# 45
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'Oh my God, I just remembered.'
Countess Olsen.
She is the head of the household in Olsen County, famous for its mineral resources, and has assumed the role of head of the household since the Count's death.
After about three years, you will discover a rare metal and become incredibly wealthy from the mine.
Diana sought her out several times for jewels to decorate her shoes but ultimately failed to secure her cooperation.
'I didn't remember it because it was only mentioned briefly as Diana's first negotiation failure!'
I slapped my forehead when I realized this.
No wonder she looked so familiar. There's no way I can remember a character that doesn't have anything to do with Diana.
Now that I remember, it's hard to believe I forgot about her.
'If I remember correctly...'
The struggle over ownership of the mine must end with Countess Olsen winning. The Countess had a personal reason for not being able to give up the mine. Although it was not widely known, because it was a very private matter.
‘But at this pace, you will lose the mine to Marquis Merry.’
Following an Imperial decree, Marquis Merry will propose dividing the mine equally, but Countess Olsen will adamantly refuse to hand over any part of it.
Eventually, the Emperor grew tired of the conflict, and sided with the Marquis of Merry, resulting in the Olsen family losing the mine entirely.
‘Since Marquis Merry had more influence in social circles than the Olsen family during this time, public opinion was also on their side.’
It was clear that Countess Olsen seemed to everyone to be unreasonably stubborn.
You can tell by just looking at the comments in the opinion section now.
Countess Olsen's stubbornness is something else.
-Seriously, I don't want to get involved with her.
-But isn't this mine supposed to be huge? Marquis Merry probably didn't want to give in to him either. If they could develop it, it would be a goldmine!
-I think Marquis Merry will win.
-Honestly, doesn't the Emperor want to side with Marquis Merry? They are part of the Emperor's faction.
-Our Emperor is not like that!
-There is a rumor that the Emperor is reading this newsletter~
- Your Majesty, the last comment was written by our house parrot, I swear.
“Hmm...”
I hummed softly, rolling my eyes.
“A quarrel over a mine, huh? If things go as they originally were, Marquis Merry will end up taking over the mine...”
She smiled widely.
“I can't let this happen.”
❖ ❖ ❖
With a task now in hand, I quickly finished the pile of work in front of me and immediately looked for Vivi.
“Ma’am, did you call me?”
“Yes, Vivi. I need to send a letter to Countess Olsen. Please prepare some high-quality items as soon as possible. Preferably the rose-infused kind.”
"Excuse me? To Olsen County?"
Vivi asked, clearly confused.
“Olsen County...isn't that the place that got a lot of flak in the newspapers recently because of the mine accident?”
"This is correct."
At my calm answer, a look of confusion crossed Vivi's face before she finally shook her head, still looking confused.
"Yes, ma'am. I will return the message immediately. When do you plan to visit?"
“This weekend.”
"...This weekend? But that's tomorrow!"
“Yes, I will go tomorrow.”
'The longer this push and pull goes on, the more unfavorable it becomes for Olsen County.'
This was not a fight that Countess Olsen could win in the first place.
Vivi still looked a little confused by my firm attitude, so she hurried away, promising to prepare the letter immediately. Watching her retreating form, I jumped to my feet.
“I don't have time to waste.”
I left the study and quickly crossed the corridor.
'Let's see, isn't the library in the east wing of the third floor?'
The Grand Duke's library was so vast that it was hard to believe it was a private collection.
Thanks to Ian, who had no interest in people and spent most of his time immersed in books and documents.
'I'm sure there's information about mines in that area somewhere out there.'
As I was walking up the stairs, I bumped into Ian, who was just coming out of his office.
“Where are you going in such a hurry?”
“Oh, I need to find a book in the library. If you don't need it now, can I use it for a bit?”
Ian looked a little confused for a moment before shaking his head.
“Yes, please.”
"Thank you."
I was about to pass the usual greeting, but suddenly, I stopped and said, “Wait a minute.” Ian was still standing there, watching me.
“Your Highness, regarding this weekend’s lesson.”
“Yes, I was about to talk about it. If you want to go out for another walk, I can arrange it...”
“Let's get over this.”
"…What?"
“I have something to take care of. Let's meet the following week. Is that ok?”
What I do with you is not important now.
Ian stood there with his mouth slightly open, as if to ease the tension, and quickly closed his eyes.
“The lesson…”
“Missing one week wouldn't be a problem, right?”
It's not like missing one session will ruin the whole plan.
Before he could say anything, I checked the time and started tapping my feet impatiently.
“Sorry, Your Eminence. I'm a bit busy right now. See you next week.”
With a bright smile, she climbed the stairs again. I felt Ian's surprised look follow me.
Why does it look like that? Like a raccoon that has just been washed.
❖ ❖ ❖
Despite my surprise letter, Countess Olsen responded favorably. Although her tone and the overall atmosphere of the message was far from enthusiastic.
'Even though she will become a wealthy person in three years, now she must be desperate for any noble connection she can get.'
Of course, I cannot say with certainty that my status as Duchess did not influence the prompt approval of my visit.
The next day, as soon as the sun rose, I made simple preparations and headed straight to Olsen's mansion.
The palace was located on the outskirts of the capital, 30 minutes from the duchy by carriage.
The outskirts of the capital usually offered peaceful landscapes mixed with the nearby forests, but the road to Olsen's mansion had a dark and gloomy atmosphere.
When the carriage finally stopped in front of the palace, I understood why the ladies said, “I wouldn’t even pass the Olsen Palace in a carriage.”
“Wow...that's depressing.”
The garden's trees and grass were very dense, as if they had been left untended for years, the cobblestone path was uneven, and the paint on the outside walls was somewhat peeling.
It was amazing to see how much the estate had deteriorated in just two years since the Count's death.
When I got off the carriage in front of the main building, I was greeted by a grim-faced, gray-haired servant.
“This way, please.”
'How did they manage to hire a servant who looked so gloomy?'
Or maybe he became gloomy after his stay here?
I was sure that if the weather had been a little gloomier, the place would have looked like a haunted mansion straight out of a horror movie.
The interior of the palace seemed more gloomy and dark than the exterior, due to the thick curtains drawn over all the windows.
‘To think that this house will turn into a dazzling, magnificent palace within three years thanks to the Countess…’
You never know how things will turn out, but based on his current state, it's hard to imagine that kind of transformation.
“This is the drawing room.”
The servant stopped in front of a heavy door, took a step back, and bowed slightly. Two servants opened the door, with faces as gloomy as a servant's.
When I entered, Countess Olsen, who was sitting in the drawing-room, rose to greet me. Her face had dark circles under her eyes, her cheeks were sunken, and her hair seemed to be made of ash, covering half of her dark green eyes, which were full of wariness.
‘…This is not an ordinary scene.’
It seems that convincing her will not be an easy task.