Chapter 12
There were many noble young ladies who were of a suitable age to marry the Crown Prince. However, daughters from families powerful enough to back him could be counted on one hand. Unless the Emperor went senile, there was no chance I would be excluded from the list of Crown Princess candidates.
“It’ll be difficult,” the Marquis admitted cleanly.
If the Imperial Palace formally requested a marriage alliance, House Ellient had no grounds to refuse.
On this point, I had already given up to some extent. No matter how much I struggled, marriage with the Crown Prince was unavoidable. Unless the Marquis went mad and defied the Emperor, or I lost my mind and acted insane, there was no escaping it. It was something only possible if one of us went crazy.
The former was unthinkable. The latter would be fatal to me. It was a choice I might consider only if I were pushed to the absolute brink—right before death.
“Then why did you ask me if it’s impossible?”
If it hadn’t been the Marquis, I would’ve thought he was teasing me. But he was not someone who understood jokes.
He turned his head to look out the window without answering. Before I knew it, the carriage had entered the palace grounds. A carriage engraved with a golden lion passed through the gates without any inspection.
We passed through the Outer Palace and entered the Inner Palace. No horses or carriages were allowed inside the Inner Palace, not even ones with golden lions. I prepared to disembark.
The carriage door opened, and the Marquis stood up first.
I followed right behind him. He stepped down and offered his hand. A noble’s ingrained courtesy.
I reached for his hand to step down from the carriage. For a child my age, the step was a bit high. I stumbled slightly, and the Marquis stepped closer to steady me. It was at that moment I felt how close he was.
“It’s difficult, but not impossible,” he whispered.
“…!”
His low voice brushed past my ear like a whisper. I looked up at him in surprise, but his expression was the same as always—giving nothing away.
After confirming that I had gotten off safely, the Marquis turned and walked as if nothing had happened. Dazed, I hurried to follow. If it weren’t for the words still ringing in my ears, I would’ve thought I’d imagined them.
I couldn’t guess what he meant by that.
“Not impossible”? Does he mean he’ll support my wishes? Or something else?
I had no idea what the Marquis was thinking.
While I was lost in thought, we arrived at the audience chamber where the Emperor waited. A servant who recognized the Marquis bowed his head. The Marquis nodded in return.
“Your Majesty, the Marquis of Ellient has arrived.”
“Let him in.”
The servant’s call was answered from within. He opened the door and led us into the audience chamber.
“Please, the Emperor awaits.”
The Marquis stepped inside first. I followed him into the chamber. The palace was a familiar place to me. So was the audience hall. It was here that I had first seen him. Soon, I would see him again. I swallowed dryly in nervous anticipation.
Inside were only the Emperor and the chief chamberlain. The Marquis bowed deeply before the seated Emperor.
“Your servant, Gabriel Krutter Ellient, greets the sun of the Empire.”
It was a crisp, clean greeting, typical of the Marquis. Most people added a torrent of flowery language when addressing the Emperor. Some took over ten minutes just to finish their greetings, thinking that the more flattering the words, the more respectful they appeared.
The Marquis included none of that nonsense. He observed etiquette, but omitted all unnecessary pomp. His brief greeting was bold.
The Emperor, however, seemed used to it. He didn’t react and turned his gaze to me. I curtsied, holding my dress with both hands.
“Biyonne Rossa Ellient, eldest daughter of House Ellient, greets the sun of the Empire.”
I slowly bowed before the Emperor. Had I been a commoner or a slave, I would’ve had to kneel and bow low, but as a noble daughter, a 90-degree bow sufficed to show proper respect.
“Ha! Like father, like daughter—exactly the same. Don’t you agree?”
“I believe so as well, Your Majesty.”
“Hahaha! Exactly the same, indeed!”
The Emperor laughed heartily.
Even back then, he had smiled at me. I had been so nervous meeting him for the first time that I forgot all the greetings my nanny had taught me. It had taken me quite some time, stuttering and fumbling, to get through the greeting. He had laughed then too, calling me cute.
“Though his laugh wasn’t this hearty back then.”
“Marquis, why have you only now shown me such a daughter?”
“I am honored beyond words.”
The Marquis replied instantly, though his tone didn’t sound honored in the slightest. The Emperor didn’t seem to mind. He gestured toward me.
“Come closer.”
I instinctively glanced at the Marquis. He nodded slightly. I walked forward to the Emperor.
“So, how old are you now?”
“I will soon turn eleven.”
The Emperor examined me carefully as he asked. My birthday was just a few days away. He looked very pleased with my answer.
“Perfect. Just perfect. Hahaha.”
He kept laughing. He seemed in much higher spirits than the last time I saw him. Back then, he had also been satisfied with me, but not to this degree.
I knew that he had coveted my lineage and qualifications. That was why he made me the Crown Princess. But now he looked even more pleased. All I had done was greet him, so I couldn’t understand what exactly pleased him so much.
“Your Majesty, the Crown Prince has arrived.”
“Oh! Good, let him in quickly.”
My heart started pounding wildly. The doors opened slowly, and my heart thudded like mad. Back then, I had loved him to the point of breaking myself.
“Do I still love him? Or do I not?”
“I greet my father, His Majesty.”
Finally, he appeared.
He looked exactly like I remembered, and yet somehow different. He was much younger than the last time I saw him.
His silver hair sparkled in the sunlight. His still-youthful face was smooth like flawless porcelain. His elegant nose and lips as red as flower petals made him almost look like a girl.
He was fourteen years old—three years older than me. He stood on the border between boyhood and manhood. The fine fuzz still on his cheeks made him look like a boy, but his body, trained by swordsmanship, gave him the shape of a young man.
He walked over with a graceful stride and bowed to the Emperor, who welcomed him with a wide smile.
“Come here, my son.”
“I greet the Empire’s radiant sun.”
“I, Biyonne Rossa Ellient, eldest daughter of House Ellient, greet the Empire’s radiant sun.”
The Marquis and I offered our greetings together. The Crown Prince returned the courtesy with a polite nod.
“Come here, my son.”
The Emperor beckoned him to stand by me. As he approached, my palms became damp with sweat.
“As expected! A perfect match, don’t you think, Chancellor?”
The Marquis said nothing. It was rude, perhaps, but the Emperor didn’t seem to mind. Instead, he turned to the chamberlain.
“What do you think?”
“They make a truly beautiful pair, like a pair of biyi birds, Your Majesty.”
“Biyi birds, eh? Hahaha! A fitting comparison indeed.”
The Emperor roared with laughter. The biyi bird, said to have only one eye and one wing per gender, cannot fly unless male and female pair together. It’s often used to symbolize loving couples.
The Emperor made no attempt to hide his intentions.
“Your Majesty, I regret to inform you that court is about to begin.”
“What? Already?”
He looked genuinely disappointed, then turned to me.
“I lost track of time while talking with the young lady.”
“I am honored.”
I had done nothing but offer greetings, but I bowed anyway. The Emperor looked thoughtful for a moment.
“It’s a pity to send her off so soon.”
“There are Leysha flowers blooming in the garden behind Visad Palace. Would it not please the lady to visit?”
The chamberlain offered the suggestion as if on cue. It was clearly rehearsed. The Emperor slapped his knee in delight.
“Excellent idea! It’s better than having her leave alone. She can wait for the Chancellor to finish.”
It would’ve been more comfortable to leave alone. Honestly, I had no interest in seeing a garden. But the Emperor’s words, though soft, were essentially commands.
The Emperor turned to the Crown Prince.
“You should escort her. Show her around until the Chancellor is done.”
“Yes, Father.”
He bowed to the Emperor. The Emperor looked at him with satisfaction. I clenched my trembling hands tightly.
“It was a delightful time. Let us meet again soon.”
“I am honored, Your Majesty.”
I had no choice but to answer.
The Crown Prince extended his hand to me—an escort’s gesture to a lady. I steadied my trembling hand and placed it over his. I tried to hide it, but my hand shook as I held his.
Back then, and now—I was the same. The only difference was…
“Back then, my trembling was from excitement. Now, it’s from fear of the person I might become.”
You will cause a rebellion!!!??