The next day, Wilhelm expressed his intention at a political meeting.
“The adoption of Prince Louis shall be delayed until the prince’s consent is fully obtained, and the proposal to make Lady Fontaine as a concubine shall be dismissed.”
“Your Majesty, it’s only been a day since the story came out.”
Marquis Fontaine dissuaded Wilhelm with a look of great embarrassment.
“Think more…”
“My will is already clear.”
“Is it the will of Her Majesty?”
“She agreed with me.”
“If you don’t, how will you calm down the story that disturbs the empire now…”
“Didn’t the Marquis say it was just a rumor?”
Wilhelm replied with a cold look.
“It’s a false rumor. I’m innocent.”
“Of course, but rumors…”
“There was a similar situation at the beginning of the enthronement, but it was eventually settled.”
Wilhelm continued without giving Marquis Fontaine a chance to refute.
“Being conscious of the crowd trying to undermine me can lead to unnecessary misunderstandings.”
“It is not being conscious. It’s just trying to cut off the seeds of any misunderstanding.”
“It doesn’t seem like a good way to respond to rumors one by one. Or does the Marquis want me to be a weak monarch who is swayed to and fro by unfounded rumors?”
“Your Majesty, what…! No. How can I be so rude…”
“Then don’t bring this up again.”
Wilhelm spoke in a cold voice.
“Also, as soon as the person behind the poster incident is revealed, the person will be severely punished.”
The last words seemed to imply that the person was in the conference hall.
Marquis Fontaine clenched the fist hidden inside his cuff, but he couldn’t avoid Wilhelm’s eyes.
He stared at Marquis Fontaine with cold eyes, then turned to Duke Barantes.
He looked somewhat perplexed.
~~~~
A few days later, the culprit of the poster incident was caught.
They were found based on the testimony of someone who had seen a man putting up a poster on the outskirts of the capital.
“… But it is said that he bit his tongue and died on the spot.”
Colton reported to Wilhelm with a look of disappointment.
“I am sorry, Your Majesty. more investigation…”
“Enough. It’s not going to do us any favors if we talk more about this.”
Wilhelm said in a voice like he had already expected it.
“Just sort this out. I have a hunch… … I don’t think Marquis Fontaine would have handled it so poorly.”
“It’s just that, there’s no result.”
“Well. I didn’t necessarily think so.”
At that, Colton’s eyes widened and he looked at Wilhelm.
Wilhelm laughed and explained why.
“I’m sure the Marquis of Fontaine won’t talk about it again, rather than having a concubine.”
“Ah, you didn’t reject the Marquis of Fontaine’s offer from the beginning…?”
“Right. Because I thought we’d talk about it at least once.”
Wilhelm nodded his head.
“I refused, and threatened them not to bring it up again, so no one would ever bring it up. Unless they have two lives.”
“But I don’t understand.”
Colton tilted his head and raised his objection.
“On the contrary, his proposal would have been beneficial to Your Majesty. It was an opportunity to fully control Fontaine.”
“…”
“Honestly, you don’t sound like yourself.”
More frankly, it wasn’t the first time it wasn’t like him.
‘The last paramour case, it wouldn’t have been bad because a few people came in.’
Regardless of his female preferences, there have been many instances of using their mistresses to tame their Empresses.
No matter how much Anastasia wasn’t interested in Wilhelm, she would certainly be nervous if he ever hired a mistress and showed any signs of having children with them.
She may have come across some of the fathers of the paramours who were competitively committed to winning Wilhelm’s eye, and he might have reaped unexpected benefits from it.
She said, ‘Even the goddess Rosenia never told Your Majesty not to have a paramour.’
When he looked at it, there was nothing bad about her spending.
So if he was the usual guy, he would have taken them in. But he didn’t.
At that time, it was an issue that he had just overlooked, but when a similar situation was repeated, a question could not but arise.
‘No way…?’
But for now, the hypothesis was the most plausible.
Otherwise, there was nothing that could explain this situation.
Colton cautiously called Wilhelm.
“Your majesty.”
“What?”
“Are you in love with Her Majesty…”
“What are you talking about, Lord Colton?”
Before the question was over, Wilhelm had shown signs of displeasure. Colton slipped his open mouth shut.
“I haven’t studied it well yet. Do you really think this will benefit me?”
“Well, the only thing that’s as strong as the connection made by marriage…”
“Louis is stuck in between. We don’t know what kind of trouble it’ll cause.”
Wilhelm said emphatically.
“You don’t have to be concerned. …and certainly.”
The last word sounded like a strange rationalization… He was mistaken, was he, Your Majesty?
Colton squinted at Wilhelm.
He seemed somewhat embarrassed, and seemed genuinely displeased, to the point that it was an illusion.
He had no idea what he was thinking.
“The neatest way is to bring the Fontaine family’s full influence on Louis through future adoption. What, nonsense…!”
Watching Wilhelm huff and puff, Colton was in great shock.
‘I’ve been with you for well over 10 years since your academy days.… I can’t believe I didn’t get one of your intentions right!’
Suddenly he felt like he was a huge fool.
“I was so foolish that I could not fathom Your Majesty’s deep meaning. My apologies, Your Majesty.”
Colton, quickly sullen, bowed his head to tears and hurried back.
“Oh, what the hell are you talking about?….”
And Wilhelm, left alone, was riled up by himself with a flushed face, whether it was anger or other emotions.
“Are you in love with Her Majesty…”
“…it doesn’t make sense.”
He quickly cut off the back of Colton’s words, which lingered in his head.
“No way.”
He just kept repeating to whoever he was talking to, like a broken orgel.
‘…of course.’
He still thought with a red face.
‘It’s true I haven’t hated her as much as I used to.’
She showed her rehabilitation and performed her duties as an Empress perfectly, and stood by his side after having nightmares.
Above all, she took good care of his only nephew, who is like a thorn under his fingernails, like a real mother.
But that’s all. It was just that much emotion.
No matter how good it was, there was nothing more than praise or appreciation.
The reason why he proposed acting as a married couple is because he thought of his external image.
‘I guess Colton must have misunderstood that once I reached out for reconciliation.’
It was even rejected. It’s a terrible thing, too.
‘I wasn’t going crazy. She’s like a completely different person.’
A woman who retorted to him when he forgets to say he hates her? The woman who told him she didn’t care if he had another woman yesterday?
“…that’s ridiculous.”
So, Colton was totally talking nonsense now.
At the end, he even snorted and tried to escape the shock of Colton’s drivel.
~~~~
Soon after, a regular ball was held at the Imperial Palace.
But…
“I won’t attend.”
The court ladies were all surprised at Anastasia’s announcement of her absence.
“Why, why won’t you go?”
“No, why don’t you show off this beauty to others?”
“If the Empress does not attend, there would be many men who would cry.”
When everyone was disappointed in unison, Anastasia shrugged and replied.
“I’m thinking of spending time with Louis.”
Everyone quickly understood what she said and said, “Ah…….’ Their shoulders drooped with a noise.
They looked like rabbits with their ears hanging down, so Anastasia burst into laughter without realizing it.
“Everyone is so disappointed.”
“Well, it’s an opportunity to show off our Empress’ beauty to everyone.”
“Right, you’re too pretty to only grace our eyes.”
“And you’ll meet the Emperor for the first time in a while.”
“And then you’ll dance…”
“Drink together…”
As the ladies added one by one, Anastasia laughed with a look of amazement.
“Did you still not learn?”
“How can we throw it away? Not long ago, at a political conference, there was even talk of putting Lady Fontaine as a concubine!”
“Your Majesty is very easygoing. Then what if Fontaine flirts with the Emperor at this ball?”
“Oh, it’s terrible to think about! What if something like the last love potion thing happens?”
“It was a special situation back then. You don’t have to worry too much.”
“Still…”
“Maybe His Majesty is waiting for Her Majesty!”
Then, at the comment that someone quickly brought up, Anastasia laughed as if she had heard an interesting story.
“No way.”
He didn’t attend parties very well originally. It was because he tended to avoid crowded and noisy areas.
It was not an essential occasion, and there was no way that he would attend a regular ball.
“He’s not coming. He won’t have to wait for me.”
Anastasia said conclusively.
