Chapter 4
Chapter 4
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 4
Chapter Title: Tired of Meeting People
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Even as I handed Darsi the sketch containing my idea, it was true that I was only half-convinced.
My idea was good in concept, but the design was too vague. Since I'm not someone who deals with machines, I could only explain roughly what I wanted to make—it was hardly a proper blueprint.
But for this man named Darsi, impossibility seemed not to exist.
"Sure, I'll make it."
He stared intently at the sketch I'd drawn and nodded readily.
When I asked if it wasn't difficult, he gave me a pathetic look.
I felt awkward. How foolish for a mere human to try to read a genius's mind!
I decided to keep trusting this handsome merchant. Well, even if it failed, it wouldn't be much of a loss. I wasn't prepaying any compensation, and Magic Crystals were overflowing in my room like they were nothing.
Darsi added a condition.
"Our meetings will always be one-on-one. No one should know about our contract. If someone finds out, the deal ends immediately."
Geniuses are supposed to be eccentric. I had no complaints.
The contract proceeded smoothly. He vanished with the wind, just like when he first appeared. We set our next meeting for two weeks later, in the same parlor.
When he left, I stuffed his pockets full of the Magic Crystals rolling around my room.
Now it was time to demonstrate the art of waiting.
I ordered Leti to clear out all the furniture from the next room. It was to lay the groundwork in advance for creating a movie theater.
I also ordered thick new curtains that would block out light so completely you couldn't tell day from night, and I planned to repaper the walls. Just thinking of the screen that would fill one side of the room made my heart swell.
"Oh, I need to talk to the theater troupe too."
A necessary preparation came to mind. I'd decided to make a movie theater, but in this era without editing capabilities, full movies were impossible.
Still, couldn't I record plays or operas and play them back? For solitary enjoyment, cultural pursuits are incredibly important.
Of course, with the Etwar Marquis House's wealth, I could buy an entire troupe and hold private performances in the mansion just for me—but I had no desire to go that far. All my actions draw people's attention.
I'm the villainess. Having every one of my actions gossiped about is quite, very tiring.
Even if I say not to spread it around, that's almost never obeyed. Everyone thinks it's fine if it's just about me.
I'd experienced it countless times over the past year. Hearing through theater troupes or other people how I reacted, what kind of person I am—it's exhausting.
One reason I wanted a private movie theater, where no one cares how I sit or what foolish things I do, was exactly that.
I lifted my listless body and looked at Leti. My proud maid!
"Leti."
"Yes, miss."
Today too, my loyal subordinate Leti replied briskly. I smiled at her.
"Let's invite the Cherry Theater Company and all the performers for the upcoming opera premiere."
I need to decide what to record. Oh, maybe order a new script while I'm at it. Something like the over-the-top Korean dramas I'm most familiar with.
"All of them?"
"Yes. Let's make the meeting place the garden."
"Yes, understood."
One reason I like Leti is that she follows my words without argument, silently carrying them out. It was the same this time.
On the day I happily summoned the troupe, unwelcome news arrived.
The heroine Resuan had sent a letter saying she wanted to see me.
Resuan's kindness was a headache in many ways. Whether I refused this invitation or accepted it, rumors would spread either way.
The sender herself probably thought nothing of it.
Given Resuan's purely kind personality, she was probably genuinely worried because I hadn't shown up in society lately.
Still, to go so far as to send a personal letter.
Resuan rarely sends invitations directly to me. For one, the Epekle Marquis House doesn't view me favorably and blocks letters.
I hadn't invited Resuan to the mansion in the past year either.
I didn't want the male leads' sharp glares, and time spent with Resuan wasn't enjoyable anyway.
I know Resuan herself isn't bad.
The heroine who's kind and lovable to everyone. Followers flock around her without any effort.
That also means she's genuinely attractive, but being near her was hard for me.
The more I tried to get along despite the rumors, the more my efforts were belittled in return.
When I was with her, people compared us and tore me down.
This was the heroine buff.
Of course, Resuan was unaware of it.
The tact I always had to have equipped was unnecessary for her.
I wanted to get close to people, so I picked out clothes and learned manners, but those efforts were pushed aside by the mere presence of one person.
Unlike me, who had to change, the protagonists had no reason to. They were loved just as they were.
I kept asking myself what I lacked. With every question, my self-esteem plummeted.
'It's comfortable once I give up everything.'
The bitter fact that effort and relationships aren't proportional no longer mattered. I just need to live as my heart desires.
Not going out in society doesn't mean I can just avoid meeting Resuan.
I needed to see her once and have a proper talk.
Of course, her coming alone would be problematic.
"I should tell her to come with the male leads."
If it was just the two of us, misunderstandings were all too likely later.
I absolutely hated the idea of people hearing the news late and showing up at the mansion to insult me.
Resuan agreed to bring Ryan and Kaisen.
All three were busy people, so finding time wasn't easy, and in the end, the appointment was set for the day right after my meeting with Darsi.
I'd spent so much time coordinating schedules with Resuan that I still hadn't met the opera premiere performers or the troupe.
Of course, Resuan had no way of knowing about my consideration. To her, it was simply a given.
I shook off thoughts of Resuan and stood from my seat.
Today was the happy day to meet Darsi and discuss the Magic Tool.
There was no need to ruin my mood thinking about Resuan.
On the parlor table sat the 5 billion gold check we'd discussed when signing the contract, neatly tucked into an envelope. Preparing 5 billion gold wasn't a big deal.
On paper, it belonged to the Etwar Marquis House, but I was the real owner of a small Magic Crystal mine. A mine that actually extracted Magic Crystals, no less.
Of course, the original owner of this body, Marso Etwar, had zero interest in Magic Crystals themselves.
With the check prepared, I thought of the room whose interior was mostly finished. Thinking of tomorrow's appointment lifted my spirits.
I'd decorated the room in black tones. It was a completely different atmosphere from the mansion's flashy furniture, wallpaper, and ornaments.
Simple is best. The interior theme was modern. I minimized decorations and ordered high-end furniture without jewels or ostentatious embellishments. Once it was done, it fit perfectly.
The room, covered entirely in black and white, looked just like a showroom. Like something straight off the IKEA homepage.
The maids who'd been shocked at first—"What is this?"—now peeked in and out with curiosity once they decided it looked good.
Tick-tock. The clock in the room chimed. One minute until the 2 p.m. appointment.
I sliced the cake. This time, I'd prepared forks, plates, and teacups so Darsi could eat too. Whether he actually would was another matter.
Right at the chime signaling 2 p.m.,
Darsi appeared punctually, as always.
With his hair tied up high and a scowl on his face, he looked downright fierce. Without a smile, his sharp eyes were unmistakable.
...Somehow, I had a strong premonition that meeting him in a different setting would reveal a far worse personality.
Seeing me flinch, Darsi seemed to realize his expression; he furrowed his brow briefly, then his eyes crinkled softly. His bright face looked like an entirely different person from moments before.
"Hello."
His clear voice pierced my ears. He'd be perfect as a voice actor. Or even a radio host.
Caught up in random thoughts, I greeted him back.
"Hello."
"Wow, people kept grabbing me on the way here."
Darsi plopped down on the sofa.
Soon enough, his expression reverted to the arrogant yet elegant face from our first meeting. Calmly, I asked about what I wanted.
"Exactly two weeks. What I requested?"
Even as I asked, I was on pins and needles. No matter how confident he was, actually making a real Magic Tool was another thing entirely. I'd have been fine if he'd asked for a month or two instead of two weeks.
My face tense as I awaited his answer, Darsi crossed his arms and leaned back on the sofa. His silver hair cascaded like a waterfall.
"Before I answer, I've got a question. Why make something like this? You seem like the type who won't go out."
"Because I won't."
I admitted it readily. Rumors would spread on their own once I spent more time holed up in the mansion. What difference did it make if I said it myself—a fact everyone would know anyway?
"Why?"
Darsi asked, looking genuinely curious.
I looked at his face, pondering my answer.
Should I brush it off vaguely?
It was best to moderate myself appropriately and nip potential problems in the bud.
Especially with merchants like Darsi. They're the type who spread words easily.
I stared blankly at Darsi. He didn't press me. But he waited persistently for an answer to his question.
Meeting his gaze head-on made my worries feel pointless.
Why was I even fussing over something like this? Rumors spread or they don't.
I don't need any of it anymore.
In a small voice, I muttered,
"I'm tired of meeting people."