chapter 4
At the words “Grand Duke Prause” leaving my mouth, Ivril flinched just as I had expected.
She immediately examined my expression.
As though trying to figure out exactly what I meant by bringing him up.
My father looked puzzled as well.
“As far as I know, the Grand Duke of Prause is in his mid-twenties.”
“He’s not much older than I am. We’re both of marriageable age too.”
The moment the word marriage left my lips, Ivril’s expression stiffened ever so slightly.
Had she heard people say “Daniel Prause is your future husband” so many times that she’d started believing it herself?
Even without an engagement, it seemed she already considered the Grand Duke her own husband.
[“Lady Roselia. How does one seduce a man? Since you managed to rise above your status with that talent of yours, I was simply curious.”]
She always wore a bright smile whenever she said things like that to subtly needle my mother, yet all it took was me touching upon the Grand Duke for her mask to slip.
I thought she was vaguely frightening because I saw her as Tahar’s bargaining chip, but now that I look at her, she’s immature in some ways.
It seemed Ivril had a crush on Grand Duke Prause.
Considering his handsome face, lofty status, and noble character, it wasn’t surprising.
Among the empire’s young women, I was probably the only one who thought of Daniel Prause merely as a negotiation partner to prevent my destruction.
“...Then.”
As if refusing to reveal any more of her thoughts, Ivril gave a short nod and walked away.
She returned to the side of the Empress and Crown Princess, exchanging quiet conversation with them while stealing glances at me.
Watching her deliberately offer white chrysanthemums—flowers used for funerals—to my mother, just as the Empress had ordered a week ago, nearly shattered my patience.
But I endured it.
Because there would be many more days ahead when I’d get to see Ivril’s face twisted in frustration.
One month from now, Ivril will regret what happened today.
I would make sure of it.
Suppressing my anger, I watched her tribute ceremony to the very end.
May you finally rest peacefully after leaving the Imperial Palace. This place never suited you from the beginning.
Ivril stifled a giggle as she placed down the white chrysanthemums.
Ever since Crown Princess Garnet had informed her of the chrysanthemum order a week ago, she had eagerly anticipated this moment.
[“Ivril. Her Majesty has ordered white chrysanthemums, so prepare them.”]
[“If Her Majesty ordered chrysanthemums, then that means...”]
[“It means we’ll soon have the chance to see just how powerful Zelon’s curse truly is.”]
Following the Crown Princess’s lead, Ivril had smiled quietly.
Soon she would witness the downfall of the Frey mother and daughter—the very disturbances that disrupted high society in the capital.
But how did Frey survive?
Zelon’s curse was powerful.
People said the former Duke of Zelon had been able to eliminate the current emperor’s siblings because he excelled in curses.
There was no way the Empress and Crown Prince would have handled the matter carelessly either.
According to plan, Frey should have been dead before the Emperor returned.
The leaders of the noble faction, including the Empress and Crown Prince’s couple, found Frey’s survival absurd, yet still wore sly smiles.
Watching Frey slowly wither away after losing the protective shield that was her mother would surely be entertaining.
Until she arrived at the funeral hall under the Empress’s orders, Ivril had thought the same.
But what was that?
The person she met at the funeral was not the Frey who froze whenever she encountered major members of the noble faction.
The girl who normally became frightened beforehand had dared to ask about Grand Duke Prause’s age—
[“He’s not much older than I am. We’re both of marriageable age too.”]
—and had even provoked her with words loaded with meaning.
It’s annoying how obvious her intention to get revenge on me is, but...
After leaving the detached palace, Ivril finally let out the sneer she had been suppressing.
As if Grand Duke Prause would welcome someone so insignificant.
Ivril prided herself on knowing the House of Prause and its master better than anyone.
The first Grand Duke Prause had been entrusted by the gods with the duty of preserving the order of time.
The slight divine power bestowed alongside his virtuous nature was a gift from the gods to the transcendent Prause, who wielded both the authority and duty over time.
To avoid defying the gods’ will, the Grand Dukes of Prause are trained to be highly sensitive to ethics and morality.
Thanks to all the rumors carefully spread over the years, the empire believed the half-blood princess was nothing more than a hysterical disgrace.
There was no way Daniel Prause—a man said to be more virtuous than even the commander of the Holy Knights—would fall for the seduction of such a woman.
I should report this to Her Majesty. Even insects squirm when stepped on, after all.
Putting her elegant and gentle social smile back in place, Ivril departed.
But Ivril was not the only one gazing meaningfully at Frey.
The Emperor, too, stared at his daughter with eyes filled with complicated emotions.
Grand Duke Prause? Marriageable age?
Had his daughter ever shown interest in marriage before?
No, she hadn’t.
She had only stayed locked in her room, obsessed with buying dresses, jewels, and decorating gardens.
As her father, he sometimes thought he should correct her behavior, yet another part of him wanted to let her indulge herself freely.
If living as a carefree spoiled child made her happier, then perhaps that was better.
Since she was born between Roselia and me, she could never truly be free from the imperial family...
The Emperor let out a deep sigh.
From childhood, Frey had been perceptive.
No matter how carefully they sheltered and cherished her in a greenhouse-like environment, she still noticed the contempt directed toward her.
That was why she read books in the attic.
Even when she knew the answers to officials’ questions, she kept her mouth shut to hide her intelligence.
She had always been afraid of attracting attention.
And yet now she had suddenly spoken of marriage in front of so many watching eyes.
Whenever Roselia and I subtly showed her portraits of foreign noble sons, she always rejected them, saying they weren’t her type.
He had repeatedly attempted to marry her off abroad, thinking she might be safer outside the empire, but she rejected every proposal.
So if she was suddenly interested in marriage now—
She must be trying to irritate Lady Bliet and the Empress’s faction.
The Emperor knew his daughter well.
Now that the mother who had protected her was gone, she was simply burning with thoughts of revenge.
Surely she had no genuine desire to build a family.
With time, this will naturally pass.
However, after the funeral, events did not unfold as the Emperor expected.
“Conduct a thorough investigation into the House of Zelon and the Mage Tower.”
While issuing furious orders daily to investigate Lady Roselia’s death, Frey remained strangely quiet.
Frey, who used to spend the Emperor’s private fortune like water whenever she felt depressed, had suddenly become silent, causing both the Emperor and his ministers to grow puzzled.
“Your Majesty. It seems Princess Frey has suffered a severe shock.”
One loyal official reported.
Already pale from grief over his lover’s death, the Emperor rubbed between his brows and sighed deeply.
“Roselia passed away so suddenly, of course she’s devastated. Just look at how she provoked Lady Bliet despite fearing her so much...”
“It appears Her Highness is truly enraged this time, seeing as she has begun taking action herself.”
The exhausted Emperor turned his hollow gaze toward him.
“Action?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. We’ve heard she’s gathering information on Grand Duke Prause.”
“...”
The Emperor fell silent.
So she didn’t bring up Grand Duke Prause merely to spite Lady Bliet?
If Frey truly had become interested in building a family—
then the reason was simple.
Does she wish to escape for the sake of her own survival?
Though she survived, Frey herself had nearly died as well.
The Empress had erased all evidence of the assassination attempt using her authority, then shamelessly provoked her by preparing white chrysanthemums in advance.
It was only natural that Frey wished to leave the imperial palace where she had been born and raised.
...If only I hadn’t left the palace that day.
Groaning quietly, the Emperor looked out the window.
He had already lost the woman he loved.
If something happened to Frey as well, he no longer had the confidence to keep living.
If Grand Duke Prause were to love and protect my daughter, there would be nothing more reassuring.
Prause was the only house capable of perfectly keeping Zelon and the capital’s noble faction in check.
The problem was that Daniel Prause did not seem likely to develop feelings for Frey, whom he had barely met.
“I have a question for all of you.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“...What do you think the Grand Duke of Prause would think of my daughter?”
The officials’ eyes darted around awkwardly at the Emperor’s question.
Considering Her Highness’s reputation, it’s difficult to imagine her matching the virtuous Prause...
Princess Frey’s temper is rather...
Given her usual conduct, it would be hard for any man to feel affection...
Their thoughts were written plainly across their faces.
Growing gloomier, the Emperor quickly withdrew the question.
“That’s enough. No need to answer.”
Even from a father’s perspective, it was difficult to imagine the Grand Duke of Prause—whose moral standards far surpassed those of ordinary people—taking a liking to his daughter.
No matter how stunning Frey’s beauty was, inheriting the finest features of both Roselia and himself.
Her reputation and scandals had simply been too extravagant.
If his politically inexperienced daughter went north relying solely on love, only to be abandoned, that would be an even greater disaster.
If Frey truly wishes to marry for safety, then I’ll have no choice but to arrange a match with a foreign noble.
Once the Crown Prince ascended the throne in the future, remaining in the empire would become dangerous.
The Emperor organized his thoughts with a bitter expression.
“Tell Frey to visit me when she has time.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. Then regarding Grand Duke Prause—”
“Without political capability, heading north would only lead to ruin. Forget the Grand Duke of Prause and look into a suitable foreign noble instead.”
But the Emperor did not know.
While he was drowning in grief over losing the woman he loved, his daughter had already begun making her move ahead of everyone else.
