Chapter 04
Handing over my sketch filled with ideas to Darcy, I couldn’t help but feel a bit skeptical.
My idea sounded good in theory, but the design was way too vague.
I wasn’t someone who worked with machines; I could only vaguely express that I wanted to create something like this, but it wasn’t really a proper blueprint.
But it seemed like this guy Darcy was up for the challenge.
“Let’s make it.” he said.
As he stared at my sketch intently, he nodded his head eagerly.
When I asked if it was difficult, he looked at me like I was ridiculous.
I felt a bit awkward.
How foolish of me to think I could explain the mind of a genius!
I decided to keep believing in this handsome merchant.
Well, even if it failed, it wouldn’t be a big loss.
I wasn’t paying him upfront, and I had plenty of magic stones lying around my room.
Darcy set some conditions.
“Meetings will always be one-on-one. No one should know about our contract. If anyone finds out, the deal ends immediately.”
They say geniuses are often odd. I didn’t have any complaints.
The contract was finalized quickly.
He vanished like the wind, just like when he first appeared.
We decided to meet again in two weeks in the same sitting room.
When he left, I sent him off with a pile of magic stones that had been rolling around in my room.
Now it was time to show the beauty of waiting.
I ordered Letty to clear out all the furniture from the adjacent room.
I wanted to get a head start on creating a movie theater.
I also ordered thick curtains that would block out any sense of day or night and planned to put up new wallpaper.
Just imagining a huge screen filling one side of the room made my heart race.
“Oh, I need to talk to the theater troupe too.”
I realized there were some preparations I needed to make.
I planned to create a movie theater, but in an era where editing wasn’t possible, movies would be too much.
But still, plays or operas could be recorded and replayed, right? Culture was really important for enjoying myself alone.
Oh, of course, I could use the wealth of the Marquis of Etuard to buy a theater troupe and host performances just for me at the mansion, but I didn’t want that.
I would attract too much attention to myself.
I was a villainess, after all.
Having everything I did end up in people’s gossip was tiring, really, very tiring.
Even if I told them not to spread the word, that never worked.
People always thought, “One more person won’t matter.”
I’d dealt with that a few times over the past year. Hearing how I was perceived through the theater troupe and others wore me out.
One of the reasons I wanted a private movie theater was so that it wouldn’t matter how I reacted to a play or what nonsense I said.
I sat up, stretching my stiff body, and looked at Letty. My proud maid!
“Letty.”
“Yes, my lady.”
Today, my faithful confidante Letty responded cheerfully. I smiled at her.
“Let’s invite the entire crew from the Chaire Theater and the cast of the opera they’re premiering this time.”
I should at least decide what to record. Oh, should I also order a new script? Maybe something familiar like a Korean-style melodrama.
“All of them?”
“Yeah, let’s meet in the garden.”
“Understood.”
One reason I liked Letty was that she never questioned me and just followed my orders. And this time was no different.
On the day I cheerfully called the theater troupe, some news I didn’t want arrived.
The lead actress, Reshwan, sent a letter saying she wanted to see me.
Reshwan’s goodwill was a headache in many ways. Whether I accepted or declined this invitation, the gossip would be the same.
The person sending the invitation probably didn’t think much of it.
Given Reshwan’s kind nature, it was likely she genuinely worried about not seeing me in social circles lately.
But still, sending me a letter directly was something else.
It was rare for Reshwan to send me an invitation herself.
After all, the Marquis of Ephel didn’t look favorably upon me and usually blocked her letters.
I hadn’t invited Reshwan to the mansion in the past year either.
I didn’t want to face the scornful gazes of the male leads, and honestly, spending time with Reshwan wasn’t that enjoyable.
I knew that Reshwan herself wasn’t a bad person.
She was the kind, lovable heroine everyone adored. She had followers around her without even trying.
That just showed how charming she was, but being around her was hard for me.
The more I tried to make things work behind the rumors, the more my efforts were diminished.
When I walked with her, people compared us and brought me down.
That’s what the “heroine buff” was all about.
Of course, Reshwan had no idea about this.
The awareness that I had to carry was unnecessary for her.
I wanted to get closer to people, so I picked out clothes and learned etiquette, but all that effort was overshadowed by someone else’s presence.
Unlike the changes I had to go through, the protagonists had no reason to change. They were loved for who they were.
I kept asking myself what I was lacking. The more I thought about it, the lower my self-esteem sank.
“Let it all go; it’s easier that way.”
The bitter truth that effort and relationships don’t go hand in hand no longer mattered. I just wanted to live as I pleased.
Just because I wasn’t going out in society didn’t mean I could avoid meeting Reshwan.
I needed to have a proper conversation with her.
Of course, it would be troublesome if Reshwan came alone.
“I should ask her to bring the male leads along.”
If it was just me and Reshwan, there was a good chance of misunderstanding later.
I absolutely hated the thought of them finding out late and coming to the mansion to insult me.
***
Reshwan agreed to bring Ryan and Kaisen with her.
All three of them were busy, so finding a time was tough, and we finally set our meeting for the day after my appointment with Darcy.
I still hadn’t met with the cast for the opera premiere or the theater troupe, as I had been busy coordinating times with Reshwan.
Of course, Reshwan had no way of knowing about my efforts. To her, it was just a matter of course.
I shook off thoughts of Reshwan and stood up.
Today was a happy day to meet with Darcy and talk about magical tools.
There was no need to let thoughts of Reshwan spoil my mood.
On the table in the reception room lay the 5 billion gold cheque I mentioned when I was signing the contract with Darcy, carefully tucked in an envelope. Gathering that much gold wasn’t a huge deal for me.
Officially, it was registered under the Marquis Etuard, but the real owner of the small mana stone mine was me. After all, it’s a mine for mana stones.
Of course, the original owner of this body, Marquis Etuard, had no interest in the mana stones at all.
With the cheque ready, I recalled the room’s interior, which was finally finished. Thinking about the appointment tomorrow lifted my mood.
The room was decorated in black tones, creating a vibe entirely different from the lavish furniture, wallpaper, and decor in the rest of the place.
Simple is best.
The theme was modern.
I minimized the decorations and ordered elegant furniture without jewels or extravagant embellishments. Once it was done, I really liked it.
The room, covered in black and white, felt like a showroom.
It looked like something you’d find on the xKEA website.
At first, the maids were astonished, but after seeing it for a while, they seemed to like it and began curiously popping in and out.
Tick.
The clock in the room chimed.
There was one minute left until our appointment at 2 PM.
I cut the cake. This time, I prepared a fork, plate, and teacup so that Darcy could eat too.
Whether he would actually eat was still a mystery, though.
The moment the clock struck 2,
Darcy appeared as usual.
His hair was tied up, and he had a frown on his face, looking quite fierce.
Without a smile, his eyes were definitely sharp.
…I had a strong feeling that if we met in a different context, he’d be a completely different person.
Seeing me flinch, Darcy seemed to notice his expression and briefly narrowed his eyebrows before softening his gaze.
His bright demeanor felt like a completely different person from before.
“Hey.”
His voice hit my ears like a bell. He’d make a great voice actor, or even for radio.
Caught up in random thoughts, I replied.
“Hey.”
“Wow, people kept grabbing me while I was coming here.”
Darcy plopped down onto the sofa.
Soon, his expression returned to that haughty yet graceful look I had first seen.
I calmly asked about what I wanted.
“It’s been exactly two weeks. What about that I asked for?”
I felt a bit anxious asking.
No matter how confident I was, actually creating a magic tool was a whole different issue.
I would have been okay if he asked for a month or two instead.
Waiting with a tense face for his answer, Darcy leaned back on the sofa, crossing his arms.
His silver hair cascaded down like a waterfall.
“Before I answer, I’m curious. Why are you making something like this? Like you’re not going to go outside.”
“Because I’m not going to go outside, that’s why.”
I admitted it freely. I’d be spending more and more time in the mansion, and rumors would spread on their own.
It wouldn’t change anything for me to say what was already bound to be known.
“Why?”
Darcy asked as if he genuinely wanted to know.
Looking at his face, I pondered how to respond.
Should I just dodge the question?
I told myself that it was best to address the issue upfront.
With someone like Darcy, a merchant, it was even more crucial.
They’re the type who can spread words easily.
I stared blankly at Darcy.
He didn’t rush me.
But he waited patiently for my answer.
As I met his gaze, my worries felt trivial.
Why was I stressing over this?
If rumors spread, they would.
If they didn’t, they wouldn’t.
It didn’t matter anymore.
I murmured in a soft voice, “I’m just tired of meeting people.”
