“Then, does that mean a commoner has been among the nobles until now?”
“How dare the Deneuve family stoop to such a disgraceful act…!”
As they feared, once Retina’s weakness was exposed, the forces that had momentarily lost their momentum quickly pounced. Like hyenas, they didn’t miss even the slightest opening.
“Who said Retina is a commoner?”
With a cold voice, the Duke dismissed their opposition, glaring fiercely at them. Silencing those who were causing a commotion, he continued speaking to the Emperor.
“I delayed her formal registration because I discovered Retina is the lost heir of Raglaras. I instructed her to conceal her hair as a precaution to protect my daughter from potential threats.”
The Duke of Deneuve scanned those who raised objections. Although the order in which they learned of Retina’s heritage as the heir of the northern ducal family was different, it didn’t matter. They just needed to present a plausible story.
“And how do you intend to prove that the young lady carries the northern blood? It’s been a century since they vanished, and claiming she’s an heir based solely on her silver hair is quite a stretch, isn’t it?”
Just moments ago, Helen, who had been so confident, now nervously bit her nails at the situation turning in Retina’s favor. Stepping forward, she countered the Duke of Deneuve’s claim.
“Your Majesty, I also have my doubts. Without Prince Norden of Raglaras to vouch for them, how can we trust the words of this young lady and the Duke of Deneuve?”
The Empress supported Helen’s stance, stepping in to back her up. She preferred not to take the lead herself, instead assisting Helen to ensure the discussion stayed on the right track.
“Prince Norden is aware of the situation. If he were present, he would have vouched for us. We have already sent a letter to the north. Once they verify the information, they will officially contact the empire. We decided to reveal the truth now while waiting for their response.”
“You claim to have sent a letter, but since there has been no reply, it seems you were mistaken. This means you have made Prince Norden lie, which is a disgrace to the empire.”
The Empress sighed, resting her chin in her palm, expressing her regret.
“To ask us to believe a story that hasn’t been officially confirmed… This is where your background shows.”
Since it was revealed that Retina was not a member of the Deneuve family, the Empress openly criticized her.
Retina bit her lip at the Empress’s words, which insulted not only her but also her mother. Even though a message had been sent to the north, if the Empress continued her aggressive attacks until a reply arrived, the situation could turn against Retina.
‘I should have revealed my identity from the start, along with documents bearing the royal seal, to prevent any room for doubt.’
Norden still needed more time than he had expected. If they just waited, Retina could be branded as a cursed person before the response arrived.
“If you have any doubts, please summon Prince Norden. He will vouch for us.”
“There is no need to call him.”
At that moment, dozens of eyes shifted away from Retina. She, who had been looking down, followed their gaze in the direction they turned.
Standing at the entrance of the open area, Norden was catching his breath, looking disheveled.
“I apologize for my delay; the letter from our homeland just arrived… It seems I’ve come at the right time.”
Having exposed the hair he had carefully concealed, Norden smiled as he assessed the chaotic situation surrounding Retina.
In his right hand, he held an envelope that seemed freshly opened, along with several documents.
“A delegation from the north is being prepared to formally request the return of Duke Ignis’s heir. These are documents verifying Lady Retina as Duke Ignis’s heir, along with a personal letter from the king to Your Majesty.”
Norden walked up to the podium and handed the documents to the secretary. He then extended his hand to the kneeling Retina.
“The king has temporarily bestowed upon you the title of Duchess until the delegation arrives. From now on, you will be treated as part of the northern delegation, just like me.”
Norden, standing with Retina by his side, looked at the Emperor. As the Emperor read the letter Norden had first presented, he observed the two people with the same hair color.
If Retina had resembled the Duke of Deneuve, they might have doubted her until the northern delegation arrived. However, seeing Retina with the same eye and hair color as Norden, as if they were siblings, silenced any claims that she might not carry northern blood.
“If the certificate bearing the royal seal is insufficient, I will personally vouch for her in the name of Raglaras until the delegation arrives.”
“That won’t be necessary. This letter is more than enough.”
The Emperor raised his hand as he handed the letter to the secretary.
The royal letter expressed the king’s joy in finding the long-lost heir of the ducal family in Rudenheim and requested that she be treated the same as Norden. To ensure that Retina would not be detained, the letter stated that she would hold the title and estate of the ducal family in Raglaras, even as a subject of the Empire. It also mentioned that negotiations for the desired minerals, which belonged to Duke Ignis, should be conducted with her.
The child thought to be the illegitimate offspring of the Duke of Deneuve turned out to be the heir of the northern ducal family. The Emperor, looking troubled, rubbed his forehead and leaned to the side.
‘If this incident turns Retina against us, all efforts to foster good relations with the north could be ruined.’
The timing made the situation more complex, as the Emperor had only learned the truth after the incident had escalated. He knew that Retina, forced to reveal her private matters, would not be pleased with those who had put her in this position. If he had known earlier, he would have stopped the Empress from antagonizing Retina. However, it was too late to reverse what had happened.
The only option left was to cut unnecessary ties and offer an apology. Hoping that the Crown Prince, who had a relationship with Retina, could help, the Emperor sincerely apologized to her.
“This matter seems to have gone too far, thanks to the Empress. I apologize to you on her behalf, or should I call you Duchess Ignis?”
“I haven’t formally received the title yet, so you may call me Lady,” Retina replied, accepting the Emperor’s apology in front of everyone. After all, his only fault was not stopping the Empress.
“Your Majesty!”
However, not everyone was pleased with his apology. The Empress raised her voice at the Emperor’s sudden change of stance.
“Empress, cease this stubbornness. My patience with your reckless behavior is wearing thin. Stop this at once and show proper respect to our esteemed guest as the Empress of the Empire should.”
The Emperor rebuked the Empress for her obstinance, despite Norden’s intervention. She hadn’t fully grasped the gravity of the situation, likely because she hadn’t read the royal letter, but the Emperor, understanding the significance of the name Ignis, had no choice but to side with Retina.
When the North first agreed to trade, what had Norden said? He stated that most of the resources Rudenheim desired belonged to the Ignis ducal family, and the royal family merely managed those assets in the absence of the heirs. The fact that these assets had been managed rather than assimilated into the royal treasury after 100 years demonstrated the immense power and influence Ignis wielded.
Now, with an heir to inherit those assets, the stakes were high. Retina’s decisions could influence transactions involving vast sums of gold.
“I commend Your Majesty’s wisdom. Please treat Duchess Ignis with the same respect you have shown me,” Norden declared.
Norden, recognizing the Emperor’s efforts to elevate Retina’s status, expressed his respect. Those who had previously sided with the Empress were now frozen in silence, their attempts to align themselves were now futile. Some, trying to avoid future repercussions, attempted to blend into the background.
No one dared call Retina cursed anymore. Even those who still believed silver hair to be unlucky did not wish to make an enemy of the north.
“May I be excused now?” Retina asked, adjusting her cloak as the wind stole her body heat. Her pale and trembling lips showed her discomfort.
Upon receiving the Emperor’s permission, Retina turned from the podium, leaving the aftermath to her brothers and Norden, and headed straight for the carriage.
The prolonged exposure to the elements while being drenched made her feel feverish. Her vision blurred, and she hurried her unsteady steps. She felt chills and suspected she was catching a cold.
‘Catching a cold in the summer, how pathetic,’ she thought, letting out a hollow laugh as she reached for the carriage. The moment she felt it was all over, her tension released, and dizziness hit her.
As her body swayed, she leaned on the carriage for support. Herald, pushing past the others following her, caught her as she collapsed.
Her face, flushed red, felt like it was on fire.
