🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter: o9
I’ll Spend the Rest of My Life at Leisure
But no matter how she thought about it, it was a difficult matter. How could she possibly explain that 87-year-old Alice Lemacien had become the 18-year-old Princess Iana Marseille? Even she herself still felt as if it were a dream.
Iana thought Yvon would surely scoff at her, asking how a young princess could have earned any money. But Yvon simply waited quietly for her next words.
“Money is always necessary. But buying Colmar to turn it into a resort city—that’s purely for me.”
Iana gave a faint smile.
It had been a life of constant running. She had scrimped and saved every trivial copper coin for herself, working relentlessly to build her trading guild and rise to a marquisate that didn’t truly suit her—just to gather money more easily.
So before collapsing at the banquet, what remained for Marquis Alice Lemacien was money, the disgrace of being a woman who would do anything for it, and a diseased body with only a short life left. Regardless of what Melen had done or not done, Alice would not have lived long.
“I want to spend the rest of my life leisurely.”
At Iana’s words, Yvon’s face stiffened. His complexion drained pale as if blood had been sucked out, and his parted lips opened and closed silently, over and over, before he finally began speaking in a voice that sounded as if it were being squeezed from him.
“Miss, are you feeling ill somewhere? Where… where exactly is it uncomfortable? I-I’ll get a healer immediately… or rather, ah, Miss, why? This… this can’t be…”
Yvon approached Iana with a jerky, mechanical gait as if some part of him were broken, and then dropped to his knees. He grasped her arm, and before she realized it, Iana found herself in his embrace.
“Where? How are you hurt? I’ll do whatever it takes, this time for sure!”
Yvon murmured like a man gone mad, holding Iana tightly. When his warm body pressed against her, Iana was flustered. She had fought with men using swords or clubs before, but this was a first. Being held in a man’s arms. From Yvon came the mixed scent of wood, old paper, and soap, a fragrance that rose sharply with his body heat.
Though Iana thought she should push him away, she could not move. Though she thought she should quickly correct his misunderstanding, part of her did not want to move even a finger. How long had this lasted? It felt like both a brief moment and an eternity.
“Miss.”
A light knock was heard, and Lu called. Iana quickly pushed Yvon away and composed her expression. Yvon, still with a despairing face, slid away as if without strength.
Lu looked between Yvon and Iana, then asked cautiously,
“Miss, what happened?”
“Just a little misunderstanding.”
Iana smiled faintly and patted Yvon, who was kneeling, on the shoulder.
“I’m not hurt anywhere. Don’t all the other nobles live leisurely? I just meant that I want to live like that too.”
Yvon’s face instantly flushed red. Then it turned pale again. Iana had never seen someone’s complexion change so abruptly. She felt like laughing, but a premonition that Yvon might actually get angry kept her from doing so. She bit her lip to hold back her laughter, her facial muscles twitching and tears welling up in her eyes. Even biting the center of her lips could not stop the corners from twitching.
With his head bowed, rubbing his face roughly, Yvon said in a scraping voice,
“Just laugh.”
Iana wished she could have held it in, but even as Alice, she had never been particularly patient.
“Hahaha!”
While Iana laughed, Yvon, who had been turned away, turned back as soon as she stopped. Though his face was still flushed, he returned to his usual composed expression.
“Miss, how old are you, speaking of the rest of your life?”
“Eighteen.”
Eighteen—the beautiful age Alice had envied. From now on, she would live leisurely and freely. Money, revenge, none of it mattered. Iana said proudly,
“Then, will you live leisurely for decades?”
“Don’t all other nobles live like that? Though I suppose I do need a bit more money. I checked recently, and it turns out I don’t have as much as I thought.”
Iana spoke with a serious face.
Her personal savings, as a daughter, would be gone after buying just a few dresses. Of course, considering that a single dress for a noble lady could equal a commoner’s annual living expenses, it wasn’t exactly a small sum. But Iana was the only precious daughter of the ducal family. In most noble families, daughters would get several new dresses for every season, for banquets and tea gatherings alike—it was absurdly lavish.
Still, the words she said immediately after regaining her composure were rather impressive. Iana pursed her lips in thought.
‘Feigning illness ends here, Iana. Since you have damaged the dignity a princess should uphold, you are to remain in restraint for a month.’
The Grand Duke had said this, his cold gaze dripping onto her as she lay in bed. If the real Iana had heard it, she would have been quite upset.
Iana clicked her tongue. Outwardly, the Grand Duke looked fairly normal, but he was undoubtedly stingy and heartless toward his daughter. But wasn’t she Alice, the one who had risen from nothing to run the largest trading guild in the Empire? She wasn’t truly Iana, so the Grand Duke’s affection was irrelevant—but money was another matter. For a leisurely life, she would need plenty of it.
“Yvon, so, can you check the current businesses and assets of the ducal family? And just in case, see if there’s any property I don’t know about.”
For someone who had just become a secretary, it was a somewhat audacious request, but Yvon calmly nodded. The two who had bickered moments ago were no longer visible; only the composed master and assistant remained.
However,
“I’ll need money to buy Colmar. I guess I have to secure funds first,”
Iana said, and Yvon let out a deep sigh.
Vivienne walked along the Burgundy street as if on a stroll. Wearing a pink dress with subtle vertical lace panels, her silver hair half-braided lightly, she held a lace and flower-decorated parasol. She knew everyone on the street at that moment was watching her, but she smiled innocently, pretending to be unaware, chatting with her attendant maid.
“Oh my, how lovely. It really feels like autumn now. Look at the fallen leaves.”
“Yes indeed, Your Highness. The Empire’s autumn is truly beautiful.”
Vivienne’s eyes grew cold as she looked at the back of the bowing maid. Beautiful autumn in Balu—how could it compare to Toulouse?
Toulouse wasn’t overly hot even in midsummer. The days were slightly warm, but at night, cool winds blew, requiring a shawl. Autumn began earlier than in the Empire, and around this time, the trees were completely covered in red and yellow leaves. Against the deep blue sky, the fluttering autumn leaves were stunningly beautiful. The Empire’s autumn felt shabby in comparison.
“Indeed. The weather is cool, perfect for an outing.”
The attending maids nodded with pleased smiles. Vivienne tilted her parasol to hide her expression and frowned. It was irritating to have to cater to such trivialities. But while in Balu and the Empire, she had to maintain the image of an angelic princess. Only then could she more easily track Leo and handle him when needed.
Vivienne cleverly hid her face behind the parasol and surveyed Burgundy Street. The street, the most luxurious in both Balu and the Empire’s capital, was lined with shops selling dresses and accessories primarily to nobles and royalty. Small alleys branching off the main street led to unique dessert shops or upscale restaurants.
Seeing nobles of Balu peeking from shop windows or alley shadows, Vivienne felt pleased. Twirling her parasol, she scanned the signs.
Despite frequent visits, Burgundy Street always confused her. Shops with similar dresses looked the same, and jewelry stores were no different.
“Your Highness, there’s the ‘Glindale Jewelry’ over there.”
Following the sharp-eyed maid’s direction, Vivienne spotted the jewelry store she had been seeking. She tilted her parasol back and, with a leisurely smile as if she had already known, walked toward the store.
“Welcome, Your Highness!”
The store manager, who had already been informed, bowed deeply. Vivienne tilted her head slightly and looked at the display cases. As expected, the manager had arranged jewels suitable for her—mostly blue sapphires.
Vivienne frowned slightly.
“I heard some high-quality diamonds with a blue hue arrived.”
“Yes, they did arrive recently, but those…”
The manager tilted his head, confused, then excused himself for a moment. In his absence, attendants offered seats and light refreshments to Vivienne and her maid. When the manager returned, he looked flustered.
The maid stepped forward with a stern expression.
“What’s the matter? Speak properly.”
“Well… that is…”
The manager hesitated. The maid frowned and raised her voice.
“Goodness! Do you need a whip to make sense?”
“Oh no, it must be a clerical error in the ledger.”
“Explain so we can understand.”
“It seems that those diamonds have already been purchased by His Highness the Prince. Haha, perhaps he intended them as a gift for Your Highness.”
The flustered manager accidentally spoke more than necessary. Vivienne’s usually composed forehead crumpled in frustration.
