About Becoming My Ex-Husband's Mistress - Chapter 22

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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 22. Ail Jester, Mage Tower Master
I found myself torn—should I seek him out or not?
At first, I could excuse my clinging to him as the delirium of the curse, but now? That excuse no longer held.
Even if I hardened my resolve a thousandfold, asking Luderne Sellen to hold me again seemed impossibly shameful.
Besides, the moment my body recovered, he had issued an expulsion order—whether he would even see me if I went to him remained uncertain.
I gazed at the mansion where Luderne stayed, then surrendered to the inevitable.
‘I’ll endure as long as I can. I must endure.’
* * *
“Are you feeling unwell?”
The next day, Walter’s first words upon seeing me were these.
His expression was genuinely concerned.
When he reached out to place his hand on my forehead, I quickly stepped back.
“I’m fine. Really, I’m all right.”
“You’re clearly running a fever. Your breathing seems labored too. You look exhausted—shouldn’t you see a physician?”
Truth be told, I hadn’t slept a wink last night, consumed entirely by thoughts of Luderne.
His face, his eyes, his lips, his broad chest and masculine form, the tender touch of his hands upon my skin—every detail haunted me.
The curse’s lust had awakened once more with a vengeance.
My body was in absolute turmoil.
Mercifully, I felt no desire for any other man.
Yet the cruel truth remained: only Luderne could ease this curse, and that itself was a misfortune.
Despair threatened to overwhelm me, but I forced a smile and rolled up my sleeves.
“I simply didn’t sleep well last night. I’ll be fine soon.”
Soon the lunch crowd began to arrive.
I took orders and delivered food, and the constant motion made the torment bearable.
As the lunch rush subsided and fewer patrons remained,
a Mute Maid with neatly pinned green hair entered the tavern.
Her refined appearance marked her unmistakably as someone from Luderne’s household staff.
“Welcome.”
I offered the standard greeting, and the Mute Maid scrutinized me with an expressionless face, her eye narrowing in what seemed like wariness.
“I don’t believe we’ve met. Are you a new employee?”
“Yes. I’ve taken on work here temporarily.”
“I see. Is Walter here?”
Hearing his name, Walter emerged from the kitchen.
“Anne? What brings you here?”
“There’s a banquet at the mansion tonight, and we’re short-handed. We need more liquor as well. Could you help us out right away?”
Walter hesitated, his eyes shifting.
“The laborers have been coming in for drinks in the evenings lately, so…”
At Walter’s refusal, Anne smiled knowingly.
“There won’t be any customers at the tavern tonight. You see, the master…”
She explained that the laborers would be enjoying the banquet at the mansion.
As a result, Walter’s expression grew dejected.
“What? Then today’s tavern sales will be….”
“That’s why I’m asking you to help out. Bring some alcohol from the tavern too. Egardt said he’d compensate you generously.”
Walter’s face brightened immediately, and he nodded.
“Oh, then I should go. So you’re saying he’ll purchase all the alcohol I bring?”
“That’s right. Well, I’ve delivered the message, so I’ll be going. See you later.”
“Understood.”
Anne, who was about to leave the tavern, turned back to me and spoke.
“By the way, if you’re willing, would you come along and help with the serving?”
I responded immediately.
“Is it the Wintem Estate?”
“You know of it.”
Anne’s neck stiffened with pride.
“I am Anne, the head maid of the Wintem Estate.”
“Pleased to meet you, Anne. I’m Priscilla.”
“Yes. Hello, Priscilla.”
That’s when Walter interjected.
“I think it would be better for you to rest, Priscilla…. You don’t look well at all.”
“No, I’m fine, really.”
Since Walter was about to refuse on my behalf, I quickly shook my head.
I didn’t know whether I’d be able to speak with Luderne, but I couldn’t afford to miss this golden opportunity to meet him.
I’d need to get close and find a moment to request his endorsement of my identity papers.
“Thank you for the invitation. I’ll gladly come help.”
Walter and I, having loaded barrels of alcohol onto a small cargo cart, set off immediately for the Wintem Estate.
Walter wore a deeply worried expression and tried to dissuade me, but I refused to budge on my decision.
The moment we stepped foot in the Wintem Estate, Misha, cradling several bouquets of flowers in her arms, greeted me loudly.
“Oh? You came, sister?”
Misha had been in the process of placing bouquets atop an eight-person round table set in the middle of the garden.
“What are you doing here?”
Even at Walter’s indifferent question, Misha came scurrying over with a brilliant smile.
“Oh, you came too, brother? Hehe. I heard they needed extra hands, so here I am.”
“I see. But still….”
Walter’s brow furrowed slightly.
“I’ve told you not to call me brother. Why do you keep doing that?”
“Well, because you are my brother, aren’t you?”
At Misha’s innocent response, Walter waved his hand dismissively.
“Good grief, there’s barely any age difference between us. Your father would have a fit if he saw this.”
“There’s hardly any difference at all.”
“There’s fourteen years between us…!”
“Pfft, you’re such a tease.”
Misha stuck her tongue out at Walter mid-sentence and scampered back to the other table.
“Ah, what am I to do with her.”
As he said this, Walter glanced at me sideways, as if gauging my reaction.
I recalled what the concept of age was like in this world.
I’d heard tales of elderly nobles taking young ladies as concubines, but I had no memory of actually witnessing such a thing.
‘Perhaps I simply didn’t know because I spent my life confined within the mansion….’
Then I remembered that I was a character in a novel. So I forced a smile.
Guessing the meaning behind my smile, Walter ran his hand through his disheveled hair and let out a long sigh.
“She’s still too young to understand such things. Well then, I’ll carry some of these supplies.”
With that excuse, he hoisted a barrel and began hauling it away.
‘The way he spoke….’
In this world too, the pairing of a sixteen-year-old girl and a thirty-year-old man was apparently unseemly to behold.
It meant Walter risked being called a thief.
But he was innocent.
‘For now.’
Since he wasn’t making advances toward Misha.
I looked around my surroundings.
Servants and maids I hadn’t seen during my previous stay at the mansion were moving about busily.
I’d thought it odd that there was only one maid, but apparently that wasn’t the case.
Soon Anne, who had pulled a serving wagon laden with dishes alongside a servant, called out to me.
“Perfect timing. Could you move these plates and cutlery to the tables?”
Just then, someone called Anne from across the room.
“One moment.”
While Anne went to answer, I immediately began transferring the dishes to the tables.
I placed the main plates and bread plates on the eight-person round table, and arranged the glasses and cutlery according to formal dining standards.
Just as I finished setting three tables.
Anne’s raised voice came from behind me.
“How could you just place them haphazardly? I was going to teach you the proper table setting method….”
But upon seeing the tables, Anne fell silent. Her eyes wavered.
“Was it formal dining?”
Anne couldn’t hide her bewilderment.
“That’s right. It’s perfect. You know formal table setting?”
I simply nodded once in response.
Anne examined me carefully.
“You don’t seem like a noblewoman who would work in a tavern…. Did you work in a noble’s mansion?”
“Haha….”
In truth, calling myself a noblewoman was ambiguous. I had just abandoned the status I was forced to obtain—that of Count Veloda Genoma’s wife.
So all I could do was raise the corners of my mouth in response.
Just then, a servant from across the way shouted.
“The workers are arriving!”
Anne, who noticed him, gave me a subtle nod.
“This will make things much easier. Please, continue with the preparations.”
Shortly after, the laborers, now dressed neatly, filed in one by one and took their seats as the servants directed them.
The garden grew increasingly lively. I too moved my hands with purpose.
By the time the table settings were complete, nearly every seat was filled with workers.
Under the direction of the head maid Anne, aperitifs were served.
The drinks, carefully placed one by one, were emptied in an instant.
Now it was time to serve the soup.
At that moment, a man in a top hat and crimson-tailed coat, a black cape draped across his shoulders, his long sapphire-blue hair bound together, brought his horse to a halt at the mansion’s entrance.
Cheers erupted from among the laborers.
“Sir Jester has arrived!”
“Sir Jester!”
The man called Sir Jester waved once and dismounted from his horse with ease. Then, gesturing for everyone to remain seated, he strode inside with confident steps.
Right on cue, an elderly man with his hair neatly combed back emerged from within the mansion.
“Welcome.”
The way he greeted the man respectfully suggested he was the mansion’s butler.
And moments later, at the title he spoke, I found myself doubting my ears.
“Ail Jester, Protector of Wintem Territory and Master of the Mage Tower on Heril Island.”
Master of the Mage Tower?
A Mage Tower Master is the owner of a mage’s tower.
But Heril Island is still in the process of establishing its Mage Tower, so it’s newly founded?
Regardless, he’s still a mage!
The moment that realization struck me, my heart began to race.
‘Perhaps this man might know a way to break my curse!’

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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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