Chapter 169: Tpcp 169
The Predator’s Contract Partner
Elisha was living a luxurious life that was incomparable to her past. However, sometimes money alone was not enough to win people over.
âItâs strange when you think about it. I heard that the dukeâs butler, Gail, is a prudent person. He canât bring me a present without you knowing. He must have first obtained permission from the emperor and then permission from you.â
When Elisha received the gift from Gaju, all of the noble ladies were envious. Similarly, she recalled the respect displayed towards her at that eveningâs gathering. With Ilione at the center, all the noblewomen spared no effort to impress Elisha, her friend.
âWhen you arrived at the party with Ilione, what did the people there do?â
âAll of them got up from their seats and greeted us.â
Lucerne smiled.
âThen what if one of them didnât get up?â
â⦠⦠.â
âOr if everyone didnât care to greet you as you entered? If no one talked to you? What if they didnât even know who you are?â
Elisha felt her heart break. She stared at Lucerne quietly.
âYouâd feel bad, right?â
â⦠⦠.â
âThatâs the way it is, Elisha. There is no one who can not be appeased.â
She wanted to frown because his words were so right.
Elisha had always been insignificant, so she was inevitably vulnerable to the kindness and acceptance of others. Wherever she went, she was not accustomed to the daily routine of being treated with dignity or dearly. It was such a sweet trap.
âI guess Iâm convenient for you if you put so much effort that you use the word appeasement.â
âStupid,â
Lucerne said quietly.
âThere is no man who will bring his prey and game for a woman who is simply convenient.â
â⦠⦠.â
Elisha shut her mouth. Her mistakes, his reassurance that his performance and his Seeds work at the hunt to avoid being humiliated by herâ¦.. She didnât want her to think it was all a premeditated job to tame her. Until it occurred to her. And it was like poison.
Emotions are pollution. Poison. He now demanded more than loyalty from Elisha.
It always has been. If someone from the Cartier family tried to plunder something, their opponent trying to guard it would go through hell. Elisha had a foreboding that defending herself would become more grueling.
âI told you.â
â⦠⦠.â
âSoon you will choose your course.â
âI donât know if I have the right to decide,â
She retorted coldly but Lucerne wasnât angry.
âCome on, Elisha.â
Her hand twitched.
âAll I want is simple. Trust me a little more.â
â⦠⦠.â
âThen I will give it all to you.â
A sweetness spread throughout her body. Elisha didnât know where or how far to believe his words. No matter how many times she was trampled on by the Cartier family, should she trust him once again?
It was an unequal relationship. Could trust arise from a one-sided owner-and-indebted-servant relationship?
Then what would her end? Elisha averted her eyes. Now, the time to explore each other with thorns is over. All she had left was time to show loyalty as promised. But, unfortunately, his generosity was not eternal.
â⦠⦠letâs talk about work.â
âTry it.â
âThe reason I talked to Mimosa today is because she was the one who threw the fake love letter at me. She had also faked the male voice, but I heard it clearly. I have good ears. Thatâs why I just looked and spotted Mimosa.â
âShe did it? Then sheâll have to pay the price. Shall I clean it up first?â
He said in a tone like dealing with one ant.
âShall we start with the maid?â
âIâll let you kill Carola soon, too. But it will take some time. Wait.â
Elisha shook her head.
She wasnât talking nonsense, she intented to clean up Carola someday, but Elisha wanted to bring that time forward.
In fact, she also knew. That Lucerne was generous to her. So Elisha changed her tone. It was a slightly softer manner.
âLucerne. I am very angry about this. I was afraid that you would misunderstand me⦠⦠.â
â⦠⦠.â
âI canât wait to get rid of Carola.â
âAre you planning something fruitful?â
He seemed on the verge of laughing. But he didnât seem offended when she suddenly became amicable with him again.
âI will placate Mimosa. So, her death is postponed until later. Mimosa has been taking care of Carola for a long time. She uses Mimosa to enact her malicious plans.â
Lucerne succeeded in recalling who Mimosa was.
âI heard Carola is close to her ladies-in-waiting and they have been loyal to her for a long time.â
âYou know them?â
She thought it strange that Lucerne remembered such insignificant beings like Carolaâs servants.
âThese womenâs bad manners are infamous within the ducal family.â
She nodded. She knew about the rumors.
âCan you do it?â
âWhat cannot be done? Didnât you just say it yourself? âThere is no one in the world who cannot be appeasedâ?â
â⦠⦠.â
âAll you have to do is find what that person desperately wants. A dog that changes owners bites the previous owner more brutally than anyone else,â
Elisha stated evenly.
âYou make me want to interpret it in a very ambivalent way.â
Lucerne grinned.
âYou told me to get your permission in detail if I wanted to do something. So Iâm getting it now, what do you think?â
âSure, try your hand. What do you need?â
Elisha put her hand to her mouth.
âI will watch the progress.â
âFor now⦠⦠. I think I need a good-looking knight.â
â⦠⦠.â
Lucerne nodded, although he looked puzzled.
âIt should be easier to find than a beautiful knight.â
***