The Regret Novel Female Lead with Unbreakable Mentality Chapter 81

* * *

A few days passed after investigating Wot. For the crime of mistakenly setting foot in an illegal gambling den, Marquis Berto became half a wreck. At first, everything seemed fine. He was only gambling, keeping an appropriate distance. But then…

 

“Ah, my mistake.”

 

“…Who are you?”

 

“Just some passing by.”

 

Was it after he accidentally bumped into that stranger? From that moment on, he gradually got drawn deeper and deeper into the world of the gambling den.

 

I definitely won earlier. If I just win one more time!

 

But the luck of the first day melted away like snow, and after that, he just kept losing money. It was, quite literally, the worst day, day after day. Only when he was nearly out of chips did he remember why he’d come here in the first place.

 

Where the hell is this ‘Wot’, anyway?

 

Marquis Berto set the chips down inside his coat and looked around. He hadn’t seen even a glimpse of Wot, and the fact that he kept losing only made his anxiety worse. At least he’d managed to gather some information.

 

“Oh, you mean that Wot fellow?”

 

“Someone named Wot, hmm, used to show up every Tuesday, I think. Was pretty good with the chips too. You should look into it more.”

 

He gripped his chips tightly and ran a hand through his messy hair. They’d said Wot was a woman with honey-blonde hair…

 

Right, today is Tuesday. Wot should be showing up soon. Finally coming to his senses, Marquis Berto hurriedly scanned the room, then froze. Could it be that woman? Honey-blonde hair flickered before his eyes like a mirage, then vanished. Marquis Berto, startled, glanced around and then stopped in his tracks. No, that’s definitely Wot’s description. After all, it wasn’t every day you saw a woman with honey-blonde bobbed hair in an illegal gambling den.

 

Marquis Berto found himself chasing after the mirage as if drawn by an illusion… But at that moment, Wot disappeared from the clock tower. And what caught his eye next was Shabel and Giselle, standing in the street, talking.

 

Why are those two meetings?

 

Seeing a smile bloom on Shabel’s face for the first time in ages, he clenched his fist. If he’d been in his right mind, calm and free of headaches as usual, he would have tried to figure out why those two were meeting in the first place. But now, with a pounding headache and a budding gambling addiction, he was in a weakened state of mind and body.

 

Strangely, everything had gradually collapsed, so much so that his days of reigning like the protagonist of this world now felt like a distant dream. Mariposa’s absence, Count Ronus’s downfall, sluggish spice sales, worsening headaches, the failed potion business, and now, gambling addiction.

 

Why do these trials keep coming for me? He couldn’t stand it any longer. It felt like all of this was Giselle’s fault for not treating him.

 

Seething with rage, Marquis Berto strode toward Giselle, who stood in front of the clock tower. “What the hell kind of bullshit is this?”

 

“Huh?”

 

“Marquis?”

 

Shabel looked at him in shock, but he didn’t even see her.

 

“Why are you, of all people, meeting my Shabel? Are you trying to sow discord? Huh?” He reached out to grab Giselle by the collar, but then glanced at Shabel standing beside her. Her face was twisted in bewilderment.

 

Marquis Berto didn’t even have the energy to pretend to be gentlemanly anymore. He marched up to Giselle, clenching his fist.

 

“What? You’re going to hit me?”

 

“You… What the hell are you—”

 

“Go on. Hit me.”

 

“What?”

 

Giselle stepped forward toward him, speaking provocatively. “Come on, let’s see you try. Hit me.”

 

To stand there and so boldly tell him to hit her… He couldn’t believe it. The Giselle he used to know would have trembled and cried, fragile and scared. The Giselle who’d lost her mind would have screamed, ‘I’ll burn you to ashes!’ and lunged at him like a witch.

 

What the hell was going on?

 

Just as Marquis Berto was puzzled over it, Shabel, who had been standing quietly beside Giselle, quietly blocked her and spoke. “Marquis Berto, what on earth is wrong with you?”

 

“What do you mean, Lady Shabel?”

 

“I really, truly, can’t understand any of this. Do you know I came here?”

 

“That’s—”

 

Shabel’s body trembled as she shouted. “I came here on purpose to see Lady Giselle. I wanted to apologize!”

 

“La-Lady Shabel? Apologize?”

 

“Yes. I realized everything I’ve done until now was wrong.” Tears welled up in Shabel’s eyes. “Do you know what Lady Giselle just said to me?”

 

“That’s…”

 

“She told me she’s considering forgiving you, Marquis Berto. That’s what she said. And right as she was saying it, you showed up, demanding to know what kind of nonsense this was.”

 

Behind Shabel, Giselle was blinking and smiling sweetly. Marquis Berto’s eyes widened as he saw her mouth the words, ‘I’ll never forgive you.’ Lady Shabel was clearly being deceived.

 

Desperate, Marquis Berto opened his mouth to persuade her. “Y-You’re being fooled, Lady Shabel! Look at her face!”

 

“You think I’m being fooled? Ha! No, Marquis.”

 

“Sha-Shabel?”

 

“That chip in your hand, it’s from an illegal gambling den, isn’t it? I gave you every bit of information I could because I was worried about you.”

 

Mariposa was gone, Count Ronus was gone, the potion makers were gone, and even the people who made dyes had left. At this point, the only connection he had left was Shabel. And now, even Shabel…

 

“Shabel!”

 

“Don’t raise your voice!”

 

Giselle let out a short laugh and shook her head.

 

At that moment, Lady Shabel turned to Marquis Berto and spoke coldly. “I can’t take this anymore. Let’s call off the engagement.”

 

Lady Shabel abandoned Marquis Berto. And she did it in the most humiliating way possible.

 

* * *

Marquis Berto was walking through the casino, lost in thought. After a string of failed investments, his family was drowning in debt. No, no. That’s not it. I may be short on funds right now, but if I can just get a little more… His gaze was glued to the casino. His feet moved on their own, carrying him inside.

 

Several days and nights passed like that. Today again, Marquis Berto’s bloodshot eyes were fixed on the cards in front of him. His expression was twisted with cruelty.

 

“Why is it over already?!”

 

“…At least try to wash up before you gamble.” The gambler who had taken all his money winked at him slyly.

 

Bloodshot eyes, an unshaven beard, and even a filthy stench from not washing. By the time Marquis Berto’s vassals entered the casino searching for their suddenly vanished master, much had already changed.

 

“Marquis Berto.”

 

“If I can just win this one, just this round…”

 

“Milord!”

 

“…”

 

“Marquis Berto, we’ve received a seizure notice from Duke Kalinos. He’s going to destroy all the paintings you put up in the gallery! And now there’s a claim for damages against our family too!”

 

Marquis Berto, who hadn’t listened to a word anyone said, his eyes flashed at the mention of ‘Kalinos.’ Crash! The glass in his hand shattered as he hurled it to the floor.

 

“Damn Kalinos, Kalinos, Kalinos, Kalinos!” With bloodshot eyes, Marquis Berto glared at the vassals who had come for him. “If I just hit the jackpot… someone like Kalinos is nothing…” Despite being wracked with a pounding headache, his face was twisted in agony.

 

The members of the Berto family exchanged glances and shook their heads. He didn’t even have enough money for a drink, yet he was obsessed with gambling and dressed in shabby, worn-out clothes. It was a disgrace to the family. As the family vassals left the gambling den without Marquis Berto, they clicked their tongues at one another.

 

“He’s done for. He’ll die like this.”

 

“How does someone fall so far, so fast?”

 

“Tsk… Guess he was never meant for that position in the first place.”

 

After expelling someone like him and his associates through the senate, they would have to find someone to succeed the marquisate. It looked like things would be hectic for a while.

 

* * *

“Did you hear the news? Marquis Berto’s gone mad.”

 

“What? How did he go mad?”

 

“They say you can hear him howling every night near his house, apparently.”

 

“He doesn’t even go home anymore, just lives at the casino!”

 

The ladies exchanged glances and shook their heads in dismay.

 

“My goodness, how pathetic.”

 

It was in the private room in the coffeehouse. Listening to the idle gossip of the society ladies, I smiled to myself. The tables have completely turned.

 

Marquis Berto had so much, but thanks to that, it was all the more enjoyable to take everything from him, one by one. Though it was unexpected that Duke Kalinos would even destroy all the paintings that guy owned.

 

As I was lost in thought, wandering near the private room, I absentmindedly rubbed the lucky stone hidden in my pocket. Did the lucky stone have something to do with how quickly that b*stard fell apart? I really can’t tell.

 

“Coocoo. (If you don’t know how to use it, why not just try bumping into him?)”

 

…Following the dragon’s advice, I went to the casino and pretended to bump into Marquis Berto, secretly trying to touch him with the lucky stone. I did feel something being sucked away, but nothing else seemed to happen.

 

“Well, whatever the case, Marquis Berto’s ended up with a perfect ruin ending. That’s it.”

 

It’s not easy for a madman to regain his sanity. Especially when he’s lost his reputation in society, his money, his business, and everyone around him. On top of being so crippled by headaches that he can’t even function in daily life.

 

Feeling quite pleased, I made my way back to the Kalinos mansion. For some reason, I happened to run into Yuliana, who was sitting alone in the outdoor garden, reading a letter.

 

“There’s news that the former Duke Garno has returned urgently from the eastern continent.”

 

At those words, my eyes sparkled.

 

Yuliana looked at me with concern. “There’s a letter from him, actually.”

 

[You went and got married without my permission? Are you out of your mind? I absolutely do not approve of this marriage!]

 

Oh? I widened my eyes and looked down at the letter.

 

“He’s not going to be as easy to deal with as I am.”

 

“That’s ve~ry ve~ry! Scary!”

 

So, he’s not someone to be taken lightly. Is the person who will finally break apart my constantly successful married life finally appearing? This was the perfect chance to score some real points with Duke Kalinos, who was probably waiting for the perfect ‘divorce plan’ more eagerly than anyone.

 

“I hope he gets here soon!”

 

“Don’t worry. My husband and I will try to do something, somehow…”

 

“Absolutely not.”

 

When it comes to handling a stubborn old man, I’m an expert.