That Piece Of Trash Was Me - Chapter 155
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 155
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Empress Carmi was politely refused an audience.
For several days in a row.
It was the first time since Carmi was crowned Empress that the Emperor had continuously refused her requests for an audience.
“Your Majesty the Empress. Please do not be angry. Military Officials are coming one after another right now, and His Majesty the Emperor simply cannot spare any time.”
“Are there hundreds of millions of Military Officials?! Does it make sense to refuse my audience requests for this long!”
Crash!
Empress Carmi threw her teacup while grumbling. All the Ladies-in-waiting in the bedroom held their breath and prostrated themselves.
But it couldn’t be helped.
When Empress Carmi couldn’t see the Emperor for a long time, or more precisely, when it seemed like the Emperor’s affection for her had diminished even slightly, she immediately suffered from deep anxiety.
Because of this, the beautiful Ladies-in-waiting that Empress Carmi had removed from the Imperial Palace numbered in the dozens.
What on earth had happened, and why was the Crown Prince able to enter so confidently without showing any signs of injury?
Empress Carmi waited only for news from the spies she had planted here and there, but she couldn’t help feeling her insides burning with anxiety.
Could it be that another woman had appeared?
‘Or.’
Had he still not forgotten that dead Empress and now decided to treat that crippled son of hers well?
The main reception room of the Empress Palace.
Even this morning’s audience request had been rejected, but Empress Carmi didn’t make a mess of her bedroom like yesterday.
Today was the day when numerous Nobles were invited by the Empress to enjoy a tea party.
“Everyone.”
Carmi, dressed nobly and beautifully as usual, opened her mouth.
The Nobles who had been chatting all looked at her at once.
“I’m so glad the Crown Prince returned safely from the battlefield. It seems the Crown Prince achieved special merits even in that dangerous place, so how could I not be happy as his mother?”
The closest Noble Ladies surrounding Empress Carmi exchanged invisible glances.
Some of them knew that Empress Carmi had been neglected by the Emperor for several days now.
But none of those seated dared to show it.
The Empress of this Briyang Empire was ‘still’ Carmi.
“Your Majesty the Empress.”
Then, the Head Maid approached and spoke for everyone to hear.
“Someone has arrived from Baektul Salon.”
“Let them in at once.”
Nobles, especially those of higher status, believed in calling salon designers to their homes instead of going to the streets themselves.
Because they believed that having the ability to summon anyone proved their position.
How much more so for the Empress, who was the owner of the Imperial Palace.
“I pay my respects to Your Majesty the noble Empress.”
When the Chief Designer of Baektul Salon, whom even high-ranking Nobles found difficult to meet, appeared, the Noble Ladies’ fan waving quickened.
Several Nobles were even excited like children.
And for good reason…
“Oh my!”
“Look at all those colors!”
“Goodness, is such a pale purple possible? And on such thin, delicate lace…”
It was because of the hundreds of fabrics, or more precisely ‘colors’, that followed the salon’s Chief Designer in a long line.
The always haughty Baektul Salon had come so politely and humbly in response to Empress Carmi’s summons.
As exquisite and rare colors that had clearly just been developed, not yet displayed even in the salon, came streaming in, it was natural for the Noble Ladies’ eyes to be busy.
And there, ‘that’ was there.
“Oh? Isn’t that the dress color that Lady Francoise Alsron wore?”
At one Noble Lady’s words, the Chief Designer smiled.
“That’s correct, Countess Widen. It’s a color called ‘Rose Quartz’, which arrived in very small quantities and is being showcased here urgently today.”
Chief Designers of this level naturally memorized the genealogies of most Nobles. Countess Widen spoke in an elevated mood.
“Your Majesty the Empress. His Highness the Crown Prince will truly be delighted.”
“Indeed. How can Your Majesty the Empress be so thoughtful and benevolent?”
Empress Carmi looked over those precious fabrics, each costing the same price in gold per bolt, with a consistently gentle smile.
That was right.
The reason Empress Carmi had personally invited the Chief Designer of Baektul Salon to the Empress Palace today was under the pretext of choosing a gift for Ferdinand.
Her son, Second Prince Dave, was somewhat stupid, greedy, and arrogant.
Above all, his inside and outside were similar, so he couldn’t control his anger well. Anyone could see he was infinitely inferior compared to Ferdinand.
But Dave was still a Prince.
His birth mother, Empress Carmi, was never an easy opponent.
While pretending to have no interest in the Crown Prince’s position, she had secretly put Ferdinand in countless predicaments with numerous schemes.
Empress Carmi’s ultimate goal was to someday make that cursed boy who wouldn’t grow die while coughing up blood.
So that the one to ascend to the throne of this Briyang Empire would be her son, not some bloodline of Empress Olivia…
“Your Majesty the Empress. Is there a color that pleases you?”
Cutting off her thoughts, the Chief Designer asked.
Empress Carmi raised her head proudly.
“Give me all of them.”
“…Pardon?”
“It’s a gift for the Crown Prince who suffered in that dangerous place, so naturally even giving everything here wouldn’t be enough, would it?”
“But, but…”
“Hurry.”
At Empress Carmi’s words, the eyes of the seated Nobles couldn’t help but widen immediately.
Baektul Salon, which had appeared like a comet in the Briyang Empire, was insisting on a completely different sales method than before.
Ridiculously expensive prices were basic.
Supply was limited.
Moreover, the newer the color developed, the higher they set the price to astronomical levels.
But if a luxury strategy succeeded, it was truly like sitting on a money cushion.
All of Baektul Salon’s dyes were literally impossible to sell due to shortage.
Especially, Baektul Salon had limited the number of dyes each family could purchase.
No matter how much money they offered, no matter what great Noble came, it was an unchanging rule.
Thanks to this, scarcity was maintained and demand overflowed.
It was no exaggeration to say that one-third of the gold sleeping in Briyang Nobles’ warehouses was flowing into Baektul Salon.
But now Empress Carmi was speaking as if she knew nothing of this salon’s rules, saying she would choose and order all the precious dyes.
When the Chief Designer hesitated, Carmi’s Head Maid gently admonished.
“Can’t you hear Her Majesty the Empress’s words? Show them quickly. It’s none other than the mother of this Empire saying she will give a gift to the little sun.”
“Ah, I understand…”
The Chief Designer moved a beat late with a dazed expression.
Naturally, the seated Nobles were more surprised than her.
“Goodness. Indeed, Her Majesty the Empress’s benevolence is…”
“They’re all colors so beautiful they could blind you. Even if flowers of all four seasons bloomed at once, they wouldn’t be more colorful than this.”
“To order such a scale as a homecoming gift for His Highness the Crown Prince, truly…”
“His Highness the Crown Prince will be very pleased.”
“The rumors about their bad relationship were indeed just one-sided checks from those who envy and are jealous of Her Majesty the Empress…”
While Carmi’s close Noble Ladies had caught on to her intentions, the other nobles were busy exclaiming in admiration or whispering among themselves.
She had no intention of actually buying all those dyes anyway. The Chief Designer’s ‘polite refusal’ would surely come soon.
Empress Carmi leisurely fanned herself while mentally calculating the price of the dyes she had ordered ‘in words only’.
Dyes with such an enormous price that even the generous budget of the Empress Palace would struggle to purchase them all.
She would have to sell at least half of the treasures stored in the Empress Palace Treasury to barely afford the payment.
Empress Carmi shifted her gaze to the Chief Designer with a triumphant expression.
However.
“I am honored, Your Majesty the Empress.”
The Chief Designer of Baektul Salon placed a hand on her chest and bowed deeply as she replied.
“All the dyes Your Majesty has ordered will be carefully packaged and delivered directly to the Crown Prince Palace by tomorrow.”
“…?”
“Then for the payment request… Ah, Head Maid. Could you speak with me for a moment? Since the payment is such a large sum, I’ve specially prepared a new contract. Please, let’s go.”
“…!”
In that instant, Empress Carmi’s eyes widened involuntarily.
What?
She would accept the order?
Why?
No matter how imperial the family, she had naturally expected them to politely decline the order.
It was only natural!
The owner of that Baektul Salon was none other than ‘Tulia Frazier’!
The Grand Duke Frazier House had that kind of power!
So she had only planned to show appropriate benevolence as an Empress, and when the order was refused, she would simply express disappointment, but why!
‘Earlier, how much did that designer quote? Surely the amount was….’
Carmi’s hands gripping the chair armrest tightened with force.
Even if she sold all the treasures in the Empress Palace Treasury, would it be an amount she could handle?
But these were gifts she had ordered herself, triumphantly and directly with her own mouth, in front of so many nobles watching!
She couldn’t possibly back down! Not if she didn’t want to drag the Empress’s dignity through the mud!
Just as Empress Carmi’s complexion turned pale.
Though no one noticed, a small star that had been orbiting above them like a satellite silently disappeared.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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