Episode 51. Never Be Happy
Eric's voice reached Rose.
Rose found it amusing that Eric called her "his woman" despite being divorced.
Feeling bewildered, Rose tried to say something to Eric, but the Grand Duke was faster.
"You've got the wrong address. Your woman isn't here. Isn't she waiting for you desperately back there?"
Grand Duke Artaeum cut Eric off sharply and added,
"To leave your bride alone on a day like this? You're so foolish."
The Grand Duke patted Eric's shoulder and gave him a cold smile.
Rose glanced at Beliana, who was behind Eric. Beliana's expression was stiff, and he was staring intently.
For some reason, she felt sorry for the woman called Beliana. The only person she had intended to tease was Doana, but it seemed she had dragged innocent Beliana into it as well.
'I really have to go now.'
Rose, thinking that the ceremony would soon begin, should leave.
"That's right. You're still the same when it comes to treating women wrong."
Rose agreed with the Grand Duke of Artaeum and gently tugged on his hand.
"Make sure your second marriage goes well."
Rose looked Eric up and down, then raised a corner of her mouth.
"I hope you don't get abandoned again."
"...What?"
Eric stared at Rose, dumbfounded by her unexpected words.
He had expected Rose to cling to him, crying, but here she was, acting so confidently.
And abandoned? Me?
"Who said I was abandoned by whom!"
Eric belatedly shouted in protest, but Rose and the Grand Duke had already walked away.
Rose walked elegantly, escorted by the Grand Duke.
As she passed the crowded area and was about to leave the temple completely, she spotted the hem of a familiar dress at the corner of the temple.
Crouching with her head bowed, it was Doana.
She seemed to have fled to a secluded area to avoid the people laughing at her.
'Hmm, should I just pretend not to see her?'
Rose, who had been walking behind Doana, pondered this, but soon stopped walking slowly. Then, she offered Doana a greeting that didn't need to be said.
"Oh, Doana. You're here. I thought you weren't leaving without saying hello."
Doana flinched involuntarily at the sound of Rose's gentle voice.
'Just walk by...!'
Doana pretended not to hear anything and didn't reply.
Her face was clearly a mess from crying. Indeed, Doana's eyes were smeared with thick, panda-like mascara.
“What can I do if you can’t be a Countess? Don’t be so heartbroken and forget about it. What can I do? I’ll just blame your cruel fate of being born a maid.”
Rose deliberately chose words that would irritate Doana, then smiled kindly.
“Oh, and I think it’s best not to remove the gauze. People say that a scar on your face is disgusting.”
“...!”
Doana, who had been silent until then, finally reacted. She turned around, her eyes wide open.
“You, you...!”
Doana glared at Rose with a venomous gaze. Doana, who had been about to rush at Rose, could not help but timidly lower her hand.
“You... you!”
Next to Rose was the Grand Duke of Artaeum, glaring at her with a chilling coldness.
She abruptly turned her head and fled.
Rose watched Doana’s back before quickly moving on.
Rose's steps as she left the temple were incredibly light.
Seeing Doana being treated just as she had been treated, or even worse, a surge of elation welled up within her.
"This feels strange."
For her, who never once said a single word of disapproval to anyone, today's events were a major departure.
Rose clutched her pounding heart and climbed into the carriage.
She gazed out the window in silence. The corners of her lips lifted, never expecting them to fall back.
She felt good.
The Grand Duke, looking at Rose's wide-eyed expression, thought,
"It was good of me to come."
Eric's voice reached Rose.
Rose found it amusing that Eric called her "his woman" despite being divorced.
Feeling bewildered, Rose tried to say something to Eric, but the Grand Duke was faster.
"You've got the wrong address. Your woman isn't here. Isn't she waiting for you desperately back there?"
Grand Duke Artaeum cut Eric off sharply and added,
"To leave your bride alone on a day like this? You're so foolish."
The Grand Duke patted Eric's shoulder and gave him a cold smile.
Rose glanced at Beliana, who was behind Eric. Beliana's expression was stiff, and he was staring intently.
For some reason, she felt sorry for the woman called Beliana. The only person she had intended to tease was Doana, but it seemed she had dragged innocent Beliana into it as well.
'I really have to go now.'
Rose, thinking that the ceremony would soon begin, should leave.
"That's right. You're still the same when it comes to treating women wrong."
Rose agreed with the Grand Duke of Artaeum and gently tugged on his hand.
"Make sure your second marriage goes well."
Rose looked Eric up and down, then raised a corner of her mouth.
"I hope you don't get abandoned again."
"...What?"
Eric stared at Rose, dumbfounded by her unexpected words.
He had expected Rose to cling to him, crying, but here she was, acting so confidently.
And abandoned? Me?
"Who said I was abandoned by whom!"
Eric belatedly shouted in protest, but Rose and the Grand Duke had already walked away.
Rose walked elegantly, escorted by the Grand Duke.
As she passed the crowded area and was about to leave the temple completely, she spotted the hem of a familiar dress at the corner of the temple.
Crouching with her head bowed, it was Doana.
She seemed to have fled to a secluded area to avoid the people laughing at her.
'Hmm, should I just pretend not to see her?'
Rose, who had been walking behind Doana, pondered this, but soon stopped walking slowly. Then, she offered Doana a greeting that didn't need to be said.
"Oh, Doana. You're here. I thought you weren't leaving without saying hello."
Doana flinched involuntarily at the sound of Rose's gentle voice.
'Just walk by...!'
Doana pretended not to hear anything and didn't reply.
Her face was clearly a mess from crying. Indeed, Doana's eyes were smeared with thick, panda-like mascara.
“What can I do if you can’t be a Countess? Don’t be so heartbroken and forget about it. What can I do? I’ll just blame your cruel fate of being born a maid.”
Rose deliberately chose words that would irritate Doana, then smiled kindly.
“Oh, and I think it’s best not to remove the gauze. People say that a scar on your face is disgusting.”
“...!”
Doana, who had been silent until then, finally reacted. She turned around, her eyes wide open.
“You, you...!”
Doana glared at Rose with a venomous gaze. Doana, who had been about to rush at Rose, could not help but timidly lower her hand.
“You... you!”
Next to Rose was the Grand Duke of Artaeum, glaring at her with a chilling coldness.
She abruptly turned her head and fled.
Rose watched Doana’s back before quickly moving on.
Rose's steps as she left the temple were incredibly light.
Seeing Doana being treated just as she had been treated, or even worse, a surge of elation welled up within her.
"This feels strange."
For her, who never once said a single word of disapproval to anyone, today's events were a major departure.
Rose clutched her pounding heart and climbed into the carriage.
She gazed out the window in silence. The corners of her lips lifted, never expecting them to fall back.
She felt good.
The Grand Duke, looking at Rose's wide-eyed expression, thought,
"It was good of me to come."
He hadn't liked Eric's flirtation with Rose, but seeing Rose so pleased made him feel strangely happy.
"Well, let's go to the bank now."
"Yes, that's good,"
Rose replied with a bright smile at the Grand Duke.
Her words had undoubtedly hurt Doana deeply. Yet, she felt no regret, not even a hint of remorse.
Even though people hurled stones at her, calling her a bad person, Rose's heart remained unchanged.
The saying that forgiveness is the best form of revenge is nothing but nonsense.
Especially not to someone like Doana, who never reflected on her mistakes.
I never wished for your happiness for a single day.
So, never be happy, Gyo-ru.
“One, ten, hundred, thousand, ten thousand, ten thousand, one million, ten million…”
Rose's hands, clutching the palm-sized piece of paper, visibly shook.
She muttered in disbelief at the amount written on the paper.
“...Oh my.”
Was she dreaming?
Ten billion... Ten billion!
She had expected that a large sum of money, ten billion, would be in her hands, but seeing it with her own eyes was a different feeling.
Rose muttered and muttered like she had lost her mind.
"With this money, if I just put it in my account and do nothing, I can accumulate about 20 million a month."
In Korea, even if you worked yourself to the bone and saved, the interest you earned in a year wouldn't even amount to 150,000 won.
"...If you calculate it monthly, it's 2,500."
But now, just breathing can accumulate 20 million in interest.
This is probably why they say wealth breeds greater wealth.
"As expected, more capital makes a difference."
The Grand Duke smiled at Rose, who was staring at the paper with wide eyes.
"Now, all you have to do is run the business well."
Rose, who had been out of her mind, finally came to her senses at the Grand Duke's soft voice.
"...Oh, yes. That's right."
"I'm a strict person when it comes to money. If you're planning to embezzle my money, you'd better stop right now."
Rose's stomach lurched under the Grand Duke's gaze, which was as sharp as a beast.
He had no intention of swindling him, but if the business went wrong and she couldn't repay...
Gulp.
'I'll die for the Grand Duke.'
She swallowed hard.
"O-Of course. Trust me!"
"Well, let's go to the bank now."
"Yes, that's good,"
Rose replied with a bright smile at the Grand Duke.
Her words had undoubtedly hurt Doana deeply. Yet, she felt no regret, not even a hint of remorse.
Even though people hurled stones at her, calling her a bad person, Rose's heart remained unchanged.
The saying that forgiveness is the best form of revenge is nothing but nonsense.
Especially not to someone like Doana, who never reflected on her mistakes.
I never wished for your happiness for a single day.
So, never be happy, Gyo-ru.
***
“One, ten, hundred, thousand, ten thousand, ten thousand, one million, ten million…”
Rose's hands, clutching the palm-sized piece of paper, visibly shook.
She muttered in disbelief at the amount written on the paper.
“...Oh my.”
Was she dreaming?
Ten billion... Ten billion!
She had expected that a large sum of money, ten billion, would be in her hands, but seeing it with her own eyes was a different feeling.
Rose muttered and muttered like she had lost her mind.
"With this money, if I just put it in my account and do nothing, I can accumulate about 20 million a month."
In Korea, even if you worked yourself to the bone and saved, the interest you earned in a year wouldn't even amount to 150,000 won.
"...If you calculate it monthly, it's 2,500."
But now, just breathing can accumulate 20 million in interest.
This is probably why they say wealth breeds greater wealth.
"As expected, more capital makes a difference."
The Grand Duke smiled at Rose, who was staring at the paper with wide eyes.
"Now, all you have to do is run the business well."
Rose, who had been out of her mind, finally came to her senses at the Grand Duke's soft voice.
"...Oh, yes. That's right."
"I'm a strict person when it comes to money. If you're planning to embezzle my money, you'd better stop right now."
Rose's stomach lurched under the Grand Duke's gaze, which was as sharp as a beast.
He had no intention of swindling him, but if the business went wrong and she couldn't repay...
Gulp.
'I'll die for the Grand Duke.'
She swallowed hard.
"O-Of course. Trust me!"
Rose's face turned pale, and she smiled awkwardly. The Grand Duke, seeing Rose's clumsy behavior, felt the urge to tease her more and more.
"Of course. It's not like I'll catch you anyway, even if you run away."
Rose's face darkened even more at the Grand Duke's cold words.
It was fascinating to watch Rose's expression change every moment.
However, if he continued any longer, tears seemed to fall from those large eyes.
The Grand Duke stopped teasing Rose, leaned forward, and rested his chin on his arms.
"I will be by your side completely while you carry out the business."
The Grand Duke had meant to be helpful, but Rose didn't hear it that way.
'I think you plan to keep an eye on me.'
Well, it couldn't be helped since he lent her a huge sum of money—10 billion—without any collateral.
Rose nodded, creaking at the Grand Duke's words.
"Should we go look at the department store site? Or should we choose a brand first?"
"Oh... I've been thinking about it,"
Rose cautiously opened her mouth and continued.
"Actually, I've scouted someone to lead the department store business. So I thought it might be a good idea to work with him on this."
The Grand Duke's normally calm face hardened at Rose's words.
Working with someone else?
In fact, the Grand Duke would have been better off just letting Rose off the hook. He had been working day and night on the estate, so he didn't have much time.
He had no choice but to help Rose. He couldn't just blow 10 billion...
But hearing Rose say she wanted to work with someone else felt strange.
"I'm truly grateful to you, Grand Duke. However, I feel sorry for taking up your time."
Rose spoke politely, fearing that the Archduke might be offended.
“Who is he?”
Grand Duke Artaeum asked, trying hard to hide his discomfort. It wasn’t that his pride was hurt, but a strange feeling kept stirring.
“He’s quite an expert in accounting and management. He’s truly wonderful.”
Rose smiled, thinking of the butler, Gwen. Then, she poured out words of praise for Gwen.
However, not a single word of Rose’s words reached the Grand Duke's ears.
“A wonderful person?”
Was the person she was going to work with a man?
He suddenly felt nervous.
“He's quite a management expert, too.”
The Grand Duke was the ruler of the northern territories. Under his rule, the lives of the northerners had improved significantly.
The Grand Duke confidently touted his abilities. However, Rose smiled awkwardly at Rose's words.
"Uh... But, doesn't the northern operating budget run into deficit every year?"
Rose's blunt words left the Grand Duke speechless. He stared at Rose, unable to hide his bewilderment. Then, as if making an excuse, he said,
"That's true, but the budget isn't insufficient."
"I understand that the Grand Duke is making up for the shortfall with your own money."
The Grand Duke coughed involuntarily, stung by Rose's words.
The territory ran a deficit every year.
The barren northern lands had been practically abandoned before the Grand Duke of Artaeum came to power.
The north was home to the poorest people in the empire, people who couldn't withstand the high cost of living and were forced to the north.
The Grand Duke of Artaeum transformed this territory into a habitable place.
Self-sufficiency was still a long way off, but at least they weren't starving. The Grand Duke had spent his own money to buy grain and then distributed it.
'It seems the Grand Duke wants to take charge of the business... If you want to make a profit, working with Gwen would be the best option.'
Rose, oblivious to the Grand Duke's intentions, simply assumed he was a workaholic.
It was more stable to entrust the CFO position to Gwen than to the Grand Duke.
Rose wasn't trying to do charity work. While the Grand Duke had helped Rose, that alone wasn't enough to give the position to the Grand Duke when there was a more suitable candidate.
She knew how to distinguish between public and private life.
Rose subtly drew a line between the Grand Duchess and said,
"With him, the chances of the department store running a deficit will definitely decrease."
The Grand Duke's heart sank at her clear refusal. The Grand Duke calmly asked,
"I supposehe have some remarkable abilities in that area?"
"I say he's a great man who can even revive a family on the brink of collapse."
"So you're also selecting the brand with him? It won't be easy for a man to do that."
The Grand Duke slyly asked Rose about the gender of the person she'd be working with.
"He's a man, though."
Rose's answer caused the Grand Duke's expression to harden.
As he'd expected, the person he was dealing with was a man.
"Of course. It's not like I'll catch you anyway, even if you run away."
Rose's face darkened even more at the Grand Duke's cold words.
It was fascinating to watch Rose's expression change every moment.
However, if he continued any longer, tears seemed to fall from those large eyes.
The Grand Duke stopped teasing Rose, leaned forward, and rested his chin on his arms.
"I will be by your side completely while you carry out the business."
The Grand Duke had meant to be helpful, but Rose didn't hear it that way.
'I think you plan to keep an eye on me.'
Well, it couldn't be helped since he lent her a huge sum of money—10 billion—without any collateral.
Rose nodded, creaking at the Grand Duke's words.
"Should we go look at the department store site? Or should we choose a brand first?"
"Oh... I've been thinking about it,"
Rose cautiously opened her mouth and continued.
"Actually, I've scouted someone to lead the department store business. So I thought it might be a good idea to work with him on this."
The Grand Duke's normally calm face hardened at Rose's words.
Working with someone else?
In fact, the Grand Duke would have been better off just letting Rose off the hook. He had been working day and night on the estate, so he didn't have much time.
He had no choice but to help Rose. He couldn't just blow 10 billion...
But hearing Rose say she wanted to work with someone else felt strange.
"I'm truly grateful to you, Grand Duke. However, I feel sorry for taking up your time."
Rose spoke politely, fearing that the Archduke might be offended.
“Who is he?”
Grand Duke Artaeum asked, trying hard to hide his discomfort. It wasn’t that his pride was hurt, but a strange feeling kept stirring.
“He’s quite an expert in accounting and management. He’s truly wonderful.”
Rose smiled, thinking of the butler, Gwen. Then, she poured out words of praise for Gwen.
However, not a single word of Rose’s words reached the Grand Duke's ears.
“A wonderful person?”
Was the person she was going to work with a man?
He suddenly felt nervous.
“He's quite a management expert, too.”
The Grand Duke was the ruler of the northern territories. Under his rule, the lives of the northerners had improved significantly.
The Grand Duke confidently touted his abilities. However, Rose smiled awkwardly at Rose's words.
"Uh... But, doesn't the northern operating budget run into deficit every year?"
Rose's blunt words left the Grand Duke speechless. He stared at Rose, unable to hide his bewilderment. Then, as if making an excuse, he said,
"That's true, but the budget isn't insufficient."
"I understand that the Grand Duke is making up for the shortfall with your own money."
The Grand Duke coughed involuntarily, stung by Rose's words.
The territory ran a deficit every year.
The barren northern lands had been practically abandoned before the Grand Duke of Artaeum came to power.
The north was home to the poorest people in the empire, people who couldn't withstand the high cost of living and were forced to the north.
The Grand Duke of Artaeum transformed this territory into a habitable place.
Self-sufficiency was still a long way off, but at least they weren't starving. The Grand Duke had spent his own money to buy grain and then distributed it.
'It seems the Grand Duke wants to take charge of the business... If you want to make a profit, working with Gwen would be the best option.'
Rose, oblivious to the Grand Duke's intentions, simply assumed he was a workaholic.
It was more stable to entrust the CFO position to Gwen than to the Grand Duke.
Rose wasn't trying to do charity work. While the Grand Duke had helped Rose, that alone wasn't enough to give the position to the Grand Duke when there was a more suitable candidate.
She knew how to distinguish between public and private life.
Rose subtly drew a line between the Grand Duchess and said,
"With him, the chances of the department store running a deficit will definitely decrease."
The Grand Duke's heart sank at her clear refusal. The Grand Duke calmly asked,
"I supposehe have some remarkable abilities in that area?"
"I say he's a great man who can even revive a family on the brink of collapse."
"So you're also selecting the brand with him? It won't be easy for a man to do that."
The Grand Duke slyly asked Rose about the gender of the person she'd be working with.
"He's a man, though."
Rose's answer caused the Grand Duke's expression to harden.
As he'd expected, the person he was dealing with was a man.
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