The Villainess Enjoys Her Seventh Life as a Free-Spirited Bride (hostage) in a Former Enemy Country
chapter-22-2

After watching Elise and Dianna’s conversation with a smile, Rishe headed to her room in the Royal Palace.

“Your bath is ready.”

“Thank you. I need to get this sweat and mud off first. When I get out of the bath I have to dry my hair and change into the most expensive dress I have. Elise, can you help me tie my hair up?”

Rishe was giddy with excitement, imagining the guest that would be visiting later. Elise sauntered behind her and nodded her head curiously.

“Yes. For now, it might be one of the ingredients.”

“?”

A few hours later, Tully, the merchant chairman of the Aria Trading Company, arrived.

The Aria Trading Company belonged to a group of merchants who picked Rishe up in her first life. And Tully, the chairman, was the one who taught Rishe what it meant to be a merchant.

How to determine the value of products and trading partners; how to invest money, and lucrative businesses that shouldn’t be touched.

For Rishe, Tully was a master of commerce.

Whether when she got divorced and kicked out of Garkhain, or when the war left her short of supplies, the trading company would certainly be of help. Of course, if Rishe could pay a reasonable price by that time.

(Anyway, once I make a track record of big business deals, that’s how I’ll connect with them. The question is, how can I convince that chairman?)

While cleansing herself in the bath and changing into her fine dress, Rishe did a lot of math.

(The Aria Trading Company in this era has just been established and is still not that big. A wedding ceremony of the Garkhain Royal Family is a business deal that a normal trade company would want to sign at all costs. Should I…)

She felt like sighing as Elise styled her dry hair in a knot. After all the preparations, Rishe checked herself in the mirror.

Her hair was fluffily curled and her dress was a bright red color for the eyes. From earrings to rings, she wore as much jewelry as she could, plus a feather fan in her hand.

(Hmm…A bit more flair would probably make me look like a ‘good shopaholic sucker.’ I don’t mind if he says, ‘Look at this show-off, spending as much money as she can on the wedding.’)

“It’s a shame. In fact, Rishe-sama was supposed to look beautiful and dignified with your hair pulled back in a bun to match your dress…”

Elise was a little sullen. She said she used to tie her younger sisters’ hair and pick out their daily clothes for them. She was also outstandingly proficient at dressing them up. And Rishe, who could prep herself up, also wanted to rely on her in the future.

“Thank you, Elise. But today, this is the guise of the game.”

“…?”

Meanwhile, the news of Aria Trading Company’s arrival arrived.

Accompanied by two knight guards, they headed to the reception room of the main castle. The Royal Palace where Rishe resided didn’t have a reception room yet.

When she stood in front of the reception room, the butler, who bowed politely, opened the door for her. First, one of the knights went in to ensure that it was safe, and then he bowed to Rishe.

After expressing her thanks, she entered the room and found a man standing there.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Kane Tully, chairman of the Aria Trading Company. Congratulations on your wedding!”

Tully, with a seemingly amiable smile on his face, inclined his head towards Rishe.

He had shaved off the stubble he always grew and brushed back his hair, which tended to bounce around due to his sleep habits, unlike the man Rishe knew so well.

It seemed that he hasn’t got a hangover.

“I’m Rishe Irmgard Wertzner. Thank you for coming all the way. Please have a seat.

“Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

Tully waited for Rishe to take a seat, and sat down in the chair across from her. Though he was just smiling, he had already examined Rishe in a second with his droopy eyes, which ladies in the tavern acclaimed as ‘sexy and dreamy’!

(As expected, just one look at me and he’d be able to see through all this.)

Nevertheless, it was a glance that was completely imperceptible, unless one was wary of being appraised from the onset.

“Well, it’s a good season for it. Is Lady Rishe’s wedding set in the middle of August? Then, you’re going to be a bride of the summer sky. That’s truly wonderful! I am envious of all the people of Garkhain that such a beautiful woman is the future Queen of the nation.”

“That’s too good to be true!”

While smiling and dismissing social compliments, scenes of the past flashed through Rishe’s mind.

“Bwahahaha!　Sure enough, you couldn’t see that the sapphire was a fake, you idiot!　I had a bet with people in the Trading Company on whether or not you’d fall for that middleman’s tricks. Thanks to that, I’m the only one to win. Thanks also to my inexperienced subordinates, I’ve made a fortune.”

“Alright, Rishe, your graduation exam. If you want to be part of my business in the future, go recoup the loss of the 5 million gold that your seniors took out. Oh, and just so you know, no more than a week.”

“Please, Rishe, please!　Could you explain to Aria that the woman with me last night was just a friend?”

Unwittingly, she had a distant look in her eyes. Tully, in front of her, of course, didn’t know that Rishe had seen his true nature.

“A white wedding dress would look great on Lady Rishe with your hair color, don’t you think? For example, how about styling it with thin layers of silk?”

“!”

The flow of the conversation turned to proposals before she knew it.

Did it mean that they were now having a negotiation? Well, it seemed that she has passed the first stage, Rishe was relieved.

“That’s totally fantastic, Chairman Tully. I’m sure you already know, I’d like to have your reputable Aria Trading Company to provide us with all of the items to be used in the wedding.”

“Okay-Okay! How kind of you to say that to a small business like ours!”

“Let’s get right to it. Do you have something for me today? I’d love to see it.”

According to the messenger, he wanted to have a business meeting related to the wedding. Perhaps the Trading Company has come with a pile of goods in their wagons that could be sold to Rishe.

(Once a deal is done, everything will be off to a good start. If I can get through the first meeting with this chairman…)

“Lady Rishe.”

Tully smiled at Rishe.

“I have nothing to offer you.”

“…”