On the second day, Ran entered the palace early in the morning and asked for audience, and the emperor immediately allowed her to stand alone.
"Oh, Duchess of Lazia!"
The emperor jumped out of his seat and showed hospitality coming down the platform.
"Greetings to the Emperor."
Ran grabbed the hem of the dress and greeted the emperor gracefully. A light red dress with a hanging sleeve, wearing a pearl choker on the neck, and letting the baby hair flow down slightly after all the hair was turned on, making it more innocent.
The emperor said in a gentle and gracious voice,
"Look up."
"Your Majesty?"
Eustaf sat about three steps away with one knee bending.
"This is my brother, Eustaf. His Majesty earned him access to the court. Considering that I'm all right, isn't it thanks to you?"
Since Eustaf saved me, the emperor nodded when he said something nuance.
"Get up. All of this happened because I had a bad taste."
"That's what they..."
Ran opened her eyes wide with an innocent face and said.
"Your Majesty has been good at coordinating issues with the latter. So, I'm determined to be loyal to the royal family..."
When her face hardened and she bit her lips tightly, the emperor said urgently.
"I understand your loyalty."
Eustaf crept up and patted her arms as if to comfort Ran.
"I beg your pardon, Your Majesty, for her to have not yet recovered from the shock..."
Then he quickly added before the emperor said anything.
"Of course, it's hard for a lady who's been through it to recover in a day."
"Eus, it's okay. His Majesty understands."
It was a definite affirmation. I said, "No, it's not. I don't understand!".
I don't think anyone would say.
The emperor coughed in vain.
"Well, you're aware with it."
Then Eustaf said with a dark face.
"He was told yesterday that I was a traitor. Indeed-"
"You didn't lift weights on the Emperor, but why are you a traitor? You've already decided not to mention it. His Highness, the Crown Prince made a mistake."
Ran stood up straight and spoke in a rather cheerful voice.
"Of course, it is, but ..."
Then Eustaf looked at the Emperor. The hardened face of the emperor was relieved by the gaze.
"Yes, that's a mistake the crown prince made."
Eustaf let go of Ran's arm and suddenly bowed his head, bending his knees in front of the emperor.
"Eus!"
Ran was surprised and bent down because he had not said anything before.
"Your Majesty, I want my sister's honor back with my own hands. Please allow me to fight a duel!"
Frustrated, Ran alternated between the emperor and Eustaf. The emperor was lost in thought for a moment and then put his hand on Eustaf's shoulder with a loving smile.
"Of course. A man of honor like you, the next Duke of Lazia, has a bright future for the Empire. I'll tell my prince to go to the duel himself."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Ran looked blank when she saw him speaking with an emotional face.
Is that Eustaf I know?
Then the emperor and Eustaf had a friendly conversation.
When he left the Conference room, Eustaf was speechless. It wasn't until he got on the wagon that he said in an annoying tone.
"He's a dumb son from a dumb father."
"Eus..."
"Yes."
"You're really..."
Ran shrugged her shoulders.
Ran knew how high Eustaf's pride was. And how difficult is it for a person to bend his pride?
But Eustaf bowed his head casually for the purpose.
"That's great, for our Eus."
"I'd like you to leave 'our' out."
Eustaf crossed his legs saying so.
Then he smiled sarcastically and said.
"Noonim."
"Yes."
"Do you really want to be my sister? You really think I'm just your little brother?"
When couldn't I be, I was caught off guard. Ran swallowed her breath for a moment.
"Of course..."
The word "Of course" did not come from the sight of his blue eyes. Ran gasped lightly like an animal bitten on the neck.
"I, Eus.... I mean...."
Do I really think of Eustaf as my younger brother? Do I really want to be a family?
Ran couldn't give a 'yes' answer there.
She covered her face with both hands. I didn't know what I always talked about in front of him would be this straightforward.
"But, but..."
Ran said between her fingers.
"I'm working hard. I too, like Eus."
Love still existed. Why else would she stay like this?
At that time, Eustaf grabbed her wrist and gently lowered it. Somehow, his eyes contained softness, not contempt.
"I'm not saying anything. I'm not even asking. But I don't like to say that."
Eustaf said so and stared at the green eyes. Ran laughed again and let go of her hand.
"And in a different sense, I'm a little upset."
"Huh? What? Why? You said you weren't saying anything."
When Ran said, Eustaf shook his head.
"No, I'm not going to tell you yet. But I'll tell you one day, and you'll have to be prepared."
"What is it?...What is it?"
"Do you want a hint?"
"Yes."
When I nodded, Eustaf said slowly.
"You can betray me, but I can't betray you."
Ran frowned at the words and spoke quickly.
"I won't betray you either."
Eustaf laughed.
"Of course, you do."
"What, don't you believe me?"
"No, I believe it."
That's why I'm betrayed. Eustaf thought so and exhaled a long breath.
"Then we should send a proper rattle to the Crown Prince."
"...Proper rattle?"
When Ran approached, Eustaf said.
"According to The Viridescent Shadow investigation, Baron Gerne is close to the Crown Prince. In addition, Baron Gerne is a piece of trash. Give him the right amount of profit, and he'll make the noise as much as I want."
Eustaf said so and put his arm on the wagon window frame.
"It's unthinkable that the Crown Prince will appear in the duel himself."
"...you're not gonna kill him, are you?"
"Do I look like such a stupid human?"
When Eustaf spoke hard, Ran shook her head quickly.
"No, you're not."
As she answered quickly, Eustaf glanced out of the window and said.
"And I decided to add a new maid to my sister."
"A maid?"
"Yes, if you don't like it, I'll change it."
Ran nodded at the words.
Arriving at the green arch, Ran was able to meet the new maid quickly.
Her silver hair is long and her pupils are elegant violets. She's 17 years old now.
You think she's about eighteen? She was tall but slender, so she looked very good in the maid's costume.
"It's an honor to see the Lord."
She bent down with a bright smile.
"My name is Dimodia Ruste. I'm a distant relative of the Count of Beloine, but with the help of the Count, I'm here to serve you. It's an honor."
Count Beloine.
At that moment, Ran knew who her opponent was. So, Ran laughed and said.
"I wish I could hear about Count Beloine. Can I call you Dia?"
"Yes, my Lord."
The girl saw the high maneuver for the first time, and quickly responded with a thrilled and excited voice when she was kind.
Soda and Kara also easily accepted Dia. I was glad to see my new colleague because she was suffering from the small number of maidens serving the Lord.
In addition, she was cheerful like a country girl and amazed at everything.
'She's from The Viridescent Shadow.'
Ran thought so and looked at Dia's backing away. Count Beloine was one of the fake aristocrats operating in The Viridescent Shadow. She was not a noble of the Empire, but was borrowing from the nobility of the kingdom.
'She's in charge of the escort.'
The escort Knights, who is a man, seemed to have attached a maid because there were limited places to go with him.
'Well, I'll be fine. By the way, it's worth a lot of money.'
After The Viridescent Shadow was also disclosed to Ran, Ran could see how the money that goes into The Viridescent Shadow was divided and flowed quietly from the books.
A huge sum went into the budget. 'Money's a grease job.'
It costs money to create and maintain fake identities. Even a coin that goes into listening to street beggars for information is money.
The intelligence agency was a money-eating group. In addition, the amount of money spent was huge as everything is being done in a short period of time to re- develop the already crumpled green camp.
However, as much as he ate, his regular reports were getting thicker, so Ran put her tongue out.
'Information is important in any era, so ·····.'
Ran thought so and buried herself on the sofa. Sleepiness was pushed in.
I need to see today's documents·····.
At the end of the thought, Ran fell asleep.
*******
Crack!
There was a loud sound of expensive glass and pottery breaking.
When Olivia winked, the servant opened the door with a pale face.
"Stop, calm down, Your Highness."
Olivia went inside and spoke in a soft tone, but even that sounded like a tease to Ruth.
"Seriously? Do I look like I'm gonna calm down?"
He cursed and kicked a piece of glass that fell to the ground toward Olivia.
"Duel, what? You want me to do the duel myself? Are you crazy? Are you senile?"
It was obvious who it was directed at, so Olivia hardened her face and was bitten by a hand.
"No matter how much you do, you shouldn't say that."
"What do you mean no? I'm the next Emperor!"
Olivia felt her cold heart hardened even colder. How, really, how could a man like this be the crown prince of the Empire?
"Yeah, that's fine. I'll kill them all. I'll cut his throat and take it all with my strength. That's it. He's just a little kid."
Ruth, who was huffing, began to talk to himself and slowly rationalize.
Olivia thought of Eustaf, who met briefly at the outdoor ballroom. And the subsequent swift response of the Duchess of Lazia.
Less than a day later, public opinion was now focused on criticizing the crown prince.
Including the emperor's lifting of the Duke of Lazia.
'Not yet.'
I couldn't throw this card away yet.
"Your Majesty, I have an idea. First, avoid the duel-"
Ruth looked after Olivia at her words. If Ruth had any brains, he wouldn't have done that here, but Ruth had no brains.
No, more than that, Olivia was just one of the cards to become emperor.
Slap!
Her body staggered with a loud noise. The fire flashed before my eyes. At the moment of pain, humiliation and humiliation came up on her five organs.
Wrap her cheek, Olivia looked at Ruth and bowed her head.
"I made a slip of tongue."
Ruth snorted with excitement.
"Are you saying I'm going to lose to that little boy or what? The whore, the Duke of Lazia, and she's so arrogant....You! You can't even have children. Without a next heir, the empire's majesty will not exist!"
Loudly talking nonsense, giving a face-to-face, Ruth. Olivia exhaled as he went out. Her purple eyes burned with anger.
'Yes, then.'
If you're such a stupid guy that you can't even use as a puppet, you have to throw it away.
Olivia waved the bell and called the bell to clean up the mess.
'Now, how do we use the remaining cards?'
Olivia was lost in thought, biting lightly at the tip of her finger. It has been a habit since she was young.
The tutor told me to quit because I looked young and rude, but Olivia didn't give up this habit when she said that.
'The obvious weakness in the eyes is much better.'
Olivia's mouth is slightly twisted.
'I really wish he could die in a duel.'
Then I can be a tragic widow and keep the public on my side.
But that's not gonna happen.
'It seemed like a lot of work.'
Thinking about Eustaf, she smiled softly.