Edward, who had previously rejected Yelodia in front of the Emperor, bowed his head in sincere remorse.

“If you wish to reprimand Lady Xavier for this, please reprimand me instead.”

“Ha, my word…”

Duke Xavier clicked his tongue in disbelief, clearly displeased with his future son-in-law already defending his fiancée.

Moreover, Yelodia showed no sign of remorse. He had raised his only daughter as delicately as a flower, yet here she was, failing to grasp the gravity of the moment.

“Yelodia, go to your room and reflect on this at once. If you show no signs of remorse, know that you won’t be allowed out until the engagement ceremony.”

“Father…”

“Ah! Haven’t I told you to drop that childish tone?”

Duke Xavier raised his voice in embarrassment, clearly flustered at this shameful display in front of Edward.

“Father, it’s not that…”

“Enough with the excuses.”

Yelodia, catching her father’s warning look, pouted and gave a polite bow. Her retreating steps were noticeably chilly.

With a final resentful look at the duke, she stormed out of the room. Her glossy eyes suggested she had no intention of reflecting even once she returned to her room.

Edward nearly laughed. His fiancée’s outlandish behavior was endearing, but the interaction between this old family’s father and daughter was even more amusing.

In all the empire, only two people could fluster Duke Xavier with a single word: Emperor Raodin and Yelodia.

Somehow, Edward had a feeling he might find himself in the duke’s position someday.

“Hmph, well, be seated.”

“Thank you for your kindness.”

Once Edward was seated, the butler served him tea. Duke Xavier raised his cup, frowning slightly as if dealing with a headache.

“She’s been frail since she was young, so I’ve indulged her, and she’s a bit spoiled. Once she becomes the Baroness, you’ll have to rein her in.”

“I don’t mind at all, Your Grace. Please, don’t let Lady Yelodia be distressed over this.”

“If you insist, then I have no choice but to oblige. She will, after all, be your wife once you’re married.”

Duke Xavier narrowed his eyes as he looked at Edward. He’d intentionally spoken bluntly about Yelodia, and he didn’t like seeing Edward, her future husband, defend her.

Despite his quiet worry that his daughter might be mistreated once she was married, the duke put his cup down, thinking he felt reassured.

“It seems best to move the engagement date forward.”

“Did His Majesty mention something about it?”

“Not directly, but he wouldn’t want you to have no influence within the Navy headquarters. At the very least, five of your subordinates should be placed in key positions there.”

Duke Xavier’s firm tone made Edward’s expression stiffen faintly.

“The armistice between the two nations hasn’t even been finalized.”

“Which is precisely why I’m saying this. It’s not desirable for the war to be concluded hastily. As nobles become blinded by their own interests, the Emperor’s men must be strategically positioned.”

Duke Xavier, seasoned in wielding power all his life, could easily discern the Emperor’s intentions.

Edward understood without difficulty that the Emperor was leveraging this engagement to secure control over the Navy.

The Emperor’s will was aligned with Duke Xavier’s own desires.

This meant that finalizing the engagement before the armistice was settled would also be beneficial to Edward.

That way, he could use the power of Duke Xavier’s house to solidify his standing at the Navy headquarters and place key figures in crucial roles.

“Especially the Navy, which has been beyond the Emperor’s reach until now. You may take the very pillars of my estate if need be, but establish your influence there by any means.”

“I will do my utmost.”

After all, there was nothing else he could say.

Duke Xavier nodded approvingly at Edward’s answer, then took a cigar from a small box. A waiting servant promptly lit the end with a match.

“Would you care for one?”

“I’m fine, thank you.”

Duke Xavier took a deep inhale, then exhaled, a cloud of smoke partially obscuring his face.

‘For all his sternness, he does care for Yelodia.’

The Emperor must have considered every angle when matching Edward and Yelodia.

Despite the breach of etiquette, Duke Xavier had taken a liking to Edward the moment he’d requested the Emperor to delay their wedding.

Edward had, in effect, turned down the opportunity to be both the son-in-law of a Grand Duke and the nephew-in-law of the Emperor.

Even if he harbored such thoughts, very few would actually dare voice them to the Emperor.

Edward was a thoughtful man whose actions bore no hint of falsehood. And he was even striking in appearance.

‘Had it not been for the war, someone else would’ve snapped him up long ago.’

Casually tapping ash into the tray, the duke, having completed his assessment of his future son-in-law, continued with a leisurely expression.

“The engagement ceremony will be set for April 30. I’ll personally inform His Majesty, so take note. The wedding will take some time to arrange, as all the vassals and relatives must attend. However, I’ll ensure it takes place right after Yelodia’s coming-of-age celebration.”

“Even though Lady Yelodia’s coming-of-age is not far off, isn’t it a bit hasty to rush the wedding just because of the engagement?”

Duke Xavier looked surprised by Edward’s question.

“It seems I, the bride’s father, am more anxious than you are. But just being engaged may be seen as insufficient commitment from His Majesty’s perspective by certain people. We may even encounter some troublesome interference before the wedding.”

“I see.”

Edward’s expression darkened slightly. Having only partial insight into the ways of imperial nobility, he found this line of thought difficult to grasp.

He also found it hard to understand the duke’s calm attitude in marrying off his precious only daughter to a man he barely knew.

However, as a soldier willing to lay down his life for His Majesty, Edward thought it best to heed the duke’s words.

“Understood. I will proceed as you’ve advised.”

“Is there anything else you need? If it’s finances, I can write you a check in advance.”

“I appreciate it, but I did have a question regarding the wedding tradition in naval ceremonies where soldiers form a saber arch. I wanted your opinion on this.”

“A saber arch…?”

A trace of confusion appeared in Duke Xavier’s eyes. Not having previously arranged a wedding with a military family, he hadn’t considered it.

“A saber arch—does that refer to soldiers in uniform standing with swords raised for the ceremony?”

“Yes. I wanted to check if that tradition might be offensive to you, Your Grace.”

Duke Xavier exhaled a plume of cigar smoke.

“We’ll need to address that as soon as possible. In the Xavier family, it’s traditional for a high-ranking cleric to perform the blessing. It ultimately depends on the cleric overseeing the marriage, but it shouldn’t be overly complicated.”

The duke answered matter-of-factly.

Even though the temple wielded influence across the continent, it was unlikely they’d want to clash with Duke Xavier, who had the backing of southern noble factions.

On a separate note, the clerics of Raihel, who valued obedience and restraint, were not likely to reject a tradition observed by the Emperor’s navy.

After a brief pause, Duke Xavier stubbed out his cigar in the ashtray and continued.

“I’ll handle that. You go ahead and prepare the saber arch. Failing to uphold naval tradition could draw criticism, and it’s best to avoid anything that might hinder your control over the navy.”

“Understood, I’ll prepare accordingly.”

“If there’s nothing more, I’ll be off now. I’ll be quite busy from this point on, so if you need to reach me, contact me through my butler.”

“Understood.”

Duke Xavier rose abruptly and left the drawing room in a hurry. His claim of being exceedingly busy was likely true.

Edward left the duke’s residence, accompanied by the butler’s escort.

Even as he boarded the carriage, he couldn’t shake the feeling that his life was being tossed around by a turbulent storm.

“So, in the end, I’ll be marrying that young lady.”

Among the servants, a seventeen-year-old girl peeked out, watching him with sparkling, birdlike eyes.

She looked less like an aristocratic lady and more like a curious cat.

A faint smile softened Edward’s lips. Yelodia would become a baroness, admired and loved by her retainers and residents alike.

She might even win the admiration of the entire naval force.

‘A match arranged by His Majesty,’ he thought, gazing back at the distant silhouette of the duke’s residence with a curious expression.

＊ ＊ ＊

“My goodness, a naval officer! What on earth could my brother have been thinking, pushing Yelodia off a cliff like this? This is outrageous!”

Isabel had clearly stormed into the duke’s residence straight after breakfast.

Her deep blue hair, elegantly pinned back with an emerald clasp, remained perfectly in place despite her fury.

“Even if it’s a political marriage, there are still appropriate matches for a duke’s family. I can’t fathom what my brother was thinking,” Isabel huffed, her eyes flaring as she spoke. Her face flushed with indignation as a vein bulged on her forehead.

“Adrian, a mere baron! Did he really expect someone of such insignificant lineage to join society?”

Yelodia sat quietly, listening to her father’s distant relative’s grievances.

Though technically family, Isabel was only the child of her father’s great-aunt’s cousin, so Yelodia felt little connection to her. Still, Isabel was not a complete stranger, making it uncomfortable to ignore her.

Yelodia didn’t bother to argue, partly because she knew so little about her fiancé and partly because she was simply too sleepy.

‘Sigh, I’m so tired…’

As Yelodia maintained her silence, struggling to keep her eyes open, Isabel’s daughter, Clara, chimed in with her own sharp commentary.

“He’s six years older, no less! She could have ended up marrying someone as old as Brother Kias!”

“I must see my brother immediately. No matter how I think about it, this marriage doesn’t make sense.”

As Isabel abruptly rose, Yelodia barely managed to stifle a yawn and finally spoke.