After looking around the castle, Velia entered her room with Khalid.
The Herald opened his eyes and silently objected that that was absolutely not possible, but Velia ignored her uncle’s gaze and let him into the room.
I’m the one talking about rumors. Anyway, why not add a few more to the rumors that are spreading now?
“You did something quite bold, didn’t you?”
As soon as he entered the room, Khalid, who had immediately erased his affectionate lover’s behavior from earlier, went to an empty chair, sat down on it, and asked.
She sat down in front of him and smiled, as if she would not lose to Velia.
She said, “I have shown you as much as your Majesty expected.”
Although she had thought from the moment she first met her that she was no ordinary woman, she had never thought that she would kiss her openly on the spot upon welcoming her.
She was not an easy bet either.
Feeling like he was teasing her a little, Khalid clasped her hands and put them on the table, making her chuckle and pulling at the corner of her mouth.
She said, “She keeps reminding me of something the princess said.”
What are you talking about, Velia thought for a moment, and then Ah! With an exclamation she looked at Khalid with her strange eyes.
“oh. “I didn’t know she was the kind of person who would be hurt by such words.”
“You must be misunderstanding something. “I brought this up not because I was hurt, but because I wanted to show it properly.”
The tone was clearly joking.
Rather than fighting back, Velia chose to talk about her full-fledged plan.
“Stop joking. “Because I don’t have time for that.”
I don’t have time for that.
It was something she had heard a lot somewhere.
Isn’t this something she often says out of her mouth?
“… … hmm.”
It’s not fun. Khalid shrugged her shoulders.
“First, let me tell you the location of the gold mine. Now that I think about it, I feel like I have nothing to give to Your Majesty.”
“… … “I think you’re mistaken about something.”
At those words, Velia tilted her head and moved.
“I didn’t accept that offer just to hear the location of the gold mine, princess.”
All the women I had seen so far were those who were anxious because they couldn’t jump into Raul’s bed.
But the woman who received the marriage proposal from him chooses herself, and no one else, to reject it.
That fact intrigued Khalid and he accepted her offer. Well, there were a lot of benefits to be gained from both.
“Tell me more about Raul. “Why did you decide to reject that guy’s marriage proposal?”
He was the first prince of the empire.
He is also the son whom the emperor greatly cherishes.
Naturally, most people thought that the next emperor would be Raul.
Although Raul was the son of the empress, he was heavily favored by the emperor and monopolized all of her attention.
In comparison, Khalid was the son of the empress and had more legitimacy than anyone else, but he lost everything to Raoul simply because he was not favored by the emperor.
Nevertheless, Raul was jealous that Khalid was more orthodox than him and was endlessly wary.
“Do you need a reason if you don’t like someone?”
“You know what it means to marry the first prince of the Ingot Empire, right?”
“You know that, so you’re doing this to give yourself a reason to reject his marriage proposal.”
“What if something like this happens?”
“I proposed to Your Highness myself, right?”
Velia said and got up from her seat and walked closer to Khalid who was sitting in her chair.
Then, with a very slow touch, she placed her hand on his shoulder. It was quite a tempting touch.
“If you’re really curious, shall we have a deep conversation today?”
“… … princess. I’ve been thinking about it since last time, but I need to be careful with my words and actions. “I guess I’m not that scared?”
“Is there anything to be afraid of? You already decided to be on my side. So, wasn’t that why you spread the rumor all over the place?”
“Tsk.”
I knew it.
This innocent-looking princess, who seemed to know nothing about the harsh world, kept attracting Khalid’s interest.
Anyone who knew Khalid’s usual behavior was sure to be very surprised to see Princess Velia accepting him without saying a word.
She doesn’t even have two lives, so how can she be so fearless?
“And was there anyone who was afraid of her own lover?”
Velia said and lowered her hand from Khalid’s shoulder, and she naturally hugged him from behind.
She had to bend down a little to hug Khalid, who was sitting in her chair, but she didn’t mind.
“So now please listen to me carefully.”
As Velia finished speaking, she kissed Khalid on the cheek, making a sound, and returned to her seat with a very leisurely pace.
Khalid, who was looking at Velia like that, covered his eyes with one hand and laughed out loud.
She was also a fun woman.
“ha ha ha. “I will keep my promise, so don’t worry.”
I thought she was sharp, but when she smiled like that, her expression seemed to become strangely gentle, which I found a little strange.
But that didn’t really matter. Velia decided to return to the main topic.
“The first condition of our contractual relationship is that in exchange for me telling you the location of the gold mine, your highness must make Prince Raul’s marriage proposal fall through.”
Velia unfolded the map she had brought beforehand. She then pointed to the mountain range extending from the east of the Ronica Kingdom. It was also adjacent to the Ingot Empire.
That was also where the current investigation team was located. As Khalid gave him a questioning look, Velia stretched out her slender finger and slowly traced it south.
A point close to the southern desert and almost at the end of the mountain range.
“here.”
She had no hesitation.
“Hmm?”
Khalid was about to remove his mouth from her mouth when Velia moved her fingers again. That wasn’t the end.
“And here.”
This time, I pointed out the nearby river. Because it was an area where few people lived, many people did not even know that there was a river where Velia pointed.
“Didn’t you say it was a gold mine?”
“that’s right. The first place I pointed to is a gold mine. If you investigate the underground around here, you will definitely find gold ore.”
“Then where else?”
“This is a river. “It is a very valuable place where gold dust can be found.”
“It’s gold placer… … . “It’s next to a mine, so it’s not out of the question.”
Khalid stroked his chin and glanced at her map.
Velia confidently told me the location on her map. Is that actually the correct answer?
“It might be hard to believe, but I’m sure.”
Seeing that she seemed to be doubting herself, Velia quickly added her words.
“Currently, Prince Raul and the entire investigation team are exploring this area, the eastern mountain range close to the empire.”
Because it was there that a signal was received that there was a mine using magic tools.
But the truth is, that’s not it.
“I saw that among the people who came with us this time were those who would search for gold mines.”
“You have a good eye for attention.”
Did he spend that long time with Raul for no reason?
Rich knowledge accumulated through books and surprisingly accurate judgment.
At every desperate moment, Velia’s choice saved Raul from danger. So she made her empress.
Even though Erze had a lover whom she truly loved, she was so useful to him that he could not immediately abandon Velia.
“Send them here to investigate.”
Velia’s voice was firm.
Khalid could not fully believe what she was saying, but he nodded his head roughly, intending to direct his investigation for now.
“Prince Raul keeps forcing me to get engaged. He seemed very nervous. “It got worse after His Highness decided to visit the royal castle.”
“It’s worth it. “Because they will think that what is mine is being taken away.”
Velia did not hide her sneer as she spoke.
“Did he have something that was worth taking away?”
To be honest, aren’t these all things that Prince Khalid should enjoy?
She had previously said that she was Raul’s lover, so she took Raul’s side, but because her empress’s family was on the Korean-American side, Raul could never become the crown prince and emperor.
However, the emperor loved the empress so much that he did not have the slightest feelings for her.
The extreme difference in emotional temperature divided the fates of Prince Raul and Prince Khalid.
“You were the royal prince in the first place.”
Why is it that Raul was born earlier? If it weren’t for that, Khalid would have been able to suppress him with the legitimacy of his blood.
She had a very treacherous heart, and he felt very fortunate when she gave her whole heart to Raul. But now it has become a problem.
“I plan to find what you lost.”
“Princess Velia.”
“That is in line with my ultimate goal. So I will never betray you.”
At those firm words, Khalid closed her eyes and was lost in her thoughts for a moment.
Why do you show so much hostility towards Raul?
Khalid didn’t like Raul either. Even though he was his brother, he grew up being compared to him in everything he did from a young age.
It was natural for a prince that Khalid did well, and there was constant praise for what Raul did well.
When she was very young, she used to feel as if Khalid himself was an outsider when the Emperor, Khalid, and Raul were together.
‘I’m your son too.’
But her emperor’s gaze and smile were only directed at Raul. As if my only son was Raul .
He watched his half-brother walk away holding the emperor’s hand, and had to follow behind him quietly and breathlessly.
The emperor always spent time with the empress, and their laughter never ceased in the palace garden.
And while listening to that clear, high-pitched sound, the Empress stared at them blankly.
One day, when the days were filled with misery, the Empress grabbed her son, Khalid, and said,
“baby. “You should become emperor.”
“Oh my.”
“You should become emperor. The empress is me and that bitch is at best a lucky noblewoman. “You have the legitimacy of the imperial family.”
“… … “Abama hates me.”
The Empress held young Khalid’s shoulders with a strong hand.
Her eyes were colored with madness.
“This mother is the daughter of Duke Tessa, a public servant of the Empire and head of the Western Noble Alliance. “She is also the only empress of the empire.”
“… … “It hurts, oh my.”
“I can never give that up to that bitch.”
Young Khalid endured her pain and cried out to his mother, but the Empress was already lost in her own world.
She said, “The position of emperor is yours. Do you understand?”
As if brainwashing, the Empress repeated the same words.
“So I won’t die. Shouldn’t I hold on to this position? If I die, that bitch will become empress. Then even the legitimacy you have will be taken away by Raul. “I can never tolerate that.”
But Khalid did not want to become emperor. I just wanted my parents to love me completely. But that was the most difficult wish of all.
“My child, you should become emperor.”
Little Khalid just closed her eyes tightly in the arms of her frantic mother.
“Your Highness Khalid.”
Khalid, who had been lost in thought for a long time, quietly opened his eyes at the sound of Velia’s voice.
“I will be by your side and help you reach the top.”
“… … Is that a condition for me to become the hound that will serve your purpose?”
A hunting dog.
As a prince, it was an inappropriate word to use to refer to himself.
But there may be no such appropriate expression in the current situation.
Velia erased her thoughts and smiled as she looked at Khalid, who was laughing.
“It would be a great honor if you did that, right? Hehehe. If you just do that… … .”
Because you will become emperor, and I will be able to get revenge on him.
At that moment, her eyes sparkled.
“I will be by your side no matter what happens.”
Thank you for the translation!