Chapter 10
“Pardon? I think I misheard you.”
Kalias looked flustered, stumbling over his words. Loberetta noticed even the tips of his ears turning red as she watched his trembling eyes.
He had been through countless battlefields, yet he was getting flustered over the word “marriage”?
She suddenly felt like teasing him more.
“I said, let’s get married.”
“W-why are you suddenly asking me to marry you? Is it because of the rumors?”
“Rumors?”
“The strange rumors circulating in high society. About you and me… kissing.”
“You mean the rumor that Sir Kalias and I kissed?”
“Yes. It’s all my fault. Ever since before, whenever I’m involved, unpleasant rumors always follow.”
Because of that, Kalias had gradually kept his distance from people. He didn’t want those precious to him to be hurt.
“You came to pay your respects in goodwill, but such rumors ended up spreading. At first, I thought it was just baseless gossip and ignored it. I should have stopped it.”
“It’s not something a person can easily stop.”
Her calm, gentle tone—like a blade wrapped in silk—strangely eased Kalias’s tension.
“I’m relieved you think so. I apologize for causing you trouble, Lady Remington.”
Kalias bowed deeply.
“Oh my, there’s no need for that. Please raise your head.”
Loberetta felt a pang of guilt. After all, she was the one who started the rumor.
She hadn’t expected it to grow this absurdly exaggerated.
“More importantly, I’ll explain further about how to save the Alexandros ducal house.”
“I still need a proper explanation as to why marriage is the solution.”
“As you may have guessed, Crown Prince Henry is plotting a rebellion. His Majesty the Emperor is soon planning to appoint Edward as Crown Prince.”
“If that’s true, Prince Henry won’t step down so easily.”
“Exactly. At today’s banquet, the Duke of Neubergh and the Duke of Armand strongly supported him. Both houses are bound to Henry through blood and marriage, so they cannot betray him. However…”
“The Alexandros ducal house has no direct ties to Prince Henry.”
“That’s correct.”
“But Prince Henry even went so far as to commit abuses of power to save his elder brother. Wouldn’t that implicate Alexandros as well?”
“That is exactly what Henry wants. But the Duke of Alexandros thought differently from them.”
“Don’t tell me…!”
Kalias felt as though his breath had stopped. Reality, which he had been trying to avoid due to lack of evidence, now stood directly before him.
“Your brother… Duke Alexandros and his wife were murdered?”
“Yes.”
“By Prince Henry?”
“Yes.”
“That is why I’m proposing a contractual marriage with you—to escape this crisis.”
“But how would marriage change anything?”
“In their plan, the Alexandros ducal army holds a significant share of military power. Bringing Alexandros to their side increases the success rate of the rebellion. Even if the other two ducal houses protect the Emperor, they would be severely outnumbered.”
“A simple military strategy.”
“Even His Majesty the Emperor must have sensed the strange atmosphere. But he cannot eliminate them before they act, so he simply waits.”
If this were a situation between nations before a war, declaring war first and annihilating the enemy would be the better move.
If the Emperor acted first, at best it would be a tragedy; at worst, a civil war.
“The Emperor is human as well. He hopes Prince Henry will change his mind. If Alexandros were to side against Henry in this situation…”
“He would lose his confidence in numerical superiority.”
“He would no longer be able to act recklessly.”
“I understand that marrying Lady Remington makes that possible. But I would need to obtain guardianship authority first.”
“His Majesty will summon you soon. He will ask about your relationship with me. At that time, say that we are lovers. Say you want noble status for the sake of love. Say you want the Alexandros ducal house, which rejected you as an illegitimate child. Say you want to become the head of Alexandros. That is all.”
“T-that sounds like I’m consumed by greed…”
“Yes. You must appear that way.”
“But I am not such a person.”
“The Emperor does not believe in loyalty. He believes in human desire and interests.”
“…Ah.”
Regardless of who Kalias truly was, the Emperor judged everything through desire and interests. Since invisible virtues like loyalty or justice could not be measured, it was easier to rely on tangible motives like greed and benefit.
“So an illegitimate son’s desire to become head of the house would look like something truly genuine.”
“Then His Majesty will likely order you to support Edward instead.”
Kalias looked troubled.
“Alexandros will resist.”
“You must take control of the Alexandros ducal house, Sir Kalias. If the choices are destruction through rebellion or temporary opposition to the Emperor, which will you choose?”
“The latter. Then, Lady Remington, what do you gain from this?”
To Kalias, taking control of Alexandros was beneficial in many ways. He could protect the house and wield authority greater than that of a mere guardian.
But for Loberetta, it seemed to offer no clear benefit.
“I lost my mother at a young age and was abused by my stepmother.”
The sudden confession made Kalias flinch. He had not intended to touch on her painful past.
“Even now, my position within the Remington family is not good. My achievements are attributed to my father, and because I once served Prince Edward by coincidence, my family deludes themselves into thinking I will become a crown princess. Without an imperial decree, I have no freedom to marry anyone.”
“I see… so you have had such difficulties.”
As Loberetta wiped away her tears, Kalias’s resolve wavered.
“I’m not asking you to truly become my husband. After things stabilize and three years pass, I will grant you a divorce.”
Kalias had never even considered marriage for himself, so her proposal didn’t sound bad. If a legal marriage alone could serve both their purposes, divorce was not an issue for him.
“Understood. Since you are helping me, after the divorce I will do my best to help you meet a good person.”
“Then I will prepare the contract I’ve written. Please sign it.”
Loberetta took out a contract and a portable pen from her coat.
Kalias received it and read through it. It contained exactly what she had proposed.
“So it really is a contract.”
“I’ve organized it carefully, considering all clauses. Please ask if anything is unclear.”
Kalias skimmed it briefly and immediately signed.
“Did you actually read it?”
“It matches what you explained, so I signed it.”
“From now on, Sir Kalias, you must consult me before signing any contract.”
“From now on?”
“What if I had slipped in ridiculous clauses as a joke?”
“You told me to trust you if the information was correct. So I trusted you and signed it.”
Loberetta felt as if she had been outplayed.
“I’ll let it slide this once, since it’s only with me.”
“Yes. From now on I will consult you before signing anything.”
Kalias smiled brightly—an expression she had never seen before in all her life.
“Oh, and please take this.”
He took a letter from inside his clothes.
“What is this?”
“A letter written personally by Michael. Even I don’t know the contents.”
When she carefully opened it, it was a polite request to meet. Loberetta smiled at how adorably earnest it was.
“May I ask what it says?”
“No.”
“Then please ask Michael yourself.”
Kalias had no choice but to accept disappointment.
“I will send a reply once His Majesty issues his command. If you return to the banquet hall now, the Emperor will likely summon you soon.”
