MTIHIS | CHAPTER 99

[CHAPTER 99]

* * *

The cautious Lady Owen did not immediately fall for my proposal.

However, just like before, once her time for deliberation ended, she eventually contacted me.

“We need to secure that land before my brother does. If you truly do that, I will meet the person you mentioned.”

Now the problem was that I absolutely had to purchase that land.

First, I looked into the situation surrounding District 12 on 8th Street.

In a way, it was a fairly common issue.

The Owen Marquisate wanted to grandly build a shop on 8th Street to sell their territorial specialties, but the owner of the land in District 12 stubbornly refused to sell, giving them a headache.

They even offered a price higher than the market rate, yet the owner would not budge at all.

There has to be a reason he’s refusing this strongly.

There was only one way to find out that reason.

Let’s go ask him in person!

Carrying a cookie set as a gift, I headed to District 12 on 8th Street together with Greta.

There stood a small two-story house surrounded by trees, something hard to find in the middle of the city.

It almost looked like a cabin in the forest.

When I knocked and waited, a curt male voice came from beyond the door.

“Who is it.”

“Ah, I’ve come with some good news.”

If you sell the land to Lady Naomi Owen, you’ll receive a very generous compensation.

“Get lost! I don’t believe you!”

Huh?

I was flustered after being turned away without even seeing his face.

“It really is good news! Wouldn’t you like to at least hear it out?”

“I said no!”

“No, you should listen first before deciding! I even brought a gift!”

As we argued back and forth, heavy footsteps approached after my last words.

The door suddenly flew open, revealing a young man.

“What kind of gift?”

“Ta-da, a really delicious cookie set!”

“……What, it’s not alcohol.”

The man openly frowned in disappointment.

When he tried to shut the door, I quickly grabbed the doorknob.

“Please give me a little time. Thirty minutes, no, even ten minutes is fine.”

Snorting, the man yanked the door hard.

Fortunately for me, Greta was there.

As I was being dragged along with an “uh—” sound, Greta overlapped her hand on the doorknob to help.

“Ah!”

The door flew open again.

The man, who nearly toppled forward, stared at Greta in shock.

“What kind of strength is that…?”

“Closing the door without so much as a greeting is rude. Please show proper courtesy to our young lady.”

“Y-young lady? Are you a noble…?”

When I nodded, his expression changed.

Half fear, half annoyance.

After glancing between us, he reluctantly stepped aside and told us to come in.

I quickly exclaimed “Excuse me!” and slipped inside.

The interior of the house was cozy, filled with signs of loving wear.

I sat on the sofa as the man handed me a bottle of juice and scratched his head.

“This is all I can offer right now. My mother is asleep, and my sister is out.”

“That’s fine. I didn’t come to be treated anyway. Shall we talk for a bit?”

The man obediently sat across from me.

After being disappointed by my gift earlier, he now took cookies out of the box and ate them.

I looked around the house once more before asking.

“Is the reason you don’t want to sell the land because of this house? Because you’d have to tear down such a cute, memory-filled home?”

“……Well, that’s part of it. But there’s a bigger reason. Did you really come to ask that? None of the people before you were ever curious.”

He shrugged, saying everyone else only competitively offered money.

Oh dear.

It seemed the siblings were so busy checking each other that they never listened to the landowner’s side.

“I’m curious. What’s the other reason?”

“My mother is sick. It’s a lung disease, so she needs to live in a place surrounded by trees like this. Those places are surprisingly hard to find, you know. So even if we’re sick of it, we can’t leave.”

Ah, so that’s why he wouldn’t sell the land no matter how much money they offered.

The man sighed, saying he had visited many physicians but none could cure her.

He added bitterly that he was bound to this place until his mother passed away.

Hmm, this man actually wants to sell the land.

If only his mother’s illness were resolved, he would probably sell it to us.

After finishing my calculations, I smiled brightly and said.

“I’ll cure your mother.”

“What? You will, my lady?”

“Yes. In return, once your mother recovers, sell the land to Lady Naomi Owen of the Owen Marquisate.”

Suddenly, I recalled something a friend once said about breaking up because her lover was too busy, and I hurriedly grabbed his hand tightly.

“Please wait just a little longer. It’ll be over soon! Please don’t abandon me just because you’re busy—.”

“How far are you planning to run off on your own?”

Aizen cut me off while lightly pinching my cheek so it didn’t hurt.

With both cheeks held, I mumbled.

“Nuh, I might get dumped ‘cause you’re too busy…”

“Nonsense.”

He let out a soft sigh and gently ruffled my hair.

I grinned at the affectionate touch.

How was Aizen still so handsome even when I looked up at him from below?

While admiring his prince-like, flawless appearance, something suddenly came to mind and I spoke.

“Do you know the fairy tale Sleeping Beauty?”

“No. Is there such a story?”

“Yes. It existed in the world I originally lived in. A princess falls asleep under a curse, and a prince wakes her with a kiss.”

I clasped my hands to my chest and spoke in an overly delicate voice.

“Ah, I’ve been cursed too. My prince will come save me, right?”

Then I gently closed my eyes.

With Aizen’s level of perception, he would surely understand what I meant.

I waited obediently for his kiss, but even after a long time, I felt nothing.

“……?”

When I opened my eyes in confusion, I saw a handsome face desperately holding back laughter.

Hey, seriously!

“I’m leaving.”

“Where to? And you shouldn’t get up when we haven’t kissed yet.”

“Hmph, I’m not a princess, so it’s fine.”

I pouted and tried to get up.

Chuckling, Aizen suddenly hooked an arm around my waist and pulled me back.

He sat me on his lap and lifted the corner of his lips neatly.

“You look like a princess to me.”

“……!”

A kiss followed, firm like stamping a seal.

Honestly, doing this just melts my resolve instantly.

I wrapped my arms around Aizen’s neck, pressed our foreheads together, and smiled softly.

“Actually, I really missed you too. I want to finish work quickly and play with you, Your Grace.”

It was my first relationship.

I was doing my best to hold onto my reason, but I wanted to be with Aizen every day.

After pondering for a moment, he seemed to feel the same as he asked.

“Hmm. Is there anything I can do to help make things finish faster?”

“Well… not really. Ah, then would you like to go to the Mage Tower with me?”