A Change of Husband - Chapter 22

“Um, Duchess of Camedici?”

 

Isabella called out to Asilie, who had frozen without a word. Realizing she had zoned out, Asilie awkwardly nodded.

 

“Oh, yes. I was just spacing out. I’m not feeling well today…”

 

“Oh no! The family doctor is standing by. Should I bring him to you?”

 

“No, it’s not that serious. I’m fine.”

 

“I’m glad to hear that. Are you sure you’re okay?”

 

“Yes, really. I’m perfectly fine. I’m sorry if I startled you.”

 

“No need to apologize. I’m just relieved there’s no problem. You know, with those rumors about the Duke being cursed, I was worried something might have happened to you too. My heart was pounding just now.”

 

Only then did Asilie realize Isabella was being sarcastic.

 

Now that she looked closely, Isabella’s smile was crooked, and her eyes were filled with mockery.

 

“My goodness, you really have no filter, do you?”

 

Countess Bourbon, late to intervene, scolded her daughter and offered an apology.

 

“Duchess, please forgive her rudeness. She doesn’t know any better.”

 

But Asilie noticed the corners of the Countess’s lips had also lifted slightly.

 

Countess Bourbon could have stopped Isabella earlier but only stepped in after Asilie stayed silent. Clearly, she hadn’t intended to stop her daughter in the first place.

 

That was when Asilie fully felt it—nothing about her situation had truly changed.

 

She might now be the Duchess of Camedici, making it harder for others to confront her directly, but to the nobles of the capital, she was still just a lucky outsider who had managed to join the central nobility.

 

And now, instead of dying quickly like they had expected, she was holding her place with strength. That must have been irritating for them.

 

Isabella’s rude behavior was likely only the beginning of what was to come.

 

Asilie let go of her frustration and smiled.

 

In a way, it was a relief.

 

She had been wondering if she was allowed to hate the people who had wronged her in her previous life.

 

But if they came at her first like this, she could hate them freely without guilt.

 

“It’s okay, Countess Bourbon. I heard the young lady has been ill. It’s understandable that she might make mistakes.”

 

“Oh my, how generous of you.”

 

“Those who can afford to be composed should show a broad mind.”

 

“…Pardon?”

 

“When the body is weak, the mind tends to become narrow as well. Even people who aren’t normally like that might be called petty or mean. Their thinking becomes dull, too.”

 

“What do you mean by that?”

 

“I just mean I understand her behavior in that context. You can’t hold a sick person to the same standards as a healthy one.”

 

The mother and daughter looked at her in shock, as if they had never imagined she would respond like this.

 

“Even seeing her like this now, I’m sure no one thought she was clueless or dull before she got sick, so don’t worry.”

 

Just like when she asked Monica for a hair ribbon at the palace banquet, Asilie finished with a smile that hit like a dagger.

 

The two women’s faces twisted miserably. They clearly hadn’t expected a country girl with no social experience to strike back so skillfully.

 

Asilie found their arrogance laughable.

 

Just because she was raised in a different place and born into a different class didn’t mean they were fundamentally different as people, but the capital nobles refused to accept that.

 

They thought only their lives were special and that only they deserved to be blessed.

 

In the past, she would have hung her head, feeling intimidated and guilty for no reason. But after experiencing death once, she now felt pity for these nobles clinging desperately to their empty privileges.

 

What they were so desperate to protect couldn’t even be taken with them when they died.

 

“I’ll be going now. Thank you both for your warm welcome. Goodbye.”

 

Asilie passed by them without a second glance.

 

Though she wasn’t in the best mood, she knew that dwelling on such trivial things would only exhaust her.

 

She composed herself and headed toward the terrace in the garden where the tea party was being held.

 

As she entered, the noble ladies all turned to look at her as if on cue.

 

Asilie walked calmly to the seat the maid had prepared for her and sat down.

 

Only then did the ladies begin to whisper.

 

“Oh my, isn’t that the Duchess of Camedici?”

 

“Yes, I can’t believe she actually came here…”

 

“She probably came because she doesn’t know better. Ho ho ho.”

 

“How funny. I don’t think she even has a husband here to protect her.”

 

“Protect her? Please. He’s probably doing everything he can to avoid the rumors about being cursed.”

 

Since the tea party was hosted by a conservative noble family, most of the attendees were women from similar circles. The comments she overheard were even more direct because of that.

 

Asilie found it less upsetting than she expected.

 

In fact, the more she listened, the calmer she felt.

 

She knew that the ladies were getting bolder, thinking her silence meant she was intimidated. But strangely, she didn’t feel hurt.

 

No, she didn’t feel anything at all. It surprised even her how numb she was.

 

“I’ve heard of her name, but it’s the first time I’ve seen her face. Nice to meet you, Duchess.”

 

Asilie, who had been quietly sipping tea alone, paused as a shadow loomed over her.

 

The voice was familiar—just as familiar as Joseph’s or Monica’s.

 

No, this person had hurt her even more deeply than either of them.

 

It was a voice she could never forget, even after dying and coming back to life. Asilie clenched her fist tightly.

 

Then she looked up.

 

It was Countess Bonaparte—her former mother-in-law.

 

Though she was middle-aged, her clear skin and slender figure showed just how carefully she had taken care of herself.

 

Her black eyes held the arrogance of someone who had always lived in comfort, and her curled red lips seemed ready to spit out a scathing judgment.

 

Asilie tried to respond, but her lips trembled.

 

The hand holding her teacup wavered slightly. If she spoke now, she might make a mistake.

 

She lowered her gaze briefly. Around her, people began whispering that she was rude for ignoring a noblewoman’s greeting.

 

Ironically, that brought her back to her senses. Ah, now she understood why she had been able to stay unfazed by people’s criticism.

 

She had been through it all so many times—there was no way it could still affect her.

 

This wasn’t new or unfamiliar because the old woman now baring her teeth in front of her had put her through countless tests before.

 

“I apologize for the late greeting. I had a slight headache. It’s a pleasure to see you, Countess Bonaparte.”

 

Countess Bonaparte looked slightly surprised, perhaps not expecting her to recognize her face.

 

“Headaches are usually caused by stress. This setting must be quite uncomfortable for you, Duchess.”

 

“Not at all. I simply haven’t been sleeping well.”

 

“Oh dear, is there some kind of heartbreak keeping you up at night?”

 

Countess Bonaparte seemed delighted by the idea of Asilie’s misfortune.

 

She always enjoyed feeling superior when she realized other people were facing hardships that she herself never had to endure.

 

Having spent so long observing her, Asilie knew this well.

 

‘Ah.’

 

As she was about to answer, Asilie realized something she had completely forgotten—but something that was so obvious.

 

Countess Bonaparte had been able to torment her in the past because she knew what kind of person Asilie was and where her weak spots lay.

 

But now?

 

Asilie knew all about her. But she knew nothing about this new Asilie.

 

No matter how much the countess tried to attack her, all she could go off was superficial things—just like everyone else. It wouldn’t hurt her.

 

There was no reason to be afraid.

 

The real opponent she needed to beat here wasn’t Countess Bonaparte—it was the Asilie who still carried memories of the past.

 

“…There’s no heartbreak keeping me up. I promise.”

 

“Ho ho ho, you can be honest with me. Your husband’s rumored to be cursed, and you’ve been in danger yourself. How could you not be heartbroken?”

 

“I do know about the nasty rumors surrounding me and my husband, but honestly, I don’t have time to care.”

 

“No time to care? You sound awfully careless about your own safety. I’m worried for you.”

 

“Well, it can’t be helped. We’re newlyweds, and my husband gives me so much love every night, I don’t have the energy to think about anything else. So, there’s no need to worry. Still, I appreciate your concern.”

 

After Asilie’s response, the countess was speechless for a moment.

 

Asilie could almost laugh, knowing exactly what must be going through her mind.

 

Before her regression, one of Asilie’s duties had been to serve tea brewed with aphrodisiac herbs to her father-in-law every day.

 

With that much effort, even a dying old man should have had some vitality—but unfortunately, it had never worked on the Count of Bonaparte. That’s why the countess’s bedroom had always been cold.

 

“I see. I was only worried, but I guess it was unnecessary.”

 

“It’s only natural to speak based on what we know. I completely understand why you said that.”

 

“…Excuse me?”

 

“Since you’ve spent a long time in high society, you must have many acquaintances, including a poor friend who probably can’t even remember what nights with her husband were like anymore.

 

So, you must have found it hard to understand why a newlywed like me would have sleepless nights with her husband.”

 

When she made this blunt jab, Countess Bonaparte’s eyebrows twitched noticeably.

 

Asilie remembered the time she looked through the ledger where she had recorded all the medicinal herbs she had purchased, to avoid using the same ones repeatedly.

 

That ledger even noted the effects after using the herbs—such as whether or not they had relations.
But while the list of used herbs filled many pages, the number of successful nights could be counted on one hand.

 

That unfortunate ledger dated back to one year after Count and Countess Bonaparte had gotten married.

 

So even during their honeymoon phase, before the ledger existed, their relationship hadn’t been smooth.

 

 

 

That was the one thing the Countess—who seemed to have everything—never truly had.

 

“…You are quite bold.”

 

“Am I? I might’ve gotten a bit carried away since we were talking about my husband. Please think of it as the happiness of a newlywed woman.”

 

Asilie smiled calmly, and the corners of Countess Bonaparte’s lips subtly dropped.

 

Though she still appeared as composed as usual, Asilie could tell she was in a very bad mood.

 

“Of course.”

 

With those words, Countess Bonaparte turned away, her face cold and dignified, as if she no longer wished to continue the conversation.

 

Asilie quietly watched as the Countess took out a small mirror, touched up her hair, and checked her makeup.

 

She hated the woman enough to want her dead, yet she couldn’t deny her elegance.

 

In truth, Countess Bonaparte was the perfect model of a noblewoman.

 

To the nobility—especially noblewomen—appearance was everything.

 

Dressing up was the most effective and personally satisfying way to display their wealth and happiness.

 

But Asilie didn’t bring Sophia into the Ducal House just to make her look like a proper noblewoman.

 

It was also because she couldn’t forget how pitiful and shabby she herself had looked when she was Countess Bonaparte’s daughter-in-law.

 

Back then, the Countess had cared more about humiliating a daughter-in-law she didn’t like than about preserving the family’s dignity.

 

Even family members treated Asilie poorly, so of course no one else respected her.

 

Despite being in high society for seven years, her place there was always unstable.

 

It was all by Countess Bonaparte’s design.

 

Maybe the Countess had accepted Asilie into the family, even though she didn’t meet their standards, just to show the world that she didn’t truly acknowledge her.

 

To highlight how special they were.

 

To boast about how noble they were.

 

To show how rare they were.

 

As soon as she thought that far, Asilie felt nauseated.

 

She quickly looked away from the arrogant woman.

 

“You’ve waited long, haven’t you?”

 

Just then, the Countess of Bourbon and her daughter entered the terrace after greeting the guests.

 

As the host appeared, the ladies who had been chatting in small groups quickly moved to their assigned seats.

 

“Thank you all for cooperating today. I’ve actually prepared a special event for those of you who made time to attend, even with your busy schedules. I’m sure none of you here are unaware that the House of Bourbon runs various businesses.”

 

The ladies listened to the Countess of Bourbon with interest.

 

“Every month, many people come to us asking for support in their ventures. I’ve selected those with unique ideas or tools and planned this event to hear your opinions as well.”

 

After the explanation, the noblewomen at Asilie’s table began talking among themselves, excluding her.

 

“Come to think of it, the Bourbon family does run many businesses.”

 

“It must be tough filtering out the nobodies trying to ride their coattails.”

 

“This should be fun to watch, don’t you think? Hohoho.”

 

Asilie remained silent, but she agreed with them.

 

Compared to wasting time judging jewelry or dresses, talking about trends, and gossiping over petty scandals, this event was at least more meaningful.

 

“From now on, this event will be led by Baron Haynes, who oversees business plans for the Bourbon Trading Company. Let’s give him a warm round of applause.”

 

Once Baron Haynes entered, the event progressed more quickly.

 

“The first applicant.”

 

“I’ve come up with a business idea called ‘Toilet Music.’ Every time something drops into the toilet, it plays a pleasant bell sound. It’ll make time in the restroom feel more refreshing.”

 

“The second applicant.”

 

“I’ve made a much lighter sickle that cuts grass faster. Soon, noblewomen will be able to cut grass even while wearing dresses.”

 

Ridiculous inventions were demonstrated, but the noblewomen didn’t seem very interested.

 

Eventually, even a scammer with an absurd idea showed up, and the Countess of Bourbon looked quite troubled, as if she hadn’t expected this outcome.

 

“The fifteenth applicant.”

 

“I’ve created a new weapon. It shoots tiny metal balls at an invisible speed and can kill. I call it a ‘gun.’”

 

Weapons always sparked curiosity.

 

But interest quickly faded when the fifteenth applicant failed to demonstrate his invention.

 

He rested the long gun on his shoulder and pulled the trigger repeatedly, but nothing happened.

 

“How boring.”

 

“Exactly. What a waste of time.”

 

“Thank goodness that was the last one, right?”

 

“I just want to go home.”

 

The event prepared by the Countess of Bourbon ended in failure, and the noblewomen quickly got up to enjoy the dinner she had arranged.

 

It seemed everyone had found the event incredibly dull.

 

Except Asilie.

 

Just a moment ago, she had regretted coming to such a pointless event, but now she felt it was the best decision she had made.

 

‘I need to get him.’

 

Asilie had seen the fifteenth applicant before—the man everyone here thought was a scammer.

 

So she knew.

 

That in just two or three years, he would become incredibly rich through his new weapon—the gun.