Chapter 146: According to Plan 3

On a drizzling, gloomy day, an air of melancholy pervaded the surroundings as Santana boarded the carriage with heavy steps.

“Then, Father, I shall be going.”

“Yes… Travel safely.”

The carriage headed towards the Dragonian Empire.

The newly arranged marriage between Bohemia and the Dragonian Empire was to take place in the empire’s territory of Sophia.

Typically, an engagement would precede a wedding, but given the urgency of the situation, the Dragonian Empire had insisted on proceeding directly to the marriage ceremony. Thus, merely a week after the betrothal, Santana now departed for the wedding.

“Lord Santana…”

As he boarded the carriage, Estelle addressed him with a plaintive tone.

Santana responded with a composed smile:

“Then I shall return. Take care of yourself in the meantime.”

“Yes… I shall await you…”

Estelle’s voice carried a poignant wistfulness.

With their farewells exchanged, the carriage carrying Santana departed for the Dragonian Empire.

Estelle watched it depart with longing eyes until it disappeared from sight.

Shortly after, once the carriage was no longer visible, the melancholic Dust, standing behind Estelle, inquired:

“Sister… Are you alright?”

“…Yes… I’m fine, thank you, Dust.”

In the end, despite her efforts, Estelle had been unable to overcome the circumstances.

Dust harbored profound guilt, yet Estelle consoled her instead.

In that moment, recalling Santana’s parting promise to her…

‘Truly, I am alright… Although I could not secure the position by Lord Santana’s side as I desired… at the very least, I have been promised a place beneath him…’

Having traveled a considerable distance from Bohemia, the carriage halted in a secluded area as the rain subsided and the sun peeked through the clouds.

The surrounding birdsong accompanied the glistening sunlight upon the carriage.

Within, accompanying me on my journey to wed, were Polena, who had assumed the guise of a servant, and the woman slowly removing her black veil…

Cazeros.

“…”

“…”

“…”

For a moment, we maintained a solemn silence, our expressions grave.

Yet, gradually, cracks began to form in our facades.

And then…

“Pfft…”

“Kuhuh…”

“Ahahahaha!”

Our masks of deception finally shattered, laughter brimming with jubilation erupting forth.

“Hah… Truly, Your Grace’s acting prowess is formidable. To think you could so thoroughly deceive them all.”

“Indeed, I had expected some suspicion, but I never imagined they would be taken in so completely.”

Their voices mingled with awe and joy.

Witnessing their demeanor, I spoke with a hint of relief:

“Truthfully, I was anxious throughout the entire process. Although the conditions were met, whether it would be convincing was another matter entirely.”

While deceiving others did bring a tinge of remorse – after all, I had misled a woman who claimed to love me and my own family – that sentiment was separate from my profound satisfaction with the present circumstances.

The impending marriage with ‘Princess Cazeros Sophia Reymond of the Dragonian Empire’ could not have been more ideal.

“Lord Santana…”

“Cazeros…”

No longer were there any obstacles separating us.

All that remained was to savor the bliss that awaited our union.

Once our marriage was sealed in Sophia, even if the truth came to light, none could undo it.

More importantly, provided we revealed only that Cazeros and I had genuinely loved each other from the outset, there would be no issue from any perspective – legally or pragmatically.

An utterly faultless union, sanctioned by both principle and reality.

We clasped each other’s hands tightly, basking in our shared warmth and tenderness.

A cozy, soothing sensation.

Truthfully, I harbored the urge to consummate our bond once more in that very moment. However, with Polena present, beaming in satisfaction, I had to restrain myself – for now.

‘If we stop at an inn along the way, we shall indulge… No longer do we need to heed any prying eyes.’

“Haah…”

“You seem displeased. What troubles you?”

Observing her daughter’s heavy sigh, she…

Rozebeta, the Dragonian Emperor, regarded her with a faint smile, almost as if amused.

In a tone tinged with bitterness, her daughter, Duchess Catlena, the ruler of Sophia, responded:

“Mother… Must you push matters so forcefully? A marriage, of all things? How could you arrange such a thing without even seeing the groom’s face?”

“But you will soon lay eyes upon him, will you not? The groom is on his way here with his bride.”

“No… That’s not what I… Haah…”

Met with her mother’s flippant demeanor, the Duchess could only sigh deeply, rendered speechless.

Her daughter Cazeros had abruptly requested this marriage be arranged.

Although the Duchess had contemplated the various implications and felt reluctant, Emperor Rozebeta had unhesitatingly approved the union with this ‘Santana.’

Thus, her daughter’s sudden marriage to this man had been swiftly set into motion.

While Cazeros’s vouching, corroborated by Blurrd’s testimony, had clarified Rozebeta’s initial misunderstanding regarding Santana, she still harbored misgivings about the man.

Beyond the political considerations inherent in gaining an in-law’s nation, Rozebeta’s profound distaste stemmed from her initial impressions upon first learning of him.

Although Santana had purportedly entered a contract engagement to uphold his promise to Cazeros, Rozebeta remained ill-disposed towards his history.

Amidst her lingering unease, the Duchess sighed deeply as she observed her mother leisurely sipping tea, having arbitrarily pushed forward these proceedings.

‘Truly… Mother is ever so headstrong in such matters… Still, she could have at least assessed the situation more thoroughly before pressing ahead…’

Known as a self-professed romantic when it came to matters of love, the Dragonian Emperor tended to act wholeheartedly in such affairs.

As the Duchess reflected, memories of her own marriage resurfaced, arranged in a similarly swift manner by her mother.

‘Come to think of it, it was much the same when I wed him. One day, she suddenly proposed the marriage, then proceeded with utmost haste.’

Perhaps due to her commoner roots, the Emperor’s criteria for marriage were quite clear-cut:

Whether the couple genuinely loved one another.

Differences in status or circumstances mattered little.

The essence was the union of their hearts – a standard Cazeros and Santana’s love had evidently met in the Emperor’s eyes.

And truthfully, setting aside her maternal perspective, even the Duchess could not deny this point.

Unencumbered by politics or pretense…

Meeting as knight and commoner, fostering affection unknown to their true identities, only to passionately pursue it after their standings were revealed.

A tale akin to a fairy tale – not inherently flawed, when viewed solely through that lens.

‘Well… What use is there in dwelling on such concerns now? For the time being, I should focus on assessing this prospective son-in-law. If he proves utterly insufferable, I shall promptly remove him…’