Just how shameless must one be to say it’s unjust even in this situation.

“So?”

She raised her chin and retorted, not hiding her disdainful expression.

It would be nonsense anyway, but let’s hear what she has to say.

“Lady Celsior incited me! She told me to borrow someone else’s hands if I wanted to get revenge on you!”

But unexpectedly, Janice didn’t spout complete nonsense.

To be precise, she confessed a fact she didn’t know and surprised her.

She never imagined Lady Celsior’s name would come up here.

When she nodded her chin as if telling her to say more, Janice gripped her dress tightly and spilled everything.

“The slave trader idea also came after I listened to Lady Celsior, and when I was hesitating about whether I could really do it, it was the lady who gave me courage!”

“Why did Lady Celsior do that to you?”

“……Because she saw me ruin your dress during the queen selection!”

Her eyes widened at another fact she didn’t know.

“You were the one who tore my dress?”

Not Lady Celsior?

“Yes, I secretly followed you and used scissors in the waiting room…… But you still became Queen anyway.”

“So, are you saying you did well now?”

When she asked coldly, Janice flinched and shook her head vigorously.

“A-anyway, that happened, but when the slave trader incident broke out, she won’t even meet me! She ignores all my letters too!”

In other words, she was used and abandoned by Lady Celsior.

How can she only do pathetic things?

“I’m a victim! It’s unfair! If it weren’t for Lady Celsior—”

She couldn’t bear to watch her stamp her feet and whine after doing that, so she opened her mouth coldly.

“Stop blaming others, Janice.”

“S-sister……!”

She delivered a sharp blow to Janice, who called her sister when it was disadvantageous to her.

“Why would you be swayed by Lady Celsior’s words? It’s because you had the desire to harm me.”

“……!”

Janice, who couldn’t deny it, moved her lips.

Finding it pathetic how she was trying to find a way out by racking her brain, she approached and grabbed Janice’s shoulder.

“I’ve overlooked such behavior from you countless times.”

Except when she was very young, Janice had always bullied her.

The gentle Shailyn before she possessed this body just took it.

She declared to them, who still didn’t seem to properly realize that such a version of her had completely disappeared.

“But not anymore.”

“……!”

Janice, who finally realized she was truly serious, knelt at her feet and began pleading.

“S-sister! I was wrong! I was really wrong. Please forgive me just once…… Huhuhu.”

“Yes, Shailyn! I’ll scold her so harshly that she can never do this again!”

Gwen joined in and desperately grabbed her hand.

“If you want, I’ll never appear before you again. If what Janice did is revealed…… how will our child live from now on?”

Tears formed in her eyes. She finally knelt following Janice and clung to her.

“She might lose her noble status! So please, just look after Janice once. I’m begging you.”

Seeing the person who had been so cruel to her, a stepdaughter, devotedly protecting her biological daughter, she felt strange.

Of course, she had no intention of packaging what Gwen had done to her until now as motherly love and pitifully overlooking it.

‘Then shall I also check how precious Janice is to her?’

She twisted her lips and helped Gwen up by taking her hand.

“If you and Janice grant my request, I’ll do the same for you.”

“Wh-what is it? Just tell me! I’ll grant everything!”

Hope briefly flickered in Gwen and Janice’s eyes.

She smiled kindly and said.

“When I want it, transfer the family and territory to me completely right there on the spot.”

“What……?”

“Then I’ll consider it.”

Accusing Janice and having her stripped of noble status would be good too.

But apart from making her feel better, it wouldn’t bring her any significant benefit.

Even if she could become the sole heir of House Sharofe, she didn’t know when the still-young Gwen would pass down the family.

Moreover, if she pushed Janice into such a pit, these conscienceless mother and daughter would surely harbor great resentment toward her.

It was better to avoid making enemies who had nothing to lose.

‘It might interfere with me seeing the ending quickly.’

She might have to marry the male leads later, and she hated the idea of Gwen stepping forward as Count Sharofe and stepmother.

“Ah, you’ll have to take the debts attached to Sharofe with you.”

At her cheerful addition, the faces of the Gwen mother and daughter turned white.

Resistance appeared on Gwen’s face, who had even knelt for Janice.

“Th-that’s a bit difficult……”

“Well, if you don’t want to, don’t. I’ll just accuse Janice and remain as the only heir of House Sharofe.”

Rather than persuading them to accept her proposal, she maintained a cool attitude and spoke in a half-threatening manner.

Even if they refused, she would just have to endure the situation becoming a bit more troublesome.

On the other hand, Gwen would ruin her daughter’s future, and Janice would lose everything she had possessed and enjoyed.

At the very least, following her words would allow for minimal preservation of position, making it difficult to refuse.

“Actually, to brother……”

“I can’t hear what you’re saying well. Please speak louder.”

Finding it frustrating that she was bowing her head and muttering, she leaned her ear toward Gwen.

Then Gwen’s startled eyes rolled desperately.

Is she calculating?

She crossed her arms and waited for an answer, anticipating how much Janice would be worth.

Gwen barely parted her lips after a long while.

“Alright…… I’ll do as you say. I’ll transfer the family and territory to you immediately whenever you want it. Then you won’t accuse Janice, right?”

“Yes, then please prepare the written agreement and documents in advance. I’m not worried since I have evidence of what Janice did even if you change your words later, but it would be annoying to wrestle with it again then.”

She held out the documents she had prepared since visiting House Roben.

The content was that the count title and territory would be transferred to her while the two would take the debts, and they could not raise any complaints or objections about this.

In return, she would cover up the crimes Janice committed.

Gwen received and read the documents while glancing around. Janice just sat on the floor like a criminal, sniffling.

Before long, the two signed with trembling hands.

“I-it’s done.”

“Good.”

After thoroughly checking the documents, she smiled and said.

“You said earlier, didn’t you? That you wouldn’t appear before me if I wanted.”

“Y-yes, I did.”

“Take Janice and return to your territory. And stay there quietly as mice until I come to receive the family.”

For now, raising the male leads’ favorability was more important than the count title, so she planned to put away Gwen and her daughter, who could become unnecessary obstacles.

The two could only nod without making a sound.

She waved her hand.

“We’ll probably have to see each other at least once more, but it was disgusting being together until now, so let’s live like strangers from now on.”

She chased her stepmother and half-sister out of the mansion and personally closed the door.

Bang!

Ah, how refreshing.

She dusted off her hands and turned around, but was startled to see Lord Diart and the duke standing there, not knowing when they had arrived.

“How long have you two been here……?”

“We were worried, so we’ve been secretly watching from earlier.”

The duke answered in a warm and gentle voice.

Beside him, Lord Diart with his hands behind his back asked with a somewhat complicated expression.

“Did it go well?”

“There’s still work left, but I think I saw a good ending in my own way.”

At her unhesitating answer, both smiled broadly.

“It’s good if you’re satisfied.”

“Still, your ribs probably haven’t fully healed, so don’t overdo it.”

“I understand.”

She also smiled brightly and stepped toward the two.

Since there wouldn’t be any headaches from the mother and daughter for a while, she felt like she had lifted one burden.