NABC Chapter 11
Chapter 11
Cruello boarded the returning carriage.
Bending his long legs, he leaned against the seat as the wheels rolled forward at a slow pace.
Taking out a cigarillo, he sliced off the tip with a cutter.
The flame ignited at his fingertips, transferring onto the cigarillo as he brought it to his lips.
"The Elders actually made a move."
Strangely enough, no one had died, but the intent was undeniable.
In other words, the White Desert Elders’ malice toward Siora Bonetti was beyond question.
Siora Bonetti.
Cruello pictured the woman in his mind.
A stunning beauty with golden hair, as if she existed solely to irritate him.
She had approached Minuet Bonetti, volunteering to take on the troublesome engagement in her place.
There were no records of her before that—yet for someone who had supposedly been secluded in the mansion, she was surprisingly bright and well-informed.
That was why Cruello believed someone had created the identity of Siora.
That her existence had been fabricated—someone had tampered with records, forged adoption papers under Wendy and Melos Velvet, and inserted her into their lives.
Amused by the Grand Elder’s excessive outrage, he couldn’t help but suspect—
What if that old man was just pretending?
What if the Elders themselves were the ones who had orchestrated Siora’s existence and were now attempting to weave her into his life?
But since he had just confirmed that this wasn’t the case, it was time to look elsewhere.
The most likely suspect behind the real Siora’s backers was—
"The temple, perhaps."
The Elders' origins lay in a necromancer sect, and it wouldn’t be unusual for the temple to plant spies within them.
With the Harvest Festival approaching, it might be a good opportunity to use their influence.@@@@
To do so, he would have to solidify the engagement.
He had deliberately delayed giving a definitive answer, pretending to weigh his options—he needed time to investigate.
But if the Elders weren’t behind Siora, then there was no reason to refuse anymore.
‘I’ll have to set the right terms.’
He took a deep drag from the cigarillo.
***
A mountain of gifts piled high.
Each and every one bore the same recipient’s name—Siora Bonetti.
"What is all this, Betty?"
"They’re from the guests who attended the party."
"Nina Holmaze?"
"She sent the most, but also Lady Catherine Point, Baron Shaun Herbert, and..."
Huh, these names sound familiar.
Could it be that stealing their wine made them fond of me? My irresistible charm truly knows no bounds.
"That amethyst brooch is from Sir William Labyrinth."
"Oh? Looks expensive."
Sir Labyrinth—the man whose face had turned red after being accidentally exposed to monster venom at the party.
I straightened my shoulders proudly.
"See? He totally fell for me."
"Cough!"
Across from me, Gavotte choked on his tea.
Still unwilling to accept it, he muttered,
"...That’s ridiculous."
Ever since that chaotic night, Gavotte had been visiting me more often.
I, being the generous person I am, tolerated his presence.
After all, nothing is as reliable a shield as personal connections.
His influence was about as significant as a hamster’s paw jelly, but still—
"Hey, why don’t you just pick someone else?"
"Pick someone else?"
"Anyone would be better than the Duke."
"Tsk, dear brother. Be careful what you say. There are listening ears."
"It’s just Betty."
"Exactly! Betty is here!"
The very person planted as Minuet’s spy.
Betty let out an awkward laugh before slipping out of the room.
"Are you really going to marry him?"
"Still can’t let it go, can you, Gavotte? My surname is already Bonetti."
"Cut the weird speech pattern. Fine, let’s assume the adoption was legitimate."
Oh? Look at that—connections really are everything.
"But why go through with the engagement? Just refuse."
"I’d probably get kicked out."
"Do you think disownment is that easy?"
"Then maybe an assassin could just—slice—."
"Hey!"
Gavotte practically jumped out of his seat.
Why was he acting so naive? He should be more accustomed to noble affairs than I am.
Well, to be fair, his plan to break the engagement wasn’t completely impossible.
I still didn’t know what conditions Cruello had set.
And there was no way the Elders, who had nearly resorted to mass murder, would give up just because their first attempt had failed.
Hmm, the Elders were probably behind this, right?
But then, Julian Minerva.
What was his deal?
I felt betrayed.
There was no way a self-aware madman could be beaten.
"So, you're saying if you ask for a divorce, you’re giving away the duchy?"
"The title, the land, and even the capital."
"Wait... is that even possible?"
"Well, I guess that's why you had the contract drawn up."
It seemed like the Council of Elders had absolutely no say in this possibility.
It felt... uneasy.
I was very tempted, but that's what made it feel uneasy.
This felt like a sign that I was being tricked.
Despite that, I had to marry Cruello, though...
"I’ll take it as your statement that you’ll never ask for a divorce."
Cruello didn’t affirm it, but he smiled.
It was as though he was desperate to hand over his family’s legacy to an outsider.
...That might be exactly what he wants.
"You’ve read everything, right? I was hoping we could get the signatures soon."
"Hmm, I will. But I have some conditions too."
"What are they?"
"Let’s get married quickly."
Cruello squinted and smiled slyly.
"Getting married faster won’t make the divorce happen faster."
"What do you mean?"
"I’ve heard you have quite a thirst for money."
"I don’t!"
"Then what's the reason?"
I wanted to shout, Because I need to legally investigate the Duchy!
I couldn’t just say that.
"Actually, I have a lifelong dream... well, more like a fantasy."
"A fantasy about divorce?"
"No, I want to live in a castle for a while."
I pressed on, ignoring his comment.
For something I came up with on the spot, it sounded pretty convincing.
Even if the duchy was a stinky necromancer’s den, on the outside, it had to look grand and beautiful.
"Of course, the duchy is nice, but still, the castle—"
"You probably won’t need to go to the castle."
"What? If I’m the Duchess, I’ll have to visit the estate. I could even follow you on your patrols."
"I think Qudil took care of the patrols. I’ve never left except when I inherited the title."
"Maybe for a health trip?"
"The temple is far away, and the magic stone mines aren’t exactly the healthiest environment. It’s not terrible, though."
Really?
Then, why get married?
I stared at Cruello, mouth agape.
He let out a dry laugh.
"You’re serious, aren’t you? If you’re that curious, we can get engaged and I’ll take you there. You’re not banned from entering."
"You should’ve said that earlier!"
"Haha."
"Can I stay there?"
"There’s as much space as you want."
I signed the contract right away.
Cruello nodded with a satisfied expression.
I felt a weight lift off my shoulders and slumped against the back of the sofa.
"Darling, there’s something you’ll need to help with."
"Is it something besides signing?"
"I’m guessing you’ve figured it out, but the Council of Elders is pretty strongly opposed."
Oh, I didn’t expect him to be so direct about it.
"It’s easy to ignore them, but it could get tricky."
"Are you telling me to keep my behavior in check?"
"No, I’m trying to set the mood for something."
Hmm?
Cruello took a sip of his tea.
"Darling, have you been to the Harvest Festival?"
"The Harvest Festival...?"
"You don’t know it?"
"Oh, I know it!"
It’s not like I’ve been out of the loop for years!
I started sharing what I knew to prove my innocence.
The Harvest Festival.
It was a festival hosted by the royal family in connection with the Magic Tower.
A huge magic circle was drawn in Super Plaza in the capital, and they showcased all sorts of magic powered by it.
During the day, the royal court orchestra played music, and at night, wandering bards sang of the great deeds of famous individuals.
The royal knights paraded through the plaza in their uniforms.
There were over 120 booths selling food, and there were small plays or folk dances too.
It was a huge money sink, but it was all a scheme to flaunt the nobility’s superiority and reinforce the caste system...
"It’s interesting, but how long do I have to attend these Harvest Festival lectures?"