The Debt Of Fate-Chapter 263: Having leverage

When Ernest heard Miss Magdalene make such suggestions, he could not help but tighten his grip on Anastasia and glare at her. He had finally taken the chance to confess his feelings; he was not willing to lose her. ’How could marrying him be worse than been a nun?’

"I do not mean to offend you, General, but I find the coincidence hard to believe. The kingdom is unstable now, and betting on the wrong side could bring great harm to my lady," Miss Magdalene responded, not shying away from his threats.

"I do not have any bad intentions toward Lady Anastasia. I have always respected her. Moreover, with my standing in the kingdom, what could I possibly hope to gain from her?" Ernest asked. Anastasia was like a connected rat at this moment, he could not understand what he could possibly want to take from her.

Miss Magdalene looked at him. She had lived long enough to tell that Ernest’s gaze was sincere. She even had a bold guess that he might harbor feelings for Anastasia.

"Then, would General Ernest be willing to take an oath with my—"

"Yes," Ernest interrupted before she could finish. His intentions toward Anastasia were pure, he was not afraid.

"I apologize for doubting you," Miss Magdalene said, relieved by his sincerity. After all, now that Anastasia had been disowned by the Duke’s family, she was alone, and many people might try to take advantage of her. At this moment, it might seem that General Ernest had no benefit in marrying Anastasia, but Miss Magdalene understood that Anastasia was a very intelligent woman. In the few months she had served as queen, she had helped the king solve many problems he himself could not resolve.

Only King Edward, proud and full of himself, failed to realize what a good woman he had been blessed with. Someone else might have noticed her worth and tried to use her not out of care, but for their own gain.

"You are right. Your lady is still young and without elders in her family. It is only proper that you take care of her," Ernest said, relieved to see that although these people were servants, they genuinely cared for Anastasia.

Hearing this, Miss Magdalene took a deep breath of relief. If Anastasia entered another failed marriage, her reputation would be ruined. Even if she herself did not share as close a relationship with Anastasia as Rosa or Grater, she understood one truth well: no servant could be greater than their master.

"General Ernest, we will do our best," Grater smiled. She could tell that this time, her lady would live a more comfortable life.

Ernest wanted to hug Anastasia again, but he guessed she might be shy, so he only took her hand and kissed it before leaving.

"My lady, General Ernest is so handsome," Rosa rushed to Anastasia, feeling excited. Anastasia could not help but blush at the comment.

"What nonsense are you saying?" Grater pretended to scold Rosa, but the warm smile playing on her lips betrayed her agreement. The more they spoke, the more embarrassed Anastasia became.

"How is it nonsense? I heard many noble ladies admire him. Even in the camp, the young soldiers sing his praises. I feel so glad he will be my lady’s husband. Who cares about the king? He is not even as handsome," Rosa argued.

"Rosa, you cannot say things like that in public," Miss Magdalene warned. Although it was true that General Ernest was more handsome than the king, saying such things diminished the king’s dignity—especially since Anastasia had once been his wife. Moreover, Edward was a petty man; he might look for an excuse to harm the general if such words spread.

"I did not say anything wrong..." Rosa tried to defend herself, but Grater understood Miss Magdalene’s concern.

"Rosa, Miss Magdalene is right. Some things we may know in our hearts, but there is no need to say them aloud," Grater cautioned, fearing Rosa might continue speaking without thinking.

Though unconvinced, Rosa still nodded in agreement.

"My lady, you have just two days to prepare. There is still much to be done—we have no dress prepared," Miss Magdalene said, changing the subject. Having served in the palace all her life, she was used to getting things organized and making use of the best resources.

"Why so worried? It is my second marriage. It will not be grand. Just find a nice dress from one of the seamstresses’ shops," Anastasia shook her head. Even though she looked forward to this wedding, she knew it could not be a lavish one.

"My lady..." Seeing her show so little interest, Miss Magdalene grew worried. She wondered if Anastasia truly wanted to marry Ernest or was simply going through the motions for another reason. After all, Anastasia owned the most renowned seamstress shop in the royal city, and producing a beautiful dress in a single day was no challenge. With craftsmen and fine materials at hand, it could easily be done.

Anastasia looked at her. "I want to get married, but there are only two days to prepare. Although His Majesty granted permission for this union, we cannot make it too grand, lest he feel humiliated. Sometimes keeping a low profile spares you a great deal of trouble," she replied.

Miss Magdalene reflected on her words. While Anastasia was queen, she had helped the king solve countless problems. During that time, she also used her position to establish trade with other kingdoms—discreetly, without ever attaching her name. In less than a year, she had gained immense profits. At first, Miss Magdalene thought she was building leverage to negotiate with the king, but unexpectedly, she asked for a divorce and agreed to leave with nothing. Given the wealth she had accumulated, Anastasia could easily have claimed a vast estate, but instead, she chose to renovate the small courtyard her mother had acquired years earlier, letting others believe she had fallen low.

Though many mocked her, she was not truly vulnerable. All her businesses remained safe and thriving, because envious merchants knew they were tied to the palace. None dared to touch them. This gave room for growth; perhaps, if one day the truth of Anastasia’s connection was revealed, her enterprises would already be too strong to bring down.

After stepping down as queen, Anastasia even began training private men. Given the number she recruited, Miss Magdalene might have suspected her of preparing for rebellion—if not for the fact that Anastasia was a woman with no claim to the throne.

When asked, Anastasia told her: "Having enough capital to negotiate is the only way to survive. Look at the nobles—even though the king sits on the throne, he still must hold council and restrain himself to avoid internal strife. Only by 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

having leverage can I truly live a peaceful life."