The Unlucky Villainess Small Fief

Chapter 26

"....hah...once he heard that the kingdom is slowly revitalizing, he went back? Also, with that stupid prince in tow? How insane."

"....let them stay inside a special room for now, in order not to keep them safe from the rage of the people." Rudevich stated and the messenger bowed before going away. 

"I believe that there are more pressing matters to discuss, but we an talk about it once spring starts. For the meantime....i will leave my daughter in your hands." Jeremy said before going out of the room.

'Haha..what an oddball of a father....' rudevich scratched his head.

It was supper time when rudevich and ortezca both spend their time together. The servants were glancing at them with concern, specially towards ortezca who was not touching the food in front of her, only drinking the soup. Rudevich pretends to eat in peace, but in the end he could not take it. 

'I think she is bored in this house...i shall accompany her tomorrow in the town square,' he thought while wiping off his mouth with a table napkin. He was about to say something when ortezca breaks off the silence.

"...um, your excellency. May i request somthing?" Rudevich raised his eyebrow when he heard her. It was her first time asking for something.

"Sure, what is it? As long as it is within my power, i will grant it." Rudevich knew that all noble girls wanted shopping for jewels and dresses, so he knew ortezca wanted it too.

"....will you accompany me to the town square tomorrow morning..?" Ortezca said and sounded a bit of apologetic. Rudevich smiled.

"Sure thing."

Morning came. Ortezca just wore one of her plain dresses and even if the maids pleaded to her to wear something that the duke had prepared for her, she refused. One maid got irked and shouted 'if she doesnt want to wear it, then dont force her! Why is his grace wasting money on such a commoner like her? She doesnt even deserve it!' But ortezca held it in. She was looking forward to the main part of her mission- to endorse the products from her fief to the kingdom. She had already in fact countless of samples of various products- starting from soap to paper.

She went out in the front door of the mansion, to see the duke waiting for her, he was dressed quite dashingly- one could tell that he was on a date. Too bad, ortezca was dressed quite simple- she looked like a maid even. Rudevich looked at her for a moment.

"....why are you wearing, like that?"

"....?but i am merely a commoner, your excellency. If i ever dress elegantly, people might think that you had found a fiancee."

"....but that was my plan..."

"...how many times must i say this to you, that i do not have any plans on getting married? Furthermore, did i not say that i am a spoiled goods? I do no longer have a surname, i am a commoner now. It is best for me to wear this."

"...then, your plan of going to the town square is—-?"

"To build marketing association with the help of your excellency!" Otezca smiled at him.

Once the carriage stopped in the town square, rudevich doesnt know what to feel—horrible because he could not heelp get ortezca to relaxed in the carriage or disappointed since this wsnt a date. Once the he hopped out of the carriage, she soon followed, acting completely like a maid in tow. 

The two discussed the plan while in the journey, so ortezca expects rudevich to handle the mission well. The two went inside a market association to negotiate.

After a few hours, ortezca could not help but smile. All of the products were approved and the association even approved to have three stores to be put up in the capital. She couldnot ask for more. She balled her fist and did a fist pump. Rudevich was remained in the room as both parties signed off documents for the negotiation. She was asked to go outside for it was purely confidential.

'With this, i wont have to worry anymore!' Ortezca smiled happily. She saw the clock, it was almost lunch. She was a bit hungry, but she decided to wait on her place for the duke. True enough, the duke went out of the room. He saw ortezca standing by the corridor, in great spirits and he could not help but feel deep respect towards the frail girl. He was about to approach her when a voice shouted.

"Sister ortezca?" It was robert.

Rudevich saw it clearly as day- ortezca paled upon seeing her brother. She quickly glanced around looking for someone else, but seeing that robert was alone, she sighed of relief, but was still tense when robert approached her.

"What the hell are you doing here? No more importantly— how did you even get here in the kingdom? You were supposed to be banished, so why are you here? You really want to disgrace the holminne family that bad?" Robert was raising his voice and people started to gather to see the commotion. Rudevich clicked his tongue and stepped in.

"Robert. Stop it. Let us move to another place. Not here." Rudevich said and pushed the two siblings out of the association.

"...thank you, your excellency..." ortezca said as she accepted the sandwhich that she said when the duke of suvvell asked the two what they want for lunch.  But all throughout the lunch time, she never touched the food.

"....not even showing gratitude to the duke after he had bought it for you...how shameful." Robert mumbled as he looked at her disapprovingly.

'...that is because i have a hole in my stomach, and eating this would further send me to my death bed...' ortezca wanted to say but she doesnt want to worry the duke suvvell more than this.

"My apologies, lord robert... i am quite full. Thank you for your generosity, your excellency, please, take your time while eating. I have matters to attend to, excuse me." Ortezca smiled at rudevich and went away. Robert clicked his tongue before turning to rudevich.

"Thank you so much for the solution that you came up with, duke suvvell. And, if you dont mind, can i ask you why is that lowlife with you today?"

"Dont call your sister as such. I accompanied her today to go shopping. We met in the village she was living in. I just simply took her here." Rudevich omitted the part where she was sick and was slowly dying.

"....the moment that she was banished marked as the day that i no longer regard her as my sister. She is completely a stranger to us now." Robert huffed.

"...im sorry." Rudevich mumbled. "What for?" Robert wondered. "For everything." Rudevich said.