ADLQ 08

Chapter 8

“Madam. These are the uncontested divorce papers and the property renunciation form.”

Early in the morning, Rupert visited Roselyn again.

“You’re up early — thank you for your trouble, Rupert.”

Roselyn greeted him looking fresh and innocent despite having just woken.

“All of the governor’s signatures are in place. If you sign here, Madam, I’ll send them off.”

“Rupert, one last thing — could you call someone other than a Nurnberg servant to be the messenger?”

“Understood.”

With that, Rupert left the room.

After he left, Roselyn stared down at the papers on the table.

“So easily…”

Her eyelashes trembled. She kept opening and closing the pen Rupert had brought, over and over.

Knock knock.

“Mother.”

Just when she was thinking about it, Luidiana knocked on Roselyn’s door and came in as if she had somehow read her mother’s mind.

Roselyn put down the pen she had been holding and opened the door herself.

“Come in, Ludi.”

“Did Rupert stop by?”

Luidiana stood in the hallway, cheeks flushed and eyes bright.

“Yes.”

Roselyn gave her a small smile. Luidiana entered the room and her gaze fell on the table. The divorce papers were there — but the place where Roselyn’s signature belonged was still blank.

“Mother.”

Her eyes returned to Roselyn’s hands. Roselyn was holding the pen.

‘He must have been here a while ago… is she still afraid after all?’

In truth, Luidiana had been awake before Rupert arrived. She hadn’t been able to sleep, excited at the thought of finally fastening the first button to change their hellish lives.

“Mother, are you hesitating?”

Luidiana stepped closer to the table and asked.

“No, my dear…”

Roselyn shook her head with a bitter smile.

“I just feel a bit empty.”

At that look, Luidiana embraced her mother fiercely. Luidiana was small for her age and couldn’t fully wrap her arms around Roselyn, but the hug was warm enough for Roselyn.

“When did my Ludi grow up so much?”

Roselyn smiled and ran her fingers through Luidiana’s soft black hair, then gently released her.

“I’ll finish quickly. Wait here.”

Roselyn signed the documents on the table. It took no more than ten seconds — a short, neat uncontested divorce paper for a wife without a husband.

“Thank you for your trouble.”

Luidiana sat opposite her and smiled brightly. But Roselyn’s smiling eyes hardened.

“By the way, Ludi, the external messenger you asked for — is that the letter for Allen?”

“Yes, I was going to ask him to come pick us up today.”

“Good, really Allen…”

Before Roselyn could finish the sentence, Rupert’s voice came from outside the door.

“Madam, I’ve brought the messenger.”

A young man in commoner’s clothes entered with Rupert.

“Please deliver these documents to the council. And send these papers to the Pianos Dukes’ house as quickly as possible.”

“Yes, Madam.”

The messenger took the documents and the envelope and hurried out.

“Are you leaving today…?”

Rupert trailed off.

“You’re the only one who looks sad, Rupert.”

Roselyn covered her mouth with one hand and smiled faintly.

“Although it was because of Lady Lea, I apologize again for not serving you and the three young ladies properly as your butler.”

Rupert bowed stiffly to Roselyn and Luidiana.

“Don’t say that, Rupert.”

Luidiana comforted him in a voice that was melancholy but bright.

“May the blessings of the sun and moon gods always be with you.”

Rupert forced a smile for her.

After Rupert left, Roselyn and Luidiana went to wake Irene, who was still half-asleep, and started packing. Jonas hadn’t explicitly told them to leave immediately, but neither Roselyn nor Luidiana wanted to stay in Nurnberg for a moment longer than necessary.

“Ughh, sister… this is…”

Irene, fighting sleep, brought her small bundle of things.

Their luggage amounted to three small, frail bags — hardly what you’d expect from three noblewomen.

‘So this is all we have.’

Luidiana’s expression darkened as she looked at them. Roselyn’s face wasn’t bright either; they shared the same thought.

The only person wearing a happy expression in the room was…

“Are we leaving? Will we see the festival?”

Irene, still half-asleep, kept asking in the hope of going outside.

“Yes. We don’t have to stay here anymore.”

“Hehe…”

Luidiana sat on the bed and stroked Irene’s drowsy head.

At that moment, someone barged in without any courtesy.

Lea strode down the annex corridor, her curling red hair strikingly beautiful and her showy attire matching her audacious looks.

“Heehee… Nartas, isn’t the weather splendid today?”

Nartas, who walked beside her with overconfidence and wearing a suit that made him look older than he was, strutted along.

“Indeed, Mother.”

“In the end, those scoundrels are stepping down to fit their place at the fountain.”

Lea raised her rose-colored lips in satisfaction.

She reached the door to Roselyn’s shabby room and signaled the maids following her to open it. When they did, the three small bags and the three women came into view.

“Have you packed everything?”

She had put effort into dressing up early to mock Roselyn, who was fleeing Nurnberg with all her possessions forfeited. Seeing their pitiful bags made Lea gloat even more.

“Huh-huh, there’s nothing to take. A noble in name only with no property? Pfft.”

She unloaded her scorn on the three women, no longer bothering with politeness.

“Mrs. Berter, please keep up some dignity.”

Luidiana stepped forward and placed emphasis on the name Berter, blocking her.

“What did you say?!”

“Please, maintain your dignity, madam.”

Luidiana lowered her head and spoke politely but firmly.

“You—! Woman who doesn’t know her place!”

Lea snapped. Her hand shot up, and Luidiana instinctively shut her eyes. If you called Lea a Berter out loud, you should be prepared to take at least a slap.

“…?”

But time passed and no pain came to Luidiana’s cheek. She opened her eyes cautiously.

Lea’s wrist was clasped by Roselyn, who stood in front of her.

“Stop it.”

Roselyn stared at Lea with a sharp look.

“Ha! You’re just a divorced woman whose ribbon’s come undone — let go of me!”

“My daughter did nothing wrong.”

Lea’s shrill nasal voice split the air, while Roselyn’s tone was cold and controlled. She roughly shrugged Lea’s arm away.

Luidiana’s face froze at the sight of her mother’s unfamiliar stance.

“You were always after my position, weren’t you? I don’t need it — take it if you want.”

“Don’t act so high and mighty! Hah, that bluff won’t fool anyone anymore. You’re leaving empty-handed.”

Lea snapped back, mocking them openly.

She twisted her wrist and covered her mouth, laughing.

“Just some Bruno merchant guild? Hahahaha!! It’s astonishing how ignorant you can be!”

Lea’s laughter boomed through the room.

“Ha-ha, good luck to you.”

After a long laugh, she glared around the room with a snake-like look in her eyes.

Luidiana wanted to retort, but she held back, thinking of Roselyn who had put herself between them.

‘It’s fine if I get hit, but not in front of my mother.’

They would clash with Nurnberg many times ahead, and Luidiana intended to climb up through Nurnberg step by step — just like Carlos had in a past life. So she decided to let Lea have this morning’s enjoyment. It wasn’t difficult.

“Madam. The carriage has arrived.”

At that moment, Rupert returned and announced the arrival of the carriage, slipping past Lea’s maids.

“Yes. Let’s go, Rupert.”

Luidiana took Irene’s hand, stood behind Roselyn, and walked out the door.

“A carriage?”

Lea sniffed and glanced toward the terrace. A white carriage bearing a black eagle — the emblem of the Pianos dukedom — stood waiting.

“Pianos?!”

Lea’s voice rose. Nartas, who heard the commotion, rushed to the terrace.

“Aaaaah!!”

She was about to be taken in as the duke’s lawful wife. She would rid herself of the hated Berter name and become the noble-blooded Nurnberg. But as long as Roselyn lived, she would always be the second wife.

‘How dare she go marry another man right after divorcing… So vulgar. Damn it, damn it, damn it!’

As long as Pianos backed Roselyn, Lea dared not touch her. She was no longer a trapped, obscure secondary wife confined to the annex.

Her scream was ripped from her throat. Nartas, in the corner, covered his ears and trembled all over.