Chapter 103

103. The Best Choice

“Go ahead and eat.”

“…I don’t want to eat.”

“Don’t be like that. Just take a bite for your mother, okay?”

“No, I don’t want to.”

Shayla Lephisto stubbornly shook her head. Despite being locked in her room for three days without a sip of water, she firmly refused to eat.

The Duchess, who was pleading with a bowl of soup in hand, finally threw the bowl to the floor.

“Why are you doing this! Do you think being stubborn will solve anything?”

“…”

“Instead of being grateful that His Majesty wants to make you the Empress, what are you unhappy about?”

“Is that something to be grateful for?”

“Of course it is! Ordinary people can’t even dream of such a position. Isn’t it the place you always wanted?”

“I never wanted to be the Empress.”

Shayla spoke with tears in her eyes.

Seeing her daughter unable to let go of Callion despite being rejected multiple times, the Duchess clutched her chest.

“Didn’t you hear your father? The Duke of Tiflis isn’t interested in you. What’s the point of clinging to a relationship that’s over?”

The tears that had been welling up in Shayla’s eyes started to flow. The Duchess sighed and embraced her.

She sighed and hugged Shayla, feeling sorry for her daughter, who was so bitter over a man.

“Forget about him. Now that I think about it, how could the Duke of Tiflis become Emperor when His Majesty is so strong? He might be branded a traitor and lose his life…”

“Mother!”

Shayla pushed her mother away and raised her voice. The Duchess quickly changed the subject.

“Anyway, you need to get a hold of yourself and eat. You need your strength to prepare for the royal wedding. Go and get the soup again.”

“There’s no need to bring it; I’m not going to eat.”

The maid, who was about to leave the room, froze in place, unsure of what to do. Anger flared on the Duchess’s face.

“Are you planning to starve to death?”

“…That doesn’t sound so bad.”

“Shayla!”

“My lady!”

The Duchess screamed and grabbed the back of her neck. The servants rushed over to support her.

“My lady, are you alright?”

“Get some water!”

Shayla ignored her mother’s pretense of fainting. She wasn’t surprised, as her mother always did this whenever her children disobeyed.

“If mother is unwell, take her out. Lock the door before father comes back.”

“Young miss…”

The maid, who was attending to her, looked tearful. Finding even replying bothersome, Shayla waved her hand dismissively. Meanwhile, the Duchess, who had regained her senses, started wailing loudly.

“After all I did to raise you, how can you talk about dying so easily in front of your mother?”

“…”

“If His Majesty has given an order, you must follow it, whether you like it or not. You’re not a child anymore; you can’t always have things your way!”

“…”

“Fine, if you want to die, go ahead. If you refuse the royal marriage, we’ll all die anyway. Let’s die together, you and your mother. Someone get a rope!”

“”My lady, please calm down.”

The butler tried to calm the agitated Duchess, but she roughly shook him off.

“What are you doing? Get the rope right now!”

“–Mother.”

At the sound of a man’s voice cutting through the commotion, the Duchess turned her head. Upon seeing who it was, she jumped up and ran to him.

“Lucid!”

“What’s going on? I could hear the noise outside.”

“Lucid, you came at the right time. Do something about Shayla. She…”

The Duchess, feeling like she had gained reinforcements, quickly recounted the situation. Lucid listened half-heartedly as he swiftly assessed the room.

From the soup bowl on the floor and Shayla’s pale face, he understood the situation immediately.

‘I thought it might be like this.’

The proud and strong-willed nature of the Lephisto Dukedom was well-known among the nobility. Even Shayla, who was famous for her modesty, was still a Lephisto.

Lucid comforted his mother, thinking he had come just in time.

“You don’t look well, Mother. I’ll take care of things here. Please go and rest.”

“Lucid, you need to do something about her before your father returns. She just won’t listen…”

“I understand, Mother. Don’t worry and go lie down. Everyone, please escort my mother out.”

The servants supported the Duchess as she left the room. Lucid took a moment to survey the messy room before approaching Shayla.

Shayla, who was sitting on the bed, met his gaze. Her usually neat face was streaked with tears.

“Did His Grace send you…?”

Lucid shook his head heavily at her faintly hopeful question. She didn’t seem too disappointed, as if she had expected this answer.

“Did Father lock you in?”

He pointed to the lock discarded on the floor. Shayla nodded.

“Father is really consistent, isn’t he?”

He knew she wouldn’t understand, yet instead of persuading her, he resorted to confinement.

“Brother, what should I do?”

“…”

“I don’t want to go through with this royal marriage. What I wanted was to be by his side, not to be Empress. You know that, Brother…”

“I know, Shayla.”

Lucid comforted his tearful sister gently.

“Brother, I just can’t do it. Please, stop this marriage.”

“I wish I could, but…”

With the royal marriage announced and the royal marriage office established, there was no chance of it being overturned.

“His Majesty has made up his mind. If you refuse, our family and His Grace will be in danger.”

“His Grace…?”

“Yes.”

If a scandal involving Callion and Shayla were to spread, it would certainly stir up those sensitive to gossip.

Even if it was just a rumor, it could be a fatal blow to Callion, who was focused on building his claim to the throne.

Despair filled Shayla’s expression. Lucid consoled his sorrowful sister.

“I understand how you feel. His Grace knows, too. But this time, there’s no other choice, Shayla.”

“…”

“I’m sorry to say this… but if you truly care about His Grace, you need to accept this marriage.”

Lucid spoke with difficulty.

If Shayla refused the royal marriage, Elkius would use every means to torment the Lephisto family and Callion.

However, even if Callion became Emperor, he wouldn’t blame Shayla, the deposed Empress.

As she pondered her brother’s words, Shayla spoke with difficulty.

“If I become Empress… can I support His Grace?”

“Yes.”

Her small voice was barely audible. Shayla slowly closed and opened her eyes.

The conclusion was inevitable.

“I’ll do as you say, Brother.”

⚜ ⚜ ⚜

“Take this.”

Duke Lephisto examined the document Elkius handed him. It was a deed granting logging rights to the mahogany forest previously owned by the Marquis of Flanders.

“You will receive 20% of the income.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“It’s only right for the woman who will be my wife. Once the new palace in Belfort is completed, I plan to name it ‘Shayla’s Palace’.”

Elkius boasted. The Duke of Lephisto bowed silently.

“How is Lady Lephisto’s health?”

“She has greatly improved.”

“She mustn’t fall ill before the big event. I’ll send a physician to the estate.”

“It’s just a mild cold, so there’s no need to worry.”

The Duke, who had locked Shayla in her room and lied to the Emperor about her being ill, calmly lied.

In his absence, Lucid had come and gone from the estate, and the once steadfast Shayla had decided to go through with the royal marriage.

He didn’t know what Lucid had said to persuade her, but it was a great relief that she had given in before it was too late.

“That’s reassuring. I was worried I’d have to marry her without seeing her face.”

“That won’t happen. Let me know a convenient time, and I’ll bring my daughter to the palace.”

“Then let’s have lunch together the day after tomorrow.”

“Ah, I’m afraid that day is difficult.”

“Do you have other plans?”

The Emperor raised an eyebrow.

“Shayla wants to attend the inauguration of the new Pope, so I’ve promised to send her.”

“Ah, I see. Someone as devout as Lady Shayla shouldn’t miss the Pope’s inauguration. Let’s reschedule.”

“Thank you for understanding, Your Majesty.”

“Not at all. You must be busy, so you may go.”

“I will see you again.”

Duke Lephisto respectfully bowed and left the audience chamber with the document. Elkius stood up, pleased.

‘The Duke of Lephisto was more concerned with his family and power than loyalty.’

He acted as if he would serve Callion forever, but he switched sides for the Empress position without hesitation.

Things had gone much more smoothly than the Duke of Tulonel had predicted.

Imagining Callion’s probable dismay, he happily headed to his office.

“…Rose? What are you doing here?”

His amusement was short-lived.

As he opened the door to his office, he saw a red-haired woman. Rosaline, who was reading a scroll, looked up.

“Elki, what is this? What’s this talk about a royal marriage and an Empress?”

“Who told you to enter my office without permission?”

“Is it true? Are you really abandoning me and getting married?”

“Stop being annoying and get out.”

Elkius pushed Rosaline aside and sat at his desk. As he picked up his quill to finish writing, Rosaline grabbed his arm.

“Elki, we need to talk.”

“Let go.”

“You can’t do this to me. How could you make such a decision without even telling me…?”

“Why should I report everything to you?”

“What?”

“You’re just a maid. I treated you well, and now you think you’re above your station.”

“Elki!”

“Stop being annoying and get out.”

He roughly shook off her grasp. Overwhelmed with betrayal, Rosaline glared at Elkius with fury.

As Elkius picked up his quill again, Rosaline snatched the scroll and tore it to pieces. He stood up and struck her on the head with all his might.

“Ah!”