Marked as the Tyrant's Daughter-in-Law - Chapter 18

That old book was so loose and worn out as if it had been taken out and read frequently.

I started turning the pages of the old book one by one.

Of course, the content of the book wasn’t enough to satisfactorily fulfill the curiosity of a rapidly developing teenager.

Along with familiar diagrams of the human body, it contained information about how elementals affect male and female bodies differently, and how they can be helpful during pregnancy.

‘I’ve been fooled again.’

Well, of course. Tch.

I closed the book slowly with a bitter smile.

And then, a piece of paper that had been tucked between the pages fell to the floor.

I bent down to pick it up.

“This is……”

It was a note with something written on it.

I read it with a trembling heart.

The scribbled handwriting was the same as Dad’s, which remained in various places around the mansion.

[Some try to dominate people’s hearts with fear, while others try to win people over with respect. I always wanted to be the latter.]

……

[My elemental magic was for people and nature, for revival, not for destruction and death. So my journey is a path towards that. Whether I fail or succeed, if it brings forth even one flower, it will have been worth it.]

I read Dad’s writing to the end with wavering eyes.

It was just two short paragraphs, but it seemed to reveal what kind of person Dad was.

‘Dad’s elemental magic was for people and nature, for revival.’

It felt like I could sense a gentle and soft yet firm sense of self, making my heart pound.

‘Bringing forth a flower… What a beautiful expression.’

I think I can feel what kind of person Dad was.

After reading and rereading it, feeling the gentle ripples in my chest for a while, I slowly turned the paper over.

[Light elemental – the source of all elementals, only a light elementalist can cure the black spots. Horizontal, fourth, vertical, vertical, horizontal, second, silver.]

There was a memo written there that seemed unrelated to the previous writing.

‘Can cure the black spots?’

What are black spots?

Judging by the same handwriting, this must have been written by Dad too, but I couldn’t understand what the content meant.

‘Anyway, I should keep this safe.’

***

It’s starting to get busy outside the Marquis’ residence. Most of those lingering around were noble ladies accompanied by young ladies around my age.

“It’s almost time for her to arrive.”

This is because rumors had spread that Lady Alens would come to teach me at this time.

As Lady Alens’ carriage arrived, envious gazes turned towards her carriage.

“Oh my, look at those beautiful feather decorations.”

“My lady, you look beautiful!”

If we were to draw the social circle of the nobility as a pyramid structure, Lady Alens would clearly be at the top.

You can tell by how everyone is desperately trying to catch her attention for their daughters.

Some children were looking at the Marquis’ residence with envy.

I heard that the Matzert Duchy had finally given up on Lady Alens’ education.

‘Then… is Lariel grinding her teeth at me?’

Lady Alens greeted the ladies who had gathered for her by holding their hands, and soon after, she stood in front of the Marquis’ residence.

I went down to greet Lady Alens.

“Welcome, my lady!”

“Hohoho! Your walk is even more graceful than before.”

Lady Alens put both hands on my chubby cheeks and made a fuss as if looking at a cute animal.

I couldn’t understand what part of me seemed to have the qualities to become the flower of high society, but if the lady says so, it must be true, right?

“This is why I really can’t give up… Giving up on Arinel would be like burying a treasure chest back in the ground without taking out the treasure I worked so hard to find.”

I decided to pretend I didn’t hear the lady’s muttering.

We went up to the third floor, and a maid soon brought warm tea.

Today was the day to learn about tea time etiquette.

After all, tea parties were a daily occurrence for ladies in high society.

Lady Alens taught me how to hold a teacup, where to place my gaze, the situations when pouring tea, and even the tea etiquette of the royal family.

What was special about her education was that she knew the vast and complex palace etiquette of the Albreon Empire in great detail.

That was something no etiquette teacher in the empire could match.

“My lady, how did the thing I asked you about last time go?”

After the lesson, I asked with a tense face, as if I had ice cubes in both cheeks, while drinking tea with Lady Alens.

The lady smiled as she corrected my small hand gesture.

“Well, how do you think it went? Hohoho.”

The red beet slices made with the recipe I developed could become a snack suitable to accompany tea.

At least for the nobility.

For me, who lived in Galnem village, it was food that could withstand four years of tyranny and famine.

“Was it not difficult? The nobility must have refined tastes…”

In fact, even as I told Lady Alens about my plan, I wasn’t completely confident.

“I held a tea party and served the red beet slices, but no one recognized that the ingredient was red beets. They just praised me, saying it had a fantastic taste they had never experienced before.”

Lady Alens leads the trends among noble ladies.

Not only what she wears and puts on, but even what furniture she prefers and what food she likes becomes a trend.

If such a Lady Alens were to showcase red beet slices at a gathering of noble ladies, the impact was obvious.

“When to reveal that the ingredient in my dessert is red beets is up to you, Arinel. But I can assure you…”

Just as a bob cut can become a comedian’s skit hair or an actor’s awards ceremony hair depending on the situation, red beets could also become an elegant dessert depending on how they are introduced and consumed.

After all, noble ladies would follow Lady Alens even if she started riding a unicycle.

“Red beets will become Albreon’s most beloved dessert for the next few years! Hohoho!”

At those words, I beamed with a bright smile.

“Well done, my lady. Thank you!”

As expected, Lady Alens’ influence was beyond my expectations.

“Well, this is nothing. It’s a pleasure to be of help to our Arinel like this.”

I was steadily proceeding with my business plans through the families of the La Fiole members I met last time.

I was also hiring staff needed for my business.

‘When it’s time to hit the jackpot, it’ll be better when high society’s curiosity is deeper.’

The nobility’s popularity of red beets will be helpful to everyone when famine strikes.

‘Because red beet food is easy to make and can be stored for a long time.’

In the original story, when famine struck, the nobility began to exploit the commoners even more, which exacerbated the suffering of the common people.

“Now we need to cultivate land for Arinel’s red beet fields. Do you have any place in mind?”

I nodded, thinking of the Anes County family.

Adam, who had signed a contract through the Borden Viscount family, was scheduled to have an interview with the Anes County family today.

All plans were progressing smoothly.

***

“I really… like you, my lady.”

Before I knew it, the day was drawing to a close.

As I was preparing for bed, looking at myself in the mirror, suddenly the Crown Prince’s voice came to mind.

‘Hmm, I just… can’t understand it’

That unconditional favor towards me, I mean. To be honest, it’s suspicious.

To him, I’m just a girl he’s never seen before, who suddenly fell from the sky as his so-called fiancée.

“……”

Suddenly, as I was turning around, I hesitated.

It was a thought that suddenly crossed my mind.

That dream I had last night.

What if… it wasn’t the first time we met that day?

What if Briton had known me for a long time?

And I suddenly remembered a boy with a similar build to Briton.

“……”

In the scenery of Galnem where all the villagers had left, a boy who stayed with me in the drizzling rain.

The boy’s black eyes peeking through a white mask covering his entire face flashed through my mind.