Duke Ashillean’s Contractual Marriage - Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Rubiana imagined the distant future for a moment – from generation to generation, and then continuously….

Callena’s descendants who will become the future Emperor of the empire. Every one of them must have resembled Callena. They will tell her they respect the first Emperor, and they will try to imitate Callena’s actions, and even the tone of her voice. Because that’s what it’s like to be an Emperor.

… She wondered if she could live long. I would rather die than see that. Rubiana wrinkled her face. She had no idea that she had to manage her facial expressions.

“Why are you making such a serious expression? What are you thinking?”

Callena smiled and pulled out Rubiana from her imaginations. Rubiana came back to her senses and only then her shoulders shivered.

‘I feel sorry for my descendants.’

She was conveying her deep condolences to the future Duke Ashillean, who should be loyal to the Emperor from generation to generation.

“Ah, unnie. You can have any number of children. It was your and his child, then they would be pretty.”

Callena clapped her hands, calling her attention. Thanks to this, Rubiana was able to quickly shake off her guilt to the future Duke Ashillean.

“Well, I think so too.”

Rubiana nodded her head as she imagined a child who looked like Louismond.

“Then, we’re cool now, right?”

“Well, yes.”

“Then, listen to me now. I have a favor to ask you.”

“Oh? I think I have something urgent….”

Rubiana caught a strange hint and immediately stood up. But she was caught by Callena as she was trying to get up.

“I want you to do some work while you’re here. What’s with the serious expression? Unnie, do you hate me?”

“I think I will hate you right now if you make me work. I mean, I haven’t even done the thing you last entrusted to me.”

“Then you can do this and that at the same time. The more you are driven to a corner, the stronger you get.”

“… Can I just go back to the North? It’s almost time for the beasts to go wild. I have a feeling.”

“Oh, with that pretty guy? But I think he would freeze to death as soon as you leave.”

“I just have to cover him with a fur coat.”

“Aha?”

Callena twisted the corners of her lips and looked at Rubiana with a smile.

“Why?”

“You won’t take it and don’t say simple things. I guess you fell in love with him?”

“Ah….”

She was asking her a question at this point. Very shameful.

“Try to take him somewhere. Rumors will spread that the Duke Ashillean rebelled against the Emperor and took the dethroned King’s only left blood relative to separate the North from the Empire.”

Callena didn’t hesitate to make a bloody prophecy. If by luck, the rumor didn’t happen, then she would make it spread throughout the empire.

“What can you say in front of me?”

Ugh, Rubiana sighed and shook her head.

“If you know, then be careful with your words.”

“Yes, yes. Your Majesty.”

“While you’re careful with your words, work hard.”

“More?”

“Yes. more.”

“I never thought the day that I’d miss the North.”

Ugh, Rubiana sighed and wiped her face.

She was told that she would be framed and be made a traitor in front of her face, but Rubiana wasn’t surprised nor afraid. Callena was also calm, as if she didn’t care about Rubiana nor the treason.

And so, the sisters continued their conversation in a friendly way. Their conversation was just with a tinge of joke, with nothing serious about it.

What will happen three years later, what will happen to Louismond, whether Louismond and Rubiana’s children will survive at that time, and other things – none of those important things came out again and gone with the wind. Because they know even without having the need to say it.

‘In the end, she won’t spare Louismond but she’s going to save the children I would have with Louismond? Then I will have to make a hole for him to sneak out.’

Annoying things keep happening. Rubiana rubbed her temples with her fingertips, a little annoyed.

‘Now, my sister is trying to figure out how to secretly take him away, right?’ Callena looked at Rubiana with warmth in her eyes.

“…”

“…”

Then the two of them looked at each other and faintly smiled.

Is it beneficial or harmful to know what the other person is thinking without having to say it? Rubiana didn’t know the answer until she was almost thirty. She just thought that this was what sisters are supposed to be.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

In any case, Rubiana got permission to marry him more easily than she had thought. They agreed that the permission with the Emperor’s seal would be received in a few days.

“Then, I will take my leave.”

“You’ll just go? Eat breakfast first.”

“I have eaten.”

“Then think of it as lunch and eat.”

“It’s not time for lunch yet.”

“What are you so inflexible about? While you were in the north, did you eat all your three meals in time? Were you also looking out for beasts during dinner?”

“When I say I will protect it, then I am.”

It was Rubiana’s turn to be arrogant this time. Disturbing my mealtime on the topic of beasts? What are they going to do if I am eating? Her face roughly had this expression.

“Gosh, so you are the King of the Beasts.”

“What king? Is there a king who kills his subjects?”

“There is.”

“…”

Who is it? She didn’t have to ask. Neither Callena nor Rubiana will forget who it was until they die.

“That’s why you killed him,” Rubiana’s voice slightly lowered down.

“Yeah, I killed him.” Callena’s voice was still cheerful.

“Right, you did.”

“So, have breakfast with me.”

“…”

“What’s with that face?”

“I don’t know why it looks like that. I will have to decline today. I’m really full.”

Rubiana left the Emperor who was clinging to her to have breakfast with her, then turned around adamantly. If she could enjoy the honor to dine with the Emperor, then she would have to eat breakfast twelve times with an expression that she was dying of starvation.

Duke Ashillean, who was highly trusted by the Emperor, dared to decline the Emperor’s meal offer.

“Don’t think that you’ll stay my favorite forever.”

The Emperor, who was hungry and had her meal offer declined, became violent.

“Just because I didn’t eat with you for one meal doesn’t mean I am not your favorite anymore.” The full Duke Ashillean was relaxed.

“Tch. I don’t want to eat alone.”

“Sorry. I won’t eat next time I come.”

“Alright. What person can’t say sorry? if you want to go so badly, go.”

Callena waved her hand with a sour expression like Rubiana did earlier.

“Then, I will leave.”

Rubiana politely said goodbye to Callena and disappeared like the wind.

“Just look at her. Since she has a handsome man waiting for her at home, she doesn’t even care about her younger sister? Look at her disappearing right away.”

Callena grumbled over Rubiana’s back. She then complained to the Grand Chamberlain as she ate breakfast alone, ‘She isn’t even married yet, and her younger sister couldn’t eat breakfast with her because she was smitten by that man?’

“The sisterly love between you two is still the same… and I am really grateful for that.”

The Grand Chamberlain was moved to tears with a handkerchief next to Callena, who was preparing her steak.

“What on earth did you hear me say? I said she left me and went to him!”

Callena had a sour look as she chewed on her steak.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

Callena changed her dress after her meal and left her hair to her ladies-in-waiting, flipping more papers than yesterday. When her curled up shiny golden hair was elegantly pulled up, the Grand Chamberlain, who had been away for a while, came back and spoke softly.

“Your Majesty, Duke Feltharg is still waiting for you.”

“Alright.”

Callena lifted her hand. It means go away and don’t talk nonsense.

“Your Majesty.” But the Grand Chamberlain didn’t back down. That was the reason he became the Emperor’s Grand Chamberlain. “Didn’t he enter the Imperial Palace much earlier than Duke Ashillean?”

“That’s why he’s asking audience for the third time.”

Callena responded with no sincerity.

The uncompromising Cadric knew that Callena was trying to steer him away from her, but he was still waiting for a third audience. Cadric was still waiting for the third audience without complaint, but the Grand Chamberlain who checked on him was more annoyed and kept talking.

“What are you going to do if rumors say that you are ignoring Duke Feltharg?”

“Whatever it is, I don’t care. I’m going to see who those idiots are who will believe those nonsense rumors.”

“You aren’t even thinking how sad I would be if there was that rumor.”

“… Let him in.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The Grand Chamberlain ran to Duke Feltharg happily as if it was his job. He looked so much funnier from behind – as if an ordinary man going out to pick up his grandson-in-law. Even Callena didn’t know who the Grand Chamberlain wanted Cadric to be with – Callena or Rubiana?

‘I’m sure it’s me, right?’

As soon as she thought of it, bang! The door opened like it was going to break. Of course, it was Cadric.

“Come in, Duke.” Callena greeted her with a smile.

“Your Majesty.”

From between the lips of the always taciturn handsome man, his growling, angry voice came out. There was no such thing as disrespect.

Depending on Callena’s mood, he could be charged with insulting the Imperial Family or even treason. However, Callena didn’t blame him for his rudeness. Rather, she faces Cadric alone, letting the ladies-in-waiting who helped her dress up go.

Cadric, Duke Feltharg, was a handsome man with blonde hair and blue eyes. From a distance, he even looked like siblings with the green-eyed Callena. Maybe that was why he was being talked about as a potential husband candidate for the Emperor. Surprisingly, even Callena’s older sister Rubiana, also thinks that way. Callena and Cadric were simply terrified of the rumor.

[‘How on earth does rumors of your conduct circulate?’

‘Your Majesty, I feel terrible?’

‘But that’s what unnie thought too. No matter how you look at it, this happened because of your behavior, didn’t it?’

‘… D**n, that dense woman.’

‘Are you cursing my sister in front of me now?’

‘…’]

Contrary to the popular rumors, the two of them were roughly in a relationship like this.

“Your Majesty.”

Cadric knelt down on one knee in front of Callena. No, he hit his knees on the floor. There was a loud thump.

“The palace won’t be shaken with just that. Give it a little more strength if you want to build a new Imperial Palace.”

“Your Majesty!”

His one and only blue eye looked up at Callena, blazing like fire. Callena looked down at this loyal servant of hers who didn’t even laugh at her joke and out of courtesy, she said, “I heard you waited long. I’m sorry.”

“Did you give your permission?” Cadric asked bluntly.

“About what?”

“Please don’t pretend you don’t know.”

“I really don’t know what you’re talking about. I just met with my sister in the morning to discuss family affairs with her, and I wonder how you came to know this and then come to me.”

Callena smiled brightly. Her red lips were smiling, but her eyes weren’t smiling at all. Cadric looked into those eyes and shuddered. He clasped his trembling hand into a fist and shouted.

“You said I can’t!”

It was a cry filled with resentment.

Hearing that desperate complaint, Callena answered without hesitation, “Hmm, you can’t.”