Spring, two years ago.
The Emperor—sun of the Feorn Empire, protector blessed by Saint Hesuseu and Ionel, and lord of ninety-nine territories—spoke.
“I have a young lady I wish to introduce to you, Baron.”
Edward set his fork and knife down neatly in their places and stared blankly at Emperor Raodin.
It was an act that violated imperial etiquette, yet the lord chamberlain did not rebuke him. This was because even the chief steward, known as the Emperor’s confidant, had received no small shock from the Emperor’s words.
Edward forced himself to ask calmly,
“If I may be so bold, Your Majesty. What… did you just say to me?”
“The literal meaning. A young lady I hold especially dear. Beautiful and lovely as a single peony.”
A gentle smile appeared at the Emperor’s lips.
A young lady beautiful enough to be praised as such by the Feorn Emperor—who was notorious for his exacting tastes—would be rare even within the imperial capital, Prieo.
But Edward felt a foreboding so strong it made the hair on his body stand on end.
“A young lady? Are you saying you intend to introduce a noblewoman to me?”
“Indeed! Since the matter has come up, we ought to arrange a meeting at once. Lord Chamberlain, send word to Duke Savie.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The chief steward filled the Emperor’s empty wine glass and then carefully stepped back. Edward felt his heart sink.
“Did you just… say Duke Savie?”
“He is the most sensible and dignified man I know. He will make a father-in-law without the slightest shortcoming.”
“But Your Majesty, is not the Duke of Savie’s young lady seventeen this year?”
Edward knew this because he had encountered the Duke of Savie in the audience chamber of the Imperial Palace the previous week.
The two had briefly exchanged small talk about the weather and garden maintenance, and by chance had inquired after each other’s families.
“My youngest daughter is making her debut in high society this year.”
The Duke of Savie’s face was suffused with deep satisfaction as he said this with a smile. He also seemed greatly elated that his daughter, who had been frequently ill in her youth, had finally recovered her health to debut in society.
At that moment, Edward had felt something close to fear.
The rumors were true: the usually solemn and cold-blooded Duke of Savie transformed into an entirely different person the moment his beloved daughter was mentioned.
It was highly probable that it was no joke either—the talk of how promising young lords of powerful families dared not even approach the young lady for fear of the Duke’s displeasure.
“I apologize, Your Majesty, but the Duke’s young lady has not yet even held her coming-of-age ceremony.”
“It is you who are ignorant. Yellodia will be a splendid adult in just a few months. And the men who would kneel before her, offering flowers and rings, will line up all the way to the gates of Ionel.”
“But I… am not yet thinking of marriage.”
Unwittingly, Edward’s voice trembled. He, who had remained composed and calm even when his ship was surrounded by Iota’s naval fleet, was now losing his mind over a single word from the Emperor.
The Emperor clicked his tongue as though offended.
“Do not speak such suffocating nonsense. Does it make any sense to take up the position of Vice Admiral of the Feorn Navy without marrying? If you are torn limb from limb by those crocodile-like nobles until only bones and skin remain, what use will you be to me?”
“…….”
Edward knew it was a breach of etiquette, but he could not bring himself to speak. Cold sweat had formed on his back before he knew it. To him, the Emperor issued an order like drawing a hidden dagger.
“The engagement ceremony must not pass beyond May. Any later, and the guests will be dripping with sweat and complaining profusely.”
＊ ＊ ＊
It was a sunny afternoon. The warm and gentle spring sunlight of March fell equally upon the Duke of Savie’s estate.
Elegantly blooming Adonis flowers, hyacinths, and irises swayed gently in the soft breeze.
On the second-floor terrace overlooking the splendid garden, Yellodia was reading a book in a languid posture.
The hem of her pale-green negligee, adorned with countless frills, fluttered up lightly like dragonfly wings each time she wiggled her toes.
She looked less like a young lady of a great noble house and more like a fairy who had come down to the mortal realm to play—though the person in question was letting out an unsightly yawn.
‘Boring.’
Finally closing the book, Yellodia pouted and imagined a future in which she had become a gardener.
The image of herself wearing worn work clothes and grafting apple and apricot trees felt quite plausible.
But then hallucinations of her father and older brothers appeared, enraged like angry bulls, tearing the apricot orchard to shreds. Her second older brother, like a demon, did not forget to set the apricot trees on fire.
The impossible delusion quickly faded.
But Yellodia was not discouraged and began her next delusion. As always, she pictured herself traversing the continent leading a sturdy horse.
After surviving several life-threatening crises at the crossroads of life and death, she reached the grove of arborvitae at the eastern end of the continent, known as the ‘Forest of Death,’ where she would finally find the Dragon’s Heart and begin her adventure……
“What on earth does that mean? An engagement!”
At the suddenly shrill voice, Yellodia nearly knocked over her teacup.
It was unmistakably her eldest brother’s voice.
Sensing the unusual atmosphere, Masa, who had been setting down tea on one side of the terrace, hurried over to Yellodia.
“It seems Lord Kias has arrived. And he appears quite angry, does he not?”
“Indeed. What could be the matter?”
Yellodia asked, puzzled. It was extremely rare for her eldest brother, who had a calm and quiet disposition, to be agitated and raise his voice.
“Shall I go find out?”
At Masa’s suggestion, Yellodia rose from her seat without hesitation.
“No. I’ll go.”
Yellodia’s elegant pale-green dress rippled through the air like a wave.
Partly because the new book she had picked out at the bookstore was tedious, and partly because Kias’s excited voice piqued her curiosity.
“Miss, you’ll fall!”
Masa cried out in alarm at Yellodia’s careless gait.
“Don’t worry, Masa. I’m fine.”
Since the age of thirteen, she had not felt breathless or pain as though her lungs would burst even when walking quickly or running, so Yellodia’s steps were light and quick.
“Baron Adrian is said to be a brutal and merciless soldier! How can it make sense to pair Yellodia with such a wretched man whose own fiancée ran away from him?”
Yellodia, who had just stepped inside the terrace door, stopped in her tracks, startled by the angry voice.
She could not understand at all what Kias was talking about.
Baron Adrian? An engagement?
“……Miss?”
“Shh. Quiet.”
At Yellodia’s signal, Masa, who had followed behind, stopped in her tracks with wide eyes.
When Yellodia gestured for her to step back, Masa carefully nodded and disappeared down the servants’ stairs.
Yellodia’s ears once again caught Kias’s agitated voice.
“I shall challenge him to a duel at once!”
“Calm yourself, Kias. It is something His Majesty the Emperor mentioned personally.”
“How could His Majesty… such an uncivilized man……!”
Kias was too shocked to continue. Kias’s face, which had been flushed red and purple with veins bulging in his neck, began to turn deathly pale in an instant.
“Surely not, His Majesty……”
Even in that brief moment, Yellodia could clearly tell how disheartened Kias was.
Kias’s voice had shifted, now seeming to try to persuade the Duke of Savie.
“Father, was he not a man without even a title just a month ago? One can hardly find in him the refinement of an adult, let alone noble etiquette. You cannot marry Yellodia to such a man.”
“It is useless. It is already a matter decided by His Majesty.”
As the Duke of Savie deliberately raised his voice, Kias tightened his clenched fist.
At that ultimatum-like announcement, Yellodia too felt dizzy.
The Duke of Savie was saying that the Emperor himself would officiate Yellodia’s marriage.
And the Emperor Yellodia knew would readily rule with an imperial decree should anyone oppose this marriage.
“His Majesty the Emperor has invited our entire family to a dinner banquet. It is tomorrow night, so prepare without fault.”
“Father.”
“Kias. The honor of the house is at stake. Do not act rashly.”
However, the Duke of Savie’s voice, speaking of the family’s honor, was heavily subdued.
The Duke himself had felt a rage similar to his eldest son’s just hours ago.
How carefully he had raised his daughter, who had been frail since birth.
He had never starved her to shape her figure like other young ladies of her age, nor had he ever raised a rod to caution her behavior.
The Duke had simply felt relieved and joyful seeing his daughter, who had lost her mother at age five, walk about the estate with a cheerful smile.
‘And yet.’
The Duke of Savie could not dare pretend ignorance of the Emperor’s will to bestow upon Edward Kieri Adrian the title of baron for his great achievements in the infamous Central War and draw him into his own faction.
Above all, Yellodia, the Duke of Savie’s beloved daughter, was also the Emperor’s niece.
The Emperor, who had always been endlessly indulgent toward his niece, would not have chosen this political marriage for purely political gain.
No, the Duke desperately wanted to believe so.
“I will speak to Yellodia myself. See that you do not neglect the banquet preparations.”
The Duke of Savie could not turn away and froze in place, startled. Kias was the same.
“Yedi……”