About Becoming My Ex-Husband's Mistress - Chapter 105

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 105. Without Permission
As I muttered to myself, Jester leaned forward with both arms folded on the table.
“Hmm?”
Lost in thought, I was genuinely startled and covered my gaping mouth with my hand.
“…His Majesty once said something like that to me.”
“See? I knew it.”
Jester made no attempt to hide his laughter.
Meanwhile, I found myself thoroughly confused.
‘Why pretend not to know when you clearly do…?’
His demeanor in public settings had become far more transparent than before—so much so that everyone could tell he had feelings for Priscilla.
If he acted that way despite knowing I was Priscilla, then it would mean he had feelings for her too, wouldn’t it?
Then why did he practice contraception so meticulously with Priscilla, but not with me? He was the one who insisted I absolutely could not become pregnant, even when I said the curse would kill me?
I began to feel utterly bewildered.
I couldn’t fathom how to accept his changed behavior between the island and the capital.
* * *
Luderne Sellen stood beside his study desk, gazing out the window as he recalled Ail Jester’s imminent arrival.
Previously, he had given Brissel Mohr a teleportation scroll and instructed both him and Ail to come to the Empire.
At that time, Brissel Mohr and Ail had come to the Empire immediately.
However, since the Emperor had not actually been in critical condition, Luderne Sellen had changed his orders.
“Sir Mohr will remain in the Empire for now to monitor the situation in Eclite, while Sir Jester will return to Heril Island to continue his magical research.”
By now, Ail’s research had progressed to the point where he could modify and use magical scrolls with considerable skill.
Yet fundamental magic use still eluded him.
At that point, Ail had reached a conclusion.
Once all remaining magical scrolls were depleted, magic would vanish completely from the world.
While it was fortunate that there would be no more cursed individuals, it was also dire news for Luderne Sellen.
These days, whoever held the most magical scrolls commanded the pinnacle of power. And Eclite had far more opportunities to acquire scrolls than Luderne Sellen did.
The only consolation was that few magical scrolls with powerful offensive properties remained.
That fact was equally tragic for Ail.
A Mage Tower master researching magic in a world where magic had disappeared.
Ail had lamented that his situation was no different from wine without grapes.
Yet he had not abandoned his magical research.
“Even without grapes, couldn’t one make wine from cherries or strawberries? So while restoring magic may be impossible, I thought—why not research tools that produce similar effects? By enhancing the gunpowder used in fireworks to create a fireball…”
Then, recently, word had arrived.
He seemed to have discovered a technique to use gunpowder like magic.
“The firepower is still somewhat lacking, but it appears capable of delivering impact from a distance. With further research, it may even be possible to inflict fatal blows faster than arrows. Now all that remains is determining the form to contain this artificial magic.”
News of a new weapon’s development.
Luderne Sellen had immediately summoned Ail to the Capital’s Town House.
If this truly proved to be a usable weapon, he intended to inform Ail of the past between himself and Priscilla, and prepare to safely break her curse.
Then the study door opened.
Luderne Sellen turned to see who had entered—the Butler Egardt, holding a silver tray with several letters arranged neatly upon it.
Instead of news of Ail’s arrival, Egardt bowed respectfully, and Luderne asked him a question.
“Sir Jester is running late. Has he not arrived yet?”
“He should have arrived by now. It’s quite unexpected.”
Egardt picked up one of the letters arranged on a silver tray.
“Something must have happened. I received only a hastily written letter from Sir Jester, sent from the Capital Harbor’s communication office. And a letter from Sir Brissel Mohr has also arrived.”
After examining another letter, Egardt tilted his head in confusion.
“The third one is from Priscilla, and it appears she sent separate letters to Your Majesty and Sir Walter.”
Luderne set Priscilla’s letter aside on one corner of his desk and opened Ail’s letter first.
I saw Priscilla. She was disguised completely differently and boarded the Quindel, but I will follow her to confirm where she’s going and report back to you.
Ail Jester.
“Hmph.”
The moment Luderne saw the brief, hastily scrawled message, he let out an involuntary snort.
So there was someone else besides me who could recognize Priscilla at a glance.
But the words that left his lips were different.
“Changing destinations without permission.”
At Luderne’s muttered words, Egardt’s eyes widened.
“Has Sir Jester deserted?”
Luderne tore Ail’s letter and burned it in the fireplace.
“Indeed. I’ll have to discipline him.”
Then came a knock at the door.
The one who entered was Walter, visibly tense.
Luderne’s eyes narrowed.
“What are you doing here?”
If Priscilla had boarded the Quindel, he should have accompanied her.
“Please rebuke my incompetence, Your Majesty. I accept any punishment.”
Walter bowed his head with a dark expression.
“Priscilla has disappeared. I cannot find her, so I came to report the situation.”
“….”
For a moment, Luderne felt as though the world had gone dark before his eyes.
Then Egardt carefully spoke up.
“Your Majesty, Priscilla did send a letter to Sir Walter as well, did she not? Perhaps it is connected to this matter.”
Luderne took a quiet, deep breath to steady himself.
“Check it at once.”
At Luderne’s command, Walter hastily opened Priscilla’s letter and let out a sigh.
“No, this….”
He could not continue and merely bit his lip, watching Luderne’s expression carefully.
“What does it say?”
“She says she must go somewhere, but since she is not worthy of my protection, she will go alone.”
“?”
Egardt looked utterly bewildered.
Luderne Sellen’s brow furrowed just as deeply.
“She mentioned sending a letter to the Grand Duke as well, saying he would understand the reason….”
Luderne Sellen opened Priscilla’s letter, which had been set aside on his desk.
Inside were three pages of lengthy correspondence.
As Luderne Sellen read silently, blood vessels rose visibly around his eyes. Soon the three pages crumpled violently in his grip.
“What foolishness!”
At this rare display of fury, Walter and Egardt held their breath in silence.
The letter contained Priscilla’s candid confession and sincere apology.
She wrote that she had urgent matters to attend to, but during their separation, they should calmly reconsider their relationship.
She also asked that he not reproach her for shamefully abandoning Walter and leaving without him.
“Utterly brazen.”
As blood rushed to his head, Luderne Sellen closed his eyes briefly and steadied his breathing.
He had personally prepared everything for her to move freely, yet Priscilla had chosen to leave this place.
When I saw Ail’s letter, I couldn’t discern what she intended by boarding the ship. But I thought her protection was assured since Walter would be at her side.
Yet that very protector now stands before me.
Then who, in heaven’s name, is safeguarding Priscilla?
‘If Eclite’s hound happens to be lurking nearby….’
The mere thought made him dizzy. He needed to pursue them immediately.
Fortunately, he had a clue.
The fact that Priscilla had boarded the Quindel.
Ail had written clearly that he would follow to discover her destination and report back.
Recalling the letter’s contents, Luderne Sellen felt his tension ease momentarily.
It was unexpected that Ail, whom I had summoned to the Capital, had altered his course of his own volition, but it seemed he was protecting Priscilla’s side.
If that were the case, I could arrange an escort as circumstances required.
As my heated mind cooled, I grew curious about Priscilla’s destination.
“Ah.”
Luderne Sellen let out an involuntary exclamation, grasping her destination without hesitation.
Heril Island, the small city of Roban, the Daicer Marquis Territory.
From the Daicer Marquis Territory, there was a ship bound for the Bilsty Estate.
And at the Bilsty Estate, Matilda was currently struggling alone with tax matters, exercising proxy authority.
‘Perhaps….’
Luderne Sellen recalled the glimmer in Priscilla’s eyes when I struck Count Veloda Genoma.
Was she planning some form of retribution, waiting for a moment when Matilda was alone?
Luderne Sellen cast Priscilla’s letter into the fireplace.
“Egardt.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Cancel Sir Jester’s disciplinary measures. Deposit thirty gold coins into his account.”
“Understood. What should I list as the reason?”
“Business travel.”
Egardt looked bewildered but bowed, saying he would see to it.
As Egardt excused himself, Luderne’s gaze shifted toward Walter, who awaited his reprimand.
Despite his role as escort, the fact that he had allowed Priscilla to slip away weighed heavily on Luderne. Yet upon reading what Priscilla had written, he found himself unable to administer any punishment.
After a moment of internal conflict, Luderne opened Brissel’s letter.
Inside lay a diagram folded four times and a brief report.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————