TNBTW | Episode 2

No matter how much she thought about it, this was not right. She had to express her decision clearly, that she had no intentions of marrying, that she was truly grateful but would kindly decline.

However, it seemed as though Vincent had read her mind, as he made the first move.

“Miss Edith, this is by no means a bad proposal. Duke Devion is the heir to the Magic Tower and currently holds the position of head of the Ministry of Magic. Opportunities like this to connect with such a figure are rare.”

“…Did you say he’s the heir to the Magic Tower?”

Edith, who had already decided to refuse no matter what, paused in surprise.

“Yes, he was. A truly remarkable man. If it weren’t for Duke Devion’s extraordinary magic, the war might still be ongoing.”

A wizard, and one who was the heir to the Magic Tower. A wizard capable of magic so extraordinary it could end a war.

Edith’s mind spun rapidly, turning over the possibilities.

“May I meet him?”

After much contemplation, Edith made up her mind. She would face it head-on, at least for now.

“Of course.”

Vincent smiled, as if he had been waiting for those words.

 

***

 

“Congratulations. It seems you’re finally getting married.”

Emperor Trister II of Robedon laughed happily as he gazed at the duke seated across from him.

“With all due respect, Your Majesty, it has not been confirmed. There is only a scheduled meeting.”

Duke Devion, sitting elegantly with impeccable posture, responded in his usual neutral tone.

His response was stiff compared to the Emperor’s friendly demeanor, but the Emperor did not mind. Instead, he raised a glass filled with transparent wine, as if to propose a toast.

“Have you not seen yourself in a mirror, Duke? There are few women who would reject a man as handsome as you.”

“To my knowledge, at least five women have declined Your Majesty’s proposal. I believe you are aware of the exact number.”

But the Duke showed no interest in it. His sharp, sculpted face resembled a finely crafted statue, with a single expression, much like a work of art.

“…They didn’t reject you, Duke. It was a matter of family.”

At that point, the Emperor’s enthusiasm waned, and he took a sip of wine, trying to soothe himself.

“It was just a matter of timing. As you know, there are many considerations when it comes to aristocratic unions.”

“If that is what you wish to believe, I will accept it as such.”

The emperor, feeling stifled after attempting to converse with a man as unyielding as a wall, downed the rest of his wine in one gulp. It was a move lacking in refinement, but his dignity was far from fragile enough to be tarnished by such a minor lapse.

“Though the merits of her family are lacking compared to the Duke’s achievement, the Brusselss family was once highly respected in the East.”

The Emperor praised the Baron of Brussels with words like, “A true knight who fought valiantly against the kingdom’s army when others fled.”

“Thanks to that, their reputation in that region is quite good.”

“A family with an old reputation that holds no sway in the capital. But if it helps Your Majesty, I have no issue.”

The Duke had deftly dismissed the Emperor’s praise, and the Emperor, now drained of any desire to continue the conversation, put down his glass.

“I do enjoy your straightforwardness, Duke, but sometimes I think it might be better if you were a bit less candid.”

That is both your strength and your only flaw.

The Emperor trusted and admired Duke Devion, who was a capable and loyal servant.

In a time of an arrogant temple and outdated nobility, the Emperor needed a reliable ally to solidify his rule, and that ally was none other than Duke Devion.

Duke Devion, Skyle Elliot Devion, was, in a word, a genius.

At the age of thirteen, he was already the heir to the Magic Tower, and at twenty-one, he fought in a war and, in just one year, brought the entire continent to kneel before the Emperor.

Such an extraordinary achievement that even the Pope, who saw the young Emperor as a mere fleeting wave, could not prevent Skyle from being given the title of Duke, despite his significant weakness.

Anyway, the Emperor intended to use Duke Devion to keep the nobility and the temple in check. To do that, he needed to first help grow the Duke’s influence.

A marriage to the Brussels Baroness would be a great pretext to support him.

“My secretary reports that she is as radiant as spring flowers. You, on the other hand, are like winter, so you’ll balance each other out well.”

The Emperor smiled as he recalled the report from his chief secretary. His hope for the Duke’s marriage was finally starting to feel promising.

‘The nobles have been less than cooperative with the Duke’s marriage proposals, but somehow, I have a good feeling this time.’

“Your Majesty, may I ask something?”

Skyle, who had been quietly listening without any particular response, suddenly spoke up. The Emperor sighed softly.

“You know your questions always frighten me. Would you not ask if I told you not to?”

“If that is your wish, I will find out on my own.”

“Just ask me directly then.”

The Emperor clicked his tongue as he looked at Skyle, who had immediately closed his mouth as if there was no room for further discussion.

“Does the Brussels Baroness know anything about my younger sibling?”

However, at Skyle’s next words, the Emperor’s jaw tightened slightly. His reaction was the answer in itself.

“It might be best to save the toast for another time.”

His tone was incredibly calm, as if he had never expected anything more from the situation.

 

***

 

Edith gazed absently out the window, watching the scenery pass by. The royal palace of Robedon was vast—its scale was nothing short of awe-inspiring.

The enormous palace beyond the golden fences looked just like the beautiful European palaces she had seen in textbooks. It was so imposing that it felt almost overwhelming.

“Miss Edith, we’ve arrived.”

“Oh, thank you!”

The polite voice announcing their arrival snapped Edith out of her thoughts. She quickly gave her thanks and stepped out of the carriage, where Vincent was waiting, smiling at her.

“Miss Edith, you’ve arrived. I’ve been waiting. I’m sure it was a long journey; did you manage to rest well?”

“Thanks to your arrangements, I had a very comfortable rest. I truly appreciate it, Sir Secretary.”

Before leaving her family’s estate, Edith had sold her old house. Originally, she had planned to move to the capital, so this had been part of her plans, but thanks to Vincent securing temporary lodging in the capital, she had been able to settle everything sooner.

“I’m only doing what His Majesty had instructed me to do, but I’ll be sure to pass your gratitude to His Majesty.”

“Then, I’ll leave that to you.”

It was a bit daunting to think it was His Majesty’s command, but still, it was a good thing in the end. The accommodation was just like a high-class hotel!

‘But of course, it’s nothing compared to the palace.’

It was an obvious realization, but Edith was still astonished.

Even the room she had stayed in yesterday was the best place she had ever lived in, but the palace was a palace. The white stone pillars were grand, and the marble floors shimmered so brightly that it was almost blinding.

“Is this your first time visiting Robedium Palace?”

“Yes… Actually, it’s my first time in the capital.”

Without realizing, Edith found herself looking around in awe, only to realize how much of a country bumpkin she must have seemed.

‘But I am a country bumpkin, after all.’

It was the truth, so what could she do? Edith put aside her embarrassment and stubbornly continued to explore her eyes at the palace. After all, who knew when she would have the chance to see it again?

After walking along the arching hallways for a while, they finally reached the lobby. A young man standing in the center spotted Vincent and quickly approached.

“Sir Vincent!”

“Aaron, is Duke Devion here?”

“I believe he’ll be here shortly. He went to report to His Majesty.”

The young man, who looked quite young, responded casually.

He couldn’t have been much older than twenty, at least that’s how he appeared. Vincent pointed to him with a hand and introduced him.

“Allow me to introduce you. This is Aaron, a wizard from the Magic Administration. He will be your guide from here on.”

“Nice to meet you! I’m Aaron Decker! Please feel free to call me Aaron, Miss Edith.”

“Nice to meet you, Aaron!”

Edith smiled back at Aaron, who was grinning brightly. She couldn’t help but feel a little surprised.

‘I always thought wizards were all eccentric, but I guess that was just my prejudice.’

Hedon County, located on the southeastern edge of the Robedon Empire, was isolated and lacked much external information.

The doctor who had worked at the count’s estate was from the capital, so at least he kept up with the Empire’s news, though it was all old stories by now.

He would often boast about the wizards he had seen from the tower, but unfortunately, Edith had never heard anything particularly pleasant about them.