Chapter 69
“Ah! yes?”
Rose was startled as if something had happened. Mrs. Audrey patted her daughter on her arm with the fan and scolded her.
“You don’t listen to anything I say, what the hell are you thinking of on your own?”
“No, I was listening. So who is that fat, chubby earl?”
While spending some time alone with her mother after such a long time, the carriage had already reached its destination. Rose looked vaguely at the place she had visited after a long time. In the past, she would have marveled at the scenery, but this place was no longer impressive. She just wanted to meet her mother’s expectations as quickly as possible and go home to talk to her father.
“Come on. Today, I will live up to my mother’s expectations with concentration and motivation!”
With that thought in mind, Rose, who went to the entrance of the dressing-room with her arms folded around her mother’s, halted suddenly. There was an unexpected person in the dressing-room. It seemed that the person in front of her also thought the same. No, they were so surprised to see Rose that their face turned paper-white as if in shock.
“Ro…se…?”
“Muriel?”
Their names came out of the two women’s lips as if sighing.
“Oh goodness! Montara’s esteemed daughter was here? You must be very busy with wedding preparations these days.”
Countess Audrey also greeted Muriel. She was acting with the utmost grace and dignity, but Lady Muriel didn’t look welcoming. Despite her greeting, Muriel only stared at Rose with a stunned face.
She seemed confused as if wondering if the person she was looking at was the real Rose Etoile, or if she was just hallucinating after thinking about her so much these days.
“You- you have come to the capital.”
“I just arrived.”
“I had no idea.”
“I didn’t tell anyone except my family.”
It was a brief and dry conversation. Rose’s eyes naturally turned to look at the dress Muriel was holding. It was a crimson dress studded with jewels.
“You must have come to get your dress tailored.”
At Rose’s words, Muriel’s face turned red, and she hurriedly put down her dress.
“I’m going to wear it to a dinner party.”
Muriel’s voice became low with no confidence. Rose Etoile, who went to the North because of her, was now in front of her, and the fact that she was leisurely choosing a dress made her feel ashamed, sorry, and hurt her pride. It was a complex feeling that could not be explained in words.
“I also came to get a dress. I will wear it to your wedding.”
Unlike Muriel, who was restless, Rose was natural and confident. That made Muriel even more embarrassed.
‘Why is she looking so fine as if nothing has happened?’ Muriel made up her mind to act calmly without trembling. As the daughter of the Marquis of Montara, she wanted to show her dignity as a noblewoman who would become the Crown Princess.
‘I will soon become the most prestigious woman in the Empire.’
She wanted to say ‘Thank you for accepting the invitation to the wedding, you must have had a lot of trouble coming from the north to this far place, have you been well?’
She wanted to talk to Rose naturally, but she couldn’t get the words out of her mouth, they were just swirling in her head. She knew she had to, at least, ask her how she was doing, but all Muriel wanted was to get out of this place as soon as possible. She was so weak that even looking at Rose could make her faint of pain.
“I- I’m glad to see you again, Young Lady.” Muriel barely uttered these words and hurriedly left the room. “I’d like to talk longer, but I have urgent business to do.”
Muriel passed Rose and the Countess.
“Muriel!” Rose quickly caught Muriel who was about to leave. “I want to talk to you for a moment.”
“I apologize, but I don’t think today will be good.”
“Muriel!”
As Muriel shook her arm and left the dressing-room, Rose ran after her.
“Rose! Where are you going?!”
Madam Audrey called her daughter from behind, but Rose ran to the carriage Muriel was riding. Muriel looked straight ahead, trying not to look at the woman who was following her.
“Come on, let’s go. Hurry!”
“Muriel! I have something I want to say to you. Please give me a moment.”
Rose knocked on the carriage window, but Muriel was adamant in leaving.
“I’m sorry. I have urgent business to get done today.”
“It will take just a minute. Or what if I come to find you at a better time?”
“No, please don’t.”
“Muriel…”
“I’ll find you when I have time. If you are free.”
“…Fine.”
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Rose gave up and nodded. When she took a step back from the wagon, it left in a rush, leaving only Rose behind.
Countess Audrey, watching the two of them from behind, fanned herself with a bewildered expression.
“Rose…”
“I beg you. You said you would do anything to save my life.”
“You mean your life is in jeopardy if I don’t do you this favor?” Count Jared looked around with a serious expression on his face and whispered to her.
At that time, Rose embraced her father’s neck with a lovely smile.
“It’s not like that, but I hope Father can help me.”
“Will this help you?”
“Did you forget? I’m married to the northern King. If he does well, I do well.”
“Right. You’re right. You are a married couple.”
Rose sat down again in front of Count Jared and looked intensely into his eyes.
“It’s not just for me. According to this story, there is a huge amount of undiscovered gemstones in the northern Kaikman region. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that foreign people are only targeting the region.”
“Kaikman…”
Count Jared’s face quickly changed from that of a daughter’s fool to that of a businessman.
“Yes. Although there are problems in the process of mining silver mines that have already been developed, the amount is huge. I can’t even imagine how much more there are in the ground.”
Count Jared nodded with a serious expression on his face.
“That’s what I know too. When the North was at its peak, business people flocked there. Everyone was ready to jump into hell because their eyes were set on the undeveloped old land. When I was young, I went with your grandparents once as well.”
Rose’s face brightened as if they were finally communicating.
“But if our family starts development, attacks will come from all sides…”
“That’s why we have to figure out a way!” Rose’s eyes twinkled as if she had already thought of something. “If it’s not our family that jumps into development, and it’s a leap without us doing anything then there’s no problem at all.”
Count Jared raised his white eyebrows. Rose sat right next to his father and whispered, “Like father just said: If they see the profits, wouldn’t businessmen rush into hell?”
Count Jared concentrated his thoughts, trying to grasp the meaning between the lines.
“Then you mean to let it slip on purpose? You’re telling me to leak high-quality information that there is a definite profit?”
Rose smiled as she looked at him.
“Even if you are attacked, it will be less fatal if more than one person takes it.”
Count Jared laughed aloud as if he were amazed at his daughter Rose.
“I must add that my son-in-law, the Northern King, is actively developing the area. That way, it will be reliable, high-quality information.”
“Did you really talk to him?” Rose said with determination and bright eyes. “Do you know that he is making a way in the forest of Guagimolia?”
Count Jared nodded.
“I had already noticed that, unlike his father, he’s very ambitious. He’s paving the way, but it’s not simply paving the way. Isn’t it obvious where the end would be?”
Rose smiled meaningfully and took her father’s hand.
“I don’t know about the Kaikman mineral zone, but my family will monopolize the interest in Guagimolia Forest.”
She whispered to Count Jared, half-jokingly half sincerely, and he chuckled.
“Rose, why don’t you divorce him and take over the business of our family? I think my daughter is much better than my prodigal son.”
“I will seriously consider those words.”
The two looked into each other’s eyes affectionately and hugged each other tightly.
She came to Solstern with difficulty thus, she couldn’t just let this precious opportunity pass by.
Rose couldn’t sleep at all last night, and she reflected very carefully on what happened before her return. Of course, she didn’t want to recall any of those nightmarish days, but there was a lot of information that she had to retrieve in the days she spent in the imperial family. Nobles who rebelled against Cassiax and lost their lives, prominent figures who disappeared after being dissatisfied with his way of governing, and even public speakers who had a great influence on public sentiment. How many other bureaucrats, loyal and wise, did not see the light due to such a foolish monarch? But most importantly, she remembered the benefactors who tried to help the Etoile family until the very end.
‘Isn’t it known that one’s true self is revealed when extreme difficulties arise?’
When her father was executed for treason, Rose faced the grim truth: most of those who lived under the blessings of the Etoile family had coldly turned their backs. However, there were others who showed unexpected loyalty. They eventually met a tragic end along with Count Jared, but this time it will be different. Rose bit her lips.
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‘There’s definitely a good benefit about coming back.’
While imprisoned in the beautiful cage of the imperial family, many things were lost, but many things were learned. It was a long and short time.
‘Now it is my turn to use them one by one.’
At some point, when Cassiax starts acting like a jerk, it would be a great advantage if Maxim Lancert could come to their minds even for a moment.
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