The Fragrant One - 1
“She sent her head?”
Lobelia asked in bewilderment, her face twisting after hearing the report.
The Security Minister nodded in affirmation.
Then he wound the gear-like mechanism on his thumb and turned on the recording artifact.
It captured the treasonous conversation between the Western Margrave Aretz von Lein and a woman.
“Evidence of betrayal.”
She listened to the short recording in a daze.
A moment later, her brows furrowed in confusion.
“If Carten… then the Siesta Merchant Guild that links the Imperial Palace and the west. Insane. But if we just kill him outright, what then?!”
“The guild master position has been given to a woman secretary named Sierty. And this letter and the ledgers…”
“Ledgers.”
Lobelia took the thick book and began reading immediately.
“The mad bastard…”
The ledger detailed exactly how much money had been extorted.
Enough to build the Imperial Palace. And countless high nobles were involved.
Her red eyes scanned the lines rapidly, and she let out a disbelieving laugh.
“How much did you take and still be able to do this?”
“I’ll explain the details later. Shouldn’t we just summon Haim? Isn’t acting so arbitrarily…”
“He has his own plan, after all.”
As Haim had instructed, the plan had unfolded perfectly.
The treason evidence against Western Margrave Aretz von Lein and extracting information from Calupen.
Yet something else had been added to the scheme.
‘…Is it right to bring him?’
The original plan was to neutralize Calupen so he couldn’t move either way, force a confession, and then kill him.
Calupen himself had sent a letter saying he would remain in the west.
He had used the party excuse, but in truth it was meaningless now that treason evidence had been obtained.
As Haim had said… Calupen had not come to the Imperial Palace.
“He can’t be trusted, Haim.”
Lobelia muttered while stroking her chin.
A trustworthy person? Definitely not.
She hadn’t wanted to send Haim for this task either, but he was the only one capable of it.
Untrustworthy, yet someone who had to be trusted.
The Security Minister seemed to dislike Haim intensely.
“He’s a double agent, but who knows when he’ll turn on the Nine Kingdoms. Since he’s gone beyond the plan, we should keep him under our surveillance again…”
Lobelia looked straight into his eyes.
The Security Minister was startled by her unfamiliar gaze and widened his eyes slightly.
“Haim. I understand not recognizing or trusting that bastard. Honestly, I want to drag him in front of me right now too.”
“Then.”
“Haim has already revealed Calupen’s treason, sent the head of the treasonous merchant Carten, and possesses major materials on the Nine Kingdoms. Do you acknowledge his achievements?”
“…”
He fell silent and lowered his head in embarrassment.
Lobelia waved her hand in dismissal and sighed deeply.
She looked exhausted.
“Your doubts are understandable. A foreign man suddenly causing such a stir may not seem favorable in your eyes.”
“Indeed.”
“As a sharp-eyed person, you know this matter now rests entirely on Haim’s shoulders.”
Lobelia placed the ledger on the desk and chuckled.
‘Unsettled.’
Yes, she was unsettled.
She couldn’t sleep well because she worried about Haim constantly.
She wanted to see him as soon as possible.
She was curious about what Haim was doing with that Aran bitch.
But.
She stood before the Security Minister and spoke in a monotone.
“As a person, this is not a question. As the Security Minister, I ask: do you trust me?”
“What do you mean?”
“Calupen is the Finance Minister. He was one of the greatest joker cards in the Nine Kingdoms. He could have stayed by Calupen’s side and joined them at any time. Yet he didn’t.”
“I understand. Looking at Haim’s past actions, the probability of him betraying the Empire is extremely low.”
The Security Minister pondered for a moment and then nodded.
Lobelia smiled in satisfaction and checked her attire to prepare for the meeting room.
Watching her, the Security Minister smiled.
“You’ve changed. Significantly…”
“Is that so?”
Lobelia raised her eyebrows and gave him a questioning look.
He nodded.
“Indeed.”
“I’ll take it as a compliment.”
“Of course it is. A previous imperial princess would never have trusted someone so easily.”
Lobelia gave her crisp uniform one last inspection and left with the Security Minister.
…
After the chaotic meeting ended, Lobelia sat in her private office writing a letter.
‘The main content will be Haim’s future movements.’
Revealing such a drastic action alongside the ledgers implied there was a deeper purpose.
Likely to inform the involved high nobles.
“Haim, you need to return quickly.”
Tearing down Carten was dangerous no matter how you looked at it.
Calupen and Lein didn’t know when they would turn against Haim.
Lobelia was holding her breath.
“Still talking about Haim?”
An familiar voice came from somewhere. It had once sounded pleasant, but now it irritated her.
Lobelia sighed quietly and glanced sideways at the door with cold eyes.
“…Rosiwell, is the North peaceful?”
“Even though the princess’s heart is uneasy, the North is not important.”
Rosiwell gave a handsome smile, but her eyes were icy.
Lobelia stared at the Rosiwell standing in front of the door for a while, then stood from the sofa.
“If you’re trying to say Haim is dangerous again, leave quickly.”
“…”
Rosiwell closed his eyes. His silent action made her laugh to herself.
‘What is the problem.’
He was worrying about the fate of her country, so what was the issue.
Lobelia grimaced in disgust and spat it out.
“Do you know who Haim is?”
“He is the son of a poor farmer from a small village. How did he receive recommendations from nobles like Minaes and Calupen to come to the Imperial Palace and disturb the princess’s heart…”
“Do you mean to say to stop pursuing Haim?”
Lobelia asked while trying to keep her composure.
She had explained many times that she did not love Haim and that even if she did, it wouldn’t interfere with her work.
Rosiwell kept pressing on.
“That man is dangerous, Your Highness. With Lady Aran too, his actions are suspicious.”
“…Ah, I see. I’ll say it many times. Haim is my subordinate and a pawn… What you should worry about is the North, not me.”
“…”
Rosiwell exhaled in irritation and turned his back.
Lobelia was equally frustrated by his attempt to leave.
Rosiwell opened the door and threw a question.
“What makes that man so great? Is there any reason to prioritize him over me, Rosiwell?”
“I wish you hadn’t said that.”
Lobelia ground her teeth and stood behind his back in rough steps.
Rosiwell turned, looking down at her with narrowed eyes.
‘I tried to stay calm.’
She looked up at him with cold eyes and said in disbelief.
“Is it that displeasing to you? That I worry about my loyal subject?”
“How dare a commoner toy with the princess’s heart…”
“Haim is fighting desperately for me and the Empire right now, and what do you know!”
After shouting, Lobelia glared at the startled Rosiwell.
Her red eyes were filled with rage, almost hatred.
“Do you know what the Empire is like now? The entire country is wavering, and what is the North doing! It only calls me for beast hunts and banquets!”
“Your Highness.”
“It was because of your daily stories about Haim that they sent you here. What do you think I am! A ticket to rebuild the North?”
“…”
Rosiwell’s eyes widened in shock and he closed his mouth.
Lobelia had investigated almost all the nobles.
Rosiwell was among them, someone she had previously paid attention to.
‘You’re just a ticket for me to make the North rich… You should understand that.’
She had been completely infatuated and didn’t realize it.
That he had used his appearance to seduce countless women.
“Yes, your looks are outstanding, so you can be a good tool to capture me. Does it burn inside you that I’m associating with a useless man like Haim?”
“Your Highness is too blind to that man.”
“I’m not blind.”
“Then why do you worry every night!”
Rosiwell shouted, unleashing his emotions.
Lobelia bit her lip hard.
“That’s…”
“Enough. Yes, I admit it.”
“…”
“I used to love you.”
Lobelia cut him off and said with eyes mixed with resentment.
Shock appeared on Rosiwell’s face.
“But now…”
“W-What, Your Highness?”
“I love Haim. Not you, Haim. Is that clear? Will this make your heart feel better?”
“…!”
Lobelia exhaled long and turned her back.
Haim at least saw her as she was.
At least he had moved her heart.
‘…I’m sorry, but I can no longer be as helpless as before.’
Even if Rosiwell looked at her with empty eyes, she gave him not even a single glance.
“I can no longer turn back.”