Chapter 53

The next morning, just before noon, the man who appeared at the high-class inn where Lylis and her companions were staying was Edgar Friedrich, a middle-aged man who served as the supervisor and manager of the factory.

Friedrich, who entered the room, had a stern expression, but his eyes were secretly wandering around.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Friedrich. I am Amaryllis Airas."

"Hmm, nice to meet you."

"Hey! How dare you speak to Her Royal Highness, the Crown Princess, like that!"

When Lylis greeted him, she received a perfunctory response. The one who showed anger was one of Lylis's guard knights. They, being part of the Royal Guard, had pledged absolute loyalty to the royal family.

(Well, it's only natural. Yes, Mr. Friedrich's attitude would be rude even if I weren't the Crown Princess.)

Lylis, without getting angry at Friedrich or reprimanding the knight, glanced at Jezalde. Jezalde had a cold expression, but somehow Lylis felt he was enjoying the situation. Moreover, Friedrich remained calm even when he saw Jezalde, who would normally instill fear in others.

(Not bad. Is he as rumored? Or is he just putting on a show?)

Lylis had faced many stubborn old men before. Whenever she started something new in Freud, there was always some resistance. Recalling those days, Lylis observed Friedrich closely.

He was in his early fifties, and he seemed to be wearing the best clothes he had. His fingernails were short, but the dirt embedded in them hadn't been cleaned off, and his hands were rough, typical of a skilled craftsman. His wrinkled face showed resistance, but he seemed somewhat uneasy. He probably had a body search, so he likely didn't have any dangerous items. Jezalde had also confirmed that he was not carrying a weapon. Lylis then spoke again.

"Your Highness, if possible, I would like to ask this gentleman about the pottery..."

Pretending to request something from the prince, Lylis subtly hinted that she wanted the knights to leave. Jezalde immediately understood her intention.

"You all wait outside the door for a while."

"---Understood."

Without any explanation, the knights obediently followed Jezalde's orders and left the room. Impressed, Lylis turned back to Friedrich, who was looking at her warily.

"Mr. Friedrich, please sit down. This might take a while."

When she offered him the sofa, Friedrich shook his head, comparing himself to the sofa.

"I can't dirty this beautiful chair. I'll stand, thank you. And please call me Edgar. 'Mr. Friedrich' makes me feel uncomfortable."

"I see. Then, Edgar, this is an order. Sit on the sofa. I want to have a thorough conversation with you. Standing makes me uncomfortable."

Jezalde was surprised by Lylis's unusual tone but said nothing. When Edgar reluctantly sat down, Lylis, who was already seated, nodded in satisfaction. Jezalde, sitting next to her, had removed his sword from its scabbard and was holding it between his legs, which seemed to be a threat to Edgar. Indeed, Edgar glanced at the sword and swallowed hard.

(I see. I understand why Jezalde has a good eye for people. Threatening to make him more honest... I'm not sure if that's a good idea...)

From Jezalde's single action, Lylis had a good grasp of Edgar's character. He seemed to have a rebellious spirit, but he wasn't that stubborn and valued his life.

(Yes, you should value your life, not just for yourself, but for your family and friends.)

In the early days of Freud, Lylis's proposals were often rejected by those who clung to traditional methods, and some even rebelled against her father, the king. One such person, thanks to King Drear, was not executed but was imprisoned for a period. Although it was necessary to maintain order, Lylis was disheartened at the time. Since then, as results were achieved, the king's reform proposals were more readily accepted, but both Lylis and the king learned from that incident and adjusted their approach when making new proposals.

"So, the reason I called you here today—"

"The factory's deficit isn't my fault. It's not the workers' fault either. We've been making the required number of items without any defects. But the deficit happened because the ship encountered a storm, and this 'Shana' or whatever became popular, and our stoneware stopped selling."

"Let's put that aside for now. Why don't we have some tea? It might help you relax."

Before Edgar could finish his complaint, Lylis smiled gently. It was the kind of smile Jezalde had seen many times as the Crown Princess. As if on cue, Tena arrived with the tea. Edgar's eyes widened in surprise.

"Is this your first time seeing Shana?"

"Y-Yes..."

While Tena skillfully prepared the tea, and even after the cup was placed in front of him, Edgar stared at the translucent white teacup as if entranced.

"Here you go."

"B-But... I might break it with my hands..."

"Don't worry. It's very sturdy. You'll see when you hold it."

Encouraged by Lylis, Edgar glanced at the silent Jezalde and tentatively picked up the cup. Instead of drinking the tea, he held the cup up to eye level, examined it in the light, peered inside, and traced the surface with his other hand, busily observing the Shana. He even lifted the saucer to examine it and gently tapped the cup with his short fingernails, producing a clear ringing sound.

During this time, Lylis and Jezalde quietly sipped their tea. Edgar seemed to have forgotten their presence. After a while, Lylis put down her cup and spoke to Edgar again.

"Let's get back to the topic. What do you think of this Shana? Oh, don't hesitate to drink the tea. It might be cold, but..."

In response to Lylis's question, Edgar drank the tea as suggested, in one gulp. He then took a deep breath and looked up. His dark brown eyes were sparkling.

"I take pride in the stoneware we make. I'm not trying to belittle it. But honestly... this is amazing. It's hard to believe it's the same type of pottery. I even wondered if it was glass, but it's definitely pottery. How can it be so thin, strong, and pure white? What kind of clay is used? And the glaze must be of the highest quality to achieve this. I'm curious about the glaze mixture, but it's really the clay..."

While saying this, Edgar couldn't take his hands or eyes off the cup. Lylis was relieved. Since Jezalde had introduced him, Edgar must be a skilled potter. If he rejected Shana because of his attachment to stoneware, it would be a problem. But from his reaction, he would likely cooperate in making Shana.

Lylis then explained her plan. Edgar was quite surprised but his eyes were still shining with excitement. Since they couldn't take too much time, she decided to end the conversation, leaving the details for later. At that point, Jezalde, who had been mostly silent, spoke up.

"I assume you understand, but this is still in the planning stage and must not be shared with anyone, not even your family. If the secret leaks, your life will be in danger, and the same goes for the person who leaks it."

"Ah, of course!"

Edgar, turning pale, stood up and bowed deeply. Lylis, with her usual gentle smile, added:

"Don't worry, it won't be for a long time. This meeting is officially about discussing the factory's deficit with you as the supervisor, so please coordinate your story with the others."

"Y-Yes..."

"I've already met with the sales manager, the financial officer, and Baron Court. You will likely be questioned by them about what you heard and said. Just say that you remember the facts but can't recall the details. Understand?"

"Yes!"

"You don't need to be so nervous. I'm sure you can handle it. Thank you, Edgar. I look forward to working with you."

"Ah..."

Edgar relaxed at Lylis's words and stumbled out of the room. Watching him go, Jezalde realized why his father, the emperor, had forced Lylis to marry him. Unconsciously, the way she handled the situation was similar to how his father and he manipulated the nobles.

"I found a really good person. Thank you, Jezalde!"

"Ah..."

Jezalde was speechless at Lylis's satisfied smile. He knew that in the future, Lylis would become indispensable to him and the country. The thought filled him with a mix of excitement and guilt.