“Oh, you… do you want to continue your marriage with me now?”

“…Yes?”

Hubert’s words after a moment of silence left Opal stunned.

Opal’s laughter can’t stop… his answer came too suddenly.

Hubert and Mrs. Northam are surprised to see such an Opal.

Opal managed to stop laughing after repeatedly deep breathing several times and finally, she was able to open her mouth.

“I’m sorry. Your answer… came too unexpectedly, so I remembered… that from the beginning of my marriage, I was always wondering… always praying… to somehow get separated from you, husband. The lack of titles doesn’t matter to me… Duchess and so on is useless to me. To be clear, I don’t care about this mansion either.”

While saying so, Opal turned her eyes to Romit and Beth.

Romit is sweating though it’s cold, and Beth’s eyes are hollow and her face is bloodless.

“…But I don’t want to be guilt for abandoning the innocent people of the territory that my husband never looked after. When I went to the Duke’s territory, the people there, were very poor compared to my Count’s territory. They’ve been barely surviving… not living, and that’s because of the rough management of Omar, whom my husband so much trusts. I’ve been working on replenishing their farm equipment since the ones they had are quite old and rotten from not being replaced nor repaired in the last ten years. The people were having a hard time using the broken farm tools of the previous era… so I plan to live in the territory from now on and manage it in the future. So… even if we continue married, please live in this mansion, and I’ll live in the territory.”

Hubert was red because he was ashamed and angry.

Then, Opal shows a purposeful, charitable smile to Mrs. Northam.

“I’ll allow Mrs. Northam to live here with her daughter. Of course, she’s free to leave or stay.”

“What a nasty venomous woman!!!!!!… Stella is a sick person!!!!!”

“Yes. So, I’m telling you that you can live here for free. In this residence, isn’t it?”

(I think my words are very cold even for myself. But I must make myself clear.)

Opal steeled her heart and made a clear statement about the reality of the future position she will occupy in this mansion.

Of course, even if Hubert and Mrs. Northam decide on leaving, she intended to provide them with the minimum living support.

She also plans on giving a letter of recommendation to the employees.

“–I have no place to go if I get kicked out of here… I’ll be good!!!! Just don’t kick out Stella… Stella!!”

Mrs. Northam’s appearance in tears appeals to everyone’s sympathy.

Opal was terrified, but she didn’t say it.

Hubert stood up there hiding his face from Opal.

“We’ll stay here for Stella. I can’t think of taking Stella to any place other than this mansion. So please, have mercy.”

Hubert pleaded with strong feelings, trying to protect Stella even at the cost of offering his head to the enemy.

Romit, the housekeeper, and Beth are weeping as they watch.

Opal was confused as to what kind of play was shown.

“… I’ve been telling you until now that you can stay here, if you want, without any problem, right? However, there are conditions.”

Finally, she was able to touch the core of the issue, and Opal exhaled.

However, Hubert and the others are terrified, as if they were trying to save their necks.

“Dr. Harrison, the Duke’s doctor, seems to be old, so Stella will see another doctor from now on.”

“What are you talking about?! Mr. Harrison has been looking after Stella since she was a child! No other doctor apart from Mr. Harrison can understand Stella!”

Mrs. Northam yells and cries at the conditions raised by Opal.

It seems to be a lie her sorrowful state until now…
Opal’s heart is slightly softened as she thinks that Mrs. Northam is trying to protect her daughter as a mother.

However, she did not intend to change what was decided.

“Even then, my decision won’t change. I’m not trying to dismiss Dr. Harrison. But now medicine is making a lot of progress, and some doctors are so particular about old-fashioned treatments… I also often hear that new medicine is saving a lot of lives. So please understand, and be assured that I won’t be choosing her a doctor. You’re free to introduce any other doctor you trust.”

When Opal turned her eyes to Hubert, he was squinting his eyes.

As if trying to measure the true meaning behind her actions.

“Of course, I will pay for the medical expenses. Well, after that, if you are going to stay here, I will pay the salary according to your work.”

When Opal told the servants who were standing anxious, that they’ll be paid, some people muttered, “She was nice…”

Romit stared at her and closed her mouth.

“Then, you can go now. In five days’ time, let me know your decision.”

Opal said and Romit hesitated for a moment, but they all bowed away at the end.

Only three people, Opal, Hubert, and Mrs. Northam remained in the living room.

“Now, let’s talk about other things.”

“Are there still things to talk about?”

“It would be strange if I didn’t have anything more to say. How much money do you think you need to live? You were in a fortunate position, but still did nothing and spent money in a daze. Think of how much money was wasted because you, husband, didn’t do anything until now. If Omar didn’t have had the money to spend on gambling, you shouldn’t have had any debt, and you shouldn’t have had to marry me, and I think I would have been back in my territory living happily.”

Hubert kept silence at Opal’s words.

The expression was steep, but maybe, it was not aimed at Opal but himself.

Maybe he regrets what he has done so far.

Opal felt sympathy for a moment, but she hurried and tightened her feelings.

Hubert is not a child who has just lost his parents, but an adult man who is already 26 years old, a Duke, and with a lot of people depending on him.

“As I mentioned earlier, this mansion is now my property, so I will pay wages and maintenance costs for the servants. And my husband’s living expenses – food, clothes, and medical expenses. Apart from that, my husband will also be paid a dating fee for presenting himself as the Duke and my husband to other people, so I will give you, husband, a fair amount of allowance.”

“… is that a benefit?”

“Should I have said that it was pocket money?”

“Are you fooling me?”

“I’m sorry. I don’t know how to describe giving money to someone who doesn’t have any money… I wonder what should be done… because we are a married couple. But, my property belongs to me, and I am not allowed to share it.”

The words Opal used with Hubert were as if she was talking about the living expenses of a mistress, explained to a child.

Hubert’s depressing attitude makes him look even more humiliated.

Mrs. Northam was sitting back and fidgeting at the door as if she couldn’t take it anymore and wanted to leave the room.

However, Hubert seems to endure by clenching his fists firmly without getting angry at Opal.

“It’s money I freely give to you, husband, so it doesn’t matter how you use it. Whether you want to go play at the gentleman’s club, go spend it with a prostitute, or waste it on your mistress.”

“Madam!”

Hubert’s face was red, but he didn’t say anything.

Mrs. Northam was praising Opal in her insides, and her face showed admiration, as Opal spoke a lady’s feelings, with a force that seemed to be undefeated.

Opal calmly thinks that it was the first time she heard Mrs. Northam calling her “Madam”, but kept quiet about it.

“I can’t help it? I’m my husband’s wife, but just a nominal one. I don’t intend to blame anyone for it, nor blame my husband for having an affair, as it’s a nominal relationship. I don’t care about that, but I care about the people whose lives depend on the mansion and territory’s future.”

“…What?”

Hubert seemed to have lost his anger.

Opal felt boring his reactions, and she thought that he had never known until now, what was evil and what not. His values were a true mess.

However, the conditions present from now on have nothing to do with the character of Opal.

“During my lifetime, I have no intention of letting go of this property. However, only to my husband, I will sell this mansion and territory at a reasonable price in the market.”

“But it was originally from Hubert!”

“And what? Right now, it’s mine. This happened because my husband’s sweetness for not calling it otherwise, gave it away. What do you think would have happened if Omar couldn’t return the debt and kept asking for money here and there?”

Neither Mrs Northam nor Hubert seemed to be able to say anything.

Rather, they were regretting their protesting and thinking that this situation was better.

If the Count, Opal’s father, was interested in the property, he would have been able to slaughter all of Hubert’s property without even having to marry Opal to him.

In the first place, the present Count of Holloway doesn’t even need a title such as the father-in-law of the Duke.

“I told my husband that I would give him a lot of money every month. It would even be possible to save that money and buy back the mansion or territory someday. But that would need a tremendous amount of time. So why not try to increase that money further?”

“… increase that money? Are you asking me to be a gambler?”

“It’s now up to you. Betting or investing. But your trustee seems to be asking my dad for more money. When and where did they invest it? You should learn more about how to not lose more money… It seems that there is a rumor circulating around that my father is the king of loaners who is said to have turned everything he touched into gold… after it was known that even your trustees came to him asking for money.”

“Don’t tell me you’re insinuating for me to ask your father, Count Holloway, to teach me?”

“It’s up to you, husband. No matter how you spend the money, it’s your freedom. I don’t think my dad will refuse you if you ask him. So what I said tonight, please think twice and give me your answer in five days. I’m sorry for taking your time.”

Finally finished.

Opal left the living room to return to the attic, relieved that she had successfully completed this farce tonight.

The employees use the back stairs, but Opal uses the front stairs up to the second floor.

So, when she went upstairs and tried to pass in front of the master bedroom, Stella sitting in the wheelchair came out into the hallway.

“After all, you showed your true colors. You’re the worst type of woman. A snake! Not only did you deprive Hubert of me, but you also deprived Hubert of his fortune and even took his residence!”

“…I’m not trying to rob you, but it ended that way. But I’m a gentle bad woman, and I’ll give you mercy. So don’t be afraid, thank you for coming out here to greet me.”

Replying to Stella’s grudge, Opal smiled and returned.

She was worried that Stella’s heart would not support it and get worse, but apparently she seems okay.

On the contrary, the look on her face, as she was staring with her teeth and hands clenched, seems to be good…

As Trevor said, the suggestion to call another doctor to see her was the correct answer, Opal smiled and passed by Stella.

Then, when she went up the stairs for the servants and entered the attic, the room was warmed, the bed was covered with a mattress, and the futon was changed to a duvet.

Probably the guest room has also been prepared for Opal to use now.

Apparently, some servants seemed to have changed, but Opal laid her tired body in the narrow but warm bed and soon fell asleep.

Translated by Djurasico (dot) home (dot) blog