The Materialistic Noble Lady
Episode 6, Chapter 2: Fragment of the Soul
We were invited to the Emperor's villa.
"To leap into the sea with a woman's body and save His Majesty the Emperor—how could this not be a remarkable feat?"
The Emperor's aide continued in a solemn tone.
"Your courage is admirable. Thus, I bestow upon you the title of Viscountess Floen."
The Emperor, who had been sitting silently in the seat of honor, spoke.
"To save My life is the same as saving the nation. I wish to invite you all to the imperial palace."
"We are deeply grateful."
'So this is how I get to go to the imperial palace and meet the Crown Prince.'
I had been listening quietly from the side.
Then the Emperor suddenly addressed me.
"Come to think of it, this is the first time I've seen the Lady of House Kanep. I heard you came of age recently."
"That is correct, Your Majesty."
"You have become a full lady. When we reach the Imperial Capital, I should like to give you a gift befitting a lady."
He seemed to have gained enough magnanimity to show generosity to the daughter of the now-destitute House Kanep.
'If only he'd just give me money.'
If he's the Emperor of the Empire, wouldn't he bestow a chest piled with gold coins? Whether on Earth or here, cash is the best gift.
"Make sure these young ladies want for nothing."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
We followed the aide outside.
"You may use this carriage."
The carriage prepared by the imperial family was astonishing in both its size and the comfort of its interior.
Moreover, simple refreshments had been prepared.
The moment I boarded the carriage, I began shoving snacks into my mouth.
'I need to eat as much as I can while I can.'
"You seem quite accustomed to this sort of thing, my lady."
"Huh?"
With my mouth full of plum cake, I turned to Serena.
"I can't believe I suddenly received a knighthood and became Serena Floen. I just... saved someone who had fallen into the sea according to your opinion, my lady."
Originally, Serena was supposed to save the Emperor and Lady Garnet of her own accord.
But because I appeared, the plot got twisted.
"That was originally your fate."
And above all, I can't swim.
Having been born and raised in a seaside village, Serena possessed expert swimming skills.
Even so, rescuing two people in the rough sea was no easy feat.
'They give the female lead all the good stuff.'
Still, thinking of the Crown Prince's soul resting quietly in my bag made me feel full on its own.
My heart felt much more at ease.
"What is there to worry about?"
I said worrying needlessly was a luxury and generously handed her a macaron.
It was absolutely not because it didn't suit my taste.
"We're going to receive a reward. I haven't even had time to think about how much I can milk... no, how to enjoy this reward situation."
There was no one else in the carriage but us, but I still watched my words.
"Anyway, we haven't even arrived at the Imperial Capital yet, so don't be scared."
Compared to the three days spent traveling in a baggage cart, the three days traveling to Bimyueom were like a dream.
The Emperor's campsite was almost like an outdoor party, and I ate my fill of seasoned meat.
By the time we arrived in Bimyueom, I had gained weight.
"So this is Bimyueom."
The carriage entered the Imperial Capital.
Passing through a perfectly designed garden, we arrived at an entrance where golden angel statues welcomed us.
The vase decorations held by the angels were made of jewels.
'If I could just take one of those, my family would suffer less.'
I had already adopted the mindset of the head of a household.
"Please follow me."
We followed the waiting steward inside the palace.
'Crown Prince, can't you feel the emotions!'
I looked around, searching for the Crown Prince.
But I couldn't see anyone resembling royalty, let alone the Crown Prince.
'I have to find a tall, handsome man with blond hair and blue eyes.'
That was all the information I had about the Crown Prince.
Distracted by other things, I only half-listened to the steward guiding us.
"As benefactors of His Majesty the Emperor, you are to be guided to vacant rooms once used exclusively by the imperial family, by His Majesty's order. During your stay in the Imperial Capital, we plan to provide clothes from a famous dressmaker in the capital. And..."
Walking alongside murals painted by a famous artist, one sentence from the steward caught my attention.
"A stipend to maintain your dignity will also be provided generously."
"An upkeep allowance?"
"Yes, of course, that is separate from the reward money to be given to you all."
I answered politely with a solemn expression.
"I am infinitely grateful for the boundless grace of His Majesty the Emperor, lord above all."
By now, I had completely forgotten what kind of person the Emperor was in the novel.
"Viscountess Floen will use the Rose Room here. And Lady Kanep will use the Starlight Room."
We parted ways like that.
The moment I entered the Starlight Room, I understood why it had been given that nickname.
It was a room with an extraordinary number of windows.
Heating a room like this must cost a fortune.
A house with large windows is naturally a place only for the wealthy.
Since windows are things you cover entirely with bubble wrap and windproof plastic in winter.
"I suppose royalty doesn't have to worry about that."
Unlike the Kanep mansion, where most of the house was closed off due to heating and manpower issues.
Just then, I heard the sound of the doorknob rattling from outside, and people who appeared to be maids entered.
"It is an honor to serve you. I am Rachel Cladine."
The servants working in the imperial palace were all of exemplary bearing and manners, as expected of those serving high nobility.
Without batting an eye at my shabby appearance, they changed my clothes.
Mrs. Cladine pinched my bag between her fingertips and offered it to another maid.
"Put this away."
"Ah, no! That's something important!"
I quickly retrieved the bag.
Inside was a fragment of the Crown Prince's soul.
'I need to carry this in a different way soon.'
In the original story, Serena carried it as a necklace.
"I suppose you will be making your debut this time, my lady."
'What debut?'
"Do you have a chaperone?"
'Shampoo?'
Even after searching through Roselia's memories, I couldn't find such a word.
At times like this, staying quiet is better than saying something half-wrong.
"Oh my, the blood of elves really is different."
Just then, other maids setting up an ornate tea table burst into sincere admiration.
I had my hair pinned up with a silver ribbon while wearing a cream-colored dress.
"It's so mystical. Purple hair, of all things. It matches this silver ribbon so well!"
"The beauty of the Ducal House of Kanep is widely known, but seeing it in person really is different."
As expected, this beauty is special.
I agreed with their assessment and nodded.
Knock, knock.
A maid entered from outside and presented Mrs. Cladine with a silver box.
The moment the lid opened, my eyes sparkled.
A small silver silk pouch came out—it was clearly a purse.
'Is this the stipend? I wonder how much is in it. Well, he is the Emperor of the Empire; he wouldn't be stingy enough to give snack money, right?'
I calmed my heart, which was reacting violently to the silk pouch, and glanced at it nonchalantly.
Mrs. Cladine picked up a card placed next to the pouch.
"Your schedule has arrived."
My attention was entirely focused on the silver silk pouch, so I wasn't really listening to her.
"Before the banquet, there will be an award ceremony to officially honor the achievement of saving His Majesty the Emperor. We plan to conduct rehearsals until the formal dinner; after that, you will be free to spend your time as you wish."
"Then may I stop by my home?"
"For a lady invited to the imperial palace to return home could be perceived maliciously by outsiders. By now, reporters will have gathered outside."
In this world, where printing technology developed and cameras were invented thanks to magical engineering, news agencies exist.
Therefore, there are naturally reporters as well.
I recalled an episode from *Fragments of Emotion* where Serena had suffered because of reporters.
They were definitely beings to be careful of.
"This is a daily activity allowance. If there is anything you need, please request it separately, and we will prepare it."
As expected, the silk pouch contained money.
I checked how much was inside.
"These are gold coins minted in Terra."
Gold coins minted in Terra meant money printed by the Papal States.
'Terra gold coins have the highest exchange rate, after all.'
I subtly closed the pouch and looked at Mrs. Cladine.
"Could I possibly use this to call a doctor?"
"A doctor? Is there somewhere you feel unwell?"
I shook my head.
"No. Actually, the head maid at my house sprained her ankle, so I need to call a doctor."
I held out the silver silk pouch to Mrs. Cladine again.
The purpose of my journey had been to obtain money to heal Berdi's ankle.
"Could you send a doctor to my family with this money?"
Mrs. Cladine did not take the pouch and said,
"Please use this for yourself, my lady. I will send a doctor to the Ducal House of Kanep separately."
At her words, I quickly put the pouch into my cloth bag.
Mrs. Cladine hesitated when she saw my cloth bag.
"Is that bag something important?"
"I didn't have anything to carry my belongings in."
Then Mrs. Cladine smoothly opened the wardrobe.
Inside, bags, gloves, parasols, and the like were packed tightly together.
"Feel free to use any of them. With the Crown Prince's return, many eyes are watching the imperial family, so you must be mindful of your attire."
She meant don't go around looking shabby.
I chose a yellow handbag about the size of my palm.
I gripped the soul fragment inside the bag so it couldn't be seen and transferred it to the handbag.
When I took off the cloth bag, a maid took it and disappeared.
"Other than having your formal attire fitted tomorrow, there are no other scheduled events. Most places are open except for the second and third floors of the West Wing and the Main Building, so please feel free to visit anywhere that interests you."
She mechanically relayed the schedule and finally added,
"I recommend traveling with Viscountess Floen as much as possible. If you go alone, reporters are likely to latch on, and there may be nobles who approach you for various reasons. It would not be good to have a scandal before your formal debut into society without a chaperone to protect you."
"Yeees..."
I didn't really understand what she was saying, but it seemed to mean I should stick with Serena anyway.
"His Majesty the Emperor has sent a gift to congratulate Miss Kanep on her coming of age."
A young maid who had been holding a blue velvet box approached and handed it to me.
"It is a hair ornament currently trending among young noble ladies."
When I opened the lid, a fist-sized hydrangea-shaped hair ornament made of mother-of-pearl popped out.
The maids watching from beside me couldn't help but exclaim at the delicate shape.
I couldn't help but sigh.
'What is this tourist-trap-looking thing?'
Unable to reveal my true feelings, I quickly put on a capitalist smile.
"Woooow."
And pretending to be happy, I lifted the ornament and mimicked placing it in my hair.
"I really like it. It seems the artisan attached each petal with obsession... no, delicacy. It's as if I'm placing a living flower directly upon my head..."
No doubt, my reaction would reach the Emperor's ears.
Judging that I had performed enough, I tried to put the mother-of-pearl ornament back in the box.
That is, until I dropped it on the floor.
Crash!
"Gasp!"
"Oh my!"
The ornament fell precisely onto the uncarpeted marble floor and shattered into pieces.
And the atmosphere of the room shattered along with it.
I swallowed dryly and surveyed the surrounding atmosphere.
...
It was far from good.
"This is unusable now."
The maids picked up the scattered flower-shaped mother-of-pearl pieces.
I stared blankly at them, then something flashed in my mind, and I called out to the maids.
"Please give all of that to me."
"Yes? But it's broken and unusable."
"No. The flower shapes are all still intact."
The flowers were placed back into the velvet box.
I undid the updo the maids had styled and loosely braided my hair down.
And I decorated my hair by inserting the broken flower pieces irregularly.
"Oh my..."
I checked my reflection in the mirror a maid brought.
Just as I had expected, I looked far more mystical than before.
'If I'm an elf, a forest spirit, I thought this style would suit me better.'
Not bad for an improvisation.
I drove the point home.
"This is an elven hair ornament style."