I’ll Become the Heroine’s Capable Divorce Partner - Chapter 29

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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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Chapter 29

Currently, Elodie was the greatest mystery to Joshua.

She had provided clues to treat the expedition members’ illness.

And this time, she had seen through the owner of Settler Auction House.

Moreover, how she knew all that information remained shrouded in mystery.

‘It’s a secret.’

Leaving only those words behind, she had suddenly gone her own way…

It felt as if he had been bewitched by a ghost.

Joshua slightly furrowed his brow.

“First, let’s figure out where the information leaked from.”

“Understood.”

Richard nodded and asked back.

“Then what should we do about Princess Laventess’s proposal?”

“Accept it.”

Joshua was truly curious.

What kind of information would Elodie request from Richard in the future?

Just then, Richard opened his mouth as if remembering something.

“Ah, that’s right. The Princess spoke to me very generously.”

“What did she say?”

“She said Your Highness’s New Trade Route development would definitely succeed, so I should invest without fail.”

Joshua paused for a moment.

Come to think of it, Elodie had also extracted a contract from Joshua.

A contract requesting 5% of the related profits if the New Trade Route development succeeded.

‘Honestly, I thought it was just an empty contract.’

If Joshua failed, Elodie would end up receiving nothing at all.

Not knowing when she would receive compensation, or even how much that compensation would be.

A contract that might be worth less than a scrap of paper.

Yet Elodie had treated that contract very preciously.

On top of that, she had left Richard the advice to ‘definitely invest.’

‘Does the Princess… trust me that much?’

It was a first.

While everyone was pointing fingers at Joshua saying ‘stop the New Trade Route development immediately.’

Meeting someone who completely believed in his business…

“Why are you suddenly smiling like that?”

Just then, Richard asked with a puzzled expression.

Joshua awkwardly touched the corner of his mouth.

Before he knew it, the corners of his mouth had risen high up.

“It’s nothing.”

* * *

Returning to the townhouse, I immediately went to find Isabel.

‘Hm?’

I paused just as I was about to call for Isabel.

Isabel was sitting at her desk, busily moving her hands.

The sound of pencil scratching against paper rustled noisily.

‘What is she working on so diligently?’

After tilting my head for a moment.

Feeling mischievous, I quietly approached behind Isabel.

Then I opened my mouth cutely near Isabel’s ear.

“Sister-in-lawww.”

“Kyaah!”

Isabel, startled, turned to look beside her.

I poked my head forward to look down at the desk.

“What’s this?”

“Oh, that’s…”

Isabel hurriedly tried to cover the papers with her hands, but it was already too late.

My eyes became like those of a surprised rabbit.

“…These are dresses?”

Pure white papers covering the desk.

Dress sketches were drawn densely all over those papers.

Isabel made an embarrassed face and tried to clear away the papers.

“I just drew them because I was bored. It’s nothing special.”

“Nothing special, my foot!”

I unconsciously became serious.

Isabel looked up at me with wide eyes.

“…Miss?”

“…”

I carefully picked up one of the papers.

The dress drawn on it was good enough to be made right away and worn to a party.

If it looked that way even to my untrained eyes…

“It’s really beautiful.”

At my trembling voice, Isabel, who was about to snatch the paper from me, paused.

I continued with complete sincerity.

“I’d want to wear it myself.”

“…”

At those words, Isabel’s green eyes sparkled like stars.

And.

“…Thank you.”

Isabel smiled brightly at me.

It was a smile as clear as could be, without a speck of dust.

Feeling somehow moved, I hurriedly rummaged through my handbag.

“Oh right, that’s right. I have something to give you, Sister-in-law.”

Settler Auction House was really a convenient place.

When I said the ring was a gift, they immediately wrapped it prettily for me.

‘Ah, found it.’

A small gift box was caught in my hand.

I smiled brightly and held out the gift box to Isabel.

“It’s a present.”

“A present?”

Isabel accepted the box with a bewildered expression.

Then she carefully asked me.

“Um, why a present…”

“Come on, family can give each other presents.”

I eagerly urged Isabel on.

“Hurry up and open it. Please?”

Unable to resist my persistence, Isabel unwrapped the gift’s packaging.

And then.

“Ah.”

Her deep green eyes shook violently.

Her finely trembling fingers lifted out the silver ring from inside the velvet box.

The emerald that perfectly resembled Isabel’s eye color sparkled as it reflected the light.

“This is…….”

Isabel stared at the ring as if entranced for a long while, then suddenly jerked her head up.

A heavily suppressed voice flowed out between her lips.

“This ring is exactly…….”

“That’s Countess Delaney’s keepsake, isn’t it?”

Isabel nodded with difficulty.

I looked at Isabel with sympathetic eyes.

“I happened to hear from Elder Brother once. That ring was sold to prepare your dowry.”

This was true.

However, David had said,

‘Having to sell even the mistress’s belongings just to prepare a dowry. How pathetic, tsk.’

……which was the unpleasant way he put it.

I continued my gentle explanation.

“Thanks to Sister-in-law, I purchased that painting. When I put that painting up for auction, this ring happened to be among the auction items too.”

“Wait a moment. That painting was valuable enough to be sold at auction?”

Even amid her overwhelming emotions, Isabel couldn’t hide her bewildered expression.

I nodded and raised my index finger straight to my lips.

“That’s what happened. However, I had my reasons for secretly purchasing and then reselling that painting.”

“I understand. I’ll keep the secret.”

Isabel quickly replied.

I smiled with my eyes and continued speaking.

“The painting sold for more than I expected. With my pockets well-lined, when I happened to spot the ring…….”

Drop.

At that moment, a pearl-like tear rolled down Isabel’s pale cheek.

I was silently shocked.

“……Sister-in-law?!”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I’ve shown you something unseemly.”

Isabel hastily wiped around her eyes.

But it was completely useless.

Tears continued to well up in her beautiful green eyes.

Not knowing what to do, I began trying to comfort Isabel.

“Goodness, please don’t cry.”

Did those words serve as a trigger?

Sob.

A fierce crying sound crawled up from deep in Isabel’s throat.

Once again, tears came streaming down.

“For my whole life, my whole life…… *sob*, this ring, *sniff*, I thought I would…… never get it back.”

Her voice came out in broken fragments mixed with sobs.

Isabel wept uncontrollably.

She cried so sorrowfully that I feared she might collapse from exhaustion.

Perhaps that was why.

The reason I found myself pulling Isabel into a tight embrace without realizing it.

“Sister-in-law, it must have been so difficult for you all this time.”

Isabel didn’t pull away from me.

Instead, she wrapped both arms around me in return.

Like a young child yearning for a parent’s warmth.

Knowing how lonely Isabel must have been all this time…….

“It’s okay. Everything will be okay.”

I carefully patted Isabel’s delicate back.

Instead of answering, Isabel quietly tightened her arms around me.

Like that, we shared our warmth for a long while.

I hoped desperately that my inadequate comfort had eased Isabel’s loneliness, even just a little.

I wished for it earnestly.

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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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