After he met with the Emperor, Raphael felt quite upset, but for Kristin’s sake, he could endure it. He had asked the Emperor to find those who were trying to kill her, so he believed someone would be caught soon.

Lost in thought, as he exited the corridor from the audience room and approached the grand banquet hall, someone called out to him.

“Are you, by any chance, Duke Raphael? I am Princess Rebella of the Praga Empire.”

It was Princess Rebella, the woman he had married in his past life.

The Praga Empire had one crown prince and two princes, with Rebella being the only princess.

This meant that if anything happened to the crown prince and the princes, Princess Rebella would have the power to make decisions regarding the Praga Empire.

Rebella desired the authority to govern the empire, but since it was rare for a princess to ascend to the throne, she needed to align herself with a powerful noble from a neighboring country.

Given that the power struggle between the crown prince, the two princes, and the princess was not well established, Rebella needed someone powerful by her side.

Coincidentally, Lucas Aedon, the Emperor of the Union Empire, was allied with the Praga Empire, and since the Union Empire was the most powerful among the neighboring nations, she decided to align herself with its strength.

Rebella needed to ensure that she would have the means to rise again no matter what happened to her in the future.

Thus, she had written to the Emperor expressing her desire to marry a noble of at least a duke’s status from the Union Empire, and the Emperor, not wanting to miss this opportunity, decided to introduce her to Raphael.
The alliance between the two empires posed a significant threat to other nations and was a mutually beneficial arrangement for both individuals involved.

Therefore, Rebella had to marry Raphael, though she had to endure hearing strange rumors from her courtiers for a while.

Rumors like:

“The Duke of Rodney from the Union Empire is said to be marrying Kristin Edith.”

“Princess Rebella, I heard that Duke Raphael was recently rejected.”

These kinds of rumors were circulating.

But what was even more outrageous and hurtful to her pride was the fact that the woman he intended to marry was the daughter of a viscount from a declining household.

She, a princess of an empire, was deeply offended by the fact that the woman Raphael wanted to marry was a mere viscount’s daughter of little standing.

Rebella had already received a portrait of Raphael from the Emperor of the Union Empire, so she had a rough idea of what he looked like.

She had planned to make Raphael feel the full extent of the wounds to her pride when she finally met him.

But when she faced Raphael, whom she had only imagined, Rebella found herself unable to reproach him.

The moment she saw his appearance, she was captivated without realizing it.

His neatly styled black hair and the piercing black eyes that gazed at her were unlike anything she had ever seen in the Praga Empire.

His handsome features were more than enough to shake Rebella’s heart.

Rebella had never truly fallen in love with anyone before, so she found this new feeling disconcerting. However, she believed that if the Emperor of the Union Empire supported their relationship, marrying Raphael would not be difficult.

A viscount’s daughter from a ridiculous household.

A father who killed his wife and married a commoner.

A stepsister who, after running away from the mansion, was said to be living a life of debauchery.

Rebella had already had Kristin Edith investigated and thought there was no comparison between herself and such a woman.

The more she thought about it, the more she felt that it was a good thing that the woman had broken off the engagement with Raphael.

Even though she was delighted after seeing Raphael in person in the palace corridor, Raphael merely glanced at her and, without paying her any further attention, said:

“Ah, hello, Princess Rebella. It’s an honor to meet you.”

Though his words were polite, his face was full of displeasure, and Rebella tilted her head in confusion at his cold reaction.

Not knowing what the problem was, she nervously touched her face. Just then, a court official came rushing toward them, saying,

“Oh, you’re already here? I didn’t realize you’d arrived so early. I sincerely apologize.”

“It’s alright. No need to worry,” Rebella responded.

“The grand banquet hall is ready, so you can head straight there. Your Grace, will you join us?” the official said.

“I was on my way there,” Raphael replied.

“Yes, I was just introducing myself to His Grace,” Rebella added.

“Ah, you’ve already introduced yourselves, I see. Are the others following right behind you?” the official asked, looking a bit puzzled as he glanced behind Rebella.

Traditionally, some of the nobles from the Praga Empire should have accompanied her. But today, Rebella arrived at the banquet hall with only her maids.

The official found this unusual and inquired, but Rebella’s response was surprisingly straightforward.

“Oh, I told them that they didn’t need to come. What would they talk about anyway? It’s sufficient for you to speak with me alone. Matters concerning the alliance between our empires can be discussed with me as well. Besides,” Rebella paused and then turned her gaze to Raphael.

He still wasn’t looking her in the eyes. Given what she’d heard of him—cold and distant—perhaps this was just how he treated everyone. In a way, this seemed more honest to Rebella than if he had flattered or fawned over her.

As a princess, she thought it would be pathetic for anyone to grovel at her feet.

Rebella recalled all the other nobles and foreign crown princes who had pestered her in the past. Seeing how different Raphael was from them only made her like him more.

“I see. Well, there’s plenty of food prepared, so please help yourselves and enjoy,” the official said cautiously, looking at both Raphael and Rebella.

With her long, chestnut hair and flawless porcelain skin, Rebella’s beauty stood out. Just seeing her and Raphael standing together made them appear like a perfect match.

To the official, who had only seen Raphael trailing after Kristin Edith, Rebella seemed so radiant that he couldn’t help but think these two would make a great pair.

“I’ll guide you to the hall. Please follow me,” he said.

With that, Raphael and Rebella followed the official to the grand banquet hall.

At that moment, the Emperor also arrived, and the three of them sat together at the table.

* * *

“I have heard so much about you, Duke, from His Majesty. I regretted not meeting you in person sooner, but I am just so happy to see you today,” Rebella said with a smile.

“Ha ha ha. Is that so? What Duke Raphael needs now is just to meet a good woman. While he already possesses considerable wealth, he will undoubtedly acquire even more in the future. I have quite a bit of trust in Duke Raphael,” said Emperor Lucas Aedon, laughing alongside Rebella.

Raphael felt nothing but discomfort in this setting. He glanced at Rebella for a moment.

In his past life, Princess Rebella had often shown herself to be stubborn, selfish, and authoritative. She had no interest in doing anything she didn’t want to do and was quick to replace her maids at the slightest mistake.

Marrying her had been partly due to the Emperor’s suggestion but mainly because Raphael believed that being with her would bring him even greater wealth.
Their relationship had been nothing but a matter of convenience for Raphael.

The main difference between them was that Raphael was purely using Rebella for his own gain, whereas Rebella seemed to have developed some small affection for him, despite his intentions.

Yet Raphael was curious about what had become of her after he died in the previous life, though he knew he couldn’t ask her directly. He thought it best to express his intentions clearly and leave as soon as possible. Finishing the food before him and taking a sip of water, he prepared to make his exit.

Seeing his haste, Rebella asked with concern,

“You seem to have finished your meal already. Is there something urgent you need to attend to?”

Raphael replied calmly,

“Indeed, I have an appointment to meet the woman who will be my duchess. I find myself in quite a hurry.”

“What? A woman who will become your duchess?” Rebella’s face fell at his words.

“What do you mean by that? I heard that you were engaged but were jilted by the lady. Are you saying now that there is another lady involved?” Rebella stopped eating, her knife lying idle on her plate.

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