Chapter 7
“What a lovely couple,” said Viscountess Enisha.
And across from her sat me and Carsel, looking every bit the affectionate married couple.
It was a scene I never could have imagined before.
The next day, I found myself mulling over how things had ended up this way.
How did it come to this?
The refined-looking woman across from me finally smiled warmly.
“Yes. Since building a ranch is your wish, and your husband has spoken so earnestly, I’ll sell it to you.”
“You won’t regret this, I assure you.”
At that, Carsel turned to me and said tenderly,
“Dear, is everything as you wished? If there’s anything more you need or anything you’d like to adjust, please don’t hesitate to say so.”
“Ah—yes!”
“To be honest, this land isn’t worth all that much, yet we’re buying it at this price and even offering 5% of future profits from the land for ten years… it does seem rather one-sided in their favor, doesn’t it?”
At those words, I looked away from Carsel like a guilty puppy that had just snatched something off the floor.
“But if that is your wish, my dear, we’ll proceed with these terms.”
“Yes!”
Viscountess Enisha let out an elegant, lilting laugh from across the table.
“Your husband truly adores you. You make a lovely pair.”
“I chased after her and barely managed to marry her—I have no intention of letting her go.”
“How wonderful. …I know this might be rude to ask, but do you have children?”
“We have a daughter.”
A daughter?! What daughter!
I sat beside him, staring up at him in shock.
So how did things get this tangled up? It was all the result of a series of coincidences.
The fastest way I knew to make a fortune was, of course—
“Real estate!”
Land is king.
Tangible assets are always the best investment, no matter where you go.
I had absolutely no talent for business. I didn’t have a wealthy husband to divorce, nor a family to loan me start-up capital.
In other words, all I have is a little insider knowledge—so the only thing I can do is invest in real estate.
Among my knowledge, there was a rival character to Linea—a supporting villainess named Zenith.
Zenith’s parents had always been wealthy, but they’d elevated their status even further by buying up this very piece of land.
So much so that a baronial family had even set their sights on the Empress’s position.
And there was only one reason why:
Magic crystals—an energy source so efficient that a single crystal could hold enough magical power to last over a hundred years.
And those crystals happened to be abundant deep underground in that very land, bought at a bargain price from Viscountess Enisha.
In this world, which was gradually moving toward a more modern era, all kinds of magical tools were being developed.
And magic crystals were an absolute necessity for those tools!
Given the skyrocketing demand, mines that produced magic crystals were extremely rare, so prices were essentially whatever the seller asked.
Thanks to that, Zenith planned to use those magic crystal ore deposits as her dowry to marry the Crown Prince.
In fact, the Imperial Family had even praised Zenith as being more suited to be Empress because of it.
Of course, since this was a fantasy novel, Linea’s charm and kind heart won out in the end.
But to me now, this world was no longer a fantasy novel—it was reality.
So now, I’m going to become the owner of that magic crystal mine and pave a smooth path for Linea.
Naturally, if I succeeded, my own future would be lined with flowers too.
That morning, I’d gone to the bank near the house and was walking out to the main road, full of hope, to hail a carriage—
When a black carriage pulled to a stop right beside me.
“…Again?”
Just as I thought that, the coachman opened the door.
And inside, sure enough—
“What a coincidence, my lady.”
“A coincidence… is it?”
“As you said—a coincidence disguised as fate.”
Carsel, despite his fierce looks, gave a bright, crescent-eyed smile and tilted his head.
That alone added a boyish charm to his already sensual aura, dazzling me on the spot.
He really is seriously handsome.
For a moment, I felt like I might drool, so I quickly wiped the corner of my mouth.
“As it happens, I found something you left behind yesterday. I wanted to return it, but I didn’t think you’d appreciate me sending a letter to the Count’s residence.”
“Right.”
So he had at least some tact.
He let out a small, incredulous laugh and continued.
“To be honest, I waited for you on purpose. …Because I wanted to see your face, even just once more.”
I tried hard to hide my flushed cheeks at his words.
Crazy bastard. Absolutely crazy.
How can he say something like that so casually?
For a moment, that seductive face, curved into a smile, made my heart pound so hard I took a sharp breath.
That’s cheating. Smiling like that with a face like that.
It was a face with an incredibly compelling charm.
“Today, I really only came to return this.”
“What is it?”
“You dropped your handkerchief that day.”
He pulled out my handkerchief from his breast pocket.
“Oh, I didn’t even realize I’d lost it.”
At that, Carsel let out a low chuckle.
“To be honest… when I saw your handkerchief, I was glad to have an excuse to speak with you again.”
“Eek.”
I flushed bright red, not knowing what to do.
The Marquis stepped down from the carriage and approached me. Then he handed me the neatly folded handkerchief.
“Thank you.”
I took it, but at that moment, his fingertips—easily twice the size of my hand—brushed against my palm.
The inexplicable, delicate tickling sensation made my eyes go wide.
I caught my breath.
As if nothing had happened, the Marquis gave me a perfectly composed smile and asked,
“If you’re headed somewhere, may I offer you a ride?”
“I’m fine—”
“…Are you sure you won’t?”
And why are your eyes doing that?
I found myself unable to look away from him as he gazed down at me with that hazy smile.
In the end, I was captivated by that persuasive face and nodded once.
“Ah—!”
I nodded without thinking! But that was all he needed—he swiftly extended his hand to me.
“Thank you.”
I took his hand gently and stepped into the carriage.
His hand was larger and firmer than I’d expected, and today he wasn’t wearing gloves.
So when our bare skin touched, slowly pressing together and then parting, it felt strangely intimate.
But the Marquis, as if nothing unusual had happened, gave an inscrutable smile and climbed in after me.
“Where shall I take you?”
“First to the nearest Imperial Bank, then to Ruten 4th Street.”
“Understood.”
The Marquis opened the small window to the driver’s seat, gave the directions, then turned back to me.
“Have you eaten?”
“Not yet.”
Because of what happened yesterday, the kitchen had refused to give me even a slice of bread, saying that from now on I should earn my own meals.
I’d actually been planning to run my errands and then eat out anyway.
“I thought you might say that, so I came prepared.”
“Pardon?”
“You seem like a busy person. I wanted to share at least a meal with you, even like this.”
So that’s where that delicious smell was coming from.
What he handed me was a basket.
“A picnic basket?”
“Yes. It’s nothing fancy, but it should be enough for a light meal.”
Carsel opened the basket.
“Wow…”
Inside was a fragrant, appetizing soup and a sandwich piled high with thick cuts of meat.
He even handed me a plate and napkin and calmly set everything up.
Growl.
My stomach let out an embarrassingly loud rumble, since I hadn’t been eating properly at the Count’s residence for a while.
Feeling as though I’d been caught in a shameful moment, my cheeks burned.
“I’m sorry—I rushed out this morning.”
“I’m hungry too.”
Having breakfast inside a carriage with a small table set up between us…
This is just like eating in a limousine.
Unable to resist the temptation any longer, I took a spoonful of the soup first.
The warm, savory broth slid down my throat, and it tasted heavenly.
“This is really delicious.”
“I’m glad. Our chef at home is quite skilled. …If you ever visit, I’m sure he’ll prepare an even finer meal.”
Catching the subtle invitation in his words, I gave an awkward smile.
I should look into Marquis Livandel through the information guild.
Come to think of it, his timing had been so perfectly convenient that it was unsettling—but if Marquis Livandel truly meant me well…
Linea isn’t my biological daughter, and my husband is dead. So if I want to leave the Count’s household with Linea, I’ll need more than just money.
Under imperial law, if you divorce or are widowed, there are certain conditions for taking a child who isn’t your biological own with you
