Chapter 45

When Rudia gestured, the other people in the room retreated. Now, only Rudia, Chacha, and Ririka remained in the parlor.

Rudia said, "I'm going to break the Southern Noble Alliance."

Ririka looked at her mother in surprise. Rudia calmly raised her glass and said, "A group bound by profit is easy to break."

Chacha nodded. "The merchant guilds on their side contacted us to collude, but we refused. The sugar price will drop. For the northern territories, it's just a loss of extra income, but a decrease in income is different. Moreover, the price of grain will remain the same."

"What does the price of grain have to do with it?" Ririka asked.

Chacha replied, "Some of the southern territories only cultivate sugarcane and do not grow food. They have to buy all their food. Until now, they have been protected under the name of the noble alliance."

She smiled fiercely. "What if they lose that profit?"

Ririka's face turned serious. "Then it will be a big problem."

"It will be a big problem," Rudia and Chacha said in a cheerful tone. Ririka tilted her head and asked her mother, "But do we really need to break the Southern Nobles? We have Lat and Pai, and..."

"Nothing good comes to the royal authority when the nobles unite. The more they are divided, the better," Rudia replied with a smile. She never thought she would say such things.

Just as she had worked to dismantle Taka, she was now working to strengthen it by targeting other nobles.

'Besides, if Sandar betrays us one day, we can't leave them under the name of an alliance.'

Of course, the alliance remained silent about Sandar's attachment to Barat, but silence is the same as complicity. She didn't want to leave an ally who could jump ship at any moment.

'But I don't know why Sandar betrayed us. I heard that the head of the family's daughter is sick...'

After pondering, Rudia sighed as she watched her daughter ask Chacha various questions.

'I need to visit the information guild.'

The information guild, which collects all kinds of information from the back alleys of the underworld.

'I never thought that man would be the guild leader.'

At first, she didn't recognize him. She was puzzled when he asked about Ririka's well-being. It wasn't until he grabbed her head in annoyance that she recognized him.

The look of disdain in his eyes is still vivid in her memory.

'I understand now, but that expression is still unpleasant to think about.'

'But there's no other way.'

In any case, to safely leave this place with Ririka and live a comfortable life, something had to be done.

Ririka looked at her seriously. "But Mother, having too many enemies won't be good."

Rudia laughed. "Don't worry."

She raised a finger. "I plan to throw in a good deal as well."

"A good deal?" Ririka asked.

Chacha smiled. "If they only take, they will stick together. We need to offer them a benefit at the same time to prevent them from collapsing."

"Especially if the benefit is selective."

Ririka thought of her mother's plan to gather magic guns as she watched the two of them smile at each other.

Thinking of it, she felt reassured.

'But I should make another talisman for Mother.'

Rudia said, "By the way, Ririka, do you remember the dress I mentioned last time? It's finished. Try it on today."

"Really?" Ririka's bottom wiggled.

It's a princess dress!

Rudia rang the bell to call the servants back in. When she asked for Ririka's dress, a few maids brought in a box.

Rudia confidently had the box opened.

When the first box was opened, Ririka gasped in surprise. Chacha's eyes sparkled.

"What is this?"

A maid quickly showed Ririka a white, voluminous petticoat. It didn't look like much in the flat box, but it expanded instantly when taken out.

When she touched it, it felt stiff, as if it could stand on its own.

"Crinoline is too uncomfortable, so I made this by layering stiff fabric dozens of times to make it voluminous. You can sit comfortably in it."

"What did you name it?"

Chacha asked, and Rudia waved her hand. "I just called it a pannier. This fabric is stiff and not often used, but it's perfect for this. It's complicated to make and expensive."

A tremendous amount of labor and time goes into making one pannier.

It was a luxury that couldn't be compared to crinoline.

"Try it on."

"Okay!"

Ririka quickly went behind the partition. Brin and the governess helped her.

After changing into the new dress and standing in front of the mirror, Ririka gasped in delight.

"It's so beautiful!"

It wasn't as exaggeratedly voluminous as crinoline, but the skirt still flared out adorably. The dress was also lovely with lace and ribbons.

When she moved, the skirt swayed naturally, unlike crinoline.

Ririka's face lit up with joy. It was even more beautiful than she had imagined.

"Mother, look!"

She stood on her tiptoes and spun around, then curtsied.

Then she ran over and hugged her mother.

"It's so, so beautiful. Thank you!"

"I'm glad, Ririka. You're cute no matter what you wear, but this dress is really cute. It's so beautiful."

This was the first time Ririka had been so delighted with a gift of clothes, and Rudia felt the worth of all the discussions and deliberations with the designer.

Seeing her daughter's happiness was the greatest joy of all.

And seeing her mother's happiness was also a joy for Ririka, amplifying the happiness between them.

Ririka spun around several times. The generous fabric of the dress felt good as it spread out.

Chacha said, "This will start a new trend."

It's comfortable, cute, and expensive, so it can also show off one's wealth.

"I've never seen this fabric before."

"It's a new material."

Chacha's eyes sparkled. "We'd like to distribute it."

"Can I introduce you?"

"Please."

Rudia smiled and looked at her daughter. Ririka was standing in front of the mirror, chatting with Brin.

Brin brought a ribboned bonnet and placed it gently on Ririka's head. When Ririka nodded, Brin put the bonnet on her.

'So cute.'

How could her daughter be so cute? It's hard to believe she came from her own womb.

'I wish she could stay like this forever.'

She wanted her to live without knowing about political struggles. But soon she realized that was impossible. Walking around the palace in ignorance was like exposing herself defenselessly to enemies.

Ignorance is a weakness.

Weakness.

Rudia's brow furrowed slightly. Her ex-husband came to mind.

'But it might not be best for Riri to know about this.'

Perhaps not knowing is best for Riri.

It's better to think he's dead. He is dead on paper.

"How does it look, Mother?"

Seeing her daughter turn to look at her with the bonnet on, Rudia smiled widely.

"It suits you perfectly. You're so beautiful."

After receiving plenty of praise from her mother, Ririka stomped her small feet and said, "Mother, can I show it to Athil?"

"Of course."

Ririka turned to Chacha, who bowed and said, "I will enter the palace whenever the princess calls."

"See you later."

Wearing a princess skirt, Ririka gave a graceful bow to her mother before leaving the parlor.

As soon as she entered the corridor, Ririka ran into a tall person.

"Tan!"

"Princess."

Tan smiled widely. Ririka quickly spun around. Tan rubbed his chin and said, "You're always beautiful, but you're even more beautiful today."

"Mother made me a new dress."

"Princess's mother, as expected, has excellent taste."

Tan knelt on one knee and kissed Ririka's hand.

Feeling like a real lady, Ririka quickly raised her heels. Tan was still taller than her even on his knees.

"Did you come to see Mother?"

"Yes."

He must have come to talk about the sugar trade, Ririka thought, nodding.

"I'm sorry for keeping you waiting."

"No, it's a pleasure to talk with the princess."

Tan stood up and playfully flicked the end of her bonnet. Gently, so it wouldn't come off.

As he stepped aside to let her pass, Ririka waved and quickened her pace.

Lauv nodded at her as they passed. Tan, surprised, almost grabbed Lauv without thinking.

Noticing this, Lauv faintly smiled.

Tan shook his head, thinking, 'I'll ask him later.' No one else, but Tan, the head of the Ulph family, could tell that Lauv was stable.

'First, I need to focus on the task at hand.'

Tan announced his arrival at the Silver Dragon Room.

* * *

Ririka showed her dress to Athil. Athil chuckled, "I can only see the dress."

"Right? Isn't it beautiful?"

Ririka was prepared to take any comment as a compliment, so she gladly accepted it.

"Yes, it's beautiful."

Ririka smiled contentedly