After pondering deeply, Elisia chuckled.

“Ah, enough, enough.”

It seemed unlikely that further thought would yield a good answer. Rather than continuing, she decided to stop thinking about it.

Shaking her head vigorously, Elisia rose from her seat a little while later.

Derick had told her not to meet with Chloe. He had even kindly added that it was an order.

So from now on, she would try to avoid encountering her as much as possible.

‘Anyway, I plan to stay quiet at least until the divorce.’

Elisia’s footsteps, as she quietly walked toward her bedroom, came to an abrupt halt. It was because of Derick and Kevin’s voices coming through the gap in the office door.

“So you really just had her room shown quietly?”

“Yes. By the way, Your Grace. Why did you give a room to the Count’s daughter?”

“Because she has value to me.”

Leaning against the wall, Elisia silently listened to Derick’s words.

“Like Elisia Adelheit, that woman has her uses too.”

His voice carried no emotion. It was an indifferent tone, as if discussing a useful object.

Elisia lowered her head to look at her feet, suppressing a sigh that threatened to escape.

‘To that man, people without use value are unnecessary.’

If he could use someone, he would keep them close and exploit them somehow, even if they were someone he hated.

That was the kind of man Derick Elphias was, and because of this, he could stand as the ruler of this land whom everyone feared.

“Assign someone to watch the Lady right now. Add more people to watch the Count.”

“Understood.”

“Once we catch evidence of the Count preparing for treason.”

Derick’s voice gained more strength.

“That day will be the end of the Adelheit family.”

Elisia’s breath stopped momentarily.

‘The Count’s treason? The end of the Adelheit family?’

This meant that not only the direct and collateral lines of the Adelheit family but everyone associated with them would face death.

‘That can’t happen.’

While she didn’t care what happened to Count Adelheit, the problem was that she too was a member of the Adelheit family.

Her plan to live quietly alone in the countryside after the divorce seemed to be falling apart.

Just as Elisia, trying to suppress her shock, turned to quietly go up to her bedroom.

“You there.”

Flinch.

At that lowered, warning voice, Elisia’s body trembled involuntarily.

“How long do you plan to listen like a little mouse?”

How did he know?

Elisia’s pupils shook. She deeply considered whether to run away like mad or pretend she knew nothing and show her face.

“Come out.”

But his words suggested he already knew everything, so she reluctantly turned and rounded the corner.

“I see you haven’t forgotten your nature.”

“I was just passing by.”

Since she was already caught, Elisia decided to brazen it out. She greeted Derick with a full smile.

“I was just waiting for Your Grace to pass because I thought meeting face to face would be uncomfortable.”

“I’m sure you were.”

She felt irritated at being treated like a stalker again. But that feeling was only momentary.

‘There’s no need to get angry.’

Suddenly calm, Elisia was about to leave but decided to ask something since they had already met.

“The Harmony Festival is coming soon, right?”

“And?”

“When is it?”

“Three weeks from now. This year it’s being held in Minotas.”

Derick stood at an angle, looking down at Elisia arrogantly.

“I hope you haven’t forgotten. What you have to do.”

How could she forget? She couldn’t forget for even a moment.

The only opportunity to find a way to cancel the blood contract between Derick and herself.

But for some reason, Elisia momentarily lost her words at the question awaiting a definite answer.

“Of course. I haven’t forgotten.”

Elisia answered nonchalantly and smiled brightly.

“Since our business is done, I’ll be going now.”

Not knowing what questions might come from Derick, Elisia quickly turned around.

She deliberately made noise with her shoes as she climbed the stairs.

“So now…”

There were two things she had to do at the Harmony Festival three weeks later.

She needed to meet Lilith to get permission for divorce and find out how to cancel the blood contract.

‘If everything goes smoothly, I’ll divorce right away…’

After the divorce, she would live alone.

So what did she need right now?

“Money.”

While the villainess Elisia was famous for her wickedness, she was also renowned for her extravagance. The jewels and dresses she had bought could be worth a castle.

But because of such extravagance, her available assets were insufficient.

‘I need to secure some cash.’

As she was making plans for the future.

Knock-knock.

“My lady, I’ve brought your tea.”

“Ah. Is it that time already.”

Eva, as always, brought tea at the regular time and placed it on the table. Looking at her, Elisia called out.

“Eva, call the butler for me.”

“Do you need something?”

“It’s about property matters.”

“Understood.”

Eva immediately went to call the butler.

Elisia stared blankly at the steaming tea.

‘I wonder if Elisia owns a villa somewhere?’

If so, living there wouldn’t be bad. She would live quietly alone there, the life she had wanted all along. Just imagining it brought peace to her mind.

Shortly after, the head butler arrived and greeted her.

“My lady, I heard you called for me again.”

“Did you show Chloe to her room?”

“Yes. I guided her to a room with good lighting. The Lady was very pleased with it.”

“Did you assign a maid to her as well?”

“Yes.”

Butler Noh bowed his head and spoke in a respectful tone. Satisfied, Elisia gradually brought up her main business.

“I want to dispose of some of the dresses and jewels I own.”

The butler couldn’t hide his bewilderment at Elisia’s words and his lips trembled.

“My lady, that is…”

“…”

“By dispose, you mean…”

“They’re unnecessary things.”

She deliberately spoke indirectly, thinking it would be too blatant to say outright that she needed money.

The butler didn’t ask any further questions. He simply replied that he understood and would call someone.

“Ah, and also. Do I own any villas?”

“Yes. You own two villas in total, with separate caretakers for each. One in the north and one in the east.”

“Which one is larger?”

“The northern villa is larger.”

“Hmm.”

Tapping her fingers on the table, Elisia asked another question.

“I assume the northern villa is closer to the Grand Duke’s mansion?”

“That’s correct.”

“I want to sell the northern villa too, so call someone.”

The butler’s eyes widened at this successive shocking statement. Seeing his speechless face, Elisia rested her chin on her hand and smiled slightly.

“That’s unnecessary too.”

“Yes. Is there anything else…”

“No. I’d like them disposed of as quickly as possible. And bring me complete information about the eastern villa.”

“Understood.”

“Ah, by the way.”

The butler, who had been bowing his head at her words, raised his gaze again.

After staring at him for a while, she smiled slightly and shook her head.

“Never mind.”

The butler bowed his head and left the bedroom. As soon as she heard the door close, Elisia tilted her head back and glanced at the sky outside the window.

“Haa.”

A sigh escaped her involuntarily. Elisia had wanted to ask the head butler to handle the matter without Derick knowing.

But as long as she stayed in this mansion, there would be no place beyond his sight.

‘Even if I asked, he’s not the type to keep it from Derick anyway.’

So it was better to let things flow naturally than to make requests that would arouse suspicion.

‘Now that I’ve secured some money and a place…’

What remained was the divorce.

For some reason she couldn’t understand, she was very much looking forward to the Harmony Festival three weeks later. Especially since it would be held in Minotas, the land of demons, this time.

Throughout reading the original story, she had been curious about Minotas, the land of demons referred to as the unknown land. She felt it would be different from the lands where ordinary people lived.

“I wonder if Chloe will go that day too?”

She suddenly became curious. Secretly hoping she wouldn’t go together.

There were participation restrictions for the Unity Festival.

From Minotas, high-ranking demons could attend, and from Carden, only direct noble lineages were allowed.

Both Elisia and Chloe qualified to participate as members of the Count’s family. But this time, Chloe had come to the Grand Duke’s mansion to avoid Count Adelheit.

Indeed, what would she do?

‘I don’t know. Derick will handle it.’

She decided to stop caring about Chloe now.

She had done as much as she could.