Chapter 3.5

“Your Majesty, why did you do that?”

The Emperor had never seen his son show his emotions like this before. His son had always been calm and flexible in his handling of situations. He was the making of a true Emperor.

“Sebastian.”

“Why on earth did you do that? I am the Crown Prince of this nation. How could you give away the woman the Crown Prince has taken as his consort to the Grand Duke?”

Sebastian had seen Adrian enter the Imperial Palace, but he wasn’t overly concerned. No matter how powerful the Grand Duke’s faction was, it was impossible to defy the will of the Imperial Family in the capital of Quinze-Nouais. However, feeling a sense of unease, Sebastian immediately sent his First Knight Order to her house, but the knight commander only returned to tell him that the Emperor had told them to withdraw the command. And there was no way Sebastian would have missed the look of dismay on his father’s face when they finally came face to face.

“Yes, you are the Crown Prince. Therefore, there are plenty of women in this Empire for you. Why must it be that child?”

The Emperor was truly curious. Why on earth were the Grand Duke and the Crown Prince of this Empire so fiercely opposed over one woman?

“Yes, it must be that woman. So please, summon her to the palace.”

“Now, now is not the time. Sebastian.”

“Why is now not the time? Are you saying you will just watch as the Grand Duke takes what is mine?”

“Sebastian, I, your father… made a promise to the Grand Duke.”

“What promise?”

A sense of foreboding came over the Crown Prince.

“Yes, when that boy, who was a slave two years ago, came to me at the palace again, he swore he would leave this capital and go to the North. But in return, I promised that if he were to ask for one thing in the future, I would give him whatever it was. This is an Imperial promise. How can I violate it?”

“Ha, Father…”

It had been so long since the Emperor had heard the word ‘Father’ from Sebastian’s mouth.

“I know. I know why you made that promise to the Grand Duke… Isn’t it because you ordered him and his mother to be killed when I was twelve years old?”

“How… did you know that?”

“Father, I am not a fool. I also know that you feel guilty toward the Grand Duke because of that. But that is not a reason to give away my woman.”

“But, that was all for…”

“Yes, it was all for me. I know that. I know so well it makes my teeth clatter. I, too, overlooked your decision. Wasn’t that the natural thing to do? But it seems my heart couldn’t understand what my head knew.”

“What do you mean?”

“Since that day, I have been suffering from endless headaches and nightmares.”

The Emperor was speechless, having heard this for the first time.

“But after I met that child, Claire Ianster, I was able to be free from that pain for the first time.”

“Sebastian…”

The Emperor’s heart ached. He was his one and only son, more precious to him than anyone else in the world. Just then, Sebastian knelt before him. The Crown Prince of the Quinze-Nouais Empire never knelt, not even in front of the Emperor. This meant that a son was making a plea to his father.

“Father, please… give me that child. She is the only breath of fresh air for me in this terrible Imperial Palace.”

The Emperor looked at his son kneeling before him and thought. His son was the Crown Prince of Quinze-Nouais. No matter how much of an Imperial promise it was, there was nothing in this world that the Crown Prince of Quinze-Nouais could not have. There was no law that said one could not take what one had already taken a second time. It was only right that the victor should have everything.

 

***

 

The Quinze-Nouais Empire had a total of 12 count families and 2 ducal families. The 2 ducal families always maintained neutrality, never leaning toward any political faction, and had maintained a balance of power with the Imperial Family throughout the history of Quinze-Nouais. But the 12 count families were divided into two factions and were fiercely opposed.

Adrian remembered all those families accurately. Five of the 12 count families were neutral, and the other four supported the current Emperor. But Hernes, Fernandes, and Graham—these three count families were the families that had wanted Aurelian Quinze-Nouais to succeed the previous Emperor. They were the ones who had boasted the greatest power during the previous Emperor’s era. But after the current Emperor successfully took over the throne and the Prince was crowned as Crown Prince, they voluntarily or involuntarily retreated to the provinces. However, because these three count families still had immense wealth and private armies, they were families that the Emperor could not touch carelessly.

And now, the heads of those three families were gathered in Aurelian Quinze-Nouais’s Grand Duke’s mansion.

“Have you made a decision?”

Adrian had gone to the Emperor, holding on to his last hope. But when he came face to face with the Emperor, Adrian was certain that he would not keep his promise. It was the same as before. When he and his mother were confined to the castle, the Emperor had promised not to take their lives. On his way out after his audience with the Emperor, he had already ordered Owen to summon the three counts who had been driven to the provinces to the Grand Duke’s mansion. And Adrian, after sending Claire back to the count’s mansion, rode his horse to his own mansion in the capital.

‘An Imperial promise that even a dog wouldn’t believe.’

He thought so.

“Grand Duke, speak.”

“I understand that the Imperial knights are on high alert.”

“It’s possible that our movements are already being reported to the Emperor.”

The leaders of the families spoke one by one, but Adrian, who was rubbing his wrinkled brow with his fingers, remained silent.

“Grand Duke! What exactly do you want?”

“Don’t test me. I intend to grant what you desire.”

Joy appeared on the faces of the family heads at Adrian’s answer.

When Claire first left for the South, Adrian had only thought he would die. After all, the only thing he had left was his hatred. The only thing left to do was to bring Claire, who had dragged him to hell so many times, to ruin and then die himself. It was not wrong to say that the terrible trauma he was experiencing was driving him to his death. It felt as if someone was controlling him, and he thought that death was the only right answer.

But the moment he received that letter from Butler Ben, the thought of just dying himself and killing her too cracked.

“No matter how vigilant the knights of the capital are, they will have a hard time defeating the knights who are constantly at war in the North.”

“That’s right. Besides, if we combine the number of our private soldiers, it’s a match for the Imperial knights.”

Even so, Adrian had no intention of killing everyone and taking the throne.

“There will be no peaceful usurpation, but I have no intention of slaughtering all my kin.”

“Then, all the more reason you need the Ianster family.”

“That topic again?”

Adrian furrowed his already creased brow even more tightly at the words of the Hernes family head. They, always with their true intentions hidden, would seek him out by using Celine as their front.

“That’s right. And the legitimate daughter of the Ianster family is already here.”

“I distinctly ordered that family to be excluded.”

“But it’s difficult to succeed without the Ianster family. You know that best, don’t you, Grand Duke?”

The Ianster family… a count family that maintained neutrality during the fierce struggle for the throne, yet was not pushed out of the capital. An in-law family that had maintained its legitimacy for generations without getting entangled in political conflicts. Having the Ianster family on their side was politically and symbolically very important. And now, not the illegitimate daughter of the Ianster family, but the legitimate daughter was here to help them. The Ianster family was also militarily strong, but if they were to support Aurelian Quinze-Nouais, the five neutral count families would also clearly side with them.

Just then, Celine entered the office without any permission.

“You didn’t call for me, so I took the liberty of entering.”

Adrian felt a strange sense of displeasure toward Celine, who had been lingering in his sight lately.

“This is a place where the heads of the families are gathered. This is not your place to intrude.”

“My father has entrusted all decisions to me. And I have not come here for a rebellion or usurpation. I have only come to present a marriage proposal to the Grand Duke.”

Celine held out the envelope she was holding onto the desk. Inside was a marriage proposal with the family’s seal, which she had stamped without her father’s permission.

“Then all the more reason for you not to be here. I will send my answer to the marriage proposal tomorrow.”

At that moment, the head of the Fernandes family stood up, took the marriage proposal from Celine, and brought it to the Grand Duke.

“Grand Duke, we only have one chance.”

“That’s right. If this fails, we will all have to give up our lives. There is no more certain way than for you to get engaged to Lady Celine of the Ianster family.”

Adrian, who had received the marriage proposal from Fernandes, seemed to stare at it for a moment before tearing the unopened envelope on the spot. But she was not deterred. The Crown Prince had no intention of taking her as his wife anyway. Therefore, Adrian had to become the Emperor. Celine would die before she would see Claire become Empress.

“May I have a private word with Your Royal Highness the Grand Duke?”

When Celine smiled at the family heads, they slowly got up and left the office. She had assumed that Claire would be taken away by the Crown Prince when the Imperial knights stormed into the count’s mansion earlier today. But Adrian had appeared, and the knights had returned empty-handed. The moment she saw Adrian holding Claire’s wrist and entering the count’s mansion, Celine knew. He had not given up on Claire yet. She went back to her room and thought.

‘So Adrian has met the Emperor… But the Crown Prince, who tried to get Claire by issuing a marriage ban, would not have backed down so easily…’

A fleeting thought of her life in Korea passed through Celine’s mind. It was the same there. If so, a big fight would happen soon.

“You will be robbed of her.”

Adrian knew what Celine was talking about but just let out a sneering laugh.

“If it continues like this, you will be robbed of her. I know why you are refusing my marriage proposal, Grand Duke. It’s because of Claire, isn’t it?”

His face seemed calm, but Celine did not miss the subtle stiffening he had every time he heard the name ‘Claire’.

“But if it continues like this, you will not be able to get a hold of anything. So let’s make a deal.”

“A deal?”

Adrian smiled, raising only one corner of his mouth. Every time he smiled like that, greed surged in Celine’s heart.

“Adrian…”

“Did I give you permission to call me by that name? Do you dare call me by the name of a slave?”

The Grand Duke’s face hardened, and he warned her in a low voice.

“I’m sorry, Your Royal Highness. But you will have to permit me to call you by that name soon.”

“Nonsense.”

“You can’t deny that you need me for what you are about to do, can you?”

“What are you trying to say?”

“In your current state, even if you were to start a rebellion, victory is not guaranteed. And in that case, you won’t be able to get Claire either.”

Choi Hajin, who was now Celine, had lived her life by hitting anyone who bothered her and tormenting children more viciously than anyone else. Hajin knew that this situation was not very different from the world she used to play in. No, in a way, this was easier. It was a world where killing a person for a few coins was simple.

“But I will not get engaged to you.”

“Yes, I know. That’s why I’m making a different proposal.”

“…”

“First, get engaged to me.”

Adrian let out a scoffing laugh at her words.

“You don’t understand what I’m saying.”

“Please hear me out. The term is only until you take the position you want. After you become Emperor, I will cleanly step down from the position of your fiancée.”

For the first time, a look of curiosity appeared on Adrian’s face. Celine did not miss it.

“So… what do you get out of this?”

“Appoint our family as a ducal family.”

“What? Do you think the other families would stand for that?”

“Of course not. I know it’s a difficult task. But it’s not something you can’t do after you become Emperor.”

It had never been done before, but the Emperor of the Quinze-Nouais Imperial Family definitely had that authority.

At Celine’s words, Adrian tapped the table with his index finger. This was a habit he had when he was thinking about something.

“I’m also gambling with not only my life, but the existence of my family. Shouldn’t I be getting something big in return?”

Celine felt that she would soon achieve her goal from Adrian’s attitude. First, Claire would get engaged to the Crown Prince, and she would get engaged to the Grand Duke. And once the Grand Duke took power, she would find another way to kill Claire. After all, hadn’t she become the Empress in the original novel?

Adrian’s contemplation was not long. When he motioned with his eyes, Owen went to the door and let the heads of the families in. When Graham sat down and looked at Celine, she smiled and nodded.

“Grand Duke, are you going with our plan?”

He couldn’t tell them now that he had promised to make the Ianster family a ducal family. In the Quinze-Nouais Empire, the appointment of a ducal family was only made by divine oracle and imperial decree. It was a position every count in this empire would want.

“Yes.”

When the Grand Duke gave his confirmation, Fernandes stepped forward.

“The Grand Duke’s engagement ceremony will be held the day before the Crown Prince’s engagement ceremony.”

“Yes, that day it will be.”

“Grand Duke, then may we present what we have prepared all this time?”

Adrian simply thought this: if the Emperor and the Crown Prince were trying to take Claire away from him, all he needed was the power to not be robbed of her. But Adrian had no idea that this decision he had just made would push him into suffering for a very long time.

“Yes, then you will all have something bigger than what you had before.”

The faces of the three family heads were filled with a joy that was close to elation at Grand Duke Aurelian’s words. In their eyes, Aurelian Quinze-Nouais looked like the living embodiment of the previous Emperor, who had the most powerful authority in history and had unified this continent into a single empire. Now, the tide of this battle had been set. Such was the calculation in their minds.

 

***

 

Three days had passed since the Imperial Knights came to get me and then gave up. The silence was so profound that it made me even more anxious. And for some reason, Adrian hadn’t appeared at the count’s mansion since then.

On the morning of the third day, two horses arrived at the count’s mansion, each with a different Quinze-Nouais seal. The one with the red seal was from the Imperial Family, and the one with the black seal was from the Grand Duke’s castle. The Count first tore open the letter with the Imperial seal. And then he tore open the one with the Grand Duke’s seal. The Count’s long sigh came first, followed by Celine’s smile. And so, I was set to be the Crown Princess-to-be, and Celine, the Grand Duchess-to-be.

“Congratulations, Claire.”

I couldn’t bring myself to congratulate Celine, who was smiling unpleasantly as she congratulated me. I went back to my room and sat on the bed. The word ‘hate’ has many meanings. I hate him. The words, ‘I hate him.’ Do those words truly contain hatred?

‘Damn Adrian.’

As if he were a sub-male lead, everything with Celine was so easy. In my heart, I thought it was for the best hundreds of times. Perhaps this was the way the story was supposed to go. But I couldn’t help the bitter feeling in my heart. At a time like this, I wanted to drink a lot of alcohol and just forget everything, but I wasn’t in a situation where I could drink. I took out a piece of paper and started writing a letter to Adrian. But I couldn’t write a single proper sentence. I absolutely refused to be the clingy ex-girlfriend, sending a message like, ‘Are you awake?’ at dawn. At this point, it was a relief that there were no cell phones. I threw the letter on the floor and flopped down on the bed.

‘What are you even trying to do, Adrian? Don’t tell me this is some petty ‘if I can’t have her, no one can’ nonsense.’

 

***

 

The Quinze-Nouais Empire’s Founding Festival is celebrated for a month, from late autumn to early winter. It’s a time when the harvest is over and farming is done, so people spend the festival praying for a bountiful harvest in the coming year. The Founding Festival begins with honoring those who have made great contributions to the nation. A large banquet is held every day, and a hunting festival is also held to prepare for the upcoming winter. And this year’s Founding Festival was scheduled to have the engagement ceremonies of the Empire’s Crown Prince and its one and only Grand Duke. The Crown Prince’s engagement ceremony was to be held on the last day of the festival, and the Grand Duke’s engagement ceremony was to be held the day before the Crown Prince’s.

“My lady, tomorrow is the first day of the Founding Festival, so what are you going to do if you’re not ready yet?”

“What do I need to prepare?”

“It’s already too late. You need to get new clothes, and all the accessories. And you should have taken care of your skin. You’re going to be the Crown Princess, aren’t you?”

“I have plenty of clothes, and my skin is fine.”

“Lady Celine is buying so many things that it’s shaking the entire Empire.”

“Really?”

“Yes, and she takes such good care of her skin and hair that they’re glowing. Literally glowing.”

I answered Sally, who was nagging me, in a listless voice.

“She was always pretty. It’s good. If she has anything left over, I’ll just borrow it.”

I was constantly lazy and just kept yawning. It was almost time to go to the first banquet of the Founding Festival, so I had to get ready. So, with messy hair, I went downstairs. I felt like I needed to eat something to get my energy back. I thought about calling Sally to get me something, but it was obvious she would start nagging me again, so it was more comfortable to just do it myself. I went downstairs in my pajamas, only wearing a simple indoor gown. And in the moment I had only a few steps left, I cursed myself for deciding not to call Sally.

In the first-floor hallway, Celine, who was dressed to be incredibly fancy and beautiful, and the handsome man, Grand Duke Aurelian Quinze-Nouais, who had appeared to escort Celine to the banquet, were standing there. The bright and beautiful silver hair of the two was creating a strange light, illuminating the entrance of the mansion.

‘Ugh, they’re so dazzling. Those two!’

I must have cursed a million times in my head.

What was this? To put it in modern terms, it was a humiliating situation where you went to a convenience store with messy hair and a hat on and ran into your ex-boyfriend walking side by side with his new, pretty girlfriend. It would be better if you were on your way to the convenience store; if you were on your way back, a black plastic bag would be a necessary prop. As I was cautiously backing up to go upstairs, I locked eyes with Adrian. He smiled faintly at me, and in that moment, he was so beautiful that I was captivated without realizing it.

‘What a heartless bastard.’

“It’s been a long time, Lady Claire Ianster.”

My heart sank at his normal greeting.

I think I stumbled a little at his nonchalant greeting. I felt my body tilting, and I quickly tried to regain my balance. I knew I would die of embarrassment if I were to tumble down the stairs here.

But at that moment, what I grabbed was not the railing, but a large, slightly cold hand.

I blinked a couple of times and felt Adrian, his face deathly pale, looking down at me. And then I felt his familiar hand on my waist. Adrian’s blue eyes, standing two steps below, sparkled right in front of my eyes. But I was the one who looked away from that eternal eye contact first.

When I averted my gaze from him, Adrian put some force into the arm he was holding me with and politely pushed me up the stairs.

I, who had finally come to my senses, immediately pushed Adrian’s arm away and whispered in a small voice,

“Don’t worry about me, whether I fall or not.”

The corner of his mouth, which had been so tightly set, loosened, and he let go of my arm and slightly raised his hands as if to say, ‘As you wish.’

“That was a close one, my lady.”

“Yes, yes. I’ll take care of my own business, so you go to your fiancée.”

Celine, who had been left alone at the door, couldn’t take it anymore and called out to Adrian.

“Adrian! We’ll be late.”

“Adrian? You’re calling him by that name now? Ah, so you’re a loving fiancée, is that it?”

My hurt feelings turned into sharp words without me even realizing it. Adrian hesitated for a moment and then went down to Celine. She smiled broadly at Adrian, who was by her side, and hooked her arm through his before heading outside.

“I shouldn’t have said that last thing.”

After letting all my emotions out, I felt incredibly empty. Usually, I would have gone straight back to my room, but I stubbornly headed to the kitchen to eat. I had a feeling that today was going to be a very long day.

‘Ah… I’m a bit embarrassed, aren’t I?’

Feelings are a nuisance. Everyone has a different way of processing them, but the usual me would not have had such an emotional reaction. It was a bit embarrassing to be so sarcastic, as if I were a girl who just got dumped yesterday, but I quickly erased the thought from my head. It was in the past anyway, and it wasn’t my fault, was it?

As I entered the kitchen, a familiar scent wafted through the air. And as if I were drawn in by the smell, I sat down, and the chef himself brought food over to me.

“What’s this?”

“I don’t know the name. I just tried to imitate the food you made before, my lady.”

“Oh, is this… mushroom porridge?”

I took a big spoonful and put it in my mouth. I hadn’t had much of an appetite lately, but it was so delicious that I completely forgot what had just happened. I looked at the chef’s face and smiled brightly.

“I don’t have much experience with dishes made from rice.”

“It’s really delicious, Frank.”

“You… you remembered my name, my lady?”

“Of course. You’re the best chef I’ve ever met.”

I meant it. I had missed Frank’s food for the past two years I was away from home. I would sometimes think of the dishes he used to make even while I was in the North. It was a surprisingly great comfort.

“…Thank you, my lady.”

“Don’t thank me, Frank. You don’t know. What you’ve given me right now isn’t just food, it’s comfort. I’m the one who should be more grateful.”

After saying that, I focused on my food. I didn’t forget to give him a thumbs-up as a compliment.

While I was mindlessly eating, Sally entered the kitchen.

“My lady, I was wondering where you had gone, and you were here. You should have told me to come.”

“I know. If I had, I wouldn’t have had such a terrible encounter.”

“Pardon?”

“Never mind. But Sally, where have you been? Your face is so red.”

“What? What do you mean my face is red?”

I gestured to her entire face with my finger.

“All of it.”

“Oh, my lady, stop it.”

“What do you mean, ‘Oh, my lady, stop it’? You’re not sick, are you?”

“…I’m not.”

“Oh! If Adrian came, Owen and Cedric must have come with him.”

“Pardon? Ce… Cedric, why?”

“I was thinking it would be nice if they came and ate this porridge. Cedric ate it the last time I made it. But… you’re a bit weird.”

“We-weird? What do you mean?”

“No, you are. There’s something going on…”

“Ahem. If you’re done eating, go upstairs. I’ll comb your hair for you. Hurry, hurry. I’m worried someone might see you.”

“It’s already too late.”