Chapter 121
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I'm a homebody who ended up possessing the body of a villainess locked away in a desolate tower. Chapter 121 "I'm sorry?"
"I asked where she is."
Why on earth would Lyden, her lover who should only have eyes for her, be curious about April's whereabouts? Or rather, was Lyden even truly her lover to begin with? Through countless frequent letters, I had believed we'd built a solid relationship, yet the Lyden I met in person was far different from what Lemeia had vaguely imagined. Were all those sweet romances she'd heard so often in high society nothing but fabrications from storybooks?
"I-I don't understand. She's not someone Your Highness should be curious about, so why..."
"Lemeia. You're making me repeat myself twice today."
Caught off guard by his tone, which had turned glacial, Lemeia involuntarily stepped back. My heart raced. There was a powerful sense that I mustn't displease him, and a fear of being abandoned. These were emotions Lemeia had never experienced in her entire life.
"She... disappeared."
But she soon succumbed to the overwhelming pressure Lyden exerted, squeezing her eyes shut.
"What do you mean? Did she flee because of the recent war?"
"No, that's not it..."
She bit the tender flesh inside her mouth until it bled, then continued haltingly.
"Actually, there was an intruder at the Salt Royal Palace. And on that day, April was kidnapped in my place... So no one has known whether she's alive or dead since then. I think she's probably dead..."
"What did you just say?"
Lyden gently lifted Lemeia's chin as she poured out her words as if entranced. As the distance between them closed until their breaths nearly mingled, Lemeia's face flushed crimson.
"I'm sorry?"
"I asked what that bastard's name is, Lemeia."
"A-April... Her name is April."
As Lemeia stammered her answer, Lyden finally released her chin.
"Heh."
A chuckle escaped his lips.
"Heheheh..."
"Your... Highness?"
"Ah, how amusing. Kaian, that fellow is truly... an entertaining one."
"..."
"And absurdly fortunate to boot."
The illegitimate princess kidnapped in Lemeia's stead. From that moment, the Blaire Grand Duchy began to stir.
"Regardless, do you understand what this rain signifies?"
"It heralds the beginning of a tempest."
"Why do you think so?"
"That's..."
"It's easy to discern if you consider the timing."
Perhaps it was merely a coincidence that their names were the same. Perhaps there was a reason why an unidentified woman needed to masquerade as a distant relative of the Blaire Grand Duke who didn't exist. Though exceedingly unlikely, it was possible that the timing of when this woman appeared in the Blaire Grand Duchy coincided with the failed kidnapping attempt purely by chance. Yet Lyden's instinct was certain. The princess in the Demon God's prophecy was not this fool standing before him, but that woman with the naive expression. * * * After reading the newspaper for some time, I tossed it carelessly onto the bedside table and burrowed back under the blankets. 'They're just sweeping this under the rug like that?' No matter how much I thought about it, the article dominating the front page regarding Stefan Marquis's disappearance still didn't sit right with me. Of course, I'd had my share of moments when work became unbearable and I fantasized about just walking away.... 'Something feels off about this.' I'd never been an employer, so I'd always dreamed of freedom with the heart of a slave, but Stefan Marquis's situation was different, wasn't it? Corrupt though he was, he was undeniably a business proprietor in modern terms. He could have simply sold the Stefan Trading Company if problems arose, so why? Why would he choose to disappear or flee? There was a reason the saying went that wealth could sustain three generations even after ruin. Even if public opinion had turned against him, it would pass quickly enough....
"Given the scale of funds the Stefan Marquis House could mobilize as compensation to us, it shouldn't be a crisis severe enough to shake the entire family."
Even as I murmured to myself and tried to organize my thoughts, the mystery refused to unravel. The newspaper's tone was dominated by speculation that Stefan Marquis had fled with hidden assets, abandoning even his own family.... But what bothered me most was precisely that point. 'If he really were the type to slip away alone with hidden assets, why would he abandon his family?' Even the coldest-hearted person would take their children with them, wouldn't they? In any case. The Stefan Marquis House descended into chaos after his disappearance. The Marquis's eldest son was hastily appointed as acting head of house, but he seemed unable to respond properly, overwhelmed by creditors from the Stefan Trading Company and those financially entangled with the Marquis House. In conclusion, the Blaire Grand Duke's revenge that I'd tried to help achieve had succeeded, yet I felt an inexplicable unease lingering in my chest.
"Ugh, my head hurts."
It had already been a week of living in energy-saving mode with the motto "the world outside the blankets is dangerous."
Since the Blaire Grand Duke's visit some time ago, no one had bothered me further. Well, actually, Liam did come by once with something called a "dating contract".... Since I'd read it so carelessly, I barely remembered it, and the contract was now locked away in a drawer of my room's desk. I even remembered to lock the drawer—something I never usually did—just in case someone might see it. Of course, before affixing one's seal to any contract, one needed to carefully examine every clause and deliberate thoughtfully. However, I'd already coordinated all important items verbally with the Blaire Grand Duke, and I'd confirmed that the coordinated terms were reflected in the contract, so there was no need to take it out again, was there? ...In truth, I simply couldn't bring myself to look at a contract containing such embarrassing content again. 'There is something that slightly bothers me, though.' I recalled the clauses I'd glimpsed in the contract. But wasn't this provision a bit strange? Yet even with all the contracts I'd processed before, this was my first time seeing a dating contract so mortifying. In other words, he was saying he didn't quite know how to handle personal matters that had no bearing on a nation's finances or diplomatic relations. 'Well, it should be fine.' After all, the expensive tiara that served as collateral for this contract was in my possession, so I didn't think Blaire Grand Duke would attempt any strange deception through this agreement. And if this contract truly extended indefinitely, it would be a loss for him as well. It would be like deliberately throwing away the opportunity to welcome a suitable person as his Grand Duchess during his marriageable years.
"Miss!"
As I lay buried beneath an endless tide of thoughts, the door suddenly burst open.
"Hmm?"
I poked my head out from beneath the blanket, and Bonita's expression shifted to one of realization.
"Oh my! Did I wake you? I knocked on the door, but when you didn't answer, I thought you were sleeping."
"No, I was already awake. What is it?"
"Thank goodness. I just made fresh orange juice—please have a glass."
"Thanks, Bonita."
I accepted the orange juice and studied Bonita carefully. Bonita seemed to know that my energy had been severely depleted lately, so whenever she had something to tell me, she would bring food like this and share the news while I ate.
"So what's this all about?"
"Hehe, well... I have incredible news! His Highness Blaire Grand Duke has invited you as his partner to the Imperial Capital's New Year's Ball. A dress and jewels will arrive soon!"
Ah, that. So this was what he meant about fulfilling the terms of our contract in front of people soon? Understanding the situation, I nodded indifferently.
"I see."
"It's not strange for His Highness to ask for a partner since he's unmarried, but sending a dress and jewels is something you'd only do between lovers!"
"Mm."
Bonita paid no mind to my lukewarm response and continued.
"Before there was a reason for it, but this time there's no justification for sending them, so everyone's wondering what's going on! Hehehehe!"
"Is that so?"
"What do you think about it, Miss?"
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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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