Chapter 07
Edwin struggled to keep up with his superior’s quick steps.
There had just been a fire, and everything was chaotic. His head was still spinning.
Wasn’t it His Highness himself who had just declared in the banquet hall that he had no intention of getting married?
“Did the fire burn only your brain, perhaps?! Our business is perfectly fine, so why is Your Highness’s brain—ugh!”
Resrexion punched Edwin squarely on the head.
Even after they boarded the carriage, Edwin continued to whine.
“My head… my precious brain…”
“Stop exaggerating. You won’t die from that.”
“That’s only true for you, Your Highness! You’re built like a monster!”
“Enough. And assign a ‘Sotis’ to Lady Rochester.”
“…!”
Edwin’s eyes snapped open. The playful tone from earlier vanished instantly.
The Sotis were covert surveillance agents skilled in everything from personal protection to assassination.
Edwin asked Resrexion seriously,
“Didn’t you say you were going to marry her?”
“She’s too suspicious. I’ll bind her to me through marriage.”
Dolores might think she had the upper hand, but she was mistaken.
Resrexion let out an incredulous sigh.
‘She explained everything so confidently, yet there are holes.’
She said she had inquired at the government office about the owner of the building on 483rd Street?
If the Marquis of Rochester’s household kept such strict surveillance over her, how could that have been possible?
Lady Dolly was becoming increasingly suspicious.
‘Still, if I hadn’t signed that contract, who knows what kind of trouble she would’ve caused.’
Just recalling how she had fearlessly tried to throw herself down made him even more displeased.
But Resrexion coldly instructed Edwin,
“If she does anything suspicious, report it to me immediately. Never trust her.”
“Yes, Your Highness. But will that be alright?”
“What now?”
“Well… isn’t Lady Rochester supposed to become the Crown Prince’s consort…?”
Edwin sighed as if it were obvious.
The families were already deeply entangled. Even if Resrexion suddenly stepped in, would things really work out?
But the man himself merely shrugged.
“Isn’t it enough if the Emperor gives permission?”
“And you’re confident you’ll get it…?”
“Hmm.”
A short sneer escaped Resrexion’s lips.
“That old man will grant it no matter what.”
Crown Prince Adrian Lancaster was the type to grow bored easily.
Since childhood, anything he wanted had been given to him immediately.
The rarest jewels in the world, estates, toys, expensive horses.
And even the most beautiful girl in the Empire.
From birth, it had felt like sailing across a calm sea aboard the most luxurious ship.
‘Ah, I need some stimulation.’
So, as he approached adulthood, he began secretly fooling around with women behind his beautiful fiancée’s back.
He liked one woman for her passionate red hair, another for her slender waist and full bosom.
One married lady pretended to be modest during the day but was fiery at night—he found that especially delightful.
Among them, Angelica Rochester pleased him the most. She had a pure beauty and knew how to act coy in a charming way.
“…Ha. I wanted to enjoy it a bit longer.”
Adrian muttered quietly on his way to a luncheon with the imperial family.
The ‘Howard Street Fire Incident’ had finally been extinguished after nearly two days. But to Adrian, it was merely an “annoying” event that had interrupted his pleasant time with Angelica.
‘The fire was put out by the underlings. There’s no need for me to worry about it anymore.’
Still, he admitted inwardly,
‘But in terms of beauty, Dolores is number one.’
Of course, when Angelica looked at him as if he were the greatest man in the world, it felt rather good.
But still, Dolores—the “Diamond of the Empire”—was undoubtedly the most perfect.
Her chillingly pale, clear skin. Her elegantly lowered eyelashes. The irresistible figure cinched tightly in silk dresses.
And the immense wealth of the Empire’s most prestigious family.
“Heh-heh.”
Adrian let out a pleased hum at the dining table.
‘And that Dolores is jealous of her younger sister?’
For a moment, he wondered if she had discovered his relationship with Angelica… but that only made it more thrilling.
‘Two beauties recognized across the Empire are clinging to me.’
As expected, Adrian’s life was perfect.
Just then, Madam Loire spoke in a sharp voice.
“You seem to be in a good mood today, Your Highness. Has something fortunate happened?”
“Haha. Nothing much, Madam Loire.”
Adrian flinched slightly without realizing it and forced a smile.
Recently, the Madam’s mood had been extremely poor.
The grand banquet she had painstakingly organized had been overshadowed by a massive fire. Her irritation was obvious.
The Emperor cleared his throat briefly.
Having passed his good looks on to his two sons, he still possessed a dignified presence even at his age.
But the wisdom in his eyes did not quite match that presence.
“If we speak of good news, there is something you must soon prepare for, Adrian.”
“Ah… yes, that’s true.”
“Though there was an accident, it is a state wedding. Pay close attention.”
“Yes, Father.”
“It has been a long time since the imperial family held such an event. If you handle it well, the imperial reputation will stand tall. And producing an heir goes without saying.”
“….”
Adrian groaned inwardly.
Even if he were marrying the most beautiful woman, the thought of being bound made him feel irritated already.
Unexpectedly, Madam Loire looked at the Emperor with teary eyes.
“Your Majesty. It may be presumptuous… but may I suggest something?”
“Hmm? Agnes, what is it?”
“Would it not be better to postpone the state wedding?”
“…You know that would make the people anxious.”
The date had already been set.
Though the Empire worshipped one God, strange superstitions still lingered.
It was believed that changing a wedding date would invite misfortune.
“But was there not a fire on Howard Street recently?”
“Hmm…”
“And isn’t the Katarina Cathedral, where the ceremony will be held, too close to it? I fear people may complain.”
She was indirectly suggesting that the wedding scale be reduced.
Originally, she would have canceled the grand parade and turned it into a shabby ceremony, but she was wary of the Emperor’s reaction.
Slightly annoyed, Adrian was about to speak.
“Madam. Even so, it is a state wedding—”
“Your Highness Adrian, do you know how many have died in the capital?”
At that question, Adrian crossed his legs uncomfortably.
He had heard the number from his secretary, but he couldn’t quite remember it.
Truthfully, the Madam did not care either.
But if it meant diminishing Dolores Rochester, she would use anything as an excuse.
“People are injured and dying, and yet we hold a grand celebration? Of course, the imperial family must observe proper decorum, but…”
“Hmm.”
“I fear others may misunderstand Your Highness’s usual thoughtfulness.”
She knew Adrian well enough to understand his personality.
‘If he thinks his image as the good Crown Prince will be taken from him, he’ll hesitate.’
Adrian nodded calmly.
But inside, his mind was racing.
Indeed, it would be best to keep the wedding as short and simple as possible.
He had already been thinking that, and Madam Loire had conveniently come to the same conclusion.
“Hmm. Madam Loire’s words… do have merit.”
“But Adrian, can you persuade Marquis Rochester?”
“Of course, Father.”
Hearing the father and son’s conversation, Madam Loire smiled with satisfaction.
Not once in their discussion did they consider the opinion of the bride-to-be, Dolores.
‘Hehe. You’ll have the shabbiest wedding in imperial history, Lady Rochester.’
She had ruled as the mistress of the imperial palace through the First and Second Empresses.
And now they expected her to hand that position over to some girl with nothing but a good family background?
Just imagining that beautiful, youthful face made her seethe with jealousy.
At that moment, a lazy voice sounded from the doorway.
“Oh. Everyone’s gathered.”
“Resrexion.”
The Emperor raised his brows as if scolding him.
The dark-skinned son, who behaved like a rogue, arrived the latest yet strode in with complete confidence.
Madam Loire and Adrian both sent him cold looks.
Neither had a good relationship with the Grand Duke.
Madam resented him because of the time she had been pushed aside by his mother, the Second Empress.
And Adrian…
He disliked the half-brother who was more rugged and accomplished in martial achievements.
‘A filthy foreign-blooded bastard.’
Resrexion glanced around with a sneer.
“What are you three discussing so pleasantly?”
“We were discussing my wedding with Dolores.”
“Ah…”
“We’re debating how to handle such an important state marriage, Resrexion.”
“Really? Then shall I remove the need for your debate, brother?”
“…What? What do you mean?”
Three pairs of puzzled eyes turned toward him.
Resrexion calmly took a bite of meat and replied casually,
“I’m going to marry Dolores Rochester.”
…And in that instant, the dining hall fell into complete silence.
Even the thoroughly trained attendants stared at the Grand Duke with their mouths agape.
Resrexion lightly lifted his glass and swirled it.
“Wine.”
