Husband Wanted! - Chapter 3

Sara watched Evelyn with a blank expression. Had she ever looked this serious and desperate? No, she hadn’t. Given that, it was clear. Perhaps Evelyn…

“…has finally gone mad?”

“……”

Sara, unable to shake off her shock, muttered words that should have remained thoughts, “Not that I ever thought she was fully sane, but…”

Evelyn silently grabbed the neck of a heavy wine bottle from the table.

“Eek!” Father Bremen exclaimed, trying to stop her.

“Please, calm down, Evelyn. Take a deep breath, okay?”

“Let go of this, Father.”

“If you hit her with that, She’ll die!”

“Huh?”

Sara’s dazed mind finally snapped back to reality.

“What are you doing?” She asked, looking between Evelyn, holding the wine bottle, and Father Bremen, who was gripping her arm.

Their eyes met in a comically bewildered moment.

“Anyway, so you’ve made your decision, Miss,” Sara said.

“…Yes,” Evelyn affirmed.

“What a wonderful dream,” Sara said as she quickly stood up and moved as far away from Evelyn as possible.

“……”

“But seriously, how do you plan to acquire that estate? I heard about the auction too.”

“What about it?” Evelyn asked.

“I heard that the qualifications for the bid are extremely stringent. You need to be from a family with a title of Marquis or higher, be granted official judicial power by the Holy See, or have been honored by the imperial family. Only those people and their families qualify. You don’t fit any of those categories,” Sara pointed out.

“Alright. Let me tell you my plan,” Evelyn said, folding her arms and meeting their eyes calmly. “First, to qualify for the bid, I’ll need to hire a husband.”

Father Bremen blinked. “What did you just say?”

“I said I’ll hire a husband.”

“…Who are you talking about?” Sara, too far away to hear clearly, leaned forward.

“I’ll hire a healthy, unmarried man who meets the qualifications to be my husband!”

“Evelyn, say that again. You’re going to do what with an unmarried man…?”

“……”

Patience is a virtue, and Evelyn held onto it as she explained slowly. “As Sara mentioned, the bidding qualifications extend to the individual and their family, including their spouse. So the solution is simple. I become the spouse.”

“Evelyn. Then, you mean…” Father Bremen’s jaw dropped further.

“Are you really planning to get married?!”

Sara finally grasped the situation.

“Like I said, I’m going to ‘hire’ a husband. We’ll sign a contract ensuring that we become strangers once the auction is over. So, it’s not a real marriage…”

“Hey!” Sara’s scream echoed through the study, as if she had heard something dreadful. “What crime has this man committed?! You’re talking about ruining someone’s life so casually!”

Father Bremen quickly glanced at Evelyn’s expression.

She gritted her teeth and answered, “I don’t care if it ruins someone’s life. If I don’t do this, I’ll die!”

“You’re going to ruin someone’s life! Someone’s precious son!” Sara exclaimed.

Father Bremen involuntarily nodded. Harsh as it sounded, it was true. But this was Evelyn’s dream, and he felt he should support her.

“I’m on the verge of life and death here! Do you think I have the luxury to worry about someone else’s life?!”

“……”

Of course, Evelyn had a point. Nothing is more important than one’s own life. But to be so bold about it…

Father Bremen finally gave in and silently began to pray for Sara, Evelyn, and all the unmarried men of the land.

Is this what it feels like after a storm has passed? Their eyes were bleary from the endless debate.

Father Bremen cautiously asked, “Even if it’s a contractual relationship… do you think you can easily find a man willing to marry you? Especially one who meets the specific conditions?”

Sara mumbled quietly, “Why would anyone even consider this…”

Evelyn thought for a moment before speaking slowly. “No, I have a way.”

In this country, the gap between the rich and the poor had become firmly entrenched. Not just commoners, but even nobles were struggling. This mansion on the hill had once belonged to a nobleman who had to flee to a distant land because he couldn’t afford to pay his many servants.

Surely, he wasn’t the only one. Even if someone had the qualifications, making a living was another issue. She intended to offer terms that would be hard to resist. If she did that, finding a qualified man wouldn’t be that difficult, even for Evelyn Revelbrite.

Of course, it wouldn’t be cheap. But recently, she had a stroke of luck. Though she hadn’t told anyone yet.

“There must be someone desperate for money… someone who will help me win the Erelheim estate bid and be my contract husband,” Evelyn said slowly, savoring each word before closing her eyes.

She imagined herself as the madam of a vast estate, and those who had mocked and scorned her now expressing their frustration and helplessness. The thought was immensely satisfying.

But her grand plan didn’t end there.

“I’ll make the territory I win independent from this damn country!”

It was a long-held decision that had never wavered.

Sara and Father Bremen’s eyes widened in shock.

Of course, nothing could be done without preparation. But Evelyn had been waiting patiently, ready to seize any opportunity.

How long had she waited for the day she could break free from this cursed collective punishment? No one could stop her now.

The only thing left was execution.

She pulled out a luxurious piece of paper with a subtle pink background and elegant gold trim from the drawer.

Then, she began to meticulously draft a ‘job advertisement’.

***

The seemingly endless darkness receded, and the sky began to brighten faintly in the east. Once again, the morning sun started to rise steadily, undeterred.

“…It’s done,” Evelyn muttered, massaging her stiff neck as she set down her pen.

Sara and Bremen were nowhere to be seen. She had been so engrossed in her work that she hadn’t noticed when they left.

Her eyes, now scanning the paper on her desk, were filled with a rare, sparkling vitality.

The meticulously crafted advertisement read as follows:

★Job Advertisement★

Seeking a Temporary Husband!

♠Qualifications:

1. Must be from a high-ranking family with a title of Marquis or higher.
2. Must have been granted judicial authority by the Holy See.
3. Must have been honored by the imperial family.

*Any healthy, unmarried man who meets one of these criteria is eligible to apply.

♠Preferred Qualifications:

*Experience in estate auctions or various other auctions. Courteous, diligent, and self-disciplined individuals are welcome. Bright, positive, and responsible candidates are preferred.

♠Responsibilities:

*Temporary Husband Position

*Further details will be disclosed during the interview, in accordance with company policy.

♡Revelbrite’s Exclusive Benefits♡:

– Upon hiring, a one-year salary will be paid in a lump sum.

– A four-horse carriage with white horses will be given as a welcome gift.

– Four-day work week and flexible working hours.

– Twelve annual bonuses.

– Meal vouchers for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks at high-end restaurants in the city.

– Support for hobbies and leisure activities (including free rental of horses for riding and yachts).

– Four overseas trips per year for the employee and immediate family, valid for five years post-employment.

– Monthly luxury jewelry made from top-grade gemstones provided for maintaining one’s dignity until resignation.

– 100% performance-based evaluation (incentives amounting to three times the annual salary).

– Upon the completion of the contract marriage and immediate divorce, a castle with 5,000 square meters of land and 300 servants will be granted as severance.

★We welcome capable individuals with open arms!★

After a night of deliberation and endless tweaking, this masterpiece was born.

“Even if they’re poor, it doesn’t matter. In fact, the less money they have, the better,” Evelyn mused with a satisfied smile. “That way, this job offer will be even more enticing.”

She reviewed the advertisement one last time.

…Surely, someone will come?

If it were her, she’d apply in a heartbeat. Even though the recruiter is the descendant of the notorious Revelbrite family, who has been scorned for a hundred years, this offer should attract at least a few capable candidates!

With that modest hope, she finally went to bed. However, she would soon realize that this was a misconception.