Celebrity Lady - Chapter 34

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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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Celebrity Lady
Chapter 34
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Imperial Palace.
Upon returning, Larque immediately made his way to his aide Ren’s office.
Rubett’s advice echoed in his mind—not to delay for even a moment.
“When your aide was executed, do you remember the judgment?”
“What was it like?”
“He never admitted to the charge of conspiracy until the very end. Despite the clear evidence. He acknowledged possessing all of it, but he never admitted to plotting treason….”
“Ren didn’t make excuses for something he didn’t do? He didn’t defend himself and just died with injustice?”
“Sometimes in life, there are moments when we have a mouth but cannot speak, when we must not speak. Perhaps your aide was in such a situation?”
……
“What remains unspoken is for you to uncover, after all.”
When Larque arrived at Ren’s office, it was empty.
He turned to an attendant.
“Tell me—where is Ren?”
“He went to Astho Palace about ten minutes ago, saying he would return shortly.”
“……What? Astho Palace?”
At this unexpected news, Larque’s eyes narrowed.
* * *
Astho Palace.
Named after the word for “star,” this magnificent and sprawling palace housed dozens of unmarried imperial women.
The Fifth Princess, thirteen-year-old Lizbeth van Rashmagh Decarde, was one of them.
She was the Empress’s only daughter and Crown Prince Larque’s sole full sister.
‘I’m so ugly…….’
Standing before the mirror, Lizbeth pouted.
Her silver hair braided neatly and her large eyes were rather charming, but her small stature and plump little hands and feet didn’t please her at all.
“Well…. At least you’re cute enough for a princess. You’re not as fat as Rubett.”
“Do I…. am I cute?”
“Yes, well. I prefer slender women, though.”
“……!”
To a boy who had rejected her advances dozens of times so explicitly, Lizbeth was utterly sincere.
The boy who had set her young heart aflame was none other than Ricky Diolus.
Since last month, when Lizbeth first saw him at a social gathering among the nobility, she had been hopelessly infatuated.
‘He’s so magnificent!’
With soft golden hair, large eyes, and pale white skin, Ricky looked like a boy angel.
‘My brother may be famous for his looks, but honestly, he’s not in the same league as Lord Ricky.’
Lizbeth shook her head, thinking of her brother Larque.
Then, with steely resolve, she clenched her fist tightly. Today was the day she absolutely had to finish what had been repeatedly thwarted.
‘I have to give Lord Ricky that gift at this social gathering. They said I won’t even be able to attend the party without it….’
The Social Gathering.
This exclusive social meeting was held once a month in rotation among the empire’s most prominent noble daughters and sons—a place not everyone could attend.
True to its purpose of displaying wealth and fostering connections among peers, the event lasted only a day despite its enormous scale, and entry was strictly controlled—only those with an Invitation could attend.
Yet even receiving an Invitation didn’t guarantee entry.
“Sigh…….”
Lizbeth let out a heavy breath as she unfolded the elegant Invitation, decorated with gold leaf on black paper.
You are cordially invited to the August Social Gathering.
‘Parma Crystal’
—Host: Ricky Diolus
Ricky was the host of this social gathering, and Lizbeth had received an Invitation.
But there was a problem.
‘A Parma Crystal…….’
Each Invitation listed a gift the host desired, and the invited nobles were expected to procure that gift to attend the party.
The gift Ricky had requested from Lizbeth was the Parma Crystal, which was a National Treasure of the imperial family.
‘There’s no way my brother would give that to me.’
It was currently owned by Crown Prince Larque.
He was an exceptionally kind brother to his only full sister and quite generous, but as Crown Prince, he maintained a clear distinction between personal and official matters.
If she cried and threw a tantrum, there was almost nothing Larque would refuse her.
But that was only because, until now, she had asked for things within reasonable bounds.
What if she asked him to hand over a National Treasure just as a gift for a friend?
He would flatly refuse and then lecture her for an hour about being so immature.
And Ricky surely knew this too.
‘He’s telling me not to come in a roundabout way.’
When the host of a gathering didn’t want to welcome a noble from a family in decline, or when they had to send an Invitation out of courtesy to someone they didn’t like—
Hosts would sometimes make unreasonable demands like this to control attendance.
Lizbeth knew this. She understood that Ricky, uncomfortable with her presence, was indirectly telling her not to attend.
‘But I’m going to go. I want to go. I want to get closer to Lord Ricky…….’
Despite this, Lizbeth hadn’t given up. She’d found a way.
“Today will definitely work.”
With firm resolve, Lizbeth clumsily began to reach for the teaware on the table.
As she poured hot water over the green leaves, a fragrant aroma rose immediately.
‘Magic Tea Leaf! If my brother drinks this, he’ll definitely give me the Parma Crystal. He’ll nod at any request—that’s what the sorcerer said.’
Since this was something that had to be done in secret and with utmost care, she sent away all her attendants and prepared the tea herself.
Soon, carefully holding the teacup, Lizbeth left her room to go to Larque.
The moment she opened the door with a creak—
“Gasp!”
Lizbeth started, as if he’d been waiting for her—a man stood there with arms crossed.
“R-Ren?”
“Hmm.”
It was Larque’s aide, Ren.
Ren, with an exhausted expression, brushed his golden hair back and swiftly snatched the teacup from Lizbeth’s hands.
“Hey! Give it back!”
“I thought as much.”
Ren closed the door behind him and whirled to face Lizbeth, setting the teacup on the table.
“I suspected that what you took from me last time wasn’t all of it. Just how many do you have?”
“This is so rude!”
“Every last cursed leaf is being confiscated. Hand over the rest right now.”
“There’s nothing left! That was the last one!”
“Don’t lie to me.”
When Ren’s red eyes grew sharp, Lizbeth flinched and her eyes welled with tears.
“There’s nothing, I swear…. Why do you keep interfering with everything I do?”
“Your Highness.”
Ren knelt before her to meet her eyes and pointed at the teacup on the table.
“I told you this wasn’t a Magic Tea Leaf. It’s poison. Poison.”
“That’s ridiculous!”
“Don’t you believe me? I’ve already investigated what those leaves really are. They’re not meant to be consumed. If you eat them, you die. Would you like your brother to eat this and die?”
Lizbeth crossed her arms and lifted her chin stubbornly.
“You’re just trying to scare me. I know it’s not poison. I drank some myself.”
“What did you say? Are you insane?”
“I’m not insane. And don’t you lie to me either. You said people cough up blood and die if they eat it, but nothing happened to me.”
“Sigh…….”
“Ren, stop it and help me. If it turns out it’s not a Magic Tea Leaf, then so be it. I’ve got nothing to lose. Besides, it’s not poison, so I’ll just have my brother try it once. Okay?”
At the immature princess’s words, Ren closed his eyes tightly and let out a frustrated sigh.
Did this young princess not understand that what she so firmly believed to be a Magic Tea Leaf was actually a deadly poison?
“Absolutely not. Hand over the rest immediately, and tell me exactly when, where, and from whom you obtained this.”
“I absolutely can’t tell you that.”
“Your Highness!”
At Ren’s stern rebuke, Lizbeth broke into tears. Ren’s voice softened as he tried to soothe her.
“Please. Consider yourself fortunate that it fell into my hands only. Simply bringing something like this into the palace is a grave crime for you. If this were discovered, you would be locked in an underground dungeon with vicious prisoners.”
“It’s not poison! Nothing happened to me!”
“It’s not about dying……!”
Ren barely managed to bite his lip and swallow his words as frustration threatened to make him shout.
Upon investigation, the leaves were indeed a type of poison. As Lizbeth said, they had no direct connection to death, but…….
‘Where on earth did she get hold of this?!’
It was poison that robbed men of their reproductive capacity, rendering them sterile.
If Lizbeth, being female, had drunk it, there would be no problem. But if Larque drank it, the situation would be entirely different.
For the Crown Prince, who would one day rule the empire, it would be nothing short of deadly.
A man without reproductive capacity would naturally be excluded from any succession dispute. Even the first in line—the Crown Prince—was no exception.
“Then why don’t you just bring me the Parma Crystal yourself……!”
“My God, I’m losing my mind. That’s a National Treasure! Do you have any sense at all, Your Highness?”
“I don’t care! I need it!”
“Seriously……!”
Just then.
“……What is all this commotion?”
At the familiar voice, both Ren and Lizbeth froze. Ren swallowed hard and looked up.
Larque stood at the doorway, arms crossed, leaning against the frame with an amused expression, having entered without a sound.

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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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