ITTRAETML 75

~Chapter 75~

Lovelace didn’t want to sleep. She wanted to spend time with Paulo, look into his eyes, talk to him, and act like a big sister. When they reached the mansion, she would be too busy getting ready for the party.

But maybe the coachman was really skilled, or maybe getting off the ship made her feel this way, but the carriage was as comfortable as a bed.

Her body felt heavy and relaxed, and her eyes closed on their own. She tried hard to keep her eyelids open, but it was no use.

She usually tried to be careful with her behavior in front of Paulo, but her relaxed body lost to sleep in the end.

She didn’t know how much time had passed. A warm breeze touched Lovelace’s cheek. Her eyelashes trembled, then her eyelids slowly opened.

Her eyes were clear and bright, like a forest wet with summer dew. The moment she met Larvihan’s eyes, the green forest turned dark.

Larvihan’s black eyes were like a black hole that swallowed up all colors. Lovelace couldn’t help but be drawn to him.

“Are you awake?”

The carriage wasn’t moving. Paulo was gone. When Lovelace lifted her head, Larvihan pulled back the curtain at the window.

“Welcome home, Rey. Welcome back.”

He sounded like a husband greeting his wife after a long business trip. Lovelace’s cheeks got hot, and she looked away, pretending to stretch her neck.

“You didn’t wake me up.”

“You were sleeping so well.”

“Still. You must have been bored waiting.”

“I wasn’t bored.”

Larvihan smiled brightly, as if he really meant it.

Lovelace’s heart dropped. Her heart thumped loudly, like a rabbit pounding rice cakes, and she felt nervous even though Larvihan hadn’t even touched her.

Trying to act calm, Lovelace quietly slid her bottom away from Larvihan. He let her be.

“Next time, if I fall asleep, just wake me up.”

“No. I like watching you sleep.”

“Did I talk in my sleep?”

“No.”

“Did I drool?”

“I wish you did. So I could wipe it for you.”

He was teasing her.

Even though she knew that, she couldn’t stop the ticklish feeling in her chest. Lovelace poked Larvihan’s side and hurried out of the carriage like she was escaping.

“Can you come to the party?”

Larvihan asked. He didn’t really need to ask Lovelace, after all he had helped her so much.

Lovelace wasn’t someone who forgot a favor. She waved her hand high in the air, like giving him an invitation.

The party ended without any problems. Lovelace drank a lot and had the common experience of “waking up in bed” after drinking.

Life flowed calmly and steadily. The work of making sugar from sugarcane was going well. Today was the day for the first test product.

“Let’s go, Judith.”

Lovelace adjusted her hat with determination and took the lead.

“Yes, Count!”

Judith clenched her fists and followed.

The carriage took them to Ricocel’s warehouse. The closer they got, the stronger the sweet smell of sugar became.

Lovelace’s lips curved into a smile.

“Did we succeed?”

“I think so.”

For the past few days, Lovelace had visited the warehouse every day. She managed the sugar-making process herself and did tests.

Judith was amazed watching Lovelace. She had always thought Lovelace was smart, but not this much. Lovelace was brave, creative, and persistent with her work.

‘She’s actually a lot like Duke Larvihan.’

Judith thought Lovelace would be shocked if she heard that. Judith was grinning. She was very happy with her work environment—everything was new and fun.

Working for Larvihan’s secret knight order was nothing compared to this. The finances had been bad before, but if they could sell sugar well, that problem would be solved right away.

‘I’m glad I didn’t run away as a kid and kept going under Duke Larvihan. At the end of patience is a sweet reward.’

While Judith was lost in her memories, the carriage arrived at the warehouse. Lovelace got out, and Ricocel greeted her.

“You’re here, Count.”

“Let’s see the product.”

Lovelace quickly skipped the greetings and went into the warehouse. She was too curious to wait. Ricocel smiled and followed her.

On a long table in the warehouse, there were many small glass jars. Inside the jars were pieces of sugar.

It wasn’t the soft, white sugar she used to eat in Korea.

Lovelace opened a jar, took out a piece with tweezers, and put it in her mouth. The clear brown sugar melted softly. The shape was different, but it tasted about the same.

“Where’s the powdered sugar?”

Powdered sugar was easier to use in food, so Lovelace convinced Ricocel to add another process. Ricocel picked up a glass jar at the end of the table.

The powder wasn’t perfectly even, but it was usable.

Lovelace put a spoonful of sugar in the black tea she brought, stirred it, and offered it to Ricocel.

“You don’t regret teaming up with me, do you?”

Ricocel tasted the tea. He looked very happy, like he was drinking a happy future instead of just tea.

“I regret it, Count.”

Lovelace’s smile faded to a straight line. Ricocel put down his teacup and said,

“I regret not giving you a bigger ship back then.”

Laughter filled the warehouse.

“It’s not too late. I’ll need more ships in the future.”

A week later, the sugar went on sale.

Harmelda and Ricocel’s companies joined together to make the sugar, and it was sold under the brand name Carmel.

The Empire loved Carmel sugar. People paid extra to get it. It was a huge success.

They say money makes more money. But that’s not all. Money brought connections, and also helped with the law changes Lovelace was working on.

‘This dirty world.’

She complained, but she couldn’t hate it. She learned first-hand how sweet and cold money could be as she walked next to Ricocel.

Today, they were meeting a nobleman sponsored by Ricocel. Sponsorship really just meant Ricocel paid for the noble’s living expenses.

Of course, there were powerful nobles who didn’t care about Ricocel’s money. But to Lovelace, they were all the same.

‘No matter what world, business and politics always mix.’

Lovelace clicked her tongue, but she couldn’t just criticize. She was someone who wanted to use the system herself.

“Welcome, Count Harmelda.”

When Lovelace and Ricocel entered, all the men sitting inside stood up to greet her.

They were very different from the retainers who used to ignore her for being a woman.

“I’m Marquis McCollif. I have a little royal blood in me.”

Even with a little royal blood, he was still royalty. Lovelace bowed deeply to greet him.

“I heard you’re doing good work.”

Her seat was in front of McCollif. He smiled and took a glass of champagne from a servant’s tray.

“You’re too kind. I just can’t mind my own business.”

“And humble, too? Let’s have a drink, since we’ve met like this.”

With his smooth words and fancy clothes, he was clearly the main character of these meetings.

Lovelace played along politely. Ricocel had told her that Marquis McCollif had a lot of influence in the nobles’ assembly.

“These days, even nobles have changed. There are many smart young nobles. People from Harmelda are especially like that. There’s this book… what was it…”

“The Theory of Noble Responsibility and Duty.”

“Yes! That’s it. Young nobles meet to talk about it. It’s a good attitude. The Empire’s future is bright.”

It became a trend among young nobles to read that book, thanks to Lady Johan and the Harmelda women’s society. Now, if a noble hadn’t read it, people called them ignorant.

“It’s all because you’re so talented, Count Harmelda.”

Marquis McCollif was being very friendly. Lovelace wondered how much she should play along.

‘Do I have to put up with this just to get my law passed?’

She felt annoyed inside.

But Lovelace didn’t lose her smile. The thing she learned most as a lord was patience.

“Even commoners have changed. Look here—can you tell who’s a noble and who’s a commoner? Look at their clothes. They dress better than us.”

That was because they were rich.

Nobles had started to divide commoners into two groups: rich merchants and everyone else.

“Are you having a good talk?”

“Oh, Ricocel! Thanks for bringing Count Harmelda.”

Ricocel didn’t pretend to be humble. He was clear about what he would give and what he would get.

“Will the law go well?”

Lovelace hesitated to ask, but Ricocel asked for her. Ricocel also wanted the discriminatory laws against commoners to end, but he couldn’t do it himself.

Even though he made lots of money and sometimes got treated better than nobles, the laws didn’t change. Only nobles had the right to make or change laws.

It was a right you couldn’t buy with money.

That was why Ricocel had to keep close to the nobles, even spending the money he worked so hard to earn.

“It’s a good plan. Of course it will work. Anyway, about what I mentioned before…”

“It’s ready.”

There must have been some secret deal Lovelace didn’t know about. She pretended not to hear and drank her champagne. She didn’t want to know more.

“Then I’ll count on you. Please take care of Count Harmelda, too.”

“Of course! Today was wonderful, Count Harmelda.”

He was happy with Ricocel, so he left Lovelace alone after that.

Afterward, Lovelace met a few more people through Ricocel, but they didn’t seem important to her. She started to feel tired and thought about going home.

Just then, a familiar voice spoke to her.