Chapter 57: [Chapter 057] Admit it
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Audience Chamber. The Emperor looked at Noebian with a somewhat weary expression. His strategist was always a rational and cool-headed figure, but today he seemed a little excited for some reason.
"Is it urgent?"
"Your Majesty, it seems that remnants of the rebel army are once again eyeing the west."
"The west is always a problem."
The word 'rebel army,' which had chilled him to the bone when he first heard it two years ago, was now almost tiresome.
"Since the Second Prince's reputation is so high in the west, if you were to simply issue an order to march..."
"I'm thinking of sending someone else this time."
When the Emperor spoke in a slightly lowered voice, Noebian's sharp gaze pierced him. The Emperor smiled benignly and opened his mouth.
"It seems the boy is about to get married, Grand Duke."
"What do you mean?"
"He told me he had someone in mind."
The Emperor nodded heavily. The young son, who had wanted Adrienne Pireta, had lost his first love to this man in front of him. The Crown Prince had ultimately chosen Doris Castagna as his consort, and while his son was away at war, Princess Pireta had chosen Grand Duke Noebian. The Emperor still felt strange whenever he thought about that day. As a father himself, he had been putting off Noebian's request, but Princess Pireta had immediately accepted his proposal, and the marriage had proceeded swiftly thereafter. Even before he could tell Roardnes the news, the newspapers had been buzzing about the couple of the century. He wondered how his son had felt when he heard the news on the battlefield. But he couldn't even question Princess Pireta's will. The Duke of Pireta in the east was a large force, even though he hadn't advanced to the center, and it was better in many ways for such an eastern noble to be involved with Noebian, his own man, rather than forming a marital alliance with a strict noble family.
"He didn't tell me who, but I knew when I saw her today."
"...Who is it?"
"The Countess of Acacia, who recently became a widow."
The Emperor chuckled softly, rubbing his withered hands together. In the meantime, he was feeling self-pity, thinking it was fortunate that she was a widow.
"I haven't seen my Duchess of Trovica very often, but I couldn't help but think of her when I saw that woman. You must have known too."
Noebian, who had been stiff, forced a smile. The Emperor buried his tired body in the chair and imagined the face of the noblewoman he had just honored today.
"Roan said, 'I guess blood can't be lied to.'"
"Did you say that?"
"I also thought of Retyna when I saw Countess Kuroseda. I can't blame him."
The Emperor failed to notice the deep gloom that settled over Noebian's eyes at those words.
"It's a good thing that woman is a widow, isn't it? If she had a husband, that rascal's already damaged reputation would have been completely ruined."
"I disagree, Your Majesty."
Noebian managed to calm his emotions. A nasty, uneasy feeling was tickling at the pit of his stomach. Things were taking a strange turn.
"I have watched over the wife of my vassal, the Earl of Acacia, for a long time, but she is not fit to be a princess."
"Hmm."
"I don't know what tricks she played this time to earn her merits, but she is a woman who is too much for even the position of a lady-in-waiting to the Crown Princess. Her personality is not gentle, and she is also quite extravagant..."
"For someone like Roan, who roams around and whose hands are always bloody, a woman who can hold him down might not be a bad thing. Even if she's extravagant, Roardnes has accumulated enough wealth over the years to support several generations living outside the palace."
"Are you serious? From what I've investigated, that woman might not even be of noble birth..."
"That might be even better for Roan."
A look of shock crossed Noebian's face. He couldn't believe the reality where the Emperor himself was advocating for Blier Acacia as a princess. Was this really happening just because she had done a good job at the welcome ceremony for the envoys?
"Compared to Bardenaldo, Roan's reputation within the empire isn't that good. Even if Roan doesn't care, I've always been concerned about it. Roan has always wanted to live a quiet life, and you and Duke Castagna are firmly supporting Bardenaldo, so wouldn't it be better for him to have a good reputation among the people if he were to receive a title and live outside the palace in the future?"
The Emperor handed Noebian a newspaper from the side table. Noebian politely took the newspaper and read it. It was the same newspaper he had seen in the morning, sandwiched between the gossip columns. A prince who loved a commoner, or something like that. He had to suppress his urge to crumple it up. The portrait depicting the affectionate image of Blier and Roardnes seemed to depict the affectionate moments of Adrienne and Roardnes, making it difficult for him to look at.
"Despite all his achievements, he never asks for what he wants. If he ends up with a commoner widow, he will be happy to get what he wants, and although the nobles might not like it, he might be quite popular with the common people."
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"...What if she doesn't want it?"
"What do you mean?"
Noebian barely opened his parched lips. He couldn't stand the feeling of having something he had carefully created taken away from him right in front of his eyes.
"What if she doesn't want such a relationship? It hasn't been long since she lost her husband..."
"Haha."
Noebian stopped abruptly as the Emperor burst out laughing. The Emperor laughed leisurely, as if asking what kind of nonsense he was saying.
"Grand Duke. What woman in the world could refuse Roardnes?"
He's the most handsome man in the Elacon Empire, even though his actions may be rough, and he's the prince of this country. The Emperor's words continued relentlessly.
"There's no woman in the world who would refuse to be at Roan's side."
The Emperor's casual and firm tone pushed Noebian's mood off a cliff. Noebian's vision blurred at the Emperor's assertion.
"But what if, just in case, that woman refuses?"
"What else can we do? It's a matter between a man and a woman after all."
Noebian, who had been falling off the cliff, felt as if he had stopped abruptly in mid-air at those words. As he barely managed to hold onto his sanity, he couldn't shake the feeling that Baroness Kuroseda was somehow involved at the end of this absurd scenario. Seeing the Emperor spouting ideals while searching for his own government, Noebian scoffed coldly. As you say, Your Majesty, it seems that this terrible bloodline cannot be deceived after all.
"...Then, as your servant, I will ask her opinion."
"It would be better if you didn't interfere."
When the Emperor spoke reproachfully, Noebian smiled thinly. Oh, what a terrible bloodline.
"Of course, I will act with the woman's wishes as the top priority."
I no longer want to lose what is mine to your son. His eyes, sharp as a honed blade, naturally turned to the Emperor's feet, and Noebian bowed his head extremely politely.
***
Noebian hurried his pace as if he hadn't walked so quickly in years. He needed to meet Blier before the Emperor, who seemed convinced that Roardnes was the only one who could help him find a suitable wife, ruined everything.
"You came to see me?"
Just before reaching the gathering of carriages, Blier stood at the end of a long corridor with little light, as if by magic. Noebian stopped a few steps away, glanced around, and then walked toward his carriage. Except for his taciturn coachman, there was no one else around. As soon as Noebian got into the carriage, Blier followed and closed the door.
"You're not afraid."
"That's quite a threatening statement for someone trying to persuade me."
And a nonchalant smile. Noebian folded his arms and crossed his legs, looking at the smile on Blier's face. Even after scrutinizing her with half-closed eyes, she seemed as composed as ever, as if she had simply discarded the shock she had received yesterday.
"Persuasion? You're the one who needs to persuade me."
For a moment, he held his breath and stared at her face. It was quite unexpected that she didn't grovel before him. And it was completely unexpected that she was even smiling in front of him.
"Just admit it now, Your Grace."
"...Admit what?"
"No matter how much you meddle in my affairs, it won't affect me at all."
Had this woman always been so eloquent? Was such an attitude something that could be described as merely glib? For the first time, he noticed the woman sitting up straight, instead of her usual slouched and crooked posture.
"You're the one who can move me, so I don't understand why you keep meddling with innocent people and choosing the wrong path."
"...You're treating me like a murderer."
"Aren't I?"
The woman's smiling face shone warmly, as if ready to listen to anything. ...Just like Adrienne. Noebian quickly turned his head and looked out the window. There was no one around the carriage.
"The Earl of Acacia simply died in an accident. Don't say anything that might lead people to misunderstand. You have that much intelligence."
"So now you're here to tell me again to stop provoking the Second Prince?"
Is there any point in saying that now? The whole world is already talking about Roardnes' new, special lover. Suppressing his anger once more, Noebian turned his gaze to the woman who had ruined everything. The woman's confident and relaxed eyes held a sad light as they met his.
"You're trying to shake me by using the Earl of Acacia, and I'm trying to shake you by using the Second Prince. In the end, we want the same thing."
Noebian stared at the woman who ignored his words about not killing Acacia. Something felt very strange. It was usually her love talk and talk about the Grand Duchess's position. But he didn't find it so unpleasant this time. Was it because of her less vicious expression? Or was it because of her sorrowful, low voice? Or perhaps because of her intelligent eyes that shone brightly while maintaining a straight posture?
"You said it yourself. You want me more than the deceased Grand Duchess."
The woman got up from the edge of the carriage seat and came towards him. Her sad, sorrowful eyes, an emotion he had never seen in her before, naturally caught his attention.
"I can only touch and feel like this," she said, her voice soft and inviting.
Without hesitation, she took his hand and placed it on her cheek, rubbing it gently. Even though her words were bold, she had never been so physically intimate with him before.
"Instead of wasting time on something you can't have, take what you can have, me."
Please don't let the Second Prince take me away from you. As long as I can be free under your shadow, I'm ready to give up any other freedom. As if trying to melt away all his anger and resentment, she held his hand against her cheek for a long time, then opened her eyes and whispered sweetly.
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