I’ll Become the Heroine’s Capable Divorce Partner - Chapter 20
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 20
‘She could just honestly show her happiness.’
Perhaps she belatedly remembered her dignity as a princess.
Suddenly becoming prim and managing her expression to appear aloof…
‘The princess has quite a cute side to her.’
Joshua, who had been thinking this absentmindedly, froze.
Wait, cute?
‘What on earth am I thinking.’
I must be a bit tired.
Otherwise, there’s no way I’d be indulging in such ridiculous sentiments.
Joshua couldn’t hide his bewildered expression as he stood up.
When he rang the bell, an attendant who had been waiting outside entered the reception room.
“Did you call for me, Your Highness?”
“Yes.”
Joshua nodded and spoke.
“Contact the Foreign Ministry.”
He intended to reconfirm the schedule of the Maltz Duchy delegation.
* * *
After parting with the Crown Prince.
I went straight to the bank to deposit the money the Crown Prince had given me into my account.
However, I encountered an unexpected situation.
“I’m sorry, but Princess, you don’t have an account.”
The VIP bank clerk said this with an apologetic face.
I was silently shocked.
‘How is it that Elodie doesn’t even have a bank account?’
I hurriedly searched through Elodie’s memories and sighed deeply.
‘It’s really true.’
Elodie had only ever received allowances from the family.
She had never once managed an account under her own name…
‘Put it under the name of the Laventess Ducal House.’
This was even her habitual phrase.
Wow, to think one could live with such an innocent mind without any problems in life.
It must be comfortable, really.
‘Well, this actually works out better.’
David wouldn’t even think that Elodie would have a bank account.
I should be able to deceive him for a while.
‘Still, it would be better to confirm this properly.’
With that judgment, I casually asked the bank clerk.
“Under banking law, customer information must not be leaked to outsiders carelessly. Is that correct?”
“That’s correct.”
“Then how far does the scope of ‘leakage’ extend?”
At that question, the bank clerk looked at me with strangely tense eyes.
As if thinking, ‘What kind of trouble is this person planning to cause by asking such things?’…
“Only the account holder themselves.”
The bank clerk swallowed dryly and answered firmly.
“Even family members?”
“Yes, even family members are the same. Account information of anyone other than the account holder is absolutely, absolutely inaccessible.”
The bank clerk emphasized ‘absolutely’ twice, driving the point home.
It seems there was some misunderstanding.
For instance, that I was targeting other accounts owned by the Laventess Ducal House.
Or that I was trying to forcibly withdraw the Duke’s deposits…
‘Well, that’s fine.’
Seeing him make such firm assurances, my account should be safe for a while.
Even if David were to inquire about my account.
The bank would be obligated to keep their mouth shut, right?
Meanwhile, the bank clerk seemed quite anxious and glanced at me nervously before adding an explanation.
“For anyone other than the account holder to access an account, they would need a search warrant issued by the Security Bureau. So…”
“Yes, I understand. You don’t need to say more.”
I answered in a somewhat displeased voice.
Excuse me, Mr. Bank Clerk.
I fully understand what you’re worried about, so you don’t need to worry so much.
I just want to live quietly too, you know?
After that.
I withdrew some of the deposit as cash and left the building.
“Please take care, Princess!”
The bank clerk bowed at a right angle as he saw me off.
His relief was evident as I left without causing any disturbance.
‘Is there really a reason to be that anxious?’
No matter how much ‘Elodie’ was the villainess of the original story, she wouldn’t go that far…
At that moment.
A chilling memory flashed through my mind.
‘Do you know who I am? I’m Princess Laventess! Hand over a thousand gold right now!’
…Hmm, they had reason to be anxious.
I offered a silent apology to the bank clerks in my heart and took out a gold coin from my wallet.
The twilight’s crimson light reflected off the gold coin, making it shine golden.
Watching this, I felt the corners of my mouth naturally creeping upward.
‘Really, no matter how many times I see it, I never get tired of it.’
Money.
Money I could spend as I pleased without having to nervously watch David’s reactions.
Without having to worry constantly about when I might be caught.
And 100 million gold at that.
I never expected to get my hands on such a fortune.
‘Still.’
I, who had been staring at the gold coin as if mesmerized, clenched it tightly.
My eyes shone with determination.
‘This amount won’t be enough.’
Dress shops frequented by noble ladies require a lot of initial capital.
Gold thread, silver thread, various silks and jewels, lace, and so on.
Basically, the materials for making dresses are expensive to begin with.
With rent and deposits, hiring seamstresses, and various other expenses, getting cleaned out would happen in an instant.
If I made a mistake, Isabel might end up struggling with financial difficulties right after opening her dress shop.
Moreover, there was also the matter of supporting Judy’s hospital bills in case of emergency.
Even if I could raise funds through New Continent development, that was still far in the future.
To move around freely for the time being, I needed to accumulate more funds.
So the first thing I had to do was.
‘First, I need to secure Arthur’s painting.’
Arthur.
A painter who made his name with rough but profound portraits.
He didn’t gain much fame in his youth, but as time went on, more and more people came to recognize his true worth.
Thus, while not popularly famous, he became known as a painter favored by art enthusiasts.
‘In the mid-to-late part of the original story, one of Arthur’s unknown early works is discovered.’
That work, which caused a stir in the Empire’s art world, was found in an art gallery owned by Marquis Bartsen.
Yes, my future husband.
An old man twenty years older than me…
Anyway, discovering that work elevated the Marquis’s reputation even further.
Something about having tremendous insight as an artist, or whatever.
‘But right now, it’s the beginning of the original story.’
That means.
The Marquis hasn’t yet recognized Arthur’s early work.
The painting must still be sleeping in a corner of the art gallery.
I planned to get my hands on that painting before the Marquis noticed it.
Then I’d quickly get it appraised, put it up for auction, and sell it for the highest possible price…!
Ah, I can hear it.
The sound of gold coins jingling!
‘Hehe, hehehe, hehehehe…’
After smiling wickedly, I soon became serious.
That was because there was one problem.
‘My identity mustn’t be revealed during the process of purchasing the painting.’
So using someone from Laventess was out of the question.
There wasn’t anyone trustworthy in the Duke’s House to begin with.
But if I went to buy the painting myself, my identity would be exposed.
Going in disguise would look very suspicious.
‘Wait, what about that person?’
My thoughts suddenly stopped.
In the distance, a woman with a familiar appearance was moving about busily.
That woman struggling to load cargo onto a carriage was…
‘Isn’t that Judy?’
I widened my eyes.
“Judy?”
At my call, Judy turned around with startled rabbit eyes.
“Princess?”
“It’s been a while, Judy. How have you been?”
I greeted her warmly.
Judy hurried over and smiled awkwardly.
“Yes, thanks to your concern, I’ve been well. I wanted to contact you at least once, but I couldn’t.”
“Huh? Why?”
“Well, Madam told me I absolutely must not catch your eye, Princess.”
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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