I Won’t Accept Your Regrets

"Okay. After all, this could happen to anyone. In any case, I just hope that Vistein learns today's lesson and refrains from clowning in the future. It’s very annoying when chickens play eagles."

Just like now, Lisa clowns and pretends to be the Emperor’s wife.

Her foundation, from which her antics stemmed, lay only in the fact that Lisa was considered imperious, as if an Empress.

Honey, your castle won’t be easy to demolish, but sooner or later it will fall.

Lisa keeps hanging around next to the throne of the Empress, but this fact doesn’t promise her the crown.

I looked into Lisa's beautiful green eyes. Her face was now frenzied, as if she understood who I meant in that hint.

A chill went through those green eyes. Looks like I'm the only one here who noticed this.

"I’ll convey your words to Rose. Today is a party, and we never stopped spoiling it with someone else's dirty lines."

"Thanks."

"But I didn’t know that Lady Celine and our hostess had become so close. You must have bumped into her at my tea party that day? And now it comes to expensive gifts? Looks like this dress is from lady Marie herself?"

"That's right."

"Lady Marie's dress is difficult to buy even on order. Young Lady Celine received an excellent present today."

"Oh yeah. Lady Croft gave me an undeserved gift. I’m very thankful."

"Well, how noble that Lady Croft took the Marquis' situation into consideration and held out her hand."

"Yes."

Suddenly Lisa herself took her hands and said sadly to Rosaleen.

"Then I heard that the Marquis Celine is not in the best shape. But if you need help, please contact me. I can do a small charity event."

It seemed to please Rosaleen, but in fact it was another insult to the Marquis.

First, the nobles never begging for alms.

No matter how difficult it was with the material, it was inconceivable for the nobles to collect handouts.

Such a shame will drag the honor of the family to the very bottom.

As soon as Lisa's words were spoken, the nobles around us began to laugh.

Lisa kept looking at Rosaleen without batting an eye.

Rosaleen opened her mouth to argue, but she couldn’t squeeze anything out of herself. After all, Lisa's proposal looked so innocent.

I saw Rosaleen's face, red with shame, and took Lisa by the hand, pressing hard.

Lisa's gaze turned to her hand.

"I’m grateful to Lady Sios for her concern, but I think we will be fine. Lady Celine has just signed a lucrative contract with the Phoenix organization, perfumery."

"Perfumery… you mean those strange perfumes with supposedly healing effects?"

Lisa especially emphasized the word strange, and threw a sympathetic look at Rosaleen.

It was the same thing that Vistein said the other day.

They don’t believe that perfume has beneficial properties.

I turned a wide smile on her.

"Exactly. The other day I found out about Rosaleen's creations, and I got so curious that I asked her to make me some too. When I received them, I liked the effect, and I introduced them to the Phoenix leader, my longtime acquaintance…"

I dropped those vague words, holding Rosaleen's now weakened hand.

"Having tried the perfume, he couldn’t help but admire how good they were. And with what impatience he imposed himself on the meeting with Rosaleen…"

I pretended to be embarrassed, but I spoke loudly and clearly so that the people around me could hear every word.

"One way or another, Celine is now a serious business partner."

At that moment, a reaction flared up everywhere.

"The Phoenix Organization, then…"

"This is the most famous house of commerce on the whole continent? And if their owner approves, I think, that perfume is really something."

"Perfume with a healing effect… This is really a novelty. Plus, if she works for Phoenix…"

The surprised murmur of the nobles poured out. They had calculated the colossal sums that Rosaleen could earn in the future, and now they gazed into her eyes, drooling.

Lisa only straightened her posture when the chatter of the nobles reached her.

"The perfume that Ms. Celine produces smells good and is beneficial to the mind and body. And therefore, if Phoenix takes care of them, they will soon become a sensation on all continents."

When I added the remark, Lisa's feigned caring gaze immediately vanished.

Raymond's voice came from behind me as I stepped back, contentedly looking at those cold glass eyes in front of me.

"About that perfume… What's the effect?"

When the Emperor appeared, not only the nobles around, but everyone else in the hall stared at the scene.

I suddenly felt embarrassed by such an unceremonious intervention, but I naturally turned to Raymond and explained.

"They have a calming effect for minor ailments such as insomnia. They will add stability to the spirit, relieve headaches."

"Awesome. I have never seen such a thing, lady Celine."

Raymond turned to Rosaleen.

Rosaleen flinched, as if surprised by the Emperor's sudden word, and hurriedly lowered her gaze to the floor.

"Yes, sire."

"I want to try your perfume, is it possible?"

"Yes…?"

Rosaleen's eyes widened. Not only was their ruler approached her, but he was suddenly interested in her work.

Raymond was a royal personage.

All sorts of things that were in his daily use, invariably all were of the highest quality, even a handkerchief.

Everyone was surprised by his interest.

However, Raymond continued to broadcast the same way with a calm face:

"I have been tormented by insomnia for years. And although I resist it, I can’t say that I have succeeded. Could you help me?"

"Ah… Well, the only people who used my perfume are my mom and Lady Croft…"

"If Lady Croft hadn't checked herself, I wouldn't have been interested."

Rosaleen and Raymond exchanged lines, but I caught on to one detail.

So insomnia has returned to you?

For Raymond, insomnia has been a long-standing chronic condition.

In particular, insomnia worsened for some time after his mother’s death. It lasted a month or two, but eventually disappeared.

Sometimes he woke up from nightmares covered in cold sweat, but if I held his hand tightly, he quickly calmed down.

Insomnia is back again?

You…

As before, I wasn’t very worried about his problems, but still, this didn’t suit me.

Because I knew better than anyone how serious his insomnia was.

Sometimes he couldn’t sleep for a whole week.

I didn’t wish him happiness, but I never wanted him to be sick and unhappy.

Raymond, who was standing face to face with Rosaleen, suddenly turned to me. I hastily lowered my gaze.

Even if it was only for a moment, I didn't want to let him know that I was worried about him.

Raymond called me.

"Lady Croft, are you okay?"

"What?"

What's okay?

I raised my head. Then I felt puzzled looks aimed at me.

It seems that in the moment of my stupid thoughts, I missed the question asked.

Rosaleen whispered in my ear as I was confused:

"His Majesty asked if the perfume had worked."

Having caught the course of the missed conversation, I answered with a smile.

"Oh, I beg your pardon. Lady Celine's perfume has definitely had an effect."

Of course, this won’t help for Raymond's insomnia, which even the doctors of the imperial palace couldn’t cure.

And he, probably, doesn’t really hope for their effectiveness.

He probably noticed our turmoil and helped me uphold the honor of the Celine family.

I looked at Raymond again with concern.

When I first sailed, I thought of asking Raymond to save the Duke from execution. Still, my father is his right hand.

But now I was getting uncomfortable. After all, his courtesy didn’t end at the trial.

And he didn’t demand anything in return.