Chapter 96
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A villainess locked away in a desolate tower—I had possessed her body.
Chapter 96
"Darling, someone from the Marquis Residence has arrived."
At his wife's words, Robert Count waved his hand dismissively.
"Tell them I'm not here!"
"But we used that same excuse yesterday. If we keep this up, the Marquis will start to suspect something."
"Ugh...."
Robert Count, lost in thought, stroked his chin.
Truth be told, he and Stefan Marquis had been inseparable once—thick as thieves, one might say.
Of course, that was only when the Marquis still possessed wealth and power.
But now, Stefan Marquis had become something akin to a public enemy throughout the Imperial Capital.
'How could he have even entertained the notion of mobilizing private soldiers to drive away the refund-seeking patients? The audacity of it all....'
Should I have tried to stop Stefan Marquis that day when he stormed out, seething with uncontrolled rage?
Yet even if I had, there was no chance the stubborn and self-righteous Marquis would have heeded my counsel.
What was meant to happen would happen regardless of one's efforts.
The real problem was that it had been captured on film, and the articles had spread like wildfire.
When nearly every newspaper company in The Empire descended upon the story simultaneously, even a merchant guild as vast as Stefan Trading Company couldn't weather the storm.
As a result, not only Stefan Trading Company but the entire Marquis House faced relentless condemnation.
"Damn it."
The more Robert Count pondered it, the less sense this situation made to him.
In merchant guilds as large as Stefan Trading Company, unsavory incidents occurred with predictable regularity.
So why had such matters been quietly buried in the past?
The answer was simple: the guild's master was Stefan Marquis, a high-ranking nobleman in every sense, and Stefan Marquis's Wife was none other than a close confidante of the Empress herself.
But then, why—why had this incident generated such massive coverage?
He had reviewed the articles and attempted to suppress the scandal through monetary means, but even that proved futile.
The manga's popularity had already set The Empire ablaze.
Even fellow nobles, though they refrained from open mockery in his presence, were quick to ridicule him behind closed doors.
They called it the disgrace of a nobleman who was no better than a common merchant.
'I cannot cling to a raft drifting precariously toward oblivion.'
Especially not when a cliff's edge looms clearly before my eyes.
Robert Count recognized this as a moment of reckoning—a crossroads of choice.
Would he fall gloriously alongside Stefan Marquis, struck by the same falling stones, or would he wisely seek a path to survival?
'I have earned enough wealth.'
It had been some twenty years since he crawled beneath Stefan Marquis like a dog.
By timing his moves well and riding the wave of fortune, he had amassed considerable wealth.
To put it plainly: he had built five mansions on land adjacent to the Capital and sent all seven of his children abroad for their education.
Moreover, he had spared no expense in supporting his wife, ensuring she could confidently commission dresses from the same exclusive boutique that Stefan Marquis's Wife patronized.
And so....
If he wished to preserve what he had, it was time to quietly withdraw.
'And this counterfeit tumbler business is unsettling too.'
Robert Count recalled the urgent telegram that had arrived from the Information Guild not long ago.
It contained information that Blaire Grand Duke's side was tracking him through middleman merchants they'd captured in connection with the fake tumbler sales.
And if his instincts hadn't dulled, there was a high probability he was already under surveillance.
Blaire Grand Duke was far more dangerous than he'd initially thought.
'Will Stefan Marquis protect me?'
The answer came immediately.
'No.'
Considering Stefan Marquis's track record thus far, it was predictable.
Once the truth about the counterfeit tumbler distribution was exposed, the first to be discarded would be Robert Count himself.
Of course, he had suggested starting this scheme, but since Stefan Marquis had been involved from financing to execution, he had no intention of dying alone.
'And touching the Mages of the Magic Tower feels off too.'
The Mages weren't fools either, and it seemed they weren't cooperating with Blaire Grand Duke for no reason.
It felt like he was scratching at something that would only create more problems.
"Dear, hurry up."
"I wish I could say I'm ill."
He replied curtly to his wife's urging and began bustling about the chamber, gathering his belongings.
"Will they believe that? They'll think we're hiding because of the rumors spreading through the Imperial Capital. What if they try to retaliate later...?"
He couldn't entirely dismiss his wife's concerns.
But Robert Count had rolled under the despicable Stefan Marquis long enough to have his own plans.
When betraying someone, the natural course was to crush them thoroughly so they couldn't retaliate, then leave.
With a twisted smile, he spoke with chilling resolve.
"We'll make sure they can't."
"How on earth do you plan to do that?"
Finally gathering the documents on his desk and concealing his face with a thick robe, Robert Count moved toward the back entrance.
"I need to go out for a bit. It'll probably take several days."
"Several days? Where are you going...?"
"Somewhere very important. Somewhere that could determine our future."
At his resolute answer, his wife closed her mouth and soon began nodding slowly.
"Don't tell anyone that I've left. You understand, don't you, dear?"
"...I understand. Please be careful."
Receiving his wife's farewell, Robert Count swiftly slipped out of the Mansion through the back entrance.
As he climbed into the carriage he'd arranged beforehand, his expression was grimmer than ever.
* * *
"Young Lady, you must keep your eyes properly open!"
"Wait, just a moment...!"
I gave Bonita my most pitiful expression, pleading silently, but she remained merciless as always.
"No."
"Ugh."
In the end, I had no choice but to surrender my face to her firm hands.
So what exactly am I doing right now?
...I've been awake since five in the morning, engaging in what you might call 'primping'!
And not just any primping—the extravagant kind required for entry into the Imperial Palace.
"Couldn't I just do a minimal touch-up to show proper courtesy? This seems terribly inefficient."
"Young Lady, please don't say such things."
Bonita, holding her powder brush, cut me off with a resolute tone.
"For a noblewoman, makeup and dress are weapons in their own right. Even the slightest negligence would leave someone as innocent as you utterly defenseless."
"But last time, I think I went without all this fuss...."
"That was when you went as a manga creator, not as a noblewoman. Besides, the crucial point this time is that the Empress herself is hosting a tea party."
"Ugh, I'm so hungry...."
"Once we finish with your appearance, I'll prepare some simple finger foods for you."
No, what I really want is a mountain of delicious meat and rice piled high on my plate.
But judging by Bonita's momentum, my grand culinary dreams seemed destined to remain unfulfilled.
Making no effort to hide my listlessness, I gazed blankly out the window.
'Still, things have gone better than expected.'
That fool Stefan Marquis.
Of all places, he had to brutally oppress commoners—patients, no less—right in the heart of the Imperial Capital.
After Stefan Marquis's 'excessive suppression' incident was widely reported, I couldn't help but feel a quiet satisfaction watching public opinion plummet in real time.
And then an invitation to a tea party hosted personally by the Empress arrived from the Imperial Palace?
Though the counterfeit tumbler incident remained unresolved, I instinctively sensed she was reaching out to me again, and I accepted the invitation without hesitation.
Given that the Empress herself was arranging the gathering, it was obvious what caliber of people would be in attendance.
'The only thing I didn't anticipate was having to drain my energy on beautification from the crack of dawn....'
After sitting quietly like a doll for some time, I snapped back to attention at Bonita's exclamation.
"There, all finished."
Finally done?
Rising from my seat, I examined my reflection in the mirror.
Hair neatly tied back in a half-style.
An ornate hairpin studded with peridot and an elegant violet dress.
Though I felt awkward seeing myself like this—a sight I never quite grew accustomed to—I decided to embrace it and enjoy the moment.
"Thank you for your hard work so early, Bonita."
"Not at all, hehe! Our Young Lady becomes more rewarding to adorn with each passing day!"
Was that a compliment?
Leaving Bonita's proud expression behind, I examined my transformed appearance from every angle.
Then, suddenly, my eyes met Ian's in the mirror.
But....
"Hmm...?"
Ian's expression seemed slightly different from usual.
That is to say... his complexion appeared to have flushed a bit more than normal?
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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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