Chapter 75

Due to Chuchu’s confident words, Liliana thought it would be easy.

However, Liliana had not formed a contract with any spirits, so she could barely encase a stone in a thin breeze without any significant results.

Seeing Liliana’s dejected expression, Chuchu suddenly exclaimed as if a thought had struck her.

“We need seawater! Oh, and a clay pot too!”

Since it was impossible to obtain seawater immediately, Liliana filled a clay pot with salt water and stones. Even so, the rocks remained the same, and the stones did not change, so Liliana started flipping through a book on spirit arts.

As it turned out, creating a spirit stone required a few specific conditions: saltwater, a clay pot, a tranquil environment, and the depth of night.

Once all these conditions were met, Liliana could create something resembling a spirit stone.

Seeing the spirit stone that Liliana had painstakingly created, Chuchu scratched her cheek.

“That’s strange. The person I knew could create a boxful of spirit stones with just a wave of their hand.”

Feeling both embarrassed and indignant, Liliana wiped away a tear and asked,

“…Who was that?”

“Of course! Uh, who was it?”

Chuchu, speaking confidently, tilted her head in confusion. Her memory wasn’t intact, and it seemed she couldn’t recall it this time either.

While Chuchu propped her chin and pondered deeply, Liliana tried to move the wind a bit more, but without much success.

“Well, it doesn’t matter since they’ll hire someone else instead of me anyway.”

Although it was disappointing, it wasn’t a significant issue.

What was important now was that spirit stones actually existed and could still be made.

* * *

“Unlike magic stones, which can be mined from the earth, humans must create spirit stones under certain conditions. Although magic stones are a hundred times more energy-efficient when compared to the same size and have long been neglected, spirit stones possess a vitality that closely resembles that of nature.“

Liliana spent several days living in the library to learn more about spirit stones. Fortunately, the Carlo Imperial Library had more resources than any other.

“As the Empire prospers, labor increases, but the land shrinks, and there will come a limit to what they can do. It might not seem like a big problem now, but a significant number of people are already struggling to find employment. If the information in that book is correct, we can plant spirit stones in the wasteland beyond the eastern wall to expand the farmland.”

Lady Liston, who had been quietly listening, touched her chin in thought.

“What if the efficacy of the spirit stones is wrong?“

“I was worried about that too, but my spirit… I haven’t contracted with it, but I have a close spirit. When I asked that spirit, it treated me like an idiot, saying it’s obvious and humans don’t know such basic things. Still, we should experiment just to be sure.”

“If we start making spirit stones, others will try to follow.“

“Several conditions are required to create a spirit stone. And from what I’ve found in the literature, it’s rare to find all those conditions listed. I wouldn’t have known if the spirit hadn’t told me. It might take others some time to catch up, and while a complete monopoly might be difficult, we can still create a significant gap between us and those who follow later.”

Only then did Lady Liston smile.

“We’ll have to rebuild the wall, so we should also set up more labor offices on the border. We’ll need laborers, but it will take time to build the wall, so we’ll also need mercenaries to protect the workers.“

“Oh, I hadn’t thought of that. That’s a great idea.”

Liliana clapped her hands joyfully.

“I was thinking of connecting spirit summoners with spirits so they wouldn’t have to search for them and charge a fee for the service, but my idea seems trivial and insignificant now.“

“Not at all. That’s not a bad idea. But it’s better to consider connecting people with spirits as an investment. Spirit arts have always been a luxury in the Empire. Commoners might hesitate if they have to pay a fee. Since we’ll need a lot of spirit stones, we should gather as many spirit summoners as possible.”

Liliana was deeply moved by Lady Liston’s words, her eyes sparkling. She grasped Lady Liston’s hands tightly, not hiding her joy.

“I’m so glad you’re here. I knew you would address the parts I couldn’t think of.“

“You’re too kind.”

Feigning modesty, Lady Liston suddenly stood up.

“We need to act quickly on this. First, we should buy all the wasteland at a low price and plant a few spirit stones. If the results are promising, then we’ll build the labor offices. Maintaining a monopoly will be hard if someone else hears about this and gets involved.“

“Yes, yes!”

Lady Liston grabbed Liliana’s hand and headed for the office. She moved quickly as if a fire had been lit under her.

Liliana could only clasp her hands and watch as Lady Liston turned the office upside down.

‘No wonder she was able to establish her own intelligence network.’

Lady Liston wasn’t the type to collapse in the face of despair. Instead, she likely endured the pain by keeping herself busy.

“Your Highness, I’ve thought of something interesting!”

Lady Liston turned back to Liliana with a bright smile. For some reason, she held a silk hat with a jet-black veil attached.

Lady Liston placed the hat on Liliana’s head and laughed as if finding it highly adorable.

“I can’t believe how much it doesn’t suit you.“

“Don’t tease me.”

Liliana knew well that mature outfits didn’t suit her. Perhaps even when she became a grandmother, she still needed to wear cute dresses with frills.

As she pouted her lips, Lady Liston gently patted her cheek.

“You’re just too adorable. And you’re so beautiful that you still look lovely even if something doesn’t suit you.“

Despite Lady Liston’s words, Liliana removed the hat and held it to her chest.

“What’s the interesting idea you had?”

Lady Liston stepped back, rested her chin on her hand, and looked Liliana up and down. It was not much different from how she looked at her when they played dress-up with dolls.

“Your Highness, how about becoming someone completely different?”

* * *

Liliana made good use of Helio’s pass. She attended salons where noblewomen gathered, and for the first time in her life, she even experienced walking into a store and buying things.

‘Or maybe not? I did buy skewers at the night market with His Majesty.’

Liliana recalled that moment with a soft smile. The boutique owner saw that Liliana seemed pleased with the items, smiled brightly, and brought out more catalogs.

After perusing the catalogs, Liliana chose two dresses for the year-end and New Year’s parties. The owner was overjoyed.

After Liliana left, the owner remarked with a happy expression,

“I don’t know why people fuss about the Empress Consort being out and about. I think it’s wonderful!”

A wealthy customer who wasn’t picky was indeed the best. As Liliana prepared for the New Year’s celebration, she unintentionally left a good impression on the merchants she visited.

Whenever she went out, Liliana often found herself at the Liston Marquisate. Since everyone in the capital’s aristocracy knew of her close relationship with Lady Liston, it wasn’t considered an issue.

Who could possibly object to a godmother and goddaughter meeting for a chat?

Of course, the reality was that their conversations were far from ordinary.

“Godmother, I visited a boutique today and found a dress I liked. Could you get it for me?“

“Have you finally chosen the outfit for your disguise?”

Lady Liston teased. Despite pouting her lips, Liliana couldn’t stop smiling.

“It was surprisingly enjoyable to pick out something I’d never wear. I chose a dress that would cause quite a stir if the Empress wore it.“

“Hmm…”

Lady Liston tilted her head with a smile playing on her lips, and Liliana, feeling teased, burst into laughter and flopped onto the sofa.

“I’m serious!“

“Describe it to me.“

“The shoulders are puffed up so much that I’m worried I might bump into someone if I turn my head carelessly.“

“And?“

“The skirt is extremely tight. If I move the wrong way, everyone will know exactly how my lower body is shaped.”

Liliana spoke as if she were genuinely amazed, making Lady Liston laugh. But Liliana wasn’t finished.

She placed her hand over her chest and said in a frightened voice,

“If I bend over, I’m afraid my chest will be completely exposed. Oh, why did I say I’d buy such a dress? I’ll cancel it. I’ll pick something else.”

Liliana was about to jump up when Lady Liston grabbed her hand and pulled her back down.

“Don’t worry, I’ll buy and alter it so it’s not too revealing.“

“Really?“

“Of course.”

Liliana reassured and sat down calmly, and Lady Liston felt a sense of relief.

Before pushing forward with her business plans, Liliana created a new identity.

If word got out that the Empress involved herself in economic matters, it was sure that Duke Gabriel’s faction would interfere. So, she planned to buy a baron’s title and list that identity as the head of a trading company.

The plan was to establish a reputation for lavish spending first, then reveal her true identity once the business was stable.

However, she couldn’t wholly avoid appearing in public, so she decided to disguise herself in a way that would make her unrecognizable.

The unexpected challenge was that Liliana struggled to choose an outfit.

“I didn’t think much of it when I saw dresses at banquets, but now that I’m the one wearing them, it feels so overwhelming…”

Liliana sighed deeply as if it were tough, but Lady Liston only found her endearing.

“You should choose a pretty dress in case you show it to His Majesty later.”

Lady Liston teased, instantly causing Liliana’s face to turn redder than a strawberry.

“Don’t say that! I will never, ever, ever show it to His Majesty.”

TL NOTE: A more advanced chapter of this story is already up on the site. Visit dusk blossoms for more advanced chapters and stories.