When I entered the dining room, I learned that my father was already in his study, holding private talks with allied nobles and members of his faction. It seemed he had sent out letters summoning them last night.
As I sat down for breakfast, the butler handed me a report from one of our spies.
“It seems there’s no change in the Third Prince’s plans. The condemnation is still set to take place at tonight’s royal banquet,” the report stated succinctly.
“And this, as well,” the butler added, passing me another document—a surveillance report on the Baron’s daughter, the Chancellor’s son, and the Commander’s son. All were energetically working to ensure the success of the planned condemnation.
I sighed heavily.
The royal family’s negligence was exasperating. Perhaps they were unaware of the extent of the Third Prince’s behavior due to a lack of vigilance. If he were monitored properly, his antics might have been mitigated. Instead, the King and Queen seemed like the toxic parents so commonly discussed in my previous life: overindulgent, enabling, and blind to their child’s faults.
I had many unkind thoughts about the King and Queen, but I held them back. My father and I had already hit rock bottom in terms of loyalty to the throne, but we still had to maintain appearances. Besides, the Queen was about to play a starring role in tonight’s events.
The kingdom’s future was worrisome, but with the Prince Regent and my father’s scheming, I trusted things would work out. Even in the novel, the kingdom had prospered despite the chaos.
Last night’s meeting with the anti-royalist faction, leveraging my knowledge of the novel, had been a success. Slowly but surely, the flow of the story was changing. I remembered every word of the condemnation scene vividly, and I wouldn’t fail.
With 9 hours left, I greeted a merchant who had arrived to deliver my custom order.
“Oh, how exquisite! Truly remarkable!” I exclaimed in admiration.
“I had my craftsmen work overnight to complete it. The mechanism has been flawlessly integrated into this top-quality hairpin as per your instructions.”
The hairpin was a masterpiece—a silver flower ornament with intricate clusters of tiny blossoms adorning its branches. Small rubies, sapphires, and diamonds gleamed at the center of each flower, creating a radiant and elegant design.
“Yes, I’m satisfied. I’ll wear it to the banquet tonight. And remember, you must never speak of this hairpin to anyone.”
“Trust is everything in business, and my craftsmen understand that as well. Rest assured, Lady Sherilia, we will not disappoint you,” the merchant promised. Betraying the marquisate would be tantamount to declaring war, and he knew it well.
I handed him another generous pouch of gold coins, which he accepted with a deep bow before departing.
With 8 hours remaining, I carefully selected jewelry to complement the silver hairpin from my treasure chest—earrings, necklaces, and other accessories.
Among them was a necklace, its centerpiece a dazzling emerald surrounded by blue diamonds. It radiated like a grand flower in bloom, scattering light with an air of sophistication. Ludovice had gifted it to me on my birthday years ago, and I had cherished it ever since. Its colors mirrored my emerald eyes and Ludovice’s almost transparent pale blue ones.
Clutching the necklace tightly, I let out a small sigh.
Though there was an invisible wall of propriety between Ludovice and me due to my engagement, I knew he would be watching over me, as he always did—even tonight.
With 7 hours remaining, I began preparations with the help of my maids.
First, my hair was carefully cleansed with camellia oil and combed with a boxwood comb to remove dust and impurities. My maids then washed it meticulously, massaged my scalp and body, and applied creams with practiced precision. It was like the thorough preparation of ingredients in a fine dish—a labor of love and care.
By the 4-hour mark, the groundwork was done. Next came makeup, hair styling, and dressing.
With 1 hour left, I found myself sitting beside my father in the carriage as we made our way to the royal palace.
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