~Chapter 03~
A little while later, the carriage stopped in front of the massive mansion.
Just like when I got in, I was dragged out like luggage.
“Whether you cling to Marquis Rizen or beg, find some way to get into the bedroom,”
Count Bellashy said, scrutinizing me from head to toe as if I were an object, then clicked his tongue.
“Still, since you’ve been engaged for over ten years, you won’t be completely heartless, right?”
With the sound of the door closing, the carriage drove off.
A hollow laugh escaped me.
That ridiculous marriage just now came to mind.
‘Someone must have put pressure on the Emperor.’
The only person who could do that would be my ex-fiancé.
The problem is, why would he do something like this?
‘I heard he was already looking for the next fiancée, so why?’
“Um… miss…”
I stopped my thoughts and turned my head. I realized I wasn’t alone.
At first, I thought she was helping me get out of the carriage, but she hadn’t gotten back on.
“I haven’t seen you before.”
“Oh, um…”
The brown-haired maid hesitated for a moment and bowed.
“Hello, miss! I’m As Chello, hired as Miss Leonia’s maid!”
Boldly greeting me, As awkwardly scratched her cheek and smiled.
“I was originally supposed to greet you after dinner, but somehow it ended up like this.”
Come to think of it, I think Alice had mentioned assigning me a new maid.
I put on a gentle voice toward As, belatedly.
“You must have been very surprised. Sorry you had to see me like this from the start.”
“Oh, no! Not at all! Please feel free to treat me casually!”
Is that so? Then fine.
“It’s a bit sudden to say this on our first meeting, but…”
I glanced at my appearance and got to the point.
“Do you happen to have some money?”
“…What? I do have some.”
“Then could you lend it to me? I’ll repay you properly.”
As hesitated for a moment, then quickly nodded. She seemed to trust I wouldn’t stiff her.
‘Convenient, but I should tell her not to do this with anyone else.’
Anyway, thanks to As, I avoided wandering around like a beggar.
“Miss! I’ve called the carriage!”
“Really? Thank you.”
As proudly escorted me to the carriage. Then, with a worried look, she asked,
“But if we go back right now, won’t the Count be angry?”
“Probably.”
I wasn’t planning to go to the Bellashy estate anyway. If I went now, I’d surely be thrown out again.
“I’m going to the wardrobe.”
I could leave the money under the family’s name, so no worries there.
“I can’t go in this state for an important conversation.”
I was still wearing an indoor dress.
‘My cheek is swollen from the slap, my hair is messy. No need to see—it must be a disaster.’
The Count probably wanted me to gain the sympathy of my ex-fiancé, but I would never meet him looking like this.
“While I get ready, go to the nearest post office and give them my name and the Bellashy estate. They’ll deliver this letter immediately.”
I handed over the letter I had written while waiting for As, who had gone to fetch the carriage.
“Are you going to see Marquis Rizen?”
“No, that man won’t help.”
Whether it was that man or someone else who orchestrated this, nothing would change.
“I’m going to see His Majesty the Emperor.”
For matters like this, you get results by going straight to the top.
Upon entering the imperial palace, I was met with tremendous coldness.
“His Majesty is currently in an audience…”
“Important meetings are about to start…”
I had expected a lukewarm reception, since I sent the letter asking to visit on the same day.
‘After the broken engagement, I must be even more repulsive to the Emperor.’
I wasn’t planning to leave until the Count’s anger subsided, so waiting wasn’t a problem.
“His Majesty has granted an audience to Miss Leonia.”
Finally, permission was given.
I followed the attendants to the audience hall.
The huge doors opened, and I walked slowly toward the throne in the center.
After waiting over ten hours, the meeting finally happened.
Before the broken engagement, sending a letter to request an audience usually meant waiting no more than three or four hours—this was a huge gap.
“I greet His Majesty, the Sun of the Empire.”
“Yes.”
The Emperor waved his hand dismissively, looking as if this were such a bother.
‘He wants me to get straight to the point.’
Not having to observe unnecessary formalities was actually convenient.
“Your Majesty, I requested this audience today because I have something I wish to say.”
“As long as it’s not asking to cancel your engagement, I’ll listen.”
The Emperor cut me off preemptively.
“Oh. Of course, if you are courting someone else, we could cancel the engagement with the Baron.”
What a ridiculous line. Who would announce they were seeing someone else in this situation?
‘All for the sake of gaining me alone, he must be willing to offend the Emperor.’
The Emperor’s suggestion was said as if magnanimous, but I suppressed a scoff.
“As I said before, your courtship target must be a noble within the Etrian Empire. Someone like you cannot be sent abroad; it would be a national loss.”
“…Excuse me?”
“You are going abroad for study, but you must stay by the Baron’s side until the marriage, so he doesn’t feel lonely.”
This is insane.
So the Emperor was basically forbidding me from leaving until marriage.
The Emperor, smiling with wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, emphasized his point.
“When you go abroad, many may lose their minds. A responsible citizen should marry, have children, and start a family.”
“….”
He had completely read my mind, but I smiled and shook my head.
“You said earlier that you would listen as long as it didn’t concern canceling my engagement, correct?”
“Yes.”
“Then allow me to choose Marquis Rizen’s next fiancée.”
Even the Emperor can easily go back on his word, but this should be acceptable.
Surprisingly, the Emperor seemed to consider it.
“No matter who I am, I cannot undo a broken engagement.”
“I do not wish that either,” I said, pretending that my feelings for my ex-fiancé still lingered.
“As I did break the engagement, you understand the reasons behind it.”
As expected, the Emperor looked regretful. Not sincerely, but ‘pretending’ is enough.
“My child, Diego, was so unruly. I understand your heartache.”
Diego Rizen.
Once, that name made my heart race, but now I felt nothing.
“I hope Marquis Rizen achieves what he wishes.”
Diego, the Emperor’s illegitimate child, had always sought to succeed the throne.
He no longer needed me to achieve that goal.
I realized that now, which was why I broke the engagement. I was saying this aloud.
‘I don’t know if the Emperor will believe me, but it doesn’t matter.’
He would never think that I would suddenly betray Diego, whom I had devoted over ten years to, and stab him in the back.
“As you mentioned earlier, there are people abroad who deceive others with sweet words.”
“So?”
“I cannot allow someone like that to be the Baron’s fiancée.”
The Emperor repeated what I had said earlier, smiling as if amused.
“Then you wish for the Baron’s fiancée to be chosen from the nobles of the Empire.”
I didn’t know who Diego’s fiancée candidate would be.
But within the Empire, the most likely candidate would be Miss Branto, the daughter of the Branto Marquis.
How do I know?
‘In the original story, after my death, Diego was to be engaged to her.’
Even without interference, she would likely be engaged to Diego, but now that I had altered the story, who knows?
At least this serves as a safety measure.
“Do you know who the fiancée candidate is?”
“No, that is beyond my authority. Whoever it is, I will leave it to divine will.”
“Even if it is Miss Branto?”
The Emperor’s tone was curious. He seemed to think I didn’t like her.
Ah, yes.
Diego often ignored me for his ‘greater purpose,’ escorting other young ladies, including Miss Branto.
But I couldn’t dislike her just because Diego flirted with many.
‘Not bad.’
This way, the Emperor would not suspect that I deliberately recommended Miss Branto.
“The Emperor’s will is the will of the gods. I will simply trust and wait.”
