I was gambling on the Duchess' desire to control Charles. If I lost it, I might be kicked out of the Duke's Manor immediately, but if I won...
After a moment of silence, the Duchess chuckled and asked me to stand up.
I knew I had made the right bet.
Everything of these high and mighty nobles, even including the affection between a mother and a son, was impure.
Besides love, there was greed, ambition, and even malice.
Though I had contempt in my heart, I walked toward the Duchess with a calm look.
She held my hand and said in a gentle tone, "You are just one of so many beautiful women in the world. The beauty of a woman fades fast."
The Duchess warned me casually and asked a servant to bring a zither over.
"Charles likes the zither. You can learn to play it when you are free."
After saying that, she excused me.
I understood what she meant. She couldn't be bothered to care about an unimportant pawn like me, so she didn't mind giving me this opportunity but would simply replace me with someone else if I failed to satisfy her.
For those in power, life was like a play, of which the roles had long been determined.
Some were always predators, while some could only be prey.
But if I were complacent about stability, I would never have a chance of revenge. I would have to risk life and limb if I wanted revenge.
I only had the choice between these two ways.
Soon after I came back from the Duchess' place that day, I moved to the Violet Courtyard, which was closer to Charles' place, at the Duchess' instruction.
A few days later, Charles came to the Violet Courtyard in a rage.
He looked livid with tense muscles and the threat of an impending explosion in his eyes.
