Chapter 30
Caroline was arguing with Kaiden about something, but I could no longer hear her words.
‘Kaiden… respects me?’
My heart tingled. I felt my face flush with heat.
But I quickly shook my head.
‘No way. He must have said it to fend off the princess.’
Respect? That was absurd. It was surely just something he said to firmly reject Caroline.
At that moment, Kaiden’s voice pierced through my ears.
“Your Highness, Marion is my friend, my comrade, and my love. Please do not insult her with rude words any longer.”
Kaiden’s words sent shivers through my entire body.
‘Ugh, even the soles of my feet are tingling.’
I wiggled my toes. But perhaps because Kaiden’s voice was a bit loud, the surrounding nobles began to whisper.
“Did the Grand Duke just call that troublemaker… his love?”
“Yes, I heard it clearly too.”
“He’s warning us not to treat Sir Marion carelessly, isn’t he?”
In an instant, the atmosphere among the nobles shifted.
The gazes of those who usually sneered at me, calling me a troublemaker, had somehow turned into looks of envy.
Especially the women’s gazes.
Kaiden was undeniably impressive.
He was tall and solidly built. And his face? Some people praised him, saying he looked like a sculpture. On top of that, he had a perfect status.
He was clearly a man blessed by the gods in every way.
Compared to him, I was…
“The grand assembly will begin shortly! Ladies and gentlemen, please proceed to the meeting hall!”
As the attendant shouted loudly, the nobles gathered in small groups and entered the meeting hall.
Kaiden approached me. I could feel Caroline glaring at me, but I didn’t care because Kaiden was coming closer.
For some reason, I felt like running away.
“Marion.”
Kaiden extended his hand. Unable to meet his eyes properly, I glanced at him and asked,
“Why so suddenly?”
The surrounding nobles were looking at us with curious eyes. It was then that I realized my feelings.
‘I’m embarrassed!’
Unaware of my inner turmoil, Kaiden raised an eyebrow and said,
“Take my hand.”
…Is this part of some strategy? No, it must be a formal escort.
I felt unjustly flustered and embarrassed, thinking I was the only one getting worked up.
But refusing his hand here would make others suspicious.
I cautiously placed my right hand on his. Kaiden gripped my hand firmly and said,
“Let’s go.”
I pursed my lips and nodded.
* * *
The grand assembly began.
Starting with the Emperor’s opening address, important issues from each region were brought up as topics for discussion.
Among them, the most pressing issue was the increasingly rampant magical beasts in the eastern region.
The imperial capital was relatively close to the eastern mountain range, and there was speculation that the recent palace terror attack was orchestrated by intelligent demons controlling the magical beasts.
The Emperor spoke in a worried tone.
“Is the situation in the east that bad?”
“My apologies, Your Majesty.”
Marquis Fernandi, who guarded the east, bowed his head.
“Twenty years ago, the magical beasts didn’t rampage like this.”
“It seems the lower demons and magical beasts have completely lost their command structure.”
“Yes. The great demons who could communicate with humans have disappeared. I don’t know why.”
Kaiden recalled an old story his grandfather, Leopold, the former Grand Duke, had told him when he was young.
[“In the past, we made deals with the demons. Just as we raise livestock, they raised magical beasts, and we traded with each other. But at some point, the order broke down. The magical beasts didn’t attack humans so indiscriminately back then.”]
Twenty years ago, Kaiden would have been only seven or eight years old.
Older nobles, reminiscing about that time, lamented here and there in the meeting hall, saying, “Those were the good days.”
The Emperor spoke.
“But hasn’t a saintess appeared in the east? That’s cause for celebration.”
Kaiden looked at Prince Lucas standing beside the Emperor and the pink-haired woman next to him.
He had heard that the saintess was a baron’s daughter from the eastern frontier. Perhaps because it was her first time at such a grand event, she was blinking her large eyes, looking overwhelmed.
Kaiden suddenly glanced down at Marion, who was standing quietly beside him.
“…….”
Marion was standing with her eyes half-closed, asleep.
‘…If that’s a talent, it’s quite a talent.’
The Emperor praised Stella.
“Indeed, the holy power you displayed last night was truly remarkable. Continue to work for the empire’s boundless progress.”
“It is my infinite honor, Your Majesty.”
“Yes. And…”
The Emperor cleared his throat with a “Ahem” and brought up the topic everyone had secretly been waiting for.
“Last evening, there was another significant event, wasn’t there?”
At that, the eyes of all the nobles in the grand assembly hall turned toward Kaiden and Marion.
Kaiden tightened his grip on Marion’s hand, signaling her to wake up.
Marion jolted with a “Hic!” and looked around, smacking her lips as if she’d been dreaming about food.
“I heard that Grand Duke Baltstein proposed to Sir Marion. Is that true?”
“Yes. It is true.”
Kaiden answered confidently. The nobles in the hall began to murmur.
“You’ve been together for a long time?”
“Yes.”
“Hm. That’s strange. Many people say you two are lying.”
Kaiden felt cold sweat on Marion’s hand, which he was holding. She was nervous. He squeezed her hand once to reassure her.
Then he scanned the room with a sharp gaze. The nobles, who had been eagerly watching Kaiden and Marion, instinctively bowed their heads.
Kaiden spoke.
“I don’t know who’s spreading such rumors, but matters between lovers are known only to those involved.”
Suddenly, a noble shouted.
“Your Majesty! You must absolutely not approve their marriage!”
Kaiden frowned and looked at the noble. It was a count from a territory just below the Baltstein estate.
“Both of them are swordmasters! If they marry, how terrifying would Baltstein’s military power become? It’s too threatening for the territories near Baltstein!”
Seizing the moment, lords from regions close to Baltstein also began to shout.
“He’s right! It’s too frightening!”
“I oppose this marriage!”
“They’re definitely lying!”
“Swordmasters, wake up!”
I was dumbfounded by their talk of “waking up.”
Marion, equally incredulous, shouted.
“Do you not realize who’s been keeping the magical beasts at bay so you could live in peace?!”
“What, what?!”
The nobles protested, calling Marion’s words insolent in front of His Majesty. Yet they didn’t reflect on the irony of their own “wake up” chants.
The Emperor raised his hand to mediate.
“Enough, enough!”
The assembly hall quieted down. But whispers from the surrounding nobles could still be heard.
“If those two get together, the balance of power will tilt too much.”
“Isn’t that dangerous?”
Kaiden found the timid nobles’ wariness laughable.
The Emperor looked around at the nobles.
“They love each other. How could I interfere recklessly?”
Kaiden was surprised by the unexpected words. He had thought the Emperor would oppose it. At that moment, Prince Lucas, standing beside the Emperor, stepped forward.
“Your Majesty, the issue isn’t their marriage right now. The situation in the east, which I witnessed with my own eyes, is dire. Don’t we need the strength of a swordmaster?”
Then Crown Prince Marius chimed in.
“Indeed, Your Majesty. I’ll go to the east with Marion to exterminate the magical beasts.”
Kaiden scoffed. The Emperor had known his sons would act this way.
“What are you talking about, brother? You need to stay and protect the capital. I’ll go to the east with Marion.”
“No, you just returned yesterday. You must be tired, so leave the east to me.”
Kaiden was furious.
Both the prince and the Crown Prince were determined to separate him from Marion.
And they were subtly trying to keep Marion by their side, right in front of his eyes.
As the situation unfolded, Marion was visibly anxious.
Marion couldn’t go to the east. Fighting magical beasts alongside other soldiers was impossible for the current Marion, who faints at the sight of blood.
“I’ll go to the east.”
At Kaiden’s words, both the prince and the Crown Prince shook their heads.
“Grand Duke, you need to protect the north. Marion alone is enough.”
“Exactly. You must guard the north!”
Feeling a sense of crisis, Marion shouted.
“I-I can’t go!”
All eyes turned to Marion. The Emperor scolded her in a stern voice.
“You’re not throwing a tantrum because you want to get married, are you?”
“No, Your Majesty!”
Kaiden looked at Marion with a worried expression.
He had been about to tell her she didn’t need to step in because he planned to go to the east himself.
That is, until Marion dropped a bombshell.
“I-I’m pregnant!”
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