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If the lord was captured as a prisoner of war, the wife had to both raise funds for the ransom and secure the Church's indulgence. However, only under the premise that Zachary was alive.
"But if he dies..."
Bianca took a deep breath. Another role of the wife during war was to execute the lord's will when he was killed and raise the children as heirs.
In the past, Bianca didn't even know how such a step was carried out or what Zachary's will was. Because she didn't know his will, the justification to execute his will also lost power, and she couldn't raise a successor because she had no children. So Bianca was abandoned and humiliated, expelled from the Arno estate.
It cannot happen this time either. She doesn't intend for Zachary to die, but that doesn't mean she isn't prepared for anything else. Bianca tried not to neglect anything to change the future. Francis's words that only she could change the future bound her.
Bianca opened her heavy mouth with difficulty and calmly asked.
"Vincent, may I check the Count's will now?"
"... It's possible, but... Do you really need to check it now?"
Vincent hesitated. A trace of anxiety could be perceived on his face. It was evident that he was reluctant to show the will. As if he didn't want Bianca to confirm it.
Why?
Bianca was Zachary's wife and had the duty and right to confirm his will. Although it's a duty that has been abandoned until now. To the extent that Zachary and Vincent know this, they must have written the will with Bianca in mind.
But hiding the will? Then there must be something in the will. Although Bianca knew she could see it, if there was something that Bianca couldn't see...
A voice of doubt echoed in Bianca's mind. If that's the case, it must be now. Vincent can tell Zachary about what happened today and change the content of the will. Bianca pressed Vincent.
"It has to be now. Bring it right now. Before running to the Count and revealing that I'm about to confirm the will. Do you understand?"
"But Madam..."
"Gaspard!"
Bianca raised her voice. When Bianca called, Gaspard, who had taken a step back as an escort, stopped in front of Bianca. Bianca looked at Gaspard with a cold gaze.
Everyone around looked at Bianca in response to the sudden change in the room's atmosphere. Never before had Bianca been so angry with an employee. She had a sensitive and demanding personality, but basically, she wasn't the type of person with many ups and downs. She had a sarcastic personality instead of raising her voice when there was something she didn't like, which is why they instinctively felt that this was unusual.
Gaspard at that moment realized that he would completely lose Bianca's trust if he responded poorly here. Bianca's gaze was sharp.
Bianca questioned Gaspard with a rigid face.
"If I assign you to Vincent, will you hold hands with Vincent and run to Count Zachary?"
"...I don't have the right to judge that. The Count told me to follow Madam's orders, except in matters related to Madam's safety. I will listen to your command."
Gaspard responded without hesitation. He was a man who didn't know how to lie and didn't mince words. As it was best to follow the given orders, his decision was unwavering. The back of his neck was tense as he lowered his head.
As soon as Gaspard's response came, Bianca's gaze turned to Vincent. Bianca's will was firm. Vincent closed his eyes tightly in horror at not being able to stop Bianca. Bianca's order fell upon Vincent's head.
"Vincent, go with Gaspard and bring the Count's will. Immediately!"
In the end, Vincent was forced to leave, crying while eating mustard. Gaspard followed Vincent by Bianca's order. Yvonne, who stayed in the room with Bianca, looked at Bianca carefully.
Bianca gasped for a moment, looking at the door through which Vincent had escaped.
Of course, finding out Zachary's will won't change anything significant. A will is literally just that.
When Zachary dies, it will only be an expression of his intent to have things go according to his wishes, so in a way, there isn't much difference in Zachary's thoughts now. Zachary, whom Bianca knows, is a man who knows shame, knows honor, and has a strong sense of responsibility, so he couldn't have written a will to harm Bianca. At least Bianca believed so.
But Vincent's strange attitude caught her attention. And still ignorant, without trying to find out, she couldn't casually let go of her hands and see death approaching. Whether the target of death is Zachary or Bianca.
Bianca had to think about a variety of futures as much as possible and consider how to deal with them so she could act immediately in case of an emergency. With unwavering determination, Bianca waited for Vincent to return with the will.
As if revealing her nervous heart, the fingers tapping on the armrest of the chair trembled nervously.
----
Upon entering Zachary's office, Vincent moistened his lips as if he had something to say. But he stood there without saying anything for a while. Zachary could clearly read the misery on his face.
"What's wrong? Did something happen?"
When Zachary asked, Vincent struggled to speak.
"Madam... read the will."
As soon as Vincent's words fell, Zachary's face hardened. Black eyes that couldn't distinguish between pupil and iris stared at Vincent intently.
Vincent lowered his gaze, unable to face Zachary. Goosebumps appeared on Vincent's skin as the gaze pierced through his head. Zachary clenched his teeth tightly and muttered under his breath.
"What the hell happened?"
"He asked about defending the territory during the war. When I told him he didn't need to worry, he suddenly asked about the will..."
"You should have informed me before confirming the will!"
Zachary groaned. He was a generous landlord. Even if he was angry, it was rare for him to show his anger so openly. Vincent bowed his head deeply and apologized.
"I'm sorry, Count... Madam was so insistent that I had no choice. I should have been more flexible..."
Zachary let out a deep sigh and slumped back in his chair. His hands concealed a face full of misery. He gasped in that state for a while, as if trying to suppress his emotions.
Vincent looked into Zachary's eyes and hesitantly spoke.
"Please... go and explain to Madam, Count."
"Explain?"
Zachary's voice rose sharply. Knowing that this was nothing more than taking it out on Vincent, he tried to control himself.
His recent relationship with Bianca had been very good. Like a cautious cat that stealthily approaches and wraps its tail around one's legs, her approach to Zachary showed relief and affection. Moreover, the bothersome flies like Jacob were gone, so Zachary just wanted this moment to last forever.
As such, he was not happy that the existence of a will that could threaten his relationship with Bianca had come to the surface. It was obvious without even looking at it that it would become the seed of discord.
For Zachary, all of this was a source of anxiety and nervousness. A discordant event that threatens a happy life. Given that it is the legacy he left behind, it was natural for all his nerves to be as sharp as a hedgehog's spike.
"Yes... didn't the Count make such a decision in the past for his wife? Before Madam misunderstands..."
"To explain that..."
Zachary shook his head as if unsure. His broad, hard, angular shoulders drooped, and his face looked anxious. It was hard to believe that Zachary, a hero who never backed down in any difficult battlefield, seemed so helpless and depressed.
Zachary wanted Bianca to remain unaware of the existence of the will for the rest of her life. Even he couldn't feel more uncomfortable leaving such a will behind.
But if...
No matter how much of a hero Zachary is, he is only fighting under God's arrangement.
Life and death are unknown to people, so Zachary simply implemented the utmost security measures.
------
The will was written a long time ago. So much so that he even forgot it existed... His determination seemed so unchanging back then.
And the relationship between Zachary and Bianca also flowed unchanged. Rejection, reluctance, and pride. Like most married couples.
If it had been Bianca a year ago, Zachary was sure she wouldn't be hurt at all if she found out about the will. But in a year, much has changed. Bianca now...
The thought of Bianca's smile overlapped with her denial and anger, enveloping Zachary's mind. It felt terrible and terrifying just to think about it.
So he couldn't stay silent. As Vincent had said, Zachary had to approach Bianca to explain.
Even if that's not the answer Bianca wants, it will hurt Bianca.
-------
Bianca had a rough idea about Zachary's will. But when she actually reviewed the contents with her own eyes, she was startled as if she had been hit in the back of the head with a hammer.
Usually, a will would detail to whom the territory and titles should be handed over, military rights, cultivation rights, and private property.
However, the content of Zachary's will was simple and concise. Bianca could see it all at a glance.
[If Zachary dies while Bianca has no children, the marriage between the two is annulled and returns to the Blanchefort family, and the Arno family's heritage and wealth will belong to the Blanchefort family.]
Confirming the will, Bianca smiled. It was so ridiculous that she couldn't help but laugh.
By annulling the marriage, all the property belongs to the Blanchefort family? What kind of charity is that?
Zachary's will was absurd. Without children, Bianca should either annul her marriage or inherit the property. She would have to choose between the two. Zachary's will was unprecedented.
The existence of a will was not mentioned in Bianca's future dream. Viscount Huegh may have omitted this will, or perhaps Vincent did.
It was not surprising given that Bianca had an affair with Fernand without caring about Zachary's well-being, so he might have held a grudge that she inherited everything from Zachary.
Fortunately, the current Vincent was not hostile towards Bianca, so he kindly informed her about the will... But given the content, she couldn't have been happy.
"How do Blanchefort and I help the Arno family? Of course, my father could have helped Zachary obtain a position in central politics in the first place, but that's not enough to swallow up the Arno family. Somehow, I feel some shame..."
Bianca's mind wandered.
"Does my father know the content of this will? Or did he make a contract like this with my father in the first place and then marry me? Why the hell did he do this? What does it mean?"
All of this is just uncertain conjecture. However, one thing was certain: the reason Zachary had been using contraceptives until now had something to do with it.
To free Bianca after his death. To not have a connection with Bianca...
The content of the will unilaterally favored Bianca. It was so advantageous that doubts kept arising again and again.
"Is it really a thought limited to death? Maybe he was just waiting for the day he would divorce me?"
At that moment, Bianca's stomach filled with anger. Bianca knew she was jumping to conclusions. But as much as she trusted Zachary, a stronger sense of betrayal enveloped her.
"No, I don't believe it... But a wife who proclaims herself a virgin again after her husband's death. What kind of couple is that? After all, it's as if he never thought of me as his wife. He was always lurking death, but at the same time, was he planning to separate from me...?"
Bianca swallowed and bit her lip.
Just as Bianca was contemplating the true meaning of the will, Zachary came to visit. Bianca greeted him with a determined and upright attitude, hiding her confused feelings. Her face was pale, but her tightly clenched lips showed her determination.
"—Bianca."
Despite Zachary's call, Bianca stared at him without saying anything. A feeling of confusion and betrayal that couldn't be hidden no matter how hard she tried shone in Bianca's green eyes.
"That's why, was this the reason you used that contraceptive method?"
Her trembling voice broke at the end. She tried to pretend she wasn't bewildered, but she couldn't bear the sadness that came out as soon as she opened her mouth.
Don't be emotional. You won't get a proper answer from Zachary if you continue like this. Until the end, she had to reason logically about the content of the will.
Despite being very aware of it, Bianca couldn't control herself once the anger rose to the top of her head. Bianca's lips twisted as if she were about to spit something out, but then closed tightly as if hiding everything in her mouth.
Bianca struggled to open her clam-like mouth and stammered to reveal her feelings.
"I... I thought you recognized me. As your wife, who deserves to be by your side... therefore..."
"You don't need recognition."
Zachary interrupted her words and said. Bianca looked at Zachary devastated. Beyond the shadows, his face was unfamiliar, like a ghost encountered at dawn. A cold expression as if he wouldn't be pierced even if pierced with a needle.
When Bianca's body faced the unfamiliar face, she shivered for a moment. She thought she knew a lot about him... A whisper that it was an arrogant illusion passed through her ears.
Zachary added rigidly, as if declaring war.
"Even if you don't have to, it doesn't change that you are my wife."
Compared to the horrible and cruel responses Bianca expected, Zachary's words weren't as bad as she thought.
But instead, she could feel the strong wall built in front of Bianca. Bianca's face contorted miserably. No matter what she said, she was always in front of him.
Eventually, the dam she had been holding back collapsed. Angry to the tip of her head, Bianca screamed loudly.
"If you die! Will I be a wife who returns to Blanchefort? As if I had never been married to you! What good is that? After all, everyone in Sevran knows that I am your wife!"
"There's a difference between what others know and being free from legal disputes."
Even in the face of Bianca's blatantly expressive shout, Zachary remained unmoved. Zachary looked at Bianca and said firmly.
Faced with Zachary's unwavering response, Bianca's heart pounded. Will her voice reach him? The courage to change the future no matter what happens in the dire situation faded away.
Cornered, Bianca approached Zachary and grabbed his arm. Zachary's clothes were wrinkled between her slender fingers.
Bianca desperately clung to Zachary.
"Therefore... will you send me back? Do you want to send me back? I am your wife... but don't you intend to see my successor ever? Is that it?"
"I have no intention of letting you go, Bianca!"
He seemed to have tried to maintain composure, but Zachary was also at his limit. Bianca continued to distort and reject his sincerity, feeling frustrated, he involuntarily shouted without realizing it.
Bianca's eyes widened at Zachary's shout. It was the first time Zachary had shouted at Bianca. He was the one who kept his mouth shut instead of speaking while shouting. Bianca stared at him, surprised, trying to process whether Zachary had actually shouted at her.
Zachary took a deep breath. The anxiety and irritability in his black eyes turned wild, unable to contain them any longer.
"The will is ultimately a guess. Don't I want you to be tied to the name de Arno? But I always have to live in the midst of war. If I die, then you..."
Zachary's face was terribly distorted, as if it was terrifying just to think about it. After taking a deep breath, Zachary lowered his voice again, trying to make Bianca understand.
"I want you to live comfortably. Not under the yoke of the title of the Countess Arno in my absence!"
However, the end of his voice rose as if anger had increased while he spoke.
Due to anger, Zachary's clenched fists turned white. The tendons stood out on the back of his hand. Bianca's fingertips felt the strength that had entered his forearm.
Bianca's face turned pale in the face of Zachary's fury. Her bangs, which were always carefully placed over her delicate forehead, were disheveled here and there, making her look even more pitiful.
Bianca looked at Zachary with her watery pale green eyes.
Tags:
TWB (Novel)