Evelina sipped her tea, her expression entirely unbothered.

Everytime Evelina thought she had estimated how low Baron Snow could go, he opened her eyes by going a new level of low.

She had expected some crafty action of his, now that he had been silent for a while, but well... This level of shamelessness was an eye-opener even to Evelina.

Ruined by her total monopoly over the linen market, he was attempting a final, public smear campaign to force a financial settlement.

"In his opinion, a merchant’s reputation is fragile," Evelina mused, setting her cup down with a soft click, "He forgets that in the Capital, a smear campaign is only effective if the person at the top cares to believe it."

She stood up, her mind running through the current possibilities.

She didn’t have a system skill to freeze the Baron’s assets or rewrite the public’s opinion currently, but she had something better: human greed and political ambition.

"Bring me the account logs of the Capital’s underground gambling dens," Evelina commanded, "Specifically the ones frequented by the Baron over the last five years. The Silk Web should have those files intercepted from the debt collectors by now."

"We do, Your Grace. We have the exact ledgers showing he embezzled imperial relief funds to pay off his losses."

"Perfect," Evelina smiled, a lethal glint in her green eyes, "Don’t stop the pamphleteers. Let the Baron publish his lies. In fact, make sure a copy lands directly on the desk of Crown Prince within the hour."

Later that afternoon, the atmosphere in the Imperial Palace’s private estate was tense.

Prince Elian sat by the massive arched window, a copy of the Baron’s malicious pamphlet resting carelessly on his knee.

His usually gentle eyes were cold, completely stripped of the playful charm they usually displayed.

Standing across from him, looking pale and sweating profusely, was Baron Snow.

The Baron had come to the palace thinking he would find an ally in the Crown Prince, hoping Elian would want to use this scandal to suppress the rising power of the Alvarez Ducal estate.

Alas...

"Your Highness," Baron Snow stammered, rubbing his hands together, "The Duchess is a fraud. Even if she is my own daughter, I needed to expose this before any danger befell on the crown... The sweet and obedient child I raised has become cunning and ruthless while living with the Northern Barbarians.

She has turned into a full-time crafty merchant and is corrupting the nobility with her cheap northern fabrics! If the crown backs my investigation, we can seize her mills and—"

"Cheap?" Elian cut him off, his voice a dangerously smooth baritone.

He picked up a small leather folder that had been delivered to him anonymously earlier that morning; courtesy of Evelina’s Silk Web.

He flipped it open, revealing page after page of the Baron’s private signatures on illegal gambling debts, "Baron Snow, do you take me for an idiot?"

The Baron froze, his breath catching in his throat.

"You embezzled twenty thousand imperial gold pieces meant for the Southern border fortifications to cover your losses at the dice tables," Elian said, tossing the folder onto the floor. The papers scattered at the Baron’s feet, "And then, you dare to bring your pathetic, fabricated lies about Duchess Evelina into my palace?"

Elian stood up, his white-and-gold imperial mantle flowing behind him as he walked over to the terrified noble.

The Prince’s face was an elegant mask of pure tyranny. He didn’t care about the Baron’s corruption but he cared deeply about Evelina.

Ever since their meeting in the conservatory, Elian had been entirely consumed by her sharp mind and icy beauty. There was something that didn’t let his heart rest, and it had never happened before.

Because he had seen women, many women, but none had ever come close to her. Nobody would hesitate in the slightest if he looked their way, let alone when he offered the throne of Crown Princess to them.

But, Evelina did.

It was like the claws of a kitten had been persistently scratching his heart since the day he met her.

Now, the current situation...

Elian saw it as the perfect opportunity to win her favor, to show her that a Crown Prince could protect her interests far better than a crude Northern Duke who did nothing but wield a sword to win wars.

He wanted to drive a wedge between her and Ace, to present himself as her best bet.

Only then would she be able to make the right choice and look at him the way he wanted her to. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

"Your Highness, please! I was only trying to protect the crown’s interests!" the Baron cried out, dropping to his knees.

"You have insulted a Duchess of the empire, and you have stolen from my treasury," Elian declared coldly, looking down at the man as if he were an insect, "Guards."

The heavy doors flew open, and four imperial knights marched in.

"Strip House Snow of every remaining title they possess," Elian commanded, his yes flashing with ruthless authority, "Seize their ancestral lands, liquidate their remaining assets to repay the treasury, and exile the entire family to the barren wastes of the borders by nightfall.

If I see a single pamphlet bearing the name of Snow in this city tomorrow, the executioner will be busy."

"No! Your Highness! Mercy!" The Baron’s screams echoed down the marble hallway as the knights ruthlessly dragged him out of the room, his boots scraping uselessly against the floor.

Once the doors closed, Elian smoothed down his gold-embroidered cuffs.

A soft, satisfied smile returned to his lips.

He walked over to his desk, picked up a pen, and began to write a personal letter, elegantly sealed with the imperial crest.

He would send the liquidation deeds of House Snow straight to Evelina’s estate before sunset as a gift.

...

The morning sun filtered through the high, arched windows of the imperial solar, casting bright shapes across the polished marble floor. The scent of expensive jasmine tea and sweet pastries filled the air, creating a sense of peace.

Prince Elian sat gracefully on a gilded velvet sofa, looking every bit the future ruler of the empire. He had a brilliant smile on his handsome face, his gentle eyes catching the light.

Across from him sat Evelina. She looked immaculate, wearing a simple but perfectly tailored cream-colored linen gown that made her emerald eyes pop.