Fortunately, the fire was extinguished before it spread into a major blaze without any casualties.

However, the mansion was completely burned down, blackened and melted like candle wax, its original shape unrecognizable.

“You were going to do a deep cleaning?”

“Yes, regrettably, while I was away briefly, a maid’s mistake at the incinerator caused the fire to spread greatly. It’s fortunate that we had moved important items outside for the deep cleaning.”

Hah, I couldn’t help but chuckle at the butler’s pathetic excuses as he bowed his head to me.

‘You think I don’t know you colluded with Antra?’

Antra, who had been standing like a folding screen behind the butler, came forward, rustling her dress.

“I ordered it. Why, do you have a problem with that?”

“…”

I glared at Antra with narrowed eyes, then glanced at the butler.

You…! Antra, feeling ignored, approached with a reddened face as if she had suffered some great humiliation, but I had no patience to deal with her like I did this morning.

“Where are the moved items? Show me.”

When I gestured with my chin in a sharp voice, the butler glanced at Antra once before guiding me to the back garden.

There, luxury furniture, artworks, cash, dresses and jewelry, and other important mansion documents were piled up. It seems they couldn’t bear to burn these things even though they torched the mansion.

I looked at them with narrowed eyes without touching anything, then immediately turned around.

The item I was looking for wasn’t here.

“Madam?”

Ignoring the butler, I entered the mansion and headed to the second floor despite the servants’ attempts to stop me.

It was also where I had become aware of my past life in the early dawn.

Fortunately, under the bed that hadn’t collapsed, my groping hand caught a crudely shaped box, melted like candle wax.

After pulling out the box, I sighed.

‘It’s all burned.’

The box, melted like candle wax, couldn’t even be opened.

Years of evidence of Devon’s adultery that Etricia had gathered was burned.

‘It was blackmail evidence I considered as a backup in case the will investigation fell through…’

I stood up, holding the blackened, unrecognizable box, and suddenly stared at the bed.

There was a portrait of Count Vuel and me standing side by side, facing forward. My hand holding the box tightened with a dull anger rising within me.

It was a portrait recording a healthy image on my 18th birthday, before Count Vuel fell ill.

‘Ha, they said they moved all the important household items, but I guess the Count’s last portrait couldn’t be considered important.’

As I was staring at the portrait, gritting my teeth, a voice pierced my eardrums.

“Etricia! Etricia! What on earth is she doing in that burned house!”

It was Antra’s loud voice calling for me from the first floor.

I closed my eyes, suppressing the ominous anger with a deep breath, then opened them, flashing a cold blue light.

Immediately going down to the first floor, I found Antra standing with her arms crossed in a slanted posture, accompanied by three or four servants. She was tapping her forearm like playing a piano, looking quite anxious.

A snicker escaped through my clenched teeth.

‘You burned down the mansion to crush my spirit from the start, but now you’re getting anxious because I’m not only composed but ignoring you.’

Antra opened her mouth, scanning me with a chilly gaze.

“What were you doing in the bedroom while the mansion was burning? Did you hide some diamonds from your husband?”

“Even if I had, would they still be there? There seem to be quite a few thieves around me.”

Antra’s eyes twitched, and she cleared her throat as if something had struck a nerve.

She must be thinking of the will. Antra, being Devon’s accomplice, would surely know about what he had planned.

“You, is that how you treat your mother-in-law who rushed here worried about her daughter-in-law?”

“Are you sure you came because you were really worried, and not because you were excited?”

“Huh… My goodness… There’s a limit to being cheeky.”

Antra glanced at me sideways with a haughty look.

“I wonder why I came to fetch such an unlovable daughter-in-law.”

“Fetch me?”

Antra snapped back irritably, as if she had to explain everything.

“The mansion burned down, so you need a place to stay! What if unsavory rumors spread about you behaving improperly while staying at an inn? What would that make Devon?”

“Ah. So that’s why you burned down the mansion, Mother.”

“W-what?”

Antra’s eyelids trembled.

Humans are territorial animals. She intended to bring me into her territory to make me suffer as a daughter-in-law and establish her authority.

But that’s your misunderstanding.

Did you think I would cry in shock and kneel down when you burned the mansion? Did you think I would have no choice but to crawl under your wing because my residence was gone?

‘Unfortunately, I have no such intention.’

Remembering the box and the charred portrait, I felt my insides churning again. With a cold smile, I opened my mouth.

“Mother, you’re really something at times like this. A person so sensitive to others’ gazes acts so crudely once in a while. Are you trying to get the social circle’s attention this way?”

Antra’s face flushed as she understood the sarcasm.

She looked around, conscious of the maids’ eyes. Anyone who knew her would know that she was desperate to enter the center of the social circle.

“You, this…”

Antra glared at me, biting her lip, but I had no intention of dealing with her moderately or perfunctorily like I did this morning.

I was about to drive home the point that she had no right to do such vicious and inconsiderate things to someone else’s precious daughter.

“Do you have proof that I did it!”

“It doesn’t matter if there’s no proof. Who burned the mansion and why is no longer important. And even if I have to beg on the streets, I won’t go to the Dien Viscount’s residence. Why should I go there?”

“What?”

“Why. Should. I. Go. To. Someone. Else’s. House?”

I emphasized each word. As if giving repetitive training to someone with low comprehension.

“You, did you just call your in-laws’ house someone else’s?”

“Of course it’s someone else’s house. I’m going to divorce your son.”

Antra’s mouth slowly opened. She pointed at me, her mouth gaping like a goldfish.

“What did you just say…”

At this point, there was nothing left to hide.

“Shall I say it again? I said I’m going to divorce your son.”

Gasp!

Suddenly, a sharp intake of breath was heard from behind Antra. The one grabbing her nape and pretending to faint wasn’t Antra.

Then who? I tilted my head to the side to get a better view. At the entrance of the mansion stood Lilien, covering her mouth with both hands in surprise.

‘Lilien?’

I frowned slightly.

“Why is Lady Lilien here…”

“I-I’m sorry, Countess Vuel. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop. I came to apologize, not knowing the situation, and the butler guided me here…”

The butler, where does he think he’s leading people without the owner’s permission. Thinking that his lack of judgment was just like Antra’s, I rubbed my forehead.

“Um…”

Lilien, who had been watching cautiously, approached hesitantly.

“If I didn’t mishear, it seems you’re in a difficult situation without a place to stay. If the Countess doesn’t mind, may I invite you to the Mifidian Count’s residence as an apology?”

“…?”

A question arose. Lilien, who quickly caught my expression, hurriedly waved her hands.

“Oh, if you’re uncomfortable, you don’t have to come…!”

“…”

It was certainly uncomfortable. I didn’t feel like it.

Of course, since her younger brother’s return was five days away, staying for a day shouldn’t be a problem, but I knew how ruthlessly that person could cut people down.

Remembering the description of his piercingly cold gaze, I felt goosebumps on my arms.

I shuddered and was about to open my mouth to refuse when—

“Lady Lilien, that—”

“Where do you think you’re going!”

Antra, who had been pretending to fall backwards, quickly intervened after eavesdropping on the conversation.

She approached me with snake-like eyes and pointed her finger in my face.

“You, just try to move a single step from here. I’ll tear out all your hair, you hear me!”

“…”

Hmm. I raised my eyebrow coldly.

Hearing the opposition from none other than Antra made me feel a strange sense of defiance and competitiveness.

‘I wasn’t planning to go, but this changes things.’

Seeing her throwing a fit because things weren’t going her way might somewhat relieve the frustration from having the mansion blown up.

If I could turn her insides out like that, it might not be bad to take the risk. With this reckless thought, I turned to Lilien with a cool expression.

“Why aren’t you answering!”

Ignoring the shout that flew at the back of my head, I opened my mouth to Lilien without even blinking.

“I’ll accept your kind offer, Lady Lilien.”

“R-really?”

Lilien, who had been fidgeting between the two of us, opened her eyes wide.

“It would be impolite to refuse when you’ve kindly invited me. Let’s go, Lady Lilien.”

“Yes, yes!”

I gently pushed Lilien’s back and headed towards the mansion entrance.

As Lilien followed me hurriedly, glancing sideways at Antra, it happened.

“Where do you think you’re going! You need to explain what you said before you leave!”

Antra ran out to the entrance of the mansion and grabbed my shoulder.

‘Ugh.’

Unable to bear the unpleasantness of the hand painfully pressing down on my shoulder, I roughly shook it off with one hand.

“Ack!”

Antra, who fell on her bottom from the recoil, glared at me with wide eyes while sitting down.

“…I knew you were ill-bred, but I didn’t know you were a wench so ignorant of manners and principles. You dare insult me and betray Devon? You’re finished when Devon finds out about this! Aren’t you afraid of the consequences!”