The Girl Who Was Forced by Her Stepsister to Marry the Cursed Duke - CH 26

Chapter 26: Meeting with the Real Face on Money

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“Now then, please get on board.”

“Uu….”

I couldn’t help but let my voice trailed off. T-this was the first time I ever saw a carriage being pulled by automata! The horses were automata!

Of course, the ride felt so comfortable. Both the suspension and the spring worked really well, I couldn’t even feel any bump even when we crossed a bad road. When I was riding a normal stagecoach, the repetitive oscillation would make my derriere sore but in this carriage, I could ride inside it all day long and my derriere would be all glossy and shiny.

“Well then Bhadra, please take us to Ars’ place.”

『Certainly, master.』

“T-The horse can talk….?!”

N-No. That’s not it. If I’m not wrong, all automata belonging to Duke Lönnrot are being controlled by Bhadra-sama… That’s why we’re able to converse in this way…!

I heard that Bhadra-sama was a combination of “the duke’s butler”, “Maricle-sama’s magic teacher” and “a bad senior”. It was said he was over 70 years old but his high magical power protected his body from aging and so he was able to maintain the appearance of a man in his 30s. He was an amazing person who had served the Duke Lönnrot family since Maricle-sama’s grandfather’s generation.

T-to think he’s actually such a great magician…! I was sure he was a she! I sort of had an imagination of a woman wearing a maid uniform when I think of Bhadra-sama…

“Pfft.. Bhadra… A woman….!”

Somehow my imagination really hit the bullseye for Maricle-sama.

No but… Who would’ve thought someone who knows more about dress than me and controls maid type automata is actually a man?! Not to mention, the voice coming from the automata sounds so feminine to match the doll’s appearance…

“My apologies… That’s right… No, but, that… When you see his unshaven face… Pfft…. F-Fufufu- Pffgh.”

Even though I was being laughed at for what I had said, for some reason I didn’t feel like I was being ridiculed or looked down on by Maricle-sama. Instead, seeing him acting like this actually made me smile too.

While we were busy chattering together, we finally arrived at our destination. The whole ride felt so smooth, like we were gliding instead of riding a horse carriage.

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“Hoo? So you’re the count daughter who has won my Maricle’s heart?”

What?! What?! Whaaaaaaat?!!!

I silently screamed.

Right now… I can see the owner of the smiling face engraved on this country’s 『silver coin』standing  in front of me…

『Demon Killer Hero』『The Great Patriot』『Holy Sword Master』…. Numerous sagas were sung about him… The beholder of two great nicknames… He was this country’s crown prince.

He was the leader of the party designated to defeat the demon king. He was the strongest hero, a warrior who had served this country along with Maricle-sama.

T-that’s right…. Maricle-sama is the head of the Duke Lönnrot  family, of course he’s friends with someone of this caliber…! Of course he won’t befriend an old fisherman or a female diver…!

Ars-sama… The prince… Rather than having a rough body befitting of a ‘veteran’, his well-proportioned body was like a piece of art. The refreshing smile of this blue-haired beauty must’ve been seen by everyone born in this country at least once in their life.

Why, you ask? Because the face of His Majesty the King was engraved on this country’s 『gold coin』. It was customary to have our crown prince’s face engraved on the『silver coin』. Thanks to the precision cutting done by a magic printer, every citizen of this country knew very well the face of the royal family.

By the way, the face on the coin would be decided when someone got enthroned and in return, when that someone got dethroned, the face on the coin would also be replaced. Therefore, the question of who was the most good looking royals throughout all generations…. Well to be fair, that question was a little disrespectful but that question was the best conversation topic between the citizens.

Furthermore, when the position was vacant, the face engraved on the coins would be replaced by this country’s coat of arms. Usually, the value of the coins were determined by simple ‘gold’ or ‘silver’ coins but in the case of silver coins with the face of Ars-sama engraved on it, the silver coin became even more valuable! It was because of how beautifully engraved this handsome man’s face was! This was indeed a rare phenomenon that rarely happened throughout the royal family generations.

Of course, this generation’s silver coin was the most popular silver coin of all time.

Especially because the silver coin was made from silver so it wasn’t durable. It would always wear out overtime and so the value of silver coins became even greater than it actually was because women all over the country would be overjoyed to receive silver coins in pristine condition.

Indeed, his smile was truly the face of money.

Uwahhhhh!!! What should I do??? Silver coin-sama is smiling!! Silver coin-sama is moving!!

“Fufufu… Maricle… You… You have pretty good eyes, huh. As expected from my best friend!”

Pwahhhhh!! Silver coin-sama’s 100 watt smile is so dazzling!!

Ah… I think I must’ve used up all of my luck in this meeting, huh? I don’t have much luck in the first place but to think I’m able to speak directly with the face of money himself…!

Calm down, Miltia! It’s alright! I… I never own any expensive thing like silver coins! I’ve only ever seen it!! After all, no matter how pretty a silver coin is, you can’t eat it even if you boil or roast it!!

“Y-Yes!! I-It’s pleasure to meet you for the first time, Your Highness! M-My name is Miltia Lyran!!”