Women are always delighted to receive gifts.
Ellie Miller wore the Dragon Gemstone Necklace and drifted into a sweet dream.
In the dream, a platinum-colored Great Dragon encircled her with its massive body.
Then, a giant brush appeared in her hand, and the Great Dragon gazed at her with ice-blue eyes, compelling her to brush its scales.
Ellie Miller didn’t want to brush.
The platinum-colored Great Dragon pointed at the precious Dragon Gemstone Necklace.
Ellie Miller realized, this was no gift, but her ‘compensation’.
So, she spent the whole night industriously brushing the dragon scales.
The next day, as she sat up, Ellie Miller felt sore all over, as if she’d been tormented by 100 Flower Pixies all night.
At the dining table, the ‘couple’ presented a stark contrast.
One was energetic, the other was weak.
Ellie Miller ‘struggled’ to scoop a spoonful of oatmeal milk porridge, laboriously feeding herself, as the Duke across the table asked:
“Didn’t sleep well last night?”
Ellie Miller complained: “I had an exhausting dream.”
“And you?” she casually asked.
The Duke slightly raised the newspaper in his hands, hiding his upturned lips, “A pleasant dream.”
Seeing that Ellie Miller had almost finished eating, the Duke put down the newspaper and said: “Charlie Cullen’s wife wants to see you.”
Ellie Miller looked at the Duke of Coldcrest in confusion.
“Hasn’t she left yet?”
Artor Coldcrest turned a page of the newspaper, speaking indifferently, “Balk has already sent someone to the Royal Capital to demand ransom from the Maxwell Family.”
“And which family is Maxwell?” Ellie Miller was a bit bewildered.
“Yelena Cullen’s maternal family.” The Duke paused, then put it more plainly, “The family of Charlie Cullen’s current wife.”
Ellie Miller: “…”
The Duke was simply a master at robbery.
“And those sixteen Golden Knights?
Didn’t send someone to inquire at their homes?” Ellie Miller asked slowly.
The Duke raised his eyes to look at her, a meaningful glance.
It must be said, the couple had surprisingly consistent thoughts in some aspects.
Artor Coldcrest said with a tinge of regret, “These people are all of common birth.”
The most valuable thing on them was their set of equipment.
Ellie Miller blinked, “Eh?
Can’t the King pay their ransom?”
The Duke took a sip from a cup of hot tea, “I suppose that’s why he dared to send these people here so brazenly.”
Ellie Miller understood now, they had nothing to offer but their lives.
This was betting that the Duke of Coldcrest couldn’t kill the knights.
Upon hearing this, Ellie Miller’s shovel became restless in her heart.
Yesterday, she unexpectedly gained a windfall, serving as initial construction funds for her future territory.
Now she had the money, and as soon as she divorced, the Duke’s promised territory could quickly be hers.
What else did her future life lack?
Answer: People!
Those are 16 Golden Knights!
If she could recruit them…
“Oh!
Can I approach them?” The King is indeed a great kind-hearted person, sending pillows when one is tired.
The Duke glanced at her, his face slightly cold, dropped the newspaper and left the dining room wordlessly.
Ellie Miller: “…” What’s up with him again??
After breakfast, Ellie Miller entered the [Alchemy House] and harvested today’s batch of Magical Plants.
Seeing the stocks replenished in the preservation cabinet, she felt a bit more at ease.
After leaving the [Alchemy House], she felt somewhat idle; usually, at this time, she would visit the alchemy shop in Centralis.
Besides promising to supply a few strategic potions to The Coldcrest Knights, she’d sell any remaining odd or more domestic alchemy potions at the little shop in the city.
But now she had given the shop’s full management to the Minotaur.
Ellie thus had some leisure time.
Just as she pondered whether to visit the old man still battling the ‘Wall of Ice and Fire’, the room door was knocked.
“Come in.”
Conrad, the old butler, entered the room, first respectfully saluting Ellie Miller, “Madam.”
“Oh, is there something, Conrad?”
“It’s that Lady insists on meeting you.
The Duke suggests it’s up to you.”
Ellie Miller was a bit curious, “Yelena Cullen?
I don’t seem to have much interaction with her.”
“Then I’ll decline for you.”
“No, I’m idle with nothing to do, so going to have a look isn’t bad.”
Conrad smiled slightly, “The roses in the rear garden have bloomed; setting up an afternoon tea there to entertain Lady might be a good choice, wouldn’t you say?”
“Let’s do as you suggested.” Ellie Miller was already getting used to the butler’s rhetoric.
…
Joanna didn’t trust Bakin Cowhoof, so she went to the city center.
Thus, Ellie Miller set herself free.
She held a delicate lace folding fan, casually picked a Kloro-style goose-yellow waist-cinched long dress, and appeared as if a celestial being without makeup.
She appeared just like this in front of Yelena Cullen.
Yelena’s face twisted the moment she saw her.
Ellie Miller saw a blood-red “bubble” pop above her head:
[Ha!!
That vixen from the Ness family can only be viewed face-wise!]
[Look at how thick her barrel waist has grown!
No wonder The Duke of Coldcrest was so indifferent to her before!]
[Ha!]
Ellie Miller: “…”
“Ah, seeing that you still look so well, I’m relieved,” Ellie sincerely said.
“After hearing that Balk went to your mother’s family for ransom this morning, I was really worried about you.”
The Lady who had been cursing Ellie Miller in her heart was stunned.
Then, the color drained from her face, she clutched her chest, breathing desperately as if she was about to faint the next second.
Ellie Miller elegantly picked up the teacup and took a sip of steaming hot tea.
Round one, Ellie Miller wins.
[Ahhhh!
Wretch!!!
I’ll kill you!!!!]
The Lady suppressed her anger, forcing a smile and said, “Ah, seeing how well you and the Duke seem to be yesterday, I’m truly relieved.
After all, the nobility in the Royal Capital are quite worried about the Duke’s marital status.”
Ellie Miller wore a puzzled expression.
Charlie Cullen had nothing to do with her, what was this second wife of her former uncle concerned about?
The Lady found her rhythm, and gracefully picked up the teacup, “After all, without good feelings, there wouldn’t be children.”
“Unlike me, who has already given Charlie an excellent heir.”
Ellie Miller bewilderedly raised her head, “Are you talking about your son whom the Duke captured, and then his grandfather had to pay the ransom to bring back home?”
The maids nearby had to lower their heads to hide their faces about to break into uncontrollable laughter.
The Lady’s makeup was almost cracking from anger.
Ellie Miller remained oblivious, continuing to twist the knife, “Um, maybe I’m not fully informed, so what makes him excellent?
His posture was exceptionally imaginative when captured by the Duke?”
“Pft~” a maid quickly covered her mouth.
The Lady was speechless for a long time, relying solely on the bubbles above her head for frenzied output.
[xxx!!!
xxxxxx!!!
xxxxxxx!!!]
Overall, her curses were particularly filthy.
Ellie Miller lightly sipped her tea.
Round two, Duchess wins.
The Lady’s hand trembled slightly with rage, yet she mimicked Ellie Miller’s gesture of picking up the teacup, “Isn’t the Duke getting quite old?
Hasn’t the Duchess given him a child yet?”
The Lady glanced at Ellie Miller disapprovingly, “That just won’t do, how can you not have offspring from your husband?”
“Oh my, almost forgot.
I heard the Duke is still sleeping in separate rooms from you…
Oh, I’m so sorry, how rude of me, oh hohoho~”
Ellie Miller really appreciated the Lady’s look of ‘weak person with great lust’.
She smiled generously, “Indeed, I should learn from you, the way to become a legitimate wife through her child from her hidden marriage.”
“Turned into a legitimate wife through childbirth, digging lanterns all over the country, couldn’t find a beguiling mistress like you.”
The Lady was dumbfounded.
After realizing it, she directly reached her claws toward Ellie Miller, only to be pressed down by prepared maids.
She looked like a ghost, pointing freshly painted nails at Ellie Miller’s nose, “How much longer can you be arrogant???”
“Hahaha!
Wretch, you don’t know, do you?
The Marchioness Marina has already written a letter to the Pope!”
“She’s requesting a ‘Pardon Order’, with the Pope’s ‘Pardon Order’, the Duke can divorce you!
Will he continue to endure you???
Hahaha!
You’re about to be thrown out soon!”
Ellie Miller was about to leave, abruptly paused in her footsteps.
She turned around, her bright green eyes sparkled, “Is what you said true?”
Yelena Cullen thought she hit a sore spot, and maliciously smiled, “Of course, just you wait!”
The Lady thought she finally turned the tables.
“That sure is a great news!” Ellie’s eyes ‘whoosh’ lit up, she exclaimed in delight.
Yelena Cullen: “?????”
……
In the study, the maid who had previously served in The Rear Garden leaned in to whisper something to the Duke.
Several Great Knight Commanders continued to argue whether to attack Earl Raphael’s Fief or the Marquisate of Soli.
Having listened to the maid, Artor Coldcrest stood up and placed a Coldcrest battle flag onto a spot that no one had anticipated.
Earl Maxwell’s Fief.