Abandoned Empress's Survival Manual Beside the Male Lead - Chapter 36

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

Chapter 36
* * *
I was on my way to the kitchen with a purpose in mind.
As I turned the corner of the hallway, several servants huddled together, their faces flushed with excitement as they whispered urgently to one another.
“Did you see? Did you see?”
“See what, exactly?”
One of the servants spotted me and stifled a gasp, hurrying over in quick steps.
“Your Grace!”
“What’s all this commotion?”
“The head maidservant is opening the jewelry shipment right now! His Highness ordered her to unpack it!”
My ears perked up.
A jewelry shipment—just hearing those words set my imagination alight.
“You should come see it too, Your Grace!”
“Really!”
“Why not?”
Curiosity stirred, and I fell into step with the servants.
Bridget stood in the corner of the Warehouse, her posture ramrod straight.
Before her lay several large chests with their lids thrown open.
“Your Grace!”
Bridget hurried toward me the moment she spotted me.
“How fortunate that you’ve arrived. I was about to organize the jewelry chests from among His Majesty’s Imperial Gifts.”
“I heard, so I thought I’d come take a look.”
“Please, do sit comfortably!”
Imperial Gifts were all treasures, so the packing was meticulous beyond measure.
One couldn’t simply tear open the wrapping—I had to be careful not to leave a single mark, and even so, I still hadn’t finished unpacking everything that had arrived.
Jewelry in particular was both small and expensive, so I had set it aside for last to organize with special care.
“I’m most curious about the jewelry!”
“I wonder how beautiful it will be?”
The servants began unpacking the shipment with eager faces, following Bridget’s instructions.
“Oh, look at this Bracelet!”
“This entire large chest is packed with nothing but Bracelets!”
“They’re so lovely……”
It became strikingly clear just how much Gaiad was still in disarray.
Usually, when jewelry arrived, the assortment was varied—but here were only Bracelets, and quantities of them.
‘It seems they barely finished the first sorting.’
Though the chest overflowing with only Bracelets was amusing, each piece was genuinely exquisite.
Silver Bracelets set with rubies, gold Bracelets studded densely with emeralds, and others strung together from gems of entirely different colors in a single piece.
There were also Bracelets twisted from nothing but thick golden cord, and those appeared to be the most expensive of all.
With nothing but Bracelets overflowing the chest, it was comical—and as I slipped on the ones I liked, both my arms grew heavy before I realized it.
The servants giggled at the sight of me.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
“Sherkan?”
In an instant, the servants’ laughter ceased entirely.
And just as quickly, Bridget and the others retreated hastily.
By now accustomed to such moments, I turned directly to Sherkan and held up both my weighted arms.
“It seems Gaiad is too busy tidying the Imperial Palace to pay attention to anything else. His Majesty sent only Bracelets—an entire chest of them—as Imperial Gifts.”
“Only Bracelets?”
“Yes.”
Sherkan went to examine the chest himself, then let out a laugh of disbelief.
He helped me remove the Bracelets one by one, and I smiled as I spoke.
“Thank you.”
“There’s plenty to thank me for.”
Sherkan answered flatly, then suddenly asked,
“Why do you keep those here while storing the rest downstairs?”
“Because these are too beautiful, aren’t they? I’m planning to keep them separately.”
“Do you like Diamonds?”
“Is there anyone who wouldn’t?”
“Probably not.”
Thanks to Sherkan’s help, I freed myself from the heavy tangle of Bracelets faster than I’d expected.
As I rubbed my sore arms, Sherkan spoke.
“I’m leaving for the Subjugation Zone tomorrow.”
“What? Already?”
Why……
The question forming on my tongue died before it could leave my lips.
Right.
The creditors had come calling.
Talking to Sherkan about debt wasn’t easy.
Especially since it was entirely the previous Grand Duke and Duchess’s burden.
Awkward, you might say.
I had the instinct that if I misspoke even slightly, Sherkan would explode like a time bomb, sudden and violent.
I turned the bracelet over in my hands absently, asking myself silently.
Or rather, wanting to ask.
When will you come back?
If we sold all these bracelets and put the money toward the debt, couldn’t you rest in the castle through winter?
If I said that, he’d look at me with disgust.
But winter is so cold.
“You have something to say?”
The abrupt question caught me off guard.
“You’re looking at me like you have plenty to say.”
“Please be careful out there.”
“Yeah. I will. Is that all?”
Was Sherkan’s intuition so sharp because of his half-wild blood, as people said?
I smiled and spoke.
“Actually, there’s one thing I’d like to ask.”
“What is it?”
“I’d like to visit the Mine. Could you make out an access permit for me before you go?”
“……Where?”
“The Mine.”
Sherkan’s brow rose slightly.
“Why. Planning to mine some iron ore in secret? Fine by me. Want me to help you dig?”
“Does that even make sense? That would be treason!”
I laughed and reproached him.
“Besides, what if the only Grand Duke in Gaiad said something like that?”
“What’s the harm? My wife wants it, apparently.”
“You’re putting this on me.”
I giggled a moment before continuing.
“I have no interest in iron ore. I’m just interested in the Mine itself.”
“So what exactly interests you about it?”
After a moment’s thought, I spoke carefully.
“Can I tell you after I go? I’m not certain yet.”
“Do as you please.”
Sherkan moved without hesitation.
Shortly after, he signed the Mine Access Permit with a flourish and continued.
“Don’t go alone. I’ll send two of my knights with you—take them along.”
“……But the Subjugation Zone is dangerous. Are you sure? If you leave two knights behind, you could be hurt.”
Sherkan’s hand, moving the quill, stilled.
He looked up.
“What. You worried I’ll die young?”
“I’m not worried you’ll die young—I’m worried you’ll get hurt.”
“……Is that so?”
A soft smile bloomed in the corners of Sherkan’s eyes.
“Don’t worry. I won’t die young and leave you alone.”
A strange feeling swept through me.
This boy’s smile was like the surface of still water—one moment of carelessness, and you might drown.
The water table of my heart rose steadily, rippling.
Looking back, I think that was when I first understood.
That someday, inevitably.
There would come a day when I wept all day because of this man.
A day when the flood would overflow my burning heart.
* * *
The next day, Sherkan departed.
They say one must strike while the iron is hot, so I’d meant to submit a schedule to visit the Mine that very same day — but…….
An unexpected obstacle appeared.
None other than my aide, Erihi.
“Aide Erihi, please stop crying. He’s gone — the Grand Duke has left.”
The knight standing beside her spoke flatly, and Erihi promptly wept torrents, throwing herself prostrate against the ground and pounding it with her fists.
She paid no mind to her carefully pressed formal dress dragging through the dirt, creasing and soiling.
“No, Your Grace! Have I become useless now! Without me, who could possibly endure that wretched temperament of his! Who else could manage his endless theatrics and turmoil! Waaaaahhh!”
She wailed so pitifully that her eyes, nose, and mouth were all grotesquely swollen.
It seemed that when devotion exceeded all measure, it became a tragedy unto itself.
Bridget watched in silence at first, but as the decibels climbed higher, irritation began to flash across her features. The temples beneath her neatly swept hair twitched once.
Indeed, the Empress Dowager whom Bridget had served was the very epitome of grace. How had her closest attendant borne such cacophony all this while?
“Grand Duchess. Might I take a moment to… counsel that aide properly?”
I nodded at once.
“I’d appreciate it if you’d counsel her ‘very’ thoroughly.”
Erihi’s words were still flying.
“Your Grace? Shall I confine this junior concubine to the dungeons assigned to Gonet?”
Such remarks, too.
“What? Ah — then perhaps the common prison instead…… Agh!”
Suggestions like that as well.
“Silence, you lowly concubine! If you’re attempting to use beauty to seduce the Grand Duke, cease at once!”
And worse still!
Bridget moved with the efficiency of a ruthless interrogator. As she bent her knee gracefully, her skirts rustled silently then fanned out.
‘Heh heh.’
I watched the aide’s back of her head and smiled with savage satisfaction.
Let her experience what it truly means to cross the strongest villainess the female lead ever created.
Bridget walked away with light, measured steps.
“Aide Erihi.”
The sobbing aide lifted her head. The moment she saw Bridget’s face, she suddenly hiccupped.
“B-Bridget the head maid?”
“Shall we have a word?”
“A word about what?”
“Not here. How could subordinates whisper amongst themselves in the presence of their mistress? Come — this way…….”
“What? Ah? Ahhhhh? W-what is this? Let go!”
Bridget was equally adept at commanding knights.
The instant she raised a finger, the knights seized one of Erihi’s arms and dragged her away.
“Let go! I said let go!”
Erihi’s heels scraped across the stone floor, leaving long marks in their wake.
Thud!
Bang!
Bang!
Tiny sounds of destruction, audible only if one strained to listen…….
Shortly after, Erihi crawled back out looking like a beggar.
“Grand Duchess!”
She collapsed to her knees before me, clinging desperately.
“I will serve you with all my heart — please, spare my life……!”

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