“It has been a long time, Your Majesty. It seems you do not recognize me because it has been so many years.”
“If I remember correctly, the Young Duke had black hair like the Duke.”
The Emperor was right.
In the original novel, Klaus Decarean was clearly described as having jet-black hair.
“Ah, you’re referring to that.”
Marcus shrugged once and removed the ring from his left pinky finger.
The appearance of his ordinary brown hair and brown eyes immediately began to change.
Before long, Marcus transformed into a man with black hair and blue eyes.
Just like the Duke of Decarean described in the original novel.
Ironically, that color combination suited Marcus much better.
Moreover, his facial features themselves had not changed at all, yet his face somehow appeared clearer than before.
It seemed that ring not only contained magic that changed the color of his hair and eyes, but also magic that diminished his presence.
“Ah, Mister.”
No wonder nobody recognized him even though he walked around openly!
‘I was completely fooled!’
Unaware of my shock, the Emperor burst into hearty laughter at Marcus’s changed appearance.
“Yes, now I remember. You haven’t changed much since the last time I saw you. It seems I’m the only one who has aged.”
“Your Majesty’s presence is still as extraordinary as ever.”
“That can’t be true. I’m old now. I want to hand over the throne as soon as possible and enjoy a peaceful retirement, but that fellow Damian still doesn’t quite satisfy me.”
Was it my imagination that Marcus’s face stiffened slightly the moment the name Damian was mentioned?
However, the Emperor’s next words prevented me from thinking further about Marcus’s expression.
“Where and how have you been living all this time? To disappear for ten whole years. I was worried that the Empire had lost a talent like the Young Duke.”
“I needed some time to clear my head.”
“Isn’t ten years rather long for that?”
“Living freely, I eventually realized that so much time had passed.”
“Judging by your face, it seems you truly enjoyed that free life. Then what caused your sudden change of heart?”
The Emperor abruptly changed the subject.
It seemed he had never been particularly curious about how Marcus had spent those years in the first place.
After briefly glancing over Mother and me, the Emperor picked up a document lying beside him.
“I hear you submitted a marriage permit application. Was Marcus Elden the alias the Young Duke had been using all this time?”
“Yes.”
“And your partner is the daughter of Baron Arno… I know the Arno family well. Baron Arno and Sir Arno were both remarkably intelligent. It is truly unfortunate what happened. I wanted to keep them closer, but they had no intention of leaving their territory. Who would have thought things would turn out this way?”
“……”
“Though belatedly, I offer my condolences to the deceased.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
“Of course, Sir Arno will soon return safely.”
Marcus neatly cut through the Emperor’s ambiguous words.
The Emperor’s golden eyes gleamed with interest.
“By the way, you submitted the documents as Marcus Elden, yet suddenly requested an audience with me under the name Klaus Decarean. Why?”
“It was to borrow the name of Decarean and make a request of Your Majesty.”
“A request?”
“Yes.”
Marcus calmly began his explanation.
He told the story of the Arno family, which had lost its designated heir, and Uncle Pascal, who coveted the family.
He explained how Mother and Marcus, who had been lovers, had rushed their marriage to set everything right.
He even revealed how Uncle Pascal had deliberately obstructed the marriage permit application by using his connections.
“As one of Your Majesty’s subjects, I could not simply stand by and watch the current situation unfold.”
“And so you resumed using the name Decarean?”
“Yes.”
“I see. So that is what happened. I have long known of your loyalty, so I understand completely.”
The Emperor smiled meaningfully.
‘It doesn’t seem like he believes all of Marcus’s words.’
Perhaps he had already realized that Marcus and Mother’s marriage was a sham.
However, that was the end of the Emperor’s questioning.
He did not ask how they had met or whether Marcus truly loved Mother.
Apparently, such matters were unimportant to the Emperor.
I swallowed nervously, worried that everything might go wrong at any moment.
Then the Emperor called the Chief Chamberlain, who had been waiting outside.
“It appears there is a fox stirring up trouble throughout this Imperial Palace.”
“My deepest apologies for failing to notice it, Your Majesty. We will correct the matter as soon as possible.”
“And this document as well. Have it rewritten and brought back. The man marrying Lady Arno is not Marcus Elden, but Klaus Decarean.”
“Understood.”
…Does that mean?
While staring blankly at the Chief Chamberlain as he stepped backward and withdrew, I was startled back to my senses by the Emperor’s voice overhead.
“So what do you intend to do from now on? Will you return to the ducal estate?”
The ducal estate.
That single phrase carried tremendous weight.
‘Then Mother is really going to marry Marcus—or rather, Klaus Decarean? Just like this?’
This was not part of my plan.
Since the marriage partner had changed, I needed to reevaluate the advantages and disadvantages of this marriage.
But there was no time.
The Emperor looked ready to stamp the marriage permit immediately, and Marcus showed no intention of delaying.
“I have a separate residence prepared in the capital. I intend to live there with my family.”
“Then you do not intend to return to the ducal estate? The Duke will be deeply disappointed.”
“He is not the kind of person who would be disappointed over something like this.”
“Judging by the situation, it seems the Duke has not even heard about the Young Duke’s marriage. Shouldn’t you have gone to him before coming to me?”
“As an adult, I choose my own partner. It is not a matter that concerns the head of the family.”
“If that’s the case.”
Just then, the Chief Chamberlain returned with the documents.
Marcus signed them without hesitation and handed them to Mother.
Standing beside Mother as she bit her lip and hesitated, I stomped my feet anxiously inside my mind.
‘What should I do?’
To Mother, only the name of the contract partner had changed from Marcus Elden to Klaus Decarean.
They were still the same person.
She must have been startled by the sudden situation, but she would not stop pursuing her goal of protecting the Arno family.
‘But I know.’
I know what kind of person Klaus Decarean is.
That man…
“Vivi.”
When I looked up, Mother gave me a gentle smile.
Sometime during all this, she had already finished signing.
The document had left her hands and was now being held by the Chief Chamberlain.
Watching him carry it toward the Emperor, I bit my lip tightly.
“Don’t worry, Vivi.”
Mother whispered softly enough that only I could hear.
“Nothing will change.”
“But Mom.”
“Just trust your mother.”
Marcus stood one step ahead of us, almost as though shielding Mother and me from the Emperor’s gaze.
I looked up at his broad back and then nodded while suppressing my anxiety.
Soon, the Emperor received the document and raised his right hand.
When he pressed the ring on his middle finger firmly against the document, it emitted a faint glow and left the Emperor’s seal behind.
It was now an irreversible magical seal.
The Emperor returned the document to Marcus with a satisfied expression.
“I sincerely congratulate you on your marriage, Young Duke.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
“I look forward to the loyalty the Young Duke will show from now on.”
☆☆☆
“Vivi!”
The moment we left the audience chamber, my legs finally gave out and I collapsed onto the floor.
My mind was such a mess that I couldn’t even feel any pain.
Marcus lifted me up effortlessly in Mother’s place.
“Are you hurt?”
“…No. I’m okay.”
“Everything happened so suddenly that you must have been very surprised. I’m sorry. And my apologies to you as well, my lady.”
Marcus belatedly apologized to Mother and me.
Only the playful tone that usually colored his voice was gone, yet because his hair and eye color had changed, he felt like a completely different person.
“Still, there’s no need to worry anymore, Vivi. Things won’t go according to the plans of that fellow Pascal—or Pasta, or whatever his name is.”
As if he had noticed my wariness, Marcus spoke jokingly.
But I could not laugh at all.
“Because now I can properly protect you and your mother.”
The moment I heard those words, I felt something stretched tightly inside my heart snap.
Only his hair color, eye color, and name had changed.
He was still Marcus Elden.
The person I had judged trustworthy enough to entrust with Mother’s and my safety.
Even if my choice had been based on what I knew of his character from the original novel, he had protected Mother and me safely for the past month and a half.
‘Even if it was because of the request…’
With trembling arms, I wrapped them tightly around Marcus’s neck.
“The signature…”
“Hm?”
“You signed it, so now you’re my stepfather. You have to protect us.”
“Alright. I understand.”
Marcus let out a small laugh and gently patted my back once.
And so, the mastermind became my stepfather.
☆▪︎▪︎▪︎☆
