Chapter 40 – The Woman My Husband Likes
The Cantad party wasn’t far away.
They had already set up camp in the area after spotting me.
I ran into Cantad head-on and was unsure whether to address him the same way as before—”Sir Cantad”—or not.
Because the way he looked at me had changed. His gaze was welcoming but also resentful at the same time.
When I bowed first, he bowed back.
That was something I had never seen him do before.
‘So he knows who I really am.’
I had my doubts, but it seemed it was true—I had passed out in his arms.
Cantad, being secretly soft-hearted, probably stayed by my side until I woke up. He might have even met Hertian in person.
“Aren’t you the blacksmith’s daughter?”
“Miss! Long time no see!”
“We were so shocked when you suddenly disappeared.”
Apparently, the other soldiers didn’t know my true identity.
Their faces were all familiar, and a natural smile formed.
But there was no time for friendly chatter now.
I walked straight up to Cantad and said,
“I’d like to talk to you briefly.”
He scanned me with his eyes before giving a short reply:
“Alright.”
We stood a few steps away from Osen and faced each other.
“You didn’t say a word after taking the money. I thought you were dead.”
He opened the conversation.
“A guest came to the castle, so I couldn’t get away. Still, I should’ve contacted you first. I’m sorry.”
“Apology accepted.”
“Also… thanks for overlooking the date being off by a day.”
I was grateful to Cantad in many ways.
He had traded the herbs for a large sum without asking for much.
“As long as you know.”
“By the way, Sir Cantad…”
I carefully called him by name, like before, easing into the conversation.
Time was short. Ali could have been attacked by wild beasts.
“I need your help.”
I said this with wide, serious eyes.
“With what?”
“There’s a horse collapsed at the edge of the forest. Its leg is broken, and it can’t walk. It’s too heavy for us to move on our own.”
“So you want me to rescue the horse?”
He didn’t refuse. Instead, he asked calmly.
I nodded hopefully.
“Yes. We don’t have much time. If you could just help us load it onto that wagon over there.”
There was a wagon they had brought for their game.
It was big enough to carry Ali back to camp.
“Is this a request?”
“Let’s call it a transaction disguised as a request.”
His eyebrows twitched.
“Consider it the price for freely using this forest. It’s actually quite cheap.”
Pfft. He chuckled.
That was the most relaxed expression I’d seen on him in a long time.
“You’re a natural-born merchant.”
“Then would you like to buy more herbs?”
“No thanks.”
I shrugged, saying I could find more herbs anytime.
Cantad gladly promised to bring his men and help rescue Ali.
Thanks to that, we were able to act quickly without delay.
Just as we were about to enter the forest, Cantad approached and quietly asked,
“Didn’t you say it was a political marriage?”
He must have met Hertian.
“I said it was like a political marriage.”
Since it was a contract marriage, after all.
“That’s a very different kind of political marriage than what I know.”
“That’s because you don’t take your wife seriously, Sir Cantad.”
“Ahem. Anyway.”
He cleared his throat awkwardly.
“I was jealous.”
He must have felt lonely, being away from his wife for so long.
It was rare to hear something so unexpectedly sentimental from him.
Ali was rescued quickly.
Before reaching the barracks, Anette sent Cantad and his group back.
It would only complicate things if others saw them.
Not long after, Violet arrived, and together we safely moved Ali.
The carriage arrived at the Grand Duke’s castle.
Osen immediately planned to report the situation to Hertian and await punishment.
After all, it was true he had failed in his duties as a knight.
Noticing Osen’s silence, Anette approached him.
“Don’t worry too much. It’s really my fault for not keeping an eye on Liri. I’ll explain it to the Grand Duke that way.”
“It was clearly my negligence.”
“Oh, come on. Don’t be so stiff. Let’s just agree to keep this a secret from each other. You don’t tell anyone I asked the Kurcians for help, and I won’t mention you arriving late.”
She held a finger to her lips and whispered.
“Deal? Thanks for your hard work today.”
Then she wrapped her cloak tightly around herself and headed into the castle.
She really was an unfathomable woman.
To Osen, she was just his master’s long-time first love and the one person who could make him look foolish.
That’s why Osen never had a particularly favorable impression of Anette.
Just as the maids often gossiped, she seemed like a delicate noble lady raised in the capital—nothing more, nothing less.
Maybe a bit prettier than the average noblewoman?
But lately, her behavior had been quite unusual.
She made dresses for the maids out of expensive fabric from her dowry,
and she casually earned 3 billion gold in a single month.
On top of that, she was moving Kurcians around like it was nothing.
It was… impressive.
‘She’s definitely different from other noble ladies.’
Of course, Osen’s feelings didn’t change drastically.
After all, there wasn’t much he could do with his frail body.
He just hoped she wouldn’t worry the Grand Duke with health problems.
The maids were horrified by the scene in the room.
The pink Sertia flowers were crushed beyond recognition on the floor,
white whipped cream smeared across the walls.
Liri had destroyed everything—down to the ribbon Anette had gifted her—before collapsing onto the couch.
“Ugh… I’m seriously so pissed off.”
She had just come back after getting scolded by Hertian.
Because Osen had reported everything truthfully, she couldn’t avoid punishment.
Anette had rushed in to defend her, but she was still angry.
It was the first time Hertian had ever yelled at her.
Plus, he had made deals with the Kurcians she hated so much,
and now he was even asking them for favors.
She hated how this fake sister-in-law was pretending to be family.
“Miss Liri… still, the lady worked really hard to prepare all this for you.”
“So what? Am I supposed to say thank you when I feel like this?”
She ruined the beautiful cake and gifts Anette had prepared—
it was the only way to feel a little better.
Even though her anger hadn’t fully subsided,
she didn’t want to pretend to be family by wearing the ribbon and smiling.
“Don’t you guys think it’s weird? It’s like she’s some hostage being blackmailed by Kurcia. She keeps getting involved with them.”
The maids exchanged awkward looks.
“But she was trying to rescue our people from Kurcia…”
“Seriously, though. Doesn’t it bother you that these people from Kurcia just eat, sleep, and live comfortably here? If it were me, I’d have died there.”
Her blunt words left the maids speechless.
They never really knew how to respond when Liri got like this.
“You guys can leave. I’ll have someone else clean this up.”
“Yes, miss…”
Outside the room, the maids let out sighs.
“Miss Liri and the lady really don’t get along, huh.”
“I know, right? But I didn’t think she’d actually tear up her birthday gifts.”
“It was a little scary, honestly.”
“You’ve got cream on you—here.”
They wiped cream off each other from when Liri threw the cake.
Then a shadow loomed behind them.
“Liri tore up my gift?”
It was Anette.
Liri’s tear-stained face was still fresh in my mind.
Fighting with me wasn’t enough—Hertian had scolded her too.
She was probably crying her eyes out somewhere by now.
That’s why I had sent her alone to the room with the gifts.
She wouldn’t have wanted to open them with me, not in that mood.
“Still, we should blow out the birthday candles together, right?”
I had hesitated for a long time, but finally rushed to the decorated room.
Two maids were just coming out.
Were they already cleaning up?
I quickly approached them.
“Miss Liri and the lady really don’t get along, huh.”
“I know. But I didn’t think she’d actually tear up her gifts.”
“It was kind of scary, honestly.”
She tore them up?
For a moment, I thought I had misheard.
Liri might hate me, but she wouldn’t be that immature, would she?
I asked, hoping I was wrong.
“Liri tore up my gift?”
The maids went pale. That meant it was true.
“M-Madam…”
“I’ll just go confirm it myself.”
The maids couldn’t stop me.
As I opened the door, they shut their eyes tight.
And I immediately understood why.
A sweet scent hit me.
The cake was obliterated, the candles useless.
The ribbons I’d placed around the room were torn into shreds.
In the center of it all was Liri, sprawled out.
I was speechless.
“Well, the jewel’s still nice. Should I take it?”
Liri picked the gem from the ribbon and examined it like a trinket.
She looked unbearably smug.
“At least you liked that part.”
“S-Sister?”
“Looks like you liked the gift. From the mess, I’d think you had a New Year’s party in here.”
I couldn’t help but be sarcastic.
“The jewel’s useful. I’ll make good use of it.”
She got up and replied, voice shameless, as if none of this fazed her.
“Sure, enjoy it.”
I turned my back.
I no longer wanted to get along with her.
“Oh, and that’s your last allowance. Use it wisely.”
I said coldly.
Whether she panicked or got angry, I didn’t care.
“You’re cutting off my allowance? Fine! I’ll just ask Hertian for more.”
“Go ahead. Keep begging the Grand Duke.
He’ll soon realize how frivolously you spend.”
Liri frowned.
She must have realized she had no way to beat me—neither with words nor power.
I glanced around the wrecked room and said,
“You need to take responsibility. Clean this entire place. If you do, I won’t cut your allowance.”
I turned away again.
Then Liri screamed,
“Sister! You don’t know, do you?
That Hertian has someone else he actually likes!”
…What a ridiculous bomb to drop.
