Chapter 23

Chapter 23

T/N Starting from the last chapter, I have changed Rania to Lania. I don’t like Lania’s name starting with the same letter as Rashid’s name.

“You should have shown yourself to us sooner. All of the eligible bachelors in the Northern Kingdom have been anxiously waiting.”

“Haha, Countess, please.”

“Even when the late Duchess was alive, she seldom held big parties like this. It’s been more than 3 years since such a lavish party was held.”

“While the Emperor and my father fought for Rohan side by side on the battlefield, how could we have indifferently enjoyed a party?”

“Oh my.”

As if admiring Lania’s words, the ladies continued to praise her to no end. The families aiming for Lania as a daughter-in-law were definitely not few in number.

Though there might be others who were as beautiful and wise as Lania, there were none in the Northern Kingdom whose enormous inheritance and title could be bought with a dowry.

“Why not go over there and talk with our family’s son instead of standing around like this? He was recently recruited by the Fourth Prince as a guard for the imperial family.”

“And how about our family’s son. He was taken in for management, so if all goes well he could become one of the Emperor’s close aids.”

“The Emperor’s close aid?”

The noblewoman grew more excited as Lania put on a bashful smile as she lifted her gaze. It may seem foolish, but it was a mother’s heart to be able to boast of her son day and night.

“Indeed. People say his future is very secure. In at most three years, he’ll be promoted to manager-”

“When he retires in thirty years and receives his pension, I’m sure he’ll be able to live as an honest old man, even if he’ll be far from wealthy.”

“…”

“I really congratulate you, Countess. I’m sure there is a lady who will share that blessing with him somewhere around, right?”

“Ah ah…yes. Well, I…I suppose it’s like that.”

Hm, what was this feeling.

Prompted by Lania’s gentle expression, the dumbfounded Countess lifted her lips into an awkward smile.

Though she felt something was off, she couldn’t say anything in front of the Duchess who held her hands and laughed together with her.

As if knowing she would respond that way, Lania gracefully lowered her head.

“Then I will excuse myself to the other waiting guests…”

“May the distinguished guests rise! His Excellency The Emperor is now arriving!

“Hah…”

A messenger’s voice loudly rang throughout the hall before Lania could even turn away from the countess she had been talking to.

Those standing in the hall turned around en masse and knelt in unison.

*Tuk.*

A pair of shoes stepped onto the stretch of red carpet laid onto the black staircase.

He was such a radiant being, even a mere glimpse of him from afar made everyone hold their breath.

As Rashid, leading the two princes behind him, climbed the stairs, people swallowed their breath as they stood frozen in place.

“…”

His platinum blonde hair shined even more brilliantly than his fluttering golden cloak.

The two brothers also had the same hair color, but the emperor was an existence no different from the very sun.

And as he faced the people in the hall, his proud, arrogant, red eyes captivated the entire hall.

The musicians in the corner of the hall slowly stopped playing the banquet music.

“…”

A perfect stillness continued in the hall, though silence was what seemed to suit this man best.

*Step step,* the sound of heels on the floor echoed throughout the hall.

At the sight of him crossing the red velvet without hesitation, it was as if they could see an illusion of the emperor walking on a trail of blood.

“I give my humble greetings to His Excellency, the one blessed by the Supreme Lord Therez, and the two princes of our empire. I am Lania, the eldest daughter of the Duke Evendell Household.”

“Rise.”

Even this short utterance held an unapproachable heaviness to it.

And it seemed that the only one who could answer to this was the Duke Household’s representative.

“We are all honored at your acceptance to the banquet invitation, Your Majesty. It feels like a dream to have met you once more.”

“…”

At her pleasant and elegant greeting, the tension that had gripped everyone else in the room slightly dispersed.

As everyone straightened their knees and stood up, she moved closer and gave a more personal greeting with a shy expression on her face.

“Three years have passed since, and I’m honored at the prospect that Your Majesty still remembers me.”

“Three years since what?”

“…Ah, as in, since the time the late Empress had visited, time has passed.”

Lania’s smile faltered, as the unbelievable thought sank in that he didn’t remember her from their first meeting.

But the insensitive Rashid’s red eyes shifted from her to look around the room. It seemed as though he were searching for someone.

“…Your Majesty.”

“Lady Lania must have worked hard, preparing such a welcoming celebration.”

The overlooked Peyton stepped forward and spoke a word of thanks to Lania. Since he had succeeded his younger uncle’s position as the southern feudal lord, he had been acquainted with the late Duke Evendell.

“It was nothing. This is only obvious for me to do, as the Sun of the Empire has come all the way to the Northern Lands.”

“But still, we heard that there hadn’t been a single party or banquet after the late duke’s passing.”

“That’s only natural for me as his daughter. My chest still stings like it’s being ripped apart at the thought of my late father, but if Father was still here today, he would have been happier than anyone else.”

Lania’s voice quickly returned to being smooth and composed like a fish in water.

As several noblewomen nearby lifted their handkerchiefs as if touched by Lania’s filiality, she carefully looked up at Rashid.

Her eyes, blue like a pond, gave off a translucent glow as they were illuminated by the diamond chandelier’s light.

“Father often heeded me to always serve Your Majesty with the utmost loyalty and respec-”

“And if that’s so, why haven’t you adhered to his teachings?”

“…Yes?”

“If it’s respect, there should have been another bowing their head to Jihm before you did.”

T/N Jihm is the Korean equivalent of ‘Zhen’ in Chinese, which is basically what emperors called themselves instead of ‘I’ or ‘me.’ It’s the same character, 짐 [朕]

Rashid swept the hall with his eyes once more.

Lania smiled with an expression that showed she was confused at the searching actions of the one before her.

“What could you be speaking of…Ah, if you are perhaps talking about my younger sibling Rebecca, she’s over there, waiting-”

“Are you placing your younger sibling before your mother? Is this the etiquette of a lady?”

“…B-by Mother, you mean-”

“It looks like the widow of the late duke doesn’t have any sense of existence in this place.”

“…”

Not only Lania, but the other guests all froze at the unexpected name from the emperor’s mouth.

Though they had all heard of this widow before, few had actually met her in person. Of course, no one had a single interest in meeting and seeing a witch.

“I’ll ask the lady one more time. Where is the widowed Duchess?”

No one was interested, excluding this one person, the most esteemed emperor.

“Did you not hear Jihm’s words.”

“I-I did, Your Majesty. The matter isn’t anything like that.”

*Gulp.*

Lania swallowed, her mouth feeling dry.

She wondered how the emperor who didn’t remember her own existence could be looking for Catherine.

It bothered her that he sounded as if he knew Catherine pretty well.

“Why does such a noble personage such as Your Majesty seek my mother?”

“Looks like you don’t think highly of your stepmother.”

“…How could I. It’s just that she hasn’t been feeling well lately and has opted to stay in for almost all the time.”

*Ha.*

Lania’s shoulders stiffened at Rashid’s short bark of laughter.

“Staying in, really?”

“Yes. After Father’s passing, she’d been out of her mind ever since, keeping herself in seclusion and refusing all food and drink.”

“That woma-…no, the widowed Duchess has really refused all food and drink?”

The emperor’s ridiculing laughter only deepened.

Tenon and Peyton’s faces looked confused and closed their mouths, and Lania, thinking this was the wrong answer, quickly shifted her posture and spoke again.

“I did not want to say this because it is a disgraceful family affair, but my mother is very ill. She is not just physically unwell, but also has a bit of a mental problem…”

“Are you saying she’s crazy.”

“N-no, not necessarily…just that there are things Mother is lacking to properly greet Your Majesty today..”

Lania fidgeted with her dress as if frustrated by Rashid’s outspokenly direct remarks.

If things had gone according to schedule the emperor should have started his first dance by now, but why was talking about that woman taking so long.

“I deeply apologize, Your Majesty. I have offended you with my family’s personal affairs.”

“But, Your Excellency, if I may, Lady Lania has done absolutely nothing wrong. The widowed Duchess has been unwell in many areas, both physically and mentally, an unsurprising fact that we’ve all known for a time.”

“It is as he says, Your Majesty. So, Lady Lania-”

“Now that I think about it, did I give you permission to speak?”

“…”

The several nobles who’d begun to take Lania’s side stilled at Rashid’s chilly gaze.

Their mouths froze, and they were unable to even stutter out apologies.

“Can you all take responsibility for your words just now?”

“…”

“Or is this something that Lania, with so many siding with her, should be able to take responsibility for?”

“Yo-your Majesty! There is no need for any questions of siding or responsibility. I only didn’t want to burden my unwell mother with-”

“Oh my, as expected, what a thoughtful child you are.”

“…”

A voice easily and naturally cut in between the two, and tension gripped the hall once more.

Everyone had been so busy with looking at the emperor, that none had realized Catherine had entered. She placed down the basket she had been holding.

“If I’d known my eldest daughter was in such a predicament, I would have come sooner to greet everyone.”