✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧
Translated by: Alina
✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧
It’s only 20% of the total, but it’s a staggering amount. With that kind of money, one could buy a prestigious mansion even within the capital.
Given such a large sum, he naturally expected some kind of pressure.
For example, give him a tight deadline or warn him not to make mistakes.
However, the princess stood up as if her business was finished.
“I’ll take my leave now.”
Parakel, taken aback, hastily spoke up.
“W-What if I take this money and run away…?”
Upon hearing this, a bright smile blossomed on her cold face, like spring.
“Then it would be my fault. I misjudged you.”
As soon as she left, he chuckled nervously.
“I didn’t even get to refuse. I even accepted the advance payment.”
Even though he knew better, he couldn’t help but blush at the thought of the princess.
“Darn it, how am I supposed to resist when she’s like that?”
While knowledge was one thing, what impressed him the most during conversations with the princess was her persuasive power and charisma.
‘Honestly, even someone like me who’s tired of nobility would be captivated by this kind of authority.’
Parakel was convinced.
If anyone had been in this position, they would have been enchanted by the princess, not just him.
—
The shop assistant greeted me with a nod.
“We’ll let you know when your order is ready.”
Exiting the workshop, I let out a deep sigh.
‘I hope he doesn’t run away and actually listens to me…’
As he was someone with a strong need for recognition, I intentionally touched that part, but I never knew.
‘I should be prepared in case he tries anything later.’
Anyway, if Parakel brings the gun as I ordered, the palace’s defense will improve.
At least in the event of a rebellion, the likelihood of being as defenseless as before would decrease.
‘Then at least I’ll be safer than before.’
In my past life, the traitors not only killed the emperor and other imperial family members in the imperial palace, but they also tried to kill collateral imperial family members.
It was just a backup plan.
After assassinating the emperor, they needed to eliminate the rest of the imperial family to ensure that no one posed a threat to the new emperor, who was the leader of the traitors.
“But if Fritz ascends to the throne, everything will go back to square one.”
Attempting to change the sun is a gamble, but Fritz is not the sun yet.
So I’m going to make sure that he abdicates to a suitably superior man and then uses the new emperor as a shield to survive.
“There’s also Reinhardt, and any other noble from the royal family would be better than Fritz.”
The thoughts of the impending disaster were put on hold for a moment.
“There’s no carriage. Did they park it somewhere else because the alley is narrow?”
At that moment, a single white bird flew up into the air.
I inadvertently looked up at the sky and spoke.
“Sardin, catch it.”
As soon as I finished speaking, Sardin’s arrow swiftly shot out.
The person who had been monitoring me seemed to realize that they were the one I was referring to and quickly revealed themselves.
However, Sardin, with agility alone, was a young champion who had defeated formidable opponents in the arena.
Thud!
Shortly after, I saw Sardin subduing someone.
“I’ve caught them, master.”
With her short brown hair and brown eyes, she had an ordinary face.
At first glance, she might seem ordinary, but her skills made her one of the strongest among the Blant house knights.
I approached her and greeted her.
“So, it was you who’s been keeping an eye on me all this time, Janet.”
She gave me a guarded look and asked, “How did you know?”
“Oh, where else would such a pretty hawk be common.”
When the white falcon she used for reconnaissance was mentioned, Janet blushed and muttered softly, “I should have used a pigeon.”
Her reaction felt somewhat amusing.
‘What now? I already knew there was surveillance regardless of the bird.’
Lately, Erich had been acting as if he had seen my actions, so I assumed he had placed surveillance on me.
But I couldn’t sense any presence, so I was curious about who it could be. I never expected it to be Janet, who acted as subtle as a fish.
‘I didn’t know Janet’s stealth skills were this excellent. Sardin didn’t even notice.’
Briefly, I addressed Janet, who wore a troubled expression.
“Just continue as you were. I’ve already noticed, so there’s no need to change anything.”
She changed her expression and stared at me.
“Madam, what were you doing inside?”
“Well, what do you think I was doing?”
As I said this, I showed her my empty hands. Whether she understood that I hadn’t purchased the gun or not, she sighed and asked again.
“Well, alright. Since you didn’t bring anything with you right now, I have to report today’s events to the Duke.”
I knew this would happen. But I couldn’t just accept what she said without objection.
“Alright, then I’ll have to use this as an excuse to demand a hefty settlement from the duke and get a divorce.”
“What?”
“Who do you think people would see as the problem between the husband who has his subordinates watch his wife’s every move or a wife who stayed long in an alchemy workshop?”
Without answering my words, Janet stood there like a blank sheet of paper.
‘She must be in a dilemma. Not only was she caught, but now I’m also cornering her and even threatening her.’
I watched her for a moment before speaking up.
“If you just do as I say, I can overlook what happened today.”
“What do you mean?”
With a raised eyebrow, I replied to Janet’s question.
“It’s simple. Just report to your master that you didn’t see anything unusual today.”
She jumped in surprise.
“That’s unreasonable! I’d rather resign than do that; I can’t do it.”
Perhaps because she was a loyal subordinate, my threat didn’t work.
‘Is there really no other way?’
Just then.
Clang!
The door of the shop opened, and the shop assistant approached me with something in hand.
“Madam, please take this.”
As Janet saw what it was, her eyes widened.
“That’s… cosmetics…”
After receiving the obviously cosmetic item, I smiled and said to the shop assistant,
“Thanks for the extra service.”
“No problem. Since the lady personally placed an order, it’s only natural to provide this.”
“Yes, you understand the importance of keeping it a secret, right?”
“Of course.”
As the shop assistant went back inside, I turned to Janet and said,
“Since you seem to have seen everything, we need to talk. The truth is, my skin has been acting up lately, so I came to buy cosmetics secretly, just in case someone mocks me.”
To be honest, it was a lie.
I had already anticipated someone was monitoring me, so I ordered the reagent from the shop assistant before leaving the workshop. And asking for this cosmetic was an added bonus, a part of my plan.
It was both a deception and a necessary part of the plan.
However, Janet seemed genuinely fooled and apologetic.
“I’m sorry. I had no idea…”
‘If she knew my true intentions, she would probably burst into anger.’
For a moment, I stared at Janet.
A commoner knight with exceptional skills, and…
<Madam, this is a good tea for pregnant women.>
She was the only person from Blant Duchy who treated me warmly.
When my child was born, she even gave me a congratulatory gift.
<It’s modest, but it’s a pair of shoes for the baby. And this is an herb good for postpartum pain; please make sure to take it.>
And the decisive moment when I felt indebted to her.
She got scalded while shielding Damien from the hot water and ended up with burns.
When I asked why she did it, her answer was…
<I just did what was necessary. Protecting you and the young master is my duty.>
I felt grateful to receive protection from her, but at the same time, I felt sorry.
I wanted to compensate her somehow for being my child’s benefactor.
But because of that burn, she quit her position as a knight, and I couldn’t see her again.
So when I realized that Janet was the one who had been watching me, instead of getting angry, I decided to deceive her.
‘With this, even if the truth comes out later, Erich won’t blame her.’
Seeing the benefactor I had been searching for hovering around me, I decided to take care of her until I could implement my plan.
“Madam?”
“Do not hide and follow me if you are going to guard me.”
With permission to openly watch over me, she expressed her confusion.
“T-Thank you for saying so, but will the duke allow it…?”
“He will. It’s safer to openly guard me than to do it secretly.”
Since I refused knights after visiting the palace, the only ones with me now were servants and Sardin.
While there shouldn’t be any thieves or robbers attacking with the duke’s emblem present, it still seemed vulnerable for a noble’s carriage.
‘Well, with Sardine alone, there’s nothing to worry about… but Janet doesn’t know his true abilities.’
Furthermore, she had been subtly worried about me.
Sure enough, she soon put on a determined face and said to me,
“Understood. Then, when we arrive at the mansion, I will ask the duke for permission.”
“Good, and what we saw in the workshop today…”
“Of course, it should be kept a secret.”
With this, Janet was persuaded, and the secret was kept.
‘Now that everything’s done, it’s time to go back.’
