The Former Empress Roughly Hides Her Abilities - Chapter 99

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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 99】

 

“This is my sincere gift prepared to celebrate Your Majesty the Empress Dowager’s birthday. I prepared it hoping you would be pleased.”

 

The gift the Saint prepared was a ruby called the ‘Heart of the Sun.’

 

The heart-shaped cut ruby caught the chandelier light and emitted a heavy glow.

 

Some people held their breath, and even Mel, who didn’t know much about luxury goods, instinctively hunched his shoulders at the weight he could sense.

 

Til clicked his tongue.

 

“Damn. So it was the Saint who won that at auction?”

 

“Is it that expensive?”

 

“I was at the auction site, and the starting bid was no joke. So the final winning bid was…”

 

When Mel asked, Til whispered the price so only he could hear. Mel made a choking sound and grabbed the back of his neck.

 

“You…”

 

The Empress Dowager couldn’t continue her words for a moment. She took a deep breath and suppressed the emotions that surged up momentarily.

 

This was a banquet hall, and she was the Empress Dowager.

 

Instead of getting angry, she chose to politely decline.

 

“This is an inappropriate gift for the Empire’s current situation, so take it back.”

 

The Saint pursed her lips but couldn’t argue back.

 

“So when are we collecting the Saint’s taxes?”

 

Wilbrin, as excited as Til, asked.

 

“Immediately would be difficult, and fact verification and investigation must come first.”

 

They needed to clearly determine whether the Saint had privately misappropriated donations or if there was unreported income.

 

Based on this, they had to decide whether to charge the Saint with embezzlement or collect taxes.

 

The Temple was an organization with great social influence, and although the Saint’s reputation had been shaky lately, she was still the face of the religious order.

 

Moving rashly could result in backlash instead.

 

Most importantly, since the Saint still maintained her position as Deputy Bureau Director, raising issues without preparation could lead to misunderstandings about slandering a workplace superior, putting them at a disadvantage.

 

“Then the Saint might have to step down from her Deputy Bureau Director position?”

 

“Whatever direction the conclusion takes, the Temple side will likely want that.”

 

Since the Saint had been continuously causing trouble outside lately, the Temple must have felt they needed to control her.

 

If the Saint’s corruption was revealed through this incident, the Temple would try to bring her inside for management.

 

Even if she caused the same trouble, incidents within the religious order would be easier to cover up.

 

“So you mean the Deputy Bureau Director might not be able to come to the Special Tax Bureau for a while and could end up confined only within the Temple? My goodness, how unfortunate.”

 

Til sighed while covering his lower face with his palm.

 

Wilbrin said.

 

“Team Leader, please move your hand.”

 

“Hey, why are you doing this.”

 

Til moved away from Wilbrin in annoyance, but everyone saw the corner of his mouth twitch upward.

 

“I have the right to freedom of expression.”

 

“…Ah, yes. Well.”

 

Everyone pretended not to notice appropriately.

 

Til was the person who suffered the most cleaning up after the Saint while she was at the Special Tax Bureau.

 

When the Empress Dowager waved her hand again, the Saint finally withdrew. The Princess filled that empty spot.

 

Still unable to shake off her timidity, she was overwhelmed by the surrounding atmosphere and focused gazes, but soon collected herself.

 

“I-I congratulate you on your birthday.”

 

Though she stammered, she followed proper etiquette precisely and calmly delivered the congratulatory words she had prepared.

 

“Until coming to this place, I pondered for a long time what gift would be appropriate to give Your Majesty the Empress Dowager. Gifts should be something that pleases the recipient.”

 

The Princess’s voice wasn’t loud, but it was quiet and firm.

 

At that clear tone, the surrounding noise briefly subsided.

 

‘Don’t tell me she’s saying that for me to hear? That I failed to follow basic gift-giving principles?’

 

Yuna, who had unintentionally been targeted, trembled with anger.

 

The Empress Dowager leaned her body slightly forward from where she had been resting against the backrest.

 

“So did you find what I should receive to be satisfied?”

 

“To be honest, I don’t know if this is the right answer. I’ve only seen Your Majesty the Empress Dowager briefly on special occasions.”

 

The Princess took a breath and then set down the documents she was holding. A maid received them and delivered them to the Empress Dowager.

 

“One thing that was clear was that Your Majesty the Empress Dowager handles the Empire’s state affairs every day. So you’re spending very busy days. That must mean you think of the Empire’s people. So I thought establishing a charitable foundation for the Empire’s people might be the way to honor Your Majesty the Empress Dowager.”

 

[I heard that the late Empress also left establishing a foundation as her dying wish. When she passed away, there was no one to carry on that will so it fizzled out, but wouldn’t it be good if that intention continued in this way?]

 

Because even if you died, your will should be carried on.

 

The Princess, who had conveyed that intention in front of Rianel, squeezed out her earnestness to make it into courage. She tried to convey her intentions to the Empress Dowager that way.

 

“The foundation plans to regularly donate 1% of the noodle factory’s annual profits, and with those funds, I thought it would be good to establish medical centers and educational institutions, and supply affordable rental mansions.”

 

Then one of the priests asked.

 

“Forgive my presumption, but our religious order also has a charitable foundation.”

 

“But I heard that foundation has strict support criteria and little funding, so few have received benefits. That’s why I want to establish a new one.”

 

Because the more ways to help people, the better.

 

This time the Saint stepped forward.

 

“But not giving mansions for free, but renting them at low prices… that sounds like you’re saying you’ll take money from poor people. So you’re saying you’ll generate profits within the foundation – can that be called charity?”

 

The Princess hesitated.

 

Since this occasion was the Princess’s first political move, Rianel had planned to remain in a supporting position, but.

 

‘It should be okay to help once.’

 

Rianel quietly spoke up.

 

“Charity means ‘acts of helping people,’ not free gifts.”

 

The Saint’s brow twitched.

 

The Princess, gaining some courage, said.

 

“A-And… I thought foundations should be sustained, not operated temporarily, to be meaningful. The reason I chose the method of renting mansions at low rates was to expand and sustain the foundation with those profits.”

 

To lend mansions to people without homes, create jobs with that rental income, and create a flow of helping others through the activated economy.

 

“If we can continue helping people that way, wouldn’t that also be charity?”

 

‘What do you mean our foundation is one-time?’

 

Since that foundation actually hadn’t been doing charity lately due to lack of funds, Yuna couldn’t argue back.

 

“I believe this is a foundation established with truly admirable intentions. May I donate 100 million gold to it?”

 

Count Toleng said.

 

“The foundation’s ownership belongs to Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, so you shouldn’t ask my permission.”

 

The Princess naturally turned her gaze toward the Empress Dowager.

 

The Empress Dowager giving permission here would itself mean accepting the gift.

 

The Empress Dowager knew this gift didn’t come from the Princess’s head.

 

The Empress Dowager’s gaze turned toward Rianel.

 

‘That child must have devised it.’

 

The Princess was still lacking.

 

However, she had the wisdom to acknowledge her shortcomings and know how to seek others’ help.

 

Seeing that potential was the real gift.

 

“I will gratefully accept it.”

 

The Empress Dowager nodded.

 

Other nobles stepped forward competitively.

 

“I would like to participate as well.”

 

“Me too…”

 

The Saint, who had briefly drawn attention with her flashy gift, was pushed back by the gathering crowd and buried like background scenery.

 

Yuna bit her lower lip.

 

She wore a gentle smile pretending to be mild, but her clenched fists were tense with force.

 

‘What the hell, this is really annoying.’

 

Yuna, who had been the protagonist in this world.

 

However, no one was paying attention to her mood.

 

* * *

 

Not even the Emperor.

 

‘Tiren isn’t smart enough for that level.’

 

He knew his sister’s capabilities well.

 

He had been raised as the legitimate heir from birth and had received harsh education as a ruler, while Tiren was fundamentally a different being from him.

 

It was obvious who she would have sought advice from.

 

‘It must be that woman from the Special Tax Bureau.’

 

Just from how she stepped forward earlier, her assistance was clear.

 

Then there was only one conclusion.

 

‘I definitely need that woman after all.’

 

After the Former Empress disappeared, he had been slowly sinking like a stranded ship.

 

He needed Rianel as someone who could lift up his sinking reputation.

 

Taking advantage of the moment when Asil briefly left his seat.

 

“The hall is rather dry. You must be thirsty, so I’ll bring some refreshments from over there.”

 

The Emperor quickly took that spot.

 

There was something he particularly wanted to ask about.

 

‘Was the cunning, broad-shouldered man the State Minister mentioned referring to Duke Novantium?’

 

He had seen the two of them together, but at first he only thought of them as having a superior-subordinate relationship.

 

After all, Duke Novantium was originally a man with the peculiar taste of showing unusual attachment to the Special Tax Bureau.

 

But seeing them attend official occasions as partners twice like this made him suspicious.

 

“It’s been quite a while indeed. I hear you are a Princess of the Vincenheim Family.”

 

“I greet the Sun of the Empire. I am Rianel of the Special Tax Bureau.”

 

The Emperor didn’t hide his deliberate approach.

 

“Come to think of it, was it Duke Novantium you brought along today?”

 

“That’s correct.”

 

“What was your reason for selecting the Duke as your partner?”

 

So it really was about shoulders?

 

“Yes. He has broad shoulders, so he meets the physical requirements for being good at defense.”

 

It was the same thing she had said to Duke Vincenheim before.

 

The Emperor unconsciously looked down at his own shoulders.

 

However, with his naturally small frame, there was no way he could match Asil’s broad shoulders.

 

“A man’s worth cannot be measured by shoulder width alone.”

 

“…?”

 

“Not just appearance, but personality, wealth, power, and various other factors must be considered comprehensively. Don’t you think so?”

 

Watching him breathe heavily enough that his inhaling and exhaling were excessively noticeable as he rambled on with his long speech, Rianel wanted to ask.

 

‘Hey, are you crying?’

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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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