ¡­ . Will you ept my apology?¡± ¡°Why are you apologizing when you didn¡¯t do anything wrong? I¡¯m not good at socializing, so I¡¯d be happy if you coulde over.¡± Elisha announced calmly. Illione¡¯s face was beaming with overflowing joy; she left with the promise and anticipation to return and visit her soon. *** ¡®It¡¯s time to proceed with the next move.¡¯ Elisha looked at her calendar. The capital, which had been quiet for a while, was now in motion. She tapped on the calendar. It was time for the election of the next Pope. ¡®This election for the Pope is going to be rather tumultuous.¡¯ How can it not be amusing when a dead adultes back alive? Elisha checked some information. During this brief period, she felt like quite the viin. She found it immensely rewarding to coordinate this and the other ns in her head. A small arc curled on Elisha¡¯s lips before it disappeared. Chapter 70.1: Tpcp 70.1 Chapter 70.1: Tpcp 70.1 After having dinner that day, Elisha was sitting on the bed reading a letter while she had been looking at the ounts. During her bedroom life, the butler would personally hand her letters and have Sophie bring the necessary books to her room. Elisha found a letter from the real estate office among the invitations. ¡®Oh,e to think of it, I was supposed to get s for a new property.¡¯ She quietly read the several times. ¡®I have enough money to purchase this. It¡¯s enough.¡¯ Elisha nodded her head as if satisfied. It had been an unthinkable amount before. But now she knew better. She gained more than she expected from acting as Lucerne¡¯s wife. Simrly, in the ledger under her arm, Elisha had written an amount of money that she could never have imagined in her wildest dreams before. ¡®I¡¯m d Lucerne is not opposed to spending money on household affairs.¡¯ It was also possible to save money left over after using it for the internal funds. If he conceded it, that too would be Elisha¡¯s property. With that alone, she could purchase that estate. She imagined her vague future. A cup of hot tea in the morning. A walk through the manicured gardens. Watching the streets. Reading a book at night¡­ ¡­ . She wouldn¡¯t have to care about money, and she sometimes goes to good ces to eat out. She could wear clothes made of soft, fine, good quality material. She wanted a small and peaceful life without worrying about money. ¡®Umm, the living room seems a little cramped. Lapis oftenes for tea. It would be nice if the sun came in. Maybe Nora wille to y.¡¯ But something unusual urred. Someone suddenly intruded on the daily routine she had been visualizing for a long time. Elisha¡¯s body stiffened. ¡®Huh? Why did I just imagine that just now?¡¯ Why did they appear in her vision of her future? Besides, her fantasy began to flow freely. And, if someonees in the evening¡ª A man with arge physique and dark hair. The sound of his footsteps was audible. Elisha got a bizarre, indescribable feeling and cut off her daydream there. ¡®I must be crazy.¡¯ When they divorced, it would only be natural to live out of each other¡¯s sight. She probably wouldn¡¯t even be able to live in proximity and would have to leave the capital. Because she was someone who would be privy to many of Lucerne¡¯s secrets, she would have to hide away. She thought she should n to get a mansion away from the capital city in advance. Like the mansion in the pamphlet for example. Then there was the sound of the door opening. Elisha was startled and reflexively hid the brochure under the pillow. It was Lucerne. ¡°What were you doing?¡± ¡°I was just reading a letter.¡± ¡°What letter. You must have received some good news.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± She could be honest, but for some reason, she thought it would be better not to say anything. So Elisha decided to keep silent about it. ¡°You must be free today.¡± ¡°I saw your doctor.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Someone got hurt during training in the mansion, so I asked.¡± Lucerne approached her. He smelled of fresh water as if he had washed right after training. ¡°He said we could fuck.¡± The obscenity thrown without warning made Elisha nervous. ¡°But am I crazy?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Why am I more curious about what¡¯s under the pillow than between your legs right now?¡± Elisha¡¯s cheeks turned red. She realized that he knew roughly what was under the pillow. Come to think of it¡­ ¡­ . Did she carefully check how her letter was sealed? When checking Jacob¡¯s letters in her previous life, of course, Elisha went through the process of checking the seal to ensure that no one had opened the letters beforehand. In this house¡­ ¡­ she hadn¡¯t. ¡®Did I be stupid?¡¯ Elisha was dumbfounded. ¡°Lucerne, you¡¯ve been monitoring my letters.¡± ¡°Why are you talking like you¡¯re surprised? You didn¡¯t think I would?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I said I would watch you.¡± ¡°At the time, I was preupied with bigger issues, so I didn¡¯t think deeply about it. I don¡¯t feel good.¡± ¡°Then, shall we notify you every time we keep an eye on you?¡± He clicked his tongue. ¡®Of course, this man doesn¡¯t trust me yet.¡¯ She was a little hurt when confronted with the reality of it. But it was natural. If their position had been the other way around, she would have also been monitoring Lucerne. ¡°Why don¡¯t you share and tell me about it?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve seen it all.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t look closely. To protect your feelings.¡± Elisha reluctantly pulled out the leaflet with a bitter emotion. A safe mansion,plete with escorts. In the golden southern district¡­ ¡­ . ¡°Why do you need guards? You have more escorts than the streets have crazy dogs.¡± ¡°For now.¡± Lucerne raised an eyebrow. ¡°The golden southern district is not allowed. If you want real estate, I will buy it for you, so look elsewhere.¡± ¡°Why not? It¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to live there right now.¡± ¡°Are you asking me while knowing everything, or are you asking me just to confirm? Why do I hate the golden southern district? Just think about it with that good head of yours.¡± At that moment, the fantasy in her head shed,plete. It was irresistible. Elisha would tend to her flowers in pots in a pretty and luxurious mansion. During the day, the Seeds woulde to y and chat¡­ ¡­ . And if Lucerne continued to be single¡­ ¡­ . At night, he woulde. And they have dinner; sometimes Lucerne would stay in the same bed¡­ ¡­ . ¡®I must be really crazy.¡¯ Elisha bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from imagining it. She was already starting to regret that she had dreamt of it. What was she imagining with a man who didn¡¯t even trust her? ¡°It has nothing to do with you.¡± ¡°Oh, yes.¡± At those words, Lucerne¡¯s mood became deadened. ¡°Then, shall I suck and lick the lips of someone I don¡¯t care about?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha couldn¡¯t figure out the frame of reference for his words. ¡°I think the only time you¡¯re obedient and honest with me is when I put it between your legs. Right?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re going to mock me, stop.¡± It felt like Elisha had a sudden great realization from the daydream that lingered in the back of her head. Did she imagine such a thing because she wanted to continue having sex with Lucerne after they divorced and she quietly left? Lucerne got on top of Elisha. ¡°Show me your wound. He said your bandages were removed.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ I don¡¯t want to.¡± Lucerne watched her quietly. Elisha sighed deeply and pulled back her cor. He looked closely at her scar that had been reduced down a faint trace. ¡°It was worthwhile to put pressure on those healers.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ I would have recovered even if you hadn¡¯t threatened them.¡± ¡°Are you not in pain anymore?¡± ¡°Yes, I am not.¡± Unexpectedly, Lucerne suddenly stuck out his tongue and slowly licked her wound. Elisha flinched, curling her toes. Chapter 70.2: Tpcp 70.2 Chapter 70.2: Tpcp 70.2 ¡°The marks left here, it looks like fallen petals.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were a poet.¡± ¡°If I was going topose a poem in praise, I¡¯d prefer to write about your lower half.¡± [t1v: LAWL] ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± She stared at him. Lucerne¡¯s hand slowly began to caress her thigh. ¡°Come to think of it, Elisha.¡± As Lucerne bit her ear, her back shivered. Briefly taking his lips off, he whispered, ¡°Let¡¯s celebrate yourplete recovery.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to make you wet and sloppy.¡± Lucerneughed. He had a charming smirk that was seductive enough to chill her spine. ¡°Put your hands together ande here.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you promise?¡± ¡°¡­¡­my hands?¡± ¡°I told you when you¡¯re all better, I¡¯ll tie your hands together so that they don¡¯t fall off my body.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Lucerne announced calmly. He took out a pearl ne from his arms. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°A gift.¡± ¡°Why all of a sudden?¡± ¡°It was the Lunar Day.¡± What about the Lunar Day now? Elisha thought for a moment. On Lunar Day, the people of the temple exchanged gifts with each other. It was a very old memory. However, her monastery had never been particrly rxed, and the gifts that she had received at that time were only small cookies or bundles of colored thread. Come to think of it, Lucerne had also grown up in a temple. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since then¡­ ¡­ . I¡¯m too secr for a Lunar Day gift. Instead, where did¡ª¡± ¡°When you receive a present, do you usually wonder where it was bought from?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ That¡¯s not what I meant. But I think your intentions are impure.¡± ¡°You got that right.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°It¡¯s not secr, it¡¯s unsoundly preverted, something like this.¡± *** ¡°Wait, Lucerne.¡± He instantly stripped her. Elisha was abundantly ashamed to be naked in front of him while he was perfectly dressed. As she stared at him, he also slowly took off his clothes. Elisha had no choice but to gape at his solid naked body that she had not seen in a long time. His tight pectoral muscles seemed to have grown since thest time they shared their bodies. Her wrists were suddenly bound up with the pearl ne. ¡°You look prettier when you wear jewelry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably just jewelry*.¡± ¡°As expected, you¡¯re smart.¡± At Lucerne¡¯s words, her face lit up. [*t1v: she¡¯s saying the gems are pretty by themselves, and he¡¯s saying that she looks the best with nothing on but jewelry] She wasn¡¯t tied tight, but Elisha was stuck in a different sense. She feared that if she moved, the string on the pearl ne would break, and the chain would burst apart. ¡®Even at a nce, I can tell it¡¯s made of the finest pearls.¡¯ Pearls with a pale blue sheen were a rare extravagance. Lucerne took a slow, heavy look at her pale body, drinking it in. He looked happy. ¡°You are ying a very expensive game.¡± ¡°What wouldn¡¯t I ruin for you?¡± Ridicule again. The harmonious dream she had built up in the small mansion was shattered just by making eye contact with him. Lucerne said, stroking Elisha¡¯s back gently with his big hand. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, do you dislike it?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Do you want me to release you?¡± Um, Elisha? he asked. His inquiry was in a strangely sweet tone. She finally shook her head timidly. ¡°I didn¡¯t say I didn¡¯t like it.¡± Those words exerted their power on Lucerne. Heid Elisha¡¯s body on the bed. Her blonde hair was tangled like gold threads and hung down on the messy white sheets. ¡°Open your mouth first. Because I¡¯m dying with desire.¡± Lucerne gently rubbed his thumb against her lower lip. As he spoke frankly, Elisha felt like her heart was being squeezed. In her previous life, she had seen many men. When a high-ranking man dated a low-status woman, it was mostly for sexual desire. So she thought sex held no meaning or growth between a man and a woman. But then, why? She couldn¡¯t remember any implication or sense when she kissed this man. Instead, her head is numb with a burning warmth. Just like now. ¡°Ohh¡­ ¡­ .¡± Kiss, chu He coveted her mouth a little roughly, licking and sucking with vigor. Elisha imagined being eaten up to the root of her tongue. When he bit her lower lip to the point of bleeding, Elisha hugged his shoulder in her pain. ¡°Oh!¡± She also bit his lip. He smirked as he touched the bite with his hand. At his curved red eyes, Elisha¡¯s body trembled. ¡°Of course, I want to eat up your whole body too.¡± he whispered. He ced a hand on Elisha¡¯sp and spread them wide. As she tried to close her legs in embarrassment, he blocked her with his knees against the bed. ¡°Huh¡­ ¡­ .¡± He unhurriedly and deliberately rubbed his erect penis against her secret. The veiny, hot pir stroked Elisha¡¯s clitoris several times and teased her entrance as if it were going to prate. At that strange excitement, she wiggled her waist and twisted her pelvis slightly from side to side. ¡°Oh¡­ ¡­ .¡± Just stroking and rubbing himself against her a few times, his genitals raised its head ferociously. It was an unbelievable size to fit inside a body. As his thick ns stimted between Elisha¡¯s legs, he sped her breast with one veiny hand, turning it gently and rubbing it. Chapter 71.1: Tpcp 71.1 Chapter 71.1: Tpcp 71.1 ¡°I only need to suck on your tongue a little and I get hard.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°You are right. How did I live without [you]? I¡¯m curious too.¡± Elisha had no inkling to infer that the subject of the word was ¡®you.¡¯ [t1v: in Korean, he doesn¡¯t say ¡®you,¡¯ but it¡¯s suggested. Elisha probably thinks he is referring to sex itself or sleeping with a woman.] Slowly his hand traveled down, and he removed his cock. Then, slowly lowering the hand he had put under Elisha¡¯s ass, he grasped her thin ankle and stroked it. One of Elisha¡¯s legs was still raised high. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, so I should eat you out first.¡± When Lucerne¡¯s long tongue stuck and started to lick and slurp between her legs, Elisha¡¯s bush was already wet, and she was constantly leaking honey. Meeting her gaze, he seductively held her eyes as he deliberately and slowly sucked on her clitoris. His head deepened as he pressed his lips to her lower body, his red eyes staring at her. ¡°Ughnn¡­ ¡­ . yes¡­ ¡­ .¡± Her legs trembled, and her toes curled. When he parted his lips, she thought he would pierce her at any moment. But he didn¡¯t and instead gazed at Elisha¡¯s pink-flushed body as ifpping it up. ¡°Why¡­ ¡­ sir?¡± His silence made Elisha uneasy. Her legs were itchy, and the bottom of her stomach was already hot and pulsating. Her thigh muscles twitched under the pressure of anticipation and blood rushing in. ¡®It¡¯s been a long time¡­ ¡­ ..¡¯ She was not used to this feeling. Her whole body was throbbing with lust. Then, she remembered the sensation of his thick, hard cock piercing, impaling her, and hammering her vigorously. ¡°Because you¡¯re beautiful.¡± As he spoke briefly, Elisha involuntarily bit her lower lip. It¡¯s not that she didn¡¯t like it¡­ ¡­ . but she felt a bit sheepish and self-conscious. ¡°Ah!¡± In a sh, Lucerne lifted her body too easily. It was as if he had lifted up a doll and swiftly sat her down on hisp. ¡°I told you, I¡¯m going to tie you up so you won¡¯t fall off.¡± He held up her wrists and put her pearl ne-bound hands around his neck. This time Lucerne was trapped between her arms. His face was very close. ¡°Umm¡­ ¡­ . uh¡­ ¡­ .¡± Lucerne looked up at Elisha¡¯s face as he bit and licked her neckline. Finally, he set his teeth on her chin. ¡°It hurts.¡± She felt like she was being devoured every time he bit her; the thought sent shivers down her spine. He grazed his teeth this time from chin to cheek. At this rate, her face would be full of kiss marks making her unable to go out for a while. ¡°Don¡¯t bite too hard.¡± It wasn¡¯t intentional, but Elisha¡¯s voice came out as a breathy, tititing plea. Near her ear, she could feel Lucerne taking in a deep breath. In a grumble of terrible patience, he muttered something iprehensible. His dynamic penis pounded on Elisha¡¯s private entrance as if it were about to pierce her from below. Lucerne¡¯s hands grabbed her ass cheeks and spread them wide. Then, his tip began to rub against and widen her lower lips, stretching apart her insides. ¡°Ha, uhn¡­ ¡­ .¡± Was it because it had been a while? The heavy fullness inside her body was unfamiliar. Her squishy entrance was leaking wetness as it was pushed apart and began to swallow him slowly. Because she was so wet, his pir became slippery and easily prated. As soon as he buried himself inside the inner wall of her core, she held on and tightened around his cock. ¡°Ahh¡­ ¡­ .¡± Unconsciously, tears started to well up from Elisha¡¯s eyes and fell down on Lucerne¡¯s cheeks. ¡°It¡¯s too arousing when you cry. Do not cry. You are even prettier when you cry.¡± Lucerne ced his hand behind her neck and pulled her face so he could lick her tears. ¡°What do you mean¡­? ¡­ it¡¯s. Ughn ¡­ .¡± Insertion was easy, but Elisha felt the pressure on her pelvis. Moreover, it felt more daunting because it had been a long time. ¡°It¡¯s too big. Hmm ¡­ .¡± ¡°I¡¯m taking it slow,¡± he whispered kindly as he kissed Elisha¡¯s chin. Good girl, he whispered again as if he were dealing with a child. ¡°To the end¡­ ¡­ . uh¡­ ¡­ . Reach in¡­ ¡­ . hmm¡­ ¡­ .¡± She could feel his balls against her spread open entrance as their genitals intertwined, now fully connected. Elisha¡¯s legs trembled at the sensation of his voluminous genitals filling up her stomach. It felt like it had reached her womb. ¡°Ride it.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°If I move first, you won¡¯t be able to take it and will get hurt. I¡¯m in there deep, so try to move your ass.¡± said Lucerne in a voice thick with a terrible possessiveness. Elisha moved her waist slowly as if rolling her hips in a circle. Her breasts rubbed against his face. p, p¡ª Suck, slurp¡ª Lucerne loudly sucked, kissed, and bit her nipples as she bounced her ass little by little. ¡°Huh, ooh¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha wriggled, her back twitching as she whimpered. The sound of sshing water and wet skin became louder. Elisha gushed out more wetness as his testicles hit her vulva and sucked him up. Her sweat-soaked ass rubbed and smacked against his skin, making a pping sound. Squeak. Squelch¨C Thescivious sound aroused her, making her back spasm. She even wept at her sense of shameless immorality as she twirled her hips by herself while Lucerne nibbled on her nipples with his lips. Then he started pounding in sync with her, and the noise of beating lewd flesh began to sound more obscene. ¡°Haa, uh¡­ ¡­ . Ugh, ahh¡­ .¡± Unconsciously, Elisha moved her waist in circles; as he came in deep, she raised her thighs and clung to him tighter. ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Then Lucerne abruptly stopped moving. He pulled out Elisha¡¯s hands from around his neck and held them in the air. ¡°Look.¡± His other hand gripped Elisha¡¯s waist tight enough to make a mark. He induced her to lean back and take a good look. She leaned back against his arm encircled around her waist. Puck. Lucerne released her hands in the air. Puck! Puck! He started thrusting slowly into her from below. ¡°Look how your pussy is swallowing my cock.¡± Chapter 71.2: Tpcp 71.2 Chapter 71.2: Tpcp 71.2 ¡°Heh¡­ ¡­ . Lucerne¡­ ¡­ .¡± Her mound stretched to the limit beneath her wet pubic hair. The inner wall of her pussy opened its triangle-shaped mouth, obscenely gulping down and choking on his manhood. Every time Elisha¡¯s waist went up, a part of the genitals lined with blood appeared and then disappeared. Her head was spinning. It was a shocking sight she had never imagined. ¡°It¡¯s slippery, gets wet well, it cries well, it gets red like this and swallows beautifully.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°You¡¯re so good at doing pretty things. Your pussy is incredible.¡± ¡°Stop ¡­ ¡­ . really¡­ ¡­ .¡± She wanted to hide, not because she hated it, but because she was embarrassed. Regardless, as her visual provocations increased, Elisha¡¯s pussy poured out more and more love liquid and sucked on his whole organ. ¡°Huh, uh¡­ ¡­ . Ahhhh!¡± Without further incitement, he grabbed Elisha¡¯s upper body and pulled her closer. As he began to m up violently, she twisted and leaned her body against his torso, gushing out more water. Finally, she couldn¡¯t move her waist any longer and was helplessly hammered. ¡°Ugh. Ah, ah, ah, ah, ahh¡­ ¡­ .¡± Her mind was numb with the pounding, and the stars flew. She sobbed and begged for incredible pleasure. As she made herst explosion, Lucerneid her on the bed and pounded her hard. ¡°Ahh, hnn¡­ ¡­ .¡± Atst, from the depths, Elisha was almost going to faint from pleasure when he spewed out her thick semen. He brushed aside her sweat-soaked hair, and Lucerne lightly bit her lower lip. ¡°Uhn¡­ ¡­ . ha¡­ ¡­ . ha¡­ ¡­ .¡± Not even conscious of her pearl ne being untied, Elisha put her forehead on his shoulder and sighed. Elisha¡¯s genitals were twitching upon reaching tion with his orgasm. At the junction, still connecting, his cloudy semen and love juice were entangled and flowing down one after another. ¡°Lucerne¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha looked at him with blurred vision. In a haze, not knowing who came first, their lips mingled. She opened her mouth and weed his tongue. An endless cacophony of wet lust echoed through the room. ¡°Well done.¡± Lucerne¡¯s giant hand covered Elisha¡¯s entire pubic area, stroking it up and down as if to soothe it. Wet pubic hair was in disarray and lewdly entangled with his hand. As it was, he gently patted her as if he wereforting her mound. Every time he patted her, there was a throbbing tremor in her vagina from a strange feeling. Elisha trembled. It didn¡¯t fit the situation, but she felt like she was being cared for like a cherished child. [t1v: totally getting soft dom&little vibes] Lucerne gazed at her lying beneath him. Elisha¡¯s spread-out body was rosy, and her nipples were red hot from being sucked too much. He kissed her while watching his semen entangled with her fluid, flowing down her perineum. ¡°Lay face down.¡± Elisha¡¯s eyes darkened. She knew it; it wouldn¡¯t end easily. ¡°You¡¯re sick, so I¡¯ll go easy on you.¡± Elisha sighed, almost whimpering at his soothing words, barely turning over on the bed. ¡°Hurry¡­ ¡­ . finish quickly.¡± ¡°If you cooperate.¡± The second time his penis came in, a much softer body devoured Lucerne. As his bloodline genitals attacked, Elisha raised her ass, whimpering and purring like a cat. The pounding, bloody sound of flesh beating resounded without mercy. Elisha released a shrill moan. ¡°You said you¡¯d be gentle¡­ ¡­ . you¡¯re awful.¡± ¡°Oh, yes.¡± Lucerne hit her from behind as he grabbed her by her shoulders. He turned her whimpering face and kissed her on her lips. ¡°Next time, I¡¯ll be really gentle,¡± he said as if he were hungry. Elisha pushed her ass out even further with a gasp of delight and a moan of pleasure. ¡°Next time, I really can¡¯t¡­ ¡­ . ha, huh¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°So generous, huh?¡± He pulled her ass cheeks apart until it stretched out to the folds of her anus, revealing all her secrets. As she reached her climax, Elisha unknowingly moved her waist like a wave, moving her pelvis back and forth. ¡°Uh, ah¡­ ¡­ . Ohh¡­ ¡­ .¡± Lucerne couldn¡¯t stand it any longer and began to pound her. Squeak, thump, thud. The second climax came in a bigger wave. ¡°Ahhh¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha screamed hysterically and almost fell on the bed. Lucerne held her body from behind and pulled her into a tight embrace. He didn¡¯t let her go for a long time. Eventually, Elisha was exhausted, and she fell asleep at dawn. *** When she woke up from the bed, Elisha wasn¡¯t fully conscious. Lucerne inspected her whole body. She didn¡¯t seem to be in pain, so he said she would call a priest-healer to ensure her condition. ¡®I wish he hadn¡¯t called a priest in the first ce.¡¯ Elisha thought to herself, but she couldn¡¯t protest. And when she woke up again after breakfast, she found that her pamphlet had gone missing. ¡®Really, your personality is so¡­.. Why are you taking my brochure? I can¡¯t even dream? Ugh, you¡¯re a man who seizes other people¡¯s hopes.¡¯ But even as she cursed inwardly, she was oddly not genuinely resentful or loathful. ¡®I guess I get weird sometimes because I¡¯ve been associating with a strange person.¡¯ Elisha took a deep breath. She supposed she should tell them to clean the sparkling pearl ne at her bedside and put it in her jewelry box. She thought to herself. Chapter 72.1: Tpcp 72.1 Chapter 72.1: Tpcp 72.1 Elisha fell asleep in his arms at the end of the fourth ejaction. It had been a long time since they had sex, so she couldn¡¯t seem to pull herself together. ¡°Now, I really can¡¯t. Really, no¡­ ¡­ .¡± Lucerne halted Elisha, wiped her body, and put her in her pajamas. ¡°Ugh, uh¡­ ¡­ .¡± Sometimes she would drool and mumble in her sleep. He was a light sleeper, so during those times, he would hug Elisha, pat her on the back, and soothe her while listening to her murmurs. At night, while he held her, his unresolved possessiveness, repressed deep in the pit of his stomach, would explode out and envelop him. He had an overwhelming urge to swallow and chew up every whimper that rose from her lips. Since when? ¡­why did he be like this? At first, it was just curiosity. Then it was just lust. And then, it was just fascinating. Before he knew it, his feelings that had grown slowly took root. From those roots, stems grew taller, and fruits began to flower, wrapping around him and making him overprotective and possessive of them. ¡®Do I like this suspicious woman?¡¯ he wondered to himself. But the feeling did not blossom. Lucerne didn¡¯t know love. Instead, he grew up in an environment where he would not survive unless he gave up his heart. The day he returned to the battlefield at the age of thirteen was after he survived two weeks of hell, whipped and tortured in Merha¡¯s cer. And it was also the day he ignored the sacrifice and death of those close and dear to him. He had given up his heart long ago. So the only clear and distinct emotion he could offer was possessiveness. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡­.¡± Elisha cried, mumbling in her sleep. ¡®What are you apologizing for?¡¯ Lucerne licked his lips, covered her with the nket, and stroked her over the covers. He was determined to rip Jacob to death, but he felt like he should do something worse than that. Maybe he could order the shadows to dissolve and slowly eat him over the course of a year. Or would he keep him alive for two months and then have them to kill him slowly? ¡®How much vengeance do you desire?¡¯ Lucerne often considered Elisha¡¯s tormented sleep-talk a habit she had acquired from suffering in Jacob¡¯s annex. It made sense since she said she was forced to work there. Lucerne pulled Elisha¡¯s palm towards his lips and kissed her. ¡°You know how much I care for you, how much I let you get away with,¡± Lucerne whispered very softly. So she won¡¯t wake up. In fact, he knew it all. ¡®Ristrapho, the sins of Merha and Marco. And the prophet who died eight years ago.¡¯ When Nora reported that Elisha¡¯s bracelet broke, Lucerne headed straight to the forest¡¯s vacant lot. There, he found Ristrapho¡¯s secret vault. Then, he witnessed an amazing sight. It was a sight of a bright blue butterfly flying from Ristrapho¡¯s corpse in the underground vault. High priests with real divine power had messengers. The messenger would fly to where it was needed and express his intentions by leaving a message to the people. So at the moment of his death, Risralpho nted a ¡®message¡¯ in his body through the butterfly-shaped messenger. And the butterfly imparted his message in the air. [I ran away here. The people who killed me were Merha of the temple and his son Marco, both members of the Cartier family. They ended up killing me when I demanded that the money sold by donating my body be distributed to my family. Whoever finds my body, please let the world know. I¡¯m sorry, mother and father¡ªmy only brother. Remember today is when I died.] And the date was left behind. It was Ristrapho¡¯sst will. Lucerne knew the whole story right away. But he pretended not to know anything. Instead, he slowly studied how Elisha behaved. What¡¯s certain is that, although she had never seen the will, she knew all the facts. And she cleverly nudged Lucerne to approach the truth. ¡°You are very amusing.¡± Risking her life, limb, and body¨Cjust because she wants to. Are we really ying this game? The familypetition. The session battle fought between the descendants for the position of the Duke of Cartier was implicitly called ¡°The Gaju Games¡± within the family. She must have harbored a deep enmity toward the family to want to participate in the family¡¯s contest. But she didn¡¯t seem to have grievances because it was herte father¡¯s foe, nor did she appear to have any paternal love for him. Background research on Elisha concurred with what she disclosed to him before, that she had been raised entirely apart from her father. Unexpectedly, he became curious about the end of the game Elisha drew. Until that day, he decided to look and savor her presence. ¡°Don¡¯t betray me. Elisha.¡± If she abandons him, Lucerne will drop her into her abyss. May she never have the freedom she wants so desperately her whole life. Elisha will have to live off Lucerne¡¯s obsession and possessiveness for life. So, this Gaju game was perfect for her to enjoy. It was the only game she would get. ¡®Shall I make a secret room?¡¯ Lucerne thought. The problem was that he felt so wonderful when she was beside him. Sometimes he felt like he was going insane. But it was preferable to be in a rtionship of trust. A contradiction was fighting inside him: he wanted her to be happily at peace, and at the same time, he wanted to see her and be by her side for a long time. He was not used to such a paradox. But he always enjoyed a challenge. *** ¡°No, you can¡¯t push an injured person like this.¡± The next day, the butler saw a sight he had never seen before. Lucerne was being scolded. By none other than a high-ranking priest. He hade to see Elisha lying on the bed with a fever heating up her ruddy face. ¡®I can surmise what led to this situation.¡¯ The butler understood the situation unwantedly and desperately tried to think of something else. Lucerne rubbed his eyes with a tired face. ¡°Is her condition much worse?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not, but¡­ ¡ªIn any case, it¡¯smon sense that you should treat the ill gently.¡± It had been a long time since the butler witnessed a man with such gumption. The healer-priest could open his mouth in front of Lucerne because he was a senior priest who was directly under the high priest. Lucerne nodded and said ¡®thank goodness¡¯ as if he was apologetic. ¡°Then we can¡¯t do it tonight.¡± ¡°No, General. Please¡ª¡± The butler quietly closed the door and left. At this time, pretending not to know was life. [t1v: pfft] Chapter 72.2: Tpcp 72.2 Chapter 72.2: Tpcp 72.2 Elisha was lying in her bed listening to the non-argument. ¡®My head hurts.¡¯ Since she had done too much, her body was tired and dazed even the next day. But, for the first time, Elisha was aware of her headache. What was even more maddening was not that she was sick¡­ ¡­ . Something like a snake crawling in her stomach¡­ ¡­ . she still felt strange all the time, and a weird feeling kepting over her over and over again. ¡®At this rate¡­ ¡­ . Could it be that I have a sex addiction?¡¯ Maybe it was an early symptom of that kind of illness. But first, Elisha had to stop the priest¡¯s nagging because she didn¡¯t call him in today just to treat her. ¡®I¡¯ll have to solve and deal with this problem first.¡¯ Elisha beckoned him weakly. ¡°Stop it ande here.¡± At Elisha¡¯s words, the priest approached her to examine her. She winked at Lucerne. ¡°Actually. I have a favor to ask of you. It¡¯s something I¡¯ve been wanting to ask you all along.¡± Elisha saw the priest¡¯s eyes flutter. ¡°I want to meet the person above the priest¡¯s station,¡± she asserted neatly. *** Gunner hastily reached Lucerne¡¯s mansion. He adjusted the cor of his priest¡¯s uniform several times in the carriage in order not to advertise the hurry he was in. ¡®At a time like this, when the election of the Pope is just around the corner, we must not forget dignity. Because the appearance that makes believers follow is the lifeblood of a priest.¡¯ He was a handsome, impressive, middle-aged priest in that aspect alone. In addition, he had a well-groomed figure that would be looked favorably upon by eleven people out of ten. ¡°Wee, High Priest Gunner, I have been waiting for you.¡± The butler opened the front door. When he finally entered the High General¡¯s mansion, he had the impression that the house was spotless. He liked the air of the servants and maids in neat uniforms. The soldiers were invisible, but cheering could be heard in the distance from the gymnasium. If he had a slightly more perceptive eye, he would have discerned that the atmosphere in the mansion had improved a lot recently and found the new hostess at the center of that change. But he wasn¡¯t that shrewd. ¡°The general is overseeing a drill at the gymnasium. Soon the training will end, so I¡¯ll take you to the tea room first.¡± ¡°I just happened to be near and stopped by, so please tell him not to worry too much. After all, aren¡¯t the general and I rtives?¡± ¡°Yes, the general will be pleased because he doesn¡¯t have any close rtives.¡± The butler responded quickly. Gunner liked the answer. ¡°After hearing the message that thedy of the house ising, I will prepare tea. If you see the madam first, the general wille soon.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Gunner paused. ¡®What does that woman have to do with me? Isn¡¯t she a fallen aristocrat?¡¯ Gunner was a coteral, but was a rtive of the Cartier family so he had the arrogant personality to match. Elisha, now Lucerne¡¯s wife, had a very subtle impression in the capital. Although she was famous for her beauty, she was likened more to the image of a fairy. This was because she was a woman who was said to have been entangled with the famous General of Horrors. ¡®Well, there is no one who would refuse to look at beauty.¡¯ But soon, his curiosity triumphed. He was a man before he was a priest. ¡°Nice to meet you. My name is Elisha de Lor.¡± Elisha looked at Gunner and bowed politely. ¡°Lady Elisha. I am the servant of the Lord. Gunner. I turned to the temple and abandoned the castle.¡± ¡°Yes, please have a seat.¡± Elisha sipped the tea with a repose demeanor. She was not what he expected. She was quiet andrgely expressionless, and while her eyes wererge, she had a doll-like face. ¡®Is this a nymph who eats men?¡¯ Without realizing it, Gunner examined Elisha¡¯s body thoroughly. ¡°So, you are going to run for Pope in the next election. I heard rumors.¡± ¡°Uh. I suppose so.¡± Gunner coughed. There were two potential solid candidates for the next Pope. Merha, the second and only surviving son of the Duke of Cartier. And Gunner, a famous high priest of the temple, who had a reputation for helping the poor. ¡®Merha has the perfect advantage, but¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ His status was also much higher than that of the Gunner¡¯s, and his performance concerning the businesses of the temple was favorable. But, above all else, the election was all about money. Candidates had to raise money in the name of donations and events. This was because the election of the Pope was a factional battle that was ultimately decided by the votes of higher-ranking priests. ¡®There is a possibility for me as long as I have a good sponsor. So, I guess I should cate a woman who is nothing more than a contract wife.¡¯ Even though he spected as much, Gunner¡¯s attitude toward Elisha could not hide his pretension. Chapter 73.1: Tpcp 73.1 Chapter 73.1: Tpcp 73.1 ¡®I wish Jacob was on my side.¡¯ Merha and the eldest grandson, Jacob, were on bad terms. So for a long time ago, Gunner aimed for his support. But Jacob wasn¡¯t interested in the temple. He already had established himself with business alone, and he was afraid to lose the attention of the Lord if he was distracted by the temple. In addition, Merha was Cartier¡¯s deficit, and Gunner was a coteral rtive. Jacob didn¡¯t want to pay for something when the odds weren¡¯t in his favor. ¡®But to think Lucerne wants to join hands with me!¡¯ There was a third power. A man of great military power, though it was still uncertain to say that he was a ¡®Cartier¡¯ man of great power, he couldn¡¯tpete as a sessor. He was neither a full-fledged Cartier nor a full-fledged enemy: Lucerne. Lucerne may not be able to be the head of the ducal household, but he was the most cherished genius grandson of the family, who earned his position in the Cartier family. ¡®Besides, Lucerne is rich.¡¯ So when he sent a note to meet through his confidant, he came running without shame. ¡°I asked my husband to meet you, Gunner.¡± ¡°Madam? Is there anything I can do for you?¡± Elisha raised the corners of her mouth. The faint expression was almost a derisive smirk. ¡°I wasn¡¯t feeling well, so Lucerne called for a healing priest from the temple. Gunner purposely sent someone who was his hands and feet. I presumed that it meant you wanted to meet my husband and I, but did I misunderstand?¡± Gunner¡¯s hand on the teacup halted. His head was spinning. ¡®She¡¯s asking if I am looking for her? Unfortunately, this woman has no taste for subtlety. I thought you¡¯d be coy since they said you¡¯re a femme fatale, but you¡¯re rather frigid.¡± But Gunner was a master of managing his expressions. He just grinned without showing a thing. The smile of the handsome priest would tempt any goddess. ¡°No, the High General is a military official. Do you mean that I, as a priest, aspired to meet him with an ulterior motive?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°The general and I did not be sessionpetitors in the same family. Yet, I came here to meet my distant rtives without prejudice. I¡¯m sad that you¡¯ve harbored such suspicions.¡± Gunner decided to go out hard. It was true that he desperately needed Lucerne¡¯s help, but he had no intention of being dragged around by the two. ¡®Seeing that he sent his wife like this, it seems that Lucerne is also willing to eat with me. So, I¡¯ll have to cook for his wife first.¡¯ He chose to push and pull*. If Lucerne were in front of him, he wouldn¡¯t have known what to do, soparatively, Elisha would be an easy opponent. [*t1v: means ¡®ying hard to get¡¯] ¡°Really?¡± Elisha did not even raise an eyebrow at those words. However, her subsequent words would stun Gunner frozen. ¡°Then why are you here?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Visiting a rtive? Have you ever sent a letter to the general, or a message for him on New Year¡¯s Day or his birthday?¡± The corners of Gunner¡¯s lips, who had been smiling cheerfully, stiffened. ¡°¡­¡­ that¡¯s.¡± Elisha calmly brought the teacup to her mouth. There was a subtle facet of leisure in her movements. ¡°Did you happen to believe that the General wanted to see the High Priest for an insignificant chat today?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°If you are someone that can¡¯t even discern that much, I have nothing more to say to you.¡± Gunner had been sure that Elisha would make an effort to appease him in the ensuing ufortable silence. But she didn¡¯t say a word. At this rate, he would be pushed out that door, ¡°No, Lady Elisha. Don¡¯t be so extreme.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no extremes. Simplicity is a way of life for busy people. Mr. Gunner, please go back. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll indulge my anger by exining the situation to my husband.¡± A cold sweat ran down Gunner¡¯s back. ¡°That¡ªuh, huh.¡± Elisha unhurriedly raised her head. She spoke with a soft, pretty, but vacant countenance. ¡°Oh, are you still there?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± *** Therefore, when Lucerne finished training and arrived at the entryway to the tearoom, Gunner stood up like a well-trained dog. ¡°General!¡± Gunner was delighted to see him. Lucerne greeted him lightly with a blink. ¡°Long time no see.¡± Gunner coughed. ¡°Why are you standing here?¡± ¡°Well, Lady Elisha kicked me out. Now that the High General is here, we can go in together!¡± Gunner hoped that he would apologize, but he quickly gave up that hope. Because Lucerne¡¯s temperament was already too infamous, but he at least knew that he would take him to the tearoom and tell Elisha to apologize to him. [t1v: HA] He stood next to Lucerne, who naturally opened the door. He stood so close that he could feel his displeased breath as his expression wrinkled wildly. ¡°What are you doing?¡± He flinched and stepped back. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°If my wife tells you to go, you have to go.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ General, really¡­ ¡­ . Are you telling me to go back?¡± Although the middle-aged man was bbergasted in front of him, Lucerne didn¡¯t even spare him a look. ¡°You¡¯re not even a child, it¡¯s up to you to decide whether to return or wait.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Bang. The door closed in front of his eyes. Gunner¡¯s jaw fell. The butler, who came to see the situation, shook his head to himself. [t1v: HA i <3 the butler] Gunner pointed to the door and then to himself, his mouth open and trembling like a goldfish. Chapter 73.2: Tpcp 73.2 Chapter 73.2: Tpcp 73.2 ¡®What¡­ ¡­ he said it as if it was of course.¡¯ Then Gunner realized: She was a woman who had significant influence over Lucerne. ¡®Really¡­ ¡­ . what if they really don¡¯t let me back in like this?¡¯ Gunner was sweating profusely. Unlike when he came out with such strong momentum, now he was rather shabby and disheveled. ¡®Wait a minute¡ª what am I hearing, right now?¡¯ [t1v: LAWL oh lord] His shock didn¡¯t end there. It was because the silence beyond the door soon ceased, and soon there was a rattling, an exmation, a hum, and a faint moaning sound. ¨C Hm.. Huu uhh, ah, ahh¡­ ¡­ . ¡­ ¡­ yes! Luce¡­ ¡­ . Vaguely it sounded like that. But no details were heard. It was because the door of the tea room was surprisingly thick. ¡®Uh¡­ ¡­ . Huh¡­ ¡­ ? What is this situation?¡¯ And Gunner was long forgotten. *** Ssh. Elisha poured hot tea into a ss. Lucerne waited to receive his tea, but she threw all the tea into the empty kettle. ¡°Why did you throw it away?¡± He asked softly. A corner of Elisha¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°This is the tea that Gunner drank, so what is in this kettle is not suitable for you to drink Lucerne.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m curious about.¡± ¡°It means he¡¯s not worth your time.¡± As expected, Lucerne nodded. ¡°How is Gunner?¡± ¡°In what way?¡± ¡°If we bring down Merha, he would probably be the only candidate for the Grand Pope. Do you think he deserves to be the Pope, wielding all the power of the temple?¡± Elisha calcted and expressed her evaluation without hesitation. ¡°If Merha is the highest level of trash, Gunner is the lowest level of scrap.¡± Lucerne enjoyed talking to his wife more and more these days. He savored the pleasure for a moment. ¡°We have the same thoughts. We get along so well.¡± ¡°Oh, right, what a coincidence.¡± However, Elisha was in a formidable mood today. She casually received his remark without a thought. ¡°But now it¡¯s the kind of garbage we need.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, didn¡¯t you want me to collude with the Gunner?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the situation. After all, it doesn¡¯t matter if a dog or a cat bes the Pope as long as it is not Merha.¡± Lucerne agreed. ¡°Gunner is not a longsting card.¡± ¡°Indeed. There are too many ws.¡± ¡°What for example?¡± ¡°Everyone who grew up in my monastery knows. Gunner¡­ ¡­ . embezzled money allocated to help the poor. ¡°Ah. I see.¡± There were two types of amodation in the monastery where she stayed. One was the dormitory for young nobles who had been abandoned like Elisha, and a dormitory where illegitimate children andmoner orphans lived. Regardless, there was not much difference between the two dormitories because, in the temple, everyone lived poorly. However, noble girls like Elisha donated money from their families when they entered the institute. And many young girls were sent money from home every month. So, noble girls could survive and eat well in any situation. When the situation worsened, the first to suffer were the amodations of themoner children. Those children had to subsist off the donations from the temple. ¡°That year, the country was going through turbulent times, so donations were less than usual and there was no government support. Gunner pocketed more than half of the special donations of the great lords at that time. No one took issue with it because he took money from an orphanage formon children.¡± ¡°Did Archbishop Rosaria let it pass?¡± Archbishop Rosaria was the head of the monastery where Elisha was. At the same time, he was also a famous soldier from the temple army. ¡°He protested, but Rosaria-nim¡¯s strength was not enough.¡± The temple was quite corrupt. If you stood up for the right thing, you would make enemies. Rosaria¡¯s purpose was not to elevate his name or achieve a higher status. All he strived for was to protect at least one more orphan under him. So, despite his high reputation, Rosaria did not make much headway or go out of his way to take part in the temple¡¯s business. He was a man of patience. ¡°So we, the aristocratic girls, supported themoners by cutting back on our meals.¡± ¡°Everyone must have been disgruntled.¡± ¡°There were children like that, but people aren¡¯t that evil. If in front of you, children next door are starving, there aren¡¯t many people who could fill their stomachs. Even if they didn¡¯t like it on the inside, everyone put up with it, and most of the kids genuinely agreed to do it. The quality of the meal may have deteriorated, but at least we weren¡¯t starving.¡± ¡°Indeed, people from the temple are nice.¡± ¡°Yes. Except for you.¡± ¡°Everyone in the world knows we are in the same boat, but you¡¯ve drawn a line between us. Your husband is sad.¡± Elisha knew he was now joking. But knowing that he would one day leave her without looking back, she tried not to give his words too much weight. She sipped her tea and slowly put down the teacup. ¡°Anyhow,¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I think you should make him the Pope this time. A one-time use card, then throw away or whatever.¡± Lucerne agreed with a nod. She was very nonchnt. ¡°Shall we?¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright to convey it that way.¡± Elisha, face to face with Lucerne, concurred. Chapter 74.1: Tpcp 74.1 Chapter 74.1: Tpcp 74.1 ¡°Nevertheless, those from monasteries like myself have never forgotten that season. Everyone harbored resentments towards Gunner.¡± At that time, he was a candidate for the high priest in the ministerial office, so he needed lobbying funds. Naturally, the reason he survived in his uniform was because he was a member of the Cartier family, even if he was only distantly rted and a coteral. After that day, Gaju pushed Gunner into nomination for the next Pope. The Lord was dissatisfied with the idea of Merha bing the next great Pope. Still, his reason for promoting the current situation was that the only influential members of the temple from the Cartier family were Gunner and Merha. ¡°From the Head¡¯s point of view, he dislikes both candidates, so he¡¯s keeping an eye on them.¡± ¡°Right, but we wouldn¡¯t be crossing the line by striking down both. It¡¯s the perfect situation for us toy our hands on this game.¡± After that, Gunner worked diligently to help the poor to impress the Head. He was further solidifying his status as junk in Elisha¡¯s mind. ¡°Let me say it again, Elisha. No matter how much power I have amongst the Cartiers, I¡¯ll never be able to be the Duke. Even if the temple supports me.¡± ¡°I know.¡± She agreed with a nod. Three powers moved the Empire. The first was Cartier, the economic powerhouse that retained most of the Empire¡¯s wealth. The second was the temple. Since the beginning, the Imperialists highly regarded the temple and demonstrated their loyalty with prayers and donations. The third was the imperial family. Since the ducal Cartier household was nominally a vassal, there was no escaping the imperial family. And all three groups were lining up for the Cartier¡¯s session in their own way. Jacob¡¯s backing was due to his prestigious title as the eldest grandson and Cartier itself, and Marco, whose backing was Merha, had the temple. Lastly, Lucerne was the High General who controlled military power and had a deep connection with the imperial family. So, if he took this opportunity to take away the support of the temple, he would benefit greatly. ¡°Once again, this is not the way I am nning for you to be the Duke. But, you want the power of the temple. Who would refuse a candy already in their hand?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s candy you¡¯re giving me, I¡¯ll put it in my mouth and suck it up.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ Lucerne.¡± Elisha shook her head slightly as he donned a nonchnt air. ¡°Anyway. Alright. It doesn¡¯t change the fact that I have to destroy the other session candidates.¡± ¡°Yes. Because that¡¯s our way of life. Just like the auction, please leave it to me this time.¡± Lucerne conceded. ¡°I see, alright. Proceed as we¡¯ve agreed upon. Then, how long are you going to keep him standing there?¡± ¡°He was trying to quarrel with me. I thought I would be angry if he acted the same in front of you, so I wanted to take a break.¡± Elisha leisurely brewed fresh tea and poured a cup for him. ¡°Then let him wait until you feel relieved. No one can be rude to my girl.¡± ¡°Good idea. I¡¯ll leave him there for another hour or so.¡± Elisha readily agreed. ¡°But why do you look like that?¡± ¡°Look like what?¡± She realized she had just grimaced as she discussed the confrontation between herself and Gunner. ¡°Oh, he was looking me over as if he was thinking something strange. He must have heard rumors about me.¡± Lucerne¡¯s hand stopped. ¡°He has to wait three more hours.¡± ¡°You think so?¡± Elisha nodded calmly with a nk expression. ¡°Won¡¯t you be bored of being alone here with me for three hours?¡± ¡°Last night didn¡¯t we have more than three hours of fun? How can you say such sad things?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha wanted to stop talking to him. Seeing that expression, he smiled. She stared at that glowing grin amidst the faint scent of tea. What made him chuckle so easily? ¡°Then, shall we rub our lips together for a moment in our spare time?¡± ¡°Why are you uttering nonsense?¡± Elisha bit her lip. ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, let me just kiss your cheek.¡± She let him do that much. Lucerne wrapped his arms around her waist and ced her on hisp in one breath. Not hating his touch on her cheek, she pretended not to notice his lips. However, she couldn¡¯t afford to be carefree as soon as he put his hand on her thigh. He ced her on hisp, kissed her, and Elisha touched his cheek. The gold bracelet on her wrist was limp. Last night Lucerne again put this yellow diamond gold bracelet on her wrist while she was half asleep. It was something she hadn¡¯t worn during her recovery period. While tightening the screws, he dered, ¡®Since you¡¯ve recovered, you¡¯ll always wear this. Never take it off.¡¯ It was a voice that dripped with possessiveness. When she thought of that voice, she got goosebumps even though she was in his arms. ¡®If this person doesn¡¯t take it off, I can¡¯t take it off.¡¯ He really was a mysterious man. He didn¡¯t care about gold in the first ce. ¡°Focus.¡± Like a ghost, he shoved his fingers into the space between her bracelet and flesh and began to stroke. His hot tongue fell from their exchange of sticky saliva. Theck of oxygen and pressure that made her head numb earlier was suddenly relieved. Elisha let out her small gasp and rubbed her palms against his hard chest. ¡°Time really flies,¡± she remarked. Lucerne smirked. ¡°Fooling around, really. What will end up happening tonight?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha tightened her hand on his thigh. Then, as if the action provoked Lucerne, he bit her lower lip again. *** Chapter 74.2: Tpcp 74.2 Chapter 74.2: Tpcp 74.2 So, when Gunner was called back into the tea room, his morale was shattered. Human psychology is particr. When you put someone in a time out, they will first be indignant and then embarrassed. In the end, they will be desperate. ¡®Please give me one chance.¡¯ Gunner entered back into the room thinking that. ¡°Oh, I thought you were dead, but you are still there. Well done. I¡¯ve made a new batch of tea, so have a cup.¡± ¡°Thank you so much for the tea, ma¡¯am. You are thoughtful.¡± He expressed his gratitude twice more with the utmost politeness. As he spoke, the corners of his lips were trembling. Usually, he was a handsome middle-aged high priest, practically worshiped by the goddesses. But now, he lookedpletely different, tired and his legs shaking. Lucerne and Elisha did not pay him any mind. ¡°My wife is polite to everyone, so I want her to be around only mature adults who treat her with respect,¡± Lucerne announced curtly. Gunner quickly acquiesced with a bow of his head. ¡°Indeed, you¡¯re right. Manners. Etiquette is important¡­ ¡­ . ha ha.¡± Elisha filled Gunner¡¯s cup with tea only after hearing that. Even though he was grinding his teeth on the inside, on the other hand, he breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°So, you have a proposal for us,¡± Elisha queried. Gunner knew he waspletely ensnared. At first, when he hade, he had expected that the Lucerne¡¯s side would plead to offer financial aid. ¡®A crazy bitch and a crazy bastard, you can¡¯t handle them ording tomon sense.¡¯ Fortunately, Gunner was better than most of the Cartiers. It was because he reached conclusions the others took many beatings toe to, rather quickly. ¡°As you know, the general and I are distant rtives. Shouldn¡¯t rtives help each other?¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t aid arise when there is mutual interests and there is something to support, Lucerne?¡± ¡°Indeed. My wise wife is always right.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Was he a fool or a madman? Was he genuinely insane or pretending to be insane? Gunner paused and had to think for a moment. ¡°So what will you suggest?¡± ¡°If I be the Great Pope, I will support the general in the future. Of course, if someone else bes the Duke of Cartier, we¡¯ll have to hide our rtionship. However, I can help improve the general¡¯s standing within the imperial court and within the House of Cartier. So¡­ ¡­ . Let¡¯s get on the same boat!¡± Gunner quickly confessed what he was going to do, fearing that he would be kicked out again. Elisha nodded. ¡°To do that, you must be the Pope.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± It was all very direct. ¡°What do you think you need in order to be the Pope?¡± ¡°Merha¡­ ¡­ . We must win the election against him. So¨C uhm¨C First of all, the election of the Pope requires a lot of money¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Ah. You seem to have no sponsors.¡± Gunner¡¯s eyes twinkled at the feeling that he could now speak. ¡°So, if the general could be my supporter¡ª¡± ¡°I won¡¯t do that,¡± Lucerne cut him off curtly. Gunner¡¯s brow twitched. ¡°Then what shall we do?¡± ¡°Not something like that,¡± Elisha exined softly. Blue eyes stared intently at Gunner. ¡°We¡¯ll get rid of Merha.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Gunner froze. ¡°We can make sure Merha is not a candidate.¡± ¡°How are you going to guarantee that?¡± ¡°Do you believe we would tell you? You are so naive,¡± Lucerne clicked his tongue. Elisha casually savored her tea. The following words from her continued to surprise. ¡°Are you confident that if Merha is gone, you will be the Grand Pope?¡± ¡°Of-of course.¡± ¡°Then, who is on your side?¡± Gunner looked to Lucerne. ¡°My wife¡¯s will is also my will,¡± he dered. They dazzled Gunner¡¯s ears by skillfully and deftly taking turns talking to him from both sides as if they had been practicing for a long time on how to deal and squeeze him. Gunner couldn¡¯te to his senses. He finally spoke desperately: ¡°If that happens, I will never forget your grace and stand by the general for the rest of my life.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good choice.¡± Elisha nced at Lucerne. ¡°I think my husband wants to make you the pope.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± They talked about bestowing the position of the Great Pope as if it was regarding the role of a rural vige chief. Lucerne nced at the dumbfounded Gunner and remarked: ¡°They say when a man gets married his ambitions grow. This is all thanks to listening to my wife¡¯s advice.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha exined in a softer voice. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s not free. We want these conditions.¡± Gunner listened to their terms. ¡®It¡¯s not something that can¡¯t be done.¡¯ Make temple donations transparent. Ask for advice before the most significant event in the future. After that, they would not meddle with the management of the temple. The conditions were conventional and sensible. ¡°And all of these conditions¡­ if Merha really can¡¯t be nominated for the Pope. Then I can listen.¡± ¡°Right, if that really happens.¡± As if he was under a spell, Gunner nodded. A small smile appeared on Elisha¡¯s expressionless face, it was as if a flower had bloomed on the still water. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± If Lucerne hadn¡¯t growled, revealing his teeth with a snarl, Gunner would have stared at that smile a little more. Instead, with a ferocious energy radiating from his body, Gunner quickly looked at the table and pretended not to know. Chapter 75.1: Tpcp 75.1 Chapter 75.1: Tpcp 75.1 ¡®As the rumors say, his jealousy is tremendous.¡¯ But Lucerneprehended. An intelligent woman who was a maneater could make a man anxious. ¡°Speaking of which, is there really any way to bring down Merha?¡± ¡°Minister, let me tell you I¡¯ve never missed a creature I wanted to kill on the battlefield. If I want, I will.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ve heard of your reputation.¡± Gunner nodded his head continuously with enthusiasm. Objectively, Lucerne was a kind of war god. There was no way he could make such an unsubstantiated jest. ¡°And if you owe me, one way or another, you pay it back. If you run away, you¡¯ll pay it back two or three times as much. It would benefit you to keep that in mind.¡± ¡°I understand, sir.¡± ¡°Then trust me and wait. If Merha does resign, I hope the High Priest will remember who¡¯s grace brought about such circumstances. Don¡¯t forget that you are not a fisherman*.¡± [*t1v: a Korean saying that one gains an advantage effortlessly while the other two sides arepeting.] Numerous thoughts crossed his mind, but Gunner replied that he knew his ce well. Subsequently, a congrattory order fell on him. His back was damp as he returned home. ¡®As the rumors say, you two are terrifying. But what the hell are you up to?¡¯ Gunner lost his appetite. If it¡¯s true¡­ ¡­ . ¡®That person¡­.¡¯ As Nora was entering after her training, she saw Gunner hurrying out. He looked familiar. ¡°Ian, who was that man?¡± ¡°Ah, you mean Gunner? He¡¯s going to be running for pope soon.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Nora¡¯splexion clouded over as she bit her lip. ¡°If it¡¯s the same Gunner¡­ ¡­ . Isn¡¯t he a famous corrupt priest?¡± Since she was from a monastery, she could not have not known his name. *** After dinner, Elisha took Lucerne by the arm and took a leisurely stroll through the garden with him. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You supported me in front of Gunner today.¡± ¡°I¡¯m enjoying myself watching your designs.¡± Elisha nced at him. She knew how extraordinary it was for Lucerne to support her so much even while not trusting her. She decided to remain genuinely grateful towards him, even if he was sarcastic to her. ¡°You said thank you. I guess the way to please our little ghost is to be encouraging.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you sleep with me too much to call me ¡®little¡¯?¡± At her words, Lucerne¡¯s steps slowed down. ¡°No way. There¡¯s still a long way to go. If I wholly acted ording to my wishes, I would have tied you to the bed so you wouldn¡¯t even waste your physical stamina on walking, like now. And I would pound you all night long, wake you up, feed you and then hit it again.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha tried to tease him, but it went horribly awry. When it came to the bedroom, she couldn¡¯t beat him. Then, an unexpected figure appeared in front of the two of them. It was Nora. A faint smile of joy and wee spread across Elisha¡¯s face. ¡°Nora, how was your training today?¡± At Elisha¡¯s very affectionate question, Lucerne¡¯s eyebrows twitched slightly. It was strange seeing the two of them together. ¡°Yes, it went well.¡± Nora was a person who was like an open book and had no talent for hiding her feelings. Elisha caught her as she was hurriedly trying to escape. ¡°Nora, are you injured again?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that.¡± ¡°Then what¡¯s the matter? Anything you say is fine, so just tell me.¡± Nora hesitated. She looked at Lucerne, who was gazing at her indifferently. He gave off the air that he wanted her to say what she was going to say quickly and disappear. ¡°Actually, I spotted Gunner earlier today.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Elisha¡¯s eyes searched the ground for a moment. Quick-witted, she understood the situation in an instant. ¡°The butler said that the Madam even had a private meeting with Gunner¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I did,¡± Elisha replied dispassionately. When Lucerne heard it through her mouth, he thought it was pretty adorable that she felt guilty. It urred to him that he shouldn¡¯t make Elisha talk to someone like Gunner alone in the future. ¡°Do you know what kind of person Gunner is that you¡¯re trying to persuade him?¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°Nora,¡± Lucerne cut in. ¡°It is not for you to meddle in such a thing.¡± ¡°But, he¡­..¡± ¡°Lucerne.¡± Elisha dissuaded him. ¡°Nora is from a monastery and she was raised in the dormitory for themoners. The monastery I was in had plenty of food, so we were alright. But I heard that in some monasteries there were children who really starved to death.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Lucerne frowned at her words. He spoke coldly even after hearing her words. ¡°Nora, just because my wife favors you doesn¡¯t mean your rudeness can be indulged.¡± Nora looked like she was holding back something. She prostrated on the spot. ¡°Forgive me. But please remember my knight¡¯s oath.¡± ¡°I know. If you¡¯re dissatisfied, you can put a knife to the back of my throat but don¡¯t be discourteous to Elisha.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ I understand, general.¡± Nora bowed and stepped back. Chapter 75.2: Tpcp 75.2 Chapter 75.2: Tpcp 75.2 ¡°After all, the kids from the temple are really nice, right?¡± He clicked his tongue while Nora¡¯s back disappeared. ¡°Nora¡­ ¡­ . is a really nice person. She is right and wrong. She still donates most of her sry to an orphanage. She has a great reputation for helping people with hardships along the way.¡± Elisha recalled her past life. After Nora saw her beaten, she asked if she was okay every time she saw her from that day on. Since then, whenever Nora came across her, she politely treated Elisha like ady with the utmost respect for her, as if trying to set an example for others to do the same. ¡°Such great people in the world should be guarded. I want to protect such outstanding people.¡± ¡°Since you¡¯re from a temple, you¡¯re nicer than you seem.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ But what did she mean by mentioning her knight¡¯s oath?¡± ¡°When knights offer their allegiance, they personally exchange a pledge with their master. There is also a gift offered only once from their master.¡± She also remembered that it was a promise or granting of a wish a servant could receive. Usually, one acquired money or weapons. If one did not receive an item, a knight usually received a right instead. For instance, some knights gave their vows of loyalty in exchange for being respected by their masters. ¡°What oath did Nora take?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing big.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°If I be like the other Cartiers, I won¡¯t take issue with her even if she cuts me with a de.¡± Cough cough¡ª Elisha couldn¡¯t help but cough and choke in surprise. ¡®Really crazy. That¡¯s right, they were insane like that.¡¯ She often forgot that the people around her were out of their minds. ¡®But just before I died, the confrontation between the Gaju candidates and Lucerne was quite serious. Lucerne didn¡¯t choose to win by any means, was he alright?¡¯ It was already an unreachable and lost future, but Elisha couldn¡¯t help but worry about Nora. People who were too naive and inflexible were bound to break. *** The following week, Elisha was heading to an unexpected ce. It was Rosaria¡¯s monastery where she grew up. Lucerne said he would see Rosaria and asked Elisha if she would like to go with him. She said, yes, of course. ¡®I never thought I¡¯de back to the monastery where I grew up.¡¯ Her heart pounded. Memories of her childhood shed in her mind¡¯s eye. The only thing that bothered her was that her escort, Nora, donned a grim expression. Elisha took Lucerne¡¯s hand and got on the carriage. ¡°I knew you were acquaintances with Archbishop Rosaria, but I didn¡¯t know you were close.¡± ¡°She took care of me a lot in my youth. I owe her. She¡­ ¡­ . she cares about children.¡± Elisha nodded; she knew. Rosaria was extremely averse to politics but did not ignore a child in trouble. If a young, abused Lucerne was within reach of Rosaria¡¯s power, she would have surely lent a helping hand. ¡°There was a time when Archbishop Rosaria was my teacher.¡± ¡°Really?¡± That fact surprised Elisha too. They were disciples of the same teacher; it was something she had never imagined. ¡°I did not know. Do you often meet her?¡± ¡°Only when there is business. There¡¯s something to discuss this time.¡± Elisha epted his words without a doubt. Soon the carriage stopped, and an old, ancient monastery was revealed. Rosaria ran five monasteries, and the one where Elisha was raised was thergest. Elisha waited for Rosaria with Lucerne. Rosaria was a tall woman* with gray hair but extraordinary vitality. [*t1v: it¡¯s the first time in the Korean raws that Rosaria¡¯s gender is mentioned, I previously had assumed she was a man, my bad] ¡°Are you possibly¡­..?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if you will remember me. My name is Elisha, who I learned from Rosaria-nim. Count Lor was my biological father.¡± ¡°Oh my goodness, you are back alive!¡± Rosaria was thrilled to see Elisha. She looked at Elisha and Lucerne with eyes that did not know where to start or what to do. When she saw Nora, her delight increased. ¡°The children most outstanding among all the students I raised have alle to visit today.¡± Only their master could give such high praise, teaching them academics, swordsmanship, and even political studies. Then, Rosaria looked at Lucerne and Elisha and said with a sigh. ¡°I see Elisha, you¡¯ve married Lucerne. It is unbelievable.¡± ¡°Why teacher?¡± ¡°Actually, Elisha was the reason I called Sir Lucerne-nim.¡± Lucerne was the High General who held all the military powers in the country so that no one could speak to him recklessly. Even his mentor, Rosaria, addressed him with deference and talked to him in honorific tense*. [*t1v: honorific tense exists in Korean but not in English. Think of it like someone using ¡®please, sir, ma¡¯am¡¯ etc at the end of a sentence. Usually, one addresses teachers/ gods/ kings/ grandparents etc with such honorifics, so that she addresses her disciple with such politeness illustrates how great his status has be and that even his teacher can¡¯t take him lightly.] ¡®You meant to ask Lucerne about me today?¡¯ She was amazed. Elisha thought that Rosaria had forgotten about her. But she even said that she told Lucerne that if he had a chance to please help Elisha, who had been taken by the Cartiers, at least once. ¡®You¡­ ¡­ . You remembered me.¡¯ Elisha¡¯s heart was touched. ¡°Thank you very much, Rosaria-nim.¡± ¡°Thank you? Don¡¯t say things like that easily. Don¡¯t you resent me?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Chapter 76: Tpcp 76 Chapter 76: Tpcp 76 ¡°When Jacob¡¯s soldiers came and told me to give you up. I let you go right away.¡± ¡°Why would I me you? Everyone would have been killed if you tried to protect me. Archbishop Rosaria at least gave me the chance to study. It is enough that you protected my childhood.¡± Elisha calmly answered Rosaria¡¯s qualms. ¡°Indeed, you remembered everything I taught.¡± ¡°You also taught me that ming others is also a daft human folly. I, myself, am the only person that I can rely on and insure my own safety with. So the best thing my teacher could do for me is to strengthen and empower me. Did you instruct as much?¡± ¡°Indeed, you were my favorite student.¡± Rosaria looked at her and chuckled. She had a grin that made Elisha think that must have been how she hadughed while on horseback when she roamed the battlefield. ¡°Lucerne, be kind to this child. She was the most outstanding of all my pupils¡ªforeignnguages, ancientnguages, etiquette, tactics, and even ounting and management. Even so, I had so much more I wanted to teach her. It¡¯s a pity that I could only instruct her up to fourteen.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help her to study. Of course, there is no teacher like Rosaria-nim.¡± Elisha was mildly surprised when he addressed Rosaria with respect and deference. At the same time, if Lucerne was serious about letting her study, she was very tempted. ¡°Besides, Lucerne was also my favorite student. I am really looking forward to the 2nd generation.¡± ¡°My grandfather is already waiting for the 2nd generation. Sometimes the back of my neck has chills from how terrifying his ambition is.¡± As Lucerne spoke softly, her heart fluttered and grew warm. They conversed in a surprisingly amicable atmosphere. ¡°Nora, let¡¯s take a walk.¡± Without listening to the rest of their discussion, Elisha excused herself on the pretext of taking a walk. Elisha sensed Lucerne wanted to discuss something with Rosaria alone. Instead, she took a look around, contemting the winter scenery of the cold monastery. ¡®Is the monastery building I lived in still here?¡¯ She slowly meandered through the monastery¡¯s gardens. Rosaria¡¯s nagging was a predetermined protocol. Her expression changed as soon as Elisha left. ¡°Even my ears have heard whispers that Lucerne-nim has started meddling in the temple affairs. Please tell me what this is about.¡± ¡°You still have good hearing for your age.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t change the subject,¡± Rosaria said sternly. ¡°I taught you to not stand out if you have ambition. Why are you provoking Merha? He¡¯ll probably be the next Pope, so he won¡¯t let youe into contact with Gunner.¡± ¡°Rumors these days are very detailed.¡± ¡°I know it¡¯s not a rumor. A priest close to Gunner was brought into your house once every two days. Such news can be heard by even an outsider like me.¡± Had Rosaria been interested in more secr affairs, she would have heard rumors that Lucerne was crazy about Elisha. If so, she would have heard the story that he had summoned three high-ranking healing priests and grilled them every day so that Elisha could be rehabilitated. But Rosaria was significantly in the dark about those kinds of rumors. ¡°Did you hear that from Merha? I also have ears, and I hear he oftenes here.¡±* ¡°He wants my vote and the votes of the priests who follow me. He¡¯s persistent in pursuing me for his election campaign. It¡¯s rather troublesome.¡±* [*t1v: now, when no one is around, Lucerne speaks to Rosaria respectfully, and Rosaria addresses him usually casually] Quite a few high-ranking priests maintained political neutrality under her wing. So she suffered whenever something like elections urred. In addition, Rosaria held the office of Archbishop, an honorary post above the High Priesthood. Therefore, it was only natural for people to aim for Rosaria¡¯s backing. ¡°I know,¡± Lucerne chuckled. ¡°And I remember your teachings. You instructed me to lower my head and act humble if I harbor ambitions.¡± ¡°But for sure, when hunting, take out your ws and show them¡ªthat¡¯s what I meant. But if the temple leans towards you, the Duke will suspect you. Gunner is a typical Cartier wolf who revels in money and power. Do you believe that Gaju will just sit back and watch a collusion between Gunner and yourself?¡± Rosaria¡¯s face twisted in disgust and loathing when she mentioned Gunner. ¡°Do you think I will handle this clumsily? Don¡¯t worry too much.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± At those words, Rosaria sealed her lips and swallowed her objections. Even for her, Lucerne was an elusive and challenging opponent. Instead, she decided to remain content that at least Lucerne had note to ask for her support to get Gunner elected as Pope. She was already disillusioned with the current predicament. ¡°I¡¯m tired just specting how much more Merha will gobble up when he bes the pope this time.¡± Merha was strangely skillful with temple-rted businesses. If there was one thing that Merha was better in than Gunner, it was that he was iparably wealthy. He would not need to deplete the relief funds for the poor as terribly as Gunner would. Nheless, both of them were heinously corrupt. ¡°How odd. Even the nominees for the leader of the religious are only amongst Cartiers. It¡¯s like a secondary session war¡ªNo, it¡¯s no different. When Merha bes the Pope, he will drive all the temple-rted ventures to Marco, and if Gunner bes the Pope, you¡­ ¡­ . will take over the temple¡¯s businesses.¡± After a papal election, many new temples were constructed, and many temple events and projects where donations could be eaten were forged. The present-day temple was rotten to its core. Rosaria¡¯s head hurt when she thought about the situation in the temple. She thought it would be the worst if Gunner became Pope. ¡°By the way, Lucerne.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Did you purposely assign Nora as Lady Elisha¡¯s escort?¡± ¡°My wife wanted it.¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± Rosaria looked thoughtful for a moment. Soon she shook her head. ¡°Moreover, is it really because of Elisha that you came to me?¡± She changed the subject, Lucerne was wary, but he couldn¡¯t help it because what he had to say was important now. ¡°I have something to tell you about Merha,¡± he said. *** You can read more here. Chapter 77: Tpcp 77 Chapter 77: Tpcp 77 Elisha and Nora unhurriedly strolled around the temple. ¡°Nora, do you know why the Pope is elected?¡± ¡°I do not know, mydy.¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s easier for Cartiers to be Pope if theye through the electoral process. So, until now, the family has a firm grasp on the temple.¡± ¡°This time, Gunner or Merha will be the Grand Pope, so unless the two of them are struck by lightning, there will be no surprises. So much is wrong.¡± She gave a gentle smile to Nora, who had be sullen. ¡°Nora, are you mad at me? Do you believe that I am spurring Lucerne on the wrong path, as the world says?¡± Nora¡¯s movements stopped for a moment. ¡°No¡­ ¡­ . Madam is¡­ ¡­ . Not that kind of person. However¡­ ¡­ . I don¡¯t like other Cartiers. So the general¡­ ¡­ . I hope his means are different.¡± ¡°Why? Why don¡¯t you like them?¡± Nora paused. Elisha had been looking away and then turned towards her. Nora avoided her gaze. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you that.¡± ¡°Is it a secret?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a secret, but because it¡¯s not about me.¡± ¡°It must have to do with Lucerne.¡± Nora¡¯s face was starting to turn red. Elisha decided to stop harassing her. ¡°It¡¯s alright, I have no intention of prying. Let¡¯s walk. Here is¡­ ¡­ . where I grew up. These yards, small buildings, dining hall and library. That was my whole world.¡± ¡°I lived in a nearby monastery. Rosaria-nim came very rarely. But it¡¯s very simr to where I grew up.¡± They exchanged memories one by one as they walked. Indeed, the two had a lot inmon. Then, Elisha froze. ¡°They seem to be children who reside here like we did.¡± Two girls were sitting in the shade of a tree and ying. The younger one held the old doll in her arms and the one who looked like her older sister yed by bouncing a small ball in her hand. They seemed peaceful, and they seemed to get along well. A smile appeared on Nora¡¯s lips. ¡®Why are you suddenly feeling like this?¡¯ Elisha felt a sharp pain piercing her chest at that moment. The moment she saw the two girls, bizarrely, the corners of her eyes throbbed. ¡®I never felt this way before¡­ ¡­ . Yes, I feel like I forgot something important. Maybe the future I saw wasn¡¯t urate? If that¡¯s not it? Is there a past I have forgotten?¡¯ Like many, Elisha did not remember everything about her childhood. At the same time, the future seemed to be seen through dreams. Her memories of her fate varied widely. Some of them passed like a sh of light, and she only knew them in my head, while others she remembered in great detail. Elisha didn¡¯t think carefully about it before, as she was upied with the immense amount of memories she recalled. ¡°Lady?¡± ¡°Ah, no.¡± Elisha shook her head. It was then that she felt someone¡¯s presence striding her towards her. She raised her head in surprise. He was a familiar middle-aged man. *** Whenever Merha arrived at the monastery, he took issue with the hospitality, so most of the priests did not like him. ¡°What is this tea? Huh? If I want to meet with Archbishop Rosaria, why am I made to wait?¡± ¡°Now, Rosaria-nim is entertaining a distinguished guest¡­ ¡­ .¡± The priest just repeated herself over and over. ¡®Ugh, this is the problem with women, they¡¯re slow with everything.¡¯ Rosaria was famous in her own way; she was unyielding. Merha was always rude towards her, and his reasons were simple. The monasteries under Rosaria were ces for female orphans, and most of the priests working therein were women. So even if the priests in front of him had been sloppy men, Merha would have been polite in his own way. Gaju did not favour Merha because he was weak to the strong and had a cruel disposition toward those lower than him. With ack of affection, his inferiorityplex made him even more crooked. ¡°Who the hell is the VIP? Uh?¡± ¡°Well¡­ ¡­ .¡± In the end, when he heard her guest¡¯s name, Merha¡¯s face burned. ¡°Lucerne is here? Are you making me wait for an illegitimate child now?¡± At that, the priests shut their mouths. In fact, most of the priestesses under Rosaria were her students, so they often had excellent swordsmanship skills. They just pinched their thighs, reminding themselves to endure. Chapter 78: Tpcp 78 Chapter 78: Tpcp 78 So Merha went out for a walk to calm his temper. Instead, what caught his eye was Elisha and Nora taking a walk. ¡®Who is that woman?¡¯ She was a beauty dressed neatly, but in a luxurious outfit with milky skin. From just a nce, he could tell she was no ordinary woman. Additionally, the woman following her like a shadow was Nora, the most famous female knight in the Empire. Merha btedly recognized her. ¡®Ah. If she¡¯s with her¡­ That¡¯s Lucerne bride.¡¯ His anger exploded as soon as she saw Elisha. ¡®That bitch¡ªthe source of trouble in my family¡ªis now proudly wandering around the temple¡¯s establishments under my influence?¡¯ Lately, the family has not been the same. Merha, Arien and Marco lived together in a private mansion in the capital. They fought every day, ming each other for the failed auction. He knew his son was unsightly, but his daughter-inw was equally ghastly, so many days the residence was full of hostility. Arien always repeated the same words: ¡®It¡¯s because Lucerne took in the wrong woman that it¡¯s like this, Elisha is scheming something, that bitch is our family¡¯s troublemaker! That¡¯s how she got Marco to move first.¡¯ Merha strode up to her and shouted, ¡°How dare this lowly thing roam around the temple arrogantly! Do you know where you are?¡± Nora and Elisha saw a middle-aged man approaching in a ze of outrage. The priests walking by stopped, wondering what was going on. ¡°What do you mean by that? This is Rosaria¡¯s disciple. Rosaria-nim also gave permission, so there is no ce in this monastery that ourdy cannot go. Besides, this monastery is under Rosaria-nim¡¯s jurisdiction,¡± Nora dered sternly. At that, Merha snorted. ¡°The Archbishop of Rosaria raised a prostitute. huh? A whore that suits an illegitimate child has been brazenly showing off her face in front of God in broad daylight. Hmph, really¡ª You are Archbishop Rosaria¡¯s blunder.¡± Nora¡¯s face turned blue at that insulting remark. She clenched her teeth tightly. If he had not been a member of the Cartier family, she would have drawn her sword. ¡°If you see me, you should run to me first and say hello politely. What adult doesn¡¯t know this?¡± Full of spite, Merha shouted even louder. Then Elisha took a step forward. She asked softly, ¡°Does that mean the superior of the whore¡¯s household is a pimp?¡± Nora and the priests who had stopped to look around, stopped breathing. Merha doubted his ears. ¡°You don¡¯t look like that. However, if you wish, I will greet you. It¡¯s not difficult.¡± This time, Merha¡¯s face turned blue. *** ¡°W-what are you saying? This bitch.¡± Merha was so angry that it seemed that his brain was running out of oxygen. Sensing he was about to lose himself and go on a rampage, he reeled in his anger. He recalled Elisha¡¯s notoriety that had spread to the public. ¡®A crazy viper bitch that sleeps with a viper, with a glib tongue.¡¯ He chuckled. He believed he was an expert at dealing with mad dogs. At the same time, the cruelty peculiar to the Cartiers shed through his mind. There was onemon talent among all the members of the Cartier family. It was knowing how to effectively bully others. Surprisingly, it was a talent that was also acquired by all members of the family who had entered the household through marriage. ¡°You¡¯re the girl I heard about. Well, your husband was always a lowly and filthy man even in youth. Since he¡¯s an illegitimate child.¡± How could Elisha reply to that? The Cartiers insulted Lucerne for being illegitimate, it was an irrefutable fact, his existence itself was proof of the defilement of the house without a legal wife present. His mother was known to be a poormoner, so she could not marry him, but Lucerne¡¯s father had only one child in his lifetime, Lucerne. The two loved each other, risking their lives and giving birth to him. ¡®It¡¯s strange, it¡¯s not a day or two that the people of the Cartier family has said this. Why am I so angry?¡¯ Elisha couldn¡¯t understand herself. A fierce hostility, burning and freezing swept through her chest. In the past¡­ ¡­ she didn¡¯t know what changed, but she didn¡¯t like Lucerne being insulted now. Although her expression continued to stay monotonous on the surface, Elisha¡¯s ensuing words were spit out coldly. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you abruptly appeared and said this, but I wonder if you can say the same thing in front of my husband.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Nora, let¡¯s go. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s worth talking to anymore.¡± ¡°Because this humble bitch needs to be instructed!¡± Merha¡¯s hand went up. The priests screamed. ¡°You must not do this!¡± ¡°Let it go. These bitches can¡¯t be taught with words. I¡¯ll have to thoroughly beat them for them to learn.¡± Merha shook off the priests and raised his hand to Elisha. She stared at him without even the slightest flinch. She was not afraid to get hit. Chapter 79: Tpcp 79 Chapter 79: Tpcp 79 ¡°Stop it.¡± Nora was ring at Merha with zing eyes. She blinked and saw she was holding his wrist. ¡°You¡¯re not going to let go? Pretending to be a knight when you¡¯re just a girl. Of course, indeed. You¡¯re just Lucerne¡¯s concubine, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I told you to stop.¡± Merha struggled to the point that his face was red, but when she couldn¡¯t pull his hand out of Nora¡¯s slender grip, he couldn¡¯t breathe as if she blocked his lungs too. ¡°Ugh!¡± Rather, he started sweating profusely as Nora tightened her grip more and more. Nora let go of his hand just before it broke. She watched Merha with a terrifying eerie expression. While she stared Merha down, she slowly ced her hand on her de hanging off her waist. ¡°Heh heh, heh heh.¡± It looked like he had been rained on, Merha¡¯s whole body was sweating bullets. As a middle-aged man nervous about his impression, it wasn¡¯t a good look. Merha burst into anger when he saw Nora¡¯s murderous intent emitting from her. ¡°Indeed beggars suit beggars. Since he is a lowly man, he wees a lowly wife and a lowly subordinate. Let¡¯s see. You dare to draw a sword in front of the Cartier family? I¡¯ll have Lucerne dispose of that crazy bitch.¡± ¡°God teaches that all of us are servants of the same God, regardless of rank. I don¡¯t know why you would say that. He who ims to be close to the heavens but speaks of status more than anyone else knows no shame,¡± Elisha retorted icily. ¡°I will answer you. I taught Lucerne very strictly as a child. I taught him several times to atone for his own lowliness, to be a decent, full-fledged man. But he was stubborn, and he did not know how to yield in the end, and he did not know how to bend. This guy is arrogant by nature. Just like his father.¡± Elisha looked at him nonchntly. The wrath she felt for the first time in her life shed through her eyes. Didn¡¯t Lucerne say it before? As a child, Merha tried to control him with hunger and flogging. Lucerne resided in the temple at a very young age. A child under ten¡­ ¡­ . being so abused. ¡°You think so.¡± As he insulted her husband in front of her, Elisha blinked once, but she did not move much. On the contrary, she looked at Merha more and more calmly. Merha felt relieved after he spit out all the anger from his stomach. But when he saw Elisha gazing at him dispassionately without any fear, the next moment he thought, ¡®This isn¡¯t it?¡¯ ¡®What the hell is with her? Does she have some hidden background?¡¯ For a moment, Merha was confused as to who the hell was the high priest and who was the fallen noble. ¡°Nora. Let¡¯s go.¡± After staring at Merha for a moment, Elisha turned her back without saying goodbye. Nora clenched her fists and followed. ¡°Madam,¡± Nora whispered as she hurriedly followed Elisha. Elisha slowly raised the corners of her lips. ¡°An adult who boasts of torturing a child. And he¡¯s a candidate for Pope.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°This can¡¯t happen, right?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Nora nodded her head in surprise. As she spoke quietly, Elisha¡¯s serene and elegant look was very serious. She felt an indescribable dignity radiating from her. Elisha said nothing more, but it was as if Nora heard her unspoken words. That person will regret it. She seemed to promise. *** Afterwards, Elisha and Nora spotted the two sisters hiding in the alley and watching them. ¡®It wasn¡¯t a good scene for the children to see.¡¯ Elisha wanted to sigh. She spoke to the children with the shape of her mouth. ¡®Sorry.¡¯ The girls¡¯ eyes widened as if they could not understand the meaning of those words. The children ran away with the toys they were ying with. Elisha followed their backs. ¡°Which hotel are we staying at?¡± ¡°We just have to go a little further south.¡± ¡°I would rather go there. The ce where aristocrats stay is the Golden South, so even High Priest Merha will not be able to chase and harass after us.¡± Nodding, she walked a little faster. Elisha¡¯s head cooled down and became clearer. ¡®Anyway, Merha is the one whose end is near.¡¯ Pondering, Elisha touched her lower lip with her fingers. ¡®Is it strange that you are getting more and more angry and have nasty thoughts?¡¯ Obviously, Lucerne would be extremely furious if he found out about this. A virtuous wife would stop Lucerne at a time like this. ¡®I don¡¯t really want to do that this time. Only today is not the day.¡¯ Elisha slowly raised the corners of her lips. However, he didn¡¯t have much left. Chapter 80: Tpcp 80 Chapter 80: Tpcp 80 Unfortunately, the dormitory where Elisha grew up was under construction. It was the smallest building among the dormitories. Even though they were abandoned by their families, most of the noble girls would marry by arrangement when they became adults. Therefore, each annex was surrounded by a high, gray-walled, sharp fence. ¡®Long time no see.¡¯ She suddenly had the impulse to go inside. She opened the front door and entered. Elisha carefully examined the interior of the building. Then, she went out into the garden, staring at the tall gate. ¡°Is something the matter?¡± ¡°No, just, when I was young¡­ ¡­ . I used to look at the monastery¡¯s fence often. There¡¯s a higher wall outside this fence nheless. So I imagined the world beyond.¡± ¡°You must have been young then.¡± ¡°I was a bit odd, I didn¡¯t want to leave the monastery. I thought the world outside was infested with sinister devils and bandits¡­ ¡­ . Because Rosaria told me¡­ ¡­ . I thought it was hell beyond these boundaries.¡± ¡°She wasn¡¯t wrong. Because there are actually devils and bandits.¡± Elisha agreed. ¡°After some time passed¡ª after being captured by Jacob, I often thought of this gate. That ce, which sometimes felt like a stuffy prison, was also a wall that protected me. The world outside the fence might have very well been hell.¡± ¡°Do you still feel that way?¡± Elisha shook her head slightly. ¡°Today, Nora is escorting me. It is safe now.¡± ¡°I see. Then, if the threats you feared as a child appear, I will continue to protect you from them from now on.¡± Elisha beamed a little. ¡°Thank you, Nora. I must have disappointed you these days, but you still said such a thing.¡± Nora¡¯s expression clouded over at her words. Then, Elisha felt a slight tingling on the back of her neck. ¡°Elisha.¡± She jumped out of her seat. Lucerne was calling her. ¡°What are you doing there?¡± ¡°There were some circumstances.¡± ¡°Come out.¡± But when she went to the door, she realized the door was locked. The monastery doors often broke down like this. This is because the door was defaulted to lock from the outside for the safety of the girls. ¡°I think the door is broken because the hinges are old. I can¡¯t get out.¡± Lucerne was watching her from outside the fence. ¡°Come over here.¡± He told her toe up to the fence near him. ¡®I feel like I¡¯m back in my childhood.¡¯ When she was having fun, she hummed and ran around the fence while imagining the world out there. And now, at the end of the fence, was Lucerne. ¡°Shadow,¡± Lucerne whispered. ¡°Ah!¡± Suddenly, Elisha was caught up in the shadows in an instant. It stroked and licked her cheek. ¡°I think this guy likes you,¡± mumbled Lucerne rather dumbfounded. Her body was on top of the fence, but her feet did not touch the sharp ends of the pointed wall. Because of the shadow, her whole body was floating in the air. ¡°Come here.¡± He held out his arm. Elisha blinked. A world beyond the fence that she had imagined as a child was unfolding. By coincidence¡ª so haphazardly¡­ Plop. The shadow deposited her and shended on the floor in Lucerne¡¯s arms. ¡°What?¡± he asked as he looked at Elisha, who was speechless. ¡°No, it¡¯s different from the hell I imagined.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Then, there was a mming cacophony at the door but Nora eventually gave up and climbed over her barrier on her own. Even though it was a tall wall, she got over it swiftly as if she had wings. In Lucerne¡¯s arms, and she replied in a tight, suppressed voice, ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Elisha briefly recalled the old memories of her past life. Among the shes of memory and the detailed memories, was a memory that passed like a sh of light. But for some reason she only now remembered it clearly. She had been hugged like this by Lucerne before. *** One day in the future that had disappeared. It was a day when the yearly hunting festival was held on the duke¡¯s estate. There, behind the duke¡¯s mansion was a small spring that led to the forest. The fountain was mysteriously clear and clean all year round. With so much money in the household that it was rotting, they had a sorcerer nt many flowers in the spring. Inside, blossoms were always swaying, catching the attention and marvel of the passersby. One of the festival¡¯s events was apetition where men onrge teams yed a game of kicking a ball with a long stick called ¡®rofen.¡¯ It was only during the annual contest when thekeside was quiet. Elisha took advantage of the absence of people and went to see the ce. Because she earned the ire of people when a ugly woman like her was present. On days when there were no nobles, the household¡¯s employees visited the spring. So today was the only day of the year that Elisha could go to see it, finally absent of nobles and servants. Then she found someone. The moment she spotted him, the hair stood up on her body. Beside Jacob and Marco, he was the person Elisha feared the most. His name was Zain. He had previously done something akin to courting her before her face was ruined. The problem was that he was a very distant rtive of Car¡¯s. After she became a hideous woman with burns on her face. He became theughing stock of the knights. ¡®How shameful to be rejected by such an ugly bitch!¡¯ After that, Zain was anxious to torment her whenever he saw her. So Elisha hid from him. ¡°Ah!¡± Ssh¡ªThen her foot slipped and she fell into the spring. A buzzing sound echoed over her head. It was frivolousughter. ¡°So I told that bitch¡­ ¡­ .¡± It seemed the knights were drinking. She trembled, and she hid in the water with only her head sticking out. It was not long before the men passed by. ¡®Uh, huh?¡¯ Elisha felt empty and searched her pocket. Her ancient gold coin was gone. ¡®It¡¯s precious.¡¯ When she was imprisoned in Marco¡¯s mansion and Lucerne had saved her, he had given her that ancient gold coin. Chapter 81: Tpcp 81 Chapter 81: Tpcp 81 It had disappeared from her pocket. Elisha¡¯s face turned white. ¡®There it is!¡¯ She looked around and found it among the flowers. Elisha dived in to picked it up and her head floated again above the water surface. ¡°It would be better not to move.¡± Then the dazzling sunlight hit her eyes. Someone spoke to her above her head. The spring was a hollow structure, with a wooden deck connecting theke and thend. In summer, it was a ce for nobles to sit and dip their feet. A man was standing there. Her face turned red. It was Lucerne. She hurriedly put the gold coin into her pocket. In doing so, the button on her wet upper garment was unbuttoned. Her chest was inly exposed. ¡°A pleasant view,¡± he said bluntly. His voice was so calm that Elisha thought she had heard it wrong. [t1v: HA this guy and love at first wet shirt and ample bosom sight] Elisha hurriedly scrambled and tried to get out of there. Lucerne chuckled lowly. ¡°You are on top of the historical thistle flower. The flower wraps around anything near its stem. I guess you haven¡¯t been told never to go into theke during this season.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Indeed, the more Elisha struggled, the more the flower wound around her in the water. He was watching her. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to stay out of my sight?¡± Lucerne remarkednguidly. His speech¡­ ¡­ . was cruel, but his tone was strangely affectionate. It was like a sweet that stung her. ¡°Then¡ª go,¡± Elisha gasped, she was struggling to breath. ¡°Tell me to save you,¡± Lucerne uttered deeply. It wasn¡¯t loud but his attractive low voice reverberated and it¡¯s resonance clearly dug into her ear. ¡°Hurry.¡± Elisha bit her lips tightly and was forced to say, ¡°Please save me¡ª¡± He finally bowed down over Elisha. ¡°Ah!¡± Lucerne leaned over and pulled her up. From his momentum, Elisha, heavy, cold and soaked to the bone, fell into his arms. He remained frozen for a moment. Her whole body trembled. ¡®I¡¯m going to get hit.¡¯ But instead of hitting Elisha, his arm muscles became taunt as if he was measuring the size of her body. ¡°Why, can¡¯t you stand up alone?¡± It was a male jeer as if she attempted to seduce him. Elisha¡¯s whole body heated up. It was then that she realized that he had already let her go. For the first time, she was looking at Lucerne up close, and her breath stopped Because he was so beautiful, so tall. So elegant. Elisha felt a burning sense of shame just by standing so close in front of him ¡ªface to face. ¡°It was you,¡± said Lucerne. His gaze was fixed on the horrific wound that covered and distorted her hideous face. ¡®Last time I was wearing an eye patch¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Thest time they met, when Elisha was in Marco¡¯s mansion. She was wearing an eye patch that covered half of her face. Lucerne would not have been interested in her face. Then the time she hid behind a tree. The day he said she was wearing a green dress, her face was covered by a tree branch¡­ ¡­ . ¡®This is the first time he¡¯s seen the scars on my face.¡¯ So it wasn¡¯t unusual for him to look at it as if he was looking at something strange like this. But her body trembled and numb. She wanted to disappear from the world. Standing in front of this guy¡­ ¡­ . She was too ugly. [t1v: (*?_?)] Lucerne held out his hand. He was looking at Elisha with unknown eyes. He reached out arge palm and covered half of her face. First, it was the burn scar side. Half of her untouched face was revealed under his hand. Then, he covered the other half. So he would now only see the deformed side. ¡°You don¡¯t have to make a face like that,¡± Lucerne said bluntly. It was an oddly absurd conversation. ¡°The right side of your face is distorted like this and I can¡¯t see from my left eye now,¡± stated Lucerne. ¡°But it seems both my eyes can¡¯t see anything. How very interesting.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I only remember your beauty,¡± said Lucerne. His face got closer. He smiled as if amused and pushed against Elisha¡¯s body. And his eyes scoured all over her body. The damp cloth, soaked with water, exposed the lines of her body. In fact, she was wearing a thin dress so even the shape of her nipples could be seen all over the flowing bustier. Elisha blushed with shame. ¡°Cover it well,¡± Lucerne whispered to her, pulled his cloak off and put it on Elisha¡¯s shoulders. It was a very luxurious crimson cloak. ¡°So you don¡¯t look licentious,¡± He whispered a few more words in her ear. Elisha looked at him as he walked away, and she stood nkly. She couldn¡¯t believe Lucerne¡¯sst whisper. ¡°This is thest warning. If you catch my eye just one more time. Next time, I can¡¯t say what may happen but you won¡¯t be able to protest or defend yourself. Since I was pretty entertained by just looking at you today, I¡¯ll let you go.¡± Elisha felt like she had been hit in the head. ¡®Why do you keep poking me? Am I to be taken lightly?¡¯ He was such a man that no woman in the world would be upset if he teased and flirted with them. Elisha only found out two monthster. When Lucerne was attending a temple eventst year, he was blinded in one eye as a result of a side effect of the poison Marco gave him. He ended up cutting off one of Marco¡¯s fingers, sparking Gaju¡¯s anger. Little by little, being amongst the Cartiers was bing more and more hellish. And there was a small change in her heart. It¡¯s so small, too tiny, too pathetic. It was also strange to attach pretty modifiers such as affection or love. A woman¡¯s heart that no one wanted was bizarre and unsightly. She had nothing, but two things. Body and mind. And even those were taken away and broken. Lucerne¡ªhow can you not call it hell to think of that man? But it was too different to merely call it Hell. It kept her awake at night and sometimes made her heart ache. He made her dream even during the day, so she decided to just call it a Little Hell. And Elisha decided to close her eyes, cover her ears, and ignore and turn away from the feeling. Chapter 82: Tpcp 82 Chapter 82: Tpcp 82 Elisha hid the scarlet cloak he had taken off and given to her. Then, she tore the end of the cape. She pulled out an old locket ne and she put the piece of cloth in it. Sometimes on a rainy day in the rippling downpour, Elisha saw the flowers swaying in the water. At that time, she gently touched the locket that she had hung around her neck. Later, she found out that she and Lucerne could never be married, even in her dreams, because of what Car had ordered her to do. Even if Elisha had been wlessly beautiful, the difference between Lucerne¡¯s and her status was staggering. She couldn¡¯t even dream of bing his mistress. It was a feeling that she should not even have conceived of love in the first ce. It was an illusion. But in her struggle not to go crazy she made fantasy transparent and the emotions he gave her gave her a reason to live. So Elisha had to end the feeling herself. Her heart was so wild and ferocious, it was only possible once she had a shock close to the timing of her death that she was finally able to end that feeling. ¡°The year¡­ ¡­ . is the imperial year of 995?¡± It really happened. Elisha turned back time. She returned back in time after her death. Now her heart and mind was as clear as snow. There was no trace of the emotions that was like a blot of red paint on white drawing paper at that time. ¡®There was a time like that. I thought I would never be able to get close to Lucerne, nevermind be his wife.¡¯ She woke up from her thoughts. ¡°Elisha?¡± Against the fence of the monastery, Lucerne was looking at her. ¡°Why is your face like that?¡± he asked with a stiff, nk expression. Nora approached. As she tried to open her mouth, Elisha gave her her wink. If he knew what had just happened, Lucerne would be more than capable of striking Merha with his fist right away. She didn¡¯t want to make amotion in Rosaria¡¯s front yard. An uproar snowballing into a greater upheaval was not what she wished for. ¡°No, here is¡­ ¡­ . It¡¯s the dormitory I used to live in.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Lucerne was unexpectedly interested. ¡°It looks like a ruin.¡± ¡°It looks like it¡¯s under construction right now. It was a very old dorm.¡± ¡°How was it old?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Lucerne was sometimes interested in odd things like this. ¡°Sometimes on rainy days, it was cold and old enough that rainwater leaked from the ceiling. At times like that, the children would gather together, hug and sleep in the same bed¡­ ¡­ .¡± Lucerne heard that and said he wanted to go in. ¡®Anyway, his personality is weird. Why are you going in here?¡¯ Elisha didn¡¯t know what he was thinking. Rather, she was more worried that she would run into Merha again. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go back. I¡¯m not going to live here again anyway, so what is the purpose of looking around? A trip down memoryne is enough.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Sure. Now, the ce I live is in the General¡¯s residence.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ Yes, because you are my wife.¡± Suddenly Lucerne felt a little better, so when Elisha said that she had a headache and wanted to go home, he immediately returned to the carriage. ¡°There¡ªthat¡ª General¡ª¡± Nora was obliged to report the encounter with Merha. But now Elisha knew how to get his attention. She crossed and entangled her arms with his arms. Then Lucerne¡¯s body hardened once. He couldn¡¯t take his eyes off of the top of her head. ¡°Let¡¯s hurry and go quickly.¡± ¡°Er.¡± Nora looked at Lucerne with a rather sad expression on her face. Elisha ced a finger on her lips while he was not looking. ¡®Shh.¡¯ she mouthed silently. Nora¡¯s eyes grew round as she was helplessly swept up by the momentum and was at a loss. Being a naive person, she seemed to be contemting which direction to follow. Elisha smiled slightly. ¡°Why are you like this, so pretty as if you¡¯re up to something.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just thankful you brought me here. I thought it was a ce I could never see again in my lifetime.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ right.¡± Before she was even aware of it, Elisha was able to handle him quite skillfully. Lucerne didn¡¯t take his eyes off her until he got into the carriage. *** You can read more here> Chapter 83: Tpcp 83 Chapter 83: Tpcp 83 Thanks to Elisha¡¯s cunning, Lucerne only found out that Merha had insulted her when he arrived in the capital. ¡°Have you been hiding anything else like that until now?¡± He rebuked Nora as if the situation was ludicrous. ¡°Lucerne, you stayed with me until we got home. No wonder Nora didn¡¯t have time to report.¡± ¡°Right, you go to your room and rest.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± It was even frightening to hear sweet and calm words when it was certain he was probably very angry. Elisha clearly saw his eyes moving towards the sword. ¡°Lucerne, you¡¯re not going to fight Merha are you?¡± ¡°Not long ago I attacked the temple¡¯s knights, why would I do it again?¡± Elisha thought hismon sense was more frightening. Lucerne was such a proud man that he would consider the insults towards his wife an insult to him. ¡°What are you up to?¡± He chuckled. ¡°Our model student. Think carefully. What was Archbishop Rosaria¡¯s favorite saying?¡± ¡°You mean the saying before the tactics ss started?¡± ¡°Yes, that one.¡± ¡°Winning with violence is lowly, winning with scheming is advance, and tricking the enemy to choke themselves is masterful.¡± Elisha realized right away that this time too, she and Lucerne were thinking simr thoughts. ¡°Ah, I understand. Right, I thought so too. I¡¯m d you worked it out before I had to exin.¡± They made eye contact and nodded almost simultaneously. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Nora couldn¡¯t bear it any longer and asked. ¡°Nora. Do you know how to make a person strangle themselves?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ I do not know.¡± ¡°It works best when you drive the person crazy using what they fear the most,¡± Lucerne snickered. ¡°It just so happens someone told me some very valuable information. For example¡­¡± Lucerne motioned for Nora toe closer. ¡°What Merha thinks about, is afraid of, and cares about. That kind of information.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ You¡¯re confident in threatening, so that¡¯s good.¡± Elisha has spoken. *** Merha returned to her quarters in her temple with her triumphant face. It was a small mansion. At first nce, the objects in the mansion were frugal and elegant. However, if you look closely, it is full of luxury itemsparable to a royal family of a country. All of them were purchased with the temple¡¯s money. ¡°Ahem, everyone,e out and listen. I¡¯ve humiliated and shamed that wench properly today!¡± Some adults frequently feel inferior to the younger generation. To Merha, Lucerne was such a child that elicited his deep sense of inferiority. His entrenched sense of insecurity started with Lucerne¡¯s father, Michn, who was dubbed a genius. So, it was only natural that by shouting at Lucerne¡¯s wife he was in high spirits as if he had won a big victory. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Where is everyone?¡± ¡°Hello, your son and his wife are out. And a telegram just arrived. I left it in the office,¡± said the priestly clerk who was walking in haste. ¡°Telegram?¡± Merha returned to his office with his puzzled face. He ripped open the telegram. Tuk. A telegram fell from his hand. [I¡¯ll be back soon. I will arrive in a week. I¡¯ve been wandering in the streets of Yurif for a really long time. Prepare some hot apple ginger tea for me. It¡¯s cold, too cold here¡­ ¡­ . -R-] Initial R. Plus, apple ginger tea. The streets of Yurif¡­ ¡­ . ¡®Risralpho was alive and sent a telegram? What kind of bastard is this?¡¯ ¡°W-w-who sent the telegram!¡± At Merha¡¯s cry, the priest¡¯s face turned pale. He was a newly deployed new retainer. ¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s a telegram, it was from the telegram office.¡± ¡°No. It can¡¯t be¡­ ¡­ .¡± Apple ginger tea was Risralpho¡¯s favorite tea. He was arrogant, so when he returned home from an outing, he would get impatient if there wasn¡¯t a hot apple ginger tea ready. One day, he even dared to throw a teacup at Merha and quarrel. ¡®It was definitely a wound that could not be healed. He was obviously out of breath. I did¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ If Risralpho was alive now. If hees back alive. Everything is over. ¡°What was the description of the telegram staff employee?¡± ¡°Faded golden brown hair¡­ ¡­ .¡± The clerk eximed as if he had remembered something. ¡°Ah! He was tying his hair up with a blue hair tie with the pattern of the temple engraved on the end. I remember because it was a luxury item.¡± Merha¡¯s face turned blue. He vividly remembered the day Risralpho died. He wore a blue coat and traveler¡¯s attire, boots, and tied his hair with a temple-made hair tie. The hairband was an amulet that was said to protect the wearer¡¯s health. Yes, it came to mind very clearly. And the next day, and the next day¡ª Telegrams started arriving every day. [I¡¯ll see you in 6 days. -R-] [Now the capital is near, I¡¯ll see you in 5 days. -R-] ¡­ ¡­ . [I¡¯ll see you tomorrow. -R-] Chapter 84: Tpcp 84 Chapter 84: Tpcp 84 ¡°H-heek!¡± ¡°You. What¡¯s wrong?¡± After waking up from a nightmare, Arien saw that Marco had also gotten up at the same time. The telegram did not only make Merha tremble. He had also shown it to Marco. Marco, whomitted the murder with his father, also shuddered. ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing.¡± Arien had her suspicions. The past few days, the father and son pair had been strange. They stayed up all night with their eyes wide open and were silent at mealtime. Sometimes, the two of them gathered together and talked in hushed and anxious tones. ¡®Did you even embezzle money from a new temple that I didn¡¯t know about? Or are they in debt?¡¯ Although it was oundish, they looked like debtors. They looked very nervous, as if they owed something they could not pay off. ¡®Or is this little bastard still ming me? Is it my fault that thend was taken away? What did you want me to do when that a crazy bitch is my opponent?¡¯ Arien was at a loss. ¡°You, hurry up and get some sleep. Tomorrow is important, it¡¯s a big event.¡± ¡°Right. There is an event for the High Temple tomorrow. It¡¯s a very important day for father to worship.¡± Marco rubbed his chest and said softly. ¡°That¡¯s right, even if there are ghosts, there¡¯s no way they can appear before God.¡± As she heard his murmur, her doubts grew deeper and deeper. *** ¡°Today, too¡­ ¡­ .¡± It was the New Year¡¯s Day of worship. It was the high priest Merha¡¯s role to preside over this magnificent service. It was a day to show off that he was the next great pope nominee. However, for some reason, Merha¡¯s face was ashen and bony as if he hadn¡¯t eaten in several days and his blood was sucked dry. ¡°So¡ª Did the man in the blue suit deliver another telegram? I told you to let me know when hees!¡± ¡°I was trying to do that. Ites and goes at a different time every day and disappears like a ghost. ¡­ . Besides,st time I tried to catch him by force, but the man ran away and all of a sudden I had a telegram in my hand.¡± The priest in charge trembled at Merha, who talked with his hands as much as his mouth these days. While trying to raise his hand, he found the priest¡¯s already swollen cheek, and reluctantly lowered it. He opened the telegram with trembling hands. Besides, today there was also something attached inside the telegram envelope. ¡®Risralpho¡¯s fountain pen.¡¯ Merha remembered the item. A fountain pen with sapphire on the tip. It was a gift that he had given to him a long time ago. Before it had been missing among his belongings. Merha read the telegram. [Today. I¡¯ll be waiting for you in the most visible ce with the best view. -R-] ¡°Arghhhhhh!¡± Merha was irate. Unable to stand it, he threw the fountain pen away. The events of that day came to mind. Risralpho had wanted to build a house in Yurif. He threatened to not obey his orders unless he bought thend, so Merha used the slush funds of the temple to buy it. Whenever he went to Yurif, he would stop by thend andy out his long-winded ns. ¡®Merha, look at this. We are going to put up a fancy mansion on thisnd and hold a party all year round. It¡¯s going to be an extraordinary party. I will have fun until the end of my life. And I will make all my rtives live here.¡¯ Risralpho was not very healthy in the first ce. He believed he would not live long. Prophets were born with powerful divine powers, so they usually had short lives. ¡®If you sign the corpse donation pledge, I will build you a vi or a mansion as you wish.¡¯ So Merha requested Risralpho to pledge his corpse early. But he made an absurdly brazen demand. ¡®When I die, please make my family an aristocratic family. And please divide the money from selling my body in half so half of it remains my family¡¯s money.¡¯ Merha, who had endured and indulged all of the prophet¡¯s arrogance, could not stand it. The fight escted, and he identally stabbed him. Marco heard themotion and ran in. ¡®Aren¡¯t you afraid of God? Don¡¯t you have any affection¡ªyou¡¯ve taken care of me until now, please save me¡ªHigh Priest,¡¯ Risralpho pleaded. He was bleeding from his chest. ¡®Father, let¡¯s just kill him. It is better when a prophet dies and they are still young and intact. Then we¡¯ll get a lot of money,¡¯ Marco said with twinkling eyes. Seeing that expression, Risralpho stepped back in horror. ¡®If I die today, I¡¯ll haunt you even as a ghost. I¡¯ll never forgive you. I will follow you and curse you for the rest of your life! I am a prophet chosen by God!¡¯ Those were hisst words. Marco thrusted the knife into his stomach again. And he did not move any more. At that moment. There was a rustling sound from somewhere. A brother who looked exactly like Risralpho, the prophet¡¯s secretary, had seen the murder scene. ¡®Catch him!¡¯ Merha and Marco ran to catch the witness. They had only been away for a short time, but the body of Risralpho, which had been hidden in a clearing in the woods, had long since disappeared. Merha suddenly came to his senses. ¡®There¡¯s no way the real Risralpho could have returned¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Still, his whole body trembled. He never forgot his curse. Risralpho was a prophet with real divine powers. Wouldn¡¯t the curse of such a person exist? ¡®Let¡¯s calm down. I have to do a good job at today¡¯s event¡ªit will go well. I am the high priest of this country!¡¯ And when he returned to the room, the fountain pen and the telegrams were all gone. *** You can read more here> Chapter 85: Tpcp 85 Chapter 85: Tpcp 85 ¡®Clearly¡­ ¡­ . The collected telegrams are gone. Is what I saw true?¡¯ So when Merha came forward to preside over the service, his eyes were bloodshot and his mouth was twitching. Keen people with sharp eyes noticed that the High Priest¡¯s condition was a bit strange and murmured: ¡°What happened? Blessed one¡¯splexion doesn¡¯t look good.¡± At that moment, Merha spotted a man sitting in the front row on the second floor. He was wearing a blue coat with a blue hair tie holding his braid. His hat pressed down so that his face was not visible. ¡°I, I¡­ ¡­ .¡± Merha¡¯s eyes shook. Then the man raised his hat. He met the man¡¯s eyes. ¡°Risralpho!¡± Merha cried out. People¡¯s murmurs grew into a roar. Risralpho grinned. He slowly opened his mouth wide and spoke only two words. It¡¯s me. ¡°He¡ªheek!¡± Merha, who was standing on the podium, fell to the floor. A buzz among the people grew louder. *** ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Oh my! The election of the Pope is just around the corner, is it a fatal disease?¡± The aristocrats constantly wagged their tongues and left the temple like a low tide. The service was hastily canceled due to Merha¡¯s poor condition. ¡°Oh, how important is the New Year¡¯s worship? Even if he is the next pope, he is a priest. The whole worship service was canceled because of him?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I was saying. Being a member of the Cartier family is of more importance apparently.¡± The public was criticizing Merha like this. Elisha and Lucerne sat in the best seats on the third floor, and quietly and slowly left the temple with the crowd. Said Lucerne, while getting into the carriage, ¡°What a shame. His mind is already wandering at his age. He¡¯s still too young to have dementia, right?¡± Today, Merha¡¯s humiliation was spectacr. He fell on the floor, and urinated in front of the people. ¡°¡­ ¡­ I know. Maybe he was punished.¡± Elisha replied, thinking that Lucerne¡¯s delighted face was indeed cruel and bewitchingly charming. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because he was being mean to you, I don¡¯t know. What a great sin. How dare scold his niece-inw and nephew.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t murder a bigger sin than that?¡± ¡°Your husband did a lot of simr things.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like ying people in war. He murdered a prophet who would have enjoyed a natural life for his own self-interest.¡± Lucerne nodded as if he liked her words. ¡°If he bes an idiot, he will be abandoned by the Lord. I feel sorry for him. Isn¡¯t Gaju blessed with children?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. But he doesn¡¯t like the grandchildren either.¡± Lucerne raised an eyebrow. He readily agreed. ¡°You are not loved by the brightest grandchildren.¡± ¡°There is nothing like that in our family. No you loving me or me loving you. If you have that kind of bond with such strong feelings, your family will be like this. Better to stick together if it¡¯s worth using each other.¡± ¡°Yes, I have to work hard to be useful.¡± Lucerne looked at Elisha and suddenly smiled. He had a bright smile different from before. She was shocked that he couldugh like that. ¡°Elisha. I won¡¯t throw you away even if you be ugly or useless. There will be no tricks, betrayals or deceptions so don¡¯t worry about useless things. It¡¯s a futile hope you¡¯re harbouring that I will abandon you and you¡¯ll be free.¡± Those were the words that made her lips twitch. She was someone who would only be able to look up at him in admiration and envy as flowers fluttered on the floor, and her, curled up below. It was because she memorized his figure that she had no choice but to sate her appetite by looking upon the sunlight that resembled him. ¡®Lie. What man would like a woman with her face ruined?¡¯ Lucerne keeping her even when she¡¯s obsolete? Even a passing dog wouldn¡¯t believe it. She pushed his hand away without a word. Lucerne smiled at how she epted his actions. Then, the carriage thumped. Whoa! The coachman slowly stopped the carriage in a deserted ce. The door opened, and a man wearing a robe tightly wrapped around him got into the carriage. ¡°Wee, Risralpho,¡± Lucerne quietly said. The man called Risralpho walked in his robe. A man with the unmistakable face of the prophet. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m retired, but you keep me on active duty¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°There is no talent like you. If you are dissatisfied, you can educate your junior spies better.¡± This time, Ian bit his lip. He put a hand on his face and slowly removed his skin. The borate, human-shaped mask slowly disappeared from the face. ¡°After all, Lazri is the best in this field.¡± What Ian wore on his face was a kind of magic tool. It borated the shape of a person¡¯s face. Then, after disguising himself, magic was cast over him. The mask with illusion magic added was able to impersonate other people to the extent that it was extraordinary. Moreover, he continued to send the belongings of Risralpho found in the safe to Merha. As Ian appeared and disappeared from all directions, it was natural for him to go crazy. Ian smiled and looked at Elisha. ¡°How was my acting?¡± ¡°Do I need to even tell you? It was incredible.¡± ¡°Wow, I¡¯m so happy.¡± Lucerne said at the sight of Ian smiling. ¡°Cheeky sod. Don¡¯t smile.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ yes.¡± Ian stopped his smile, smirked and settled into a nk face. This time, Elishaughed a little. It was because Ian¡¯s expression was quite funny. The carriage moved slowly towards the estate. Chapter 86: Tpcp 86 Chapter 86: Tpcp 86 You idiot. Shame of the family! That morning, Merha received a letter of contempt and scorn from Gaju. As his heart pounded, Marco had opened the letter instead of his father, who was still clearly out of his wits. ¡®If things weren¡¯t bad enough, I¡¯m my father¡¯s son, the second son that¡¯s not favored by the headmaster.¡¯ He hated his father for making ludicrous improprieties at such a critical time. ¡°What are you going to do¡ªthis happened because you lost thatnd. From that day on, everything went wrong.¡± In the end, Marco vented his feelings on his mild wife. As her father-inw¡¯s strength and wealth grew weak and unsightly, the arrogant Arien couldn¡¯t stand them any longer. ¡°Why is this all my fault? You are justshing out at me because you can¡¯t even utter a word in front of your father.¡± ¡°What? Arien¡­ ¡­ .¡± Arien was usually a sophisticated and calm woman. Marco had never seen her so loud. ¡°I don¡¯t even want to look at you,¡± Arien said as she left the mansion. ¡®I need to change my mind,¡¯ Arien sighed. Although her father-inw had be the dishonor of the family, she still had her followers. She headed to her usual cafe, where she always went. For the nobledies, cafes served as a kind of salon and gathering ce for them. When Arien and Car were both in the capital, there was a fierce rivalry between them. The most famous cafes in the capital were all concentrated in one area. For example, among them, ¡®Autumn Poetry¡¯ was Arien¡¯s regr cafe. So Car didn¡¯t even show up tacitly. While she knew all too well that the cafe next door, Breath of the Spring Wind, is Elisha¡¯s regr cafe. Arien was, in her own way, a popr figure among thedies of the capital. Car, a spoiled only daughter, was popr with men, but was the type that women despised. Arien was haughty about that. ¡°Rx. Everyone gets ill sometimes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, after all, Arien-nim is the daughter-inw of the Cartier family, right? I am sure the Lord will take care of High Priest Merha.¡± Her faction,posed of high standingdies, ttered her with all their might to appease the troubled Arien. Then, the cafe door swung open. Two women slowly sauntered into the cafe. Thedy fawning Arien, recognized the woman in the lead first. ¡°She¡¯s¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I know! I saw her face in Yurif. That person. She¡¯s¡­ ¡­ . Lady Elisha!¡± Thedies whispered. Arien¡¯s hair stood up. ¡®That crazy bitch doesn¡¯t know how to keep the line, so she came all the way here.¡¯ Arien¡¯s stomach churned. To make matters worse, she recognized the face of the woman apanying and talking to Elisha softly. ¡®That person¡­ ¡­ . Isn¡¯t that Princess Illione?¡¯ The eyebrows of Arien¡¯s followers rose. Since she was married to the slow-witted grandson of the Cartiers, Arien could be a little arrogant, but not her followers. If they ignored Princess Illione today without greeting her, there could be dire repercussions. Reluctantly Arien instructed, looking tired: ¡°Go and say hello.¡± ¡°Is that really alright?¡± ¡°Quickly go,¡± she said with patience, holding back her anger. They flocked to Illione while Arien headed to her table where she always sat. ¡®When did this bitch get here?¡¯ Arien found Elisha, standing near her own private table, looking at the paintings on the wall. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Arien asked nervously. Elisha only lightly greeted her eyes. ¡°Are you ignoring me? Why don¡¯t you go ahead and stand in line for the princess?¡± ¡°Standing in line? The princess and I are just friends,¡± Elisha said calmly. ¡°Really? I don¡¯t know about that, isn¡¯t your husband a line-up professional?¡± Arien sneered. There was a hidden meaning behind her words. After the scandal at Merha¡¯s New Year¡¯s liturgy, rumors openly circted that he would not be the next great pope. That Merha was insane. ¡®¡ªThat my father-inw has early on-set dementia. How can such vulgar hearsays¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Naturally, people thought of Gunner, the other candidate for the Pope. ¡®You mean Gunner is openly colluding with Lucerne? Ha. No wonder he is suddenly throwing money and valuables at him for the papal election.¡¯ There was gossip that Gunner was so enthusiastic and keen these days and openly went in and out of Lucerne¡¯s mansion. The reason why Arien dared to use the word ¡°line-up¡± was to ridicule the couple who lined up for Gunner. ¡°It ismon to interact with rtives. You shouldn¡¯t be so tant about your prejudice,¡± Elisha replied evenly without falling for the slightest provocation. With that elegant attitude, Arien¡¯s stomach turned in anger. ¡°Who are your rtives? Your husband is an illegitimate child.¡± ¡°You better watch what you say.¡± She looked at Arien without a smile at those words. ¡°I don¡¯t know about before, but my husband won¡¯t let such remarks slide.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Arien frowned. ¡°By the way, don¡¯t you impetuously keep telling me to stand in line?¡± The corners of Elisha¡¯s lips rose negligibly. ¡°If, indeed, there is a line I stand in, I can¡¯t help but be proud of that line.¡± Arien¡¯sposure was crumbling. Up until now, Elisha had always been quiet. It was the first time she approached her and provoked her like this. Chapter 87: Tpcp 87 Chapter 87: Tpcp 87 ¡®Now am I to be taken lightly? Do I have to be ignored even by a fallen aristocrat?¡¯ Arien¡¯s father was a high-ranking official in the temple and came from a noble family. A few generations before, there was even a Pope on her maternal side. ¡°You think it will make any difference if a baseless disgrace and Gunner collude?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t look at everything so crookedly. In fact, Gunner-nim is very worried.¡± It was an unexpected remark. ¡°What?¡± ¡°A few years ago, Gunner-nim said that he was indebted to Arien¡¯s. He was worried that the misunderstanding that he covets the pope seat would make him lose his friendship.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°People do not know all the good things people have done for each other. Because people are quick to talk.¡± Arien stiffened. Her eyes twinkled and she licked her dry lips. ¡®Yes, of course¡ªdon¡¯t I have a father?¡¯ No matter what, he could not be nominated for the Pope unless he was a member of the Cartier family. Although now retired, Arien¡¯s father was the former Head of the Heretical Inquisitor Center. Nowadays, as an heresy interrogator, he never hunted witches or fought wizards. So, the Heresy Inquisition Department yed the role of detective within the temple. Their main job was to uncover crimes inside the temple, including corruption. A few years ago, Arien¡¯s father took charge of a case concerning Gunner¡¯s embezzlement. Since Arien¡¯s father was inws with the Cartiers, it was only natural to punish Gunner, a member of the Cartier family, with a p on the wrist. ¡®Right. It was then that the Head ordered my father to practically exonerate him. Gunner was nearly acquitted in an outrageous embezzlement case, right?¡¯ At the time, Gaju was angry at Gunner¡¯s actions, but seldom expressed gratitude to her father. He praised Arien¡¯s father by sending precious gold and silver treasures. ¡®If Gunner disappears, your father-inw¡¯s position will not be threatened, right?¡¯ Arien wondered why she never had thought of that. At that time, Gunner¡¯s sin was very clear. Her father would have evidence of that then. ¡®My husband is too inept and my father-inw is in a bad shape these days. Once I get rid of the Gunner myself, I¡¯ll make up for losing thend auction. I guess I¡¯ll have to step forward.¡¯ She hid such thoughts and shed a smile as she looked at Elisha. ¡°You¡ªyou¡¯d better learn more about aristocracy. The world knows that your husband is colluding with Gunner, but youe to me and gossip about Gunner? Oh my, after all, one need to receive quality home education at an early age.¡± Elisha didn¡¯t answer. Arien raised an eyebrow with an arrogant smug smile. She then bid goodbye and left. ¡°Elisha?¡± Then arrived Illione, who barely broke free fromdies dressed like peacocks. ¡°She left all thosedies like this? Wow, isn¡¯t that really impressive.¡± ¡°Still, they have to acknowledge and pretend to be close to Arien.¡± ¡°Indeed. But that girl. Not even making eye contact with me¡ªnevermind saying hello. Aren¡¯t I a princess? Just the grandson¡¯s-daughter-inw of the Cartiers.¡± Illione grumbled with a nonchnt attitude. It didn¡¯t look like she was really irked, so Elisha only mildly nodded. ¡°Pay her no mind. Not even a day or two.¡± It didn¡¯t take a day or two for their arrogance to grow and pierce the sky. ¡°But what happened? Did Arien harass you? You don¡¯t look so happy.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s just because a lot of things are different from what I remember.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Elisha thought, When I was under them, they were like giants and terrifying beings. Oddly enough, whenever Elisha was beaten by them, she tried to understand them. She was desperately trying to survive. But in this different position. In the position were she was on equal footing with them and could meet each other¡¯s eyes¡­ ¡­ . they were too stupid and simpler than she remembered. ¡®It¡¯s not my job to figure out the heart and feelings of the perpetrators.¡¯ Elisha just smiled, wondering why she now realized such an uplicated thing. ¡°I¡¯m going back now.¡± ¡°Ah, alright. I was happy that Elisha asked me to meet her for the first time today.¡± ¡°I really wanted to personally give the princess an invitation to the ball.¡± ¡°Right, you¡¯re throwing a ball in Yurif? Indeed, I think Lucerne really loves you. Rumors have reached my ears that he isvishly preparing for his wife¡¯s first ball.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes, but let¡¯s meet somewhere else next time,¡± Illione proposed. ¡°Elisha, you are too naive. You shouldn¡¯te to this cafe. In the social world, there are rules. I¡¯ll tell you. The cafe called ¡®Summer Jewel¡¯ over there is Car¡¯s cafe. And this cafe is where Arienes and goes¡­ ¡­ .¡± Illione¡¯s exnation didn¡¯t end until she got into her carriage, and Elisha pretended to listen attentively about what she already knew. Chapter 88: Tpcp 88 Chapter 88: Tpcp 88 Lucerne decided to hold a ball for his beloved wife. It was the first time the general was hosting an event like this, so the capital was buzzing with anticipation. ¡°The other daughter-inws of Cartier won¡¯t be able to show their faces out of shame.¡± ¡°Look at how much the High General loves his wife. Aren¡¯t they having a big banquet on thend in Yurif that she won?¡± ¡°The banquet is tomemorate the building groundbreaking ceremony. I heard that all the famous architects were called in topete to build a luxurious vi! He really fell in love with his wife.¡± Lucerne even openly called the banquet ¡°Winner¡¯s Night.¡± People were hungry to know more about the general. Everyone in the capital¡¯s social circles hoped for an invitation to the ball. Even more so, because the general¡¯s wife had never been officially introduced to high society, the ball would also serve as her debut. ¡°Heh, uh¡­ ¡­ . What winner¡¯s party. Unn. Seriously¡­ ¡­ it is?¡± Elisha, the one who first proposed to spread rumors, was lying on the bed with her legs spread boldly since broad daylight. Beneath her navel, where it was wet, was Lucerne¡¯s head. Suck, lick Every time Lucerne pulled his tongue out and in, her waist lifted up, and her pelvis bounced. She twisted her back and let out cries. ¡°I thought it would upset them.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°The women who lost to you.¡± ¡°Ah hmm¡­ ¡­ . So, don¡¯t provoke unnecessarily¡­ ¡­ . Ugh, ah!¡± She shrieked as his mouth sucked up her clitoris. His intense dark hair moved feverishly on her lower half. ¡°You like to tease, too.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ ¡­ .¡± Lucerne put his finger in her gap and started thrusting his fingers in and up. Each time, the sound of water sshed loudly, and Elisha¡¯s vulva tightened around his fingers that kept entering and pulling out. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll suck it all up, so be patient. At this rate, you¡¯ll soak all the bed sheets.¡± He chuckled as she curled her toes in the air. His tongue touched her perineum this time. His high nose started rubbing against her entrance as he put one hand under her right thigh and lifted her up. ¡°Ah, Lucerne¡­hmmm ¡­ .¡± Massaging her slit from side to side, Elisha unknowingly moved so his nose was rubbing up and down her pussy. He gently bit the plump flesh near her entrance. ¡°Huh!¡± Lucerne licked along her vulva. Slowly he lifted his face, put in three fingers this time, and mmed it upwards all at once. At that moment, water spurted out of Elisha¡¯s vagina. ¡°Ah, no. Ah¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha became speechless at the peak of her trembling, her head nk. ¡°Ha, ha, ha¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°You¡¯re panting like it¡¯s over. This is just the beginning,¡± Lucerne whispered. ¡°But you look prettier with your mouth open. Even your tongue is cute.¡± ¡°Really, stop saying that¡­ ¡­ . ah¡­ ¡­ !¡± He clutched his erection, looking like it was about to explode. She reflexively clenched her legs together. ¡°Fine, fine. Let¡¯s keep your legs shut today.¡± ¡°Uh, uh¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°How modest.¡± Doubt mixed with her moans. Lucerne put her legs together and lifted them up. Then, without even sensing that he had twisted her pelvis to her side, he thrusted his cock into her depths in one swift movement. ¡°Ugh!¡± Elisha let out a breathless gasp. His genitals filled her lower body up and was as hot as a fireball. ¡°Ha, uh!¡± A scream-like cry came out of her at the same time he pulled out his thick cock. His genitals rapidly squeezed in and out between her tightly closed vagina puckering up between her clenched legs. The sound of his testicles pping against her chubby mound echoed more nakedly than usual. ¡°Ugh¡­ ¡­ .¡± Every time his penis came out, the mound opened and tightened its mouth like it was greedy for more. Since her pelvis was tilted to the side, the stiff pressure on the right side was more tremendous. As she remained in that position, he brought her legs closer to her chest, promiscuously turning and swirling his genitals in her while prating her. Elisha felt a strange sensation of arge foreign object squeezing the insides of her stomach. An electric current flowed from inside her vagina. Elisha¡¯s insides desperately tightened, pulled, and released repeatedly at the tremendous pressure that pierced her body. ¡°Ha¡­ ¡­ .¡± Lucerne, who ran his hand over her sweaty forehead, released her feet. Her legs that fell with a thud were caught in Lucerne¡¯s hand as soon as it touched the bed. ¡°Ughnn. Hnn¡­ ¡­ . Ah¡­ .¡± He lifted one of Elisha¡¯s ankles. Twisting his back, a lewd wet sound was heard from the pubic areas where his precum and her arousal liquids mixed. ¡°Ha. Oh!¡­ ¡­ .¡± At the feeling of her being stabbed to the inside of her intestines, Elisha helplessly could only make a tittering sound. Lucerne sucked on her heel loudly. A shocking sensation hit her. The round part of her sole was wet with his saliva. ¡°No, but¡­ ¡­ . Ahh ¡­ . It¡¯s dirty.¡± ¡°Between your legs, Ie and out of your crotch all the time.¡± Gasp. ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t I touch your skin on the outside? It¡¯s all in my hands anyways.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Elisha?¡± Lucerne dered affectionately. Despite that, he never took his fierce eyes off Elisha, and his genitals wildly rubbing against her did not know how to stop. ¡°Tell me.¡± Lucerne grabbed both of Elisha¡¯s ankles and pulled them to prevent her from running away. When he thrusted in, the shock of the sudden sh, which started from the opening of her vaginal mouth, was transmitted throughout her body. Chapter 89: Tpcp 89 Chapter 89: Tpcp 89 ¡°Ahh!¡± An incredible shock and pleasure ran down her spine. After that, Elisha could not even shut her mouth. ¡°Are you the same as me? Do you want to devour me like this?¡± ¡°Ugh, ah¡ª Lucerne¡­ ¡­ .¡± His gaze was filled with such terrible possessiveness and held hers. He looked at her with the eyes of a predator. How could she even utter that she wanted him in the slightest? Elisha felt a fearful horror running down her throat. As if his penis prated her as greedily as his eyes, it reached all the way to her end, threatening to mess her up. ¡°It¡¯s too deep. Ahhh¡­ ¡­ .¡± His thick pir approaching climax, pounded in her body, swelling as if voraciously coveting her. Puck puck! Finally, as his cock deeply prated her depths, Elisha started to move her waist with his, utterly intoxicated with pleasure. She wasn¡¯t even aware of how much time had passed or how she moved her body. ¡°Heh, ah!¡± His upper body pressed against Elisha¡¯s as his penis climaxed and continually spewed a cloudly liquid into her body. She orgasmed at the same time as him as he caressed her cheek. As if he had exhausted all his energy in her stomach, he held Elisha down on the bed, exhaling only with a deep breath as he licked away her tears. ¡°You¡¯re so pretty, Elisha.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°And you¡¯re the prettiest after getting drunk off me. Indeed, you are.¡± Lucerne¡¯s red eyes watched her as he smiled. Even after his penis was pulled out, Elisha trembled with a pleasure-soaked look of madness. At the same time, she felt a strange feeling of emptiness. She looked at Lucerne with confused eyes. He pulled Elisha into an embrace. Then, promiscuously, his tongue drenched in her bodily fluid-drenched sucked and licked her tongue. It was a sloppy, obscene kiss. Lost, Elisha frantically sucked on his tongue and hazily smiled. ¡®I feel like I¡¯m going to lose my mind doing this.¡¯ She suddenly thought. It shouldn¡¯t be like this. Pieces of a torn cloak. Transparent fluids. Heated body. She tried to forget that feeling. She should have stayed aloof with her clothes on. But when they became naked and rubbed against each other, that feeling would suddenly engulf Elisha. She could never go back to Hell again. Instead, it was easier to escape the hell other people created without feeling regretful. But the hell that her heart created had no solution. She knew that now. *** After sex, Lucerne always fed her. Sometimes it was chocte or candy, but most of the time, it was a sweet drink. He even gave her water when it wasn¡¯t there. ¡°How do you feel about your debut?¡± ¡°I do not know. I¡¯ve never done it before.¡± ¡°It will be simr to other parties.¡± ¡°But can¡¯t you do something about naming it ¡®Winner¡¯s Party¡¯?¡± ¡°What can I do if your husband has never lost?¡± Elisha remembered that he was an undefeated general. When she thought about it like that it was a rather humble party name. ¡°When the vi is built, let¡¯s go often and rest. You said you wanted a vi in Yurif.¡± ¡°Are you really building it?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ Are you going to keep it in my name?¡± ¡°It¡¯s your spoils.¡± Elisha looked at Lucerne and slowly nodded. She felt like she had won more chips in a casino. Something she would lose if they didn¡¯t divorce amicably. Even considering that, she couldn¡¯t help but think it was a terribly immense gift. ¡°Alright. Since you prepared it with care.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I¡¯ll use it with great pleasure.¡± *** ¡°Father, father! Pleasee out. The day after tomorrow is the pope nominee registration period. It¡¯s an only one-day opportunity. If we do not ascend to the papal throne this time, there really is no future for us. We need to get ready! You need toe out!¡± Marco banged on the door of his father¡¯s room. Merha lost his wits after the disgrace at the New Year¡¯s worship service andpletely shut down. He confined himself to his room and kept reciting that Risralpho hade back from the dead. Marco, trembling at his father¡¯s words at first, now began to suspect that Merha really had gone insane. Moreover, Merha had lost all the telegrams and evidence of contact with Risralpho. ¡®How could that be?¡¯ When he yelled that Risralpho had appeared, there was nothing in the room. ¡°Get out! Get out!¡± Merha shouted and drove Marco away. ¡°Ah, I don¡¯t know anymore. father¡­ ¡­ .¡± Marco sighed, shook his head, and left the room. Chapter 90: Tpcp 90 Chapter 90: Tpcp 90 Within a few days Merha¡¯s face halved and grew haggard. nkly, he stared out the window. [Why, why don¡¯t you open it? I spent a long time in Yurif. I¡¯m tired of wandering for too long. Please give me some warm apple ginger tea. I¡¯d like my favorite navy blue gown. Please call Miha, the priest in charge¡­ ¡­ .] ¡°Go away, go away!¡± Risralpho appeared from time to time, continuing to mumble, banging on the windowpane and then disappearing. ¡°Why can¡¯t anyone see you? That guy is clearly over there staring straight at me!¡± Merha¡¯s was trembling. The ghost spit out facts that only Risralpho knew during his lifetime so he could not consider that the ghost was fake. ¡®My death anniversary is approaching. Come find me in Yurif. Where I disappeared¡­ ¡­ . Please find me there¡­ ¡­ . Don¡¯t you remember? That day, that day¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ He repeated the same thing. At that moment, Merha realized. Today was the day Risralpho died. How could he forget? He knew it down to his bones. Clearly. It was today. ¡°Hmph! Do you think I¡¯m afraid of ghosts?¡± He suddenly came to his senses, put on his coat quickly and left the mansion limping without trimming his beard or dressing ording to etiquette. He left so hastily that no servants or priests attended him. Two boys, dressed as child priests, stared Merha. Then they slowly took off their hoods. The same face appeared. It was Lazri and Lapis. They looked at each other and nodded. ¡°Our delusion magic hasn¡¯t rusted yet, has it?¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s improving day by day.¡± The boysughed out loud. *** ¡°Huh, huh.¡± Merha didn¡¯t even have a pass to go to the magic transportation gate. Regardless, he frantically headed for the ce where Risralpho had disappeared. *** ¡°This is my wife, Elisha, Countess Lor. I¡¯ve married into the family and have taken on her name.¡± Lucerne walked around the banquet hall, greeting distinguished guests. Everyone greeted Elisha with respect. ¡°Nice to meet you, Lady Elisha.¡± ¡°Rumors are spreading in the capital that the High General is deeply in love with his newlywed bride.¡± A banquet hall was erected in the forest of Yurif. There were several tents with beautiful decorations standing in the empty forest. Precious statues and flowers were adorned everywhere. On the top of the tents were decorative magicmps shining in five colors. Plenty of expensive furniture was ced inside tents, which made a space for thedies to rest. Even though it was still in the middle of the coldest season, Lucerne installed many hearthstone stoves in the garden in addition to expensive magic warmingnterns, etc., so the night was as bright as day and warm as spring. The out-of-season soiree banquet was opulent and splendid. People smiled at the skillful hospitality of the young and beautiful couple. ¡°I heard that the general was never a host before, but the banquet is so well organized. How is such an assumption usible?¡± ¡°The food is also very sophisticated.¡± It was themon opinion and reviews of thedies who attended. Of course, it was Elisha who took the lead in preparing this banquet. ¡®It¡¯s easy enough to prepare for a banquet.¡¯ She had prepared countless banquets and tea parties on Car¡¯s behalf in her previous life. So this wasn¡¯t difficult for her. Besides, her budget was overflowing this time, so she just had to select a first-sspany and entrust the arrangements to them. When the banquet was ripe, Lucerne took her hand and walked out to the center of the banquet hall. ¡°Attention please!¡± The butler made a sound by hitting a ss with a spoon. People looked at the couple standing behind the butler. ¡°Thank you foring today. My husband and I have prepared special entertainment for today¡¯s party,¡± Elisha announced calmly as everyone¡¯s attention focused on her. ¡°The game we prepared for today is a treasure hunt. We prepared a memorable prize for the end.¡± Soon Lucerne beckoned. His shadow appeared in the air, the magical beast that belonged to Lucerne. Those who recognized it were terrified. The creature was a feared entity that could take hundreds of lives in an instant. ¡°Do not be rmed. The shadows are your assistants,¡± Elisha reassured them. Soon the shadow swirled as if swimming in the air and multiple shadows grew from its tail. And a few of the shadows soon began to glow with gold in the air. ¡°Those glowing golden are the living ¡®prize¡¯ of today¡¯s treasure hunt. The shadows will hide all over the mansion and garden, so whoever finds them will receive gold and silver coins.¡± At that, the audience cheered. The bag of gold and silver coins prepared behind Elisha looked so heavy that one holding it could get a back injury. Suchvish banquets were very rare even in the capital. ¡°You are very generous.¡± ¡°How fun!¡± The reaction was exceedingly positive as it was the time everyone was intoxicated. As Lucerne motioned, a golden light spread widely. People gathered in groups or set out individually wandering between the tents and the woods. The gorgeously dressed tailcoats and dresses fluttered with their motions. They looked like butterflies flying around at night. Elisha and Lucerne looked at each other and smiled. ¡°I can¡¯t catch it!¡± ¡°I got one over here!¡± The golden shadows evaded people¡¯s hands. Finally, one man captured a shadow. ¡°You caught a little shadow. Here¡¯s your prize of silver coins here.¡± Corinne of the Seed of the ck Lion Knights, guarded the table where the bounties were. He grinned and held out a bag of silver coins. Seeing the middle-aged nobleman struggling with the weight of the bag, he was greeted with cheers. ¡°Congrattions! Congrattions!¡± People apuded and ignited their drive to win. You can read more here. Chapter 91: Tpcp 91 Chapter 91: Tpcp 91 Thank you for the Kofi sarii! (1/5) Soon people from all over the ce were capturing the shadows. ¡°You¡¯ve won a bag of gold coins!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve won an extraordinary sapphire!¡± Corinne announced the prizes loudly. The people who had first wandered without interest, now had a burning determination to win. Their steps grew faster, and desire shed in their eyes. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s decorate the end of the party!¡± Corinne shouted loudly. Then, in front of thergest tent, arge golden shadow appeared. Everyone flocked to the garden. ¡®If you catch something that big, how much treasure will you win?¡¯ Those who thought of that shouted and rushed in. ¡°I-I¡¯m going to catch it!¡± ¡°No! I¡¯ll get it!¡± Soon, the treasure was almost captured. It was that moment. Grrrrrrrr¡ª- A rumbling sound, as if resounding in the stomach of an animal, reverberated slowly from the ground. And the floor, previously grass, ¡®opened¡¯ with a groaning sound. And it showed up. A low-ranking aristocratic young man about to capture the shadow nearly copsed into a hole in the floor. People behind him reflexively grabbed his leg and saved him as he hung from their grip. He was hung upside down, with only his upper body in the pit. The young man¡¯s eyes met something in the pit. ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhhh!¡± The scream of the young man cut through the dark Yurif forest. ¡°There¡ªthere¡ªthere¡¯s¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± The young man dragged out of the pit with thebined effort of the crowd was gasping for breath as if he was on the verge of copse. People couldn¡¯t resist their curiosity and shoved their faces into the pit. ¡°What is this? Is it a surprise event?¡± Ady raised her head with curiosity and screamed as if she was being torn apart. ¡°Ahhhhhhhh!¡± The golden shadow was glistening above the pit. As if to illuminate and stress that the crowd should take a good look at what was about to be revealed. So wlessly, the truth was exposed in the eyes of the people. ¡°It-it¡¯s a corpse!¡± ¡°The ma-man is dead!¡± ¡°Everyone, calm down!¡± Corinne hurriedly ran. ¡°I am a Seed of the ck Lion.¡± He looked at the body and cried out loudly: ¡°Unbelievable. This is a real corpse.¡± Thedy who looked closely at the body, fainted at his words. But Corinne didn¡¯t stop there, he cried out in great surprise: ¡°Lords, please gather around here. This person¡¯s face is unusual.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a corpse, of course it¡¯s strange, what do you mean?¡± ¡°Look here. Doesn¡¯t this man¡¯s face look familiar?¡± At those words, the people again poked their heads into the hole in the ground, observing the corpse. Someone mumbled: ¡°Risralpho¡­ ¡­ ?¡± The face of the corpse was the same as a very famous person. *** The first time Merha met Risralpho was when he was 14 years old. ¡®Sir, please take care of me. I hope to get along with you well. I am ready to learn anything.¡¯ When he first came to the temple, Risralpho knew that Merha was the one who was responsible for even his death, and he was very obedient. But as time passed and people admired him, Risralpho, who realized he was a great being, grew in boldness. ¡°Dare you¡ª you¡ªhumble person. Do you tell me to treat you like a precious person? I am not your nanny!¡± Merha grumbled. A bright golden light appeared in front of him. ¡®But why am I here now?¡¯ He tried to recall his journey. Obviously, yes. He went to the transportation gate. When the staff in charge said it was already closed, he shouted and had them open the gate dedicated to the royal family. ¡®Although I am in charge, it is an absolute secret that I opened this for you. Please help me.¡¯ What did that employee¡¯s face look like? Then how did he get here? ¡®That horse¡ªI¡¯m going to borrow it!¡¯ Then somehow he got on the horse. As he hurriedly proceeded, the horse¡¯s owner gave him the reins and he mounted the horse. Right. That¡¯s what happened. Then he suddenly felt a tingling prick under his nail as if something had been rubbed against it. Merha came to his senses from that point on. And the horse ran to the ce where he was now, in the dark woods of Yurif. ¡®Yeah, he died here. Haha, who would believe such an idoitic thing that he is waiting for me? Risralpho can¡¯t be alive!¡¯ At that moment, the sound of people eximing reached his ears. ¡°It¡¯s Risralpho! Here is Risralpho!¡± Merha fell off the horse and stumbled in shock. He staggered, crawling slowly. ¡®Risralpho? Really?¡¯ Chapter 92: Tpcp 92 Chapter 92: Tpcp 92 There was the patter of footsteps in the dark forest. It was the sound of Risralpho running away. ¡®Right, that¡¯s¡­. that¡¯s what¡­ ¡­ . happened that night.¡¯ The situation gradually unfolded and took hold of Merha¡¯s sight. Risralpho stood among the crowd like a ghost. People gathered in a circle and looked at the ground. ¡®Why doesn¡¯t anyone know? He¡¯s over there.¡¯ Risralpho slowly opened his mouth. ¡®Do you remember? What happened here. I¡¯ve been wandering for too long. Why did you take care of me, raised me, and then stab me? Why, I trusted you¡­..¡¯ Risralphomented, standing like a ghost amongst the crowd. ¡°This bastard! Get away from me! I am the high priest of this country. Risralpho is definitely dead! If he were alive, he would be a ghost!¡± ¡°How do you know that?¡± someone asked. It was a low-pitched yet beautiful voice, like the voice you would hear when you were judged in hell. Merha crawled on the floor and approached Risralpho. ¡°Who is that?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that High Priest Merha?¡± The people¡¯s murmur grew louder. ¡°You must have died here. It was a fatal wound. Even if your brother ran away to distract my attention,¡± Merha paused. But he couldn¡¯t help but have secrets leaking out of his mouth. Howling and out of his mind, Merha recounted the events of that night over and over again. ¡°You must be dead!¡± A golden light shed in front of him. It was then that he came to his senses. The roar of the audience grew louder. ¡°You murdered Risralpho?¡± ¡°Then you mean this body is real?¡± ¡°Who is that? Is he¡­ ¡­ .¡± It sounded like a scream. Merha was sweating in a cold sweat. ¡°No, what I just said¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°That person is High Priest Merha, right?¡± ¡°At first, I thought a beggar had appeared,¡± As someonemented, Merha looked down at his attire. He was in a baggy, ill fitting outfit, his hair in disarray, and with only one of his boots, the other was lost. ¡®This can¡¯t be happening. What¡¯s going on? What happened to me?¡¯ At that moment, Merha met Lucerne¡¯s eyes. Him and his wife stood elegantly dressed against the backdrop of a beautiful mansion shimmering in splendid gold. A fair-haired beauty, Lucerne¡¯s wife, Elisha, was smiling. People in colorful costumes resembling butterflies dotted thendscape. The aroma of alcohol and the smell of sweet food. Glistening magic stonenterns and elegant statues. And when he came to his senses, he suddenly realized. ¡®How do you know that?¡¯ It had been Lucerne¡¯s voice. ¡®What happened to me?¡¯ It didn¡¯t take long for Merha to realize what he had done. Oh, he seemed crazy. Apart from seeing the visions of Risralpho¡­ ¡­ . He couldn¡¯t stop his mouth. Without realizing it, he confessed all the facts and condemned himself. ¡®Right, when the guy lent me his horse and touched me, it stung under my fingernail.¡¯ Merha looked at his finger. There was a bloodstain on the second finger of the right hand. ¡®I can¡¯t remember the horse owner¡¯s face ¡­ . What did he look like?¡¯ A face he couldn¡¯t remember. A spirit that came and went. Merha realized. ¡®You¡¯ve been hit with a confession potion! Someone drugged me on the way here.¡¯ Lucerne¡¯s interrogation skills were quite famous. His ability to induce admissions was down to a science that could subdue anyone. ¡®It was all a trap. It was Lucerne¡¯s scheme!¡¯ Where did this plote from? Merha¡¯s head was spinning. Lucerne slowly approached. ¡°Hey, uncle,¡± Lucerne spoke amicably and lifted Merha up. ¡°I heard rumors that you were crazy,¡± he whispered loud enough for others to hear. ¡°I have affection for the one that raised me, so seeing you in such a state is heartbreaking. Do not worry. Because Risralpho is dead.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Lucerne plunged his face into the pit. Beneath him was the corpse of Risralpho, with his eyes wide open. ¡°Look carefully and engrave it. You have to remember. The famous Prophet you looked after came back as a corpse like this. Isn¡¯t it uncle¡¯s job to check and identify the body?¡± As Lucerne raised him up again, he was trembling. Making idiotic iprehensble noises like ¡°ah, ah.¡± ¡°Your body is frailer than I remember. When you raised me and I was a child, you seemed like such a giant,¡± Lucerne clicked his tongue. ¡°Everyone, from the reaction of High Priest Merha, it seems that this is indeed Risralpho¡¯s corpse.¡± ¡°Are you saying this isn¡¯t a joke made up by the general?¡± Inquired a nobleman who had the courage to raise the question. ¡°I just bought thisnd too, I don¡¯t have time to build something as borate as this. Besides, what madman would y around with the death of a prophet?¡± When he snapped back with a rebuke, the nobleman who asked the question frowned and stepped back. Elisha, who was watching the scene slowly, said graciously: ¡°Lucerne. The high priest is not physically or mentally sound. You shouldn¡¯t shock him,¡± She continued in an affectionate manner and asked him sweetly, ¡°Are you alright, High Priest?¡± You can read more here. Chapter 93: Tpcp 93 Chapter 93: Tpcp 93 Merha jumped. ¡°Let go¡ª let go!¡± The nobles who saw Merha started tantly gossiping. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°I think the high priest is really insane! Look at his eyes.¡± As Merha struggled, people avoided him and stepped aside. ¡°Call the doctor. I need to get evidence! Someone drugged me. The drug made me misspeak. Somebody¡ªsome fucking bastard¡ªdrugged me, so¡ª¡± He pointed at Lucerne. ¡°You did this! The Lord will not forgive you. You will be punished. No. Everything I just said was a lie¡­ ¡­ . It¡¯s a lie. everyone. I am the High Priest, I am the High Priest!¡± Merha shouted when suddenly his face turned ashened. He grabbed his neck on the spot and started to fall down gradually. ¡°Ahhhhhhhh!¡± ¡°Call the doctor!¡± Someone shouted. It was thest voice Merha heard before he lost consciousness. *** ¡°I¡¯m sorry for ruining your debut, Elisha,¡± Lucerne said soberly, with a smile contained in his eyes. But his mouth was not grinning. ¡°Are you serious?¡± ¡°No,¡± Lucerne admitted after he thought for a moment. Elisha nodded as she observed the attendees gathering around Merha¡¯s limp body and Risralpho¡¯s corpse. ¡°I think it was a rather splendid party. If it was possible, I wish it would transpire every night.¡± ¡°How deep is your grudge against our family? You hate Merha too? As much as Jacob?¡± Elisha turned to her husband with her eyes filled with disbelief as if she had heard something exceedingly strange. ¡°Your enemy is my enemy. Because he tormented you when you were young.¡± She didn¡¯t think much of her statement, but somehow it made Lucerne freeze, unable to move or breathe. Since there was a lot ofmotion around them as they whispered and with a cacophony surrounding them Elisha did not notice his bizarre state. ¡°Ah, the security forces are here. Let¡¯s go ahead and wee them, Lucerne.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­¡­right.¡± He moved slowly as she followed him. *** It was only after the security wardens arrived that the ce could be cleared. The mayor of Yurif, who was aiming for a long and peaceful public life by avoiding difficult work, begrudgingly epted the case with bitter tears. And the next day, the shock that began in Yurif swept the capital. Those who donated money to the memorial service for Lysralpo, the collection of Risralpho during his lifetime, and those who attended the biggest event, the bone fragments auction, converged and rushed in the temple. ¡°How are you going to handle this?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t someone say bad luck woulde to those who had Risralpho¡¯s bone fragments? The money I invested abroad has plummeted. I¡¯m going to sue you!¡± ¡°I heard that too. My parents¡¯ health has deteriorated! The bone fragments didn¡¯t even belong to the prophet. What a scam!¡± Additionally it was shocking to find the Risralpho¡¯s body, who had a splendid funeral eight years ago. But what made it even bigger was that Merha appeared at the scene and blurted out that he had killed Lyst Ral Poe. Without witnesses, the scandal would have been suppressed. But that night was the night of a grand ball. There were too many witnesses of high standing. In the end, the heretical inquisitors of the temple came forward and took over custody of Merha in Yurif. They detained him in the temple¡¯s prison and started the investigation. It was truly a major event that shook the empire. High Priest Merha, who was Risralpho¡¯s supporter and protector at the time, was suspected of killing Risralpho. Overwhelming evidence was found in detail as if it had been prepared for discovery by someone else. The tattoo marks on the body, and divine powers of the first-ss priests. And a close examination of the body revealed that LisRalfo¡¯s body was real. In addition, in Risralpho¡¯s pocket, half of the ticket used for the concert at a theater in Yurif was found. The date of the ticket made it clear that Risralpho¡¯s death was eight years ago. ¡°It¡¯s ridiculous that I murdered Risralpho. I was on drugs!¡± Merha kept repeating the same words, but no drug was detected in his body. Regardless, there was no way for him to escape charges, even if he hadn¡¯t confessed at the ball. At that time, he was the one who had verified and retrieved the body, saying that the prophet had died in an ident. Eight years ago, he said he couldn¡¯t handle the excessive power in his body. He had testified that he had died of a fever. But it turned out that it was all a tant lie. In addition, a significant number of the temple leaders were involved. ¡°No, you mean you didn¡¯t even check the body properly?¡± ¡°It means that High Priest Merha, member of the Cartier family, promised that he would personally take charge of everything at the time. Inspection of the body and preparation for the event were all carried out by people from the agency set up by High Priest Merha!¡± About 50 priests were incriminated in one day. All were those in Merha¡¯s faction. Given this situation, people¡¯s eyes naturally turned to Gunner. Overnight he became the next most likely candidate for Pope. ¡®Good riddance.¡¯ People trembled at Lucerne¡¯s terrifying plot. He used a tactic to y his uncle and raise the one that greeted him to the position of Pope. There was no one in the capital that didn¡¯t guess such a fact. Chapter 94: Tpcp 94 Chapter 94: Tpcp 94 ¡°Madam, this is also a gift from the High Priest, Gunner.¡± Ian came in bringing in a bunch of boxes. Elisha thanked him, but didn¡¯t even open the box. ¡°Shall I open it?¡± ¡°Please do. I need to know what it is and send it back.¡± Ian nodded and inspected the box. ¡°Ah, this is the te that Saint Euria used 30 years ago, it¡¯s quite costly.¡± ¡°Aye, he still can¡¯t get it together and read the room¡ªan object from a saint?¡± Lucerne clicked his tongue in absurdist scorn. [t1v: he¡¯s saying the gift is in bad taste since Merha sold off possessions and the (fake) body of a prophet and got caught.] He nced at Elisha sitting across from him. They were ying chess, sitting at a table made of ck marble in the tea room. Elisha nodded her head calmly. ¡°Gunner is very quick to respond. Umm, should this be considered business ethics?¡± When the couple called Gunner to this tea room, they said: if Merha is deposed, do not forget our grace. In one day, the world turned upside down. There are only two high priests, Merha and Gunner, but currently, Merha was imprisoned. Now, all the power of the temple was before him. Gunner only had to run for the papal candidacy tomorrow. The conditions for the candidacy for Pope were simple. On a specified date, a person with a high enough rank would go directly to the temple and write their name down. ¡°It has nothing to do with his morality, but his anxiety. It¡¯s hasty. You never know how the world will turn upside down.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Elisha casually agreed as she knocked Lucerne¡¯s bishop off the board. ¡°If yesterday a man came back from the dead, who knows what will happen to the living today.¡± *** And an incident was published in the evening newspaper that day. The strange events and scandals surrounding the temple still persisted. [The ghosts of the girls who died because of the High Priest Gunner are wailing.] [The amount of the relief fund for the poor that the High Priest Gunner had pocketed is¡­ ¡­ .] [The courageous anonymous informant reported more than 50 children died of starvation¡­ ¡­ .] A long time ago, Gunner embezzled money from the relief funds allocated to the temple¡¯s orphanages. The evening articles about the scandal had detailed evidence attached. The empire was once again turned upside down. It was as if the two candidates for the Pope were struck by lightning and everything copsed just before the papal election. ¡°What the hell is going on here?¡± Within thest couple of days, the atmosphere in the temple had deteriorated to almost terrifying levels. The eyes of the entire empire were focused on and scrutinizing the temple. Under normal circumstances, it would not have been possible to immediately arrest a member of the Cartier family, even if it was just a distant coteral rtive. But now, even Merha, the direct son of the Duke, was already imprisoned by the temple heresy inquisition department. ¡°Let go of me¡ª I am innocent! I won¡¯t let you get away with this!¡± Gunner was immediately apprehended at his private residence in the temple as he screamed like that. Coincidentally, his promations were a direct replica of Merha¡¯s words when he was arrested. *** At that time, Marco was nervously pacing around the room. ¡®Ah, Father. How much hardship are you going through right now?¡¯ Although Merha raised his son with a forceful hand, he had always been a good guide, instructing Marco on what to do on the way. He couldn¡¯t believe the surreal reality that his father was currently incarcerated. ¡®How the hell did my father get imprisoned? We¡¯re Cartiers. Even if my fathermitted a greater sin, how could it have been the case?¡¯ He was on the verge of dying from outrage. ¡®Fuck, are you going to lose the papal seat to some distinct minor cousin like Gunner, like this? Ah, I can¡¯t believe this is happening!¡¯ There was a knock on the door. Then, the door opened, and Arien came in. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°How can I be alright? We are doomed now. What can we do without my father? If Gunner bes the Pope, our contracts will be terminated, our businesses will fall apart and our cash cow will be butchered! Besides, since my father was imprisoned, my path to bing the Head of the family will be blocked. The Lord does not tolerate failure.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Arien smiled with satisfaction. ¡°I got my hands on it¡­. now Gunner will never be the Pope.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Did you forget? When Gunner embezzled the temple poor relief funds a few years ago. It was my father, the director of the Heretical Inquisitor Department, who investigated the case.¡± ¡°So what? Isn¡¯t he retired?¡± ¡°Ugh¨CAre you stupid? Evidence of that incident was still well kept in my father¡¯s office. I exposed the case. Look here. Read the newspaper.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Marco scanned the newspaper with trembling hands. ¡°If Gunner fails to be the Pope, there is no particr person who will be nominated. Then the election of the Pope will be postponed. Now the current Pope will be re-elected for a second term for several years. In the next few years leading up to the next papal election, we just need to get back on track, gain momentum and reinstate Father¡¯s standing. The Lord will support us too.¡± Arien grinned. She believed that she had saved her family. However, Marco¡¯s expression was strange. He looked at Arien, pale as a corpse. ¡°You¡ªyou, what have you done?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ yes?¡± ¡°At that time, your father took care of Gunner and had him acquitted at the request of the Head.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Did you forget? Now, if this case is to be re-investigated did you forget who will be involved? You really don¡¯t know? You¡­ ¡­ .¡± Arien opened her eyes wide as she listened to him. ¡°You implicated the Lord in this case.¡± No! This can¡¯t be. Arien¡¯s eyes clouded over. ¡°I just¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°You¡¯ve cut off our lifeline. Don¡¯t you know the Duke¡¯s disposition?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°You¡¯ve wasted all of father-inw¡¯s endeavors in vain. At the behest of Gaju¡¯s orders your father¡¯s aplisment had earned his praise¡ªand now you¡¯ve negated it? What do you think will happen to us if we contradict the Lord¡¯smands?¡± Marco¡¯s irate shouting grew louder and louder. ¡°What have you done, Arien! Damn it!¡± Boom! He banged on the desk. Arien, who became pale, took a step back. ¡®This¡­ ¡­ . cannot be.¡¯ *** Chapter 95: Tpcp 95 Chapter 95: Tpcp 95 So, on the day of the candidacy for the election of the Pope, the temple¡¯s event had the atmosphere of an understated gallery opening. For the nomination day, a small event in the innermost chapel hall of the Great Temple. A golden bowl was ced on the altar, and the names of sessive popes were gracefully engraved on the lower part of the stand. Those who wished to run for the papal election could write their name and position and submit it in this vessel. [t1v: harry potter vibes~] ¡°If no one runs for the papal office at this rate, the Pope will serve for another five years,¡± said the senior priest in charge of the ceremony solemnly. A handful of people came to observe the candidacy ceremony, and even the Pope came only as a courtesy. The present Pope was also a distant coteral member of the Cartier family. He received an urgent call this morning from the Patriarch. Now that the situation hade to this, he was told to serve a second term as Pope for several more years. The current Pope was over seventy years old. Due to his ill health, he wanted to step down from the papacy. However, everyone was prone to be swayed by power. When Gaju held out his hand once more, he was again blinded by power. ¡®It¡¯s good things ended up like this. Both high priests have been disqualified, so there will be another high court battle under my reign for a few more years. The Lord will contact me directly.¡¯ The Pope was satisfied. If he obeys Duke Cartier as usual, he can earn more money for the next 5 years. And he could sit at the pinnacle of power and respect. ¡°It turned out rather well. Nothing will change in this circumstance,¡± murmured the senior priest in charge of today¡¯s event. When the Pope heard these words, he substantiated them in his heart. It was at that moment¡ª KKkreeeaaakkk¡ª The door to the chapel opened. Someone walked in. It was a dignified stride and the gait of a soldier. ¡°I amte.¡± The Pope¡¯s eyes widened at the face revealed through the door. He jumped up from his seat. It had been a long time since he had met her in person, and it took a while for the Pope to remember who she was. ¡°Archbishop of Rosaria?¡± someone eximed. Rosaria was a tall woman with a wrinkled straight mouth and a very upright body. She was dressed as a priest in a cloak with red feathers, signifying that she was from the temple¡¯s army. She sauntered in unhurriedly, scanned the bystander¡¯s faces one by one, and dered: ¡°I am running for Pope.¡± Rosaria gradually grinned. *** No one who saw Rosaria uttered a word. Then, in the overwhelming stunned silence, Rosaria proudly submitted her name in the golden bowl. People were watching the scene from afar. On the second-floor balcony of the chapel were Lucerne and Elisha standing side by side among the audience. Elisha looked at him and remarked under her breath, ¡°It seems the world has been turned upside down twice after all.¡± ¡°The temple is in such a mess that it has to be turned upside down at least twice before it can approach normalcy. It has already been turned over several times.¡± ¡°Agreed,¡± she willingly concurred with his observations. ¡°So, how do you feel?¡± Elisha asked in a whisper. ¡°It feels so satisfying, like we¡¯re really filling the Pope¡¯s position with your people, not the Cartiers. So, what more can I say with words? I feel so great I want to strip and fling off your clothes and lick my dear wife¡¯s lips.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha licked her lips. Even at a time like this, he was a man who did not forget to tease with provocations. But today¡¯s victory was so sweet she didn¡¯t even want to rebuke him with less than sweet words The two looked at each other, blinked, and then turned their heads in the same direction. Instead of wearing a disguise behind them, Ian was dressed in his knight¡¯s uniform, escorting them. Next to him was Nora, witnessing themotion below. Afterwards, when they scrolled into a quiet corner of the garden where it was absent of people, Nora couldn¡¯t stand it any longer and asked in bewilderment: ¡°Since when have you been up to this? And how did you persuade Archbishop Rosaria?¡± Lucerne clicked his tongue at her questions that came down like a chaotic, rapid waterfall. ¡°Ask slowly, slowly.¡± Elisha smiled softly and nced at her. ¡°Well¡­ ¡­ .¡± Chapter 96: Tpcp 96 Chapter 96: Tpcp 96 Elisha had an expression of perfect tenderness. There was even kindness in her eyes as she looked at Nora. ¡°Nora, sometimes you need a decoy to hide your true objective.¡± Back to the beginning of the story, it was from the conversation between Lucerne and Elisha: ¡®Please let me meet someone.¡¯ ¡®Sure, meeting both is possible.¡¯ When she asked, Lucerne replied casually. ¡®Which one do you want, Gunner? Or Rosaria.¡¯ ¡®¡­ ¡­ How did you know?¡¯ ¡®The card that you gave to me is the corpse of Risralpho. What are you going to do with that card? Of course, destroy Merha. If he is gone, Marco is no big deal. Archbishop Rosaria is the only person you know with extensive connections in the temple. If you want to ask for her help, you will meet Rosaria, or if you want to collude with Merha¡¯s opponent, you will meet Gunner.¡¯ She numbly nodded, trembling inwardly that Lucerne had already understood her intentions. ¡®I want to see both. And¡­ ¡­ . There¡¯s a n I want to implement when ites to Gunner.¡¯ She made a suggestion. The corners of his lips rose innately as she spoke. That too was the same thing as Lucerne had envisioned. She proposed that both Gunner and Merha be overthrown. She rmended that a third figure, Rosaria, rise to the papacy. However, Lucerne was hesitant to decide for two reasons, even with the same intention in mind. ¡®But Elisha, there¡¯s a problem with that n. Does Rosaria really want to be the Pope? And if she does, how long can shest?¡® Thinking about that time, Elisha became nervous again. ¡®I will have a hard time convincing her,¡¯ he said. ¡®Rosaria-nim took a step back from the power struggle. She¡¯s worried that if she rises to the top she will fail to protect her orphan girls. But then we just have to make her realize eventually that the starving season where she lost those girls will happen again if someone like Gunner takes power.¡¯ ¡®¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ ¡®Besides, even if you make Gunner the Pope, he¡¯s a wolf. He¡¯lle up with a scheme to stab you in the back as soon as he has power. Maybe if Gaju reaches out his hand, he¡¯ll grovel to help. But you already know that, don¡¯t you, Elisha?¡¯ Lucerne whispered. ¡®You are trying to make the temple independent from the Cartiers. I told you, that even if Imit treason, I will not be safe.¡¯ ¡®How can someone who has never lost say such a thing?¡¯ Elisha said directly looking into his eyes without averting her gaze. ¡®If you can¡¯t have the Cartier family you¡¯re thinking of destroying it anyways.¡¯ Lucerne raised the corners of his mouth. ¡®Elisha,¡¯ He tenderly stroked her hair. ¡®You can¡¯t fool me. Is that really all there is to it?¡¯ ¡®¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ ¡®Why do you want Rosaria to be the Pope, umm?¡¯ ¡®Because it¡¯s not right for someone like Gunner or Merha to be the Pope.¡¯ ¡®I didn¡¯t know you had such a sense of justice. One Nora is enough naivety under my roof.¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s not like that. I¡­ ¡­ . I grew up in a monastery. It is thest bastion for abandoned children like myself to avoid falling into hell. And I think the role of the temple is to make numerous havens.¡¯ ¡®¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ ¡®Of course, that¡¯s not the only reason. Lucerne, because it¡¯s also in your best interest. Even if you make Gunner the Pope, you will be suspicious of him and the Head and be vignt. Rosaria is a person of integrity, and if she bes the Pope, you will be less suspicious of her. At least she can avoid being reprimanded for doing so because of her lust for power.¡¯ When Lucerne heard that, he promptly asserted, ¡®Great, alright. I agree.¡¯ ¡®Yes?¡¯ ¡®My wife wants it, so I have to listen. I have to win your favor, so I can get between your legs again tomorrow night.¡¯ ¡®¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ She blushed at those words. It was also at that moment that Lucerne realized that from the very beginning she had intended to make Rosaria the Pope. ¡®Stop teasing me.¡¯ ¡®Am I harassing you?¡¯ ¡®¡­ ¡­ you can.¡¯ Elisha answered with a rare obedience. It was not easy to maintain aposure even when talking about work these days. Suddenly, Lucerne stared at her, wondering what was going on. Their eyes met, and at that moment he kissed her fiercely. It would be right to say that she was devoured. ¡®And so¡­.¡¯ The moment their lips parted, their lips were wet with saliva. He gently caressed Elisha¡¯s ass and waist. ¡®Shall we get into bed and n something bad, as usual?¡¯ The n was thus born. She slowly introduced him to the scenery she had conceived. She actually didn¡¯t even need to convince him. Even if she gave a simple hint, Lucerne realized the n, and the ploy flowed like a stream as if it had been one person¡¯s idea from the beginning. The ghostmotion that drove Merha crazy was just the beginning of all these paintings. The couple overwhelmed Gunner. The next step was to convince Rosaria. In a private conversation with Rosaria, Lucerne divulged: ¡®I have something to tell you about Merha.¡¯ ¡®What do you mean?¡¯ ¡®Merha will soon be overthrown. I¡¯ve found out about the serious crime that hemitted, he will never be able to escape because he will strangle himself.¡¯ Rosaria¡¯s face turned white. ¡®Lucerne! Are you saying this knowing that I will never interfere in the temple¡¯s power struggles?¡¯ ¡®Of course I know.¡¯ Lucerne said calmly. ¡®I¡¯ll pretend I didn¡¯t hear that. I don¡¯t want to get involved.¡¯ ¡®You will.¡¯ ¡®¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ ¡®Because if Rosaria doesn¡¯t be the Pope, then Gunner, whom she hates so much, will be the Pope.¡¯ He continued speaking leisurely. ¡®I ask you one thing. Archbishop Rosaria, who endures no matter what happens and stays away from the power struggle. Have you endured it all this time because you are truly not greedy?¡¯ ¡®¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ ¡®Or did you just resign because it¡¯s a losing fight?¡¯ He stared at Rosaria with his red eyes. His eyes from when they first met had be clearer as the years went by. Chapter 97: Tpcp 97 Chapter 97: Tpcp 97 ¡®How would you feel if Gunner, who became the Pope, spent more money than budgeted and started eating the money that cost the lives of your orphans again? Are you confident that you will not regret it when you think about today?¡¯ ¡®¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ ¡®My wife wants me to remind you¡ªAnd she¡¯s a woman who only speaks of correct things, right?¡¯ Rosaria¡¯s hand trembled. It was truly cruel and sweeter than the whispers of the devil. ¡®Two high priests and the post above, the Archbishop. Those are the only people who can now be candidates for the Pope¡­ ¡­ . But my position is literally an honorary position. It¡¯s just an empty position with a fancy name. Who will elect me as Pope?¡¯ ¡®I just need to make you the only candidate. In fact, it¡¯s an election, so spending money on something like a campaign is just too stupid.¡¯ ¡®Do you think the Head will sit back and watch that happen? How are you going to overthrow the two candidates for Pope?¡¯ ¡®If it really happens, you can decide then.¡¯ Lucerne stood up from his seat. ¡®Then, goodbye. My wife always gets in trouble when she¡¯s left alone for a long time because she¡¯s a woman who does big things, so I have to go get her.¡¯ [t1v: LAWL] As he tried to leave, Rosaria caught him. ¡®Lucerne.¡¯ Suddenly, the nominal title she addressed him disappeared, and Rosaria called out his name. ¡®Is it your n, Lucerne, to make me Pope? Or is it Elisha¡¯s n?¡¯ ¡®I will tell you after Rosaria-nim makes a decision.¡¯ He closed the door and left. And indeed, two candidates were obviously disqualified. Due to the scheme devised by Lucerne and Elisha. *** In the carriage Nora and Ian listened to their story and looked at them with admiration. ¡°Then¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°After a very long time, the temple will be out of the influence of the Cartiers,¡± Elisha remarked dispassionately. Nora was shocked. ¡®If it¡¯s the equitable Rosaria-nim, she will really focus on the phnthropy of the temple rather than embezzling money. These two masters of mine¡­ ¡­ . have done a great job.¡¯ She had been a bit resentful towards the couple these days. She couldn¡¯t hate Elisha at all, but she still couldn¡¯tprehend why she would hold hands with someone like Gunner. ¡®I¡¯m so embarrassed I can¡¯t stand it. I doubt you two with shallow thoughts.¡¯ Her eyes were red with unfallen tears. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry. I did not believe in the General and Lady.¡± Elishaforted her. ¡°Sorry. I wanted to tell you, but we had no choice but to keep our mouths shut because we didn¡¯t know what was going to happen.¡± Affectionately, Elisha sweetly spoke to her as if she was her real sister. Lucerne felt strangely offended by her appearance and his stomach twisted painfully. ¡°If she wants to cry, let her cry by herself. She¡¯s an adult, but why are you treating her like a kid?¡± As he grumbled softly, she nced at his eyes and pulled away from Nora. But Lucerne blinked at Nora because her eyes were full of concern. Nora furrowed her expression. Only Ian, who excused himself from this tense powery, could say cheerfully: ¡°Wow, my hard work paid off! It was worth it! It all worked out. Now, then, hanging upside down, pretending to be a ghost, chanting terrifying lines, forging Risralpho¡¯s handwriting to create a fake ckmail letters¡ª-Can I stop doing that?¡± Elisha dered softly: ¡°I was surprised by Ian¡¯s acting skills. It was no wonder Merha went crazy. You did very well until the very end.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because the script is great. A ghost crying out to let you in because it¡¯s cold, I cried. Whose idea was that line? I had only received instructions in a note.¡± ¡°When I was young, I, along with the other children at the monastery, often told ghost stories. Back then, I was terrified of them. It was abination of the childish tales I heard back then.¡± ¡°There is nothing you cannot do, mydy,¡± Ianplimented brightly. ¡°Ian. Well done this time. You worked hard and have been through a lot.¡± Lucerne rarely praised anyone. ¡°Why would you say such a thing¡­ ¡­ . ugh. But now I want to stop doing this. See my hands are shaking. I have delicate nerves, so I can¡¯t be a spy.¡± Lucerne countered in disbelief as if what he had heard was absurd. ¡°Are we speaking of the same fellow that skillfully forges handwriting, a first-ss actor, an expert in disguise, and an acrobat that hung off the roof?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s right.¡± Ian shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Ian, it¡¯s futile to deny nature. You¡¯ve had enough of a rxed life,¡± Lucerne said calmly. If it wasn¡¯t for his contemptuous expression, one would have mistaken it as friendly. ¡°Why don¡¯t we go home and praise Lapis and Lazuli too?¡± Elisha suggested. ¡°They have done so much.¡± Then the carriage stopped. The wagon they rode had arrived in a dark, empty ruin, quite far from the capital¡¯s main road. The road was heading west. However, there was a gate connected to the westernnds, so few people used it. Chapter 98: Tpcp 98 Chapter 98: Tpcp 98 Thirty minutester, a wagon approached from the other side. It was a carriage engraved with the design of the temple. Seeing the carriage, Elisha and her party got off their coach. ¡°Lucerne.¡± It was Rosaria, with a face shining with strange excitement, joy, and tension from rebelling against the temple, who was in the chariot. Elisha greeted her warmly and said, ¡°You have finally made a decision. Rosaria, what was the election result?¡± ¡°I think I should go back to the temple soon.¡± ¡°That means¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha prompted. ¡°I am the next Pope.¡± ¡°Congrattions. Your Holiness,¡± Elisha greeted her softly. Rosaria stopped her. ¡°Mr. Lucerne, I will notmit corruption, nor will I take your side unconditionally. Do you regret it?¡± ¡°Why should I regret it?¡± ¡°When the Cartiers make someone the Pope, don¡¯t they have the intention to wield them at will?¡± ¡°Do as you please. However, please ask for help and if there is mutual benefit we will work together. What I want is for the temple to be managed like a temple.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°And, don¡¯t forget that you got there with my help. I will decide how you will pay off that debt.¡± Rosaria flinched. At that moment, Elisha, who was watching her calmly from behind, opened her mouth. ¡°It will not have anything to do with corrupting the temple. Lucerne has promised me.¡± Strangely, those words reassured her heart. There was such power in her calm tone. Rosaria then nodded. ¡°I also know that I have topromise with the world to some extent¡­ ¡­ . A lot of people in the temple are corrupt, so I won¡¯t be able tost long if I hold on to integrity alone.¡± ¡°You are right.¡± ¡°But I will do everything in my power to purify the temple as much as possible for the rest of my life. To make sure that the next great pope takes over the temple has more integrity than I do. I believe that one day the Cartier family and the Temple will cut ties.¡± ¡°I hope so too,¡± Elisha agreed. Lucerne nced at her but he didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°So then, which one of you nned all this? Didn¡¯t you say you would tell meter?¡± Elisha avoided her gaze and her eyes searched the floor. ¡°The will of the couple is one, so do we need to ask whose n it was originally? No matter who thought of it first, the design and execution that came to mind coincided.¡± ¡°Rosaria-nim,¡± said Lucerne. ¡°Elisha taught me how to persuade Rosaria-nim.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°It seems that from the beginning Rosaria-nim was included in the design Elisha drew.¡± It was as if Rosaria could not believe her ears and her eyes widened in surprise. She received Lucerne¡¯s wink and added, ¡°Rosaria-nim¡¯s monastery was a way of life for me. I¡¯m trying to repay that kindness, so I hope that Rosaria-nim will not forget my husband¡¯s kindness.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Rosaria observed Elisha and then Lucerne, in turn, and she slowly nodded. She bowed down and bowed like a chivalrous knight. ¡°I will never forget this grace,¡± The couple nodded in acknowledgement. They left in their respective wagons. Thus, a person not belonging to the House of Cartier became the Grand Pope. It was the first of its urrence in a very long time. *** ¡°Heh ha¡­ ¡­ . ha ¡­ .¡± It felt like her butt was getting hot. Elisha¡¯s pubic ridge and under her buttocks were chapped from the recent, intense sex. Her back felt like it was going to break, and a single gasp came out of her mouth. ¡ªSlurp As Lucerne pulled out, love fluid and semen from his long, thick cock dripped onto the bed sheets. He patted her round ass with his palms as if praising her for taking it from behind. ¡°Ah¡­¡­ .¡± At the strange vibration transmitted by the trembling of her buttocks, Elisha shook her waist. ¡°It turned red so quickly, it¡¯s regrettable that it leaks out and I couldn¡¯t stuff it with more of my seed.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ Lucerne¡­ ¡­ .¡± After the intense lower-body stimtion was over, Elisha was now forced to suffer from his dirty talk. She groaned. Lucerney next to her, crossed one of his arms andy down beside her, looking down at her. Elisha slowly turned her back andid her down, facing him. ¡°Are you pleased now?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ What?¡± ¡°That we changed the Pope ording to your n.¡± ¡°Am I satisfied? It was the best for both of us.¡± Lucerne gently stroked Elisha¡¯s cheek. ¡°You didn¡¯t forget that promise, did you?¡± ¡°Which one?¡± ¡°If Rosaria betrays me, you will take responsibility.¡± Elisha bit her lip. ¡°When did I?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you remember?¡± At those words, Elisha recalled her words. ¡®People change anyway. Would Rosaria-nim be any different?¡¯ ¡®Trust her and you can punish me.¡¯ ¡®What do you mean?¡¯ ¡®If you get stabbed in the back, you¡¯ll be angry so release it on me, the coteral, in that case.¡¯ ¡®¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ He wasn¡¯t not wrong, she bit her lip. Lucerne shoved his finger into her lower lip and into her mouth while stirring it. ¡°Ahgh¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°So, coteral is coteral, and rewards are rewards,¡± Lucerne whispered and then asked, ¡°What do you want as a reward this time?¡± Chapter 99: Tpcp 99 Chapter 99: Tpcp 99 Elisha¡¯s cheeks were glowing pink when his fingers that had been whipping around her mouth came out. ¡°The truth.¡± [t1v: Elisha is saying this] ¡°¡­ ¡­ What truth?¡± ¡°I want to hear about you.¡± Lucerne often had this kind of expressiontely. His ck pupils in his red eyes constricted, and he examined her like a beast that had seen something unfamiliar. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°You¡¯re my lifeline, would it be strange that I want to know more about you? Those who are below want to know about those above them, and those who are above them have no interest in those below them.¡± It was aw that applied to every interaction from friendship, to the rtionship between lovers and soldiers. There is no rtionship without rank in the world. It was what Elisha learned from her previous life experiences. ¡°Are you grumbling for my attention?¡± ¡°Do you really think so?¡± ¡°No,¡± Lucerne answered a few secondster. ¡°I just wanted to let you knowining would work.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I wonder if you know how much I care about you.¡± He kissed her lips. ¡°What are you curious about? Tell me.¡± Suddenly, Elisha had a strange sensation. Very useless questions came to mind: Why do you keep making fun and teasing me like this? Are you really interested in me¡­ ¡­ . Perhaps. Even the slightest emotion¡­ ¡­ . Do you hold any for me? If so, what kind of sentiment it is? ¡®I must be crazy.¡¯ These were thoughts that were of no help to her survival. Elisha tried to dismiss those thoughts. ¡°On the day of Yurif¡¯s banquet. When you led Merha to the site where Risralpho¡¯s corpse was located¡­. I want to ask you about that first.¡± ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°It was our n to lure Merha there, and then show people how he copsed. To make things big. However¡­ ¡­ . I didn¡¯t know at that time that Merha would even confess. At that time, he was extremely excited in his insane state. In fact, there were punctures under his fingernails. But right after that, when the doctor arrived¡­ ¡­ . She said that there were no traces of the use of confessional drugs or hallucinogens on Merha¡¯s body.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°What kind of drug did you use at that time?¡± When she first met Lucerne, she had told him that he should interrogate her using his truth-telling serums if he doubted her. Jacob trained his minions against those narcotics. Elisha in her previous life also received that training. Confessional drugs were not narcotics that you could develop a tolerance for. However, if you acted as you were trained when it was injected, you could endure it to a certain extent. So Elisha thought that no matter how strong the truth-telling serum Lucerne used, she would be able to control her mind and tongue. ¡®But it¡¯s a confession agent that can¡¯t even be detected in the body and almost made Merha go insane.¡¯ Her hair stood up. Even she wasn¡¯t confident she could resist anything like that. ¡°Well, what do you think?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ I can¡¯t figure it out.¡± ¡°Merha was hurriedly riding on the horse andnced himself with the reins. I never stabbed any drugs in him.¡± ¡°Then is there a confession agent that is not a drug?¡± Lucerne beckoned. Shhhaaa¡ª A shadow floated over Elisha¡¯s head. ¡°This fellow can induce confessions.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°The shadow is a living beast and a sorcerer. Of course he can do that much.¡± ¡°Then the rumors about you¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha recalled the hearsays she had heard in her previous life. Lucerne was a master interrogator and could make anyone divulge the truth through flogging and confession drugs. Some people came out half out of their mind. ¡°It is a secret, Elisha. Not much is known about my magical beast, so I¡¯m trying to hide it as myst card.¡± The back of Elisha¡¯s head felt hot. ¡®Can I safely obtain a divorce from a person like this and get out of here?¡¯ Elisha already knew many of his secrets. He clicked his tongue as he saw the fear spread in her eyes. ¡°Are you afraid now?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ no.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ Come to think of it, when you first met me, you said you were willing to go through a confession session.¡± Her face remained nk. ¡°Now I want to decline.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want that to happen, do you?¡± Lucerne chuckled. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to use it either. So, in the future, don¡¯t keep secrets from me and be a good wife. It¡¯s not difficult, because you are excellent.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Elisha froze and nodded. ¡°So, is this really all you wanted to know?¡± ¡°I want to hear more about you,¡± Elisha said softly. ¡°What was your mother like?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ you really want to hear everything.¡± Lucerne¡¯s face hardened with displeasure and Elisha¡¯s eyes fluttered and trembled at the sight. Even though the two of them went through a lot together and got closer, it didn¡¯t mean she wasn¡¯t afraid of him. She knew she was someone he could make disappear at any time if she wronged him. Elisha¡¯s fear took over her, and as soon as Lucerne met her trembling eyes, he slowly calmed down. He continued to stroke her, trying to appease and soothe her. ¡°Is it information you want to use?¡± ¡°Just curious.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the same excuse you gave before.¡± ¡°No one cares about your mother. So,¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I just want to know¡­ ¡­ .¡± Lucerne paused. He pulled out a nket and covered her with it. Chapter 100: Tpcp 100 Chapter 100: Tpcp 100 He pulled out a tin case at his bedside and pushed a candy into Elisha¡¯s mouth. She epted it with familiarity. As the candy melted in her mouth, she looked at Lucerne. ¡°This is also a secret, Elisha.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°My mother was a crazy woman, afraid the Cartiers woulde after me. So we lived in a secluded, ruined house. She was always smiling like an idiot as she stroked my head andforted me. She was always singing too, sometimes folk songs, sometimes humming the story of my birth, or the story of the first time she met my father.¡± Elisha didn¡¯t know what to say. Who would believe it? This indomitable man, with nothing to fear but whom everyone was afraid of, had an insane mother. ¡°What song did she sing?¡± ¡°A song called the ck Wall.¡± Elisha searched her memories: Oh oh oh~ Don¡¯t go outside the ck wall. Outside, the world is hell. Baby, let¡¯s live forever in her mother¡¯s arms. Oh, my dear child~ ¡°Ah, it¡¯s an old nursery rhyme.¡± ¡°Sing it.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ right now?¡± ¡°Come now. You said you wanted information.¡± Lucerne ced his hand on her lower gut and began to caress her gently. Reluctantly she sang the song a little. ¡°Ah¡­ ¡­ .¡± She sped his hand, stroking her lower back, and teasing her pale pubic hair with his fingers. Elisha¡¯s singing voice trembled every time hisscivious fingers moved in and out of her wet opening. ¡°Heh¡­ ¡­ . stop¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Lucerne bit her ear and fell off. Elisha bit her lip. She ran out of energy in a short time. ¡°When I¡¯m having a hard time, I think of my mother¡­ ¡­ how about you? Did you love her?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have that kind of affection. If she¡¯s dead, she¡¯s dead, and if it¡¯s done, it¡¯s all done and gone anyways. If she was alive, she would have enjoyed what I have now. Unfortunately, that just didn¡¯t happen.¡± Why? Elisha wasforted by the fact that Lucerne was terribly realistic. ¡°I see, just¡­ ¡­ . I was wondering if she was a good memory or a bad memory for you.¡± ¡°How can it be a good memory? A woman who was no less than an idiot barely able to survive with her child.¡± Elisha could easily imagine. Probably, if you were that weak, you wouldn¡¯t have been able to live amongst people for fear that other people would persecute and do harm. ¡°But, sometimes I do think about it.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it was unfortunate. When I was young, I didn¡¯t have much, so I had to use those memories to my advantage.¡± Elisha knew that feeling well. They had simr tragic childhoods. As an orphan girl with nothing, her memory of the love she had received was faint. The memory of being unfairly kicked out by her father hurt her mother¡¯s heart. And she never recovered. Elisha¡¯s mother was a woman who always cried. Later, even the way she cried became a fond memory. Elisha groped for the love, imagining the affection her mother would have given her, and tried to learn to love herself. Although she was not sessful, perhaps her heart would have been even more impoverished if she hadn¡¯t had those memories. ¡°Why do you look like that? Maybe your maternal love is stimted?¡± She rubbed her eyes. ¡°Never, how strong are you? With whom should I sympathize with?¡± Lucerne raised the corners of his lips. He hugged the naked Elisha from behind. He wrapped around her rigid body, immobilizing her, and ced his head on her shoulder, closing his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t pity me, Elisha. It is arrogant to have sympathy.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°But if you¡¯re stimted by maternal love¡­ I guess it¡¯s okay for me to be pitiful.¡± Days and nights that ended with familiar teasing, she was no longer embarrassed. Elisha also slowly closed her heavy eyes. And that night she had a dream. Under arge tree she saw an idiot, whose face was not visible, holding a young Lucerne. It was a beautiful and sad dream indeed. *** Chapter 101: Tpcp 101 Chapter 101: Tpcp 101 Among the capital¡¯s aristocrats, the Cartier family became a hot topic again and again. Although formally Merha broke ties with the Cartiers and became a member of the temple, everyone knew that he was the only surviving son of the Duke. ¡°Oh my! That Cartier is locked up!?¡± ¡°Because he¡¯s a Cartier, he wasn¡¯t taken to the imperial prison! But he deserves the death penalty! How can he be left alone?¡± ¡°He will be punished by the Heavens! How dare he murder the Prophet!¡± ¡°We must bring him out and stone him to death! He must be killed very miserably.¡± From the salons of the nobility to the bars of themoners, and even through the corridors of the temple. There was not one who did not curse Merha. Risralpho had previously saved whole poptions through his prophecies, and was widely respected in the Empire. In addition, the temple was also under fire. ¡°The honor of the temple has fallen to the floor.¡± ¡°I¡¯m happy though. I¡¯m so d that Rosaria-nim became the Pope. Now, at least there will be some change.¡± Merha became the first Cartier to be imprisoned and charged with murder. There was so much evidence that even the Lord could not act hastily. Besides, it wasn¡¯t the only tiring thing the Cartier household was embroiled in. A few years ago, Gunner, who came from a minor coteral branch of the family, was acquitted aftermitting a major duplicity. At that time, the Inquisitor was the father-inw of Duke Cartier¡¯s grandson. The arrangement was obvious to the public. One controversy could have been easily blocked. However, there were three corruption scandals that mired the temple. Merha, Gunner, and the reproachable buzz that they had something to do with forgiving Gunner¡¯s crimes. Thanks to that, Gaju couldn¡¯t get them out easily. *** A week after the election of the Pope. Elisha was tidying up her bag in her spare time. Then, someone came in with her hasty steps. ¡°What is it?¡± Elisha raised her head. The butler looked troubled and stood there. ¡°That is¡­ ¡­ . The Lord has sent a telegram. He is due to arrive at the gate this afternoon, so he asks the madam to pick him up.¡± Her eyes widened. Today, Lucerne was busy all day in the Imperial Pce. He was scheduled to return to the mansionte at night. ¡°Yes, I see. I need to get ready to go out.¡± Composed, Elisha rang the bell. ¡°Mydy, I advise that you should not go. You could just use the excuse that you are sick. I think it would be better to see the Lord when the generales back.¡± ¡°Do you think that exnation will work? The Duke is not an idiot. He probably called today because he knew my husband would be busy in the Imperial Pce.¡± ¡°Madam¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I¡¯m alright, butler. Even if I am to die, I must go there.¡± Elisha hurriedly prepared to go out and took Nora with her to the gate. *** Elisha arrived at the gate at the exact time the Head had notified her in advance. The Cartiers had always used the gates exclusive for the imperial family. Those gates were different from the general gate on the other side. Unlike the crowded public gates, it was very quiet and isted, blocked off by a tall wall. It was like a different world. ¡°The Duke of Cartier has arrived!¡± The guards guarding the gate prostrated all at once. An old man strode past the gate. It was an unbelievably clean gait for his age. ¡®Car.¡¯ Elisha held back a frown that almost dyed her face. Car was walking by Gaju¡¯s side with a charming smile. ¡®It¡¯s obvious even if I hadn¡¯t seen it.¡¯ This was the worst possible oue. Car must have rushed to the Duke¡¯s mansion to prove her innocence, staying by his side to win his favor. She was only slightly involved in this debaucal because she had attended the Yurifnd auction with Arien and Elisha. With a glimpse, Elisha understood the whole situation. She tried to take a step forward. But someone jumped out faster. ¡°Grandpa! Save me!¡± Elisha was startled. The man clinging to the Head was Marco. In just a few days he had been reduced to skin and bones. ¡°Father is innocent, Grandfather must rescue him. Isn¡¯t father the only son of the Lord?¡± ¡°Stupid fool!¡± As soon as Gaju saw Marco, he burst into anger. The Lord just kicked him and he fell to the floor. ¡°Do you know what your wife has done? Your stupid wife¡¯s sin is nothing short of yours! Get out of my sight right now.¡± ¡°Grandfather, please!¡± The Duke spoke coldly to the begging Marco. ¡°Call me Gaju. And don¡¯t expect anything from me. From today onwards, you are to stay out of all the family¡¯s affairs. And don¡¯t you dare to visit the Cartier Castle until I call you. People like Merha, you and your wife don¡¯t deserve to be members of the family.¡± Marco¡¯s face looked as if he had been sentenced to death. He was trembling, but did not dare to cling to the Lord again. ¡°Car is scared.¡± Even Car, who always smiled, had a pale face. ¡°You, take that useless thing back home.¡± The Head ordered the knights behind him, referring to Marco. He shouted something, but soon his mouth was blocked and he was dragged away. Then Gaju found Elisha. He strode towards her. ¡°I greet you, my Lord.¡± Elisha bowed her knees in a graceful curtsy to greet him. Unable to hide his burning anger, and he scanned her. ¡°You,e with me.¡± Without another word, Elisha was surrounded by the knights in his entourage. Nora was nervous. ¡®Stay still, Nora,¡¯ with that meaning in mind, Elisha blinked at her. ¡®If the Head tries to drag me anyway, resistance will be futile. What can I do?¡¯ It¡¯s as if the Head is a deity, Elisha thought mutely. You can read more here. Chapter 102: Tpcp 102 Chapter 102: Tpcp 102 As if she had been kidnapped, the ce where Elisha was brought was unexpected: It was Jacob¡¯s mansion. ¡°Gaju, is staying at our house, right? Car is so happy. We¡¯ve been decorating your guest room for three days. Car hopes you stay here for a long time.¡± [t1v: Car speaks of herself in 3rd person to be ¡®cute¡¯ *gag*] For a moment, Elisha was perplexed as to whether it was more painful to have to hear Car¡¯s babbling, or whether it was more unbearable for her to be dragged into Jacob¡¯s hellish mansion. Because both were downright terrifying. ¡°There has been contact with the general. If he hears about the situation now, he will do something about it,¡± Nora whispered. ¡°Probably Lucerne won¡¯te,¡± Elisha whispered. Nora¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What?¡± Lucerne had said as he went out in the morning: ¡®Soon, the Head wille or call us. And I¡¯m going to find out who it will be between you and me.¡¯ ¡®Why between us?¡¯ ¡®Gaju also hears rumors.¡¯ ¡®Ah, you mean the rumor that after you married me, you became blind to women and started a reckless fight with Cartier enemies?¡¯ To be precise, it was rumored that Elisha was corrupting him. Lucerne was popr among the people of the Empire, and his wife, was rapidly bing that1viiness. At the same time, she had a reputation for being a rare beauty who possessed Lucerne. Either way, she was neither interested nor pleased. ¡®Yes. After all, I have let him know that I am not blind when ites to you and you can¡¯t control me.¡¯ ¡®I know. I won¡¯t mind it if you¡¯re cold to me in front of the Duke. We shouldn¡¯t be misunderstood just because we covet each other.¡¯ ¡®Why do you understand me so quickly? It¡¯s disappointing.¡¯ Having said that, Lucerne looked at her and grazed her lips a few times. Having received his unfamiliar gaze, she sought to distract herself and helped him button up his military uniform. That was the end of this morning¡¯s conversation. ¡®The Head is worried that Lucerne will act up if I¡¯m missing. He won¡¯te to help me out of my troubles, since staying still will be the best thing he can do to alleviate this impractical misunderstanding.¡¯ Come to think of it, Lucerne had no particr reason to pick her up, even if Gaju hadn¡¯t been involved. If he had toe, it would be out of apprehension that she would make a mistake in front of the Lord. Jacob was not in the house. ¡°Car¡¯s husband is also very happy to do the work the Lord has assigned him! Are you entrusting us with inspections of local businesses? Car is very grateful and happy. Her husband wille back when he has grown.¡± As Car fluttered, Elisha learned of Jacob¡¯s whereabouts with a slight headache. ¡®Car, how can I get you to keep your mouth shut?¡¯ Jacob¡¯s house was decorated to the point of being overlyvish. Jacob and Car had different tastes, and they both liked different kinds of mour. So, the two of them, who did not know the proper line,peted to decorate the inside of the house until the inside was stuffed with overly colorful, disorderly, gorgeous items. ¡®This staircase¡­.¡¯ As she climbed the white marble stairs with golden handles in the center of the mansion, she paused for a moment. Elisha from her previous life could never climb these stairs. If she had misstepped here and got caught, it would be a day she would be brutally beaten by Car¡¯s maids. She recalled her room under the creaky old wooden stairs that the servants used. ¡°What are you doing withouting up?¡± Gaju looked at her and asked. Elisha hid her feelings and followed him up. *** Elisha was led to therge drawing room with the maid. When Car tried to follow Gaju in, the Head stopped her. ¡°Car, you go out.¡± ¡°But Car¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Leave us.¡± As she walked out reluctantly, Gaju looked coldly at Elisha. The murderous aura emanating from his body was notcking even if he had been a butcher rather than a head of a prestigious family. Elisha¡¯s hands were wet with cold sweat. ¡°Did you whisper into Lucerne¡¯s ear and manipte him?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t pretend you don¡¯t know!¡± Gaju roared. ¡°I know you grew up in one of Rosaria¡¯s monasteries and I know that Lucerne recently took you to see her. Do you think I¡¯d be so stupid that I wouldn¡¯t be able to see through it? You have dared to be hostile to the Cartiers and take the temple out of our hands, so I must punish you severly.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha was quietly listening to Gaju. The corners of her eyes trembled slightly, but she still donned a detached expression and looked aloof. ¡°Lucerne knows that even I can¡¯t touch my family easily. But you are different. I will decide whether or not to send you back today based on your answer. Why the hell did you do such a thing?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what my husband does. My work is to give him the Count¡¯s title, not to dictate his will.¡± ¡°Are you treating me like a fool? Know that the more you use your mouth to try and fool me, the more of your tongue you will lose.¡± Elisha looked into his eyes calmly. The Head internally flinched: Why the hell wasn¡¯t she scared?¡ª he thought it was strange. ¡°I am a nominal wife that entered into a marriage to make my husband an aristocrat. I am fully aware that thinking is above my station.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Since you ask, may I think about it, this time?¡± Chapter 103: Tpcp 103 Chapter 103: Tpcp 103 As she spoke, her eyes lit up with a subtle re. Dumbfounded, Gaju examined Elisha as if this situation was the height ofughable absurdity. Her polite attitude was as provocative as a knight with a sharpened sword. ¡°Yes, tell me what you think.¡± ¡°It is true that Rosaria thought it would be good to run for Pope. However, it was a vague conception when she did not know that High Priest Merha and High Priest Gunner would be involved in such an unfortunate incident. Furthermore¡­ ¡­ . Why can¡¯t Rosaria-nim be the Pope?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Archbishop Rosaria is too impable, and there are no people in the temple who she can call her own. So what¡¯s the problem?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°After all, you will need people who will take your side, work for you, and y the viin. Does it matter who in the family takes that role?¡± Gaju narrowed his eyes. ¡°Keep talking.¡± ¡°Archbishop Rosaria is a survivor of war, someone who wandered the battlefield. If Rosaria was truly an honest and upromising person, would she have survived so far? Just because it looks good doesn¡¯t mean it doesn¡¯t understandmon sense. Rosaria-nim became the Pope because she took advantage of the turbulent situation, and before that happened, my husband and I announced that we supported Rosaria-nim, so she would not forget our grace.¡± ¡°What kind of influence does Lucerne have on Rosaria?¡± the Head asked coldly. ¡°He did not be the enemy of the family. But he¡¯s still illegitimate.¡± Elisha¡¯s hand trembled. She inhaled her breath and took a deep breath. She could not show the smallest crack in front of the Lord. The Duke was a man that did not give a second chance. He liked people who obeyed him, even if he put a de to their neck. ¡°Why does that matter? Whether he is illegitimate or not. Have you forgotten the beginning of the Cartier family?¡± There was a reason the Cartiers controlled the temple. The founder and first head of the Cartier family was the illegitimate son of the Pope several hundred years ago. At that time, high-ranking clerics were not allowed to marry, so all the children of high-ranking priests were all illegitimate. The power of the temple at that time was so great that the Pope established a ducal family and seated his son in the House of Cartier. After that, they started a usury business, and the family ie increased, until the current power of the Cartier family became much stronger than that of the temple. ¡®Anyway, the founder of the Cartier family was also an illegitimate child, so what if Lucerne, an illegitimate child, interferes with the temple or not?¡¯ Elisha¡¯s logic was this. Gaju understood what she inferred, although verbally unsaid and looked at her as if she was ridiculous. ¡°You really¡­ ¡­ . You¡¯re a fearless woman. Is this what caught Lucerne¡¯s eyes? Huh, really¡ª really¡­ ¡­ . Sometimes I see myself in my grandchildren, but there are moments when I wonder if that Lucerne fellow is actually crazy, so he brings in a girl that is crazier than him?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha silently listened to Gaju. She didn¡¯t know if it was an insult or apliment. ¡°Keep talking.¡± ¡°The Cartiers have been monopolizing the seat of the Pope for too long, so the temple was too corrupted. But the high-ranking priests who believe they belong to the Cartier House are arrogant. If we have an outsider who can exert influence on the Cartiers only once, as Pope, the temple will be purified and people¡¯s eyes will be softened,¡± Elisha exined nervously. Gaju seemed to be thinking about something. She seemed to know how he felt. If Gunner or Merha became the Pope, the Head would have used the temple anyway. But what if Lucerne used the power of the temple instead? He wanted to gauge something. ¡°Are you out of your mind? Are you referring to the origins of the Cartier family in front of me now?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°You have insulted our entire family. If I¡¯m really infuriated, I could kill you for that crime right now.¡± ¡°Thank you for not doing that.¡± Elisha didn¡¯t even miss a beat. Only then did the Head blink andugh. Elisha felt his anger dissipated, and her legs almost lost strength with overwhelming relief. ¡°Extraordinarily, you make meugh. Amazing.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ I¡¯m d to receive yourpliment.¡± ¡°I¡¯mughing because it¡¯s so ridiculous¡ª it¡¯s funny and makes me speechless. Ha, indeed!¡± Gaju chuckled as if he was stunned. Then he naturally called Jacob¡¯s butler and asked to bring her tea. ¡°Sit down.¡± Elisha was relieved by those words and sat down. Her back was sweating profusely. ¡°I see, you are a woman who thinks.¡± The Lord scrutinized Elisha for a long time. She was more afraid of that. Gaju thought that everyone but himself was a dog or a cat. But right now he was staring at Elisha as if he were examining a human. ¡°How is your married life?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ married life¡­ ¡­ huh?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not an enemy, Lucerne is my grandson. So is it strange to wonder about your grandson¡¯s marriage and ask if he is doing well?¡± ¡°No, it is not. It is just¡­ ¡­ . Normal. Everything.¡± Elisha told the biggest lie of the day. ¡°Even a trusting dog won¡¯t believe that lie,¡± Gaju chuckled. ¡°Living with a woman who can manipte me like this with three tongues, and Lucerne¡ªacting like an ordinary couple that eats dinner together, goes for walks, and goes on outings together as a couple?¡± Surprisingly, they did go for a walk together every day, but Elisha did not bother to correct him. Come to think of it, Lucerne had been a bit obsessed with hertely. Why on earth did they go out for a walk together every day? That was something that Elisha was also curious about. Then¡ª Knock, Knock There was a knock on the door. Then Jacob¡¯s butler said: ¡°The general has arrived.¡± Elisha almost dropped the teacup she was holding. ¡®Why did youe? You said you¡¯d give me the cold shoulder in front of the Head just this morning, didn¡¯t you?¡¯ You can read more here. Chapter 104: Tpcp 104 Chapter 104: Tpcp 104 It wasn¡¯t an advantageous move in many ways. Everything was going well, so there was no reason for him to appear in front of the Duke. But at that moment, another strange thing happened. As Lucerne burst through, mming the door open and strode in, Elisha¡¯s heart was strangely relieved and reassured. Her body, which had been trembling in front of the Head, calmed down, and her pulse gradually became steady. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with me?¡¯ She was puzzled by her own condition. In her previous life, she had passed situations where her throat was about to be blown off dozens of times, but this had never happened to her before. ¡°Lucerne, are you rushing in like this because something serious has happened? I¡¯ve never seen you like this before,¡± Gaju noted as he observed as if studying him. Lucerne answered calmly, without moving an eyebrow. ¡°You can¡¯t take someone else¡¯s wife without permission. If you wanted to meet me, I would have gone out if you had told me in advance,¡± Lucerne said without looking at Elisha. ¡°Indeed, it looks like this woman is important to you. You run like she is a treasure, stolen by a thief.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t stand it when someone else takes even one of the worn-out basins rolling around my house. How much more precious is a woman who sleeps in my bed every night,¡± he retorted without a smile. Elisha wondered if he was being sarcastic. Besides, what he said was an utter lie. He was a person who neglected expensive art and golden ornaments that werenguishing around the house. ¡°Why are you so angry with my wife that you dragged her to someone else¡¯s house and harassed her?¡± Gaju¡¯s eyes narrowed. He was trying to figure out whether Elisha would be a weakness for Lucerne, and whether this was just him being grumpy or being possessive. ¡°I heard a lot of rumors about your wife, so I brought her here to see for myself and determine if she is a viiness or not.¡± ¡°Why does someone who never cared about my reputation care about my wife¡¯s reputation?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Elisha,e here.¡± When hismand came down, Elisha felt a chill and she went and stood behind him. His hard back looked wide and big. He was like a wall. ¡°Since you are so smart I can¡¯t pry your dishonest mouth open, I wanted to hear your wife¡¯s opinion on this matter. Regardless, whether I make my family speak or dance, it is my decision and within my authority.¡± This time, the Head spoke without any expression. Elisha¡¯s heart was pounding. It was like watching two different types of beasts face off. ¡°Why is this woman in the family of the Lord? She¡¯s my woman.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you a member of my family and under my power? Yours is mine, and I have no influence on those who favor Cartier money?¡± ¡°This woman is mine, because I bought her with the money I earned from green bonfire sticks. If you have any objections,in to Jacob, who didn¡¯t recognize this gem. I can¡¯t stand people touching my belongings.¡± ¡°Ha, what a cheeky bastard.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you know my nature and still epted me into the family? This personality of mine hasn¡¯t changed since I was five, so it¡¯s toote to get angry about it. If you don¡¯t like it, you should have disciplined me as a child.¡± Elisha thought this conversation was not good for her heart. ¡®Who else would be able to rebel against Gaju as much as Lucerne?¡¯ She was shocked. No one in this country could touch Lucerne carelessly. But if the Head drew his sword, even the imperial family would not be able to protect him. ¡°So what were you so curious about?¡± ¡°What are you going to do in this situation? But your wife was grilling me with her three tongues!¡± Only then Lucerne slowly examined the Lord¡¯s face. And realized that the emotions that lingered on Gaju¡¯s face were not ones of anger, but rather a sort of acidity and interest¡ªthose were his feelings towards Elisha. Lucerne¡¯s momentum softened slightly. ¡°Aren¡¯t you angry about the Pope¡¯s election anyway? What does she know?¡± ¡°Does your wife really have nothing to do with Rosaria bing Pope? Didn¡¯t she whisper into your ear and manipte you?¡± ¡°Whether she whispers or not, she chooses what is best for me, so what¡¯s the problem?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Gaju seemed dumbfounded by the couple¡¯s absurd sophistry that continued like a game of tossing a ball. However, his outrage was already somewhat relieved by talking to Elisha. ¡°You know what your wife says? She insists it doesn¡¯t matter if you¡¯re an illegitimate child or not, since you have some control over Rosaria. Does that make sense? Can Rosaria be your parent?¡± Elisha realized that Lucerne¡¯s outspoken vitriol was certainly inherited from the Lord. It was a venomous tongue. ¡°Yes,¡± Lucerne replied calmly. ¡°Have you gone insane, Lucerne?¡± ¡°Rosaria-nim is a parent of mine. She is my godmother.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ what?¡± ¡°I grew up in a temple, and Uncle Merha raised me myself. But because I was born outside of my family, I didn¡¯t have godparents until I was ten.¡± A godmother or godfather is an oath of guardianship between aristocratic families. Usually, one who is close to a parent bes the godfather or godmother. A godfather or godmother pledge is a promise to take care of a child¡¯s parents in the event of a crisis. In prestigious families, a godfather or godmother was always chosen for a child¡¯s first birthday party. Since he was of illegitimate birth, he naturally had none. ¡°I see. I didn¡¯t pay attention to that part.¡± ¡°At that time, the Lord was not interested in me. I understand.¡± Elisha began to wonder where Lucerne stored his nerves of steel needed to say such things. ¡°At the age of ten, we held a big birthday party to thank the gods for helping me grow up to the age of ten. But by the time I was ten, I had neither a godmother nor a godfather, so I was in a lot of trouble at the temple. I wanted to leave an official record, but there was no guardian behind me.¡± The Head¡¯s hand paused. ¡°Did Merha refuse to stand as your godfather?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Lucerne nodded her head. ¡°When everyone was troubled, Rosaria-nim, who was at the Great Shrine at the time, said that she would put her name as my godmother. She¡¯s such a weak-hearted person. Would she abandon me because she¡¯s be the Pope?¡± Gaju had a thoughtful expression on his face. ¡°So what will Merha do?¡± ¡°I was just on my way to meet Rosaria-nim. She¡¯s my guardian and godmother, so how can she be harsh to my uncle? People are calling for the death penalty, but we can block it.¡± The Lord¡¯s hand twitched at the word death penalty. ¡°He killed the Prophet. The death penalty is usually unavoidable, but¡­ ¡­ . With the exception of this time, after a few years of formal detention, I promised to release him¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ So, you mean a member of the Cartier family should be imprisoned?¡± Chapter 105: Tpcp 105 Chapter 105: Tpcp 105 ¡°I will not hand him over to the imperial family, but let him live a quiet and secluded life in the basement prison of the Great Hall of the High Temple. He will have a life withoutcking anything. Shouldn¡¯t we do at least that much so uncle will reflect? Killed the Prophet. I was worried about the future of our family. Imagine the dying Prophet curses. The downfall of a family is abination of such misfortunes,¡± Lucerne added quietly. ¡°Risralpho was truly a prophet with divine powers. Was he not, Elisha?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. If you thought about your family, you wouldn¡¯t do such a terrible thing even if you weren¡¯t afraid of curses. Wouldn¡¯t the Heavens take revenge?¡± Elisha concluded evenly. Even the Duke could not ignore those words. Although he did not have deep faith nor was religious, he knew that the divine power was a real power, and that it was a miracle when a prophet or saint actually manifested. Gaju asked quietly, ¡°Will Merha understand?¡± ¡°Lord,¡± Lucerne smiled faintly. ¡°At the moment when Uncle Merha was used of killing Risralpho, Marco was also at the ce where the murder took ce in Yurif.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°When I asked about that, he immediately admitted to the charges. Like someone trying to hide something.¡± She got goosebumps on the back of her hand at Lucerne¡¯s calction. Merha was also human and a father. If Marco was also implicated in the murder of Risralpho¡­ ¡­ . he would admit to murder in order to cover for his son and help his future. Gaju was quick-witted. He noticed everything from that little clue and let out a bitter groan. ¡°Really¡­ ¡­ . amazing. Stupid, stupid bastards. If I were to follow my desires, I would strike that shameless Merha right now.¡± ¡°The Lord raised him with great care, but you can¡¯t help it if he did not learn your teachings. However, they are so talented, so they should take this opportunity to change their mind.¡± Elisha summarized. Her words had another meaning: Lucerne had been abandoned, neglected by the Head. On the other hand, Merha grew up with all the education and privileges and still was deficited. Compare them with Lucerne, and the Merha n waspletely short. Take note. At her words, Gaju stared at the two of them. He was constantly tapping the marble table. ¡°Can you manage the temple well, Lucerne?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it if I need to.¡± ¡°What do you need?¡± ¡°What do I need? The Cartiers are already strong and wealthy enough. Is there any reason why we have to make excessive profits from the temple businesses and perpetrate corruption within the family? Besides, the profits from the temple business so far have only lined the pockets of Uncle Merha.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Gaju let out a low sigh and nodded his head. ¡°How many years do you think it will take Merha toe out?¡± ¡°We will figure it out in four years.¡± ¡°I get it, Lucerne.¡± Suddenly, Gaju¡¯s tone of voice had changed. ¡°Elisha, you. Tell me more about that story. What is your external impression?¡± Elisha responded calmly. ¡°Of course, this is better than losing influence over the temple due to High Priests Merha and Gunner business. Even if it¡¯s a show, it¡¯s important that someone outside the Cartier family takes over as the Pope for a few years. Long-term domination sometimes requires selection.¡± The corners of Gaju¡¯s lips trembled slightly. He seemed to trying to hold back his smile. ¡°Anyway.¡± said the Head. ¡°There¡¯s no need to curse because a bad bastard brought in a woman like you. At least, Lucerne, I suppose it¡¯s because of your wife that we¡¯vee to understand each other a little bit.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t a man change when he gets married?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ If that¡¯s the truth, I¡¯ll try to live with her once in a while. You can¡¯t help but wonder how a woman with a tongue like that will stir you.¡± [t1v: the korean saying is ¡®cook¡¯ but it means to manipte¡ªhence ¡®stir¡¯] ¡°If you wish.¡± Lucerne¡¯s eyes lit up for a moment. ¡°Don¡¯t take her when I¡¯m away. What if I want to smash it in my hand? I will never let her touch another man¡¯s hand again.¡± [t1v: he¡¯s inferring he¡¯ll murder her if she cheats on him but the Korean word can also infer he¡¯ll burn her] Elisha¡¯s body flinched. ¡®You¡¯re saying this because you¡¯re in front of the Lord.¡¯ She knew Lucerne¡¯s intentions, but¡­ ¡­ . She was frankly afraid. Lucerne¡¯s words sounded like they were meant to be heard by Elisha. If Gaju tried to persuade her, she had no choice but to imagine his inner intentions that he would not leave her alone. You can read more here. Chapter 106: Tpcp 106 Chapter 106: Tpcp 106 ¡°I know, I¡¯m familiar with you. Incredible! Ah, I didn¡¯t realize you would take advantage of me so skillfully.¡± [t1v: in Korean he says he will be killed and eaten like ¡°you¡¯ll be the death of me¡± plus the motif of Elisha ¡°cooking him¡± aka manipting/handling him with her three tongues. There¡¯s an undertone of him knowing he is being charmed and may be ¡®consumed¡¯/killed because of it] ¡°How could I? I am also the Lord¡¯s grandson.¡± Gaju said as much, but he seemed satisfied with Lucerne¡¯s more intimate attitude. ¡°I¡¯ve always hoped you¡¯d get a good woman and change.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Just do it in moderation and within appropriate measure. Just like this.¡± Lucerne did not reply to his words and instead saluted him a farewell quietly. ¡°Excuse me.¡± ¡°Uh-huh, hurry and disappear.¡± The Head waved his hand in a dismissal. Lucerne took Elisha and left without sparing a single nce behind. Because her legs were so weak, she had difficulty walking quickly. He ced his hand on her back to firmly support her. ¡°Why did youe? I could have gotten out on my own.¡± Elisha whispered fervently to him. They walked across the garden. ¡°I already exined everything when I came to pick you up in front of Gaju,¡± he articted bluntly. ¡°I know you called attention to your care because we were in front of the Head. But you should have emphasized that you were just dealing with a contract wife. You don¡¯t have to do this next time. We¡¯re not even in that sort of rtionship.¡± ¡°Elisha,¡± Lucerne cut in. ¡°If Gaju so desired, you could have been detained for several days. So, could you have stayed happy and healthy every day in Jacob¡¯s house?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha choked up. But¡­ ¡­ . Not a single word of protest could be mustered up against his sarcasm. In fact, she had been full of terror and loathing. She abhorred being detained by the Cartiers for even a single day. Only then did she realize that she should thank Lucerne. Regardless if it was due to his possessiveness or whatever. It had forced him toe for her. ¡°Lady!¡± At that time, Ian and Nora, who were waiting outside the gate, and standing around, ran to them. ¡°I was so worried!¡± ¡°Not much happened,¡± Elisha reassured her. It looked like Nora was still anxious, so in a rare act, she reached out to hold her hand first with a consoling squeeze, and then let go. Ian said kindly. ¡°Phew, it¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen the General in such a state. He did not even say goodbye to His Majesty, and ran to you.¡± ¡°Ian,¡± Lucerne warned. He was clearly annoyed and emotional as he opened the carriage door. ¡°Get on quickly,¡± he said evenly without emotion. Elisha hurriedly got into the carriage. ¡®This man never does anything impractical. He¡¯s a concise and cold-hearted man in all matters.¡¯ Did that cold-hearted man not harbour the slightest hesitation or conflict when he rushed here? She reflected, clenching her fists as he sat down next to her. ¡°Lucerne¡­ ¡­ .¡± He stared at Elisha with his dark red eyes as if to encourage her to continue. ¡°Have I offended you?¡± ¡°Do I look like someone who would be hurt by such a thing?¡± ¡°No, I¡ªjust¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Elisha carefully grabbed his cor. ¡°When you arrived, I was very nervous. I was trembling in fear, hoping I wouldn¡¯t make a mistake. But ¡­ ¡­ . I don¡¯t know what to say.¡± If she improvised her scheme, she could formte it. When she risked her life in front of Gaju to convince him, she could unfurl her mouth and defend herself. Simr crises had urred in her previous life. But being rescued¡ªthere was no such experience like this before. It would have been more advantageous for him to leave her unattended but Lucerne came to take her home. How could she express her gratitude for that¡­ ¡­ . She really didn¡¯t know. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll hope and expect you next time. So you must promise me¡ªand I¡¯ll promise you. I will find my own way to survive.¡± He looked at her, dumbfounded by her absurd words. ¡°Do you have time to think about such useless thoughts? No, instead shouldn¡¯t you look at me instead of soothing Nora? When you look at Nora, your eyes are no different than beholding a lover.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°You make everything moreplicated. You.¡± Elisha felt she was bing more and more clueless. ¡®What does Nora have to do with anything?¡¯ He continued to stare at her. But the meaning of that gaze was different. ¡®Is he getting mad, now? Why all of a sudden?¡¯ Now, Lucerne¡¯s eyes made her tingle to the extent that it was strange. For a moment, Elisha remembered that flower in the water. One day in her previous life. The firm touch she felt in his arms, where one of his eyes had gone blind. That numbing, vague, dazzling, midsummer-like emotion at that time swept over her again in waves. That terrifying breathtaking sensation. She tried to ignore it, pushing it again and tried to pretend not to know her feelings. ¡°Tell me everything that happened.¡± He wanted to tell the story in great detail, so Elisha recited the whole ordeal. ¡°You mentioned the origins of the Cartier family in front of the Head?¡± Even Lucerne looked stunned in disbelief. ¡°If the old man became furious, you could have been hurt.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ . Fortunately, nothing happened. And it worked, we connected.¡± Lucerne nodded with indifference. ¡°I suppose this time he was just calling on you to interrogate you. You should be wary of the caprice of that old man. If he had decided not to send you back, it would have ended only after someone bled.¡± Elisha shook her body slightly. Shepletely agreed with that statement. ¡°What else did he say?¡± ¡°When he asked what our married life was like, I said it was normal.¡± ¡°What is normal?¡± ¡°He asked if we went out for dinner, went out for a walk, and then went on a couple¡¯s night out.¡± Lucerne smiled at the absurity. ¡°There is nothing wrong with that.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°In that sense, before dinner, let¡¯s go out together. I have something I want to show you.¡± ¡°Right now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s something you¡¯ll like.¡± ¡°What?¡± Elisha was extremely tired and she wanted to go straight to her house if he allowed her. She was not in the mood to go to a restaurant or cafe. ¡°I am going to see if Uncle Merha is doing well.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious? A Cartier man is imprisoned.¡± It was truly an irresistible spectacle. Elisha¡¯s eyes changed. She nodded her head slightly. ¡°It¡¯s so¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°It must be a strange sight.¡± The carriage stirred the horse¡¯s head toward the temple. *** Chapter 107: Tpcp 107 Chapter 107: Tpcp 107 Thank you for the Kofi Theresa Frances! (1/2) Elisha had been imprisoned in her previous life. The imperial detention center had also been likewise damp and dismal. Day and night, it was a ce where you could hear rats roaming around, and it was dark and sometimes the sound of people dying. ¡®It¡¯s no different than a temple prison.¡¯ The only difference was that it had a much smaller number of prisoners. ¡°I couldn¡¯t tell you earlier, but I had also forgotten that Rosaria-nim was my godmother. Excellent work, Elisha.¡± She nodded, she knew because she had been next to Rosaria until she was fourteen. She had told him to mention their familial ties to persuade Gaju. As she walked through the dark dungeon, she asked him: ¡°Lucerne, are you really going to let Merha go in four years?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± affirmed Lucerne in an oddly gentle and sweet tone. ¡°¡ªThat is if he is still alive by then.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha sealed her lips. ¡°There are a lot of idents in prison. But I want to take good care of him for four years.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I grew up under Uncle Merha for four years. I also had a lot of idents during that duration.¡± The jailer stood in front of them and greeted them politely. While they were going through the procedures, she inquired further. ¡°Like what, for example?¡± Lucerne lip became stiff for a moment. She nced at him. ¡°A lot of things happened.¡± Elisha imagined the abuse or starvation that Lucerne must have experienced as a child. ¡°The thing I hated the most was, well¡­. There were many children the same age as me in the temple. My uncle didn¡¯t allow any of them to talk to me, so I didn¡¯t speak for months. And that year I suffered from aphasia.¡± With a clear image of such anguish as a small child, an irrational, overwhelming rage against Merha red up in Elisha¡¯s heart. In that instance she felt that this prison was much too good for him. ¡°He must be punished,¡± she whispered. Lucerne did not answer. Just before arriving in prison, he stopped Elisha. She blinked at Nora who followed her like a shadow. ¡°Are you satisfied with watching today?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Or do you want to express your anger by swearing at Merha¡¯s face?¡± ¡°No. For today, I am content with this much.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve judged well.¡± He smiled in joy. Elisha stood still and watched from afar as Lucerne approached the prison cells. ¡°High General! High General. Help me¡ªplease save me! I spent all my fortune on campaigning. Please get me out of here. I am the only candidate for Pope!¡± Someone locked up in the prison cell next to Merha¡¯s enclosure came out. It was Gunner, who aged and looked years older within a few days. Lucerne looked at him as if he were scum. ¡°Pay for your sins,¡± Lucerne dered and ignored him. Upon losing hisst hope, Gunner sank down. He stood in front of Merha¡¯s prison. From Elisha¡¯s angle, the inside of the prison cell could not be seen. Soon, someone approached and grabbed the iron rod with his hand. ¡°You bastard Lucerne! How dare you, the little boy babbling under me stab me in the back?¡± ¡°You¡¯re still a man who stimtes a sense ofpetition,¡± muttered Lucerne. ¡°What¡ª what?¡± ¡°Gunner looks like he¡¯s suffering, but you are so healthy. How you will be able to respond resolutely to hardships in the future. I can¡¯t help but look forward to it.¡± ¡°You¡ª you! My son will not leave you alone! Do you think you will be able to be the Head if you do this?¡± ¡°I think it would be more reasonable to worry about your freedom, let alone the Duke¡¯s session.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°And yet you disy such an idoitic thought process again.¡± Lucerne leaned into the iron cage. ¡°Uncle, I can¡¯t forget the four years you raised me.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I will repay you for the kindness you showed when raising me by taking good care of you in prison.¡± Merha¡¯s appearance was also a big draw for Elisha, but the sight of Lucerne whispering like a devil was so eerie and beautiful that at that moment, she shuddered. She vowed to herself that she should never turn Lucerne into an enemy. ¡°Do you think the Lord will just wait and watch?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already talked to the Lord.¡± ¡°You¡­ ¡­ . You¡­ ¡­ !¡± Merha¡¯s eyes quaked. ¡°You should have known this would happen,¡± Lucerne whispered. ¡°Did I look so stupid like I had really forgotten everything?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Marco is a fool who can¡¯t do anything without his father, so I think the hierarchy of the Cartier family will be clearer from now on.¡± ¡°You will never be the Duke. Do not try, Lucerne.¡± ¡°You seemed to be concerned about everything useless. Regardless of whether I be the Head or not, I have no difficulty in ruining Marco and Uncle¡¯s life.¡± Merha bit his tongue. ¡°Besides, I was lucky enough to find a good wife, and so life is only improving. Life is so entertaining now.¡± Lucerne tenderly tapped the bar Merha¡¯s face was pressed against. ¡°Take care, Uncle. I hope you¡¯ll be healthy for a very long time. That¡¯s what makes the pain worthwhile.¡± Lucerne turned his head. Then Merha found Elisha. He recalled Arien¡¯s warnings that Lucerne¡¯s recent change was because of his new wife. ¡°Damn you bitch! Lowly thing! You seduced Lucerne with Rosaria¡­ ¡­ . Argh¡ª Argh!¡± Lucerne snapped his fingers as if he didn¡¯t want to hear more. A shadow appeared and dug into his mouth. Merha grabbed himself by the neck and fell to the floor, where he rolled around. But he didn¡¯t make a single sound as foamy bubbles of spit came out of his mouth. ¡°You really are out of your mind. Marco resembles uncle and was also scolded for spheming my wife the same way.¡± Elisha held her breath and took in his tall figure. A sense of exhration, fear, and chills¡ªvarious emotions enveloped her. Lucerne held out his hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Elisha.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°So you can y like this with the Cartiers you hate again, how about it?¡± It was as if he was seducing her with sweet nothings. Elisha¡¯s mouth went dry as she took his hand. One of the people of the family who trampled on her in her previous life. The axis was Merha. Today, Elisha saw a steadfast pir crumbling. In other words, it was hope. ¡®Maybe you can really get out of the clutches of this family, if you follow Lucerne like this¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Elisha touched the back of her neck without realizing it. And she left the dungeon without looking back. The warm sunlight hit her face. She had never felt so warm in the sunlight in her previous life. Elisha was convinced: If there was a devil in the world, he¡¯d have the bewitching face of an angel. Just like Lucerne. You can read more here. Chapter 108: Tpcp 108 Chapter 108: Tpcp 108 Thank you for the Kofi Theresa Frances! (2/2) Elisha rose from her bed. It was early morning. Lucerne has been in a good mood these past few days since seeing Merha in prison. That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t let her leave the bed for several days. Tearful and exhausted, she pleaded with him to stop. Eventually, when her legs began to tingle and her mounds started to swell red, Elisha was able to rest. She would then fall into a feverish sleep. Sometimes she didn¡¯t wake up until morning, and sometimes she only slept for an hour or two and woke up at dawn. ¡®What time is it now?¡¯ When she opened her eyes, Lucerne was reclining on the bed, looking at papers. In a dark room, he used amp powered by a manastone. ¡°Are you up?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ Are you not sleeping?¡± ¡°I have some work left.¡± She observed him with her chin propped up by her hand. She rubbed her eyes. Although terribly tired, Elisha couldn¡¯t go back to sleep. After watching him for a while, Lucerne stroked her head with his big hand. ¡°Go back to sleep.¡± ¡°Lucerne.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Examining him, a question suddenly came to mind. ¡°You know a lot about Risralpho¡­ your knowledge was very useful in our ns. Were you very close to that person?¡± ¡°Is it the time for rewards again?¡± Between sleeping together for the past few days Elisha would raise questions and ask about his life. She didn¡¯t want there to be secrets between them. In particr she asked about his childhood or feelings. Although Lucerne was perplexed, he answered most of the time. ¡°I was just curious. You said Risralpho wasn¡¯t a bad guy. I think it¡¯s rare for you to say that about anyone.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Lucerne seemed to recall the past for a moment. ¡°Merha looked down on him for having a humble and poor background. I didn¡¯t know him very well, but he was, in my opinion, a pure man. During the times I was isted in the temple because of Merha and Marco, Risralpho didn¡¯t even care and was good to me.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°One day, I was hiding alone because I wasn¡¯t feeling well, and he took me in and cared for me.¡± ¡®See Lucerne? Look at this gold coin. Don¡¯t be fooled by the scratches. It¡¯s a gold coin minted and issued from ancient times, so they are usually worth five times more than ordinary gold coins. Look, I will cast blessings on you that you will carry into adulthood. A genuine blessing. ¡®This is very precious to me. There is only one gold coin from the year 566 of the ancient calendar. I¡¯ll give you this. Later, when you grow up and have a girl you like, seduce them with this. If you give it as a present, any woman who has eyes to see will like it.¡¯ Elisha¡¯s eyes shook. ¡°What did the gold coin look like?¡± ¡°The year 566 is written on the surface, and there were three wings on it. In the middle was a sculpture of an angel with closed eyes.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ was it? ¡­ a precious thing.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if the blessing really worked. But since I was a boy, I had always carried it with me when I went to war.¡± Elisha knew he had always survived any hellish war. ¡°If someone could survive on the battlefield because of blessed items, how easy it would be to live in this world. Instead, it¡¯s due to your innate greatness,¡± Elisha said frankly. Lucerne looked at her as if her words were surprising. But he didn¡¯t look displeased in the slightest. ¡°Come to think of it, yesterday the butler was cleaning out my library and found the gold coin.¡± ¡°Could you show it to me?¡± Unbothered, Lucerne found the gold coin. ¡°Is this it?¡± She rolled the gold coin in her hand for a while. It was a familiar item. There were long scratches on the edges. ¡®He gave me this gold coin in my previous life.¡¯ The gold coin was given to her to pay for a carriage. The same one he gave her to escape Marco¡¯s mansion. Elisha had no idea why he had given this to her. ¡°It¡¯s an ancient gold coin with such important memories, but unfortunately, it¡¯s a pity that you wasted it. It would have been nice to gift it to the girl you like,¡± Elisha mumbled softly without realizing it. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Ah, nothing.¡± Elisha shook her head. ¡°Nothing¡­ ¡­ ..No, it¡¯s a pretty gold coin.¡± Lucerne said indifferently. ¡°Take it.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ why?¡± ¡°I think I like you. Besides, I¡¯m married now, how can I give it to a woman I like?¡± Her heart started to throb again and her scalp tickled. ¡°You never know. You just keep it.¡± Elisha watched his red eyes slowly cool. ¡°Right,¡± Lucerne¡¯s voice was low. ¡°Do that.¡± ¡°I will.¡± And Elisha remembered that one night in her previous life. To get rid of the affectionate feelings that sprouted within her. As she wept, she dug into the soil in the dead of the night and buried a locked box with pieces of the cloak and the gold coin in it. ¡®There was a time like that.¡¯ Lucerne¡¯s hands held hers and approached. Closing her eyes, she felt his lips slowly ovepping hers. She could block her heart, but she couldn¡¯t help but open her lips to him unconsciously. As expected, the body was more adaptable faster than her mind. As always, with heartfelt precision. *** Chapter 109: Tpcp 109 Chapter 109: Tpcp 109 Lucerne was looking out his window. Behind him, Ian was reporting on the intelligence he gathered. Largely, it was concerned with the disquieting movements of local military troops, but to a lesser extent included the seemingly trivial rumors and news of the capital. ¡°It seems that Merha is regrly trying to persuade his monitoring officer. It looks like he is asking to deliver a letter to Marco. I stole the note and brought it with me.¡± He took it and scanned the message. It was about taking revenge on Lucerne¡¯s weakness. ¡°It looks like you haven¡¯te to your senses yet. Was my filial piety insufficient?¡± ¡°From tomorrow, I will instruct the Inquisitor to serve Merha more appropriately.¡± ¡°Do as you see fit.¡± Lucerne nodded indifferently. It goes without saying that from tomorrow onward, Merha¡¯s treatment in prison would be even more miserable. Ian guessed that Merha would not live long. A pampered person of the noble Cartier family would die of disease if he continued to live like this. ¡®Well,pared to what our general went through, it¡¯s virtually untouched.¡¯ Ian smiled and thought to himself. When an adult abused a child, they would never consider that the child would grow up to be powerful and retaliate. But the child he abused was a seed of the Cartier family and has grown up with formidable strength. ¡°Then what about the message? Shall we pass it on to Marco?¡± ¡°Do that. Once he receives a letter about his father¡¯s sufferings Marco will be so agitated that he will reveal his own weaknesses to us. There¡¯s nothing wrong with instigating him.¡± Lucerne¡¯s tone of reply was uninterested and t. He didn¡¯t take his eyes off the window while listening to Ian¡¯s report. ¡®You are looking at your wife.¡¯ Ian masked his facial expressions. Lucerne¡¯s office hosted a good view of the front garden. And in the garden, Elisha was taking care of the flowers. ¡®Really, she¡¯s the most diligentdy I¡¯ve ever seen.¡¯ Elisha was quiet and unobtrusive in everything she did. But she had a knack for finding things to do. Even today, she seemed to be taking care of the flower garden in her spare time. ¡°What kind of woman do you think my wife is, Ian?¡± ¡°Yes? How dare I evaluate her.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s remarkable when you manage to make sane sounds.¡± ¡°What did I do to receive such apliment? Thank you.¡± ¡°Nevermind. Just tell me this time.¡± Ian kept his mouth sealed for a moment. ¡°She¡¯s perfect. She¡¯s good at everything. Even the etiquette teacher and the piano teacher say she¡¯s a genius.¡± The quiet and dignifieddy gave regard and won the respect of her employees with every action of hers, and there was no one in her house who didn¡¯t like Elisha. Lucerne knew that. ¡®Perfect.¡¯ It was a very appropriate word to describe Elisha. She was beautiful and perfect¡­ ¡­ . Now that she was in the right environment she would continue to shine and be admired by others for the rest of her life. ¡®But it¡¯s strange.¡¯ But so what if she was perfect? That was it. If something was excellent it was natural to be happy by it. But he kept feeling like something was missing. He could have a tantrum even when he was still and looked sane and sensible. Yesterday afternoon, Lucerne saw Elisha genuinely beaming a smile for the first time. ¡®Did you really fix this? How¡­ ¡­ . It was obviously faded and dented, but it looks new. And you put a ribbon. I¡¯m so happy.¡¯ He had never heard Elisha say, ¡®I¡¯m so happy.¡¯ He had never seen her smile so brightly without any intent. A very small smile, but it was clearly blooming. At that moment, a strange thirst came. A fire lit and started to burn in the pit of his bitter stomach. He wanted to hold her and bite her lips at that very moment. He was seething with desire. But¡­ ¡­ .desiring what? Did he just want her body? Even Lucerne could not define these emotions. That evening, Lucerne found her cleaning his study. He impulsively ced her on herp and hastily hugged her on his chair. Elisha did not resist. At first she said his kiss was rough, but soon she opened her mouth and sucked his tongue. It was then that he felt a shiver running down his spine. Slowly, with an irritating tingle. He was only able to quell his ferocity after spending the rest of the afternoon with her. Several times a day, his heart and emotions seemed to leap, sink, then jump. Even now, the scene of her cutting flowers oddly enough felt like an illusion about to disappear. ¡®I can¡¯t seem to hold her in my grasp. You can touch her outside at any moment, but you can¡¯t tell what¡¯s inside.¡¯ As beautiful as the midday sun shining outside the window is, it can also disappear when the nightes. ¡°High General?¡± Ian called him, puzzled. Lucerne took his eyes off the window and looked at him tly. ¡°Did you order the new furniture?¡± ¡°Yes. As you instructed, we ordered the best of everything. But why are you decorating the room in the basement all of a sudden?¡± ¡°In case I go crazy.¡± ¡°What?¡± He thought as she watched Elisha cing her flowers in her basket, directing her maid to something of hers. ¡®I can¡¯t ignore the old man¡¯s hunch. Sometimes he¡¯s right.¡¯ Gaju was afraid that Lucerne might be possessed by her and do something strange. If Elisha¡¯s presence turned out to be dangerous, able to cover his eyes and ears. Lucerne would lock her up in a beautifully decorated secret room. ¡®If that happens, will my heart be filled then?¡¯ Lucerne wondered calmly. It was a rare oddity indeed. Elisha aroused him, made him agitated and a little desperate. ¡®What the hell are you hiding?¡¯ His instincts noticed and shouted rms. Beneath her soft skin lies a tightly hidden heart. She was hiding parts of herself. There were parts she didn¡¯t give him. So Elisha stimted his greedy snake-like instincts. He wanted to swallow and own it in one bite and make her reveal everything. Maybe it was because Elisha¡¯s plots were getting clearer. ¡®If I be Head, there will be a divorce.¡¯ Lucerne had a very pragmatic personality, so he did not believe in Elisha¡¯s ns ¡®the path to be the Duke.¡¯ With the absence of evidence in front of his eyes, he did not take it seriously. No, maybe it didn¡¯t matter. He had no intention of letting her go once she was in his hands. ¡®So, the only thing I can do right now is to earn points of favor?¡¯ In any case, he had no choice but to seduce and deceive her into walking into her cage with her own two feet as much as possible. And taming people with money-wrapped abundance was a specialty of the Cartier family. You can read more here. Chapter 110: Tpcp 110 Chapter 110: Tpcp 110 ¡°Wee, it¡¯s an honor to have you.¡± The most prestigious jeweler in the capital, Tirim, received an unexpected guest today. It was High General Lucerne and his wife. Normally, Tirim was a high-profile store that immediately turned away customers that arrived without a reservation. But as soon as the clerks saw Lucerne¡¯s face, the front door was wide open. Elisha frowned at the dazzling jewels that glinted into her eyes. There were so many gorgeous and beautiful things that she didn¡¯t know where to look first. ¡°Why did you want toe here all of a sudden? Didn¡¯t you say that we were going to discuss temple business over dinner tonight?¡± ¡°To make you feel better before dinner.¡± ¡°I never asked you to buy me jewelry.¡± ¡°A surprise gift feels better,¡± Lucerne replied evenly. Elisha was dumbfounded. ¡®Just on a whim.¡¯ After all, he seemed to enjoy spending generously on his wife. ¡°What would you like to see first?¡± Lucerne winked. Elisha looked at the nearest disy exhibit showcasing a myriad of gems. If she insisted on not buying anything here, she would humiliate him. Besides, she had no reason to refuse. Jewelry was an asset that could be turned into cash at any time. ¡°I think this one is pretty.¡± Elisha pointed to the most conspicuous among the jewels in front of her. She honestly liked it too. ¡®Yes, I can take this much. It¡¯s not even that much to this household.¡¯ The tinum ne had a clean design with a blue sapphire in the center. It was elegant and to Elisha¡¯s taste. Moreover, she thought it would go well with the silver bracelet recently fixed by Lapis and Lazri. ¡°Do you like this?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± When Lucerne blinked, the manager quickly took out the ne and showed it to him. When taken out of the disy, it looked even more dazzling and refined. ¡°I¡¯ll take this,¡± Elisha affirmed. When Lucerne nodded and the manager had a winning smile and said it was an excellent choice. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Suddenly, something caught Lucerne¡¯s eyes. It was a lustrous chain that was polished and processed in such a way to make it more luminous than ordinary gold. With a small diamond in the middle, it looked lovely and bewitching. The manager answered, ¡°It is a trendy essory these days. It¡¯s a product you wear on your ankle.¡± ¡°Really?¡± His interest was piqued. Elisha¡¯s cheeks turned red. ¡°¡­ ¡­ Why are you putting these things in the disy window?¡± Imperial women usually wore long dresses and didn¡¯t reveal their ankles. So, wearing an anklet was for the bedroom. In a nutshell, it was a rather racy item. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, mydy. It¡¯s a very popr item for newlyweds who have recently had good fortune. What¡¯s more, if you wish, you can also have your spouse¡¯s initials and your own initials engraved on the anklet together.¡± Lucerne looked like he suddenly realized something. Elisha got goosebumps. ¡°Why do you like your initials so much? Do you want me to have your name tattooed on my body?¡± She spoke in order to cut off and block any stupid ideas he might be thinking of. ¡°There¡¯s nothing you can¡¯t do.¡± He smiled with his eyes and ced his hand on her shoulder. ¡°Should I show you these anklets?¡± He blinked to indicate an affirmative. ¡°Alright, would you like to see something else?¡± He nced at the disy window, and said impatiently, as if he had already lost interest. ¡°From here to here, everything.¡± Lucerne was trying to buy a whole exhibition. Her head became dizzy. ¡°Oh my goodness.¡± The clerks who heard his deration eximed without censor. Among the young female employees, their cheeks were blushing. ¡°Lucerne, are you serious? How can you buy the whole disy window?¡± Elisha whispered quickly. ¡°Of course not,¡± Lucerne answered sinctly. Before Elisha could take a breath in relief, he continued: ¡°Everything, even the disy window next to that one.¡± Not one showcase, but two. Elisha felt unsteady for a moment. She wasn¡¯t too happy. ¡°¡­ ¡­ . Lucerne¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha was terrified. The manager responded quickly, hoping to pounce on the sale and confirm it before Lucerne could change his mind. ¡°Of course, I will prepare it right away.¡± The staff began to move in a hurry. She looked at Lucerne. ¡°Are you really going to buy all of this?¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°If I wear all of this, I will be like a walking gold and silver treasure trove and be a target for bandits.¡± ¡°The Seeds will go crazy before the bandits can even reach you.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Indeed, he wasn¡¯t relying a fable. Recently, wherever she went, the Seeds were with her. ¡°It¡¯s so dazzling that I¡¯ll blind them. If you wear all that under the sunlight it will only hurt the eyes.¡± Even after she had uttered her words, she wondered why she couldn¡¯t be honest with herself. She was burdened, but on the other hand, she was also a little grateful. Elisha didn¡¯t know how to express thetter, and could only show the former. At this rate she thought he would lose his temper. ¡°You harbor all sorts of cute thoughts. No matter how shiny your jewels are, you are even more stunning,¡± he nonchntly stated. At this point Elisha¡¯s embarrassment turned into mortification. It was because some of the clerks were looking at the two with strange smiles while others were discreetly covering their mouths. ¡°Ahem.¡± The manager coughed loudly once to rebuke the clerks. And in a careful tone she said gingerly to Lucerne. ¡°May we help you fill out the order form in the back room?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°The more you re at me, the more beautiful you be. Don¡¯t do it.¡± ¡°Enough.¡± Lucerne thoroughly began to enjoy teasing her these days. So Elisha was genuinely troubled. ¡°Take this as well, ¡± Lucerne said evenly, pointing to the anklet, and the manager praised the two several times. ¡°The general really loves his wife.¡± Trembling, the manager guided them into the room. ¡®Has everyone gone nuts?¡¯ Elisha was dazed. *** Chapter 111: Tpcp 111 Chapter 111: Tpcp 111 ¡°What are you doing?¡± Elisha inquired once she saw the manager disappear past the door in order to serve them some refreshments. Lucerne nced towards the entrance and summoned a shadow to m it shut. The private room they entered was very luxuriously decorated, but narrow. ¡°Cancel it. I don¡¯t need that much jewelry.¡± Elisha tried to dissuade him to no avail. ¡°Give me your ankle.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°To try it on. I¡¯ll buy it if I think it¡¯s pretty.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ Let¡¯s not buy it.¡± ¡°Elisha.¡± Lucerne scolded as if she was being childish. ¡®Where the hell does this guy get all this money from?¡¯ No matter how much she thought about it, this level of luxury was not possible only with the rank of a general. With that thought in mind, Elisha reluctantly raised her leg. She knew she couldn¡¯t beat Lucerne¡¯s stubbornness at this point anyway. He swept her little foot, cing it on the armrest, and slowly put the anklet around her ankle wrapped in silk stockings. Unhurriedly, He kissed the instep of her foot. ¡°Pretty, as anticipated.¡± ¡°Lucerne!¡± ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t do it anymore,¡± saying so, he was gently stroking Elisha¡¯s calf. She looked at him in discontentment. ¡°Are you going to leave this on?¡± ¡°That¡¯d be great, but this is too easy to take off. Like the bracelet, it should be impossible to unfasten it without a dedicated screw.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Should I make a custom order?¡± Elisha got goosebumps in a different sense than before. ¡°I think the anklet would be ufortable. I would do it if you wanted to¡­ ¡­ .¡± As Elisha spoke softly, Lucerne¡¯s eyes softened. He looked straight at her. If Elisha had been a little more naive, she would have thought he loved her. His eyes were so sweet. ¡°You don¡¯t have to force yourself to do something you don¡¯t like. Instead show me what you look like in bed.¡± She wondered if she would be attacked by the shadow as she pinched him. He raised his eyebrows and turned towards her. ¡°Ah!¡± But the shadows were busy. Lucerne bit her ankle while the shadow blocked the door. ¡°Why do you keep sucking there¡­ ¡­ . again and again.¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re so pretty.¡± ¡°Oh, no, stop¡ªLucerne¡ªoh¡­Ugh, ah¡­ ¡­ . ¡­ .¡± Elisha felt like she was going crazy. Lucerne pushed his head into her skirt. He slipped his fingers between the straps of her garter belt and stroked the flesh of her thighs and began to caress her gently as if licking her pussy over her underwear. ¡°Huh¡­ ¡­ . ohh¡­ ¡­ .¡± There were people outside that one thin door. They would be interested to see what they were doing. Elisha bit her finger to hold back her moan. ¡°Lucerne, we can¡¯t¡ªhere¡­ ¡­ . ah!¡± In an instant, her underwear was pushed aside. Lucerne traced her lovely folds with his tongue, slowly skimming her well-worn secret. ¡°Is everything alright?¡± Knock, knock. Then there was a knock on the door. It was the manager¡¯s voice. As Lucerne nced in that direction, a shadow blocked the door with a bang. There was silence beyond the door. ¡®They will notice what we¡¯re doing.¡¯ From the tip of Elisha¡¯s toes to the tip of her head, she turned a flustered red. She was embarrassed. ¡°I¡¯d rather do it in the wagon, Lucerne.¡± She had said this to calm him down, but instead she made him more excited. He pulled his head out of her skirt. His eyes didn¡¯t even blink as he stared at her, to the point of looking even eerie. ¡°What will you do for me?¡± ¡°Ah, yes!¡± Lucerne¡¯s fingers moved, pressing her clitoris over her underwear. Elisha¡¯s thighs trembled from his skillful hand. ¡°The way you want¡­ ¡­ . So¡­ ¡­ . Just like you do it with your tongue¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha¡¯s ears grew more and more pink. She was both resentful and excited. ¡®Indeed, buying jewelry isn¡¯t free either.¡¯ When the thought urred to her, she became a little sad. It was all an act of desire to him. Buying his wife jewelry was innate carnivore behavior, and in the end, ording to a predator¡¯s logic, to eat her when he wants to¡­ ¡­ . There were no emotions involved here. The only reason was hunger. ¡°Why do you look like that?¡± Lucerne studied her face. He whispered soothingly: ¡°Did I surprise you?¡± Elisha hesitated and nodded her head slightly. ¡°Don¡¯t cry.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ I¡¯m leagues away from crying.¡± The corners of his lips held the slightest smile in response to her prideful promation, unwilling to lose. ¡°I¡¯m in trouble because the desire to see your aroused face keeps growing. It seems like you¡¯ve got me wrapped around your finger.¡± He said in a light, yful, self-disparaging manner and pointed to his shoulder. He seemed to be hinting that she was climbing up on top of his own head*. Elisha bit her lip. [*t1v: Korean saying that infers she is ruling him. It also hints at his anxiety about her bing so important to him and his fears of being manipted by her.] Chu¡ª Lucerne kissed Elisha on the cheek. That kiss made her feel a little better. ¡°Come to think of it, we agreed to have dinner at the hotel.¡± Elisha nodded slightly. ¡°¡­ ¡­ Then there¡­ ¡­ . Let¡¯s go to a hotel room.¡± The hotel the two frequented had a room that Lucerne always reserved. The shadow retreated from the door. He ced his arm on her shoulder and the two hurried to the carriage. He tossed a checkbook at Ian, who had just entered the door. Ian, who quickly grasped the situation, said with a gentle smile, ¡°I¡¯ll handle the bill.¡± Chapter 112: Tpcp 112 Chapter 112: Tpcp 112 At that time, there was a woman in the private room near the exit where Lucerne and Elisha had escaped. ¡®Such bad luck¡ªI can¡¯t run into those two.¡¯ While swearing inside her, Arien bowed her head and waited for both of them to leave. ¡°Madam, shall we proceed with the order you mentioned before?¡± As wasmon in a first-ss store, the employees studied social gossip and celebrities. Therefore, the clerk knew well that Arien was a daughter-inw of the Cartiers and were on bad terms with the Lucerne couple. The clerk who was finished dealing with the couple came back to attend to the haughty Arien. ¡°Yes, please proceed.¡± ¡°Are you sure you want to cancel all orders? You¡¯ll probably only get half of your down payment back ¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I have already made up my mind. So take care of it.¡± Ashamed, Arien canceled her jewelry orders. She wasn¡¯t as obsessed with her luxuries as Car, but she was fond of jewelry. Not long ago, she had ordered a bunch of jewelry with the money her father-inw had given her, anticipating his rise to the papal seat. But now, with no Merha there was no money and no one to pay for her extravagance. Arien brought up her parent¡¯s involvement with Gunner¡¯s case again, which drew the wrath of the Head. ¡®I¡¯m moving on for your sake, but there is no next time. Even if the both of you are starving to death on the street, don¡¯te and beg me,¡¯ Gaju conveyed with a cold face that she had never seen before. Besides, her parental household was just as angry with Arien. ¡®Arien, you almost destroyed our family! Damn bitch!¡¯ Because she needed information on Gunner¡¯s case, her father gave it to her without any doubt. In fact, Arien didn¡¯t think it would negatively affect her and arbitrarily publicized the material. The Head¡¯s wrath was directed at Arien¡¯s house. Her family was originally a wealthy n with a long prestigious lineage for many generations, but now they relied on the Cartiers with their numerous businesses. ¡®Be grateful that I haven¡¯t touched the lives of your parents and family.¡¯ One morning, Gaju cut off all the finances supporting them, and now her family was in a mess. Arien was the third daughter. She wasn¡¯t the pampered, only child like Car. Arien, who had the ire of her family, could not even go to her parent¡¯s house. It was the first time in her life where all her supports had disappeared. All she had left was her husband, Marco, who had not abandoned her. ¡®Why is that lowly woman loved by her husband and given so many jewels, while I, the real noble, have to retrieve a refund? Hogwash. Something is clearly wrong here. Has this world gone mad?¡¯ At that moment, Arien bore heartfelt envy and wrath towards Elisha. Seeing her expression, the clerk tried to avert her eyes. Noticing this, she struggled mightily to mask her feelings. ¡°I¡¯m fine. The General and his wife are very lucky. How many items did they buy?¡± ¡°Well¡­ ¡­ .¡± Arien saw that most of the disy windows were empty. She smiled rigidly, trying to quell her jealousy. ¡®I won¡¯t let you go. Damn you. That lowly shit¡­ ¡­ . daughter of a lowborn woman¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ She gnawed on the facts that she knew about Elisha and gritted her teeth. *** ¡°Hugh¡­ ¡­ . heh¡­ Hmm¡­ .¡± Rumble rumble. The wagon rattled. As soon as they got into the carriage, Elisha¡¯s head was light-headed from how intense his kisses were. Their tongues mixed, sucking and biting their lower lips. Even when the carriage stopped or shook, their lips were firmly stuck together. ¡°Uh!¡± Lucerne put her on hisp quickly. Elisha¡¯s slender and soft legs were pressed against his firm thighs. There was a sound of clothes rustling as she moaned. Rumble! The wagon came to a sudden stop as if it had entered an intersection. Now, between Elisha¡¯s asscheeks, Lucerne¡¯s inted front fit in perfectly. ¡®Ah¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Thrillingly, she could feel his penis twiching ready to explode. Instinctively she curled her toes, and saliva pooled under her tongue. Like a dog in front of food. ¡®I don¡¯t even know shame anymore,¡¯ Elisha thought to herself self-disparagingly. But she was also surprised that he had such an erection for her in broad daylight. They had done itst night, and embraced the night before yesterday as well but he could not stop and radiated a hot desire. ¡°Do what you promised.¡± Lucerne whispered softly. Elisha felt hisrge hand wrapped around her own. His hand squeezed hers. You can read more here. ?? Chapter 113: Tpcp 113 Chapter 113: Tpcp 113 The carriage started moving again with a gentle sway. Lucerne¡¯s grip was so firm that they held her up even if she felt like she was going to lose her bnce. Elisha leaned on his hand and carefully knelt in front of him. Her body was between the carriage benches. ¡°Uh¡­ ¡­ .¡± She unfastened the front of Lucerne¡¯s pants. A thick, bulky erect penis that looked like it was about to burst bulged out. Her cheeks and ears were burning. Seeing his genitals in front of her face in broad daylight felt different. ¡®¡­ ¡­ How am I going to put this in my mouth?¡¯ In the months after their marriage, they had slept together countless times. Now, finally, her lower body was used to hisrge cock that prodded her body until it felt like it was about to break. But with her mouth, her skills hadn¡¯t improved at all. Being clumsy didn¡¯t suit his temper, and Lucerne had stopped her everytime she tried to please him with oral sex. For her outing today, her handmaiden had carefully painted her lips, her pink lips open up and went down on him. Elisha bit the tip of his thick ns with her mouth first. ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± Lucerne moved her head off. ¡®Am I that bad?¡¯ He was looking at Elisha with her cool eyes. She was strangely and terribly disappointed. ¡°If you want to do it, do it with your hands.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Your mouth is torn again,¡± Lucerne said indifferently. Come to think of it, two months ago, she had made him cum through oral and her lips got very chapped while moving her mouth. It was so big it couldn¡¯t be helped. ¡®Since when did you care about that?¡¯ The 1% of tenderness he showed her, broke her heart more than his 99% desire towards her. ¡®You can do whatever you want in bed as usual. Like we¡¯re in a rtionship.¡¯ Without any warning, he grabbed her heart and tightened it. From that moment on, his consideration was a microscopic wound. Elisha halted her thoughts. She had already grabbed his ns with the end of his pir already leaking pre cum. As she clenched and released her slowly rhythmically while going up and on, her other hand fondled his wrinkled scrotum. ¡®How intriguing.¡¯ Before she met Lucerne, she had never been this close to a man. The hefty genitals twitching with bulging veins were still amazing and strange to her. Lucerne let out a heavy groan at that her explicit gaze. ¡°What are you looking at me like that?¡± His eyes were smiling. Elisha¡¯s heart was racing. Twitch. The thick rod moved in her hand. Elisha felt the goosebumps running down her back. From her taking off her gloves and stroking him briefly with her little hands, his erection swelled. Her soft palms rubbed against his shaft. There was the sound of a club pounding against skin, her hands rigid with a hot wetness. ¡°Put your hands together,¡± Lucerne whispered. Elisha put her hands together as if she was pping her hands. In the meantime, his member began to move slowly. Every time Lucerne moved in and out, Elisha felt like he was thrusting inside her own body, and not her hands. ¡°Ugh¡­ ¡­ .¡± Was this what he looked like when he prated her body? Like such a ferocious beast. Did he usually see her as if devouring her? ¡°I told you not to look away.¡± Lucerne whispered and ruffled her hair. His thrusting hips grew stronger. Elisha¡¯s hands moved up and down with him. There was a wet sound of flesh pping against flesh. She didn¡¯t know how time passed. ¡°Ha!¡± Suddenly, a cloud of thick, copious amounts of semen erupted, hot and overflowing between her hands. Lucerne¡¯s shoulders jerked constantly, and he let out a hot groan. His body trembled gently on Elisha¡¯s shoulder. ¡®My underwear is wet.¡¯ There was a thick wetness spilling between her legs. The liquid leaked on her thighs and she realized btedly that she had been clenching her navel. Her legs rubbed hotly against each other as if they were stuck together. Click, nk. The carriage had arrived. *** ¡°Hmm, huh. Uh¡­ ¡­ .¡± Lucerne¡¯s arousal didn¡¯t end there. As if he had been only tasting an appetizer, his appetite for the main meal grew. Bang. The door to the hotel room mmed. Even after one orgasm, Lucerne passion did not subside. ¡°Ugh¡­ ¡­ . ah¡­ ¡­ .¡± He pressed her body against the wall next to the door, kissing her neck roughly and gradually descending. At the same time, his hands went down frantically and untied her dress. He was now adept at taking off women¡¯s clothes. Soon, Elisha was nude except for her bustier. ¡°Oh, no!¡± In such a hurry he tore the girdle apart. Elisha¡¯s body was pushed further against the wall. ¡°Now, even if there is no audience, I want to ravish you even before we get to bed,¡± Lucerne whispered. Suddenly, Elisha recalled the day she met him at Cartier Castle for the first time in this lifetime. Then, in order to deceive the Cartiers, they leaned against the door and pretended to have sex. ¡®At that time¡­ ¡­ . there was¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Although simr it was different; now the two stood equally with different desires at different times. Now, Elisha was without even a girdle to protect her. She was utterly defenseless and naked in front of him. Chapter 114: Tpcp 114 Chapter 114: Tpcp 114 Thank you to raw provider: angelstars5 ¡°Elisha,¡± Lucerne whispered. Since he came in the carriage he had not left her bottom alone. From his arousing caresses, her lower half was already soaked up to her perineum, secreting sweet love juice. ¡°Ugh!¡± Because of the significant difference in height between them, it was more convenient for Lucerne to lift her while standing. Holding up one of Elisha¡¯s legs he mmed into her in one swift movement. She barely supported her body with her other leg. To bnce herself she reflexively wrapped her arms around his hard shoulders. ¡°Oh, huh! Oh, it¡¯s too. Sudden¡­ ¡­ .¡± But she could not say that she didn¡¯t like it. His erection that abruptly came in pushed her red flesh upwards. Hot as a pir of fire, a sudden feeling of fullness came over her as he filled up her soft inside. From Elisha¡¯s soft inner walls to outer lips, her arousal liquid dribbled on his balls. Breathless, her insides instinctively gripped his member, as if twisting his, as she contracted under the pressure. ¡°Ugh, ah!¡± Now. both of her legs were floating in the air. Each time Lucerne propelled her body up and let go, her whole body plunged straight into him. Puck, puck! Each time, there was a loud, wet sound of flesh colliding. ¡°Ahhh, ahhhhhhhhhhhh!¡± Even though it was only a few times, she was already gasping and tightening her belly. The flesh around her belly button was sucked in as she reflexively wrapped her dangling legs around his waist. Lucerne pushed Elisha¡¯s body against the wall, put his hands on her knees and lifted her up. Puck! ¡°Uh, uh! It¡¯s too¡­ ¡­ . Too¡­ ¡­ . Ah¡ªI feel, strange, crazy¡­ ¡­ .¡± Lucerne did not tease her this time. Instead, he bit the side of her neck, it was the first time she felt like he had lost his reason. Woosh, woosh. Elisha¡¯s hair fluttered and swayed every time he swung her and wildly drove into her with a passionate momentum. At the same time, her pale breasts bounced and jiggled in the air. Between Elisha¡¯s ass, her entrance loudly sshed with water as she repeatedly swallowed, wrapping around and then releasing his pir. ¡®Strange¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ It felt like her lower body was bing more and more feverish. Hot with fervor, her body was moring for him¡ªshe wanted more. She wanted to devour him. She wanted his seeds to fill her up. That feeling was so unfamiliar. Afraid of bing an animal, Elisha sobbed in pleasure, tears dripping down her cheeks. ¡°Ah, Lucerne¡­ ¡­ . Ugh¡­ ¡­! ¡± Elisha was afraid of what she couldn¡¯t control.How could she repay him for the pleasure he gave her? Everything he had done so far hade with a price. What ominous thing woulde to bite her? She was genuinely frightened. Terrified to be tamed like this. ¡°Uhhhhhhhhhh¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°You¡¯re driving me insane, really,¡± growled Lucerne with terrible excitement. A small console was next to the wall. He put her on top of it and with his free hand stroked her cheek. ¡°Heh heh, heh¡­ ¡­ .¡± he swung his hips slowly. Elisha reflexively spread her legs wider to embrace him more deeply. Lucerne kissed behind her ears, then kissed her cheeks. Then, tenderly he kissed her lips. ¡°Don¡¯t cry.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°If you cry, I don¡¯t know what to do.¡± ¡°What¡­ ¡­ . what¡­ ¡­ . ¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°If you cry. I can¡¯t let you go,¡± Lucerne whispered while breathing heavily. His lower body was entangled lustfully; hot, shiny, hard while dripping with semen and pre-cum at the same time. His gentle mouth and ruthless lower half did not match. At that moment, Elisha desperately wanted him to spit out obscene words as usual without giving her any hope. ¡°Ugh, uh¡­ ¡­ . Ah¡­ ¡­ !¡± His thrusts grew intenser. Tak, tak¡ª The shing of his erged testicles against her perineum reverberated and became louder. Lucerne put Elisha¡¯s knees against the wall and spreading her legs even wider. Creak, squeak. Bang. Elisha¡¯s ass mmed against the wall covered in silk wallpaper. As the beating of his waist grew even more vigorous her entrance was no longer tense and grew ck. ¡°Oh, oh¡ª Lucerne! Oh Lucerne¡­ ¡­ .¡± She could only spread her legs apart and helplessly ept the heavy pleasure he hammered into her. ¡°I¡¯m going to cum inside, Elisha.¡± ¡°Yes, ah. Lucerne¡­ ¡­ .¡± It was his second ejaction, so it was thinner, more watery, but there was still a lot of semen. Elisha trembled, feeling her mind going nk. He licked her lips. Tears flowed slowly from the corners of her eyes. Her body kept trembling strangely and she could not stop her tears. Still adjoined and connected to Elisha, he slowly hugged her and brought her to the bed as Lucerne kept kissing her face. ¡°Um¡­ ¡­ . Un¡­ ¡­ .¡± Under Lucerne¡¯s footsteps, a blurry mix of semen and lustful liquid dribbled to the floor. The bed wobbled slightly. Elisha¡¯s naked body spread out on the bed. Lucerne was barely undressed. Only then did he fully pull out his penis. His member was glistening with Elisha¡¯s natural lube and his semen. Her pussy hole where hisrge penis left still remained open. His white seeds filling up Elisha¡¯s small body was tantly showing itself off. His expression grew dark and he clenched his jaw. Lucerne¡¯s gaze red with lust. He began to slowly graze his finger against her thigh and pussy. ¡®Right away?¡­ ¡­ . I¡¯m dying¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ She thought she might faint if they did it likest time. Elisha clenched her toes in fright. Seeing her reaction, Lucerne let out a groan in dismay. He suppressed his lust. She looked a little in pain. Instead, heid next to her. The bed shook violently. Elisha and Lucerneid face to face and looked into each other¡¯s eyes. ¡°Why did you cry?¡± Chapter 115: Tpcp 115 Chapter 115: Tpcp 115 Thank you to raw provider: angelstars5 ¡°Why did you cry?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Are you going to stay silent again?¡± he clicked his tongue. He rubbed her clitoris with his fingers as if scolding her. Elisha curled up and quivered. ¡°Ugh¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Hurry. You have to tell me.¡± Lucerne began to move his fingers energetically. Elisha tried to avoid it, but he grabbed her round ass with the other hand and pulled her towards him so she couldn¡¯t escape. ¡°Ah, no!¡± Elisha tightened her vulva at the sensation of Lucerne gripping and releasing her clitoris with his thumb and forefinger. There were still remnants of the pleasure and afterglow that spread like fire all over her body¡­ ¡­ . So, Elisha reached a climax with that alone. Feeling shy and she wanted to hide. ¡°Quickly,¡± Lucerne said with a sly smile. ¡°I¡¯m just scared,¡± Elisha said in a voice as tiny as an ant. ¡°What are you afraid of?¡± Lucerne asked calmly in a soothing manner. ¡°Just¡­ ¡­ . everything. Sleeping with you like this¡­ ¡­ . I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll be a fool. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll keep hoping and waiting¡­ ¡­ . I¡¯ve never been with another man like this.¡± Elisha¡¯s candid honesty evoked an unexpected effect on him. Lucerne stared at her. His eyes shook with a burning passion again. ¡°Can you just live like this?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ what?¡± ¡°I want you. I want you to get used to my body, embracing me, wearing jewelry while living in a safe room like this. I will always protect you, free from death and danger. So, let¡¯s just live like this. You don¡¯t have to do anything from now on.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to be excellent. I just want you,¡± Lucerne asserted. It was a sentiment she had never heard before. Masters, price, betrayal, belief: The ugly woman no one wants, Elisha. Those long hours of falling into despair alone, trembling from the affection that kept him in her heart¡ªtrying to hide the love that would be ridiculed by everyone. Those times in my previous life that she dared to be miserable without knowing her ce. The emotions of that time rushed down on Elisha like a downpour. It was an awful and terribly lonely time, sincerely. It was such a wretched feeling that she would rather not live. She never wanted to revisit that despair again. She knew very well that his ¡®I want¡¯ was not an affair of love. Even when a wild beast bit a deer, it wanted a deer. Rather, if something had sprouted in his heart, Elisha might be shaken, but¡­ ¡­ . It wasn¡¯t. So Elisha shook her head. ¡°Lucerne¡­ ¡­ . even if you want me. I do not know. Why?¡± Elisha felt her lips open involuntarily. Lucerne¡¯s gaze was still heavy with hot lust but there was still a coldness in him. ¡°Nothing has changed,¡± Lucerne whisperednguidly, his tone thick with sensualness. ¡°I want to have you, forever. Without end. Even if you try me, nothing will change in the future.¡± Elisha felt her chest tingle. She didn¡¯t even know why. ¡°You have me now.¡± ¡°It¡¯s temporary,¡± Lucerne stated, sweeping back her hair. ¡°Give up. There¡¯s no way I¡¯ll be the Head. At best make heirs like Merha.¡± ¡°Then there¡¯s no harm done. It will work out the way you want it to.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Then like this¡­ ¡­ . It ¡®s done.¡± Elisha stroked Lucerne¡¯s cheek and kissed his lips. Her previous life was a time lost. At one time she wanted his attention. Lucerne would soon forget who she was, but she could have devoted her life to the one thing she cared about. But as a dead and resurrected woman, she didn¡¯t want to feel such sentiments again. She was firm in this decision, even if he started wanting her. Like the trust that could not be created, love would never be conceived this time. Perhaps it is. So¡­ ¡­ . This time, tears will be meaningless. ¡°Stop crying,¡± Lucerneforted and caressed her. He soothingly whispered as if he were dealing with a precious child. ¡°I¡¯ll buy you anything you want. I¡¯ll do whatever you ask. So don¡¯t cry when you¡¯re mine.¡± Elisha struggled to hold back the desire to dig into his arms. ¡°No¡­ ¡­ . I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Really.¡± She thought Lucerne would be angry. But instead he just wiped the tears from her eyes. ¡°The heart and mind can change at any time,¡± said Lucerne. ¡°If you live by my side, somehow, the heart will change too,¡± Elisha bit her lips. Lucerne¡¯s lips ovepped again. Her mind went nk. ¡°I won¡¯t let you go.¡± he whispered Elisha lost the strength of her hands and feet. Her mind was pounding with a thrill. But she wasn¡¯t stupid enough not to know the root of possessiveness¡­ ¡­ . Throughout all history, it has always been the same. A man with power always wanted a woman¡¯s heart. But it didn¡¯t mean that her heart would be returned. A man with a lot of power forces a woman to have a heart for him¡­ ¡­ . Then he would leave after bing tired and weary of her. That was a predator¡¯s rule. It would have been different if she was still Elisha from her first life. She could have given everything to Lucerne if it had meant she could be in his possession. But not now. There are things I know now that I didn¡¯t know then. Now Elisha knew. That the rules of predators hold no true substance. Chapter 116: Tpcp 116 Chapter 116: Tpcp 116 Thank you to raw provider: angelstars5 ¡®Water.¡¯ Elisha woke up in her hotel bed thirsty. ¡®Again¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ She had no idea what time it was. Originally they had nned to have dinner reservations at this hotel but had been long forgotten. When she had exhaustive sexual intercoursepletely satidating one type of hunger she wasn¡¯t aware of her real hunger. Dazed, sometimes she wouldn¡¯t have an appetite for days, it would only be the day after she would get famished. ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡± Lucerne nodded. Soon the hotel¡¯s room service was delivered. From warm steak to hearty potato dishes, two kinds of sds and five kinds of bread. There was even the sweet honey wine that she liked. The food was plentiful, but Elisha was strangely disappointed. ¡°I wanted to go out, it¡¯s too frustrating ¡­ ¡­ .¡± She was still in this room after all. ¡°We can sleep here and have lunch tomorrow,¡± Lucerne said soothingly, trying to appease her. After sex, he was quite generous,pletely epting of Elisha¡¯s temper and caring for her with affection. No, it wasn¡¯t like that. At worst, he would carry her and take her to the bathroom without letting her go to the bathroom alone. [t1v: *shrieks in horror*] ¡®Maybe this is how genuine loving couples act.¡¯ From Lucerne¡¯s point of view, Elisha would be a woman of lower status who did not need to be treated with esteem and naturally there would be ack of respect towards her in their private life as well. But she thought that perhaps if he married a woman of noble rank like a princess, he might be devoted day and night. He was a little rough at night, but there was also a caring side. ¡°Okay,¡± Elisha nodded her head reluctantly. He suggested casually, but kindly: ¡°Eat and sleep more.¡± *** As night fell, Lucerney down next to Elisha. After taking a nap, Elisha sat on the bed and rested. ¡°You must have been frustrated these past few days.¡± ¡°I have been just staying at home. You don¡¯t want me to go out anywhere but cafes.¡± ¡°Bear with it for a little longer. Marco¡¯s behavior and movements are unusual. Now he¡¯s insanely angry, so it won¡¯t be surprising if he¡¯s nning to do something.¡± Elisha understood that, too. She obediently nodded. In all honesty, she didn¡¯t really need to go out yet. Additionally, Lucerne was able to stay by her side and take her from ce to ce since he had a lot of free time these days. ¡°Can I keep going to the cafe? Lucerne I want to help you too.¡± ¡°What was the name of the cafe you went to?¡± ¡°It¡¯s ¡®Breath of the Spring Breeze¡¯.¡± ¡°There is fine.¡± Elisha barely made her debut recently. Since she had no real position in high society, she naturally had no obligation to perform social duties. But she was the High General¡¯s wife. She had to organize the wives of military officers, and host meetings and get togethers intermittently. It was only natural for her to set up a cafe as a base. When Elisha exined that, he nodded in understanding. ¡°Just do the bare minimum. Themotion around you is a source of trouble.¡± ¡°I know. I¡¯ll be careful,¡± Elisha answered calmly. ¡°However, Marco¡¯s behavior is strange, seeing that he came out to pick up his wife earlier, and acting as if everything was the same as usual.¡± Lucerne epted her words indifferently. ¡°Oh, was there a mouse in the jeweler earlier?¡± ¡°Yes. And the rat husband was there to pick up his rat wife.¡± The two knew from the beginning that Arien was at the jeweler¡¯s. She wasn¡¯t worth paying any mind to¡­ ¡­ . so they just ignored her. ¡°It seems the couple has a better rtionship than expected,¡± Lucerne remarkednguidly. ¡°Indeed, it seems Marco and Arien have not divorced.¡± People of the Cartier household considered their wives little more than a preciousmodity. Arien made the significant error of revealing Gunner¡¯s case. But still, Marco had not abandoned her. ¡®Actually, Arien is a tenured wife, not a contract worker.¡¯ Elisha had heard such information while going in and out the cafe, mainly from Princess Illione¡¯s side. ¡°I heard that the Marco couple were getting along even better than before.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t too long ago he was flirting with you, he¡¯s a simple man,¡± he ridiculed with a jeer. But at the same there scowl in his eyes, suddenly alit with murderous intentions. ¡°There are many different types of people in the world. There are types that cling to those around him when in difficult situations. Marco is like that. He lived his whole life doing what his father told him to do. Since he has lost his father, he will hold on to the rest of his family.¡± Elisha figured out what kind of person Marco was from her past life experiences. He grew up obedient under his domineering and violent father. In her previous life, she remembered Merha had been bedridden when his health had deteriorated in a few years time from now. At that time, Marco followed Arien wherever she went, and seemed to have deep respect for her. Everyone said that the couple became btely fond of each other, but Elisha knew better. Marco depended on Arien. ¡°That makes sense. It¡¯s good to see that my cousin is living well.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ Are you serious?¡± ¡°It¡¯s more fun that way. Life alternates between good and bad. Now that the couple is getting along better, the opposite won¡¯t ur.¡± Elisha¡¯s lips negligibly curled up. As expected, Lucerne understood her well. *** Chapter 117: Tpcp 117 Chapter 117: Tpcp 117 Thank you to raw provider: angelstars5 The day they stopped by the jeweler, Marco had came to the jeweler to pick up Arien. When they returned to Merha¡¯s private residence in the temple, she had bursted into tears. ¡°Arien, why are you crying?¡± ¡°I ran into the Lucerne couple at the jewelry store. He triumphantly bought jewelry for his wife. But I can endure such humiliation as long as it is with you.¡± As Lucerne and Elisha said, their rtionship was quite different. Because of Arien¡¯s stupid blunders, the couple hated each other and fought. But the couple¡¯s quarrels were like cutting water with a knife, and the rtionship changed overnight. Despite the fact that Arienmitted a great offense and her family seemed to be on the precipice of falling into ruin, Marco did not abandon her. Arien was moved by that. It seemed that he was out of his father¡¯s shadow for the first time, and faced Arien. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Arien. I¡¯ll definitely protect you. We have no choice but to ovee this hurdle together. I will definitely restore my father to his rightful ce so we can forget the humiliation of that day. Lucerne is illegitimate. He doesn¡¯t even have the right to be a potential sessor like myself.¡± The overwhelming peril to his survival made Marco strong for the first time in his life. Although she was in a desperate situation, Arien was pleased when Marco showed his strength. ¡°More than that, Marco, if you came to pick me up at the jeweler, did something urgent transpire?¡± ¡°Ah, yes. Arien. My father sent me a note from prison.¡± ¡°Oh my! How is he?¡± Marco was grim. This morning, a priest in charge of taking care of Merha at the temple came. Instead of handing over the letter from his father, he demandedpensation. ¡®You have to give me at least 100 gold coins if you want this message.¡¯ Marco pped the priest across the cheek while grinding his teeth. But he still had to pay a huge sum of money. ¡°But the content of the letter is a bit strange.¡± He showed Arien the message: [Marco, the environment here is terrible. Save me somehow. Grab on to Lucerne¡¯s weakness and attack him. We must free the temple from his hands. Go to the relic vault. Among the priests who supported me, there must be someone who can reach me.] ¡°The relic vault?¡± Arien tilted her head. The relic vault of the main temple was called the temple¡¯s treasure trove. There were antiques of many gods. But what did he mean that they should go there now? Bang bang. Then there was a knock on the door. Their faces turned gray. *** Outside the door, the priests surrounded the private residence. ¡°I have already given you a notice. I¡¯m sorry, but now you have to leave the premises since High Priest Merha has been released from his post.¡± Marco and Arien lived a lifepletely supported by others from one to ten. When they were young, they were taken care of by the Cartier family, and the priests. But overnight, the world changed. Merha¡¯s crime was too great. Because he assassinated the Prophet, people were no longer allowed to mention his name in the temple. ¡®I never thought we would be homeless overnight.¡¯ The two gritted their teeth. ¡°Alright! Alright! Today we will pack up and empty the mansion.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t leave here by tomorrow, I¡¯ll call the pdins.¡± Marco was so furious that he couldn¡¯t stand it. This was only one of the hardships he had to face. ¡®What will happen when we get sued for the temple business?¡¯ Marco was still rich. The Head had passed on a small fortune and property to his grandchildren. That alone was a huge asset. However, the problem was that Marco and Merha made riches by using the temple business as a proxy. Moreover, the agency that auctioned Risralpho¡¯s body and handled the event was in Marco¡¯s name. Now, it was only a matter of time the temple would file argewsuit. Then Marco might really be broke. The first financial hardship experienced by a Cartier member was met with despair. He would rather die than not live in luxury. ¡°Marco! Calm down and pack your bags. That way we can get a hotel room today,¡± Arien instructed sternly. Her order to send a priest to pack and haul their luggage had long since been ignored. Marco rolled up his arms and started packing. ¡°Huh, huh.¡± Marco had terrible stamina. Arien was also in a simr state. Before long, they took off their cumbersome clothes and packed their things in the most modest clothes they had. ¡°Marco! Come here. Let¡¯s siphon some stuff out of here.¡± Merha led an exceptionally haughty life in the temple. He regrly took sacred objects and collections of the temple, and moved them to his mansion and disyed them. He used to brag about the exhibition room by calling it a private museum. ¡°But Marco. Your father told you to go to the relic vault. But aren¡¯t all the items in this room stolen from the same ce?¡± ¡°Indeed. It is.¡± ¡°Besides, he told us to take advantage of Lucerne¡¯s weakness. Maybe there is some hidden meaning behind it?¡± ¡°Where is Lucerne¡¯s weakness? He¡¯s a monster and a demon. Does the devil have a weakness?¡± Then Arien suddenly froze. She recalled the sight of Lucerne and Elisha at the jeweler. ¡®The General really loves her wife!¡¯ The clerks had been noisily gossiping. Yes, she was certain. ¡°Even the devil loves,¡± Arien noted. Chapter 118: Tpcp 118 Chapter 118: Tpcp 118 Thank you to raw provider: angelstars5 ¡°What¡ª what ludicrous response is that?¡± ¡°Because Lucerne is obsessed with his wife. It¡¯s irrational to take advantage of his weakness. But what if we take advantage of his wife¡¯s weakness?¡± The two looked at each other. ¡°To catch Elisha¡¯s weakness is to catch Lucerne¡¯s weakness.¡± ¡°Is that possible?¡± Marco snorted. ¡°Everyone has weaknesses. Or you can even create a weakness¡­ ¡­ .¡± As Arien muttered, he realized something as if struck by lightning. ¡°Wait a moment¡­ ¡­ . Arien. That¡¯s right. There was that!¡± ¡°Marco?¡± ¡°Of course. There was a deeper meaning to my father¡¯s words.¡± Marco suddenly started looking around the room. Soon he found a small cardboard box covered in dust. It was a really shabby box. She looked at the decaying box with a displeased expression. ¡°What¡¯s that? Marco?¡± ¡°A genuine treasure that will rectify our situation.¡± His lips twitched as a sneer spread. The eyes of the members of the Cartier family shined brightest only when they drove others to ruin. *** Marco opened the old paper box. Inside the box was empty. But as he tapped the bottom of the box and touched its blemishes, the ring hidden under the facade appeared. It was a box with a hiddenpartment. ¡°What is this worn-out ring? It¡¯s really ugly.¡± The band was not gold or silver, but bronze. Moreover, it was strangely curved, and upon closer inspection, a horned monster was sitting on the ring and smiling. Looking at it closely she saw the demon was shedding tears. ¡°It¡®s hideous. Who made this?¡± ¡°A genius.¡± ¡°Huh? What do you mean?¡± ¡°Arien, do you know what this is called? It¡¯s a ring called ¡®The Devil¡¯s Smile¡¯.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a suitable name for an ugly thing.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a fool. Look carefully. See the eggs on this ring? Are you wearing gloves? Touch them gently.¡± Arien gently pressed the ck egg in the devil¡¯s mouth. What she thought was a gem was as soft. Arien let out a sound of puzzlement. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°The egg in this ring is an ancient poison. It is such a deadly and cruel poison that it is nicknamed ¡®The Devil¡¯s Smile¡¯. Indeed, this poison is so demonic, it makes the devilugh when he sees it.¡± In the relic vault, there were many treasures of evil gods that were formerly worshiped but were now forgotten. This devil¡¯s smile was one such item. ¡°What kind of poison is it?¡± ¡°If you eat this poison, you will suffer from a pain that will have you begging for death, and you will suffer from hell-like pain for up to two months before you perish. If the person is lucky, you might get sick for a few days and then die. However, although they can usually live up to two months, mostmit suicide before then. This is the poison used by the followers of the ancient evil gods that are now on death row.¡± Merha well-versed on religious items. He even collected items of the malicious gods. Dangerous objects were often disposed of immediately upon discovery. So, the followers of evil spirits made fake relics and hid the real relics, filled with the poisons of these vicious evil spirits. It was a secret that Merha told his son when he was young: ¡®Look. Among the relics of evil spirits, there are many secrets hidden in these old paper boxes and mysterious jars. This is the most deadly poison of all. It¡¯s called ¡®The Devil¡¯s Smile¡¯.¡¯ Arien trembled. ¡°What a terrible object.¡± She had touched the poison. Arien was shaken, took off her gloves and threw them away. ¡°Is that all?¡± ¡°There is an antidote to this drug. An antidote called ¡®Devil¡¯s Tears¡¯. The antidote is in a box like this on a hidden ring. The only difference is that the egg-like objects are white. But the important thing to note is that the antidote is in three parts.¡± ¡°Why three?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the frightening thing about this poison. If you take one antidote, the poisoned person will survive. And if you eat two pills, death-worthy pain turns into moderate pain. One will live for about 5 years. But if you take three pills, you will be cured.¡± Marco said with a sly smile. ¡°So, it¡¯s not like you¡¯repletely cured by just taking two pills. Oh my.¡± By this point, Arien understood his intentions. ¡°Therefore¡­ ¡­ . The person poisoned must obey anyone who has an antidote. If you give them an antidote one at a time, they will crawl.¡± ¡°Right! With just a threat Lucerne would never be able to touch us. Even if this is ancient poison, is it a magic tool? He has a shadow beast who is his guardian deity. The shadow beast will reduce the poison¡¯s effect, so even if he eats it it won¡¯t have the same effect. He has a non-poisonous constitution.¡± Arien had never had such a good connection with her husband until now. She knew exactly what he was thinking. She raised the corners of her lips in a jeer. ¡°Then what if Elisha, that crazy bitch, eats this poison?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying! If his wife vomits blood after getting poisoned and is dying before her eyes, he would obey us from fear. Ah, thank the gods we can make a weakness for him too.¡± ¡°Marco, you are a genius!¡± Arien nodded in excitement. ¡°If we¡¯ve sessful, we can take Lucerne¡¯s wife as hostage and make them our ves and deal with them freely. He will be imprisoned and tortured until he is on the edge of death, and then after we get everything we can get from Lucerne, we will give him only two pills if we feel like being generous. Then in five years time he will have to witness his wife¡¯s death.¡± Just imagining it was thrilling. Arien didn¡¯t want her to leave Elisha alone. It would be merciful to just kill her. 5 years. Within five years, the session structure of the family would probably be organized. After holding Lucerne¡¯s weakness in their hands they could free Merha and when he returned they would have nothing to fear. ¡®You have to teach the lowborn the rightful order of the world.¡¯ What would she do if she seeded in threatening Elisha with poison? Arien would hold her captive first. ¡®I¡¯ll keep her for a month or so and thoroughly educate that bitch.¡¯ She would tie up Elisha and treat her like a ve, whip her daily and make her bleed until she was on the verge of death. When Merha returned, the temple¡¯s knights would be under her control again. What if she threw her men to torture Elisha too? ¡®Whatever I do, you¡¯ll have no choice but to obey if you want to live!¡¯ Arien snickered with a cruel madness. It was the brutality that was engraved in her bloodline, living as a noble from birth. When she was a child, her mother used to make the same look when trampling on the poor from her country estate. ¡°You¡ª even though you can handle that bitch as you please, don¡¯t even think about touching her, alright? Now we only have each other. Don¡¯t even dream of being unfaithful.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like that woman anymore. I hate the poisonous woman. What I liked about her for only a second was that¡­ ¡­ . because she resembled someone I knew.¡± ¡°Who is it? Who?¡± ¡°There was. Once. Someone I saw as a child,¡± Marco mumbled and his words trailed off. ¡°By the way, where is the antidote? The drug called ¡®Devil¡¯s Tears¡¯.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what he meant,¡± noted Marco. ¡°The medicine is in the relic vault.¡± ¡°I see, not I understand. All of father¡¯s words had hidden meanings!¡± Marco nodded. ¡°Most of the loyal priests are being investigated alongside father. But High Priest Anton, who is in charge of the relics, is weak-minded and always obeys my father. Besides, when father stole the temple treasures and tampered with the ount books. He was also an aplice, so if I threaten him, he will listen.¡± ¡°Can you do it?¡± ¡°Of course, I will do anything!¡± Arien held Marco¡¯s hand. Their eyes began to glimmer with new hope. Chapter 119: Tpcp 119 Chapter 119: Tpcp 119 Thank you to raw provider: angelstars5 Elisha and Lucerne had lunch with Rosaria that Friday. Although exhausted from taking over the work of the former pope and at the same time preparing for the coronation ceremony, her eyes were full of enthusiasm. ¡°I really don¡¯t know where to start. I got everything from the Pope and Merha. Besides, there are a lot of businesses rted to the Cartier family, so I don¡¯t know what to do first¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Leave Cartier alone for now. We can¡¯t touch it for a couple of years regardless. Then, I promise at ater date, you will have a chance to clean it up.¡± Both Lucerne and Elisha were ustomed to a modest temple meal with little meat. Lucerne spoke while drinking a ss of the temple¡¯s wine. Rosaria smiled at his words. ¡°Isn¡¯t winning right now more important than good and evil? The path to victory will be the way to purify the temple,¡± said Elisha, who had been silent until then. ¡®It is not toote to take care of good and evil after winning. Determining good and evil are the rights of survivors and victors.¡¯ This was guidance drawn from the tactician sses Rosaria had taught her. She looked at Elisha, discerning an aura of dignity that emanated from her as she spoke. Rosaria recalled when she first met her. Young Elisha had been a tiny, helpless, naive orphan. Rosaria was deeply moved to see the child she had raised possessing the profound qualities of ady. But on the other hand, she also found it a little peculiar. ¡®That child, Elisha¡ª What the hell has she been through to make her such a different person? She¡¯s grown up beautifully, she¡¯s smart, she¡¯s got an umon sense of knowledge and refinement thates with years of experience. It¡¯s rather amazing.¡¯ Additionally, Elisha, who recently took etiquette lessons, was even cuter. ¡°Then, there are ten temple-rted projects that Merha was in charge of. I¡¯d appreciate it if you could help me with some of them. It¡¯s hard to find an agency, so I need help right away.¡± Lucerne looked at the list of her business handed over by Rosaria and took charge of the temple souvenir business, which was the most important. After that, he said he would take on the publishing business, which hadworks and reach across the country. ¡°Leave all the rest to open bidding. The other¡¯s are businesses that are less urgent, so we don¡¯t have to take it on. It is better not to leave it to onepany, but to change thepany from time to time and operate it transparently. Of course, we will also disclose all the business ledgers on our side.¡± Rosaria was in a position to acquiesce even Lucerne wanted to take over all ten businesses. So she admired and thanked him because it was a direction that would benefit Rosaria and take minimal profits. ¡°Lucerne, you have changed a lot. Is it because of Elisha?¡± At that, Lucerne and Elisha both paused. ¡°After all, when a man finds a woman he likes, doesn¡¯t he change?¡± Elisha¡¯s face turned red. But Rosaria was perplexed at her reaction because she seemed to be embarrassed. ¡°Elisha?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ ¡­ . They say there¡¯s nothing a man loses when he gains a wife. Marriage stabilizes the lives of both spouses. I guess that¡¯s what you see.¡± Elisha could not tell Rosaria that she and Lucerne were not like that. Besides, she didn¡¯t know why on earth an intelligent person like Rosaria would think Lucerne liked Elisha, which made it even more awkward. ¡°By the way, did you suddenly call us today to discuss temple-rted business?¡± Elisha changed the subject. Lucerne was staring at her and hid his fist. Because his hand briefly trembled against his will. ¡°I called because I wanted to see you. My students got married, but I was never able to treat you two to a meal so I felt ufortable.¡± Only then did Elisha¡¯s stiff face soften, and she smiled. ¡°By the way, Lucerne. I understand the meaning of leaving Merha to you. But if you allow me, how many times can I break into the prison and p Merha across the face?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Elisha almost choked on the wine she was drinking. But, this time, she didn¡¯t show it on her face. ¡°I¡¯m going crazy because of him. How much did he steal? Besides, this madman made a living by stealing the relics from his private residence and setting up a museum. If you go to his private residence¡ª it¡¯s no ce for the holy to stay! Besides, it is said that even Marco and Arien lived in that house and treated the priests like ves.¡± In other words, it was like this. The priests, frustrated by Merha¡¯s abuse,ined to Rosaria, and the content was beyond imagination. ¡°Besides, he meets the beautiful retainers of the goddess that fall in love with him, treats them concubines¡ªThey walk in and out of the house¡­ ¡­ . Elisha. You know too, how much I value the temple treasures. But how many relics were taken by Marco and Merha and came back empty? Those crazy people secretly stole the holy relics and sold them! Or maybe it¡¯s hidden somewhere and I don¡¯t know. Besides, some of the sacred objects that were finally returned were broken¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°The temple has its own list of relics, there must be someone who manages it, right? How is that possible?¡± At that time, Elisha, who was listening quietly, raised a question. Rosaria had a tired expression on her face. ¡°It looks like he even manipted the books.¡± Rosaria rubbed her forehead. Chapter 120: Tpcp 120 Chapter 120: Tpcp 120 Thank you to raw provider: angelstars5 ¡°The ledger is weird. But I don¡¯t know who intervened from where. So I guess I¡¯ll have to change the whole department altogether.¡± With those words, Elisha recalled Rosaria¡¯s history. 20 years ago when she returned from a war, she said she wanted to rest in the temple. So, the temple sent Rosaria to a solitary post. She was the general manager of the temple¡¯s treasures. She was also responsible for managing the local monasteries in the provinces. Rosaria had a thorough character who fulfilled her job exceptionally. Such a person would have immediately noticed that the ledger was strange. Then Lucerne spoke up. He seemed to have something on his mind. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea to go to the Relic Vault once.¡± Elisha also had an idea, so she spoke out in support. ¡°Maybe we can help.¡± ¡°You two?¡± ¡°Did you forget? At the age of fourteen, I organized all the books Rosaria-nim had. At that time, I also checked the ledger records for the Relic Vault. So I might remember something when I see it.¡± *** High Priest Anton, who was in charge of the relic vault, was walking around the crypt, hiding his trembling hands. His role was to take care of the sacred objects and keep the exhibition halls tidy. ¡®What can I do, I can¡¯t break ties with Merha-nim even though things havee to this point. Is this really thest time?¡¯ Merha was Anton¡¯s teacher. He was raised in poverty and was entrusted to the temple after his sister got sick. Anton grew up serving Merha. So he was the object of fear to him. This was because Merha was cruel to the priests below him and had often brutally beaten him. Moreover, Merha held Anton¡¯s family hostage. Because he had borrowed his sick sister¡¯s hospital bills. At that time, Anton, whose weakness was caught, secretly manipted the ledger several times behind the scenes. Meanwhile, suddenly Merha¡¯s son Marco came in and threatened Anton. ¡®I know how to me you for stealing the holy things under my father¡¯s instructions! Let me in. Do you know who I am? I¡¯m from the Cartier family!¡¯ Anton wept and reluctantly let Marco in. For him, the visits of the distinguished guests were like being struck by lightning on a clear day. ¡°Wee, Archbishop¡ªPope. And my lord, the High General,¡± He greeted them politely. *** ¡°What is your name?¡± Rosaria asked. ¡°My name is Anton. I work here to manage the relics.¡± Elisha was familiar with Anton¡¯s name. ¡®No way¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Anton was a high priest in charge of the relic storage. He was found dead several yearster in the temple¡¯s pond. He had died during a big ceremony in the temple. So it became quite a topic of discussion. Anton wrote in his will that he stole a lot of relics because he was short of money at the time and had manipted the ledger. And he took responsibility andmitted suicide by throwing himself into a pond. However, the relics said to have been stolen were nowhere to be found. At that time, the temple¡¯s corruption was so severe that everyone was quiet. Later, overhearing Jacob¡¯s and Car¡¯s conversation, she learned that Merha murdered Anton after he med him for his crimes. ¡®We think it¡¯s too bad. Car is so scared. You know, we heard rumors that that senior priest named Anton was induced tomit suicide by the senior priest lying to him that he would feed his whole family. He was a weak child so he was deceived. But he didn¡¯t care about his family. Besides, we heard that his younger sister is a beauty. High Priest Merha¡­ ¡­ . Car can¡¯t say things like that. Compared to High Priest Merha, my husband and I are angels.¡¯ He was the future victim of the Cartiers. Maybe he was still involved; she didn¡¯t know. Elisha looked at Anton and asked calmly, ¡°Are you okay, isn¡¯t yourplexion not good?¡± ¡°Yes? I am fine.¡± Anton donned a straight face. But he was sweating like rain. ¡°Get away from my wife and answer me,¡± Lucerne said nkly. Anton looked numb, just making eye contact with him. ¡°Yes¡ª yes!¡± Lucerne¡¯s expression asked why Elisha was interested in him. She asked calmly, ¡°Are you in charge of the treasury book?¡± ¡°Er, the person in charge of the ledger has been away for a while to eat now. During that time, I am in charge of the ¡­ ¡­ .¡± Then he was the person with ess to the ledger; she was right. Elisha pondered for a moment, then she spoke indifferently: ¡°The person in charge of the ledger muste back soon. It¡¯s a matter of life and death.¡± Anton¡¯s eyes changed at those words. ¡°Yes?¡± Chapter 121: Tpcp 121 Chapter 121: Tpcp 121 Thank you to raw provider: angelstars5 ¡°The Heretical Inquisition Center is investigating allegations that High Priest Merha manipted the catalog and stole relics. High Priest Merha is a scary person. Lest he deal with the person involved, I¡¯m trying to find and protect him at the Heretic Inquisition center. This is a very serious matter. The Cartiers do not shy against cruelty.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Rosaria thought Elisha¡¯s behavior was bizarre, but she chimed in support of her statements. ¡°I am the Pope, Rosaria. No matter the crime, the temple does not impose the death penalty. So, I¡¯m desperate to save people. Could you tell me if any people who work here have been suspicious?¡± Anton¡¯s body stiffened, and his face turned blue. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. First of all, everyone will be investigated, but not everyone will be punished. But, they¡¯d be better off turning themselves in. If they don¡¯t, the temple will find the person involved and sue forpensation and damages. Then they will be let go without severance pay and their family might owe a lot of money. But if that person turns themselves in, we can take their injustices into ount and we might be able to preserve their position.¡± Elisha immediately saw through Anton¡¯s psychology. A few pennies were a matter of life and death for those who came from the slums and had poor families clinging to them. For Anton, the small sry he received from the temple was also a way for his sister to live. He would rather die than owe arge debt through damages. Elisha knew him well because she had been in a simr situation. ¡°If you know anything, can you tell me? I will put my name on line to help those involved in any way.¡± Rosaria¡¯s kind words had a considerable effect. Anton, who was shaking, started crying. ¡°The truth is¡­ ¡­ .¡± Anton confided all the facts. ¡°Sorry, High Priest Merha knows my earthly family¡­ ¡­ . he said he would retaliate if I told anyone.¡± Anton exined. When Merha was strong, and in power, he had no choice but to follow. However, he confessed that he could not sleep at night because he feared his neck would be blown off if he continued to cooperate with Merha¡¯s crimes now that he fell. ¡°Besides, stealing sacred objects. Isn¡¯t that something deserving to be punished for? Such beautiful holy objects¡­ ¡­ .¡± Anton sobbed, divulging some surprising words. ¡°Marco came this morning on the pretext of returning relics, and he searched inside for a while?¡± Rosaria asked. Anton nodded in affirmation. ¡°What did he steal?¡± ¡°That is¡­ ¡­ . I don¡¯t even know how to exin because he stole some worthless things,¡± Anton stuttered. ¡°He took an old box containing one of the treasures of a fallen god, the evil god. The inside was empty. There are rumors that ¡®evil gods¡¯ items are bad luck, so they¡¯re in the worst state of preservation, and they¡¯re just old paper boxes, so I wondered why he took it. ¡­ .¡± Elisha had a thoughtful expression on her face, and she asked: ¡°Rosaria-nim, may I go to the temple¡¯s secret library?¡± *** Mutter, murmur¡ª Under her breath, Arien repeated the words she had memorized several times. ¡®Point the ring towards the wine ss and press the blemish on the ring¡­ ¡­ . Then the ring does it¡¯s work and the poison falls into the wine ss¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ In Merha¡¯s mansion, there was a bottle of the finest white wine. The wine was made tomemorate the country¡¯s founding 20 years ago, made from the finest grapes, and even the luxurious bottle was gilded with gold. The vineyards harvest that year was exceptional, and there were only a few bottles of this made; therefore, it was extraordinarily expensive. Arien thought to herself once more. ¡®I can do it too.¡¯ Car was a woman who never left her enemies alone. She skillfully destroyed her enemies, both in the Imperial Pce and amongst the Cartiers. She was always sessful. Arien was a rtively ordinarydy, constantly suffering from crushing defeat. But now that she was abandoned and tossed into the world without any support, she had to be more than a follower. First, Arien thought back to a noblewoman¡¯sments. Then, she recalled her brief remark that her favorite maid was a former employee of ¡®Breath of the Spring Wind,¡¯ a cafe that Elisha frequented. ¡®Since I¡¯ve been to that cafe a few times, I noticed her good work, so I offered her to be my maid.¡¯ Yes. She obviously said as much. She had mentioned that her maid had worked there so long that she handed over money and asked them to find someone else to work in the cafe. ¡®I think I can bribe the clerk. She had said that if you gave her money, she would be willing to do anything.¡¯ Afterward, the information she obtained was not extraordinary. Elisha came to the breath of the spring breeze at a specific time. ording to her, Lucerne was almost obsessed with her wife, so it seemed that the only ce Elisha could go was the cafe. In addition, on days when she stopped by in the evening, the Forest of Spring Breeze emptied the entire 3rd floor and only entertained Elisha. Elisha, on such days, always drank white wine. She was also picky about it, she said, and she doesn¡¯t even have a sip unless it¡¯s top-notch white wine. ¡®I¡¯m going to put this in that bitch¡¯s wine ss.¡¯ You can read more here. Chapter 122: Tpcp 122 Chapter 122: Tpcp 122 Thank you to raw provider: angelstars5 Arien clenched the ring. Today, Marco was almost moved to tears by her decision to give Elisha the drug herself. ¡®Arien, you¡¯re the only wife I¡¯ll have for the rest of my life. I will never forget this.¡¯ Marco was hiding in a safe ce with the three antidotes, ¡®Devil¡¯s Tears,¡¯ just in case. The three antidotes were in a paper box stolen from the relic vault that Marco had to threaten Anton to get. Devotees of the evil gods had hidden the devil¡¯s smile and the devil¡¯s tears, the pair of poison and antidote, respectively, on the bottom of a shabby paper box to hide their vicious sacred items. The information that Merha gave to him was not known to the people of the temple. ¡®If Elisha gets poisoned, I can threaten her to go to myir and then we¡¯ll join Marco.¡¯ For the first time in a long while, Arien was splendidly decorated and dressed up ¡®There¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t do. You can do it.¡¯ Arien thought, hiding her trembling hands. *** Elisha was watching the capital from the window as the lights were starting toe on. Someone approached. She lifted her head and checked the opponent¡¯s face. It was an unexpected person. ¡®Arien?¡¯ Elisha frowned. Arien was skinny and pale. ¡°What¡¯s going on here? I know that you don¡¯te to this cafe.¡± ¡°I came to see you.¡± Arien tried to put on a friendly smile. Instead, she became even more puzzled. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Well¡­ ¡­ . Can I sit down for a while?¡± Inwardly Elisha was astonished because the proud Arien was behaving like a servile merchant trying to sell wares. Because of propriety amongst nobles, no matter how much Elisha hated Arien, she couldn¡¯t even deny this request. So, naturally, she was reluctant, but she controlled her difort and spoke in her characteristic even and indifferent tone. ¡°Sit down, please.¡± Arien nodded and spoke as soon as she sat down. ¡°I¡­ ¡­ . My status is very high. So I am not used to humble manners and pitiful words.¡± ¡°But?¡± Elisha asked quietly. Arien¡¯s face turned red. She seemed very embarrassed. ¡°Help me.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°The only way for my husband and I to live is the High General,¡± Arien said and bit her lip. ¡°You know, it was thanks to his father that my husband has maintained his position as a potential heir. Now that my father-inw has fallen, we are living a hard life without money to maintain our dignity.¡± ¡°One day, the Lord will relieve his anger.¡± ¡°When? 5 yearster? 6 yearster? What if Jacob bes the Head of the household in the meantime? Do you think he¡¯ll just leave us alone? As soon as Jacob bes Duke, the first thing he will do is take care of my husband and I.¡± Elisha paused. Her eyes sparked with interest for the first time. ¡°That¡¯s true. But what does that have to do with me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to pass on my husband¡¯s proposal.¡± ¡°A proposal?¡± ¡°This is what my husband proposes. Anyway, no matter how much the general aplishes he will never be heir. So my husband will be the head of the household¡­ ¡­ . Behind him, the general will exercise power.¡± Elisha was quite surprised. I didn¡¯t expect Marco and Arien to think this far. They were born as proud aristocrats, so they were more likely to die than to bow down to a coupleposed of an illegitimate bastard and a fallen noble. ¡°You¡¯ve made an amazing decision, but why are you telling me? What power do I have?¡± ¡°We are not fools,¡± Arien said. Her hands trembled, and her clenched mouth became bitter. ¡°It¡¯s already been rumored that you¡¯re the adopted daughter of Rosaria, the next pope, so you told Lucerne to make her the Pope.¡± ¡°Did such a rumor spread? That¡¯s great too. How did everyone know?¡± Elisha enunciated indifferently. ¡°Besides, the High General is a person we can¡¯tmunicate with. If I approach him and even talk hastily, he¡¯ll cut my throat.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right,¡± Elisha agreed without hesitation. ¡°So, I am trying to convey the message through you. Look, if we copse like this, it¡¯s not good for you two either. When we¡¯re gone, Jacob will automatically be the next Head. Then you too are finished.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°This is a proposal for us all to live together. I¡¯ll do anything if you want. I¡¯ll leave evidence for this secret contract. Please, give me a chance. We enjoy our status as members of the House of Cartier and are content to be friendly for the rest of our lives. In the first ce, Marco isn¡¯t even an ambitious man. It¡¯s easy to let you wield true power.¡± Elisha rested her chin on her hand at those words. ¡°Really?¡± Elisha¡¯s eyes deepened. Those blue eyes were as beautiful as the deep sea, where her intentions could not be discerned in the slightest. ¡°You are saying something very interesting.¡± At that moment, Arien felt a chill in her stomach. Elisha was like a woman that was naturally above others. It was like an elegant princess, not a violent ruler. ¡®Since when has this woman been like this? Car said she used to doundry like a ve. Since when did she change like this? That woman of lowly, dirty blood¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Even in this situation, Arien was astonished. Chapter 123: Tpcp 123 Chapter 123: Tpcp 123 Thank you to raw provider: angelstars5 ¡°I want to ask you one thing. You don¡¯t have alternative motives, right?¡± Arien flinched but barely managed to keep her smile. ¡°How could it be? Why else would Ie all the way here and bow my head? We just want to live.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Help me.¡± Elisha recalled her first timeline and the future that had disappeared. Every time she delivered Car¡¯s ckmail to Arien, she was pped and beaten by her. When that wasn¡¯t enough, there were even days Marco kicked her in the stomach. When the couple had detained Elisha, one day, Marco attacked her. Arien had turned a blind eye to the assault. Fortunately, he did not seed in his attempt, but the crisis was never over. Upon seeing the sight of Elisha with disheveled hair and a ripped dress, Arien used her of seducing her husband to catch and kill her. ¡®Call in the knights. Let¡¯s y tag. This bitch is going to be a used and torn rag today.¡¯ Elisha begged her innumerable times at that time: Please, please help me¡­ ¡­ . But Arien mocked andughed at her. ¡®The only person who ever listened to me in my life was Lucerne.¡¯ There had been such dreadful, desperate times like that. And now their situations had been reversed, now Arien was pleading for help in front of her. Indeed, it was worth it to go back in time and be reborn. For that moment, even Elisha, who had maintained a sense of detachment in every facet of life, was almost intoxicated with exaltation. ¡°I¡¯m a little thirsty. Let¡¯s drink something and talk.¡± Elisha raised her hand and beckoned a server. She looked thirsty. Soon, the employee came with a wine ss and a tray of white wine. Because Elisha was a regr, the clerks brought what she wanted without any particr order. ¡®On the day she visits in the evening, she orders white wine and drinks the most expensive wine in the cafe. Sometimes she even drinks one cup and throws the rest of the bottle away.¡¯ Arien was furious. How dare such an inferior person live in such luxury! This was against the order of the world. But she held back her anger. ¡°Actually, I prepared a present for you today,¡± Arien said softly and kindly. She pointed to the wine on the tray. ¡°This wine is very expensive. It¡¯s something that my husband and I also kept for our anniversary. Since I heard thedy is fond of white wine, I asked the clerk to bring the wine I brought from home in advance.¡± ¡°Oh, thank you. Youe to other people¡¯s regr cafes and even buy off the clerks?¡± At those words, Arien¡¯s body hair stood up; instead, sheughed hard. ¡°Buy¡ª what do you mean?¡± Elisha spoke gently as if speaking to an old friend. ¡°You know what?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°If you want to pluck out someone else¡¯s eyes, you have to be prepared to have your own neck cut off. You must be prepared to give your life to destroy another. If you whip someone else, you have to be prepared to have your own body broken.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I believe my husband goes to war with that kind of mentality. How about Marco¡¯s wife? Do you have that kind of determination when you try to harm someone?¡± Arien doubted her ears for a moment, and then she smiled slyly. ¡°Of course, you should sympathize with other¡¯s wounds easily.¡± Elisha paused. Donning a nk look, the corners of her lips eerily rose. ¡°Oh, yes.¡± Elisha only said this brief remark with an even tone resembling calm water, with no highs and lows, and whose intentions could not be grasped. ¡°If you are determined to that extent, I have no choice but to share a ss with you. I will pass on your words to my husband.¡± At that, Arienughed with glee. ¡°It would be great if we were on the same side. Anyway, we will both get what we want, right?¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± Elisha stated dispassionately. Then there was a thud and rattling noise from outside. Finally, a small spark and me flew into the air. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Oh, the fireworks will start soon. Did you know? The fireworks disy in the capital is created by mobilizing wizards to create a mixture of real mes and magically created illusionary fireworks. So the mes explode very close to the ground. The sight is spectacr.¡± ¡°Can you see the fireworks well? It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve heard of it.¡± Elisha showed interest. But inwardly, Arien scorned and mocked her. ¡®You must be from a vige.¡¯ But she hid her heart well and kindly continued to exin: ¡°Yes, you can see the fireworks vividly out the window. Look, it¡¯s beginning to start. Come on, let¡¯s drink wine while watching the fireworks. Men often go out for drinks to forget their past and build new rtionships. We women can share a ss the same way. So the wine prepared for today is not wasted.¡± Educated and raised as her high-ranking aristocrat, Arien¡¯s words exuded dignity. If she refused this drink, she would insult Arien and disregard her will to be with her. ¡°Let¡¯s.¡± Arien motioned and called a waiter. A tall, handsome waiter came and was ready to pour the wine. ¡°This time, I¡¯ll serve you the wine personally.¡± [t1v: in Korean culture, the person with inferior status or closepanions pour wine for the other.] Arien dismissed the waiter. Indeed, no one was around them, and the cafe was tranquil. Bang, boom! Then a grand fireworks disy began. Tomorrow a new Pope would be inaugurated in the Empire. It was a fireworks disy tomemorate the inauguration ceremony. At that moment, Elisha and Arien seemed to have turned into shadows overshadowed by the splendid mes. She poured wine into Elisha¡¯s ss. Then she pressed the groove in the ring as she practiced dozens of times. ¡®You have to put poison in the ss!¡¯ The sound of explosions covered everything. The pill fell into the ss. There was no sound. ¡®I did it. I did it. Now this wench needs to drink this!¡¯ You can read more here. Chapter 124: Tpcp 124 Chapter 124: Tpcp 124 Thank you to raw provider: angelstars5 The sound of explosions covered everything. The pill fell into the ss. There was no sound. ¡®I did it. I did it. Now this wench needs to drink this!¡¯ Elisha couldn¡¯t take her eyes off the window. She even jerked at the loud sounds. ¡°The mes are huge. It was forbidden in the monastery where I grew up.¡± ¡°There are so many things to see in the capital. I can guide you.¡± In a cold sweat, she held out a ss to Elisha. Her mouth and heart were quite different. ¡®I came today thinking that I might fail. Pretending to be an ally so I may gain the chance to poison her. This bitch is so stupid that she made it this easy. Now all she needs to do is drink the wine!¡¯ Arien was going to faint with excitement, but she acted calmly. The fireworks were getting quieter. Arien thought: ¡®This must be the first time you¡¯ve seen fireworks like this, or had wine that¡¯s so precious that money can¡¯t buy it.¡¯ So this stupid bitch would never be able to refuse. ¡°Madam, let¡¯s make a toast,¡± She called Elisha¡¯s attention. She nodded in agreement. ¡°Alright.¡± Then¡ª ?nk! There was the sound of something breaking. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Elisha jumped up from her seat. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, madam. I know that thedy rented the cafe at this time, but¡­ ¡­ . An outsider broke into the cafe. It could be a troublemaker trying to target thedies, so the staff rushing to apprehend them,¡± exined an employee that ran up to the two of them to exin the situation. At those words, Arien was blown away. ¡®Maybe¡­. could it be Marco?¡¯ Did hee all the way here because he didn¡¯t believe her? Arien tried to get up from her seat. Elisha was already heading down the hallway. ¡°Hey!¡± Elisha frowned and returned to her seat. ¡°How unpleasant. I heard that this store had a good reputation but it seems there¡¯s nothing exceptional about it except the price. I told you I like to spend my time quietly, but now you don¡¯t know if outsiders are running about.¡± The words of Elisha, who returned soon after, sounded like an idiot by Arien¡¯s standards. Nevertheless, she chuckled at her expense. Elisha spat out to the staff, who had been hesitating until then. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yes, excuse me.¡± Phew, Elisha sighed. ¡°I¡¯m parched.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Arien nodded her head. Then they raised their sses. Then, before Elisha put the cup to her mouth, she looked at Arien and asked, ¡°Are you being honest about earlier? Do you really want to be on the same side? If I can convince Lucerne.¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Arien answered happily on the outside, but on the inside, she was swearing at her. ¡®How amusing. Who are you calling a fake? We¡¯ll see. I can¡¯t wait until you kneel and apologize for being so overbearing in front of me. I¡¯m dying of joy at the thought of kicking her arrogant face!¡¯ She smiled slyly and hid her feelings. Elisha asked again, ¡°There¡¯s no lie or a trap?¡± ¡°Elisha, what do you see me as? At the very least, I have been a dignified noblewoman. My word is never light. I can swear.¡± ¡°Alright, then, please swear,¡± Elisha dered, gently stroking the ss with her fingertips. ¡°You won¡¯t regret it,¡± Arien said without a second thought. In response, Elisha smiled slowly, looking pleased. It was her first time seeing her smile ¡­ ¡­ . As if she was champagne, she had a tangy yet radiant smile. ¡°Cheers.¡± They clinked their sses. They both emptied their sses at the same time. nk¡ª Elisha put her ss down. Arien¡¯s hands were trembling with joy. Elisha left not a single drop of white wine. *** Marco waited for Arien to call. Instead, Arien stormed into Elisha¡¯s regr cafe with only one coachman. She took the opportunity to put the drug in her drink, and if she seeded, she would threaten her and bring her here. It was their agreed-upon n. If she failed, she woulde back alone or not at all. ¡®I wonder how are things going?¡¯ Marco looked around the room nervously. He was in a cheap lodging in Yurif. This inn did not write down the names of guests in detail, rented out log cabins surrounded by high fences so that guests did not easily encounter each other, and was a famous ce for conducting affairs. It was Marco¡¯s old hiding ce. Not for affairs, but for when Merha severely scolded him; it was because it was a ce to hide while waiting for his anger to subside. Suddenly¡ª Step, thud, thud. There was the sound of someone walking in haste from outside the fence. Then, it was the sound of heavy footsteps. ¡®Are you a horseman?¡¯ And then I could hear the footsteps of women. Marco¡¯s mouth opened, and his eyes filled with anticipation. ¡®Here she is¡ªMy wife, Arien, did it!¡¯ Marco¡¯s mouth opened. m¡ªThe cabin door opened. Chapter 125: Tpcp 125 Chapter 125: Tpcp 125 Thank you to raw provider: angelstars5 Arien felt great joy for the first time in her life. She was satisfied that she had carried out an evil deed and rejoiced that she had seeded. ¡®Oh, am I too excited? I¡¯m getting dizzy.¡¯ Arien sped her head. She saw Elisha¡¯s body shaking in front of her. Arien took in a deep breath and smiled. She slowly approached her. ¡°Elisha, are you ill? Yourplexion doesn¡¯t look good all of a sudden.¡± Elisha slowly raised her head. Her face was as indifferent as before. ¡°Oh, actually, I don¡¯t really like white wine. So, after forcing myself to drink it, I feel a little nauseous. ¡°What?¡± Arien doubted her ears for a moment. ¡®Obviously, the employee I bought off said she was obsessed with white wine? That¡¯s why the expensive wine¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ It was right at that moment¡ª Arien grabbed her heart. ¡°Huh?¡± It was the first time she had experienced such great pain. It felt like her heart was being ripped apart and her intestines were twisting. She felt nauseous, but at the same time she could not vomit anything. She could not keep decorum. She fell to the floor, crawling, foaming at the mouth, panting and drooling as she suffered. ¡°*Cough*¡ª huh.¡± Arien clenched her neck on her floor and curled up. After she gasped and panted for a while, Elisha slowly got up and looked down on her. ¡°You know, I gave you several chances.¡± ¡°You¡ªyou¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I gave you the opportunity to quit. I promised you, Arien. If you are prepared to harm others, you must be prepared to be injured. As you were prepared to feed me a dreadful ancient poison¡­.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Conversely, you should have imagined and been prepared to be poisoned.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°But I am better than you. I gave you the option to reconsider several times.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°At this point,¡± Elisha whispered softly. ¡°Even the devil will be moved to cry.¡± Arien¡¯s eyes widened. Her whole body was trembling. ¡°You¡ª what do you mean?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t the name of the poison in your ring called the ¡®Devil¡¯s Tears¡¯?¡± It was then that the pain of her seizures eased a bit. Arien staggered and got up. ¡°Oh, did this happen? I was sure I put the drug in your ss!¡± Elisha beckoned. The waiter and the clerk entered the room. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not so blind that I can¡¯t see you y around with the ring.¡± ¡°How do you know the secret of this ring? ¡­ .¡± ¡°You are asking the wrong questions.¡± One of the waiters roughly took the ring off Arien¡¯s hand. Elisha gently reached out her hand, and he ced her ring on her hand. Elisha rolled the ring nonchntly in her hand. ¡°It would be right to know when the scheme started.¡± ¡°You¡ª you¡­ ¡­ .¡± Arien looked around. That Elisha stayed at the cafe at certain times and spent time alone. She had easily bought those employees. And the misinformation. Like Elisha¡¯s preference for white wine. All of it was false. Like a spider that emits a sticky liquid to attract insects, the falsehoods were the lure. This cafe, this ce itself, was all a trap. ¡°Then, didn¡¯t it ur to you that our general would have nted a special agent in his wife¡¯s regr cafe?¡± Then someone came into the room with a smile. He looked familiar to Arien. ¡°Wee, Ian. Is kitchen work cut out for you?¡± ¡°Ugh,pared to my usual assignments, this job is like a vacation spot.¡± Ian was dressed as an employee who worked in the cafe¡¯s kitchen. ¡°Speaking of which, how many of the clerks in this store belong to Lucerne?¡± At those words, the agents standing there only exchanged awkward nces at each other. ¡°No way, could it be more than half?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± They still kept their mouths shut as if they had eaten honey. Elisha¡¯s eyebrows twitched. ¡°Oh my. All the employees in this cafe must be Lucerne agents. No wonder he said I could go out alone.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all for the esteemed madam¡¯s safety. Oh¡ª you can¡¯t tell the general that I said that!¡± Ian sped his mouth and smiled. Meanwhile, the forgotten Arien listened to the conversation with her eyes growing bigger. ¡°What are you doing! Are you ignoring me and treating me like a fool?¡± ¡°There¡¯s plenty of time. No need to rush. The pain will start again soon.¡± ¡°What?¡± Without any time for Arien to object, the hellish pain began again. This time it was twice as strong as before. She screamed madly as she rolled over the floor. Chapter 126: Tpcp 126 Chapter 126: Tpcp 126 Thank you to raw provider: angelstars5 ¡°Sa¡ªsave me¡­ ¡­ . help me¡­ ¡­ . whenever¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°This is the poison you prepared. Did I feed you ¡®The Devil¡¯s Smile¡¯?¡± Elisha bowed her body and said. ¡°During the fireworks, you put drugs in the wine. Then our agents, who were hiding and watching the situation, gave the signal. And in the midst of the intrudermotion, Lucerne¡¯s men swapped the sses,¡± Elisha exined softly. ¡°Oh, yes. Today¡¯s fireworks disy has been postponed. About an hour ago, news circted inside the capital, so I guess you didn¡¯t know. Besides, no matter how magical the mes are, how can they explode so close to a window?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ . What?¡± ¡°Under Lucerne, there are wizards who are good at illusion magic. They¡¯ll probably be waiting over there.¡± Elisha remarked and pointed to the roof of the building diagonally seen from the cafe window. ¡°In other words, the spark you saw in the first ce, it was an illusion. So, you, who thought that the me was covering you, worked hard on the ss¡­ ¡­ . It was perfect.¡± It was the first time since Arien was born that she felt so stupid. Her whole body trembled in defeat and humiliation. ¡°This¡­ ¡­ . this¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha smiled and showed her wrist. ¡°And there¡¯s this too.¡± A bracelet was glittering around her wrist. It was a small bell-shaped bracelet. ¡°This is a gift from the same magicians who are good at fantasy magic. It was also useful for finding the corpse of Ristralpho that your father-inw murdered. Now¡­ ¡­ . We even added a function that it will react when poison is nearby.¡± A bracelet that Lazuli and Lapis fixed and enhanced it this time. As before, it had the ability to detect contaminated mana and now could detect toxins. ¡°This bracelet vibrates in response to the presence of a poison right in front of it. It is a pity that it is not something that can be used permanently,¡± noted Elisha with a small smile. ¡°So, I had a hard time hiding the vibrating bracelet.¡± Arien understood. The reason Elisha kept fidgeting wasn¡¯t because she was so smitten by the fireworks¡­ ¡­ . ¡°Since everything is so certain, I had no choice but to switch the ss,¡± she whispered. ¡°Save me, save me¡­ ¡­ . Send me to my husband,¡± Arien pleaded. It was not toote yet. Marco had the antidote, so if she met him and took it, she could survive. Arien¡¯s eyes shed with malice. ¡®I¡¯m going to kill you, you damn motherfucker¡ªI will never forgive you! I¡¯m going to rip this bitch to death even if I have to cling to Jacob. I can¡¯t forgive you!¡¯ Inwardly she was swearing. Elisha blinked. Ian slowly approached Arien. Soon Arien¡¯s consciousness faded away. Seeing her droopy body, Elisha and Ian exchanged nces. *** ¡°Ian says that the situation is under control and sorted out.¡± Nora delivered to Lucerne the items brought by her subordinates through the capital gate. The ring in Lucerne¡¯s hand was stolen from Arien. It was the ring with poison called the ¡°Devil¡¯s Smile.¡± ¡°What about my wife?¡± ¡°Elisha-nim is safe. Everything went as expected, and the whole thing was said to bepletely under our control with our agents.¡± ¡°I¡¯m still not pleased,¡± muttered Lucerne. ¡°I feel dirty that my wife is going through an operation that has a chance to endanger her even the slightest bit.¡± Lucerne rarely expressed his feelings. Nora nodded in agreement without hesitation. ¡°The madam had a good point however that if we didn¡¯t cooperate, she would continue to be endangered and risk exposure to poison in the future. Better to solve it all at once rather than take the risk and tremble with anxiety.¡± ¡°Elisha,¡± murmured Lucerne. ¡°¡­ ¡­ She¡¯s the kind of woman who I want to locked up somewhere safe, like a basement.¡± Nora agreed quietly. ¡°¡­ ¡­ I agree.¡± [t1v: wat.] When Lucerne beckoned, the knights who were silently approaching joined. Nora went ahead and knocked on the wooden door of the cabin where Marco was hiding. Marco opened the door with a smile that spread across his face. However, the person he met was not his wife, Arien, but the expressionless knight, Nora. ¡°Excuse me,¡± Nora said politely. Punch! Nora plowed her fist into Marco¡¯s stomach. Lucerne slowly walked out from behind. ¡°You got emotional.¡± ¡°How can you rationally treat someone who has plotted to poison someone else¡¯s wife?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Lucerne, watching the scene, had the impression that Nora had changed strangely. However, since she was not Elisha, he did not mull over it deeply. ¡°Lu¡ªLucerne¡­ ¡­ !¡± Marco, who was curled up and swaying like a ball on the floor, stared at Lucerne in shock. Lucerne chuckled. The knights came and put a leather bag on Marco¡¯s head. Chapter 127: Tpcp 127 Chapter 127: Tpcp 127 Thank you to raw provider: angelstars5 ¡°Ugh!¡± Marco opened his eyes. ¡®Where the hell am I?¡¯ It was a dusty cer. It smelled damp and dirty. It waspletely sealed off; he couldn¡¯t tell where the door was. There was nothing but a small bathroom space. ¡°What¡ª what happened?¡± But no one answered. Then, after a long time passed¡­ ¡­ . Growl¡ª His stomach rumbled like thunder. Marco had never gone hungry for more than one meal in his life. He was so hungry that his stomach hurt. It was the first time he had such an appetite in his life. He couldn¡¯t stand it, so he banged on the wall and made amotion, but again there was no response. Time passed again. Then finally, the middle of the wall moved. A small port concealed in the wall had opened, and a bowl came through. It was a few pieces of dried bread and some water. ¡®What if there¡¯s poison in here?¡¯ Marco persevered. However, no matter how much he waited, nothing changed, and there was no movement. So, in the end, Marco waited for a while, and after he couldn¡¯t stand it, he ate a piece of bread and drank the water. The next meal came with cheese and ham on bread coated with wine and sweet honey sauce. ¡®Ah, I don¡¯t know.¡¯ Marco, who was naturally weak-willed, ate the food again. It tasted like heaven. *** And Marco fell asleep. He also didn¡¯t know how much time had passed¡­ ¡­ . He woke up in a familiar ce. ¡®Is this the cabin I stayed in?¡¯ He suddenly felt nauseous and had a stomach ache. He got up slowly. It was obviously the hideout he had rented for a long time. It was the cabin in Yurif. ¡®What happened to me? Was it all a dream?¡¯ He wondered if he imagined it all. But it couldn¡¯t be. Obviously, everything had been real. That horrible basement, a hellish ce with no windows. Where no one answered him¡­ ¡­ . ¡°Ah!¡± Then Marco screamed. Someone else was in the room. Lucerne satfortably on a wooden chair in the middle of the room. He was looking down at Marco. Thatnguid gaze was one of a bored beast or a beautiful evil god who decided to torment a passing human. It seemed on a whim that he would show infinite kindness to his opponent or, conversely, that he would suddenly tear his foe apart and kill them. ¡°You slept peacefully. Your stupidity is truly disgusting.¡± ¡°What¡ª what¡ª what are you talking about!¡± Marco trembled. During the days he was imprisoned, he worried about Arien countless times. ¡°Where is my wife!¡± Tuk. Something rolled in front of Marco. His face turned when he saw what it was. It was a ring with an empty egg. The ring with a poison called ¡°The Devil¡¯s Smile.¡± ¡°This¡­ ¡­ . How do you have this?¡± ¡°Your wife tried to assassinate my wife. That¡¯s the evidence. So I decided to give it back to you.¡± ¡°So where is Arien? Arien has a delicate body! When she¡¯s stressed she bes weak and can¡¯t take much.¡± Arien had failed. Marco felt it. His mind was nk, and his eyes were dim. It was the color of despair. Lucerne clicked his tongue. ¡°How dare you tell me your wife is precious.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Why did you try to hurt someone else¡¯s wife when you knew it so well, huh?¡± Lucerne asked in a creepily affectionate tone. ¡°Let me borate.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Think about it, Marco. Why is the egg in this ring empty? The poison must have been used somewhere,¡± he whispered ¡°You haven¡¯t left any food or water alone in the past few days.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­ ¡­ .¡± Marco¡¯s body shook uncontrobly. ¡°Then the question is, did I put the ¡®Devil¡¯s Smile¡¯ poison in the food you ate or not?¡± Then¡ª Marco started to have stomach pain. It was a pang as if his intestines had been twisted or his stomach was stabbed. ¡°I told you. I will repay you.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°That poison, I paid it back with care.¡± Lucerneughed. ¡°Oh, no! No!¡± ¡°Good luck, survive well, Marco.¡± Lucerneughed at him and got up from his seat. ¡®The antidote¡­ ¡­ !¡¯ In front of Marco was death; he couldn¡¯t see anything more. Then, to make matters worse, the pain in his body grew. Lucerne turned his back. As soon as Marco saw that he had left, he searched the room. There was a hidden underground space on the hardwood floor of the cabin. Searching there, Marco took out a small key. ¡®The box where the medicine is hidden¡­ ¡­ . where is it? Yes, it was here!¡¯ When the heirs of Gaju reached adulthood, he passed on some treasures, including some magic tools. This box was also a treasure handed down by the Head. ¡®This is a box that can only be opened by me.¡¯ He opened the box. Only Marco, the owner, could open it. ¡°I can¡¯t die like this. I have to survive so there is hope for the future.¡± Marco quickly took out the medicine. The ¡®Devil¡¯s Tears¡¯ ring looked identical to the ¡®Devil¡¯s Smile¡¯ poison ring. The only difference was that the ring egg was white, not ck. He swallowed the pill in a hurry, shoving the ring into his mouth and pressing the button on the back of the ring. ¡®Now I can live¡­ ¡­ !¡¯ Marco thought as he chewed the drug. *** Chapter 128: Tpcp 128 Chapter 128: Tpcp 128 Thank you to raw provider: angelstars5 How much time had passed? Arien opened her eyes. ¡°Where am I?¡± She thought she was going to be in terrible pain. Arien fell and passed out in the cafe. Then¡­ ¡­ . She couldn¡¯t remember anything. ¡®How many days have passed?¡¯ Her outfit was the same as she had worn to the cafe, and her head hurt. Arien came out. Other than herself, there was only an old wagon in a secluded forest. She studied her surroundings. [Wee to the resort city of Yurif!] An old sign was creaking in the woods. ¡®Yurif¡­ ¡­ . then¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Marco¡¯s hiding ce was nearby. Then suddenly¡ª ¡°Ahh!¡± Again came that maddening pain that ran through her body. It was the effect of the ¡®Devil¡¯s Smile¡¯ poison. She was rolling on the ground, foaming at the mouth and crying. ¡®I need to find Marco. He has the antidote!¡¯ When her seizures stopped, Arien stumbled and began to walk. She was born with a weak heart. She took a poison that even a healthy person couldn¡¯t tolerate, so she probably wouldn¡¯t be able to withstand it unless she took the antidote right away. Arien was sure of it. ¡°Haaa. Haaa.¡± Panting in a cold sweat and her pale lips cracked, Arien began to walk on the ground with the help of a branch she had picked up. Finally, she reached Marco¡¯s hideout, a cabin lodge. ¡°Marco!¡± She opened the door to the hut where Marco was hiding. The cabin door was not locked. At that moment, she saw Marco slurping up the antidote. ¡°No, Marco! I¡¯ve been poisoned! You have to give me the antidote, Marco!¡± Arien cried. However, Marco had already swallowed thest antidote. Upon hastily taking the cure, he looked just like a pig. Tears flowed from her eyes. ¡°Arien, how¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°No. You can¡¯t¡ª!¡± Arien¡¯s seizures started again. She was sprawled out in front of Marco, chafing her body against the floor. ¡°Save me¡ª save me!¡± ¡°Arien! You took poison? No, that can¡¯t be. Apparently Lucerne poisoned me.¡± ¡°There was only one pill on the ring. I¡¯m sure I was poisoned,¡± Arien gasped. ¡°But obviously my stomach hurts.¡± ¡°You mean you were hungry?¡± Arien burst into anger as she struggled with the waves of agony. Pain made people desperate and angry. ¡°The pain of this drug is not just some ache¡ªit¡¯s the level where you want to die! You idiot! Coward! Stomach pain or heartburn is something everyone has! You fool¡ªAh, it¡¯s starting again¡ªit hurts so much!¡± Arien struggled in misery in his arms. Then she coughed up blood. ¡°Arien, are you okay? Ah, you¡­ ¡­ .¡± Tears flowed from Marco¡¯s eyes. ¡°Ah, that damn bitch¡ªruined my life! Elisha that witch! I knew it, I didn¡¯t like her from the first time I saw that wrench. Oh¡­¡­ . Marco, what should I do?¡± Arien resented and med Elisha even up until herst moments. ¡°We were deceived. Marco, you¡­ ¡­ . If you could have saved me if you had just given me that one pill¡­ ¡­ . by any means¡­ ¡­ . you¡­ ¡­ . It¡¯s because of you!¡± Arien¡¯s eyes grew wild and popped out as she screamed, ¡°You idiot!¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± And she said onest time as if she was spitting: ¡°Help me, Marco.¡± And then Arien died in his arms. Marco¡¯s eyes grew wide, tears streaming down his face. At that moment, he looked like he was ten years old. ¡°Arien, open your eyes. Arien?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Arien!¡± Marco shook her, but she didn¡¯t respond. It was then that Marco realized. Lucerne deceived them. He never took poison in the first ce. He poisoned Arien and imprisoned Marco to feed him. He made him think he had consumed poison. ¡®I was tricked into wasting the antidote by my own hands. What a foolish thing to do¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Marco felt a new sensation for the first time in his life. It felt like the sky was spinning and falling, and his vision was turning gray. He staggered out. Chapter 129: Tpcp 129 Chapter 129: Tpcp 129 Thank you to raw provider: angelstars5 The cabin, Marco¡¯s hiding ce, was a well-known spot for an affair. So, they would have no guests over for a holiday. And it happened to be a holiday on this very day. Besides, the owner was uninvolved in anymotion as this inn had a definite purpose. Therefore, it was easy for the employees to pretend not to know the fights that sometimes took ce. ¡°Lucerne!!!!¡± So Marco¡¯s mournful cry shattered in the air without anyone paying attention or listening. ¡°You bastard, Lucerne¡­ ¡­ . killing my wife¡ª The Lord will never forgive you. Putting my father in jail and even my wife. You bastard¡­ ¡­ . you¡¯re a demon not human¡­ ¡­ .¡± Lucerne stood leisurely near the wall surrounding the hotel. He was observing Marco¡¯s reaction, pleased. Next to Lucerne stood a wagon with sweaty horses. The carriage, which seemed to have just arrived, was new. It was silver-leafed with an borately decorated exterior. Click. The carriage door opened. A beautiful woman got out of it. She was Elisha in a long silver dress, and her hair was adorned with new jewelry. When Marco saw Elisha, it was an instant reaction. ¡°Demonic bitch! It was you who poisoned Arien!¡± Elisha didn¡¯t even respond. Instead, Lucerne beckoned. ¡°Nora.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Nora stepped forward. And she kicked Marco with a nk expression. ¡°Ugh!¡± Lucerne leaned over the fallen man. ¡°What are you going to say?¡± Lucerne asked softly. ¡°What?¡± ¡°What are you going to say to Gaju? Let¡¯s hear it.¡± He looked at Marco like a beast. ¡°What will I say? I will tell him all about your crimes!¡± Lucerne chuckled and spoke coldly, ¡°Yes, your wife came on her own feet and poisoned her own ss herself. And she drank from her cup with her own hand.¡± ¡°That¡ªwell, so¡ªThis is all your trap¡­ ¡­ !¡± ¡°Your father manipted the ledgers and stole artifacts. You mean the poison you kept in your quarters for a long time?¡± Marco was speechless. If it was Lucerne, it was even possible that he had secured a record of their book maniptions. Moreover, the poison was obviously an ancient relic that would have been difficult to obtain without Merha. ¡®Then why did Arien eat that poison!¡¯ Marco felt like he was going to explode. He could vaguely guess what happened; they probably tricked Arien so she would poison herself. ¡°I gave you a chance and brought you here to give Arien the antidote, but you stupidly ate the antidote and wasted it.¡± ¡°No¡ªno I didn¡¯t!¡± Marco wanted to deny reality. But everything was their choice. ¡®I have to tell the Lord of my injustice.¡¯ As soon as he thought about it, his mind went nk. But¡­ ¡­ what? With what should he appeal to? Whose fault should he me it on? Marco couldn¡¯t honestly disclose the whole story. ¡°You want to me me? But it was you who killed your wife. Your wife wouldn¡¯t have died so terribly if you had at least one pill of the antidote left. She must have resented you until the moment she died,¡± Lucerne whisperednguidly. Marco¡¯s eyes shook. ¡°You ruined everything.¡± Lucerne gently summed it up. ¡°You¡¯ve always been a failure, and youmitted the biggest mistake of your life today.¡± ¡°No, that¡­ ¡­ .¡± Marco was faced with a terrible reality. It was his fault that his wife died. He repeated the same thing over and over like an idiot. Elisha intervened in a soft tone. ¡°Lucerne, you should be a little more kind. How terrifying it is to lose her wife by mistake. It¡¯s not like it was on purpose. Besides, the exact reason for Arien¡¯s death was¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Oh yeah. It could be defined as suicide. Does that make you feel better?¡± asked Lucerne. At those words, the fair-faced knight standing next to him, Ian remarked: ¡°I¡¯ve seen all kinds of deaths, but this is the first time I¡¯ve seen such a strange voluntary method. Ah, maybe Arien-nim was trying to appeal to the Lord through her death?¡± ¡°Really? Prehaps. Marco. Go ahead and appeal to Gaju. Maybe he will listen,¡± Lucerne said with a grin. Marco was terrified. Everything was frightening. Lucerne had neither blood nor tears and was terribly cruel. ¡®I¡¯m set against this bastard¡­ ¡­ . Can I win?¡¯ He had already lost his father. He had already lost his wife. He¡­ ¡­ He suffered a wound that could not be washed away. He had never defeated the monster named Lucerne, and he would never win. Marco felt an overwhelming sense of defeat. It was closer to despondency. ¡°You¡­ ¡­ . Who the hell is this cunt¡­ ¡­ . driving us to ruin like this? It¡¯s all because of this bitch. A demonic bastard met this witch and is now running wild without knowing her limits.¡± Marco pointed at Elisha with a trembling finger; she didn¡¯t even blink. ¡°You still don¡¯t know how to reflect. There were so many opportunities. It¡¯s incredible,¡± Elisha remarked quietly. Chapter 130: Tpcp 130 Chapter 130: Tpcp 130 Thank you to raw provider: angelstars5 Lucerne expressionlessly struck the palm of his hand with a horsewhip. ¡°If you keep insulting my wife, I have no choice but to punish you, but are you not afraid, Marco? There is no one by your side now. How long can you hold out against me without a shield?¡± ¡°Lucerne,¡± Elisha whispered. ¡°Stop it, he¡¯s a pitiful person. Iparable to you¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Because he is a weak man.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°But since you are constantly swearing at me, let me tell you something. It¡¯s a fact that everyone is aware of but you. It¡¯s not because someone is good or bad,¡± Elisha said kindly. Coincidentally, the tone was quite simr to the one Lucerne often used. ¡°It¡¯s just that my husband is better than you, Marco.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°If Arien acknowledged that too, she wouldn¡¯t have taken poison. It¡¯s pitiful. She is guilty of the crime of meeting the wrong spouse. I wish she had known her ce from the beginning.¡± ¡°I know. It¡¯s troublesome when people step out of their bounds,¡± Lucerne looked at Elisha, who said that, and felt he would die from how overwhelmingly cute she was. Then the wind blew, and her blonde hair became disheveled in the breeze. Looking serious, Nora noted to Lucerne. ¡°General, the night breeze is chilly. The madam may catch a cold.¡± ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go.¡± He nodded, and Ian opened the carriage door, and Nora escorted them. And they departed. No one even nced back at Marco¡¯s figure. Instead, he sat down and looked at the setting sun utterly stunned. And did not move at all until the dark night descended. *** ¡°Ha ha ha ha ha¡­ ¡­ . Arien¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡®You idiot!¡¯ Those were thest words Arien left to Marco. The other day, they had entered the wedding hall holding each other¡¯s hands. Promising a lifetime together. But now, there was no such promise. Lucerne whispered onest time. ¡®This time it was your wife, but what will happen next time? Life is precious, so think about it deeply when you get home.¡¯ Marco wondered, What did he mean when you return home? Who should he meet? The next morning. Marco was arrested on suspicion for murdering his wife by the Yurif Magistrates¡¯ Knighthood. Up until the moment he was arrested, he kept repeating, ¡®I don¡¯t know anything. No, if you left at least one of the three eggs¡­ ¡­ . No, but it¡¯s like I killed her¡­ ¡­¡¯ he was muttering. He didn¡¯t even reveal that he was of the Cartier family, so he had a hard time with the security forces. The guards treated him very harshly, as a murderer of his wife. Finally, when the men sent by the Head escorted him, Marco looked like a corpse and was half-conscious. *** Elisha slowly got out of the water. Water dripped from her heated naked body after taking a bath. After she finished bathing, she felt drowsy. She put on her gown and wiped her hair with a clean towel. In her bedroom, Lucerne was waiting for her. ¡°Come here, Elisha,¡± he said. Elisha quietly entered his arms. Caressing her round shoulders, he whispered, ¡°How do you feel?¡± ¡°Not bad.¡± But Elisha¡¯s expression as she answered was colder than usual. Lucerne suddenly wanted tough. ¡°Are you still mad?¡± She immediately noticed what he was asking, ¡°Do I have the right to be angry?¡± ¡°Why, of course. If you¡¯re angry, whine,¡± Lucerne assertednguidly. ¡°What do you want to say after filling the cafe, the only ce I go out to, with your agents?¡± ¡°It¡¯s for your safety.¡± ¡°Since when?¡± ¡°From the day you said you needed a ce to go out to breathe.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ You bought the cafe, didn¡¯t you?¡± Lucerne meekly nodded. Elisha was shocked. Chapter 131: Tpcp 131 Chapter 131: Tpcp 131 Thank you to raw provider: angelstars5 ¡°That¡¯s what people call captivity.¡± Elisha curtly remarked with a nk expression. ¡°Consider it protection. And thanks to me, didn¡¯t your operation go smoothly?¡± ¡°You reassessed my proposition until the very end.¡± ¡°I was afraid you would be in danger.¡± At Lucerne¡¯s words, Elisha traced the beginning of the incident. ¡®I think I should read some old books. I think I saw a rted book in the monastery¡¯s secret library.¡¯ A shabby paper box that is said to be a relic of an evil god. The secret was hidden inside that paper box. Elisha knew it from her past life experience. ¡®Because¡­ ¡­ . Because in her previous lifetime, ¡°The Devil¡¯s Smile¡± was the very same toxin that poisoned Lucerne. Consuming the pill resulted in him being blind in one eye. Shortly after the incident, Elisha happened to be at the Duke¡¯s castle. Gaju often called on her to work. ¡®They say Lucerne was poisoned and went blind in one eye.¡¯ At that time, Gaju and Lucerne truly harbored a love-hate rtionship. Nevertheless, the Head of the household could not let go of his best grandson. The Head was furious when a report came to him that Lucerne had a w. ¡®The Devil¡¯s Smile, a relic of an ancient evil god, is a magical poison that drives the intoxicant insane. However, Lucerne has a special constitution where magic tools, divine powers nor mana works well on him. So the poison didn¡¯t take Lucerne¡¯s life, it only blinded him.¡¯ At least, ording to the priest¡¯s words, his eyesight would be restored after a few years. Since then, Lucerne had be colder and more cryptic. Gaju investigated the incident and found out that the fallen evil god¡¯s deadly poison had harmed Lucerne. The poison was stolen by Merha a long time ago. The culprit was Marco, who his father had ordered. No one was surprised. It was not gasp-worthy because everyone was always ready to inflict fatal wounds. ¡®A hidden poison in a paper box. It is said that the poison was kept in the sacred relics vault of the temple.¡¯ Later, the Lord was furious when he discovered Merha and his son were the culprits. Additionally, the head of the family had plenty of things to get angry about, so he wasn¡¯t entirely sane either. It was such a hectic and turbulent time. So, it was only natural that Elisha immediately realized it was that poison after hearing that a missing demonic relic was simply listed as a ¡®paper box.¡¯ Composed, Elisha calmly headed to Rosaria¡¯s secret library. Inside were forbidden books covering the treasures of cruel and evil gods. The only problem was that it was written in an ancientnguage. Fortunately, Lapis and Lazuli came in handy. ¡®I heard that you two are fluent in ancientnguages. Can you spot any of these evil god¡¯s items?¡¯ There were not many people who knew the ancientnguage well throughout the entire empire. ¡®Please, an ominous foreboding is worrying me¡­ ¡­ . Can you study the evil god¡¯s treasures?¡¯ ¡®I¡¯ll do anything if it¡¯s your request!¡¯ Lapis and Lazuli stayed up for two nights reading the rted books and uncovered the box¡¯s secret. ¡°No matter how you think about it, it¡¯s strange. How did you find out the secret of that paper box? Who thinks that poison is hidden in such a thing?¡± ¡°I hope you can consider it as a valuable contribution that I was lucky enough to stumble upon and produced. Thanks to you, it worked out well. The words ¡®treasure of evil gods¡¯ made me recall Rosaria-nim¡¯s secret library, and it was to Lapis and Lazuli¡¯s credit for quickly finding that information,¡± Elisha replied softly. That was perfectly true, so Lucerne nodded. ¡°If you say it¡¯s because you¡¯re excellent, then I guess it exins everything.¡± But Lucerne was no fool. Even at this moment, she knew very well he still had many doubts about her. She could only lower her gaze in response. Elisha reassured herself that even Lucerne would not torture someone who made such a valuable merit. Besides, he was the one that intercepted the message from Merha to Marco. Written on it were the words: ¡®Seize Lucerne¡¯s weakness.¡¯ Lucerne was also keeping an eye on Marco. He knew they were already plotting something, so it wasn¡¯t an illogical conclusion. As soon as he found out about the ¡°Devil¡¯s Smile¡± poison, he said: ¡®They¡¯re targeting you, Elisha. They are probably nning on poisoning and imprisoning you, and then want to threaten me with the antidote.¡¯ ¡®It is a terrible conspiracy. But with the reverse we can use this to attack.¡¯ And Elisha proposed a trap made up of borate lies. ¡®Since, the surveince inside the general¡¯s residence is formidable, wouldn¡¯t they aim for the one ce I go out to, the cafe?¡¯ As expected, Arien tried to bribe one of the cafe workers. Lucerne skillfully set the trap. In reverse, they bribed one of Arien¡¯s acquaintances. The acquaintance of Arien was the wife of a newly wealthy businessman. And she was one of his most effective agents. Even the entrepreneur himself was a person working under Lucerne. And there was no way for Arien to escape once she was caught in the trap so masterfully. It was so clear. ¡®Considering the twist, Lucerne is a more fearsome person than I thought.¡¯ It was the only ce she was allowed to roam freely. It was also surprising that the cafe was in the hands of Lucerne in the first ce. However, Marco¡¯splete and utter destruction was enough for her to feel pity. ¡®To think he even reported Marco anonymously at the end.¡¯ After he left Marco in the cabin, he even had his subordinates kindly report him to the authorities. The report, disguised as from a hotel employee, said that it appeared that a man staying at a cabin had murdered his wife. From what she heard, the security forces didn¡¯t recognize Marco, treated him harshly, like a murderer, and brutally interrogated him all night. It was only in the morning that Marco referred to the Duke, and the Head desperately silenced those involved and took over Marco¡¯s custody. ¡®Since he went through all that in a state of shock, that weak-willed man must have gone crazy.¡¯ When Lucerne decided to break people¡¯s hearts, he didn¡¯t give a damn. Elisha prayed that his cruelty would not be directed against her. ¡°What are you thinking?¡± Lucerne, noticing her anxiety, asked. Elisha quickly hid her feelings. ¡°Are you still mad?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m fine.¡± Then, again, Lucerne inquired with affection: ¡°Everything went ording to n, what¡¯s bothering you?¡± Chapter 132: Tpcp 132 Chapter 132: Tpcp 132 Thank you to raw provider: angelstars5 Elisha grimaced and sealed her lips. Arien¡¯s death was somewhat exhrating, but¡­ ¡­ . It somehow made her feel ambivalent. ¡°Arien is dead.¡± It was Lucerne¡¯s subordinate who had switched their sses, but Elisha also agreed to it. ¡°You didn¡¯t kill her. Besides, it was me who concocted the scheme to imprison Marco and make him consume the antidote himself.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I heard you gave Arien three chances. You asked if she would change her mind and not regret it. Elisha, think carefully.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°If, like you, Arien had any worries, apprehension or feelings of guilt, wouldn¡¯t she had noticed something peculiar in the hints and advices you gave?¡± ¡°That¡­ ¡­ .¡± That was right. Instead, Elisha was at a loss for how to reply. ¡°But Arien didn¡¯t. Because she was too thrilled with the fantasy that you would be poisoned. She was swept up with excitement at the thought of harming you. We only wielded their shallow scheme to hurt themselves. That¡¯s what it means to be a part of the Cartier family.¡± Lucerne whispered to her sweetly. He was still a demon, but he was her demon and on the same side as her. So Elisha even felt his words were pleasing. ¡°I can¡¯t be nice yet,¡± Lucerne remarked as if he was her elder. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, now you still retain your innocence you had from when you first met me. All you have lost is your social virginity.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ Lucerne.¡± By bothering with such reassurance, Elisha felt he strangely cared about her. ¡°If someone dies in the future, you won¡¯t be the perpetrator. Your hands will be clean.¡± ¡°I hope so until the moment I leave this house.¡± Lucerne¡¯s eyebrows twitched. Elisha realized that she had made a mistake in her words. She felt the cold shudder of goosebumps. ¡°Lucerne¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Lucerne whispered. ¡°It¡¯s alright to hope so, right?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ Yes.¡± An ufortable silence passed. Soon, Lucerne opened his mouth, ¡°Was that all that was troubling you?¡± ¡°I was just admiring you in numerous ways. You broke Marco¡¯s heart so thoroughly,¡± Elisha conveyed as she hid her emotions. ¡®I have to change the subject,¡¯ an rm red in her mind. ¡°I don¡¯t want to turn you into an enemy.¡± ¡°I agree. We are toopatible to be enemies.¡± Lucerne nodded kindly. ¡°So, if you¡¯re going to turn against me, give me a warning in advance.¡± ¡°Why? Have you already decided how to punish me?¡± ¡°Of course, I have already decided.¡± Lucerne licked his lips. She was speechless. He was telling a really scary joke. Perhaps because of the earlier silence, she became nervous at his answer. ¡°And my mood will determine how gently I will handle it. So tell me in advance. That way, you can get a reduced sentence.¡± Elisha swallowed. ¡°It¡¯s a pity that I don¡¯t n to do such a thing.¡± ¡°What a shame.¡± Lucerne pulled her towards him. ¡°I like that now that I can suck, lick, and bite anywhere on your soft and tender body without feeling guilty.¡± Elisha¡¯s cheeks turned slightly red. ¡°Then¡­ ¡­ . Do we still need to talk?¡± [t1v: ¡®talking¡¯ is also a Korean euphemism to ¡®talk between bodies¡¯] Lucerne¡¯s voice became deeper and lower. His thick, hot palms were already clutching her asscheeks before she registered it. Elisha realized that his anger had not been resolved. ¡°You¡¯re thinking of running away.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Suddenly, her nightgown rose up to her bosom. ¡°It can¡¯t be. We¡¯ve been taking a break for the past few days because of the situation with Marco. I guess my wife was idle enough to think about moving on.¡± ¡°What do you mean¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡®So just try and think of running away,¡¯ Lucerne added quietly. Elisha¡¯s body stiffened. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll keep you busy again,¡± Lucerne whispered. ¡°Starting from tonight and every day.¡± I¡¯m in trouble, Elisha felt baffled. But before she knew it, she felt a tingling from the inside of her thighs to the tips of her toes. Someone was gently stirring her insides with a curved finger. Her belly quivered. Chapter 133: Tpcp 133 Chapter 133: Tpcp 133 Thank you to raw provider: angelstars5 ¡°Haa!¡± Puck! The sound of flesh colliding against flesh echoed sharply. Suddenly, Elisha¡¯s body was draped in loose, torn pajamas. Then, he rolled up the hem of her skirt, touching the bone of her hip. ¡®Oh, no. How many times are we going to do it¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Elisha regretted what she had said several times. She could have been a little more skillful at hiding her true feelings. Sharing the same bed meant that she sometimes donned a defenseless appearance. She forgot the mentality of members of the Cartier family who went into a fit when asked to let go of what was in their hands. Lucerne¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t even change. Repeatedly he coveted her body, and because he had held back for several days, he sted his exceptionally thick semen into her inner walls. This was already the third time. Elisha was lying on her stomach with her ass held high. She showed her back to Lucerne. Every time he stabbed her, Elisha¡¯s head curled back up as if a spear had pierced her, and a shrieking moan exploded out of her. ¡°Huhhhhh!¡± The third round was exceptionally persistent and rough. ¡°Heh, ah. Ah, I can¡¯t anymore. No¡­ ¡­ .¡± However, the only resistance Elisha could manage was her weak pleading. Finally, Lucerne held both of her arms and pulled her up while behind her. When she tried to get away even a little bit, Lucerne squeezed her body tighter with his legs and pulled her by the hand to pull her arm and body back. ¡°Ouch, it hurts, Lucerne¡­ ¡­ . gently¡­ ¡­ . my arm hurts¡­ ¡­ .¡± When Elisha cried out, Lucerne finally let go of her hand and went back forward with her face in the bed. He left handprints all over her pale skin. She would have to take care not to expose her wrists when she went out tomorrow. His handprints on her wrists looked like handcuffs. ¡°Huh¡­ ¡­ . ah.¡± Her hands were free, but their lower bodies crashed so violently that sparks flew and did not slow down. Puck, p. m, p. The loud banging between his scrotum and Elisha¡¯s buttcheeks rang. The flesh of her round, well-shaped buttocks swayed and shook like a wave. Taking in the erotic scene with ravenous eyes, Lucerne licked his lips with each jiggle. At the same time, wetness pped loudly, and Elisha¡¯s immacte buttocks turned peach-red, with her skin swelling up tightly. ¡°No more, Lucerne. Let me rest¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Not yet.¡± Elisha¡¯s body, unable to hold on any longer, almost copsed. Lucerne pressed down on her spine right above her waist. Her ass lifted high like a cat as her breasts pressed down against the bed. Lucerne slowed down for a moment, then started thrusting forward again. Elisha released a hot gasp, grabbed the sheet, and constricted around his thick penis, mercilessly running through her body. ¡°Huh, ha, ah¡­ ¡­ . Hehe¡­ ¡­ . Thought you said you¡¯d do it again tomorrow¡­ ¡­ . What if you spend all your energy like this today?¡± Elisha gasped and ced her hand on Lucerne¡¯s arm. Those words made himugh and spurred him. It also made him think she was very lovable and endearing. She was a very strange woman. ¡°I have a long way to go to relieve my anger,¡± Lucerne said, suppressing that feeling. The thick, swollen penis that was about to explode only slowed down a little, but when he spoke, he thrusted faster and faster into Elisha. ¡°What did I do wrong¡­? ¡­ . The contract¡­ ¡­ . Incorrect words¡­ ¡­ . It¡¯s not.¡± ¡°It was wrong.¡± Lucerne bit her ear. ¡°Huu¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Living as my wife is the content of the contract. You have to think about that first. It¡¯s useless to think about running away.¡± Lucerne¡¯s words sounded more frightening than they actually were, as they intertwined with his guttural groans and were heavy with terrible lust. Elisha gasped and closed her eyes. ¡°Do it, Lucerne.¡± Elisha trembled and said. ¡°Inside me¡­ ¡­ . do it.¡± Lucerne muttered something. He corrected her posture a little by putting his hand under her stomach, lifting her torso slightly, and putting her in a half-sitting position. Elisha propped herself up on the bed with her arms. She was on her knees, but her heels did not touch the back of her thighs; she was only halfway down, sitting with her buttocks slightly lifted. Elisha¡¯s toes twitched. ¡°Ahh.. ¡­ .¡± Lucerne was holding onto her shoulders. In this also immobilized position, under the pressure of his grasp, Elisha had no choice but to receive his cock helplessly. p, p, wack, puck, puck¡ª Being on her knees made her feel like she was really being punished. But along with her shame, a strange deep pleasure enveloped her body. Elisha felt ashamed of herself. Squelch. Squelch¡ª It was hot. Her head was empty, and it seemed like deep lust had pooled in the void instead. She was being baptized by the shoveling of his club-like penis, her abdomen was too scalding. Everything else meant nothing except for that sensation. She felt like a mindless animal that existed just for sex. More than anything, Elisha feared that alluring sensation. St. Splosh. Slosh. Sputter. Ssh. Slop¡ª The sound of soaking pubic hair and flesh pping. The sound of his cock hardening and expanding, running through her body and pulling her thick wetness out of Elisha¡¯s vagina¡­ ¡­ . Her mind trembled like a flicker. ¡°Lucerne, hnughh¡ªLucerne¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Do you want it to end?¡± ¡°Huh, uhhh, uh,¡­ ¡­ . It¡¯s so¡­ ¡­ . It¡¯s so hot and I think I¡¯m going to get weird.¡± ¡°Then touch yourself.¡± He guided Elisha¡¯s hand to her cunt. ¡°Put your hand in your cunt ande here. Touch it. If you keep doing this, I won¡¯t do it anymore today.¡± Elisha felt her hand tremble slightly. She was on her bed. She put her hands down her stomach, holding only her butt high in her bowed position. Then she started rubbing her clitoris, which stood up pointedly, through her lightly covering brush. ¡°Huh, uh ¡­ ¡­ .¡± He moved his hips in sync with Elisha¡¯s whining fingers. It was the first time she had ever touched her clitoris. When her hand was rubbed against the small but firm ball, Elisha¡¯s waist began to move naturally. ¡®Ah, that¡¯s strange.¡¯ A tingling sensation hit the lower half of her body. She couldn¡¯t stop her fingers. ¡°Don¡¯t just rub like that. Hold it between your two fingers like tongs¡­ And squeeze it¡­ ¡­ . I used to do that often, don¡¯t you remember? You liked it so much your thighs were shaking,¡± Lucerne spoke very kindly. ¡°Lucerne¡­ ¡­ . Words like that¡­ ¡­ .¡± Then, as Lucerne moved his waist in a small circle, Elisha gasped with a moan. As if hypnotized, she flexed and straightened her fingers as he directed. As she gently caressed and squeezed herself. ¡°Ugh, ha, ah¡­ ¡­ . Lucerne¡­ ¡­ . ah ¡­ Oh¡­ .¡± She wiggled and shook her ass, masturbating with her clitoris, turning it round and round. Slurp, slip. Slosh. Puck. Seeing her immacte buttocks swaying, Lucerne¡¯s eyes deepened. ¡°You look so sexy even when you¡¯re curled up. How can I not go mad with heat with you?¡± ¡°Huh, huh¡­ ¡­ . Ah!¡± ¡°I want to lock you up. To keep you away from people¡¯s prying eyes.¡± You can read more here. Chapter 134: Tpcp 134 Chapter 134: Tpcp 134 Thank you to raw provider: angelstars5 Lucerne supported her body with one hand and ced the other hand on her anus. His thick fingers began to rub up and down Elisha¡¯s ass hole. ¡°No. I can¡¯t, no¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°You don¡¯t like it? It¡¯s leaking even more.¡± Lucerne smiled. Elisha was so wet inside, and the semen he had previously coated on her was dripping down. ¡°How is it? It feels good to touch your back and front. Touch where we connect too. You¡¯re sucking me in¡­ ¡­ . we have to do it in front of a mirror sometime. So you can see how much you like it too.¡± ¡°Ah, ah. ah¡­ ¡­ .¡± It was like an alluring whisper from the devil. Elisha caressed their connection as if possessed. It was hot, and her pussy was wet as the entrance widened and contracted and sucked him in. And his veins were so hard that she could feel the texture and volume just by brushing against them. ¡°Ah! Ah!¡± Lucerne¡¯s waist moved more violently. The slow feeling of the anus and the hand touching the vulva itself. Her ass and his pelvis swaying in unison. Nothing could stop them. Her mind turned white. It seemed that more than the eptable amount of pleasure had been poured into her brain, turning it into a nk te. Elisha reached her climax. Waves of pleasure ran over her; the walls of her vagina wrapped around Lucerne like a strong tide and swallowed it tight. Still, she couldn¡¯t stop her fingers. Tears fell from the corners of her eyes. ¡°Ahh¡­ ¡­ .¡± She didn¡¯t even know how time had passed after that. It seemed tost forever like it would never end. ¡°Huh, ah. ah.¡± Another climax was soon approaching. Elisha seemed unable to do anything besides gasping in joy from too much pleasure. The moment she felt her limit, as if her ego shattered, Elisha went limp. She felt a sense of rupture. Thud. Elisha¡¯s body copsed as she felt his semen overflowing inside her. Unable toe to her senses, her body copsed on the bed as she panted and wheezed with heavy breaths. Her pointy nipples and raised skin trembled at the mere brush of external stimuli. Lucerne tapped her on the butt. ¡°Well done. It should be at least this much.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be able to think of running away because of your marital rtionship.¡± ¡°Haaa ha¡­ ¡­ .huu.¡± Elisha wanted to shoot something. She even hated this man who would only be satisfied with swallowing her whole. But right now, she really didn¡¯t have the energy even to say a word. More than anything, she was afraid of the repercussions of provoking him unnecessarily. ¡®Is it fortunate that it ended like this?¡¯ For some reason, Elisha felt somewhat wronged. But she struggled with why she thought so. She seemed to be the only one who felt strange about pleasure. *** There was a conversation that could only be had after crying with pleasure and rubbing against the flesh to the point when the stomach was empty. Elisha was exhausted as she was held in his arms, and after a while, he spoke, ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ Yes.¡± Lucerne had to even prepare her a hot soothing drink as she couldn¡¯t calm down. Inside, Elisha cursed at him for giving her medicine, but she epted the cocoa he gave her. After she drank some warm cocoa and rested, her head began to function normally. He changed Elisha¡¯s clothes andid down next to her. ¡°Are you mad?¡± Lucerne asked, but he seemed to be having fun. Elisha raised her head. ¡°¡­ ¡­ What¡¯s the point of being angry?¡± ¡°Hurry up and sleep,¡± Lucerne coaxed very affectionately. Elisha buried her face in her pillow. Sometimes she couldn¡¯t sleep at times like this. ¡°Lucerne,¡± As shey down next to him, Elisha asked in a locked, hushed voice. ¡°¡­ ¡­ When I saw Merha¡¯s note, there was something about catching your weaknesses. But why did you think of me when you heard the word weakness?¡± He had expected Merha and Marco to target Elisha. As far as she knew, Lucerne had no weaknesses in her previous life. So how could she be his weakness? ¡°The jeweler.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ ah.¡± Elisha recalled seeing Arien at the jewelry store. At that time, he bought her many gems. Those splendid, colorful jewels were neatly stored in the new disy window of Elisha¡¯s dressing room. ¡°By their standards, spending money is affection, and it is a measure of interest.¡± It was an extremely Cartier-like statement and a reasonable exnation. ¡®That¡¯s right.¡¯ Elisha was a little embarrassed. She had no intention of asking him. She buried her face deeper into her pillow to hide her expression. ¡°¡­ ¡­ I see. So I can¡¯t really be your weakness.¡± ¡°What answer do you want?¡± She couldn¡¯t see his expression behind her. Elisha thought he must beughing at her and making fun of her. ¡°What should I say?¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Elisha closed her eyes. ¡°How can I live when the only woman who volunteered to ept my pervertedness is gone?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Then do you understand?¡± ¡°Enough.¡± Lucerne grabbed her chin because she was avoiding him and met her eyes. He said it yfully, but at some point, his eyes darkened. ¡°You¡¯re even thinking of running away somewhere.¡± Lucerne whispered. ¡°I guess my wife doesn¡¯t know yet.¡± ¡°What¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I can¡¯t live without you.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°So don¡¯t think nonsense.¡± But Elisha¡¯s heart fluttered. ¡°If you try to escape, you will be caught sooner orter. That¡¯s not good for each other. Understand?¡± As expected, he was an insurmountable wall. ¡°I have no intention of running away. I keep my word.¡± As if he wasn¡¯t really angry in the first ce, Lucerne nodded his head calmly. Weakened, Elisha was relieved. Since their bodies were intertwined and lying next to each other, she had no choice but to look at him. It was a situation that mirrored their rtionship. Based on a contract, the rtionship between wife and husband could never be equal. Lucerne covered her with a nket. Only then did Elisha feel a little rxed andy in bed. ¡°Sometimes you¡­.¡± Lucerne murmured. ¡°¡­I feel like you will slip through my hands.¡± Elisha felt that, for some reason, she understood his insecurities. She had felt simr anxieties a long time ago. But she pretended that she didn¡¯t hear him. It was better not to taste uncontroble emotions even on the tip of her tongue. She knows it¡¯s a feeling that won¡¯t be sweet anyway. An unfair obsession will somehow work against her. Chapter 135: Tpcp 135 Chapter 135: Tpcp 135 Thank you to raw provider: angelstars5 Arien¡¯s funeral was held very quietly. The oddly reticent funeral was not known to the public until days after it was held. The people of the capital whispered about the mysterious death. However, people¡¯s queries were left unanswered. As for how Arien died, not only did the duke¡¯s family keep quiet but also Arien¡¯s family members kept their mouths shut. *** ¡®Power is scary. Their daughter died so mysteriously that there was no proper protest. Arien¡¯s family is too much. But. Indeed, this is how a noble family treats an ordinary second daughter¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Elisha slowly drank her fragrant jasmine tea. After all, it was better for her to have a ce like this than not to have a ce to go out to. She liked sitting by the window of a pretty cafe, people-watching. ¡®It¡¯s already spring.¡¯ Recently, the general¡¯s residence had been busy preparing for the biggest event of spring, the Imperial Hunting Festival. Elisha, the hostess, had also been very busy, so today¡¯s solo outing was the first time in a long while. Then there was the sound of the door opening. A person who looked around spotted her and approached with a bright smile when she saw Elisha. ¡®¡­ ¡­ Car.¡¯ Elisha¡¯s tea suddenly tasted sour. Car stood in front of her, greeting her and bending her head cutely to the side. ¡°Elisha¡­ ¡­ . It¡¯s been a while. How have you been?¡± When she looked closely, she was apanied by her maids, who always apanied Car. Both were familiar faces. Named Pansy and Mimosa, respectively, they were Car¡¯s closedies-in-waiting and handmaids. They belonged to lower-ranked nobility and vassals of Car¡¯s family¡¯s estate. So, they didn¡¯t do the work that normaldies-in-waiting did, and their main job was to be Car¡¯s confidant and enthusiastic henchmen. ¡°Yeah,¡± Elisha answered briefly, and she greeted her with minimal courtesy. Car¡¯s eyebrows twitched, and her face quickly pouted and turned pink. ¡°Lady Elisha is really rude! On the other hand, Miss Car greets her with such care. Is it because she never learned manners?¡± The tall Mimosa eximed with boldness. She also had an unusually thunderous voice. ¡°Yes, since I was a girl, I was locked up and made to work, so I never took etiquette lessons. So it can¡¯t be helped. Are your questions answered now? Then, please be brief and tell me what is your business,¡± Elisha calmly retorted without batting an eysh. At those words, Car and her maids were dumbfounded and left speechless. It was because it was in Jacob¡¯s annex where Elisha was confined and exploited to doundry. ¡°Elisha¡­ ¡­ .¡± Then, all of a sudden, Car started behaving strangely. She approached Elisha with tears in her eyes. ¡°Car is so sad that she can¡¯t sleep a wink these days. She can¡¯t believe Arien went like that. She was a very nice person. Isn¡¯t Elisha sad too?¡± ¡°Really? Yourplexion looks very healthy so this is is unexpected,¡± Elisha responded. Besides, just moments before, Car was smiling brightly. ¡°It¡¯s just that Car is worried about Lucerne¡­ ¡­ . How¡¯s Lucerne? At times like this, families should gather andfort each other warmly. Lucerne doesn¡¯t really show his true feelings. Car is worried¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha doubted her ears for a moment. ¡®I heard people¡¯s memories are heightened.¡¯ Experiencing Car in person was far more inferior to Car in her memory. Feeling surreal, Elisha learned Car was such an idiot, unable to judge and question people. ¡°I want to visit the general¡¯s residence andfort Lucerne¡­ ¡­ . Car is very saddened by this tragedy. That¡¯s right. What if she sent Lucerne to make some of her favorite food? Elisha knows Lucerne¡¯s favorite food, right?¡± ¡°Would a person who wandered around the battlefieldin about food?¡± Elisha replied calmly, clearly seeing that Car was trying to provoke her. ¡°Didn¡¯t you know? Lucerne likes cookies. I¡¯ve baked them for him before¡­ ¡­ . Do you know what kind of cookies he likes?¡± At those words, Elisha recalled memories from her past life. Car would often present Lucerne with things like clothes and cookies. Elisha didn¡¯t know why. Car was a bit of a pervert and enjoyed Lucerne looking down at her with contempt. ¡®As expected, the direct descendants of this family and the daughters-inws are all crazy,¡¯ Elisha thought. And she answered without a twitch of an eyebrow. ¡°The kind of food he likes.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I, his wife, decides. I decide what the mansion¡¯s chef will make. So if you¡¯re here to give me information about cookies, you can just go,¡± Elisha heartlessly said so neatly and curtly cut her off. Car¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°It¡¯s not like that. Car¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Um? Do you have anything else to say to me?¡± Car¡¯s expression twisted. Her pitiful expression disappeared, and her true face was revealed. ¡°Uh- well, if you say so. I have some questions¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°If you have nothing to say, please leave.¡± Elisha raised her hand and called the waiter. The people in this cafe were Lucerne¡¯s agents, so if Elisha asked, they would kick Car out even if they had to pick her up and throw her on the street. ¡°Oh, really. Elisha is too hot-tempered. Of course, Car is curious. You know, how did Arien really die, huh?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Was it really suicide? Arien¡¯s autopsy was attended by wizards, doctors, and even priests. She says that Arien is dead because of the magic tool of an ancient evil god that no one could save her. That magic tool is poison. I heard that she suffered for several days before she died?¡± Car whispered and began asking quickly. An ecstatic madness shed, and joy sparkled in her eyes. Car was genuinely thrilled that Arien died with her whole heart, so much so she couldn¡¯t bear it. Elisha was disgusted from her shaking from tion. ¡°Why did youe to ask me when you know it well? Rumors are not my forte.¡± ¡°Car is not stupid. If you look at Arien¡¯s actions before she died. A few days before her death, she was missing. By the way, the night it is estimated that she took poison¡­. she was with Elisha¡­ ¡­ . That night, a passer-by said they saw Arien entering the cafe. Elisha was renting out this cafe at that time, right?¡± ¡®A simple passer-by, huh?¡¯ Anyway, whether it was by Car or the Duke of Cartier¡¯s orders, they would have nted at least some spies around Elisha and Lucerne. However, Lucerne¡¯s subordinates were all knights and soldiers, so it didn¡¯t seem like they could gather much information. ¡®Lucerne is impressive. I guess he¡¯s good at controlling the people around him.¡¯ Arien had been imprisoned days before her death. She was put under a sleep spell that left heratose for several days. So her pain would be less. That was the only mercy Elisha could give. ¡®But she can¡¯t seem to find out anything about those days¡­ ¡­ . How did Lucerne hide Arien? Besides, it seems that neither Duke Cartier nor Car found out what happened in the cafe. The security in this cafe is tight.¡¯ Elisha stopped her train of thought. It wasn¡¯t her job to find out more. You can read more here. Chapter 136: Tpcp 136 Chapter 136: Tpcp 136 Thank you to raw provider: angelstars5 ¡°Hum? Just tell Car¡­ ¡­ . There could be something Car can help you with¡­ ¡­ . If the head of household misunderstands, Car could clear up the Lord¡¯s misunderstanding¡­ ¡­ . right?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t waste your time.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying that there¡¯s no use in suspecting us because of Arien¡¯s death. That ancient poison was an item possessed by High Priest Merha. Ah yes, the Head is still investigating this, isn¡¯t he?¡± Elisha inquired softly. As the investigation continued, it would be revealed that there was an antidote for the devil¡¯s poison. Unfortunately, it seemed that Gaju and his people hadn¡¯t reached that far yet. Elisha decided to tell Car about it first, giving her an excuse to attack Marco. ¡°You know what? Whatever happens to Marco has nothing to do with Lucerne.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°He¡¯s not an enemy of the Cartier family anyway.¡± Elisha thought Car would listen to her. If Marco, a current candidate for session, fell, the Jacobs would benefit the most. This was because Jacob would be the most likely sessor. ¡°I came across it by ident. The ancient poison that Arien ate had only three pills of an antidote. The relics of the evil gods are so fascinating, aren¡¯t they? And did you know that Marco had the antidote?¡± ¡°He did?¡± The smile had wholly disappeared from Car¡¯s face. ¡°It would be best if you found out for sure, don¡¯t you think?¡± Car grinned when she heard that and hurriedly left the cafe with herdies-in-waiting. ¡®Now Car will somehow make Marco the wife killer.¡¯ Elisha decided to rx and wait, drinking her tea leisurely. *** That night too, Elishay side by side with Lucerne. She rested her chin on the back of her hand and watched him fall asleep first, a rarity. Then, she recalled his eyes, a clear, deep red beyond his eyelids, more jewel-like than gemstones. ¡®They¡¯re too pretty to get hurt.¡¯ Regardless of Arien, Elisha thought she wanted to get rid of Marco, if possible. But for now, Lucerne would no longer be blind in one eye. ¡®I have repaid part of the grace he bestowed on me in my previous life. The hand that saved me from the fountain that day¡­ ¡­ . Taking my side in front of the family head.¡¯ Some things hadn¡¯t been repaid yet. However, Elisha¡¯s mind felt a little bit more at ease. The poison that blinded Lucerne was gone, and Marco would be unable to recover, out ofmission for a while. Elisha watched him for a long time and then slowlyy down on the bed. ¡®I don¡¯t regret it.¡¯ This time, it was done by Lucerne¡¯s agents. However, Elisha knew she would have done it even if she had to poison Arien¡¯s cup directly. That was her path in this life. Otherwise, one day it would have been Elisha who would be poisoned. She stared at Lucerne¡¯s sleeping face for a long time. The night was thick and ck. *** In a matter of days, rumors spread throughout the capital: Marco had killed his wife by using an ancient poison, a magic tool. The poison was so precious that it was impossible to obtain it unless it was Marco, son of the former high priest, Merha. *** The Head had also not known why Arien had died. No matter how out of sight she was, Gaju had managed to favor Arien. The Duke continued to question Marco. ¡°Why on earth can you not say a word!¡± But Marco was just talking nonsense. ¡°I know¡ª It¡¯s my fault. That¡­ ¡­ it¡¯s¡­. I am¡­ ¡­ . I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Why is this fellow so useless!¡± In the end, Gaju got angry and asked to bring in Elisha. Arien reportedly went to Elisha¡¯s regr cafe to meet her, and after a few days, she died of an ancient poison. ¡°Get Elisha right now. Lucerne won¡¯t talk, so I¡¯ll have to put pressure on that child first.¡± ¡°Well, my lord,¡± said the butler with a troubled face. ¡°Already¡­ ¡­ . The general has already arrived.¡± Chapter 137: Tpcp 137 Chapter 137: Tpcp 137 Thank you to raw provider: angelstars5 Lucerne strode into the room. Upon spotting him, Marco¡¯s face turned white. However, Lucerne did not even spare him a nce. ¡°Lucerne, why did you visit without notice?¡± ¡°I came here because I have something urgent to tell you about Marco, but Marco is right here.¡± ¡°What do you want to say?¡± Gajuughed, finding this situation ridiculous. The shallow waters of Lucerne¡¯s intentions wereughable. ¡°I¡¯m here in case you misunderstand.¡± ¡°Misunderstand? You mean the misunderstanding that you devoured Marco and his wife and imprisoned Merha? Or were you afraid I¡¯d take your wife?¡± Lucerne did not raise an eyebrow. Visiting the family home today was part of the script that he had discussed with Elisha in advance. However, thest of the Head¡¯s words were the truth. Knowing that Gaju would arrest Elisha and interrogate her, he chose to visit first. He hated seeing his woman captured and insulted. She was the woman he wanted to lock in a jewelry box to have her to himself. ¡°If you have something to say about Arien¡¯s death, say it.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ What?¡± ¡°Marco was greedy for the position of Duke and made me the wrong offer. So I came here today to make an honest confession.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± The Head rose from his seat. Lucerne said briefly, ¡°Marco sent Arien to make a strange proposal to my wife. Make Marco the patriarch and let me wield power behind the scenes.¡± Gaju froze. A ck rage began to radiate from his body. Marco held his breath. The Lord¡¯s words came out chillier, ¡°Tell me in detail.¡± ¡°Maybe Marco was afraid to approach and ask for favors from me himself. Or maybe Arien acted on her own, I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°It seems that she approached my wife and asked her to deliver her request. But, you know, me.¡± Lucerne casually opened the bottle of wine that was on the table. And he poured a drink into an empty ss. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in the position of Head at all, so I came to report it.¡± It was an exnation that omitted many vital parts. The family head preserved their lives no matter what the family members did. Only two cases were exceptions. To kill a direct descendant. And threatening the seat of the family head. Those two crimes were the only cases that were unpardonable. The Duke thought of himself as the emperor of a country, and it was true to some extent. The power of the Cartier family was a little exaggerated, and it was not enough to say that they were the actual owners of the empire. And at least the power of a small kingdom that could trample on others at a moment¡¯s notice. And no monarch in the world has ever escaped mutiny. ¡°What did your wife say in response to that nonsense?¡± ¡°What does my wife know, and what power does she have? Power? She seemed to be very surprised to simply hear that. And she just said she thought she would get away with it and she said she would tell me the story. Elisha is soft and naive. Arien was a very greedy woman and scared such a gentle woman.¡± At those words, even Marco, who was half insane, couldn¡¯t help but balk. ¡®Crazy bastard¡ªElisha, why is that woman naive and fragile?¡¯ It was the most absurd thing Lucerne had ever said. Nevertheless, Lucerne continued talking,pletely ignoring the Head¡¯s strange expression. ¡°But suddenly when I heard Arien was dead, I wondered if this might be a trap targeting the two of us. To die after luring us to rebel. Doesn¡¯t it seem odd?¡± Lucerne drank his drink slowly. It was an elegant move. [t1v: pouring yourself a drink and even reveling in front of a superior in Korean culture is considered very disrespectful] ¡°So I did some research on this matter. But there was another crimemitted by Uncle Merha. He threatened one of the temple¡¯s keepers for the reliquaries and stole items.¡± Lucerne exined in a low tone. Merha embezzled holy relics, including the devil¡¯s smile poison and its antidote. The evidence brought by Lucerne even included a confession written and signed by Anton himself. Now under the protection of Rosaria, as a condition, he decided to reveal everything he knew about Merha and agreed to make documentary evidence. ¡°Lucerne, I¡¯m not stupid. The day Arien died, they say you and Elisha were in Yurif.¡± ¡°Oh, have you seen the Gate¡¯s log? But I really didn¡¯t do anything. Looking at these documents, it is clear that Marco had an antidote. I went to deny Marco and Arien because they were clumsy trying to reconcile with us.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°No, Marco,¡± Lucerne asked quietly. Marco was speechless. Marco had to admit that they were trying to poison Elisha in order to talk about this. No, before that, he had to admit that Arien went to Elisha and tried to appeal to Lucerne. Then, he would be admitting that he was aiming for the position of Gaju and tried to rebel. Then the family head might cut Marco down with a single sh. Moreover, Marco¡¯s brain wasn¡¯t working normally these days. So even when people asked him something, he often gave stupid, slow, and erratic answers. ¡°Marco,¡± The Head opened his mouth. ¡°Is everything Lucerne said true?¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­ ¡­ .¡± It was true that Arien proposed to Elisha. But that was to get Elisha¡¯s attention and keep her distracted. Her real purpose was simply to poison Elisha¡¯s wine ss. But Marco couldn¡¯t deny it. Because what he said was true. ¡°I¡­ ¡­ . I mean. I didn¡¯t agree with Arien. I mean¡­ ¡­ . I had no intention of colluding with Lucerne. Lord, please trust me.¡± Those were the only words Marco uttered. Gaju looked deep in thought. Lucerne drove in a wedge withposure. ¡°You never know. Perhaps it was Arien¡¯s arbitrary act to engage and collude with me.¡± ¡°What?¡± Lucerne intentionally misled the Head. Just throwing in a few words was enough. ¡°Marco, tell me properly. Did you feed Arien ancient poison?¡± ¡°No! Arien took the poison herself. That, Arien, wore the ring¡­ ¡­ . The ring contained poison. There will be people who will testify.¡± ¡°I heard from Car that you had the antidote for that poison. Is that right?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t give Arien the antidote?¡± Marco¡¯s expression copsed. His limbs trembled. ¡°Did you kill Arien, Marco?¡± ¡°Oh, Lord. I, so¡ªI mean¡ªI meant¡­ ¡­ .¡± Lucerneughed at him and put down his ss. Marco did a lot of stupid things, so it seemed that this story would conclude faster than he anticipated. ¡°Then, since I¡¯ve told you everything I have to say, I¡¯ll leave.¡± Lucerne left the room with a light nod. ¡°What the hell is the reason for Arien¡¯s death!¡± He heard the Head pressuring Marco. *** Chapter 138: Tpcp 138 Chapter 138: Tpcp 138 Thank you to raw provider: angelstars5 ¡°Did Arien kill herself or did you kill her? And was it your idea or Arien¡¯s idea of trying to rebel against me? Marco, answer me right now.¡± Marco desperately shook his head at that moment. He was under attack from both Jacob and Lucerne. If it was suicide, then it meant his and Arien¡¯s will was the same. However, if Arien¡¯s will differed from his own¡­ ¡­ . Arien¡¯s suicide would be unexined. Then, hearing themotion, Jacob and Car came in. At that time, the patriarch drew a sword and pointed it at him. Marco was crawling on the floor and begging. ¡°Please save me, my Lord. I¡¯m really¡­ ¡­ . I am innocent¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Lord! What is this! Even if Marco killed Arien, there must be a reason. Calm down! Look at Car and bear it!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, my Lord. Marco is a weakling by nature, so he will have a hard time admitting that he killed his wife.¡± Jacob and Car knew Gaju. If Marco killed his wife, he would banish and never see Marco again. Since Arien was not family by blood, he would be spared the death penalty. However, the family head was a person who valued his family to some extent. Above all, he would think that a man who couldn¡¯t manage his own family couldn¡¯t be the head of the house of Cartier. So Car and Jacob, knowing that, decided to make Marco a wife murderer, even though they knew something was suspicious and there was a corner of doubt. ¡°Speak with your mouth. Marco. Was it your intention to conciliate with Lucerne, or was it Arien¡¯s will? What was it?¡± Car raised her voice quickly. ¡°Was it that you didn¡¯t give the antidote to your wife on purpose? It must be because of Marco-nim¡¯s will.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Did you kill your wife because she didn¡¯t listen? There are too many rumors going around. Car is scared¡­ ¡­ . Maybe it¡¯s because Arien tried to persuade Lucerne on her own¡­ ¡­ ?¡± said Car as she sniffed and feigned a whimper. Now Marco was in a quandary. There was only one path left for him. ¡°My lord¡­ ¡­ . Trying to collude with Lucerne was Arien¡¯s arbitrary action.¡± In the end, Marco felt his heart break and forced himself to answer. Even when he was at the point where he gave up his life and became a half-dead man, he didn¡¯t want to die. ¡°Not giving the antidote¡­ ¡­ . Arien is¡­ ¡­ . therefore. She tried to threaten me with her life. Conspiracy with Lucerne¡­ ¡­ . She said if I didn¡¯t listen to her, she would die¡­ ¡­ . She poisoned herself. So I did not give the antidote. It wasn¡¯t my idea to rebel against the Lord¡­ ¡­ . I couldn¡¯t help it, I couldn¡¯t help it¡­ ¡­ .¡± Marco med himself for her death, but he had no choice but to me everything on Arien. And that was the worst defeat. ¡°Therefore.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°You killed your wife with your own hands. Disgusting bastard,¡± Gaju cursed with a cold face. Changgang¡ª The sword fell to the floor. Marco was relieved for a moment. But then, his cheek was blown away. ¡°You idiot! But since you honestly admitted your guilt, I will spare your life,¡± Gaju shouted and kicked the fallen Marco. The Lord had his suspicions about Marco. Moreover, even if he was cleared of the charges of conspiring with Lucerne, he remained guilty of murdering Arien. That¡¯s how Marco¡¯sst shield disappeared. ¡°In any case, from Gunner to Merha. Things rted to the temple were left up to you and nothing went well. Marco, don¡¯t even think of approaching the temple. And even if Merha gets out of prison, he will not be able to ess the power of the temple again. For the time being, I will leave the temple work to Lucerne.¡± ¡°Ah, even my father¡­ ¡­ . Lord¡­ ¡­ .¡± Car and Jacob quickly exchanged nces, unable to contain their overwhelming glee. There was no greater ruin than losing the Head¡¯s protection. ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I don¡¯t even want to see you. Leave the castle.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Therefore¡­ ¡­ . yes. Among the estates the family owns, you can go to the Behil estate and work. Come back after reflecting on yourself there and recovering your spirit.¡± ¡°Did you say¡­..Behil?¡± The Behil Territory was literally an estate attached to the end of the empire. It was an abandoned manor with no specialties and no special features. Sending him there was tantamount to exile. Gaju was sensitive to the recent rumors and declining reputation. Because the humiliation rted to the temple had be too big. The dishonor culminated in rumors that Marco had murdered his wife with poison from the temple¡¯s ancient evil god. ¡°¡­ ¡­ I¡¯ll have to sort it, including Gunner, all out first. After cleaning the temple once, I¡¯ll leave it to Lucerne and not touch it for a while,¡± Gaju muttered. Oddly enough, his offspring have let him down recently¡ªthe only grandchild who didn¡¯t ascend as an enemy. Lucerne was the only exception. Only Lucerne was behaving in his eyes. ¡®Has Lucerne changed? He¡¯s not the kind of person who woulde to me and honestly confess something like this.¡¯ Gaju paused. ¡®Is it Elisha¡¯s influence?¡¯ The gaze of the Head changed. He was already deep in thought. Chapter 139: Tpcp 139 Chapter 139: Tpcp 139 Thank you to raw provider: angelstars5 Now Marco had wholly lost the Head¡¯s favor. Overjoyed, Car took Jacob¡¯s hand. ¡°You know, Jacob. I think Marco will never be able to make aeback. But I¡¯d love to add one more shock to hammer in one more nail into the coffin¡­ ¡­ .¡± Car coyly beamed. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t Merha be curious about Marco¡¯s safety?¡± ¡°Ah, yes. Of course. After all, Car, you are a genius.¡± Jacob understood her words and grinned. ¡°Isn¡¯t Mimosa very talented in copying other people¡¯s handwriting?¡± *** That¡¯s how Marco came to be hated by Gaju. Additionally, Merha had also earned the disdain of the Head. Under his orders, Marco was sent to a distant province. There was only one reason why Gaju saved Marco. It was because he didn¡¯t want to make Jacob the obvious sessor right now. Because he was afraid of the Lord, Jacob couldn¡¯t get rid of Marco either. ¡®Arien, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m so terribly sorry. Forgive me for being unsightly¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Marco received a note from Merha just before leaving. [Marco,e see me. Your father worries about you. I was told of Arien¡¯s death. My poor son¡­ ¡­ . I¡¯ve taken measures, so if you bribe the jailer, you¡¯ll be able toe in.] Marco felt like he was going to cry. ¡®Yes, I had a father. Fathers will naturally guide ¡­ ¡­ . Ah, you must be saddened by Arien¡¯s death. I¡¯m sorry. Arien¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Marco mustered up the courage to go see Merha. After he forked over arge sum of money, the guards of the Heretic Inquisition Department somehow let Marco in. However, the atmosphere inside the prison was peculiar. ¡°You¡­ ¡­ . what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Ah, there has just been an incident.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ What?¡± The story was simple. It is said that a fight broke out between Gunner and Merha, who were neighbors. Gunner had been briefly released, about to be transferred to another prison. At that time, Merha attacked him, hit his head, and tried to kill him. People went inside the prison to rescue the copsed man. At that time, Gunner and Merha shook off people¡¯s hands and before they could be stopped, a brawl broke out between them. Gunner was pushed by Merha and ended up in critical condition. ¡°Father?¡± Marco found him, and he looked at Marco with bloodshot eyes. ¡°Marco, you¡¯re finally here. You idiot!! Loser! You didn¡¯t take advantage of the evil god¡¯s poison when I even gave you the hint.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°But at least one thing went well. Arien¡¯s family is useless. You get a new woman with a family that will help you and start over. It¡¯s a pity that Arien died. Doesn¡¯t the head of the household think badly of divorce?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ father.¡± Marco, who was deeply remorseful due to Arien¡¯s death, was greatly shocked by his words. Shocked, Marco staggered with one hand covering his face and was startled. Gunner¡¯s blood was still on the bars. ¡®Didn¡¯t my father always do this? Beating the priests under hismand, beating me¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Marco hesitated and backed away, faltering. ¡°Father, don¡¯t you care about Arien¡¯s death?¡± ¡°The jailer told me off that you killed Arien. You did well, Marco.¡± Merha couldn¡¯t afford to notice Marco¡¯s feelings. Last night, the Head sent people to receive Gunner. The reason why Gunner was moved to another prison. Although Gunner is a coteral, he was a direct Cartier. Gaju had no intention of saving him, and Merha¡¯s forbearance exploded when he saw Gunner, previously in the prison cell next to him, pass him by. Besides, Lucerne¡¯s treatment of Merha was terrible. ¡°¡­ ¡­ Father always¡ª! You treated me as a tool. Poor Arien. Ah¨C I¡¯m sorry¡­ ¡­ . Arien¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Marco! Marco!¡± Marco, stumbling, turned and ran out of the dungeon. He departed for the provincial estate rather crippled. No one bothered worrying or asking about his whereabouts. Except for Merha, who was imprisoned in the dungeon. However, since no one listened to Merha and he had no power, it was as if no one was there. *** Chapter 140: Tpcp 140 Chapter 140: Tpcp 140 Thank you to raw provider: angelstars5 Spring arrived. The imperial family called the knights every spring to attend a grand hunting festival. It was only natural that the pride of the Empire, the ck Lions, would be the center of the hunting festival, where knightspeted for honor. The ck Lions won the annual hunt every year. And the emperor was very proud of that fact. The ck Lion Knighthood always went out to the hunt like victors, so Elisha had a lot to do. ¡°Let¡¯s have a newly tailored ck cloak, and on the tabards should have a blue insignia on the shoulders. Here, the Seeds have an additional gold ornamentation. I like this embellishment.¡± Elisha was at the training field. In the middle of the arena was a long table covered with a white cloth. The table had various items prepared for the hunting festival. Elisha was choosing items with the butler. ¡°An excellent choice.¡± The butler nodded. Elisha had a knack for picking out luxurious items. ¡®A truly amazing person. Although I heard she was poorly educated, and she is good at negotiating with merchants. You really have a good eye for things.¡¯ Most of the items Elisha chose were not overly expensive but looked very rare, and when put together, they harmonized well. The butler could only silently marvel at herpetence each time. ¡°Did you pick them all?¡± In the empty gymnasium, Lucerne inquired while handling his bow. He was practicing his archery after a long while. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m almost done.¡± She approached Lucerne. He was wearing a light shirt, pants, and boots today. His solid muscles and broad shoulders were visible, so Elisha had no choice but to nce at him. ¡°Looks like things worked out for Marco, Marco made Arien¡¯s death his own, as we instigated him. It was easy to manipte him because he is still in shock.¡± Lucerne was moving very slowly, testing his new bow. His hard biceps flexed through his thin shirt as he drew his bowstring. And the thick arrow whistled with a swoosh sound of the wind. ¡°Well done.¡± Elisha nodded automatically. ¡°Arien is just a daughter-inw. But the Lord will not allow his direct offspring to die.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ Then what should I do?¡± ¡°Break his heart. To the point of no return. If you show weakness in this family, you will be trampled on.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ Are you referring to themotion in the prison?¡± Elisha looked up at him. ¡°It¡¯s important to separate Marco and Merha¡ªthe father and son pair. Neither of them will ever recover.¡± She nodded. Lucerne allowed Car¡¯s trick. The orders he gave were insignificant. After making Marco wait to enter the prison, he told them to release Gunner temporarily. The two constantly fought across the prison bars. And the moment he released Gunner, with the false information that he was being saved, everything fell right into ce and ording to n. Elisha and Lucerne exchanged nces. ¡°It¡¯s good to use a useful tool when ites into your hands. This time Car yed a trick.¡± ¡°As expected, you¡¯re quick to understand my words, you.¡± Lucerne smiled happily. ¡°What about Marco?¡± ¡°Out of sight out of mind. Gaju will try to preserve Marco¡¯s life, but the Jacob couple will try to ruin him.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ how?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an obvious scheme. Send someone around to drink every day. Send a woman to seduce and bewitch him.¡± Then, Lucerne added as if spilling. ¡°But I think it will lead to drug addiction. If it were me, I would do that.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ Who did you send to make it so?¡± ¡°There are other agents who do that. If Marco achieves even normal results in a ce like Behil Manor andes to his senses, the Lord will forgive Marco in a few years. But what if he finds him after a few years and finds him a deranged nuisance?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha shivered with a faint fear of the people of the Cartier family. ¡°In just one year, it¡¯s easy to produce an addict. If Jacob won¡¯t do it, I will,¡± Lucerne spoke softly. ¡°Marco is done now.¡± Elisha closed her mouth for a moment before replying. ¡°It seemed that he had no intention of recovering. It is said that after Arien¡¯s death, he waspletely devoid of hope. Such rumors have even reached me.¡± ¡°Stupid bastard. He must have had a sincere heart towards Arien. So when he became a wife murderer he was shocked.¡± Marco probably didn¡¯t love Arien. But he had given her a piece of his heart, and it broke from that. ¡°If you give your heart, you lose¨C it bes an opening, a weakness. Fool.¡± Lucerne clicked his tongue, smirking and, with a mocking sneer, evidentlyughed at such a Marco. Elisha strangely felt a small scratch in her heart. At the same time, she recalled that she almost was poisoned. ¡®The Marcos believed that Lucerne had a special consideration and opinion of me, so they thought I was his weakness, and attacked right away. In the Cartier family, it is foolish to give someone affection.¡¯ A direct descendant, Marco, suffered from this. If it had been Elisha who they were attacking, it would have been iparably worse. ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°What are you afraid of? Do you remember your situation?¡± Lucerne asked calmly. Elisha sometimes thought he was so quick-witted it was scary. Sometimes she didn¡¯t even realize what she felt before he picked up on it. ¡°¡­ ¡­ It¡¯s not that I¡¯m siding with Marco. Yes, of course I understand.¡± ¡°Therefore you can¡¯t escape this family anymore. If my protection is gone, the Jacobs will capture you right away. You will be subject to much worse pain and suffering than Marco or Arien experienced.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°So wouldn¡¯t it be much more fun to be tied to me and pick out dresses?¡± Elisha suddenly thought Lucerne was like a child. Chapter 141: Tpcp 141 Chapter 141: Tpcp 141 Thank you to raw provider: angelstars5 She replied calmly, ¡°How can the two bepared?¡± He nodded his head happily. ¡°Good.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Would you kiss me if I hit the bullseye one more time?¡± ¡°No. You always hit it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have to put my tongue in.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ Then I¡¯ll think about it.¡± Lucerne smiled, and the next arrow hit the same spot. Then he grabbed Elisha by the chin and kissed her in one swift movement. But, of course, he stuck his tongue in. Elisha felt cheated. She heard a sounding from her side, and his lips dropped hers. Elisha covered her mouth. The butler coughed and pretended to be watching a bird flying in the sky. Since Lucerne seemed in good spirits, she decided to bring up a sensitive subject. ¡°Lucerne, it¡¯s spring now. There are many nobles who give and receive gifts starting from the Spring Spirit Day, so I want to send gifts to distinguished guests.¡± ¡°Do as you please. I¡¯ll see the listter.¡± ¡°There is the fortune teller Muto on the list.¡± Lucerne¡¯s eyebrows twitched. Elisha squeezed his hand before he could say anything. ¡°No matter who he may be, the Head trusts him. So there¡¯s nothing wrong with making our side.¡± ¡°He is a crook.¡± ¡°Lucerne, I¡¯m just fulfilling my role and it¡¯s my job to help you.¡± Muto was a fortune teller and priest of the demon god, one of the extinct ancient gods. The demon god was an ancient subordinate god who was subordinate to the main god. One of them was the shadow monster, the guardian deity dwelling in Lucerne¡¯s body. Muto¡¯s official job was to notify the family when a demon god descended from the divine realm and to hold a ceremony for the demon god. However, unlike Lucerne, there were more generations where the descendants of the Demon God were not born. The demon god was also the god of astrology. So, Muto¡¯s actual role was to give fortunes and act as a counselor for the family head. Sometimes he gave out perfectly urate prophecies. However, most of his divination was unfounded. ¡°I heard that the fortune teller Muto predicted and reported things that angered Gaju in his youth. The duke beat him and kicked him out, but as time passed, his irvoyance came to fruition. From then on, the Lord especially trusted him,¡± Elisha said quietly. ¡°Do you know what the prediction was?¡± ¡°It is a famous story. Even coteral like me, who used to doundry, knows the story well.¡± The seer¡¯s Muto¡¯s prophecy that enraged the Head: That two of Gaju¡¯s sons will die. So it came to pass that the eldest and youngest son of the duke really did die. The eldest son was Jacob¡¯s father, and the youngest son was Lucerne¡¯s father. Thus, the Head appointed Muto. Gaju was such a person. His suspicion was incessant, but heter praised Muto for not withdrawing his prophecy even under torture. ¡°Lucerne, did you know? When Muto was little, he predicted your birth. He foresaw that your guardian deity, the Shadow Demon, descended to earth. At that time, the patriarch found out that you were born while your father and mother were on the run.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ Yet?¡± ¡°If he had hadn¡¯t, you might have perished without him even knowing at the hands of your uncles.¡± Lucerne was silent. During the escape, his father, Michn, died first, and when he waster discovered his mother was raising him. If the head of household did not know of his existence¡­ no, indeed. Lucerne, at that time, was a vulnerable small child where with or without a guardian spirit, it would have been easy to murder him in secret without even the smallest mice knowing. ¡°Regardless, Muto saved you. Even if it¡¯s a coincidence, such a rtionship has meaning. The rules of the world aren¡¯t always right. Repaying Muto will not be a losing business.¡± Muto was not an upstanding man with a noble character. He knew he was Lucerne¡¯s benefactor, but Muto was vindictive when he did not repay him. On the other hand, Lucerne was a man of reason and never believed in divination. He even despised Muto as a sleazy fortune teller who loved money. On the other hand, Car and Arien always bribed Muto withrge sums. So, Muto spoke badly of Lucerne to the Head. But, he didn¡¯t bother reporting good fortune for Lucerne. Muto also contributed to the growing estrangement between Gaju and his grandson in her previous life. ¡®It will be different this time.¡¯ Now Lucerne had a wife who would assist him. ¡®Sending a gift to a fortune teller is my contribution. What a strange family.¡¯ However, Elisha knew what kind of wealth Muto appreciated. And it wasn¡¯t difficult for her to send a gift. ¡®If Lucerne bes the duke, he¡¯ll throw Muto away regardless, so what¡¯s the matter if he gives him a little gift now?¡¯ Lucerne had more than enough money. He could not survive in this family if he insisted on being virtuous alone. ¡°You can do it, Lucerne.¡± Elisha held his chin softly and kissed him gently. Because he seemed to want a kiss now. Lucerne instead replied with an expressionless face: ¡°How much do you need?¡± ¡°A couple of gold bars.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ for Muto?¡± Chu¡ª Feeling it too arduous to persuade him with words, Elisha kissed him one more time. It was very rare for her to kiss first. Lucerne¡¯s body stiffened, and a few momentster, he answered, ¡°Will that be enough? Send more if needed.¡± Lucerne said coldly. She thought that he was very difficult; sometimes, emotions seemed more important than analytical persuading. How wild it was to see her kisses have an effect. ¡°I think that should be enough. I¡¯ll take care of the rest.¡± He wrapped his arms around Elisha¡¯s waist. She lightly nodded. ¡°I¡¯m d you understand. Lucerne.¡± ¡°Then you should do it again if you¡¯re d.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°Just once.¡± Elisha reluctantly kissed Lucerne. He raised the corner of his mouth in a smirk. This time, her cheeks turned red. She quietly averted her eyes and feigned ignorance of what she just did. *** So, Elisha packed a big gift and sent it to Muto. ¡°Ahem, the general¡¯s new wife knows manners.¡± Muto was overjoyed and ran to Gaju, delivering plenty of favorable prophecies he had recently predicted about Lucerne. *** Chapter 142: Tpcp 142 Chapter 142: Tpcp 142 Thank you to raw provider: angelstars5 Gaju was lost in thought throughout dinner, recalling his meeting yesterday afternoon. Said the forteller Muto: ¡®I read the fortune telling about Lucerne. Merhamitted a crime and killed the prophet of god. But there will be no family tragedy. Instead something auspicious will happen.¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s Lucerne¡¯s son, the great¡­ ¡­ . A child will be born who will receive the protection of the guardian spirit. Even that guardian deity is a higher level god than the shadow deity dwelling in Lord Lucerne!¡¯ ¡®This is a very good thing that happened to Sir Lucerne¡­ ¡­ . And because of the significant change!¡¯ The same thing could have been said in a different manner. Previously, Muto loathed Lucerne for not bribing him, so he used to talk badly of him all the time. This time, too, he could have dered, ¡®The guardian spirit will dwell in the descendants of Lucerne, that illegitimate son, so we must take action.¡¯ Instead, Muto praised Lucerne to the high heavens until his mouth went dry. Of course, the gifts Elisha sent were iparable to those given by his other granddaughters-inw. In addition, the gifts were all of Muto¡¯s favorites, from trivial snacks to enormous gold bars. It was as if someone had long known and taken care of his tastes in detail. Gaju couldn¡¯t even sleep at night thinking about it. ¡®Perhaps¡­ ¡­ . If a demon of a higher level than Lucerne¡¯s guardian deity dwells in his child¡­.¡¯ Even the demons, the guardian spirits of the family, had ranks. The shadow monster dwelling in Lucerne was the greatest devil he had known and used magic. It was the highest-ranking monster among the guardian deities dwelling in sessive families. ¡®But the guardian deity dwelling in Lucerne is not the highest in rank among the demon gods.¡¯ Lucerne¡¯s shadow demon was a second-ranked monster among the same line of gods. The guardian deity descended from the world of monster gods, and was second to the king of that world, the Demon. However, there was a devil who was the first king and close to a real god. Just as the shadow has the body in reverse. The god¡¯s name was ¡®Ramun.¡¯ Ramun was said to have the power to transcend time, space and control the world. Therefore, the one who received Ramun¡¯s protection would indeed be the master of the family. When Gaju heard the prophecy, his heart trembled, and he could not calm down. ¡®Will a child with Ramun really be born between Lucerne and Elisha? Then our family¡­ ¡­ . As a mysterious lineage, they will be respected and worshiped by the people of the world.¡¯ As for the fortuitous change that urred to Lucerne¡­. Needless to say, it was his marriage to Elisha. ¡®Even though Elisha is maddenly wild. Compared to stupid Arien, her qualities are amazing. Lucerne is capable andpetent. My other grandchildren can¡¯t evenpare. It really is a double-edged sword. An outstanding illegitimate child is the root of the family. But I am greedy and really want it.¡¯ Car, who had been observing the Head throughout dinner, asked gently, ¡°What are you thinking, my Lord?¡± ¡°Ah, I was thinking about Lucerne.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°It seems that Lucerne has be a little closer to me after getting married, doesn¡¯t it? Lucerne¡¯s new bride seems to be doing very well. Rumors have reached my ears that she is capable of assisting him. Besides, seeing that she even sent a letter announcing her attendance at the Imperial Pce Hunting Festival this time, it seems Elisha is more sociable than she looks.¡± It was an old etiquette of high-ranking aristocrats to report to the oldest member of the family before participating in an event at the imperial pce. The time when those manners were sincerely enforced was when the imperial power was stronger than now. Once in the imperial pce, a person could do various things in the name of the family and increase the house¡¯s reputation. Therefore, it was polite to receive permission from the head of the family before entering the pce. However, it was an etiquette that was rarely followed as high society grew more active. Lucerne was not a hostile grandson, so there was no obligation. However, Elisha wrote a very courteous letter delivering a spring greeting to the Head and politely mentioning their attendance at the hunting festival. In the eyes of elders, even a dutiful spring greeting was pleasing. However, Elisha did more than that. ¡®She is a child who knows how to do things prettier than she looked, Elisha.¡¯ Gaju was in an unusually happy mood for a few days. In addition, the contents of the letter strictly followed the etiquette of high-ranking nobles, so even the duke was impressed. ¡°Stupid Marco.¡± He took a sip of wine and clicked his tongue in distaste. ¡°Merha is also loathsome. Instead, Lucerne is doing well¡­ ¡­ . Besides, he saved the life of Merha, whom he hates so much. Perhaps he is more flexible than I judged?¡± A troubled smile crossed Jacob¡¯s face. When Marco, the only candidate for the head of the family who threatened him, fell, Jacob, who thought he would naturally win and secure the position of the sessor, was now being unreasonably threatened by Lucerne. Even if Lucerne died and came back to life, he could never reign as the patriarch. The first reason was that his mother was a lowlymoner. This was the mostpelling reason, and the second was that he was born out of wedlock. But if a child were born to Lucerne, the story would change. If¡­ ¡­ . What if the duke went mad, took Lucerne¡¯s child, and used it? It could have been the case if Lucerne sought favor. Jacob and Car exchanged nces. ¡°But Car¡­ ¡­ . we¡¯re scared when Lucerne gets angry. You seem to be angry these days. He has changed a lot. We originally recognized his nature. His nature will be virtuous and noble, befitting ducal blood,¡± Car said with a smile. She mentioned Lucerne¡¯s anger and reminded the Head of Lucerne¡¯s arrogant attitude from before. Moreover, the talk of the duke¡¯s blood was nothing more than highlighting Lucerne¡¯s identity as an illegitimate child. Gaju understood what Car meant. He gave no response, and she grew more anxious. Instead, the Lord muttered to himself, ¡°There was a property I gave to Arien¡­ ¡­ . A flour refinery in the middle of the capital. Indeed.¡± Car¡¯s hands trembled. Although the scale of the flour refinery was small, its annual ie was quite substantial. Moreover, many people used it, so even a low-ranking noble family could live on it alone without problems. ¡°I must give it to Elisha.¡± ¡°My Lord! But it¡¯s a valuable family property¡­ ¡­ . It¡¯s a bad thing to leak outside. Car is worried. How much can Elisha be trusted¡­ ¡­ . If she separates from Lucerne¡­ ¡­ .¡± Car waited for the day to receive the refinery, but when the duke expressed his intentions, she felt as if a thunderbolt had struck her on a clear day. She finally revealed her true feelings. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Uh, well¡­ ¡­ . it¡¯s not what Car thinks. They say that men often divorce contract brides,¡± Car stuttered hesitantly. She always made excuses by conveying other people¡¯s opinions, not her own. Gaju was annoyed. ¡°Car, do you think I¡¯m a fool? Of course, it is awarded on the condition that if Lucerne and Elisha divorce it will be returned. In a little while you will try to instruct me.¡± Instead, Car was scolded for her shallow remarks. She was devastated, for she rarely heard reapproach from the Lord. ¡®Why do only bad things happen to Car when she gets involved? It¡¯s not fair! She should have died doingundry. Oh, I¡¯m so angry.¡¯ But she held back her tongue and pressed down on her burning heart. ¡°Jacob, take good care of your wife. Elisha knows how to treat her elders but only your wife is spoiled.¡± Jacob stood there with a bewildered expression and reproached her, ¡°Car, the Lord has a reason for everything. Be careful what you say in front of the head of the household!¡± ¡°Yes, we understand. Car was wrong¡­ ¡­ . But the Lord seems to see only one pretty granddaughter-inw now. So mean! We always try to show filial piety.¡± Gaju felt a little relieved when Car acted stupid and put on a sad expression as usual. No one could be seriously mad at dogs or cats. Car knew how to make good use of that. ¡°Still, in rank, aren¡¯t you the elder of Elisha¡¯s family? You should lead her. Like a child, you are bitterly jealous.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Car reluctantly nodded. Chapter 143: Tpcp 143 Chapter 143: Tpcp 143 Thank you to raw provider: angelstars5 In the end, even after dinner, the couple¡¯s mood was gloomy. For Jacob, Lucerne was a kind of seizure trigger. Since he was an opponent Jacob could never win against, he became irate when someone mentioned Lucerne, and he openly became sullen on days when Gaju praised him. ¡°Jacob, you are the best for Car. Don¡¯t be so disappointed. After all, he¡¯s an illegitimate child. Because the Head is very attached to his bloodline, there are times when he is fond of other grandsons besides Jacob.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, Car. But since Lucerne met that woman, Elisha, things have been changing for the better for him. Even with the temple businesses, they¡¯re handling more skillfully and profitably than Uncle Merha. All while reducing business deals with the Cartier family but they have kept all the important enterprises. Look, Car. If the Lordpares Lucerne and I, he will never set me up as a firm sessor. Even now, he regrets that Lucerne is not in the running.¡± Car let out a sigh. ¡°But there¡¯s no way to make Lucerne violent again. What if you make a mistake or cause amotion at a big event? ¡­ .¡± At those words, Jacob¡¯s expression was pensive. Car often used this method. She was encouraging Jacob to grow her ominous schemes by nting a seed. The decisions were never something she did herself. In part to avoid responsibility and in part to remain a cute woman to her husband. ¡°Hmm, yes. Lucerne has one weakness.¡± ¡°Oh, that one? Wouldn¡¯t it be a waste to use that ¡®card¡¯ now?¡± Car¡¯s eyes searched the floor and asked softly. ¡°If I were to y that ¡®card,¡¯ Lucerne at the very least would hit his wife in the pce¡­ ¡­ . Or I hope something like that.¡± ¡°Would Lucerne strike his wife?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ ¡­ . If you are going to use their ¡®names¡¯.¡± Car grinned. ¡°We must provoke Lucerne properly.¡± Jacob tilted his head. ¡°Car, where are you going?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°We must prepare to depart for the imperial pce. Come to think of it, we were also invited to the Imperial Pce Hunting Festival, right?¡± Jacob btedly understood her words. He sneered cruelly. ¡°Right, we can¡¯t just make Lucerne look good.¡± *** ¡°Do you attend the hunting festival every year?¡± Elisha was holding Lucerne¡¯s new jacket prepared for this hunting festival. The butler standing behind him helped him get dressed. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It must be your first time attending a hunting festival, Madam. The hunting festival is held in the hunting grounds attached to the imperial pce. All the top bureaucrats attend.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Elisha acknowledged. She examined Lucerne¡¯s new jacket. ¡°I told them to match the suit with the colors of the Knighthood and go ck. I think the navy blue jacket I matchedst time would be good as well.¡± However, she thought that Lucerne was perfect now. He was originally a tall, beautiful man. His muscles were dynamic and toned, and the sight was ecstatic when a new ck jacket embroidered with silver embroidery draped over his narrow, muscr torso. ¡°How do you like your new jacket? I choose it to my liking.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ You chose it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Elisha nodded. The butler who waited on Lucerne added softly, ¡°I heard from the Madam¡¯sdy-in-waiting, that if you wear the new clothes, she will match the general¡¯s clothes as well. Even the colors and designs are simr.¡± Lucerne stopped and looked at Elisha who was avoiding his gaze, embarrassed. ¡°Come to think of it, there are more clothes in the closet that I haven¡¯t seen before.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ Since you often wear military uniforms, I¡¯ll stop if you think it¡¯s an indulgence to dress excessively.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a bad idea. Do as you please.¡± The butler looked up and coughed. ¡°Mydy, why don¡¯t you talk about the memorial?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ ¡­ .¡± The butler was sincerely moved by Elisha recently. She did not ask anyone, but she knew the role of a general¡¯s wife. ¡°A memorial?¡± ¡°I was going to speak after discussing it with the butler more. There is a clearing in the back garden. A memorial was erected there, and the people under yourmand¡­ ¡­ . I want tofort the fallen knights and soldiers. Those who want tomemorate the soldiers cane and offer flowers anytime.¡± ¡°Madam is really considerate. I had alsoe from the battlefield, so I admire the Madam from the bottom of my heart.¡± The butler continued, ¡°This is the first thing she suggested when you said she could spend your money freely.¡± Lucerne said nothing. He looked at Elisha quietly. Instead, her eyes seemed to be searching the floor. ¡°Butler, leave us.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The butler quietly left. Lucerne stared at Elisha and pulled her to him. She was suddenly embraced in his broad arms. Elisha only blinked as her heart pounded relentlessly. ¡°Why is that, really?¡± Lucerne had been acting strangetely. Even when it wasn¡¯t time for them to go to bed, he suddenly hugged her or couldn¡¯t take her hands off of her. ¡°Do you like your clothes?¡± Lucerne stared at her, then replied, ¡®Yes.¡¯ Elisha felt her chest tickle for no rational reason. ¡°I like everything.¡± Elisha realized that she didn¡¯t have to ask his permission about her memorial. *** Chapter 144: Tpcp 144 Chapter 144: Tpcp 144 Thank you to raw provider: angelstars5 After ¡®Spring Spirit¡¯s Day,¡¯ the first spring festival, the biggest event of the first half of the year, was held in the imperial pce. It was the hunting tournament. Nobles with knights gathered from all over the country for this hunting festival. As the title suggested, the hunting grounds in the forest outside the capital were vast, and the detached pce attached to it was white and beautiful. Sharp golden spiers stood around the pce, and the surroundings gave off a sweet smell of spring flowers in full bloom, between which newly awakened butterflies flew. ¡°To think that I have the opportunity to go to the imperial pce in my lifetime¡­ ¡­ . I can¡¯t believe it. I¡¯m sure thedy will be the prettiest in the pce.¡± ¡°You say all sorts of things. Besides, this is just a separate annex pce.¡± Elisha¡¯s maid, Sophie, couldn¡¯t hide her excitement the whole time. Today was the first day of the hunt, and it was the most important event. Elisha was in the middle of getting ready in the room assigned to the couple before the hunting festival. ¡°Are you done?¡± ¡°Oh¡ªyes!¡± Sophie finished her final brushstrokes. She stepped aside in front of the mirror. Elisha slowly rose from her chair. ¡°Madam, you have be so beautiful. Of course, you were beautiful from the beginning, but these days¡­ ¡­ .¡± Touching her face, Elisha was unfamiliar with her reflection in the mirror. However, her appearance in a matching ck dress with Lucerne¡¯s outfit looked stunning on her. She knew it was normal for a hostess to match her dress colors to her Order¡¯s. When Car also participated in such events, she used to wear red, the color of the Duke¡¯s Knights. So she was wearing a ck dress, the ck Lions¡¯ symbolic color. It was a design that matched Lucerne¡¯s jacket. ¡°Now, all you have to do is wear jewelry. There are so many new jewels, I thought for a long time about what to wear for today¡¯s event!¡± Sophie carefully took out a ne and put it on her. The ne she chose with great care was made with dozens of diamonds woven together and designed to sparkle like a star even in broad daylight. It matched Elisha¡¯s dress, which was decorated with silver and silver powder from her chest to the top of her head. Finally, Elisha donned her silver fox fur cloak. As she walked out, she met Ian and Nora standing there in full uniforms. They gaped at Elisha in amazement. She was strikingly more alluring and dazzling than usual. ¡°Are the new clothes odd?¡± ¡°No. I.¡± Nora then had a determined look on her face. Elisha tilted her head. Ian eximed with a cry, ¡°You look so beautiful today!¡± ¡°Thank you, Ian,¡± Elisha calmly replied. Nora, on the other hand, had a gloomy expression. Elisha couldn¡¯t understand why. ¡°Did Nora want to wear a dress too?¡± ¡°No, I¡­ ¡­ . As expected, Ick affability.¡± This time, Nora faltered trying to say affectionately that she was ¡®excellently pretty¡¯ and that ¡®the dress suits you¡¯ and failed today as well. She had even practiced. However, Elisha, who had no way of knowing what she was thinking, tilted her head. ¡°Are you done?¡± Then Lucerne walked in. He was on his way back with an audience with the emperor first. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Lucerne escorted her. His eyes licked Elisha. ¡°It¡¯s a shame to let go.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°No¡ª be careful of people. If someone flirts or touches you, tell me right away.¡± ¡°You treat me like a child.¡± ¡°It would be nice if you were easy to handle like a child.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ Lucerne.¡± While exchanging useless words, Elisha and Lucerne arrived at the hunting grounds. At the entrance, there was a banquet. Peopleughed and chatted, but it became quiet when they saw Lucerne and Elisha as if they hadn¡¯t been noisy just moments ago. Elisha felt the sticky eyes sticking to her. If the girl in her previous life had stepped out among people like this, people would have thought she was a clown to be ridiculed. Before, it was a daily routine to be kicked randomly. But¡­ ¡­ . Not anymore. ¡®Bing this person¡¯s wife was more amazing than I thought.¡¯ When she seemed nervous, Lucerne squeezed her hand. ¡°We will meet the emperor first.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She nodded at his whisper. And she realized that Lucerne had yet to introduce her to the emperor, so everyone was unable to approach him. It seemed like everyone wanted to talk to Lucerne. ¡°I greet His Majesty the Emperor. I greet Her Majesty the Empress. My name is Elisha de Lor.¡± She greeted them politely ording to the court etiquette she had learned. The emperor was appropriately dressed in hunting attire. He was a man who gave off a warlike feeling, somewhat simr to Lucerne. The empress looked benevolent but strong. ¡®These people are the ones who selected Lucerne and made him the High General,¡¯ Elisha thought. She couldn¡¯t help but be a little nervous. ¡°Congrattions on your marriage. It¡¯s a very joyous asion,¡± said the emperor softly. ¡°The High General is the pride of our empire. He is like family to us, so let¡¯s meet often,¡± the empress also added. They were kind to Elisha as they regarded Lucerne as their own. ¡®¡­ ¡­ I¡¯m surprised I thought you¡¯d hate me because you wanted to wee Lucerne as a son-inw.¡¯ Maybe the acting was outstanding because they were members of the royal family, but the hospitality seemed genuine. Elisha responded politely, ¡°It would be my honor.¡± ¡°Come closer. Is this your first time hunting?¡± The emperor was surprisingly friendly. ¡°It was brilliant to have Rosaria be the Great Pope. You are the one who rmended Rosaria to Lucerne.¡± As she got closer, the emperor whispered softly. Elisha was terrified. ¡®The Emperor¡­ ¡­ is different.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t help but think so. The emperor wished to weaken the power of the Cartier family. This is because the Cartier family exercised control over the imperial pce established on massive loans. That¡¯s why they are satisfied with Lucerne¡¯s move this time. Although Rosaria was close to Lucerne, she was not in the hands of the Cartier family. ¡°First, I will exin the hunting rules. Oh, right. Did you know that Lucerne is a master of hunting?¡± After that, the emperor calmly spoke about this and that. ¡°First of all, the points are scored based on the prey, and each knightpetes for points. And in the innermost part, there is an area where the demons are released, but they are blocked by an iron cage. Most of the knights there can¡¯t even approach it.¡± ¡°Your Majesty is an expert in hunting, so you always have aplicated scoring system. Isn¡¯t hunting just about twisting the neck of the prey and piling up the corpses?¡± ¡°Yes, Colonel. Are you saying something stupid? I have to raise my spirits in a great way today. yes?¡± ¡°well. Didn¡¯t I win the championshipst year too? I¡¯m trying to do it in moderation this year.¡± The emperor acted generously, but Lucerne showed a sullen expression. However, Elisha realized that he was rtively open to the emperor. Even at that moment, she felt people¡¯s eyes on her. People were watching them with terrifyingly envious res¡ªstares of envy and awe. Elisha had a strange feeling that she was from another world. In fact, even though she knew that the position she was standing in was an illusion. ¡°So, what does Lady Elisha think of hunting?¡± the emperor asked. ¡°It is an important event. Even those who do not have the opportunity to participate in wars usually recall the feeling of being in the real battlefield while hunting. Even if the general looks like this, he prepared for this event for a long time. He will bring you good game.¡± Elisha didn¡¯t like hunting. But she knew why nobles hunted, so she just answered politely. ¡°Look at the general¡¯s expression. He¡¯s already not interested anymore?¡± ¡°If so, the general goes to war more often than other knights, so he must be giving the other knights a chance to show their loyalty to His Majesty,¡± Elisha answered without trembling. The emperor was satisfied with her attitude. ¡°Your way of speaking and your attitude are very nice. Ilione talks a lot about Lady Elisha. You two are good friends, right?¡± The empress also praised her clever answer. Just in time, Ilione approached. ¡°Elisha!¡± ¡°Princess Ilione.¡± Elisha curtsied. She, too gently bent her knees. ¡°Why do people talk about appearance so much! Everyone is making a fuss over how pretty you are. Careful. The general will be jealous,¡± Ilione said with a mischievous smile. Elisha pretended not to hear her; she was teasing and asked her about her hunt. Ilione was excited and answered. It wasforting when Illione naturally took her, and the two moved tofortable seats. Chapter 145: Tpcp 145 Chapter 145: Tpcp 145 Thank you to raw provider: angelstars5 The hunting festival proceeded in order. All the knights withdrew into their tent for a while to prepare. Since Elisha was left behind at the banquet before the hunt, everyone so she became bored. ¡°Lady Elisha! It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you. You are as beautiful as your reputation.¡± ¡°Please join us at our tea time next time.¡± ¡°Where did you get this dress from?¡± Numerous nobledies gathered around her. She spoke minimally and exchanged words softly. ¡®As expected, society is tiring.¡¯ Car enjoyed these asions and could not stand when she was not the center of attention. If another woman drew attention, she had to steal the attention of men by trampling on the protagonist if necessary. Now that she thought about it, Car was no ordinary person. Elisha was exhausted just from talking to people. Woo woo woo woo. [horn sfx] Then she heard a loud horn resounding in the air. It was time for the knights to emerge. ¡°Imperial Guards, enters!¡± ¡°Western Lords Allied Forces, enters!¡± ¡°Temple Knights, enters!¡± The messenger called out the name of the Knighthood and the Order¡¯s affiliation one by one. It wasmon for hunting to keep score as a group event in which knighthoodspeted against each other. The slender hounds raised by the Orders walked proudly. It was spectacr to see dozens of hounds walking and warriors dressed in various colors of cloaks and armor walking in line with each other. ¡°Imperial ck Lion Knights enters!¡± Finally, ck Lions, the main stars of the hunt, joined. There were also more general soldiers that Elisha didn¡¯t usually talk to. However, the Seeds who stood proudly in front of the audience were people she knew well. Then emerged an awe-inspiring, majestic figure, walking steadily, wearing a ck cloak with silver embroidery. The knights who stood at the rear had about ten ck hounds. The hounds, whose names she did not know, were slimmer than the others, had longer necks, and sharp eyes. ¡®Compared to others, they look the most impressive,¡¯ Elisha noted. She stood in the front row as Ian and Nora joined the Knights. ¡®Were Lapis and Lazri this big?¡¯ They looked alike, but they were two different people. Elisha only saw them as children. They were still growing. However, looking closely, both of them were pretty handsome, Lazli was already close to 180 cm, and Lapis seemed to be in the mid-170 cm. ¡®They look different from when I first saw them.¡¯ Beside them, Elisha¡¯s quiet gaze touched the secretly sweet knight, Corinne, who outwardly looked unusually rough. Corinne was tall enough to approach Lucerne¡¯s height, but unlike Lucerne, who was lean and muscr, he was bulky and brawny. His face was also fierce and manly, which suited his body type, and several nobledies blushed at the sight of him. In unison, the ck Lions stopped in front of Elisha. And at the same time, they prostrated and saluted her. ¡°Glory to Lady Elisha. We pray for your fortune.¡± People looked at Elisha with admiration in front of the famous ck Lions. The ck Lions were almost mythical to the general public, but they were even greater beings to her. ¡°Elisha,¡± Ilione whispered. She was carrying a basket full of flowers. She passed her basket to Elisha. She looked around and saw that everyone was handing flowers to the knights, wishing them luck. However, it was not given to everyone, and one representative knight came forward to receive it. Everyone wanted to receive flowers from Elisha, so at that moment, an urgent fight broke out between the ck Lions. ¡°Then I¡¯ll¡­ ¡­ .¡± The moment Ian was about to step out without hesitation, Nora took a step forward. ¡®No, I¡¯ll take the flowers.¡¯ But Nora flinched at Corinne¡¯s bitter re. ¡°Get out there.¡± In the end, Lazri pushed Lapis¡¯s back. So Lapis came forward, startled. The other knights looked resentful. ¡°Oh, what¡­ ¡­ Oh.¡± Lapis looked down and blushed. ¡°Come here, Lapis,¡± Elisha encouraged kindly. He strode forward and bent his knee to her. Elisha handed over the pink hydrangea that Ilione had given her. ¡°Good luck, Lapis.¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯ll bring you a nice catch. The best one.¡± Lapis, who had been shy, turned bright when hisdy spoke warmly to him. When he responded hesitantly, all thedies around him smiled. It was because the boy knight¡¯s chivalrous appearance was endearing enough to swoon. ¡°How cute! How nice it would be to have such a handsome knight adore you.¡± Several nobledies who had been wanting to talk to Elisha from earlier spoke their mind with smiles. ¡°What about me?¡± Then someone hugged Elisha from behind. ¡°Oh my goodness.¡± The noblewomen were taken aback and let out a startled sound. Then they blushed and nced at the person holding Elisha. It was Lucerne. She looked around. It was a time when the knights were a little cluttered as they were preparing to appear in court. Elisha tried to push him away. But he didn¡¯t even budge. ¡°You are not a member of the Knighthood. It seems to only be given to knights.¡± ¡°I have a knighthood too.¡± ¡°You are more of a master than a knight.¡± ¡°Where is there a person who is not a servant of the Empire?¡± ¡°There are days when you be humble to receive a flower.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s a flower someone gives me, of course that¡¯s how it should be.¡± It was a whispered conversation. Only Ilione, who was right beside her, could overhear the conversation, and her eyes widened. In the end, Elisha gave Lucerne a flower as well. Chapter 146: Tpcp 146 Chapter 146: Tpcp 146 Thank you to raw provider: angelstars5 ¡°I wish you good luck.¡± ¡°What kind of gamble is this?¡± ¡°Hurry.¡± She knew that Lucerne¡¯s stubbornness could not be ovee. So she reluctantly kissed the hydrangea. As he ced the flower in his bosom, thedies blushed and nced at Lucerne. However, another problem arose in the next stage. It was because the nobledies took out scarves from the baskets and began to hang them on the knights. ¡®What are they doing now?¡¯ Elisha had never attended a hunt either in her previous life or in her current life. Jacob, whose bow skills were mediocre, did not enjoy hunting. ¡°Oh my. I guess you didn¡¯t prepare a scarf. This is a very crucial tradition for blessing the knights. You forgot something so important. The ck Lions are out of luck today!¡± A woman spoke out with a sneer. Elisha realized that she was one of Car¡¯s few closedy friends. ¡®Was it Countess Aaron?¡¯ People¡¯s eyes focused on Elisha for a moment. ¡°Elisha, didn¡¯t you bring anything?¡± Illione whispered. ¡°¡­ ¡­ I did not know. Did I have to prepare scarves?¡± ¡°Oh, no. You didn¡¯t know the mandate to give scarves to the Knights. I should have told you in advance,¡± Ilione quickly whispered, conscious of people¡¯s gazes. However, in those short words, Elisha felt overwhelmed. Very apologetic, Ilione was concerned about the embarrassment she would feel. Giving scarves to the warriors was considered such a given, so no one had advised Elisha. She had no chaperones to instruct her, and such a slip-up advertised the fact. Since they had no hostess from the point of view of the knights, they had never received one before and could not ask for it first. Lucerne wasn¡¯t the type to care or pay attention to such a seemingly meaningless detail. He would have only been made aware of such a tradition for the first time today. ¡®I never thought I¡¯d make a mistake in such a stupid ce.¡¯ It was an absurd first failure. So far, she thought, she had been doing well as Lucerne¡¯s wife. However, such a trivial mistake made her low origin and level of education evident. Full of dread, Elisha was afraid that he would see her as inadequate and be dissatisfied. ¡°Luce¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± Lucerne asked Illione expressionlessly. He was pointing at ady¡¯s scarf. ¡°It means to hunt well ande back safe.¡± Lucerne nodded his head. He looked at Elisha with a softer gaze. ¡°Then we can just do well ande back without it, right?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ Elisha. How about tying a ribbon to Lucerne? Because you do that to a lover. As a proof and token.¡± Illione rmended. Elisha had put her hair up and adorned it with a long ribbon. She untied her ribbon and tied it around Lucerne¡¯s wrist. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lucerne,¡± Elisha whispered very softly. Lucerne did not answer. He erased his smile and looked over his knights. ¡°Everyone, understand the situation.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Please save your mistress¡¯ energy. Shouldn¡¯t we do well?¡± The knights did not answer, but their eyes were determined. It was more important to them to keep Elisha from being humiliated than to get a scarf. If their Order did not perform well, she would be med because she did not give out scarves for good luck. So they had to win. ¡®And win overwhelmingly,¡¯ Nora thought. Looking at their eyes, everyone seemed to be thinking the same thing. ¡°I will do my best.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point of speaking well? Let¡¯s show it with action¡ªlet¡¯s go.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Let¡¯s win!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The knights answered simultaneously. They walked into the woods. ¡°Why do you look like that?¡± Lucerne asked quietly. Now, only he remained, looking down at Elisha. ¡°Do you think I would have allowed you to hang a scarf on another man?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ Lucerne.¡± Elisha straightened her expression. It was foolish of her to be swayed by something like this, but inside, she was kicking herself. Then, realizing she wasn¡¯t managing her expression, she resumed her usual nk countenance and didn¡¯t show her feelings on the outside. ¡°I will be back,¡± Lucerne said. She nodded; her head felt a little heavier than usual. ¡°Wait a minute.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make you proud.¡± Lucerne smiled with his eyes piercing through her stare. You can read more here. Chapter 147: Tpcp 147 Chapter 147: Tpcp 147 Thank you to raw provider: angelstars5 ¡®I hope they¡¯re not overdoing the hunt because of me.¡¯ Evendies who enjoy hunting went into the hunting grounds lightly. Other knights also started hunting busily. All the rest of the people who didn¡¯t participate, like Elisha, upied themselves with tea. Then, finally, she sat down with Ilione at a table under a tree. ¡°I heard that there are monsters in the forest.¡± Illione nodded her head at Elisha¡¯s question. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Lucerne has a guardian, so he¡¯ll be fine, right?¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t you know? Magic and other powers are prohibited.¡± Elisha was worried about him. But, even though she knew that worrying about him was futile, she was strangely anxious. ¡®Could Lucerne get hurt while hunting?¡¯ She bit her lip. ¡°Are you okay, Elisha?¡± ¡°Yes? Of course, I¡¯m fine.¡± Elisha suppressed her agitation and took a sip of her tea. Her hands quivered. ¡®What am I thinking? What happened in my previous life and the current situation are obviously different.¡¯ Later, that day¡¯s hunting festival was cut ridiculously short. People stood up in amazement when a cart loaded with the prey of the ck Lion Knights appeared from the forest. ¡°Was there that much to hunt?¡± ¡°So much prey in such a short amount of time?¡± Countless prey piled up in front of Elisha. There were too many rabbits to count, and among the wild beasts, there were wild cats, silver foxes, red foxes, and even monsters with terrible appearances. ¡°All for you madam!¡± The knights rushed forward. ¡°As you know, monsters are recognized with double the points measured by their weight¡­ ¡­ . There¡¯s no point in measuring the score.¡± The prey piled up in front of Elisha was so great that a general in charge of refereeing gave up on scoring. ¡°Since the ck Lion Knights monopolized over 80% of the game, this can hardly be called apetition.¡± ¡°Is there a problem? We only used bows and swords as per regtions. Besides, those of the level of master swordsmen or higher sealed their auras.¡± Someone muttered in a sardonic, dissatisfied voice, but when Lapis snapped back, he couldn¡¯t say a word. ¡®Looks like things have gotten bigger.¡¯ Elisha had a headache. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s great. As expected, the momentum of the ck Lion Knights is extraordinary. To hunt all these high-scoring demons,¡± The emperor remarked with satisfaction. The ck Lion Knights were a symbolic order of imperial knights who had defended the empire several times. So it was natural for the emperor to be delighted. ¡°Are you done already?¡± Then Lucerne walked out of the woods. Behind him were the servants pulling the cart. Elisha was horrified to see a giant tiger lying on top of the massive cart. The tiger was a creature that even the most educated and well-traveled knew through books. However, when inspected closely at the tiger, the fur between the patterns on the body was not yellow but gold. ¡®Is that a monster and not a tiger?¡¯ Besides, the body was two or three times bigger than the one she had read about. Therge cart, drawn by six horses, byparison, seemed small. ¡°It¡¯s really amazing that he caught that tiger demon.¡± ¡°There was a prey like that today?¡± People rushed over to watch the game. Others shouted excitedly and pointed their fingers at the prey. ¡°Surely that beast is the prey with the highest score in today¡¯s huntingpetition, right?¡± the empress asked. The emperor was very fond of hunting and knew all about the characteristics of prey and how to catch it. So, from monsters to small rabbits, he knew how to score each one. ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. It seems the general couldn¡¯t find it either.¡± Lucerne narrowed his eyes at the emperor¡¯s words. He put his palms over his eyes like a sunshade and looked up at the sky. Then there was a loud pping of wings in the sky. ¡°Bring my crossbow.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ian and Nora grunted and hurriedly fetched his crossbow. Lucerne¡¯s bow was twice the size of a standard one. He drew his bow and aimed it at the sky. ¡°Oops, he found the demon with the highest score. The general¡¯s eyes cannot be fooled.¡± The emperor¡¯s mouth overflowed with joy. Woosh¡ª A crossbow was fired. The noise of the wind was so loud that some nobledies were frightened and hid behind the knights. Soon there was the sound of something falling from the sky. ¡°Hit!¡± one of the imperial servants eximed. Cheers spread among the people. The emperor rose from his seat and approached. ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°There was the remains of a big fish in the spring water in the forest, dried up. A characteristic of the thunder kingfisher is that it catches the big fish first. In addition, some fish died from having their heads crushed. When that bird catches a fish, it kills it by striking its head against a rock.¡± ¡°Great, very good!¡± The emperor rose from his seat and was generous with his praise. Soon after, servants, apanied by hounds, hurriedly ran to pick up the bird that had fallen in the woods. ¡°It is very beautiful.¡± The bird was astonishingly beautiful even to Elisha. Blue feathers of the like that she had never seen before in both of her lives donned the massive body. ¡®A turquoise bird. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen anything like this.¡¯ Turquoise jewels were also seen only once in her previous life. However, the color of the bird was richer than that. It was a brighter and lighter blue than sapphire, but it was so beautifully exquisite that it made her eyes glisten. Chapter 148: Tpcp 148 Chapter 148: Tpcp 148 Thank you to raw provider: angelstars5 ¡°This is a bird named Flying Jewel. The general is really great. He must have caught it as a present for his wife,¡± Ilione dered in a loud voice as if everyone could hear. ¡°As you know, this monster is very difficult to catch. It is a demon bird that is sensitive and hides when it hears the sound of an arrow, and emits poison at close range to harm people. In addition, it is a very rare species, so it is said that it is traded at a very high price.¡± The emperor nodded. As Lucerne beckoned, Ian came over and plucked a few feathers from the bird. Then people apuded. For the blue bird¡¯s feathers glistened in the sunlight like jewels. Lucerne untied the ribbon Elisha had wrapped around his hand. Then he wrapped it around the feathers and returned it. ¡°Do you like it?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ Yes, it¡¯s very pretty.¡± ¡°Then give me a kiss.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ Lucerne.¡± Elisha squeezed his arm. People were staring at them. That was so embarrassing ¡°Okay, then I have to return the kiss.¡± He kissed the end of the ribbon that tied the feathers and held it out to Elisha. Her face turned red. Small screams erupted here and there. There were shouts of longing and admiration mixed with envy. It was the first time she felt this way; her mind was dizzy and embarrassed. She wanted to flee¡­ ¡­ . And at the same time, she also wished this moment wouldst forever. It was a bizarre sensation. Elisha couldn¡¯t take her eyes off the feathers and squeezed them in her hand. ¡°Elisha, you have to say something. The general caught it for you,¡± Ilione said quickly. Elisha took his hand. ¡°¡­ ¡­ I¡¯m happy.¡± As Lucerne looked at Elisha, she whispered very quietly. ¡°I¡¯ll make you happy again next time, so don¡¯t make that face.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Did she look like she was about to cry? She put on her mask again. ¡°You¡¯re too pretty when you¡¯re defenseless, so don¡¯t do that in front of people. Just do it as usual.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± The nape of Elisha¡¯s neck flushed. Trying to ignore everything, she lowered her eyes. For some reason, her heartbeat hadn¡¯t stopped pounding since a while ago¡­ ¡­ . That was a bad sign. No, actually. It was hard to judge what was good and what was bad at this moment. ¡°How lucky she was to get such a man as her husband.¡± ¡°I know, right. Wow, he¡¯s really great. But aren¡¯t they a pretty good pair?¡± The nobledies opened their fans and whispered. Many nobledies adored the very handsome and wealthy Lucerne. Elisha felt strange. It was the first time she became the object of someone¡¯s envy. It was also the day she made a mistake, and everyone supported her, and it was also the first time she had received everyone¡¯s attention. It was an odd, unfamiliar day. ¡°Did you say ck Lions would be out of luck today?¡± As Elisha moved to the banquet hall, she heard Lapis talking crookedly to Countess Aaron. ¡°Luck is only necessary for the ipetent. We have never needed such a fluke.¡± Countess Aaron turned white and, covering her face with her fan, hurriedly disappeared. She was fed up seeing the prey the ck Lions had caught. Elisha was about to say something to Lapis but ended up not saying anything in the end because she felt so overwhelmed. *** The banquet after the hunt continuedte into the night. ¡°Tired?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ a little bit.¡± When her expression grewnguid, Lucerne took her out of the banquet hall. ¡°I¡¯ll just say farewell to the emperor.¡± Lucerne took Elisha to her room first. In the imperial pce, the size of the room visitors stayed in indicated their power. When Elisha saw the spaciousness and luxury of Lucerne¡¯s room in the imperial pce, she realized his identity. ¡°Don¡¯t go anywhere. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Elisha nodded. Lucerne was like the main guest of the banquet, so he had to go back to the banquet hall to pray his respects before settling in the room with her. ¡°Mydy, Princess Ilione¡¯sdies-in-waiting have visited.¡± ¡°Really? That¡¯s great, thank god they¡¯ve so speedily prepared it for me.¡± Sophie came out of the small powder room connected to the main room, holding the cloth in her arms. They were scarves prepared by Ilione in a hurry. ¡®I was really embarrassed today.¡¯ Fortunately, there was a chance to make up for it. There was also a hunting festival tomorrow, and embroidering was one of Elisha¡¯s specialties. So she intended to stay up all night to embroider and make silk scarves. Chapter 149: Tpcp 149 Chapter 149: Tpcp 149 Thank you to raw provider: angelstars5 So when Lucerne returned to the room, Elisha was busy sewing. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Ah, the hunt will continue tomorrow so I need to prepare the scarves now.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Lucerne saw the handkerchiefs Elisha had made. The initials of the ck Lion Knighthood were engraved on the various silks. Elisha was working at breakneck speed. ¡°How many are you making?¡± ¡°Because I have to hand it to all the knights,¡± Elisha noted calmly. ¡°How many have you made so far?¡± ¡°Now four.¡± He tried to tell Elisha that he was not going hunting tomorrow, but Lucerne thought it would be nice to have a scarf made by her. ¡®Five scarves are enough.¡¯ He wanted to keep a few and use one or two. So he would wait until Elisha made all five and take them away. Instead, he watched her. She was embroidering on a chair in front of a small table by the bed. Her lowered eyelids were lined with dense eyshes, and when she was concentrating, her brows flinched slightly. Upon closer inspection¡­ ¡­ She looked rather sensual too. ¡°Lucerne. You can¡¯t look at me like that.¡± She let out a small sigh and lifted her head. ¡°Why can¡¯t I?¡± he asked. It was his habit to speak affectionately unprovoked. ¡°¡­ ¡­ It just makes me feel weird.¡± Lucerne realized that she hadpleted the fifth scarf. ¡°Then stop now.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your job to make these things.¡± Elisha avoided his gaze to hide her embarrassment. ¡°¡­ ¡­ but it is my job. You covered for me today but all the other nobledies have prepared scarves.¡± Lucerne stared at her with sticky eyes. And he thought: ¡®I hope this woman makes at least one mistake every day.¡¯ He had an insatiable possessive desire for Elisha that could not be exined logically. Moreover, Elisha¡¯s shy and varied appearance today further stimted his desire for exclusivity. Her vulnerable and shy face was very cute. He felt like he had gained a part of her that he didn¡¯t have before. ¡®What do I really want from her?¡¯ Lucerne had often pondered that these days. ¡°Your eyes will hurt. I only need five. Enough now, stop making them.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not all yours. You only have one¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°There¡¯s a hunting festival next year too.¡± Lucerne tried to snatch the scarf away from her, but Elisha avoided his hand. ¡°Next year, you can make them.¡± She¡¯s unrelenting, Lucerne clicked his tongue. ¡°I won¡¯t be participating in thepetition tomorrow.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ Why are you telling me that now? When did you decide?¡± Instead of saying ¡®just now¡¯ and upsetting Elisha, he chose a convenient excuse. ¡°The ck Lions caught too much prey today, we will be a nuisance if we continue to y well tomorrow.¡± ¡°Do you ever say suchmon sense things?¡± Elisha was genuinely surprised. Lucerne, far from being upset when she spoke of him this way, thought she was adorably charming. Unexpectedly, these symptoms were getting worse day by day. ¡°Princess Ilione will go hunting tomorrow, so we don¡¯t have to do it like today. She wants to win.¡± ¡°Ah, is it because of the princess?¡± ¡°Why because of the princess? It¡¯s because of you. You don¡¯t have to cheer yourself up tomorrow.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± She flinched. Although she looked like her calm, usual self, there was a different air. Lucerne didn¡¯t understand what this kerchief issue was about. She seemed to think the world would fall apart if she made a mistake. She was too much of a perfectionist. ¡°Are you feeling bad?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ Yes.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t waste your emotions, just say thank you.¡± ¡°Thanks to you and the Knights, I forgot all the mistakes I made today by the end of the banquet¡­ ¡­ . Thank you. Lucerne.¡± Lucerne looked at her and pulled her wrist. ¡°Why are you so demure again? You have a knack for arousing.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ What do you mean? Ah¡ª¡± She took all his attention. She had been acting like an arrogant she-cat, and now she was suddenly docile and gentle like a puppy. But as always, the moment he approached, she took a step back. His mouth was dry, and he was anxious. His thirst suddenly soared. ¡°Thank you so much.¡± ¡°Yeah, then give me the kiss we couldn¡¯t finish earlier,¡± Lucerne said. Come to think of it, she smelled good. As soon as she returned, it seemed that she washed first. ¡°How about this?¡± Elisha hesitated. When she thought about something, she took off her robe. She was wearing a thin nightgown under it. The nightgown for her newlyweds had slender shoulder straps and wasced around her chest. Beneath it was a delicate, sheer fabric that flowed gently. And Elisha¡­ ¡­ . She wasn¡¯t wearing anything under it. She could see everything from the soft shape of her breasts to the shade of her pubic area. Besides, that wasn¡¯t the end. Elisha moved her ankle to show him. Lucerne forgot what to say. You can read more here. ??????????????????? Chapter 150: Tpcp 150 Chapter 150: Tpcp 150 t1v: apologies! I was very very sick but expect a bunch of chapters soon! Thank you to raw provider: angelstars5 Elisha¡¯s ankles glistened with her diamond anklets. Her white ankles were thin and elegant. As the anklets dangled, they looked subtly sexy. An anklet he had bought her at the jewelry store not too long ago. She hadn¡¯t put it on, though. So tonight was the first time he¡¯d seen it on her. When the anklets fluttered with a glimmer, everything flew out of Lucerne¡¯s head. He drew in Elisha. ¡°Now I have to thank you,¡± Lucerne whispered deeply. Startled, she quivered; he stared at her with deep, dark eyes. ¡°Ah, uh¡­ ¡­ . I don¡¯t like to be indebted.¡± His lips touched hers. Elisha kissed him for a long time, feeling his tongue and hot saliva intertwined with hers, then she finally opened her mouth to mutter. Lucerne snorted. ¡°Why are you proud of yourself after making me spin?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°So if it makes you feelfortable, yes. All right.¡± Lucerne continued in a voice heavy with affection. ¡°I¡¯ll be fooled. Again.¡± Hush, Elisha swallowed hot moans. *** As a result, Elisha realized that she would have to find another way to thank Lucerne next time. It was because he was more persistent than usual tonight and didn¡¯t let her go. ¡°Haugh, uh, uh¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha stumbled over her thoughts. At first, she wasid on the bed, and everything except her anklets was taken off. Then he hurriedly embraced her at once. Then, he embraced her from behind. And on the third round, he led Elisha to her mirror, saying he wanted to see her anklets flicker. ¡®This¡­ ¡­ . what¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Elisha was perfectly nude and couldn¡¯t bear to open her eyes. Now her body was naked, wide open, and all over her body, from the inside of her thighs to her corbone, was red and blue. He spread her legs apart so she couldn¡¯t close them at all. It was because when she tried to close her thighs, Lucerne squeezed his big hands onto her thighs, leaving handprints as he pulled them to the side. The problem was that their appearance was reflected in a full-length mirror in front of the bed. Lucerne sat on the edge of the bed, inserting his cock into Elisha¡¯s body, watching her as she slowly raised her back. His tightly bulging, club-like penis squeezed into Elisha¡¯s entrance, showing off its swollen appearance. p. p. Puck. Puck. Puck. Every time he moved his waist slowly, her pubic hair, which already had semen and love juice, shook and sshed with water. Lucerne¡¯s face was on Elisha¡¯s shoulder. As he bit and sucked on Elisha¡¯s ear lobe, a shiver ran from her back. Her body trembled all over. ¡°Since when have you been wearing it? Those anklets?¡± ¡°Hum¡­from ¡­ . This morning¡­ ¡­.¡± ¡°You did well by not telling me.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± p! As if Lucerneplimented her, he vigorously thrusted into her and bounced her ass. Her immacte breasts, which had begun to turn pink in the air, swayed. And the pink nipples at the apex also stood pointedly and twitched. Lucerne grabbed her trembling upper body with his arms and held her tightly on his erection. Then, with one hand, he squeezed her firm breasts. Puck, puck. Squelch, spueak. As Lucerne lifted his waist up, Elisha¡¯s thighs ovepped with Lucerne¡¯s thighs and trembled. And her calves trembled helplessly. Their sweat-soaked flesh stuck to each other. ¡°If I had known, I would have been so excited that I would not have caught any prey. The tip of my arrow would have trembled because of you.¡± ¡°Uhhh, ahh¡­ ¡­ . why ¡­ ¡­ . excited¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Arrows look like mine.¡± Elisha felt her mind go hazy. She felt like prey. ¡°So you¡¯ll only be satisfied shooting me with your arrows.¡± Lucerne raised the corner of his mouth. ¡°Ah ¨Cah!¡± He mischievously moved his waist and opened Elisha¡¯s mound with both hands. ¡°Look carefully, Elisha. Open your eyes and look in the mirror.¡± Her eyes were dyed crimson. Elisha reluctantly looked at herself in front of him. She closed her eyes again, seeing her whole body starkly wide open. ¡°Ah!¡± Lucerne squeezed her breast hard. Then he gently squeezed and pinched her nipple between his fingers. ¡°I won¡¯t stop until you look.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ pervert.¡± Elisha looked in front of her at the wet sound. Her lips exhaled hot pants, and the tip of her nose was burning red. Her eyes looked loose and disorganized. And there were his two red eyes staring at her through the mirror. When Elisha met those eyes, she felt her entire body lose strength. Chapter 151: Tpcp 151 Chapter 151: Tpcp 151 Thank you to raw provider: angelstars5 ¡°Well done. How do you like it here?¡± Lucerne lowered his hand and ced his palm on Elisha¡¯s crotch. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re erect here. Can you see it? Shall we take a closer look?¡± Lucerne¡¯s hand hurt the pale citrus and opened her thick pubic mound. The bright red vaginal entrance was greedily swallowing and inhaling Lucerne¡¯s cock. Even the lips of the opening were soaked and rose plumply as if showing off the wet flesh under the bright light. ¡°When you get excited, this ce gets swollen and sharp. I¡¯m the only one who knows that. No one else will know,¡± Lucerne whispered in a terribly hot voice. The ce where Lucerne opened and was softly grazing around it as if showing it off was Elisha¡¯s clitoris. It was clearly exposed and swelled up pointedly, creating a lewd mood. Elisha couldn¡¯t see it. ¡°Can you not see it well? Want to go closer¡ª no. Shall I show it to you with a hand mirror?¡± ¡°Stop¡­ ¡­ . Lucerne,¡± Elisha cried and begged. ¡°Just¡­ ¡­ . Just keep hugging me¡ªno. I¡¯m so embarrassed. Ahh, unhh¡­ ¡­ .¡± He started to lift his back again. Her swollen pussy swallowed Lucerne¡¯s erection and began to pulsate. Whenever the hot pir rubbed against Elisha¡¯s vaginal wall, her inner walls squirmed and pulled him in tightly as if inhaling. ¡°Inside you, it¡¯s really hot,¡± Lucerne whispered. His eyes were shining. He was disheveled with excitement, and his whole body was wet with sweat. ¡°It makes me want to die in here.¡± ¡°Lucerne¡­ ¡­ . Hmm¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha¡¯s body trembled. His movements were inexhaustible and mischievously spiteful. Finally, when she was about to climax, he stopped moving. Then he came in again violently. ¡°Do you want to stop watching?¡± ¡°I¡¯m ashamed.¡± She begged in a voice mixed with longing. ¡°Please¡­ ¡­ .¡± She hated her when she couldn¡¯t hide herself from Lucerne. The visual stimtion stimted her lower body with intense pain and added immense pleasure. Her stomach felt like it was zing. Rather than dislike, an emotion closer to fear swallowed Elisha again. ¡°What do you hate seeing?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ My appearance. I do not like it¡­ ¡­ .¡± she cried. Lucerne sighed. He kissed her on the cheek, rubbing her with his hands quickly. Elisha¡¯s waist shivered at the frictional heat of his hot fingers rubbing, and her head bent back. ¡°Huh, huh¡­ ¡­ !¡± The back of Elisha¡¯s head pushed against his shoulder, and her sweaty, golden hair cascaded over his tight chest muscles. ¡°Look carefully. How pretty you are when you orgasm.¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s okay. No.¡± Lucerne jerked his core and quickly brushed her clitoris. Elisha gasped at the stimtion of her insides and outsides of her vagina being attacked simultaneously. Ascivious moan broke out of her without restraint. ¡°Ah, unn ohh¡­ ¡­ . Ahhhh¡­ !!¡­ .¡± Elisha was shocked as she quickly reached her climax. The gush of water was so embarrassing that she grabbed Lucerne¡¯s arm and pushed him. Lucerne was breathing hotly as she constricted and climaxed on his swollen penis. He barely tolerated the urge to ejacte. Not yet. ¡°Let go, let go¡­ ¡­ . Huu Lucerne¡­ ¡­ .¡± Lucerne, exercising restraint, did not let her go but instead behaved more mischievously. He pulled Elisha out as she wished, and she swallowed a gasp. His erect veiny penis, bouncing in the air as if about to explode, was glistening with Elisha¡¯s sexual juice. ¡®How can he put up with this?¡¯ Elisha couldn¡¯t believe his patience when she saw his ferocious pir swaying with the head wet as if it was about to erupt with semen at any moment. The columns of veins, soaked in Elisha¡¯s love juice, were shining brightly. ¡°I¡¯m at my limit,e quickly,¡± Lucerne whispered. He sat down on the bed and grabbed Elisha¡¯s round ass and pulled her. And he sat her on top of himself. ¡°Haa!¡± Elisha¡¯s vulva, which had been swollen, epted Lucerne¡¯s erection again without even having time to close. At the sensation of vivid pration, Eshe tightened her anus, and her body trembled. ¡°Move. It will be over soon.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha, who was still shy, couldn¡¯t get used to this position at all. ¡°Why, do you not want to see me?¡± Lucerne asked very affectionately. He justy down on the bed. Elisha even felt guilty that she had taken over such a beautiful man. She ced her palms on his abs. His firm stomach muscles twitched under her soft palms. Elisha felt her entire body sensitive enough to make her shoulders tremble at the strong touch. It was as if even the tips of her palms touching his muscles had be an erogenous zone. ¡°Hurry.¡± Lucerne urged her by lifting his back. ¡°Ughhh!¡± Chapter 152: Tpcp 152 Chapter 152: Tpcp 152 Thank you to raw provider: angelstars5 She bent her head. Elisha trembled and lowered her eyshes. Her voice was hoarse from all the moaning and yelling. She said in a hot, husky, and breathy voice, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Teach me how to do it. How to¡­ ¡­ . hmm¡­ ¡­ . how can I please¡­ ¡­ . Do you like moving¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha wanted to please him. She wanted to give him something in return. The blue feathers. A ribbon tied to it. What he did to build up Elisha¡¯s face today¡­ ¡­ . to all of that. She recalled unwantedly spying on her owner¡¯s sexual intercourse during her previous lives. Often their counterparts entangled with them were extramarital. When a woman moved on top of a man¡¯s body, he was very fond of it. She wanted to please and make Lucerne happy like that. ¡°Oh¡­ ¡­ . Ah, Lucerne.¡± But her action had unexpected results. Lucerne abruptly stopped. ¡®Did I make a mistake?¡¯ The moment he briefly came out of Elisha¡¯s body, his penis, which was on the verge of climax, shrank a little. Taut and though it was already big enough. The moment he heard her words, Lucerne got erect again and took up Elisha¡¯s entire lower body and put pressure on her. ¡®Ah!¡¯ Elisha stooped over in surprise. Just by sitting there, she could feel his immense sizepressing her belly with every breath she took, her whole body fluttering at the slightest provocation. His hand grabbed Elisha¡¯s waist and supported her body. It was a solid grip. ¡°Huu¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Haa¡­ ¡­ .¡± On the contrary, her insides held Lucerne¡¯s tightly as ifpeting and squeezed. Elisha let out her hot breath. ¡°Huh!¡± At that moment, she looked into Lucerne¡¯s eyes. They were ring up with passion, obsession, and possessiveness. All amid a glow of almost gluttonous sexual appetite and the voracious desire to monopolize. These were feelings Elisha had never seen before. So startled and frightened, Elisha let out a shaky gasp. ¡°Shh, good girl.¡± Lucerne noticed her feelings and soothed her by patting her butt. ¡°Move slowly.¡± Elisha and Lucerne sped hands. Elisha awkwardly moved her pelvis up and down her. ¡°It¡¯s deep, hmm¡­ ¡­ .¡± It felt like it wasing in deeper than usual. Elisha trembled at the feeling of being caressed in her insides. It felt like a boiling pir wasing in and out of her belly. p, slop. Squeak, squish. Every time Lucerne¡¯s stuff went in between Elisha¡¯s vulva, her wet opening swallowed him. Every time it went out, the inner wall of her vagina swelled up like a flower petal gripping it if it would follow it, wrapping it around him and pulling it tight. Lucerne couldn¡¯t take his eyes off their connecting parts as if he was starving and in front of food. ¡°I see you devouring my cock well now. How pretty.¡± Elisha¡¯s shoulders were strained, and the upper arms of her arms naturally converged toward her torso. So her breasts were pushed together as they jiggled, pleasing Lucerne¡¯s eyes. He was getting the greatest pleasure in her life from this clumsy waist. Really, he didn¡¯t know why either. ¡°I can see you swallowing me.¡± Lucerne whispered. ¡°Your mouth is open and drooling. The mound of your pale pussy wraps around me. You¡¯re so pretty.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Elisha. Elisha¡­ ¡­ .¡± Lucerne put a hand on her cheek and sat up. He pulled her body towards himself, still inside her, and in an instant, their postures were quickly reversed. Now Elisha was lying on the bed with her legs apart, holding his hand. ¡°Huh!¡± Her pussy sucking him all the way seemed to cry out for more every time he plunged in deeper. Lucerne¡¯s pubic hair was soaked in her leaking love juice. ¡°You want to please me. How did youe up with that idea? Making me feel touched.¡± He grabbed both of Elisha¡¯s legs, went out in a big wave-like movement, and pounded her instantly, with enough force to push her body away. She groaned and curled her toes. Even the base of his penis was already stained with a tide of sticky sweet sap and semen that gushed out of her body. Every time he pushed up, the sound of sweaty clubs and testicles and pubic and perineum shing echoed with hot lewdness. ¡°Aha, heh, now¡­ ¡­ .Oh¡ª-ahhh¡ª Do it, Lucerne. Please¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha cried and begged. Lucerne grabbed her ankle and bit it. His eyes persistently scanned her as her struggling body glistened with sweat. Puck, puck, puck, puck. m. Slosh. Then he hammered into her. As Elisha twitched, she unconsciously tightened her navel and moved her waist to match. ¡°Ha ha ha. Lucerne¡­ ¡­ . ugh¡­ ¡­ .¡± Lucerne printed and dug in deep for thest time. He put his forehead against her forehead. His angry genitals prated Elisha¡¯s depths roughly. ¡°No-no, more. Oh, you can¡¯t go in anymore, Lucerne¡­ ¡­ .¡± At that moment, there was an eruption. Elisha shuddered at the semen exploding out and pouring into her womb. ¡°Huh, huh¡­ ¡­ . Ahhhhhhh¡­ ¡­ .¡± As if to calm her trembling body, he poured kisses on Elisha¡¯s forehead while still connected. Transparent tears welled up in her eyes and flowed down. Her body went limp. She closed her eyes and breathed slowly. Her nipples and bust, still pointed, rose and fell slowly. ¡°Ugh¡­ ¡­ .¡± Lucerne watched her sweetly but couldn¡¯t resist biting and kissing her lips. She couldn¡¯t even breathe properly and received his kiss. Soon, Elisha, who had lost all strength in her body, slowly closed her eyes¡ªhalf fainting. Chapter 153: Tpcp 153 Chapter 153: Tpcp 153 Thank you to raw provider: angelstars5 Elisha fell senseless, almost unconscious for about an hour, and then opened her eyes. Handprints were left on Elisha¡¯s ankles. Lucerne soothed her by gently caressing her belly and lower abdomen. However, her remaining excitement was still heating up. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha nodded and thought something was odd. ¡®Why are you so excited today?¡¯ Halfway through sex, she almost lost her mind. ¡®Is it because I was so emotional earlier today?¡¯ There was the admiration of noblewomen. And the envious gazes of people. A futile insight of emptiness but a thrilling sensation enveloped her body. But nevertheless, it was even fascinating. Lucerne and Elisha often had moments in which they realized they were thinking the same thing, even though they didn¡¯t exchange a single word in the same ce. Just like now. ¡°How was your day? Was it worth it?¡± Elisha nodded and added, ¡°Yes, there¡¯s no problem. I¡¯ll make sure I don¡¯t make any mistakes next time.¡± ¡°Yes. There is a next time.¡± Elisha hesitated and paused. ¡°As you may remember, new terms can be added to the marriage contract if the marriagests.¡± She was surprised, not expecting Lucerne would bring this topic up first and so casually. Elisha¡¯s heart thumped. She suppressed its lurching. ¡°¡­ ¡­ What do you mean?¡± ¡°If you want to live as my wife in the future, it wouldn¡¯t be disadvantageous to settle and clean up your debts once.¡± Elisha¡¯s breath stopped. She could escape the Cartier family. Finally, that damned debt looming over her would disappear. Just the thought of her made her head spin. ¡°What happens if the debt is gone?¡± ¡°Nothing will change. We¡¯ll live like this. We will renew the contract.¡± At that moment, Elisha recalled the painting of the snake hanging in the annex where she was held. The greedy and beautiful ck snake held its head up high. It looked as if he was seducing someone. ¡°You mean you just want to bind me with a new contract.¡± Lucerne turned to Elisha. As shey in bed and met his eyes, the gaze took her breath away. ¡°As usual, you¡¯re quick-witted.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha awkwardly rose to avoid his regard. Lucerne stood up as she straightened her flowing gown. ¡°Marriage is essentially about being bound to each other.¡± ¡°At least other couples trust each other.¡± ¡°That sounds intriguing. So, was that the end of Marco and Arien?¡± She flinched. ¡°Then I will be abandoned more cruelly than Arien. I don¡¯t have any family, friends, ah¡ª¡± Lucerne gently grabbed her wrist and pulled her. ¡°Don¡¯t run away again.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Then can you trust me?¡± Lucerne askednguidly. Elisha bit her lip. It was a habit she had whenever she was nervous. ¡°You¡¯re not going to remove the tattoo on the back of my neck.¡± ¡°It¡¯s useful to be able to find you no matter what. I have many enemies.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ I know that.¡± It was her dream and goal to have the tattoo on her neck disappear. For as long as the seal with the tracking spell existed on her skin, she would always be a ve to the Cartier family. Only now, her story would be that she belonged to Lucerne. No woman would want to be her partner¡¯s ve, even if she loved him. It was the same with Elisha. ¡®But there must be an abundance of women around Lucerne. Why me?¡¯ She would stay next to Lucerne. It was such a strange and unfamiliar sentiment. But she didn¡¯t deserve it¡ª A sh of unwanted memories ran through Elisha from her past life. Inwardly she gasped; her heart ached with a stabbing pang. ¡°Are you thinking of turning Jacob or Marco into a puppet?¡± ¡°What?¡± Elisha froze. ¡°I was wondering if you were thinking of a way to make me the real head of the household by controlling them.¡± Lost in thought, Lucerne donned a pensive look. ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Technically, I wouldn¡¯t be ¡®the Head¡¯ as written in the contract. But even if you meant it literally and somehow fulfilled the terms, I won¡¯t let you go.¡± ¡°Then what do you want to do with the Cartier family?¡± Instead of clearing up Lucerne¡¯s misunderstanding, Elisha asked quietly. ¡°Revenge.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I want to destroy Jacob, Marco, and Merha.¡± It was a calm and even statement. However, Elisha could only imagine the terriblypressed emotions and torturous history beyond that calm tone. It was disturbing, and a sense of anxiety crept up. She often glimpsed a faint sense of madness in Lucerne. His kindness resembled a precarious sandcastle. As long as Elisha was helplessly bound to him and had no choice but to obey him, he could adjust his treatment of her at any time and ording to any whim. ¡°Think it over.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°My patience seems to be working out for you.¡± Elisha could not respond. She could only imagine the end of his patience. ¡°Of course it won¡¯tst forever, will it?¡± ¡°Lucerne.¡± ¡°Ah, first of all.¡± Lucerneid her down and patted her. ¡°That way, tomorrow or the day after tomorrow you can do it.¡± A way to hide from anxiety. The only way to hide the shaking was to run away in his arms. She closed her eyes slowly, feeling her body cling to him. *** Chapter 154: Tpcp 154 Chapter 154: Tpcp 154 Thank you to raw provider: angelstars5 The following day, Elisha overslept. ¡®What time is it? I heard that there was an event this morning¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Elisha was shocked that she had slept until noon. ¡®You¡¯re really all over the ce.¡¯ She called Sophie. ¡°What about Lucerne?¡± ¡°He only said to get ready slowly and take your time when you wake up. First, you should eat lunch. The general notified the attendants beforehand and left.¡± ¡°No need to pay attention to the food. Get ready to go out.¡± ¡°But the general ordered me not to let the madam out of the room unless you have lunch,¡± Sophie rified hesitantly. She had to obey Elisha¡¯s words first. But everyone was afraid of Lucerne. Finally, seeing Sophie¡¯s teary face, she let out a low sigh and conceded. ¡°Then let¡¯s proceed quickly.¡± Sophie hurried. The servants quickly served a hot, steaming meal. Even though everyone rushed to get ready, it was already approaching 3 pm when she left. ¡®The hunt must have already ended.¡¯ Fortunately, the ck Lion Knights did not go hunting today. By that time, Elisha¡¯s urgency had also subsided. She waste anyway. She felt a slight sense of despondency. She usually didn¡¯t go around alone. Whether outside or inside, Lucerne¡¯s people always kept an eye on Elisha. It was 80% protection and 20% surveince. However, the imperial pce was an exception. Lucerne could only bring a limited number of subordinates into court. ¡°I will guide you to the entrance to the hunting grounds.¡± Elisha gently refused the courtiers¡¯ guidance. ¡°I know the way to the ce where people are gathered so I don¡¯t need directions.¡± ¡°There are attendants at every forked road, so if you don¡¯t know the way, please ask and take extra precautions. If you take the wrong path, you may fall into the forest, where the hunt is.¡± The courtiers obediently let her go. After that, Elisha could walk alone for the first time in a very long time. ¡®It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve been this free.¡¯ Although it was limited freedom, it was quite sweet. ¡°Ouch, ughh. Heeehuuue¡­ ¡­ .¡± [sfx: sobbing] While walking like that, Elisha heard a child crying on a remote garden path. It was a bizarre sound. Typically, a child would burst into tears loudly or howl in search of their parents, but this was a heartbreaking cry struggling to be suppressed. Elisha¡¯s steps halted. Soon after came a violent voice of a boy. ¡°Yepnen! Your sister is out hunting so there¡¯s no one to rescue you. A man like you is a disgrace! You¡¯ve made everything into a mess because you were born. Who would ever think a fool like you would be the next emperor? You should have never been born.¡± Elisha reflexively hid behind a tree. ¡®¡­ ¡­ I have no luck today.¡¯ She frowned. A child was crying, covering his mouth with his little fist. And in front of him stood a rather handsome but violent young man, or rather a youth or boy, threatening to pull out his sword at the child. However, he had not yet drawn it out of his scabbard. p. p. The boy¡¯s cheeks, warm and fluffy as freshly baked bread, were being hit with the violent youth¡¯s sheath. He even stabbed him menacingly in the shoulder. However, the action was clearly bullying he controlled his force to the point where the child¡¯s body was not injured. ¡®They must be the brothers of the imperial family. However, I heard that they are not real siblings¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ The youth acting like a gangster must be Jewel. Jewel was of the imperial bloodline and the adopted son of the royal family. He was the bereaved son of the former emperor, and the deceased former emperor was the older brother of the current emperor, Murtura. And a child called Yepnen. Elisha could also guess the identity of the crying child¡ªIllione¡¯s younger brother. ¡®How dare you bully such a small child. He looks about six years old at most.¡¯ She was so upset that the cruelty she witnessed gave her goosebumps. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ Elisha frowned. In her previous life, she had awful memories of Jewel. Jewel gave Elisha a big shame and terribly harassed her. That¡¯s why¡­ ¡­ . ¡°Got it? Shut up. If you tell me, I¡¯ll break your other leg! Get out of my sight and run back to your nanny!¡± Elisha stopped her thoughts and made sure the tree concealed her. Jewel was approaching her and passed by. The bushes in front of him rustled, and someone came out with a cute tilt of her head. ¡®Car, when did you arrive at the pce?¡¯ There was a reason why Jewel bullied Elisha in her previous life. It was Car. Jewel had a very close rtionship with Car in her previous life. She giggled, highly amused whenever he insulted Elisha. At a mischievous age and full of bravado, Jewel easily sumbed to her instigation. He teased Elisha as if it were an athletic game. Among Car and the men she had a close rtionship with, Jewel was the cruelest. ¡°Is the little prince gone?¡± ¡°Yes. But why are you avoiding him, Car? That idiot can¡¯t tell anyone anyway. It¡¯s nothing new.¡± ¡°You never know¡­ ¡­ . People love to me a powerless woman like Car. What if someone said it was Car who made Prince Yepnen cry?¡± ¡°No way! Car, I¡¯ll make sure there is no such misunderstanding,¡± Jules promised confidently. Elisha remembered that Jewel was not yet of age. However, his size made him look older and more mature; Car looked at Jewel with a beguiling eye smile. Elisha¡¯s stomach was in knots. Then the wind blew. Elisha¡¯s dress swayed. She was worried that her skirt would wave from behind the tree and tightly grabbed it. But instead, her bracelet fluttered slightly. ¡°Who¡¯s there!¡± With a ferocious re, Jewel looked around. Elisha held her breath. ¡°Aaaaaang!¡± Then there was a loud cry of a child. It was Prince Yepnen. Yepnen copsed on the ground and wailed profusely. ¡°You bastard! I told you to go away!¡± Jewel sighed. Car pulled on Jewel¡¯s cor with a coy movement. ¡°Let¡¯s go, huh? You have to show Car a tour of the hunting grounds.¡± ¡°All right, but did Jacob really say he would send me another courtesan?¡± ¡°You¡¯re too much. Car is ady. You must not ask ady about courtesans. But she¡¯ll give you a hint. The hint is ¡®red¡¯.¡± She thought that the content of the conversation was truly disgusting. Finally, Jewel and Car were out of sight. Elisha approached the crying Prince Yepnen. He had stopped crying and was sighing and fidgeting. ¡°Prince, are you okay?¡± He looked at Elisha with uncharacteristically calm eyes that were not childlike. At that moment, she realized that it was all a y. This young prince deliberately helped her by crying loudly. Chapter 155: Tpcp 155 Chapter 155: Tpcp 155 Thank you to raw provider: angelstars5 ¡°Right, how did you know I was the prince?¡± Yepnen was still young, and his tongue was clumsy. Moreover, it was all the more so because he was still sniffling. Elisha took the handkerchief from her bosom and handed it to him. ¡°I could tell from a nce you were a precious person because the prince has the dignity of a member of the royal family. The only one the same age as you in the imperial family is the second child, Prince Yepnen.¡± Up close, Yepnen looked quite simr to Illione. However,pared to his sister, he had soft drooping eyes that looked calm among his young peers. ¡°Do not cry, Prince.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine. A prince does not cry.¡± Elisha felt her heart ache. She wanted to give the child a big hug. And as she became astonished at her feelings, her mask became even more expressionless and coldly stiff. It was Elisha¡¯s habit and defense mechanism that when she encountered strangers or her own feelings, her face would grow harder. But, unlike most, Yepnen was not frightened by her icy countenance. Instead, he just swallowed her tears. ¡°Thedy before you is the High General¡¯s wife, Elisha de Lor.¡± ¡°I know¡­ ¡­ . I saw you from afar yesterday. Although you went in first because you were not feeling well. I am Yepnen.¡± Yepnen held onto her handkerchief. Elisha took it back and carefully wiped the boy¡¯s flushed, puffy cheeks. ¡°I have a request to ask of you.¡± ¡°Yes, please speak.¡± ¡°Please keep what happened today a secret from everyone.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to know that your Highness is being bullied? It doesn¡¯t seem like it has happened once or twice,¡± noted Elisha. Yepnen shook his head. ¡°Children of the Imperial family are not bullied. It¡¯s because I¡¯m defective¡ªsniff¡ªWhen I grow up, everything will be fine.¡± Elisha was speechless. Indeed, children of the imperial family have their own iron rules for survival. Even a six-year-old knew he couldn¡¯t cry and tell someone he was being bullied, or he would be ridiculed for being a sissy crybaby. ¡®Should I praise him for quickly learning the logic of the world?¡¯ Elisha¡¯s eyebrows twitched. ¡°Prince,¡± Elisha said, guiding him affectionately. ¡°The prince is an excellent person. Look, the prince saved me earlier. If Car, who hates me, and the scary Prince Jewel had found me, I would have been in a lot of trouble.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Judging by how his Highness protected thedy, the prince has the qualities of a knight. Just like my husband.¡± For children of his age, strong men like Lucerne were idolized. His eyes widened. ¡°You mean like the High General who catches beasts with his bare hands?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ I don¡¯t know if he catches them with his bare hands, but ¡ªyes, that¡¯s right.¡± Elisha nodded. Yepnen stopped his sniffling. ¡°But where were you heading? A prince can¡¯t go around alone.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ ¡­ . To meet my big sister¡­ ¡­ . but, I met Prince Jewel.¡± Elisha grasped what had happened by his remark. He must have sneaked out, looking for his sister around the hunting ground without permission, and unexpectedly got caught by Jewel. He referred to Illione in an intimate, affectionate way as his ¡®big sister¡¯ but formally addressed Jewel as ¡®prince,¡¯ reflecting their poor rtionship. ¡°But thedy shouldn¡¯t be alone either! There are a lot of dangerous people here too¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go to the hunting grounds together. I would feel at ease if the brave Prince Yepnen escorted me. No one will bother us if we go together.¡± He nodded his head happily at those words. But when Yepnen started to walk, she felt her heart ache a little. Yepnen walked with a limp. She didn¡¯t know if it was due to an ident or congenital, but everyone in the Empire knew that Yepnen wasme. Therefore, this young child used the word ¡®defect¡¯ to refer to himself. She held his hand and headed to the area where people gathered. *** ¡°Elisha.¡± Lucerne approached them with his wide stride. Standing in front of people, he looked exceptionally dazzling today. ¡°Are you awake now?¡± ¡°Lucerne, don¡¯t say that.¡± Fortunately, the emperor and empress were nowhere to be seen. It would have been a great disrespect if Elisha, who slept inte, didn¡¯te out while they were there. Lucerne noted Yepnen was holding her hand: ¡°The prince is also here.¡± ¡°Yes, greetings, High General.¡± Yepnen put one of his hands on his chest and greeted him dignifiedly. Attaindents approached. Elisha handed over Yepnen to the courtiers. ¡°See you soon, mydy,¡± Yepnen said confidently with elegance. Elisha smiled and nodded at him in response. ¡°Why did youe out?¡± ¡°Why not? I have toe out with you but I overslept today¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind. Anyway, earlier Illione won and the emperor and empress praised her and left,¡± Lucerne added bluntly. ¡°By the way, why are you hanging out with a man outside? What about the courtiers?¡± ¡°We took a walk¡­ ¡­ . And ¡®a man outside¡¯?¡± ¡°Even a child is a man, can¡¯t your husband be jealous when you two are holding hands? I even said it was forbidden to wander around alone.¡± Lucerne was really unreasonable. Then a strange knight drew near. He said something to Lucerne. Elisha picked up on the words: score, Illione, and monsters. Judging by those words, it was something rted to the hunt. ¡°By any chance, Lucerne, are you the judge of the hunting festival today?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll go into the forest for a while to count all the scores. Then, I¡¯ll be right back.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Elisha meekly affirmed. She went to the spot he pointed to and waited for him with a cup of her tea. There was a dreadful gaze watching Elisha. ¡°Yepnen came with that woman. Damn it. Yepnen¡ªdid that little boy use his brain?¡± It was Jewel. He whispered to Car when people didn¡¯t notice them. ¡°Indeed¡­ ¡­ . What if she saw us and misunderstood?¡± ¡°It was just a conversation, but who would say anything? Anyway, Yepnen, that bastard, should have shut his mouth. But who is that woman with that bastard and Lucerne?¡± ¡°A whore.¡± Car gritted her teeth. ¡°What?¡± ¡°She¡¯s a whore, a bitch.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ really? Does Lucerne also bring prostitutes to the imperial pce?¡± Jewel donned a subtle look. Chapter 156: Tpcp 156 Chapter 156: Tpcp 156 Thank you to raw provider: angelstars5 ¡°She¡¯s going to be a whore someday. Not now¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Oh, nothing. Jacob will be here soon. We can¡¯t let other people know we know each other so Car will see youter. Car always thinks of Jewel as the closest person in her family.¡± She knew Jacob would not evene near the hunting grounds because he was so weak in archery. So Car always lied to him when she knew Jacob would note. ¡°Alright, Car. See youter.¡± Jewel nodded, oblivious to Car¡¯s deceit. *** Elisha nced at Car. ¡®You¡¯re rather brazenly getting along well without Jacob. It seems that the knights of the ducal family did not participate in the hunt.¡¯ Before she knew it, Car was surrounded by many men and was giggling. People alternately nced at Car and Elisha with interest. When the daughters-inw of the Cartier household were together, people always scrutinized them like that. ¡®Are they hoping for a fight?¡¯ Elisha noticed the signs andughed. The public¡¯s interest in them was especially dark and intense as ofte because of Arien¡¯s mysterious and recent death. Then, a murmur of admiration spread amongst the crowd. In front of the soldiers pulling a cart full of game, Illione walked proudly in her hunting attire. Prey piled up in the cart as it had been yesterday, but to Elisha, it was disgusting. However, Illione¡¯s spirited appearance was joyful to witness. ¡°Today¡¯s winner is Princess Illione!¡± The cheers grew as a man who appeared to be the chambein shouted. Illione found Elisha among the crowd and approached her with a broad smile. ¡°Congrattions on your victory, Princess.¡± ¡°Elisha, you should have seen my performance! No, Yepnen? ¨CWhen did youe?¡± ¡°Sister!¡± Yepnen walked over and into his sister¡¯s tight embrace. ¡°You really¡ª Why are you running around again, huh? What if you got hit by a stray arrow while wandering around the hunting grounds? Damn¡ª I know you¡¯re here now. If I had known it before, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to focus on hunting because I¡¯d be worrying about you!¡± Elisha sensed her deep protective instincts and profound love in her words. ¡°Well, how the hell did you get here?¡± ¡°With Lady Elisha¡­ ¡­ .¡± Yepnen proimed with a grin. ¡°I wanted to see my big sister win.¡± ¡°Really¡­ ¡­ .¡± Illione picked up Yepnen and patted him, looking at Elisha. ¡°Elisha, did he bother you?¡± ¡°The prince escorted me very dignifiedly,¡± she replied quietly. Only then did Illione loosen her expression. ¡°Elisha, if there is something you like among the game, choose it. What can I give you?¡± ¡°I got enough yesterday. I¡¯m fine.¡± Yepnen also shook his head and declined, saying that he was afraid of the prey. Illione looked despondent. She first consoled Yepnen and sent him back to the attendants. It was because hunting grounds filled with blood were not suitable for children. ¡°Princess, I heartily congratte you.¡± ¡°I knew you would win. The princess¡¯s bow skills are second only to the general.¡± Noblewomen gathered around Illione and Elisha. They used the excuse to say congrattions to get closer. In the end, the main character of today¡¯s hunting festival had also be Elisha. This was because Illione, the winner, insisted on keeping her by her side. Thedies praised Illione and added one more word to Elisha. ¡®Car is being suspicious. There¡¯s no way she would be this calm.¡¯ When Elisha was in the spotlight, she couldn¡¯t stand it. Certainly, Car would do something about it. But instead, Car greeted acquaintances and then disappeared with thedies she associated with. She was probably going to a private tea party. ¡®Are you nning something?¡¯ Then a stranger entered the entrance of the hunting grounds. The silk vest he was wearing was familiar to Elisha. Upon closer inspection, it was a familiar face. ¡®Aren¡¯t you the butler of Duke Cartier?¡¯ She remembered that his name was Gail. He had always been decent and quick-witted enough to serve as the Duke¡¯s hands and feet. Gail cleared his throat and proimed loudly: ¡°Duke Cartier sent alcohol and food tomemorate today¡¯s hunting festival.¡± Soon, a line of servants carried in a plethora of food and precious alcohol. Among them were very rare and expensive wines, so people apuded the Duke for his magnanimity. Gail approached Elisha. ¡°Lady Elisha.¡± She wondered why Gail was here. But instead, she politely returned the greeting he conveyed. Gail beckoned, and one of his attendants brought something up on a silken tter. ¡°The Duke has sent you a present. It is to congratte Lady Elisha on her partaking in her first imperial pce event.¡± Elisha assumed he sent a box of gold coins like before. However, the gift was not heavy. Instead, there was a silk envelope thick enough to contain documents. You can read more here. Chapter 157: Tpcp 157 Chapter 157: Tpcp 157 Thank you to raw provider: angelstars5 ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°There were orders that you must open it right away.¡± Elisha looked around. Unfortunately, Lucerne was not present. She swallowed a low sigh and opened the envelope. It contained the certificates of rights,nd, and building documents for a flour refinery in the middle of the capital. ¡°Wow, what a gift this is. How fantastic, Elisha!¡± Illione shouted. An exmation of surprise erupted among the aristocraticdies who peeked at the present¡¯s contents. Of course, anydy would be delighted to receive such a prize. Their gold and silver treasures could only be sold once to raise funds, but the flour refinery¡¯s title certificate brought a steady annual ie sufficient to raise a small family. ¡®So this is why Car ran away with her tail between her legs.¡¯ She knew that Elisha would receive this surprise today. So she ran away because she didn¡¯t want to be embarrassed in public. If Car had been present, people would have started to gossip and ask, ¡®But what about the Duke¡¯s first grandson¡¯s daughter-inw? Don¡¯t you live with your inws? Then why aren¡¯t you getting anything?¡¯ ¡®But what the hell is the Head scheming?¡¯ It was the iron-d motto of the ducal family never to spend money carelessly. However, when it came to Lucerne, she wasn¡¯t so sure that applied to him. He gave Elisha too many precious gifts and was opulent when it came to her. Then, she realized that Gail was closely scrutinizing her. ¡°What shall I tell the Duke?¡± Gail said softly. He was prompting her to express her appreciation to the Head. Elisha looked at Gail with steady regard and said calmly, ¡°Please convey my sincere, heartfelt gratitude.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°But I can¡¯t ept this gift right now.¡± Illione¡¯s shocked gaze darted at Elisha. As did all the other nobledies standing nearby. ¡°Please reconsider, Lady Elisha. This is the Duke¡¯s sincerity,¡± Gail replied cautiously. She shook her head. ¡°The winner of today¡¯s hunting festival is Princess Illione. I didn¡¯t do anything to get an award, so there¡¯s no reason to receive one. Moreover, it would be disrespectful to receive such a grand present at an imperial family event without His Majesty¡¯s permission. However, I will deeply engrave the grace in which the gift was given to me in consideration of the rtionship between the general and the Duke¡¯s family. So please take the present back.¡± A smile slowly spread on Gail¡¯s lips. In fact, before sending him off, the Master had ordered him to give Elisha a gift and closely study her reaction. However, her ability to grasp the situation was more than he expected. First of all, there was a risk of hurting the pride of Princess Illione, not only by upstaging her when she should have been the most celebrated character of the day. Then there was the possibility of earning the ire of the monarch by making such a considerablemotion at an imperial family hosted event. Although the Cartier family wielded unbridled power, there was nothing to gain from provoking the imperial family and instigating a power struggle. Plus, the scandal would be even worse if the paltry wife of an illegitimate grandchild was at the center of it. Self-interest did not blind Elisha. On the contrary, she serenely grasped reality and declined the present. ¡°In fact, His Majesty the Emperor has already given permission to the Duke via letter to deliver the present to Lady Elisha today.¡± ¡°Then¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Please receive the gift, Lady Elisha. It seems to be a bted wedding present. There¡¯s no reason to be concerned!¡± Illione was no fool either. She grasped the situation and nodded in agreement. Only then did Elisha bend her knee in a curtsy and ept the gift. Gail looked at Elisha with satisfaction. When he was to report to the Lord today and inquired about her demeanor, he intended to inform him that she had a wless, wise, and noble bearing; from considering the imperial family¡¯s status to being prudent of the public¡¯s gaze, andstly, disying impable etiquette when she politely and humbly received the present. *** ¡°Congrattions.¡± ¡°The Duke seems to care a lot for the new bride.¡± Aristocrats were sensitive to the smell of power. Even noblewomen who hadn¡¯t approached Elisha earlier flocked over to tter her. ¡°Elisha?¡± Then Lucerne came back from cleaning up in the woods. With suspicious regard, he took in the lively atmosphere filled with precious alcohol and food. ¡°Why are you sote?¡± Elisha asked thedies for their understanding and hurriedly approached him. ¡°His Majesty.¡± Elisha efficiently guessed his situation from his curt response. The emperor summoned Lucerne to find out why the ducal n head sent the gift. ¡°From the look on your face, you seem to know what¡¯s going on. Shall I give it to you?¡± Elisha showed him the paperwork for the flour refinery. ¡°No, it was given to you. You keep it,¡± Lucerne noted mildly. ¡°Why are you telling me to keep it?¡± ¡°The Head will shamelessly try to act like a family elder from now on, so if we are going to be bothered regardless, at least it won¡¯t be for free, right?¡± This time, Elisha agreed. ¡°Since I¡¯m abiding by his momentum, he¡¯ll give me some pocket money,¡± Elisha noted indifferently. The family head did not feel sad about giving money to his subordinates. However, there was the dilemma of him trying to exercise control over them after that. ¡°Why would you give me your money? I can¡¯t take it. If it weighs too much on you, ignore it.¡± Elisha was more afraid that he was not bluffing. Of course, Jacob would have never said such a thing. However, the n head¡¯s interest certainly led to gains. She thought Lucerne wouldn¡¯t deny that, at least. ¡°Now you can return to your room. There is no banquet today.¡± Elisha said she understood and was about to leave when Illione approached. ¡°General, I¡¯d like to invite Elisha tonight, can I?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ You mean my wife?¡± Lucerne¡¯s eyebrows twitched slightly. It was a look of displeasure. ¡°I have a gathering with the wives of military officials who attended the hunting festival. Wouldn¡¯t it be nice if Elisha also attended?¡± Illione detected that Lucerne¡¯s energy was unusual. But she pretended to be ignorant of it and responded in a clear and cheerful manner. She was very fond of Elisha and wanted to take this opportunity to have a heart-to-heart conversation. ¡°May I go, Lucerne?¡± Elisha appealed. She wanted to escape his surveince, even for just a moment, and have the space to catch her breath a little. She wasn¡¯t dissatisfied with daily life in the mansion but had be close with Illione, who harbored no malice or harm towards her. Chapter 158: Tpcp 158 Chapter 158: Tpcp 158 Thank you to raw provider: angelstars5 ¡°¡­ ¡­ Is this an event for women only?¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯m still an unmarried princess. Do you think men can evene near my room?¡± Illione shrugged. Lucerne winked at Illione and pulled her aside. He whispered a few words and seemed to give his permission reluctantly. ¡°Can I really go?¡± Lucerne seemed reticent, and Elisha naturally noticed. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pick you up, so don¡¯t go past midnight.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± She nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t get into trouble. You have the talent of creating a crisis if I just blink.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ it¡¯s not to that extent.¡± Elisha blushed. He often treated her as a child to a ridiculous degree. *** ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Lady Elisha.¡± When Elisha and Illione entered the salon, the women stood up in unison and greeted her and the princess. ¡°The flour refinery you received as a gift today was wonderful.¡± ¡°The High General seems to be a good husband. I envy you!¡± There were many poor rumors about Elisha. She seduced and tricked a man into her bed and into getting married to her. She was a contract wife who traded her title and status with an illegitimate son¡ªetc, etc. It was the majority of the gossip about her. However, even Elisha¡¯s unclear status and dire reputation were bound to be shielded when her powerful husband was present. Lucerne proudly offered his game to her to raise her honor and stature. Additionally, due to the entric whims of Gaju today, she even seemed to be a power to be reckoned with in her own right. Thus, the noblewomen in attendance of tonight¡¯s congregation treated Elisha with great care. ¡°Elisha, there is still time until midnight. Would you like to have a drink with me?¡± After the brief get-together culminated, Illione grabbed her. She had no reason to refuse. ¡°Yes, I¡¯d like that, Princess.¡± Illione¡¯s maids served wine, sweet desserts, and freshly baked meat pies. As her drinking deepened, Elisha confided to Illione that she had seen Jewel and Yepnen during the day. ¡®There are certain kinds of things that shouldn¡¯t be kept secret.¡¯ Even though he asked her to keep it a secret that he was being bullied, no upstanding adult would truly stay silent. Additionally, the intensity of Jewel¡¯s bullying was rming and unusual. Illione probably knew it to some extent. Elisha expected as much, and she was right. ¡°Damn it, Jewel. Him again?¡± Illione exploded with outrage. ¡°That stupid bastard¡ªI¡¯ll kill you someday!¡± Illione emptied her wine in one gulp. She looked more like a brave soldier rather than the country¡¯s princess. ¡°Thank you so much for telling me, Elisha. That bastard is insane. I heard that the previous emperor was a really nice person, so how did such rubbishe out?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t Prince Jewel the first son of His Majesty the previous emperor?¡± ¡°Correct,¡± Illione retorted with a fatigued face. Elisha became privy to the detailed circumstances of the imperial family. The previous emperor died young and handed the throne to his dearest younger brother. That younger brother became the current emperor and Illione¡¯s father, Murtra. ¡°The former emperor always looked after my father and took better care of him than his biological parents. Theradery between the two of them was extraordinary. The former emperor was of a sickly disposition who knew well he wouldn¡¯t live long¡­ ¡­ .¡± There was a significant age difference between Murtra and the former sovereign. Additionally, at the time, the former emperor married an empress with a considerable age gap. And Jewel was the bereaved son of the former emperor. So when the previous ruler died, he left only one word for the current monarch: ¡®Please take good care of my only child, Jewel.¡¯ Unfortunately, the young Empress also died while giving birth to Jewel. Jewel, two years younger than Illione, was naturally adopted by the current emperor. ¡°That madman thinks that if Yepnen hadn¡¯t been born, he¡¯d have been appointed crown prince right away! That¡¯s why he harasses Yepnen at every chance.¡± The imperial couple raised Jewel like their own son, but unfortunately, Jewel¡¯s nature was spoiled. Besides, he would be more violent and cruel in the future. ¡®Because Jacob and his wife clung to Jewel.¡¯ Chapter 159: Tpcp 159 Chapter 159: Tpcp 159 Thank you to raw provider: angelstars5 In her previous life, Merha and the temple stood behind Marco. And the royal family stood behind Lucerne. There were two reasons why the Duke favored the stupid Jacob. First, that he established a reputation for being business savvy. The second reason was.. ¡­ . ¡®Unlike Marco and Lucerne, Jacob is dedicated to his role as grandson and pledges allegiance to only Gaju. He isn¡¯t influenced by external forces. At least that¡¯s what the Head believes.¡¯ However, it was not in the Jacob¡¯s couple¡¯s personality to stay still. With an inferiorityplex that dictated all of his affairs, Jacob imitated Lucerne in everything. So, like Lucerne, he wanted to have the imperial family¡¯s backing. But he had nowhere to stand. Princess Ilione stood behind Lucerne. Nor could he line up with the emperor, so the person Jacob had his eye on was Prince Jewel, the eldest son of the imperial family. While he was still a minor, Jacob attached women to Jewel, causing him to fall rapidly. The couple taught Jewel many absurd games. One of them was to bring courtesans to public ces, dress them up beautifully, have them pretend to be noblewomen, and seduce Jewel. But his unwholesome acquaintance was a secret. It was because the sovereign strictly prohibited Jacob from getting close to the imperial family. In the end, the chronic disease of the Cartier family prevailed: distrust. Jacob also believed only in the family leader and refused to follow him. He could be abandoned and helpless at any time if he had only one rope he believed in. ¡°Children do not necessarily resemble their parents. Sometimes it resembles an older person or an erratic rtive. I guess Prince Jewel doesn¡¯t resemble the previous emperor,¡± Elisha enunciated quietly. ¡°Hmm, perhaps. Well, I¡¯ve heard strange rumors about the Cartier family. Like that Jacob¡¯s deceased father, Stevan, had a taste for ugly women,¡± Ilione muttered about rumors frankly while drunk. ¡°Oh, sorry. Elisha¡ª err, I¡ª¡± [t1v: Ilione dropped honorifics] ¡°Speakfortably. I think we¡¯ve gotten that close.¡± [t1v: Elisha still addresses her with polite honorifics] At those words, Ilione blinked at the unexpected words. It was the first time that Elisha expressed familiarity first. ¡°Elisha, I am so touched. Wow¡­ ¡­ . Then you should speakfortably with me too.¡± ¡°Give me a little more time. But still feel free to be frank.¡± In response, the princess happily nodded. ¡°Anyway, even if Jewel had an ident, Royal Father would tolerate it all because of his affection for the former emperor. Besides, it would affect his reputation. Many people remember how good the former emperor was to Royal Father, so he won¡¯t treat him coldly or scold him.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha knew that the disgusting boy named Jewel would be even worse in the next few years. In addition, she knew that the situation would be more and more tiring as many would try to seize power by using Jewel, arguing that Yepnen wasme and Ilione was a princess. She also knew that the imperial family would face hardship due to Jacob, who supported the prince from behind. But she didn¡¯t want to make her despair by telling her. It was something she wouldn¡¯t believe anyway. ¡°If you touch Yepnen one more time¡ªI will kill you!¡± Ilione dered belligerently. She understood her feelings. ¡®Likewise, I would never forgive someone if they threatened my family. Genuinely¡­ ¡­ . I would risk my life.¡¯ Btedly, Elisha was startled at her own thoughts and wave of passion. Why did this ur to her? In the first ce, she never had a family. Regardless, Elisha admired and liked Illione even more for revealing her raw emotions. But, of course, those who had things to protect must be brave. ¡°I¡¯m not kidding. I¡¯m gonna make a mess.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Elisha replied calmly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. Seeing what he¡¯s doing now¡­ ¡­ .¡± She poured her wine slowly and filled the ss. ¡°It¡¯s quite likely he would be ruined by his problems with women.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± She smiled faintly and turned to another subject. ¡°Princess, you seem a little flustered. Shall we go out and get some fresh air?¡± Illione shyly apologized, admitting she seemed excessively riled up. Then, the two got up for a walk. *** The night breeze was pleasant. Although not as ostentatious as the Cartier family¡¯s principal residence¡¯s garden, the vi¡¯s garden was also worth seeing. Precious flowers brought from all over the world were in full bloom for spring, and the smell of peonies drifted in the wind. ¡°I enjoyed this year¡¯s hunt much more than in previous years. It¡¯s very nice to have you here, Elisha.¡± ¡°Thank you, Princess.¡± ¡°Oye, do you know what the general said when he called me to the side earlier?¡± Her ears perked up. She had been curious about what he had whispered to Ilione at the hunting grounds. ¡°He asked, ¡®Are you absolutely certain that no men wille near? Do you know all the military official wives? Can you guarantee no one will be rude?¡¯ ¡­ .whooo~ really. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve ever seen the general being so meticulous.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°It seems like the High General really likes you.¡± Elisha stopped walking once at those words. Suddenly, she felt a strange pang of guilt. Ilione was treating her with honesty and sincerity. She was weak to such affection and favor. ¡°Not necessarily,¡± she remarked quietly. It was an unnecessary utterance; she was fully aware. ¡°There is nothing greater outside of what it looks like. It¡¯s a normal couple rtionship. As you know, the rtionship between an aristocratic couple is more important than affection.¡± ¡°Really?¡ª But¡­ ¡­ .¡± A beautiful little clock tower was glowing with lights in the middle of the garden. She halted. It was almost midnight now. It was then¡ªthere was a loud rustling in the bushes. Someone shouted loudly: ¡°Lady, a gentleman told me to pass this on.¡± And the letter fell at Elisha¡¯s feet. Soon there was the sound of someone running. Chapter 160: Tpcp 160 Chapter 160: Tpcp 160 Thank you to raw provider: angelstars5 ¡°What¡¯s this? I think it¡¯s for you? Shall I go after them?¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to.¡± She shook her head and then frowned. It was because the voiceing from the bushes was familiar to her. And as Elisha picked up the letter, she was more and more certain. The handwriting was also familiar to her. ¡°No way¡ªthis¡­..¡¯ The princess¡¯s expression was strange. ¡°Err, I¡¯ve heard that this ismon at big banquets and hunting festivals¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Someone must have fallen for Elisha¡­ ¡­ . It looks like a love letter?¡± Elisha frowned; inspecting it, she turned it around slowly. It didn¡¯t look poisoned. Ilione was ncing at her love letter with eyes that were half uneasy and half intrigued. ¡°Why don¡¯t you open it? You should at least know who the sender is even if you don¡¯t respond.¡± Elisha honestly didn¡¯t want to open the letter. She felt an ominous foreboding. But Ilione was right. She had no choice but to open the letter. After reading the letter, her face went white. [From the moment I first saw you, Madam, I was surprised at how different you were from rumors. My heart was shaken at once, as if the moon and stars were permeating the night sky. Please give this poor man one chance. I will show you my heartfelt affection and burning love. If you agree, please wear a scarf as a hair ornament at tomorrow¡¯s luncheon. Chris Ellot Pian Dream.] ¡°Elisha?¡± Her hands began to tremble. Ilione asked in astonishment. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Lucerne must never see this letter.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Ilione, concerning this letter¡ªtell Lucerne that I¡ª¡± Snap¡ªThen there was the sound of someone stepping on a tree branch from the other side. She slowly raised her head. Her head was dizzy. Lucerne stood tall. ¡°Elisha. I¡¯m here to pick you up,¡± Lucerne said peacefully. ¡°Something interesting just happened.¡± Elisha lowered the letter trying to hide it. He must have seen her receiving the letter. ¡°Come. Show me that.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°General¡­ ¡­ .¡± Illione opened her mouth to say something, but Lucerne¡¯s cold gaze cut her off. ¡°Princess.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I would like you to step aside. It is time for my wife and I to go back to our rooms.¡± Ilione tried to speak again. ¡°Right now,¡± Lucerne stated with pressure. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯ll be alright?¡± When she nodded to indicate that it was okay to go, Ilione left with a puzzled look. Now, it was only Elisha who stood holding the letter and Lucerne who was left. Her face was pale, and her body trembled finely. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Lucerne approached in the dark. His red eyes glimmered faintly under the magic crystal lights that lit up the garden. ¡°Come closer. I want to see the contents of the letter.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just nonsense. Someone must have been ying a joke. It¡¯s not something you should see.¡± Elisha barely managed to regain her usualposure. ¡°I¡¯ve already told you many times that it¡¯s not up to you to judge such a thing.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but I¡¯ll figure it out and fix it for you. Come here.¡± Her mouth and throat dried up. Maybe it¡¯s because she eased her guard too much during these few days of peace. Lucerne seemed to realize that her appearance was unusual. As Elisha held the letter, she lowered her uncertain gaze as if she was very conflicted. ¡°It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen you do this.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Could it be a letter from someone I know?¡± Chapter 161: Tpcp 161 Chapter 161: Tpcp 161 Thank you to raw provider: angelstars5 Elisha shook her head slowly. ¡°It is not so.¡± ¡°Give me the letter.¡± ¡°No.¡± Lucerne realized it was the first time she had said no to him. But he was already right in front of Elisha. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be uncouth to you.¡± Lucerne whispered most tenderly. ¡°Give me your hand, Elisha.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± She looked up at him. ¡°¡­ ¡­ Promise me you won¡¯t be angry. I just received this letter.¡± Elisha said atst. Lucerne nodded with a stoic look. She held out the letter. His cold eyes scanned the letter very slowly. Her mouth tasted bitter. Elisha wanted to hold on to something to reassure herself. But there was nothing for her to grab onto. His eyes stared at her letter. She saw a terrible fury seep through his chilly re. She wanted to close her eyes. ¡®¡­ ¡­ ah.¡¯ And she thought Lucerne would turn away from her. But, instead, he unexpectedly reached out to her to support her body. ¡°First,¡± Lucerne said curtly. ¡°Go back to the room.¡± Elisha was barely breathing. Her face was pale like a sheet of paper. She barely managed to nod. But that was the limit. Elisha just cked out in Lucerne¡¯s arms. I shouldn¡¯t have drunk, I shouldn¡¯t have been so riled up, Elisha thought, feeling dizzy. Things never turned out well when she was so worked up. As expected, she thought to herself, euphoria or joy did not suit her. *** Chris Ellot Pian. Chris, Ellot, Pian. And Martin, Lecove and Avran. In addition¡­ ¡­ . Elisha couldn¡¯t forget the names she had seen in her past life. The day she saw those names, she witnessed Lucerne¡¯s rage for the first time. Lying in her bed, half unconscious, the memories of her previous life upied her head again. Most of her previous life was hell. And the memory of that day was the worst of them all. *** Elisha¡¯s memory remained on that day after being held in Lucerne¡¯s arms in a flower-filled spring. That day was also the beginning of summer. She was holding an old mirror on herp. She looked in the mirror several times, inspecting her ugly face distorted by burn scars. She did it in an attempt to bring herself back to reality and realize her ce. But it didn¡¯t work much. ¡®Why do I keep thinking about him? I must be crazy.¡¯ A small change took ce within her. A small flower of fervor bloomed in her heart. It was a miserable and shabby little flower. But it was the only flower in her life. She couldn¡¯t sleep for days trying to control her emotions. But early one day, Elisha admitted it to herself: Lucerne. Thinking of him was the only joy she had in life. It was the heart of a woman who had nothing, was hideous, pathetic, and terribly blind. And then, a few dayster, Car summoned her. ¡°Do you remember? The day Lucerne got angry and stormed out of the Duke¡¯s dining room. Car said that day: ¡®I have something for you to do.''¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°My orders are simple. You write a letter and summon Lucerne. The ce¡­ ¡­ . It should be here.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do it.¡± Elisha rebelled against Car for the first time in a long time. ¡°Mimosa. Bring the whip.¡± Mimosa strode forward. Elisha was taken aback and backed away in surprise. Herrge handmaid, Mimosa, was as strong as an average man. In the past, she had suffered for days afterwards when Mimosa had only beaten her with her bare hands. ¡°There¡¯s no way the general wille out just because I invited him.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not for you to judge. Do what Car tells you to do. Even if you don¡¯t, Mimosa will do it. She is a master at imitating handwriting, remember?¡± There was no way for her to refuse this time again. Elisha had no choice but to follow hermand. At the time, Car was running a secret club called the ¡®Red Club¡¯ under a borrowed name. The club¡¯s primary use was tounder money to evade taxes. In reality, the institution acted as a courtesan lodge and venue for entertaining Jacob¡¯s distinguished guests. In the innermost part, guests were provided a room where various secret transactions were conducted. A round table with a white tablecloth was ced in the middle of the room, covered with faux silk wallpaper emzoned with suggestive red flowers. ¡®There¡¯s no way that man woulde to a ce like this.¡¯ Lucerne didn¡¯t fit in here. He was a noble and beautiful man. Maybe Car had lost her reason because she wanted Lucerne so much? She had given her a strange order today. ¡®Set the VIP table and put the names of the invited guests in front of each seat. Make sure it is visible as soon as you enter.¡¯ Car handed her a list of 14 people. The list was frankly odd. ¡°Chris, Ellot, Pian, Lecove, Avran¡­ ¡­ .¡± You can read more here. Chapter 162: Tpcp 162 Chapter 162: Tpcp 162 Thank you to raw provider: angelstars5 There weremon names and unusual names, names that were popr amongst the youth and others that were archaic; some were even women¡¯s names and men¡¯s names. However, there were nost names. Additionally, Elisha didn¡¯t recognize any of them. That was even more peculiar. It was because Elisha never forgot the names of people she had heard once. When she met a person once, she made sure to memorize their face and name. She acquired and honed this skill after learning special memorization techniques as an adult. It was a requirement if she was going to work and survive under Jacob. ¡®Pian¡­ ¡­ this name. Umm, I can¡¯t ce it but, I think I¡¯ve heard it somewhere before.¡¯ Elisha held the name tag and scrutinized it for a while. ¡®I must have met someone with this name before. Where have I met you¡­? ¡­ .¡¯ It was definitely the name of someone she had met when she was very young. It was when she was lost in thought. Just ¡­ ¡­ . just about¡­ to remember it¡ª It was at the tip of her memory. Elisha unconsciously fiddled with her locket hanging around her neck. The heavy locket, which contained the ancient gold coin, did not rattle because it had a w on the inside. ¡®Why did I touch this?¡¯ When Elisha caught herself doing this, she was perplexed. But it seemed her subconscious was telling her there was a connection between these twopletely different things. It certainly felt like a clue. Then¡ªm. There was the sound of a door opening. Elisha¡¯s eyes widened. She never really thought Lucerne woulde. And instantly, the stupidest thoughts of her entire life upied her head: She recalled and was conscious of her appearance. When she came to the Red Club, she wore a ck hat. The mesh veil on the hat covered half of Elisha¡¯s face. She then painted her lips red and wore a ck dress that showed off the curves of her body. She had to dress like this so she could enter the club. asionally, drunkards mistook her for a courtesan who worked there and aggressively pursued her. ¡®I¡¯m d I¡¯m covering up my burn scars today.¡¯ Elisha wondered if she would appear at least a little bit of a woman to him or at least appear less ugly in front of him than before. Those idiotic thoughts were intrusive, and she was unable to suppress them. So what if she didn¡¯t look as ugly? How could she forget her ce and want to look pretty to Lucerne? Lucerne entered the room, and she said nothing. ¡°I was wondering what kind of trap I would encounter today.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°It was a cuter trap than I thought,¡± Lucerneughed. Elisha realized that he was drunk. He was staggering, although he lookednguid and effortless as usual. Elisha took a step back. ¡°Are you alright?¡± She didn¡¯t know how to talk to the man. She hesitated and asked quietly. ¡°I just returned from the battlefield. So I took a painkiller.¡± That day, if Elisha had been a little more rational, she would have realized it was a hallucinogen. ¡°What is the deal you want to do with me?¡± Elisha couldn¡¯t understand what he meant. Lucerne took another step closer. ¡°Did you call me because you were lonely?¡± She knew that he would tease her like a gangster. ¡°I heard you were sick. Are you unable to speak properly?¡± Lucerne whispered. Her heart was beating so loud now that she felt as if she would faint if she uttered the slightest word. How exceedinglyughable that her heart was pounding like this even though she knew it was a light flirtation. Maybe something was damaged inside, Elisha thought. ¡°I thought I told you to stay out of my sight.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°It¡¯s not kind of you to call me this way.¡± Lucerne smiled. She raised her head and met his eyes. What could she say? What could he be thinking? This man made her head nk just by making eye contact with her. She bit her lip. ¡°Did your master order you to call me?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ Yes.¡± That was the answer Elisha finally came up with. ¡®Pian?¡¯ Only then did Elisha remember. It was an old memory. It suddenly came to mind when she met Lucerne. She should have kept her mouth shut, then. She should have known that he was slowly reading the name tags withnguid eyes in front of each chair at the table. She should have recognized Lucerne¡¯s change of air. Instead, her acute survival instinct, which had shrewdly preserved her life so far, failed before him. ¡°I¡¯ve met a man named Pian.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. A long time ago¡­ ¡­ . I think it was when I was young.¡± Lucerne did not answer. He walked slowly around the table. Elisha was taken aback by his bloodthirsty air. ¡°What did you say?¡± Lucerne uttered with the utmost affection. ¡°They say hell resents me?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ Yes?¡± ¡°You are the same.¡± Lucerne muttered. She raised her head at his words, which she did not understand. Her body continued to tremble from his threatening aura. ¡°You are the same,¡± Lucerne muttered again. He was suddenly furious. In his eyes red a passion like a cold me and fierce hatred. ¡°Who ordered you¡ªJacob? Or, Car? You want to mock me again for that?¡± ¡°Ah!¡± He approached. Elisha reflexively took a step back. Suddenly, the wall hit her back. Her eyes trembled. ¡°I don¡¯t know anything,¡± Elisha barely managed to state calmly. Instead, he put his hand on the sword at his waist. And then it happened. You can read more here. Chapter 163: Tpcp 163 Chapter 163: Tpcp 163 Thank you to raw provider: angelstars5 Suddenly, one side of the wall opened, and masked men rushed in. Arghhh! They shouted. A shing sword reached Lucerne. He drew a de from his waist. ¡°Shadow?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Shadow?¡± Lucerne muttered twice. Elisha knew that he was looking for the shadow, the guardian and beast he was proud of. But nothing happened. He had his powers sealed off somehow. He didn¡¯t know where or what went wrong. Lucerne turned his head and shot a look at Elisha. She stepped back with quivering eyes. She had to tell him it wasn¡¯t a trap she had made. She had to say she knew nothing. But¡­ ¡­ . It wouldn¡¯t mean anything or make any sense. Lucerne came here at her invitation. She should have known it was going to be like this. In an instant, the situation was settled. Lucerne rubbed the tip of his sword against the silk wallpaper. Blood was dripping from his de. It was the first time she had seen someone dead since she saw her father¡¯s body long ago. ¡°Huh. Hee¡­ ¡­ . ugh¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha covered her mouth and crouched in the corner of the wall. It wasn¡¯t just Lucerne¡¯s sword that was bloody. The cheap fake rug carpet with colorful patterns on the floor and an old round table. And faux silk wallpaper. All were smeared with thick, hot-smelling blood. And the courtesans who pretended to be fakedies. These are all Jacob and Car people. Everyone in this building was dead. Lucerne staggered and stumbled a little and approached Elisha. ¡®I am going to die.¡¯ Elisha clenched her teeth. Tears flowed from her eyes. Lucerne tilted his head slightly. It was like a beast that finally realized its prey was there. ¡°General! Are you okay?¡± Then someone called Lucerne from behind. Through the crack in the open door, Elisha recollected the knight¡¯s name. It was the knight called Ian. ¡°Close the door. There is still one left.¡± Ian¡¯s eyes lit up with a curious light. But he soon closed the door. There was a dark bang. Elisha was pale, and her lower lip trembled. Lucerne approached slowly. It was a locked room with no windows. But she could see his face clearly in the light. It was the ferocity and dark lust Elisha had first glimpsed of his. Then, with a dawning of disbelief, she realized he was excited and erect. ¡°Why are you shaking after provoking me, huh?¡± Lucerne asked affectionately. ¡°Now you¡¯re the only one and we just need to sort things out.¡± ¡°Spare me, spare me¡­ ¡­ . please. Please¡­ ¡­ .¡± Lucerne¡¯s de touched the back of Elisha¡¯s neck. Blood began to ooze from the edge. Thick hail-like tears fell from her eyes. The knife moved a little further. The nape of her neck stung and tingled¡­ ¡­ . Only then did she finally look up into his eyes. Lucerne looked confused. Elisha felt his lust grow bigger. She really could only express it that way. ¡®Why is he¡­to me¡­ ¡­ . In this situation¡­ ¡­ . this guy¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ She honestly wasn¡¯tprehending what was happening. But somehow, a corner of her head wondered at the same time whether she would die first, be attacked first, or both¡­ ¡­ . But. Nothing happened. He removed the de. Lucerne stared at her for a long time and leaned down. Elisha couldn¡¯t believe what happened the next moment, neither now nor back then. He kissed Elisha wildly with a frightful intensity. When he fell apart, he was biting her lower lip. Blood flowed from the lips. ¡°Heh, heh¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha was gasping, hardly breathing. It was a terribly sharp first kiss. ¡°Think that you survived today by selling your little plump tongue.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°If you think of it as the price of your life, it¡¯s not a waste that it was sucked, is it?¡± Lucerne tapped Elisha¡¯s cheek with a bloodied finger. ¡°I¡¯ll really cut you next time. You just¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s better to disappear from my sight.¡± He whispered in a very affectionate tone. Elisha felt like someone was threshing her heart with a rod. It hurt that much. ¡°What are you saying?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Actually, this won¡¯t happen next time,¡± Lucerne dered. His eyes were terribly indifferent. It was the way others looked at Elisha. She may be present, but it was the expression of seeing a non-existent existence. Yes. It was a gaze that only Elisha, who lived as a ghost, could gain. ¡°The next time you see me, run away, very far away. Because I don¡¯t think I can indulge you any more,¡± Lucerne stated. Bang. The door shut. It¡¯s not my fault. I didn¡¯t do anything. My fault is ¡­.just¡­.. that I¡¯m weak. It¡¯s just that I didn¡¯t have the strength to stop Car. You shouldn¡¯t havee here. You shouldn¡¯t have looked at me. Why are you torturing me? Why do you despise and hate me? It¡¯s not my fault. A lot of thoughts flooded her head. But none of it meant anything. Who cares about her chagrin? Her cry of injustice? Even if someone looked closely at Elisha, they would find nothing but horrible ugliness in her. That was her. She couldn¡¯t even apologize to him anymore. It just ended with that. Elisha felt deep despair. Her terrible past, which pressed on her shoulders, tormented her as if it had just happened. Elisha had nightmares of that day, and apologized to him every night. But he would never pay attention to her again. He wouldn¡¯t even remember Elisha soon. *** Chapter 164: Tpcp 164 Chapter 164: Tpcp 164 Thank you to raw provider: angelstars5 Elisha¡¯s life was like that. Once she got her hands on even the smallest thing, she would then have to pay the price in two or three times more pain. The end of the indecent emotion was miserable. From then on, even when Lucerne encountered her, he did not acknowledge or pretend to know her and, at most, only threw her eyes of contempt and disgust. She sometimes felt like he was holding back something. She was too stupid; she made such a foolish mistake¡­ ¡­ . It was an irreversible mistake. ¡®Like an idiot.¡¯ Elisha looked at her hands, covered in dirt. She wept one night while burying the locket with the ancient gold coin in the dirt. And her emotions likewise became a corpse. Now even her heart was ripped to shreds, and nothing was left. She lived a life where it was natural to be abused. Since the day she was taken captive by Jacob, her life has been a route to agony and hell. However, her heart could not be broken by the countless pains. Therefore it was so unfair that Lucerne could crush and break it so easily. Just like a child breaking a sandcastle for no reason. Her heart was so easily scattered like sand. ¡®But even if it hadn¡¯t ended like that, what would have been different? That man and I wouldn¡¯t have been even a one night stand. That¡¯s it.¡¯ Elisha thought if she could have him for just one night in this world, she would be content with just that. She desperately longed for even just one memory¡­ ¡­ . But that would never happen. She was very ugly and unsightly. Unless he crashed to the bottom of hell. So unless he came down to where Elisha was¡­ ¡­ . Nothing would happen. So Elisha gave her emotions a funeral and mourned. But the passion that burned in her heart did not disappear. So again, the me hurt her. Same thing this time. No high or low being in this world, even a little worm. No one cared about her pain or was interested in her suffering. So Elisha was alone again. It was around then that she decided to die after thinking about it for a long time. *** ¡°There¡¯s no problem. There¡¯s signs of fatigue, and I think she looks a little startled.¡± Lucerne nodded. Elisha was lying on the bed as he inquired more closely of her doctor about her condition. It was only after threatening him to stand by all night and be ready for any emergency did he allow him to return. He looked down at Elisha. Pale-faced, she was in an uneasy sleep. Lucerne suddenly felt a tug at the nape of his neck. ¡®What the hell is it?¡¯ Elisha and Lucerne were simr. Both were suspicious and didn¡¯t trust each other. But at the same time, they knew each other well. ¡®Did you think I would vent my anger out on you?¡¯ If Elisha had received an actual love letter, he would have found the sender somehow, chased them to hell, and punished them. But what Elisha received was worse than love letters. ¡®She knows their names¡­ ¡­.¡¯ Chris, Elot and Pian. Lecove¡­ ¡­ . 14 names. Names not mentioned by anyone in front of Lucerne. After all, few people even remembered them anymore. ¡®How the hell do you know that?¡¯ It didn¡¯t make sense that she knew that far. ¡®It¡¯s way past the stage of pretending to be deceived by that ridiculous little ghost story.¡¯ Strangely, however, Lucerne was not angry. Instead, looking at her pale face, he felt hot, happy, and empty simultaneously. ¡®How many times has it been already?¡¯ Lucerne was already suspicious of Elisha on several counts. Nevertheless, he was watching her with one hint that she was neither Jacob¡¯s pawn nor a traitor. Suddenly, the Lord¡¯s warning came to his mind. He said it would be the end if he kept something that made his heart shake. ¡®Throw away your heart, Lucerne.¡¯ And his mentor a long time ago. The advice of one of the 14 people he hated to the point of trembling came to mind. ¡®Maybe it¡¯s really better to just forcefully deal with you.¡¯ Aside from Elisha being suspicious, she agitated him. That wasn¡¯t a good sign. He said words as if teasing Elisha: She is his weakness. Professing he can¡¯t live without her. It was half-sincere and half-warning. But nevertheless, those observations were gradually bing impossible for even himself to overlook. ¡®I can¡¯t repeat the same mistake again.¡¯ The risk of being obsessed with Elisha and continuing to be affectionate. And would she really only aid him? Wouldn¡¯t it hurt? All of his various calctions, in all respects, concluded the same thing¨C He had no reason to give Elisha freedom. He just needed to possess and own Elisha. Don¡¯t let her run away or escape. It was safest to keep her and hide her away like that. Right then¡ª ¡°Um¡­ ¡­ .¡± She let out a small moan. Lucerne leaned over her. ¡°Elisha,¡± Lucerne called her quietly. However, she began to tremble when she heard his soft voice. He wondered what she was dreaming of. It seemed as if she was having a terrible nightmare. ¡°Sorry,¡± Elisha murmured. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lucerne. Sir. I¡¯m so sorry.¡± Elisha seemed to be cut off. Lucerne was shocked, as if he had been struck in the back of the head. She had a habit of apologizing to someone in her deepest sleep amid her drool. He had never mentioned the fact to Elisha before. For once the wary woman became aware of her habit of talking in her sleep; she would not be able to rest well at night. He vaguely assumed that the habit hade from being abused by Jacob. But he realized at this moment. The object of her apologies, which she had talked about in her sleep all this time, was Lucerne. Chapter 165: Tpcp 165 Chapter 165: Tpcp 165 Thank you to raw provider: angelstars5 ¡°Elisha,¡± Lucerne whispered softly to wake her up. Two contradicting desires rose up simultaneously; a part of him wanted to soothe her, and another wanted to hear more of what she had to say. Then, she grabbed him in her sleep and clung to him for dear life. ¡°Forgive me, please don¡¯t hate me¡­ ¡­ .¡± wept Elisha. ¡°To you¡­ ¡­ I¡¯m sorry for messing up. I ruined everything¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha tightened her arms wrapped around him and murmured in confused desperation, still in a dream-like state. Lucerne froze, unable to move. So shocked, he felt a physical-like blow as if he had been pummeled several times in the stomach and the top of his head was struck by lightning. Her small hands grasped Lucerne¡¯s cor roughly, almost tearing it off. Although in the midst of sleep, she madly burrowed into him. Even though it was a body he had embraced many times before, he was taken aback; her body was too small¡­ ¡­ . soft and delicate. His heart beat so vociferously that his lungs ached. It was the kind of pain he had never experienced before. Finally, Elisha¡¯s body slipped away and fell. He gasped. At that very moment, Lucerne couldn¡¯t breathe. *** Elisha opened her eyes unhurriedly. She felt the silk nket wrapped around her. It was the room she stayed with Lucerne in the pce. She turned her head and found Lucerne sitting in a chair. ¡°Are you awake?¡± he asked. Elisha nodded cautiously. He slowly rose from his seat but then sat back down. The first emotion she felt was fear. ¡®In my previous life, Lucerne saw those names and went mad. Maybe this time¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ I might die¡ªshe felt such fear. Elisha reflexively ced her hand on her neck. Yet, the situation was distinctly different than anticipated. Lucerne was looking down at her indifferently. Elisha¡¯s throbbing heart slowly sank. She was suddenly aware of the expression she was wearing, specifically the position of her eyebrows. Realizing she was frowning, she released and forcibly rxed her brows and resumed herposure with her usual calm countenance. She sat up slowly. ¡°Did I faint?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Lucerne answered quietly. It was the first time Elisha had seen him in such a condition. He was just¡­ ¡­ . quiet. Still. He had no expression, like a man without feelings. Elisha tried to read the emotions in his gaze. That happened in her past life. The memory of her shivering in the club, soaked in a sea of blood, was the most terrifying thing she had ever experienced. So, she revealed her frailty for a moment. Because the heart is not steel. At moments like these, she would realize that she was helplessly and inevitably imperfect. ¡°Are¡­ ¡­ you angry?¡± Elisha asked quietly. She looked into Lucerne¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not so mad with jealousy. Of course, there could be someone penning a love letter to you,¡± Lucerne responded lightly as he clenched and loosened his fists. Elisha felt as if there was more anger than she could have imagined behind his calmness. ¡°That¡¯s not a love letter.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Lucerne replied briefly. ¡°I also know that you¡¯re not stupid enough to choose the author of such a clumsy love letter as an adulterous colluder. How demanding you are.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Lucerne didn¡¯t say that he believed that she wouldn¡¯tmit infidelity. He stood up. He lifted the letter from his table. ¡°You seem to know these names.¡± Elisha balked. She realized it was toote to pretend otherwise. ¡°¡­ ¡­ I overheard it by chance.¡± ¡°Are you a little ghost again? Happening to overhear the right information. Are Jacob and Car so talkative?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ When they are alone in the office, they talk a lot. I used to overhear it from a secret passageway.¡± Only one corner of his mouth rose scarcely. His eyes were still not smiling. ¡°When.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°When exactly did you overhear that? Last year?¡± ¡°Last year¡­ ?¡­ . no. It was around this time two years ago. I overheard it by chance while roaming around the secret passage.¡± Elisha asserted calmly. She knew he was trying to find faults and holes in her story. Around this timest year, Gaju took Jacob and his wife to a resort. The head maid had selected her to sew clothes for Car¡¯s resort trip. Besides, the entire mansion would noisily prepare clothes when they went to the provinces. Elisha considered herself very fortunate that she had a good memory. ¡°Yes, I see. Around this timest year, I, the Head, and the Jacob couple met in Yurif.¡± Lucerne was convinced. Elisha wanted to exhale and pat her chest in relief. ¡°Lucerne, about you¡­ ¡­ . They said you felt bad around this time of the year. And discussed how you had episodes and ran amok¡­ ¡­ . Just by hearing those names,¡± Elisha mumbled quietly. And it was true. In her first life, it was the following year that she overheard that exact anecdote. ¡®At this time they died, so Lucerne is in a bad mood. Just the mere mention of those names brings on a violent episode. We must encourage the Lord to sh with him during this period. That¡¯s Car¡¯s specialty, so we can do it well.¡¯ It was a passing remark she heard. At the time, she didn¡¯t know what she was talking about. The exact meaning of Car¡¯s words was btedly discovered yearster. The day Lucerne ughtered everyone at the Red Club. ¡°What were you so terrified of? It¡¯s all right.¡± Lucerne clicked his tongue. ¡°Were you so afraid that you fainted?¡± She registered Lucerne¡¯s candid demeanor and nodded. But when he held out his hand, she flinched. But she did not avoid him. He caressed her head. ¡°Did I get mad at you?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t. But you seem very angry¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha answered quietly. ¡°I know. You¡­ ¡­ . that once you lose trust, it¡¯s over. That¡¯s our rtionship¡­ ¡­ . If you get angry, I¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha spoke frankly. Lucerne¡¯s pupils gradually sank, his eyes grew dark, and his mood seemed to deteriorate. He was reacting very strangely. He seemed sad and concealed his suppressed anger. But more than that, he knew she was more focused on him than herself. If it was Elisha, he could tell. Lucerne asked, ¡°Would you like me to leave the room?¡± Elisha was stunned that he was being so considerate. Lucerne had never been caring like this. Elisha was always there by his side, at his beck and call. Chapter 166: Tpcp 166 Chapter 166: Tpcp 166 Thank you to raw provider: angelstars5 ¡°No, that¡¯s not it.¡± Lucerne sat next to her this time. Elisha clutched her bed sheet. Like that, she looked up at him. His eyes fluttered. ¡°You are killing me.¡± As his face drew close, Elisha felt his firm hands holding her shoulders. She stayed still. His nose brushed against the tip of her nose, and he kissed her behind the ear and cheek while caressing her back to soothe her. ¡°Have I ever been angry in front of you?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ No. But I heard rumors¡­ ¡­ . They said that if you get mad, people will surely die.¡± ¡°Did you imagine that would happen to you?¡± Elisha silently agreed. He moved his face and stared squarely at her. ¡°Yes,¡± Lucerne said quietly. ¡°You are suspicious. Elisha. I am not stupid.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°But I¡¯ll put up with it this ime. Because you¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡ªBecause you cried, Lucerne swallowed his words. One tear of hers made him withhold his better judgment and verdict, putting himself at risk. To the extent that he let her walk around in broad daylight, unting his weakness. It was worth it. ¡°I do not know. So¡­ ¡­ I¡¯ll hold back for now.¡± Even if this were thest dy, even if it were thest chance he gave Elisha, he would still do the same. ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I think the most important thing right now is to alleviate your fears so that you don¡¯t get scared.¡± Those words contained Lucerne¡¯s bewilderment. Elisha would have been shaken if she hadn¡¯t just dreamed of her past in a haze. She had a hunch. But she still vividly remembered the pain of being shunned and scorned by Lucerne. She acutely remembered her disgusting, hideous self. It was enough to taste that feeling once. But if she were to get hurt twice by the same man¡­. Even if it weren¡¯t his fault, Elisha would helplessly and utterly copse. This was a life she narrowly attained. It was her only chance. She didn¡¯t want to put herself on top of that sandcastle. But, if she gave her heart, it would be all over. ¡®It wasn¡¯t even love,¡¯ Elisha thought. Even then, that terrible heart of hers that Lucerne had taunted her with merely held interest. As long as Elisha owed him tons of money. As long as she was a contract bride sold for a ransom, love could not sprout. ¡°Elisha,¡± Lucerne saidnguidly. ¡°Shall we go home?¡± Elisha nodded. She felt like she was about to burst into tears for no reason. Instead, she leaned her cheek against Lucerne¡¯s arms. But it¡¯s also very peculiar, Elisha thought. She was frightened, but on the other hand, she didn¡¯t want to be away from him. *** The following day, Elisha recovered and was back to her usual form. Lucerne, Elisha, and his party decided to leave in the morning. It was early, so Illione was the only one to see them off. ¡°General, I can¡¯t believe you are going back in such a hurry. It¡¯s a shame.¡± ¡°If we take a break from training for too long, the knights will be useless.¡± Illione smiled. ¡®You¡¯re going back because Elisha isn¡¯t feeling well.¡¯ Illione had that much sense. Last night¡¯s love lettermotion had already spread in secret. An aristocrat who fell madly in love with Elisha went crazy and wrote her love letters. Gossipers dered that she passed out because she was too ¡®na?ve¡¯ and ¡®innocent,¡¯ unfamiliar with high society. So Elisha¡¯s reputation got better. She was so cute. *** Elisha looked around while Illione and Lucerne were talking. Finding the shadow lurking behind the building was not difficult for her. ¡®After executing a harmful stunt, sending reconnaissance. It¡¯s precisely Car¡¯s technique.¡¯ Elisha stepped into the shadows and approached. Her opponent turned around and found Elisha drawing near and was taken aback, stunned, and frozen. ¡°It¡¯s toote to run away.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Hello, Miss Mimosa,¡± Elisha greeted her calmly. Hiding in the shadows was Mimosa, Car¡¯s handmaid. ¡°Or should I call you Miss Mimosa de Gentel?¡± ¡°How do you know my name¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t greet you yesterday. It was right before midnight, so, indeed, it was yesterday.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Mimosa¡¯s eyes trembled. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Well,¡± Elisha enunciated softly. ¡°I thought I might give you a tip.¡± ¡°What?¡± Mimosa looked dumbfounded. Elisha took out a gold coin from her bosom. It was an ordinary imperial gold coin. ¡°You should get this much. Mimosa has something big to celebrate, right?¡± Chapter 167: Tpcp 167 Chapter 167: Tpcp 167 Thank you to raw provider: angelstars5 ¡°What do you mean, mydy?¡± Mimosa replied as if she was displeased. ¡°Oh, are you still feigning ignorance?¡± Elisha put her hand to her mouth. She couldn¡¯t find the look of terror on her face that she had the night before. ¡°I could tell just by looking at it. First, Mimosa camest night to deliver her forged letter, as ordered by Car. In other words, fake love letters pretending to be written by someone with the ridiculous name of Chris Elot Pian.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°As I¡¯ve heard, your handwriting forgery skills are impressive, Mimosa. It looked like the handwriting of an aristocratic man.¡± ¡°Then why did you act like you didn¡¯t knowst night?¡± ¡°Oh, if you want, I¡¯ll go and tell my husband right now.¡± Mimosa¡¯s face turned white. In her past life, Elisha had to be severely bullied not only by Car but also by Mimosa, and Pansy, who were Car¡¯s two close aides. It was natural for the enforcement ofws to be harsh for those of lower status. Additionally, Car was talented at fosteringpetition and dividing the subordinates under her. Elisha could smile at Mimosa now. But she acutely remembered the sharp pain her fists gave her. She had been brutally beaten considerable times by Mimosa. ¡°You must be familiar with my husband¡¯s disposition. He is a man with great pride. What would have happened if you had handed over a love letter in front of my husband¡¯s eyes and been caught on the spot?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°At the very least¡­ ¡­ . he would have torn you apart. You¡¯d be dead, you know.¡± ¡°Heek, hup¡­ ¡­ .¡± Mimosa trembled. She had worked for the Cartier family for a long time, so of course, she would be afraid of Lucerne. Everyone was well aware of his temper. ¡°Congrattions. I saved your life once. So, isn¡¯t it a celebration?¡± Elisha said with all her heart. ¡°What the hell do you want to say? Are you trying to threaten me?¡± ¡°Is there any need to threaten a poor person like you?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ I beg your pardon?¡± ¡°By the way, you, hiding here, right now¡­..It must have been Car¡¯s order, right? She would have ordered you to go out and observe how Lucerne is doing,¡± Elisha concluded very quietly, like a wave. ¡°Car even used her ¡®names¡¯ hand. But Lucerne didn¡¯t waver at all. Now, who will Car¡¯s anger turn against? If I had to guess, she would me the person who wrote that love letter.¡± Mimosa¡¯s heart thumped. ¡°How pitiful. You¡¯re in a really bad situation, aren¡¯t you, Mimosa? Pansy, the otherdy-in-waiting of hers, is even engaged to a knight whose career path is solid. As always, you are the only one taking on the difficult and onerous tasks. Everywhere there will always be people who end up doing the dirty work.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Mimosa¡¯s hand quivered. Elisha knew this moment well. Subordinates had their pride too. This was especially true for those from lower nobility, such as Mimosa. It was so easy for her to crush that tiny pride of hers. She just needed to face a reality she wanted to ignore and didn¡¯t want to believe in. ¡°Think carefully. Which side should you take? I¡¯m from a fallen noble family, so I don¡¯t have a noble maid I can trust. If I had ady-in-waiting, it wouldn¡¯t be difficult for me to arrange a position for her with great knights. With me there¡¯s would only onedy-in-waiting to be rewarded. The handmaids who do hair or make tea are different from the maids who are close to their master, aren¡¯t they?¡± Elisha spoke softly. Mimosa¡¯s eyes rolled and searched the floor with a rush of thoughts. She tried hard to hide her interest. ¡°I am also a woman with pride. I can¡¯t serve just anyone as my master. I will report this to Car-nim.¡± ¡°Um, I don¡¯t think you will. Car would start to suspect and doubt you just because you and I had this conversation. Would you do something stupid like that?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Mimosa, you know the cafe frequent. Come to me when you¡¯ve made up your mind,¡± said Elisha. Mimosa hesitated and left quickly without even bidding goodbye as if fleeing. Elisha wanted to click her tongue in disdain. ¡®Really, so predictable and stupid.¡¯ Mimosa and Pansy were the daughters of a lifelong knight. But, unfortunately, they were both only daughters. Unlike other positions, a lifelong-knighted knight was a position and title that would disappear unless a son was born. So, in order to maintain their fragile status, they were frantic about marrying a man at the level of a permanently titled knight or higher. Even families with modest power vastly differed frommoner families and families of lifelong knights. Those in rtively lower positions were more desperate to maintain them. So, Pansy and Mimosa¡¯s marriages were tied to the rise and fall of the family. ¡®Car always favored Pansy among herdies-in-waiting.¡¯ It was because Pansy was more beautiful, docile, andcent. Additionally, a beautiful handmaid was a valuable reward she could give to her loyal subjects. So Car chose a useful servant among Jacob¡¯s knights and had him get engaged to Pansy. But Mimosa was out of luck. She was rtively unattractive. Besides, she had valuable skills like the ability to imitate handwriting and was quick-witted enough to be called a small Car. ¡®So would Car trust her? She¡¯s a woman that handled her dirty work, so she¡¯ll be purged someday.¡¯ No matter how sick she felt. Even though she was mentally agitated, she had to do what she had to do. That was the lifestyle Elisha had learned from her previous life. And as Lucerne¡¯s wife, her job was to clean up his adversaries. *** ¡°What did you say to Car¡¯s maid earlier?¡± In the carriage heading home, Lucerne was silent. He kept ncing and paying attention to Elisha but didn¡¯t look particrly reproving. ¡®My previous life¡­ ¡­ It¡¯s so different. Is Lucerne now more kind? Maybe it¡¯s because he¡¯s before he changes?¡¯ That made sense to her. She heard that the Cartier family¡¯s internal strife intensified in the future, and Lucerne became more ferocious. ¡®Or is it because I¡¯m not an ugly woman?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t easy for people to be kind to those weaker than themselves. Lucerne, from her previous life, was so furious with her for bringing up those names. But that didn¡¯t happen to her without her burn scars. Elisha suddenly felt her past wounds stabbing her chest. She stared at him nkly, her eyes empty. ¡°Answer me, Elisha,¡± Lucerne ordered as if he was an adult talking to a child. Elisha replied with a question instead. ¡°What if I were a really ugly woman?¡± ¡°Why should I imagine that?¡± ¡°If you answer me, I will answer you too.¡± Lucerne frowned. ¡°If I were an ugly woman, you would be angry at my slightest mistake, and you would be very ashamed of me being your wife, right?¡± Chapter 168: Tpcp 168 Chapter 168: Tpcp 168 t1v: Last month I was dealing with a sudden death in the family and was busy with a funeral and was very overwhelmed. So I was behind on chapters and this month should be a normal number of updates. Thank you for your understanding in advance and my apologies for the inconvenience and going MIA. ¡°What are you trying to say? I don¡¯t like this.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never done anything you didn¡¯t like. Can¡¯t you endure and bear with me for once?¡± He massaged his forehead. It was because he knew that Elisha¡¯s expression was not a joke. ¡°If you only wore that shabby seduction outfit like when we first met.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I still would have noticed you. No matter how ugly of a woman you are. To be honest¡­ ¡­ I think so. Sometimes I lose my reason and logic in front of you.¡± Elisha was convinced he was lying. Power entered her clenched fists. She tried to tell herself that this feeling was not right. After all, he did nothing wrong. ¡®As expected, harboring any emotions should be avoided. It will be my loss.¡¯ It urred to her that her rtionship with Lucerne should be tidier. This was a marriage for survival, not for ying love games. Of course, Lucerne will want to flirt with her, tease and disturb her. It is a natural instinct of those of the Cartier family. If there was something to suck and loot, it was their nature to steal everything. Lucerne knew instinctively. That Elisha retained and did not give him a corner of her heart. He would want to take that away and get an edge with a perfect upper hand. It was something that he couldn¡¯t help. It was the nature of a man with power. ¡®I have to pull myself together.. I can¡¯t fail anymore, I can¡¯t show myself like this.¡¯ Elisha became depressed. He noticed that sign quickly. ¡°What the hell is wrong, Elisha?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Look, I am turning a blind eye to as much as I can. I¡¯m pretending not to know as many things as you want.¡± Lucerne turned a blind eye to her even when she was suspicious. He was letting others see her beauty in broad daylight. He was doing anything to appease her. Nheless, after all his hard work, Elisha was about to retreat into her shell again due to an unexpected incident. It made Lucerne feel like he could not take a deep breath; his chest burned and made him anxious. She had an excellent talent for disturbing hisposure. ¡°What more do you want?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t listen to what I really want. Why do you speak as if you are so lenient and generous?¡± She told herself she had to keep her mouth shut. But at that moment, her turbulent heart vomited out her true feelings. Inside the carriage with the curtains closed, Elisha¡¯s one cheek was stained with shadows. The side of her face had been marred with scars in her previous life. ¡°What do you want?¡± Her words touched the limits of Lucerne¡¯s patience. ¡°Going out into the world and getting love letters from strangers?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be sarcastic.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ Now you¡¯re giving orders.¡± He clicked his tongue ¡°Go on.¡± At those words, Elisha was silent. She touched her cheek. She calmed down when she felt there were no scars. ¡®Should I apologize? What the hell is wrong with me?¡¯ And there were a few beats of silence. Noticing herplexion, Lucerne eventually opened his mouth first. ¡°Stop testing me. The result is the same though. I am not bewitched by you.¡± ¡°I suppose so,¡± Elisha said quietly. ¡°How dare I seduce a great man like you. I¡¯m afraid of what would happen if you really liked me.¡± ¡°If I became sincere with you, you would spend your whole life looking at the sky beyond a window sill. Be grateful that I like you moderately.¡± His words pricked and shook Elisha like a de. So she overlooked the fearful meaning behind his words. She¡¯d rather have him tell her that she was just a means to an end. She didn¡¯t want his clumsy possessiveness to shake her. Lucerne was trying to buy up all of Elisha for the least amount of cost possible. He was trying to consume her whole without giving her his heart. ¡°Thank you for your generosity.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Lucerne whispered. ¡°I cannot deny that I am bing more and more indulgent towards you. I¡¯m still going easy on you but I¡¯m keeping an eye out.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Sometimes I wonder where you and I will end up.¡± Elisha knew that if anyone else had raised his suspicions this far, he would have never let it slide. So she couldn¡¯t say anything. Silence again. Only the tter of the horse¡¯s hooves and the rolling of the wagon wheels resounded like tinnitus. ¡°If it had been one of my Seeds who had received such a trap letter, one of them would have died.¡± Lucerne leaned over. ¡°But I can¡¯t do that in front of you. Are you satisfied now?¡± It was as if someone was gently scratching her heart with a needle. Suddenly, Elisha stared at his face. ¡°Lucerne, did you know everything?¡± ¡°What?¡± Lucerne asked quietly. ¡°The household head would send me a present. And Illione would take me to thedies¡¯ meeting.¡± Elisha recalled this hunting festival. Numerous riches and the loyalty of knights. Honor and praise of people. Envy. It was a gift box-like event with all those emotions mixed together. It was very unusual. Lucerne usually didn¡¯t like Elisha going out among people. ¡°Lucerne. Were you trying to tame me?¡± Chapter 169: Tpcp 169 Chapter 169: Tpcp 169 Elisha was living a luxurious life that was iparable to her past. However, sometimes money alone was not enough to win people over. ¡°It¡¯s strange when you think about it. I heard that the duke¡¯s butler, Gail, is a prudent person. He can¡¯t bring me a present without you knowing. He must have first obtained permission from the emperor and then permission from you.¡± When Elisha received the gift from Gaju, all of the nobledies were envious. Simrly, she recalled the respect disyed towards her at that evening¡¯s gathering. With Ilione at the center, all the noblewomen spared no effort to impress Elisha, her friend. ¡°When you arrived at the party with Ilione, what did the people there do?¡± ¡°All of them got up from their seats and greeted us.¡± Lucerne smiled. ¡°Then what if one of them didn¡¯t get up?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Or if everyone didn¡¯t care to greet you as you entered? If no one talked to you? What if they didn¡¯t even know who you are?¡± Elisha felt her heart break. She stared at Lucerne quietly. ¡°You¡¯d feel bad, right?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°That¡¯s the way it is, Elisha. There is no one who can not be appeased.¡± She wanted to frown because his words were so right. Elisha had always been insignificant, so she was inevitably vulnerable to the kindness and eptance of others. Wherever she went, she was not ustomed to the daily routine of being treated with dignity or dearly. It was such a sweet trap. ¡°I guess I¡¯m convenient for you if you put so much effort that you use the word appeasement.¡± ¡°Stupid,¡± Lucerne said quietly. ¡°There is no man who will bring his prey and game for a woman who is simply convenient.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha shut her mouth. Her mistakes, his reassurance that his performance and his Seeds work at the hunt to avoid being humiliated by her¡­.. She didn¡¯t want her to think it was all a premeditated job to tame her. Until it urred to her. And it was like poison. Emotions are pollution. Poison. He now demanded more than loyalty from Elisha. It always has been. If someone from the Cartier family tried to plunder something, their opponent trying to guard it would go through hell. Elisha had a foreboding that defending herself would be more grueling. ¡°I told you.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Soon you will choose your course.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if I have the right to decide,¡± She retorted coldly but Lucerne wasn¡¯t angry. ¡°Come on, Elisha.¡± Her hand twitched. ¡°All I want is simple. Trust me a little more.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Then I will give it all to you.¡± A sweetness spread throughout her body. Elisha didn¡¯t know where or how far to believe his words. No matter how many times she was trampled on by the Cartier family, should she trust him once again? It was an unequal rtionship. Could trust arise from a one-sided owner-and-indebted-servant rtionship? Then what would her end? Elisha averted her eyes. Now, the time to explore each other with thorns is over. All she had left was time to show loyalty as promised. But, unfortunately, his generosity was not eternal. ¡°¡­ ¡­ let¡¯s talk about work.¡± ¡°Try it.¡± ¡°The reason I talked to Mimosa today is because she was the one who threw the fake love letter at me. She had also faked the male voice, but I heard it clearly. I have good ears. That¡¯s why I just looked and spotted Mimosa.¡± ¡°She did it? Then she¡¯ll have to pay the price. Shall I clean it up first?¡± He said in a tone like dealing with one ant. ¡°Shall we start with the maid?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll let you kill Car soon, too. But it will take some time. Wait.¡± Elisha shook her head. She wasn¡¯t talking nonsense, she intented to clean up Car someday, but Elisha wanted to bring that time forward. In fact, she also knew. That Lucerne was generous to her. So Elisha changed her tone. It was a slightly softer manner. ¡°Lucerne. I am very angry about this. I was afraid that you would misunderstand me¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I can¡¯t wait to get rid of Car.¡± ¡°Are you nning something fruitful?¡± He seemed on the verge ofughing. But he didn¡¯t seem offended when she suddenly became amicable with him again. ¡°I will cate Mimosa. So, her death is postponed untilter. Mimosa has been taking care of Car for a long time. She uses Mimosa to enact her malicious ns.¡± Lucerne seeded in recalling who Mimosa was. ¡°I heard Car is close to herdies-in-waiting and they have been loyal to her for a long time.¡± ¡°You know them?¡± She thought it strange that Lucerne remembered such insignificant beings like Car¡¯s servants. ¡°These women¡¯s bad manners are infamous within the ducal family.¡± She nodded. She knew about the rumors. ¡°Can you do it?¡± ¡°What cannot be done? Didn¡¯t you just say it yourself? ¡®There is no one in the world who cannot be appeased¡¯?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°All you have to do is find what that person desperately wants. A dog that changes owners bites the previous owner more brutally than anyone else,¡± Elisha stated evenly. ¡°You make me want to interpret it in a very ambivalent way.¡± Lucerne grinned. ¡°You told me to get your permission in detail if I wanted to do something. So I¡¯m getting it now, what do you think?¡± ¡°Sure, try your hand. What do you need?¡± Elisha put her hand to her mouth. ¡°I will watch the progress.¡± ¡°For now¡­ ¡­ . I think I need a good-looking knight.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Lucerne nodded, although he looked puzzled. ¡°It should be easier to find than a beautiful knight.¡± *** Chapter 170: Tpcp 170 Chapter 170: Tpcp 170 ¡®I¡¯m not used to the social world after all. I¡¯m exhausted.¡¯ One day after returning to the mansion, Lucerne vacated the estate due to his provincial manor schedule. Elisha greeted the day as usual. ¡®The bait I sprinkled on Mimosa will take some time to take effect.¡¯ The temptations that had already been cast would bear fruit after time. Mimosa was a pawn hit by a piece on her chessboard. It was the lowest-level horse. But even such an existence can be an excellent tool when used correctly. ¡®And unlike chess, humans change sides.¡¯ However, chess pieces and humans also had something inmon. Sometimes you could clean it up right after use. *** Elisha tried to be productive all afternoon. Otherwise, she would have hadplicated thoughts about Lucerne the whole time. She learned many things in her previous life. The most useful of those teachings was that unfounded hope was a delusion. Harboring those kinds of thoughts was the worst. Of course, one could resist the hope that others offered. But there would be no escape if she believed in the false hopes she had created to deceive herself. ¡®For example. Hope to believe that there will be a chance for a rtionship with Lucerne in this lifetime.¡¯ She was punished and suffered so much, but she still found herself aiming for dreams beyond her reach and station. Elisha stroked her own arm. She tried to speak harshly to herself, but the tenderness he gave her sometimes confused her. ¡®Maybe I took physical rtionships too lightly.¡¯ Had another man been her partner, she would have found sex disgusting. But Lucerne was the man she yearned for so much in her previous life and could never have. That¡¯s why she had no objection to sexual intercourse from the beginning. And she thought she could just end it there and be done with it. But when it¡¯ste at night. When he digs in deep. And when his hot breath touches my skin, and even our hands are interlocked. Then¡­ ¡­ . There is a moment when youe to believe that more emotions exist. ¡®¡ªStop!¡¯ Elisha jumped up from her seat. Suddenly, her body temperature rose, and she felt rxed between her legs. She shook her head to focus on the present. ¡®I¡¯d rather serve tea to the Seeds.¡¯ Elisha set out to find the Seeds. She had to thank them for what had happened at the hunting festival. Together with Lucerne, they covered up her mistakes. But she walked around the house and couldn¡¯t find anyone. Elisha grabbed hold of a butler passing by and asked, ¡°Butler, where did Lapis and Lazuli go? What about Nora?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ ¡­ . Those three Seeds have received a special order from Lucerne-nim to self-reflect in their rooms.¡± ¡°Self-reflect?¡± At that, she wondered if he was venting his anger on them for her fake love letter. She was worried about Nora and decided to go. Instead, she found familiar faces near the stairs. ¡®Nora, Lapis, Lazuli?¡¯ They were sneaking out through the back door, covered in ck hoods disguising their faces. Elisha ran after them. She could walk without making a sound like a cat. It was a skill she had acquired in her previous life so she could eat. ¡°Lapis?¡± When they reached the back door, Elisha called them. Their eyes widened. ¡°Uh, ma¡ªma¡¯am.¡± Their eyes were wide like children caught making a big mistake. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Elisha asked. Coincidentally, this group couldn¡¯t lie. ¡°We¡¯re going out without the general¡¯s knowledge.¡± In the end, Lazuli spoke honestly and was pped on the back by Lapis. They looked over her shoulder. Fortunately, there was only Elisha. She was allowed to go out at will only to the cafe. ¡°I want to go to a cafe. Could you escort me?¡± *** Lapis, Lazuli, and Nora stood at the river¡¯s edge. A river that ran through the center of the capital and slowly flowed towards the sea regardless of the racket and activity of people around it. Elisha watched their figures. The three, including Lapis, floated white lilies on the riverside. She knew what they were doing. It was an Imperial custom that whenmemorating those who had no tomb or whose corpse was not found, they sent lilies into the river. ¡°Who are you honoring?¡± Elisha wondered. Today was May 1st, the beginning of spring. And in her past life, Car¡­ ¡­ . It was the day she invited Lucerne to the club and mocked him through those 14 names and Elisha. ¡°Chris, Elot, Pian¡­. Do you know anything about these names?¡± Nora was startled. Lapis and Lazuli¡¯s eyes sank gloomily. ¡°We know,¡± Lapis said with slightly downcast eyes. But rather than extreme sadness, it was an expression of searching for memories from long ago. ¡°Pian-nim was our teacher, a wizard¡­ ¡­ . He was the protector of us orphans.¡± 14, including Pian. Elisha had wondered who they were. It was the same question she had in her previous life. She asked cautiously, ¡°Can you tell me about them?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Lucerne¡­ ¡­ I heard he hates those names a lot. I want to know why.¡± The three looked at each other. Finally, Lazuli opened his mouth with a nk face. ¡°Those fourteen.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Were the general¡¯s first subordinates and lifesavers.¡± Chapter 171: Tpcp 171 Chapter 171: Tpcp 171 Lucerne was first driven to war at the age of fourteen. The ce he was sent to was the gates of the Elpirim Mountains. ¡®If it¡¯s the Elpirim Mountains¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Elisha heard of them, too. It was once the zone most overrun with monsters in the empire. Now, all the monsters were cleared out, and it was an area known for its plentiful manastone mines. Additionally, the Elpirim Mountains were the beginning of Lucerne¡¯s heroic story. It was because the boymander had seeded in organizing the ce. ¡°There was a ce called the Masar Mercenary Corps. They werepetent mercenary army, trusted by nobles. Unfortunately, they were caught up in the rebellion of the remnants of the Old Kingdom Alliance. Since many of them were from the Old Kingdom most of them were falsely used and purged. At least the survivors, including their bereaved families, were driven to the Elpirim Mountains along with Lucerne. It was a ce to die. And with the people of the Masar mercenary corps they were destined to be buried together.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha listened carefully to the story. ¡°And I heard that it was the Cartier family who sent the mercenaries there.¡± There were some stories she knew and other stories she didn¡¯t know. At the time, being sent to such a ce was a death sentence, and Lucerne seemed doomed to die. However, the shadow demon dwelling in his body awakened and saved everyone. ¡°I heardter that Lucerne was not normal at that time. That ¡­ ¡­ . Merha¡ªthat damn bastard to Lucerne-nim¡­ ¡­ .¡± So when the mercenaries met Lucerne for the first time, what they encountered was a child that resembled a beast more than a human that was apanied by a guardian deity. Among them was a young man named Pian. Pian was a fairly famous mage at the time, but he was sent there after being used of treason with the Old Kingdom and condemned by the Cartier family. Pian was also famous as a teacher of royal studies in the Old Kingdom. There were many monarchs in the Old Kingdom Union, so they all wanted to entrust their children to him. Such a mage named himself Lucerne¡¯s subordinate and teacher. Chris was there too. He was an outstanding knight and swordsman of the Kingdom Union. Elot was 14 years old at the time, a genius wizard simr to Lapis and Lazuli now. Elisha felt dizzy. ¡®I drove that precious wizard to death.¡¯ There must have been numerous political reasons in between. It was already 20 years ago that the Old Kingdom coalition copsed. Shortly after Elisha¡¯s birth, she was told that the kingdom¡¯s union had copsed. For the next 20 years, the territories from the Old Kingdom Union became prey for neighboring powers. Indeed the Lor estate was also consumed by the Cartier family. It was highly likely that the Masar mercenaries were the ones the Cartier family mistakenly caught while plundering the territories. Without doing so, there was little chance they would be driven to death along with Lucerne, not anyone else. ¡°They survived there for three years and cleared the Elphirim Mountains. And after returning to the capital, Lucerne made most of them knights.¡± Lazuli said calmly. ¡°And then what?¡± ¡°Everyone betrayed Lucerne.¡± She had heard the story before and knew it. Jacob¡¯s father, Stevan, was alive at the time. He was said to be a wicked and charming trickster who cruelly yed with people¡¯s minds. ¡°Some had the lives of their families held hostage, while some were bribed with money. Everyone abandoned Lucerne. Not only that, but they were forced to cut ties with him. I don¡¯t know what cruel things transpired in between but in the end, that¡¯s what happened.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s why he mistrusts people?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ He wants to protect people.¡± Lapis added hastily. Then Nora opened her mouth. ¡°Stevan coaxed them all out and ughtered them overnight. And he dered mockingly, ¡®Everything thates into my hands is mine. I can handle them however I please and you can¡¯t do anything about it.''¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°The Cartiers are such people.¡± Elisha couldn¡¯t say anything. Lucerne wasn¡¯t even an adult at the time. But during such formative years, he had encountered all kinds of humans; his family, subordinates, and friends. And he was betrayed by and lost every one of those people. ¡°What do they have to do with you?¡± Elisha asked calmly. ¡°¡­ ¡­ We are the reason Pian-nim betrayed the general.¡± Lapis confided. ¡°He did it to save us. The general took us in and protected us. Because he¡¯s that kind of person¡­ ¡­ .¡± She saw the guilt in Lapis¡¯ eyes. She wanted tofort him. ¡°What about Nora?¡± ¡°I was a distant rtive of Chris, a retired knight and mercenary.¡± Elisha deserved to know the circumstances. ¡°There are just things like that in the world. In that case, who could resist?¡± At her words, Lapis, Lazuli, and Nora fell silent. Elisha took a spare lily from their hands and set it afloat in the river. ¡°So you¡¯re not at fault.¡± But what they needed was Lucerne¡¯s forgiveness. Unfortunately, Elisha couldn¡¯t give it in his stead. So all she could offer was a sigh of tenderness. *** ¡°Where have you been?¡± When Elisha entered her parlor, Lucerne was reading the papers nonchntly. Finally, she sat down next to him. ¡°I drank tea at the cafe.¡± ¡°Elisha, you know I get reports about your day.¡± She looked at him. She was even more confused, and her heart ached. ¡®Why on earth did he spare me then?¡¯ The day Car mockingly invited Lucerne in her previous life. He had ughtered everyone in the building. His anger was now understandable. Elisha should have died then. Instead, she enraged the snake and, somehow, managed to be the only one who escaped its deadly venom. She even went so far as to mention she knew Pian. It was obvious how Lucerne must have taken the situation. Elisha must have been another betrayal of sorts to him. Besides, people were even more upset after being stabbed in the back by an insignificant being. ¡°I went with Lapis, Lazuli, and Nora to the riverside.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ I know.¡± Lucerne nodded. ¡°I am not snitching. After all, Nora will answer honestly if you ask.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, too.¡± She approached Lucerne. She came close to him. ¡°I¡¯m sure that big-mouth Lapis said spilled everything about my past. Do you think this will ease my anger?¡± ¡°You said you wouldn¡¯t be angry with me.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ I did.¡± Elisha looked into his eyes. Since she was rarely affectionate, Lucerne stared at her without moving and then, with a suspicious sidelong nce¨C ¡°Are you sympathizing with me?¡± ¡°Are you crazy? Who am I?¡± Is there anything more foolish than a herbivore worrying about a predator? Elisha was straightforward and severe. ¡°Yes, of course, you are.¡± Lucerne was baffled. Silence passed for a few seconds. But eventually, Elisha spoke up first. ¡°¡­ ¡­ are you okay?¡± ¡°What?¡± You can read more here. Chapter 172: Tpcp 172 Chapter 172: Tpcp 172 ¡°Can I bribe Mimosa?¡± ¡°Are you afraid I¡¯ll get my feelings hurt?¡± Lucerne looked stupefied. Elisha felt sheepish. ¡°I guess I am so delicate.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be sarcastic. You might despise the kind of ploy I¡¯m nning,¡± Elisha dered softly. He smiled. ¡°Never. How sexy you are when you have bad thoughts.¡± Lucerne teased her as he normally did. Elisha only then realized that he was the same as usual. She felt her lungs expand. He winked. ¡°Come on, Elisha. What are you curious about?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Did you expect that to be my weakness?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ Don¡¯t set up thorns.¡± He quietly nodded. She fiddled with the empty teacup on the table in the drawing room. Her heart was in turmoil for nothing. ¡°Around this time, Lapis and Lazuli watch me.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ It seemed so.¡± Elisha lowered her eyes. ¡°Now I understand Car¡¯s words. I mean, you¡¯re going to be very angry. To provoke people with such a thing, the love letter case is really crude and vulgar.¡± Lucerne inspected her face. And she realized that she was awful atforting people. ¡°Don¡¯t bother.¡± Lucerne meant that she should befortable. However, Elisha¡¯s cheeks blushed slightly. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to speak kindly, and I don¡¯t know how to console you at times like this.¡± Elisha said coldly, ¡°So if you want tenderness, go to another woman.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t mean it.¡± Lucerne felt assuaged just by her cuteness. He really didn¡¯t even feel bad in the first ce. It was too long ago to be annoyed every year. ¡°You look calm now, but why did you look so cold at the royal pce?¡± Elisha asked calmly. That question was aimed at a very long time ago. To be exact, a future that had disappeared. ¡°Jacob and Car know that is my weakness. It is the property that Stevan passed on to Jacob. Yes in this family, even hurting someone is inherited. So I can¡¯t stand Jacob talking about it. Same goes for Car.¡± Elisha seemed to have a vague idea of what he meant. Lucerne was silent for a moment, then he spoke as if he were confessing: ¡°Actually, that¡¯s an excuse¡­ ¡­ . After seeing you tremble, I was no longer angry. If I don¡¯t deal with my feelings, I¡¯ll keep making you shrink in fear. That¡¯s all.¡± Elisha stared at him quietly. She was gazing at Lucerne¡¯s old wounds. Once, he must have believed in people too. Trusted them; he must have loved someone. He had affection, had friends, and once, he had a real mentor even closer than Rosaria. But, then, he lost everything in an instant. ¡°¡­ ¡­ I heard that everyone who betrayed you is dead.¡± Lucerne nodded in affirmation. ¡°Was Stevan the mastermind behind it?¡± ¡°There were many ringleaders.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ Is it confession time again?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ I¡¯ll say yes.¡± Lucerne replied obediently, ¡°I was young at the time and believed in many different values. So I tried to persuade them. Of course it didn¡¯t work. You¡¯re right. Once a man is coaxed, he bes cruelest towards his former master.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ Did they throw you out at the door?¡± ¡°Something like that, and something worse. No one met me anyway.¡± ¡°Why did you want to meet them?¡± ¡°I was afraid they would die,¡± He answered briefly. Her hand stopped. ¡°I knew that the people in the Cartier household would surely kill them. So I wanted to tell you to find a way to live. But now that I think about it, it didn¡¯t mean much.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ I don¡¯t think it was meaningless.¡± Elisha was silent, then continued her words. ¡°Did you like them that much?¡± He shook his head. ¡°Rather than that, I liked the Elpirim Mountains.¡± ¡°I heard that the Elpirim Mountains were hell before you freed them from demons.¡± ¡°It was like that back then,¡± Lucerne admitted calmly. ¡°But there I could talk to other people, learn something, and above all, eat every meal. Besides, no one attacked me even if I slept deeply through the night. Someone stood guard for me. Back then, I was still growing up, so I woke up every morning feeling pain in my bones and joints. Pian was the first to teach me that those were the growing pains as I grew taller.¡± Lucerne concluded quietly, ¡°So I still fondly remember my growing pains.¡± Chapter 173: Tpcp 173 Chapter 173: Tpcp 173 At that moment, Elisha thought the treatment Merha received in prison was toofortable. She hid her expression and nodded. ¡°Right, Pian. He was there. He is a distant rtive of Lazri and Lapis. The twins are from the prestigious mage lineage of the Old Kingdom Alliance. Even though the family was annihted when the Old Kingdom copsed. That guy Pian was the one that taught me how to be a human. He taught me manners and how to talk to people.¡± ¡°They must be like family to you.¡± ¡°Not to that extent.¡± Lucerne shook his head calmly. ¡°It was simr in that the members exchanged equivalents. I killed the monsters and they each did what they could for me. It was mainly about assisting each other¡¯s survival. A mutually beneficial rtionship. At the time, among those who were driven out, there was a child-soldier younger than me, and he did a lot for me too. He served as my attendant and the first Seed. There was a widow who didn¡¯t know how to fight but even she did her part working as a maid. People be stronger in such an environment.¡± Elisha listened intently. ¡°My shadow demon got stronger the more I yed monsters and sucked up their mana. One night was the birth of a once-in-a-hundred-year demon. When that happened, they wanted more food. So I had to protect them again, and the shadow demon ran amok. I cut down 30,000 that night.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ how is that possible?¡± ¡°It is possible if my shadow works properly. Because it drives the same monsters crazy and makes them fight each other. And the shadow grows the more beasts it swallows. Later, it became a melee where I couldn¡¯t tell the difference between my guardian deity and the monsters. The color of the witchbeasts¡¯ blood is diverse. Various types of blood spilled on the floor like paint. Maybe a painter would have admired it. Even the dullest person would have been inspired by the sight that touched hell.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ After that day, you were able to return from the Elphirim Mountains.¡± After that, Elisha knew the story. They were honoured. Maybe they could be Seeds. But they betrayed Lucerne. ¡°You must hate them.¡± ¡°They¡¯re all dead anyway,¡± Lucerne nonchntly pointed out. ¡°Stevan kidnapped me, tied me up, and used a wizard to restrain my power so I couldn¡¯t summon my shadow. He threatened to return me to the temple.¡± ¡°You mean to be a priest like Merha and cut yourself off from the family?¡± Lucerne nodded. ¡°He said that if I turned to the temple, he would spare one of them.¡± Elisha¡¯s body shook. This Stevan was indeed the real demon. ¡®Lucerne, be a good boy. Pick one. I¡¯ll let him live. If you be a priest and live under Merha you won¡¯t face any difficulties for the rest of your life. The story of Merha is already over.¡¯ Stevan whispered while caressing Lucerne¡¯s cheek. He still remembered it vividly. She got goosebumps at his exnation. ¡°Did you believe that?¡± ¡°Of course not, I¡¯m not a fool. Of course I ignored it. And all fourteen who betrayed me died. On the spot. They didn¡¯t scream loudly, probably because of their pride. I, who was in the next room, heard the loud roar of flesh ripping.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°But I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about it. I thought about it for years after that. If I had chosen one, who would it have been?¡± Elisha¡¯s hands trembled. Her heart ached. A bizarre urge to hug him bubbled up, confusing her. The feeling was so unfamiliar, so instead, she bit her lip. ¡°No matter who you choose, he would have killed all of them anyway. He needed to seal their mouths to hide his sins.¡± ¡°I know. And¡­ ¡­ .¡± His mouth locked. ¡°..What?¡± ¡°Pian said coldly to me: Let go of your heart. It became easier when I followed his lessons from then on. It was the most expensive lesson I ever learned.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°It is stupid to give your heart. It is much easier to own.¡± ¡°What about the Seeds now?¡± ¡°Those bastards won¡¯t betray me because I¡¯m holding on to their weaknesses. If they do, I will kill them right away. Because I am not immature anymore,¡± Lucerne noted dispassionately. Elisha was surprised that he showed such candid sobriety. Her heart ached and was pounding with the urge to do something. ¡°Did the Lord know that? The Head couldn¡¯t have just left it alone¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Sometimes you¡¯re rather naive. Could Uncle Stevan have done that secretly without the Head knowing?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Gaju knew everything. When he saw I didn¡¯t give in in the end, he brought me into the family and kept me for a while. It was myst test. If I had disyed the slightest emotional breakdown that day, he would have thrown me away.¡± That was the way of the Cartier family. Some had been favored and cared for throughout their lives simply by being born as a member. But not for a bastard. After so much suffering, he was finally epted as a member of the family. Even so, it wasn¡¯t unconditional. Elisha was sick to death with the Cartier family. It was something they could rte to. ¡°I promise. I can¡¯t help you get revenge on Stevan, who is already dead. But I will destroy Jacob.¡± ¡°For whom?¡± With a beast¡¯snguid gaze, Lucerne watched her. She didn¡¯t know how to lie this time either. ¡°For me, of course. Even if I did it for you, you wouldn¡¯t believe me.¡± At Elisha¡¯s steady tone, he nodded affably. ¡°But about 1% is for you, too. Although I originally hated the Jacob couple, I now hate them even more when I think about what they did to you.¡± Lucerneughed. ¡°Indeed, out of all the things I¡¯ve heard from women all my life,¡± he drew outnguidly, ¡°those are the most stimting words I¡¯ve ever heard.¡± Chapter 174: Tpcp 174 Chapter 174: Tpcp 174 He came close. Without realizing it, Elisha leaned over. Her lips trembled briefly before she made up her mind. She whispered as if confiding her troubles she had been wrestling with just before. ¡°Should we?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ do what you like.¡± Elisha knew no other way to make him feel better. Indeed, she really was a woman without tenderness or sweetness, she thought. Lucerne gazed into her eyes. And no more words were needed. Chu. Kiss. Warm lips touched. Strangely, her toes tickled, so Elisha curled her feet inside her shoe. ¡°It¡¯s so strange,¡± Lucerne whispered. ¡°When I hear you say this, it makes me feel better. What are you to me?¡± His utterances made her heart ache. So Elisha just closed her eyes. Lucerne picked her up. *** Lucerne handled her like a light doll. ¡°Lucerne, the maids¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°You¡¯re the mistress, you¡¯re the one they need to care for and consider.¡± He lifted Elisha easily and put her on his shoulder. She protested by pushing Lucerne on the shoulder, but even that didn¡¯tst long. Bam¡ªpuff¡ª In an instant, the door swung open, and Elisha wasid on the bed. ¡°Lu-Lucerne¡­ ¡­ .¡± He was now very adept at undressing her. Then, with just a few gestures, Elisha¡¯s feet were stripped bare. ¡°If you want tofort me, you can take off your clothes.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°When I see your body¡­ ¡­ .¡± His words trailed off, and Lucerne bit his lower lip. He put his hand on Elisha¡¯s cheek and looked into her eyes. ¡°I want to devour everything in sight and suck on every patch of skin to leave a traces that you are mine. That¡¯s all I can think about.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°You make me male. To the very bottom.¡± Elisha¡¯s fingertips tingled with numbness. When his hand was about to fall, she covered hisrge hand with her small one. ¡°Do whatever you want,¡± she said softly. ¡°No, I¡¯ll do what you want. You didn¡¯t teach mest time. How to make you feel better¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha grew red to the tips of her ears. ¡°You suck and lick for me every day. So¡ªI mean¡­ ¡­ . Today I will.¡± Lucerne¡¯s reason was cut off. He spread her legs apart. Erect from earlier, he took it out without taking off his pants. ¡°Huh¡­ ¡­ . Ugh!¡± Elisha was startled by him suddenly plunging into her. Slush-pop! However, her vulva and bush that had been soaking wet from a while ago, easily epted him as he prated her entrance. ¡°Ah, Lucerne¡­ ¡­ . So sudden¡­ ¡­ .¡± However, the situation in her lower mouth was different. Elisha¡¯s vaginal walls made room inside, embracing him as if weing him despite his sudden intrusion. And even after his insertion, his cock rubbed like a fire in her wet insides as his erection swelled up against her. She let out a gasp. ¡°It¡¯s tight¡ª too. Ah¡­ ¡­ .¡± His pir, which burst in like fire, began to move inside Elisha. Squelch, slook. p. Her vulva, which was still less watery, mped down and stuck against his rod with a tight feeling every time he moved. Then, he pulled out slightly, rubbing and sucking in her inner walls. He was only half in. Elisha¡¯s cheeks turned red and flushed from that rough wild pleasure. She thought her body was shameful to want this. He acted like an intruder. However, the vulva that quickly devoured him was sending piercing pleasure under her belly. ¡°Ughh, ohhh¡­ ¡­ . hngh¡­ ¡­ .¡± You can read more here. Chapter 175: Tpcp 175 Chapter 175: Tpcp 175 ¡°Elisha.¡± Lucerne put his forehead on hers and then took it off. ¡°If you want to console me.¡± ¡°Huh, ah¡­ ¡­ . Oh¡­ ¡­ . yes¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°From now on, answer everything I say, and don¡¯t avert your eyes,¡± he said, looking intensely into her eyes as if he were going to devour her. He began driving her body in earnest. Spreading her legs to the limit, he pummelled into her; she kept moving forward. ¡°Ha oh ah!¡± When Elisha¡¯s bottom got wet and started making sshing noises, she lifted her thighs. Her legs stretched out to their limit, her hips painfully open, revealing the hollow in Elisha¡¯s inner thigh. Even in the middle of the heated frenzy, Elisha kept saying, ¡°oh yes, yes.¡± She saw his tall, thick pole hammering between her bush and into her entrance. Each time, her drenched, light pubes swayed and dripped liquid. Lucerne¡¯s thrusts came at a steady beat and then started to slow. Pound. Pound. Elisha groaned at the deliberately slower movement of his waist. The tips of her toes curled. With one hand still supporting Elisha¡¯s thigh, he made sure she couldn¡¯t close her legs, and he groaned in his throat like a satisfied beast. ¡°Now your legs easily spread wide open without me even having to try. You¡¯re beautiful.¡± The tips of Elisha¡¯s ears turned red. Now she didn¡¯t know what was more shameful. Even though he didn¡¯t ask her to do it, she deliberately exposed everything to his gaze with her legs spread as far as they could go. ¡°Huh¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Don¡¯t close up as soon as you receive apliment.¡± Lucerne adjusted the angle of her thighs. Then he pitched Elisha¡¯s nipples and pulled sharply. His testicles were tightly immersed against her bush, ramming into her like a punishment. ¡°Ah!¡± Elisha let out a stifled gasp. ¡°It¡¯s mine anyway. Does it make a difference if you¡¯re shy? How many times have I sprayed inside of you?¡± ¡°Lucerne¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha whispered as if pleading. Lucerne lowered his hand that had been pulling on her breasts. ¡°Tell me,¡± he whispered. ¡°Don¡¯t you think your breasts and nipples got bigger because I massage them often?¡± ¡°That¡­ ¡­ .¡± She didn¡¯t expect this question. Elisha¡¯s whole body turned red as if she were about to explode. She wanted to re at him but couldn¡¯t even do that. Because Lucerne¡¯s waist started to twist and pivot as he thrusted into her. ¡°¡­ ¡­ It¡¯s natural¡ª touch it and it gets bigger. You¡¯re¡­ ¡­ . in your hands¡­ ¡­ . react.¡± A growl mixed with pleasure vibrated from his mouth. ¡°Which erect bump gives more pleasure?¡± Lucerne did his back a little quicker. But it was a very slow move. Puck. Puck. p, p. At the same time, he fondled and cupped Elisha¡¯s tender breasts and then sped her nipples and stretched them out while asking, ¡°Above the stomach. Or below?¡± ¡°Huh¡­ ¡­ . ah¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°If above, does the right side feel better? Or the left?¡± he inquired, pinching her right nipple. Elisha tightened her vagina and sobbed at the indescribable strange feeling. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to answer me?¡± Lucerne stopped beating his waist. Elisha felt the boiling lower part of her body, as if it had been burned by a gentle me. ¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s all¡­ ¡­ . I think it¡¯s all good,¡± she confessed in a tiny ant-like voice, ¡°So,¡± Lucerne growled and urged. ¡°Huh, ah¡­ ¡­ . ah¡­ ¡­ . harder.¡± ¡°Answer me if you want it,¡± Lucerne mischievously moved his hips even more slowly. His twitching and pushing penis didn¡¯t jostle her as much as she wanted. ¡°Down,¡± Elisha said softly. ¡°Down. Please touch me.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Huh¡ª hurry.¡± ¡°I like it when you beg.¡± Lucerne whispered. ¡°I¡¯ll touch you as much as you like and how ever you want.¡± Saying that, Lucerne began to shake his abdomen. And at the same time, he started to fiddle with her clitoris. Lucerne¡¯s cock was fully drilled into her depths, and transparent water leaked from her well-sealed hole. ¡°Ha, uh, ah, oh¡­ ¡­ .¡± Puck! Puck! The sound of flesh pping echoed, and something silvery fell from Elisha¡¯s eyes. Tears streamed down from shame and pleasure. But his ravaging did not end there. Just before Elisha was about to climax, he stopped moving. His genitals stood tall, showing off the majesty of bloodlines as if climaxing wouldn¡¯t be allowed yet. She squealed under him, feeling his genitals deeply embedded within her. Elisha moaned and sighed helplessly. She desperately wanted to get fucked. She wanted to continue. The steam from her boiling blood seemed to reach the top of her head. Her base desires paralyzed all rational thoughts and made her a mass of carnal appetites. ¡°Tell me you like it, Elisha.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha couldn¡¯t bear to admit it out loud. ¡°Hurry,¡± Lucerne whispered, urging. ¡°Console me,¡± he cunningly pleaded. He was whispering soothingly. At those words, the precarioustch that blocked Elisha¡¯s heart burst. Her emotions gushed out, flowed, and cascaded like a waterfall. ¡°It¡¯s good¡­ ¡­ .¡± It¡¯s good. With you¡­ ¡­ . it¡¯s great. Elisha said frantically. To some extent, she was sincere. It was the only certainty that came to her as she lost her mind. ¡°Keep going.¡± ¡°Huh¡­ ¡­ . I like it*¡­ ¡­ .¡± [*t1v: the Korean phase is identical to ¡°I like you¡± but ~context~] When she said that, Lucerne¡¯s erection was on the verge of exploding. He started fucking Elisha like she wanted. Chapter 176: Tpcp 176 Chapter 176: Tpcp 176 ¡°Huh, ah¡ª Ah!¡± Elisha¡¯s toes curled, her belly plump below her navel bent and twitched, and this time her pelvis started to flinch and swirl. ¡°Huh, ah. Lucerne¡­ ¡­ . Oh¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Answer me, Elisha. Who do you belong to?¡± Lucerne crossed Elisha¡¯s wrists and bound them. He groaned, pressing them over her head. ¡°Ah¡­ ¡­ . please¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Hurry.¡± ¡°I belong to you. Lucerne¡ª you¡­ ¡­ .¡± because you tied me up. because you have me. Because you made me weak both lifetimes. ¡°I¡¯m yours.¡± A tear fell from her eye. Then, looking at her quivering eyelids, Lucerne could not stand it and kissed Elisha¡¯s lips. ¡°Yours¡­ ¡­ .¡± The two tongues couldn¡¯t find anything to say to each other. Couldn¡¯t find the words to admit. Couldn¡¯t find a way to have each other. So, like that, they pushed each other away and pushing against each other, hotly embracing each other and moving with passion. ¡°Ohhnn¡­ ¡­ . ha¡­ ¡­ .¡± When Elisha nearly fainted fromck of oxygen, Lucerne let her go. But even then, she never pushed him away. That amazing obedience made Lucerne¡¯s head spin, and something in him electrified. ¡°You asked what I would do if you were ugly.¡± ¡°Huh¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Rather. You.¡± ¡°Hghn¡ª ah! Oh¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I really wish you were ugly. So no one would steal nces at you.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°If you were all mine, I would cherish it and treat you very preciously, of course.¡± Lucerne fervently whispered. Sweat he shed dripped down on Elisha¡¯s forehead. ¡°Hunn¡ªoh¡­ ¡­ .¡± Feeling a near-fainting climax, her head rose. The great pleasure numbed and paralyzed her senses, and she only nodded her head, not understanding his words. ¡°Lucerne¡­ ¡­ . hgnnh, ah¡­ ¡­!¡± She needed to respond to his words. But she could only call his name reflexively. But she didn¡¯t know what to say after that. Something was blocking her mind like a dam. It was an unknown feeling that she did not know what it would be if it continued to umte like this. The same was true of Lucerne. He moved wildly without mercy. Elisha didn¡¯t even think to correct her wide-spread legs and fluttered under him. Her back twitched whenever he roughly pushed her up, and her legs resting on his thighs trembled helplessly. ¡°Ah¡ªUh! Ugh! Lucerne¡­ ¡­!¡± Lucerne finally hugged Elisha. As he drew her upper body and embraced her, she clung to him with thest of her remaining strength. The upper bodies of the two pressed against each other. Finally, as he reached his climax, with a shrill moan, Elisha buried her face in his neck. Lucerne pounded his genitals in thest couple of times. ¡°Huh, inside¡­ ¡­ . Lucerne¡­ ¡­ .¡± He was still spraying semen dripped from his exploding erection. ¡°Well done.¡± Suggestively wiping Elisha¡¯s crotch a couple of times with hisrge palm. She felt mortified and tried to avoid him. ¡°Don¡¯t run away.¡± Lucerne pressed both of her hands to the bed. And he whispered as she bit her lip. ¡°Body or mind.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Don¡¯t run away,¡± Lucerne whispered. Elisha wanted to cry. He was a skilled hunter and knight. He casually drove her to himself with ease. If he became a little more cruel, it would take no effort to capture her. If that¡¯s how I lose everything and fall into his hands. If you happen to know the whole truth. Will you still want me then? Anxiety pierced Elisha¡¯s heart. *** That wasst night. The next day Elishay her pale hands on her table and her eyes down. Her appearance seemed either drowsy or ruminative. After that, Lucerne let her go only after he had quenched his lust three times. She had a dizzying morning. When she had barely gathered her thoughts¨C ¡°Madam, is something bothering you?¡± Sophie, who was bringing tea, asked. Elisha shook her head. ¡°I just have a lot of thoughts to sort out.¡± ¡°Because you looked so deep in thought, I thought you were day-dreaming about the general.¡± Elisha raised the corner of her mouth briefly. ¡°Lucerne? I was thinking of the exact opposite. I was thinking of someone I really hated.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°The first granddaughter-inw of the Cartier family.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ Ah, her?¡± Perhaps thanks to Car¡¯s infamy, Sophie¡¯s expression looked like she chewed something gross. Elisha knew what rumors she had heard. ¡®As expected, Car needs to be dealt with now.¡¯ In the future, Car would do a lot of pretty annoying things. Moreover, Jacob¡¯s nature, like a moth to fire, had a propensity toward destruction. His biological father, Stevan, was said to be a handsome, cunning, and cruel devil-like man. It is an aptitude that can only lead life to ruin. None of Stevan¡¯s charm was passed down to Jacob, and all that remained was his fiery temper and inferiorityplex. And there was nothing but cruelty. Carol wasn¡¯t brilliant either. But she was a genius at conspiracy, ttery, and viciousness. Also, she did an excellent job of pleasing Gaju. In the future, she would act as a buffer between the Head and Jacob even if he went against the Lord¡¯s wishes. ¡®Car, witnessed me being the center of attention in the pce. She will draw a weapon now because she can¡¯t bear to see herself be sidelined because of her envious personality.¡¯ The corners of Elisha¡¯s mouth drew an arc. ¡®There are many weapons for you to choose from. Which of them are you going to strike me with?¡¯ Elisha rested her chin on her hand. Her face was nonchnt, but her eyes gleamed with interest. By all means, she hoped that Car would pick a sharp weapon. Only then would it be worthwhile to return the favor. ¡®I want to take your breath away with this one,¡¯ Elisha thoughtnguidly. She carelessly stirred the inside of her teacup with a silver teaspoon. Chapter 177: Tpcp 177 Chapter 177: Tpcp 177 Ten dayster, Elisha held her first tea party for the wives of military officials. ¡°The general¡¯s wife has a talent for hospitality.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. This cake is really delicious. Moreover, isn¡¯t it beautiful to look at? Where did you order this from?¡± Elisha¡¯s tea reception was elegant, from her table decoration and tea food to the selection of songs the invited harpist yed. Not only that, she was just one step ahead of the trend. The aristocraticdies meticulously studied what their hostess had prepared for them to follow. ¡°Today is the first tea party I¡¯ve hosted. It¡¯s a pleasure to see everyone enjoying themselves.¡± Elisha then paused and frowned momentarily as if she had a headache. ¡°Are you alright?¡± The noblewomen leaned in and fretted over her. ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve had things to pay attention to for the past few days, so I¡¯m a little tired.¡± ¡°Did you overexert yourself while preparing for the tea party?¡± ¡°Sit down on a long chair and rx.¡± Thedies vied with each other to help Elisha. She smiled scarcely. ¡°It¡¯s not because of the tea party. I¡¯m helping someone these days. Since Ick knowledge about legal affairs, I lost sleep while looking into thew.¡± ¡°Thew?¡± Elisha borated calmly, ¡°Actually¡­ ¡­ . Not long ago I met a young woman who is a beggar on the street. She goes by the name of ¡®Lulu.¡¯ She told me that she was assaulted in broad daylight by ady-in-waiting of a certain noblewoman. And as a consequence, she now limps due to an injury to one of her legs.¡± Elisha¡¯s words continued peacefully. Lulu was once a child who worked in a top-notch dressing room in the capital. ¡°I can tell she¡¯s been persecuted by malicious people, so I¡¯m trying to get her awyer and a safe ce to stay. She has to file awsuit and sue for damages. If anyone goes to jail¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I should just leave her as is. As you know, my husband works for the country. As the wife of such a person, how can I turn a blind eye and ignore such a pitiful person?¡± A wave of deja vu overcame the women as they heard the story. ¡®A first-ss dressing room employee, assaulted by a nobledy¡¯s maid¡­ ¡­ ?¡¯ One of the youngest of thedies gasped and covered her mouth. She looked at Elisha¡¯s outfit. She wore a delicate gold dress with a ck shawl draped over her arm. ¡®The auction case!¡¯ There was an anecdote that Car had beaten an employee of a first-ss dressing room during the auction episode. It was because she had leaked her ensemble. Just then, a maid came to call Elisha. The hostess left for a while, and thedies started whispering and moring frantically. ¡°That¡¯s right, the first granddaughter-inw of the Cartier family¡­ .¡± ¡°Yes, I remember the name. It was a girl named Lulu.¡± Then Elisha returned, and the noblewomen¡¯s mouths were sealed shut as if they hadn¡¯t been chattering away just moments before. ¡°Since you all havee to visit today, I¡¯d like to give each of you a present.¡± The eyes of thedies grew wide when they saw what the maid brought. Sophie carried arge silver tter with kingfisher feathers beautifully crafted around a silver rim. ¡°Kingfisher feathers are said to have profound good luck. This is even more precious because it is the feather of the beast, Thunder Kingfisher. Take one each.¡± The woman took a feather each and scrambled to make essories and jewelry out of it and wore it everywhere. Naturally, when someone praised the precious item, they boasted and bragged about Elisha¡¯s tea party. ¡°By the way, I heard an interesting story at the tea party. There will be awsuit soon¡­ ¡­ .¡± As a result, rumors spread widely, and everyone wanted to go to Elisha¡¯s tea parties. And people openly anticipated another fight would break out between the granddaughters-inw of the ducal Cartier household. *** ¡°Madam, no matter how much I think about it¡ªit¡¯s such a waste. You gave away these precious feathers!¡± Sophie was on the verge of tears, filled with regret. Elisha paid her no mind and was aloof. ¡°What¡¯s a waste? It¡¯s better to do this kind of party properly once in a while. That¡¯s how you can make a name for yourself in the social world and increase one¡¯s reputation. It¡¯s a waste of time and money if you host a lot of small parties.¡± ¡°But the general might be disappointed.¡± ¡°That person is not free enough to be forlorn over something like this.¡± She told Lucerne that she would prepare the kingfisher feathers and use them as gifts for the attendingdies. When he heard her proposal, he replied calmly, ¡°Yes.¡± When Sophie left, Elisha pulled out a little pouch from her bosom. She pulled the string on the opening and opened the satchel. Inside were the few kingfisher feathers tied together with a silk ribbon. It was the ribbon that she gave Lucerne which then he kissed and returned to her with the prized feathers at thest hunting festival. When Elisha saw it, she couldn¡¯t stop her heart from pounding. Helplessly, sensations coursed through her, and she squeezed it in her hand. Various emotions were felt. It was as if she had be a fool and felt like someone was tickling her heart. ¡®Even if I turn back time, it seems my weaknesses can¡¯t be helped.¡¯ Elisha¡¯s weakness in her previous life was Lucerne himself. A lingering attachment to him, to be precise. A shameless mind that couldn¡¯t help oneself despite trying to remind oneself of their poor standing andck of position and rights. It was a disgusting obsession and fixation that could not even be disguised as love. Unfortunately, this same defect was digging into Elisha¡¯s heart like a mole and trying to take root in her current life as well. ¡®Although I looked down on the people of the Cartier family who make the same boring mistakes over and over again. I might very well be the same.¡¯ Otherwise, there was no rationale for why she carried this silk pouch like some cherished treasure in her bosom. Elisha stroked the satchel and eventually pushed it back into its hiding ce. ¡®It¡¯s just for good luck. That¡¯s all.¡¯ Elisha lied to herself for the first time after turning back time. She ignored and pretended not to be aware of the flush and sudden rise of her body temperature. Instead, she simply did what she had to do. *** Chapter 178: Tpcp 178 Chapter 178: Tpcp 178 Sophie made a significant decision. Shebed Elisha¡¯s hair through, adorned it with her new pin, and uttered the practiced phrases, ¡°Madam, please overlook my frankness and be gracious with me. What will happen to me?¡± ¡°What do you mean, Sophie?¡± Elisha looking in the mirror detachedly, frowned slightly. ¡°I heard the madam is taking in a child named Lulu! Rumor has it she is from a top-notch clothing store, so she¡¯ll be able to take care of mydy¡¯s clothes¡­ ¡­ . She could very well rece me. Will I be dismissed?¡± Elisha almostughed. It was because she could guess how worried and brooding Sophie must have been before she asked this question. Yesterday she had sent her out on an errand, so she seemed to have heard rumors from the maids of other houses. ¡°Where?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Where have I hidden that child named Lulu?¡± ¡°Uh, that¡­ ¡­ .¡± Sophie¡¯s eyes sheepishly searched the ground for an answer. ¡°People are saying that the madam will help the pitiful Lulu.¡± Elisha¡¯s words were as dispassionate as her face. ¡°Who is pitiful? She must have done something to get hit.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Uh, then¡­ ¡­ . what about thewsuit¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I¡¯ve said it before. It¡¯s not a good thing to meddle too much in other people¡¯s affairs.¡± She didn¡¯t know if Lulu was actually in a pitiful situation. The child had been very spiteful towards Elisha in her previous life. She was a child who looked down on those inferior to her, so it was inevitable that those above her trampled on her. Besides, Lulu was beaten, but she wasn¡¯t crippled. All of it was justying the groundwork for a scheme Elisha was developing. ¡°Then why did you say that at tea time?¡± ¡°Well.¡± Elisha took a sip of her tea. ¡°I want the guilty person to feel ufortable.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°It¡¯s odd, isn¡¯t it? A person at a crossroads, not knowing if they will be punished.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Because of the tale of guilt, the story about the victim¡¯s misery, they¡¯ll be uneasy and think of these things. How shameless. They¡¯vemitted at least a hundred simr sins before and after. But among them, they¡¯ll only think about and be afraid of what¡¯s likely to be punished.¡± Anyway, she was d she felt that way. Sophie tilted her head. Elisha¡¯syered and implied connotations had purposes she could not easily understand. ¡°It¡¯s quite amotion, isn¡¯t it?¡± It was a bigmotion trying to cate one of the lowest chess pieces. But Elisha thought it was worth it. ¡°What? Uh, hmm, yes, indeed.¡± Sophie nodded unconsciously. Elisha¡¯s tone grew warmer. ¡°Anyway, don¡¯t worry. Onedy-in-waiting is enough for me. Problems always arise when there are three people, so I would like to decline adding one moredy-in-waiting.¡± Regardless of era, age, and gender, there will always be a dispute if there are three people. This was because the person at the center of the rtionship tended to favor one person over the other. Sophie was relieved by her remarks, not knowing what she meant. ¡°Right? I alone, am enough!¡± Elisha gave a tiny smile, adding another word to Sophie¡¯s relief. ¡°Everybody really likes gossip.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Thankfully.¡± Elisha checked the mirror onest time and left the room. It was time for her to go to see Lucerne off to work. *** ¡°Mimosa, what are you doing? Should Car wait for you?¡± ¡°Ah. sorry. Miss Car, I¡¯ll brush your hair right away.¡± Mimosa has been thinking a lottely. While waiting for Car, she remembered what had happened a few days ago. A few days ago, she ran into Elisha by chance at a store where she went for an errand. She had no idea how she had found out about the ce. Car had different shops for her hair ornaments, ribbons, and even a shop that matched small essories. Elisha was waiting at the spot where her gloves were matched. ¡®Oh, what a coincidence, Mimosa.¡¯ ¡®Did youe to seduce me to betray my master? It¡¯s no use¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ ¡®Do you know what it means to be overly self-conscious?¡¯ ¡®¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ ¡®Mimosa, I know that you didn¡¯t study hard at the girls¡¯ school affiliated with the temple when you were young. So I don¡¯t know if you know about this,¡¯ Elisha whispered softly. ¡®The word¡¯ ss.¡± ¡®¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ ¡®Do I look like I am of a ss that wille here because of you?¡¯ Mimosa¡¯s face burned like fire. Elisha was wearing her delicate sky blue dress and essorized and decked out with gold bracelets and diamond nes. She looked like she was a princess from another world. At one time, Elisha was of the lowest rank in the world of a particr ss under the rule of the Cartier family. If it was before, when she was aundromat ve Mimosa could kick her out of her way. Elisha had been of the ¡®coteral¡¯ caste. But now her status and Mimosa¡¯s standing were as remote as the vast distance between the heavens and earth. ¡®Then I¡¯ll go, if I¡¯m seen talking to thedy¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ ¡®But since I haven¡¯t seen you in a while, let me give you a piece of advice. People usually take care of what they cherish in times of crisis. Let¡¯s see who Car favors.¡¯ From the day Elisha said that Mimosa couldn¡¯t shake off the creeping sense of an encroaching ominousness. Chapter 179: Tpcp 179 Chapter 179: Tpcp 179 ¡®Is this girl Lulu really crippled? It was a bit of a beating. At the end, Miss Car made her cry profusely by deliberately pretending to hit her with a wagon. But I don¡¯t think she was hurt that much.¡¯ It happened that afternoon. The servant hase to call Car with her troubled face. ¡°An officer came from the security forces?¡± ¡°Yes, he said he wants to meet one of Car-nim¡¯sdies-in-waiting.¡± ¡°Ugh, Car doesn¡¯t have anything to do with it¡­ ¡­ .¡± Car¡¯s gaze wandered. She also knew about the ¡®Lulu¡¯swsuit¡¯ being gossiped about in society. Even so, Car took no action. Who in this empire would dare to argue with the granddaughter-inw of the Ducal Cartier household? It was the same with state institutions. However, if Lucerne were behind the incident, that would change everything. It was very possible for her maid to be arrested as a scapegoat. ¡®I can¡¯t believe it. Did youe to catch us for Lulu?¡¯ Mimosa¡¯s body was shaking. Pansy had simr thoughts and turned pale. Then Car slowly turned her head to look at Mimosa. ¡°Mimosa,e here.¡± ¡°Yes? Yes?¡± ¡°Mimosa hit her more.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°For now, go and get an investigation. Then we will talk to Jacob and send you awyer. It won¡¯t be a big deal.¡± ¡°What about Pansy?¡± ¡°Oh, my. Why are you suddenly mentioning Pansy? Pansy just got engaged. We have to give Zain face, huh? Will you show your heart for Car?¡± Pansy¡¯s fianc¨¦e, Zain, was a knight and a distant rtive of Car. So Car was responsible for her betrothal and marriage arrangements. ¡®That woman was right.¡¯ Mimosa felt heat grow hot on the back of her head and neck. ¡®Car, I¡¯ve been loyal to you until now.¡¯ Car would never marry her off to someone of status. At that thought, Mimosa¡¯s mouth burned. No, let alone getting her married; her life was in jeopardy. In the end, the reason why the security guards visited that day was not to investigate Lulu¡¯s case. Some time ago, a jewelry store in the city erroneously traded stolen goods. So, they looked into customers who had ordered jewelry at a particr time. Car was on the list of buyers. At that time, her twodies-in-waiting went to the jewelry store to run errands. Since they couldn¡¯t dare to investigate a Cartier daughter-inw, the security knights called in her maids to conduct a formal investigation. ¡°I¡¯m d it wasn¡¯t a major problem. As expected, Mimosa is lucky. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± Car was only scathing without a word of constion. ¡®I can¡¯t. You can¡¯t just trust Car. I need another rope to hold onto.¡¯ The little wedge Elisha had driven in instantly caused a great rift in Mimosa¡¯s loyalty. She started looking for an opportunity to meet Elisha without Car¡¯s knowledge. *** ¡°Madam, I want to be on your side. But I¡¯ve already been betrayed by my master once. So this time, I want to choose a really reliable master.¡± Elisha, as usual, was having her cup of tea at her cafe. Mimosa came through the back door. Elisha wasn¡¯t at the least surprised. She had given instructions in advance that if Mimosa came to visit her, they should guide her immediately. ¡°What do you mean you want?¡± ¡°You told me you would arrange a groom for me, a titled knight.¡± ¡°I did.¡± ¡°Then I want to be sure of you before I turn to your side. For example, being introduced to a knight¡­ ¡­ . Like being secretly engaged.¡± ¡°Tell me more in detail, not in a roundabout way.¡± ¡°I have to get a lifetime-titled knight of the ck Lion.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ So you want one of the Seeds?¡± Elisha was stunned. Seeds were noble war heroes. All of them were aristocratic knights for life, and they did not have to worry about making ends meet for the rest of their lives with the bounty they received every time they went to war. Additionally, their road was solid. If it was Seed, there was a possibility that they would receive the rank of Viscount in theirter years. ¡®You really don¡¯t know your ce.¡¯ However, Elisha only entertained the thought inwardly, as her expression did not change. ¡°Listening to you, it sounds like you have someone in mind.¡± Elisha thought to herself that Ian had bewitched another one. Although Ian had a somewhat suspicious past, he was quite handsome. Although only Lucerne overshadowed his handsomeness, he had a reputation for his beauty among the capital¡¯s nobledies. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ ¡­ .¡± Mimosa¡¯s eyes shed with her greed. Elisha¡¯s hand stopped. ¡°Who do you want?¡± *** Chapter 180: Tpcp 180 Chapter 180: Tpcp 180 ¡°¡­ ¡­ She said she wanted Corinne?¡± ¡°She said so. She says she¡¯s admired him for a long time. Corinne should use his handsome wiles on her.¡± Lucerne answered secondster. ¡°Corinne, the handsome seducer¨CWhat an exciting and disgusting n.¡± Elisha¡¯s scheme impressed even Lucerne. Of course, the rough Corinne was a rugged knight. Elisha slightly raised her eyebrows. ¡°Corinne is also a popr man. Some women like a tough man who is reliable. Besides, isn¡¯t he handsome enough?¡± ¡°You¡ªhow can you say another man is handsome¡ª¡± Lucerne glowered. ¡°¡ªCan¡¯t I? If you have a problem with it, please add a word to our contract not allowing me topliment the appearance of other men,¡± Elisha retorted nonchntly. Now she knew that sometimes she could answer back with a cheeky remark like this. But, as Lucerne was silent for a few seconds, she took notice and grew alert. Suddenly, he was looking at her. ¡°And you?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Is that your taste?¡± She couldn¡¯t understand what the hell he was talking about. She wondered if Lucerne was a little tired today. A person who is usually extraordinarily quick-witted had missed the point. ¡°The important thing about this job is not my taste, but Mimosa¡¯s taste.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ that¡¯s enough.¡± He looked down at Elisha and averted his eyes. Moreover, Lucerne went so far as to ask if he looked like Corinne. ¡°You don¡¯t look like him at all.¡± Frankly, Lucerne was like a rare jewel, and Corinne was the asional bear. He was in apletely different ecosystem, Elisha tly dered. ¡°Ah, yes,¡± Lucerne replied said cynically. [t1v: RIP Corinne ??] ¡®What the hell is it? Are you saying you want to be the handsome seducer?¡¯ Elisha wondered what was wrong with this man. Of course, Lucerne had the right to handle her at will. Even so, he had been way too arbitrarytely. *** Lucerne called Corinne to deliver this secret task. The butler was also present. It was because the butler was always involved in the confidential business of the knights. Elisha spoke bluntly and directly to Corinne without a change in her expression: ¡°So I want Corinne to seduce and charm Mimosa.¡± He had a hunch for a moment. If he epted this mission, he would be ridiculed and teased about it for the rest of his life. He was a straightforward knight who defeated monsters and shed people on the battlefield; he was not a spy or an agent. But Elisha was calmly watching him in silence. ¡®Ugh¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Strangely, her words could not be ignored. This was a recentmon phenomenon experienced by Seeds without any logical reasoning. ¡°It¡¯s all right to refuse. There are ways to find other suitable agents and get them to approach Mimosa. You don¡¯t have to force yourself to do something that doesn¡¯t suit your aptitude. Everyone has a ce to put their talents to good use.¡± ¡°No¡ªno, who has one talent? I¡¯m good at anything! I¡¯ll do it.¡± Besides, Corinne had a lot of pride. He had high self-esteem that bordered on bravado. ¡°Corinne, I won¡¯t forget this favor. Thank you very much.¡± Elisha spoke with a heart full of sincerity. Corinne¡¯s cheeks flushed and his shoulders tensed. ¡°But why is our general ring at me like this?¡± He finally noticed and asked. The butler cleared his throat and patted Corinne on the shoulder. ¡®Please watch your back for the time being, Corinne.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t figure out why the butler was looking at him sadly. ¡®He was young man with a bright future, what did he do wrong¡­ ¡­.¡¯ Before calling Corinne over, Lucerne had said this to the butler: ¡®When this is over, deploy Corinne to the border.¡¯ The butler had a tremendously difficult time trying to dissuade him. Corinne was a significant force and essential aide. ¡®¡­ ¡­ I get it. Fine, if that¡¯s the case, instead if he shows any signs of flirting with my wife, I¡¯ll cut him down.¡¯ The fundamental role of the butler was to manage the recruitment of knights in the mansion. So, until Elisha arrived, his job as a butler went smoothly. Fortunately, due to Corinne¡¯s personality, the possibility of him having an adulterous affair with Elisha was infinitely close to zero. So the butler was relieved that he had saved his life. Chapter 181: Tpcp 181 Chapter 181: Tpcp 181 Ian genuinely looked after Corinne as he embarked on a type of mission he never embarked on before. So he did not spare any warm aid. ¡°Corinne, everything feels strange at first. Shall I teach you how to seduce a woman? No, I have to teach you how to dress up as a woman first. Today is the day you take your first steps in espionage,¡± said Ian, patting Corinne on the shoulder. ¡°Still, you are the most handsome among the bears. Besides, you¡¯ll be the only bear in a suit, Corinne!¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°You know that the sess of your mission depends on your beauty, right?¡± Ian was informed of this n along with the butler and didn¡¯t stop teasing Corinne. Because of that, Corinne eventually exploded, grabbed Ian by the neck, and shook him, causing amotion. Other than that, things went peacefully. In the end, Corinne headed to the woods, the ¡®ce of confrontation¡¯ dressed to attend a ball, and met Mimosa, who came out secretly. Elisha, who was waiting inside the carriage, opened the window and asked: ¡°How did it go?¡± ¡°That woman¡­ ¡­ .¡± Corinne looked like he was bullied. ¡°Asked me how many children I wanted in the future¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Pfft¡ª¡± Ian couldn¡¯t stand it and covered his mouth. Simultaneously, Elisha¡¯s eyebrows twitched. ¡°Besides, her hands are¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Mimosa has big hands.¡± Elisha knew that was because in her previous life she had been hit by Mimosa¡¯s palms innumerable times. Lucerne had a puzzled expression. ¡°Huh, so did you like it?¡± ¡°What? Do I have to go all the way to marriage on this mission?¡± Corinne looked worn out. Elisha smiled softly, her eyes curling. Lucerne couldn¡¯t take his eyes off her. ¡°So, Elisha,¡± Lucerne whispered. ¡°Is there anything more to do?¡± ¡°Now that the deal is done, it¡¯s time to go im the allegiance of the new dog.¡± When Lucerne asked, the smile on Elisha¡¯s lips quickly disappeared. He felt regret burning his mouth. ¡°Mimosa, are you satisfied with what I can give you?¡± Elisha approached her and asked quietly. They met at their secret meeting spot near a secluded cabin in the woods near the capital. However, Mimosa¡¯splexion was peculiar. Her face was tense and swarthy. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± At that, Mimosa raised her head. Elisha felt something was awry. ¡°No, I¡¯m a little nervous. As you know, noble women like me are not used to dealing with men.¡± Elisha was disgusted by the shy Mimosa. Before she knew it, she was no longer bashful but grinning. ¡°From now on regrly, Miss Car¡ª no, I will report on Car¡¯s movements.¡± ¡°I do not need you to.¡± ¡°What?¡± Mimosa looked dumbfounded. But she genuinely didn¡¯t need it. Elisha was already familiar with Car¡¯s lifestyle and habits as she was with the palms of her own hands. ¡°You just do what Car tells you to do.¡± ¡°Then why on earth do you need me?¡± ¡°I will decide when I need you. Until then, don¡¯t do anything useless. Car is quick-witted,¡± Elisha instructed peacefully. Mimosa nodded with a quivering gaze. ¡°But today is the first day, so I will receive information to confirm your fidelity. Car must be grinding her teeth and digging a trap for me. What is she nning?¡± Mimosa was startled. Because she was right. ¡°¡­ ¡­ A marriage contract.¡± Elisha paused. ¡°Soon there will be rumors. Rumors that you are already married to another man,¡± Then, Mimosa added, ¡°Car has the evidence.¡± And she discreetly left the meeting spot. Elisha¡¯s forehead narrowed into a frown, her lips pursed. ¡®I see¡­ Car, you¡¯ve pulled out the card. A card called ¡®Zain.¡± Her face evened out to a smooth expressionless mask. ¡®This is great. I never thought you¡¯d still have proof of that.¡¯ She bit her lip. A chilling memory came up before her hazy gaze: A dark hut. The sound of men¡¯s footsteps. And her neck dripping blood¡­ ¡­ . ¡®Is this a sign you¡¯ll do that again?¡¯ What would happen if Lucerne knew about that? That was the only thing she cared about. This was because Car¡¯s schemes this time were not daunting, except for when the variable was Lucerne. *** Chapter 182: Tpcp 182 Chapter 182: Tpcp 182 A piece of paper was in Car¡¯s hand. The ancient scroll was damp and crumpled here and there. However, it was a handwritten document written on the finest paper. [Bride: Elisha de Lor. Groom: Zain de Carlton. After her marriage, Elisha de Lor transfers her former property to her husband¡¯s side. ¡­ ¡­ Elisha de Lor cannot demand a divorce.] A smile came to Car¡¯s lips as she read the contents of the following marriage contract. ¡°Elisha is such a fool! If she had married quietly, she could have livedfortably as a knight¡¯s wife without being subjected to harsh things!¡± Car grinned. ¡°Bigamy! She would have never confided her past to Lucerne, hmm? Poor Lucerne, how could he get caught by such a crazy bitch. Car is so upset.¡± Mimosa watched the giggling Car with cold regard. Then, she turned her attention to her. ¡°Right, Mimosa? Car, out of good will, familiarizes Lucerne about Elisha¡¯s past. Naturally, the more outstanding a man is, the more likely he is to be hooked by an evil wrench. Isn¡¯t that what Car¡¯s mother said?¡± Mimosa grinned shrewdly and affirmed her words. ¡°Do not worry. I secretly spread rumors to the social world through the maids I know.¡± She spread it so well that the news entered Elisha¡¯s ears first. However, she was not obliged to tell her that. Now, she wasn¡¯t Car¡¯s dog. Mimosa hoped that this rumor would spread viciously and violently. Enough to give Elisha a blow. ¡®So Elisha will really appreciate the information I gave her!¡¯ A dog that had changed owners desperately wanted to be loved by its new owner. *** Hearsays began to circte in the capital¡¯s social circles. The gossip was so provocative that it disseminated quickly. ¡°Is it true that the general¡¯s wife is already married?¡± ¡°I heard she had a very intimate rtionship with a knight?¡± ¡°Really! They even wrote a marriage contract!¡± ¡°The High General married her to obtain her aristocratic status and title. So, isn¡¯t this a fraudulent marriage?¡± This tale was a good quarry for those regretting that thewsuit did not grow into a bigger confrontation. *** Summer arrived. Lucerne¡¯s business trips to the provinces became frequent. The day after meeting Mimosa in the forest, Lucerne immediately vacated the mansion. A week passed. Elisha remained alone in the mansion, writing Rosaria a letter of thanks and regards. Thank you for your help. I won¡¯t forget this. I¡¯ll visit you soon with my husband. Through the open window, a warm breeze gently tickled her ears. ¡°Madam! I went to the dressing room today and heard a lot of nonsensical gibberish! ¡ªThis is nder!¡± The door burst open. Sophie had gone to the dressing room to run errands. She was in tears. ¡®Sophie has a capablework.¡¯ Elisha was impressed with her. It urred to her that maybe she could use her and her social circle as informants. Rumors spread within a week. The skills of Car¡¯s maids were nothing to scoff at either. ¡°Talk that I am a bigamist?¡± She was taken aback by Elisha¡¯s frankness. She covered her mouth in shock and looked around. ¡°So then?¡± ¡°So, I have been quarreling over such ridiculous drivels.¡± Elisha smiled and then pointed to her finished letter. ¡°Just mail the letter.¡± Then Elisha heard the sound of a carriage arriving through her wide open window. *** Typically, gossip circting amongdies in aristocratic high society did not leak easily to the menfolk. However, Lucerne constantly received reports about the tiniest things about Elisha from inside and outside the mansion. Therefore it was not difficult for the rumors about Elisha to reach his ears. Lucerne was returning from an inspection of the local army. Throughout his return schedule, he didn¡¯t say a word. Just hours before, Ian had briefed him that stories about Elisha were spreading throughout the capital. After that, his demeanor turned chilly. All the subordinates took notice of him and tip-toed around him. Ian even broke out in a cold sweat. ¡°The rumors about the madam cannot be true. What kind of person is she? Even if it happened¡ª¡± ¡°I never said you could talk. Ian.¡± Ian quickly bit his tongue and firmly sealed his lips. Lucerne lightly cracked his neck in his carriage. ¡°Odd.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°The more I tell myself it¡¯s nothing the more I¡¯m annoyed,¡± Lucerne muttered. Ian looked up. ¡°When we arrive, notify them not to let anyone on the floor that my wife and I use.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°No matter what you hear, you don¡¯t have toe running.¡± I think we need to have a thorough talk, he thought. Perhaps it was the story that would determine her treatment in the future. Lucerne tapped the carriage seat with his fingertips. Chapter 183: Tpcp 183 Chapter 183: Tpcp 183 Like knights fighting on the battlefield, noblewomen fought too. But what differed was that they did not sh with swords. Ladies often attacked their opponents with invisible weapons. Among them, the means of gossip was quite low. Frontal assaults could be dodged or blocked. However, rumors permeate among people, like smoke and maligning someone. Until the person who started the rumors revealed the truth, the only thing one could do was endure it silently. At such a time, any arguments were meaningless. Instead, any action worked like throwing in a spark amongst kindling. ¡®Or cover up the rumor by making a bigger rumor. Anyway, all I have to do is prepare the grounds for the defense,¡¯ Elisha thought without much emotion. During the time Lucerne was away, the story got more out of hand, and Sophie wailed the whole time. ¡°Madam, you can¡¯t stay still. Those who spread rumors should be shamed publicly!¡± Instead, Elisha was fascinated by Sophie¡¯s bright and passionate emotions. How could she be so indignant about other people¡¯s affairs? She was not used to having others take her side. ¡°On what grounds does Sophie believe in me?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I could have really been bigamous. Then I will be divorced. I will no longer be your mistress.¡± Sophie blinked. It looked like she hadn¡¯t thought of that. ¡°But now you are my mistress¡­ ¡­ . Madam has always been kind to me¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha was an excellentdy to serve. She never unnecessarily bothered her subordinates and was always calm and level-headed. Masters with mood swings would make their subordinates tremble and hypervignt. ¡®Innocence is also a talent.¡¯ If everyone was the same as Sophie, there is no need to distrust and doubt. There would be no need to lie. Unfortunately, however, the rtionship between Lucerne and Elisha was not so simple. She had to be mindful of the beast¡¯s whims when she was with him. After all, he was a predator, and he inevitably owned Elisha. If he changed his mind and decided to bite Elisha, there was no recourse. Right now¡­ ¡­ . It was inevitable. ¡®That¡¯s why I have no choice but to test him.¡¯ Although Lucerne hated her being cautious and testing him. But without a test, Elisha had no clue about her future path with him. Shouldn¡¯t she know whether the road in front of her led to a cliff? ¡°Besides, the madam is smart!¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ . is that so? But why does that matter?¡± ¡°My mother said such a thing. Smart people never spark a fire. Because the general is a very scary person¡­ ¡­ . If you had done anything to upset such a man, thedy¡¯s face would have been filled with apprehension every day. But you aren¡¯t? Aren¡¯t you instead proud?¡± Elisha was quite impressed this time. She thought there was a wisdom to keeping everything simple. ¡°You have a wise mother.¡± Sophie was shy and a little embarrassed by the praise. Elisha smiled briefly. ¡°So¡­ ¡­ . I¡­ ¡­ . I also have a lot of maid friends! Shall I spread a rumor that the madam is innocent?¡± ¡°Do nothing,¡± Elisha ordered quietly. ¡°Don¡¯t do anything.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Elisha looked at the papers on her desk. It was a document she had requested from Rosaria and issued by the High Temple. It was proof that her previous marriage was invalid and that her family register was clear until she married Lucerne. ¡®If I show this, I can prove my innocence to Lucerne.¡¯ But if Lucerne became emotional, degraded her, harassed her, or tried to throw her out¡­. she couldn¡¯t help it. Instead, if she remained calm and cool-headed, she could get a glimpse of Lucerne¡¯s underside revealed when she wasn¡¯t perfect. Everyone Elisha knew from the Cartier household threw away their possession as soon as they were scratched. Even if that¡¯s a thing of the past. There were no exceptions. *** Then the sound of a carriage arriving resounded from outside the window. Elisha peered outside. Lucerne¡¯s jet-ck carriage was pulling through the front door. Normally, she would have greeted him. But not today. Rather, Elisha calmly sat down and waited for him. She sat in the middle of the drawing room where the couple often spent time. Click. The door opened. She looked into Lucerne¡¯s eyes. And had a hunch: he knew everything. ¡°You¡¯ve arrived.¡± Lucerne lightly nodded. He examined Elisha with careful regard. She felt like she was naked wherever his gazended. She thought she would be fine but¡­ ¡­ . Elisha¡¯s shoulders tensed up and shrank at the sight of his chilly, stiff countenance. Maybe this wouldn¡¯t pass as easily as the love letter incident. Now was perhaps the limit of his patience. ¡°If you¡¯re going to be making such a guilty face,¡± Lucerne said. ¡°Why don¡¯t you pretend to be shivering?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ I don¡¯t know what you mean.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you well aware that my heart will grow weak again when I see you frightened?¡± Lucerne posed affectionately. Elisha wanted to bite her lip. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were interested in the gossip of women.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m interested in gossip, it¡¯s that I¡¯m interested in the womenponent. And you are the only woman for me right now,¡± Lucerne rifiednguidly. ¡°What rumors have you heard?¡± ¡°Rumor has it that you have previously written a marriage contract with a certain man.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°So tell me now if there¡¯s anything else I should be more angry about.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Because you already have to be punished for what you¡¯ve been hiding all this time.¡± Silence passed between them. Elisha felt dizzy. He never took his gaze off of her. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± He took one step closer. ¡°Should I interrogate you in a more private ce?¡± She wanted to ask where the other ce was. But for some reason, she felt like she shouldn¡¯t know. He came up to her and grabbed her arm. ¡°What you heard is right.¡± Elisha saw sparks sh in his eyes. He calmly suppressed it and said: ¡°Evidence.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ What?¡± ¡°Bring me evidence. I don¡¯t believe anything without proof.¡± Lucerne¡¯s grip on her arm tightened. Elisha was out of breath as if she had been running. ¡°The evidence is probably in Car¡¯s hands. Seeing that the rumors spread as wide and as fast as they have, it must be her doing.¡± Elisha barely managed to get that out. ¡°Then, you should manipte me with your clever tongue, that¡¯s your specialty. This is yourst chance to relieve my anger.¡± Unconsciously, Elisha tried to pull out her arm from his grasp. That ignited a certain emotion in Lucerne. Something like a light shed in his eyes. He did not tolerate Elisha¡¯s rejection. It was something he really hated. Elisha knew that. ¡°Ah!¡± Lucerne hugged her abruptly. When she came to her senses, she was lying face down on hisp. And Lucerne was sitting on the big long sofa in the farthest part of the parlor, with her on hisp. Then something happened that Elisha never could have dreamed of in her life. Lucerne pulled up Elisha¡¯s skirt and pped her on the butt. p! Chapter 184: Tpcp 184 Chapter 184: Tpcp 184 The sound of his big, thick palms and flesh hitting her resonated in her ears. She had endured all sorts of shameful things in her past life, but this kind of insult was the first of its kind. And the one who did this¡­ ¡­ was her husband. ¡°What is this¡­ ¡­ . What are you doing?¡± While waiting for him, Elisha had imagined all sorts of scenarios. But she never imagined she would end up like this. Her voice trembled, and her ears turned red. ¡°What are you doing?¡± p! Her ass stung again. If Lucerne hit her properly with that big hand, Elisha would have passed out by now. She knew he was controlling his strength. So the reason her ass was burning now was because of shame. For the first time, Elisha learned that sometimes shame was harder than being hit painfully. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you, so let me go,¡± Elisha gasped. ¡°¡ªPlease.¡± Lucerne gnashed his teeth as if he was holding back something. He let her go. Elisha pulled herself up together, still on the sofa, and red at him as she straightened herself out. ¡°What is this¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°It made you want to talk,¡± Lucerne whispered. ¡°Why are you running away and closing up? I told you not to do that.¡± Elisha, who was adjusting her hair and clothes, stopped moving. Her eyes shook. ¡°You wondered what I was going to do? Why. Do you think I¡¯ll give you a free divorce if you¡¯re a bigamist?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ It¡¯s not like that.¡± ¡°Ah, yes, it must be because you¡¯re so shrewd. You wondered how rough I¡¯d go on you? Does knowing the worst in advance make you feel at ease?¡± Those words were correct. ¡°How many times do I have to tell you to understand? You can¡¯t imagine the worst. You¡¯ll think that Jacob, who even gave you a sry while doing theundry, was generous.¡± Elisha couldn¡¯t even shake off his hand. She was also afraid that he would hit her ass again if she rejected him. ¡°Don¡¯t do that,¡± said Elisha. Lucerne¡¯s hand dropped slowly. ¡°¡­ ¡­ I¡¯ll tell you everything you¡¯re curious about. That¡¯s it.¡± Elisha wondered if he knew she had something to hide from him. After all, she had never received that kind of consideration from him. ¡°Good, a little more and I would have stripped you naked and interrogated you. You don¡¯t want to be treated like a real prisoner, do you?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ Lucerne!¡± ¡°Why? I think you will enjoy it too.¡± Elisha¡¯s ears turned red as if they were about to explode. ¡°Then.¡± Lucerne¡¯s expression changed. ¡°Tell me the name of the guy who wrote the marriage contract with you.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ What are you going to do?¡± ¡°Tear him into pieces and murder him. That way you will be a widow.¡± She detected his terrible possessiveness behind those words. ¡°I don¡¯t give mine to anyone. It was the same in the past and it is the same now.¡± Elisha tried to stay calm. Lucerne was dangerous. In a moment, he shook her. ¡°The inside story¡­ ¡­ . Aren¡¯t you curious?¡± ¡°Inside story?¡± He leaned over her. Elisha shrank back. ¡°It is fortunate that our marriage is still under contract,¡± Lucerne said affectionately. ¡°Haven¡¯t you made the offer you made to me with another man? I¡¯m not the first. If I think about it, my blood boils and eyes feel like they¡¯ll roll back in fury.¡± Chapter 185: Tpcp 185 Chapter 185: Tpcp 185 Lucerne looked like he had already stabbed someone to death in his head a thousand times. But that someone was not Elisha. He imagined murdering the man she had written a marriage contract with first. ¡°Don¡¯t treat me like a fool, Elisha.¡± Elisha¡¯s eyes trembled, her gaze wavering. ¡°¡­ ¡­ . What do you mean?¡± ¡°You already know everything. How obliging do I have to be?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ Please exin.¡± ¡°First¨CPhysically, I¡¯m your first man, right?¡± Elisha flinched. She didn¡¯t expect him to know. Although she bled a little bit when they had their first rtionship, that didn¡¯t necessarily mean he was her first. ¡°Is that important?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t avoid the subject. As you know, if physical rtions are absent from a marriage between aristocrats, it¡¯s invalid ording to thew.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°So, fortunately, the previous marriage must have been annulled. Then, don¡¯t I just need to shut the mouths of the people involved?¡± ¡°Do you think so?¡± Lucerne met her gazepletely. ¡°Elisha, you lived in a monastery, and then were dragged away by Jacob to be held captive and forced to work. Therefore, it is highly likely that the marriage contract was forced upon you. Probably because of wealth.¡± She flinched. She couldn¡¯t deny a single thing. ¡°So, Elisha.¡± He leaned over and said, ¡°Go ahead and tell me the other person¡¯s name.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°If you offer me someone to punish instead of you, you will face less admonition. You¡¯re clever, you know,¡± Lucerne whispered gently as if he were pacifying a child. Finally, she opened her mouth. ¡°You are right. I almost got married by force.¡± Elisha sat next to him and resolved herself. Little by little, she found herposure, grounding herself with her hand on the couch. ¡°Where I worked, in Jacob¡¯sundry room, before I met you¡­. there was a story that the women worshiped like a fairy tale. Jacob offered to reward a knight who won merit. The knight asked for a woman as his prize. She was a woman who was in the same situation as myself and the others, an enved ¡®coteral.¡¯ The story goes that the woman married the knight and lived happily as a proper wife, without having to work or pay off her debts.¡± ¡°Are you the protagonist of that romantic story?¡± Lucerne asked coldly. Elisha flinched. Indeed, he was quick-witted. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± He nodded to encourage her to continue exining. ¡°It happened when my father died and I was just captured.¡± It was the night the castle of Lor burned. At that time, she resided in a monastery, isted from the world. In the middle of the night, she was abruptly torn from her bed and abducted by Jacob¡¯s knights. Elisha was barefoot, and her long blonde hair was disheveled. Because she was roughly dragged away, the skirt of her nightgown tore. She was brought to a cabin in the woods surrounded by Jacob¡¯s soldiers¡¯ camp, where they had set up their barracks. The cabin door burst open, and people came in. A knight in front of her held a man¡¯s neck, dripping with blood. She only found outter that the bloody neck belonged to her biological father, Count Lor. ¡°They said the knight¡¯s name was Zain. Although he belongs to the House of Cartier¡¯s knighthood, he¡¯s actually one of Jacob¡¯s closest aides.¡± Additionally, Zain was Car¡¯s distant rtive. Even before they got married, he had been supporting Jacob. His swordsmanship was mediocre, but he got lucky that night. He made a contribution in thest battle in the war over the fiefdom. It had been that very day that Count Lor ran amok with his sword and nearly stabbed Jacob. Instead, it was Zain who saved him and cut the Count. ¡®Ah, I heard that Jacob was injured at the hands of Count Lor. Looks like we¡¯ll have to take our anger out on this woman today.¡¯ Her knights looked at Elisha and snickered. Zain licked his lips. He was pretty good-looking, but his face was full of shrewdness, greed, and miserliness. He seemed like a man that was only humble to the strong and infinitely cruel to the weak. ¡®Is this woman Lor¡¯s daughter?¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m sure the rest of them were in. Lor had a bunch of illegitimate children.¡¯ Zain had a conversation with the knight sitting next to him. ¡®An illegitimate child cannot inherit a title. Is she the daughter of his wife?¡¯ ¡®Yes, she is thewful daughter of an ex-wife to whom he was married to at the time of her birth.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯ve taken a liking to her. As expected, bitches from the Kingdom Union are pretty.¡¯ Elisha was separated from her father when she was very young and never knew his face. However, her father, with whom she had suddenly been reunited after a very long time, had his neck severed before her wide-open eyes. It was an earth-shattering shock. ¡°So then?¡± Lucerne listened to her story in silence. ¡°Reality is not a fairy tale, but the domain of dirty beasts. Zain fancied me.¡± Zain watched Elisha and licked his lips. ¡®It¡¯s wonderful to see such a precious-looking bitch cry. She¡¯s a bit too young, but it isn¡¯t bad.¡¯ Zain didn¡¯t let anyone touch her. Then he went to Jacob and asked her to be his bride. ¡°Actually, it was like this: Zain signed a contract to take me as his wife as a bonus and leave most of Count Lor¡¯s property to Jacob. It¡¯s amon loophold and duplicite procedure. How to get anyone to marry and write a memorandum of property transfer. The husband steals the property and gives it to Jacob.¡± But that was a method Jacob was not fond of. His technique was to seize and fetter young noble girls. Because they were the most powerless andter became a source of money. For the property transfer agreement to take effect, the prey had to be at least 19 years old. Married life was personal and private, so the marriage was maintained until the age of 19, but it could not be monitored. Moreover, even if the opponent is an adult, it took at least a few years to siphon off the property. Besides, if one was unlucky, the coerced bride would die from abuse. In many ways, the cleanest way was to simply lock up the coteral and clear the debt. If Zain hadn¡¯t saved his life that night, Jacob would never have allowed Elisha and him to marry. ¡°I was very young then and was at my wits end and couldn¡¯t think clearly. I had no choice but to sign it and do as I was told. I didn¡¯t even know what I was writing. They even made me write a blood note and sign it.¡± ¡°And?¡± Lucerne¡¯s body began to exude a subtle rage. At the time, she was fourteen years old. He knew that. ¡°Then, I was forcibly taken to the bridal chamber. In fact, it wasn¡¯t even a clean room. It was just Zain¡¯s room. There was a damp, old nket on the bed.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I came to my senses right before I was raped. Fortunately, nothing happened that night. I took out the dagger from Zain¡¯s bosom and wounded him in the shoulder. And ran out of the room almost naked.¡± Elisha continued, ¡°Then I bumped into Jacob in the hallway. He intently ogled my body then.¡± At that time, Jacob was with Car, who was clinging to his arm. Car red at her with her eyes wide and sharp. ¡°¡­ ¡­ you must have caught Jacob¡¯s eye.¡± Elisha nodded, expressionless. Chapter 186: Tpcp 186 Chapter 186: Tpcp 186 ¡°Simr. Jacob said it was a waste to give me to Zain. So he suggested giving Zain another woman. I was too young at the time¡­ ¡­ . he wanted to touch me once I grew up.¡± Elisha even felt a little fear pricking her from Lucerne¡¯s chilly stare. ¡°Besides, Zain lost face by being stabbed by me.¡± ¡°Is that why the marriage came to naught?¡± ¡°Yes, Zain said he would give up on me. His excitement must have cooled since I came out stronger than he expected.¡± And that night, Jacob sent Zain courtesans to rece her. Elisha thought back on her fleeting vindictive rtionship with Zain. In her previous life, he held a grudge against her for it. The scars and burns on her face and her ugliness made him lose face even more. Afterwards, Zain felt ashamed of having proposed to her and was cruel to her. One day he even threw her into muddy water in front of many people. That day she was half-naked, trembling in fear, and fled to her lodgings. Every time she was involved with the Cartier family, it was an ominous, ill-fated rtionship. Looking back on her first timeline, in the future she was treated so brutally by them as if it had been already predetermined. Even her biological father, whom she couldn¡¯t even remember his appearance, Count Lor, had an ominous fate with the neighboring Cartier family. He injured Jacob¡¯s body on the day his estate copsed. ¡°But Jacob has a lot of women. He just threw me in theundry room and forgot about me. After that, time passed and I met you. That¡¯s all.¡± ¡°I understand a little bit now,¡± Lucerne said quietly. ¡°Your hatred of the House of Cartier.¡± She nodded her head. ¡°I want you to be the head of the household. Because that would be the most painful revenge on Jacob and make him most miserable. I want to see him go mad with anger.¡± Lucerne seemed to be suppressing his emotions. Instead, he stated softly, ¡°Anyways, I get it. I¡¯ll take care of this.¡± Instantly, she felt relieved. He didn¡¯t throw her out. Something blocked and choked her throat. Elisha savored the sensation but tried not to let her emotions out. ¡°Thank you for understanding.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to deceive you. I honestly didn¡¯t know there was still evidence of that marriage. It¡¯s probably the proof Car has. I was tipped off by Mimosa.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°If you think I am sullied, I apologize. All marriages between nobles are recorded in the High Temple. I mailed a request to Rosaria and received the document of my marriage annulment.¡± ¡°Did you think I would be relieved by this and say you were untarnished?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Lucerne clicked his tongue. ¡°The letters you sent¡ªyou think I wouldn¡¯t know?¡± Elisha couldn¡¯t understand his words at first. After a moment, she understood what he meant. ¡°You mean¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha¡¯s lips quivered. Lucerne knew it all from the beginning. She was aware he was monitoring even her private life. She wrote a letter to Rosaria, so of course¡­ ¡­ . ¡°Then why are you angry?¡± Elisha asked in dismay. ¡°I told you. It is uneptable for you to hide something from me.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Do you hide what could have been your weakness like this?¡± She realized why Lucerne was angry. It wasn¡¯t that she had a w. He was angry at the fact that she had a past he didn¡¯t know about. ¡°You knew the rumors would spread.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ No one can stop rumors.¡± Lucerne smiled. ¡°There is nothing impossible in the world, Elisha.¡± She silently lowered her head. It has always been difficult for her to speak her mind. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I struggled because it was difficult to talk about. In case, you¡­ ¡­ lest you suspect that I really was the wife of another man.¡± ¡°I¡¯m doing something called jealousy these days,¡± Lucerne admittednguidly. ¡°Still, my reason hasn¡¯tpletely disappeared.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°You are mine. Elisha. So I have a duty to protect you.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Do you understand what I mean?¡± Elisha meekly nodded her head. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you everything next time.¡± Chapter 187: Tpcp 187 Chapter 187: Tpcp 187 ¡°All right.¡± Lucerne nodded in agreement. ¡°I won¡¯t forgive Car. She used a traumatic nightmare to attack me this time.¡± Elisha hated Car in that respect. Back then, Zain had not suddenly fallen in love with Elisha at first sight. Although Zain was a distant rtive of Car¡¯s, he was only from a lower-status coteral family of her excellently titled house. Thus he harbored a kind of obsession and jealousy toward noblewomen. So, he coveted themonly blonde prestigious aristocraticdy oft-found in the Kingdom¡¯s Union as a wife, like Elisha. After years of ying around and roughing her up like his property, she intended to divorce her. It was very likely that Elisha would have been beaten to death during their marriage. ¡®Zain is Car¡¯s distant rtive, and her childhood sweetheart. So Car was envious of me.¡¯ When Zain showed his avarice for her, and even Car¡¯s trusted seer gave her a fortune that Elisha was ¡®a woman who would steal her man¡¯, she found ample reason and the foundation to loathe her. And Jacob? Jacob even forgot his desire to ravish her. Their interest in Elisha was violence and harassment, excused as sexual desire. But Car was the kind of person who was jealous of even that. It was utterly iprehensible to Elisha. ¡°I see,¡± Lucerne noted. ¡°Car can no longer be overlooked. I¡¯ll handle it.¡± Elisha licked her lips. If Car were to be destroyed, it would not be resolved with a simple death. She had to solve all theplicated problems together. ¡°Lucerne.¡± Elisha summoned up her courage and beckoned him. ¡°Do you want our marriage contract to go on?¡± Lucerne held her gaze calmly. ¡°Yes,¡± he replied briefly and solidly. It was a tone that strangely made her imagination grow bloated with many things. ¡°Then help avenge me. You know, if I divorce you, I can fall into the hands of the Jacobs at any time.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Can you¡­ ¡­ . Will you believe in the heart of a weak person who has nowhere else to turn but you? Even if I show my sincerity to you, it¡¯s the words of a cornered woman who has nowhere to run.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Does the sincerity and earnestness of such a person mean anything to you?¡± No one wanted a humble heart. It was thew. Instead, the heart of a powerful person with many options was seen as noble and desirous. ¡°Do you want me to value and consider your heart?¡± Elisha nodded. ¡°Everyone enjoys a profitable deal.¡± She touched Lucerne¡¯s cor. He didn¡¯t trust her. But he was discovering her uses and his appetite for her. He wanted her and their marriage tost. At least, her small existence¡­ ¡­ . He had an attachment to. That¡¯s what she gathered from this situation, so Elisha decided to use herself. From the night she walked to Lucerne¡¯s room in her ripped nightgown, her way of survival had already been determined from before. ¡°I will concede that I am yours.¡± She moved closer to Lucerne. To the point where she could steal his lips whenever she wanted. Very close. She couldn¡¯t hope for equality in their rtionship right now. Even if she refused him, if he wanted to, he could easily overpower her and take what he wanted at a moment¡¯s notice. ¡°Then, I want to be the most valuable thing you have.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ What do you want after that foolish quarrel and conspiracy using Mimosa?¡± ¡°I hope you will get along well with the ducal head.¡± Lucerne approached. He lifted her chin with one of his fingers. ¡°And?¡± ¡°I hope you will assist me with the n I have in mind.¡± Lucerne¡¯s lips moved. Elisha learned to barter with his heart. ¡°Its strange. Most of what you¡¯re saying sounds like an attractive proposition.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Then why am I still displeased? Just because you¡¯ve been hiding such a thing?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Your bright and hopeful n or whatever¡ªI just want to go right now and cut down the bastard.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always done that. You have to pay the price for trying me.¡± Elisha blue eyes watched him. She closed her eyes and kissed him. Lucerne held her arms andid her on the sofa. Chu, kiss Elisha carefully licked and sucked his hot, thick tongue and prated his mouth. Her toes twitched whenever the tip of his tongue brushed against hers. ¡°You¡¯re doing great,¡± He whispered. ¡°Then I¡¯ll suck on your lower lips now.¡± ¡°Agh!¡± Elisha¡¯s skirt flew up. Abruptly it concurred to her that it was before she even had dinner. Before she even took a bath. She thought she was done for the day. Elisha spread her legs obediently, praying that tomorrow morning she would have the strength to do what she needed to do. ¡°Oh, yes¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha¡¯s hot moan rose. And as Lucerne ordered, no one approached the floor they were on. *** ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Ha¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha felt her whole body was heavy and limp like a wet cloth. ¡®In the drawing room¡­ ¡­ . We have already done it twice. So why¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ She paid for her deception on the sofa in the drawing room. Then he nailed her to the wall while making her look at him. Whenever she averted her eyes, he would harass and tease her so much that she was utterly exhausted and struggling. After the second time, Lucerne picked her up and carried her into the bedroom. It¡¯s finally over. She thought. But that was just a wistful illusion. Chapter 188: Tpcp 188 Chapter 188: Tpcp 188 Unfortunately, her forebodings always came to pass. Even when they went to the bedroom, they continued to be entangled. ¡°Huh, uhhhhh. Sto¡ª¡­ ¡­ .¡± Without thinking, she fled to the bed. Thud. He came in with a big push, and she gasped. ¡°Huh!¡± Elisha made a dribbling noise, already drooling. ¡®My strength¡­ ¡­ . is fleeing¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Elisha felt her weak body being stirred and jolted. She jerked forward, and her head almost hit the headboard of her bed. ¡°Ha¡­ ¡­ . ugh¡­ ¡­ .¡± Lucerne cradled her head, putting his hand between her and the wall. Elisha¡¯s forehead rubbed against his thick palm, which served as her buffer. As Lucerne drew her forehead around gently there was no way she could escape. ¡°Huh, uh¡ª¡± And he stared at her smooth back as if it were an endearing sight. Lucerne licked her lips. ¡°It is strange. Why is it not enough even when I am devouring you?¡± ¡°Haaa!¡± ¡°No. Are you devouring me now?¡± Puck!¡ª he mused, while pounding hard and steadily. Even though he spewed semen twice, his ejacte and erection were still thick. The two testicles, like leather pouches, ttered between Elisha¡¯s buttocks with a heavy p. Elisha let out a breaking down sound as she felt it pummel against her flesh. ¡°Now¡­ ¡­ . ¡ªstop. He¡ªhnghhh¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Lift your ass.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too hard, Lucerne. Please¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°No. Not a chance. Not yet,¡± Lucerne demarcated. He led Elisha¡¯s cheek gently toy on the bed sheets. She clutched at the cloth, barely managing to do even that. Her ass poked high in the air as if for mating in heat, and she felt vulnerable and embarrassed. Her body gradually lost sensation. Pound. p. Puck¡ª Except for the feeling of being pricked by a gigantic penis stirring and suffocating her insides. Even the sweet taste in her mouth gradually disappeared. Elisha closed her eyes, drowsy and delirious. The possibility that Lucerne might start questioning her made her nervous. Her loose body was now being mercilessly attacked; she didn¡¯t have confidence in her ability to stay sane in this situation. p! Lucerne¡¯s hand hit her asscheek. Elisha¡¯s eyes, just barely holding on before, were now wide open. ¡°Oh¡ª stop¡­¡± p! His big hand smacked her ass. Her immacte cheek jiggled in the air. Soon, red handprints appeared on her white buttocks. ¡°Hugh!¡± ¡°When I asked you to beg earlier, you only blinked like a doll.¡± p! ¡°Huh!¡± ¡°What if you beg now?¡± Lucerne remarkednguidly. ¡°Stop it, it¡¯s weird¡­ ¡­ . really¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha sobbed and begged. She was scared because she couldn¡¯t see his face. But she felt an unfamiliar thrill of masochism. The sensations warmed her naval and coiled like a snake around her spine, producing a sharp, stinging pleasure. She had never felt like this before. She was afraid. Like walking on a thin and precarious wooden bridge. Never knowing when you¡¯re going to fall. It felt just like that. Every time he baptized her with his palms, her whole body twitched. Saliva was dripping from the corner of her mouth, but she wasn¡¯t aware of it. She wanted to cry. But Lucerne did not ease his hands. He didn¡¯t even stop thrusting. Elisha couldn¡¯te to her senses as he stroked and pounded her alternately with the hot stimtion of hitting her buttocks. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Elisha finally gasped and whispered with a sniff. ¡°Lucerne, I was wrong.¡± ¡°What?¡± Lucerne froze. She was numb except for the throbbing of his huge cock pressing painfully into the inside of her stomach. ¡°I won¡¯t do it again. I won¡¯t test.¡± At the same time as Elisha¡¯s answer, he moved again. Thump, thump! Lucerne began to arch his back and drive in without mercy. Elisha shook her ass, grabbing the sheets. ¡°I¡¯m going crazy,¡± Lucerne professed in aughing voice. Her back felt a little sluggish. ¡°He he¡ªhughh¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha¡¯s slender backline trembled at her rough pleasure. Even her breasts, her pointy nipples pressed against the sheet, felt strange. ¡°Huh, ha¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Go on,¡± Lucerne urged with a whisper. ¡°You should acknowledge what you did wrong.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t trouble over¡ª probe your intentions¡­ ¡­ . I¡¯ll do as I¡¯m told¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha inhaled and pleaded with thest bit of her energy. She didn¡¯t even know what she was begging for. When she reached the zenith of pleasure with such a feral entangling and wild embrace she utterly lost the ability to conceal herself. She had no choice but to tantly disyed the broken side of herself like that. ¡°Lucerne¡ª please¡­ ¡­ . now ¡­ ¡­ .¡± However, Lucerne moved his back sharply again. Elish cracked up, her shoulders quavering. ¡°And why shouldn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Because I am yours.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Thus¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha squeezed out the answer she knew he wanted to hear. Lucerne behind her was silent for a moment. Soon after, he started shoveling his genitals again. He grabbed her ass cheeks with both hands and spread them open up to the limit, revealing everything, even her small anus. Meanwhile, the hole between her immacte thighs was sucking hard on Lucerne¡¯s organ, making a puckering sound. A stream of sap entrapped his stiff pubic hair. ¡°Good girl.¡± ¡°Ughnn¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Why do you only act so alluringly adorable when you take off your clothes? By andrge.¡± ¡°Sniff!¡± ¡°How kind of you to be so candidly honest.¡± Elisha felt wronged. How could she be unkind to him? He won¡¯t spare her even if she rebels in the slightest. And then¡­ ¡­ . You¡¯re driving me crazy, Lucerne whispered. Strangely, at that statement, she could no longer constrain her sobs. ¡°Hunh, Lucerne¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Come on¡­ ¡­ . I¡¯ve¡ªalways, with you¡­ ¡­ . been kind.¡± If she didn¡¯t, she would be immediately kicked out. He would never understand her heart. However, Lucerne seemed to have been oddly provoked by her reply. Uhn, his exhaled breath was hot. His breathing grew deeper. Elisha gripped his member from inside and pressed her ass all the way up his shaft to get it over quickly. As if drinking up his testicles. She shifted and brought more of her ass on him. ¡°It¡¯s hard now¡­ ¡­ . I can¡¯t go any further.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Do it. Hurry,¡± Elisha urgently whispered. ¡°Ah!¡± Suddenly he lifted her torso. Coiling around Elisha¡¯s body like a rope from behind. His club-like genitals were firmly raised from below, sticking up and stuck, mming into ce. He then held her up by her knees, dangling in the air. But he pummeled her so hard she jiggled, floating in the air. ¡°Ah, ah, Lucerne¡ªoh, that¡¯s strange¡­Lucerne¡­ ¡­ .¡± A sense of cracking. A pleasure that could not be overlooked. A sense of depravity. Trepidation. Lust. Numerous emotions were snarled, churned and awakened together. The denser the fervency unfolded, the thicker and clearer the slicky stream gushed from between her legs. In the spot already stained with semen, Lucerne pierced her to the point that it couldn¡¯t go any deeper. Elisha¡¯s entire body trembled at thest couple of thrusts impaling her from below. ¡°Huh, ha¡­ ¡­ .¡± Her tear-tangled eyshes fluttered. Clear tears fell. His hard, sweaty body thoroughly inteced Elisha¡¯s tiny frame from behind. She felt herself rx and grow limp in his arms, her heavy eyelids drooping. ¡®I¡¯m going to die.¡¯ Lucerne then let her go as if assuaged. Relieved, Elisha lost consciousness. Perhaps, a man like this, a normal woman could never handle. She reflected before passing out: It would be hard for any woman to live like this every day and stay sane. Chapter 189: Tpcp 189 Chapter 189: Tpcp 189 The Head of the household was significantly responsible for the work of the Duchy of Cartier during the summer and winter. It was divided into two quarters. At the end of a quarter, he called his descendants to hear the results of the businesses and projects. During this time, he also organized the money and treasures that entered the family treasury for a year. It rained money. Gaju generously gave money to those who did what he liked. So Jacob and his wife, and likewise Marco and his wife Arien had always hurriedly rushed to the castle to fawned over the Head to the point where their underwear was soaked. [t1v: ugh gross] But Lucerne was an exception. Lucerne was not an obedient grandson who woulde and go when Gaju asked. He spent most of the year on the battlefield until a few years ago. Even if the Lord called him, he would only reply that he couldn¡¯te; he had to prepare to go to war. But he was different this year. When the patriarch asked him to stop by the Duke¡¯s castle, he received a polite reply from Lucerne¡¯s wife, Elisha, who responded to the invitation. Moreover, Lucerne was involved in the temple¡¯s businesses this year, unlike in previous years. There were plenty of things to report to the family head. ¡°So, you went and delivered the invitation yourself, and Lucerne said he would go, right there, on the spot?¡± Gaju had already asked Gail, the Duke¡¯s butler, twice. Gail politely nodded his head. ¡°Yes. The wife read the letter and said, ¡®Thank you. We¡¯ll go. Is that okay?¡¯ she asked, looking at the general. He readily nodded.¡± ¡°Hmm. I see. Right.¡± These days, the Duke lived to enjoy reading Elisha¡¯s letters. She often sent handwritten notes to the family head, even if it was for a trivial matter or an excuse. Plus, when she was given the flour refinery. What was Elisha¡¯s attitude in the imperial pce? Her cautious behavior was perfect when Gail reported it. Car couldn¡¯t evenpare to her. She was jealous of Elisha after that and went around crying for days. ¡°That guy Lucerne has been gnawing at me all his life, but at least he¡¯s good at picking women. Elisha is perfect.¡± Gail sealed his mouth shut. Strange rumors were circting in the capital about her. However, this was still a rumor confined to the social world. Of course, the Head was insensitive to such tales. Gail had no intention of speaking until the Duke asked. He was a very quick-witted man, and he knew that Lucerne hated him and nothing good woulde from it. He was extremely attached to his wife. He could tell that just by looking at the two of them. *** Elisha looked over the carriage at the Duke¡¯s scene. ¡®The time when the family and stockholders settle their ounts for the season. I never thought I would be heading to the Duke¡¯s castle at this time.¡¯ During this time, Gaju¡¯s grandchildren were always busy. For example, Jacob would show the head of household the books he had painstakingly prepared for his inspection. Elisha rested her chin nonchntly and looked out the window. She lived as a ve to this family all her life. But she would have never imagined she would enter there in a rare carriage that Lucerne had custom tailored for her. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you not feeling well?¡± Lucerne asked. Elisha shook her head slightly. ¡°Thank you for your cooperation. Lucerne, I know you hate this mansion.¡± ¡°Do I hate it as much as you?¡± He replied with unexpected words. Elisha¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°So it¡¯s bearable.¡± She thought there were times when he moved her heart unpredictably. Upon entering the mansion, Gail greeted them with a more courteous countenance than usual. ¡°The Duke is waiting in the Jewel Room.¡± The Jewel Room was a room where only the most precious items that the owner cherished were collected. When he greeted visitors in that room, it meant that he was weing a distinguished guest. Marco, less favored by Gaju, tried to get into that room at least once a year. Car, on the other hand, was always in and out of that room. Guided by the butler, they headed to the jewelry room. A room decorated with treasures shining all over the room. With their backs to the dazzling jewel room, the Gaju was waiting for them. ¡°I greet my lord.¡± Elisha and Lucerne greeted the Head. The patriarch nodded in acknowledgement and satisfaction. ¡°Take a seat.¡± Gaju and Lucerne had tea and briefly talked about business. Lucerne employed the right people and ran the temple business very neatly. The Lord was satisfied. ¡°Elisha. I am very d that you write to me often. I heard you¡¯re working hard in your etiquette sses. Maybe that¡¯s why, every time a letteres, it seems that your calligraphy has be more refined and the sentences be more elegant. Only talented people develop so quickly in everything.¡± ¡°You ttered me, my Lord,¡± Elisha replied evenly and humbly. ¡°Today I am in a very good mood, so I will give you a present. Take your pick in the jewel room. You¡¯d better choose carefully.¡± Elisha knew this was not an easy test. If you chose a gift that was too precious, you would look arrogant in the Head¡¯s eyes. But if you choose a trivial item, he would judge you as foolish. She had to choose a good item from an appropriate level. Chapter 190: Tpcp 190 Chapter 190: Tpcp 190 But whatever it was, it would be profitable. The treasures in this ce were not simple gems, but relics from an imperial family or from old temples. They were things with such histories. She looked into Lucerne¡¯s eyes. He nodded, and Elisha stood up and looked around the disy window. ¡°Well, what is this thing?¡± She then found a wooden box. The wooden container looked very old and small. However, the pattern of the Duke¡¯s family was engraved on the surface. If it wasn¡¯t for that pattern, it was a shabby thing that wouldn¡¯t suit the room at all. ¡°That¡­ ¡­ .¡± The family head¡¯s expression becameplicated. Remorse, longing, hatred, strange guilt, and fury. Gaju stared at Lucerne without even realizing it. ¡°It is a gift given to me by Lucerne¡¯s deceased father. He gave it to me, saying it was a precious gift. But no one could open the box. Michn was such a yful fellow.¡± It was worth knowing such an interesting tidbit as Lucerne¡¯s father, Michn, died young. Gaju could not twist open the box for fear of damaging the contents within and had kept it closed until now. The corners of Elisha¡¯s mouth went up slightly. But it was so fleeting that Gaju didn¡¯t notice. ¡°Lucerne, your guardian deity. Shadows have the ability to detect objects. Can you guess what¡¯s inside?¡± She removed her hand and said. In fact, she knew what was inside. This is because Lucerne was the one who solved the riddle of the box a few yearster in the future during her past life. Indeed, Lucerne looked at her with strange eyes as if he had noticed something strange. ¡°I can¡¯t kiss you because it¡¯s in front of the family head. Then can¡¯t you do me a favor?¡± she whispered very quietly with her back to Gaju, with the shape of her mouth. Slow enough that if he paid attention, he could roughly understand what she was talking about. ¡°You really¡­ ¡­ .¡± He looked at her as if bewildered. ¡°My Lord, I know that if you use magic in this room, it will be detected right away.¡± ¡°Ah, yes. You may summon a shadow, if you want.¡± Lucerne snapped his fingers. A shadow appeared and circled the box, scanning it. Eventually, he nodded. ¡°Do you know what it is?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What do you mean, Lucerne?¡± The Head also jumped up from his seat to see as if his curiosity was aroused. Lucerne said dispassionately, ¡°Patriarch, my wife is good at solving puzzles. I¡¯ll give my wife a hint. If she gets it right, please praise her.¡± Gaju was anxious; of course, he was curious, but his heightened emotions were due to his longing for Michn, who had died. ¡°Alright, give a hint.¡± ¡°Inside this is a organ from a special demon¡¯s corpse. It was the most precious witchbeast among the monsters that have appeared in nearly 100 years. I think it¡¯s as rare as my Shadow Demon. It seems to be a demi-god level monster.¡± Elisha heard that and thought for a moment. Then she immediately nodded. ¡°I think I know how to open this box.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°Not in this room,¡± Elisha said softly. The Head followed her as if possessed. She looked around several rooms, and then she headed for one. And she whispered to a servant passing by, instructing her to do something. There was a firece in the room they entered. It was a warm season, so the firece was not lit. Elisha poured a generous amount of aromatic oil on the box and lit a match that was kept on the firece mantel. Then she casually threw the box into the fire. The Lord was startled. ¡°What are you doing now? This is Michn¡¯s¡­ !¡­ .¡± ¡°Let¡¯s wait and see,¡± Lucerne said. Gaju hesitated. Before long, Elisha lifted the tongs and pulled out the contents. No matter how much she poured perfume on the wooden box, the box burned unusually quickly. Inside the box was another small box. However, this time the box was easily opened with just a tap from the tongs. Inside the now- turned-to-ashes-box, a red jewel glowed strangely. The patriarch opened his eyes wide and stared at the gem. ¡°Look, inside is the heart of the Phoenix. A Demonic Beast, called a phoenix,es back to life many times without being burned by any fire. So I thought it would be okay to burn this box.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± The Duke¡¯s mouth was agape. ¡°How did you¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha smiled and calmly exined: ¡°This is a very valuable item. People with the heart of a phoenix are said to live a long life. A few decades ago, a demi-god-like monster called the Phoenix was subdued near the Elpirim Mountains. At the time, because of rumors about its efficacy, people lined up in nearby cities to bid for it¡¯s heart that had been split into dozens of pieces.¡± Gaju couldn¡¯t say anything because his throat was clogged up. ¡°Oh, myte father-inw must have sincerely wished for the health and well-being of the family head. Right, Lucerne?¡± ¡°I have never met my father so I don¡¯t know, but I have heard that he was a deep-hearted man,¡± Lucerne replied calmly. ¡°It seems that filial piety, which does not change even in life or death, really exists,¡± Elisha whispered. And she watched the Head¡¯s changing expressions. He held his breath, closing his lips tightly. It felt like his throat was choking. ¡°Yes, I see,¡± was all Gaju managed to say. But his expression was full of remorse. Elisha barely held back the corner of her mouth from going up. Chapter 191: Tpcp 191 Chapter 191: Tpcp 191 Lucerne¡¯s Shadow Witchbeast reacted to and responded to the higher-level monster. So it was natural to find out about the heart of the Phoenix. ¡®It¡¯s not a riddle that¡¯s hard to solve.¡¯ It was a matter of her past life. A few yearster, Lucerne solved the mystery as if it were boring. Throwing a box into the fire was originally something he had done. He had a lot of nerve. Even if they knew, ordinary people would not have the guts to burn something so precious. And when the contents were revealed, Gaju¡¯s heart was moved by his longing for the dead Michn. So he called in Elisha. ¡®The head of the household is also an amazing person. The double ledger he ordered me to make in my previous life made sure Lucerne would inherit some of the family¡¯s property.¡¯ After being brought in by the family head is when everything started. Would it have been better if it hadn¡¯t happened? Elisha wondered often. But she didn¡¯t ponder for long. It¡¯s because, in the present, the Head beckoned her. He quickly calmed down and maintained his usual expression. ¡°Yes, Elisha. I¡¯ll give you a prize for solving the puzzle. What do you want?¡± ¡°You have given me so much. So I don¡¯t need anything.¡± ¡°Elisha, if you are a granddaughter-inw of this family, you should enjoy wealth like a right. Go ahead and tell me.¡± Gaju was serious. He was ready to give whatever Elisha asked for. ¡°Then I have one wish,¡± Elisha said softly. ¡°I want the crystal coffin of thete Duchess.¡± The Head¡¯s expression stiffened in an instant and turned red. ¡°What? It is the coffin of your grandmother. How do you¡­ ¡­ !¡± Among the items in the duchy, the most valuablemodity was by far the coffin of the deceased Duchess. The Lord loved the dead Duchess very much. It was unusual for the Cartier family. So, when Michn ran away with a woman, everyone said he resembled Gaju. The Lord put more effort into his wife¡¯s funeral than anyone else. He collected all the precious jewels in the world. And with those gems and treasures, he fashioned the crystal coffin. A wooden coffin was ced in the Duchess¡¯s tomb, but the coffin used at the funeral was the most cherished object by the Head. The crystal coffin was hidden in the inner chamber of the Duke¡¯s temple. The family head often stroked the crystal coffin to honor and remember the deceased Duchess. ¡°Do you covet it? How cute, you don¡¯t know your ce.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean.¡± Elisha wasn¡¯t in the least bit surprised or taken aback. The furrow between Lucerne¡¯s eyebrows was more of a concern. ¡°I mean¡­ ¡­ . I just want you to loan it out for a while. It¡¯s the death anniversary of thete Duchess soon, so I¡¯d like to hold a remembrance service. I wondered if you would take out the crown for thememoration.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± The family¡¯s expression changed again. His eyes twitched. ¡°I don¡¯t know thete Duchess. But I heard from Lucerne that the Lord regards the deceased as very precious. Besides, when Lucerne saw the Duchess as a child. She was ill and was bedridden. Even in the midst of that, he said that she took very good care of him. But when Lucerne came to the Duke¡¯s castle she passed away not long after.¡± Elisha continued to speak softly. ¡°At that time, Lucerne said that he could not even attend the funeral because circumstances were not favorable. So I want to hold a memorial service and pray for her. There are so many things the Lord has done for me. So I want to do something for my family. Even if it¡¯s the smallest thing.¡± Amemoration was an event to honor someone who had passed away. It was mainly a courtesy received only by the saints of the temple. However, there were times when high-ranking aristocratic families held a quiet memorial service and privately prayed among themselves. Gaju was speechless. The family lord had never been so deeply moved in recent years. ¡°I didn¡¯t think of that. Yes, even a new child has the right to know about the grandmother¡­ ¡­ .¡± The patriarch slowly chose his words. ¡°Good, then, on this anniversary of my wife¡¯s death, let¡¯s hold a simple memorial service. Is that all?¡± ¡°Actually, the High Priest Merha, who is in prison, continues to say that he is not feeling well. Comforting Arien¡¯s soul on the eve of the memorial service¡­ ¡­ . How aboutbining a memorial service together? Maybe Arien¡¯s hostile spirit is cursing our family. Arien¡¯s death has always been on my mind. Her funeral was also abbreviated.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ I didn¡¯t know you would think that far.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that Arien¡¯s death was an unsavory death. I¡¯d rather have it very quietly. I grew up in a temple, so I know I¡¯m not familiar with the ceremonies, so I¡¯d go in alone and pray all night.¡± Gaju was astonished. Elisha¡¯s thoughtfulness was beyond what he thought. ¡®I¡¯m going crazy. How can a child like that?¡¯ Besides, a new life might be born between that child and Lucerne. What a superior child they would be. After that day, Gaju began to think deeply about Elisha. That day, before Lucerne and Elisha left, the Lord called Gail. ¡°Butler, starting today, give Elisha anything she wants in this mansion. Treat her like a proper granddaughter-inw in our family and give her only the best with utmost respect.¡± Gail said, ¡®I understand,¡¯ and bowed deeply. *** Chapter 192: Tpcp 192 Chapter 192: Tpcp 192 ¡°Are you satisfied now?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I put Gaju in your hand, so you could stretch and manipte him. You must be satisfied.¡± Inside the returning carriage, Lucerne was watching her sitting in the seat next to him. ¡°As expected, there is no woman as intriguing as you.¡± ¡°It is an honor,¡± Elisha answered nonchntly. ¡°Did you enjoy the viewing?¡± ¡°Uhuh.¡± Lucerne nodded. He looked at Elisha with burning eyes. She wondered when and where she had provoked him. Elisha¡¯s wrists were pressed against the seat of the carriage. He held her wrists; his grip was tight like handcuffs. ¡°This time, as promised, I matched your rhythm and went along. In return you promised that you wouldn¡¯t do this or that and you¡¯d report to me. I don¡¯t know if you remember everything I said.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ How can I forget?¡± ¡°But from now on, I won¡¯t be strict with you anymore,¡± Lucerne blurted out, somewhat dumbfounded at himself. He was helplessly weak against Elisha and forced to censor himself. His emotions kept crossing the line beyond some simple possessive desire. It was too precarious. To the point of danger. ¡°I¡¯ll give you just one rule this time.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Don¡¯t hurt my coteral. I will not forgive you if you injure what¡¯s mine.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t even keep that, I won¡¯t turn a blind eye to you anymore. Do you understand?¡± ¡°All right.¡± Elisha meekly nodded her head. She knew that he was being very forgiving and patient. If he wanted to, Lucerne could conquer the family with his own strength. So, trying to make him the family head in the shortest period of time¡­ ¡­ . ¡®Is for me to be free in the end,¡¯ Elisha thought dryly. He stared at her lips, and his gaze slowly traveled down her body. ¡°So what¡¯s the secret to your charm? You bewitched the family head.¡± ¡°Gaju is now an old man. It is not difficult to win the hearts of the elderly. When a man with power reaches that age, he usually lives in the past. Glorifying and beautifying the memories.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Lucerne concurred nonchntly. ¡°The only thing that is difficult is your heart. It¡¯s hard to discern what¡¯s in it, and the most arduous thing to buy that I¡¯ve ever encountered.¡± Coincidentally, the carriage passed through a vast forest before the Duke¡¯s mansion. It was a ce where countless royalty and nobles vied toe and hunt. The forest, which was only for the Head, had not been hunted in for a long time, so it contained many rare game. Elisha¡¯s hand flinched as she stared out the window at the forest. She thought of something she shouldn¡¯t have thought of. She was confused for a moment. ¡°Do you want it?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Is it worth it to you?¡± Elisha blurted out and then was aghast. Lucerne¡¯s eyes wavered. His eyes shook and took on an odd color. ¡°Elisha.¡± It was the moment Lucerne was about to speak. Screech. The carriage stopped. Soon there was the sound of a frenzied carriage approaching. ¡°¡­ ¡­ Gail.¡± The door of the new wagon that followed them was thrown open. It was Gail, the butler of the Duke. ¡°The Lord said that you left too soon and told me to deliver these items. These are all things Michn-nim liked¡­ ¡­ . He thinks Lucerne-nim should take it¡­ ¡­ .¡± It seemed that the Head was very pleased. He generously gave away his father¡¯s belongings, which he had not given away until he was over twenty. As Elisha watched, she massaged her wrists that had been held by Lucerne. Elisha hadn¡¯t even blinked an eye in front of the Duke. But now, just by talking to Lucerne for a little while, her blood pulsated, and her body grew hot. Elisha¡¯s gaze turned to the dark forest beyond the road. It seemed to be a ce where one could hide and never be found. ¡®As expected, this isn¡¯t good, either.¡¯ Elisha collected her thoughts and locked up her heart. ¡°Elisha.¡± ¡°No, forget what I just said.¡± She climbed into the carriage, avoiding Lucerne¡¯s stare. His eyes grew so deep and dark she could not fathom the meaning. Elisha felt as if his sinking pupils were digging into her skull. It was a memory she could not easily shake off. [t1v: From what I got is that ml is impressed by fl for reading the head but wants her to cherish herself more, so he finds himself revoking all of his rules except for one rule: not to put herself in harms way and get injured. He keeps finding himself bing lenient rather than selfish and strict with her. (His affection is grower stronger than his insecurities and possessiveness) In the carriage hements that instead of reading the Head it is her heart is the hardest to read and gain. In a moment of vulnerability she asks him if he actually wants her heart and if the trouble and difficulty in winning it is worth it to him. Ml is shook and probably going to tell her how much she means to him but Gale the dukes butler interrupts them and passes on rewards from gaju. FL knows she¡¯s seeding in making the ml the Duke and figures her time to divorce him ising up and looks into the deep forest perhaps thinking she/others could hide in there. She sees herself bing weaker and weaker to ml, being swayed and emotional to a couple of his words. It looks like she is nning on emotionally and literally physically running away from her feelings. I could be wrong though. I don¡¯t read ahead so my guess is just as good as the next reader.] Chapter 193: Tpcp 193 Chapter 193: Tpcp 193 ¡°Arien¡¯s memorial service?¡± Car frowned at Mimosa¡¯s report. ¡°What¡¯s the memorial service?¡± ¡°I had wondered about it too and looked into it. I¡¯m guessing the family sits in the temple all night praying. Is it an event borrowed from a ceremony acquiring the power of the ancient goddess of death?¡± ¡°There is only so much brazenness in pretending to be nice that I can take. Hateful, really!¡± Car tossed the cushion she was holding in her hand. She was having a tantrum like a child. Mimosa¡¯s expression became strange. She looked around and made sure Pansy was missing. ¡°But aren¡¯t things going the way Car wants?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ ¡­ . That¡¯s true. I have to conclude this undertaking sooner orter. Lucerne is too distrustful when ites to the ducal family that he won¡¯t leave Elisha¡¯s side for a minute¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Yes, there will be gaps. That is the perfect time to do things.¡± Car nodded her head in satisfaction. ¡°Bring that.¡± Mimosa understood her words immediately. She brought the paper from the drawer. It was the marriage contract between Jain and Elisha. ¡®This isn¡¯t enough. I can fault her, but I can¡¯t break her.¡¯ The marriage was annulled because the first night was not actually held. Moreover, the Duke of Cartier¡¯s household was surprisingly easygoing concerning a woman¡¯s extramarital affairs. Of course, if the infidelity was discovered, the women married to a Cartier would suffer far more than the Cartiers did. However, they were not immediately kicked out of the family or beaten to death. This was because the Cartier family lineage was special. The Ducal House of Cartier was a lineage protected by a special guardian deity. Even the non-magical offspring without abilities had a unique structure of mana flow in their bodies. Moreover, a mark appeared on the bodies of women who conceived a Cartier child. The pattern was not normally visible but appeared and disappeared like a tattoo when a magician infused magic into her body. So, if a daughter-inw of the family had a child by a man of the wrong line and not from the Cartier family, she was quickly exposed. Having such a clear distinction meant the Cartiers did not strictly manage their wives¡¯ infidelities. ¡®Besides, at the time Jacob forced her to write this marriage contract¡­ ¡­ . If we do something wrong, it will backfire and hurt Jacob.¡¯ But if she gave up here, she wouldn¡¯t be Car. She smiled. ¡®But what if everyone saw Zain and Elisha sleeping together?¡¯ Then there would be solid evidence. Everyone would believe that Zain and Elisha were married. The marriage contract was real. If the ceremony was held on the first night, would that be a marriage? ¡°You can just make the evidence.¡± Nothing was impossible. Car cleared her throat, feeling very smug. ¡°Thankfully, Elisha made a gap like this. Car cannot miss this opportunity.¡± Car had already started working on it. nder and gossip weren¡¯t strong enough attacks to kill. But it was also an excellent rehearsal for the decisive moment. If there was a rumor that Elisha was a bigamist, eventually, the hearsay would serve as evidence when the matter was settled. Being able to shake things up between Lucerne and Elisha was a bonus. Seeing Car like that, Mimosa¡¯s eyes shone strangely. ¡°Lady Car. By the way.¡± ¡°What? Car is busy now with a lot of things to think about.¡± [t1v: in case you forgot, Car likes to refer to herself in the third person to seem ¡®cute.¡¯ *gag*] ¡°There is something you must know. Look, I happened to pick it up while talking with the butler.¡± Car¡¯s eyes widened at Mimosa¡¯s subsequent whispers. ¡°Huh? What did the fortune teller Muto say to the family head?¡± Mimosa whispered. ¡°He said that Ramun will dwell in Lucerne¡¯s next generation¡ªan outstanding child?¡± Car¡¯s hands trembled. It was the first time she felt such an acute threat to her survival from the Lucerne couple. What if Elisha gave birth to a child with a guardian spirit like Lucerne? ¡®That should never be allowed to happen. If there¡¯s such a wonderful offspring it should belong to Car!¡¯ She bit her lip. *** For the next few days, Car couldn¡¯t sleep at night. She looked at Jacob and thought. ¡®Car doesn¡¯t have a son yet.¡¯ She considered her situation. Maybe her child would gain a guardian deity. But ¡®Ramun¡¯ was on a different level. Ramun was treated on the same level as the temple¡¯s ultimate miracle, the ¡®Saint.¡¯ ¡°Lady Car, are you worried about something?¡± When Pansy asked, Car shook her head. Mimosa smiled knowingly. ¡°Lady Car, don¡¯t worry too much. The general is also a man.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°If Lucerne-nim¡¯s seed conceives a child with Ramun to a woman. Why does it matter which field he sows that seed in? Maybe 20 years from now, you might see such an excellent offspring from another woman.¡± ¡°But Car hears from the forteller Muto that it will happen soon.¡± Car froze as if struck by lightning. ¡®That¡¯s right. After all, he¡¯s a child of the Cartier family. If we get pregnant, who will suspect the father? Even if a child who looks exactly like Lucerne is born, they will all be of the same blood.¡¯ Car felt her heart pounding and her eyes fluttering. But even if she was Car, she thought it was too much. She shook her head. ¡°Mimosa, sometimes you¡¯re scary. Car can¡¯t quite understand what you¡¯re talking about.¡± However, the demonic seed was already nted, and once the thought was conceived, it took root in her mind. Mimosa continued to encourage and incite her for the next few days. ¡°Mimosa, yes, even if Car recieve¡¯s Lucerne¡¯s seed, indeed no one will suspect her. Regardless of whether she has Jacob¡¯s child or Lucerne¡¯s child, the same family mark will appear. But how can the weak Car subdue Lucerne? It would be like trying to fight a beast with no hands.¡± Finally, at her instigation, Car confessed her concerns. Mimosa looked puzzled. ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Mimosa added gingerly, looking around carefully. ¡°¡­ ¡­ If you use drugs, he won¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Drugs?¡± Car froze. Chapter 194: Tpcp 194 Chapter 194: Tpcp 194 ¡°Lucerne is resistant to poison. We heard that people with guardian spirits are more resistant to toxic narcotics than others?¡± Mimosa seemed to be about to say something but stopped herself. ¡°No, nevermind mydy. I said something useless.¡± ¡°What, Mimosa?¡± Car¡¯s eyes sharpened. ¡°What were you about to say?¡± ¡°Actually¡­. A while ago, when I was in the capital city, a knight happened to talk to me. It seemed that he was interested in me.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ To you¡ª Mimosa?¡± Mimosa could not be called beautiful. Car blinked. She looked down on her and had a dismissive air. ¡°He started talking about various things to win my favor. That¡¯s why he unted his high-status, celebrity connections.¡± ¡°What on earth do you want to say? What celebrity? Does Car even have to listen to this?¡± ¡°That celebrity is the general.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Mimosa continued. The knight said they had served in the military with Lucerne in the provinces. He was a fairly capable knight and worked next door to the general. ¡°By the way, he said the general did psychedelics. It¡¯s a hallucinogen. Do you know the Moratiana flower? A drug that can be rolled up and smoked or chewed. You know? It is not illegal to use it for medical purposes while serving in the military.¡± Car imagined a high Lucerne in a drug-fueled excitement. The mere thought sent chills down her spine. ¡°But what does that have to do with our current predicament?¡± ¡°You really don¡¯t know? The fact that the general is taking drugs means that an aphrodisiac could work on the general¡¯s body.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Car shut her mouth. It was information that could easily have been obtained through Jacob. But when she put a different point of view, it felt new. ¡®If we drug Lucerne¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Car pondered. A sweet future came to mind. If she gave birth to a child with Ramun, Car¡¯s position in the Cartier family would be solid. No. She would gain everything belonging to the family. Her son would bring everything to her. The Head of the Cartier family, which had everything in the world, was a position no different from having the world. A strange smile appeared on Car¡¯s lips. ¡®Moratiana flowers have a hallucinogenic effect, and no one can get them. But our family has been in the pharmaceutical business for generations. If it¡¯s our family, we can get enough.¡¯ Cartiers were not afraid to gamble. Even if they had to bet their lives on it. Even if it was a path to ruin. People in the family were easily buried in desire. It was not only those who were born with Cartier blood. But those who came from the outside would also bloom with talent. *** Elisha checked her note. Mimosa¡¯s secret message came through three routes, including the dressing room and cafe. ¡®Stupid Car.¡¯ Car¡¯s behavior was expected. Elisha nodded in satisfaction. She crumpled the note. ¡°Elisha!¡± Ilione came from afar, apanied by escorts. She smiled warmly at Elisha. She got up from her seat and greeted the princess. *** ¡°Elisha. It¡¯s so nice to meet you like this. I never thought that the summer pces of the duchy and imperial family were so close. When does the Duke¡¯s schedule end? How about going on vacation with my family after you finish?¡± Elisha and Ilione sat face to face with a cup of tea in a hotel cafe in a small town in the Duchy of Cartier. Ilione¡¯s summer pce was near that resort town. The Duke¡¯s residence and the resort town were close; a half-day drive away. So the two had arranged to meet here before leaving for the capital. ¡°I¡¯d love to, but I don¡¯t think I can. An event is being held tomemorate the Duchess.¡± ¡°Now? It¡¯s been a long time since she passed away.¡± ¡°It somehow happened. Because the Head has a very strong love for the deceased Duchess¡­ ¡­ .¡± As Elisha spoke, she suddenly sighed. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Elisha?¡± ¡°I think I did something I shouldn¡¯t have done.¡± ¡°What¡¯s troubling you?¡± She turned her words around. ¡°The princess has always been good to me. I don¡¯t want toin to a good friend like you.¡± ¡°What the hell are you talking about? You can tell me anything.¡± Ilione¡¯s status was so high that she didn¡¯t have many friends who could be called her equal. Elisha was the wife of the High General and was an intelligent and charming person with no shortage of people to talk to. Recently, she was infatuated with Elisha. Those of high status were not stingy in extending favors. When Ilione thought her friend was troubled, she was eager to help. ¡°It¡¯s actually¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha couldn¡¯t help but open her mouth. Chapter 195: Tpcp 195 Chapter 195: Tpcp 195 ¡°Arien¡¯s memorial service?¡± ¡°Yes, you know. Only people of the same gender as the deceased can attend their memorial rites. Besides, I have to go into the temple alone all night to pray and honour Arien. But in the first ce, I wasn¡¯t on good terms with Arien while she was alive¡­ ¡­ . Somehow I happened to take it on, but I¡¯m not sure how do it.¡± ¡°That would be no ordinary matter.¡± ¡°Indeed, sitting alone in an old temple all night would be terribly frightening. I already have a headache when I think about dealing with Car the next day.¡± The princess pondered over Elisha¡¯s words. ¡®Certainly the head of the Cartier family highly values the deceased Duchess very seriously.¡¯ Ilione felt sorry for her. It wouldn¡¯t be easy to be the wife of an illegitimate offspring in a family of monsters like the Cartier family. While dealing with that, Elisha seemed to be struggling to support Lucerne in her own way. Besides, if the family patriarch had ordered her to hold a memorial service, Elisha would not have been able to refuse. ¡°It seems your situation isn¡¯t much different than having to confront dozens of monsters with a single sword?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ It¡¯s simr.¡± It was an appropriate analogy since the members of the Cartier family are close to brutes. She thought Ilione had a good sense of humour. ¡°Then I¡¯ll look for a way to help you.¡± ¡°Huh? The princess?¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± Elisha tilted her head as if she had no idea what she was implying. The solemn story ended with that conclusion. Instead, lighter conversations resumed on the tea table. When Ilione got up to say goodbye to her, Elisha followed her out and saw her off. ¡°Then see you soon, Elisha.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She curtsied, but her polite expression disappeared when Ilione left her seat. Her atmosphere grew unknown as if submerged in deep water. ¡®Princess Ilione, if you do well, you will witness a great sight.¡¯ *** Pansy was pacing around Car¡¯s powder room, looking rather apprehensive. In the room, Pansy¡¯s fianc¨¦e, Zain and Car were alone and had been talking at length. ¡®Car-nim called Zain again today.¡¯ Pansy couldn¡¯t understand Car¡¯s intentions at all. She knew that Zain and Car had been lovers before. Pansy had been assisting Car for a very long time, so she knew it well. But now their romance was entirely settled. It was a yful love affair during her youth. Besides, Car said that she was young and had no physical rtionship with him at the time. Pansy believed in them both. Until recently. ¡®What if he changed his mind?¡¯ Pansy really loved Zain. Besides, it fell on her to raise the rank and esteem of her household. Therefore, she had to marry Zain, who was wealthy for a knight and had a solid status. ¡®Does Car remember I am engaged to Zain?¡¯ Lately, Car had avoided her. She would whisper to Mimosa, but when Pansy approached, she would stop talking. ¡°Pansy, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Mimosa, uh¡­ ¡­ .¡± She noticed Pansy¡¯s restlessness in front of the room and quickly took note. ¡°Pansy, I have something to tell you.¡± The corners of her lips bent into a sneer. Car had force-fed Mimosa a steady diet of inferiority to her sister. Once she acknowledged her hatred of Car, her contempt multiplied. ¡®I ignore Elisha because she was aundry maid, but she also became ady. What¡¯s different between her and Car? Both have beauty and personality. The fact that she is doted on by Gaju isn¡¯t unique to her alone. Hasn¡¯t Elisha gained his favor as well? In the end, Car isn¡¯t that great either.¡¯ Animosity seemed to color all of Mimosa¡¯s thoughtstely. ¡°Actually, Car-nim is nning something¡­ ¡­ . Uh, well¡­ ¡­ . I thought you should know because it¡¯s rted to Zain.¡± Upon hearing her following exnation, the blood seemed to drain from Pansy¡¯s face. ¡°She¡¯s trying to resurrect Zain and Elisha¡¯s marriage? No, in the first ce, I can¡¯t believe the two of them wrote a marriage contract.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I thought. I¡¯m telling you secretly because I feel so sorry for you. Pretend you don¡¯t know in front of Car-nim. You know her personality. You and Zain won¡¯t be safe if you make a hasty remark.¡± Inside, Mimosa was insidiouslyughing and thinking: Car seeded in convincing Zain to attack Elisha and testify in front of people that he is married to her and resurrect their marriage. In exchange, she told him he would gain Elisha¡¯s vast fortune and a hefty reward from her. Moreover, the stupid and greedy Zain was quickly shaken by the whisper that if he did well, he could be Count Lor. In the past, Elisha was poor as a ve. But she was different now. She became a woman with considerable wealth. She was married to wealthy Lucerne. The Head favored her, so he had bestowed her with property. Therefore, Elisha¡¯s case has remained a legendary anecdote in the family. That stimting story led people like Zain to harbor the delusion of thinking, ¡®I might be able to reverse my life through marriage, too.¡¯ Mimosa thought that thecking Zain was delusional. ¡®How dumb can he be? Really, if he seeds in attacking Elisha, he¡¯s dead.¡¯ Or suffer a terrible retaliation from Lucerne. Getting caught up in family affairs and earning a painful death. In any case, he¡¯ll only put himself in a position where he¡¯ll be destroyed alongside Elisha. But he was cated with deception, and he was willingly delusional. Zain does not know the destruction that is approaching. In her mind¡¯s eye, Mimosa was snickering and chuckling at Zain to her heart¡¯s content. But simultaneously, she was also carrying out Elisha¡¯s orders. She gave a strange order. She instructed her to inform Pansy of Zain¡¯s situation. ¡°What about me? Mimosa, if Zain decides to live with Elisha¡­ ¡­ .¡± Pansy bit her lip. Mimosa observed it with pleasure, as she had always been jealous of her, who was more beautiful than her. ¡°What do you mean? You have to find a way to live, too!¡± Mimosa whispered a story in her ear. Pansy¡¯s eyes widened. You can read more here. *** Chapter 196: Tpcp 196 Chapter 196: Tpcp 196 It was already the summer season. Fresh summer leaves luxuriantly adorned the duke¡¯s garden. The old, elegant ducal castle invariably towered over its members, showing its majesty in the warm haze. Around the duke¡¯s castle were small outbuildings where family members lived and old temples showing off their beautiful appearance. In particr, the temple was located right next to the duke¡¯s residence. It was even connected by a passage from the corridor on the first floor of the duke¡¯s manor. ` Originally, the temple was ced further away. However, after the duchess¡¯s death, the Head decided to move the temple right next to the estate¡¯s main house. It was due to the belief that the soul of the deceased duchess would remain there. Elisha stayed at the duke¡¯s house a few days before the duchess¡¯s memorial ceremony. She was preparing for the memorial service and thememorative event. ¡®Don¡¯t just busy yourself with the task of organizing events. Take this opportunity to learn how the duke¡¯s household works,¡¯ Gaju said to Elisha. It was an unexpected remark to the wife of his illegitimate descendant. In addition, he assigned the butler of the duke¡¯s family as her assistant. In the duke¡¯s sacred temple, a room was used as a memorial room to console and honor the ancestors of the duchy. The room was where memorial services andmemorative ceremonies were held. This very memorial room was renowned throughout the empire for being extremely beautiful. The gorgeous murals and ceiling paintings painted over several months by the best painters of their time a long time ago were so splendid that they looked down on the people of the duke¡¯s family. When the temple was moved, it was known that contractors painstakingly worked to carefully move these beautiful statues and murals. In the murals and ceiling paintings, numerous ancient godsughed, cried, and shed tears like humans. Below that is the lower deity, the guardian deity of the duchy. Demon gods were painted on every wall. One of them was a very beautiful halo of light. The figure of the demon god was painted and upied one wall with paint mixed with real gold leaf. ¡°Who is this painting of?¡± Gail responded politely. ¡°This god is called ¡®Ramun¡¯, and he is the highest ranked among the demon demi gods dwelling in the duke¡¯s family. He is said to have powersparable to that of a real higher god.¡± ¡°It¡¯s excellent,¡± Elisha noted quietly. Gail continued, ¡°A guardian deity dwells in Lucerne-nim¡¯s body. You know The Shadow? The Shadow is the most powerful demon among the guardian deities that have dwelled in the descendants of the duchy. And the only god above The Shadow is Ramun.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Elisha listened attentively to Gail¡¯s exnation. ¡°There is a reason why The Shadow¡¯s name is Shadow. It is Ramun¡¯s ¡®shadow¡¯ and its shadow manifests as a demon. So if its shadow appears, the body will surely appear someday. Could it be that the appearance of Ramun is imminent?¡± Gail wanted to build a friendly rtionship with her. So, he slightly hinted at the fortune teller Muto¡¯s prophecy. Elisha looked at his face and then calmly nodded. ¡°If that happened, it would certainly be something worth celebrating in the duke¡¯s household.¡± ¡°You are right.¡± At that time, several of the duke¡¯s servants brought arge item wrapped in arge cloth on a cart. Dozens of them trembled as they carefully put the object down and rolled up the cloth. ¡°This is the famous Crystal Coffin*.¡± [T1v: I previously mistranted it as the duchess¡¯ Crystal Crown because crown/coffin can be the same word in Korean, and it wasn¡¯t clear which one it is.] Elisha approached the coffin. It was dazzling, adorned with lilies made from gold and diamonds. ¡°Look inside.¡± The butler kindly opened the coffin. Inside, the name of the previous duchess, Elona, was written on a gold namete and inserted into the slot. Beneath it was another space for a namete. ¡°What is this here?¡± ¡°Ah, these nametes are made as a pair,¡± Gail whispered. ¡°A namete was also made for the Lord.¡± ¡°The Lord? Why did he do such a thing¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°He was thinking of the time when he will die one day. At that time, the coffins engraved with each other¡¯s names will be able rest side by side. He wants to lie down in that coffin.¡± ¡°Ah. It¡¯s a romantic reason. Is that why the coffin is so big? It seems like it will be able to fit the two of them.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± As expected, Elisha thought, all the men of the Cartier family were out of their minds. No matter how much you love your dead wife, what kind of gross obsession is that? ¡®Besides, the person has a stronger attachment to life than anyone else.¡¯ Elisha wanted tough. ¡°But it seems to have an ominous implication. If the living person¡¯s name is put inside the coffin.¡± Gail was serious and waved his hand. ¡°Sure. Sure! Although there is a namete made for the family head. You should never put it in here. Because that¡¯s a very ominous meaning. If anyone does such a thing, he will never forgive it.¡± Elisha nodded. ¡°Of course. Besides, I have no way of knowing where the que is.¡± ¡°Ha ha. That¡¯s true.¡± Gail humbly nodded at Elisha¡¯s words. Chapter 197: Tpcp 197 Chapter 197: Tpcp 197 Elisha was very busy. She was almost done organizing for the memorial service. Following her instructions, the servants and the priest moved industriously. ¡°This fruit doesn¡¯t fit here. Among the fruits of the ancient gods, the northern loquat is said to be the fruit of the world tree. I have to let it go. And the flowers were well prepared with lilies of three colors. And you have to put a very dark blue-ck berod in front. It is a cloth that symbolizes the Rothprix River belonging to the main god that the dead cross.¡± Gail was in awe as he worked with Elisha and admired her. ¡°You are very well educated. No one is familiar with the rites for this kind of ritual, so how¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I grew up in a monastery. So there were many memorial services for nobles. Children entrusted to the monastery, like myself, assisted when there was a big asion.¡± ¡°I see. This refined demeanores from monastic teaching. I¡¯m sure the monastery that produced such ady must be proud.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ Thank you for thepliment,¡± Elisha replied modestly. She had no ill regard for Gail from her previous life. Most of the duke¡¯s people, including Jacob¡¯s minions, despised Elisha for her ugly appearance. But Gail was a proper and polite person, so he never looked down on people. So Elisha treated him with respect. ¡®The High General is a very difficult person to deal with. But his wife ispletely the opposite.¡¯ Gail thought she was much easier to engage with than Lucerne. Usually, it was exceedingly difficult for him to deal with Lucerne. So naturally, they were affable to each other. While preparing for this event, the Lord often asked about Elisha; Gail¡¯s consistent, unwavering answer was, ¡®She is truly the perfectdy.¡¯ *** A gaze tenaciously followed Elisha¡¯s back. Car was sick to her stomach as Elisha pretended to be the hostess. But she couldn¡¯t make it obvious in front of Gaju. ¡®Isn¡¯t the Duchess¡¯s memorial service supposed to be held by Car, the mistress of the duke¡¯s mansion? But why is she acting as the hostress?¡¯ Car had never thought deeply about the Duchess before. But when things turned out like this, she felt that Elisha had robbed her of something. ¡®I can¡¯t stand seeing that bitch run amok anymore. After tonight, this will be over. Damn bitch. Um¡­What if she was found having an affair with a man in the duke¡¯s temple?¡¯ Car recalled the drugs in her pockets. Her parents¡¯ preliminary wealth was from their herbal business. When her mother brought in arge sum from her parent¡¯s house, the business boomed in her father¡¯s generation. Car¡¯s parents were wealthy because they owned several types of medicinal herbs with exclusive distribution rights. So naturally, Car¡¯s parents¡¯ house had some unique drugs secretly used only by her family members. There were a lot of nobles who wanted illegal drugs. So for a long time, Car and her family had run illegal salons and provided narcotics. Initially, it was a respectable business, but as more drugs were ouwed, the trade became increasingly secretive. One such drug, ¡®Phantasmic Dreams,¡¯ was now in Car¡¯s pockets. This unique drug was an inhaled narcotic. When this small capsule burst, anyone nearby, male or female, fell into an aphrodisiac state. Promiscuous aristocrats would use this drug for pleasure during orgies full of men and women. However, the effect of the drug was so strong that it was now a prohibited substance, so much so that just being in possession of it was a felony. ¡®The effect of this drug is strong. Even if she has just has a whiff of it she won¡¯t even know who the man and woman facing her are. She¡¯ll mistake them for the lover she has in her heart and rush into their arms.¡¯ In addition, Elisha said that no one shoulde near the shrine for the quiet memorial service. Even Elisha conveyed the order herself. She would be alone in the temple all night and receive a visit from Zain at dawn. And tomorrow morning, everyone would witness Elisha¡¯s humiliation. Just the mere thought of it made Car¡¯s limbs tremble with thrill. ¡®You¡¯ll be ruined soon, Elisha. I know Lucerne¡¯s temper very well. There¡¯s no way he will hold on to a woman who has been vited. Then you will be miserably abandoned, then your real hell willmence.¡¯ Jacob ran a club called the Red Club for moneyundering purposes. Masquerades were often held at the club, and suspicious people often came and went. Car would often hide her identity to infiltrate and y. While there, she heard outrageous tales like a club that puts on a show where women are imprisoned and forced to have sex with animals. Once Car captured Elisha, she would sell her to that club, making her worse off than a prostitute. The thought of it made her so excited that she couldn¡¯t even stand. ¡®Just watch, we¡¯ll be the next grand ducal hosts of the Cartier family. And the next duke will be the blood of Car. Never a lowly bitch like you.¡¯ Carughed as she thought about Elisha¡¯s mother. A woman of such a trashy bloodline was not qualified to give birth to an offspring of the ducal family. *** You can read more here. Chapter 198: Tpcp 198 Chapter 198: Tpcp 198 ¡°Oh, dear. Lady Elisha¨Cit¡¯s a big deal.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°The imperial family came to visit. With no advance notice. Let¡¯s quickly go. They are in the drawing room.¡± When Elisha was preparing for the final event at the shrine, Gail received a message from the attendant and told her the situation. Then he hurried off to greet the distinguished guests. Elisha adjusted her dress and followed them. ¡®The emperor hase.¡¯ They were dressed more casually than usual. ¡®Car.¡¯ Elisha frowned. They sat around a marble table. On one side of the wall were the knights of the imperial family, and on the other were the duke¡¯s servants. ¡°Ho ho, when I saw the imperial family¡¯s golden carriage arriving at the duke¡¯s house, I thought I was dreaming,¡± said the duke. ¡°That¡¯s right. Car is so happy.¡± And Car, who was right next to the Head, was bursting intoughter. It was the exact opposite of how she behaved calmly during the hunting festival. Then, the duke spotted Elisha. ¡°Elisha,e here.¡± Elisha curtsied and greeted them politely. ¡°I¡¯m honored to see the most precious people of the empire. Your Majesty, it is an honor to see you again.¡± The emperor smiled and dissuaded Elisha. ¡°Today, I¡¯m visiting an old friend after a long time, so forgo formal greetings.¡± Only the emperor, younger than the Head, could call him a friend. Gaju beckoned to Elisha with a softer-than-usual look. ¡°Elisha,e sit down and join us. Thankfully, the members of the royal family havee to attend the memorial service for the Duchess,¡± the Lord exined as Elisha approached. When Ilione saw her, she smiled and winked. It was a yful look like a boy expecting to be praised. She quickly understood the situation. ¡®Ilione has brought her family. As expected, she¡¯s loyal.¡¯ No matter how arrogant the Head was, he was an aristocrat of the empire. What if the members of the imperial family visit and attend the memorial ceremony, which is only a family event? It¡¯s a great honor. Moreover, this was only possible because it was during the royal family¡¯s summer vacation. This was because, outside of the summer vacation period, the activities and schedules of the members of the imperial family were packed and carefully managed. It was only at this time of year that it loosened up. Taking advantage of that gap, Ilione brought her family here. This was purely to build up Elisha¡¯s face and establish her reputation. It was an expression of great power that only the empire¡¯s imperial princess could do. Elisha felt sincere gratitude to Ilione. ¡®Jewel came too.¡¯ There was only one imperial family member she didn¡¯t want to see here. It was Prince Jewel. Prince Jewel was sitting next to the emperor with a dignified attitude. ¡°Lady!¡± Yepnen, ying with a lump of sugar on the table, noticed her, and his face brightened. ¡°Long time no see, Lady Elisha. This kid insisted on going to see thedy. He seems to really like you. You must have been very good to our Yepnen at thest hunting festival.¡± ¡°Prince Yepnen is a very sweet person. I was also happy to see the prince at the hunting festival.¡± Elisha greeted him gently. Among the people sitting around the table, only Car and Jewel¡¯s expressions were strangely distorted. Then Jewel opened his mouth. ¡°They said the Duchess¡¯s memorial service will be held. Isn¡¯t it natural that the members of the imperial family woulde? Besides, the Summer Pce is just a stone¡¯s throw away.¡± Jewel announced proudly, pretending to be an adult. Despite his pompous figure, he came across as very proper. Elisha was stunned. ¡®The messier the inside, the better you are pretending to be normal on the outside.¡¯ In that respect, Jewel and Car were exactly the same. No wonder they were allies. ¡°Lady Car said she always wanted to invite our imperial family. You said that to my mother at thest capital auction.¡± ¡°Jewel, you have a very good memory.¡± The emperor looked at Jewel with the proud expression of seeing a pretty son. Elisha felt strange. Sometimes, for powerful people like the emperor, a lesser son can be more appealing than an outstanding daughter like Ilione. The emperor¡¯s demeanor said as much. Then Car opened her mouth: ¡°We¡¯re d that the imperial family remembers our duchy. Today, we will guide you around our ducal estate. This is our family¡¯s mansion. We are always preparing to wee distinguished guests such as the royal family. It was good that we prepared a veryrge memorial service this time!¡± Slyly, Car implied that the duchy was originally under her jurisdiction. Besides, she said that as a host, she would treat honorable guests. It was easy to misunderstand that the reason the people of the imperial family visited was because of ¡®Car¡¯s invitation.¡¯ Moreover, from her words, Car was trying to take credit for preparing the memorial service. Chapter 199: Tpcp 199 Chapter 199: Tpcp 199 The duke¡¯s family had an outbuilding where distinguished guests could stay. Although it was an annex, it was filled with the most beautiful artwork and precious furniture. There were only three types of people who could stay there. The Great Pope or the people of the Great Pope. Or the emperor of this empire. Otherwise, foreign royalty and rulers. Of course, it was not often used. Elisha prepared for her event this time and asked her butler to clear the annex beforehand. However, Car tried to intervene in the middle and publically take credit for it. Quickly, Jewel stepped in to help. ¡°Car! Thank you very much. There are so many things to see in the duke¡¯s estate. I¡¯ming here for the first time in my life. Thanks to you, I got a treat!¡± Ilione¡¯s eyebrows twitched. A cynical smile crossed her lips. And she looked at the Head and smiled brightly. ¡°Duke, it¡¯s been a long time since I saw you. It¡¯s good to see that you¡¯re well. Elisha and I are best friends. She often passed on the duke¡¯s regards.¡± At that, Gaju showed interest. ¡°Really? Is my granddaughter-inw like that?¡± ¡°In fact, we came here thanks to Elisha¡¯s invitation! Isn¡¯t that right, Royal Father?¡± ¡°Certainly. Indeed.¡± The emperor nodded. Gaju looked very satisfied. ¡°Elisha, I see now that you have a talent for socializing. To see the people of the Imperial family here? This is a great honor for the ducal household. I¡¯m sure you¡¯vee this far because you¡¯ve always been kind to precious people.¡± ¡°You are over-praising,¡± Elisha said softly. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ ¡­ . I heard that thete Duchess and Her Majesty the Empress were distant rtives. This is the imperial family and the duke¡¯s family. Since the rtionship between the two noble families is already close, there is no credit to attribute to me.¡± With Elisha getting along so well, Car ended up trying unsessfully to take credit. Her cheeks turned red in an instant. Elisha didn¡¯t even spare a look at her. ¡°If anyone should be praised, it¡¯s Princess Ilione who actively prepared this meeting. I am only in a position to assist this event. I¡¯m not the main host. I couldn¡¯t even say that I wanted to actively invite others to attend because I was in a position where I couldn¡¯t invite anyone. But I¡¯m d to have such a meaningful time with great people I respect. I¡¯m sure ¡­ ¡­ . thete Duchess will be delighted.¡± Her quiet demeanor was deeply moving. She wasn¡¯t bragging about herself and spoke calmly. Her attitude seemed to convey a genuine care for others. Elisha knew how to appear that way to her superiors. ¡°Elisha, don¡¯t be foolish in front of distinguished guests.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°You are also someone with deep connections and very close to this family. You can invite anyone when you stay at the duchy,¡± Gaju said to Elisha with a straight face. However, if one listened to his meaning, he took Elisha¡¯s side. It was rare for the Lord to favor someone so openly. ¡°As expected, Lady Elisha is cherished. It is well deserved,¡± the empress said with a smile. ¡°Our Illione is also getting along well with the calm Lady Elisha and has a good influence on her. I hope you will continue to learn a lot.¡± ¡°Oh oh! That¡¯s too much. Are you saying I¡¯m not calm?¡± ¡°Of course. Lady Elisha is a heavenlydypared to you. You, like a farmhand, have to watch and learn!¡± Her words were so, but the empress¡¯s attitude was truly humble and just words. Her love for Ilione dripped from her eyes, making the spectators smile. Moreover, after the empress had said this, people would usually support Illione for being an intelligent and gifted woman. Then, the empress pretended not to win and enjoyed the praise. ¡°Princess Ilione is outstanding in many ways. Few people have such gifts. I am learning a lot from the princess.¡± This time, Elisha defended Ilione. ¡°Hoho, you¡¯re humble too.¡± The empressughed with satisfaction. Curiously, even when Illione came up, it was Elisha¡¯s face that kept increasing in value. The conversation continued to revolve around Elisha, and Car was in tears. Her expression hardened and twisted until it became a mess, but no one paid attention to her. Lucerne returned before dinner began. He had juste from inspecting the duke¡¯s knights because of a simple request for help from Gaju. ¡°It seems His Majesty the Emperor arrived. What are you doing here without notice?¡± Lucerne was not in the least at all surprised to see the emperor¡¯s family. On the contrary, he said this out of the blue and made Elisha dizzy. ¡°Do you need a reason toe over to an old friend¡¯s house?¡± The emperor didn¡¯t get angry in the least bit, probably because he was used to Lucerne¡¯s attitude. After Lucerne sat down, the dinner began. ¡°Is everything alright? Anything happen?¡± asked Lucerne after he sat down next to Elisha. She gave him a slight nod. Lucerne avoided people¡¯s gaze, and under the table, he stroked Elisha¡¯s hand. Chapter 200: Tpcp 200 Chapter 200: Tpcp 200 ¡°General, as expected it¡¯s better to see you at the duke¡¯s house like this.¡± Everyone in the imperial family liked Lucerne except for Jewel. So when he came, the atmosphere improved. ¡°The Great General is the pride of our empire.¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t there a direct descendant that became a general from a few generations ago in the duke¡¯s family? He was not a family head, but he was a valiant general.¡± The emperor and empressvished praise on Lucerne without holding back. The Lord was inherently suspicious and did not like Lucerne¡¯s close rtionship with the imperial family. But today was an exception. Members of the imperial family personally visited them for trivial family events, so whatever they said or did raised the honor of the head of the household. Besides, the Head always became emotional regarding the dead Duchess. So, his emotions changed more easily than usual, and he felt better right away. On the other hand, Jacob, who joined the dinnerte with Lucerne, only drank alcohol with a rotten expression. ¡®You. Hang in there. Be patient. After tonight, this humiliation will end.¡¯ Car squeezed Jacob¡¯s hand with such a meaning. He ground his teeth, emptying his ss at one point while hoping for Elisha¡¯s destruction more than anyone else. ¡®Because of that bitch, Lucerne suddenly gains the trust and praise of both the imperial family and the Head. Although I was dubious about Car¡¯s plot. It¡¯s right to abandon Zain. I¡¯ll see Lucerne throw out that whore away with his own hands. I¡¯ll take retribution and rape that bitch.¡¯ No matter how much he thought about it, he was angry that he hadn¡¯t been able to devour Elisha even once. Jacob¡¯s face clearlymunicated he was holding onto a grudge. ¡®Ugly bastard.¡¯ The patriarch scrutinized Jacob with disapproval. Still, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a pity welling up inside. Anyway, the contenders were the Jacob couple. Of course, they would have a sense of crisis that Lucerne threatened their ce. He just hoped that it would raise Jacob in the future. *** ¡°Then, let¡¯s take a rest today and tour the duke¡¯s estate. And join us for the memorial service tomorrow.¡± ¡°Alright, we will depart after the memorial service.¡± The short tea time ended quickly. The empress said with a concerned expression. ¡°I heard that Lady Elisha is staying up all night in the temple today?¡± The Lordughed and exined, ¡°I entrusted Elisha with an important affair for the duchy. I will never forget your heart and will surely repay you, your Majesty the Empress.¡± ¡°Alright, I haven¡¯t known Lady Elisha for long, but I know she¡¯s responsible. Well done, have a good night.¡± Everyoneforted Elisha, who decided to hold a memorial service alone. She is left alone. She was scheduled to hold a vigil until dawn and take a short break in the morning. She would be busy for the Duchess¡¯s memorial service that would be held early in the morning. *** Usually, women wore white clothes during vigil services. And to avoid eye contact with the dead, they wore a white cotton veil over their faces. Elisha also wore a in white dress with no decorations and a cotton veil on her head. And she returned to the temple with Lucerne, where the memorial service would ur. ¡®What is this?¡¯ Elisha was dumbfounded there andughed. All the instruments, flowers, and candles needed for the memorial ceremony she had prepared had been reced. ¡®It must have been Car¡¯s.¡¯ While Car was having dinner, she had her underlings prepare a new ceremony without her knowledge. ¡°Why, what happened?¡± Lucerne was not with the imperial family. He followed Elisha to the ceremonial site. When her expression became strange, he asked. ¡°It looks like a sparrow got in without noticing.¡± He frowned. He was quick-witted, so he noticed Elisha¡¯s analogy. ¡°Seeing that it doesn¡¯t have any sense, that sparrow must have a short lifespan.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Elisha smiled. Chapter 201: Tpcp 201 Chapter 201: Tpcp 201 The Head, apanied by Car, entered the temple at that time. ¡°Elisha, to even hold a memorial service for a child who died so disgracefully. No matter how much I think about it, you really are a child with no shortage.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve already told me that many times.¡± ¡°Besides, the butler informed me. Didn¡¯t you instruct them to clean the annex in advance in case distinguished visitors mighte? You are really good at treating guests. You are certainly a faultless talent with the ability to run this duchy.¡± The Lord continued, ¡°I brought you a present tofort you during your hardships.¡± Soon, Gail came with a small box. Car¡¯s eyes shed. When she heard Gail had entered the duke¡¯s storage room, Car hovered around Gaju. She was restless that the family head would give Elisha a precious gift. ¡°It¡­ ¡­ . It is a very beautiful object.¡± Elisha opened the box and marveled at what came out. It was a small tinum tube. In the center was a diamond in the shape of an elongated waterdrop, about the size of a child¡¯s hand. ¡°This is your grandmother-inws¡¯s favorite item. It¡¯s an ancient princess¡¯s tinum crown. I was told that you brought no property with you when you got married. So I¡¯ll give you a fortune that willst a long time. Keep it well.¡± ¡®Can this turn into cash?¡¯ she wondered indifferently as she said thanks with her mouth. If it were too precious, ordinary jewelry stores or pawn shops would be unable to afford it, so they would never ept it. Obviously, it had to be sold at an auction, but auctions are not often held. So, to Elisha, the gift was worse than a gold coin. However, she knew what the duchess¡¯ keepsakes meant to Gaju. It was undoubtedly a cherished item. ¡®I suppose it¡¯s a good thing.¡¯ More than anything, the measure of the preciousness of these objects could be judged by Car¡¯s expressions. For a moment, she could not tolerate her envy and red at Elisha with naked, malevolent eyes. ¡°My Lord. Car is not feeling well, so she can¡¯t pray all night like Elisha. You know what? In fact, Car has prayed for Arien every time she enters the temple with her maids. The high priest of the family must know¡­ ¡­ .¡± It was a tant lie. But it was true that Car often came to the temple. It was mainly to pray for her own desires. Elisha knew her grotesque temper. She was extremely obsessed with divination but also greedy, so she frequented the temple. ¡®Actually, there are other purposes besides that.¡¯ Elisha thought. Inside the temple was a space managed by the family¡¯s women from generation to generation. Besides, no one came in. So, for generations, the temple has been a ce of rendezvous for the women of the duchy. ¡°Elisha seems to be struggling alone, so Car did the preparations for today¡¯s ceremony. Actually, we¡¯ve been thinking about preparing a memorial ceremony for a long time. She was very grateful to Elisha for speaking up for her first.¡± Elisha was dumbfounded. ¡°You¡¯re the one who prepared this, Car?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. Elisha had prepared her ceremony incorrectly..¡­ .¡± ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve seen the thesis on the rites written by the High Priestess Primera. However, the ritual I prepared is ancient, so the preparation for this ritual does not fit. You need three kinds of flowers, and all the fruits for the ceremony are wrong. Above all, this ritual is tofort the dead by lighting candles all night. But you have already lit all the candles.¡± Caroline¡¯s cheeks turned red. ¡°When it¡¯s this bright that even the dead will be startled and run away,¡± Elisha remarked softly. ¡°Primera¡¯s thesis is good, but you didn¡¯t know that most of the nobles¡¯ temple ceremonies are ancient. I was genuinely worried about who had such false knowledge. I¡¯m d I could correct it.¡± ¡°Yo¡ªyou¡­ ¡­ .¡± Cold, thrilling loathing flowed from Car¡¯s eyes. When Elisha saw her true nature, she felt better. This was the Car she knew. ¡°My lord.¡± Then, for some reason, Lucerne opened his mouth. She wondered why he would interfere with this petty squabble. ¡°Elisha has been painstakingly preparing for the ceremonies since a few days ago, so she must be tired today. But I can¡¯t believe she¡¯s interfering with her work. You foolishly annoy people.¡± Lucerne really looked at Car as if she were a bug. The Head now grasped the situation. Gaju thought of his daughters-inw¡¯s quarrels as the barking and hissing of dogs and cats. So, he felt very aggravated towards Car, the cause of the dispute. ¡°Car, you don¡¯t know much about this ritual, do you? Tea party preparation is suitable for your level. Don¡¯t interfere with Elisha¡¯s work!¡± Car¡¯s face went white. She lowered her head, gave her pitiful victim look, and bit her lip. She was very talented in acting. ¡°Yes¡­ ¡­ . My Lord. Car is trying to help¡­ ¡­ . She was wrong¡­ ¡­ .¡± He ignored Car when he would normally soothe her. And instead, heforted Elisha. ¡°My child, unfortunately we¡¯ll be troubling you today.¡± ¡°Thank you, my lord.¡± Elisha curtsied and greeted him politely. Car creepily red at her as soon as the patriarch¡¯s eyes fell. She pretended not to notice her stare. At least when Lucerne looked at her, Car lowered her eyes. Perhaps she would have done the same even if Jacob had been present. *** ¡°Are you really going to spend all night here?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m really alright.¡± He escorted Elisha to the shrine onest time. ¡°If anything happens, scream.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t hear me. The soundproofing in this room is perfect. Temples built a long time ago are usually like that.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± In truth, Elisha was well aware of that fact. The temple was so soundproof that Car would often have her maids beat Elisha in it. The memories of being hit enough to make her nose bleed at that time were still clear to her. ¡°¡­ ¡­ It¡¯s okay. Lucerne, even if you don¡¯t believe me. Just trust in me today.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Have my ns ever failed? Not even once.¡± Lucerne reluctantly nodded at those words. He sighed and closed the door of the temple behind him. Lucerne stood in front of the temple gate for a long time. Then, as the night dew began to gather, he reluctantly left the ce. Ady-in-waiting was watching the scene. Mimosa hurried off and reported to her master what she had seen. ¡°The general has left the room.¡± ¡°Really? All right.¡± Car grinned. ¡°It¡¯s Zain¡¯s turn.¡± Car was amused. Now, Elisha will copse. When she thought of her messed up appearance tomorrow morning, she was so excited. Zain would break into her temple where Elisha was tonight,mit his crime, and subdue her until morning. ¡®Thanks to you, we¡¯ll have a good show, huh, Elisha?¡¯ Car grinned. ¡°Mimosa. Don¡¯t forget my orders, got it?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll cause a bigmotion in front of the temple tomorrow morning. And I will send people to the temple.¡± Car nodded in satisfaction. ¡°Are you ready?¡± ¡°Yes, as you asked, I have also spread rumors. They say that the duke¡¯s temple is a good ce for her men and women to have sex. It had been used that way for decades. I¡¯ll say this.¡± The rumor was one of the tactics. If Elisha was found the following day, it would have been better if it was orchestrated as if she had been having an affair. Chapter 202: Tpcp 202 Chapter 202: Tpcp 202 ¡°Leave it as if it were a trivial topic. Rumors that are too specific shouldn¡¯t enter the Head¡¯s ear too early, right?¡± ¡°Well done, Mimosa.¡± Car smiled broadly. ¡°Car is impressed! She will not forget Mimosa¡¯s performance this time. You know you¡¯ve never did anything disappointing to Car, right?¡± Car handed her a bag of gold coins. Mimosa epted the gold coin with an exaggeratedly happy expression. ¡®Even though you¡¯ve only given light talk like this and never given any significant amount of money.¡¯ She had already received enough from the general. Mimosaughed at the money Car gave her. She said that when they finished this job, she would set her up to marry a good and excellent knight. In addition, Elisha decided to give her arge dowry. Mimosa was about to hum. ¡®Yes, I will do my job very well. Very well¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Meanwhile, Car daydreamed about Elisha¡¯s destruction and hummed. Mimosa struggled to hide herughter as she dreamed of her rosy future. That night, the ex-master and servant were happy with different thoughts. *** But Car¡¯s plot was just beginning. As the night progressed, Car painstakingly groomed herself. And she asked Mimosa. ¡°Did Jacob go to the courtesan¡¯s house?¡± ¡°Yes, thedy was very pleased when I exined it was prepared to rx him.¡± Conspiracies nned by Car. Jacob had to vacate the mansion for all of that to happen tonight. In a nearby town close to the duchy, there was a brothel of courtesans where aristocrats came and went. Car reserved a courtesan who was so popr that it had been difficult to book for tonight. There was no way Jacob could refuse. ¡°We prepared the same clothes as Elisha. Good job. If you turn off the lights and put a veil over our face, it will be hard to tell who is who.¡± A memorial service to remember andfort the dead. At that time, women were expected to wear pure white clothes. It was an elegant design with no decorations, if possible. And a long cotton veil was worn on one¡¯s head. Mimosa skillfully prepared Car¡¯s clothes. She dressed her up like Elisha. Her heart pounded. Tonight, her wish woulde true. By now, Zain should be heading to the temple with drugs to frighten Elisha. *** Elisha saw over a hundred gold and silver candlesticks and the candles on them. She started lighting them one by one. In the ancient temple ceremony, one had to keep the candles lit all night. Then, the one would sing chants or y songs with the deceased favorite objects around. However, Elisha did not intend to put so much effort into it. ¡°Arien, was this your taste?¡± Elisha surveyed the things that Arien liked. There was a beautiful porcin doll and a music box. Elisha turned one of her music boxes around. She put it in her ear and listened quietly. ¡°You had such an innocent girlish hobby like this. It¡¯s too pitiful that you died miserably.¡± Ugh. The sound of the wind came in response. ¡°It¡¯s better not to be the daughter-inw of a family like this, after all.¡± Elisha put down her music box and mutterednguidly. It was then. Creeekkk¨C She heard the door of the dark temple open. Elisha, sitting on her knees on the floor, raised her head. Her white dress rubbed against the floor. Her blonde hair waved wildly. ¡°Who¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Ah¡ª!¡± Startled, the intruder blocked her mouth from behind her. Before long, as if her oxygen had run out, her mind went hazy. Chapter 203: Tpcp 203 Chapter 203: Tpcp 203 Car walked briskly to Lucerne¡¯s bedroom, wearing only her gown. The servants were secretly instructed that no one should pass through the corridors during this time. ¡®I am the one who will give birth to a child with Ramun.¡¯ Car grinned. If Elisha spent the night at the temple tonight. That meant Lucerne would be left alone in this room. ¡®This aphrodisiac purified from Mauritiana flowers. I made it more powerful than a normal aphrodisiac.¡¯ Mauritiana flowers produced an aphrodisiac hallucinogenic effect when subjected to a unique purification method. The aphrodisiac was contained in a capsule made of glue. Mauritiana aphrodisiac was used in the secret clubs of nobles for a long time, and when the capsule burst, it emitted a strong scent instantly. After that, everyone in the immediate area was intoxicated. It was an illegal drug used only at promiscuous nobles¡¯ orgies. Tonight, Car was thinking of using these capsules to her advantage. She also sent the same pill to Zain. Tonight, she was going to break into Lucerne¡¯s bedroom, pretend to be Elisha and drug him ¡®If I use this, won¡¯t Lucerne be ravenous? He¡¯ll be a stallion all night!¡¯ Car¡¯s family had a monopoly on Mauritiana flowers. However, it was strictly forbidden to refine them as an aphrodisiac. Car obtained this tablet by request. It was not difficult for her. ¡®He¡¯ll mistake me for Elisha and attack me.¡¯ Car was proud of herself. Her evil scheming was genius. No matter what boy she conceived with within the family, the same mark would appear. So what would be the point in worrying about what man from the same family¡¯s seed she bore? ¡®It won¡¯t be difficult to insist that it is Jacob¡¯s child. When a child with Ramun is born, you can pay the fortune teller Muto to correct the prophecy and persuade him. It¡¯s not difficult because he loves money.¡¯ Besides, Car had long wanted Lucerne. Tonight was the night her long-cherished desire woulde true. She was so happy that her steps were as light as a feather. Car crept into Lucerne¡¯s bedroom. He was lying on the bed. In the dark bedroom, only one dimmp was on. A human figure shimmered under the thin cloth on the bed. Car pulled her capsule out of her bosom. ¡°It¡¯s me, Elisha. I¡¯m here. The temple was too boring.¡± She imitated Elisha¡¯s voice as she slowly lowered her cor. Her sleek, petite, and voluminous body was revealed. And Car tightened her hand on her capsule. The figure, who was lying on the bed, got up. ¡®Odd?¡¯ At that moment, she thought, ¡®Was Lucerne this small?¡¯ *** Knock, knock¡ª Jewel jumped out of bed. In the quiet night, someone knocked on his door. He remembered the dinner at the duke¡¯s house today. As he returned from eating, someone put a hand on his shoulder. He didn¡¯t check his face, but he was probably one of the people at the dinner table. When he checked his pocket, there was a note in it. ¡®Today¡¯s hint is white. Treat me as you please in white clothes.¡¯ Jewel smiled. The word ¡®hint¡¯ was used by Jacob or Car to send him a courtesan. This meant the color of the dress to be worn on courtesan that day. For example, on days when the hint was red, she woulde to him in a red dress, and on days when it was white, a courtesan woulde to him wearing a white dress and white underwear. Jacob never lost a single game. The courtesans pretended to be the wife of a particr family and, or the daughter of a prominent family, and she seduced him with all sorts of means. Then she sneaked into his room and served him. ¡®I never thought they would send a woman inside the duke¡¯s castle. After all, the Jacobs are great people! A true friend.¡¯ After going through such things a few times, Jewel found the world funny. He thought that no matter how dignifieddies pretended to be, they were all the same and dark-hearted on the inside. Women were also disgusting. That¡¯s why he considered Ilione a joke. ¡®A bitch should know her ce. Wearing a military uniform and pretending to be the crown princess. If I be the crown prince and inherit this country, that bitch will not be able to set foot in the capital for the rest of her life.¡¯ Jewel was very excited about tonight¡¯s courtesan. ¡®I hope she looks like that girl, Elisha.¡¯ Elisha was a typical beauty from the Old Kingdom, with blonde hair and blue eyes. She was the type that men of high status preferred. ¡®If she had debuted as a courtesan, I think she would have been quite popr. She was lucky enough to marry the general.¡¯ As Car told him, Elisha had been nothing short of a whore before. What a waste. ¡®When I be the emperor of this country, I will make sure that Jacobcks nothing. That¡¯s the meaning of Royal Father¡¯s teaching to be wary of the Cartier family but not to forget theirpanionship!¡¯ He smiled broadly as he opened the door. Beyond the door stood a woman in a fluttering white dress. She looked at Jewel, smiled at him, then turned and ran away. The duke¡¯s castle was splendid because it was ancient, but it was also magnificently big. ¡°Hey. Are you ying hide and seek? Crazy girl. Are you having fun?¡± Jewel giggled at her and started chasing the woman. The woman ran soundlessly with her veil on her head like a bride. Coincidentally, the floor where the guests stayed that day was tranquil. ¡®Damn. Where did you disappear to?¡¯ Jewel looked out. The courtesan, dressed in white, was standing outside the window. ¡®Okay, let¡¯s do it in the forest, right?¡¯ A mischievous smile crept across Jewel¡¯s lips. He rushed out. ¡°Prince, where are you going?¡± The imperial knights asked. Jewel was solemn. ¡°I¡¯m going to take a night walk, so no one should look for me!¡± *** Chapter 204: Tpcp 204 Chapter 204: Tpcp 204 Elisha felt herrge hand covering her mouth. She blinked slowly. She didn¡¯t even want to scream. The size and shape of the hand that covered her mouth were familiar. His other hand was even skillfully caressing her belly. Elisha frowned slightly as the hand over her mouth loosened. ¡°This is not the time to y pranks, Lucerne¡­ ¡­ .¡± But she couldn¡¯t speak anymore. Her body was suddenly against the wall. Lucerne bit and licked her lips. Elisha pursed her lips in pain as she kissed her frantically. Elisha¡¯s pink lips were plump as his tongue fell off as she frantically pushed him away. ¡®You mischievous man,¡¯ Elisha thought. She peacefully raised her eyes and examined Lucerne. ¡°Are you excited in this situation?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re wearing white, you¡¯re sexy.¡± ¡°The coffin of thete Duchess is watching.¡± ¡°You¡¯re so dazzling she¡¯ll run away. Did my grandfather make an agreement with my grandmother to have a funeral in such an extravagantly loud coffin? Besides, it¡¯s a coffin for two people.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it because of the desire to reunite in the other world? You won¡¯t understand that feeling.¡± Elisha said in a whisper as she was pressed against the wall. ¡°No,e to think of it, I think I might understand. If you run away, I will also pursue you to hell, too.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ jokes, too.¡± She gently pushed his arm away, then he fell off. ¡°Just thinking about it makes me furious. Jain or something. He had a wedding or something with you, and then tried to rape you tonight.¡± ¡°He won¡¯t even be able to step in here.¡± Elisha snorted. ¡°I¡¯m d you didn¡¯t see him.¡± Lucerne nodded his head genially. ¡°If Zain caught my eye, I would have cut him down.¡± ¡°Then the operation would have failed,¡± Elisha coldlymented. Car hid Zain nearby for tonight. Zain quietly hid in the hideout designated by Car and then would appear here like magic, nning to vite Elisha. ¡®But what will Pansy do if she finds out about tonight¡¯s machinations?¡¯ Elisha skillfully handled Mimosa like a limb. Car used Zain to coerce her and resurrect her invalid marriage. She leaked the n to Pansy, who would be terrified that she was about to be deprived of her husband. She visits Zain tonight and puts sleeping pills in her Zain¡¯s drink. Pansy even went so far as to ask Mimosa for sleeping pills. ¡®Pansy is the same after all. She¡¯s selfish and only thinks of her own desires.¡¯ She was harassed in her past life by Car¡¯s maids-in-waiting. So she knew that even the demure Pansy was a selfish bitch who would do anything for her desires. She also knew that Mimosa was a woman with a destructive mind who would do anything to ruin others. She had no hesitation in manipting Pansy into stealing Zain. ¡®So, Zain must be sleeping in Pansy¡¯s arms by now, knocked out.¡¯ From the beginning, he was destined never even toe here. ¡°Did things go well?¡± ¡°Of course. This is easy for my knights.¡± There was a tiny knock as if responding to Lucerne¡¯s words. Soon, the door to the stone chamber of the temple opened, and Ian and Nora entered. However, their clothes were strange. Ian, slim and lean, was wearing a long white dress. And both were carrying something like arge bundle. ¡°Show me your prey,¡± Lucerne ordered. Nora and Ian put down the load in turn. It was a man wrapped in cloth. What Nora put down was the fainting Car. And what Ian put down was Prince Jewel, who was also unconscious. ¡°Well done.¡± Lucerne nodded. Ian and Nora bowed. ¡°Do you like my present, Elisha? I got what you wanted.¡± Lucerne said calmly. She looked them over and nodded her head. ¡°I like it.¡± Jewel and Car¡¯s actions tonight were in the palm of their hand. Her schemes were revealed by coaxing Mimosa. Using it in reverse, they set a trap. Chapter 205: Tpcp 205 Chapter 205: Tpcp 205 Lucerne had never entered the bedroom. He lingered around the temple just in case and kept an eye on anyone entering or leaving. And it was Nora who was lying in Lucerne¡¯s bedroom. As nned, when Car approached with an incense stick, Nora easily overpowered her and knocked her out. ¡°Prince Jewel was a weakling, right? He¡¯s a far cry from his Majesty the Emperor, who has a magnificent body,¡± said Ian, whistling. ¡°Of course, because he¡¯s adopted,¡± Lucerne noted. The note Jewel received. The message hinting that a courtesan woulde to him dressed in white was penned by Ian, skillfully imitating Car¡¯s handwriting. Likewise, the courtesan whom Jewel met was Ian, dressed as a woman. He was gifted at this kind of espionage. The techniques used when exchanging notes, and an example of her handwriting was provided by Mimosa. Nora searched the body of an unconscious Car. Inside her clothes, she found a package of medicines in capsules made of glue. ¡°Wow. Is this drug still in cirction? How terrible. If you use all of this, even the monsters will taste good.¡± remarked Ian as he inspected the drugs. ¡°Foolish. There¡¯s no way you can subdue Lucerne with only drugs.¡± Elisha said quietly. ¡®Well, Car did the same thing in the previous lifetime.¡¯ She was the same in this present life. Car desperately wanted Lucerne. In her previous life, Lucerne had a bad rtionship with the forteller Muto. Muto knew for a long time that a child of Lucerne¡¯s with ¡®Ramun¡¯ would be born. Even so, he kept quiet about it for years. Instead, Muto leaked information to Car for years. The forteller wasn¡¯t an evil person, but he was shallow. For at the time, he was quite friendly with Car, who constantly bribed him. So she decided to rape and steal Lucerne¡¯s seed. ¡®What a crazy woman, Car.¡¯ But the operation could never have been sessful. Lucerne¡¯s body was protected by his guardian deity, ¡®Shadow.¡¯ Lucerne took hallucinogens because they were harmless to his body. So Shadow didn¡¯t skip the mind-altering effects. ¡®Unless Lucerne¡¯s body is not in its normal state¡­ ¡­ . They say drugs like aphrodisiacs can¡¯t work.¡¯ Elisha already knew a lot from her previous life experiences. However, Car in her past life, did not give up her goal of having Lucerne¡¯s baby easily. Considering her persistence independent of everything else, it was remarkable. At one point, the n really worked. If it hadn¡¯t been for that¡ª ¡®Besides, this time I encouraged Car through Mimosa. So it¡¯s no wonder she came up with this trick.¡¯ Elisha had lost herself in the past. Her memory almost spilled over to the part she shouldn¡¯t think about. She flinched. ¡°Elisha.¡± Lucerne was staring at her. ¡°As promised.¡± Lucerne leaned over her. ¡°I¡¯ll do whatever you want this time.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°What can I do for you?¡± he whispered sweetly. ¡°Shall we at least dress up Prince Jewel and Car¡¯s joint suicide?¡± Elisha shook her head. ¡°Do nothing.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s fulfill Car¡¯s intentions.¡± Lucerne¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°What? Everyone will see it tomorrow morning.¡± Elisha put her hand to her mouth. She smiled. It was such a lovely smile that it was chillingly creepy. She didn¡¯t usually smile, so Lucerne stared at it as if he was possessed. ¡°That would be great. But¡­ ¡­ . shouldn¡¯t I return Car¡¯s belongings?¡± Elisha spotted the package of capsules had been found in Car¡¯s pockets. ¡°Will that work? It could make things even worse.¡± ¡°Do I really need to attack her myself? Jacob, unlike Marco, is not sincere with his wife. Jacob¡¯s will kick Car out. The end of a daughter-inw of the Cartier family, who is abandoned by her husband is miserable.¡± After exchanging stories like this, it seemed that Elisha and Lucerne had alreadye to a conclusion. Ian and Nora stared nkly at each other, unable to understand all of their intentions. ¡°Quietly go back to your lodgings,¡± Lucerne instructed. And he held Elisha¡¯s hand. ¡°Then, shall we make an alibi first?¡± Elisha nodded. *** Gaju slept deeply for the first time in a long time. And he woke up feeling refreshed and clear-headed. He had dreamt of his long-deceased wife. At the Head¡¯s advanced age, his sleep was not deep, and he woke up early in the morning. The household¡¯s servants started to prepare for the day from around dawn. With the sudden visit of distinguished guests, Gail was also awake at dawn. He came in politely to serve the family head. ¡°Gail, did anything happenst night? Did Elisha go home afterpleting her prayers at dawn?¡± Recently, the Head had a deep affection for Elisha and checked on her safety as soon as he woke up. ¡°Uh¡­ ¡­ .¡± Gail had a strange expression. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°The madam returned home after praying for a few hours.¡± Gail cleared his throat and reported Elisha was back in her room around 2:00 AM. Gaju thought that it wasn¡¯t a big deal. ¡®It must have been scary staying up all night. But that¡¯s enough. Arien wasn¡¯t some great person.¡¯ The Head regarded every action of Elisha¡¯s with generosity, so he was about to praise her for doing well enough. ¡°So she went back earlier than expected, yes?¡± ¡°Well¡­ ¡­ . It seems that it was not the madam¡¯s will.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± The housekeeper hesitated. ¡°It seems that the general opened the temple door, went in and dragged his wife away. Thedy protested that she should do her prayers. But he said no. It is said that the sound of the two walking while arguing was so loud that the whole hallway of servants woke up. Moreover, loud moans came out of the general¡¯s room all night¡­ ¡­ .¡± Upon hearing the story, Gaju felt a sense of deja vu. He recalled when Lucerne married Elisha after having an awkward premarital affair. He remembered what happened that night. Looking at it, it seemed that he wanted Elisha so much that he couldn¡¯t keep his dignity or his hands to himself. ¡°He can¡¯t stand it for one night and does such a loud thing. Besides, it¡¯s not once or twice!¡± ¡°He¡¯s young. Even at dinner with the imperial family yesterday, he couldn¡¯t take her eyes off his wife.¡± ¡°Unsightly bastard. He¡¯s very crazy about women. I¡¯m disappointed,¡± he said that, but it was just empty words. The Lord was not sincerely angry. He didn¡¯t want Lucerne to break down and weaken emotionally. Had it been judged that Elisha was covering his eyes and ears, he might have tried to kill her. But this case was an exception. ¡®Since their marriage is so good, they¡¯ll soon have great children.¡¯ Besides, Elisha was now his favorite. If Lucerne saw his offspring from such a clever and superior woman, it seemed probable that a child with Ramun would be born, just as the forteller Muto foretold. Chapter 206: Tpcp 206 Chapter 206: Tpcp 206 The human heart was like ayer of colored cloth. If you put ayer of cloth on it and look at it, the world appears to be dyed in the color of that cloth. In the case of the Head, his eyes were covered with greed for his great-grandson and affection for Elisha. That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t dislike Lucerne and Elisha¡¯s slight insolence. But suddenly there was amotion outside. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Gail went outside. He returned with a white face. ¡°There is a maid who heard strange noises inside the temple. It is said that someone kept crying.¡± ¡°What? Isn¡¯t there no one in the temple right now?¡± ¡°Yes, did Arien¡¯s ghost appear? The servants are perturbed.¡± Gaju realized the situation right away. The servants witnessed Lucerne practically kidnapping Elisha in the middle of the memorial service. Thus, the servants were agitated, saying that her ghost was displeased. ¡°Those stupid things. I will go out.¡± The family lord hurriedly dressed up and went out. It was because the Duchess¡¯s crystal coffin, the crown jewel of the household, was still inside the temple. It had a special magic attached to it. When someone tried to move it would sound an rm. Because he thought maybe it was that sound. *** The head of the house was not the only one heading to the temple. Ilione was also dressed up and leaving. Last night, Lucerne told her, ¡®Elisha is going to say her prayers all night ande out at dawn. She will be very tired and exhausted, so the princess should get up early and meet her at her temple.¡¯ Ilione lived a regr life and was diligent. So, waking up early in the morning was not difficult. She stepped out into the hallway, and Yepnen followed her in his loose clothes. ¡°Sister! Wait for me¡ªI¡¯ming too!¡± ¡°Do you know where I am going that you want to follow me?¡± ¡°The prettydy¡­ ¡­ .you¡¯re going to see the kind Lady Elisha!¡± ¡°You are very quick-witted.¡± Her little brother was cute, so Ilione tapped the child¡¯s nose. Yepnenughed bashfully. And when they arrived at the temple, something was strange. People gathered beside the temple. And a maid was sobbing. She looked closely and saw that thedy-in-waiting was Mimosa, a close aide of Car¡¯s. The head of the family stood in front of her. ¡°What did you hear?¡± ¡°Therefore. By chance¡­ ¡­ . I passed in front of this and approached. Can¡¯t you hear the sound of a woman sobbing from inside? I tried to open the door to see if anyone was injured inside, but it didn¡¯t open¡­ ¡­ .¡± Just then, Lucerne and Elisha arrived there. Mimosa wiped away her tears and looked like she was seeing a ghost. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you were going to pray all night? Why is Lady Elisha here¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°It was a schedule to pray until dawn. And now I am here at dawn.¡± ¡°Then what is in there? Is it really a ghost?¡± Eventually, Gail got the key. The door opened, and the heavy stone chamber door creaked open. There was nothing in it. Only the colorful interior of the temple as usual, greeted people. In the middle of the temple was arge and long altar. Behind it, the family head¡¯s most cherished crystal crown shone in the morning sunlight filtering through the ss ceiling. ¡°Sister. Look at that. It is pretty crystal.¡± But Yepnen innocently added, ¡°But look, there¡¯s someone in there. The coffin is moving!¡± At that time, Yepnen, who held Ilione¡¯s hand tightly, shouted. The crystal coffin was only called the crystal coffin, but it was opaque, so the inside could not be seen. Indeed, the lid of the crystal casket was open. At that time, after roughly pushing people aside, Jacob approached. After ying all night at the courtesans¡¯ house, he had the unfocused eyes of a person exhausted from entertainment. ¡®Jacob is still drunk.¡¯ Seeing Jacob, Elisha slipped into the crowd and hid herself. ¡®It seems that the matter has been settled.¡¯ Jacobughed sinisterly. Mimosa made a fuss this morning wailing that she heard something inside. So Jacob vacated the mansion to avoid arousing suspicions. It was all talked about beforehand. ¡®But why isn¡¯t Car here? She said she woulde, make a fuss and make it big.¡¯ He shouted out loudly without even checking who was in the coffin. ¡°No. What kind of crazy bitches are doing that in the Head¡¯s precious treasure? Have you ever seen such disloyal things!¡± ¡°What?¡± Gaju¡¯s eyebrows were twitching. ¡°Look. Those bouncing bodies. What do you think they are doing?¡± Don¡¯t tell me, what kind of crazy person would do such a thing? People looked at each other¡¯s faces, coughed in embarrassment, and cleared their throats. [t1v: omfg] ¡°Let¡¯s go check it out,¡± said Elisha. Only then did Jacob notice she was hiding among the crowd and opened his eyes wide. ¡®What? Why is that woman here?¡¯ Even Lucerne was far away. At that time, people were approaching the coffin with a buzz. When the cloth covering the coffin was pulled off and the lid removed, a man and woman were lying inside. ¡°Car?¡± Gail muttered with utter incredulity. The woman lying in the coffin was Car. And the man lying next to her was Jewel. Moreover, the two were embracing each other. Chapter 207: Tpcp 207 Chapter 207: Tpcp 207 Car slowly opened her eyes. She felt like she had just woken up from a very deep slumber. ¡®Where is this? Where am I again?¡¯ A strange scent hit the tip of her nose. This incense was originally an aphrodisiac prepared by Car. ¡®Right, I inhaled the aphrodisiac.¡¯ Then, the hard body of a man rubbed against Car¡¯s body. It was dark all around. Car let out a cry of joy inside. ¡°Well, Lucerne. It¡¯s you, and me. Car came to you tonight¡­¡­.¡± Car whispered. She was still out of her mind. And she pounced on her opponent. Unfortunately, both were fully clothed. Car struggled, but only her own clothes were pulled off. ¡°Lucerne! Car wants you. You¡¯ve known Car¡¯s heart for a long time, haven¡¯t you? You¡¯re the same as me, aren¡¯t you?¡± Car giggled and shouted. ¡°Car¡¯s heart has been shaking since the first day I saw you. She married Jacob because he was the legitimate son. Mmm, Lucerne¡­ ¡­ .¡± However, the man who was entangled with Car was not Lucerne. Likewise, Prince Jewel was also high and unable to discern reality. When a woman in white clung to him and intertwined her body with his, Jewel didn¡¯t even look at her face and clutched her tightly. Even in his hazy dreams, Jewel thought that this courtesan was soft and fragrant, like a realdy, and that his hands were full. ¡°You-you lowlife. It is an honor to serve and be with me today.¡± Jewel half-understood Car¡¯s words and hit back. The two were madly entangled. But something was strange. Something else was touching each other¡¯s bodies and felt like cold walls and the ground. They seem to be blocked by something. They couldn¡¯t touch each other¡¯s bodiespletely. It was because they weren¡¯t sane. They were rubbing against the cold coffin, pushing their cheeks against the walls. But even from a distance, they could do it enough. Rumble. Then, the coffin lid, half covering their bodies, was removed. A bright light enveloped them. People withmps stood in a circle above their heads. ¡°Car, what did you just say?¡± Jacob, with a white face, asked Car. If he¡¯s not misunderstood¡­. Car must have. Obviously. Just now. Called Lucerne. ¡°Prince Jewel?¡± Ilione also muttered in disbelief. ¡°Drop it!¡± ¡°You are crazy. Both of you are insane.¡± People didn¡¯t say anything for a while. The only one who came to his senses was Gail. Even though people were watching, the two couldn¡¯te to their senses and tried to attack like madmen. ¡°This bitch¡ªthis is my bitch today!¡± ¡°Lucerne! Ah, you!¡± Not only that, they both shouted. The servants who hade to watch hastily dropped the two. Fortunately, both of them were clothed. ¡°Yepnen. Don¡¯t look!¡± Ilione hurriedly covered her brother¡¯s eyes. Yepnen stood there nkly, shocked, then he said, ¡°Big Sister. I think Brother Jewel and Car like each other¡­ ¡­ .¡± The boy murmured in confusion, his words trailing off. ¡°But what can we do? Car already has a husband. It would be sad if Royal Father knew about this¡­ ¡­ .¡± [t1v: OMG PROTECT YEPNEN] ¡°Yepnen, you leave this ce. Come on, take Yepnen!¡± ordered Ilione. ¡°Yepnen?¡± However, the prince was not the only one who witnessed this shocking scene. The empress stood at the entrance with a trembling expression. ¡°Your Majesty, Empress!¡± her people called her. At that point, she stumbled. Ilione ran to her empress. But Jewel was still talking nonsense. ¡°I am so d you came in white for me. I¡¯m going to give you a couple of tips¡­ ¡­ .¡± Ilione was stunned. At that moment, she met Elisha¡¯s eyes among the crowd. Her eyes were very calm. Illione¡¯s pupils grew, and her stare became strange. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me Lucerne and Elisha¡­ ¡­ ?¡¯ This was unusual. A scandal between the duchy¡¯s first granddaughter-inw and the Imperial family¡¯s eldest son. Their obviously bizarre condition¡­ ¡­ . ¡®It¡¯s quite possible that this will ruin their lives.¡¯ Ilione had a hunch. This was her once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to rid herself of her enemies. Chills ran down her Ilione¡¯s spine. She forced herself to resist a warlike smile forming on her lips. Ilione screamed loudly, supporting the empress. ¡°Jewel, you madman. How dare you y with fire with the duke¡¯s granddaughter-inw! What kind of disgrace is this! What excuse do you have for the duke. You haven¡¯t even had aing-of-age ceremony yet!¡± The cry ignited people¡¯s doubts. People were buzzing and shouting. Then Elisha gave a short scream. She was standing near the coffin. You can read more here. Chapter 208: Tpcp 208 Chapter 208: Tpcp 208 ¡°Wh¡ª what¡¯s the matter, now!¡± The Head cried out because he felt like his stomach was about to explode. ¡°Oh, no. You can¡¯t look inside the coffin!¡± said Elisha. Gaju approached with great strides. He looked into the coffin. It was the first time everyone had witnessed such an outburst of fury in the Head¡¯s eyes of the family head. [Elona de Cartier. Rests here.] [Ramund de Cartier. Rests next to her.] Inside the coffin was the namete of the deceased Duchess. And next to it was a namete engraved with the name of the still-alive- family head. The Lord¡¯s face turned red. ¡°You¡ª now¡­ ¡­ . On top of my name and Elona¡¯s¡­ ¡­ . Did you do this?¡± Gaju had been observing Car¡¯s strange behavior. He found something strange. By any chance, Car must have made a mistake. There must be some hidden conspiracy¡­ ¡­ . However, the situation changed when she insulted the family head like this. The family head strode towards Car, who was leaning on the arms of thedies-in-waiting and couldn¡¯te to her senses. p! Gaju pped Car hard on the cheek. She still hadn¡¯te to her senses. ¡°Ah, here¡­ ¡­ . Yes, this is¡­ ¡­ . Car.¡± Then Lucerne winked. A tiny, separate shadow hidden in the coffin was attached to Car¡¯s body and moved. Last night, Lucerne separated Shadow into tiny shadow demons. And he left it in the coffin. And the shadow, when the time was right, burst the capsule Car had brought with her inside her coffin. However, the two of them were asleep all the time due to the sleeping pills Lucerne used. As soon as they opened their eyes, they inhaled the drug remnants remaining in the coffin and fell into a frenzy. At that time, Lucerne¡¯s Witchbeast stabbed Car. Lucerne¡¯s magic beast could attack people with an awakening effect. ¡°Ah!¡± Car came to her senses. Then,ing to her senses, Car looked at people with dumbfounded eyes. ¡°My Lord? Car¡­ ¡­ . What happened to Car?¡± But soon, as if recalling her memory, Car¡¯s face went white. Her body trembled. Memories began to flood in. ¡®What did Car just do? With Jewel. In the coffin¡­ ¡­ . Jewel definitely looked like Lucerne. Are you saying she¡¯s acting rude in front of people?¡¯ Car then found Elisha looking at her. She was very aloof. Watching her cynically, like a bug. At that moment, she realized she had fallen into a trap. Goosebumps ran down her back. ¡®No, it can¡¯t be like this. Elisha was supposed to be here!¡¯ Car found Jacob among the people. She sighed and approached him. ¡°Jacob, help Car. This is all a misunderstanding. Car didn¡¯t.¡± But Jacob¡¯s condition was strange. He was breathing heavily. He could put up with one or two of Car¡¯s adulteries. But at this moment, Car had properly touched Jacob¡¯s wrath. Calling out Lucerne¡¯s name in front of the people and doing it in front of her husband. ¡°You damn bitch! Betrayer! This bloody bitch ruined everything!¡± Jacob kicked Car in front of people. ¡°Kyyaa!¡± Car fell on the floor and looked around her in bewilderment. ¡°C¡ªCar has fallen into a trap! It¡¯s all that bitch¡¯s work! There¡¯s no way Car would y a prank with the Lord¡¯s namete!¡± she pointed to Elisha and shouted. But no one listened to Car. She felt the people¡¯s gaze. It was a look that indicated her downfall. Disgust and contempt. From the two men she believed in. The enmity and fury of Gaju and Jacob. Now, what mattered was not the truth. More important was the fact that she had earned both men¡¯s hatred. The Cartiers were generous to their daughters-inws. But if anyone fell out with them and earned their malicious acrimony, it was over for them. Chapter 209: Tpcp 209 Chapter 209: Tpcp 209 ¡°It must be that bitch who put the namete there! Right? The one who prayed here all night is Elisha.¡± Car finally gathered her thoughts and dered. The Head said coldly to her: ¡°How do you know Elisha put the golden namete? She put it here? Car! The only people in the house who know where it is hidden are you and Jacob.¡± The corners of Elisha¡¯s mouth curled up the tiniest bit. In the temple¡¯s basement was a secret storage for the collections rted to holy relics. Car was often careless, opening the hidden depository in front of her and sometimes even ordering her to run errands for her. One task involved the Gaju¡¯s namete, so she discovered where it was kept. ¡°Besides, only you and the High Priestess have the key to this temple. And it¡¯s just Gail. That¡¯s why you messed up Elisha¡¯s preparations for the ritualst night? Do you think I gave you an extra set of keys for this? If you have something to say, say it.¡± Then, someone burst intoughter. It was Prince Jewel who everyone had forgotten. ¡°You¡ª you? Haha. You are so pretty. Yes. I asked you to prepare a woman who looks like Elisha this time.¡± However, Prince Jewel hadn¡¯te to his senses yet. He was approaching Elisha with staggering steps while the servants¡¯ hands loosened. When Car pointed out Elisha, he seemed to think she was a courtesan she sent him. ¡°You must be out of your mind.¡± Before reaching Elisha, he was blocked by Lucerne. He mercilessly struck Jewel across the face. Strike! His face jerked back with such a loud noise, making one wonder if Jewel¡¯s jaw had been shattered. ¡°Arghh!¡± Jewel curled up unsightly. Lucerne¡¯s blow awakened his senses. Only then did he blink. ¡®Huh? I¡­ ¡­ . now¡­ ¡­ . What just happened?¡¯ His face went white. Jewel met the expressions of the empress and Ilione staring at him. Car watched Jewel and calcted a way to live. She shouted loudly, ¡°The truth is¡­ ¡­ . Prince Jewel raped Car!¡± Jewel paled at Car¡¯s usation. ¡°W-what are you talking about! Why would I rape you!¡± ¡°Car didn¡¯t want to. The prince dragged me here and molested me!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make meugh! There¡¯s even a note you sent me!¡± Coincidentally, the emperor who entered the ce btedly saw the whole scene. He looked at Jewel in disbelief. ¡°Jewel what is this!¡± ¡°Royal Father! Look, it¡¯s not¡­ ¡­ .¡± The emperor looked around. When a servant whispered something in his ear, he immediately grasped the situation. ¡°Take away that stupid bastard! Right now!¡± The emperor shouted. Jewel was taken away with a bewildered face. Soon after, the Lord issued the same order. Jacob¡¯s knights also took Car. *** Birds started chirping in the grove near the temple. People felt like they were watching a midsummer night¡¯s nightmare. *** The wife of the first grandson, the de facto sessor of the Duke of Cartier, and the eldest son of the imperial family had an affair. Also, in the Duke¡¯s shrine. On the Duke¡¯s most prized treasure. If the two families started holding each other ountable, the entire empire could be shaken. ¡°What is this¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Is what we just saw real?¡± People gathered in front of the temple, and their murmurs grew into a dull roar. A moderate incident bes a scandal that people canugh about. But when people witness an event so bizarre, they don¡¯t even realize it¡¯s a scandal. ¡°This¡­ ¡­ . If it¡¯s handled wrong¡­ ¡­ .¡± People were even frightened of this incident. Those who were quick-witted left quickly, thinking they might bear the brunt of a titan¡¯s rage. The Duke was also very rarely so flustered and agitated. Even Gail, who had followed the Head, forgot to retrieve Gaju¡¯s namete. [Ramund de Cartier] The cotton veil Car wore was torn and scattered over the name. People slowly left their seats, and Lucerne and Elisha nced at each other. *** ¡°Then what shall we do now?¡± ¡°What do you have in mind?¡± Elisha whispered. ¡°We have to go see Car¡¯s failed ns.¡± *** Car¡¯s life was now in Lucerne¡¯s and Elisha¡¯s hands. They headed towards the dormitory where the Duke¡¯s knights stayed. A small barn was behind the dormitory, but no one was around. Ian and Nora, standing in front of the temple, followed Lucerne and Elisha. ¡°Oh! Ah! How are you here¡­ ¡­ .¡± The woman who came out of the barn with a water bottle freaked out. It was none other than Pansy. ¡°Open the door.¡± Lucerne beckoned. Nora mmed the door. ¡°Is it inside?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Early morning sunlight poured into the barn. Startled by the loud sound of the door opening, the man lying on the cot in the barn stood up. ¡°Who is this? Huh?¡± It was Zain, still half asleep. Last night, he hid in this barn, biding his time to attack Elisha. Pansy brought him food. Zain ate the food she gave him without question. The food contained sleeping pills that she had put in it. He fell asleep after that. And now it was dawn. ¡®¡­ ¡­ I truly loathe him.¡¯ Elisha¡¯s stomach was rumbling, and she was about to vomit just from looking at him. In her previous life, she had many terrible moments in her life. But the first deeply imprinted terror was the night he carried her father¡¯s head. The shock and scar she suffered at that time left a profound afterimage of her trauma deep inside. Even after that, Zain was a dreadful nightmare branded on Elisha. In her past life, she would always run away if he was nearby. ¡®There¡¯s no need for me to interrogate him myself.¡¯ So Elisha left it up to Lucerne and the knights to enter the barn. Chapter 210: Tpcp 210 Chapter 210: Tpcp 210 ¡°Zain!¡± Pansy tried to enter the barn but was blocked by Nora¡¯s cold eyes. Elisha looked at Pansy. ¡°Impressive, Pansy. Jacob and Car must have given Zain a ¡®special order¡¯st night. Disobeying that order and stealing the man. Even the quiet Pansy disregards orders.¡± ¡°Do you know me?¡± ¡°How can I not know? You. Car¡¯sdies-in-waiting would break into theundry room and torment coterals.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Pansy shoulders flinched. She looked like a scared deer and gave the impression of being timid. When she bullied others, she used to re with her enormous eyes filled with white. ¡°That¡ª so¡­. What do you mean? Zain is not guilty of any crime!¡± ¡°I know it hurts but you have to speak the truth.¡± Elisha bent over Pansy and spoke affectionately. ¡°Youmitted the crime.¡± Pansy took in a breath. ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°But don¡¯t worry. An underling who disobeys Car¡¯s orders usually goes undetected, but this time will be an exception.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ What do you mean?¡± Elisha didn¡¯t want to tell her. Apparently, Pansy didn¡¯t have the mentality to handle the hardships that awaited her. ¡°The world will change when you step out of this barn.¡± Lucerne raised the corner of his mouth. He rarely gave kind advice. ¡°What she says is generally wise. You¡¯d better listen.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t scare her, Lucerne. She¡¯s pitiful. Just prepare your heart. There will be a lot going on in the future,¡± Elisha said. She recalled memories from her past life. The lowest of the weak were exposed to unfiltered human nature. Ugly looking Elisha was also poor with nothing, not even a ce or person to rely on. None of Car¡¯s people felt guilty about stepping on her. Elisha hated Pansy more than Mimosa in some ways. At least, Mimosa was constantly simple and violent. However, Pansy had a quiet personality with a reputation for being nice to everyone. She usually pretended to pity Elisha, then picked on her for tiny things and harassed her. It turned out that was Pansy¡¯s way of venting her anger. In her past life, Elisha¡¯s actual title was Jacob¡¯s secretary. But Car didn¡¯t like having her by Jacob¡¯s side for long. She often used some pretext to bring Elisha in and make her do tasks. When busy, she told her maids to give her job instructions instead. They were, in effect, ordered to harass Elisha. ¡®Wipe it again. Again.¡¯ ¡®Rearrange it.¡¯ One day, at Pansy¡¯smand, she polished all of Car¡¯s shoes. Even then, there were days when she kept nitpicking and having her polish the boots all night because there was still dust on them. Her shoe polish got on her hands and didn¡¯te off for a while. Her wrist has been sore for a month. It was winter then, so her hands were swollen. The memory was still vivid. Around the time Elisha took on Jacob¡¯s sins. Their hatred and harassment reached their peak. On the day Pansy bullied Elisha like that, Car praised her for doing her job well. ¡°She resembles her owner so much it¡¯s surprising. Get on your knees,¡± Lucerne orderednguidly. His tone, along with the memory she had just recalled, gave Elisha some pleasure. Pansy trembled and fell to her knees. ¡°What are you doing? Take that bastard away.¡± Lucerne beckoned to his knights. Ian and Nora went inside the cabin. ¡°What¡ª what is this? Who are you¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°How did you live in this family without recognizing my face?¡± Lucerne clicked his tongue. Zain was still half unconscious from the sleeping pills. Then, when he saw Lucerne, he suddenly came to his senses. Lucerne put a de to his neck. ¡°Stay still.¡± Lucerne lifted Zain¡¯s face with the de. ¡°It¡¯s you?¡± ¡°What¡­ ¡­ uh, what¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I heard you imed to have married my wife.¡± Lucerne stared at him, then punched his face. His jaw had turned so severely that Elisha thought he might have broken his neck. She took a step back. Ian asked cheerfully. ¡°Oh, are you starting already?¡± ¡°I wanted to hit him.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Even before I got here. So when I saw his face, I couldn¡¯t stand it.¡± Bam! ¡°Intolerable.¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± Zain was kicked by Lucerne and instantly copsed to the ground. ¡°I heard you went into the bridal room with my wife.¡± Lucerne leaned over and whispered so only Zain could hear. Chapter 211: Tpcp 211 Chapter 211: Tpcp 211 Only then did Zain grasp his situation. Lucerne hade to deal with his wife¡¯s ws. ¡°S¡ªspare me. I didn¡¯t have a choice back then. What power do I have? I had to do what I was told¡­ ¡­ .¡± Zain began to beg Lucerne. He shook his head. ¡°I want to kill you right now.¡± Lucerne leaned down and whispered. ¡°But my wife told me to give you a chance. Tell me, what¡¯s the meaning behind the fact I am here before you?¡± Lucerne pointed to Pansy. She was trembling. ¡°Ca-Car-nim¡¯s n was discovered¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Correct. So do you think Car will be safe?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Looks like both of their heads are not in good shape. I¡¯ll give you only one hint: Find a way to survive.¡± Lucerne spoke softly, ¡°Got it?¡± Lucerne tapped Zain on the cheek with the tip of his scabbard. ¡°Don¡¯t disappoint me. If you want to keep your limbs.¡± Pansy and Zain exchanged nces. Apprehension shed in their terror-filled eyes. Ian shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t think they understand what you mean.¡± ¡°Then beat the guy first. He¡¯ll understand if you beat him.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ General. I will do it. He is the one who dared to try to defile and tarnished the honor of our mistress,¡± Nora said with rageful eyes. ¡°Of course.¡± Lucerne smiled and agreed. Ian whistled. He knew that once Nora was angry, her hands were rougher than anyone else. ¡°Ian, escort my wife.¡± Fortunately, Elisha did not have to witness the scene. Because Lucerne ordered it so. *** ¡°Let¡¯s go, mydy,¡± said Ian. ¡°The general and Nora will handle the matter.¡± It was not long before the bloody sound of someone being beaten began to echo from the cabin. Elisha didn¡¯t look back. She wondered if her pale cheeks were noticeable. And she hid her trembling hands by holding them tight. ¡®Indeed, what I hated before is what I still hate now.¡¯ Elisha thought, recalling Zain. *** Early this morning, Elisha had connected the royal family and the duchy and lit the two families on fire. She hoped that the masters of the two houses would feed the mes, spurring a massive bonfire. And she sincerely wished that Jewel and Car would be burned. For now, the two families chose to take the family member who caused the ident and question them. The emperor¡¯s family hid in the outbuilding. Whereas the duke¡¯s people dragged Car into the basement and locked her in the wine cer for the time being. The rtionship between the imperial family and the duke¡¯s family was extremely delicate. Although they were predominantlyrades, their rtionship was always close to the realm of politics, society, and keeping up with appearances. Even a minor incident could shake the bnce. Moreover, this time, a colossal incident urred on the day the imperial family showed the gesture of friendship. ¡®At this point, it won¡¯t matter ¡®why¡¯ it happened.¡¯ The tense rtionship between the imperial and ducal families, which maintained a shallow but peaceful atmosphere, copsed with massive cracks. From now on, the important thing for those in power was how to deal with and fix it. It was strangely quiet inside the duke¡¯s house today. It was like that on days when Gaju was upset. Countless employees tip-toed about, holding their breath and muffling their footsteps. Desperately hoping that no one would die. Even so, none of the servants left the duke¡¯s house voluntarily. ¡®Because an endless amount of money flows into the duke¡¯s family. Sometimes it even reaches the employees.¡¯ Only the Lucerne couple and their retinue were at peace in the mansion. Elisha was sitting on a long chair in Lucerne¡¯s room. She was reclining against his torso, which was also sitting on the chaise. She satfortably with her legs stretched out. It had been a long time since she had taken off her pure white dress, and was now wearing a navy blue dress made with sparkling silver embellishments. Her skirt flowed like a waterfall from the bottom of the chaise longue. ¡°As expected, you look better in colorful fancy clothes than in clothes,¡± Lucerne remarked. ¡°The memorial service has been canceled. So I don¡¯t have to wear them anymore. It¡¯s not even a funeral.¡± Elisha responded nonchntly. ¡°The Head must be disappointed. The old man would have looked forward to the memorial service.¡± Lucerne seemed to be having fun. ¡°From the beginning, I had no intention of having amemorative ceremony or memorial service,¡± Elisha stated inly. ¡°Is that so?¡± He responded affectionately. ¡°Yes, why should I hold an event at someone else¡¯s house?¡± Elisha shook her head. ¡°The people of this family can take care of appeasing the ghosts associated with this house.¡± ¡°Well said.¡± Lucerneughed as if he was genuinely amused. He liked this side of Elisha. ¡°Well then, my smart wife. Tell me, what will these two families do now?¡± Elisha had a box of fine choctes on herp. She leisurely ate them. She stayed awakest night without sweets and tea, so her mind was hazy. But she couldn¡¯t sleep. She had never had such an exciting morning before. ¡°Unless Princess Ilione is a fool, she will make this into a significant event. She hates her step brother. The only obstacle blocking her path is Jewel.¡± ¡°We should look forward to Ilione¡¯s performance.¡± ¡°Yes, if she is truly a member of the imperial family, wouldn¡¯t she have already prepared a secret weapon to strike Jewel in the back of the head for a time like this?¡± Lucerne put the chocte back into her mouth. She savored it slowly. She pretended not to know that his finger pressed firmly against her lower lip. ¡°The rtionship between the two families is more valuable than Prince Jewel or Car. They will be able to keep their lives, but that¡¯s all. Their futures are over.¡± For the people of the Cartier family, no one was irreceable. The imperial family was the same. They were people who could even rece the emperor if they wanted. Chapter 212: Tpcp 212 Chapter 212: Tpcp 212 ¡°The emperor will protect Jewel.¡± Lucerne was amused at a careless Elisha, who noted dully, ¡°By no means. At the end of the day, Jewel is not the emperor¡¯s biological son. In peaceful times, he can love and take care of Jewel as if he were his own child. But the true nature of those in power is revealed when they have something to lose. In this case, what¡¯s at stake is the imperial family¡¯s rtions with the duchy. He could lose it. The emperor might dislike the duke¡¯s power for being too strong. But he won¡¯t want to break the truce like this.¡± ¡°Therefore?¡± ¡°He will abandon Jewel.¡± Elisha remembered Yepnen, whom Jewel was abusing. Did the emperor not know about it? ¡°Adopted or biological. There must be people in this world who can love and raise children equally. But the sovereign cannot be like that. Such a kind person cannot sit on the emperor¡¯s throne no matter how peaceful the circumstances surrounding them may be.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°It¡¯s the powerful who can abandon even their own children.¡± Lucerne was satisfacted. ¡°Brilliant insight. After all, I have the best woman.¡± Elisha blinkedzily. ¡°¡­ ¡­ Furthermore. Ilione is your guardian and next in line to the powerful emperor. So, it¡¯s not a loss to sort out the affairs of the imperial family and let them be indebted to you.¡± That was the picture Elisha was drawing. The imperial family was originally on Lucerne¡¯s side. After this incident, Ilione would fully trust him. Because Elisha purposely made it that way. Additionally, Rosaria was behind them. Lucerne now has the imperial family and the temple as his allies. Both powers would protect him. The scales were already tipping. ¡°Indeed, you are exceptionally talented in assisting me. Even though I never asked for it. I suppose I¡¯m very moved because I¡¯m at a loss at how to respond?¡± She thought Lucerne¡¯s eyes were cold. Did he really appreciate it? ¡®Fat chance.¡¯ Lucerne was no fool. This path that Elisha was leading them on, and everything she did, was ultimately to free herself. There was no way that Lucerne didn¡¯t know that. ¡°What is your take on Car and Jacob?¡± Lucerne exined briefly. ¡®Car! I can never forgive you! I¡¯m going to cut down the bitch right now!¡¯ The echo of Jacob wielding a sword and shouting loudly shook the entire duchy. He was so angry he lost his reason and ran amok. Instead, he said, the Head had difficulty deterring him and putting her in detention. ¡°The patriarch is more frightening. Jacob will go wild all the way, but Gaju will take revenge on Car more thoroughly.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that more mature?¡± ¡°The family head is more sophisticated. Just like you are detaining and abusing Merha.¡± ¡°You¡¯re asking me to keep him alive, aren¡¯t you?¡± They exchanged nces. He gently held Elisha in his arms, and she buried her cheek in Lucerne¡¯s arms. He stroked her soft hair. ¡°What is it? You must be in a good mood.¡± ¡°Since you listened to my request, I feel good.¡± ¡°Now you¡¯re trying to manipte me.¡± Lucerne was puzzled. But he didn¡¯t seem offended. ¡°But why Prince Jewel?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I understand that you wanted to get revenge on Jacob and deal with Car. But why did you choose Jewel as the person that would be destroyed with them together?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Do you have any grudge against the boy?¡± In her previous life, Jewel was a mad prince and sadist who abused women. He was rtively quiet now. In addition, Jewel¡¯s verbal abuse towards her came to mind. ¡®A pitiful lowlife. Why do you live like you¡¯re already dead? I¡¯d rather be dead if I were you.¡¯ A few yearster, Jewel and Car did have an affair. ¡®They say you¡¯re a witch that¡¯s a thorn in Car¡¯s eyes. Why the hell would you bother a nice, sweetdy like Car? You¡¯re so ugly that you must be jealous of pretty girls like Car. I hear you flirt with her husband at every opportunity?¡¯ Many people abused Elisha because of Car, like Mimosa, who was always around her. However, none of them trampled Elisha¡¯s pride as cruelly as Jewel. Ironically, when Jewel bullied her, it confirmed that she still had something resembling pride left in her. ¡®Car only meets men like herself.¡¯ Car, too, had some perverted tastes. So, of course, the men she met were also degenerates. One day, Jewel made Elisha don only her underwear and hit her with a cane. Her pale skin was quickly stained with red plum marks. Jewel was exhrated to see it. It was the same with Car. ¡®Oh, seeing her crying makes Car so excited. The prince is such a good person who punishes bad people. Thank you for protecting Car!¡¯ Fortunately, Jewel was very picky about faces, so he did not touch her sexually. That night, the two locked Elisha in an enormous chest. It was where Car usually kept her clothes and valuables. On top of what looked like a coffin, a twenty-three-year-old Jewel and the older Car had sex. Car eximed: ¡®Car¡¯s more excited because Elisha¡¯s underneath.¡¯ ¡®Car feels so good.¡¯ etc. Even thinking back on the unpleasant memory made her feel dirty. It was also the most bizarre and strange thing she had ever experienced in her previous life. ¡®Car, he was your future lover anyway.¡¯ Elisha thought indifferently. ¡®So, wouldn¡¯t it be better to get involved a little earlier? You should thank me.¡¯ Chapter 213: Tpcp 213 Chapter 213: Tpcp 213 She couldn¡¯t tell Lucerne what she was thinking. So she gave a simple and brief reply: ¡°If you kill Car prematurely, you will give Jacob an excuse to attack. Besides, he is an idiot. If he sees Car injured or dead, he might try to get revenge.¡± ¡°And the more stupid you are, the more stubborn you are.¡± ¡°Yes. Jacob will never see her again, now that he knows that Car¡¯s sex fantasy is you.¡± Elisha and Lucerne saw through Car¡¯s operation through Mimosa. They also figured out her n without difficulty. In contrast to Jacob, who was clueless. ¡®Just having an affair with the prince is a huge disgrace to Jacob. Nevermind calling out Lucerne¡¯s name in front of people and uttering nonsense.¡¯ Elisha wanted tough. After all, the people in this family never disappointed her expectations. ¡°People in this family are tolerant of women cheating on them, aren¡¯t they? But since it was the first prince. It¡¯s impossible toe back from.¡± The men of the Cartier family were proud of their bloodlines. Carrying a child of the Cartier family changes a woman¡¯s internal magical structure due to that special bloodline. Mana is a power possessed by everyone, even non-mages. Wizards only have the talent to refine and use them. So, a woman with a child in the Cartier family has traces on her body. The change in her magic structure leaves a beautiful pattern on her body. In the end, they were tolerant of infidelity because no matter what she did, she was a woman of the Cartier family. Lucerne¡¯s eyes changed. ¡°Nonsense.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I will never be indulgent of your wishes. If you do¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ What then?¡± ¡°Things will go as you imagine.¡± ¡°Will you kill me?¡± ¡°You still don¡¯t have much of a grasp of reality.¡± Lucerne bore into her eyes. Elisha stared back, sitting on top of the chair. ¡°Whether you cheat or murder someone. Whether you¡¯re in bed with the emperor instead of Jewel.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I won¡¯t kill you or throw you away. In other words, even if my treatment of you changes, the fact that you have to be by my side does not change.¡± Elisha slightly frowned. ¡°Should I thank you for not cutting my throat right away?¡± ¡°Rather than that, don¡¯t make me do anything I¡¯ll regret.¡± Lucerne smiled. He brushed his fingers from the tip of Elisha¡¯s well-groomed nose to her lips. ¡°Anyway, you can¡¯t do anything that will make me abandon you, like Jacob did to Car. I will make you live by my side, to the point where you¡¯ll be sick and tired of me.¡± Elisha was at a loss for words. He had a knack for being both creepy and affectionate at the same time. At times like this, it was always her who ran away from the confrontation. ¡®They say that he can even tear demons apart with his bare hands. What¡¯s the point of me fighting back?¡¯ Of course, he had never really seen how he killed a demon. At that time, Lucerne spoke first. ¡°You can rest now, Elisha.¡± He flipped her hair. ¡°The crown is to trample on someone and win against another. I¡¯m not waiting for someone to put it on my head. If someone else was talented you would have sought to crown someone other than me, right?¡± Elisha sensed his suspicions and was chilled. She chose her words carefully. Even if Lucerne fully cooperated with her this time around. He was not an opponent she could handle and deal with at will. After all, if Elisha and Lucerne¡¯s positions were switched, she would have also doubted him. She said quietly as something came to mind, and she was watching something invisible unfold before her eyes: ¡°Lucerne, have you ever seen Hell?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen something simr.¡± ¡°Then have you ever seen the world we live in be hell in one day?¡± ¡°No,¡± Lucerne replied. Elisha raised the corners of her mouth. A bitter smile soon formed. In her previous life, she saw hell. ¡°Hell thates in one night. Such a hell,¡± Elisha¡¯s hand traced his cor. ¡°Comes for money.¡± In her previous life, Marco had the temple¡¯s power on his back. Supported by the imperial family, Lucerne joined Cartier¡¯s power struggle. Eventually, the grandchildren threatened even the life of the family head. Finally, the Head pulled out his sword. The Cartier family had lent arge amount of money to the temple and the imperial family. Generation after generation, the money had now grown to a staggering amount. ¡®Recover all funds.¡¯ The day the Lord ordered that, the empire became hell. The value of money copsed, and the empire¡¯s economy crumbled. It happened all in one night. That was the hell the Cartier family could create. Every merchant went out of business, and people took to the streets. Elisha was under Jacob, so she wasn¡¯t affected much. But she saw an increase in children begging on the streets. After some time, she discovered that even Rosaria¡¯s monastery and orphanage had children who had gone hungry, and many had to be relinquished to the streets. Others were fine no matter what. They were fine no matter who was hurt. Anyway, for Elisha, life after 14 was a road to hell. But, for Elisha, the monastery was a ce of memories with her mother. It was the only ce she received someone¡¯s goodwill without demanding anything in return. It was her sanctuary¡ªthest memory of her dead mother. ¡®Elisha, all this mother can give you is her love. I¡¯m ashamed. Without you, I would have fallen apart. But please trust your mother. I love you, my daughter.¡¯ Hell was a ce where even one¡¯sst precious refuge was taken away. Elisha learned then. ¡®I don¡¯t want to see something like that again.¡¯ When the members of the Cartier family started fighting at the risk of spilling blood, the cost was devastating. You can read more here. z Chapter 214: Tpcp 214 Chapter 214: Tpcp 214 ¡°Elisha,¡± Lucerne called her. ¡°I like what you are painting [t1v: he is referring to her schemes]. Just keep the line so you¡¯re safe. Do you remember what I said beforehand?¡± Elisha meekly nodded. ¡°I will not damage your property.¡± She repeated his order without much thought. ¡°Good,¡± Lucerne said with satisfaction. ¡°By the way, the fact that Car¡¯s sex fantasy is you, did you know?¡± [E] ¡°If I had known, I would have hated her more.¡± [L] Elisha wanted tough. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Impertinent.¡± Lucerne looked down into Elisha¡¯s eyes and whispered. Suddenly, her bodyy down on the sofa. ¡°I can only eat my wife¡¯s hole.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ ¡­ .¡± Delirious kisses poured in. Elisha¡¯s back trembled at the tongue sticking out as if it were going to swallow the root of her tongue. His kisses woke her up faster than the choctes. ¡°Aren¡¯t you d your marriage is fair? Thanks to that, I can possess your chastity,¡± Lucerne whispered quietly. ¡°Shall we?¡± ¡°No¡­ ¡­ . No, we can¡¯t. Wait until tonight.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Lucerne¡¯s eyes became ferocious. Elisha was even more frightened. Sheforted him by stroking his firm arm. ¡°The day isn¡¯t over yet.¡± At her soothing words, Lucerne¡¯s beast-like eyes fell heavily from Elisha¡¯s lips. He licked her lips tantalizingly. ¡°We have to go see Car. If possible, I¡¯m curious and want to take a look at the imperial family¡¯s situation too.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Lucerne whispered. ¡°Because there¡¯s a lot to celebrate.¡± *** Car was once locked in a wine cer for several hours. In the dark warehouse, reality finally settled in. ¡®Jacob, I can¡¯t believe you¡¯d abandon Car instantly like this. This doesn¡¯t make sense¡ªNonsense¡­! ¡­ .¡¯ Car wanted to cry. But it wasn¡¯t time for her to cry. If she got stuck on the wrong end of the Cartier family¡¯s vengeance, they could cut her throat, even if it was her. ¡®How did we end up like this?¡¯ Car thought all her problems would be solvedst night. She thought there was nothing but fortune ahead for her. But the result was disastrous. She realized that she had fallen for Elisha¡¯s trap. ¡®I will kill you. That damn bitch. We¡¯ll kill her even if Car dies with her. After all, Car didn¡¯t like her from the first time we saw her.¡¯ Car felt her hatred for Elisha boil. ¡®We should have recognized you from the first time we met. She jumped out into the hallway in her underwear and seduced Jacob.¡¯ Car married into this house six years ago. Coincidentally, it was around the same time that Count Lor died. At the time, Jacob was busy plundering the territory of the Old Kingdom Alliance so he couldn¡¯t spend the first night with Car for several days. She never doubted Jacob¡¯s love. He had even kicked out his ex-wife to marry Car. ¡®I like her. I never thought the daughter of Count Lor would be this pretty. What a waste. But she¡¯s still too young. I¡¯ll have to take a look when she¡¯s older.¡¯ Even before Jacob even had his first night with Car, he saw Elisha and said, ¡®I like her.¡¯ So he took Elisha away from Zain. Afterwards, Car took steps to keep Elisha out of Jacob¡¯s eyes. Jacob must not see that woman; she instinctively knew. After that, Elisha became a forgotten existence. With many beautiful courtesans debuting, Jacob began to enjoy ying with them rather than having a long-term lover. So, Car alsopletely forgot about her. Until Elisha appeared in front of Lucerne, covered in muddy water. ¡®The problem is that Car is too nice. Such a bad bitch should have been punished right away. Then we would be relieved.¡¯ Car wanted to let go of her wits and wail out loud in rage. She wanted to get out of this situation. But she had no choice. Jacob didn¡¯t even bother finding her, and the patriarch was sky-high furious. The only reason the Head gave her a decent prison was because the members of the imperial family were still staying at the duke¡¯s house. ¡®When the imperial family leaves¡­ ¡­ . What happens to me? Will I ever be able to enjoy my old status again?¡¯ Chapter 215: Tpcp 215 Chapter 215: Tpcp 215 It waste afternoon when Car left the wine cer. When she saw the patriarch¡¯s face, she cried and clung to him like a child. ¡°Lord! Please don¡¯t abandon Car. We are wronged. The bad one is Prince Jewel! He tried to drag Car into the temple and humiliate her! Prince Jewel always looked at Car with evil intentions!¡± There was no use in her ming Elisha. Because before she could disclose that she had fallen into Elisha¡¯s trap, she would first have to exin the trap she had set up for Elisha. Car decided to me Jewel to save herself in this crisis. ¡°Then what is this note! Prince Jewel says you tempted him by giving him this note during mealtime.¡± A message fell in front of her. [I¡¯m wearing white clothes¡­ ¡­ .] It was clearly her handwriting. Car and Jacob sent courtesans to Jewel this way, with this code. This was something she really didn¡¯t know about. ¡°It¡¯s a trap! Car didn¡¯t write this!¡± ¡°Prince Jewel told me everything. It¡¯s definitely not rape. Do you think the people in this family are fools? Car, you were obviously embracing Jewel.¡± ¡°Well, to Car¡­ ¡­ . it¡¯s kind of pills¡­ ¡­ . She was drugged¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Kind of? What drug? The pills you brought from your parents¡¯ house?¡± As if Gaju found this defense ridiculous, he threw the empty capsules in front of Car. ¡°Blossoms are the main ingredient of this medicine. That flower is an herb that only your family handles. And this medicine was produced by your family but was discontinued decades ago.¡± The Head spoke with his teeth vibrating in rage. Even the head of the family knew about this medicine. It was a medicine used by nobles to indulge in debauchery. The narcotic was suddenly discovered in his mansion. Through whom could it have appeared? Moreover, the rumor that Car had spread in advance properly reached the ears of the duke. The Lord heard the detailed story through Gale. He said that there were women in the family who secretly engaged in fornication at the temple. It has been rumored that the temple was used for that purpose for a long time. And now the only woman in the Cartier family was Car. She was caught in a trap of her own making. ¡°Car, do you take this family lightly? Do you find us funny after everything we¡¯ve done for you? No matter how much your parents may fly in the sky or crawl in sewers, they are nothing more than bugs that feed on the food I throw at them. Except for the imperial family, there is no family in this country as prestigious as ours.¡± Car¡¯s face turned white. ¡°Well, Car¡­ ¡­ .¡± The door quietly opened then, and Lucerne and Elisha entered the room. She red at Elisha with bloodshot eyes. ¡°This is that woman¡¯s trap! That¡¯s the problem. In the first ce, Car wanted Zain¡­ ¡­ .¡± She suddenly came to her senses. ¡°That woman is bigamous! She signed a marriage contract with another man! Car has proof.¡± Tuk. The patriarch threw some documents in front of her. ¡°You mean this?¡± Car¡¯s eyes widened. She crawled over and looked at her wedding vows. It was clearly a marriage vow written by Zain and Elisha. ¡°How do you¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Then, why didn¡¯t you even do a basic investigation into such a big case? You must have had a hard time living with an intelligence below that of an average person.¡± Lucerne sneered in amazement. Even at times like this, Elisha thought that his vitriol was incredible. ¡°Car investigated¡ª¡± ¡°Have you not investigated because you were too busy with Prince Jewel?¡± the Head said, looking at Car like she was a bug. ¡°It¡¯s the same thing if she¡¯s not innocent. Besides, that thing is mean. Why, why only to me¡­ ¡­ .¡± Car¡¯s true nature emerged when she faced a dead end. She was wicked with a childlike personality. Car looked aggrieved. The patriarch didn¡¯t even flinch an eyebrow. ¡°Lucerne already told me everything. The whole story of how Elisha signed this contract.¡± The day they arrived at his mansion to prepare for the memorial service. Lucerne came to see Gaju alone. ¡®Elisha seems to be having trouble with Jacob. When Jacob first captured her, he forced her to sign a marriage contract with the man who killed her father.¡¯ Lucerne spoke calmly and politely to the head of the family. ¡®But it¡¯s in the past, so I don¡¯t n on making an issue of it. It is also confirmed through the temple that Elisha was not already married. Since the misunderstanding between us has been resolved, there is no need to worry even if the story reaches the owner¡¯s ears in the future.¡¯ Even in this situation, Car was shocked that Lucerne would act like that. ¡®Why? Why are you so protective of a woman like that?¡¯ Car had kept an eye on Lucerne for a long time. He was distrustful and callous; he was not the kind of person who would cover up and shield someone. She might simply be pretty. However, a rtively weak person like Elisha was not someone Lucerne had to sacrifice something to gain. That wasmon sense in the world Car lived in. Lucerne was from the same world as her. Hermon sense had to be shared with him, too. If done well, the rtionship between Lucerne and Elisha should have been shaken before this event even took ce. And as conclusive evidence, he should have kicked her out after seeing Zain sleeping with Elisha. It all came back to Car like a boomerang. She felt like she had been hit on the back of the head several times. ¡°Compared to Lucerne and Elisha¡¯s attitude, you as a couple¡­ ¡­ . No, Car. You are the biggest problem. Jacob, that guy is crazy too. No matter how bad the rtionship between Count Lor and our family was, how could you n to marry Elisha to the man who killed Count Lor?¡± Previously, the patriarch would not have med Jacob for his actions. It didn¡¯t matter whether she married Zain or not. Because before, Elisha was a ve to the family. But now things had changed. To Gaju, Elisha was a person. The Head¡¯s favor turned ves into humans and animals into spirits. He could make an ordinary person into a very noble and precious being. Such is the ss structure of the Cartier n. And Lucerne¡¯s protection was at the heart of the Lord¡¯s favor. Therefore, under that shelter, Car could fall into a rank far below Elisha. Chapter 216: Tpcp 216 Chapter 216: Tpcp 216 ¡°Aren¡¯t you sorry for your dead grandmother-inw? She was such a perfect woman. If she knew, she would consider you a disgrace.¡± As the head of the family got irate, Gale became restless. ¡°Lord, please don¡¯t get upset.¡± ¡°Please breathe easy, Gaju.¡± At that time, Elisha spoke calmly. ¡°I hold no resentment. It¡¯s all in the past.¡± ¡°Look at Elisha. This child doesn¡¯t even me you.¡± ¡°This¡­ ¡­ . This doesn¡¯t make sense. How¡ª? You set up Car in this trap¡­ ¡­ . You¡ªBad bitch¡ª¡± Car¡¯s whole body trembled. Then, there was a knock on the door. Lucerne took the initiative and stepped out. A knight whispered something to Lucerne. ¡°What¡¯s going on, Lucerne?¡± ¡°It appears that there is a knight who tried to leave the Order without permission.¡± Themotion that urred this morning could never spread outside. So not only employees but also knights were ordered to temporarily cease from going out. Therefore, a knight who went out without permission was treated as a deserter and could be severely punished. ¡°Who was it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a knight named Zain.¡± The patriarch¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Isn¡¯t that Jacob¡¯s knight?¡± ¡°I suppose so. Running away at a time like this? I thought it was strange, so I asked them to bring him in,¡± Lucerne said. Soon Zain was brought in. He had a ck bruise around his eye. It was the work of Lucerne¡¯s knights. ¡°Why did you run away?¡± Gaju looked at Zain and asked expressionlessly. His whole body was shaking. As soon as Zain and Pansy came out of the barn, Pansy was taken away by the people of the family home. Zain couldn¡¯t even notify his superior, Jacob, to save him. Jacob would be gnashing his teeth at them. If Zain had vited Elishast night as ordered, things wouldn¡¯t have gotten this messed up. He had an urate premonition: ¡®There is no way for me to get out of this alive, Jacob will take his anger out on me.¡¯ As soon as Zain went to the knights¡¯ quarters, he was taken into custody by them and bound. While desperately running away, Lucerne¡¯s knights descended and captured him again. ¡°It¡¯s¡ªI am¡­ ¡­ . Well¡ªthat¡­ ¡­ . I don¡¯t know anything. Please spare me.¡± ¡°Zain! Tell them! You¡¯re married to Elisha. Aren¡¯t you? You need to find your wife!¡± Car spat out to Zain as if she couldn¡¯t stand it. At that shout, Gaju nced at him. The patriarch traced his memories and finally remembered that the knight who killed Count Lor a long time ago was Zain. ¡°Is this the w of my most favored granddaughter-inw?¡± ¡°Ah, well¡ª¡± ¡°The man is currently engaged to Car¡¯s maid,¡± Lucerne said briefly. ¡°Then bring that maid first. If you whip her in front of him, he¡¯ll probably get let out about why he¡¯s acting suspiciously.¡± The Head spoke briefly. ¡°Please forgive me!¡± Zain begged. This morning. Lucerne trampled on the fallen Zain and spoke. ¡®Tell the patriarch what Car ordered you to do. Then I¡¯ll protect you from Jacob. If it¡¯s all Car¡¯s fault, you will be able to avoid the des of the patriarch and Jacob.¡¯ Lucerne was a person with overwhelming strength. Zain crawled in front of an absolute wild beast like a cat usually does. As always, foolish cats were the first to try to avoid the current horror. Chapter 217: Tpcp 217 Chapter 217: Tpcp 217 It took only a moment for him to abandon Car, who had long been his backing, his confidant for a long time, and for whom he had had quite a bit of affection during his youth. Zain immediately said servilely, ¡°Actually, I am in a very difficult situation.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°It is true that I identally wrote a marriage contract with Lady Elisha some time ago. But I didn¡¯t even touch that person¡¯s body, and the marriage fell through. At the time, Lady Elisha was not even fifteen years old. How could we get married! It¡¯s something I deeply regret now.¡± ¡°If what you say is right, it¡¯s all in the past. What¡¯s the problem?¡± ¡°Well¡­ ¡­ . Car kept pushing me to attack Lady Elisha and revive the marriage¡­ ¡­ . I didn¡¯t want to get caught up in the affairs of the duke¡¯s family. So I had no choice but to run away!¡± Zain also knew that he had to hidest night¡¯s vicious scheme. What would happen if he found out that he had nned to rape Lucerne¡¯s wife? His head would definitely be blown off. The way of thinking of those with ugly hearts was obvious. Pass the responsibility to someone else. It was natural for her to target him in a crisis. ¡°What? Zain, you said you liked her too! You said you wanted to marry Elisha and take away the wealth she received from Lucerne!¡± She hurled her curses at Zain. He had known Car for a long time, to begin with. So, he considered her an old friend rather than ady he served, and because of that, the arguments quickly became personal and messy. ¡°I know. I mean, she tempted me like that. If I had sumbed, I would have approached Lady Elisha at least once since she came here. But I kept refusing. But she continues to mistreat, harass and bully people¡ªshe is out of her mind!¡± They fought in front of Gaju, spitting messily. When the patriarch saw that, his eyes grew cold. Zain¡¯s testimony made Car look like an even more insane woman. ¡°Get him out of my sight right now. Then dismiss him and lock him up.¡± ¡°Please spare me! Didn¡¯t I honestly confess everything?¡± Zain begged. ¡°Head.¡± Then, unexpectedly, Lucerne opened her mouth. ¡°I heard that Zain is a knight who worked under Jacob for a long time. They say he once saved Jacob¡¯s life.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Gaju answered briefly. ¡°Then I will take over the new recruit. Jacob will definitely take out his anger on that guy. It is not good to see a loyalist who saved the life of a member of the Cartier family to be seen being treated coldly. I will ce him as a knight under mymand and dispatch him to the border area in the future.¡± The area near the border was extremely dangerous. The birthce of monsters lurked all over the empire. Often, ¡®going to the border¡¯ meant going on an expedition to where monsters originated. ¡°If he survives there, I will keep him under mymand.¡± ¡°But didn¡¯t he kill Elisha¡¯s father?¡± The head of the household¡¯s question was directed to Elisha. ¡°Please do so. In fact, I almost never saw my biological father¡¯s face. Life and death on the battlefield are all fate. I don¡¯t hold on to petty grudges.¡± Elisha spoke so sharply that it seemed a little cold. Gaju was satisfied with her answer and nodded. ¡®Going to the border. Even if you are far from sess, you can survive if you keep your wits about you.¡¯ For now, Zain was satisfied with that. Once his disposition of Zain was decided, Car was next. ¡°Elisha. What do you think I should do with Car?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think Car is an evil person.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ what?¡± Elisha exined calmly. ¡°Sometimes some people do strange things regardless of their will. It is said that one is intoxicated with a kind of madness. Even though I was stuck working in aundry room, I heard about Car a few times. There were times when she looked after us kindly, but she would oftene to theundry and behave strangely.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ Is that so?¡± ¡°Elisha, you have to be honest.¡± Lucerneforted Elisha as if giving her courage. ¡°What did Car do to the girls?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ She would often beat up pretty girls.¡± Many young girls from noble families had good looks. Car would regrly stalk women she thought would catch Jacob¡¯s eye in advance. Moreover, during this period of her previous life, Elisha had worked as a bookkeeper under Car and Jacob. At this time, Car¡¯s depravity was already considerable. Elisha went through it right next to her and remembered it all. She calmly informed them about Car¡¯s misdeeds over the past year. However, she said it as if she had heard rumors in the capital. ¡°That¡¯s how you usually behave?¡± It was natural for the Head¡¯s face to harden. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to tell on her.¡± Elisha spoke demurely. Previously, the patriarch would have thought Car¡¯s wickedness was cute. However, once she was disliked, even pretty features would be seen as ws. All Elisha had to do was provide grounds for Gaju to find fault with. Chapter 218: Tpcp 218 Chapter 218: Tpcp 218 ¡°Yes, you must be punished.¡± ¡°No, I mean. I don¡¯t mean to speak ill of Car.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ What on earth do you want to say?¡± ¡°I think Car needs treatment. So she does extraordinary things sometimes. Otherwise, she is not naturally evil. Why else would she do those things?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Gaju closed his mouth at her words. Elisha had already guessed the Lord¡¯s intentions. ¡®There is only one way to handle this. For him tobel Car as a madwoman.¡¯ In order to resolve this incident, from now on, the duke and the emperor would do their best to turn Car and Jewel into lunatics. You can¡¯t assign intent to what insane people do. All I had to do was turn it into the disgrace of two sexually crazed and abnormal people. After the two people were buried, the rtionship between the two families would be sealed and resolved without any problems. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. Car must be suffering from severe mania.¡± ¡°Lord¡ª That¡¯s not true. Car¡¯s mind is intact!¡± ¡°Silence.¡± Gaju cut off Car¡¯s words curtly. ¡°Keep Car in the abandoned temple in the forest. And she is forbidden from meeting anyone from today. She will need time until she gets better.¡± ¡°Are you nning on just passing up the punishment for insulting my grandmother¡¯s coffin? Myte grandmother must be sad,¡± Lucerne remarked bluntly. The head of the family paused at the word¡¯ grandmother.¡¯ He gritted his teeth. ¡°Yes, of course, you have to take that punishment as well. Since Car seems to like lying in her coffin, I will prepare a wooden coffin and lock her inside it for three days. I will not allow her even a drop of water.¡± ¡°Well, wouldn¡¯t she need ten days for self-reflection?¡± Lucerne snorted. ¡°Du¡ªDuke. Then Car dies. Please spare me¡ªmy Lord!¡± Car screamed. The patriarch spoke indifferently, not even paying attention. ¡°Then let¡¯s make it four days. That way she won¡¯t die. Cover her mouth and take her away.¡± The duke¡¯s servants dragged Car away. ¡°Eup¡ª eup!¡± The sound of Car struggling with her mouth shut echoed through the room. But even Zain, no one cast a sympathetic nce towards her. ¡®Car, it would be better to die now.¡¯ Elisha looked at her with pity. ¡®Hell is about to begin.¡¯ She wanted to click her tongue. ¡®Twice she tried to put me in a coffin. You should enjoy it too.¡¯ But Elisha knew Car preferred to throw someone in rather than go into a coffin herself. So it was a pity. *** The attractions didn¡¯t end there. The royal family was also in an uproar. Two days have passed since the incident urred. Even members of the ducal family did not easily approach the annex where the imperial family stayed. In front of it, the knights of the imperial family were guarding it without any leaks. If you listen to the servants who went on errands at the duke¡¯s house, they disclosed that loud shouting broke out several times inside the mansion. The emperor was a man with a strong backbone and a loud voice. It was said that he was so furious that they wondered if he would strangle Jewel and kill him. Elisha was confident that there was quite an interesting development. The following day, Ilione came to visit Lucerne and Elisha. ¡°Lucerne. Elisha. I don¡¯t know the detailed reason for this. But it¡¯s clear that two people were involved. If I could reveal Jewel¡¯s true identity, it would be a great thing to me. Jewel was a huge obstacle for me to inherit the throne.¡± Instead of going into detail, Ilione spoke directly to the two people. Even on the battlefield, the princessmunicated clearly and quickly. ¡°Come to the annex now. Very quietly. Come with me. I have a duty to show you how things are going.¡± Chapter 219: Tpcp 219 Chapter 219: Tpcp 219 So Lucerne and Elisha followed Ilione to the vi. The beautiful and magnificent annex was one of thergest buildings in the castle. Only two types of distinguished people could stay there for a long time: the Great Pope and members of the imperial family. Now, the imperial royal family¡¯s knights were surrounding the outbuilding. When they saw Ilione, they stepped aside without saying a word. The three people entered the annex using the back door. ¡°Everything you see from now on is confidential,¡± Ilione stated. ¡°It looks like you noticed the portrait device.¡± Lucerne remarked bluntly. ¡°¡­ ¡­ Did you know?¡± ¡°The princess knew after seeing it just once.¡± Elisha couldn¡¯t understand their conversation at first. But when she entered the room, she immediately knew what they meant. The room Lucerne and Elisha entered was right next to the emperor¡¯s temporary study. There was a portrait of an unknown nobleman hanging on the wall. If you look closely at the portrait, you will see that it has several holes through which you can peek and hear what is happening in the next room. Lucerne and Ilione spent their childhood in the duchy and the imperial pce, respectively. So, the secret of this old device could be discovered right away. ¡®It seems the emperor has decided on disposing of Jewel.¡¯ Elisha presumed calmly. ¡®I wonder how Ilione sprouted the seeds I sowed?¡¯ Ilione left without saying a word. But Elisha and Lucerne didn¡¯t ask anything. *** Elisha gazed through the portrait hole. The first thing that caught my eye was Jewel, standing in the middle of the room, looking nervous. Soon, the emperor came striding in and started scolding him. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing that this is the royal family¡¯s vacation period! If something like this happened during the official schedule¡­ ¡ªMy head feels dizzy.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Royal Father. If he couldn¡¯t endure a few days at the Duke¡¯s house and ended up getting into trouble with Car, he will cause an even bigger ident next time,¡± Ilione said. The empress stepped forward and appealed as if she was trying to appease the emperor. ¡°Calm down. Jewel is still young. Children often do foolish things.¡± In reality, those words did nothing but pour fuel on a burning house. Because it made the emperor even more angry, Elisha realized that the empress, who seemed kind, was not a fool. ¡°Does a youth do something like this? After hearing this, I realized that you were rotten from the beginning. You look nothing like myte brother.¡± ¡°Uahhhhh-¡° At that time, the sound of a child crying was heard in the room. When she peered closely, she saw that it was the small Prince Yepnen who was hidden by the furniture. ¡°Yepnen, when on earth did youe in?¡± The empress was shocked. ¡°Don¡¯t scold Brother Jewel. Older brother always ys with me.¡± ¡°Yepnen. You idiot. That¡¯s not ying! He beats you under the pretext of sparring. Furthermore¡­ ¡­ . Oh¡­ . Your other leg¡­¡­ .¡± As Ilione spoke, she bit her lip as if she was upset. ¡°What does that mean?¡± the emperor asked. ¡°It¡¯s not me. Older Royal Brother wants to y with me, but I¡¯m weak¡­ ¡­ . so¡­ ¡­ . Besides, Royal Brother always takes interest in me¡ª¡± Ilione interrupted Yepnen. ¡°Royal Father, this guy bullies Yepnen. Did you really not know? They beat this child with the sheath of a sword under the pretext of sparring! Jewel even went so far as to hit his crippled leg persistently before.¡± Ilione shot out. Talking about Jewel¡¯s evil deeds in detail usually would not have had much of an effect. But at this moment it could be the final blow. The empress¡¯s eyes changed. Elisha realized that the empress was also vaguely aware of the situation. ¡°Your Majesty¡ª How can this be? I can¡¯t have Jewel around my kids anymore. He is not normal!¡± ¡°Your Majesty! No, Royal Father. You said you would be my loving father. I have lived my life believing in His Majesty like my own father. Please trust me just once.¡± Jewel pleaded. ¡°I was just ying around with Yepnen. You told me that the past Emperor and His Majesty often spared when they were young.¡± ¡°But even so, do you spar with a six-year-old?¡± The emperor shouted, but his temper calmed down a little when he heard the words ¡°past emperor.¡± The promises made to the dead were sometimes stronger than anything else. The impression of the emperor was that of a strong hunter filled with deep sorrow and pain. ¡°Car, do you know what she ims? She says you molested her. Did you approach her first? Jewel?¡± The emperor approached with great strides and growled at Jewel. ¡°Answer me!¡± ¡°No!¡± At that time, Yepnen cried. ¡°Royal Brother and Car like each other¡ªReally!¡± ¡°What?¡± The emperor¡¯s movements stopped. ¡°They exchanged letters often! Because they like each other¡­ ¡­ . Royal Brother didn¡¯t do anything bad.¡± Elisha recalled the scene she had seen from behind the treest time. Jewel did not care at all about young Yepnen and acted without hesitation. Clearly, he had exchanged notes several times in front of the small prince. Elisha was impressed by the royal family members. She now knew that no one in the royal family was truly weak. Even the child wasn¡¯t normal. His words had a significant effect. He had ignited the emperor¡¯s suspicions. ¡°Then it is true that you have been in a long-term affair. I¡¯m just d it wasn¡¯t rape. Then our royal family would have had to take full responsibility.¡± The emperor let out a deep sorrowful groan. It was then. There was the sound of the door opening. ¡°You came?¡± Ilione spoke toward the doorway. She turned her head so she couldn¡¯t see the face clearly from her angle. The knights under Ilione brought with them an old, grayish courtier. Her frugal outfit and essories suggest that she was a court maid. ¡°What is this again? Ilione?¡± ¡°Royal Father, not long ago, I learned something shocking. It¡¯s rted to thete empress.¡± read more here. Chapter 220: Tpcp 220 Chapter 220: Tpcp 220 ¡°¡­ ¡­ What does that mean?¡± ¡°This woman will know. Bring it!¡± Tuk¡ª Soon, something was ced in front of the emperor and empress. Only after Elisha peered very closely through the portrait hole did she realize what it was. It was a small, ancient tombstone. ¡°What is this¡ªa tombstone? Just looking at it makes me feel bad. Plus, it looks like a very old item. Looks like I just dug it up¡­ ¡­ . Plus, this looks like the emblem of an ancient god. Plus this¡­ ¡­ . It¡¯s the symbol of an evil god?¡± The empress seemed to have some relevant knowledge. Ilione answered. ¡°Yes. That¡¯s right, Royal Mother. This is the holy relic of the evil god. It¡¯s an object used to curse someone. It is often said to be an item used to destroy the child of someone you wish to curse.¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be ¡­ .¡± The empress¡¯s eyes quaked as if she realized something. ¡°Where did you dig this thing out?¡± ¡°This was buried under the floor of the Empress¡¯s pce, in Royal Mother¡¯s room.¡± The empress let out a brief scream. ¡°How long on earth has this been buried? Don¡¯t time me, Yepnen¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It was buried before Yepnen was born. Do you remember, mother? I was born before Royal Father ascended the throne. So, the two of you were outside the imperial pce¡­ ¡­ . You gave birth to me in a local castle. But Yepnen was born inside the imperial pce.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°The room that thete Empress Shen used in the Empress¡¯s pce.¡± The room was filled with cold silence. Ilione pointed to the courtier. ¡°Hurry and tell them!¡± The old courtier was loudly trembling. She looked disheveled and ragged as if she had been interrogated beforeing here. ¡°I havemitted a mortal sin. I could not disobey thete Empress Shen¡¯s orders. The day Prince Jewel was born¡ª As herst breath was dying¡ª Empress Shen hadmanded me¡ªThis evil god¡¯s relic¡­ ¡­ . Hide it under the floor of the empress¡¯ pce.¡± ¡°Keep talking¡ª Hurry!¡± The emperor roared into anger like a beast. The pce servant was now almost crawling on all fours. ¡°Please name the newly born Prince Jewel. After that¡ª If His Majesty¡¯s son is born, Prince Jewel¡¯s position will be in jeopardy. So she told me to hide this evil god¡¯s sacred relic.¡± The emperor¡¯s hands trembled. After the emperor came to the throne, the country was at peace. But there was only one tragedy that befell the royal family. As Yepnen grew, he was losingmand of his legs. ¡°Now that I think about it, it¡¯s strange, Royal Father.¡± Ilione noted, ¡°There has never been a time in our family¡¯s history¡­ ¡­ . No child has ever been born with symptoms like Yepnen¡¯s. There must be some reason. You know how effective the items of evil gods are. The temple of the evil god created all kinds of cursed objects and caused harm to the world. So, he is an ancient god who was subjugated by the main god¡¯s temple army!¡± The emperor sighed. ¡°Are you saying it¡¯s because of this item that Yepnen is limping?¡± ¡°Maybe so. But what does it matter, Royal Father! One thing is important. I don¡¯t think Her Majesty thete empress could do something like this alone¡­ ¡­ . Did His Majesty the Former Emperor not know? Perhaps the two held hands and prayed before the emperor passed away. Please don¡¯t let Royal Father¡¯s biological son be born!¡± Ilione¡¯s words felt so real that the emperor¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°Royal Father raised Jewel like his own son. How could he do such a thing. In the end, he only cared about his child.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Will you not protect your own child, Yepnen?¡± Elisha wanted to smile; Ilione had exceeded her expectations. ¡®I thought Ilione was clueless. But she is sessful in every matter that she¡¯s involved in. You are a very intelligent princess.¡¯ This morning. Elisha approached Ilione while Lucerne was looking elsewhere in the temple. ¡®Read this secretly. Without Lucerne knowing. Without anyone knowing.¡¯ Elisha handed Ilione the note. It contained earth-shattering information. [Empress Shen passed away, leaving a tombstone of an evil god buried on the floor of the empress pce. The story behind it can be revealed by the pce servant who served Empress Shen on her deathbed. The old courtier knows. Somehow open her mouth.] That wasn¡¯t just her. Car hadn¡¯t been the only one toiling and busyying the groundwork for today. Chapter 221: Tpcp 221 Chapter 221: Tpcp 221 Earlier, when Elisha had met Ilione in a small town near the duke¡¯s house, she implicitly said this: ¡®Imperial Princess. Do you know that saying? ¡®A man¡¯s best friend is a political friend.¡± ¡®What do you mean, Elisha?¡¯ ¡®The princess has always been kind to me. I also want to help the princess. At the decisive moment, believe in me¡ª regardless of Lucerne. Just trust me and follow me just this once. You won¡¯t lose.¡¯ Elisha had no privacy and could not keep any secrets from Lucerne. Because he didn¡¯t allow it. Ilione was the only exception. It was sensible. Ilione¡¯s status was too valuable. Wherever Elisha usually went, escorts, including Nora, followed her. However, Ilione disliked cumbersome things, so she always passed on Elisha¡¯s knights. Therefore, even though the guards watched Elisha from afar, they could not eavesdrop on their conversation. Ilione was the only person with whom Elisha could have a secret with. ¡®Illione, anyway, you did it all in your past life.¡¯ Yearster. As Jewel gained momentum, the royal family was troubled by petty disputes. As soon as Jewel had hising-of-age ceremony, he ostentatiously colluded with numerous vassals and epted bribes. He also had innumerable scandals with womenfolk. However, to the imperial family, it didn¡¯t matter much. The emperor knew of Jewel¡¯s bad behavior, but he could not quickly punish him because of his love for the former emperor and the public¡¯s gaze. At that time, Ilione found the tombstone of this evil god. It was an item that Empress Shen, as she was dying, hid in the empress¡¯s pce with a curse. She knew what had happened then because she had overheard the conversation between Car and Jacob. The old courtier who served Empress Shen was said to be very weak-hearted. During the interrogation, the mere sound of whipping made her cry and made her confess everything. But things changed from her previous life. Jewel¡¯s life was probably going to be ruined here. And Ilione would be indebted to Elisha. ¡®I heard about it in myst life. The emperor gave Jewel several opportunities because he was young. But in the first ce, rotten seeds are unlikely to bloom over time.¡¯ So, like Elisha in her previous life. Wouldn¡¯t it be a good thing if the number of people being bullied by Jewel decreased? She thought. Then she felt a hand tightening around her wrist. Lucerne was looking at her with a questioning gaze. ¡®What is this?¡¯ His eyes seemed to ask: Elisha tantly met his gaze and pretended to be oblivious to his concern. Soon, his hands rxed. This is because things outside the frame of the painting of her initial scheme were reaching a climax. ¡°Jewel is ill. Maybe he¡¯s a madman.¡± ¡°Ah, Royal Father! No¡ªYour Majesty! No, uncle¡ª please!¡± ¡°Silence. Starting today, Jewel will be confined in a forest tower within the imperial pce and treatment will begin. Let it be known, he won¡¯t be able to have aing-of-age ceremony or debut.¡± ¡°Please¡ª You have to help me! You need to raise me! That was my biological father¡¯s will! It is Your Majesty¡¯s responsibility!¡± Jewel was so desperate that he insisted like a child. The emperor could not bear it any longer and struck him in the face with his enormous fist. Then, a heavy kicknded on Jewel¡¯s body. ¡°Take him and lock him up immediately,¡± ordered the emperor. The knights entered the room in unison. The footsteps of the knights resounded with finality. Elisha knew what that sound meant. It was the sound of Jewel¡¯s life ending. *** Car also faced a simr ending. Her ending was even worse. She was trapped in her coffin for four days and then ended up in an abandoned temple in the Duke¡¯s Forest. Of course, she was imprisoned with no one to attend to her. She said that during the four days, Car was locked in her coffin, she was a sight to behold. She shrieked and wailed frantically inside the coffin. She cursed, cried, and begged. ¡®Help me! Help me! Elisha¡ª That evil whore! Crazy bitch. I¡¯ll kill you! I¡¯m going to kill you!¡¯ The yelling of Car swearing at Elisha rang out and reached Lucerne¡¯s ears. He gave instructions to Gaju¡¯s subordinates. They kicked the coffin from above and gave warnings several times. ¡®Hee! You¡¯re going to kill Car! No, don¡¯t kill her! Spare Car!> Whenever that happened, Car would be delirious and mutter strange things. Lucerne ordered them to block the gaps and fill the inside of the coffin with water if she continued to swear at Elisha. It was only after hearing his instructions that Car kept her mouth shut. No one sympathized with Car. This is because she already had a bad reputation. Even her husband, Jacob, did not help her. He wanted to divorce her from Car. But that couldn¡¯t happen right away. Unexpectedly, the head of the family wanted to hold Jacob ountable for this incident as well. *** Chapter 222: Tpcp 222 Chapter 222: Tpcp 222 ¡°You go to the countryside for a while and do what I tell you to do. Cool your head. Car has a lot of assets tied to her, so it will take time to prepare for the divorce.¡± ¡°Patriarch, what did I do wrong? Why are you holding me responsible, my lord?¡± Jacob looked like he couldn¡¯t believe the Head¡¯s orders. Gaju was furious. ¡°Fool! I told you over and over again. Your spouse is a reflection of you! It¡¯s your fault for not being able to take care of your wife. And, what if Car had harmed Elisha by using someone like Zain? Can you really say you were ignorant of it?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ Well, I wasn¡¯t even at the mansion the day before.¡± ¡°You must have been wrapped in the skirts of the courtesans. Are you going to courtesans the night before your grandmother¡¯s memorial service? Either way, you¡¯ve lost your mind and have no sense. Leave the mansion for a while and self-reflect.¡± Jacob reluctantly agreed and left the room in a huff. When he saw Lucerne and Elisha walking across from him, he muttered something and cursed. However, when he met Lucerne¡¯s gaze he quickly left the scene. ¡°Do you want me to hit that guy again?¡± he askednguidly as he watched his back scurry away. Elisha shook her head. ¡°But you like seeing that.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough. Do you really need to harass the loser?¡± You wouldn¡¯t know when to stop trampling him into the ground even if he became dust¡ª Elisha swallowed those words. Now was not a good time. A separate hand of cards was prepared for Jacob. Lucerne lightly nodded. *** ¡°Elisha. Lucerne. Come here.¡± The head of the house looked quite tired. He gestured to the two. ¡°I have no luck with either children or even grandchildren. How fortunate I am to have you two, at least.¡± Elisha thought that the Head was a truly incredible person. Did he remember how he had treated young Lucerne when he said that just now? It was a shameless sentiment he wouldn¡¯t even be able to fathom unless he waspletely self-centered. But she hid her thoughts and incredulity, and Lucerne didn¡¯t seem to care. ¡°How about staying here for the summer? Lucerne hasn¡¯t been able to spend a long time at the duke¡¯s house since he was young. That would be fine too.¡± It wasn¡¯t up to Elisha to decide. She looked to Lucerne. But it was evident that there was a lot of profit to be made if they stayed here. When the head of the Cartier family retained someone by his side, it clearly meant one thing. ¡®I will give this person money or equivalent gains and benefits.¡¯ That was it. She had no reason to refuse. ¡°Are you going to be okay?¡± Lucerne asked. Elisha winked and nodded. As a result, none of the family head¡¯s beloved grandchildren were left in the mansion. The only people left by the head of the family were Lucerne and Elisha. For the first time, the Cartier family fell into the hands of an illegitimate son and his wife. *** The duke¡¯s library, which boasts a long history, was spacious and beautiful. The ceiling was very long and high in a round shape, and eachttice decoration was decorated with gold and silver roses. It was only the day before yesterday that Jewel and Car were imprisoned. Even after Jewel was repatriated to the imperial pce, the imperial family did not immediately leave the duchy. On azy afternoon, Elisha and Ilione met at the duke¡¯s library under the pretext of reading books. ¡°Thank you for dismissing the escorts. Princess,¡± Elisha uttered softly. Several tall bookshelves formed a barrier next to the bookshelf where Elisha stood. This space was created several generations ago by a very anxious head of the family. The library was always quiet, but if you had a conversation in this space, you couldn¡¯t hear much of what was being said, even if you were only a few steps away. Elisha knew the secret of this location from her past life experiences. ¡°Elisha, I wanted to talk to you alone. What on earth was the note you handed me? How did you know the secret of the monument hidden in the empress¡¯ pce?¡± She stared at Ilione nkly. ¡°Do you know me well, Princess?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ I don¡¯t know anything other than that you are a noble from the fallen Old Kingdom Union.¡± ¡°I used to work for this Cartier family. Because of arge amount of debt.¡± For a moment, Ilione couldn¡¯tprehend the sense of disconnect that came from those words. ¡°How can a noble end up in such a situation?¡± Elisha wanted to smile. ¡°There is an answer to the princess¡¯ question. The Old Kingdom Union copsed. Instead of paying off my debt, Lucerne bought my status. That¡¯s how we met.¡± To be precise, he had purchased her ¡®debt.¡¯ And Elisha still owed Lucerne arge amount of money. But she couldn¡¯t say that. When Ilione tried to ask something but she dissuaded her and countered: ¡°I don¡¯te from a good background. I am a nobleman in name only. But do you still consider me a friend?¡± Ilione paused. Elisha calmly waited for her answer. T Chapter 223: Tpcp 223 Chapter 223: Tpcp 223 ¡°Of course, Elisha is my friend. Are you going to harm me?¡± Elisha nodded. It was a relief that her reaction was as she expected. ¡°I came across that information by chance during my stay with the Cartier family. Please don¡¯t ask me the details of how I knew. But I can swear that the information is true.¡± Ilione had a very clear way of thinking. There was no loss in trusting Elisha this time. So she was quickly convinced. ¡°Alright, Elisha. What do you want me to do in return? I don¡¯t forget grace.¡± Ilione¡¯s eyes were serious as she dered that. The corners of Elisha¡¯s lips were invisibly curved. She knew the rules of those in power. Until now, to Ilione, Elisha was simply the object of her favor. Genuine likeability may have been a bonus. However, as a princess, she did not help others without justification. Illione had decided that she would have something to exchange with Elisha in the future. Due to the secret information Elisha gave her, Illione could get rid of Jewel. Elisha had the right to ask her for something in return. This was a different issue from her previous contract with Lucerne. When she first met him, Elisha had nothing. She had to ept any unfair contract. Now, thanks to him, she hade this far. so¡­ ¡­ . ¡°For now, please keep the information I gave you a secret from my husband.¡± Because of Lucerne¡¯s halo, it was now possible for her to ask the princess for a favor. Even if it meant deceiving him. ¡°¡­ ¡­ secret?¡± Ilione paused. Lucerne was also a close friend of hers and a good political ally. Lucerne was cool-headed and had a resolute temperament. Once his trust was broken, that person never stayed by his side again. Even though she was a princess of the ruling imperial family, the High General, Lucerne, was someone she could not deal with at ease. ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to lie to Lucerne. It¡¯s enough for you not to say anything first unless he asks.¡± ¡°That¡¯s possible.¡± Ilione nodded obediently. ¡°I am a helpless wife, princess.¡± Elisha whispered. ¡°People like me need powerful friends. If the little help I gave the princess was useful, I¡¯d like us to continue to help each other in the future.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ Is Lucerne hurting you by any chance?¡± Ilione¡¯s expression became strange. She knew he was unusually interested in Elisha, which bordered on obsession, but she thought that Lucerne really liked her. But the person involved, Elisha¡ªwhy was she saying this? Elisha shook her head. ¡°Not really. But he can¡¯t trust others. He prefers absolute obedience. It¡¯s natural. Because he is a general who controls the soldiers of the nation. That¡¯s why I can¡¯t create a slush fund or have any privacy.¡± Ilione vaguely understood her situation. She also heard about ¡®status traders¡¯ and ¡®contract wives.¡¯ Since they never knew when they might be thrown out, the only way to survive was to create a slush fund during the marriage. ¡°Moreover, I¡¯m¡­ ¡­ . In a simr situation¡­ ¡­ . But he will be very offended if he sees me trying to find a way to live like the so-called contract wives. Because powerful men do as they please. He wants a woman to trust and rely on him unconditionally.¡± Ilione clicked her tongue. ¡°Oh, I think I understand. I know Lucerne is overly self-centered.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Elisha agreed with a nod. ¡°So I need the princess¡¯s help.¡± From what she could gather about Ilione, she had an upright character, a good sense, and a loyal personality. She would not go so far as to protect Elisha unconditionally but she didn¡¯t think she would betray her either. With that level of assurance, she was an excellent prospect to trade with. ¡°I need a borrowed identity and ount. How to do it¡­ ¡­ . Please do it like this.¡± Elisha briefly exined the strategy to Ilione. ¡°¡­ ¡­ Then when we met again in the capital. Please give me the information then. And please help me purchase real estate in the local area using that name and ount.¡± Elisha knew she was absorbed with Lucerne. But even though she was blinded by the man, she wasn¡¯t a fool enough topletely trust him. Suppose she gave him her heart. If she begged for his feelings. Like this, she would be unable to defend herself, and herst line of defense would copse. If you want him in this life too¡­ ¡­ . At that time, she didn¡¯t want to be someone whopletely depended on him. ¡®Whatever my rtionship with him is. I also have to find my own independence and way to live.¡¯ Lucerne should not be the only person that she can trade with. If she held him up as her savior, then she would have to remain his possession forever. She didn¡¯t want to do that. ¡°It won¡¯t be difficult. I guess Lucerne doesn¡¯t quite respect your privacy or space. It¡¯s not easy to be the general¡¯s wife, is it? You even need another identity.¡± ¡°That¡¯s how he is.¡± Elisha smiled. ¡°All right, Elisha. I¡¯ll help you this time.¡± Ilione answered cheerfully. ¡°Thank you, Ilione.¡± It was the first time Elisha called her by her name. Ilione was very happy. She gave onest request. ¡°And this is my second request. If you can¡¯t get in touch with me for more than a certain period of time¡­ ¡­ Can you please do this for me?¡± She listened to Elisha¡¯s words seriously. ¡°Do we have to go that far?¡± Chapter 224: Tpcp 224 Chapter 224: Tpcp 224 ¡°Yes. Please do me this favor.¡± The second request was also not a difficult request by her standards. So Ilione obediently epted it. ¡°Then¡­ ¡­ . Let me rmend a book. I had originally said I would rmend a book from the library today.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ ¡­ . You did, indeed. You were serious?¡± At the luncheon, Elisha offered to rmend a book to Ilione. So she suggested they go to the library together. She thought that the book tale was just an excuse she had made up to have a conversation. ¡°Sure. There is a book you must read.¡± Elisha took a book from the shelf nearby and handed it to Ilione. ¡°It¡¯s a research book on thetest treatment for psychosis. This is very good content.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Ilione skimmed through the contents. ¡°Yes, applying a certain amount of shock to the patient¡¯s body. Putting it in ice water for more than two or three hours. Sometimes it is a training method to correct the mind by giving a uniform shock through a certain medium.¡± Ilione understood what she was saying and grinned. ¡°Then I guess I¡¯ll have to study for Jewel who is sick again. With special affection, I must propose a very intensive treatment.¡± ¡°Propose? Who needs permission to treat an ill person? All you have to do is tell the doctor separately.¡± Ilione was very pleased by Elisha¡¯s answer. They made eye contact and smiled softly. ¡°As expected, we are on the same page.¡± This treatment would also be very useful for Car. Knowing that, the smiles of the two women deepened even more. *** The members of the imperial family stayed for a few days and strengthened their rtionship with each other. They drink tea during the day. The next day, they hunted in the forest near the Duke¡¯s house. The day after that, a famous organist performed. They even went on pics. Even during that time, Car was punished, locked up in a coffin without being able to drink a drop of water, and no one spoke about her. When Car fell from power, naturally, Elisha took over as the family¡¯s matriarch. ¡®It¡¯s so amazing. After something like that happened, you interacted with each other even more proudly.¡¯ Elisha understood the physiology of those in power. Car and Jewel¡¯s adultery case. This won¡¯t cause any problems. Peace will continue in the future. Seemingly shallow facades and pleasantries had deep meanings. These social events were the way they exchanged that tacit agreement. And only by being able to understand and respond to such symbols urately could she serve as the hostess of the Cartier family. In herst life, she worked as a servant for the Cartier family. It wasn¡¯t difficult for her to respond, having painfully had to grow up and learn about this physiology through experience. Finally, the day came for the members of the imperial royal family to leave. *** ¡°Lady Elisha. I really had a great time thanks to Lady while I was here. Pleasee to the imperial pce often.¡± The Empress spoke softly. Elisha smiled and replied she would. A carriage to carry the members of the royal family arrived. The emperor first exchanged greetings with Lucerne. And when Elisha came within a short distance, he whispered: ¡°Outstanding job again this time.¡± Her body stiffened. ¡°It seems that the general¡¯s new wife has a talent for being a troubleshooter. I¡¯ve been watching Jewel for a long time, too.¡± Elisha almost lost control of her expression for a moment. She recalled the emperor¡¯s reputation she had overheard during her past life. Over the next few years, the emperor had been referred to as Jewel¡¯s exemry adoptive father and a man who loved his family. ¡®After all, the people in the imperial family are not all normal people.¡¯ The Cartier family were poisonous vipers. But the imperial family¡¯s wild beasts were also formidable. It urred to her the reason the emperor watched over Jewel and raised him well was because of justification. ¡°Lady Elisha. When can we see each other again?¡± Yepnen was almost in tears as if he was sad about parting with her. Elisha tried to ignore her surprise and lowered her body. ¡°See you again, prince.¡± ¡°Yes. Lady Elisha is so wonderful! You¡¯re an incredible person.¡± Elisha¡¯s cheeks grew red. Even Yepnen looked a little different now. When the emperor scolded Jewel, did Yepnen, who was crying next to him, really know nothing? How much did he know? How far? At that time, Lucerne approached. ¡°Come here, Elisha.¡± She walked towards him. Yepnen watched her with a wistful look in his eyes as he struggled to hold back his tears. The Empress coaxed Yepnen into her carriage. ¡°Now he¡¯s enchanted too.¡± Elisha frowned in bewilderment and looked at Lucerne. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You¡¯re seducing people from the royal family. I¡¯m being generous in letting you out like this in broad daylight.¡± She wondered if this man was crazy. She ignored those words and left first. Chapter 225: Tpcp 225 Chapter 225: Tpcp 225 ¡°By the way, he kicked out Jacob as well. It seems that the head of the family really loved the duchess. The Cartier family also loved her too.¡± ¡°Love?¡± Lucerne asked as if it was an absurd assumption. ¡°Do people in this family do that?¡± ¡°Then what is the crystal coffin and the name te inside?¡± ¡°Should I correct it?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ yes?¡± ¡°Years before she died my grandmother was imprisoned. There was a funeral held but she lived for three more years. When the world treated her as if she was dead my grandfather trapped her in a world with only him. He locked her up because of his desire to monopolize his wife.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°My grandmother was a beautiful person. Even at the moment of her death. Truthfully. The men in this family have bizarre tastes. They¡¯re not enchanted with women because of their looks.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ But ¡ª Your grandmother was nice to you right before she passed away.¡± ¡°Did you believe that?¡± Lucerne snorted at her. ¡°My grandmother spent most of her life in captivity. Would she have really been happy about her new grandson?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°The first time she saw me she told me that my eyes that resembled the patriarch¡¯s were particrly terrible.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°His was the worst pure ¡®love¡¯ I have ever seen. At least Gaju has never cheated.¡± Goosebumps ran down Elisha¡¯s back. She held her breath. After all, there was no one sane in this family. And, as for men with normal emotional connections and interactions¡­ ¡­ . There was no such thing. ¡°It¡¯s a great family, isn¡¯t it?¡± Lucerne whispered. Elisha wanted to agree with that statementpletely. ¡®Then, Lucerne, what about you?¡¯ He was the odd one out among the Cartiers. However, she thought he was a more ruthless conqueror than anyone else. In that way, he was a Cartier type of person. Then, when he wants someone¡ª What would happen when he was genuinely in love? Elisha felt a strange sense of anxiety at that moment. But as she knew now, Lucerne had no heart for her. He had no time to love anyone. Then. When something grows in that heart of his¨C What kind of flower will bloom? *** Now, without Car, the mansion was a suitable ce for Elisha to stay. ¡®Except for just one thing.¡¯ Car was imprisoned, and the Head ordered: ¡®Get rid of all those who are close to Car in the house. You can kill them if necessary. However, since the family is in turmoil, carry it out as much as possible outside the mansion.¡¯ Naturally, among those singled out were Car¡¯s maids-in-waiting. And Zain. The head of the house entrusted the disposition of Car¡¯s maids to Elisha. Lucerne decided to take care of the rest. ¡®I owe Zain a debt. I¡¯ll take care of him myself.¡¯ ¡®What debt do you owe?¡¯ ¡®I signed a marriage contract with you. I can¡¯t just leave it like that, can I? After a while I¡¯ll send him to the border.¡¯ He said she would organize it, so she had no reason to refuse. Elisha nodded. ¡®But why are you leaving Zain be?¡¯ It was difficult for her to understand Lucerne¡¯s intentions fully. He had enlisted Zain. Before he was sent to the border, he was walking around gloating about his better-than-expected treatment. ¡®I don¡¯t even want toe across him.¡¯ Whenever she caught sight of Zain from afar, she frowned. That afternoon was the worst. Zain suddenly appeared before Elisha, who was cutting flowers in the garden with Sophie. Her face turned white. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am! No. Madam. I have something to tell you.¡± ¡°I am not the madam of this house. And I have nothing to say to you. Who let you in here?¡± Zain¡¯s eyes were sinister, and he seemed drunk. Sophie was frightened by his bloodshot eyes. When Elisha signaled, Sophie ran into the mansion¡ªlooking for someone to help. Lucerne kept a close watch on his wife whenever she ventured out, even in the garden. So people woulde soon. ¡°Isn¡¯t thedy no different from the madam of this family? It¡¯s no different¡­ ¡­ . Don¡¯t misunderstand me¡­ ¡­ . You know that I was involved in a bad association with Madam. I will never harm you again. Thedy and I¡­ ¡­ . that¡­ ¡­ What happened when I entered the bridal room. I really regret that! Please tell the general¡ª I didn¡¯ty a finger on his wife back then.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha felt disgusted. Zain had never been this servile to the fourteen-year-old prisoner Elisha. When half of her face had been disfigured in her previous life, he was ruthless to her. ¡°So, what do you want to say?¡± ¡°I would like to sincerely apologize for my past mistakes. Please forgive me!¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± It wasn¡¯t worth answering. Elisha just turned away, showing her back. Her reaction made Zain realize that he had scratched himself and made a rash. ¡°Lady. Please listen to my story for a moment¡ªdy!¡± When Zain¡¯s pleas didn¡¯t work, he started chasing Elisha. ¡®Huh, huh¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Elisha suddenly remembered something from her past life. Back then, she had always run away when he appeared. She had to hide somewhere because he wanted to publicly harass her in front of his friends. Elisha had a phobia of hanging outdoormps until she was an adult. Because they hung under the eaves, squeaked in the middle of the night, and shook like a human head. Whenever she looked at amp, she would think of Zain approaching her, holding her father¡¯s head, and she would get scared and run away. You can read more here. Chapter 226: Tpcp 226 Chapter 226: Tpcp 226 It was then. ¡°Lucerne!¡± Lucerne was drawing near from the other side. Elisha ran to him, almost jumping into his arms. ¡°Why is he wandering around the garden?¡± He looked at Zain and nced at Elisha at his side. Her lips were dry, and cold sweat dripped from her back and forehead. ¡°Right.¡± Lucerne embraced Elisha¡¯s waist with his firm arms. ¡°What happened?¡± Lucerne whispered affectionately. Her lips couldn¡¯t move. ¡°He just suddenly came up to me and started talking to me.¡± When she opened her mouth again, Elisha¡¯s tone was as dry as usual. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t do that,¡± Lucerne saidzily. He gestured to Ian, who was following him. Ian approached Zain. ¡°Oh, no. I just want to apologize, ma¡¯am! Lady!¡± He wrapped his arms around Elisha and led her into her house. She held onto Lucerne¡¯s cor tightly and wouldn¡¯t let go. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Elisha went into the room. ¡°You weren¡¯t this surprisedst time.¡± ¡°No¡­ ¡­ . You were there back then. Because¡ª Nora was there too.¡± He looked at her and stroked the back of her head. ¡°Do you want to rest alone?¡± Elisha shook her head. Lucerne sat her down on a settee. She wondered why he was so sweet today. Normally, that kindness would have been like poison. Strangely, his tenderness had permeated. Sometimes, there were moments when people had no choice but to willingly swallow something, even when they knew that the results would be destructive. That¡¯s what Elisha was like now. She met Lucerne¡¯s eyes. ¡®My rtionship with this person these days. Is it better than before?¡¯ She recalled him being extremely cooperative with her recently. Lines were drawn, and colors were added to the picture Elisha had drawn smoothly. The final brushstroke of the painting will be Lucerne¡¯s clear path to bing the head of the family. Why was he so cooperative? The road was smooth andfortable for the first time in a long while. She felt a littlefortable with Lucerne. ¡°Thank you for your help,¡± Elisha spoke frankly. ¡°Are you scared of Zain?¡± Elisha paused. But what difference would it make if she hid it now? She honestly nodded. ¡°Yes. He killed my biological father. Although I have no affection for my biological father it is hard to forget the horror at that time.¡± Elisha was afraid of showing her weakness to Lucerne. Weak things cannot be used preciously. Lucerne replied after a few seconds. ¡°But you ran into my arms on your own. It¡¯s nice.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ It¡¯s in our contract to protect me from guys like that.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good interpretation. Yeah. That¡¯s right.¡± He nodded. ¡°Do you want me tofort you?¡± he whispered. ¡°How?¡± ¡°Well. Should we go on the bed?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ That¡¯s something good for you.¡± Lucerne stared at Elisha. ¡°You like it too.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­Sometimes.¡± Heughed. Elisha swallowed her low sigh. ¡°Shall we?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­No. Juste to bed. Lie down for a bit.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be next to you.¡± Lucerne picked her up and went to the bedroom. In his wide embrace, Elisha temporarily found stability. Lucerne, whoy beside her on the bed, held andforted her for a long time. ¡°Stop shaking. I¡¯ll hug you.¡± Elisha felt an odd sense of stability fill her body. She feltid to rest by his tenderness and kindness. The sensation was getting stronger. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t let that guy approach you again,¡± Lucerne said while caressing her hair. That afternoon, Elisha closed her eyes in his arms. And she took a short nap. It was truly the first time she felt that sense of stability in decades. Elisha couldn¡¯t help but feel her heart start to melt. And until the next day, her heart continued to pound strangely. Chapter 227: Tpcp 227 Chapter 227: Tpcp 227 After dinner, Lucerne gave Ian orders. ¡°I am going to inspect the nearby forest. Make an excuse that a monster has been spotted. And among the knights to be selected, let the man named Zain join.¡± ¡°Yes, sir. I hear and obey. I will go and prepare.¡± Ian smiled and nodded. He was very quick-witted, and just by listening to Lucerne¡¯s tone of voice, he knew it was not a simple ¡®inspection¡¯ order. ¡°I was wondering when you were going to deal with him again. I heard that he was the one who insisted that he signed a marriage contract with the madam?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°She left him for you to handle carefully.¡± ¡°In the meantime, I kept him alive because I had somewhere to use him.¡± ¡°Somewhere to use¡­ ¡­ . do you mean?¡± Lucerne nodded his head. He remembered Elisha; she looked at him in fear every time she saw him from afar. Especiallyst night, Elisha dug into his arms and snuggled deeper into his embrace like a baby animal. Lucerne licked his lips. ¡®That was pretty good.¡¯ Unfortunately, to the point where it became illogical. It was like that. If this little body hung onto him. If he kept this wholly his own. He felt like he would pay any price for her. It was such a dangerous and sweet time. ¡°Even if she saw him from afar, she got scared and looked for me.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°It was pretty useful. I saved his life, and then he started talking to my wife presumptuously.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Now his usefulness is spent. How should you pay for daring to be my woman¡¯s nightmare?¡± Moreover, there was a real reason why Lucerne kept Zain alive. He treats Zain well. After giving him hope as if he would save his life, he nned to kill him brutally. When falling from hope to despair, a person¡¯s anguish is even more destructive. Lucerne was a skilled hunter and predator; he knew very well the most terrible way to wring the neck of a lowly cat. *** ¡°Huh, huh¡­ ¡­ .¡± Zain was running in the forest. He couldn¡¯t believe what he was going through. ¡®How did this happen?¡¯ It is said that a beast presumed to be a monster was discovered in the forest near the Duke¡¯s house. When Zain was called into the inspection team to find the demons, he made a decision. He decided not to displease Lucerne as much as possible today. Lucerne entrusted Zain with the role of scout. So he went ahead and inspected the forest. But then something shed in front of my eyes, and a terrible pain went through my body. A crossbow was fired from behind. And the arrow pierced Zain¡¯s shoulder. He was running through the forest, holding his shoulder and staggering. At this point, Zain couldn¡¯t help but notice. ¡®Today¡¯s prey was not a monster but me!¡¯ A soft, low voice rang out from the forest at that time. ¡°Where are you?¡± It was Lucerne. Zain endured his pain and started running. Lowughter and the sound of horses running resounded from behind him. ¡°Seeing as they are not used to being punished, I guess the knights under Jacob lived an easy life?¡± ¡°Huh¡­ ¡­ . huh¡­ ¡­ .¡± Zain felt like he was about to cry. He shouldn¡¯t have gotten caught up in the Duke¡¯s affairs in the first ce. He shouldn¡¯t have had any dealings with them. The sound of the horse¡¯s hooves drew closer. ¡°Make it fun for me. So try to hold out for a long time.¡± Crack! Another arrow flew from behind his back. At the same time, the pain of his shoulder being broken came over him. ¡°Arghh!¡± An arrow hit Zain in his opposite shoulder. Ian, who was riding along behind Lucerne, whistled. ¡°Did you do that on purpose? You missed a vital point.¡± ¡°He can¡¯t diefortably. My woman trembled at the sight of him. Since it¡¯s an old grudge he has to pay it all off and then die, right?¡± Lucerne pulled the reins. ¡°Yes, you are right.¡± He seemed very angry as he did it with his bare hands and did not use the power of his shadow. Ian answered with a grin. Lucerne licked his lips. He approached Zain, who was struggling on the floor. He pulled a dagger from his belt. ¡°Then, let¡¯s get started.¡± Lucerne smiled. Zain¡¯s deathly scream split and tore through the dark forest. *** ¡°Dispose of the body.¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Ian answered clearly as if he had already expected it. Lucerne was wiping his dagger with a handkerchief with a calm expression. ¡°Oh my, I can¡¯t even use the excuse of being attacked by a monster. What kind of demon kills people so cruelly?¡± ¡°Humans are more cruel than monsters. This guy was also cruel to my wife. There is nothing unfair about it.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right, isn¡¯t it?¡± Ian smiled brightly, not fitting for the situation. ¡°Don¡¯t let his death reach my wife¡¯s ears. We can deal with him as missing.¡± After the work was over, Lucerne said with an expressionless face. ¡°Because she shouldn¡¯t think that he died because of her. This guy already has a bad fate with my wife, so I can¡¯t have him give her another nightmare.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± But. It seemed more likely she wouldn¡¯t even blink at the news. Lucerneughed. It was enough to keep the revenge for her a secret. Besides, the fact that this guy upied even a tiny part of Elisha¡¯s life¨C He really hated it. He hated it so much that his teeth shook with fury. He couldn¡¯t stand it. So it was with great satisfaction that Lucerne met out his death and caused him to disappear. ¡°Show the body to Car¡¯s maids. Lastly, send it to Car. They need some stimtion.¡± *** Chapter 228: Tpcp 228 Chapter 228: Tpcp 228 Meanwhile, after Zain was assigned to Lucerne. Mimosa and Pansy wanted to go home, but their request was not epted. This is because, as Car¡¯s maids, they also had to pay the price. ¡®Elisha, what do you want to do with them? Because Car tried to harm you, I¡¯ll leave it up to you to deal with those close associates of Car.¡¯ Elisha thought about the patriarch¡¯s words for a moment and answered softly. ¡®It would be nice if we kept them employed. I heard that those two are from poor families. If you kick them out, their situation will be difficult. So if we kept them working and pay them, wouldn¡¯t it be good for them too?¡¯ Elisha smiled softly, and she continued. ¡®But Car¡¯s maids are nobles. They didn¡¯t do much besides wait on Car, right? I can¡¯t just give you thosefortable and elegant positions anymore. Nheless, I think they should be punished, even if it¡¯s just for show.¡¯ Elisha previously worked in theundromat of the mansion. Theundry site was a small stream near Jacob¡¯s outbuilding. The creek flowed up to the mountain near the Duke¡¯s house. ¡®Elisha, I cleaned up everything there so that people wouldn¡¯t argue about the fact that you came from aundromat.¡¯ The duchy¡¯s people would at least make sure to give something to their loved ones. The Duke arranged the ¡®coteral¡¯ working at theundry. ¡®Patriarch, thank you so much, but¡­ ¡­ . What happened to the coteral that used to work in theundry?¡¯ ¡®Those women belong to Jacob, so we cannot set them free. But they are not being treated badly.¡¯ He said they were living quietly at a local temple sponsored by the Duke¡¯s family, cleaning and serving at the temple. And the Head promised that he would not let Jacob sell them. However, they would never be free. At least they avoided the future of being sold to the brothel so that it would be great luck for them. Even if that was it, it was like everyone was one step out of hell. Elisha was sincerely grateful to the patriarch. She wasn¡¯t so foolish as to go out of her way to help them when she wasn¡¯t free herself. But if possible, she wanted them to befortable. Because she was once a coteral like them. So when the lord asked Elisha to take care of her maids. She said this without hesitation, ¡®I think we can send Car¡¯s maids to theundry. The annex where I worked is closed. But they can doundry elsewhere, right? Sry¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Elisha removed her hand from her mouth and said, ¡®One silver coin per day. We can give it to them like that.¡¯ One silver coin was Elisha¡¯s daily wage while working at aundromat. Gaju remarked, ¡®You are so generous. A woman in our family should not be so weak-hearted.¡¯ Still, the head of the family did not dissuade her. Thus, Pansy and Mimosa were forced to work all day doingundry. *** ¡®This is hell,¡¯ Pansy sniffled and thought. There was a pile of dirtyundry in front of her. ¡°Mimosa, how did we end up in this situation?¡± ¡°It would have been different if you had let Zain attack Elisha. That¡¯s why Car fell!¡± ¡°Mimosa, how could you say that¡­¡­ .¡± Pansy was shocked by what she said. Together, they did theundry until their hands swell, and Mimosa has been excessively grumpy these days. She said very little and spoke as if she were being chased by something. Even when she spoke, she tended to raise her sharp teeth. As for the Mimosa, her mind was confused. ¡®I will be the wife of a high-ranking man in the future. Seed? Right. It¡¯s good to be a Seed, once you have wealth, it¡¯s possible to be a true noble!¡¯ Mimosa gritted her teeth and rubbed theundry. She thought there was no reason for her to be here. She defected from Car¡¯s side to Elisha. But Elisha said, ¡®If the Patriarch finds out that you betrayed Car, he won¡¯t let you go. If someone betrays a member of the Cartier family their family dies, regardless of the reason. So I need a reason to bring you here. For the time being, hold your breath while working at theundry. Then when the timees, I¡¯ll get you out of there.¡¯ Mimosa had no choice but to believe. Besides, she was quick to notice. Although she was blinded by ambition, she knew Elisha hit the nail on the head. She knew the situation was unusual. The Head strictly forbade Car¡¯s maids from leaving the mansion. She was trapped, so Mimosa had no choice but to trust and rely on Elisha¡¯s words. In the past, when they saw coteral workers working at theundry, they would deliberately go over and kick theundry and throw it into the water. They were women who came from poor families and were noble in name only. So, he had a kind of inferiorityplex towards women of noble status. This is because there were women of such great rank among the coteral that they could not even dare to look at them. But unfortunately, now they were where the coteral had worked. Chapter 229: Tpcp 229 Chapter 229: Tpcp 229 Meanwhile, Pansy heard the sad news. That her fianc¨¦, Zain, died while hunting a demon. And Lucerne¡¯s men showed her the body. They told her to keep the fact that she had seen the body a secret. In other words, you, too, can be like this at any time. It was a warning. ¨CNo, Zain. No!¨C Pansy almost lost her mind halfway through. Mimosa was also shocked. ¡®A demones out of the duke¡¯s forest? No way. It hasn¡¯t happened in years.¡¯ Moreover, Zain¡¯s body had been brutally torn to pieces in an indescribably cruel manner. The servants were whispering that it must be an extremely strong beast. ¡®It¡¯s probably not a demonic beast, it¡¯s a human being. A person named the General. It¡¯s much scarier than the witchbeast.¡¯ Mimosa trembled. ¡°Can we survive?¡± As Pansy sobbed, she asked as she looked at Mimosa in bewilderment. To her, Mimosa was a friend who was smarter than her and always gave her various pieces of advice. But she only bit her lip as her face turned blue. Pansy felt ominous. ¡®I need to meet Car. We must return Car to her original position.¡¯ On second thought. Pansy was very happy when she was alive and well, even though her rtionship with Car had be a bit sour towards the end. Pansy was of a different ss from her other maids, and she could collect a generous sry and send it to her family. She also enjoyed the pretty dresses and essories that Car gave her when she felt like it. She began to think that she had to rely on Car. ¡®Only Mistress Car can take revenge for Zain.¡¯ Finally, one night, Pansy cautiously made her way to the ce where her Car was imprisoned. ¡°Miss Car!¡± When they met again, she seemed like a different person. After four days in a coffin, Car was downcast, and her eyes were full of venom. It had been long since she shed her usual cute eyes and behavior. ¡°How on earth could it be like this? ¡­ . Car¡­ ¡­ .¡± She sobbed as she looked at Car, who was more shabbily dressed than a poor priest. She was locked in a semi-basement room. The room had only one tiny window for putting food in and a small window with an iron bar. Pansy was barely able to put her head against Car¡¯s barred window. ¡®How on earth did this happen¡­? ¡­ .¡¯ She couldn¡¯t believe it. Car was an elegant woman who was always beautiful and loved. But she was now more dpidated than her former coteral. Additionally, her cheeks were sunken, and her eyes were sinister. ¡°Pansy. You¡¯re finally here. Car almost died,¡± Car muttered, holding onto her bars. ¡°How¡¯s she doing? Elisha. That bitch. She¡¯ll be snuggling next to the patriarch, right? You have to ask the patriarch to save me. You have to kill that bitch,¡± Car murmured. Pansy was startled. She wanted to run away, but she couldn¡¯t. *** Time passed. The beginning of fall was already approaching. Elisha and Lucerne spent the rest of the summer at the duke¡¯s house. ¡°Huh, huh¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha flinched. Lucerne¡¯s crammed inside her body. Every time his thick, club-like thing struck up, her folded inner walls clenched onto his organ tightly. Every time he withdrew, she held on to his as if her inner walls woulde out with it. ¡°Ah, um¡­ ¡­ . Lucerne¡­ ¡­ . Haa¡­ ¡­ . Euh¡­ ¡­ .¡± She squeezed Lucerne¡¯s shoulder. Elisha was thinking about the news that Mimosa had just told her. It was information that Car¡¯s behavior was suspicious. If she gave up like this, she wouldn¡¯t be Car. She is definitely up to something¡ª ¡°Hgh!¡± m! Lucerne thrusted and pped it hard. ¡°Are you even thinking about someone else?¡± ¡°Huh, that¡¯s not it but¡­ ¡­ . Car¡ª Suspicious these days¡­ ¡­ .¡± she exined apologetically that she was thinking about Car, not about a man, as if making excuses. But Elisha missed the point. Because of that, Lucerne¡¯s eyes changed. Crash, ram¨C Lucerne seemed to crush, her mming into her depths, to his roots. Elisha struggled and shook her head. ¡°Is talking about Car¡¯s story making you excited?¡± ¡°No¡ª that can¡¯t be¡­¡­ . ugh hmm¡­ ¡­ .¡± Slosh. Slosh. [L] ¡°I am only excited about your story.¡± ¡°Oh¡ª ah¡­ ¡­ ah. Ha¡­ ¡­ . that feels ¡­ ¡­ . good.¡± Elisha shivered. She was lying on the sofa, naked since broad daylight. Her head was resting on the cushion over the couch armrest. Her golden hair spilled over it. And between her legs was Lucerne. He appeared to be fully dressed, with his pants slightly lowered, exposing only his thick penis. And the penis was moving in and out between her legs, making a pping wet sound. ¡°Spread your legs, Elisha. So I can see you getting fucked well,¡± Lucerne said. She let out a huff. Then she slowly put her hands behind her knees and pulled them up to her chest. Her knees stretched up, almost touching her face. Lucerne¡¯s eyes darkened as he saw the scene unfolding before his eyes. ¡°That¡¯s nice,¡± Lucerne whispered. The sweat from his forehead dripped down onto her body. ¡°Really pretty.¡± Her body contracted at the sweet words. The bottom of her stomach was tingling. A kind of emotional lull. But it was only for a moment that her mind stayed in that leisure. Slosh. Slosh. Ssh. Squeak. m. His thick cock began to plunge into Elisha¡¯s open vulva without any regard. The sound of his ns hitting her plump mound was loud and clear. Elisha tilted her head. ¡°Lucerne¡ªnow. Ugh¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha grabbed his arm and begged. But he did not listen to her pleas again today. Her arms went up. Read more here. Chapter 230: Tpcp 230 Chapter 230: Tpcp 230 Every time Lucerne moved, her bright red breasts ricocheted and rose. The pointed nipples jiggled, leaving an afterimage. ¡°You have to show your pussy well.¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°How pretty your nipples look when they get bigger.¡± Elisha mumbled something. But before she couldplete those words, Lucerne bit her soft breast. Like she was a hunted animal, she let out a sound of despair. ¡®Why. It¡¯s getting worse¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ In the early days of their marriage, she could understand, Lucerne never had a woman next to him like her. She understood that his sexual desire, which he had been suppressing and enduring, had erupted. However, his harsh behavior, which hungered for Elisha and pushed her until he saw her crying in her bed, was getting worse day by day. ¡°Huh¡ª Ah! Huh¡­ ¡­ .¡± Lucerne stopped working. Right then, Elisha was experiencing a climax. Saliva flowed defenselessly from the corner of her mouth, and her entire body, starting from her thighs, gently convulsed. ¡°You came again,¡± Lucerne clicked his tongue and noted. As he fucked her, his lower body slowly moved. Elisha felt scolded, and even her ears turned red. ¡°Oh, please do it now¡­ ¡­ . We did itst night too. It¡¯s too hard.¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to do it again tonight.¡± Elisha was going crazy. They were at the duke¡¯s, not even their capital residence. ¡°The head of the family¡­ ¡­ . Is waiting¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°There¡¯s a lot to be excited about. I told you, just talk about you and me.¡± Instead of going all the way, Lucerne changed her posture. ¡°If you fall, you¡¯ll be punished,¡± Lucerne whispered. Heid Elisha¡¯s body on its side. She rested on the edge of her couch, leaning on his arms before falling off. He put her back on the sofa andid her on the backrest, hugging Elisha¡¯s upper body in his strong arms. Then he put a hand on one of her knees and lifted it up. ¡°Ugh, ugh¡­ ¡­ .¡± This was also her first time doing this. A position in which Lucerne holds her from behind, and she turns her body halfway. If Lucerne lowered his head just a little, he could have kissed Elisha. And he could caress or bite her ear from behind at any time. She had to turn her head all the way to respond to the caress. Every time she did that, her upper body grew taunt, and the angle of her lower body naturally adjusted. ¡°Huh, ah¡­ ¡­ . Yes¡­Oh ¡­ . It feels strange¡­ ¡­ .¡± p. p. Elisha gasped. A calm pleasure hit her from behind, her smooth back pressed against Lucerne¡¯s abs. His sweat rubbed against her wet skin. ¡°Huh, ah¡­ ¡­ .¡± Because of his steady pounding, Elisha¡¯s insides suddenly started gushing out water. In addition, her insides became increasingly hotter, and her mind became hazy. Her hot inner walls surged as if alive. And it kept contracting and rxing again and again. Her upper body kept almost falling to the floor. Lucerne clicked his tongue, put his hand under her waist, and pulled her close. ¡°Huh¡ªoh¡­ ¡­ .¡± A tingling sensation as if an electric current was flowing, and the shock rushing deeper into her lower abdomen shed before her eyes. ¡°Hold it well.¡± ¡°Huh!¡± He held Elisha¡¯s head in his hands. Pound, pound. Elisha¡¯s body trembled as his genitals hammered into her two or three more times. ¡°Huh, ah, ah¡­ ¡­ .¡± It was so violent that not only her hair but her entire body shook with force. She could feel the jingling vibration in her lower abdomen. His erect pir, which had been running wildly inside her body for such a long time, plunged even deeper. ¡°Uh, uh, ah¡­ ¡­ .¡± After a prolonged heat, he exploded. Thick, gooey semen gushed out between where their sex organs connected. A round stain of their liquids appeared under the expensive navy blue velvet sofa, after it poured and ran down. Elisha frowned. Her whole body was exhausted. ¡°I think you sprayed more than me,¡± Lucerne whispered as if he was having fun. ¡°That¡¯s true, if you do it hard for that long, it¡¯s understandable.¡± ¡°Lucerne.¡± Elisha wed at his arms, which held her tightly like a tree trunk. That tingling feeling also became a strange stimulus. Lucerne grunted under his breath as he kissed Elisha¡¯s lips from behind. Chu, slosh, kiss¡ª ¡°Huh¡­ ¡­ .¡± She squinted. Lucerne¡¯s lips fell only after her mouth was flushed red. Elisha rubbed the corner of her mouth. ¡°When kissing¡­ ¡­ . I told you not to bite¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Now I give orders.¡± Lucerne raised his upper body. Beads of sweat rolled down her dynamic, muscr, perfectly toned body. Elisha looked at that and felt sweet saliva gathering under her tongue. She felt an explicit pulsation of a virile woman. She had an instinct that all humans feel. ¡°The duke told me to be careful. Gaju will wait.¡± Since she met the patriarch every day, he noticed. Lucerne was calm. ¡°Then does the Head think that you and I close the door every night, hold hands, and sleep? If we¡¯rete, he¡¯ll think we¡¯re doing that.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha red at him silently. Lucerneughed. ¡°Open your legs.¡± He said as he adjusted and collected her clothes. Elisha hesitantly and reluctantly spread her legs. Originally, this afternoon, she was scheduled to go shopping with the Lord. Lucerne suddenly came in as she was grooming while waiting for her appointment. Instead, they had a hectic lovemaking affair, with his bodypletely ovepping hers. ¡®Looking at all the preparations, you were determined.¡¯ When they opened the door to the couple¡¯s living room allotted to them, there was a silk towel and a silver basin filled with cooled water on a small table in front of the door. Lucerne wiped Elisha¡¯s body with a wet silk towel. When the wet silk touched her heated skin, it was so strange that it was killing her. Chapter 231: Tpcp 231 Chapter 231: Tpcp 231 ¡°Huh, just wipe it¡­ ¡­ ungh¡­ ¡­ . Lucerne,¡± Elisha said, holding his hand. ¡°What can you do when your body feels so good?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that¡­ ¡­ . Haah¡­ ¡­ .¡± It was soon time to meet the head of the family. Because time was limited, Lucerne wiped her body with a wet silk towel. Elisha stumbled and got up. ¡°We don¡¯t have time.¡± Elisha also helped him clean his body with the finest silk and picked up and straightened their clothes. ¡°So, don¡¯t do it until you meet the lord,¡± Elisha was muttering quietly in the meantime. Lucerneughed. ¡°You actually like it when I tease and bully you.¡± As she touched his sleeve, Elisha thought that their rtionship had been the most peaceful since their marriage. He was right. These days, Lucerne was mischievous enough to where it could be enjoyed. As for the main culprits who ruined their lives¡­. Jacob had gone to work far away as if he had been kicked out of the duchy. Car was exiled and in a terrible state. And Car¡¯s minions were forced to work in theundromat. On top of that, Zain was missing. This situation gave Elisha the first ecstatic feeling of liberation in her life. Sometimes, she found her thoughts and feelings softened. But that peace was almost over. ¡°Jacob will be back soon,¡± Elisha said indifferently. ¡°Yes. Now it¡¯s a real war. Take care of yourself.¡± ¡°What¡¯s different from usual? Jacob has always been our enemy.¡± ¡°It will change,¡± Lucerne stated. ¡°Now the head of the family will start caring for his grandchildren.¡± *** ¡°The High General and his wife enters.¡± Elisha and Lucerne headed to the hall where they had promised to meet the head of the family. The Duke¡¯s house was very old, so each building was not veryrge. However, because each building had a different purpose and was located far apart, even family members often had to make appointments to see each other. They decided to meet today in a beautiful vi next to the Duke¡¯s Castle. It was often a ce used by the Head to entertain suitable guests. Elisha and Lucerne were wearing matching ck dresses and dark suits. She had her makeup done and her long blonde hair well-groomed and hanging behind her. She looked proud, wearing a silver hair band and bracelets on her arms, giving off a dignified and natural countenance of someone who had reigned in the castle for a long time. The door opened. The workers waiting near the door greeted them in turn. It was a long procession. ¡°Wee, the patriarch is waiting for you,¡± Gail said politely as he came over. *** On the stage of a small theater, a beautiful singer slowly yed the lute. It was a very old, ancient lute that was no longer used. Singers who could sing ancientnguage chants were extremely rare, and a high price had to be paid to invite them. But no one paid attention to the singer. While the performance continued, the auction staff brought in items one after another. Soon, the room was filled with enormous and rare works of art and jewelry. This was before this year¡¯s auction began in earnest. The auction house collected treasures and works of art for a year. The items were hand-selected by the auctioneer and brought to the Cartier Duchy first before the rest were disyed to others. Gaju used to quietly select his collection like this during this period. This year, Lucerne and Elisha were also present. The Head looked at Elisha. He was satisfied with Elisha¡¯s elegant appearance. ¡°Lucerne, I think your wife has the talent of being like water. It¡¯s not a bad thing to say, so don¡¯t make that face. A child like Elisha, like water, changes her stance and her appearance seamlessly no matter what container she is put in. She can change in such a short period of time that sometimes you can¡¯t recognize her.¡± ¡°Is that so.¡± Lucerne did not like the way the head of the family judged Elisha. But he tolerated it because it felt like apliment. ¡°Yes, otherwise, how else would she be able to sit among all these gorgeous things without being overshadowed? When Elisha first appeared in our family, she was young and delicate. She was even shabby back then. Now, it¡¯s evident she is of a prestigious noble family. She¡¯s truly of outstanding skill.¡± ¡°Thank you. But I grew up frugal,¡± Elisha answered before Lucerne could say anything. ¡°That¡¯s what it means to be born of noble fate. No matter how poor you may have grown up in a rundown monastery, there is always something called destiny that people are born with. It seems that fate has led you to our family.¡± Elisha wanted to burst intoughter at the patriarch¡¯s words. She recalled herself during herst life. A hideous, scarred woman with burns on her face. Didn¡¯t Gaju describe her as such? At the time, the Head had recognized Elisha¡¯s abilities but was not treated equally with other talents. He said he could not use Elisha because she was mentally unstable, but she thought it was just an excuse. ¡®What if I looked like a normal person? If so, would they have used me and abandoned me back then? What a great family. You can change fate at will.¡¯ But Elisha didn¡¯t show it. Gaju slowly looked around. Chapter 232: Tpcp 232 Chapter 232: Tpcp 232 ¡°Elisha, is there a painting you like among these? Take your pick.¡± ¡°I am fine. I¡¯m already enjoying myself enough.¡± ¡°You really only know how to decline. Do you know how much the other granddaughters-inw wanted toe here? You should know that I find you cute and favor you this much.¡± The patriarch spoke while she was looking through the pictures. And as always, Lucerne paid no attention to anyone else. ¡°Why do you find someone else¡¯s wife cute? It¡¯s unsightly and weird, so be careful what you say. Moreover, isn¡¯t Elisha the only person in this family who is simr to the Head¡¯s daughter-inw? Does my woman even have a worthy rival? Don¡¯t even bring it up in ces where there is no need to fight for affection.¡± ¡°Ha, this rascal, really¡­..¡± The lord shook his head. But he wasn¡¯t truly angry. Originally Gaju was fond of Lucerne, for he was his most outstanding grandson. However, Lucerne¡¯s attitude was so overbearing that they could not get closer. It was only recently that Lucerne¡¯s attitude had been rtively moderate. So, the rtionship between them was more cordial without any intervention. ¡°Is there a picture you like? I¡¯ll buy you anything.¡± Elisha knew that Gaju was paying attention to her. Half of his intention was to give her a gift, but the other half was to enhance her discernment. She chose a painting without difficulty. ¡°The poprity of ancient, ssical painting styles is on the decline. I¡¯ll go with this art piece. People are getting tired of pictures of ancient goddesses. I¡¯d like a more modern painting.¡± ¡°This is a fairly abstract painting. You really like this?¡± ¡°Yes. I am sure this artist¡¯s works will fetch a high price at the auction this year.¡± Elisha easily spotted a piece by a painter who died 100 years ago among the artworks. The artist¡¯s works were famous for their bizarre depictions of objects. However, their style started gaining momentum from this year¡¯s auction, and it was a painting expected to reach the highest price next year. She remembered her previous life because it was one of the paintings she had purchased on Car¡¯s orders. ¡°You have a great eye. This painting is currently the artist¡¯s most notable painting. Although he was not recognized during his lifetime, only recently has his genius been recognized. Plus, there are a lot of pictures he painted while he was alive. When a painter has arge number of works, it is easy to raise the price. So once it starts to catch on, it will be incredibly popr,¡± the auction employee said. Elisha nodded. ¡°I like it.¡± ¡°If my child wants it, we should get it. The paintings by this artist. Give me everything you brought today.¡± The Head also bought several ancient works of art at exorbitant prices. ¡°Thank you, my lord,¡± Elisha spoke calmly. Lucerne looked annoyed. ¡°The head of the family only bought it because she wanted it. Don¡¯t think of showing off to my wife.¡± ¡°This rascal really doesn¡¯t spare a word.¡± Elisha smiled very slightly at Lucerne¡¯s attitude. ¡°Thank you, my lord but I¡¯m already graced by spending my day at the Duke¡¯s House. I am afraid that if I have too many things, I will be greedy for other things.¡± Elisha knew the patriarch¡¯s favorite words and actions. This time, too, she handled herself humbly. ¡°You have to be more greedy. No matter what the world says, you are my grandson and granddaughter-inw.¡± It was only then that Elisha understood Lucerne¡¯s earlier remark. ¡®The head of the family made a decision sooner than expected.¡¯ Marco was unusable. It was said that he could note to his senses even at the estate where he was exiled and continued to cause problems. Reports said that the small branch of thepany entrusted to Marco was already on the verge of copse. There is no doubt that Jacob¡¯s interference was behind it. But the result would have been the same if there had been no interference. This is because Marco was practically out of his mind. After receiving a report on Marco¡¯s current status, the patriarch was very disappointed. Jacob seemed to be wandering on his own path and had a talent for business. He woulde back after he aplished some merits. However, he lost favor and was despised because of Car. So, the head of the family would want to keep Jacob in check through the Lucerne couple. ¡°Lucerne, have you heard any news about your son yet?¡± ¡°None. I¡¯m busy being a newlywed,¡± Lucerne answered briefly. Elisha looked away. Indeed, what he said about Gaju was right. ¡°Hurry and show me your wonderful son,¡± urged the Head. ¡°That will bring you more fortune.¡± Lucerne raised the corners of his mouth as if he was dumbfounded. Elisha lowered her eyes. Indeed, there was no reversal among the Cartier family. The patriarch was hoping for a great-grandchild as a way to keep Jacob in check. Chapter 233: Tpcp 233 Chapter 233: Tpcp 233 A day at the Duke¡¯s house usually went like this: she got up, did a little work, and had some luxury. Then, at night, she went to bed with Lucerne. The next day, she again tasted a different kind of luxury. If Elisha had been someone who was tempted and could be deceived with money, she would have already been pickled by the Cartier family. And she would have done everything in her power to impress and gain Lucerne¡¯s favor, which could be said to be the source of Elisha¡¯s power. But now Elisha knew that it was all useless. The patriarch took his time choosing art. The auction employees were standing around like sculptures, but no one paid them any attention. ¡°Elisha.¡± Gaju called Elisha. ¡°I received a call from Car¡¯s parents¡¯ house.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°It appears that rumors have spread throughout the capital that Car is mentally ill and hadmitted adultery. So her mother asked for Car to be sent to her parents¡¯ house after granting her a divorce. She is willing to apologize in any way possible.¡± The only flow that no one in power can stop: A rumor. After Car¡¯s incident broke out, Lucerne politely asked the head of the family: ¡®Wouldn¡¯t it be better to organize all the witnesses?¡¯ After a moment¡¯s reflection, the Head said to just leave it alone and didn¡¯t utter another word. Luceer told Elisha about it. ¡®Gaju¡¯s personality has be a lot harsher.¡¯ ¡°She wouldn¡¯t have even thought to apologize if she knew what Car did. It is such a big sin,¡± Elisha noted calmly. ¡°They started off with that premise. She would give me the right to supply some medicinal herbs that Full Moon monopolizes.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°I want to know your opinion. How should I deal with it?¡± Lucerne looked at the head of the family with a tant cynicism. ¡°Is that right to supply a herb more important than the honor of myte grandmother? Car defiled her crystal coffin. From what I heard, it¡¯s not just once or twice.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t speak of your grandmother lightly,¡± The lord gently scolded Lucerne. ¡°Oh, of course,¡± Lucerne said coldly. ¡°Then what about the honor of the family head who is alive and well? If Car is alive, my grandfather will be a fool.¡± As they bared their teeth to each other, Elisha felt like she was sitting between two wild beasts. ¡°Lucerne, I asked for Elisha¡¯s will. Car is a crazy woman. So she tried to use Zain to harm her. If she returns Car to her parents¡¯ home, you too must receive her reward. The right to supply medicinal herbs will bring you a huge amount of money. If her husband wants to receive the property, you may ept it. It is up to you two to decide how to distribute the property.¡± Elisha looked at the patriarch nkly. She was about to say something but closed her mouth. ¡°What is it, Elisha?¡± ¡°No. The head of the family must have deep intentions for me. I don¡¯t want to disturb you with a hasty opinion.¡± ¡°Go ahead and tell me.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ ¡­ . If Car did wrong, shouldn¡¯t she make her amends at her own home? Car must have signed a marriage contract at the time of her wedding. So why should we worry about whether or not to send Car back?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°The people of the Cartier family are now Car¡¯s family.¡± Elisha put her hand to her mouth. She spoke nonchntly and softly. ¡°To forgive or not to forgive. Isn¡¯t that up to you to decide? It¡¯s strange. Why do they want to make a deal as if they have the upper hand?¡± That was truly a Cartier-like judgment and thought. Lucerne smiled. ¡°Now that I think about it, there¡¯s something the lord always says that I like: ¡®Your spouse is at your level.¡¯ That¡¯s what I mean.¡± It was a noble metaphor for Lucerne. The patriarch looked at Elisha. Should he be satisfied? He wondered momentarily whether he should start by responding to Lucerne¡¯s words. But as always, he decided to be generous with Elisha. ¡°Elisha may take whatever she wants from here today. Being clever should be rewarded.¡± ¡°Finally one thing that makes sense,¡± Lucerne said lightly. Elisha slightly bowed her head to express her gratitude. Chapter 234: Tpcp 234 Chapter 234: Tpcp 234 However, Elisha couldn¡¯t help but think a lot. ¡®It¡¯s not a good sign.¡¯ It seemed like Car was a precious child in the Marquis of Full Moon household. Who would have thought Full Moon would even give away their monopoly and exclusive supply rights for herbal medicine, which is everything to the Marquis? ¡®Normally, aristocratic families don¡¯t value or treat their daughters as something special. Marquis Full Moon is an exception. Even though they cherish their children, it doesn¡¯t necessarily mean they raise them properly.¡¯ Following Elisha¡¯s advice, Gaju would begin threatening the Marquess of Full Moon. It wasying down the foundation for favorable negotiations. And if the head of the family wanted, it would be possible for him to take out Full Moon Marquis. That kind of revenge wasn¡¯t a bad idea. However, it was apparent that if the Head received exclusive rights to the herbs, he would have to send Car back. Full Moon Marquis also had a lot of power. ¡®Car was half out of her mind but¡­ ¡­ . is that real?¡¯ Gaju could definitely turn Car into an insane woman. But would Car break down so easily? Elisha knew her from her previous life. She was a tough woman full of perseverance, strong tenacity, and a bizarre madness. ¡®Car, that woman, her spirit is much stronger than that of Marco. She said that if she were to be released from the temple¡­ ¡­ . What if she regains her sanity? It will be tiring to keep fighting when she asks for revenge.¡¯ Elisha was deep in thought. ¡°Sure. Take your time and enjoy yourselves. Husbands and wives should spend time seeing beautiful things. Buy everything you want.¡± Even after Gaju left, Elisha was unable to concentrate at all. Auction staff mulled around her, disying carefully selected jewels in their hands. ¡°Madam, would you like to see the jewelry now?¡± She suddenly came to her senses. Lucerne was scrutinizing her with a bored expression. ¡°Elisha, when I¡¯m in your body and even when I¡¯m not, I guess you are busy thinking about other people,¡± Lucerne remarkednguidly. Her cheeks turned red. ¡°¡­ ¡­ Lucerne. People can hear you.¡± She shook her head. Secretly, she hoped that the auction staff wouldn¡¯t understand his teasing. ¡°I was deliberating over the Head¡¯s words.¡± Lucerne nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, just look at the jewels.¡± Only then did Elisha see the jewelry the employees had chosen. One of them spoke amiably, ¡°I think this ck pearl ne will look great on your white neck. Would you like to try it?¡± ¡°Oh, yes.¡± Elisha thought she should at least pretend to choose. But her mind was still full of other thoughts. ¡®¡­ ¡­ I find myself so absent-minded in front of Lucerne these days.¡¯ He was like gunpowder that could detonate at any moment, and someone held all the rights to her life. Even now, she had not fully opened herself to Lucerne. But these days, there were times when she rxed. Elisha wasn¡¯t the only one who changed. ¡®This person is cooperative these days.¡¯ Elisha suddenly thought. ¡®Now that I think about it, Lucerne seems to be less suspicious of me nowadays.¡¯ When he caught a glimpse of the imperial family¡¯s affairs. Clearly, Lucerne would suspect Elisha of the sudden appearance of the evil god¡¯s holy relic that caused Jewel¡¯s downfall. But did Lucerne prod her like before? ¡°Ma¡¯am?¡± ¡°Ah. Yes.¡± ¡°Could you please lift your hair so that you can try on the ne?¡± Elisha obediently lifted the long blonde hair that hung behind her. It was then. ¡°Ah!¡± In an instant, Elisha¡¯s body moved wildly. When she came to her senses, her body was already on Lucerne¡¯sp. ¡°Lucerne, what¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°To keep watch.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°How dare you provide the back of your neck to another guy in front of me? What about your white neck?¡± Lucerne said, wrapping his arms around her waist tightly. As soon as he finished speaking, she bit Elisha¡¯s neck very hard. Her cheeks instantly heated up. ¡°Huh!¡± ¡°It¡¯s red now.¡± The auction staff were quick to notice. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, General.¡± ¡°My apologies.¡± The employees spoke like a chorus. ¡®If you look closely, there are no greater performers than this family either.¡¯ Elisha frowned. When she was in the world of the Cartier family, she sometimes felt that she had indeed arrived in a strange, surreal world. She felt like that now. ¡°Everyone get out. I want to see the jewels alone with my wife.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, the items¡­ ¡­ .¡± The employees hesitated. The items from the auction house were so valuable that it seemed impossible to leave them behind. ¡°Are you the one who tried to touch the back of my wife¡¯s neck earlier?¡± Hearing those words, the employee got scared. It was the worker who offered Elisha the ck pearl ne. They looked at each other and carefully left the room. They were afraid they would be beaten by Lucerne. ¡®Is this person really angry?¡¯ Lucerne¡¯s mood was also important to her. Even as Elisha tapped his arm, she took notice. He obediently put her down on her sofa. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I guess I¡¯m not feeling well today. I¡¯m a little worried about Car, too.¡± Lucerne was looking at her indifferently; he suddenly kissed Elisha. ¡°Ugh¡­ ¡­ .¡± She was running out of breath. Elisha responded frantically to him sucking on her saliva like a thirsty man. Eventually, his lips fell. ¡°¡­ ¡­ Lucerne?¡± Chapter 235: Tpcp 235 Chapter 235: Tpcp 235 ¡°I can see you having a lot of thoughts in your head again. But you keep making me helplessly hard and erect. When I see other guys looking at you with fascinated eyes, I wonder where I should hide you and lock you away.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Now, I have a suspicion that you¡¯re forming a gang with the patriarch without my knowledge.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Strangely, I¡¯m not as angry now as I used to be, am I?¡± ¡°Lucerne.¡± ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean my suspicions about you have disappeared.¡± Elisha was nervous. Lucerne stared at her and smiled. ¡°Try wearing a ne. I¡¯ll buy it for you.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ Why? The Head said he would buy it.¡± ¡°From now on don¡¯t ept anything from others anymore. I¡¯m also jealous when Gaju does that.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± She found his entricities very difficult. ¡°And,¡± he continued. ¡°Our wedding anniversary ising up.¡± Elisha blinked. ¡°Since when did you be a romanticist?¡± ¡°It depends on the woman.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ You¡¯re acting weird today.¡± Lucerne was still. ¡®Maybe between us¡­ ¡­ . there¡¯s trust? Elisha couldn¡¯t help but think that way, even if only for a moment. ¡°Why are you being so nice to me all of a sudden?¡± ¡°I¡¯m usually good to mine, Elisha.¡± ¡°I know. You are very kind, even when ites to your possessions,¡± Elisha whispered softly. What she meant was: Don¡¯t do anything you haven¡¯t done before. Lucerne didn¡¯t budge. ¡°Right, I¡¯m indulging my possession, so take your pick.¡± Elisha wanted to tilt her head. She lifted her hair. Lucerne personally put the ck pearl ne around her neck. It was a rtively simple and elegant item that fit perfectly around her pale, thin neck. ¡°What do you think?¡± Elisha looked back at him, touching her neck. Her beautiful, wavy blonde hair hung next to her ear. Lucerne stared at her for a few seconds. The answer came back one tempote. ¡°Pretty. In my eyes, that¡¯s always the case.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha¡¯s pale cheeks turned slightly red. She lowered her eyes and a faint thought crossed her mind. She tried to ignore that foreboding premonition. ¡®Why are you looking at me like that?¡¯ Maybe it was Elisha¡¯s merit that moved his heart? Lucerne was looking at her with a burning gaze as if there was something he wanted so dearly. But the way he ran his thumb across the back of her neck was a very delicate caress. ¡°Why are you doing this? It¡¯s not like you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s peaceful.¡± ¡°Huh¡­ ¡­ . In your life¡­ ¡­ . Are there days like that?¡± Lucerne¡¯s hand started to touch her back. His hands moved as if scratching or pressing her skin lightly and strangely. Elisha ced her hand on his wrist. ¡°No, not now.¡± But even today, he did not allow rejection. ¡°Ah!¡± Elisha¡¯s hand, which had been refusing, fell off. Lucerne¡¯s other hand was on her thigh. This is because he pressed down on the middle of her underwear. ¡°Huh¡ª¡± At the same time, he gently bit her ear. ¡°I know.¡± Lucerne said after a moment. ¡°A day like thises because I¡¯ve met a great woman.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Lucerne pulled his hand away. Only then was Elisha able to look into his eyes properly. ¡°I want to hold you gently.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°What if I squeeze too hard and you want to run away? Even if you are suspicious, I won¡¯t question you. And I¡¯ll try tightening around you gently.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ What did I?¡± ¡°If you have something to say to me, say it, Elisha.¡± Elisha¡¯s body stiffened ever so slightly. ¡®Could it be that he realized what I asked Ilione to do?¡¯ But that couldn¡¯t be possible. The route requested by Elisha. Even if the information about that route was leaked, it would take some time. No matter how great he was, she couldn¡¯t have been discovered this quickly. Lucerne had excellent intuition, so she would just give it a try. ¡°What do you mean? Should I sing to you?¡± Elisha spoke calmly. There was just the slightest hint of sarcasm disguised as a joke. Lucerne raised the corners of his mouth slightly. ¡°That¡¯s good. Do it at night. Naked. Ah, but better yet, wear jewelry.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ Lucerne.¡± Chapter 236: Tpcp 236 Chapter 236: Tpcp 236 He seemed to be having fun just imagining it. She blinked. ¡°¡­ ¡­ What do you really want? I¡¯m not used to this.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do anything suspicious. Keep my coteral safe. Listen carefully.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Elisha, that¡¯s enough for me.¡± Lucerne smoothed out her neckline with satisfaction. ¡°You can do better in the future, right?¡± Elisha nodded her head slightly. That was the easiest thing to do as long as she was his possession. She thought, ignoring the strange difort that passed by. ¡°Alright.¡± Lucerne said. ¡°Don¡¯t do anything you¡¯ll regret.¡± Lucerne looked into Elisha¡¯s eyes and whispered. His eyes were full of quietly hidden possessiveness. Elisha didn¡¯t know why those words sounded like a strangely ominous warning. *** While spending the summer at the Duchy of Cartier. The Head freely bestowed money. Unexpected profit discreetly fell on Elisha as well. ¡®The property is only meaningful if I can divorce safely.¡¯ Elisha thought indifferently. If Lucerne demanded arge amount of alimony and said there was a disqualification in the contract, all of her assets would be taken away. Elisha flipped her hair. Now, in front of Elisha was Mimosa, covered in sweat and giving off a foul odor. She sat at a table and slowly prepared tea. And she leisurely opened her mouth. ¡°How is it, Mimosa? Is the stable work worth doing?¡± ¡°It¡¯s so hard. Do we have to go this far?¡± ¡°You know the lord, Mimosa. Your and Pansy¡¯s lives depend on it. How many times have I told you that if I were to bring you out, there needs to be a justification?¡± Elisha answered leisurely. ¡®I can¡¯t work at theundromat. It where vulgar coteral, those bitches, used to do. When are you going to take me out?¡¯ ¡®Gosh. If it¡¯s that hard, I¡¯ll give you another job.¡¯ Not long ago, Mimosained to Elisha that she couldn¡¯t work in theundry anymore. So she took her out of theundry, and Mimosa¡¯s job was cleaning the stables. Two out of three times, Elisha gave Mimosa the harsh task of cleaning the stables. But one time, she just sent her back without doing anything. ¡®Compared to what I went through, I¡¯m being generous. I remember celebrating when I thought I was being treated well because at least I could eat properly.¡¯ Elisha suddenly remembered an incident from her past life. Mimosa also had a long history of bad blood. The most representative one among them is¡­ ¡­ . ¡®Mimosa, this bitch seduced Jacob. You¡¯re the bitch who¡¯s harassing Car, so you should get scolded!¡¯ It was during her previous life when Elisha had just started working for Jacob. One day, Car came in apanied by her maids, pounced on her, and poured an unknown liquid on her face. She said it was some kind of magic poison. The poison burned Elisha¡¯s cheek and left her with a burn scar. ¡®Car. Do not worry. I¡¯ll chid this bitch!¡¯ At that time, it was Mimosa who poured the liquid on Elisha¡¯s face. She then kicked her several times as she rolled on the floor in pain. ¡®I could make Mimosa¡¯s face the same. But is it worth it?¡¯ Perhaps if Mimosa had known what had happened in her past life, she would have been grateful to Elisha for not retaliating more severely. She didn¡¯t care if Mimosa exploded after tormenting her. If Mimosa does something stupid, she can use that as an excuse to clean up the mess. But she found human psychology truly strange. She acted as if she had some kind of loyalty to her these days. She noticed her thoughts and offered information she didn¡¯t ask for. This was because Mimosa and Pansy were slowly regaining their positions to the point where they could move around freely in the Dukedom. ¡°I have something to report to you. Pansy keeps visiting Car. Plus, where did she get the money? She must have coaxed the knight guarding Car with gold coins. It seems like she secretly brings Car food too¡­ ¡­ . Anyway, Pansy is strange these days. Her eyes are nk, as if she¡¯s lost her mind,¡± Mimosa said, looking at her. ¡°Shall I watch her more closely?¡± Elisha paused at those words. Soon, she shook her head. ¡°Just leave it. Don¡¯t do anything.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Pansy must be having a hard time these days. She needs the space to breathe like that.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha ignored Mimosa¡¯s puzzled expression and tilted her teacup. The rose tea, the pride of the Duke family, was excellent. ¡®I guess Car¡¯s patience was slowly running out.¡¯ By now, Car would be going crazy with resentment. ¡®And it looks like Car¡¯s family is continuing to try to negotiate.¡¯ Plus, Jacob would being back soon. She heard that Jacob asked several times if Car was still alive. Bad ingredients were provided. Herbal medicine monopoly. Car is still barely able to maintain her sanity. And Jacob, who was still a little bit angry at Car. For Jacob, Car was his third wife. He took his first wife before she came of age, and she died an unfortunate death. His second wife also did notst long. For a man like Jacob, women were expendable. However, Car was a little different. They were a couple who were also partners with the same goal. So Jacob could have persuaded the Head to release Car. Then, Gaju would have the justification for releasing Car since he secretly coveted the right to supply the herbs. Elisha was well aware of what they were going to do. ¡®Car is a nuisance. I hope she doesn¡¯te out.¡¯ Lucerne also said it. ¡®Now it¡¯s war.¡¯ At the same time, Rosaria¡¯s words also came to mind. ¡®The best soldier does not win a war; it is to prevent the root of war.¡¯ Elishazily turned the pages of the book in front of her. It was a strategy book written by Rosaria. When she was in the capital, she met Rosaria a couple of times and got some advice from her. Other than that, she was sad that she couldn¡¯t take more sses. But Rosaria will praise her. Because Elisha was implementing her teachings well. Chapter 237: Tpcp 237 Chapter 237: Tpcp 237 ¡°Mimosa. Is that all you have to say?¡± Mimosa calmed down. ¡°I think Car gave Pansy a treasure.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°The ring that Car always wore. I don¡¯t know how the ring was handed to her, but one day she started wearing it. I¡¯m sure Car has used everything she has and bribed Pansy.¡± Elisha¡¯s movements stopped. The corners of her mouth slowly drew an arc. ¡®Oh my, Car. You never betray my expectations.¡¯ The actions of the Cartier family were truly trustworthy. To Elisha, it seemed like a bit of a boring tale, full of cruel clich¨¦s. ¡°Mimosa, you¡¯ve been working hard, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Ah, yes¡­ ¡­ ?¡± ¡°Rose tea is famous in the area around here. Among them, the tea made from the Duke¡¯s roses is the finest product. The roses that grow in the Duke¡¯s home are special.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Families of very high status¡ªPrestigious families, including the royal family, have their own unique family flowers. The Duke¡¯s flower was a rose. The Duke¡¯s rose was the pride of the family. The rose, which grows in a greenhouse all year round, blooms withrger buds than other roses. Moreover, it was delicious when made into tea or jam. However, tea made from those roses was so rare that only family members and distinguished guests could drink it. ¡°I¡¯ll treat you to a cup of tea today to thank you for your hard work. Go ahead and drink it, Mimosa.¡± Elisha served Mimosas with her tea. Mimosa took the tea with trembling hands. She didn¡¯t know whether she was embarrassed or afraid. Because she was of such a ss that did not dare to dream of drinking this tea. ¡°Mimosa, if you see Pansy today, tell her I summoned you.¡± ¡°Yes? Ah, I understand.¡± ¡°And Pansy will ask what I eat. They she will ask what kind of tea I drink. Then you must answer ¡®rose tea.¡¯ I drink tea with fresh roses, understood?¡± Mimosa flinched. Then she quickly nodded. ¡°¡­ ¡­ yes. All right. But are you going to leave Car alone?¡± Mimosa abandoned Car. She seemed worried about retaliation. Elisha could clearly see what she was thinking. ¡°No, I should go see how she¡¯s doing. Car will be curious about my well-being.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°But what should I do? Because I¡¯m doing too well. If Car sees me, she might get angry. Sick people need to be treated with care, don¡¯t you agree?¡± Elisha spoke softly. Mimosa shivered once through her body. Because Elisha¡¯s invariably calm face was the scariest. *** ¡°Are you sure the High General really gave you permission to meet Car?¡± Nora looked anxious until the end. Elisha nodded. ¡°Why? Is there any reason for you to meet that woman?¡± ¡°Why not? What a deep connection between Car and I. Moreover, if she is a fellow granddaughter-inw of the same family.¡± Elisha was slowly walking through the forest. When she told Lucerne about her desire to meet Car, he said it was okay as she brought Nora with her. Elisha loved moments like this with Lucerne. He clearly knows the heart of an avenger. Observing the face of the foe one has ruined. Staring into lifeless eyes. Wanting to enjoy the sight of their miserable appearance just before their breath stops as if it were a dinner party. This was a feeling that only those who have been dragged to the floor know. Lucerne and Elisha were simr in that respect. The difference was that Elisha was struggling to survive like an herbivore. Whereas Lucerne was like a crocodile sticking its eyes out on the surface of the water. The point was that she lived to suffocate those who had trampled on her. Even though their backgrounds were the same, their origins were different. However, there was a point of reference where they could sufficiently understand each other. Elisha arrived in front of the decaying shrine. Nora gestured. They removed the wooden nks blocking the window. Inside was a small window with iron bars. Elisha bent her body towards the window. ¡°Long time no see, Car. How have you been? You¡¯ve be really frugal while I haven¡¯t seen you. I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re staying in a room like this.¡± Soon, there was a rustling sound, and Car appeared through the window. Elisha wanted tough. Her condition was beyond imagination. Her hair was matted, her clothes were in tatters, and her bones poked out through her skin. Originally with Car¡¯s cute face and her religiously maintaining her beauty, she had been gorgeous. But now, she was not beautiful at all; in fact, she looked rather shabby. Her wide-open eyes were staring, without blinking, that she looked crazied and bizarre. ¡°I guess you¡¯re not eating well. What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°You¡ªyou¡ª Elisha¡ªBitch!¡± said Car. Elisha thought that she might be a little upset about this. It was to be expected, as the patriarch entrusted the disposal of Car and her maids entirely to Elisha. Elisha asked Lucerne to bring in a mania treatment expert. The expert treated people very harshly, and his primary treatment was to keep the patient¡¯s mind clear by giving them a minimal amount of food. In other words, Car was in a situation where she couldn¡¯t even eat properly. The head of the family was satisfied with Elisha¡¯s actions. Soon, he even seemed to think that Car was really insane. ¡°Oh my, it seems you¡¯ve lost your manners during my absence. The lord considers manners important. He will be disappointed to see you like this.¡± Car red at Elisha with bloodshot eyes. ¡°Where did you crawl in from? You fucking, vile.¡± ¡°You¡¯re struggling to even swear.¡± Elisha clicked her tongue; she seemed to have picked up Lucerne¡¯s habit. ¡°Where is this? It¡¯s a ce where crazy people are confined. Well, it¡¯s a very deste ce.¡± ¡°Yo¡ªyou bitch! You ruined Car¡¯s life. What did Car do wrong?¡± Elisha donned a thin, cold smile on her lips. ¡°Well, there¡¯s so many.¡± Elisha recalled her many humiliating moments. Although Jacob was the one who sent her to hell in her previous life. The owner of that hell was Car. Every hell hurt in its own way. Most of her memories were of Car. ¡°We have such a deep rtionship and profound fate.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°To the point where I ruin your life. Aren¡¯t we connected to that extent?¡± You can read more here. Chapter 238: Tpcp 238 Chapter 238: Tpcp 238 Car stared nkly at Elisha. Soon, her face turned red, probably because she thought she was making fun of her. ¡°Do you think Car is going to give up here? You and Car are on different levels. Know, huh? You will be cursed. Bitch. As expected, the fortune telling was correct. You¡¯re taking away all of Car¡¯s men. What the fortune teller said, ¡®Car will never be happy if you live.''¡± ¡°Oh, my. Really? So surprising and new.¡± Elisha pulled away as if she had lost interest. ¡°Car, quickly ept your reality. This is your life right now.¡± Elisha tapped on the metal bars near her face with the toe of her shoe. ¡°Now I have to bend down like this to see you. That¡¯s our rtionship, and that¡¯s your level.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°It¡¯s too bad. You have to breathe the air down there for the rest of your life,¡± she coldly smiled. ¡°And you¡¯ll never be able to touch a man like Lucerne for the rest of your life.¡± ¡°You¡ª this¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Congrattions, you ruined your life. You will continue to crawl on that floor and live hard,¡± Elisha decreed. She slowly turned her back and left the ce. ¡°I can never forgive you. I can¡¯t forgive¡­ ¡­ .¡± Car muttered behind her back. Tears were flowing down from her eyes. She fell to the floor and cried. She couldn¡¯t do anything as the hateful opponent took everything from her. The sensation of having nowhere to go caused a small explosion in her heart. She experienced a kind of delirium. *** Old trees surrounded the road from the Duke¡¯s principal residence to the abandoned temple. It was always a damp, dark, and gloomy avenue with very few peopleing and going. Elisha walked along there with Nora in front. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Nora?¡± ¡°I was wondering what you said to the guards near the abandoned temple earlier.¡± ¡°I told you to be nice to Car. Looking at her eyes, I think she¡¯s lost her mind. It¡¯s pitiful.¡± Nora was not inherently suspicious of people. Even though Elisha¡¯s words were a little strange to her, she just epted them and nodded. ¡°Madam, you are so kind.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± It was unexpected. ¡°With what I did that just now?¡± ¡°I heard that Jacob once plunged thedy¡¯s life into an abyss. Moreover, I heard that Car relentlessly harassed Madam when you were at the Duke¡¯s house. Ma¡¯am, your revenge is justified.¡± Elisha wanted to smile. After all, Nora was a good person. ¡°If you wish, Madam, I will deal with that woman. The General will also approve.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ You don¡¯t have to. And if you kill someone from the Cartier family, you have to do it with the help of the Cartier family,¡± Elisha notedzily. She stopped in her tracks. Hydrangeas were in full bloom. ¡°The flowers are very pretty.¡± Elisha seemed to have suddenly remembered something and picked a hydrangea. ¡°Nora, you¡¯re going out soon, right? This means good luck*.¡± [*t1v: In Korean culture, hydrangeas are associated with perseverance and resilience; in Japan, remorse; whereas in the West, they mean rejection and vanity. Take that as you will.] Elisha remembered what happened during the hunting festival. When ady gave flowers to the knights under hermand, it meant praying for the knights¡¯ safety and performance. Nora¡¯s eyes widened as she received the flowers. ¡°Did you remember?¡± ¡°Yes. I heard you were going on a mission to the border. Fall is the time when monsters are born. At times like this, witchbeasts run rampant.¡± Nora treasured her flowers like treasures. ¡°Last time¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Last time, you only gave flowers to Lapis. Everyone¡­ ¡­ was jealous.¡± ¡°Did I?¡± Elisha recalled Lapis receiving a hydrangea as a representative at thest hunting festival. ¡°Lapis dried the flowers well and put them on the shelf. Lazuli helped preserve it well.¡± Nora hesitated for a moment, and then she added, a little embarrassed. ¡°It was my first time coveting something that belonged to someone else.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Flowers aren¡¯t a very good gift. They wither in one day. But I¡¯ll give Nora flowers any time she wants.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ yes.¡± Nora nodded. Then, as if it urred to her, she added: ¡°But the hydrangeas the General has have not withered. That¡¯s why Lapis was so jealous.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± It took Elisha a moment to interpret Nora¡¯s words. It was because there were so many parts that she couldn¡¯t understand. ¡®Lucerne has hydrangeas?¡¯ During the hunting festival, Elisha also gave flowers to Lucerne. At his mischievous request, she even kissed them. ¡®Nonsense.¡¯ Elisha tried to remain calm. Her brows furrowed slightly. ¡°Lucerne¡¯s hydrangeas? He¡¯s not the type of person to keep trivial things. Besides, what do you mean the flowers haven¡¯t withered?¡± ¡°Ian said he saw flowers in the High General¡¯s drawer. They say the royal family¡¯s hydrangeas have a unique appearance.¡± Nora answered casually. ¡°And the guardian deity of the General¡­. Shadows love to devour flowers.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ His shadow?¡± It seemed she couldn¡¯tprehend English anymore. ¡°You didn¡¯t know? If a shadow swallows a flower and then spits it out, the flower will not wither. It is said that the flowers can be preserved like fresh flowers for several years. The General took measures to prevent the flowers from withering.¡± Nonsense. Elisha didn¡¯t want to believe what Nora said¡ªIt is not possible. Nora continued talking, not noticing her expression. ¡°So, Lapis asked the general for a favor so his flowers wouldn¡¯t wither.¡± -He said he refused outright. Nora said. Elisha thought they were doing something stupid. But she entered Lucerne¡¯s room as if possessed. Because of Lucerne¡¯s fall campaign schedule, they had to leave for the capital soon. She made up an excuse that she was preparing to pack his luggage in advance, but she really wanted to make sure there were flowers. You can read more here. Chapter 239: Tpcp 239 Chapter 239: Tpcp 239 ¡°Ah¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha easily found the item she was looking for in a desk drawer. It was in a small box. He didn¡¯t even think to hide it. ¡®The Hydrangea of the Imperial Family.¡¯ The imperial family grew uniquely shaped hydrangeas. It was such a famous fact that all the nobles in the capital knew it. The hydrangea was a color between red and pink, and the petals were patterned with silver and gold stripes. So, golden and silver hydrangeas would sway in the garden when a cool breeze blew. ¡®Why did he do this¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Lapis also said that he treasured the hydrangea. She felt grateful. But¡­ ¡­ . when she found out that Lucerne had kept them, she felt an indescribable feeling. It was as if a small vortex had formed in her heart. Elisha paused momentarily because the feeling was too great for her to ept right away. She bit her lip. She thought about the inside of the dress. There was a small pocket on the inside of the dress. She took an object out of her pocket. It was the blue kingfisher feathers wrapped with ribbon. Elisha carried the kingfisher feathers in a silk pouch ever since the hunt. ¡®Lucerne also marked that day as a milestone¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ She couldn¡¯t help but wonder why that man would have this. It was like a sadistic force was pushing her to expect something. It was the first hope Elisha found in her two lifetimes. Throughout her past life, she thought of him, hoping to catch his eye and be noticed by him. When she was alone, she thought and imagined Lucerne. And it was the hope she had searched for thousands of times. It was impossible not to savor this feeling at this moment. Elisha closed her eyes. Her heart began to beat quietly. It was a painful yet ecstatic emotion. *** The next day, Elisha received an unexpected visitor. It was the Patriarch. ¡°Gaju.¡± Elisha got up from her seat to greet him. The main building of the duke¡¯s castle was spacious and vast, and the head of the family used apletely different floor. Lucerne said he didn¡¯t like Elisha meeting others when he wasn¡¯t around. So, Elisha rarely met with the Head one-on-one. ¡°Sit down, I was just passing by.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± When Elisha tried to prepare her tea, the lord dissuaded her. ¡°I won¡¯t stay long. If I make an excuse to have a long conversation alone with you, that rascal will get angryter.¡± Of course, by rascal, he meant Lucerne, so Elisha smiled awkwardly. The head of the householdid out his superficial business. He said that since Lucerne and Elisha would visit often in the future, he would make more rooms for them. Even those rooms were the spaces that Car used. ¡®Wow, they are an amazing family.¡¯ Elisha clicked her tongue mentally. ¡°Yes, my lord. Thank you very much.¡± Elisha answered without showing her thoughts. The patriarch nodded. And the Head got to the point. ¡°Elisha, don¡¯t you want to have children with Lucerne yet?¡± It was nothing short of a surprise attack on Elisha, trying to catch her off guard. She paused. As expected, Gaju was unusually tactful. ¡°Why do you say that?¡± Elisha hid her embarrassment and spoke softly. ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t know what Lucerne is thinking? Elisha, you don¡¯t have to necessarily follow Lucerne¡¯s words in that regard. After you have a child, he won¡¯t be able to do anything about it. If you think about it, he is the most domineering person in our family.¡± The patriarchughed as if he found it hrious and continued speaking: ¡°If you give birth to a great-grandchild, many things will change. Lucerne¡¯s mother is a pariah. Since it is already recorded like that¡­ ¡­ . No matter how much I cherish him and lift him up, I will never be able to undo the past. But won¡¯t your child be different? If you choose that¡­.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°The fate of this duchy may also change.¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking about something I can¡¯t handle. My husband won¡¯t like it,¡± Elisha said with her eyes downcast. ¡°I¡¯ll pretend I didn¡¯t hear you, my lord.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t pretend to be a fool; you are a smart kid,¡± the Head spoke softly. ¡°A person who cannot calcte his own profits and losses is a fool. You are already part of this family. Cartier is the richest family in the world. Ultimately, what binds a person¡¯s life and destiny is money, wealth, and power. In the end, the only way to change your fate is through a child with Lucerne¡¯s precious blood. Think about it carefully,¡± Gaju said. ¡°I don¡¯t know what Lucerne told you. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to take away his son once he is born. Lucerne could be a way to inherit the family. However, since Jacob is there, you will have to be very prudent. I have to choose which of the two grandsons is better. But depending on your actions, your husband may gain a great opportunity.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Do not forget my words. Even if Lucerne doesn¡¯t allow it, you can find ways to have children.¡± Elisha pursed her lips. She nodded slightly. ¡°I will engrave the lord¡¯s words.¡± ¡°Lucerne will ask what we talked about. It¡¯smon in ordinary families for grandparents to worry and look after their grandchildren.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I trust you will speak sensibly. Don¡¯t you instinctively know what¡¯s the best path for you?¡± Elisha was not stupid. There was another side to the patriarch¡¯s words. What if Elisha gave birth to Lucerne¡¯s child? If that child were topete for the head of the household, Elisha would have another force to protect her in addition to Lucerne. Chapter 240: Tpcp 240 Chapter 240: Tpcp 240 If she were to ry his words, she would arouse Lucerne¡¯s suspicion for no reason. ¡®I heard something troublesome. The patriarch is right. It won¡¯t do me any good if Lucerne finds out about this conversation.¡¯ Deep suspicion and mistrust were chronic illnesses of the members of the Cartier family. It was no different from a chronic disease passed down from birth. Unfortunately, the same was true for Lucerne. Gaju didn¡¯t stay long and stood up. Elisha stood up and followed after him. ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll just go.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± Elisha hesitated and then opened her mouth again, ¡°Well, Gaju, about theundromat where I used to work¡­ ¡­ . Thank you. The coteral that was used at theundromat belongs to Jacob. So I know it wasn¡¯t easy to convince him to sort it out.¡± ¡°Oh, you mean that thing?¡± The patriarch continued, ¡°Say thank you to your husband.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ yes?¡± ¡°Thest time he visited the mansion, Lucerne brought it up first. Please remove the women who work at theundry from the mansion so that in the future, no one will nder you about your origins. Besides, don¡¯t you have a lot of bad memories of that ce?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°He said he wouldn¡¯t be able to visit the Duke¡¯s estate often if such a ce continued to exist.¡± Elisha was inwardly surprised. ¡®Lucerne¡­ ¡­ . you did something that didn¡¯t benefit you at all?¡¯ If she had not discovered those flowers just a couple of days ago, Elisha would not have not dared to have such hopeful doubts. But¡­ ¡­ . itt was truly remarkable. Lately, it seemed a lot of amazing things transpired when Lucerne was concerned. *** Lucerne and Elisha had dinner alone with the Head¡¯s absence. Since Lucerne did not like servants standing around waiting during meals they were nowpletely alone. So on days like today when the head of the family was away, the duke¡¯srge dining room was only upied by the two of them. ¡°I heard the patriarch came by.¡± ¡°Yes, they are making new rooms.¡± Elisha calmly delivered the news. ¡°Was that it?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ That was just an excuse, but his purpose was to motivate his grandchildren. He wondered if we are intentionally not having children.¡± Elisha did not hide it from him. It wasn¡¯t wrong. Although the head of the family hinted at more than that, that was only his true intention. She had no intention of fanning Lucerne¡¯s suspicions by telling him that story. ¡°It¡¯s obvious what the old man is upto.¡± ¡°I just evaded it and gave an ambiguous answer.¡± ¡°Well done.¡± Lucerne moved on. Elisha felt her tension melt away. ¡®He doesn¡¯t even interrogate me anymore. Is this person really¡­¡­.¡¯ She inadvertently stared at Lucerne. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°No. Just¡­ ¡­ . I got full quickly today.¡± ¡°Eat properly. You are too weak,¡± Lucerne said bluntly. ¡°Lucerne, well¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha quietly opened her mouth. ¡°I cleaned out your drawers a few days ago. But I happened to see the flowers. The royal family¡¯s hydrangeas.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to pry on purpose. You said I could pack your luggage.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Lucerne was only a little shaken for a moment, but soon became calm. ¡°The hydrangeas I gave during the hunting festival¡­ ¡­ . Did you save them?¡± Lucerne didn¡¯t seem to notice how shy and cautious Elisha¡¯s question was. He answered calmly, a little coldly, as usual: ¡°Huh.¡± At Lucerne¡¯s answer, Elisha felt the back of her neck heating up. Her eyes wavered. ¡°Why¡­ ¡­ . did you keep them instead of throwing them away?¡± Elisha asked softly. ¡°The Shadow likes them.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ The Shadow?¡± Elisha had a strange feeling. ¡°Shadows often swallow flowers and y with them. It¡¯s not a hobby for a monster, right? The Shadow wanted it so I gave it to him to y with.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ oh.¡± Come to think of it, she heard something simr from Nora. ¡°¡­ ¡­ That¡¯s right. The Shadow likes them.¡± Her cheeks felt hot. She didn¡¯t know what she had imagined or expected. And Lucerne said indifferently. ¡°Yes, and I like it too.¡± [t1v: in Korean he could also be saying ¡®I like you too¡¯] ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Who gave it to me? Of course I should like it, right?¡± [t1v: ¡®Of course I like you¡¯] Lucerneughed. Elisha suddenly went numb and her mind felt dizzy. Her hands and feet were tingling. She remembered her fantasy again. The moment in her past life when she was enchanted by him. Memories like scattered stars from that time. Countless nights from her past life. It was like that at the time. Lucerne was able to rule Elisha¡¯s life with just a handful of attention. And he yed with Elisha in the palm of his hands and could discard her whenever he wanted. And in an instant, the power structure between Elisha and Lucerne became unfair again. It was always like that. He could buy everything from Elisha just by keeping one flower. Chapter 241: Tpcp 241 Chapter 241: Tpcp 241 As night fell, Elishay down next to Lucerne. Troublesome andplicated thoughts flooded her mind. Elisha couldn¡¯t sleep at all so she sat up. ¡®My body¡­ ¡­ . it hurts¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Just as she was sitting up, her lower abdomen started to tingle. He had been embracing Elisha every day for a while, but he had been cautious these past few days. Instead, every time they did it, he didn¡¯t let her go easily. Even today, her body was throbbing to the joints. Phew. Elisha swallowed her small sigh. She quietly adjusted her gown. The inside of her room was bathed in dim darkness. And only one old antiquemp was shining. ¡®You¡¯re sleeping deeply today.¡¯ Lucerne was quietly sleeping with his eyes closed. A face with chiseled masculine lines. However, the closer she looked, the more beautiful it was, and the traces of a youthful, beautiful boy in his appearance remained. ¡®He is really handsome.¡¯ Indeed, Elisha, in her previous life, had also been bewitched and infatuated with him. If she thought about it, there were many times when he was impertinent to her, even in her past life. Strangely enough, he teased her. Sometimes when a quiet night like this came, Elisha often had a hard time believing this was reality. When she closed her eyes, and when she opened them, her silk nightgown disappeared, her hair changed, and she was now a ragged, ugly woman who was avoiding everyone. She felt like she was going back to that Elisha. And Lucerne would turn away from her and ignore her. Nothing¡ªnot even Elisha¡¯s earnest eyes worked. Like everyone else, he looked at her with contempt and disgust. ¡®I don¡¯t want to be abandoned by this person again.¡¯ Elisha needed a reminder, a sense of reality to ground her and to awaken her disheartened mood. She touched Lucerne¡¯s lips ever so slightly. ¡°Why?¡± Lucerne said without even opening his eyes. Elisha was startled. She quicklyy down and turned her back to him. ¡°Can¡¯t sleep?¡± There was a sound as Lucerne¡¯s vast body brushed against the bed sheets. He wrapped his hard, muscr arms around Elisha¡¯s waist from behind. Her whole body fell into his wide embrace. ¡°¡­ ¡­ it¡¯s like that today.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ Then shall we stay up all night together?¡± It was a proposition with a strange connotation. Hisrge hand began to caress her lower abdomen. Elisha grabbed his hand and held back her moans. There was arge discrepancy between the size of their hands, and at moments like these, it was noticeable. ¡°We already did it.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ yes.¡± Lucerneughed. Both of their bodies were still heated. He tried to move his hand again. ¡°¡­ ¡­ We¡¯ll be returning home soon. Do whatever you want then. I¡¯m a bit nervous at the Duke¡¯s house.¡± She felt like she was going to die if they did it one more time today. Lucerne reluctantly withdrew his hand at her dissuasion. ¡°Shall we talk?¡± Elisha was inwardly surprised. ¡°What shall we talk about?¡± ¡°Well, something you might like.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ I like talking about money.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Lucerne answeredzily. ¡°When you get back, count your assets. From now on, you will have no shortage of money to live off of.¡± Elisha suddenly felt like sighing. ¡°It¡¯s all yours anyway. ording to the terms of our marriage, I¡¯m not entitled to full ownership.¡± ¡°Well, that depends on your choice.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°You just need to renew the terms of our contract. If you extend the duration of our marriage, I will make it yours. Then you won¡¯t have to worry about money or debt for the rest of your life,¡± Lucerne said sweetly. ¡°Then you can escape from the things you¡¯ve been afraid of your whole life.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha almost shook a little. But she wasn¡¯t naive enough to unquestioningly believe him and say yes. ¡°Then will you let me set the details of the contract?¡± She felt Lucerneugh briefly. ¡°You don¡¯t have that right, Elisha.¡± Her heart stopped. She felt her head go cold. ¡°Then you know I won¡¯t agree.¡± ¡°Yes, but I will persuade you.¡± Elisha hoped it was a non-violent persuasion method. Usually, she would have ended the conversation here. She may have tried to avoid this situation. But¡­ ¡­ . today was different. Because she saw the flowers in the drawer. Because he said he likes flowers. ¡°Do you trust me?¡± ¡°No.¡± Lucerne spoke frankly. ¡°I don¡¯t trust anyone. Like you.¡± He was correct. Elisha nodded. ¡°But. You confuse me a lot.¡± [L] ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°It¡¯s just sweet when you put it in your mouth. I want to keep living like this.¡± Elisha suddenly wondered what his expression looked like. She got up. Lucerne followed suit and sat up. ¡°Me too,¡± Elisha spoke softly in a tiny whisper. For the first time in her life, she gained a courage she had never had before. ¡°If I ever trust you¡­ ¡­ . then¡­ ¡­ . Our rtionship might change a bit, too. If you want.¡± She could have devised a n in the blink of an eye. But at this moment, Elisha became small again in front of Lucerne. The wall was massive in her mind. Her thoughts about him, what she wanted to say. When it came out of her mouth, she looked so small. She was afraid to show him her true feelings. ¡°What does that mean?¡± Lucerne asked softly. ¡°If I trust you, then I will do whatever you want. And if you still want to see me, I won¡¯t leave even if we get divorced.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ divorce?¡± Lucerne¡¯s eyes became a little frosty. ¡°I belong to this family¡­ ¡­ . no. I don¡¯t want to live my life as one of your possessions. So if you want to buy my trust, you have to make me freer.¡± ¡°You made a deal promising to make me the head of the family. It¡¯s too early to talk about divorce.¡± Lucerne was just about to cut it off. Elisha took his hand. ¡°Of course I remember the terms of our marriage contract. But even if we get divorced¡­ ¡­ . It¡¯s not necessarily the end of a rtionship.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I mean, if you and I divorce and neither of us remarries¡­ ¡­ . Because I have no ns to remarry¡­ ¡­ . Even if we don¡¯t live together, you can still see me. I¡¯m going to get a house of my own and move out¡­ ¡­ . if you want¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡ªLike lovers. Elisha stopped right before saying that. Her ears turned red, and her heart raced. She couldn¡¯t believe what she was about to say. ¡°What¡¯s the difference?¡± Lucerne leaned over her. ¡°Why would you abandon being my wife and became a mistress? Are you out of your mind?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to be your mistress,¡± Elisha said coldly. But when Jacob disappears. Once her Car can no longer bother her. When the debt is gone. Once she gets out of the Cartier family. At that time, their rtionship may be somewhat equal. A normal emotional exchange may be possible. Hope grew in Elisha¡¯s heart. ¡®At that time¡ªlike everyone else. Maybe we can want each other like a normal man and woman.¡¯ Chapter 242: Tpcp 242 Chapter 242: Tpcp 242 If he believed in her. If trust develops between the two of them. If, maybe, Lucerne starts to like her. She didn¡¯t want much. It was okay for him to like her just a little bit. She was okay with just a little bit of love. Then, just like in the past life, She could give him all her heart. That train of thought could not be stopped like a galloping horse. In Elisha¡¯s mind, she formed arbitrary thoughts at will and ran. But it was something that could not be said out loud. So, Elisha couldn¡¯t say anything. She lowered her eyes and bowed her head. She felt like her eyes were getting wet. ¡®I see. I want to be on an equal footing with this man. Have a free, true rtionship with this person.¡¯ Because she had never been loved, she had never dared to dream of a rtionship like that. Because she never imagined a bright future. It took so long to acknowledge this natural and obvious desire. ¡®I feel stupid. So what if we get divorced? Will that ever ovee our difference in status? Beyond Elisha¡¯s fluttering blue eyes, her emotions flooded, and her pink lips trembled. She was in chains in both of her lives. Even with hopes for free will, she couldn¡¯t do anything. Even now, she is ultimately powerless and in a situation almost as if she is being held captive by Lucerne. But at this moment, she was holding out her hand to him, and it was truly her first time showing such courage. ¡®But I have to be confident that this person will ept me.¡¯ Even if he knew her whole past, she needed assurances that he would forgive her. In the end, what they needed from each other was trust. *** Lucerne felt anxiety wash over him. ¡®I feel like you¡¯ll slip through my hands.¡¯ He touched Elisha¡¯s cheek. Her blue eyes twinkled. Numerous emotions were shaking in her wet eyes that looked bigger than usual. He didn¡¯t know what those emotions were. He didn¡¯t try to read them. But he was full of anxiety. He felt like something in his grasp that was about to melt away. He felt he was holding on to something vanishing and attached to something disappearing. ¡°Then what do you want us to be?¡± Lucerne asked sweetly, with affection. ¡°Tell me. What should our rtionship be like?¡± ¡°I ¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha bit her lip. She swallowed once as if to steady her breathing. ¡°When my heart is ready. If you decide to stay with me, you can interrogate me then. Using the truth telling serum is fine¡ªno, you can even use shadows. Just like you did to Merha. Then I will be the proof. And you can believe everything I say.¡± Lucerne¡¯s hand was ced on her cheek. She cupped her hands over his face. ¡°If you still want me.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°When that timees. I will give you my all,¡± Elisha whispered. *** Madness was familiar to Lucerne¡¯s life. But, he had never harbored any expectations or hopes. There were many temptations in his life. Lucerne¡¯s birth itself was an insult to some. He lived such a life that if he took even one wrong step, he would soon fall off a cliff. So, even sweetness was just a wrapper for despair. But what Elisha said now¡­ ¡­ . was the sweetest and most powerful of all the contradictions he had ever experienced. He simply could not resist. ¡°Alright,¡± Lucerne looked at Elisha and answered silently. *** It was a strange night for him as well. Lucerne faced the greatest test of his life: to trust someone, harbor affection, and do illogical things for it. To give up something. Never had he done such a foolish thing. But why. Lucerne felt like he could do anything to gain Elisha¡¯s trust, and he felt like he could give up anything. Even though he recalled her clearly suspicious actions and numerous dubious behavior were threatening to suffocate him. He wanted to try that trust thing. But since he had never been appropriately loved, he¡¯d never held on to anything unless he grasped it tightly in his fist. Because no one had ever embraced him. At that time, Lucerne didn¡¯t know what that feeling was. But she stirred something in his heart. Like a stone being thrown into calm water. Very slowly, it began to ripple. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it,¡± replied Lucerne. ¡°¡­ ¡­ trusting you.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°In a positive light.¡± A small smile appeared on Elisha¡¯s lips; she lowered her eyes so calmly. And that night was enough to change everything in his life. The direction and entire trajectory of Lucerne¡¯s life. It began to move slightly. This little woman shook his heart for the first time. ¡°I don¡¯t know what will happen if you let me down. But.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Still, I¡¯ll give it a try,¡± Lucerne whispered. ¡°You stir me up.¡± Anxiety appeared in Elisha¡¯s eyes for a moment, but she nodded calmly. ¡°I won¡¯t do anything to harm you. I can swear.¡± Lucerne felt a truly strange feeling. It was a fatal temptation to want to join in on that oath; such a sweet poison that might end his life. Chapter 243: Tpcp 243 Chapter 243: Tpcp 243 The day to leave the duchy had arrived. Lucerne often went to the officers¡¯ club downtown. ¡®Look at how even an inhuman person like him also has a social life.¡¯ It was one of the few times when Elisha¡¯s surveince rxed. One tranquil afternoon, Elisha was having lunch and resting. She had some time and was sewing in the living room. Herpanion was Sophie¡¯s chatter. ¡°ording to the duke¡¯s maids,¡± Sophie confided. ¡°It¡¯s the first time they¡¯ve seen the head of the family favor someone like this. That¡¯s how much he likes the Madam. Moreover, from what I heard, the lord will give thedy a fortune.¡± ¡°The Head is doing it for Lucerne, not me.¡± ¡°That may be true, but if the High General gets it, he will share it with you, Madam! Because the general cherishes his wife. Couples share half of everything.¡± Elisha strangely felt excited sincest night. So, when Sophie talked, she was less pointed and less discouraging than usual. ¡°¡­ ¡­ Nonsense. The Cartier family never spends money on unnecessary things.¡± The Cartiers were like that. If something had to be shared and divided fairly, they assassinate the other side and get away with it. They were born that way. ¡°The general is frugal, isn¡¯t he? But he doesn¡¯t spare any cost when ites to his wife.¡± ¡°It¡¯s enough, Sophie.¡± Elisha shook her head. Money was Lucerne¡¯s most abundant resource anyway. ¡®I don¡¯t really know the source of that wealth.¡¯ She had heard that Gaju had not lent Lucerne much of his property during this time. Maybe she should dig into that, she thought. ¡°Sophie, you¡¯re very friendly. It seems like you quickly be friends with people wherever you go.¡± ¡°I¡¯m pretty good at that. Hehe, I grew up in a house with a lot of brothers.¡± Sophie smiled brightly. ¡°What other things are the maids saying?¡± Sophie was forthright. ¡°Car, that woman is crazy. These days, she stares at the wall, cries and says strange things.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Elisha calmly nodded, encouraging her to continue. ¡°But there is another strange rumor going around. About Jacob, the duke¡¯s eldest grandson. They say he was very angry. When he returns, he says he will tell the patriarch to kick Car out. Pansy got into a fight with another maid and she said that.¡± Elisha nodded. It was expected news. ¡°I see.¡± Elisha suddenly realized that it was time for tea. Sophie, who was quick-witted, rang the bell to summon the duke¡¯s servants. Soon, the duke¡¯s servants set the tea table. Elisha always brewed tea herself. She only drank rose tea these days. Elisha picked up the te containing that day¡¯s roses and smelled them. It also had a fascinating scent today with subtle dark and aromatic notes. ¡°These are the rose petals I picked this morning. It would be nice if you could use them for the tea.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Elisha stopped when she saw her tea. She looked out the window. The weather was very nice, and the wind was just right for the beginning of fall. ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful day,¡± Elisha said. ¡°Would you mind setting up a ce in the garden? I want to drink tea outside. A seat right next to the entrance is enough. Under the biggest tree. Please serve it there.¡± *** Ian was watching. ¡®What should I do?¡¯ He slowly reflected on what happened this morning. Lucerne had several secret identities. Among them was heading the merchant association and intelligence guild that he secretly operated. He had to receive reports and deal with matters rted to them. So Lucerne went to the city near the Duke¡¯s House on the pretext of regrly going to the officers¡¯ club. Inside the club was a secret office rented by Lucerne. However, because it was a hidden room, a limited number of people coulde in and out since even the people in the club were unaware of its existence. In that office, Lucerne managed everything from guild work to government affairs. He saw things that he would not handle in the Duchy of Cartier. That¡¯s why he went to work today, too. It had been an ordinary day until then. ¡®You were obviously in a very good mood this morning.¡¯ Lucerne looked a little easygoing this morning. Ian immediately noticed: ¡®It¡¯s clear something good happened between the general and his wife.¡¯ Lucerne sat on the bench in his office with his arms crossed and slowly looked at the documents. Although he had a rather careless attitude, he always handled things thoroughly. Then Lucerne saw a correspondence. It was an urgent letter that arrived this morning. Unlike the others, the note was marked with a particr red string. Ian knew the meaning of the document with the red string attached. [Urgent News Regarding The Cartiers.] The Cartiers were always the subject of top surveince by the guild members under Lucerne. Pressing information rted to them was denoted with a unique mark so Lucerne could first receive the news. And Lucerne¡¯s expressionless face as he read the letter instantly turned cool. He looked at it for a while and made a bewildered expression. And then an oppressive and bleak atmosphere began emitting from him. ¡®What the hell did you read?¡¯ Ian was highly observant. *** You can read more here. Chapter 244: Tpcp 244 Chapter 244: Tpcp 244 Lucerne didn¡¯t say anything for a while. And he told Ian to get a cigarette. He began to smoke slowly. ¡®He¡¯s starting to smoke it since this hour. If I make a mistake, today¡­¡­ .¡¯ Lucerne took one puff of his cigarette and slowlyid his head on the armrest of his chair. He closed his eyes and gradually savored thenguor that came. Ian also knew that terribly sweet, pungent, strong flower scent. Mauritiana flower. In other words, hallucinogenic drugs. It was a narcotic. Lucerne mixed Mauritiana flowers with a cigarette. In the empire, such hallucinogenic drugs were allowed on the battlefield only for knights fighting monsters. It was a way to protect the spirit of the knights. The battlefield where monsters were fought was fierce and hellish. Although Lucerne acted like a madman, he was actually a very rational person who followed the rules to some extent. So, he rarely used hallucinogenic drugs except on the battlefield. A week before and after going to war. This is because only hallucinogenic drugs were legal there. The fact that he is breaking the rules and taking hallucinogenic drugs¡­ ¡­ . ¡®Oi, he¡¯s really, very angry¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Ian started to tremble. When Lucerne bes this strange, bloodshed inevitably follows. It wasn¡¯t until everyone suffered that it calmed down. ¡°General, are you alright?¡± Ian gathered his courage and asked. Lucerne¡¯s associates were standing in the hallway, ncing at each other. Lucerne rubbed his forehead. He closed his eyes and slowly took another drag of the hallucinogen. He blew out smoke. ¡°There is no twist this time either.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I thought it would be okay, but I¡¯m really angry.¡± Lucerneughed. He muttered. ¡°For some reason, you did something pretty.¡± Ian was very perceptive. At that moment, he realized that this matter had something to do with Elisha. And that premonition was correct. Tuk. A letter was thrown to Ian. Ian received it by chance. [A request to create a borrowed-name identity/ount for Elisha de Lor has arrived. The client appears to be rted to Princess Ilione.] The note said: Ian¡¯s face turned white. ¡®Ugh, we¡¯re in big trouble.¡¯ Elisha asked Ilione to create a fake identity and ount¡­. Her intentions were undeniable. ¡®After all, it¡¯s through our guild! Madam, you are out of luck! Why did you do this? As if you were getting ready to run away.¡¯ Ian thought. Lucerne owned the information guild. Although small, it carefully attracted only a select number of customers. One of the guild¡¯s duties was to create borrowed-name identities and ounts for some VIPs. But that was a trap that Lucerne had dug a long time ago. It was a n to operate such a guild with great care andter secure borrowed-name ounts for members of the Cartier family. In fact, it was going smoothly. However, the intelligencework caught Elisha¡¯s work, not those of Jacob or the head of the family. ¡°General, this is¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Lucerne said. ¡°This betrayal is really painful.¡± ¡°But your wife hasn¡¯t betrayed you yet¡­ ¡­ . This is not necessarily proof¡­ ¡­ .¡± Lucerne nced at him. Ian closed his mouth and bit his lip. He asked quietly, ¡°Impressive, even touching, isn¡¯t it¡ªright?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ yes?¡± ¡°My wife. It¡¯s quite a feat to even use Princess Ilione. No wonder the painting was strange. A tombstone suddenly appeared from somewhere. Ilione sticks around with Elisha¡­ ¡­ . Now I have to take away your only friend.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°It almost became a perfect crime, right? If they had gone through another guild, I would have found out muchter.¡± However, no matter how much one tries to create an ount and identity secretly, the person receiving the request would be the one creating it. In other words, one needed info on what identified the actual client. Identification information, external characteristics, and the true identity of the genuine ount holder. When it all came together, it was no surprise that Elisha¡¯s identity was revealed immediately. Elisha¡¯s moves were perfect, she just had bad luck. Lucerne raised the corners of his mouth. He wanted tough. ¡°Shall we go, Ian?¡± Lucerne said. He got up from his seat. ¡°I almost fell for it this time. Trust.¡± [t1v: NOOOOOOoooooo] He rubbed his head. Lucerne was thinking about Elisha fromst night. Elisha wasn¡¯t the only one who saw hope. The sweetness she gave himst night. She proposed that she could give him herself slowly. She almost turned his life upside down in just one night. If he hadn¡¯t heard this sad news today, something could have started inside Lucerne. But sadly, that heart was buried before it could sprout. He did not know love and was ustomed to madness and possession. Even that beautiful thing that almost sproutedst night. He decided to wee familiar emotions instead. Monopoly and ownership. It was what he was most familiar with. ¡®Where did you pick up such bad things?¡¯ Lucerne thought as he spoke to himself. ¡°I was careful because I thought she might break if I was too rough,¡± Lucerne said. ¡°I can¡¯t let her go even if she breaks this time. But I still want to hold on to her, so it¡¯s a good thing for both of us,¡± Lucerneughed. ¡°High General.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going back home today. Tell them to clean up the mansion. My wife won¡¯t be able to leave the house for a while, so get ready.¡± Ian, who understood what he meant, searched the floor with his eyes. He nodded his head slightly. ¡°Yes, sir, but¡­ ¡­ . Madam, how long will she be unable to go out? The knights will be curious about your wife¡¯s well-being. I think we need to prepare an appropriate excuse.¡± ¡°Maybe forever.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°So keep everyone¡¯s mouth closed.¡± Lucerne said casually. He extinguished the cigarette by rubbing it against the arm of his sofa. m. The door was closed. Chapter 245: Tpcp 245 Chapter 245: Tpcp 245 The patriarch took a walk in the garden at a certain time every day. While out for his daily walk, he found Elisha drinking tea in the garden. The Head approached Elisha. ¡°Elisha, why are you out here at this hour?¡± Lucerne usually did not like Elishaing into contact with other people without his permission. The head of the family often clicked his tongue at his obsessive management of his wife. So, usually, Elisha would stay in her room when Lucerne went out, except for a short walk in the garden. It was practically his first time seeing Elisha outside in a long time. ¡°It was a beautiful day, so I came to have some tea. I interrupted the Lord¡¯s steps.¡± ¡°What interruption? I was going to see you anyway.¡± Gaju was often surprised at himself when he was with Elisha. It wasn¡¯t because of something she did but of his own generosity when dealing with her. ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re always so gracious. Would you like some tea?¡± ¡°Sure, I would like that.¡± Elisha prepared the tea herself. ¡°Elisha, do you remember what I said to youst time?¡± She paused. Ostensibly, the Head was pressuring her to have a child. She lowered her eyes as if she had heard something troubling. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re thinking about it carefully, right?¡± She nodded slightly. ¡°Alright, I understand. Don¡¯t worry anymore.¡± ¡°Thank you, my lord,¡± Elisha spoke humbly. ¡°Can I have a cup of tea? The smell of the rose tea is strong today.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± Elisha stopped while pouring tea. ¡°Gaju, sorry. I think I brewed the tea for too long because I was nervous. I will taste it first before I serve it.¡± ¡°Even a child like you makes mistakes.¡± The patriarch viewed Elisha in a very good light these days, so he seemed fine with this rarexity. She first tasted tea sprinkled with rose flowers. She was shocked. ¡°The tea tastes a little strange.¡± ¡°What?¡± The next moment, Elisha covered her mouth with her hand. Then she coughed a few times. The sound of her coughing was mixed with the harsh noise of wheezing. Crash! Then, Elisha fell off her chair. Her face looked like a sheet of paper as she fell to the floor. ¡°Elisha!¡± The servants standing behind the head of the house were startled and ran over. ¡°¡­ ¡­ Head.¡± Elisha caught her breath. ¡°There was poison in the tea¡­ ¡­ . In the tea¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Call the doctor right away! And preserve the teacup!¡± shouted Gaju. Elisha barely opened her blurry eyes, and then she slowly closed them. Suddenly, Elisha¡¯s hand fell. *** The carriage moved with a steady sound. Lucerne left the Officers¡¯ Club and headed straight to the Duke¡¯s estate. Lucerne was leaning his head against the carriage wall. Everyone remembered the anniversary of his grandmother¡¯s death. It was a daymemorated in sorrow. However, the anniversary of Lucerne¡¯s biological mother¡¯s death was a day that no one talked about. Unfortunately, he was too young to remember the exact day when his mother was murdered. ¡®They say the ck thorn tree blooms only one day in the fall. He told me. Look. Today is the day Autumnes.¡¯ These were words his mother once said when he was a child. Coincidentally, she died just a few days after the flowers bloomed. After that, when Lucerne wanted to remember her death, he would often set it as the day after the Fall Lunar Festival that year. Today just happened to be that day. Lucerne often had nightmares about his mother¡¯s deathtely. When he came to the Duke¡¯s house, violent memories woulde back to him. He paused to think for a moment. The emotions he had never experienced before were like poison. As he increasingly wanted Elisha more, the desire to lock her away and only see him increased. She gradually grew into a big variablevariable. The head of the family was particrly and overly fond of Elisha. And it wasn¡¯t just Gaju that favored her. Even Lucerne himself liked her too much. So, it was only a matter of time before Jacob would target her. She was nothing short of a walking weakness of his. His thoughts turned again to her mother. Elisha had thought of her biological mother as a sanctuary. That¡¯s why she was obsessed with monasteries. However, when Lucerne harbored affection for someone, that person he loved always died. It was the most certain thing in his tumultuous life. Even just a couple of years ago. Very miserably in the hands of family members. Therefore, Lucerne also thought of the love he received and gave from and to his mother as poison. It was too short to be sweetly glorified. Children first begin to perceive objects after the age of four or five. His memories of being loved were vague and faint. However, his memories of her death were intense and vivid. His mind returned to reality again. Lucerne stared at the wall of the carriage. ¡°You go first.¡± Lucerne crumpled the letter in his hands. ¡°You¡¯ve broken the rules, Elisha.¡± He was a little pleased. Atst, Elisha finally gave him a reason to fall into his possessive grasp. Now, she could not protest no matter how she was treated by him. Unfortunately, her small struggle became a crime for those in power; many things were unfair between her and him. Chapter 246: Tpcp 246 Chapter 246: Tpcp 246 Lucerne quickly crossed the Duke¡¯s garden, apanied Ian. Finally, he entered the garden right before the Duke¡¯s principal residence. A gentle wind blew. Tall trees were nted in the garden right next to the main gate of the Duke¡¯s mansion. At that time, dark clouds appeared. The hallucinogenic drugs were still in Lucerne¡¯s system. He had a brief vision. The dark clouds cast a looming shadow all over the tall tree, making it lookpletely ck, just like a ck thorn tree. ¡®My head hurts.¡¯ Increasingly, Lucerne noticed the strange situation in the garden. Under the tallest tree. A tea table was set up there, and the Duke¡¯s servants stood and ran around, scattering like dots. And then he heard someone yelling and screaming. Elisha was lying next to the table under the tree, bleeding from the corner of her mouth. ¡°Take the Madam!¡± ¡°Hurry and call a doctor!¡± Lucerne saw the broken teacup and her copsed and limp form. Something ruptured inside his head. The image of his dead mother was superimposed on Elisha. The images before his vision shook his eyes. Ah, I see. Lucerne¡¯s heart was lost. Yesterday, he was wondering whether to ept Elisha, trust her, and love her. After all, possessive ownership was the right thing to do. Everyone he loved either betrayed him or died. It was the same this time, too. *** Elisha lost consciousness for a moment. Her stomach felt like it was going to rip open, and she was nauseous. Her head felt like it was going to break. ¡®As expected, rose poison is the worst.¡¯ Elisha was half-conscious. Nearly senseless. The loud cacophony around her gradually became a more and more distant din. In that short time, she had many thoughts. Elisha drank poison today on purpose. This was because she knew very well who sent the poison. Naturally, it was Car. ¡®As expected, Car isn¡¯t original.¡¯ If a person who believed that everything in the world should go her way copsed overnight, with what purpose would she live for? The answer was all too easy. Resentment and hatred. Elisha encouraged Car. She deliberately went out of her way to visit and provoke her. ¡®And when leaving Pansy free to roam within the mansion. It¡¯s obvious what will happen.¡¯ The Head entrusted the disposal of Pansy to Elisha. She was grateful. And she tolerated the little rat named Pansy. The rat returned to its former owner, delivered food, and was calmly brainwashed. It wasn¡¯t long before Pansy touched the rose tea that Elisha had every day. ¡®The bracelet Lapis made for me is really effective.¡¯ The silver bracelet that she always wore. It had a unique feature. If a poison were nearby, it would subtly vibrate. Every noble and royal family would be moring for such an object if they knew it existed even if it costed them hundreds of millions. However, Lucerne issued an order of silence regarding this secret invention. As a result, no one knew about the effectiveness of this bracelet. Arien had known, but she was already dead. ¡®Today¡¯s tea¡­ ¡­ is different.¡¯ When she drank rose tea at the Duke¡¯s house, she picked dried rose petals and floated rose leaves freshly picked in the morning on top of them. The rose petals were not eaten by insects and were very clean and were carefully washed. Elisha¡¯s silver bracelet vibrated near the rose petals on the silver te. So Elisha noticed the poison right away. She wanted tough briefly. ¡®Thank you for the gift, Car.¡¯ She gently lifted the silver te with rose petals on it. ¡®I might drink enough tea to make your ne true.¡¯ Elisha looked around. Where she always drinks tea. There was no one near that small, luxurious drawing room. She took off her bracelet and ced it on the table. ¡®Don¡¯t you like shy things? Then let¡¯s reveal your bad actions in front of the best audience. That way, your next beating will be harsher.¡¯ The time was just right. In an hour, it was time for Gaju¡¯s walk. Elisha said she would set up a tea table in the garden. ¡®I will scold you as you wish, Car.¡¯ So, during Elisha¡¯s conversation with the Head, there was venom between them the whole time. The rose petals on the silver te were soaked in toxins. Chapter 247: Tpcp 247 Chapter 247: Tpcp 247 Regardless, Elisha had no intention of sharing the poison with the patriarch. She just wanted to make Car a convict. ¡®But the rose toxin really tastes terrible.¡¯ In her previous life, Elisha was nothing more than an insignificant and ugly creature to Car. Simply that. So, whatever she did, she did it without hesitation in front of her. It was natural that Elisha knew all about her evil deeds. Car always wore the same ring. In it was the key to the secret safe in her room. There were numerous items hidden inside. One of them was ¡®Rose Poison.¡¯ There was a reason why it had that name. It was a venom with a strong rose scent. It was usually not a good drug to poison someone. The mouth of a corpse eradicated by rose poison gave off a terrible odor simr to the scent of roses. It was tantly apparent that they were poisoned. So, it was usually mixed into strong-vored teas or very sweet desserts. When Car gave sweet desserts and tea to Jacob¡¯s concubines or coteral, it was to feed them rose poison. So when Elisha received rose tea, Mimosa looked contemtive. She must have thought she was lucky that she survived that day. ¡®But rose poison is not that deadly. Although it¡¯s a good poison to feed to someone you hate.¡¯ If one drank enough rose poison, red pus would form on the skin, and they would die after suffering for several days due to the poison. Before death, the face would be disfigured and very ugly. ¡®Freckles was poisoned by this.¡¯ There was a girl with the nickname Freckles. In her previous life, she was Jacob¡¯s mistress. Car considered Freckles an eyesore, so she used rose poison to torment her. If that wasn¡¯t enough, in the end she was fed to wild dogs. At that time, Car was terror itself to Elisha. ¡®Just a little sip won¡¯t be a big deal. The side effects are a stomachache or severe headache. It¡¯s a drug that will detoxify immediately if you lie down for a few days.¡¯ So Elisha took a sip of her tea without hesitation. But the effect was stronger than expected. She didn¡¯t expect she would vomit blood. ¡®Plus, I feel sicker than I thought.¡¯ Elisha thought with a clouded mind. ¡®But it was worth it.¡¯ There was no way Pansy was thorough. As a result of the investigation, the person responsible for the trick will soon be revealed. Then, Car would never have the chance to be free. Elisha concluded in a trance-like dream. She felt like she saw Lucerne when she lost consciousness earlier. ¡®Was it an illusion?¡¯ She remembered a dream within a dream, a faint fantasy in the middle. * A warm, small mansion. What a beautiful home set up there. A pretty day when Lucernees there. ¡®Someday, if that man really treats me with even the slightest sincerity.¡¯ Elisha recalled himing up to her, holding her hand, and saying kind words. It was a scenery that waspletely out of ce, but she could imagine it. But in order for her to do that, she had to be his equal. ¡®Car and Jacob won¡¯t be able to harass me. I need to be free.¡¯ In Elisha¡¯s world, there had never been a time when someone protected her. So, her own safety was something she had to safeguard. In this case, her well-being coincided with the deaths of Jacob and Car. So, only thepletion of revenge would ensure her survival. It would make her rtionship with Lucerne better, she thought. Elisha smiled softly, even in her dreams. *** ¡°Elisha?¡± Lucerne approached her. He vividly recalled the sight he saw as a child in Elisha¡¯s copsed form. It was his dying mother. Coincidentally, she was the only woman he loved. That scene really provoked his trauma. Something he barely preserved when it came to Elisha¡ª finally thest thread of reason was severed. *** The employees surrounded the fallen Elisha. ¡°Don¡¯t touch her.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let anyone touch her.¡± Lucerne approached her with long strides. Ian came rushing over. ¡°What happened?¡± Sophie hurriedly came running. In her hand was a broken silver bracelet. Lucerne looked at her bracelet. He understood the situation right away. ¡°Get the doctor right now¡ªhurry!¡± Lucerne growled. The attending doctor rushed over. Elisha was moved to the living room. ¡°Her life is not in danger. If she takes her medicine, she will be fine,¡± said the doctor who examined her as shey helplessly on the carpet in the living room. It was not long before, Ian and Sophie whispered something to Lucerne. ¡°Let¡¯s move my wife into her room first.¡± Lucerne said, his face dripping with ice. ¡°From now on,¡± Lucerne order. ¡°No one can approach this woman without my permission. Ian, take my wife and you stay.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± It didn¡¯t take long for the full story of the incident to be revealed. Car¡¯s maid, Pansy, poisoned the rose leaves delivered to Elisha. ¡°Lucerne, I will solve this problem¡­¡±¡­ .¡± Lucerne did not listen to Gaju. The Head realized that Lucerne¡¯s eyes hadpletely lost focus. He went to see Car first. ¡°Lucerne! You came to visit Car. Lucerne¡ªCar has been wronged. ¡°Arghh!¡± Car, imprisoned in an abandoned chapel, approached looking like a beggar. Without hesitation, he cut down her with a sword. A fountain of blood gushed out. Lucerne lightly cracked his neck. ¡°Close the door.¡± Chapter 248: Tpcp 248 Chapter 248: Tpcp 248 Lucerne swung his sword once more. Rumble. Her head rolled on the floor. Lucerne said to Nora who followed. ¡°Everything I¡¯ve been preparing and waiting for, make ready and take her. That will make me feel better,¡± Lucerne said. Even if it was Nora, she couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous. *** Elisha slowly opened her eyes. Her throat felt like it was about to rip apart. ¡®Where is this ce¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ She studied her surroundings. It was an unfamiliar room. As she moved her body, there was a creaking sound. She was lying on an old cot. It smelled like smoke, simr to the smell of cigarettes. Elisha slowly looked around. ¡°Lucerne?¡± Lucerne was sitting in the room. But his disposition was strange. He seemed very expressionless and cold. It was dark. The room had a very small window with iron bars revealing the nightfall. There was a shadow on Lucerne¡¯s face, so it was hard to see his expression. She felt her head pounding. ¡°Where am I, I¡­¡­.¡± ¡°This is the officers¡¯ club. It¡¯s a hidden office near the Duke¡¯s estate that I rented.¡± Elisha noticed that it was quiet. Since it was night, there would be no one in the club. Maybe they were the only ones in this building. ¡°Why are we here?¡± Lucerne answered bluntly. ¡°I did what you wanted.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Elisha sat up. He slowly got up. ¡°Did you pull this stunt to kill Car?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha couldn¡¯t say anything. Lucerne, now¡­ ¡­ . He seemed terribly angry. ¡°Did you notice?¡± In this case, it was no use lying to him. She answered without showing her nervousness. ¡°I never wanted it to go this far. Once again, the picture my wife paints goes beyond my understanding. As expected, I should have realized what was really going on when you clung to me and said cute things.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ Lucerne.¡± ¡°Right. I suppose it turned out fine. Car is dead.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ She¡¯s dead? How¡­ ¡­ .¡± He came a step closer. ¡°I told them to save her head so I could show it off. Should I give it to you as a gift?¡± Elisha was startled. ¡®Like that, so easily. So quickly?¡¯ She knew Lucerne would not jest about this. ¡°Did you really do that?¡± ¡°Of course. I think you¡¯d be happier with a person¡¯s neck than with jewelry. Isn¡¯t this an appropriate anniversary gift?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ There is no need to show it to me. If that¡¯s the case, that¡¯s all I need.¡± He raised the corner of her mouth and smiled. ¡°Of course.¡± Lucerne said. ¡°That¡¯s great. Because you¡¯re very understanding. There¡¯s a funeral to be held, so we should at least have a head. The top of the neck is the most intact part.¡± Elisha¡¯s shoulders shrank. In fact, she couldn¡¯t think of anything. Rather than being happy¡­ she was horrified. This whole situation. Finally, she was freed from Car¡­ ¡­ . ¡®Why do you look like this?¡¯ Looking at his dark face in the shadows, he seemed like an ancient evil god who hade down to judge her for her foolishness. The ancient evil god was said to have a more beautiful face above all else. Lucerne approached on foot very slowly. Step, step. Step, step. Every time he came closer, she flinched. Her bed was small, narrow, and flimsy. In it, she soon had her back against the wall. However, Elisha¡¯s nervousness was not revealed as usual. She just examined Lucerne while donning her doll-like mask. ¡°Look, Elisha.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Do I look like a fool?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ yes?¡± ¡°Did I look so stupid that I couldn¡¯t read your moves?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I said it very clearly.¡± Lucerne growled. His momentum made her tremble all over. A lot had transpired meanwhile. However, this was the first time that Lucerne¡¯s anger poured out on Elisha so inly. ¡°Don¡¯t injure my belongings. You¡¯ve vited even my final and bottom linemand.¡± ¡°It was the most efficient course of action. Since when¡ª¡± ¡°Since when? Since when have you been ying into my hands?¡± Lucerneughed. ¡°Oh yeah. Corinne¡¯s handsome man operation. That was fun. Do you really think Mimosa would have fallen for such a scheme?¡± Goosebumps appeared on the back of Elisha¡¯s hands. ¡°Corinne, Mimosa and I met at a cabin in the woods for an unfunny encounter. At that time, didn¡¯t you wonder what Corinne had said to Mimosa that appeased her?¡± Lucerne leaned her body towards Elisha. * ¡®Here. Please receive this letter.¡¯ ¡®Oh my, I can¡¯t believe you came prepared with something like this. Lady Elisha wasn¡¯t lying when she said that Corinne¡¯s feelings were clear. He said he liked me.¡¯ Mimosa opened the letter. And in an instant, her face bleached white. What Corinne gave was not a love letter. Inside, the names of Mimosa¡¯s family were listed. Everyone, even the most distant rtives. ¡®My master told me to tell you that from today onwards, if you don¡¯t follow our orders, everyone here will be punished one by one from top to bottom.¡¯ ¡®From now on, you can do whatever the madam tells you to do. And, you will have to report it to us as well.¡¯ * Elisha¡¯s whole body quivered. ¡®To be honest, there are times when I want to believe in you.¡¯ ¡®If trust grows between us¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Lucerne came to the Duke¡¯s castle and was extremely affectionate. He wrapped his arms around her and cooperated with all her ns. She thought maybe she could get revenge for him and herself. Little by little, she felt they were truly getting along, sharing the same goals, and just a little bit¡ª However, he double-surveilled Elisha through Mimosa. Laughter broke out. Chapter 249: Tpcp 249 Chapter 249: Tpcp 249 ¡°You never trusted me, did you?¡± ¡°Then did you trust me?¡± Lucerne said kindly. ¡°The poison you drank. Rose poison. It¡¯s a very trivial poison. Your instructions and the information you heard from Mimosa. Putting it all together, did you think I wouldn¡¯t know your intentions?¡± Elisha¡¯s hands were shaking. She held back. ¡°You set a trap. You were nning on doing this from the beginning.¡± ¡°Trap? Yes. Even if it was a trap.¡± Lucerne leaned over. ¡°Did I tell you to crawl into this trap? Or¡ª¡± His tone of voice became more affectionate. ¡°Did you really think you could manipte me as you like?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°You are the one who vited the rules I set.¡± Something was thrown in front of Elisha. She frowned. It was information about a person¡¯s identity and imperial bank ount. [Lefras.] At the very bottom was something written¡ªElisha felt as if her blood froze blue: Lefras was the most secretive and covert guild in the Empire. It was a secret intelligence guild that only epted upper-ss customers. From moneyundering to creating fake identities. What they handled was never leaked out. During her past life, in a few years¡¯ time, it was known as the best confidential guild, which not only Jacob but also the duke began to work secretly. ¡®I taught Ilione how to send a request andmission this guild.¡¯ Then she asked her to create an ount with a secret identity. But it¡¯s now in Lucerne¡¯s hands¡­ ¡­ . ¡°While you were acting pretty and asking for trust, you were doing this behind my back.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Getting rid of Car by throwing yourself at her. Did you think you¡¯d get recognition and could retire as my wife?¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Elisha felt like her jaw was breaking. Lucerne pulled her towards him. His hand holding her chin gradually gained strength. ¡°You¡¯re the one who broke the rules first. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any need to y by your rules anymore, no?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°You belong to me anyway. Now I¡¯ll deal with you however I want. I think that would be good for you too.¡± ¡°Lucerne, don¡¯t do this.¡± Elisha tried to calm him down. She was genuinely frightened when he got angry. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have defied me if you were going to beg me like this.¡± ¡°I was wrong to try to create a false identity. But I have never disobeyed you.¡± Elisha spoke calmly. She never once refused to sleep with him, as he defined her as a subordinate. She kept her line as a contract wife to the end. ¡°You still don¡¯t know what you did wrong.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I told you. If you damage my property, I won¡¯t let you,¡± Lucerne said, looking straight into her eyes. ¡°You are mine. And now even the limited freedom you over your own life will be taken away.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Look forward to what¡¯s toe.¡± It was like that. There was no way anything good woulde of being entangled with the duke¡¯s family, or rather, staying there. No, there was no way that any trust would sprout between Lucerne and her. Despair like water filled Elisha¡¯s lungs. Lucerne rose from his seat. ¡°Get ready to go back home.¡± Elisha opened her mouth to say something. Lucerne¡¯s cold words cut her off. ¡°Know that from now on you will never see sunlight again.¡± Bang. The door mmed closed. But there was nothing with Elisha. So she had nothing to prepare. She was in skimpy pajamas; her clothes had been changed while she had been unconscious. Just like the day she first visited Lucerne. Like that. There was nothing on Elisha¡¯s body. *** ¡°I apologize, mydy. I will serve you and take you there.¡± Elisha was ¡®carried¡¯ by the knights of Lucerne. None of them knew her face. Several of them surrounded Elisha and watched her closely until she got into the carriage. ¡°Drink.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ I don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°If I force you to drink it, do you think it will make you feel better?¡± Lucerne said. He held out her water bottle to the woman sitting in the carriage. Elisha¡¯s lips were parched. She was horribly thirsty. But there was nothing she could do now. Other than her minor rebellion against him. Nothing. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to be shackled and dragged away like a real ve, do as you¡¯re told.¡± Elisha watched Lucerne. He seemed very casual and calm now. ¡®Why are you doing this?¡¯ Elisha could not understand him. When would he stop doing this? she wondered. But she couldn¡¯t find an answer. She drank the water slowly. Her throat cleared. And she leaned her back against the wall of the carriage. ¡°What on earth did I do wrong?¡± Elisha thought as her mind started to fog up. ¡°You did a lot of things wrong.¡± Lucerne said. The carriage started moving. Elisha bit her lip. She couldn¡¯t think of anything. Out of her mind, Elisha spat out: ¡°Did you give me sleeping pills just now?¡± Chapter 250: Tpcp 250 Chapter 250: Tpcp 250 She wasn¡¯t trying to run away. Just. She just wanted to prepare a way for herself to live. But Lucerne¡¯s attitude. Elisha really felt like she was treated like luggage. He was trying to move her as if he were handling bags. ¡°It was wrong of you to try to run away from me.¡± ¡°But in an instant, people¡­ ¡­ .¡± Could human regard and treatment change? At that moment, Elisha realized. Originally, this was the rtionship between the two. His mood only changed. ¡®Equal?¡¯ Elisha was amazed at herself. Emotions were poison, after all. Twice, she almost got seduced by this man. A moment of shaking. The price for all that was cold. ¡®That¡¯s why you were nice to me.¡¯ She recalled Lucerne¡¯s recent attitude, which was exceptionally sweet. Elisha realized that everything was her delusion. Elisha slowly closed her eyes. That¡¯s right. It was like that. And in her past life, she could not ask anyone ¡®why.¡¯ *** Oh. Yeah. It¡¯s not good to think of someone as a lifeline. Elisha thought she was in a dream. Even if everything goes well. Even as she gains her powers. The lifeline flew away with a single gesture from the person holding it. Drip. Drop. There was the sound of water falling. Elisha felt something warm surrounding her body. Her throat was dry, and she was tired. Her limbs were heavy. She couldn¡¯t move at will. ¡°Umm¡­ ¡­ .¡± Elisha slowly opened his eyes. She was on the bed. Soft silk bedding covered her body. There was a silver basin next to the bed. The water droplets on the basin were falling little by little. ¡°You¡¯re awake!¡± Then someone made a loud noise. The voice was full of emotion. ¡°Sophie?¡± Elisha asked as he touched her neck. She flinched. A strange sensation was felt around her ankles. She pulled back the nket with her eyes trembling. Her ankles were shackled. Elisha was startled. Upon closer inspection, the chains held shackles on both ankles and were only long enough to walk in a tiny stride. ¡°I was really worried, ma¡¯am. I heard you took poison. How can someone with a weak body like Madam endure poison? You haven¡¯t received any poison training. If you ended up like this after taking rose poison, you¡¯re very lucky. When Madam drank poison, she swallowed only a small amount and spit out most of it. You are so smart! Besides, the healing priest came at the right time and took out the toxin? You¡¯ve been asleep for a day and a half, but the doctor says there¡¯s no poison in your body anymore.¡± Elisha¡¯s head hurt from Sophie¡¯s rapid-fire words. ¡°Why on earth are you here Sophie?¡± ¡°Well, from today, I have been ordered to take care of thedy. Madam needs help¡­ ¡­ .¡± Sophie added a detailed story. ¡°Do not worry. I¡¯m not only good at putting on makeup, but I¡¯m also very good at serving and looking after people. The Madam won¡¯t be ufortable. I will also make you tea.¡± Elisha then took a close look at Sophie¡¯s face. She wanted to burst intoughter. Shackles on her ankles. A secret room with no indication of where she was. And until yesterday, she was a maid who cared for Elisha, pretending not to know anything and assisting her. The situation was a masterpiece. ¡°Sophie, you were also an agent of Lucerne, weren¡¯t you?¡± Sophie blinked and rolled her big eyes. She had a simple,fortable, and cute appearance. However, contrary to her cautious attitude, she nodded quite confidently. ¡°Yes¡­ ¡­ . that¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ How extraordinary. Lucerne, you even ced surveince in the area closest to me. Since when did you treat me like a would-be traitor?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that!¡± Sophie held out her hand. ¡°I was trained. I was to escort and guard the esteemed wife in the residence in case of emergency. When Zain appeared in front of you before, I did not use force because the general was nearby.¡± Elisha was shocked. ¡°Your hand.¡± Elisha said. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Your hands. They aren¡¯t the hands of someone that wields a sword.¡± ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t hold a sword. I use different weapons. If you train well in the first ce, there will be no traces of holding a sword on your body. People like me are trained like that. I know that when like the Madam sees someone, the first thing they do is check their hands.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You looked at my hands the first day you saw me¡­ ¡­ . I thought ma¡¯am was a really smart person.¡± Elisha was so shocked that she didn¡¯t even want to say anything more. Only then did the inside of the roome into view. Elisha realized that she was sitting in a stunning and luxurious room. The walls were covered with red silk wallpaper with gold embroidery. And the four-poster bed was covered with a white silk nket. The room was filled with expensive ebony wood furniture. ¡°Where on earth am I?¡± Chapter 251: Tpcp 251 Chapter 251: Tpcp 251 ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t tell you that.¡± Sophie responded while looking at her. ¡°¡­¡­ We¡¯re in the capital, right?¡± ¡°First of all, this is not our main residence. It¡¯s a hideout prepared by the High General in case of emergencies.¡± ¡°You mean dungeon.¡± ¡°Dungeon? The general put so much effort into creating this space. All measures taken for the esteemed wife¡¯s safety¨C¡° ¡°Why are you bragging about that man being a pervert?¡± Elisha felt as if something inside her mind flew away. Externally, her expressionless face was still the same, but inside, her seething anger was boiling over. Since when did he start preparing for this? She knew he was a lunatic. She admitted that she had let her guard down recently because she thought they were getting close. It made her feel sick to her stomach. ¡®In the end, he is just like any other Cartier.¡¯ Chronic suspicion of others. And regaling her like a card to be used and thrown away. Treating people as property. If there was even the slightest mistake, being dealt with harshly and coercively. It was all typical of a member of the Cartier house. Elisha rubbed her forehead. ¡°What happened in the Dukedom? I-I vomited blood¡­.¡± ¡°The doctors and healers removed the poison while thedy was unconscious. The healing priests arrived on time.¡± Elisha realized why she felt so little pain when she opened her eyes. Right now, there was nothing except the feeling of every muscle in her body stretching. ¡°When Madam lost consciousness, the general was wildly angry. No matter how many times the doctor and priest told him that ma¡¯am would be fine¡­.. . But the general did not calm down.¡± Sophie continued to look at her and said, ¡°The whole story was revealed within an hour. Pansy went to the rose garden that morning. And the rose petals that were to be delivered to thedy were doused with poison.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°He cut Car down. He then shed off Pansy¡¯s head in front of the Duke and threw it into the main hall of the Duke¡¯s house. And then Mimosa.¡± She spoke in a tiny, soft voice. The duchy¡¯s halls were covered in blood and a sight to behold. Elisha¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°The three heads rolling¡­..¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°The truth is, Car died a bit more horribly. Did you notice? Are you not satisfied? Oh, as expected. She should have been spared by the general. Ma¡¯am should have taken revenge yourself!¡± Sophie looked at Elisha¡¯s expression and added quietly. She seemed to interpret her expression however she pleased. ¡°¡­¡­.stop.¡± Elisha felt like she was about to be sick. She frowned. ¡°And he was very angry with the Lord, too. His wife got hurt while he was away for a while. So¡­¡­. He said he would hold the Head ountable.¡± ¡°Crazy bastard,¡± Elishamented harshly. ¡°It¡¯s because he values his wife so much.¡± ¡°I guess you want to say sweet words to me instead of thest meal before I die, right?¡± ¡°What?¡± Sophie¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°I guess this is where I will die, huh?¡± After the hunt is over, hunting dogs are often disposed of. Elisha thought that Lucerne would be different. He at least valued his knights. But perhaps she should change that assessment. He wasn¡¯t a man with whom she could negotiate with. Lucerne didn¡¯t believe her. She said she would make him the patriarch, but he had never trusted her abilities to make him Gaju. ¡®No, he may not have had any intention of bing the head of the family in the first ce.¡¯ Elisha bit her lip. Lucerne said he wanted to be Gaju. But what if his desire for vengeance was stronger than his desire for power? If so, Elisha had grabbed a rotten rope from the beginning. Unless Lucerne had any intention of bing the Head. The contract itself was invalid. ¡®Do you think it¡¯s fair to use me this much?¡¯ Eliminate Marco and his wife. Get rid of Car. Lucerne may have decided to use her just for that purpose. He wouldn¡¯t be able to let her go. Elisha already knew too many of his secrets. Did he ever intend to divorce in the first ce? ¡°It can¡¯t be! No, Madam will now be thoroughly protected here. There will be no shortage of hospitality.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Elisha¡¯s eyes grew cold. ¡°He means to use me until the very end, huh?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°He¡¯s still stocked full of libdo, so I guess he¡¯ll keep me alive.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that bad if you take it that way.¡± Sophie was startled. She hadn¡¯t noticed that Lucerne was standing in the doorway. She quickly stood up and stepped back. She walked out of her room without making a sound. Elisha wanted tough at the sight. ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you thinking about the future so positively. Starting today, shall we get along and do some perverted things together?¡± Elisha red at Lucerne with a cold face. ¡°How do you maintain your position as a general by treating your loyal subjects like this?¡± ¡°Are you a loyal subject?¡± Lucerneughed. ¡°I¡¯ve been zealously ramming and fucking hammering my loyalist then.¡± Chapter 252: Tpcp 252 Chapter 252: Tpcp 252 ¡°If that¡¯s not the case, then it¡¯s worse. Who in their right mind would keep his wife tied up like a ve like this?¡± ¡°This is all your fault, Elisha.¡± Lucerne said calmly. ¡°You have no right to protest.¡± ¡°I suppose so. Since you¡¯ve already tied me up like this, why don¡¯t you discipline me with a rod? If you shackle me up and hit me, I might be more obedient. Oh, you already beat it, right?¡± Lucerne looked at Elisha and smiled briefly. ¡°You know how to get angry.¡± ¡°Is there any reason to endure this situation?¡± Elisha calmed her wildly beating heart. ¡°Why did you lock me up?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting to do this from the beginning. But I resisted the urge.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­. .¡± ¡°Unfortunately, you did everything you wanted to do in our marriage.¡± Lucerne approached, stroking her ankle. ¡°So how many times should I say you brought this upon yourself.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Did your head get injured after drinking poison and sleeping for a long time?¡± Lucerne clicked his tongue. Elisha turned downcast and bit her lip. She lowered her head. ¡°What happens to me now?¡± ¡°Just as you imagine.¡± Lucerne concluded her fate very briefly. ¡°You wait here for me, and Ie to you. It won¡¯t be any different from what it was like before. I¡¯m just trying to prevent you from running away.¡± Elisha felt insulted. She once dreamed that she would continue to see him. Even after her divorce, she had always dreamed of being with him. Lucerne was mocking her, quoting her words exactly as she had said them. [t1v: as in when she said they would divorce, but everything would be the same] ¡°¡­¡­.This is a breach of our contract.¡± ¡°That was our contract from the beginning. You are not free. You gave your body to me. And I have the right to decide your life. There is no vition of the contract here.¡± Lucerne leaned over Elisha. ¡°You tried to make a secret agreement. Who are you running away from?¡± Elisha¡¯s eyes shook when she heard that she was running away. She lowered her eyes. ¡°I never tried to run away.¡± ¡°I am highly sensitive.¡± Lucerne said. ¡°I can¡¯t tolerate ying around behind my back.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.. You can¡¯t do this to me. I don¡¯t want this.¡± Lucerne nodded unhurriedly. ¡°That¡¯s right, you wanted a divorce. I can do that if you want.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°After that, you will be my mistress. Then are you satisfied?¡± Tears welled up in Elisha¡¯s eyes. The wounds inflicted by Lucerne were too great. It hurt more than before. ¡°There¡¯s no use crying.¡± Lucerne stated unfeelingly. ¡°Whether you cry or go crazy. You¡¯re going to have to live here. That won¡¯t change.¡± ¡°Why-why¡­¡­..¡± Tears fell from Elisha¡¯s eyes. What she always wanted from him was so small. She wanted to live like an ordinary, healthy, independent individual. She wanted to be loved like a free person. However, the more she struggled, the moreplicated things became, the more she suffered, and in the end, even being alive became an anathema. Elisha felt like her heart was breaking apart by the agony. ¡®Did I do something wrong this time too?¡¯ Just like that one day in her past life. Even if Lucerne didn¡¯t cut her down. She realized that something happened to their rtionship ¡­¡­¡­ She could tell something went wrong. ¡°¡­ ¡­I just¨C I wanted to create a safeguard, a hideout, just in case. Just in case you betrayed me¡­ ¡­. . If I had known you would be this angry, I wouldn¡¯t have done that.¡± The extreme situation unblocked her mind in a wrong way. Elisha spoke and then closed her mouth. ¡°So did I. This is my safeguard, a hideout, in case you betray me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°But you failed and I seeded in putting you in hiding, didn¡¯t I?¡± Lucerne reached out and held out his hand. Elisha looked up and stepped back, trying to avoid him. ¡°Ah!¡± In a sh, her body fell to the bed. He pressed Elisha¡¯s hands against the sheets. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me.¡± Elisha gritted her teeth. She wanted to swear at him. She hated him. He was always shaking her heart. It didn¡¯t matter what life it was. He made her crazy. She hated him to the point where her heart broke, and he ruined her with a moment¡¯s embrace. ¡°What? Why don¡¯t you go on? Afraid it will feel like rape? Because you¡¯re sound enough to be sessful. Do you want me to tell you something? You were happy when I took the poison and passed out, right? Because you could wipe out Car and make the patriarch indebted to you. You took advantage of the situation and of me, and went on a calcted rampage. What are you going to get from the Head now? Do you think it¡¯s alright to use me until the veryst drop?¡± ¡°¡­. ¡­ Is that what you really think?¡± ¡°Either that, or you can¡¯t stand me defying you.¡± ¡°Ah, right. That part is correct.¡± Lucerne tilted his head towards her. Furious, Elisha was harshly biting her lip. He swallowed her lips. Shaking her head, she resisted the kiss that was tormenting her frantically. Only after her lower lip was bruised did he fall. She felt a sharp pain on her lip. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Lucerne whispered. ¡°From now on, if you disobey me, know that clothes will be a luxury.¡± Chapter 253: Tpcp 253 Chapter 253: Tpcp 253 ¡°Don¡¯t do this.¡± Elisha felt chills. ¡°Unfortunately, if you want in here you have to sell your body to buy it. If you don¡¯t want to do that, shouldn¡¯t you at least beg?¡± Elisha¡¯s body trembled. She couldn¡¯t figure out why he was doing this. Elisha felt like she was going to break down and copse. She couldn¡¯t stand this- ¨C it was utterly unbearable. Tears, swollen and heavy, welled up in her eyes, blocking her vision. Lucerne quietly looked down at her. ¡°At least take off the shackles.¡± Elisha held back her tears, trying to speak as calmly as possible. ¡°Good,¡± Lucerne said. ¡°That¡¯s how you should ask. Good girl.¡± And only then were the shackles on her ankles removed. Elisha smoothed her ankles. Calm down. Breath. Let¡¯s calm down. Elisha had now fallen into Lucerne¡¯s hands. Why was he angry? ¡®By creating an ount under a borrowed name behind his back. You probably thought I would run away.¡¯ Would he believe her if she told him it wasn¡¯t like that? No. It¡¯s meaningless now. Instead, Elisha decided to protest about the terms of the contract. ¡°I know you don¡¯t trust me. But I didn¡¯t lie to you, and I didn¡¯t betray you. Let me go. I will never do anything stupid behind your back again,¡± Elisha spoke up coldly. ¡°So, let¡¯s continue to fulfill our contract once again.¡± ¡°Contract?¡± Lucerne said kindly as if it was a fond memory. ¡°Ah, good. Enough with pretense. I had no intention of keeping the terms of the contract in the first ce.¡± ¡°. . . . . . What-? Why. . . . . . .¡± Elisha¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Do you remember the details of the contract? ¡®Our contract is a transaction of status and information, and if there is a w in what¡¯s to be traded, this deal is invalidated.''¡± Elisha remembered the contents of the contract. Lucerne said he would prevent her betrayal. If she gave false information. If there was a w in status. In that case, the contract marriage was invalidated. ¡°Why do you say that?¡± ¡°From the beginning, this deal was ridiculous. Because you lied about the source of your information.¡± ¡°. . . . . . .¡± Elisha felt an ominous foreboding. ¡°I don¡¯t know where you heard it or how you know about it,¡± Lucerne whispered. ¡°You told me. You wandered through secret passageways and gathered information. For years.¡± ¡°. . . . . . that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Did you know that Jacob had a mental illness?¡± ¡°. . . . . . .¡± Elisha froze. This was indeed the first time she had heard of this information. Jacob sometimes had trouble controlling his emotions. So, he showed a tendency toward violence. But she didn¡¯t know he had any illnesses in the past. ¡®No, there are no records of hospitalization. He has never gone to a nursing home. Surely Jacob has been living between the duke¡¯s residence and the capital¡¯s residence for several years.¡¯ Elisha was careful not to get caught in Lucerne¡¯s potential trap. ¡°That cute little ghost story. Let¡¯s start from there. The office Jacob used was his dead father¡¯s. It¡¯s the ce Stephen used to use.¡± In an old mansion, each family member has assigned rooms. Even the room¡¯s location was a matter of symbolism and power in such ces. Lucerne had long been unable to use the third floor where family members resided. However, Jacob inherited the office that his father had used. It was the room used by sessors, the eldest son, and the eldest grandson for generations. That room was a symbol of Jacob¡¯s power. ¡°So?¡± ¡°He saw his father¡¯s ghost in that room. Until just a few years ago.¡± Elisha¡¯s body stiffened. ¡°So he pretended to use the office. He thought that his grandfather would look at him with scorn if he found out he was having feverish visions and in an uproar. Our family is like that. If you show that you are sick or injured, you may get discarded by the Head. Jacob had to pretend to conduct himself with dignity and be capable of handling things in that office.¡± ¡°. . . . . . .¡± ¡°Besides, you know that there are a lot of secrets in our family, right? There is a small room next to the office that Jacob used. He took care of everything by hiding there like a rat. But you don¡¯t know about that space. Because after Jacob¡¯s mental illness got better, he filled and blocked the room for his treatment. And without Gaju knowing.¡± Elisha really didn¡¯t know. Her whole body was shaking. ¡®That. . . . . . .¡¯ She had no way of knowing. Elisha in her previous life. She started working as Jacob¡¯s ve aroundst year. There was no one to tell her about Jacob¡¯s ws. However, Elisha knew many of Jacob¡¯s weaknesses. But she couldn¡¯t know what happened way back in the past. ¡°Therefore. I knew it was a lie that you gathered information by peeking into Jacob¡¯s office.¡± ¡°Then, why?¡± Elisha bit her lip. ¡°Why did you sign a contract with me?¡± ¡°Because it was a contract that I could find fault with and break at any time,¡± Lucerne said warmly. ¡°It¡¯s no different from a contract with an exception use. Besides, I liked the coteral.¡± ¡°. . . . . . .¡± ¡°Do you understand, Elisha? From the day you came into my room in your pajamas. I never trusted you for a single day.¡± ¡°. . . . . . .¡± ¡°I knew the truth. Your fanciful lies were nonsense.¡± Chapter 254: Tpcp 254 Chapter 254: Tpcp 254 Elisha was speechless. ¡°You didn¡¯t expect me to be bewitched by you and turn a blind eye, did you?¡± Lucerne whispered. ¡°You were too drunk on my favoritism, weren¡¯t you?¡± She felt like all the blood was draining from her body. ¡°When I sign a contract with someone below me, I always make deals that benefit me. So I can do it. If I just break the contract, I can have you whenever I want.¡± ¡°. . . . . . .¡± ¡°So, it was predestined that you would end up like this. From the beginning.¡± Lucerne gently stroked her hair affectionately. ¡°It¡¯s just that your behavior wasn¡¯t good enough to hasten that moment. Ah, right. For one, congrattions. You satisfied me at night to the point where I wanted to ¡®protect¡¯ you nicely here.¡± ¡°. . . . . . .¡± ¡°I warned you. From the beginning.¡± Lucerne whispered in Elisha¡¯s ear. ¡°So you should have stimted me in moderation, with restraint.¡± Elisha wanted to close her eyes. Of all the futures she could have imagined, the worst came all too quickly. One gesture from Lucerne was enough. She fell into the abyss he had prepared for her. So easy. * * * Elisha was burying her face in her knees. She needed time to find her usual calm coolness. ¡®Emotions are poison.¡¯ Honestly, she thought he let his guard down a little. Recently, he had been extra special towards Elisha. There were times when the two of them were a little mischievous and yful together. However, in front of people, he always stood up for her. So, with that halo on her back, no one could ignore her. ¡®Even the head of the family onlyplimented me.¡¯ As expected, Lucerne was also Elisha¡¯s weakness. ¡®I did my best.¡¯ It was always like that, even in her past life. She did her best in the given circumstances. She struggled to survive. But it always amounted to nothing. Elisha was a ve and would always be of the ve ss. ¡®If this happens, I might really get divorced.¡¯ Elisha wanted tough bitterly. Due to Lucerne¡¯s inclination, there would probably be no divorce. But what if there was another partner? What if that opponent presents a better ¡®contract¡¯ to Lucerne? If so, she would get divorced. That case was not favorable for Elisha. Even if she were divorced, she would still be stuck here. If, and when, Lucerne got tired of her¨C if he was fickle or indulged in a whim. . . . . . . would she be able to protect her life then? ¡®No matter how much I do for you, it will never change. Okay then.¡¯ Because of her, Lucerne gained a lot. The Head¡¯s trust, Marco¡¯s fall. And Jacob¡¯s power weakened, and both men lost their wives. Now Lucerne even had Elisha. He could keep her locked up and use her to his heart¡¯s content. ¡®I was a fool for believing him even for a moment. Why didn¡¯t I know?¡¯ No. It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t know. There were too many hints. ¡®That may be true, but then the general will take it and share it with you, Madam! Because the general cherishes his wife. Married couples share half of everything.¡¯ She actually knew. Members of the Cartier family do not share anything with anyone. If Lucerne had to share the power he gained with Elisha. Then, it was obvious that she would end up like this. ¡®If you give me a grandchild, a lot of things will change. Your child will be different. It depends on your choice. The fate of this duchy may also change.¡¯ The patriarch¡¯s words may also have been a trap. What if Elisha gave birth to Lucerne¡¯s child? The usefulness of Lucerne and Jacob to the Head would be virtually gone. Would that really be a blessing for Lucerne? ¡®No. Probably not.¡¯ So, it was best for Lucerne to get rid of Elisha now. He was just acting rationally. . . . . . . ¡®I was a fool.¡¯ She knew it but overlooked it. She was intoxicated by the sweet feelings she had for him. It was her grave she had dug herself. Elisha wanted to scream, cry, and suffer. Her anger and resentment umted over two lives tormented her heart. But the most painful thing was something else. There was still a foolish and useless feeling left in her heart. Her heart, captivated by a single flower, ached by that insignificant thing. ¡®This is the worst, heartbreak.¡¯ Elisha thought. As expected, Lucerne was good at breaking Elisha. Her hopes, which he had raised as he pleased, were trampled. And now her unrequited love was over. Just because it was the second time didn¡¯t mean it didn¡¯t hurt. Chapter 255 Chapter 255 Elisha was leaning on the bed in a daze. Lucerne put the shackles on her ankles again as he went out in the morning. "You want me to live wearing something like this?" The shackles didn''t hurt, for they were made with severalyers of silk inside and even had engraved decorations on the surface. But with the bonds on, she could only walk in tiny strides. He did it to Elisha on purpose. So she would feel shame every time she walked. To tame her like her cattle. Besides, he held her and carried her aroundst night. Elisha was going crazy. Then, there was a knock on the door. "Ma''am, here''s your meal. Please eat." Sophie noticed her feelings and brought a tray. Elisha was curled up on the settee. Indeed, it seemed like Lucerne really put a lot of effort into creating this space. Since there were no windows, she figured it was an underground space. But surprisingly, it was well-ventted; the air flowed so her head didn''t hurt. There were a couple of rooms, but thergest was the bedroom. Oil paintings were hung in the room, living room, and hallway. Elisha recognized them all as real, expensive works of art. Additionally, there was a small study and a smaller powder room. The maid''s room was attached there. There was even a dining room and living room. But she found nothing luxurious about this arrangement. The only thing better than the attic she was stuck in in her previous life was that it was more spacious and livable. Elisha felt insulted here, too. "I''m done." "But he told me to make sure you eat." "Do you think I would be able to eat in this situation?" ¡°But. . . . . . .¡± Sophie''s words trailed off, and she raised her eyebrows. She ced a covered silver tray on the table next to the bed. "What? Did he say you could hit and discipline me if I didn''t listen?" "He said something simr.." Elisha was at her wit''s end. If she had been a little more aggressive, she would have started throwing whatever she could put her hands on. "Then what did that noble man order you to do?" "He told me to put you in restraints. In the bedroom. . . . . . ." Elisha looked at her ankles. She closed her eyes. "Besides, he said that if thedy skips a meal, I should skip it too. . . . . . . But don''t worry about that. This Sophie is very good at starving. There were many times when I was young and lived on less than this." ¡°. . . . . . Why are all of his subordinates as crazy as him?" Sophie blinked her eyes. Elisha was curious about what kind of training Lucerne''s subordinates received. Sophie seemed like a hollow actor who could only imitate emotions. That made Elisha feel even more insane. "Madam, I''m sorry. Pleasee this way," Sophie said. And Elisha was really tied up in the bedroom like an animal. Sophie was ridiculously strong. * "Don''t you feel sorry for Sophie?" Lucerne didn''t arrive until a dayter. By then, she was feeling hungry. In her previous life, Elisha did not eat well, and she was weak from hunger. With chronic stress, anxiety, and mental illness, she rarely had the capacity to cook for herself and eat properly. She was currently in good health and felt hungry and fatigued. "I feel more sorry for myself," Elisha said without even turning her head. "I''m painfully paying the price for marrying a crazy man." "That''s a promising development. Self-pity isn''t bad either. People like that are easy to handle," Lucerne said. "Come along. You have to eat in the dining room." "No, I refuse." "Do you think I will pay attention to each and every single thing and patiently correct your eating habits? Do you want me to discipline you by spanking you with the cane next to the table?" Elisha red at him. Even as she gritted her teeth, she realized this was all a useless war of attrition. "Come here." Lucerne picked her up and hugged her. Her ankles were still shackled. The restraints shed and made a nging sound. When Elisha heard that sound, she felt even more ashamed. And Lucerne noticed her feelings. "If you continue not to listen, you will continue to wear these. And I will continue to pick you up like this and carry you around." ¡°. . . . . . .¡± "If you want that, keep on acting like this." Elisha wondered how far he would go to treat her like a fool. He took Elisha into the living room. Sophie was quickly preparing a meal. "Go ahead. My wife will eat now, so you can go and rest. And no matter what you hear, don''te down," Lucerne ordered. Sophie bid her farewell with a serene countenance and left the room. "If you don''t want to eat with your mouth, should I feed your lower mouth?" "You. . . . . . .¡± Elisha gritted her teeth. Chapter 256 Chapter 256 Inside, she was utterly despondent. ''This person hasn''t changed at all in the time he''s been with me.'' With that thought Elisha lost all her will to rebel. Lucerne would never let her go, even if she became a corpse on the verge of starvation. "You''re doing great. Eat slowly." She ate the soft soup and bread, trying her best not to look at Lucerne. He watched her, observing her closely, and then ate slowly. Elisha only ate a little and put down her utensils. "How long do I have to live like this? If you''re going to drive me mad, wouldn''t it be better to do it quickly?" "Even if you go mad, I won''t let you go. I already have plenty of experience living with a crazy woman." Elisha realized that the crazy woman he was referring to was his mother. Lucerne frowned as if he was imagining Elisha losing her mind. His handsome eyebrows furrowed. Elisha looked at his unrealistically handsome face with a mixture of hatred and bewilderment. "Why don''t you ept your situation already?" Elisha drank some wine. She was already feeling nauseous. "Did your grandmother live like this, too?" Lucerne raised his eyes and held her gaze. And he calmly said, yes. "There is a reason why all the Head''s sons are lunatics. They grew up seeing that." "That''s right," Lucerne affirmed calmly. "When the Head was younger, it was quite amazing. Everyone thought it was a normal family situation. Since they could see their mother sometimes." "I guess the patriarch released your grandmother from time to time. Better than you," Elisha scoffed bitterly; Lucerne raised the corners of his mouth. "Because you act like this, you shouldn''t even dream of going outside. Your situation will depend on how obedient you are." It sounded like he would let her go out asionally. "What did I do wrong? Why on earth are you doing this?" "Do I have to repeat myself again?" Lucerne asked in a whisper. She was stunned. "Because of me?" "That''s right." Lucerne readily acknowledged that cooly. "You are my weakness and losing you would hurt me greatly. So I have to protect you. Being able to me you and make you feel guilt is just a bonus. And, did you think I didn''t know about the conversation you had with Gaju?" ¡°. . . . . . .¡± Elisha''s body stiffened. "Give birth to a son and he will inherit the position of head of the family instead. It''s the most logical way. The problem is that in that case you wouldn''t need me then. You would be too free." Elisha''s fists clenched. The direction Lucerne conjectured was precisely as she had expected. "I know the final scene of the painting you were making. Making our child the head of the family. It''s a good n." ¡°. . . . . . .¡± "Indeed, maybe that''s how you can swallow up the Cartier family. But wouldn''t it be more likely that you and my child would be Gaju''s puppets?" ¡°. . . . . . It doesn''t add up. If that was what I was actually intending, I wouldn''t have considered running away." "Right." Lucerne readily acknowledged it. "Actually, half of it is just an excuse. From the beginning, I wanted to lock you up and make you mine. This space has existed for a long time, but it was only recently decorated for you." Elisha didn''t know why Lucerne was so obsessed with her. She was so worthless in her past life. She was something he could easily acquire if he wanted to. ''Why. . . . . . .¡¯ Again: Why? That was the question. But this time, it had to be a different kind of ''why.'' ''Why is he like this?'' Then, ''How can I escape from here?'' "Are you done eating?" Lucerne asked sweetly. More than half of Elisha''s te remained untouched. "You have to eat everything. What should I do with you if your eating habits are still like those of a child at your age?" ¡°. . . . . . I''m not in a situation where I can have an appetite." "You will have it soon," Lucerne imed nonchntly. Elisha felt surreally deranged, but he lookedpletely fine. He even seemed content and satisfied. Like a beast that kept herbivores in its cave so it could be eaten at any time. It was brazenly cruel. "You''re going to be up all night, so you can''t be hungry." ¡°. . . . . . .¡± He gently ced a fork in her hand. Even though it was a fleeting impulse, Elisha thought about stabbing him with it. If she could subdue Lucerne by doing so, she would have done so. But unfortunately, she did not have the disposition to do such a useless act. "Elisha, it''s not all bad. All your wishes havee true. You said you wanted to be free from Jacob and Car. Except now you''re bound to me. You will be fine in here." "In shackles?" "Oh, my. Has your discernment deterioratedtely?" Lucerne said. "Negotiate. It''s what you are good at. If you use your body to ask for it, I will release that, too." Elisha red at him silently. Lucerne approached her. She tried to resist, but she realized it was futile. He picked her up again and headed to her bedroom. "You''re prettier now." He confessed in a whisper to her as he set her down on her bed. "As expected, I dreamed of tying you up." She wanted to p him across the face. Her whole body was shaking. She bit her lip. "If you want to do it, let me go. You''re shameless. Do you like sleeping with a woman who is treated like a ve?" "It depends on the woman, doesn''t it?" Lucerne repeated what she had said one day. To Elisha, that clearly felt like sarcasm. "Besides, unfortunately for you, it is easy to restrain you and do it." Lucerne released one foot. Instantaneously, he took the chain at the ankle and hooked one of Elisha''s feet onto the hook on the post at the end of her bed. Her cheeks turned red. "Sure. Next time, if my lovely wife wants, we can do it from behind. It''s something I want to doter." Elisha thought this was a nightmare. "This is our first time doing it in shackles." ¡°. . . . . . .¡± "I guess we should treat it like it''s our first time." Lucerne whispered like a devil. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!