Chapter 46

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“In the spring, there will be a combat competition.”

“Combat competition?”

“You know about it?”

Well, the combat competition of the Delo Empire was famous since ten years ago.

“Do you want to participate? I’m not certain yet, but I think all the participants will be able to join with their masks on.”

It was almost a certainty. Shed answered honestly.

“I can join if you want.”

“I like the idea. Sounds like fun.”

Raha smiled happily. Shed’s gaze lingered on her smile for a moment. A beat later, he regained his composure and asked,

“What is the reward? Is it something you want?”

“The Giseln estate.”

Shed knew of Giseln estate roughly. It was one of the frontier territories of the Delo Empire, very remote and very rugged, with long mountain ranges to cross.

“Do you want it?”

“No.”

Raha, who had already slowly closed her eyes, chuckled. Her tear-stained eyelashes fluttered lightly.

“Just.”

Even if Shed became permanent residence, as a slave he wouldn’t be able to own a land.

“To live alone with you in a place like that…… I wonder what it feels  like.”

Raha’s whispered voice made Shed feel very strange. Was it because she was slowly falling asleep? Was it because she’s been suffering like crazy until just now? She couldn’t hold out any longer and fell asleep completely.

Shed looked down at Raha. He tucked her wet hair behind her ear. Perhaps it was the concern that had bottomed out his mood.

“The Holy Land hopes you don’t feel guilty about the Princess.”

They didn’t want him to feel guilty.

Then what about other feelings?

More than guilt? Strangely, Shed felt a little lost.

* * *

A few days later.

The delegations from other countries that had stayed at the Imperial Palace for some time after the New Year’s banquet had ended had completely returned, and the palace was refurbished to a more relaxed atmosphere.

Of course, this did not mean that small parties were completely over. The nobles of high rank, from marquis and above, stayed frequently at the Imperial Palace during the New Year, drinking tea together and admiring the snowy scenery.

‘Originally, we didn’t often drink tea together like this.’

Ever since Karzen and Jamela were engaged, tea parties have been held all the time. Although the fact that many of the nobles were happy that the atmosphere in the Imperial Palace, which had been cold and desolate for nearly a decade now, has been softened this way.

“Your Imperial Highness, this way.”

Raha sat at the top of the tea table and glanced around appropriately. It wasn’t a scheduled tea party, but it was a tea party held yesterday, and the day before, so everyone was chatting moderately and savoring expensive tea.

‘There are still a lot of people.’

Because no matter how messed up the relationship between the Emperor and the Princess was, the arrival of a new empress meant a major change in the axis of power. The nobles, sensitive to the composition of power, could not have neglected to miss such an occasion.

However, it was interesting to note that on this occasion, where only the great nobles participate, one new, unfamiliar face had joined.

‘Who is it?’

Moreover, how could he have caught Raha’s gaze like a lightning bolt? The man immediately approached Raha and bowed politely.

“I greet you, Your Imperial Highness. My name is Rosain Ligulish.”

“Count of Ligulish’s son?”

“Yes. It’s an honor that the Princess remembers.”

Rosain Ligulish was a polite and courteous young master. A beautiful man with gorgeous blond hair.

“The Duke of Winston has extended a special invitation to me. I consider it an honor for the family to meet such a precious person in such close proximity.”

Raha sent Rosain back with an appropriate smile.

‘He must be Jamela’s friend.’

Even in such a situation, Raha thought it was quite remarkable that the young man dared to come at the invitation of the Duke of Winston, taking care of the reputation of the future Empress.

“Princess.”

“Young Lady.”

Raha leaned back in her chair after greeting Jamela lightly. The book she was reading at the tea party yesterday was handed in. A maid with white hands came in with a teapot.

“I’ll pour you a cup of tea, Princess.”

Tak. Tak.

The water tea, a dark aquamarine color, filled the beautifully curved teacup. The tea scent was very good because the precious tea leaves that came as a tribute were taken out for several days.

After opening the book where the bookmark had been placed yesterday, Raha reached out with the teacup. She lifted the teacup and brought it to her lips.

Raha’s gaze stopped there as she looked down at the tea cup.

“…….”

Raha’s face reflected on the surface of the water. There was nothing where the blue eyes were. The eye sockets were black, like a skeleton that someone had already removed the eyeballs from.

‘It’s been a really long time since someone’s trying to poison me.’

Raha tried to press down on her eyelids for a while, but when she realized that she had put on quite a lot of eye makeup today, she lowered her hand again.

The eyes of the heirs that protected the heirs were able to perfectly detect the killing intent of the people.

Thanks to this, she was able to notice the poison in the food. Maybe it was just poison, but the poison aimed at Raha was perfect. It was through this terrible method.

Even if the insignia was cracked, the eyes of the heirs were still valid in this way.

The poisoned food looked strangely disgusting, and the poisoned tea looked like empty eye sockets.

For Raha, however, the attempted poisoning was a common practice. After setting down her teacup without changing his expression, she flipped through the book pages with a graceful hand gesture.

“…….”

‘Who is it?’

After flipping through a few more pages, she naturally lifted her head. There were many people present here today.

Marquis Duke grinding his teeth after being defeated by Shed.

Duke Esther, brother of the dead Countess of Borbon, who forced a bouquet of dry flowers on Raha every year on each anniversary of his sister’s death.

And then there was Duke Winston, Jamela’s father. Jamela was also with them. Blake, the captain of the Kingsguard, even volunteered to escort her because of the gathering of valuable people. It was no exaggeration to say that all of the leading figures of the empire were gathered.

Of course, someone who was not present here may have poured poison into Raha’s teacup. For example, it could have been the second Empress, or any nobles who had a personal and deep friendship with the dead slaves.

There were too many people who hated Raha and hated the Delo empire to be certain exactly who it was.

It was then.

“I thought of a fun game for all of you who came today…….”

Jamela stood up and opened her mouth. All the eyes of the nobles, who had been absorbed in their own hobbies and banter, turned to her.

Raha poured the poisoned tea on the floor. Having torn a petal off an empty teacup, she soon turned her eyes away.

* * *

The official parties, which had made the palace tumultuous for a few days, were over.

Since then, Raha has been busy preparing for the combat competition. Increasing the scale meant that there was a lot to prepare, and this kind of preparation had always been Raha’s job.

But it was interesting to see Jamela looking at her with a strange gaze. Ambition or drive. Jamela even overworked frequently these days.

Of course Raha didn’t care. On the other hand, she was hoping that Jamela would work harder to prepare for the competition.

“It’s snowing again.”

“I like heavy snow, so it doesn’t matter, but the gardeners were screaming themselves to death.”

In the meantime, the imperial Princess and the emperor’s fiancée were in one place, and there were Young Ladies who came to promote friendship every day.

Especially the daughters of the dukes and above. To be precise, they were the rivals who were competing with Jamela for the seat next to Karzen. In any case, since Jamela was the chosen one, it was a wise choice to deepen their friendship.

Unless she was insane, there were no ladies who truly adored Karzen.  A low-ranking aristocrat who was in a romantic mood may not know it.

“How are you, Princess? Do you like snow?”

Raha smiled as she looked at the white snow. And she thought of someone.

“Yes.”

“As expected. People who know the taste like snow scenery.”

The ladies laughed. They threw wood on the fireplace consistently throughout the day to keep the fire going. It was cozy and warm inside this gorgeous room even though it was very cold outside. It seemed as if the other seasons were passing by the window.

The ladies did not visit suddenly. The fireplace was set in advance and the table was well stocked with a variety of beverages.

So, without thinking, Raha reached for the champagne and blinked.

“You drink too much …….”

Raha remembered Shed’s criticism. But they wouldn’t have served high alcohol at this time of the day anyway, because it was a place where the ladies enjoyed tea time. It would be a sweet and light champagne, almost like a child’s juice.

Still, Raha retreated her hand, then picked up a teacup. The maid, who was sitting in the back, quickly came up and poured the tea.

Raha took a sip of cold tea with a light sweet taste. The topic of conversation that was going around lightly turned to Raha.

“Oh, by the way, that beautiful doll of the Princess.”

The ladies preferred a more elegant and metaphorical way of saying any word. They did not like explicit words like bedroom warmer or slave.

And in social circles, it seemed to have pretty much solidified the idea of calling Shed a doll. More likely, because they were impossibly nice.

A young lady said with a laugh.

“The doll had really beautiful turquoise eyes.”

“Yes. His eyes were like fine green gemstones.”

“Green gemstones?”

“Yes, Your Highness. Oh, it just so happened to be the same color as my bracelet.”

***

*Shed’s eyes’ true color was blue-gray. But what others, including Karzen, saw was turquoise. Only Raha saw his real color and she thought others saw the same thing as she did until today.

*** One more fact I need to correct is about Duke Esther. I’ve been using ‘Duchess Esther. It had never mentioned her /his gender and used Duke/ Duchess so I wasn’t sure until today. I’ll re-edit all the other chapters.