Amaia’s promise to help Carmen was truly genuine.
She even suggested a shocking solution that Carmen would never have dared to imagine.
“Kill Viscount Ida and his son, then take over his lordship.”
“...”
“If you do that, in a few years, you might even be able to marry Peter officially.”
Carmen, who had assumed Amaia’s help would only go as far as turning a blind eye to her relationship with Peter, was stunned.
“Why would you go to such lengths to help me?”
“My superior has certain... interests that they’ve entrusted to Viscount Ida. I was sent here to ensure things were progressing smoothly.”
“Then shouldn’t you be dealing with me instead of Ida?”
“The focus isn’t on the person, but on the land. Anyone can take the manager’s place,” Amaia explained, her tone patient despite Carmen’s anxious interruptions.
As she watched Carmen’s uneasy expression, Amaia tried to reassure her.
“Just continue the work Ida was handling, and my superiors won’t dig too deeply into this matter.”
“...And who exactly are these superiors?”
“If the plan succeeds, you’ll find out, madam.”
“So you’re telling me I’ll become the lord and serve someone I don’t even know?”
“I’m not doing this out of charity,” Amaia replied sharply, leaving Carmen unable to argue.
It was a plot to kill a lord and his child and seize power.
If Amaia wanted something in return, Carmen had no choice but to comply.
Carmen swallowed slowly and nodded.
After their secret pact, Amaia gave Carmen her first instruction.
“From now on, become the most respectable lady anyone could imagine, so no one will suspect you, no matter what happens.”
Following her advice, Carmen became the most obedient wife anyone had ever seen.
She pretended to struggle with her distant relationship with her stepson and made a show of frugality, as if she had no interest in the viscount’s wealth.
Wearing drab, unremarkable clothes that didn’t suit her, she went about her days, allowing people to see her as nothing more than a woman of no consequence.
A quiet woman, unable to draw attention — especially a married one — was the last person people would notice.
And so, Carmen faded from everyone’s sight, biding her time as she waited for the day of reckoning.
Viscount Ida thought of her as a dim-witted woman, and his son Dieter regarded her warily, even as he willingly smoked the drugs Peter provided him.
Up until now, nothing had raised any suspicion.
Or so she thought...
Carmen frowned as she looked down at the paper in her hand.
Someone had slipped it secretly between her vanity mirror.
It was a note with no sender, containing a single message: “I’ll come soon, so wait without acting recklessly.”
There was also a warning to erase any issues before that time.
Carmen quickly burned the note over a candle flame, mentally going over anyone who might dare speak to her so disrespectfully.
“Count Setabara has discovered my situation. It seems we’ll need to accelerate the plan.”
At that, a slight, unreadable expression crossed Amaia’s face.
According to their original plan, the execution was set for this winter.
During the heavy snowfall, when the ground would freeze and make movement difficult, it would also keep Setabara pinned down, allowing them to handle any aftermath to their advantage.
But if Count Setabara truly intended to visit Ida’s territory as he warned, that chance could vanish altogether.
Most likely, instead of supporting Carmen’s claim to kill Viscount Ida and take his place as lord, Count Setabara would kill Peter first—it was the simpler solution.
And as for Amaia?
Carmen understood that their plan wasn’t progressing as smoothly as it once had.
If Amaia decided to withdraw her support, Carmen didn’t have any way to stop her.
In fact, Amaia seemed hesitant, as though the mounting problems had given her reason to pause.
“When are the Duke and Duchess scheduled to visit next?”
Rather than begging for Amaia’s help, Carmen asked as though she fully expected her compliance, confident that she’d act in line with Carmen’s will—as if, by acting certain, she could make it a reality, just as someone once told her.
“Five days from now.”
After a long silence, Amaia finally responded, her tone respectful.
Carmen quietly exhaled a breath of relief, letting her eyes close.
“That morning would be best.”
With that declaration, Carmen absently brushed a lace glove over her hand, a familiar gesture. She longed to be free, truly free, at last.
***
“You’ll be late again today, I suppose.”
“Well, I never did it in my life before. I think I’m allowed to indulge a bit now, early in our marriage.”
“That may be true, but...”
“We didn’t even have a proper honeymoon, so I think I’m entitled to a little laziness.”
Convinced by his rational reasoning, Iona let go of Leroy, whom she had been trying to push away.
In response, Leroy climbed over her once more, as if he’d only been waiting for her surrender.
Against the backlight shining behind his head, Iona found herself squinting slightly.
Despite having always risen before dawn for her morning exercises, she’d recently been lingering in bed well into the morning.
‘Not that I’m skipping exercise entirely...’
The problem, if there was one, was that her “exercises” now took a slightly different form than before.
--- End Of The Chapter ----
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