The Munchkin Princess Wants to Run Away – Chapter 9

Author: isuzuuy

“Please come out more often. My work efficiency drops when I don’t get to see the beautiful Lady Ivanna often enough.”

Ivanna, who had been looking over some documents, burst out laughing when Elisa rubbed her cheek against hers.

“What are you talking about? You do just fine without me.”

“I’m telling you, seeing a beautiful person gives me more energy.”

“Elisa, you’re prettier than I am. What are you talking about?”

Hair as red as a blazing torch, and scarlet eyes brimming with confidence.

Elisa had a face beautiful enough to make anyone turn around for a second look, along with a firm, shapely figure.

Compared to her, Ivanna was nothing but scrawny and pale.

She had a weak, pitiful look about her, so no matter how fiercely she glared or how much she tried to look intimidating, she never seemed frightening.

I have to stay on my toes, or some con artist will come sniffing around.

In fact, when she had first started the trading company, all sorts of shady people had flocked to her.

She had been forced to start her business with barely enough money to buy a bowl of soup with a few scraps of meat in it.

Yet there had been people who tried to swindle her out of sums smaller than the dust on her clothes.

“Oh, my goodness, Lady Ivanna! If you had entered high society, families would have been lining up to ask for your hand in marriage!”

And after this wedding, rumors had spread everywhere that an angel had descended from heaven!

Unable to contain her frustration, Elisa wrapped her arms tightly around Ivanna.

This beautiful, lovable princess needed someone who understood her worth and would cherish her.

That was why Elisa had done everything in her power to keep Ivanna’s abilities hidden and protect her until she could meet someone good.

And yet, of all people, she had ended up marrying the cold, dreary Duke Reynold. The imperial family had practically sold their princess to the highest bidder.

When news of the princess’s marriage spread throughout the capital, no one was more furious than Elisa.

She had thought the imperial family might send Ivanna to a monastery because she was an inadequate princess who had failed to receive divine power, but instead, they had suddenly pushed her into marriage.

If Elisa had known beforehand, she would have found a decent young man from another family and arranged for him to marry Ivanna!

In her eyes, the Duke of Reynold was a man without a shred of compassion.

The strongest weapon ever raised by House Reynold. He was the most powerful human on the continent, excluding members of the imperial family who possessed divine power.

A monster who had entered the ranks of the Transcendents at the tender age of twenty.

The former duke had relinquished his title and retired to his territory as soon as his son became a Transcendent.

He had believed that his son would make House Reynold, which already wielded immense power, even stronger.

Just as the former duke had hoped, the current Duke Reynold had transformed his house into a family so formidable that it rivaled the imperial family itself.

“Wouldn’t men be lining up to marry you, Elisa, rather than me? Why are you still single?”

Ivanna smiled, her eyes curving into crescents, completely unaware of Elisa’s inner turmoil.

“I’ll be coming back late today, so I’ll help you sort through as many documents as I can.”

“Please come out as often as possible.”

Looking at the gentle Ivanna, Elisa spoke with tears in her eyes. The imperial family was the problem for neglecting a princess so capable.

“All right.”

Ivanna smiled and nodded at Elisa’s pleading scarlet eyes.

It wasn’t as though Elisa had only just started doting on her and finding her adorable.

Now that she had also received permission to go out as long as she was accompanied by guards, Ivanna had no intention of staying cooped up in the ducal estate for long, either.

It would be more convenient for the Duke if I stayed out of sight.

There was no place for her in either the imperial palace or the ducal estate.

Perhaps it would have been better if she had never been born.

As she took in the lively, bustling scene she had not enjoyed in so long, Ivanna swallowed her gloomy thoughts.

***

“It seems even the Duke doesn’t have the time to look into things at the lowest levels.”

It had already been nearly a month since she had started sneaking outside.

She had secretly hoped that her treatment would change during that time, but nothing had changed at all.

Liar.

“No matter how immense His Majesty’s power may be, his gaze can’t reach every street corner.”

Solar responded to Ivanna’s muttering with a cynical remark. The imperial family was no different.

Even the other members of the imperial family knew that their youngest princess was being treated unfairly, yet they pretended not to notice.

“Things are simply turning out as expected. That means we have no choice but to keep coming out according to plan. How about some seafood for a change? It’s been a while.”

Anthony brushed it off as nothing out of the ordinary, saying that it was no different from what Ivanna had experienced in the imperial palace.

At the mention of seafood, Ivanna’s eyes sparkled. She imagined a shallow, simmering stew filled to the brim with seafood.

The Duke had told her not to go outside until guards were assigned to ensure her safety, but she suspected they might not assign any until she was on her deathbed.

“Rather than risk attracting the Duke’s attention, we should put the plan we discussed last time into action as soon as possible.”

“I’ll make frequent visits to the estate and act as though you’re staying inside.”

“Would you do that?”

At Anthony’s suggestion, Ivanna’s expression brightened.

As long as the Duke doesn’t catch me, surely we can make this work?

Hope began to rise in her heart.

If Anthony, who was responsible for managing her daily life, occasionally walked around the estate, they could avoid arousing suspicion that she was absent.

Solar, meanwhile, handled not only matters related to the trading company but also gathered a wide range of other information, so she rarely showed her face around the ducal estate.

“We need to avoid suspicion, so let’s take a walk in the garden at least once a week.”

Ivanna smiled at the thought of escaping the ducal estate, which was no different from the imperial palace.

They gave me an excuse first, so they can’t complain if I go out often.

The corners of Ivanna’s lips curled up in satisfaction. The Duke’s concern for her safety was no problem, since she could protect herself with her divine power.

“Just in case, let’s wait a few days and see. The butler said he would issue a warning.”

That day, the three of them dined at the most famous seafood restaurant in the capital.

The next morning, after finishing breakfast with food they had bought in advance, Ivanna looked around.

By now, even the maid who was supposed to clean her room had stopped coming.

When Ivanna told the head maid what had happened, the woman said she would punish the maids responsible.

Yet no one came to clean.

So Ivanna used her divine power to help Anthony clean the room quickly.

“Let’s hang around here until lunch, then go to an expensive restaurant for dinner.”

“Sounds good.”

Seeing how delighted the two of them looked, Ivanna couldn’t hide her guilt. They were undoubtedly being treated even worse than she was.

“Since we’re staying here for a while today anyway, I should go to the library.”

Perhaps there were some unusual books in the ducal library that she hadn’t been able to read in the imperial palace.

Seeing the curiosity shining in Ivanna’s eyes, Anthony had no choice but to nod.

After finishing the meal they had brought along to make sure they wouldn’t go hungry, the three of them took a short break.

“I don’t want to eat lunch here, either. Let’s get moving.”

Ivanna sprang to her feet as she looked around the dreary drawing room and headed for the library.

The servants they encountered along the way avoided her as though she were carrying some plague.

They did offer her the proper greetings, but there was no sign of the respect one would expect for a duchess.

What a mess.

Ivanna suppressed a sneer at being treated no differently than she had been in the imperial palace.

The more power concentrated in a place, the more sensitive people became to it.

Perhaps that was why she, who couldn’t raise her voice against anyone, had always been a target of contempt.

“Has she even brushed against the Duke’s coat?”

Just as they rounded the corner leading to the library, a voice tinged with mockery came from behind them.

Why would I need to brush against his coat? It’s not as if I have any reason to see him.

Ivanna had never even imagined having a child with the Duke of Reynold.

She could remain a duchess in name only, and if he eventually brought home an illegitimate child, she could simply acknowledge that child’s right to inherit.

He had brought a princess into the ducal family because it would benefit the house. Cedric Reynold had no expectations of her whatsoever.

Their marriage was a transaction, not something founded on love or affection.

And I doubt he’d be any different with anyone else.

For the first time in a long while, Ivanna found herself thinking about the Duke.

He’s certainly handsome, but he looks like he has a nasty temper. Not my type.

She finished her assessment of the Duke as she walked down the corridor.

“It’s certainly simpler being bullied here than in the imperial palace. Who would’ve thought this level of mistreatment would feel almost bearable?”

“What?”

Once they were far enough away, Anthony made the remark in a playful tone.

Ivanna let out a little laugh at the mischievous look on his face.

“True. The imperial palace never gave us our budget on time, after all. At least the Duke makes sure we get our money.”

“I hope he won’t cut our allowance for maintaining your dignity later on, just because you’re not doing anything.”