In This Life, I Will Raise You Well, Your Majesty!

Chapter 23

The Golden Hall (1)

“More gorgeous! Don’t let anyone take their eyes off! I want only this banquet to be mentioned until the end of this year!”

For that, it doesn’t matter how much money you use, said 1st Empress Isabelle.

It had been a long time since the Imperial Palace was as noisy as it has been in recent times.

Isabelle was about to use this banquet as an opportunity to show off her wealth and draw attention from her surroundings.

“I’m fully prepared. Let’s go.”

Marchioness Bahrain put a white parasol on the 1st Empress, making her look like a bright rose blooming under the bright sunlight.

Isabelle, who felt better when the scorching sun was obscured, suddenly opened her mouth as something came to her mind.

“Ah, have you heard the story of the 2nd Empress?”

“You mean that she was found vomiting blood while trying to restore a broken mana rod? Barossa is already bustling, no one in the capital is not aware of it.”

“I heard she was on the verge of life and death. I don’t know why anyone would do such nonsense.”

She was told that once a mana rod is broken, it is impossible to get it back.

It’s so ugly to hold onto something that can’t be done and still struggle.

It’s disgusting to pretend with that indifferent face and stubbornly act as if she had never been greedy for anything while having such an eerie tenacity.

“There seems to be a sense of crisis. I heard they’re looking for gems to decorate their outfits for this banquet as well.”

“Gems?”

“Yes. It’s also pretty high-end. The maidservant of the 2nd Empress Palace is looking everywhere, but because of the condition of the 2nd Empress Palace, it’s obvious it will be difficult.”

“Hmph.”

Isabelle snorted and narrowed her eyes.

The green eyes that were like the leaves of a rose in the sunlight turned dark green shade.

She put her lips to the ear of Marchioness Bahrain, and began to whisper.

Marchioness Bahrain’s eyebrows shot upwards, but soon returned to normal.

Isabelle said while leaning on her shoulder as the Marchioness nodded that she understood.

“This time, I’ll have to see that stone-like woman suffering in front of me.”

“I understand.”

Satisfied with Marchioness Bahrain’s answer, Isabelle raised the corners of her red-painted lips.

***

“…”

Elisha tried to say something but stopped.

Even in the face of dozens or hundreds of enemy knights, she had never been so frustrated.

As Elisha put down the fork she was holding in her hand, piercing gazes came from all over the place.

“Eat one more apple, Mother.”

“Your Majesty, I purposely told the chef at the Imperial Palace to bring it freshly made. Please eat a little bit.”

“Jillian will eat a little bit more, so Your Majesty should eat some more as well. Eat as much meat as the blood was spilled!”

Children are still children after all.

Marie’s eyes were unusual, and even Georg had a stern expression on his face.

How many times has Elisha turned back on something she has decided to do? Something that rarely happens, enough to be called almost impossible, was happening right now as Elisha dipped her fork into the meat-filled pie.

When Elisha forced herself to take a few more bites and set the fork for the second time, there was no objection.

Thank God.

At the very least, if she vomits blood next time, she should never faint before cleaning everything up.

She almost vowed she would do it only where she didn’t have to clean up.

The morning after Elisha broke the gem on the pair of earrings.

Marie, who came in to wake Elisha up, found her lying on the water redder than ruby, and protected her master by exerting composure as much as she could.

However, the other maids could not do so.

The maids talked about how pitiful the fallen 2nd Empress was, and how her silver hair was as beautiful as water lilies blooming in the blood.

It had been three months since this incident.

The maids were severely scolded by Marie and said they would be more careful in the future, but how long will that last?

“Shall I prepare the dessert?”

As one of the maids approached her and asked, Elisha looked up at her.

Chaaenggrang!

The maid who was cleaning up Elisha’s bowl suddenly missed what was in her hand and fell on her butt.

When Elisha looked at her coldly, she quickly raised her body and bent her upper body.

“M-My deepest apologies! S-S-Suddenly, a person’s face popped out of the bowl…”

Not knowing what she was talking about, the maid, who had been gibbling ever since, hurriedly disappeared when Marie motioned for her.

How chaotic.

I should tell Marie to choose only the maids who she can communicate with.

It would be better to feel uncomfortable due to the lack of hands.

After eating, Marie came to Elisha, who was freed only after reading to the children one more time and listening to Georg’s nagging.

Marie opened her mouth after she let all the maids out.

“Your Majesty, I have found what you said.”

“Aah.”

Elisha was surprised.

She had talked about it, but she didn’t think it was going to happen this soon.

She had told Marie to look at the things in advance to make it easier for her to buy once she could afford it.

As Elisha seemed to have misunderstood, Marie quickly added.

“It doesn’t seem normal.”

It implies that it is a transaction that cannot be made without someone’s plan in mind, beyond the limit of what can be obtained with Marie’s ability added to a small amount of money.

“What should I do?”

Marie made the report, and it’s not up to her to make the decision.

Elisha nodded as she stared at Marie waiting for her answer.

“Let’s look at the things first.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Marie withdrew.

Picking up and eating just about anything will make you sick, and that’s not to Elisha’s taste.

Elisha tapped the teacup in front of her with her fingertips.

The water in the teacup is smooth, and a small girl stuck out her head from the inside.

“Undine, was it you who was joking earlier?”

What surprised the maid.

Undine’s mouth opened, and Elisha could hear laughter, but…

Soon Undine went out like a bubble and the cup went back to its original state.

Elisha wiped her forehead with her hand.

Where the hell am I supposed to start?

Elisha’s spirit attribute is perfect fire.

If she can’t connect with Ignis due to lack of power, it’s only right that a lesser fire spirit is called.

But, all of a sudden, Undine, a lesser water spirit?

Moreover.

“Unlike Ignis, I don’t remember signing a contract because I collapsed right away. Did the contract automatically complete when I called the lesser spirit?”

Elisha tapped the tea with her index finger and asked.

The tip of her finger was wet with the tea water that stuck and dropped with a sound.

Undine reached out and hung on to Elisha’s finger…

Cwasuk!

This time it really faded away.

There was no change in the mana around her, so this time it seemed to have completely returned to the spirit world.

Elisha had a lot to figure out as quickly as possible.

“There are times when you need to eat even if you have an upset stomach.”

Above all else, the other party also has a purpose, so this is also a transaction in the end.

It is more comfortable to have an upright transaction than owing a favor.

And if you check the bait, wouldn’t you be able to guess a little bit what your opponent’s purpose is?

It wasn’t a bad decision in many ways in the current situation.

However, she didn’t expect that Marie would return with such a heavy hand.

Click!

Elisha opened the lids of the three boxes that Marie had given her and laid them out.

The boxes, quite large for a gem, barely fit in the palm of the hand and were wrapped in expensive velvet, making people guess the contents…

What was in it was enough to revive expectations.

No, it was overdone.

“Diamond, sapphire, and pearl.”

A sizable diamond necklace and sapphire ring shone in front of Elisha’s eyes.

Elisha scanned them with her fingertips.

“Who the hell sent this?”

She was puzzled, but the most surprising was the third and final box.

What was contained in a modest but neat wooden box, small enough to fit in the palm of the hand, was an earring in the form of a small pearl in the middle of gold petals.

When put on the ear, a gold string as thin as two fingers hangs down, and the flower dangles and shines from the tip.

Seeing this shape, something seemed to come to mind.

After contemplating for a while, Elisha checked the box from left to right again to determine what she had to do first.

“Anyway, the experiment would be worth it.”

Elisha muttered, stepped down on the floor, and stopped.

Elisha, who had been agonizing for a while, gave up looking for something to lay on the floor, opened the door, and headed for the bathroom.

She told Marie that she wanted to be alone, so no one would disturb Elisha for a while.

Even if it is a poor place, it is still a part of Imperial Palace Barossa.

The bathtub was big enough for two people to fit in, so Elisha took off her clothes and went into the bathtub and sat down in the center.

The gem boxes brought in front of the white and thin naked body were placed one after the other.

The first thing she saw was the sapphire.

But Elisha chose the diamond.

She placed the diamond in one hand, and Elisha, who covered it with the other hand, drew the mana around her.

If you already did it once, the second time is easier.

Siiiiiik!

The mana that swirled around Elisha resonated with what rose from the diamond.

Again, something hot rose from inside, but Elisha forcibly swallowed it.

Her hands, facing up and down, trembled and turned white, then waves spread throughout her body.

But this is a bitter taste.

She didn’t hate it.

It’s just a little less good for Elisha.

Elisha’s mouth opened, and just before she could not stand it anymore, she vomited completely.

Crack!

The diamond cracked.

Something landed on Elisha’s shoulder.

It was not heavy, but there was a sign and proof of existence.

When she glanced down and looked at it, it was Undine.

Oh, that kid.

It was clearer and more lively, and playing with water droplets floating around had made it stronger.

The color, quality, and size of the gem do not change the attribute or grade of the spirit, but…

It seemed right to say that it strengthens the power and helps it to remain in reality for a longer period of time.

It hasn’t been confirmed yet, so she will be more certain once she checks everything else.

As Undine became clearer, the cracks on the diamond spread finely inside and soon became transparent ash.

Charyuk!

As Elisha tilted her hand, the diamond disappeared, and what remains of the necklace flowed down the bathtub floor along with the transparent ashes.

Elisha, having cleared her hand, reached out to the sapphire this time.

It was a gem that reminded her of someone’s eyes.

***

“Mother, are you ready?”

Leon’s voice was heard outside the dressing room, and Elisha turned to her Marie.

“It’s done, Your Majesty.”

As Marie and the maids retreated, Elisha stood up from the chair.

Elisha made them go out first, and as if she had been worrying about it the whole time, she hid the box she was holding in her hand in an inconspicuous corner of the dressing room and went outside.

Her hair was neat, braided into one with a vine-like headdress made of finely plucked gold with light makeup.

Elisha went outside, glancing at the hem of the cream-colored dress that fell off her body.

“Mother!”

A little gentleman in a cute suit and Ascencio, who looks like a boy, but is an adult and can’t be taken lightly, stood side by side and greeted her.

“Today, the 2nd Empress will be the most beautiful in the Golden Hall, where the 2nd Prince’s birthday is celebrated.”

Ascencio politely reached out his hand and began to escort her, and Elisha put her hand on it.

“Please take good care of me today, Your Majesty. And Leon.”

Elisha left her other hand to Leon and smiled.

There were only one pearl earring the size of a fingernail at the tip of each of her ears, visible through her hair, which she had gathered behind her back to be braided into one.