The Reincarnated Noble Lady is the Infamous Viscount's Heir - I've Accepted a Contract Marriage for Estate Management. - Chapter 1.22

The amount of information I had to process in the carriage was draining my energy, but we finally arrived at the Russells Trading House.

Does Lord Rockwell favor the Russells Trading House because of its reputation, or is it because his fiancée—me—has a connection with them?

It’s probably the former.

After all, the Russells are not only wealthy merchants but also political ones. They likely handle everything from military supplies to the finest accessories. I even remember my brother-in-law once boasting, “We stock everything from bullets to handkerchiefs.”

“I wanted to formally greet your eldest sister,” Vincent said.

…So, it’s the latter.

Is someone as remarkable as him really going to be my fiancé? Is this where my life peaks?

When we entered the fashion department, my sister Patricia, who had been informed of our arrival, greeted us warmly.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lord Rockwell. I am Patricia Russells,” she said gracefully, exuding the poise of a noblewoman married to a prominent merchant.

“No need for formalities, Lady Russells. I regret that we couldn’t greet each other properly last time,” Vincent replied.

“You’re too kind, Lord Rockwell.”

“I’ve heard that you played a significant role in raising Grace as the head of the Wilcox family. Today, I’m here to gift her a dress,” Vincent explained.

“Grace’s measurements are already on file, so why don’t we review the design sketches together?” Patricia suggested.

Of course, the last ball wasn’t too long ago, so there’s no need to remeasure me.

“I always worried that Grace might miss her chance to marry since she shouldered the responsibilities of the viscountcy, but now I’m relieved,” Patricia said.

“I wanted to propose much earlier,” Vincent admitted, “but if I’d done so right after her previous engagement ended, it might have caused rumors. I had to wait for the right moment, but then I became tied up with work.”

“Oh my, so you’ve been interested in my sister for that long?” Patricia asked, intrigued.

“Actually, I’ve had my eye on her since her debut,” Vincent said, glancing at me with those amethyst-like eyes that caught mine.

“I was disappointed to hear she was already engaged back then, but it seems patience can pay off,” he added with a gentle smile.

Patricia returned his smile, clearly pleased.

“I’d also like to arrange for Grace to have a personal maid. I wanted to run this by you, Lady Russells, since I know she consults with you about household matters,” Vincent continued.

“Grace has taken on the responsibilities of estate management and leading the viscount family, so I do offer her advice when needed. When you brought up this proposal, I was already considering sending a maid from our trading house to the Wilcox household,” Patricia admitted.

I wasn’t expecting that, though knowing my sister, I shouldn’t be surprised.

“In fact, there’s someone who specifically requested to work as Grace’s maid,” Patricia added.

“Oh?” I couldn’t hide my surprise.

Who would make such a request? It would make sense if they wanted to work for Jessica, but for me?

I glanced at Vincent, who nodded approvingly.

“That’s fine. Grace will need loyal servants in the future. I’ll also assign someone from my side. However, the person Lady Russells suggested might not fully meet Grace’s preferences,” Vincent noted.

Patricia raised an eyebrow, silently asking me what he meant.

“I requested someone familiar with high-society soirées since I’ll likely attend more of them in the future,” I explained.

Patricia nodded in understanding. “I see. The person I had in mind is more interested in the projects Grace is involved in, so their role may not overlap.”

“Lord Rockwell’s territory is quite different from the Wilcox lands. Are they prepared for that?” Patricia asked.

“It doesn’t matter where the territory is,” Vincent replied confidently. “They seem to admire Grace’s ability to transform any land into a flourishing estate. It’s as if she’s an alchemist.”

That’s too much praise! Stop raising the bar so high!

“My sister isn’t just a pretty face, Lord Rockwell,” Patricia said smugly.

“I know,” Vincent replied simply.

His response left me flustered. My expression probably stayed neutral, but inside, I was squirming. Compliments are nice, but this was almost too much.

“Now, about the ball dress,” Patricia said, steering the conversation back. “Grace, leave it to me. The designer from last time would love to work on your dress again. I already have a few sketches on hand.”

“I’d like one ready quickly,” Vincent said.

“Of course. I’ll ensure it’s prepared in time. I’ll even have it designed to match your eye color, Lord Rockwell,” Patricia said with a smile.

“That’s wonderful,” Vincent said, clearly pleased.

Ah, so it’s a high-society custom to match the dress to the fiancé’s eye color?

What happens if the fiancé’s eyes are black or brown? Would they use it as an accent color, like with amber or obsidian accessories? That seems likely.

Patricia handed me the design sketches, and all I had to do was pick the one I liked. This level of luxury wasn’t something most people experienced—it was a privilege of being connected to the Russells Trading House.

Patricia looked thrilled.

“Grace is more on the elegant side, unlike Jessica, who’s adorably sweet. That makes it easier to design for my tastes,” Patricia said.

“Jessica is adorable. Sweet concepts suit her well,” I agreed.

Patricia smiled warmly. “You notice everything about others but rarely take care of yourself, which is why I want to pamper you. Jessica, on the other hand, does everything herself.”

I couldn’t argue with that.

When I glanced at Vincent, he was smiling at me.

“You two are such a close-knit pair of sisters,” he remarked.

Considering Vincent’s age and position as an earl, I wondered if he had siblings. As a military aristocrat, perhaps not?

I’d need to check the materials Ada gave me later. I was supposed to review them on the way back, but Vincent personally came to pick me up, so I hadn’t had the chance.

The truth is, our closeness as siblings came from our shared determination to protect our family.