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26.

"What... what do you mean...?"
Duke Jamoti stared at Cassian Artez as though demanding he speak sense.
"Yet you afforded such courtesy and treatment to Catherine ‌of Hanella ‌‌‌‌Marquis Family, the fiancée of the First Prince?"
"Huh, Your Highness!" ‌‌‌‌
As though the words were nonsensical, Duke Jamoti's mouth produced a sound that was scarcely coherent.
"How could the Hanella lady and the Salice lady possibly be the same?"
"Are they different?"
"She is the daughter ‌‌‌of the esteemed ‌‌‌‌and prestigious Hanella Marquis Family! Moreover, unlike Your Highness, First Prince Charlie has already held his betrothal ceremony."
In short, he was saying that I—merely a nominal fiancée—and the Countess Hanela's Daughter were worlds apart.
Cassian Artez's expression grew even more ‌‍‌displeased at those words.
Just as he opened his mouth to object.
"Duke Jamoti, are you refusing what the Emperor himself has acknowledged?"
With an unhurried gait and a smiling countenance, someone approached from the direction of the Winter Palace's main building, addressing the Duke.
"When did my uncle become more distinguished than Father?"
"...F-First Prince Charlie, Your Highness!"
Hair the color of vivid crimson fluttered like embroidery across the spring sky as it ‌‌‌approached noon, drawing closer to Duke Jamoti.
"When did the position of Imperial Princess become such a thing? I find it most disagreeable."
First Prince Charlie wore his customary smile.
Utterly composed.
"It sounds as ‌‌though my acknowledged Imperial Princess can only be treated with respect because the Hanella Marquis Family exists."
"N-no, that is not what I meant..."
Duke Jamoti appeared more flustered than ever at the sudden appearance of his nephew.
Confusion and ‌‌‌resentment mingled in the Duke's gaze.
The First Empress's ‌‌‌son, who should have been taking his side, was instead attacking him.
"...What ‌‌‌brings you here, Older Brother?"
"Ha, you're quite cold, Cassian."
First Prince Charlie's tone was considerably gentler than what he had ‌‌‌directed at Duke Jamoti.
"As always, I came at Mother's request."
"It seems you had a lunch appointment with ‌Duke Jamoti."
"That's right—tediously so. I'd much prefer to be on a date instead."
First Prince Charlie exhaled a short ‌‌sigh as though bored, then spoke to Duke Jamoti in an unhurried tone.
"Still, I'm glad I came. It seems you were losing your way, Duke."
First Prince Charlie had his attendant escort Duke Jamoti away, then gazed at Cassian Artez and me with evident ‌‌reluctance.
"Since it's lunch time, I would much prefer to spend it with you, Cassian, and the lovely lady of ‌‌‌Salice."
First Prince Charlie then grasped my hand firmly as he spoke.
"Especially you, Miss Salice—I think it's wonderful that you're to be Cassian's Imperial Consort."
"...I beg your pardon?"
As I hesitated over how to respond to that beaming smile, Cassian reclaimed my hand from ‌‌the First Prince's grasp, his voice cutting through the moment.
"Countess Hanela's Daughter will be disappointed, ‌‌older ‌‌brother."
"Hmm? I doubt that very much."
First Prince Charlie laughed languidly, then spoke with a teasing lilt.
"Miss Salice must have her hands full—Cassian is terribly jealous, after all."
He continued, ‌‌even adding a playful wink.
"But don't worry. I'll do my part to ensure nothing ‌‌‌interferes with you and Cassian's love!"
First Prince Charlie puffed out his chest with the satisfied air of one who had completed his appointed task.
"Feel free to speak ‌to me anytime. The Empress is frightening, of course, but I can certainly give our uncle a little scare if needed."
With that declaration, First Prince Charlie turned and departed the Winter ‌‌‌Palace, brimming with the satisfaction of having done good.
"Hmm..."
So that parting jab from moments ago...
...was meant to help Cassian and me?
I stood there ‌‌in confusion, uncertain whether to feel offended or grateful.
"Rose, don't think about it."
"What?"
"Thinking about him is a losing game."
Even Cassian, who had known the First Prince far longer than I, wore the expression of someone who had abandoned all hope of understanding, simply gripping my hand tightly.
Just as the First ‌‌‌‌Prince had said—as if he ‌‌‌were jealous himself.

*

"Isn't this absolutely infuriating, First Empress!"
After the meal commenced, Duke Jamoti vented his frustrations, recounting what had transpired during the exhibition inspection earlier that day.
The First Empress's brow furrowed slightly, though she maintained an outward composure.
"I always suspected the girl lacked proper decorum, but for a noblewoman to present her debutante greeting to His Majesty the Emperor rather ‌‌‌than to me, the First Empress—such audacity."
Her words, however, carried not a trace of gentleness.
"Brother, let such matters pass through one ear and out the other."
"Sigh, I understand. For the sake of ‌‌what lies ‌‌‌ahead, I must endure even this humiliation today."
"His Majesty has been rather lenient with those children of late, so they've begun to think themselves on par with our First Prince Charlie and myself."
The First Empress soon offered a gentle smile and spoke in a soothing tone to Duke Jamoti.
"Do not harbor resentment toward First Prince Charlie either."
Suddenly hearing his name from his terrifying mother, First Prince Charlie wished he could cover his ears.
"As you well know, Charlie is the First Prince, and moreover, His Majesty holds him as his most cherished son."
"That is true...."
"Had First Prince Charlie not spoken to you as he did, His Majesty the Emperor might well have taken offense."
"His Majesty would have...?"
"Though no betrothal ceremony has been conducted, the relationship ‌‌has been personally acknowledged by His Majesty the Emperor himself. Regardless of ‌‌how lacking in status she may be."
The First ‌‌Empress laughed softly, like a spring breeze passing through.
"Is this not, in fact, advantageous for us? Compared to the Hanella Marquis Family, what influence could the ‌‌Salice Marquis Household possibly wield—we scarcely know where they even stand."
"You make an excellent point!"
Cassian Artez walks a difficult path entirely of his own making. It would have been far preferable had he been sent away to the Kingdom."
"Indeed, Your Majesty."
"Barring that, it suits our purposes well enough that ‌‌he merely dallies with ‌some witless girl from a humble household."
The First Empress spoke thus while casting a satisfied smile toward her son.
"So you see now how wisely First Prince Charlie conducted himself today?"
At the First Empress's words, Duke Jamoti nodded as ‌‌‌‌though enlightened.
"Indeed, as the First Prince, he upheld the ‌‌dignity of ‌‌‌‌the Imperial Family while simultaneously lulling Cassian Artez into complacency."
Of course, First Prince Charlie himself
'I've finished dessert already—surely I can leave soon.'
was entertaining such carefree thoughts internally.
Fortunately, the First Empress, who knew her son well, spoke up.
"You have matters to attend to this afternoon, I'm sure. Thank you for indulging your mother's request despite ‌‌your busy schedule."
First Prince Charlie trembled slightly at his mother's familiar public smile and rose obediently.
The moment her son departed, the First Empress's expression hardened sharply ‌‌‌as she ‌‌set down her teacup with a decisive clink.
She gestured, dismissing all the attendants stationed nearby, then spoke with deliberate care.
"So, have you confirmed ‌the matter?"
"Y-yes, yes...."
At his sister's glacial tone, Duke Jamoti's shoulders shrank.
First ‌‌Prince Charlie had been the one least pleased to see him depart.
"Tch, growing ever more presumptuous. That lowborn creature."
"Please ‌‌restrain yourself, First Empress."
"I'm in a perfectly calm state right now, Older Brother."
The First Empress deliberately clinked her teacup as she lifted it, the sound striking Duke Jamoti's ears.
"So this task must not fail. You won't allow that woman's son to rise above me, will you?"
"...Of course, of course not."
"We must seize this moment while they delude themselves into thinking everything proceeds according to their design. Bit by bit, while they lower their guard."
The First Empress's ‌‌‌lips ‌curved upward in a chilling smile.
"We must tighten the noose gradually. You understand, don't you?"
"Y-yes..."
Duke Jamoti barely managed his response, bowing his head.
His sister's gaze was so sharp and piercing that he felt the blade of her intent pressed against ‌‌‌his very throat.

*

Four days later, Cassian Artez and I readily accepted Duke Jamoti's request for an additional visit.
We also graciously accommodated his request to meet with us alone, without others present.
"Who exactly is letting their guard down, Rose?" ‌‌
"The Rose Palace gardens are beginning to look beautiful around this time of year."
Cassian Artez chuckled softly at my evasive response.
"True. Though one must hope they don't ‌‌‌‌encounter an unexpected frost."
The Rose Palace was where the First Empress resided.
Cassian Artez had deliberately assigned a young knight who had only recently enlisted to escort Duke Jamoti.
His previous handling of the Duke had not been mere revenge or stress relief.
It was simply meant to naturally demonstrate that we were proceeding with confidence ‌and ‌‌‌complacency.
Having anticipated how the Duke and First Empress would ‌‌‌‌‌respond and prepared accordingly, ‌‌‌we temporarily set that ‌‌matter aside and focused on the ‌‌‌pressing morning tasks before us.
The apprentice knight returned with ‌‌‌‌his report around the time we finished our midday meal.
After hearing the full account, ‌‌‌‌Cassian Artez and I laughed together with shameless delight, as though we had orchestrated it all. ‌
"It's truly unfortunate—she won't be able to bloom."
Cassian Artez spoke those ‌words with a face that showed no regret whatsoever.

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Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please ‌‌read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
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