THHAAWMF

Chapter 80

They both had a large rubina hanging from their cravats.

I was tempted to reach for the hot pack in my pouch and rub it off, but I didn't, for the sake of my dignity, and it would be more impactful to do so in public than here.

Count Essit, his brow furrowed, looked me up and down in displeasure.

What the hell, why are your eyes so wide?

I did the same, looking him up and down.

"Hmm..."

The Count was silent, like a man with a lot to say, and then he caught the eye of a maid walking ahead of him and decided it was better not to deal with me at this time.

But the fool was different. Duval whispered in my ear as he passed by.

"Why, have you come to borrow money from the Empress?"

The Empress's handmaiden narrowed her eyes at the rude remark. The words would probably reach the empress's ears in less than ten minutes.

"Or have you come to ask her to do something about your half-brother, who is staying at my house? You don't mean to ask her to lend you the Ruby Palace for the Little Marquis's celebration, do you know what that palace is like, and how dare you-"

"You're being rude."

The impatient maid warned.

"Little Marquis Lavirins is an honored guest of Her Imperial Highness. I will not tolerate any further disrespect."

"May I have a word?"

It would be a shame to leave like this.

I turned to the Empress's maidservant, and then to Duval, who was mocking me loudly.

"The Ruby Palace. I didn't ask for it, but the Empress said she'd lend it to me first."

"...! You're lying!"

"What's the point of lying about something like this? It's a crime against royalty if you get caught."

Duval froze in shock.

Among the families that had bribed the Empress to become the first honored hosts of the Ruby Palace was Count Essit. Perhaps that was why they were here today.

He must feel like the sky was falling because he gave her the biggest and best rubina he had ever mined, and now I was taking what he didn't get after giving 872.3 billion gold.

"This is ridiculous... Her Highness, why?"

"What do you mean, are you disrespecting the Empress's discernment?"

"Not at all, there's no way the empress could have liked something as little as yours unless you've done something to dazzle her eyes-"

"Little Count Essit!"

The maid shouted, enraged by the words that insulted the empress and me at the same time.

"The Little Count had better relearn his manners, and get out of here at once!"

Duval, realizing that he had crossed the line, opened his mouth to ask for forgiveness, almost falling to his knees, but it was too late.

As if that weren't bad enough, the empress banned him from the palace for half a year.

This would be the final straw for him as he tried to make amends with the royal family.

"..."

Duval stared up at the firmly closed imperial gates in disbelief. He was not allowed in, he was not allowed out, and he couldn't bear the thought of going home to be criticized by his father.