The next morning. I sent a messenger to the government office to convey my wish to meet with Baron Tirel. Despite likely being busy, he kindly came to the mansion.
“I don’t think Askal would have been sitting idle.”
Baron Tirel nodded in agreement.
“I’ve been working on blocking the flow of money to the Rumphs ducal family.”
Baron Tirel told me what kind of business Rumphs was involved in and how Artenbach was intervening.
“Besides rental properties, there are small farms, but the income from those is insignificant.”
“Is buying up surrounding houses effective?”
“It’s minimal, but the Rumphs side is also on guard. Their money outlets are narrowing. Instead, our funds are being tied up.”
How can we deal an even bigger blow than now? How can we shake the pillars of Rumphs?
‘The Artenbach ducal family is in the banking business.’
Having modern knowledge is an enormous weapon for me.
“Baron Tirel. I have an idea, would you like to hear it?”
He tilted his head curiously.
“Introduce a new product at the Artenbach Bank branch in Rumphs.”
“A product… you say?”
“Lend money using real estate as collateral instead of physical assets. With much lower interest rates than Duke Rumphs’ rent.”
Baron Tirel mulled over my words before replying with realization.
“If we do that, we could deal a blow to Rumphs at a cheaper price than buying houses. We could also earn interest income.”
Baron Tirel’s eyes seemed to flutter with excitement.
“If the rumors spread well, people will choose the dream of owning their own home and lower bank interest over age. Let’s try focusing on specially supplied areas on the outskirts of Rumphs and Artenbach territories.”
“It’s a good method, but if many people come, we might run short on funds. Even though Artenbach is wealthy, it’s not unlimited.”
“That’s why we’ll gather families with aligned interests to establish an investment company.”
“Is that possible? They’ll be reluctant to step forward due to Rumphs’ pressure. And everyone will think this kind of investment is just money games.”
Baron Tirel said with a serious expression.
“It’s a better method than just buying up houses, isn’t it?”
“That’s true.”
Baron Tirel blinked a few times as if recalling something, then spoke.
“To establish an investment company under the family name, we need a seal. His Excellency is currently out on a beast subjugation mission…”
I took out the seal Askal had given me and showed it to him. Rimon’s hands trembled as he confirmed its authenticity.
“Will this do?”
“Yes, it’s sufficient.”
“Good. Then please make the first investment proposal to the Teravita ducal family.”
“Understood.”
Baron Tirel said he would go to the government office right away, bowed slightly, and turned to leave. Left alone in the office, I let out a small sigh. Now this fight cannot be undone.
‘I need to meet Leodnyro.’
Besides blocking Rumphs’ money flow, there’s something else I’ve been thinking about. It was the task of bringing Rumphs’ reputation to rock bottom through Leodnyro.
[This is the timeline separator]A little past lunchtime. Leodnyro, who had been contacted, came to the mansion. As if he never dreamed I would call him, he grinned throughout the delivery of the commission details.
“I didn’t call you for just one piece of work. First, please listen to my conditions.”
“Yes, please speak.”
He prepared to listen attentively with his fists resting on his knees.
“The work I’m commissioning is a series.”
“A… series?”
“Yes. It’s about putting a story in the paintings. I’ve written down the story for you to create here.”
Leodnyro read the contents densely written on the paper.
“Could this possibly be a story about real people?”
“Let’s keep that a secret. It might create bias.”
“I understand. I absolutely love the idea of continuing a story through paintings.”
“Can you do it?”
“I will. Please leave it to me without question.”
Leodnyro accepted the commission, burning with passion.
We contracted for a total of ten pieces and coordinated the specific mood and schedule I wanted. Not to reveal everything at once. To definitely reveal one work at a time from the first, with intervals in between. Above all, we promised to never leak this story.
After ending a satisfactory meeting with Leodnyro.
After having a light tea time with Rublion, I went to meet father. Father, who had moved from the treatment room to the annex, boasted about his specially made wheelchair, saying it was fortunate he could at least pull the trigger.
“When His Excellency returns, I plan to take a long vacation. I’ve decided to go around the shopping district with the young master.”
Father smiled broadly, saying he had practiced riding quite a bit. I tried to agree, but a bitter smile kept appearing.
[This is the timeline separator]Askal moved without resting for even a moment. When the horse tired first, he would stop at a village to get a new horse to ride. He rode like that, changing horses twice.
‘Soon now…’
The sky was already dark, and the moon hung high overhead. It was the time when everyone at the mansion had gone to bed except for those on night duty.
As soon as Askal arrived at the mansion’s main gate, he leaped off his horse. The wound on his chest throbbed, but confirming Schmidt’s condition was more urgent than that.
“My, my lord?”
The knight guarding the main gate exclaimed in surprise upon discovering him.
“Open the gate. Hurry!”
At his command, the knight hastily opened the gate. Without time to receive a salute, the knights rushed after him as he ran through the garden.
The knight who ran a little faster than Askal opened the door wide instead. The butler, who had just finished his busy day and was about to return to his room, shouted in surprise at Askal’s sudden appearance without notice.
“A ghost… could it be?”
“Where is the duchess?”
Gaben, as if entranced, pointed upstairs with his finger.
“The madam is in her room. But my lord…”
Askal headed towards Schmidt’s room without looking back. Only the footsteps of him and the knights following him echoed through the quiet corridor.
[This is the timeline separator]I was tired even though I had only been in the mansion all day. It seemed because I had done a lot.
‘I’m stiff.’
After dinner, I played with the Deli fidget with Rublion. We competed to see who could match the six sides first, and my wrist hurt from turning it so much.
I was so tired I could fall asleep just by putting my head on the pillow. I slowly approached the bed.
‘There’s not much time left until he returns from the subjugation.’
It usually took about two weeks. When news of the subjugation team’s return was received, the territory’s people began preparing for the Artenbach festival from that point.
I lifted the blanket to lie down, recalling last year’s festival. Next, I took off my slippers.
Bang.
I turned around at the noise breaking the peace. Since only Rublion would enter the room without knocking at such a late hour, I froze in surprise at the sight of the large human shadow standing in front of the door.
“My lady…”
Cold sweat trickled down. I couldn’t understand why Askal, who should be at the subjugation site, was standing there.
“My lady…”
The shadow, whether it was him or his soul, took a step into the room. Because the lights were off and it was dark, my thought process stopped in surprise at his appearance.
Someone who had no reason to be here was calling me in an anguished voice on a dark and late night.
‘…No way.’
I became terrified. His voice saying he might die echoed in my ears.
“You’re not… a ghost, are you?”
I carefully called his name. All sorts of thoughts came to mind as tears welled up. Then the human-like, ghost-like figure slowly approached. And then stretched out his arms.
“They said you were in a coma… that you might die.”
The hand that touched my cheek was clearly that of a person. The voice was also Askal’s.
My body, which had been tensed up in surprise, relaxed with the tension. My legs gave out on their own and I sat down on the bed with a thud.
“My lady!”
At that moment, lights turned on in the hallway and the room brightened. Now I could see that Artenbach knights were gathered near the door, watching us.
“Are you alright, my lady?”
I was so surprised I nearly coughed up my heart. I thought he had died during the subjugation and appeared as a ghost.
…It’s amazing I didn’t faint.
No, but why is Askal here when there was no news of the subjugation team’s return?
“Father?”
Even Rublion, who had been sleeping in his own room across from here, woke up and came out. It was understandable given all this commotion.
“Is this a dream?”
Rublion seemed to think he was dreaming, as he rubbed his eyes repeatedly. Then he went back into his room and closed the door.
‘What is happening now?’
I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. But one thing I could tell was that the man standing before me was a real person, not a ghost.
“When I heard you had fallen into a coma, how much I…”
He was trembling.
“Do you know how afraid I was?”
This was news to me. The only person who had recently had a brush with death was father.
“You mean I was in a coma, not father?”
“I heard you collapsed from the shock of hearing Baron Deli had been attacked…”
“I was shocked, but I didn’t collapse?”
I waved my hand at the knight standing outside the door. He tactfully turned on the lights and went out, closing the door.
“Rumors were rampant throughout the village that you were critically ill. I couldn’t believe it… so I came first…”
I grabbed Askal’s hand that was touching my face and pulled it down. Then I got up from the bed and hugged him.
He flinched in surprise, as if he hadn’t expected this. But soon he embraced my shoulders with a gentle touch.
“I’m really… relieved.”
It seemed he had rushed here without even taking off his armor. Above all, I could tell when I hugged him.
“Askal.”
“Yes, my lady.”
I separated from his arms and said seriously.
“Take off your armor. Right now.”
After Being Cheated On, She Picked Up a Treasure (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: The husband I married on a whim had been secretly in love with me for a long time.
On the day when Jun Shao finally obtained the imperial decree for her marriage, Lan Qu, the person she had admired for six years, defied the decree and ran away.
Her gentleness and devotion, her promise of a lifetime together, were all disregarded by him. Instead, he dreamed of entering the palace to serve the Emperor’s sister as a sixth-rank attendant.
News of this incident spread throughout the capital, and the alleys in front of and behind the Lan mansion were crowded with people who came to watch the commotion.
Jun Shao should have been embarrassed and angry.
But someone stepped in to protect her dignity.
The figure was in a miserable state, yet still possessed an undeniable elegance and handsomeness.
The young lord struggled to climb the wall of the Lan mansion and shouted to her, “If he won’t marry you, I will!”
So, Jun Shao took advantage of the situation and married the person.
She thought the young lord did it to save the Lan family from the crime of defying the imperial decree, but never imagined that from beginning to end, what he coveted was her.
*
After the wedding, Jun Shao felt like she was living in a dream.
Her Wife-master was as beautiful as a fairy in a painting, skilled in the six arts, well-versed in poetry and literature, capable of being gentle and attentive, and also grand and dignified. Most importantly, she was the only one in his heart and eyes.
Jun Shao didn’t know how Lan Shiwu, as a illegitimate son without a father and blessed with beauty, had managed to preserve his purity, recklessly escape, and use his last ounce of strength to ruin his own reputation, all because of his love for her, just to stand before her.
She could only see him gazing at her with eyes full of love, and when she bestowed a name upon him, his eyes shone like stars.
“You have come to me like a weary bird perching on a branch. I shall call you A Qi.”
