To Those For Whom Even Regret Is A Luxury (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 10
“Who is it?”
The butler Wilhelm’s voice was heard, inquiring the visitor’s identity.
“…A jeweler? From Pierre? …Please wait just a moment. I shall confirm with my master and return.”
Hearing the voice that followed, I silently swallowed a smile.
It was perfect timing. Almost uncannily so.
* * *
“Oh my, it seems the jeweler has arrived right on cue.”
Ariana beamed, turned on her heel, and stepped out of the drawing room.
Lucas stared blankly at her fluttering, butterfly-like steps.
“Marquis…!”
Elena tugged sharply at Lucas’s sleeve.
Her pouting expression looked so pitiful that any man would feel a pang of sympathy.
“What on earth is going on? Did my sister misunderstand something…? What should we do?”
“…I suppose I should go out first.”
Swallowing his fluster, Lucas hurried after Ariana.
The jeweler Pierre, standing in the entrance hall, lit up with delight upon spotting Lucas.
“Ah, Marquis Pedegrin! Good evening. I’ve come as the craftsmanship is now complete.”
‘Why did that damn fool crawl all the way here?’
Lucas gritted his teeth inwardly.
He had only said he would go pick up the jewelry once it was finished—he never once told him to bring it over.
“…How did you end up here?”
“Oh! I heard the Marquis had gone to the Lopez residence, so I thought, ‘Ah! He must be visiting the lady who owns these jewels!’—what splendid timing!”
Pierre beamed broadly and opened the jewelry case.
A dazzling blue radiance, like undulating waves, shimmered into view, teasing the eyes.
“Oh my.”
Ariana, gazing at the topaz necklace, smiled with evident joy.
“It’s truly beautiful.”
“Heh heh, I’m relieved you like it.”
Pierre chuckled contentedly and carefully lifted the necklace.
“I even perfectly engraved the initials you requested.”
Indeed, delicate lettering was etched near the halo surrounding the topaz.
A.L.
At the sight of those initials, a flicker of amusement crossed Ariana’s eyes.
For a fleeting moment, her smile seemed almost mocking—cold—but it swiftly blossomed into a genuine, radiant grin.
“You even engraved my initials! When on earth did you prepare something like this? I’m truly touched, Marquis.”
*Grind.*
A faint grinding sound came from behind, where Elena stood.
But Lucas didn’t hear it.
He was gazing at Ariana’s bright face, lost in an unexpected thought.
‘So she’s capable of smiling like this, too.’
Strictly speaking, Ariana Lopez was rather dull.
She never knew how to gently entice a man or disarm him with coquetry or charm—it simply wasn’t in her nature.
Yet the music her unskilled hands produced was undeniably genuine.
Though the Pedegrin Marquisate’s coffers were somewhat depleted due to generations of failed investments, their honor remained unmatched by any noble house.
As the only son of such an illustrious family, Lucas had been raised surrounded exclusively by the finest things.
Naturally, his taste had become refined.
Even by Lucas’s standards—honed by nothing but the highest quality—Ariana’s music was extraordinary.
It was the kind of artistry that, if properly invested in, could bring the cheerful chime of gold coins piling up. Her pretty face was merely a bonus.
But now, seeing that same pretty—yet previously dull—face lit up with a bright smile gave him a novel sensation.
‘This isn’t so bad, after all.’
Lucas licked his lips.
It felt surprisingly pleasant to see that ever-quiet face smiling warmly right at him.
She lacked the flamboyance and allure of his sister Elena, but her innocent delight over a simple topaz necklace was undeniably charming.
‘In any case, it wouldn’t hurt to win Ariana’s favor.’
After all, until they actually stepped into the wedding hall, she wasn’t fully on his leash yet.
Lucas swallowed hard, then plastered a wide smile across his face.
“That’s right. I steeled myself and prepared this especially for you. Seeing you so happy makes me glad too.”
“Marquis!”
Elena cried out in a hushed yet sharp voice, utterly exasperated.
Instead of replying, Lucas simply reached back, firmly wrapped an arm around Elena’s waist, and then let go.
Elena, trembling with fury, barely managed to rein in her temper at such an overt gesture.
‘Balancing two women is never easy.’
Though things had gotten tangled due to a slight misunderstanding, gifting Elena another necklace or two would surely smooth things over.
True, the Pedegrin treasury wasn’t what it used to be—but these weren’t sapphires, just a couple of topaz necklaces.
Any proper man could afford to give a lady at least that much.
‘Since I’ve had this unexpected expense, I might as well pay a visit to Ariana’s room tonight.’
Just as Lucas thought this—
“What are those items beside it?”
Ariana asked in an innocent tone, her eyes scanning other pieces of jewelry displayed next to the necklace.
Those weren’t items Lucas had ordered.
But the jeweler Pierre, who had naturally arranged complementary pieces next to the necklace as part of his strategy, immediately brightened.
“Oh, you mean this bracelet and these earrings? Placed beside the topaz necklace, they truly look like a painting, don’t they?”
Lucas’s eyes twitched.
The stones set in the bracelet and earrings were fine-quality aquamarines—small in size, yet each more expensive than the necklace itself.
“Yes, they’re very beautiful.”
“You truly have an eye for beauty! Such discernment befits none other than the future Marchioness Pedegrin!”
Future marchioness.
At those words, Elena’s chest heaved violently.
Ariana, seemingly oblivious to Elena’s piercing glare, simply smiled brightly.
“Not just the necklace, but a full set like this… Thank you so much, Marquis!”
Pierre subtly rolled his eyes.
Just as planned, the bait had been taken by the future marchioness. All that remained was whether the Marquis would pay for it.
With every eye fixed on him, Lucas clenched his jaw.
‘…How much do those cost?’
Damn that cunning merchant.
Though furious at Pierre’s ploy, the deed was already done.
Meeting Ariana’s expectant gaze, Lucas tightened his fist.
Buying all those pieces would surely bleed his coffers dry.
Yet his pride as a man wouldn’t allow him to say, “That’s too much to spend.”
In the end, Lucas quietly gritted his teeth and said,
“…Of course. They’re all tokens of my sincerity toward you.”
“Oh dear, you truly are the Marquis! To be so generous—your fiancée must be overjoyed!”
Though he’d slipped in that subtle flattery, Pierre hadn’t expected to hook such a big fish so easily. He instantly beamed with glee.
“…Hah!”
Elena let out a short, frustrated sigh, then stormed off, unable to contain her anger.
No one tried to stop her as she left.
Even that fact struck Elena as utterly absurd.
Here she was, present in the room—and yet neither the jewel’s owner nor the center of attention.
Since her soprano debut, she’d never experienced anything like this.
‘She’s stealing my jewelry!’
Just before ascending the stairs, Elena shot Ariana—surrounded by jewels—with a glare sharp enough to burn.
To seize jewels she’d earned through every ounce of her charm and coquetry, all because of a fleeting misunderstanding! Even a fish-market cat thief would have more conscience than that.
‘I’ll take them back. And I’ll repay this humiliation.’
She would reclaim the jewels—and make sure they repaid this disgrace tenfold.
With this firm resolve, Elena made her solitary exit from the stage.
* * *
“How peculiar.”
Gazing at the case brimming with jewels, I murmured quietly.
Just these gems alone, acquired today, would cover several months’ worth of household expenses for the Marquisate.
It was truly absurd.
Back when I was Marchioness Pedegrin,
even requesting basic necessities—groceries or servants’ wages—had been an arduous task to get Lucas to open his purse.
“The Marquis seems to have shown you proper sincerity, Miss. This old butler is glad to see it.”
Wilhelm remarked pointedly, assuming my delight over the jewels was genuine.
When I turned to look at him, Wilhelm wore an oddly relieved expression.
Suddenly, an old memory surfaced.
“There seems to be some noise coming from inside the study, Madam.”
“Noise?”
“Perhaps you should take a look?”
If Wilhelm hadn’t warned me of that back then—just before I died…
I’d probably still be living in ignorant bliss, utterly deceived by my family.
“Wilhelm.”
I spoke in a calm voice.
“Yes, Miss?”
“These jewels. If I sold them all, roughly how much money would I get?”
“…Excuse me?”
Wilhelm blinked in surprise.
“Oh, um… I’d say they’d fetch at least 50 million Cardina.”
“Good. That should be more than enough.”
“Miss, you don’t mean…?”
‘Surely she isn’t really going to sell them all?’
Instead of answering his unspoken question, I simply smiled faintly.
“Do you happen to know a pawnshop that buys jewels at fair prices?”
Though bewildered, Wilhelm—ever the loyal butler—answered my question faithfully.
“Thank you. Consider this both a referral fee and hush money.”
As I handed him a small gem and said this, Wilhelm’s face turned as pale as a corpse, utterly dumbfounded.
I leaned in close, whispering discreetly to the butler whose family had guarded this estate since my grandfather’s time.
“For now, it’s a secret that I’m selling off every last gift from the Marquis.”
This minor commotion wasn’t part of my original plan.
But since the opportunity had rolled in, I intended to use it well.
‘After all, I happen to know just the right place to put this money to good use.’
* * *
The next day.
I tucked a comfortably heavy pouch of clinking gold coins deep into my clothing.
The jewels Lucas had gifted me had turned precisely into 50 million Cardina, now safely in my pocket.
After stepping out of the pawnshop, I headed for my next destination.
While trading with the pawnbroker, I’d added one extra small gem to secure a recommendation for a reliable information guild.
Places that handled high-value items like jewels always thirsted for good information.
‘Is this it?’
Though I’d wound through several alleys, the address I sought belonged to a rather respectable-looking building.
I let out a quiet sigh of relief.
This was my first time visiting such a place, so I’d been a bit nervous—but thankfully, the atmosphere wasn’t nearly as grim as I’d imagined.
‘Then again, I’ve heard modern information guilds even take on trivial jobs like finding lost cats—they’re practically aboveboard now.’
*Creeeak.*
As I opened the building’s door, an oddly eerie sound rang out, contrary to its outward appearance.
Fortunately, someone was inside.
A shadowy figure turned toward me at the noise.
“Oh, the boss is out today, so we’re not doing bus—Bweup?”
Bweup?
Puzzled by the strange greeting, I tilted my head.
As I looked toward the figure behind the counter, I saw a man hastily pulling up his hood.
I stepped inside slowly and asked,
“I came to make a request. Are you really not open for business?”
“Y-You… a Lady is here to place a request?”
‘Huh? His voice sounds oddly higher-pitched than before.’
Now that I thought about it, his voice also sounded faintly familiar…
“U-Um, uh, yes. Please, have a s-seat first. My name is Le…onard. I’m the owner of this guild, yes.”
The man who introduced himself as Leonard kept oddly glancing sideways.
Out of reflex, I followed his gaze—and nearly fainted on the spot.
‘…There was another person?!’
Had I not looked carefully, I might never have noticed.
Merged into the shadows like part of the darkness itself, the man seemed one with the gloom.
Ex-husband Wants Reconciliation
One-line summary: Chasing the wife to the crematorium (making an effort to attract someone who has become indifferent), the female lead doesn’t look back, the second male lead takes the position.
Intro:
To repay the kindness of the older generation, Su Mu crossed into a female-dominated world and became a live-in daughter-in-law of the Yan family, single-handedly saving the Yan family from fire and water.
But her husband, Yan Jiyue, the eldest son of the Yan family, treated her with sarcasm and never showed her a good face.
It wasn’t until after Su Mu’s death that this pampered and arrogant young master shed a few fake tears and pretended to want to die for love.
This life’s kindness was enough. If there was a next life, she would definitely kick Yan Jiyue away.
Who knew that the heavens would be so kind as to allow her to be reborn, returning to the time when she had just married into the Yan family.
Su Mu glanced at the Yan eldest son, who still spoke coldly to her, and threw a divorce letter in front of him.
“Let’s divorce!”
***
Yan Jiyue never imagined that he would be reborn. He happily went to find Su Mu, wanting to make up for the mistakes he had made in his ignorant youth.
Wasn’t the reason the heavens allowed him to be reborn to let him reconcile with Su Mu?
But when he pushed open the door to Su Mu’s room, the person lying on the bed was another man.
Su Mu’s personal attendant, Xie Yi.
Yan Jiyue hated him so much that his teeth itched. In front of Su Mu, Xie Yi was a gentle and considerate whisperer of sweet nothings, but in reality, he was vicious-hearted and deliberately sabotaged their husband and wife relationship.
In the previous life, it was he who secretly hid in Su Mu’s coffin and committed suicide, stealing a step ahead of him to be buried with Su Mu.
Yan Jiyue’s eyes were filled with hatred as he cursed, “What kind of thing are you? Your background is lowly, what right do you have to occupy Su Mu?”
Xie Yi looked at the sleeping Su Mu and no longer pretended to be a whisperer of sweet nothings.
He proudly stuck out his belly, “I have the right because my belly is capable of giving the Wife-master a daughter.”
***
Yan Jiyue was consumed with jealousy. He spread rumors that Xie Yi had once been branded with the mark of a “harlot” on his chest.
But on the night Xie Yi cut off the flesh bearing that mark, Su Mu suddenly realized something was amiss.
“How did you know the exact moment I was poisoned? And why did you show up a month early?”
Xie Yi remained silent, blood from his wound soaking through his robes. His sapphire eyes brimmed with anguish – or was it just a flawless act?
Between a once-arrogant husband now seeking redemption, and a gentle soul willing to die for her – who truly held the darkest secrets? And could it be that Su Mu and Yan Jiyue weren’t the only ones given a second chance at life…?
[Reading Guide]
1. True divorce, chasing the wife to the crematorium, the female lead doesn’t look back, the male lead is Xie Yi.
2. The ex-husband did not cheat, he just realized too late and didn’t realize that he liked the female lead.
_____
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