~Chapter 4~
Late in the afternoon.
After I had buried my husband’s coffin at the far end of the family cemetery and returned, the lawyer in charge of executing the will asked to see me.
She was a woman in her early forties with cheerful dark hair and brown eyes.
I led her to my office—the one my late husband used but which I had never seen before.
This world looked somewhat like the 18th century at first glance, but professional women were not hard to find.
This was because most citizens of the Empire followed a monotheistic religion that encouraged women to participate in society.
I, on the other hand, had married into the Marquis family from a strict polytheistic home that emphasized rigid gender roles.
But today, I resolved to become non-religious and invited the lawyer to sit down.
“Please, have a seat, Dolores.”
Dolores adjusted her glasses with a slightly surprised expression.
“You know my name.”
“Of course. We’ve met in the corridor a couple of times, haven’t we?”
Although I said that, the reason I remembered Dolores was different.
Dolores was the person who helped me when Bliss and I were left wandering the streets.
Thanks to her recommendation, I was able to become a governess.
I had wanted to reward Dolores after regaining control of the Marquis estate, but it was already too late.
Dolores died fifteen years later in a carriage accident.
It was a shameful end for a kind-hearted person who had quietly helped single mothers, orphans, and widows for nearly half her life.
I felt a sudden pang of sadness and noticed something odd on Dolores’s face.
“She seems anxious.”
Sure enough, she spoke cautiously.
“I believe there’s been a misunderstanding. I served as the lawyer handling the legal matters of the late Marquis. I have nothing to do with what you experienced.”
I blinked, confused about why Dolores would say that.
Then I realized.
“Dolores must think I’m blaming her!”
I quickly waved my hand.
“Don’t worry, Dolores. I have no hard feelings toward you. In fact, if it weren’t for money, wouldn’t you have preferred to work with the Marquis, who changed his family lawyer over a dozen times? Ah, maybe that was a bit rude. I’m sorry.”
“Ahem, that’s quite all right. After all, it’s well known that the late Marquis used to act violently toward the family lawyer repeatedly.”
I felt so embarrassed I couldn’t even look up properly.
The more this happened, the more I thought that my only way forward was clear.
‘I must succeed! I will show the world that my husband and I are different people!’
When a person succeeds, even their dark past becomes famous.
Just wait. I will make the whole Empire know how terrible the late Marquis Arista really was.
And even more importantly…
‘I need power, not Bliss. I need to be the one with power.’
I clenched my fist.
It had only been one day since I reincarnated, but my resolve was firm.
I had been through so much—from everything life threw at me to even being killed by my own son in a public battle—I knew that only by gaining power could I protect myself and the ones I love.
Proof of this was that before my reincarnation I had given power to Bliss, and the result was disastrous.
I did not just end up with a comfortable retirement; I was poisoned by my son.
Bliss was the type of person who was weak when facing strong people and strong when dealing with weak ones—a typical piece of human trash.
So, to survive, I must seize power myself.
Whether that power comes as money or force, it doesn’t matter.
‘Besides, with power, I’ll be able to raise Bliss properly.’
In any case, even though parenting is exhausting…
But what choice do I have?
I cannot allow myself to be killed by Bliss again.
Moreover, I lack the courage to abandon him somewhere no one would know, and I cannot become someone who abuses my child out of anger.
After all, it is a parent’s duty to take responsibility for and raise their child.
Even if I am not Bliss’s biological mother.
‘So, Bliss, grow up healthy and don’t turn out like a complete failure as in my previous life.’
My goal in this life is to achieve both good parenting and self-realization.
Finally, having gathered my thoughts, I shook the bell placed on the sofa table.
Hearing the bell, Mary, who had been waiting outside, entered the office.
“Ma’am, you called for me?”
“A guest has arrived. Please, get the tea. Dolores, you like herbal tea, don’t you?”
“…Yes.”
“Then, shall we discuss the details when the tea arrives?”
For the first time in a long while, I managed a relaxed smile.
***
The soft aroma of rosemary mingled with the sunset’s glow and spread gently through the office.
Dolores then summarized.
“Therefore, you will inherit four properties from the Marquis Arista: the townhouse, the country house, and a vacation villa, plus three tons of gold bars deposited in the Brewer Bank and 3 billion gold in cash.”
“That’s amazing, even when I hear it again.”
“It seems the late Marquis loved you very much, even if he pretended otherwise, as he left all this fortune to you. In fact, his will does not mention your son, Lord Bliss.”
“Hmph. Love, my foot.”
I snorted, coldly pointing out the fact Dolores was trying to ignore.
“He enjoyed watching Julia fight to have her name on the will. And since he foolishly believed he would never die, he probably thought that the day would never come when I would inherit everything in the Marquis estate.”
I glared at her.
“Furthermore, as you know, Julia tried to put not only her name but also Bliss’s name on the will. That woman probably intended to set me aside and become Bliss’s guardian, so she could control the Marquis estate.”
“…”
“Oh my. I didn’t expect you to notice that. Yes, I am not an idiot or a fool like my late husband’s thinking would have suggested.”
“Excuse me.”
“Don’t worry, Dolores. You must not think I dislike you.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Though her tone was somewhat blunt, I knew deep down that, unlike her appearance, she was a kind person, and that made me smile.
“I’m glad we’ve cleared up any misunderstandings. I’d like to become closer to you, Dolores. How about it? Why don’t you become the full-time lawyer for the Marquis Arista estate?”
“I’m sorry, but I must respectfully decline.”
I didn’t expect her to refuse, and I was so flustered that cold sweat ran down my back.
Trying to act calm, I forced a smile and said.
“Well, I suppose there are a lot of legal matters I’ll have to deal with in the future, right? Especially since the retainers won’t just let me become the Marquis’s representative without a fight.”
Not that it mattered—but those damned retainers didn’t even attend the funeral after Marquis died.
It was yet another example of the disgrace that the late Marquis Arista suffered, even at the temple entrance.
Just then, as I was scratching my cheek in embarrassment, the office clock chimed.
It was exactly 7:00.
“That’s the time an uninvited guest should be arriving.”
I quietly rose from my seat and headed for the door.
A surprised Dolores also got up from the sofa.
“Ma’am, is there something you need to do?” she asked.
“It’s not me—you have something to do. It’s the guest who has come outside,” I replied.
“Pardon?”
Without further explanation, I abruptly opened the door.
As someone who had noticed a man lingering in the corridor from the start, I was not surprised when an angry man shouted,
“Won’t you let go?! I must meet the Marchioness immediately!”
The man, in his early fifties with a scowling face, had been held back by Mary.
Mary kept trying to calm him down.
“Lord, please—for the sake of the mourning Marchioness—stop acting so recklessly!” Mary pleaded.
“Damned insolent bitch!” he shouted.
Boom!
With a dull thud, Mary fell onto the cold corridor floor.
The lord, unable to control his anger, shoved her even though she was less than half his size.
Over Mary’s pitiful, rolling head, he sneered.
“How can a mere maid stand in the way of a nobleman’s path?!”
His cane was raised high into the air, but before it could strike Mary’s head, I intervened.
I grabbed his arm that held the cane and said,
“Stop taking out your anger on an innocent maid. The one who came here is not my maid—it’s me, the Marchioness!”
“Ahem. Since when have you been here?” He grumbled, lowering his cane with a cough while flicking my hand away so forcefully that it made a whooshing sound. His eyes glared spitefully as he said,
“Please excuse me for a moment. But I hope you understand that I have my reasons.”
‘Good grief,’ I thought, frowning at his stern look. Then he pressed on,
“Marchioness Arista! Please repay the money that the late Marquis borrowed from me!”
‘It’s that again.’
But this time, I had not the slightest intention of giving in to his demand. Unlike before, I now know the truth.
When someone dies, scammers show up everywhere.
I remembered a scam a relative on Earth once experienced: a so-called close friend of the deceased appeared at the funeral, demanded the family repay money the deceased had borrowed, and threatened to take legal action if they didn’t.
My silence lasted longer than I expected.
I felt a sharp throb at the back of my head.
When I looked back, I saw Dolores looking at me with sympathy.
I recalled that Dolores had once told me she was hounded by debt collectors after losing her husband. But she did not rush to help me—she knew exactly what she was allowed to do.
After all, even though I was mistreated as the Marchioness, I was still a noble.
A commoner does not interfere in noble matters unless ordered to do so.
Perhaps for that reason, Dolores decided she must leave immediately.
With her usual impassive face, Dolores said, “Then I’ll take my leave now.”
But I couldn’t let her go.
“No. Don’t leave, Dolores.”
“Yes?”
“If you stay by my side for the next hour, I will pay you 100 million gold as my fee.”
“…?!”
