IHDOE Ch 71

His eyes gleamed with despicable pleasure.

Satina understood full well why he presented these options. Though he claimed to offer three choices, only one was viable.

Marrying Grand Duke Bellus was tantamount to crawling into a death trap. He was infamous for his violent hands and promiscuous behavior. Women occasionally approached him, targeting the ducal fortune, only to leave the estate as cold corpses shortly after.

Conversely, surrendering all the businesses and assets she had built meant leaving the mansion penniless. Thus, the sole option she could choose was remaining quietly in the House and living as she had before.

Some might call it a decent option. Satina would remain a ducal daughter of House Bersabet without being forced to marry someone she didn't want. Yet she was thoroughly sick of this family. If possible, she wanted to excise the name Bersabet from her life entirely.

Besides, how could she trust his words? His promise not to force marriage was undoubtedly a lie. As long as she lived as Satina Bersabet, she remained endlessly entangled with him. Once he lured her back in, there was no telling how he would change his stance.

[Satina] "I will surrender all the assets and businesses I've built to the family and leave."

Money could be earned again. Her goal was not to become the wealthiest person on the continent, but to lead a free and peaceful life.

The smile vanished from his face at her unexpected answer.

[Sharlan] "I naturally assumed you would choose the last option, Sister. Weren't you quite attached to those businesses? This is... unexpected. How amusing."

He looked up at her with a chilly expression.

[Sharlan] "I'll give you one more chance, Sister. If you believe your business success was entirely due to your own brilliance, you had better reconsider. You succeeded solely because you are a 'Bersabet'."

He whispered in a gentle tone, as if teaching an ignorant child how dangerous fire could be.

[Sharlan] "Having lived as a noble lady, you may not realize it, but the life of commoners is far more miserable than you think. Without a single maid to serve you, skipping meals is routine. Fresh salads or meat dishes you enjoy would be unthinkable dreams. Washing with warm water daily is a luxury, and you'll have to sleep on straw infested with rats."

[Satina] "Even without such melodrama, I know full well what life outside this mansion entails, Sharlan. You seem to have forgotten that I lived that exact life with my mother until I was ten."

Recalling the distant past, she spoke.

[Satina] "I was evicted for failing to pay rent on a single room, and I filled my stomach with water while starving. So when she remarried, and we entered House Bersabet, it felt like a dream."

Yes, there was a time she had thought so. Wishing to spend her entire life with her new family in this picture-perfect mansion.

[Satina] "Now, however, I would gladly live as I did before, provided I never step foot in this mansion again."

[Sharlan] "Ha, very well. I didn't realize you held such utter revulsion for the family, Sister."

His tone was gentle, yet his words carried razor-sharp venom.

[Sharlan] "Since you desire it so desperately, I shall let you go. It was absurd to begin with. Regardless of Father's acceptance, allowing a fraud like you into House Bersabet... You claimed you could use holy power, but those were all lies to set foot in our family."

[Satina] "Think whatever you like."

[Sharlan] "It will be useless to cling to me in regret later. Everything is as you wished."

---

Events unfolded rapidly after that.

On the day she departed the mansion, Satina left clad in a single worn dress. No one saw her off.

Leaving the estate, she spent what money she had to travel to the eastern region, far from the capital. She wished to avoid any unfortunate entanglement with the Crown Prince or House Bersabet should she remain in the capital.

In the east, she became a governess at a wealthy family's estate.

They favored Satina greatly for her thorough knowledge of capital trends and noble etiquette. The child she taught was a fifteen-year-old boy preparing for academy admission. Though mischievous like most boys his age, he possessed an endearing charm, and the employer couple treated her warmly, making life comfortable.

About two months into the job, things took a strange turn.

[Employer] "I'm sorry, but we must ask you to leave after this month. My husband's business has hit hard times, so hiring a governess is no longer feasible."

At the words of the mistress, who usually cared for her attentively, Satina spoke gently.

[Satina] "May I ask what happened? Perhaps I could be of assistance."

Startled, the mistress shook her head in refusal.

[Employer] "No, no. We couldn't place such a burden on you. On second thought, I will pay your full salary for this month, so ending your work today would be best. You must find another position, after all."

Though worried by the unusual behavior, prying further felt impolite when help was declined. Thus, she left the estate and began searching for another governess position.

Yet it was bizarre.

Just two months prior, finding a governess job posed little difficulty. Wealthy families lacking titles desired nothing more than noble prestige. Though currently severed from Bersabet, Satina—versed in etiquette and seasoned in capital society—fit their ideal tutor profile perfectly. Yet no matter how many inquiries she sent, no employer sought her services.

Strange. Is it because I lack a long tutoring record? Well, it's not as though I must work as a governess.

Dismissing it lightly, Satina rented a room using the money earned from her short stint. Though narrow and poorly lit, her mind felt far more at ease than at House Bersabet.

She then took a proofreading job at a nearby academy. The staff member who assigned her the work marveled at her meticulous and swift hand. Though the pay was modest, she enjoyed the work.

A week later, however, the academy notified her of her dismissal.

[Staff] "I am sorry. Circumstances have arisen, so we can no longer assign work to you, Miss."

Satina was taken aback by the sudden termination.

[Satina] "This is quite sudden. What circumstances...?"

[Staff] "That is an internal academy matter, so I can't disclose details."

With the staff member, who had previously praised her skill, maintaining a cold distance, she could pry no further.

Ultimately, Satina returned home dejected. Yet an elderly man awaited her in front of her house. The landlord she met when renting the room.

[Landlord] "Apologies, but renovations are starting on this building. You must vacate within the week."

[Satina] "Within the week?"

[Landlord] "Ahem, well, that's how things turned out."

Clearing his throat, the landlord hastily retreated.

To face eviction on the very day she lost her job.

Could it be...?

A series of sudden misfortunes without explanation brought one face to her mind: Sharlan.

Yet she shook her head soon after.

No, surely not. I have nothing to do with Bersabet anymore. Why would he do such a thing?

Hadn't she deliberately left the capital for the distant east to remain out of his sight?

Though uneasy, she had no desire to travel to the capital to confront Sharlan. Since she was now entirely disconnected from Bersabet, seeking him out would yield no audience anyway.

Rather than sinking into despair, she resolved to find her next job immediately. The job she secured this time was a cashier at a nearby bakery.

Customers showed immense interest in the new employee.

[Customer] "You came from the capital? The journey must have been arduous. By the way, your skin is impeccably clear."

Occasionally, customers asked her out or presented bouquets, but Satina declined every offer.

Though the work was demanding, she thought learning to bake and opening her own bakery might be a pleasant path forward.

Just as waking early for work became routine, officials raided the bakery.

[Official] "A report has been filed stating this bakery uses spoiled ingredients!"

Working at the bakery, Satina knew those words were false, so she gave it little weight initially. Yet the officials produced spoiled ingredients out of nowhere and slapped a business suspension on the shop.

What nonsense is this? Did Sharlan really pull strings? All the way out here on the eastern fringes? Why?

Her mind reeled in confusion.

The new house she rented in a rush was even smaller and more secluded than the previous one. Climbing the steep stairs, she pondered the situation, yet no answer presented itself.

At that moment, someone darted out from the alleyway and grabbed her hand.

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