Shadow Queen

Chapter 42

‘The value of the paintings will fall before long.’

Times change soon. The old-fashioned, rotten art world’s common and uncharacteristic paintings plunge in value with the emergence of natural masters led by Raphael.

Elena, that’s what she predicted. Instead of just paying attention to buying art pieces right away and stealing money from the Great House, she was calculating that the value of art purchased with extra money in the future that plummeted and became a waste. Elena never wanted to benefit the great house, which was the subject of destruction.

“There will be a lot of things for you to do.”

“Ha, if I wait a little longer, your graduation… I think my diploma is out of the question?”

Elena smiled when Khalif made a big fuss.

“It’s a chance to change your life. Is graduation a big deal?”

“That’s when it works out. Let me ask you one more question.”

Khalif with arms crossed asked, groaning his head.

“Who the h.e.l.l is L? Is it you?”

“Why do you want to know?”

“Think about it. We’re in a joint business, you don’t have your name, and only L’s signature. I don’t have any investment, so it’s the level of incentives, but you’re different.”

Khalif did not readily understand. Lucia made the initial plan and invested. However, while preparing for the business and working on the overall doc.u.mentation, the name Lucia was completely missing and the signature L was replacing the position.

“It’s my alias. I don’t want my father to find out.”

“So that’s how it is.”

Although it was a weak excuse, Khalif unexpectedly accepted it easily. From the first meeting, Elena mentioned her relationship with her father without doubt.

“That’s it for today. I’d like to talk more, but I have a previous engagement with the famous painters.”

“I trust you’ll do well, and I won’t nag you.”

“If you have something to say, just say it. That’s more of a burden.”

Elena believed in Khalif’s ability and eye in her past life. Although he was still lacking in skill compared to his pa.s.sion, it was a problem that would be met when he gained experience. His natural personality and qualities are the same.

‘You don’t have to force a bank and change the waterways. Just let the water flow naturally.’

All Elena had to do was read and capture the trends of the times faster and decide the direction. It was now in the early stages of the project, so he was involved, but once it was established, there was the amount to be delegated to Khalif. He has such a good sense of skill that Elena thought he would be able to do well without being involved.

Elena, who sent off Khalif, found a reading room on this floor. Like the central library of the Imperial Academy, there were many books published in other countries as well. Among thousands, no, tens of thousands of books, Elena noticed ancient history. To be exact, she was interested in the first unified nation in continental history.

The Holy Felicia Empire It was the largest ancient empire that ruled the entire continent, which was historically unprecedented. However, it was more than 1,500 years ago, so you would not know well about it unless you were an archaeologist who deals with and studies history. Moreover, the imperial palace was burned down in the process of facing destruction, and even most of the historical records were lost. However, the central library of the academy, which the imperial family boasts, was able to have some materials and books compiled in other countries.

“If you know history, you can see the future.”

Elena chose some books after much consideration.

, , . Among the countless ancient nations, Elena had good reason to pay attention to the Holy Felicia Empire.

“I see the past in the new era.”

The upcoming new era is not limited to artistic development. It led to the exploration of things that had been taken for granted, such as learning, philosophy, and enlightenment. In particular, the cultural movement of ordinary people and intellectuals, who were dissatisfied with the corruption and absurdity of the privileged cla.s.s, was so militant that many tragedies occurred due to treason.

“I can’t change the flow of the times just because I am. It’s just jumping on the flow and making them mine.”

Elena didn’t want to stop using the new era. She wanted to take the initiative in opening and leading a new era.

New woman. In the fields of art, philosophy, mathematics, science, and geography that were considered exclusively for men so far, she wanted to stand confidently by acc.u.mulating knowledge comparable to those of them. It was believed that the cultural impact and influence that Elena would have would be the absolute power to isolate and destroy the Grand Duke.

Elena embraced five books thicker than the encyclopedia and took them to a desk in the corner of the reading room. It was a s.p.a.ce where people could sit comfortably and read books freely. It was time for Elena to pull out her chair and sit down after barely moving the book.

“It’s been a while.”

Elena raised her head to a voice that shook her emotions.

“Are you feeling alright?”

“…!”

Elena’s body froze as she faced the owner of the voice and gaze. Prince Sian. He hoped not to touch her as much as possible, and looked at her through the bookshelf in an open position.

“… Your Highness, greetings.”

Elena grabbed the reins of her mind that was about to collapse momentarily. It was the time to get out of the panic faster than the first meeting she had experienced once.

“Are you all well?”

“Yes, I’m much better.”

Elena’s expression of bowing her head to salute was bitter.

‘The greetings that have never been heard between husband and wife are only heard now.’

Looking back, it was a tragedy. Although they were married, they lived in a relationship worse than others. It was a long time of pain for both of them to feel it was unreasonable.

“That’s a relief.”

On Sian’s expressionless face, Elena felt that the worry was just a formality. That’s why she didn’t put any meaning on it.

“I’m sorry to have troubled you. I’m afraid I have interrupted, so I’m leaving.”

Elena didn’t want to face him anymore. Her child Ian was happy to face and remember with courage, but Sian’s was not. It was a pain that didn’t leave even love or hate. An incurable pain that couldn’t be cured by any medicine in the world.

“You seem to be very interested in history. Is it your major?”

When Sian spoke to her again, Elena, who was backing away and pulling out, looked at him again.

“Yes, I’m in the archaeological department, Your Grace.”

“May I ask you… why you chose the books of the Holy Empire?”

The continuous questions perplexed Elena. Even when they were married in their previous lives, they never talked more than a few words. Even though she was the wife of a future prince, Sian ignored her without giving a glance. Then he kept talking to Elena.

“It’s a simple curiosity, Your Highness. It doesn’t mean much.”

“Is that really it?”

For some reason, Sian didn’t seem to believe all the words.

“I was just curious about the lives of the people of the Holy Empire who enjoyed the Holy Land in the past.”

“I see.”

Perhaps because he heard the answer he wanted, Sian was not more curious about it. Elena stepped back and glanced at the book that Sian was reading.

[Sometimes a ruler must make his subordinates fear him. Because feared leaders cannot be betrayed easily.]

‘Monarchism.’

Elena only read one pa.s.sage, but she was able to read through the book Sian was reading.

‘The absolute monarch of power, the ideal you’ve always dreamed of.’

The imperial authority in the present Empire was not very strong. This is because the power of the four major dukes was strong enough to stamp out the authority of the imperial family.

So Sian wanted to be a strong monarch. He sought to establish the imperial authority and return to the past empires where only the emperor could be in power. But that didn’t happen during Elena’s reign as queen. This is because the wall of the Grand Duke was so high and hard. At that time, the five generations of families gathered their will to the extent that they would depose even the previous emperor and directly appoint Richard, the father of Sian and the current emperor.

In recognition of his contribution, Duke Friedrich, who was then the head of the 5th family gate, was elevated to a Grand Duke. Although the empire has traditionally been a country with strong imperial power, they had been put in a shameful situation where they had no choice but to take notice of the

n.o.bility.

Regrettably, the current empire’s ruler, Emperor Richard, wasn’t enough to keep the n.o.bles in check. Eventually, the weight of the expectation and the imperial revival was only pa.s.sed on to Sian’s share. It was easy to guess how much pressure Sian was rejuvenating and continuing a lonely fight.

‘That’s when Ian was born.’

She still remembered it clearly. On the day Ian was born, he was resentful for himself, saying that a momentary mistake drove the empire into h.e.l.l. It couldn’t have been more hopeless to see the future through Elena who had a successor from the Grand Duke who he so wanted to be excluded.

Elena was forced to shake her mind when the memory of her past life kept biting her tail. What she needs to see now is not the past but the reality.

‘… Your Highness, monarchism is an untimely book.’

Times are dynamic and changeable. That was why Elena saw the history of the Holy Felicia Empire. If you don’t have an enlightened philosophy that fits the coming new era, you will be eliminated.

“Then I’ll leave first.”

Sian turned the pages without even looking. It could have been selfish, but Elena, who was more familiar with such a figure, thought little of it. It was when Elena stood up with a book.

“Didn’t you bring them to see them?”

“Yes?”

When Elena asked back, Sian still kept his eyes on the book and spoke calmly.

“I wonder if you really need to move your seat. I’m not going to talk to you anymore, so sit down there.”

“…”