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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 27
Chapter Title: Preparations and Misgivings
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The royal party ended as they always did: amidst the smiles of nobles and royals feigning warmth, masking all manner of hidden strife.
The Duke became the talk of the town after proposing to his fiancée, Helena, inside the ballroom.
“Until the day our lives come to an end, we are one.”
Standing beside Helena were her son and daughter, Philip and Imeline. While Philip was so overjoyed he even shed tears, Imeline stood with an indescribably unpleasant expression, becoming the subject of much gossip among the nobles.
However, no one attributed Imeline’s soured expression to the Duke’s proposal. Instead, they whispered it was due to her brief spat with Vivian Cavendish.
“Miss Vivian was foolish. To speak ill of Miss Imeline for simply going to meet the princess… well, people see what they want to see, don’t they?”
“I’ve heard some say that it was actually Miss Vivian and Mr. Gary Halo who were involved. That Miss Vivian acted out of jealousy because her relationship with Mr. Gary didn't go as planned…”
The seasoned aristocrats of high society each voiced their opinions on the matter to their respective reading circles, prayer groups, and tea parties. Thanks to this, various schools of thought—or perhaps factions—began to form.
The only major player in society who didn't express her opinion to her followers was Margaret Beaufort. She merely left an ambiguous remark, “Let’s wait and see,” and said nothing else about the minor squabble between Vivian and Imeline that had become such a topic of conversation.
Instead, toward the end of the party, Margaret captured everyone's attention by announcing that, buoyed by the success of her leather shoe business, she was planning a new venture and would reveal it at the launch party for her forthcoming autobiography.
Among those who heard the news was the king. He spoke to the Duke while writing out the marriage license.
“An autobiography from Margaret… I hear it will also feature photographs of the various clothes and shoes she’s popularized. The continent will be in an uproar again. A remarkable woman. Though I, for one, don't quite understand what's so significant about the things one wears.”
“It's said that the money earned from Margaret's department store surpasses the income from the estates of most dukes or marquesses. She is indeed a remarkable person.”
The king replied nonchalantly to the Duke's comment.
“Financially, that may be so, but land and a department store are entirely different things, aren't they? The money from an estate is earned through the blood and sweat of my people, while the money from a department store is the result of women indulging in luxuries with their husbands' money.”
“A fair point, Your Majesty, but has it not also created livelihoods for many people?”
“Well, if this too is a sign of the changing times, I suppose it can't be helped…”
Nevertheless, the king clicked his tongue, as if displeased with the state of things. At the same time, he felt as if he could hear Princess Ella's voice in his ear.
‘If you get hung up on whether a profession is noble or if money is noble, how are you ever supposed to make any money? The times have changed! For heaven’s sake, stop acting like such a fossil! You old coot!’
‘W-what did you say! You, get over here! I won't hit you, so just get over here!’
‘No! You’re going to hit me! You’re always kicking your knights in the shins! Resorting to violence when words fail is just as old-fashioned!’
The king cleared his throat.
While it was true that Princess Ella was rather emotional and lacked a certain dignity for a princess, it was undeniable that she was keenly aware of the changing times and had a sharp instinct for bold new ventures.
But the throne was a different matter. This position was meant to uphold the traditional authority of the Dennique dynasty, after all.
In that sense, the king secretly felt it was a pity about Princess Ella. Especially since a queen had not emerged from the Dennique dynasty for the past several hundred years.
‘It's not as if that boy Robert is any better…’
Ella's strategic mind, her progressive attitude, her eye for the times. If only Robert had possessed even one of those things, he wouldn't be in such a dilemma.
The king wrote today's date at the bottom of the marriage license, which was written in an ancient language, affixed his royal seal, and then walked over to the reception table where the Duke was seated.
The king looked down at the Duke with a strange expression.
Whenever he looked at the red-eyed Duke, the king felt a strange intuition. An intuition that he should never, ever turn his back on this man.
Sometimes, intuition was more accurate than logical and comprehensive judgment.
The Duke did not take his eyes off the marriage license in the king's hand. The king, sensing this, deliberately held onto the document as he spoke.
“In that sense, Robert has many qualities that resemble mine. He may be somewhat old-fashioned, but he values things like tradition, dignity, and class. I hope the boy learns a great deal from his upcoming northern expedition and returns a changed man.”
The Duke had agreed to assist Prince Robert on his expedition to the northern frontier. This included purchasing weapons and gathering private soldiers for the venture. It was something of a price for the king's permission to marry.
The king harbored a secret hope that Robert would defeat the foreign tribes and demons in the northern frontier, thereby achieving great glory.
Ella's achievement of persuading the Grand Duke of the North with her brilliant rhetoric had made her the first in line for the throne.
But defeating foreign tribes and demons by the sword and spear and expanding the kingdom's territory was a feat only a prince could accomplish. If Robert could prove himself a great prince on this expedition, the line of succession could change.
Furthermore, the North was still an unknown land. If this expedition were to discover a deposit of magic stones, like the legendary Mermaids' Tomb from ancient times, it would be a great boon to the continent's development.
Thus, this expedition was the king's gift to Robert—a chance to prove he was superior to his sister in at least one regard. If Robert were to squander even this final opportunity….
Then the king, just as Ella had said, would have to admit his own old-fashioned ways and fully support the princess.
The king held out the marriage license to the Duke and said.
“Take good care of my son.”
The Duke accepted the marriage license and bowed respectfully.
“Leave it to me, Your Majesty.”
Beneath the Duke's bowed head, his red eyes gleamed.
✵ ✵ ✵
The day after the royal party.
After opening my eyes, I stared at something for a long time. It was the 100,000 gold check Eric had given me.
‘…What should I use this for?’
‘He said to use it for the wedding preparations. He said it was the promised amount…’
Lily, who had changed back from her knightly attire to her maid's uniform, told me this as she handed it to me. Her expression was displeased.
‘But even if he said to use it for wedding preparations, isn't he taking care of the dress and the temple himself?’
So, can I just pocket this money…?
Like a cat in front of a fish market, I fidgeted, unable to do anything but stare at the check.
But that didn't last long. Soon, Philip burst into my room. He wanted me to go with him to see the temple where Mom was getting married tomorrow.
“Do I have to go?”
“Aha. A family always does things together, little sister.”
That wasn't it. It was Mom's plan to get Philip and me a little closer to the Duke.
Figuring I'd be pestered all morning if I didn't go along with Mom and Philip's scheme, I simply got up without another word.
When Mom, Philip, and I arrived at the temple, a priest came out to greet us and give us a tour. He was a priest from a collateral branch of the Orleans family who had devoted himself to the faith.
He led Mom, Philip, and me around, rambling on and on about the ceremony in a crotchety voice. The Duke, meanwhile, was nowhere to be seen. Something about being busy with a new business venture.
“Still, does it make sense for the groom not to show up?”
I grumbled to my mother while the crotchety old priest was a safe distance away. And did it even make sense for me to be here? Touring the venue for a wedding I planned to ruin.
Every time she was addressed as ‘Duchess,’ Mom would flash a gentle smile. Later, she massaged her face as if her cheekbones were sore and said.
“Have you grown fond of the Duke already? Do you miss him?”
“As if! I'm just worried you're getting your hopes up too much for this wedding…”
I sighed. My resolve to ruin this wedding hadn't changed, but I felt strange.
“What does it matter? I heard from that priest that the Duke has already donated four million gold to the capital's diocese.”
“Four million gold?!”
Philip, who had been lounging about like a ruffian, shot straight up and exclaimed. I glared at him, but inwardly, I couldn't help but be shocked too.
Four million gold. I knew the Orleans family was powerful, but enough to spend that much on a donation? A wave of anxiety washed over me along with the surprise.
‘Somehow, I feel like this marriage fraud won't be so easy…’
I remembered that Eric was supposed to meet a priest named Andrea to settle the matter of the fraudulent marriage.
If the capital's diocese had gobbled up that much money, it wouldn't be easy for one of their priests to ruin the Duke's wedding on his own authority. Besides, wasn't Eric Orleans an incredibly straight-laced young master?
‘Somehow… this feels ominous.’
Wouldn't it be better to suggest moving the wedding to a different diocese, even now? I muttered, thinking such thoughts.
“I mean, why does he have so much money…? If he's got money to burn, he should give it to people like us, not donate it. The priests will probably just split the donation among themselves anyway.”
As I grumbled, Mom quickly stomped on my foot, as if afraid the priest would hear me.
“Ah!”
When I cried out, the nearby worshipers glared at us. Mom gave them the gentlest smile in the world and made the sign of the cross.
“Mom, your acting is getting better and better. Wouldn't it be better if we just left the capital now and joined a traveling troupe?”
I whispered softly, mimicking my mother and making the sign of the cross. Mom maintained her gentle smile, moving only her lips as she spoke.
“What's gotten into you lately? Do you hate the idea of me getting married that much?”
After she finished speaking, Mom glanced at me. Then, with a suddenly serious expression, she seemed to ponder something before muttering.
“The Duke does seem a bit strange, I'll admit…”
“Right? He is strange, isn't he?”
I grasped my mother's hand, a flicker of hope in my heart. But Philip slapped my hand away and said.
“Strange? What's strange about him? You just have a prejudice against the rich because you grew up poor. Not all rich people are like Violode.”
A silence fell between me, Mom, and Philip at his words.
Violode.
At the mention of my father, my face hardened instantly. Just hearing his name still caused scenes to flash through my mind—scenes I could no longer tell were nightmares or reality.
‘Damn it…’
Philip, belatedly realizing the shift in atmosphere, patted my shoulder with a troubled look.
“No, what I meant was…”
“Be quiet. Why are you bringing up a dead man? It's bad luck.”
Mom cut Philip off, nudging his shoulder. Philip cleared his throat and stepped back.
Mom gazed at me quietly.
My reflection appeared in her beautiful brown eyes.
Ever since Mom and I left the Violode Company, we were a mother-daughter pair often told how strikingly similar we were. Our eye color, hair color, and even our manner of speaking, actions, and personalities.
That's why I had never once doubted it. The fact that I was Helena Wedgwood's daughter. The fact that just as she had protected me, I had to protect her.
‘So maybe I should tell her to come to her senses and we should all run away. Forget this fraudulent marriage and everything…’
Just as I was thinking that, Mom spoke.
“It's true the Duke is strange. He can be a bit insincere at times…”
“Right! So…”
“But who in this world isn't strange? I am, Philip is, and my cute little daughter is a little strange too, right? With hidden secrets… and the like.”
She said this while gently plucking a stray hair from my lips.
Hidden secrets.
In that moment, I wanted to confess to my mother about the pearl hairpin that Vivian and Eric had mentioned.
I wrapped my arms around myself and shivered, like someone who had just stepped into a cold room.
