The Marquis’ Lost Mistress - Chapter 12

She did not want to burden Theon anymore, nor did she want to live as a mistress. She was going to live a simple life.

 

She thought she would have very few valuables, but she had a lot more than she expected. Most of them were gifts from Theon.

 

Everything from jewelry to luxurious dresses, even to the vases in the living room and the high-end tableware she used.

 

‘I’ll start with the jewelry and dresses…’

 

If something like a vase or bowl is missing, the maids will notice right away.

 

And if Theon came suddenly to dine together, it would also be difficult to explain.

 

“…Let’s just say they’re broken at that time.”

 

The maids take turns resting once a week.

 

‘Let’s tell them both to rest for a day or two, then tell them that I broke some of the tableware while doing housework alone during those days. Let’s just say the same to Theon.’

 

To be honest, these things won’t sell for a lot of money. But, still, isn’t it better to have even just one more penny?

 

***

 

The next day, Leila strolled all over the capital.

 

She was trying to find a store that would give her the highest price for the things she would sell.

 

Don’t look down on Leila. She was the daughter of a strictly merchant family. Growing up, she had seen her father at work. After walking here and there for half a day, she finally found suitable stores. Now, she only needed to bring the items from the house to sell.

 

‘Mother’s memento…!’

 

Leila, who was about to return home, stopped at the façade of the bank in the distance.

 

On the day that her parents’ property was confirmed to be inherited by an heir who was not even an acquaintance, Leila went to her mother’s room.

 

Because the heir allowed Leila to keep her mother’s belongings.

 

She cried that day and took the items that belonged to her mother, and deposited them in the bank depository.

 

‘How much is the fee to take them out?’

 

Since the storage fee is added every month, she originally wanted to get it back as soon as possible.

 

But that day, when she set out to find her mother’s belongings, she was almost kidnapped.

 

After that, complicated things happened one after another, and in the end she couldn’t go out for about two years.

 

So time passed and she forgot.

 

Among her mother’s belongings were the jewelry she had used and the jewels she had collected.

 

And there were also some things that represent the Elantre family, inherited from generation to generation, so she’d be able to sell them at a high price.

 

‘I’ll have to come back to organize all the things.’

 

She was sure her mother would understand.

 

Wouldn’t she want her daughter to live a more prosperous life by disposing of them rather than to live a fucked up life?

 

‘No, I should tell Theon.’

 

The money from selling the goods will be used for the future, so it could not be wasted on the deposit fee.

 

She thought since she was going to leave, it was okay to be shameless for once.

 

After her parents passed away, relying on Theon, she spent her time being stupid and helpless.

 

But originally, Leila was a lady with high self-confidence and self-love. With a mind of her own.

 

Was she not loved and praised by many people as the most beautiful in the capital, even in the empire?

 

When she still had power, she would never dance if she didn’t like it.

 

Even after the death of her parents, she had also run around everywhere, trying to inherit their title and fortune somehow.

 

In the meantime, she had her convictions enough to reject every offer to become someone’s mistress.

 

She had only changed and started to avoid problems by relying on others, as more terrible things happened one after another, and she was engulfed in sorrow.

 

‘This is better than asking for child support.’

 

Leila, who had come out of her wall of illusions, gradually regained her original self.

 

She headed to the mansion to write a letter.

 

She couldn’t even imagine that someone was watching her.

 

***

 

The second letter to Theon was not as difficult as the first.

 

She sent him a brief note about her business, and Theon sent her a reply the next day.

 

“Check it out.”

 

Leila checked the items inside the package brought by a man.

 

Somehow, Theon managed to bring back these items even though Leila, the one who deposited the items, didn’t come.

 

‘Apparently banks aren’t a good place either.’

 

With that in mind, she rummaged through the package she had received.

 

It had been several years, so her memory was not clear. Because of that, there was nothing particular to check, thus she just rummaged through it roughly.

 

“It seems like everything is there. If there is anything strange, I will tell the Marquis.”

 

“Alright, then.”

 

The man left and Leila put the items one by one on the table.

 

Things that were too expensive could not be sold quickly. Those valuables will sell for a lot more in auctions than normal stores, however, it takes quite a long time to receive money after an auction, so it would be better to sell them once she settles down somewhere.

 

‘Auctions in the capital will pay the most, so what should I do?’

 

She picked out the things she could sell quickly right now.

 

“Can I sell this too?”

 

Leila pulled something out of the package and muttered to herself with a questioning voice.

 

It was made of a piece of wood that was light enough to be lifted with one hand.

 

Each leaf is delicately sculpted and connected in a round shape, like a crown worn on the head.

 

Leila held it with both hands and turned it around, contemplating its usage.

 

If each piece of carved leaf had a jewel attached to it, it would have been of great value.

 

But no matter how she looked at it, it was just a simple piece.

 

“Hmm.”

 

Even so, it was difficult to judge what was ‘worthless’ easily.

 

A pattern symbolizing the Elantre family was engraved on the fruit-shaped piece in the center.

 

And so, it was clear that this was also an heirloom of the Elantre family, just like the rest that her mother kept.

 

‘What’s this thing for?’

 

This one doesn’t seem like it worths much, nor does it seem to have any special use.

 

Leila clasped it with both hands and gently lifted it over her head.

 

It seems to be used for the head, so she decided to give it a try.

 

‘What’s going to happen if I use it? What if there’s a blessing effect or magic?’

 

‘Nevermind, then. I still have a lot of things to do.’

 

Leila smiled lightly and put it back inside the package, before looking for other things to sell.

 

She felt pathetic for acting like an excited child who had forgotten her current situation.

 

When Leila was rummaging through the package, she pulled out a few more items and placed them on the table.

 

At that moment, a thick old paper bag came out of the package and fell to the floor.

 

“This is…”

 

Feeling as if she had seen it somewhere, Leila frowned and traced her memory.

 

It was the same thing she had found on the day she cleaned her mother’s room.

 

But she couldn’t remember why she was carrying such an old, humble paper bag.

 

She reached out and grabbed the paper bag. She then checked the contents inside.

 

“What? There’s nothing here.”

 

What came out of it were letters.

 

She looked closely to see if important things, such as land documents, mine ownership, and loan certificates would come out, but there was nothing special. But, there wasn’t even a secret letter from an intimate person.

 

There wasn’t even an invitation to an important meeting. They were just a collection of letters and invitations received so far.

 

‘Strange.’

 

The question did not go away easily. The letters and invitations her mother received during her lifetime should be several times this number. There must be a reason for collecting only some of them.

 

Leila looked at the contents again and again.

 

She turned them over one by one and looked at them in the sunlight. Then she held a bundle in each hand and shook them.

 

“Was I mistaken?”

 

It didn’t seem like there’s anything hidden.

 

Moreover, the more she looked, the more she noticed that there was no relation between these letters. The time and senders of each letter were different.

 

Still, she felt uncomfortable for some reason, so she took the time to look at the contents for the third time.

 

And finally found something strange.

 

All letters and invitations in this were for her mother.

 

But only one was different. Only one letter contained her mother’s handwriting.

 

‘I even forgot Mother’s handwriting.’

 

Her face in Leila’s memory was also blurry. The same goes for her handwriting. Leila felt depressed.

 

She slowly looked through the letter her mother had left.

 

It wasn’t a suspicious letter. It was an invitation for her own child’s, Leila, 1st birthday party. It was a party invitation often sent by nobles.

 

Why was this mixed up here? Who was her mother trying to send this letter to?

 

Leila slowly turned the letter over.

 

“The Kingdom of Sronakia?”

 

Leila’s mother was from the Empire and she had never left the Empire.

 

Of course, she would have had her petty journeys, but the problem was that the Empire and the Kingdom of Sronakia were quite far away.

 

She couldn’t have gone on a trip to a place that would take her months to return. If that had been the case, she would have said it to Leila at least once, even in passing words.

 

The Kingdom of Sronakia was a peninsula country, surrounded by beautiful seas on three sides, so it was a very famous tourist destination.

 

In addition, the envelope had only the name of the sender, not the name of the recipient.

 

Who the hell was her mother trying to tell that Leila was one year old?

 

Why did she write this down and hide it in these other letters?

 

‘Just what the heck is happening here.’

 

Leila jumped up from her seat and organized the letters lying on the table.

 

Then she hid them in a place where the maids couldn’t find.

 

‘I have to find out.’

 

She didn’t know the meaning of this letter. But since her mother left this, Leila had a feeling, although she was not sure exactly what it was, that this matter shouldn’t be missed.

 

Not knowing that someone was following her today, she hurried to the bookstore.