Bohemia’s Lord’s Castle.
There, I was having a conversation with Estelle, who had returned after finishing her affairs with the Dragona Empire.
“It went well. Everything proceeded as Mr. Santana wished.”
“That’s great to hear. Thank you for your hard work. I never imagined we would pull the Dragona Empire into our side… Without Miss Estelle’s help, we wouldn’t have dared to try.”
“You’re overly generous. I merely did what I had to.”
Estelle said, slightly embarrassed, and as I watched her, a thick smile naturally crept onto my face.
Of course, I had an optimistic outlook that things would go well, but I couldn’t make a rash assumption that it would actually happen.
‘It’s a good thing I had a connection like Estelle; otherwise, I wouldn’t have dared to attempt this recklessly.’
People typically have a hard time accepting new things, and to ensure a smooth process, a certain level of trust was required.
Having experienced failure before, I understood that Estelle’s presence played a crucial role this time around.
“The initial items should arrive in about a month. Someone they assigned will bring them directly to Bohemia.”
“Bringing them directly? That seems unnecessary, doesn’t it?”
“Since it’s our first transaction, they probably want to make sure the first button is fastened securely. They expressed similar sentiments.”
“Hmm…”
Estelle spoke in a tone that didn’t seem overly concerned. However, hearing her words made me feel a bit anxious.
‘Still, traveling hundreds of kilometers back and forth must have some reason behind it…’
Of course, it was possible that it was simply because they were responsible and cared about the deal.
However…
Separately from that fact, I was trying to do something that couldn’t be considered completely clean with the Dragona Empire, so the idea that the other side was paying attention made me uneasy.
‘Does that mean there’s someone sharp on the Dragona Empire’s side? Maybe so. They are also a Great Empire crawling with monsters…’
While there was an advantage in knowing future economic knowledge, apart from that, I didn’t consider myself particularly clever.
Knowledge might be leading, but when it comes to wisdom, there are plenty of people who might be better than me.
Thinking this way, I became increasingly cautious about the person coming with the items soon.
*
The person who looked at me with an expression of deep expectation was none other than the Princess of Dragona Empire, Cazerose.
Recalling her appearance, Estelle felt a slight sense of discomfort but brushed it off as something unrelated to her.
‘That woman must have her circumstances… Even if she is distant from the line of succession, as a member of the imperial family, she is likely banking on this event to strengthen her position amidst power struggles within the empire.’
The awkward feeling she had towards Cazerose hadn’t completely disappeared.
However, separate from baseless instincts, the Princess of Cazerose, who showed a favorable attitude towards the Heretic Alliance, could be considered an important ally for Estelle.
Given that it’s clear that the other side also values this matter, there’s no reason to act coldly.
As Estelle managed her emotions, she decided to focus on the situation in front of her.
‘At any rate, this is good. I accomplished everything Mr. Santana wished for, and since he feels gratitude towards me in this situation…’
That had been on her mind during the return trip.
As she contemplated putting it into action, she turned to Santana, who was sipping tea with a serious expression.
“Um… Mr. Santana?”
“Yes, what is it?”
Santana lowered his tea cup and looked at her. In that moment, his expression was distinctly different from before.
When he had talked about the contract engagement, only cold emotions rooted in rational calculation had shown on his face.
However, at this moment, there was no longer a trace of coldness in his expression.
What showed on Santana’s face was warmth and a hint of fondness, no longer the calculated coolness.
Seeing this, Estelle recognized that she had finally completed the preparations she had been thinking about and spoke calmly.
“Do you remember the conversation we had when we formed our engagement…?”
“Of course. We decided to avoid a marriage that neither of us wanted and only take the benefits of matrimony. Why do you ask that all of a sudden?”
Santana replied with a hint of doubt in his voice. Looking at him, Estelle spoke in a calm tone.
“Honestly, at that time… I was, like Mr. Santana, only concerned about power and benefits. Marriage was simply a means to strengthen my position. I had no interest in romance between men and women.”
“That’s why you easily made such a vow. I felt the same…”
“Yes, I certainly was like that back then… But, Mr. Santana…”
A hint of concern crept into Santana’s voice at her words. Watching him, Estelle spoke with determination.
“Now, I am different.”
“..Pardon?”
With astonishment, Santana inquired in response to Estelle’s words.
Toward him, Estelle spoke clearly.
“Unlike back then, I genuinely… have feelings for you, Mr. Santana.”
“!…”
Looking into Santana’s face, Estelle made her intentions clear and, at that moment, he seemed momentarily at a loss for words. Then, she continued.
“Now, I truly wish to be the woman you love. Not just in appearance but genuinely as your wife, walking into the future with you as your spouse. Mr. Santana, would you please accept this feeling of mine?”
“…”
Estelle conveyed her sincere feelings with clarity. As she presented herself this way, Santana maintained a stiff expression, keeping silent for a while.
*
Just then, Estelle’s sudden confession hit me like a ton of bricks.
I couldn’t say a word for a moment after hearing it.
At that instant, the first word that popped into my head was…
‘I can’t believe this…’
I had sensed to some degree Estelle’s feelings. It was obvious since she blushed so deeply in front of me that it would have been strange not to notice.
However, the fact that it had turned out in this way was truly unexpected.
‘I knew the Dragona Empire situation had a buildup aspect, but I didn’t expect her to bring it up so soon…’
I had a degree of wariness about her friendliness and the excessive generosity in this situation.
Still, I couldn’t deny that her confession at this timing was a rather lethal blow.
‘There is still no clear connection between the Dragona Empire and our Heretic Alliance… In such a situation, Estelle’s role has become more crucial than ever…’
In other words… at this moment between the Dragona Empire and us, her influence in the Rhapsody Region had increased significantly.
At this moment, if I were to hastily reject Estelle’s proposal, it could complicate matters severely.
Of course, this matter wasn’t just between us but was tied to the interests of the Rhapsody Region, and I couldn’t go too far.
However, there was definitely room for maneuver politically.
With that in mind…
I looked at Estelle, who was waiting for an answer from me, and started to contemplate what kind of answer to give her.
Finally, I reached a conclusion.
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