Royal Lady of the Blueprint

Studies

…

After the conversation about the engagement finished, they continued on with their normal conversation. Catarina spent that time answering questions because she had overworked herself mentally from speaking about the engagement. When it was time to return to her residence, the Emperor spoke.

“Oh, I just realized us old men didn’t let you young folk catch up. It’s been a while since you saw each other, no?”

“Hm?”

Catarina’s eyes widened after some confusion. After she realized he was talking about her and the Crown Prince, she shook her head.

“N-No, Your Majesty. It’s fi…”

But the Emperor spoke to the Crown Prince.

“Prince, take a stroll with Catarina around the garden. I had something to speak about to the Marquis, anyway.”

Catarina felt uncomfortable, but the prince just nodded his head.

“Yes, sir.”

And she ended up spending some time alone with the Crown Prince

“Come this way.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

She received his dispassionate escort and sighed.

‘…It’s awkward.’

In her past life, she loved him. Passionately. More than anything. From his sculpted face to his cold personality, there wasn’t a single thing she hated. He was the only thing that existed in the world.

‘It’s all in the past.’

...

Catarina sneaked glances at his face. Her heart used to beat like crazy when she was this close to him, but now she didn’t feel anything. It was like looking at your divorced ex-husband.

‘Well, a lot of time has passed. And it’s not like we parted on good terms.’

She remembered her last moment.

He was looking at her like he hated her, and the guillotine fell on her head.

At that unforgettable feeling, Catarina touched her neck. But it was them.

“What are you thinking?”

“N-Nothing.”

She let out an awkward smile.

‘This is uncomfortable. I want to return to the residence.’

Everything had happened because of her.

‘He’s a victim, in a way. Since he had to spend all that time with me.’

Is that why? Looking at him, she felt as if her thoughts were knotted up. She was uncomfortable, but also sorry at the same time.

‘I won’t see him for personal reasons anymore anyway.’

She thought of the bet with the Emperor. To prove her worth as an engineer.

‘The Emperor set it up so that I’d give up but…’

She internally shook her head. She was never going to give up. Never.

‘And I’m going to win this bet. For sure.’

It wasn’t easy, even for her, to become an engineer in 6 months. Since this wasn’t Earth. There would definitely be limits on what a young noble lady could do.

‘But it doesn’t matter.’

She believed in her knowledge and skills.

She was going to jump over whatever hurdle came her way. And at that moment, the prince looked her way.

“Catarina.”

“Yes?”

“Do you have something to say to me?”

“No.”

Catarina quickly shook her head. She had probably been staring at him too blatantly.

“If you have something to say, you can say it.”

He spoke in a hard voice.

“It’s nothing. I was just thinking of the old times.”

“Old times?”

“Yes.”

Catarina left it at that. The prince frowned and looked forward again. At his familiar attitude, she felt an urge. It was something that she wanted to say a long time ago.

‘Would it be okay to say it?’

She hesitated. But not for long.

Since she wasn’t going to see him for personal reasons anymore.

“Your Highness.”

“Yes?”

“May I say something?”

“Go ahead.”

Catarina stopped walking.

“I’m sorry.”

“…?”

“I’m sorry for everything. Truly.”

When she was living on Earth…she had thought of him from time to time. Amongst the many feelings she had for him, she was always sorry towards him.

‘Since he would’ve been unhappy because of me as well.’

Yes, she was unhappy in her past life, but he probably felt the same. Since he had to live with a woman he didn’t like. And spend all those unhappy times together.

‘If it was with a woman he loved, wouldn’t it have been different?’

She accepted his cold demeanor, but to the one he truly loved, he might not act that way. So, she wanted to genuinely apologize to him.

“What are you so sorry about?”

“Everything.”

“……”

He had an unreadable expression. Catarina quickly added to what she said.

“I’ve pestered you since we were young. And you’re being forced to marry me even though you don’t want to.”

“I apologized for everything.”

But it was then. He looked directly into her eyes.

“Who said that?”

“Pardon?”

“Who said I was forced into this engagement?”

Catarina had a confused face. What did that mean?

“You don’t like me.”

“……”

“We...Well, it’s obvious that you hate me and I’ll make sure to cancel this engagement so that it doesn't inconvenience you. I apologized for being stubborn and not considering your feelings.”

The Crown Prince didn’t answer and turned away. He began to walk away. He didn’t seem to be in a good mood, but Catarina didn’t notice.

Running after him, Catarina thought,

‘If it wasn’t for me, he would’ve met a better lady and had his happily ever after.’

She wished him a happy future.

‘This life will be different. Let’s live our lives happily this time.’

Although they are under the same sky, she won’t interfere in his path. His chosen path didn’t include her, and hers didn’t include him.

‘Be blessed. Lover of my past life.’

Meanwhile, the Marquis and the Emperor are having their own conversation.

“The movements of Marquis Claes of the noble party aren't ordinary.”

“How?”

“His meetings with the Third Prince have been more frequent.”

“Those leeches that don’t even help the country.”

The Emperor clicked his tongue.

“I’ll continue to observe him.”

“Alright, but don’t interfere too much. Since they don’t look too nicely upon the Eisenberg family.”

Marquis Nix smiled.

“Don’t worry too much. The Eisenberg family isn’t that weak.”

Marquis Nix was the head of the imperial family. Even the noble party couldn’t easily touch the Eisenberg family.

“Your Majesty.”

“Yes, what’s wrong?”

“I apologize for what Catarina said earlier. It’s all my fault. I’ll discipline her later.”

But the Emperor shook his head.

“Discipline what? Isn’t she so precious? A child who was raised under such a privileged environment having those thoughts.”

“…….”

“And I was surprised. Because I was reminded of Therese.”

“…!”

Marquis Nix’s eyes widened.

“Didn’t her mother, Therese, do something similar to that? She wanted to leave her family to become a nurse and her family completely flipped off.”

The Emperor reminisced about the past.

“Now that you say it, I remember.”

Marquis Nix replied. Therese. His wife and Catarina’s mother.

When they were younger, the Emperor and he had loved her at the same time. A part of the reason why the Emperor liked Catarina was because she reminded him of Therese.

“Since we made the bet, I’m planning on giving her the opportunity of working at the Ministry of Engineering. After a few days, she’ll give up.”

The Emperor expected her to last for less than a week.

“Then which Engineering branch? Should I look into Imperial Engineering?”

The Emperor shook his head.

“Imperial Engineering is the greatest engineering facility in the empire. Even if it’s Lady Eisenberg, without any qualifications, she can’t just learn there.”

“Then….?”

“Why are you worrying? The Eisenberg family owns an engineering branch as well.”

The Marquis’s face hardened. They did own a favor. A big one at that.

“Eisenberg Engineering Institute?. Have her learn there.”

It was the largest engineering department in the capital.

“B-But…that place is….”

“What’s wrong? I think it’s perfect.”

The Emperor responded with a mischievous face. The Marquis shut his mouth. It was indeed a great place for education. But there was a problem.

The Eisenberg family sponsored the department not to help educate the rich, but the poor. And there were serious differences in her current environment. Catarina, who had never lifted a finger her entire life wouldn’t even last a day, let alone a week.

‘That’s what he was aiming for.’

“It’ll be a good experience for her.”

The Emperor smiled. For some reason, it seemed like the devil’s smile.

So Catarina’s education officially began.

“Catarina, you’re going to become an engineer?”

Her family’s reaction…wasn’t the best. Putting it nicely.

“So you’re tired of throwing tantrums in the house and you’re gonna do it in the Department of Engineering now? Give me a break.”

Her eldest brother had an annoyed face.

“Um…Catarina, if you want to be an engineer, do you want to play engineer? I’ll be your client who wants to have his new home designed.

Her second brother awkwardly tried to appease her.

“That’s architecture brother…”

“…”

And her mother was speechless. No one took Catarina seriously. They were only in disbelief.

‘She’ll stop after a while.’

They all thought she was going through a phase. But Catarina didn’t care what they thought. No, it was more like she didn’t have the mind to care.

She was too excited! She remembered when she had first had hands-on experience as an engineer on Earth. How happy she had been, wearing the white gown, and on some occasions, a hard hat.

The reason why she chose to be an engineer was to pay for her sins. But when she experienced coming up with her own ideas and putting them to life, being an engineer became her destiny. No, to be more precise, it was her addiction.

Like artists becoming addicted to drawing, musicians becoming addicted to music, she was addicted to creating new technologies.

“Second brother.”

“Hm?”

“Can you take me to the Berlun Library on your way to work?”

“Of course, it’s our Catarina’s request. But I’m a bit busy these days, so I won’t be able to come to find you until it’s late.”

“That’s fine. I’ll be there for a long time, so come after you’re finished with everything.”

Once she arrived at the library, she started to study the engineering books. Of course, it wasn’t because she didn’t know it. Since the knowledge in her head was incomparable to the knowledge that the empire had. But it was to see the level of knowledge the empire knew.

‘I need to know how advanced the empire is to treat them according to their standards.’

Her standards were set to the present Earth’s.

‘The medical supplies on Earth are completely different from here. And some technologies haven’t been invented here either.”

So she stacked up books as high as a mountain and began to read. Without a single movement, focused on the books.

After half the day had passed with her reading without eating anything, she had a thought.

‘The level is quite advanced. Considering the metallurgy is similar to the second industrialization era, the Bessemer process was also introduced. In aviation, there are biplanes and monoplanes. In transportation, cars and trains are also used by the masses.’

She was surprised at how advanced the engineering knowledge was for an empire that had just begun to have planes.

In the medical field, especially in medical supplies. They have antibiotics and anesthetics.

On Earth, antibiotics were first discovered in 1929, but they were already in use in the empire.

And that wasn’t all.

‘X-rays are possible, and even some simple medical tests are possible too.’

Catarina marveled at the knowledge. Everything was possible thanks to one person. The Great Alchemist Fleming! Fleming, who was called a crazy alchemist, was a genius of the century.

‘They say alchemist, but he’s more of a scientist or a chemist.’

He had invented numerous medical supplies.

‘Was Fleming someone who reincarnated from Earth too?’

His accomplishments were extraordinary. If this was Earth, he would probably receive at least 20 Nobel Prize awards.’

In engineering, there is this man called Tesla who revolutionized energy. Anyone was now enjoying the luxury of having electricity in their houses thanks to his invention!

It seems as though prominent people back on Earth were reincarnated here and changed the aspects of life here.

If there was one thing that she wanted to fix, it was the application of their inventions.

It seemed like they didn’t know how to apply his inventions to their greatest potential.

Catarina got out a big notebook and a pen. She started to organize which medicines should be used for which disease.

‘With this level of technology, this type of engine can be introduced.’

‘For this machine, these tools.’

And so hour after hour, the day had passed. Outside, the sun had set but she didn’t even notice. She was absorbed in her studies.

…

At the administrative office of the Granzreich Empire.

“What? Catarina?”

The high-ranking official and youngest son of the chancellor, Albert, asked in surprise.

“She’s still in the library?”

“Yes.”

The librarian replied with an uncomfortable expression.

“She came in the morning and has been reading books without getting up once. She hasn’t even had a single meal….she doesn’t listen to us when we call for her….”

“But the time right now!”

Albert was surprised again after looking at the clock. It was almost midnight.

‘Not a single meal? That child?’

Catarina always took care of each meal after she had changed since a while back. But she was studying without even a single meal until this time? He quickly got up and headed towards the building next door.

The large library was empty, but there was a familiar person in the corner. A doll-like face. A petite body that seemed like it would be crushed with one hug. It was Catarina.

“Cathy!”

He called her, but she was focused entirely on the books she was wearing. So he grabbed her shoulders and said her name again.

“Catarina!”

“AHHH!!”

She screamed in surprise.

“B-Brother? What’s wrong?”

She was surprised to the point of tears.

“What do you mean what’s wrong? Do you know what time it is?”

“Oh…it’s already…”

She was shocked after seeing the clock. Albert shook his head.

‘Just how…’

He looked at the books stacked up as high as a mountain next to Catarina.

-Fluid Mechanics

-Advance Calculus

-Analytical Geometry

-Electronic Engineering

-Industrial Engineering.

-Mechanical Engineering.

…

‘She read those books? Really?’

They were books that looked hard to understand at even a glance. Catarina, who didn’t even read romance novels, read those books?

“Cathy.”

“Do you….understand these books?”

“Ah…”

She understood his intent when asking the question and made an awkward expression. She avoided the question.

“They’re hard, but I just tried my best to read them.”

‘She just read it?’

Albert tilted his head and looked at her notes.

‘Those notes don’t seem like she just read them.’

He didn’t understand the details because he didn’t have any engineering knowledge, but he saw a lot of mathematical equations, mechanical diagrams. They were specific and neat notes.

‘Are they someone else’s notes?’

But that ugly and messy handwriting was definitely Catarina’s.

Unlike her pretty face, her handwriting had always been ugly ever since

She was young. It was her trademark.

‘Did she secretly study engineering all by herself? No way. Is my little sister actually a genius?’

The Eisenberg family had superior genes. Her father was the chancellor, and his brother was the vice-leader of the Royal Knights Legion and a Royal Knight. Catarina could also have a hidden talent….but wasn’t this too sudden?

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Gosh, Catarina.”

Albert hid his shock and jokingly teased her.

“Your handwriting is still messy. If someone saw it, they would think a horrible girl wrote it.”

“Brother!”

Catarina’s face turned red. In her first life, second life, and even now. Her handwriting was always horrible.

‘“Anyway, Cathy, it’s late so let’s go back.”

“Ah….”

But she asked him an unexpected question.

“Um…brother. Could I go after studying for a bit more?”

“More? But it’s midnight.”

“That’s true….but the library is open for 24 hours…and there’s still some information I want to read.”

Catarina muttered the words. It was like she was asking if she could play a bit more at a playdate.

“You can’t.”

“I can’t?”

“You can’t. It’s too late.”

“Hm? Hm? Can’t I? Hm? Brother.”

She hung onto his arm and acted adorably.

‘S-So cute!’

Seeing his sister acting cute for the first time in a while, he felt like his heart was gonna explode, but he shook his head.

“You really can’t. You haven’t even eaten a single meal. You’re gonna get sick.”

“I’m fine….”

Catarina pouted puffing her cheeks out,

Even that was cute, so Albert messed up her hair.

“No means no. Let’s come back tomorrow.”

...

Catarina put everything into her studies. She left her house early in the morning and read books until midnight, and studied from the books even after coming back to her house. Seeing her skip sleep to study surprised her entire family.

“Cathy, take it easy. You’re really gonna get sick.”

Her family worried, but she shook her head.

“I’m okay.”