Chapter 181: A Change of Perspective
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 181: A Change of Perspective
It was a cool summer night.
Lucion watched the Grand Ducal couple’s carriage recede into the distance with a hollow gaze.
He knew the Grand Duchess was avoiding him. She likely thought that being associated with him would bring nothing but trouble, especially because of Princess Pelianes.
That was why Lucion had been waiting for today.
He knew the Grand Duke would never show his face at a place like this, so the Grand Duchess would surely come alone. It would be much easier to talk to her here than at the Grand Duke’s Castle, which the knights guarded like an iron fortress.
He couldn't even count how many times he had changed his outfit for today. He had even practiced what he would say to her. He planned to ask for an escort in a way that felt natural—so natural she couldn't possibly refuse.
‘I used to be so confident in my own brazenness...’
But the moment he saw the Grand Duchess in her lavender dress, looking so pure and elegant, Lucion had been rendered speechless. Every time she moved, the fluttering chiffon sent his heart into a dizzying whirl.
When had he become so timid? His raw emotions were so close to the surface that he found it difficult even to meet her eyes.
— "The audience will likely only enter once Her Highness the Consort has made her entrance."
And just as the hesitating Grand Duchess was finally about to take his hand, everything went wrong.
— "Prince Lucion, do you have business with my wife?"
It galling that he couldn't offer a single word in response to that question. Lucion let out a self-mocking laugh. He didn't know why he felt so robbed. She had never been his to begin with.
"Prince, now that the opera has premiered, why don't you return to Rondoris?"
An aide who had recently returned from Rondoris spoke while carefully gauging his mood. "It seems the Princess is quite angry this time."
Lucion gave a hollow smile. "Whether I go or not, I’m going to get scolded anyway. Doesn't that mean I might as well do as I please?"
"Prince..."
Until now, Lucion’s sole goal had been to receive an official title after the Princess’s enthronement. But if a woman like the Grand Duchess were his wife, he felt as though he could live happily even without a title.
That thought burrowed painfully into his mind.
‘It’s not fair.’
It was driving him mad. Why was she already another man’s wife? If there were any path to happiness, no matter what it was, he was confident he would give his life to pursue it. It felt cruel that he wasn't even given the chance to try.
‘If the Grand Duchess’s marriage had been unhappy, would she have looked at me?’
With a heavy heart, Lucion could not bring himself to leave the theater for a long time.
*
Clink.
The Empress, sitting across from the Marquis, slowly lifted her teacup and took a sip. It had been nearly a month since the gem auction.
The Marquis hesitated, watching her expression, before finally speaking.
"It is late, but regarding the finale... I am truly sorry, Your Imperial Majesty."
"Forget it. It’s in the past."
At first, she had been blinded by rage, but thinking positively, the Grand Duke taking the finale meant it hadn't fallen into the hands of the Crown Princess. In that sense, the worst had been avoided.
"I called you today for something else."
The Empress tossed a weekly magazine onto the table. Under the title Northern News, bold headlines were plastered across the front.
[Opera ‘Goddess of Revenge’ Shakes the North!]
[Exclusive Interview with Antonel, the Philanderer You Can’t Help but Hate!]
[Snow Wine Shortage! Even the Grand Duke Can’t Get a Bottle?]
Even after seeing it, the Marquis looked completely clueless.
"It seems Marquis Frais has been very busy lately?" the Empress remarked, her tone an elegant jab at his complacency. "Or have you simply grown lazy?"
"I—I don't know what you mean..."
"If that isn't the case, how can a father be so ignorant of his own daughter’s news?"
At the mention of his daughter, the Marquis hurriedly picked up the magazine.
"To think that a Marquis of this empire is unaware of facts being shouted from the pages of a cheap weekly... I’m beginning to suspect you are intentionally closing your eyes and ears."
The Grand Duchess had invited the most famous troupe from Rondoris to stage an opera in Blenheim.
‘And she succeeded brilliantly, even after the Princess tried to sabotage her.’
This was a fact unearthed by one of her ladies-in-waiting, who had a personal connection to Cochibiel. The Empress had been suspicious since the last delegation visit, but this incident confirmed it.
Marquis Frais’s third daughter was no ordinary woman. Moreover, she was working very actively to expand the influence of Blenheim and the Grand Duke.
The problem was that her actions were producing significant results. From noblewomen at tea times to the merchant guild masters she occasionally summoned, everyone was talking about Blenheim day after day.
— "I heard the wine recently released by Blenheim is exquisite. Have you tried it?"
— "Our guild is currently busy as we plan to open a direct branch in Blenheim soon."
The Empress had married her off to be a shackle for the Grand Duke, but instead, she had given him wings.
Only after a long silence did the Marquis realize the situation and begin to stammer excuses. "But Annette is truly a girl of no consequence."
The Empress narrowed her eyes, weighing the truth of his words. If the Marquis wasn't intentionally deceiving her, then his daughter must have been fooling him all along. And somehow, she had clearly managed to bewitch the Grand Duke as well.
In a way, she was a remarkable child.
‘To make that Grand Duke of Blenheim appear in public to support his wife.’
Then again, any wife who could bring the North into the spotlight so effectively in such a short time would be precious to him, even if she were the daughter of an enemy.
From the moment she saw the magazine, the Empress’s mind began to race.
Until now, she had kept the Grand Duke in check because she believed he was a threat to her son Valentin’s ascension to the throne. The Grand Duke held the highest rank of succession among the collateral branches and possessed formidable military power.
‘He is also one of only two Sword Masters in the Empire.’
If the Grand Duke truly decided to march on the Imperial Palace, the current Imperial Family lacked the power to stop him. Furthermore, the Grand Duke was closer to the Crown Princess, whom he had known since childhood, than he was to Valentin.
The Empress had felt she had no choice but to suppress him.
But what if she brought Annette to her side? And what if the Grand Duke of Blenheim followed his wife and supported her?
Valentin’s path to the throne would be paved in gold. The Crown Princess wouldn't even be a match for him.
"Do not worry," the Marquis said, flashing an awkward smile, oblivious to her train of thought. "I will make sure Annette is punished so she doesn't overstep again."
"No, that won't be necessary."
The Empress raised a hand firmly to stop him. "I will handle this matter myself from now on."
"To speak of punishing your own child over such a thing, even if she is married far away... You are a truly heartless father, Marquis."
"From now on, try to win Annette’s favor," the Empress said, giving him a cold, dismissive look. "That is the only advice I can give you right now."
The Marquis fell silent, bewildered by her sudden change in attitude.
‘If I can win over the Grand Duke, I don't even need the Marquis.’
If the relationship between father and daughter was poor, she could even cut ties with the Marquis to gain Annette’s goodwill. Feeling as though a path had finally opened up, the Empress allowed herself a satisfied smile.
*
Cecilia almost ran down the second-floor corridor of the Main Castle. In her hand, she clutched the latest issue of Northern News.
The opera was a massive success. It received overwhelming praise for its unprecedented stage equipment, brilliant special effects, and unconventional story.
Furthermore, the "cheating bastard" character had become a sensation through the noblewomen’s gossip. Thanks to that, the massive theater was selling out every single day after the premiere.
The merchandise at the stalls had sold out on the first day, forcing them to pull stock intended for the following week. The Snow Wine, featured in the revenge scene, had become famous among all the nobles of Blenheim overnight without any separate promotion.
‘I did write that part exceptionally well.’
Breathing heavily, Cecilia reached the Grand Duchess’s room and knocked hurriedly. But there was no response from inside.
"Is she still sleeping?"
Unable to contain her impatience as usual, Cecilia swung the door open.
"...Huh?"
To her surprise, the room was empty.
*
When I woke up in the morning, I blinked my eyes slowly.
A half-naked statue, lying sideways, was looking at me. A statue with a broad, exposed chest that rose and fell slowly with each breath.
The statue suddenly leaned toward me and pressed a light kiss to my lips.
I flinched at the sudden sensation, and a dull ache throbbed below my waist.
"Ah..."
At my groan, his handsome brow furrowed.
"Oh dear. Does it hurt a lot?"
Soon, a large, firm hand slid under my waist and began to gently massage the tender flesh.