Chapter 24: 25

Grand Duchess Alienor was genuinely perplexed by Prince Merrick’s unprecedentedly firm response. She thought it was too preposterous that she had to be treated in this manner by her child all because of an insignificant girl like that, looked up blankly at the Duke, and questioned lamentably.

“Who asked you to pretend otherwise? It is just that the circumstances surrounding you were not good, so I simply asked you to act prudently out of consideration for you. Did you say the woman carrying your child? If it is your child, then it becomes my grandchild as well. Don’t tell me you think I’m such a cruel character who would even ignore her own grandchild?” 

“… That’s not what I meant. Don’t get me wrong.”

“It is not that I misunderstood you. Isn’t it you who is getting his mother wrong?”

As she spoke, tears welled up in the corners of the eyes of Grand Duchess Alienor, as if her sorrow was surging up. Prince Merrick was taken aback when his mother of a strong temperament started crying, quickly gave in, and pressed a handkerchief against his mother’s eyes.

“Please calm down, Mother. I apologize. I was not thinking straight.” 

“It is not an apology if you don’t mean it. If that’s what you really think, then this mother-.”

“No, it’s not like that. It seems that after being locked up in the house for so long, my mind had muddled up to the point I even thought of something so bizarre. Please calm down, Mother. I was wrong.”

Even if she was infinitely strict with others, she was always a loving mother to him. She was born and raised as a noble and was extremely stubborn with her flaw being that she would never stray off her goal once she decided it, but she was still his mother who poured out all her love for her child. Prince Merrick gently wiped the corners of her eyes, unable to lift his head from the guilt of making his mother cry.

“Prince Merrick. I don’t know about anything else, but please believe this one thing.”

How long will you keep being like this? Grand Duchess Alienor, after weeping for a long time in sorrow alone, gently placed her hand on the child’s hand that was covering her cheek and opened her mouth in a quavering voice. She looked down at the face of her son, who she was facing close enough that they could touch each other’s breath, and whispered sadly but softly.

“I swear, everything this mother does is for you. You just have to do what your mother says, trust and follow her. Can you trust your mother, Duke? Or are you going to break your poor mother’s heart through this misunderstanding again in the future?”

Prince Merrick nodded silently as he felt his mother’s suffocating affection wrap around him like a spiderweb. However, Grand Duchess Alienor was not satisfied with this as she wanted a definite answer from Prince Merrick’s mouth, and so, urged her son.

“Yes, I believe you. Mother.” 

Reluctantly, Prince Merrick opened his mouth to wash away his mother’s worries. At that moment, Grand Duchess Alienor finally stopped crying and smiled brightly like the clear sky.

“Is that so? That’s like my son. I believe in you, too. You’re such a sweet son.”

Prince Merrick rose from his seat and reached out to her. Grand Duchess Alienor took his hand with a loving expression, stood up, and supported her weight with the help of her son’s arm.

*** 

“The envoys for the thawing celebratory ceremony from Kayediv have arrived and are outside the door.”

We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.

The announcer, with a voice as deep as a bell, announced the arrival of the envoys. As soon as the call was finished, a huge door of 14 paeta opened, and a group of envoys slowly entered the ballroom.

The person standing at the very front of the envoys was a young man as tall as a cedar tree. The intricately braided red hair was long enough to reach below his waist, and over the Prince-Electors era bliaud, traditionally recognized as a diplomatic dress, was a long, fancy cloak decorated with the fur of a young seal. Thanks to this, not only the young man, but the entire group of envoys, dressed in the same way, gave off a very vintage impression. 

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As if he had never been stained with a single speck of dirt in this world, his ethereal appearance was just like a fairy knight in old chivalry literature, so the noblewomen, who were weak for romance, let out a low sigh and looked at envoys in a daze.

“From the Kingdom of Ten Princes, I have brought the news of spring to the Emperor of Estina, who rules the South. May the amity between our two countries last forever.”

The envoy walked to the front of the throne, knelt down, handed the fancy box he was holding in his hand to the Emperor’s Grand Chamberlain and said politely. Count Picato, the Grand Chamberlain, took the box and presented it to the Emperor in a formal manner. 

The Emperor, sitting on the throne, opened the presented gift box. Inside the splendidly sculpted box was an expensive necklace adorned with an enormous water drop diamond, as big as two fingers of an adult man. It was a precious gift that was so beautiful and dazzling that it looked like a star had fallen into the box.

“This is ‘Tear of Ensha’, created by the best jewelry craftsman in Kayediv. There is a legend in Kayediv that the tears of the Goddess Ensha helped the first thaw of spring that comes every year.”

When the Emperor checked the gift in the box, the redheaded envoy bowed his head and added an explanation. The Goddess Ensha was deeply revered in Kayediv as the Goddess of the Moon, known for her compassion and mercy. The Emperor looked down at the burdensomely extravagant gift and smiled quietly, and gently praised the hard work of the envoys who had come a long way.

“It’s truly pleasant to hear from our close friend who had been distant throughout the winter. Are all the Ten Princes at peace?” 

Overseas, it was known as Kayediv, but in reality, the Northern Country was closer to a united kingdom ruled by ten Grand Duchies. The Ten Princes referred to by the Emperor was the generic term for all ten of the Grand Dukes.

“Yes, Your Majesty. Fortunately, everyone spent the winter safely.”

“Have you visited the empire as a member of the envoys before?”

“I did. I am Cyrill Xenia Grivan, the firstborn son of the Grand Duke of Livonia.” 

“That’s right, Prince Cyrill. We remember that many years ago when you came by, countless young noble ladies were left heartbroken. As time goes by, your grandeur flourishes more and more.”

As the Emperor spoke in a light-hearted teasing tone, a short laugh spread throughout the large ballroom. The Emperor comforted Prince Cyrill, who bowed his head shyly, with a gentle voice.

“It must have been a long tiresome journey. Thank you for your efforts.”

“Thank you for the unchanging amity that you warmly welcome us every year.” 

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The atmosphere, from the beginning till the end, was so amicable that one would mistake them for a nephew who came to pay his greeting and an uncle who warmly welcomed him. After the representative envoy’s greetings were finished, a stout man standing behind came forward, bent one knee, and knelt down. Then, in a loud voice, he began to list the rest of the gifts prepared for the Emperor one by one.

Fifteen full-grown polar bear hides, fifty dark reindeer hides, a box of silver mined in the Yongustin mountain range, ten barrels of refined sperm oil, around seventy beautiful handicrafts made of colored glass, a tapestry embroidered by the Grand Duchess and Princess themselves… As the list, more splendid than ever, continued longer, exclamations of amazement poured out from the nobles.

Only the Emperor sat there motionless. He calmly listened to the ostentatious listing of gifts with a smile. The enumeration had barely finished after a long time. After briefly expressing his gratitude, the Emperor announced the start of the postponed banquet.

“We have prepared a simple feast to appreciate your efforts. We hope all of you eat and drink comfortably and relieve your fatigue.” 

Starting with the Emperor’s announcement, a lavish envoy banquet was held. Prince Cyrill bowed his head again and stood up after thanking the Emperor. Their eyes met for a moment in mid-air. Prince Cyrill, who looked up at the Emperor for a second, immediately smiled and turned away, and the Emperor, still with a smile on his face, spoke to the cardinal sitting next to him.

‘What is with this appearance of yours?’

The Emperor immediately spat out as soon as he came across him in the ballroom.

‘Do you still think that you will be able to succeed in remarriage?’ 

He displeasingly clicked his tongue and rebuked Eugène, and his rebuke turned into a prophecy that decided Eugène’s fate.

Not surprisingly, Eugène’s frugal attire stood out explicitly at the party, where everyone was lavishly dressed up in the latest fashion. He wore a small cravat on a poised silver-gray justaucorps to match the color of his eyes, with the color of the outfit so cool and the borders so neat that it looked like he was wearing any other uniform.

Eugène, tall and dark-skinned, gave off the impression of being stern, even if he was not. It was only natural that such a person stood out more than the robed clergy since he came out dressed in an outfit reminiscent of a uniform.

Thanks to this, the only people who approached him were the menfolk. While the familiar imperial ministers present at the political meetings, nobles scurrying around with curiosity about rumors of the Emperor’s favorite subject, or influential political figures such as the Marquis of Carbo, Marquise Merlin’s father, or Viscount Despan, Marquise Lamott’s brother greeted him, the noblewomen who were supposed to be introduced to him were busy chatting among themselves, hiding their faces with their fans. 

“The lady over there is Countess Débonnaire, the widow of Count Débonnaire. Another lady recommended by Your Majesty.”

Eugène stopped accepting champagne from a passing attendant. As promised, ‘I will arrange a second marriage partner for you’, the Emperor recommended several noblewomen to him. However, it was by no means the classic way of inviting the woman and Eugène and introducing them to each other.

The Emperor, knowing that his actions could be seen as a kind of coercion, tried to perform his role by insinuating and suggesting the names of women he thought were suitable to Eugène, instead of taking direct action.

There were already five names that the attendants slipped and left in that way. At this point, Eugène realized that the Emperor was pursuing his remarriage in earnest. The Emperor truly intended to marry him off. 

The Emperor’s remarks such as ‘We are the Emperor, but it’s not Us who will promote you. It’s your child’ or ‘Your marriage is a matter of grave concern for the country’ were not mere jokes, but sincere words.

Of course, Eugène knew why the Emperor was hastening his marriage. He reflected on the conversation he had with the Emperor during lunch today.

‘We were contacted by Adelphe who received the sapphire necklace. As you pointed out, the woman with the sapphire necklace was a spy from Rodom.’

The Emperor suddenly remembered and spoke casually as he ate a cake with dried fruits. 

‘It is an unusual sign that the silver fox of Rodom is getting zealous. It is clear that the situation within the Confederation of Five Nations is changing rapidly.’

The silver fox of Rodom was another nickname for Queen Gwyneth, known to the common people by the beautiful name, ‘Lady of the Stars’. Eugène, enjoying dessert after finishing his meal, hardened his expression at the heavy topic that suddenly appeared.

‘Is the discussion on the federal system genuinely happening?’

Eugène, realizing what the Emperor’s allusion meant, asked back, which sounded like a low groan. The Emperor smiled coldly and nodded. 

‘Otherwise, this can’t happen. According to the sources connected, meetings between the families with voting rights in the nobility council have become more frequent these days. Even Marquis Ribon Recaster, the head of the merchant aristocracy, visited Rodom three times recently.’

Marquis Ribon Recaster was the head of the merchant aristocracy and at the same time the most powerful man in Kamann. He was also the father of Queen Gwyneth.

‘If the vote for the federal system is brought up to the aristocratic council, the internal affairs of the Confederation of Five Nations will be in an uproar for the time being. It is a matter of practical interest, even if it’s ideal, so it will take a considerable amount of time for the difficulties to subside. But for the empire, that is an opportunity. It’s a race against time. Either the Confederation of Five Nations succeeds in grand unification first or the empire achieves naval reorganization first. Whoever outsmarts the other wins the battle, and We need you in order to win this battle.’

Only then did the Emperor put down his fork and wiped his lips with a napkin, unlike Eugène, who had lost his appetite long ago. Immediately after finishing the meal, the Emperor wiped his mouth again and said in his usual tone, ‘We need you’, and smiled as he looked straight at Eugène, who had widened his eyes in surprise. 

‘Now that We’ve said this, do you understand? That your remarriage is a matter of grave concern for the country. So, don’t simply brush it off this evening, and give your utmost best. What’s the use of a weapon in your hand if you can’t use it when you really need to?’

Though the conclusion was somewhat strange, it was not a conversation that could be easily forgotten. What could be more glorious than hearing such praise from a monarch who was born and served as a man? Chivalry literature from the time of Prince-Electors’ was still popular today for all the right reasons.

Eugène, under the bizarre duty of seducing a lady for the sake of his master, looked around in search of the widow of Count Débonnaire, recommended by his attendant. Fortunately, the widow was not far away. She was enjoying the banquet with a lady who seemed to be her friend and was surrounded by a few other nobles.

Eugène took a sip of the champagne he was holding and took a deep breath and strode across the ballroom to Countess Débonnaire. 

Then he suddenly stopped. This was because, among Countess Débonnaire’s group and another group of nobles who stood nearby, he found the figure of a certain lady with a particularly pale complexion. She was breathing heavily with a deathly pale face as if it was difficult to breathe, but the people around her were busy laughing and talking among themselves, so they did not notice her troubled expression.

Seeing the lady in a situation where she was about to faint and fall, Eugène instinctively approached her and supported her waist. The group with the lady was startled by the large man who suddenly came in between them, and when they found the woman drooping in his arms as if she were about to collapse, they were once again greatly astonished.

“Lou- Hon Louise Dumont, are you okay?”

T/N: ‘Federation of Five Nations’ has been changed to ‘Confederation of Five Nations’ (prev chaps have also been edited). apologies for the change being somewhat late into the novel, however, i thought it would be better to change it now than later. there’s a crucial difference between the two in english, with confederation simply being ‘union or alliance’ and federation being ‘union or alliance under authority’. unfortunately, my mistake came from the word being synonymous with the other in korean :[[ if you don’t know the difference between the two, think of the usa as a federation while the european union as a confederation. thank you for understanding! 

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