Chapter 34

In the northeastern part of the empire, within the Sasha territory, lay the largest slum, Glary. It was almost synonymous with trouble for the empire, with incidents arising from extreme poverty often making headlines in newspapers.

The nearby Zan territory was often perceived as poor, contributing to this prejudice.

If anyone looked down on me as the Grand Duchess of Zan, it would be because they believed that the Zan Duke’s power was insignificant due to this prejudice.

With this charity party, I intended to dispel such prejudices and show that I held a significant position within the Zan Duke’s household.

That’s why I decided to host a charity party to aid the slum. Since the slum was not far from Zan territory, its development would benefit the Zan land as well. The party was planned to gain both practicality and public sentiment.

Naturally, I paid extra attention to my appearance. Before the party started, I sat in front of the vanity one last time to choose my accessories.

Anna brought a pair of glamorous red earrings that reminded me of roses to my earlobes. I looked in the mirror, shook my head, and pointed to another pair.

“Anna, give me the emerald earrings.”

Anna tilted her head as she looked at the earrings I pointed to.

“Your Grace, such a modest color might be a pity for someone your age. You also choose a calm-colored dress.”

“I’m the Grand Duchess of Zan. Today, my status is more important than my age.”

Though Anna looked disappointed, she put the earrings on my earlobes without further comment. As she meticulously pinned up my voluminous blonde hair, my face, which had looked girlish, now appeared more mature.

“Even with such adornment, you still look adorably young, Your Grace,”

Anna said with a sweet smile. I touched my cheek and replied worriedly,

“I mustn’t look silly.“

“Oh, but you were so confident in front of the Grand Duke.”

I shot Anna a mock glare in the mirror and stood up. Anna followed me out of the room and assisted me.

Before descending the stairs to the hall, I glanced up at the fourth floor. I hadn’t seen Julian since our brief greeting this morning. I probably wouldn’t see him all day.

“Your Grace.”

As Anna gently prompted me, I had been looking up at the fourth floor longer than I thought. I nodded and descended the stairs.

I wasn’t resentful of Julian for not attending the party—I didn’t even have the right to be. Hosting a party in the Zan Grand Duchy was unprecedented special treatment.

Even so, I couldn’t wholly erase wishing Julian was by my side.

Feigning calmness, I entered the hall with a smile. The people already gathered at the party greeted me with applause. I stepped onto the podium set up in the hall and lightly bowed.

After delivering the usual greetings, I looked around the room and spoke,

“The Glary slum, being adjacent to the Zan territory, has also deeply affected us. As the Grand Duchess, I wish to share in their pain. Therefore, I am donating 10 billion gold and plan to establish and directly manage educational facilities.”

The mention of 10 billion gold caused murmurs among the people, who looked at each other. Even for a grand duke, that amount was not trivial.

Though they kept their eyes on me, they whispered fervently behind their fans. Their eyes seemed to question,

“Does the new Grand Duchess deserve this?”

“Is the Grand Duchess acting without the Grand Duke’s knowledge?”

But I faced them directly and said,

“I dedicate this honor entirely to my husband, the Grand Duke of Zan.”

This clarified that all these efforts were securely backed by the steadfast support of the Grand Duke of Zan. The people were once again filled with questions.

“How?”

However, the nobility were adept at concealing their true feelings. They applauded again with smiling faces, and I responded with a light bow before stepping down from the podium.

People parted to form a small path around me, but their eyes remained fixed on me. If I stood there, someone was bound to approach.

I wondered who would be the first to come forward and saw that it was a cute and brave young lady. Though her cheeks still had baby fat, her eyes were bright.

“Greetings, Your Grace, Grand Duchess of Zan. It’s an honor to meet you.“

“Nice to meet you too, My Lady. Which family are you from?”

At my friendly inquiry, the sharp-looking young lady smiled smoothly, uncommon for someone her age.

“I am Shina from the Barony of Heira. I never dreamed I would meet someone I admired so much.”

Ah, the young lady of Heira. I heard a few chuckles from those who had gathered around us.

The Barony of Heira was known for its substantial wealth from a large trading business. However, its low status sometimes made it a subject of ridicule.

Fortunately, Shina didn’t seem to mind at all. She maintained her upright posture, appearing much more mature than the foolish people around her.

“Your Grace, the Grand Duchess of Zan, our Heira Barony, would also like to contribute some joy to this charity party. I’d like to donate 100 million gold from my own funds and encourage my father, Baron Heira, to also donate. What do you think?”

When Shina mentioned the amount of ‘100 million gold,‘ everyone fell silent. I found this bold young lady quite charming.

“It would be a pleasure if you did that. The people in the Glary slums will certainly lead much more vibrant lives thanks to your help.”

Shina, delighted by my response, clasped her hands together and said,

“I would like a small favor from Your Grace for this meeting.“

“What is it you wish for, my lady?“

‘A small favor.‘ It was a business deal, so there was no reason not to comply. Shina, who had been observing me with the eyes of a businesswoman, suddenly looked at me with innocent eyes, clasping her hands tightly.

“Please invite me to a tea party.”

It was a very modest request. Those eavesdropping on our conversation hid their laughter behind their fans. However, I had no need to do so. I let out a small chuckle. Shina’s cheeks blushed adorably.

“Of course, my lady. I’ll invite you to a tea party next time.“

“Really?“

“Certainly.”

Shina retreated with a face as if she had just received an autograph from her favorite artist.

Afterward, several people approached me for various conversations, but none were as cute and lively as my encounter with Shina. There were some quite the opposite, though.

When things had quieted down, I carefully scanned the surroundings, looking for Ari, the Marchioness of Eriant.

However, I only spotted Shuan in the distance. Even when our eyes met, Shuan just sipped his champagne from afar without approaching me.

What could Shuan be thinking right now?

As I pondered Shuan’s thoughts, a middle-aged man with a familiar face approached me. He was short but stout, giving a rounded impression. The most dreadful feature was his mustache. I finally recalled the owner of that unsightly mustache.

Count Sasha.

Count Sasha was the lord of Sasha Territory, where the Glary slums were located. When I was very young, he was close to my father, Count Winsley.

At that time, the Glary slums were not as hopeless as they are now.

But at some point, Count Sasha turned his back on the Winsley family, and around that time, the situation in the Glary slums rapidly deteriorated.

My father had once spoken in a sad voice.

“Count Sasha was not always like this. He used to be a truly pure and simple man.”

But now, Count Sasha has become ‘that kind of person.‘

“Greetings to the Grand Duchess of Zan.“

“It’s been a long time, Count Sasha.”

Count Sasha used to call me Lila and adored me in my childhood. However, that persona was nowhere to be found now. With his oily face, he extended his hand for a handshake. I was glad I was wearing gloves as I shook his hand.

“Your Grace has grown into a remarkable person, helping our territory like this.“

“The issues of the Glary slums are not just the problem of Sasha Territory. The pain of the empire must be shared.“

“Hahaha! Indeed!”

Count Sasha laughed heartily. This man believed that all the money I donated would end up in his pocket.

As if. Knowing Count Sasha as I did, there was no way I’d let that happen. Unfortunately, he had a cute and clever daughter around Shina’s age.

Seeing me maintain a firm stance, Count Sasha’s eyebrows furrowed without pretense.

‘Father, Count Sasha has become greedy and transparently manipulative.’

As I turned to leave, I conveyed my sad thoughts to my father, who never lost hope in people.

“Your Grace, Prince Cain will also forgive you if you have no ill intentions.“

Count Sasha whispered slyly. I turned sharply to face him. He stood there, hands clasped, with a smug expression as if expecting me to fall to my knees in agreement.

Well, I did feel a sense of clarity. Count Sasha had made himself an easy target by revealing himself as Prince Cain’s ally.

I took a step closer to Count Sasha.

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