RLPE Chapter 101

The newspapers were ablaze with daily features on Vivian Roha.

From her near-selection as Crown Princess to the accusations raised by the young Duke of House Grey, and finally, the unanimous verdict delivered by the tribunal—every detail was laid bare.

Once hailed as a saintly figure destined to walk a path lined with flowers, Vivian Roha had now become a burden no one would dare propose to—unless they were from House Grey.

Such an intense love story, having been broadcasted to the entire empire, turned her into a distant dream: a cake behind glass, a flower blooming on an unreachable cliff.

Far from cooling down, public fervor only continued to intensify.

Everyone’s eyes were now on how the Imperial family would deal with the woman who had been the greatest contributor to Zeta’s rise from a disgraced Prince to Crown Prince.

A week passed.

Soon after an article reported that Armin Grey had had an audience with the Emperor, the imperial golden carriage once again entered the gates of the Roha viscountcy.

Every newspaper rushed to cover the event. According to staff at the estate, the carriage had brought luxurious fabrics and gemstones.

The Emperor himself had issued an Imperial decree: Armin Grey and Vivian Roha were to be wed.

But that wasn’t all.

In addition to the imperial gifts, the Empress and Crown Prince Zeta had also sent congratulatory offerings.

The public was deeply moved. The Crown Prince’s willingness to bless the couple, rather than dwell on past tensions, was seen as a sign of his magnanimity and character.

Just like that, as if nothing had happened, the matter was quietly resolved.

The selection process for the Crown Princess—halted due to the Vivian Roha scandal—resumed shortly thereafter.

The final choice was Flauen Restia.

Unlike the other noblewomen, she had never been caught up in a single romantic scandal and was known for her ascetic lifestyle.

A devout woman, paired with Zeta—who had been named Crown Prince by divine revelation—made for a fitting match in the public’s eyes.

Thus, public interest in Vivian Roha gradually faded with the announcement of the new Crown Princess.

 

* * *

 

The appointment ceremony for the Crown Princess had concluded.

Flauen Restia, who had knelt before the Emperor to receive his blessing, looked genuinely happy. The tiara atop her head, symbolizing her new position, suited her perfectly.

I clapped for her with sincere enthusiasm. Of course, Armin was at my side.

It was the first time I had seen Crown Prince Zeta since that day. Truthfully, I had been very reluctant to face him again, but Armin’s reassurance that nothing would happen gave me the courage to attend.

Sasha’s advice also played a part—after all, we were bound to keep seeing each other, so avoiding him wouldn’t help.

And to my surprise—

“Lady Roha, it’s been a while. I’m glad to see you looking well.”

“Ah? Oh… yes. Congratulations on your marriage, Your Highness.”

“Now that I’ve received your congratulations, I think it’s finally starting to feel real. Well then, I have many others to greet.”

With those words, he turned and walked away.

I was left dumbfounded by his completely composed demeanor, as if nothing had ever happened between us.

His eyes were kind, his expression so gentle—it sent a chill down my spine. He looked just like the good, benevolent man I had first met.

“That’s what political finesse looks like,” Sasha muttered as he watched Crown Prince Zeta’s retreating figure with a smirk.

“Are you cold, Vivi? Want a shawl?”

Armin, standing beside me with a burgundy-colored shawl in hand, offered it warmly.

Ever since his return from the border, he acted like someone eager to show off our relationship to the world—constantly affectionate in a way that made others cringe.

“No, I’m fine.”

It was March, when spring flowers bloomed—far too warm to be wearing a winter shawl.

Armin chuckled and casually placed a hand on my shoulder.

Unlike me, who had grown used to his touches, Sasha turned his head away with a groan.

“I’m leaving…”

Apparently, my twin brother still couldn’t get used to witnessing my love life.

Watching his retreat, Armin and I burst into laughter.

Just then, the Emperor stood and tapped his glass with a teaspoon.

The clear, ringing sound silenced the murmurs in the hall. The Emperor surveyed the room with a pleased expression.

“Today shall be one of the most meaningful days of my life. I offer my deepest gratitude to all who are present.”

After seeing the Crown Prince’s manipulative behavior, even the Emperor—who always seemed like a cheerful, laughing old man—suddenly struck me as someone quite terrifying.

Would Zeta become like that one day, too?

“But today, there is another important announcement aside from the Crown Prince’s marriage.”

At his command, two individuals stepped forward.

The man and woman wore unfamiliar attire. The man’s face was visible, while the woman’s was veiled.

“This is the Prince and Princess of Gellang.”

A gasp rippled through the crowd.

Gellang, a rich nation across the sea, was renowned for its wealth.

While it was known they were sending envoys to congratulate the Crown Prince, there had been no word of their arrival even the night before the wedding.

Thus, their sudden appearance was met with enthusiastic applause.

The man, whose build was similar to Armin’s, spoke the Imperial language fluently:

“Pleased to meet you all. I am Garbo, third prince of Gellang. And this is my sister, Florin.”

He bowed politely, with a youthful air about him.

“Seeing His Highness the Crown Prince and Her Highness the Princess Consort looking so happy makes me miss my wife back home terribly.”

It was a bold, unexpected comment.

But his frankness only made him more likable.

Laughter spread through the hall, and the atmosphere turned warm and cheerful as Prince Garbo continued:

“In truth, my visit here is not only to congratulate His Highness on his marriage.”

Everyone turned to look at him in surprise at this unexpected turn of events. There was something almost solemn in Garbo’s serious expression.

“Prince Garbo, another reason? You hadn’t mentioned anything of the sort to me,” the Emperor replied, clearly curious. Garbo offered him a respectful bow.

“I refrained from speaking of it until I had confirmation. In our kingdom of Gellang, oracles are held in the highest regard.”

What was he getting at, being so roundabout? People began whispering among themselves, but Garbo finally looked out at the crowd and spoke as if he had made up his mind.

“You may find it hard to believe.”

Ugh, how frustrating. I wanted to shout at him to just say it already.

“In Gellang…”

A tense swallow echoed through the hall. Even the Crown Prince and Crown Princess were now watching him with bated breath.

“…we choose our spouses as dictated by a divine oracle.”

Hmm? That was… surprisingly underwhelming. What did foreign marriage customs have to do with us?

The crowd’s attention began to falter slightly, but then Garbo dropped a bombshell.

“And this time, the subject of the oracle was my younger sister, Florin. The oracle declared this: her destined spouse is someone from this very country.”

A wave of shock swept through the hall.

A Princess of Gellang—her dowry alone would be staggering. And now she was to find her spouse here? It was like winning the royal lottery.

Prince Garbo seemed pleased with the reaction. He turned to the princess standing beside him.

“Florin, take off your veil.”

As Princess Florin revealed her face, I could practically hear the collective gasp of the men around us.

Amid the envious glances from the women, Princess Florin lowered her head, looking shy.

“My goodness.”

My jaw dropped as I stared at her. If anyone deserved the title of ‘Goddess of Flowers,’ it was her and no one else.

Her light, honey-blonde hair and the gentle green eyes reminiscent of spring leaves made her the very image of a delicate beauty.

“My goodness…”

I found myself repeating the words again. She was so breathtakingly beautiful that even the Crown Princess—dressed in her finest for the day—seemed to pale in comparison.

“She’s quite shy and dislikes showing her face, but in the presence of such distinguished guests, keeping her veiled felt inappropriate…”

Everyone hung on Prince Garbo’s every word, even holding their breath. Noble families with sons of marrying age looked especially eager.

“I see. Hoho! With such remarkable beauty, it’s no wonder she’s shy of all the attention. Now, Prince, I understand you mean to find her spouse here as the oracle dictated—but how exactly do you plan to go about that?”

The Emperor asked with genuine curiosity—the same question on everyone’s mind.

Prince Garbo gave a faint smile and replied,

“To confirm the oracle, I will soon return to my homeland. In the meantime, Florin will remain in this country and visit noble families with eligible sons of marrying age. Of course, she will not visit any families that do not wish to receive her.”

Would any family truly reject this royal lottery? Regardless, Garbo made it sound like an option.

“But what if the one chosen by the oracle belongs to a house that refuses her visit?” the Emperor asked.

“The oracle,” Garbo answered calmly, “will be fulfilled, no matter what trials may arise.”