Chapter 1 (Part 5)

As soon as Meia returned to the duchy, she began planning the tea party.

Yudy, who was next to her, also enthusiastically offered to help Meia with the tea party preparations after a long time.

Knock, knock.

“Meia, it’s me.”

“Come in.”

Meryl, who opened the door and peeked her head in, stuck out her tongue cutely and shyly entered.

“What’s the matter?”

“I was wondering what you were doing.”

“I’m preparing for a tea party.”

“Why are you preparing a tea party?”

Meia looked at Meryl with a bitter smile and answered.

“Who else would prepare it if not me?”

With a puzzled expression, Meryl replied.

“Of course, the servants and the wives of the vassal families.”

Meryl had a knack for saying things that left people speechless.

“Preparing a tea party is one of the virtues a future Empress must have. Didn’t you know that?”

After thinking of the concept for the tea party, she would plan and have the servants prepare it.

Managing and supervising those servants was the job of the tea party host.

A tea party is not just a gathering to drink tea. It’s a rehearsal for a noble lady to show her leadership as the mistress of a household.

The people invited to the tea party don’t just come to drink tea. They look at how much effort the host put into the preparations.

It’s not just about ordering the servants to prepare everything.

Any mistakes or accidents that occur during the tea party are the responsibility of the host. That’s why the preparations must not be neglected.

“As an Empress, you can just order the people below.”

“It’s not just about giving orders.”

“Preparing a tea party is too much of a headache, so I won’t do it. If I become Empress, the ladies-in-waiting will do everything, so I won’t prepare for it.”

Seeing Meryl talk as if she was the future Empress made Meia uncomfortable.

She had a lot to say but felt it was better not to.

“Anyway, why did you come?”

“Oh, right! Dad is calling you.”

“It’s not ‘Dad,’ it’s ‘Father.’”

“Always correcting me but I’ll let it go today. Let’s go quickly.”

Meryl, who expressed her dissatisfaction while oddly excited, caught Meia’s attention.

Why is she in such a good mood?

‘Has the storm already arrived?’

Meia was suddenly overwhelmed by a sense of unease.

Meia followed Meryl to the study. Both Meryl and the Duke had very pleased expressions.

“Oh! Meia, come in.”

What’s making him so happy?

“What is it, uncle?”

“Well… um.”

“Please speak.”

The Duke, with a determined expression, began to speak to Meia.

“The royal palace has agreed to change the fiancée to Meryl.”

The words Meia didn’t want to hear pierced her ears and heart.

The situation she didn’t even want to think about had finally happened.

She had been expecting it anyway. The letters from the Empress, which used to come frequently, had stopped, and Crown Prince Patzraelli, claiming to be busy, didn’t come to see her or refused to meet her.

“What?”

“It was a political marriage for you, but Meryl likes the Crown Prince, so please yield to her.”

The Duke’s request for her to yield made Meia feel extremely unpleasant.

The Duke called it yielding, but it was clearly taking away. Her hands clenched involuntarily.

Crown Prince Patzraelli knew well that he needed the power of the Hatzbellua Duchy to secure his position against his half-brother, Demian.

She understood that it was a political marriage. But the reality of breaking off the engagement and the regret of not being able to keep the position her parents left for her made Meia feel distressed.

If only Crown Prince Patzraelli had explained the reason for breaking off the engagement… she could help him sit on the throne no matter what….

But after 10 years together, not even a single letter.

In the end, her suspicion that a storm was coming was correct.

She had confidently said in front of Meryl that the engagement wouldn’t be broken.

“Meia, are you feeling unwell?”

After 10 years together, it hurt her pride to be informed of a potential breakup by her uncle.

“Do I look unwell to you?”

“Of course. Your face is pale.”

“If that’s how you see it, then that must be it.”

Meryl, in a good mood, smiled brightly and watched Meia’s reaction.

“Anyway, I will become a good Empress for both of us.”

Meryl’s words were enough to tear Meia’s pride to shreds.

“It’s not confirmed yet. Uncle, please let me know when it’s confirmed. I will return to my room to prepare for the tea party.”

“If the fiancée changes, the previous engagement will be annulled.”

Meia stopped her steps as she was about to leave at Luman’s words.

Looking at Luman and Meryl, who spoke with certainty that the change would happen, Meia said,

“If by any chance the royal palace changes the fiancée to my cousin… please grant me two requests.”

She was angry. She resented Luman, who didn’t even search for her parents’ bodies, and Meryl, who was determined to take the position her parents left for her.

“Requests? Tell me. I’ll grant them within reason.”

“If the fiancée changes, I will go to the Mage Tower before my coming-of-age ceremony.”

“The Mage Tower…”

Luman also knew that Meia had a talent for magic.

“Because of the territorial war in the Sirius Empire, all the Mages from the Mage Tower went to Duke Rockbellion’s estate.”

“That war-crazed Sword Master?”

“So my master, Puring, also urgently returned to the Mage Tower. I have scroll studies I need to learn, and I want to go to the Mage Tower to study.”

“Go to the Mage Tower! Father, please let her go.”

Meryl was even more excited at the thought of Meia leaving for the Mage Tower.

“Yes, you should get some fresh air. Go to the Mage Tower.”

Luman nodded and gave his permission.

“Letting me go… It seems certain that the fiancée will be changed, uncle.”

The duke, caught off guard, cleared his throat.

“Ahem!”

“And the second request.”

At the mention of a second request, the duke squinted his eyes and looked at his niece.

“Speak.”

“Please allow me to marry the man I want. This will be documented and notarized by the temple.”

The duke fell into slight contemplation. He had planned to send her off in a political marriage to a known place, but he didn’t expect this clever contract.

‘She’s quick-witted.’

Moreover, a notarization by the temple must be honored, or divine punishment would follow.

“Hm.”

Looking at the contemplating duke, Meia spoke with earnest eyes.

“For the sake of your beloved niece, surely you will show that much generosity, right?”

For Luman, it was now more important to make Meryl the Crown Princess.

“If you grant both requests simultaneously.”

Seeing Luman hesitate, Meia swallowed a sigh and said,

“I’ll include this condition in the free marriage agreement.”

Luman’s eyebrow twitched.

“I will not marry any man from the Carpen Empire. Instead I, Meia of Hatzbellua, will marry the man of my choice.”

Luman considered Meia’s words carefully. It wasn’t a bad condition, but he felt it was a pity to lose the expensive dowry.

However, on the other hand, the marriage contract wasn’t all bad.

Honestly, it was very good for Meia to leave for the Mage Tower.

Meia and Patzraelli had maintained an engagement for ten years. Even if they broke off the engagement, if Patzraelli later wanted Meia back, it could be troublesome.

If Meia were to marry another man from a different empire, she could never challenge Meryl’s position again!

“Alright. For my beloved niece, I will agree.”

As soon as Luman finished speaking, Meia opened her magical subspace.

Then she took out two contracts, wrote something on them, and handed them to Luman.

“Please sign here.”

Caught off guard, Luman began to read the contracts carefully.

[If Meia Hatzbellua finds a man she wants to marry, the head of the family will stamp the marriage certificate.

She will be allowed to hold the wedding on the desired date.

Meia Hatzbellua will not marry a man from the Carpen Empire.

This contract will be notarized by the temple and is valid for five years.]

After reading the contract, Luman sighed.

“If I don’t comply, I will be punished by the gods.”

“There will be no problem as long as you adhere to the contract. Also, the contract is only valid for five years. And I might not get married at all.”

“Can’t I think about it a bit more?”

At Luman’s words, Meia looked at Meryl and spoke.

“Then I won’t go to the Mage Tower and will stay here to sway the Crown Prince’s heart. The Crown Prince and I have a bond from our 10-year engagement.”

At Meia’s words, Meryl’s face turned red with anger, and she urged Luman.

“Father, Meia says she will go to the Mage Tower. Let her go while she’s willing. That way, the Crown Prince and I can build our bond!”

Listening to Meryl, Luman nodded and agreed.

This made it even clearer. The royal family had abandoned her.

“Alright…”

“Thank you. It’s a wonderful decision for your beloved niece. I will be happy.”

The duke signed the contract and stamped it.

Meia also signed it. Then she handed one copy to Luman and left the study.

This way, even if the engagement were broken, she now had a shield against being forced into a political marriage by the duke.

She couldn’t predict the future, but five years would be enough time to build her power at the Mage Tower and potentially reclaim the Hatzbellua duchy.