Chapter 2

1. Embarrassment, or Absurdity

Dione Estellon.

If one were to ask for a description of the person who bore that name, countless people would offer various modifiers.

The flower of Essen Empire’s social circles, a noble lady who stole the hearts of many men, the fruit of a romantic love story, the only noble of two empires with mixed blood, a woman who lost her parents at an early age……

But above all, the most famous point was that she was the sole heir of the Estellon Marquisate.

Fifteen years ago, after her parents died together in an unfortunate accident, the Marquisate was led by her grandmother, who was now over sixty years old.

That meant the last person supporting the Marquisate had little time left. So, until just recently, only two people remained in the Estellon family: herself and her grandmother.

……But now, she was alone.

The feeling of emptiness from being left alone was something that made her heart feel hollow. Even when her parents passed away on the same day, it didn’t feel like this. At least then, her grandmother was with her.

“Young Heiress.”

“…Yes.”

“I will now discuss the will.”

After a week-long funeral, she was now seated in the mansion’s drawing room with the family lawyer, Jerome.

The document in his hand was the will her grandmother had personally written, and even she, the granddaughter, was unaware of its contents.

Unlike some chaotic noble families, the Estellon Marquisate had always enjoyed good relations among family members. That hadn’t changed in her generation, and she and her grandmother also got along well. So she thought the contents of the will would be just as she expected.

“First, half of the assets will be returned to society, and the other half will be inherited by Lady Dione Estellon, Young Heiress of the Marquisate. In addition, private properties such as the Babette Plains, the Phyton Mine, the Collère Mine, the Patrize region……”

About ten more items followed, and only then was the list completed.

“…All the above will be inherited by Lady Dione Estellon, Young Heiress of the Marquisate.”

That seemed to be the end of the will’s contents. In fact, her grandmother had always told her what she wanted to say during her lifetime. Just as Dione nodded, thinking this, Jerome’s ever-expressionless lips parted again.

……She should have noticed something strange here. The inheritance was finished, so what more was there to say?

“Lastly, there is a request from the deceased. It concerns the title, and since both His Majesty the Emperor and His Highness the Crown Prince, who are the witnesses of this will, have agreed, Young Heiress, you cannot refuse.”

“…What?”

A sense of foreboding wrapped her whole body as Jerome’s smooth words continued. And oddly enough, at that moment, she seemed to hear her grandmother’s voice telling her to stop changing men so often.

‘No, did he just say the witnesses were His Majesty the Emperor and His Highness the Crown Prince? No way, right? Surely not, Grandmother?’

But despite her desperate hope, Jerome’s next words did not stray from her expectations.

“From today, if you do not marry within two years, the title of Estellon Marquisate will be reverted to the state.”

“……”

“In addition, among the assets previously inherited……”

The shock from the bombshell just dropped made Jerome’s words go in one ear and out the other.

“Do you even know how many times this is now?”

That was what her grandmother always said whenever she changed lovers.

Undoubtedly, her grandmother knew better than she did how many lovers she’d had so far. Honestly, it wasn’t as if she was a notorious flirt or cheating, but her grandmother was particularly strict about her free love life.

She understood the reasons, but at the time, the only way she could deal with her emptiness was through that, and so it was the only point of friction between them.

“You’ll find someone to spend your life with someday, so won’t you regret behaving like this now?”

“Hmm… But I’m only twenty-five.”

“It’s not ‘only’, it’s ‘already’.”

Her grandmother always wished she would find someone she could truly love and cherish. In the end, she never got to see Dione in a ‘real’ relationship before passing away.

Regret always comes too late, they say. Now she felt sorry for that.

‘Still, isn’t it a bit much to have the title reverted to the state if I don’t marry, Grandmother……?’

Of course, she could understand her grandmother’s feelings. But at the same time, this was so typical of her grandmother that Dione couldn’t help but smile a little.

“That’s all. Please review the assets starting from here.”

“…Ha, alright.”

Well, what could she do? If that was her precious, one and only grandmother’s wish, then she should fulfill it, even if it was late. Above all, she wanted to. Whether it would go as smoothly as she hoped was another matter.

But marriage could wait; for now, she had to manage the sudden wealth that had come her way.

* * *

“Hoo……”

After two long weeks of sorting out her assets, Dione sighed as she looked up at the clear blue sky.

It was August, the height of summer. As the scorching sunlight beat down on her crown, she quickly opened her parasol, and the heat seemed to ease. Dressed in full formal attire, she arrived at the heart of the Essen Empire: the royal palace.

It wasn’t for a banquet or a social gathering, but because she had received a summons from the Crown Prince. She already knew the reason, so she wasn’t nervous.

Crossing the lushly manicured garden, which looked like summer itself, she arrived at the main palace, where fortunately the Crown Prince had not yet arrived.

“His Highness the Crown Prince has not arrived yet, so let me guide you to the drawing room first.”

Following the attendant’s lead, she entered a drawing room located quite deep inside.

‘Well, the conversation will be what it is……’

The Essen Empire, where she lived, had a treaty that meant every ten years, a diplomatic mission was sent to and received from the Elvirtein Empire.

It was a meeting between the rulers of two divided lands, so there was much to be cautious about, and the details could not be carelessly leaked to outsiders. Everyone in Essen knew the delegation was coming, at least.

Her waiting time was thankfully short.

“Sorry to keep you waiting, Young Heiress.”

“I, Dione Estellon, greet His Highness the Crown Prince.”

“Sit.”

Durant Essen, Crown Prince of the Essen Empire, was quite a decent person as a Crown Prince. Although he wasn’t interested in romance or marriage, so the position of Crown Princess was still vacant, which was a bit of a flaw……

Because of that, she was often mentioned as a candidate for fiancée, which was rather troublesome. He always acted so serious and stern, but a man who sleeps with his mouth open is not her type, so she wished someone else would sit beside him.

The attendant who entered with Crown Prince Durant silently prepared finger food and tea and then left the drawing room. Immediately, the Crown Prince sitting in front of her spoke.

“You probably know, but soon the Elvirtein Empire’s delegation will arrive.”

“Of course. I’m aware.”

Naturally, she couldn’t not know. Her parents met and fell in love thanks to that delegation, and eventually married.

“I want to appoint you as the chief host for that delegation. You probably expected it, right?”

“Well… Even if there were other candidates, no one is as suitable as I am. I’m also the only one who can freely speak both the common tongue and Elvirtein.”

“Exactly. Besides, I hear you’re quite famous over there.”

This was news to her.

No, was there any reason for her to be famous in Elvirtein……? In Essen, she was quite, well, very famous. She was called the flower of Essen Empire’s social circles. Among nobles, there was even a saying: ‘If you don’t know Dione Estellon, you’re a country bumpkin.’

Actually, apart from being the flower of society, there was another reason she was famous, but anyway.

“Anyway, the delegation’s representative is Raihan, the 4th Prince. The noisy fight for the throne has finally ended, and the 3rd Prince is set to become Crown Prince……”

“So only Raihan, the 3rd Prince’s only younger brother, will remain.”

“Yes. It means you mustn’t make a bad impression.”

It was already a position of heavy responsibility, but given the circumstances, her shoulders felt even heavier.