Chapter 5
Iris had Zik join the other children, handed over the remaining food in baskets, and then found a carriage to head back to the townhouse.
On the way back, she sank into thought for a moment.
‘It seems I’ve left quite an impression.’
From what she’d read in the book, the Crown Prince’s ideal type was a sharp, capable woman.
Of course, the female protagonist, Rubinus Cecil, was the complete opposite of that.
Full of mistakes, incapable of doing much, yet bold and lovable.
A pitiful woman who didn’t know how to cry properly and only knew how to endure.
The kind of common heroine who stirred protective instincts.
A female protagonist who was far from the Crown Prince’s ideal type somehow captured his heart with her contrasting charm.
‘ At first, he frowned at her, then she kept crossing his mind, and as she lingered in his thoughts, his eyes followed her, and in following her, he ended up caring for her—a very natural, clichéd route.’
And as for Iris herself, she just had to stay by the Crown Prince’s side until she caught him cheating with the female protagonist, then secure alimony and leisurely leave for overseas.
‘Since they’ll naturally be drawn to each other anyway, I don’t even need to scheme as hard as I’ve been doing.’
What an easy task this was. For the first time in a long while, she felt in good spirits.
‘Where should I go?’
A small kingdom would be nice, but heading to an entirely different empire didn’t sound bad either.
An empire completely opposite to the current Parsedes Empire.
Vantroia.
It was said that the current Emperor of Vantroia, Medes Vantroia, had no children, so there was much speculation about who would ascend to the throne next, though rumors suggested it was practically decided.
“Was it Jack who told me that?’
Where does that guy even pick up such stories?
She returned to the townhouse by carriage and dove onto her bed.
‘They say it feels very different from the Parsedes Kingdom. Living there wouldn’t be bad.’
As an empire, the immigration conditions would likely be strict, but since it was on the other side of the continent, no one there would know her.
Neither Iris the debtor nor Iris the pitiful divorcée would be known.
She’d live a simple, ordinary life with the money she had left. Just happily, on her own. Raising a cat and Crow together would be fun.
Knock, knock.
At that moment, a tapping sound came from the window.
She got up from the bed and looked toward it.
Thinking it was Crow, she was surprised to see a rugged man crouching on the windowsill.
“Even if it’s the back, this is a bit troublesome, Mr. Loan Shark.”
“Shut up and move. Ugh, my legs are numb.”
Jack grumbled as he climbed inside.
Despite her previous complaints about him tracking in dirt, he was barefoot.
Iris found it amusing and chuckled.
“From what I saw today, you didn’t do much?”
“You were watching?”
“Sort of?”
“You’re quite the talent.”
Without saying much else, she poured a glass of cold water from the jug by the bed and handed it to him.
He didn’t refuse and gulped it down before asking,
“So, what’s the next plan?”
“I’m going to lie low for about a week.”
“A whole week?”
“Yup. In the meantime, spread some rumors.”
“Rumors?”
“Yeah.”
She walked over to her desk and began sorting through the invitations addressed to her.
Some were from when she was a countess, others came after her divorce.
In high society, she was something of a clown.
A pitiful, beautiful clown. With a displeased twist of her lips, she picked out one invitation and handed it to Jack.
“I’m going here. Spread the word that Iris, no longer Madam but Lady again, is attending this party.”
“Where’s this?”
Jack flipped the invitation over. The golden emblem on the dark green paper glinted in the moonlight.
“It’s Madame Hestia’s birthday banquet.”
“Why there?”
“Madame Hestia was very close with the late Empress, the current Crown Prince’s mother.”
“And?”
When Jack didn’t catch on, Iris clicked her tongue.
“It’s a banquet he wouldn’t normally attend, but I’ve dangled the bait called Iris in front of him, haven’t I?”
Jack looked at her with a weary expression.
“Let’s see if he takes the bait or not.”
In her room, lit only by candlelight, her ruby-colored eyes gleamed in the flickering glow.
* * *
Gorgeous chandeliers, and beneath them, elegant noble ladies gathered in small groups.
Their dresses were like vibrant flower petals or the graceful wings of fluttering butterflies.
They whispered among themselves.
“They say *that* woman is coming to the banquet?”
“She was a countess back then, but what’s her purpose now…?”
“Haha, careful, Madam. You never know, she might find a new husband here.”
The noble ladies lightly disparaged Iris in her absence, bonding over their gossip.
Iris, who had endured four affairs and four divorces.
Though she was merely a victim, forced into divorce because of her spouses’ infidelity, the fact that it happened four times led the nobles to naturally speculate that there must be something wrong with her.
Some said she couldn’t bear children, others called her cold as stone, or claimed her figure was unappealing, or that she was dull in bed—crude, line-crossing rumors circulated.
And then, *creak*, the banquet hall doors opened, and the hot topic of their conversation appeared.
“Lady Iris has arrived!”
For a moment, the people forgot their gossip and stared, entranced, at her entrance.
No matter how much they badmouthed her, her beauty was like an angel descended from heaven, something they could never get used to no matter how many times they saw it.
“Everyone, it’s been a while.”
She smiled brightly and approached the group of noble ladies.
They greeted her naturally, as if they hadn’t just been slandering her.
Even if she currently held no status, with that beauty, it was obvious she’d soon find a new husband. Who knew who it might be?
Perhaps at this very banquet, she’d hit it off with Madame Hestia’s grandson, Marquis Douglas.
‘A marquis would elevate her to high nobility in one go, wouldn’t it?’
‘Good heavens, a commoner like her reaching that level? Even if Madame Hestia likes Iris, marriage is a different matter.’
As quick glances were exchanged among the noble ladies, Iris briefly stepped away and approached the star of the banquet, Madame Hestia.
“Madame Hestia, happy birthday.”
“Come in, Iris.”
Upon seeing her, Madame Hestia clicked her tongue with concern.
“You got divorced again. Didn’t I tell you that man was no good?”
“Haha, well…”
“I told you I’d introduce you to a decent man.”
“It’s fine, Madame. You don’t need to worry about me…”
Iris was inwardly sweating.
‘She really would introduce me to a good man.’
What I need is alimony, *alimony*.
Her efforts to win over Madame Hestia since entering high society had paid off, as Hestia was quite fond of Iris.
But right now, Madame Hestia wasn’t the priority.
‘More importantly, will the target take the bait…?’
Suddenly, the entrance erupted into a loud buzz. Madame Hestia’s maid rushed over in a panic and said urgently,
“M-Madame! His Highness the Crown Prince has arrived…!”
“What? His Highness the Crown Prince?”
Madame Hestia shot up from her seat, and the people around her murmured, turning toward the entrance.
In the distance, a head of golden hair stood out.
Iris stood alone quietly, a smile playing on her lips.
‘He took the bait.’
Things going according to plan were always a delight.
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By Anna 💓
