CH 5

“If you feel that way, I apologize, Your Majesty.”

Seeing Charelize bowing down her head was so much fun. Harbert IV showed a satisfied smile.

“Are you aware of the rumors about you in society?”

“It is interesting to hear that I, as the party got involved, never heard of that before.”

“Is that so?”

They stared at each other. No one seemed to be avoiding each other first, nor did they show any intention of backing down.

“Is that true you annulled your engagement with the son of Marquis Radiasa?”

It was Harbert IV who took up the sword first. Charelize had a hard shield against him and a sharp arrow that pierced the center of his chest.

“What greater honor than this, given that a high-title person is so interested in the engagement of nobles?”

“….”

Charelize bent her back and lifted the hem of her dress slightly.

“It’s after all my family business, Your Majesty.”

“What?”

“Whether the annulment of me with Marquis Radiasa’s son is just rumor or the truth. Don’t waste your precious time on other family businesses.”

Charelize drew a clear line, saying it was her family business.

Harbert IV’s feeling uncomfortable about not getting what he wanted became noticeable. It was annoying that she responded to every word he said, refusing, but with a clever manner to keep him from saying anything.

“Can I worry about your mother, who is ill and cannot get out of bed?”

Harbert IV referred to the Duchess Marsetta with her illness.

“I will engrave those words deep in my heart.”

Charelize’s face gradually hardened. Seeing it, Harbert IV thought that he had given her a shot and put on a contrasting expression on his face.

“Your Majesty, something has happened!”

His expression looked better than before. But when his attendant jumped in without knocking and showed no manners, his expression quickly slumped down.

“I didn’t allow anyone to come in when I’m having a private meeting with the little Duchess.”

“…”

“Do I really need to tear your limbs apart for you to come to your senses?”

“Th-That’s not…”

“Your Majesty. Please calm yourself. I’m afraid it will be too much for the listener.”

Charelize opened her mouth, watching the appearance of the attendant stuttering and shaking his whole body. To someone unaware of this situation, Charelize seemed to be an extremely loyal servant to Harbert IV.

Harbert IV didn’t receive the emperor’s seal from his predecessor because he ascended to the throne after killing his enemy, Crown Princess Elizabeth. He shut the mouth of who knows about that, but he hasn’t received the emperor’s seal until now.

People who were dissatisfied with having Harbert IV as the emperor often said that he should be grateful for being recognized just as a prince. That’s why he killed his enemy, Crown Princess Elizabeth, and ascended to the throne.

Decades after the bloody tragedy, many words are still spoken in society. They’re talking about his birth mother’s low status and him not being the emperor in a legitimate way.  Harbert IV knew this better than anyone else.

Duke Marsetta had two people with royal blood and the right to inherit the throne. That’s why Harbert IV hated the fact that he lacked the emperor’s authority in front of the members of Duke Marsetta more than death.

Harbert IV showed that he was still angry.

“Th… That’s…”

The attendant barely came to his senses and opened his mouth with a trembling voice.

“Princess Veloche… had a seizure…”

Even before his words were finished, Harbert IV jumped up from his throne and grabbed the attendant by the collar.

“Didn’t you say she will be okay for the time being! Where is the imperial doctor right now?”

He shook him constantly, giving him no room to answer.

“T-The doctor is treating her royal highness.”

“Bring that woman. You can drag her if she says she doesn’t want to come.”

“I accept your order, Your Majesty.”

With his attendant left, Harbert IV turned his gaze to Charelize.

“Little Duchess. I’m sorry, but I have work to do, so I will have to go first.”

“I hope Her Royal Highness Velcohe will recover quickly. May Goddess Resina’s blessing reach you.”

When Charelize came out, she again ridiculed Harbert IV’s stupidity.

‘If you were thinking of stabbing your opponent by grabbing your opponent’s weakness, you should have kept what you have first.’

Harbert IV’s only daughter, Princess Veloche, was born to Queen Salome, a brothel who became the foster daughter of Viscount Sona.

Princess Veloche was born with imperial blood, but she didn’t have dark blonde hair, the symbol of being blessed by Goddess Resina. She had the red hair of Queen Salome. Even though have the right to succeed to the throne, she has never been appointed formally as the Crown Princess. It became her lifelong tag and followed her around. To make matters worse, she was weak and had frequent seizures.

They muttered that Harbert IV’s child was cursed by the predecessor emperor because he had made the bloody tragedy.

In addition, Princess Veloche is reluctant to rule over anyone. Even if she became the successor, it was clear that she wouldn’t be able to properly rule.

However, the first head of Duke Marsetta made a pledge of allegiance to the Imperial family of the Elioter Empire. The pledge of allegiance could never be broken. It made Charelize forcefully become imperialist.

‘The heart to respect and follow can’t be created.’

Charelize immediately tried to get into the carriage, but Delphir, waiting in front, blocked her way.

“You there.”

“Did you call for me, little Duchess?”

Charelize called a knight passing by.

“Since when has the Imperial Palace become a place where the son of Marquis could come easily?”

“…I’m sorry. I will fix it right away.”

“…”

“Young Master Radiasa.”

His eyes darkened as if to prove that he hadn’t slept properly for several days. When he heard from the servants, he insisted on waiting to meet her even though his head was pounding. There were countless things that didn’t work out as he intended.

Charelize gestured to the knight to go away. Delphir was still looking at her pitifully.

“I depended on you a lot. I thought you would be my companion for the rest of my life, and I could even give my life if you wanted it.”

“…”

“It was only to you, not someone else.”

“…”

“When you betrayed me, have you ever thought about what it felt like to have to die by yourself after having a child?”

Charelize, who confirmed there were no people, spoke in a small voice that only he could hear.

“Sorry… I’m sorry, Charel. I-I misunderstood you.”

When her baby came again to her mind, Charelize wanted to kill him immediately. With an almost weeping expression on his face, his pleading appearance was nothing more than just a pretense.

“Don’t let me be… the same person like you.”

“Cha, rel.”

“Please, don’t let me hold a dagger that will stab you.”

Charelize turned her back. She was glad that she didn’t see Delphir’s face. She never wanted to show her crying face to him. What foolish.

It was very difficult to let go of someone you loved.  When it started, he always smiled brightly every time she saw him. He understood her heart and shed tears in her stead. He may have been inexperienced and clumsy, but that’s why she liked him. By the time everything was over, it was useless.

* * *

The next afternoon, Charelize was called by Duke Marsetta.

With inaccurate information that they had seen a woman who looked similar to the young lady Luxen, he immediately departed for the Principality Moden in the west. She was told he had come back after two months, searching all over the Principality Moden, but he couldn’t find her.

Suddenly, Charelize was curious about young lady Luxen. Although their family was reinstated late, they were involved in treason and went down the road.

‘Who the hell is protecting her to the point Duke Marsetta couldn’t find her?’

After a lot of thought, I quickly arrived at his office.

“The young Master has come.”

The knight in front of her announced her visit.

“Let her in.”

Shortly thereafter, a short, cold answer, the characteristic of Duke Marsetta, was heard.

“Greetings to the Duke.”

Charelize, who went inside, greeted him.

The previous Charelize felt that the more Duke Marsetta pushed her, the more she wanted his attention. Despite all the harsh words she had heard all her life, she never gave up calling him father.

Once she died, she knew. No, she realized she was at a dead end with nowhere to go. Everything was useless. Even at the moment she died, the Duke of Marsetta never changed.

When Lillian was poisoned and collapsed, Duke Marsetta slapped her in the face, stabbing her in the chest with abusive language. He removed her from the family register and cut all ties with her.

The reason she chose to die, even giving up her child, was entire because of Duke Marsetta. The life of being neglected by her father was enough for her. It was obvious that Charelize would not be able to care for her child just like her mother.

Charelize tried to change herself, starting by calling his father with the title.

“You annulled your engagement.”

“…”

“No matter how high your position, did you decide such an important matter without discussing it with me?”

“Your Grace is still not like my father.”

“What… are you talking about?”

Duke Marsetta asked as if he didn’t understand what she was saying.

“Of course, it is true that I decided it on my own. But… if Your Grace is really my father, why didn’t you ask why I annulled the engagement? You’re blaming me for not discussing it.”

“…”

“Are you okay? What is the reason? What had happened with your fiancé? You should have asked this first.”

“…”

“Our engagement wasn’t to help our family. It was from a love relationship.”

Duke Marsetta sighed. It was a sign that he was annoyed to deal with her rebellious state.

“Do you remember my name?”

I turned around, grabbed the door handle, and said that.

“…What do you mean?”

“If you didn’t remember the name of the child from your blood… I don’t think I will be hurt as much as I am now.”

“Your mother… Did she teach you that?”

Duke Marsetta didn’t become a father to Charelize until the very end.