CHAPTER 6

I said it hesitantly.
 
“Honey.”
 
“Don’t call me that disgusting name. And don’t forget, you’re the one who brought this on yourself.”
 
After crossing the line and then returning to a submissive posture, Oscar seemed to revel in this “lesson” situation. Unlike yesterday, when he maintained some level of rational thinking, he now exerted full force to control me.
 
Unaware that this situation was exactly as I intended, he believed he was in control, misled by my appearance and his own emotions.
 
“Come on.”
 
Oscar’s voice has turned high-pitched.
 
The longer I hesitate, the more impatient he becomes. It was as if he couldn’t wait to get me to the bottom.
 
I carefully unscrewed the fountain pen cap and signed the divorce papers at a pace that made him feel slightly frustrated.
 
Oscar snatched the papers and fountain pen from my hand. The sound of the nib scraping roughly across the paper followed.
 
Okay, we’re almost there.
 
I muttered to myself under Oscar’s watchful eye.
 
“But since there is a period of deliberation… …. Maybe I can convince you then… … .”
 
I glanced over at Oscar and saw his demeanor change to something even more harsh than it had been a moment ago.
 
“Spare me your vain delusions.”
 
Oscar said it coldly.
 
“I’m not going to let you have any deliberation period.”
 
The words sent a shiver down my spine.
 
But it wasn’t over yet. I still had to drive the last nail into the coffin.
 
I looked at Oscar in disbelief.
 
“But if I want to do it right away, without any deliberation period, additional fees would be required for immediate processing, right? It’s too costly…”
 
Pretending to be a lame person and trying to use shallow tactics as an excuse for his spending.
 
Oscar smirked.
 
“You’re the one who’s penniless, not me.”
 
The bluff to get me to take the shot continued.
 
“I am wealthy, so it doesn’t matter.”
 
Um, yeah.
 
Oscar even offered to pay the extra money for expedited processing on my behalf. It was a very, very nice gesture.
 
I dropped my head and smiled secretly.
 
* * *
After that, I was practically kicked out of Oscar’s office.
 
Of course, before kicking me out, Oscar called his manager and showed me the divorce papers. 
 
The intention is to scare me. Perhaps because he works in the performance business, he knows how to put on a show.
 
It was a bonus that the Duke of Crestwell’s seal was attached to additional documents that required processing as quickly as possible without any deliberation period.
 
I looked at the manager with sad eyes.
 
My God, I feel sorry for him……. He’s the manager of a theater, and he’s doing nothing but hustling.
 
Oscar misunderstood my sadness in a good way. Perhaps the manager also misunderstood.
 
The manager looked at me pitifully, but as if there was nothing he could do for me, he waved his hand and hurried away.
 
Oscar and I were left alone again.
 
“The divorce papers will be processed in three days at the latest.”
 
Oscar tilted his head at an angle and smiled.
 
“Until then, enjoy your title of Duchess of Crestwell, because then it’s all going to be taken away from you, isn’t it?”
 
I turned to him and shouted a line that sounded like an enraged villain.
 
“I’m going to make you regret what you did today!”
 
And without even checking Oscar’s reaction, I left the Crestwell Grand Theater with tears streaming down my face.
 
Of course, the tears stopped as soon as she left the theater. There was no time for tears; she had a lot of work to do.
 
In three days, the divorce papers would be filed…….
 
As Oscar said, I’ll enjoy my limited title of Duchess of Crestwell until then.
 
‘Let’s go to the bank first.’
 
I hurried off to the bank.
 
The Royal Central Bank is not far from Crestwell Grand Theater and can be reached on foot. There were a lot of people waiting inside, as always.
 
But I didn’t have to wait long.
 
“Duchess, you’re here.”
 
Because the Duke of Crestwell was a VIP at the Royal Central Bank.
 
As soon as the bank doors opened, a security guard recognized my face and, with a friendly smile, ushered me to the VIP window.
 
The teller in charge of the Crestwell family smiled broadly at me and bowed.
 
“Hello, Your Grace. What brings you here?”
 
“First of all, I’d like you to open a safe deposit box for me, for a week.”
 
“Yes, you mean for the Duchess of Crestwell?”
 
“No. For ‘Marlena’.”
 
The clerk’s eyes narrowed in surprise. 
 
But it was only for a moment. He smiled kindly and asked me,
 
“Understood, for Marlena. Would you like to designate a proxy for opening and closing the safe?”
 
“No. Only I should be able to open and close it.”
 
“Okay, we’ll take care of it.”
 
While the rental safe was being prepared, I proceeded with the following.
 
“And I’d like to take out a loan.”
 
I needed cash for immediate use. But all I had with me was a relatively small amount of jewelry, which takes time to cash out.
 
My personal savings account was empty. Marlena had spent it all before I entered this body. 
 
Oscar hadn’t replenished her account, of course.
 
“Do you take out loans for ‘Ms. Marlena’?”
 
“No.”
 
“Until then, enjoy your title of Duchess of Crestwell, because then it’s all going to be taken away from you, isn’t it?” As Oscar said.
 
“Make this one out to the Duchess of Crestwell. And please choose the one with the fastest approval.”
 
“How soon do you need it?”
 
“I’d like it approved within the hour.”
 
The perks of power were great. If you were a noble, you could get a loan approved in an hour just by your name alone.
 
“Then the limit is this much, and the interest rate is this much; are you okay with that?”
 
The limit was quite low, and the interest rate was high.
 
But I wasn’t the least bit disappointed.
 
After all, it’s Oscar who’s going to pay back the loan, not me.
 
The teller asked me how much I wanted to borrow without even asking what I was going to use it for. This is what VIPs are for.
 
I cheerfully replied.
 
“Maximum.”
 
I would take everything and leave. Oscar said to enjoy it, after all.
 
While the loan was being processed, a safe was assigned to me. A teller with a little more seniority than the one serving me approached me and said politely.
 
“Duchess Marlena Crestwell, I will guide you to safe deposit box number 136.”
 
“Duchess Crestwell, while you go to the safe, I’ll help you with the rest of the processing.”
 
“Very well, please.”
 
I rose from my seat and followed the banker, who was acting as my guide.
 
The vault assigned to me, number 136, had triple doors. The teller unlocked the initial combination and opened all three doors.
 
I put the box with the will and letters from Count Balthus in the safe, along with some jewelry.
 
I was a little nervous about leaving such important documents in my temporary home until the divorce was finalized. The jewelry was honestly a smokescreen.
 
“Well, I’ll step away and turn around.”
 
The banker moved away and turned around.
 
I set the combination to unlock the three locks, one after the other, and locked them.
 
A light shiver ran through me as the last door closed.
 
Count Balthus’s will was now officially under the protection of the Royal Central Bank.
 
“I’ve finished setting the password, let’s go back.”
 
“I see. Have you been instructed by the attendant on how to use the vault?”
 
“Yes. I’ll definitely retrieve the contents before a week passes, so there’s no need to remind me again that the contents will be destroyed once the contract period expires.”
 
The divorce will be finalized in three days, so a week is plenty of time.
 
“Thank you for your understanding.”
 
I’m grateful.
 
I walked out of the vault and back to the counter, where my bag of money was ready.
 
The friendly teller asked.
 
“Your loan request of 50 million Acrons is ready.”
 
The bundles of money arranged in the square bag looked beautiful. 
 
I picked up a few bills, ran them through my fingertips, and said so with satisfaction.
 
“Thank you.”
 
“Goodbye, Duchess.”
 
I picked up the bag of money and left the bank at a leisurely pace. It was refreshing to walk the well-organized streets of the capital.
 
Even if I don’t write it down, my to-do list is neatly organized in my head.
 
In three days, I’ll go to the government office to make sure the divorce is finalized, then take the will out of the safe and settle the inheritance.
 
Count Balthus’s townhouse will fall into my hands.
 
I will also have a home in the capital.
 
The people of Count Balthus have not shown their faces in the capital for a long time.
 
As a result, the caretaker only came by occasionally, so the house must be creaking here and there. 
 
It would probably need some internal repairs before it was livable.
 
I’d have to take it slow on those.
 
The money I borrowed today should cover my living expenses for the next week.
 
Apart from the will and jewels from the duke’s estate, I didn’t bring anything else.
 
I felt a strange sense of satisfaction.
 
For the first time in my life, I have the money I need without a care in the world.
 
If I’d had access to the family bank account, I wouldn’t have taken out a loan either; I would have simply withdrawn from it.
 
But Marlena was not allowed to withdraw from the Duke of Crestwell’s deposits. Oscar had set it up that way.
 
Normally, the lady of the house is in charge of the household and the budget, but the Duke of Crestwell was different.
 
I didn’t even know how much Oscar earned precisely. Albert, the butler, handled everything on behalf of the master. 

He even dictates how much money I, the Duchess, can spend.
 
The Duchess of Crestwell had to manage her expenses meticulously, and if she ever needed more money, she had to go to Albert and ask for additional approval.
 
But even so, she had to keep her life glamorous and beautiful so that everyone would envy her, or Oscar would point it out.
 
Wanting to win Oscar’s favor, but not wanting to bow down to Albert, Marlena eventually tapped into the money she had saved as the daughter of the Marquise of Rowissum.