Chapter 171

In Marianne’s eyes, Roxanne seemed to hesitate to say something. Her trembling lime eyes underneath her neatly combed blonde looked up and down repeatedly. Her two hands, folded naturally, also seemed to be trembling.

After further hesitation, Roxanne whispered in a small voice, “I came to answer your suggestion to me last time.”

Hearing that, Marianne smiled as if she already expected her answer. Although Roxanne didn’t like her attitude, she deeply sighed after putting up with it.

Her father, Earl Lonstat, supported Duke Hubble so fervently that he was even called Duke Hubble’s minion. After it was widely known that his daughter was banned from visiting Ober’s mansion, the earl and his people tried to rely more heavily on Duke Hubble. They even thought that even Ober was probably Duke Hubble’s top minion.

But last night the master, Duke Hubble disappeared. There was a rumor that Ober, the mad dog, bit his master to death.

After receiving the terrible telegram about Duke Hubble’s death, Lonstat quickly calculated the gains and losses.

‘Do I need to keep my loyalty to the master who died by the mad dog that exposed its fangs? Besides, aren’t we the descendants of Lonstat who value practical interests and power more than honor and faithfulness?’

Eventually Lonstat changed his attitude as soon as he heard Duke Hubble’s obituary. The fact that his patron changed also meant that his daughter, Roxanne, knew clearly which political faction she had to belong to. Similar and slightly different names from the past dwarfed her pride.

Ober, Mrs. Chester, and …

“If I dare to be your friend, it would be a delightful and beautiful thing to compare it to one of the many glories engraved in the history of the Lonstat family.”

Having said that, Roxanne checked her expression. She tried to express her feelings with the humblest and most polite words.

“I will be happy to do my best if you accept me as your friend.”

Although Marianne didn’t like it, Roxanne thought of her as her most favorable partner.

That helped Roxanne come to the conclusion after a long angst. In fact, she was done justifying herself.

In retrospect, Marianne never severely condemned her repeated rudeness. Although everyone was gossiping about her scandal, Marianne was the only person who came to inquire after her. Marianne even made a ridiculous suggestion that she should be her friend and maid. She even said Roxanne could deceive her to take what she wanted.

“Thank you so much for asking Ober and Mrs. Chester on my behalf to allow me to visit Mrs. Chester’s salon again.”

Those were the words that she heard from Mrs. Chester that she met a little while ago.

Whatever the reason, it was Marianne who gave Roxanne a chance to come back to their comfortable castle from which she had been expelled from. It was only Marianne in this wide continent that held what she should have had.

Perhaps Marianne would be Lonstat’s only lifeline from now on, a lifeline of fate that would lift her above that high wall then drop her off an endless cliff.

“Good decision. I believed that you would make a wise choice, and you didn’t disappoint me.”

Marianne smiled brightly and grabbed Roxanne’s hands, as she wished.

“I’ll see you often in Mrs. Chester’s salon but come to the Elior Mansion often. You’re welcome any time. ”

“Yeah. I’ll do that. ”

“Oh, let me send you some more sets of your favorite puzzles. When Sir Arthur’s merchant ships return, let’s taste the new tea leaves. The new jewelry I ordered in the craftsman’s workshop will be coming soon, and when it arrives, let’s open it together. ”

“… Thank you for your warm considerations.”

“You’re welcome. Now that you’re my friend, may I call you Miss Roxy instead of Roxanne? ”

Friend.

Earl Lonstat always told her that ‘friend’ was a fleeting illusion created by the weak. He said there was no eternal friendship as far as power was concerned, adding only those who had no power talked about love and friendship and leaned on the power and riches of the strong.

That was correct. The reason she decided to accept Marianne’s proposal was because she wanted to have power. Like Marianne said, she would gladly deceive others and take from them. After she had what she had to have, she would break that stupid romance.

Roxanne nodded slowly with such a vow. If she could make Marianne softer and foolish, she had no problem at all even if Marianne called her Roxy.

“See you again, Miss Roxy.”

As if she didn’t know how Roxanne was thinking about her, Marianne got into the carriage with a happy expression and said goodbye. A long procession followed her.

Only after the knight escorting her carriage left her view, Roxanne turned.

‘…How stupid she is!’

She didn’t know why, but she felt very bad. She felt really nasty and terrible.

* * *

By late afternoon, the funeral home, the late duke’s mansion, came to a lull. The powerful nobles of the capital who visited early in the morning returned home after killing time briefly. Although the nobles in the suburbs of Milan were arriving one by one, they were considerably smaller in number than those who visited in the morning.

Naturally, the atmosphere of the mansion gradually subsided and calmed down. Thanks to this, Elias and his wife could take time out for a break.

“I’m tired. I’m sorry, Elias. You have to receive guests for another six days,” said Mrs. Chester. She was one of the few guests who had not left the late duke’s mansion until now.

She muttered in annoyance, fanning herself alone on the couch. The weather was so hot that half the windows around the garden were open, but it wasn’t as cool as she expected because the door was closed.

“I can’t do anything about it. My father always told me I couldn’t get anything for free, ” said

Elias, rubbing his eyes as if he was tired.

“What are you going to do with the witnesses coming from Roshan?” Elias’s wife asked, looking at Ober sitting across from her. She looked calm, as always. He sat still with a colorless, odorless, and dry gaze, like a man whose soul was gone. While spinning a wine glass, he met her eyes.

“They won’t come here. They are already gone.”

“Did you kill them?”

“Well, they’re too precious to kill, so I have put them to sleep for a long time. So, don’t worry.”

His ashen eyes stared at her. As he looked so terrifying at the moment, she shut her mouth like before, instead of asking more.

If her husband, Elias’s inheritance of his late father title, was formally approved by the emperor, she would be higher than Marquis Ober in rank. But even then, Ober would call the shots when important decisions were made. It was obvious that she would not be allowed to interfere with his handling affairs, let alone his decision, just like right now.

“Yes. We have got more important things to worry about now.”

Mrs. Chester broke the ice in the mysteriously frozen atmosphere in the room.

“A welcome guest is coming from Faisal soon. Thinking of the distance, it seems to be a bit difficult for him to arrive here before the funeral is over…But he will be here by the end of this month or early next month. ”

“… Do you really think Empress Alessa will cooperate with you? ”

Elias asked with a slightly suspicious expression. His dark eyebrows were trembling.

“Well, I don’t think it matters whether Empress Alessa cooperates or not. But it will be hard for her not to pretend to cooperate. She is not that stupid,” said Mrs. Chester, bursting into laughter as if she thought it was funny.

“We have a separate goal anyway. If we persuade that guy well, he is going to be a better card than Empress Alesa,” said Ober, putting down the empty glass of wine.

Right at the moment, someone knocked on the door. When Elias okayed entry, an attendant came in and bowed.

“What’s up?”

“A new visitor has come to express condolences. Earl Spencer, Marquis Leman, Viscount Aquinas…”

“Okay. Tell them I’m coming to see them shortly.”

Elias cut him off as if he was irritated and waved his hand. Shortly after the attendant closed the door, Ober and Mrs. Chester stood up at the same time to leave.

“Now, please put your best foot forward when you see them. You play this kind of role only once in your life as the successor to your late father, who was competent. It’s a very rare and special role. Of course, I know you don’t want to do it again,” said Mrs. Chester.

She greeted him by grinning and slightly bowing her head.

“I will be busy for a while. I’ll meet you here when the guest arrives here from Faisal. Goodbye for now…”