Translator: Nox

Chapter 27

Chapter 26

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Flora hurriedly finished dressing and went to the room where the Marchioness was staying. Because Grace had taken the Chandelier Room, the Marchioness was staying in another room.

Flora entered the room wearing a light purple dress. She was as splendid and lovely as a rose that had just bloomed in the early morning.

"Oh, Flora."

"Mother!"

It turned out that Flora's mother, Countess Lewin, was also with the Marchioness.

The Marchioness said in a subtle tone.

"The Duke couldn't take his eyes off that beautiful figure. You've raised your daughter well."

"It's all thanks to the Marchioness treating her like a daughter."

"Oh, you're so modest. Flora, come in."

The Marchioness closed her eyes and leisurely enjoyed the maid's touch. While the maid styling her hair lightly massaged her scalp, a maid placed an unusual jewelry box in front of the Marchioness.

"I will open it, Marchioness."

"Please do."

At the Marchioness's permission, the maid turned the key to unlock the jewelry box.

Flora and Countess Lewin's eyes were drawn to it like iron filings to a magnet.

Even at a glance, the magnificent jewels were carefully placed on the red velvet. Even without looking closely, they could be sure that one thick diamond necklace was worth more than an average mansion.

No, it was ridiculous to even put a price on them in the first place. The jewels in that jewelry box were known as "Richmond's Treasure," the jewelry collection of successive Duchesses.

Of course, that wasn't the only jewelry box, and the owner was naturally the Grand Duchess, Eliza. However, Eliza had gone into seclusion, and the Marchioness, having seized control of the Inner Palace, was the first to take the key to the "Blue Room" filled with Richmond's Treasures.

From some point on, she opened the Blue Room and wore the jewels as she pleased. And according to her friendship and the degree of loyalty, she began to lend the treasures to noble ladies. The Marchioness allocated even a single seat according to the degree of loyalty, and even coordinated the order of walking in the Inner Palace. It was only natural that those closest to the Marchioness had Richmond's Treasures hanging on their necks, ears, and fingers.

For the Marchioness, Richmond's Treasures were her status and power itself.

"Marchioness, how about wearing this diamond necklace today? When you wear this necklace, it's like..."

Countess Lewin, Flora's mother, trailed off and whispered softly.

"You look like a queen."

The corners of the Marchioness's lips slightly lifted as she kept her eyes closed while the maid worked on her hair. Countess Lewin flattered her even more.

"The late Duchess also often wore this necklace... but I think it has finally found its owner now."

"Don't say such things. Who would listen?"

"That's just how I feel."

The Marchioness laughed as if she was in a good mood and dismissed the maid who was starting to massage her shoulders. Then, she raised her body from the depths of the sofa and gestured for Flora to come closer.

As Flora sat on the sofa right next to her, the Marchioness personally pushed the jewelry box towards her. Priceless, historic jewels were laid out before Flora as if they were a formal dinner.

Flora stared blankly at the jewels with a dazed look.

"Which one do you like the most?"

Flora looked up at the Marchioness.

"Pick the one you like the most."

"Marchioness, giving such precious things to our Flora..."

"I've always wanted to give Flora one."

"Really... thank you, Marchioness. Instead of that, please choose something that suits Flora. Who can follow the Marchioness's eye? Isn't that right, Flora?"

At her mother's question, Flora quickly nodded.

"Please choose for me, Marchioness."

The Marchioness looked back and forth between the mother and daughter and laughed, then chose a pinkish diamond set. It was a gift that Grand Duchess Eliza had received from her father, Argon III, when she was a princess, and she had brought it with her when she came to the Richmond Ducal family.

"Try wearing this. I thought of you every time I saw this jewel. No, let me put it on for you myself."

The Marchioness personally got up and put the necklace around Flora's neck. A quick-witted maid quickly brought a mirror in front of Flora, and Countess Lewin praised the Marchioness's eye several times more.

The Marchioness stared at Flora intently and whispered.

"Don't worry about whether the Duke will be displeased."

How would the Duke, who had been away for over 10 years, know about the jewelry collection?

"The reason I'm giving you this necklace is to make your presence known to the noble ladies of the Richmond Ducal family's Inner Palace."

More than that, it was to let even the Duchess know that she had chosen her.

The reason she chose Flora as the Duchess was because she and her family were the easiest to handle. A face that showed her thoughts and feelings as they were. Even if the Duke died in the future and she became a widow, she had small and insignificant ambitions that could be satisfied with just a few jewels.

The Marchioness chuckled and looked at the maids as if her gaze had accidentally drifted.

"Hmm?"

The Marchioness, who had been staring at them intently, tilted her head.

"Are you two sick?"

Flora and Countess Lewin turned their heads following the Marchioness's gaze, and the maids were startled and shook their heads.

"N, no."

"Of course not."

"No? I saw you yesterday, and your complexion is different?"

Countess Lewin also slyly chimed in.

"Now that I think about it, your faces are pale, and your lips have lost their color... It seems like you're sick, just like the Marchioness said."

The Marchioness frowned and gestured to them.

"Come here."

The two maids looked at each other with trembling eyes and slowly approached the Marchioness. As they approached, the Marchioness Lincot, whom they couldn't dare to look at, kindly took their hands. The startled maids stopped breathing, and the Marchioness looked at them with pitiful eyes.

"Why? What's wrong?"

Tears welled up in the maids' eyes in an instant. As their eyes turned red, the Marchioness put more strength into the hands holding them.

"Don't worry and tell me. I'm especially fond of you."

At that warm voice, the maids finally burst into tears.

"Marchioness!"

＊ ＊ ＊

At that moment.

Grace was crossing the back garden with Walter.

"I've been thinking. If the maids were secretly imprisoned and assaulted on the Marchioness's orders, it's possible that they might say I did it."

Walter inadvertently scanned Grace up and down, then quickly turned his eyes away.

"Imprisonment and assault charges on you? Maybe on me, but?"

"Actions have consequences. There's no benefit to putting such charges on Your Excellency. It's more of a burden."

"So?"

"I won't know the details until the outline becomes clear, but one thing is certain. They will soon eagerly bite at the bait that is me. To do that, they must disregard Your Excellency's guarantee of my identity."

In other words, they would have no choice but to commit an act that infringed on the Duke's authority. That was the ultimate purpose of Grace wanting to enter while concealing her identity.

"They can't not know that. They must also be aware that that act could become a knife that turns back on them."

"While you're being used as bait, I won't just be playing around either."

Grace glanced at him, and Walter gave a sharp smile and added.

"The finances are a mess. About half of the gold bars seem to be gone. If you want to get Richmond back, you have to get the finances back too."

"You'll be busy."

At that moment, the detached palace came into view.

"Are you going to wait until the Grand Duchess allows a meeting?"

At Walter's question, Grace nodded slightly and replied.

"I'm planning to do that for today."

"So you're taking that thick book. You're planning to be holed up in that tomb-like place all day today."

Grace tilted her head without realizing it at the bitterly felt tone.

What is it?

In fact, from the moment she ran into Walter this morning, she felt that something about him had changed. But it was hard to pinpoint what it was. It was impossible for his physique or appearance to change overnight, so it wasn't an external change.

Then, Walter continued.

"Don't wait for permission and go into the bedroom."

Grace was speechless at the absurd words.

"Waiting outside, you might not be able to meet her even after several years."

"Are you saying I should go into her bedroom right away today?"

Although she had lost all motivation in life and locked herself in a tomb, Eliza Richmond was a member of the Dekan Imperial Family and the actual owner of the Richmond Ducal family. To go into such a person's bedroom without permission?

But Walter seemed to think differently.

"Whether it's today or tomorrow, you'll have to go into her bedroom without permission anyway. It's better to do it today."

Grace narrowed her eyes without realizing it.

"How can you be so sure?"

Then, Walter shrugged his shoulders while staring at the detached palace where Eliza was staying.

"Because I know her personality."

It had been almost three years since he had unintentionally lived with Eliza.

"It seemed like she wouldn't come out even if you set fire to the outside."

"……."

"So set fire to the inside."