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chapter 23
Sereret cut into the lamb while stealing glances at Yuan.
If things went according to plan, she was supposed to return tomorrow. But with the mess Jeremy had caused, she probably needed to stay longer in the capital to clean it up.
Wouldn’t it look strange if, after making such a fuss about leaving, she suddenly said she wanted to stay longer? Sereret glanced at Yuan again.
“If you have something to say, just say it.”
Sensing her gaze, Yuan set down his fork and knife and met her eyes.
The moment their eyes locked, Sereret flinched and cleared her throat lightly.
“I’d like to stay in the capital for a few more days.”
“And?”
Yuan’s expression didn’t change. Sereret faltered. She thought he would just say, Do as you like, but instead…
“I’ll stay at the duke’s residence a little longer.”
Her neck grew hot at Yuan’s indifferent response, but she forced herself to speak.
It felt like she was begging, which bruised her pride. She had managed to ask with difficulty, but Yuan only stared at her without answering.
Sereret’s face grew steadily redder. Was he telling her not to stay? Giving her that kind of look—what a jerk. She clenched her skirts in frustration.
“Forget it. Pretend I never said that. I’ll leave tomorrow as planned.”
Wounded pride made her rush to take it back.
“And once you leave? Do you even have somewhere to go?”
“Of course I do.”
She didn’t.
There was no one in the capital she was close enough to ask for lodging.
The inns were all on the outskirts, inconvenient to reach, and hotels were impossible without stealing from Yuan’s purse.
“Really?”
Yuan tilted his head slightly, expressionless but looking faintly amused.
“Yes, really.”
Sereret replied firmly. Yuan chuckled at that. She glared at him.
“Let’s test if that’s true.”
Still smiling, Yuan spoke as if he had found an amusing toy.
“What?”
Why was he being like this? Test what? Sereret frowned.
This wasn’t the kind of thing he usually pressed for, which made his words even more ridiculous.
“Do you know anyone in the capital?”
Yuan asked, his eyes on her.
Did she? In her past life and even now, she had no real connections with the central nobles. In her past life, as the unwanted duchess, she’d had no chance to become close with anyone.
But admitting she had no one stung her pride, so Sereret lifted her chin slightly and replied,
“Yes.”
“Who?”
“Why are you interrogating me?”
“I was asked by Viscount Inohater, and I gave my word. That I’d look after Lady Inohater well.”
“You sound like my nanny.”
“Not far off. At the moment, I’m your guardian.”
Yuan raised his wineglass toward her, then took a sip with elegant composure.
“I’m my own guardian. So don’t worry.”
“Sereret Inohater’s guardian is Yuan Frectuster.”
He spoke firmly.
There was something in his tone and gaze she couldn’t defy, so Sereret fell silent.
“Let me ask again. If you leave this house, do you really have somewhere to go?”
“Honestly?”
“Yes. Honestly.”
He nodded.
“…No. The only person I sort of know is Eve Lashing, but we’ve only just met. Asking to stay with her would be rude.”
At last, Sereret answered truthfully. The duke’s residence was the best place for her, so she had no choice but to swallow her pride.
“No one else? No one at all in the capital you might know?”
“What exactly are you curious about?”
Caught up in his questioning without realizing it, Sereret frowned as she thought. What is he trying to get at?
“I just wanted to know if there’s any other man who could possibly help you.”
With his refined face and polished tone, hearing him say any other man was so absurd that Sereret let out a dry laugh. But she quickly straightened and answered.
“There’s only one man in the capital who could help me—and he’s right in front of me.”
She smiled sweetly.
“That’s a relief. That there’s only me.”
Though she had just called him that man, Yuan looked genuinely satisfied with her answer.
What a strange man, Sereret thought as she studied him.
“Then I’ll take it to mean you’re fine with staying longer in the duke’s residence.”
“What made you change your mind all of a sudden? You wanted to leave.”
“…Something came up.”
Her heart jumped at his words, but she kept her expression calm.
“If it’s something you need help with, tell me. I’ll help anytime.”
“No, it’s fine.”
Sereret smiled politely, refusing, and picked up her fork and knife again.
⚜ ⚜ ⚜
“Haa…”
After tossing and turning for a long while, Sereret finally sat up in the darkness.
Her head was too full of worries to sleep. How could she resolve this? What on earth could she do…
One hundred seventy thousand luppings was a fortune. For the Frectuster family, maybe not, but for the Inohater family, it was enormous.
“Yuan probably wouldn’t even worry about something like this.”
That amount would be easy for him to manage. Should she just close her eyes and ask him?
No. If she did that, she wouldn’t be able to break off the engagement. With money tangled up, how could she freely end it?
“Jeremy, you bastard.”
She cursed Jeremy and buried her face in her knees.
No matter how she looked at it, the only answer was Yuan. How could the Inohaters possibly come up with that money?
If their title and house were seized, her father wouldn’t survive it. For him, honor was as vital as life itself.
After agonizing all night, an idea finally struck her near dawn. It was a bit risky, but not entirely bad.
⚜ ⚜ ⚜
“I’ll have to get divorced.”
After draining the glass of water Hannah handed her, Sereret muttered quietly.
“Divorced? What divorce?”
Hannah frowned in confusion. Talking about divorce when she wasn’t even married yet sounded absurd.
“I don’t think there’s any other way. That’s the only solution.”
Sereret stood up from bed as she spoke.
It was the decision she had reached after much thought: marry Yuan, then divorce him. With divorce, she could secure a sizable settlement.
The problem was—how much could she get? She’d need to consult a lawyer to know for sure.
“My lady, are you still half-asleep? You must’ve been up all night worrying about the young master. Want to rest more? The duke is out, so you can take breakfast late.”
“I’m not sleepy. I’m completely clear-headed.”
Shaking her head, Sereret began pacing the room. Which lawyer should she turn to? Obviously not anyone tied to the Frectuster family.
Thinking hard, she recalled someone from her past life—Lawyer Delavine. She had read about her in magazines and heard noblewomen mention her.
Madam Delavine had once been married to Baron Scott before divorcing him. She had been known as Baroness Scott for a time.
During her divorce, she realized women needed specialized legal help in such cases. So she studied and became a lawyer herself.
She was regarded both as a progressive woman and an eccentric. But if anyone could help, it was her.
“Wait… where was Lawyer Delavine’s house again?”
Sereret paused, rubbing her chin. The memory was just out of reach.
“Was it near the Pingnet River?”
She recalled hearing some noblewoman say that Madam Delavine lived in a white house near the river.
At the time, she had worried Yuan might divorce her, so she had listened carefully to any talk about the lawyer.
Now, those bits of gossip were proving useful. Sereret gave a wry smile.
After a light breakfast, she left the duke’s residence early.
Refusing the coachman’s offer to drive her, she took a hired carriage with Hannah. The last thing she wanted was Yuan finding out she’d gone to see a divorce lawyer.
Near the Pingnet River, Sereret and Hannah got out and searched for a white house. After about five minutes of walking, they spotted it.
“My lady, over there. That’s it.”
Hannah pointed to a white house.
Sereret quickened her pace toward it. The modest three-story home looked quaint and unpretentious.
“My lady, where are we? Whose house is this?”
Hannah, who had followed without knowing anything, asked in puzzlement.
“The house of the person who’ll legally bleed the Frectuster family dry.”
Sereret said grimly as she climbed the steps.
⚜ ⚜ ⚜
Jeremy wrung his hands nervously. The deed to their title and house, pledged as collateral, had already been transferred to someone else.
These days, noble titles were in such demand they were nearly impossible to get.
It wasn’t uncommon for wealthy commoners, who had made their fortunes in trade, to buy titles from impoverished nobles.
It wasn’t strictly legal, but with the times changing, it was unavoidable.
At least the buyer had agreed to meet him—that was one consolation.
With that, Jeremy had rushed straight to the man’s house.
“Will this be enough…?”
He glanced at the dresses and jewels Sereret had given him. They were valuable, but hardly enough to buy back the deed.
He’d have no choice but to beg on his knees. Jeremy let out a deep sigh.
Then came the sound of the parlor door opening. Jeremy stiffened.
The door opened slowly—and in walked the last person he expected.
“D-duke…?”
It was Yuan Frectuster—Sereret’s fiancé.
“It’s been a while.”
Yuan extended his hand toward Jeremy with polished grace.
