Famous beauties in the world are bound to have nicknames worthy of them.
For example, Princess Salema Te Hanan of the Eastern Empire, famous for her deep blue eyes like an oasis, was nicknamed ‘Tashneri’, or ‘The Pupil of the Lake’, and Queen Gwyneth of Rodom, the head of the Confederation of Five Nations, for the silver hair that flows down to the back of her knees. She was nicknamed ‘Lady of the Stars’ because of her hair.
Even in Estina, the Western Empire, there was a national beauty with a nickname more famous than her real name. She was the Countess Patrí, who was called ‘Lady of Ivory’.
Countess Patrí was nicknamed the Lady of Ivory because of her exceptionally graceful arms. As the name suggests, her arms, clear and transparent, like a statue carved out of ivory, were the most dazzling parts of her beautiful figure.
Such captivating arms provided her with plenty of things.
Her arms led the fashion movement for an unconventional evening dress that revealed one’s skin up to her shoulders at the Imbert Palace. In addition, it served as an opportunity to remind many noble maidens of the importance of flawless white skin once again, and her name, despite only being a daughter of a baronet, was made known throughout the continent.
However, the reason her arms were even called ‘The Noblest Arms in the World’ was not simply because of their beauty. Her arms were praised for being something more than just beautiful body parts and that is because the one who slept in her arms was one of the noblest people in the world.
Emperor of the Western Empire of Estina. Ebroin V, the ruler of one of the two great empires that divided the Ladivenian Continent, and the King of Kings who ruled over two seas and five rivers.
Countess Patrí, ‘Lady of Ivory’, was the most beloved of the Great Emperor.
***
“What did you say just now?”
The Emperor asked quietly.
“A divorce trial?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The young Prince Merrick, who had gathered up the courage to file a special petition, hesitated and carefully looked at the Emperor. However, it was difficult to fathom the Emperor’s thoughts just by looking at him. The Emperor’s eyes were infinitely indifferent.
A divorce trial.
The Emperor repeated Prince Merrick’s petition in his mouth. It was the first time in his life that he had heard such a petition in a special audience requested by the nobles. The content of the petition itself was also a problem, but the person filing the petition was an even bigger problem. As ridiculous as it was, it was the Emperor’s own cousin through his paternal aunt who petitioned for a divorce trial.
“Baroness Amieux, you said? Adelaide, just who on earth is she?”
Countess Patrí sitting next to the Emperor pouring tea heard the question that had been thrown at her and spoke up.
“She is the daughter of Baron Dumont, Your Majesty.”
“Baron Dumont?”
“Baron Dumont is from the ancestral family of the Marquis of La Baille. I heard that Baroness Amieux is his niece.”
“The niece of the Marquis of La Baille? … Oh, We remember. Then she must be the wife of Vice Admiral Chastan.”
Countess Patrí was terrified to hear the Emperor muttering to himself. The fact that Baroness Amieux was the wife of Vice Admiral Chastan was deliberately omitted and not stated. It was because she did not think that the Emperor, who had little interest in the social world, would remember the identity of a woman who was nothing more than a Baroness.
Moreover, Baroness Amieux made her debut at the Imbert Palace during the past two years, when the Emperor had left the capital to lead a conquest with his soldiers. Countess Patrí was flustered when the Emperor unexpectedly remembered her, thinking that the Emperor was unaware of such an existence.
“Vice Admiral Chastan?”
But in this situation, she couldn’t show that she knew him. The Countess tilted her head and asked the Emperor as if she was genuinely curious. Her pure blue eyes shone over her flawless, clear skin. At a glimpse, she gave off an innocent impression.
“Who is he? It is the first I have ever heard of him.”
“He is a Navy Admiral. One of the capable admirals who stood behind me against the Confederation of Five Nations when I was at war with the barbarians of the East in Landrienne. If she is the niece of the Marquis of La Baille, then she would be the wife of Vice Admiral Chastan. Is that not right?”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
It was a question he knew the answer to all too well, so he couldn’t dare tell a lie. Prince Merrick bowed his head deeply and answered in a trembling voice.
“… Tfr, atja’r gluta. Vtf lr jirb atf klof bo Nlmf Cvwlgji Jtjrajc.”
“Dea ktja vlv sbe pera rjs? Glv sbe rjs sbe kfgf ublcu ab ajxf Nlmf Cvwlgji Jtjrajc’r klof ab j vlnbgmf mbega?”
“Tbeg Zjpfras, atja lr-.”
“The Countess shall keep silent. Right now, the one We are asking is Prince Merrick.”
Ktf Swqfgbg’r abcf yfmjwf tjgrt. Jbecafrr Ujagí mjra tfg ujhf bc Uglcmf Zfgglmx klat j uibbws fzqgfrrlbc. Uglcmf Zfgglmx ibbxfv wbegcoeiis ja atf Jbecafrr, Jbecafrr Ujagí, klat j qjif yief mbwqifzlbc. Pa wjs tjnf yffc j qifj obg tfiq, yea fnfc atf Jbecafrr mbeiv cba gert bea lc atlr rlaejalbc.
“What are you doing, Prince Merrick? It is Us who is questioning you.”
“Your Majesty, what it was meant to be-.”
“Tell me the facts without any excuses, Duke.”
The Emperor commanded with a terrifyingly cold tone. Prince Merrick couldn’t bear to raise his head and simply nodded, answering with difficulty,
“Yes, Your Majesty. That is what I requested.”
The Emperor’s golden eyes darkened. Cold eyes, like a sharp dagger, fell on the head of the Duke who had his head down. Countess Patrí looking at the ferocious gaze realized that things were going wrong, and nervously bit the inside of her cheek. The Emperor was angry.
“Is that what you’re saying right now?”
A majestic voice echoed through the Room of Ruby. Although it was said that the Room of Ruby was a place for the Emperor to have a private audience, the Emperor’s matters could not be private, even in the smallest detail. The palace guards surrounding the perimeter, knights, court attendants, and the ladies-in-waiting. As other nobles were waiting for the next petition, a sudden bolt from the blue fell into this space.
Everyone around could sense the Emperor’s wrath. Even so, there was no sound of breathing in the quiet room. The Emperor’s voice sharply pierced the silence, falling into the middle of the space as strongly as lightning.
“What do you think you’re doing? Is that something a person who’s the Emperor’s kin can say? Vice Admiral Chastan is an honorable and loyal military officer who has made great achievements in the waters of La Tyllen. On the other hand, aren’t you a subject who, despite being a prince, did not take part in the war and was busy taking care of himself in the safe capital during that time? How dare such a person petition us to take away the wife of a soldier loyal to his country?”
“… Your Majesty.”
“You can’t say that what We just said is not at all true. If the Duke had nothing to do with the divorce, he wouldn’t have stepped forward and demanded a trial. You’ve now admitted with your own mouth to being an adulterer.”
The Emperor’s point of view was as fierce as a sharpened blade. Prince Merrick broke a cold sweat behind his back. He once again felt reproachful of his lover.
The man was only being punished right now because he chose to do it of his own volition, though it wasn’t what he wanted. If rumors had not spread in the capital, or if the war had not ended and the Emperor had not returned to the capital at such a time, this is a case that could have been passed on quietly.
But things had already gone awry, and his life was at stake. He didn’t know what the Emperor would have done if he hadn’t taken the initiative in this way. He was a person who could inflate even the smallest tantrums, so there was no way to ignore such a huge fault. He knew very well how terrifying his maternal cousin, who was only a few years older than him, was.
“I plead guilty, Your Majesty.”
In a reluctant tone, Prince Merrick admitted his guilt. It was a rumor that would soon reach the Emperor anyway, so the Duke had no intention of concealing his crimes.
“In the Great Code of Lex Ardica, which the Emperor must protect and the nobles must follow, it was said that the right to claim what one enjoys comes after fulfilling one’s obligations. If you thought that you would be safe even if you violate the national laws just because you are the Emperor’s kin, then you’re mistaken.
Guards! Drag out Prince Merrick. He failed to set an example as an Emperor’s kin, violated the Code of Lex Ardica by coveting a married woman, and tried to bring disgrace to the imperial power by making immoral petitions to Us. Behead this man, hang his head on the wall, and also expel his accomplice in adultery, Baroness Amieux, from the imperial court so that she can never set foot in the capital again.”
“Your Majesty!”
It sounded like another bolt from the blue. Not only Prince Merrick, who thought it was a matter of great rebuke, not knowing that he would receive such a severe punishment, but also Countess Patrí, who had been sitting next to the Emperor by granting Prince Merrick’s request to aid in the petition, were dazed. The change of countenance was the same for the others who were there. It was not unreasonable for everyone except the Emperor to be stunned as the Emperor’s own kin’s neck was about to be cut off.
“Please calm down, Your Majesty.”
Countess Patrí whispered as she reached out her famous arms and hurriedly embraced the Emperor’s shoulder. Her heart was beating like crazy. Beheading Prince Merrick, there’s just no way such a thing could take place. Prince Merrick was not just the Emperor’s cousin, but he was also the only son of Grand Duchess Alienor.
Grand Duchess Alienor, the only imperial adult of the present Ardi imperial family, which had been nearly wiped out due to the tragedy faced by its predecessors, was as authoritative as her position, and a great figure that no one in the social world could ignore. The resentment may not be a big deal for the Great Emperor, but for the Countess, who was still uneasy, she was someone who should never be made an enemy.
In fact, it was not because of Prince Merrick himself, but because of his mother, Grand Duchess Alienor, that Countess Patrí came to help him today. She was favored by the Emperor for her outstanding beauty and resilience, and she entered the ranks from being the daughter of a Baronet to a concubine, but her social foundation was weak due to her poor background.
Even though she was said to be the most beloved and favored concubine at present, at the end of the day, an imperial concubine was still an imperial concubine. Moreover, compared to the two older imperial concubines, her rank and family’s influence were significantly lower, which is why she was ridiculed behind her back. If Prince Merrick was beheaded under such circumstances, it was obvious that she, too, would be in a bad situation.
Far from gaining the support of the Grand Duchess, Countess Patrí clung to the Emperor with an anguished heart, thinking that she might anger her for neglecting the death of Prince Merrick.
“This is not a matter for you to meddle in, Adelaide.”
The Emperor spoke even more sternly. But Countess Patrí shook her head. Even if she could have brought the Emperor’s wrath, she could not back down.
“I am aware that this is not a matter that I can meddle with. But I know that I am the only one who can say a word to Your Majesty who’s enraged here, so while I’m afraid, I have no choice but to step up.”
Her voice became desperate. Tears welled up in her lovely blue eyes.
“It is not that I am not aware of the weight of the crime Prince Merrick has committed. But, Your Majesty, Prince Merrick is your own kin. And an Emperor’s kin is not guilty of a crime unless it is the crime of treason.”
She had a naturally soft and lovely voice. That sweet voice was even soaked in tears of sorrow, that any man would have no choice but to listen to her request. But the Emperor didn’t budge despite her sincere pleas, as if he was not like any other man.
“It is not a crime equivalent to treason… how can you guarantee that? Prince Merrick tarnished the honor of the nobleman who has fought to defend this country for the past five years. In addition, he directly violated the law of the Lex Ardica, which puts the family’s survival first. If such a matter was easily passed on, who the hell would remain loyal to the country? To the east is the Eastern Empire, and to the west is the Confederation of Five Nations. Military loyalty is a precious virtue that this country should cherish above all else. Nevertheless, it was Prince Merrick who tried to shake the foundations of the country for personal pleasure. How can you say that this is not treason?”
“Your Majesty.”
“It is even worse because he is from the imperial family. I have no intention of forgiving him.”
The Emperor’s decision was firm. The guards, who hesitated at his glance, approached and grabbed Prince Merrick’s arms. Seeing this, urgency flashed in Countess Patrí’s eyes. She once again clung to the Emperor and begged.
“It is not unreasonable for Your Majesty, who must protect the law on behalf of the Gods and rule over all the people equally, to think so. But keep in mind that Prince Merrick is the one and only remaining male kin of Your Majesty. And remember that he is the only younger brother of Your Majesty.”
Countess Patrí shook the Emperor’s heart with remarks reminiscent of the three years of disgrace.
In the imperial family of Estina, which had to endure deep shame due to what the imperial family of the empire suffered, the ‘Tragedy of Lan’ was a deep wound that was difficult to reveal and talk about. Yet, she dug up the wound right away. She reminded him that even as an Emperor, he should not cut off Prince Merrick’s head at will.
“He may have committed a crime due to excessive ardor, but Prince Merrick is still young and inexperienced. Prince Merrick was simply trying to get the one he loved rightfully by holding a divorce trial, and he probably did not want to be unfairly involved in the outcome. If so, would he have dared to plead with Your Majesty to open a divorce court? Please take that into consideration, Your Majesty.”
From the looks of how she covered for him, it seemed as if Countess Patrí, not the Emperor, was the one who shared the same blood as Prince Merrick. The Emperor was still furious, but he silently listened to her plea as if he could not continue to ignore the plea of his imperial concubine whom he cherished so much that she was the apple of his eye.
Countess Patrí gained courage as she saw him like that. At least because she knew that the Emperor had no intention of pouring out his wrath on her.
“It is an exaggeration to treat the young kin of the Emperor’s mistake with such a severe punishment. The strong love between a man and a woman is something that even heaven cannot stop. Despite knowing how much a divorce is a great offense to the honor of aristocrats, you can see how big and deep the bond between the two is when they ask for a divorce trial. Even if you separate them with severe punishment, will they ever forget each other? Even if you force the Baroness back to the Baron, the marriage won’t go on smoothly. You must not do this for the sake of the Baron, Your Majesty.”
The words that came out of Countess Patrí’s mouth were both sensible and reasonable. Although she was famous for her beauty, it took more than that to capture the heart of the Emperor who ruled the empire. As famous as her beautiful arms, her speaking skills were being displayed here to the fullest.
Hearing Countess Patrí’s words, the Emperor’s furious expression somewhat softened. It must have been a request from his lovely imperial concubine, but as she said, he had to think about the position of Baron Amieux, who would have to suffer without actually committing a crime.
That being said, even if the Baroness were to return the Baron, the problem would remain. This is because his wife’s shameful scandal will leave a bad reputation not only for the Baron but for his successors as well. He looked at Prince Merrick with a brooding expression on his face and frowned bitterly.
“You certainly raise a point. I cannot put the innocent Baron Amieux in trouble because of the fault of Our kin.”
The guards who were about to drag Prince Merrick out stood there, in hesitation, of the Emperor, waiting for the next command to come out.
If it were any nobleman, even if he was a great nobleman with great prestige, they would have carried out the Emperor’s command right away, but it was too burdensome for them to hastily carry out the beheading of Prince Merrick, who was sixth in the line of succession to the throne. They kept their posture slumped, carefully watching the course of the situation. Prince Merrick couldn’t breathe and waited for the Emperor’s decision.
“… Seems like We are left with no other option.”
After a while, the Emperor sighed in disappointment and withdrew the command. The guards, who were observing the progress at the Emperor’s sullen gesture, quickly stepped back. Prince Merrick fell to his knees and bowed deeply, with his back covered with cold sweat. He was unable to stand properly as his legs felt weak.
“I’m extremely displeased with Prince Merrick for committing an outrageous crime, but given the face of his mother, Aunt Alienor, I will let it go just this once. Let the divorce trial proceed as you wish.”
The Emperor, who was likely to have his head cut off at any moment before, changed his words. Lady Patrí’s face gleamed. Prince Merrick’s pale face started to change color as well.
“However, the trial will be executed as a trial in the Emperor’s presence, and We, Ourselves, will be the judge. Not only the outcome but also the trial itself is bound to be talked about, so it would be a good idea to make sure that things are being done properly and to remain silent. …Prince Merrick, step aside and keep a low profile. You cannot enter the palace until the trial is over.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. I offer all my deepest gratitude to the Emperor.”
The punishment, which was initially beheading, ended in probation, so even Prince Merrick could not protest anymore. Prince Merrick thanked him as he trembled. The Duke, who had almost passed the threshold of death because of something he had committed while living, stood up with a dazed expression on his face. The Emperor cut him off with a blunt gesture as if he didn’t want to see him.
“Go away.”
The Emperor, who had expelled and dismissed Prince Merrick, clicked his tongue in annoyance. Countess Patrí, who tried to hide her joy, handed the cold teacup to her lady-in-waiting, poured fresh tea into a new cup, and offered it to the Emperor. The Emperor barely managed to quench his anger as he drank his tea with a rich rose scent.
“Foolish prick.”
The Emperor spat out in a mutter.
“Don’t do that too much, Your Majesty. What would a young Duke know?”
As has always been the case, Countess Patrí took Prince Merrick’s side.
“What do you mean young? He is already twenty-seven years old. How could a person who is a member of the imperial family of a country behave like that? If he was in a relationship, he should have just kept it in the dark. What the hell is a divorce trial? Is it normal to stay as a child in his little imaginative bubble?”
“As Your Majesty would say, there is nothing more romantic than that for a woman. I am rather envious of Baroness Amieux. It is like someone as noble as an Emperor’s kin wants you at the risk of the serious crime of divorce. Who in the world is like that? I never imagined that Prince Merrick could be so romantic.”
Countess Patrí smiled brightly and gave a naive voice. She looked incredibly innocent, flushed like a little girl, and envious of the unrealistic story.
Seeing this, the Emperor made a strange expression as if he was about to laugh. It’s like he’s shocked by the absurd remarks she makes, but at the same time, he was unable to scold her as she cutely spoke nonsense without any hesitation.
“Now that I see, it is you, not the Duke, who is still young. No matter how much you love romance, what nonsense is it to bring romance into a divorce? Seems like there is nothing you cannot say in front of the Emperor, the number one protector of the Great Code.”
The Emperor lightly rebuked the Countess. Countess Patrí smiled sweetly at the words that were more mature than a mere scolding.
“I am saying this only because I am in front of Your Majesty. Is it not a given that I would always like to be honest with Your Majesty? Or is it that Your Majesty does not want me not to be honest?”
The Emperor finally surrendered to the imperial concubine who responded with a sugar-sweet smile. He shook his head with a wry smile. Shaking his head, he murmured lowly.
“I cannot take it, Adelaide. I cannot win against you.”
Following the low sound of the Emperor’s laughter, the stiff air in the room was gently released. Those who had been frozen like icicles as they observed the Emperor’s mood relaxed, grateful for the timely charm of Countess Patrí.
When the harsh atmosphere had somewhat subsided, Countess Patrí blinked and signaled the next petitioner. The petitioner, noticing her signal, quickly stepped forward.
The caller called out the petitioner’s name. The smiling Emperor turned his head to look at the petitioners as if he had just realized that they were present.
The audience resumed as if nothing had happened.
T/N: hello there! i would like to explain what the emperor mainly uses to refer to himself, which is 짐 (rom: jim), a pronoun exclusive to monarchs in korean. after some ‘research’, i found out there’s an english equivalent to it, which is called ‘the royal we, majestic plural’. though i could’ve left it as it is, a normal ‘I’, the distinction between the pronouns is pretty important… you’ll see why ;p when he does say ‘I’ in the translations, in korean, he’s usually not… but unfortunately, that’s just how translations work ;[
please make sure to read the linked post in the description for further details on the background setting of this novel.
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How powerful! Gorgeous confusion!
I’m in confusion with that little part:
“in the case of France, it is said that in many cases, in order to give the King’s paramour a title, her husband was often the one promoted.”
The husband and the King are both titles of one person? I feel it is… But–
You also have a beautiful translation style or is this the style of the original?
hello! about that part, it simply means that the king’s lover, a married woman as hinted by the author, would be able to rise higher in social ranks through her legal partner, which is why the king would promote the husband for the sake of his lover. i hope this made sense :]
and whilst translating is a lot of work, the credit definitely goes to the author >< i’m glad you’re liking it so far
Oooh! Thank you! Now I finally understand that part 🙂
Wouldn’t 1 dinar be 2,500 roux cause 50 × 50 is 2500
not sure where you got the other 50 from but gold coins are dinars, with 50 dells and 250 roux each being the value of 1 dinar. plus the author added the korean currency in a way to convey the value of 1 dinar to the readers and i converted that to us dollars for you all :]
See 1 dinar is 50 dell and 1 dell is 50 roux right so shouldn’t 1 dinar be 2500 roux
IM GONNA CHECK THE RAWS AGAIN… aaand the raws say 250 roux instead shdjshdks probably a typo by the author since it’s pretty common for them to do that ;;; i’ll change it to 2500 roux for everyone’s sanity o.o and tysm for pointing it out hehe^^
I have seen such mistakes in other novels before and thought that I should point it out
Is the emperor the ML?
yes! it is mentioned in the description of the novel too ;3