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Chapter : 14
The Emperor had just finished his audience and was still wearing his golden crown and purple mantle.
Agatha and Enoch immediately rose from their seats and paid their respects.
“We greet the sun of the Empire.”
“Welcome, Agatha. And it’s been a while, Marquis Aratus.”
The Emperor entered with a smile, looking to be in an excellent mood.
After lightly straightening his clothes, he sat in the seat of honor and asked,
“So. I hear the Marquis has asked to marry my eldest daughter?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Enoch, now seated, replied respectfully.
“A war hero and my eldest daughter. Haha, what a fine match.”
It meant that, at least, he found the prospective groom pleasing.
The Emperor’s satisfied gaze then shifted to Agatha.
“Since the Marquis was present last time as well, I won’t waste words. Are you prepared?”
“I did my best to show my gratitude for Your Majesty’s consideration.”
“Is that so?”
The proposal Agatha had prepared was passed to the Emperor through the chief attendant.
〈On the Development of a New Trade Route to the Eastern Continent and the Increase of Tax Revenue〉
When the Emperor saw the first page, the corners of his mouth softened.
“Indeed, my eldest daughter. You’ve brought both a perfect groom and a counterproposal, as if you had walked straight out of my very thoughts.”
“You flatter me. You must be hungry—how about looking it over while we dine? You have another engagement afterward, don’t you?”
“Shall we? Still, since it’s a luncheon long overdue, I made sure to leave plenty of time. Marquis, don’t misunderstand.”
As he spoke, the Emperor rang a bell. The chief attendant came to prepare the wine and added quietly,
“His Majesty ordered that only the finest dishes be selected today for the young lady and the Marquis.”
“Is that so? I’m really looking forward to it. The head chef here always cooks exactly to my taste.”
Agatha smiled and spoke to Enoch. Meanwhile, the Emperor, equally pleased, was reading through the proposal.
He likely wouldn’t find any flaws at all—it had been prepared precisely to suit his preferences.
The first appetizer served was salmon.
Fresh raw fish topped with assorted vegetables, perfectly seasoned with a hint of sweetness.
It was the handiwork of the Emperor’s personal chef, who knew Agatha’s tastes inside and out.
While the Emperor barely touched his food, Agatha neatly finished her hors d’oeuvres one after another. Seeing this, Enoch asked,
“You seem to like seafood.”
“Yes. I like most kinds of boneless sashimi. If we ever go to a coastal city, shall we try fishing together? I’m not very good, but it was always so nice to cook and eat fish we’d just caught.”
After a brief silence, Enoch replied,
“I’ve fished in rivers before. I hope that experience might help.”
“When you were young?”
“No. On the battlefield, when supplies were short, we sometimes had to procure food locally. I’ve caught a few fish myself.”
So all kinds of things really do happen in war.
As Agatha received a large steak for the main course, she found herself momentarily worrying about his nutrition.
Then—
“Seeing how well the two of you get along, I suppose I have nothing left to worry about!”
The Emperor laughed heartily and pushed aside the proposal he had finished reviewing. Agatha glanced briefly at Enoch, then bowed her head.
“I am honored, Your Majesty. How did you find the plan I prepared?”
“Oh, why be so formal? It’s not as if you’ve ever disappointed me even once.”
In high spirits, the Emperor gulped down his wine. To be honest, the price Agatha had offered in exchange for choosing a husband was no small thing.
She was prepared to invest heavily in expanding ports and cities, and above all, she had conceded a significant portion of the customs duties to the imperial family.
“Marquis. My eldest daughter is this clever and even treats her godfather so well. You must cherish Agatha dearly. Understand? I’ll be watching closely with my own two eyes.”
After scolding Enoch for no real reason, the Emperor asked with a pointed look, still far more interested in this than in his food.
“So. When do you plan to hold the wedding? The sooner, the better.”
“Soon would be good, but we’ll need time to prepare. It would have to be next month at the earliest, Your Majesty. If you decide on a date within the month, we’ll follow your will.”
“Right. Then early next month would be best…”
Trailing off for a moment, the Emperor added after some thought,
“I’ll send word today to the envoy dispatched to the Myneucor Empire. A month should be enough to receive a reply, and then you’ll have to step in. Will you have the time for that?”
“……”
With enough money and resources, even a wedding could be prepared in a month—but for the bride herself to make time amid all that was another matter.
“Hmm, Agatha, you’ll also need to visit Palabi Island. There’s the expansion of the city and port, and we may even have to allocate a district or so to the Myneucor Empire…”
The Emperor went on and on. In short, there simply wouldn’t be enough time.
Agatha had thought to proceed with the negotiations slowly.
But from the perspective of the ambitious Emperor, who had nearly finalized the new eastern trade route, that was unacceptable.
After thinking for a moment, Agatha let out a sigh.
“Then shall we postpone the wedding a little? The Myneucor Empire will probably want to inspect Palabi Island as well, so if I meet them there this time—”
“Agatha.”
“Yes?”
Her eyes widened. Enoch, who had cut in politely but firmly, was looking straight at her.
“Palabi Island is a long journey away. And wouldn’t it be safer for you to already have a husband before meeting the Myneucor envoy?”
“Th-that’s true. They might even demand marriage again…”
The Emperor agreed absentmindedly.
Agatha herself felt oddly taken aback.
The man who had remained silent unless questioned had spoken up of his own accord.
“And didn’t you say you wanted to go to an island or a coastal city?”
He neatly set down his utensils and, holding a glass of red wine, spoke in a low voice.
“Hold the wedding first, and include Palabi Island in our honeymoon itinerary. I have no intention of sending you alone—so it would be good for us to go together.”
The Second Prince’s Palace in the Imperial Castle of the Myneucor Empire.
In a lavish bedroom filled with crimson drapes and golden embroidery, naked bodies lay scattered around Prince Fernand Myneumconti, the Second Prince.
Agatha’s second ex-husband was slowly waking up to the sound of something tapping against the window.
“Ugh, what is it…?”
Spotless silver hair, seductive red eyes, a smooth face, and a well-toned, muscular body.
The greatest womanizer of the Myneucor Empire sprang into motion the moment he saw the carrier pigeon.
“Mm, Your Highness…?”
Normally he would have coaxed her to sleep more, but now he was too busy checking the message.
Several long lines written on a tightly rolled piece of paper.
“…She’s getting married again?”
After reading it, Fernand clenched his teeth. It had already been ten years since Agatha divorced him.
Since then, Agatha had never once come near the Myneucor Empire.
Fernand, who had regretted it ever since the divorce, couldn’t help but keep track of her movements while yearning for her.
Ten years had passed.
Agatha had always been of great interest among nobles, and she had many relatives deeply interested in her as well, so it wasn’t hard to follow her whereabouts.
And now—had it only been about two months since her last divorce?
She was getting married again. This time, to some so-called war hero, a brutal-looking man with scars on his face.
“Isn’t that enough? After marrying and divorcing so many times, shouldn’t you be choosing from among your familiar ex-husbands by now?!”
They say the old is best.
Honestly, Fernand believed that among all the men in the world, he was better than any of them.
He was handsome! Good in bed! And this time, he was confident he could treat her right if they remarried!
“And yet, with such a perfect candidate waiting right here!”
“……”
The women around him, knowing that there was nothing to gain from provoking Fernand in this state, all held their breath.
After venting for a while, he shouted,
“Is there anyone outside?!”
“Yes, Your Highness the Second Prince! This servant is here!”
“I’m going to my office. Prepare at once!”
“Yes, Your Highness!”
First, he needed to find out exactly who this new opponent was. Throwing on a robe, Fernand strode boldly out of the bedroom.
After returning to the First Nobilis Residence in the capital, Agatha went out into society for the first time in a while. It had been about a week since the wedding had been set for a month later.
The place she chose to host her grand salon was Nerta Hill on the outskirts of the capital—a beautiful spot where visitor numbers were controlled by reservation for various reasons.
Agatha solved the problem by renting the entire hill for the day.
Countless noblewomen and young ladies accepted the invitation, and for safety’s sake, the city guard and the Imperial Knights were also dispatched.
It was a clear day, as if blessing her long-awaited outing.
On a hill overlooking a valley, filled with late spring and early summer flowers, countless noble gazebos had been set up.
Agatha wore a cocktail hat made with ribbons and veils, and a dress dyed a bright shade of blue.
Her gazebo stood at the center of the hill. Around it were seated influential noblewomen and young ladies.
The moment Agatha appeared, they flocked to her side.
“Lady Agatha! It’s been so long!”
“Congratulations on your marriage. We heard you received such a romantic proposal.”
“Your outfit today is absolutely beautiful. We were all talking about how lovely your wedding dress will be this time.”
“Are you feeling better now? We’ve all been so worried about you, my lady.”
