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Chapter 12
So, “that day” arrived completely unexpectedly.
It was less than a week after the new emperor’s coronation ceremony.
It was a very beautiful morning. My father had finished breakfast and was preparing to go to the palace, and I had overslept, so I had to eat breakfast not in the dining room, but across from my mother in the living room.
The menu was nothing special: tasteless porridge, a few seasonal fruits, and yogurt made from fermented cow’s milk.
Tch, I was sure that today’s breakfast was supposed to be fresh chorizo straight from the farm, well-made scrambled eggs, and salad.
Apparently, because I overslept, they had mercilessly changed the menu. My parents hated seeing a noble being lazy more than anything else.
Well, it was my fault for oversleeping in front of them.
My mother, with her elegant hands, was casually opening envelopes with a letter opener. Part of her morning routine was sorting through the mail.
I kept adding honey to my porridge, trying to avoid her noticing. The honey was supposed to go into the yogurt, but I had no choice.
I had always disliked porridge. How could anyone eat something that tasted like paper mush? But I couldn’t leave any behind—my parents hated wasting food too.
Maybe with this much honey, it’ll be okay. I scooped up the honey-soaked porridge and took a bite, satisfied.
That was the moment my mother, still focused on the newsletter she was reading, spoke plainly.
“Do you want to go on a marriage meeting?”
“Pfft!”
The porridge I was eating got stuck in my throat. I hastily covered my mouth with a napkin, avoiding a scene, but I still had to cough several times until my eyes watered.
“Cough, cough…! What did you say?”
“I’m asking if you would go on a marriage meeting.”
“What do you mean? Really out of the blue!”
I shouted, flustered. My mother calmly folded the Pacific Times and set it down on the living room table with a thud.
My eyes went to the city newspaper. On the front page was the face of Rubellus, and in bold letters beneath it:
<Coronation Scandal>
<New Emperor Misreads Declaration in Front of Nobles?! Full Original Text Exclusive!>
He misread the declaration? The Emperor?
I leaned forward, examining the newspaper closely.
“It’s not really out of the blue,” my mother said firmly, and I turned to look at her.
She handed me a pile of mail she had neatly sorted—colorful, elegant envelopes stacked high.
“What’s all this?”
“These are wedding invitations for the next two months.”
“Wedding invitations?”
Why are there so many? I picked up the one on top. It was for the daughter of Count Morelli… a familiar name. I swallowed hard in shock.
While I was inspecting the invitations, my mother sighed and explained.
“Nobles in the capital are rushing to get married. If the Emperor declares a royal marriage, there will be an unspoken ban on marriage for the next year, meaning any weddings would be delayed quite a bit.”
So whether it’s arranged marriage or love marriage, they’re trying to get married quickly before it becomes impossible.
But what does this have to do with me? I hesitated, looking at my mother.
“But I’m not thinking about it for now…”
“Child, I’m not forcing you to go on a marriage meeting.”
My mother took a sip from her teacup, then let out a quiet sigh.
“And just so you know, there are many paths ahead of you besides marriage meetings. You’re part of the Wildenbiston family. You could choose love, or declare that you want to help your family. But I can no longer stand by and watch you do nothing as you are now.”
I listened, raising my head to meet her eyes. Layers of love and worry shone in her gaze.
“I’m not asking you to go on a marriage meeting for the family’s honor. If you enter the market of life, people will flock to benefit from our family. Our family is still strong, after all. And by doing so, you’ll gain something too: the ability to judge people, to see yourself objectively, reason logically for practical benefit, and, if luck is on your side, someone who can support you.”
She lifted her lips in a soft smile.
“I know it’s been hard. But please understand your mother’s concern for your future and your life.”
“…Yes.”
I nodded. There was no helping it. How could I rebel when she said it like that? I slumped my shoulders and got up. The porridge I had eaten only a bite of had completely hardened.
“I’ll think about it, but please forgive me for leaving some breakfast.”
“Fine. But remember, you’re still under house arrest. Stay in your room today. If you use the study, you must ask first.”
“…Yes, ma’am.”
I dragged my slippers as I left the living room. But my mother didn’t know that I still held the invitation in my hand, and that no matter what, I planned to go out today.
As Ayra slowly disappeared beyond the landing of the staircase, a hand rested lightly on her shoulder. The Lady of Wildenbiston turned to look, a faint smile on her face—it was her husband.
The Duke of Wildenbiston, with his neatly groomed mustache, offered his handkerchief to his wife as if waiting for the perfect moment.
“I picked it myself since you didn’t choose. Don’t blame me if it doesn’t suit you.”
“It’s very well chosen.”
She smiled, took the handkerchief, folded it skillfully, and pinned it to his chest.
It looked like a simple gesture, but the draped handkerchief hung beautifully like a flower.
The Duke gently kissed his wife’s forehead. She closed her eyes, receiving the kiss, then whispered softly.
“You told her to go on a marriage meeting, didn’t you?”
“Good. What did she say?”
“She said she’d think about it. But even if she doesn’t want to go, I’ll send her. I think she needs a new turning point. I have a gut feeling that we can’t leave her be any longer… Are you going to the palace?”
“Hmm.”
The Duke nodded while stroking his mustache. His wife smiled again.
“They know you’re about to retire, and the palace staff is clinging to you.”
“It’s not that.”
“Oh?”
The Duke hesitated for a moment, looking slightly troubled.
“Well… my dear, I might have to postpone our moving plans. We should tell the movers to reschedule.”
“What? What do you mean?”
“The provisional successor for the Chancellor last night, Count Walden, was suddenly arrested. Accused of bribery, he was said to have sold offices to nobles on the northern frontier. The Emperor is very angry. He’s a key figure among the new nobility and has been someone the Emperor relied on for a long time. So today, there’s an emergency meeting. They need to discuss measures.”
“I see.”
The Duchess covered her mouth, startled, but quickly composed herself and nodded.
“So, does that mean you’ll continue as Chancellor for now?”
“It’s still uncertain. The Imperial Council’s appointments have been completely postponed. They had already assembled a new cabinet in line with the Emperor’s preferences, but now that Count Walden is in this situation, they will likely spend more time investigating the current officials… Actually…”
The Duke frowned and fell into thought for a moment.
“…I don’t really know either, my dear.”
In truth, the Duke was very flustered. Everything was happening differently from what he had expected and planned.
He remembered the secret agreement he had made with the Emperor when he was still Crown Prince, a trust-bound pact he had not even shared with his wife, the Duchess.
According to that pact, punishing Count Walden was not supposed to happen yet. This time, it should have been his “turn.”
Things were going badly.
Still, the Duke continued speaking slowly.
“The Emperor has long surpassed my understanding. I cannot presume to know His Majesty’s intentions. The former Emperor—now the Retired Emperor—was hot-tempered and acted swiftly according to his will, but the current Emperor… sometimes His thoughts are unpredictable.”
Even now, it was true.
But that didn’t mean he could give up understanding the current situation. He had to meet the Emperor and ask directly: what is happening, and what is being planned?
The only clue…
The Duke’s eyes suddenly lit up with a strange glimmer. A detail from a few weeks ago, at the coronation, had been bothering him.
Ayra.
Could it… be because of his daughter?
The Duke narrowed his eyes.
