Chapter 16
“Ha ha, it’s good to see you two together like this. How long has it been, Quinlan?”
The Emperor greeted Quinlan and Ludiche with a hearty laugh.
Unlike Berje, who had always seemed to read people carefully before interacting, the Emperor exuded the warmth of a benevolent man.
“Your Majesty, since the war prevented us from meeting, it’s been over a year.”
“Has it already been that long?”
The Emperor’s smile widened at Quinlan’s greeting.
Though it seemed like he was continuing the conversation, he was quietly observing the Depania Duke and his wife kneeling before him. His eyes were unreadable.
“To greet me so stiffly—stand comfortably.”
At his words, Ludiche let out a small laugh.
How amusing.
The Emperor had deliberately had them stand. It seemed he wanted to show that he, as the Emperor of the Empire, held absolute authority, and without his permission, they couldn’t even lift their knees or straighten their backs.
Every subtle gesture was a reminder that ultimate power rested with him.
As Quinlan rose, Ludiche followed suit. Their movements were elegant, composed, and unflinching.
“It’s been a long time, Duchess of Depania. You grow more beautiful with each passing day. To have such a lovely daughter sent to Quinlan—Rocksberg must have been heartbroken.”
Ludiche’s lips tightened instinctively as she lowered her gaze.
That sly fox!
It was well known that Depania and Rocksberg did not get along. Their histories were tangled and complicated.
The Rocksberg Marquises were the wealthiest and most powerful family in the Empire, while the Depania Dukes were an old house that had lost almost everything, left with only long-standing honor and a tiny fief.
The feud between the two families had continued for generations.
To be precise, the Rocksberg Marquises had done everything to surpass Depania, while Depania barely acknowledged them—so indifferent, in fact, that “not noticing” was the correct expression.
Though the Emperor ordered the Rocksberg Marquises to handle the dirty work for him, he never elevated them to Dukes.
One side had grown their power by serving the Emperor and taking on all the harsh tasks, yet could not become Dukes. The other, though of imperial blood, never submitted to the Emperor, maintaining their dignity and earning respect from nobles and citizens alike.
This infuriated the Marquises.
They became Dukes simply because of their bloodline!
Even when only a small fief remained, Quinlan never considered the Rocksbergs a threat. It was accurate to say the Rocksberg Marquises were beneath him.
Depania? Ha!
To the Rocksberg Marquises, the Depania Dukes were an insurmountable wall, no matter how hard they struggled.
In that context, Ludiche had come to Quinlan with nothing but a spear and married him. Their already-detested daughter had gone to Depania, blocking her sons’ futures—something Rocksberg could never forgive.
The Rocksberg Marquises had flown into a rage, ending all ties with Ludiche and her family. No one from Rocksberg attended her wedding. Ludiche, in turn, had ordered that any sight of red hair be expelled, and she held a grand wedding without them.
“Your Majesty,”
Ludiche summoned the most elegant smile she could and continued.
“It is an incomparable honor that Your Majesty remembers all that I am. I am now a woman of Depania. I shall enjoy the present glory rather than dwell on the past.”
Indeed, cunning strategy was not reserved for the Emperor alone.
As Ludiche smiled brightly, the Emperor’s laughter erupted after a pause.
“Ha ha, yes, yes. You care for your Duke family, and your bond is strong. That pleases me.”
The Emperor’s gaze then turned to Quinlan.
“Your contributions to this war deserve a reward. What would you like, Quinlan?”
Quinlan looked at Ludiche. Staring at her, he replied in a restrained, serious tone:
“If permitted, may I ask her what she desires? Without her, we could have faced grave danger. She is the one who achieved great merit, and I wish to grant her request.”
“Oh? Speak then. Ludiche, what is it that you want?”
The Emperor’s voice was light as he looked at Ludiche.
Quickly hiding her surprise, Ludiche turned from Quinlan to bow before the Emperor.
“It is an honor, Your Majesty. Forgive my audacity, but I shall speak.”
“Very well, speak.”
“I wish for land.”
“What?”
Ludiche smiled faintly.
“…You mean a fief?”
The Emperor’s demeanor shifted. With a single low word, the weight of the air changed.
His gray eyes, previously relaxed, sharpened, and his lips, which had held a smile, stiffened.
Dare to request a fief to expand her power?
Requesting land from the Emperor carried multiple implications: loyalty to serve the Emperor, or gaining the foundation to grow one’s own strength.
“Yes. I request a fief to grow our influence.”
Despite the Emperor’s sharp gaze, Ludiche did not falter, maintaining her calm smile. Her confidence that her answer would not provoke the Emperor only softened his anger.
“Quinlan Depania is the hero of the western barbarian war. To defend and claim that vast land, not only his knights but also his retainers risked their lives and family.”
That was why Depania had collapsed so quickly when Quinlan died—there was not a single knight left to defend the castle.
“If Your Majesty rewards them justly, your generosity will be praised far and wide. Let those gathered for this war happily honor Your Majesty.”
Ludiche finished with a gentle smile.
The Emperor said nothing, merely studying her face. After a long pause, he spoke:
“Which land do you want?”
Ludiche exhaled in relief. His tone, though still sharp, had softened slightly—a signal that the first hurdle had been cleared.
“I wish for the territory Quinlan has reclaimed.”
“The land obtained this time… you mean the western lands?”
“Yes. Though they had been taken by the barbarians and became Boswell territory, they originally belonged to the Depania family. Moreover, that land was Quinlan’s…”
Ludiche looked at Quinlan. His gaze had already been on her, and she returned it with a warm smile before turning back to the Emperor.
“I know it is where Quinlan spent his childhood. I hope that land returns to its rightful owner.”
Indeed. That land belonged to Quinlan.
Though it may have changed much since then, it would become the foundation of great Depania. She would help Quinlan reclaim it.
To do that, he needs a solid fief and funds.
These were the very things Quinlan had lacked—and now they could be secured. Ludiche smiled, waiting for the Emperor’s response.
To miss the chance to grow Depania as a power aligned with the Emperor would be foolish.
…Though she forced herself to suppress the thought.
“I shall not be stingy with rewards for this war. But that alone is not enough reason for the fief.”
“There is another reason.”
“Another reason?”
“Yes.”
Ludiche smiled, as if she already knew what the Emperor sought.
“To grow Depania’s power is also to provide a check against Crown Prince Quinlan, is it not?”
“…!”
Quinlan’s expression stiffened. More startled than Ludiche herself, he only set his mouth in a firm line without speaking.
“Very well. Continue.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
She smiled brightly at Quinlan before returning her attention to the Emperor.
“The Crown Prince is Your Majesty’s heir. He is the one you trust most, and must trust.”
“…And?”
“Yet his temperament differs greatly from Yours. His vision for the Empire differs as well. Perhaps he may lead the Empire in ways contrary to Your Majesty’s intent.”
“….”
The Emperor’s face went blank. His eyes, cold and sharp as a ruler’s, fixed on the woman before him.
“From that perspective, would it not be true that the greatest threat to Your Majesty’s reign is the Crown Prince?”
Ludiche’s voice carried full conviction.
