“Put this on.”
Luna looked at the dress Madam Ostia handed to her. It was a drab color that completely covered the body.
“As you remember, the princess used to wear dresses like this. And…” Ostia, selecting accessories, clicked her tongue low. “Unlike the princess’s blonde hair, Lady Lev has pink hair. So, no matter what accessories you use, it’s inevitable that you will lack elegance.” No matter what Luna tried on, the expression on her face showed dissatisfaction.
Madam Ostia and Luna knew each other. Since Ostia had been Siani’s etiquette teacher, they had often encountered each other in the duchy.
“All of them are a mess.” But Luna threw the dress Ostia handed her to the ground as if tossing it away. “My sister always hated these colors. She only wore them because Madam insisted.”
“Lady Luna!”
Then she kicked the dress away.
“Moreover, my sister hates feeling choked by her clothing, so she never liked this kind of design. She prefers wearing necklaces.”
Bypassing Madame, Luna rummaged through the wardrobe herself.
“She also hated anything with these tacky laces on the sleeves. It’s old-fashioned and cumbersome.”
However, among the clothes madam brought, and even in the dressing room prepared for the future grand duchess, nothing was to her liking.
“Really…”
Most of the dresses, perfumes, and cosmetics in this room were chosen by Ash himself, thinking someday Siani would use them, but well.
“He doesn’t know anything about my sister’s taste.”
Annoyed, Luna threw all the perfumes on the vanity into the trash can.
“Lady Luna Lev! What on earth are you doing?!” Ostia finally raised her voice at that sight. “How could you do such a vulgar thing, even if you are uneducated…”
“My sister detests these disgusting perfumes. Do you even know anything?” Luna looked at Ostia with disdain.
“I personally trained Princess Felicite.”
Sharp glances collided between the two.
“Had it not been for the duke’s order, do you think a lady of a mere baron family could have met me? Instead of complying obediently!”
“There’s no one in this world who knows my sister better than I do!” Suddenly, Luna’s shout cut through Ostia’s words. “After meeting Ash, my sister would change her clothes first. She bathed several times to get rid of the stench of the nasty perfumes he sprayed.”
“…” Ostia stood frozen, utterly stunned.
“Everything you’ve seen about my sister is a lie. What I know is real. How dare anyone try to teach me!”
At that moment,
“Why is it so noisy?”
Ash burst through the door. Unlike his usually careful demeanor, he entered without knocking, visibly angry.
“Huh.”
Ash scoffed as he surveyed the room. The place prepared for Siani was in chaos.
“What’s the use of hiring an expensive madam?”
After Redian became the crown prince, revealing that the golden insignia Luna stole was fake, the grand duke family was walking on thin ice.
“No matter how hard you try, a fake can never become real.”
Their already bad relationship plummeted to its worst.
“Why are you meddling with Siani’s things? You were only supposed to play your part and leave.”
The room and items meant for Siani were now ruined by Luna, causing Ash to feel an uncontrollable irritation.
“Use this room for my sister? Ha, such big dreams. Better give it to this woman. Everything here suits her taste.” Luna scoffed, pointing at Madam Ostia with her chin. “To think you believed all this trash suited my real sister’s taste. You are…”
“What?”
“Sure, I might know because I’ve seen what my sister was like in front of Redian, but you… you don’t know anything.”
“Luna Lev.” Ash gritted his teeth at the mention of Redian’s name.
“People who know nothing about my sister dare to teach me?”
No matter how hostile his face became, Luna, nonchalantly sticking out her tongue, walked out.
“What the hell?”
At that moment, Ash was perplexed by her unique manner of speaking. What’s this crazy woman’s goal?
Moreover, Luna perfectly imitated Siani’s accent.
* * *
Just when I thought I could leave work early after barely calming Redian down, it was the emperor next.
“Redian never studied sovereignty?”
“Yes, of course…”
The emperor seemed quite surprised to learn that Redian had never been taught sovereignty.
“Sovereignty is a discipline only heirs to thrones or imperial families can study. Although I taught him basic subjects, being of Norma in status, he couldn’t study sovereignty.”
“I thought you might have taught him bit by bit, knowing Redian’s identity. Otherwise, how could he…” The emperor, stroking his chin, let out a light exclamation.
“Redian, no, His Royal Highness seems to be doing well.”
“He has grasped even the parts unknown without practical experience.”
The emperor found it curious yet somewhat pleased by Redian’s performance.
“I thought, given he was born into the Rixon bloodline but unprepared from childhood compared to others, he would naturally be lacking.”
Indeed. Even for those prepared from birth to be heirs, the path of becoming an emperor was difficult.
“Princess has seen it by his side too. Does he look like someone who just played around when being a prince?”
My ability to adapt immediately after entering Siani’s body was thanks to my myriad of experiences. That is, because I was on my Nth round of possessing. But how is Redian so good?
Well, in the original story, Redian ascended to the emperor’s throne. Like his original nature remained, other settings must have stayed too.
“The time I expected to teach the crown prince seems to be significantly reduced,” spoke the emperor again. It meant the coronation would be much sooner.
I need to wrap up my business plans then.
Lately, I focused solely on elevating Redian to crown prince status. Having overcome the most crucial moment, it was time to return to my original goals.
“How is the resort destination progressing, Your Majesty?”
“It’ll open in two months. The building you requested will be completed in a month, so you can handle the rest.”
However, the emperor added with a sigh. “Once Redian is crowned and becomes busier, I wonder if you’ll have personal time to spend at the resort destination.”
I caught his hint but pretended not to understand. I was supposed to be just a temporary educator until his official coronation… The emperor seemed to naturally assume I would stay by Redian’s side afterward. I couldn’t let my guard down being caught in Rixon’s trap.
“There is a knight named Francis among those who spent time with Redian during his Norma days. Being an outstanding talent, he seems well-suited to assist His Royal Highness.”
Originally, Francis was to become Redian’s closest confidant. However, with the change in Redian’s ascension storyline, Francis’s process of becoming his assistant also inevitably changes. I, the perpetrator who disrupted the original story, had to set things right when the opportunity arose.
Inein would be a good choice for the captain of the knights. His kind nature, formidable stature, thoughtful and respectful demeanor, along with his unique magical abilities, made Inein an ideal candidate for a military position.
“I’ll prepare for His Royal Highness’s closest aides for the post-coronation period. So, Your Majesty, please don’t worry.”
Essentially, I was saying I’d take care of the future preparations too, so they should not hold me back once I’m free.
“I trust you. If it’s coming from Princess.”
Then, the emperor looked at me with a meaningful expression. “But even more important than those close aides would be a spouse, that is, the crown princess, wouldn’t it?”
“The crown princess?”
Why did the topic suddenly shift in that direction?
“Redian will soon be of age, so marriage is the most important and urgent issue. He needs to produce heirs too.”
“…Yes, I suppose so.”
“Besides, finding someone to love is akin to completing the other half of one’s soul, giving a sense of mental stability.”
I nodded in agreement, though I considered it none of my business to interfere with such matters.
“After the coronation, what about issuing a marriage decree? For ladies around seventeen, given His Royal Highness will be nineteen by then…”
“No, no, I think he’d prefer someone older.”
“Older?”
“Redian needs to meet a woman who can wield power over him. You know his personality better than anyone.”
“Well, yes, but…”
I wondered why the emperor was giving me that look. Was it like when he wanted me as Moriana’s educator?
“That man is a splendid groom, isn’t he? Handsome, tall, capable, young and fresh. And he’s my nephew, not to brag.” His eyes twinkled for a moment. “A man who will spend his life chasing after his wife. Isn’t that rare these days?”
Redian, a man… Of course, he was a man. It just felt strange because I had always been by his side. The notion of him being a ‘man’ felt oddly unfamiliar.
“So, Princess.”
“Yes?”
Just as I was lost in thought,
“Your Majesty, I apologize for interrupting your conversation.”
Someone entered without warning.
“You really lack timing.”
“Greetings to Your Majesty.”
It turned out only Kailus had the audacity to barge into the emperor’s office unannounced.
“It looks like Your Majesty and Your Holiness have important matters to discuss, so I will take my leave.”
Finally, freedom. Having been tied to the imperial household lately, my daily routines were practically paralyzed. I needed to quickly settle the matters I had spread out and prepare to escape.
“Then, I’ll take my leave.”
As I was about to pass by Kailus,
“Princess.”
Kailus stopped me.
“Yes?”
“Your hair is on your shoulder.”
In an instant, he plucked a single strand of hair from my clothing. It happened so quickly that I couldn’t react.
“Then, go ahead.”
“…Yes, Your Holiness.”
Leaving was my priority, but as I stepped into the corridor, I found it curious. He’s not usually so attentive and kind. The Kailus I had observed was someone who wouldn’t care even if the world changed before his eyes. For him to pick a strand of hair off my clothes…
“Or you can just give me a strand of your shiny hair.”
“A strand of my hair? You want to use that to replace two large pieces?”
“Yes. I thought a single strand of Customer’s hair would be worth more than that.”
The summoner’s voice from the magic shop echoed in my memory.
Is he still there?
It seemed like I needed to visit that shop again soon.
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