Chapter 41
Allegiance to the Emperor
Finally, the end-of-year banquet was drawing near.
It was the biggest event before the New Year’s celebration, and also a grand festival into which the House of Duke Rayton poured all its effort.
As if trying to quickly forget the death of the former duke, the family had even shortened the mourning period. Now, there was not a trace of grief to be found.
…Though, to begin with, there had been few who mourned at all.
‘Well, at least we’re lucky we have nothing to do with it.’
While the main estate bustled with preparations, life at the annex remained unchanged. The only hint of the holiday spirit was a treasure that Jane had brought as a year-end gift—a rare bit of indulgence.
I had once said I wanted a magic device similar to the amplifier used during the masked martial arts tournament, and Jane, remembering this, had gifted me one.
It was a far more powerful treasure than the one used at the main estate. I offered to pay her for it, but Jane adamantly refused.
She insisted it had fallen into her hands by chance and that she’d been eager to show it to me.
“In fact, if I don’t give it to you… I might be in trouble.”
Her voice had trailed off as though she were wary of being overheard. Sensing it wasn’t the time to ask further questions, I didn’t press and accepted the gift without a second refusal.
It was a pendant, with a green gem embedded in its center. When pressed, the gem amplified my voice and projected it in all directions.
Curious, I’d tried it once in my bedroom:
“Anna—bring me some snacks!”
Anna and Nata came running in immediately.
“Madam, your dignity—your dignity, please.”
“This should be reserved for emergencies only.”
They stopped me with concern, and so the pendant had remained sealed away ever since.
In any case, with the annex quiet, my schedule had become blissfully empty. Apart from a visit from the dressmaker to fit my gown for the banquet, I hadn’t had a single guest.
As the main estate grew more chaotic, outsiders were barred entry. That meant no more visits from Jane or Johan either.
“How peaceful.”
I lay in bed, blankly staring at the winter sky outside my window.
A steaming cup of quince tea in hand, a thick cotton coat draped over my shoulders, and a plate of sweets so sweet they numbed the tongue sitting on the table beside me…
It was perfect. If I had to pick the happiest moment in my life, this might be it—serene, comfortable, and utterly content.
“…Wouldn’t a walk do you some good?”
Nata, who hadn’t been able to just sit still, asked gently. I merely waved my hand lazily in response.
He didn’t seem to understand, but the life of a noblewoman was exactly this.
It was Helene, always so diligent, who was the strange one. A family’s matriarch should live leisurely, without meddling in every little affair.
Anna, overhearing our silent exchange, chuckled softly as she tidied the room.
“Madam always feels the cold so deeply.”
“Mmm.”
Nata, who rose at dawn and trained for three hours before reporting for duty, likely found my lifestyle incomprehensible.
‘Who in their right mind would go out in this cold?’
Another gust of wind rattled the windows, and I sipped my quince tea once more. It wasn’t even the peak of winter yet, and already the western chill was brutal.
I’d even told the staff to ease up on the exterior chores around the annex.
“Don’t rush me. I’ll have to go out sooner or later.”
“Ma’am? Do you have something on the schedule besides the banquet?”
“Not yet. But I have a feeling something will come up.”
Anna and Nata exchanged puzzled glances at my vague remark, but I offered no further explanation.
It was just a hunch—a strong sense that trouble was brewing.
And the reason was…
‘His Majesty the Emperor will be attending the year-end banquet.’
Helene had told me this during a brief report after sending off Jace.
She still seemed a little disappointed that we hadn’t managed to create a debt with Viscount Milo, but appeared somewhat consoled by the thank-you letter he had sent.
The bigger issue, however, was the identity of the banquet’s surprise guest.
‘The Emperor himself…’
If the Emperor was coming, that meant the Imperial Guard would be coming too.
Not that anyone was expecting a war to break out, but for the Rayton family, it was certainly an uncomfortable situation.
The Duke of Rayton and the current Emperor had once clashed over the throne. They had history.
So if the Emperor was marching into the western provinces with the Imperial Guard in tow, the intention was obvious.
He wanted to intimidate House Rayton—stamp out their influence.
‘Even putting me in the position of Grand Madam was probably part of that plan.’
The more I thought about it, the more I felt trouble was inevitable.
So I decided to enjoy the calm while it lasted.
But peace never lasted long.
There was a frantic knock at my door.
“M-Madam! Lady Helene is on her way to the annex!”
“Speak of the devil…”
I sighed.
So much for peace.
As I expected, Helene came bearing an enormous problem—too big to even call a “problem.”
It was more of a bomb.
“His Majesty has requested that you deliver the congratulatory speech at the year-end banquet.”
The Emperor. That bastard. He was really out to ruin the Raytons.
Though the message was urgent, we decided to discuss it further with the Duke and come to a conclusion together.
That evening, I visited the main estate’s dining hall.
After a short meal, rather than catching up like family, we went straight to business.
“So the Emperor wants me to give the banquet speech?”
“Yes, Mother.”
“And the guests include nobles and even other members of the imperial family?”
“Yes.”
“…The Emperor does know this is the Rayton family’s banquet, right?”
Both Helene and Mikhail nodded solemnly.
I glanced down at the relaxing tea meant to help me sleep, let out a small laugh, and muttered,
“Seems our young Emperor has forgotten the meaning of being a guest.”
Even Mikhail, who always wore a smile, now looked grim. Helene watched me with a tight expression.
No one rebuked me for my bluntness. They knew this wasn’t a matter for polite courtesies.
Maybe, deep down, they agreed with me.
For nobles, the year-end banquet wasn’t just a festive party.
It was closer to an annual financial review—an obligation, even. A time for noble families to assess one another and reaffirm their social standings.
And now they wanted me—a complete outsider, a mother-in-law forced into place by the Emperor himself—to stand at the center of it all?
To deliver the speech?
‘If I make a single mistake, I’ll be the Empire’s favorite joke for the year.’
No, even if I didn’t slip up, the criticism would be inevitable.
They’d mock House Rayton’s disgrace and praise the Emperor’s overwhelming authority.
I had no particular loyalty to the Raytons, so if the Emperor was playing hardball… well, fine. But for Mikhail and Helene, it must have felt like a slap in the face.
This wasn’t even imperial business—just family matters—and yet the Emperor was meddling this far.
“So. What do you two want to do?”
Mikhail glanced at Helene, reading her expression. When she didn’t answer, he stepped forward.
“We intend to refuse.”
“Do you have a pretext?”
“We’ll say Mother is still unfamiliar with the customs of the Rayton family’s social gatherings.”
‘Clean answer.’
I’d assumed he might struggle with politics, given his warm demeanor, but like all good protagonists, Mikhail offered a textbook-perfect response.
“It’s not that we don’t trust Mother. But if there’s even a single misstep, the consequences will be severe. The Emperor and the nobles under him haven’t come to celebrate—they’ve come to judge. And our family’s reputation is on the line. If we accept this request…”
“The western balance of power will collapse.”
“Exactly.”
The Second Prince, supported by the East, had become Emperor, while Helene’s brother—the First Prince—had lost the succession battle.
If the Raytons appeared to be bending to the Emperor’s will now, it would fracture the fragile unity of the West.
Even if it meant clashing with the imperial family, rejecting the order was the safer choice.
‘This is why I hate getting involved with the imperial court. It’s all just layers of complications.’
