"Is this the jewel...?"
"That's right, handle it carefully."
The maid looked at the jewels with shaking pupils. Sea, who never indulged in extravagance, wore an unusually extravagant dress and accessories today.
Most nobles amplify their presence with expensive clothing and accessories. This meeting will be attended by a number of nobles of considerable stature. As a neutral family, neither aristocratic nor royal, the Karna family needs to demonstrate its presence.
Knock knock -
"They say the meeting will start soon."
After finishing all the preparations, Sea took a deep breath and went outside. And as soon as she opened the door, she saw Kim Taehyung.
"I heard there was an assassin last night."
I could see he was trying to hide his anger. He was never good at hiding anything. His expression was a mixture of worry and anger.
"Nothing happened."
"I will continue to be your escort until you return to the palace. I cannot trust anyone else."
"You must know that I'm not just a little kid anymore..."
"That's why I'll stick by your side even more."
Sea looked at him with an expression asking what he meant, but Taehyung said he would be late and took the lead.
Crack, crack
"···! Grand Duchess Kim Se-ah is eating!"
Squeak -
The massive door opened. The eyes of the distinguished nobles were immediately drawn to Sea, as if they had spotted prey.
Knock knock -
"Meet Grand Duchess Kim Se-ah."
Everyone rose from their seats and bowed their heads to Sea. Most of them were displeased, but what could they do? It didn't matter, since Sea would be the one to break their pride.
"Please sit down."
Everyone took their seats. The nobles were taken aback by the aura of power she exuded, despite her young age and her womanhood. Her dazzling dress and accessories were dazzling, but their splendor was too much for Se-ah.
"Is this your first meeting as Archduke? Everyone's expressions don't look good."
" ····· "
"It's quite understandable. Isn't the youngest daughter the witch who saved the empire? And now that His Majesty the Emperor is gone, I'm sitting in the highest position."
"Don't be so arrogant. It's only for a moment, isn't it?"
Was it Marquis Choi Jun-hyeok? He's a man who operates a guild and is wary of our family, which is practically neutral, so he possesses a lot of information.
"I don't know what you're thinking when you say something like that. Even if I weren't the head of the family, our family would be neutral."
Anyway, we're neutral. It would be suicidal to reveal this to me, of all people.
" ...I don't know how long you will remain neutral."
"Hasn't the power weakened considerably? Even if he passes away and Grand Duchess Kim Se-ah continues to lead the family well, it is still an unstable family among the common people."
Everyone laughed as if they agreed with that statement.
"Why are you bringing forward the day of my death so much? Have you forgotten who I am?"
Sea's eyes began to glow red. The magical energy surrounding her was filled with murderous intent.
" what...!! "
"Doesn't that mean stand in line? You don't even know what a rotten rope is, and who are you glaring at in front of?"
"Your Majesty the Emperor, Your Highness the Crown Prince, come!"
At Sea's vile laughter, everyone stood up. We need to get our heads together. This is just the beginning.
"I see the great sun of the empire, the little sun."
.
.
.
.
That moment
"Master! I have a request..."
"If you can handle most nobles on your own, why do you come in to report?;;"
"No, I think the Master should look into this..."
"You wanted me to kill the emperor?"
"Not the emperor..."
"Why are you taking so long?"
" Grand Duchess Kim Se-ah of the Karna family."
"Who are you killing?"
"Kim Se-ah... Grand Duke..."
Park Jimin smashed the quill with a look of disbelief.
"What kind of a brat is touching my fiancée?"
"What are you going to do...?"
"Who is the client?"
"You're the second daughter of Count Deran, right?"
"I'll clean it up tonight."
" yes????? "
"You were the one who asked me to kill that young lady."
"Oh, why are you selling me out!!!"
"You have to have a reason to kill, right?"
I looked at Jimin as if I was dumbfounded, but Jimin didn't care.
"But Master. If your fiancée continues to rule the throne like this, you know that the engagement will naturally end...?"
Jimin's expression was not good. I knew it was true, but I wanted to deny it.
My heart had grown so much at some point. At first, I didn't believe it. Who would have thought I'd come to love the woman I hated so much?
I haven't appeared in front of Sea since the war. I was afraid that if I did, she'd threaten to break off the engagement. I, who was called a monster, was hiding, terrified of the very word "broken engagement," just to avoid it.
At night, no matter how busy I was, I'd sneak out to see her. I'd always see her poring over paperwork, barely sleeping. Sometimes, when I saw her suffering from a headache, I wanted to hug her right away.
Stop it. Please, stop ruining my body. Why is a 20-year-old woman gritting her teeth like that? She could use a little rest...
"Haa... So you really won't be attending the imperial meeting today..."
"It's too late anyway. It should have started by now."
"It's truly incredible that someone as high as a Duke wouldn't participate in such an important event."
"The Emperor said that if the work he gave me isn't finished, I can leave. So, will you shut up?"
The subordinate sneered. "Can't you imagine that you could help Grand Duke Sea, who has no one on his side?"
That's true. No matter how much the Emperor trusts the Karna family, there must be a limit to his support for the neutral Fine family.
" ...Haa, I don't know."
I don't have the confidence to face Sea right now. I don't have the confidence to follow her, who's already gone too far. She's someone who can handle things just fine without me, and she's in that position.
____
Will Jimin attend the royal meeting?
What will happen at the meeting?
Please give me a handshake.