IDEFYEM - Chapter 51
Black Man, I'll Do Everything For You Except Marriage!
"Have meals with us often. No matter how much I think about it, that's all I want."
Tristan spoke with a voice full of confidence. After saying that much, I couldn't say anything more as a request.
It is difficult to find another information guild that will guarantee confidentiality.
"I understand, so don't regret it later. I was planning on paying a generous price."
Tristan burst out laughing at the incomprehensible voice.
"Okay, use that money to buy a lot of skewers."
"Who do you think is 5 years old?"
After organizing the contents of the request. Tristan looked surprised when he heard that I had come here alone on horseback.
"It seems like just yesterday you were riding together on a horse, leaning on my back."
"Well, I remember well..."
Tristan laughed and said, seeing me avoid talking about things that were unfavorable to me.
"I'll take you on the way back."
"No, I can't cause you any more trouble."
"Lady, what do you mean?"
Tristan said as he took the coat he had hung on the wall and put it on.
"I like talking to you best. Let's go, Enrica."
There was always a touch of affection in his words. Still, I feel sorry that it seems like he's trying too hard.
I reluctantly nodded and followed him.
***
The way back was really enjoyable as always.
While talking with Tristan, I felt like I could forget all my worries for a moment and just relax. We parted ways with the promise that he would send me as soon as the last request made any progress.
I tiptoed on my heel and sneaked back to my room.
Actually, I didn't do anything that stung me, but I just didn't want to cause anyone to worry.
Kael seems to be quite busy these days, so he probably won't be paying attention to my every move like he used to.
It felt really good to run into a soft bed at the end of a busy day. It was quite a fruitful day.
Not only did I safely deliver the request to Tristan, but I also built a lot of friendships with Sophia and learned something important. It was said that the key to acting like an idiot is to look into space at a moderate distance.
In addition, the hands that move busily and the innocent exclamations that you let out as you don't know what to do every time you make a mistake.
I carefully reviewed the valuable knowledge, and its true value was revealed at the winners' banquet a few days later.
***
"Ugh, I'd rather study...."
"Don't be shy and stand straight! Today is the day when the Young Lady is the main character."
Sarah came into my room early in the morning with 10 maids. And while I was surrounded by people, they hurriedly washed, dressed, and decorated me with great care from head to toe.
They scrubbed my body thoroughly for several hours to remove the grime, but when I looked at my skin, it was really smooth and glowing.
'It's not for nothing that the term removing dirt and polishing' came about.'
After I was clean, I tried on this dress and that dress, and in the end, I chose a soft blue outfit that showed my skin little by little depending on the composition of the light. The soft textured dress made of light fabric blended well with my white skin.
It looked like a simple design at first glance, but the embroidery symbolizing the moon was placed on the hem of the skirt, which was visible with every step, making it a dress that shined even brighter when someone wore it. I have to say that it feels like a design that the tailor put a lot of thought into.
Then, as I put on light makeup on my face, my pink eyes sparkled even more and my cheeks became flushed as if I was in love.
Sarah looked me up and down quickly and looked satisfied.
"It's perfect. By the way, today's concept is the goddess of hunting and the moon. You look majestic but also very lovely."
"Sarah, didn't you say you're busy these days?"
"This is also an important task in my busy schedule, Miss."
"I'm sure I get prettier every day you pay attention to me."
I looked around at my face in the mirror and checked my appearance.
Whenever I decorate myself like this, I find it strange and awkward because I don't look like myself when I move like that. I looked at the mirror and made the expression that Sophia had told me about.
Sarah, who was standing next to me at that time, spoke in a slightly surprised tone.
"The Lady's face looked like an idiot."
It's a bit of a wound, but I should be happy that I understood her intentions accurately.
I leaned closer to Sarah and whispered, my eyes a little bruised.
"... So, in this guise, the Duke's business... So that I can...."
As I continued speaking quietly, Sarah's eyes lit up with joy.
"Aha, that's the plan."
"You can do well, right?"
When I asked Sarah one last time, she answered with a grin.
"Of course, as always."
Clothes you like, strong support from someone you like, and even good physical condition.
I should have suspected that strangely warm atmosphere at least once.
I was so absorbed in the atmosphere that I even forgot my promise to talk to Grand Duke Kronhardt when I met him at the banquet!
***
The palace where today's banquet was held was not far from the Count's residence.
We didn't have to travel very far by carriage, but we soon arrived in front of a magnificent building.
It's a palace hall, so the ceiling is really high, but it's a view I see every day, so it's not scary. The Count's business always seems to be doing surprisingly well
"Lady Enrica Wintersoar, the eldest daughter of the Duke of Wintersoar, is entering!"
Just as I was thinking about other things to relieve my tension, the servant loudly announced my appearance.
First, I put aside my acting and took a brisk walk. In the silence, the sound of the hem of a dress rubbing against my feet tickled my ears.
One by one, people opened their mouths and started talking.
"Surely... I didn't know about her before because she didn't appear at the banquet, but she's beautiful."
"Her gait is graceful. Is there an etiquette teacher? My daughter too...."
What?
I barely managed to keep my ears from turning red at the words, which were completely different from what I expected.
And I composed my mind again. There is no need to try to do well.
'Because I'm not used to social circles.'
Rather than learning etiquette now, it would have been better to learn at least one more magic theory. Even if you try to imitate a noble lady clumsily, it will only make you laugh.
In fact, there is no particular benefit to be gained by skillfully controlling the social world.
If the concept of today's outfit is the goddess of hunting and the moon. The concept of my personality today is that of a social novice who is not afraid of what to say and what not to say.
The first ones to approach me were young ladies who were kind to me. After a few tens of minutes of relaxing and talking with them, the real ones slowly started to appear.
The swashbuckling magnates of the social world who have eaten enough to age and have grown older.
"It's been a while since I've seen you, Lady Wintersoar. Is the Duke well?"
"Hello, Ma'am. Of course...."
It was an ordinary greeting, but it was exactly the sentence I was waiting for. I opened my mouth casually and then suddenly lost my expression.
Since I greeted people with a bright expression throughout the banquet, there were many eyes watching my changes carefully.
"Are you not feeling well, My Lady?"
"No, more than that, when I think of my father, I feel a little...."
"Oh my, what's going on?"
I lowered my head and measured the distance between my voice and the people around me.
"Actually, my father is worried about business these days."
The Duke's family was more famous for the various businesses run by the family than for the military power of the knights. As such, he actively attracted investment from various nobles and used the income to run other businesses.
Since that soon became the power of the dukedom, there would be no more effective blow than hitting the financial aspect first.
I sighed deeply and even had tears in my eyes.
It was the first skill that Sophia taught me when she taught me how to act like an idiot.
"Sorry. My father told me not to tell others, but I was worried."
Second, tell them not to say it and pretend to blame themselves!
The Duke has been deceiving her as a good father for years by lying that Enrica was staying away because she was sick. Now it was my turn to use that lie effectively.
When I played the role of a kind-hearted daughter who cared about her father, the response came quickly.
"Now, wait a minute. Tell me more. What's wrong with the Duke's business?"
The fish bit the lightly thrown bait.
The young Marquis, who was investing a large sum of money with the Duke, hurriedly approached. I put on an even more pitiful expression and spoke innocently.
"Phew, I don't know, but... bribe? I heard he was involved in something like that."
I was confident because I wasn't making up words that didn't exist. Doesn't it end up being the same whether you say it first and then it's revealed, or it's revealed and then you say it?
"Was it an export product? Yes, the Duke having trouble because of the merchant ships carrying export goods."
"What happened to the merchant ship?"
"Phew, I know how to do magic, but I'm bad at business...."
The merchant ship-related work was the last cover-up task the Duke wanted Enrica to do before I left the duchy.
"So what happened?"
I felt a great sense of exhilaration inside and drove into the wedge.
"You didn't know. Can I say this..."
"Hurry up, Young Lady!"
"That... A merchant ship invested by the Duke family sank a few months ago. All three."
The crowd around me suddenly began to stir.
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