Chapter 83
Before I knew it, the day of the imperial palace banquet had arrived.
From the morning, I busily got ready, putting on the dress Melin had chosen for me.
It was a red dress adorned with tiny golden jewels, scattered like a Milky Way.
“Unnie, you look so beautiful!”
Melin had been praising me nonstop since the morning.
Since it had been a while since I last wore a dress, I felt awkward and kept fidgeting with it, and Lisa voiced her concern.
“Are you really okay going to the royal banquet without a partner?”
“Who said I don’t have a partner?”
I shrugged and pointed with my fingers.
Lisa was startled when she saw the carriage.
“Oh my, but that carriage is…”
Her face fell into disappointment when she saw it.
“It’s the Dinero family’s carriage?”
“Yes.”
It had been last night.
I had been debating between Alfeo and Lennox, but ultimately I leaned toward attending alone.
‘No choice feels comfortable.’
However, ignoring the custom that one must attend the royal banquet with a partner was impossible without considerable courage.
So, I hastily sent a message to Duke Dinero.
Asking him to accompany me to the banquet.
Of course, he didn’t agree just out of kindness.
As we boarded the carriage, the duke chuckled.
“Why waste time pretending to worry when it was going to turn out like this anyway?”
The condition was that he would become the heir.
It was a perfect chance to stir the old man a little, and it was a bit disappointing to have missed it.
“Won’t the retainers oppose this?”
That part concerned me.
The designation of an heir was the duke’s authority.
However, in the end, a majority of the retainers had to approve in order for him to officially inherit the dukedom.
Usually, this depended on ‘money,’ that is, business ability.
“So, today you just need to do well. Use what you have in there.”
Duke Dinero pointed at the enormous clutch bag in my hand and laughed.
“You’re quick to catch on…”
Inside it was the result of Lisa’s hard work over the past week.
I cleared my throat and changed the subject.
“By the way, are you feeling well?”
At my concern, Duke Dinero grinned and said,
“Very lively! In perfect condition to settle some old scores properly!”
It didn’t take a genius to figure out who he meant by ‘old scores.’
‘Duke Penelope.’
What he had done at the Dinero palace with Jack Lorenzo had been ruthless.
‘Truly cruel and vicious.’
It wasn’t instant death by poison; it was the kind of sadistic plan that made a person suffer over a long time before dying. Only someone truly wicked could devise such a thing.
‘But how does the old man intend to settle this?’
As if sensing my question, the duke spoke first.
“What do you think is the most bitter moment for a person?”
“When a cousin buys land?”
“That’s true, of course, but isn’t it when things don’t go your way?”
Duke Dinero smiled wickedly.
By now, the ivory-colored palace came into view beyond the window.
When I entered the royal banquet hall, only one thought struck me.
‘Everyone here is insanely rich.’
Everything was the height of extravagance—from the marble floor of the hall to the ceiling adorned with chandeliers of multicolored gemstones.
I had heard that the war reparations they received this time were enormous.
In contrast, the citizens outside the capital were the poorest in imperial history.
Thanks to the nobility and the royal family ignoring those affected by the war.
‘These people wear jewels like clothes.’
The nobles wrapped themselves in jewels as if they couldn’t tolerate having even slightly less wealth than others.
Though it was tastefully coordinated, my eyes were strained from not knowing where to look.
At that moment, at the center of a particularly crowded area, a pale-faced middle-aged man caught my eye.
He looked as if he had seen a ghost.
It took me a moment to recognize him—it was Duke Penelope.
‘What a defeated look.’
After five years of working to shorten the old man’s life, seeing him arrive perfectly well must have shocked him.
He was probably on the verge of fainting.
Then, countless nobles gathered and spoke to Duke Dinero.
“Duke, we meet you here!”
“We were worried since you haven’t appeared at the recent tournaments.”
“Are you feeling well?”
I scanned the quickly approaching people to see who they were.
‘Who are they?’
Naturally, seeing unfamiliar faces once wouldn’t tell me who they were.
But from what they said next, I could roughly guess their status.
“Oh my, we heard you downsized your business recently. We feared you might be retiring! Seeing you in such good health is such a relief.”
The noble laughed heartily, and another nearby spoke.
“Did you find a good investment opportunity? If you invest, don’t do it alone—let us know.”
“Haha, what investments would people like us have, Count!”
I easily detected the subtle disdain in his tone.
They were clearly not on our side. I looked at them with interest.
‘Is this the social sphere’s power play?’
It was too blunt to be called a power play.
Duke Dinero responded with a relaxed smile.
“This time, the investment went very well.”
His gaze briefly met mine, as if he had invested in me.
The nobles sneered at this, but…
‘He claims the investment went well?’
Duke Dinero, famed as a genius investor, openly declaring success!
Their eyes betrayed their envy.
‘How on earth did he make money this time?’
I struggled to hide my expression from their thoughts.
The duke added with a calm smile,
“But to invest, you need capital, don’t you? Seems a bit much for them. Ah, I say this out of concern, so don’t misinterpret.”
Wow, sharp.
No money, yet he hits straight like this?
“Ahem, Duke, you must feel abundant doing business this way.”
“Much better than having none.”
He slowly surveyed the provoking nobles.
Even from the fabric of their clothing, the difference was obvious. It was Mulle, a material famous for its luxury.
Only a few nobles could acquire it.
“Attending the banquet today makes this even clearer.”
The duke adjusted his collar and laughed dismissively.
Even on his wrist, he wore a top-tier watch impossible to obtain with ordinary money.
‘A total victory for the old man.’
Naturally, the nobles’ faces turned red with shame and displeasure.
The duke’s words implied their attire looked like rags.
‘The old man hits hard…’
As I internally applauded his continuous home runs, a familiar voice rang out.
“Oh! Isn’t this my teacher? Glad to see you’ve recovered.”
Albrecht, the principal, pushed through the Emperor’s nobles with his large frame.
His power was considerable, so the nobles couldn’t object and were helplessly moved aside.
“Oh, we were truly worried.”
“Please accept our calls, teacher.”
Soon, his fellow professors, nobles from the council, also approached.
Wait a minute…
‘These are people I’d rather not meet here.’
As I tried to sneak away, Chancellor Dellarno and Maratju Elihu each grabbed an arm and spoke kindly.
“Our beloved student, Clemens, have you been well?”
“Leaving without a word—how unkind.”
They seemed resentful that I couldn’t be their lab slave.
“Well, I offered a sacrifice so you wouldn’t be lonely.”
Of course, the ‘sacrifice’ here was Alfeo.
“That’s only good for Harry McCarman!”
Elihu scowled.
“I lost my own prized student!”
His prized student, Debora, was now fully occupied piloting planes for Heli Transport.
Although the air transport fees were high, requests were frequent.
Compared to trains or ships, air transport’s superior flexibility and time savings increased the value of the planes.
Debora spent entire days flying back and forth.
Fortunately, she seemed satisfied with her job and flew voluntarily even when told to rest.
“If she tires of flying, won’t she return to Maratju?”
“And if she never tires?!”
“Then… you’ll need a new successor.”
