“Behind the human trafficking organization, there exists a massive force. Last summer, intelligence came in suggesting that high-ranking nobles are behind the human trafficking organization that caused a stir in the empire. Vowing to uncover the backers behind this human trafficking organization, Viscount Villei has been appointed as the leader of the newly formed investigative team…”
Thak [Dash].
Bellagé, who was reading a newspaper article specially featured, put the newspaper down.
“They’re initiating a full-scale investigation now.”
At the time, Bellagé, who was in charge of the investigation, noticed the existence of a powerful force behind the human trafficking organization and continuously requested additional investigations from the higher-ups.
However, despite the efforts of the Duke, he was forcibly ordered to cease the investigation without any further inquiries.
Now they want to reopen the investigation? Moreover, entrusting full authority to Viscount Villei, not himself, who was in charge at that time?
“Doesn’t something seem strange?”
Just like the Duke, Lawrence seemed to feel that something was amiss and asked him with a serious expression.
“Viscount Villei didn’t participate at all in the investigation of the last human trafficking incident, right? He even refused when we requested cooperation.”
Viscount Villei was a representative figure in the noble faction.
He was the commander of the knight order guarding the capital, and when they requested support to attack the human trafficking organization last time, he declined, causing unnecessary trouble.
“It’s strange… I thought the noble involved in human trafficking would be someone from the noble faction. And now, a representative figure of the noble faction is leading the investigation.”
Baffled by the unknown uneasiness, Bellagé, who was sweeping away his concerns, commanded Lawrence.
“You investigate this case separately. Don’t miss even the slightest detail.”
“Yes, understood. And…”
Lawrence handed him a letter he had been holding in his arms.
“A letter has arrived from Marquis de Namis.”
“From Marquis de Namis?”
Bellagé sighed slightly at the news that a letter had come from Marquis de Namis.
‘I should have contacted them first…’
After introducing Lena, he had been too busy and hadn’t properly introduced Lena to them.
Moreover, although legally she was the daughter of the Marquis, she was a real adoptive daughter. Instead of being invited to the wedding, he couldn’t even properly greet them.
He regretted not treating Marquis de Namis more sincerely.
With an urgent hand, he tore open the letter and as he read, the Duke’s face gradually stiffened.
“What’s the matter?”
Seeing Bellagé suddenly becoming tense, Lawrence asked with a worried voice.
“It seems that Marquis de Namis has collapsed.”
“What… I’m sure he was perfectly fine when I visited him…”
“He must be getting on in years. It can’t be helped.”
Bellagé sighed with regret.
Although the artist’s family was not a powerful clan, they had maintained a close relationship with the Fermannes Duchy for a long time as longtime friends of the Fermannes Duke.
Bellagé also remembered the appearance of Marquis de Namis, whom he occasionally visited in his childhood.
Even after his parents passed away, Marquis de Namis was the only one who consistently opposed him going to the battlefield.
Guilt for his past indifference to the Marquis and concern for his health darkened Bellagé’s complexion.
“I should probably go see for myself.”
He had already planned to visit Marquis de Namis soon with Lena. Although not a drop of blood was shared, legally he was the Duke’s father-in-law and Lena’s father.
Lena probably asked if they should go visit Marquis de Namis not long ago. It was an opportunity to visit the Namis territory with Lena.
He was bothered by the fact that they held a wedding without greeting him even once.
“I’ll leave for Marquis de Namis’ residence tomorrow. Get ready.”
“Yes, understood.”
The next day, inside the carriage heading to the Namis family’s territory. Bellagé expressed his gratitude to Lena, who was sitting across from him.
“It was sudden, but I’m grateful that you willingly came along.”
“No, it’s only natural to go.”
After returning from the palace, she also felt uneasy upon hearing the news of Marquis de Namis’s condition.
‘I should have visited earlier.’
No matter how busy she was, he was the one who gave her a new name. She felt sorry for being too formal to someone like a benefactor.
‘But who is that person?’
The Namis territory was a small domain that could be reached by carriage in about two days from the capital.
When he briefly mentioned it to the Duke, it was said to have a long-standing close relationship with the Fermannes Duchy.
As if reading Lena’s thoughts, the Duke muttered.
“The Namis family, although weakened now, was once a prestigious family recognized by the empire.”
Male lead is a Divorced Husband
She said to him: “Tell me, what makes you like me? I’ll change it!”
Liu Changning transmigrated into a female cannon fodder character in a female-dominant novel.
After reading the first half of the novel’s plot, the first thing she did upon transmigration was to divorce the Pan Jinlian-style male protagonist she had just married.
She indulged herself, pretending to be ugly and poor.
But as time passed, the way that man looked at her became more and more unusual…
Liu Changning was dumbfounded: Tell me, what makes you like me? I’ll change!
――
This lifetime, Pei Yuanshao was rejected by the same woman twice!
The first time, she drove him away. Forced by the situation, he endured the waves of anger in his heart, yielding and humbling himself.
That person lay slanted on a rocking chair, her sallow face emotionless: “If you don’t want a divorce, go cook!”
Pei Yuanshao’s face was dark and gloomy: “You!”
The second time, after the crisis in Jinling City was resolved, the new emperor sent someone to pick him up. He turned around, stammering: “I… I have to go. If you keep me…”
That person lay on the kang bed, her back to him, as if she had long anticipated this day, crisp and clear: “Goodbye!”
Pei Yuanshao was so angry his fingers trembled: “You… you!”
The mission of family and country made him restrain himself, averting his eyes and turning to leave this broken household.
Two years later, they met again. Seeing her ethereal face, his body shook like a sieve.
“She was originally a ‘she’!”
At the Qionglin Banquet, the top scholar of the imperial examination, a talented person with exceptional speech and conduct, all the unmarried young gentlemen from aristocratic families looked at her with shy and timid eyes.
The peerless imperial official Pei Yuanshao felt the anger in his heart erupt. He pointed at the woman surrounded by the crowd at the Qionglin Banquet, his thin lips slightly curled: “Little sister, I wants that person to be the wife-master of my Mingde Prince Manor.”
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