Chapter 100
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I'm a homebody who ended up possessing the body of a villainess locked away in a desolate tower.
Chapter 100
The meeting with him was cut short by the Aide who came looking for Crown Prince Lyden, but...
Why was it that with each step, I felt as though I were carrying a heavy burden on my shoulders?
No, I truly seemed to have taken quite a blow from this.
Even as I left the Imperial Palace, I couldn't erase the conversation between those two from my mind.
'So Salt is doomed after all.'
The moment that thought crossed my mind, an indescribably complex emotion washed over me.
Of course, I hadn't been entirely ignorant of this fact either. Blaire Grand Duke had been sharing news related to Salt with me, bit by bit.
After he provided grain support for the people of Salt, perhaps he realized I was concerned about them, so he shared the information he'd obtained within the limits he could.
Because of that, I was aware that Lyden was conducting military demonstrations against Salt and that the King of Salt was attempting to resolve this crisis through Lemeia.
Yet I took no particular action.
What concerned me wasn't the privileged class who should rightfully bear responsibility for the problem, but the innocent, powerless people who would become unwilling sacrifices.
Moreover, in the original story...
[Berga, the 'last' King of Salt, realized he could no longer stand against Cletan's armies and surrendered willingly.
Lyden unfolded a map before Berga's eyes and erased the name of Salt from it.]
Despite some minor complications, Cletan ultimately entered Salt without bloodshed.
Though by then, most of the people had already suffered greatly from prolonged famine and plague.
Which was precisely why I hadn't concerned myself with it.
The famine and plague had been mitigated somewhat with Blaire Grand Duke's assistance, so I believed I had done everything within my power.
'So that should be enough, right? Then why am I still worrying about it?'
I released a deep, heavy sigh.
Then.
"Why are you so late?"
A familiar voice pierced through my reverie.
Realizing I had just arrived at the place where the carriages were waiting, I spotted a familiar figure and offered an awkward smile.
"Oh, Ian."
That's right.
Only then did it occur to me that I had emerged much later than everyone else.
"I'm sorry. Have you been waiting long?"
"Rather than waiting... I wondered if something had happened."
Given that I'd arrived without explanation and so late, it made sense that Ian would think that way.
After hesitating for a moment, I slowly made my way toward the carriage.
"Nothing serious happened, but..."
I then briefly summarized and explained everything that had transpired.
Ian, who had been listening quietly to my account, soon asked with a hardened expression.
"Then you met Crown Prince Lyden Cletan?"
"Yes, fortunately we didn't talk for long, but it seems my luck was quite poor today. Oh, would you like to see this?"
As I playfully laughed and showed him my shoe with the broken heel, his expression grew even more rigid.
I'd shown it to make him laugh, but... didn't it land well?
Whether or not he understood my thoughts, a crisp voice flowed from his lips.
"Surely you didn't walk all the way here barefoot...."
"Yes, but since it's the Imperial Palace, there weren't any glass shards or sharp stones. Haha!"
"That's not the issue, it's just...."
"Oh, I'm fine. Since I'm a distant relative of Blaire Grand Duke—not King of Salt—I used to wear shoes with holes in them when I was growing up in the countryside. Haha!"
Having already arrived right in front of the carriage, I soothed him appropriately before slowly climbing aboard.
"Ian, a moment."
Just before departure, I hesitated briefly before carefully opening my mouth to address him.
"Please, speak."
I had been wondering if I was imposing too much on him, but I simply blurted out what I'd been meaning to say.
"Are you busy today, by any chance?"
"...Why do you ask?"
"Well..."
To be honest, my mind was so cluttered at the moment that I didn't want to return to the Grand Duke's Residence right away.
"...I thought it would be better to sort out the shoe situation before heading back."
I concocted a reasonably plausible excuse and deliberately wiggled my toes for effect.
"There should be spare shoes at the Imperial Capital Villa."
"Ah, well, that's true, but...."
Hm? I stopped mid-sentence and lifted my head at the sudden doubt that arose.
How would Ian, who was going on his first outside assignment, know there were spare shoes at the Imperial Capital Villa? Had Liam or Bonita mentioned it in passing?
I stared at him questioningly for a moment, then recalled that wasn't the most pressing matter and hastily shook my head.
"Ah, well... what if we just bought a comfortable pair of shoes nearby instead? Something cheap, anything really."
Besides, the villa only had shoes as expensive as the ones I'd worn today, which felt burdensome.
But buying a comfortable pair of shoes to wear right away at the market was an easy enough task.
Considering the money I'd earned so far, spending some of it outside would help stimulate the market economy anyway.
'Besides, I hate being left alone with my thoughts!'
As I groaned inwardly, Ian's question returned.
"Are you referring to the market, not the upscale shopping district that nobles frequent?"
"Yes, actually I heard that the people who attended the tea party earlier are planning to go shopping together. So we should avoid that place."
They'd even invited me to join, but I'd declined with the excuse of being tired.
No more unnecessary chatter for me!
"...Then let's head there. I'm quite familiar with the geography of Pirna Commercial District."
"Pirna Commercial District?"
"It's the name of the nearby market."
My eyes widened at the information that flowed naturally from his lips.
I'd never asked about his exact origins, so I hadn't known—was Ian actually from the Imperial Capital?
Until now, he'd seemed so accustomed to the Blaire Grand Duke Territory that I'd naturally assumed he'd been born and raised there....
'Come to think of it, I haven't heard anything about Ian at all.'
The carriage departed, and I naturally glanced sideways at him sitting across from me. But....
'It might be rude to pry into the details of someone who won't even talk about their main duties.'
I too had felt flustered whenever people connected to me through business relationships asked personal questions, so I was all the more cautious in my behavior.
Besides, I had no desire to make Ian uncomfortable when he was already treating me so well.
In any case, Ian's claim that he knew this area well proved to be no exaggeration—the moment he descended from the carriage, he promptly guided me toward a street lined with shoe shops.
"Bargains, bargains! Just 3,000 tri per pair! Domestically produced! Handcrafted shoes made from premium minotaur leather on seasonal clearance!"
"Don't go there, come this way! We're a luxury boutique with nothing in common with those unscrupulous merchants who claim domestic production while peddling goods smuggled from Ala or Tess!"
...Yes, I had truly arrived at a market.
I had frequented markets like this in Salt, but this was my first time in a Cletan Empire market.
Yet whether there or here, the aggressive hawking was equally fierce. I lost my nerve and retreated behind Ian.
"How about these shoes? They're inexpensive, but the leather quality appears quite good."
At Ian's recommendation, I obtained a new pair of shoes claimed to be domestically produced from a vendor's stall, and only then did I let out a relieved sigh and attempt to make light conversation.
"I should refrain from high heels next time. Well, in any case... what should we do now?"
Still unprepared to return to the Grand Duchy, I turned my gaze toward the bustling street teeming with crowds.
"Are you not hungry?"
"Since it was a tea party and I picked at quite a bit, not particularly. If Ian is hungry, shall we go get something to eat?"
"I am not hungry either. Perhaps... you are reluctant to return to the villa?"
In my current mood, I had no desire to go home.
After much deliberation, I offered a lukewarm response.
"Well... yes."
Ian fell silent for a moment, contemplating something, then fixed his gaze directly upon me.
"Then how about the Public Library?"
"The Public Library?"
"There is a public library nearby. If you enjoy reading...."
Ian was making this suggestion because he had often observed me reading.
And if that was the case... he had truly understood me perfectly!
"I'd love to go!"
A library in Cletan, no less in the Imperial Capital itself.
It must surely be quite grand and house countless volumes, so why had I never thought to visit until now?
Suddenly animated, I sent him a look brimming with anticipation.
"Can we go right now?"
In response to my question, Ian wordlessly took the lead, his broad shoulders preceding me.
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Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
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