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In South Korea, people had the freedom to chatter as much as they liked as long as they weren't standing right in front of the person in question, regardless of rank. But here, in the Atrux Empire, that was not the case.
It wasn't just about defamation; there was a literal ‘Crime of Offending the Emperor’s Mood.’
Even as a son, there was no way he could avoid such a thing.
Furthermore, there was a high probability that Yevgenia, who was simply listening beside him, would be swept up in it and suffer a dire fate.
Though she was speaking in a very low voice, she couldn't stop the moments when her volume instinctively tried to rise.
“Please, let’s talk about something else. The next meeting… right, how about your birthday for the next meeting? It’ll be roughly a month from now.”
“Is that necessary? Considering the Young Lady’s physical condition, I think it would be better to push it back by another day. Though the best outcome would be for there to be no third meeting at all.”
It was a puzzling comment.
Wasn't Yevgenia a precious researcher to Yulan?
She had expected that he would need to erase the name several more times to prove his hypothesis.
‘I thought it was a relief that Raymond’s spelling was long, but…’
Yulan had repeatedly mentioned that this request was essentially a setup where only he benefited, but she thought differently.
The mere existence of Raymond’s tedious name on her body was horrific, yet he was erasing it for her without asking for anything in return.
Moreover, as a result, she could cut the damn Raymond out of her life entirely!
For her, it was truly a deal where she got the best of both worlds.
‘Well, this is largely because I’ve already seen the worst-case scenario that can happen when erasing a name in the original story.’
Had she been completely ignorant of the side effects of erasing a name, she wouldn't have been this brave.
If the side effect had been something like the body rotting starting from the name or becoming paralyzed, she surely would have agonized over a single request for a year before deciding.
No, it was more likely that she wouldn't have been able to make up her mind even after a year.
But if it was simply a reduction in lifespan, as in the original story, didn't that mean she at least had time to prepare in advance?
As soon as her engagement was canceled, she had already bought a villa in a beautiful resort area, hired plenty of maids to care for her when she eventually fell ill, and even planned out a small bucket list to check off one by one.
That was why no matter how much Yulan tried to frighten her, it wouldn't work.
‘Still, it’s a relief that the Prince of our Empire possesses a certain amount of humanity.’
Yevgenia shrugged and answered lightly.
“Well, that depends on my father’s reaction. If he insists on pushing through with the engagement this time as well, there’s nothing I can do.”
“…Why on earth is Duke Martir pushing for this marriage so hard? The Duke’s only flaw should be that he cherishes his only daughter—that is, you—too much. Wouldn't it be over if you just said you hated it?”
“It’s actually because he cherishes me toooo much, and because he has no other flaws, that it’s a problem.”
Twirling the end of her bright red hair—the same color as her father's—around her finger, she lifted her head slightly.
“I wrote it in the letter. My father is planning to investigate the fact that my name was erased.”
“He was. …Could it be?”
“It seems a certain ability you possess was written in an old book about the Imperial Family that he read long ago. He asked me if I had met any strangers recently. Specifically, between an older woman and a young man.”
“…This is the first time I’ve felt like cursing the competence of a country’s Prime Minister.”
Since it was such a secretive ability, he had never imagined that someone without the blood of the Imperial Family would have even a shallow knowledge of it.
That was why he had been able to brazenly hide his identity and secretly go around erasing names.
Yulan felt a sudden chill run down his spine and shrugged his shoulders for no reason.
Yevgenia nodded slightly as if understanding him and continued.
“Right? The older woman probably refers to Her Majesty the Empress. But the Empress doesn't have the blood of the Imperial Family, so why…?”
“The current Empress is one of the branches that stretched far, far away. I heard she is a very distant relative of the First Emperor.”
“Oh dear. With this, I know for sure that my father suspects the Imperial Family.”
He paused the conversation and fell into thought, his brow furrowing.
“Surely, does he think you’ve been earmarked as the Prince’s consort?”
“Most likely. Otherwise, there would be no reason to force Raymond to stay by my side. Even though I said I hate it!”
More than anything, the fact that something she had explicitly said she ‘hated’ was being forced upon her was the biggest shock.
She was nearly exhausted from using the rationality of her previous life to suppress the urge to shout, ‘How could Father do this to me!’ and storm out of the room.
Intellectually, she could understand her father’s deep thoughts and warm heart.
Although Raymond was the second son, he was still of the Duke's bloodline.
No matter how much the Imperial Family had earmarked her, it would be difficult to forcibly separate her from a Young Noble of the ducal house.
Since all the other sons of the Duke's house were already married, there was truly no option other than Raymond.
“Even if you tell my father that you have absolutely no interest in me, he won't believe you. If anything, he'll only become more suspicious.”
“Yes, that is indeed Duke Martir.”
“If one letter disappears every month, he might actually consider it the will of heaven and believe my opinion. So, I’d appreciate it if you cooperated with me.”
Her tone was quite demanding, but there was no reason for him to refuse.
Yulan gave a short nod and stood up.
“Then, contact me tomorrow after seeing the Duke’s reaction. I’ll tell Madam to deliver the letter to you as soon as she receives it.”
“Great. I don't know how many more times we'll meet, but for now, I'm counting on you.”
When she stretched out her hand toward him, he hesitated for a moment before taking it and shaking it lightly.
“I will pray with all my heart that your father becomes devout.”
* * *
After Yulan descended the stairs and she finished a cup of tea alone, the sound of chattering conversation drifted up from the staircase.
Just how good were Madam’s conversation skills to be able to drag out the time this long?
Although Anna seemed a bit clumsy, her loyalty to the ducal house was genuine.
It was quite surprising that she had been away from Yevgenia's side for so long for a reason other than Yevgenia's orders.
Fortunately, this curiosity was resolved as soon as Anna reached the landing.
“My Lady! Madam is truly a genius!”
“Were there many dresses you liked?”
“It’s not just ‘many’! She makes everything herself—dresses, gloves, hats, and even shoes! And the colors and designs all blend together perfectly, and as the finishing touch, she even recommended the types of accessories to wear! As expected, your Lady’s eye for quality is never wrong!”
“Yes, yes. I’ve always been quite impressive.”
Yevgenia brushed off the excited Anna and signaled Madam with her eyes.
Madam, who looked somewhat haggard, gave a faint smile and bowed.
“Madam, I will purchase everything Anna touched or looked at downstairs as well.”
In an instant, Madam’s soul, which had momentarily departed, filled back up.
Glancing at the look in her eyes—which had gone beyond sparkling to practically flashing—Yevgenia gestured toward Anna.
Following Yevgenia’s gaze, Anna looked at the calendar and then the dresses, moving exactly as she wished.
“The things my Lady gifted me can be worked on gradually when there is time, but please complete my Lady’s dress as perfectly and quickly as possible. It will be showcased at the Imperial Crown Prince’s birthday banquet next month, so Madam knows better than anyone how important this is, right?”
“No, have the dress I tried on earlier worked on and sent immediately. I want Anna to wear it for her next outing.”
“Oh, my Lady…”
At the mention of the Imperial Crown Prince’s birthday banquet, Madam looked as if she might collapse.
To think that the first noble dress she had ever worked on would be worn at an Imperial Palace banquet.
For the Madam of a tiny dress shop, it could be an overwhelming burden.
However, Yevgenia trusted Madam—or more accurately, she trusted Yulan’s ability to pick Madam.
“Madam, I’m counting on you.”
“…Thank you, my Lady! I will do my best… I will do my absolute best, even if it kills me!”
The intensity in Madam’s eyes was almost intimidating.
Since that meant a perfect dress would be produced, she had no choice but to trust her.
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