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Chapter 13
“Your outfit for tomorrow’s wedding, Your Highness the Crown Prince. I’ve prepared an olive-colored tailcoat that will complement your fair complexion—what do you think?”
It was that evening, while Renatus was reviewing the Crown Prince Palace’s budget documents, that Madam Pereto barged into his office and began an unsolicited report about wedding attire.
She was going to dress him in something that suited her own tastes anyway. The clothes she forced on him were so crude that one could hardly believe they were the work of an imperial designer—it was Madam Pereto’s vile hobby.
Did she torment my mother like this as well?
Renatus stared expressionlessly at the elderly noblewoman, who had once been his mother’s lady-in-waiting, and spoke.
“Is there anything else? I’d prefer something darker.”
Calling it olive was generous—the color looked more like something far less refined. It was the sort of outfit people would refuse to wear even if paid.
If he showed up in that tomorrow…
‘The Crown Prince must not be happy about his younger brother’s marriage.’
He could already picture his stepmother putting on a hurt expression and making a scene. Just imagining it made him feel exhausted.
“Well, I think it suits Your Highness quite well.”
“Either something brighter—or entirely darker would be better, Madam Pereto.”
He was long used to these pointless power struggles. When Renatus didn’t back down as usual, Madam Pereto frowned, looking troubled.
“Very well. If it does not please Your Highness… though I cannot guarantee we’ll find a tailcoat to your liking on such short notice.”
She would surely go before the Emperor tomorrow and complain that the Crown Prince was being difficult over clothing, painting him as vain. And whatever new outfit she prepared would likely be just as awful.
Still, anything was better than that miserable color.
“More importantly,” Renatus said, “why are the attendants’ wages set this low in the budget, Madam Pereto?”
“Ah, that.”
She continued calmly.
“As you know, the Crown Prince Palace’s budget is not very generous… so we had no choice but to reduce their wages.”
She lowered her voice, as if sharing a secret.
“But don’t worry. This is confidential, but Her Majesty has agreed to make up the difference. After all, it would be difficult for attendants to remain loyal to Your Highness on such meager pay.”
This was how Empress Julia secured loyalty from her attendants.
Of course, Renatus himself had the means to pay them sufficiently from his private funds. Before his maternal family fell and their inheritance was seized by the imperial family, it had been secretly passed on to him.
But the Empress would relentlessly investigate the source of that money, so he refrained. Besides, there was no reason for him to take care of attendants chosen by her.
“That will be all.”
Feeling a sudden wave of fatigue, Renatus waved his hand. Madam Pereto smiled faintly.
“Yes, Your Highness. You must attend the wedding tomorrow, so please don’t overexert yourself.”
Leaving behind words that sounded almost considerate, she withdrew.
There isn’t a single person on my side in this vast palace.
The thought made it hard to breathe. Renatus instinctively reached for a cigar—but then paused, lowering it again.
A certain woman had come to mind.
So she’s marrying Cosimo after all.
It was only natural. Unless the Empress intervened first, Eleanor had neither the reason nor the power to refuse the marriage.
And yet… why did it leave such a bitter taste?
The sense of shared loss—both having lost their mothers—felt like too weak a connection to explain it.
“Your Highness, Lady Eleanor has come to see you.”
At that moment, news arrived of a completely unexpected visitor.
And then—
“Will you marry me?”
An unbelievable situation unfolded.
* * *
“Please become my husband.”
Though her voice trembled slightly, Eleanor’s eyes were resolute as she made her request. She could clearly see the confusion on Renatus’s face.
She knew. The chances of rejection were higher.
Logically, marrying her half-brother’s fiancée made no sense at all. By any normal standard, it was impossible.
Even so, she had judged that Crown Prince Renatus—the enemy of her enemy—would offer her better odds of revenge than the naive Prince Cosimo.
High risk, high reward.
This was a revenge she was staking her entire life on—she could not afford to play it safe.
Besides, the thought of becoming Empress Julia’s daughter-in-law, even on the surface, filled her with disgust.
“I will help you, Your Highness.”
Renatus remained silent, his brow furrowed. The stillness made Eleanor grow anxious.
“Why are you dressed like that?”
“…What?”
Caught off guard by the sudden question, Eleanor blinked.
Well, she had rushed out of the Heather estate, so her appearance was far from neat. She had barely managed to get here by hitching a ride with a passerby.
Her face flushed slightly.
Not exactly the proper appearance for a proposal…
“My apologies. This is hardly appropriate for the situation—”
She stopped abruptly.
Renatus had suddenly dropped to one knee in front of her and pressed against her left knee.
“Ah…!”
A sharp pain shot through her, and Eleanor bit her lip. At the same time, his frown deepened.
“You came like this.”
Blood seeped from her knee, and Eleanor gave an awkward smile.
“I must have fallen while running. I went to the Heather estate under the pretense of attending a tea gathering—and then slipped away.”
“…From the Heather estate to here?”
“Yes.”
“That’s not a distance you can walk.”
“I caught a ride from someone passing by.”
Silence fell again.
Was there something wrong with that answer?
Just as she concluded she couldn’t figure it out—
Renatus let out a short sigh, stood, and suddenly lifted her into his arms.
Startled, Eleanor instinctively grabbed his shoulder.
“Your Highness—!”
“Quiet.”
His low voice stopped her.
“Do you intend to let everyone know you’re here?”
Eleanor quickly shook her head.
He carried her to a couch in the corner of the sitting room, set her down, then retrieved a large box. Inside were ointments and medical supplies.
Kneeling before her again, he opened a jar and said,
“If you don’t mind, please lift your dress.”
His tone made it difficult to refuse, even if she wanted to.
For a moment, Eleanor almost complied out of sheer pressure—but then she shook her head.
“I cannot show my bare legs to a man who is not my husband.”
Renatus let out a soft laugh.
“Then I’ll leave. Apply it yourself.”
“No.”
She answered firmly.
“I would like you to do it, Your Highness. As my future husband.”
In other words—accept my proposal.
Renatus, who had intended to hear her explanation later, let out another quiet laugh.
“That’s not something I expected to hear from a woman who is to become my brother’s wife tomorrow.”
“I’ve heard you’ve been having difficulties because of Madam Pereto. That the entire palace is filled with the Empress’s eyes and ears, leaving you bound.”
Eleanor spoke calmly.
“And that once Prince Cosimo is married tomorrow, it won’t be long before you are forced to marry a lady chosen by the Empress.”
“….”
“If you marry me, you won’t need to take in a spy like Madam Pereto as your wife.”
“And what about the one already here?”
Renatus asked flatly.
“Can you deal with her as well?”
“You cannot cast her out because the Empress is your mother in name. But I am different. Even if I defy her, I alone will bear the blame—your reputation will remain untouched.”
In short, she would play the villain.
So that Renatus could remain in the light.
For someone seeking revenge against her own father, that was not frightening.
“So?”
Renatus tilted his head slightly.
“Is that supposed to be a reason for me to take you as my wife?”
“……”
“How can I trust you? You could be a spy sent by the Empress.”
Though his words were cold, Eleanor sensed something else in his voice—
A hint of interest.
…It must be her imagination.
