“I wouldn’t have wanted it, even if you could have had a child.”
Kasallin was greatly surprised to hear those words.
No, it would be more accurate to say she was slightly shocked beyond mere surprise.
Most of the men Kasallin had seen so far wanted a lovely child resembling themselves.
To begin with, for nobles, the institution of marriage was ultimately about passing down their lineage to legitimate heirs and expanding their family’s influence—this was no exaggeration.
Yet Parnes says all of that is unnecessary.
In particular, he says he doesn’t want to see a child from her.
“Why is that?”
Kasallin found it astonishing that she could ask for the reason in such a calm voice.
Parnes remained silent for a while, either searching for an appropriate response or feeling it wasn’t worth answering.
His eyes, gazing down at her silently with tightly pressed lips, were as cold and calculating as frost.
“Why would I need a child? I have you.”
He continued with a strangely incomprehensible statement in an utterly gentle and calm voice.
“Having someone else interfere between the two of us, who are perfectly balanced, would only be a hindrance.”
“Your Majesty.”
Parnes’s hand touched Kasallin’s cheek.
Normally, his body temperature was slightly higher than most, so his touch always felt warm, but not now.
At this moment, she could feel no warmth from his hand.
Kasallin hoped it was merely because his hand had been chilled by the cold breeze.
“Nothing else is needed. Things are enough as they are now.”
His words, his touch, his expression—none of it made sense.
Was he saying this out of a simple concern that a child might disrupt the balance between emperor and empress?
Or perhaps…
“We meet by chance in a place like this, Your Majesty.”
At that moment, when even the breeze seemed to hold its breath, a third voice lightly floated between them.
The owner of the approaching footsteps from the other side was Duchess Rudo, and today she was not alone.
A young lady, who didn’t resemble Duchess Rudo but was undoubtedly her daughter based on her demeanor, stood by her side.
Even as they approached to offer greetings, Parnes continued to gaze at Kasallin.
The strange atmosphere between the two left Duchess Rudo and her daughter visibly surprised.
“Your Majesty.”
Unable to bear it, Kasallin stepped back, reminding him of their guests.
However, his hand, which naturally pulled away, didn’t move elsewhere but instead gently took Kasallin’s hand without hesitation.
Kasallin looked up at him with slightly widened eyes.
He returned to his usual calm expression, as if nothing had happened, and warmly accepted Duchess Rudo’s greeting.
It was the image of a nephew purely welcoming his aunt’s visit.
“You’ve come, Duchess.”
“I greet Your Majesty, the Emperor. But…”
Duchess Rudo glanced at the joined hands of Parnes and Kasallin, then raised the corners of her mouth in a slightly unnatural smile.
Yet even that appeared utterly elegant and refined.
“I hope we haven’t interrupted anything.”
“You speak as if I’d be offended. You’re most welcome. It seems you have business at the palace today.”
“Yes. Isabella insisted on formally greeting the future empress to observe proper etiquette, so we’ve come despite the risk of being impolite. Dear, go on and greet them.”
When Duchess Rudo gave a quick glance to the young lady beside her, she stepped forward.
“I greet Your Majesty, the sun and sky of the Renel Empire, and Miss Kasallin Robepon.”
Holding the hem of her dress and bending her knees in a perfect curtsy, she was a strikingly beautiful woman, rare to behold.
The harmony of her lustrous blonde hair tied in a single braid and her soft caramel-colored eyes was enough to make even Kasallin, a woman herself, marvel.
She was like a bouquet of marigolds blooming under the intense sun.
Unlike Kasallin, whose expression could seem cold unless she forced a smile, this woman had a mysterious power to brighten others’ moods just by standing there.
In that one aspect, she seemed to slightly resemble Duchess Rudo.
“I am Isabella Rudo. It is an honor to personally greet Miss Kasallin Robepon.”
“I’ve heard about you, Miss Isabella Rudo. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
She was a polite and proper young lady.
Neither overly formal nor looking down on Kasallin, a marquess’s daughter, she displayed impeccable noble etiquette.
Yet there was something about Isabella that exuded the same artificial air Kasallin had sensed from Duchess Rudo.
Her demeanor suggested thorough education from head to toe.
It felt as though she were reciting a prewritten script or theory, giving the odd impression that her presence here wasn’t entirely her own will.
“It’s been a while, Your Majesty. Have you been well?”
Isabella offered Kasallin a merely formal greeting, then promptly turned to Parnes.
As if this were the real point of the conversation.
Despite saying she came to meet Kasallin, she seemed uninterested in her and more eager to speak with Parnes.
Surprisingly, Parnes responded warmly.
“Yes, it’s been a while since we’ve seen each other.”
“I’ve been staying in the south for so long that I regretfully haven’t inquired after you. Please forgive my discourtesy.”
“Forgiveness? That’s unnecessary. Didn’t you rush here the moment you heard I’d found a partner?”
“Indeed. I couldn’t delay any longer, wanting to congratulate both of you.”
Kasallin quietly observed the two conversing seamlessly.
It seemed Isabella and Parnes were already well-acquainted.
This wasn’t surprising, as their families were likely close, and they probably built a bond through frequent interactions since childhood.
‘She was probably a strong candidate for empress.’
Though Kasallin didn’t yet know much about Isabella, her first impression suggested she was well-suited to be an empress.
It was hard to understand why Parnes chose an outsider like herself over such an excellent bride.
For now, he was devoted to her, but once the honeymoon’s magical illusion faded, who knows?
There might come a moment when special feelings blossom between these two standing side by side, and it wouldn’t be surprising.
[This is the timeline separator]Parnes had an evening meeting scheduled, so he headed to the emperor’s palace.
Though Duchess Rudo had mentioned, while Parnes was present, that they would only pay respects and leave early, she subtly changed her tune the moment he left.
Kasallin couldn’t exactly say, “I’m busy, so please leave.”
Out of courtesy, she invited them for dinner, and the Rudo mother and daughter accepted with great delight.
Reading the atmosphere, it seemed they wanted to discuss something in Parnes’s absence.
While eating cheese and olives served as appetizers, Duchess Rudo asked,
“How is life in the empress’s palace? Are you pleased with it?”
“Everything is perfect.”
Kasallin replied appropriately.
Meanwhile, Head Maid Dawson came and poured aperitifs into their glasses.
“But it seems you lack enough attendants. Have you not yet selected maids?”
“I’m not rushing it. I have a friend from my hometown with me.”
“But once you formally become empress, you’ll need many maids by your side. If I may say so.”
Kasallin’s knife slowed.
Duchess Rudo spoke as if granting a favor.
“I’d like to humbly offer my help in selecting maids. I may not look it, but I have quite a few acquaintances in high society. I know well which families have capable and clever candidates.”
“It feels too burdensome to trouble Duchess Rudo with such a task.”
Though Kasallin politely declined the unnecessary offer, Duchess Rudo showed no sign of backing down.
Having leisurely stayed in the south with family, they rushed to the palace upon hearing of the future empress.
Did these two simply want to build rapport with her?
Or did they want something more?
“No, it’s no trouble at all. I’ve always enjoyed working for the imperial family. I consider it my duty.”
“Duty. You have a remarkable sense of responsibility.”
“With the empress’s seat vacant for so long, and the dowager empress in ‘that’ state, the imperial family always needs someone to manage its inner affairs.”
In other words, she considered herself no different from the mistress of the imperial household.
Thus, she seemed to believe she naturally had the right to select maids.
At that moment, Isabella, who had been delicately nibbling on a small olive, wiped her mouth with a napkin and spoke for the first time.
“If I may be so bold, how about holding a small tea party before the engagement? Invite key figures to get acquainted and select suitable maids there.”
“What a wonderful idea, Isabella. What do you think, Miss Robepon?”
Even if she disliked it, she couldn’t show it. But appearing too compliant was also unwise.
Being too open wasn’t good, yet needlessly making enemies was equally bad.
With so many things to avoid, socializing was indeed a difficult art.
“There’s no reason to refuse. I’ll arrange a gathering soon.”
[This is the timeline separator]After finishing serving dinner for Kasallin and the Rudo mother and daughter, Head Maid Dawson returned to the servants’ hall and changed into her most formal attire.
Then she headed straight to the emperor’s palace.
At the heavily guarded entrance, she stated her identity, and the soldiers readily let her pass.
Her destination was Parnes’s office, located at the highest point of the emperor’s palace.
“Your Majesty, it’s Dawson.”
There was no response for a while, but after about three minutes, the door opened.
Duke Ludwig greeted her with a light nod.
“This humble servant greets Your Majesty, the sun and sky of the Renel Empire.”
“…Yes.”
Bathed in the fading sunset by the window, Parnes murmured as he spoke.
“What did those two women say to my partner?”
Male lead is a Destined Young Husband (Female-dominant)
One-sentence summary: Wife-master, listen to my explanation!
Li Ruantang, a young lady from a prestigious family, stumbled and fell. When she woke up, she saw a noble and beautiful young man sitting by her bedside, wiping away tears.
The young master had slightly reddened eyes, and his every move exuded charm.
The sight made Li Ruantang’s eyes hot and her heart flutter. After all, she had made a bet with the young master Meng from the neighboring family. If she couldn’t marry a husband before the end of the year, she would have to admit defeat and give up the jade she had worked so hard to obtain.
Outside the window, the flowers were in full bloom.
Rather than losing the bet, the jade, and her face, Li Ruantang calculated that it would be better to seek marriage with the young master in front of her, killing three birds with one stone.
…
Meng Jun never thought that an accident during a spring outing would lead to them rolling down a cliff and into a river, yet still survive.
Now they were trapped in an unknown village, and Meng Jun had overheard that the family who had rescued them had their own intentions.
After all, it was Li Ruantang who had lost her mind and sought marriage first. He was only trying to protect himself!
Glancing at Li Ruantang, who was listing her own merits, the young husband’s voice softened, and he blushed as he lied, “W-wife-master, Wife-master, don’t you remember me?”
The young husband’s voice was clear and handsome, coaxing Li Ruantang’s heart to be soft and sweet, and she spared no effort to protect him.
It wasn’t until they returned to the capital that Li Ruantang suddenly remembered.
When they had fallen off the cliff, in order not to implicate Wei Yunruo, whom he secretly admired, the young husband had instead pulled her, who was slightly farther away, down the cliff with him…
Short summary by Yuushi L: Initially, the male lead (ML) liked another girl, while the female lead (FL) liked the ML. Both fell off a cliff. The FL temporarily lost her memory, and the ML, fearing others might take advantage of him, claimed FL was his wife while they were staying in a village. Later, when they returned home, the FL regained her memories and remembered that the ML liked someone else, so she kept her distance from him. However, during their time living together in the countryside, the ML’s view of the FL had completely changed. From this point, his pursuit of the FL begins.
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