Chapter 6 (Part 6)
The more Yuliana talked about Rybid, the stranger Matthias felt.
“Pope Rybid is not someone you can reason with. He calls me by my nickname without permission, and even though I said I was escorted by my lover, he didn’t give up. He was even rude to Anthus.”
Matthias and Louis were surprised to see Yuliana dislike someone so much.
“Father, Brother, why are you looking at me with such wide eyes?”
“It’s the first time I’ve seen you dislike someone so much.”
“Is this the first time you’re bad-mouthing someone, Sister?”
“I dislike Pope Rybid. I can say I dislike him to his face.”
Yuliana recalled how Pope Rybid made Anthus cry and killed the deer he had saved.
“If a forced marriage proposal comes from the Holy Kingdom… Lia, you would have to go to the Holy Kingdom.”
The Holy Kingdom is a sacred territory protected by the gods. Many empires in the past coveted it, but those who invaded received divine punishment. It is an absolutely inviolable territory. That is the Holy Kingdom.
“If I get engaged, the marriage proposal from the Holy Kingdom will be automatically rejected, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then I will get engaged to the Duke.”
“Lia.”
“Yes, Father.”
“If you’re agreeing to the engagement just to avoid going to the Holy Kingdom…”
Matthias couldn’t finish his sentence. The best way to keep Yuliana from going to the Holy Kingdom was to get engaged to Anthus.
“No, Father. I want to get engaged to the Duke.”
“Love means staying by someone’s side without any conditions.”
Matthias thought of Rosaline as he spoke.
“I don’t really understand the feeling of love, but when I think of the Duke, I can’t help but smile. It’s strange to see myself like that, but it makes me feel good. Even if the Duke had nothing, I would want to be by his side. Without any conditions.”
“Alright. That feeling is enough.”
Matthias gently stroked Yuliana’s head.
“I will submit the engagement papers to His Majesty the Emperor today. But remember this one thing.”
Yuliana perked up her ears to hear what Matthias had to say.
“The only ones who will stand by your side without any conditions are your family.”
“Yes, I will remember.”
* * *
The engagement with Anthus was decided.
In the garden of the Earl’s mansion, Yuliana sat on a bench, staring blankly at the sky. She looked at the sky as it darkened.
“I got engaged.”
That thought was short-lived as she sensed someone approaching. Yuliana looked through the trees and flowers in the garden. Her lips naturally curled up.
“You were here, Lia.”
Yuliana got up from the bench and ran to Anthus.
“Don’t run, Lia. I’ll come to you.”
“Did you come by teleportation?”
“I was on my way back from the imperial palace and missed you so much.”
Anthus, who had approached, kissed Yuliana’s hand and smiled happily.
Anthus’s golden hair fluttered in the wind.
“Lia, didn’t you miss me?”
“I was just thinking about you, Yan.”
Anthus gently played with Yuliana’s golden hair blowing in the wind and embraced her shoulders.
“Today, His Majesty ordered a thorough investigation of the monsters. And Pope Rybid has urgently returned to the Holy Kingdom.”
“Returned?”
“And Pope Rybid said he would come to the Sirius Empire soon to purify the land contaminated by the new monsters. He also told His Majesty that there are no monsters that divine power cannot affect.”
“What does that mean?”
“The Pope suggests it might be a curse.”
“A curse? But Anton said it was alchemy.”
The monsters infused with divine power moved without being affected.
“When attacking the monsters with spells imbued with divine power, it felt like the resentment felt when someone is cursed.”
“If it’s a curse… Does that mean the new monsters are the work of a dark mage?”
Yuliana thought of the events in the village of Luteons and furrowed her brow. The unpleasant worry wouldn’t leave her mind.
“Although we don’t know everything yet, it’s clear the situation is serious.”
Anthus pulled Yuliana closer, his face telling her not to worry.
“I will protect you, Yuliana Loengrin, with my life.”
Anthus embraced her slender shoulders, kissed her flushed cheek lightly, and then kissed her earlobe. If he hadn’t had any reason left, he might have laid Yuliana down in the garden.
“I told Father that I want to get engaged to you, Yan, and he agreed. Now we can proudly introduce each other as fiancés wherever we go.”
“Yes, my fiancée. I look forward to it.”
Anthus accepted the engagement instead of marriage with regret but saw it as a step back to make ten steps forward.
“Since you’re here at the Earl’s mansion, have dinner before you go.”
“If you invite me, I will gratefully accept.”
Matthias clicked his tongue inwardly, seeing Yuliana bring Anthus back from her walk in the garden.
“You couldn’t wait and came to the Earl’s mansion?”
“Yes. I missed Lia so much on my way back from the imperial palace. Thank you for accepting the engagement.”
Matthias knew how much Anthus hated being apart from Yuliana. Seeing Anthus smiling brightly beside Yuliana even at the dinner table, Matthias couldn’t help but smile slightly.
“Duke, thank you for taking good care of our Lia.”
As a father, Matthias acknowledged Anthus as his son-in-law. And if it could stop the marriage with Pope Rybid, the engagement with Anthus was not a bad thing.
After dinner, Anthus escorted Yuliana to her room, exchanged regretful farewells, and then went to Matthias’s office.
“Please sit, Duke.”
As soon as they sat down, Matthias got straight to the point with Anthus.
“Do you have something to say?”
“Yes.”
“Please speak freely, Duke.”
“His Majesty does not want the noble faction’s power to grow any further.”
Matthias nodded.
“But how to reduce the power of the noble faction…”
“I have already made plans.”
“What plans have you made?”
“Soon, there will be a territorial war between the Rockbellion family and the Fedeurus family.”
Matthias blinked in surprise. Hearing such unbelievable words, his heart sank.
“Did I hear wrong? Did you say a territorial war? With that detestable Fedeurus?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Matthias was so shocked that he stood up from the sofa without realizing it.
“A territorial war won’t necessarily reduce the power of the noble faction!”
A territorial war would cause significant harm to the people living in the territory, so it was never done, no matter how bad the relationship was.
Moreover, the financial damage would be immense. It also required the Emperor’s permission, and there had to be a clear reason for the territorial war to obtain that permission.
“This will definitely reduce the power of the noble faction.”
“A pretext is needed for a territorial war.”
“Of course, I do.”
Anthus’s expression gradually hardened.
“Do you know about the nasty rumors regarding Lia recently?”
“Are you talking about the rumors that our Lia was two-timing Young Lord Beonar and you even before the engagement was broken?”
“The person who spread those rumors is none other than Young Lord Beonar. Do you know what he said about me after the rumors were settled? He called me the man who picked up the woman he threw away.”
“A woman he threw away…”
Matthias’s hands trembled.
“He treated my daughter like trash.”
Matthias held his forehead, feeling a pain that seemed to split his heart into a thousand, ten thousand pieces.
“I am not a kind man who can overlook insults to my woman. He will pay for touching her.”
“Is there anything I can help you with?”
“Not at the moment.”
“Please let me know anytime you need help.”
Matthias looked at Anthus with a suppressed anger.
“The Rockbellion house will handle everything. Father, just watch what your son-in-law does. And… after the territorial war, Marquis Fedeurus will completely turn to the Emperor’s faction.”
“Even if you win the territorial war, the noble faction won’t change their minds and join the Emperor’s faction. Moreover, Marquis Fedeurus is the leader of the noble faction!”
Matthias couldn’t understand what scheme Anthus had planned.
“You will understand once the territorial war is over. I have been planning this for nine years.”
“Nine years ago…”
“Just know that my heart and every word I say are never light.”
Matthias looked at Anthus once again. He would be a troublesome enemy, but as an ally, he was endlessly reliable.
“If it ensures our Lia’s happiness, I am prepared to accept even a demon king as my son-in-law.”
“Fortunately, I am not a demon king, so please welcome me, Father.”
“Of course, son-in-law.”
“I like the sound of being called son-in-law.”
Anthus narrowed his eyes and spoke meaningfully.
“And could you show me the marriage proposals and engagement letters that have come for Lia?”
“Please wait a moment.”
Matthias approached his drawer, opened a locked compartment, and handed two sheets of paper to Anthus.
“I don’t have the actual proposals or engagement letters, but I have listed the names of the senders on this paper.”
“Thank you for your consideration.”
Anthus looked at the paper with a cold gaze. It was just as he thought.
“The families listed here are all part of the noble faction.”
“Yes.”
The nobles of the Emperor’s faction didn’t send engagement or marriage proposals to Earl Loengrin’s mansion, knowing that Yuliana would become the Duchess of Rockbellion.
But the noble faction was different. They were unpleasant proposals and engagement letters, sent with the attitude of ‘let’s try our luck since we can’t have her.’
“It seems I’ll have to clean up the trash soon.”
Anthus smiled coldly as he looked at the documents, knowing that while Yuliana wouldn’t be tempted, there were those who would try to break into her heart with a hammer.
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