CHAPTER 86….
Sitting before me was not the sovereign ruler of an empire, but an older brother who cherished his younger sibling.
It wasn’t an order, nor was it coercion.
It was simply the heartfelt request of a brother wishing for his sibling’s happiness.
In the face of such sincere emotion, I couldn’t bring myself to lie.
I opened my lips to speak—but could neither utter a lie nor muster the courage to speak the truth.
Just then, the distant chime of a bell signaling the hour rang out.
“I have a prior engagement. I should be going.”
His Majesty, now back in his role as Emperor, gently issued a refined dismissal.
“Then I’ll look forward to the bazaar.”
“I’ll do my utmost to ensure your faith in me is not misplaced.”
In the end, I left the Emperor’s office without responding to the request made by a brother for his brother.
As I exhaled the sigh I had been holding back, a flood of thoughts washed over me.
‘He wants me to end things with Idris…’
It was a contractual relationship from the start—one with a foreseen end—and I’d always considered its conclusion inevitable. So why?
Why did my heart sink when the end of that relationship came from someone else’s lips?
‘But… I can’t end the contract with Idris right now.’
We haven’t yet passed the time when His Majesty is supposed to die and Idris is branded a traitor.
I took his hand, and he helped me in return.
I have a duty to save him.
‘I should stay by his side until that time has safely passed.’
So the discomfort I felt at the Emperor’s request… it must’ve stemmed from a sense of responsibility.
I was organizing my thoughts as I left the imperial palace when I sensed someone approaching from the other side.
My expression stiffened as I recognized the person.
“Well, what are the odds of meeting the Duchess at the imperial palace?”
Deon Zahir.
The man most likely to be the true culprit behind the incident I had just been thinking about.
It seemed Deon was the Emperor’s prior engagement.
‘Now that I think of it, didn’t His Majesty say Idris had no real family?’
That implied Idris and Deon had a bad relationship.
My suspicions, rooted in memories from a past life, were growing more certain by the second.
Hiding my true feelings, I replied with a calm smile.
“I was just on my way out after discussing the charity bazaar with His Majesty.”
“Ah, the bazaar.”
“An invitation should arrive for the Grand Duke by tomorrow. I look forward to seeing what Your Grace will contribute.”
“You’re quite the enthusiastic one, Duchess.”
Deon sneered lightly, then added, as if something had just occurred to him.
“We’re not officially divorced yet, are we? So you’re still the Duchess, right?”
His words weren’t a question—they were laced with hostility.
“Well, enthusiasm is fine, but if you’re aiming for the Grand Duchess’s position, I suggest you rethink it.”
“…”
“Idris has always had the worst luck, you know.”
Deon stepped closer to me.
Then, leaning his upper body toward me, he continued:
“Everything he likes ends up broken. Poor guy.”
“…”
“Of course, I care for him. But I also don’t want to see him mourn over something precious being lost again.”
His gaze—his voice—sent chills down my spine, like a snake slithering past.
“I’m saying this for your own good. You should seriously think it over.”
His cold eyes narrowed into a lazy squint, his threat cloaked behind a pleasant smile.
Having said his piece, Deon was about to walk past me when I opened my mouth at last.
“Well, that’s a relief.”
Thinking I’d be too intimidated to say anything, Deon turned back toward me, his face twisting in displeasure.
I met his gaze squarely and continued.
“I’ve always been incredibly lucky.”
Though only in this life.
“Strangely enough, everything I like ends up gaining value and becoming beautiful…”
“…”
“Wouldn’t that happen to him too, if he stays by my side?”
Because I’ll make sure it does.
I gave Deon—now visibly chilled—a serene smile and turned to walk away first.
Meanwhile, Faydan was glaring at his desk.
More specifically, at the invitation to the charity bazaar that his aide Lockhard had just placed there.
“Ha! She insults me to my face and then invites me like nothing happened? What a joke.”
Of course, the entire empire already knew about his feud with Leticia, but completely ignoring him with no invitation would’ve seemed petty.
He was deeply offended by Leticia’s attempt to save face.
Watching Faydan’s mood carefully, Lockhard asked cautiously:
“Shall I send a reply declining the invitation?”
Faydan’s fingers, which had been tapping the desk, stopped—then his fury turned on Lockhard.
“Lockhard, do you even think before you speak?”
“S-Sir?”
“She sends me this damn invitation for everyone to see, and if I reject it, what will people think?”
Only then did Lockhard realize the flaw in his thinking, letting out a frustrated sigh.
Faydan slammed the desk with his palm, venting his anger.
“That would make me look like a petty bastard who lets emotions cloud judgment!”
“M-My apologies, sir! I wasn’t thinking!”
“Am I employing an aide or raising a child…?”
As Faydan clicked his tongue, Lockhard—silent for a moment—finally spoke.
“Then I’ll reply with a confirmation of your attendance. If there’s anything else to convey or prepare…”
“Wait.”
Just as Lockhard was about to leave, Faydan called him back, as if he’d just remembered something.
“I’ll attend the bazaar. But… I can’t exactly go just to watch that woman succeed, now can I?”
Recalling past mistakes, Lockhard wisely stayed quiet and waited for further instructions.
“I heard someone from a collateral branch of the family recently became a palace attendant.”
“Ah, yes. I believe it’s the second son of Baron Rehmann.”
“Contact him. I have something important to ask.”
“Yes, sir.”
Lockhard bowed and quickly left the office.
Faydan looked at the closing door and smiled darkly.
“Looking forward to it, Leticia.”
I’ll make sure this bazaar becomes something everyone remembers—for your sake.
As preparations bustled along, the day of the charity bazaar finally arrived.
As the event’s lead planner, I naturally arrived at the palace a few hours earlier than everyone else.
“All done, my lady.”
Erin stepped back after checking my outfit, which had gotten slightly disheveled during the trip.
I gave myself a final once-over in the mirror when Idris’s voice sounded behind me.
“You look beautiful—even without the mirror.”
Truthfully, he didn’t have anything specific to do at the event, so I told him he could come later if he wanted.
“But this is the perfect time to act like a devoted lover, don’t you think?”
Using that excuse, Idris had come to the palace with me.
I giggled at his playful remark and asked,
“Won’t you be bored on your own?”
“Hmm, I doubt it.”
He added a small explanation, waving the documents his aide had just brought over.
“Alright then, I’m heading out.”
“Don’t get too nervous. Just do what you’ve always done.”
“You know what the best encouragement is, right?”
I made a small circle with my thumb and index finger.
“For the sake of our ‘loving couple’ image, I’m trusting you to show off your immense wealth today, Your Grace.”
Idris, catching on instantly, let out a dry laugh.
“This bazaar might just bankrupt my entire household. If I end up out on the streets, you’re responsible.”
“Don’t worry. Your girlfriend happens to own one of the empire’s most lucrative mana stone mines. And now, she’s also the most famous boutique owner in the empire.”
As we exchanged silly banter to calm my nerves, a knock sounded—and Vigg’s voice followed.
“Boss, all the auction staff are assembled. Are you ready?”
