Chapter 8
A splendid imperial palace.
The carriage road in front of the imperial palace stretched in six directions.
At the central point where each road meets, there is a large fountain, which sprinkles clean water with beautiful melodies, and between the roads, a well-maintained garden is shining with a fresh green color.
A group of knights and a carriage entered through the central road facing the imperial palace among the six roads.
“I came back to the capital in just a few days….”
Letier muttered while looking out at the imperial palace through the carriage window.
The carriage with her drove across the road and stopped in front of a fountain.
After waiting for a while, the chamberlain, who had been waiting in front of the imperial palace building, approached and opened the carriage door.
“Welcome, Princess Letier.”
Letier grabbed his hand and got off the carriage and looked around the splendid gardens of the imperial palace.
It felt so unfamiliar that I wondered if it was a place I had visited when I was young.
This is… The Empress’s palace I had only heard about.
“Princess, please follow me this way. Her Majesty the Empress is waiting for you.”
Letier, who nodded at the head chamberlain, quickly tidied up her clothes and moved on.
The others dismounted from their horses and began to quench their thirst or unpack the carriages.
Letier followed the chamberlain up the building’s low staircase and through the gates, which the maids held open for them.
Upon entering the building, a grand hall with luxurious red carpets appeared.
Letier looked up at the portraits on the walls and the statues dotted all over the stairs.
‘It’s all made of gold… I never thought it would be this flashy.’
After following the chamberlain up the marble stairs leading from the grand hall and crossing a couple of rooms to enter the state room, she found the empress sitting on a chair in the furthest row.
Letier respectfully bowed her head while standing far away.
“Greeting the sun of the Empire, I’m Princess Letier of the Lenever family.”
“Nice to meet you. Princess, please come closer to me.”
Letier walked slowly and approached the Empress.
Looking closely, the Empress looked young enough to be in her twenties.
In particular, her splendid features matched very well with the smooth golden robe she was wearing.
The Empress raised her beautiful blue eyes and stared blankly at Letier standing in front of her eyes.
Before long, a benevolent smile spread slowly across her face.
“I’m using princess’ cosmetics very well. What did they say… Moisturizer… Is it cream or something?”
“It’s a great pleasure for me to know that my products are of help to Her Majesty.”
“Yes. I liked it so much that I bought other cosmetics and often gifted them to people around me. Some people found that their long-standing inflammation disappeared after using your products, and others found that their scars disappeared.”
“Most of the products focus only on the moisturizing effect without special functions, but some products have such an effect because they are mixed with effective powder.”
“Oh.”
The Empress’ eyebrows went up.
She slowly nodded her head up and down and opened her mouth again.
“When it comes to effective powder, what kind of powder is mainly used?”
“Usually, rare herbal powders or flower petal extracts are used. There are many medicinal herbs that only grow in the habitat of certain monsters.”
“Do you go get raw materials yourself?”
“There are merchants who mainly deal with them.”
“Hmm.”
The Empress rested her chin on her hand and looked at Letier, who answered calmly, with interest.
As the lady, who was younger than expected, came through the door of the state room, she wondered if she was the kind of woman who would lend her name and leave the management of the company to those below her, but her doubts slowly faded as she saw her serious face.
“You know why I called the princess today, right?”
“I understand that it is for the treatment of the prince’s skin disease.”
“You’re right. I’m really worried about him. He is at an age when he should be out and about, learning the country affairs, and it troubles me as a mother to see him wandering off like that.”
Letier raised his head and looked at the Empress.
From her voice, she sounded quite sad, but when I lifted my head to look at her, she was blowing on her manicured nails playfully.
Huh? It’s really heartbreaking…?
“Starting today, let the princess take on the role of the exclusive skin therapist for the prince. If you really cure the prince’s skin disease, a great reward will be given, so please do your best.”
“I… With all due respect, there is one thing I would like to ask Your Majesty.”
The Empress nodded vaguely, not taking her eyes off her long nails, as if to say, ‘Speak’.
“I am not a doctor. There must be many doctors with great abilities in the empire, but is there a particular reason you’ve called me here and not them?”
“Why don’t I call the Imperial Palace doctors? There was no fundamental treatment. They just talk nonsense about stress and mental illness, but they can’t prescribe a single medicine properly.”
What kind of skin disease is that?
The curiosity of Letier, who was standing still, only deepened.
Are there any diseases that doctors can’t treat?
“After that, we’ve tried calling in priests to pray, we’ve tried calling in meditators from other countries, and we’ve even sent the prince away to recuperate, but without much success. The princess is just one of many options for curing the prince, so don’t feel too pressured.”
“Yes, I will keep that in mind.”
“Then you may leave, Patrick, and escort Princess Letier to the prince.”
Letier held up the hem of her skirt with both hands, bowed her head, greeted the Empress, and followed the chamberlain called Patrick out of the stateroom.
Whether or not Letier said hello, the Empress, who had been fiddling with her nails, glanced at Princess Letier’s back as she walked away.
‘… I’m surprised you’re recommending a cosmetics manufacturing entrepreneur.’
However, it was clear that this time, too, it would end without much profit.
The Empress stared blankly in the direction where Letier disappeared for a moment, then immediately stood up from the chair she was sitting on.
*****
‘I’m out of my mind…’
As soon as I arrived at the imperial palace, I saw Her Majesty, and the prince immediately without rest.
I knew it from the time they ordered me to enter the palace, but the imperial palace seemed to be a place where people rushed and rushed.
Letier hurried her steps in order not to lose sight of Patrick, who had drifted away while thinking about it for a moment.
Patrick passed the stairs, passed several unknown rooms, passed several hallways, and stood in front of a large door.
‘It’s ruined. I can’t memorize the road because it’s so wide.’
The Duke’s Castle in the Lenever Territory boasted a fairly large scale, but it was incomparable to the scale of the imperial palace.
It seemed like it would take a long time to learn the geography of the imperial palace’s buildings.
Patrick, whether aware of Letier’s restless mind or not, knocked forcefully on the large door without delay.
“Prince, I brought a skin therapist.”
Letier straightened her back and swept down her skirt.
Surely he won’t go berserk as soon as he sees me?
Reference books and basic raw materials quickly passed through her mind.
No need to be nervous!
After a while, the lady-in-waiting in the room opened the door.
Letier took a deep breath and entered the large room.
“Greetings, My name is Letier of the Lenever family. I will be the Prince’s personal skin therapist…”
Letier, who lowered her back and slowly raised her head, stopped talking.
‘Huh?’
She made eye contact with the hideous man.
No, that was the rumors of the prince.
The prince, who was sitting by the window and reading a book, turned his head toward himself and was wearing a mask that covered his entire face.
The black mask, which covered everything from the forehead to the tip of the chin, had only the pupils deeply pierced, but it was so tightly closed that someone would wonder if he could breathe.
At first glance, the mask, with its rims and piercings around the eyes decorated with gold bands, looked like a luxurious ceremonial mask of a nobleman who was hosting a masquerade.
Letier finished her speech, trying not to show her surprise as much as possible.
“… I will be in charge of the exclusive skin therapist for the prince.”
‘Does he usually cover his face like that?’
He was wearing a mask, so I couldn’t see what kind of expression he was making.
Besides, the shadows around his eyes make it hard to see even the pupils beyond the mask…
What a terrible skin disease is it that he covers it up like that?
The masked prince stared blankly at Letier, then gestured to the table and chairs in front of him.
“Sit down.”
Even though his face was covered with a mask, the prince was still the prince.
A majestic voice passed through the mask and approached Letier.
But the voice was stifled, strangely low, perhaps because it was further covered by the mask.
Are you deliberately lowering your voice…?
Letier stepped forward and took a seat opposite the prince.
As soon as she sat down, the ladies-in-waiting came and poured warm tea into cute cups and served refreshments.
The crown prince’s mask has a closed mouth, but he only wants me to eat…?
“I asked who was the new one who said would help me with the treatment.”
Hearing the calm voice, Letier, who had been quietly looking down at the table, raised her head and faced his black face.
I couldn’t see the face behind the mask at all, but the voice didn’t sound unpleasant.
“It was Princess Letier.”
“Do you know about me?”
“Everyone knows.”
Letier swallowed her saliva.
I was also curious about how the prince, who is famous for having a bad personality, would evaluate me.
“You have a great cosmetics company. The imperial family has very high expectations of you this time.”
Knowing that her cosmetics company was rumored even to the imperial family, Letier felt proud again.
Yes, let’s quickly treat the prince’s skin disease and return to the Duchy!
Back to the duchy, back to business!
But would he be well enough to return before the founding festival?
Letier, who had been fidgeting with the hand she had placed on her lap for a moment, stretched out both hands with great enthusiasm.
“Well then, let’s start treatment without delay. Prince! The mask you’ve been wearing for a while….”
“No.”
“Yes?”
“I don’t want to.”
Letier stopped just as she was extending her arms to the prince.
Then… How do I cure it…?
