C104
Liena turned to look at the former Duke Cassius.
"Grandpa, I'm going to talk for a moment with someone."
"With whom?"
"My sister-in-law over there."
Roland Cassius squinted his eyes and searched for me among the villagers.
"When you say your sister-in-law, do you mean Leandro's wife?"
"Yes, I have something to discuss with my sister-in-law."
Terence also looked at me.
"Ethel."
"I also have something to discuss with Liena."
"But..."
"It's fine. I have him too."
I patted the bag containing the divine beast. The divine beast made a small purring sound.
Liena and I locked eyes.
This was the first time I saw her in person since the divorce was finalized.
However, while dealing with Elliot, battling the divine beast, and thinking about my dream, I constantly felt Liena's strong presence.
The two of us faced each other.
Liena, with a relaxed attitude, told me to choose the location, so we headed to the lake shore.
Terence and Roland watched us from a distance but couldn't hear our conversation.
Viscount Cainbert, who had appeared with his soldiers as if about to start a war, was still biding his time at the village entrance.
I asked Liena, pointing with my chin in the direction where the viscount and the soldiers were.
"What are you planning?"
"What?"
"You always wanted this mine. Are you planning to take it from me, even by force?"
"I really don't know what you're talking about."
Liena showed an innocent expression as if she knew nothing.
"I passed by to recover, and I just came to see if my sister-in-law was here."
"Recover?"
"Yes, my health deteriorated after suffering in the imperial prison last time."
She looks perfectly fine. And you didn't really suffer in prison.
She continued speaking brazenly, paying no attention to my bewildered expression.
"Before leaving the capital, I visited Ambassador Leok's residence, and he told me that my sister-in-law wasn't there."
"Why did you want to see me?"
"Because it's between us, we can meet even if nothing special happens... I'd like to say that, but this time, I have matters to attend to."
Liena's fingertips pointed towards the mine.
"As my sister-in-law said, I want that mine. Sell it to me. I'll pay you generously."
She offered a huge amount of money, unimaginable for the price of an abandoned mine. Although it was a pittance compared to the mine's real value.
"What if I refuse?"
"Why would you refuse?"
Liena approached me.
"It's strange from the standpoint of common sense. I said I would give you that amount of money for a worthless abandoned mine, but you refused."
"We don't have good feelings towards each other, so I don't want to sell it to you."
"It's strange. The sister-in-law I know is a realistic person. There's no reason to reject a large sum of money you have in front of you for emotional reasons."
She said without even blinking.
"Why are you so meticulous about something like an abandoned mine? You even wrote that memorandum with your family."
You've already encountered the Wallace family.
Liena had found out that she couldn't use them to take over the mine.
I felt worried for a moment. Her suspicions about my identity became stronger.
"There's nothing I can do unless I hand over the mine..."
As long as Liena continued coveting my mine, it was inevitable that she would suspect me for not selling it.
To be honest, Liena had many other assets, so I hoped she would surrender them at the right time.
However, her obsession with the mine was much stronger than I felt while reading the book.
"In this situation, the only way to dispel Liena's suspicions would be to sell the mine."
A person who knew the true value of the mine, for example, a regressor like her, wouldn't do this even if they had died or awakened.
Of course, I had no intention of making such a foolish decision.
It wasn't just about simple greed for money. The Andala mine now meant more to me.
"This is where Terence and Vinetta, as well as I, risked our lives to defeat the divine beast."
The owner of that place recognized by the divine beast was me, not Liena.
I didn't know how Liena would react when she became convinced that I wasn't an ordinary person, but I didn't want to give away what was mine.
Moreover.
"Liena."
I stared at her.
"Is this your reward for the kindness I showed you in my last life?"
At that moment, anything that could be called an expression evaporated from Liena's face.
"E-Ethel..."