My Fiancee Was the Villainess of This World

28 – The weight of the name of the royal family (2)

After talking with the chancellor, I immediately dispatched Jackson to the southern region.

There was some friction in the process, but the chancellor was completely on my side, so there was no big commotion.

However, it took up quite a bit of time as the procedures were still difficult, so it was time for dinner before I knew it.

I wanted to invite the chancellor to him, but he left quietly, leaving behind the words that tonight’s dinner was a sandwich.

Looking at the back of his head shining in the sunset light, I couldn’t help but feel a very complicated feeling.

He’s probably the noblest man I’ll ever meet.

He must be more exemplary and more upright than any official in the empire.

… Would such an aristocrat die in just two years, resentful of the empire?

It has been done. It won’t happen anymore.’

I walked in the opposite direction the Prime Minister walked.

Not a single case has been resolved yet.

However, it was as if a heavy burden had been lifted off his shoulders.

I headed for Biryonggwan at a slightly faster pace than usual, as if walking on clouds.

Then, I organized the three items displayed in the Biryong Hall with my own hands and moved them to the room.

A picture of the sun that my father gave me when I was installed as the crown prince.

A portrait of a mother painted by a late, highly reputed artist at the time.

And it was an afternoon tea time with the garden of Biryonggwan as the background that the artist drew.

“Clear all the luxuries of the Biryong Hall except for these works here.”

The maids who heard my order widened their eyes, but did not object to my words.

Sometimes they walk a tightrope, but unlike the servants of the Count Arbest family, they were excellent servants who did not give in to their master’s words.

As the ladies-in-waiting began to organize all the luxuries in the Biryong Hall, there was a rather loud noise.

Then, Priscilla and Martin, who were waiting in the study, poked their heads out into the hallway to see what was going on, and our eyes met.

“Let’s go to the restaurant and finish talking.”

I looked at them, who looked full of curiosity, and after saying that, I started to walk out.

Then the two followed me at a slightly faster pace.

“… Isn’t it still too early to prepare for fall?”

I had decorated the luxuries of the Biryong Pavilion by setting a theme for each season.

Since it is summer now, summer-themed luxuries are decorated everywhere, but cleaning them up meant changing the theme to fall.

However, Priscilla worked as a maid, and she was well acquainted with every nook and cranny of the Dragon Hall.

So she had no choice but to understand my intentions one step ahead of Martin.

“Your budget was not approved….”

“So it was.”

The two of them showed a dark, dead expression, like a resident who had paid for a portrait.

Perhaps both of them know about it.

The fact that you can’t recover less than 10% of the luxuries here and now, even if you pay three times the price.

“Nothing to worry about. Because I was tired of it anyway.”

… To be honest, it’s not 3 points, but 300… No, I wanted to leave about 30 points.

Anyone with a hobby for collections will understand.

The pain of disposing of all the carefully collected collections at less than half the price.

Still, this feeling of having to pretend that nothing is wrong.

Whoa.

I let out a small sigh so that the two couldn’t hear it, and shook off my last remaining regret.

After that, we finished our meal, being careful not to talk about luxuries as much as possible.

Then, after enjoying a light dessert, they gathered in the study again.

When I arrived at the study, it was about an hour after I ordered the luxuries to be sorted out.

Apart from the 3 items I have now enshrined in my room, the most luxurious item in this mansion is probably the ‘Salus’, a magic tool that detects poisons.

He was so frugal that even the old scholars of the Joseon Dynasty nodded.

I felt like tears would come out if I was careless, so I gnashed my teeth again to get rid of the lingering feelings.

“Tomorrow, all nobles in the system will be ordered to urgently summon. The reason is a meeting in preparation for the epidemic, but the key is the purchase of Lunaris Flower.”

Since Lunaris Flower is a luxury item, nobles will want to get the highest price possible.

Of course, there are no nobles who would do such a thing even after the epidemic broke out, but the disease has not spread ‘yet’.

I will definitely pay a high price.

So I need to increase the value of my luxuries as much as possible.

However, if you are a noble with a certain amount of common sense, you won’t ask for too high a price.

If you have a problem—

‘They’re probably attached to Dior.’

Reverse bullying guys who got tired of me being a fool and attached themselves to Dior.

They are composed of up-and-coming nobles who have recently begun to rise in power.

Since they are in full swing, there is a high possibility that they will believe in Dior and cross the line.

“I am a noble of the system…. That’s a sensitive area.”

As if Martin had the same thoughts as me, he began sorting through the plaques on the table with the names of noble families.

Conservatives who support me or Maximilian.

A progressive force that supports the second prince, Dior.

And the most aristocratic neutral force.

Martin divided the nobility of the system into exactly three equal parts.

Most of them were located in the neutral forces, and most of the prestigious families with the empire’s thousand-year history were included in the conservative forces.

In addition, the progressive forces included the newly emerging aristocrats whose family heads were relatively young or who had recently become influential.

“… Can’t we call them together like this?”

As Priscilla said, she physically divided the power structure on the table.

Conservative forces in the morning, neutral forces from noon to afternoon tea time, progressive forces from afternoon tea time to evening.

If you categorize it like this, it’s comfortable for me.

However, this is a choice that will inevitably lead to gossip.

“Aristocrats attach useless meaning to every gesture and glance. You should be careful.”

Yes, you should be careful.

I will give meaning to which faction I call and when, what kind of clothes I’m wearing and who I’m with, and I’ll react sensitively to the first word that comes out of my mouth.

“First of all, I think we need to learn a little about each family. It is the basis of strategy.”

Yes, if you know your enemy and know yourself, you will be able to fight back.

I don’t have any sharp points right now, so it seemed like a good way to go.

First of all, we decided to carefully analyze the nobles who stayed in the system.

“First of all—”

Since Martin was talented enough to teach me royal studies, he was naturally knowledgeable about the power structure of the system.

Unlike the discussion on the topic of infectious diseases, Martin was the moderator and the discussion progressed with the feeling that we were discussing according to his intention.

It was also a time for me to learn about stories I had never heard before and to review what I already knew.

In a way, it was a time that could be called an extension of the study of kings, but it was a mysterious time that somehow came into my head more than usual.

“Here is the hill of Thraka—”

But sometimes, even Priscilla didn’t know about place names or metaphors.

“Ah, these days, the expression ‘Hill of Tracca’ has become obsolete. hahahaha….”

Martin scratched the nape of his neck and smiled shyly.

As much as my hobby is reading, I know a lot about it, so it’s probably because Martin and I have a generation gap because of the age difference between our parents and children.

“So what is the Hill of Tracca?”

“Ah, Hill of Traka is a story about a gentle hill in the estate of Viscount Traka, which is now ruined. Because of that gentle hill, the sun rises later than other territories, and that’s why it’s unlucky—”

It seemed like the story of a ruined noble family from 300 years ago who, according to Martin’s description, was ordered to push down an obtrusive hill like an army division commander.

It was a simple story that too much vanity can become poison, but after a long discussion, it was a moment where I felt really grateful for this kind of breathing.

Wouldn’t Martin have been active even if he had become a captain of the cavalry?

Because he uses carrots and sticks well.

“Generation gap…. If it was a story from 300 years ago, why not even call it a generation gap?”

“hahahaha.”

The reason why the topic of ‘Hill of Tracca’ suddenly came up was because there was a family that absorbed the power of Viscount Tracca and increased its power among the new nobles.

Actually, the upstart aristocrat had already happened 300 years ago, so there was a high possibility that he was unaware of the Trakara family itself.

“… Hmm?”

“What is it, Maximilian?”

“Priscilla. Do you remember all the explanations from Martin?”

“Yes, I remember.”

“Good. From now on, we will classify once again in this state.”

The first criterion is the order in which each family received their title.

Most of the conservative factions have held the title for more than 300 years, so it didn’t matter too much even if they changed the order up and down.

However, most of the emerging powers were around 100 years old, so the order started to get jumbled up.

“Write down the age of the head of each family here.”

Martin was conservative, I was neutral, and Priscilla wrote down the age groups of progressives.

… Do.

I think this is possible enough.

A big picture was drawn to inform allies that the crown prince had returned, and to induce the enemy to be vigilant.

Because he was a maniac, he was able to raise money to buy the ‘Lunaris Flower’ by selling the luxury items he had accumulated through spending money on a revelry.

And likewise, there is a trick that can be done because he was a fool.

It was embarrassing, but there is a way to utilize even that.

“Priscilla, I need your help. Can you help me?”

As I looked at her with her serious expression on her face, Priscilla slowly bowed her head to me as she placed her hand on her chest.

“Of course, Maximilian.”

“Good.”

These days, the hottest topic in social churches in the system is the story of me and Priscilla.

It’s a story about how the crazy prince came to his senses thanks to Priscilla.

Some people interpret it positively, but others interpret it as an idiot prince drunk with s*x.

Great.

This is a great opportunity to show what kind of results come out depending on whether there is a root or not.

‘First of all, I’ll have to read the archives of His Majesty the Emperor, who was my great-great-grandfather.’

Ah, before that.

“Priscilla.”

“Yes, Maximilian.”

“I came up with a new and wholesome hobby. From today, start painting instead of embroidering. You can draw whatever you want when it’s convenient for you.”

“Are you talking about the picture?”

Priscilla looked perplexed.

Otherwise, this is a material that will be useful for tomorrow’s meeting with the nobles, so I decided to push it a little harder.

“First of all, draw something right now. I have to frame it right away, so hurry up.”

“Yes, yes?!”

Priscilla is so flustered that maybe she won’t be seen again this year?

To that extent, Priscilla was startled.

Yes. The nobles who will visit this dragon hall tomorrow will be as surprised as you are now.

Make her fiancée stay at the Biryong Pavilion, sell all her luxuries, and put the artwork made by her fiancée in the vacant place?

It was truly a foolish prince who fell in love as if painted in a painting.

‘I’m looking forward to it.’

Now, it’s time to cover the boulder.