The sky is so dark. Just like my future.
Looking up at the particularly starless, pitch-black sky tonight, I sat huddled in a corner of the bed, deep in contemplation about life.
“Even if life deceives you, don’t be sad or angry. Be patient and endure, and joyful days will come…”1from the poem “If You Were Deceived by Life” by Russian poet, Alexander Pushkin
“…Miss, what are you muttering about?”
“Sigh…”
Pushkin, at this point, it feels like life isn’t just deceiving me, but mocking and ridiculing me, doesn’t it?
Could you really say such carefree words even if your head was about to be chopped off on the guillotine?
To cherish every moment, shouldn’t you at least have your life intact?
There’s even a saying that life in this world is better than rolling in a field of dog poop!
After screaming and messing up my hair for a while, I collapsed from exhaustion. Lily quietly sighed as she watched me.
“You’ll definitely be able to find the painting. We couldn’t find that con artist today, but you might find a clue if you keep looking. And Viscount Albert said he’d look into it too.”
It’s true that I’m desperate after spending all day running around the Imperial Art Museum and nearby art dealers with no results, but that’s not the only reason I’m writhing in such agony.
It’s a more fundamental reason — why am I so unlucky?
How does everything I do go wrong? Could it be that I’m hated by the god of this world?
“Lily, why can’t anything go right for me?”
“What are you saying? From what I can see, Miss, you’re extremely lucky. Looking at everything that’s happened so far, I wonder if you’ve cast some kind of spell.”
“……”
That’s the problem. Whenever I try to do something, things go in a strange direction. Not once has anything gone the way I intended.
If it’s going to be like this, I should have just accepted my fate from the beginning. Yes, this novel is that kind — the kind where you can never change the fate of the person you’ve possessed.
It would have been even better if they had told me before I possessed this body.
Then I could have given up on all this troublesome struggling early on and enjoyed the short life I have left, surrounded by young, handsome men.
In a debauched way!
“Right, it’s time to accept it. Let’s just die. Die.”
How fortunate. I don’t need to worry about old age like everyone else! Really fortunate!
“Lily, I wish tomorrow morning wouldn’t come.”
“What are you saying all of a sudden? Did the protagonist in the novel you’re reading recently die or something?”
“That’s not it…”
Just as I was about to respond to Lily’s words, a sudden thought struck me, and I jumped up from my seat.
Lily flinched in surprise when I suddenly lit up and stood, having been writhing in depression just moments ago.
“I can just die…”
“…Pardon?”
Why didn’t I think of this solution earlier? That’s right! I can just die!
***
Since receiving the appraisal result that the work I thought was a forgery was actually genuine, I’ve been going out to town three or four times a week.
Ilion didn’t approve of my outings, but his sharp glares couldn’t stop me. I had barely received permission by stubbornly insisting that I would somehow find the painting.
In exchange, I had to spend the remaining days cooped up in Ilion’s study, helping with his work.
This evil employer seemed intent on exploiting my labor for as much as I rested, as the work kept increasing. If I don’t find Sergio soon, I might die from overwork first.
“But Miss, do you really think we can find Baron Sergio, or rather that con artist, by waiting in a cafe like this?”
“He’ll show up on his own.”
“How can you be so sure?”
Lily asked, munching on a cookie.
“Of course. If he hears that an item he sold for 10,000 gold is being resold for 100,000 gold, he’ll come to confront me out of anger if nothing else.”
On the day of the painting’s appraisal, I caught Viscount Albert as he was leaving and asked him to spread a rumor around the local art dealers.
A rumor that an anonymous noble who recently purchased Rempito’s rose painting had resold it for 100,000 gold.
If he hears that what he sold for 10,000 gold was resold for ten times that amount, he’d be a fool to stay quiet.
Moreover, if one of the paintings and vase he took from me is a replica and the other has no commercial value? He’ll be even more likely to come looking for me with his eyes rolled back in anger.
He’ll think he’s the one who’s been scammed.
Con artists are good at taking advantage of others, but they can’t stand being taken advantage of themselves.
So for the past few days, I’ve been sitting in the same cafe at the same time, spreading rumors that Lady Rischefeld always comes to this cafe at this hour.
To make it easy for Sergio to come meet me.
The clock already showed 3 PM, and there was still no sign of Sergio. It seemed I had struck out again today.
Having no choice but to call it a day, I stood up to visit the restroom before heading home.
I didn’t have much time left. It had been two weeks since the Emperor set out on his expedition, so he would return in another two or three weeks.
When he brings back the saintess, the original story will begin in earnest. And Ilion and the saintess will meet.
Of course, they won’t commit treason right away just because they’ve met, but I wanted to leave the Duke’s mansion quickly before that.
If the Emperor were a bit more sane, I’d wonder if he’d hold the ex-fiancée responsible, but isn’t he a bit crazy?
So I couldn’t feel at ease. The only option was to escape and flee to a foreign country as soon as possible.
I left the cafe and entered an alley to go to the restroom.
At that moment, my body was suddenly pushed against the wall, and a knife was thrust in front of my face. I slowly observed the man, following the hand holding the knife.
He was wearing a hat pulled low and had his face covered with a scarf, so I couldn’t see clearly, but the visible eye line was familiar.
“It’s been a while, Baron Sergio.”
“It has been a while, Lady.”
“By the way, for someone who loves paintings, this is quite a violent greeting.”
I tried to maintain my composure while looking at the sharply glinting blade.
“I have no choice. You scammed me!”
Let’s get this straight, I only remember enthusiastically playing along with your scam! You’re the one who couldn’t even tell a replica apart in the first place!
“That can’t be. I had no idea the vase was a replica either. That’s why I’ve been asking around about you for a while, and it turns out there’s no Baron Sergio in this world.”
“That’s not all! I heard you sold the painting you bought from me for 100,000 gold!”
“Oh my, did the rumor spread so quickly?”
“Isn’t that too much?”
“You’re the one who’s too much. You tried to sell me a forgery.”
“T-that! But it turned out to be genuine, didn’t it!”
The one who farted is getting angry?
There was a lot I wanted to say in response to his ridiculous attitude, but I decided to stop the clumsy act here. I quickly got to the point, wiping the smile from my face and looking at Sergio.
“Yes, it’s surprising. A forgery was mixed in with the paintings His Majesty the Emperor bought at the auction, and the genuine one was circulating in the world. I wonder if you’ll be safe when His Majesty learns of this fact?”
Knowing the Emperor I know, he would surely round up not only Sergio but also the artist who painted the forgery and everyone involved in the auction at that time.
It would be a merciful act if he just cleanly cut off their heads. With his personality, he wouldn’t let those who humiliated him die easily.
So if this fact reaches the Emperor’s ears, Sergio, you’re in for a Rose Garden Battle Royale express train ride.
“As long as you’re in the Empire, you won’t be able to escape the fate of a rat trapped in a cage.”
“Ugh, I know that much.”
If you know, you shouldn’t have appeared in front of me.
I understood that he couldn’t think rationally because his head was spinning with anger, but I had to admit that this guy wasn’t very smart.
But what can I do, I don’t have many options either.
“I’ll help you.”
“…What?”
“I’ll help you escape to a foreign country. I’ll make sure you can live a comfortable life with a new identity abroad.”
“…Lady?”
“In return, help me.”
I said, looking into Sergio’s eyes. Confusion flashed across his blinking eyes.
“W-what are you saying?”
“First, it’s difficult to talk like this, so please lower your hand. I won’t run away.”
I gently pushed away Sergio’s hand holding the knife. Confused by my sudden proposal, he stepped back obediently.
“This is an advance payment.”
I took out a gold bar from my handbag. Sergio’s eyes widened as if they were about to pop out when he saw the gold bar.
“If this goes well, I’ll pay you three times what I’ve given you now.”
He swallowed hard, seemingly nervous, and asked back.
“What is it that you want, Lady?”
***
Julia stared blankly at the knights rummaging through her house.
Rough iron armor was trampling through the mansion indiscriminately.
‘How dare they… Do they know where this is…’
But she couldn’t shout recklessly. The armor they wore bore the imperial family’s crest.
Julia, setting aside her noble dignity, hurriedly ran to Count Grenoble’s study and roughly opened the door.
“Father, what’s going on? Why are they searching our house as they please?”
Despite Julia’s question, the Count just sat with his face buried in his hands, silent.
Julia noticed a newspaper placed in front of Count Grenoble.
She hastily snatched the newspaper and looked at the article on the front page.
[Count Gardner arrested… Casino match-fixing, double ledgers related to casino discovered. All nobles involved in the case to be investigated…]
“No way, Uncle…!”
“Yes. His Majesty has ordered an investigation of all investors from that time.”
“But we didn’t know Uncle was doing such things. Right?”
“……”
“N-no… Did you know?”
Looking at the silent Count Grenoble, Julia crumpled the newspaper until her knuckles turned white, unable to contain her anger.
A familiar name caught her eye on the crumpled newspaper.
“Ravenne Rischefeld…”
It was the name of that woman who had humiliated her.
- ianthe
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