Chapter 100

100. The unexpected proposal (2)

“Did you say ……, the proposal?”

Elkius nodded, urging him to open it.

With trembling hands, Duke Lephisto managed to tear open the envelope.

Inside was a check for ten thousand cel and a marriage proposal. The proposal was in the same format as the one Callion had sent long ago.

Duke Lephisto, his face bewildered, asked, “Your Majesty, what is the meaning of this? Is this some kind of cruel joke?”

“Joke? Do I seem like the kind of person who would joke about something this serious?” Elkius responded with a displeased look.

So he was serious.

Duke Lephisto glanced at the proposal again, feeling dizzy. Seeing his daughter’s name on the proposal felt surreal.

Royal marriages usually require not only the agreement of the parties involved but also a thorough review by the Imperial Council. Yet here was a proposal, without even consulting the parties involved.

“This is unacceptable.”

“Unacceptable?”

“Your Majesty, while I appreciate that you hold my daughter in high regard, she is far too unqualified to become Empress. Therefore…”

“Is it because of the Duke of Tiflis?”

Elkius asked bluntly. Duke Lephisto, who had intended to refuse politely, realized that the Emperor saw right through him.

“You know that Shayla was engaged to the Duke of Tiflis.”

“What does that matter? That relationship ended long ago.”

“……”

“Do you really expect that the Duke will abandon his Duchess and take your daughter as his wife?”

The mocking question made Duke Lephisto suppress his anger.

“Shayla will not accept this marriage.”

“Is her opinion more important than yours, Duke?”

The Emperor’s icy gaze suggested he drop the nonsense.

Duke Lephisto was an arrogant and domineering man. If he agreed, it wouldn’t matter whether Shayla refused or not; he would push the marriage through.

“If it’s about the dowry, I can add another ten thousand cels.”

Elkius took out another check for ten thousand cels, trying to persuade him.

Combined with the money in the envelope, the dowry totaled twenty thousand cels. Considering that dowries exchanged within the royal family usually amounted to around five thousand cels, this was a staggering sum. The problem wasn’t money, though.

Duke Lephisto pondered deeply.

The Emperor’s intention was clear. He wanted to stabilize his shaky throne by leveraging the power of the Lephisto family.

From a purely transactional standpoint, it wasn’t a bad deal for the Lephisto family either.

In exchange for bolstering Elkius’s position, Shayla would become the Empress, fulfilling her long-held desire, and he would enjoy power through his daughter.

But two things troubled him.

The first was the uncertainty of how long Elkius could hold the throne.

Cardinal Orland’s revelations had stirred up the nobility and the public against the Emperor.

If Elkius were to be dethroned after Shayla became Empress, both Shayla and the Lephisto family would be in grave danger.

The second issue was Shayla’s feelings.

His usually meek and obedient daughter was unwavering when it came to matters concerning Callion.

Having pined for Callion for over a decade, she would not easily give up, even if she knew his feelings had changed.

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty, but no matter how I consider it, my daughter is not suited for such a prestigious role. There must be someone more fitting…”

“How many times do I have to say this? Do you think I would have called you here without considering all that?”

Elkius’s tone was tinged with irritation.

He knew Duke Lephisto’s temperament well from years of animosity.

If the Duke had no intention of accepting the marriage, he would have stormed out of the audience hall by now.

The fact that he hadn’t and was merely making excuses meant he was not entirely opposed to the idea.

Elkius decided to sweeten the deal.

“If the marriage goes through, I will ensure that you become the head of the Imperial Council.”

The Duke’s eyes gleamed at the enticing offer. Elkius quickly added another incentive.

“I will also give you the right to cut down the forests that belonged to the Marquis of Flanders.”

Marquis Flander’s forest was filled with mahogany trees over thirty years old. Mahogany, used in high-end furniture and decorative items, was highly valuable, attracting many who coveted it.

Sensing an opportunity to seize both honor and wealth, the Duke licked his lips.

Despite the tempting offer, he couldn’t help but think of the day Callion might ascend the throne.

“I am truly grateful, Your Majesty, but…”

Elkius frowned at the first words, signaling a refusal.

So stubborn.

“I understand. It’s not an easy decision.”

“I apologise, Your Majesty, and I beg you to pretend this never happened…….”

“But Duke,” the Emperor’s eyes gleamed ominously.

“Does the Duke of Tiflis know about what happened between you and the Duchess?”

“……!”

“Ah, knowing Callion, he would never treat you kindly if he knew. So he probably doesn’t know yet.”

Elkius looked at the now pale Duke and laughed cruelly.

“I was quite surprised to hear the news. The Duchess has been exceptionally beautiful since she was young, but isn’t she younger than Shayla?”

“……”

“It’s quite fortunate that Earl Cornwall managed to quietly cover up the matter of your dealings with a woman young enough to be your daughter, isn’t it?”

Of course, back then, Duke Lephisto was the chairman of the Imperial Council and Arnold Cornwall was a commoner, so even if it had been reported, it would have been quietly covered up. But if Callion were to find out about it, the story would change.

“I’ll discuss it with my daughter…”

“You’d better make a decision quickly. I’m planning to call a meeting and make an official announcement tomorrow afternoon.”

He intended to announce the marriage before the Imperial Council could force open the treasury.

Duke Lephisto opened his mouth with a hardened expression.

“…Alright.”

⚜ ⚜ ⚜

Shayla Lephisto returned to the duke’s residence that afternoon.

Sitting alone in a quiet room, Shayla fiddled with the ring that the Duchess of Howard had given her.

‘Why did she give me this?’

Since the ring had been passed down from the former Empress to the Duchess of Howard, it meant it was an item only handed down to the women of the royal family.

Could it be good news?

She also knew that the Emperor’s situation had been unfavorable since the trial of Cardinal Orland.

She had vaguely heard that people, angered by Elkius’s atrocities, were trying to enthrone Callion as Emperor.

So, Shayla guessed that Elkius had visited the Duchess of Howard to seek help.

It wasn’t appropriate for a young noblewoman to be interested in political matters, so she pretended not to know. But Shayla had no doubt that Elkius would soon be dethroned.

‘Could it be that His Majesty has decided to appoint Callion as the successor? ’

If so, it made sense that Elkius came, and the Duchess gave her the ring.

Shayla returned the ring to its box and hid it deep in her wardrobe.

Her mother would make a fuss if she found out, so it was better to keep it a secret until she understood the Duchess’s intentions.

‘Time will tell.’

She shook off her complicated thoughts and picked up her knitting. The scarf she was knitting was nearly finished.

She thought she could give it to Callion as a gift if she worked hard for another couple of days. As she busily worked her hands, there was a knock on the door.

“Yes?”

“My lady, the Duke has just returned and is asking for you.”

“My father? Where is he?”

“In the study.”

“Alright. Tell him I’ll be there soon.”

After sending the maid away, Shayla put down her knitting and stood up.

‘What could he want to talk about?’

Though never very affectionate, the Duke’s nagging had recently become much worse.

She had come to dread seeing him, as he always had something unpleasant to say as soon as he saw her.

She regretted not staying at the Howard residence.

Regretting her return home, she knocked on the study door.

“Come in.”

The Duke, smoking a cigar on the sofa, looked up as his daughter entered the study.

“When did you get back?”

“About an hour ago, the Duchess of Howard told me to come home.”

The Duke exhaled a puff of smoke and nodded silently. He imagined a crown on his clear-eyed daughter’s head.

It suited her well.

“I heard you visited the palace.”

“Yes, I went to see His Majesty.”

“His Majesty?”

Shayla frowned openly. Normally she didn’t show her emotions, but she couldn’t help it when it came to the Emperor.

She couldn’t like him, entangled as he was with her father and Callion.

“Why did he summon you? Surely His Majesty isn’t plotting against our family?”

The Duke shook his head lightly and pulled a gold envelope from his inner pocket, handing it to her.

“Open it.”

Caught off guard, Shayla took the envelope and frowned.

Though she hadn’t checked the contents, she recognized the format. It was the same as Callion’s proposal letter, which she had read countless times.

“What is this…?”

The Duke, having extinguished his half-burned cigar in a glass of water, spoke heavily.

“His Majesty wants to make you Empress.”

“……!”

The proposal letter fell to the floor.