She felt it was inevitable that the meeting with Yuri was going to be postponed for later today.

Abella smiled lightly.

Talking with Enoch like this made her comfortable.

Perhaps it was because they communicated well and had similar interests. Besides, it may be because they never quarreled since they met in Vincent.

“Thank you again today, Abella.”

Enoch said, taking his coat.

“It seems like you’re about to start something new all of a sudden.”

Vincent was a city of opportunity and a city of meetings.

“Oh. When I first met you in Vincent, I didn’t really want to think about it. You are a real hillbilly.”

“What about you?”

Abella and Enoch burst into laughter at the same time.

*

It was late in the afternoon.

Now, Abella, who was about to finish her job and go out to meet Yuri, saw the Mistress come to her.

“Do you have anything to say?”

“Yes.”

Mrs. Amerigo wandered around the door. Abella suggested the sofa, but she was turned down.

It was a strong expression that she did not want to stay in the same space with Abella for long.

Abella’s eyes were silent.

Abella was weak to the weak and strong to the strong.

Mrs. Amerigo had always been weak, so Abella would also have to become small.

Abella, who infinitely became smaller, held her hands together.

“Tell me, mother.”

“.. It will be Gilmus’s birthday soon. The Count Gilmus family made a formal request, and they said they wanted to rent Amerigo’s hall.”

“.. Of course, they would have requested to rent it free of charge. Mother was right. Are you going to take care of it?”

Abella’s question was like water flowing into a calm lake.

Her mother was always generous.

The only thing that Mrs. Amerigo was not generous with was Abella.

Mrs. Amerigo was weak only to the strong. Although, the only one who could protect Mrs. Amerigo was now Abella.

For Mrs. Amerigo, Abella would forever be weak.

This time, Abella resigned again.

***

This resignation that repeated every day gnawed at Abella.

Mrs. Amerigo’s gaze quietly turned towards Abella. Abella could already guess her response.

“I can’t help it, can I? It’s your father’s blood.”

Such an evasive answer.

Even though she could escape with her own power, she didn’t intend to do so and instead adapted to it.

Then she blamed it on the other person.

Abella seemed to understand it now. The fact that Mrs. Amerigo claimed herself to be unlucky.

Mrs. Amerigo believed that all of her misfortunes originated from the death of the predecessor, the Duke. But that wasn’t the case.

Even when Abella’s father died, her mother was still living in misery.

“.. I don’t like it.”

“Abella.”

At once, Mrs. Amerigo’s face turned frightened.

“.. Do you really intend to crush the people of Amerigo? That’s not right. After abandoning the family, I will be..”

“They are not family, mother.”

“Abella!”

“They are like parasites that eat Amerigo. What are you so afraid of?”

“You, you don’t know.. you don’t know how far they can go!”

Mrs. Amerigo screamed as she trembled. Abella frowned at her. How far they could go..

Then.

“My mother doesn’t even know. How far can I go?”

Abella stretched her lips.

“Did it seem easy for me to spend my seven years in Vincent? I survived as a businesswoman. The businesswoman that mother despises so much. I made money. I survived from the bottom and returned.”

‘Why can’t you understand that, mother?’

Abella sadly frowned.

Mrs. Amerigo had to acknowledge who was the true powerhouse of this mansion. She had to know who was preparing to swing with the hilt of the sword.

Otherwise, at this rate, Abella would be led by Mrs. Amerigo to listen to the ridiculous demands as if they made sense.

Declined.

She hated her own stupidity, but she hated Mrs. Amerigo’s behavior.

“How far do you think I can go?”

“Abella!!”

“I’ll show you, mother. How far I can go to protect Amerigo.”

She would throw Volot into the abyss and destroy Gilmus.

Other than that, if anyone touched Abella, she would not remain still.

“You said I am the devil. You also said that I am an unparalleled villainess in the world.”

Mrs. Amerigo stepped back. Had it not been for Count Gilmus’s pressure, she wouldn’t have had a reason to stand here.

Mrs. Amerigo swallowed her saliva.

“So let me do it. Like a devil, or like the villainess.”

Abella slowly passed by Mrs. Amerigo.

The side profile of Abella, who was wearing a hat, was as stiff as marble.

The muscles around Mrs. Amerigo’s mouth hardened.

*