I Once Thought I Had No Place, Being Married Off to An Enemy Nation as A Token of Apology but That Was Only for One Night - Chapter 4

“Your Majesty Albert, why on earth did you agree to marry the sister of that foolish Crown Prince!”

The scene was a conference room within the Imperial Palace of the Rayvel Empire. Gathered around a heavy marble table were the Emperor and his six vassals, known as the Hexagram Lords. One of these lords, a young head of his house named Ludwig, raised his voice in frustration.

The room fell into a heavy silence as everyone awaited the Emperor’s response. Shortly after, the Emperor, Albert, allowed a faint smile to play across his terrifyingly handsome, artfully sculpted features.

“You understand the situation. If I had refused then and there, it would have resulted in war.”

Ludwig bit his lip. He understood that a conflict would be disastrous, but his indignation remained.

“Is that not exactly what we want? That Crown Prince harmed the Saint of our Empire. He sent us a woman who cares for nothing but luxury and men while calling her a Saint. He even went as far as to desecrate the memory of those who died fighting for this Empire!”

Frieda Eisenwald, a female member of the Hexagram Lords, held a different view. She shook her high, tied-back red hair and laughed coldly, her demeanor strikingly bellicose. Several others began to voice their agreement with her.

“Indeed, it might have been better for our future if we had simply killed him.” “I cannot believe such an ignorant man is the next in line for the throne.”

About half of the group began to align with Frieda, and the meeting threatened to descend into chaos. At that moment, Albert raised his hand to signal for silence.

“I share your sentiments. However, do not forget our primary objective.”

The Demon King is sealed within Rayvel. Because of this, the miasma is thick, and much of the land is barren. Consequently, the Empire proposed a peace treaty to import food from the Kingdom of Ashtar in exchange for the magic stones produced within their own borders.

Everything had been proceeding smoothly until that Crown Prince nearly destroyed the negotiations. In fact, it appeared as though he was intentionally trying to sabotage them. To prevent a total collapse of the treaty, Albert had no choice but to accept the Crown Prince’s form of apology.

“Even so, Your Majesty, I am opposed to you marrying that man’s sister.”

Frieda made no effort to hide her dissatisfaction. Beside her, Ludwig looked up as a thought occurred to him.

“Now that I think about it, you investigated Princess Noel, did you not? She was advertised as an exceptional Saint, but she is the sister of that Crown Prince. Can she be trusted?” “To be blunt, she might be even worse than the previous Saint we were sent.” “What? Is there truly a Saint worse than that one?”

Ludwig widened his eyes in disbelief. The other Hexagram Lords also wore expressions of disgust, wondering what the Crown Prince of Ashtar could possibly be thinking.

“According to the records, her history of actual activity as a Saint is shockingly brief. Despite that, she reportedly spends all her time loitering around the Knight Order and is said to be a particular favorite of the High Priest.” “Ugh.”

Ludwig made a face of pure revulsion. The image of the Saint who had come for the technical exchange flashed through his mind. She had hardly used any holy power, choosing instead to focus on seducing Albert and other influential men to gain favor. She was a lowly woman who could hardly be called a Saint.

He had hoped she was the exception. He wanted to believe she was merely a disgrace to her order and that other Saints were respectable. However, based on this report, Noel sounded like more of the same. This perception began to take root in the minds of those listening to Frieda.

“Furthermore, I heard she is loathed by the citizens of the royal capital and called the ominous Black Snow.” “Black Snow?” “Apparently, the purification she uses involves black snow.” “That sounds like an appalling Saint.”

Ludwig scratched his head aggressively. Those tainted by miasma turn black. Therefore, under normal circumstances, it is unthinkable for a Saint to use “Black” in her title. It is practically an admission that she has been defeated by the miasma.

“I also looked into those close to the Crown Prince, and her reputation among them was abysmal. They say she abandons her royal duties, avoids the public stage of social circles, and does nothing but play at being a Saint.”

The criticism was relentless. If this were someone else’s problem, they would simply dismiss her as a foolish person. However, the situation changed entirely if she was to become the Emperor’s wife. Ludwig turned a worried gaze toward Albert.

“Your Majesty, would it not be better to decline even now?” “Your concerns are justified. I myself have no intention of forgiving the Crown Prince, and I am deeply offended by the idea of this Saint. I feel strongly enough to want them both dead.”

A cold killing intent bled into his words. The Hexagram Lords trembled and glanced at one another fearfully.

“Your Majesty, what do you intend to do with the bride?” “That depends on her. I have actually spoken with her once before. At that time, she did not seem like the person described in these rumors. However, people are creatures who can change for better or for worse.”

His face took on a slight shadow of melancholy. Several people tilted their heads in confusion at his mention of having spoken to her before. Amidst this, Ludwig nodded firmly.

“She is the sister of that Crown Prince, after all. She is bound to be just as foolish!” “If that is the case, she will likely meet a tragic end in this Empire. However, it is dangerous to judge based on assumptions alone. For now, we shall let her be and monitor her actions.” “Please leave the surveillance to me!”

Ludwig was the first to volunteer. However, Albert slowly shook his head.

“I trust your abilities, but she is technically my bride. The role of monitor should go to one of the women. Frieda, you shall watch the bride’s movements under the pretext of being the Head Maid to the Empress.” “Me? A maid to the bride? If I discover her true nature and find her to be a threat to this Empire, I might end up cutting her down on the spot.” “Do as you wish.”

Albert gave a daring smile. Frieda detested dishonesty and possessed a fierce personality. If she said she would strike, she truly would. Understanding this, Albert gave his permission anyway. Realizing this, the Hexagram Lords felt a small, fleeting moment of pity for Noel, whom they otherwise despised.