IBVM 11

Chapter 11

He was a genius, but unlucky. He developed medicine, lived brilliantly for two years, and then later…
Rebert was driven out of the royal palace when it was discovered that he had necrophilic tendencies. Nothing exact is known about what he did afterward, but it was said that his end was not a good one.

“What a waste. He was an excellent doctor. If he had just listened to me, he might have lived.”

Those were the words Dason had said when he heard the news of Rebert’s death. Thinking back, Rebert’s death was suspicious as well.

“He was in a more dangerous place than I thought,” Cho said as she recalled her memories of Rebert.
“Where?”
“Under a smuggler. He was hiding dangerous items in his body and distributing them. Why are you looking for someone like that?”

Cho said she didn’t like that I was searching for Rebert. She said he was someone who wouldn’t be of any help anyway.
That was something she could say only because she didn’t know Rebert’s talent.

Rebert was a genius doctor. Although he was active only for a short time, thanks to the foundation he laid over those two years, medical science was able to advance dramatically.

A smuggler, huh… Considering that the painkillers he made contained various rare substances, it wasn’t an unexpected place.

“Can you bring him here, Aunt?”
“If you’ve got money. Those smugglers buy kids from the slums anyway.”

I held out the jewelry box I had prepared. Cho’s eyes shook violently for a moment.
Since I couldn’t freely use cash, all I could offer were necklaces and rings I’d received since childhood—but there were quite a lot of them.

I haven’t even taken out half of half yet.
And I still had my mother’s safe.

“Shh, Diana. This is just between you and me. Mom’s treasure is in here.”
“What is it?”
“Who knows? What do you hope it is?”
“A doll?”

A childhood memory surfaced. Before regressing, I had never even thought of opening my mother’s safe.
I assumed it contained her memories, and I believed protecting them was a courtesy to the deceased.

But after regressing, I grew curious. What was inside?

Not long ago, I opened the safe. It was filled with a tremendous amount of jewelry and rare magical tools.
But what caught my eye was something else.

[The clothes Diana wore right after she was born.]
[The first drawing Diana ever made.]

Unlike the other items that were shoved carelessly into the top shelf, these were neatly arranged, like true treasures.
All of my mother’s treasures were things related to me.

I cried so much the day I discovered that. Even remembering it now made my nose sting.

I didn’t want to dispose of my mother’s belongings carelessly, but shouldn’t I try everything I can and use them when things get difficult?
For now, at least, today could be handled with what I had.

Cho opened the jewelry box I handed her and took out only the necklaces and rings. After holding them up to the light and weighing them in her hand, she put exactly half into her pocket.

“This is enough.”
“You could take everything and put it in your pocket.”
“I only work as much as I’m paid, and I only get paid for as much as I work. Eat too much and you get indigestion. Remember that.”

Cho occasionally showed her aunt-like side. She was different from the woman who had asked what I’d give her the day we first met.

When I looked at her in confusion, Cho grabbed the tip of my nose and shook it.
“Ack, Aunt!”
Watching me flail around with amused eyes, Cho laughed and perched her leg on the window frame. I rubbed my nose and said,
“Why don’t you have a cup of tea before you go?”
“You said it’s urgent, right? I’ll bring him tonight.”

With that, Cho lightly hopped out the window and disappeared.
“This is the fourth floor… I wonder if she’ll be okay.”
She must be fine if she jumped.

After staring at the window for a while, I closed it. The wind was chilly.

“Maybe I should rest a bit now.”

Just as I stretched and was about to sit comfortably on the sofa—

“My lady.”

It was the butler, Matthew. He was holding a thick stack of documents.

“Come in, Matthew.”
I smoothed my crooked ribbon and nodded. After hesitating, Matthew stepped inside.
Concern filled his eyes as he looked at me.

“Matthew?”
I urged the silent butler to speak. I wished he’d just say his business and leave.
Even a well-nourished child gets tired after using her head all day and worrying about the future.

Rebert was coming in the evening, and I wanted to rest until then.

“Documents regarding the revision of the provincial estate tax law have come in.”

So much for resting.

The moment I heard Matthew’s words, I gave up on the idea of rest.
Of all things, a complicated tax issue.

There are two types of taxes citizens of the kingdom pay: one to the king, and one to their lord.
The provincial estate tax law concerns the taxes residents pay to the owner of the estate. This law can be revised once every four years by the head of the family and their vassals.

It had been revised when I was eleven, so this year wasn’t the time. Yet documents had come in?
That meant something had gone wrong.

Now that I think about it, there was a riot over taxes this year.
What exactly happened again? My memory was hazy.

“I’ll handle it myself, so don’t worry.”

Count Kolkos hated it when I took interest in estate affairs, and around that time he held banquets every other day to keep me distracted.

No wonder I don’t remember.

“Give it to me.”
I held out my hand to Matthew.
“Pardon?” he asked, puzzled.

Lately, people kept making me repeat myself.
Seriously, what is it with them? Should I invent a magical device that amplifies sound and stick it in their ears?

Come to think of it, that device was also made by a crazy doctor, wasn’t it?
I was itching to meet him as soon as possible—but first, I had to look at the documents Matthew brought.

“Didn’t you bring them to show me?”
“That’s true, but…”
“Then give them to me.”
“Will you really be able to review tax law documents? They’re very difficult.”

Matthew was subtly underestimating me. Still, I didn’t get angry.
At thirteen, I had been a naïve child who stayed far away from studying. That said, even as an adult, I hadn’t really understood the world well either.

That’s probably why I was fooled by those bastards who tried to swindle me—and ended up executed.

But I—though it’s embarrassing to say it myself—was a genius.

After meeting Dason and devoting myself to studying with the sole goal of becoming a good queen, I realized how exceptional I was.
In one year, I mastered five continental languages. In the second year, I fully grasped the entire history of the continent. With my extraordinary mind, I helped advance many fields within the kingdom.

Yet all the credit went not to me, but to Dason.

“Diana, I don’t like you stepping forward in front of others. They’ll look at you. Isn’t my love enough for you?”

“When did you come up with something like this? You’ll 발표 it under my name, right? You working so hard for me is adorable. Diana, you know my success is your success, right?”

“Diana, you researched tax law? Perfect. His Majesty was interested in this anyway. I’ll go explain it well. I love you. You really are my best partner.”

I believed Dason’s words. That he didn’t want me in the spotlight because he loved me.
Deceived by that filthy line—my success is your success—I lived as his shadow.

I was a once-in-an-era genius sought after by academies across nations, but unfortunately—

All I did was study and date, and I ruined my life.

No—my ruin wasn’t my fault! Those damn bastards stabbed me in the back! Ungrateful pieces of trash!

“My lady? If you don’t understand it, you don’t have to read it.”

Matthew said that, mistaking my scowl for confusion over the documents.

“No, it’s fine. I can read it. Give it to me.”
With an uncertain look, Matthew placed the documents on my desk. There were so many that the small three-legged table wobbled under the weight.
If Matthew hadn’t caught it quickly, the papers would have gone everywhere.

“Replace my bedroom desk immediately.”
“Didn’t you say you liked that desk? You said it was pretty and compact…”

I had said that. I often forgot, but I was a thirteen-year-old girl who liked cute, pretty things.

“Keep this one. Just add another desk. I think I’ll be working in my bedroom often. Being the head of the family comes with a lot of work.”
“Are you planning to take on the duties of head of the family in earnest?”

Matthew’s eyes narrowed. I lifted my head and looked him straight in the eye.

“Why? Don’t you trust me, Matthew?”

As I asked, I carefully examined his expression.

There were lackeys of Count Kolkos inside this house. Information leaked left and right, and it had been bothering me.
Aside from Jennys, I trusted no one. Matthew—who had served the Irenver family as a butler for three generations—was also a suspect.

If Matthew doubted me and interfered with my work, he could be one of Count Kolkos’s pawns.
Whose side was Matthew on?

“No, not at all. Of course not. It’s just…”
His voice trembled slightly.

“Just what?”
“You always said your dream was to marry well and live comfortably…”

Had I really said something that embarrassing?
My face flushed red.

“I don’t remember.”
I decided to feign ignorance.

“You used to say you wanted to live with the master and mistress forever.”

If I was a genius, Matthew was an outstanding talent. His memory was precise.

“That part I do remember. But everyone says things like that when they’re young, right?”

I was deeply embarrassed by my past self, but I replied casually. Thankfully, Matthew didn’t bring it up again.

I was about to naturally change the topic to taxes when—

“Thank you, my lady.”

Out of nowhere, Matthew bowed deeply.

“That you’ve resolved to carry on the Irenver family… this butler has no regrets even if he dies. No—when you officially become the head of the family, I would gladly die then.”