OFR 10

10. The Crown Prince and the Beggar

So what if it was discarded lard? If even manure could be turned into money, Ian would gladly scoop it up with his bare hands.

“But Axxion alone won’t be enough. We can’t announce right now that Your Excellency is its owner, and if the duchy suddenly appears prosperous, the Empress’s scrutiny will only worsen.”

At Edna’s words, Henry nodded gravely.
“That’s our dilemma. We’ve reached the limit of how much Axxion can grow, and even when we have funds, that cursed Madam Molly barges into the duke’s estate so often we can’t spend them freely.”

Edna fell into thought, then lifted her head and called out,
“Thomas, bring those boxes we prepared earlier.”

While Thomas dragged a reluctant Henry by the collar to fetch the gold boxes, only Ian and Edna remained in the room.

“Lady Edna, are you truly sure about this?”

“What do you mean?”

“Madam Molly won’t stay quiet. I can’t even imagine what she’ll report to Her Majesty the Empress. I worry that because of me, Saluga and Huiteger might be placed in danger.”

“If I cared about such things, I never would have accepted your proposal, Your Excellency. And—though I regret saying this—you may well come to regret our engagement someday.”

“That will never happen.”

Ian’s answer came immediately. His tightly pressed red lips radiated stubbornness. Edna looked at him; his golden eyes stared right through her. He had always seemed as cold as ice, yet something felt different now. Those metallic eyes were flickering, almost trembling.

Feeling as if she might be pulled into them if she stared too long, Edna quickly turned her head away—just as a knock sounded, and Thomas and Henry returned.

They set the boxes on the floor and opened the lids. Golden coins gleamed brilliantly in the light.

“What are these? I don’t need a dowry,” Ian said, looking at Edna.

“Why wouldn’t you need one? Why else would people rush to marry into House Huiteger if not for this? Everyone else is desperate to—”

Before Henry could finish, a heavy dictionary flew across the room and struck the back of his head. As he groaned and crouched, Thomas said casually,
“On our way here, a certain elegant lady handed me this and said I’d need it if I meant to spend time with you.”

It was obviously the head maid. As Henry ground his teeth, Ian turned to Thomas.
“Well done.”

While Henry glared resentfully, Ian looked down at the box. He had never seen such a massive amount of gold before.

“I didn’t get engaged to you for money, Lady Edna. I don’t need Huiteger’s gold. Things may be rough now, but they will improve soon. It’s not because we’re broke.”

“I know.”

She remembered hearing Katrina mention that although Axxion was a young merchant guild, it was already quite solid. That meant the estate’s poor condition was likely due to the Empress and Madam Molly.

“But we can’t live like this forever, can we? Axxion must grow far beyond its current size. Sooner or later, you’ll have to clash with Her Majesty—not once, but multiple times. You’re no longer alone, Your Excellency. You have Huiteger. If things go wrong, just blame me. Say I’m a frivolous woman with expensive tastes.”

Edna glanced around, then continued,
“Starting tomorrow, the ducal estate will undergo renovations. We’ll tear everything down and rebuild it—more luxurious and extravagant than the Imperial Palace itself.”

She pointed at the gold box.
“This money is for pocket expenses. Use it when meeting people or entertaining guests. Henry!”

“Y-Yes, my lady!”

Henry, still dazed, shouted back reflexively.

“Everything must be top-class…”

But Edna suddenly stopped mid-sentence. She remembered how utterly tasteless the Bern family’s sense of style had been. Henry Bern was unlikely to be any different. Thinking of Ian’s shabby outfit from before, she shook her head.

She needed someone else. Recalling the perpetually underdressed Duke Ian Lombardi from her previous life, Edna scanned the room for help.

“Your Excellency.”

“Call me Ian.”

Edna fell silent. In all her lives, despite being fated to cross swords with him again and again, she had never called him that. It had always been “Duke” or “Lombardi,” often with a sneer. Saying his name aloud suddenly felt impossible.

Her lips parted as if to speak, but no sound came out. Ian’s eyes stubbornly stayed fixed on her soft pink lips. The more he stared, the harder it became for Edna to open her mouth.

Ian…!
Even if they were engaged, even if she couldn’t call him “Your Excellency” forever, the request still felt far too sudden. Just imagining it made her face flush.

“Your Excellency—”

If a gentle voice hadn’t interrupted, she might’ve stayed trapped in that awkward silence even longer. Edna turned toward the voice. A woman in a slightly worn but elegant gray dress curtsied gracefully.

“I am Matilda, the head maid.”

Her neatly coiled silver-streaked hair and faint wrinkles spoke of hardship, yet her skin was still fair and her smile refined. She turned to Ian.

“As I told you, Your Excellency…”
Then she glanced briefly at Edna before continuing,
“Sometimes, one simply needs time.”

Ian’s face darkened slightly, but by taking a step back, he silently conveyed that he wouldn’t press her further. Still, Edna knew his nature too well. Many things had changed, and much of what she thought she knew had proven false—but this one truth remained.

Ian Lombardi was stubborn. And indeed, though he stepped back, his gaze remained fixed stubbornly near her lips.

Tsk!

Even if Edna spent more time at the training grounds than tea parties, she was still a young lady of eighteen. True, with her past lives’ memories combined, she was much older—but since she’d always died in her twenties, she’d never had much experience with situations like this. Grimacing, she turned her head sharply away.

“Pfft!”

Matilda couldn’t help laughing. When Edna shot her a look, she quickly apologized.

“My apologies. The two of you are simply adorable.”

“Enough of that. Come here.”

Edna studied her. The dress was old-fashioned but tasteful. More importantly, the woman clearly understood what suited her. In any case, she had more sense than Henry Bern. Edna pushed one of the gold boxes toward her.

“You have two weeks. Make this place livable. Hire gardeners and carpenters, renovate the house, and bring in proper furniture. I’d help myself, but visiting too often would only spark rumors between Lombardi and Huiteger. Try to source from Saluga’s shops when possible. Not because I want to sell to the duke’s estate, of course.”

“I understand. Saluga’s goods are the finest—whether clothing, jewelry, furniture, or fabrics, there’s nothing they don’t excel at.”

Though it was true, hearing her own business praised so directly made Edna cough awkwardly before continuing.

“If Madam Molly shows up again and makes a fuss, just use me as your excuse.”

“Are you sure that’s all right?”

Edna smiled faintly. The ducal house truly was a strange place. Just as Katrina said—they were drowning in trouble themselves, yet still worried about the mighty Huiteger family! Perhaps because they knew all too well how vile the Imperial household could be.

But the Empire had already declared war on Huiteger. Killing her father and seizing their ships was only the beginning. The court would think it merely a warning. Soon they’d demand more gold, then eventually the surrender of Saluga itself. And once Saluga was gone… they’d kill Huiteger.

“It’s fine. Just say the money came from Huiteger. You can even tell them Edna Huiteger is head over heels for Duke Ian Lombardi and would give him her liver and gallbladder if she could.”

Ian’s face twisted as though he had much to say but chose silence. Edna gave a faint, bitter smile. Huiteger had nowhere left to retreat.

“Her Majesty the Empress is… displeased,” whispered Madam Molly, bowing before the guards at the Empress’s chamber.

Her face was covered in bruises, her movements stiff and pained—clearly, she had been beaten savagely. There were few in the palace who could have done that. Crown Prince Rubens Tuberin’s brow twitched, a sure sign of irritation.

“What happened?”

“I brought Her Majesty’s gift to the duke’s residence two days ago, but the duke dared to reject it. Lady Edna Huiteger was present as well. She claimed that because Her Majesty had been served spoiled confections, ‘Ollitte’ could no longer supply desserts to the Imperial Palace. She said she would no longer send anything to the court that had once insulted Her Majesty with tainted sweets.”

“Why was Edna Huiteger there?”

At the Crown Prince’s sharp tone, Molly flinched. The whip marks across her back were still oozing blood and pus. Hunching over, she stammered,
“It seems Duke Ian Lombardi proposed to Lady Edna Huiteger. Rumors say she fell madly in love with him and pursued him, but either way, their engagement appears certain.”

Her voice trailed off into uneasy silence. She had done nothing wrong—but since when had the Empress ever been fair? From her days as a marquess’s daughter—no, from birth itself—she had done whatever pleased her. Even now, as breathtakingly beautiful as a single crimson rose, her moods shifted like the wind, impossible to predict.

That wretched fool!
Rubens Tuberin’s jaw tightened. He had warned the man again and again just to stay quiet—to breathe and nothing more—but apparently, Ian Lombardi hadn’t listened.

Fury surged within him.