Chapter 3

She meant to spread this rumor to the social world where she hadn’t even stepped her foot in yet? Did the former Barons’ wives suffer like this?

No, it wouldn’t have been that way. Many of them couldn’t overcome their pride.

This was a cheap trick that Sharchen used because they were commoners. As Sharchen dusted her dress and stood up to leave the room without further ado, Eliana grabbed her wrist.

“What is it? Arghhhh!”

Eliana slapped Sharchen on the cheek. It was the same cheek that Sharchen had slapped herself earlier.

“Now … did you just hit me?”

“You can’t let rumors get the better of you, Sharchen. Lujan, go and tell the people properly. Tell them that the stepmother has appeared. And bring me my food. I’m really hungry.”

Lujan looked at the two of them and quickly left the room. Eliana threw off Sharchen’s arm and headed for the bed, which was cluttered with books.

“Do you think Karman will stay still? I’m going to tell him to kill you!”

“Let’s see. The stepmother who bullied her daughter and died. Then the daughter becomes a Baroness later, a lot of interesting rumors will spread.”

Sharchen’s eyes wavered wildly as Eliana took advantage of the ruse she had created.

“I’ll never let this go.”

“Sharchen.”

“Call me Lady Sharchen! I’m the hostess of this mansion!”

“Sharchen. If you don’t want to call me mother, shut up and leave. Go to Baron Karman and show him your swollen cheeks.”

Sharchen stomped her feet in anger.

“What did you talk about with him in the library? How did you get him to go that far?” (Sharchen)

Eliana swallowed the laugh ‘aha’ and looked at Sharchen. There was a reason she had come here. Eliana smiled gently and continued speaking.

“You’ll have to ask your beloved Baron.”

“….”

“Oh, do you know who the maid in charge of repairs is? My underskirt was ripped. Very roughly, I might add.”

As Eliana lifted the hem of her dress to show her, Sharchen’s face flashed red. Eventually, she left Eliana’s room, closing the door with a bang.

Eliana stared at the door where Sharchen had left. Depending on Karman’s reaction, Sharchen could be a difficult opponent or an easy one. She opened the book and waited for Karman’s visit.

***

“Eliana!”

Eliana’s door flung wide open. She was lying on her bed reading the relations of the nobles of Contino. Eliana covered the book and stood up. She was in her nightgown.

“You came quickly. I thought I’d see you tomorrow morning.”

“Did you dare raise your hand to my Sharchen and think it was safe?”

“You think I hit Sharchen? Your Sharchen?”

“Sharchen came to me, sobbing. Her cheeks are swollen, and your maid has testified. Don’t even think of excusing yourself.”

Karman spoke in a fast tone. He was angry. But Eliana sighed and said with an expression that said, ‘I can’t help it.’

“She slapped herself, and now you’re asking me why I slapped your adopted daughter. I didn’t do anything. My servant ran off to gossip and I was here with Sharchen.”

“And you told her the dirty lies about me too!”

“What happened between me and the Baron? I only asked her if she knew who the maid in charge of repairs was because my underskirt was torn. She was the one who persistently asked me what had happened in the library. I told her to ask the Baron as nothing had happened.”

“I don’t believe anything you say, Eliana. You are nothing but a cunning woman who is trying to make me and Sharchen fall out.”

Eliana looked at him as he was angry like a storm. He was completely blinded by a woman and couldn’t control his reason. The future of this Hunter family, where he was the landlord, was not good. Eliana thought inwardly and continued speaking.

“What can I do if you don’t believe me?  Starting tomorrow, I’ll be known as a vicious stepmother in society. That’s what she wants. Your Sharchen said that.”

“Drop the nonsense that defiles her.”

“Watch. It’ll be as I told you.”

Karman’s eyes wavered for a moment at Eliana’s confident words. He thought she wasn’t an idiot.

“That’s what you deserve for what you’ve done.”

“What have I done? Why would I do such a thing when I am trying to survive here for the maximum length and breadth, filling my back pocket to feed my own poor family? You don’t think I fell in love with you the moment I saw you, do you?”

“Really, you don’t lose a word. You’re driving me crazy!”

Karman stomped his feet in anger. Eliana then lowered her voice and spoke seriously.

“While I was gone, Sharchen was sitting in my room drinking tea. Normally, it wouldn’t be like that. But this girl, my servant, welcomed her with her head bowed before her.”

Karman turned and looked at Eliana.

“I don’t want to be a bad stepmother. I don’t want to confront Sharchen because I am not foolish enough to fight a battle I cannot win. Isn’t she the wife of this house who is already using the Baroness’s room?”

“This is the Baroness’s room.”

“It wasn’t originally.”

Karman’s eyes wavered once more. It was true. Sharchen was so shocked and sickened by the news of Karman’s engagement. Karman had then offered her the Baroness’s room with the promise of eternal love. Saying that she would be the Baroness and everyone in the house must know that.

And all the women who married him didn’t even have a Baroness’s room.

They didn’t know that. They just asked for a divorce, saying their status was lower than Sharchen.

Karman’s eyes narrowed.

“Is that why you went to the library?”

“Huh. …… I can’t even get comfortable in my own room. I didn’t even go out to eat because eyes followed me everywhere I went. And there was no one to give me directions.”

Eliana said in a wistful voice. It was as if she was a very pitiful person. She lowered her eyebrows and sighed.

“If I were to accidentally open your office or Sharchen’s room and enter, there’s no one to help me. So I just learned the way a bit. As I did so, I realized that amazing fact.”

“…Don’t ever see Sharchen again. Don’t even go near Sharchen, and don’t mention her. Otherwise, all you have left is a broken marriage.”

Karman forbade any contact with Sharchen instead of saying he didn’t believe Eliana. Eliana nodded. It was what she wanted it to be.

“But can you do it?” (Eliana)

She chuckled and changed her way of speaking. It was as if she were a person who wore many masks. Karman’s brows narrowed further.

“What do you mean again?”

“…Your fourth divorce.”

“…”

“There will be another stir in the social circles. Why would the perfect Karman Hunter marry such a vicious woman? It is obvious that there is a problem.”

“Shut up!”

“Rumors like this have been circulating, and now the head of the house will be here in person.”

“You really are a witch who I’m sick of.”

“You’re very smart and quick with your calculations. You have scolded me enough, please leave. Please keep Sharchen away from me. I don’t want to see that show again.”

Eliana turned around with a yawn, as if she was tired. Karman let out an exasperated growl.

“I don’t believe you. I believe in Sharchen.”

Eliana thought the words were like Karman’s own brainwashing. He liked to think so. His lover couldn’t be sneaky and jealous.

But the stale past should have made this point clear to him. He had just been ignoring it…

Eliana sat on the bed and continued to talk as she lifted the book again. It seemed that she didn’t care if Karman would leave or not.

“I don’t know when you got that idea. You don’t believe in anyone. You only trust Sharchen.”

“…”

“You didn’t even think it was something that would ruin you.”

Karman turned and approached Eliana. He stood there angrily, his hand headed to the sword he was wearing.

“You’re going to kill me? This house is really messed up. Your adopted daughter came here and hurt herself. Now, my husband is going to kill me.”

“Please, shut your mouth. Do I have to cut off your tongue in order for you to stop talking?”

“Okay. I’ll stop.”

Eliana fell silent. Karman stomped his feet angrily and walked out of the room.

Eliana looked at the slammed door and shook her head. Perhaps if only the existence of Sharchen would disappear, his firearms might return again.

But the existence was too old and solid. Even after all this had shaken him, he still believed in her, unable to acknowledge the fact.

“There is no hope. There is no hope.”

This man was not the one who shed light on her way. Eliana felt that the one to declare the break up should be her, not him.

She had to get out. In this mess of a house. She fixated obsessively on the page that contained one of the many families. It was the family that was Karman’s first target.

It was the one named Helen, the only woman out of all of Karman’s wives that he had not yet approved of. Helen, it was reported, loved Karman with all her heart. She even refused to accept marriage proposals from anyone else.

In fact, after the divorce, there were many proposals, but she didn’t budge an inch. Instead, she hid in her house and never showed up at social gatherings.

Helen Hutt.

Eliana touched the name lightly.