Larie entered the reception room with the Empress.

Empress Bergamo sat down on a soft sofa and offered Larie the seat opposite her.

Despite being tired after completing the tea party schedule, the Empress showed no signs of slouching in her posture.

It had been a long time since the Crown Prince had become an adult.

Even though her hair had started to turn white, it seemed to enhance her nobility.

Seeing her like that, Larie’s eyes began to shine with even more desire.

Looking at Larie, who had a similar look in her eyes, she fell into thought.

Because she had risen from the position of concubine to become Empress through sheer determination, she could easily read the ambition in Larie’s eyes.

“Larie, I like honest people. Those who reveal their desires without reservation. Like the look in your eyes right now.”

At the Empress’s words, Larie’s eyes shone even more brightly, and she opened her mouth as if she had made a decision.

“Your Majesty. I want to be like you, Your Majesty.”

Count Estilen, who had only three sons, doted on Larie, who was born late. Thanks to that, there was nothing Larie couldn’t have. Everything she wanted was already in her hands before she could feel a deep thirst for it.

However, the only thing she wanted but couldn’t have was Duke Torpeo.

She didn’t love him. Larie just thought he was the best man to make her stand out.

“Young lady! Duke Torpeo has married a commoner!”

“What are you talking about? Wasn’t he recuperating in the duchy after being injured on an expedition?”

“Yes. They say it’s a commoner he met while recuperating, would you believe it.”

How dare he not choose her and instead choose a mere commoner woman.

When she heard those words, it felt like her blood was rushing backwards.

Still, dealing with a commoner woman would have been easy enough for her to crush.

However, the Duke’s revealed wife was a lady from a marquis family. And from the Credion marquis family, part of the Empress’s faction at that!

Adeline Credion, who had never been seen in social circles except for her debutante.

She had only heard rumors that she had a fairly good face.

But when she met Adeline in person today, she was even prettier than expected. Throughout the tea party, the ladies’ attention was focused on her.

‘To think he chose her over me!’

Moreover, at the end, Adeline had given her a look as if ignoring her while pretending to be noble. Larie’s pride was quite hurt by such a provocative gaze.

That’s why she was determined to stand in an even higher position than the Duke who didn’t choose her.

Only then did she feel she could recover her bruised pride.

‘That man…!’

If it were the Crown Prince, both Adeline and Duke Torpeo would have to submit.

Moreover, wasn’t Adeline originally Crown Prince Trashi’s fiancée?

She should know how it feels to have someone else’s fiancé taken away.

As Larie bowed her head before the Empress, she secretly held a chilling smile.

Bergamo, who ascended to the current Empress’s position when the former Empress Emilia was deposed and driven out of the palace.

It was obvious how she had risen to the position of Empress. A position she had climbed to by sacrificing the blood of countless people.

Larie knew better than anyone the desire and greed lying dormant behind eyes that smiled as if benevolent.

“…You want to be like me.”

The Empress, who had maintained silence for a long time, murmured as if talking to herself.

“You mean you want to be Empress?”

When Larie raised her head, her eyes met those of the Empress looking at her.

Larie tensed up at the gaze that seemed to penetrate her innermost thoughts.

“Yes. I want to be the noblest lady in the empire, like Your Majesty.”

The Empress burst into laughter.

“What good is it telling me this? You should tell the Crown Prince.”

At the Empress’s words that seemed to be stepping back, Larie stood up from her seat.

Then she bowed deeply towards the Empress.

“How can the position of Empress come from His Highness the Crown Prince? In this empire, the most noble person after His Majesty the Emperor is you, Your Majesty. I want to become Your Majesty’s person.”

The Empress sighed at Larie’s frank words that she couldn’t hide.

“If I receive Your Majesty’s trust, the Crown Prince’s love will naturally follow.”

The Empress’s gaze, which had been looking at Larie with interest, deepened.

‘She’s shrewd.’

To immediately grasp that the one who actually holds power is herself rather than the Crown Prince.

I thought she would be immature, having grown up pampered as the youngest daughter in a count’s family. But she was even better than the inflexible Adeline of the Credion marquis family.

Severus was her best chess piece. That’s why she had intended to place his daughter by the Crown Prince’s side to ensure perfection, but that child had married the Duke.

‘No. Maybe this is better.’

She could plant Adeline by the Duke’s side to grasp Casius’s intentions.

And the same goes for Trashi. There was no more suitable puppet to place by the Crown Prince’s side and manipulate according to her will than Larie.

At that moment, a subtle smile appeared on the Empress’s lips.

Larie had been bowing her head in front of her for 10 minutes without moving. That’s how much she wanted to rise to this position.

“You are truly bold, young lady. Please rise.”

When the Empress’s words fell like permission, Larie straightened her bowed body.

“I will speak well to my Crown Prince.”

Larie smiled brightly, having finally obtained what she wanted from the Empress.

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

If she became the Crown Princess, becoming Empress would only be a matter of time. Larie believed her future was paved with gold.

It was inside the carriage returning to the Duke’s townhouse.

Adeline stared blankly at the passing scenery outside the carriage window, resting her chin on her hand.

The image of Larie leaving with the Empress when the tea party disbanded kept lingering before her eyes.

There must certainly be some scheme afoot.

‘Did the young lady of the Estilen count family like Casius?’

Unless they were really lovers, there’s no reason she would be this wary of her.

As Adeline was lost in various thoughts, she felt the carriage slowly reduce speed and come to a stop.

She could see the Duke’s townhouse outside the window.

Soon, the carriage door opened and a knight who had been waiting outside approached to escort Adeline.

“Sir, where might the Duke be right now?”

The knight walking with her stopped at Adeline’s words.

“His Grace is currently in his study. He’s having an important conversation with Sir Eric, so it might be better to visit him a little later…”

“Thank you.”

“M-My Lady?”

Adeline strode forward, letting the knight’s advice fall on deaf ears.

‘Well, I can just ask if I’m curious.’

Although she was told Casius was attending to urgent business, it wasn’t something for Adeline to worry about.

As the Duke’s wife and daughter of the Credion marquis family, there was no reason to feel intimidated in this household.

Adeline hurried her steps towards the study.