Rebecca carefully revised the contract and handed it to Yulian.
He examined it closely.
Satisfied, he smirked, then lit a match and set the paper ablaze.
Rebecca’s eyes widened as flames consumed it.
“What are you…”
“We won’t betray each other, so let’s destroy the evidence. I’ll uphold this contract with my life. If you value yours, you won’t betray me either.”
Yulian’s lips curled, his eyes glinting gold through the scattering ashes.
Lacing his fingers, he said playfully,
“Planning to betray me?”
His expression, impish yet chilling, gave Rebecca the fleeting sense of a pact with a devil.
It was as if he dared her to try.
She envied his confidence.
If she’d been born a Johannes duke instead of Rebecca Obelia, could she have worn such a look? She wondered fleetingly.
Snapping out of her absurd thoughts, she replied,
“Of course not. I’ll keep the contract with my life, too.”
“Good. The contract’s settled. What’s the first step? Toppling the Devonshire estate sounds easier said than done. Zeppelin’s no pushover—he’s the third most powerful man in the empire, after me and Duke Latranis.”
“I know.”
Her unhesitating response sparked curiosity in Yulian, who urged her to continue.
Rebecca smiled faintly at his unabashed interest.
“Do you know what holds the Devonshire estate together?”
“What?”
“People.”
“People?”
“Yes. The estate rests on four pillars. First, the staff managing the household. Second, the vassals handling the estate’s businesses. Third, the aides are feeding Zeppelin information. Lastly, the knights guarding the estate. The key figures in these groups are called hounds.”
“Hounds…”
“They’re not driven by loyalty. Zeppelin holds their weaknesses, so they act out of fear, terror, and calculated rewards. They obey him absolutely.”
“They’ll do anything, no matter how dirty.”
“Yes. Disobedience brings worse than death.”
“Then the key is dealing with those hounds. How? A trained hound doesn’t easily betray its master.”
Rebecca gave a short laugh.
“You’re overlooking something.”
“What?”
“As I said, the estate’s foundation is people. They’re not actual hounds—they’re human, like us.”
She toyed with her teacup before continuing.
“That difference is what will bring Zeppelin down. He’s turned people into dogs. I’ll cut their leashes and break the cages of their weaknesses. Once they realize they’re human, they’ll start shaking the estate themselves.”
Yulian stared, momentarily speechless.
Her eyes burned with conviction, as if she’d planned this for ages.
“Alright. How can I help?”
“I want to start a small trading company. To understand the Devonshire finances, we need to enter the market. Oh, and find me a capable person to act as the company head.”
“Not hard. But you can barely go out. How will you run it?”
“I have a plan.”
Her bold response made Yulian laugh.
“So I just sit back and provide money? Not bad. I’ve got more than enough—use as much as you need.”
“Thank you. I’ll update you by letter later. And…”
“And?”
“Spend a bit more.”
“Huh?”
Rebecca grinned.
“I want to marry you sooner.”
…
There’s a plant called Devil’s Claw, its dark, hooked leaves resembling talons.
Inedible and rash-inducing, it was initially shunned.
But when used as a dye, it produced a mesmerizing purple never seen before.
Dubbed Devil’s Purple, it became a sensation among nobles.
Its tricky cultivation made it rare and exorbitantly priced.
“So, you want me to get Devil’s Claw?”
“Yes, but it must be fresh leaves, not dried.”
“Fresh leaves are impossible unless you grow them.”
“Just provide a greenhouse and a lab. With seeds, I’ll bring someone who can cultivate them.”
“Hm. Not for dresses, I assume. What’s the use?”
“I know a new use for Devil’s Claw.”
In her past life, Devil’s Claw was worth more than diamonds after a botanist discovered its hidden potential.
Eating fresh leaves caused grotesque blisters for a month or three, with foul odors and sometimes fever.
But when the blisters subsided, most chronic ailments were cured.
It was a detoxifying panacea.
Rebecca had eaten it with Zeppelin, lured by claims of rejuvenated skin.
It worked—months later, she conceived.
She recalled Zeppelin’s horrified face at her blistered appearance.
Though disfigured, he recoiled from her.
He later said her face haunted his nightmares.
Back then, knowing she’d recover her beauty, he kept her.
But now was different.
Devil’s Claw’s effects were still unknown.
If Rebecca lost her beauty, Zeppelin would discard her as worthless.
Hearing her explanation, Yulian looked puzzled.
“He’d divorce you just for looking hideous? He seems to adore you.”
“Love and hate are a hair’s breadth apart.”
She didn’t want to know the truth.
Rebecca recalled the moment her beloved husband turned monstrous.
And his hateful gaze as he kicked her.
“Zeppelin loves me for one reason: my beauty, which mirrors his. I was sold to the estate for it. If it’s gone, he has no reason to keep me. I’d be a burden.”
Yulian fell silent at her calm words.
To break the awkwardness, Rebecca laughed.
“No need to look at me like that. Everyone carries a thorn or two in life, don’t they?”
She was saying Yulian’s curse was a thorn he’d bear, like her miserable life.
He caught her meaning instantly.
He stopped comparing whose life was worse, ashamed of the thought.
Feeling awkward, he sipped his tea quietly.
Rebecca, sensing his mood but pretending not to, said playfully,
“Devil’s Claw’s effects are still unknown. Invest in it—it won’t be a loss. And don’t ask my source; it’s a trade secret.”
She could even jest.
Yulian narrowed his eyes, reassessing her.
“I want to know more.”
His thoughts reached that point, and he grinned like a child with a new toy.
His innocent smile made Rebecca stare, momentarily entranced.
He could seem dangerous one moment, boyishly pure the next.
Yulian extended his large hand.
“We’re partners now. Let’s do this, Rebecca.”
She looked at his hand.
Had she ever shaken hands? She couldn’t recall.
A handshake, not a kiss on the hand, felt strange—equal.
With a thrilled smile, she grasped his hand.
“Here’s to a good partnership.”
…
“You’re back late.”
Rebecca, returning cheerfully, darkened at the sight of Zeppelin at the manor’s entrance.
He’d cut his hair short as she suggested, his sharp jaw and striking features on full display.
The staff stole glances at his handsome appearance.
The old Rebecca might’ve stared too, but not now.
Perhaps because she’d just seen Yulian, Zeppelin looked like a boy clumsily mimicking a man.
He even seemed smaller today.
“What do you think? I cut it like you said.”
It wasn’t a real question. The answer was always fixed.
Rebecca softened her expression and smiled.
“Why ask? It suits you perfectly.”
“I was thinking while you were gone…”
Zeppelin approached, brushing her hair over her shoulder.
A chill ran down her spine.
“I’ve neglected you since Alicia arrived. How about some time just for us tonight?”
He kissed her hair.
Rebecca instantly caught his signal.
They’d share a bed tonight.
She knew it was unavoidable, but it felt unbearable.
Even now, enduring his touch was torturous.
To do that with him in bed?
Recalling their past intimacy, nausea rose, her face paling.
She wanted to cut off her ear where his breath grazed.
Kanna watched, her face rigid.
“Got it, Rebecca? Change out of those rags and dress prettily.”
