Chapter 51

The next day.

I got into the carriage my uncle gave me and headed to the Huang Dao Salon.

Through the window, I could see Madame Gonarong standing to welcome me.

With the footman’s escort, I stepped down quite elegantly, and Madame Gonarong widened her eyes and put her hand to her mouth.

“Oh my, I heard the rose had turned into a person, and it’s true!”

Ack.

Though it was a compliment, I smiled as if it were nothing new to me.

“Too kind of you.”

“Here in Huang Dao, there are so many people praising the beauty of the young lady that my ears are ringing.”

“Where could it compare to the elegance of Madame Gonarong?”

Ha ha ho ho.

We looked at each other and lifted the corners of our mouths.

The people around us looked at us with great satisfaction.

We maintained our smiles, gazed at each other affectionately, and moved our steps.

And as soon as we turned the corner and people could no longer see us,

“How long do you plan to use me? I’m a person too. It’s tiring!”

Madame Gonarong frowned.

I smiled brightly.

“Use? We get along so well, such words don’t fit.”

“You’re too much! How can you use me for seven years?”

Seeing that I seemed to brush off her words, she began to sob.

For seven years, Madame Gonarong had been my efficient rumor collector.

‘You have to oil it regularly, but it’s still quite useful.’

I clapped my hands as if I had just remembered.

“Oh, right! I have a gift for you.”

Madame Gonarong’s eyes sparkled as if she had never cried.

Rustle, rustle.

I took out a small note.

Madame Gonarong, who knew me well, didn’t feel disappointed that it was just a note.

Madame Gonarong asked, her face full of anticipation.

“What is it?”

“This is real big news. If you buy it, it guarantees a 300% return.”

Three, three hundred!

Madame Gonarong, who had always cared about her dignity, forgot it and opened her mouth wide.

She covered her mouth with her hand a moment later, but I had already seen it.

‘Madame Gonarong is like this, so she lasts long.’

“We do seem to get along well. Ho ho ho!”

Madame Gonarong laughed loudly and linked her arm with mine affectionately.

Sigh, this adorable greedy person.

‘That’s why we’ve been mutually beneficial for seven years.’

Indeed, a relationship where both parties use and are used by each other is the best.

‘It’s very convenient, after all.’

As I lifted the corners of my mouth, the well-oiled information collector started to spill out information.

Madame Gonarong whispered in my ear.

“The Empress Dowager is planning to visit the art gallery. She’s going to see her nephew’s paintings.”

“I see.”

Sure enough, the oil is worth it.

‘Finally, I’ll meet the expensive face.’

I chuckled like a villain.

* * *

A few days later.

On the day the Empress Dowager was coming, I quietly went to the art gallery.

I hid the carriage nearby and waited inside, watching the people coming and going.

Han Jihyuk, who followed me, asked.

“What does the Empress Dowager look like?”

“I don’t know.”

“What?”

Han Jihyuk looked at me with a bewildered face.

“Since the former emperor passed away, she has always covered her face with a veil.”

“How do you plan to approach the Empress Dowager if you don’t even know what she looks like?”

“I’m not completely without information.”

“…You should have said that sooner.”

I chuckled at his complaining voice.

“They say she looks a lot like the emperor. You’ll know when you see her.”

“The emperor? The emperor looks sharp like a bandit leader. So, I should look for a noble lady who looks like a bandit leader?”

“Yeah. Since she’s coming to see her nephew’s paintings, many socialite ladies will be there too. It should be easy to spot her.”

Just for her nephew’s painting exhibition, so many people are following her.

That’s what the Empress Dowager’s presence is like.

“Hmm, it should be easy to find her, surrounded by other noble ladies like a bandit leader.”

Han Jihyuk smiled as if it was a done deal.

However, a while later.

Han Jihyuk grumbled with a frustrated face.

“When is she coming?”

We had already been waiting for hours.

No matter how long we waited, the Empress Dowager’s carriage showed no sign of arriving.

Neither the bandit leader nor the noble lady with a long entourage was in sight.

‘Is it not today?’

Did Madame Gonarong get it wrong?

I tilted my head.

That’s strange?

Madame Gonarong is someone who always gets the rumors right…

And she’s also good at spreading them.

‘If the information isn’t wrong…’

Still, I can’t just wait here forever.

‘I should go and ask the Empress Dowager’s nephew when she’s coming.’

Han Jihyuk and I got out of the carriage, taking advantage of a moment when no one was looking.

Since it was an art gallery where the Empress Dowager’s nephew was exhibiting his paintings, the entrance was quite grand.

Large trees tended by gardeners.

Benches placed around, carved like works of art.

At the end of the path was the art gallery building.

‘Wow…’

The art gallery looks like a temple.

It was so beautiful and elegant that it inspired a sense of reverence.

Is it like the Palace of Versailles?

Han Jihyuk looked around and said.

“There are a lot of old people.”

Indeed, as he said, there were many elderly gentlemen and ladies.

“Probably because the exhibition theme is ‘Old Streets.’ I heard there are many old landscape paintings.”

It was a perfect theme for old people to reminisce.

That’s probably why the Empress Dowager is coming too, for her nephew’s exhibition.

When we entered the art gallery, it was clear that more attention had been paid to the rest areas.

There were many benches, and the faces of the elderly sitting on them were full of nostalgia.

Then, at that moment.

“Hey.”

Han Jihyuk gently tugged at my sleeve, pointing to something.

In the center, a noble lady was walking in with a maid.

Her attire was as splendid as the grand art gallery.

A glimpse of her jawline.

However, her face was not fully visible because she was wearing a wide-brimmed hat.

Still, it was clear at first glance that she had been a remarkable figure in her youth.

After the noble lady passed, Han Jihyuk whispered in my ear.

“She has a presence.”

“Yeah.”

Han Jihyuk and I pretended not to be waiting for anyone, as if we were just there to see the paintings.

After looking around the inside, I asked a staff member like any other visitor.

“Where is the artist?”

“Oh, he’s currently not in his seat. Please wait a moment.”

The staff member, who answered politely, had no suspicion and found out where the artist was through other staff.

“He’s in the back garden.”

“Thank you.”

Han Jihyuk and I headed straight for the back garden.

However.

‘Who is that person?’

Han Jihyuk also noticed and gave me a look.

We had spotted the noble lady with a strong presence heading this way.

‘She seems to be going in the same direction.’

We subtly slowed our steps.

The tall noble lady quickly overtook us with her long strides.

It was clear that she was going in the same direction.

She was heading to the back garden.

The back garden, where the artist, the Empress Dowager’s nephew, was.

“Hey, it’s probably that old lady, right?”

“It could be.”

I carefully watched the back of the noble lady heading to the back garden.

At that moment.

“Oh!”

A young woman coming from the back garden bumped into the noble lady with a strong presence.

“Sorry!”

Behind the young woman, a cute and kind-looking noble lady followed.

Judging from her appearance, the young woman who made the mistake was probably the maid of the latter noble lady.

The latter noble lady, seeing her maid bump into the other noble lady, seemed to understand the situation and spoke.

“Oh dear. I’m sorry. Eben…”

“What a breach of etiquette! Do you know who this person is!”

Instead of the noble lady with a strong presence, whose face was stiff, her maid started to rant.

Han Jihyuk muttered.

“It seems to be that old lady.”

I watched them silently.

Compared to the noble lady with a strong presence, the other noble lady was shorter and gentler.

The maid of the noble lady with a strong presence was berating the maid who had bumped into her as if she were about to eat her.

The small noble lady looked awkward and spoke.

“I will apologize on her behalf.”

At this, the noble lady with a strong presence, who had not said a word until then, snorted.

“Is that how you apologize?”

‘Wow, she’s terrifying.’

I thought she was just tall and had a strong presence, but her voice was also terrifying.

The noble lady with a strong presence lifted her chin and looked down at the other with arrogance.

“Do you not know etiquette? You can’t act like a stiff old lady.”

With a glare that seemed to flash from her hidden eyes, she ordered the small noble lady.

“Again.”

It was clear that the noble lady with a strong presence was overwhelming the other. This exchange seemed to be ending in her victory soon.

Han Jihyuk whispered to me urgently.

“Shouldn’t we intervene before she fully apologizes? If we can boost her dignity by mentioning the Empress Dowager here, we might get noticed.”

He seemed frustrated, as if we were missing an opportunity by just watching.

I listened to Han Jihyuk’s words but quietly observed the situation.

The cute old lady’s maid was stomping her feet, not knowing what to do.

“Madam, I’m sorry, but—”

“Where does a lowly person like you get to interfere!”

Whoosh!

With a sound like a strong wind, the noble lady with a strong presence raised her hand fiercely.

At that moment, I spoke to the noble ladies.

“Madam.”

The sudden interruption made the noble lady with a strong presence pause with her hand raised.

Unlike her earlier displeasure, she slowly lowered her hand after recognizing my attire.

“I apologize, but I saw the scene from a distance.”

I spoke quite politely and turned to face her.

Then I looked at her with a stern face.

“With so many guests present, wouldn’t it be better to end this here?”

Whoa!

Han Jihyuk, who was behind, nearly fell over in surprise.

‘Are you crazy? Why are you picking a fight with the Empress Dowager!’

His lips moved silently, saying that.

It was understandable.

The person I was now telling to stop, looking her straight in the eye, was—

“Where does a young girl get to interrupt an adult?”

The old lady, whose face was half-covered, whom Han Jihyuk believed without doubt to be the Empress Dowager!

Her already terrifying voice had now become hoarse and even more menacing.

She must have been furious that a young person like me, after her maid, had dared to stop her.

‘But what can I do?’

I’m not scared at all.

‘I grew up with grandfathers.’

If you grow up with dinosaurs, lizards won’t scare you.

I spoke calmly.

“I apologize, Madam. But this is an art gallery built by the imperial palace. It is the domain of His Majesty the Emperor.”

“What?”

“Therefore, it’s not good to cause a disturbance here. There are many people watching. I’m saying this for your own good.”

But my calm demeanor, which didn’t show any fear, seemed to irritate the noble lady with a strong presence.

Her face, which had been glaring at me, turned red and then she pointed at me.

“I will remember this. What are your name and family, you and the old lady?”

Oh dear.

Just as I was about to speak, the small noble lady, who had been watching the situation, stepped forward.

A very gentle and kind voice came from her lips.

“I am Elizabeth Kalsoye.”

“…!”

“…!”

But the shock her words brought was immense.

“What…? Elizabeth, Kals, Kalsoye?”

The face of the noble lady with a strong presence, who had been slowly repeating the name, instantly turned pale.

The people around, who had been watching the commotion with interest, also erupted in chaos.

Kalsoye.

There is only one case where someone can use the imperial name as their surname.

‘If they are of the imperial family.’

Furthermore, among those with the Kalsoye surname, there is only one person with that name in the empire.

Elizabeth Kalsoye.

‘The Empress Dowager of this country.’

After the situation was assessed, everyone around prostrated themselves in admiration.

Of course, the noble lady with a strong presence, who had been acting high and mighty, was no exception.

“May you enjoy glory!”

“May you enjoy glory!”

The Empress Dowager, sighing, covered her round cheeks.

“I didn’t intend to cause a disturbance at my nephew’s exhibition.”

Han Jihyuk, who had been calling me crazy, opened his mouth wide and alternated his gaze between me and the Empress Dowager.

Even without asking with his mouth, it was clear what he was thinking.

‘How did you know?’

I chuckled inwardly.

‘From the word “Eben.”’

“Excellent. But why don’t you go inside now? A shower (Eben) is coming soon.”

Eben is not the name of the maid accompanying the Empress Dowager.

It’s an old word used by elderly members of the imperial family.

‘I recognized Michelan because of the old words he used.’

“I’m sorry. Eben…”

When the Empress Dowager said she was sorry because of Eben, it meant, ‘I’m sorry for bumping into you because of the shower and rushing inside the back garden.’

If the maid hadn’t interrupted, I would have known.

As evidence, the Empress Dowager’s clothes were still damp.

* * *

After the noble lady, who had been making a fuss about an apology, disappeared, looking diminished and having lost all her charisma and presence.

The Empress Dowager looked at me and smiled kindly.

“Thank you for your help.”

“No, I’m sorry. I caused more trouble by getting involved when you wanted to watch quietly.”

I spoke politely, and the Empress Dowager chuckled.

“No, that’s not true. Have you seen the exhibition? If you don’t mind, would you like to see it with me?”

I had already seen it a long time ago, pretending to be a regular visitor.

But I feigned surprise and delight.

“Is that okay?”

“Of course. I like brave ladies.”

The Empress Dowager smiled warmly.

She was a truly kind and lovely-looking noble lady.

Looking at her like this, it’s hard to think of her as the terrifying Empress Dowager.

‘Still, I can’t let my guard down.’

I smiled innocently, fitting my age, and followed the Empress Dowager.

Han Jihyuk followed at a distance, as if he understood.

I walked with the Empress Dowager through the gallery, talking about the paintings.

“Oh, you’ve seen that album. The academic interpretations are included, so it might be difficult for a child to understand.”

“The words were difficult, but I studied hard and read it. It’s an album of works painted over five years!”

“You must like Master Goed.”

“Yes. Some say his work is a bit rough and crude, but I think that’s part of his charm.”

“Oh my, how could our opinions be so similar? I also like his unrefined touch. It seems our tastes match.”

“Wow, really? My eye must be pretty good! Your Majesty’s eye must be the best in the country!”

I said innocently, widening my eyes, and the Empress Dowager chuckled as if she found it amusing.

This is what K-workplace skills are all about.

The Empress Dowager seemed to like me more and more.

She even started to share her own stories after a while.

“I also love paintings. I can’t paint, but my mother used to paint.”

‘Yes, this topic should come up.’

I asked even more innocently.

“Wow, do I know any of her paintings?”

“Probably not. Back then, if a woman was known to paint, her work would be burned as a bad omen.”

The Empress Dowager’s eyes looked nostalgic as she recalled a certain time in the past.

I swallowed dryly and waited for her next words.

“So, my mother painted a lot at home. She never showed them to anyone, but they were very precious to me.”

‘That’s it!’