Chapter 71………………………………………
“For now… I don’t see him.”
Keeping an eye out for the ever-annoying Leandro, I stepped into the banquet hall. The inside was already in quite an uproar.
“What? That’s Iber Trading Company’s new product?”
Iber Trading Company had grown rapidly over the past few years and was already competing for first or second place in the Empire in terms of scale. Their main products were magical artifacts.
“That thing that looks like a water jug?”
“It’s not just a water jug. Apparently, if you pour hot water into it, it stays warm for hours!”
“Wow! Is there some kind of heat-preservation spell on it?”
Artifacts were items imbued with magic, allowing even non-mages to use limited magic as long as they possessed one—just like when I recorded my conversation with the head maid using a recording device.
‘Is it about time thermoses appeared? Huh? Isn’t that a bit early?’
Then something someone among those gossiping about the thermos said caught my ear.
“But why does Lady Cassius have Iber Trading Company’s new product?”
What? Liena?
“Exactly. I’m a VIP member there, and even I didn’t know they had something like that.”
“I saw the young lady with the head of the trading company earlier. Maybe she received it as a gift?”
I quickly scanned the hall for Liena. She stood at the center of a crowd that had gathered around her like a bank of clouds.
“Lady Liena, so the rumor that you’re close with the head of Iber Trading Company was true!”
“As expected of the Duke’s daughter—your connections are remarkable. The head of the company isn’t someone who engages much in social activities.”
Standing beside Liena, who smiled awkwardly, was a woman with red hair, a beauty mark near her eye, and considerable height. A woman well described in the novel: Cecil Iber, the owner of Iber Trading Company.
“Everyone, I have a surprise announcement.”
Cecil declared with a bright smile.
“In truth, the real owner of Iber Trading Company is not me, but Lady Liena Cassius here!”
Mouths fell open. The attention of everyone elsewhere in the hall immediately shifted toward them.
“Until a few years ago, Iber was nothing more than a small trading company. Because of my poor judgment, we even faced a life-or-death crisis. It was Lady Liena who reached out to us at that very moment.”
Cecil recalled the past with a look of rapture.
“Lady Liena was truly a genius. Thanks to her remarkable foresight, Iber was able to grow into what it is today. And she is humble as well! She wished to keep her identity hidden, which is why I have been pretending to be the owner until now.”
It was a shocking revelation. I was also greatly surprised—not that Liena was Iber’s hidden owner, but that this was being revealed now.
In truth, Liena acquiring the trading company was mentioned from the very beginning of the novel. Her belief was that the more money one had, the better.
However, Liena had insisted on putting Cecil forward publicly while remaining behind the scenes. If it became known that a mere child—moreover, the daughter of House Cassius—was the true owner, it would draw excessive attention.
‘She was supposed to reveal her identity much later… Why now?’
As I pondered, my gaze fell on Leandro standing behind Liena. At that moment, I felt I understood.
‘She’s trying to bury the divorce scandal!’
Due to recent events, Leandro’s reputation had suffered greatly. He was currently plagued by serious suspicions, and the Duke of Cassius had also drawn criticism for mistreating me and even forcing servants to give false testimony during the trial.
Though it didn’t show much due to her fervent supporters, it was more than enough to concern Liena. So she prepared a grand move—one powerful enough to erase negative perceptions of Cassius from people’s minds.
Those who learned the truth were initially confused.
“Lady Cassius is the owner of Iber Trading Company…?”
“Wait, Iber started gaining prominence over ten years ago. That would make Liena’s age…”
As if waiting for the question, Cecil answered loudly:
“Yes, that’s right! Lady Liena became the owner of the trading company at not even ten years old and has been on a path of success ever since!”
Gasps erupted everywhere.
“How could someone so young accomplish such a thing!”
“I knew Lady Liena was clever, but to this extent!”
“This achievement was made by a child not even ten?!”
“Truly the reincarnation of the God of Wealth!”
“Please do business with my company as well…! It would be an honor for my family!”
Her most devoted admirers launched into endless praise. And judging by the respectful gazes from those watching from afar, new admirers were sure to be born.
“Tch, that little girl is the head of Iber?”
“You believe that? Obviously the Duke of Cassius pulled some tricks to elevate his daughter.”
“Exactly. How could someone of low birth grow a trading company like that?”
Meanwhile, beside me were men scowling and muttering discontentedly—every one of them villains.
The main antagonist of After Regressing, I’ll Walk Only on a Flowery Path was Terrence, but as it was a long novel, there were many villains. Most of them would be easily swept away by Liena.
‘Even His Majesty the Emperor over there was treated as half a villain in the novel…’
The Emperor seated on the throne wore a grave expression. It was already troublesome enough having to keep Cassius in check, and now a giant trading company like Iber turned out to belong to Liena.
Moreover, this event had essentially been prepared by the Emperor as a stage for Terrence. Liena knew that full well and still chose this moment to reveal the truth.
‘What remarkable confidence, Liena.’
Seemingly embarrassed by the flood of praise, Liena scratched her cheek and said:
“You’re giving me far too much credit. It was only possible because Cecil and the company’s employees trusted and followed me. I didn’t do much.”
Humility. Without knowledge from her previous life and the genius she had recruited as her subordinate, Elliot Rude, the company would never have grown this much.
“And moving forward, Iber will actively contribute to society. As a first step toward a better world, we will donate one million gold!”
Many people gasped.
“W-What? One million gold?”
“That’s far more than the annual budget of most territories!”
“Wouldn’t that be the largest donation in history?”
One fervent Cassius supporter, overwhelmed with emotion, spread his arms wide and shouted:
“Long live Liena! Long live Cassius!”
“Hey!”
Those nearby quickly stopped him, glancing toward the throne. But they could not hide the emotion in their eyes.
It was hard to deny. Today’s protagonist was Liena Cassius.
I looked toward Terrence. Standing beside the Emperor, he gazed downward with a blank expression.
The next day, the entire country was turned upside down. Two shocking pieces of news had broken overnight—the appearance of an illegitimate imperial prince, and the true identity of Iber Trading Company’s owner.
Wherever people gathered in the Empire, these two topics dominated the conversation. The divorce scandal of the young Duke and Duchess of Cassius had already become old news.
For nearly a week after that day, I was unable to meet Terrence. There were no more messages through Vineta either. Naturally, having just entered the imperial palace, he must have been busier than ever before.
Until today, I had stayed within the embassy residence. For the first time in a while, I went out. My destination was the Wanderer’s Forest—the place where I first met Terrence.
Chirrr, chirrr. Unlike before, the forest was now in midsummer, filled with the sound of insects. Quite noisy.
“When will she arrive?”
As I sat casually on a tree stump and muttered, Vineta, standing beside me, replied:
“It is nearly the appointed time.”
Right on time, the other party appeared—moving stealthily as if sprouting straight from the ground.
“…Have you been well, Young Madam?”
Tara, Liena’s right-hand woman and personal maid, bowed respectfully to me.
“I’ve been well. But since I’m divorced, I’m no longer the Young Madam of Cassius.”
“My apologies. I will correct myself, Lady Idel.”
“You don’t have to be so stiff. I’m not going to eat you.”
“Yes.”
The last time I visited the Wanderer’s Forest, I had said this while trying to win over Tara, who had been tailing me:
“Two months from now. Exactly two months from now, you’ll see Viscount Shilleang again.”
It had already been nearly two months since I promised Tara I would find her enemy, Viscount Shilleang. Time really flies.
I would soon be leaving this country, so if I was to keep my promise, now was the only chance. I also had something to confirm, so I extended a folded note toward Tara.
“The place where you can meet the person you’ve been searching for is written here.”
Tara’s eyes flashed with indescribable emotion. Before she could take the note, I swiftly lifted it out of her reach.
“But before you receive it, you must make a vow.”
“What vow?”
“The place written here is somewhere Viscount Shilleang visits almost daily. If you go there, you’ll likely see him today.”
“And?”
“Swear to me that even if you find your target, you’ll return to me without laying a single finger on him.”
“Th-That’s—!”
“Calm down and listen. I’m not saying you must never take revenge. If you follow my words and postpone your revenge just once, after that you may do as you please.”
“…Why must I do that?”
“I can’t tell you the reason. If you refuse, there’s nothing I can do. But then I can’t give you this note. It will be as if there was never any promise.”
“That’s absurd!”
“I’m sorry, but that’s how it is.”
For a brief moment, Tara glanced sideways at Vineta. She was calculating whether she could shake off—or defeat—Vineta and simply snatch the note from me by force. The answer soon became clear.
