EWOWMAIBTYPF Chapter 202

Chapter 202

 

As soon as I finished speaking, Lucio looked utterly stunned.

‘Did he really think I’d reject him after a confession like that?’

Come to think of it, I’d never really pushed him away in the first place.

His reaction made me laugh.

“Don’t tell me you changed your mind now that I said yes?”

“…Of course not.”

Lucio suddenly grabbed my hand, then lowered his head and kissed the ring finger. Looking up at me, he whispered,

“You better not change your mind either.”

I laughed again and nodded.

For a moment, I hesitated, worried I might be putting Lucio in danger because of me. But at this point, I didn’t see a reason to push him away.

People around us already knew about our relationship. Thinking the Terencium wouldn’t know was just wishful thinking.

Even Master must have noticed that I now had many people I cared about outside of my family.

‘So don’t lose heart. Just keep doing what you’ve always done—protect the people who matter to you.’

Hadn’t I already vowed I wouldn’t let my life be ruined again?

Reminding myself of that firm resolve, I wasn’t afraid anymore.

My fingers didn’t tremble, and I didn’t subconsciously reach for the necklace I always touched when anxious.

Instead, I gripped Lucio’s hand tighter, and the turbulence inside me settled like calm after a storm.

Then, as he looked at me with eyes deeper and more intense than ever, Lucio slowly leaned in and kissed me.

I sighed internally at how he never missed a moment, but I accepted the warmth he offered gladly.

 

***

 

The next day.

From early morning, the imperial palace was in a flurry of activity with the arrival of Grand Duke Belus, his wife, and the former Marquis of Diapel.

Among all the foreign guests visiting for the Foundation Festival, this dinner was the one the Emperor was most focused on.

Not only the royal chefs, but even the palace staff had all been mobilized to prepare the dinner, and in an unusual show of hospitality, Duke Elard had taken charge of guarding the hall in place of the suspended commander of the imperial knights.

Of course, it was absurd for the head of a ducal house and the Minister of Military Affairs to act as a guard.

But knowing Duke Elard’s reputation for unwavering loyalty, he was often called the ‘Emperor’s Sword’, the Grand Duchess and former Marquis merely cast incredulous glances his way without commenting.

Though the dinner began with some tension due to the Empress’s absence, as she had reportedly fallen ill, Prince Nicholas attended in her place. Fortunately, the atmosphere recovered quickly.

Since it wasn’t the First Princess but the Prince who had been invited, the Grand Duke’s family and the former Marquis seemed to immediately catch on to the Emperor’s intentions. They chose to feign ignorance rather than acknowledge it.

The dinner seemed to proceed smoothly, at least on the surface… until the Emperor spoke again and brought the entire room to a halt.

“What… did you just say?”

The Grand Duke, whose gentle appearance didn’t match the deep scowl on his face, asked coldly.

The Grand Duchess and former Marquis looked equally displeased.

But the Emperor, showing not a hint of embarrassment, repeated himself casually.

“What do you mean? That the temple reported suspicious activity in the Forbidden Forest?”

“No, I meant what you said after that.”

When the Grand Duke spoke through gritted teeth, the Emperor nodded, as if finally understanding.

“Ah, you mean the part about uniting your daughter and the Second Prince for the sake of public morale?”

At that moment, the Grand Duchess slammed her fist on the table with a loud bang.

Startled, the Emperor flinched and a chill crept down his neck.

The fresh flowers on the dining table wilted as though hit by winter frost, and crystals of ice formed on the glassware.

Grand Duke Belus, known for his warm and radiant demeanor, was a powerful mage capable of casting magic from all elemental schools but his specialty was clearly ice magic.

He spread his palm open, subtly signaling he was ready to unleash a barrage of sharp ice spells if necessary.

The Emperor flinched at the fierce expressions of both the Grand Duke and Duchess, and Duke Elard quickly stepped forward to shield him.

“You stand before the Emperor, ruler of this empire. Please, compose yourselves.”

At that, the Grand Duchess looked at the Duke with eyes full of betrayal.

The Grand Duke hesitated, then clenched his fist and slowly lowered his arm.

Seeing this, the Emperor smirked faintly.

The Grand Duke, unlike his wife, didn’t have the temperament to openly confront Duke Elard, a close friend.

And Elard would gladly give his life to protect the Emperor—there was nothing to fear.

Relishing his twisted sense of superiority, the Emperor signaled to Duke Elard, who then stepped aside.

By then, the Grand Duke had just barely regained his composure and began to politely decline the proposal.

“Your Majesty, my daughter has only just come of age.”

“Which means she’s at the perfect age to begin marriage discussions.”

“…What nonsense…”

Seeing how unreasonable the Emperor was being, the Grand Duke frowned without realizing it.

But the Emperor continued, ignoring his discomfort.

“The temple believes there’s still a high likelihood of monsters reappearing. Imagine how the people would panic if that became widely known.”

“Quelling unrest in the empire is your responsibility, Your Majesty. You seem to have forgotten—we are not your subjects.”

The Grand Duchess scoffed.

Long ago, her husband had led a risky campaign to root out demon worshippers and push for independence, precisely because they no longer wanted to be entangled with the Empire.

Because he was still officially a vassal of the Empire, the Emperor constantly summoned the Grand Duke under various pretexts, bothering him at every opportunity.

Especially after hearing the news that the Grand Duchess was pregnant, the Emperor had sent an absurd number of gifts for the unborn child to the Grand Duchy, along with a message that he hoped the girl would resemble her mother.

It was then that the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess solidified their resolve to pursue independence.

Her husband, who had spent his life far removed from harming others, even stained his hands with blood to meet the cruel demands the Emperor had laid out as conditions for independence.

In the end, independence was granted, but at a terrible cost.

Their daughter’s disappearance had led to a long and agonizing period of suffering. Those wounds had yet to fully heal, and worse, the danger still loomed.

As she thought of the demon worshippers who were after her daughter, and her daughter who vowed revenge against them, the Grand Duchess clenched her fist.

At that moment, the Emperor spoke in a soft, coaxing tone, as if trying to soothe her.

“Grand Duchess, how can you say this is merely the Empire’s problem? If the Empire falters, the entire continent will fall into chaos—it’s only a matter of time.”

“There is no need for you to worry about that.”

The one who responded was the Grand Duke.

“Surely you don’t believe monsters would discriminate by borders and only appear in the Empire? Even if they did, so long as we all live on this continent, I would never turn a blind eye. If the monsters do return, the Principality of Belus will not stand idly by. We will send both the mages from the Tower and the magic swordsmen to support you.”

After calmly finishing his words, the Grand Duke gently placed his hand over his wife’s clenched fist.

Seeing the couple holding hands so affectionately and looking into each other’s eyes, the Emperor’s gaze flared with jealousy.

“The mages of the Tower, the magic swordsmen, and even a Grand Mage like yourself—even with all that, could you still stand against your daughter?”

The Emperor let his true thoughts slip, and the Grand Duke’s expression instantly turned sharp.

Then…

“So you’re saying my granddaughter is so formidable that, for the safety of the Empire, she must marry the Prince and remain here? Is that truly what Your Majesty is saying?”

The voice came from the former Marquis of Diapel, who had been silent until now, and it carried an air of disbelief.

As a man who had devoted his life to the Empire, a loyal servant beyond question, even the Emperor could not help showing an awkward expression at the Marquis’s pointed question.

Still, he had no intention of backing down. Looking away slightly, the Emperor said to the Grand Duke.

“I understand how precious your daughter must be, but I hope you won’t think too poorly of my proposal.”

“You proposed this marriage because you want to use my daughter. How can you expect us not to take offense?”

“‘Use’ is a bit much, isn’t it? I’m talking about a noble cause—the peace of the continent. Isn’t that what marriage is often about? Of course, it’s wonderful if love and compatibility are present, but assessing the benefits of a marriage is only natural. My proposal wouldn’t be a disadvantage to your daughter, either.”

At those words, the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess looked at the Emperor in stunned disbelief.

Even if he offered them the entire Empire, they wouldn’t blink, how could he say it wasn’t a disadvantage?

Then the Emperor pushed things to the brink.

“Every noble dreams of their child having a claim to the throne. I promise you this: if your daughter marries Nicholas, I will immediately hold a ceremony to name him Crown Prince. Your daughter will become the future Empress, mother of the Empire.”

“…!”

At that, Nicholas, who had been sitting stiffly on edge this whole time, opened his eyes wide.

He had suspected something when he was told to attend this dinner, but now the Emperor had finally said it out loud: a declaration about the future succession.

Before coming to the banquet, Nicholas had gone to see Lucio and expressed his growing anxiety.

But Lucio had only responded with an oddly calm demeanor, telling him not to worry as if he knew something Nicholas didn’t. Just like Duke Elard, who remained relaxed even now in this highly tense atmosphere.

Nicholas understood: even if he became Emperor by marrying the Grand Duke’s daughter, if he were to be at odds with Lucio, he would never realize the dream he truly desired.

So at that moment, Nicholas made up his mind. Even if it meant incurring the Emperor’s wrath, he had to be the one to refuse first.

“What does the Duke think of this marriage?”

The Emperor suddenly turned and asked Duke Elard.

“Don’t you think they’d make a fine pair?”

He looked toward the Grand Duchess with a smirk, confident that Duke Elard, his most loyal supporter, would never betray him.

Suddenly, he found himself wondering how she would react if her daughter’s marriage were to hinge on the life of her only friend.

“I…”

And at that moment, Duke Elard finally opened his mouth.