IELNDMH - Chapter 75
I Ended Up Living Up Next Door With My Ex-Husband
“Ah, you’re finally here, Your Highness!”
Devon, who was chatting with the guests, spotted me and immediately came running over to me.
Unlike when I saw him in Gray Zone Village, he was wearing a very neat suit.
“Nice to meet you, Chief Devon. No, now...”
I shook his hand and smiled brightly.
“I should call you Director Devon, right?”
A smile spread across his beautifully wrinkled lips.
“This is all thanks to Your Highness. Because you created this precious opportunity for me and the people in my village.”
Devon looked back at the entrance to the Welfare Foundation, which was lined with congratulatory wreaths, and then spoke again.
“All the guests who came to the celebration had nothing but praise for Your Highness. You’re setting up a mixed-race demon welfare foundation in the middle of the North and in such a prosperous building.”
He took a moment to catch his breath as if he was overcome with emotion.
Then he raised his voice even higher and spoke.
“I assure you that this place will definitely become the greatest landmark of this great Western empire where humans and demons coexist.”
I nodded happily and looked up at the Welfare Foundation building again.
A three-story building with a stylish gray roof over red brick walls.
The contract for this building had already been signed a long time ago, and the date for the opening ceremony had been set in advance before leaving for the capital.
So today, a week after returning to the North, the opening ceremony of the 'Mixed Race Demon Welfare Foundation' was being held in a grand manner in the garden of the building.
“Oh my, Your Highness has arrived! I have to say hello to everyone!”
The faces of the Gray Zone villagers brightened as they heard Jacqueline's loud voice.
“Your Highness, you are here!”
“How can we convey our gratitude...I didn’t know you were this serious about the Half-Blood Demon Welfare Foundation.”
"That's right! Hehe, we were really impressed, Your Highness....”
Gray Zone villagers, and people who use the Mansion of Light and Darkness.
All of them, no matter who was first, expressed their gratitude.
'As expected, it was rewarding to use all my assets to establish a foundation.'
Mina looked at them with an expression as proud as me, then suddenly raised her finger and pointed to a corner of the garden.
“His Highness, over here. Local nobles are already here.”
When I looked where Mina was pointing, I saw some familiar faces from Count Dmitry's family banquet and the imperial banquet.
I slowly approached them and made eye contact with each and every one of them.
'I sent an invitation out of courtesy, but there's no way Camilla and Lobelia could come here.'
Henry Bart was their biggest contact point.
Didn’t he disappear from this world in an instant?
As I was thinking about that, I suddenly frowned.
'But even if Lobelia was like that, Camilla must have been showing her courage to worry about her husband, so why didn't she come?'
At that moment, someone's shadow appeared at my feet.
“Ah, Lord Dmitry.”
It was Camilla's husband, Count Dmitry.
He gently touched my glass of champagne and smiled gently.
“Congratulations on opening the foundation, Your Highness.”
“Thank you for coming to this place.”
Even though I smiled in response, my attention was entirely focused on the seat next to him.
Count Dmitry's smile became slightly awkward as he realized the meaning of my gaze.
“I’m so sorry, Lord Dmitry.”
Bitterness appeared on his face as he nodded slowly.
"At last... Have you broken up?”
Count Dmitry shook his head politely.
“Once the document with Camilla’s signature is returned from the capital, we will then visit His Majesty and the Pope and begin formal divorce proceedings.”
“The capital? Didn’t you return to the North together?”
“Yes, I did...”
The Count's sigh that followed was long.
“Until a few days later, Camilla was taken back by the capital police.”
Meanwhile, at the same time, inside the investigation room at the Metropolitan Police Agency.
Bang, bang!
“Oh, how many times can I tell you! I didn’t kill him!”
Camilla's voice echoed throughout the interrogation room along with the sound of a table being hit hard.
She had been in prison for several days already, and her appearance was so tired that it was difficult to say that she was that of a noblewoman.
The police officer in charge was also tired.
He rubbed his eyelids a couple of times and let out a long sigh.
“Madam Dmitry, why do you think you were brought here instead of to your region in the North?”
“What nonsense are you talking about again?”
Bang, bang!
This time the police hit the table harshly.
“Madam, stop talking nonsense and come to your senses! This is a murder case that His Majesty the Emperor is watching!”
Camilla's golden eyes twinkled widely.
“You already know that it has been revealed that you and Henry Bart had an affair. We know that the two of you were entangled with money due to the futures trading of demonic materials and that in the end, Camilla, you alone took on the entire debt.”
“...!”
“Is there a more plausible motive for the murder than this?”
Anger flashed across the police officer’s eyes.
“It would be better for you to confess the truth now, Madame Dmitry.”
The tip of Camilla's chin trembled as she rolled her eyes here and there.
"...Nonsense. Well, then what about Lobelia? If we put it that way, Lobelia also had a motive for murder! Maybe she found out about our relationship and wanted to kill Henry! That’s right, around that time, Henry also said that that girl had somehow become cold!”
The police officer nervously closed the folder.
“We have already captured Countess Bart.”
“Lobelia too... ?”
"Is it so. We're sure she had a motive, but we're looking at you as the more likely suspect. The two are not only involved in a simple affair but also in a huge financial issue.”
The police officer who was examining the report again glanced at Camilla's face.
'Don’t you feel sorry for the headquarters person? Shameless to the end...'
Unlike when I saw him in Gray Zone Village, he was wearing a very neat suit.
“Nice to meet you, Chief Devon. No, now...”
I shook his hand and smiled brightly.
“I should call you Director Devon, right?”
A smile spread across his beautifully wrinkled lips.
“This is all thanks to Your Highness. Because you created this precious opportunity for me and the people in my village.”
Devon looked back at the entrance to the Welfare Foundation, which was lined with congratulatory wreaths, and then spoke again.
“All the guests who came to the celebration had nothing but praise for Your Highness. You’re setting up a mixed-race demon welfare foundation in the middle of the North and in such a prosperous building.”
He took a moment to catch his breath as if he was overcome with emotion.
Then he raised his voice even higher and spoke.
“I assure you that this place will definitely become the greatest landmark of this great Western empire where humans and demons coexist.”
I nodded happily and looked up at the Welfare Foundation building again.
A three-story building with a stylish gray roof over red brick walls.
The contract for this building had already been signed a long time ago, and the date for the opening ceremony had been set in advance before leaving for the capital.
So today, a week after returning to the North, the opening ceremony of the 'Mixed Race Demon Welfare Foundation' was being held in a grand manner in the garden of the building.
“Oh my, Your Highness has arrived! I have to say hello to everyone!”
The faces of the Gray Zone villagers brightened as they heard Jacqueline's loud voice.
“Your Highness, you are here!”
“How can we convey our gratitude...I didn’t know you were this serious about the Half-Blood Demon Welfare Foundation.”
"That's right! Hehe, we were really impressed, Your Highness....”
Gray Zone villagers, and people who use the Mansion of Light and Darkness.
All of them, no matter who was first, expressed their gratitude.
'As expected, it was rewarding to use all my assets to establish a foundation.'
Mina looked at them with an expression as proud as me, then suddenly raised her finger and pointed to a corner of the garden.
“His Highness, over here. Local nobles are already here.”
When I looked where Mina was pointing, I saw some familiar faces from Count Dmitry's family banquet and the imperial banquet.
I slowly approached them and made eye contact with each and every one of them.
'I sent an invitation out of courtesy, but there's no way Camilla and Lobelia could come here.'
Henry Bart was their biggest contact point.
Didn’t he disappear from this world in an instant?
As I was thinking about that, I suddenly frowned.
'But even if Lobelia was like that, Camilla must have been showing her courage to worry about her husband, so why didn't she come?'
At that moment, someone's shadow appeared at my feet.
“Ah, Lord Dmitry.”
It was Camilla's husband, Count Dmitry.
He gently touched my glass of champagne and smiled gently.
“Congratulations on opening the foundation, Your Highness.”
“Thank you for coming to this place.”
Even though I smiled in response, my attention was entirely focused on the seat next to him.
Count Dmitry's smile became slightly awkward as he realized the meaning of my gaze.
“I’m so sorry, Lord Dmitry.”
Bitterness appeared on his face as he nodded slowly.
"At last... Have you broken up?”
Count Dmitry shook his head politely.
“Once the document with Camilla’s signature is returned from the capital, we will then visit His Majesty and the Pope and begin formal divorce proceedings.”
“The capital? Didn’t you return to the North together?”
“Yes, I did...”
The Count's sigh that followed was long.
“Until a few days later, Camilla was taken back by the capital police.”
***
Meanwhile, at the same time, inside the investigation room at the Metropolitan Police Agency.
Bang, bang!
“Oh, how many times can I tell you! I didn’t kill him!”
Camilla's voice echoed throughout the interrogation room along with the sound of a table being hit hard.
She had been in prison for several days already, and her appearance was so tired that it was difficult to say that she was that of a noblewoman.
The police officer in charge was also tired.
He rubbed his eyelids a couple of times and let out a long sigh.
“Madam Dmitry, why do you think you were brought here instead of to your region in the North?”
“What nonsense are you talking about again?”
Bang, bang!
This time the police hit the table harshly.
“Madam, stop talking nonsense and come to your senses! This is a murder case that His Majesty the Emperor is watching!”
Camilla's golden eyes twinkled widely.
“You already know that it has been revealed that you and Henry Bart had an affair. We know that the two of you were entangled with money due to the futures trading of demonic materials and that in the end, Camilla, you alone took on the entire debt.”
“...!”
“Is there a more plausible motive for the murder than this?”
Anger flashed across the police officer’s eyes.
“It would be better for you to confess the truth now, Madame Dmitry.”
The tip of Camilla's chin trembled as she rolled her eyes here and there.
"...Nonsense. Well, then what about Lobelia? If we put it that way, Lobelia also had a motive for murder! Maybe she found out about our relationship and wanted to kill Henry! That’s right, around that time, Henry also said that that girl had somehow become cold!”
The police officer nervously closed the folder.
“We have already captured Countess Bart.”
“Lobelia too... ?”
"Is it so. We're sure she had a motive, but we're looking at you as the more likely suspect. The two are not only involved in a simple affair but also in a huge financial issue.”
The police officer who was examining the report again glanced at Camilla's face.
'Don’t you feel sorry for the headquarters person? Shameless to the end...'
He murmured as if for her to hear.
But for some reason, Camilla's face became brighter.
“That’s right, alibi! Ooh, we have each other's alibis. To Lobelia and to me! We were together when Henry died!”
Just then, the door to the interrogation room opened and a low-level police officer came in.
He whispered something into the ear of the police officer sitting in front of Camilla.
“...What? So what is the possibility that they planned the incident together? Ha... So, there is no record of the two women having any recent contact with each other.”
While the two police officers were whispering to each other, they glanced at Camilla.
“What are you saying? Am I right? Lobelia was with me at that time too, right?”
Even if Lobelia is mad at him for having an affair with Henry, she has no choice but to say so.
At that time, the only person who could prove her alibi was Lobelia, and the only person who could prove Lobelia's alibi was herself.
That day.
Camilla had lured Lobelia and was heading to the top floor of the banqueting building.
Just one more floor, just one more floor.
So when they finally reach the end, she will gently push this bitch who has been bothering her all her life like a mosquito on a sticky summer day, down the railing.
That was when they reached the final staircase leading to the top floor.
'Camilla, how do you know Henry is up there?'
Lobelia, who asked that question, did not move as if a nail had been stuck in place despite her own urging.
It was as if she had followed him up all this time to ask her that question.
Soon, Lobelia's eyes became uncharacteristically harsh.
'I actually knew what kind of relationship you and Henry had.'
'That is... What do you mean, Lobelia?'
'You two are having an affair.'
'...Affair?'
It felt like Camilla had been hit hard in the back of the head.
Next, she became uncontrollably angry that her relationship with Henry was defined as an ‘affair’ by Lobelia, not anyone else.
‘Hey, you crazy girl, what are you saying? What on earth is this?'
The Malbon bird that I had kept well hidden while pretending to be an elegant Countess suddenly burst out reflexively.
It was something she learned while hanging out with children in the village, who had nothing to learn but were witty in their own way when she was the daughter of a mere Baron.
Naturally, Camilla remembered those times.
Those kids laughing together.
They are all probably living in a prostitute's house in that village now.
Suffering from syphilis brought on by fat priests and tuberculosis brought on by incompetent poets.
If things continue like this, she might end up falling into that kind of life.
When that thought occurred to her, Camilla suddenly came to her senses.
Yes, it doesn't necessarily have to be the top.
She wanted to push Lobelia to death right away.
'...What are you doing now, Camilla? Let go of this!’
So, she grabbed Lobelia’s front handle and pushed her up to the railing without hesitation.
There were no other thoughts at all.
All she had was the thought of killing the Lobelia in front of her.
‘Please die, please die! If only you were gone, I could live happily without any obstacles!'
As Lobelia's body was placed on the railing and the struggle continued, straw fell from above her.
Suddenly, as soon as Camilla raised her head, what she saw was the sight of something falling.
She found out later that it was Henry's body.
Camilla, recalling that scene, furrowed her brows and let out a long breath.
'If only I had succeeded back then... You could have been with Lobelia, whom you love so much, by now. Aren't you sad, Henry?'
...Oh. Henry, he can't hear anymore, can he?
It was that time when she curled her lips and held back her laughter.
Crash.
It was the sound of the handcuffs that had been restraining her wrists for several days being released.
“As for the fact that you threatened Mrs. Bart, she doesn’t want to be punished.”
There was deep regret in the police officer's voice.
“You can go now. Not only has the alibi of the two of you been confirmed, but there is no evidence that you're are accomplices, so we cannot hold you any longer.”
Camilla leisurely left the interrogation room that way.
When she finally stepped outside the front door of the police headquarters, she was greeted by the brilliant sunlight she had not seen in days.
"Ha..."
Camilla frowned and raised her hand as a parasol over her forehead.
The moment she finally got used to the sunlight, she slowly opened her eyes again and thought.
Even if she returned to the North anyway, the only thing waiting for her was her husband, who was in deep debt because of her.
There was no reason for her to return to that poor man.
'I heard divorce papers arrived at my dorm, so I'll have to sign and send them right away and then go somewhere else for a while to avoid debt collectors.'
Of course, there was one thing left for her to do before she could take refuge.
Before Lobelia can get her hands on the Bart family property that Henry had secretly stolen, she takes it herself and runs away.
If she had that money, getting her old place back was nothing.
Morality is just a boring story from a book, and humans are ultimately instinctively drawn to wealth, power, and beauty.
'It's you, Lobell, not me, living a life like a gutter without a husband or property.'
Her revenge on her lifelong rival, Lobelia, was also satisfying at this point.
Kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk...
Camilla lowered her head for a moment and burst out laughing.
Then, for a moment, she seemed to remember something and raised her head, wiping away the tears from her eyes.
“Ah, right... There’s only one person left.”
The corners of Camilla's swollen lips curled up.
“Rebecca Twins.”
But for some reason, Camilla's face became brighter.
“That’s right, alibi! Ooh, we have each other's alibis. To Lobelia and to me! We were together when Henry died!”
Just then, the door to the interrogation room opened and a low-level police officer came in.
He whispered something into the ear of the police officer sitting in front of Camilla.
“...What? So what is the possibility that they planned the incident together? Ha... So, there is no record of the two women having any recent contact with each other.”
While the two police officers were whispering to each other, they glanced at Camilla.
“What are you saying? Am I right? Lobelia was with me at that time too, right?”
Even if Lobelia is mad at him for having an affair with Henry, she has no choice but to say so.
At that time, the only person who could prove her alibi was Lobelia, and the only person who could prove Lobelia's alibi was herself.
That day.
Camilla had lured Lobelia and was heading to the top floor of the banqueting building.
Just one more floor, just one more floor.
So when they finally reach the end, she will gently push this bitch who has been bothering her all her life like a mosquito on a sticky summer day, down the railing.
That was when they reached the final staircase leading to the top floor.
'Camilla, how do you know Henry is up there?'
Lobelia, who asked that question, did not move as if a nail had been stuck in place despite her own urging.
It was as if she had followed him up all this time to ask her that question.
Soon, Lobelia's eyes became uncharacteristically harsh.
'I actually knew what kind of relationship you and Henry had.'
'That is... What do you mean, Lobelia?'
'You two are having an affair.'
'...Affair?'
It felt like Camilla had been hit hard in the back of the head.
Next, she became uncontrollably angry that her relationship with Henry was defined as an ‘affair’ by Lobelia, not anyone else.
‘Hey, you crazy girl, what are you saying? What on earth is this?'
The Malbon bird that I had kept well hidden while pretending to be an elegant Countess suddenly burst out reflexively.
It was something she learned while hanging out with children in the village, who had nothing to learn but were witty in their own way when she was the daughter of a mere Baron.
Naturally, Camilla remembered those times.
Those kids laughing together.
They are all probably living in a prostitute's house in that village now.
Suffering from syphilis brought on by fat priests and tuberculosis brought on by incompetent poets.
If things continue like this, she might end up falling into that kind of life.
When that thought occurred to her, Camilla suddenly came to her senses.
Yes, it doesn't necessarily have to be the top.
She wanted to push Lobelia to death right away.
'...What are you doing now, Camilla? Let go of this!’
So, she grabbed Lobelia’s front handle and pushed her up to the railing without hesitation.
There were no other thoughts at all.
All she had was the thought of killing the Lobelia in front of her.
‘Please die, please die! If only you were gone, I could live happily without any obstacles!'
As Lobelia's body was placed on the railing and the struggle continued, straw fell from above her.
Suddenly, as soon as Camilla raised her head, what she saw was the sight of something falling.
She found out later that it was Henry's body.
Camilla, recalling that scene, furrowed her brows and let out a long breath.
'If only I had succeeded back then... You could have been with Lobelia, whom you love so much, by now. Aren't you sad, Henry?'
...Oh. Henry, he can't hear anymore, can he?
It was that time when she curled her lips and held back her laughter.
Crash.
It was the sound of the handcuffs that had been restraining her wrists for several days being released.
“As for the fact that you threatened Mrs. Bart, she doesn’t want to be punished.”
There was deep regret in the police officer's voice.
“You can go now. Not only has the alibi of the two of you been confirmed, but there is no evidence that you're are accomplices, so we cannot hold you any longer.”
Camilla leisurely left the interrogation room that way.
When she finally stepped outside the front door of the police headquarters, she was greeted by the brilliant sunlight she had not seen in days.
"Ha..."
Camilla frowned and raised her hand as a parasol over her forehead.
The moment she finally got used to the sunlight, she slowly opened her eyes again and thought.
Even if she returned to the North anyway, the only thing waiting for her was her husband, who was in deep debt because of her.
There was no reason for her to return to that poor man.
'I heard divorce papers arrived at my dorm, so I'll have to sign and send them right away and then go somewhere else for a while to avoid debt collectors.'
Of course, there was one thing left for her to do before she could take refuge.
Before Lobelia can get her hands on the Bart family property that Henry had secretly stolen, she takes it herself and runs away.
If she had that money, getting her old place back was nothing.
Morality is just a boring story from a book, and humans are ultimately instinctively drawn to wealth, power, and beauty.
'It's you, Lobell, not me, living a life like a gutter without a husband or property.'
Her revenge on her lifelong rival, Lobelia, was also satisfying at this point.
Kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk...
Camilla lowered her head for a moment and burst out laughing.
Then, for a moment, she seemed to remember something and raised her head, wiping away the tears from her eyes.
“Ah, right... There’s only one person left.”
The corners of Camilla's swollen lips curled up.
“Rebecca Twins.”
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