I Refuse This Life, Your Highness! - Chapter 47
“Ha.”
Unintentionally, I clenched the hem of the Grand Duke’s garment tightly. However, the Grand Duke only tightened his grip on my shoulder in response. The Emperor burst into laughter.
“Very well. I was also concerned, as the Grand Duchess appeared unwell.”
“…Thank you for your graciousness.”
Since the Grand Duke remained silent, I spoke on his behalf. The Emperor smiled and lightly gestured with his hand. Without delay, the Grand Duke led me out of the banquet hall and toward my room.
Resili and Boen ran out with startled expressions. The Grand Duke entrusted me to them, leaving a message that I wouldn’t need to come out again today, then disappeared—likely returning to the banquet hall.
I sent a servant to check the situation in the hall, changed into more comfortable attire, and lay down.
Soon, Resili brought tea known for its calming effects. I drank it slowly and lay down, but my heart continued to pound uncontrollably. Anxiety, cold and heavy, coiled around my chest, tormenting me.
I was consumed by swirling thoughts: whether the Emperor would resent me, why the Grand Duke had intervened so suddenly, and what the current state of the banquet hall might be.
Later, I learned that the Emperor danced with various noblewomen at the banquet and even shared a cordial atmosphere with the Grand Duke. Declaring he needed to return to his duties, the Emperor departed without staying overnight at the Grand Duke’s castle, boarding his carriage instead. His visit had been suspicious from the start.
“…Where is the bracelet bestowed by His Majesty?”
“It’s placed in the room where the accessories are stored.”
“It needs to be moved.”
“Pardon? To where?”
Resili asked, surprised.
“To the treasury. I’ll prepare the necessary paperwork tomorrow, but for now, stash it away in the farthest corner of the accessory room.”
“Understood.”
Every action of the Emperor left an uneasy feeling. Even the bracelet he had given me seemed dubious. If I hid it in the treasury, it would remain out of sight unless someone deliberately sought it out.
I waited, tossing and turning in bed, for the Grand Duke to come to the room. Instead, he sent a messenger around midnight.
“His Majesty says he has matters to attend to tonight.”
“At this hour? Did he mention what kind of matters?”
“He is meeting Countess Chiara.”
“…I see.”
Countess Chiara, of all people. Though unspoken, I wondered if the Grand Duke had sustained an injury that required treatment from the Countess. No, that couldn’t be. The Grand Duke was far from fragile. With such thoughts racing through my mind, I struggled to fall asleep.
The following morning, the Grand Duke summoned me for breakfast.
The Grand Duke, who preferred simple meals, had a modest spread prepared. It suited me, as I had little appetite in the mornings. The table held only endive and lettuce with a touch of shrimp, olive oil, salt, soft bread, butter, thinly sliced ham, three kinds of jam, coffee, and juice.
“Your Majesty, were you alright yesterday?”
The Grand Duke glanced up at me briefly.
“The Emperor caused some trouble here and there, but I was fine.”
“Still, I should have stayed by your side…”
“If you had, the focus would’ve shifted entirely to you.”
“Wouldn’t that have been better?”
This time, the Grand Duke’s expression turned peculiar.
“Better? Why?”
“Well… isn’t it preferable for one person to suffer rather than many?”
At least, that’s what I was taught in my household: “If sacrifice is required, be the one to sacrifice.” Even though I was twenty now, having returned from being twenty-three, I had always lived by that belief.
“…The Emperor’s troublemaking was directed at me. Isn’t that sufficient?”
“Pardon? No, that won’t do!”
“Your reasoning is strange. Why is it acceptable for you but not for me?”
“Well… because you’re the Grand Duke, and I’m…”
“You are my wife and the Grand Duchess of Isser.”
“…”
I had no response. Silently, I focused on moving my utensils. As breakfast was nearing its end, the Grand Duke spoke again.
“About that Lasnus silk I promised to get you.”
“Oh? Ah…”
It was a name I had momentarily forgotten. The awkwardness from when he first mentioned acquiring silk for me was still vivid.
Erma, who had gone on an errand for the Grand Duke, had yet to return. Fortunately, it seemed the Grand Duke hadn’t ordered him to fetch the silk yet.
Seeing an opportunity, I quickly spoke up.
“About that, wouldn’t it be better if Erma didn’t—”
“I know. That’s why I summoned a merchant myself.”
“Pardon?”
The Grand Duke himself? Whom had he summoned? Was his meeting with Countess Chiara related to this? As I pondered, the Grand Duke mentioned a name I hadn’t anticipated.
“The head of the Rubes Trading Company.”
“…Who?”
“Lyoel Manas.”
That wasn’t the answer I was expecting. Hadn’t he decided to get the silk precisely because he disliked me receiving it from him? So why would he invite that person to purchase silk?
“Why that merchant, of all people…?”
“The Rubes Trading Company is said to have the finest Lasnus silk.”
“Ah, I see…”
It was a reason I couldn’t argue against. If the Grand Duke said so, what could I do? I kept quiet, and the next day, I faced an unwelcome figure once again.
“It’s a pleasure to see you again, Your Majesty.”
The smiling face before me, wide with amusement, was unmistakably that of a merchant.
“Master of the Rubes Trading Company.”
“Please, call me Lyoel.”
The head of the Rubes Trading Company tilted his head slightly with an easy, practiced grin, winking at me as if to establish familiarity. He seemed to be treading a line between being a merchant and a prince, carefully balancing his demeanor.
“Still, this is unexpected. For His Majesty the Grand Duke himself to seek me out.”
He shrugged lightly this time.
“It seemed you were rather uncomfortable at the banquet.”
“I find you uncomfortable too.”
“Haha! I’m well aware.”
“…”
“But if you want Lasnus silk, there’s no better source than our company. I’ve brought only the finest selection.”
It would be best to review the goods, make a swift purchase, and send him on his way. When I gestured, the merchant opened the lids of his prepared items one by one.
For all his unreadable ways, his words weren’t false. Even to my eyes, the goods he presented were undeniably of the highest quality. Scarlet, gold, ivory, blue, and white—the colors were as vivid and rich as if made from the finest pigments, and the intricate embroidery was impeccable.
“I’d especially recommend this blue silk. It complements both Your Majesty’s hair and skin tone beautifully. If embroidered in the same pattern on chiffon and draped as an overlay, it would make a stunning dress.”
“…I see.”
Unable to deny his claim, I nodded. Though the Grand Duke had offered to purchase three rolls of fabric, I felt it would be excessive. I intended to choose only two, but when the merchant offered a discount for items meant for charitable purposes, I ended up buying all three.
Well, the donation account was already heavily in the red thanks to Erma. At least purchasing clothes and food at the prices the merchant offered would help fill that gap. Still, I couldn’t shake off the discomfort of indulging in such extravagance.
“Since this was a significant transaction, Your Majesty…”
“What now?”
His voice, as if preparing to broach another subject, made me frown instinctively.
“Haha, why such suspicion? I’m hurt.”
“Are we on such terms that I should care about your feelings?”
At that, the merchant burst into laughter. Honestly, my heart had softened a little after seeing such beautiful silk, but I wasn’t in the mood to join in his mirth. I kept quiet, and he leaned slightly toward me, lowering his voice.
“I’ll share something valuable with you.”
“I don’t have time for nonsense.”
“It’s about the imperial family.”
“What?”
The imperial family. Hearing this from a merchant—no, from a third prince of Hasein—was completely unexpected. My brow furrowed even deeper.
“The royal family, broadly speaking, is human too, aren’t they?”
“What are you implying?”
Was he some sort of revolutionary? I didn’t care what he believed in, but I wished he’d refrain from making such statements here. The Grand Duke was already under the Emperor’s watchful eye, and I had no desire to draw unnecessary trouble.
The merchant continued.
“Don’t misunderstand. I’m not here to spread seditious ideas. I’m merely saying… a noble can become a royal, and royals were once, in a way, just nobles too. That’s all.”
I couldn’t make sense of his words. Royals were royals—how could they ever be considered nobles?
“That’s a strange thing to say.”
“Yes, a strange thing indeed. Then, might this humble merchant take his leave now?”
“….”
Momentarily baffled, I stared at him, then waved him off, finding it tiresome to engage further. With a cheerful expression, he packed up his remaining goods and left the Grand Duke’s estate with his entourage.
That evening, the Grand Duke arrived, as usual, with a bottle of wine. This time, he also brought a large box—so massive that I couldn’t help but wonder how he carried it with one hand. He set it on the table with a solid thud and looked at me. His effortless movement made it seem like he’d just set down a basket of pastries.
“Anything out of the ordinary?”
“No, the usual.”
“You met the head of the Rubes Trading Company today.”
I nodded.
“Yes, I bought three rolls of silk. Oh… the merchant said something strange.”
“Something strange?”
The Grand Duke paused, his hand frozen mid-way through unbuttoning his coat, and looked at me.
“He said something about royals originally being nobles.”
“An amusing thought. By that logic, he himself must be a noble too.”
The Grand Duke smirked, removing his jacket and handing it to Resili. Then, dressed down to his shirt, he gestured for me to join him at the table. Compelled, I followed. Placing one hand on the box, he asked,
“What kind of silk did you pick? Were you satisfied with your choices?”
“Yes, would you like to see?”
“I trust you made good selections. Instead, let’s see…”
The Grand Duke unlocked the box and lifted the lid.
“What might pair well with this?”
As I looked inside, my eyes widened. The box contained a fur pelt with a pale, luminous sheen. In the light, parts of it gleamed blue, while the shaded areas took on a deep navy hue. The glossy texture of the fur sparkled with various colors, creating an indescribable beauty.
It was the pelt of a blue wolf the Grand Duke had hunted earlier.
“This… It would look stunning with any outfit. It’s truly beautiful.”
“I’m glad you like it.”
The Grand Duke smiled faintly. Of the silks I’d purchased, the blue one seemed especially well-suited to complement the fur.
“The finishing was done quickly.”
“I hurried the artisans.”
“You didn’t need to go to such lengths…”
“I think the cold will come early this year.”
The Grand Duke glanced out the window. As night fell, the temperature had dropped sharply, and frost clung to the glass panes. Inside, the room was warm with a roaring fireplace and brazier, but stepping outside would be bitterly cold. Soon, the chill would extend to the days, and the harshest winter would arrive.
I gently touched the blue wolf pelt, marveling at its sleek, luxurious texture.
“It’ll keep you warm.”
“…Thank you.”
I answered earnestly, touched by his thoughtfulness.
The sound of dry wind howled outside.
Winter was coming in full force to Isser.
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