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Chapter 63
How About Postponing the Wedding?
A brief silence filled the air.
Chancellor Orteca, noticing something unusual about Leandro, asked:
“Sir Pelsis, is there some kind of problem?”
“…Could you tell me which parts of the rumors were malicious?”
“If I had to specify, the worst was how they were twisted to make it seem as if the Duchess of Blanchet were the root of all the trouble.”
Chancellor Orteca furrowed his brows and shrugged, as though troubled.
“The truth is, the Blanchet couple only visited Count Hetel’s estate by coincidence. In fact, it was the Hetel family that tried to extort money by using the Duchess.”
“…”
Leandro clenched his fists tightly.
‘Chancellor Orteca isn’t the type to spout nonsense.’
Though just as inscrutable as the Duchess herself, he wasn’t the sort of man to make mistakes in a trial conducted in the Emperor’s name.
‘But Mother said—’
It wasn’t just the Marchioness of Pelsis. Everyone around Leandro spoke as if Count Hetel’s family had been tricked by Estelle’s schemes.
‘So they were all slandering her?’
That made even less sense.
‘Then what is the truth?’
Leandro didn’t want to believe that everyone around him had been wrong.
‘Unfortunately, I’ve done nothing wrong. I can’t apologize for a crime that doesn’t exist, can I?’
Those indigo eyes of Estelle’s had been unwavering, firm, without a trace of shame. Yet Leandro had dismissed even that as her ignorance.
‘But if it turns out that everything around me has been wrong…’
Never once had he doubted his world.
The crest of the Pelsis Marquessate was a shield engraved with tulips. As the symbol declared, Pelsis stood to protect the Empire, defending it with good deeds alongside the temple.
Leandro too had sought to be that shield, guarding a just and orderly Empire.
‘Just remember one thing.’
But his shield had been sullied with filth beyond belief. He hurried to wipe it away before anyone else could see.
‘Just because you don’t want to believe it doesn’t make falsehoods into truth. The truth doesn’t exist in the shape you want it to.’
Yet no matter how hard he wiped, the shield never came clean.
“…This is completely different from what Diana told me.”
It was then that Crown Prince Hessen spoke in a voice full of shock. When Leandro raised his head, the prince too looked grim.
“How could such a thing happen?”
“I found it baffling as well. The case I mediated kept spreading in ways contrary to fact.”
At Chancellor Orteca’s answer, the Crown Prince lowered his eyes and asked:
“Then, Chancellor, do you know more about this duel?”
“Well now, isn’t it something His Highness of Roium ought to know better than I?”
The Crown Prince rose from his seat.
“Indeed. That was a thoughtless question.”
With a bitter smile, he left in haste—forgetting even to wish Leandro good fortune in the duel.
But the man in question was in no state to care.
After Orteca left, Leandro sat alone in the waiting room, fingering the proud crest of the Order of White Night.
Time passed.
“Sir Pelsis, the hour of the duel has come.”
Knock, knock.
“Please move to the arena now… Sir Pelsis?”
Receiving no answer, the attendant had no choice but to open the door. His eyes widened.
The room was empty.
The duel was held at the Imperial Arena.
Duke Johan Blanchet versus Commander Leandro Pelsis of the Imperial Knights.
It was rare for nobles themselves to participate directly, rarer still for two men of such high standing.
“They say Duke Blanchet himself requested the duel to defend his wife’s honor.”
“He must truly cherish her. No one can doubt his devotion now.”
Still, Estelle had been only an adoptee of House Libertan. Many whispered that Johan must have had ulterior motives for marrying her.
‘Even if she lacks Libertan blood…’
‘How could he love her sincerely, when he himself destroyed her family?’
Into the arena stepped the most unlikely of pairs:
The woman of fallen Libertan.
And the man who had destroyed Libertan for treason.
A man whose own house had once been ruined by Libertan as well.
They should have been sworn enemies. Yet together they looked strangely full of affection. Anyone who saw them found it harder to doubt their love than to believe it.
‘Are they truly in love?’
Clang—
The bell rang, and Johan descended into the arena.
Estelle waved her hand in encouragement. But Leandro did not appear.
“That Sir Pelsis should be late—how odd. Surely he won’t fail to appear altogether?”
“Impossible. He’s a knight of White Night, a man who knows honor.”
The nobles trusted in the proud Leandro they had always known.
But as more time passed, even their ironclad faith began to waver.
“Could something have happened on the way?”
“Or perhaps he feared facing Duke Blanchet?”
“Now that’s far too much!”
Arms folded, Johan asked the referee, Chancellor Orteca:
“Is it not time to begin?”
“Indeed… I worry something may have happened to Sir Pelsis.”
Orteca turned to the attendants. But those who had gone to look only brought back an unexpected answer.
“Forgive me. Sir Pelsis was not in the waiting room.”
“Then where has he gone?”
“He left no word with us…”
All eyes turned toward Miryu, sitting in the stands. Her face had gone pale, staring at the entranceway.
‘Why… why would he…?’
She had trusted Leandro. No matter who Duke Blanchet was, he could not defeat the Empire’s strongest knight in a duel.
So she had done nothing.
Prince Hessen laid a steadying hand on her shoulder.
“Don’t worry too much, Miryu. He must simply be delayed.”
“Y-Yes…”
“But if he does not appear, then naturally the duel—”
Yet the prince’s own face was far from easy. If Leandro failed to appear, all censure would fall on him, but Roium too would bear the burden.
Miryu clenched her fists unseen.
‘That woman pulled some cowardly trick.’
Her gaze snapped to Estelle across the arena. At that very moment, Estelle met her eyes.
Estelle only shrugged.
‘Why didn’t Leandro come?’
To her surprise, Estelle knew nothing of it either.
‘Did Johan do something?’
She looked sharply at Johan in the arena. He only smiled sweetly at her.
“This duel is decided in favor of Duke Blanchet.”
Chancellor Orteca finally declared Johan the victor.
“Accordingly, the Kingdom of Roium and House Pelsis must apologize and compensate the Duchess of Blanchet for sullying her honor.”
At the Roium estate, the atmosphere was dark.
To lose without even contesting was humiliating, and the gloom lasted through supper.
Acting Queen Isabella at last spoke, heavy-faced.
“…It is our fault too, that we failed to properly judge the knight who represented our honor. We must accept the result. What does Baroness Juti’s house say to this?”
“Well…”
Miryu could not bring herself to answer.
Her family, the Barony of Juti, was far too humble a name to bear any share of this matter. They could do nothing.
Prince Hessen squeezed Miryu’s hand.
“Mother, this whole affair began when Diana brought Miryu along. Thus, should we not let Roium bear Juti’s portion of the compensation as well?”
“My child, what do you think?”
“I’m sorry, Mother…”
Miryu bowed her head deeply.
Queen Isabella looked between Miryu and Hessen, then sighed faintly.
“Very well. It would indeed be too great for the Barony alone. Since Diana bears much of the blame, Roium will pay the compensation to the Duchess in full.”
“Th-thank you, Mother.”
Miryu’s eyes brimmed with tears. Isabella only shook her head slowly.
“There is no need for thanks. You will be family soon. Such things are no hardship.”
But contrary to her words, this was no small matter.
The honor of nobles was weighty indeed.
To pay this debt, Roium would almost certainly have to yield the exclusive trade and sea rights the Blanchet family had long demanded—perhaps even more.
‘Perhaps far more…’
Isabella then turned to Miryu.
“But child, what do you think of postponing the wedding?”
“…What?”
Miryu’s eyes widened. Hessen spoke carefully.
“Mother, I thought you agreed to let the matter pass?”
“Of course. But Hessen, this is not a problem solved by money alone. The wedding itself may not even proceed smoothly. If the Duchess of Blanchet chooses to oppose it, what grounds do we have to resist? Better to suffer a little loss of face than ruin the marriage entirely.”
Even Hessen could not easily deny her words.
Miryu suddenly rose and knelt before Isabella.
“This is all my fault—for failing to stop Diana.”
“…”
“I know that if you order the wedding postponed, I cannot resist. But—”
Tears streamed from her gentle eyes.
“The Juti family has no means to prepare for a second wedding.”
“Roium will provide for your dowry. Even so, would it be difficult?”
“I swear it will never happen again. With my life, I will protect the honor of Roium. So please—”
Her voice broke. Hessen wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
“Mother, just this once, please.”
“Hessen…”
“This wedding has been long awaited. If delayed again, her honor may suffer irreparably.”
He knew the truth—Miryu feared that rumors of abandonment would spread again if they postponed.
‘She’s still so insecure…’
Hessen pleaded earnestly.
“Mother, if you intervene, we can proceed as planned.”
“…Very well.”
Queen Isabella dabbed her lips with a napkin.
“But child, remember this: if such a thing happens again, not even the kingdom can shield you.”
“Mother, that’s—”
“Hessen, the same goes for you. Do not forget your duty as crown prince.”
Hessen’s face hardened.
“Yes. I will not disappoint you, Mother.”
Looking at his face, Isabella stiffened inwardly.
‘I’ve gone too far again.’
He had grown up without her care, while she bore the burden of the throne after her husband’s sudden death.
‘Some things cannot be helped.’
Even so, Hessen had grown into an excellent crown prince. Miryu, though of lesser birth, was not a poor bride—more importantly, she was the woman he loved.
“No, I misspoke. What’s done is done; there is no use dwelling on it.”
Isabella softened her gaze at Miryu.
“To show proper courtesy, Roium will invite the Duchess of Blanchet to formally apologize. But you too must show true sincerity in your apology.”
“…Yes, Mother.”
“That is the proper way.”
Miryu bowed her head weakly.
Guided to her room by Hessen, Miryu chewed her nails anxiously.
‘This time, Hessen saved me…’
Far from destroying Estelle, she had only raised her higher.
‘I need a plan.’
Her face went white when she glanced at the mirror. The scar on her neck had vanished.
‘When did the time run out?’
She quickly pulled out a hidden box. Inside was a gold ring strung on a chain—cursed with dark magic to sustain her scar.
‘Could there be a problem with the spell?’
As she stared nervously into the mirror—
“Big sister-in-law, can we talk for a moment—”
Diana suddenly burst through the door.
