(131) To the Empire (1)
The reason the Alfreich family's weapons business was able to prosper in the past was partly due to the support of the Western Lord, but the biggest reason was the eccentric engineering doctor, Hertio.
Ariana made a deal with Robern, an arms dealer from the outskirts of the empire, and brought Hertio to Robern to introduce him. Robern's personality was also unusual, making him a perfect match for the eccentric Hertio.
The two joined forces to create several weapons, and within six months had developed and started selling a fairly high-performance hunting gun.
The hunting rifle, beautifully engraved with patterns on its barrel, sold like hotcakes. Five percent of the profits went into Ariana's bank account.
'It won't be easy for the vassal to recover his financial power.'
Ingo Alfreich sent the Western Lord a huge gift in return for marrying Helena. Believing in his own business, which was among the top five in the world, he likely assumed he could quickly earn that much money.
The Western Lord managed to put out the fire with the money from the sale of Helena's wedding gift, but his reputation was not easily restored. He was also branded as "the nasty old man who sold his granddaughter to the likes of the Alfreich family."
Although the money that the Western Lord received from Ingo could have been used to appease the victims of the perfume, it would have been difficult to cover the national operating expenses that had been secretly embezzled.
'In the past, with solid funds, they were able to secretly build up their forces and even establish deep relationships with Paganus.'
This time it won't be that easy.
'The Alfreich family will fall sooner or later.'
Alfreich's arms business was not always prosperous.
There was a time when someone died because of a faulty weapon, and the situation was so dire that they had to recall all of it. It was the Lord of the West who saved the day.
'He won't be able to do that this time. Even the Western Lord couldn't properly put out the fire that fell on his own feet.'
With the perfume incident already causing him a bad reputation, it was clear how much his reputation would suffer if he were to interfere with his grandson-in-law's weapons business. The Lord of the West could not have been unaware of this.
While they were wiping the mud off their feet, Ariana was also busy.
Ariana used her excess savings to establish a poorhouse and a hospital accessible to the common people at low cost. This created jobs, and word of her work spread, leading to an increase in immigration.
The Eastern Kingdom developed rapidly, and with it, the reputation of the Lord, Russell White. Ariana attributed all this to the Eastern Lord, as his rise in fame would be more beneficial to the Eastern Kingdom.
Spring of 213 AD.
A small nation at the northeastern tip of the continent and the remnants of Paganus allied themselves and waged war, demanding "religious freedom" and "colonial liberation." Led by the Northern and Eastern Lord, the war lasted for over half a year, ending in victory for the Empire and the Four Commanderies (East, West, South, and North).
During this process, rumors were heard that the Northern Territory had recovered the lost Black Knights, but the truth of this was unknown.
As the Little Lord concluded the war and returned to the East, the year changed.
Year 214 of Ratan.
Ariana turned 20.
Four years have passed since the bitter custody battle between the Brontes and the Whites. Two years have passed since the perfume scandal that rocked the continent.
Ariana once enjoyed such fame that she was called a "saint." However, too many incidents and accidents plagued her to permanently remember her name. A major war even broke out in 213.
Because of this, people easily forgot about the existence of the Princess, who never showed up in social circles. Whenever the name "Ariana" came up, they'd remember, saying, "Oh! That was back then," but it wasn't mentioned at every gathering like it used to be.
But Victoria remembered Ariana vividly. She also vividly remembered the dishonor she had endured because of Ariana.
"Last year, there was a war, so they're going to throw a grand party this year during the social season. Guests will come from far away."
Victoria smiled at Rachel's words.
“It’s a stage that’s more than enough to hold my debut.”
Victoria turned 19 this year and officially made her debutante. It's a bit late, but last year, the social season was quiet due to the turmoil caused by the war.
Victoria longed to showcase herself on a grand stage. So, last year, she traveled to the Empire, but upon hearing news of the war, she returned to the West without attending the party.
"With so many distinguished guests coming, you must be careful about your conduct. The noble ladies whose daughters are having their debutantes this year will be particularly keen to find fault with you."
“Mother, do you think I would show them my flaws?”
“Of course you will do well.”
Rachel looked at her youngest daughter quietly.
When did it start? Victoria, once so perfect and lovable, started to become difficult.
She can't tell exactly when, but it seemed like it had been like that since Ariana left the West.
Rachel sometimes found Victoria creepy. She didn't seem like the daughter she'd borne in her womb.
In the past, Victoria would often visit Rachel's room and tell her every detail about her day. Whenever something important came up, she would always consult Rachel, and when she needed something, she would even act cute and ask her to buy it for her.
It was only a year ago that she realized that things had suddenly stopped.
First, because of Rachel's anger atAriana for betraying her, then because Jacob ran away, and then because of Helena's marriage.
Rachel had no time to worry about Victoria.
When she came to her senses, there was a huge wall between her and her youngest daughter.
Rachel found Victoria very uncomfortable and difficult.
As if Ariana had been the force that kept the Bronte family in peace, a rift appeared in the Bronte household as soon as she left.
Duke Jacob Bronte still had a mistress outside, Helena was now the wife of a penniless, shallow man, and Victoria was a distant, distant figure.
She suddenly wondered if this wouldn't have happened if she had acknowledged Ariana as her daughter and treated her better, but she quickly dismissed the thought. Rachel didn't want to admit she was wrong.
“Mother, is there anything you want to say to me?”
Victoria secretly gave a warning.
At the words that implied that if she had nothing to do, she should just go, Rachel smiled awkwardly and got up.
“Yes, then let me know if you need anything.”
“Yes, I will.”
As soon as Rachel left, the expression on Victoria's face disappeared.
Rachel had started acting a little more affectionate lately, but she wasn't happy about it. It was just annoying.
"Ariana hasn't even had her debutante yet. Do you plan on being stuck in a coma for the rest of your life?"
Victoria wanted to see with her own eyes how Ariana was doing, but she had no reason to go to the East.
'I wish you could come to the Empire this social season. Then you can witness me receiving the Empress's blessing.'
Although the perfume incident caused a brief setback, the relationship with the Third Prince remained good as the Lord of the West handled the situation.
Third Prince Harold often visited the West and met with Victoria. He was deeply attracted to the intelligent and beautiful Victoria, unaware that this temptation stemmed from the power of blood.
'No, it's not just because of the power of blood. It's just because of me...'
Victoria stood in front of the mirror and examined her reflection. She didn't like it. Something seemed lacking.
The power of blood is addictive, and once you start using it, you can't stop. Victoria was like that.
Eating the hearts of beautiful birds, cats, and pretty rabbits gave Victoria a sense of pride in her own beauty, but when the effects wore off, she became anxious, feeling as if her beauty had lost its luster.
There was a rumor going around among the Bronte household that small animals that entered Victoria's room came out dead.
'This time, I must receive the Empress's protection.'
She wanted to be someone everyone looked up to.
'The Third Prince will deal with the Crown Prince sooner or later.'
When the Third Prince became the Crown Prince, and Victoria was chosen as the Crown Princess, she wanted to be someone that no one would be dissatisfied with.
'I will soon become the Crown Princess.'
Ariana stood in front of the mirror and checked her appearance.
Although she hadn't grown much, she had matured enough that no one would call her a "girl." Her hair, once cut short by Geor, had grown back to her waist, and while her eyes still exuded a sense of innocence, her lips could easily form a seductive smile.
Instead of appearing in social circles, Ariana has quietly interacted with talented people.
Ariana, who had nothing when she left the West, is now a person with an abundance of wealth and talent.
'It's time.'
Last year, she received a report that Victoria was going to make her debutante debut but had to return to the West.
Ariana knew the war was coming last year, so she also anticipated Victoria's decision. Victoria would want a grand debut.
'This year, Victoria will be making her debut at a grand party and hoping to receive the Empress's blessing. Let's start by crushing that wish.'
Although the social season was still a few months away, Ariana was scheduled to depart for the Empire tomorrow. Geor would be joining her on this trip, and members of House White were also scheduled to arrive in time for the social season.
The White family decided to gradually establish contact with the Empire, taking advantage of their great contributions in the last war.
Ariana left the mirror and headed towards the window.
Even on a cold January day, the gardens of Chase Castle were beautiful. Snow-covered trees and winter flowers adorned the flower beds. Through them, she could see servants loading wagons.
Each large box would contain Ariana's dresses, jewelry, shoes, and other items.
Ariana isn't one to indulge in extravagance, but she was planning to splurge a little this social season.
There was enough money.
“Ariana, can I come in?”
Geor's voice came from behind. Ariana answered without turning around.
“Why don’t you ask that question before you come in?”
“Because I am a person who is good at taking action.”
Geor stood next to Ariana and looked out the window.
“It’s amazing. I don’t think even ten wagons would be enough.”
“Have you prepared the mansion in the imperial capital without any problems?”
"Of course."
“Can we arrive in about two weeks?”
"If we hurry as much as possible, we might arrive even earlier. It's been a while since you've been to the Empire. Are you mentally prepared?"
Geor knew Victoria would be coming to the Empire this time. Ariana, sensing that the question included that, smiled at Geor.
“I was always prepared.”
The reason the Alfreich family's weapons business was able to prosper in the past was partly due to the support of the Western Lord, but the biggest reason was the eccentric engineering doctor, Hertio.
Ariana made a deal with Robern, an arms dealer from the outskirts of the empire, and brought Hertio to Robern to introduce him. Robern's personality was also unusual, making him a perfect match for the eccentric Hertio.
The two joined forces to create several weapons, and within six months had developed and started selling a fairly high-performance hunting gun.
The hunting rifle, beautifully engraved with patterns on its barrel, sold like hotcakes. Five percent of the profits went into Ariana's bank account.
'It won't be easy for the vassal to recover his financial power.'
Ingo Alfreich sent the Western Lord a huge gift in return for marrying Helena. Believing in his own business, which was among the top five in the world, he likely assumed he could quickly earn that much money.
The Western Lord managed to put out the fire with the money from the sale of Helena's wedding gift, but his reputation was not easily restored. He was also branded as "the nasty old man who sold his granddaughter to the likes of the Alfreich family."
Although the money that the Western Lord received from Ingo could have been used to appease the victims of the perfume, it would have been difficult to cover the national operating expenses that had been secretly embezzled.
'In the past, with solid funds, they were able to secretly build up their forces and even establish deep relationships with Paganus.'
This time it won't be that easy.
'The Alfreich family will fall sooner or later.'
Alfreich's arms business was not always prosperous.
There was a time when someone died because of a faulty weapon, and the situation was so dire that they had to recall all of it. It was the Lord of the West who saved the day.
'He won't be able to do that this time. Even the Western Lord couldn't properly put out the fire that fell on his own feet.'
With the perfume incident already causing him a bad reputation, it was clear how much his reputation would suffer if he were to interfere with his grandson-in-law's weapons business. The Lord of the West could not have been unaware of this.
While they were wiping the mud off their feet, Ariana was also busy.
Ariana used her excess savings to establish a poorhouse and a hospital accessible to the common people at low cost. This created jobs, and word of her work spread, leading to an increase in immigration.
The Eastern Kingdom developed rapidly, and with it, the reputation of the Lord, Russell White. Ariana attributed all this to the Eastern Lord, as his rise in fame would be more beneficial to the Eastern Kingdom.
Spring of 213 AD.
A small nation at the northeastern tip of the continent and the remnants of Paganus allied themselves and waged war, demanding "religious freedom" and "colonial liberation." Led by the Northern and Eastern Lord, the war lasted for over half a year, ending in victory for the Empire and the Four Commanderies (East, West, South, and North).
During this process, rumors were heard that the Northern Territory had recovered the lost Black Knights, but the truth of this was unknown.
As the Little Lord concluded the war and returned to the East, the year changed.
Year 214 of Ratan.
Ariana turned 20.
***
Four years have passed since the bitter custody battle between the Brontes and the Whites. Two years have passed since the perfume scandal that rocked the continent.
Ariana once enjoyed such fame that she was called a "saint." However, too many incidents and accidents plagued her to permanently remember her name. A major war even broke out in 213.
Because of this, people easily forgot about the existence of the Princess, who never showed up in social circles. Whenever the name "Ariana" came up, they'd remember, saying, "Oh! That was back then," but it wasn't mentioned at every gathering like it used to be.
But Victoria remembered Ariana vividly. She also vividly remembered the dishonor she had endured because of Ariana.
"Last year, there was a war, so they're going to throw a grand party this year during the social season. Guests will come from far away."
Victoria smiled at Rachel's words.
“It’s a stage that’s more than enough to hold my debut.”
Victoria turned 19 this year and officially made her debutante. It's a bit late, but last year, the social season was quiet due to the turmoil caused by the war.
Victoria longed to showcase herself on a grand stage. So, last year, she traveled to the Empire, but upon hearing news of the war, she returned to the West without attending the party.
"With so many distinguished guests coming, you must be careful about your conduct. The noble ladies whose daughters are having their debutantes this year will be particularly keen to find fault with you."
“Mother, do you think I would show them my flaws?”
“Of course you will do well.”
Rachel looked at her youngest daughter quietly.
When did it start? Victoria, once so perfect and lovable, started to become difficult.
She can't tell exactly when, but it seemed like it had been like that since Ariana left the West.
Rachel sometimes found Victoria creepy. She didn't seem like the daughter she'd borne in her womb.
‘You don't even come looking for me first anymore….’
It was only a year ago that she realized that things had suddenly stopped.
First, because of Rachel's anger atAriana for betraying her, then because Jacob ran away, and then because of Helena's marriage.
Rachel had no time to worry about Victoria.
When she came to her senses, there was a huge wall between her and her youngest daughter.
Rachel found Victoria very uncomfortable and difficult.
As if Ariana had been the force that kept the Bronte family in peace, a rift appeared in the Bronte household as soon as she left.
Duke Jacob Bronte still had a mistress outside, Helena was now the wife of a penniless, shallow man, and Victoria was a distant, distant figure.
She suddenly wondered if this wouldn't have happened if she had acknowledged Ariana as her daughter and treated her better, but she quickly dismissed the thought. Rachel didn't want to admit she was wrong.
“Mother, is there anything you want to say to me?”
Victoria secretly gave a warning.
At the words that implied that if she had nothing to do, she should just go, Rachel smiled awkwardly and got up.
“Yes, then let me know if you need anything.”
“Yes, I will.”
As soon as Rachel left, the expression on Victoria's face disappeared.
Rachel had started acting a little more affectionate lately, but she wasn't happy about it. It was just annoying.
"Ariana hasn't even had her debutante yet. Do you plan on being stuck in a coma for the rest of your life?"
Victoria wanted to see with her own eyes how Ariana was doing, but she had no reason to go to the East.
'I wish you could come to the Empire this social season. Then you can witness me receiving the Empress's blessing.'
Although the perfume incident caused a brief setback, the relationship with the Third Prince remained good as the Lord of the West handled the situation.
Third Prince Harold often visited the West and met with Victoria. He was deeply attracted to the intelligent and beautiful Victoria, unaware that this temptation stemmed from the power of blood.
'No, it's not just because of the power of blood. It's just because of me...'
Victoria stood in front of the mirror and examined her reflection. She didn't like it. Something seemed lacking.
The power of blood is addictive, and once you start using it, you can't stop. Victoria was like that.
Eating the hearts of beautiful birds, cats, and pretty rabbits gave Victoria a sense of pride in her own beauty, but when the effects wore off, she became anxious, feeling as if her beauty had lost its luster.
There was a rumor going around among the Bronte household that small animals that entered Victoria's room came out dead.
'This time, I must receive the Empress's protection.'
She wanted to be someone everyone looked up to.
'The Third Prince will deal with the Crown Prince sooner or later.'
When the Third Prince became the Crown Prince, and Victoria was chosen as the Crown Princess, she wanted to be someone that no one would be dissatisfied with.
'I will soon become the Crown Princess.'
***
Ariana stood in front of the mirror and checked her appearance.
Although she hadn't grown much, she had matured enough that no one would call her a "girl." Her hair, once cut short by Geor, had grown back to her waist, and while her eyes still exuded a sense of innocence, her lips could easily form a seductive smile.
Instead of appearing in social circles, Ariana has quietly interacted with talented people.
Ariana, who had nothing when she left the West, is now a person with an abundance of wealth and talent.
'It's time.'
Last year, she received a report that Victoria was going to make her debutante debut but had to return to the West.
Ariana knew the war was coming last year, so she also anticipated Victoria's decision. Victoria would want a grand debut.
'This year, Victoria will be making her debut at a grand party and hoping to receive the Empress's blessing. Let's start by crushing that wish.'
Although the social season was still a few months away, Ariana was scheduled to depart for the Empire tomorrow. Geor would be joining her on this trip, and members of House White were also scheduled to arrive in time for the social season.
The White family decided to gradually establish contact with the Empire, taking advantage of their great contributions in the last war.
Ariana left the mirror and headed towards the window.
Even on a cold January day, the gardens of Chase Castle were beautiful. Snow-covered trees and winter flowers adorned the flower beds. Through them, she could see servants loading wagons.
Each large box would contain Ariana's dresses, jewelry, shoes, and other items.
Ariana isn't one to indulge in extravagance, but she was planning to splurge a little this social season.
There was enough money.
“Ariana, can I come in?”
Geor's voice came from behind. Ariana answered without turning around.
“Why don’t you ask that question before you come in?”
“Because I am a person who is good at taking action.”
Geor stood next to Ariana and looked out the window.
“It’s amazing. I don’t think even ten wagons would be enough.”
“Have you prepared the mansion in the imperial capital without any problems?”
"Of course."
“Can we arrive in about two weeks?”
"If we hurry as much as possible, we might arrive even earlier. It's been a while since you've been to the Empire. Are you mentally prepared?"
Geor knew Victoria would be coming to the Empire this time. Ariana, sensing that the question included that, smiled at Geor.
“I was always prepared.”
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