Countess Karson had been staying under the protection of Princess Angelina. The public became vocal about the misdeeds committed by Count Karson.
However, he shamelessly emerged. Count Karson, with a thick skin, sought out the princess’s mansion. It was when he was waiting in front of the entrance.
“Lady Countess is resting with other noblewomen,” Angelina said, rising to confront Count Karson.
At this, a few ladies next to Countess Karson nodded and took her hand. Except for Countess Karson and a few remaining ladies, everyone else turned to confront Count Karson.
He was led to the reception room, where he showed no signs of reflecting on his mistakes, even after wiping his eyes and looking around.
Inside, some noblewomen, including Elin, Claire, and Julia, were gathered to discuss how to proceed. With everyone’s eyes on him, Count Karson demanded with a defiant glint in his eyes, “I’ve come to take my wife.”
“You cannot meet her, so please leave.”
Angelina firmly refused. In response, he opened his eyes wide and looked at her.
“If you continue like this, it will be troublesome. Then I will officially make this an issue,” he said boldly.
“Princess, no matter what you say, this is my prerogative.”
“Prerogative?” Angelina smiled, twisting her lips.
“How dare you think that in front of Her Majesty!”
His words made Angelina’s eyebrows twitch. “What do you mean by that?”
“How long has it been since you divorced? Do you think you can forcibly tear apart another family?”
There was a moment of silence. His words didn’t really get to her. It was simply another surprise and a deep sense of revulsion at Count Karson’s despicableness and villainy.
In fact, Erin had somewhat expected him to act this way, so she wasn’t as surprised.
However, she resolved to show Count Karson his true colors even more so.
“Make it an official issue. A family who has wielded violence against his wife. I wonder how people would think of that.”
Angelina smiled with a relaxed expression as she spoke.
“Soon, Count Karson’s wife will also officially file for divorce.”
“Ha. Divorce, you say? Do you really think so? Bring your wife here and ask her,” he shouted instead, raising his voice.
“If you behave like this without even thinking about divorce, it will only make things more difficult.”
He sneered and mocked his own wife.
“Isn’t that right?!” Suddenly, Count Karson stood up and yelled.
It was when Angelina and Erin’s faces twisted simultaneously. The door to the parlor opened, and Count Karson’s wife entered.
“Why is the Countess here?” Erin frowned and asked. She reluctantly opened her mouth, bowing her head.
“I’m sorry. I was told to rest, but I was worried, so I listened from the front.”
She couldn’t hide her anxious appearance, trembling.
Erin’s gaze reflexively turned to Count Karson. It seemed she knew he would behave arrogantly upon seeing her come out like this.
She was unable to hide her sorrow and fear and kept an eye on Count Karson. Erin found it very irritating.
Since she had appeared directly in front of Count Karson, there was no point in sending her back.
Erin signaled Claire and Julia with a look, asking them to support her from falling down.
Both of them protected her by standing by her side as if guarding her from Count Karson.
Then, she slowly turned her head to look at Count Karson.
Everyone present knew why Count Karson’s wife was behaving this way.
On the night of the reception, Count Karson’s wife had confessed when they talked all night long. She had confessed why she had to endure Count Karson’s tyranny.
Count Karson’s wife had nowhere to go if she got a divorce.
She had grown up not knowing her father’s existence until she lost her mother and found out that her father had had an affair and bore her.
They couldn’t help but take her in due to her helpless situation, but she couldn’t receive proper recognition and status.
Until before her marriage, she hadn’t received proper treatment from the family.
Therefore, as Countess Karson, she had made every effort to gain recognition from everyone. She was intelligent and active in social circles, but without the position of Countess Karson, she felt powerless.
Instead, Count Karson felt uncomfortable and inferior due to her intelligence, and thus, he disregarded and treated her rudely.
This made Erin burst into a bitter laugh and then infuriated her. She had the impulse to slap Count Karson after a long time.
“Come to think of it, we didn’t finish our conversation,” Erin said, glancing at Count Karson with sarcasm.
“A woman can live well without the title of Karson. It’s too precious to be with anyone.” The “anyone” referred to Count Karson.
“And Count Karson will pay the price for his actions so far,” Angelina added. “He will be held accountable for making fun of me in front of my face.”
“Are you going to stay on a sinking ship just for the sake of appearances?”
“I…,” Countess Karson hesitated.
“Madam, there are people here to hold your hand right now. What are you hesitating for?” Erin gestured towards those gathered around her.
Julia and Clare were holding her hands.
Countess Karson alternated her gaze between Clare and Erin, realizing that the biggest opportunity in her life was right in front of her.
With a determined but hesitant manner, Countess Karson finally spoke up, “I will disembark from this ship.”
As soon as her decision came out, the corners of Erin’s mouth lifted with satisfaction, and Count Karson’s face contorted into a grimace.
“That’s the way to go.”
“Well thought out.”
Other noblewomen also added their voices of support.
Before Count Karson could react to their responses, she was led away with her mouth agape.
***
After the commotion had settled, Aiden approached Princess Angelina and Countess Karson.
“I will have the Countess expelled from the capital,” he immediately proposed.
Since she had not made such a request, Angelina looked at him with confusion.
Aiden continued, seemingly indifferent to her question, “And no one, especially the Countess, will dare to act recklessly again. On the contrary, it will be quite the opposite.”
“Did the Countess request this?” Angelina eventually inquired.
“No, I’ve heard about the whole situation, but she did not make the request.”
“Then why are you taking such a proactive stance?”
At her question, Aiden’s gaze narrowed.
“Because my wife is a compassionate person.”
“After the Countess helps with this matter, rumors will spread,” there were also nobles not so different from Countess Karson who hoped this matter would pass quietly.
In response to her words, Aiden chuckled dryly and said, “Why does that matter?”
Aiden reassured Angelina not to worry about Countess Karson and stood up from his seat.
“I envy Lady Lannister,” Angelina murmured quietly as she watched them.
Upon hearing this, Aiden turned slowly to look at her.
“That’s something you shouldn’t say without knowing the full story,” Aiden said calmly to Angelina.
“The one who should be truly envious is me. My wife is Erin,” he added.
Aiden’s words were not meant to elicit any response, he simply needed to clarify the truth.
After that, Aiden thoroughly confronted Countess Karson, which resolved everything swiftly.
***
Countess Karson divorced. Meanwhile, Count Karson’s business went downhill.
Moreover, the cause of the divorce was undeniably attributable to Count Karson.
As part of the alimony, the Count’s mansion in the capital became the property of the Countess.
Count Karson could no longer remain in the capital. He hastily left for his estate as if being driven away.
However, leaving for the estate was not enough to cover all his wrongdoings.
There were no longer any supporters left in the estate for Count Karson, not even his relatives or his deceased ancestors.
Instead, it was a situation where others took advantage in return for turning away from Count Karson. He would be surrounded by those rejecting him in the estate and would become isolated.
Then, he would realize how dreadful his actions towards Countess Karson had been.
Conversely, Erin made a proposal to Countess Karson. She suggested some business ventures that she could handle among the ideas she was considering.
Among them, she even recommended one of Angela’s cafes as a stable and comfortable option.
However, she expressed her desire to do something that she had to build from the ground up, rather than taking on something already established.
Thus, she chose the wine region of Pheron, proposed by Princess Angelina, from among several options.
The task of restructuring the area as a wine region was just beginning to take shape.
Yet, in respect for her strong desire to pursue this endeavor, it was ultimately decided that she would leave this place and head to Pheron.
