AFRPR 34

Episode 34

Estelle had once seen that man secretly talking with Helios.

“Brother Roman, we’re here to investigate the deaths of her ex-husbands.”
“You really think she killed them with those tiny arms? She looks like an ordinary woman to me.”

Roman smirked sleazily, clearly underestimating Estelle.

“Well, with that face and body, who knows? Brother Helios, be careful. You never know.”

“Brother Roman…”

At the moment, Roman was wearing a servant’s uniform, but Estelle recognized him. He was one of Helios’ close men.

Why he was disguised as a merchant before and now hiding as a servant wasn’t clear—but one thing was certain.

“Sniff sniff.”

“Get away! I’m busy!”

“Who are you, mister? I’ve never seen you before!”

“Hey, hey!”

Little Duren tilted his head while looking up at Roman, who waved him off aggressively.

“You filthy little bastard! Can’t even understand words, just like your lowborn mother!”

Estelle had to get him out.

She rushed toward Duren. As she approached, Duren turned around and smiled brightly.

“Mama!”

Estelle tried to grab him, but Duren gently tapped her and said,

“Mama, listen to me.”

So, Estelle picked him up—though he was heavy, she managed.

Now Duren was almost at eye level with Roman.

“Doo-doo…”

Before Estelle could step back—

Duren balled up his tiny fist.

“I’m not a little rat!”

Wham!

He punched Roman right in the face—hard enough to make him stumble backward.

“Ugh!”

“Things only look small from far away—like stars!”

“Doo-doo is big, right?!”

Duren wasn’t trying to hurt him—he thought he was proving a point and looked proud of himself.

Roman’s nose throbbed painfully, and his face turned red.

“You little rat!”

Roman forgot he was facing a child and a woman. Enraged, he raised his fist to strike.

Estelle hugged Duren tightly.

Her hands were still tied, so she couldn’t defend herself.

Then suddenly—

“Too… noisy.”

A shadow fell over Roman’s head.

“…!”

It was a tired voice.

A thin, pale woman with long black hair streaked with white and sunken cheeks appeared.

“You… you’re a priest, right?”

With glowing red eyes, the woman casually grabbed Roman by the collar and threw him.

Crash!

Roman hit the wall so hard it cracked, and he didn’t move again.

“Priest. Die.”

The woman looked at Estelle with cold, empty red eyes.

Gulp.

Estelle swallowed hard.

She felt like she could be crushed like a piece of paper.

“Is this a dream?”

The woman soon looked away from Estelle.

“No way a pretty woman like you would be here…”

She mumbled as she walked past.

Thud.

The door shut behind her, and Estelle finally relaxed.

“Mama?”

Duren looked up, worried. Estelle put him down.

The room was a mess.

Estelle recognized the woman.

“That was Glesia Winterlen—Duren’s aunt.”

“Auntie?”

She was Duke Lennox’s older sister.

“Maybe she shared some mandrake potion with me. She’s really… strong.”

That was the only way this made sense.

“Estelle! I heard a loud noise—are you okay?!”

Lennox ran in, then froze.

“Did… you do this?”

“No!”

“I thought it was the mandrake’s power, but maybe not.”

Clearly, a lot needed to be explained.

Roman, who had fainted, was dragged to the underground prison.

He would be interrogated later to find out why he snuck into the castle.

Estelle had a guess.

“Maybe it’s because of me.”

There was no solid proof that she could control Magi, so maybe they were here to find evidence.

“If Helios still hasn’t given up on me, then… it makes sense.”

Estelle recalled how everything with Helios had gone wrong from the start.

“The engagement with Baron Ingram is canceled. What a coward, calling it off last minute.”

Baron Ingram, like her other ex-husbands, was rich and older.

Even though plans had changed, Count Bellonsa didn’t seem upset. In fact, he had a new plan.

“He introduced you to his ex-wife’s nephew—Baron Kreuzen. A young guy with sharp business skills and lots of money.”

“How old is he?”

“Two years older than you. Young enough to be full of himself.”

“He’s too young.”

“Death doesn’t care about age.”

“People are starting to think I’m connected to my husbands’ deaths. Shouldn’t we slow down?”

“…”

“If I marry him and he dies, no one will believe it was natural.”

Estelle begged to avoid another marriage.

She didn’t want to kill anyone anymore.

“That’s why I checked—he has a chronic illness. Perfect.”

He was too perfect. Estelle should’ve been suspicious.

“He has no other relatives, so all his wealth goes to you.”

“But…”

“Estelle, this is the last one. I promise.”

Bellonsa sounded gentle, but Estelle had no real choice.

Either kill the man…

Or sleep with him and officially become his wife.

Although she inherited a lot from her dead husbands, all her wealth was tied to Bellonsa.

Without marriage, she couldn’t be financially independent.

So Estelle agreed.

On the wedding day, she saw her new husband’s face for the first time—Helios.

He looked more normal than she expected.

‘Maybe I can talk to him?’

She planned to secretly offer him a deal:

1. Pretend to sleep together on their wedding night.
2. Once married, she would help launder his money.
3. After that, they would divorce peacefully, and she would pay him well.

She didn’t want to kill anyone anymore.

And she didn’t want to sleep with a stranger either—this was her best option.

But Helios never came to the wedding room.

So she went to find him.

That’s when she saw him secretly talking to someone.

“Brother Roman, we’re here to investigate her ex-husbands’ deaths.”

Helios… was a priest.

If he found out Estelle could use Magi, she’d be called a witch and executed without trial.

Estelle panicked and ran.

She bumped into her cousin Mathias.

“Mathias! We need to cancel this marriage!”

“Are you crazy?!”

“He’s from the temple!”

“What?!”

If Estelle were found guilty, the Bellonsa family would also be in danger.

Desperate, Mathias thought fast.

“Tell the priest that his thing is small.”

“I haven’t seen it! How do I know?”

“I don’t know either!”

“…”

“Just say it! It’s a valid reason for divorce. We’ll handle the rest!”

Estelle did exactly as he said.

“It’s… small.”

Helios never even showed it, so he couldn’t defend himself.

Yet he accepted the annulment quietly.

Maybe it really was small.

But Estelle thought he was suspicious all along.

Later, she found out he had no illness either.

He had faked everything just to marry her.

That loose end still haunted her.

So now, Estelle made a bold decision.

“Let’s consummate the marriage.”