"Carrion, what is going on between you two?"
Marcel looked at Iana with a puzzled expression, unable to understand the situation.
It made sense; it had only been a little over a month since their wedding, and Marcel was well aware of how much Iana had liked Carrion at the time.
"Riel is going to become Carrion’s mistress soon."
Iana’s calm declaration made Marcel, who was trying to act like a kind older brother, shout angrily.
"What? Everyone knows you and Riel are like sisters, yet Carrion is doing something so shameless! And Riel, that wench, betrayed her mistress after being taken in and cared for?"
Iana drank some water without much reaction and said,
"If you help me get a divorce, I will live as if dead in this place."
"Why should I trust your words? Words can change depending on a person’s mood."
"Make your own choice. But if I can’t get a divorce, I will inform the Nine Archmages that your father used black magic."
Any wizard found guilty of using black magic was severely punished. If it was discovered that Marcel’s father had used black magic, he would be stripped of his wizard status, which would be a fatal blow to the family's reputation.
Even with Marcel’s weak magic power, without the family’s support, he would never become an Archmage.
After pondering for a moment, Marcel spoke.
"Write a secret agreement, in the name of Grand Duke Erbin."
"…"
"It seems that Grand Duke Erbin, who needs a wizard, is supporting you. He should be able to do that much for you, right?"
"I didn’t realize you were such a tradesman, brother."
Iana’s sarcastic remark was ignored by Marcel, who continued,
"If you write a secret agreement stating you won’t press charges for trespassing on your territory and won’t step foot outside Erbin, I’ll do as you wish."
There was no warmth in their conversation. Marcel, who had shown his true colors, was shameless and calculating, unlike the brother Iana thought she knew.
Seeing him now, Iana could guess,
'His kindness to me was all calculated, so I wouldn’t suspect he was involved in black magic…'
Iana no longer mixed emotions in her words.
"Then let’s add one more clause. Execute Riel. She’s part of the Lecelles family since she came as my nursemaid."
"Though I understand you’re angry about losing your husband, executing a maid, even one from our family, just for becoming a noble’s mistress isn’t possible."
Marcel scoffed as he twirled his wine glass.
"Riel damaged the Dietrian family heirloom with a substance called Sranqa. I was falsely accused of it."
"What?"
Marcel looked shocked.
"You know Riel was a slave in the marble quarry."
Thud-.
Iana placed a note about Sranqa on the table.
"A substance that dissolves marble?"
Marcel mumbled as he looked at the note.
"Sranqa is an expensive substance from the Eastern Continent. It’s colorless and odorless but turns a faint purple and emits a sour smell when it comes into contact with water."
In her past life, Iana had noticed the faint purple tint and sour smell in the food and drink Riel had given her. Fortunately, she was too sick to eat it.
After her divorce, while investigating Riel’s true nature, Iana learned about Sranqa. However, by then, Marcel had already been executed by Riel, who had become Empress.
Marcel asked with a puzzled look,
"Did you investigate this on your own?"
"Now it’s your turn, brother. Use the Wizard Corps’ intelligence to investigate quietly and discreetly."
Marcel glared at her fiercely, but Iana continued without flinching,
"Find out how Riel got her hands on this substance. And investigate who she’s been meeting and what she’s been doing behind our backs."
"…"
"Then we can put her on the execution block for framing her mistress."
That afternoon, Riel and Carrion arrived at the Dietrian townhouse in the capital.
However, Riel couldn’t see Carrion’s face until late at night.
Carrion was drinking with three noble friends who visited him around dinnertime.
"If he doesn’t come, I’ll just go to him."
Riel changed into a light black dress she had prepared.
The dress, seemingly plain with no deep neckline or adornments, was almost like casual wear.
She walked out of her room and stood at the second-floor railing, looking down at the main hall where the men were drinking.
Carrion was leaning back on the sofa, drinking with his friends. A brown-haired man sitting next to him poured wine and asked,
"Carrion, are you planning to humiliate Grand Duke Erbin?"
Another nobleman added,
"The Emperor would like it. He sees that crazy Grand Duke as a thorn in his side."
"Why does His Majesty tolerate Grand Duke Erbin’s antics? I don’t understand."
Carrion replied, and the brown-haired man continued,
"It’s because of that troublesome territory. Honestly, it’s because of Grand Duke Erbin’s strength that they can protect Erbin, teeming with monsters."
As Riel quietly listened to their conversation, a chubby nobleman sitting across from Carrion noticed her.
With a curious expression, he pointed at Riel.
"Who is that woman?"
Carrion turned around indifferently and commanded,
"Riel, come down."
Riel slowly descended the central staircase.
Swish.
The hem of her long dress brushed against the marble steps.
The seemingly ordinary dress had a deep front slit, revealing her smooth, white legs with each step.
"…!"
The maids looked away, embarrassed, but Riel confidently enjoyed the men’s blatant stares.
When she stood before Carrion, the brown-haired nobleman, his face flushed, asked,
"I’ve never seen her before. Which family is she from?"
Carrion casually replied, still looking at Riel,
"She’s a maid from our family."
"What?"
The noblemen looked shocked.
The maids serving them glanced at Riel, thinking, ‘She was a maid?’
"You don’t mingle with maids."
"I didn’t."
At that moment, the chubby nobleman, drunk, grabbed Riel’s wrist roughly.
"Then give her to me!"
"…!"
Riel stared at his clammy hand, which held her wrist painfully without consideration.
Carrion, leaning back on the sofa, drinking, asked,
"Riel, my friend wants you. What should I do?"
Riel and Carrion’s eyes met.
She smiled beautifully and replied,
"I will serve him with all my heart."
"Hahaha."
Everyone except the man holding her wrist laughed heartily.
"See? She’s an amusing maid."
Carrion smirked at Riel.
"A maid who says she’ll serve another man with all her heart in front of her master. How entertaining."
"So, are you giving her to me or not?"
The drunk man got angry.
"But…"
Riel slowly moved her lips and pointed to the brown-haired man next to Carrion.
Everyone’s attention turned to him.
Riel extended her hand and said to Carrion,
"I like that gentleman. If you’re giving me away, give me to him."
At that moment, Riel and Carrion’s eyes locked again intensely.
"Carrion, you got bested by a maid."
The house filled with the crude laughter typical of lowly men.
The man holding Riel’s wrist shouted in anger,
"How dare a maid choose a nobleman? Do you know who I am?"
"The second son of Duke Havel, favored by His Majesty, Lord Franz!"
The noblemen teased and laughed.
"I’m going up first."
Carrion stood up, pushed Franz’s hand away, and took Riel’s hand.
Following Carrion, Riel walked behind him.
"That count’s bastard is playing with me after I humored him?"
Franz’s drunken shouting echoed behind them, but they didn’t care and walked down the second-floor hallway to the bedroom.
Carrion stopped in the middle of the hallway.
He turned slowly and gently stroked Riel’s face.
"I want to see you cry, like Chloe did, begging me."
His hand slowly moved down to her lips.
Riel’s red lips curved sensuously.
"Then you’ll discard me."
Carrion lowered his head slowly, and as their lips met, he whispered with a wicked smile,
"Yes, I’ll discard you. Women who cry and beg are not attractive."
As Carrion’s kiss deepened, Riel stepped back.
"What are you doing?"
Carrion’s face mixed with irritation and expectation.
Riel took Carrion’s hands and walked backward slowly, leading him to the bedroom.
"Then how about this?"
"What do you mean?"
Thud-.
Riel reached back and opened the bedroom door.
"You can cry and beg me instead."
"You think I’m that easy?"
Carrion smirked arrogantly.
Riel wrapped her arms around his neck, kissed him deeply, and led him to the bed.
Thump-.
They fell onto the bed together.
Riel pulled away slightly and whispered breathlessly,
"There was a man who said the same thing as you."
Carrion asked as he untied her dress,
"Did he cry and beg you?"
"No."
"Then?"
In a sensually triumphant voice, Riel replied,
"He died because I didn’t accept his heart."
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