The meal was finally over.
“I don’t know if you liked it.”
“Thank you for inviting me.”
“It was a lot of fun.”
As soon as Matteo returned, he smiled knowingly as he looked at the people who would be busy moving at the announcement of the search for a spouse for the Elector of Turin.
“…I didn’t know that His Highness the Crown Prince would treat our electors so hospitably.”
Traditionally, the imperial family and the electorate did not get along well with each other. Even though the history of the empire wasn’t very long, there were many different cases.
There were members of the imperial family who knelt in front of the electorate, and there were also those who begged the imperial family for their lives.
The relationship was bound to be ahead and behind over the unpredictable struggle for power.
Everyone in the imperial family wanted to take down the electors.
“Do you want to look good for us?”
“Elector of Lucerne!”
The other electors were taken aback by his excessive words. But Matteo just smiled.
“Of course I want to look good to you guys. Aren’t you the ones who have the right to judge the reign of the emperor?”
“I respect the rights the first emperor gave you. If we can help each other, the future of the empire will be bright.”
Among those gathered, the complexion of the three electors subtly hardened.
‘You respect the rights the first emperor gave us?’
It was an answer they did not expect to come out of the mouth of the imperial family.
Just look at the current Emperor Claude. It’s also true that at first, they were taken aback by the honor Claude offered them.
However, the three seasoned electors realized a sense of incongruity in Matteo’s words.
‘What the hell are we doing right now?’
The right to control the imperial power was given to the electorate by law.
They were already in the highest position. Already had the honor.
But Claude was treating the three of them like dogs in a dog fight.
When they came to their senses, the emperor’s intentions were clearly visible.
The same was true of the gifts and letters sent by the emperor not too long ago. Isn’t it the same as saying that food will be thrown only to those who fight and win?
The new emperor wanted to make sure they were subdued and treated like hounds.
When the hunt was over, the hound’s fate was self-evident.
They could lose the honor passed from generation to generation by wanting a higher position.
To the electors who sensed the blade approaching behind their necks without realizing it, Matteo smiled like a generous emperor and said.
“In any case, it’s very fortunate that today’s seat was interpreted as a way to impress you guys.”
The emperor who responded by throwing a chair at the door when the electors came.
The prince that treated them to dinner with an easy going attitude, saying, ‘I look good.’
The three electors who supported Claude thought in unison.
‘Wouldn’t it be better to join His Highness the Crown Prince?’
On their way back, their wives worked hard to persuade the three faltering electors.
“You need to think carefully, honey. I can see that His Highness the Crown Prince is not normal.”
“It’s not an easy decision to make.”
This wasn’t limited to simply changing affiliations. Each Elector who supported Claude was already closely related economically to the imperial family.
The moment they supported Matteo, they would have to reset all partnerships. In a trivial way, they might have to change the vendor they bought candles from.
Their wives wisely advised.
“You may lose something bigger by trying to avoid a nuisance, honey.”
That was right. Besides, there was another tangible benefit that could be gained by being on the side of the Crown Prince.
“If we do well, we might be able to marry our daughter to the Elector of Turin.”
“Hhm, we can’t guarantee that yet. Let’s think slowly.”
Even as they calmed down their wives, they sympathized with them. The Elector of Turin, in fact, that young man was a prized groom.
“His Highness the Crown Prince and the Grand Ducal couple are not average, so let’s think about it carefully.”
“I think the answer has already been decided.”
***
A few days after the electors had dinner at the Grand Duke’s residence.
A familiar red invitation arrived at the Grand Duke’s residence.
“It’s an invitation from Madam. Rachel.”
Like any Madam in the Empire, Lily had just finished eating breakfast in her bedroom. Damian in a gown brought newspapers and other letters then placed them in front of his wife after she had finished her meal.
As Lily picked up the most prominent red invitation, Damian took it from his wife and slit open the envelope with a letter knife before handing it to her.
“Here.”
“I can handle anything as sharp as a letter knife, Your Highness.”
“There are many things that my wife can do alone.”
Damian sighed and clung to his wife.
“I want to be your secretary, but it’s not easy.”
From lover to secretary. Although he was already her husband, he was Damian, who wanted to be so many things. Lilian laughed, not knowing what to say.
“Your hopes for the future are really simple and specific.”
“I’m a man with big dreams.”
Even though he answered shamelessly, he wasn’t hateful but rather lovable. It was a virtue of his incomparable beauty.
“Please be a high-handed wife.”
“Yes, yes.”
Lilian put on her glasses as she flirted with her babbling husband. She opened the invitation.
“…it looks like she intends to throw a grand banquet in her own name.”
“Hm. She must be tired of being lazy, right?”
Damian reached out to her bedside table and brought the medicinal pipe to Lilian’s mouth.
Already accustomed to this, Lilian’s lips naturally bit on the white beak, but Damian quickly pulled back.
“You have to give me a prize first.”
“Damian.”
Lilian was a little taken aback, but Damian was stubborn.
In the end, Lilian left a small kiss on her husband’s lips.
“…it can’t be that simple.”
“You didn’t like it?”
“No way. It’s just regrettable.”
While grumbling, Damian obediently put the pipe on Lilian’s lips.
Lilian smoked as she was accustomed to. Damian looked at his wife’s profile in a daze then got clingy again.
Lilian was used to such childishness. She didn’t dare separate her husband. It was a husband who grieved and complained if she kept him out of her bedroom. For him to listen to her when she needs it, she had to have moments like this rather than tightening everything.
“…anyway, it’s good. I needed a chance to find out a little bit about Madam Rachel. If I attend the party, maybe we can be alone.”
“Are you going to write back?”
Damian pursed his lips. Lilian nodded her head, puzzled. Then Damian wrinkled his forehead in annoyance.
“Why are you like that, Your Highness?”
“I don’t want to hand over my wife’s handwritten reply.”
“Pardon?”
It was absurd.
“Are you serious, Your Highness?”
“I’m not joking.”
Oh my god. Even as Lilian smoked, she touched her aching head.
“Unfortunately, I have already replied to numerous letters.”
“But I hate Rachel.”
Rachel Wood had a knack for stealing people’s hearts.
Damian didn’t like that.
“So why does that matter to me replying?”
“Because in terms of being a secretary, I might be pushed by her. Wife might think that I’m immature compared to that woman.”
She didn’t know what logic that was. This was Lilian’s only answer.
“In the first place, isn’t Your Highness my husband, not my secretary?”
“Is that so?”
Damian smiled happily and acted cute. Lilian couldn’t understand what point made this man be in a good mood.
Anyway, taking advantage of Damian’s improved mood, Lilian was able to send a reply to Madam Rachel that she would attend.
***
Society’s reaction to Madam Rachel’s banquet was enthusiastic.
As it turned out, Rachel wasn’t the only source of all sorts of scandals and issues, but also famous for throwing parties to have fun.
Rachel’s parties used to be revved up in an immodest, slightly vulgar, clandestine way. The aristocrats in the capital were enthusiastic about the entertainment that only the emperor’s favorite mistress could provide.
“Of course I should be your partner.”
“Yes. I have no disagreement with that, but Your Highness…”
Lilian stared blankly at Damian. Mrs. Maureen also looked at him.
“…? Wife, why are you…?”
Damian couldn’t understand for a long time. Lilian put down the pipe she had been smoking on the pedestal.
“Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve seen His Highness put on a new outfit since I came.”
When Lily asked what it was like before, Mrs. Maureen quickly responded.
“It wasn’t often that he matched clothes. His Highness’ face is often talked about rather than his formal dress…”
“Aha.”
It was because he’s so beautiful that she couldn’t remember what he was wearing.
“But even taking that into account, he wasn’t the type to like matching clothes.”
Even pretending not to, Damian was an active person. He hated being still.
In the end, the tailors had no choice but to take measurements and make rough clothes. Damian wasn’t cooperative even during the fitting stage, and there were times when the size of the final finished clothes didn’t fit the body.
Damian tried to make an excuse for Mrs. Maureen’s detailed snitches, but Lilian stopped him.
“I’ll have to look at His Highness’ closet first.”
“That…”
No matter how charming Damian was, he couldn’t justify his empty closet. Lilian commented:
“So far, you’ve been using your beauty as a weapon and going about it roughly.”
That’s exactly true.
“Mrs. Maureen.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“His Highness’ closet is going to be overhauled. Could you please call Madame Annege?”
Damian flinched when she said that he’d be matching clothes he hated the most.
But Lilian didn’t care.
“Damian.”
Lilian’s soft hand touched Damian’s cheek. Her hands were kind, her tone soft, but her words were firm.
“If you want to be the Grand Duchess’ secretary, you have to pay attention to how you dress. I have my reputation.”
“That…but… Wife, how could you say that…”
Damian, who was caught by her words, lost his words and grabbed his chest with trembling eyes.
“Oh my goodness. You’re not hurt, are you?”
That couldn’t be.
“Because my wife treats me as a secretary and talks about reputation…”
“Was I cool again?”
“Yes…”
Damian’s taste, which was slightly off, was still beyond Lilian’s understanding. But even Lily learned how to adapt to Damian, even if she didn’t understand it.
“I see, that’s good.”
Lilian gently froze Damian.
“I want to see Your Highness in pretty clothes.”
Damian was as soft as pudding kept at room temperature.
“If you say that, then I have no choice but to obey…”
“It’s nice that you’re quick-witted.”
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