Chapter 62
Chapter 62
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: The Third Princess's Determination
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“Understood.”
I rose from my seat and headed toward the garden bushes.
Hiding my body behind them, I let out a deep breath.
“Phew…”
The languid buzz of alcohol lingered in my body.
For intoxication, it was spreading remarkably fast.
I focused my mind on my thumb.
Then, with a light press, a pink liquid seeped out through my sweat glands.
I took a light whiff of the liquid’s scent.
‘Marina fruit, as expected.’
Marina, a fruit imported from the Samid Empire, Vanessa’s homeland.
Originally, five years ago at this time, it had been a legal import.
But…
Later, its addictive components were discovered, and the law changed to allow only the tiniest amounts in alcohol.
‘Back then, they must have used far more than the average.’
Of course, there was antidote juice, and it naturally flushed out if you didn’t drink for a long time, so it wasn’t dangerous.
It was just like cigarettes or liquor—a luxury indulgence.
I flicked off the pink juice gathered on my finger.
Then, I quietly observed Vanessa and Lydia, who had handed me that drink.
￣￣￣
“That boy seems to have really caught your fancy.”
“…”
Lydia didn’t answer right away.
Her loosened long hair felt awkward, so she just fiddled with it using her fingers.
“There aren’t many talents with skills like that.”
“Then why did you turn down the board I set up for you, knowing that?”
Vanessa found her daughter’s attitude frustrating.
After sending me away, she asked the reason.
“He became a Swordmaster at just twenty. An incredible prodigy.”
“I know.”
“And since he’s helping other royals too, they must already know his abilities.”
Lydia pressed her lips together tightly.
She tapped the slice of watermelon in front of her with her finger.
“They’re probably already scheming all sorts of tricks to claim him.”
Having competed herself in the past to win the Emperor’s favor, she pressed her daughter.
“You have to strike first before he’s snatched away right in front of you.”
However, Lydia didn’t accept her advice.
Instead, she crossed her arms alone and spoke firmly to her mother.
“I won’t claim Veil through such unbefitting methods for a ruler.”
Her red eyes flashed.
Like the ruler of the East, she asserted her opinion with confident resolve.
“I’ll claim him solely through my own abilities.”
Her daughter, with convictions as strong as the Emperor’s.
The Imperial Consort chuckled at the sight.
“You’re a woman before you’re a ruler. And at nineteen, the most beautiful time of your life.”
The Imperial Consort gazed down at Lydia’s reflection in the smooth dining table.
Her daughter’s reflected face was more beautiful than anyone’s.
“With such a powerful weapon at your disposal, how could you be a true ruler if you don’t use it?”
Honestly, Lydia had never given much thought to her appearance.
Everyone around her praised her beauty, but using it felt like cheating.
However, now that an opponent had appeared whom she might need to use it against, her heart raced with tension.
“Father did conquer his rivals with swift preemptive strikes.”
Lydia brushed her lush, lustrous black hair behind her ear.
Embarrassed by the risqué topic, she gripped her wine glass.
“But because he relied solely on force for a hasty conquest, this court intrigue erupted the moment he fell.”
Now a full adult, she brought the glass unhesitatingly to her lips.
She downed it without pause, emptying the cup.
“Haa…”
The princess wiped her lips with the back of her hand.
She met her mother’s gaze squarely.
“I won’t make that mistake. I’ll capture Veil meticulously with my own hands.”
The Third Imperial Princess, whom she’d thought simply wanted to emulate her father.
Now she was even reflecting on his mistakes.
“Who does she take after to be so inflexible…?”
Vanessa was surprised by her daughter’s demeanor.
Impressed by her ambition to surpass her father, she soon relented.
“Fine, follow your heart. You’re lord of a territory now, after all.”
“Yes, so please don’t interfere with what I do.”
Lydia gazed at the fruit basket on the golden table.
It contained limes and lemons.
“And stop giving Veil Marina wine.”
The princess took out two.
She dripped their juice into the clear alcohol.
“What are you doing right now?”
“As you can see, making antidote juice.”
“With him in that state, it’d be easier to win his favor, yet you choose the hard path.”
Vanessa gazed emptily at the dripping juice droplets.
Lydia stirred the diluted alcohol slowly and spoke firmly.
“Not the hard path—the wise one.”
The Third Imperial Princess stealthily placed the freshly made antidote at my seat.
She covered it with soft silk.
“I’ll make him submit properly and keep him perfectly in my grasp.”
Vanessa rested her chin on her hand.
She silently watched her upright daughter.
“Very well. I expect great things, Lydia.”
She had tried to help her daughter in every way possible.
But seeing her aware of those methods’ side effects and seeking a more perfect solution made her lips curve upward.
“There’s nothing left for me to teach you.”
Vanessa gripped the Marina wine bottle, signaling she understood her daughter’s will.
She headed to the kitchen to replace it with untainted wine.
“Mother, wait.”
But at that moment.
Lydia called her mother back.
“There’s still… something I need to learn.”
Her imperial education was complete, and she had been raised properly.
Vanessa tilted her head, wondering what more her daughter wanted to learn.
“What is it?”
“Well…”
Fidgeting with her fingers.
Averting her eyes from her mother, she mumbled shyly.
“If… if it’s possible later, could you teach me how to do makeup…?”
Vanessa’s face stiffened.
Amazed by this shy side of her daughter she’d never seen before.
“You want to learn makeup…?”
Lydia’s face flushed red, like the color of her eyes.
She nodded quietly.
“O-Of course, I’m confident I can conquer Veil.”
“And?”
“But just in case… I want to prepare thoroughly….”
The princess smiled warmly at her daughter’s determination to give her all.
She pondered what she could teach her.
“You don’t need to learn that from me…”
Her mother approached her daughter.
She whispered secretly.
“Just act the way you did with me earlier, and any man would fall for you.”
“Huh…?”
Lydia looked up at her mother, wondering what she meant by her behavior.
But the Imperial Consort merely patted her shoulder, saying she’d enjoyed the show.
“Hehe… That’s all I have to teach you.”
The receding figure of the Imperial Consort.
Once she had completely vanished into the kitchen.
I naturally returned to Lydia’s side.
“Is your talk over?”
“Yes, sorry to keep you waiting.”
Lydia fiddled with her side hair, bothered by her mother’s words.
I sat down beside her.
I looked around for my missing wine glass.
“Oh, if it’s wine, Mother went to get more.”
Lydia stealthily handed me the cup she had prepared.
“Drink this while you wait.”
The antidote juice mixed with lime and lemon just moments ago.
I removed the silk covering and gazed steadily at the drink.
“I made it myself, so drink it all. Please.”
She emphasized it repeatedly.
In response, I gratefully downed the drink.
“Ugh… Is this really wine?”
“Hehe, the best wines for your health are always the bitterest.”
The Third Imperial Princess gazed contentedly at my grimaced face.
Once I had emptied the cup completely, she asked.
“How did it taste?”
Sour and bitter, naturally.
If someone served me this anywhere else, I’d be furious.
But…
“It was just bitter at first… But the more I drank, the deeper the flavor became.”
Having overheard that it was antidote juice, I couldn’t say otherwise.
I wanted to praise the princess’s upright heart.
“Good. Seeing you enjoy it satisfies me as your soon-to-be lord.”
“We’re still a long way from that.”
I firmly blocked her subtle attempt to collar me.
Yet the ever-confident Third Imperial Princess.
“You never know. It might not be far off.”
She crossed her arms alone and held her chin high.
Maintaining her dignified ruler’s poise before me.
“Sorry for making you wait, Lord Veil.”
Right on cue, the Third Imperial Consort returned.
This time, carrying an untainted wine bottle.
She naturally poured me a glass of purple grape wine.
“Shall we continue the conversation from before?”
“Understood.”
“I understand the cipher you showed earlier and why you helped the princesses.”
Vanessa sat down.
She asked with eyes full of trust.
“So, what’s your ultimate goal in helping like this?”
“I will unite the nobles loyal to the royals and Prime Minister Mosian into an alliance.”
The Third Imperial Consort mentally compared Rozanna’s faction to the alliance I described.
“What do you think, Lydia?”
At Vanessa’s question, Lydia reverted to her ruler’s expression.
“I don’t like allying with other royals, but if Veil leads it, there might be potential.”
Satisfied with the ruler’s approval, the Imperial Consort extended her hand to me for a handshake of trust.
“If that’s the ruler’s will, I have no choice but to accept.”
I clasped hands with the Third Imperial Consort.
I shook firmly.
“Thank you for trusting me.”
“It’s not you I trust.”
Vanessa’s lips curved up.
With the leisure of an Imperial Consort, she told me.
“I trust only my daughter’s judgment.”
Our hands parted.
Afterward, I straightened the collar of the shirt the Emperor had worn and vowed.
“I’ll prove your daughter’s judgment is correct.”
I had finally brought the Empire’s third-in-command to my side.
However, it was just the beginning.
The Crown Prince and First Imperial Consort had likely been plotting for ages.
To thoroughly dismantle them, this achievement was still insufficient.
“Then, I’ll take my leave.”
“Yes, you must be busy, so off you go.”
As I prepared to depart, Vanessa and Lydia exchanged glances.
Then, as I turned toward the corridor.
The Third Imperial Princess walked beside me, hands behind her back.
“Where to next?”
“To the Second Imperial Princess’s residence.”
The words that I was going to meet another princess right after parting with her.
Lydia furrowed her brows.
“Why there…?”
“To propose the alliance, just as before.”
Hearing that, Lydia pondered deeply.
Then, smirking, she asked.
“So I’m the first princess you proposed to?”
“That’s right.”
Her unbound hair swayed with each lively step.
A faint soap scent wafted from the rippling waves.
“Hmm—Is that sooo?”
Soon, the princess stepped in front of me, blocking the path.
She grinned like a little devil once more.
“It’s far, so I suppose I’ll have to escort you personally.”
Among dozens of carriages, Lydia chose the most luxurious and ornate one.
She boarded and patted the seat beside her.
‘Why is she so excited…?’
Sitting side by side.
Even wearing matching white shirts, like a set.
Savoring every moment, she set off the carriage with a playful expression.
Anticipating what face Irina would make upon seeing us.