Until now, I had given Carlene all manner of things, and she had taken even more from me.
I had tolerated her selfish demands because she was my younger sister, because she was still young.
However, I could not surrender my marriage to Oliver, the future Grand Duke of Brandenburg, to Carlene.
He was not someone just anyone could marry.
It was not simply a matter of marrying him and bearing his children. A woman who married into the grand ducal House of Brandenburg, a collateral branch of the royal family, would be required to entertain distinguished guests, travel throughout the kingdom to perform charitable work, and sometimes even act as a representative of the royal family.
An exceptional command of etiquette and a high level of education were indispensable.
Carlene probably did not understand any of that.
Perhaps she simply believed that I alone had been given a favorable match in a convenient location not far from our family estate.
Should the marriage arrangement with the Grand Ducal House of Brandenburg end in failure, it would bring disgrace upon the historic Marquisate of Altenburg. Ever since childhood, I had nearly been crushed countless times beneath the weight of that responsibility.
If someone truly could take my place, I would have gladly let them.
When I continued to refuse her no matter how much time passed, Carlene finally lost patience and did something unexpected.
She grabbed my arm and attempted to drag me to Father’s sickbed so she could appeal to him directly.
Please, just spare me from this…
I thought that from the bottom of my heart as I accompanied Carlene to Father’s room.
It had been quite some time since I last saw him.
The physician had told us to refrain from visiting because his condition remained unstable and he spent most of his time asleep.
Father stared at Carlene and me with vacant eyes when we entered together.
“Father, I want to marry Lord Oliver of the Grand Ducal House of Brandenburg. But stubborn Aurelia refuses to give him to me! Tell her to do something about it!”
Father merely released a deep sigh at Carlene’s complaint.
Perhaps he no longer possessed even enough strength to scold her.
“I have… prepared dowry gifts… for both of you.”
They were apparently treasured heirlooms passed down through the Marquisate of Altenburg.
My dowry had already been paid to the Grand Ducal House of Brandenburg, yet it seemed Father had prepared an additional gift.
This was the first I had heard of it, but Father had most likely intended to distribute part of his estate before his death.
The steward brought forward two jewel boxes.
One was made of silver and decorated with beautifully crafted floral patterns.
The other was an antique-looking box with elaborate ornamentation, its surface dull and tarnished like rusted copper.
“One of them… is an unparalleled treasure known as an Artifact, a relic of the gods. The other is a Magia Item… created by a renowned sorcerer.”
Artifacts were said to have been created during the mythical age, when the gods still walked the earth. They were so precious that assigning them a monetary value was considered impossible.
“Of course, they are not merely jewel boxes.”
Both boxes were apparently imbued with magical power.
“The Artifact… is called the ‘Magitris Workshop’… It is capable of transforming every kind of substance into magic stones… It is a priceless item unlike any other in existence.”
Magic stones were an essential source of energy in people’s everyday lives. They were used to kindle flames, purify water, illuminate lamps, and accomplish countless other tasks.
However, their supply had been declining year after year, and recently, some had begun to fear that they might be completely depleted within the next century.
From the explanation alone, I could tell that it was an extraordinary item.
“The Magia Item… is called the ‘Jewelry Workshop’… By infusing it with magical power… it can produce gemstones. It is also an exceedingly rare item.”
The instant she heard that, Carlene declared, “I want the Jewelry Workshop.”
“No… you may not. Carlene… you will receive… the Magitris Workshop.”
“Why?!”
“It should… prove useful in the borderlands.”
“I refuse! I already told you I’m not marrying some margrave!”
The Limburg Margraviate, where Carlene was expected to marry, was situated along the national border. It was a devastated land overrun by monsters.
Furthermore, her intended husband, the Margrave of Limburg, was known as the “Butcher Margrave.” Rumors described him as a dangerous man who took pleasure in killing monsters.
“I would rather die than marry the Butcher Margrave!”
Carlene shrieked as she always did, but Father’s expression did not change in the slightest. His distant gaze remained fixed upon nothing.
When she became completely uncontrollable, the steward eventually summoned my stepmother.
“My, my, Carlene dear. Whatever is the matter?”
“Aurelia and Father are bullying me!”
“My goodness, how terrible!”
My stepmother sympathized with Carlene’s selfish complaints and soothed her.
“I would rather die than marry the Butcher Margrave!”
“But Carlene dear, if you marry Lord Oliver of the Grand Ducal House of Brandenburg, you will no longer be able to spend your days playing as you have until now.”
“Really?”
“Yes. You would be forced to endure rigid social obligations and attend all manner of tedious ceremonies. You would also have to part with your friends.”
By “friends,” my stepmother meant Carlene’s lover.
I believe he was a stage actor…
“If you marry the Margrave of Limburg, you can spend every day doing as you please, and your friend can accompany you.”
“Really?”
“I would never lie to you. I hear the Margrave of Limburg is so occupied with his hobby of hunting monsters that he rarely returns to his estate.”
In the blink of an eye, my stepmother talked Carlene into accepting the marriage to the Margrave of Limburg.
“Besides, as long as you possess the Magitris Workshop your father has given you, you will never have to worry about your livelihood.”
“The Magitris Workshop, not the Jewelry Workshop?”
“That’s right. They say magic stones will become far more valuable than gemstones in the future.”
“Very well.”
With that, Carlene reached for the silver jewel box, only for Father to stop her.
“Wait. That one… is the Jewelry Workshop.”
“What? This dirty one is the Magitris Workshop?”
“That is correct.”
Carlene released a loud sigh before picking up the Magitris Workshop.
“It certainly doesn’t look valuable!”
“My, my, Carlene dear. You will understand its value eventually.”
“Yes, yes.”
Finally, Carlene turned to me with a bright smile.
“Aurelia, I hope you enjoy working yourself to the bone like a slave in the Grand Ducal House of Brandenburg.”
“Well then, farewell.”
With those words, Carlene departed.
