[Chapter 139] The Real Owner of Mori's Top

"You're so beautiful!"

Diane had been nagging since earlier, looking up at the White Swan Castle.

Neris made a sulky face, and Joyce, who was in the same carriage with the two ladies, had a worried expression. It was even more so because Diane kept fidgeting her buttocks uncharacteristically for a noble lady.

"Dee, be careful. You should sit quietly in a moving carriage."

"The castle is so beautiful that other buildings are blocking the view. Like this! Do you have to twist your body to see better?"

"You can look as much as you want while staying."

"You can't see the whole castle from inside the castle. Brother, I want to enjoy the excitement of this moment now. Stop nagging."

Neris, who couldn't stand the siblings' affectionate bickering, intervened.

"If you want to go out and play outside the castle while staying, then look at it again from outside. It's dangerous now because it's a steep road. Sit quietly."

Diane quickly became quiet. Joyce thanked Neris with her eyes.

After a while, the carriage stopped in front of the gate of the White Swan Castle. When the carriage door opened, Joyce got off first and held Diane's hand.

The white castle was truly elegant and beautiful. Although the architecture of the castle was somewhat different from what Diane usually saw, there was no denying the fact that it was aesthetically excellent. Diane looked at the castle with wide eyes, feeling good.

It was when Joyce reached out to help Neris get off next. Claude, who had arrived at the castle gate before the carriage with the Platinum Knights, suddenly reached out his hand.

"Excuse me."

"Neris took his hand and got off the carriage. It was a light and fresh movement.

Joyce withdrew his hand awkwardly. At that moment, a woman approached and bowed her head.

"Miss Mori."

Diane greeted her warmly first.

"Nice to see you after a long time."

Joan Mori smiled broadly and politely returned the greeting.

It was a long-awaited reunion.

❖ ❖ ❖

Although she hadn't been away for long, Ellen, upon seeing Neris, had a face that seemed like she would burst into tears. Compared to her, the mother, who seemed relieved after confirming her daughter's safety, appeared rather cynical.

"Are you really okay, miss? An assassination? What did our miss do to deserve such a heinous act!"

Since opening the Duchess Dowager's bedroom, Ellen had shown more intense emotions in front of Neris than before. While she remained competent and dignified, she sometimes genuinely smiled surprisingly and her voice became assertive when she got angry.

Neris knew what this change meant. She had gained a person.

Naturally, even her way of speaking to her had become more relaxed.

"I'm fine, Ellen. We caught all the culprits and now I'm back."

"It's really fortunate that Your Highness could go out to meet. How about increasing the guards in the palace? There are guests in the castle, so we need to be more careful."

"Yes, let's do that. Take care of the MacKinnon people too."

"Of course. The Viscountess is a distant relative of the miss, right? I've prepared everything to make sure you're comfortable."

"Thank you. It's reassuring when Ellen says so."

While Ellen and Neris were having a proper conversation, Dora helped Neris change her clothes. The clothes that had been brought down to Dreycum were all of good quality, but they didn't look as good after going through a journey.

Dora, who was adjusting the chest of the dress, which was bright and did not violate etiquette, said cheerfully.

"It seems like the clothes have shrunk a bit, miss."

"Yeah, it seems like I've gained some weight lately. You're sure about it since you said so."

Neris responded without much comment.

The current outfit could be adjusted to fit the wearer's body by adjusting the straps, so there was no problem, but there were many other clothes that couldn't. Although she thought about making new clothes every time, it was a bit bothersome. She thought that since she had stopped growing, except for essential cases, she wouldn't need to make new clothes.

"Weight gain? It's not that, Liz."

Upon hearing her daughter's words, the mother chuckled. When Neris widened her eyes, her mother kindly explained.

"It's just that your body has fully grown, so the lines are softening. It will be like that for the next few years. I was the same. I was very thin when I was growing taller, and my body changed over a few years as I became an adult."

"Really?"

Neris was unusually surprised. Her eyes went down to her body.

Contrary to her mother's words, Neris had not experienced the lines 'softening' after becoming an adult in her previous life. Whether during her school days, after graduation becoming a Duchess, or even after becoming a Crown Princess, she was always the same thin person.

However, in this life, her body shape was strangely different.

Mother kissed Neris on her freshly combed hair and said, "My child, go and do what you need to do. Always remember that your safety is the top priority."

"Yes, Mother."

The place where Mother's lips touched was warm. Neris smiled and walked out of the room with Dora.

As they stepped out of the Duchess's residence, they saw a well-kept courtyard blooming with summer flowers. The delicate structure of the neatly repaired greenhouse sparkled in the sunlight, and clear water flowed like crystals along the edge of the flowerbeds.

The transformed appearance of the courtyard from the White Swan Castle to the Duchess's residence seemed so natural that it didn't even become a topic of discussion. As Dora walked diligently along the edge of the courtyard, she asked Neris,

"If you enter negotiations, the MacKinnon Viscount might be surprised. Should I prepare something in advance?"

"No, Joyce will quickly understand the situation."

The people of the White Swan Castle roughly knew that the Mori's Top belonged to Neris. It had never been officially announced, but otherwise, Lady Joan wouldn't have suddenly come to the remote Fenwick and stayed there for the past few months.

She supplied the people of Maindland with the necessary items at a fair price and sold them worthless items at a high price in the South. While behaving ideally like a Green, Joan Mori never acted servile or patronizing.

She simply adhered to the principle that 'a deal is effective when it benefits both parties.' Upholding that principle in any situation was challenging, despite being easy to say.

Three seasons were not enough time for the people of Maindland to fully trust the Top from the South. Nevertheless, the Mori's Top had a good image and was doing quite well in business.

Even if the negotiations for the future trade between the Mori's Top and the MacKinnon Top were to take place in the Ducal Palace, everyone would think, 'Ultimately, it's good for Maindland.'

'Of course, it would look better if it were done elsewhere, but we should provide the venue here.'

The headquarters of the Mori's Top was registered as located in Joan's hometown, but that was simply for administrative convenience. Depending on how things unfolded, Neris was also considering moving the headquarters of the Mori's Top to Maindland.

'In case Kamil can't lay a hand on Joan.'

In case.

Neris didn't exactly know what that meant. However, in the not-so-distant future, everything would start moving in earnest.

'I've made the first move by releasing Viscount Tiphian.'

Allies needed to be moved to the safest place possible, and those in ambiguous positions needed to be relocated to a position where their stance was clear.

Joan was sailing with Neris in terms of position. As seen in the recent assassination incident, Kamil had already started to take action, so more attention needed to be paid to her safety. Being in Maindland would at least be physically safer than anywhere in the Empire.

Joan's siblings had grown enough over the past few years to help with their sister's work. When they were relocated, Joan would be somewhat free from personal threats.

With that plan in mind, Neris hoped that the Mori's Top would build up enough capability against the MacKinnon Top in this agreement. Even if Neris failed, Joan would survive and continue to live.

And now, the MacKinnon people were also added to the list of those to be protected in that plan.

So, Neris hoped that the MacKinnon Top would also be well informed. What a dignified partner in Maindland could possess.

Including the knowledge of her future.

'Packaged with information and handed over little by little, it should be enough. The MacKinnon Top has power in itself, so if we seize the opportunity, it will bloom widely.'

Upon arriving at the main palace, the courtier who had been waiting guided Neris to the conference room. The MacKinnon knights who were ceremonially guarding the front of the conference room looked at Neris with puzzled expressions.

"I've come to participate in the meeting, so open the door."

The knight knew Neris well and understood that Joyce and Diane would never leave her outside under any circumstances. Moreover, as someone indebted to this castle, he had no grounds to obstruct her entry.

There was no reason to refuse Neris's orders in any aspect, so the knight opened the door obediently, yet his face showed confusion. And as the door opened, Joyce, who turned her gaze this way, also had the same puzzled expression.

"Lady Neris?"

"Miss."

Joan and Joyce both stood up out of respect and courtesy. As Neris entered the conference room, she slightly held her skirt in a gesture of respect.

Seeing Neris naturally sit next to Joan, Joyce's eyes widened for a moment. Joan spoke politely.

"Allow me to introduce. This is the true owner of the Mori's Top."

"What?"

Joyce's mouth fell open. He bit his lip a moment later. Being diligent, he quickly understood.

"Sorry for the trouble, Lady Neris. If the negotiation doesn't suit you, Dee might have to hang me."

It was his own kind of joke. Neris chuckled.

"Don't worry, Lord Joyce. Dee might come to me feeling sorry, so it's fine."

Her eyes sparkled with amusement. This kind of conversation was her specialty, having dealt with diplomacy countless times in her previous life.

Joyce vaguely sensed the fate approaching him and smiled faintly.

And five hours later, with a surprised and tired face, but satisfied, he left the conference room.