<Episode 544> I'm telling you, I didn't order this
"Yes, he is someone I knew when I worked at the Outer Palace."
The attendants of the outer palace were responsible for menial tasks, such as preparing meals for the Royal Guard, cleaning their quarters, and running errands. It was a position that everyone avoided. In other words, working there meant having no particular connections within the royal palace.
"You rotten human!"
Isabella cursed the servant who had brought the note as well. He must have been bribed. The question was who had given the bribe, and whether the servant actually knew what he was delivering.
Whoosh!
She roughly tossed the piece of parchment into the fireplace. The parchment held on for a moment over the fire, then burned to ashes, emitting the smell of roasting squid. The contents of the note Isabella had burned were as follows.
"Dear Isabella, let us meet at the third fountain of the Red Palace just before midnight on the night of the full moon. Andrea."
Andrea was the name of Count Di Pascal. However, Isabella did not believe that this note had been sent by Di Pascal.
"What business do you have coming all the way here now?"
It was a relationship that had fizzled out. They hadn't parted by fate like romantic couples in history who couldn't forget each other, nor was there any particular catalyst to reignite the spark. Lying a hand on the King's woman was a crime that meant risking one's life. Their love wasn't anything extraordinary
'It's obviously a note sent by someone who wants to trap me.'
Di Pascal is either being impersonated or is cooperating with it.
"Filthy things!"
Isabella vented her frustration once again. She was trying to live a good and upright life, but others were always tormenting her.
"Barbara. That servant from earlier. Can he read?"
Barbara tilted her head
"I'm not exactly sure, but I'll look into it."
"Don't make a fuss asking around. Be quiet."
The blonde maid smiled and nodded. In every respect, she was far more capable than Deborah. Isabella poked around inside the fireplace with an iron rod to confirm that the parchment had completely burned out. She had no intention of attending that gathering, regardless of whether the sender was Di Pascal in love or Di Pascal plotting. Why would she be crazy enough to go to a place like that, where she would gain absolutely nothing? Of course, there were far more important matters piled up.
"Master."
Barbara called out to Isabella, who was engrossed in skewering.
"Why?"
"Don't worry."
Isabella looked at her maid with a sullen expression. Barbara smiled sweetly and left Isabella's living room. Agosto, who had been keeping watch with his arms crossed like a genie from a lamp, grinned, raising the corners of his mouth. Isabella gave Agosto a curt order.
"If that outer palace attendant knows how to read, kill him."
It was an all-too-calm request for murder. Agosto replied as if dumbfounded.
"You seem to think I'm a wizard or something."
Capable of killing a person with a snap of a finger.
"You really are a wizard."
Isabella snapped.
"Otherwise, how would you explain this?"
She gestured toward the dressing table by the wall. On it lay an expensive mirror made of molten tin and mercury coated onto a glass plate. Agosto came up behind Isabella, stood as if wrapping his arms around her, and looked in the same direction. A small, white face rose above the sea of mercury. It was small, white, with a terrible red scar running across her cheek. A satisfied smile surged across Agosto's face, reflected in the mirror.
"You cannot kill a person with sorcery."
It wasn't that he couldn't kill him, but that it simply wasn't cost-effective; however, Agosto didn't bother to explain it in detail. Isabella, however, sensed with uncanny accuracy that he wasn't telling the truth.
"Don't lie to me, Agosto."
Burning anger filled her purple eyes.
"Do you think I can't do it just because you won't?"
Isabella also had a Janobi whom she had temporarily sent back to his home in Taranto. In principle, the court did not allow entry to people with physical disabilities. The only exception was the court jester. Janobi, whose tendons in all his limbs had been severed, was not handsome to begin with, but now his body was twisted, and he was a hideous figure too disfigured to behold. He lacked refinement, titles, and lineage. In every respect, he was unsuitable for the court. However, wouldn't it be acceptable to call him in for a brief moment and have him clean up the trash under the cover of darkness? Agosto could read exactly what Isabella was thinking on her face.
He gazed at the blonde beauty as if he could die of cuteness. Reflected in the mirror coated with tin and mercury, it was a somewhat grotesque sight.
***
News of Princess Julia Helena's reckless squandering of the family fortune reached even Leo III's ears. Unlike Isabella, whom he had simply scoffed and brushed off, Leo III jumped up in protest.
"What? I didn't hear that right, did I?"
Lord Delpiano bowed his head, squeezing out a sense of apology with a look that seemed to say, "I've lived long enough to see this really happening."
"She spent 3,500 ducats on dress shopping?!"
"You are right, Your Majesty."
"That's all my, no, that's supposed to be my dowry! She spent it so recklessly?! Is she out of her mind!"
Isabella, who had come to the royal court to attend Leo III, silently massaged the King's shoulders with a faint smile. Sensing Lord Delpiano's displeasure, Leo III sought out his side and asked Isabella.
"Isabella, do you think this makes any sense? 3,500 ducats for a dress?!"
However, Isabella did not want to agree here that 3,500 ducats was too much to spend in a day. She didn't know how much her future self would spend in a day, so if he said 3,500 ducats was excessive, wouldn't that set a daily shopping limit? She answered prettily in a soft voice.
"It is said that the price includes not only the dress but also the jewelry, Your Majesty."
Isabella's answer calmed the old King a little. It was not because he intended to splurge on his future mistress. It was because, unlike dresses that are worn for a season and then discarded, jewelry has liquid value. However, his anger had not completely subsided.
"I hope you chose valuable jewelry!"
He snorted. Jewels, it was slightly better than having squandered it all on dresses. However, as a store of value, no jewel could by any means compare to Ducato gold. He could not stand seeing his fortune being gnawed away like this. This behavior must never continue. Just in times like this, he had brilliantly found someone to take his place as the villain.
"Rubina, bring Rubina here!"
***
Rubina responded to Leo III's summons with a mixture of joy and fear. If there was a breakthrough for her plight, having suddenly become an old woman relegated to the back room of society, it was Leo III's favor. However, as soon as Rubina entered Leo III's drawing room, she discovered Isabella massaging the King's limbs. Isabella was flawlessly beautiful. Even her lowered eyelashes were pretty. Rubina's mood instantly cooled.
"Did you call for me, Your Majesty?"
Rubina pretended not to see Isabella at all and paid her respects to Leo III.
"Right, Rubina."
The King made no point of mentioning Rubina’s petulance. His failure to show consideration for Isabella in such a trivial matter stood in stark contrast to the immense favor he showed the Countess Contarini, who was the talk of the court.
However, that did not mean Rubina was safe. At some point, Leo III stopped addressing Rubina as 'my lady'.
"I called you because I have something for you to do."
Nevertheless, a slight look of joy appeared on Rubina's face. Having work to do meant she was becoming useful.
From now on, the envoys of the Principality of Manchike were to report to the King through Lord Delpiano until Count Marquez arrived. After the news of this spread, Rubina suddenly began to be shunned by the ladies of society. Although Rubina's authority was still formidable, the atmosphere changed simply because her power had begun to diminish.
For Rubina, who had accompanied Queen Marguerite's wedding procession as the King's mistress and who had been a figure of great influence since her days of being nobody, this was a humiliation she had never experienced before. If Rubina were given more duties, she would be able to quickly shed the stigma of being a "backroom old woman" that was rapidly circulating in society.
"Yes, please tell me anything, Your Majesty."
She happily added.
"I will accomplish whatever is necessary and present it to you."
"I mean, Princess Julia Helena."
When Leo III brought up the topic of the Princess, Rubina's face lit up. Am I going to become the manager of Manchike's party again? Does this mean you are reinstating me? However, at the King's next words, Rubina's expression immediately turned gloomy.
"Rumor has it that the Princess is living in excessive luxury these days. She might become my daughter-in-law, but she is completely unsuitable for the role."
"What? Are you saying you're going to call off the marriage?"
Leo III had no intention of calling off the marriage. However, what followed was just as bad.
"You take her over and talk to her nicely. Tell her to stop spending so much money."
"..."
Rubina regretted coming here today. Ah, I should have just stayed in my room, pretending to be sick. How on earth can I bring up that story in a way that isn't thrown around, but rather expressed with dignity and elegance?
'...'
There was no answer. There was no way anywhere in the world to convey that without making a mess. When Rubina did not answer, Leo III immediately raised his voice.
"Does what I'm saying not make sense to you?"
Unconcealed displeasure seeped from every word. The patience and consideration he had shown back when he cherished Rubina were nowhere to be seen.
"You can't even properly keep a young girl in check, huh? And you're sitting there overseeing the royal palace's household affairs?! Hey, aren't you sitting in a position you're undeserving of?!"
Upon hearing that, Rubina glanced at Isabella.
'Surely that girl didn't go babbling that she would look after the royal palace's household affairs?'
To Isabella, Rubina's gaze felt like a beam of blazing rage. Isabella lowered her head, pretending to be docile. Her skin was actually stinging, too. The other party was paving the perfect opportunity for her to look pitiful. Rubina managed to answer Leo III in a tone that did not reveal any trace of anger.
"I will speak to her, Your Majesty."
Meanwhile, Rubina kept glaring at Isabella.
"But these days, young people just don't listen to me at all."
She glared at the young mistress. You whispered to His Majesty the King to demand control of the royal ledgers, didn't you? Isabella continued to avoid Rubina's gaze. She had no reason to fight back. Leo III threatened Rubina with her lukewarm response.
"It is your role to make the impossible possible, understand, Rubina?"
Saying anything more here would only amount to talking back. She had to leave to give unwelcome advice to Princess Julia Helena. Rubina bowed her head in dissatisfaction.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
***
As Grand Duchess Rubina finished her audience with the King and left by walking backward, Lord Delpiano followed her out to see her off. Left alone with Leo III, Isabella finally opened her pretty cherry-red lips.
"You are worried about the finances, Your Majesty?"
Leo III let out a deep sigh.
"Yeah, the Orte Forest is a money-eating monster. A monster!"
Isabella grinned. She had a very good idea.
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