Contract Marriage Rewritten
Chapter 15
3. First Night
Thanks to the Emperor departing before the Princes' funerals were even concluded, his own funeral proceeded with haste.
Laniakea donned the same mourning dress she had worn for the Princes' funeral and cautiously entered the funeral hall. From the entrance, Imperial Knights guarded the hall in an ironclad perimeter.
Yet their appearance was somewhat different. During the Princes' funeral, the knights had stood in impeccably tailored, pristine uniforms of the Imperial Knights.
Today, though clearly dressed for the occasion, their garments were creased and stained in places. Visible dings and caked dust even marred their armor.
Above all, what set them apart from the funeral two days prior was their piercing, vigilant gaze. Back then, the knights had been far busier exchanging pleasantries with passing nobles than actually providing security, whereas the knights standing here now were taut with tension, looking ready to draw their swords at any second.
Faced with this raw, battleground-like atmosphere, the arriving nobles could barely meet their eyes and scurried to their designated places.
As Laniakea stepped inside, all eyes gravitated toward her.
Fortunately, her veil shielded her face. Had it not, everyone would have busily whispered over her expression.
When Laniakea took her place where she had stood two days ago, Signo, who had been standing up ahead, approached her. He had hurried over after noticing her glancing around uneasily.
“There is no need to be so on guard. They are all Lord Hyperion's knights.”
“His Highness's knights? Do you mean... from the border?”
“Indeed. Men who fought the enemy alongside His Highness. Though whether to call it 'alongside' or 'rolling in the mud like dogs together' is a bit of a quandary...”
“Aren't knights from the border forbidden from coming here?”
The border had to remain under ironclad defense at all times. The Empress had insisted upon that rule, barring Hyperion from bringing other knights away from that post.
That was why Hyperion had always entered the Imperial Palace alone.
Even at banquets meant for delivering relief supplies, had not only a single knight ever accompanied him from his domain, unlike the other regions?
Yet to bring the knights who had stood with him directly here...
“Under normal circumstances, they could not have come. But we are in an emergency following the passing of His Imperial Majesty. Under such protocols, border knights are permitted to enter the Capital.”
“Even so... is it truly alright?”
“Do not worry. The Border Guard will not crumble simply because this number came to the Capital. You have no idea how solidly His Highness reinforced that region over the years.”
Signo's eyes sparkled as he replied, brimming with utter trust in Hyperion.
After gazing proudly at the knights maintaining their ironclad perimeter, Signo guided Laniakea a little further forward.
“Her Highness the Consort's seat is over here.”
It was the seat of highest honor in the funeral hall. Just two days ago, it had been the place where the Empress stood.
“What of Her Majesty the Empress?”
“Overcome with grief after losing both her sons and her husband in such rapid succession, she collapsed and is unable to attend today's funeral... or so the public will be told.”
Signo said this, then lowered his voice so only Laniakea could hear.
“She is currently detained for raising a fuss and screaming that she would kill Lord Hyperion.”
At Signo's explanation, Laniakea nodded in understanding.
The Empress had acted like a madwoman at the funeral that day as well. And now even the Emperor had passed away. Anyone would have lost their mind under such circumstances.
Just as Laniakea looked around once more, Hyperion entered.
Though hundreds of people filled the hall, the moment he stepped inside, every other sound vanished, leaving only the distinct ring of his footsteps.
Though the mourning attire had surely been prepared in haste, draped entirely in black, he showed not the slightest imperfection.
He carried only the majestic dignity and perfection of a god of death stepping into his own domain.
The nobles watching him entered hastily bowed their heads as Hyperion strode past.
The knights, their edges sharpening even further than before, bowed deeply toward him as well.
In that moment, everyone present realized it.
The frail, aging former Emperor was dead, and the era of a new ruler had begun.
* * *
The funeral concluded swiftly.
Likely because the Princes' funeral two days prior had served as excellent practice.
The moment the funeral ended, the Imperial Palace was thrown into a frenzy. Alongside the new Emperor's coronation, the households of the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Princes' consorts, as well as the former Empress, had to vacate the palace.
“What nonsense! Why must I leave this palace?! It is only right that I remain in this palace as Empress Dowager to guide the still-immature Emperor and Empress!”
The former Empress hurled whatever object she could grab toward the knights barging into the Empress's palace, shrieking at the top of her lungs.
Though they were Hyperion's knights, who never flinched even when facing demonic beasts, they were nonetheless forced to take a step back before the former Empress.
“Dear me, this is quite a predicament.”
Signo pressed a hand to his forehead at the sight.
Right then, a finger poked him in the side. When he turned, Lucy, now dressed in the uniform of the Head Maid, was standing beside him before he even noticed.
“That thing. Clean up?”
“Are you saying you can escort Her Majesty the former Empress outside?”
Though they had not known each other long, Signo could understand her words quite well.
“Empress, moving. Quick.”
Laniakea was still staying in quarters near Hyperion's room.
She needed to move into the Empress's palace as soon as possible, but the schedule was constantly delayed because the former Empress dug in her heels and refused to leave.
In the end, unable to bear it any longer, Lucy had come with the absolute resolve to throw the former Empress out today.
“Then I leave it in your hands.”
With Signo's permission, Lucy walked straight up to the former Empress, grabbed her around the waist, and hoisted her up into the air.
“What are you doing?! How dare you! Let go! Let go of me this instant!”
Though the former Empress flailed desperately, Lucy paid her no mind, sprinting outside while carrying her like cargo.
She then shoved the former Empress into the waiting carriage as if stuffing a sack inside.
After slamming the door shut, she even untied the ribbon around her neck and bound the carriage door handle tightly shut. All so the Empress could not come out.
“Y-You! You insolent Lupin wench...!”
The former Empress glared fiercely at Lucy, pointing accusingly through the window, but Lucy merely smiled and waved her hand at her.
“Out.”
* * *
In just one week, the Empress's palace welcomed its new mistress.
And not just the Empress's palace. The Main Palace, too, had completely erased the lingering traces of the former Emperor's long illness and welcomed its new master.
Amidst all this, Laniakea was practically dying of exhaustion.
“Someone save me...”
Sprawled across the still-unfamiliar bed, she muttered with a dazed expression.
It had undoubtedly been the busiest week of her entire life.
Back when she was a Crown Princess, the only document she had ever needed to review and approve was the monthly schedule. At most, perhaps an order form for supplies needed at the Detached Palace?
Yet the moment the funeral ended, documents stacked as high as a person's height piled onto Laniakea's desk.
Naturally, all of it consisted of matters requiring the Empress's review.
Nor was it just paperwork. Since entering the Imperial Palace, Laniakea had only been taught basic etiquette; she had never learned a single thing about managing the palace.
Even so, the Empress could not simply neglect the administration of the Imperial Palace.
A faculty hastily assembled from both the Imperial Academy and the Imperial Household Department taught Laniakea without pause from morning to night, drilling into her everything she needed to master immediately.
Laniakea feebly unfolded the schedule she was clutching in her hand. The parchment was densely packed with five days' worth of appointments.
It was certain to contain more words than all the schedules Laniakea had received over the past three years combined.
Yet right now, Laniakea's gaze was not directed at those duties.
On the sixth day, the schedule was completely blank.
“Haa...”
Though one ought to be delighted by a scheduled rest, Laniakea's face was heavy with anxiety.
Because that day was precisely the day she was to share a bed with Hyperion.
‘How many times will we have to do it?’
Though she had never experienced it, she had heard plenty of stories.
‘They say that depending on the person, a child might be conceived on the very first try, or it could take several months.’
Laniakea placed a hand over her lower abdomen. Her monthly cycle was fairly regular. Her checkups every few months had never revealed any particular problems either.
She pictured Hyperion. Considering that robust, powerful physique of his, he did not seem like someone with any physical issues either.
‘Then... couldn't a baby happen on the very first try?’
