Chapter 67
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I'm a homebody who ended up possessing the body of a villainess locked away in a desolate tower.
Chapter 67
To get straight to the point, the scouting proposal was a resounding success.
Baroness Fabron accepted my offer readily, even with tears in her eyes.
All the persuasion strategies I'd carefully prepared seemed utterly unnecessary given how easily it concluded.
When I failed to hide my bewilderment at how swiftly the negotiation(?) had ended, she dabbed at her flushed eyes and added her thoughts.
"Lady Golbro, while I am a fan of manga, I wouldn't have participated in story creation for that reason alone."
"Oh, then why...?"
"Because you're a good person, Lady Golbro. I want to work alongside you."
Was I truly a good person?
But seeing the certainty blazing across Baroness Fabron's face, I had no choice but to nod without further objection.
'I was simply following my heart.'
In truth, helping Fabron Marquis this time, just as my efforts to improve his relationship with Marquis Embrose and his wife, were ultimately for my own benefit.
Receiving praise from an unexpected quarter left me unable to shake off a peculiar restlessness even as I boarded the carriage.
"Miss."
Just as we were nearly arriving at the location of the Teleportation Circle.
Bonita, who had remained silent the entire journey, called out to me.
"Hmm?"
She'd been unusually quiet since earlier—was something troubling her?
After some hesitation, Bonita slowly opened her mouth as if she'd made a decision.
"I'm relieved that everything worked out well."
"Yeah, right? I honestly wasn't sure what I'd do if she refused, so I'm grateful it went smoothly."
As I replied with a smile, Bonita glanced at my expression before her face clouded with concern.
"But you seem rather exhausted lately."
"Me?"
"Yes, your complexion is quite pale... and you didn't sleep properly yesterday either. Isn't that right, Ian?"
Ian, who had joined us this time due to a change in his work arrangements, nodded at Bonita's words.
"It does appear so to my eyes as well."
Moreover, Ian's gaze was remarkably persistent.
'What's with that look?'
Every time he looks at me that way, it reminds me of the Grand Duke—I can't help it.
In any case, this forced me to reflect on my recent days.
'Yesterday I couldn't sleep because I was preoccupied with various contingencies regarding recruiting Baroness Fabron.'
Ever since I started the Manga Business, from sourcing leather to tumbler production, everything was intricately connected with no room for rest.
After all, I was the one overseeing and driving all the work forward.
There was no one else to take my place, one might say.
"But still... it feels awkward to ask for help."
Moreover, for my original goal of 'independence,' I absolutely couldn't reach out to others for assistance.
I mumbled something like an excuse toward Bonita, whose brow was still furrowed.
"Since I promised to handle this myself, I should see it through to the end—isn't that the right thing to do? Haha."
But the more I spoke, the more my excuses unraveled into pathetic justifications.
Well... yes.
To be honest, I was feeling a bit tired.
But work naturally consumed a certain amount of energy regardless, and in a position where I had to row when the tide came in, rest was nothing but a luxury.
Even if I was someone who loved staying cooped up indoors.
"Still, I've been worried you've been pushing yourself too hard lately."
"I'm fine. Besides, with long-distance travel handled by the Teleportation Circle, wouldn't you say I'm working quite comfortably?"
The severe motion sickness was the problem, though.
As I mentally drafted separate letters to Marquise Embrose and Lady Golbro for when I returned, I flashed the brightest smile I could muster to hide my exhausted expression.
"I... I suppose that's a relief. But please do rest when you're tired."
"Yes, thank you. Bonita."
It struck me anew how strange it felt to have someone nearby who worried about me like this.
With that in mind, should I suggest we share some delicious snacks when we return?
"We've arrived."
While I was lost in such trivial thoughts, the carriage came to a slow stop.
Fortunately, Fabron Manor was close to the Imperial Capital, so the distance to the Teleportation Circle wasn't far.
With Ian and Bonita positioned on either side of me, I stepped onto the magic circle, following the Mage's guidance—someone I'd grown familiar with after seeing them several times.
But just before the circle activated, a sudden thought occurred to me.
"Um, Ian."
"Yes."
"That friend you mentioned before... the one who suffered from Teleportation Circle motion sickness like me."
Thinking it an odd topic, his expression looking down at me grew peculiar.
"...Did they ever find a cure?"
If he was a mercenary, he'd likely need to make long-distance jumps frequently to find work, so he must have suffered through it each time.
And humans always strive to overcome inconveniences.
I asked the question hoping he might know of some decent folk remedy.
"That friend..."
Whoooosh!
Just as the Mage's incantation ended and brilliant light began enveloping us, Ian's voice emerged with a grave tone, his expression having grown somewhat complicated.
"They are no longer of this world."
"...What did you say?"
Before I could even process his words, my vision brightened and an overwhelming sense of my body twisting violently assailed me.
'Ugh, ugh, I'm so dizzy!'
The journey here had already felt much harder than usual, but now the dizziness surpassed all limits and struck my head like a hammer.
Why was this happening?
In that brief moment where I couldn't even distinguish up from down, I felt an intense wave of nausea and collapsed to the ground.
Or rather, to what I presumed was the ground.
'Ah, I'm... dying.'
With what sounded like a scream echoing faintly in my ears, my consciousness cut out completely.
* * *
Bonita.
A native of the Blaire Region in the Northern territories of The Empire, she had been fortunate enough to enter the Grand Duke's Residence at a young age and become a head maid earlier than most.
Treatment far superior to other noble households! Wages! And such a kindhearted mistress!
In a place where even those arriving with high recommendations from distant domains often failed to be hired, her pride in working as a proper maid was truly remarkable.
Yet recently, even she had developed one serious source of worry.
"This won't do. I need to propose a more effective compromise."
"Ugh, I need to redesign the tumbler... but I'm drawing a blank on ideas."
"How many more hours will today's meeting drag on...?"
It was a matter concerning her young mistress.
Until she first laid eyes on April Salt, Bonita had never anticipated she would come to care this deeply.
After all, when April Salt first arrived at the Grand Duke's Residence, the servants had whispered in unison that something about her seemed suspicious.
The truth of April Salt's character only revealed itself after she launched the Manga Business.
"Ah, Miss... you don't need to stay awake, do you?"
"It's fine. I need to finish this much so the others don't have to work overtime."
"But surely there's no need for you to strain yourself, Miss? It would be natural for the hired painters to handle the remaining work...?"
That was Bonita's common sense.
Yet April Salt had responded with apparent bewilderment.
"They're part-time workers. I can't pay them more than they're owed, but I certainly won't let them suffer losses."
"I beg your pardon?"
"Ah, I haven't discussed overtime compensation yet... no, never mind, you don't need to worry about it."
At the time, Bonita had understood barely half of what April Salt said.
But when she later confirmed the contract stipulating that anyone working beyond their scheduled hours would receive 1.5 times their normal wages, only then could Bonita truly comprehend her mistress's genuine intention.
"There are so many people who say not to complain even if they work a bit more since they already receive their regular salary. Could she truly be an angel sent by God?"
Though she had initially seemed suspicious, as days passed and April Salt's reputation improved by leaps and bounds, Bonita felt ever-growing pride in serving her.
And she had vowed to faithfully support her going forward...
'I'm so worried about Miss.'
As April Salt grew increasingly busy, she soon became so overwhelmed that her actual sleep hours became impossible to measure.
Despite Bonita's best efforts to assist and care for her from the sidelines, since she wasn't sleeping properly, her condition only worsened rather than improved.
That's why, on her way back from meeting Baroness Fabron, Bonita had subtly conveyed her concerns.
Thud.
"Oh, Miss!!!"
Sure enough, the moment they arrived at the Teleportation Circle near the Grand Duke's Residence, April Salt collapsed to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut.
"W-what should I do! Miss... are you alright!?"
But April Salt didn't move an inch.
Witnessing her lying motionless with a pallid face, cold sweat pouring down, Bonita's heart sank heavily.
It seemed as though she might actually die like this...
"Move aside."
In that moment, Ian rushed over and commanded in a voice far colder than usual.
"Y-yes!"
As Bonita reflexively stepped back, he scooped April Salt into his arms and began running toward somewhere.
'Wait. That voice just now, and that tone of speech...'
Bonita's eyes widened as she stared blankly at the retreating figure.
"Could it be...?!"
But fitting together the hypothesis that had just occurred to her wasn't particularly important at this very moment.
Bonita snapped back to attention and quickened her pace.
After all, this was an emergency situation!
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org