Chapter 12

Looking back, even in her previous life, the nobles had shown a lot of interest in Ririka. Back then, she thought it was just because the plain Ririka was a novelty.

'Now that I think about it, that's not it. They were quick to notice.'

Releasing the suffocating Ririka, Rudyia smiled.

"Of course, I'll listen to Riri's request."

Her daughter's expression as she savored those words was indeed adorable.

Elegance and firm gentleness are treasures that only those with eyes can recognize.

"Mom will soon become rich. Then I can buy anything Riri wants."

"Rich?"

Ririka's voice carried a hint of unease. Rudyia nodded.

"Yes, I found an excellent investment opportunity."

"What kind of investment?"

"His name is Uba. He's looking for someone to invest in his expedition team. He just left. I'm sure Riri would have enjoyed the story if you had heard it."

"Expedition team?"

"Yes."

As Rudyia nodded, Ririka felt uneasy. An expedition team.

Rudyia spoke frankly.

"I'm going to invest all my savings with Uba."

"!!"

Ririka, looking like a startled rabbit, was reassured by her mother several times.

"Don't worry. Just trust Mom."

Ririka couldn't bring herself to say, 'That's the least trustworthy thing.'

She hesitated and then abruptly stood up.

"I'll go talk to him myself."

"You? Sure. Since you haven't left the palace yet, if I call—"

"No, I'll go and meet him."

She didn't intend to give the scammer any time to prepare. Seeing her daughter, who was planning to launch a sudden attack, Rudyia nodded.

"Then go ahead."

"Yes."

Ririka ran out, determined to get her mother's investment back. Brin followed her with a light bow.

Rudyia chuckled softly. It was good to see her daughter so spirited.

Uba might be perplexed,

'But with that silver tongue, he'll surely persuade her.'

The rumors of him being a scammer were partly due to his smooth talk.

However, the man who was called a scammer would soon become a legend in the expedition world.

The empire is vast, but the unexplored lands are even vaster.

On one side, there's an endless desert where criminals and fugitives live, and on the other side, there's this place.

A land where monsters that eat people live, where compasses, constellations, and even the rising sun are useless.

It is a sea of trees.

The Forest of Trees.

But within the Forest of Trees lies a treasure trove of new things. Rare spices and plants were often brought from the Forest of Trees and sold for very high prices.

That's why many people formed expedition teams and ventured into the Forest of Trees, and many didn't return.

Forming an expedition team required a lot of money, and the sponsorship of a noble was essential.

Uba had wandered around trying to get the sponsorship of a noble, but everyone thought he was a scammer.

After being rejected by the nobles, he was the first to receive a joint investment from commoners and returned with tremendous success.

After that, joint expedition teams became popular, but that wasn't something Rudyia cared about.

She was planning to invest all her savings with Uba.

Ririka didn't trust her, and that was largely her own fault.

She intended to show a few big successes to build trust in her mother.

Standing up and approaching the window, she saw Ririka running. Rudyia couldn't help but smile.

She organized a few big events that were about to happen.

Right now, she was busy establishing her position in society.

At the parties she attended, the difference in attire was clearly visible.

The Bustle Party and the Crinoline Party.

The Crinoline Party, influenced by the nobles, seemed determined not to be affected by the empress, whose origins were unknown.

'But it will only harm them.'

In the end, when the theater caught fire, the women in crinolines wouldn't be able to escape and would burn to death.

Next, the bustle dress would become firmly established, and she was artificially accelerating this trend.

'Well, I can't just let them burn.'

She thought of various plans and took out a new sheet of paper.

* * *

There was only one way out of the palace, so as Ririka ran across the garden, Brin called out, "Royalty walks, they don't run."

But Ririka thought she didn't need to act like royalty right now. She quickly caught up with him.

"Wait! Stop!"

The man, who was walking down the corridor with a servant, was startled and stopped. Ririka took a deep breath.

The servant bowed deeply.

"I greet the princess."

The man, surprised, took off his elaborate feathered hat and bowed.

"I greet the princess."

"Are you Uba?"

Ririka crossed her arms and tried to sound as sharp as possible.

"Yes."

"Let's talk for a moment."

"As you wish."

Uba responded politely, and Ririka was amazed by his elaborate attire. She had never seen such clothing in the palace.

He had a smooth face and a fancy triangular hat with elaborate feathers, and his clothes were incredibly ornate. His hair was braided in thin strands with bead decorations. What could she call it?

'A theater actor?'

She had never seen a play, but he looked like the actors in the murals on the walls.

'Really looks like a scammer.'

Feeling her trust plummet, Ririka narrowed her eyes.

Brin gestured for the servant to step back. The servant quickly bowed and hurried down the corridor.

Ririka spoke straightforwardly.

"I heard that Her Majesty just promised you an investment."

"Yes, that's correct."

Uba, who didn't seem to recognize the princess, couldn't help but glance at her despite knowing he shouldn't.

However, the story that came from the princess's mouth was like a bolt from the blue.

"There are rumors that you're a scammer. You must have deceived the kind-hearted Her Majesty."

Ririka stomped her foot like an angry lamb.

"Go and tell Her Majesty the truth immediately."

Uba, taken aback by her fierce words, hurriedly said,

"Please wait a moment, Princess. A scammer? I feel wronged. If you hear my story, you'll know the truth."

Uba pleaded earnestly. He couldn't lose this sponsor so easily.

His desperate words made Ririka pause.

Rejecting him without hearing his story seemed too harsh, even to her.

She spoke with a dignified voice.

"Alright, then. Let's hear your story first."

"Thank you, Princess."

Uba swallowed and bowed repeatedly.

Brin suggested,

"Princess, instead of talking here, why don't we go inside to listen to the story?"

"No, I'll listen while we walk outside. Walking is fine, right?"

"Of course."

Ririka didn't want to invite him inside. It would make it harder to kick him out. Walking in the garden, she could easily say, 'You were a scammer after all,' and then run back to her mother.

Ririka and Uba started walking side by side. Uba cleared his throat and began his story.

"I've already entered the Forest of Trees three times. The first time, I lost all my companions."

His story captivated Ririka immediately.

Uba's storytelling was so skillful that by the time he finished, Ririka had tears in her eyes.

"I see. I thought you were a scammer without knowing that."

Uba smiled. He knelt on the garden's dirt floor.

"Thank you for your tears. Princess, please retract your earlier words. I will definitely return."

Ririka sniffed.

"Okay, I understand."

She sighed and took out a silver coin from her pocket.

An old, stained coin that held all her dreams.

She extended it to Uba.

"I'll invest in you too. It's not much, but—"

Ririka briefly explained her experience in the slums and smiled. Uba felt the weight of the silver coin in his palm as if it were in his heart.

"You really trust me."

The words slipped out before he could stop them. Uba looked at the coin.

"You're telling the truth, right?"

Ririka's words made him look up at the young princess.

'She looks like her.'

It was natural that she resembled her mother.

Uba had visited various noble families to find an investment opportunity.

He was often turned away at the door, called a scammer, and even when someone offered to listen, he made the story more dramatic, only to be laughed at.

"I called you because I wanted to hear that story. Hey, why don't you become an actor?"

They even paid him for the story and sent him away.

It was disheartening and miserable.

When the new empress called him, he had no expectations. He came because he couldn't refuse the summons.

His story was half-hearted, but the empress said, "I trust you," and gave him a check on the spot.

He was so surprised that he even asked, "You trust me?"

The empress just smiled and gave him the check.

Uba looked at the beautiful eyes of the princess.

"I will definitely succeed."

Somehow.

No matter what it takes.

Ririka carefully said,

"Still, be careful."

Uba smiled.

"As you command."

"Okay."

Ririka nodded, and just as the story ended, Brin called a servant at the right moment.

Uba bowed to Ririka again and left the palace with the servant. Brin asked,

"Are you alright, Princess? To give away that silver coin like that."

Brin knew how precious that silver coin was to Ririka. But giving it to someone who seemed like a scammer was worrying.

The coin was one thing, but he was concerned that Ririka would be hurt later.

'Besides, Her Majesty also promised a significant investment.'

If this rumor spread, it would surely become a laughingstock in society. Brin had also heard the story, but it was so dramatic that it sounded like a lie.

If it were true, that man was extraordinary. The part about losing his share to a friend and becoming a penniless nobody at the end was too scammer-like.

That's why no one invested.

Ririka nodded.

"He didn't seem to be lying."

Brin tilted his head.

"Can you tell if someone is lying?"

"Not exactly, but it's a kind of intuition."

Brin simply nodded, "I see."

'Experiencing things is better than anything.'

Brin thought.

* * *

"Rejected by Attil, huh?"

When she "went to work" in the office, Altears chuckled. Ririka pouted.

"Not rejected. His Majesty is just too busy."

Ririka's words made Altears look at her for a moment before muttering,

"Maybe what that kid needs is someone like you, not me."

"Huh?"

"That Attil made a mistake."

Altears lowered his gaze to the documents. Ririka quietly approached and placed her hands on the desk.

"Are you worried about something?"

His gaze met hers. Altears also looked back at her.

"You seem worried."

Altears propped his chin and stared at Ririka. When he reached out and pressed her forehead, she held her ground firmly.

"I'm not worried."

Ririka looked skeptical. Altears asked,

"Why do you think I'm worried?"

"Huh?"

"Why do you think I'm worried?"

"Because you look worried."

How to describe it, Ririka tilted her head in return. Altears said,

"I thought it would be a good way to pass the time. But now I'm finding it increasingly interesting, which is a bit troublesome."

"?"

Ririka couldn't understand but listened intently. Sometimes, just venting can be comforting when you're tired and stressed.

She might not be good at much, but she was confident in this.

Altears chuckled.

"Never mind. It's perfect."

"What—"

Before she could finish, there was a knock on the door. Lat opened it.

Attil, holding a report, stopped as he walked in. He stared at Ririka, who was standing next to the emperor's desk. Ririka, startled, turned and bowed.

"I greet the Crown Prince."

He couldn't ignore her here, so he nodded lightly.

He turned his gaze to Altears.

"Your Majesty, I have brought the report you requested."

Lat took the report and handed a basket to Attil.

"What is this?"

"Take it and go to the lake with her. Maybe take a boat ride."

Altears pushed Ririka's back gently.