Chapter 60
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Chapter 60
Now that I thought about it, that was rather strange.
Father was the Emperor's closest confidant and remained so even now, so shouldn't I have seen him?
"I often accompanied Father to the Imperial Palace when I was young. Apparently, I would cry inconsolably whenever he was out of sight. So he had no choice but to bring me to work with him."
I searched through my memories.
Since I had been at the Imperial Palace and in places close to the Imperial Family, I could have caught glimpses of the Emperor.
But why did I have no recollection of it whatsoever?
I remembered seeing the Previous Emperor and the Empress, even a newborn infant, but why not him?
'That newborn couldn't possibly be the current Emperor. Since I saw him when I was young, he would still be a child at most.'
The Emperor was twenty-two years old, the same age as Cassion and Dale.
When the current Emperor ascended to the throne, he spared no one in the Imperial Family.
That newborn must have died then as well.
"Sometimes,"
Dale spoke in a low voice.
"There are memories better left unforgotten."
"Isn't that the truth? Besides, I don't remember it anyway."
I stretched and yawned widely.
"What matters is the Emperor now."
I gazed at the tree branch beginning to sprout green leaves.
Would the hunting festival be held again this year?
"In any case, when I was young, I had romantic notions about marriage because of my parents."
Dale's ears perked up as he looked at me.
"I had resolved to marry whoever won the hunting festival."
"Regardless of who the victor might be?"
"Yes. It might sound ridiculous now, but I was truly serious back then! The hunting festival held that much significance."
Only my father had ever claimed consecutive first-place victories—the hunting festival was that grueling an event.
The hunting festival often appeared in romance novels, and there was always one particular scene in such romantic tales.
'The triumphant male protagonist dedicates his glory to the female protagonist while pledging eternal love—a masterpiece of a scene.'
Without it, there was no point in featuring the hunting festival in a novel.
But what if the male protagonist failed to win?
Then he was disqualified as a male lead.
"If possible, I wanted a marriage as romantic as my parents' first meeting at the hunting festival and Father's proposal to Mother at the last hunting festival she attended."
It was truly like a scene straight out of a novel.
I was desperately disappointed that I only heard this story from Mother's lips.
If I had possessed this body any sooner, I could have witnessed such a storybook moment with my own eyes!
I exhaled a soft sigh.
"I don't dream of such things anymore. I've already received a proposal from The Emperor, and even if by some miracle he were to withdraw it, how many noble men would actually propose to me?"
"...."
"Once you've been The Emperor's betrothed, no one will dare propose to you for fear of falling out of favor with those in power. Marriage has simply vanished from my future."
"...."
"Dale? Are you listening to me?"
The silence was so complete I couldn't even hear him breathing.
When I glanced over, Dale was lost in thought, his gaze fixed on something distant.
"The proposal at the hunting festival. That was the problem, wasn't it."
He murmured softly to himself.
"However, Miss Enya, you've secretly attended several matchmaking meetings before, yet you never married any of those men. Did you still wish to marry a nobleman?"
"How would you know about the meetings I attended?"
"I heard about it from Miss Enya before."
"I told you about that?"
Did I?
I tilted my head uncertainly.
Whenever I was with Dale, my heart felt strangely at ease, and I found myself sharing unnecessary things.
I suppose I must have.
"Marriage is reality, after all. It would be difficult to live as a noblewoman and then marry a commoner. I left home, but I actually enjoyed living as a noble. To be honest, it was comfortable."
Who would refuse a life of abundance?
I did.
And yet, the moment I left, I regretted it. The outside world wasn't as nice as the Lockhart Duchy Estate, and I couldn't spend money freely.
If I'd known better, I would have indulged in the golden-spoon life of a noble family before leaving.
Living as a noblewoman was honey.
And if I were to marry a commoner, one enormous problem would arise for me.
"Only someone from a family with corresponding power could protect me from The Emperor. A commoner simply wouldn't be enough."
"...."
"But I didn't want to marry someone I didn't even like, someone with whom there was no romance!"
"So...."
"So I ran away. I only have one life, and I didn't want to rush into such a major decision just because of The Emperor."
Dale's expression as he listened to me seemed far more troubled than my own.
"You wouldn't understand, Dale. You've never experienced anything like this. It's probably better that you don't."
"Is that still true now?"
Dale looked at me.
"What do you mean?"
"That marrying the champion of the hunting festival is your dream. I want to know if you still feel that way."
It's the most romantic proposal method in this world, so wouldn't most people in The Empire feel the same way?
It would never happen to me, but it would be fun to watch.
"Yes. That's right."
I nodded.
* * *
The Aides tensed as The Emperor sat with an expression three times more serious than usual, scribbling something across the parchment before him.
He resembled a man caught in a terrible depression, yet simultaneously appeared perfectly composed.
"What are you writing? It doesn't look like official documents."
"You'll see soon enough. It's a calendar."
The Aides exchanged whispers while observing Dale's behavior.
'It doesn't seem like he's quarreled with Adeline, but he's certainly different from his usual self.'
Though sharp-edged, His Majesty was far from anxious or agitated.
As befitted one born of imperial blood, he carried an overwhelming presence even in stillness, and simultaneously maintained an unshakeable composure that never wavered. Yet now he appeared like a man waiting for something, impatient and restless.
And indeed, Dale was anxious.
'The hunting festival will be here before long.'
He had not known that Enya wished to receive a proposal there.
Perhaps it was fortunate that she had been living in hiding until now.
Had she participated in the hunting festival as a noble lady of House Lockhart, some victor might have captured her heart.
Crack.
Without realizing it, he snapped his pen.
"...."
Dale exhaled a long breath and retrieved a fresh pen, gripping it in his hand.
In any case, Enya would not participate in the hunting festival for some time—she was a reclusive noblewoman.
But this was also an opportunity.
A chance to win Enya's heart legitimately, to have a true marriage with her.
Suddenly, Dale's heart began to race.
"First pale, then flushed—do you know what's wrong with him?"
The Aides shook their heads.
The moment Dale's eyes narrowed, the Aides' discipline snapped taut.
They felt as though they could not breathe.
"Your Majesty, if there is anything we can assist with, please tell us."
"...Her birthday."
"Pardon?"
With his gaze fixed upon the calendar, Dale spoke in a grave, low voice.
"The lady's birthday approaches soon."
As spring returned, Enya's birthday drew near.
Dale had never forgotten Enya's birthday for a single moment. Though he could not approach her boldly with gifts in hand, he had consistently expressed his sincerity.
'She only knows about the flower baskets.'
For whatever reason, Enya believed he had sent only flowers.
But he had never sent mere petals alone.
Each year after Enya's birthday passed, Dale immediately began preparing for the next. Hearing that she had delighted in his gift was his greatest joy throughout the year.
But this time, he could celebrate her birthday at her side.
This time, he could be with her.
"...I'm going mad with joy."
Dale pressed a hand to his chest, overwhelmed by the sudden surge of happiness at that realization.
"Why are you doing that? Is your heart aching?"
Soho muttered uncertainly. He hadn't bent over urgently as one would if experiencing pain.
"Can't you see? He's delighted thinking about Adeline. 'Going mad with joy' means being so happy you're beside yourself with it."
"You're the one making wild guesses that make no sense..."
At the same moment, Dale's expression softened. Seeing his rigid face relax, Getty's words had been correct.
"...Indeed."
Soho tilted his head and understood.
Just then, Getty presented a report to The Emperor. When Dale raised his eyebrows slightly, Getty, bowing low, opened his mouth.
"I have selected gifts that Adeline would be pleased to receive."
With movements swifter than anyone else's, sparks of ambition ignited in the Aides' eyes.
But none could keep pace with Getty, whose eyes were fixed on promotion. Getty began his explanation with a broad smile.
"The answer lies in the novels Adeline enjoys. Now is the time to introduce differentiation."
At his words, the Aides flinched.
"Commonplace jewels!"
Flinch.
"Commonplace flowers!"
Flinch, flinch.
"And now, true innovation. This is it."
What Getty held up was a single book.
"There is a work by Madame Cozette, whose novels Adeline adores, for which no sequel has yet been released."
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