Chapter 2.5

Seeing her reaction, Servante nodded as if to confirm her thoughts.  

“It’s only natural that you didn’t know. It was an unofficial visit, and even I was only informed by His Majesty a short while ago.”  

“Such a sudden event…?”  

“It’s ostensibly to introduce his new Grand Duchess. Since it’s not his first marriage, they skipped the formal engagement and simply exchanged vows. It seems he’s here to seek His Majesty’s approval to secure a seat for her at the upcoming royal wedding, among other things.”  

Grand Duke Alban was the current Emperor’s younger brother and Servante’s uncle. While their relationship wasn’t bad, the Grand Duke’s notorious womanizing made him a figure avoided by noblewomen.  

The fact that such a man had suddenly entered the palace made Carnier uneasy. Still, she couldn’t quite understand why she needed to leave immediately.  

“He may be an unpleasant figure, but he’s still a senior member of the Imperial Family. Wouldn’t it look suspicious if I suddenly left? Many people have already seen me here…”  

“You can simply say you weren’t aware of his visit. After all, it was an unofficial one.”  

“…Your Highness, could it be that…”  

Carnier hesitated before asking in a small voice, ‘You don’t want me to catch his attention?’  

“…”  

Grand Duke Alban had no ambitions, but he was full of desires.  

Even in his middle age, he would take women young enough to be his daughters as Grand Duchesses, dote on them, and divorce them once they aged. Then, he would find another young Grand Duchess. This had already happened five times.  

While Imperial marriages required the Emperor’s approval, the Grand Duke’s behavior was so libertine and scandalous that even the Emperor seemed to have given up on controlling him.  

Being the Emperor’s brother, no one dared to criticize the Grand Duke openly. However, parents of eligible daughters avoided bringing their children to any events he attended. If he took a liking to someone and proposed, there would be no excuse to refuse.  

But.  

“I’m your fiancée, Your Highness and our royal wedding is approaching. Surely he wouldn’t dare make advances toward me. Even so, does the idea bother you…?”  

Carnier blinked her eyes innocently. Though she found the Grand Duke unpleasant, she didn’t mind receiving Servante’s concern.  

‘Would he admit it if I asked directly?’  

She waited eagerly for his response.  

Servante, however, remained silent, looking down at her.  

The lighter fabric of her dress, suited to the hot weather, revealed a mature silhouette. Her elegantly tied-up hair exposed a graceful neckline, and her collarbones glowed softly in the sunlight.  

Moreover, her legs, usually hidden, caught his gaze as they peeked out beneath her dress. Standing under the warm sunlight earlier, her appearance had momentarily taken his breath away.  

But he was skilled at suppressing such emotions.  

“…While that’s a concern, it’s not the main reason. The new Grand Duchess he’s brought is someone you know well.”  

“Who?”  

“Katrina Eseth.”  

“…!”  

Carnier’s lips parted in shock at the unexpected name.  

‘Why is she here?’  

But she had no time to process the situation.  

A knock came from outside the door.  

“Your Highness, the training session is about to begin.”  

It was Aide Aleph.  

Carnier’s face flushed, realizing their conversation might have been overheard. Servante, on the other hand, remained composed.  

“Regardless of how much the Grand Duke tarnishes the Imperial reputation, it’s best for both of you to avoid meeting. He’ll undoubtedly come to observe the training, so it would be wise for you to act as though you know nothing and leave immediately.”  

“Y-Yes…”  

Though the situation was absurd, it was clear what kind of attitude Katrina Eseth would display.  

As the Grand Duchess, she would now be treated as a senior member of the Imperial Family. While the Crown Princess would outrank her, Katrina’s personality—once believing herself equal to Carnier as the prospective Princess—meant she would likely be even more arrogant now.  

‘It wouldn’t do to have open conflict within the Imperial Family so close to the royal wedding…’  

Carnier felt a mix of frustration and resignation.  

Unaware of her thoughts, Servante turned to leave.  

“Then, I’ll have Luca escort you. Return home directly…”  

“Wait, Your Highness.”  

Carnier hurriedly grabbed his wrist before he could open the door. She then led him to a spot away from the door.  

“Lady Raymore?”  

“I-I’ll leave as you suggested. But I believe you have no plans for this evening, Your Highness.”  

“…And?”  

“There’s something I left on your desk…”  

Her heart pounded as she made her first-ever attempt at asking him out. Her ears burned, but she mustered her courage.  

“May I wait for a favorable answer?”  

“…I…”  

“Ah, never mind. I’ll go ahead and wait.”  

Before he could come up with an excuse to decline, Carnier quickly added, ‘I’ll make sure to look even prettier when I come.’ 

“What?”  

“If you’re busy, it can’t be helped! But it’s an event that requires a partner—if you don’t come, I’ll have to find someone else to go with…”  

“W-What…!”  

“Then, I’ll see you later!”  

Before Servante could stop her, Carnier blurted out her words and bolted. She flung the door open and dashed out as if fleeing.  

The Crown Prince, about to chase after her, froze when he saw the people waiting anxiously outside.  

Taking advantage of the moment, Carnier disappeared with her maid in tow.  

“D-Did something happen?”  

Watching Carnier hurry away, Aleph asked hesitantly. Servante rubbed his face with his hands.  

“…First, go check what’s on my desk…”  

“Pardon? But the training session is about to begin.”  

“…”  

Servante paused before letting his hand drop. He silently turned toward the training grounds.  

His aide and knight followed him, their faces full of questions.  

‘Did he just get another confession?’  

‘Could it be… a lovers’ quarrel? They say even swords can’t cut through those.’  

Their curiosity vanished, however, when they reached the training grounds and saw who was there.  

“Well, well. It’s been a while, nephew.”  

“…Grand Duke Alban.”  

Aide Aleph and Luca gasped, first at the unexpected appearance of the Grand Duke and then at the sight of Katrina Eseth clinging to his side.  

Meanwhile, Servante, still preoccupied with Carnier’s words, realized his mistake.  

‘…Ah, I should have warned her in advance.’  

The blazing sun beat down mercilessly on his troubled mind.  

***

“Pardon? Who?”

Beth, who always kept her gaze lowered quietly in the Imperial Palace, suddenly widened her eyes and spoke up the moment they left its confines.

“Young Lady Eseth and that Grand Duke Alban…!”

“Shh. Keep your voice down.”

Even though they were inside a moving carriage, the coachman and footman were just beyond the wall. Although it was news that would soon spread, it wasn’t wise to carelessly discuss internal affairs of the Imperial Palace with just anyone.

Beth, her close lady-in-waiting who would follow Carnier into the palace after the royal marriage, quickly covered her mouth. However, her wide, round eyes still betrayed her astonishment.

“No, as much as it’s the Grand Duke’s household… Why would she agree to a marriage that’s bound to end in divorce in just a few years?”

‘It might not even last a few years.’

Katrina Eseth was the same age as Carnier. And as far as Carnier could recall, the oldest among the Grand Duke Alban’s ex-wives, who had been divorced, was just twenty-one years old.

Though she had no hobby of predicting others’ misfortunes, no one believed Katrina Eseth’s fate would be any different from the previous Grand Duchesses.

“What on earth is she thinking? If the stigma of divorce is added to the broken engagement, what does she plan to do with her future…?”

Even Beth, who had never been fond of Katrina Eseth, was speaking almost out of concern.

But Carnier remained indifferent.

“Well, maybe she thought it was a good deal if she managed to have a son in the meantime.”

“Pardon?”

“Even if she gets divorced, she would still be the mother of a royal bloodline. She’d receive a generous alimony and probably a decent estate to live in.”

In fact, two of Grand Duke Alban’s ex-wives were living just like that. However, Beth still didn’t seem convinced.

“Still, it seems like too much of a gamble… It’s not even a future worth aiming for. Unless she did it just to play the role of a senior figure to you for a brief moment… Oh?”

“Exactly. That’s probably the biggest reason.”

“Wha-what…?”

Even Beth, who had just said it, seemed stunned. Carnier, who had been thinking the same thing all along, shrugged her shoulders.

The Katrina Eseth she knew had a slightly paranoid personality and couldn’t stand losing.

‘She probably thinks the broken engagement with the Marquis Lusein’s household was my fault again. She must have been furious about being ignored and placed at the lowest rank. So, at least for this royal marriage, she plans to sit at the top seat of the Imperial Family and make a grand scene of humiliation… That’s likely her intention.’

Carnier sighed as if she were tired.

‘It’s always like this. And her lack of learning ability makes it even more annoying.’

Meanwhile, Beth, whose expression had turned serious, opened her mouth again.

“Young Lady, you must prepare thoroughly for the royal wedding day…”

“No, it’s fine. It’s obvious what she’ll do. Instead of that—”

Carnier adjusted her posture.

It felt like a waste of time to focus on someone who would ruin their life over a petty revenge.

There was something more important.

“Tonight, I have a date with His Highness the Crown Prince.”