A cream-colored ivory carriage adorned with golden borders entered the village and stopped in front of a shop on a bustling street.

The footman sitting at the back of the carriage quickly jumped down and opened the carriage door, and a small foot was placed on the step, taking a step outside the carriage.

“Young lady, let’s go inside.”

The head maid Vera, standing in front of the red-roofed shop, guided Arabel inside with an excited voice.

At a glance, it was clearly the village’s most high-end women’s clothing boutique.

“Welcome, my lady.”

As soon as Arabel entered, the boutique owner Shanong greeted her with her hands clasped politely and her head bowed. Following her, eight women lined up in two rows inside the shop hurriedly bowed their heads and welcomed her.

Arabel had never received such a welcome in her life. Honestly, her light brown eyes, which had never been to such a luxurious boutique before, trembled in confusion.

The head maid, who had often visited with the Countess, puffed up her shoulders and spoke on behalf of Arabel.

“I sent a message asking to prepare travel dresses and riding clothes for our young lady to wear when she goes to the capital, as well as several dresses that she can wear immediately upon entering the Imperial Palace. Did you receive it?”

“Of course, we even locked the boutique doors and have been waiting only for the young lady. Please sit here. I will present the finest attire that cannot be seen anywhere else in the Empire.”

“I told you that our young lady is a finalist candidate for the Empress selection, right? You’ll need to pay special attention. And please show us shoes, stockings, parasols, and gloves that can match the dresses.”

The trio of maids, consisting of the head maid and two others, kept calling Arabel ‘our young lady,’ tending to her as if she had always been their mistress.

Shanong inwardly rolled her eyes at the trio of maids who were meticulously checking the list as if they were the Empress’s exclusive maids. However, she outwardly showed a bright smile and observed Arabel in front of her.

The Emperor had never once been involved in a scandal with any woman. The rumor that he was staying in Count Lorel’s territory with a young lady had already spread to every corner of the village, known to everyone.

Moreover, she was on her way to the Imperial Palace as a candidate for the Empress selection competition.

People were lined up on the streets trying to catch a glimpse of the lady who could become Empress, but they couldn’t show it. They feared the Emperor who had devastated the House of Count Lorel in one night.

Although far from the capital, the people of the territory were sensitive to rumors, like the Count. They were well aware of the merciless and cold-hearted nature of Emperor Maxwell, the greatest ruler the Empire had ever produced.

It could be dangerous to bother the lady unnecessarily. Moreover, a dozen knights led by a giant-sized knight were following behind the lady’s carriage, so people couldn’t even look at her properly.

As soon as Arabel entered the shop, the Emperor’s guards took their positions in front of the shop’s glass windows. Their massive backs completely blocked the view inside the shop.

Shanong’s secretary quickly drew the curtains on the large glass windows, and the people waiting on tiptoes outside had to go on their way in disappointment.

Eight shop employees began to present dresses made of various high-quality fabrics, sometimes elegant, sometimes cute, and sometimes seductive.

As expensive dresses and accessories endlessly unfolded before her eyes to the point of dizziness, beads of cold sweat formed on Arabel’s forehead.

She clasped her raised hands together and bit her lower lip gently, remembering what the Emperor had said earlier at the castle, intending to refuse because it was too much.

‘Young lady, I think you’re misunderstanding…’

The Emperor had said to Arabel as they faced each other alone in the bedroom after finishing breakfast.

His eyes languidly looked at his thumb, which still had lip tint on it.

‘It would be troublesome if you think I’m desperate to buy clothes for you. I’m just trying to make sure the lady who’s pretending to be an Empress candidate doesn’t get caught.’

During breakfast, the Emperor instructed the three maids to take the lady to the boutique to prepare clothes. When a startled Arabel tried to refuse, the Emperor twisted the corner of his mouth and spoke.

His Imperial Majesty’s words made sense.

If she were to enter the Imperial Palace wearing a worn-out dress patched with cloth and worn-out shoes at a gathering of the Empire’s top families and representative princesses and ladies from other kingdoms… she would not only be suspected but also drag down His Imperial Majesty’s reputation.

The Emperor smiled slightly at Arabel’s thoughtful expression and deliberately added in a dry voice.

‘Don’t get excited thinking the clothes waiting for you at the shop are my gift. You should think of this as necessary preparation for our contract.’

Convinced by the Emperor’s words that it was ‘like the armor and sword a knight puts on to go to battle,’ Arabel sat on the VIP room sofa in the boutique, looking at twenty-five parasols prepared for each dress.

Although everything started to look similar after a while and she had to calm herself down, the head maid, unlike the already tired Arabel, exuded endless energy and examined the dresses one by one with eagle eyes.

‘His Imperial Majesty plans to take you as Lady Arabel’s exclusive maids. He says the lady herself requested it when he mentioned exclusive maids.’

With one word from Aide Kyle, the three women vowed to dedicate themselves to Lady Arabel.

We will definitely help her be selected as Empress. Currently, the leading contenders are Princess Lilibet of the Kingdom of Seville and Lady Grace of the Grand Duchy of Le Sang. People had expected the competition to be between these two formidable candidates even before it began.

However… the three of them combined had 95 years of experience as upper-class noble maids. The sharp-eyed trio did not miss the Emperor’s interest in the lady, evident in every expression and action.

It seemed to be a denial of his own feelings, but Lady Arabel clearly had a chance. The red eyes flashing with possessiveness towards the lady at a glance were a bit concerning.

Fortunately, neither the Emperor nor the lady seemed to be aware of it, so there was no need to unnecessarily bring it up to the lady and cause trouble.

If done well, they could become the closest maids to the Empress.

After dealing with the scum that was Count Lorel’s family, serving the kind and gentle lady made the world seem all rosy. The trio of maids clenched their fists tightly, determined to live their second life serving Arabel in the Imperial Palace.

“I’m so relieved. That you escaped safely from the forest fire.”

Director Shanong smiled as she poured sweet and sour peach juice into Arabel’s cup. Beside her, as she was packaging lace gloves, maid Rosa whispered softly.

“But have you heard? They say this forest fire wasn’t a natural disaster, but was started by someone’s arson.”

“Oh, come on. How could anyone do such a terrible thing?”

As Director Shanong shook her head in disbelief, a clerk chimed in.

“Old man Tommy, who’s been in the mountains for forty years, said so, so it must be true. Come to think of it, our territory’s forests are so damp and moist that even the forest fire that spread from the mountain range two years ago bypassed us.”

“That’s true. Moreover, it’s late autumn now, not the season for natural forest fires.”

“Old man Tommy was amazed at how thoroughly and systematically the fire was set. More than half the mountain has been turned into a bald head.”

“Fortunately, there were no human casualties, but what about the mountain animals? With all the trees burned, their homes and prey have turned to ashes…”

“I wonder if hungry mountain animals will come down in winter and cause trouble.”

“Just let them try. We’ll hunt them down on sight.”

Arabel’s face grew increasingly pale and rigid at the boutique clerks’ conversation.

They say the forest fire wasn’t a natural disaster, but the work of an arsonist. The cries of animals who lost their homes, mothers, and children still echo vividly.

No one in this world has the right to destroy the benevolent forest that has given so much to humans.

“Young lady, look at this dress. It suits your skin so well.”

The head maid’s voice reached Arabel’s ears faintly.

She couldn’t just leave behind the mountain animals who had lost their habitat, the bare mountains. Arabel slightly bit her lower lip, putting strength into her round nostrils.

Her round eyes, filled with anger, didn’t see what the trio of maids were busily putting into the box.

The clothes they were hurriedly putting into the box while watching Arabel’s reaction were… sheer lingerie so thin it looked like something a new bride would wear on her wedding night.

“You bring me such news now? Get out! Get out right now!”

Empress Dowager Natalie shouted, throwing the pointed jewel box in front of her at the head of the servant standing by the door.

Thud, unable to dare dodge, the servant’s forehead, hit directly by the hard jewel box, began to bleed.

“Restrain yourself, Your Majesty. There are many ears listening outside.”

Baron Brad, who had entered the Empress Dowager’s bedroom, quickly dismissed the servant and closed the bedroom door.

“Have you heard too? That the Count has been executed for treason? And that Maxwell personally saw to it?”

Baron Brad’s gaze shifted to the bedroom door at the high-pitched voice that seemed to pierce the eardrums. Then he soon lowered his voice and approached the Empress Dowager.

“Now is the time to be careful, very careful. His Imperial Majesty may not know about Your Majesty’s contract with Count Lorel, but he is thorough. Burn all evidence that could be linked to the Count. Inform the kingdom as well to keep their mouths shut.”

Her body, still boasting magnificent beauty with its voluptuous curves, trembled uncontrollably with anger.

She and Count Lorel had long been in a close alliance, both economically and politically. Of course, she had to endure the old count’s disgusting, lust-filled gaze, but he was necessary to funnel the Imperial wealth to the kingdom.

When Count Lorel’s misdeeds reached the capital, it was the Empress Dowager who reminded everyone of his merit in saving the previous Emperor on the battlefield, exonerating his crimes.

Even Emperor Maxwell couldn’t easily touch an old loyal subject who had saved his grandfather’s life. There wasn’t sufficient justification.

The Empress Dowager, who had been looking forward to spending a passionate time with the fifteen-year-old Baron Brad all afternoon, was informed of Count Lorel’s final moments.

“Even an Emperor can’t execute a loyal subject so recklessly. The elder nobles won’t just stand by and watch. I’ll meet with them myself tonight if I have to.”

“Even the elders won’t be able to do anything. Because the crime was treason with clear evidence, if they make a wrong move, they might be branded as co-conspirators. No one in the Empire, or even on the continent, wants to catch the Emperor’s eye. Of course, neither do I.”

Baron Brad explained the reality to the raging Empress Dowager and sat on the edge of the bed.

Glancing at her occasionally.

“Why are you looking at me like that? Do you have something else to say?”

The Empress Dowager demanded, seemingly annoyed, and the Baron hesitantly opened his mouth.

“It seems you haven’t heard yet…?”

“What? What is it?”

“Prince Eric… has been appointed as deputy commander for the subjugation of the Northwest Alliance. The army is said to leave at dawn tomorrow. It was His Imperial Majesty’s order.”

“Are you talking about my Eric, who is currently studying abroad in the Kingdom of Semper…?”

As the Empress Dowager asked, her face turning pale in disbelief, Baron Brad nodded.

“The Imperial envoy is probably escorting him back as we speak.”

“Aaaaah!!!!! I won’t let this go! To send my Eric, my only son Eric, to the battlefield! Aaaagh!”

Empress Dowager Natalie screamed, clutching at her chest.

The throne was supposed to be Eric’s. If only the Emperor hadn’t died then. Her husband was clearly going to dispose of his grandson Maxwell and bestow the position of Crown Prince on their son Eric, who was three years younger.

However, the previous Emperor, who suffered an unfortunate riding accident, died before he could change his will… She had built up her power by dealing with all sorts of unsavory characters in order to pass the Empire to Eric.

“I absolutely cannot send him to the battlefield! He’s only twenty-two years old. To throw that young one into the lion’s den as bait, what a cruel man! More vicious than a demon!”

The Empress Dowager gnashed her teeth, her eyes flashing. She had completely forgotten that she was one of the main instigators who had pushed the sixteen-year-old Maxwell into the most cruel and miserable war the Empire had ever participated in.