72.

 

One of Adrienne’s maids, who had been standing like a shadow, moved silently. All the maids were trained not to make even the slightest sound, whether it be footsteps or breathing, to avoid disturbing Adrienne’s delicate mood.

As the maid approached and whispered something into her ear, Adrienne’s delicate forehead immediately furrowed. She had started applying a thick layer of powder to avoid looking even a bit older, and now a crack appeared in it.

Billinent, engrossed in admiring the gift sent by the Xaviers, didn’t notice his mother’s change in expression.

The maid, with her eyes lowered in a respectful posture, handed Adrienne a note. With an elegant yet hurried motion, Adrienne snatched the note and quickly read through it.

The note mentioned that the key figures in the recent scandal that had shaken the entire empire were going to have an audience with the Emperor. Adrienne felt pleased with herself for having taken the precaution of hiding people in the audience chamber in advance.

The note didn’t contain every detail, but it did mention snippets of what Aisa McFoy had said during her private audience with the Emperor.

“How typically arrogant of that western savage, the head of the McFoy family.”

“Did you say McFoy?”

The mention of “McFoy” from Adrienne’s lips finally elicited a reaction from Billinent. He scoffed inwardly as he recalled the small woman who had been overpowered by his presence during the last gathering.

Adrienne, muttering irritably under her breath, picked up her teacup and spoke as if it was of no consequence.

“…It seems she stopped by the palace briefly. It’s nothing for you to be concerned about, Crown Prince.”

“Your expression seems troubled. Did that insolent woman dare to say something disrespectful to His Majesty again?”

But Adrienne’s anger, once kindled, wasn’t easily quelled. Billinent couldn’t just ignore the pale expression on his mother’s face, especially since he had often heard the Emperor lament about the reckless McFoy. He frowned.

“She was just being her usual insolent self.”

Adrienne was inwardly furious that Aisa McFoy had dared to compare Billinent with Merke Rodensi and had even used it to intimidate the Emperor. Yet, paradoxically, she also felt a great sense of relief.

After all, hadn’t the foolish Emperor’s plan to bring Merke Rodensi back been thwarted by Aisa McFoy?

Aisa McFoy had never expressed any opinions about the Crown Prince’s position until now. Adrienne had secretly been anxious, wondering if she had some hidden agenda.

It was unpleasant that she had dared to undervalue Billinent, but the fact that she didn’t want the royal family to be in turmoil ultimately meant she acknowledged her son as the Emperor’s successor.

‘I’ve been worried because I couldn’t understand her actions, but it turns out she’s just another conservative noble. The great nobles would also be thrown into chaos if the royal family were to be disturbed.’

Adrienne calmed herself down, suppressing her anger. Knowing when to lower herself according to the situation, she understood better than the Emperor that great nobles should be worked with rather than suppressed.

The power of the great nobles could sometimes surpass that of the royal family. It would be foolish to engage in a power struggle with them.

This was one of those times, and there was no need to antagonize or alienate Aisa McFoy.

However, Empress Adrienne didn’t fully realize how foolish and arrogant her son was. If she had known, she would have stopped him from opening the crumpled note and explained the intent behind Aisa McFoy’s words.

Despite his mature appearance, Billinent was still immature, and he often mistakenly believed he was fully grown because of his looks. Naturally, he believed in what he saw and heard, and he trusted his own thoughts and decisions without doubt.

Thus, Crown Prince Billinent unfolded the note, listened to his mother’s sigh, and began to think.

‘The head of the McFoy family is indeed arrogant and dangerous. Just as His Majesty warned.’

Despite only seeing fragments of the conversation, Billinent’s mind raced to a conclusion he should not have reached.

‘How dare she mention that crazy woman, that exiled girl? Are these nobles really testing who should sit on the Emperor’s throne?’

To Billinent, it was clear that Aisa McFoy harbored treasonous thoughts.

‘She must be planning to take control of the mighty Rodensi royal family and rule the empire as she pleases!’

Despite reading the same note as Adrienne, the conclusion Billinent reached was, as usual, dreadfully foolish.

* * *

The journey from the capital to McFoy took about fifteen days without rest. Traveling by carriage was dreadful, but the specially designed carriage I had was wide enough to lie down in and so comfortable that the journey was at least bearable.

As if to prove that Norma Diazi was lucky, there wasn’t even a hint of rain during our journey, and our horses didn’t tire before reaching the destination.

Usually, something unexpected would happen at least once, but the journey was eerily peaceful. At this rate, we would reach McFoy’s main estate from the capital in record time. It felt as though the entire world was clearing the way for Norma Diazi to reach McFoy.

Still, the long carriage journey remained a burden for me. My back felt like it was about to snap, so I lay on my side and started watching Norma Diazi, who was seated across from me.

Gentle, kind, and quick to smile. He was certainly different from the other Diazi members that I knew or had heard of.

‘Even so, I never imagined that I’d end up bringing that peculiar Diazi into my estate as my husband.’

Even though it was happening right before my eyes, it was still hard to believe. For one, his appearance was unusual, and when we first met in Tartaros, I never imagined that we would be involved in this way.

‘Is Norma Diazi really in my carriage, heading to my estate? And I’m marrying him soon?’

Honestly. How could I be considering marrying someone with that face? And how did he, of all people, end up mistakenly thinking that he was in love with me? Once again, I felt a strange sensation wash over me.

Norma, who naturally joined me in my carriage, kept talking to me incessantly. He started with how well my custom black carriage suited me, and moved on to how he was feeling today. He had a way of speaking in a soft, whispery voice that tickled my cheeks.

I mostly responded with short answers. It was difficult to think clearly with him right in front of me. Despite my half-hearted replies, he seemed pleased, smiling shyly for some reason.

Sitting in that cramped space like this, I found it increasingly difficult to endure. I had boldly declared in front of the Emperor that only someone like Norma Diazi could become my husband, but how did it come to this?

After the masquerade ball at Tibey’s, the story of “Aisa McFoy and Sir Norma Diazi” spread throughout the capital in no time. Of course, the tale was no longer just a common rumor. Thanks to Erika’s careful embellishments, it had been transformed into a “love story of the century.”

Now, this captivating tale had begun to spread to the farthest corners of the empire. It went something like this:

“Two people who owed each other their lives after escaping from a den of evil. They felt a powerful attraction to each other, but the woman was already promised to another man! They spent each day longing for each other with tears in their eyes. But soon, the woman’s fiancé betrayed her horribly, leaving her in deep shock. Thanks to the man’s courage in defending her honor, they confirmed their feelings for each other!”

At first, I thought Erika was reciting the plot of some cliché knightly romance drama that was about to premiere.

When I realized it was all part of her grand scheme to rush the announcement of my marriage to Norma, I laughed so hard I nearly rolled on the floor.

The fiancé is the villain, and the male lead is a holy knight—what a story to capture the empathy and interest of women across the empire.

Sure enough, this amusing rumor, or rather news, spread through the empire faster than a galloping horse.

I’ve lived with all kinds of rumors, but I’ve never been the protagonist of such a ridiculous story. The head of the McFoy family, Aisa McFoy, is to be married in what will be recorded as the love story of the century.

‘And to that sparkly man in front of me, no less.’

From the events in Tartaros to now, the more I reflected on the past, and the more I met eyes with the man in front of me, the more everything felt strangely surreal. It felt as though I’d been caught in a spell without realizing it.

‘I never thought I’d make such an important decision like marriage in such a ridiculous way. What on earth is the problem?’

Staring at Norma’s face didn’t seem like it would provide any answers, but I spent most of my time in the carriage scrutinizing his features. Despite the fierce look in my eyes, my exhausted body remained slumped in the seat.

“Aisa, if you’re tired, wouldn’t it be better to take a short break?”

Norma, who had been looking back at me with his clear eyes, blinked and asked gently.

“…No.”

Once again, I failed to find any answers. I let out a small sigh and pulled my weary body upright. Judging by the familiar scenery outside the window, we were less than half a day away from the main estate.

“We’ll be at the main estate soon.”

Just as Norma had said when we left Tibey’s mansion hand in hand, there was no turning back now. If I didn’t marry him after all this, the scandal would shift from the Morfolks to McFoy and Diazi in an instant.

‘Maybe it was already too late when I let him into the parlor.’

Maybe it was too late when I let him onto the terrace of my bedroom. Or maybe… I frowned slightly as I thought back to the time I pulled him out of the water.

In any case, I had no choice but to marry him, and he had no choice but to marry me. He would be my husband by the end of spring, and I would be his wife.

I wondered when he would realize that the relief, gratitude, and kinship he felt for me weren’t actually love.

Perhaps he might realize it as early as today. Perhaps he would realize it suddenly on the day of the wedding, as we stood side by side in front of the officiating priest.

What should I do if that happens? The thought crossed my mind, and I shook my head slightly to dismiss it.

What could I do? A great noble couldn’t easily divorce, after all.

‘So you have no choice but to marry me. Just as it’s too late for me to turn back, it’s too late for you as well.’

“McFoy is harsh on outsiders.”

The witch of the West threw this casual advice to her poor new husband as she entertained dark thoughts.

Westerners didn’t like Easterners very much, and the catastrophe from ten years ago made them wary of outsiders. It would likely take some time for an eastern-born lord consort to settle in.

“Please understand if they don’t welcome you.”

“I understand. Don’t worry about me.”

I almost snapped back that I wasn’t particularly concerned about him, but then paused. Was I actually worried about him? I didn’t even know anymore.

Meanwhile, the groom, seeing his bride deep in thought, smiled gently and mused to himself.

‘She still doesn’t trust my feelings.’