Divorce Manual

Chapter 17

You should go to the ranch, too.

Once again, the words silently fill the air.

But—

"Really?"

"Yes."

"That's a good thing, then."

I laugh again. I don't want to act like her and become friendly, but she seems to think that my smile means that I've forgiven her.

"I will do my best to educate them so that this doesn't happen again. Give me chance to—"

Her impudence to try and beg for another opportunity.

I'll have to quickly pick another maid to take her seat.

I rise from my seat, disregarding her words.

Did she say Ergel is there too?

She was the head maid before Catherine.

First, she is just as knowledgeable about Lapel as Catherine is. Secondly, she seems more compassionate since she's taking care of a child that she's rescued from the slave market.

Third, she isn't Catherine.

Honestly, the third reason alone is enough to go and see her.

"Pope?"

"Yes, your grace."

Besides, there's cute Libby at the ranch. I'm going to go and see her right now.

"Is here far from the ranch?"

"No, it's not that far."

"Then, I'd like to go and see the ranch."

"Now?"

"Yes."

"..."

"What?!"

I look at Pope, who is quiet and reserved, then at Catherine, who raises her voice as if she heard something she couldn't believe.

Suspicions that has been forming in the pit of my stomach turn into certainty.

Libby isn't there, is she?

It's another moment of deception.

Rather than anger, I chuckle out of pity for Catherine, who's becoming her own worst enemy.

I'm so curious how today's end will go.

—

Blue grasslands, cows that gather in twos and threes on wide pasture—

What the hell.

Not only are the cows crowded together in a dirty ranch, but the dry hay they're fed with are dirtier than I thought.

Worms are crawling everywhere. The cows' mouths are also filthy, and containers of milk are a messed because they're filled with dirty drinking water.

Beside them are piles of rotting potato-like crops, whose source is unknown, with glasses piled up.

A few days ago, I was surprised to hear that one of the maids fainted after drinking milk and suffering from soil cramps.

If this is the case... then yes, it might be true.

Milk produced in such a place cannot be guaranteed. It'd be strange not to get sick from it after a day or two.