Chapter 147
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 147
I felt a sudden urge to dig around inside Kim Ddong-byul’s head to see what was going on in there, but what could I do?
I was merely a pitiful Villainess 1, dancing on the strings of Kim Ddong-byul’s control.
Regardless, I was truly satisfied with my wealth stat, so I closed the status window. Another reason was that the conversation at the table had turned toward me.
“That new ‘lavender’ silk you released this time is truly exquisite, Lady Tulia.”
“Thank you. I’m quite fond of that color myself.”
I responded with a graceful smile.
The Countess, who had arrived draped in a dress made entirely of that lavender dye, seemed to genuinely adore the shade.
“It’s so elegant and soft. Whatever inspired you to create such a color, My Lady?”
As she spoke while stroking her skirts, I felt my eyes sparkle. It was time for a sales pitch.
“I wanted to create a color that was sophisticated yet artistic, one that possessed an ethereal power.”
“Oh, my?”
“That is why I used the eye color of a truly magnificent mage as my motif. A figure like the mages of legend.”
“A mage of legend?”
Since mages in this world were generally perceived as high-level technicians, I had to make sure to add the ‘legendary’ part.
“Yes. I imagined the eyes of a mage who hides their true identity—someone who appears as a stunning beauty on the outside but harbors the intellect of a Great Mage within. A grand mage who commands at least two divine beasts while wandering through a fifth season they created themselves.”
The marketing lines I’d intentionally prepared elicited an immediate, excited reaction.
“Divine beasts? That’s a term from ancient texts.”
“Exactly! As expected, your discernment is peerless, Countess.”
A flush rose to the cheeks of the Countess in the lavender dress. She looked down at her gown with eyes full of shy yet triumphant affection.
“So the color held such deep meaning. No wonder I couldn't take my eyes off it the moment I saw it.”
“It simply means the color suits you perfectly, Countess. Sophisticated, artistic, and ethereal?”
When I beamed at her, the Countess gave a bashful smile, looking immensely satisfied.
“Oh, Lady Tulia, you certainly have a way with words.”
Watching the Countess’s eyes shine, I felt like I could place a bet with Ramus Jeremiah on how many additional bolts of lavender fabric she would order by the end of the week.
“Ah. Your Majesty.”
Having set the stage, I clapped twice. Immediately, the Imperial attendants stepped forward in a line. Each of them held a large box in their hands.
“As a token of gratitude for the birthday party Your Majesty hosted for me at the Imperial Palace, my father—Marquis Frezier—presents these to you.”
“My goodness. I didn't host that party expecting anything in return, so how can I accept this?”
“It is a gesture of my father’s sincerity, so please, accept them.”
Even if she took all of this, it wouldn't even cover a fifth of the astronomical losses Empress Carmi had suffered that day.
‘Besides, I heard Empress Carmi was bedridden for a week out of sheer rage.’
I had spent that entire day acting like a total disaster, repeating like a parrot, “I’m going to marry my daddy,” “My daddy is the best,” and “I’m the ultimate supreme princess of the Frezier family who was raised like a delicate flower in her father’s arms and can’t live without him.” It was enough to drive the Empress mad.
‘But Dave, that Second Prince, is truly the worst.’
I had no idea why she kept trying to set me up with that lunatic who kicked me the very first time we met.
It would be ridiculous to rush into an engagement with someone else just to avoid a guy like him. More importantly, I had no desire to do so.
‘For now, I’m a slave to the Main Quests.’
And above all…
‘Is there even another man with looks that would satisfy me? Aside from the male leads.’
This was a genuine concern weighing on my heart. Having survived so passionately by surrounding myself with sickeningly beautiful faces, would I be able to whisper "I love you" every day to a face that was anything less?
‘Well, I’ll worry about that later… If all else fails, I’ll just set up a harem like Grandfather suggested.’
Shaking off my idle thoughts, I clapped twice again.
This time, it wasn't an Imperial attendant, but Grans—who had followed me from the estate—who stepped forward carrying a large box.
“What is that?”
“This is a separate gift of gratitude I am personally offering to His Majesty the Emperor.”
“To His Majesty?”
Empress Carmi and all the noblewomen expressed their curiosity. Since I had intended to show them all along while pretending otherwise, I spoke in a shy voice.
“I am worried it is a humble gift, so would Your Majesty be willing to look at it first and give me your appraisal?”
“How could anything you bring be humble, My Lady? I am curious, so shall we have a look?”
As if he had been waiting, Empress Carmi’s Chief Attendant took the long ebony wood box from Grans. The black wooden box was quite luxurious, with pure gold patterns engraved along its edges.
“Your Majesty.”
The attendant opened the box and skillfully displayed the contents to Empress Carmi. Though they tried to hide it, several noblewomen leaned forward.
I leaned back leisurely and took a sip of tea.
“My word…”
I didn't need to say a single thing. They were busy marveling and explaining it to themselves.
“What kind of fabrics are these? Sarasa? Amunzen? Silk? Heavens, the cloth is glowing!”
One noblewoman exclaimed in excitement. I offered a diligent smile and explained.
“I tried dyeing all those fabrics with a newly developed dye.”
“A newly developed dye?”
“Grans?”
“Yes, Lady Tulia.”
Perfectly in sync with me, Grans immediately pulled a bolt of silk from the box and unfurled it.
“Oh, my!”
“The fabric really is glowing!”
“How should I put it… it’s like stars have been sewn into the night sky!”
“Oh.”
I was actually a bit surprised by that comment and blinked.
“You have a very keen eye, My Lady. You’re right. We succeeded in dyeing the fabric with a color made from Lapis Lazuli.”
“Good heavens!”
“Using expensive Lapis Lazuli as a dye…”
“But it’s not real Lapis Lazuli, is it?”
One noblewoman interjected sourly. I glanced at her—the Duchess of Althorn, one of the Empress’s closest confidantes—and smiled.
“That is precisely why we were able to dye the cloth with it. Thanks to that, one is now able to ‘wear’ such an ethereal color that resembles the night sky. I thought it was a fitting item to present to His Majesty the Emperor.”
Well? What?
I brought this as a gift for the Emperor; how are you going to criticize it now?
“…It certainly is noble and beautiful.”
As expected, the Duchess immediately backed down. In truth, she had only been nitpicking to get on Empress Carmi’s good side.
The proof was in the eyes of every other noblewoman present, which were glazed over with longing.
“Do you plan to sell this at the White Tulip Salon later as well?”
“Unfortunately, this color is difficult to mix, so it will take some time. Even when it is released, it will only be sold in small quantities.”
“My! We’ve received this news first thanks to being invited to Her Majesty’s tea party!”
“Indeed!”
Empress Carmi added a few formal compliments. However, I saw it. Her eyes never left the fabric as it was carefully placed back into the ebony box.
In a way, I understood why Empress Carmi was so obsessed with beauty.
She had gained power through her looks; how terrified must she be of losing them?
Furthermore, the son of the former Empress Olivia—who was still worshipped as the ‘True Empress’—was firmly entrenched in the position of Crown Prince.
Her dislike of me likely stemmed from the same root.
‘She must have been displeased from the start by Grandfather, who openly criticized her marriage to the Emperor.’
Affair? Death.
Cheating? Execution.
Those were my grandfather’s views on marriage.
‘She’s only pretending to be nice now because she wants to marry me off to Dave.’
Empress Carmi was a person who had spent a long time holding her breath under Empress Olivia before eventually betraying her master.
‘There’s a reason the Crown Prince dies because of Carmi in "The Milk Bread."’
But if the Crown Prince dies, I die too?
And I need to live?
So, I was planning to start weaving my own schemes.
When?
Starting right now.
I smiled at the noblewoman sitting across from me. Specifically, the one who had tried to nitpick earlier.
“Duchess of Althorn?”
Since I had to defeat the enemy, I might as well start by snapping the wings of her closest ally.
“I heard that your daughter—Lady Francoise of Althorn—will be entering as my partner on the day of the Debutante.”
“…That is correct.”
“So, as a congratulations for her debut, I’ve prepared a little something for her as well. Grans?”
“Yes, Lady Tulia.”
Grans respectfully held up another box with both hands.
The Duchess of Althorn’s eyes fixed on the elegant box decorated with White Buffalo Horn.
“Show the Duchess directly.”
Grans walked over to the Duchess and clicked the box open.
In that instant, the Duchess of Althorn gasped.
Yes. I knew you’d react like that.
I said with a smile, “I hope Lady Francoise likes it. How does it look to your eyes, Duchess?”
“T-To give something like this to my daughter…!”
The Duchess’s eyes widened. It wasn't just her; every noblewoman there reacted the same way.
Including Empress Carmi.