Chapter 11
Arhen, the Emperor of the Karpen Empire, believed that “the throne belongs to the one who possesses power.”
He himself had ascended to the throne only after driving out his elder brother, the Crown Prince, and killing all his siblings. It was a seat he had to claim in order to survive—the seat of the Emperor.
Patsrary solidified his authority by becoming engaged to the Hartzbellua Ducal House.
Duke David Hartzbellua, who had long insisted on neutrality, suddenly declared that if Patsrary were betrothed to Meia, he would lend his support to the Emperor’s faction. There was no reason to refuse.
However, the fiancée was changed.
Although the Emperor opposed it, Empress Ellemin and Patsrary could not bear the thought of Meryl—the daughter of the current Duke of Hartzbellua—marrying Damien. Thus, the fiancée was replaced. From the Emperor’s perspective, who had always thought highly of Meia, the broken engagement was regrettable.
“Empress, do you truly believe changing the fiancée was the right decision?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. We merely required the strength of the ducal house; the person herself was not important.”
“I clearly opposed it.”
“Was there a particular reason for Your opposition?”
“I held Lady Meia in high regard. She was composed, noble, and intelligent. There is no one more suitable to be Empress. And what do you suppose the late David would think? He would surely believe we heartlessly cast aside his daughter the moment he died.”
“The dead do not speak.”
Although he did not show it, the Emperor was disappointed in the Empress and the Crown Prince for changing the fiancée solely for the sake of power.
Meia was the flower of high society.
The Emperor knew well that countless noblewomen and young ladies admired her and regarded her as the future Empress.
“Men rule this world as kings, yet the ones who truly rule those men… are women.”
Having cast aside the woman who supported Patsrary so flawlessly as the flower of high society, he even wondered whether the Crown Prince’s position might be shaken.
However, it would not matter if the new fiancée, Meryl, proved just as capable as Meia.
The problem was whether a young lady who had grown up in the countryside could learn enough to catch up to Meia.
No matter how he thought about it, the Emperor’s conclusion remained the same.
“She is no match for Meia.”
There was no one more perfect to become Empress.
“To abandon ripe fruit just before harvest—tsk.”
At Arhen’s click of his tongue, Ellemin smiled and replied.
“Fruit, the riper it becomes, the more easily it rots. Pruning is also necessary to allow new crops to grow well, Your Majesty.”
“Even if the fruit rots, its seeds do not.”
“Your Majesty, the fiancée has already been changed. I will ensure that the new crop grows well.”
Ellemin lifted the corners of her lips slightly and smiled quietly.
At the same time that Arhen and Ellemin were conversing—
Patsrary, seated in his office handling state affairs, felt as if he were going mad. The cause was the incessant knocking whenever Meryl came to visit.
Knock. Knock.
The knocking continued, and Andy, the aide standing beside him, let out a deep sigh.
Knockknockknockknockknock.
“Your Highness the Crown Prince.”
“Ah.”
Meryl, his ever-unannounced fiancée, constantly irritated Patsrary with her self-willed behavior.
Knockknockknockknockknockknockknockknockknockknock.
“Open the door.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
The door opened, and Meryl immediately entered the room.
“Your Highness! Why won’t you see me?”
“Lady Meryl, knocking is something servants do.”
“I did it because I wanted to see you. We can only meet once a week—I’m suffering terribly. Are you not?”
“Even once a week is time I barely manage to spare, Lady Meryl.”
“But I’m your fiancée! You should show me some consideration!”
“So, what brings you here today?”
Meryl walked in and sat directly on the office sofa.
Patsrary’s brow furrowed. It was far from the conduct expected of a noble lady.
She spoke as she pleased the moment she entered and sat down without being invited.
“I have something to ask.”
“What is it?”
“After you become Emperor, do you intend to take concubines?”
Taken aback by the absurd question, Patsrary was momentarily speechless.
If he were to become Emperor, the matter of taking concubines would be decided through consultations with the nobility. Of course, complex political considerations—or genuine affection—could lead to such arrangements.
“I cannot accept concubines, so please understand my feelings.”
“Whether concubines are taken or not is determined through council. You know that the reason you became my fiancée was to secure my position as Crown Prince with the support of the Hartzbellua family. This is a political marriage. I hope you understand that, Lady Meryl.”
“I won’t accept concubines.”
Patsrary bit his lip in irritation.
She was no child, yet she behaved like one throwing a tantrum. It wasn’t even amusing.
“You came to interrupt a busy man just to talk about concubines? We have not even held the imperial wedding yet.”
“Then we should have held the imperial wedding instead of just getting engaged.”
Patsrary frowned at her exasperating words.
“And Lord Patsrary, you must meet me at least three times a week.”
“I met Lady Meia only once a week during our ten-year engagement.”
At the mention of Meia, tears welled up in Meryl’s eyes.
“Are you comparing me to your former fiancée? Sob.”
Patsrary was simply bewildered and displeased with the situation.
“Sob… You’re so cruel. I miss you, Your Highness. I want to see you often. Why don’t you understand my feelings?”
“We will discuss this later. I have a meeting now, so please leave at once, Lady Meryl.”
At the unmistakable dismissal, Meryl’s tears flowed even more.
“Ah… Lady Meryl. Let’s have dinner together later.”
At his words, her mood seemed to improve. She relaxed her expression and waved energetically with one hand as she left.
Andy flinched at her unladylike behavior but did not show it.
“I’ll come again later—to the Imperial Palace.”
Watching her leave, Patsrary rubbed his face with both hands in distress.
As he resumed his work, he crumpled the documents and threw them to the floor in irritation.
“Honestly.”
Andy picked up the papers and glanced at him.
“You look as though you’re being punished, Your Highness.”
“Are you regretting it, Your Highness?”
“It hasn’t been long since the engagement, but I regret it deeply.”
During his engagement to Meia, he had never experienced such headaches.
But Meryl was nothing but trouble.
“Are you aware of the rumors circulating in high society, Your Highness?”
“What rumors? Surely the usual—about the change of fiancée.”
“If that were all, it would be fortunate. Both the factions supporting Your Highness and those supporting the Second Prince have begun sending proposals and letters to the Hartzbellua estate, hoping to make Lady Meia the mistress of their houses.”
“What?!”
“Lady Meia is the flower of high society. Simply bringing her into a family elevates its prestige. It will be difficult for Lady Meryl… to replace her. Furthermore, there are rumors that Lady Olivia and Lady Meryl have become bitter enemies.”
“What do you mean?”
“The dispute between Lady Meryl and Lady Olivia is the latest sensation in high society.”
“Tell me more, Andy.”
Andy recounted everything he had heard.
“All the young ladies are taking Lady Olivia’s side. Naturally, Lady Meryl’s standing has grown narrower, Your Highness.”
At Andy’s words, anxiety washed over Crown Prince Patsrary.
He could not shake the ominous feeling that an undefined crisis was approaching.
* * *
Meia returned to her room and immediately collapsed onto her bed, falling asleep.
Ordinarily, she would never behave so impulsively.
She would bathe first, receive massages from Agnita and Yudi, apply fragrant oils beneficial to her skin, prepare herself meticulously, and lie upon her soft bed. As Yudi read books and reports aloud, she would memorize them with her eyes closed before drifting to sleep.
But today, the moment she lay down, her eyes closed on their own.
‘I’ll just sleep.’
Acting on impulse—and neglecting her nightly studies—was a first for Meia.
When she opened her eyes again, the dark night had vanished.
Warm morning sunlight streamed through the window, telling her it was now morning—or perhaps noon.
“I must have been quite tired.”
She tried to fall asleep again but could not.
“This is why habits are so frightening.”
Turning her head, she saw that it was seven o’clock.
She usually woke at that hour to train her stamina through horseback riding, physical exercises, and mana cultivation.
Afterward, she would bathe, relieve her fatigue with massages, eat breakfast, and spend her day mastering the virtues required of an Empress—studying, attending tea parties, and participating in imperial events.
‘I don’t have to live so desperately anymore.’
She closed her eyes and counted sheep, but sleep did not return.
Unable to sleep any longer, Meia rose from her bed, stretched, and let out a wide yawn.
After washing lightly in the bathroom, she changed into trousers suitable for going out.
Then she opened the window.
Before her stretched a dazzling blue sea, filling her with excitement.
Each breath carried the scent of the ocean, making her heart race.
After packing her magic bag, Meia left a note requesting that lunch be brought to her room and tipped the cleaning staff. She mentioned she would be out for a short walk.
Then she flung the window wide open, leapt outside, and chanted a spell.
“Fly.”
The view of the sea from the sky was indescribably moving.
“Then shall I visit the mountain behind the harbor that I noticed yesterday?”
Meia flew toward the hill behind the port—the one she had seen upon arriving the previous day.
