The Former Empress Roughly Hides Her Abilities - Chapter 60
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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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【Episode 60】
Having left the Main Palace like that, Rianel.
“Thank you for your help.”
She expressed her gratitude to Duke Vincenheim.
She knew the Empress Dowager was just an excuse.
The Empress Dowager could observe the unfolding situation and give work directives, but she couldn’t get involved in the detailed aspects.
‘She’s someone who has lived thoroughly only as a manager.’
It meant that it was the Duke who had used his head to extract Rianel without giving the Emperor grounds for complaint.
“Your perceptiveness is annoyingly sharp.”
The Duke clicked his tongue.
In novels, this kind of thing usually ended with only the helper secretly feeling proud while the beneficiary found out later and was subtly moved.
But his daughter noticed everything before he even said anything, which took the fun out of it.
‘Even my assistants aren’t this perceptive.’
“The timing was too coincidental, wasn’t it? It was so opportune that anyone would be suspicious. In any case, thank you.”
The Duke harbored a faint hope there.
“Perhaps…”
“…?”
Since she wasn’t showing any emotional resentment toward him, he wondered if her heart had softened.
Just as one might suspect poison in food given by a hateful person, it was human psychology to view help suspiciously when the other party harbored ill will.
But Rianel only stared at him blankly.
“What’s wrong?”
“No, it’s nothing.”
He still couldn’t bring himself to ask her to come home.
He was, after all, in a position of waiting for forgiveness.
“Have you found Young Master Rupert?”
The Duke, who had been lost in thought, returned to reality at the following question.
‘Right. This is what’s important now.’
Truly my daughter. She knew to keep track of the case she had entrusted to her father.
“We’re searching for him.”
However, it was disappointing that there were no remarkable results.
They say even dog droppings are nowhere to be found when you need them for medicine.
Those two people used to show their faces everywhere at other times. But now that he was actually looking for them, they were nowhere to be seen.
“Still, there was a witness who saw Vanessa taking a hired carriage a few days ago, so we should be able to track their whereabouts soon.”
“I see.”
For someone of the Duke’s caliber, tracking based on an information network would be quick.
Rianel accepted this and moved on.
“Why are you here?”
She had no idea she would see Rupert in front of the Special Tax Bureau Building a few days later when she said this.
* * *
Rupert and Rianel maintained a distant relationship.
“Well, is everything alright?”
“Yes, well…”
Even when they encountered each other, they would only exchange greetings or just nod briefly as they passed by.
The two first met when Rupert was thirteen and Rianel was seven.
‘They said her birth mother abandoned her and left.’
While it was surprising to suddenly have a younger sister, he didn’t dislike it.
‘Small and pale.’
Her slender, thin arms seemed like they would crumble if touched wrongly, so he was just careful.
Moreover.
“Just because different blood flows through her doesn’t mean she’s not your sister, so please take care of that child.”
There was also his mother’s request.
But he didn’t know how to ‘take good care’ of her.
They were different genders and had an age gap.
Furthermore, Rupert was busy receiving heir education and had difficulty making time.
Then when he finally had some breathing room.
“Why are you staring like that?”
“…No, it’s nothing.”
They had already become like this.
It was even harder to become close after growing up.
‘We don’t know each other’s interests at all.’
That’s when Rupert got to know Vanessa Violen.
The reason he turned his attention to the woman who had been hovering around him was because he thought he could become close to Rianel through this woman.
“Come to think of it, you’re about the same age as my sister.”
“Of course I’m three years older than the Princess, but we could say we’re roughly the same age.”
“Then you must know what Rianel likes. Right?”
“…Uh.”
“No?”
“Th-that’s right. I’m close with the Princess!”
Just as he was rejoicing alone, thinking he had found a way to close the distance with his sister.
Rupert heard a strange rumor.
‘Rianel has feelings for the Emperor?’
He couldn’t dismiss it as a false rumor, because Rianel showed her face at every social party the Emperor attended.
There were many witnesses who said she did nothing there but stared at the Emperor like a sunflower.
Rupert felt like his insides would burst.
‘No, but why?’
Of all the many men, why did she set her heart on the Emperor?
That guy was nothing but a false advertisement with only a smooth face!
But he couldn’t confront her about it.
Since they hadn’t been talking all this time, suddenly approaching her would seem suspicious.
While he was worrying.
“I can help you. I can help the Princess and Young Master become closer.”
Vanessa said she had a good method.
“Oh, some good tea just came in and I brewed it. Would you like to try some?”
Rupert accepted the cup without much suspicion.
And.
‘What happened after that?’
He couldn’t remember.
“Help me, Rupert!”
“You love me.”
“…Rupert!”
What was I doing?
Whose voice is this?
His head, which had been hazy as if wandering through fog, suddenly became clear.
“Rupert, my love. I’ll ask you one last time.”
“…”
“The villa in the Southern Coastal District. You really won’t sell it? I’ve been eating nothing but black bread for days now, and I want to have a proper meal.”
In the midst of it all, whispers reached his ears.
Do what that person tells you.
Then you’ll be comfortable.
What do you need that land for anyway?
Compared to that person, it’s not important at all.
The longer he delayed his answer, the more guilt he felt.
Anxiety that he shouldn’t disappoint this person made his throat go dry, but.
“I… can’t…”
He couldn’t do it.
“I… promised…”
He had promised his mother.
To hand over the villa to Rianel when she came of age.
“Aaaaah!”
The moment the woman in front of him screamed, Rupert staggered from the pain of his head splitting apart.
“Why is it still Rianel even at this moment? Do you like your sister that much? That girl doesn’t even care about someone like you and lives comfortably!”
After briefly pouring out her emotions while gasping for breath, Vanessa suddenly raised the corners of her mouth and grinned wickedly.
“Right, you said you wanted to see your sister?”
A quiet madness appeared at the corners of Vanessa’s mouth. She gripped Rupert’s cheeks as if to crush them and met his gaze.
“Go to that precious sister you love so much. Oh right, you can’t go empty-handed to meet your sister after so long. You have your dignity.”
Vanessa handed Rupert a small glass bottle.
Clear liquid sloshed inside it.
“Now, wait here and when that woman comes, make sure to deliver this.”
If you splash it right on her face, she’ll be deliriously happy.
The place where even Vanessa’s mocking laughter had disappeared without a trace.
Rupert waited as he was commanded.
‘Rianel.’
The wind was cool.
The current time was 6 PM.
A time that could also be called the boundary between evening and afternoon.
‘Was it this time when I first met you too?’
He remembered Rianel appearing at the dinner table holding his mother’s hand.
With a completely intimidated face and hunched shoulders, yet unable to hide her curiosity toward him, stealing glances.
Back then, I didn’t know what to do either, so I just pretended not to notice.
‘Actually, I-‘
That’s when it happened.
“What is it?”
“Rianel.”
It wasn’t a fantasy.
The real Rianel was there, chin slightly raised, staring at him.
“Th-this…”
Rupert held out the bottle, but Rianel didn’t take it.
“The scent of Sacred Flower is vibrating all the way here. Why are you trying to give that to me?”
“No. This is per-perfume.”
The woman had said it. That it was perfume popular among young ladies these days.
“Don’t come closer. I’m warning you.”
I wanted to get along well with you.
“It’s okay if you refuse.”
But why are you refusing without even checking?
“I said don’t come closer…!”
The moment the cap opened and the air trapped in the bottle spread, Rianel staggered where she stood.
“It’s yours.”
Rupert approached and tried to pull her hand to press the bottle into it.
As Rianel knocked it away, the liquid in the bottle splattered everywhere.
Some fell to the floor. But most of it landed on Rianel’s clothes, neck, and hands.
When she, bombarded with Sacred Flower concentrate, collapsed with one knee on the ground.
The people who had been following Rianel home from work screamed.
“Aah, Team Leader!”
“Well, I didn’t want this kind of dopamine blessing.”
“Senior, do you really want to talk about that even in this situation? You’re really crazy.”
“No matter how brainwashed you are, still. How can family not know about allergies?”
Allergies?
Only then did Rupert’s vision clear.
What he saw immediately was.
“Urgh.”
Fresh blood.
And Rianel.
Even at this moment, Rianel was spitting up blood.
“Why…”
Did it turn out like this?
I was just trying to give you a gift you’d like.
Rupert looked at the bottle rolling on the floor.
He could smell the nauseating fragrance he hadn’t noticed before.
‘Sacred Flower…’
His knees trembled violently.
He had tried to give that to Rianel.
Sacred Flower, which was no different from deadly poison to Rianel.
“Rianel!”
Rupert urgently embraced the collapsing Rianel.
‘Well, you certainly realized it quickly.’
In his arms, Rianel’s smile appeared and then scattered.
* * *
“So Team Leader Vincenheim is on sick leave for the time being.”
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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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