Chapter 47 - CHAPTER 45. DO YOU WANT TO BECOME THE EMPEROR’S FATHER-IN-LAW?

“I have to meet Duke Efreni. Right away.”

“Lady Rosemond, why at this time…?”

“We meet when I say we meet, what are you so talkative about? Duke Efreni will never refuse me, unless he wants to end his political life. So don’t be fooled and send a letter. That I want to meet right now, so he should come to Vain Palace as soon as possible.”

“Yes… Okay.”

My goodness, did people know that the Emperor’s mistress was dominating one of the three Prime Ministers? Common sense said this wasn’t understandable at all, but Glara, who knew everything, didn’t dare to say that.

Indeed, if the Duke of Efreni rubbed Rosemond the wrong way even a little, it would be at that moment that his political life ended.

Of course, it wasn’t limited to the Duke of Efreni. However, Rosemond had not yet fully revealed her hand. Glara admired the cunning of her master and moved aside to write a letter to the Duke of Efreni.

The Duke of Efreni arrived at Vain Palace really quickly. Glara felt the power of Rosemond and dropped off two cups of rosemary tea on a table where the two people sat.

The tea she was drinking was almost always the same—rosemary, but it was really awful for the Duke of Efreni, who had been forced to visit Vain Palace.

Of course, even finding Vain Palace had been a tedious job for him. He tried to hide his nervous mind and asked her.

“Lady Rosemond, what is the reason you called for me?”

From his point of view, her situation was miserable due to having lost the title of Baroness, but Rosemond did not express this herself and sipped her tea. When she remained silent while drinking her tea, the Duke of Efreni finally revealed his inner thoughts and complained to her.

“Am I not doing everything that Lady Rosemond wants? I saved you from being accused of treason, and the only punishment you received was to return the Baroness title. If not for me, who do you think could have done this for you?”

“I know, Duke. That is why I am so grateful to the Duke too.”

A mere daughter of a Baron spoke as if she was the Empress. It was even more offensive than the tone Patrizia had used before going through these events.

Duke Efreni, who felt deeply offended, wanted to kick out of his seat and leave, but he sat still because he wasn’t confident of what was going to follow.

Finally, Rosemond lifted her lips off of the teacup and calmly brought out the story.

“I went through these events and received a great enlightenment, Duke.”

“What is it?”

“The most powerful thing in the world is a title.”

“No.”

Duke Efreni disagreed. If Rosemond’s words were true, he had no reason to be sitting here. But in the world, there was something above the title, so he was now humiliated. It was miserable and lamentable. However, he did not argue against her. As said before, he was not in a position to oppose her.

“So, I thought of a plan.”

“What is it?”

“Duke, you only have sons, right?”

Duke of Efreni nodded casually to Rosemond’s question. He had one son from his official wife and one son from his mistress. Rosemond spoke with an expression full of pity.

“Oh, it must be sad. You do not have even one daughter.”

“Lady Rosemond, what is it that you want to say?”

“Do you want to become the Emperor’s father-in-law?”

With those words, the Duke of Efreni finally realized why Rosemond had called for him. So now she…

“Please make me an adopted daughter of the Duke.”

She was telling him to adopt her. The Duke of Efreni couldn’t hide his absurd expression and showed it plainly. Then Rosemond made a poisonous look and asked him.

“Why? You would not accept a brat from a mere Baron as your daughter, is this it?”

“Ah… not at all.”

Although he denied this with a flustered expression, she had penetrated the inside of his mind, and Rosemond was already smiling as if she had caught on, not showing what she was thinking. Indeed, her smile was grotesque. The Duke of Efreni coughed twice, then made an excuse, that was not truly an excuse.

“But I have to ask my wife’s thoughts…”

“Duke, I don’t think you grasp the situation.”

Rosemond reminded him of reality with a voice full of laughter.

“Will I go to His Majesty right now? All of the things you have done in the past?”

“…”

“Oh, that must be worth it to watch. You should know too, Duke? How hard it was for His Majesty to deal with at that time… Isn’t that why a ‘lowly Baron’s daughter’ was able to stand next to the Emperor in the first place?”

“…”

All of those words were correct, and what Rosemond had mentioned was a devastating blow to the Duke of Efreni, but he had no choice but to listen to her. Rosemond, who also knew the truth, laughed and told him.

“When would be the best time to register? I think the sooner it is, the better. Don’t you want to greet a beautiful daughter as soon as possible?”

“… I will move forward with that. But Lady Rosemond…”

The Duke of Efreni had replied quietly and then asked her.

“Have you finished this discussion with Baron Darrow?”

“…”

Rosemond’s face froze at the mention of her father but soon responded calmly.

“A discussion is not necessary. No way would that man block his daughter’s path. If he did so, he would be trash that could not reform himself.”

“…”

The Duke of Efreni flinched at the harshness directed at her father, but he showed nothing as he nodded. Then he spoke.

“As you know, Lady Rosemond, adoption in the Marvinus Empire is necessarily accompanied by parental consent. Lady Rosemond’s mother has already died, so it would mean that as a lady, you can only become my adopted daughter after the consent of Baron Darrow.”

“I know that, Duke. I am not ignorant of even that. So what do I need?”

“As I said, it is the consent of Baron Darrow, Lady. Perhaps it would be faster for Lady Rosemond to go directly to the Baron’s estate.”

Rosemond’s impression turned into a frown at that. She suggested an alternative.

“Why don’t we just send and receive letters?”

“It would be best to go to avoid later trouble, Lady Rosemond. It is not easy to become an adopted daughter while the father is still living. It is against the Empire’s traditions.”

“…”

Rosemond momentarily thought that it would be easier to just kill Baron Darrow, and the Duke of Efreni quickly added on as if he had caught on to her thoughts.

“You shouldn’t think of unnecessary thoughts, Lady. If what you plan occurs, and I adopted you right after, it would only result in unnecessary gossip.”

“What am I thinking about?”

She asked him innocently, and the Duke of Efreni did not answer. Rosemond smiled and flopped her hand as if it had been a joke.

“Oh my, Duke. Would I truly do something like that?”

Of course, Duke Efreni did not believe her words. She was a woman who could. It was even more possible if the opponent was Baron Darrow. He sighed inwardly and then told her.

“Anyways, getting His Majesty’s permission, and going to the estate will be easier.”

“Then I should go tell him right now.”

Rosemond spoke without hesitation, and the Duke of Efreni was speechless. He left the Vain Palace after telling her to call on him again once she returned from Baron Darrow’s estate. After he left, Rosemond asked Glara for another cup of rosemary tea and drank it, while thinking about something with an unreadable expression, and soon got up while setting down the empty cup. She intended to go to Lucio right away to gain his permission.

The Duke of Efreni left Vain Palace feeling desolate. He wasn’t one of the founding members, but he was one of the three Prime Ministers. He was the head of one of the three families that supported this Empire and on the top of the largest market. That’s why he was so frustrated because he was trailing helplessly after the mere daughter of a Baron. He couldn’t even imagine how much people would laugh at them, and how disappointed his family would be.

He had never regretted what had gone on in the past but was only resentful that she held his weakness over him. There was no point in regretting what had already passed, but he did dread the idea of being caught by her forever. He sighed deeply and recalled the events of the night where it all began.

2 years ago.

At that time, his power was no different from the present. He was one of the largest top-ranking merchants in the Empire, and at the same time, one of the three great Prime Ministers called the pillars of the Empire. For someone like him, it was not funny that the daughter of a Baron, who had only caught the Emperor’s eye and entered the palace, requested to meet him. He refused Rosemond’s request.

Shortly thereafter, however, another letter was delivered to him, and he was forced to refine himself and find the place where Rosemond lived.

‘I’m probably the only person who knows exactly what happened 8 years ago.’

She was mentioning something he was most reluctant about. 8 years ago. How much his bones reverberated with just those words. He quickly went to her place. When not long ago, he had said that a daughter of a Baron dared to request a meeting, and ripped up the letter. He said this as soon as she saw her.

“A mere daughter of a Baron dares to threaten a Duke?”

Then she spoke these words, “Duke, I don’t think you have figured out the situation yet.”

“What? You dare…?!”

“I wouldn’t dare called for the Duke of the Empire for no reason.”

She laughed comfortably and offered him a seat.

“Sit down first, Duke. If you look at this, you will have a lot to say.”

Rosemond said this and then threw something in front of him. The face of the Duke of Efreni who inadvertently confirmed what it was soon paled. He looked at Rosemond with a trembling face. Where had his earlier spirit and arrogance gone, he now trembled in fear and asked Rosemond, “This… How did this…”