Chapter 4
As soon as the words “Grand Duke Praus” left my mouth, Ivril flinched just as I expected.
She immediately studied my expression, as if trying to figure out exactly what I meant by bringing him up.
My father also looked puzzled.
“The Grand Duke Praus should be in his mid-twenties, as far as I know.”
“He’s not much older than me. And we’re both at the right age for marriage.”
The moment the word marriage came out of my mouth, Ivril’s expression stiffened slightly.
Was it because she had heard so many times that “Daniel Praus will be your future husband”?
Even without an engagement, it seemed she already thought of the Grand Duke as her own.
[“Lady Roselia. How does one seduce a man? Since you even crossed social ranks with that ability, I was simply curious.”]
She used to smile sweetly while saying things like that to irritate my mother, yet now, just because I mentioned the Grand Duke once, she dropped her mask.
I thought she was just a bargaining chip of Tachar and feared her vaguely… but now that I see it, she’s quite immature.
It seemed Ivril had a crush on the Grand Duke.
Considering his handsome face, high status, and noble character, it wasn’t surprising.
Among all the young women in the empire, I was probably the only one who saw Daniel Praus merely as a negotiation partner to prevent ruin.
“…Excuse me.”
As if she had no intention of revealing more of her thoughts, Ivril gave a short nod and walked away.
She returned to sit beside the Empress and the Crown Princess, casting me sidelong glances as she chatted with them.
Watching her offer the white chrysanthemums—ordered by the Empress a week ago—so deliberately to my mother, my patience nearly cracked.
But I endured it.
Because there would be many chances in the future to see Ivril’s face twist.
In a month, she’ll regret what she did today.
I would make sure of it.
Suppressing my anger, I watched her finish the offering.
‘Leave the imperial palace and rest in peace. This place never suited you from the start.’
Ivril snickered to herself as she placed down the white chrysanthemum.
Ever since hearing a week ago that Crown Princess Garnet had ordered the flowers, she had been looking forward to this moment.
[“Ivril. Her Majesty has ordered white chrysanthemums. Prepare them.”]
[“If the Empress has ordered chrysanthemums, then…”]
[“It means we’ll soon have a chance to confirm just how powerful Zelon’s curse is.”]
Ivril had simply smiled along with the Crown Princess.
Soon, she would witness the downfall of the Frey mother and daughter—disruptors of high society in the capital.
But how did Frey survive?
Zelon’s curse was powerful.
It was said that the previous Duke Zelon had been able to eliminate the emperor’s siblings because he was skilled in curses.
There was no way the Empress and Crown Prince had handled things carelessly.
If everything went as expected, Frey should have been dead before the Emperor returned.
The leaders of the noble faction—including the Empress and Crown Prince—found Frey’s survival absurd, yet they smiled cruelly.
After all, it would be entertaining to watch Frey slowly wither away without the protection of her mother.
Up until she arrived at the funeral hall under the Empress’s orders, Ivril had thought the same.
But what was that?
The Frey she saw at the funeral was not the one who froze whenever she faced key figures of the noble faction.
Instead of shrinking in fear, she dared to ask the Grand Duke’s age—
[“He’s not much older than me. And we’re both at the right age for marriage.”]
—and even provoked her with words full of meaning.
It’s obvious she intends to take revenge on me, which is annoying…
After leaving the annex, Ivril finally let out the sneer she had been holding back.
There’s no way the Grand Duke would welcome someone so insignificant.
Ivril prided herself on knowing the Praus ducal family and its lord better than anyone.
The first Grand Duke Praus had been given the mission by the gods to maintain the order of time.
Along with a good nature, he had been granted a small amount of divine power—a gift for the transcendent being entrusted with the authority and duty of time.
To never defy the will of the gods, the Grand Dukes of Praus are trained to be extremely sensitive to ethics and morality.
Thanks to the rumors she had carefully spread, the “half-blood princess” was widely known across the empire as nothing more than a hysterical and incompetent woman.
There was no way Daniel Praus—said to be even more virtuous than the commander of the Holy Knights—would fall for such a woman.
I should report this to Her Majesty. Even worms squirm when stepped on.
Putting back on her elegant and gentle social smile, Ivril left.
But Ivril wasn’t the only one watching Frey with meaningful eyes.
The Emperor, too, looked at his daughter with complicated emotions.
Grand Duke Praus? Marriageable age?
Had his daughter ever thought about marriage before?
No—she hadn’t.
She had always stayed shut in her room, interested only in buying dresses, jewels, and decorating her garden.
As her father, he sometimes thought he should correct her behavior.
But at the same time, he wanted to let her indulge freely—if living as a carefree troublemaker made her happier.
After all, being born between Roselia and me means she can never be free from the imperial family…
The Emperor sighed deeply.
Frey had always been perceptive since childhood.
Even if raised carefully in a sheltered environment, she could sense the contempt directed at her.
That was why she read books in the attic.
Even when she knew the answers to officials’ questions, she stayed silent to hide her intelligence.
She had always feared attention.
Yet now, in a place full of watchful eyes, she had spoken of marriage.
Every time Roselia and I showed her portraits of foreign noble sons, she rejected them, saying they weren’t her type.
He had tried several times to arrange a marriage abroad for her safety, but she had always refused.
So why was she suddenly interested in marriage?
She must be trying to provoke Lady Bliette and the Empress’s faction.
The Emperor knew his daughter well.
Now that the mother who protected her was gone, she was simply burning with a desire for revenge.
She had no real intention of building a family.
With time, this will naturally pass.
However, after the funeral, things did not go as the Emperor expected.
“Investigate the House of Zelon and the Mage Tower thoroughly.”
While he issued strict orders daily to investigate Lady Roselia’s death, Frey remained unusually quiet.
Frey, who used to spend her father’s personal wealth extravagantly whenever she felt depressed, had become silent—something that puzzled not only the Emperor but also his officials.
“Your Majesty, it seems Princess Frey is deeply shocked.”
One loyal subject reported.
Already exhausted from his lover’s death, the Emperor pressed his temples and sighed.
“Roselia died so suddenly. Of course she must be shaken. Just look at how she even dared provoke Lady Bliette, whom she feared so much…”
“It seems Her Highness is truly enraged this time, seeing as she’s taking action herself.”
“Action?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. We’ve heard that she is gathering information about the Grand Duke Praus.”
“….”
The Emperor fell silent.
So she didn’t bring up the Grand Duke just to annoy Lady Bliette?
If Frey was truly interested in marriage—
then the reason was simple.
She wants to escape the threat to her life.
She had survived, but she had nearly died.
Meanwhile, the Empress erased all evidence of the assassination attempt and shamelessly prepared white chrysanthemums in advance.
It was only natural that Frey would want to leave the imperial palace where she was born and raised.
…If only I hadn’t left the palace that day.
The Emperor groaned softly as he looked out the window.
He had already lost the woman he loved.
If something happened to Frey as well, he would have no will to live.
If the Grand Duke were to love and protect my daughter, there would be no greater reassurance.
The House of Praus was the only family capable of perfectly restraining Zelon and the noble faction of the capital.
The problem was that Daniel Praus would likely feel nothing for Frey, whom he had barely met.
“I have a question for you.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“…What do you think the Grand Duke Praus would think of my daughter?”
The officials’ eyes scattered uneasily.
With her reputation, it would be difficult for her to be matched with someone as noble as Praus…
Her temper is a problem…
Given her usual conduct, it’s hard to imagine any man being fond of her…
Their thoughts were written all over their faces.
The Emperor’s expression darkened, and he quickly withdrew the question.
“That’s enough.”
Even as her father, he doubted that the highly principled Grand Duke would take a liking to his daughter.
No matter how beautiful she was, inheriting the best features of both himself and Roselia—
her reputation was simply too notorious.
If she went north relying only on love and ended up abandoned, it would be even worse.
If she truly wants marriage for safety, then I have no choice but to arrange one abroad.
Once the Crown Prince ascended the throne, the empire would become dangerous for her.
The Emperor organized his thoughts with a bitter expression.
“Tell Frey to come see me when she has time.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. Then regarding the Grand Duke Praus—”
“Heading north without political power would be ruin. Forget the Grand Duke Praus and look for a suitable noble abroad.”
But the Emperor did not know.
While he was drowning in grief over his lost love, his daughter had already begun to make her move first.
