I Am Trying to Divorce My Villain Husband, But We Had a Child - chapter 18
Episode 18
Albert, with an expression of displeasure, looked at Elisa, who fearlessly pointed out her flaws without hesitation.
“Fearless, aren’t you?”
However, despite his words, there was a considerable amount of anger subsiding. Though he felt irritated, he seemed to acknowledge some validity in Elisa’s words.
Nevertheless, his tone remained as cold as ever, laying down a warning.
“This is the only time I’ll tolerate your impudence.”
“…”
“Feel free to do whatever you want during the lessons, but make sure not to tarnish the family’s reputation again.”
It implied that if such an incident occurred one more time, she wouldn’t be allowed to attend classes.
Elisa, with lowered eyes, responded calmly.
“Yes.”
“Leave.”
Elisa turned and left the study.
As soon as she closed the door, she sighed.
“It’s tough living as a guest in someone else’s house.”
After Richard’s departure, the attitude of the family members, excluding Albert and Anne, towards Elisa had subtly changed.
Since she entered the Duke’s household as Richard’s bride, without Richard, she was just another person.
“If I want to establish my position, I must become someone valuable outside of being Richard’s bride.”
This was the reason Elisa diligently attended financial classes and spent time in the library reading books.
Elisa headed to the library as usual.
She could read books in her room, but being in the same space with her bed made her feel lethargic, so she intentionally read in the library.
However, there was a problem today.
“I should read this book along with the one I left in my room.”
Elisa returned to her room with the book. When she opened the door, it either wasn’t properly closed or quietly opened.
At that moment, she heard the maids’ voices through the slightly opened door.
“Quickly put this in your pocket.”
“Uh, is it okay for us to do this?”
“Richard is only fifteen now. Can a fifteen-year-old boy survive in a war?”
“But…”
“The Emperor intentionally sent him to the battlefield from the beginning.”
“…”
“Be determined. If it really happens, Rubellin will be handed over to someone else, and we’ll be replaced. Before that happens, we need to plan our own survival.”
“That’s true, but…”
“Come on, hurry.”
A maid near the dressing table held Elisa’s brooch, intricately crafted in gold.
The moment Elisa saw it, Anne seemed to know the whereabouts of the missing hair ornament she had been searching for.
Elisa opened the door and stepped into the room.
“Was it you all?”
“Um, Young Mistress?”
The maid, who hesitated to steal the brooch, looked at Elisa in shock.
Elisa approached and took the brooch from the maid’s hand.
“It was always in the same place, and it’s not as if it had wings. Where could it have gone?”
The guilty maid trembled, kneeling and bowing her head.
“I-I’m sorry! I’m sorry! We committed a sin worthy of death!”
The maid who led the theft also knelt down beside her friend, knees trembling.
“I’m sorry, Mistress.”
Then, with tears in her eyes, she added, “But these decorations are things you can afford to lose, insignificant to you. For us, they are like several years’ worth of meals.”
“…”
“Please show us mercy.”
“…”
“If the family collapses, it will be difficult for us, the maids.”
However, instead of sincerely apologizing for her mistake and seeking forgiveness, the maid shamelessly demanded mercy from Elisa.
Elisa, looking at the maid with pleading eyes, responded with a cold gaze and spoke.
“Do you think the family will collapse?”
“…”
“Is it about Rubellin?”
Rubellin meant nothing to Elisa.
But since the maid’s talk about Rubellin’s collapse ultimately meant Richard’s death, the maid’s words lamenting his death sounded poignant.
Realizing that the maid had sensed Elisa’s discomfort, she stammered an explanation.
“T-that’s just a hypothetical situation, as you see.”
“Well, fine. If you think the family is doomed, then whether you leave now or later doesn’t matter. I can’t change your thoughts.”
The maid hoped that Elisa would show mercy with her reasonable words.
‘After all, she’s just a twelve-year-old child.’
If she appealed to Elisa’s sympathy, this incident might be quietly overlooked.
Moreover, there might be a chance that Elisa would show mercy and return the brooch.
However, Elisa’s next words were completely unexpected.
“But you shouldn’t trample on other people’s hopes while justifying your own mistakes.”
“That…!”
“If you believe the family is doomed anyway, then leaving now or later doesn’t matter.”
“Madam?”
Only then did the maid realize that Elisa wouldn’t show mercy.
Simultaneously, a golden brooch, the same one she had tried to steal earlier, fell at her feet. Elisa had thrown it.
Looking at the golden brooch, the maid met Elisa’s indifferent gaze.
With a composed but firm voice, Elisa spoke.
“Leave.”
The maid’s eyes wavered with uncertainty at Elisa’s dismissal.
“Madam! I made a mistake. Please, forgive me just this once!”
The maid desperately bowed and pleaded, but Elisa ignored her and pulled the rope to summon the other maids.
Elisa addressed the bewildered maids.
“This child touched my jewelry, spoke of the death of the Duke, and engaged in behavior unbefitting a servant.”
“…”
“She deserves a severe punishment. Expel her from the Duke’s mansion immediately.”
“Madam!”
“Yes, Young Mistress.”
While the other maids looked alternately at their crying comrade and Elisa, they helped the maid up.
Although young, Elisa was their superior as long as Richard did not divorce her.
The maids, following Elisa’s orders, escorted the maid who had been engaged in thievery out of the room. The thieving maid received mercy from Elisa and was allowed to return.
‘Other maids must have witnessed today’s events, so they won’t entertain such foolish thoughts now.’
And they would have clearly identified who the future mistress of Rubellin was.
Looking at the quiet room, Elisa sighed with a mixture of relief and exhaustion.
‘It feels refreshing.’
It was about time she demonstrated her authority as Richard’s wife.
However, amidst the sense of accomplishment, she felt a sense of uncertainty.
‘Both the Duke and everyone else talk as if Richard might lose in the war….’
She knew Richard wouldn’t die. Still, she had no information on whether he won or lost in the war.
Whatever the outcome, until she became an adult, she had to stay in Rubellin as a part of the family.
‘No, don’t think about negative things.’
Elisa pushed away the fleeting anxious thoughts.
Instead, she decided to focus on learning how to effectively manage Rubellin’s status in Richard’s absence.
‘It wasn’t my favorite place, but it’s still Richard’s home.’
If she could lead Rubellin well until his return, she would have her honor as the mistress and the right to demand a significant share in the event of a divorce.
As Elisa delved into studying estate management, unexpectedly, Anne barged in.
“Mistress, Mistress!”
Though opening a door without knocking was disrespectful, Elisa understood the urgency when she heard Anne’s next words.
“They say Lord Richard has won his first battle!”
A bright smile lit up Elisa’s face.
It was the news everyone in Rubellin had been eagerly waiting for.
A few days later, the Emperor’s birthday arrived.
In the evening, Elisa prepared herself for the banquet.
“Mistress, how about this dress?”
“Yeah, that’s fine.”
The maids, trying out various dresses for Elisa, seemed unusually excited.
Perhaps it was due to Richard’s victory, but both the maids and the entire Rubellin estate seemed brighter than before.
The news of Richard’s victory had brought joy not only to Rubellin but also to the Empire’s citizens.
Except for the Emperor and his entourage.
‘The Emperor probably hoped Richard would lose. Around the time the war reached a critical point, he would have sent more reinforcements to lead Richard to victory.’
That was the most effective way to tarnish Rubellin’s reputation.
In fact, the Emperor had delayed sending reinforcements, citing incomplete preparations.
‘There’s even more….’
Elisa’s expression hardened as she thought about the Emperor’s possible intentions.
‘Other people’s sons might live or die, but my son is precious.’
A week after Richard’s departure, Christian, who had been unwell, recovered surprisingly quickly.
Today, he was scheduled to attend the banquet.
The mere thought of seeing his detestable face twisted Elisa’s judgment.
‘While our children might be rolling in the harsh battlefield, Christian is probably lying in bed, munching on cookies.’
Contemplating the Emperor and Christian, Elisa’s expression became rigid.