IDIBC Chapter 106

Lienne, This Time You Give In

“Don’t believe me. Whether Your Highness believes me or not isn’t what’s important.”

“…….”

“Nothing changes just because I arbitrarily moved the date up by one day. What matters is that His Highness the Crown Prince acknowledged this engagement and personally removed his ring to stamp his seal.”

“But the lady’s name—the signature—is still blank, isn’t it?”

“As you know, I’ve been busy lately cleaning up the mess caused by His Highness the Prince.”

If Ricardo handled external affairs related to the imperial family, Walter was the one who knew the internal workings of the imperial family better than anyone.

“No matter how urgent it was, a noblewoman’s maid?”

Though he couldn’t know exactly what was being discussed, judging by how Harriot’s complexion kept changing, it seemed the sordid scandals surrounding him weren’t all false.

“Please maintain some dignity. You’ll soon ascend to the position of Crown Prince. There’s a limit to how much dirty truth can be covered up.”

Even as Walter spoke dismissively with a sneer on his face, Harriot seemed too distracted to even reproach him.

“I was busy quietly smoothing over that incident, so I was a bit late in coming to Rochester. So you won’t make an issue of the signature being delayed by a day or two because of that, will you? Nevertheless, if you try to drag Lady Fennel to the imperial palace from here…”

Walter paused and showed a gentle smile. His leisurely movement of lifting his teacup was a calm and composed gesture that didn’t match the heavy atmosphere.

Watching him, it was hard to imagine what had transpired in this room just moments ago.

“You’ll see what results Rochester and Chaplin produce when they join hands.”

“Are you threatening me?”

“It’s not a threat, just stating facts. Before you truly become Crown Prince, Your Highness, your first achievement will be a civil war. A losing one at that.”

Chaplin doesn’t rebel against the imperial family. This was a statement as firmly established as a formula, solidified by long history. I wasn’t the only one surprised by the path Walter was now taking.

While Duke Rochester furrowed his brow trying to assess the situation, Harriot’s flustered voice continued.

“This is insane. You must know this engagement will end in a few days anyway. Lienne Rowe Fennel is the woman who received the Empress’s oracle.”

Instead of answering, Walter stretched his legs out and crossed them, taking an even more comfortable position. Seeing him, Harriot finally raised his voice.

“Are you causing all this trouble just to buy a little time! Do you think His Majesty the Emperor will permit this?”

At that moment, Walter’s teal eyes, which had maintained a benevolent demeanor until then, flashed with light. At the sound of him setting down his teacup hard with a clack, Harriot’s mouth closed.

“Since when did you think Chaplin made family decisions with Schneider’s permission? You should know that the imperial family’s adherence to established procedures until now has been Chaplin’s consideration, not the imperial family’s right.”

The people of the empire love the virtuous and benevolent Crown Prince, Stuart.

Though the Grand Priest currently appeared to side with the imperial family, even Harriot, who wasn’t particularly clever, knew that alliance wasn’t solid.

If Chaplin also turned its back on the Emperor who had lost Stuart—the proud symbol of the imperial family and a royal ability user—the Emperor would be as good as isolated.

“I truly can’t believe it. That Chaplin would engage in such obvious scheming.”

Walter chuckled at the words spoken with a pale face, as if he’d heard something ridiculous.

“Even if it’s obvious scheming, you won’t have a way to avoid it. The Fennel family no longer receives Rochester’s protection, but as of this moment, will come under the protection of the House of Chaplin. So the one who will become Crown Prince should promptly leave the Rochester estate.”

“Who are you to order me to leave or stay!”

Walter laughed out loud, then changed his expression to one cold as ice, as if it were a lie.

“Rather than whining to me, go to your brother and beg him to give you his signet ring.”

“Y-you…”

“If you’ve assessed the situation, please quickly leave, taking not only the knights you brought into the mansion but also all the imperial knights surrounding Rochester.”

Harriot couldn’t say anything, nor did he move easily. If he returned empty-handed, he clearly wouldn’t be able to avoid the Emperor’s wrath.

Harriot rolled his eyes around before glancing at the Duchess, who was growing paler by the moment.

“If it’s true you intend to go through with this engagement, I’ll watch Lady Fennel sign it directly before my eyes before I leave.”

I bit my lower lip hard at the feeling of darkness closing in before my eyes. Last night, Walter had sent a long letter explaining the current situation using rather dry words.

According to his letter, the time it would take for Ricardo to finish his work and return to the empire was about ten days.

The time it would take for the signed engagement document to be annulled again was also between a week and ten days.

He had written three times—in the introduction, body, and conclusion—that he had no other intentions. Along with saying he only wanted to prevent me from having an unwanted marriage with Harriot.

Feeling everyone’s eyes turn to me, I realized I had no more choice.

After exhaling a long breath, I gave Freddy a direct order.

“Prepare a pen.”

“Is letting this child get engaged to another man any different from losing her to the imperial family?”

Before I could even finish speaking, the Duchess cried out to the Duke. I knew what she feared as she shouted almost in a scream, but I had to turn away.

I could fully feel her heart-wrenching determination to keep me in this house even at the cost of death, but I couldn’t put everyone in danger.

Death was literally the end. Death leaves nothing behind.

Clack—with a hardened face, Freddy set down a pen and ink before me.

“It’s different, Mother.”

Even as I picked up the pen with trembling hands, saying I would get engaged to another man, I stubbornly called the Duchess “Mother.”

The reason Freddy obediently followed my order, despite knowing he disagreed with the Duchess, was because he too knew there was no other way in this situation.

“Lienne, no. Dear, this cannot happen.”

Even as the Duchess called out in a trembling voice, the Duke said nothing.

I pressed the pen nib firmly to the paper. The ink from the pen tip spread out in a round circle.

It was just pretending to be engaged for a few days. I was someone who could do anything to save myself and my family.

Yet why did my heart crumble like this? I squeezed my eyes shut as if to steady my wavering heart.

“Being alive and being dead are completely different. I absolutely cannot cause Ricardo such pain.”

Never again should I cause him the grief of losing someone he loves. With that thought, the fear that had been making my whole body tremble disappeared.

If I could just protect him and the parents he loves, I could sign this document a hundred or a thousand times.

“This is the only certain method right now. So Mother, please don’t think otherwise.”

Ricardo would surely return before this engagement ended.

‘So this is nothing.’

I steeled my resolve and gripped the pen tightly.

Just then, the drawing room door that had been tightly shut opened again, and everyone inside turned their gaze toward it.

“A-a guest has arrived.”

It was the moment the doorkeeper servant, appearing with a pale face, was about to reveal who the guest was.

“Excuse me.”

A clear voice with a high tone, utterly unsuited to this scene, was heard.

Before permission to enter had even been granted, I froze in place at the sight of the woman entering.

“Lienne, you don’t need to do that.”

The owner of the sweet voice was Sabrina, who hadn’t been seen since morning. Though she wore a perfect smile, her breathing was ragged as if she’d rushed here.

“Sab… rina?”

Sabrina, wearing a dark green satin dress that fit her body perfectly—another dress chosen by the Duchess today—sparkled so brilliantly she changed the atmosphere of the drawing room in an instant.

“Please forgive me for coming here without permission. Duke, Duchess, and Your Highness the Prince. Ah, Young Duke Chaplin is here too.”

Beside her stood a splendid man whose radiance complemented her glamor.

His honey-colored eyes shining, he flicked his purple jacket once, then bowed his head slightly before lifting it with a grin.

“I’m getting engaged, you see. I wanted to express my gratitude as soon as possible, so I took this liberty.”

Sabrina walked over lightly and pulled out a paper from her sleeve, then gently grasped my wrist as I still held the pen. Then she placed that document on top of the certificate I had been about to sign.

“As you can see, this is an engagement certificate that has already received His Highness the Crown Prince’s seal. It has both of our signatures on it as well.”

While everyone remained silent, not knowing how to react, the sound of me dropping the pen spread through the quiet room.

“It’s against imperial law for two unmarried women from one family to be engaged simultaneously, isn’t it?”

“…….”

“So Lienne, this time you give in.”

Sabrina smiled sweetly and turned to face Harriot.

“Now Fennel will be under the protection of the House of Paquin, not Rochester or Chaplin.”

While Sabrina spoke, Julian showed an awkward smile as if he were her real fiancé.