Surely, Your Majesty isn’t thinking of making the Lady your Empress?
“Your Highness, that was amazing!”
“……”
Abel shouted with a flushed face. I nodded slightly behind him.
When the Empress Dowager interfered and determined the victor of the duel, Dantellion simply turned his back and left the arena.
The spectators, who had been dazed, finally snapped out of it and erupted into cheers. It was a victory for the Crown Prince, Dantellion.
At first, he seemed to be slightly on the losing side, which had made me worry, but it turned out to be nothing but needless concern. After contracting with Dolens, Dantellion was practically invincible.
[Master! The scary Sword Master won! I’ll go get the money!]
‘We’re rich now!’
[Mwahahahaha!]
[Sigh…….]
Desmond, possessed by greed, instantly flew out of the doll. He was probably going to possess someone else to go retrieve the bets placed on Dantellion.
On the other hand, Bibi, who wasn’t particularly interested in money, sighed and shook her head. To her, wealth and luxury were already within easy reach, so she couldn’t understand why one would bother chasing unnecessary money.
‘But having my own funds makes a difference.’
Of course, Duke Winston or Veronica, who adored me, would buy me anything I wanted. Whether it be jewels or anything expensive.
But if I ever had to handle something I couldn’t ask them for, it would be a problem if I didn’t have any money of my own. If I used money managed by someone else, the original owner would surely find out.
So this money I won today was essentially my private fund.
‘You guys can store money in your subspace, right?’
[Yes, no problem!]
‘Good.’
Desmond was grinning ear to ear, pleased that his subspace was now filled with money. I also smiled broadly, feeling great.
“Abel, are we heading back now?”
“Ah, yes……”
“……?”
I looked at Abel, who was still tightly holding my hand. His face turned beet red.
Because Abel’s ability could make whatever he touched invisible, he had been holding my hand ever since we left the mansion.
I hadn’t thought much of it, but it seemed Abel found it incredibly embarrassing.
This kid—so cute.
I chuckled and followed the crowd with Abel as we exited the Colosseum.
‘It’s a shame we didn’t get rid of Cedric……’
I hadn’t really expected we’d be able to kill Cedric, the protagonist of the original story, that easily.
From here on, Cedric and the Empress Dowager would probably continue using every means to try and bring down both the Winston family and the Crown Prince.
But since I had read the original novel, I knew exactly how they would act. While many parts had already diverged from the original, their schemes would likely stay the same.
In a good mood, I returned to the mansion with Abel.
The Winston Duchy was in a celebratory mood.
The Empress Dowager kept silent, and the deeply wounded Cedric locked himself inside the marquisate and hadn’t stepped outside since.
Dantellion, having earned both the empire’s public support and the favor of the nobles, set a date for his coronation. The day he would become emperor was close.
“His Majesty promised that once he ascended the throne, he would approve your divorce from Marquis Lionel.”
“That’s a relief.”
“……Berry.”
I could hear the Duke of Winston’s serious voice. I was pretending to play in the next room, secretly eavesdropping through Desmond.
Even without seeing them, I could feel how serious the mood was from their voices. I swallowed hard.
“Do you have feelings for His Majesty?”
“Father……”
“I will petition His Majesty to take an empress as soon as he is crowned.”
“……!”
As expected of the Duke of Winston.
He had already seen through Veronica’s feelings. But I didn’t expect him to bring it up so directly.
Veronica didn’t respond right away. I anxiously pressed the bear doll Desmond was inhabiting.
[Master, can’t breathe. Breath!]
‘Ah, sorry.’
I released my grip and waited for Veronica’s response. Soon, her voice came.
“I, too, believe His Majesty should take an empress as soon as possible.”
“……!”
Veronica…!
Why are you talking like someone else should marry Dantellion? That’s not how this is supposed to go!
I trembled, furious inside. The Duke, relieved, continued.
“That’s a relief. I had hoped you would stay with the family.”
“……”
“Henrietta is a born businesswoman. I felt guilty asking her to also manage the household. You continuing to assist would be a great help.”
Henrietta, from the eastern region known for its trade due to its vast seas, had married the young duke Vincent, but she wasn’t handling household affairs at all.
Rather, it was more accurate to say she couldn’t. Most of the Winston family’s businesses were managed by her.
“……I’m glad I can still be helpful to the family.”
But there wasn’t a hint of joy in Veronica’s voice.
Clenching my fists, I thought,
‘Why are you lying, Veronica?’
You like Dantellion. Doesn’t it matter to you that he’ll marry someone else?
I couldn’t understand why Veronica was lying. Was it because it was a remarriage?
But that didn’t make sense. The empire was certainly conservative and didn’t view remarriage favorably. But Veronica was a Winston. Few would dare openly criticize the duke’s daughter for remarrying.
Besides, Dantellion would never marry anyone else but Veronica. In the original story, Dantellion never took an empress.
At the time, there were almost no retainers who dared advise the tyrant to choose an empress. Those who did were swiftly executed.
Back then, I thought it was just to emphasize how cruel a tyrant he was, but now I realized it was because he couldn’t forget his first love.
There’s no way a man like that would marry someone else while leaving Veronica behind.
The reason he was helping her divorce Cedric was probably so he could marry her himself.
If things kept going like this, Veronica might just take me and disappear off to the Winston estate.
‘That can’t happen!’
Now that I had a new goal, I couldn’t leave the capital until the Empress Dowager and the main characters were completely ruined.
And to save Veronica, I absolutely had to make sure she married Dantellion after he became emperor.
I couldn’t just sit still. I had to tell Dantellion the truth somehow.
I jumped up from my seat and clenched my fists tightly.
“Thus, we declare before God the coronation of the 66th Emperor of the Sylvester Empire, Dantellion Noah Sylvester, complete and official.”
The Pope’s gentle voice echoed throughout the Grand Banquet Hall.
Dantellion’s coronation ceremony had been quiet and swift. The nobles gathered in the hall kept solemn silence.
It had taken more than seven years to reach this moment. The ceremony focused more on practicality than grandeur.
The Empress Dowager did not attend, citing illness.
Though it was the moment he had long awaited, Dantellion didn’t feel a great sense of fulfillment. If anything, it felt like he had just reached the starting line.
Yes, this was only the beginning.
As soon as the ceremony ended, Dantellion visited his office. His aide, Joshua, was waiting for him.
“You should enjoy the banquet, Your High—no, Your Majesty.”
“There’s a document the Duke of Winston requested, isn’t there?”
“Ah, yes.” Joshua nodded. Dantellion spoke quickly, unable to hide his urgency.
“Process it immediately.”
“Ah… yes.”
Joshua replied reluctantly.
The request from the Winston family was to approve Lady Veronica’s divorce from Marquis Lionel.
Since the marriage had been ordered by the imperial family, it made sense that the divorce required imperial approval as well.
And now, the head of the imperial family was none other than Emperor Dantellion.
Joshua felt uneasy. It was too much interest for what should’ve just been a matter concerning a childhood friend.
To push for the divorce right after the coronation was too hasty.
Of course, Veronica Winston was a perfect candidate for Empress. She was of the Winston Duchy, after all.
Among all potential relatives by marriage, her family would be the most advantageous for Dantellion.
The problem was that Veronica had once married Marquis Lionel, who belonged to the Empress Dowager’s faction.
Most of the nobles currently supporting Dantellion were ones who had remained neutral or had supported the previous emperors—traditional conservatives.
They would likely never trust Veronica, who had once been married to Marquis Lionel.
There was no need to sow discord among the emperor’s faction just as unity was beginning to form.
Surely Dantellion must be aware of this. Joshua looked at him nervously and asked,
“Your Majesty.”
“Hmm?”
“Surely… you’re not thinking of making the Lady your Empress, are you?”
“……”
At Joshua’s direct question, Dantellion stared at him silently.
Meeting those piercing blue eyes, Joshua swallowed dryly, feeling tension grip his throat.
