Chapter 67

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Chapter 67

“You have to empty the Imperial Palace, and you have to go to another country…”

I felt sorry as it felt like I was putting a burden on Declan… Because becoming a person was more about my greed than it was for his safety.

“This work is important to me as well, so there’s no need to be sorry.”

He gently comforted me, knowing how I felt. At the same time, Stella glanced at Declan and me talking with a different look than before he knew about the owner of the necklace.

“Princess, do you have to go with me?”

“I think that’s the best way.”

“If you leave the Imperial Palace and go to a foreign country, there will be many people looking for that opportunity.”

Moreover, Tierra’s envoy was also here now.

“Are you saying that if I join you, I will get attention?”

“Yes.”

Stella thought for a moment.

“Your Majesty saved my life.”

“It was also because of Erica’s request here.”

“Is her name Erica?”

“Yes.”

Stella gazed at me where I was and smiled softly.

“As expected, God had a will.”

She glanced up at the sky with a moved expression and rose from her seat, and bowed her head, “Thank you for saving me. This makes me even more certain.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m sure I can leave this necklace to Your Majesty.”

…Was she really going to give it away? No matter how much she watched the necklace and Mazvin react, wouldn’t it be unsettling?

“Are you okay? Didn’t you say it’s important to you?”

“It’s like my life.”

Stella replied calmly and added, “However, if it’s Your Majesty, I think I can trust you.”

“Why?”

“When I see Your Majesty’s eyes looking at Lady Erica, I can feel your sincerity.”

‘…It wasn’t my own misunderstanding.’

Those words seemed to prove Declan’s heart towards me. He smiled softly as I smiled at him, who was awkwardly touching his eyes.

“It is a valuable item, so please keep it safe. Also, please take care of Lady Erica.”

Declan stared at the necklace he had been handed over and grabbed it.

“I will do that.”

“Your Majesty, please tell me that you will return it to me when you visit the desert.”

Hearing her words, she smiled faintly saying thank you.

After breakfast, Jennifer sat on the terrace and drank tea in a leisurely manner.

“I also thought that she was a very beautiful woman just because the Emperor had her in his eyes.”

Jennifer, thinking of Stella, burst out laughing.

“In the Kingdom of Ielro, she’s called the most beautiful woman. It is said that her innocence shook the hearts of men,’ Her maid, Sylla, then said monotonously with an expressionless face.

“How can she be elegant with a body as skinny like a skewer? Ielro’s level is understandable.”

“Isn’t that uniqueness that caught the Emperor’s attention?”

Jennifer touched the tip of her fingernail as if it was ridiculous.

“She must have attracted attention because she was too weak and insignificant. She lacked any feminine charm.”

“Even in my opinion, there is no charm that can stimulate the hearts of men.”

“Right? If it’s me and that woman standing together, who will the men choose…?”

“Of course, you.”

“See. Now that there’s definitely something to compare, they won’t even look at her.” Saying so, Jennifer frowned and got irritated.

“She’d be gone sooner or later, so I don’t have to worry about her.”

The important thing now was the Emperor.

“Yesterday, the library was a godsend move.”

“Sylla, thanks to you for bringing good information. If this goes well, I’ll give you a big share.”

At that, she bowed her back and greeted politely.

“Since the Emperor is always with that doll, the other work is done. Now we just need to meet.”

The charming spell had to face the target directly at least once. This was because it was possible to specify the object to be charmed of. The problem was that she couldn’t even go near the main palace. However, the library was the most likely place to be.

“Will the Emperor come to the library today?”

“It didn’t seem like a regular schedule.”

“Hmm, should I go anyway…? We might meet by chance.”

Jennifer snorted as she twisted her rose-red hair with her fingers.

“Why don’t you ask him to create a chance for you?”

“To that sneaky old man…?”

Even though she knew at first sight that he was a partner, Jennifer didn’t like him being arrogant in front of her. The Empire was nothing. So, why was he looking down on her as a member of the royal family when he was not a member of the Royal Family as well?

“Because it’s the same.”

Now, she was forced to take his hand for a purpose, but she thought that if only she could put the emperor in her grasp, she would surely break his stiff head.

“If you want this to be successful, you have to work together as well.”

“Even so, I don’t want to see him just showing off.”

The first operation had already failed, so she sought his help. Although that alone hurt his self-esteem, she didn’t want to look incompetent anymore. If that sneaky old man looked down on her even the slightest bit, she would surely grab hold of him and shake him.

“As long as I report the situation to him on a regular basis, that’s enough.”

Since they were working together, they should know each other’s progress.

“Bring a pen and paper. That ink, too.”

Jennifer, who was handed what Sylla had brought, dipped the pen into the ink and wrote down. Like what Duke Otien wrote, the spot where the pen passed was a little wet, yet nothing appeared.

After drying the paper, she handed it to Sylla, who said her greeting and left the room.

“Is this going to be where I live now? Sooner or later, both father and brother will bow their heads in front of me, right?”

She was ecstatic to imagine herself sitting next to the throne she had seen in the audience room. What would the appearance of the nobles and natives of the Empire who would bow their heads to her under the podium look like…?

Just imagining it made her shudder.

“What do you do first~ when I get up there?”

Humming, Sylla came in again. However, her face was a little darker than before she left.

“It is said that the emperor called Princess Este.”

For a moment, the feeling that she was in the best of times plummeted.

“…I heard the Emperor has not been looking for her.”

“That person said it’s not time to relax.”

Strength entered Jennifer’s hand that was holding the teacup hearing those words, and she opened her mouth, “To whom did the old man dare to say this and that!”

Her eyes turned into ghastly ones.

“I’m sorry, though now the two are drinking tea in the main palace.”

“…At the main palace?”

The tea water oscillated inside the teacup she was holding. That ugly woman went where she herself was banned…?

…Also, drinking tea with the emperor?

Heat rushed through her head.

“When I tried to show you mercy, you were rushing by yourself.”

If so, she must respond.

“Sylla, I guess I should prepare it.”

At that, Sylla quietly bowed her head and went somewhere. Soon, she came back and handed a vial to Jennifer. It contained a sparkling red liquid.

“If you can’t get in, you have to let the prey come out on its own. Also, get rid of the annoying thing.”

Jennifer smiled as she held up the glass vial, reminiscent of the evil witch in fairy tales.

A few days after meeting Stella, Mason rushed into the office.

“What’s going on? It’s unlike you.”

“Your Majesty, please call the attending doctor.”

His disheveled appearance was different from usual and caused anxiety.

“Princess Este has lost her consciousness and is not waking up.”

Why Stella? The scented candle with the sleeping poison must have been taken care of…!

“In the morning her handmaid went in to wake her up, but she couldn’t come to her senses and just kept talking nonsense.”

Mason’s words instantly reminded me of a scene from the original story. Declan doesn’t show much interest in Stella, so I thought Jennifer wouldn’t use it. Or, did the one month period make her nervous…?

“Take the doctor and go.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“Wait.”

As soon as he said his greeting, Declan glanced at me in surprise as I shouted to stop Mason from turning his body.

“Your Majesty, please stop the chancellor.”

“Mason.”

He stopped at Declan’s call.

“Yes.”

“Erica wants you to wait a minute.”

Mason gazed at the doll with a nervous face.

“I’ll go with you. Maybe, the doctor can’t figure out the cause.”

“Why do you think so?”

I couldn’t answer Declan’s question right away.

‘…Because I can’t say that the same incident happened in the original story.’

I thought quickly and came up with a pretty plausible excuse, “Princess Medicis considers Princess Este as a competitor. Not long ago, Your Majesty called for Princess Este.”

Somehow, I had an ominous feeling that this incident would not be limited to Stella. I was worried about the headache I had yesterday, so I looked around Declan. Thankfully, there was no black smoke. Nonetheless, just in time, Stella had a problem.

It was the same as in the original story.

I was convinced that this ominousness was not merely a foreboding. I explained further to Declan and Mason.

“She only has one month to stay here, so she may be in a hurry.”

“How are you going to find out what Princess Medicis did?”

“It’s my specialty to find out what’s dangerous.”

I knew what method Jennifer used in the original story, so I could definitely find out.

“I’ve also learned about Gerald’s magic, so maybe I can see it again if it’s a magic trick.”

—

Thank you so much for always supporting the novels I work on, even if you don’t buy me a coffee, I really do appreciate it a lot. ❤︎

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