About Becoming My Ex-Husband's Mistress - Chapter 9

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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 9. Isn’t the Bloodline Rather Inferior?
“No, that’s not it. The banks have frozen my credit. But after speaking with this friend, a few promising solutions came to mind.”
Count Veloda Genoma flicked three gold coins into the air and caught them, a smile playing at his lips.
“Time is running short, so let’s proceed with the boarding formalities first. We can discuss the rest in a quieter place.”
Count Veloda Genoma hailed a carriage for hire.
“Take us to the Harbor at once.”
The three of them barely managed to purchase third-class passage tickets and board the ship bound for the Capital just as departure time approached.
They immediately made their way to the stern deck and positioned themselves where they could see the Harbor clearly.
“Well then, shall we discuss this?”
At Count Veloda Genoma’s words, Melissa Bilsty and Matilda Bilsty nodded in agreement.
The subject of their discussion remained unspoken, yet their purpose was identical—they had been eyeing Priscilla’s fortune from the very beginning.
“Why did she suddenly change like that?”
Matilda Bilsty grumbled about Priscilla, gnawing at her fingernails anxiously.
Count Bilsty had suffered a riding accident on his way to find a lawyer when Priscilla was ten years old.
It happened the morning after he discovered the truth and demanded a divorce.
At the time, Matilda had thought his death was a blessing. She had expected that opportunity to make the Bilsty Viscounty’s wealth her own.
But her expectations were utterly dashed.
The Bilsty Viscounty’s wealth passed to Priscilla, the eldest daughter. According to inheritance law, children who would inherit the title took priority over the widow.
‘He claimed to love me, the cursed fool!’
Her plans had crumbled entirely.
Matilda despised her husband for leaving her not a single coin in his will.
Yet she concealed her true feelings.
Until Priscilla came of age, she herself, as legal guardian, could manage the estate.
Of course, with the child’s consent.
Manipulating a single child was child’s play for Matilda.
Matilda coaxed young Priscilla into squandering money recklessly.
Then she refused to hold Priscilla’s debutante ball, citing “financial hardship.”
It was not truly a matter of lacking funds.
The moment Priscilla made her debut, she would undoubtedly become the flower of society.
Radiant honey-blonde hair and emerald eyes, skin like pristine white canvas.
Priscilla was exceedingly lovely and beautiful.
Moreover, she possessed an inherent grace that seemed born within her.
Her delicate temperament made her easy for those around her to manipulate, yet it awakened protective instincts in men—precisely what she needed.
The mere thought of it filled her with disgust.
‘The flower of society should be my daughter Melissa Bilsty.’
Melissa Bilsty was beautiful enough in her own right.
Fortunately, her daughter Melissa Bilsty was clever. She won people’s affection through radiant smiles and kind gestures.
Then, as Priscilla grew older, suitors began arriving from the surrounding regions, mentioning substantial dowries.
Priscilla herself may not have realized it, but among her suitors were heirs from noble families of considerable rank.
Despite never having held a debutante ball, Priscilla’s grace and beauty had already become the subject of whispered rumors throughout the region.
Only the highest nobility and royalty who controlled the Central Social Circle had failed to appear.
Yet it seemed only a matter of time before they would.
The suitors frequented the Bilsty Viscounty, yet they scarcely spared Melissa a glance.
She was merely three years younger than Priscilla.
It was then that Matilda had made her decision: to marry off Priscilla and claim the dowry.
She would send Priscilla to whoever offered the largest bride price, sell that dowry, and use the proceeds to host a magnificent debutante ball for Melissa.
If only a high-ranking nobleman were to fall for the beautifully adorned Melissa, it would be a perfect happy ending.
When a marriage proposal arrived from the obscure Sellen Barony, Matilda made her choice.
The Sellen Barony was located in the countryside.
Yet they offered a substantial dowry, suggesting they possessed some wealth.
Moreover, the man she would marry was a bastard of the baronial house.
‘His bloodline is utterly base, is it not?’
The decision came easily.
No matter how beautiful Priscilla was, buried in such a rural backwater, she would never shine.
It was only at the wedding ceremony that she learned the illegitimate Luderne Sellen was devastatingly handsome—and she nearly wept with rage.
Yet she could not undo the marriage; the dowry had already been received.
But that was not all.
Shortly after the wedding, the title passed entirely to Luderne.
‘The Baron Sellen transferred his title to his son already? And he is a bastard at that?’
It was infuriating. She had sent him away to languish in the countryside for life.
‘Bah! She is a married woman regardless. Our Melissa will simply marry a handsomer, wealthier man of higher rank.’
Grinding her teeth thus, Matilda poured the entire dowry she had received into Melissa’s debutante ball.
It was held with great splendor and magnificence.
Melissa, adorned from head to toe, was truly beautiful.
Suitors lined up to court her.
Yet the brilliance was fleeting, and the results proved disappointing.
Melissa’s suitors were of far inferior rank compared to those who had once courted Priscilla.
Knights, commoners, younger sons of noble houses without inheritance, merchants without titles.
Even their purported wealth was unsatisfactory.
If one possessed some fortune, he was either aged or homely.
Matilda rejected every proposal.
And so the Bilsty Viscounty was left with nothing but poverty. The unpaid servants were dismissed in short order.
In the end, Matilda swallowed her pride and took up her pen, begging for mercy from Priscilla, who now lived in comfort thanks to her.
Then came news of Luderne’s death, and Matilda laughed as she had never laughed before.
Priscilla was alone.
Seizing the entire inheritance left in her name would be child’s play.
Matilda had devised her plan and set it in motion accordingly.
It had proven no difficult task—until very recently, that is.
‘How dare you refuse the marriage vow and claim to return to your maiden name?’
Matilda clenched her fists and spoke to Count Veloda Genoma and Melissa, who regarded her intently.
“I must get him to sign the marriage contract no matter what.”
Unless there were special conditions attached to the inheritance, all property rights belonging to a wife would transfer to her husband upon marriage.
That was the law of the Arde Kingdom.
Should she die or go missing, the inheritance could pass to her remaining family members.
But that required waiting at least two years before the procedures could be initiated.
Two years was far too long for Matilda Bilsty. She had almost no liquid funds.
Matilda Bilsty turned the matter over in her mind, worrying her lip between her teeth.
“If only it weren’t for that man’s mercenary.”
Count Veloda Genoma sighed as well.
“Indeed, my lady.”
A long ship’s horn sounded. It was the signal for departure.
Just then, Melissa Bilsty suddenly pointed toward the harbor.
“Mother! Look, that man!”
Matilda Bilsty and Count Veloda Genoma’s gazes followed the direction of Melissa’s finger. A large man was leaving the harbor.
It was the mercenary who had been escorting Priscilla earlier.
“Ah, so the mercenary was only hired to escort her until she boarded the ship.”
Count Veloda Genoma, who had been smiling with relief, soon tilted his head in thought.
“Though there may be another guard stationed on the ship itself. For now, let us disperse and quietly ascertain their current whereabouts, then reconvene here.”
Count Veloda Genoma took several quick steps forward.
Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he turned to Melissa Bilsty.
“By the way, Miss Bilsty, do you have that item you mentioned before? Or should we return to the estate to retrieve it?”
“That item?”
“Yes, the one you said was difficult to obtain. We should try to persuade her when we meet, but if that fails, we could use that instead….”
Melissa Bilsty rolled her eyes and then nodded.
“Of course! I always carry it with me since it’s convenient to keep on my person.”
Count Veloda Genoma’s lips curved into a long smile.
“Excellent. Let us first find your sister and attempt to change her mind.”
* * *
My cabin was a first-class stateroom.
Following the stairs on one side of the deck led to a narrower deck and second-class cabins, and climbing another flight revealed an even narrower deck and first-class staterooms—a three-tiered structure in total.
Upon opening the cabin door, I could see a plush rug covering the floor, a bed, and a single desk.
Though modest in size as a single occupancy, its height made it less susceptible to the ship’s sway and pleasantly quiet.
Drawing back the curtains revealed the sea, and the view was refreshing to behold.
About thirty minutes after the ship began moving with the long blast of the horn, I finally rose from my seat.
Spending three nights and four days confined like this seemed it would grow rather tedious.
‘In a world without smartphones….’
I needed to explore what I could do aboard the ship.
Just then, someone knocked on my cabin door from outside.

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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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