Revenge Costs Interest [EN]: Chapter 125

Who Will Be the Princess’s Husband?

Allen sought out the best orthopedic surgeon and underwent surgery.

Almost two months had passed since he was admitted to Landes’s hospital, and today was finally the day to remove the bandages from his face.

He waited with a trembling heart.

“I will remove the bandages.”

As the doctor slowly began to unwrap the bandages covering Allen’s face, Allen’s heart pounded.

He had never been so afraid in his life. And even now, he cursed Terrence for ruining his face.

“Take a look in the mirror.”

The doctor examined Allen’s condition from every angle after removing the bandages. Soon, he handed Allen a mirror.

Allen took a deep breath before looking in the mirror.

“The surgery was successful.”

Somewhat relieved by the doctor’s words, Allen lifted the mirror and looked at his face.

“Ugh…!”

He groaned instinctively. It was much better than before the surgery, but he couldn’t completely regain his former face.

“This… this isn’t right!”

“It’s because the swelling hasn’t subsided yet.”

“Will I be able to get my old face back when the swelling goes down?”

At Allen’s question, the doctor made a serious face and shook his head.

“You can think of it as about 70% restored.”

“70%?”

He looked at his face in the mirror again.

No matter how he looked at it, it wasn’t the smooth and handsome features he once had.

You could say he could no longer be called the most handsome man in Galdenia.

“This is the best that current medical technology can do.”

The doctor explained in detail using professional terms, but Allen didn’t hear a word.

Only the result mattered to him.

The first thought that came to his mind when he saw his face was just one thing:

A distorted David statue.

Allen suppressed his resentment, but he couldn’t help but clench his fists and tremble.

‘Terrence Courtois! I’m going to kill you!’

Seeing his ruined face, he felt as desperate as if he had fallen into hell.

In addition, his limbs trembled with a desire for revenge against Terrence.

If he could only destroy Terrence, he would do anything. What would be good? He pondered countless things in an instant.

‘That’s right, I’ll ruin what he cherishes most.’

Just as Terrence had trampled on what was most precious to him, he would pay him back in the same way.

‘If I did it once, why can’t I do it twice?’

He would trample on Grace Vizak like Leah Hamilton, or even more cruelly. That way, Terrence’s pain would be greater.

Attacking him now was meaningless. It was much more effective to target each person’s weak spot.

“Secretary!”

Allen shouted loudly, and the secretary, who was right outside the hospital room door, rushed in.

“Find out what Grace Vizak is currently doing and what her future plans are. Even the smallest things are fine. Thoroughly observe and report on her movements.”

“Shall we bribe an employee at the Duke’s residence?”

“Use any means necessary. I don’t care how much money it costs, find out everything about that woman and how things are going at the Duke’s residence without missing a single detail.”

“Yes, sir.”

The secretary was about to turn around after receiving the instructions, but stopped and hesitated, looking at Allen.

“Is there anything else to say?”

“I think you should see this.”

The secretary handed Allen a newspaper.

* * *

Leah watched Alicia practice every day without fail.

Alicia asked to bring not only women with smallpox scars like Theresa, but also women with more severe scars such as burns and cuts.

“You’re working very hard, Alicia!”

“Miss Grace.”

“You can just call me Grace.”

“No. We need to be clear about our relationship.”

Leah still couldn’t believe the changed Alicia.

She even doubted if this woman was the one who had brutally terrorized her.

Sarah, who was watching with her, felt the same way.

However, Alicia’s change was understandable.

What a great opportunity it was to be able to stand on her own two feet in society with her skills.

She wouldn’t want to spend the rest of her life catering to men she didn’t even like.

Moreover, courtesans are treated as obsolete when they get old, and a person’s life is casually dismissed.

“Your skills are improving day by day, aren’t they?”

“It’s because Oliver makes good cosmetics. If I could see Empress Theresa’s actual skin, I could perfectly match the correction cream….”

That was impossible. Theresa’s face was only in the portrait painted around the time she ascended the throne.

Then Leah’s mind flashed.

“Sarah, isn’t Count Roberto staying at the Duke’s residence?”

“Yes, he’s busy playing billiards with Louis every day.”

“Bring Count Roberto here.”

“Yes, I will.”

After Sarah hurriedly left, Leah told Alicia the good news.

That Salame Roberto was Theresa’s son.

She told her that although he was a man, he looked very similar to Theresa’s portrait.

“Then his skin tone must be similar too.”

Alicia also rejoiced. But her face soon darkened.

She seemed to have something else to say to Leah.

“Miss, what happened to my siblings?”

Alicia was worried about her three siblings.

One of them was with her, but the whereabouts of the other two were unknown.

“I sent them to Galdenia. As employees of the Allen McDowell family.”

“Employees?”

Alicia didn’t say anything for a while, as if trying to figure out Leah’s intentions.

But soon she seemed to have figured it out, and her eyes sparkled.

“You’re going to use them as informants, right?”

“That’s right. I decided that Alicia’s siblings were the right people.”

“They’ll do well.”

Alicia had heard roughly the story from Leah.

That Terrence and McDowell were not on good terms and were competing with each other.

Even if that wasn’t the case, she had heard good and bad information about Allen while living as a courtesan, so she wasn’t completely unaware.

“Richard Hamilton, the head of the trading company, was a very good person.”

“Yes?”

Alicia surprised Leah with her unexpected words.

How did she know her father?

Of course, she would have heard of the name of a famous trading company owner.

Still, saying that he was a good person meant that they had a connection.

“When I first started as a courtesan, I was penniless. To become one of the few courtesans who deal with royalty or nobles, I had to receive education—music, art, political economy, humanities, etc. I needed a lot of money. The person who sponsored me at that time was the head of the Hamilton Trading Company.”

“I… see.”

“So I didn’t believe it. He wouldn’t be the one to smuggle poppy flowers [opium]. This is just my guess, but I suspect that man, Allen McDowell. And the fact that Hamilton’s daughter died on her wedding day….”

At her words, Leah’s heart beat rapidly.

“Alicia, do you know anything more about the head of the Hamilton Trading Company?”

“No. I don’t. Why do you need to know so badly…?”

“It’s nothing like that.”

“If I remember anything else or find out any other information later, I’ll be sure to tell you.”

“Thank you, Alicia.”

In fact, it wasn’t just because Alicia’s makeup skills were excellent that she was being sent as Theresa’s maid.

If Alicia gained the Emperor’s trust, it would be easier to take revenge on Allen.

Courtesans are skilled at understanding and responding to people’s tendencies.

Just then, Terrence appeared with a newspaper.

“Where’s Louis?”

As soon as he finished speaking, Salame and Louis appeared at the same time. Of course, Sarah also came in with them.

Everyone looked at Terrence. They were curious about what he was going to say.

“Your Excellency Roberto, your mother has issued a decree to select a royal consort [husband for the reigning monarch]?”

Terrence smiled at Salame and handed him the newspaper.

On the other hand, Salame had a bewildered expression.

“This time, foreign royalty, nobles, and talented commoners are also eligible to apply.”

He looked at Leah and said. Then Terrence and Leah’s eyes turned to one place.

“Why are you two looking at me like that?”

Louis was at a loss, suddenly feeling Leah and Terrence’s persistent gaze on him.

Meanwhile, Sarah and Alicia, who already knew the reason, covered their mouths with their hands and tried to hold back their laughter.

“Louis, you go. To Galdenia.”

“Yes? Why am I going to Galdenia…? Don’t tell me, are you thinking of me as a husband for the Princess of Galdenia?”

“Yes.”

Leah and Terrence answered at the same time.

Frankly, if he were to become a royal consort, it would be an unparalleled honor for the Vallier Marquis family.

Leah could picture the Vallier Marchioness’s triumphant appearance.

In an instant, Leah found it hard to bear the excitement that bloomed in her chest.

If Louis and Alicia, her people, became the Emperor of Galdenia’s closest aides, it would be a great help to her.

In addition, Count Arthur Wellington was also reinvestigating as the Chief of Police, so the day to reveal the truth was not far off.

“Oh! My mother drops bombs like this. I’m sorry, but I’ll have to return to Galdenia now.”

Salame’s complexion was not very good.

Meanwhile, Alicia carefully examined Salame and kept tilting her head.

‘He looks exactly like Empress Theresa.’

That’s why they say blood is thicker than water.

She carefully examined Salame’s complexion before he left.

That way, she could match the right skin tone.

“Your Excellency Roberto, you seem to have become very close to Louis. Why don’t you have a meal together before you go?”

Terrence looked at Louis and Salame alternately and grinned.

“There’s no need for that.”

Salame tried hard to refuse.

“Well, you’ll be meeting Louis soon at the Galdenia Imperial Palace because Louis will be attending the royal consort selection.”

Leah had a slight feeling that Terrence was teasing Salame.

Besides, Salame’s reaction was strange.

Why was he so serious about choosing a husband for his younger sister? He should be happy.

‘Could it be that he doesn’t like Louis as his younger sister’s husband?’

The person who came to mind at the end of that thought was Allen.

‘That human will also participate in the selection.’

So she had to stop him at all costs.

‘Allen, you will never be the Princess’s husband. I will stop you no matter what.’