The Alchemists

When that happened, then, Rose would know that Rune really loved her so much that he was willing to be a poor man to win her heart.

She would remember that Rune only did that because a few weeks ago Rose had insisted on marrying only a poor man.

"Mom.. don't scare Rune, please..." said Rose, finally interceding for the two of them. The girl cleared her throat and glanced at Rune.

"I've known Rune very well all this time and I know that he's not a man who likes to take advantage of women. He won't leech off my wealth. He's a man who is not interested in money."

Duchess Fournier looked astonished at Rose's words. "He doesn't like money? Is there such a person?"

"Yes," said Rose with a chuckle. "This man is very smart and he had a lot of opportunities to earn a lot of money, but he didn't pursue them."

"How is that possible?" asked Duchess Fournier again. This time she seemed even more interested. In all her life, she had never met anyone who said they didn't like money.

"Ahem ... Rune actually has some amazing formulas for medicine. I've tried his hangover medicine myself. In less than five minutes, my headaches disappeared. He also has a variety of other drugs formula. I told him that many pharmaceutical companies are willing to pay a fortune for his invention. But he wasn't interested. "

When she heard Rose's explanation, Duchess Fournier became very impressed. But the look on her face also seemed to be filled with a confused expression.

"So, is Rune actually a fixer or a scientist? How can he make medicine?" asked Duchess Fournier in puzzlement.

"I don't know ... I'm also confused .. hahaha," Rose replied with a hearty laugh. "I think he does whatever he wants. Anyway, Rune is very clever and he has a lot of potentials. But one thing is for sure, he doesn't like money. So, Mom, you don't have to worry that he will leech on me or if he is in it for the money."

Rose's words were blunt, but they were on point. Duchess Fournier was worried that her daughter would be taken advantage of by a handsome man just because of her wealth.

Even though Rose was a very beautiful and smart girl, it was possible that there are men who did not value her for her worth and only wanted to be with her for the sake of getting her family's wealth.

If that's the case, which parent wouldn't worry? After they were gone and their wealth was drained, then what would happen to Rose?

Duchess Fournier did not want her daughter to suffer. That was all. She turned to Rune and looked at the man intently, trying to confirm the truth on Rose's words.

Was it true that this guy didn't like money? This could be good and bad at the same time, she thought.

A man who was too ambitious and could justify any means to reach his ambitions was just as bad as a man who had no ambition whatsoever and wasn't interested to get ahead in life.

"Is that true?" Duchess Fournier asked, this time her question was directed at Rune.

Before the young man could answer, Rose had touched her mother's arm and shook her head. "Mom, please don't interrogate Rune like that. I don't want him to feel uncomfortable. He just arrived here. If he felt cornered and decided to run away, you must be responsible for finding me a date for Leon's wedding."

Rose's last sentence seemed to remind Duchess Fournier that Rose must attend the wedding of her ex-boyfriend... who, in public, was her brother in status.

Ahh ... this saddened Duchess Fournier. She actually really liked Leon because she saw the boy grew up with Rose since childhood.

She didn't want Rose and Leon to have a relationship because of their differences in status. However, after her husband revealed who Leon was, Duchess Fournier regretted her decision in the past and wished she had given her blessing while Rose and Leon were still together.

Now, Leon would become the king and he would soon marry another girl.

This embarrassed Duchess Fournier in front of her fellow aristocrats. Very few people in Medion knew the true secret, that Leon was King Henry Camille's biological son, not Duke Fournier's.

But the Duchess had no choice but to follow her husband's wishes. Duke Fournier had vowed to help the king and protect his reputation at the expense of his own.

In addition to the Fournier's tarnished reputation, Duchess Fournier also had to witness her only daughter experience heartbreak and grief over Leon's decision to accept recognition as the son of the Fournier family and marry Princess Anne of Moravia.

Whether Leon could love his future wife or not, Duchess Fournier did not know. What was clear was that the man ended up choosing the throne and another girl, instead of his love for Rose.

According to Duchess Fournier's conjecture, Leon's decision was made because he felt that his years of being the illegitimate child of a servant made him not considered good enough for Rose.

This was Duchess Fournier's own fault. It was she who made Leon feel that in order to be recognized as a man worthy of Rose, Leon had to become a noble and have massive wealth.

"Mom... when I met Rune, he didn't know who I really am. He thought I was just a commoner girl who wants to become a painter. He only found out that I am a princess and our family is wealthy a week ago." Rose added. "You can trust my words, can't you?"

"Oh ..." Then Duchess Fournier nodded. Of course, she believed in her daughter.

Rose did often hide her identity from new people. When she was sent to school in Scotland, she also didn't tell her schoolmates who she really was.