However, before the assembly could even be convened, a problem arose. Gilord said he would marry off Siana.

“I have found a groom for my daughter.”

In front of her and Salode, the man spoke with a triumphant expression.

“A young man I consider like a son, with royal blood mixed in. For Siana, he’s no different from a fiancé who has been arranged for her since long ago.”

Just hearing that much, Ophelia realized what the man was talking about.

Previously, Idren had informed her that Gilord had tried to bring in a man with Brinwell royal blood as a son-in-law.

And then when Siana died before the wedding could take place, Gilord immediately adopted him as his son.

The reason Gilord was now trying to bring about something that had happened later in the previous life was one: to prevent conscription.

Siana held the Lerke family’s seat. And to prevent the seat from being used politically, the seat holder could not attend the assembly for one month before and after getting married.

In that case, it could disrupt the southern conscription. No, it would certainly cause disruption. Since the man who intended this situation would make it so.

Ophelia spoke to Gilord, who was occupying a seat in her reception room.

“It’s unexpected that you’re trying to arrange a marriage with a Brinwell person at a time like this.”

“I think it’s truly regrettable that war has broken out. But as a father, one is willing to endure anything for the happiness of one’s child. As someone who has really wanted these two to be together for a long time, I couldn’t delay any further.”

It was then that Salode, who had been listening to their conversation from the side, spoke up.

“Surely the king must have blocked the movement of Nebel’s ships.”

“He did. But Duke Rochiden has been in Aglante since before that.”

“Did you report to the king?”

“There’s a treaty that allows approved Brinwell noble families to enter without reporting.”

“That expired along with the port docking rights.”

“If he’s been in Aglante since before, what do you have to say now?”

That couldn’t have been the case. At that time, Rochiden of Brinwell was certainly in his home country.

But since the route through which he heard that report was not official, he couldn’t say anything right now. Salode swallowed his frustration and closed his mouth. To do such a stupid thing.

Even though it was necessary, he felt his incompetence was exposed just by cutting off the queen’s helper.

And now, to fail to uphold even what the king himself had said.

At this rate, he would have nothing to say when the king returned. As he closed his mouth and racked his brain for a way to salvage the situation, Gilord Nebel mocked him.

“Is it right for the one who will inherit Chesa to be this rash?”

It was then that the queen intervened.

“Enough.”

It was a voice devoid of emotion, like other attitudes she had shown recently. Turning to face the head of House Nebel with an expressionless face, she said.

“I’ve thought this before, but you tend to be overly sensitive to immediate emotions. He’s a young man much younger than you, isn’t he? There’s no need to push him that far.”

Though she didn’t know well, Salode Chesa didn’t seem like a man who would get so upset over this. But Ophelia deliberately took his side. It wasn’t so much that she was friendly with Salode, but rather that she harbored considerable malice towards Gilord Nebel.

In any case, this kind of conversation was meaningless. Gilord would somehow get what he wanted, and Ophelia was in no position to refuse his demands. Because parents had the right to marry off their children.

In that case, it was better to act in a way he couldn’t predict.

She put down her teacup and stood up. Looking down at the man whose neck she would somehow cut off, Ophelia said

“Stand up. You said you wanted to meet your daughter, so I should show you to her,”

The place where Siana was staying was the queen’s quarters, so no one could enter without her permission.

Ophelia followed behind Salode, who was walking ahead to observe proper etiquette. It was then that Gilord, who was standing about a step ahead of her, asked.

“Do you intend to join us as well, Your Majesty?”

“You didn’t seem to be a particularly affectionate father, so I’m too fond of Lerke to just let you meet alone.”

If she let them meet alone, who knew what negative influence Gilord might have on his daughter.

Though she didn’t regard Siana as particularly special, she hadn’t forgotten how the girl had knelt and begged before her. Moreover, men who resembled Mahanas always earned her contempt.

“If your daughter gets married, I suppose you’ll feel more at ease when passing on the family later.”

“Ah, I must not have mentioned it. I intend to take Duke Rochiden as my son-in-law. As Your Majesty knows, my daughter is quite young for her age.”

“You don’t know your daughter well. From what I’ve heard and seen, she seems quite capable of fulfilling her role for her age.”

“Even so, no one knows a child better than their parents.”

So is that why her father was backstabbed in the previous life. Ophelia twisted her lips as she recalled the end of King Dares. Gilord said to her,

“One more thing I’d like to say is that after the marriage, I intend to pass on the family to Duke Rochiden. After committing rudeness to Your Majesty last time, I realized. That I’ve grown old too.”

“I can’t say that’s not true.”

But she couldn’t let things go as this man wished.

If Siana were to marry, the Lerke family seat she held would pass to Gilord. Legally, in the case of the last heir of a family, they could retain their rights even after marriage, but Siana would have no choice but to give up the family to her husband.

If she didn’t, her life would be threatened.

Ophelia wasn’t stupid enough to believe that just because her own marriage was peaceful, others’ marriages were the same. In marriages between noble families, especially those with clear purposes, even the spouse’s life was put on the scale to achieve that purpose.

What would Idren have done if he were here. Ophelia recalled the man who had sent the letter she still hadn’t replied to. Though not lovers, he had written all sorts of affectionate words to her. It was an attitude that didn’t particularly hide his desire to be in love.

She couldn’t say she loved him or that she had the same feelings he did, but Ophelia wished for his quick return. She hoped he would come back before she ruined many things.

For that to happen, conscription in the south needed to happen soon, but Gilord was blocking it. And Ophelia found herself thinking. If she killed Gilord, could it make Idren return faster?

Just then, there were windows in the corridor of the castle where they were walking.

Looking at the back of the man walking ahead, Ophelia considered what she would need to check if she pushed Gilord out the window. How many eyes were watching? If she pushed him and said it was an accident, would that be effective? Anyway, dealing with that man would help Idren, so would Salode take her side?

It was then that she realized she had been reaching out her hand. Before others could notice, Ophelia quietly clenched her fist. She shouldn’t act rashly. She already didn’t have many people she could trust. So rather than now…

Suddenly, her chest felt cold.

Had she always been this impulsive? To the point of moving her hand without realizing it?

Just because something wasn’t said out loud didn’t mean the fact disappeared. Ophelia clearly remembered how naturally she had just imagined murder.

It was instantaneous for impulse to turn into action. What she had done to Mahanas was proof of that.

What if she made a mistake like this?

It had just happened moments ago. Though it was high enough to kill someone if they fell, what if Gilord didn’t die even if he fell? No, before that, could she even push an adult man hard enough to make him fall with her own strength?

In reality, pushing or throwing people around at will was nearly impossible for her.

It was then that Salode, who had been walking ahead, stopped. The red-haired man turned back and said.

“We’ve arrived.”

Siana clenched her trembling hands under the snack table.

She had hurriedly prepared when she suddenly heard the queen was visiting, but it wasn’t just the expected face that entered.

Seeing the familiar face sitting in front of her, her breath caught.

“It’s been a while, daughter.”

“Ah, hello. Father.”

“I’m glad to see you seem to be doing well.”

Though it had been quite some time since she had lived apart from her father, she hadn’t lost her sense enough to not understand what those words meant. Her father’s words were closer to a threat than goodwill.

“Wh-why have you come?”

The words stumbled out without her realizing.

“Speech reveals what kind of person one is. If you can’t speak properly, your intentions also won’t be conveyed properly.”

Why did those words she had heard from the king’s financial advisor come to mind now?

This wouldn’t do. Siana recalled the fact that the queen was watching her. It wasn’t just the queen. The king’s financial advisor who periodically checked on her progress, and her father were also watching her.

It was then that her father raised the corners of his mouth. Like everything about him, it was a smile that felt only ominous.

“I have something urgent to tell you.”

And her father added, before she could even ask.

“I’ve found you a groom.”