Abandoned Empress's Survival Manual Beside the Male Lead - Chapter 55

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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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Chapter 55
“That…….”
Ever since I arrived in Gonet, not a single noble house had extended an invitation to me.
It was the same even when I received the Emperor’s commendation.
Not a single congratulatory letter arrived.
To Gonet’s nobility, the Emperor was a distant figure. Honestly, when they were already ignoring Sherkan himself, why would someone like me catch their eye?
What mattered to them was the Council of Elders.
Tea party invitations always went first to the Council’s members, then to their relatives, then to their relatives’ distant connections?
In any case, none of it reached Gonet Castle.
The Council of Elders was what truly governed Gonet’s nobility.
“Grand Duchess.”
Once, Briget had asked me in a tone most sinister.
“Would it not be permissible for me to attend to these insignificant nuisances?”
I had laughed aloud at that.
“It’s fine. For now, it’s better they don’t come.”
Of course, I couldn’t help but admire Briget’s handiwork every time I saw it, and part of me did wish to witness it again.
Instructive, one might say.
But if I received congratulatory letters, I would be obligated to host a reception in return.
A party, here in our castle?
We’d be serving grape skins instead of wine, boiled chicken feet instead of finger foods, and it still wouldn’t be enough…….
It was far better to be ignored.
You need money in the castle to throw a banquet!
Of course, setting aside such practicalities, if every single nobleman in this vast domain was conspiring to shun me, and yet a single house accepted my invitation?
That vassal’s wife would surely become the next target of ridicule.
Realizing he’d walked into a trap, the vassal was breaking into a cold sweat.
Unable to move in either direction, he finally clenched his teeth and spoke.
“Grand Duchess. Please, don’t be like this. If the terms don’t suit you, simply say so. I will adjust them as much as my authority permits.”
‘No beating around the bush anymore.’
Well, that was good.
“The knights’ return has left me with far fewer Breeding-Lineage Eggs to sell.”
In that moment, the vassal’s eyebrows rose slightly.
The Breeding-Lineage Eggs from the Grand Duke’s Estate had only recently circulated on the market, and they had already become an essential luxury among Gonet’s nobility.
Some nobles, on days when they couldn’t procure a Breeding-Lineage Egg, would immediately dispatch their servants to make inquiries.
They would search for a restaurant that stocked Breeding-Lineage Eggs and dine there that very evening.
Once you had tasted a Breeding-Lineage Egg, all other eggs became unbearable.
If I had to make a comparison, the difference would be something like imitation crab and king crab.
‘Though perhaps even greater than that.’
I hid my satisfaction and looked at the vassal, who waited nervously for my next words.
“So when I calculated it back at the castle, I realized I’d have to cut the price significantly to keep our finances from straining.”
“Then why does the Grand Duchess insist on continuing to purchase the mines?”
I waved the documents I’d received from Erichi as I spoke.
“I’ll tell you once you stamp the Abandoned Mine Documents.”
“…….”
“Oh, and you said you’d lower the price at your discretion, yes? Give me ten percent off. You wouldn’t have spoken of ‘discretion’ if you didn’t have the authority to grant it, would you?”
The vassal finally clenched his teeth, revised the price, and stamped the seal.
Once I confirmed that all the terms were in order, I lifted my head with a smile.
“Now then, let me tell you why I’m purchasing all these abandoned mines.”
“Please do.”
“I had a dream. A dream that gold veins lay hidden in these abandoned mines. And it wasn’t merely any dream.”
Today, as always, my handmaidens had spared no effort in my preparation, and thanks to their work, the sapphires nestled in my hair clinked with the sound of breaking ice each time they caught the light.
“The Spirit of the Sun revealed it to me in the dream.”
“……!”
“Thanks to that, I acquired the mines at a good price, on the chance that gold veins might lie within. I’ll send a basket of the Grand Duke’s Estate eggs to your family later.”
People murmured among themselves.
“Gold veins?”
“The Spirit of the Sun foresaw this?”
“Could there really be gold veins in those abandoned mines?”
“If it’s gold and not iron, we don’t have to surrender it to the state! We can rightfully own it!”
The vassal’s face had turned ashen. Ratku, fluttering around me, asked a question.
“When did Ratku ever say that?”
‘I didn’t!’
What I want is for the Council of Elders—who still haven’t managed to shake their doubts—to scrutinize these mines with a fine-tooth comb.
Only when they’ve turned everything upside down searching the depths will I admit I was chasing a foolish dream and look away from these abandoned quarries entirely.
“I suppose I should send two baskets of Breeding-Lineage Eggs, shouldn’t I, Erichi?”
“I’ll have them prepared, Grand Duchess.”
The steward’s eyes made it clear he wanted nothing more than to snatch the contract from my hands and tear it to shreds on the spot.
When he’d stepped away at an reluctant pace to brief Erichi on some adjustments to the terms—
Ratku suddenly began wagging his tail and asked eagerly.
“Relei! Should Ratku turn everything here into gold veins for you?!”
“Then I’d die, wouldn’t I?”
“That’s true!”
Ratku swished his tail with satisfaction.
“But Ratku just thought of a different way just now!”
“A different way? What way?”
“Well, it’s like this—kyaaaah!”
Ratku, who’d been puffing out his chest to explain, suddenly shrieked and vanished.
…….
I sighed softly, eyes narrowing at the empty air.
What I’d come to understand recently was that Ratku was very much like a growing child.
When I first met him, he was like a newborn with no knowledge of anything; now it felt more like watching a baby taking its first wobbling steps.
The problem was that whenever he thought of something and tried to tell me about it, he’d suddenly vanish like that.
I’d been startled the first time it happened, but that night Ratku appeared in my dreams and explained.
“I really wanted to tell Relei everything, so I got summoned back to the Spirit Realm just now! It’s fine! When you wake up tomorrow, I’ll be beside you again!”
So that’s what must have happened again just now—he’d been summoned back.
I was desperately curious about what method would let me receive the gold veins without forfeiting my life, but I already knew what Ratku would say when he returned, with sad eyes.
“Sigh. I can’t say, Relei. But Ratku loves only Relei, you know…….”
‘Well. I could’ve been filthy rich. What a shame.’
After I’d stamped the contract and turned to leave, the Council steward hurried after me in quick, short steps.
“Grand Duchess. Might you spare me a moment?”
“For what?”
“Forgive the presumption…….”
He smiled graciously.
“It seems that Gonet Castle lacks sufficient attendants to serve the Grand Duchess. The Council of Elders would like to send you some court attendants.”
“Court attendants?”
“Yes, Grand Duchess.”
In other words, he was saying they wanted to plant people in the main castle.
The mention of gold veins had made them anxious.
I had to suppress a smile.
For a moment, it felt like I’d stepped back into my days as a lowly concubine.
The ploy was transparent enough. Still, I arranged my expression into one of surprise.
“Court attendants? I hadn’t even thought of that. How many are you planning to send?”
“Have we not been attentive to the Grand Duchess’s needs? We’ve already arranged for ten.”
Ten.
Ten watchers in the castle, then…….
“What about their salaries? You know the Grand Duke’s Estate doesn’t have the resources for that.”
“Not to worry. The Council of Elders will bear all the attendants’ salaries. Consider it our small token of goodwill.”
‘Hmm.’
As I was calculating the angles, the steward continued.
“The children we’ll be sending are all exceptionally talented. They’re skilled with musical instruments, quite capable artists, and in matters of etiquette, they rival the attendants of the royal palace itself.”
“Is that so?”
“If I may ask one thing.”
The steward lowered his voice.
“They all have a bit of noble blood mixed in, so if you were to assign them menial tasks—laundry, kitchen work, and such—it would put us in an awkward position. Ha ha.”
…….
“We would be most grateful if you would keep them close to your person and have them serve as your personal attendants.”
‘Ah.’
Personal attendance.
No laundry, no kitchen work—they had to be right beside me.
In other words, he wasn’t asking me to employ attendants, but to play host to ten noble young men.
He’d gone to considerable trouble to block even my thought of shoving them all down into the basement laundry room.
“I’m not sure. I don’t care for it much.”
The attendant’s smile never reached his eyes.
“Which aspect troubles you, Your Highness?”
‘My goodness.’
For a moment, laughter nearly escaped me.
This attendant was laboring under a profound misunderstanding.
He truly believed we were locked in some kind of equal contest.
But any true match requires both parties to be in the same weight class.
I felt obliged to show him the difference between us.
“So the Council of Elders takes such care with me. Fine. I understand.”
At my words, his face brightened considerably. Seeing that smug satisfaction bloom across his features, my mood soured.
“Then in just a few days’ time, I shall have the court attendants prepared and brought to the main castle.”
“But here’s the thing.”
I opened my fan and held it before my lips.
“As you know, I am of Pasan concubine stock, from a fallen dynasty.”
The attendant seemed unprepared for me to air such a vulnerability, and answered with visible unease.
“That subject… why do you raise it now?”
“In the Inner Palace, there were no men save the eunuchs.”
“Ah… yes.”
“And so, to me, the very concept of a proper male court attendant feels distinctly foreign.”
“Then…”
“I am asking that they be castrated before sending them to me.”
“Your Highness!”
The color drained entirely from the attendant’s face.

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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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