Home/How a Terminally Ill Woman Distances Herself from Death/ch 8

Chapter 8

The one seated in the most venerable position in the Belleste Empire. Emperor Pasacalia quietly regarded her nephew, Largen, seated before her, before finally speaking.

"Again? With whom do you say you wish to be engaged?"

"I told you, the Lady of the House of Sousse."

Did the Duke of Sousse have another daughter? Her pale green eyes trembled faintly. Of course, she knew very well who Largen meant by the "Lady of the House of Sousse." That was precisely why it was such a problem.

The Iron-Blooded Empress, who had slain most of her own siblings to claim the imperial throne, looked visibly taken aback as she spoke again.

"Is it... the same young lady I know? The one said to be frail of health due to a chronic illness?"

"Yes, that is correct."

"Good heavens—!"

At the reply, Emperor Pasacalia gritted her teeth and shot up from her seat. Anyone who knew the Emperor would have been stricken with terror and prostrated themselves, but Largen remained composed, focusing on inhaling the aroma of his tea.

Seeing his leisurely demeanor, Emperor Pasacalia clenched her fist tighter, her face burning with indignation.

If even the Emperor had heard rumors about a mere lady's health, there was at least some truth to them. Yet, while she understood Largen's reasons for wanting to wed such a person, she could not accept it.

The fact that he had chosen the Duke of Sousse's daughter in particular also displeased her. The current Duke of Sousse was the son of a man who had opposed Emperor Pasacalia's ascension to the throne to the very end, and had died for it. A house that the Emperor kept at arm's length despite its ducal rank. She let out a low sigh.

"Largen, I want you to be happier than anyone else. Like Ebony and Brian were. And in the happiness I envisioned for you, there was no marriage to a dying woman."

Unlike her face, which was filled with rage, her voice as she spoke to Largen was full of affection for her nephew. At her gentle tone, Largen's expression softened as well.

"You're making that choice because of the Crown Princess and the Grand Duke, aren't you?"

"Even if I said no, you wouldn't believe me, I know."

Though she was the Emperor, she was also human, and Largen was the son of her most beloved younger sibling. That sibling had given their very life for their child, and so Pasacalia could not help but love him just as fiercely.

And now that same nephew said he would wed a lady on the brink of death—of course she could not welcome it.

Especially if it was because of her own choices—the national father, Grand Duke Ronenfeld, and the Crown Princess—no, her current husband.

Perhaps saying it was because of them was too much of a leap. But the unfolding circumstances suggested otherwise.

She was an Emperor who had ascended the throne covered in blood. In the early days of her reign, nobles who valued their lives groveled before her, and her power seemed to pierce the heavens. But that was all in the past.

As the Emperor's power grew beyond necessity, some nobles began to question the Crown Princess's qualifications. They pointed to the humble lineage of Grand Duke Ronenfeld's paternal family and claimed the Crown Princess lacked the special ability to command the nobility—spewing nonsense as they compared her to Largen, a collateral imperial prince, a wizard of outstanding ability who took after his father, a disciple of the Tower Master.

"I am well aware that Your Majesty and Her Highness the Crown Princess are not swayed by such absurd arguments. But it grows tiresome to deny it every single time."

"You do not need to sacrifice yourself for that reason."

"Aunt."

In the empty audience chamber, the private address made Emperor Pasacalia fall silent. She had always been weak to her nephew, who so resembled her younger sibling. Largen knew this well.

"I have never thought of it as a sacrifice. Such engagements are common among nobles, after all."

Largen was right. Moreover, he was of imperial blood. It was only natural that his engagement or marriage would be used as a means of political gain.

However, Emperor Pasacalia could not agree. If nothing else, because this marriage offered no advantage to Largen.

Regardless of the Emperor's feelings, Largen's resolve did not waver. The other factions supporting the Crown Princess did not want him to marry or have an heir.

Though he had not told Emperor Pasacalia, Largen had previously considered a baron's daughter as his fiancée precisely because her house was humble. Betrothing himself to someone who could die at any moment served a similar purpose. It was a way to convey to both factions that he had no interest in the throne.

The only difference between the baron's daughter and the Lady of Sousse, Astier, was that in a relationship with Astier, Largen stood to gain something—even if only a little.

"There are also personal matters that interest me, so please do not feel uneasy. Truly."

"...If that is the case, then I am relieved. But if ever you find this engagement truly distasteful, tell me at once. I will break it by any means necessary."

Largen replied that her words were a great comfort. It was not a lie. Having obtained the Emperor's permission, Largen's eyes were as still as the calm before a storm.

---

Emperor Pasacalia and the national father, Grand Duke Ronenfeld, were famous for their century-spanning love. The cruel empress, who had killed all her half-siblings and claimed a blood-soaked throne, had fallen in love with none other than the son of a mere viscount, Astello. Love—what an ill-fitting word for the Bloody Empress, people whispered.

Nevertheless, the two defied all opposition and succeeded in marrying, and now they were a happy couple with not only a Crown Princess but also twins.

Yet marital affection does not safeguard power. In the end, that century-spanning love became the very thing that destabilized the Crown Princess's position.

Largen wished to be a source of strength for the Crown Princess. For that reason, he had chosen marriage to someone far beneath him—and the candidate had shifted from a baron's daughter to a dying duke's daughter.

"It's not like she'd last long anyway..." Largen murmured, sprawled on the sofa with his arms behind his head. His butler, Grace, who had just set down a teacup on the table before him, adjusted his slipping spectacles and spoke.

"I shall remember those words well and relay them to Lord Canon when he arrives."

"What?"

Largen sat up with a scowl. His expression was quite a sight—as if to say, What nonsense is this?

"Whose butler are you, exactly, Grace?"

"Why, I am the butler of His Highness, of course—and with a concerned heart, I must inform Lord Canon."

The old woman in a dark, high-collared dress smiled kindly. Grace Delga—she had served the House of Darsilian since Largen was still the grand duke's heir. Knowing she was teasing him, Largen's face twisted in displeasure before smoothing back to its usual composure.

"Wow, you can't say a thing to Head Butler Grace, can you...!" came a pained groan from Phelian, who had been scribbling something behind him. Largen turned without changing his posture and frowned.

"Just write the proposal properly. You know how important your job is, don't you?"

"Could you perhaps say that a little more gently?"

Phelian pouted, his lips jutting out in a way that didn't suit his age.

As he said, the document he was writing was crucial—both to Largen and to Astier, the recipient. It would surely cause quite a stir in Brünhelt, where the proposal would be received.

That small girl who had once bared her weakness to a stranger, begging to live—Largen chuckled softly. Would she even know who had proposed to her, the one who so desperately wanted to live?

"Shall we spread the rumors as planned?"

"Yes. Make them louder than planned. If what Lady Brünhelt said is true, the Duchess might deliberately stall."

In Largen's hands were two documents. One was about Astier. The other detailed the current state of the ducal house. The Duchess had come in as the second wife, having been forcibly separated from her lover in her youth. And with a son between them, it was obvious how she must view her stepdaughter like a thorn in her eye.

Yet in high society, there were no rumors of the Duchess mistreating her stepdaughter.

That meant she was meticulous in managing her image—or put differently, she was skilled at hiding things. A woman like a wily fox or a cunning serpent.

The report also noted that the Duke was quite attentive to his wife's words. Even in the presence of servants, he did not hesitate to show affection to the Duchess—so it was plain to see what pillow talk must pass between them.

"When the proposal is sent, include a large bouquet and a necklace as well."

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