Before people scattered to take a break and before the banquet began, Rensley, who had been waiting in a room on the second floor, received news that Gezell was calling him. He headed to the reception room used for welcoming guests when meeting dignitaries.
In the northern lands, external guests occasionally roamed around. However, since he had never welcomed guests as a duke before, entering the intimate reception room attached to the Duke’s room, rather than the main hall or the office, was a first for him.
“I have arrived.”
Upon entering the room and greeting, Rensley found Gezell, Frida, and Anton seated inside.
Rensley was secretly surprised. Frida, who had just finished her makeover, seemed like a different person than when they met in front of the castle gate.
Whether she had taken a bath or not, the muddy dust that had clung to her had disappeared, and her tousled hair had turned into shiny black strands after being combed. The scarlet velvet dress she wore was provocative yet elegantly suited her.
“Oh, it’s the knight we met earlier.”
Frida pretended to be the first to recognize him. Without explaining, Gezell gestured, and Rensley quickly approached his side. While Frida smiled mischievously, she asked.
“You said you would introduce the Duchess, but are you only showing us the envoy of Duchess?”
“No. This person is my partner, my lady.”
Due to Gezell’s abrupt introduction, Rensley was the most bewildered. He barely managed to suppress a gasp.
Gezell’s large hand rested on Rensley’s shoulder. While Frida raised an eyebrow, introductions continued calmly.
“Let me introduce. This is Rensley Maelrosen, who came from Cornia.”
“Your Grace, it seems you’ve played a trick in my absence. Quite an amusing development”
She chuckled, treating it as a joke. However, realizing that neither Gezell, Rensley, nor Anton laughed, she quickly furrowed her brow.
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.
“Is it true?”
“It is indeed.”
“Is this man your Duchess?”
“I know you already know, but there used to be a male Duchess in Aldrant. There’s no reason I can’t marry a man just because I’m the Duke.”
“Well, there might be no reason, but…”
Frida looked at Rensley with a perplexed expression. Rensley, seeing her expression, quickly burst into laughter.
“Nice to meet you, Princess Frida. I was very curious about what kind of person you are after hearing stories from His Grace and the commander. Meeting you in person, you’re even more impressive than I imagined.”
“I’m also glad to meet you, but this is truly beyond my imagination.”
Gezell explained the long story to Frida. From Pheraira’s Emperor request to the King of Cornia to send a daughter to Ivet’s escape, Rensley being sent instead of his sister, the plan to temporarily make Rensley the acting Duchess and slowly prepare for the next marriage to create the best possible outcome for everyone, and that only a few people were sharing the secret for now.
Even after hearing the whole story, Frida’s uneasy expression did not change much. After silently listening, she questioned like an investigator.
“Congratulations on your mutual affection. However, what would you say to the Emperor?”
“If it’s Pheraira’s Emperor, wouldn’t he be pleased to pretend not to mind? A marriage that has nothing to do with power and an expansion of influence, it’s unlikely to be a significant problem. There might be some noise, but it won’t be a major issue.”
“Hmm… Whether between men or between women, I’ve never thought much about same-sex love. There’s no law in Aldrant prohibiting same-sex marriage either. It’s just…”
Even before the next words came out, he had a hunch. Rensley bit his inner lip.
“The reason same-sex marriage is rare in the royal family is because of the heir issue. What will you do about that?”
“There is no law that says my child must be the heir. There are many families with royal bloodline, so somewhere, a child eligible for selection will come forward. It has always been like this when an heir from the king’s direct descendants is not born. So, there’s no need to worry hastily.”
This answer wasn’t exactly refreshing, and Frida’s expression remained awkward. She looked back and forth between Rensley and Gezell, then finally nodded as if she understood.
“I believe that royal marriages should be necessary unions.”
“…”
“But yes, we are a bit different from other countries. While others marry for the sake of power, it is customary for our king to accept a spouse chosen by the emperor. It serves as a symbol of peace, indicating that Aldrant will not pose a threat to the empire.”
“That’s correct. Therefore, I think the emperor will accept the appointment of Duchess Maelrosen as the consort. Once it’s acknowledged by the emperor, domestic public opinion will stabilize soon.”
“I understand. The Duchess belongs to the Duke, and I, who will be in the north throughout the year, won’t interfere with the vigorous affairs of the Duke. However…”
Frida emphasized her words. It seemed like the main point was about to be discussed.
“I don’t have any plans for marriage yet. So, please don’t mention anything like giving birth to a child in place of the Duchess within a year.”
“I have no intention of violating your freedom, my lady.”
“Good. Duchess, I’ll rely on you in the future.”
“Yes, yes. I’ll do my best.”
Rensley, who had expected a more complicated discussion, was taken aback by how quickly the meeting ended. However, he was the only one surprised; the trio of Aldrant natives seemed unphased.
“Now, wouldn’t it be better for us to go down to the banquet hall?”
Everyone rose at Frida’s words. As she walked towards the door, she suddenly turned to look at Rensley with a smile.
“Ah, well. Since you’ve already seen it, I can’t secretly feed you the snake I brought as a gift. Your Grace, it’s good for your health, so give it a try. Occasionally, the palace guards boil or grill it as a special treat for the Emperor’s well-being.”
“Ha, hahaha… Thank you.”
Exiting into the corridor, the four walked in pairs, two in front and two behind. Normally, the Duke and Duchess would stand in front of or beside the guests, but for some reason, Rensley wanted to walk behind Frida.
Gezell walked alongside Rensley without saying a word. Rensley, who quickly became friendly with anyone, felt strangely uneasy about dealing with the princess he met today. Come to think of it, it was the same in Cornia. Despite growing up in the royal family, Rensley had never felt comfortable with the people of the royal family. Gezell was undoubtedly an eccentric person; in any country, members of the royal family seemed to carry a similar aura of sharpness.
Princess Frida would undoubtedly be a good person, and Rensley couldn’t discern any malice from her. But for now, it was clear that she didn’t like this marriage.
“I’m sorry. Was it uncomfortable for me to introduce you so suddenly?”
Rensley, who rarely found dealing with people uncomfortable, seemed to have noticed that Gezell, who usually didn’t care about people’s feelings, was making an effort. He lowered his voice and spoke. Rensley shook his head. It was not right to make him concerned about his discomfort.
“No. Since we met for the first time today, I’m just being cautious not to appear unfriendly. We’ll become friends soon.”
“Who would hate you? You’re originally straightforward and cheerful but spending too much time at the castle defense has made you a bit rougher. She’s a good person; you can treat her comfortably.”
“Yes. You don’t need to worry.”
It wasn’t just empty words; he really believed that. Although members of the royal family were all somewhat similar, both Gezell and Princess Frida seemed to lack the authoritarian presence that Rensley had seen from others.
Anton and Frida, who were walking ahead, were also engaged in conversation. Rensley discreetly listened to their conversation.
“I’m not saying I will never marry, but Anton, how long do you plan to remain single? No matter how popular a handsome knight commander you are, as you get older, there will be fewer and fewer women willing to be taken by you.”
“Well, when the time comes, I’ll meet someone.”
“How is your father doing?”
“He’s well. Please come visit when you have time; he wishes to see the princess.”
“That’s what I plan to do. I’ll visit before returning to the castle defense.”
With each word from the princess, Anton responded with a gentle and faint smile. Rensley watched them from behind.
Princess Frida walking ahead, Anton walking beside her, their expressions. It was a slightly different sight from the Anton Sorel, the commander he knew.
Thank you!
Anton & Frida … I smell love in the air
ur welcomeee~😁💛
sniff I smell unrequited love😈