Chapter 8

“Ugh, haa, haa, haa…..”

It was just a dream…..

When she touched the back of her neck, she felt sticky sweat. She must have struggled and sweated a lot in her sleep.

Ran stared in the air blankly, still not feeling like she was back in reality, then she staggered up from her bed.

‘I must be really stressed out.”

She thought so and drank the prepared water.

When she first opened her eyes here.

She couldn’t figure out the situation at all. Her face was a completely different face, and the person who claimed to be her mother was crying with a distorted face.

‘I barely noticed that it was my novel.’

But it didn’t really hit her.

It hit her when Yustaf came to apologise.

‘I didn’t have a concept of time them….. was it about a month after I woke up? Had it been more?’

When she heard he was coming to apologise, she thought ‘ah, the male lead is coming’, feeling somewhat unrealistic.

She was shocked when she actually met Yustaf.

It was not the face of an ordinary child.

It didn’t contain feelings of remorse or apologies, but completely expressionless— a face that seemed to have worn out of emotions.

Looking back on those days, she didn’t still feel good. Ran clasped her arms tightly, hugging herself.

“I’m sorry. Sister.”

When she saw Yustaf bowing deeply, she felt like she was finally waking up.

The traces of a bloody beating that could not be hidden were seen under the sleeves.

She made him like that.

She wrote it that way.

But now let’s look at that face, this is a novel and you’ll be happy to meet the female lead, so bear with it for now—

‘I can’t say that.’

Ran sighed.

Therefore, she tried her best to protect Yustaf from then on.

‘I still haven’t earned Yustaf’s trust.’

Ran bit her lip.

What if, after two years, Yustaf really does take her neck?

‘No, no way, it’s going to be okay. I just need to work hard the next two years.’

She found the mana stones, and she will continue to work hard.

‘It will save my life. Hmph.’

So comforting herself, Ran rubbed her neck again.

She approached the window and opened it, dawn was coming.

‘Good.’

Today is the day to meet a representative from Golden Rose.

‘They said it was the branch manager, right?’

Ran took a deep breath.

‘Please don’t let it be a fraudulent contract.’

Putting her hands together, she prayed so.

Covering Ran’s dark circles, the maid said anxiously.

“You’ve been having a hard time these days.”

“It’s still early days, so I can’t help it.”

Ran smiled as she answered so. Ran’s popularity in the duke’s mansion these days has been on the rise day by day.

As soon as she became the head, all the systems seemed to return to normal, and that is the first thing the employees could feel.

After changing her clothes, Ran left the room.

There are four audience rooms in the mansion. One is an audience room that doubles as a conference room for bigger group meetings. Usually you’ll meet someone of low-status there. This place was just called a meeting room.

The second is the silk room, an audience chamber for those with titles, the third is the emerald room for distinguished guests, and the last is the pearl room is for the exclusive guests, providing solemnity treatment.

Although it was the branch manager, Ran designated the emerald room, the audience room for distinguished people. It was an unconventional act, but it didn’t matter.

It’s that important.

The emerald room was beautifully decorated in green, worthy of its name.

‘It’s also the room where the duchess treats guests.’

It’s also the perfect place for the beautiful tiara owner.

“Hello, it’s an honour to meet you.”

When Ran entered the room, the person who was sitting arose from their seat, took off their hat and greeted her politely.

‘A woman.’

Ran blinked with slight surprise, and was surprised a second time when she saw the other person’s appearance.

She was a great beauty that seemed to purify her eyes just by looking at her. Her gorgeous blonde hair resembling the colour of money and her golden eyes were as clear as a big star. Most of all, pointed ears caught her eyes.

Is she in her mid-thirties now?

Ran said with a silent smile.

“I didn’t expect the owner to come in person.”

The owner of Golden Rose is half-elf.

At Ran’s words, the woman said “what?”, then opened her eyes and laughed.

“I don’t think we should look down on Lazia’s information network.”

Externally, the owner of Golden Rose was known as a man. Oh, it’s probably because it’s difficult to be active as a woman or even as an heterogeneous race.

But as the power of the organisation grows, in a few years she will step out of the shadows and stand in the forefront.

‘I just know that.’

However, she used this as bait to make sure the other party does not underestimate her information network.

“I am Ran Romea de Lazia.”

Ran introduced herself and offered the owner a seat.

“May you overcome the blue flames. My name is Leverly Liberty.”

As she already knew, in addition, Leverly drew a clear line with her red lips.

A small piece of mana stone enclosed in a letter sent by the Duchess of Lazia.

Leverly asked a wizard if it was a real mana stone, the wizard held back his excitement and asked where it came from.

This is a revolution.

The changes in the world that Lazia’s mana stones will bring and the enormous benefits that come with it are drawn by itself.

You can never miss it.

That’s why Leverly came directly here herself. The Duchess of Lazia was also investigated in various ways.

‘Although she is a very closed off duchess.’

However, it cannot reduce debt, nor can it not help but expose the aspects of the succession.

Leverly looked at the girl in front of her, although she does not mix a single drop of blood she became the head of Lazia.

She is a beautiful girl, with flowing wheat hair and dark green eyes.

Appearance is definitely an advantage, but how can that alone get you the position of the head?

‘And without having the blood of Lazia.’

She’s not going to be a normal bet.

Doesn’t she even know she’s a high-end duchess?

No matter how ruined a duchy is, they’ll be punished if they underestimate her.

Leverly was determined to be firm.

Ran offered Leverly a seat and began to pour herself a cup of tea.

It’s a sign of hospitality for the duchess to pour the tea herself.

“Is it okay that it is strong?”

To Ran’s question, Leverly replied, “I like it.”

The high-quality tea leave were generously placed in the teapot, plenty of hot water was poured over, and then wrapped in a tea cosy.

Ran said as she made a series of movements.

“I’m not good at talking in a roundabout way. So, I’ll just say it.”

“Please do say.”

“I’d like to sell the mana stones to the Golden Rose.”

tl note;

I am using duchess and Lady for Ran: a woman who holds in her own right the title to such duchy or dukedom, or is married to a duke, is normally styled duchess.

solemnity: the state or quality of being serious and dignified

Heterogenous: diverse in character or content; different parts; a type of society or group including race, ethnicity, culture.