It was already evening. The bright, hot sun had completely set. The sky outside the large glass windows was a deep, dark purple, dotted with early, twinkling stars.

Inside the Benson mansion, the atmosphere was incredibly peaceful and completely quiet.

Camilla was eating dinner alone in the dining room. The long, dark wooden table was polished so well it reflected the warm, glowing light of the tall white candles.

She sat comfortably in a soft, padded chair, wearing a simple, light yellow evening dress. After the intense drama, the dust, and the archery lesson at the military camp earlier today, she was very happy to just sit in the quiet house.

She used a small knife to carefully cut a piece of tender roasted chicken. She took a bite and chewed slowly, enjoying the rich, savory flavor. Beside her plate was a crystal glass filled with cool, sweet fruit juice. It was a perfectly calm, relaxing evening.

Suddenly, the doors of the dining room opened quietly.

Mr. Murry walked slowly into the room. He wore his usual neat black suit. His gray hair was combed perfectly. However, his wrinkled face did not hold its usual bright, cheerful smile. He looked very serious and deeply troubled.

Murry walked directly toward Camilla’s end of the long table. He stopped a few feet away from her chair. He placed his hands flat against his sides and bowed very, very deeply.

"My Lady," Uncle Murry said. His deep voice echoed softly in the quiet dining room. He kept his head bowed for a long moment before slowly standing back up.

He looked at her with eyes full of genuine regret.

"Once again, I apologize for what happened today at the military camp," Murry spoke sincerely. His voice carried a heavy weight of personal responsibility. "It was completely unacceptable for those two medical women to treat you with such disrespect. I failed to ensure the camp staff was properly disciplined before your arrival."

Camilla put down her knife and fork. She picked up a clean white linen napkin and gently wiped the corners of her mouth.

She looked at the older man and smiled a very warm, forgiving smile.

"It’s fine, Uncle Murry," Camilla replied softly, waving her hand to dismiss his worries. "You do not need to apologize. It was not your fault that they were foolish. Besides, it has been fully taken care of now. Damon handled the situation perfectly."

Murry let out a quiet breath of relief. He nodded his gray head slowly, grateful for her kind understanding.

"Thank you, My Lady," Murry said, his posture relaxing just a tiny bit. "I promise it will never happen again."

Murry stood up completely straight. The serious, apologetic look on his face slowly melted away, replaced by a much more pleasant expression.

He took a step back from the table. He raised his hands in the air.

Clap. Clap.

Murry clapped his hands together twice.

The dining room doors opened again. A tall, strong guard wearing the uniform of the Benson family walked into the room.

The guard was holding a small wooden chest in his hands. The chest was made of dark oak and bound with thick strips of shiny iron. It looked very secure and incredibly heavy.

The guard walked over to the table. He gently placed the small wooden chest directly onto the polished wood, right next to Camilla’s dinner plate. The heavy chest made a solid thud sound against the table. The guard immediately bowed to Camilla, turned around, and walked completely out of the dining room, closing the doors behind him.

Camilla looked at the wooden chest. She tilted her head slightly to the side, completely confused.

"What is this?" Camilla asked, looking up at the housekeeper.

Murry smiled proudly. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small iron key. He stepped forward and inserted the key into the lock on the front of the chest.

"Here is your allowance for the month, My Lady," Murry announced smoothly.

He turned the key. The lock clicked open.

Murry reached out his hand and lifted the lid of the chest.

The moment the lid opened, a bright, shiny golden light instantly reflected from the candle flames and glittered brightly in Camilla’s eyes.

Camilla completely stopped breathing. She leaned forward in her chair, staring down into the open chest.

The chest was completely filled to the very top with neat, stacked rows of shiny gold coins. They were perfectly minted, completely clean, and incredibly beautiful. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

"This is five thousand gold coins," Murry said quietly, confirming the massive amount. "The old Duke instructed me to ensure your personal funds are always fully stocked. You may use this for dresses, jewelry, charity, or whatever pleases your heart."

Camilla stared at the mountain of gold. Her eyes widened to their absolute maximum limit. Her mouth opened slightly.

In her former life, as an assassin, she worked very hard, risked her life constantly, and bled for her money. She charged high fees, but she always had to earn it through violence.

Now, a servant had just walked into a dining room and handed her five thousand gold coins simply for existing as the General’s wife.

Camilla slowly reached out her small, pale hand. She picked up one of the gold coins. She rubbed the smooth, cool metal between her thumb and her forefinger. It was real. It was absolutely perfect.

Camilla smiled. It was a massive, incredibly bright, totally genuine smile of pure joy.

"Thank you, Uncle Murry," Camilla said softly, completely unable to take her eyes off the gold.

Murry bowed his head respectfully. "You are very welcome, My Lady."

While Murry stood quietly by the table, Camilla’s brain started working at lightning speed.

In Camilla’s mind, she was already calculating the math.

"Five thousand gold coins," Camilla thought to herself, her internal voice completely amazed. She stared at the chest. "Five thousand gold coins for just one single month."

She quickly did the multiplication in her head.

"That means... fifty thousand... no, sixty thousand gold coins a year!" Camilla’s thoughts raced wildly. "And that is just my personal allowance from grandfather! That doesn’t even include the original Camilla’s hidden family inheritance or the General’s own allowance!"

She gripped the single gold coin tightly in her hand. Her mind completely shifted its perspective on her entire situation.

"So," Camilla reasoned internally, her heart beating fast with pure, greedy excitement. "If I don’t divorce him... if I just stay in this mansion eat roasted chicken and look beautiful... I would be a multi-millionaire by next year."

A loud, joyful squeal echoed loudly inside her mind. She practically danced a happy dance in her own head.

Camilla carefully placed the single gold coin back into the wooden chest. She gently closed the lid, securing her new treasure.

She took a deep breath, forcing her excited facial muscles to relax. She put her polite, calm noblewoman mask back on.

She cleared her throat softly.

Ahem.

She looked back up at Uncle Murry. She needed to ask about the man who is her husband.

"What about Damon?" Camilla asked, her voice sounding completely normal and slightly curious. She looked around the empty dining room. "Isn’t he coming home tonight?"