CH 102

February 5, 2022 by danmeiheaven

The Saint Airo Empire, in Phoebe family’s courtyard.

This is a luxuriously decorated courtyard, surrounded by evergreen plants. Even in winter, it’s still green, which adds a little vitality to the spacious place.

A maid in a thick skirt traverses the courtyard’s cobblestone path with a tray in hand. She walks past the slow-flowing pool to a domed pavilion.

The maid stood under the steps of the pavilion, gaze passing through the pillars carved with arabesque patterns, and falling into the softly and delicately arranged structure—in which sat a young girl, about 12 or 13 years old.

She was wrapped in a velvety white cloak, and her long silver-white hair, which was even more gorgeous than the moonlight, meandered down the edge of the cloak and finally fell on her legs and spread out slightly.

The long hair is tied up with a bow-styled red ribbon, which is entangled with the silver-white hair. It’s particularly eye-catching.

She lowered her head and was looking at a book spread out on her lap. Her long eyelashes were curled and curved. Below was a pair of pink eyes, which seemed to glow like a crystal clear gem. Her lips were as tempting as delicate flower petals… 

The maid whispered outside the pavilion, “Lady, may I come in?”

Samielle Phoebe raised her head when she heard her question. Her simple, innocent, holy, and beautiful face was completely revealed before the maid’s eyes. She laughed and her voice was as sweet as a bird singing.

“Of course. Come in quickly, Mary.” 

The maid took the tray up the steps and walked into the pavilion.

She put the scented tea and pastries on the tray on the table—the hot scented tea is still steaming after it’s poured and was blown by the cold wind, causing the fresh aroma to spread around.

Samielle’s small face was tucked into the suede cloak, making her skin white, crystal clear, and lovable.

The maid couldn’t help but say, “Lady Samielle, why don’t you go to the study to read? It’s so cold here. You’ll be frozen…”

Samielle picked up the book spread out on her lap and pressed it close to her chest, her clear face flushed, “I need an open place. The courtyard is just right.”

“Mary, I like it here.” 

The maid still couldn’t help saying, “But what if you get sick because of such cold weather… Oh my God, the marquis won’t agree that you don’t care about your body…”

Samielle: “I’m not cold. I’ll go back after reading this book.”

Her heart has always been burning hot.

Seeing this, the maid stopped persuading her. And as she stood by with her head lowered, she glanced at the cover of the book. In fact, she’s illiterate, but she was familiar with the books the lady read.

—Lady Samielle has mentioned it many times.

This book is also very famous and is circulating almost throughout the empire—a series of tales about the gods written by Lord Desinia.

Maid: “Lady Samielle, have you read the Story of the Gods again?”

She remembered that Lady Samielle had already read it all.

Samielle nodded as her slender fingers slowly turned the pages, her voice leaping with joy, “I really like the characters in the book. The brilliance of the gods, the might of the dragons, the fitness of the elves, and the intelligence of the dwarves…”

“He wrote it well.”

Maid: “Are you talking about Lord Desinia?” 

Her ears, which were hidden in her hair, turned red, and nodded, “Lord Desinia is not much older than me, yet so powerful. Even father had praised him.”

Maid: “But the marquis also scolded him.”

“Did you forget that Lord Desinia deceived the marquis of several boxes of gold coins with the sugar secret recipe? Oh, he’s so cunning.”

The maid couldn’t help covering her chest when she said this, as if it was a pity that the marquis lost countless gold coins but only got a piece of useless paper.

Samielle pursed her rosy lips, “But the person who deceived father is obviously the steward of the Nagabi Chamber of Commerce, not the lord.” 

The maid wisely did not continue, otherwise, Lady Samielle would be angry again.

The cold wind passed through the pavilion and got into Samielle’s cloak. Her whole person shrank back in the cold, making her face more delicate and exquisite.

Her fair and slender hands held up the cup with the pattern of branches and leaves. She took a sip of the hot scented tea and felt warm all over.

Holding the book in one hand and stroking the cup with the other, she couldn’t help pouting her lips coquettishly and said, “This scented tea is also what Lord Desinia likes to drink.” 

Samielle couldn’t help thinking—she had heard too many things about Lord Desinia, but had never seen him with her own eyes. This time, she heard that he will also come to the exchange meeting. Maybe…

Just then, the maid suddenly bent forward and said respectfully, “Lord Marquis.”

Samielle turned to look.

—A man came along the path connecting the pavilion. He also had silver-white hair, with a pair of sharp brown eyes and fine lines at the corners of his eyes. He was no longer young but still handsome.

It was Samielle’s father, Marquis Gary Phoebe.

Marquis Gary walked into the structure and saw the book in Samielle’s hand. With a dissatisfied look on his face, he said, “My daughter, why do you want to read this book again?” 

The maid bowed her head in response to the marquis’s anger.

However, Samielle wasn’t afraid. Hugging the book tightly, she said, “Father, I like this book. You can’t deprive me of my hobby.”

Marquis Gary sat on the chair opposite her and waved the maid to leave.

When the maid disappeared, he said, “My lovely Samielle, you can cultivate some other interests. You don’t have to always stay at home and read books.”

“You can go to a banquet with your friends, or you can go for a walk on the streets, go shopping and then come back.”

Samielle was reluctant to do so.

The lives of aristocrats were mostly dull and boring.

Men go out to socialize.

Women are shopping and chatting.

During the day, sit in the garden in the morning and siestas after lunch. Aristocratic women sometimes meet to go out shopping to buy some luxury goods, and then exchange and show off their experiences with each other.

After dinner, there is usually a banquet, which is the beginning of the ambiguous mood of the night.

The Phoebe family is not an old noble of the Saint Airo Empire.

Originally, they didn’t live in the royal city but had a relatively remote small territory. It’s not until Gary Phoebe had the opportunity to have a good position in the royal city that the family moved here to live.

But it’s apparent that they didn’t live here for long.

Samielle is still very unfamiliar with everything in the royal city so she’s very resistant to going out.

Because in the eyes of some old-fashioned nobles in the royal city, they’re just a small family from small places in the countryside. They also secretly ridiculed Marquis Gary Phoebe for being tricked of several boxes of gold coins, satirizing him for his eagerness for quick success and instant benefits…

Samielle couldn’t bear the secret glances of those noble ladies, which made her very uncomfortable.

Obviously, she is also a noble lady.

Facing her father’s suggestion, she bit her lip and said, “But what to buy, father.”

“A new vetiver1 perfume or a new winter dress, hat, or gloves from the Rose Clothing Store? Or the cosmetics of the romantic series?”

These are all products under the Thorns Chamber of Commerce.

Marquis Gary became speechless. He frowned deeply then said after a while, “My dear Samielle, the Ed Chamber of Commerce also sells the things you mentioned.”

“But the new products are only in…”

She glanced at her father’s face and didn’t say anything else. She pursed her lips, “You know, father, noble ladies need to get new products to glam themselves up at the first time. No one wants to discuss these after they are out of date…”

There’s currently no Thorns Chamber of Commerce in the Saint Airo Empire, nor is it allowed.

But these new merchandises are only sold there.

Therefore, if the noble ladies and young misses of the empire want to get these things that will make them more beautiful, they must entrust someone to buy them in the Archiayoli Territory or the Anas Kingdom, which is not far away, and bring them back.

Now, even the Biya Kingdom has a branch of Thorns Chamber of Commerce.

The noble ladies of the empire privately complained about the stupid exclusion of the Ed Chamber of Commerce and the finance minister, otherwise, they wouldn’t have to wait long to get the items they needed.

“No one will go shopping with me. They don’t like me.” Samielle said while wringing her fingers.

Afternoon tea time and banquets among nobles are very important places for communication. Only by dressing up with the latest, most beautiful, and luxurious garments can you show your identity, status, and appearance.

This is also the embodiment of the aristocracy.

The Thorns Chamber of Commerce is obviously more important than the Ed Chamber of Commerce in the hearts of these noble ladies and madams.

Marquis Gary immediately said, “Don’t belittle yourself, Samielle. You are the best.”

“My daughter is as beautiful and delicate as belanka. No one can compare with you.”

In this regard, Marquis Gary is very confident.

“Trust your father. Even Princess Leona2 of the empire is not as beautiful as you. Your beauty is worthy of a prince.”

“What are you talking about, father?”

Samielle blushed shyly and hurriedly used the book’s pages to cover her cheeks, “How can I compare with the noble imperial princess, let alone the prince…”

“Don’t say such things again.”

These words would make her heart thump, almost jumping out of her chest. It’s both because of shyness and a vague and unspeakable feeling.

Marquis Gary’s gaze involuntarily fell on the book she was holding. Whenever he remembers the gold coins that had been cheated out of him…a burst of anger and suffocation would rise in his heart.

He said, “Samielle, do you love Desinia?!” 

Samielle opened her mouth, blushing like delicate petals, and whispered, “I haven’t even seen him.”

The folds between Marquis Gary’s brows deepened, “No, Sammy, don’t even think about it.”

“Maybe you should go to more parties instead of hiding in the yard all day reading these boring books. They will undoubtedly make you have imaginations.”

“Samielle, you are so beautiful. Even if it’s not the prince of the empire, the king of a country is enough to match you…”

“The exchange meeting between the alchemists and doctors is coming. This grand event will involve countless nobles, such as the Grand Duke Archiayoli.”

“Of course, maybe you will like the leader of the Nagabi Chamber of Commerce.”

Marquis Gary meaningfully said, “He is a Cavendish after all. Even if a woman is on the throne of Anas Kingdom now, you should know that she lost her right to be a mother a long time ago…”

“If you marry Archibald Cavendish, the child born from you in the future will definitely be the heir to the kingdom.”

The heat on Samielle’s face never subsided. She couldn’t help covering her warm cheeks as she asked, “Father, will they all come to the empire?”

“Of course.”

“As of late, His Majesty arranged for a prince to receive the nobles who entered the royal city to participate in the exchange meeting. They will enter the royal city through the Bullough main road and then live in the Sherry Guild Hall.”

“Can-can I watch them in the street? Father.”

Marquis Gary hesitated, “You must have the butler and maid accompany you, Samielle.”

“Thank you, father.”

Her voice was full of anticipation and excitement.

Translator’s Notes:

So just a little announcement, I’m moving End of Century to Chrysanthemum Garden so future updates will be posted there in the future. As for the other stories such as this and Infrastructure Frenzy, because I still can’t be sure if I can stick to the update schedule in CG, I’m still thinking about it. If I decided something though, I will inform you all~~