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 could see that far. Not only caring about embezzling the Grand Duchy's money by purchasing artworks immediately, but also calculating that the value of the artworks bought with additional money in the future would plummet and become "worthless". Elena did not want to benefit the ruinous Grand Duchy.
"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 hell 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 documentation, 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 all for today. I'd love to discuss it further, but I have an appointment with a famous artist."
"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 passion, 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 Felician Empire. The Holy Felician Empire was historically unparalleled, the largest empire in ancient times that ruled the entire continent. However, the nation was over 1500 years old, so unless you were an archaeologist who deals with and studies history, you were not familiar with it. On top of that, the imperial palace was burned down in the process of its demise, and most of the historical records were lost. The Imperial Household was proud to have the Central Library of the Academy of Sciences, so it was able to possess some materials and books compiled in other countries.
"If you know history, you can see the future."
Elena chose some books after much consideration.
"I see the past in the new era."
The new era that was coming soon was not merely limited to artistic developments. It led to academic and philosophical studies, the Enlightenment, and other explorations of what had previously been taken for granted. The cultural movement of commoners and intellectuals, especially those who were dissatisfied with the corruption and absurdity of the privileged classes, was so combative that many scourges gathered in the back hair.
"I can't change the flow of the times just because I am me. I just have to ride the current and make it my own."
Elena was not going to stop at taking advantage of the new era. She wanted to be the one to take the initiative and lead the new era.
New women. She wanted to stand tall and be as knowledgeable and learned as these women in the fields of art, philosophy, mathematics, science, and geography, which had hitherto been considered the domain of men. Elena believed that her cultural ripple effect and influence would be the absolute power to isolate and ruin the Grand Duke.
Elena took the five books, which were thicker than encyclopedias, and brought them to a desk in the corner of the reading room. She could sit comfortably and read the books freely. When Elena had finally carried the books with a flutter, she moved her chair away and was about to sit down.
"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. Crown Prince Sian. He was looking at her, turning over the pages in a tight position, hoping not to bump into her if possible.
"… 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 was somewhat pained as she bowed her head.
'The greetings that have never been heard between husband and wife are only heard now.'
In retrospect, it was truly tragic. They were husband and wife, but we lived in a less-than-human relationship. It was a long and painful time that made both of them feel like cowards.
"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 caused you concern. I'm afraid I've interrupted you, so I'll leave you to it."
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."
"Since they are books of the Holy Empire… may I ask why you chose them?"
The continuous questions perplexed Elena. Even when they had spent time together as husband and wife in their previous lives, they had never exchanged more than a few words of dialogue. Despite the fact that she was the wife who had given birth to the future crown prince, Sian ignored her mercilessly, not even looking at her..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 curious about it anymore. Elena stepped back and glanced at the book that Sian was reading.
[Sometimes a ruler must make his subordinates fear him. For a fearful leader cannot be easily betrayed.]
'Monarchism.'
Elena only read one passage, but she was able to read through the book Sian was reading.
'A monarch of absolute power. It's the ideal His Highness 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.
For this reason, Sian wanted to become a powerful monarch. He strove to rebuild the imperial authority and return to the empire of the past, where only the emperor held power. However, this did not happen during Elena's tenure as queen. This was because the walls of the Grand Duchy were too high and too solid. The influence of the Grand Duke was so great that the five great families of the time gathered their will and even abolished the previous emperor, and directly promoted Emperor Richard, the father of Sian and the current emperor.
In recognition of his merits, Duke Friedrich, who was then the head of the five family, was upgraded to Grand Duke. The empire was a state where the imperial family had traditionally been strong, but it was put in a humiliating situation where it had to listen to the aristocracy.
Unfortunately, the current ruler of the empire, Emperor Richard, was not capable of keeping the nobility in check. In the end, the weight of his expectations and the restoration of the imperial family had to be solely shifted to Sian. One can only imagine how great a burden Sian was carrying as he continued to fight his young and lonely battle.
'That's when Ian was born.'
She still remembered it clearly. On the day Ian was born, she remembered how he bitterly hated himself for the momentary mistake that had driven the empire into the abyss. It could not have been more desperate than that, because he saw his heir through Elena, who came from a grand ducal family that he had tried so hard to exclude.
The memories of the past forced Elena to think reluctantly. Because what she needed to see now was not the past, but reality.
'… Your Highness, monarchism is not a book for the times.'
Times are dynamic and changeable. That was why Elena saw the history of the Holy Felician 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 won't talk to you anymore, so just sit there."
"…"
Elena almost made a face at the moment. Sian must have said this because he felt sorry she had to move the heavy books from one desk to another, but that word itself was a burden for Elena.