A Change of Husband - Chapter 76

“When I changed the ammunition as instructed, the range became much longer. But, like you said before, it wasn’t more than twice the distance.”

There were limits to applying what one knew in theory.

Asilie nodded, thinking of the boy Jonathan in the parallel world, smiling brightly as he figured out how to increase the shooting range.

“That makes sense.”

“Is that alright with you? It’s different from what we promised…”

“Well, it still increased compared to before. And Duke Grandier only cares that the range has significantly increased, not exactly by how much.”

For an inventor, the exact increase in range might matter, but not for Duke Grandier.

“What will you do now?”

“There are only thirty guns. That’s far too few to arm all the knights of the duchy. Now that we’ve proven we can bring the guns, they’ll start demanding more from you.”

“Then what?”

“Then, hold out. Don’t hand them over so Asilie. Since only you can make guns with this kind of range, it’s worth negotiating for a better price.”

“What about you?”

Asilie looked at Jonathan, not quite understanding his question.

“I mean, what are you getting out of all this?”

“Well…”

At first, she had desperately wanted just one thing.

Duke Grandier was someone capable of completely erasing her existence if she ever became a nuisance.

There was no one else who could help her, and at that time, Duke Grandier was the only person she could even talk to. So she had made a deal, offering him something he might want.

Luckily, Jonathan accepted her offer, and Asilie was able to stay safe.

“The people in this mansion aren’t very good at keeping secrets. The duchess and the young masters were talking about why you’re doing something so foolish and dangerous like going back to the Bonaparte family.”

“………….”

“After hearing that, I also started to find it strange. I secured a safe trading partner for now to gather my funds. Duke Grandier got a better-performing weapon. But what did you get?”

“I got guaranteed safety.”

“Then why are you giving that up?”

Asilie didn’t answer.

The Jonathan she trusted was the boy from the parallel world, not the one here who saw her as a complete stranger.

She didn’t know what kind of environment he grew up in or what experiences he had, so her trust in him couldn’t be complete.

“…You don’t seem like you want to answer.”

“There’s no reason I should.”

“Either way, I don’t think this was a very fair deal.”

“So?”

“I wondered if this would make up for it.”

Jonathan lightly placed a small box in front of her.

Caught off guard, Asilie looked back and forth between the box and Jonathan.

“What is this?”

“Open it.”

When Asilie opened the box, she found a small, smoothly polished gun inside.

But it looked different from the ones she had seen before. It was far too small and short.

“It’s a pistol. I made it some time ago and kept improving it, but I never showed it to anyone.”

“…And you’re giving this to me?”

“Because you said you’re going somewhere dangerous.”

After learning the basic usage of the pistol from Jonathan, Asilie gave him a quick farewell.

“Thank you. I didn’t expect this. I’ll use it well if I’m in a tight spot.”

“I don’t know how helpful it will be since you haven’t learned to shoot, but it’s better to avoid situations where you need it. This won’t fully protect you. Well then.”

After finishing what he came to do, Jonathan gave a polite nod and stood up to leave.

Asilie quietly watched him go, not looking back even once. Then, she looked down at the pistol in her hand.

When she first persuaded Jonathan, she had imagined all kinds of scenarios in her head.

But with so many unknowns ahead, she couldn’t act recklessly under the excuse of preparing.

Besides, Jonathan was now just starting to build his place through her introduction.

One couldn’t always depend on others. One couldn’t always expect help.

She had been lucky to get so much help until now.

Knock knock.

With a knock, the door opened and a maid from Duke Grandier’s mansion, who had served Asilie, entered.

“Madam, the carriage is ready.”

“What about the Duke?”

“He said he was too busy to see you off.”

She hadn’t expected him to, so she wasn’t disappointed.

As Asilie picked up the box and stood, the maid gathered her few belongings and followed her.

Since she had so little luggage, the carriage departed shortly after she boarded.

It was the day she headed to the Bonaparte family.

She had thought they might refuse her visit, but it seemed the Bonaparte family decided that seeing her directly was safer.

She didn’t yet know what she would face, but it would definitely be different from before.

The fact that she wasn’t afraid at all, even while heading to meet them, proved that.

It wasn’t the first time she had stood up to those she once feared. And back then, she had been incredibly confident. There was no reason she couldn’t be again.

Believing that her experiences hadn’t been in vain, Asilie stepped down from the carriage.

“You’ve arrived, young madam.”

Even though surely everyone knew she was coming, only the head maid was there to greet her at the Bonaparte estate.

And even she didn’t seem too pleased.

The annoyance of having to wait for Asilie under the hot autumn sun was clearly visible on the maid’s face.

“You must be tired. I’ll take you to your room right away.”

Asilie said nothing, and the maid’s expression darkened.

Turning sharply in a bad mood, the maid walked so fast that it was hard for Asilie to keep up. Still, Asilie didn’t say a word.

After a long walk up the stairs, the room the maid led her to was the same shabby room Asilie had used right after marrying Joseph.

“This is wrong.”

Back then, she didn’t think it was unfair and just accepted the room. But now, it was different.

Asilie clearly knew she didn’t have to be treated like this.

“What do you mean?”

“Why should I use such a shabby room?”

“…Excuse me?”

“I want to change rooms.”

The head maid looked at her with a face full of disbelief.

After a brief silence, the head maid gave a small laugh and shrugged.

“Well, I don’t know if madam will allow it. Because the young madam has always used this room, and the attendants all know it that way. If you suddenly change rooms, it could cause confusion. And also…”

“Do I have to consider the confusion of the attendants just because I want to change my room?”

At her cold question, the head maid couldn’t respond, looking flustered. But Asilie didn’t give her a chance to come up with an excuse.

“Also, is changing my room such a big deal that it needs to be reported to my mother? Are you sure this is something she should get involved in?”

“Well, but…”

“Answer me.”

“Oh my, sister-in-law. You’re scolding the head maid over something so small! Even if they’re a servant, the first thing you do after returning is to pressure the staff. That doesn’t look good.”

At the familiar voice, Asilie turned her head.

Monica stood proudly, dressed in a fancy gown and wearing all kinds of jewelry as if to show off.

Surprisingly, Asilie could read her mood just from the smile on her lips.

Monica was mocking her.

“Sister-in-law, you must think it’s fine for me to stay in this room.”

“There’s no problem. Isn’t it actually nice? Even a little romantic.”

“Do you mean that?”

“Of course.”

“…I see. I’m sorry, sister-in-law. I guess I didn’t really understand how you felt.”

“How I felt?”

“Well, sometimes what belongs to others can look better. If my room looks so romantic and nice, maybe switching rooms would make both of us happy.”

Monica’s relaxed face hardened, clearly not expecting that kind of answer.

Before she could say anything, Asilie gave an order to the head maid.

“What are you standing there for? Switch my room with my sister-in-law’s right now.”

“No, sister-in-law…!”

Monica called out in a panic, but Asilie didn’t back down. Instead, she responded coldly.

“Didn’t you say you were serious? As your elder, I’m making a concession. Are you saying no now?”

“That’s not what I meant…”

Monica quickly calmed herself and continued.

“I just thought it’s not right for you to use the room I stayed in. If you don’t like this room, there’s no problem in moving to another one. Head maid, what are you doing? Hurry and move the luggage.”

“Yes, yes. Understood.”

Unlike when Asilie gave the order, the head maid began moving the maids busily at Monica’s command.

Even in the midst of the chaos caused by the moving maids, Asilie and Monica didn’t take their eyes off each other.

‘Why is she acting so bold now?’

Did she get braver after almost dying, or did she actually die and come back?

Monica didn’t like the look in Asilie’s eyes at all.

The Asilie she knew was never this calm or confident.

She used to always look nervous, watching her mother-in-law and Monica’s reactions, making her an easy target whenever Monica felt like being cruel.

She had thought today would be the same…

“Sister-in-law, you seem quite free today.”

“Pardon?”

“Or did you suddenly find some time?”

“Why are you asking that all of a sudden?”

“It just feels strange. I came back, and you didn’t greet me, but then you showed up right when I got to the room, like you were waiting. I thought maybe you were too busy, but now it doesn’t look like it.”

Monica’s eyes narrowed at the sharp remark.

‘Who is she to talk about greetings?’

She asked in disbelief.

“How could I know when you were coming and wait for you? I came as soon as I heard you were back. And yet… your husband is nowhere to be seen.”

Bringing up Joseph was intentional.

Depending on Asilie’s reaction, she could get a rough idea of her intentions and why she came back.

But unexpectedly, Asilie didn’t show any particular reaction.

“So what? He’s probably busy helping father. I can’t expect him to come out just to greet me.”

“Still…”

“Anyway, I understand. I’ve been traveling a long way since morning, so I’m a bit tired. Looks like the room has been switched, so I’ll go rest now. Let’s meet at dinner later, sister-in-law.”

Monica had planned to enjoy watching Asilie’s face full of despair, but it had completely failed.

She bit her lip at how things were going so differently than expected.

‘I don’t know what’s gotten into her, but…’

Monica had no intention of tolerating this arrogant sister-in-law.

She clenched her fist, determined to crush that lowborn woman.

There was no way she had died.

Lydia had promised to let him meet Asilie and sent him here for that reason.

That’s what he kept telling himself, trying to stay strong, but he still got angry and felt sick to his stomach more than a dozen times a day.

“She couldn’t have died.”

“Pardon? But according to the official announcement…”

“Search the entire area where she went missing. Find her. She’s definitely not dead. She can’t be.”

He had hoped for news, but one day passed, then two, and then a whole week—with no word at all.

In terms of pain, hoping for the survival of a lover who might be dead was even harder than accepting her death.

Every day was a struggle.

Time kept moving forward, and now that he was here, the thought of losing her again made it unbearable.

If there was anything to be grateful for, it was that the national events surrounding Siena’s funeral had at least reduced his official duties for a while.

After all, state matters couldn’t be handled carelessly, especially when his mind was elsewhere.

“Your Majesty, it’s Benjamin.”

“Come in.”

Esperad finally looked up after staring at the same document for hours, unable to concentrate.

He thought Benjamin had come with tea, as usual, but his hands were empty.

“There is new information about Countess Bonaparte.”

“…What kind of information?”

Joy and fear rose at the same time.

Seeing Esperad’s serious face, Benjamin answered immediately.

“She’s alive. The Grandier Duchy found her and protected her, and today she was returned to the Bonaparte family.”

“What did you say?”

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