CH 39

“Oh, of course, hearing a compliment from a man about my flower-like appearance—I’m afraid it’s a breach of etiquette.”

With a knowing smile on her lips, Isabelle did not forget to add this.

As expected, throbbing veins appeared on Roiqan’s forehead.

“I was very surprised to hear that the Madam will be attending the meeting. It seems that House Cardiago does not understand that women should not be involved in complex politics.”

“What are you trying to say?”

“I don’t mean to insinuate anything. It’s just that, if you were a woman of Pilsburg and not of Cardiago, you would not need to involve yourself ignorantly with these complicated affairs, including politics, for the rest of your life.”

Roiqan confidently praised the easy-going life of Cardiago women, but it didn’t sound that way to Isabelle.

“I am not used to involving myself in political affairs, so I might be clumsy at it, but I don’t think there’s a woman who’s not interested in it at all. Isn’t this a good opportunity?”

“Sometimes, forcing yourself to do something out of your bounds could ruin it all.”

So just continue your little tea party and don’t do anything unnecessary.

Despite the unsaid words, Isabelle retaliated with an innocent smile.

“I’m not too sure about that. But oh, it seems you don’t know? I wonder if Your Lordship will ever need to be in charge of any political affairs again.”

“I don’t know how Duke Cardiago has been indulging his wife, but in Pilsburg, there is a clear delineation between men and women’s affairs.”

“You seem to be very sensitive to jokes, hm? Even so, it would be better for me to learn more about politics since I might need it later.”

Understanding exactly what she meant, Roiqan laughed at her words in an exaggerated manner and with a loud voice.

“You might need it later? No, I don’t think a woman would need to prepare for such a high position.”

“Of course, I know well enough that Pilsburg doesn’t grant women any rights to the throne, but…”

Again with a look that was reminiscent of the goddess’ grace, Isabelle smiled.

Her smile reminded Roiqan of the goddess, and this time, it was his expression that cracked.

Now with a blank look, Isabelle spoke.

“Wouldn’t it be more likely that I, who is the last of the direct lineage, would take that position rather than you, Lord Pilsburg?”

She was obviously ridiculing the man in front of her who was trying to use her as a tool.

* * *

The conference room’s table was filled with the plaques of those who came as the representatives of each region.

At the seat where the plaque ‘Isabelle Cardiago’ was, Isabelle sat down and looked around.

‘The seats of the southern nobles are empty.’

Riggs and the others were trying to come up with countermeasures, thinking whether they should send someone to fetch the southern nobles.

According to them, it’s clear that the noxious vapor afflicting the south was from the wrath of Isis, and it would gradually get worse unless the goddess’ resentment was eased.

‘Is it really because of Goddess Isis’ anger?’

Isabelle glanced to her side, where Isis was sitting close by. She was still wearing a maid outfit.

The reply to her was filled with bitterness.

“My Isabelle. Your God is not so mean. Humans have always used my name conveniently when both the cause and effect is their own fault.”

“I’m sorry, Goddess Isis.”

Isabelle quickly acquiesced.

She said that most of her divine power had been used up before she came down to the human realm in this body.

With the strength she had left, she couldn’t have possibly been able to keep up something like that out of spite. As though to prove a point, she had to steal a maid’s uniform just so she could sneak into this conference room.

‘I’ve never seen it in person, so I don’t know the extent of it.’

Soon, the chaotic atmosphere calmed down and the nobles gradually went to their seats.

Naturally, Isis and the other maids left the room.

It was agreed that, until the arrival of the southern nobles, they would first tackle the light matters on the agenda.

The first thing to be dealt with in this imperial conference was the incident regarding the current monarch, Emperor Polsith XI.

Roiqan spoke on behalf of House Pilsburg, who looked as though they’re being bogged down by heavy waters.

“We are doing everything there is to recover His Majesty’s health, but it’s of deep sorrow that I say there seems to be no improvement.”

“You must be worried especially because there is still no suitable successor.”

When someone added this, everyone was set abuzz.

If the family that produced emperors for the most part of 350 years would finally relinquish their hold on the throne, there would be a significant impact on the empire.

As they talked about this, Roiqan took a piece of paper from his suit pocket and unfolded it.

It was a letter from the emperor, who chose Roiqan to be his representative in this imperial conference. Roiqan had been serving the imperial family consistently despite his lacking lineage.

Even if it was an unavoidable situation, it was still noteworthy that House Pilsburg, a family that was obsessed with the direct bloodline, delegated this huge authority to someone like Roiqan who’s just from the branch family.

‘Did His Majesty really name Lord Pilsburg as his successor?’

“That means it’s the end of their obsession with the direct lineage.”

“I wish it had been this way far earlier so that the children from those generations of the imperial bloodline wouldn’t have died.”

“Lord Pilsburg.”

At the sound of Riggs’ voice, the murmurs in the room stopped.

Then he looked at Roiqan with a somewhat searching gaze.

“As you know very well, His Majesty has delegated his authority over this meeting to me.”

“……”

“Your Lordship, perhaps, are you thinking of entering the imperial election?”

“…Only the benevolent Goddess Isis can choose a fitting ruler to succeed the Emperor of Pilsburg. I am of the same lineage, but I am far below him.”

Roiqan’s answer could only be interpreted as self-demeaning, but it served as a spark to everyone in the conference room.

People looked alternately between Roiqan and Riggs, as if they were choosing which team to support.

Isabelle watched them and tried to keep her expression neutral.

For him to conclude like this conveniently with the reasoning of one’s bloodline, it’s unlikely that Isis would really choose him because of the way he had unleashed the terrene forces and attempted to kidnap Isabelle.

She turned to the seats meant for the southern nobles who still weren’t here.

‘Cardiago’s electoral nobles will support Riggs, and Pilsburg’s electoral nobles will support Roiqan. The next emperor will depend on the choice of the southern part of the empire, and this includes House Ryzelin.’

There’s a total of five noble families who had the right to vote during the imperial election because they had been blessed by Isis.

Within the three great families of the empire, the three duchies would get three votes each. Then, two votes each would be given to the vassals serving House Cardiago and House Pilsburg.

‘Ryzelin had already come forward to say that they won’t enter the battle for succession because they already have too much on their plate.’

So, it’s two against two, with one outlier.

If Roiqan were to officially enter the battle for succession, it’s clear that the outcome of this imperial election would be determined depending on who could successfully get Ryzelin on their side.

As everyone thought the same thing, the tension in the room became more suffocating, but at that moment a messenger suddenly arrived. The southern nobles’ carriages, including Ryzelin’s, had arrived after passing through the teleportation gates.

Soon enough, the tired nobles appeared under the escort of the reapers.

Isabelle could easily distinguish who the representative of Ryzelin was.

‘How fascinating…’

With hair that was curly and between the colors violet and silver, if only he had wings too then he’d look like the very picture of an elf.

Even his ears were sharp, unlike other people.

The sun was scorching hot in the south, so it’s more common to have tan skin there. But since it’s rumored that he only stayed indoors, he had pale skin instead.

“I apologize for my tardiness. Something unexpected had come up…”

He went to the seat marked as ‘Ian Ryzelin’ and apologized politely.

No one could blame him for doing his job properly.

At Riggs’ command, the reapers offered cups of warm tea and some refreshments for the southern nobles.

After taking a sip of tea, Ian spoke.

“You all might be thinking that I was late because of the noxious vapor, but this time it was a little different. Since the Imperial Conference is in session, I believe it would be best to speak about this here, too.”

The Ryzelin Duchy had the power of purification and foresight, which was the most divine of powers that the goddess would bestow upon humans.

If there was a problem in their domain that couldn’t be solved through their power, then everyone in the empire should be on high alert.

“In the previous conference, you must all remember that we discussed the matter of animals in the Duchy of Ryzelin mutating into demonic beasts after being contaminated with the noxious vapor.”

“Yes, it was concluded that there’s no such solution as of yet, but they will be subjugated.”

“That’s right. However this year, the number of demonic beasts suddenly increased, and they had already taken over some areas altogether.”

According to Ian and the other southern nobles, the area where the teleportation gate had already been seized by the noxious vapor and the demonic beasts, so it was difficult for the people of the domain to live normally.

“Then you can purify the noxious vapor through the Ryzelin Duchy’s power of purification. The problem only starts when animals breathe in the noxious vapor, correct?”

“The noxious vapor expands to many areas day by day, and similarly, its destructive power also becomes much worse over time. Ryzelin could contain it only until this point. It would be possible to protect certain areas, but for the others…”

The duchy’s citizens who would remain unprotected could possibly be hurt and even die.

It was an inevitable result that anyone in this position already knew.