The Grand Duchess of the North Was Secretly a Villainess

I talked to Eloine all night. Most of it was about what was to be done.

"It's already dawn..."

Looking up at the sky through the window, I arranged the decisions I made in consultation with Eloine one by one.

1. Find Duke Ilysian and other spies who hid in the North.

2. Use magic potions to disguise Caien identity.

3. Start Caien education and training.

4. Keep track of the capital's.

5. Tell my aides about Caien identity.

There was a lot of dirty work to do.

'As expected, the higher the position, the more things to do. It's already hard.'

There will be plenty of power, there will be money that will last a lifetime, and there will be the title of Grand Duchess. At first, I was just excited, but there were so many things to do.

'I need to find out why the monsters are running wild. I guess I'll have to work on my aides.'

My subordinates are here to use it at times like this. I wrote down the names that came to mind one after another and wrote down the things to be done next to them.

“It’s definitely convenient to have Eloine.”

Eloine was out in the forest on my behalf. It was because he decided to take charge of the restoration of the boundary stone that Caien had broken. He was qualified because the boundary stone needed the blood of the Wayana family.

'It's my job, but I have to make magic potions.'

The smell of boiling herbs filled the study.

'It smells fragrant.'

While making a list of my subordinates to serve, I glanced at the kettle. At that moment, the clear liquid began to turn red. The liquid was immediately poured into the teacup.

'I made it according to Eloise's note. Is this right?'

I was reluctant because it was red like blood.

"Emm... Well, Well, he is not gonna die."

It's not for me to drink.

There was no way the bloodline of the Imperial family would die because of just one drug, because it's a constitution that doesn't work well with poisons from generation to generation.

'If he trusts me, he will drink it. would he believe me? I'm curious again.'

I slowly shook the teacup to cool off the potion. Naturally, this drug also had an expiration date. Once he drank it, he could hide his hair and eye color for about half a year.

'I don't know if it will work for the blood of the Imperial family.'

Once I made it, I was going to finish my work today until the potion cooled down. As I looked out the window, I saw the sky gradually turning blue. It was completely dawn.

'Eloine must have arrived by now. It's time for Caien to wake up too.'

When I think of Caien, the heavy work comes to mind and my head starts to hurt again.

'But if I think about it later, it would be better to suffer now.'

It seemed like I should see if Cayenne woke up.
 

*****

I left the study with a teacup filled with medicine. Far away, at the end of the hallway. Jayden was seen. He was looking for me and as soon as my eyes met him he started walking this way.

"Your Highness."

It's definitely my aide, but I felt like I hadn't seen his face in a long time.

"Why does it feel like I haven't seen you in a while?"

"It's just the two of you, sir Eloine and your Highness, aside from me. I'm disappointed."

Jayden expressed his disappointment by dropping the end of his eyebrows down. No, it's not cute even if you say you're upset with that face. Can't you think about your size?

"Because it's been a long time since I met my brother."

"Since when have you been so friendly with sir Eloine? You always avoided him because he was tiresome."

As expected, Eloise was annoyed with Eloine. I was speechless, so I just stared at Jayden.

"Cough, hmm. Sir Eloine was going out with Johaim."

Jayden turned around coughing, as he was quite scared to stare at me.

"He went to fix the boundary stone. It needs Wayana's blood."

"What about your Highness?"

"I have something else to do."

"Your Highness, I'm really disappointed this time. I'm your aide...."

Jayden looked really upset this time. I guess I'll have to get him to do something. I got off my luck because I thought it was time to throw a carrot at him.

"Jayden."

"Yes."

"Tell me, about how things are in the capital."

I never instructed Jayden to find out, but Jayden would already know how things are in the capital.

The northern part was a key point to protect the capital, but there were many enemies within the empire. Including the Emperor who kept the North in check. Because of this, the Northern aides had to be adept at the situation.

"What exactly would you like to know?"

Jayden's expression brightened when I asked. His mouth was itchy because he wanted to say this and that.

'Humans become loyal as much as they are recognized by their superiors.'

Is there anything else greater than the need for recognition and achievement? It was also my responsibility to give a decent job to a subordinate who was good at his work.

"Anything about His Majesty's funeral?"

I asked indifferently as I walked to Caien room. Since he was murdered, it was clear that the funeral would take some time.

"From what I heard from the crow planted in the capital, the funeral will be held in ten days."

It was almost a month before the funeral was held.

"I'll have to send someone."

I felt like I had to pack the right people and send them to the capital.

'Should I go there myself? I'll have to talk to Eloine.'

I can use the monsters as an excuse, but since it's the Emperor's funeral, it might be better to walk on my own.

"How about the rumors about the whereabouts of the Crown Prince?"

"No one doubts us."

Jayden silenced his voice.

"We can't leave the throne empty at this time. Is there any talk of the coronation ceremony?"

"I think there will be a coronation ceremony as soon as the funeral is over."

Fortunately, the capital was steadily flowing as in the original story. The preparations for the funeral and coronation ceremony will prevent them from looking to the North for the time being. Caien came to my estate, so if that's a relief, it's a relief.

"Well, your Highness."

"Why?"

I replied, erasing in my mind the number four on the to-do list.
'Keep track of the capital's'.

"Will you be all right? It may be dangerous."

There was no subject, but it was clear that he was talking about my position to protect Caien.

'It's dangerous. I know.'

But I wasn't worried.

"Jayden."

"Yes?"

"Come to my room with Joahim when he returns."

Glancing down, my cold face reflected in the red liquid in the teacup.
 

*****

"Caien, did you sleep well?"

When I entered the room, Caien was looking out the window. As I stepped forward, he turned back to me.

The sunlight coming in through the window poured down onto her platinum blonde hair. There was no other painting.


"I woke up, and I was surprised that Eloise wasn't there."

Caien said sullenly. His long inner eyebrows fluttered as he lowered his gaze down like a child.

'How can a fifteen-year-old look so pitiful? I am amazed every time I see it.'

I could see why the original story continued to emphasize the male lead innocent appearance.

"I'm sorry. I was making potion."

"Potion?"

"This is the drug I mentioned last time. It will change the color of your hair and eyes. Just like me."

I handed the teacup to Cain, Instead of drinking the tea, he just stared at the teacup.

'Is it a disgusting color?'

Or you don't trust me yet.

"You don't have to drink it now. I'll let you know once the wound has healed."

"No, I'll drink it."

Caien smiled faintly as I put the tea cup down next to him. To be honest, I thought he might refuse, so I was a little surprised.

'Do you completely trust me? If that's the case, I'm a little touched.'

Caien, who was thinking about something for a while, tilted his head and asked.

"Eloise. Do you still like cute things?"

Still? Just as I was about to ask what it meant, I heard a knock. It seemed that Johaim had arrived sooner than I had expected.

"Let me introduce my people first."

The first thing I did was introduced my men to Caien.
 

*****

Johaim drove a horse to the vicinity of the border along Eloine for the sole reason that he was the Commander of the knights. After running for a while, a broken boundary stone appeared.

Elaine, who jumped off the horse, scratched his palm with an expressionless face and dropped blood on the broken stone. The boundary stone began to glow purple as it absorbed the dripping blood.

'You don't even blink an eye.'

Johaim glanced at Eloine, looking at the rare scene of fixing the boundary stone.

'Since Eloine is back, the Knights must have gone crazy.'

It has been nearly 10 years since Eloine went to the capital. So there must be quite a few knights that saw his face for the first time.

Most would be in awe, but Johaim was afraid of the Wayana family's eldest son.

"How do you manage the forest so that the boundary stone looks like this?"

His body stiffened at the sound of his sullen voice. Eloine ruffled his hair and cast a fierce gaze.

"I'm sorry."

"Johaim."

"Yes."

"It's your job to reduce the of the Grand Duchess. It's not about increasing the work of the Grand Duchess."

Johaim bowed. Eloine was right, so there was nothing to say.

"Tsk."

Eloine kicked his tongue and got back on his horse. After meeting the Crown Prince, his discomfort showed no sign of improvement. Whenever the cold eyes toward him and the pretty smile on Eloise overlapped, curse words leaked out.

'It seemed like you were making a move on Eloise.'

Eloine recalled his sister's age. Nineteen. The age difference of four years in the Imperial Palace was not even close to the age difference.

'Duke Ilysian was also hasn't married yet. If he ascended the throne, he will welcome the empress.'

That's extremely unlikely, but perhaps he is thinking of Eloise as one of the candidates for Empress.

"Let's go."

Eloine kicked his horse around the waist and turned towards the castle. Whether he was the Crown Prince or the next Emperor, he had no intention of handing over his only sister.
 

*****

Upon returning to the castle, Jayden, Eloise's aide, welcomed them.

"Your Highness asked me to call Johaim."

Eloine immediately recognized Eloise's thoughts. It seemed that she was going to introduce the Crown Prince today.

'How can there be no good men?'

Eloine didn't like either Johaim or Jayden. Objectively, Johaim and Jayden were capable subordinates, but unfortunately, they only looked incompetent in Eloine's eyes.

'I'm glad I'm back in the North.'

It was not disgraceful that Eloine was dismissed.

In the first place, he had no greed for the position of Commander of the Holy Knights, and he never had any attachment to the capital.

'I need to discipline myself.'

There were also many people who misunderstood that he hated Eloise. It was because his younger sister passed over the eldest son and took over the position of Duke, a higher position.

Of course, it happened when Eloine went to the capital because of his divine power, but people liked to talk about the outside rather than the inside. But Eloine thought his sister was more suited to the Duke's position than anyone else.

'I'm glad I'm by your side now.'

Since Eloise had vowed to put the Crown Prince on the throne, he was also intended to help.

'I don't like the Crown Prince.'

It wasn't for a cause. It was simply because Eloise wanted it.

Eventually, the three of them arrived at the door. Just before opening the door, Eloine slowly opened his mouth.

"Let's keep quiet about what's going to happen."

Johaim had an unknown face, but soon nodded with a determined look.

"The moment this leaks out......"

Eloine opened the door and blinked.

"I will cut off your heads myself."

If there was anyone who betrayed his sister's wishes, he would not forgive anyone. Including the Crown Prince who was smiling while looking at Eloise from the inside.