Chapter 31
Christopher recalled the first time he met Elion.
Elion, who had been sent to a provincial territory immediately after birth, once came to the imperial palace when he was about five years old.
His maternal grandfather and grandmother had come with him.
Perhaps it was because the carriage journey of nearly ten days had been too arduous.
Not only young Elion but also his grandfather and grandmother all came down with a fever as soon as they arrived at the palace.
But thanks to the palace’s excellent medical skills and expensive medicinal ingredients, Elion and his grandfather’s fever subsided within three days, and they gradually regained their strength.
However, his grandmother, who had always been frail, did not.
She was bedridden for more than ten days, and during the brief stay at the palace, young Elion stayed by his grandmother’s bedside whenever he had no special schedule.
Even though the palace overflowed with food and amusements rarely seen in the provinces—and despite his young age, when children are vulnerable to new stimuli—Elion always chose to stay by his sick grandmother.
At first, Christopher thought him a strange boy, but now, twenty years later, he thought differently.
‘It must’ve been… compassion for someone weak and suffering. The kid was only five.’
For Elion, who had no interest in human affairs outside of battle, appealing to his compassion might be the only way to reach him.
Christopher decided to place his hopes on Lady Payson, who was ill.
This time, he intended to be firm.
If he wanted a result completely different from before, he needed a completely different approach.
“Elion, attend the Burnet ducal family’s party this weekend. Go and personally let the still-frightened guests know that the capital is safe now.”
“Brother, you know very well that I have no intention of setting foot in the capital’s social circles.”
Elion flatly rejected the idea, but Christopher was even more unwavering.
“As a member of the Imperial Family, shouldn’t you at least do that much? And this is not a request—it’s an order.”
“…Understood.”
The moment he heard the word order, Elion had no choice but to bow his head.
Christopher continued without pause.
“To attend a party, you’ll need a partner. Either attend with Lady Payson or with Lady Sophia O’Hara, the marquess’s daughter. I intend to arrange a formal meeting with Lady O’Hara myself. Now, what will you do? You choose.”
“Brother!”
“Good. That’s the spirit.”
Christopher grinned shamelessly at Elion, who had raised his voice.
“That would be a nuisance to both ladies.”
“Nuisance? What nonsense is that, Elion? What lady would refuse the honor of being the partner of my one and only younger brother, and the Empire’s sole Grand Duke?”
“…”
Elion’s lips twitched as if he wanted to argue further, but he gave up and closed his mouth.
There was no talking to Christopher. It had always been that way. Arguing only made his mouth hurt.
At that moment, Miranda stepped in.
“Your Grace, while you’re staying in the capital, please show your face at the social gatherings at least once or twice. You’ll leave the capital again soon enough, so it would be wise to make use of this opportunity.”
She phrased it gently, but her intention was obvious.
Leave the capital as soon as possible—and do not return for a long time.
‘Still as blatant as ever.’
That was exactly what he wanted as well. A faint chuckle escaped him.
Even after that, the Emperor pestered him, but fortunately, Elion was finally able to leave the palace.
He was walking down the corridor at a brisk pace when a familiar figure approached from the opposite direction. Elion’s previously furrowed brow eased.
“I greet you, Saint.”
“Hello, Your Grace.”
Facing each other, the two friends exchanged gentle smiles.
“What brings you to the palace?”
“His Majesty summoned me. I’m on my way back after meeting him briefly.”
“For what?”
“His Majesty’s concerns are always the same.”
Seeing Elion sigh, Florentia cautiously asked,
“…Marriage?”
“Yeah. I think His Majesty sees my marriage as some sort of life mission of his.”
Even as she looked at Elion’s face, clearly annoyed, Florentia felt a twinge of anxiety.
Elion might be uninterested in marriage or starting a family, but from his position, he couldn’t endlessly ignore the Emperor’s pressure.
“Why not… marry? You’d be less lonely, wouldn’t you?”
Florentia said something she didn’t mean at all, just to test him.
Elion let out a small, incredulous laugh.
“Why are you saying that too, Saint? Who says marriage makes you less lonely?”
“I wouldn’t know.”
Florentia shrugged and gave an awkward smile.
Then she felt relieved.
‘Elion really has no intention of marrying. Thank goodness.’
Just yesterday, Florentia had been disappointed in Elion.
She had planned to scold him thoroughly the next time they met.
Why didn’t you wait for me? Why did you just leave?
Was dinner at the Payson estate more important than me?
Couldn’t you have shown your face for even a moment?
But at this unexpected encounter, all her disappointment and irritation melted away like snow.
She was simply glad to see him.
‘I really am hopeless…’
Whenever she stood before Elion, she became the innocent, naive girl she used to be.
And that made him all the more precious.
She wanted to keep him by her side—by any means necessary.
“I trusted only you, Saint… How did things end up like this?!”
Empress Miranda complained with a voice full of dissatisfaction.
“This was our Crown Prince’s perfect chance to finally achieve great merit. We should have ended it swiftly instead of dragging it out.”
“Your Majesty is right. Because the matter was important, I tried to approach it carefully, but the timing went completely awry. It’s my failure. I sincerely apologize.”
Florentia bowed her head to Miranda.
She judged that soothing Miranda would require starting with humility.
Her judgment was correct.
The deep wrinkle between Miranda’s brows gradually eased.
Florentia then spoke with a solemn tone, as though making a pledge.
“I will speak with Duke Miren and devise a new plan—one that will allow His Highness the Crown Prince to achieve great merit. Please wait a little while until the outline is ready.”
Miranda’s face brightened at her suggestion.
“Of course, Saint. Who else do I have to trust and rely on? I depend only on you and Duke Miren.”
“Thank you for your confidence, Your Majesty.”
“So, about something else…”
Miranda glanced at Florentia cautiously before speaking with a soft, coaxing smile.
“I think it would be wonderful if you could accompany the Crown Prince to the party at the Burnet duchy this weekend. What do you think, Saint?”
“…What? The ducal party?”
At the sudden proposal, Florentia’s expression stiffened.
Since her sacred power manifested at age twenty, she had never once attended a social gathering.
Invitations had arrived, but she rejected every one of them.
As a Saint of the Temple, she had many duties.
On days without external assignments, she needed to pray and maintain her mind and body.
She had neither the time nor energy to waste on social parties overflowing with fleeting fashion trends and salacious gossip.
Even palace parties held during national events—she often skipped them when she had a decent excuse.
Florentia looked directly at Miranda and spoke firmly, though not rudely.
“I do not attend social gatherings at all, Your Majesty.”
“Yes, I know. That’s exactly why. Imagine how wonderful it would look if the Saint—who has never attended a party before—appeared for the first time, standing alongside our Crown Prince?”
“…”
Florentia stared silently at Miranda, unable to respond.
Perhaps Miranda interpreted her silence as a favorable sign.
Her voice rose with excitement as she added, almost singing,
“The Grand Duke Klitzmann will attend the party as well.”
“The Grand Duke… Elion?”
“That’s right. By His Majesty’s order.”
As far as Florentia knew, Elion had never once attended a social event in the capital.
But now he would attend the one held this weekend.
‘He didn’t say a word earlier… So that’s why the Empress is dragging me into this. She wants to use me to divert attention away from Elion.’
Florentia clenched her teeth tightly, careful not to let it show.
