The Heroines Are After My Fortune

26 – A Woman’s Heart – 2

After completing the entire play schedule, and going to report to the Marquis, I entered his office with Rene and immediately faced a brush with death.

*Clang!*

“…I was going to kill you.”

“Father…!?”

The Marquis, holding a sword to my neck, spoke in a solemn tone, a truly murderous sound. Rene cried out in surprise, but I didn’t budge, meeting his gaze head-on.

“Ultimately, the final authority was yours. Even if my daughter stepped up out of a sense of duty, considering the fallout that would befall our family because of it, stopping her was the right thing to do a hundred times over. Isn’t that so?”

“Yes, Marquis, you are correct.”

“If the House of Marquis had become a laughingstock, I would have cut you down, son-in-law or not. What would have happened if my daughter wasn’t a genius?”

The Marquis sheathed his sword, telling me to be grateful to Rene, who had saved my life. Any other man would be cowering now, but I needed something from him. I couldn’t retreat easily. I subtly cast my bait, for the sake of my goal here.

“I am also very grateful to Lady Rene for playing a big part in resolving this situation. To repay her, I wish to give her a grand gift, for which I require your permission, Marquis….”

“You need my permission to give Rene a gift? Just what is it that needs my approval?”

Marquis Raphael, quite intrigued, stroked his chin. I paused for a moment, then got straight to the point.

“I wish to film a movie starring Lady Rene.”

“A movie…?”

“Yes, I wish to leave a record of Lady Rene’s most beautiful years before we marry. That film will surely be spoken of for ages in the Empire’s cultural circles, and I have no doubt that it will serve as excellent material to make the Este family name shine.”

The Marquis, brow furrowed, seemed utterly unprepared for the talk of filmmaking. He paused, as if mulling something over, then –

“You scoundrel—!!”

He bellowed, abruptly drawing his sword on me again. A full-blown tantrum, like the psycho he is, a masterpiece of quick fuse. I followed his gaze to see why…

“How dare you spew such brazen lies in my presence! Speak your true purpose before I cleave you in two!”

“………………!!”

I feigned a shocked expression, as if he’d struck a nerve. The Marquis, seemingly pleased with his own perceptiveness, curled a corner of his lip into a smirk – but it was just one among the many ways to handle this psycho.

“You’ve got me, Marquis, I admit. Though a noble, I’m also a man with a merchant’s blood. I saw it in Lady Rhena’s performance.”

“What is it you saw?”

“The overwhelming potential within her acting! The things she accomplished in just three days had half the Empire’s intellectuals drooling. Imagine, then, the impact of a film starring Lady Rhena.”

“It would indeed generate a considerable stir. But, ultimately, you’d make my daughter a spectacle for the whole Empire to gawk at, wouldn’t you?”

“Artworks in a museum, accessible to all, regardless of rank, are not considered spectacles. Who could possibly think of a noble so beautiful and refined as your daughter in such a way?”

The Marquis, momentarily speechless, snorted and continued.

“Hmph, you have a silver tongue. I’ve heard of your recent foray into the movie theater business. You seek to exploit Rhena for your own gain, don’t you?”

“Yes, I cannot claim to be entirely without such intent, but I’m a scion of the Roen family, and as such, completely discarding mercantile sense is nearly impossible. I hope you can understand that, at least a little.”

“Now you reveal your true, grubby nature…! Do you think I would just consent to—!”

“Father, I, too, wish to make this film as this person suggests.”

The Marquis, clearly not expecting his daughter’s interjection, looked briefly taken aback.

He sheathed his sword, his tone becoming considerably calmer as he tried to reason with Rhena.

“My daughter, this fellow seeks to exploit you. He might use you for profit, and you may well end up being mocked.”

“He will be my husband. If he earns more money using me, his wife, is that not beneficial not just to him, but to our family as well?”

“Mmm….”

Rafael, seemingly swayed by his daughter’s persuasion, looked to agree, but lacked the final, decisive push.

‘He’s like this because he doesn’t get a direct cut even if I make money.’

Even if he’s a son-in-law, to him, I’m still an outsider.

He’s a man who never does anything for free, seeing others only as targets for exploitation. If that’s the case, the solution is rather simple. Slip him a little pocket money.

“I was truly moved by Miss Renée’s filial piety. She mentioned wanting to contribute all of her massive film earnings to the family’s operations.”

“…Is that true, my daughter?”

The Marquis’ eyes gleamed with interest. As greedy as ever, the Empire’s top dog. Saying he’ll contribute to the family means that scoundrel is the one with the right to manage it. If he just tweaks the books a little, all that cash flows right into his pockets. Of course, he’d be intrigued.

“Yes, I want to repay you even a little for raising me. I feel like I’ve never done anything for you, father.”

“Ah, how admirable. You’ve grown into such a fine young lady, daughter.”

He subtly asked about the amount, and upon hearing the answer of around 5,000 gold, he smirked with a greedy smile. When the son-in-law said he’d try to make some money and do something with his daughter, he had a fit. But the moment he hears the money would be going to him, the Marquis is swayed and deep in thought. I already know the conclusion that leech will make.

“If I grant permission, can you ensure that no harm will come to our family?”

“Yes, I promise.”

*No, you goddamn leech.*

*I’m going to fucking destroy your family’s image, so you better prepare.*

-I muttered to myself, a smile on my face.

####

After finishing the interview with the Marquis, I was walking with her in the Este family’s garden. She’d insisted on escorting me to the road.

“You always amaze me.”

“What is it that amazes you so much?”

“You seem to handle my father better than even I do, and we’ve lived together for nearly twenty years.”

“Got no other talents, so if I don’t have this much negotiation skill, I’ll starve to death somewhere.”

Rene’s old man, he’s so transparent, that’s part of it too. A filthy greedy b*stard, so if you dangle something in front of him he’ll twist and squirm, but he always ends up falling for it.

*Come to think of it, I need to apologize.*

Thinking back to how I threw cold water on her joy after the play, I felt wretched. It was a moment she deserved to be happy, and I went and spoiled it so she couldn’t even enjoy it purely.

“I was sorry, from the other day.”

“Out of the blue…?”

“I shouldn’t have reacted so strongly to your thanks, I think I was just overwhelmed at the time. I’m sorry, I was needlessly sharp.”

“Ah, you’re talking about that day.”

Rene, seeming lost in thought for a moment,

She gave a bitter smile and said,

“…What is there to be sorry for?”

“Huh?”

“You didn’t say anything wrong that day. As you said, we’re doing this to avoid getting married. Right?”

“…………….”

“We’ve arrived. I think you can get in the car now.”

It was a gut feeling, mostly instinct, but her expression was unsettling. If I just left her here, I had a feeling I would regret it deeply.

“Thank you. Young Lady.”

“…Out of the blue?”

When facing unspoken feelings, the only way is to pull out feelings I hadn’t expressed either.

“You know, before meeting Miss Renée, I admit I had a prejudice.”

“A prejudice against me…? What kind?”

“I’d heard tales that young ladies like you, the ones who hold sway over society, secretly torment those of lower birth, treat men with utter contempt. Horrifying stories, not easily dismissed as mere gossip.”

“Ha, how absurd…! Who’s been spreading such lies…?”

*The original author, it is,* I thought, but instead I cleared my throat.

“Ahem, it was merely a tale I’d heard. Clearly, it was nothing but falsehood-“

“While it’s true many of them are like that, I’m not…!”

*’Is that all you’re disputing…?’*

Of course, she wasn’t wrong.

She would eventually rise to reign supreme amongst those very ladies, but the current her, though temperamental, wouldn’t stoop to such things. That’s how it was *’for now’*, anyway.

“That you are not that sort of person, I know better than anyone.”

“Hm, hmph. Well, that’s a relief.”

“It’s a relief *because* you are a lady.”

“Yes, yes…? What does that mean, exactly?”

“How many people would go to such lengths for such an absurd plan of mine, and then succeed? In that regard, I consider myself lucky.”

“………………….”

Renée didn’t respond to my words.

Soon, she turned her head, avoiding my gaze, and mumbled something softly.

“………Idiot.”

“Huh?”

“I didn’t say anything. You said the movie would start in two weeks, right?”

Her expression, as she looked back at me, was the same as before, a shallow smile. The only relief was that the strange unease I’d felt just moments ago had vanished, or perhaps that’s how it seemed.

“Yes, I’ll send you the script soon. Let’s do well again this time, Ms. Renée.”

“Okay. Let’s keep doing well, us.”

We parted with smiles like that.

I sank into the plush car seat, calculating what I had to do. There was so much to do in the two weeks given.

‘How should the movie’s screenplay be, who to cast, how much of a budget to use, what music to include, how to distribute, how to promote to draw in an audience, who’ll do the editing, which sorcerer to hire for special effects, and who will I hire as a prosecutor for the action scene consultant and stunt double, and so on…’

These were all the things I’d used as excuses to Renée last time, but I’d kept putting them off because of my busy schedule, so now I had to get them done. And there was one more big thing I needed to do on top of all that.

‘I absolutely have to get my hands on ‘that item’ at the auction.’

The key item of ‘Golden Pig Marco’, which I’d decided to benchmark against, the best cheat item in the world that allows you to draw ‘mana’ from others who are linked to you. A numbered item created by the best alchemist who’d become deceased, was going to be released at this auction. But I wasn’t worried.

‘Whoever it is, come at me, all of you. You’re all done for, really.’

When it came to money, I had no doubt.

I wouldn’t lose to anyone.