Tears finally welled up in the eyes of Arabella, who had been rigid with guilt all day.

Arabella had frozen herself like a statue because she didn’t even want to think about what had happened today. Time passed slowly, her mind was numb, and her mood remained low.

Finally, at the end of the day, someone’s warm hand stroked her hair. As the warmth of a human body was transferred, Arabella began to shed tears drop by drop, and eventually couldn’t help but start crying like a child.

“Ari… Ari, sister… I…”

“Shh, it’s okay. You can cry your heart out. It’s okay.”

As she held the crying Arabella and stroked her, Ariadne spoke quietly.

“Let’s not worry about sins we did not commit. Each person should carry their own responsibility. Mother just paid for her sins. You can feel sorry for mother, but don’t think it was your fault.”

After that, Ariadne couldn’t say another word to Arabella, she just swallowed it.

‘I, your sister, will take on the burden that you should bear. I will protect you until you become a healthy and sturdy adult. We can move forward together. Let’s do that.’

If she did have a ‘future vision’ as the gypsy astrologer said, she would use it for her close ones, the innocent ones, the ones she loved.

Even if she had to bear the burden, Ariadne could easily do it if it was a sacrifice for the ones she loved.

This life was enough to protect them. She didn’t want anything more.

The Mare family mansion surprisingly operated without much discord after Lucrezia’s disappearance.

Firstly, because Ariadne, who took over the household chores, was capable, and to some extent, because Lucrezia was a dormant element who did nothing.

Sancha quickly filled the empty position of the house’s steward after a bit of trial and error.

“You’re really getting promoted fast.”

Ariadne looked at Sancha and clicked her tongue. Less than a year after escaping from Rambue Gufel’s orphanage and becoming Ariadne’s personal maid, Sancha had come to act as the real steward of the house.

“Hehe, I’m just good at getting in line! Who would have thought that the lady I serve would become the real power in the house so quickly?”

Sancha, spinning the key to the main kitchen warehouse, imitated the speech of a sycophant and proudly spoke. As Ariadne, who was watching her with satisfaction, Sancha looked around a bit and then whispered.

“But, lady, did we really win against Madam Lucrezia like this……?”

Ariadne chuckled. It would have been nice if that was the case, but the chances were low.

She didn’t consider making money until the gold actually entered the safe, and didn’t consider winning until the enemy’s breath was cut off. It was wisdom learned from long court life.

“Lucrezia has Epolito. He will be back soon.”

Ariadne encouraged a noticeably depressed Sancha with a grin. If it wasn’t the kitchen, she would have tickled her.

“But now is the precious time we have obtained. Let’s prepare to win firmly. I don’t start a losing fight. By this time next year, no one, including Cardinal de Mare, will be able to ignore us.”

In the absence of Lucrezia, a state of anarchy. The entire wealth of the de Mare family that came into hand. The plague coming next year. It was time to invest.

Investment was not just about hoarding goods that would sell expensive after the plague. The human composition also had to be reorganized.

Having received all the authority of the house, Ariadne made all kinds of excuses and cut off most of Lucrezia’s confidants. Not only the female servants, but also a considerable number of male servants were driven out.

And Ariadne called all the remaining servants. She gathered all the servants of the house in the large hall on the first floor and looked around them.

“There has been an unsightly incident in the house, and for a while I have seized all power.”

It was a matter that could be avoided as a ‘health problem’, but Ariadne directly mentioned that Lucrezia had faults.

The story that Lucrezia dabbled in black magic was an absolute secret. Instead, Ariadne hinted at the story that people could most easily believe.

“Anyone who has seen a strange young man wandering in and out of the house recently must report directly to me.”

The servants were already wondering why Lucrezia was suddenly driven out. Just throwing this much bait would make the servants speculate that Lucrezia was caught cheating.

“I’m going to establish strict discipline.”

When the servants started whispering amongst themselves, Ariadne frowned and swept her eyes through the crowd.

In fact, the only thing that could make a cardinal’s wife of Lucrezia’s position suddenly be driven out of the house was adultery. Who would imagine that the wife of a cardinal was using black magic in the mansion.

“To do so, I will recruit manpower to guard the inside and outside of the house to crack down on suspicious people.”

This was to plant her own people. There were already forces guarding outside the mansion. But what Ariadne wanted to create was her own special forces. What she needed was an excuse.