Chapter 147
The Duke answered firmly in Eila’s place, who was frozen stiff.
“Yes, that’s correct.”
A brief silence followed. Not even the Empress dared open her mouth.
The Duke looked around at the stiff faces and burst into hearty laughter.
“Goodness, I hope I haven’t ruined the mood too badly.”
Then, as if to lighten the frozen atmosphere, he proudly placed a hand on his son’s shoulder.
“Come to think of it, there’s some amusing news I can share with you all.”
A deep smile spread across the Duke’s lips.
“In fact, Lady Eila and my son will soon be engaged.”
The moment he finished speaking, murmurs rippled through the hall.
“My goodness… does that mean even the Duke himself acknowledges their relationship?”
“Even if she was once a commoner, the Duke is truly extraordinary to agree to this.”
“Come now, not just a commoner—she’s someone trusted by His Majesty himself.”
Snapping back to her senses, the Empress asked sharply,
“You mean to say, you intend to betroth them?”
Her trembling eyes betrayed her shock.
And no wonder—the Argenta Duchy had long remained politically neutral.
For years, the Empress had coveted their military strength but failed to bring them under her control.
Yet now, with Eila having declared she would stand under Princess Piony, the Duke himself announced he would unite his son with her.
‘So, even the Argenta Duchy has chosen to oppose me.’
The Empress ground her teeth.
She should have realized when the Duke had approached her so uncharacteristically earlier.
Now, after publicly shaming her, he stood there completely at ease—her whole body trembled in rage.
But what stung more was the realization that this one man alone could tilt the Empire’s balance of power.
Already, the surrounding nobles had sensed the shift and began to whisper.
“Then what happens next? Does this mean the Argenta Duchy also supports Princess Piony?”
“Princess Piony is truly remarkable. Didn’t her cosmetics business achieve huge success recently?”
“Not to mention, as the daughter of the late Empress, her legitimacy is no less than Prince Darian’s.”
“She was frail as a child, but look at how splendidly she has grown.”
Eila instantly sensed the change in atmosphere.
After her engagement with Felix was announced, Princess Piony had suddenly become the center of attention.
A few quick-witted nobles had already left their seats to approach her.
“…Your Majesty, the Empress,” one of her attendants cautiously whispered.
The Empress slowly closed her eyes, then reopened them.
“I feel a little fatigued. I shall rest for a while.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. As you wish.”
Once the Empress withdrew, others began to disperse as well.
Taking advantage of the moment, Felix naturally approached Eila and gently took her hand.
“Are you alright, Eila?”
Eila drew in a long breath and nodded.
“Thank you. You saved me by coming just in time.”
As Felix carefully rubbed her shoulder, the Duke approached at a leisurely pace.
“Felix saw what was unfolding and quickly called for me—asking me to help.”
“I see… Without you both, I truly would have been in trouble. Thank you, sincerely.”
“Still, was it alright? I worry we revealed the engagement too hastily, just to push back against the Empress.”
At his words, Eila quickly waved her hands.
“But it’s the truth. And besides, you even broke your long-held neutral stance just to help me.”
“That wasn’t my decision—it was Felix’s.”
“Even so…”
Eila’s expression was filled with guilt.
She turned uncertainly toward Felix, who only smiled brightly, reassuring her.
“There’s no need to worry. This is a conclusion I reached long ago.”
He shrugged lightly, then glanced downward.
“Anyway, rather than thinking about that, I think we should head home quickly. If we leave him alone any longer, he’ll cause trouble again.”
Following his gaze, Eila saw Piyo’s cheeks puffed out in a sulky pout.
While she had been surrounded by people, his discontent had built up.
“Ah, Piyo! I’m so sorry, I couldn’t pay attention to you.”
Eila flung her arms around the boy, fussing over him, then clasped his hand tightly as their group hurried out of the banquet hall.
“In fact, Lady Eila and my son will soon be engaged.”
The Empress raised her fan to cover her mouth, hiding the ugly twist of her lips.
‘…How dare they.’
Her hand holding the fan trembled with fury.
Once back in her seat, she adjusted her skirts and sank heavily into the chair.
At her side, Darian watched her with confusion.
He had never seen his mother, who always maintained her dignity, lose her composure like this.
“Has something troubling happened, Mother?”
“…Troubling, you ask?”
The Empress let out a sharp laugh, pressing her fingers against her brow.
“The Duke of Argenta said the most amusing thing—he announced his son and Lady Eila are to be engaged.”
“……”
At those words, Darian frowned instinctively.
It wasn’t exactly shocking news.
Not unexpected either. In truth, he had half-expected this outcome one day.
And yet, hearing it aloud left a bitter taste.
‘So, the two of them…’
The more the thought turned in his mind, the colder his mood became.
A strange heaviness swelled inside him, tightening his chest, making his eyes sting inexplicably.
Just then, the Empress spoke again.
“And Lady Eila has declared herself under Piony. Do you understand what this means?”
She let out a scoffing laugh, gesturing toward a spot in the hall.
There, surrounded by nobles, Princess Piony chatted brightly, her face glowing.
“Look, Darian. See what your precious sister has been up to behind your back?”
“……”
“Through business, she’s gathered not just wealth, but connections. If this isn’t a declaration that she intends to compete with you for the throne, then what else could it be?”
Darian lowered his gaze, silent.
Frustrated by his lack of response, the Empress snapped her fan shut and pressed again.
“Child, say something at least. Aren’t you even the least bit outraged—”
“I’ll take a walk. I need some air.”
Without warning, Darian stood and strode away.
His eyes stung as though dust had gotten into them; he blinked hard several times.
No matter what his mother said, only the news of Eila’s engagement lingered in his mind.
That she had chosen to side with Piony—it wasn’t new. They had always been close.
That she chose Piony over him was only natural.
And yet…
He lifted his head, and amid the bustling crowd, one figure stood out vividly.
Her soft pink hair pinned elegantly up, her full gown sparkling like pearls.
She was breathtakingly beautiful.
Eila said something to the black-haired boy at her side, then walked away with the silver-haired youth beside her, the two of them leaving together.
Darian stood transfixed, staring at the spot where she had vanished.
And suddenly, an unfamiliar sense of defeat washed over him.
The two looked so perfectly matched that even status differences seemed meaningless.
And that fact was unbearably unpleasant.
Why? He and Eila had nothing between them. So why…
‘If only they weren’t engaged…’
That thought sprang unbidden to the surface of his mind.
Darian’s eyes widened in shock.
He stood frozen, forgetting even how to breathe.
‘Why would I think that?’
Staring blankly into the air, he finally confronted the feelings he had long ignored.
‘Could it be… I feel something for her too?’
The realization pierced him like a blade.
Overwhelmed by the rush of tangled emotions, Darian pressed his hands against his face.
He dragged his palms down in a weary motion, like a man washing his face without water, before letting out a hollow, self-mocking laugh.
