Lela lowered her eyes as if reminiscing about the past.
Looking at her rough hands contrasting with her beautiful appearance, she clenched her fist and muttered.
“When I was young, the Deneir family wasn’t a particularly influential clan. I faced quite a bit of hardship in my younger years to establish the business. So, I want my son to live a peaceful life without unnecessary worries.”
“…Does that have anything to do with Wilhelm becoming a lord?”
“If the Repel family expels a lord, the Deneir family will likely decline to just an average noble family on the outskirts. Charlotte has wanted to absorb the mining industry into a national project for a long time.”
Now, everything felt like puzzle pieces falling into place.
Lela decided to support me, considering both her friendship and resentment toward the departed friend, along with her calculations as a businesswoman.
It must have been a challenging decision for her.
Supporting someone like me with no background was as adventurous as it could get.
However, aligning with Wilhelm’s side like other families would mean losing the foundation of the Deneir family or even the rights to the significant mines. So, she must have made a practical decision.
“If you agree to the proposal, along with transferring the rights shown in the certificate, you will simultaneously become Bella’s financial supporter. How about it? Are you willing to sign a contract with me?”
“Wait a moment. I need some time to think.”
If I accepted her offer, I could expect astronomical financial support in the future.
Moreover, by making Luca, a potential candidate for the next lord, an ally instead of an enemy, it would be a significant gain.
Of course, the details needed thorough examination during the document verification process, but for now, signaling a positive response seemed advantageous.
“All right. I agree. However, under the condition that all the discussions we just had will be documented.”
“Neat. I’ll prepare the documents and send them to the Rose Palace soon. You don’t have to worry about security through Sione. I will make it a magical contract only accessible to designated individuals.”
Understanding that she was referring to magical means, I nodded.
It wouldn’t be appropriate to write such sensitive information on regular paper that anyone could read.
Therefore, the idea was to create a magical contract accessible only to designated individuals from the beginning.
A week after returning with Raven to the palace.
After lengthy discussions with Sione, I decided to form a contract with Lela.
“The profits will be managed by the Rose Palace, but you agreed to let Lela oversee the operation and businesses of the acquired mine for the next few years. She suggested that when you grow a bit more, you should try managing and employing people yourself. She believes it will be a valuable experience.”
“Lela seems trustworthy. Don’t you think so, Sione?”
“Yes, at least among the nobles I’ve seen so far, she’s the most trustworthy.”
However, Sione added that she didn’t completely trust her.
She explained that people’s minds, especially those who have family or precious ones by their side, are prone to change easily.
“By the way, the matter with the costume storage is unexpected. I thought it might have been prepared by Lady Daphne, but… I had no idea if you both prepared it together.”
“It was a lot of fun making it. Mom wanted to see me wearing clothes, so we created it together.”
“Of course. If Lady Daphne were alive, she would have been truly proud. Just watching you grow is enough to make me happy. I don’t know how much my life has changed because of you, Bella.”
As I looked at Sione, who was smiling gently, I felt a tingling sensation at the tip of my nose.
Born as a vampire, unable to speak properly during my early days, and suspicious and guarded about everything around me, it was Sione who first opened my frozen heart.
She was not only my greatest mentor and companion but also more than family, supporting me in the most difficult and challenging moments.
While Sione claimed that her life changed because of me, I discovered life for the first time thanks to her.
“Thank you, Sione.”
“What? What’s going on?”
“Just… everything.”
It seemed like tears might flow, so I buried my face in her embrace, ensuring she couldn’t see my expression.
Sione, momentarily surprised by my sudden action, soon returned to her usual self and patted my back.
“Holding you like this reminds me of when you were a baby. You used to whimper before going to sleep. It was really adorable back then.”
“Well, it’s not the same now.”
When I jokingly stuck out my lips, she shook her head, denying it.
“That’s not true. Regardless of your appearance, you are still Bella. To me, you’re no different at all.”
“…Really? What if I weren’t a vampire?”
“Of course. If you were a supernatural being, it might be a bit challenging to live together, but then I could transform you with magic.”
It was the answer I had longed for.
After Being Cheated On, She Picked Up a Treasure (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: The husband I married on a whim had been secretly in love with me for a long time.
On the day when Jun Shao finally obtained the imperial decree for her marriage, Lan Qu, the person she had admired for six years, defied the decree and ran away.
Her gentleness and devotion, her promise of a lifetime together, were all disregarded by him. Instead, he dreamed of entering the palace to serve the Emperor’s sister as a sixth-rank attendant.
News of this incident spread throughout the capital, and the alleys in front of and behind the Lan mansion were crowded with people who came to watch the commotion.
Jun Shao should have been embarrassed and angry.
But someone stepped in to protect her dignity.
The figure was in a miserable state, yet still possessed an undeniable elegance and handsomeness.
The young lord struggled to climb the wall of the Lan mansion and shouted to her, “If he won’t marry you, I will!”
So, Jun Shao took advantage of the situation and married the person.
She thought the young lord did it to save the Lan family from the crime of defying the imperial decree, but never imagined that from beginning to end, what he coveted was her.
*
After the wedding, Jun Shao felt like she was living in a dream.
Her Wife-master was as beautiful as a fairy in a painting, skilled in the six arts, well-versed in poetry and literature, capable of being gentle and attentive, and also grand and dignified. Most importantly, she was the only one in his heart and eyes.
Jun Shao didn’t know how Lan Shiwu, as a illegitimate son without a father and blessed with beauty, had managed to preserve his purity, recklessly escape, and use his last ounce of strength to ruin his own reputation, all because of his love for her, just to stand before her.
She could only see him gazing at her with eyes full of love, and when she bestowed a name upon him, his eyes shone like stars.
“You have come to me like a weary bird perching on a branch. I shall call you A Qi.”
