If I Were Reborn, I Wouldn’t Marry You - Chapter 95

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 95

‘Thanks to the well-digging progressing well somehow, while production had plummeted to 30% of normal years in the first round, now we’ve secured up to 50%.’

The situation was much better than the first round.

‘Just like in the first round, House of Perington is secretly hoarding food again this time, right?’

Viscount Perington’s movements were caught by the information network I had laid out in advance.

Under the pretext of investing in Lester’s brewery, I had already secured a sufficient amount of rye.

The situation was much better than the initial conservative plan I had established.

I had plenty of room to deal with Viscount Perington.

Even if some of my future plans went awry, there was no possibility of the same disaster as the first round occurring.

For now, I let Viscount Perington buy up the rye.

However, since I had already bought up the surplus rye during the abundant harvest, there wasn’t much surplus agricultural produce on the market, so Viscount Perington couldn’t buy rye at cheap prices like in the first round.

‘He secured about one-third of the rye I bought, I heard.’

Though he spent much more money than in the first round, this result was largely due to the fact that there wasn’t much surplus rye available for sale, so when the southerners became cautious, he had no choice but to pay premium prices above market rates.

‘It’s thanks to Bracken Estate Manager being a local who had lived in the south for generations, so I used him to subtly spread concerns about the possibility of drought.’

When people get worried, they become conservative.

Since I couldn’t openly block the transactions, I used that psychology.

I planted the idea that rye prices would only rise due to future shortages, never fall.

This small difference created a huge butterfly effect.

Thanks to this, Viscount Perington suffered a major defeat in this psychological warfare with me.

‘Also, when people become anxious, their thinking becomes short-sighted.’

This was why Viscount Perington kept raising his offers.

‘Thanks to that, farmers and grain merchants made quite a profit, right?’

Viscount Perington probably did this thinking he could recover everything once the food shortage began in earnest, even if he bought at higher prices.

But I would never let that happen.

‘Go ahead and fail miserably.’

I smiled wickedly, curling up the corners of my mouth.

After waiting for Viscount Perington to buy up sufficient grain, I donated part of the rye stored at the brewery in the name of House of Duke Roderick.

Since the brewery business was run by young Lester, people hadn’t paid much attention to it.

‘Unlike Lionel, Lester had never shown particular talent in business…’

Thanks to this, the fact that I had bought and stored enough rye to feed all the southern people for several months at the brewery site wasn’t widely known.

‘There’s no need to proceed secretly, but this way is still better.’

While it wouldn’t be bad if Viscount Perington gave up on his own, it was better for him to pay the proper price.

‘And what happened then?’

Instead of Viscount Perington’s side, who had been properly throwing their weight around thinking they had the upper hand, trade proposals flooded in to my side.

‘Welcome. We’ll serve you at reasonable prices.’

Given the amount of rye I had, it was definitely beyond the level of a young duchess’s ‘business play.’

Thanks to this, I, still only nine years old, got to attempt my first business venture a bit early.

With Lester’s support, who cheerfully encouraged me even though selling all the rye I had stored would cause some disruption to the brewery operations later.

‘Not just Lester, but everyone praised me so much as a born businesswoman that it was dizzying.’

After being recognized by my family for my first business venture, it was smooth sailing.

Because my family, who were fools for their youngest, secretly helped me from behind.

‘There were people trying to subtly cheat me because I was young.’

Me, of all people, from House of Duke Roderick.

Of course, they were all bounced off by my family’s iron-clad defense.

‘Also, those types tend to be quick with their hands.’

After weeding them all out, quite a bit of the front of the line had disappeared.

As a result, the first trading partner for my business that began in earnest was the Emperor.

“It’s been a while, Miela. You’ve become a wonderful lady.”

The Emperor welcomed me with a gentle smile, his eyes curving pleasantly.

In this round, I had only seen the Emperor’s face once when I was six years old.

Since I had thoroughly irritated him back then, the Emperor didn’t want to see me for a while, and my parents, who were anxious about the Emperor trying to pair me with the Prince, were also careful to prevent me from encountering the Emperor.

Moreover, after Leonhardt came to Roderick, there was no reason to go to the Imperial Palace, so there wasn’t even a chance to run into him by accident.

So it had been three years since I faced the Emperor, but his attitude was nothing but affectionate.

I wondered if he was pretending to be close after meeting just a few times, but I was nine now, so I couldn’t act like I did three years ago.

I was at a slightly awkward age to just brush it off as childishness.

“I greet Your Imperial Majesty.”

I smiled brightly and offered a polite greeting.

I was especially popular with adults.

The Emperor was no exception.

“You’ve really grown a lot.”

The Emperor looking at me as if I were precious was like an uncle happy to see his niece after a long time.

Well, there are hardly any people who dislike me!

‘Try paying as much attention to Leonhardt as you’re happy to see me.’

While grumbling inwardly, I responded with an affectionate attitude.

“I’ve grown at least a span taller than before, haven’t I?”

“It seems so.”

Leonhardt had now escaped neglect and regained his rightful rights as royalty.

On top of that, he had even awakened his sacred blood, so Leonhardt’s current position was overwhelmingly better compared to the first round.

However, that was in terms of financial power and political relationships.

His relationship with the imperial family members was more distant than in the first round.

‘Since Leonhardt has no expectations whatsoever from his family…’

I would have done the same.

If someone asked me to choose the Empire’s worst father, I would have chosen the Emperor with plenty of personal bias and subjectivity.

‘I’m originally a very subjective person.’

But my inner thoughts and the words that came out of my mouth were completely opposite.

“Your Majesty has become even more handsome.”

“Thank you.”

Perhaps because it sounded quite sincere, the Emperor laughed heartily.

Even in his mid-thirties, the Emperor’s smile, which retained boyish charm, was even refreshing.

His attitude of leisurely responding while thinking it was just something a child said without knowing better showed the bearing of someone who had lived long with both status and beauty.

His peaceful attitude without a care in the world was annoying, but at the same time, I could understand it.

Excluding his distinctive silver hair and red eyes, Leonhardt resembled the Emperor quite a bit.

In the first round at this time, Leonhardt was a somewhat prickly and sensitive teenager, so the parts that resembled the Emperor weren’t very apparent.

However, after the regression, Leonhardt, who had become a more relaxed and generous teenager, looked quite similar to the Emperor with his easygoing impression.

What am I saying right now?

‘I just mean their impressions are somewhat similar!’

Still harboring plenty of bad feelings toward the Emperor, I secretly pursed my lips.

‘Still, I’m glad Leon didn’t come along.’

If Leonhardt had been facing the Emperor laughing with such a carefree face, I wouldn’t have been confident I could act as nonchalantly as I was now.

‘He would definitely get angry… well, he couldn’t get angry, so he would have glared.’

Considering that, the timing was very good.

Though the Emperor’s invitation was sudden, we had been spending most of our days together recently.

Even if I kept the invitation secret, it wouldn’t be easy to hide going out.

So sneaking out without Leonhardt knowing wasn’t easy, but fortunately Leonhardt was a bit busy.

‘Playing chess with Mother.’

Thanks to that, I was able to come alone secretly, and once I actually faced the Emperor, I was glad I did.

I whispered toward Leonhardt, who would be playing chess with Mother by now.

‘You know too, but mothers-in-law love their sons-in-law.’

However, my time of cursing the Emperor inwardly and acting relaxed was now over.

The Emperor was not someone to be casual with.

Especially during times like this when something as tremendous as the great drought has occurred.

Before long, the Emperor brought up the main topic.

“The reason I invited you here today, Princess, is…”

My attitude naturally became serious as well.

‘Here it comes.’

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————