Lucerne continued casually.

First. Give me a map of the secret passage.

Yes, I will. But please accept this as a contribution. As far as I know, its information that only I know.

Lucerne nodded. And Elisha pricked her ears, alert for his second request.

Second.

Yes.

Elisha nodded resolutely.

Marry me, right now, tonight.

.

The collapse of Elishas expression gave Lucerne a new pleasure.

Yes. W-Wha, I beg your pardon?

I need a bride.

Now?

Yes now. Dont you know me?

That

Elisha touched her lips. She lowered her head.

You are a Counta countess, a hereditary noble. I need a hereditary noble wife. Besides I need a girl thats likeable and willing to do everything. Marry me and take me into your family* [t1v: its implied that he takes on her last name and lives with her familya reversal of tradition where the wife typically does this instead]. Thats what I want.

But.

Elisha looked embarrassed.

WhyYou dont want to marry an illegitimate child?

Lucerne asked without hesitancy.

No, thats not it. I know why you need a hereditary aristocrat. But isnt it too much of a loss for you to get married for that reason?

What?

If you paid one-tenth of that, you would get to choose from tons of brides willing to throw away their names and their families. Its worth the tremendous price of 30,000 gold coins.

Lucerne beamed.

It looks like Ive chosen well since you are already worrying about me.

.

Elisha, you have the footing to be my bride. The next is need and interest about information that you claim to have. The collateral is your body.

.

You will prove your worthiness, you will act as my wife and receive proper compensation. Itll be mostly money or whatever you want. It may take awhile, but if you want and the timing and conditions are favorable, Ill divorce you.

.

If you cheat on me or if youre Jacobs spy, youll face a terrible fate.

Lucerne saw Elishas hands shaking thin.

What if I disappoint you?

Then I can handle the collateral as I please.

The collateral was Elishas body.

Are you going to kill me?

No way, how could I kill a woman like you.

Lucerne had a very sarcastic tone.

Follow common sense, what do a bride and groom do when they get married?

Elisha shut her mouth. Lucerne spoke in a sweetly friendly tone.

If you were Jacobs spy, youd be trapped in my bedroom, crawling on all fours. Youll live with your body, not your head.

Elishas eyes shook, it was visible she was trying to calm down.

So, I hope youre not Jacobs spy. you can do it well. Elisha.

Yes.

She soon nodded with calm eyes. She couldnt have been calm if she knew how much joy her aloof look had given Lucerne.

Then Ill play with my collateral until you give me that precious information.

Lucerne whispered. Elisha avoided his eyes.

***

I cant forgive you for humiliating me!

Jacob was jumping up and down. Carola was also upset.

Why did you have to get involved with some bitch that does laundry?

Lucerne, who she had been working so hard to approach for a long time was bewitched by some maid, not her.

In addition, Jacob looked angry as if the maid were his lover. Carola felt like an insignificant thing had stolen the attention of the two men.

This is a big deal. Lets complain to the Head.

Jacob said. Carola nodded from the side.

Poor you. Carola is so sad, too! Well come with you and plead with the Lord.

Once upon a time, a member of the Cartier family said, Within a few days on the Cartier estate all kinds of life altering events occur, such things take place within a year of the small royal family.

The main dish of todays family breakfast was Jacobs angry face.

Is the Head of the House coming to the dining room today?

Yes, youre not in good shape. But he said hed come out.

Thats right, um, you should!

Jacob spoke with a swagger. Soon, Jacobs cousin Marco came out to the restaurant. His wife, Arien, was nowhere to be seen. Marco smiled slyly and talked to Jacob.

Hey, I heard you. I heard you received a blow from the illegitimate kid last night.

You bastard. Its just a laundry wench that was taken away. He would look triumphant with that.

Isnt it insane, eh? What family in the world tolerates an illegitimate child striding around like this?

It cant be helped. Doesnt the Lord look upon him fondly now? Lets just wait and see.

Marco and Jacob exchanged glances.

Marcos father, Merha, was the only son of the living patriarch. However, he was now a priest who went to the temple. He was aiming for the position of the Great Pope, the pinnacle of the temples power.

It was the result of reckoning that between Jacobs father and Lucernes father, the youngest and genius son of the Head, would not be able to beat them. So Merha chose a different path.

No one betted on both sons croaking. Instead Merha gave Marco all his strength, saying, If I stayed still, I would have been the successor.

However, Jacob was the eldest son, and Marco, who inherited such desire, had the same opinion on the Lucerne issue. An inferiority complex, a sense of fear, and a desire to subdue Lucerne.

When we become the patriarch, we remove that illegitimate child first.

***

Soon after, when the Lord arrived at the dining hall, Lucernes seat was empty. The Head was an old man with a dignified appearance. His stubborn mouth retained a satisfaction and prestige peculiar to a powerful man who held everything within his greedy grasp.

Lucerne has arrived,

announced the butler. Soon the door burst open, and Lucerne sauntered in. The Lord, who had already heard the news last night, frowned.

Whats this habit of being late for a family meal?

Im late because I had some work.

Lucerne calmly sat in the chair. The butler glanced at Jacob and Merha who were nervous.

As usual, the meal went by awkwardly and quietly. But soon that frail silence was broken. Because Jacob made a loud noise.

Lord, how long are you going to pretend you dont know whats going on in this house?

What do you mean?

The Heads eyebrows were twitching.

Lucernethat guy stole a woman Im protecting. And it is said he took her against her will, she was scared and hated it. The womans crying moans are said to have been ringing in the mansion all night, but are you pretending you dont know?

Marco added cautiously:

Im not on anyones side, but I think these actions are out of line this time. There are rules we must obey as a high-ranking noble family.

Rules?

Carola blinked without missing a chance. Marco coughed for nothing.

Why if an illegitimate child takes away the property of a family, usually in a noble familyI cant bear to say it myself.

Marco slipped out. Jacob raised his bloodpressure.

Lord! I have to whip Lucerne and cut off his arm for coveting my possession according to the law.

A faint irritation coloured the expression of the Head. There was never a day when an incident did not happen in this house.

Lucerne, is it true that you stole Jacobs possession?

Lucerne held out his glass with a void expression. The servant hesitated and poured dark red wine into the glass. He took a sip of wine.

Yeah.

Why are you so brazenly admitting to it? What the hell are you thinking?

Im the one whos curious. Whats the problem?

What?

I just embraced a woman to follow the Lords instructions.

Jacob and Marco looked like they heard a strange noise.

The Head of the house has long instructed me to take a woman of proper nobility as my wife. Jacobs maid was a woman the rank of a Count, so we promised to marry last night and passed the time with affection. I am in a hurry, I never know when I have to enter the battlefield. Todays life could become tomorrows cold body. We just had the first night that we agreed upon.

Youre going to get married?

Even the words of the Head trembled. *Chang* Carola couldnt hide her trembling hands and dropped the fork.

If youre sleeping with a woman of noble birth, youll have to take responsibility and get married. Thats the education Ive learned in this family, and why cant anyone think of such a basic thing?

Jacobs face turned red and green.

Lord, hes making a bizarre excuse. Shes the woman Ive been fond of!

Shes a woman who is in debt to Jacob. You dragged a 14-year-old to do the laundry and shores until her hands were swollen. Is there a man who makes his beloved woman work like that? Thats what I learned from my grandfather, how about you?

Lucerne continued to eat, speaking softly. Jacobs face turned red and blue. No one else thought about lifting a fork.

Dont play with words! Cause its true that you stole the woman!

Lucerne, if you wanted a woman, you could have negotiated with Jacob. Youre playing with words to hide your sins.

The Head made sense.

Besides Ive already arranged some women for you. I cant believe you did all of this so suddenly after insulting the women and sending her back. Are you looking down on this family?

The Lord broke the table. At that momentum, everyone around the table looked frozen.

The women sent by grandfather were not of good quality.

What? Are you saying the women were lacking?

No, theyre too high-status and valuable.

.

Give me the status of a nobleman and I can do whatever I want. I dont need a precious woman. She is the most desperate woman Ive ever seen of noble status. Besides, Jacob doesnt care much about the Countess. Someone elses trash is a treasure to me, theres no reason why I wouldnt want her.

Ha, this guy.

He looked very discouraged.

And its good for Jacob, too.

Lucerne threw a cherry. He put it down and said lightly.

She said she was about to be sold to the whorehouse soon. There is no way to pay off her debt of 30,000 gold coins by selling her, so I thought Jacob would benefit if I paid back the debt instead. I acted too hastily for Jacob.

You, you.

Jacob was stunned by his impudence. Listening to Lucerne, the Heads eyebrows twitched.

Lucerne, youre so arrogant. But.

The Lord slowly turned his head and looked straight at Jacob.

What do you mean by 30,000 gold coins in debt? How can a woman owe such a large sum of money?