Chapter 52
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I'm a homebody who ended up possessing the body of a villainess locked away in a desolate tower.
Chapter 52
"Hmm...."
I examined the object before me with a bewildered expression.
On the table sat a single item that had apparently been featured in this secret auction.
'No matter how I look at it, that's definitely it....'
The sleek body, the familiar illustration.
Whether I looked at it doing a forward roll or a backward roll, it was unmistakably the Ghost Duke tumbler I had ordered in limited quantities.
As I stood there vacantly staring at the tumbler, the Grand Duke casually posed a question.
"Princess, what will you do now?"
"Uh, well...."
Indeed, what should I do?
I scratched my cheek and recalled the situation the Grand Duke had explained to me.
The title "'Limited to 100 Units' Merchandise" had successfully stimulated readers' purchasing desires, and as a result, more and more people began seeking out the comic books.
What I had overlooked, however, was the intensity of these people's consumer appetite.
In South Korea, advertisements are everywhere you look, so people have built up considerable resistance to them....
'But not these people.'
Thanks to its rarity, the tumbler's popularity skyrocketed, and it even made its way into the secret auction house.
Not some magnificent jewel, not a legendary blade—just a tumbler, of all things!
'I'm truly guilty for dismissing that unease I felt before as mere worry....'
It seemed that whenever I thought carelessly, the consequences always came boomeranging back like this.
Just as I was barely holding myself together, battered by the karmic backlash of my own poor judgment, Bonita gently spoke up.
"Miss, the meal you mentioned wanting earlier is ready now."
Right, it's mealtime. My blood sugar must have dropped—that's why I'm so exhausted.
Once I became aware of it, hunger came rushing in. As I clutched my growling stomach, Bonita pointed toward the Garden.
"It's prepared there, miss."
"Thank you. I'll eat first and think about this afterward."
Just as I was expressing my gratitude and about to tell the Grand Duke we'd discuss this tomorrow.
"Ahem, hem!"
He let out such a loud cough that there was no need to ask who had made the sound, and he stared at me.
...with a very meaningful gaze.
'Huh?'
What is it?
It seems like he's sending me some kind of signal, but what does it mean?
As I looked at him in confusion, the Grand Duke let out another forceful cough.
"Ahem!"
No matter how I look at it, he seems to want to say something.
Is he demanding I provide a solution immediately? But I just found out about this myself—I need time to think.
Having found an appropriate way to decline, I carefully asked the Grand Duke.
"I know you're busy, but I do need to eat something...."
"Ahem!!"
Was this not it?
"Why so suddenly... Ah, perhaps you haven't eaten yet?"
To my question, an answer came as though he'd been waiting for it.
"My duties have been rather demanding."
Ah, I see.
Moreover, since this was the Imperial Palace, it was likely far more difficult to dine comfortably than when at the Grand Duke's Residence. And with everything so busy, no less.
After casting a glance at the mountain of documents piled behind him, I offered him a light solution.
"In that case... wouldn't it be better to prepare something simple like finger foods that you could eat while working?"
"Ahem! Hmm! Hmm!"
Yet contrary to the advice I'd offered, the Grand Duke only produced an even more strained cough.
'What... what am I missing?'
Or had I made some mistake without realizing it? But I hadn't said anything wrong, had I?
I'd expressed concern about him skipping meals while working, so why was he showing such obvious discomfort?
As I stood there, utterly bewildered and unable to do or say anything, Bonita—who never ordinarily interjected in such situations—suddenly spoke up.
"W-well, we've actually prepared quite a generous amount. If the Master hasn't eaten yet, perhaps he might dine with the young lady and..."
"Indeed."
The Grand Duke cut off Bonita's words and gave his assent with remarkable speed.
...Was that it?
He was simply hungry?
He wanted to steal my meal?
"Aha ha..."
So the saying that another's rice cake always looks bigger held true in this world too, even for those of power.
I shook my head and dutifully followed behind him as he led the way toward the Garden.
* * *
Dining with the Grand Duke was awkward beyond measure.
'What is wrong with him?'
He stared at me intently as though he had something to say, yet the moment our eyes met, he suddenly averted his gaze and pretended not to notice.
Moreover, throughout the entire meal, he kept his mouth firmly shut, only putting food in and maintaining a dignified silence...
'He definitely has something he wants to say.'
And it seemed to be something rather uncomfortable at that.
What could it possibly be?
Could it be... surely not... that he wanted to raise my room and board fees?
"Listen."
Just as I was about to firmly establish that I couldn't arbitrarily change our contract, a sudden commotion erupted nearby.
"What was that noise?"
"It appears criminals are being escorted through."
"Criminals?"
"The Imperial Palace has been conducting a major crackdown on those who participated in illegal gambling and unlawful auctions. Our house's Knights participated as well."
At the Grand Duke's explanation, I glanced toward the source of the commotion.
Among those being led away in succession as he'd ordered, one man thrashed about wildly, bellowing at the top of his lungs.
His frame was gaunt as a bare branch, and I found myself wincing involuntarily.
But then.
'Wait—did he just look at me?'
In that instant, our eyes met. And an ominous premonition washed over me.
That prickling, electric sensation—the kind that triggered my homebody instincts to recoil from troublesome situations.
Seized by acute anxiety, I quickly averted my gaze elsewhere and addressed the Grand Duke.
"Perhaps we should retire and take our leave..."
"P-please, I beg you—just hear me out!"
But my premonition proved accurate.
With inexplicable strength, the man shook off the towering Knights in one violent motion and rushed toward me.
Yet before he could reach me, the Grand Duke moved with fluid grace, positioning himself between us—and the man tumbled backward instead.
"Ugh!"
Now that I could see him up close, his appearance was all the more pitiful.
His shirt bore the traces of someone trying to maintain decorum, yet the sleeves were torn. His hair hung in wild disarray.
"Are you unharmed?"
"Ah, yes, I'm fine."
I nodded at the Grand Duke's inquiry, then turned my gaze toward the fallen man.
Though the Knights had belatedly restrained him again, the desperation in his voice and expression compelled me to listen.
So that's why my instincts screamed such violent rejection....
"Actually, I'd like to hear what this is about."
At my words, the Grand Duke gestured, and the Knights released their grip, stepping back.
Only then could the man lift his head to look up at the Grand Duke and me.
"Th-thank you. I am Fabron Marquis. My charge is illegal auction participation, but the reason I came to attend that auction in the first place was...."
As I listened to his trembling voice, I began organizing the information piece by piece.
And I could reach a conclusion.
'This tumbler situation seems far more serious than I thought.'
The solution itself was simple. But the problem was that I couldn't employ it....
"Princess."
"Yes?"
"What was the content of the cooperation request you made to the Magic Tower previously?"
"The cooperation request, you mean...."
Why was he asking this so suddenly?
I pondered his question with bewilderment, yet carefully considered my response.
I believe I had requested that they provide as much Partanium as needed....
When I explained the matter plainly, he asked softly in an unusual tone.
"Then you could continue manufacturing tumblers, could you not?"
"I'm sorry?"
"It seems as though you wish to keep making them. Am I mistaken?"
What? How did he know?
The Grand Duke, noticing my startled expression, added with a subtle smile.
"People appreciate the tumbler as a keepsake, but they also seem interested in its functionality."
At those words, my eyes widened.
In my previous world, keeping food warm and cold had been remarkably convenient, but this world operated differently.
Unless one held a high noble title or possessed such wealth that hiring a Mage was trivial, food preservation was genuinely difficult.
'...Once something is invented, it will eventually reach the masses anyway.'
In my original world, tumblers came first and were made into merchandise, but here the merchandise appeared first and tumblers were mass-produced afterward—merely a reversal of order.
Having organized my thoughts neatly, I could reach a definitive conclusion.
Except.
'When do I ever get to rest?'
As a villainess, I was simply exhausted.
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org