I Became the Wife of the Hero Who Killed Me - Chapter 18

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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#Episode 18

“So, who’s handling this construction project?”

I got straight to the point.

The reason I called this bastard here was to figure out how things were going.

Clayton immediately answered.

“Alnor Trading Company. We’ve contracted them to supply all the materials needed for construction.”

“The bidding finished this quickly?”

“Haha, a busy madam like yourself doesn’t need to worry about such trivial details. I handled it appropriately according to past precedent, so you can just comfortably give your final approval.”

Clayton naturally evaded my question and held out the approval documents.

His greasy face was full of expectation that I would naturally sign and praise his hard work.

Of course, I threw it without even reading it.

“Are you deflecting?”

The documents I threw hit Clayton’s face and scattered down.

“I’m asking what happened with the bidding.”

“Madam, we have a trading company we’ve been dealing with for years – why would we need to hold a bidding and do the work twice? Avoiding unnecessary administrative waste is common sense, isn’t it?!”

“I see. So I didn’t know common sense? That’s why you dare to try teaching me, right?”

“I, I misspoke. That’s not what I meant…”

Clayton, who had flared up after being hit by the documents, soon became docile again.

As a high-ranking official of Lombard, being scolded by a much younger and stupider woman wouldn’t be a pleasant situation.

But what could he do when that young, stupid woman had the status of a thug.

“Alnor, that’s a name I’m hearing for the first time.”

To supply materials for temple construction throughout all of Lombard would require a trading company of considerable scale.

But Alnor Trading Company was truly unfamiliar to me. I should have heard the name at least once.

As if knowing my thoughts, Count Baron, who had been carefully watching from the corner, cautiously interjected.

“Madam, there’s Count Alnor Territory near Lombard.”

“Is it a trading company directly operated by the count?”

“That’s correct. But unfortunately, Count Alnor is Clayton Viscount’s cousin.”

“What?!”

It was clearly a special relationship transaction.

Count Baron, who roughly knew my personality, returned to the face of a concubine who had regained favor and was full of confidence, but Clayton Viscount, who knew nothing, just blinked as if wondering what the problem was.

I pressed my temples firmly and muttered.

“Clayton Viscount, do you know how much tax money is being invested in this construction?”

“It’s on the scale of twenty thousand gold coins.”

“You know well. But you made a private contract? Not for replacing a few broken windows or dozens of old desks, but for such a massive construction project?!”

“Madam, I understand you’ve just come to Lombard and want to establish discipline within the castle, but isn’t this going a bit too far?”

Clayton’s eyes changed as he couldn’t stand it anymore.

He no longer hid his signs of suppressing irritation.

“This is Lombard’s custom. We’ve been doing it this way long before you arrived, madam, no one has raised any issues, and there have been no actual problems.”

“No problems? Isn’t that more of a problem?”

“Madam…!”

“Twenty thousand gold coins are taxes collected with the blood and sweat of Lombard’s people. Do you really think there’s no problem executing it in such a haphazard way?!”

“This is really too much. I was prepared to pledge my loyalty to you, madam. You don’t need to come at me like this!”

Clayton showed no sign of taking my words to heart.

He thought I was making unreasonable complaints using the people as an excuse to gain the upper hand.

“I’ll speak frankly. I’ve heard some news about what happened between you, madam, and the Inner Wall Physicians. I’d also like to show a small gesture of goodwill to you, madam.”

“Some news? What news.”

“I’ll offer 20% of the construction costs to you, madam. How does that sound?”

I was dizzy at how the incident that had turned the Inner Wall Physicians into donation angels could lead to this kind of conclusion.

Even knowing I’d look stupid, I blinked blankly.

“If you take out 20% of the construction costs, how do you plan to procure the materials?”

“We can appropriately save on the quality and quantity of materials. Once we cover the surface, it won’t show anyway. I’ll handle it well so you don’t need to worry about it, madam.”

Clayton, thinking I was almost won over, began presenting specific methods.

Suddenly, memories from the past came flooding back.

Departments handling large-scale budgets were always popular. A commoner like me couldn’t even get close to them.

I was sometimes curious about what went on inside, but I didn’t pay much attention.

I was too busy dealing with my mountain of work to care about the business of noble lords that had nothing to do with me…

‘B-big trouble! The Third Great Bridge in the south!!’

Then one day, Lombard’s largest bridge collapsed.

Though it had been completed only about 20 years ago, it crumbled like a cookie without any warning, causing massive casualties.

The Third Great Bridge in particular had played a crucial role in Lombard’s trade.

The aftermath of the collapse paralyzed Lombard’s economy for a while, and since Lombard already had low food self-sufficiency, prices soared and the lower class citizens suffered devastating damage.

How much I regretted watching that series of events.

Though I knew intellectually that it wasn’t an accident I could have prevented with my power, that the bridge collapse wasn’t my fault, I still couldn’t sleep properly due to guilt.

‘Shit, I just wanted to look good to the Inquisitor…’

How did such a terrible thing come out.

The problem was it wasn’t at a level where I could just ignore it and bury it again.

It was because I had experienced firsthand exactly what results came from saving on the quality and quantity of materials.

“Viscount, first I understand your goodwill well.”

I nodded with apparent satisfaction.

To avoid the eyes of those around me, especially Lady Olden’s eyes, I was meeting secretly in the Castle Prayer Room rather than the Inner Chamber or Castle Keep.

If I had confronted Clayton Viscount head-on here, something similar to the mine incident might have happened.

‘Let me try using my brain for once.’

Though my brain, which had been lazily relaxed all this time, protested, I smiled favorably and held out a paper.

“Finally your heart and mine are in sync. Anyone would be moved by such sincerity.”

“I’m just grateful that you understand my true feelings, madam!”

Clayton’s eyes lit up as if we had finally connected.

He returned to his original arrogant expression and began endlessly rattling on about how capable he was and what important construction projects he had handled.

I listened appropriately and nodded, then suggested as if something had just occurred to me.

“Hmm, shouldn’t we document something like this so we can both feel secure?”

“What do you want?”

“How about a written agreement with your personal signature?”

“Good. If I can become your person, madam, I, Clayton, will gladly sign!”

Clayton also wanted to clearly document today’s promise in writing.

He wrote out the agreement as if he had been waiting for this.

The content was that in exchange for not making an issue of the special relationship transaction with Alnor Trading Company, he would offer 20% of the construction costs to me.

‘Perfect.’

With this, irrefutable evidence of corruption was complete.

* * *

I immediately rushed to Bertol’s office.

Bertol was the head butler of Lombard Castle and one of the duke’s close retainers, who had been handling the absent mistress’s official duties for a long time.

In other words, he had authority second only to the duke regarding castle affairs.

I pushed past the guard at the entrance and kicked the door open to enter.

“Baron says he has something he wants to tell you.”

“…Excuse me?”

“Me?!”

Bertol, who had been handling official duties at his desk, and Count Baron, who had been following behind me like a goldfish’s droppings, both questioned simultaneously.

Bertol blinked his eyes, alternately looking between the suddenly broken door handle and me.

Administrative Chief Ramon, who was sitting across from him, couldn’t even close his mouth.

Having another guest besides me was unexpected, but Ramon was one of the few trustworthy people in the Castle Keep filled with corrupt officials, along with Bertol.

The dark circles under his eyes, sunken from overwork and lack of sleep like my past self, vouched for his diligence.

“Oh, then please speak with Lord Bertol. I’ll step outside.”

“Where are you trying to escape? Sit down.”

“Tch.”

Ramon, who had sensed trouble and tried to naturally escape, sat back down.

I strode forward and stood in front of the desk.

Catching the baron who had similarly tried to escape was a bonus.

“Speak up, Baron.”

“Me, you mean me? I don’t have anything I want to say.”

“…”

“Yes yes, I do! Of course I do!”

The baron, who noticed the gleaming murderous intent within my subtle silence, hurriedly pulled out Clayton’s written agreement.

“How exactly are you two managing the Castle Keep?! Good heavens, there’s never been such an end of times as this.”

“Baron, what on earth is this?”

“I’ll take a look. So this means, um, offering 20% of construction costs as tribute to Madam?!”

Administrative Chief Ramon’s eyes widened as if they might pop out.

“Madam was truly greatly angered upon seeing this. So the reason for her anger was, well…”

The baron stopped mid-sentence and glanced back at me slyly.

I could feel the desperation craving for hints in the baron’s wavering eyes.

I diligently fluttered my fan to cover my mouth, pretending to be hot even in this bitter cold wind.

‘How dare they try to bribe me with the people’s tax money – it’s so insulting I can’t stand it! Say it like that. Do you understand?!’

Fortunately, he seemed to understand immediately as the baron confidently shouted.

“How dare they try to bribe me with such petty money – it’s so insulting I can’t stand it, she says!”

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