C96
"Tch.
Princess Emmanuelle clicked her tongue slightly upon seeing Philap's letter, asking her to give Mia a chance to showcase her powerful divine powers.
Mia Binoche. That low-ranking aristocratic lady seemed to be clever but unexpectedly doesn't know her place.
But still, someday she might be useful, so she should give her a chance.
Princess Emmanuelle, elegantly sipping tea while quickly calculating the gains and losses, stood up in response to Duke Sereig's call.
- Emmanuelle.
- Yes, Father.
Duke Sereig opened his mouth with a stern expression.
- Have you taken a good look at the ledger? Is there anything suspicious?
Duke Sereig was convinced that the recent sales of Naira had plummeted because Bruno, the shop owner, had embezzled some of the funds.
The reason was that the quality of the raw materials had been reduced to cope with the mandatory payments imposed by competitors and the declining sales, but he was not interested in such specific facts.
The shop was just a part that filled his liquor fund.
Duke Sereig, who had many suspicions, entrusted Emmanuelle, the most capable in accounting among his children, to handle Bruno's shop and monitor the accounting ledger.
- Not yet... I think I'll have to look at the ledger for a few more hours, Father.
Emmanuelle answered her father's question, while a guilty conscience gnawed at her.
In fact, she didn't care about Bruno's shop in her head.
Emmanuelle thought that trade didn't suit her.
She believed that nobles should be elegant and, for that, she was planning a debutante that would attract the Empire's most attention.
She was busy organizing parties and managing personal connections so that not only young people but also women would favor her.
She made an effort to give the ladies in her own circle a sense of belonging and strengthen themselves against external enemies.
Leading a major faction was the best way to survive in the social world she knew.
However, Princess Deborah, far from being popular, drew the attention of several influential figures by acting as she pleased, without any sense of dignity.
She's truly a pain in the neck.
"Right. She won't take long to pretend to be a big shot."
Duke Sereig was upset because his daughter remained silent.
- Emmanuelle. Don't you have more free time than your brothers? But you still haven't found anything suspicious in the ledger?
Emmanuelle frowned slightly when Duke Sereig asked with an unpleasant expression.
What do you mean, I have free time? Don't you know that I'm busy?
He's coolly telling me that there's a lady who's as popular and well-connected as I am.
The family and my father will be much more profitable in the future when I have real power and dominate the center of the social world in the capital.
Her dissatisfaction was growing, but she tried to speak calmly while swallowing her feelings.
- Currently, I'm reviewing the ledger. I delayed it a bit to check the final number while working on the thesis. Once I finish the group meeting, I'll analyze it in detail again.
- Make sure to finish it after the meeting. Do you think the money for your parties is just a penny or two?
- Yes, Father.
Emmanuelle frowned after the private meeting with her father.
She's very busy.
She returned to her room with brisk steps and began writing letters to the ladies of prestigious families that she led.
It was a favor to ask them to attend the Epsilon group conference on her behalf.
A cold smile appeared on her soft lips, as if superimposed on a mask.
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Today. The Epsilon group conference will take place an hour later in the first-floor auditorium of the Epsilon Fraternity House.
The group conference was attended by various staff members from all walks of life, starting with the professor.
In addition, students from other social clubs also attended to exchange critiques on the thesis and gauge the extent of knowledge.
Because of this, the four prestigious clubs would not hold academic conferences on the same date and would present at different times.
Furthermore, Epsilon was the first conference of the year.
I recalled the words of the Fifth Princess.
- There must be a reason Sir Isidor took the first slot.
There was a student who wrote the same thesis topic as Princess Emmanuelle of Omicron last year.
Since their topics were the same, the content overlapped here and there, but it wasn't clear who wrote it first.
- They all sided with Omicron and raised suspicions of plagiarism because Omicron had the academic conference first. Since it was a similar thesis, they were determined to criticize the other side. They also delved into the presenter's private life.
Attacking the presenter instead of the content is a common trick, but it works quite well.
Because the audience was interested in judging the character of that person more than the content of the critique.
- The presenter whose private life was exposed felt humiliated and left her presentation.
The Epsilon presenter said she would first dismiss the thesis, and eventually, the situation couldn't be covered up from within.
"As expected, the aversion itself resembled the group led by Philap."
I let out a deep sigh, thinking I did well to avoid Omicron.
"I'm nervous."
Because I am also one of the presenters. I am exposed to attacks at any moment.
- Are you nervous?"
Just in time, I lifted my head in response to the gentle voice that seemed to have read my feelings.
Her hands in white gloves held two paper cups with rising steam.
When our gazes met, Isidor, who was smiling tenderly, sat down beside me.
"Not really.
I murmured while pretending to be calm and hesitated for a moment, then spoke when I saw the flower tea he brought.
"Perhaps you haven't heard the rumors? If you bring a drink I don't like, I'll throw it away.
"You can throw it. I'll buy it again. Until you like it.
He smiled slowly and seemed relaxed despite it being a line that could make him an easy target, so it seemed that something was going on.
"Is there anything I can do to help with your academic conference presentation?
Finally, I shook my head as I sipped the hot tea he brought.
"You just have to do the part I told you.
"Don't worry about that. And you'll do fine. Like the last truth-seeking meeting.
As I sipped the tea, my hands trembled.
"Now that I think about it... During the truth-seeking meeting, the executive members of Epsilon who didn't know me came together. It wasn't even a hot topic in the social world enough for the royal family to attend. Perhaps, was it related to Sir Isidor?
He slightly narrowed his eyes at my question.
"I tried to be meddlesome.
"Why?
"Because I believed you would do well. Like today.
"And what if I don't do well today?
I said straightforwardly. Concealing my inner weakness.
"If you always succeed, are you even human? You would be a dragon.
As he reminded me of the dragon-shaped figure that emerges the front while spewing coins, I relaxed a little at Isidor's words.
Finally, as the time for the presentation approached, I stood up from my seat following Isidor.
Isidor, who was in charge of the academic conference as the leader of Epsilon, walked to the front of the auditorium with the script, and I sat outside as the last presenter.
Then, the thesis presenters from Epsilon began taking their seats one by one. There were also the ladies I had seen briefly at the ruined tea party the other day.
When the time came, the auditorium was filled with students who came to see the theses.
"They came."
Seeing the Omicron crowd emerge with Philap as their leader, I suppressed a bitter smile, and suddenly the audience fell silent, so I narrowed my eyes.
"Oh, did Father come? Well, he used to be the leader of Epsilon."
When Duke Seymour appeared in the reserved seat, the silence immediately spread.
Moreover, I also saw the steward and the elder from the Tower next to my father.
"Everyone is also working hard today."
While sympathetically clicking my tongue, the conference began, and I cast my gaze to the front of the stage.
Isidor approached with a refreshing pace and gave a welcoming speech.
Due to his tall and slender body, soft and deep voice, and his handsome face, everyone seemed interested even though he was only talking about the conference introduction and the presentation order.
"It's hard to believe it's over already.
When Isidor stepped down, a lady murmured regretfully.
But immediately after, the Fifth Princess smoothly finished the opening of the conference.
There were presenters who stuttered due to strong criticism from other clubs in the middle, but because the theses were generally of high quality, the presentations went smoothly.
In particular, the thesis "Customer Impression, a Case Study of Armand" by Michele Grandber was well-received.
This was because she focused tenaciously on one thing to make the topic clear, and her sharp knowledge stood out.
She did well.
The content of her thesis was positive for Armand, and there were many aristocrats who were the main customers here, so I felt happy as if it were my own work every time the professor praised her.
The conference proceeded smoothly into the second half, and soon Isidor called my name.
"This time, the presenter is Princess Deborah Seymour.
As I stood up from my seat, a subtle murmur immediately passed.
"Is it a formula again this time?
"Probably.
I walked slowly in front of the platform to make a confident presentation.
It was when.
Someone sitting in the center raised their hand, and Isidor addressed her.
"What's the issue?
"Before Princess Deborah presents her thesis, I'll raise an objection.
"Objection?
He opened his mouth confidently.
"Yes. The thesis that Princess Deborah is about to present right now was not written by her.
Emmanuelle's comments created a different buzz.
A strong murmur passed at Emmanuelle's keen observation, unlike before.
You took the bait correctly.
I looked at Princess Emmanuelle calmly and remained silent.
