Chapter 73

Celian and Melodia both claimed that they had acted out of Rosalyn's machinations.

Rosalyn protested her innocence, saying that she was being wronged, as the kind-hearted herself was being envied, leading to the water ghost operation.

However, Diona, a third party, testified, giving more weight to Celian and Melodia's claims.

Even Brody testified that Rosalyn had told him the location of the weapon, revealing Rosalyn as the mastermind behind all the incidents.

'Falling for such a barbarian...!'

The maids had fallen for Rosalyn's schemes, and Rosalyn claimed that the cause of her actions was that barbarian prince.

The emperor gnashed his teeth at Tarkan.

He already harbored deep resentment towards Tarkan for the defeat of Silvanus in the war.

And now, even the maids were so infatuated with that man that they abandoned their duties!

"Damn it!"

The emperor cursed and slammed the table.

"This incident has tarnished our reputation with the Empire of Silvanus!"

Even the duchies subtly mocked the fact that the princess's maids had fallen in love with the princess's husband, causing such a scandal.

As an ancient nation, Silvanus was revered as a cultural powerhouse.

A country that set the standards for etiquette, law, and morality.

Yet, something as outrageous as this had happened.

And it happened in a foreign land.

"I will not let these women off easily!"

The emperor raged and stormed around.

"Even if Your Majesty does not personally intervene, they will have no place in Silvanus society."

The head butler spoke to calm the emperor.

As he said, the maids were already considered disgraced in Silvanus society.

The Silvanus nobility, known for their high regard for honor and etiquette, would not tolerate such behavior.

Naturally, Silvanus was far more strict and thorough in dealing with such matters than Ailugo.

The maids' families were so despised that they could not show their faces in public.

A disgrace to the noble and refined Silvanus.

The families of the maids would not be able to hold on much longer as people quickly cut ties with them.

'Besides, their past corruption has been exposed in the newspapers.'

If their assets could be seized to cover the emperor's losses, it would be for the best.

'But that will be difficult.'

The head butler sighed inwardly.

"That won't be enough. I will make their lives miserable."

The emperor ground his teeth.

The moment they returned to Silvanus, they would taste hell.

The head butler waited quietly for the emperor to calm down before asking,

"Your Majesty, what will you do about the princess...?"

"For now, I will leave her be. Sending another supervisor will only raise suspicions."

The public opinion was already volatile.

With the people the emperor had sent all acting strangely, it was inevitable.

"We can deal with it when the time comes."

"Then the princess will have more freedom. Who knows what she might do..."

"Anyway, that girl is not a fool."

The emperor snorted.

"This incident was orchestrated by Rosalyn; that girl was just a victim."

A fool who didn't even realize her maids were plotting behind her back.

The emperor never imagined that Aristine had planned and executed everything.

In the newspapers, Aristine was portrayed as a complete victim.

"...I am still concerned about how friendly the media and public are towards her."

Ailugo was in the midst of a succession struggle, and Tarkan's side might have deliberately spread such rumors.

Though it wasn't true, the emperor believed it.

It was more convenient that way.

The people of Silvanus, of course, were on the side of the princess who had willingly married the barbarian for peace.

After all, the maids, the perpetrators, had committed the most despised acts in Silvanus.

"No, this might be for the best. When a beloved figure dies, people naturally become enraged."

There could be no better pretext for war.

The people of Silvanus would cry out for the princess's revenge.

Also, the morale of Ailugo would be dampened by the love Aristine had received there.

"Let her enjoy her last freedom before she dies."

The head butler bowed his head quietly.

Chapter 23. Just Wanted to Make Money

"Ta-da!"

Aristine held out a transparent glass.

Inside the glass, filled with water, was the scalpel.

"Completed!"

On the day the maids sneaked into the bedroom, Aristine had finished the scalpel.

Even during the busy days that followed, the final inspection was carried out.

And this was the result.

Tarkan looked at the smiling Aristine and then at the glass.

The scalpel in the water looked no different from the one he had seen before.

Compared to how busy she had been, the result was a bit anticlimactic.

'But at least she'll come home earlier now.'

That was one thing he was truly satisfied with.

"Leaving it like that, it will rust soon, won't it?"

"Hehehe!"

Aristine smiled with a mischievous cat-like expression.

Tarkan raised an eyebrow.

"This has been in the water for ten days."

"What?!"

Tarkan, who had been lounging on the bed, suddenly sat up.

The bed shook, and Aristine almost spilled the water.

She quickly gripped the glass with both hands and managed to regain her balance.

Sighing, she glanced at Tarkan.

But Tarkan was completely focused on the scalpel.

Seeing his reaction, Aristine felt proud and smiled.

"How did you do it?"

The shock was evident in Tarkan's short question.

"Hehe!"

'I don't know!'

Though she didn't know, Aristine proudly puffed out her chest and smiled.

It must be some chemical reaction!

Even if she didn't understand the science, it didn't affect its use.

Tarkan examined the scalpel closely, and Aristine rotated the glass to show it to him in detail.

"It's not completely rust-proof."

"This is enough."

Tarkan affirmed, and Aristine nodded.

She also thought this was more than enough.

'Lithren did a good job.'

"Making something like this."

Tarkan looked away from the scalpel and at Aristine.

"Ha, your wife is such a woman!"

Aristine playfully crossed her arms and raised her chin.

Tarkan chuckled at her.

The room was lit by flickering candles, and lace curtains billowed.

On the bed, covered in rose petals.

The setting was a bit off, but it looked quite convincing.

Suddenly, Tarkan felt that the woman who had been hard to express her feelings had changed.

When they first met, Tarkan thought Aristine's expressionless face was more natural than her smile.

But now, seeing her eyes light up and smile at him—

A faint smile appeared on Tarkan's face.

A warm, gentle smile he didn't even know he could make.

"Indeed, impressive."

Aristine's eyes widened at Tarkan's sincere praise.

"Well done."

Not only for creating such an incredible tool.

But for his wife, who only learned to smile properly after twenty years.

I hope I had a part in making you smile genuinely.

This wish crept up on Tarkan so subtly that he didn't even realize it.

So he didn't know that a wave that would one day overturn him was approaching.

Tarkan's large hand brushed through Aristine's hair.

He smoothed her silver hair, which glowed faintly in the candlelight, and tucked it behind her white neck.

As he lifted his head, he flinched.

Their eyes met from a very close distance.

Each time Tarkan's fingers brushed her exposed neck while tucking her hair, Aristine tensed her body.

'What is this?'

It felt a bit chilly and ticklish, making her nervous.

'Is it because I'm cold?'

It was early summer, but maybe she was dressed too lightly. The temperature dropped at night.

She felt her body temperature rising slightly.

'Maybe the air feels cold because my body temperature is rising.'

Aristine glanced at Tarkan.

He was gently tucking her hair behind her ear.

His long eyelashes cast deep shadows on his face.

The flickering candlelight changed the colors of his face.

A rugged, masculine face.

A face rarely seen in Silvanus.

Elegant like a predator, broad shoulders, and a solid pectoral muscle that extended from his collarbone.

Through the open collar of his shirt, a glimpse of his abs could be seen.

'I can understand why the maids tried to seduce Tarkan, hmm.'

The air around her felt even cooler.

Thinking she should be careful not to catch a summer cold, Aristine glanced at Tarkan again.

It wasn't intentional or planned.

Before she realized it, her violet eyes were fixed on Tarkan. And then,

'Ah.'

Their eyes met.

It felt as if her body was held by his golden eyes.

The flickering candlelight, the scent of roses, the warmth and breath she could feel even without touching, the presence of each other.

The bed tilted silently.

They were getting closer.

And at that moment,

"Ah!"

Water spilled from the glass in her hand.

Aristine was startled and quickly straightened the glass.

Fortunately, only her hand got a little wet, and the bed sheets remained dry.

"Phew, lucky."

Aristine sighed.

She safely placed the glass on the bedside table and, feeling chased, took out the scalpel.

"I also made it so the blade can be replaced. For one-time use."

Tarkan nodded as she separated the blade.

"For hygiene."

"Yes, many places don't properly maintain their scalpels. When the blade gets dull, the incision becomes rough. Even if it's not visible to the naked eye."

Though not visible, there would be a difference.

Especially with a scalpel, the blade's thinness had its limits.

After answering, Aristine slightly moistened her dry lips.

'What just happened?'

She tilted her head, but she couldn't figure it out.

"Indeed, the overall treatment rate will improve. It will save many lives."

Tarkan's words brought Aristine's attention back to the scalpel.

"Yes, and this steel can be useful in other areas besides scalpels."

"What will you call this alloy?"

"Huh?"

Aristine's eyes widened at the unexpected question.

A name? She hadn't thought about it.

To her, this steel was always stainless steel.

Stainless steel.

'If I break it down, it means non-rusting iron, right?'

Intuitive, but it didn't have a strong appeal because it was too familiar.

"Think about it. It's your business."

"Ah, right."

Tarkan's words made Aristine realize.

'Branding is important.'

Even with limited experience in the outside world, Aristine understood this truth through her past life.

Amethyst is more valuable and highly regarded the deeper and more purplish-red its color.

Naturally, pale amethyst was classified as less valuable.

But when pale amethyst was given the name 'Rose de France,' it quickly became a popular gemstone.

The image and name attached to something are incredibly important.

"Hmm... What should I call it?"

A special steel that doesn't rust.

'I want to emphasize its uniqueness. Especially since Ailugo's steel still has a violent image, I need to counteract that...'

Ailugo's iron and steel technology and metallurgy were unparalleled.

The soul of a blacksmith.

Like mana and aura,

It actually existed in Ailugo.

Ailugo's blacksmiths melted minerals in fire and hammered them, creating new alloys in tune with the song of iron and the resonance of the soul.

'Like dwarves.'

Though she wasn't sure what real dwarves were like.

Because of this development, Lethren, who had only worked at a desk—by their standards—was even more rejected.

Despite the excellent skills of Ailugo's craftsmen, the focus on sword-making gave Ailugo steel a negative image.

The long-standing hostile relationship with the Empire of Silvanus, the continent's hegemon, and the rejection as barbarians also contributed.

Aristine found it absurd, but this was a business targeting the general public.

'If I only sold it in Ailugo, it wouldn't matter, but I want to sell it across the continent.'

Why limit a good product to a small market?

'The larger the market, the more money I can make.'

Since international trade was the goal, and stainless steel was highly practical in daily life, she wanted to avoid the scary and barbaric image.

'Anyway, the image of Ailugo will change through the scalpel. Hmm...'

Aristine struggled to think.

'No ideas at all!'

The concept of stainless steel was so ingrained that nothing else came to mind.

'In this case!'

Aristine's violet eyes sparkled like a gem in the darkness.

Forget about her husband, she wanted to make money.