The Abandoned Empress

Chapter 17: Chapter 17

Well, one day my father, who returned from the Imperial Palace, reviewed the luxury tax with a serious expression. But I have never seen my father devise such things. That means someone else devised it, right? "

"Yes, logically."

"Besides, he suddenly mentioned you as his daughter-in-law."

"What the heck?"

Did the duke suddenly mention me as his daughter-in-law?

I tilted my head curiously, he continued, "Let me tell you about it later. Anyway, if my father mentioned you, the next empress as his daughter-in-law, that means something remarkable has happened to you or you were involved in treason. Definitely there is no possibility that you were involved in treason. If that's the case, there is a high likelihood that you made the proposal."

"Oh, I got it." I replied, surprised at his reasoning.

But his reasoning did not end there. He said, lifting the teacup gracefully, "By the way, my father can't say anything that might seem like treason. I just feel something bad has happened to your status as the next empress."

"... "

"Well, I guess I know. If I'm right, it's going to be quite serious, so I won't mention it any more.

I can't stand my curiosity, though. I wondered if it was you who first devised the luxury tax, and I was so impatient that I came here to meet you, although I knew it was a breach of etiquette."

I was a little frustrated when he looked at me curiously. What should I say? I can't say I already knew it, and he would notice it quickly if I answer vaguely. After pondering it for a moment, I opened my mouth slowly.

"Actually, I was not the first to come up with that luxury tax idea."

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

"Well, I saw it in an old book. It said there was such a system in ancient times. "

"Book? Which book? What's the title? "

'Oops!' I clicked my tongue in my heart. Why did I make such an excuse? The boy in front of me was an immediate family member of Duke Verita, who has produced many prime ministers in the empire, so he must have grown up reading a huge number of books. I thought I made a mistake, but now I couldn't cancel what I already said. So, I said, pretending to look casual, "Well, it was a book without a title. I happened to see it at the Imperial Palace Library, but I couldn't find it the next time I went there. "

"Hmm. Really?"

"Yes."

The boy, who asked as if in doubt, shrugged and sat back as if it didn't matter.

I sighed in relief, but I raised my head when something suddenly came to my mind.

I felt I couldn't call him by his first name since he got close to me because he thought I was responsible for devising the luxury tax.

At that moment I realized how cunning I was. Even a moment ago I was very embarrassed when he asked me to call him by his first name, but now I felt a bit regretful that I might not be able to call his first name.

"Well, are you going to cancel your request for me to call you by your first name?"

"Huh?" He opened his emerald eyes wide and looked at me. Looking at me for a moment, he smiled and said, "Aristia, you are the first who has come up with the luxury tax. When you told me that you saw it in a book, did you think I'd cancel my request for you to call my name?"

"... "

"No way. I didn't allow you to call my name simply because of that. I feel a bit sad if you think so."