42 - The Bride of the Great Lord is a Warrior from Hell
“I will issue an order. Lady Goggins, until Maud Mannors gives birth, no direct descendant of the Mannors family is allowed to enter the Imperial Concubine. Lady Goggins is not allowed to have Viviana Manners visit her residence, Corinth House. Any member of the Mannors family must have a maid designated by the head maid present when meeting with the owner of Corinth House.”
Marquis Manners was so shocked that he couldn't move for a moment.
“Your Majesty…”
“Your Majesty! I am the only maternal aunt of the Imperial Palace’s first baby! If I suddenly disappear, Maud will worry!”
Viviana rose to her feet and shouted.
“I am the father of the Imperial Palace’s first child. And are you threatening me now? Are you saying that Lady Goggins will be in danger if you disappear? Lady Viviana, you are forbidden from entering the Imperial Palace until the Emperor permits it. Marquis Manners, you are forbidden from allowing Viviana to enter society. This is both an imperial order and a family’s advice. I don’t want to see either of you, so leave!”
At the Emperor’s command, the servants ushered Marquis Manners and Viviana out.
Even after the two left the room, the Audience Chamber remained chaotic for a while.
The Empress carefully watched the somber Emperor, then silently bowed and withdrew.
The Emperor lightly took and released the Empress’s hand as she turned away.
“Everyone, leave. The Count of Echeveria and the Grand Duke will remain.”
At the order from the head seat, the Audience Chamber stirred again before settling down.
“……”
“……”
The Emperor remained silent for a long time.
Alicia and Reikart exchanged glances from a distance.
“Let’s move the location.”
After remaining motionless for a while, the Emperor moved and entered the inner chamber inside the Audience Chamber.
Reikart went to Alicia and waited.
The two headed together to where the Emperor had gone.
Inside the curtain, a tea table was set up.
The Emperor gestured for them to take a seat.
He prepared tea for both of them, as well as his own, and offered it.
Reikart gave her a look that said not to say anything.
The Emperor offered a teacup.
Alicia quietly took the teacup.
“Count.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The Emperor put down his teacup, and the two also put down their teacups.
“I hope Viviana’s antics today will pass as a mere happening.”
The Emperor’s smiling face was as perfect as a painting.
It was so perfect that it gave her goosebumps.
Alicia suddenly felt sorry for the Empress.
And so she was embarrassed.
Who was pitying whom? It was a ridiculous situation.
Alicia picked up the teacup she had put down and slowly drank the tea.
She couldn’t stop drinking tea until she had emptied more than half of the teacup.
“I beg you to forgive and forget my shameful behavior today.”
Alicia said politely as she put down the teacup.
The content of her words was not very polite, but the Emperor did not blame her.
He put down the teacup he was drinking from and stared at the two sitting in front of him.
“I hope the two of you will make your marriage vows as soon as possible. This is my sincere wish. You may leave.”
Alicia said a customary remark at the Emperor’s sudden words.
“I am honored.”
“We will take our leave now, Your Majesty.”
Reikart rose quickly, making a whooshing sound.
He subtly urged Alicia to hurry.
Alicia quickly followed Reikart’s movements.
“Reikart, escort the Lady well.”
The Emperor’s words were strangely unsettling to the end.
“I will, brother. Please comfort Lady Goggins so that she is not surprised.”
“Are you ordering me? Haven’t you become too rude lately?”
Reikart let Alicia go out of the curtain first and then replied.
“How could I. We will take our leave.”
Reikart, who had stepped out of the curtain, watched Alicia and strode forward.
He was only silent, but it was no different from urging her to walk quickly.
Alicia walked diligently to avoid the awkward atmosphere without complaint.
Only after coming out of the Audience Chamber could she slow down.
“His Majesty must be angry, right?”
“Yes, he is very angry. And he is very curious and incredibly suspicious.”
Even after leaving the Audience Chamber, the two walked busily.
“W-Who?”
“Alicia Rein.”
“Why?”
“The Emperor suspects anyone with power unconditionally. Stop visiting the Empress Palace for the time being.”
Reikart spoke calmly about the disrespectful words.
“……She’s about to have a baby.”
Alicia lowered her voice as much as possible and whispered to herself.
“Avoid it for a few days since you’ve been targeted.”
“What did I do?”
It was when Alicia was about to lament.
“It’s coming from the front.”
Reikart said in a low voice and slowed down his pace a little more.
Marquis Valdemar Rein was slowly approaching them.
Why is today like this?
Alicia felt the urge to turn around.
It felt like there were fierce traps laid everywhere she stepped today.
If the most dangerous trap was the Emperor, the most unpleasant trap was the person standing in front of her.
“Count of Echeveria.”
Marquis Rein stood in front of Alicia with a smile on his face.
There wasn’t a single soft line on his face, but Alicia could see the Marquis smiling brightly.
There was a softness in his cold and rough voice that only Alicia, as a family member, could feel.
Perhaps it was because Alicia had gone to hell and come back, reversing time.
There were times when things that were not visible in the past looked different now.
It was the same for Marquis Rein.
In the past, he was just a difficult father.
A scary being whom she could only have a private meeting with when there was a significant event in her life.
Now, her father, who had been like that, was now coming to her first and showing her friendliness.
Perhaps it was because the ordinary day that she was spending now had a value equivalent to the most important period of her life.
“Call me comfortably, Father.”
Alicia said, conscious of Reikart.
The title of Count of Echeveria was a title she had obtained thanks to Grand Duke Tessen.
However, she was embarrassed and ashamed of the Marquis’s attitude of excluding the Grand Duke, who had allowed her to have the title, from the conversation and speaking as if he had obtained it himself.
“My youngest.”
To others, the Marquis would still look cold and aloof.
However, seeing the way he called Alicia, they would think that he was a father who loved his daughter.
She knew that the Marquis mentioned his children as first, second, and youngest when talking to the Marchioness.
But he had never called her that in front of Alicia herself.
Alicia was flustered by Marquis Rein’s sudden change in attitude, but she did not lose her composure.
“Your Highness is also the youngest in the Imperial Family, so please call me by my name.”
“Oh, was that so.”
Marquis Rein still did not look at the Grand Duke and only looked at Alicia as he spoke.
It was Reikart who cut off his pretense.
“Marquis.”
“Your Highness the Grand Duke. I am sorry for making someone who is busy with official duties come and go because of Alicia. Have you apologized to His Highness, Alicia?”
Marquis Rein spoke meticulously as if he were the most affectionate father.
It was excessive interference, but it was interference that did not cross the line.
“Your Highness, I am sorry for causing you inconvenience because of me.”
“It’s alright.”
Alicia listened to Reikart’s words and immediately turned her gaze to the Marquis.
“Do you have something to say, Father?”
It was an attitude that said to leave if he had nothing to say.
“Alicia.”
Marquis Rein did not care at all about his daughter, who was acting hastily.
He seemed to be in a very good mood.
It was understandable.
The nobles of the capital, the central nobles, tended to look down on the northern or eastern nobles, even if they were great nobles.
The Mannors Marquis family and the Prime Minister were no different.
Marquis Rein, who had never been behind in anything in his life, was displeased with those capital nobles.
Today, his daughter had firmly stepped on the Mannors Marquis family, the Prime Minister's family, which could be said to be the core of the capital noble families, so it was a situation where a smile would naturally come out.
“Yes, Father.”
“I’m worried that you don’t have any friends.”
Marquis Rein was relaxed.
“……I will make sure that something like today doesn’t happen again. I won’t bother you like today.”
Alicia chose her words carefully, doing her best against the Marquis’s sudden attack on her friends.
“My dear, bothering? What’s so important about a father attending to his child’s affairs? On the contrary, you did well today. You paid back the other party’s lies in a slightly violent way, but this father understands.”
“……”
“You don’t have any friends. On the other hand, the other party has many good friends. If the number of people involved increases and you have to rely only on words, it would have been difficult to reveal your innocence. Ah, that’s right, you’ve returned from Tessen, so attend the family dinner.”
Alicia had difficulty grasping the Marquis’s scheme.
Why does he keep talking about friends?
“I will. Aren’t you going back to the North?”
“I’ll go to the North slowly. Felix is doing well there, so there’s nothing to worry about. I’ll contact you soon.”
“Yes, take care.”
Alicia tried to send the Marquis away quickly.
“Stop by the main house even if it’s not for a meal. Marene seems to want to see you. It seems like you’re postponing going to Ludern because you have work at the Imperial Palace these days.”
“I will.”
“Marene is good at making friends and knows many people, so meet her often and broaden your friendships.”
“Yes.”
“Stop by Echeveria when you have time. Francis is doing well, but you shouldn’t let go completely either. You know it well since you’re still in contact with Harry. Then I’ll be going.”
The Marquis gave Alicia a warm look and Reikart a brief greeting before turning around.
A subtle loneliness was evident on his face as he turned around.
My poor daughter who has no friends.
My poor daughter who is not good at making friends, so her relationships are shallow.
It felt strongly like he was ignoring individual uniqueness.
It was a face that made her think that he was pitying her, but for some reason, he seemed to be looking down on her.
Alicia and Reikart moved as they watched Marquis Rein get into the carriage.
It was when he was about to get into the carriage.
Reikart, who had been silent, suddenly spoke.
“Alicia.”
“Yes.”
“Do you not have any friends?”
Alicia was a little choked up.
Given Reikart’s personality, it didn’t seem like his relationships would be very friendly.
She felt very upset at the look that pitied her.
“Life is lived alone.”
Alicia said as if throwing it away and got into the carriage.
Reikart followed Alicia into the carriage.
“You don’t have any friends at all?”
He said with a serious face as he closed the carriage door.
For some reason, she felt much more upset than when she heard similar words from the Marquis earlier.
“What do you mean, none at all.”
Alicia retorted with a face that asked why he had followed her.
Reikart leaned his long body against the back of the seat as he knocked to order the departure.
“Have you forgotten that His Majesty ordered you to escort the Lady?”
He knocked on the carriage wall again.
Along with the sound of hooves, Roderick’s voice rang out from beyond the carriage window.
“Your Highness, do you have an order?”
Reikart straightened his back.
“I will go to the Grand Duke’s Residence.”
The moment he said that, Alicia fidgeted.
It was a gesture filled with protest.
“I will obey the order.”
Regardless of Alicia’s opinion, a firm voice rang out from outside the carriage window.
