“How could you make such a request? To stop the Crown Princess’s selection. This is clearly an act of disrespect towards me!”
“Originally, the child had no intention of participating in the selection. She’s a child who dislikes being oppressed, so it’s not unreasonable for her to come out like this.”
“It had to be done anyway! The Crown Prince is well past the age of marriage, yet he has no fiancée. Before it’s too late, he should consider a successor to bring her to her senses!”
As the Crown Prince expressed his wish, the Empress, whose face had turned red and blue, stormed out of the pavilion. Even upon returning to the palace in a carriage, her anger did not subside, and she vented her frustration in the palace.
“Even if you disliked it, you shouldn’t have revealed it in such a public place. I purposely invited the noble maidens to the selection, do you know how embarrassed I was in that situation?”
“As it is about to happen now, speak slowly. Doesn’t that child realize the urgency of finding a successor?”
The Emperor, seemingly exhausted just by standing for a moment, limped and leaned against the chair as he sat down. The Rudenheim imperial family, said to be descended from the Sun God, inherently cannot withstand the power of the divine, leading to a short lifespan.
Growing up, plagued by an inexplicable madness, they suffered severely as the symptoms of the madness intensified with the distinct features of golden hair and crimson eyes, which closely resembled the Sun God’s image. Therefore, in Rudenheim, as soon as they reached adulthood, they sought successors out of fear of not knowing when they might succumb to madness.
Similarly, the Emperor, after his adulthood ceremony, married the current Empress and bore Herald. However, he became concerned as Herald, who suffered more severely from madness than any emperor in the history books, not only showed no interest in marriage but also did not participate in the selection. As the days passed, the Empress’s worry for Herald’s well-being only deepened.
“But I’m curious why the selection was halted. All the noble maidens chosen by the Empress seemed suitable for her position. I wonder what didn’t please you?”
“Is it a matter of liking or disliking? When deliberately seeking powerful families to support me when I ascended, I worried that the influential noble families of the wounded Emperor faction might turn their backs on us due to this incident!”
“That child is building influence in his own way, so as time passes, the power of aging nobles may not be so important, cough, ugh, ahem, cough!”
The Emperor, who was in conversation with the Empress, suddenly burst into a fit of coughing. The Emperor, coughing intensely to the point where his whole body shook, complained of chest pain. Concerned for the Emperor, who was trying to contain Herald’s reckless actions, the Empress rushed to him. She found the medicine he always carried in his pocket and gently administered it to him. Though the symptoms had improved compared to when his vitality was stronger, the madness was expected to torment him until the moment of his death.
With the symptoms gradually subsiding, the Emperor took a deep breath, extracting strength from his weary body. In a short period, he emitted various strained sounds, depleting the remaining strength in his body. He sighed at the frailty of his body, which grew weaker as the days passed, making it increasingly challenging to endure the seizures.
“Before my body becomes even weaker, I wish to hand over the throne to Herald and take a rest, but…”
“Please don’t speak such weak words.”
The once sturdy hands, now lacking strength, revealed the skeletal structure as they weakened. The Empress, sensing the Emperor’s exhaustion, held his hand, and her lips trembled.
Despite the concerns of the imperial physician urging him to rest due to the Emperor’s rapidly deteriorating condition, he persisted. The reason for enduring until the end was none other than the Crown Prince, who had not even entered into an engagement.
* * *
“I heard you were looking for me.”
Upon returning to the palace and changing into different attire, Herald immediately presented himself before the Emperor and Empress. His expression conveyed a sense of nonchalance, as if he had anticipated the summons for some reason.
“I’m sure you know why you were called.”
“I merely spoke to His Majesty about what I desire.”
“Publicly, there was no need. Because of your actions, the Empress was deeply distressed.”
“All wishes from the victor to the Emperor are spoken right after the final, for everyone to hear. Wasn’t that the principle of the swordsmanship competition?”
In response to Herald’s stern words, the Emperor tapped his chair. The Empress’s sigh, mixed with a whimper, pierced his ears. He gently stroked the back of the Empress’s hand, which was wrapped around her head, trying to soothe her, perhaps from a headache.
“You could have spoken of different wishes separately.”
“If I had said that, would you have pretended to listen? These are the words of the Empress who proceeded with the selection without my opinion. And, rather than going through the selection and breaking off later, it would have been better for the noble maidens if the selection had been avoided from the start.”
“Herald Rudenheim!”
“Now, now, Empress. Don’t get too excited. You speak quite harshly to the Empress too. Be more considerate.”
The Emperor, holding back the Empress who was trying to rise abruptly, warned Herald, who responded without any hesitation. While Herald understood his sentiments, he couldn’t deny that the Empress’s actions were wrong.
“It’s only natural for the Empress to be concerned about the new member of the palace.”
The Emperor made efforts to mediate between the two. He knew better than anyone that with no siblings or relatives, the Crown Prince should find a successor before it was too late. Finding a common ground between them was the key.
“Tell me why you wish to stop the selection. We should hear the reasons before making a judgment. Is there a lady you have in mind, perhaps?”
The Emperor asked Herald. Without a moment’s hesitation, Herald responded.
“Yes, there is.”
“In that case, there’s no need for the selection. I’m curious about the noble maiden’s family. If you wish, I’ll permit you to engage with that child.”
“It’s Retina Cecelica.”
The Emperor’s face, which had been laughing heartily, stiffened. The Empress, rising abruptly with trembling lips, expressed her displeasure.
“It’s absolutely unacceptable! A Duke of Deneuve? Moreover, isn’t that child a bastard! If an unmarried woman’s bastard becomes the Empress, it will tarnish the reputation of the imperial family!”
“Didn’t Her Majesty choose her through the Crystal Gate? Besides, in Deneuve, Cecilica has been formally accepted as a member of the family. She may not have the title, but she is recognized in both Deneuve and the Duke’s residence.”
“Not having a recognized title doesn’t change the fact that she’s a bastard!”
“Regardless, as the future lady of Rudenheim by becoming Empress, does it really matter what her title was before marriage?”
Herald countered each of the Empress’s arguments. If the Emperor didn’t object, there was no reason why Retina couldn’t become the Crown Princess. In terms of family, upbringing, and social standing, she was flawless compared to other noble maidens.
However, the variable was the Emperor. The Empress had disliked Retina from the beginning, so the anticipated reaction was not surprising, but the Emperor’s expression upon hearing Retina’s name was not favorable.
“Unfortunately, it seems that child won’t do.”
The Emperor, rubbing his chin in contemplation, spoke. He attempted to persuade Herald, showing signs of difficulty.
“Even if she’s not from Deneuve, there are plenty of fine noble maidens in Rudenheim. Human emotions can change at any time. Once you marry and spend time together, she might become a good companion.”
“If it’s not her, then I refuse.”
“It’s something already decided by an agreement between nations. The prince of Raglas chose her from the noble maidens presented in Rudenheim. The child from Deneuve will enter into a marital alliance with the prince of Raglas.”
Though he had seen her briefly at the debutante, the Emperor seemed curious about the child from Deneuve. He nodded thoughtfully, showing interest in Retina.
A few days ago, the Prince of Raglas, who had visited, had nominated Retina Cecelica as the prospective match for the diplomatic marriage. Despite being called a strategic marriage, the prince was firm in his decision, emphasizing the need for careful consideration in selecting a marital partner.
Come to think of it, they had met a few times before and were on familiar terms. The Emperor recalled the fact that the prince, when he descended the palace alone for the first time, had sought out the Duke’s residence.
“I’ve also sent a letter to Raglas. Upon receiving their response, the diplomatic envoy will return, and we will proceed with the marriage arrangements. By now, there should have been communication with the Duke of Deneuve as well.”
The Duke of Deneuve played a significant role in the diplomatic marriage with Raglas. He, more than anyone else, had been enthusiastic about promoting the diplomatic marriage and naturally considered his daughter a candidate. As there were few nobles willing to send their daughters, who had grown up elegantly in the cold and desolate North, to the comparatively barren and cold land of Raglas, the parents of the selected candidates breathed a sigh of relief at the prince’s decision.
“…How long has it been since this story started that you’ve already made a decision?”
“The discussion about the diplomatic marriage has been ongoing for a while. This diplomatic envoy was just the beginning. Fortunately, it seems the prince spoke highly of Rudenheim in his homeland. His positive reception of the marital alliance had a significant impact.”
Herald clenched his fist so tightly that his veins stood out. He regretted not issuing a clear warning when the aging Prince of Raglas approached Retina. No, when he mentioned their engagement, he should have asserted Retina as his possession.
“Don’t stir up unnecessary trouble, and according to the Empress’s words, give up on that child. It’s not something you should force on a child who is already engaged in marital discussions. From what I’ve heard from the prince, he seems to quite like that girl. It’s difficult to foster positive feelings in a strategic marriage, and if she encounters such a husband, she might adapt well even in a foreign land.”
The Emperor, perhaps firm in not granting the Herald’s wish for Retina Cecelica, sided with the aging Prince of Raglaras.
“I refuse. I will never give up, so if you want someone to give up, it should be on your end.”
However, Herald wasn’t willing to easily let go of Retina.
