Good day, Earl Baelz.
Oh if it isnt Prince Arnold. How can I help you today?
Earl Baelz is a court noble with no territory who lives inside the imperial capital.
For generations, the Earl of Baelz has been in charge of important offices within the empire. The current Earl Baelz is also a Deputy Minister of Engineering who works in the field of civil engineering and flood control.
Such Earl Baelz was consistently maintaining his distance away from the succession war. Since his position doesnt directly influence the tide of the succession war, the other three were not actively involved with him as well.
The reason I ca here to the residence of Earl Baelz was because I heard a certain rumor.
Actually, I have heard a rumor you see.
Earl Baelz is a man in his thirties.
His bald hair combined with his timid appearance made him a person that no woman ever spare a gaze.
However, a few years ago, he was finally settled down. Originally, he is a talented man who succeeded a famous family and even held the position of deputy minister. If he doesnt make any mistakes in how he looks for a bride, there should be a countless number of good candidates for him.
But, he did make a mistake.
Ru, rumor you say.?
Yeah, its just a rumor but it seems your wife has been flashily playing around every night. She goes around presenting herself like she is a royalty and everyone is wondering where all those money ca from. I heard such a rumor you see.
Th, that isthats just an exaggeration. Certainly, my wife loves to play around but she never did it like that, she was, she was
Earl Baelz wipes the sweat on his forehead with a handkerchief.
It seems the information that Sebas investigated is accurate huh.
According to Sebas, apparently, the Earl has been complaining about his wife with his acquaintances. His dissatisfaction with her was extre, he often says that he wants a divorce or if he couldnt he would commit suicide.
Judging from his reactions, I guess that he finds the action of his wife to be unpleasant. The question here is how far does this man go for her.
Earl Baelz.
Y, Yes!
He changed his tone of voice, when I stare at him, I can clearly see that he straightened his back.
Is it because a guilty conscience? Or is it perhaps his usual temperant?
Theres this rumor too. It said that you are using the money embezzled from the empire for your wife.
I, I have never done anything like that! Ive always worked hard as a loyal minister of the empire! Please believe !
Even if you say that. This ti, I ca here because the rumor has already reached the castle. It will be a big deal if it gets to my fathers ears you know? I want to clear it up before that.
The blood disappeared from the Earls face.
He is an easy to understand man. It might be due to his timid nature that he doesnt want such a rumor to reach the Emperor.
Can I expect sothing from this?
Y, Your Highness! Please lend your power! Please help !
I have no plan to help a criminal. Of course, Leo as well.
I, I really didnt touch any of our empires fund!
Then where did that money co from? Your wife couldnt possibly play around like that with an earls salary.
It, it ca from our savings so it was fine at first..but it imdiately depleted so I borrowed money from my acquaintances and recently I have to borrow from the rchants as well..I feel bad for my acquaintances but the deadline is already approaching, what should I do
Why did you marry such a woman?
When I was having that incredibly rude thought, the door violently opened.
Dear! Theres not enough money this month!?
Be, Bethina!? Leave at once! I am having an important talk with the Prince!
The person that ca in was a flashy beauty with golden hair. Her age should be the sa as mine or slightly older. A young woman when you considered that she married a thirty-ish years old man.
Everything she is wearing is flashy. Her dress is what I often see the won inside the inner palace wearing and the precious tals that adorn her body seem to be real as well.
I can see why he wants a divorce.
Prince? Which one?
H, Hey!?
Its Arnold Lakes Adler. Sorry for disturbing you, Madam Baelz.
Arnold? Ah! That dull prince? I heard about you from the son of Duke Horsvath. The miserable prince who got all his good part taken away by his brother right?. What does an incompetent like you doing in our house?
..
Earl Baelz turned speechless.
Well, the sa goes for . The only person who ever makes a fool out of in public like this is only Gied so far. Shes probably thinking that its fine for her to do it too since Gied can get away with it. But Gied is both my childhood friend and a son of a duke. Their positions are completely different.
Aah, this woman, shes an idiot. Seeing her in action, I felt sympathy for the Earl.
G, Get out now.
Haa? Are you ordering ?
Whatever just get out already! !
This is probably the first ti the Earl being so enraged with his wife.
Taken aback, Bethina left the room with an unpleasant expression.
Please forgive my wifes disrespect! Your Highness!
I dont really care. Im already used to it after all. But shes quite an absurd wife isnt she.
..my wife ca to when she was seventeen. She is the daughter of a local noble that was famous for her beauty, I fell for her the first ti we t. After that, I gave her everything she wants because I dont want to get hated but things escalated. Right now she misunderstands that she herself is so kind of royalty or a high-ranking noble..
Of course, I think that it is your wifes fault but it is also your responsibility as her husband for encouraging her as well. If you are her husband then you should give her a scold for her behavior right.
Yes.it is as Your Highness says.
Perhaps his heart is already completely broken.
The figure of the Earl hanging his head down is really tragic.
Well, what to do now. It seems I will have to adjust my plan from this point on.
The original plan was to gradually gain the Earls trust but if I left him alone, perhaps this might actually lead to suicide.
Cant be helped then.
Is the reason you havent divorce her yet because you still love her?
Yes but.when I report to His Majesty that I married her, he was very pleased.we received a lot of congratulatory gifts as well.
I see. That would make it hard to divorce her huh.
The reason I took notice of Earl Baelz wasnt just his weakness regarding his wife.
It is also because Father took a liking to him too.
I am probably looking at the next Minister of Engineering right now. Earl Baelz who is loyal to his job and doesnt play around too much is very easy to trust from an employers perspective.
If he knew the Earls circumstances, the Emperor would support the divorce himself. However, theres no way that he can know so deeply about every single one of his subjects.
Right now, he needs soone to act as an interdiary.
Earl Baelz. I know that you are not an idiot. You must know the reason why I am here right?
Y, yes.to add to Prince Leonards faction correct?
Yeah. if possible I want to spend more ti to gain your trust but..it seems that we cant afford that much ti huh. I will ask Leo to convey your situation to Father. Then, if Fathers response is in support of your divorce then do it imdiately. I will handle the letter to your wifes parental house so dont worry about it.
Is, is that true!?
Earl Baelz looks at as if he is looking at his savior. Just how much cornered are you.
Well, its a little selfish but this is also for the succession war. Let have the madam taste a little tear shall we. It is all about suffering the consequence. The difference is that the Earl has his uses while his wife has none.
But how do I explain this to Leo? Its him after all, lets have a talk with him face to face.
But I want to spare him the sight of that woman if possible. The madam could give Leo a won trauma after all.
Earl Baelz. Sorry, but can you write an appeal letter to Leo?
A, a letter?
Yeah, imdiately. It would be easier to persuade him that way.
Persuade?
Leo is a good guy you see. If I just talked about the matter myself, you might end up having as a middleman right. You dont want that correct?
Y, yes, I will write the letter right away!
As prompted by , the Earl began writing the appeal letter to Leo.
Even though he is an Elite that was born into a house of a court noble and succeeded the house as its head, to think that one woman could make him beco this miserable.
As I thought, you have to choose your wife carefully huh.
For a mont, the won in my surroundings such as Finne and Elna cross my mind.
Just imagining them as my wife is already terrifying. There seems to be a lot of trouble no matter which one of them becos my wife. Lets stop thinking about this.
No matter what, I like my woman to be normal.
Y, Your Highness, is this alright.?
Let see it.
My face distorted when I take a look at his letter.
What is written there is the Earls statent, complaining about his wifes wrongdoings. All of the dissatisfaction he has with his wife seep through each letter.
I sighed at the letters content which already could be more accurately described as a curse.
Make sure to be careful with honey traps after you start cooperating with us alright.
Y, yes! I will no longer look at any woman! I will faithfully serve Prince Leonard and Prince Arnold to the utmost of my ability!
Dont get wrong. We just need your help. Your Lord is still His Majesty the Emperor. Not us.
Pl, please forgive my rudeness.
I need to put a nail in that.
If he treated Leo like his lord we would only create ourselves an extra enemy. I want to get rid of those possibilities as much as possible.
Alright, I certainly received your letter. You will know the result in a few days so wait patiently.
Yes! Thank you very much.
After that, I left the Earls mansion.
When I left the mansion the madam stared at Earl Baelz from behind his back but well, I hope he can be more patient for a few more days.
In the end, when I let Leo read the letter, [Why did he marry such a person?], such a natural question was voiced by Leo. Well, after I convinced Leo and have him relayed that to father, father fully support the Earls divorce and the divorce itself proceeded in no ti.
Well, to father, it must be unbearable to see his ministerial candidates future get crushed by so local nobles daughter.
With this, Earl Baelz joined Leos faction and Leos influence grew slightly stronger.
TLN: by the way Bethina is the na of the most beautiful woman in heaven that can lure any man to death.
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