Lea had many worries and concerns before going to meet Teresa. Of course, she was also scared.

But she couldn’t avoid it forever. Their relationship was very important for her business.

Above all, a sense of sympathy for Teresa began to creep up from deep within her heart.

‘Lea Hamilton, are you trying to meddle again?’

If it were just simple meddling, that would be fine, but the other party is the Emperor of Galdensia, and if she falls out of her favor, she’ll be the one at a disadvantage. So she had to make a big decision in a short time.

“If you don’t want to die, get out.”

Teresa said in a nonchalant tone.

Coming all this way on her own accord, only to blink like a frightened rabbit in front of her, does she want to apologize while crying? If so, it would be best to send her away quickly.

“Your Majesty, I still don’t think I did anything wrong.”

Lea gathered her courage.

“I only tried to pick up and return the fallen veil, that’s not a crime worthy of having my tongue cut out, is it?”

“So you came to criticize me? Did you want to argue because I’m a twisted and rough person?”

“No. Every human has secrets they can’t speak of, scars they don’t want to reveal, or weaknesses that explode like a bomb’s trigger when touched.”

At Lea’s words, Teresa put down the wine glass she was holding on the table. She laughed hollowly and stared at Lea with her arms crossed.

“You’ve lost your mind. Are you acting so arrogantly because you trust your fiancé?”

“This has nothing to do with my fiancé. I came to Your Majesty of my own will. Even the great Emperor should apologize when necessary.”

“Haha! Apologize? You truly want to die!”

Teresa strode towards Lea and grabbed her throat forcefully.

“Ugh… ack!”

“Sometimes foolish youngsters act out recklessly. In the end, you’ll be whimpering for your life.”

Teresa’s hand gripping Lea’s neck tightened.

“Hah…!”

Even as her face reddened and veins popped on her forehead from the lack of air, Lea didn’t beg for her life. She endured even as her vision blurred and her mind became hazy.

Thud-! As Teresa released her grip, Lea collapsed to the floor, gasping for breath.

“Tell me the real reason you came to see me. If you play word games, I’ll really kill you.”

“Cough cough, no one… risks their life on word games.”

Teresa stared intently at Lea, who was still speaking her mind even in this situation.

She looks so fragile that she couldn’t hurt a fly, but where did this guts come from? Well, considering she made Vivian’s riding outfit, she was clearly not a dull woman.

“Please apologize to me first.”

“Should I have killed you outright? No, you have another reason for coming to me. Isn’t that right?”

“That’s correct.”

“Then convince me. That’s how you’ll be able to leave here alive.”

Finally, Lea had grasped an opportunity to gain Emperor Teresa’s trust. A single chance with her life on the line. So from now on, she had to be cautious with every word she spoke.

“I know you’re worried as the owner of Hamilton General Stores across Galdensia. Unless you’re bird-brained, you’d know there’s nothing good in going against me.”

“That’s also correct. Perhaps that’s the biggest reason I came to see Your Majesty. But that’s not all.”

Lea no longer trembled. Instead, she stared directly at Teresa’s eyes, hidden behind the veil.

“Why don’t you make an effort, Your Majesty?”

“What…? Ha!”

Teresa burst into laughter at Lea’s words. She couldn’t hide her bewilderment at Lea’s bold statement. Asking out of the blue why she’s not making an effort?

“You haven’t done your best to fix your face, have you?”

“Shut up! What do you know?”

“I know too. You may not believe it, but I also live with pain that’s difficult to heal. But I’m trying to overcome it.”

“Hmm, get to the point.”

She had been quite patient with Lea’s rash statements up to this point.

“I will find a way.”

“What way?”

“It’s impossible to remove the scars on Your Majesty’s face. But I will find a way to cover them perfectly.”

Teresa stared at Lea silently for a while, then laughed out loud.

Finding a way, she says. After suffering from smallpox, there’s nothing she hasn’t tried in ten years, yet Lea’s confidence in solving her problem so easily was pathetic.

She had given up because there were limitations with current medical and cosmetic techniques.

“I want to improve. I want to keep trying new things rather than staying complacent.”

“So you’re saying I’m the subject of your experiment?”

“That’s right.”

“Do you know what your statement means right now?”

“Of course. If I can’t find a way to remove Your Majesty’s veil, I’ll gladly offer my life.”

Ha! Where does such spirit come from? Teresa filled a glass with whiskey, slightly lifted her veil, and drank it in one gulp.

Lea sensed that Teresa was contemplating.

“I’ll apologize.”

“!?”

“If you solve my problem, that is.”

“Th-thank you, Your Majesty.”

“No need to thank me. We’ll have to see whether you’ll hear an apology from me or your head will fly off.”

Teresa gestured to the seat across from her.

“Let’s start the negotiation.”

Lea sat down opposite her without hesitation.

* * *

Terran anxiously waited for Lea to come out. Quite some time had passed since she went to meet Teresa, but there was no sign of her emerging.

“Duke, don’t worry. My mother won’t eat the young lady alive.”

Salame said to Terran with a sneer.

“Lord Roberto, the world isn’t that simple.”

Terran didn’t like how Salame acted arrogantly just because he was royalty.

“Do you think it’s impossible for me to win the young lady’s heart?”

“Grace likes me.”

“There are many types of love. One can love several people at the same time.”

Such a youngster who’s never experienced failure. This brat probably thinks he can manipulate people’s emotions like leaves floating on water if he sets his mind to it.

“Well, humans grow through failure and frustration.”

Terran shrugged and made an expression that suggested it wasn’t a big deal in response to Salame’s words.

Salame glared at Terran with a hardened face.

Terran found Salame’s recklessness pathetic.

There are clearly impossible things in this world, but it wasn’t even funny how he acted so high and mighty just because he was royalty.

He alone ignored the fact that there are no eternal secrets in the world.

“Is a bastard who covets another man’s woman wholesome? Can one love multiple people simultaneously when one side is overwhelmingly superior? Of course, the superior one is me, not you.”

Salame’s expression hardened at Terran’s harsh words. Just then, they saw Allen and a noble guest approaching from the opposite side, engaged in conversation.

‘There’s another bastard who covets another man’s woman.’

Salame had already left, and Terran found himself unintentionally facing Allen.

Given the place, there was no need to fight while growling at each other.

He intended to pretend not to know that Allen was gathering information by bribing employees of the duke’s residence, like mice stealing cheese.

Allen was engrossed in conversation with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Galdensia.

“President MacDowell, invest in the Eastern Continent Bertan Railway project. With abundant human resources and outstanding imperial wealth, you can gain more than twenty times the profit.”

“Isn’t Bertan the largest country in the Eastern Continent?”

“It’s truly a goose that lays golden eggs. Even the chamber pots used by their imperial family sell for enormous prices here.”

“I’ve heard that many empires are fiercely competing there.”

“I’ll help you. I’m on very close terms with the Bertan royal family.”

While the two men were heated up discussing business, Terran waited for Allen to approach without moving out of the way.

Finally, they got close enough to recognize each other.

“Duke Courtois, it’s nice to see you.”

Allen greeted first with a bright voice, offering a handshake. However, Terran only gave a bitter smile as he looked Allen up and down, without responding.

Allen introduced Terran to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and they exchanged formal greetings.

“President MacDowell, I received the flowers you sent.”

“Is that so?”

Allen was about to lower his hand, embarrassed by the rejected handshake.

“I wonder if Lady Bizac liked them.”

“She liked them very much.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

Allen smiled and replied, but he didn’t quite believe Terran’s words.

“We made a flower path on the lobby floor. As a blessing for Grace’s and my future, we trampled all over the flower path.”

‘Trampled?’

Allen was taken aback but tried to act calm.

“Perhaps because they were expensive flowers, they were crushed very well under our shoes. Considering President MacDowell’s sincerity, we trampled them again and again very thoroughly.”

Terran smiled with his mouth, but his eyes were filled with murderous intent.

They continued their sharp verbal exchange. Soon, Allen’s lips formed a straight line as he trembled slightly.

‘Next time, I’ll crush your windpipe.’

Indeed, Terran and he were ill-fated. He realized keenly that there are people in this world who cannot coexist. He needed to destroy Terran as soon as possible…!

‘Once Rivet becomes the Crown Princess, I’ll get rid of Hamilton General Store first.’

Even though he acted so smug, Terran was an incompetent person who didn’t even know who was behind the damage to the riding outfit.

‘You always need to watch your step, you arrogant bastard.’

On the other hand, Terran could tell what sinister plot Allen was scheming inside by looking at his expression.

‘You don’t think I know what you’ve done, do you?’

If so, it wouldn’t be fun to fight properly.

‘Just wait, I’ll give you an even bigger blow.’

Terran is looking forward to the upcoming battle with Allen.