One advantage was how efficiently several laws unique to the Grand Duchy functioned.

It wasn’t created in a short time but completed over a very long period. The previous Grand Duke didn’t destroy the foundation built by his predecessor but strengthened the basics and passed it on to his successor. Continuing in this manner, the Grand Duchy became a city better organized than any capital.

‘How must the Emperor who had such a Grand Duke have felt?’

Would he feel secure having such an excellent talent as his subject? Or would he be wary?

Suddenly curious about this question, Elena looked at Wei.

“What were the people of the Raion family like, who previously served as Grand Dukes?”

“In what sense are you asking?”

“How the Emperor viewed the Grand Duke, that sort of thing.”

The Emperor and the Grand Duke……

“They’re such lofty beings that all I know are a few rumors.”

To Wei, the Grand Duke was an unreachable existence. So previous Grand Dukes were even more distant figures.

“But if I were to summarize what I’ve heard…… They were like finely honed, sharp swords.”

Wei sat up straight and put force behind his thoughts. He clenched his hand in the air, pretending to grip a sword.

“This fine sword I possess is so polished and sharp that it achieves great effect with minimal effort. To others, I, the owner holding this sword, would look impressive.”

He swung his arm downward through the air, mimicking attacking an opponent with a sword.

“But there’s also anxiety: ‘What if this sword might harm me?’ If I swing it incorrectly and cut my own hand, the sword would deliver its full sharpness and slice through my flesh.”

Wei spread both his hands wide.

“Isn’t that what the grand ducal family is like?”

Of course, this is just my personal opinion.

It was a story that showcased quite sharp insight.

“I see.”

Elena needed a moment to think. Wei tactfully remained quiet as he removed his chair and returned it to its place.

‘This is complicated.’

Elena was absently stroking her hair, her thoughts becoming more tangled rather than unraveling, when she jumped up at the sound of the door opening.

“Your Highness.”

After confirming it was Rudfelix who had emerged, she called out to him but hesitated.

His expression was so cold, unlike his usual self.

“Grand Duke.”

Elena quickly composed her expression and approached him, but was stopped by his outstretched hand.

“Stay there.”

Rudfelix’s fingertips firmly rejected Elena, preventing her from coming closer.

“What’s wrong?”

Rudfelix lightly touched his forehead as if he had a headache. The hand covering his forehead made his already shadowed eyes look even darker.

“Don’t forget the promise you made to me.”

“What?”

In the atmosphere that felt like the air might freeze solid, Elena couldn’t immediately recall what promise she had made to him.

“Go straight home today.”

Rudfelix, who had cut Elena off completely to prevent her from following him, walked alone down the corridor.

‘What happened in there.’

His expression was more serious than she had worried about, and she couldn’t take her eyes off him.

“The Grand Duke seems to have no room for other thoughts.”

Suharto walked out through the open door. Seeing Elena staring fixedly at Rudfelix, he cleared his throat softly to draw her attention to himself.

“The Grand Duke’s situation isn’t very good right now.”

Rudfelix’s mood had soured after meeting with Suharto. Yet Suharto spoke nonchalantly as if someone else was responsible. He lightly grasped Elena’s shoulder and turned her toward him.

“Don’t you have something to discuss with me?”

Suharto was watching from the doorway. As Elena was contemplating whether to enter or not, Suharto’s hand rose.

After beckoning with his index finger, Suharto went back inside, and Elena realized the answer had been decided from the beginning.

‘He could just tell me to come in. Why ask if I have something to talk about?’

Elena waved to Wei, who was sitting in the chair, and entered the reception room where Suharto was.

Suharto, seated back in his place, was twirling his cup without drinking the cold tea. As she sat across from him, she could see the cup Rudfelix had used.

‘He drank it all.’

She almost smiled at the lemon slice sitting alone at the bottom of the cup. Her heart had been heavy because he had left her behind, but now it felt lighter.

“I hear that fruit tea steeped in sugar is a product from the Jellisto Trading Company?”

Suharto fidgeted with his cup.

“I thought I would taste that tea, but it was very ordinary……”

He twirled his cup.

“Peppermint tea.”

Sitting in the same place drinking tea, but one gets fruit tea and the other gets plain leaf tea?

Elena gave an embarrassed smile.

“For me, the mood of the person I love takes priority over the great Crown Prince of the Empire.”

She explained why she hadn’t given the lemon tea to the Crown Prince.

‘Even if that great Emperor came, Alix’s feelings would come first. He’s the type who would hate it if I served the same thing, so what could I do?’

I have to accommodate him.

“The Jellisto Trading Company has been expanding rapidly, as if compensating for its precarious days, and I hear one of the success factors is precisely this fruit tea?”

The fruit tea, created by exactly imitating Elena’s method. They used it as gifts to send to noble ladies. Additionally, she created a café where these ladies could visit.

Count Jellisto, who loved Elena, opened the café he had created for his daughter to noble young ladies.

The café, infused with the Count’s love for his daughter, quickly established itself as word spread properly.

“Yes. I’ve heard many people enjoy it.”

“It’s good that it’s doing well, but it needs to continue growing well in the future…… right?”

Elena raised her head.

“What if the foundation for this current success is built on sand that could collapse at any moment?”

Suharto’s words carried many implications.

‘Is this what you wanted to tell me?’

Elena withdrew her hand that had been fidgeting with the cup. As this uncomfortable person started an uncomfortable conversation, her breathing became irregular and she couldn’t maintain her composure.

“What…… do you mean by that?”

For the first time, the story was flowing according to the original work. Suharto did not avoid clashing with the Grand Duke.

“The owner of the Grand Duchy will change. By then, the Grand Duchess will also change.”

Elena pretended to be surprised at Suharto’s words, covering her mouth.

All she had known was that Suharto was wary of the Grand Duke.

“The governance period of the Grand Duchy was set from the beginning. On the day His Majesty the current Emperor steps down from the throne, the owner of the Grand Duchy would become the next Emperor.”

Seeing Elena’s trembling eyes, Suharto relatively regained his composure.

Unable to take away Rudfelix’s calmness, he was getting his compensation from Elena.

“There is already a designated Grand Duke, so even if you become the Grand Duchess now, that time will be limited.”

“Designated, you say?”

As Elena’s voice trembled, Suharto’s voice lowered. He was pushing a dark shadow onto Elena in a secretive and sinister manner.

“Have you ever thought about what remains when titles are stripped away, no matter how high one’s authority or how great one’s abilities? That applies to Grand Duke Raion as well. It means he won’t always be a great person. I highly respect his abilities, but that’s as far as it goes. The Jellisto Trading Company, which extended a hand to the Grand Duke thinking they were indebted to him, has essentially built a castle on sand.”

Elena’s upper body shook unsteadily. As if shocked by Suharto’s words, she covered her face with both hands.

“Now your face shows you understand what I meant.”

As the conversation flowed in the direction he wanted, Suharto’s lips parted in a gentle curve.

“I’m sorry to say this to a lady who happened to fall in love with Grand Duke Rudfelix, but your luck was bad. If it had been earlier, you would have enjoyed wealth and glory that even the Empress wouldn’t envy, but now the end has come.”

At Suharto’s whisper, Elena turned her trembling head to the side.

She bent her upper body forward, hiding her face from Suharto.

She detected the inferiority complex hidden in Suharto’s words and held her breath.

‘Now I understand.’

She understood why Rudfelix had no choice but to rebel.

‘If the Crown Prince becomes Emperor like this, the owner of the Grand Duchy will change, and he’ll even take Rudfelix’s status. He might even want his life.’

Who would wait quietly when someone is holding a sword to their neck, contemplating when to cut it?

Rudfelix was also trying to become Emperor to protect himself and the grand ducal family.

The tangled threads in Elena’s mind were unraveling one by one.

As she pieced together her thoughts like a puzzle, she didn’t notice Suharto approaching.

Suharto came in front of Elena. His hand slowly approached and lightly touched her chin.

When Elena raised her head in surprise, Suharto looked at her as if finding her cute.

“I will become Emperor in the future. The person by my side on the day I ascend the throne would rise at least to the rank of marquis.”

Suharto gently lifted Elena’s chin.

“Instead of being an insecure Grand Duchess, how about coming to my side? I’ll welcome you as the Crown Princess.”

“Your Highness.”

As Elena’s eyes flushed, Suharto gave a clear smile.

“You’ll brew fruit tea for me and warm yourself for me. The Empire’s successful man will embrace you—isn’t that an attractive proposal?”

Elena seemed thoroughly caught by Suharto’s seduction, unable to move.

“You can give me your answer in my room this evening.”

Until Suharto stood up and left, Elena couldn’t say anything.

If the future flowed as predetermined, the outcome of this fight was obvious.