As soon as the princess finished speaking, the conference hall was abuzz.
“Did Her Highness the Princess just recommend herself?”
“What an absurd situation…”
Among them were those who openly showed their resentment towards Cornelia. They were the ones who had decided to side with Reinhardt in this matter.
“Your Highness the Princess, this is a sacred state council meeting. Moreover, we are here to determine the next ruler. How can you joke about this?”
Like they said, Reinhardt thought Cornelia was just playing around.
‘Yes, she couldn’t possibly be serious about that.’
The reason they thought that was simple: there had never been a case of a woman becoming Emperor in the Empire.
At that moment, Cornelia spoke up.
“This is no joke. I genuinely intend to become the Emperor of the Empire.”
In her violet eyes, filled with determination, Reinhardt realized that Cornelia was not joking; she was serious.
He frowned as he gazed at her.
‘You… want to become Emperor?’
The beautiful girl he had always cherished, her beauty now ripened like a fruit, exuding a sweet fragrance.
Under normal circumstances, he would have been entranced by her appearance and indulged in all sorts of fantasies.
For example, imagining her as his Empress, smiling lovingly at him.
Or picturing her carrying their child and smiling brightly.
Such happy delusions.
However, at that moment, there was only one thought in his mind.
‘How dare you try to push me aside and become Emperor?’
In the conference hall, Reinhardt’s view of Cornelia’s role was simple. She was supposed to be his supporter and companion.
Yet, the woman who was meant to shine beside him was instead aiming for his position.
‘Cornelia. I guess I’ve been too nice to you.’
It appeared that her cute act of showing her claws had made her think he was easy to handle.
Reinhardt soon lifted the corners of his mouth in a smirk.
‘Then I suppose I need to teach you what happens if you don’t listen to me.’
From the beginning, he had never fully trusted Cornelia. That was why he had been preparing for the possibility of such a situation.
Reinhardt gestured to his close aides.
‘Stop the princess.’
The nobles who received his command raised their voices.
“Your Majesty, such an occurrence has never happened since the founding of the Empire!”
“We demand the exit of Her Highness the Princess, who has insulted this sacred meeting!”
At that moment, the Emperor’s voice rang out.
“Everyone, be quiet! It is I who has nominated the princess as the next Emperor.”
Instead of calming the uproar, the Emperor’s words only led a few nobles to stand up.
“What do you mean, Your Majesty?”
“This is something that cannot be allowed! You would nominate a woman?”
It was not the Emperor who responded to that, but the princess.
“Why do you say it cannot be allowed? There are already queens among our allied nations.”
“Yes, there are, but that is a matter for foreign countries. Such a thing cannot be tolerated in our Empire…”
“What right do you have to say such things? There is no provision in the imperial law that states a woman cannot become Emperor.”
At the princess’s words, some nobles hesitated, seemingly at a loss for words, before raising their voices.
“W-What if His Majesty the Emperor has amended the law!”
“To say that the imperial law is being amended is laughable. Isn’t that right, Chief Justice?”
At that, all eyes turned to Chief Justice Marquis Claus.
Eventually, Marquis Claus nodded.
“The imperial law is a strict law established by the first Emperor, forbidding any alterations. Therefore, it has remained unchanged from the founding of the Empire to this day. And as you said, there is no provision that states a woman cannot become Emperor…”
At that moment, someone interrupted Marquis Claus.
“Indeed, there is no such provision in the imperial law. However, the Empire specifies that only those with platinum hair are eligible to inherit the throne.”
Having finished speaking, Reinhardt looked around.
From first to tenth place, everyone except Cornelia had brilliant platinum hair.
‘And I have platinum hair as well.’
Reinhardt gently smiled at Cornelia, who was glaring at him with a frustrated expression.
‘See? You’re getting punished for challenging me, Cornelia.’
However, Cornelia seemed unwilling to back down easily and spoke up.
“But I am undoubtedly superior in terms of bloodline. I am the only legitimate heir among those present…”
“Who knows that? You have such dark hair.”
It was clearly a quiet whisper, barely audible even to the Emperor on the podium.
Yet, whether she heard it or not, Cornelia clenched her fists and bit her lip.
Soon, voices echoing in agreement began to rise in the conference hall.
“Honestly, isn’t it strange? Among the royal family with only platinum hair, to have such dark hair.”
“All the previous Emperors had platinum hair, after all.”
And with that reaction, Cornelia’s expression grew even more hostile.
Reinhardt gazed at Cornelia and then lifted the corners of his mouth.
‘In any case, even if you struggle, it will only be painful for you. So give up and willingly become mine, Cornelia.’
Eventually, Reinhardt’s gaze shifted to Cornelia’s face.
“Of course, you might cry a bit at night. I plan to punish you for daring to have such contemptible thoughts…”
At that moment, someone’s menacing voice broke Reinhardt’s thoughts.
“If you want to live, it would be best for everyone to shut your mouths.”
The one threatening the nobles during the state meeting was none other than Erich Blant.
Those who were intimidated by the ominous presence of the sword master fell silent.
However, a few dared to oppose him.
“Duke, you seem to be siding with Her Highness the Princess. Even if you try to silence us like this…”
But Erich dismissed their words as if they were not worth acknowledging.
“From now on, let Her Highness the Princess prove that she is more qualified than anyone else.”
☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓
Even while hearing the voices opposing me, I tried to calm my mind.
The nobles’ fierce backlash was something I had already anticipated, and I had responded by bringing up the imperial law.
‘No one in this empire holds as much influence as the first Emperor.’
And just as I had thought, the nobles fell silent at my mention of the imperial law.
However, as expected, someone brought up my hair.
It was Reinhardt.
‘I need to refute him immediately. I am the Emperor’s daughter and the legitimate heir; how dare he use such flimsy grounds?’
But when I actually opened my mouth, the words wouldn’t come out. The moment I saw his shining platinum hair, I felt an inexplicable intimidation.
‘No, it’s too unfair to feel intimidated by that.’
I steeled myself again and tried to counter their words.
But someone cut me off.
“Who knows that? With such dark hair.”
I had clearly tried to gather my thoughts, but at that one remark, I felt my words fail me.
‘Damn it, if this continues, I’ll definitely be dismissed…’
I hurriedly tried to refute.
“Wait, I clearly…”
But they didn’t even give me a chance to speak.
“Honestly, isn’t it strange? Among the royal family, where only platinum hair is found, how can there be such dark hair?”
Before I knew it, instead of thinking about how to counter, a question arose in my mind.
‘Yeah, I don’t understand either. Both my mother and father have light hair, so why do I have black hair…?’
At that moment, someone grabbed my hand tightly under the table.
Startled, I looked to the side and saw Erich staring at me.
“I told you. I will definitely protect you.”
I let out a hollow laugh at those words.
‘There’s no need to push yourself. I can’t even handle this myself.’
However, I soon found myself wide-eyed at Erich’s words.
“From now on, let Her Highness the Princess prove that she is more qualified than anyone else.”
‘How on earth…?’
It was absurd.
Even I acknowledged that my hair was a weakness.
But Erich didn’t care and headed towards the Emperor.
“Your Majesty, please take this.”
“What is this… Wait, isn’t this the crest of the Archduke of Tarrant?”
“Yes, that’s correct. It’s the diary of Rothbart, the First Emperor’s stepbrother and the first head of the Archduke of Tarrant.”
“What? Step brother? But he is clearly…”
“He is indeed a stepbrother. According to the diary, there is not a drop of blood mixed between them. But the important part is not the content of the diary but the letter inside.”
Erich pointed to the letter as he spoke.
“I hope Your Majesty will read this part.”
The Emperor nodded and began to read the letter.
“I, Carlos, recognize your contributions in helping to oust my sister Colette, and I will acknowledge your merit and record you as my father’s true brother.”
I was suddenly startled by that name.
Carlos, that name belonged to the second Emperor of Schwanhild.
But I was even more shocked by the Emperor’s next words.
“From now on, the symbol of the legitimate heir will not be the black hair that my father wanted, but the platinum hair. And, as you advised, I will make the black hair that my father and sister have a symbol of shame in this country.”
Finally, the Emperor looked at me with a dazed expression and murmured.
“Then, Cornelia has more legitimacy than anyone else…”
At that moment—
“Erich Blant, how dare you—!”
The furious voice of Reinhardt echoed throughout the meeting hall.
Sit your @$$ down reinhardt!!!