“Ha.”
As Acella let out a short sigh.
The match with Heike had entered its middle stage. Just looking at the numbers reported every day was enough to give her a headache.
‘It’s just a futile match since I can’t do anything while watching the outcome after deciding on the policy anyway.’
Being anxious would only cloud her judgment.
She needed to cool her head.
Acella got up from her seat to try and take it easy.
Heike showed no signs of wanting to intervene in the market either. That was the rule from the start.
She had eyes spread out to monitor. In case there was any foul play, she could catch it immediately, and Lau was also a member present.
‘He’s not the type to do that anyway.’
George might have pulled a sneaky trick, but not Heike.
If the situation turned unfavorable, he would just openly try to turn the tables by declaring war; he wouldn’t resort to underhanded tactics.
‘What kind of strategy would Lars employ?’
Before she knew it, she found herself thinking about Lars again.
Acella’s thoughts flowed and reached a certain point. She called for the Head Maid.
“Lucy, I want to go to the kitchen.”
The sudden request from Acella took the Head Maid by surprise. Even as the owner of the Moonlight Palace, there were places she wasn’t supposed to see.
The kitchen was strictly reserved for the staff. It wasn’t a place for someone of royal stature like the princess to enter.
“It’s messy.”
But Acella spilled her words as she stepped into the kitchen.
In fact, the kitchen of the Moonlight Palace was quite clean. Thanks to Lars, hygiene concepts had been applied, making it much better than any kitchen in the imperial family.
“What simple yet delicious dishes do you have? Is crème brûlée not easy?”
“It takes a long time. Hmm… There’s nothing that can be quickly made for you, Your Highness.”
“Commoner dishes are fine. Lars would eat them well, right?”
“Your Teacher?”
The Head Maid, still hesitant, couldn’t help but sense Acella’s intentions.
Was she having the cute idea of cooking for Lars?
It was unimaginable for the princess of that empire to get her hands dirty for her betrothed.
“What does Lars even like in the first place? I don’t think I’ve seen him eat much.”
“You hardly shared a table. I know he mainly eats in the Inner Palace or has convenience meals when he’s busy.”
“Really?”
Despite that, the menu he always served her was diverse and full of effort.
Food made thinking about health while also considering taste. Acella always liked Lars’s menu.
…Except for cucumbers.
Cucumbers were an abomination. Which human dared to take that horrid fruit into their mouth for the first time? Acella loathed that primitive person.
But she could tolerate it since she’d get bubble tea as a reward for eating well.
Although she hadn’t been able to enjoy it lately.
The bubble tea made from the palace chef’s recipes had an oddly different taste.
In that way, Acella’s diet had always been meticulously managed by Lars.
Yet, she wouldn’t take care of her own food.
‘Isn’t that foolish?’
When Lars returns, Acella wanted to cook for him at least once.
It was just a simple whim.
Ah, how strange. A princess like me trying to cook for someone else.
Acella, still grumbling about her strange thoughts, picked up some utensils with a light heart.
“So, what should I make?”
“How about a sandwich? It’s easy to make and doesn’t require much fuss.”
“Let me know.”
Looking at the ingredients being prepared by the Head Maid, Acella imagined Lars eating a sandwich.
In this match, she utilized the situation observed through Clairvoyance. She had taken measures ahead of time against the flu that was trending.
With her magical talent and ability, the strategy was possible.
Thanks to that, currently, after more than three weeks, the commoner households in Acella’s jurisdiction had reduced their healing expenses and increased productivity, seeing significant benefits economically.
However, Lars’s knowledge was also a prerequisite.
She knew it well. The fact that she needed him.
He was enigmatic like fog; if she tried to grasp it recklessly, it would scatter and disappear.
He wouldn’t soften or bow his head just because she acted forcefully like other nobles.
So she decided to set her pride aside for a moment and treat him well.
Above all, she would take the initiative on such calculations.
‘…I’ve eaten Lars’s cooking often.’
Would Lars enjoy her cooking?
That simple curiosity took precedence.
“…Be careful while cutting the bread.”
Holding the knife, under the flustered guidance of the Head Maid, Acella completed her first dish.
A baguette sandwich made with sous-vide ham and whole grain mustard.
To be honest, even Acella thought the shape was just okay.
‘How can I draw a magic circle neatly, yet can’t cut a piece of bread properly?’
It would be a relief if Lars didn’t laugh when he saw it.
Just as she thought about serving it to Max for a taste test.
Clang!
“Your Highness!”
Acella dropped the plate and curled up, clutching her stomach.
Breathing heavily, cold sweat suddenly flowed down.
“Doctor… Doctor.”
The Head Maid clicked her tongue. The doctor wasn’t here. Instead, she dashed out to call Chloe who was waiting outside.
“…Hoo.”
Acella bowed her head towards the floor. She tousled her hair to hide her grim face.
Biting her lower lip, she barely managed to close her mouth as thin saliva trickled out.
‘The intervals are getting shorter.’
…She didn’t want to show this face to him.
She didn’t want to. But still.
“…I miss you, Lars.”
Where are you right now?
*
“It’s the last day of the match. Shall we check what results the fifth week’s policy has produced?”
Time passed quickly. Before she knew it, the final day for Heike and Acella had arrived.
At the stroke of midnight, the three princesses gathered in the VIP Room of the Forbidden Book Palace, tension thick in the air.
Today everything will be decided. One of them would lose their succession rights.
Besides that, they had nothing, but both were princesses aiming for the next emperor. To lose in the succession match was like losing their life’s goal.
It was that desperate.
“The outcomes so far are summarized in these numbers.”
Lau handed out the documents.
“Looking at this, the two of you have only one possible response. The winner will be determined by the final ledger recorded at midnight tomorrow.”
“I see.”
“It was a rule set long ago. Just open the results.”
Acella nodded.
Lau opened the envelope with a flourish.
“The results compared to the start of the competition. It includes not just gold coins but also tangible assets.”
It was a tough task to achieve economic growth while reducing the wealth gap.
Only a mere month was given. It was practically impossible to expect significant achievements in such a short time.
However, both Heike and Acella had produced results that could be proudly presented.
“They both managed to exceed a 5% growth rate in just a month. Have you cast some magic?”
Lau marveled at the numbers and calculated the points accordingly.
“Up to the fifth week, the points are… Acella has the advantage.”
Acella crossed her arms calmly as if this were an obvious outcome.
“Initially, Heike was ahead. However, the flu that became widespread from the second week reduced productivity. Acella’s response was effective. Must be Gothberg’s influence.”
“Don’t casually call my betrothed.”
Lau subtly averted his gaze under Acella’s fierce stare.
Heike calmly examined the numbers.
What she had researched beforehand didn’t differ greatly.
‘Quite impressive, Acella.’
A sense of crisis loomed.
When she had entered the contest, Heike had confidently thought she would win with a high probability.
From the recent moves of the Moonlight Palace, Acella was likely to grow considerably ahead.
But, for now, she was still one step below.
If she could eliminate her from the succession match, then this was the opportunity.
Thus, she accepted this match expecting victory, but in the end, it became a blunder.
‘My judgment wasn’t wrong.’
She had bad luck. The variable of the flu had favored Acella.
‘No, was it truly luck?’
Now, doubting it would be too late.
Based on these numbers, she had to take decisive action now.
There was still a chance for a comeback.
“Then inform me of your final response as soon as it’s ready. It may become a wildcard to turn the tables, so it should be considered carefully.”
Lau took a sip of tea, untangling the papers.
‘If I reverse the formula that decides the points… I need to make up a difference of 7,200 gold coins. That means more assets need to be funneled into the common households.’
Heike confirmed the amount. Given the trends so far, it was a painfully narrow difference.
‘It’s certainly possible to overturn it.’
Heike had already thought of a method.
Tomorrow was the day a large vessel from the Suprey Merchant Company would arrive upstream.
‘The ship carries 12,000 gold worth of flour bound for the Kingdom of Law. If I buy it all at a premium and reflect it in the ledger, I can turn the tables.
Of course, the palace’s funds cannot be used as per the rules.
Even if she had the commoners buy the wheat, it was just converting money into goods, so the assets wouldn’t change. The ledger would remain the same, and she couldn’t win.
However, there was a loophole in the Empire’s ledger recording method.
It was an old-fashioned practice with a small gap.
Heike was contemplating a kind of circumvention.
‘In the kingdom, there exists a gift transaction. The merchants crossing the continent are also permitted this method of trade.’
A method not found in the Empire where money dealings were prohibited.
‘It involves betting on the price at market value, but paying according to the price three months later. It’s a kind of gambling. The important thing is that the payment is based on the trader’s credit, so there’s no fixed price.’
In the Empire, gifts aren’t recorded, so imported flour would immediately reflect on the net assets ledger.
But because the payment price wasn’t set, it had to be recorded as zero.
It would inflate the net assets by 12,000 gold coins.
‘In credit transactions, while the payment is fixed as a debt, gifts cannot be recorded as such.’
Dealing with the Supreme Merchant Company was implied to be understood by the Merchant Guild as a connection to Mokhwi Palace.
The transaction would go smoothly.
It was practically a deception using the five-week period, but the match would be over tomorrow. Heike had no luxury to concern herself over the means.
‘Acella could never know this complicated scheme.’
Just when she was sure she could catch Acella off guard.
“Heike.”
As if piercing through Heike’s thoughts, Acella’s eyes glimmered with golden mana.
In that moment, Heike felt as if her neat uniform was being stripped away right in front of her much younger sister.
“Surely you, the royal princess of the great empire, aren’t thinking of engaging in petty money tricks that commoners use?”
Heike felt chills crawling up her spine.
Already, Acella was seeing through everything.
She wrote something on the paper and confidently presented it to Heike as if there was no need to hide anything.
“Try all you like. 12,000 is no match for me.”
Seeing Acella’s response made Heike’s expression harden.
*
“Teacher, the Teleport Gate is activated.”
Whoosh!
A blue light poured out between the two massive pillars.
“Ouch, that’s bright.”
It hurt my eyes, as always. I just couldn’t get used to it.
As I rubbed my eyes, Tanya handed me a handkerchief.
“Take care, Lars.”
My father saw me off. I received a light greeting.
“Let’s go.”
I stepped into the blue light together with Hugo and Tanya.
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