Chapter 94

The one who clapped was La Catan, a male attendant of Celestine. However, his expression did not seem to be one of blessing at all.

To Conrad, his eyes appeared to be a mix of resignation and frustration.

"This is an unexpected result, Your Highness."

The words that came out of his mouth were insolently polite, hardly the kind of words one would use for a member of the royal family.

"La Catan, what do you mean by that?"

"Exactly what I said, Your Highness. ...No, Lady Celestine."

"Rude, Lord La Catan!"

Charlotte reprimanded La Catan in a strong tone for addressing Celestine without the proper title of "Your Highness."

However, La Catan did not seem to care. He raised one of his well-shaped eyebrows and said with a smirk,

"Hold your tongue, Charlotte. You are only a lady-in-waiting."

"La Catan!"

This made Celestine angry.

What was happening? Conrad could not understand either.

Why would a confidant suddenly start mocking the regent princess of their own country?

It seemed only the late king understood the situation, watching the events unfold with his arms crossed.

Celestine, with a sharpness that belied her age, questioned La Catan.

"What do you mean, La Catan? Do you intend to bless this engagement or not?"

"I am extremely pleased. It is a very happy occasion for Lady Celestine personally."

"What? What do you mean?"

"It's simple, former Regent Princess. Despite being of royal blood, you intend to ally with the Empire, which is our mortal enemy in the Eastern Kingdom."

"That's not true. This is for the good of the Eastern Kingdom!"

Celestine's roar echoed in the room.

Conrad was gradually beginning to understand the situation.

This noble, La Catan, had been against the meeting. If the young king Yugo was to gain political power, he would want to reduce Celestine's influence.

Normally, a married Celestine would move to the Empire, losing her influence in the Eastern Kingdom's court. But she was still the Regent Princess.

From the courage she showed in this moment alone, it was clear she was a political genius.

La Catan was afraid that even as the Empress, she would continue to interfere in the politics of the Eastern Kingdom. This explained everything.

"...I thought the meeting would fail. It's a pity."

From the Regent Princess's perspective, La Catan was likely brought along as a spy by the non-mainstream nobles.

If the marriage seemed to be going through, they would ruin the meeting. Did they really think such a shallow plan would work?

No, it might have worked.

Even Conrad, if he had met Celestine first and reluctantly attended the meeting, would have happily agreed to cancel it if any trouble arose.

It was not a meeting he had desired. The current situation was a product of chance.

"That's a bold statement. When did the House of La Catan gain the right to comment on the marriage of a royal?"

"We do not have that right. However, this is an order."

"An order? What kind of order?"

La Catan broke the seal on a piece of parchment he took from his pocket and unfolded it.

"It is an order from the King of the Eastern Kingdom, Yugo."

The content he read out loud was slightly different from what was expected.

"If Celestine de Oria agrees to marry the emperor of the enemy country, she will be immediately stripped of her position as Regent Princess and her rights as a member of the royal family will be suspended indefinitely. Signed and sealed."

This was not a scheme by the nobles.

The idea that Yugo would strip his own sister of her position was something Conrad had not anticipated.

But it seemed the same for Celestine.

She snatched the parchment and read the words that had just been read out, then collapsed to her knees.

"What a pity, Lady Celestine. What a pity."

La Catan shrugged, but he could not continue speaking.

The one who struck him hard on the side of the face was Emperor Conrad himself.

He had never hit anyone in his life.

La Catan, who fell to the floor, was more surprised by his own actions than Conrad. After staring at his clenched fist and La Catan alternately, Conrad warned,

"...Lord La Catan. I apologize, but I must ask you to stop insulting my future wife."

La Catan's face turned red, then blue.

He slowly stood up, still holding his cheek.

"I will lodge a formal protest with the Eastern Kingdom."

"About what? I merely reprimanded a rogue noble who insulted the woman who should be the Empress of the Empire."

La Catan could not respond to this. He had no allies in this room.

The guards from both countries, who had been about to storm in upon hearing the commotion, were taken aback by the emperor's stern words.

La Catan, crawling, fled the room.

Celestine clung to Conrad. Conrad, surprised by her unexpected forwardness, gently embraced his future wife.

A modest round of applause came from Shinobu, a genuine expression of blessing.

The applause spread and continued for a long time.

"A bit too much, perhaps."

Yugo, who received the report by messenger, muttered to no one in particular.

In a few days, the Empire would announce the engagement. At the same time, the Eastern Kingdom would announce that Celestine de Oria had been removed from the royal family.

"It was a necessary decision, Your Majesty. Please have faith in yourself."

"Thank you. I will."

Yugo, mindful of his physical condition, leaned back in his throne and sighed.

He did not regret exiling his sister, but he felt a sense of guilt.

His sister had led the country in his place while he was still young. He loved her and was grateful to her. That was why he could not let her marry the Emperor while still holding the position of Regent Princess.

He was still young.

He did not intend to be outsmarted by the adults, but his body was still that of a child. He needed more time to face the Empire on his own.

During that time, if his sister were to bear a few sons,

There was a chance that the remaining Celestine faction in the country might rally behind a male heir and attack La Parisia. This city, a key transportation hub, was also an easy target for attack. While it would not fall, the country must not be allowed to fall into chaos.

While thinking about this, Yugo had a different goal in mind.

"Otherwise, my sister would suffer between the Eastern Kingdom and her husband."

"I believe it is a wise and considerate decision, Your Majesty."

Celestine de Oria would soon become just Celestine.

Not the cunning and scheming woman of the Eastern Kingdom, but a nineteen-year-old bride, Celestine.

"Thank you, sister. From now on, Yugo will rule the country alone."

It was both a tribute and a declaration of resolve.

They were now completely severed, but perhaps one day they would reconcile.

When that day came, he wanted to meet as just Yugo and Celestine, perhaps at a local izakaya, and enjoy some good food together.

With this in mind, Yugo issued rapid instructions.

He had turned his sister from a princess into just a person. The cost of this action would have to be borne by him.

There was an endless amount of work to be done, and there were not yet enough capable people to delegate to. For a while, he would have to shoulder everything himself.

He was not anxious. His sister had walked this path before.

He kept her portrait in the locket around his neck.