‘Damn it.’
It’s impossible that she didn’t see it. The boy suppressed his anger with superhuman patience.
“Excuse me first.”
“T-that!”
Count Taurin was stunned to see Matteo leaving the drawing room.
“You are being rude in front of the Emperor’s envoy! How are you educating the Crown Prince…”
“Did you get a good education to fight with me and my wife?”
“Ugh.”
Count Taurin, who had forgotten his crime, shut his mouth again.
“Anyway, showing me all the faces that I almost forgot, second older brother is really attentive.”
“Your Highness, this is an imperial edict. It’s better to be at least polite.”
“Yeah, it’s awkward on both sides, so do it quickly.”
When Ethan Schmidt signaled to Count Taurin, Count Taurin hurriedly opened the golden scroll.
“Your Ladyship, please receive the decree.”
Damian’s cheeks twitched in displeasure for a moment, but Lily’s momentary grip on his elbow calmed him down.
Lilian did as she was told and knelt down in front of him.
“I, Claude Gladiol Ezek Rogadis Rupenwein I, who is a noble person and has the right to rule over everyone, recognize Lilian of Turin as the lawful wife of Grand Duke Damian, who rules Palmiera and is committed to the maintenance of the Empire. Accordingly, I acknowledge the title of ‘Imperatrix Leyengrad’.”
Count Taurin rolled the scroll back. And he looked extremely nervous as he talked.
“Your Ladyship will receive a gift from His Majesty the Emperor.”
The gift that came with a red velvet cushion was a tiara. There were five spire-like peaks on a belt of pearls, and a five-pointed star made of diamonds was shining brilliantly on them.
“His Majesty sent the ‘Princess Star’ to congratulate you on your marriage.”
The Emperor dared to send a Princess’ Tiara to her, who had a higher ceremonial rank than the Crown Prince.
Claude I vehemently denied the accusation of assassinating the Emperor, claiming that he inherited the throne because he felt a sacred duty to uphold the will of the Emperor forever.
In such a situation, he couldn’t be proud of giving the title of Imperatrix, which was guaranteed by various official documents, so he showed displeasure in this way.
But Lilian wasn’t particularly frightened or offended. She was only convinced that Claude I was spending such a fortune to express his displeasure.
“I’m just grateful for having the last name.”
Count Taurin was a little surprised when the Grand Duchess rose from her seat nonchalantly.
Rather, Ethan Schmidt’s expression as he handed over the gift seemed much more uncomfortable.
He also wondered about Lily.
‘Why?’
Her stiff face looked angry at first glance, but up close, her eyes looked a little sad.
Damian asked.
“Are you done with your business now?”
“…yes, that’s right.”
“Then let’s all go on our ways. If this continues, His Highness, who has received the wrong education, might punch Sir Ethan Schmidt in the face.”
For a moment, a throbbing and distressed expression passed over Ethan’s face.
However, that comment offended Count Turin to say, “Please excuse us. Let’s go!” and the moment he shouted, they disappeared like a mirage.
***
The opening date of the Grand Reconciliation has been declared.
Official invitations were once again issued to each family that had already arrived in the capital. A soup kitchen for the poor was poetically established in the district east of the imperial capital, and once a day, the emperor’s carriage rode along the main street and scattered commemorative coins.
Of course, only the carriage belonged to the Emperor and there were only attendants who were in charge of scattering coins, but the people’s reactions were as enthusiastic as if they had an audience with the real emperor.
The nobles who received the invitation to attend also almost arrived in the capital.
Lilian handed out invitations to her classmates from the <May Lily Sorority>.
“Since the situation had stabilized somewhat, I wanted to invite my classmates. I have to thank them for attending the wedding.”
The answer Damian would give after sitting Lilian on his lap was predetermined.
“Just do as my wife wants.”
Lilian, who started working as a hostess in earnest without even having time to relax, became very busy. Besides…
‘He’s strangely avoiding me lately.’
In fact, it might not be strange these days. From the first time they met and his thunderous marriage proposal, Damian was always the one who clung to Lily.
It wasn’t that he hated being a clingy person. It was something he had never done in his life, but there were many interesting aspects.
It was nice for Lilian to smile or follow him as if she couldn’t help it even though she was embarrassed or surprised.
‘I can do this far.’ It was also fun to discover himself that he didn’t know. Of course, he didn’t tolerate Ivan pointing it out or teasing him.
People who had seen him for a long time, Head Butler Allen and Mrs. Maureen, also spoke.
“His Majesty would have been delighted if he knew that His Highness met such a nice person.”
“If it’s possible to meet His Majesty in his lifetime, he would have treated her very well.”
Damian thought so too. His older brother was a person who was gracious even to a man like Claude.
He would have liked Lilian very much just because she was brought by his youngest brother, who was always quick to leave.
That’s why he was helpless with Lilian, and just having her stare at him made his heart boil, and that was all fine. All good.
Damian let out a shallow sigh.
And even while halfway in his arms, he pulled Lilian, who was trying to get away from him even a little.
“Your Highness.”
Sure enough, Lily looked embarrassed all over again.
They didn’t know each other when they met. At that time, in fact, he was half out of his mind.
He just liked Lily Islar so much that he felt like crying just touching her, so he didn’t care about anything else.
Damian thought. Would it have been better if someone other than Lilian could have erased his pain?
Probably not.
Anyway, at first, it was understandable if Lily avoided him a little or hesitated in embarrassment when he tried to touch her.
Because they hadn’t even met that long.
Since they’re not yet married, it must be embarrassing for a chaste young lady.
Besides, her beloved brother is eyeing him so he must be careful.
He thought it would get better if he took his time and begged for it slowly. Lilian was a serious person and since she accepted Damian as her husband, he knew that once they got married and became an official husband and wife, she would be a little different.
But she didn’t.
‘No, rather, she’s now more…’
Lilian was stiff, though she was quietly receiving the magical power as she was hugged and being pulled. Like a nervous deer. Perhaps, if Damian gave her a chance, she would run away in a hurry.
Damn it.
He felt sad and upset.
It was okay that the size of their feelings was different. Unfair relationships are okay. But he didn’t want to tolerate Lilian’s rejection or avoidance of him.
“Your Highness, this is enough. Guests will be arriving soon.”
He knew. The reason she brought up the story of her sorority must have been to say that.
“Just a little more.”
“This is enough for today.”
“Not enough. Lately, you’ve been particularly unwell, haven’t you?”
Not only did Lilian bring in things she didn’t have to do, but she also paid enough attention to Matteo.
Thanks to that, not only did she have less time to spend on Damian, but he could see her poor health getting worse.
In the case of Mrs. Maureen or the Head Butler, who had their first meeting with Lilian, who had fainted and could not enter the mansion on her own, they thought that Lilian was just weak by nature, but Damian knew.
From Lilian’s unusually hot body temperature and breath while secretly hiding in her bed at night and hugging her.
From the ink stains on her hands, which can only be seen with the excuse of sharing mana.
From the harsh touch he felt when he barely kissed her while aiming for a gap.
Though well concealed by her well-groomed face, Lilian was being pushed to her limit.
“Don’t think you can avoid your husband’s eyes.”
“…”
What?
Lily, who should have answered with a light smile and something like “it’s not like that”, was unexpectedly calm. No, she was strangely frozen and silent.
“I will…pay attention, Your Highness.”
The answer came back one beat slow.
Without showing any signs, he gently blew mana into Lilian’s body. But he looked appetizingly at the white nape and thought to himself.
‘…strange?’
A keen sense of foreboding appeared. Lilian was hiding something from him.
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