Chapter 99: Latte’s Scheme Revealed

As Bliss entered the castle, she felt an unusually excited atmosphere.

“I wonder what’s happening?”

At Bliss’s question, Echo, matching her pace beside her, shook his head.

“It’s definitely different from usual, but I don’t know why either.”

“I seem to have missed everything happening in the castle while focusing on other matters.”

“But there’s one thing we can guess.”

“What’s that?”

“Princess Jasmin.”

Just by Echo mentioning someone, Bliss clapped her hands as if she understood.

“Ah, right.”

What could be more exciting than the princess finding a lover…

Though Caelan won the knights’ tournament, perhaps Count Karhen Nebula became the most famous person?

He revealed his feelings by demanding a token from Princess Jasmin, who was favored by the Emperor. The rumors might have grown even larger since Karhen was also involved in inviting Duke and Duchess Blast previously.

“He might have even had an audience with His Majesty the Emperor.”

“That we don’t know.”

When Echo replied curtly, Bliss’s steps quickened even more than before.

“Then we can just go hear about it. From Princess Jasmin.”

Though she seemed to keep getting distracted from her experiments lately, what could she do? Interesting things came first.

However, when Bliss came to meet Princess Jasmin, she couldn’t speak upon seeing who else was present.

“Um… I see you together more often than expected.”

She wondered if she could ask Princess Jasmin if her relationship with Karhen had been acknowledged. Since Karhen wasn’t exactly an unrelated person, it should be fine, but it felt different from women chatting among themselves, so the words wouldn’t come easily.

“Please treat me as if I’m not here. Feel free to talk.”

“Should… I?”

Though unsure if she could do that, there was no choice.

“Aren’t you curious about our story?”

When Karhen very naturally brought up their story, Bliss looked at Princess Jasmin. At her look asking if this was okay, Princess Jasmin shrugged her shoulders.

Taking it as meaning she would stay quiet whatever Karhen did, Bliss looked back at Karhen.

“We’re actually looking at dates to announce our relationship. This might sound like bragging, but it’s not. When I had a private audience with His Majesty, he seemed to like me, so everything might progress faster.”

It is bragging. No matter how he denies it, that’s definitely bragging.

“Congratulations. Congratulations, Your Highness.”

“Thank you.”

Seeing their situation progress more smoothly than expected, she suddenly compared it to her situation with Caelan. If she had honestly revealed everything when she first became Bliss, would things have gone as easily as them? Probably not.

It was because she had that time that she could firmly set her mind, but sometimes she would imagine such scenarios.

“Then perhaps you’ve planned your marriage as well?”

Though it might have been too early to ask, she did anyway. Something Princess Jasmin had said before came to mind.

“We’ll talk about that later.”

When Princess Jasmin spoke in a more subdued voice than before, the bright atmosphere that had persisted until now became slightly dampened.

Afterwards, they continued asking about each other’s well-being until Karhen left and only the two remained.

Princess Jasmin, who had maintained a gentle smile while Karhen was present, let out a troubled sigh.

“Did something happen?”

“It has nothing to do with Karhen. The problem is Jenesha.”

“Princess Jenesha?”

“She had feelings for Karhen.”

At Princess Jasmin’s look asking if she didn’t know, Bliss recalled a certain moment. Come to think of it, while embroidering during the knights’ tournament, Princess Jenesha had mentioned someone she wanted to give it to.

“Ah, that’s right.”

She had forgotten, with everything that had happened.

“So I’m trying to figure out how to resolve this.”

“I’ll help.”

When Bliss spoke as if there was nothing to think about, Princess Jasmin gave her a grateful smile.

“Thank you.”

***

“It’s been a while.”

“You asked to see me, what’s the matter?”

Princess Jenesha looked with puzzled eyes at Latte who had suddenly visited.

“My greetings were late.”

“Greetings?”

Latte maintained an appropriate distance, as if having no intention of sitting before Princess Jenesha, while paying her respects.

“I heard Your Highness was the one who allowed me to join the gathering.”

“If you’re talking about the gathering time, those greetings are indeed very late.”

Princess Jenesha smirked and rose from her seat. She ignored Latte and walked to stand before a mirror. Soon a maid approached and began adjusting Princess Jenesha’s clothes.

“Back then, Jerian recommended you so I let you in, but I wasn’t interested from the start. Ah, I did want to see you up close since rumors said you were so beautiful. Are you done talking? I’m about to change clothes…”

It was a dismissal telling her to leave. At this, Jerian, who was attending, couldn’t hide her mocking laughter at Latte. Though Jerian forcefully bit her lips trying to hide her laughter, she couldn’t hide her contemptuous gaze toward Latte.

“Yet you were so quiet during that gathering, what made you come looking for me now?”

Princess Jenesha tilted her head as if finding it strange before turning to look at Latte. Latte then directed the same gaze she had been giving Jerian toward Princess Jenesha.

“Isn’t there something you want to take?”

Princess Jenesha’s eyebrows twitched. Seeing this while staring straight at her face, Latte smiled as if to show she had noticed.

“Everyone in the castle knows about it, could it be you’re hearing this for the first time?”

Perhaps because of Latte’s changed atmosphere, Princess Jenesha looked at her, finding her intriguing.

“Everyone leave.”

At Princess Jenesha’s command, all the maids withdrew at once. As Jerian bowed to the princess and stepped back, her eyes met Latte’s. Thanks to the failed attempt when she had tried to make trouble by spilling tea on Bliss’s skirt at Viscount Jimilta’s, she had become entangled with Jerian.

Back then she had been angry that things hadn’t gone according to plan, but now it made her laugh.

“What are you thinking?”

At Jerian’s whisper, Latte replied nonchalantly.

“Thoughts that someone stupid like you couldn’t have.”

“What? You…”

Jerian, provoked by the dismissive words, tried to argue but left pretending to yield to another maid’s pulling force. Because she knew that resisting now would only irritate the princess.

“Just you wait.”

Latte mocked Jerian’s parting words filled with lingering resentment.

“How simple.”

Since it was nothing beyond her expectations, Latte lost interest in Jerian.

“Now I see you used Jerian to get to me.”

Princess Jenesha asked as if understanding after watching their nerve war.

“I was the one who suggested the option of becoming a maid when she said she didn’t want to marry a man with territory in the countryside. To be precise, I subtly hinted that such a method existed.”

“So it was planned from the start.”

Princess Jenesha looked at Latte again with seemingly more interest than before. She was no longer that quiet, shadow-like person from before. She was strongly displaying her presence now. Now this is getting somewhat interesting.

“So why did you come clinging to me, even mentioning Karhen?”

“I heard Count Karhen has become Princess Jasmin’s lover.”

“So why are you telling me something everyone knows?”

Princess Jenesha shed the thin veneer of pretense she had been wearing. Though this caused her aggressive aura to surge, Latte’s smile only deepened as if pleased.

“I came to tell you not to worry since they’ve only become lovers, not married.”

“Not worry?”

“From now on, I plan to help Your Highness. Of course, if Your Highness helps me in return.”

“I’m getting more curious. Are you saying there’s a way to solve everything at once?”

“Yes.”

Latte nodded as if it were too simple.

“We just need to bring down Princess Jasmin. Enough that she can’t marry Count Karhen.”

“What’s the method?”

“I’m going to kill Bliss.”

Someone’s death as the method. Princess Jenesha paid even more attention.

“I’ll kill Bliss using Princess Jasmin’s collection. Then we can bring down both of them at once.”

“Is that possible?”

At first glance it seemed like a good idea, but could it really be done? Until now, she had hated being compared to Princess Jasmin enough to die. With those worthless collections, she showed a different path and received the Emperor’s favor, and finally even took Karhen away.

“You’re saying you’ll do this?”

“Yes.”

“But something’s strange. What if I tell others about this…”

“Then you’ll lose Count Karhen.”

Latte explained the very simple outcome. What would it matter to her what happened to herself? So she only mentioned Karhen, and the effect was immediate.

“When… do you plan to do it? What do I need to do?”

“It has to be before receiving the duke title.”

Latte pointed out the most appropriate timing.

“While he’s still a marquis, this is our chance.”

“Even with just Duke Blast’s matter recently, Father had quite a headache.”

Princess Jenesha nodded as if it made sense.

“At that time, Your Highness needs to create a path for me to move secretly and divert the Emperor’s attention.”

“That’s all you need?”

“Yes.”

When Latte acted as if there was nothing more, Princess Jenesha laughed. This was truly an offer she couldn’t refuse. Even if things went wrong, as long as there was no evidence she was involved, Latte would take all the blame alone.

“Fine. I’ll divert Father’s attention, so do what you need to do.”

At Princess Jenesha’s permission, Latte bowed her head.