It Feels Like I’m About to be Divorced, But my Husband is My Favorite

Episode 66

In just a single day, my office had become more familiar to me than even my bedroom.

Sitting at my desk, I drummed my fingers on the surface, lost in thought.

The moment I received Anne’s report, I realized that the events I had desperately wished were just dreams last night were, in fact, reality.

However, I couldn’t figure out how Evgenia was connected to that “Black.” I replayed the conversation I overheard earlier this morning.

– What do you mean by that? An attack? Who on earth would…?

– Watch your words. That’s not someone you should speak of lightly.

Gressel, who had been speaking with evident shock about the news of Black’s attack, quickly shut his mouth at Anne’s firm tone. Still, he couldn’t hide his lingering disbelief and asked worriedly,

– But they said the master succeeded. Doesn’t that mean Black has yielded?

Anne couldn’t hold back her laughter at that.

– Haha, as if that could ever happen! Everyone here has pledged loyalty to the madam long before the captain. They’d rather die than betray her.

Hearing that made my skin crawl.
And then Anne added, “Although plans suddenly changed, this was all something the madam had prepared for a long time.”

Even though I had just splashed cold water on my face moments ago, her words made me question if I was still dreaming.

However, Gressel looked at me with awe and respect, his eyes sparkling as if thinking, “Of course!”

“What on earth is going on?”

I let out a deep sigh and slumped over my desk.

Since last night, meeting Anne’s eyes had felt awkward. Thankfully, both she and Gressel were currently away, which gave me some peace.

I had sent the two of them, along with Delano, to the capital to find a trading company that could sell my dowry as quickly and profitably as possible.

At the same time, I instructed them to inform Sionel about the Vios Trading Company.

‘Now that I think about it, Anne’s reaction when I mentioned looking into the trading company was oddly bothersome.’

It reminded me a little of Gressel’s gaze earlier.

Although she couldn’t express it openly with Delano around, her eyes seemed to say, “Of course the madam already has a plan!”

“Ah, I give up. I just don’t know anymore.”

I muttered in defeat, letting out another sigh.

Still, it wasn’t as though I was entirely clueless about the situation.

It felt more like standing in front of Pandora’s box, dreading the truth inside that I might not be able to handle.

‘I just want to live peacefully with Euclid.’

The only comfort was that I wasn’t the type to break taboos out of curiosity. If anything, I was the kind of person who found breaking rules frustrating.

So, until a situation absolutely forced me to, I would never open Pandora’s box on my own!

Resolving myself firmly, I stood up.

My uneasy heart from Anne’s report had distracted me during breakfast, making it hard to focus on Euclid and the children.

‘I should’ve spoken to them more.’

So I decided to spend time with the children before lunch to ease the awkwardness a little.

Truthfully, I also wanted to visit Euclid, but I wasn’t close enough to him yet to justify such a visit without a proper excuse.

‘He’d probably feel uncomfortable if I just showed up out of the blue.’

Still, I let myself indulge in the thought that someday, I might be close enough to say, “I came because I missed you,” and headed to the library.

Yesterday, I realized the children weren’t too fond of toys, and I reflected on that.

Considering they were Euclid’s niece and nephew, it was obvious they’d be bright, yet I had treated them like ordinary kids.

So today, I planned to find books they’d like in the library and read with them.

With my heart swelling at the thought of being the kind aunt who reads stories, I entered the library.

“Oh.”

As if recognizing my presence, the lamps lit up brightly.

“It’s not just an ordinary magical lamp, huh?”

The Rudion estate was said to be filled with enchantments, and it truly seemed remarkable.

I inwardly praised the diligent steward who had promptly installed the magic stones in the library upon my request, then began exploring the space slowly.

Suddenly, I noticed a large grandfather clock standing between the shelves, and I paused.

I immediately recalled Anne adjusting the clock to open the secret room.

Although I’d passed by the dressing room several times, I’d been too afraid to touch anything.

“This one should be fine, right? Was it like this?”

I turned the clock’s hands backward three times with my fingers. Then I tapped the bookcase next to it twice.

Of course, nothing happened.

I let out a small laugh and lightly touched the pendulum attached to the clock.

Clunk. Whirrrrr.

“What… what is this?”

Suddenly, an unbelievable sight unfolded before me once again.

The bookshelf, previously packed tightly with books, began moving on its own and opened up, revealing a large entrance leading underground.

‘Wait, am I really discovering a secret space just like this?’

Are all wizards this predictable in their thinking?

The corners of my mouth twitched for a moment as I stood there, stunned by the absurdity.

My heart pounded loudly in my chest.

“Wow, I can’t pass this up!”

The secret space in my own room had long been off-limits to me, something I couldn’t bring myself to enter again.

But now that I had stumbled upon a secret space entirely unrelated to me, it was unthinkable to just leave it be.

‘Could it be that there’s some treasure hidden here by the ancestors of the Duke of Rudion?’

Though it might sound like a far-fetched hope, considering the kind of luck I’ve had with money so far, it didn’t seem entirely impossible.

With my heart pounding in anticipation, I held my breath and began descending the stairs slowly.

Just as when I had entered the library, the lamps installed underground lit up, and the door closed on its own behind me.

‘But there’s no way they placed magic stones here, right?’

Seriously, to the first Duke of Rudion—if you had such technology, why didn’t you install it throughout the entire estate?

If you had, Euclid wouldn’t have had to live such a hard life, struggling without even the convenience of magic stones due to a lack of funds.

Though I was mentally scolding someone who had long since passed away, I quickly realized how impractical it would have been to install lamps like these throughout the manor.

The light they emitted was so soft, like the glow of a tiny candle, that the interior remained dim, only faintly illuminating the staircase below.

Carefully, I descended step by step, my eyes fixed on the narrow view of the steps.

‘I wonder what’s down here.’

Gold or diamonds, perhaps?

Or maybe a treasure whose value couldn’t even be calculated?

Truthfully, ever since I found myself in this body, the chronic anxiety of “not having enough money” that I had once felt had completely disappeared.

Now, all I cared about was meeting Euclid as soon as possible and figuring out how I could make him happy.

But maybe it was because I’d spent yesterday organizing the Duke of Rudion’s financial records and felt such pity for Euclid, who’d lived like a pushover.

For the first time in a while, I was overwhelmed with the desperate hope of striking it rich.

‘It could just be an ordinary secret passageway, though….’

Although calling it “ordinary” seemed a bit strange, it wasn’t unusual for nobles in this world to have escape routes in their homes in case of emergencies like war or rebellion.

Just as I reached the bottom of the stairs, another lamp lit up, revealing a fairly spacious underground area.

In front of me, there were three diverging paths.

“Doesn’t seem like there’d be a treasure chest here.”

It really might just be a secret passageway.

Clicking my tongue in mild disappointment, I let myself harbor a small and honest wish: if possible, I hoped it would lead to Euclid’s study or bedroom.

That’s when it happened. Guided by the faint light, I reached the end of the middle path and saw a small door.

‘But…is it okay to open this?’

I had no idea where it led. What if I suddenly appeared somewhere strange and caused trouble?

My hand hovered over the doorknob, hesitating about whether to open it or not.

Then, I heard it. A voice I recognized from yesterday, faintly drifting through the door.

“So they say blood doesn’t lie. You’re showing your true colors, born from a lowly fraudster’s womb.”

The next words that followed made my grip on the doorknob tighten involuntarily.