ã€ŠThe Goal is to Become a Gold Spoon so I Need to be Completely Invulnerableã€‹


 Chapter 1

    Chapter 1

    I should thank you for pushing me down the stairs.

    I was lost in thought, rubbing the bump in my forehead. A while ago, my stepsister, Sharon, pushed me off the stairs and the shock brought back memories of my past life.

    Memories of the past life! It¡¯s funny! Cheats!

    You may want to doubt me, but I swear to God ¡­ this is real.

    In my previous life, I was an ordinary villager living in the outskirt of a small kingdom. I died in an accident before I even reached adulthood and now I was reborn as a noble of the Great Empire. The Duke of Crescente, one of the oldest family of the Great Empire Khalin. And the eldest daughter of Crescente, Adriana, that¡¯s what I am now.

    I was a commoner and now I¡¯m a princess?

    ¡°Wow, it¡¯s a gold spoon!¡±

    I¡¯m not even sure if I¡¯m going to cheer. It wasn¡¯t worth it.

    It was because the content of a novel I read in my previous life as a country girl.

    One day, a bookstore was built in the village. It quickly became a popular spot.

    In the countryside where there was limited things to do, bookstores were a facility that provided abundant entertainment for all ages. The bookstore, which rents book for 3 coppers per book, is not as big as the city¡¯s library and there were not many kind of books but the books there were still very popular.

    Since it was a small bookstore in the countryside, there was no such things as a liberal arts books that the nobility usually read, but there were a lot of novels of all genre. Among them, I and the other girls enjoyed reading romance novel the most.

    ¡°The Story of Ramona¡± is so interesting that I borrowed it a few more times after reading it for the first time. It¡¯s a romantic story but the exciting adventure of the heroine as a warrior is fascinating and cathartic so not only women, but also men read it.

    The protagonist, Ramona Alta, is the daughter of a poor knight who enters the Academy after losing her parents in early age and has no other way of living. At the academy, she meets the first prince of the Empire, Claudio Luminus de Khalin and the eldest son of Duke Crescente, Theodore Crescente.

    The three go through a series of twist and turns together and becoming friends, then Ramona and Theodore develop a feeling beyond friendship with each other.

    When the Emperor of Khalin Empire announced that he will make a competition for the princes to select the crown prince, Claudio left the Academy and returned to the empire. Ramona and Theodore decide to help him and come to the empire together.

    Despite the persistent interferences of the second prince, Claudio finally get the crown. At the end of the story, Theodore is marrying Ramona, taking back the position of the Duke who was almost taken away by his stepmother¡¯s son.

    Ramona originally was from the Kingdom of Zarku where I lived in my previous life. It was so romantic and exciting for me and my friends that a woman from our kingdom, a small country, became a Duchess of the Khalin Empire, which dominates the continent. That¡¯s why I especially liked this novel.

    Well ¡­ that¡¯s about Ramona, so what¡¯s about me, Adriana?

    Theodore¡¯s sister, Adriana was killed by her stepmother while Theodore was leaving the empire to study at the Academy.

    After knowing the death of his beloved sister, Theodore is furious and vows to take revenge. That¡¯s the end of Adriana¡¯s role. In other word, Adriana is nothing more than a role that stirs up the male lead¡¯s wrath while showing the viciousness of the stepmother. And I am that Adriana. I was reborn as a gold spoon but destined to die again! God, why was I born as Adriana?

    ??????

    My mother passed away when I was a child and when I was 10 years old, I got a stepmother.

    My stepmother was a woman named Marianne Ivar, a former baroness who divorced her husband. She remarried to my father and became Marianne Crescente, sat down in the Duchess¡¯s seat.

    ¡°Theo, Riana, she¡¯s going to be your new mother. Greet her.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s nice of you, kids. Let¡¯s get along well. Wal, the kids are so lovely.¡±

    Looking at me and my brother with a sweet smile, the image of Marianne was simply a loving mother who was full of maternal love. I greeted her shyly, not knowing that I had been fooled by her mask. I don¡¯t realize that she will ruin my life in the future.

    Marianne also brought the daughter that she had with her ex-husband. She was a child with crimson hair and blue eyes that resembled her mother. My father introduced her to me right away.

    ¡°This is Sharon. Now she is your sister. It will be hard for her to adapt in a new environment, so please treat her well.¡±

    Sharon was the same age as me but her birthday was a few months later after mine so I decided to be her older sister. She smiled friendly and called me ¡®my sister¡® but only later I realized that her laugh was fake.

    Marianne showed her ambition little by little in unnoticed way. She knew my father gave her special attention so she won¡¯t suffer in a new environment. She took advantage of it. She says that some of the servants ignored her and crying, ¡°I can¡¯t stand it anymore. Please give all the power in the house to me.¡± she said she would be less ignored if she has power.

    My father fell for Marianne who was wistfully shaking her shoulder and crying. He quickly did what she requested, but I swear to God, I never seen any of Crescente¡¯s employees ignored her.

    Growing up as a flower in the greenhouse, I was foolish enough to only watch it without raising an objection. Now I think it¡¯s natural for Marianne and Sharon to look down on me.

    Still, if Marianne had stopped here, she would have ended up as a sensitive lady who was just qualified to be a wife.

    Soon after she gave a birth to a son, she began to make a scheme that would make her son to be the Crescente¡¯s heir. To do this, she need to remove the oldest son, Theodore.

    For that reason, Marianne accused my brother trying to rape Sharon. It was horrible and outrageous slander. It¡¯s possible to happen because Marianne held the real power of the mansion. She coaxed some of the servants who followed her to lie.

    My father was furious. Even so, my father who was trying to be wary of giving more affection to his own children, used to treat us gently. After seeing Marianne who was crying all day without even drinking a sip of water, he finally exploded and ordered my brother to leave the Empire and go to a foreign academy.

    It was as Marianne intended. It would have been perfect if my brother had to be removed from the family register, but she didn¡¯t want to go that far. The main purpose was to get rid of the father-son relationship.

    And not so long after that, my father dies in an unexpected accident. It was the year I turned 12.

    Feeling nervous because my father died before his son, Rudolph, grew up, Marianne hired an assassin to try assassinate my brother in all methods. But every time they come, he survived the danger with help of his talented friends, Ramona and Claudio.

    Since my brother is the male lead, there is no need for me to worry about him now. It¡¯s my own life that I need to worry about.

    The assassins can¡¯t touch me because I was protected at Crescente¡¯s mansion, but I couldn¡¯t relax under Marianne¡¯s shadow.

    Marianne, who was a low-class aristocrat before becoming the Duchess, had a bad reputation from the start and she had to work hard to get rid of that reputation. That¡¯s why she was busy pretending to look beautiful on the outside so she didn¡¯t mistreat me very much.

    Instead of physical violence, the mental violence gradually consumed me and eventually I confined myself in my room. In the novel, Adriana who grew up under constant oppression, reached her limit and trying to poison her stepmother. The plan failed and she ended up drinking the poison.

    What should I do to stay alive until my brother returns?

    I sat down at my desk and ask Leah, my personal maid, to bring me some paper and a pen. Surprised by the order of her lady who usually didn¡¯t talk very often, Leah quickly put the paper and pen in front of me.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to think about something, leave me alone.¡±

    ¡°Then, I will be waiting at the front door. If you have something that you want, call me right away.¡±

    At Marianne¡¯s will, my personal maid was changed in a short-cycle. Perhaps so the maid and I would not have a chance to be attached. It would be easier for my mind to be unstable in order to rub the Duke at my disposal, and if I relied on a maid¡¯s affection, I might recover quickly.

    In fact, I started to close my heart as I watched my maids change. Leah too has not been my personal maid for very long. Moreover, she showed a lot of clumsiness, whether she was a rookie or not. Marianne seemed to be attaching this kind of maid for the reason that she would suffer me, but I like her because I was sick and tired of the experienced maids who recognized the realities of the house and bullied me in order to gain Marianne¡¯s favor.

    No matter what, I had to survive in this house that was so full of Marianne¡¯s influence. I have no intention of trying to avenge myself on a evil mother and daughter. There is nothing I can do, and they will be destroyed in the future even if I¡¯m not doing anything. So I¡¯ll only do my best to ensure my safety. When my brother returns and Claudio safely becomes the Empire¡¯s successor, and all the worries disappear, I will enjoy a comfortable life to the fullest as a gold spoon.

    I grabbed the pen and write down every thought on the paper.

    First, let¡¯s be obedient to Marianne and Sharon. This could be almost seen as a necessity. Adriana¡¯s death in The Story of Ramona was triggered by Adriana¡¯s sudden change to her stepmother and Sharon. In the end, Marianne who thinks Adriana cannot be left alone, poisoned her and disguises her death as a suicide.

    Second, I need to become close to the children of influential families in the society.

    The second plan was a means of defense mechanism. If I live my life as if I were dead, I might be saved, but if I do so, my mind will fall to depression again. If I want to live a little longer, I need to get close to famous person and raise my reputation. The more famous I become, the more Marianne will likely not harm me. Of course, I¡¯ll get more hated, but I¡¯m already hated enough.

    Third, is

    ¡ªGetting married?

    If I marry and become a married woman, I will be able to escape from the Duchess of Crescente. But Marianne won¡¯t help me to get a proper husband, so I will have to find my own spouse. Is it possible?

    For that thing to happen, I need to be engaged in social activities so there is a connection to my second plan.

    Let¡¯s put this on hold.

    In addition to that, after organizing all the useful things that will help me in the future, I opened my jewelry box. It has a lock on it, but in case something happens, I put the paper under the board-round velvet base on the bottom of the box.

    So¡­ what should I do right now?

 Chapter 2

    After being abused by Marianne and her daughter, I became mentally ill.

    I have been staring out the window blankly at the day, eating the meals the maid brought, and falling asleep at night. It¡¯s my daily routine.

    Sharon used to snarl at me, calling me a shady, unlucky girl. Whose fault is that?

    A few days ago, the day I found my memory, Sharon seemed to be upset about something stressful.

    When I was looking for a place to relax, Sharon approaching me in the hallway. I closed my eyes to the sight of my stepsister, wondering if I might get slapped. Then the next moment, I was pushed down the stairs and crashed.

    Fortunately, it was only a minor injury and I recalled the memory of my past life. My mental state has remarkably improved after that. The memory of a country girl who ran around catching frogs seemed to have some influence on my character.

    I stayed in my room for a few days because I¡¯m not sure it would be okay to walking around the mansion and showing everyone that I¡¯d gotten better.

    When Leah was free and I asked her to bring some books for me, her eyes wide with amazement.

    ¡°I feel a little better. I think I can move around a little bit from now.¡± I added. Leah went to the library to get some books that I could read without complaining.

    Marianne and Sharon will questioned me, but it doesn¡¯t matter.

    It¡¯s strange if I move actively all of a sudden, so I should make it seems like my condition is getting better little by little.

    The timing of the move came earlier than I expected.

    After lunch, I was drinking tea while watching the scenery outside the window when I saw a fancy carriage entering the mansion. The golden sword and shield engraved on the carriage. It must have belonged to the imperial family.

    ¡°Leah.¡±

    ¡°Yes, my lady.¡±

    ¡°Do you know why the imperial carriage came?¡±

    ¡°The second prince was visiting Lady Sharon because of the engagement.¡±

    ¡°The second prince?¡±

    There¡¯s a precious guest here. The second prince, Leonhart Luminus de Khalin. Later, he was supposed to face a conflict with the first prince, Claudio. In order to win the throne, Leonhart looking for a family to side with him and Crescente dukedom was one of the family that caught his eyes.

    His way of reaching out to the Duchess was very simple. It¡¯s a marriage. It was a stable and solid method in many ways.

    When the discussion of marriage broke out in the royal house, Marianne and Sharon were delighted and pleased. It has been a well-known rumor that the eldest son, Claudio, is now studying at a foreign academy and the second prince who is being called the nation¡¯s most powerful prince is most likely to become the next emperor. So maybe that bright mother and daughter are all over the place.

    Sharon ¡­ the Empress¡¯ position, it doesn¡¯t suit you. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s good for the future the empire.

    In The Story of Ramona, Leonhart had been engaged to Sharon Crescente when Ramona and her party came to the empire. Of course, they were not in lovers relationship. Leonhart becomes a prisoner of love for Ramona, who has a different charm that other aristocrat girls, and annuled his engagement with Sharon.

    Sharon, who was vindictive about this, tries to kill her with the same poison that killed Adriana. But who is Ramona? she¡¯s the main character. Sharon¡¯s scheme quickly becomes useless and leads to her condemnation.

    If I stepped in front of Leonhart here, he probably won¡¯t get engaged to Sharon.

    I didn¡¯t take my gaze from the silver haired man who got off the carriage.

    ¡°Leah, I¡¯m going to change my clothes. Prepare it.¡±

    ¡°Yes, my lady.¡±

    I was going to show myself naturally in front of Leonhart. It wasn¡¯t just because I wanted to stop Sharon¡¯s engagement. Of course even though the engagement will break next year, I didn¡¯t want to see Sharon bragging about being the prince¡¯s fiancee. However, there was another reason for my move this time. It¡¯s to lay the base of the future. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s going to work.

    There were a few dresses in the closet. Most of them have become smaller and doesn¡¯t fit well. Since I haven¡¯t been outside, I have not needed a new dress and Marianne didn¡¯t care about whether I had a dress or not.

    Fortunately, there were a couple of matching suits. Leah took out one of the suits and helped me wear them.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be too elaborate. All you have to do is be neat.¡±

    As I sat down in front of the mirror, Leah applied a moisturizing lotion with a fruity scent on my face and carefully combed my hair. My hair was in fluffy state so I had to brush it a few times.

    I stared into the mirror. Well¡ªuntil now, I had not thought of it because it¡¯s my face ¡­ but I was a rare beauty, according to the memory of my past life.

    The Story of Ramona didn¡¯t reveal much about Adriana¡¯s appearance. Is it black hair and pink eyes like Theodore? I just thought Adriana must be pretty because Theodore was handsome.

    Finally, when I left my room after I got what I needed, the employees who saw me looked surprised. It¡¯s surprising that a doll-like lady, who had been confined to her room until now, even dressed up and left her room. Holding a basket full of laundry, I called the maid who was passing by and asked.

    ¡°Where is my mother?¡±

    The maid, after confirmed who had called her, was perplexed but soon changed her expression and answered quickly.

    ¡°Her Grace is having a guest with young miss right now, perhaps in the garden¡ª¡±

    ¡°The Garden? Thank you.¡±

    ¡°No! wait a minute, my lady! If you go to the garden now¡ª¡±

    I ignored her, turned and headed to the garden.

    That¡¯s great. If it¡¯s the garden, it won¡¯t look like I came on purpose. I can excuse myself for coming by chance.

    As I went out to the garden, I saw the table in the distance. I moved to that direction with only four steps. Marianne and Sharon didn¡¯t seem to care about the sound of the approaching footsteps. But Leonhart, who was sitting at my direction, was looking at me. His eyes met mine.

    I quickly lifted my skirt and greeted him.

    ¡°Greeting, Your Royal Highness. I am the eldest daughter of Crescente, Adriana Crescente.¡±

    Then Marianne and Sharon looked back in surprised. They looked as if they had seen a ghost. They¡¯ve hear from Leah that I¡¯m getting better, but they wouldn¡¯t have imagined that I would even come to the garden.

    The pair of mother and daughter whose face was mixed with frustration, embrassment, and anger quickly changed their expression because they were aware of Leonhart. Marianne stammered and asked,

    ¡°Uuuuh¡ªRiana, what are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°I was taking a walk in the garden, Mother. I came to say hello because I saw an important guest at the door.¡±

    Sharon flicked her face with a fan. Her other hand, which was under the table, was trembling as if she wanted to grab my hair.

    I was like, Go!. Of course, she can¡¯t do that where there is a Prince. I smiled sheepishly, knowing nothing.

    ¡°Welcome, Lady Adriana Crescente. You look quite different from what I¡¯ve heard.¡±

    Leonhart greeted me with a smile on his face as if this situation is very interesting. It was easy to guess what rumors he had heard about me. Adriana Crescente is a girl who has autism and serious depression. Rumors in society must be of that sort. And that¡¯s the reason why he skip Adriana and get engaged to Sharon.

    On the contrary, if the rumor isn¡¯t true, there is no reason to just consider Sharon alone.

    Marianne and Sharon weren¡¯t so stupid that they didn¡¯t know about this, so they must be upset when I appeared here.

    Leonhart took a sip of tea in graceful motion and said, ¡°Lady Adriana, please sit down.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your consideration, Your Highness.¡±

    I sat in an outdoor chair with an elegant gesture. I learned etiquette as a child, but I haven¡¯t done it for a long time so I was wondering if I could do well, but fortunately, I did with it no flaws.

    The stepmother of mine and her daughter may be unhappy with me joining them, but what about the prince?

    ¡°It¡¯s a little sudden for the young lady who just joined us, but shall we go to the point? Duchess.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    Leonhart was a handsome man with silver hair and golden eyes. The beauty of the second prince was often talked about in the high society. His skin was very smooth and white that even the ladies were envious. His smile, especially, was very attractive.

    Nevertheless, his tall and substantial frame did not make him look like a pretty man.

    Now I saw the hand that holding the teacup was very pretty. In terms of size, it must be a man¡¯s hand. But the long, thin fingers that stretched out were not something that you usually find on a man¡¯s hand. I heard that even though he was not up to the highest level, he had an excellent swordsmanship. Could his hands stay that pretty? Maybe he¡¯s taking care of it? Or is it natural?

    ¡°You must know the reason I¡¯m here today is because of my engagement with your younger daughter.¡±

    When the word of engagement come out, the movements of Marianne and her daughter, as if they were nervous, became subtly. Leonhart continued with a gentle smile in his face.

    ¡°In fact, I¡¯ve been talking to the nobles in my faction about a marriage with Crescente family, but I¡¯m sure it¡¯s too early, the lady¡¯s age is still young¡­.¡±

    My heart was pounding when I thought he was really going to get engaged with Sharon. I watched with bated breath.

    ¡°But now I think I¡¯d go back and talk to my faction about this matter again, so let¡¯s end it here.¡±

    ¡°Your Highness¡­.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not saying that we should cancel the engagement. It¡¯s just that we don¡¯t have to hurry. Hm. I think it¡¯ll be right to proceed after the heir of Crescente family is decided.¡±

    ¡°Well, is that so?¡± Marianne laughed awkwardly. Oh my God, my brother must be suffering from another assassin¡­.

    What Leonhart just said is the declaration of war. If Theodore is not there and Marianne¡¯s son, Rudolph, becomes the heir, it would be better to marry Sharon. Of course, I have no intention to marry Leonhart. That¡¯s why he said he wouldn¡¯t be engaged to Sharon for now.

    Hm ¡­ there was a saying that if Claudio is a careful and undogmatic character, then Leonhart is prepared for being the best in his sense and judgement.

    Since then, Leonhart had a few more conversations with Marianne. It was about family business and politics, but from what I heard, is not an important conversation. Although Marianne was acting as the housekeeper, but she only had little knowledge of the matter and entrusted it to her close aides.

    In fact, there is nothing more to talk about, but it was rude to just leave after saying Let¡¯s give up the engagement.

    It was not long before Leonhart told his servant to get ready to leave. A moment later, his attendant came and told him that the preparation is ready.

    ¡°It was fun today. Until next time.¡± he said while putting down the teacup.

    ¡°It was an honor for us. I have prepared my best, but please forgive me if I have been negligent in my efforts.¡±

    ¡°No, it was a very good time.¡±

    ¡°Take care, Your Highness.¡±

    Leonhart climbed into his carriage. After the door closed, the carriage left our mansion.

 Chapter 3

    Just as the the slow moving carriage was about to leave the Crescente¡¯s mansion, I took what I had entrusted to Leah and ran after it, ignoring the pain in my body.

    ¡°Your Highness! Please wait for a moment!¡±

    He hadn¡¯t gone that far yet, so he could hear my voice.

    The carriage gradually stopped. As soon as the prince¡¯s servant opened the carriage¡¯s door, I came closer to it. Leonhart was about to get off.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, miss?¡±

    Damn, my hair got messed up from running. But I don¡¯t think I look that bad because I have a pretty face.

    I brushed my hair with my bare hands, then pull out a neat package.

    Before Leonhart could figure out my intention, I quickly said.

    ¡°This is the hairpin I was trying to give to the Princess. It doesn¡¯t really suit me¡ª I know this is a rude behavior but I¡¯d like to ask you to pass it on to Her Highness.¡±

    I pretended I forgot to give it to him earlier.

    If Marianne and Sharon saw it, the wouldn¡¯t stay still. They would bring out some expensive jewelry that I couldn¡¯t afford to buy.

    I had to be only one who handed the present if I wanted to be specially remembered.

    What I prepared was a hairpin made by a famous craftsman, which I received as a birthday present from my brother a few years ago.

    Though it¡¯s not an extravagant and luxurious gift, but it¡¯s an exclusive and difficult to find item.

    The hairpin, adorned with black crystal, was very presentable in it¡¯s timeless design. It seemed to be more striking and glamorous when it was on the Princess¡¯ silver hair than my dark hair.

    I chose this item to give a plausible excuse that it would suit the Princess, for fear of suspicion if I suddenly gave her an unexpected gift.

    Fortunately, the hairpin was well-kept so it was in good condition.

    Moreover, I was confident that the Princess would appreciate the gift.

    The craftsman who made the hairpin was originally well known for making furniture, but he was also famous for producing a small quantities of ornaments when he had great inspiration.

    Because of this, Princess Cynthia loved the craftsmanship made by this creator, but she didn¡¯t have much of it. I¡¯m sure she will like my present.

    Years later, the craftsman makes a beautiful necklace full of white diamonds. The princess also covets the necklace, but the funny thing is my brother buys the last necklace one step ahead of her and present it to Ramona.

    ¡°¡ªI see. To Cynthia?¡±

    Leonhart and his sister were quite close, so he willingly accepted the box with a pleased look at the word ¡®gift¡¯ for his sister.

    ¡°I¡¯ll pass on the gift from Lady Adriana to Cynthia.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Your Highness.¡±

    Phew. I sighed in relief. I was thinking that he wouldn¡¯t accept it because it¡¯s suspicious.

    I¡¯ve got some plans for entering the high society, but I decided that this method of using the Princess¡¯s favor would be the fastest way to get a foothold in society. It took a long time to build a friendly relationship by attending something such as a tea party hosted by a small family. I didn¡¯t know if it would work out as I thought it would be, but I succeeded in taking the first step.

    The carriage started to move again, and when I returned to the place where my stepmother and her daughter were staying, Sharon shot sharply.

    ¡°You! What did you do to His Highness?!¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m sorry. His Royal Highness was so beautiful ¡­ and wonderful ¡­ and I just wanted to see him up close for the last time.¡±

    The more I acted foolishly, the more happy they would be, and the more they paid me no attention.

    I was so close to the carriage door, so they couldn¡¯t see the box.

    My stepmother, who looked like she was ready to slap me, smiled as if she liked my answer.

    ¡°Listen. What you just did is really stupid and rude. It¡¯s not an act of aristocracy. Do you think he will accept a woman like you as his fiancee? I¡¯m telling you in advance to know your place.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ of course ¡­ His Royal Highness ¡­ my fiance, I can¡¯t even imagine it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you know. You didn¡¯t show up because you wanted to get my seat, did you?¡±

    ¡°No! I, I didn¡¯t even know His Highness was visiting today¡­ I came out to take a walk because I was in a good mood, and he¡¯s here ¡­ I was surprised, too.¡±

    It was hard to objectively judge my acting skill but they did not seem to doubt me. It may be because I have been obedient until now.

    ¡°But by the way, Riana.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes?¡±

    ¡°What happened recently? Why did you suddenly change?¡± Marianne twitched her eyes.

    I expected to be asked this question. I thought it would be best to say that my condition has improved naturally.

    ¡°Yes¡ª? Change¡ª?¡±

    ¡°Why are you going out of your room all of a sudden? You talk more than you used to.¡±

    I¡¯ve been in the room for a long time ¡­ It¡¯s true that I practiced my words a little bit. After saying three words a day, I tried to increase the number so suddenly I became more talkative.

    My tongue was often twisted and my pronunciation was frequently distorted, so I read a book aloud and had a casual conversation with Leah until I got used to the words now.

    Now I can manage to speak plainly, but I¡¯m still stuttering in front of Marianne and Sharon to give myself a feeling of being intimidated.

    My sentence was much longer than it used to be, so Marianne seems to have a little bit of doubt.

    ¡°That¡¯s all?¡±

    ¡°Yes ¡­ why did it¡ª Did I make such a big mistake to His Royal Highness?¡±

    ¡°No, you¡¯re not. Now go inside.¡± Marianne said with an unsavory face.

    I said goodbye to them and returned to my room.

    ??????

    Because I walked in the garden very proudly on the day of Leonhart¡¯s visit and greeted the prince, now everyone in the mansion knew that my condition had improved.

    Therefore I couldn¡¯t eat alone in my room like before, so I had to sit together at the dining room.

    Frankly speaking, it was annoying to eat with Marianne and Sharon, but it would be the same case for them.

    However, it was very funny to pretend that we didn¡¯t hate each other because of our pride.

    Today, as usual, I was eating dessert after finishing my meal.

    The butler came in, bowed politely, and announced that an invitation had come from the palace.

    ¡°From the imperial palace? Come on, give it to me.¡± Marianne said in a happy tone.

    The invitations were sent to each of the family¡¯s member. The butler handed the invitation one by one to Marianne and Sharon, and, finally, to me.

    Hiding my joy, I opened the envelope of the invitation. Marianne squinted at the sight.

    ¡°It¡¯s not possible for you to get an invitation, Riana. Come on. Give it to Rudy.¡±

    ¡°No, mother. This is for me.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t lie! How dare you try to steal something from imperial palace?¡±

    ¡°Huh, but my name is clearly written here. And Rudolph is still five years old.¡±

    I winced as if frightened by Marianne¡¯s sharp gaze.

    Rudolph, my half-brother, began to ask if the invitation was his because of what Marianne said.

    Sharon snatched the invitation from my hand. After laughing, her eyes opened wide when she saw the name on the envelope.

    ¡°Oh, Mom! She really got an invitation!¡±

    Sharon shook her hands and shouted in a shrill voice. Why are you so upset? Can¡¯t I get an invitation?

    ¡°Now give it back, Sharon.¡± I was timidly muttering and demanding. Sharon glared at me for a moment before dropped the invitation.

    The invitation was from Princess Cynthia. Cynthia was fond of social parties and used to host them on regular basis. She picked the person to invite herself and this was the first time I¡¯ve been invited.

    I was too young before I was abused by Marianne, and when I was old enough to be invited to a party, the rumors that I was an autistic child were already widespread in the society.

    However, to be invited like this, it¡¯s thanks to the gift that I delivered through Leonhart.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so upset, Sharon. Let¡¯s go to the boutique after this. If you want to stand out the most at the party, you¡¯ll have to prepare in advance.¡±

    Marianne soothed Sharon, ordered the servant to prepare the carriage.

    Unlike those who already had enough without buying new dresses or jewelry, I was the one who had to go to the boutique.

    All the party dresses I had now had gotten smaller and were discarded or donated, and since then I¡¯ve only bought a simple indoor dress or plain cotton dresses.

    ¡°Oh, uh, Mother¡­ I need a dress, too.¡±

    When I spoke, Marianne frowned.

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t there be a dress in your closet? You can wear anything. Why would you need to buy something?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not it. I really don¡¯t have a single dress.¡±

    If the duke¡¯s young daughter showed up at the Princess¡¯s party with a cotton dress, she¡¯ll be humiliated.

    Marianne has been managing her image at meetings and parties by pretending to be concerned about her mentally ill stepdaughter. And if I go to the party in a shabby clothes, the Duchess of Crescente will become a popular subject among the storytellers in society. They would say that she actually discriminating against her stepdaughter.

    So I was sure Marianne would get me a dress.

    Marianne¡¯s lips drew a soft line after a brief of an uncomfortable expression.

    ¡°Yes, I get it. I¡¯ll get your dress ready too.¡±

    It was the answer that I wanted, but I felt uncomfortable.

    ??????

    When the sun began to settle down, the Duchess¡¯ carriage returned. The dress didn¡¯t come in that day because they had to repair the dress to fit the size. They¡¯ll deliver them directly from the boutique when the repairs are finished.

    In the meantime, I have read the basics and some of the liberal books of Lady¡¯s courtesy so I won¡¯t be disgraced for making mistakes at the party. I also read the newspaper that delivered to the mansion in fear of falling behind the topic.

    A few days later, the maid came and handed over a box.

    ¡°It must be my lady¡¯s dress.¡±

    Leah spoke with anticipation. But I had a bad feeling about this. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s as fancy as Sharon¡¯s, but I hope it¡¯s halfway there.

    Unlocking the lid of the box, I forgot my words for a moment.

    Leah couldn¡¯t say anything, but her eyes opened wide.

    ¡°What, this weird dress is¡­.¡±

    Was it a dress some designer made for a trial?

 Chapter 4

    Over-inflated sleeves, cheap glossy fabrics, imitation jewelry ornaments that looks like toys, and lace of designs far from fashionable.

    I couldn¡¯t go out wearing this.

    ¡°I¡¯m guessing she sent me a dress like this¡ª¡±

    It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve been invited to the Princess¡¯s social party, but it¡¯s not like I¡¯ve never been to a party.

    Before I completely closed my mind, I had several chances to go to the party where even young ladies could attend.

    I, the daughter of the Duke, was of course has more prominent position than Sharon. Marianne, who hated it, bribed my maids to make me look like a total mess.

    Loose hair has become disheveled and made my complexion look even worse because of the lack of food I ate during that time. Of course, I didn¡¯t even wear a simple make up that gives color to my face.

    The dress was also a mix of red, yellow, and blue with primitive and baby-like design. The size didn¡¯t fit my body, so I felt a sense of humor because some parts were so tight and the other parts were so uptight.

    Marianne, who had sent me to the party first and arrived a little later, made a fuss and acted as if she had not known.

    ¡°Oh my God, Riana! Who made you look like this? I get it, those witches! I heard that you¡¯re not good at speaking these days and there are women who are disrespecting you, but I can¡¯t believe this is how they¡¯re gonna bullied you! Don¡¯t worry, they¡¯ll be kicked out as soon as we get back to the mansion.¡±

    She advertised my condition in a very loud voice.

    There was, of course, nothing Marianne would do to drive out the maids. Far from kicking, they¡¯re still close to each other.

    I have since been absent from the party because of the mocking chatter.

    With this happening, it was easy to guess that it¡¯s a trick to provoke my trauma and force myself to give up on attending.

    If I just wear it and attend, Marianne¡¯s position as a caring mother who takes care of her stepdaughter in delicate manner would be a bit difficult, but I¡¯ll be the laughing-stock.

    It¡¯s not a real damage. It won¡¯t be much of controversy if she just make a proper excuse, whether blaming the maids like the last time or something else.

    With no official debut yet, the Princess¡¯s social party was my best opportunity to announce my presence. I couldn¡¯t miss this.

    I double-checked the date on the invitation. Two days later ¡­ oh, it¡¯s short.

    I looked at Leah who was restless, and spoke to her, ¡°Bring the sewing kit.¡±

    ¡°Yes? Don¡¯t tell me ¡­ are you going to mend this dress?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Does it look like it¡¯s worth wearing?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡ª my lady, I¡¯m not confident.¡± Leah spoke in a low voice.

    Leah¡¯s poor workmanship may be enough to sew a stiff hem, but I guess it¡¯s hard to repair a dress.

    ¡°I won¡¯t ask you to do it, so don¡¯t worry and just bring it.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I understand. I¡¯ll get it, my lady.¡±

    Leah, who had just left the room, brought me a sewing kit shortly after.

    Among the items Leah brought were the high-end items the nobility were used to make embroidery, as well as items used by maids.

    The high-end section are made up of things that only really fit for a number purposes, so the types of items used by maids were more diverse.

    ¡°All right, this is enough. So, shall we start?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡ªwhat?¡±

    ¡°Dress repair. I don¡¯t know what would happen if Mother and Sharon knew, so I want to keep it a secret. Please cooperate.¡±

    ¡°If you order me to keep it secret, I¡¯ll obey. But I don¡¯t know how to repair¡­.¡±

    Leah¡¯s question was reasonable. There was only me and her in the room, and there was no one to help with the repairs.

    There¡¯s not even a second-hand man skilled in sewing at Crescente¡¯s mansion!

    There are many employees but I never even wanted to call them.

    I don¡¯t know where my words would flow from, and even if I let them join the team well, Marianne might find it suspicious if the employees who didn¡¯t usually enter my room started to come and go.

    So I have to repair it myself.

    I¡¯ve learned embroidery before, but I quit before I even had enough skill. So the experience is not very helpful.

    Instead, I had a previous life experience. The experience of getting tired of wearing worn-out old clothes.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡±

    ¡°Oh, my lady?¡±

    I quietly pulled the necessary tools out of the ring. As I skillfully threaded the needle, Leah opened her mouth without even realizing it.

    The first step was to remove the jewelry and lace. It look better than it had been for the first time when all the cheap jewelry gone.

    When I opened the closet, I found some of my childhood dressed were still there. It¡¯s small and can¡¯t be worn, but all of it is high-end products made by top designers. I thought it would be a good material if I took it apart.

    The cloth began to be carefully dissembled to prevent it from being damaged. The finish was meticulous so it wasn¡¯t easy to tear off.

    There is a part that can not be cut and used incorrectly, but a lot of fabrics included in the dress of the nobility. A lot of cloth came out except for the one that was ruined.

    ¡°This should be enough.¡±

    While breathing for a moment, I heard a knock and quickly hid my dress and cloth in the closet. Leah pushed the ring under the bed.

    ¡°Come in.¡±

    The maid who opened the door bowed politely, ¡°My lady, I¡¯m here because you didn¡¯t come down for dinner.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­.¡±

    Is it dinner time already? I was so busy fixing my dress that I had no idea. Come to think of it, I felt the hunger. I must have been so focused that I didn¡¯t even know I was hungry.

    At first, I said in a somber voice, pretending that I have no appetite to send the maid back.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to eat much because I¡¯m sad. If I¡¯m hungry, I¡¯ll send Leah to bring me some food, so you don¡¯t have to worry about my meal. The same goes for tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°I understand, my lady.¡± The maid bowed down again before closed the door.

    As soon as the door closed, I said to Leah, ¡°Go to the kitchen and get some simple food to eat.¡±

    ¡°Yes? You just don¡¯t want to eat¡ª¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t have time. I can¡¯t afford to enjoy a leisurely dinner.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I see! I¡¯ll get it!¡±

    Leah nodded and went out of the room. And after a while, she came back with a tray of bread and milk.

    As I just tore the bread with my hand and mumbled it, Leah looked a little shocked. Leah¡¯s meticulousness with her fork and knife was useless.

    While chewing on the bread, I nudged my fingers hard and put the needle down for a while. This body, which has a low level of strength and stamina, has already become sore here and there, but it¡¯s especially painful¡­.

    ¡°¡­.my fingers are a little sore.¡±

    In my previous life, sewing was easy because of the calluses of my fingers, but now it¡¯s not because what I am today.

    I couldn¡¯t take a break because I need to finish my work before the party.

    I searched the box and found the thimble.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like it because it¡¯s too big, but I have no choice.¡±

    The pace has slowed down a little, but it¡¯s better in the long run because I have to sew for another full day.

    The skirt area required a large piece of cloth, but the cloth from the small dress was relatively small. Therefore, I had to keep the stream a little by little.

    After carefully following the balance between the right and left, the grafted part creased so as not to be so noticeable.

    It took a long time for me to wrinkle because I¡¯ve only tried it for fun a few times in my past life so it wasn¡¯t very familiar.

    My hands have become damp with sweat.

    Even if the shape is a little messy, it becomes awkward. It is said that it will stretch and loosen the wrinkles several times. It¡¯s not a splendid and luxuriant wrinkle that the expert has worked on, but still ¡­ it¡¯s not bad.

    The repairs continued until late at night.

    Even in the early morning, when everyone was sleeping, I still managed to cling to the line of my dress.

    Simple part did not take very long, but it took quite a while to require complexity and delicacy, so I had to save a little time.

    Leah didn¡¯t seem to know what to do because she couldn¡¯t help, but if she was a capable girl, she wouldn¡¯t have been my maid in the first place.

    Although I felt a little tired, the work went along smoothly for the day.

    ***

    On the day of the party, Marianne and Sharon were busy dressing up since the morning.

    Leah, who had gone out to get some water for a while, told me because I was busy repairing the dress without a single step out of the room.

    Just as I thought it would be time to start, there was a knock at the door.

    I made sure I was hiding the dress, and Leah opened the door.

    A middle-aged maid came in and bowed down, ¡°The madam and the young miss are ready and they call for you, my lady.¡±

    ¡°Really ¡­ how can I do this ¡­ I¡¯m not ready¡ª¡±

    ¡°Then, shall I tell them so?¡±

    ¡°Um ¡­ no, I¡¯ll tell them in person and see them off.¡±

    Since I didn¡¯t come out of the room and didn¡¯t eat properly, it was highly likely that my stepmother and sister have already haphazardly speculating that I had given up on going to the party because I was deeply hurt.

    But since there was only one, it certainly seemed better to show up in person to erase their guard.

    When I looked in the mirror before I left the room, I found that I had spent the night with dark circles under my eyes. This was enough to keep Marianne and Sharon off guard.

    As I went down to the first floor, I saw Marianne and Sharon who were very stylish with colorful dresses, jewelry, rich hairstyles, and feather hats.

    ¡°Mother, you¡¯re so beautiful. Sharon, you¡¯re pretty, too.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough of the obvious. But you¡­.¡± Sharon whirled me up and down.

    ¡°Why are you still wearing your pajamas? Aren¡¯t you going to the party?¡±

    I didn¡¯t answer and made a sad face.

    Marianne and Sharon laughed cheerfully as if they liked my sad expression.

    ¡°That¡¯s great. If you were to go there, you would be humiliated.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m so glad you realized it yourself, Riana. Then, we¡¯ll go.¡±

    The two walked out of the mansion with light steps. There was no time to see them climb the carriage. I quickly returned to my room and grabbed the needle again. The overall repair was finished, leaving only the finishing phase.

    The jewelry was placed with a point in the chest, and the skirt is decorated with lace and ribbons.

    ¡°It¡¯s done¡­.¡±

    I put down the needle and took the thimble from my finger. Leah murmured in admiration while seeing a dress that was completely different from the first.

    ¡°I really didn¡¯t expect you to have this skill.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not the right thing to do, but¡ª can you call in some maids to dress me up?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Leah called in some maids. The maids at first seemed a little perplexed. They must have guessed that I wasn¡¯t going to the party, either.

    Not having been instructed by Marianne, they were puzzled and began to help with the make up.

    They powdered my face white, painted my eyebrows darkly, and painted my lips red, then breathed life into my cheeks with pink.

    After finishing the make up, they combed my hair finely and applied perfume to make it glossy, then decorated it with ribbons and jewelry pins.

    Meanwhile, Leah rubbed my shoulders and arms that had been overworking in sewing.

    ¡°It¡¯s done, my lady.¡±

 Chapter 5

    All right, all right. My look in the mirror was pretty satisfying.

    The dress also looked fine and strong, with no threadbare sticking out or a single part. Compared to the mother and daughter I saw earlier, this party dress has a certain old color.

    And most of all¡­.

    ¡°You¡¯re so beautiful.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing in the praise.¡±

    ¡°No! It¡¯s true!¡±

    To be honest, I was pretty.

    ¡°Go wait for the carriage.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    One of the maids left the room first, and I walked out of the room gently to make sure that my elaborate dress wouldn¡¯t be ruined.

    On my way to the entrance, I was greeted by the surprised sight of the employees I met. Most of the employees are new to me after my father¡¯s death, so they¡¯ve never seen me look like this before.

    One attendant was enough, so only Leah accompanied me. She was stiff as if she was nervous about her first palace trip.

    It¡¯s been a few years since I went to the imperial palace, but ¡­ more than that, I was worried about whether things would work out today.

    I¡¯m not a daytime person, and it¡¯s not the noble social style to talk and pretend to be friendly.

    Ramona, with a cheerful personality, spoke to anyone first when she enters the empire¡¯s society for the first time. She had a rough time. Even though she is a friend of the first prince and the young lord of Crescente, the noble bragged, saying a vulgar woman from a foreign country is behaving rudely.

    It must have been an unacceptable behavior for those who value honor.

    I¡¯m the daughter of Duke Crescente, so at least I¡¯m not a dreadful.

    Leah began to hiccup when she saw the palace outside the window. Fortunately, she stopped by the time I got off the carriage.

    The servant, who was guarding the hall, bowed down as he saw us coming.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to see the invitation, please.¡±

    He carefully checked whether the item was counterfeit and shouted after checking the name of the recipient.

    ¡°Lady Adriana Crescente is entering!¡±

    The sound of the servant¡¯s voice changed the atmosphere inside the hall. Those who talked calmly and quietly began to respond loudly.

    As I stepped inside, the chattered hall was silenced.

    Countless people¡¯s eyes were turned this way.

    It was when I smiled lightly to look calm.

    Crank!

    The glass cracked.

    As I turned to them, Marianne and Sharon looked pale.

    Below Marianne¡¯s feet was a shard of broken glass.

    Marianne¡¯s lips sweetened as if she wanted to say something but it didn¡¯t come out. Sharon stood with her mouth wide open, forgetting her dignity.

    Unlike the two who forgot to speak, I approached the scene as if I had not notice.

    ¡°Mother! Are you all right? Are you hurt anywhere?¡±

    No one was hurt, but Marianne stumbled. Sharon supported her, and the maids quickly stepped toward and cleaned up the broken glass. Fortunately, there seemed to be no secondary victims from the glass fragments.

    ¡°You there! Get ready to go to the rest room for my mother to rest! Get out of here!¡±

    Sharon¡¯s evil temper made the maids reintegrate quickly.

    While watching the back my stepmother and sister who were heading to the rest room, I could hear voices from my surrounding.

    ¡°Lady Adriana Crescente coming, really?¡±

    ¡°I heard she¡¯s out of her mind. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s okay for her to come out.¡±

    ¡°You should not be deceived by her appearance¡­.¡±

    These are the young girls who were with Sharon a while ago. It looked like they¡¯re Sharon¡¯s pack.

    Perhaps their chatter is not really about sharing opinions between themselves, but about influencing the atmosphere around them.

    I can¡¯t say it enough to be heard.

    The effect was so powerful that even the others who heard the conversation couldn¡¯t approach me easily.

    I glanced slowly around at a speed that didn¡¯t seem frivolous. Everyone looked at me with a sideways glance, but when our eyes met, they turned their heads and talk to each other.

    Where should I start if I want to break my prejudice and blending with everyone naturally?

    When I was thinking about it and picked up a glass of drink, I could feel the popularity approaching me.

    As I turned around, there was a beautiful silver-haired woman with a smile on her face.

    It was Princess Cynthia.

    ¡°You¡¯re the young lady of Crescente, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Royal Highness.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for coming. I almost felt sad because I thought you weren¡¯t coming.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry ¡­ and I¡¯m so glad you invited me.¡±

    Oh, the hairpin!

    She wore the black crystal hairpin that I gave her. Seeing that I¡¯ve come to this position, she must have liked it.

    The princess said to the women in the line after her.

    ¡°The person who gave me this hairpin is Lady Adriana Crescente.¡±

    ¡°I see. You have a really good taste.¡±

    Perhaps because of the fact that the antique and beautiful hairpin was my present, it was a light flutter around me. Her Highness, the Princess also looked very happy.

    ¡°Hu-uh, everyone was saying that these hairpin was beautiful. I love it too.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m so glad you liked it, Your Highness.¡±

    ¡°Now that I¡¯ve received this gift, I have to pay you back, right? I¡¯m going to have a small tea party later, so I hope Lady Adriana will join me.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that. But if you invite me, it¡¯s an honor.¡±

    Seeing me talking with the princess, I felt the atmosphere around me was slightly different.

    Besides, isn¡¯t Her Royal Highness a full-face cloth?

    People who just glanced at me started to get a little closer.

    ¡°I met you for the first time, Lady Adriana Crescente. My name is Albert Rinock.¡±

    ¡°I am Chris Rafisel, Lady Adriana.¡±

    At first, everyone could not get around me easily, but as more and more people surrounded me, people who just stood nearby and even those who were standing far from the place started to join the group.

    It was a real relief. Bad rumours about me have been inflated for years. Since the two women gave them firewood, it was impossible to disappear from people¡¯s memories. There was even the incitement of Sharon¡¯s group.

    If Her Highness the Princess had not greeted me first and treated me amiably, I could have been isolated and returned without receiving any harvest.

    My expression didn¡¯t show it, but I was very relieved.

    A short time later, when Marianne and Sharon came back, my surroundings were already full of people. A few wives and young ladies found their figure, and began to cling together and chat.

    Maybe they¡¯re asking about my sudden appearance. They¡¯ll naturally have a pretty hard time answering.

    ¡°But why hasn¡¯t Lady Adriana shown up so far?¡±

    A young lady asked. Others seemed to pay attention to whether the rumors were true or not. Contrary to rumors, I was able to make eye contact and talking to people.

    Hm? What shall I say? Should I expose everything that Marianne and Sharon have done here?

    No, it¡¯s not a good way. If I take off my stepmother and sister¡¯s mask here, I may be satisfied inside, but it¡¯s hard to get rid as her daughter.

    Having no power to stand on my own feet yet, I¡¯m in a position to live with the Duchess of Crescente, whether I want to be or not.

    If I talk about my life under pressure, they might say a few sympathize words, but is there anyone who will do something more than that for the good of another family whom they met for the first time today?

    In addition, it was done by the Duchess of Crescente. They don¡¯t want to butt in and scratch it.

    And even if I don¡¯t care about Marianne, Sharon, and Rudolf, I still have my brother who is a also under the name of Duke Crescente.

    I was reluctant to say anything uncalled for that can hurt my brother¡¯s honor, so I made a false statement with a grim look on my face.

    ¡°¡­.I was in a poor health.¡±

    I¡¯m not saying that was because my mental health wasn¡¯t good.

    ¡°Oh my ¡­ you must have been struggling for quite a while.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Now that I¡¯ve recovered, I think it¡¯s a miracle that I can come to Her Highness¡¯ party.¡±

    ¡°Lady Adriana¡ª¡±

    Her Highness the Princess patted me on the shoulder with a sad face. I smiled, as if not to worry, and glanced at others.

    There was no one to add a word, but with most of the faces around me showing compassion, there was a sense of awkwardness on the faces of some.

    I don¡¯t know their names, but they¡¯re the ladies of Sharon¡¯s group. Young girls who used to gossip about me, as seen from the center of the crowd, could not come near, but some of them, who were on the outside of the group, clapped in a little bit and flowed in with the atmosphere.

    And since they were close to Sharon ¡­ they didn¡¯t just hear the gossip about me, they would have heard it directly from Sharon¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°Oh my god¡ª¡± one of the awkward-looking young ladies let out a slight sigh. Then, with cold eyes, the side of Sharon dropped short.

    It was enough to think Sharon had been lying.

    Those who only heard the rumors may think ¡®it¡¯s being grossly exaggerated¡¯, but someone who hears it directly from the mouth of the person who spread it can not think so.

    Of course not everyone will think so. If they¡¯re truly a close friend of Sharon, or if they are virtuous by sticking to her, they may believe in Sharon¡¯s words and dismiss mine as false.

    But they will realize it in the future.

    How unnourished it is to be fooled by a fake young lady Crescente.

    ??????

    The atmosphere in the carriage back to the mansion was harsh.

    When I went to the palace, I came separately, but when I went back, it was strange to do it, so I had to ride the same carriage as my stepmother and sister. Leah got on the carriage with the other maids.

    The two women in my company had stiff expressions that did not suit their fancy attire. I looked frightened in front of them as if I knew nothing.

    ¡°Why¡ªwhy do you have such a scary looks? Are you still not feeling very well, Mother?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so silly! It¡¯s because of you! Why did you say you weren¡¯t coming to the party?¡±

    ¡°Oh¡ªno! I had a bad memory of party, so I thought about it until the end. I¡¯ve never made up my mind not to go¡­.¡±

    Scared, I shrugged my shoulder at Sharon¡¯s preserve remarks, but said all I had to say. I¡¯ve never actually said I¡¯m not going to the party. They¡¯ve got a wild guess.

    ¡°Why are you talking back to me?! I was so overjoyed that I was invited to Her Highness¡¯ party¡ª¡±

    ¡°All right, Sharon. That¡¯s enough. More than that, Riana, where did you get that dress?¡±

    ¡°Huh? This is the dress Mother gave to me. Oh, of course, it was a lot different from what it was like at the beginning ¡­ but the design didn¡¯t suit my taste, so I changed it a little. I¡¯m sorry ¡­ I¡¯m so sorry ¡­ I¡¯ve been mended¡­.¡±

    ¡°You fixed the dress? Who¡­.?¡±

    Marianne¡¯s angry face filled with wonder.

    There are no maids came in or out of my room recently. To ensure confidentiality, I ordered Leah to run errands.

    If there¡¯s someone who¡¯s been in my room for a long time and has helped me, Marianne would not have been able to get over it. She would be bewildered.

    Leah was assigned to me because she wasn¡¯t good at this job. So there is no such thing as a way to repair a dress like this.

    She wouldn¡¯t even think I would have done it.

    Now, let¡¯s try to be friendly.

 Chapter 6

    Chapter 6

    ¡°I¡¯ve been practicing sewing little by little. Living only in my room so far, I have a lot of free¡ª¡±

    ¡°Practice sewing¡­.? Then now, are you saying ¡­ that you mended the dress?¡±

    ¡°¡­.yes.¡±

    For the past few years when I was confined in the room, Marianne left me alone. Marianne, who confirmed that my mind had been broken, was only watching me so carefully that I wouldn¡¯t die then stopped paying attention at all.

    Of course it¡¯s a lie that I¡¯ve been practicing sewing during those years. But Marianne, who had left her distraught stepdaughter unattended, couldn¡¯t doubt what I sad.

    She should have looked into it sometime to see if my words are real or not.

    ¡°¡­.I see. Then what¡¯s going on with Her Royal Highness the Princess? She was with you. Why did she talk to you? How rude of you to talk to her first?¡±

    ¡°Hu, Her Royal Highness thankfully spoke to me first. I don¡¯t know why. Maybe she was interested because I¡¯m the daughter of Crescente?¡±

    Sharon¡¯s face flushed at my words.

    ¡°She ¡­ are she ignoring me now because I¡¯m not of the blood of the Crescente?! Is that what it is?!¡±

    ¡°No ¡­ It¡¯s not that, Sharon¡­.¡±

    Why is she mad at me? If Her Highness discriminates against her, then she should have to say that to the Princess.

    Oh, of course, it¡¯s not that she is wrong. I hope she keeps ignoring Sharon.

    And as I spoke briefly with her today, I don¡¯t think Her Highness would like Sharon very much. It¡¯s just a guess, but Her Royal Highness had disapproved of the humble origin of Ramona in the novel. Maybe Princess Cynthia doesn¡¯t like Sharon acted like a Duke¡¯s daughter, when she is not.

    Marianne declared in a callous voice.

    ¡°Riana, try to stay in home for three days from tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­.¡±

    My ¡®stay in¡¯ wasn¡¯t all about simply staying home. If that is the case, the situation is not much different.

    During that time, everyone in the mansion had to act like I was invisible.

    I couldn¡¯t talk to anyone, nor I could be served by the employees.

    To be invisible.

    I was a little offended, but I just accepted it because it was a good thing.

    I was tired, and I¡¯m sure after the party, I¡¯ll go to sleep like a dead man. My strength was weak. It¡¯s a matter of course considering the amount of activity I¡¯ve had so far.

    As soon as I returned to the mansion, I was soaked with fatigue and was given a bath. After taking a bath, I changed into a indoor dress and went straight to the bed.

    I don¡¯t know how many hours have passed. When I opened my eyes, it was dark in the night.

    ¡°Water¡ª¡±

    I think I woke up because of thirst. But there was no water in the room.

    ¡°Leah¡ª¡±

    I called Leah in a dreamy voice, but there was no one answering me back.

    At this time, she must be sleeping in her maid room.

    I thought I was going back to sleep because I was so lazy, but I changed my mind and put on slippers.

    As I was heading down the stairs with a small lamp and headed for the kitchen, a faint light was seen coming out of Marianne¡¯s room.

    I could not hear well, but I could hear voices whispering.

    What is¡ª it¡¯s too much to ignore.

    Careful not to make any noise, I listened to the sound from across the door.

    It was none other than Sharon who was talking to Marianne.

    ¡°I was so shocked! Do you know how humiliated I was at the party? When they asked me what happened, they looked at me with a suspicious look, and I was so embarrassed!¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know how much trouble I had because I¡¯ve had to answer all the other ladies¡¯ question. Adriana, she can even come to a party. She must be more sane than I thought.¡±

    ¡°What do you think, Mother?¡±

    ¡°It may have been better. If she has a mental disorder, there might be no 9ne willing to take her. At least, we should sell her face to a family that can be useful.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s too much for her.¡±

    ¡°What else can I do. What have I been feeding and dressing her for? I¡¯ll let her pay for it.¡±

    One question has been solved.

    That¡¯s why Marianne won¡¯t hurt me if she can.

    I felt sorry to think of myself as such a thorn, thinking she leaving me alive just because she had to pretend to be benevolent mother.

    Marianne was born and raised in a single family, and married to a baron with a small fortune. She might be ambitious, but the background did not support her.

    It¡¯s been six years since she became a Duchess, but six years has been a very short time compared to society ladies who have grown up with each other. Though the outside may be shiny, actually her social standing is weak and she¡¯s not that well-connected.

    As you already know, the reason Marianne pretends to be a good other is one of the means to increase her position as the Duchess of Crescente.

    But wouldn¡¯t it be convenient if she just kill me so she doesn¡¯t have to act like that anymore? If you kill someone disguised as a suicide or an accident, the question may remain, but no one will ever go so far as to delve into the Duke¡¯s family affair.

    And that¡¯s why she didn¡¯t kill me.

    To marry me into a family worthy of her own use, and to create a network through marriage.

    And it was more likely to be the concubine of a rich aristocrat, than the wife of a prosperous family.

    I clenched the hem of my skirt. My hands were shaking with anger.

    The price for the food and clothes you gave me? What are you talking about when the stones are rolled around?

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me, you¡¯re not mopping up what we¡¯ve done, are you? But If I just could talk to The Royal Highness¡­.¡±

    ¡°No, that kid. We¡¯ve been watching this for years, you know how clumsy and curt she is. She thinks she¡¯ll be in trouble if she goes against us.¡±

    If I stay too long, I might get caught, so I¡¯ve moved away from my position.

    For a while, that pair of mother and daughter have no choice but to think. And I have no choice but to act the way I do.

    In the end, I will laugh at their doom.

    ??????

    I could go out tomorrow to relieve my stress.

    I had to eat in my room during my probationary period, and the food was prepared very early to reflect on. I can¡¯t help myself. I¡¯m just going to eat it.

    I sat down in front of the desk, a little nervous. I¡¯m planning to write a letter to my brother, Theodore, today.

    At first, my brother sent letters several times, but it had never get in my hand because the letter-bearer Marianne tore it apart in front of my eyes and threw it into the fireplace.

    I wanted to see my brother¡¯s letter, but I only got laughed and ridiculed when I asked for it.

    And my brother did not send any letters anymore, seems like he had noticed the general situation in the absence of an answer.

    I was depressed because I thought he had forgotten me, but now I think I¡¯ve decided that sending a letter would provoke Marianne.

    < My dear Brother, this is Riana

    It¡¯s my first time sending a letter. How are you doing? I¡¯m doing well.

    It¡¯s been more than five years since you went to the Academy to study. I¡¯m sure there are many outstanding people there, right? Did you make good friends?

    I¡¯ve heard rumors that the first Prince is at the Academy. I heard he¡¯s a great person. I sometimes think how good it would be if my Brother have a close friend like him.

    Actually, Her Royal Highness invited me to her party a while ago. It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve been to a party, but Her Highness and the others have been so kind to me.

    She said she¡¯d invite me to her tea party. I¡¯m really looking forward to it. I haven¡¯t had a chance to build any friendship because I haven¡¯t been feeling well. But now that I¡¯m completely healthy, I want to get along with the Princess and the other young girls.

    If you¡¯re going to reply, please sent it to the Postal Service in the capital. I¡¯ll go get it. If you sent it to Crescente Mansion, Mother will resent it. I¡¯m writing this letter behind Mother¡¯s back.

    Please be healthy and take care of yourself. >

    If Marianne finds out that I¡¯m exchanging letters with brother Theodore, she might suspect that my brother and I are up to something.

    Fortunately, I could go out now, but I wanted to avoid the situation where I was suspicious and couldn¡¯t even do it.

    I folded and sealed the letter that I wrote carefully on a pretty stationary and waited for tomorrow.

    My heart pounded at the thought of sending a letter to my brother for the first time.

    Although I have memories of my past life and I like the original version of the book, I never harbor any inappropriate feelings.

    Even though I remember my past life, my brother has always been just my brother.

    And there was another character who was my favorite in The Story of Ramona.

    The empire was later came to a war under the invasion of the demons, when The Demon¡¯s Prince was the one who led the demons¡¯ army.

    He only appeared in the second half, but his fans quickly increased because he was a very charismatic and wonderful character.

    It is a handsome man characterized by his blunt speech and cold expression, which exudes a solitary atmosphere. It¡¯s just the opposite of my brother¡¯s charm.

    My friends who like the cool bad character type went wild with this prince.

    Leonhart is also a villain, but the prince who is silently aiming and smashing his sword shook their hearts more than Leonhart, who schemed and fiddled under the water to take the Crown Prince¡¯s throne and try to take away other person¡¯s woman.

    I¡¯m not particularly fond of this villain role, but I was concerned about what caused the blunt-looking man to invade the empire.

    There were ostensive reasons, but somehow it¡¯s not quite clear. Details of the story didn¡¯t come out at the last, but I kept guessing, and I got really excited.

    Since I was in my favorite novel, I wanted to meet him at least once. This is a lavish wish for now, because I have to work hard to protect myself.

    The next morning, I wake up, and I said to Leah after washing my face and a simple dressing up.

    ¡°I¡¯m going out today.¡±

    ¡°Shall I get ready to go out?¡±

    ¡°No, there¡¯s nothing else to prepare for. I don¡¯t need a guard escort. I¡¯m going out without having lunch.¡±

    ¡°Yes, then I¡¯ll talk to the¡ª¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t even ride the carriage.¡±

    Leah looked very surprised. A nobleman usually travels in a carriage or horse, never walking on her own feet on the street.

    I aimed at that point.

    Marianne must not hear what I did outside today. So I couldn¡¯t have the employee accompany me, and if I were out on my own, it was better to look like a commoner if I didn¡¯t want to be a target.

    In addition, there are some aristocrats in the last Princess¡¯s party who got acquainted with me. I should refrain from making any noticeable moves.

    ¡°But if you go out alone, everyone will be worried.¡±

    ¡°Is it true? Oh, I¡¯ll pick up the clothes myself. Let¡¯s have this one.¡±

    ¡°This, this one? Are you sure? Wouldn¡¯t that be better?¡±

    ¡°No, I like this one.¡±

    I chose the most modest clothes that I had. But the quality of the material made it¡¯s clear that it was an expensive outfit.

    ¡°Leah, do you have an outing robe?¡±

    ¡°I do, but are you going to use it? It¡¯s not worthy for you to wear¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Go get it.¡±

 Chapter 7

    Leah brought two robes. One was a short robe made of thin material, and the other was a long, thick robe with a hood.

    I picked up the long, thick robe because I had to cover my clothes.

    It might be a little hot, but I have no choice. I wish I could borrow some clothes, but Leah¡¯s clothes would be a little big for me.

    ¡°I¡¯ll borrow it. Oh, it¡¯s a little bit of a substitute, but you can wear my coat.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no! But ¡­ are you sure you don¡¯t mind going out alone?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be back before dark, It¡¯s okay.¡±

    If anything happens to me, I¡¯ll be infallible to Leah, so I understand she¡¯s nervous.

    Although I was sorry for Leah, but going out with her was like advertising that I¡¯m a daughter of a nobleman or a rich family.

    If I walked out of the mansion wearing robe, I realized that some of the employees I encountered would look at the shabby robe and find it strange, so I will take it in my arms and go out.

    As I pretended to walk through the garden, I saw that there was no one around me, so I crept toward the wall.

    Since there were no windows in this side, I was not worried about being seen from inside the mansion.

    There is a hole in the size that can be passed by a small woman.

    When I was young, I often played in and out of this hole with my brother. Of course, at that time, we only used it to play hide-and-seek, and never sneaked out of the town.

    When I was a kid, I could have passed by without having to peck like this.

    After put on the robe and wearing the hood, I went through the hole as cheaply as possible while looking around.

    The mansion was white on the outside.

    I made myself clear and headed straight to my destination.

    It¡¯s the first time in my life that I¡¯ve been out here alone, but I wasn¡¯t worried.

    The security of the Empire was on the good side.

    It hasn¡¯t been long since Emperor Luminous ruled the Khalin Empire. The current emperor was the third generation.

    As the ruler of the Empire changed, the first Emperor Luminous increased the number of security forces in order to restore order and stabilize public sentiment. As a result, the security level of the Empire was greatly improved and the capital city has the best security.

    First, I decided to drop by the Postal Service to mail the letter.

    I didn¡¯t know the address of my brother¡¯s Academy, but when I inquired about the famous Academy to the staff, they took care of it.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s right. I¡¯d like you to take my letter as a proxy from the Postal Service, but how long is it for you to keep?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll keep it for two weeks.¡±

    Two weeks is pretty easy. That¡¯s a relief. I couldn¡¯t come to check everyday if my brother had replied or not.

    I applied for a proxy and went to the next destination with a light heart.

    The purpose of today¡¯s outing was not just to mail the letter.

    On the contrary, my next destination could have been called the primary goal.

    The Magnolia Trade.

    It is a large-scale society known for its shortcomings.

    It was such a large building that I did not wander in the street because I could see it from a far.

    At the entrance was a flag with white flower on it.

    Though the large-scale building was impressive, there was a separate reason why the Magnolia was so famous.

    It¡¯s not just the goods that are sold here.

    They also received request to handle some matters under water, and also traded confidential information.

    There were even rumors that the owner of the Trade, Count Kenneth Relampago, might have built the largest wealth in the Khalin Empire.

    I heard he¡¯s quite a young Count, and he¡¯s leading such a great company¡ªHe must be very resourceful.

    I pressed the hood once again, tried to be as calm as possible, and entered the building.

    ¡°Wow¡­.¡±

    I quickly shut my mouth because I tried to express my admiration in the interior.

    It¡¯s embrassing to be new to something.

    Naturally, naturally.

    The beautifully decorated interior was equipped with everything from ordinary to rare items, depending on the area.

    The precious and expensive items were lined up with glass tubes, and guarded by a guard.

    I can choose what I want to buy by looking at the items on display, but instead of doing so, I beckoned the staff who was waiting in the corner.

    ¡°Are you looking for anything?¡±

    ¡°Heelf¡¯s Tears.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll take you this way.¡±

    A room came out as I went inside under the guidance of the staff. There was a carpet and a lamp on it, but there was no sense of life in the furniture. It was probably a room that was not used for human stay.

    There was a small but solid door on one side of the wall. Perhaps I should get through that door.

    The staff pressed one of the numerous bricks forming the wall, and there was a snap and an unlocking sound.

    ¡°For your information, the locks on the bricks is changed every day, so make sure to follow our instruction later on.¡±

    ¡°I see. Okay.¡±

    ¡°You can go this way.¡±

    The staff opened the door.

    It was not a room just beyond the door. There was a staircase leading to the underground instead.

    The long skirt made it a little difficult to walk down the stairs. Fortunately the stairs are not steep, but I still need to be careful.

    The light of the lamp was dim even thought it was shining inside, clearly because it was a deep dark underground. It wasn¡¯t very bright, but the light was enough to tell things apart.

    Down the stairs, the small room is decorated with a similar style to a study.

    And what greeted me was a man who covered his face with a mask.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since we¡¯ve had a Lady as a visitor. Please sit here.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be nervous.¡±

    Did I get nervous? I sat across the man, trying to look as calm as I could.

    ¡°Now, let¡¯s heard for what reason you¡¯re here. What happened that makes the Lady took a step in this place?¡±

    ¡°I want to sell information. How much can you pay?¡±

    ¡°It depends on what information you have.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s very high-end information. It¡¯s about the magic stone.¡±

    ¡°Magic stone?¡±

    The eyes of the man who looked beyond the mask were lit up. He seemed interested.

    ¡°When it comes to magic stones, I have to do my best.¡±

    Now, you really have to be on your mind.

    Compared to the man who has a lot of experience in this business, I was nothing but a child. A moment of alertness could get me caught in the other side of the fence and cut my nose open.

    I had to get the maximum benefit from this.

    ¡°How much is it concretely? I have to know how much I can get to sell my information.¡±

    A magical stone, a mysterious mineral with explosive magical power. It is a mineral, but it¡¯s not used for regular jewelry like diamonds.

    It was impossible to use its part for accessories because there is no way to process a single piece. Instead, it was a mineral that lay dormant potential with a Mana of dozens to hundreds of ordinary wizards.

    While the government is constantly studying efficient ways to manage the magic stone, it¡¯s not easy to find, and I have heard that it is experiencing difficulties.

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ I can¡¯t give you a definite answer when I don¡¯t know what the information is. Please understand.¡±

    ¡°I can tell you where the magic stone is hidden.¡±

    ¡°The location?¡±

    The location where the magic stone is hidden. This must be the most valuable piece of information from The Story of Ramona. I came here with a determination to selling that information and take every penny from it.

    ¡°Why are you selling that information to us?¡±

    There was a mixture of skepticism in the masked man¡¯s speech. The information was too good that he felt wary of it.

    I could explain it nicely, but I felt uncomfortable being searched and I thought I¡¯d have to go out a little harder to avoid getting pushed around, so I didn¡¯t mean to do that.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to buy it, I have no choice. I have to go to the Marron Merchant.¡±

    ¡°Now, wait a minute. Lady, it¡¯s much better to sell it to us that to the Marron.¡±

    I¡¯m here because I knew that.

    The Marron Merchant is not a big as the Magnolia, but it has grown rapidly in recent years and raised its name value.

    However, there was a bit of backseat in the growth.

    Many rumors claim that they hired mercenaries to pillage, exploited labor, and engaged in illegal transaction.

    The Magnolia was much safer even if it is cost a little more commission. No matter how urgent the money is, a bank is better than a loan shark.

    ¡°But I don¡¯t think you want to buy it. There was no reaction.¡±

    But I have to do it properly. I¡¯m not a professional negotiator, but I¡¯ve had some price deals in the market in my previous life.

    The Magnolia Trade, which is the largest in Khalin Empire, cannot be compared to the rural market on the periphery.

    ¡°That cannot be true. But I was just wondering why you were selling it, because if you were to mine it yourself, you would be able to reap enormous profits.¡±

    ¡°A normal girl is not capable of mining magical stone.¡±

    ¡°¡­.a normal girl, knows the location of the magic stone? That¡¯s kind of weird, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t explain the details, but I learned them by chance. Isn¡¯t it more likely that I¡¯ve figured it out on my own? You can¡¯t find a magic stone by ordinary detector. That¡¯s why the Imperial Family is spending a lot of money to find the magic stone.¡±

    ¡°Ho¡­.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine if it¡¯s really hard for you to believe. I don¡¯t want to sell it if I¡¯m being suspected.¡±

    The masked man leaned against his back and was lost in thought.

    The time was very short.

    About three seconds later, the desired answer came out.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll take your word for it. Do you have any conditions you want?¡±

    I wasn¡¯t show it, but I was relieved inside.

    Since it¡¯s a ¡®magic stone¡®, it was unlikely that he would refuse the deal. But if the source of the information is kept being questioned, the answer is simply questionable.

    That¡¯s why I¡¯ve been more defensive than I need to be.

    ¡°I want to hear what the boss thinks first.¡±

    ¡°If you count according to our internal regulations, we¡¯ll pay you a 50 gold price for information that¡¯s classified as the best information, but you wouldn¡¯t want 50 gold in return for the magic stone information.¡±

    Fifty gold ¡­ it¡¯s not a small amount of money, but it¡¯s a shame considering the value of a magic stone is hundreds of gold.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to get 30 percent of the company¡¯s profits from that magic stone.¡±

    ¡°¡­.30 percent? Lady, just because you have the information doesn¡¯t mean that the magic stone is in your hands. You have to pay for the labor, you need to have the equipment.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think you¡¯ll get enough of that if you dig the magic stone?¡±

    ¡°If you know the approximate location of the magic stone, the search will be reduced. But unless we know exactly where it lies at what depth, we can¡¯t guarantee how much resources and time they¡¯re going to take. We¡¯ve worked so hard to mine, and it¡¯s hard for us to accept that we should give you 30 percent of our profits.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I promise you there won¡¯t be much trouble. I¡¯ll give you a very accurate location.¡±

    ¡°¡­.25 percent. How about that?¡±

    ¡°All right, let¡¯s make it 25 percent.¡±

    A small contract would be thought of as a cheap 5 percent cut, but with a magic stone, it would cost dozens of gold. So I decided to take a step back.

    In the first place, there was no expectation that the 30 percent would be accepted smoothly.

    I¡¯m the one who provided the information, but the role of mining the magic stone at risk in the wilderness is not my business.

    I signed the contract after carefully reading it again. I handed the signed contract, slowly and steadily spoke of the information I remembered.

    ¡°If you go up from nine o¡¯clock direction of Mount Broke, you will find a place where there are many caves. There must be one cave near the entrance that has been scribbled ¡®Open the magic door¡®. Using detection magic in front of that cave will create hidden passages. If you go in there, you will find the cave of the magic stone. If you give me extra paper, I¡¯ll write it in writing.¡±

 Chapter 8

    Chapter 8

    This is how Ramona and her party found the magic stone. In any case, the magic stone was not used by Ramona and her companion, but dedicated to the Imperial Family, so it would be okay for me to use it in advance.

    ¡°It¡¯s true, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course it¡¯s true.¡±

    The man in the mask had dubious face. It seems a little suspicious to hear such a specific information. But as it is true, it was not so long that my gaze met the man¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°We received your information. But we can¡¯t pay you right now, because we can¡¯t immediately verify the information.¡±

    ¡°Then¡­.?¡±

    ¡°You have to give me a piece of security. And when the information turns out to be true, we returned the collateral and deposit the information fee.¡±

    ¡°I see. Here¡¯s the collateral.¡±

    I took a ruby out of the package and placed it down in front of the masked man.

    The man picked up the ruby with his hands in white gloves and examined it.

    ¡°Ho ¡­ it¡¯s quite a high quality. It¡¯s a rare for a ruby with this reddish color. You must have been confident in your information.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°All right. So what do we do when we give back the collateral? Would you like to come and get it yourself or would you like to send someone? It¡¯s a small tip for sending someone.¡±

    ¡°There is one thing I want to ask for. Cash-flowing and opening up a bank account. If the information is confirmed, please deduct the request fee from the ruby values and put the rest into an open account.¡±

    Money is important.

    Now that Marianne knew that I could interact with others in a good way, I knew that luxury items like dresses could be adapted to some extent, but I still had to hold the cash that I could use in case of emergency.

    I knew when and what would happen. The possibility of being framed like my brother and kicked out to the street overnight is not zero person.

    I also needed an account to keep the money.

    It might be worrisome to have a large amount of money in person, and if I want to go around without a guard like today, I¡¯d better get a check from the bank than a heavy purse.

    But since I¡¯m still a minor, I had to have Marianne¡¯s presence in order to open a bank account under the name of Adriana Crescente.

    It was an account to keep the emergency money, so it couldn¡¯t be made in front of Marianne.

    ¡°Sure. How¡¯s your depository name?¡±

    ¡°¡­.Riana. Can I pick up the deposit book when I need it?¡±

    ¡°Please do so.¡±

    The deposit book, or a small package of paper, also called a bankbook, is a kind of confirmation that it had its own account, and was also intended to record the use of the account.

    ¡°Confirming the information will take less than 3 days, but disposal of the magic stone will take time. We need to think about it to get the maximum benefits. I want you to know that.¡±

    ¡°You can pay for the information in less than three days, but you¡¯re not sure when you¡¯ll be able to pay for the sale of the magic stone?¡±

    ¡°Yes, you understand quickly. I don¡¯t think there will be any trouble.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s no other place, it¡¯s the Magnolia Trade, so I don¡¯t have to worry.¡±

    ¡°Of course. Do you have any questions?¡±

    There was one more question.

    This was completely different topic from before. The reason was pretty clear.

    ¡°Is Black Town very dangerous? I¡¯m thinking of going there.¡±

    The man¡¯s lips under the mask were visibly stiffened.

    Black Town is an unlawful area on the outskirts of the capital, and was not affected by the Emperor.

    It¡¯s a place full of gambling houses such as casinos and decadent bars where decent and respectable people will never enter.

    Rumor has it that this place is managed by a demon.

    Since the laws of the Empire do not work, it¡¯s reasonable to assume that the manager is not human.

    Come to think of it, if the demon is in that place, then maybe the demon¡¯s prince is there¡­.

    ¡°You¡¯re not trying to get your hands on gambling, are you? Once you step in, it¡¯s hard to get out.¡¯

    ¡°No way. You don¡¯t have to go to the Black Town to the gamble area.¡±

    In order not to bring out the people who went bankrupt out of gambling, the country was managing restrictions on gambling, making it impossible to bet a large sum of money. Beyond that limits, no more gambling houses were allowed.

    However, the story was different if it was the Black Town where the imperial power can not intervene.

    Those seeking a lump sum of money headed for Black Town with a fortune, but the majority end up ruining their lives with an unaffordable light.

    I have no clairvoyance, and I didn¡¯t intend to spend my money on anything as obscure as gambling.

    I was going to the Black Town because of the possibility that there will be a magic stone there. But I couldn¡¯t say that yet.

    ¡°Then it¡¯s just a curiosity?¡±

    ¡°¡­.Let¡¯s just say that for now. Anyway, I¡¯m thinking of going to Black Town, but I¡¯m hesitant to go there alone because there¡¯s so many bad rumors. If it¡¯s a place where I need a guard, I¡¯d like to ask for a reliable escort.¡±

    ¡°Of course you need an escort. You shouldn¡¯t expect the security of the Empire in Black Town. Three or more are needed at night, and one skilled person is enough during the day.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going in the daytime.¡±

    ¡°All right. Let¡¯s have the escort ready for the day you¡¯re going.¡±

    Everything is done. I packed up my share of the contract, and left the basement behind with the help of a masked man.

    ??????

    As Adriana left the basement, a man appeared in the dark.

    He sat on one knee and said politely.

    ¡°Your Excellency.¡±

    Being called Your Excellency, the masked man took his mask off and placed it on the table.

    The cool features of his face were revealed.

    Although it was an aristocratic and graceful appearance, his intensely powerful eyes showed that he was in the position of leading many.

    The masked man was the owner of the Magnolia Trade, Count Kenneth Relampago.

    ¡°Why did you come out, Teil? Do you have anything to report?¡±

    ¡°Shall I look back?¡±

    ¡°¡­.the woman who just left? That¡¯s enough. It¡¯s my own business ethic not to dig into my customer¡¯s personal identity.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s suspicious.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s rare to find someone who isn¡¯t suspicious visit this place.¡±

    Kenneth put the cigar in his mouth in a casual manner.

    Although he was a young man in his mid-twenties, he has lived through a hard times, not a well-grown nobleman, and even the single gesture of biting the cigars made him an adult charm.

    Teil didn¡¯t back down.

    ¡°The hair that I saw under the hood was black. Black hair is rare among humans, but it¡¯s quite common among the demons.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re saying she might be a demon?¡±

    ¡°Yes, and besides the information she sold is about the magic stone. If it¡¯s a trap sets by the demons¡­.¡±

    ¡°You have a point.¡±

    Kenneth tapped the table rhythmically with his fingers as he smoked the cigar. When he heard it, he couldn¡¯t let it go.

    Among the nobles in the capital, the only black haired family was the House of Duke Crescente, and among humans dark hair was rare.

    Not as rare as that, but there was no doubt that it¡¯s uncommon. That makes she is more likely to be a demon.

    Kenneth was not a closed-minded person who refused to trade just because the other party was a demon. However, it was strange that a demon sold the information about the magic stone.

    The demons and humans can live together in other part of the world, but only in terms of the magic stone, they can¡¯t find any compromise.

    ¡°Go. Just check if she¡¯s a demon or not.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Sir.¡±

    Teil silenced himself into the darkness again.

    Kenneth recalled the little girl sitting on the opposite side until a while ago.

    The pink eyes were nervous. Although she tried to look calm, she was as transparent as looking into a clean lake for Kenneth, who raised the stakes by dealing will all kinds of people.

    ¡°It was like my eyes back then.¡±

    Count Relampago, a small upperclass, managed to make ends meet, but his grandfather¡¯s business began to falter so much that his father had to sell the company with only a little light left on him.

    Born of a businessman and adventurous spirit, Kenneth jumped on his own feet and brought the family business back on track.

    Although it took some time, but the fallen aristocracy, who had nothing, ended up being the continent¡¯s foremost financier.

    The young self who knew that his house was going to be ruined and he was going to be thrown out on the stress, and decided to do something about it.

    The light of determination reflected in the eyes like a mirror.

    Such a light was also seen in the girl¡¯s eyes.

    It was underground so there was a little bit of a stale smell, but now there was something like a sweet smell of raspberry on the place where she sat.

    Kenneth grinned.

    If you have a good face, you just say that you are a lady who haggles over price on the market.

    It wasn¡¯t until an hour later that Teil had returned.

    ¡°It¡¯s later than I thought. I thought you¡¯d be back soon.¡±

    ¡°She didn¡¯t take off the hood right away.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s a very careful woman.¡±

    ¡°Yes, and to begin with, she wasn¡¯t a demon.¡±

    The demons had soft ears. It was not as long as an elf, but its shape was kind of sufficient. The ears of the woman Teil identified were round ears, which were usually the same as humans.

    ¡°Well, and this is my own judgement, but I don¡¯t think the information about the magic stone is false.¡±

    ¡°How do you know that?¡±

    ¡°She went into a store that the common people used. It seemed to me that she didn¡¯t have enough money to make a purchase at a small clothing store. I thought that a person who couldn¡¯t afford such a cheap clothes wouldn¡¯t sell false information by putting a precious jewelry as collateral.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right. The jewels aren¡¯t in possession of criminal activity.¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t a tough-grown look, so it could be a noblewoman¡¯s maid.¡±

    ¡°Yes, a maid can have a piece or two jewelry. Maybe she¡¯s raising independent funds?¡±

    ¡°It could be the owner¡¯s division.¡±

    Ruby was a little less valuable than diamonds and emerald. Of course, for the commoners, it¡¯s a piece of ruby or diamond. But if you work in noble household, the enshrined jewel was the most generous present the owner could offer as a gift.

    This was quite a big reddish piece, so it was a rare among rubies, but if the owner was wealthy¡­.

    Kenneth nodded and put the documents Adriana signed in a locked drawer. It was a drawer for an important contract.

    ¡°How is the preparations for the textile business?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s smooth. The cotton kingdom is also cooperative in exports.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the trend of the Duchess of Crescente?¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem to notice at all. You know, Marianne Crescente only talks, because she never actually done anything.¡±

    There are several projects that have been done by the Duchess of Crescente. One of them was the cotton textile business.

    The distribution of cotton in the Empire was almost monopolized by the Duchess Crescente, now Kenneth was trying to break the monopoly.

    With the distribution network was already in place, pioneering a new route was impossible without some financial resources and connections, but even if it were possible, most would have tried to avoid the Duchess¡¯ eyes.

    But he was a businessman before he was a nobleman.

    ¡°Surely His Majesty will not interfere.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you start because you knew he won¡¯t? No matter how he cares about the Duchess of Crescente, he won¡¯t stop the legitimate business.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not all. The tax we pay is huge.¡±

    ¡°And so is he.¡±

    ¡°Now, then, I¡¯ll get ready to grab a big one. Teil, I want you to set up a reconnaissance team to send to Mount Broke and report it.¡±

    ¡°All right.¡±

 Chapter 9

    Chapter 9

    Translator: nevermoorian

    ¡°Unfortunately, something happened so he dropped me off and left right away.¡±

    ¡°An engagement¡ª?¡±

    ¡°I got engaged exactly half a year ago. It¡¯s only three months earlier than the day when Duke Edgar met his prospective fianc¨¦e.¡±

    That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t kick it.

    In fact, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m getting dumped, but it¡¯s not a good thing.

    No matter how hard the explanation is, it would be meaningless for people who frequently say we¡¯re lovers.

    ¡°It¡¯s not really hidden, but I guess it didn¡¯t come into your ears. That¡¯s weird, His Grace. His engagement¡¯s gone before, and you all know it.¡±

    ¡°I guess¡ª¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s pity for the young lady of Bornaine. I heard the Marquis sent a marriage proposal to His Grace in the name of his youngest daughter. The result is ¡­ well, it¡¯s like this.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about!¡±

    Sheryl Bornaine¡¯s face turned red in a flash.

    Her face turns redder than the dress she¡¯s wearing, just like a girl of her age.

    I can¡¯t believe there was a time when she tried to mock Nocton.

    Her flock was staring to each other, perhaps new to the story.

    In fact, an offer of marriage must have been secret between families.

    No one would know it unless they were Bornaine and Edgar.

    In that sense, I didn¡¯t say anything lightly, but I can¡¯t afford to be merciful to my enemy because she¡¯s the one who started arguing with me.

    We live in a world where you¡¯ll be eaten if you show any weakness.

    It¡¯s wrong to pick up on someone by mentioning Nocton Edgar and try to get off the hook.

    Of course no one knew if I was with Nocton a while ago, except Alice.

    I don¡¯t know about my situation, but I don¡¯t have any reason to think about your situation.

    Hiding my smile, I opened my fan and covered with mouth.

    ¡°Is not right? The Duke himself told me because he was my friend, I¡¯m sorry if it¡¯s wrong. But, His Grace did¡ª¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough! Stop talking about it!¡±

    Her voice rose in a stiff tone.

    There was a loud noise in the midst of what many people had seen, and not it¡¯s hard not to stare at Bornaine.

    I would have been the today¡¯s main character as planned, but at the moment, it was another person.

    Unable to bear the sight of the crowd, Bornaine turned around and ran away.

    The bewildered crowd finally grasped the situation and followed her.

    For once Sheryl Bornaine was defeated, but what¡¯s next.

    Not everyone who wanted to mock me had talked to Nocton.

    If I don¡¯t have any weapons to fight back in such a situation, I¡¯ll lose a face and humiliating myself.

    It would be better to go back before finishing anything.

    I didn¡¯t want to hear that I was running away do I came here, but after a few words with Nocton, my patience has been running out.

    ¡°Roa.¡±

    When I was absorbed in thought, someone called me.

    I thought I heard it wrong, but when I turned around, it was Aaron Claymore.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you had a job?¡±

    ¡°I dealt with it in a hurry. I thought I shouldn¡¯t let you do anything alone.¡±

    That¡¯s very sweet of him. It¡¯s like a fruit that I shouldn¡¯t eat.

    He may not have mean it, but I was really touched because no one ever said something like that to me.

    ¡°Thank you, anyway. I just wanted to go back.¡±

    Though he was just here and I asked to go back as soon as I saw him, his face brightened a little. He, too, likes to avoid the ball.

    Anyway, just before I go back, thanks to Aaron for his personal appearance, I might be able to escape from the image of being chained to Nocton.

    If Aaron is attached, there¡¯s no one else to rush in.

    Aaron Claymore, if not as good as Nocton, was also the top prey in the marriage mart.

    It was a mockery for a fianc¨¦¡¯s level to sink from top to bottom, but there was not much scandal if the statuses were only a little different.

    Besides, this looks pretty much like a good couple.

    However, I had to endure the outpouring of attention as many times as when I was alone.

    Some of them were not enough to just whimper, and a young lady from Count Erlin¡¯s house, who had never said a word to me, approached.

    ¡°La-lady Roa Valrose! Was it Sir Claymore that you were engaged to?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°That can¡¯t be¡­.! Sir Claymore definitely said he doesn¡¯t want to get married!¡±

    Oh, you¡¯ve been talking openly?

    ¡°It¡¯s a story when he doesn¡¯t know love.¡±

    ¡°But!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lady Erlin, but I¡¯m so tired. I¡¯d like you to postpone your story with Aaron until next time.¡±

    I was forced to be rude because I¡¯m not in the spirit to understand and step down.

    Now I was so tired, and I felt worse than that.

    It¡¯s not a situation where I can be considerate of others.

    Using honorifics with a smiling face was the result of my last patience.

    The young lady¡¯s face was red, perhaps offended, but frankly it didn¡¯t bother me.

    If there was no longer any chance of seeing Nocton or Alice, the number of enemies did not matter.

    ***

    I met both of the best men in the novel, but the more impactful moment was my first meeting with Aaron.

    It may be a little ambiguous to be called the first meeting since I saw him face to face before then.

    But, the first time he was left alone in the drawing room, he was on his knees.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lady Roa Valrose, but please do not marry me.¡±

    I haven¡¯t done anything, but I¡¯m getting dumped already.

    Rather than being shocked, I simply blinked because I didn¡¯t understand his sudden behavior.

    ¡°Uh ¡­ why?¡±

    There¡¯s no return answer.

    ¡°You don¡¯t like me?¡±

    I asked again, but Aaron Claymore still did not open his mouth.

    A large man is looking down at the floor with his knees bent.

    It was a bit burdensome, but it wasn¡¯t enough to tell him to get up.

    I didn¡¯t ask him to get on his knees in the first place, so what about it.

    If his bones hurt, he¡¯ll stand up, answer, or take care of himself.

    It¡¯s not me who committed the offense, but the other side.

    Putting a marriage into the family line was a simply matter of second thought.

    Although they will only be married after a formal engagement, but the relationship was no different from an already established one.

    It has passed the stage in which people can say that they do not like the partner¡¯s looks it personality.

    No, it¡¯s even more shocking to think so.

    I¡¯ve barely said hello and he doesn¡¯t know my personality ¡­ he doesn¡¯t like my face that much?

    I was quite proud with my beauty so I was shocked.

    My eyes are fierce so I hate this face at first, but I feel better every time I look in the mirror.

    For a moment when I thought differently and turned a blind eye to reality, I soon became bored with the situation itself.

    How long will he be like that?

    Just kneeling down without telling me the reasons doesn¡¯t make things better.

    The vague affinity for the opponent has been reduced and the latter has blossomed.

    Perhaps Nocton¡¯s bad temper shifted to me.

    Dozens of minutes have passed since then.

    Just then he did understand that silence alone would not solve anything, and a belated voice filled the drawing room.

    ¡°There is a person I love.¡±

    I came close to counting the tea leaves.

    Already?

    I tried not to, but my shoulder sank unknowingly.

    I knew this guy might end up liking Alice one day, but she didn¡¯t even meet Nocton yet.

    When did that happen?

    Although I have been constantly exchanging letters with Alice, the recent developments are only filled with the activity of the Duke of Limorand.

    She was so busy receiving the love from her family after she came to the capital. She hardly ever walked out of the mansion.

    How could he have fallen in love?

    But even if I tried to guess, there was not much I could do.

    Even though I came into the book¡¯s world, there wasn¡¯t much I could remember.

    The male lead was described under a similar name to Ed, Alice¡¯s family background, and the villainous female character along with the well-mannered and tough male supporting character.

    I remembered the small event Alice had when she made her social debut as a Limorand, and the fact that Nocton took over the Duke¡¯s seat as soon as he became an adult, but it was a shame to say I knew the future.

    It was inevitable.

    I read too many books, and the background was about the same. Moreover, I read a pile of similar books even after I was reborn.

    Even on the day I died, it was just a pretty old book that I read, and I had to praise myself just for recognizing that I was reborn in a book.

    Let¡¯s leave the useless excuses at this point.

    I was confronted with a feeling of rejection.

    ¡°Do I have to refuse the marriage if Sir Claymore wants to marry that person?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not it. She can¡¯t get married.¡±

    ¡°Why is that?¡±

    I¡¯ve been talking a little bit but it¡¯s silent again.

    I was suffocated by the frustrating atmosphere.

    Not only the male lead, but the male¡¯s supporting character also has a fatal flaw. Alice was pitiful.

    ¡°Hey, Sir Claymore. It has been half an hour, but what you said is only ten words. If you have something you want to say, don¡¯t mumble like a child and speak straight. If you have nothing to say, please go back.¡±

    Of course, if you go back, you¡¯ll have to take responsibility.

    If you¡¯re going to say that in the first place, I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re here.

    I wanted to leave the room first, but with the least amount of communication, I simply pointed at the door with minimal sophistication.

    Shivering astonishedly, Aaron Claymore slowly got up.

    I didn¡¯t realize it when I came in, but since I was close to him, his body looked so big.

    His broad shoulders and strong physique, no doubt he¡¯s a knight.

    Aaron Claymore, who had exhausted himself, bowed deeply.

    The appearance of his platinum hair was similar to the sand swept away at noon.

    ¡°I have been very rude. Lady Roa Valrose.¡±

    Then the man, who was supposed to leave, opened his mouth slowly.

    ¡°I came looking for Valrose with the intention of repudiation because my decision was not recognized.¡±

    ¡°Are you talking about the adults of Claymore?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve told them a few times that I have no desire to get married, but my parents didn¡¯t approve. It¡¯s a shame but I didn¡¯t even know it had come this far until today. It¡¯s something I should have made clear, but I¡¯m sorry to have unintentionally offended you, young lady.¡±

    ¡°Are your parents against marrying her?¡±

    ¡°No, they don¡¯t even know it exists. As I said before, she can¡¯t get married. But I don¡¯t want to marry anyone else. I know it¡¯s just my ego, but I can¡¯t accept it with my heart.¡±

    Alice Limorand, with whom you unable to marry¡­.?

    Something was wrong.

 Chapter 10

    Chapter 10

    Translator: nevermoorian

    ¡°Oh my, that¡¯s so pretty¡­!¡±

    The color of the teapot began to change slowly from the bottom, creating beautiful patterns. Does the color change when it comes in contact with hot water? That¡¯s amazing¡­.

    ¡°It¡¯s a gift from the priest of Arcentia. It¡¯s an advanced country of magic, so there are all these beautiful objects.¡±

    Arcentia is a country where there is an Academy that my brother attends. The Khalin Empire is a superpower that occupies nearly 70% of the continent¡¯s territory, and has as many diverse history and culture as it does, but has fallen behind the Arcentia in its magical civilization.

    In the past, there was a magical empire that encompassed the continent, and Arcentia is where the capital was, so the ancient magic civilization still seems to be alive there.

    There were many academies in the Khalin Empire, but the reason why Arcentia is the best in the continent was because of this background. There were traces of mystical ancient civilization in various fields, not just magic.

    ¡°My first brother goes to the Academy in Arcentia. Oh, come to think of it, didn¡¯t the young lord of Crescente go in there?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°¡­really? Oh, my God ¡­ what a wonderful coincidence.¡±

    Contrary to her words, the Princess¡¯ voice was a little shaking.

    The arms are bent inward. Princess Cynthia was closer to Leonhart, his brother, than her half-brother Claudio.

    To be honest, Claudio¡¯s friendship with Theodore, who is considered as the next Duke of Crescente, would not be much of delight to Her Highness.

    I didn¡¯t have to tell her more about it, so I can avoid the awkwardness.

    ¡°My brother Leonhart was not attending the Academy, but he was taught by the great people of the Empire.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard a lot about the brilliance of the second prince.¡±

    Sure enough, the Princess conveyed to the praise of Leonhart.

    Even if the Arcentia Academy is the best in the continent, the education that Leonhart received will not lag far behind, as he have been taught by the great talent of the Empire.

    In order to become the Crown Prince, it would be better to learn from the figures of the Empire and increase your personal connection. Watching the Emperor¡¯s reign from the side is also helpful.

    Claudio didn¡¯t go to Arcentia on his own decision.

    The former Empress, Claudio¡¯s birth mother, passed away a long time ago, and the current Empres was the birth mother of Leonhart and Princess Cynthia.

    Both princes have excellent qualities, so the current Empress who thought that the second prince¡ªLeonhart¡ªwould be at a disadvantage, used her hand and sent Claudio aboard.

    There¡¯s something like Marianne. But unlike Marianne who had sent a false charge to my brother, the Empress had persuaded the Emperor will all her eloquence.

    Maybe because they have similar experience, Claudio and my brother are on the same wavelength.

    The next topic was the hairpin that I gave as a gift.

    ¡°How did Lady Adriana get the hairpin? I don¡¯t think you¡¯re interested in jewelry.¡±

    ¡°Actually, I got it as a present from my brother. I¡¯m embarrassed because it¡¯s such an old thing¡­.¡±

    At my words, the Princess¡¯ eyes were wide open.

    ¡°Oh my, is it alright for you to give me stuff like that?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m really fine, so please don¡¯t mind. When I was you wearing it, I felt more that worth it. It suits you so well.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad because I wanted it, but the young lord Crescente will blame me for taking his sister¡¯s belongings. Hoho.¡±

    ¡°My brother was fine too ¡­ I didn¡¯t even ask him, actually. Though I suppose he¡¯ll be a little disappointed, if I say it¡¯s to live, my brother will understand.¡±

    Today¡¯s tea-time was not a separate party, but a time of relaxation and pleasantries during the Princess¡¯ schedule. Therefore, the allowed time was not very long and the time has come to the end of tea-time.

    The Princess spoke as she rose from her seat to see me off.

    ¡°I had so much fun today. Oh, Stella, bring what I¡¯ve prepared.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    Stella brought a luxurious box wrapped in a violet cloth and handed it to Leah.

    ¡°What is this?¡±

    ¡°I thought about what would be good in return for the hairpin, and I picked this one. It is a tea that relaxes your mind and helps you sleep better. I prepared it because you look a little tired at the last party, but you look better today than you did then.¡±

    That day ¡­ I was definitely tired. I didn¡¯t sleep to fixed my dress¡­ I covered it with make up but I couldn¡¯t hide my fatigue completely.

    ¡°Thank you very much, Your Highness.¡±

    ¡°Call me Cynthia.¡±

    There were only a few who had a close relationships with the Princess, except for her family, the Emperor, the Empress, Claudio, and Leonhart. It¡¯s quite extraordinary for a person to call the Princess by her name because even someone from the royal bloodline couldn¡¯t do that if they¡¯re not from the direct line¡­.

    Ah¡­.

    Seriously, does she think I¡¯m her sister in law? Maybe when we were talking about Arcentia Academy earlier, she was talking about Leonhart in a subtle way¡­?

    ¡°How am I supposed to call the Princess¡ª¡±

    ¡°Please accept that, I want to be closer to Lady Adriana in the future. Or do you not want to be close to me?¡±

    ¡°¡­That¡¯s not the case. It¡¯s an honor, Cynthia.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a relief. Adriana.¡±

    Cynthia smiled cheerfully. Frankly¡­ I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s okay. To be honest, I¡¯m not entirely happy about it. She didn¡¯t show any interest in Marianne and Sharon¡¯s gift earlier, does Cynthia think I¡¯m more suitable to be a Princess than Sharon?

    Or maybe she¡¯s using me to check Claudio and brother Theodore¡¯s friendship.

    It wasn¡¯t a bad thing anyway. Marianne and her daughter wouldn¡¯t poison the Princess¡¯ friend if they had the idea.

    As I left the palace to go to my carriage, there was a man ahead who was redolent of his immense presence.

    The Emperor of Khalin Empire.

    Leonhart, who¡¯s accompanying him, was also charismatic as a Prince, but the greatness that overflowed from His Majesty was unparalleled.

    ¡°Greeting to His Majesty the Emperor, His Highness.¡±

    ¡°Lady? Ah ¡­ I guess you¡¯ve come to see Cynthia.¡± Leonhart assumed an aloof attitude.

    His Majesty the Emperor knew me when I was young, but he didn¡¯t seem to be able to remember me because he hadn¡¯t seen me in the last few years. As soon as I was about to introduce myself, the Emperor opened his mouth first.

    ¡°Are you, the estemeed-daughter of Crescente?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±

    Unexpectedly, His Majesty recognized me at once. Oh, is it because of my black hair?

    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time. Do you remember me? I met the young lady when you were very young.¡±

    ¡°How can I forgot Your Majesty.¡±

    The third Emperor of House Luminous. He is the one who made the Khalin Empire as prosperous as it is now.

    The last Emperor of the former Imperial Family was a man of loose judgment and indecision, full of self-interest. The successive misrule had accelerated the corruption in the Empire, which had been slowly reduced before, due to the careless of the next Emperor.

    The Grand Duke Luminous, who can¡¯t just sit down and watch the Empire¡¯s situation, revolted and became the first Emperor Luminous.

    It was not easy to get rid of all the rotten branches and rebuild the country. But the first and second Emperor spared no effort to carry out their duties, and it¡¯s the third Emperor who began to shine because of his successful efforts.

    Of course, the achievements of the previous two Emperors were never just taken back.

    As for his charisma, it would be hard to find a match for him even if we searched the entire Empire. He has a great presence, sharp eyes, and a powerful voice.

    He executed the current system that the previous Emperor had designed but failed to implement it due to opposition. As the system became so successful, the Emperor¡¯s dignity became like the Sun.

    My father used to tell the Emperor about Marianne. His Majesty respected Marianne, whom my father loved, and did not interfere, recognizing Marianne¡¯s temporary housekeeping authority even after my father died.

    It was unfortunate for me, but I didn¡¯t mean to resent the Emperor. Resentment won¡¯t do me anything.

    ¡°You reminded me of Wallace.¡±

    The Emperor closed his eyes as if recalling my late father. I felt like I was being hung up.

    Even though everything had been ruined since Marianne came, I loved my father and my father loved me. Now it¡¯s irreversible.

    ¡°How¡¯s the young lord Crescente? I remember he was brilliant and good at martial arts. I¡¯m sure he must be stand out in the Academy.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s doing fine. Not long ago, I heard he was dealing with minerals¡¯ mine, they found a new vine of mineral and the villagers celebrated it. He was asked to drink at the celebration, so it was the day he drank the most alcohol in his life.¡±

    I haven¡¯t been in touch with my brother but it¡¯s a bit awkward to answer that I don¡¯t know, so I recalled my memories and fumbled some of the episodes that happened around that time.

    The Arcentia Academy also acts as a guild, so it is often commissioned.

    The request come from various classes, such as lord, temples, or a neighboring resident, and the Academy selected the quests that students could afford and introduced them to students in need of work. Ramona broke all her fortune and joined the Academy to earn such additional income.

    Ramona, Theodore, and Claudio¡¯s team was initially squeaked out by random matching, but they build friendships while fighting together and settle neatly on each quest they take on as the main character team.

    As a result, their reputation goes up, and they will be responsible for bigger and more difficult quest.

    Later on ¡­ they were involved in a heavenly fight. In the fight, my brother gets the Celestial Sword and becomes the most powerful aristocrat on the continent in name and reality.

    ¡°That¡¯s a very pleasant story. I wish Claudio would write down detailed story, but he doesn¡¯t have any original narrative skill. He often write down hard stories about what classes he takes and what his grades were like.¡±

    I could imagine Claudio writing down his regards in a formal letter.

    The quiet and wise Emperor is good, but it¡¯s fine for the next Emperor to resemble Leonhart, who makes all the idle talk. Well, just a little.

    ¡°If it¡¯s alright with you, why don¡¯t you join us for dinner today?¡±

    His Majesty seemed more pleased to see me than I thought.

    If he¡¯s going to do that, I¡¯d like him to take care of me. Well, I know it¡¯s too much to expect him to pay attention to me because the Emperor was a very busy man¡­.

    Anyway, I had no reason to refuse because I had to have dinner with Marianne and her daughter when I got home. It¡¯s still a little early for dinner, but I spent my entire day alone until I found my past memories, so waiting is not a problem for me.

    ¡°I am honored, Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°Yes, well ¡­ I have to see the minister from now, and you must be bored to wait.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m alright¡ª¡±

    ¡°Leonhart, give the lady a tour of the Imperial Palace. I will inform Professor Mark.¡±

    ¡°I will.¡±

    I didn¡¯t have any slightest idea about strolling around the Imperial Palace with Leonhart as my escort. His Majesty the Emperor then went away, saying see you later. And next to me, only Leonhart and the maids were left.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you have a schedule? Just because of me¡­.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. It won¡¯t be a problem if I postponed it for a day.¡±

    Leonhart led me to the Emperor Palace. The Emperor Palace was the most magnificent and splendid palace on the Imperial Palace grounds. Besides the Emperor¡¯s office and chamber, many people come and go because there were many facilities.

    While watching the room filled with mural paintings of famous painters, I felt a little uncomfortable.

    Even when I went out alone, it was not easy to walk in high-heeled shoes for a long time. It wasn¡¯t as hard as walking outside because it was a flat room with a soft rug, but it was the time when my ankle became a little sore and I hesitated a little bit.

    ¡°Let¡¯s take a break in the garden. It happens to be in full bloom.¡±

    Like a ghost, Leonhart suggested a break. The timing was too perfect that it doesn¡¯t seem to be a coincidence. I thought it wouldn¡¯t be obvious ¡­ but he had an impressive sight.

    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s do it.¡±