MLS Chapter 10

“Clearly. Has he offered you financial support, by any chance?”

“…Pardon?”

“If he has, how much?”

“Señora, I am not a courtesan.”

Olivia slammed her teacup down with a sharp clink, flaring up at the question.

“Ah…”

Lorena let out a soft sigh, masking her amusement. She hadn’t accused Olivia of selling herself, but the defensive reaction was almost laughable.

“What I provide to His Grace is far more valuable than mere drinks or laughter. That’s why he cherishes me.”

“Such as information, perhaps?”

Lorena asked with a serene expression, and one of Olivia’s eyebrows arched sharply.

“Perhaps a reprieve from his household, genuine affection, or the embrace of a generous woman. Don’t you consider those possibilities?”

This time, Lorena couldn’t help but laugh.

A reprieve, genuine affection, the embrace of a generous woman—could there be words less suited to Vaye Levantes?

Though she had never been loved by him, Lorena knew her husband well. That arrogant man was hardly someone who lacked “reprieve.” In fact, his problem was having too much of it.

And he was certainly not someone deprived enough to need tender care. Vaye Levantes lived with unshakable self-confidence.

It seemed Olivia Quintana hadn’t yet realized she was simply the Duke’s seventh toy.

Today had been full of absurdities, but Lorena had still managed to glean some useful information.

‘Olivia works at the Alborada Hotel. She’s had secret trysts with Vaye there and knows that I’ll soon be cast aside.’

First, the source of Olivia’s knowledge was the Alborada Hotel—a place not only for men’s leisure but also for all manner of unofficial gatherings. The Alborada hosted not just the people of Bessen but also visiting dignitaries from other kingdoms.

Second, this bartender before her genuinely cared for Vaye Levantes.

Her faint blush and softened gaze whenever he was mentioned were proof enough.

Lorena stared quietly at her husband’s mistress.

‘Does he love her too? Even a little?’

In the past, the mere thought of him whispering love to another woman or holding someone else had torn her heart to pieces. No matter how much she tried to numb herself, she couldn’t. She had both feared and loved him.

And now? …Oddly, she felt nothing at all. Not even a flicker of emotion. She could soothe her husband’s mistress with complete detachment.

“If I’ve misunderstood, I apologize. I didn’t mean it that way. Please, see him as much as you like.”

“…Excuse me?”

“Not today, I’m afraid. He won’t be returning today. I heard he’s gone far away.”

“That can’t be. Today of all days!”

Olivia, looking confused, checked the clock on the wall. Lorena didn’t miss her unease.

“So it’s today. The day I’m being discarded.”

“…Pardon?”

“There’s no need to pretend you don’t know. After all, I’m just a woman who’s about to be cast aside.”

Olivia’s eyes widened. How could she possibly know that?

Instinctively, Olivia felt she shouldn’t speak recklessly. If she said the wrong thing, it might be her, not Lorena, who ended up discarded by the Duke.

Lorena nonchalantly shrugged her shoulders.

“I know he’s preparing for a divorce.”

“…Ah, a divorce.”

Olivia quickly lowered her gaze, trying to hide her relief. Clearly, the Duchess knew nothing about the “Canary Plan.”

As Olivia silently breathed a sigh of relief, Lorena continued speaking.

“The Duke won’t be back until at least next Wednesday or Thursday, I hear. When he returns, I’ll let him know to meet you at the Alborada Hotel. Please keep him there for a while.”

“…What do you mean by that?”

“Exactly what I said. I need time. Divorces require procedures, after all.”

“And why tell me all this?”

“Because I don’t care for this position, and you want it.”

It was a straightforward answer. Finally understanding the strange conversation, Olivia nodded slowly.

“So that’s why you’ve been so generous with me, Señora.”

Lorena responded with a smile instead of words.

Of course, she could afford to be generous. Lorena had no intention of slapping Olivia as she had Arisa.

This woman was her perfect reason for divorce. Olivia would become the hammer and chisel to dismantle Vaye Levantes’s reputation.

And all of it would unfold at the Alborada Hotel.

‘To secure the most undeniable evidence of the affair, I’ll have to stage a raid at the scene.’

Planting reporters at the hotel would be simple. No need for bribes—just a hint about the Duke’s affair, and they’d flock there. Lorena wouldn’t even have to lift a finger.

As these thoughts passed through her mind, Lorena noticed Olivia’s peculiar gaze directed at her.

<How pitiful, Señora.>

The words Olivia had once said to her resurfaced in Lorena’s memory.

“…Do I look pitiful to you, Miss Quintana?”

Before she realized it, the question slipped out.

Olivia’s eyebrow twitched slightly.

“Why would you ask me that?”

“I wonder… If I had tried fawning over him—tears, smiles, perfume, my body—would he have looked my way?”

Though Lorena’s words suggested regret, Olivia could see no trace of it in her expression. Her light green eyes, staring at Olivia, were like smooth glass marbles—beautiful but devoid of emotion, lifeless as inanimate objects.

Uncomfortably, Olivia carefully chose her words.

“…Perhaps things could have been different. Men do tend to change their behavior depending on how a woman acts.”

Olivia vividly recalled the Duke’s gaze when he spent time with her but seemed to think of someone else.

At the Alborada, where she saw men daily, Olivia had become adept at reading their eyes. She could tell with just a glance whether their attention was on her or elsewhere.

But in the end, the Duke had chosen her. She was the only one who provided him with valuable information, both inside and outside Bessen. Olivia straightened her shoulders with pride.

“Anyway, I’ll gladly accept your suggestion. So I’m to meet His Grace at the Alborada Hotel in ten days, correct?”

“That’s right. And if you could keep him occupied for a night, that would be even better. I need time to wrap up these past seven years in this mansion.”

Lorena’s eyes narrowed meaningfully.

“I trust you’ll seduce him well, Miss Quintana. You seem much better at it than I am.”

Feeling a twinge of humiliation, Olivia furrowed her brows, but Lorena no longer cared about her feelings.

Lorena personally rose to escort Olivia to her carriage. Before sending her off, she embraced her tightly.

“I hope you’ll be different from me, Olivia.”

And different from the six women my husband discarded before. Hold onto him and fall into the bottomless pit together.

“Why… Why are you doing this?”

“It’s my way of wishing you a safe journey. Farewell, Olivia. Take care.”

After the embrace, Lorena firmly pushed her toward the carriage.

Olivia, nudged by Lorena’s gentle yet firm hands, climbed into the carriage. As soon as she settled into the seat, the door slammed shut without ceremony.

Clutching the crumpled fabric of her dress, Olivia blinked blankly.

Only a moment later did it dawn on her—she had been dismissed.

“…What on earth is with that woman?”

* * *

After the carriage carrying Olivia completely disappeared from view, Lorena dusted off her hands with a sense of satisfaction and returned to her quarters.

“Hena.”

“Yes, Señora?”

“Ravioli Aisa, Pamela Serzane, Stephanie Confino, Ayla Lucerne, Deborah Noce, Regina Roberta. Find out if any of these women are still in the capital. I plan to meet them in person.”

“Pardon…?”

Hena looked at Lorena as if she had lost her mind. The names Lorena had just listed belonged to women the Duke had been involved with, whether briefly or for a longer period.

“Señora, why would you want to—”

Of course, the more evidence, the better. But there was no need to explain that to Hena.

“Do I need a reason?”

“No, not at all.”

“Then go and find out.”

Once Hena left the room, Lorena collapsed onto the sofa.

The sun was already beginning to set. The soldiers and police had not stormed in, her father was safe, and no ominous shadow loomed over the mansion.

Realizing she had made it through a dangerous moment, the tension drained from her body all at once.

Lorena buried her face haphazardly into the sofa cushions.

‘So all seven of Vaye’s mistresses hail from Delgado Street. Three of them even work at the Alborada Hotel…’

As she sifted through the detailed information Arisa had jotted down about the women, a striking pattern emerged.

It could, of course, be a coincidence. Vaye Levantes typically frequented specific places, and Delgado Street was the only area among them where he might meet women.

But if Olivia Quintana was indeed feeding him certain “information”…

Then something Vaye needed was undoubtedly hidden in Delgado, particularly at the Alborada Hotel.

‘Alborada, Alborada Hotel…’

There was only one man Lorena knew who had connections to that place.

* * *

The southwestern coastal region of Bessen was renowned across the continent for its year-round heat. Even in early April, the sun in the cloudless sky already felt as scorching as midsummer.

Lorena walked slowly along the tree-lined avenue, where orange trees were planted in neat rows.

It was her first time outside the mansion since returning to the past. The sensation of stepping on the earth outside after so long felt unfamiliar. Even during the six months she spent at Soto in the past, she hadn’t crossed the monastery walls. Venturing into the wide world now felt like a distant memory.

In the distance, a sharp spire came into view.

St. Bergos Cathedral was the largest of the temples in the capital, Motrel. It was a historic site where the coronations of the Bessen royal family were held, as well as the significant ceremonies of royals and grand nobles.

Lorena attended the mass with a reverent heart. With her face veiled, no one recognized her.

The attention of the congregation, however, was focused elsewhere.

“Oh my, the Marquis of Ervatos is attending mass. What brings him here?”

Two women seated diagonally in front of Lorena whispered to each other.

“Doesn’t he despise the cathedral?”

“Exactly. I even heard he wanted to be excommunicated, but the papacy refused. So why is he here…?”

It wasn’t just them—most of the congregation stole glances in one direction. It felt strange to be a spectator rather than the subject of such attention.

The man commanding all this interest was none other than the Marquis of Ervatos.

Amid the sea of heads, glimpses of golden-brown hair stood out. His height, a full head taller than those seated beside him, made him impossible to miss even from afar. Unlike the neat and proper attire of those around him, his rolled-up shirt sleeves added to his distinct presence.

There’s a saying in Bessen’s social circles: if you ask for the most famous man, half will name Duke Levantes, and the other half will name the Marquis of Ervatos. However, if you ask for the most secretive or suspicious man, everyone unanimously points to the Marquis.

He was the only son of Princess Adriana, the most beloved royal in Bessen’s history. However, rumors about his father abounded.

It was no secret that Princess Adriana had been heavily pregnant when she married the former Marquis of Ervatos.

Twenty-eight years had passed since then. In that time, both Princess Adriana and the previous Marquis had passed away. Even now, the true identity of the man’s father remained unknown.

“I wish he’d attend the cathedral more often. He’s always on Delgado Street, so women like us never get the chance to see him. It makes me hate being a noble.”

“Exactly. If only we were commoners, we could roam Delgado freely without concern. Especially Alborada Hotel—it’s a man’s world there.”

“Wait, I think he’s looking this way.”

It was true. The man, who had been sitting like a statue and staring straight ahead, turned his head.

His profile—from his prominent nose to his perfectly shaped lips and the sharp line of his jaw—was flawless, like a painting.

His golden-brown hair, grown long for a man, wasn’t exactly straight. The slight waves only enhanced his captivating aura. In short, he was the kind of man whose beauty could mesmerize anyone, regardless of age or gender.

In the past, that man had been just as beautiful as he was now.

Lorena recalled the final day at Soto.

<I have a favor to ask.>

It was the day of their second and last meeting.

Since receiving the Motrel gazette from him that day, Lorena had bribed the workers transporting supplies to the temple using her jewelry. Through the papers she acquired, she learned of her brother Alfonso’s suicide.

That was the day she resolved to end her own life as well.

After making her decision, she visited the chapel one last time to pray. She found that man standing before the altar, gazing up at the cross.

She approached him impulsively and asked,

<Do you happen to have a gun?>

<…>

<I’ve already gotten one… but I’d like another.>

He looked at her with an expression she could only describe as peculiar.

Looking back, Lorena realized she hadn’t been entirely in her right mind. Yet she’d felt a strange certainty that this man would give her what she needed.

Her expectations hadn’t been wrong.

In that sense, he was nothing short of her savior.