One day, the capital became noisy.
This was because prophets who had been hiding among the people appeared and went around shouting their prophecies in the squares, markets, and houses.
"Obey the will of heaven. The signs of heaven will soon appear! Now, watch the heavens! The change is about to begin!"
The first person to make such a prophecy was a prophet named Limana.
She was a prophetess who was recruited by Bridget and Millea shortly after they met Seraphina.
People did not understand Limana's prophecy and did not pay much attention to it.
But before Limana's prophecy faded from people's memories, another prophet appeared one after another.
It was Seraphina, famous as the Queen Mother's prophetess.
"Look at the sun rising above. Look up at the sky. On that day, the sun will be swollen and covered with colorful ribbons!"
People immediately recognized her identity, even though she appeared in the slums wearing shabby clothes, unlike six years ago.
The ladies found her and her father, Count Dracian, and invited them to their mansion.
They changed her clothes, gave her a room, and treated her to a nice meal.
She was not neglected because she was blind and had a shabby appearance.
Many among the nobility believed that Josephine's downfall was due to the loss of Seraphina.
"Seraphina, what does that mean?"
"Can you interpret the prophecy for me?"
"Who is the prophecy for this time?"
Seraphina's words had political power.
Because of her activities as the Queen Mother's prophet, people made wild guesses.
They wonder if Seraphina's prophecy is related to the rumors about Julian that are circulating these days.
Bridget also heard the prophet's stories.
'It's started."
The sky can be seen from anywhere, and the sun rises above everyone's head.
That wasn't something that could be manipulated.
All Bridget asked was that the most equitable future of the many events to come be spread to as many people as possible.
The fairest future. That was the fortune-telling of nature.
Because there is no inequality in what nature does.
It was a coincidence that Limana and Seraphina's prophecies overlapped.
But it was a coincidence that Bridget had intended.
The rumor that Julian was healthy and would not die was fabricated, but it was people's own doing to connect the prophecy with the rumor.
Bridget knew exactly what she had manipulated and what she had not.
But Millea wasn't like that.
"The sky changes and the sun takes on a rainbow of colors. How absurd."
Millea looked up at the sky.
The sky was covered with dark clouds today, so the sun wasn't visible.
"If that's the prophecy it's too difficult for us to do anything about it."
Millea believed that Bridget was manipulating the prophecy.
When the prophets speak their prophecies, Bridget makes them come true.
No matter how much she thought about it, Millea couldn't figure out how to fulfill Limana and Seraphina's prophecy.
But Bridget wasn't worried.
"It will happen. Millea, can I use the Grand Ballroom of the Palace?"
"The grand banquet hall?"
"We are going to hold a charity banquet for war victims."
"I'll look into it."
***
Millea immediately told Julian about this.
"She's throwing a charity banquet?"
"Yes. She asked me to see if she could use the banquet hall."
It was a banquet hosted by the King's government. Julian's permission was required.
People will think that this is a banquet that Julian is throwing for the government.
Julian figured out that Bridget had an ulterior motive among the many banquets, she wanted to hold a charity banquet, specifically a charity event targeting war victims.
'Clever.'
Bridget said Isaac was involved in the trafficking of war victims.
Julian was investigating the matter extensively.
They planned to track down those involved and severely punish them soоn.
The problem of human trafficking of war victims was deeper and more widespread than they thought.
As they began to investigate the truth, many problems arose one after another, like sweet potatoes on a stem.
Exploitation of the workforce was serious, but it was not as big of a problem as other things.
The more they delve into it, the more vile and cruel things are revealed.
Several nobles regularly bought children. The whereabouts of these children were unknown.
Investigators reported that they appeared to have been sexually exploited and then murdered...
"Those ugly guys."
Among the nobles who led such atrocities was the eldest son of Count Peyton.
The Count of Peyton was the eldest son-in-law of the Duke of Linchester.
It was like catching a rat while the cow was backing away.
If they make things big, they might even be able to snap the Duke of Linchester's wrist.
But there was something that concerned him.
It was Bridget's husband, Isaac.
Public opinion toward Bridget was not good to begin with.
In that situation, if Bridget's husband had made his fortune by trafficking war victims, the arrows could have been unexpectedly pointed at Bridget.
Perhaps even more so than the eldest son of Count Peyton, or even Isaac, Bridget may have received more negative attention.
To prevent that, Julian had two options.
One is to secretly bury what Isaac did and forgive him.
Another way is to get rid of him without anyone knowing.
The former is hot. The heart was naturally the latter.
But Bridget's words that there was a reason to keep him alive were disturbing.
But Bridget's decision to hold a charity banquet for war victims meant she was publicly drawing a line with Isaac.
This could have been a circumstance that even if his crimes were discovered later, had nothing to do with Bridget.
It was already revealed to the world through gossip that Isaac had been cheating and that their relationship was already on the rocks.
Ironically, the gossip magazine's scandal would be used as evidence to prove Bridget's innocence.
Julian wrinkled his nose.
'It's a good number, but... It's annoying."
Bridget's numbers were clever.
But sometimes it was too rough.
She was rough on herself, not on anyone else.
Throw herself into the scandal and hold a banquet while the protests are in full swing.
It's a bit precarious.
As if she had no interest in self-defense whatsoever.
Suddenly, Julian felt uneasy.
'I think she used to be more conservative and defensive because she cared more about what other people thought.'
If you think about it, when she proposed to become the government, she chose to sacrifice herself rather than trying to persuade Julian.
"Don't kill me, take me, Julian."
"If you tell me to dance. I'll dance. If you tell me to die, I'll pretend to die."
"I'll be a clown just for you."
He did so by exploiting his anger and feelings of betrayal.
'It's definitely changed.'
The girl he knew was originally quiet and cautious, but she was a bit more brash, honest, and innocent than she is now.
She was never the type of person to say she would become a government official.
Julian suddenly became curious. What happened to her in the three years they didn't see each other?
Anyway, this time Julian had no choice but to accept her wishes.
Seeing her do this, it seems she doesn't want Isaac to be secretly pardoned or quietly eliminated.
"If that's what Bridget wants, then so be it."
"Yes, then let's prepare the banquet."
Julian called out to Millea, who was going out after setting an example.
“Millea.”
"Yes?"
"If you're going to do it, do it grandly."
Bridget was the King's favorite mistress, but she was also the daughter of a declining family and the wife of a Viscount who had apparently purchased the title.
The snobbish nobles would not openly treat Bridget rudely because they were concerned about Julian's reaction, but they would certainly look down on her.
The only thing Bridget can shield herself with is the King's favor.
"Throw a very grand banquet that no one can ignore."
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