I Will Become the Ex-Wife of the Beast - 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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“What on earth are we going to do with this!”
“Sister, there’s so much! Right?!”
…Well, yes. What did she forget to do to drop the whole basket like that?
I clucked my tongue at the twins’ Detail and their rather generous spirit of giving. A candy basket so large they could barely lift it had been left smack in the middle of the road, and it would have been a sight to marvel at, except for one problem: it had been abandoned in the Grand Duke’s Residence, a place crawling with nothing but men.
I’d like to take Rose’s side, but I can’t. Excuse me, gentlemen! Our Rose isn’t just any cat. She’s a righteous and clever cat, I’ll have you know.
“Sister, we have to find the owner, right?”
“Hm?”
What is this, the sound of knights hiding behind the trees, stifling their sobs? When I showed my bewilderment, Rose lifted the handle with both hands.

Heave-ho! Seeing her struggle and grunt under a basket bigger than her own body might have settled the knights’ nerves a little, but that wasn’t enough. If I wanted to repay all this goodwill, there was nothing for it but for me to step in.
“Rose, we won’t be able to find the owner. The Grand Duke’s Castle is far too big.”
“…Really? But then—”
“Fine. Here’s what we’ll do. We’ll keep it until the owner shows up, and then we hand it over.”
“…Can we really do that?”
“Mm-hm. But we get to keep ten percent for ourselves. That’s the law, after all.”
Roughly speaking, ten percent would be enough to keep our Rose fed for a month with plenty to spare.
Overcome with delight at my permission, Rose didn’t know what to do with herself and kept her little feet bouncing without pause. Watching her swallow hard at the thought of sweets, I swallowed a bitter smile. How nice it would be if I could smile like that too, but when I thought about who I was about to meet, I simply couldn’t. I gazed out toward the garden in the distance and let out a sigh.
“Rose, Sister has an appointment over there. Would you mind staying here and playing for a bit?”
“Hm? An appointment? Can’t Rose come too?”
“Well… that’s…”
“Okay, Sister. I won’t go. I’ll stay here nice and quiet.”
Rose, quick to read the room, sensed my discomfort and backed off on her own. Instead, I carried the candy basket over and set it beneath a tree, and Rose settled down beside it obediently.
“I’ll be right back. Wait for me!”
“Okay. But where are you going? Somewhere nice?”
Rose rustled about choosing candies and asked so innocently that I couldn’t help but smile along. Leaving a child alone made me uneasy, but it was still better than leaving her alone in a room, so there was no helping it. Besides, in terms of safety, there was no place in the entire Empire safer than here. This was where the knights who had conquered the whole continent stood guard, so she’d be fine. Surely, she’d be fine.
“Rose, you have to stay right there! You mustn’t go anywhere else!”
Just in case, I raised my voice as loudly as I could this time too, so the knights would hear. Only once Rose was already half-buried in the candy basket did I turn away, yet my heart felt hollow already. Gripping my skirt tightly, I stepped forward with a resolute stride.

“You’ve come.”
Kiers, whom I met in the garden, carried his own particular air of composure. It felt strange to meet, beneath the bright midday sun, the man rumored to be a beast, yet somehow my heart didn’t shrink up the way it had before.
Dressed in black formal attire and wearing the Black Mask, he set down the teacup he’d been holding the moment I took my seat.
“…Please, have some.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Given what happened last time, I picked up the cup he gestured toward as calmly as I could. The hot tea touched my lips, but I was far too tense to taste a thing. Instead, I hid my face behind the cup and studied the mood of the man across from me.
A pre-marriage negotiation. That was the real purpose of meeting him alone today. If I had to put it in Korean terms, it was something close to a formal first meeting between two families. Usually the elders of both households gathered to exchange greetings and haggle over trousseaus, betrothal gifts, and other conditions, but for someone like me, sold off to pay a debt, none of it meant anything.
“…Lady Rose didn’t come with you, I see.”
“Ah, yes.”
I eyed him warily as he asked after Rose out of nowhere. What, why is my sister, who was just sitting there quietly, suddenly a topic? Instinctively I braced myself, but the reason I couldn’t bring Rose here was a different matter entirely.
Calling it a marriage negotiation was just a polite cover; in reality it was a divorce negotiation. Since most marriages among nobles were political arrangements, one always had to keep the worst-case scenario in mind. In my case, this was a perfect chance to raise the matter of alimony, and at the same time, it was a situation I’d rather not show my sister. Not that it’s a good place to be. What sister wants to walk hand in hand with her little sibling into a family court?
“……”
I looked him over with my lips pressed tightly together. No matter how closely I studied that man, I couldn’t find a single gap. He crossed his legs at a comfortable angle and leisurely switched the cup to his other hand, yet he looked as though he could catch a sword swinging toward him with his bare hands.
…Could it be the mask? Judging by the shape of his mouth below the nose and the line of his jaw, it wasn’t hard to believe he’d once been a man of unrivaled beauty. Since I’d mostly only seen his utterly indifferent expression, I hadn’t noticed, but for a man, his full red lips harmonized perfectly with his sharp jawline. If only those lips would say something pretty for once.
“This is Philip, the Grand Duke’s Residence’s attorney. If there are any points of negotiation in what you say, he’ll keep a separate record.”
“Ah, yes. Nice to meet you.”
I had been staring absently at his lips when a voice suddenly cut in, and my back flinched. Why didn’t I even know a man like that existed? I belatedly greeted Philip, who had appeared from behind a pillar like a shadow retainer.
“…It’s an honor to meet you, Lady Eliya.”
Honestly, judging by looks alone, this Philip man was far more handsome. No, you could bring any man in the world and set him beside the beast behind the mask and he’d still come off better, so I can’t explain why I’d been staring at him.
I’m not usually this kind of woman, am I?
Briefly flustered as an ordinary woman who loves handsome men, but the sheer pressure the Grand Duke exerts is incomparable to anyone else’s. I must just be pressed down again. Beyond that, there’s really no reason at all.
Focus, Eliya, for Rose’s sake!
I have to do well here to secure the means to raise and educate our Rose. I came all the way here, riding in a carriage for three days and nights, thinking of nothing else, so I can’t let this chance slip away.
“You know the law well, so there should be no need to go over the basics, but since this is a marriage, Philip will briefly cover the key points.”
“S-so it is.”
Life is a live performance, as they say.
I had steeled myself, but the moment the attorney stepped forward, sweat pooled in my palms. Philip, who had been holding the documents at Kiers’s command, looked momentarily puzzled, but then his calm, quiet voice continued.
“For the sake of your precious time, I’ll only mention the most formal matters. As you’re aware, in the marriage, the bride’s side’s debt of one million gold will be fully deducted.”
“…….”
Ugh, why is it starting out like this?
I needed to bring up the land, but the moment he opened with talk of wiping out the debt, my chest began to flutter with irritation. And since the sum was so large it felt utterly unreal, a resentment toward my father slipped out before I could stop it.
I wonder how cheaply he thinks of me. I set down my teacup and studied Kiers, but his face showed nothing, as if he hadn’t heard a word. No, it was the mask. I never imagined there would come a day when I’d be grateful that he wore one.
“Furthermore, your residence will be here at the Grand Duke’s Residence, and during summer and winter you may move to the Annex Palaces in Pelona and the capital, Hessen.”
“…W-wait, two annex palaces?”
Wow, two annex palaces.
Just how rich is this man?
I’d heard that a single annex palace of a noble family could buy a small village, and someone like me, who had grown up in a crumbling hut with five people crammed inside, couldn’t even begin to imagine it. Seeing how dazed I already looked, Philip smiled and gave a small nod.
“There are two annex palaces for summer and winter, and including those in the conquered territories, there are roughly ten.”
“…Ah, I see. So that’s how it is.”
If I don’t understand, I’d better keep quiet. Even if I have no money, I’d better keep quiet.
Gulp. I wet my parched mouth with tea. Now whatever Philip said next, asking him to repeat himself would only make me look ridiculous.
He and I were already in a vast gap, a Male Lead and a Supporting Character’s little nobody, but hearing about his wealth made me feel like less than a speck of dust in the universe.
“Also, including the household staff…”
The mountains are mountains, the waters are waters, and the North belongs to the Grand Duke.
If I had to sum up Sir Philip’s words in a single line, that was more or less it.
What more could be added to the fact that everything in this land belonged to that man? Even so, Kiers lowered his eyes with the indifference of someone discussing a stranger’s affairs.
Wow, if I had that kind of money, I could be just as indifferent. I’m confident I’d be great at that.
“…Lady Eliya, what are your thoughts?”
“Eh? Y-yes? What, exactly?”
“The monthly allowance to be paid to the Duchess.”
What? When did the conversation get that far?
I straightened my back. The more he talked, the more his words had blurred past me, so I hadn’t expected the discussion to have reached something so important.
“Money, you say?”
“I mentioned that two million gold will be paid each month. Of course, the amount can be adjusted, so this matter should be discussed with His Highness.”
“…W-what, how much?”
Ah, wait a moment!
I clasped my hands tightly beneath the table and closed my eyes. Give me a moment, please. My head is spinning. I knew I’d be given money to run a household, but I had never imagined such an enormous sum.
“Whew…”
Let me savor the aftertaste for a little while.
Shamelessly, for just a moment, I did entertain the thought of pretending not to notice and simply settling in here.
But I couldn’t forget the Extra’s virtue of always leaving when it’s time to leave. If I got too greedy, I might end up with not just no land but a sausage stuck to my nose, bawling as I’m thrown out.
“Yes. Please, go on.”
“…Then I’ll take it that you accept. The bridal gifts will be prepared on His Highness’s side soon. As for the betrothal gift, separately…”
“Philip.”
For the first time, Kiers’ icy voice cut off his words. When the topic of the betrothal gift came up, Philip realized his mistake at the command to stop and bowed deeply.
No, there’s no need to go that far.

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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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