Chapter: 199
I found myself crushed under a heavy sense of pressure at the banquet I attended with a light heart.
Just anyone, please get me out of here. Right now, I’d even smile while enduring the Crown Prince’s teabagging.
“Sweetheart, would you like a drink?”
“Uh, that…”
As I trembled in fear, the Mage Duchess next to me lifted a glass of white wine.
I couldn’t understand why a person of such high status, like a Duke, was near me instead of the Crown Prince or another Duke. Thanks to that, all eyes were on us.
“I’m sorry, but Carl doesn’t really enjoy drinking.”
Before I could say anything, Marghetta jumped in. She politely yet firmly declined the Duke’s offer—a boldness she wouldn’t have dared if she weren’t part of a ducal family. It was almost scary for me, standing right beside her.
“Right, Carl?”
Her gentle smile looked the same as always, but her eyes were sharp, staring at me as if to demand the right response.
“That’s—”
“Really? That’s strange. You were drinking just fine at the New Year’s Ball.”
Once again, I managed to open my mouth slightly and then closed it again without saying anything.
How strange. The question was clearly directed at me, yet the conversation progressed as if my answer didn’t matter.
Do I even need to be in this conversation? Can’t I just slip away somewhere else?
“Carl, are you planning to leave your partner behind?”
“Sweetheart, I’m still talking, you know.”
Yet, the moment I tried to break free in search of freedom, they clutched onto me like ghosts. It was hard to believe they had been subtly opposing each other just moments ago, now acting in such unison.
Naturally, everything returned to the status quo afterward—the clash between the two dukes, with me, a mere Count’s heir, stuck in the middle, shedding invisible tears.
Help me.
With desperate eyes, I glanced at the dukes keeping a safe distance.
I’m powerless; only you can end this war.
But despite my heartfelt plea, the Invincible Duke quietly turned his gaze away. The betrayal from someone I had considered a reliable adult hurt a bit.
…No, it’s fine. It’s understandable, even for the Invincible Duke.
Instead, I shifted my gaze to the Iron-blooded Duke beside him.
Only you can do it now.
My real hope rested with him. The Invincible Duke might step back since he had no stake in this, but wouldn’t the Iron-blooded Duke, being Marghetta’s father, take action to protect his precious daughter during a skirmish with the Mage Duchess?
It seemed my fervent wish reached the heavens. The Iron-blooded Duke, who had been glaring at me like he was about to devour me, suddenly put on a resolute expression.
And then he left the scene with the Invincible Duke.
…?
What?
Where are you going? What am I supposed to do if you leave like that?
Are you really just going to abandon me because I’m an unwelcome potential son-in-law? But his precious daughter is right here!
I trusted you.
I had believed the Iron-blooded Duke would not yield to the Mage Duchess…!
“It’s probably because he didn’t want to be isolated at the New Year’s Banquet. He was just trying to fit in with the atmosphere.”
“Right, sweetheart is so thoughtful, so it makes sense he would do that.”
Before I could even wallow in betrayal, the arguments around me intensified.
What had begun as veiled comments became blatantly obvious over time. Now, anyone could tell it was a battle of wills.
Why exactly…?
I could feel a headache coming on. If only I knew the reason for this strange behavior, maybe I could attempt to resolve it. But without understanding, I couldn’t step in.
Marghetta wasn’t typically one to pick a fight, and the Mage Duchess wasn’t soft enough to allow such rudeness to slide.
And yet they were suddenly at odds, as if it were the most natural thing…
Damn it.
This is driving me insane.
*
After much deliberation, I finally turned away. This wasn’t something I should involve myself in.
“Iron-blooded Duke.”
Then, the Invincible Duke whispered softly, as if asking for my approval.
“It’s fine. Don’t worry; there won’t be any issues.”
“Hope so.”
Despite my words, the Invincible Duke still seemed uneasy and subtly diverted his gaze.
I inadvertently followed his gaze towards Marghetta, then to the despicable guy next to her, and finally to the Mage Duchess beside him.
What’s going on here?
I felt a frown forming, but I managed not to show it. Today was a banquet for the Crown Princess. It wouldn’t be proper to showcase my personal emotions at such an event.
And it seemed the Mage Duchess had no intention of causing a ruckus either. If their conversation couldn’t be heard from this distance, she must be using magic.
Well, that’s somewhat relieving.
Magic makes things convenient. You could see people animatedly conversing, but their words remained a mystery.
Because of that, speculation would abound in society, but there would be no accurate guesses. After all, it wouldn’t be smart for a duke to casually gossip!
The Mage Duchess didn’t want a major disturbance at the Crown Princess’s birthday banquet. It was a situation where stepping in would only hurt me.
…Nothing will happen.
Since I couldn’t intervene, I tried to convince myself that this was the case and turned away.
Right, nothing would happen. The Mage Duchess didn’t seem like she wanted to escalate the issue.
If something were to happen, it should have happened by now.
I couldn’t hear their conversation, but their body language spoke volumes. I could sense that something unusual was brewing between Marghetta and the Mage Duchess.
Yet, so far, nothing had happened.
That’ll do.
The Mage Duchess wasn’t one to flaunt her authority, but she also wasn’t merciful. If she was remaining this calm, it meant Marghetta was likely staying within her limits.
I forced myself to think like that as it seemed the only way I could step away and leave them alone.
Mar.
What the hell is going on?
With a heavy heart, I looked at her again. That delicate and kind girl, always trying to maintain her dignity—why was she acting like this?
Then, my discomfort evolved into anger as I directed my gaze at the guy next to her.
It must be because of him.
I didn’t know the exact reason, but it was clear he had something to do with it, judging by how they interacted and how she clung onto him when he tried to leave.
It was infuriating. Here’s this future son-in-law of the Valenti family, who can’t even protect Marghetta and instead brings problems!
You filthy scoundrel!
I could no longer hold back and clicked my tongue. The difference between public and private personas takes a unique talent.
Clearly, he was a commendable figure as a noble and an official. In contrast, he was utterly detestable in personal settings.
His rejection of Marghetta, and then showing up with her again, and ignoring my command to kneel if he wanted to marry her—it was all exasperating.
If only there had been another candidate.
It was lamentable. The empire was vast, with many nobles; why must he be the only suitable match for Marghetta?
A person of high status, young, capable, with a pleasing personality, brilliant accomplishments, and someone Marghetta liked. Was that too much to ask?
Of course, it was a tall order. The real anomaly was him being the chosen candidate.
If only no one had shown up.
Had there been no candidates at all, I might have been able to lower my expectations one by one. But with the very one meeting all the criteria standing right there, how could I possibly turn a blind eye?
He was really infuriating.
*
Oh.
Is this a dream?
I blinked several times, trying to confirm if I was truly seeing this correctly. It wasn’t a dream; it was reality.
The sight of the Iron-blooded Duke’s daughter boldly standing her ground against the Mage Duchess, and the Mage Duchess responding without a hint of concern was all too real.
Incredible.
I’d never seen such a thing, making it take me a moment to fully grasp the situation.
Initially, I was thrilled that the Mage Duchess had arrived for the Crown Princess’s banquet. After all, the higher the status and the rarer the guests meant the greater the prestige of the event.
And the banquet’s prestige reflects back on the Crown Princess too. So, although I found it surprising, I was delighted about the Mage Duchess’s participation—
But there was a reason.
Her presence wasn’t merely for the Crown Princess, which was quite reassuring. It would have been stranger if the Mage Duchess had shown up without any motivation.
Great! I would have lost sleep worrying about her reasons for attending otherwise.
I barely suppressed the laugh that threatened to burst forth.
Executive Manager, it’s you again.
I would have laughed long ago if no one was watching. His life was like a performance—so comical and enjoyable to watch.
Though if this were an actual play, it would bomb spectacularly.
It was an unimaginably humorous situation—so absurd that it defied logic.
That the Mage Duchess, of all people, would…
Harbor feelings for the Executive Manager?
I gently bit my lip, trying not to let my laughter escape.
Clearly, I hadn’t realized it from the start. I only had an inkling of a connection because the Executive Manager was involved there. Who would have thought to link that to a romantic issue?
But I watched closely, keeping every possibility open—not just casually observing but rather scrutinizing. After all, this was a serious matter involving two ducal families—not something to brush aside lightly.
The lady is boldly standing her ground against the Mage Duchess.
That was an incomprehensible act.
And the Mage Duchess is not reprimanding her for such rudeness.
That was also unthinkable.
And yet, here’s the Executive Manager, part of it all.
Where on earth was he not involved?
It was as if all the parts were mismatched pieces of a puzzle. A situation that made no sense at all. Just when I was trying to piece together what the heck was happening, a memory from a few years ago flickered in my mind.
Back when I was being overwhelmed as the First Prince during the succession struggle, I had asked the Crown Princess who proposed to me, “Why me? I just can’t understand.”
Her answer was a piece of artistic brilliance.
“Your Highness, when it comes to love, even the most incomprehensible things become understandable.”
And with that, she had given me a look demanding I accept her proposal without any further ado.
Anyway, recalling those words made me see this peculiar scene in a different light.
The reasons for why the lady stood up to the Mage Duchess, and why she stayed calm amidst rudeness—they all clicked when interpreted through the lens of love.
Now it all makes sense.
Surprisingly, it became clear. If it were for a reason other than love, that would be truly astonishing.
This bizarre situation was anything but ordinary. The Mage Duchess’s romantic concerns weren’t merely personal; they involved the succession of a ducal family.
The Emperor himself had been worried about the line of the duchy ending, seeing the Mage Duchess living alone for over a century.
Honestly, I often wondered which was more plausible: the Mage Duchess passing away from old age or the empire collapsing.
But, there’s no need to worry now.
Once matched, the Mage Duchess wouldn’t just remain idle. So, the succession issue for her dukedom would likely resolve itself.
Instead, a new worry surfaced.
Krasius, Valenti, Catoban.
Those were the houses of the Executive Manager, the lady, and the Mage Duchess respectively.
What kind of force would materialize if these three families united through marriage? Even if the outcome was minimal, it could potentially upend the political landscape of the empire. It would likely be enough to make the Emperor rise from his bed!
This was anything but a minor matter…
I shouldn’t worry about it.
Today, I was there to enjoy the Crown Princess’s birthday banquet and the Executive Manager’s love life.
Let tomorrow’s self handle tomorrow’s business.
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