The Sapphire Bribe
Canna had learned something new about Kallen: once he fixated on something, he fixated hard.
Because the thing he had fixated on was her.
It feels like I’m a child again.
His attention was now entirely consumed by “keeping Canna alive and fussing over her.” On top of that, he had even assigned her a personal guard knight.
“It is an honor to meet you, Your Grace. I am Claude Azel.”
The young man had thick golden hair and an easygoing smile.
“Kallen, I don’t need a guard.”
“What if something happens to you while I’m away from the mansion?”
Kallen’s tone was firm.
“Call for me only when you feel you need protection, my lady. Otherwise, you may simply forget I exist.”
“……”
That was reasonable enough. Canna finally nodded.
“I look forward to working with you, Sir Claude.”
“It will be my privilege to serve you, Duchess Valentino.”
His bright smile made him seem almost boyish. Canna studied him for a moment.
He reminds me a little of Seonhong.
Not in his features, but in his eyes—clear yet sharp, just like her younger brother’s.
Kallen poured even more into her. The mad shopping spree at Andwa Boutique had only been the beginning. He bought jewels, accessories, and every other luxury he could find. Thanks to him, her once-empty dressing room was rapidly filling to the brim.
“Are you not pleased?”
“Hm? No, I am. Of course I am.”
Canna gave Leah an awkward smile. It would have been better if the gifts had come from anyone but Kallen.
Well, the objects themselves aren’t guilty of anything.
Still, the fact that Kallen had chosen them left a bad taste in her mouth. She would have to convert everything into cash later.
Thank goodness he’s leaving.
Just before his departure, Kallen had suggested, “Do you enjoy riding? Let’s go look at horses tomorrow.”
But Canna had reached her limit.
She welcomed the gradual increase in her wealth, yet spending every waking hour with Kallen for days on end had been mentally exhausting.
Now that I don’t have to see his face, I can finally breathe.
Kallen had departed for Venecia—the coastal city where Canna had recently stayed, and where her father still remained. Reports said the Black Fog had appeared there, spawning an unprecedented number of monsters. Sylvien Valentino had also left, leading his own knights.
I hope Sylvien and Father return soon. Only then can I proceed with the divorce.
Once they came back, she would finalize the divorce.
Yes. No matter what happens next, I must divorce Sylvien first.
She could accumulate enough power within the Addis family. After the divorce, she would drain every possible benefit from them before establishing her own branch.
The thought of that future made her heart race with excitement. Yet her mind remained coldly calm. If everything went according to plan, she would have no complaints, but…
There’s always the word “if” in this world.
She had to prepare for the worst-case scenario where nothing went her way.
If both the divorce and the branch family plan fail, I’ll move straight to Plan B.
Creating a false identity and fleeing to the Yalden Kingdom—that was her insurance policy.
Just in case, I should start preparing Plan B in advance.
Canna spent the next few days quietly observing the mansion’s servants.
First, there was Leah, her personal maid. As expected of someone Kallen had assigned, she was highly competent.
But in the end, she’s still Kallen’s person.
So she was out.
I need someone more cunning, more despicable—someone who only cares about money.
Fortunately, she already knew of one such maid.
Eriel.
Thirty-five years old, she had once been Juhwa’s personal maid. Her father’s gambling debts had left her buried under mountains of loans, and she had a younger sibling to support, so she always took on extra work. Canna knew these details because Juhwa had caught Eriel stealing a gold button from one of her dresses. The maid had begged and cried, pleading for secrecy. Back then, the young Juhwa who had just entered Canna’s body had let the matter slide.
Yet Eriel had never repaid that kindness. Instead, she had used the incident as leverage to isolate Juhwa further.
No conscience, no loyalty.
Perfect. She was exactly the kind of person Canna needed.
“You called for me, my lady?”
Eriel was visibly tense.
“It’s been a while, Eriel.”
“Yes, my lady.”
“How long has it been since we last spoke like this? Almost ten years?”
“Yes, my lady.”
“Oh, don’t call me ‘my lady.’ Just call me Lady Canna. We share a rather special connection, don’t we?”
“……”
“Is your father still the same?”
Eriel’s face turned deathly pale. The old Canna might not have needed to go this far, but everything was different now.
Her personality, her situation—everything has changed.
Not only had Canna’s personality transformed, but she was now under Kallen Addis’s protection. No one in the mansion could afford to slight her anymore. Just look at what had happened to Isabel, who had once treated her so poorly.
It had ended in disaster.
Why did she have to come back to this mansion?
Canna was a massive problem for Eriel. If she reported the theft from years ago…
Lord Kallen would surely throw me out.
And she would never receive a letter of recommendation.
I can’t let that happen. Father’s debts are still too large.
Eriel clutched her skirt tightly with both hands.
Canna leisurely sipped her tea while watching the maid’s distress. There was no need to say anything more. A subtle smile was threat enough.
But I’m not here to punish Eriel.
On the contrary, she needed to make the woman her loyal tool. Canna gestured toward the velvet box on the table.
“Open it.”
“Pardon?”
“I said open it.”
Eriel hesitated before lifting the lid.
“……!”
Her eyes trembled. A brilliant sapphire necklace crafted in platinum gleamed inside—the finest piece Kallen had recently gifted her.
“Th-this is……”
Each gem was precious when one was saving money, but when investing in people, one did not skimp.
“As you know, I’m a married woman. I’m merely a guest in this mansion right now.”
“……”
“So it isn’t easy to find someone I can trust with important matters.”
Eriel immediately understood what Canna was implying, yet she did not bite right away. Seeing the wariness and suspicion in the maid’s eyes, Canna smiled gently.
“Would you like to return it?”
“Pardon?”
“The necklace, I mean.”
“Ah, yes.”
Eriel pushed the box back toward her. Her fingertips trembled with greed and hesitation.
“In that case, I’d like you to recommend a good maid to me.”
For a moment, Eriel doubted her own ears.
Recommend a maid? Why? Hadn’t Canna been about to order her to do something?
“I need a maid I can trust like my own hands and feet.”
“……”
“A maid who will follow my every word as if it were her life. To that maid……”
Canna tapped the box containing the necklace.
“I intend to gift this necklace.”
And Eriel would never hand over that necklace—or that opportunity—to anyone else.
Canna waited patiently for Eriel to make her choice.
“There is no need to look for anyone else, my lady.”
The conflict did not last long.
Eriel bowed deeply, as if she had been a loyal maid all her life.
“Please give me any order you wish.”
Eriel’s task was to locate an information guild.
I can’t move freely in the capital.
Plan B.
She planned to find a broker who could create a false identity and help her flee to the Yalden Kingdom. That was why she had ordered Eriel to find the largest and most capable information guild in the empire.
I can’t tell Eriel about my actual plans, of course.
Any guild of that scale would be able to connect her to an identity-forging broker quickly enough.
Still, it will take some time. Eriel is just an ordinary maid, after all.
But there was no rush. This was only a contingency for when every part of Plan A collapsed and life here became untenable.
So for now, I should set this aside and focus on my current life.