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As she took her steps carefully, she reached the entrance of the Imperial banquet hall. When the huge door opened, the colorful chandelier light first caught her eyes.
“Your Grace Tertius. Welcome.”
The royal servants and knights lined up and politely greeted Leon and Dana.
“Long time no see, Your Grace.”
As they entered, Leon and the nobles looked at one another, and they crept up to talk to him. Dana squeezed her grip on Leon’s hand, and the voice of the chief, much louder than before, resonated across the banquet hall.
“His Majesty is coming! Please be polite, everyone! His Majesty is coming.”
The knights and soldiers straightened their shoulders, and fanfare rang across the banquet hall. All the nobles, who were gathering in twos and threes, stopped and paid attention to the door.
The Emperor and Empress walked into the middle of the banquet hall, lightly looking through them.
The Emperor seemed to stop walking for a while in front of Leon and Dana, but he hardened his mouth and continued on his way. One of the people who followed was Princess Christine, who had known Leon before.
The Emperor climbed up to the podium and turned around. The performance stopped, and everyone quietly focused on him.
“Thank you all for coming to the founding day ceremony like this. I hope you enjoy your stay without any accidents.”
In commemoration of the founding day of the Haschel Empire, large and small banquets and party balls were held every year in the capital for about a month, starting with imperial banquets.
The nobles stayed in the capital throughout that period and participated in various events. High-ranking aristocrats had a residence in the Imperial Palace, and other people stayed at their relatives’ houses and inns. So the capital in this period was populated and noisy throughout, with both people and money gathering.
At the end of the Emperor’s congratulatory speech, cheerful and bright music played again, and the banquet began in earnest.
Leon led Dana to the podium where the Emperor and Empress sat slowly. In one corner above the podium, Princess Christine of the Ellard Kingdom was also seated.
“Your Majesty the Bright Emperor, on the occasion of the founding of the country, I, Leon Tertius, greet you.”
Leon greeted the Emperor with a monotonous tone. As Leon bent down, Dana greeted him according to etiquette.
“Oh, you are here. Grand Duke Tertius. It’s really hard to see your face.”
The Emperor’s eyes, which welcomed him, looked at Leon and stayed with Dana. As his gaze stayed longer than expected, Leon tried to introduce her first. But at the same time, the Emperor opened his mouth.
“She’s a beautiful woman. Even if she is the most beautiful woman in this empire, she can’t be inferior. Is that why you’re so into it that you can’t get your head around it?”
The Emperor was smiling and praising, but somewhere in there was a bone in his words. Leon was not agitated by it but introduced Dana.
“Your majesty, I will raise greetings. The woman who promised to marry me.”
“I’m Dana Deniz.”
As the introduction and greeting continued, the emperor’s expression which had been calm, hardened.
“Did you just say marriage?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“…Dana Deniz. Deniz, if it’s Deniz…”
Although she was not a noblewoman, the Emperor could not have known. Although its momentum has declined recently, the Deniz merchant group had a size and organization that would be second to none within the Haschel Empire and on the continent.
“Russell Deniz at the Deniz merchant is my late father.”
“You, Grand Duke Tertius. Yeah, I understand. Sometimes you fall in love with a woman and your judgment can be blurred. Furthermore, you haven’t been close to a woman so far, so that’s understandable. But, there are many ways to keep a woman you like by your side, even if it’s not marriage. Is it because you don’t have enough money?”
The Emperor tried to persuade Leon and Dana with a subtle negative nuance about their marriage. It was a fully anticipated response.
“Your Majesty, the conclusion was agreed upon, being that she’s the woman who was decided by the family and the woman I chose.”
“…The Duke allowed this?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
The Emperor closed his mouth and looked around the banquet hall. He wanted to call in Duke Owen Tertius right away to ask, but he had not yet been seen as if he had not come here yet.
No matter what the Emperor felt, he did not have the authority to directly intervene in and order the marriage of individual aristocrats. The Emperor looked sideways at Princess Christine and sighed.
“Well, I can’t do it if you’ve decided so. But please be careful… I hope you think about it again. Anyway, during this founding day, stay a while and visit me often.”
It seemed a little disappointing, but the emperor stepped down sooner than expected. He did not want to cause conflict with Leon, his strong political ally.
“Yes, Your Majesty. Then I’ll step back.”
Duke Hamilton, who was watching them from behind, smiled and muttered to himself.
“I was wondering what an incredible family you were from, at least a merchant’s daughter… Anyway, where did this guy go? Why can’t I see Rian? Hales?”
“Oh, he said he was going to be a little late.”
“Anyway, there’s nothing I like about him. Come to think of it, I’m in no position to talk about others.”
Watching the Duke of Hamilton disappear with his tongue rattling, Hales couldn’t say anything. When they met at the academy, Hales thought Rian was a competent and caring person.
So despite the opposition of the Duke of Hamilton, she insisted on marrying Rian.
However, when the marriage continued, it was very different from what she thought. she couldn’t explain it in any way.
In any case, Rian was performing all the management of the “part visible to others”, which is an essential virtue of the nobleman, and the “duty as a husband”. And his attitude toward Hales was also one of his caring aspects.
Hales shook her head slightly and tried to erase the thoughts slowly blooming.
It’s probably just my emotions. Let’s not think about useless things.
Hales waited for him and tried hard to turn her gaze toward the door. Everyone had their eyes on them.
The nobles showed great interest but did not easily approach Leon and Dana.
Leon had given off such a cold and indifferent atmosphere so far. Even when he was spoken to, there was no response. Even so, it was a little strange because there was also no communication with the next Grand Duchess.
Soon, however, Hales could sense a feeling of disgust for the low status in the eyes of the nobles. It was the gaze she received when she married Rian.
Hales deliberately walked toward Dana with loud footsteps, as if she had made up her mind.
“Hello, Grand Prince Tertius, and… Dana Deniz. I am honored to have met the one who will become the next Grand Duchess.”
Hales held her skirt in both hands and bowed gracefully. Dana was embarrassed by her greeting, but she bowed lightly with as soft an expression as possible.
“Yes, hello.”
“My name is Hales Hamilton.”
Rian entered the banquet hall in a hurry. He rubbed and erased the lipstick marks on the back of his neck. Then, while looking around for Duke Hamilton in the distance, he first found Hales and slowly walked toward her.