CH 20

Pilsburg, the capital of the Reynon Empire. Similar to other days, in the center of the capital war could be seen in the clouds. 

Those who have nothing to lose, naturally have nothing.

After producing the emperor for 350 years, the members of Pilsburg, now on the verge of extinction, were willing to do anything to keep the family alive.

The desperation was no different, whether it was a direct lineage connecting to the emperor first hand, or a lineage that took key posts and earned allowances for being a member of the imperial family.

Raikan Pilsburg, a central figure of Pilsburg’s lineage, was also desperate. Sitting at the round table, he asked in a half resigned tone.

“Is there any good news from your side yet?”

“It’s…”

Here, “Your Majesty” was Paulis XI, who retired after handing over the throne to his brother, but returned to performing the emperor’s duties due to the premature death of his younger brother and his wife.

A man of misfortune called the last emperor of Pilsburg.

There is only one thing that Raikan, of lineal descent, expects from this old man. It doesn’t have to be Pilsburg pure blood, but produces a successor of direct descent.

“I heard you have time to eat ten plates of oysters a day. How come there’s no news when there’s always time for you to stuff your face?”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Raikan.”

Raikan knew it wasn’t a matter of getting angry with the attendees of the roundtable would fix.

“You are close to seventy, and no matter how fair you say you are, it will be difficult to produce a successor, but…”

Furthermore, the old emperor’s mind was weakened. About 15 years ago, it was because of an incident in which all the immediate descendants under him died. The emperor called it ‘The Year of Death’.

As a result, Pilsburg will just about have to return the crown. It was because there was no son left to succeed.

“Is Pilsburg really at its end?”

As Raikan rubbed his forehead and lamented, the elders sitting at the round table quietly gathered their hands. It was to pray to Isis, the Goddess.

“Isis, the master of all things on earth, ·····.”

Some moved on as if this was the only way to live, and some were resigned as if it were all useless. Raikan Pilsburg was the latter.

After the roundtable meeting ended with nothing gained, Raikan did not leave his seat. He was briefly lost in thought in the empty conference room.

After an unsavory incident in the imperial family, Isis, the goddess who came through the women of the family, no longer gave Pilsburg a blessing or a voice. Did God turn a blind eye to his family?

‘I was hoping that God left our immediate lineage, but…’

Nothing like a miracle happened when the Goddess Isis abandoned his immediate family. No one turned to him with a smile saying, “Now the family is yours.”

As time passed, Pilsburg’s main posts came from branch families, not lineal descent.

The only immediate lineage left was Paulis XI, and it would not be strange if he died tomorrow.

Raikan, of branch descent, considered Isis’ absence lucky. This is because the direct line that is not blessed by her is no different from the branch families.

But the absence of the goddess endangered the family itself.

For Pilsburg to come to life, a legitimate successor had to appear, and a man to succeed.

Originally, he might have waited for the fall as if he were on a sunken ship. But Raikan glanced at the auburn pendant that adorned his clothes.

“Even if you search the empire like this, you’ll only get a lineage that’s worse than mine. I didn’t think they’d hide in that place.”

[“Raikan, do you want the crown that badly?”」

A husky voice popped out in response. Raikan replied with no sign of embarrassment.

“I’m just trying to keep my family alive. It would be lucky if a woman named Isabelle was able to produce a child to succeed the imperial family.”

A laugh came out of the pendant. Raikan took it off his clothes and looked at it. The eyes, close to brown, blinked dimly in the jewel.

“Without you, I would never have known Isabelle existed.”

The acquisition of the suspicious voice in Cardiago’s jewel, and the discovery of the existence of a child named Isabelle.

For Raikan, everything was an opportunity from heaven.

‘Anyway, women can’t afford to live even if they’re in a direct line of descent. She won’t be able to use the crown because she won’t be chosen in the pre-election. If so…’

Pilsburg has long encouraged incestuous marriage. In particular, it was severely followed in the immediate lineage because it was necessary to preserve Isis’ blessing.

Goddess Isis only blessed women of direct descent, and men from the family who wanted to be emperors had to sleep with them.

A boy conceived from a body blessed by the goddess becomes an emperor in the future. As emperor, he is married again to a woman blessed by Isis.

Raikan also knew that the Pilsburg family had produced the emperor for 350 years with such tactics.

Isabelle Pilsburg.

Raikan’s mouth curled up. If she was blessed by the goddess, the moment she gives birth to her son, the child becomes an emperor in the future.

The father himself will also be treated worthy as the Emperor’s father.

‘If you’re an imperial woman, you deserve to sacrifice that much for your family.’

I don’t know what the trick is, but Isabelle has become Cardiago’s fiancée, but that sort of thing doesn’t matter. Raikan only needed his own son conceived in her body.

‘I’m glad you grew up in a temple. You’ll try to follow God’s will without knowing what to do.’

There was a sneer on his mouth.

***

Baron Lethor, who visited the castle of Cardiago for a meeting, was furious.

It was because he was dreaming of making his daughter Duchess of Cardiago when he heard about the Duke’s sudden marriage.

“The great Fiancée of Cardiago is an orphan who doesn’t even know who her parents are. It’s a marriage that doesn’t help at all.”

“There’s nothing wrong with what he said. The law that a marriage of a noble should only be done after careful consideration.”

“How can the marriage of the Emperor be an individual’s business?”

Baron Lethor and his party, unable to cool the rising heat, grumbled and headed to the Duke’s office. Today was the day of the meeting to deal with issues related to the wedding.

As they hurried their angry steps, they found a blue butterfly. When he looked around to see if he really saw a butterfly indoors, there was a beautiful woman at the end of the hall who was being guided by maids.

‘That woman seized the heart of the Duke in one night.’

Baron Lethor couldn’t control his expression and gritted his teeth. He was clearly seen by Isabelle and Rosa. Rosa, who was on Isabelle’s side, was furious.

“Lady, I’ll go scold them.”

“It’s okay. I’ll be attending the meeting anyway, so you don’t have to make him blush first.”

These days, court life and etiquette education that St. Mary brainwashed her with, really shined.

Isabelle also diligently moved to attend the meeting on Riggs’ recommendation. She remained surprisingly calm even as she stepped into the conference room.

“She will be Duchess of Cardiago in a few days. Set an example.”

Riggs’ voice had the power to overwhelm an audience. Those who attended the meeting had no choice but to bow to Isabelle.

Riggs arranged Isabelle’s seat next to him. It was the surest way to empower his lovers was the reason why he asked Isabelle to attend the meeting.

As the meeting started, stories came up about items for the wedding. Riggs gave a chance to speak to the late Lethor, who had always looked unhappy.

‘That’s the person from before.’

Isabelle also recognized him, who had an unpleasant reaction to her in the hallway. Baron Lethor also seemed to recognize her, but gave no indication of whether she would be ignored.

“Your Highness, I think the wedding should be an example for the people underneath.”

“I couldn’t agree more, but the Baron thinks there’s something wrong with my wedding.”

“The scale you set should suit the future Empress.”

“······”

Baron Lethor, the person responsible for the remarks, was proud to have offered advice, but the crowd was agitated and Riggs’ expression hardened. Isabelle knew what he said was an insult.

‘I thought the nobles of Cardiago wouldn’t like me very much, but I didn’t expect them to treat me like a schmuck.’

In fact, this was not unexpected at all. It was one of the most common aspects for companions of powerful people.

When she decided to use Riggs’ power to protect herself, she naturally decided to marry him. She never thought of gaining anything without losing something else.

Moreover, Rosa told her Lethor had a daughter who was a few years younger than Riggs. He devoted years to making his own love the Duchess of Cardiago.

‘No wonder you’re being unfair.’

But that wasn’t a concern as long as she wasn’t publicly insulted. Isabelle had no intention of setting a bad precedent by simply passing on her first insult.

Before Riggs, whose expression was frozen, spoke out, Isabelle winked at him and looked at the meeting agenda

At the end of the agenda, a list of items and production sites needed for the wedding drew her attention.

“I was impressed by the remarks made by Baron Lethor. As you said, it’s not an exemplary practice to spend more than you need on a wedding.”

He seemed to hesitate at her unexpected remarks, and added to his own.

“Yes, the Duke will be Emperor, and the future Empress will need a longer and more demanding verification.”

A subtle provocation that it was not a place for an opponent to win in one night, but Isabelle had no intention of letting it go. Didn’t St. Maria warn you about things like this?

“You’re right. An unqualified Empress would be a misfortune to the people. Back to the wedding, I’d like to come up with a way to cut the budget.”

Isabelle pointed to the pearls listed in the middle of the inventory.

Unlike other items that were flown from various regions, the pearls were supplied through the Lethor.

“I never thought I needed so many pearls for a wedding. I didn’t know that there was shellfish and pearls in the land of Lethor.”

“It’s…”

If pearls and clams were supplied from land without a lake, let alone the sea, it was likely to be purchased cheaply from merchants and sold back to the Duke at a profit.

A little bit would be necessary, so it could be moved on, but the volume made by Lethor himself was enough to distribute pearls to all the guests at the wedding.

‘That’s a fat liver, trying to have fun at the Duke’s wedding.’

Of course I didn’t mean to let it slide.

“Pearls are not necessities for weddings, so we’d better drastically reduce the amount and buy them with bids if necessary.”

“Such…”

“The advice from the public has reduced unnecessary spending. Thank you for helping your future Mistress.”

Seeing him cringe with heartburn, Isabelle smiled innocently, as if she had no ill will.