About Becoming My Ex-Husband's Mistress - Chapter 150
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 150. The Counterattack Begins
“My lady.”
The one who called out to Matilda Bilsty with such caution was a junior maid who worked at the Mansion.
Following her, another Servant poked his head in as well. He too was of low rank.
“Are you alright?”
Matilda Bilsty was bewildered.
Though I had been confined and suffered greatly, neither this Servant nor the maid had ever shown their faces here before.
The maid and Servant pushed the door wide open and entered. Then, supporting Matilda Bilsty and Wood respectively, they each spoke.
“My goodness! Why are both of your hands like this? Did that madman do this to you?”
“Tsk, tsk. How could someone wearing a human face do such a thing? We need to call the Doctor right away.”
The maid and Servant led Matilda Bilsty and Wood out of the Underground Storage.
As Matilda Bilsty left with the maid’s support, I kept scanning my surroundings. I never knew when that madman might appear.
But the maid seemed calm.
Until the maid and Servant seated Matilda Bilsty and Wood on the Sofa in the Reception Room, I hadn’t spotted anyone. The Mansion appeared completely empty.
“Rest here. I’ll fetch the Doctor. Since we don’t have horses or a Carriage right now, it might take some time.”
The Servant, wiping sweat from his brow that had dripped while supporting Wood, hurriedly left the Mansion.
“My lady, you must be hungry, yes? Just a moment.”
In the meantime, the maid quickly brought a basket of simple food and set the items one by one on the Reception Room table. Fresh bread, juice, and fruit.
It wasn’t an elaborate feast, but still, Matilda Bilsty and Wood felt their mouths water. It seemed luxurious compared to surviving on hardened bread, cold soup, and plain water in the Underground Storage.
“My lady, you’ve endured so much. And I’m so sorry.”
With those words, the maid knelt before Matilda Bilsty.
“Truth is, I couldn’t understand why the Mansion’s master changed. It was you who hired me, after all.”
Matilda Bilsty nodded. The maid before her was indeed someone I had employed.
“So I wanted to take your side. But I was afraid I’d be dismissed if I made a wrong move… That’s why I couldn’t even protest properly, barely daring to breathe…”
The maid indicated that the Servant from earlier was in the same position as her.
From what Matilda Bilsty could see, the maid had only been doing chores in the kitchen, a Servant who didn’t stand out much.
Even when the Head Maid protested to me, this maid had simply stood quietly to the side.
‘Now that I think about it, she was on my side all along.’
Matilda Bilsty had many questions. But with fresh food before me for the first time in so long, hunger took precedence over interrogation.
“Very well. I forgive you. Now, explain to me what happened.”
With that question, Matilda Bilsty drank down the juice. Wood, who had been watching nervously beside me, quickly picked up his cup as well.
The two of them ate bread and fruit frantically.
The maid began to recount the events calmly.
“This morning, the new master and the Head Maid, along with the other Servants, suddenly left the Mansion in a flustered state. The guests who were staying here left as well.”
“Everyone… left?”
“Yes. The new master said something…”
At the maid’s explanation, Matilda Bilsty waved her bandaged hands back and forth.
“Stop calling her the new master—it’s irritating to hear. Just call her Priscilla.”
“Yes, understood.”
“Then tell me everything carefully now. From when I was first confined.”
The Mute Maid spoke of events that had transpired, mentioning Priscilla’s name as Matilda had instructed.
Then the conversation turned to Luderne Sellen.
Shortly after Matilda was confined, Prince Wintem had visited the Count’s Mansion and shown favor toward Priscilla.
Matilda was utterly shocked.
“What? Why would Prince Wintem take an interest in that woman?”
“I’m not certain. Perhaps he was considering an investment?”
It was unwelcome news indeed.
But Matilda was quickly reassured by what the Mute Maid said next—within days, Priscilla had come in weeping profusely.
“The Prince rejected her. Apparently, he had another woman.”
The Mute Maid pouted her lips and smiled broadly.
“To be honest, I was appalled by Priscilla’s character—confining the mistress who had raised her for years.”
At those words, Matilda’s heart swelled. She had thought all the servants had abandoned her, yet someone remained loyal.
“She seemed to think she could live well even after doing that to my lady. I was so indignant about it, but seeing her come in crying after being rejected like that—oh, how refreshing it was.”
The Mute Maid’s harsh words about Priscilla felt like medicine to Matilda.
Matilda pressed down the corners of her mouth that threatened to rise and spoke with feigned composure.
“That ungrateful wretch.”
“Exactly, right? I wasn’t mistaken, was I?”
“No, you weren’t. So what happened next?”
As Matilda encouraged her with agreement, the Mute Maid spoke with even greater enthusiasm.
“Then, not long ago, a messenger came saying His Majesty would visit the Count’s Residence. The entire mansion was in an uproar for several days.”
Matilda doubted her ears.
“W-who did you say was coming?”
“His Majesty.”
“His Majesty? Zerox Arde was coming here?”
“Yes. That’s what was said. So we did a thorough cleaning and brought in the finest provisions.”
The Mute Maid rolled her eyes and continued cautiously.
“But something seemed off the whole time—everyone was restless. Then this morning, they all left. Everyone except two people.”
The matter she had mentioned before surfaced again.
“It was so strange that, even knowing it was wrong, I went into the Study. And there was something extraordinary on the desk!”
The Mute Maid’s eyes sparkled as she rose from her seat.
“Ah, I think it would be better if you saw it yourself. Let me go fetch it.”
At those words, Matilda quickly stood up.
“I’ll go see it myself.”
After hearing what the Mute Maid had to say, I was far too curious to sit and wait.
But the moment I stood, my entire body ached, and I let out an involuntary groan.
“It seems you’re still having difficulty moving.”
“Help me to my feet.”
“Oh, yes!”
The Mute Maid quickly supported me.
In the Study, I confirmed the letters that the King had sent to Count Bilsty and that Melissa had sent to me.
Alternating between the two letters, Matilda realized that Zerox and Melissa would arrive here in four days.
And what Zerox’s arrival meant as well.
Laughter burst forth unbidden.
“Ohohoho! They’ve all fled in fear of death!”
Matilda laughed loudly for a while before turning to the Mute Maid.
“Can you write?”
The Mute Maid flinched at the murderous glint in her eyes and swallowed hard, but nodded in assent.
Matilda pointed to the desk.
“Then sit here and write down the names I call out.”
The Mute Maid obediently picked up a pen and began writing the names Matilda called out before looking up.
“But madam, I’m simply curious—why are you writing down Priscilla’s and the servants’ names?”
“Ah, that.”
Matilda’s lips curved into a wicked smile.
“A list of those I’ll hang by the neck this time around.”
* * *
“I hope you achieve your ambitions and protect the Bilsty Estate. If you can also exact your revenge, that would be all the better.”
To accomplish that, I had to respond properly to Zerox and Melissa.
For that purpose, Luderne Sellen and I conducted pillow talk discussions over the course of one night and two days.
Afterward, I shared necessary information and plans with those close to me—Madam Laberna, Menglow Breeze, and others—and we began swift implementation.
The greater cause was important, but what we needed to do first and foremost was protect the people.
I had instructed the mansion’s servants to prepare as much protocol as possible for receiving the King.
But after discussion with Luderne Sellen, my thinking changed.
No matter how carefully we prepared the protocol, there was a problem—specifically, the matter of Matilda and Wood’s treatment.
The moment Melissa returned to the mansion, Matilda and Wood were to emerge from the Underground Storage.
I had no way of knowing how Walter had interrogated Matilda and Wood.
But judging by the bloodstains splattered across the confessions he brought back, he hadn’t used only gentle methods.
If that were the case, the ones in greatest danger before Zerox would be me and Walter first. Matilda would report me and Walter to Zerox immediately.
Moreover, there was no guarantee that the mansion servants who had allowed this would be safe either. If Melissa returned with Zerox, the servants would likely suffer greatly.
Fortunately, Matilda and Wood didn’t know that the one who had interrogated them was Walter, Luderne Sellen’s close associate.
So I had Walter go into hiding.
In the Orphans’ Village that Gillian was raising.
According to Gillian, that place was a neglected area that no one visited except the orphans.
Matilda had never set foot there even once and had no interest in it.
“She probably doesn’t even know such a facility exists.”
The Chief Administrator of the Government Administration also agreed with Gillian’s assessment.
“Most people in the territory have no interest in that place.”
It seemed perfect for Walter and the mansion servants to hide.
So I had the Butler, the Head Maid, the Muscleman and Mute Maid that Madam Laberna had sent, and the other mansion servants go into hiding in that neglected area.
At the same time, I left two servants in the mansion—clever, sincere, and trustworthy ones who had almost never encountered Matilda and thus had no conflict with her.
I informed them of the scheme they would employ and offered sufficient compensation to ensure their resolve wouldn’t waver.
Along with that, I made sure not to forget to advise them to prioritize dodging without hesitation if their bodies were in danger. The two of them readily rolled up their sleeves, assuring me they could be trusted with the task.
After that, I created a copy of Matilda’s confession. It was to be given to Gillian and the Newspaper Company.
Gillian packed a travel bag with his Assistant and headed toward the Capital Court. A Journalist from the Newspaper Company tagged along with them.
I positioned the other people from the fiefdom needed for the plan in their respective places, and finally, I secured the key necklace.
Then, together with Luderne Sellen, I boarded a ship and set sail for the Daicer Marquis Territory.
‘Once I finish my business at the Daicer Marquis Territory….’
I clenched both my fists as I watched the Bilsty Estate grow distant.
The counterattack was about to begin.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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