Chapter 418 - I Thought You Were a Puppet

When the marriage between the Grand Duchess of Lariesa and the Kingdom of Gallico was in progress, the Kingdom of Gallico even sent a delegation to meddle in every word of the marriage alliance contract and every single attendant.

However, Manchique's descendants were not opponents that could be treated like that.

Although Marquis Sinadenos was a ruler qualified to intermarry with the monarch, the land he ruled was a small marquisate on the outskirts of the Central Continent.

A barren, backward, and pagan land. In every way, it was not a country that could form a relationship with the Etruscan kingdom, which was located in the central and southern parts of the continent and had built up a long history and tradition.

The reason this country is even being mentioned as an opponent now is because interest in the Latgalin region is at an all-time high due to the last Holy War, and because the deceased Marchioness's family suffered a misfortune, they gained a windfall that was not originally theirs, and because of this, they came into the sights of Leo III, who was blinded by his desire to form a personal union. That was all.

When Sir Delpiano thought of all this, his irritation tripled. He snapped at the officer.

“Then write ‘principessa,’ (to be made a Princess) and if that doesn't work, tell him not to marry you!”

Here, the term 'principessa' was not only given to the Prince's wife, but also to the spouse of the heir to the throne in general and to female blood relatives of the royal family with the right to the throne.

Strictly speaking, this is a problematic statement.

The practitioner bit his lip, feeling a surge of desire to ask, 'So, if it is literally true, can I adopt Princess Julia Helena and make her my principality?'

If you ask such a question, you will definitely get hit in the back of the head. There was no time right now, and Manchique had no negotiating power.

'I didn't receive any money from Manchique.'

The worker ran to get a draft of the contract that had been prepared in advance, vowing not to get in trouble with his boss for not knowing what to do.

This is how the passion of practitioners pursuing perfection waned.

The contract he went to get will have its seal and mailed to the Manchique Marquis today, with the addition of a note stating that Princess Julia Helena will be accepted as the 'Princess Consort'.

And the Manchique vassal state will not be able to refuse this.

It was the emergence of a new player.

***

Isabella de Mare, or rather Contarini, who was once a strong candidate for the Crown Princess and the ultimate victor in her previous life, was not even close to the glory of her previous life in this life and was just pettyly harassing her friend.

“Letty... Can I borrow some money?”

“...”

Leticia de Leonati lowered her head, unable to show Isabella that her hard expression was becoming more distorted. Isabella clung to Leticia absentmindedly.

“Hey, Letty...”

Leticia muttered with difficulty.

“...I don’t have money.”

For someone who really doesn't have the means, the words "I have no money" are the hardest to utter.

But Isabella grabbed Leticia's arm and slapped her with a surprising combination of coquetry and indifference.

“Just a little bit will do, yes?”

Isabella had a huge fight with Leticia de Leonati just a few days ago, and today she was here, at the Leonati household, to borrow money.

It wasn't a reconciliation. It was just that Leticia was the kind of person who would do anything Isabella asked for, so it was only natural that she showed up to ask for money.

“It’s not money you’ll spend for a long time.”

Isabella was starting to get annoyed that Leticia wasn't giving in easily. But it wasn't yet time to threaten her.

She pouts her lips cutely and lovingly. It's the most appealing expression to both men and women when trying to persuade someone.

“After I meet Butler Nicolo’s wife, I’ll be able to go home to see my father again, so I’ll ask for some pocket money and pay you back. Yes?”

Leticia's ears perked up. But it wasn't the promise of quick repayment that caught her attention. Isabella missed her due dates too often for that.

“Butler Nicolo’s wife...?”

“Yes, butler Nicolo’s wife!”

This was a topic that was also on Isabella's mind.

“Andrea arranged it.”

Because she could brag about her new man, Isabella began to brag to Leticia about the favors of Count DiPascal.

It was a great act of courage, even though she hadn't even borrowed the money yet.

In fact, it wasn't so much guts as Leticia's confidence that no matter what she did to her, she would get what she wanted.

“I think he's so sweet. He's kind, and he always takes care of what I need...”

Leticia couldn't overcome her desire to tell the truth.

“He has a wife.”

Isabella was immediately offended and snapped.

“So what? Am I cheating on him or something?”

They did kiss, but in Isabella's world, it was just a 'favor'.

“You slept with this guy?”

Besides, Leticia didn't know that Isabella had kissed Count DiPascal. She had no intention of telling her. Isabella pressed Leticia.

“Why do you say things like that?”

Seeing that she didn't immediately hand over her purse when she spoke nicely, it seemed like it was time to start pressuring her. Feeling pressured, Leticia immediately apologized.

“I, I’m sorry...”

“Aren’t you sorry? You should be sorry, I really am!”

Isabella, who was so angry that her face turned red, finally calmed down after talking for a while about the good opportunity that her brother Andrea had arranged for her.

Isabella was also in a difficult situation. There was no one in Clemente's house with whom she could speak openly about Count DiPascal.

It wasn't something she could say to Ottavio. She grabbed Leticia and poured out all the words she wanted to say.

On the other hand, Leticia, who had listened to the whole story, was amazed that the story of her real older brother, Ippolito, was not mentioned even once during the long story about her 'older brother'.

“Anyway, so Butler Nicolo’s wife is coming to our house this afternoon.”

Strictly speaking, it was Clemente's house, but Leticia, who had already been hit once, decided not to point it out.

She had no intention of scratching Isabella, even though she had no income.

She was scared, and Isabella had flipped out earlier, so it was time to start being careful. But she couldn't help but feel curious.

“What are you doing with...?”

“What are you doing? Tell me what's going on in your house, tell me what happened!”

“You finally got in touch with your family. Congratulations.”

Leticia's congratulations were sincere, but they also sounded harsh to Isabella's ears, whose current weakness was her poor relationship with her father.

“Stop whining?”

“When did I ever complain?”

“Oh, do you want to keep annoying me?”

“Uh, I’m sorry.”

Isabella glared at Leticia. This was the second apology, so it was time to say it.

“If you’re sorry, lend me some money.”

Leticia looked at Isabella with shaking pupils. She said kindly.

“25 ducats. It’s not a lot of money.”

Leticia sighed in relief. It was less than she had thought.

But that doesn't mean that, objectively, it wasn't a lot of money.

“That’s a bit difficult...”

“25! I can’t give you another penny.”

Isabella finally got the amount she wanted from Leticia. Leticia carefully asked Isabella while giving her the money she had been saving.

“Why is Butler Nicolo’s wife coming?”

"Well?"

Isabella replied annoyedly. It was a very careless thing to do.

“You can find out if you meet me in my room in two hours, right?”

Two hours later. Isabella's room in the Bartolini household. Leticia thought to herself.

***

After Isabella returned to the Bartolini mansion, Leticia cautiously went up to her room.

“Over there...”

“Shh.”

A tall, somewhat unshaven figure appeared out of the darkness and covered Leticia's mouth with a large hand. Leticia blushed.

But from the man's perspective, it didn't seem like a romantic touch. He growled harshly.

“Be quiet. People can hear you.”

The man who appeared from the darkness was Ippolito de Mare, or rather, Ippolito, whose roots were now unknown.

“Ah, I got it.”

Leticia's voice as she answered was more theatrical than usual, and at the same time, shy and embarrassed.

Leticia whispered in Ippolito's ear with her face flushed red. She was genuinely glad to have an excuse to whisper to Ippolito.

“Isabella is meeting with butler Nicolo’s wife this afternoon.”

Ippolito's eyes changed. He asked.

“What happened?”

"I don't know about that, she's just calling to see how things are going at home, and she said to bring some things from home.... Wouldn't it be nice if her brother could accompany Isabella when she meets that servant?"

It was a reasonable suggestion, but Ippolito groaned.

There were several reasons why he ended up hiding in Leticia's house. The biggest reason was probably Marco at the port.

It was rumored that Marco was furious that the formula for the sauce Ippolito had given him was not perfect.

"Well, is it tasty?"

Although Ippolito made a vague excuse to the person who told him that, it still stung.

This is because the medicine was belatedly put into effect, and the handover of the compounding formula was a mess as it had to be delivered to the warehouse at the dock.

To be exact, it's not just a mess, but one key process has been omitted. The current market-circulating Pawak cigarettes have the same amount of material costs as before, but they are not as addictive.

Anyway, that's why Marco couldn't be walking around the streets in a really angry state right now.

He couldn't go back to the gangsters he used to hang out with, and had to stay in a noble place where they couldn't reach him. For example... the boudoir of a noble lady.

“Stay still.”

He pulled Leticia closer to him, coaxing her. Leticia looked rapt.

Ippolito looked at Leticia with a pitiful expression.

He just wanted to move forward, stepping only on the carpet and not the hardwood floor, so he grabbed Leticia and pulled her onto the carpet.

'What's wrong with this woman?'

But once she gave him the water, Ippolito didn't bother to reveal his feelings.

“I’ll go out for a bit, so wait.”

“Where are you going?”

Leticia had a face that looked like the world was falling apart.

“To Isabella’s house? In that case, I’ll send a servant to Isabella right away...”

“Stop doing useless things!”

Ippolito raised his voice. He didn't know what that stupid woman would do. And now he thought Isabella's house wasn't safe either.

Isabella's house, the Bartolini house, to be precise, was a place he frequented when he was in the midst of his political turmoil.

It would be like his front yard to Marco's goons. He couldn't visit that house openly.

“I’ll go quietly and come back, so just wait quietly.”

Leticia asked earnestly.

“You will come back again, right?”

Ippolito felt a chill down his spine at the thought that he might be addressed as 'lord' there.

He thinks that the red-haired maid acted similarly to this.

He was really annoyed that he only got attracted to ugly girls. No, even if she wasn't pretty, how nice it would be if someone like Bianca from Taranto hung around like this.

But the only women who stuck with him were those of a much lower standard.

Ippolito sighed inwardly, but faithfully paid Leticia for her accommodation.

“When I become successful, I will come and pick you up, so just wait.”

He did what he does best: he tried to show off. Leticia's face turned red again. Ippolito was dumbfounded.

'This... Does it work?'

Ippolito was so excited by the success of his tricks that he made a lot of sweet promises.

“If 8 can get the de Mare family back, you are the Countess of de Mare. Everything Ariadne has is yours!”

Leticia's face flushed again. She was more moved by something else than the fact that the great power of Ariadne de Mare would be hers.

'Countess! Brother Ippolito thinks of me as his wife!'

However, Ippolito's words were empty promises that he could spread without any intention of keeping.

Ippolito was a man ready to run away at any moment when Leticia got sticky.

“I’ll go out and come back.”

Even now, when the atmosphere became too heated, he immediately backed out. But he couldn't lose his show-off attitude.

Ippolito jumped down from the window of Leticia's room on the first floor with a cool breeze.

Thud!

He landed badly on a bush instead of the ground. The small, sharp branches struck his calves, thighs, and groin without fail.

'Ouch!'

But he could tell without even looking up. Leticia was definitely looking at him like a legendary knight.

Ippolito limped through the garden as best he could, without showing any sign of it, on his sore legs.

'Ah, the path of a man!'

***

The carriage carrying Pope Ludovico passed through the streets of San Carlo very slowly, as the horse was driven very carefully so as not to disturb the old Pope.

“Yes, Countess de Mare.”

Pope Louis spoke to Ariadne. There was still some time left before they arrived at the Rambouillet center, which he had requested to inspect.

Ariadne wondered what the Pope was thinking of talking about.

'Donate to the Rambouillet Relief Home?'

Something didn't fit neatly. Then, the Pope opened his mouth again.

“Hahaha, the Countess doesn’t look like a young lady your age. No matter how I look at you, you look like a mature, seasoned woman who has been through many hardships.”

He added lightly.

“Or maybe life is a series.”

At those words, a cold chill ran up her spine and all the way to the back of her neck.

Previous                        Next

Support Novellate!