The Duke asked me in a mischievous tone. I stared at him blankly for a moment, then nodded.

“…Yes. It’s a good plan.”

“Then from now on, let’s speak that way.”

The Duke said so and gently closed my fingertips. My hand became as if it was tightly holding the box with the brooch.

I slightly blushed at his words and his touch that warmed my fingertips before moving away. I never expected him to say such things first.

‘If it were Leonard, he would have worried about his reputation first in this situation.’

I felt a twinge in a corner of my heart. It seems I was deeply moved by his willingness to step up to repay my kindness. I held the box tightly with both hands. And meeting his gaze, I said,

“Thank you. This time, I’ll truly cherish it.”

The Duke’s sharp eyes softened as he looked at me.

“…There’s no need to go that far. Rather, let’s continue talking about the royal marriage.”

However, that was only for a moment, as he returned to his expressionless face and shifted the topic to the royal marriage issue.

I smiled and slowly opened my mouth. He and I talked for a long time about how to safely prevent the Princess’s royal marriage.

While both of us kept the gifts we had given each other close to our hearts.

The next morning. In the Goddess’s Room within the Imperial Palace in the capital of the Empire.

From early on, the meeting hall was bustling with nobles attending the regular noble council.

Seats were filled in order, starting from those farthest from the Emperor’s seat. Elliot sat across from Duke Yusten and Duke Klein, among the remaining empty seats excluding the Emperor’s.

Soon, the Empress entered the Goddess’s Room, led by the Chief Chamberlain. At her appearance, the nobles, including Elliot, all rose from their seats.

The Empress gestured once for them to be seated before taking her own seat. Soon she declared in a solemn voice.

“It seems everyone has arrived. Then let’s begin the meeting. Chief Chamberlain, bring the agenda here.”

Following the Empress’s order, the Chief Chamberlain placed parchment documents in front of her.

With that, the meeting began. The Empress and nobles engaged in heated debates about the current issues of the Empire and how to execute the budget allocated at the beginning of this year. Elliot and other nobles who sided with Princess Ella argued that most of it should be used for poverty relief measures, while the nobles on Prince Louis’s side, represented by Duke Yusten and Duke Klein, insisted that the budget should be used for this year’s harvest festival.

After listening to the flurry of opinions in turn, the Empress raised Elliot’s hand, ending the discussion on the main agenda. Duke Yusten, his face red with excitement over his opinion not being reflected, glared at Duke Haven with a fierce gaze. Elliot ignored the Duke’s gaze.

“Then with this, let’s end today’s meeting.”

The Empress tried to end the meeting, ignoring the undercurrent of conflict among her vassals.

It was then. Duke Klein, who had been barely participating in the meeting and constantly watching Duke Yusten beside him, opened his mouth.

“Please wait, Your Majesty.”

“What is it, Duke Klein? I believe I’ve given you ample opportunity to speak about the budget.”

The Empress spoke, subtly expressing her displeasure at him preventing the meeting’s conclusion. Duke Klein hastily shook his head.

“No, Your Majesty. What I wish to speak about is not the budget, but another matter.”

“Another matter?”

The Empress asked, tilting her head. Duke Klein nodded and answered.

“Yes. It’s nothing else but, since the political situation has stabilized to some extent, I wonder if it might be time to look into Princess Ella’s royal marriage, and I wish to ask Your Majesty about this.”

“What nonsense are you suddenly speaking, Duke Klein!”

“Why are you bringing up the Princess’s marriage partner at a budget discussion, Duke! It’s not worth discussing!”

The nobles on the Princess’s side all objected to Duke Klein’s sudden statement.

Elliot, who had already anticipated this situation, quietly snorted with his arms crossed. Meanwhile, the Empress, who silenced them with a single gesture, spoke.

“Royal marriage. Certainly, that child is at that age. Well, Duke Klein. Do you have someone in mind?”

“Your Majesty!”

“Hush, be quiet. Count Kiraon. I am asking the Duke now.”

The Empress rebuked the noble on the Princess’s side who couldn’t help but object, then turned to Duke Klein and asked.

Duke Klein answered with a sly smile.

“Recently, there have been widespread rumors that Prince Justin Randall II of the Raska Empire is looking for a marriage partner. How do you feel about matching him with our Princess, Your Majesty?”

“Hmm, the Raska Empire. Not bad, but shouldn’t we first find out how they feel about the Princess?”

“That’s not a problem at all! I’ve already sent a letter to our spy in the Raska Empire to look into the situation, and it seems His Majesty of the Raska Empire has long wanted to form an alliance with our Empire. So if we propose a royal marriage with our Princess, His Majesty of the Raska Empire will gladly accept.”

“Oh, is that so?”

The Empress said, brightening.

Up to this point, it was as she had predicted. Elliot uncrossed his arms, slammed both hands on the table, and shouted towards the Empress.

“But Your Majesty, we don’t know how the Princess feels about this royal marriage yet! This is not just anything, it’s marriage. We can’t discuss a matter that affects the Princess’s life here without asking her!”

“That’s right, Your Majesty! It’s right to ask the Princess about this matter first!”

“I think so too, Your Majesty!”

At Elliot’s words, the nobles on his side also unanimously agreed and raised their voices. Then the nobles on Duke Yusten and Duke Klein’s side also raised their voices in response.

“Don’t you know what benefits our Empire will gain if this royal marriage is realized? Surely, as a member of the royal family, she must know to act according to national interests!”

“That’s right! A royal family member burdened with the Empire’s fate cannot choose a marriage partner based on personal feelings alone! Even Prince Louis met with various noble children, but married a woman of the Empire according to Your Majesty’s wishes!”

“Of course! Just as the Prince willingly entered into a political marriage for the Empire’s benefit, the Princess will surely have no objections!”

“Are you saying that because the Prince sacrificed, the Princess should naturally sacrifice too? This is a different case!”

Loud voices were exchanged between the nobles divided into two factions. The Empress, watching this scene, slapped her palm on the table and shouted.

“Everyone, be quiet! How dare you raise your voices in front of the Empress, should I throw you all in the prison tower for blasphemy to make you come to your senses!”

“…We apologize, Your Majesty. Please forgive us.”

“Please forgive us, Your Majesty.”

The nobles bowed their heads in turn. The Empress sighed heavily as if displeased, then continued.

“…Huh, I understand your opinions well. Both seem to have a point, so I don’t know what to do. Isn’t there a good solution?”

At those words, the nobles fell silent. The nobles on the Princess’s side wanted to nullify this proposal, while those on the Prince’s side wanted to push it through somehow, so it was unlikely that a good solution would emerge.

Then, Elliot slowly opened his mouth.

“Then, how about holding a ball after informing the Princess about the royal marriage proposal?”

“…A ball?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. During the party, the two parties involved in the royal marriage will have enough time to get to know each other. After that, we can confirm whether they agree or disagree with this marriage.”

Then the nobles began to murmur among themselves. Duke Yusten and Duke Klein looked at him with surprised eyes, while the Princess’s side glared at him as if they couldn’t understand at all.

The Empress silenced them again and said with a smile on her face.

“That’s a good idea, Duke Haven! I’ll tell the Chief Chamberlain to prepare for the party right away.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Then let’s end the meeting with this. Ah, Chief Chamberlain, bring a quill and parchment for a letter immediately! I must write a letter to the Raska Empire myself!”

The elderly Empress ordered the Chief Chamberlain in a girlish voice as she rose from her seat.

The nobles on the Prince’s side left their seats with satisfied expressions, while those on the Princess’s side left with dissatisfied looks. Elliot was the last to leave the Goddess’s Room. As he came out of the door, young nobles waiting for him swarmed around him. They followed Elliot, who crossed the corridor with a stern expression, and said,

“What were you thinking when you brought up the ball, Duke! Holding that party is essentially no different from engaging the Princess to the 2nd Prince of the Raska Empire!”

“That’s right! Occasionally there are crazy people who declare at matchmaking parties that they want to be with someone other than their predetermined partner, but how could Prince Justin do that! Duke Yusten and Duke Klein must have promised an enormous price to make this royal marriage happen!”

“Duke! Please say something!”

They persistently followed Elliot, pressing him as if frustrated.

Then Elliot suddenly stopped. He spoke in a meaningful voice.

“Well. I don’t know either.”

“What?”

“What do you mean by that?”

The nobles asked urgently. Elliot answered indifferently.

“Her Majesty wanted a mediation proposal, so I gave the most reasonable mediation proposal by my standards. Anyway, the current Empress is more inclined towards holding the Princess’s royal marriage. In that situation, what more objection could I have made? Even if I had objected more, she probably wouldn’t have listened.”

“…Well, that’s true.”

“But if it were the usual you, Duke, wouldn’t you have first made Her Majesty defer her decision at that moment, and then thought of a way to persuade Her Majesty in the meantime? It seems you were too hasty this time.”

“…Maybe so.”

Elliot paused for a moment. Then, as if entranced, he stared at the end of the corridor and said,