The Villain Family’s New Daughter-In-Law - Chapter 143

It was an annual literature salon, but around this time of the year, the Empress could not hide her excitement as she covered her blushing cheeks like a young girl.

“……I am especially looking forward to this year.”

“Me too, Mother. I think I’ll take a quick look around that garden.”

“Have a nice trip, Claudia.”

On the other side of the terrace, the gardeners were in full swing for the finishing touches of the outdoor garden.

The Empress put the teacup down on the table and turned her gaze back to the poetry book, but she could not easily concentrate because of her excitement.

Among the many events organized by the hostess of a country, art and literature were fields of the greatest interest. Moreover, her husband, Neuschwan, was a complete stranger to it, so she could make all the decisions.

The family she invited could be designated to some extent according to her taste. Even if it is a social event, it is self-evident that it’s closely related to power as it was an event of the imperial family.

Through their participation at this event, the Empress was able to partially gauge the complex inner workings of the great nobles.

Who wants to interact with the Emperor.

And who does so, only on the surface.

Family honor, politics, social circles influence, elimination of competitors, part of business, etc.

Their purposes were countless, but one could be easily distinguishable. As the major families gather, it is determined at a glance who will be on the side of the Imperial family.

‘If it was like last year, I would have chosen a family I would like to interact with or a family with high culture knowledge, but this year it’s different.’

Claudia.

The child may create a new tend. Her remarks at the last national meeting have raised the repercussions for the Imperial Daughter. There will be an opportunity for my family, which has been neglected for only being the maternal family of a Princess, to stand up for themselves.

‘If possible, I wish that a very supportive family would take her side, but…’

It wasn’t a short-term job.

In the Empire, there has never been a princess who inherited the throne until now, so in the first place, nobles with great power naturally excluded the option of standing behind her. At this salon, the Empress was determined to look for a family with the power to help Claudia.

The Princess returned to the table and reached for her teacup.

“Mother. I’m excited because it feels like the garden is almost finished.”

Claudia was also happy to think that she would see Luciel again at this salon.

“I heard that four people from Bellstein will attend this time. Claudia, did you send a separate invitation to the Princess?”

At the words of the Empress, Claudia smiled slightly.

“Yes, I want that child to come. For she has greatly helped me.”

“I see, I really want to meet her. What kind of child is she?”

“I’m sure mother will like her, too.”

“Rumor has it that even the Duke of Bellstein, who is like the coldest ice of the world, cherishes the child. I’m getting curious when you keep saying that.”

Mother and daughter looked at each other with similar smiling faces.

* * *

“Which seven families were selected this time?”

“Is it natural for the only two Dukes in the Empire to attend, isn’t it?”

“The Duke of Bellstein in the north and the Duke of Karhan in the south.”

“Other than that, I think it might be the same family as last time. Last year there were no new faces, but Countess Serian did a great job, right?”

“I was really impressed with the poems and songs of the Marquis Marande, what can we see this year?”

While the whole city was buzzing with the preparation of the Imperial Literature Salon, Cicline was turning her brains inside out inside a cafe. It was a brief outing together with other test takers she had met in the exam.

She safely passed the writing test, but the practical skill test was holding her back.

She tried to mix the medicine according to the recipe for the mana nutrient that the Little Madam told her, but strangely, the effect of the finished medicine was almost non-existence.

“The hair regrowth developed by Peter is a hit! I put it on two days ago and slept, and my hair grew this much.”

“Isn’t you going to get first place at this rate? It seems like a skilled senior pharmacist is already paying attention to you.”

“You’ll go to the academy, right?”

“……It’s too early to judge yet.”

Other test-takers in the same group seemed to have successfully developed a drug with excellent efficacy.

With a heavy heart, Cicline sat with only her eyes rolling in impatience and anxiety. At that time, a young man named Peter approached Cicline, who was sitting alone while looking elsewhere.

“……Well, Miss Renny.”

“What? Me?”

“Yes. What’s the recipe for the nutritional supplement that Ms. Renny is developing? I want to help you……”

“Oh, no. It’s okay. I am….”

Peter Lenkins.

He was predicted to have the highest pass rate among test takers. In addition to hair growth medicine that is highly effective, other drugs were also being prepared.

In fact, Cicline heard that most of the Lenkins family were high-ranking pharmacists in the Imperial City, or are working at academic institutions.

He seemed to be a well-known family in the field of herbal medicine.

Her father was also a pharmacist during his lifetime, but he was not in a very high position.

“I heard that Dr. Renny was a person who developed medicine with all his heart.”

“Do you know….my father?”

“Of course, Dr. Renny was known as a man who worked hard in medicine. I think I can help you, too”

As Peter spoke, it was time for him to take a seat next to the Cicline.

“I’m sorry, but the seat next to her is mine.”

With a white straw hat and pink sunglasses slightly raised, Luciel tapped the chair with the tip of a folded parasol. Her shiny silver hair and sleeveless lemon-colored dress gave out a cute and youthful look.

Everyone in the cafe looked at her, thinking that she must have been the child of a great noble.

“Who is that child?”

“That dress……It’s the only of its kind in Beatrice’s dressing room. Could it be a princess from a foreign country who came to play?”

“Maybe she is a nobleman who wants to go to the Imperial salon.”

Luciel covered her face with a hat and glasses and made the carriage of Bellstein stand far away, it seemed that no one recognized her identity.

After all, Rose was by her side, but there was no family member nearby.

Of course, they hid away, but there were five escorts that caught Luciel’s eyes, and two of them were Kizef and the Duke in disguise.

It was a bit inconvenient that there was no Ellington to stop them at times like this.

In any case, Peter, who was approaching Cicline, withdrew with a troubled expression at the appearance of Luciel.

Cicline opened her eyes wide in surprise and said:

“Little Madam, how come in this place….”

“Dr. Cicline, I heard about you passing the exam in the newspaper. You told me there was a practical exam. I was curious to see if you were doing well, so I came to check it out, and today they said that the test takers went to town, so I came here. I’m also in the Capital for the  Literature Salon.”

“Ah……I see.”

“I will cheer you on. Is there anything you want to eat?”

Cicline’s eyes fluttered slightly and she shook her head.

“No, it’s okay. In fact, I have no appetite.”

She said as she buried her face in her hands.

“Why are you so down?”

“Well…….”

There were other test takers around, so Cicline seemed to be paying attention to what she could say.

Luciel took her to another restaurant. Each seat was located in a small closed space, it was a store where one could share secrets.

“Actually, I tried mixing the ingredients according to the recipe you gave me, but strangely, the effect is very minimal.”

“……Minimal effect? That can’t be.”

Luciel bit her lips tightly. She believed it was going to be all right, but the news came as a lighting out of the blue.

“But why did he ask for the recipe earlier?”

“Ah, he’s a Lenkins, they are famous in herbal medicine, and he seems to be very good at it. He seems to be trying to finish developing his own drug as fast as possible and help others.”

Even for talented people, this was not a simple assignment, it was a test. One that evaluates an individual’s abilities.

In addition, mana supplement was a drug that no one had developed so far. The thought that there might be something up his sleeve crossed Luciel’s head.

“Well……Never tell him about it.”

“What? Yes. I have no intention of asking for his help.”

“Yes, that would be great. The literature salon is open tomorrow. The test is after it, right?”

“Yes, there are about three days left, but not much progress has been made in the meantime. Actually, it was already a miracle to get here.”

When Cicline spoke with such a weak voice, Luciel felt unhappy.

“First of all, we need to know if there is a problem with the drug formulation, so let’s look at it together, shall we?”

“Yes, it is here.”

Cicline took the document from the bag and held it to Luciel.

“In fact, I think I’ve tried everything I know…….”

Luciel, who was scanning the papers she held out, had no choice but to shake her head.

In the documents she wrote down by hand, she ground the ingredients, dried in the sun, and sometimes juiced them raw.

She also used fire and sometimes immersion in water. She had tried and repeated countless methods, but she could not find the answer.

With a pitiful heart, Luciel first fed Cicline something nice and comforted her.

“I will think through it and find a way to deliver it, Dr. Cicline. First of all, I want you to rest well today.”

“Yes, thank you. Little Madam, you always give me strength. But going to the literature salon is more important. Don’t worry too much. I’m fine. Have a safe trip!”

Cicline smiled and cheered for Luciel. Her worries also increased at the thought that Cicline cheered for her.

After breaking up with Cicline, Luciel walked over to the father and son who were following her and said,

“……Dad, Kizef. Let’s go eat cotton candy. I need something sweet.”

“……Did you notice?”

“I can’t help but know.”

Luciel laughed bashfully.

It was not enough to shoo people away, so both even stared at the people around them as if they were criminals.

“That’s because I don’t feel you are safe in this ugly world.”

Said the Duke, who was wiping off his disguise mustache.

“It’s a big deal if someone kidnaps you.”

Said Kizef as he folded the long hems of his trousers.

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