That Piece Of Trash Was Me - Chapter 96
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Chapter 96
I was dying of curiosity, but I waited quietly without asking.
Grandfather, who had been frowning and glaring at the letter for a moment, gestured with his hand.
When Ruk, who had been waiting nearby, approached, Grandfather spoke in a cold tone.
“Send a reply saying we decline.”
“Yes, Your Grace. What shall I put as the reason?”
“Add that Sophia Frazier has already departed for the Academy.”
“I’ll write it immediately.”
As expected of an advisor who had been perfectly in sync for a long time, Ruk seemed to understand right away without any further questions.
Of course, my ears perked up.
‘If Sophia not being in the Grand Duchy is the reason for declining the visit.’
Ah!
Could it be that?
Did he decline Crown Prince Ferdinand’s request to visit the Grand Duchy?
In the game, there was also an event where the Crown Prince visited the Grand Duchy to meet his fiancée.
According to the game, he would visit after returning from the battlefield, but since the engagement acceptance was moved up, the visit timing might have been accelerated too.
‘I wonder if he’s doing well?’
The image of the Crown Prince getting slapped as a child occasionally, but consistently, came to mind.
Well, anyone would be concerned after seeing a child getting hit.
I shook my head to dispel the scene from that day that kept replaying whenever it came to mind.
‘But could Grandfather really be in such a bad mood?’
Grandfather shouldn’t have had any conflicts with Ferdinand until now…
While I was wondering internally, the reception room was left with just the two of us in an instant.
The orange firelight was warm, and the marshmallows floating softly on the sweet cocoa were tender.
Surrounded by soft blankets and cushions, I waited for Grandfather to finish organizing his thoughts.
Grandfather was just staring out the window where snow was falling white, lost in whatever thoughts he was having.
“Hmm…”
After some time had passed.
“Tulia. You’re not asking about the contents of the letter. Aren’t you curious?”
Grandfather asked, turning his gaze to me.
I was in the middle of silently pouring my fourth cup of fresh cocoa.
“Ahem.”
After clearing my throat, I subtly pushed the teapot aside and said.
“I stayed quiet because I thought you’d tell me if I waited.”
Grandfather burst into hearty laughter.
“That’s just like you. Good answer, Tulia.”
‘Hehe.’
Actually, when I was playing too, Grandfather—that is, Assis Grand Duke Frazier—had surprisingly stunning visuals from the first meeting.
His large height and build, silver-white hair was like a fierce white tiger, and his eyes gleamed coldly like Tulia’s.
‘That’s why I initially thought Assis Grand Duke Frazier was also a villain!’
But Assis Grand Duke Frazier in the game—that is, Grandfather—was ultimately a character who helped Coriko.
A typical Grand Duke who was cold on the outside but warm on the inside.
It was fascinating how such an Assis Grand Duke Frazier actually felt like a truly warm and generous grandfather to me in reality too.
It made me feel good too.
“Empress Carmi says she wants to visit this Grand Duchy.”
“Pardon? The Empress?”
Not Ferdinand, but Empress Carmi?
Why is that name suddenly coming up?
Why would the Empress want to come here of all places?
The relationship between Grandfather and Empress Carmi is…
‘The worst, isn’t it?’
Grandfather, whose frown lines had deepened, asked me as I looked puzzled.
“She says the reason is that she wants to meet Sophia, who became the Crown Prince’s fiancée, but it’s just an excuse.”
‘Right. That doesn’t make sense.’
The knowledge in Tulia’s mind naturally included things about Imperial etiquette.
There was no custom of the Emperor or Empress personally visiting to see nobles who would become daughters-in-law or sons-in-law.
Rather, it was proper etiquette to summon them to the palace.
Grandfather spoke in a lowered voice.
“To dare try to enter my territory with such an absurd excuse, Empress Carmi has truly grown quite bold.”
I already knew the reason why Grandfather disliked Empress Carmi, and even the current Emperor Alessandro, because I had seen it countless times in .
Because their marriage wasn’t a normal marriage.
“Especially Dave. In the case of that Second Prince, I’ll make sure he can’t dare step foot on the Grand Ducal House’s territory even after death.”
Then wouldn’t there not be that much land that prince could step on?
I thought to myself.
‘Serves you right, you bastard.’
Who told you to kick my solar plexus like that?
The Grand Duchy already occupies one-third of the Empire anyway.
If he became unable to step on all those lands, the Second Prince’s room for maneuvering would be drastically narrowed.
‘Having backing is this good, huh.’
As expected, my strategy method wasn’t wrong.
Now if I just steadily raise my stats and properly increase the Male Leads’ affection levels, I should be able to achieve A-grade smoothly, right?
‘Hehe.’
That’s when it happened.
[System] Emergency Quest activated!
[System] Emergency Quest: Accept ‘Empress Carmi’s’ letter
Upon success: ???
Upon failure: ‘Personality’ stat reset, ‘Wealth’ stat reset
(!Special condition) Stats cannot be changed until Quest completion.
.
.
.
(☆Tip: The riper the rice, the more it bows its head!)
‘…Excuse me?’
* * *
Crash!
“Your Majesty the Empress. Please calm yourself…”
The court ladies prostrated themselves flat, trembling.
Empress Carmi’s face had turned pale blue with rage.
Her beautiful face with clear, kind eyes was ripening dangerously like a flower filling with poison.
The reply that had returned from Assis Grand Duke Frazier was already torn to shreds under her feet.
“Such humiliation… it’s been so long since I’ve experienced this. Truly befitting of Assis Frazier. Truly.”
Empress Carmi smiled coldly.
She slumped down in front of the vanity table.
It was a vanity table adorned with magnificent mirrors so large they couldn’t be compared to those of any ordinary noble family.
This vanity table, decorated with all kinds of jewelry, pure gold, ivory and ebony, was one of the Imperial Family’s treasures passed down through generations to the empresses of the Briyang Empire.
In other words, it originally belonged to Empress Olivia.
Olivia in life rarely smiled.
Befitting her noble epithet as the ‘Ice Empress,’ she always maintained a cold dignity.
A frigid elegance that sometimes made even Emperor Alessandro hesitate.
But Empress Carmi was different.
She tried smiling at the beautiful face reflected in the luxurious mirror.
The warm, sunlight-like beauty who had momentarily captivated Emperor Alessandro’s gaze was smiling like a painting.
Despite being the mother of a young man, Empress Carmi was still young and beautiful.
She was also dignified and confident, befitting the Empire’s mother.
Even though she was already part of the Imperial Family, too significant for the Grand Duke to ignore.
‘How dare he.’
Whatever the past held, she was now the legitimate empress.
‘Not knowing his place.’
When the Empress gestured, the ladies-in-waiting who had been lying flat hurriedly moved to help with her grooming.
Among the ladies-in-waiting efficiently tending to her abundant hair, a fresh face was visible.
That court lady who had recently joined was youthful and pretty. Her hands were skillful, but she was clearly terrified.
That exact spot.
That spot was originally Empress Carmi’s position.
The place where she used to stand, serving beside Empress Olivia when she sat at the vanity table to dress.
Olivia.
That noble empress wouldn’t have known.
How much ambition she had harbored in that position for so many years.
Carmi had always been renowned as a warm beauty.
With her beautiful appearance and gentle personality, everyone easily trusted her.
Olivia was no exception.
Carmi was especially sweet to Olivia, like honey on the tongue.
But that sweetness that melted like grain syrup was actually a shadow-like invader that rotted Olivia from within.
“Leave my palace.”
When she discovered she was carrying Emperor Alessandro’s child, Empress Olivia was already showing as well.
“Leave. I will no longer keep a court lady like you.”
She didn’t pour out her boiling anger or slap her cheek.
Just a cold judgment.
Even that seemed like the dignity of a noble high aristocrat, making Carmi unconsciously bite her tongue.
“Your Majesty the Empress, it’s all my fault. It’s all my fault!”
“Yes. I know.”
Even Carmi, who had been deliberately shedding tears, was momentarily startled by Olivia’s heartless and cold gaze.
“Your fault for desiring a man who belongs to someone else. Leave.”
In that moment.
Carmi’s face turned bright red.
How many years had it been?
She had devoted her heart to smiling harmlessly at the Emperor, and whenever the Emperor fought with Empress Olivia, she would cleverly follow him and warmly console him with a word, opening his heart.
After all her calculations, she had conceived Imperial blood.
Of course she had expected Empress Olivia’s anger.
Olivia made Carmi’s face burn red with her characteristic nobility. It was an involuntary reaction she couldn’t control.
Carmi stood there dazed for a moment, feeling an inexplicable sense of defeat and humiliation as she bit down hard on the flesh inside her mouth.
Where Olivia stood seemed like the Celestial Realm where gods dwelled, and she, a mere daughter of lower nobility, felt she could never reach that position despite carrying Imperial blood.
No.
That couldn’t be.
How had she crawled up this far? She couldn’t give up like this.
Carmi repeatedly banged her forehead on the floor and screamed.
“Your Majesty the Empress, please forgive me and take care of your precious health…!”
Though Carmi was expelled from the Empress Palace in tears, she wailed and cried in front of the Empress Palace gates every day.
On the day she heard that renowned priests from across the continent were coming to protect the health of the child in the Empress’s womb.
Finally, Carmi deliberately induced her own miscarriage.
Right in front of the Empress Palace.
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
![I’m a Mother-in-Law, but I Hate In-Law Conflicts [Exclusive Side Story]](https://lunoxscans.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Im-a-Mother-in-Law-but-I-Hate-In-Law-Conflicts-Exclusive-Side-Story-75x106.jpg)
Shushu
WTH she intentionally induced the miscarriage psycho behavior