Chapter 40
“You keep giving her snacks, no wonder she won’t eat her meals! Look, she’s already addicted to treats!”
I pointed at Seraphina. Ever since Gepetto showed up, she hadn’t taken her eyes off the cookies.
“Hmph, you’re just pitiful for not understanding the joy of watching a bunny mukbang.”
Fittingly, Seraphina was wearing a plump bunny outfit, cookie in hand. She must’ve snatched one while I wasn’t looking.
Clutching it with both hands, she nibbled it with her front teeth like a rabbit, glancing at me anxiously as if worried I’d take it away.
‘Honestly… she’s adorable.’
Her eyes were so wide and round. I could practically see little bunny ears twitching above her head.
– Divine Rudina is impressed by Gepetto’s excellent taste.
I couldn’t argue with the speck of divine dust’s comment.
“Who said she can’t eat snacks at all? It’s fine if she eats her meals first and then has treats. Otherwise, she’ll end up malnourished from an unbalanced diet.”
“Just feed her whatever. It’s not like she won’t grow up.”
“What kind of idiot raises a kid feeding them random junk?”
“What do you mean? That’s exactly how my father raised me!”
I was momentarily speechless.
“…If I argue with that, am I being unfilial?”
“Probably?”
Despite Gepetto’s logic, I didn’t let Seraphina keep the cookie.
“Finish your meal first. You can have snacks if there’s room left in your tummy.”
“Hing…”
“Don’t act cute. You’re making me soft.”
After leaving Seraphina in Marsha’s care, I pulled Gepetto into an empty room.
I had a task for him.
‘I need to gauge the scale of the marquis family’s criminal operations.’
Step one was learning what illegal businesses they were running.
Gepetto seemed to have anticipated this. He pulled out a mountain of ledgers.
“Why are there so many?”
“Father kept separate books for each business.”
That way, even if one was exposed, he could deny connections to the others. He managed each enterprise independently.
I flipped through them one by one.
Some I recognized, others I had never even heard of.
“Wow… what I knew was just the tip of the iceberg.”
There was something to keep in mind when gathering intel through Sirin.
He couldn’t fetch information I didn’t already know to look for.
His influence was small, just like his stature.
But when it came to gathering supplementary data on information I provided, there was no one more capable.
Gepetto muttered.
“Still… a lot has disappeared compared to before.”
“Obviously.”
The marquis never intended to pass down power or assets to his own son. He managed everything alone. I always knew Gepetto wasn’t involved in any of this.
‘If he actually had control over all these, smuggling drugs would’ve been beneath him.’
Without their leader, the shadow businesses were in chaos. Power struggles erupted, factions tore each other apart, some even self-destructed.
“If they destroy themselves fighting, it’s good for us. Agitate their pride as much as you can.”
“I know that much.”
Gepetto grumbled, then frowned toward the door.
“What is it?”
I heard it too.
A noise approaching from the distance, growing closer.
Soon enough—
“Please… help me, my lady.”
Two servants scratched their necks awkwardly as a man staggered in and fell to his knees before me.
Blood dripped down his forehead, his clothes a tattered mess. His face was so swollen he could barely open his eyes, but I could still recognize him.
“Sir Loren?”
“The count plans to sell you to the Marquis of Lebanon in exchange for money. That man… he beat his first wife so severely she divorced him. Please, don’t let my lady’s life be ruined.”
My immediate reaction was:
‘…What the fuck?’
* * *
Luigi stood in her chambers, arms crossed, looking down at Laura.
Unlike before, when she always greeted Laura with a radiant smile, her brow was furrowed today.
She simply couldn’t understand this situation.
“To be honest, I was deeply impressed when you refused to use my favor at the inquisition to save yourself. It showed wisdom.”
A Crown Princess needed exceptional judgment to help the Crown Prince lead the Empire.
Few people could influence two nations as Luigi could. Laura’s choice not to squander her chance for self-defense had been admirable.
But—
“And yet… now you want to use me, not for yourself, but to help a mere friend?”
“……”
“Truly disappointing.”
Luigi clicked her tongue.
Still, she didn’t hate Laura. She knew Laura was acting out of kindness.
“Look at the situation objectively. If you let emotions cloud your judgment, you’ll regret it later.”
“I won’t regret it.”
Laura declared firmly.
“The most precious thing in this world is saving a life. If I can change my friend’s life with this, then it’s worth it.”
She asked, why would she regret using a precious opportunity for something equally valuable?
Luigi had no rebuttal.
More than anyone, she knew how important marriage was in shaping a person’s life.
Originally, Luigi was meant to marry the King of Morutum.
But she fell in love with his younger brother and made a life-altering choice.
She chose her own happiness over becoming queen and gaining power.
Because she believed—someone you spend half your life or more with should be someone you can truly communicate with.
Luigi let out a long sigh and then looked at Laura with calm acceptance.
“…So what is it you want me to do?”
She couldn’t understand, but Laura’s words carried power.
A power to soften others’ hearts, to persuade, to guide them where she wished.
“Just let me know Esha’s location.”
Because marriage was a matter between two families, Laura couldn’t intervene directly.
‘But Luigi is different.’
She was once an Imperial Princess, now the Crown Prince’s aunt. She still held power and influence throughout the Empire.
“That’s all you need?”
“That alone would be an immeasurable favor. How could I ask for more?”
Laura planned to rescue Esha herself.
Luigi would eventually return to Morutum.
If Laura resolved it using Luigi’s influence, everything would revert once she was gone.
‘Better to end it myself, permanently.’
She was confident.
She’d dealt with Esha’s father once before the curse activated.
‘No way it’ll be harder the second time.’
After all, defeating someone you’ve beaten once is never hard the second time.
* * *
Whenever Robern saw his daughter Esha, he felt disgust and fear.
She looked exactly like his deceased wife, and she had won the people’s trust. He feared she would one day drive him out of his own domain.
Robern had entered the family as a son-in-law, taking the Marceline name and title.
His wife had despised him to the end. Fortunately for him, she died before she could file the divorce papers, letting him keep his position.
Esha never knew this dark secret, but Robern lived in constant dread that she might find out.
And now, with her memory back—
‘I don’t know why no one remembers me crawling at Laura’s feet in the estate… but…’
Robern sensed it.
This was his chance.
He would use this opportunity to push Esha out of the territory and reestablish his authority as head.
And collect payment for raising her.
Thus, he arranged a marriage between Esha and the Marquis of Lebanon.
Esha protested desperately.
“I can’t… I can’t marry him. I love someone else…”
“Nonsense! Stop your childish whining!”
Robern ordered the knights to lock her up.
But even that didn’t quell his anger. He screamed until the manor shook.
“What’s so great about some pathetic knight that you’re crying over him?!”
That worthless man had abandoned Esha the moment Robern beat him up.
He couldn’t understand why she still clung to such a disloyal, cowardly man.
