A Blend of Romance and Fantasy - Chapter 48

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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48.
“These ladies have all volunteered to come to the Imperial Palace, fully prepared to serve the Princess with utmost sincerity. Please select three of them to employ going forward.”
Of course that’s how it would be.
The Empress never let me rest for a single day without causing trouble.
“You sent them without asking what I wanted?”
“In Blake, there is a longstanding custom where Her Majesty the Empress sends candidates for the Prince’s Consort’s attendants.”
The way the Empress Palace Maid pursed her lips with feigned sympathy was absolutely infuriating.
I maintained an elegant smile while internally spewing every curse I knew from my past life.
But no amount of internal cursing would help.
I had to give her a taste of her own medicine.
‘There must be a reason behind sending these noblewomen.’
First: spies to monitor my every move.
Second: assassins sent to kill me.
Third: incompetent noblewomen meant to sabotage my wedding preparations.
‘But as they say, hide a tree in the forest—not all ten of these women can be the Empress’s people.’
I studied the ten noblewomen carefully.
Having memorized all the noble ladies before coming to Blake, I knew their names and houses well enough.
These women’s families were neither humble nor distinguished, and their children’s futures looked particularly bleak.
In other words, they were people who needed my favor—people with a ‘potential future as Empress.’
‘Fine, there’s no helping it now.’
I rose from my seat and addressed the Empress Palace Maid directly.
“I’m truly grateful for Her Majesty the Empress’s consideration. You said to select three, correct?”
“Yes, that is correct.”
“Then I shall gratefully accept her kindness and select my attendants according to my own standards.”
“According to… your own standards?”
The Empress Palace Maid asked in bewilderment, clearly not having anticipated this response.
I smiled elegantly before her and nodded gracefully.
“Yes. So please return for now.”
Your Majesty the Empress, do you know how many corporate interviews I’ve conducted in my past life?
I’ll show you that one who has endured the interviews of major, mid-sized, and small enterprises in Hell Joseon is no pushover.
* * *
Countess Barrel was a woman who had failed miserably at raising her children.
Her eldest son followed an opera singer around, squandering money without end.
She had hoped her second daughter would at least inherit the title, but that daughter had fallen into a peculiar new culture called BL and held strange gatherings exclusively with other young noblewomen every week.
Fearing the title would be stolen by a concubine’s son, she decided instead that her daughter should become the attendant of the Sixth Prince, whom her daughter was loudly proclaiming her love for, and thus applied for this attendant recruitment.
When one applies to become an Imperial Palace attendant, the Empress, the Emperor’s mother, or the Prince’s mother typically selects candidates by examining their families appropriately.
But what happened instead?
After the Empress summoned her and she arrived at the Imperial Palace, the moment she reached the Guest Chamber near where the Prince’s Consort was staying, she heard shocking news.
“The Prince’s Consort will be testing your qualifications.”
“What, what did you say?”
It was frankly disrespectful.
A Prince’s Consort barely old enough to be called an adult was testing noblewomen who had lived long enough to raise families.
As expected, Madam Chair beside her spun around sharply.
“I have no desire to serve as a maid under such treatment. Is the Princess of Sincester treating the ladies of Blake as servants?”
“Indeed. I’m not particularly pleased either.”
One by one, several of the ten women began to rise from their seats.
Countess Barrel considered standing as well, but thinking of her pitiful children, she decided to endure it this once.
With five remaining, the test began, and Countess Barrel was third in line.
“Then please come in one at a time.”
After a brief wait, it became Countess Barrel’s turn.
When the maid from Sincester called her name, Countess Barrel stepped through the door.
The moment she crossed the threshold, she was confronted with a sight that nearly stole her breath.
“H-huh.”
“Welcome, madam.”
The room presented an entirely unexpected scene.
The table and the Princess before it seemed ordinary enough.
It was what lay behind that posed the problem.
Ten knights stood with drawn swords and spears, their bearing suggesting they might attack at any moment.
“Madam, all you need do is sit here and converse with me while pouring my tea. Of course, you’ll need to answer my questions as well.”
The beautiful Princess was smiling, certainly—yet why did she appear so terrifying, as though concealing a cold blade within her embrace?
Countess Barrel suppressed the urge to flee back through the door and took a step toward the sofa.
“W-well then, I shall begin.”
* * *
The Training Ground was vast and desolate.
Along one wall, weapon racks stood in orderly arrangement, with spears, wooden practice swords, and combat blades lined up unpolished.
Leonard Blake stood alone there, each swing of his sword cutting through the air and scattering dust.
He had always come to the Training Ground from dawn to hone his swordsmanship. When he wielded the blade, most idle thoughts and anguish would fade away.
Yet now, no matter how many thousand times I swung the sword, Charlotte’s expression would not vanish from my mind.
Her voice had been angry, but why had her face worn an expression of hurt?
“Hah….”
The sword’s edge cut through the air with a low whistle, and sand beneath my feet scattered roughly.
In that moment, I sensed a presence from behind.
“Your Highness, perhaps you should stop destroying innocent wooden practice dummies and go make amends instead.”
“Nicholas.”
Turning, I found Nicholas, the 1st Knight Order Commander of Blackwood, standing there. He slowly knelt and offered a salute.
“You’ve arrived at the Imperial Palace.”
“It’s been a long time since we’ve met.”
“Didn’t Hilda come with you?”
“Didn’t Demian’s forces launch a sudden attack on the Estate not long ago? Hilda remained behind to defend the Estate with minimal forces.”
“…Right, an avalanche resolution, they say. That’s a ridiculous excuse.”
Leonard spoke with a mocking tone as he slowly raised his greatsword and planted it into the ground.
As he leaned against the blade with a sigh, Nicholas’s eyes curved into crescents.
“You should make peace with her, sir.”
“…When did your tongue grow so long, Nicholas?”
Or perhaps it had always been that way. As I pressed down on my throbbing head, Nicholas sidled closer.
“But I heard from Prince Alex that the two of you had a fight. He asked me to try persuading you while I was paying my respects.”
“Ho, does Alex really think you could persuade me?”
“At least when it comes to matters of the heart, I’d say I have the upper hand over Your Highness, wouldn’t you? Women, you see~ Your Highness.”
Just as Nicholas was about to launch into a lengthy speech, William approached from a distance.
“Your Highness Leonard.”
Unlike Alex or Nicholas, he did not particularly indulge in the company of women.
Leonard, seeing William approach, released a relieved sigh before shoving Nicholas away.
“What is it, William?”
“I came to report on an incident that just occurred at Apillet Palace.”
Apillet Palace—the place where Charlotte had fled, and where Sara’s guest chamber was located.
With anxiety gnawing at me, Leonard asked roughly, almost biting off his words.
“What happened? Did something happen to Charlotte?”
William promptly recounted in detail how Charlotte had selected a maid.
“Charlotte selected a maid? Why didn’t Alex tell me about this?”
“The Princess likely kept it secret, didn’t she? You two are still at odds.”
“Is Charlotte hurt? Even if she isn’t, she must be in a foul mood. What is she doing now?”
Leonard knew he was being impatient, yet he could not stop himself from asking.
William, seeing him like this, hesitated for a moment.
“Why are you silent?”
“…She is unharmed. Moreover, it appears she is currently planning her next move. The Princess is quite….”
William seemed to be struggling with how to phrase it.
“I would say she is wise.”
“How did she select them?”
At Nicholas’s question, William recounted the interview situation exactly as he had heard it from the attendants.
After hearing everything, Nicholas frowned.
“How is that wise? I don’t quite understand the testing method, to be honest.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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