As with their first meeting, she was a woman with a peculiar side when observed closely.
Within her innate nobility and dignity that she never lost even among commoners, there was a hidden quirkiness that occasionally led to strange words or situations.
Yet, in such situations, she remained calm and smiling as if she knew nothing.
It was natural for Aden to feel like he had taken on quite an eccentric woman.
Leaning against the lumber mill door, Aden stared blankly at Ludmila choosing wood inside.
She was chattering with the lumber mill manager about the condition of the wood, forgetting she had shocked everyone with a statement that disrupted the peace of the quiet breakfast table.
‘Why did they react like that?’
Fortunately, the misunderstanding that the dignified marchioness was a woman with an open mindset who enjoyed calling five men in the middle of the night was quickly resolved.
At Beressa’s explanation, Ludmila blushed and clarified that it wasn’t like that.
It was a simple mistake due to the language difference between the capital and the Khan people.
Thankfully, the brief commotion quickly subsided, and Ludmila explained the situation with a reddened face. And the destination of that explanation was the lumber mill.
“Please show me the timber laid out below.”
Ludmila’s demeanor of freely giving orders to the manager, who was preparing to drink in broad daylight, seemed very familiar.
Is she so accustomed to commanding people because she’s an imperial noble?
“Um… but what are you planning to use all this for?”
The red-nosed manager asked cautiously with a slurred pronunciation.
Although Ludmila was giving the orders, his gaze fixed on Aden, clearly showing he was conscious of him.
Aden shrugged lightly. He too didn’t know the details.
She had just asked if she could use some of the usable wood from the lumber mill, and he had given permission.
There were many trees in the Srankau Mountains bordering the Send Plateau. So the Khan people used to cut down trees that had grown lush without human touch to use as firewood and make furniture.
But why was Ludmila so fascinated by these unremarkable trees that she borrowed strong men to do this?
“Your Grace.”
Just then, Salom’s call announcing the start of the schedule rang out from behind.
Aden glanced back briefly and nodded shortly.
Then he fixed his gaze on Ludmila again. Seeing her still absorbed in selecting wood, he let out a small chuckle.
“She’ll be stuck here from now on.”
Aden turned away without saying goodbye to Ludmila. Unaware that he had left, Ludmila was still busy directing people to sort through the mountain of wood.
[This is the timeline separator]“Don’t you want to make money?”
Appearing at the lunch table the next day as if by appointment, Ludmila started with a straightforward proposal as her first greeting.
Aden looked at her strangely as she blurted out incomprehensible words before even sitting down, but the wrinkle between his brows soon smoothed out as if the proposal wasn’t too bad.
“Money?”
Aden asked briefly, resting his chin on his arm propped obliquely on the table. Ludmila nodded lightly, holding a water glass.
Aden silently looked at her with puzzled eyes, postponing his answer for a moment.
After a brief silence, Ludmila seemed to realize something and let out a low exclamation.
“Ah, it’s nothing strange. I’m not trying to scam you. Don’t misunderstand.”
Aden laughed softly at her explanation, realizing that the common method of fraud in the capital usually approaches people like this.
He moistened his lips with cold water and straightened his body that had been leaning forward.
“It’s good that it’s not like that. So what is it? Let’s hear it.”
Ludmila was slightly relieved at the more positive response than expected.
There was a moment of silence as lunch was served just then, interrupting her explanation.
After the dining room servant withdrew, leaving the two alone, Ludmila calmly picked up her fork.
“I went to the lumber mill yesterday.”
“I saw you there.”
“I took a look, and there was quite a lot of wood.”
Aden briefly explained the resource distribution of the Habertz territory while carving meat.
Ludmila’s eyes flickered slightly at the mention of the Srankau Mountains.
Resting her chin on her hand and pondering deeply, Ludmila raised her eyes again.
Unlike usual, Aden’s lips curled up slightly at her eyes full of vitality.
She often showed him sides of herself that she never showed her husband.
Suddenly, Aden became curious. Did that foolish husband know? That his wife’s eyes sparkled more beautifully than any ruby.
“I see. That makes sense.”
Ludmila continued with a very serious face after listening to the explanation and thinking carefully.
“There was yellow sandalwood at the lumber mill.”
“Yellow sandalwood?”
“Yes. It’s a precious wood used in high-end furniture. It’s rare and expensive, and even difficult to process. I doubted my eyes when I saw such yellow sandalwood buried underneath. I wondered if it was really yellow sandalwood, as it’s hard to find even in the capital, buried in a dusty pit.”
Aden tilted his head at the calm explanation. Unfortunately, Aden wasn’t very interested in wood.
Although timber was among the main traded items, most of it was for firewood or logs to get through winter, not primarily for furniture making.
Ludmila mixed her salad while waiting for Aden, who was deep in thought.
As she chewed on lettuce soaked in dressing, waiting for Aden’s answer, the door opened and Beressa entered.
After quickly assessing the atmosphere in the dining room, Beressa exchanged greetings with a nod and took a seat next to Aden.
Aden, who had remained silent throughout, raised his head in time with the chair sound.
“How do you plan to sell it?”
“I’m not a merchant, so I don’t know how to sell it well. I’m even less of a businessman. But I do know that this timber is very expensive. And rare.”
“Timber?”
Beressa interjected from the side, but Aden ignored her words and spoke directly.
“Then was your talk of making money just a bluff?”
“Not at all. I just don’t know how to sell it, but I do know where to sell it.”
Ludmila raised her fork and waved it lightly.
“Bill Edith.”
“Edith?”
“It’s one of the largest furniture companies in the capital. It’s quite popular and has a diverse range of products, sought after by commoners and high nobles alike. I had a conversation with Count Edith, the owner of Edith, some time ago. I remember hearing about the difficulty of timber procurement during our various discussions.”
Aden, who had been staring at Ludmila as she calmly continued her explanation, slowly rested his chin on his hand.
Meanwhile, Ludmila moistened her mouth with lukewarm water and lightly patted her lips with a napkin.
“Yellow sandalwood is expensive and rare, and moreover, because high nobles seek it, its value is enormous. We can sell this timber there.”
“……”
It was an extremely rational and logical judgment and proposal.
Just this morning, she had been a woman who made one’s neck chill with a mindless slip of the tongue, and now she was sitting there as a renowned figure of high society.
Aden suddenly realized anew what kind of existence Ludmila was, casually reciting high-level information about the capital. And also the value of the negotiations he had exchanged with Ludmila.
“I’d like to send someone to assess how much yellow sandalwood there is. If you’re interested in making money, could you help?”
“…Well, it can’t hurt. I’ll send someone.”
“Thank you. Then, let’s make this our first contract. You promised, didn’t you? In exchange for safely sending me beyond the frozen lands, I would improve the Khan people’s financial situation.”
The sunlight washing over Ludmila’s back as she smiled gently embraced her bright golden hair.
“This is the first step.”
Aden nodded slightly, closing his parted lips at the dazzlingly beautiful sight that nearly stopped his eyes.
[This is the timeline separator]Oh my, oh my!
Celia gasped as soon as she visited the Erdi Marquis’s residence to see her younger brother.
Unlike her expectation that things would have calmed down now that the talk about Ludmila that had recently stirred up the capital was gradually subsiding, the front of the marquis’s residence was still full of reporters.
Even though Kedilen had held a press conference, those who didn’t fully believe his words still lingered around the mansion.
It would be more strange not to come when even one scoop could be a big story.
Celia wanted to refrain from entering the marquis’s residence in this situation, but there were already cameras fixed on her, so she couldn’t back away.
Inevitably, she had to straighten her back and step into the marquis’s residence.
The interior of the mansion was quiet to the point of being desolate.
The servants who spotted Celia bowed their heads, and the butler, Ludbeck, guided her to where Kedilen was.
“You’ve come.”
Kedilen, who was drinking in the bedroom, grinned when he saw his sister.
As Ludbeck, who had been observing the situation, closed the door, Celia sighed in the space where only the two of them remained.
She ran her hand through her hair, feeling sorry for her younger brother who had turned into a wreck overnight after Ludmila disappeared.
“How long have you been like this? I heard you didn’t even attend the hospital opening ceremony.”
“What’s the point of going? It’s meaningless anyway.”
“What do you mean it’s meaningless? At times like this, you should show that there’s no problem. If you hide away like this, what becomes of the press conference you worked so hard for?”
The sneer in response to her concern for her brother came when the wine glass touched Kedilen’s lips.
Celia sat down in front of Kedilen with a surprised expression.
“Did something happen? Is that why you’re like this?”
Kedilen, who had emptied half the drink in one gulp, let out a snicker. Bewilderment settled in Celia’s eyes.
“Wherever I go, it’s Ludmila, Ludmila! Everyone’s harping on about Ludmila. What’s so important about that stupid wench that people keep mentioning her name in front of me?”
“……”
“It was a first. To feel so insulted and angry. But do you know what’s even more ridiculous? Even though I’m so angry and irritated, there’s nothing I can do about it.”
Kedilen’s shoulders, which had been trembling as if deranged, stopped only after he had emptied the glass in his hand.
The Villainous Demon Lord Laid an Egg for Her (Female-Dominated)
Several months after transmigrating into a book, Yu Wu found herself facing the demon lord Li You, who could no longer conceal his dragon horns. With one hand on her aching waist and the other gripping a sharp sword, she stared at him.
The demon lord’s eyes were red with fury:
“This is all your doing! Today, I won’t rest until I kill you!”
Yu Wu rubbed her temples. Putting aside the taboo against bloodshed during pregnancy, wasn’t it this very man who willingly walked into her trap that day?!
Warnings:
- Male pregnancy.
- Height ratios are set to mirror typical male-female height proportions.
- Characters include a foot-loving demon lord and an eldest daughter from an immortal family’s concubine lineage.
