“Ma’am, are you going home?”
I shook my head at the driver's question from the window.
“No, let's go to the Alchemy Workshop neighborhood.”
Sardine, whom I had brought with me as a porter, asked with a puzzled expression,
“Weren't you planning to go home, ma'am?”
“Oh, I thought I'd get some work done while I'm out.”
“Yes?
But ma’am, what work can you do in the alchemy workshop...”
For a moment, Sardine looked at me with a surprised expression.
“Ma’am, you wouldn’t have thought of...”
Typically, when one thinks of alchemists, one thinks of potions or poisons.
So I could understand what was worrying Sardin.
'Maybe he thinks I'm planning to poison Eric or something.'
Despite my bad reputation and deep hatred for Eric, I had no intention of poisoning him.
'Because if there had been any evidence, even if I was from the royal family, I wouldn't have been able to escape it.'
Instead of answering, I put my index finger to my lips.
With my other hand, I pointed to the driver's lap.
“Have you forgotten that the driver belongs to the Duke of Brant?”
Of course, unless the driver was specially trained, he would not be able to hear our conversation over the noise of the carriage.
However, there is no harm in being careful.
I don't trust anyone from the Duchy of Brant.
While Sardine closed his mouth, as if he understood what I meant, I spoke eagerly.
“Alchemists don't just make potions; there are many who make things that are useful to people.”
After a while, the car stopped, and the driver opened the door for me.
“Ma’am, we have reached our destination.”
After I got off the car and looked at the workshop signs, I smiled.
[Miracle cosmetics made by a chemical!
Goodbye to wrinkles, spots and blemishes!]
I entered the dilapidated workshop without a single customer, and a cheerful worker welcomed me.
"Hello ma'am.
What cosmetics are you looking for?"
She showed me a booklet and continued her talk without interruption.
“To improve wrinkles, we recommend the black bottle; to improve freckles and spots, the white bottle; and if you want firmer skin, we suggest the green bottle!
What do you prefer?”
In response, I raised the corner of my mouth and said:
“The Red Bottle”
Then she responded in amazement: “Hmm?
Madam, we don’t have anything like this in our workshop...”
“But you have a red flower.”
When I finished my sentence, the worker sighed nervously.
“You seem to know what you're looking for.”
I went to the entrance, changed the sign to “Closed for a moment,” then looked at Sardin standing behind me.
“I apologize; my master only speaks to customers in private.”
Then, I nodded and turned to Sardine,
“Stay here and wait”
Sardine nodded in response.
“Understood”
I turned to the worker and said: “Lead the way.
To my master.”
Meanwhile, Eric was looking at the letter Janet sent him.
‘After buying the jewelry, it's time for the flower workshop.
Are you going to buy cosmetics?
Or maybe...'
The Flower Workshop was different from other alchemy workshops that specialized in producing cosmetics.
It was just a façade as there were separate materials being researched there.
'Surely, there's no way Cornelia would know about this.'
Gradually, his eyes darkened.
'If she found out that I had secretly appointed guards, she would definitely be angry.'
He knew.
What he is doing now is in no way normal.
'But there is no other choice.
'Her safety first'
She didn't realize it, but there were so many potential dangers around.
Just the uninvited guest who came to the palace just now was proof of that.
“His Excellency, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, is searching for the Duchess...”
At these words, Eric got up and headed toward the front door.
He spotted a young man running madly at the entrance.
It was the notorious Crown Prince Franz.
Boom-!
Franz threw a piece of pottery he found at the entrance, looking defiant.
‘Yesterday, in the palace, that crow even went so far as to threaten me, but I ignored it…’
Franz had no intention of getting away with it, at least not today.
He knew that Cornelia had not only threatened him yesterday, but had also seized a mine that was rightfully his.
“Cornelia, where are you hiding?”
Cornelia, who was six years older than him, was strong-willed and irritable, but Franz never lost a fight with her.
That's because even if Franz destroyed something that belonged to Cornelia, his mother and father would skillfully stand by his side.
'She said she's pregnant this time, right?'
Franz knew.
He knew that if he threatened her with the child, Cornelia would come crawling to him, apologize profusely, and finally give him what he asked for.
“You idiots, bring Cornelia in front of me right now!”
Franz was calling her in an angry voice.
“His Highness the Crown Prince”
The low voice calling out to him seemed polite on the surface, but the blue eyes staring at him were deadly.
Franz shivered involuntarily as he looked at the person who had called him.
“Duke Brant!”
Franz, though a fearless troublemaker, felt a natural awe when confronting Erik, tall and burly.
Franz denied this fact and tried to convince himself, “What is a war hero worth compared to me?”
Sure, he's a duke now, but I'm a crown prince, and he's just a noble.
Currently, Duke Brant is openly challenged by the Emperor, and if he manipulates him, he will give the Emperor a chance.
Moreover, being the husband of the seemingly insignificant Cornelia, he was confident that even Duke Brant, whom he praised, would not be able to do anything to him.
Oh, and he said he didn't like crows.
From the beginning, the association between the naughty princess and the prestigious war hero has been a topic of debate.
In particular, there was a well-known story that the Duke refused to sleep with her and that the Duchess was cruel to any woman who dared to speak to him.
Well, I guess it won't interfere too much with my intention to meet the crow.
Franz replied slowly,
"Who is this?
Isn't he my wonderful brother-in-law?"
“If you have something to say to my wife, don’t say it here.
Please go to my office and wait.”
Instead of reprimanding, Eric calmly suggested moving elsewhere, making Franz laugh.
Well, I think that's it.
Pretending to be arrogant is not appropriate for him.
With that, Franz smiled sarcastically and followed Eric to his office.
“What a beautiful office”
Franz automatically sat on the bench, even though Eric did not invite him to sit.
Franz smiled wryly at Erik, who had not yet said a word.
'Look, he can't even say a word'
“Your Highness, may I make you some tea?”
“Oh, I want milk tea...”
While the servant asked cautiously, Franz was about to mention the tea he wanted to drink.
“No need for tea.
He'll be leaving soon.”
Eric answered and closed the door behind him.
Franz frowned, intending to express his dissatisfaction with Eric's arbitrary actions.
“Brother-in-law, who said I would leave so soon?
I want to see my sister’s face today, and...”
At that moment, Franz stopped talking.
Eric approached him quietly, squeezing his shoulders with both hands.
Franz screamed in pain from the sudden force on his shoulder.
Eric looked at him mockingly and spoke,
“Your Majesty, does this really hurt?”
“You, you bastard…ah!”
He struggled, hoping to somehow get rid of this pain, but to no avail.
Eric's grip was very strong.
At first, Franz was angry at this sudden suppression, but after a while, he became resentful.
“Why are you doing this to me...?”
Eric's mouth twitched as he asked in a trembling voice, “Don't you know?”
The voice was extremely arrogant, clearly the voice of the one with the upper hand.
Franz was angry, but he could not do anything, so he had no choice but to listen to Eric's words.
“You attacked like a dog in someone else's palace.
You dared to touch my palace, where not even an emperor can touch it.”
Franz shuddered at these words.
Although he was a troublemaker, no one ever alerted Franz to this fact.
“How dare you do this and think you can get away with it...?”
“I'll be fine”
When Franz was about to respond in amazement, his gaze met Eric's.
It was an evil look, more like the look of a wild beast.
“What the hell, what are you looking at...?”
Franz shuddered involuntarily as he was pushed off his feet, and Eric raised the corner of his mouth.
“This is my palace, and now, there is only me in this room.”
A cold smile tugged at the corners of Eric's mouth.
“Who do you think people will believe – the foolish prince, or me, the war hero?”
Franz may be a fool, but he has a sharp wit.
So Franz was aware that if he exposed Eric's atrocities, he would be at a disadvantage.
But…
“Then, Your Highness, please do not disturb me in the future, and act calmly in the palace.
Do you understand?”
Hearing Erich's words, which left no room for discussion, a hint of bloodthirst appeared in Franz's eyes.
'You scoundrel!'