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After the light greeting, a product was transferred from the Golden Swan Palace to the Ten Diagram Hall of the Empress and this was a new magical tool that will be introduced to the social world soon.
“We’re excited to see so many new magic tools.”
“Oh, what kind of tool is it? The Duke of Lachia always introduces new products to the Empress.”
Ran smiled at the Marchioness of Cyrix’s words.
“Next time, I’ll personally deliver one to the Marchioness’ house.”
“Oh, really?”
The Marchioness of Cyrix liked it, oblivious to the Empress’s slightly narrowed eyes.
“Of course, but it’s best if I show it to the Empress first.”
The Empress smiled at Ran’s words and said modestly,
“How come you just see me? The Marchioness has been bugging me, so please show her first the next time.”
“Thank you, Empress.” The Marchioness said with a smile.
Ran liked her right away because she was vivacious[1]. Red curly hair and cheerful amber eyes. She was the daughter of a low-status knight and therefore was unfit to become the Marquis’ wife, but Ran seemed to understand why the Marquis of Cyrix fell in love with her.
The Marchioness and the Marquis were about ten years apart in age, but this was not a serious problem in aristocratic society.
Still, there were some people who talked behind their backs.
‘Well, if you’re talking behind my back then I really don’t care.’ Ran thought so.
“I’m always looking forward to it, too. I wonder what the Duke of Lachia will bring today.” The Duchess of Usla said while unfolding a colorful fan painted with roses. The Duchess has dark skin and black hair. She was said to be a great beauty with a clear feature when she was younger, but her beauty had not faded with age.
A thorny attack.
“All I have is an idea. The Golden Rose does the job, and I’m sure they’d appreciate your support.” Ran said, softly smiling.
Ran slayed it when she said it wasn’t her business, but it was Golden Rose’s.
Some high-ranking aristocrats, just exactly like the Duchess of Usla, believed that the only ones recognized by the blue flame were those with the blood of the Duke of Lachia. However, the one that appeared in the social world did not have a single drop of Lachia’s blood but pretended to be one.
However, since Ran is currently popular, she is unable to talk publicly about it.
“So the owner of the Golden Rose is Half Elf, right?”
“Yes, she is.”
“Are the elves really trustworthy? I’m concerned because the ice crystals are in their hands.”
Olivia said with a frown, but Ran smiled and nodded.
“I’m also aware of the crown prince’s concern. But you don’t have to worry about that. The half-elves themselves are mocked by the elven community. In reality, they prefer to coexist with humans.”
Ran quoted the same excuses that Levory often makes.
“I see.” Olivia nodded.
‘No you don’t. Why are you provoking me?’
Ran drank the warm tea water, her back was stiffening with anxiety. The inside of the tea salon, where the warming fan was running, felt dry.
‘If the warming fan is operated in this way, the ice will melt too quickly. I’m making money, you know.’
Ran thought and decided to make a moisture regulator next time.
“Speaking of which, elves are such mysterious beings. Someday, I’d like to see one in person.”
The Marchioness of Cyrix’s eyes sparked and Ran remembered Haresh. He is, indeed, a good looking guy.
Furthermore, elves are significantly bigger than humans, which was also an appealing aspect.
“It would be great if we could arrange a convenient time to meet.” Ran replied with a big smile.
‘We’ll communicate with you soon.’
It’s a brilliant idea. When the Elves’ and Dwarves’ magic crafts are revealed, the value of the Lachia’s mana stone will increase.
It’s called brand power.
“Come to think of it, I heard Marquis Cameron personally threatened you.”
The Empress frowned at the Duchess of Usla’s words.
“Oh my, why would you bring that up?”
“I appreciate your concern, Duchess Usla, but there was only a little disagreement with the Marquis.”
“The Marquis of Cameron is a long-established family that has long pledged loyalty to the royal family, hasn’t it?”
Empress Catherine nodded at Duchess of Usla’s words, and Ran smiled courteously.
So she’s saying they shouldn’t interfere with the Marquis of Cameron because the Emperor is on his side.
“Indeed. The Duchy of Lachia is likewise proud of their history of loyalty as well. I’m reminded of it every time I see the Viridescent Arch.”
‘Since the first Emperor, the Lachia has been loyal to the Imperial Family.’
Thinking so, Ran gently sliced a piece of cake with a fork. The great part of visiting the capital was that she could indulge in as many high-end snacks as she wanted.
‘Lachia needs to quickly produce sugar…’
‘I wonder if Yustaf is doing well. I miss him.’
There was no man in the capital who was as handsome asYustaf. She longs to hear him call her ‘sister’ and to listen to his cool, husky voice.
QC/N : I Miss yus too.
“I heard there were an endless number of suitors in front of the Viridescent Arch.” The Empress said with a smile.
“That’s true. Someone even said that there was a person who sang a serenade all night.”
The Marchioness of Cyrix’s smiled, and Crown Princess Olivia snickered and whispered, “Oh my God.”
“I’m interested in who the Duchess will be with.”
“I have no plans to marry any time soon. Yustaf is still young.”
“And, come to think of it, Yustaf hasn’t married yet, has he?”
Ran bowed her head at the Queen’s words.
“That’s correct. I’m still young, so I want to give myself enough time.”
Ran swiftly built a pretext.
Although she is still young, she has reached the marriageable age of 18. However, the excuse that she had not yet become an adult worked.
“Of course, the Duke of Lachia cannot interfere with Young Master Yustaf’s marriage.”
“Because you don’t have any ties to him.”
The thorn was raised once more by the Duchess of Usla.
“Yes, but I respect Yustaf. He is also a senior academy graduate.” she replied, feeling a little tired.
Ran grinned. She brags about her younger brother whenever she gets the chance. Then she pondered when the bothersome things would end.
“Oh, that’s too bad. I’d like to see the Duke of Lachia’s wedding, too. Oh, my God, so how does it feel to be pursued by so many men?”
The Marchioness of Cyrix brightened the subject and addressed Ran with a smile.
“Well, to be honest, I don’t know what to do with all those flowers.”
With this, the conversation continued and ended before dinner began.
Ran bowed gracefully, gave her heartfelt goodbyes, and left.
Blaine, who was waiting nearby, looked at Ran and whispered.
“You look tired.”
“I’m tired.”
Ran rubbed the temples and quickened her pace. She couldn’t wait to get out of this palace.
Someone then snuck out of the room, as if waiting for her to appear. Blaine stopped and quickly lowered his head.
‘Oh, crap.’
Blaine swore quietly to himself, and Ran bowed deeply.
“I see His Majesty the Crown Prince.”
“Isn’t this the elusive Duke of Lachia?”
The Crown Prince said with a wide smile. He is twenty-eight years old this year and has a youthful appearance. Blue eyes and blond hair that shines.
From the outside, he appears to be a perfect prince. But he is a brazen womanizer on the inside.
“Please accept my apologies.”
Ran responded and bowed her head. The reason the Crown Prince did not see her was simple – Ran tried to avoid him as much as possible.
Prince Ruth shook his hand in response to her polite answer.
“It’s not a big deal. I was just greeting you.”
Ruth whistled softly as Ran straightened her legs and raised her head.
When Blaine saw this, he clenched his teeth. Even if he were a Crown Prince, his actions were disgusting.
“I’d heard the Duke of Lachia was a stunning beauty, but this is beyond my imagination.”
“That can only be true with Her Highness the Crown Princess.”
‘Look at your wife, you scumbag!’
“Enough about that. I want to have a chat with the Duke of Lachia.”
Ran’s head started to ache. She had no intention of getting close to the Crown Prince. She also does not want to become involved with the Crown Prince and his wife.
‘But that’s just wishful thinking.’
She’s bound to meet the crown prince couple now that she’s connected with the imperial family.
“Thank you, Your Majesty the Crown Prince. I look forward to your invitation.” Ran said, barely smiling.
Ruth’s blue eyes narrowed. His eyes are a different shade of blue than Yustaf’s.
Ran unintentionally compared Yustaf to him.
‘My brother is still the best.’ She concluded.
“It’s a shame I didn’t prepare an invitation. Will you come if I formally invite you?”
“It will be my honor. I also had a wonderful time today with the Crown Princess.”
“With Olivia?”
He raised his eyebrows, smiled thinly and held out his arms as if to escort her.
“I really want to hear what you’ve been talking about. Why don’t we have a walk in the garden for a while?”
Ran swallowed a groan, realizing that the Crown Prince would not back down.
“Only for a moment”. Ran said and started to walk, trying to avoid placing her arm on his.
To be honest, she was curious as to why he was approaching her.
The next Emperor and the Duke of Lachia.
Wouldn’t people assume these two words have significance?
‘It might turn into a political affair.’
But her thoughts shattered in less than ten or five minutes.
‘Just as expected, he’s a jerk.” Ran barely kept her face from crumpling.
“So am I correct? The Duchess of Lachia must be a virgin.” Ruth smirked.
“Why do you want to know that?”
“Is it a problem to talk about it?”
Ran was going insane, and Ruth seemed to be having a good time with the situation.
Her opponent is the Crown Prince, and she must not be disrespectful to him. But what should she do if he continues to make stupid comments?
“Your Highness, you’re being extremely rude right now. Your statement is inappropriate for a Crown Prince to make.” Ran stopped walking and said coldly.
“Oh feisty. I like feisty women.”
“Then, I would like to be excused.” Ran clenched her teeth and made a small bow.
Ran walked away quickly, not waiting for a response. Ruth grinned as he watched Ran leave.
“I was worried she’d picked up a cold temperament from Lachia, but that didn’t seem to be the case. She is nothing without Lachia’s power.”
Ruth tilted his head.
‘What if I ask the next head, Yustaf, for support?’
He would feel more secure if he had the support of the next Emperor. Furthermore, Ran is gaining popularity in the capital, and Yustaf may dislike her since she is a threat to his position.
‘Or I’ll tell my father to temporarily allow Yustaf to obtain permission as the temporary head.’
Then Yustaf won’t need Ran any longer, and all he has to do is pick up the fallen fruit.
Ruth snickered and walked away.
* * *
The Viridescent-Arch house was bustling with excitement. This is because the maid’s uniform arrived today.
Until now, the maids wore the uniform they had brought with them. Because it was shabby, it was obvious whether they were servants or not.
The new uniform, on the other hand, is made of a soft, high-quality, luxurious, navy-colored fabric.
To indicate their rank, the uniform also has different colors for the buttons, sleeves, with the uniform itself.
Uniforms were provided not only to the maids, but also to the ladies-in-waiting, valets, and the rest of the mansion’s servants.
The servants were all looking forward to today because they had various trinkets to match their uniforms.
And finally, today the uniforms were given.
Everyone was busy changing into their new clothes.
Soda was dressed in her new outfit and groaned as she brushed her fingers several times across her exquisite uniform.
“Oh my God, it’s so pretty.”
Ran worked hard on the design since she knew how important the uniform was.
Of course, the quality was not compromised.
It was the first time that high-quality fabrics were used in such large-scale uniform production. It was also complemented by a luxurious petticoat, making it more lavish than any of the servants’ uniforms.
Kara also smiled happily at the color of her buttons and sleeves.
The mansion’s staff and maids were thrilled about their new uniform all day.
Naturally, their sense of belonging to the Lachia family has also increased.
‘That’s why there’s a need for a uniform.’
It is important not only for identification and individuality, but also for a sense of belonging and unity. At the same time, it is meant to strengthen the Lachian family’s image.
Within a few days, the Lachia family’s maids’ uniforms drew special attention outside the mansion.
Everyone adored the uniform, and because of it, they wanted to work as maids in Lachia. Outsiders are becoming more respectful to Lachia members.
And their loyalty to Lachia got stronger as a result.
Ran smiled with happiness at the people in her family she cherished.
She also prepared a large number of uniforms with the same design and sent them to the Sky Mansion, thinking that the staff there would be pleased as well.
Her smile, however, did not last long, and the reason was simple: the bastard Crown Prince.
Ran sank herself on a comfy chair in front of a wide table made of black wood and gathered her fingertips.
She tried to recall as much of her memories of the Crown Prince as she could.
There wasn’t much information on what happened before the start of the original novel.
She only knew that the Crown Prince had died by this point in the novel, so she didn’t remember much about him other than the fact that he was a promiscuous[2] man.
And…
The Crown Princess fell in love with Yustaf at first sight, so she pursued him relentlessly. She is jealous of Sina, whom Yustaf loves, and tries to kill the girl.
Then, when Yustaf and Sina discovered that the Crown Prince had been poisoned and that her son was not his biological son,
The reign of Crown Princess Olivia had come to an end.
And the second prince became the emperor.
“But I understand.”
After meeting the Crown Prince herself, she can understand why the Crown Princess poisoned him.
‘And it wasn’t revealed until the very end who the Crown Princess’s son’s father was.’
The child was said to have been entrusted to the Duke of Miro.
“What should I do?”
The best thing to do is pretend she doesn’t know anything and stay as far away as possible. The problem was the loathsome Crown Prince, who kept sticking to her.
Rumors were already spreading in society.
The Crown Prince fell in love with the new Duke of Lachia.
‘Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!’
Ran groaned, grabbing her hair. Is it okay for her to poison him? Get him killed?
Ran breathed deeply.
“Sir Blaine.”
“Are you okay, My Lord?” Blaine replied cautiously, his eyes focused on Ran, who was groaning next to him.
“Where can we get an assassin?”
“That’s…”
Blaine hesitated and was confused for a moment, before realizing what Ran had meant.
“That bastard Crown Prince is such a jerk!”
It was a dreadful rant. Despite the fact that they might be prosecuted for blasphemy, Blaine can’t help but nod sympathetically.
“He’s a real nuisance.”
“I know.”
Ran sprawled out on the desk. She closed her eyes, breathed deeply, and sighed.
“I have no choice.”
There is only one person who can control the Crown Prince.
The Emperor.
In her head, Ran drew her cards one by one.
‘This is too much.’
‘Uh—’
She is the current head of Lachia, and she makes all the decisions. At the same time, she bears all the responsibilities.
Political actions and statements.
Her every move was crucial and could put people’s lives at risk.
It was often difficult to endure the thought of Lachia’s ups and downs hanging on her shoulders. She can’t talk to anyone, has no one to lean on, and mistakes are unacceptable.
If only Yustaf had been with her this time, she could have discussed it with him.
“I’ll request an audience with His Majesty.” Ran exhaled deeply and lifted herself up.
Anyway, what should she do with that Crown Prince? That person is unlikely to become the next Emperor, however –
‘He’s annoying’.
Bang! Bang!
Ran was surprised by the sound of the aggressive knocks on the door, which weren’t pleasant to hear. Blaine wanted to ask what the problem was, but the door burst open, revealing the butler Rolf, who stood with a defeated expression.
“The Marquis of Cameron sent a messenger!”
“The Marquis of Cameron?”
As Ran frowned, Rolf quickly added.
“A territorial war has been declared!”
Notes :
[1] : attractively lively.
[2] : a person who has a lot of different sexual partners frequently.