The council chamber I had long yearned to set foot in was filled with nothing but men.

In an empire where the legal succession of a female head of household is legitimate, why are all the heads of households only men?

That was my impression as I looked around the inside of the council chamber during the brief moment when the door opened and everyone’s attention was focused on me.

Whether young or old.

Whether outstanding or incompetent.

Whether the household’s influence was large or small, the heads of the households were all men.

Despite the fact that there must be far more capable women in their families than those sitting here.

I entered slowly with such thoughts in mind.

“Why is Her Highness here……”

“Ah, come to think of it, today Marquis Vermerian……”

“Even His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince at yesterday’s luncheon……”

I could hear soft murmurs from those around me.

They all seemed curious about why I had appeared at a place like this.

Some of them even openly showed uncomfortable expressions.

But regardless of their attitude, I just needed to achieve my goal.

Ignoring the gossip no less than that of women, I went and sat in the seat the chief of ceremonies guided me to.

Sitting in my seat, I could see all the nobles in the council chamber at a glance.

Seeing that there was only one seat higher than mine, it seemed to be the closest to Leoprick.

I stared at the empty seat for a moment before shifting my gaze forward again.

The first person my eyes met was my father.

My father, who still looked at me with trusting eyes, but with obvious traces of worry.

It must be because he doesn’t know why I’m here.

I lightly nodded to my father, telling him not to worry, and shifted my gaze again.

The next person my eyes met was Duke Balua.

He didn’t even try to hide his displeased look since I entered, and when our eyes met, he frowned even more blatantly.

‘How dare a woman come here of all places.’

I could almost hear the trite and clichéd line that would invariably appear whenever women who wanted to disrupt the laws and order that had dominated the world of men emerged.

How dare you. What does a mere man think he is?

I scoffed at him demonstratively and sharply turned my gaze away.

While there are men like Leoprick who can take care of themselves to some extent on their own, most men think that what they believe is right and don’t look around them.

In other words, they can’t even take care of themselves on their own.

From the looks of it, Duke Balua wouldn’t have even shaken hands with Lloyd in his previous life if it weren’t for me, his daughter now.

Both him and Lloyd.

In the end, they’re all the same kind of people.

I smiled leisurely at those who were sending me displeased looks, knowingly or unknowingly.

No matter how much they do that, the ones who will win in the end are those who know what’s truly important.

“His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince is entering!”

At that moment, the door opened with a resounding voice.

And as soon as the door opened, everyone rose from their seats.

Leoprick, walking past them like a ship cutting through the waves, looked very dignified and imposing.

And the moment he slowly walked over and briefly paused in front of me.

“Don’t worry. Everything will be fine.”

The gently alighting comfort brushed past me quietly.

He sat in his seat as if nothing had happened and nodded to the chief of ceremonies.

“Then, let us begin the nobles’ council!”

And so it began.

The fight to ultimately win.

“The first item on the agenda is about the support for the epidemic in the East.”

An epidemic, you say.

As the chief of ceremonies’ words rang through the council chamber, murmurs arose from various places.

Epidemic.

Even just that word alone carried a considerable weight.

Not anywhere else, but in the already closed-off East, and the fact that support needs to be discussed made people’s expressions change moment by moment.

“Your Highness. An epidemic, you say? Aren’t endemic diseases in the East a yearly occurrence?”

“That’s right, Your Highness! Moreover, the East is relatively isolated, so how can we confirm whether what’s happening there is an epidemic or not?”

“Even if it’s certain that it’s an epidemic, who would willingly go there?”

Murmur murmur.

The sound of them muttering among themselves and the sporadic voices ringing out here and there made my ears dizzy.

I listened quietly to their rambling and then opened my mouth with a frown.

“Then do you think His Highness has brought up a matter that hasn’t been properly confirmed for discussion?”

As I threw out a remark with a displeased air, the noisy surroundings instantly quieted down.

Even those who were talking as they pleased shut their mouths and only glanced around at others, as I could see.

If they’re going to shut up at just these words, why do they move their mouths so recklessly?

I was about to open my mouth again to add to my words.

“Then does Your Highness think that we gathered here have just said useless things?”

Duke Balua, who had been openly sending me uncomfortable looks from the beginning, spoke up first.

In a very challenging tone, as if asking if we’re talking nonsense.

“I said that because it seemed like you were making hasty judgments without listening to the end, but if that’s how it sounded, I apologize.”

But that doesn’t mean I need to fall for needless provocations.

I spoke succinctly to admonish them appropriately while at the same time not wasting unnecessary energy.

Duke Balua showed a slightly surprised expression, as if he didn’t expect me to react this way.

Regardless of that, I, who have no energy to waste on such things, sat up straight again and turned to the chief of ceremonies.

“Please continue, chief of ceremonies.”

At my words, the chief of ceremonies slightly bowed his head and resumed reading the documents he was holding.

“The epidemic in the East is currently in a state of remission, and the doctors who went to provide support are trying to identify the cause, but it’s not easy. In relation to this, Lord Deimar of the East has personally requested to make an appeal.”

“Let him speak.”

As soon as the chief of ceremonies finished speaking, Leoprick nodded towards the door.

At his words, while everyone was murmuring, the door opened and Deimar and his entourage walked in.

“No, why is that fellow here…!”

“Didn’t they say it’s an epidemic? Then shouldn’t he not come here?”

“Your Highness! To carry out such a dangerous act without a word of notice!”

And as expected, when Deimar and his entourage entered.

The nobles were all horrified and panicked as if they were some kind of dirty germs.

There were those who moved their bodies to get as far away from them as possible while remaining seated, and those who covered their noses with handkerchiefs.

Those with shocked faces who tried not to even look in that direction, and those who jumped up from their seats saying they needed to get out of here immediately.

I took my eyes off that unsightly sight and this time looked at the Eastern delegation.

Despite having sufficiently discussed the possibility of this kind of situation before coming here, the expressions of Deimar’s group as they watched those people were not very good.

But what was important to them now was not to preserve their pride for this brief moment.

It was to bring support to restore the lives of the people that had completely collapsed due to this epidemic, and to bring those who would research and find ways to prevent such an incident from happening again to the East.

Knowing the gravity of the matter, they were all looking around the inside of the council chamber with an uncomfortable air.

“They are the people I summoned. They have already been declared fully recovered by the doctor, and there is no evidence that they are spreading the epidemic, so everyone calm down.”

How can we make the faces we haven’t seen in a long time uncomfortable over such a trivial matter?

As Leoprick spoke in a low and heavy voice, the inside of the council chamber seemed to quiet down for a moment.

It didn’t last long before people started murmuring again, still looking at the Easterners with uncomfortable gazes.

“He said he came to report on the current situation in the East.”

“That’s right, Your Highness. Currently, the East is……”

“Your Highness. I think it’s too early to receive such a report when it hasn’t even been confirmed as an epidemic yet.”

It was just as Deimar opened his mouth to report on the situation in the East.

Duke Balua stepped forward and blocked his mouth.

“There has never been any official support to the East, and no messenger has come to the capital until now.”

So in the end, since nothing has been revealed, there’s no need to do anything, is that it?

I observed Leoprick’s expression beside me while lending an ear for now.

“Moreover, if a disease is spreading, wouldn’t there also be a lack of personnel who can confirm whether what’s currently occurring in the East is an epidemic or not?”

As he continued, more of the nobles seated around the table began to nod their heads.

As if they thought everything Duke Balua was saying was reasonable and natural questions.

“Therefore, Your Highness, if we really need to discuss this agenda item, I think it should be after all investigations are concluded. Isn’t it a story that has happened every year that the East lacks doctors or food?”

With those absurd words implying that they’re just bringing up an epidemic this time too in order to fill those lacking things, Duke Balua closed his mouth.

Then this time, other nobles began to raise their hands and express their opinions one after another.

That it’s necessary to first send doctors to confirm, or that it would be good to imprison those who came from the East to prevent them from making other contact in advance.

“In the first place, if it’s really an epidemic, who would volunteer to go there and risk their lives? Even the investigation they claim to have conducted could all be deception in the end!”

“That’s right, Your Highness! The imperial family needs to dispatch an investigative team to examine more accurately.”

As if they had taken the initiative with just one rebuttal, they chattered endlessly.

So cruelly and harshly that it was hard to tell if they were expressing opinions or trying to fight.

They didn’t seem to care much about how the Easterners present here would hear it or how much anger they were suppressing.

I could see Deimar looking around with a murderous expression, as if he would kill everyone here at any moment.

He’s going to really throw a punch at this rate.

Discovering that the expressions of those standing behind him were not much different, I let out a short sigh.

Go ahead and engage in armchair theories here all day long.

Then miss all the important moments and regret it later.

I watched them for a moment and then raised my hand.