The Predator’s Contract Partner - Chapter 18-2

“This…… this… You’re the one who can’t say anything in front of the Lord? Where is this……. Uh….”

Lucerne glared silently at Jacob.

“Where…….”

As Jacob and Lucerne seemed to be fighting, Carola raised her voice, not forgetting to shake as if she were frightened to death.

“Lord! Carola is so scared! The High General isn’t that kind of person. There’s already a dispute in the house because of the wrong type of woman entering the house in a chaotic way. Don’t you agree, Ariane?”

“……Indeed. She should endure it, but she’s not careful, and instead, she stirred up a fight!”

Ariane added.

Gaju was already annoyed. He didn’t care for his in-law’s quarrel. But he didn’t bother stopping them because he was quite curious about how Elisha would react.

Elisha did not budge again this time.

“Why is this a family dispute? I’m the wife of a High General, and you’re an imperial noble, so isn’t it just a conflict?”

“…….”

There was nothing to say. No one would dare argue that Lucerne was an enemy of the family.

In addition, Lucerne was the highest-ranking general with command over all soldiers in the Empire. No matter how prominent of an aristocrat one was, they had to pay tribute to the general.

Carola quickly realized she was rude to the High General’s wife, realising the trap of logic she had missed, and became even more indignant. Ariane promptly shut her mouth.

“I’ll give you a piece of advice because you seem to enjoy meddling in other people’s affairs,” Elisha said tenderly.

“I think you’d better beg the Lord for forgiveness.”

Carola’s eyes got bigger.

“Even though Carola was a little loud, she was always like that…….”

“I don’t care what kind of woman Carola is,”

Elisha interrupted and stopped talking gently. Carola’s expression went blank.

“I advise you to apologize for saying something you shouldn’t have said in front of the Lord.”

“What do you mean? Carola never made a mistake!” [t1v: Carola speaks in 3rd person]

“‘The most important thing between a couple is affection.’ You have disturbed the Lord by saying such stupid words.”

“What?”

Everyone’s expressions reflected their surprise at her words. It was natural to say, as an idiom, that affection between a couple was important.

“Carola, you are the wife of the eldest son of the great Cartier family. So you have to be the model to the ladies. A woman crying because of her spouse’s love doesn’t suit this family. You are a person of such high status; why are you poking your nose at other people’s love affairs? Such weakness…….”

Elisha spoke with calm eyes.

“I think it’s a sin. There are many crimes in the world, but weakness is the biggest sin.”

The Lord’s eyes changed. He tilted his head.

Gaju first wondered if Elisha was a trained actress.

(PR: From here it’s head’s POV)

A woman who was cold, detached and clever in everything. Such a woman’s image that he thought was perfect. Elisha was a granddaughter-in-law who was precisely his taste. He was strangely pleased.

The next question was if it was not really acting…….

‘Where was she hiding, and how did Lucerne get her?’

(PR: Here the POV ends)

***

(PR: Flashback of previous timeline)

Elisha was able to describe the Cartier family and pick them out with her eyes closed. She had spent her last life quivering between them. She even knew a certain extent about the Head.

One day in her former life, Jacob had “loaned” Elisha to Gaju for several months.

‘There’s a woman under you who’s good at making double ledgers like a ghost. Let me borrow her a little.’

It was as if he was lending a dog. So Elisha was sold and became the Lord’s servant for several months.

During those months, Elisha took care of the Head. Gaju was a suspicious person, so he made Elisha inspect jobs and checked her work frequently. Elisha learned to please Gaju. The Lord loved Elisha’s ability so much that he sometimes lavishly praised her.

‘It was the first time I was recognized for my abilities.’

Even when she worked to death, she was kicked and abused like a dog every day. Elisha, who had no self-esteem at the time, had truly thought she was incompetent.

Then, Elisha’s heart melted when the Head, a god-like creature, praised her. It was not long before she held him in reverence.

“As you know, it’s our family tradition that the butlers do double ledger-making. My butler is old and sick. Would you like to learn how to do the work?”

Gaju even offered Elisha a side job. Elisha believed in the Head’s generosity. So he pleaded before the Lord.

‘Jacob is holding me in debt. Please save me. Have mercy on me. I live like a slave.’

Now that she thought about it, it was such a foolish plea.

‘Elisha, your sin is weakness. He who tramples on others is innocent. But your strength has kept you alive so far, so there’s nothing wrong with that either. You’re living in your way.’

‘…….’

‘Remember. Weakness is the greatest sin,’

the Head said as if it was annoying.

Then, Gaju stopped paying all attention to Elisha just because she appealed to him emotionally.

He was that kind of person. Elisha then felt despair and gave up all hope for others.

‘Now I know what kind of person the Gaju is.’

So, in reverse, Elisha said what the Lord liked most.-