âLady Roselina has done what no one has ever done before. Therefore, I will grant her the status of Count. I will also reward her with 10 gold bars and a chest of jewels.â
What?
I was so surprised that I couldnât hear His Majestyâs words clearly after the word âgold barsâ.
âHis Majesty is granting the Duchess of Palesdon the status of a Count?â
âHe called her only by her name. Does this mean the duchess is really getting a divorce?â
âIsnât this unprecedented? His Majesty is giving her a great reward.â
There was a stir around her indicating that I wasnât the only one surprised.
âWow, this is awesomeâ¦â
It was simply unconventional.
In this place, women usually followed their father or husbandâs statuses.
But Iâm granted a status of my own.
âI donât need to buy a title under a borrowed name anymore.â
No. Technically, it was a situation where I didnât have to have a borrowed name.
But it would still be more convenient to have a borrowed name if she wants to do many businesses in the future.
âIs this the result of being a hero of the empire?â
The reward was thrilling after I solved such a difficult quest.
âFrom now on, if a quest asks me to do it, Iâll just close my mouth and do it.â
As I swear to myself, the emperor spoke again.
âAnd finally, Iâll grant you one wish. Tell me anything.â
This time an exclamation jumped out of my head.
It was simply awesome.
It was a blank check guaranteed by the emperor.
If she asks for a title, he will give it, and if she asks for a spirit, he will give it.
Of course my answer was fixed.
I answered quietly so that only the emperor could hear me.
âI need the check I left at the Imperial bank a while ago. Is this possible?â
âOf course. It will soon be in your hands.â
âThank you very much. Your Majesty.â
The Emperor and Empress looked at me warmly.
Hearing the answer I wanted, I stepped back in front of the podium.
âThe Duchess of Palesdon. Youâre doing great these days. Please stop by our mansion sometime and tell us some stories.â
âOh, please visit our mansion too, Duchess.â
âSheâs not the Duchess of Palesdon? Sheâs the Princess of Brighton. Welcome back to the Singleâs Club, Princess Brighton!â
People surrounded me as if they were waiting.
It was not sweet at all, hearing only nice things.
âSuch cunning peopleâ
Iâve heard how many times they swear at me at the court.
Wouldnât it be embarrassing to stick like this as soon as the board was turned over?
I turned my head.
Calix was so tall that I could find him right away.
âPrince Calix, Your Highness.â
âRose.â
The crowd dispersed as Calix strode closer.
âShe seems to be on good terms with the Crown Prince.â
âPrincess Brighton rescued the Crown Prince. Isnât it obvious?â
âMaybe this will bring Brighton and the royal family to fruition.â
People were very interested in Calix.
It was natural. Calix was a new member of the royal family, and he will be the only heir to the throne.
âIt is all about money.â
Even Calixâs brilliant blond hair looked like gold.
âIâve been looking forward to this moment so much.â
Standing in front of me, Calix took out a rose from the inside of his robe.
âRose. Itâs a rose that looks just like you.â
âYour Highness the Crown Prince.â
âWill you grant me the honor to dance with you?â
When Calix asked me to dance, handing me the Rose of Harmony, exclamations exploded here and there.
âItâs so romanticâ¦â¦â¦â¦!â
âThe Crown Prince asking for a dance with a rose?â
âI want to experience it, too. Thatâs the Rose of Harmony, right? Itâs so beautiful and fresh that I want to have one.â
It was a very gratifying response.
Iâve put my head together with Calix for this.
I remembered what happened a while ago.
âCalix, I need you to refresh the image of the Rose of Harmony. Exactly with the attention youâre getting.â
âJust say anything. Iâll do as you tell me.â
âYouâll have to give the Rose of Harmony and ask for a dance.â
âI donât want to.â
âWhat?â
Calix, who said he will do it just a moment ago, made a sullen face.
âWhy should I dance with another girl? If Iâm not with Roseâ¦â¦â¦â
âDo you hate dancing with me that much?â
I was a little embarrassed because I didnât know Calix would refuse.
I didnât think about him, and I just seem like a person who wants to have her cake and eat it too.
âIt was fun even for a moment. Goodbye, my gold barsâ¦â¦â¦.â
As she said goodbye, Calix looked very embarrassed.
âIâll do it, I will!â
âNo, Calix, you donât have to force it.â
Calix has been oppressed all his life and has been doing what others tell him to do. I didnât want to force him to do anything.
But somehow Calix looked like he was about to cry and begged.
âNo, please let me do itâ¦. Thatâs my wish. Rose, okay?â
âReally?â
When she asked, he nodded enthusiastically.
âThen you just have to ask me for a dance but you donât have to actually dance.â
âNo, I want to dance with Rose!â
Thatâs how this situation was staged.
âWell, isnât it just a fake since itâs artificial?â
A curt voice from somewhere erased my thoughts.
âYeah, itâs time for a disruptor to show up.â
Just wait a little bit.
If a quest appears, Iâll steer you away.
Thatâs what I thought but I didnât even have the time to act.
âDonât say that! Itâs a great invention!â
âCountess Maria?â
Countess Maria stepped in front of me.
Her brown eyes shone determinedly.
Countess Maria hasnât been out for days.
It wasnât because the curse of the rose had manifested.
âThis is real.â
She carried the rose she had received from Roselina all the time. Even her husband was jealous.
âYou. Do you like it better than me?â
âHoney, I think this is a special item.â
At the words of Countess Maria, her husband made a serious face.
Her husband was a serious man. His judgment came only after hundreds of validations.
âHow can it be special?â
âI think the more I have this with me, the less the symptoms of the curse of the rose I have.â
âIs that true?â
The Count rarely raised his voice.
He always felt sorry for his wife, who refrained from going out due to the curse of the rose symptoms.
âIâll look into it too.â
âAlright.â
It was reliable if it was the study of her husband, who is the head of the tower, and not by anyone else.
And a few days later, Countess Maria was able to hear the unexpected news.
âHoney, youâre right. This is a very special item.â
âIs that true?â
âYeah, I donât know the exact components yet, but the mana from this Rose of Harmony alleviates the curse of the rose.â
Countess Mariaâs face was recalled after hearing her husbandâs confirmation.
âI want to study this more. Can I get more roses?â
âItâs stopped selling now, but Iâll talk to the Duchess of Palesdon. She might have a way to get more.â
And the way to meet Roselina right away was to participate in the royal banquet.
âAre you sure youâll be okay?â
However, Countess Maria had never dreamed of attending a royal banquet because of the curse of roses.
Her husband felt the same way.
âAre you gonna be okay? What if you fall down?â
Countess Maria could not readily answer.
It was true that it was still scary.
It is also difficult to collapse due to the development of curse symptoms, therefore she has been afraid of the gaze pouring down on her since then.
âButâ¦â¦â
If it was Roselina, she wouldnât give up here. She canât live in the mansion forever.
Countess Maria clenched her little fist.
âYeah, Iâll be fine.â
âThen Iâll accompany you.â
So the Countess Maria and the Lord of the Tower headed for the palace.
As soon as they entered the banquet hall, she heard a nerve-racking sound.
âWell, isnât it just a fake since itâs artificial?â
The Countess Mariaâs eyes burned when she heard it.
She immediately stood before Roselina and shouted at the person who spoke carelessly.
âDonât say that! Itâs a great item!â
For a moment, the banquet hallâs eyes were on her.
Countess Mariaâs heart beat fast.
After falling down and being looked down by people, this situation was too burdensome.
But she had to tell the truth.
âThe rose of harmony can cure the curse of roses!â
Eventually, the Countess of Maria plucked up her courage and succeeded in taking a step.