chapter 22

Act 4 - White and Black

As the "Welcoming Spring" ball, nominally, ended, the capital began to warm up significantly.

In high society, picnics and hunts were slowly beginning to take place. It was also the time when the gardeners became busy, preparing for the increasingly beautiful gardens.

The new gardener at the Licht Grand Estate had originally worked at another mansion in the suburbs. He had been specially poached with a rather generous contract, and his proven skills were indeed exceptional.

Currently, yellow buds were sprouting from the narcissus bulbs planted in consultation with Angela. When a table was set up on the terrace, the beautiful scenery was directly visible.

Juju sliced the turkey breast that had been served for lunch.

"Besides that, dahlias, belladonna, sweet peas, and monkshood, and more. The gardener managed to cultivate them all."

"That's all suspicious plants," Ruslan replied with a smile. He had been eating asparagus since a while ago.

Juju wore an innocent look, as if she knew nothing.

"Suspicious? They're medicinal herbs. It would be a waste to only plant flowers that bloom for a season and then wither in this land. I even had him grow some potatoes, so from now on, you can label the salad you eat as 'Grand Estate Produce'."

She wasn't so simple-minded as to bring plants grown in the garden to use for revenge.

The key was to use it as bait to play on human psychology.

Humans tend to immediately think of elephants when told not to think of elephants. The more ominous the garden, the more people's thoughts would be directed only toward the garden.

If that were the case, then when they later took some kind of action, they would be able to avoid a considerable amount of suspicion simply because it wasn't belladonna or monkshood poison.

Besides, as she said, poisonous plants were also medicinal herbs, so simply growing them wasn't a flaw. It was a popular hobby for nobles interested in medicine to create herb gardens. There was also the excuse that she was thinking of the sickly Grand Duchess.

I should have planted northern mountain ash too. I don't know if it will suit the capital's climate.

While Juju was thinking about that while drinking her after-lunch tea, Ruslan had been looking at the narcissus flowers.

"Whatever the reality, the flowers bloomed well. The yellow color is similar to your hair."

Juju coughed, taken aback by the unexpected comparison. Ruslan turned to look at her.

"Are you alright?"

"Ah, uh, yeah... I never thought of that. It's not like I was born with this hair."

She stroked the blonde hair flowing down her shoulders. It had been a while since she had gotten used to the soft, straight texture, but it was unfamiliar to have the idea of comparing herself to flowers.

That was true not only for the freckled Charlotte but also for the maid Juju.

Her memories of working under the rich man in the south were dark. Some people treated her, an orphaned child in charge of odd jobs, like a thieving mouse. Some people smacked their lips lecherously, saying that she would become beautiful when she grew up. There was no way someone with a pretty face would be able to use beautiful metaphors.

It seemed that the original Juju had lived her life saying that the world was originally like that...

Bathilde probably can't even imagine such a world.

The person she would approach in the future came to mind, and she felt uneasy.

Right now, Juju was waiting for permission to have an audience in the Imperial Palace.

Bathilde wouldn't change her mind belatedly. She had deliberately called Juju at the time when the ball was breaking up and said.

"I'll call you when I have time, so live comfortably in the capital. Be careful on your way back."

How pure the ivory ruffles and pearl tiara shone in the hall paved with rock crystal.

Her hair and cheeks were flushed, and her eyes sparkled with vitality. All the peace and goodness of the world seemed to have gathered only on her.

Juju could only bow her head deeply. And she had heard the conversation that Albert had as he was escorting her out, which was being watched from over there.

"Did the Empress have anything to talk about with Count Keitel's beloved?"

"Yes! I thought it would be nice if Bathilde had relationships with commoners like His Majesty... Was I being presumptuous?"

"No, it would be good for me if you got along well with the girl the Count cherishes. You must be tired, so please go in soon."

Juju had stared for a long time at their backs as they left with their arms linked.

In any case, having said that much, she won't say not to come.

That was even more true for someone like Bathilde, who didn't know any dirt. Backstabbing after saying one thing with one's mouth and another with the other was something that only Charlotte could do.

In any case, she had to wait for the right time now.

It hadn't yet been decided how Albert would praise Ruslan for his achievements in the East.

However, she had a rough idea. At least Ruslan was almost certain.

Ruslan had given Albert an implication to use him. He was a young man who broke away from the existing noble lineage. He was in a good position to imply checks on the capital's rigid central figures. The fact that he had held a large ball to show everyone his face was in the same vein.

"But I can't take away his existing position. No matter how strong the Imperial command is, there is a high risk for dismissal without justification. Emperor Albert has only been on the throne for 5 years, but the central figures are the remnants of power built by the previous Emperor until just before his death."

After clearing the table, Ruslan explained while taking a walk in the newly decorated garden. Juju followed by his side, holding up a parasol.

"How about creating a new position? That shouldn't be difficult."

"It's highly likely. But in an already solid bureaucratic system, you probably can't give noticeable authority to a newly established position. You had it in the information you collected, right? Even the Four Heroes couldn't take on positions such as Prime Minister or Minister of Foreign Affairs, even if they were suspected of being behind-the-scenes power brokers."

"That's true. Also, they're the right age, and it's not like they had the ability to demonstrate in that direction."

Juju recalled the people who had attended the ball.

Prime Minister Otto was still in that position even though he was seventy years old. He was a person who had been the Prime Minister before Albert was even born.

The central figures of the current court were such old men, so even the Emperor couldn't do anything without being careful to operate the national administration because they had firmly established factions and successors.

"Even more so, if you want to use me, who has just come up from the North, in central politics..."

Ruslan wore his unique, muted expression as he read the numbers.

"I wouldn't give him an official position. Even if he has substantial authority, he would be in the shadows in terms of the organizational chart."

Those words sounded familiar to Juju's ears.

Charlotte was also a shadow assassin, not a role that was revealed on the surface.

However, she couldn't immediately recall complicated politics or bureaucratic structures. Besides, Juju tilted her head because Ruslan's speed of thought was too fast.

"You don't really suit being an assassin, do you?"

"You're thinking of assassination. In this game, there are also conditions such as position, honor, and pride. For some people, that's more precious than their actual lives."

The shade of the gardener darkly covered Ruslan's face.

"I dug up the accounting irregularities in the East, and gave the possibility that I know the rumors of people trading. If so, the role that the Emperor will give me will also be an extension of that."

"...Come to think of it, there were guests who saw Hilarion's last auction."

"There were no accounts of the incidents we caused in any of the media. That means that even if such trafficking is rampant, they can't outwardly show it. In the same vein, even if you see a young lady who resembles the girl you saw at the auction at the ball, you can't directly ask or confirm it. Because you can't dare to throw mud on the reputation of the Acting Grand Duke of the North."

The corners of Ruslan's mouth twisted coldly for a moment.

"If you ruin your reputation, the Emperor will get the justification to fire him."

Having heard that far, Juju seemed to know a little about what Ruslan was aiming for.

He was predicting a role that secretly dug up corruption on behalf of the Emperor behind the scenes.

That would definitely be helpful to Albert. It would be a useful means to legally point out the troublesome central figures without using assassinations.

But would that necessarily be the way Albert wanted it to be?

Ruslan had promised to disrupt the Four Heroes, who were the Emperor's confidants.

Albert thought he was using Ruslan, but the opposite was true. Ruslan would eventually strangle Albert's neck with the authority he had received from Albert.

Juju spun her parasol around and around.

"Ruslan, you really are... a man I don't need to worry about."

Ruslan looked down.

"It's a number that I read alone, so it may be different in reality. Does it sound plausible?"

"This is a story from a long time ago. Albert directly designated the area of a newly hired maid as a 'kitchen'. I thought it was strange because there were enough people in the kitchen, so he said this."

There are traces of the tip of her finger being caught on something sharp and torn. Sewing needles are straight, so they'll only stab you, not make it like that. If it was bent enough to catch on her skin, it must have been a fishing hook. The chef complained that there were fewer maids who were good at handling fish, so this will be a good opportunity.

"So I looked into it, and she really was a maid who had a house by the river."

The ability to see through people and use them. It was Albert's greatest strength as a ruler.

"I wondered if you'd be able to survive without being suspected against such a human, but if you were even calculating your own use, there's no point in me worrying. I'll stop worrying about you, and I'll have to do well on my own."

"I appreciate the praise. Your praise is the most pleasing to me than anyone else's."

As she entered the mansion, Juju stopped the hand that was folding her parasol and looked up at Ruslan at those words.

Ruslan shrugged with a refreshing smile, as if asking if he had said anything wrong.

Seeing that face, she felt a little irritated for some reason.

"You, even at the ball, you're too nonchalant."

"I have no idea what you mean."

"You're so natural at flirting! You were surrounded by those young ladies at that time, talking about mountain ash as if it were a blessing! Oh yeah, come to think of it, you didn't even make eye contact with me once?"

Her voice echoed in the high ceiling leading to the central staircase. However, she didn't feel the need to lower it on purpose because it wasn't a story about a secret plan.

Her steps naturally became rough, and her dress for a walk fluttered around her ankles.

"I'm trying to approach the Empress, but you're having fun all by yourself?"

"You were the one who said not to interfere first, right?"

"Even so, you could have talked to the gentlemen. A dozen ladies is too much!"

"I wanted to drop them off as much as possible, but they didn't give me a chance. And..."

Ruslan reached out and wrapped his arms around Juju's waist. He supported her swaying body, which had her dress wrapped around her legs, and gently moved her to the living room sofa.

Since she had been leaning from that point, she fell onto the sofa. Juju pouted and looked up at Ruslan.

Ruslan rested his eyes while resting his hand on the walnut armrest.

"You danced with other men too, didn't you?"

"Count, that's the rule of the ball. Complain to the person who asked."

"You weren't waiting for the Emperor to ask, were you?"

His voice was a little low.

Juju frowned and glared at Ruslan.

She couldn't completely deny it. She had been aware of him enough to look at him every time he left. If Albert had asked her to dance, she would have gladly accepted.

However, it wasn't because she had any affection left, but because she wanted to see him up close again and thoroughly remember what kind of human he was.

Juju raised her hand and gently pushed Ruslan's shoulder. It felt like their noses would bump if they got any closer.

"You don't have to worry. Do you think I would be swayed by my old boyfriend even after I became this body?"

But Ruslan pushed Juju away. Juju asked him.

"Why?"