Episode 5: She Is Not My Daughter-in -Law, But My Successor
Thump.
Three thick leather ledgers and a bundle of parchment densely filled with complex formulas were placed on the finest mahogany table. Liliana, who had been shedding tears just moments before at her mother-in-law's affectionate comfort, widened her eyes in surprise.
"M-Madam. Aren't these... the estate's tax ledgers and the merchant guild's settlement reports?"
"Yes. These are the real ledgers recording the cash flow of the Castillo Estate for this quarter."
Eleanor picked up a fountain pen from the silver tray and placed it in Liliana's small hand.
"Would you like to take a look? My foolish husband and son complain of headaches and run away just at the sight of numbers. But I think you, with your help, would quickly find the 'interesting loopholes' hidden inside."
"I-I dare to... the Duke's precious ledgers."
Liliana was startled and tried to pull her hand away. The financial ledgers of each family were top-secret documents that could only be viewed by the mistress of the house or the head of the household. Entrusting such immense authority to a prospective daughter-in-law who hadn't even formally married yet, and from a fallen family at that, was unthinkable by the standards of high society. However, Eleanor grasped Liliana's hand and shook her head firmly.
"The true owner of Castillo has given permission. So do not be afraid, and show me what you know."
Eleanor's red eyes held a deep trust devoid of a shred of doubt. At that weighty trust, Liliana's heart began to pound. Receiving complete expectation and acknowledgment instead of the contempt and mockery that had been poured out upon her her entire life was an overwhelming emotion she had never experienced before.
Swallowing hard, Liliana carefully grasped her fountain pen and opened the ledger. And the moment she scanned the first page, the rows and columns were densely packed with numbers. Liliana's gaze shifted from the fear of a small animal to the sharp intensity of a seasoned hunter spotting prey.
Scratch, scratch, scratch.
Only the sound of a pen nib sweeping across paper echoed through the quiet drawing room. Liliana's eyes scanned the parchment at a terrifying speed. Her lips twitched slightly as she processed complex mental calculations in an instant.
"Madam. Here... there is something strange in the report on the iron ore mining volume in the western part of the estate."
Just five minutes. Liliana pointed to a spot in the ledger and spoke.
"50,000 gold is allocated for mining equipment maintenance, but when applying the average wear rate over the past three years and the current market labor costs in the West, this amount is abnormally inflated. At least 30,000 gold has leaked out somewhere, disguised as wages for 'ghost workers'."
Her fingers did not stop as she turned to the next ledger.
"Also, the settlement statement for the merchants of First Avenue in the capital. Import duties on spices have been double-charged. Someone has cleverly falsified the fiscal year and siphoned off the difference of 20,000 gold as a slush fund."
It was accurate. It was a perfect insight, without a single word out of place. Leaning back in the chair, Eleanor gazed at Liliana as if looking at a flawless gem. How much genius mathematical ability and economic sense filled that slender head. And how miserably that immense talent had been rotting away, suppressed by her incompetent father and a patriarchal society.
Eleanor's gaze rested on the pale pink crown of Liliana's head as she focused on the ledger. At that moment, painful memories from before her regression flashed through Eleanor's mind like a slideshow.
'If you want to become the mistress of Castillo, wipe your tears first. This position is not so leisurely as to be hurt by the trivialities of your husband's infidelity.'
Before her regression, Eleanor was a terribly strict and cold mother-in-law to Liliana. Even when Liliana shed tears watching her son run to his mistress's arms every night, Eleanor delivered a stern reprimand instead of comfort. This was because Eleanor, having worn herself to the bone to support the family, did not even have the psychological capacity to embrace her daughter-in-law affectionately.
Eleanor believed that the best she could do was to whip this tender and kind child into strength so that she would not be devoured by the wolf-like aristocratic society. That is why, when Vivian put an aphrodisiac in Liliana's teacup, Eleanor roughly smashed the cup on the floor and shouted.
"Are you blind! You fool who doesn't even realize the scent of the tea entering your mouth has changed! Get this out of here immediately!"
She turned away, reprimanding the trembling Liliana, but in truth, it was Eleanor's own rough and desperate shield to thwart a poisoning attempt aimed at her daughter-in-law's life. Eleanor was the only one who stood as her daughter-in-law's defensive wall, striking down the venomous schemes of Vivian, who had grown arrogant under the protection of her husband and son, and secretly silencing the maids.
Liliana was not a fool. The sincerity of her mother-in-law, who, despite intimidating her, had clumsily become her shield whenever the most fatal danger approached. The only mentor who had tried to teach her to be not merely 'Claude's wife,' but "the mistress of Castillo.'
That loyalty was perfectly proven later when the ruin of imperial embezzlement struck the Castillo family. It was that desperate night when imperial investigators surrounded the Duke's mansion and conducted a search and seizure.
Valdemar, the trashy husband who had embezzled millions of gold through secret gambling and extravagance, and his son Claude committed horrific acts in a desperate struggle to survive.
"This is all the doing of that lowly daughter-in-law! She manipulated the merchant guild's ledgers and siphoned off the Imperial treasury!"
Taking advantage of Liliana's weakness, who could not afford to displease the Duke's estate due to her family's debts, they pinned all the crimes of embezzlement and double-entry bookkeeping on the young daughter-in-law, who had barely passed the age of twenty. At the scene of that hideous depravity, as Liliana was paralyzed with terror and unable to even breathe, Eleanor stood in her way. Extending her two hands toward the Imperial investigators, she declared in a voice as cold as frost.
"I, Eleanor Castillo, hold all the ledgers and the keys to the vault of this family. This young daughter-in-law knows nothing."
"..."
"I orchestrated all the embezzlement and manipulation, so bind me."
That was Eleanor's end. The path leading to the guillotine, embracing the sins of the husband and son that had gnawed away at her life.
At the end of that path, Liliana ran barefoot, wading through the spears and blades. To save her true mother, the only one who had ever stood as her shield.
"Mother! No, Mother!! Get out of the way! My mother is innocent!"
Liliana's desperate tears of blood echoed through the execution grounds. It was the result of a terrible and tearful bond shared by the two women, a bond unknown to anyone.
***
"Madam? Madam Eleanor?"
At Liliana's cautious call, Eleanor emerged from her deep thoughts. A faint moisture had already welled up in Eleanor's red eyes.
"I have untied everything, Madam."
"..."
"In addition to the errors she has pointed out, to trace the whereabouts of funds hidden further inside, it seems we will need to cross-reference them with the past five years' worth of Imperial supply ledgers. "
Liliana put down her fountain pen and reported confidently.
The timid young lady who had burst into tears just moments ago was nowhere to be seen; instead, the brilliant sharpness of a genius merchant shone brilliantly in her light green eyes. Watching this dazzling growth, Eleanor felt a burning sensation welling up from deep within her chest.
In her previous life, she foolishly suppressed this child of immense talent, forcing her to live merely in the shadow of her incompetent son. Under the pretext of raising her to be strong, she inflicted countless wounds on her heart.
But this life is different. She will be her perfect helper and her greatest backer. She will tear those parasitic men apart and lay down all remaining glory at her feet.
Eleanor rose from her seat and firmly wrapped her arms around Liliana's shoulders.
"Liliana."
"Yes, yes, Madam. Is there something I did wrong...?"
"No. You were perfect."
"..."
"No, it was genius, far exceeding my expectations."
At Eleanor's effusive praise, Liliana's face flushed bright red. Her heart felt like it would burst.
"These damn holes in the ledger are all traces of my husband and son eating away at the family's flesh to buy jewelry for entertainment, gambling, and their vulgar mistresses."
Liliana flinched at the blatant truth that came from Eleanor's lips.
"If things continue like this, Castillo will go bankrupt within a few years, and those pieces of trash will undoubtedly try to pin the blame on someone powerless. Someone like a daughter-in-law, who was sold into debt and has no strength whatsoever."
A chilling shiver ran down Liliana's spine. Her mother-in-law's words were a terrifyingly realistic and horrific insight.
"Liliana."
"..."
"I did not bring you into this mansion just to clean up after my foolish son."
Eleanor took off the red ruby ring from her finger, the symbol of being the mistress of the Castillo family. Then, slowly and firmly, she slipped the ring onto Liliana's slender, white finger.
"M-Madam! Th-Isn't this the symbol of the mistress! How dare I...!"
"Forget the empty title of the Young Duke's wife. You can kick that piece of junk away."
Eleanor's eyes burned more intensely and alluringly than ever before.
"From now on, I intend to groom you to be my top disciple and the head of the Castillo Merchant Guild. And on the day this entire revenge comes to an end, I will make you the next Duchess of Castillo."
"A-A Duchess?"
Liliana's lips trembled. There had never been a single precedent in the history of the Empire where a daughter-in-law inherited the ducal title.
"I see."
"What does it matter if we are not related by blood? To me, my only true family is you, who recognizes my worth and will carry on my legacy."
Eleanor tightly clasped Liliana's hands.
"Your genius mind, combined with my overwhelming mana and capital. When these two combine, no man in the Empire will dare look down on us. How about it? Will you become my hound and devour this Castillo?"
It was an offer that felt like the sweet whisper of a devil, yet the dazzling touch of a savior. The thin veil of fear lifted completely from Liliana's eyes. In its place, a blind flame of devotion toward the liege who had acknowledged her began to burn.
She rose from her seat and knelt on one knee at Eleanor's feet. It was the most elegant and reverent posture, as if a knight were swearing allegiance to his lord.
"I will be your sword and shield, Madam. I will dedicate all my talents..."
"..."
"I will sculpt this Castillo perfectly for you, Madam."
It was a thrilling and beautiful night in which the perfect bond between two women was formed.
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