The Cold-Hearted Grand Duke Obsesses Over Me After My Death - Chapter 108

Chapter 108. Becoming the Crown Princess (2)

“Yes, then get some rest.”

After a brief silence, Louid spoke with a hint of reluctance. He had already said everything he needed to say, yet for some reason, his feet wouldn’t move.

While he lingered by the door, Emilia went into the dressing room to change her clothes. There were plenty of maids and attendants to help her, so there was no need for him to stay, yet for some reason, he didn’t want to leave her alone.

‘Why am I acting like this?’

Emilia’s gloomy expression from the carriage kept resurfacing in his mind. His heart kept telling him to stay by her side, but he had no proper excuse to remain. In the end, Louid forced himself to turn away and leave.

He decided that he would return earlier than usual today and have dinner with Emilia.

After Louid left, Emilia changed her clothes with the help of Helen and the maids.

“Phew….”

It had been a much longer day than she expected. She had woken up at dawn, dressed up, and spent the entire day trembling with tension, so her body felt stiff and her mind was in a daze. She couldn’t remember how the investiture ceremony had gone at all.

“Your Highness, please have some tea.”

Helen set tea and light refreshments on the sofa in the sitting room.

“Alright, thank you.”

“What would you like to do about your meal?”

“It’s already late, so I’ll just have a snack. We’ll be having dinner soon anyway.”

It was an awkward time to eat since lunchtime had long passed.

“Congratulations, Your Highness the Crown Princess.”

At that moment, a clear voice rang out. When she looked toward the door, Lina was standing at the entrance to the bedroom before she knew it.

“Welcome. Lady Carrion,” Emilia replied with a slightly stiff expression.

“Please call me Lina comfortably. Starting today, I’ve become Your Highness’s lady-in-waiting, so please speak more casually as well.”

A lady-in-waiting? Right, that’s what it was.

Lina was supposed to become her lady-in-waiting.

“Alright, Lina.”

Unlike maids who handled chores, a lady-in-waiting was a noblewoman who kept a member of the imperial family company. The position of lady-in-waiting to the Crown Princess, who would become the future Empress, was something noble ladies competed fiercely for.

In return for saving her last time, Lina had asked Louid for the position of the Crown Princess’s lady-in-waiting, and starting today, she had become Emilia’s lady-in-waiting.

Emilia felt uncomfortable with Lina being her lady-in-waiting, but since she had already agreed, there was nothing she could do.

“Go greet the other ladies-in-waiting and get along well with them.”

“Yes.”

“Follow me, Lady Carrion.”

As soon as their conversation ended, Helen, who had been standing nearby, spoke to Lina.

She’s giving me orders.

With an unpleasant expression, Lina followed Helen out.

***

At that time, a meeting between the Emperor and the ministers was being held in the main palace conference hall. All the nobles who had attended the investiture ceremony of the Crown Prince and Crown Princess were present.

“From now on, the Crown Prince will act as regent in my stead, so take note of it.”

Seated at the head of the table, the Emperor spoke to the ministers in a solemn voice. Louid sat below him with an expressionless face.

“Your Majesty, you are still young. Are you already planning to entrust the regency to him?”

At the Emperor’s declaration, Duke Berthe spoke in surprise. The other nobles also exchanged glances and whispered quietly among themselves.

While it was natural for the Emperor’s younger brother, the Grand Duke, to be appointed Crown Prince, they had not expected him to be given the regency as well.

“I am no longer young or healthy. Besides, it’s not as though I’m going anywhere. I will always be watching the Crown Prince and all of you, so do not worry.”

William planned to have Louid act as regent in his stead, and once his position was completely secure, he intended to abdicate the throne and go down to the south to spend the rest of his life.

“Yes, understood.”

At the Emperor’s words, the ministers bowed their heads in agreement.

“And I appoint the Crown Prince as the Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Army.”

The Emperor made another declaration. This time, no one raised any objections.

Originally, the nominal Commander-in-Chief of the Richert Imperial Army was the Emperor, and Louid had been the Vice Commander. However, Louid had been fulfilling the role of the actual commander in place of the Emperor, who was not in good health.

When battles broke out at the borders, the one who led the Imperial Army and went to the front first was Louid. Therefore, it was only natural for him to become the Commander-in-Chief. It was simply that the Emperor had openly declared his intention to strengthen Louid’s authority.

“You have an audience with the Foreign Minister of the Kingdom of Vario.”

As soon as the meeting ended, state affairs began. Luid now personally took over all the duties previously performed by the Emperor. He had to preside over meetings, handle various documents, and meet with diplomats from various nations. He also had to meet with all the dignitaries from different countries who had come for the investiture ceremony of the Crown Prince.

Louid looked at the clock hanging on the wall with an anxious gaze. He had planned to have dinner with Emilia, but meeting the delegations was taking a long time.

In the past, when he was busy, he would have simply canceled dinner with Emilia and not given it any thought. But now, he kept worrying about whether her feelings would be hurt.

“Let them in.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

For now, he decided to keep the audience with the kingdom’s representatives as brief as possible.

“Your Highness the Crown Princess, could you appoint a head lady-in-waiting?”

That late afternoon. At the Crown Prince’s palace, Lina was asking Emilia to establish the hierarchy among the ladies-in-waiting.

Lina looked at the ladies-in-waiting gathered in the sitting room with a haughty gaze. Currently, there were five ladies-in-waiting assigned to the Crown Princess, and among them, she was the one from the highest-ranking family, as the daughter of a marquess.

‘That young lady is the one who has been serving the Grand Duchess since the grand ducal castle, right?’

Lina’s sharp gaze turned toward Helen.

‘Among those here, she’s from the most insignificant family.’

She had wondered what kind of noble family Helen came from when she gave orders as if she were the mistress, but Helen was from a northern baron family that Lina had never even heard of. Unlike herself, who only kept the Crown Princess company, Helen seemed to be a practical attendant who also handled tasks typically done by maids, such as choosing dresses, helping with grooming, and serving food.

“Do we have to appoint a head lady-in-waiting?”

Emilia looked at Lina with a troubled expression as she spoke.

“Of course. There needs to be a head lady-in-waiting for there to be proper order among the ladies-in-waiting. They need to know who is above them so they won’t be defiant, will obey, and will work diligently.”

A lady-in-waiting is a lady-in-waiting.

After hesitating for a moment, Emilia looked at the ladies-in-waiting as if she had made up her mind.

“Everyone, gather here.”

“Yes.”

At her command, the five ladies-in-waiting quietly gathered in front of the sofa where Emilia was sitting. Three of them were young noble ladies in their early twenties from count families or higher in the capital, while only Helen and Lucy were in their mid-twenties and from baron families.

In this situation, based on status alone, Lina should naturally become the head lady-in-waiting, but…

“The head lady-in-waiting of the Crown Prince’s palace is Helen, and the deputy head is Lucy. From now on, follow Helen and Lucy’s instructions well,” Emilia declared with a firm expression.

‘What?’

Lina’s silver brows twitched upward, and her cheeks trembled.

I thought she was foolish, but to think she can’t even distinguish rank and order properly. Even though she’s a duke’s granddaughter, it seems she doesn’t understand noble hierarchy at all.

“Your Highness, the position of head lady-in-waiting is one that must possess both knowledge of the duties and proper dignity. Therefore….”

Emilia cut Lina off and said, “I believe Helen is suitable. Among the five here, only Helen and Lucy have experience working as ladies-in-waiting, and Helen has served me for a long time. I can vouch for her dignity and character.”

“….”

“That is correct. Congratulations, Head Lady-in-waiting.”

The three ladies-in-waiting excluding Lina clapped and congratulated Helen.

“Thank you. As the head, I will do my best to be of help to everyone.”

Helen stepped forward with her hands neatly clasped and spoke with a gentle smile. Lina said nothing and only glared coldly at Helen.

“Alright, everyone, come this way.”

Helen led the ladies-in-waiting out of the sitting room. Lina had no choice but to follow her.

“Phew….”

After the ladies-in-waiting left, Emilia let out the breath she had been holding. With Lucy having recently returned, there had only been two ladies-in-waiting, but now that they had increased to five, it somehow felt stifling.

‘I suppose this is something I must endure as the Crown Princess.’

She drank her tea and looked around the room she would be staying in from now on.

The bedroom in the manor had also been large, but the bedroom in the palace was far larger, and luxurious white furniture with gold patterns was arranged in rows.

Somehow, I ended up living in the imperial palace.

It felt like only yesterday that she had been trapped in the tower, yet after passing through the castle and the manor, she was now living in the imperial palace. It felt as if those few months had passed in the blink of an eye.

At the imperial palace, she did not plan to do any work related to design. There were too many eyes watching, and there was a risk that her identity as the designer Roe might be exposed, and she also wanted to devote herself fully to her duties as the Crown Princess.

Knock, knock.

As she was lost in thought, a knock was heard, and Helen entered the room.

“A message has arrived from the Crown Prince’s palace, Your Highness.”