"Dowry?"
The Empress, pondering the word, raised her eyes.
The fact that Grand Duke Vikander's marriage proposal had been addressed to me—and not to her—flashed through her mind.
So right now, that half-breed is making a fool of me. The Empress.
The Empress's breathing grew heavy.
Soon, her face turning bright red, she tore the ledger she was holding into pieces.
She felt that if she didn't tear something up right now, her anger would consume her.
Torn paper fluttered down onto the expensive table.
But I spoke calmly.
"It's all right, Your Majesty. I have the original."
"Bring it to me now!"
"Only if Your Majesty can provide my dowry."
"And if not?"
The Empress snorted and glared at me with venom.
But I, who had been speaking smoothly just moments ago, pressed my lips together.
My green eyes met the Empress's gaze head-on, at the same height.
The Empress gritted her teeth.
How dare she!
She was looking at her—at the Empress—as an equal.
Olivia Madeleine, who had always followed her orders without question.
But alongside her resentment, ominous thoughts raced through her mind.
What if Olivia leaks that ledger? If this fact becomes known...!
'Are you certain you didn't do it yourself, Reina?'
She could vividly imagine the Emperor's wrath.
A chill ran down her spine.
Though the Emperor was a father who'd always cherished her, she knew very well that one of the reasons she was loved was her competence.
And Olivia had been responsible for most of the tasks that had earned the Emperor's trust.
"...What do you want?"
The Empress gritted her teeth and muttered.
Only then did I gently open my eyes.
"I don't ask for much. How about the Miner territory?"
"Absolutely not!"
The Empress erupted in fury.
I didn't change my expression one bit.
It was exactly what I'd expected.
She'll never give up Miner—the fifth richest estate, the one that fills her treasury.
But what if I asked for something far inferior to Miner after naming it first?
I had no intention of being too greedy.
If I pushed too hard and the Emperor got involved, I wouldn't get anything.
"Then... how about the Habiel region?"
I asked.
I'd thought that if I were given the Habiel region—a small area with few residents—the Empress would say yes.
But there was something I'd missed.
The Empress was beside herself with rage over the situation itself.
Her mind was tangled—and it didn't matter to her what kind of place Habiel was.
She was simply consumed by the thought that I, who knew her wealth intimately, would definitely not try to accept a loss.
The Empress smiled, pretending to be relaxed, and brought up a mental list of her assets.
As I'd handled each of her tasks over the years, I'd come to know that all the territories the Emperor had given her were either valuable crop producers—like tobacco or grapes—or fertile lands that turned a profit.
Why did things turn out like this?
But finding out why was a problem for later.
Right now, the Empress had to minimize her losses.
The most useless place... but one that will silence her.
Suddenly, a brilliant idea struck the Empress like lightning.
The corners of her mouth rose gently, unable to hide her nervous excitement.
"There is a place suitable for a dowry."
As if she had all the time in the world, the Empress spoke again in an aristocratic manner.
She made dramatic hand gestures, as if performing in a play, and smiled gracefully.
"It's a place the Princess knows well. White Crystal Mine. You remember it, don't you?"
---