Isekai: Princess Marquess Becomes Entrepreneur of Tempe

Chapter 64. Buddy!

A few days later in the capital.

“Elona! What the hell's going on? Where's Stefan?”

Iris came to Elona, knowing that her sister-in-law had arrived at Locke's residence in the capital. The woman walked slowly, considering that the age of the fetus in her stomach was already 3 months.

Elona just looked at her sister-in-law with a lethargic look.

“The story is long, Brother Iris..”

Iris looked at Elona with pity. He was actually very curious about what happened at Armelin. The last news he heard was that Elona had fainted. The girl was unconscious until Stefan had to go see her there. But seeing that her sister-in-law was just answering her question uninspiredly, Iris was unwilling to press her any further.

“Yes, you can tell me later. For now, rest. Later I will have the waiter prepare hot chocolate for you.”

Elona walked unsteadily towards her room on the second floor, accompanied by servants carrying her belongings in the back.

As soon as Iris saw that Elona's back had moved away, she turned to Ryndall, who was standing next to her. The man looked tired after accompanying Elona on the way back to the capital.

“What happened to Elona actually?” asked the woman, still unable to hide her curiosity.

“Ah, that's Madam, actually Mr. Vandyke following Miss Elona to Armelin.” said Ryndall.

“What, Louis?! Then what happened?!”

“I don't know the exact circumstances, but after Miss Elona came home to accompany Mr. Vandyke from the city, she fainted and was unconscious for days. Then as soon as she woke up, Miss Elona heard the news that her factory had a fire explosion.”

“Hah?! Who did it??” Iris was really flabbergasted to hear the story of Ryndall who stated Elona was hit by misfortune twice in a row. The secretary just sighed and shook her head.

“That's what we don't know yet. Therefore, Mr. Stefan is still in Armelin to explore and find traces of the culprit. Tuan asked Miss Elona to return to the capital to avoid excessive stress.” explained Ryndall at length.

“Please skeali Elona..” says Iris feels sorry. “Then I have to make him cheerful as ever while he is here."

*****

“Mai, just put the stuff there. Just release it later. I want to get some rest.” Elona said to Mai who helped bring large bags and suitcases from the horse carriage to the room.

Immediately, Mai tidied the suitcases in the corner of the room together with the other servants, and left the room.

Elona threw her body on the bed. Although it had not been slept by its owner for more than a year, the bed linen smelled fragrant, as just yesterday he went from the capital to Armelin. The fragrance from his bed was a little able to calm his mind that was so stifled at the moment.

Just a month ago, Elona was able to find a yeast substitute to make tempeh in this fantasy world. Though he just finished making three basic foods from soy, namely soy milk, tofu and tempeh. Just now he wanted to celebrate his success as a successful soybean entrepreneur. But it is the misfortune that has befallen him at this time.

Approximately, who has done it? Did I do anything wrong to anyone else, so anyone would want to see me miserable? Could it be that the culprit was envious of my success?

But..who? As I recall, this family does not have such a meaningful enemy, let alone in business. All the food products I made also did not interfere with the market economy.

Except soy milk, anyway, which was a polemic because it competed with animal milk. But after Duchess Nania explained the differences between soy milk and animals, the cow's dairy association members accepted the existence of soy milk in the end.

Then, if not in terms of business, is there anyone who hates me to the point of destroying my business?

Elona closed her eyes for a moment while thinking. Suddenly he remembered someone who might currently hate him and carried out the explosion as revenge.

Louis. Now he should also be in the capital, right? Is he probably the culprit? Considering everything I've done to her lately, it's no wonder that she wants to see me in distress right now. It could be, right?

Elona jumped from her bed after finding a bright spot. He ran out of the room and found a guard standing at the door.

“Guard, please tell the servants to get my clothes ready immediately. I want to go somewhere right now.”

*****

“Elona... You are here?”

Louis was quite surprised once his servant delivered a visitor to his ailing self, and it turned out to be Elona Locke, his former fiancee. The man did not expect that Elona would visit him after what he had done to the girl.

Elona herself entered Louis's room with a feeling of indecision. For years he did not enter this room. Since childhood, Elona often invited Louis to his room to play.

The activity stopped when they were getting older and because Louis was getting away. Elona also did not expect that the day would come when she set foot into this room again.

“Hai.” greet Elona. Louis smiled at the girl.

“Hai, come in.”

Just entering half the room, Elona's footsteps came to a halt. He was stunned when he saw Louis had to compress his upper arm with water. It appears that the man's arms and calves are swollen.

“This.... because you work in my field..?”

“Ah! Don't think about it, really! I'm fine, it's just a regular injury. Just need to rest.” said Louis so that Elona does not feel guilty.

However, still, the look on Elona's face showed regret. Moreover, Elona had been to the Vandyke residence to determine whether Louis was the perpetrator of the explosion. But after seeing Louis' condition and what he said to keep Elona from feeling guilty, it seemed impossible.

And sure enough, with regret so deep, Elona lowered her head apologizing to Louis.

“I'm sorry. Though I have been told that you work endlessly on my field, but I instead let you in the hope that you will be deterred by your actions. I didn't expect it to be like this. Sorry!”

“Hey, stop! I did it because I felt guilty for you, why even be you apologizing?!” louis, then looked into Elona's eyes.

“I'm sorry for everything I've done so far. I know I've done a lot of wrong to you, and maybe you won't want to forgive me.”

“Indeed, I won't forgive you!” exclaims Elona by putting up a haughty face, making Louis snatch unacceptable.

“As long as we haven't shaken hands, I won't forgive you!” Elona glanced at Louis and chuckled. Louis who realized being bullied by the girl again immediately laughed.

Louis stuck out his hand and said, “Friends?”

Elona smiled to welcome him, “Friends!”

*****

“Oh yes, by the way, who told you that I was working on your farm during the night?” asked Louis curiously.

Elona sighed before answering her, “Kiara told me.”

“What?! Kiara?! She met you?” louis was surprised. Elona also agreed.

“Yes, he came to my house and begged me to forgive you immediately and free you from guilt, so that you stop working in the fields.”

“Kiara begged you?! He actually did it??”

“Hahh, that's why I told you, right?” Elona nodded with keki. “I told you from the beginning, just give your heart to him! Look, after everything you've done to her, she's still willing to defend you to such an extent!”

“Kiara...” Louis was stunned to hear Elona's explanation. “I also feel guilty for him.”.

“You've chosen him over me, and I accept that. Never mind, don't plan anymore. He's been by your side all this time, hasn't he?”

Louis responded with silence and silence listening to Elona's words. His ex was right. Let him not make the same mistake with Kiara, as he did with Elona.

“You yourself, how?” louis' turn to ask, made Elona raise her eyebrows.

“What is how?”

“What is your relationship with the young man.. Who did you call him? Art?”

At once, Elona's face was red like a strawberry. “I have nothing to do with him yet!”

“You said ‘not’, means ‘akan’?” Louis teased the girl.

“I don't know..” suddenly Elona replied in a weak tone. “It's been over a week I haven't seen him. I also did not receive any news from him.”.

Louis looked at the sad Elona for a moment. The man suspects that the girl must not have known Art's true identity, which is the only son of the most influential duke in the country.

“Surely he loves you very much yes, surpass me first.” Louis breathed. Actually he did not want to defend the man, especially in a way that hid his identity from Elona. But he also did not want to see the girl getting sadder.

“Already. We'll discuss something else, yeah!” Louis tried to shift the topic. “Why go to the capital? What about your factory job at Armelin?”

Being asked that, made Elona even more moody. Louis was confused when he realized it. “Eh? What was? I mispronounced?”

“It's okay, because you don't know what happened. My factory... just had a great explosion a few days ago..”.

“What?! What happened??”

“I don't know, Louis..Fortunately, there were no fatalities due to the occurrence of early morning after work hours were completed. However, the losses due to the burning of products that are still in the factory are quite large. I have to start everything from zero again.”.

Louis became furious after hearing the story. “This is crazy! Who did it! And how??”

“Entahlah... the culprit shot a fire arrow into the exhaust gas pipe hole that he had already punched before. The fire in the arrowhead made the gas ignited and burned everything, and-“

“Wait! Gas disposal?” Louis asked not understanding.

“Iya, sewage gas tofu. The gas will burn if ignited by fire!” obviously Elona is short.

“Really?” louis asked still in disbelief. “I do not know if there is gas that can burn if exposed to fire..”.

“There. Methane gas is one of them. But the people of this world may not know it because the technology has not yet gotten there.”

“This world?” Louis asked in confusion. “You talk as if you are not a person of this world alone!”

“Eh?! Ah, I mispronounced!” Elona realizes that she is upset about her origin which is not from this fantasy world, to Louis who does not know who she really is. Luckily, Louis did not suspect him.

Eh, right too. supposedly, the people of this world do not know that the gas from the waste knows it can burn. But the perpetrator of this explosion knew it and ignited the fire…?

What does it mean, the culprit is not from this world either, just like me?

An almost impossible conclusion came to Elona's head. And with that also, the guess who the perpetrator concocts on someone.

“Louis, I'll go home first! I want to send a letter to Brother Stefan about the culprit!” elona exclaimed as she moved from her seat.

“Eh? Do you know who did it? You sure?”

“Not sure, anyway! But today I will make sure!”

*****

...\=\= original writing by @author.ryby \=\=...

...\=\= cover art by @fuheechi_ \=\=...