Aelfrie sat in her seat, constantly looking around. The place she was guided to was a building of Ash Trading Company nearby.
Being led to a room normally used for conversations with clients, she found it fascinating that one wall was made of transparent glass, allowing her to observe the scenery inside the trading company.
Though she had never been inside another trading company’s building, she knew that at least other trading companies in Denerthum did not have a room made like this.
‘The Empire must make reception rooms this way.’
It seemed like a good idea.
While sitting, watching the company’s people bustling around and working, she felt like she could somehow trust this trading company.
Of course, the impressive scale of the building would probably also give a sense of relief to those trading with them.
Then, Aelfrie soon found out why the people of Ash Trading Company looked so fascinating to her.
‘There are a lot of women.’
Even without hearing their voices, she could tell they were from the Empire. Their clothing was slightly different, and more than anything, their movements and attitudes differed from the people of Denerthum.
They casually patted other men’s shoulders, laughing and speaking to them without hesitation.
At first, she thought they might be secretaries working for those seated, but upon closer inspection, there were more people going around giving various instructions.
‘Come to think of it, Chief Nisha was also a woman…….’
She remembered how people inside the trading company bowed their heads and greeted Nisha as she came in.
In Denerthum, noble women would not receive such a greeting unless they were noble.
When she entered the trading company, she had pain in her ankle, and the place she was suddenly guided to was bewildering, so she didn’t notice properly, but there were more women working inside Ash Trading Company than she thought.
Watching them, Aelfrie suddenly wondered.
‘Could I work here too?’
In Denerthum, there would be no shop or company willing to hire her.
Perhaps if she were a commoner, there might be a few places, but there would not be a single place that would give a noblewoman a job.
But in the Empire’s trading company, wouldn’t it be possible?
Imagination led to the discovery of new possibilities, one after the other. Suddenly, in Aelfrie’s mind, an image of herself sitting among those working people arose.
Knock, knock.
The moment of happiness, even in imagination alone, vanished in an instant at the sound of a knock. Aelfrie, without realizing it, got up and straightened herself.
As she always did at home, watching for the one coming in, not to be caught off guard.
“You have been waiting for a long time. I am sorry for being late… Why are you standing?”
The one who came in was Calon. He slightly furrowed his brows when he saw Aelfrie.
The doctor had said her ankle was slightly sprained.
Fortunately, it would be fine if she didn’t move and rested for a few days, so she was told to stay seated until he could take her home, but why was she standing so awkwardly?
Not only now. Didn’t she die of embarrassment just by taking off her shoes and exposing her feet during treatment?
It was fortunate that there was a female doctor in the trading company; if he had told a male doctor to treat her, she probably would not have been treated until the end.
Having only arrived in this country for a single day, Calon had already understood how oldfashioned and stifling Denerthum was.
‘Much more backward than I thought.’
No wonder Chief Nisha, along with the report, had sent a letter full of anecdotes where she occasionally cursed and then crossed it out with a pen. There must have been a reason.
So Calon found this woman even more fascinating.
Of course, she could have been someone with a motive, like that vagrant who tried to steal the documents.
‘But if that were the case, she wouldn’t have caught my eye like this.’
Other people avoided possibly getting entangled in the annoying situation, but only this woman stepped forward, stumbled, and threw a book to help.
‘Perhaps she expected a reward.’
Calon Ash smiled habitually, organizing his increasingly complicated thoughts.
“Please sit down. Standing like that will prolong the pain.”
“Yes.”
“I was so out of my mind earlier that I only barely mentioned my name. If it’s not rude, may I ask your name?”
“I’m… Aelfrie.”
Aelfrie was about to tell her full name and title but soon changed her mind and introduced herself briefly.
She had heard that just as nobles think poorly of the Imperial people, Imperial merchants also don’t particularly like nobles.
After all, weren’t the nobles the ones constantly obstructing the Imperial merchants’ progress?
Without going far, her father, Count Aradis, would often rant about the Imperial merchants when he was drunk.
‘I think it might be awkward if I say I’m a noble.’
Even though she helped, the merchant people were overly kind to her.
An Indifferent Woman is the One Men Desire the Most
One-line summary: The female lead is actually cold-hearted and extremely rational. She has stage-by-stage relationships and won’t two-time, but there will always be someone who secretly likes her.
This novel has the following triggers, so if you’re sensitive to these, please don’t read:
1. The female lead has had many relationships, but she treated each one seriously and broke up properly.
It’s just that the men unilaterally pestered her incessantly. For the female lead, when she doesn’t like someone anymore, she simply doesn’t like them.
(This applies to her relationships with Male Lead 1, 2, 3, and 4 as well, but she’s loyal in each 1-on-1 relationship!)
2. In this novel, Male Lead 2 and the female lead kiss in a car, and Male Lead 1 sees it and beats up Male Lead 2.
The female lead calls the police and sends both Male Lead 1 and 2 to the police station! Male Lead 1 begs the female lead not to break up with him.
3. Male Lead 1 has a gentle appearance but an obsessive personality.
Male Lead 2 has a delicate and soft appearance, slightly green tea-like (two-faced).
Male Lead 3 is a youthful college student and a smart person who has secretly liked the female lead for a long time.
Male Lead 4 is the female lead’s father’s special assistant, a business elite with deep, hidden thoughts.
4. At the beginning of this novel, the female lead has already broken up with Male Lead 1 (Chapter 4) and gotten back together with Male Lead 2 (ex-boyfriend).
5. Enter with caution if you have triggers!!!
