IGMU 38

Chapter 38

“Endure what needs to be endured. Why bother suffering through something so painful? Is it like that elsewhere too?”

“Still, Your Highness brought it up before I did. Thank you for being considerate.”

Iella smiled at Franz.

If only she could speak properly. Franz asked in a slightly softer voice.

“Is it like that elsewhere?”

“There’s no one around me who smokes cigars. My father doesn’t smoke indoors either. I don’t know about outside, though. And the places I go to are limited, so I’ve never gotten used to cigar smoke. Right now, my stomach hurts a bit and my lungs feel like they’re being torn apart, but if I keep smelling it, I’ll get used to it. Don’t worry about me.”

‘Lungs being torn apart? You’ll get used to it if you keep smelling it? Ha! Ridiculous.’

Franz let out a dry laugh in disbelief.

Was she telling him to smoke or not? He frowned, unable to understand how she could already be drawing his attention and then nonchalantly telling him not to worry.

“Enough.”

He waved his hand, as if to say no more words were needed.

“Finished your drawing?”

“Oh!”

Iella opened the sketchbook she was holding and handed it to Franz with a flourish.

“What do you think?”

Her eyes sparkled with anticipation, but Franz pretended to ponder, deliberately delaying his answer.

“Hmm.”

He didn’t need to say much. He was just surprised at how well she had drawn it. Every strand of hair was detailed.

Noticing the prolonged silence, Iella peeked at Franz for a reaction.

“Is there something you don’t like about it?”

“Why did you draw it so ugly?”

“Eh? N-no way.”

Iella protested, holding the sketchbook up to him.

“It looks exactly the same to me.”

“Exactly the same?”

“Isn’t he handsome?”

Iella pointed to the drawing seriously.

“He’s handsome, but it’s a different person.”

“No… really, it’s exactly the same.”

Iella alternated her gaze between the drawing and Franz.

“True, he’s handsome to me too, so naturally, he’d be to others as well.”

Franz’s eyes twinkled mischievously. Realizing it was a joke, Iella let out a relieved sigh, then burst into laughter.

“Geez. What’s this? I was worried you didn’t like it.”

Franz laughed too.

“You have quite the ego.”

Iella straightened her bent back and stood.

“A naturally attractive face accepts its own charm. Just like in this drawing.”

Her confident smile, one corner of her lips lifted, was clearly reflected in her eyes.

“Fine, I admit it. Even I can see that Your Highness is handsome.”

Franz placed his hand on his chest and bowed slightly, thanking her. Despite leaning deep into the chair earlier, the gesture was unexpectedly elegant.

‘Well, you can’t help being born handsome.’

The prince was right.

“Your Highness seems like a good person.”

“…Me?”

Franz raised one eyebrow. What an out-of-the-blue comment.

“Yes. At first, it was uncomfortable and awkward, but the more I got to know you, the more I felt you were truly a good person.”

Iella’s eyes sparkled as she spoke innocently.

Apart from very early childhood, she had never had a conversation alone with a man, nor spent time with one. She never thought a conversation could feel so comfortable.

Though it wasn’t as relaxing as when she was with Loren, it was another kind of ease. This moment felt surprisingly normal—even though, in reality, he was far from an ordinary person.

“Would you like to go for a walk?”

“Sure.”

Iella jumped up excitedly and strolled through the garden. Franz walked beside her, lost in thought for a moment.

‘A good person…’

A slight smirk twisted the corner of Franz’s mouth. His usual cold, arrogant smile flickered and disappeared.

It had started as curiosity, actions driven by pity and self-satisfaction, yet he hadn’t expected to hear such a comment as “a good person.”

Iella Clarence knew nothing of Franz Princeton. She foolishly let her guard down in response to his feigned kindness, but it was, nonetheless, a good sign.

Franz intended to let her think as she wished. To get everything he wanted while maintaining their cooperative relationship, he needed her to trust and rely on him—as she was now.

The coldness on Franz’s face softened.

“Do you really think I’m a good person?”

“Of course.”

She didn’t know him completely, so she couldn’t say that about every side of him. But at least from what he had shown, he wasn’t fundamentally a bad person.

Just because someone isn’t pure doesn’t mean they aren’t good.

At least Iella thought so and believed it. Little did she know how mistaken she was.

“That’s a relief.”

Franz nodded with satisfaction.

“Right? I think so too.”

Iella looked up at him, bathed in the warm afternoon sunlight, her smile radiant.

“….”

A face smiling so brightly, emerald-gray eyes sparkling at him, clear and large…

As his thoughts wandered, he looked down at her innocent face and felt a tightness in his chest.

Was he feeling guilty for using a naive girl? Since when was Iella Clarence naive?

Even he found it ridiculous and burst into laughter.

Iella didn’t ask about the sudden laugh; her attention had already shifted elsewhere.

Franz recalled the saying: “A true master pretends to be a novice.” To avoid being caught off guard, trust no one.

He intended to trust no one.

The Vermont family was a noble lineage with a long history, but they had been criticized for a life of indulgence and scandal. When the former Count Vermont collapsed from a brain hemorrhage caused by his reckless affairs, his eldest son inherited the family’s leadership.

He, too, was wildly indulgent, continuing the family’s history of scandals.

Vermont was a man without a shred of sympathy, but his business grew steadily. Though many said he was ruthless in business, he wasn’t shunned in high society.

Whispered rumors circulated behind his back, but none dared to confront him openly. That was the power of money. Vermont understood its influence well.

Franz smirked. At least he could respect someone bold enough to hang nude photos in the parlor.

“This mansion always puts me in a bad mood. Makes me feel… vulgar.”

Andrew, standing beside Franz, muttered under his breath while skillfully greeting the people who approached.

“You shouldn’t have come.”

Franz quietly chided him.

“I wasn’t going to. But you said you were coming, so I came. Also, as a stand-in for Father. I intentionally came late. Why were you late?”

“I had a meeting at the club.”

“Ah, you’re busy.”

As they walked, Count Vermont approached, bowing politely.

“Thank you for attending this humble party, Archduke Princeton, Marquis Maurice.”

“Humble…?”

They looked around at the lavish party, food, and lively guests.

“Excessive humility can be arrogance,” Andrew remarked with a low smile. Though polite, his tone suggested disapproval.

“Compared to your families, yes, it is humble. Haha. Thanks to that, today’s party will shine even more.”

Vermont’s smile remained unchanged, despite surely noticing the comment.

“Happy birthday, Count Vermont. I hope you live long and healthy, in memory of the previous Count Vermont.”

Franz shook his hand politely. When Vermont met his calm, piercing gaze, he shuddered from a sudden chill down his spine.

“Ha ha. Thank you for your kind words.”

Vermont smiled widely. Franz responded with a polite nod.

Though Vermont struggled to impress this younger man, Franz didn’t reveal his disapproval.

“Please enjoy the party.”

The count greeted them before hurrying to other guests.

“What a sly man. Arrogant to the weak, servile to the strong. Ugh, shouldn’t have come.”

Andrew muttered, and Franz chuckled, summoning a servant. He removed his gloves and ordered a new pair, handling them as if dealing with filth—mercilessly.

Andrew couldn’t help but laugh at the display.

“Always admirable,” he said, shaking his head and silently clapping. Franz patted Andrew’s chest and entered the ballroom.

“Ugh. Come along.”

As they entered, the air felt unusually charged. Parties were normally lively, but this had a peculiar tension.

“What’s with this atmosphere?” Andrew murmured. Franz felt the same.

At that moment, Marco approached them.

“You’re here first, Marco.”

“How did you come together?”

“We met in front. But why so chaotic?”

“Ah…”

Marco only smiled strangely, drawing out the suspense.

“What’s going on? Is the protagonist of the bet here?”