Chapter 53
“Lani still seems unaware of everything. You know how people burn even hotter when they’re opposed.”
“Then how about we just watch for now?”
Hildren spoke cautiously.
“Even if Lani chooses marriage, I can’t begin to guess how Young Master Hider will react.”
It did seem that the one Hider wanted to protect was Lani. As far as Hildren knew, all of Cartieron’s bloodline were the obsessive and possessive type.
If things went wrong, it could turn into a serious problem.
“Is that your official opinion, Sir Hildren?”
“Fortunately, Young Master Hider would never do anything Lani doesn’t want. And if a problem arises, I’ll step in.”
Hildren said firmly.
In the end, the gathered people had no choice but to agree. As he bit into the remaining fruit, Hildren thought of Tybern.
“Make sure Lani never leaves Hider. She will be the one to protect him.”
He hadn’t understood what that meant before, but lately, it was beginning to make sense. And it felt like Tybern had a grand plan in mind for Lani.
At any rate, Hildren had done all he could.
Five Days Later
The Empress screamed in a hysterical voice.
“Still no word from the Del Merchant Guild?!”
“Yes, Your Majesty. I sincerely apologize…”
The head maid bowed deeply while gauging the Empress’s mood. But no amount of groveling could make a message arrive that hadn’t come.
The Empress ground her teeth.
“The tea party is the day after tomorrow! A salon hosted by the Empress herself! And you’re telling me we can’t even get the hibiscus drink?!”
Her fury erupted. Her pale face was twisted with rage.
“You said everything would go smoothly!”
“W-We did receive notice three days ago that a problem had arisen and they couldn’t fulfill the order, Your Majesty…”
“You should have gotten it anyway!”
The Empress was young and particularly sensitive to trends.
“And now the Chopa Hwandan pills for the Princess and Crown Prince aren’t arriving either… Those Del bastards must think I’m a joke! Even the beauty tonic is running out!”
“Shall I summon Viscount Aros?”
The head maid asked cautiously. The Empress nodded and flopped into her chair.
“Right now!”
The head maid dashed out. While the Empress was usually composed, once she turned hysterical, she became unstoppable.
Now outside the palace, the head maid anxiously paced. The cold weather had numbed her body, but she hardly noticed.
Fortunately, the head of the Del Merchant Guild—Viscount Aros—wasn’t crazy. At the very least, he hadn’t dared to ignore the Empress’s summons.
“Viscount Aros!”
“Greetings, Head Maid.”
“This is not the time for pleasantries! Her Majesty awaits! Move quickly!”
Without the usual decorum, the head maid dragged him inside.
Viscount Aros swallowed dryly. The impression he made today could determine the future of his business.
He quickly reviewed the scenario he’d rehearsed several times.
The key point: Make the Empress believe that everything was the fault of Duchess Kiera.
You can do this.
The youthful merchant steeled himself, determination hardening his delicate features.
“So you finally show your face. Acting like you’re too high and mighty for us!”
The Empress roared.
“You promised you’d deliver the quantity I needed! And then suddenly you change your story and haven’t delivered a single item? Do I amuse you?!”
“That is not the case, Your Majesty.”
Viscount Aros dropped to the floor in a deep bow. This was nothing.
“We truly have been wronged, Your Majesty. We told you we could not deliver only because we genuinely couldn’t.”
“What nonsense is that? Didn’t you say the fields caught fire or something?”
“It wasn’t that, Your Majesty… Truthfully, we may have to shut down the Del Merchant Guild altogether.”
Aros spoke in a sorrowful tone. A shocking enough opener.
“…Shut down? Why?”
The Empress instantly recalled her son, now with heightened focus thanks to the Chopa Hwandan pills, and her own smoother cheeks from the beauty tonic.
Then what about me and the Crown Prince?
Once you’ve had a taste, how could you go back?
“Explain yourself right now. Who in their right mind shuts down a thriving business?”
“It’s… because Duchess Kiera of Cartieron has been incessantly demanding that we return the guild to her.”
“What?”
The Empress’s voice rose. She knew Kiera was greedy, but on what grounds?!
Wasn’t that merchant guild already sold?
Of course, high-ranking nobles abusing their power was nothing new. But the mere thought of being denied what she wanted made all her rage turn to Kiera.
“And the herbalist we work with said that if that happens, they’ll stop supplying us altogether.”
The Empress rubbed her temples.
“Why would they do that?”
“Apparently, the herbalist has an old grudge against the Duchess.”
The Empress exhaled.
No matter how low your status or how little you have, if you possess something others desperately want, that becomes power.
And that herbalist now had power—the kind even the Empress was bound by.
“And that’s not all. Duchess Kiera is claiming all rights to the merchant guild’s goods and is snatching up every product as soon as it’s made.”
The Empress’s cold gaze turned toward the head maid.
The maid bent down and whispered into her ear.
“Just recently, the Duchess served hibiscus tea in Aites. There’s also a rumor that all the Chopa Hwandan pills are being sent to Prince Carte.”
She’s stolen what’s rightfully mine, without even knowing her place.
The Empress clenched her jaw.
Her icy glare turned on Viscount Aros.
He had long worked under Cartieron. Even if he claimed independence, he was still under that shadow.
And now, about to lose his guild, there was no point in pressing him further.
The Empress’s eyes gleamed.
I need to speak to someone else entirely.
The head maid bowed deeply.
Three Days Later
While visiting Viscount Aros, they also picked up some trendy street sweets.
Hider didn’t touch a single one and slid them all toward me. Now that I think about it, he has the palate of an old man—completely averse to sweets.
“Thanks to you, Lady Lani, all the trouble is behind us! I’m so grateful, young master!”
Viscount Aros beamed with relief, genuinely delighted.
“It wasn’t me. Lani did everything.”
Hider gave me all the credit.
“I visited Her Majesty and the noble ladies as you advised, and it worked like a charm!”
Viscount Aros chuckled while looking at me.
“We managed to retrieve all the goods Duchess Kiera had taken.”
See? Gossiping behind someone’s back is filthy and dangerous for a reason. I gave a shrug.
“You handled everything well, Viscount. I just said what came to mind.”
Besides, I just knew the Empress wasn’t someone to be trifled with. When Princess Siela used to chase after Hider, the Empress was an absolute nightmare.
I bet one of the reasons Hider detested the princess so much was because of her mother.
“In any case, the Duchess was thoroughly humiliated! She even promised never to meddle with the Del Merchant Guild again!”
As I listened, the sweets I was eating started to taste even better. It was such a shame I couldn’t see her face as it twisted in defeat.
The Empress must’ve chewed her out to the core. That pride of hers was surely shattered.
This is why people should live kindly. She brought this on herself. All of it was karma.
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