CHAPTER 50
Lission’s mother, Selenia, was an exceedingly kind person, but by nature she was introverted and unable to endure conflict.
That was why, despite her husband’s frequent affairs, she could not show her displeasure even once and only suffered inwardly.
If Ellaris had not expressed anger on her behalf throughout the marriage, Selenia would have fallen ill in mind long before her body.
“Aren’t you ashamed in front of Lission? Of all things, how could you lay a hand on your wife’s maid?”
“I told you, I didn’t touch her—”
“But you intended to, didn’t you? You even contacted Miss Ibelina’s family!”
Once Ellaris became angry, she tended to lose all perspective.
Seeing her shout at the top of her lungs as if to shake the imperial palace reception room, it was clear she had not even imagined that Lission was standing behind the door.
“Miss Ibelina went to Selenia in tears, begging for forgiveness! She said she would enter a convent for life, so please believe in her innocence!”
Ibelina Ornin, the Empress’s maid, was the sole direct heir of Count Ornin’s family.
Unless something unforeseen occurred, she would become the next Countess Ornin.
To take such a woman as a mistress would require replacing the count family’s successor.
And Lission’s father was fully capable of doing so, and saw no reason not to.
“Brother, you said you loved Selenia! Isn’t that why you married her despite the opposition?”
“Be quiet, Ellaris. My ears are about to burst.”
“Would you have stayed this calm if Demion had gone around touching other women while married to me?”
“Are you placing Demion, who bears the title of Count Erbinjel thanks to your marriage, on the same level as me?”
The amused tone sounded disturbingly similar to his own voice, and Lission had to swallow down a surge of disgust.
He was often told he resembled the Empress, but at times like this, whenever he discovered traits inherited from his father, an unavoidable unease crept over him.
When I grow up, could I end up becoming a man like that?
After venting meaningless abuse for a long while, Ellaris finally exhausted herself and left the reception room.
Then she spotted Lission standing by the door and gasped, grabbing his arm in shock.
After being dragged out of the imperial palace by Ellaris, it was Lission’s turn to receive a scolding.
“You must not eavesdrop on other people’s conversations, Crown Prince!”
“It was a voice I couldn’t help but hear, even if I didn’t want to.”
Ellaris pressed a hand to her forehead.
“It wasn’t a story you should have heard. I’m sorry.”
“It’s all right. It wasn’t something I didn’t already know.”
Ellaris’s gaze as she looked at her nephew, who replied so calmly, was complicated.
She grasped both of Lission’s shoulders.
“A man who only knows how to use the power he has ends up like that. Resented by his wife, despised by his sister and daughter, and feared or exploited by other women.”
“……”
“Don’t become that kind of emperor. Too many ladies have already suffered because of my brother.”
Lission looked his aunt straight in the eyes and answered.
“I am not like my father.”
It was a line he repeated several times thereafter.
And each time, Ellaris wore the same relieved expression.
Perhaps Lission was, in some way, a form of compensation for Ellaris.
Compensation for the pain and regret she had felt watching her brother, an utterly lacking emperor and man.
“Do you remember what I asked of you in the Grand Ducal residence garden?”
And now, Ellaris felt betrayed by the person to whom she had once devoted blind affection and loyalty.
“I remember.”
“And afterward, you promised as well. That you would return Miss Dianu safely.”
“I did.”
Disappointment, anger, and contempt filled Ellaris’s eyes as she glared at Lission while planting her parasol on the floor like a cane.
Lission calmly endured that gaze.
Ellaris took a deep breath.
Thankfully, the trust built over time seemed enough to keep her from shouting in his face.
“The matchmaking with Sir Balirch fell through.”
“Yes.”
“Will you allow Miss Dianu to marry another gentleman?”
Lission let out an involuntary dry laugh.
“I told you from the beginning. Anyone but Miss Dianu was unacceptable.”
“Aunt.”
“I would have been disappointed even if it were another lady. But how could you lay a hand on Miss Dianu? Do you know how much she has done for the princess? Even if Miss Dianu herself wavered, His Majesty should have put a stop to it!”
“Aunt, I believe you are misunderstanding something.”
Seeing his unshaken attitude despite the torrent of accusations, Ellaris finally sensed that something was off.
Her trembling shoulders and raised voice gradually subsided.
Lission leaned slightly forward in his chair.
“I am not like my father.”
He folded his hands and placed them on his knees.
Then, in an even tone, he declared.
“I love Miss Dianu Ortensa.”
That was something his father could also have said.
But Lission was not his father.
“And I will take responsibility for that love.”
Ellaris’s parasol slipped from her hand and fell to the floor.
* * *
Thud.
It sounded as though something heavy had fallen.
Dianu and Nairon, listening intently in tension, exchanged meaningful looks.
But that was the only sound they heard.
No matter how closely they strained their ears, it was impossible to eavesdrop on a conversation inside the emperor’s office.
This is driving me crazy. What on earth are they talking about?
One thing was certain: Ellaris was angry.
Even without knowing the details, the secretariat could tell she was half shouting.
“You should give up. His Majesty will tell you what you need to know eventually.”
“Ugh… yes…”
“It seems the discussion will take a while. I’ll take care of some overdue work.”
Nairon truly looked overwhelmed with work.
Watching him sift through documents with a fatigue-soaked demeanor, Dianu cautiously made a suggestion.
“Um, Secretary. I don’t know what you’re working on, but could I help in any way?”
The secretary snapped his head up at a frightening speed.
Startled by the gleam in his eyes, Dianu hurriedly added.
“O-of course, I don’t really know anything, but if it’s simple calculations or copying, I might be able to help—”
“Miss Ortensa offered first.”
“Pardon?”
“I didn’t say a single word. Miss Ortensa offered to help of her own accord.”
Since that was true, Dianu nodded without fully understanding.
Nairon jumped up, looked to the sky, and suddenly clasped his hands together.
“O gods, thank you.”
“Secretary…?”
“Please sit here for now.”
Nairon roughly cleared off the desk across from his own and set down a fresh inkwell and quill.
Beside them, towering stacks of ledgers and documents were piled up neatly.
His hands moved swiftly, as if he had been waiting for this moment.
“These are the tax revenues of the barony since Baron Aldebaron inherited his title, the family’s asset declarations, and the inspectors’ reports.”
Dianu wondered why the Aldebaron barony was coming up here, but she sat down anyway, looking bewildered.
“We need to find out when Baron Aldebaron began embezzling funds, by what methods, and who else is involved.”
“Embezzling…?”
“Yes. I can barely make it home as it is just tracking corruption among the southern nobles. I don’t have time to dig into this as well. So I’d like you to take this on, Miss Ortensa.”
Dianu frowned.
“It would be difficult to uncover all of that with only the materials you’ve given me.”
Nairon snapped his fingers.
“Exactly. You already know that, which makes you the perfect candidate.”
“Pardon…?”
“Try working with what I’ve given you first, and if you need more materials, let me know. I’ll fetch them immediately.”
Dianu picked up the top ledger and opened it, then asked to confirm.
“This Aldebaron barony… is it the same family as Miss Bertona Aldebaron, the maid of Oak Palace?”
With a subtle expression, Dianu dipped her quill into the ink.
At this rate, it feels like I won’t even need to take revenge myself.
It seemed that if she simply stayed put, Lission would deliver justice on his own.
* * *
“So, in short… you truly love Miss Dianu, have no intention of hiding the relationship, and ultimately plan to marry her?”
It was an excellent summary.
Lission nodded.
“That is correct.”
Ellaris staggered as if her legs had given out.
Lission quickly rose and guided her to a chair.
Half collapsing into it, Ellaris placed a hand on her pale face.
Her gaze as she looked up at Lission trembled pitifully.
“Lission. Are you serious…?”
“Have you ever known me to joke about something like this?”
“You seem out of your mind, so let me state the obvious. You are the emperor of Catalos. Saying you will marry Miss Dianu means making her the empress.”
Lission nodded.
Ellaris sucked in a breath.
“It would have been less shocking if you’d said you’d abdicate to Erin and retire to the countryside with Miss Dianu.”
“Erin is seven years old.”
“And Miss Dianu is a lady with no title, no territory, no wealth, and no political influence!”
“Those are all things I can provide indirectly. But she already possesses things no one can give.”
Titles were not difficult.
With a suitable pretext, he could elevate the Ortensa barony to a county and grant it land, then register Dianu as the adopted daughter of the new count.
She would become a count’s daughter, a status no different from Lission’s mother before marriage.
Wealth and political influence were even simpler.
She could simply share in what Lission already had.
But the things Dianu already held in her hands, kindness, intellect, courage, morality, were things no one could manufacture.
Above all, Dianu had won Elpenlira’s heart.
That was not why he intended to marry her, but as a result, Elpenlira would even consent to marriage with Labellan if it were for Dianu and Lission’s sake.
As if a headache were coming on, Ellaris pressed her temple.
“If you elevate an empress that way, you create weaknesses and enemies. You’d be throwing away the chance to build your greatest ally and reorganize your power base.”
Marrying the daughter of a powerful noble whose loyalty could not be guaranteed was the most optimal choice.
Such an empress would be both partner and hostage.
If that was unsuitable, an international marriage with a foreign princess might have been better.
But choosing a marriage no one could accept would turn everyone who coveted that position into enemies.
“I won’t claim she is the most ideal empress candidate. Nor will I say that what we gain from a political marriage isn’t tempting. But…”
Lission clenched his fist.
“This is the right path.”
Ellaris leaned back heavily against the chair, silent for a long while.
Lission simply watched his aunt, who seemed drained of all vitality.
At last, Ellaris spoke, her voice heavy with exhaustion.
“Miss Dianu does not have the capacity to bear the position of empress.”
“Her Majesty endured it. Miss Dianu is stronger than Her Majesty.”
“No. She’s different from Selenia. Miss Dianu is…”
Ellaris trailed off and suddenly froze.
Slowly, she lifted her head and looked at Lission.
“…Wait. All this talk of marriage and becoming empress, you’ve agreed on it with Miss Dianu, haven’t you?”
“What? Of course—”
Lission fell silent.
He had never explicitly discussed the future with Dianu.
But they had kissed, confessed their love, and become lovers.
If so, marriage was the natural conclusion.
…Isn’t it?
Catching the doubt that flickered across Lission’s face, Ellaris shook her head slowly.
“I guarantee you, Miss Dianu thinks differently.”
Even as he believed that couldn’t be true, Lission turned on his heel in haste.
