“This is not the time to be so carefree!”
The Marquis of Treve touched his forehead.
“According to the princess, His Majesty came in unannounced while she was changing her dirty clothes!”
“Oh, my God.”
“The princess must have been shocked.”
I scratched my head.
“Well, it’s not necessarily wrong.
The nobles looked at me in amazement as if I was talking nonsense.
“Why did he dare enter the lounge for the ladies?”
“On top of that, the princess was just calmly changing behind the insignia, but he persisted in opening it.”
Marquis Treve also nodded his head in earnest.
“Even if it was a mistake that he entered the lounge or opened the insignia, His Majesty would not miss such a good prey.”
The Marquis of Treve sighed deeply.
“The princess responded by believing in his status as the Emperor of the empire, but I didn’t expect that he wouldn’t take any responsibility while pretending not to know anything.”
I rubbed my face in frustration.
But there was no place to complain.
It was as if I had shot myself in the foot.
Marquis Treve pointed to the papers in my arms.
“The royal family in Esland is also going crazy.
“Yes……there was also the Empress Dowager…”
My head was pounding at the increasingly twisted situation, and the Marquis of Treve smiled brightly and grabbed my hand.
“Anyway, I’m relieved that the Duke came back.”
The nobles around me nodded with light faces.
“If it’s the Duke, you’ll be able to persuade His Majesty.”
“Thank God, you’re right back from your vacation.”
***
“Any other agenda?”
As Cardan asked, the mood in the conference room grew even more tense.
All the nobles in the hall glanced at me and cheered me on.
I had to raise my voice.
“Your Majesty, I have one final item on the agenda.”
Fortunately, Cardan seemed to be in a good mood.
“Really? What’s on the agenda?”
I plucked up my courage at the sight of Cardan asking with the corners of his lips raised.
“It’s about the princess of Esland.”
As soon as I opened my mouth, Cardan’s expression crumpled mercilessly.
As Cardan’s eyes became fierce, my nape felt chilly even though I knew he was not a bloodthirsty tyrant.
But I had no choice but to keep talking.
I made up a gentle voice by forcing up the corners of my trembling mouth.
“As Your Majesty knows, hasn’t Esland expressed regret over the unsavory events at the banquet for the past few weeks?”
Cardan raised one eyebrow crookedly.
“I thought you didn’t know about the unsavory incident because the Duke left the banquet hall early.
I winced at the meaning of his words.
“Haha.
The Empress Dowager must have played a part in inflating the rumor.
“So, what is the solution that the Duke proposes? To purge all those who spread those misleading rumors?
It was obvious that he was being sarcastic, but Cardan’s eyes were sharp enough to confuse me for a moment.
I understand why the Duke of Baloa asked Cardan to pose as a tyrant.
If someone else did it, it would have been awkward, but that was not the case with Cardan.
Even now, all the other nobles were trembling and couldn’t take their eyes off the floor.
Although I knew the truth, I also gulped nervously as I spoke.
“Haha, no way.”
I bowed politely.
Although this incident was as if I had shot myself in the foot, it was not without a solution.
“I suggest we bring the princess of Esland as a concubine, Your Majesty.”
“Concubine.”
I felt a chill in his voice.
I think he’s really mad.
I glanced at Cardan, and as I expected, he was staring at me as if he was about to kill me.
With his blood-colored eyes fluttering with anger, I began to sweat coldly, forgetting what I was about to say.
If it wasn’t for the Marquis of Treve who poked me in the ribs, I might have sat down.
“Yes, concubine.
I barely came to my senses and bent lower.
I thought it would be better to stare at the ground until I finished speaking.
“If we have the princess as a concubine, she will be able to fill the empty palace, and we will be able to resolve the circumstances of the princess and the royal family in Esland, who are in trouble because they cannot find a new marriage for the princess.”
“…….”
“I don’t think there’s a better solution for both sides.”
When there was no answer for a few seconds, I forgot my promise to stare at the floor until it was over, and I peeked at Cardan again.
Cardan’s eyes were still fierce, but there were mixed emotions beneath his gaze.
“Are you serious, Duke Baloa?”
I nodded a little without realizing it.
And I tried to smile.
“Yes, Your Majesty, I always tell you my true feelings.”
In response to my smile, Cardan touched his head as he sighed.
“……Yes, I will trust the Duke again this time.”
Only then did a natural smile burst out.
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
Cardan’s eyebrows twitched.
“That doesn’t mean I forgive the Duke.”
Cardan, who left a meaningful comment, ended the meeting as it was.
***
“Ah, you surprised me!”
When I returned back to my office, Cardan, who had left the meeting earlier, was waiting for me.
“Why are you so surprised?”
Cardan closed the book he was reading and stared at me suspiciously.
“Oh, no.”
I smiled broadly, ignoring my guilty conscience.
“What are you doing here?”
“If you’re planning to make me marry someone at will.”
Cardan put the book on my head.
“You have to explain.”
I was about to take down the book, but I left it as it was, facing Cardan’s eyes staring at me.
He still looked very upset and his eyes were raised sharply.
“Was this your best?”
Looking at his thinning eyes, it didn’t seem to be the correct answer.
“Hmm, the Empress Dowager must have purposely tied His Majesty and the Princess.”
“I remember that it wasn’t only the Empress Dowager who tied me up.”
I took my book and bowed down.
“Haha, it is late, but I’m sincerely and deeply sorry about that time.”
“Yes, you should.”
A slightly soft voice fell over my head.
“However, why are you trying to play as the Empress Dowager planned?”
“I’ll use it to reverse her plan.”
I answered with confidence.
“It will definitely be of great help to have the princess on our side and serve as a double agent.”
“This is not the time to be so carefree!”
The Marquis of Treve touched his forehead.
“According to the princess, His Majesty came in unannounced while she was changing her dirty clothes!”
“Oh, my God.”
“The princess must have been shocked.”
I scratched my head.
“Well, it’s not necessarily wrong.
The nobles looked at me in amazement as if I was talking nonsense.
“Why did he dare enter the lounge for the ladies?”
“On top of that, the princess was just calmly changing behind the insignia, but he persisted in opening it.”
Marquis Treve also nodded his head in earnest.
“Even if it was a mistake that he entered the lounge or opened the insignia, His Majesty would not miss such a good prey.”
The Marquis of Treve sighed deeply.
“The princess responded by believing in his status as the Emperor of the empire, but I didn’t expect that he wouldn’t take any responsibility while pretending not to know anything.”
I rubbed my face in frustration.
But there was no place to complain.
It was as if I had shot myself in the foot.
Marquis Treve pointed to the papers in my arms.
“The royal family in Esland is also going crazy.
“Yes……there was also the Empress Dowager…”
My head was pounding at the increasingly twisted situation, and the Marquis of Treve smiled brightly and grabbed my hand.
“Anyway, I’m relieved that the Duke came back.”
The nobles around me nodded with light faces.
“If it’s the Duke, you’ll be able to persuade His Majesty.”
“Thank God, you’re right back from your vacation.”
***
“Any other agenda?”
As Cardan asked, the mood in the conference room grew even more tense.
All the nobles in the hall glanced at me and cheered me on.
I had to raise my voice.
“Your Majesty, I have one final item on the agenda.”
Fortunately, Cardan seemed to be in a good mood.
“Really? What’s on the agenda?”
I plucked up my courage at the sight of Cardan asking with the corners of his lips raised.
“It’s about the princess of Esland.”
As soon as I opened my mouth, Cardan’s expression crumpled mercilessly.
As Cardan’s eyes became fierce, my nape felt chilly even though I knew he was not a bloodthirsty tyrant.
But I had no choice but to keep talking.
I made up a gentle voice by forcing up the corners of my trembling mouth.
“As Your Majesty knows, hasn’t Esland expressed regret over the unsavory events at the banquet for the past few weeks?”
Cardan raised one eyebrow crookedly.
“I thought you didn’t know about the unsavory incident because the Duke left the banquet hall early.
I winced at the meaning of his words.
“Haha.
The Empress Dowager must have played a part in inflating the rumor.
“So, what is the solution that the Duke proposes? To purge all those who spread those misleading rumors?
It was obvious that he was being sarcastic, but Cardan’s eyes were sharp enough to confuse me for a moment.
I understand why the Duke of Baloa asked Cardan to pose as a tyrant.
If someone else did it, it would have been awkward, but that was not the case with Cardan.
Even now, all the other nobles were trembling and couldn’t take their eyes off the floor.
Although I knew the truth, I also gulped nervously as I spoke.
“Haha, no way.”
I bowed politely.
Although this incident was as if I had shot myself in the foot, it was not without a solution.
“I suggest we bring the princess of Esland as a concubine, Your Majesty.”
“Concubine.”
I felt a chill in his voice.
I think he’s really mad.
I glanced at Cardan, and as I expected, he was staring at me as if he was about to kill me.
With his blood-colored eyes fluttering with anger, I began to sweat coldly, forgetting what I was about to say.
If it wasn’t for the Marquis of Treve who poked me in the ribs, I might have sat down.
“Yes, concubine.
I barely came to my senses and bent lower.
I thought it would be better to stare at the ground until I finished speaking.
“If we have the princess as a concubine, she will be able to fill the empty palace, and we will be able to resolve the circumstances of the princess and the royal family in Esland, who are in trouble because they cannot find a new marriage for the princess.”
“…….”
“I don’t think there’s a better solution for both sides.”
When there was no answer for a few seconds, I forgot my promise to stare at the floor until it was over, and I peeked at Cardan again.
Cardan’s eyes were still fierce, but there were mixed emotions beneath his gaze.
“Are you serious, Duke Baloa?”
I nodded a little without realizing it.
And I tried to smile.
“Yes, Your Majesty, I always tell you my true feelings.”
In response to my smile, Cardan touched his head as he sighed.
“……Yes, I will trust the Duke again this time.”
Only then did a natural smile burst out.
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
Cardan’s eyebrows twitched.
“That doesn’t mean I forgive the Duke.”
Cardan, who left a meaningful comment, ended the meeting as it was.
***
“Ah, you surprised me!”
When I returned back to my office, Cardan, who had left the meeting earlier, was waiting for me.
“Why are you so surprised?”
Cardan closed the book he was reading and stared at me suspiciously.
“Oh, no.”
I smiled broadly, ignoring my guilty conscience.
“What are you doing here?”
“If you’re planning to make me marry someone at will.”
Cardan put the book on my head.
“You have to explain.”
I was about to take down the book, but I left it as it was, facing Cardan’s eyes staring at me.
He still looked very upset and his eyes were raised sharply.
“Was this your best?”
Looking at his thinning eyes, it didn’t seem to be the correct answer.
“Hmm, the Empress Dowager must have purposely tied His Majesty and the Princess.”
“I remember that it wasn’t only the Empress Dowager who tied me up.”
I took my book and bowed down.
“Haha, it is late, but I’m sincerely and deeply sorry about that time.”
“Yes, you should.”
A slightly soft voice fell over my head.
“However, why are you trying to play as the Empress Dowager planned?”
“I’ll use it to reverse her plan.”
I answered with confidence.
“It will definitely be of great help to have the princess on our side and serve as a double agent.”
