The Contract Wife Tries to Leave - Chapter 200
Josephine bowed her head in apology to Johanna as well. After a brief hesitation, Johanna cautiously asked,
“May I ask… why you did it?”
Josephine flinched slightly, then took a deep breath, her bruised cheeks looking painfully swollen. Johanna didn’t know Josephine well, but she still thought it was cruel to have beaten her to this extent.
“It’s just… you annoyed me too much.”
Josephine answered, clutching the hem of her dress tightly. Her body trembled, though it didn’t seem to be from guilt. Instead, she appeared humiliated, with a flicker of resentment over how things had gone so wrong.
“I wanted to get rid of you. Away from Leonid.”
“……”
“That’s all.”
“So, in short, you simply dislike me.”
“…Yes, that’s right.”
Mumbling, Josephine lowered her head. Johanna silently looked at her, then gave a quiet nod.
How could one expect an apology over mere dislike? It was baffling and absurd. Johanna hadn’t wronged Josephine in any way, yet she had incurred her resentment.
Would anything have been different if she had tried to befriend Josephine? But from the beginning, Johanna had needed to deceive everyone, so a sincere connection would have been impossible.
“I may not know you well, but I think it’s wrong to commit crimes just because you dislike someone. I hope that someday you will truly repent.”
“…I’m sorry.”
Josephine’s parroted apologies continued, and after careful consideration, Victoria decided to come to an agreement. Johanna agreed with her.
Though she didn’t know the full extent, it seemed that the atmosphere in the Babenhausen household was dangerously intense. If Josephine were officially reported, the consequences might be irreversible.
In that case, this beating might only be the beginning. She dared to guess that Josephine might face even worse.
Victoria didn’t consider herself a saint, nor did she see herself as particularly kind. She hadn’t truly forgiven Josephine or pitied her from the heart. She might feel a little sympathy, but that didn’t erase Josephine’s crimes.
As a rational adult able to make sound judgments, she concluded that reaching an agreement was the most appropriate course for this situation.
If Josephine truly met with misfortune because of this, Victoria likely wouldn’t feel entirely satisfied either. Forgiving someone—or even just pretending to—was as much for her own peace of mind as it was for anything else.
Of course, accepting only an apology wasn’t her intention.
“We will offer Miss Oder a settlement of 100,000 rubles, plus an additional 50,000 in damages, for a total of 150,000 rubles. Do you agree?”
“Y-Yes, that’s acceptable.”
“And as for the Marchioness of Neubitz… please let us know anytime what compensation you would like. We are taking this matter seriously, and we will provide it, even if it causes us a financial strain.”
The idea of paying damages to the wealthy Elderique family was somewhat amusing. Thus, they offered alternative forms of compensation, and Johanna understood the gesture. She assumed that Leonid, rather than herself, would likely ask for something valuable—perhaps land, buildings, ships, precious jewels, or priceless works of art. She didn’t have a clear sense of what would be an appropriate compensation.
As the conversation seemed to wrap up and the Babenhausen family prepared to leave, Leonid unexpectedly spoke up.
“Then give me that to start with—《The Shepherd Watching the Shooting Star》.”
“Ah…?”
Ernst looked slightly taken aback.
“And an island in the Palen Archipelago. Somewhere suitable for a retreat.”
Just when it seemed he was finished, Leonid made one more request.
“I also heard your prized mare gave birth to a foal. That white horse… was its name Elizabeth?”
“…You can’t mean to ask for Elizabeth’s foal?”
“I’m glad you understand, Ernst.”
Ernst’s straight brows twitched in displeasure, but he couldn’t protest openly and instead let out a sigh.
“Fine… I’ll grant your wishes. Marchioness of Neubitz, do you agree as well?”
“Ah, yes, I don’t mind.”
“Understood. Then…”
With a polite bow, Ernst thanked Victoria and Johanna for agreeing to the terms and finally took his leave. Josephine once again donned her hat and tightly wrapped scarf, hiding her face, while Karl exchanged a look of relief with Johanna.
The very next day, the Marquis of Babenhausen personally arrived with the requested compensations to formally apologize.
He informed them that Josephine would be sent to a rural convent where she would spend her life atoning for her actions.
Furthermore, word of all this reached Hermia’s ears.
