Chapter 102

102: A Wrong Decision

The meeting room was engulfed in shock. Only three people seemed unaffected: the emperor, who had declared the royal marriage, Duke Tulonel, who had been smiling faintly throughout the meeting, and Duke Lephisto, Shayla’s father.

Callion silently watched Duke Lephisto, who quickly averted his gaze when their eyes met.

‘Adele was right.’

It was Adelaide who had accurately predicted the purpose of this meeting when the royal attendant had left.

‘It seems Duke Lephisto and Elkius have joined forces.’

‘Duke Lephisto is a cautious man. Surprisingly, things have progressed so quickly.’

‘They must have made him an offer he couldn’t refuse.’

‘An offer he couldn’t refuse?’

Adelaide had answered Callion’s question.

‘His daughter, Lady Lephisto.’

‘What does Shayla have to do with my uncle…?’

Callion had trailed off, furrowing his brow.

‘You don’t mean my uncle plans to marry Shayla?’

Adelaide had nodded.

It made sense as a mutually beneficial arrangement. However, understanding it logically didn’t mean his heart accepted it.

‘But doesn’t he have a secret lover? He’s postponed marriage all this time because of her. Can this royal marriage really happen?’

‘That woman cannot become empress. Lady Lephisto, on the other hand, won’t clash with her, so it would be easier to convince him.’

Callion had rubbed his face, feeling a mix of emotions. If Shayla became empress, he would have to draw his sword against both her and the Lephisto family.

‘If your assumption is correct, what should I do?’

‘Oppose it moderately and then stop. Duke Lephisto is aware of our marriage plans, so your opposition won’t have much effect.’

‘I’ll do as you say.’

He had hoped such a situation would not arise.

Callion sighed quietly. He wasn’t surprised by Duke Lephisto’s decision. Being an ambitious man, he likely sought another method when Callion refused the marriage with his daughter.

But he pitied Shayla, who would have to enter an unwanted marriage.

“This is a wise decision. Lady Lephisto is gentle and virtuous, making her a fitting empress for the empire.”

As people were still in shock, Duke Tulonel took the lead. Marquis Berner, a loyalist to the emperor, quickly added his support.

“Congratulations, Your Majesty. It has been regrettable that you delayed your marriage due to state affairs, but it is joyful news that you will finally take an empress.”

“Thank you for saying so.”

Elkius smiled coldly.

“Your Majesty, a royal marriage is a matter that requires careful consideration. It is inappropriate to unilaterally announce this without consulting the Imperial Council.”

Duke Howard, who had regained his composure, voiced his opposition. Elkius responded sarcastically.

“What do you mean there was no consultation, Duke Howard? I distinctly remember you expressing concern over the lack of an heir to the royal family.”

“…….”

“It was your recommendation that led me to decide on this marriage, and now you are contradicting yourself.”

Elkius’s words silenced Duke Howard. Then, a man sitting at the end of the table cautiously raised his hand.

It was Daniel Uclaire, Julian’s older brother.

“Your Majesty, Lady Lephisto had promised her future to Duke Tiflis. It is inappropriate to make a woman who was once engaged to another man the empress.”

Daniel, who was close to Shayla because of Julian, cautiously opposed the decision, but Duke Tulonel immediately countered.

“The engagement with Lady Lephisto was a childhood affair and has long since ended, so there should be no issue.”

“That’s not true. Given the special relationship between Lady Lephisto and Duke Tiflis, it is difficult to assure she is without disqualifying factors for the role of empress.”

Marquis Uclaire’s words drew the attention of the room. Callion, suddenly the focus of the discussion, smiled wryly.

“Marquis Uclaire, as you know, Lady Lephisto and I were good friends.”

Callion lightly explained before addressing Duke Lephisto.

“Duke Lephisto, did Lady Lephisto consent to this marriage?”

The duke, who had been silent as if unrelated to the matter, finally spoke.

“Though it is a position she doesn’t deserve, she has gratefully accepted it.”

“I was asking about Lady Lephisto’s opinion, not yours. Did she also agree willingly?”

“……Of course.”

The duke replied, avoiding Callion’s eyes.

The meeting room soon turned chaotic, like a marketplace. There were mixed opinions between the supporters and opponents, but since the opposition lacked strong arguments, the supporters had a slight edge.

Elkius, waiting for the noise to subside, struck the table to draw attention.

“Earl Changeling, state your reason for opposing the royal marriage.”

“I do not oppose the marriage itself but believe a thorough vetting before selecting the empress is the proper procedure….”

“Lady Lephisto was vetted by the Imperial Council long ago, so repeating the procedure would be a waste of time.”

Duke Tulonel interrupted Lord Changeling. Elkius smiled triumphantly.

“Then I see no reason to object.”

“Your Majesty.”

“The wedding date will be set as soon as possible. There’s much to prepare, so I won’t be able to attend the new pope’s inauguration. Extend my congratulations on my behalf.”

The emperor left the room before anyone could respond, leaving the meeting room in a stunned silence once again.

Callion quietly followed Duke Lephisto as he exited the meeting room.

“Duke Lephisto.”

“…….”

“Did Shayla really consent to this marriage?”

The duke frowned, his eyes narrowing at Callion with a sharp glint.

“It’s not something someone who abandoned Shayla should be concerned about.”

Duke Lephisto spat out the words coldly and left the place.

⚜ ⚜ ⚜

“You’ll catch a cold.”

A warm fur coat was draped over her shoulders. Adelaide, who had been watching the rain from the tearoom, turned her head.

“He’s late.”

“He must be waiting for the rain to stop.”

Margaret pointed to the pouring rain.

The rain, which had started in the afternoon, had turned into a heavy downpour. With such weather, it was understandable that he would be delayed.

‘Is it just the rain, or is there something else?’

Feeling uneasy, Adelaide got up. As Margaret mentioned, she was starting to feel a chill, a sign of an impending cold.

She decided to rest in her room until Callion arrived. Just as she was about to leave the tearoom, she heard a familiar voice in the entrance hall.

“Adele.”

“You’re finally here?”

Callion, brushing raindrops from his hair, approached her and pulled her into a hug.

His clothes were damp, likely from the rain between the carriage and the house.

“You should change out of those wet clothes.”

“Ah, you’ll get wet because of me. Let’s go to the room.”

Reluctantly, Callion let her go.

Once in the room, he took off his wet outer clothes and sat on the sofa.

“Your guess was correct. His Majesty announced his intention to marry.”

“With Lady Lephisto?”

Callion nodded briefly.

It wasn’t a surprising development. Even Adelaide, in Elkius’s position, would have considered a royal marriage.

Gaining the support of the Lephisto family and diverting public attention was a strategic move. Moreover, there had been no major royal events since the war with the Kingdom of Helenia, making a royal wedding an appealing choice.

Of course, this all hinged on the assumption that the marriage proceeded smoothly.

‘It would be nice if things fell apart after preparations were made.’

There were ways to make that happen, but none she could put into action.

Adelaide watched Callion silently, noting the worry etched on his still-damp face.

‘He must be upset.’

Even if it was a past relationship, the years of knowing each other were too long to simply ignore.

“Lady Lephisto must be very heartbroken.”

“Maybe it’s for the best. Shayla has always wanted to be empress.”

Callion muttered with a bitter smile.

Whether Shayla Lephisto desired to be the empress or Callion’s wife was something only she knew.

Adelaide cautiously spoke up.

“Since it will be hard to meet her once the wedding preparations start, perhaps you should see her before then.”

“It’s better if I don’t. It’s not something I can overturn, and seeing her would only lead to misunderstandings.”

Callion waved off the suggestion, implying that meeting her would only complicate matters.

Though she believed it would be wise for Callion to meet Shayla before the wedding, she couldn’t interfere with his decision.

As Adelaide contemplated this, Callion, having shed his unease, called for Lucid.

As if expecting the summons, Lucid promptly knocked on the door.

“What is it, Your Grace?”

“Lucid, how long has it been since you were home?”

“About three weeks.”

“Then you wouldn’t have heard the news.”

“News?”

Callion spoke heavily in response to Lucid’s puzzled expression.

“His Majesty has announced his marriage to Shayla.”

“A royal marriage? How… Did my father…?”

“I’m not sure if Shayla consented, but His Majesty and the duke seem determined to push it through.”

“Ha.”

Lucid sighed deeply.

He had sensed his father’s unusual behavior, and now he understood why.

It wasn’t enough that his father had annulled the engagement with Callion, but now he was using his daughter to stab Callion in the back, filling Lucid with rage.

“I’ll visit home tomorrow afternoon.”

“Do that. Try not to mention me if you can.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”