episode_0088

Emperor Eduard Galatea was not known for displaying significant emotional fluctuations. Even if his emotions were stirred, he never revealed them in front of others.

Standing at the center of power for thirty years, he had experienced firsthand how the hyenas surrounding him would salivate and eye their prey with just a twitch of an eyebrow.

That was who he was.

“I desire the youngest daughter of House Bayern.”

The voice that echoed in his ears was slowly chipping away at the Emperor’s hardened heart.

Emperor Eduard gazed into Lurian’s crimson eyes and inquired, “What did you just say?”

“I desire Eleanor Arena de Bayern, the youngest daughter of House Bayern.”

The Emperor appeared quite taken aback. His son, Lurian, had never seen this side of his father before. Granted, they didn’t meet often.

Looking into Lurian’s shimmering golden eyes, he pondered. Even the Emperor or perhaps that man might not have considered such an answer. That all he desired was a mere woman, the fact that she was Eleanor Arena de Bayern. He doubted they even knew her name to begin with.

A loud burst of laughter filled the air.

“Hahaha! A lady from House Bayern, how intriguing.”

It was a display of grandeur. The Emperor clapped his hands together, chuckling heartily.

Lurian regarded the Emperor with a mix of fascination and slight disrespect in his eyes. It felt somewhat unfamiliar to him that such emotions existed within himself.

Of course, the Emperor, engrossed in his laughter, failed to notice the disrespectful gaze.

“Heh, it’s been a while since I laughed like this. I underestimated my son’s sense of humor.”

His face still bore traces of laughter.

Despite it being impolite, Lurian closely observed the Emperor, his father. His laughter seemed awkward. While his mouth clearly smiled, his cheeks did not reflect it. His eyes were wide with excessive emotion, yet his eyebrows remained straight.

Perhaps, as he had just said, it had been so long since he last laughed that he had forgotten how to laugh genuinely.

Lurian soon bowed his head. Concealing his emotions, he waited endlessly for that awkward, somewhat unpleasant laughter to end.

“Ah… Thanks to you, I was able to laugh happily after a long time.”

“I apologize.”

In a somewhat sincere tone, Lurian raised his head once more.

The Emperor’s gaze softened slightly as he looked into Lurian’s eyes. Looking into his golden eyes, Lurian felt that way.

“You always used to arrogantly raise your eyebrows in front of me, which wasn’t cute at all. But now, I see you have some charming aspects too.”

The Emperor swiftly controlled his excessive emotions. The man in front of him seemed to have returned to his original self, but his limited gaze remained unchanged.

“While I may be the Emperor of my empire, I do not possess the ability to connect people’s fates. Let alone with none other than the daughter of House Bayern.”

Emperor Eduard Galatea stretched his eyes long towards Lurian, who stared back.

“Should I personally send a letter to the west and demand the hand of their daughter?”

At the Emperor’s words, Lurian respectfully lowered his head.

“No, Your Majesty. It doesn’t have to be now. I will win her heart myself, so I would appreciate it if Your Majesty could handle matters afterward.”

The Emperor laughed heartily once again. It was a bit softer than before.

Yurian gazed at that laughter and his piercing eyes. Only then did Yurian understand the meaning behind that gaze.

“Well, a man should have that level of confidence. Felix lacks that coolness. In fact, my sister Dominique is more composed in that regard.”

The Emperor before him was not seeing Yurian as Yurian Valatier, but looking at him as his son.

As this realization dawned on him, a thought passed fleetingly through his mind. Neglecting his mother and now looking at him as his son stirred a strange feeling within him.

However, Yurian was not one to reveal his emotions so easily.

“It’s been a while since you made me laugh like this; I should give my lord son a gift. Here, look! Bring the Royal Seal of Loenheim.”

The Emperor’s voice turned solemn. As if the room was waiting only for those words, a dignified old man entered, approached Yurian, and stood beside him, bowing respectfully.

Yurian glanced at the elderly man next to him. Though he may have been somewhat detached from court politics, Yurian knew well who the man standing beside him was.

The one who spoke for the Emperor by his side.

Known as the Emperor’s voice, executing his will directly.

A servant who had been by the Emperor’s side for as long as his age, the most trusted aide of the Emperor.

He was the Royal Seal Bearer of Loenheim.

“Do you summon me, Your Majesty?”

“From today, I entrust the title of Marquis of Valatier to my son Yurian Valatier. The Royal Seal Bearer will take care of the necessary arrangements.”

At the sudden words of the Emperor, both the Royal Seal Bearer who had just entered the study and Yurian standing beside him blinked, looking at the Emperor.

“Your, Your Majesty. That is…”

In place of Yurian, the Royal Seal Bearer of Loenheim hesitantly began to speak.

Inheritance of titles was a matter for noble families. While ultimately approved by the royal family, it was a formal affair, much like approving marriages between nobles.

Even if the Emperor in the Empire was all-powerful, he could not casually disregard centuries-old laws.

Yet, the Emperor before him was indifferent to such considerations.

“Why do you look at me like that? After all, the title of Marquis of Valatier belongs to me. If you think about it, that woman, she only has inheritance rights to the title of Countess of Chartres, doesn’t she?”

The Marquis title given by the Emperor to his government was a temporary title. In any case, she was a woman who had committed adultery with a married man, and granting her inheritance rights would undoubtedly cause a stir in political and religious circles.

The Royal Seal Bearer of Loenheim made a sound of acquiescence at the Emperor’s words. If he had bestowed a Marquis title and then granted it again to his son, how would that differ from an inherited title?

Nevertheless, the Emperor paid no attention to his concerns and turned his golden eyes towards Yurian.

“Or perhaps, Yurian.”

The Emperor’s voice calling out to him was chillingly composed. It sent shivers down his spine and made the hairs on his bare skin stand on end.

“Do you desire Galatea’s Castle?”

Despite this, Yurian calmly considered.

Of course, Galatea’s Castle was something he would eventually receive. In his plans, in building his own power, Galatea’s Castle was essential.

But now was not the time.

The imperial succession leaning towards Princess Dominique was not entirely settled.

The Emperor, who was reluctant to let go of any bit of power he held, would not simply hand over the princess’s hand in marriage so easily.

In this situation, receiving Gallatea’s castle would undoubtedly turn into a sudden three-way struggle. It was clear that with only the lukewarm support of the common people, their influence would be easily overshadowed.

Furthermore, she could not abandon her mother’s title as the Duchess of Valatier.

“No, I will inherit the title of Duchess of Valatier.”

Suppressing her boiling emotions, Yurian calmly put on an act while looking at her father.

“Did you hear? The Duchess of Valatier is just a mute woman who can’t even express her own opinions properly. Let’s handle it quietly so it doesn’t cause a commotion in the palace.”

Now, at the Emperor’s gesture, Yurian stood up from her seat alongside the court lady standing next to her, and they both bowed before leaving the room, heading out of the Emperor’s office.

As she walked away from the Emperor’s office, Yurian had made up her mind.

If she were to inherit the title of Duchess of Valatier, naturally, she would have to stay under the Duchess of Valatier’s influence now.

It was time for her to enter the lion’s den herself in place of her mother.

Yurian returned to her office in the Ministry of the Interior, and by then, the scorching sun that had been shining down heavily had somewhat softened its intensity.

“Y-Yurian!”

“You’re quite late.”

The first to greet Yurian as she entered the office was her cousin Christian’s worried voice. Judging by his expression, Yurian felt somehow proud that she had managed to stir his emotions.

In contrast, Ernst remained as emotionless as ever. He greeted Yurian with an unchanged expression and tone.

“Why that grim face, Christian?”

“Well, you were summoned so suddenly. We had to wait a bit.”

“The Emperor’s messenger came directly with his message.”

Yurian shrugged off her cousin’s slightly unsettling gaze and took off her thin black jacket, handing it to her secretary. The secretary hung the jacket on a walnut coat rack and then bowed before leaving the office.

“You’re quite late, aren’t you?”

“What took you so long to return? What did you discuss that made you take so much time?”

“Oh, nothing important, just went to see my mother after a long time.”

It was a lie.

As soon as Yurian left the Emperor’s secret office, she headed straight for her own office. In her hands, hidden among the documents, was a surveillance artifact.

Yurian continued a pointless conversation about a large tree falling in the Duke’s estate as she approached the sofa and placed the artifact she held in her hands on the table.

The artifact displayed the image of a secretary eavesdropping with a funnel-shaped eavesdropping device attached to the office door, listening in on conversations with a somewhat sneaky look.

Yurian found that she quite liked that woman. Of course, not in a romantic sense.

Having worked together, she found her efficient in handling tasks quickly and not causing a ruckus in front of her. She was also adept at dealing with the strong pressure from Lady Etienne Blanc. Even her professional demeanor of trying to eavesdrop on such useless conversations by moving the funnel-shaped artifact around impressed Yurian.

Soon, Ernst gazed steadily at Yurian. He didn’t say anything, but Yurian could feel his presence.

Yurian stood up silently, tapped her desk loudly, signaling the usual sign to call in the secretary who was usually outside.

“Did you call me?”

The secretary who entered the room suddenly looked at Yulian and the two people inside with a face that showed no sign of anything unusual. His expression was so nonchalant that it almost made him smile.

“I moved around a bit and now I’m feeling parched, could you please bring me some refreshing iced tea? What about Christian and Ernst?”

“Oh, I’ll mix in some ice then.”

“I’d prefer a hot cup of black tea, please.”

Upon Yulian’s request, Ernst and Christian also ordered the most inconvenient items on the menu.

“Understood,” the secretary replied without any change in expression as he left the office. Only after hearing the sound of her footsteps fading away did they finally get to the main topic.

“So, what did the Emperor say?”

“He intends to grant the title of Duke of Valatie.”

“Duke of Valatie…”

Christian quietly looked at Yulian upon hearing this. It was as if one of their wishes had just been granted.

Finally, they could rescue her from that oppressive and cold confinement.

Yulian openly displayed the overwhelming emotions she had been holding back to her friend Christian.

“Christian, please find a quiet and safe mansion where my mother could live.”