#116. He Was a Man Who Lived Life Very Habitually
The entire “family” indeed attended dinner.
“How have you been in the Empire?”
“I’m not sure if the food will suit your taste. If there’s anything hard to eat, let me know—I’ll tell the kitchen.”
“Try this—it’s really good.”
The meal was unusually harmonious for a royal family gathering.
It wasn’t a good sign. Harmony among family members—such virtues were fit for ordinary people, not those who had to govern a nation.
For those who must lead a country, living like ordinary citizens was almost absurd.
The virtues of ordinary people were the negligence of royalty.
I clicked my tongue inwardly as I observed their warm, casual conversation, as if there were no hierarchy.
This would surely cause problems later. Honestly, it was almost a blessing that I had returned to the kingdom for now.
Predicting future complications, I nibbled at the unfamiliar food.
Food from my homeland, which I hadn’t tasted since I was three, felt stranger than that of a foreign land I had never set foot in.
Foreign cuisine could at least be sampled through interactions with the locals, but homeland food would never be eaten unless I sought it out.
And I hadn’t sought it.
“It would’ve been nice if Your Highness the Grand Duke could have come too.”
I forced down the thought that the food didn’t suit me, and then I heard a question that set off alarm bells.
…His Majesty? Here? With me?
This was definitely not a question I should be asked, given that my broken engagement was already being used to push me toward securing a position in the government.
Feeling a wave of unease, I furrowed my brows in a pitiful act. I needed to test the waters.
“Well, I haven’t seen him since the last break.”
At that, the third princess, who had asked the question, widened her eyes.
“Is the Academy really that strict? You can’t even go see your fiancé?”
Ah, just as I thought. My instincts hadn’t failed me.
What this meant was that they had heard about the engagement, but not about its dissolution.
Perhaps only the King and Queen, who were scowling at me like a demon, knew the truth.
Even the Crown Prince seemed unaware.
Wow. Are they really raising the next heir like any other child? The seeds of conflict just keep sprouting.
I swallowed a sigh inwardly and asked again.
“Excuse me? A fiancé?”
“Hmm… Blanche. I want to hear about the Empire after dinner, so let’s talk then.”
Of course.
The King interrupted me, cutting off my response.
If he paid attention, he could tell from my reaction that something was off, so I didn’t correct the facts.
After all, a private meeting with the King was far more important than revealing the truth here.
“Honestly… don’t you even know how to read the situation? What did Count Grief even teach you?”
After dinner, the King of Lamore summoned Blanche to his office and scolded her with an annoyed expression.
The girl, with the Lamore family’s characteristic silver hair, sat quietly and expressionlessly, unlike at dinner.
Combined with her delicate features, she looked almost like a doll placed before him.
“I didn’t think you’d know the engagement had been broken.”
“Was it really necessary to tell you? If you just tried, it could be fixed.”
The King truly thought this way, not out of stubbornness.
He had received news that a child, neglected and unsupported, would suddenly become Grand Duchess.
He didn’t know why the engagement crisis had occurred, and because of that, he felt confident.
Things that could be gained without effort, he believed, should certainly be achievable with effort.
A brief shadow of fatigue crossed the girl’s face.
“Your Majesty, she hasn’t even met the Grand Duke. Once he sets his mind, he never changes it.”
True, but this reasoning did not reach a King who, after receiving news of a broken engagement, chose not to investigate the circumstances and instead relentlessly targeted Blanche.
“I sincerely advise you to give up on becoming Grand Duchess. Though luckily, you still have the Empress’ favor, so you could aim for that instead—”
“Stop, stop, stop.”
The King waved his hand irritably. He was a man who lived life very habitually.
He had inherited the throne simply for being the eldest son of the previous King and ran the country as it had always been run, without trying new policies.
When problems arose, he would simply tell his ministers, “Handle it,” and no reports would return to him.
He believed this situation with the Grand Duchess could unfold the same way.
If he sent Count Grief, an expert in such matters, to handle it, the girl before him would naturally regain her position as Grand Duchess’ homeland.
Thinking and making an effort were tasks for subordinates, not for him.
“You may be young and unaware, but official titles are crucial. Even if the Grand Duke loses interest in you, you still retain the title of playmate, with rewards to match. The Grand Duchess’ position is the same. Once the marriage is arranged, whether he loses interest or not doesn’t matter.”
“Your Majesty.”
Yet the girl persisted.
Even though she should have obediently returned to the Empire and worked diligently, she continued to argue her case.
“You know that I’m lacking in many ways to become Grand Duchess… so… it’s about my background.”
Though she referred to the nation’s strength as well, the King interpreted it very simply.
Background? A ‘princess’ is not lacking in status to become Grand Duchess. So her “lack of background” must refer to…
“Are you saying you’re from a cadet branch?”
The girl was indeed not a direct royal of Lamore.
The King didn’t want to send his own children as hostages to the Empire, but bloodlines were mixed, and officially she was recognized as a Lamore princess, so the formalities were in order. The Empire had no complaints.
Still, it could be a concern regarding making her Grand Duchess.
The King looked at the girl carefully.
“If that’s the problem, we could send a flawless child instead.”
The child in question was his sixth daughter, the same age as Blanche.
He couldn’t send his own children as hostages, but sending one as Grand Duchess wasn’t an issue.
The sixth princess, Langrisha, was the same age as Blanche and looked similar.
Raised with love, her expressions were lively, making her seem more charming than the doll-like girl before him.
Yes. Why bother coaxing and persuading this rebellious girl? The King thought this would be a good solution.
He even began drafting a letter to switch hostages with the Empire…
Until the girl’s sharp response halted his thoughts.
“Langrisha, you say? That’s surprising. Before Count Grief came to me, he must have been teaching her, right? But I recall you told me to aim for a government position if I couldn’t become Grand Duchess… I never imagined the youngest princess of the kingdom would be receiving that training—”
His hand had moved before he could stop it.
Looking down, he saw that the girl’s head had turned, and her previously pristine posture had collapsed.
Her porcelain-white cheeks bore marks, and her upper body slumped.
Realizing he had hit the girl, the King hurriedly withdrew his hand.
Even so, hitting a child officially registered as his daughter didn’t feel right.
Of course, the rebellious girl had provoked it…
“Hmph. Think carefully. Isn’t this a great opportunity for you too? A cadet branch princess without parents has the chance to become Grand Duchess of the Empire. Even if we try to prevent it, you must put in effort—so why do you keep doubting yourself?”
As he spoke, the King regained confidence.
Yes. If background was an issue, Langrisha could be the candidate.
Yet, not calling Blanche immediately might actually give her a chance. Why was she still whining?
The engagement wasn’t impossible, and the procedures and qualifications were in order.
“I just… wanted to say that I cannot guarantee the outcome.”
After being struck, the girl either sobered up or was placated by his words, and she dropped her defiant attitude.
Seeing her calmer demeanor, the King decided to give her another chance.
Yes. From a father’s perspective, sending Langrisha as Grand Duchess was better, but it would be tough for her in a foreign country, away from family.
Meanwhile, this girl had lived her entire life in the Empire.
And unlike Langrisha, who could find a good match at home, the cadet princess would face instability returning to Lamore.
“If you cannot do it, we will send Langrisha instead. How about it? Will you take the chance?”
The girl’s dark eyes wavered, then closed tightly.
“Please… give me time until I graduate from the Academy…”
Graduation from the Academy… how many years remained? Well, certainly not ten.
The King lightly nodded without much thought.
“Alright, very well. Remember, everything I say is for your own good.”
Indeed, it was good for the kingdom too, but ultimately, the one who would benefit most was the girl herself.
The King let go of the last of his lingering doubts and justified his decision.
