If it was about rumors regarding Countess Freya Evergarden, Rachel had vaguely heard of them as well.
In the past, she was a mere serf, but she distinguished herself in the glorious continental conquest war, and was granted the title of Countess at the same time the Empire was established, a war hero.
The Evergarden County.
However, the rumors about the Evergarden County currently circulating among the nobles were not good.
The territory was poor, burdened with debt, the lord was extremely dissipated, and his children were causing trouble at the Academy. In short, it was full of rumors that made people frown.
Among them, of course, there were various rumors about Countess Freya Evergarden.
There were many stories, but to summarize it in one sentence:
A pretentious woman with a flower garden in her head.
She lacked knowledge and refinement, held tea parties every other day, and was always showing off the jewels and dresses she had purchased beyond her means.
Her need for recognition was so strong that she would boast about herself whenever she had a conversation, and if she wasn’t the center of attention at a tea party and the attention was focused on someone else, she would throw a tantrum like a child.
Of course, she was gullible and innocent, so there were those who intentionally clung to her and flattered her, knowing that she would give them a lot of crumbs if they praised her even a little. However, most people ignored her despite her high status as a Countess.
The only thing people acknowledged was her outstanding appearance and figure, which everyone nodded to even while showing their dislike.
In other words, she was just a pretty face with nothing inside.
‘Who would think that in front of this person?’
However, Rachel, who was directly facing and talking to such Freya Evergarden, almost burst into a hollow laugh.
A kind and gentle smile.
Her soft tone and flowing white hair made her look like a wingless angel.
Her grace was so abundant that it overflowed even when she was just drinking a cup of tea.
However.
‘There’s not a single gap. Even though she’s smiling, I’m trembling.’
Her posture, the way she put down her teacup, her smile.
Rachel’s forehead was beaded with sweat at her flawless appearance.
Rachel had to admit it.
The Countess in front of her had a more overwhelming presence than herself, the Fifth Princess.
Rachel questioned Freya’s malicious rumors.
Even if jealousy and falsehoods were mixed into the rumors with the intention of slandering, how could anyone who saw this appearance criticize her actions?
‘Then were the rumors intentionally spread? For what reason? If not, then she’s been acting like that all along… What’s certain is that she’s definitely not someone to be taken lightly.’
“I have considered the Fifth Princess’s proposal.”
“I see that my eldest son has told you in advance.”
“Yes, he is a very intelligent child.”
The Countess was the one who broke the silence and spoke first.
“To be clear, our family doesn’t have much reason to join hands with the Fifth Princess.”
“…I see.”
Rachel’s composed expression almost crumbled at the straightforward rejection.
‘Don’t panic. It’s the answer I expected. I can’t be disappointed here.’
“As the Princess knows, this is a prototype of the Elixir that our family has independently developed this time.”
Freya then placed a glass bottle on the table.
Inside the bottle was a clear Elixir with a light greenish tint, without any residue.
“Restores health and mana, has a subtle but permanent effect of increasing health and mana, and also normalizes physical condition and increases the recovery speed of naturally healing wounds such as bruises, lacerations, and burns.”
“In other words, it can be seen as a degraded version of the legendary Elixir.”
“The effects of the prototype have already begun to spread, mainly around the Academy, so if we start selling the final product within the territory… I think the Princess is well aware of the repercussions.”
‘Of course. That’s why I came here.’
Temporary name, Evergarden Elixir.
As Countess Freya explained, its effects were, simply put, a weaker version of the Elixir that could bring the dead back to life.
It couldn’t restore severed body parts (she didn’t tell her family how she experimented), but it was effective for simple wounds and diseases such as fever, and even though it was an Elixir with excellent mana recovery, it had no side effects.
Its tremendous performance would naturally attract the attention of many, and it was obvious that the Evergarden family would soon become a powerful family that would shake the Obina Empire.
Thanks to that, Rosaria had suffered many hardships at the Academy, but there were countless families trying to get on the good side of the Evergarden family.
“And, it seems that the Princess is not the only one who knows that fact.”
“!?”
Freya, who had shown off the Elixir and appealed to what position her family would soon rise to, played another strong card.
In her hand were four letter envelopes.
Numerous noble children and professors had flocked to Rosaria, who was attending the Academy.
How much more contact would there have been with the main Evergarden family?
“I’ve never received so many letters before making this Elixir……. It seems that there is a lot of interest.”
Before Rosaria returned to the main family, the main family had already received hundreds of letters praising the Evergarden family and asking to meet them personally.
Not only simple nobles, but also magicians from the Magic Tower, guild masters from the Merchant Guild, and so on. There were so many that the fireplace in the office couldn’t handle them.
And Freya had taken only four letter envelopes from that mountain of letters and handed them to her.
“Th, that’s… Could it be…?”
“Yes, I think the Princess knows it well.”
Rachel’s pupils trembled as she looked at the letter envelopes that Freya handed over with a smile.
That was because the wax sealing the letters, just like the one she had sent to Felix, had the seal of the White Dragon.
“The First Prince… the Second Princess… the Fourth Princess and the Sixth Prince… These four have sent letters expressing their desire to be close to our family.”
“……..”
“Especially in the case of the Second Princess, I know that she is praised as someone who is unmatched even in her position as a woman, with the First Prince, the Crown Prince, right above her, and as the next successor to the Empire.”
‘That’s right… Reina is better than someone like me…’
“Fifth Princess?”
“…Yes?”
“I heard that the Fifth Princess is not particularly interested in succeeding to the throne, is that correct?”
“…That’s right. I don’t necessarily think that I should be the master of the Empire—”
“In that situation, if the Fifth Princess and I join hands, wouldn’t the other successors think this?”
“‘The Fifth Princess, who had no interest in the throne until now, suddenly joined hands with the Evergarden family.”
“….Ah!?”
Rachel, who had been listening to Freya’s words quietly, belatedly realized the true meaning of those words.
Originally, she had been taking a step back from the succession to the throne, maintaining a position of observation.
In that situation, the fact that she was joining hands with the Evergarden family, which would bring great changes to the Empire in the future, meant that she was also participating in this succession to the throne.
“I, I’m not…! Th, that’s not what I meant…?”
“I’m sure you don’t. However, I’m not sure if others will think so…”
“Is there any reason to join hands with the Fifth Princess, whose only goal is to save her life, instead of taking the hands of those who will wear the crown of the next Emperor of the Empire?”
“…!?”
Clench-
As Freya’s words continued, Rachel’s skirt began to wrinkle even more severely.
She was right.
Rachel, who usually enjoyed accumulating knowledge and having heated discussions with others, couldn’t say a word and only lowered her head and trembled.
It was a mistake.
At first, she only thought that no one would reject her because she was an Imperial Princess.
She was arrogant.
She had thought that the throne was pathetic, and she felt that the days she had spent holed up in the Academy were foolish.
The Evergarden family would continue to rise, and there was no reason for them to give up everything for her and take her hand.
As she said, she had not thought about succeeding to the throne, and it was no different from her making unreasonable demands on the Evergarden family with ridiculous reasons because she was desperate to save her life.
Now that she realized that fact, Rachel felt so ashamed that she felt like she was facing her naked.
“Instead of the other successors, whose futures are already somewhat certain, I simply cannot see any reason to get involved in the succession battle with a clumsy person like the Fifth Princess with my limited knowledge.”
‘Why should I go through all this trouble with a loser like you instead of my brothers and sisters who can be a strong backing?’
Her expression and gestures were still kind, but the meaning of her words was a scathing criticism.
She would have been furious at the rudeness in the past, but Rachel couldn’t even refute the criticism now.
She felt pathetic at her own appearance.
“….”
‘Is this the end? As expected, she’s still young and short-sighted.’
Freya, who was watching Rachel continue to remain silent with her head bowed, sipped her teacup and thought.
She had already heard some explanation of the situation from Felix, so Freya knew Rachel’s current situation.
The Third Prince was definitely possessed, and although she couldn’t be sure yet… he probably had no qualms about eliminating his competitors.
And the first to be eliminated was the Ninth Prince.
Perhaps the Third Prince was planning to eliminate those who were young and easy to eliminate because they had no ties.
If so, the next target was obvious.
Someone who was old enough, but had no power of her own because she was devoted to studying and research, and whose elimination would not cause much backlash.
Rachel Obina.
If Freya didn’t take her hand… she would definitely be eliminated.
Even if she gave up her status as a Princess and ran away, she would not give up killing her because there was a slight possibility.
Pitiful and pathetic.
As a father of two children, it was quite unpleasant and sympathetic to see a young child die.
However, she couldn’t move with just sympathy now.
Helping her meant that the Evergarden family, who had been saving their strength and bowing down, was officially entering politics.
In addition, Rachel had no power except for them, so it was obvious that it would be a very difficult fight.
In that situation, she couldn’t put her family, her family, in danger with just simple sympathy.
Freya always prioritized the safety of her family.
Other than that, she didn’t care what happened to anyone else.
Even if the Obina Empire was destroyed and the blood of the Empire’s people was scattered in the capital, she wouldn’t care as long as her family was safe.
That’s why Freya was always careful and cold-hearted.
She didn’t necessarily need Rachel to achieve her plans.
Other members of the Imperial family were already calling her, and they were much bigger and more reliable than Rachel.
Compared to them, Rachel was disappointing.
“However, precisely because of that. Precisely because of that, Freya went to the trouble of inviting Rachel to this place and having a secret meeting with her.
“…Fifth Princess.”
“…Yes, Countess Evergarden.”
After a long silence, Freya opened her mouth.
‘It’s the end.’
And Rachel, anticipating the words that would follow, unknowingly squeezed her eyes shut.
“Do you have the resolve?”
“…Pardon?”
However, at the words that followed, Rachel unknowingly raised her head and looked at her.
“The resolve to survive, even after overcoming all of that, I mean.”
“The resolve to…survive…”
Freya’s words contained several meanings.
If you join hands with the Evergarden family, what can you do in the future?
And what will you move for?
Why do you want to survive?
All those meanings were embedded and pierced Rachel’s heart.
“I…I…”
Why must I survive?
Simply because I’m afraid of dying?
No, that wasn’t the answer.
The ultimate root, why do I want to live so desperately?
And why should I help with that?
Freya was asking that.
She thought.
Rachel tirelessly wracked her brilliant brain, which could easily calculate complex Magical Power formulas, trying to derive an answer.
Cold sweat ran down her head, and her arms and legs trembled.
Drip-
Before she knew it, a hot liquid flowed from her philtrum and wetted her lips.
It tasted fishy.
“….Because.”
And, after a long calculation. Rachel moved her lips.
“There are still many…researches I haven’t, done….”
“…..”
“I like magic. Researching it, analyzing it, and when the magic I designed activates normally, my heart beats.”
“It’s funny, isn’t it…? I really thought about it until my head was about to explode…but I can’t come up with any other answer.”
“It’s really childish, and it doesn’t help in any way…why did I say such an answer…?”
“But, it’s really true. I don’t want to die yet.”
And her answer was no different from a baby’s whining.
Every time she learned and researched magic, she felt a sense of being alive.
The position of imperial successor that others envied so much was just a convenient tool for her.
I want to know the truth of the world.
I want to dig into and change the rules and principles of nature.
That was Rachel’s purpose in life.
“……I see.”
Freya, who had been listening to Rachel’s rant, which was no different from a scream, opened her mouth.
And.
“Very well. I will join hands with the Fifth Princess.”
“….Yes?”
Zziiik-
“Uh…uhh…?”
Without hesitation, Freya nonchalantly tore up the letters from the other princes and princesses that were on the table.
Rachel, not knowing what was going on, could only move her lips at Freya’s sudden action.
“I like earnestness. And that’s why I saw potential in the Princess.”
“Rather than a grand dream of becoming the master of the world…for some reason, Fifth Princess’s simple but great dream, which is honest to herself, is more impressive.”
“Th, then…!?”
“From now on, the Evergarden family will pledge allegiance to the Fifth Princess…Rachel Obina.”
Freya’s hand, reaching out to her.
“…Th, thank…you…! Thank…! You…!”
Drip-drip drip-
Tears welled up in Rachel’s eyes as she blankly stared at the hand, and she shook hands with Freya with trembling hands.
She could clearly feel the earnestness and gratitude from that hand.
“Oh dear…tears don’t suit such a good day.”
“Ah…thank you…”
“You are now our master. Act with confidence.”
“….I will.”
Freya handed a handkerchief to Rachel, whose eyes were now red, and smiled brightly.
‘Master…’
Rachel, who received the handkerchief Freya handed her, felt something welling up in her chest.
At this moment.
Countess Freya Evergarden of the Evergarden family pledged unwavering loyalty to Rachel.
Of course, it was a blatant lie.