The Duchess of the Attic

"Oh, you... you want to get this far and continue your marriage with me?

"... Yes?

Opal was unwittingly dismayed by Hubert's words after a period of silence.

Then, the momentum erupts well.

I can't stop laughing at the idea of not clapping too much.

Both Hubert and Mrs. Northam are surprised to see such an opal.

Opal managed to stop laughing and took several deep breaths before finally opening his mouth.

"I'm sorry. It was such an unexpected word, so... To be honest, I have been wondering from the beginning of my marriage if I could somehow be separated from my husband. But I didn't think of it because I had an untrained title: husband or duchess. Just so we're clear, I don't care about this mansion."

Saying, Opal turned his gaze around to Romit and Beth.

Romit isn't even supposed to be hot, but he's sweating, and Beth's eyes are vain and there's no blood on his face.

"... it's just that I feel sorry for the inhabitants who have no sins whatsoever - those whose husbands never looked at them. When I went to the Duke's Lands, the inhabitants lived in very poor conditions compared to the Count's. That's also because of Omer's nasty management, which her husband trusts. Even though farm equipment has turned into something a lot more convenient over the past decade, those who are working still used farm tools from previous eras and struggled unnecessarily. So I'm going to live in a consulate and manage my territory, so if your husband wants to stay married, please live in this mansion."

Opal told Hubert, blushing with shame or anger.

And turns a deliberately loving grin on Mrs. Northam.

"Mrs. Northam will allow you to live here with your daughter, too. Of course, you're free to leave or stay."

"What a woman... Stella is sick!?

"Yeah. So we're saying we can live here as a residence?

I don't think I'm cold myself.

Still, Opal ghosted his mind and made reality - clear his future position in this mansion.

Of course, even when I said that Hubert and Mrs Northam were leaving, I intended to give them a minimum amount of assistance for their lives.

I intend to bring a letter of recommendation to the servants.

"Wow, I don't have anywhere to go if I... get kicked out of here... But I'm fine. Just put Stella... just put Stella here!

The appearance of Mrs. Northam, who complains in tears, seems to have invited everyone's sympathy.

Opal was frightened, but he didn't put it into words.

Hubert, who stood up there, takes refuge in hiding his wife from Opal.

"We... let's stay here for Stella. I can't think about taking Stella anywhere but this mansion. So, please, let me show you mercy."

Hubert pleaded in a manner that was as if he were trying to protect Stella even at the expense of offering his own neck to the enemy.

Romit, the housekeepers, Beth and the others are weeping and watching how it goes.

Opal wondered where the hell they were showing cheap plays.

"… So if you want to stay here, you're saying it's okay, right? Subject to conditions."

Opal exhaled relieved when he was finally able to touch the core.

But the Huberts will have the same look they told me to give them my neck.

Earlier I was ready - I don't want that, but I wondered what it was, and Opal continued.

"Dr. Harrison, the Duke's attending physician, seems to be elderly, so Stella will see another doctor as well"

"What are you talking about!? Dr. Harrison has been seeing Stella ever since she was a little girl!? There's no doctor but Dr. Harrison who knows about Stella!

Mrs. Northam bites on Opal's raised terms.

It seemed a lie to mourn until now, and Opal was slightly soothed by the way he tried to protect his daughter as a mother.

Nevertheless, I had no intention of changing what I had decided.

"Even so, you'll be examined. Nothing is meant to dismiss Dr. Harrison. Right now, medicine is pretty advanced, too. But I also hear that some doctors don't really stick to old-fashioned treatments, they couldn't save lives, etc. Don't worry, I'm not the one to choose about doctors. If you referred me to your husband's friend, wouldn't you be trustworthy?

When Opal turned his gaze to Hubert as he inquired, he was surprisingly narrowing his eyes.

As if trying to measure its sincerity.

"Of course, I will bear the cost of medical care. After that, if you guys are gonna stay here like this, I'm gonna pay you a decent wage for the job."

When Opal told the servants who stood anxiously, he heard several people whining, "Good......"

Looks like Romit immediately shut his mouth.

"Okay, you guys can back off now. Make up your mind in five days."

When Opal told him grandiose, the Romites hesitated for a moment, but left in a gracious manner.

And only three remained in the living room: Opal, Hubert and Mrs. Northam.

"Well, shall we discuss something else?"

"Do you still have it?

"Isn't it weirder without it? How much money do you think you need to live? We're in a privileged position, but we're still frustrated and not money gushing without doing anything. Think about how much money has gone to waste because your husband ever needed you without doing anything. If Omer had the money he put into gambling, his husband would not have been in debt and he would not have had to marry me. And they should have been able to give it back to the people."

To Opal's words, Hubert silenced.

That look was rude, but I know it wasn't directed at Opal.

Perhaps you regret what you've done so far.

I was about to pity Opal for a moment, but I hurried to tighten my feelings.

Hubert is not a child who has just lost his parents, he is an adult male of twenty-six years of age.

If you don't show me your guts here, there's nothing I can do.

"As I said earlier, this mansion has become my property, so I will pay for wages and maintenance to my servants. And cover your husbands' living expenses - food, clothing, and medical expenses as well. Apart from that, my husband will also need social expenses as a duke, etc., so I will give you a small par value allowance"

"... that it's an allowance?

"Cash, would you have preferred to say?

"Are you making fun of me?

"I'm sorry. I don't know how to describe giving money to people who don't have it... I wonder if I can just give it to you... because we are a couple. Even if all the property belongs to my wife and I can't be allowed to share."

Opal's chosen language was as if to surround his mistress, and seemed to be dealing with children.

Hubert becomes more humiliated than ever by Opal's demeaning attitude.

Mrs. Northam just sat back and sat back, twitching and staring at the door, saying she could no longer be here.

In the end, however, Hubert seems to endure a strong grip on his fist without hitting Opal with anger.

"It's the money I give to my husband, so it doesn't matter how you spend it. Trying to get excited about playing in a gentlemen's club, going to a whorehouse, trying to surround your mistress."

"My lady!"

I gave Lady Northam the momentum she was about to graduate from her seriously spoken opal.

While Opal calmly thinks that for the first time Mrs. Northam called her "wife," she smiles sparingly.

"You have no choice, do you? I'm your husband's wife, but that's nominal. That relationship won't change in the future either, so it's cheating. I'm not going to blame my husband for saying what it is or making a scene. But what we need to discuss is not that, it's about this future mansion or territory."

"... what?

Hubert apparently lost his temper to be angry.

I find myself bored, I just didn't realize it before, and Opal thought it might be really sexually vicious.

But the terms that I'm going to present have nothing to do with Opal's character.

"During my life, I am not going to let go of this property. But only for my husband, I will sell this mansion and territory at a fair price on the market."

"But it was originally Hubert's!

"What's that? It's mine now. This also happened because of the sweetness of my husband. What do you think would have happened if Omer had stopped being able to pay his debts and worked with bad money lending to do the same thing?

When Opal returned the truth to the protesting Lady, neither Lady nor Hubert seemed to be able to say anything.

Rather, it would be better in this situation.

If the Earl, the father of Opal, also cared about it, he would have been able to plunder Hubert's property without bothering to marry Opal.

In the first place, the current Earl of Holloway should not even need the title Duke's stepfather, etc.

"I offered to give my husband less money every month. You won't even be able to save that money in the tunnel and buy back your mansion or territory. But that will take a long time. For example, why not try to increase that money even more on hand?

"... more money, more money? Are you kidding me?

"Come on, I'll take care of that. Gambling or investing. It just seems like my trustee is asking my father for an opinion to increase my fortune. Where should I invest and when and when should I withdraw funds...... Because the world seems to be rumored to be the return of a king who is said to have turned everything he touched into gold."

"You tell me to beg your father - Count Holloway - to teach?

"That depends on your husband. Because it's my husband's freedom, no matter how I spend the money I give you. I just don't think my father would refuse what his husband asked me to do. Now, what you have said this evening, please think again carefully and give us your answer within five days. I beg your pardon."

It's finally over.

Opal left the living room to return to the attic, relieved that he had successfully completed this farce of the evening.

The servants use the back stairs, but Opal uses the large stairs in front until the second floor.

As a result, Stella, sitting in a wheelchair, came out into the hallway as she went upstairs and tried to pass in front of the master bedroom.

"I knew you were the devil. You just took Hubert from me, or you're gonna take Hubert's property and try to take it all the way to where you live!

"... I'm not trying to take it, I took it. But I am a kind devil, so I will have mercy on you all. Don't hesitate, thank me."

Opal also hated Stella's grudge and returned it.

I was worried I wouldn't get sick on the inside, but apparently I'm fine.

On the contrary, he looked well pale and cheerful, eating up his teeth regrettably and staring at Opal.

Like Trevor said, Opal laughs and passes by Stella, thinking the suggestion to see another doctor was the right one.

And as I went up the stairs for the servants and into the attic, the room was warmed, the bed was lined with mattresses, and the futon had been turned into a duvet.

Probably have rooms for Opal as well.

Opal lay tired on a small but warm bed, thinking that apparently some servants had answered.