It was the day of Carlos’s engagement ceremony.
Having finished getting ready, I picked up the necklace and looked down at it.
What on earth was that dream I had for a moment?
“Remember, everything is in here.”
“If you keep this as a token, my child will come one day and fulfill the ‘promise.'”
If it was Cynthia’s original memory, that woman would be my mother.
Was she perhaps running away with Princess Margarita’s keepsake? Judging by the fact that she entrusted it to a stranger, she must have been in immediate danger.
“What exactly is inside here?”
I examined the necklace closely. The diamond had a deep, blood-red color that was almost opaque.
Nothing is written on it.
Then, it was time to leave, so I got up.
***
The Prime Minister’s residence, where Carlos and Valeria’s engagement ceremony was held, was as bright as day even in the evening, and it was filled with fresh flower decorations as if borrowing spring for a day.
Cynthia, wearing a neat velvet dress and a feathered hat, looked extremely annoyed as she was escorted by Masera.
‘I’m here to eat.’
Then, her expression quickly brightened when she saw Masera.
‘Indeed, the best view for a restaurant is that man’s face.’
Masera, with his platinum blonde hair naturally swept back, was wearing a tuxedo, exuding an elegant and captivating aura.
‘Covered-Masera, Uncovered-Masera…’
While comparing the two images, Cynthia whispered to Masera, looking at the guests.
“There are so many people. I think I see some foreign dignitaries too. I heard the wedding will be held a week after the engagement ceremony, and the guests will stay until then? The Prime Minister’s family events are on a different scale.”
His lowered gaze was fixed on the chattering Cynthia.
‘I can only see the feathers on the hat.’
He frowned, looking at the swaying feathers. There was no way he could lower his height.
The moment Cynthia finally looked up at Masera, the surroundings stirred.
“Oh my goodness.”
It was because someone who captivated attention at once had appeared.
Everyone was paying attention to a woman wearing a pure white dress with a skirt puffed out and adorned with expensive jewels.
However, the problem was that she was not Valeria, the main character of the day.
‘Helene? Is she out of her mind?’
While she was being talked about for the recent investigation, what was the reason for acting so boldly?
I felt like she was someone who had started to break down somewhere.
The murmuring around her grew louder.
“To appear more splendidly than the bride-to-be.”
It was customary to wear a neat dress in an inconspicuous color and appropriate accessories at someone else’s engagement and wedding.
But Helene appeared in a flamboyant outfit as if she were the main character.
“What is that…”
Valeria, who was also wearing a white dress, was looking at her with a face that couldn’t hide her bewilderment.
Carlos also frowned, openly showing his displeasure.
I couldn’t understand the reason for deliberately stepping forward and inviting criticism.
It was then.
“The last Princess of Bariesa, I finally meet you.”
A man in a uniform with gold embroidery greeted Helene first.
It was Prince Sylvar Severus of the Lumantis Empire.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Prince Sylvar.”
Helene smiled gracefully as she watched him kiss the back of her hand.
Currently, after the end of the war, the work of establishing new kings in the vacant territories was actively underway.
At the center of it were the great Lumantis Empire and the superpower Medea.
‘Did she want to gain attention in order to obtain the right to inherit the throne?’
Even so, to steal someone else’s precious day and act like the main character.
Prince Sylvar also greeted Cynthia, who was making an unpleasant expression.
“The youngest Princess. Indeed, she is worthy of being called the reincarnation of the Snow Queen. She is also called the Princess of Luck in some circles.”
The Prince, who kissed the back of Cynthia’s hand, smiled with his eyes.
Cynthia glanced at Masera, who had spread the rumor of the ‘Princess of Luck.’
“Have you heard the story that the countries liberated by the fall of the empire are looking for owners? This includes the territory formerly ruled by Bariesa.”
Masera’s expression hardened for a moment. If the royal authority was strengthened, it could lead to the restoration of the Rutemia monarchy in the future.
“I hope they meet a good owner. But the country belongs to the people.”
Cynthia, flustered, threw out words like a campaign speech and forced a smile.
“That’s right. The right to inherit the throne will go to the qualified person who understands the deep meaning of the predecessors.”
The Prince, staring intently at Cynthia’s red necklace, left a hint-like remark and turned to Carlos.
“You have something on your hand.”
Watching Masera suddenly wipe his hand, Cynthia reviewed the Prince’s words.
‘It’s not just about appointing someone, it seems like there are separate conditions… Could it be that not only the land but also the authority to govern was left as an inheritance?’
Unlike Cynthia, who was making such inferences, Helene believed that someone with valuable land could obtain the qualifications of a king.
And she had something prepared for this.
It was also the decisive reason why Helene appeared at someone else’s party like the main character.
Looking around at the dignitaries from various countries, Helene, wearing a smile of victory, gestured towards somewhere.
The aide, who had been waiting in the hallway, rushed into the banquet hall as soon as he confirmed the signal.
“Duchess, a gold mine has been discovered in Diem!”
The aide’s cry echoed throughout the banquet hall.
As if on cue, the orchestra’s performance stopped abruptly. The banquet hall was instantly enveloped in silence.
***
As if they had made a promise, people flocked to Helene and threw questions at her.
“Are you talking about the land inherited by the Bariesa Royal Family? I knew it!”
“Congratulations. I heard there’s still no news from Nox?”
“To get your hands on the brilliant golden legacy, I guess the Medea Royal Family’s investment is only a matter of time?”
Valeria, who had suddenly been robbed of her main character status, clenched the hem of her skirt tightly.
When Carlos comforted the heartbroken Valeria, she finally burst into tears.
“Is she going to act like the main character at the wedding too?”
“Just think of her as an attention seeker. She has to be the main character everywhere.”
“Really, it’s the worst day…”
Valeria’s friends comforted her as she cried sadly and took her to the powder room.
Ding-
Meanwhile, Helene tapped her champagne glass with a teaspoon to draw people’s attention.
“There are many questions about Nox, which Cynthia inherited, but in fact, I hesitated a lot before saying this.”
At this, Count Queensguard, who was quietly drinking champagne, narrowed his eyes.
After a moment of pause, she said.
“It’s all a lie that a large amount of resources are buried in Nox. She tried to deceive Brigadier General Vicente, a war hero and capitalist, to marry her. This is to inform the public interest for those who invested in the Nox business and Brigadier General Vicente.”
Amidst the shocking confession of conscience that caused a stir, someone asked her a question.
“But you received investment from the Medea Royal Family, didn’t you?”
“She committed fraud against the royal family of a powerful country. I’ve kept my mouth shut because she’s family, but because of my conscience, I can’t anymore… Don’t you know why there’s still no news from Nox?”
Helene dabbed her dry tears with a handkerchief and bowed her head.
The dignitaries from Medea covered their mouths with fans and had a serious conversation.
Count Queensguard looked at Helene without changing his expression.
‘In the end, you’re turning your back on this father. To think you have the whole world with just one gold mine.’
The Count approached Helene with a smile on his face and whispered lowly.
“You will have to pay the price for betraying me. I gave you many opportunities.”
Even if it was family, there were no exceptions.
Helene also looked at Count Queensguard with a perfunctory smile.
“You taught us each to fend for ourselves, Father.”
Meanwhile, the Duke couldn’t control the corners of his mouth from going up.
‘To turn her back on Count Queensguard, things will get easier.’
His gaze reached Cynthia, who was picking up cookies.
Now, all that was left was to receive Diem as alimony and remarry Cynthia.
If Helene leaked even a word of the secret, he could just send her to prison.
What Helene overlooked was that she had made too many enemies, blinded by victory.
***
Helene, who had been intoxicated with a sense of victory, frowned when she faced Cynthia.
Cynthia, whom she expected to be intimidated, was smiling brightly.
“Are you aiming for the Medea Royal Family’s investment? I heard the Medea exploration team has already been to Diem.”
Helene, thinking it was her last struggle, smiled with her eyes.
“Yes, keep watching until the end. Because it will be revealed to the world that Nox is fake. In the end, I will be the heir to the throne.”
The lowly maid would have to pay the price for having excessive greed. She openly sneered.
Cynthia tilted her head, then brushed past her and whispered.
“But, it doesn’t seem like you become a king just because gold came out in Diem.”
