Chapter 73
Chapter 73
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 73
Chapter Title: Garter Belt
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We arrived at the imperial palace late in the evening.
A grand, resplendent palace.
Was it because this was where the emperor lived?
The Grand Ducal Palace was plenty big, but...
"This place is huge."
The gardens alone surpassed the Grand Ducal Palace, leaving my jaw on the floor.
Anyway, no sooner had we arrived than rooms were assigned for our group...
"Whoa..."
Compared to the room I'd used at the Grand Ducal Palace, the sheer size and lavish interior decorations left my mouth hanging open.
The Empire sure has money to burn.
Everything dwarfed the Grand Ducal Palace in scale.
As I was lost in those thoughts,
-Knock knock.
Someone rapped on the door.
Who could it be?
"Who is it?"
A familiar voice came from beyond the door in response to my question.
-It's me.
Luna?
-Creak.
I opened the door, and Luna entered with her usual icy expression, which soon softened.
"Heh heh, it's been a while since we've been alone together."
Luna's face was full of mirth.
"We talked in the tent last night, didn't we?"
"Oh... the tent?"
She shot me a sharp glare.
"What happened in that tent last night?"
"Haha..."
Worried she might devour me right here, I hurriedly changed the subject.
"Anyway, isn't this room ridiculously fancy?"
Luna glanced around my room.
She seemed dissatisfied, furrowing her brow slightly.
"It is, yeah."
"Right? So, what's up?"
"Oh... I came to give you a warning."
Her sudden mention of a warning caught me off guard.
"A warning?"
Luna nodded gravely at my question.
"Yeah. The Imperial Crown Prince will definitely show up. Avoid him as much as you can."
"Ah..."
Luna's suitor, the Imperial Crown Prince.
Honestly, it made me uncomfortable.
Given our relationship with Luna... and his lecherous nature, he wouldn't just sit idly by.
On top of that, we had to negotiate with the emperor.
I hoped he wouldn't go whining to his dad with nonsense.
"Of course I know. That His Highness is smitten with Grand Duchess."
Luna's eyes changed at my words.
What was it? For a split second, a far colder, more contemptuous gaze than her usual icy one flashed across her face before vanishing.
Her odd reaction piqued my curiosity, so I asked.
"Huh? What was that look?"
"What... what look?"
"Just now, it had a hint of contempt."
She shrugged.
"You... you must've seen wrong. Why would I contempt anyone?"
"I never said who."
"Ahem... anyway."
Luna tried to steer the conversation away.
I was curious for more, but... that wasn't the important part.
Honestly, what intrigued me was something else.
From the novel's descriptions, the Crown Prince was supposed to be incredibly handsome and talented.
Why had she rejected marriage to someone willing to sponsor her beloved Grand Duchy, her sore spot?
It really was strange.
This novel was originally a romance fantasy.
With the Crown Prince as the male lead pining for Luna.
I understood her desire to make the Grand Duchy prosper on her own terms, but that fleeting contemptuous look still didn't add up.
"Why do you despise His Highness the Crown Prince so much?"
She scowled at me with undisguised contempt.
"How am I supposed to feel good about a guy I don't even like who bribed my maids to steal my underwear?"
What? What did I just hear?
"Pardon?"
That Crown Prince... stole underwear?
I stared at Luna, demanding an explanation, and she spoke with irritation in her eyes.
"There were a lot of Ferdinand's spies in the Grand Ducal Palace back then. I tried to overlook it at first... but they got caught trying to steal my underwear."
"Ah..."
Was everything I'd seen so far... not a romance fantasy after all?
What kind of male lead tries to steal the heroine's underwear?
"Even thinking about it now..."
-Grind...
For the first time, Luna's ferocious scowl sent chills down my spine, sweat beading on my back.
"Hah! Whatever. The thought of that pervert liking me makes my skin crawl. Look, even my arms are getting goosebumps right now."
Luna showed me her pale arms.
Just as she said, goosebumps covered them.
"I... I see."
Ferdinand, you're hopeless...
I didn't know why he'd made that choice.
But yeah, you're better off folding.
***
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The next morning.
We formally paid our respects to the emperor.
I'd heard that first visits skipped business talk, focusing instead on exchanging stories from recent times.
-Your Majesty! Grand Duchess Luna Valmore of the Heyron Grand Duchy has arrived.
The enormous gates.
Ornate patterns embossed everywhere, with gold and jewels adorning spots here and there—my eyes went wide.
Because it's the audience chamber?
They sure splurge on money here.
As I thought that,
-Let them enter.
At the emperor's command,
the knights pushed the doors open.
Well-oiled hinges? Not even a creak.
The doors swung open to reveal a vast audience chamber.
Hundreds... no, thousands could fit.
We crossed the carpet, weaving past nobles scattered throughout the grand interior.
-Why is the northern Grand Duchess here?
-I've heard she's beautiful, but she's stunning.
-No wonder... His Highness the Crown Prince is head over heels.
Overhearing the nobles' whispers, I thought,
No way... they're not gossiping about the emperor's erectile dysfunction in a place like this, right?
Honestly, their "whispers" carried farther than expected.
Nah... the emperor would hear that instantly. Probably not.
As I mulled that over,
Luna, leading at the front, stopped and dropped to one knee.
"I pay my respects to His Majesty Emperor Leopold, guardian of the Empire."
Following her lead, our entire group knelt on one knee.
"It's a pleasure to meet like this. I've been well aware of your situation, but as it involved your territory, I could only watch from afar. Still, I'm glad you handled it wisely and reclaimed your rights. And it's a delight to finally meet you, even if belatedly."
"It is thanks to Your Majesty's grace."
As Luna finished, the emperor nodded slightly.
"I've prepared a gift for this occasion. Knight Commander?"
At the emperor's words, a knight who looked to be in his forties approached carrying a sword on a plush red velvet cushion.
Wait... isn't that a garter belt?
The golden band draped over his knight's uniform differed slightly from modern garter belts, but it was unmistakably one.
Why the hell...?
Watching the handsome middle-aged man's garter belt gleam brilliantly, it was all I could do to keep my expression neutral.
Disgusting... utterly repulsive.
My eyes shook violently as I stared at the knight sporting that shocking garter belt.
Why... is a man wearing a garter belt?
Glancing around in disbelief, I saw every knight wearing one.
Do... do men wear garter belts here?!
The shocking revelation left me stunned.
Is this why the Crown Prince developed his twisted fetish for his beloved's underwear—in a place like this?
Honestly, emperor or not, I wanted to bolt from this nauseating scene, but I held back, thinking of the headache it would cause Luna.
"Here?"
The Knight Commander stopped before Luna.
The emperor spoke.
"Everyone, rise at ease."
As he said, Luna stood, and we all rose, eyes on the sword the Knight Commander held.
"I hear you favor weapons. Since you already possess a famed sword, this may not be much, but it's the least I can offer as a token of sincerity."
"I am deeply grateful for your kindness."
Luna accepted the sword and bowed her head.
"Heh heh, it pains me that this is all I can give those toiling to pioneer the north."
"We are simply thankful for your consideration."
As the audience chamber proceedings wrapped up with the emperor hearing the nobles' petitions,
"Grand Duchess Luna. Now that you're here, won't you join me for a cup of tea?"
Luna bowed her head.
"It would be an honor if Your Majesty so desires."
And so, I was dragged along to tea time with her and the emperor.
Unlike the audience chamber, it was just the three of us: me, the emperor, and Luna.
-Slurp...
The emperor and Luna sipped tea from ornate porcelain.
Seated across from each other, they drank in silence.
How long do we have to do this?
I grumbled inwardly, cursing noble etiquette and formalities to endure the silence.
How much longer?
As impatience gnawed at me, the emperor stirred his teacup.
"I hear... your expedition yielded no results."
"Not so, Your Majesty. While the pioneering itself bore no fruit, we achieved tremendous financial gains."
The emperor looked puzzled at Luna's words.
"What? The Grand Duchy is known to rely on expeditions for revenue. Is that true?"
"How could I ever lie to Your Majesty?"
The emperor's surprise turned to contemplation before he spoke.
"Then I'm glad to hear it. I wondered if you'd come seeking financial aid, rushing here so urgently."
Luna flinched at the emperor's slightly dismissive tone.
Noticing, he quickly continued.
"But don't misunderstand. I know full well how much pioneering the far north costs."
"We are grateful for your understanding."
Silence fell again, and the emperor asked awkwardly, as if weary of it,
"Might I inquire how you resolved the financial side?"
"My secretary here, Aiden, took the lead. He discovered yin-yang liquor, poised to bring immense profits, but without amending the vassal contract laws, we couldn't proceed—hence our visit."
Greed flickered in the emperor's eyes as he heard Luna's explanation.