Please Support My Revenge - Chapter 24.2

Prior to arriving at the Rose Palace, Lobelia had spent considerable time contemplating how she would respond to the Empress’s request, and what her approach would be.

Countess Dora had made it clear that favors came at a price, and Lobelia knew that if she were dealing with another noble, she could make a direct request for compensation, just as she had with Countess Dora. However, things were different when it came to the Empress.

The Empress was not an ordinary noble. She was part of the imperial bloodline, and the imperial family wielded immense power in the empire. Although the illusion of holiness associated with the imperial bloodline has largely disappeared due to the recent societal emphasis on reason and logic,  the imperial family still commanded a great deal of respect and reverence among the people.

To achieve anything of significance in the empire, one needed the support and approval of the imperial family. For that reason, Lobelia could not openly demand compensation.

“I… I don’t want anything,” Lobelia spoke hesitantly.

The Empress’s expression subtly changed, and she seemed surprised that Lobelia had come close to the correct answer.

“Then why did you ask about the whereabouts of the jewels?” the Empress asked, giving Lobelia her final test.

Lobelia lifted her head and met the Empress’s gaze. The Empress’s distinct purple eyes seemed to pierce into Lobelia, but she didn’t look away. At the end of that gaze, Lobelia smiled like a flower.

The Empress raised an eyebrow, intrigued by Lobelia’s response.

“I simply wanted to be of help to Your Majesty. It’s because I deeply admire you,” Lobelia said, her voice steady.

“Although my body and heart may be in a lowly place, I have always dreamed of serving great individuals with noble souls. And I have just seized that opportunity.”

The Empress burst out laughing. “Haha, haha! I like you!” She let go of Cedric’s arm and approached Lobelia. Lobelia tried to bow her head again, but the Empress grabbed her chin and held her head in place. She had no choice but to meet the Empress’s gaze directly.

The empress studied Lobelia’s face intently. “Although you have some Romani features, you’re beautiful. You could dress respectably and move about freely.” She released Lobelia’s chin, having assessed her appearance. “I want you close to me. What do you suggest?”

Lobelia wasted no time in proposing herself for a vacant position at the queen’s side. “It would be the greatest honor to serve Your Majesty in such a capacity,” she said, eagerly.

“You mean the position of palace deputy?” The queen nodded thoughtfully. “You seem to have a talent for acquiring goods, so I’ll entrust that to you.” The palace deputy was responsible for procuring items that nobles desired, and the queen evidently felt that Lobelia was well-suited to the role. Little did she know that Lobelia had her own goods to sell.

The queen was already wealthy, so she had no need to bestow more upon her subjects. In the Original, Marlon had bribed his way into the role of palace deputy for that very reason. But Lobelia had her own agenda. She intended to secure a vast fortune from the queen’s wealth, and then she could begin to plan her next moves against Marlon.

Lobelia felt a thrill of excitement at the prospect of success. She had taken the first step toward reclaiming Evelentia, and she could hardly wait to see what the future held. She concealed her elation and waited for the queen’s next command.

“Dismiss the coachman separately. Where should I send your letter? To the Count of Evelentia’s mansion or the Duke of Ferrado’s?” the empress inquired.

“Please send it to the academy,” Lobelia requested.

“The academy?” The empress chuckled. “So, you’re a student there?”

“For the time being, yes. Thanks to the support of the Duke of Ferrado,” Lobelia explained.

“I see. Well, it seems that my new assistant is already making me happy. I’m eager to see what’s in store,” the empress said, gesturing toward Cedric.

“As you may know, our meeting today was a chance encounter. I saw you in my rose garden and we struck up a conversation. I was impressed with your quick wit and decided to offer you the position,” the empress said.

“I understand,” Lobelia said, feeling grateful for the opportunity.

“Don’t worry, I don’t expect you to purchase items for me. All the gold I give you as payment for your services will come in the form of diamonds, so you can use them as you see fit,” the empress assured her.

Lobelia suspected that the empress was only entrusting her with a small amount of money under the guise of repayment, rather than revealing her true assets. While this might have been discouraging to some, Lobelia saw it as an advantage.

“I’ll be able to invest in the initial business without having to worry about the empress’s opinion,” she reasoned to herself.

Lobelia knew that there would be many dubious aspects to the work ahead, and if the empress had entrusted her real assets and scrutinized every transaction, it would have been far more complicated to navigate.

“Cedric,” the empress said, turning to her son. “Accompany Lobelia.”

The empress’s request for her son, the crown prince, to escort Lobelia was not merely a kind gesture. It was a means of ensuring that anyone who had witnessed their meeting would understand that Lobelia was in the empress’s favor.

“I understand,” Cedric replied, looking somewhat taken aback at the request. However, he quickly regained his composure and accepted the empress’s orders.

“Please follow me,” he said, gesturing for Lobelia to follow him. She bowed to the queen and then walked through the shrub maze alongside Cedric.

As they were about to exit the shrub maze, Cedric turned around and called out to Lobelia.

“You,” he said, causing Lobelia to stop and look up at him.

“Is it true that you had a fight with Aina?” Cedric asked, his expression serious.