Chapter – 15
I planned to stay in the capital’s townhouse for the entire period that the play 〈Kettlin〉 would be performed at the Safranette Theater.
I had already received Father’s permission before leaving for my debutante season.
I had acted my heart out, pouring on shameless amounts of aegyo, saying I wanted to go up to the capital of Soltmore to experience the current atmosphere of the kingdom firsthand, socialize with other young noble ladies, participate in society, and cultivate myself.
Father had scolded me, saying I’d only end up getting stupidly used by another girl like Vivian again if I stayed in the capital—but surprisingly, he allowed me a temporary stay.
Near the end of the spring social season, he even sent me extra allowance through a servant—before I had a chance to send him a birthday present.
“He’s sending me allowance before I even prepare his birthday gift?”
A short bond of only three years in this world. Unexpectedly, we had gotten along quite well without major conflicts. I intended to make full use of my status as a transmigrator to give him a gift—
something that did not exist in a duke’s household.
Ten years ago, when the war had just ended, the land was left with nothing but devastation and poverty. It was said that the farmers were powerless to do anything. Many lords couldn’t even afford seeds, so tenants had nothing to plant.
After transmigrating, I quietly read history books and collected information here and there, and learned that if House Loire hadn’t distributed seeds to the western part of the Aizar Kingdom at the time, half the kingdom might have starved to death.
Of course, House Loire had suffered severe losses as well. Despite sending massive amounts of supplies to the military, Duke Gaius Loire, my father, managed to keep the family intact.
When I once wondered if he was giving me heir education, he showed me the records from that time and said, “If there had been even a single year of bad weather or poor harvest, we would never have survived. You must thank the Goddess for her grace.”
Remembering that, I wrote a letter to Father:
[……Father, please don’t sell that land yet……]
The spring social season had fully concluded. The heroine, Saintess Maricella, would soon travel across the kingdom between spring and summer with a grand procession.
To announce her becoming the new Saintess and to give thanks to the divine for bountiful harvests, she would visit all major temples and holy sites, hold rituals, and bestow blessings—
the most important event of the year.
The crown prince, Kibern—the male lead—would accompany her until early summer.
Normally, Kibern had no reason to join, but he insisted on personally traveling with the Saintess and the priests of the Ereias Temple to the war-devastated eastern regions to hear their struggles.
It was considered an extremely unconventional decision for a royal… or so the novel described.
Even through my own lived experience, I could tell how unprecedented this was. This was when Maricella and Kibern’s romance would begin in earnest—but that had nothing to do with me.
What I needed to pay attention to was that, when trouble arose during the procession and they temporarily stayed somewhere—that land belonged to Duke Loire’s territory.
A small, barren region west of Redel, where the Loire ducal estate was located. A dry land squeezed between high gorges. With almost no inhabitants, no farming, and no tax revenue. Even shepherds from nearby villages avoided the place.
Geographic advantage? None. It had an ancient ruin, but it was worthless. The land was abandoned.
While staying in the capital, I pretended to have learned this information from nobles by chance, and wrote to Father about the future like I was giving stock investment advice.
“What if he doesn’t believe me?”
If Father took my letter as some foreign chain-letter nonsense and burned it?
Well… only our duke would regret it later.
Shouldn’t I simply swallow that land for myself? Sadly, at present there was no way for me to acquire it.
Before I could do anything, the original plot would unfold—and even if I managed to stop it, if I got entangled with the original main characters, it would only lead to the ending where I die alongside Vivian. No thanks.
“There’s another land I must secure.”
In the ending of 〈Would the Crown Princess Poison Your Teacup?〉, there was a scene:
The second railway in the entire world would be built in the Aizar Kingdom. But not just any railway—
a magic-powered train developed in a world without mages! Meaning, the era of magic would begin anew!
Right before the opening ceremony, Maricella speaks with a friend. I remembered the station name they mentioned.
Shuhen. It’s important, so I’ll say it again:
Shuhen.
The day I first saw the map showing all territories owned by House Loire, I remembered that name—and I had to suppress the urge to scream in excitement.
Shuhen belonged to House Loire.
It was prime future station land!
When Maricella and Kibern’s romance reached its conclusion, railroad tracks and a station would be built in Shuhen.
Even if the kingdom bought the land afterward, what would happen to commercial development near the station? And that land had the Mendelta River—the kingdom’s major river—flowing through it!
No matter what it took, I had to inherit Shuhen or the surrounding territory under my name before the original story’s ending occurred.
Then, even if I ended up in a bad marriage and in extreme circumstances, I wouldn’t be doomed.
“With enough money, I can just divorce comfortably and buy a title.”
Thinking of the future made my heart race. I put a hand to my chest, took a deep breath, and, not noticing my ink-stained fingertips, eagerly moved my pen.
Filial regrets like not being able to share a birthday meal in person…
P.S. Unless he’s more handsome than you, Father, I won’t even look a man in the eye. Even if he gives me flowers, jewels, or sweet words to win my favor, I’ll reject them all.
After asking Damien to send the letter—who marvelled at the thickness, asking if it was a stack of paperwork—I happily prepared to go watch the 5th performance of 〈Kettlin〉 at the theater.
When Susan, my aunt, accompanied me for the 2nd showing, she scolded me, asking how I wasn’t tired of watching the same thing five times. Still, she didn’t stop me from going alone this time, accompanied only by four knights and my personal maid Tasha.
In this vaguely historically inaccurate romance-fantasy world, I had more than enough ways to secure Shuhen.
“As long as I can persuade Father!”
The carriage set off, a warm late-spring scent of soil and grass drifting through the open window.
When the city’s distinct mixed smells began to seep in, and the carriage wheels rolled smoothly without bumping against stones, swaying rhythmically, I knew we were nearing the Safranette Theater.
A question resurfaced in my mind—
even after learning what the author really thinks of readers, could I still continue being a fan?
The truth Marquis Orellno told me on opening night was bitter and unavoidable.
Yet, I had found my answer surprisingly quickly—so quickly that here I was, on my 5th viewing.
I still liked Author Ibhur and their works.
Anyone else would call me a fool for this—but I couldn’t help it. I had already sponsored the play adaptation, and even after hearing Orellno’s words, I felt like a lovestruck idiot with flowers blooming in my head—I loved the author’s stories that much.
At the end of the 2nd performance, Susan’s applause and praise sounding distant in my ears, I had been certain:
As long as the author did not commit something morally unforgivable, like murder or major crimes—
I—
“…Could this feeling be love?”
Suddenly, Tasha, sitting beside me, whispered sharply into my ear:
“Young Lady Loire, if you are referring to him, I will oppose your marriage even with a blade at my throat.”
“…What? Haah…”
And today, watching for the 5th time, I once again faced that annoyingly familiar combination of irritation and radiant handsomeness—right up close.
