Chapter 61 – Duke Against Marquess

The Marquess spoke in a low voice that showed his changed mood as soon as Edwin mentioned the Emperor from his lips.

“Now you want to get back to where you used to be, so you’re moving ahead with His Highness. Is that what you’re saying?”

“No, never. He wants to regain his old position, or at least that’s what it looks like he wants.”

“Duke, my lord!”

“How could you say such a…”

The nobles on either side of Marquess Calvino all opposed and stood straight up, but Edwin didn’t take his eyes off of the Marquess. Marquess Calvino, whose hands had been tightly gripped above the table, slanted his mouth in awe.

“You’ve said enough. It seems like what you want to say is I’m after the Emperor’s throne. You’ve gone a step too far, Duke. How could you misunderstand his desire to achieve such a lofty position on your behalf?”

“Lofty position? Do you really think that the Grand Duke wants the position of imperial prestige?”

“What else can it be if that’s not his dream? He was born the child of a king and already has the power to conquer the world. You, Duke Calvino, can do what the emperor is unable to do. Because of that, isn’t that why Count Russell is also following him?”

“As long as you keep dreaming, he’s going to decide; it’s not something we can decide. You have the power, but you haven’t used it for yourself so far. I think it is right to protect what His Highness really wants.”

The Marquess, who looked silently at Edwin continuing to carry out his opinion without being pushed back, said with a short breath,

“We’re really not on the same page. I’ve felt it for a long time.”

“I agree.”

For many generations, there had been some bad blood between the two families, but from Marquess Calvino and Edwin’s generation, the relationship grew further and further apart. Even though they were from the same aristocracy, the two families had different goals.

Marquess Calvino, a radical aristocrat who opposed the tyranny of the present emperor, and Duke Celeste, a modern aristocrat who sought to find a point of harmony between the emperor and the grand duke.

There were frequent disagreements, but today was the first time they’d come out with this intensity. The nobles from each branch stuck sitting between the two men ruffled around, unable to do a thing but pass the time by reading the atmosphere.

“No matter what, we’re at a point where I don’t think there’s anything else to discuss. For the first time in a while, I have a good day ahead of me. Did we have to do this, Duke? For a father with a wise daughter, you sure haven’t thought much about this.”

“This has nothing to do with my daughter.”

“Your daughter will be the wife of His Highness. How can it have nothing to do with her when she is going to be my granddaughter-in-law? Or are you saying that it’s okay if there’s no marriage?”

“Can you make it to where the wedding doesn’t happen?”

The Marquess’ mouth snapped shut after hearing Edwin speak so freely. Destruction of matrimony. It was possible to do, but from the Marquess’ standpoint, no other man met the standards of Duke Celeste’s daughter.

Among those in the radical party, there was no one of similar age, and the modern party was full of men who’d lost their high ranks. It was impossible to choose from the neutralists.

It would make a lot of noise, but the Marquess would be pretty embarrassed if they really moved on to breaking up the marriage. With a strained calm look on his face, he quietly sucked his teeth and carefully turned away.

“I’ll think about it. When our task is done, His Highness will take the throne and your daughter will be the empress, a more prestigious position than a grand duchess. She’ll be the Queen of the empire. Would you turn down such a good opportunity for your daughter? Is it not honorable enough for her?”

“Even though it will indeed be good for her, I think she’ll refuse it. She would say that His Highness’s opinion comes first.”

“How do you know that, duke?”

“Because she’s my daughter.”

Edwin, who replied quicker and sterner than ever before, refrained from saying the remaining words on the tip of his tongue. He knew exactly how amazing and honorable it was for his daughter to become the empress of the empire. However, in his mind, the current Tiana wouldn’t have a single interest in it.

Edwin recalled the time before her accident when she had had duties as a duke’s daughter, but she had wanted to meet a good spouse and have a normal family. He thought about the time she had said she wanted to be in a marriage like her mother and father. Thoughts of Tiana shyly smiling and thoughts of seeing her as the empress were overlapped today.

Edwin reassured: the Tiana today will surely consider Lucius’ thoughts before her own. She might be more suited than Edwin to determine what was better for him. He said with a light smile to the Marquess, who wanted to refute something more, but was speechless.

“How would you like to hear my daughter’s opinion, sir? Today they finally moved into the palace together. Oh, His Majesty would be in front of his royal audience right about now. Should I tell them to come here after they’re finished?”

Marquess Calvino nodded his head in reply.

Edwin, who was smiling joyfully, was stuck in his view, but he couldn’t find any other way to refute it, so he had to endure the boiling anger. When he thought of the Duke’s daughter he’d met in the past, she hadn’t seemed like the type to want the Empress’ position.