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Chapter : 19
Agatha was slowly growing sick of the disgraceful behavior of her second husband, a man utterly obsessed with women.
Then one day, an incident occurred that she simply could not overlook.
‘Who is that?’
A young boy stood in the center of the palace hall, with snow-white silver hair and dull purplish eyes.
She asked in disbelief, though in truth there was no need to ask.
A child with hair and eye color so similar to Fernand’s could only be his illegitimate son.
“Your Highness, he is not someone you need concern yourself with.”
“His Highness the Crown Prince will take care of it.”
“So it’s something Fernand should deal with.”
A man who did nothing but roll around with women—what he would concern himself with was obvious. Agatha cut off those who desperately tried to defend Fernand.
“That’s enough.”
She returned straight to her room and began writing a letter to her godfather, Warmire II.
Fernand burst in just as she finished the letter.
“Agatha, my young Vi.”
With his disheveled hair and a shirt thrown on carelessly, it was obvious he had just gotten out of bed.
The heavy scent of perfume from the woman who had been with him brushed past her nose. Agatha did not bother hiding her displeasure at the nauseating smell.
“So you saw that brat, Adan?”
Fernand chuckled as he perched himself on the edge of Agatha’s desk.
“I forgot to tell them not to let him catch your eye. But Agatha, I’m a victim too.”
He then began spouting excuses that could hardly even be called excuses.
“That adorable little thing tricked me and had a child, can you believe it? I was so shocked!”
He pretended to cry, claiming he was the victim. It was the most shameless nonsense Agatha had ever heard.
“You were shocked?”
“I really was!”
Fernand grinned as he grabbed Agatha’s hand and placed it over his chest.
“Can’t you feel my heart pounding from the shock?”
Contrary to his words, his heart was perfectly calm, and the warmth against her palm only fueled Agatha’s anger.
No matter how much I need the Maynucor Empire’s succession rights, I can’t live with a man like this for the rest of my life.
So Agatha added one final sentence to the letter she would send to the Emperor.
“I must divorce him, Your Majesty.”
And a few months later, Agatha returned to the Roxbard Empire. It was her second divorce.
Pulling herself out of that past she didn’t even want to think about, Agatha raised her head while suppressing her irritation.
The wedding reception was not over yet. At the very least, she had to smile and finish the schedule gracefully here.
While Agatha danced with Antoni, Enoch was conversing with other nobles.
Most of them were figures who wielded great influence at court.
The most powerful among them was Count Thear, who owned the largest granary region in the empire.
It was no exaggeration to say that half of the food consumed in the capital—and in the empire’s greatest castle—came from Count Thear’s hands.
Since his grain also supplied the imperial palace, he enjoyed the Emperor’s deep trust.
The moment Agatha saw Count Thear clasping Enoch’s hand in a handshake, she stepped toward them.
“Enoch, have you been waiting long?”
As the hostess of the banquet appeared after finishing her dance with the Crown Prince, the expressions of Count Thear and the central nobles changed.
Aratus, which was currently restoring its status as a prestigious house, was a fine partner for exchange—but it was no match for Nobilis.
Three months had already passed since her sixth divorce.
The Nobilis family, which exerted enormous influence even within the court, was now the focus of intense interest and overtures from the central nobility.
“No, my lady.”
Enoch naturally offered his arm to Agatha and guided her into the conversation.
“I hear Count Thear has succeeded in cultivating a new crop.”
“Oh my, is that so?”
The count quickly cut in.
“You’ll see if you check it yourself, but the wedding gift I presented this time was precisely that successfully cultivated crop, Marchioness.”
When Agatha looked at him, he openly bragged, listing the advantages of the new crop.
“We imported wheat native to the southern regions and succeeded in improving it.”
He went on at length about how the grains were much larger and sweeter than ordinary wheat, then spoke with a meaningful expression.
“To congratulate your marriage, I would like to present you with the first harvest. And if this grain should lead to even better news, would that not be beneficial to both of us?”
Agatha realized that Count Thear was using the new crop as a pretext to reach out to Aratus—and further still, to Nobilis.
There was no way the amount of grain harvested in the empire’s greatest granary could be small.
He must have heard that the Nobilis trading company had recently been purchasing massive quantities of wheat to supply both the old Aratus territory and the new one.
“I’ve heard you’ve taken a great interest in wheat lately. Would you invite me to your estate sometime, Marquis?”
For her husband, who would need a steady supply of wheat for the time being, Count Thear—who owned the empire’s greatest granary—was not a bad partner.
Well, he’s the one being asked. If it suits him, he’ll nod.
As expected, the man who understood all the implications slowly nodded.
“I look forward to tasting it. Thank you for the gift, Count Thear.”
I’ll have to review the contract when we return.
Following Count Thear, the next to approach them amicably was Count Molfinié, the Minister of Finance.
“You two make a splendid couple.”
He seemed highly pleased with the marriage between Enoch—who had secured territory that would become a new trade route—and Agatha, whose union would give them the upper hand in negotiations with the Maynucor Empire.
Given that increased tax revenue meant greater power for the Ministry of Finance, the minister enthusiastically blessed their marriage.
“I have not seen a more magnificent wedding in recent memory.”
As Molfinié, from a family that had produced ministers of finance for generations, appeared, nobles who had been waiting for an opening began to gather one by one.
“I agree wholeheartedly. As expected of Lady Nobilis—no, I should say, Marchioness Aratus now. Truly worthy of the title.”
Leaning on Enoch’s arm, Agatha listened as the blatant flattery poured in.
“Lady Agatha, would you spare us some time as well?”
After several groups had come and gone, those who approached next were Agatha’s closest associates.
She greeted first Iris Domunia, Marchioness Domunia, who stood at the front.
“Thank you for attending the wedding, Lady Iris.”
“You look absolutely beautiful today, Lady Agatha. Congratulations to you, Marquis.”
Once Iris finished, Lady Kate Evline, daughter of the Duke of Evline, spoke up.
“Congratulations on your marriage. You’ve probably heard it countless times already, but today’s wedding was truly wonderful.”
“Oh ho ho. Won’t all the salon decorations be changed starting next week?”
Another close associate, Countess Cilia Cameron, chimed in with praise for the wedding.
“It was a hastily prepared wedding, so I’m glad you think so highly of it.”
“It didn’t feel rushed at all. I was especially impressed by the wedding arch.”
“I loved the crystals decorating the outdoor area. I want to decorate my own garden like that.”
After that, comments continued to fly about how beautiful the venue was, how splendid the wedding had been, and how well the bride and groom suited each other.
Amid the flood of praise, Agatha subtly pushed Enoch forward, firmly imprinting her seventh husband in her inner circle’s minds.
“The Marquis helped a great deal. He personally brought the Aratus retainers to the estate and worked alongside them.”
Hearing this anecdote, another close associate—Lady Vanessa Beatrice, daughter of a marquis—sparkled with interest.
“Oh my. The Marquis of Aratus is quite attentive.”
“It reminds me of when I prepared for my own wedding. My mother and I were completely overwhelmed.”
“I hear you’re going far for your honeymoon?”
“That’s right. While we’re at it, we plan to check on how construction in the territory is progressing. Since it will become a center of trade, I think it deserves some attention.”
The expressions of both her close associates and the surrounding nobles shifted at once. Negotiations had not yet begun, but the fact that it had been mentioned indirectly was a signal: if they wanted to get involved, they should start preparing their terms.
“Ah, ah, I see. By the way, when you’re developing the island, will you be accepting investments?”
“Expanding the city and improving the port will cost a great deal of gold. I’m sure many nobles would be eager to lend a hand, my lady.”
“Well, for now, I plan to focus on internal administration. I think my husband will handle the external matters.”
In an instant, all eyes turned to Enoch. Looking down at Agatha standing close beside him, he pulled her a little closer and spoke.
“It’s not a decision to make without seeing the site firsthand. We’ll consider it after returning from our honeymoon.”
“Ah, y-yes. Please have a safe journey.”
“I hope you have a wonderful time.”
Only after entertaining the now even more eager guests for several more hours did the reception finally come to an end.
