Inbun was a word meaning scales that fall from the body of butterflies or moths.

In other words, it meant that unidentified yellow butterflies were found at the scene where father and the princess died. I realized this fact and hurriedly took a breath. Then I realized one more thing.

“Come to think of it, pulmonary edema is a disease that occurs when the heart is strained…!”

Heart abnormality, and yellow butterflies.

At first glance, they seemed like two unrelated words, but I was convinced that the secret of this incident was hidden in those two things. I immediately disposed of the letter and report without a trace, then wrote a reply to send to the spy.

However, as I read the report, I had a few more questions. So, I’d like to ask a little more.

You said that when father died, uncle, who was a viscount at the time, was looking for a missing girl in the Lunalia region, right? Please find out more details about that girl.

I’d also like you to look into Jude Mathis, the boy who accidentally caused the princess’s death. For example, how he became a seed of the White Lion Order, and if there was any connection between his family, uncle, and the Duke Klein family.]

Just as I folded the paper with the reply small, Annie’s voice was heard outside the door.

“Young lady! It’s terrible!”

I asked her, who was red-faced and panting.

“Why? What happened?”

“Crown Princess Meredithe has sent someone for you, young lady! She even sent a carriage to escort you to the palace right away!”

At those words, I opened my eyes wide in surprise.

I didn’t know why the Crown Princess was looking for me at this point, but somehow it didn’t feel good at all. I asked Annie reluctantly.

“…Are you sure you didn’t misunderstand something? Her Highness the Crown Princess should be confined to the palace due to recent unsavory events. I heard she couldn’t receive any guests until His Majesty’s permission…”

“You need not worry about that, Lady Christine Yusten. His Majesty withdrew the orders given to both of them immediately after it was revealed that this incident was the sole crime of that wicked Belladonna Iris.”

I turned my head at the sudden unfamiliar voice. She was Countess Ramot, the wet nurse of Prince Louis and one of the Crown Princess’s closest confidants. She opened the bedroom door without my permission and entered, looking around at me and Annie with arrogant eyes as she spoke.

“So, Lady Duchess, please finish your preparations to go out right now. I’ll give you exactly 15 minutes.”

With those words, the Countess turned and left my bedroom. As I let out a quiet sigh, Annie looked at me with concern and said,

“What should we do now, young lady?”

“…Help me prepare to go out, Annie. Since we don’t have much time, please choose a comfortable dress.”

Annie nodded firmly and ran to the dressing room.

* * *

A little while later.

Having finished preparations in less than 10 minutes, I immediately came out of the annex. In front of the door was a silver carriage engraved with the emblem symbolizing the Crown Prince’s palace. I got into the carriage with Annie’s help.

Before long, the carriage arrived at the Crown Prince’s palace. The luxurious and massive fortress was enough to intimidate visitors. As I got out of the carriage, Countess Ramot guided me and Annie to the glass greenhouse.

Crown Princess Meredithe was standing in front of a flower bed near a huge round table placed in the center of the greenhouse. With her reddish-brown curly hair naturally tied up with pins set with hundreds of amethysts, and wearing a purple dress embroidered with golden flower branches, she looked like a living flower amidst dozens of butterflies fluttering around, scattering beautiful inbun like jewel powder.

I greeted her, holding both sides of my dress and slightly bending my knees.

“Christine Sapiel Yusten greets Crown Princess Meredithe.”

“Welcome, Lady Christine.”

The Crown Princess, who had been looking at the butterflies all along, turned her back to me and responded. A butterfly of the same color as her dress landed on her shoulder as she sat down on the chair with grace. I glanced at her and her butterfly as I sat down on the chair opposite her.

“It seems Lady Yusten is also very interested in butterflies.”

“…Yes, Your Highness.”

“Well, there’s no woman who dislikes beautiful things. Especially when they’re so alive like this.”

The Crown Princess said so and gently raised her hand. Then not only the butterfly sitting on her shoulder, but also the butterflies flying around her gently landed on her fingers.

“But these are beautiful yet such fleeting beings. After passing through a long, long caterpillar stage, they barely become butterflies, show off their splendor for about two weeks, and then leave this world.”

“…That’s quite a sad story, Your Highness.”

“Huh, is that so? I think the life of these butterflies is very similar to human life. The young and splendid time we face after a long growth period is truly short. The time to find a suitable mate is even shorter.”

The Crown Princess said so and looked at me with a meaningful gaze.

I realized what she wanted to say to me, but I smiled pretending not to know.

“I am young and foolish, so I don’t understand Your Highness’s deep meaning at all.”

“Oh my, are you going to pretend not to know? Then I’ll speak directly. End your engagement now and marry my brother, Viscount Leonard. It’s been a long time since you two got engaged.”

At her words, I imperceptibly grasped the hem of my dress.

When I desperately wanted to marry him, they postponed it saying the timing wasn’t right yet, but now they speak like this, and the reason was obvious.

After weighing Danae and me, they judged that I would be more beneficial to them. They must be coveting my abilities and the dowry I would bring through marriage. That dowry includes Plima Castle, which currently harvests the most wheat in this empire thanks to my efforts.

Suppressing the desire to openly mock her for her shallow tricks, I said to her,

“That may be so, but the situation doesn’t seem very good for Viscount Leonard and me to marry now. Recently, the Yusten family has suffered a great reduction in territory income due to an unprecedented poor harvest, and because of that, uncle and Danae are experiencing considerable difficulties. If I take away the family’s meager fortune as a dowry to marry the Viscount in this situation, it will make things even more difficult for them.”

“I fully understand that kind heart of yours, Lady Duchess, not wanting to be happy alone while leaving your family behind. But that doesn’t mean Leonard can keep waiting for you until the situation improves.”

The Crown Princess’s tone was gentle, but the meaning contained in it was very firm, as if she was determined to get a definite answer from me about marrying Leonard.

‘If it were me from my past life, I would have gladly agreed to follow the Crown Princess’s will. No, I might have already pestered Leonard to propose before she even brought this up.’

But that me from my past life was killed by Danae, and you people killed my father and even covered up his death.

How could I marry Leonard knowing all that? Even if I would die right now for not marrying him, I didn’t want to yield.

Besides, I already have someone I love.

I remained silent, contemplating how I could postpone the marriage with him. At that moment, the Crown Princess spoke as if lamenting,

“Do you know what that child Leonard has been doing lately to marry Lady Duchess? He put up his cherished possessions to buy a ring for you, and still short of money, he even sent a letter to the guild master of the Shylis Guild.”

At that moment, I inadvertently flinched. Isn’t the Shylis Guild the most notorious usurers’ guild in this empire? Known for their mixed-race guild master and vice guild master, they were infamous for lending money at impossibly high interest rates to imperial citizens who discriminated against them, and exploiting them until they paid back both interest and principal.

‘Not for the territory and its people, but just to propose to me, he borrows money from such a place?’

It was just like him to bring about his own ruin, blinded by the pleasure before his eyes. I inwardly mocked Leonard for trying to make such a foolish choice without any fear.

Meanwhile, a quite good plan suddenly occurred to me. Using that method, I could both embarrass him and prevent him from proposing to me.

After finishing the specific plan, I looked at the Crown Princess with an expression as if I was very moved and said,

“Really? Did the Viscount do that much for me?”

“Yes, he said he would prepare the most valuable jewel in this empire for the proposal that will happen only once in a lifetime.”

“It’s such a joyful story just to hear. I’m really looking forward to when the Viscount will propose to me.”

I responded to the Crown Princess’s words, emphasizing the word ‘when’. The Crown Princess, perhaps grateful that I was following her intention, spoke with a pleased face.

“Well. You probably won’t have to wait too long.”

“Don’t say that, please give me a little hint, Your Highness. I want to prepare my heart in advance.”

As I urged the Crown Princess in a coy voice, she dropped a hint,