Love Me Just Once - Chapter 45

After finishing the clothes fitting, there was no schedule to be delayed, so they soon arrived in Edegrun.

Ophelia observed the scenery of the streets that continued until reaching Sigrasal Castle from inside the carriage. Despite the dusky hour, the bustling streets of Edegrun were familiar to her as well.

Naturally, as it was a carriage bearing the royal seal, people glanced at the carriage they were riding in. Watching this, Ophelia suddenly recalled that Idren had received much support from the commoners.

Even she, who was not deeply involved in politics, had heard about it several times, so he must have been quite popular.

Suddenly she became curious about the reason. Though she didn’t know much about Idren’s life, Ophelia knew that he lacked legitimacy.

People thought only nobles cared about legitimacy, but commoners were just as sensitive about royal bloodlines.

From their perspective, since they all looked like royalty anyway, they wanted to serve someone with purer blood – someone they wouldn’t feel too resentful about supporting.

Ophelia realized this fact while bringing down Reden.

Despite committing all sorts of inhumane acts, it took longer than expected for Mahanas to lose his authority.

Not only the nobles but even the commoners of Reden supported Mahanas simply because he was a prince and a long-standing public face of the royal family.

So the situation must have been absolutely unfavorable for a man who killed the three princes of Aglante and ascended to the throne.

Yet Idren gained public support in just a few years.

Without taking her eyes off the window, Ophelia asked the man sitting across from her.

“Why do the people of Aglante like you?”

“…Why such a sudden question?”

Though it seemed like a perfectly reasonable question to her, Idren appeared flustered. Ophelia added an explanation for him.

“I experimented and found that people don’t easily abandon existing powers. Yet the people of Aglante support you despite you killing the three princes.”

“What do you mean by experimenting?”

“I’m talking about Reden. Even with Mahanas misruling so badly, no one brought up my name.”

Strictly speaking, she also had a right to succession, so if the misrule was unbearable, they could have discussed changing the heir.

However, people chose to give the prince acting like a ruffian one more chance rather than considering a princess ascending to the throne.

Listening to her words, Idren asked.

“Did you want to become queen?”

Ophelia denied his question without hesitation.

“No.”

The people of Reden were those who threw stones at Haslen’s corpse.

Ophelia intended to remember for life that among those countless poor and commoners, not a single one sided with the House of Rakmata. It was also something she couldn’t forget even if she wanted to.

She urged the man who kept saying other things without answering her question.

“Are you not going to answer my question?”

Then Idren turned his gaze to the window following her. Looking at the streets where dusk had already settled, he said.

“It’s because taxes were reduced.”

Ophelia nodded at this extremely sensible reason. Idren added an explanation.

“There was excessive luxury during the previous king’s era. There were also more royal family members to support than now. Moreover, after the previous queen demanded fertile plains as compensation for illegitimate children and then transferred those revenues to her home country of Brinwell, the national finances became even more dire.”

“The taxes must have been collected to an unbearable degree, so they came to support even a half-legitimate ruler.”

It was a statement with subtle self-deprecation. Ophelia said to the man who was lowering his own abilities.

“Still, they must have accepted you because your own strengths were clear.”

Unlike Idren, she had never received public support. This was despite never overtaxing or ruling tyrannically.

Though she didn’t particularly regret that fact, Ophelia also acknowledged that she lacked strengths in that area.

So Idren could have been a little more proud of himself than that.

Though she had only spoken the truth, the man looked at her with seemingly touched eyes. As the sparkling golden eyes were a bit burdensome, Ophelia deliberately looked out the window firmly.

Regardless of her actions, Idren said without taking his starry eyes off her.

“This time, I hope you will also gain public support.”

To be honest, it was something she wasn’t confident about, but the man’s eyes looking at her were so full of expectation that Ophelia eventually had no choice but to acquiesce.

She murmured in a small voice.

“I’ll try.”

Sigrasal Castle, where Ophelia had stayed until just before her death, was exactly as she remembered it.

“Your Majesty, you have arrived.”

Salode, who had been waiting at the castle gate with the chief servant after receiving news of their arrival, approached and greeted them. Idren introduced them to Ophelia, whose hand he was holding.

“Ophelia, this is Salode, who serves as my financial advisor and assistant, and Lisa, the castle’s chief servant.”

It was meant not only to follow formalities but also to let Ophelia know who they were.

Seeing that she didn’t remember the former lord of Rohos well, Idren realized that Ophelia had been more indifferent to her surroundings than he had imagined.

For such a woman, it seemed better to build new memories step by step rather than demanding vague recollections.

“Princess of Reden, welcome to Sigrasal Castle.”

Ophelia realized that the red-haired young man who kissed her hand following the chief servant resembled someone. Idren, who was watching her from the side, lowered his head and whispered.

“Salode is Hazel’s cousin.”

Only then did Ophelia recall the red-haired knight who had smiled at her on the ship.

Hazel. Hazel. She silently repeated the name a few times to not forget it, then greeted the financial advisor and chief servant.

“Pleased to meet you.”

It was just a greeting, but Idren praised her in a small voice as if she had done something remarkable. Well done.

Ophelia was about to tell the man, who seemed to think of her as a child, that she had been perfectly capable of greeting people in her previous life, but stopped herself.

As she withdrew her outstretched hand, a chill brushed her chest. Ophelia shivered a little. Even with newly tailored clothes, it would take time to get used to Edegrun’s cold.

It was then that a leather-gloved hand brushed her ear. The man who caressed her ear whispered. Your ears are frozen.

“Go inside with the chief servant. She will show you to your room. I have some matters to discuss with the financial advisor, so I’ll be a bit late.”

Ophelia nodded slightly at his words. I understand.

Idren watched for a moment as the woman followed the chief servant into the castle. Seeing Ophelia where she was supposed to be brought him a sense of relief.

After watching her figure disappear, Idren turned to the financial advisor.

“Let’s go in as well.”

Salode led him to a reception room that had been prepared in advance. It was a room where the fire had been lit in anticipation of people arriving.

Warm air enveloped his body. Idren, who offered the chair opposite to Salode, asked.

“We’ve moved the wedding up by about two months, are there any problems?”

“No. Most things were prepared in advance, so there are no major issues.”

The preparations made while preparing the bride price shone in moments like this. Idren asked about the remaining things he needed to confirm.

“What about Galisa? Is it being managed well without any issues?”

Galisa, the territory including the ice-free port and villa, was to be transferred to Ophelia after the wedding.

Wanting the gift for her to be in the best condition, Idren had reorganized Galisa’s security before heading down to Reden.

“Yes. It’s being maintained as you arranged.”

It was another satisfactory answer, but they still had the biggest problem left. Idren asked the financial advisor, who looked younger than his last memory.

“How are things with Brinwell? Do you think they’ll send a delegation?”

In his past life, Brinwell had sent a congratulatory delegation to coincide with the wedding.

Considering international relations, it wasn’t intended as congratulations, but rather for show to the capital’s council of elders and those supporting Lemetel prince’s children.

To gain the support of Edegrun’s nobles, the entry of the Brinwell delegation should not have been allowed, so Idren had tried his best to prevent it but ultimately failed.

And that failure had a huge impact on the war that happened about a year from now.

To mobilize troops and supplies from under Edegrun required permission from the capital’s council of elders, but the council, which hadn’t given up supporting Brinwell, didn’t grant permission until late.

Thinking of how many knights, including Penrel, were lost because of that made him want to drag out the nobles of the council and behead them right away.

Swallowing the anger that remained only in his memory, Idren vowed that this time he would not let them do the same thing.

Suppressing his boiling insides, Salode answered him.

“Yes, I heard that Brinwell is preparing ships.”

“We must not let their ships enter the port. If we do, it will be difficult to seize power in the capital.”

The entry of the Brinwell delegation into the Aglante port in the past became the first wrongly buttoned button, and Idren was only able to completely suppress the capital’s council of elders and nobles after ending the war with Brinwell.

Thinking of the hardships endured until then, the Brinwell delegation must absolutely not be allowed this time.

Salode, who would also know this fact, said with a troubled face.

“However, due to a treaty signed during the previous king’s reign, it’s difficult to block entry even if Brinwell’s ships come in.”