Chapter : 61
As he focused his power with the sensation of siphoning away the emperor’s aura, Cesare’s arm—half-rotted moments before—gradually transformed into wrinkled, dark, age-spotted skin.
At the same time, Diego’s hand began to turn black.
“……Ugh!”
The pain felt as though his veins were burning. With a sharp motion, Diego shook off the emperor’s arm and grabbed the bundle of sunflowers he had prepared in advance.
Interesting… … .
The bouquet that had been in full bloom instantly withered, making a crackling sound as it burned. It couldn’t withstand the poisonous energy.
In the end, Diego tossed away the bundle as ash fell from it and let out a sigh.
“Next time, I’ll need to prepare something with plenty of fruit. Sunflower seeds don’t seem to be enough.”
As he spoke, dipping his filthy hand into a basin of water, Cesare—his face now much more relaxed—granted his mercy.
“From next time on, I’ll have it prepared on my side. You just keep doing what you’ve been doing.”
“If you do that, I’d be grateful.”
Grateful, my foot. You should’ve done that from the start. This was absurdly inefficient!
Despite the curses pouring through his mind, Diego nodded obediently.
“What’s the situation with Iglesia?” Cesare asked.
“We’ve been watching for an opening, but it hasn’t been easy. Above all, the count behaved like an idiot and ended up being cut off by Iglesia.”
“Tsk! I knew that greedy weasel would mess things up one day.”
Cesare spat out the curse roughly.
Anyone who had only ever seen his kind and benevolent demeanor would have been startled by the sight.
“No matter what it takes, you must drain Iglesia’s power. Only then can I reunite you with Rosetta Fabinho.”
Cesare warned him in a sinister tone, then began coughing again.
As the emperor coughed violently, Diego handed him a clean towel. When black blood stained it, Cesare frowned.
He tossed the soiled towel into a jar by the bed and continued,
“But tell me—are you certain Rosetta Fabinho wants to reunite with you?”
“I’m certain.”
Diego answered with a resolute expression.
Rosetta Fabinho.
That woman clearly harbors feelings for me.
“Diego, I’ve never doubted your feelings.”
“If it’s hard to talk about, you don’t have to tell me. I’m just worried about you…. I’m not trying to burden you. I trust you, so I won’t fret.”
That was why she didn’t push him away whenever they met—why she worried instead.
Thinking of Rosetta made a dull ache form in his chest. Diego’s eyes sharpened.
“She was the woman who should’ve married me in the first place. Iglesia is the one who snatched her away. I will take back what he stole from me.”
Meanwhile, Julieta was seated in the reception room of the Ruby Palace.
The Ruby Palace, where Princess Bellatrice resided, was decorated throughout with red roses befitting its name.
Seeing those roses reminded her of Rosetta. Growing anxious for no reason, Julieta bit the inside of her cheek.
Lately, Diego had been going out more and more frequently.
She’d wondered where he kept disappearing to, leaving her alone in the townhouse—only to find out it was the imperial palace.
“Do you wish to follow your husband?”
It had been when she tried to follow Diego into the palace and was stopped by the gatekeepers, who said no one could pass without an invitation.
“If you come with me, you’ll be able to learn your husband’s true feelings.”
The woman who introduced herself as Judith said she would help her enter the palace and told her to follow along.
It was suspicious, but she had nothing to lose.
Besides, Diego had been acting strangely lately.
Even when they slept in the same room, he no longer held her tightly or let her rest her head on his arm as he used to.
On the nights he held her, she slept soundly. Without that lately, it felt like her skin had grown rougher than before.
My fair, dewy skin used to be my pride….
As Julieta brushed her cheek, the sound of a door opening made her flinch and turn around.
“I kept my guest waiting, I see.”
Meeting Princess Bellatrix eyes, Julieta sprang to her feet.
“Ah—n-no! Your Highness, it’s an honor to meet you! I’m Julieta Fabinho Genomegard….”
“Please, sit comfortably.”
“Thank you.”
Seated across from Julieta, Bellatrice handed her gloves to a maid.
Once the maid brought in tea, Bellatrice went straight to the point.
“I called you here because there’s something important I need to discuss with you regarding your half-sister.”
“My sister… Rosetta?”
Of all people, for the princess to want to talk about Rosetta…
“To explain that, I should first tell you why I still haven’t taken a husband despite being past the usual age for marriage.”
At those words, Julieta studied Bellatrix’s expression.
Opinions among the nobles about the princess remaining unmarried at twenty-four were divided.
Some whispered that she hadn’t yet had her first menstruation; others speculated she might have no interest in men; still others suggested she was having an affair or keeping a secret lover….
All kinds of rumors circulated, yet nothing was certain.
Julieta waited for Bellatrice to continue—and the story that followed was more than enough to shock her.
There’s no such thing as a fate where someone is simply meant to die.
Count Fabinho thought so as he gazed at the mineral said to have been mined from the Valenka mines.
After being cut off by Iglesia, the families that had once lent him money somehow caught wind of it and began pressing him to repay their loans.
He’d been wracking his brain over how to resolve the situation—
See? They say no one’s just meant to die!
This dazzling radiance.
This self-luminous mineral was surely a high-quality magic stone.
“With this, House Fabinho will…!”
In-laws of Iglesia? The emperor’s arrangements? Who needs any of that!
These days, money was everything.
Just look at that accursed Iglesia.
He wielded wealth like power itself, and no one dared ignore him. Even the emperor had to give him some leeway!
Moreover, the honor he had long coveted was practically secured already, now that Julieta had married Diego Genomegard.
Once they have a child, gaining a marquisate will be as easy as drinking soup. House Fabinho will rise from count to marquis!
True, the first child would bear the Genomegard name—but that could be erased little by little. As long as he secured the bloodline, changing the family name later would be trivial.
“Head straight to the magic stone exchange!”
“Yes, my lord!”
Count Fabinho headed to the exchange with his secretary and legal advisor, Daniel Crawford.
“Welcome to the Magic Stone Exchange. How may we help you?”
“I want this mineral appraised.”
After arriving, the staff requested certification for selling the mineral, which would be issued once its grade was determined.
A short while later, the employee returned with the results.
“…What? What grade did you say?”
“The mineral you brought is a raw magic stone corresponding to Grade 4. Here is your sales certificate and the documents requiring your signature.”
As the count stared in disbelief, the employee calmly held out the paperwork.
Count Fabinho leapt to his feet and shouted,
“That’s ridiculous! Only Grade 4? This came from the Valenka mines! And you’re telling me it’s only Grade 4?!”
“The exchange’s grading accounts for margins of error, so the result will not change. Will you sign and take the sales certificate?”
“Test it again! There’s no way it’s Grade 4!”
No matter how much the count raged, the employee didn’t even blink. They’d dealt with countless customers making absurd demands to raise grades.
“A re-evaluation comes with an additional fee. If you still wish to proceed, you’ll need to pay the inspection fee first.”
“Y-you…!”
“M-my lord.”
At the trembling count’s side, Daniel Crawford whispered with a troubled expression.
“If you push any further, the exchange may permanently suspend or revoke your sales certification.”
End Of Chapter : 61
