I Thought I Didn’t Have Long To Live!

Lariette, who could barely get out of bed, to be precise, due to the constant temptation of Asrahan, called for the maids. It was to prepare herself and go see Erzebut, the newly hired maids entered and showed their high-level skills, elaborately fixing Lariette, one of whom was a familiar person.

"Lady, would you like a high bun or just a simple tie?"

"Whatever you prefer, make me look beautiful."

"It will be difficult not to make you look beautiful."

Anne winked at her and smiled, looking much brighter than when she was with Duchess Blanche. She was happier here, dozens of times happier than when she was there and could be herself. The salary and working conditions were, of course, different, the level of joy was different because the people they served were good. 

Lariette looked at Anne's radiant face and smiled with delight. Not long ago, Hallstein told Asrahan that the Candel mansion was too humble to receive the Duchess. The topic was varied, including the construction of gardens and interior decoration, but the highlight was the need to hire maids. Asrahan left the decision in the hands of Hallstein and Lariette, saying they should proceed according to her taste. 

Deep down, he wanted to make her happy so she could decide for herself, but he lacked a bit of sense for that. Therefore, the mansion decorated by a man who had spent half his life on the battlefield couldn't satisfy Lariette's tastes, and she had the right to choose a maid herself. Of course, she immediately contacted Anne, who had left the Blanche household and was working for another noble family, and she agreed without hesitation.

"I never thought I could dress you like this again... It still feels like a dream."

"Me too, I still can't believe it."

Anne's eyes welled up again. Upon arriving at the Candel mansion, she hugged Lariette and cried, assisting her to the bath and cried again when choosing a dress. Today, she was styling her hair and seemed to be crying. Lariette patted Anne's hand to console her. It was also like a dream for her to be able to call Anne to the Candel mansion. 

When she returned from being kidnapped by the Blanches, she wanted Anne to accompany her, but the situation was not easy. She thought she was dying, so she couldn't call her, but now the situation was different. Lariette would no longer leave Asrahan and Candel forever; now she could hire a maid as a Duchess. The fact was so exciting that Lariette gently held Anne's hand.

"Anne..."

"I think I've gained some weight."

And in a short time, Anne cheered up Lariette.

"...I'm happy."

"If you're happier, I don't think the dress will fit me..."

"I can buy a new one."

"Wouldn't it be more economical to eat less cake and wear the dress you're wearing?"

But giving up what she liked the most caused her pain. Lariette wrinkled her face after Anne's comment and muttered, "Since when does a maid need to worry about the finances of Duke Candel?"

However, as much as it bothered her, Anne's skills were evident. Her braided hair was cute and elegant, the summer dress was perfect for a tea party, and she wore a matching hat. After the maids left the room, Lariette was very satisfied with her appearance and posed in front of the mirror with the outfit. She felt happy after a long time and made different poses, from cute to sexy.

"Oh, is it because I gained weight? My breasts seem to have grown for some reason," Lariette smiled and thought, so focused on her beauty that she didn't even notice someone was watching her.

"Wow, you're so beautiful!"

"My Lariette always is."

"Ah! Ahhhhh!"

Naturally, she screamed when she suddenly heard Asrahan's voice.

"Why do you appear so suddenly?" Lariette exclaimed, embarrassed. Her face turned red as she clenched her hand into a fist and hit Asrahan's shoulder.

"Thanks, I look good."

"Why did you suddenly appear?"

Asrahan laughed and enjoyed Lariette's embarrassed state. She just kept shouting and shouting.

"I knocked on the door because I have to go out."

"I came to pick you up. Is that wrong?" Asrahan added with a mocking smile. Of course, it was a lie that he had knocked on the door. Lariette, unaware of this, blamed herself for her carelessness.

"By the way, you look even more beautiful today."

"Ah, um. Thank you."

"That's a problem, you're too beautiful."

Asrahan frowned as if he was dissatisfied. He was going to see Princess Erzebut, but he didn't like how beautiful Lariette looked. Lariette laughed when she realized he was jealous of Erzebut. The more she got to know him, the more adorable he became.

"Wow, you're so beautiful!"

But in the moment she imitated his words, the laughter vanished from Lariette's face. She only felt embarrassment and wanted to hide her face and die.

--------------------------

"My lovely Lariette, please take care."

Bam!

Lariette refused to respond to Asrahan's words and closed the carriage door abruptly. It was as if she could hear mocking laughter, pfft hahaha, coming from behind the door.

"Since when did I smile like that?" Lariette thought, taking hurried steps as if someone was following her. She was embarrassed and couldn't lift her head. It was so embarrassing that her face was still red when she met Erzebut, hoping she wouldn't ask if she had a fever.

"Lariette, congratulations on your wedding! You must have been so busy these days, that's why you arrived late."

"Ah, thank you, Erze. I heard that you gave advice to Asrahan. You must have felt embarrassed."

"Yes, I felt a little pressured. If Duke Candel makes you cry, let me know, I'll kick his ass."

Lariette and Erzebut had a light meal together and talked a lot. The conversation started with a simple hello and became more serious over time.

"By the way, Erze, what have you been busy with these days? Even Zenvier said he couldn't see you much."

When Lariette opened her eyes and asked, Erzebut silently drank champagne. Before she could say something important, she lowered her voice.

"I'm increasing my strength."

"What?..."

"I will meet with neutral nobles and the anti-emperor faction, try to persuade them."

Glup.

Lariette swallowed dry saliva unknowingly. It was a known story that the current prince lost public interest in an accident some time ago and had fallen out of favor with the Emperor. In this situation, there must be only one reason for the beloved Empress to persuade the nobles to gain strength.

"I want to become Emperor."

Erzebut declared in a clear and unwavering tone. Lariette's mouth opened in astonishment at such an important and unexpected announcement. She often thought that if Erzebut became Emperor, she would truly govern the country well. Erzebut possessed excellent qualities in strategy, swordsmanship, general insight, and determination. In all these fields, Erzebut surpassed the Crown Prince. Her only weakness was being born a woman in this antiquated society.

"Do you remember the words I told you on the street that time?" Erzebut asked.

"What... do you mean..." Lariette pondered, but nothing came to mind. The memory was not so fresh, and she felt embarrassed. Erzebut responded with a smile.

"I asked if you wanted to work for me in the future."

Only then did Lariette recall the words that had passed through her ears. It was a memory from the day their relationship deepened.

"I didn't know you were such an excellent mage, Lariette. Would you like to work for me later?"

At that time, she thought her future didn't exist and hesitated to respond. But now things were different.

"I am still waiting for your answer," Erzebut said.

Lariette remained silent and looked at Erzebut. It was a gaze that evaluated Erzebut as a subordinate, not as a friend. It was clear that Erzebut had flaws, something Sheila hadn't mentioned. An Emperor shouldn't show flaws, but who doesn't have flaws? Lariette thought that Erzebut's strengths were still sufficient to overlook her weaknesses. 

She didn't back down in the face of the strong but showed compassion for the weak. Those who crossed the line were treated with coldness, but if they did something wrong, they quickly admitted it and apologized. She didn't treat them harshly. Above all, she truly loved the Empire and its people. Lariette admired that about her.

"Life as the Duchess Candel is too boring," Lariette said.

She loved Asrahan, so she would happily accept the position of Duchess. But in truth, Lariette considered the title a bit cliché. She loved Asrahan and wanted to do more than just manage the Duchy. She wanted to showcase her skills in more places. Lariette slowly opened her mouth and spoke.

"I cannot assist you with the power of House Candel because it is not mine. But if I can only help you with the power of Lariette..."

"Of course! Your strength is enough," Erzebut replied with a bright smile. Lariette smiled back confidently.

"Congratulations, my Lord. You have the Empire's best purification mage."

"I am one of the top five mages," she added confidently.

---------------------------------

"I think Marquis Lazenne would be better, considering his recent movements..."

"That makes sense. Oh, have we arrived already? Let's get off."

Naturally, Erzebut accompanied Lariette and helped her out of the carriage. They were about to arrive at Count Daliot's mansion, where the tea party was held.

"Shouldn't it be my job to escort you now, Lady?"

"Keep calling me Erze. Are we still friends?"

"Yes, Erze. Well, what about the escorts?"

"If you beat me in a fight, I'll change that."

"Does winning with magic count?" Lariette asked mischievously. Erzebut also smiled and shook her head. It was she who claimed that magic was a flaw.

"Erze, Lariette!"

As they approached the main door of Count Daliot's house, a familiar voice greeted them. It was Zenvier. Lariette smiled cheerfully, but Zenvier's expression wasn't good. He always had a gentle smile, but not this time.

"Zenvier, what's going on?"

"Well, Lariette, maybe... it would be better not to go inside," Zenvier said, furrowing his brow and looking at the mansion and Lariette alternately. It seemed that something had happened inside, and it was related to her.

"I should have brought Juana..." Zenvier added with a somber tone. Bringing Juana meant there was someone there who could be dealt with firmly.

"It's okay, let's go in together," Lariette said with a refreshing smile, suggesting they proceed.

"What if Juana isn't there? We'll just pull their hair; nothing serious. It's only right for me to take care of that person since it's related to me," Lariette thought, and she walked toward the mansion. However, an unexpected person blocked their path.

"Who are you? Please state your name."

It was the Count's guard. The guard asked for the name as a security measure, so you can omit it. However, the problem was that the guard's attitude towards Lariette was rude.

"Lariette."

"To which family do you belong?"

Lariette remained silent and kept her lips sealed. Blanche is a surname that she no longer possesses, and she wasn't even married yet.

"I will vouch for her since I was invited. Do I need to give you my surname?" Erzebut asked, furrowing her brow firmly. If only the name was stated without revealing the surname, the usual procedure would be to search for the name on the guest list. The guard wouldn't dare to ask for the surname. But the guard laughed insolently and spoke.

"Oh, here you are. There was only one person without a surname, so there's no problem. You may enter now, Princess and her companions."

"How dare you..." Erzebut said.

"Erze, it's fine," Lariette quickly stopped Erzebut from demonstrating her power as a member of the Imperial Family in response to the guard's rude attitude. She couldn't believe the guards would show such an attitude towards the guests unless the owner allowed it. So, there was no need to punish the guard.

"Has anyone been resentful towards you lately?"

Lariette narrowed her eyes and started searching her memories. Since she had been judged countless times, she had distanced herself from the social world and didn't have anyone to remember. Who could know that Lariette had left her family, that Lady had bought the love of Lady Daliot? She didn't have to search for long, as she found out as soon as she arrived at the tea party.

"Oh, who's that? Lady Daliot, look over there. There's an audacious person."

A more malicious voice entered Lariette's ears. Speaking in that tone was deliberately meant to be heard.

"Oh, really. My goodness, Lady Mirchen is truly as you described."

"That's what I'm telling you, look at her."

Shelia Mirchen responded with a dazzling smile. She was surrounded by a group of women whom she manipulated at her whim, including Lady Daliot.

"She's nervous because of this crowd of people."

Shelia smiled arrogantly, thinking that Lariette could no longer ignore her now. But Lariette didn't respond to the mockery.

"Are you still acting like that? I suppose you went crazy after getting your hair pulled?"

"Maybe it's because you're stupid. I guess you'll have to go through it twice to wake up," Lariette smiled and added, her voice loud enough for everyone to hear, pretending to speak in a low voice with the person next to her. Laughter erupted here and there because they remembered the scene where Shelia cried after Juana pulled her hair. Shelia's face turned red instantly, and she tried to pretend she was fine and continued to mock.

"You're no longer a noble, so why did you come to a place like this? Aren't you ashamed because the Duke left you?"

In an instant, the surroundings fell silent. This was because the Duke of Candel was mentioned. The other nobles looked at Lariette and Shelia, alternating their gazes. Erzebut, who knew the truth, spoke up. Lariette walked calmly but not slowly, approaching where Shelia was. Then she looked at her with a cold gaze that could freeze bones.

"Miss Mirchen, you're no longer a child, and if you have something to say, say it to my face."

"What, what? What did I do?"

"And I want to clarify, you're mistaken."

Lariette was someone who handled her emotions well in a fight. However, strangely enough, she hadn't been controlling her emotions well these days, so she spoke without caring too much.

"I'm going to marry Asrahan soon."

"Will you congratulate me?" Lariette added, delicately curving her eyes.