“Madam, may I briefly explain the main points of the contract?”

When Cecilia nodded, Hoffman began outlining the details.

—The number of consultations is limited to the visits the Ewen Merchant Guild makes to Lagos Castle. The guild cannot raise any objections regarding the consultation content. The agreed-upon fee will be paid in advance.

The contract renewal could be signed annually, and the Ewen Merchant Guild cannot request for renewal under less favorable terms than the original agreement.

Cecilia wasn’t well-versed in contracts, but it seemed clear that the terms were favorable to her.

“Present it to the Madam.”

Dustin instructed his companion, the caravan’s deputy leader, Tran.

Tran placed a wooden box on the table.

“Here is the contract and the fee specified in the agreement. We’re delighted to have made such a fine deal, Madam.”

After everyone left, Cecilia opened the wooden box.

Inside, she found a parchment contract rolled up and tied with string.

‘Parchment? How quaint.’

Curious, she ran her fingers over it, marveling at its unique texture.

‘Do they use parchment in Lagos? It must be harder to produce and more expensive than paper.’

In the grand ducal library, ancient parchment manuscripts were treated as treasures and were inaccessible to most.

All other books, including contracts Cecilia had seen on the continent, were made of paper.

She untied the string and unrolled the parchment contract.

Suddenly, a bright light burst forth from the document.

“Ugh!”

Startled, Cecilia closed her eyes momentarily before reopening them.

‘What just happened?’

Examining the contract closely, she saw nothing but rows of text, as if the earlier phenomenon had been an illusion.

She flipped the parchment over, rolled it back up, and unrolled it again.

But the light didn’t reappear.

She tilted her head in puzzlement.

‘That’s strange. I’m sure I saw it glowing.’

Setting the contract aside, she pulled out a small pouch from the box.

Inside were five golden coins stamped with the mark of Iria.

The contract perfectly reflected her conditions, specifying that the advisory fee would be paid in Iria gold coins.

Iria gold coins were the most universally accepted currency across the continent.

Unlike gold or jewels, which required complex conversion processes, these coins were immediately valuable.

Cecilia held the five shimmering coins in her hand.

It felt odd.

Compared to her wealth, this was a paltry amount.

But the meaning was different.

The alimony she received from her unwanted marriage had been in name only, controlled by others who skillfully blocked her whenever she tried to access her finances.

Even until her death, she never knew the exact extent of her assets.

Though surrounded by people during her affluent days, no one came to her aid when her cash flow was severed due to her gambling husband.

It was then that Cecilia realized there are moments when a few gold coins in hand matter more than land or jewels.

These five coins were the first money she had earned herself, free from Grand Duke Jericho’s knowledge—a personal asset.

Cecilia carefully placed the precious coins back into the pouch.

She felt a swell of pride.

For the first time, she felt like a person of value.

It was a sensation she had never experienced in her past life.

 

❖ ❖ ❖

 

The days passed monotonously.

Cecilia’s routine remained the same each day.

After breakfast, she would take a walk around the castle.

The vast grounds required over an hour to traverse at a leisurely pace.

After lunch, she would visit the southern wing.

Despite her bold claims to Russell, she didn’t explore every nook and cranny of the southern wing. She mainly stayed near the grand banquet hall and the courtyard she had already seen.

Benjamine, whose ankle had healed, followed her diligently for a few days before losing interest.

If Cecilia had intervened with the staff during her walks, it might have provided some entertainment, but her quiet strolls along the same paths bored Benjamine.

Walking for over an hour left Benjamine’s legs aching.

“Nanny, you should rest in your room. I walk because staying indoors all day is tedious for me.”

Seeing Benjamine’s reluctant expression, Cecilia added,

“You really should take it easy, shouldn’t you? Especially with your ankle still recovering…”

“Miss, I just worry about you when I’m not by your side. You girls, take good care of her. Don’t let your guard down for even a moment.”

Benjamine barked orders at the maids unnecessarily.

“Yes, Elder Missus.”

As Benjamine left the sitting room, her lips twitched.