Chapter 14: Marriage?

“Your Majesty.”

As evening fell, the imperial palace became completely deserted.

All the nobles and officials who had finished their work returned home to have a cozy dinner with their families.

However, no warmth could be found in the imperial palace.

Even between blood relatives, such warmth was nowhere to be found.

Although the Emperor was his father, Edmund had never called him ‘father’ even long before he received the title of Crown Prince.

Even from the Emperor’s perspective, who could say Edmund was his only child, he felt no disappointment about this.

For them, the development of the empire, the continuation of the imperial family, and the relationship between ruler and subject were more important than family bonds.

As Edmund took his seat, Emperor Odin Wilhelm opened his mouth.

“You’re a bit late.”

“I apologize.”

“What kept you?”

“There was particularly much work to handle today.”

“I see.”

Their stiff and dry conversation lacked any trace of emotion or warmth.

Even after the food was served, Odin never once looked at Edmund.

Edmund was the same.

The two continued their conversation without ever making eye contact.

“You’re already past twenty now.”

“Time has passed quickly while I focused on my studies at the acade.”

In truth, Edmund didn’t need to attend the acade.

He was the future sovereign with a guaranteed future.

Therefore, he could have simply been educated by specialized tutors in the imperial palace from a young age.

But Edmund had expressed his wish to attend the acade.

Though those around him opposed it, the Emperor accepted his wish.

After all, there was still time before his death, and he wanted to grant what his son wished to do.

There were concerns that he might spend his time at the acade making up for all the fun he couldn’t have before.

However, Edmund proved those concerns unfounded as he lived diligently and met everyone’s expectations.

‘Though it wouldn’t have mattered if he had enjoyed himself.’

To the Emperor, Edmund was a ‘boring child.’

Even though he could have felt frustrated with the path laid out for him, he diligently followed it.

He never once showed any dissatisfaction.

That made him seem even less human.

The Emperor picked up his wine glass.

“You’re of marriageable age now.”

At those words, Edmund stopped the knife he was using to cut his meat.

He put down his fork and knife and looked at his father for the first time.

Odin also looked at Edmund while taking a sip of wine.

There was no trace of familial affection in their exchanged glances.

However, neither of them found this strange.

Edmund was just uncomfortable with the topic that was suddenly raised.

“Originally, you should have had an engagement before entering the acade. And after graduation, you should have had the wedding.”

Edmund already knew what Odin was getting at.

“Are you suggesting marriage?”

“Yes, you need to produce heirs too, don’t you?”

Edmund knew this well too.

As the imperial bloodline had become very scarce, he could inherit the throne without any threats.

In fact, this situation wasn’t ideal.

A simple succession structure meant it was that much easier for the family line to be extinguished.

The Emperor spoke to Edmund with his usual stoic expression.

“I don’t care about rumors. It’s clearly meant to check the overwhelming power you’ll have when you ascend to the throne.”

At those words, Edmund realized there were rumors about him.

Rumors typically reach the subject last.

Edmund didn’t know the content of these rumors.

He wanted to ask what exactly he meant, but Odin spoke first.

“How about marrying the young lady of House Hersher?”

“Your Majesty.”

“It’s not a bad proposal for you either. Few houses are as loyal to the imperial family as House Hersher, and their noble daughter commands the social circles.”

Edmund was well aware of what House Hersher was like.

House Hersher had been almost blindly loyal to the imperial family since the empire’s establishment.

And Aria Hersher was the only child of Duke Hersher. How could he not know of her existence?

Not only was her presence remarkable.

‘She was one of the people who stayed close to me since entering the acade, so I couldn’t not know her.’

He pictured Aria in his mind.

Her lovely pink hair and soothing green eyes that put people at ease made her well-liked.

During their days at the academy, Aria’s popularity was through the roof.

With her background as a duke’s daughter and the privilege of staying close to Edmund, she was often mentioned as a potential Crown Princess.

But Edmund paid it no mind.

Though she stayed close, or more accurately, she followed him around on her own,

Edmund never sought out Aria first.

So he had lightly dismissed it, thinking it would all prove to be false rumors with time.

‘To think it would become reality like this.’

Edmund covered the bitter taste in his mouth with a smile.

Then he asked simultaneously.

“Is this an order, or a suggestion?”

Looking at Edmund who asked whether it was his order as Emperor or a suggestion as a father, Odin laughed and asked.

“You seem displeased.”

Until recently, he wouldn’t have cared who became his consort.

One way or another, he needed a Crown Princess.

Someone who would become Empress following him, barring any major changes.

Unless he declared he wouldn’t take another after marrying and his spouse dying.

It was a position that had to be filled at least once.

He had too much to do to worry about such matters.

If he hadn’t met Clea, he probably would have given an immediate answer here that Aria Hersher would be fine.

But Edmund’s thoughts had changed since then.

“It’s not that I’m displeased, but that there’s someone else I favor.”

“You favor someone? How fascinating.”

Odin didn’t particularly care about Edmund. But as his son, he could understand Edmund’s character better than anyone.

For Edmund to directly say there was someone he favored was truly unlike him. Odin was surprised.

“Who is it?”

“It’s difficult to say yet.”

“I won’t approve if you don’t tell me.”

“I haven’t asked for the person’s opinion yet.”

“Wouldn’t anyone want such a position regardless?”

A position every woman would wish for at least once.

There had never been a time when the process of selecting a Crown Princess wasn’t fierce.

There were many such stories passed down from his grandfather, great-grandfather, great-great-grandfather, and beyond.

But Edmund didn’t want to go through such a process.

‘What would she think?’

Edmund was curious about Clea’s opinion.

How would she react?

Honestly, Clea was the only woman who caught his eye now.

He could feel his feelings for her gradually developing into affection.

He wanted Clea to become his Crown Princess.

But this could be a burdensome proposal for her.

Though she seemed fine now, she had been with House Odoi until recently.

Thinking it proper to check her thoughts first, Edmund imagined for a moment.

‘If she refuses…’

After hesitating briefly, Edmund decided he didn’t mind if she refused.

He already had no intention of letting her go.

He had made it clear enough to her.

That even if she wanted to escape, she could never leave his side now.

The more he got to know her, Edmund felt increasingly drawn to Clea and felt impulses.

When he met her on the bridge and learned she had left her family. His offer to go with him wasn’t simply out of a desire to help.

It was because he felt the impulse to be with her without House Odoi’s interference.

He wanted to keep her by his side, fearing she might disappear somewhere.

The traces Clea left on him and every word she said to him were new stimuli for Edmund.

As he became addicted to these strange stimuli, he thought of no one but Clea.

He tried to hide his expression, appearing nonchalant.

But Odin, who was watching him, easily noticed Edmund’s current mood.

“Your eyes have grown fierce.”

“I apologize. I was lost in thought for a moment.”

“Haha, how interesting. How interesting. To think the day would come when you couldn’t control your expression before me.”

Odin was very intrigued.

He was genuinely curious about the woman who could stir Edmund’s emotions like this.

But Odin somehow felt he knew who she was.

“If you want approval, you must bring her before me once. I won’t approve the marriage otherwise.”

“…I’ll ask her first.”

“Ha, earlier you asked if it was an order or suggestion. Now you’re assuming it’s a suggestion.”

But Odin didn’t mind.

He was the master of the imperial palace.

He could hear anything that spread within the palace walls.

Interesting news had reached his ears. Odin ignored Edmund’s answer, thinking he would confirm it himself soon enough.

‘The lady who vanished from House Odoi, a woman who suddenly appeared at the Crown Prince’s palace, and now a woman favored by the Crown Prince…’

Looking at the pieces falling into place, Odin recalled the woman named Clea Odoi and wondered.

He looked forward to hearing directly how she had managed to capture the heart of Edmund, who had a heart of ice.

‘I should arrange a meeting soon.’

Odin suppressed a smile as he watched Edmund continue eating, unaware that he planned to secretly arrange a meeting with her.