Winter Field Chapter 11

Without becoming an obstacle in the succession struggle, an existence used as a pawn in a political marriage to further solidify the kingdom’s standing or serve as a symbol of an agreement. That was the significance of a princess’s existence in many royal families. Of course, there were countries where one could ascend the throne regardless of gender, but Cornia was not one of them, and it was a particularly conservative place at that.

The King of Cornia had three daughters. Among them, one was already in the midst of dignified marriage talks with the Mileva royal family, renowned for its silk trade. When they were already markedly short on daughters compared to sons, the decree to send a princess to become the wife of the Grand Duke of Oldenland—with whom they had no exchange whatsoever—naturally grated on the King’s nerves.

However, the reluctance to send a daughter to that far northern land was the same for the king of any kingdom. Judging that a refusal would only entangle him in troublesome matters, the King of Cornia had no choice but to accept the Emperor’s proposal, and it was a matter of course that Yvette, an illegitimate child, was singled out.

“Yvette accepted the King’s decision. Yvette is a year younger than me and we were on very close terms. Being an illegitimate child, though she is nominally a member of the royal family, she has endured many hardships up to now. During those times, she and I, being in the same position, helped and relied on each other to hold on. Yvette used to say habitually that she wanted to leave Cornia… so honestly, I felt deeply sorrowful that my one and only sister was going to the end of the continent, but I wished her well many times over.”

“…”

“But with two days left before departure, Yvette vanished. I thought she had accepted the marriage, but that wasn’t the case. Leaving behind only a single letter saying, ‘House of Elvanes, did you think I would quietly take this lying down?’ — she abruptly…”

In truth, the letter read, ‘You base curs of Elvanes who’d be better off mating with rats,’ but he paraphrased it.

At the time when he was secretly receiving word that Yvette had run away, Rensley had just returned from playing cards at a tavern. Hearing the news, he clutched his stomach and laughed. It couldn’t have been more refreshing.

Even though Yvette always sang about wanting to leave Cornia, the way she suddenly became the obedient, good daughter to a command from the King she so despised felt unfamiliar, like seeing a stranger. But all of it was an act for this very moment? At that point, he felt like returning to the tavern to raise a toast wishing Yvette a safe future.

However, the situation flowed in an unexpected direction.

The people Yvette cursed were naturally the King and his legitimate offspring, and Yvette likely thought that if she disappeared, the King would have no choice but to make a difficult appeal to the Emperor or send one of the remaining princesses to the northern country.

How could anyone have predicted a future where the King, in his fury, would order his superfluous son to be disguised as a daughter and sent north in her place?

Neither Rensley nor Yvette—nor even the priests of the church—could see even an inch ahead. The world calls a person who commits an act that no normal person could imagine a madman.

“If that is so.”

Having heard the full account, the Grand Duke tapped the armrest lightly with his fingers a couple of times as if puzzled.

“Why did you not flee? Even if you were under surveillance inside Cornia, it doesn’t seem likely that you had no opportunity to shake off your attendants and escape during the long journey. Judging solely by the actions you have shown since arriving here.”

“Had Yvette known things would turn out like this… she would not have hidden herself. It is the same for me. There are many people in Cornia I hold dear. Whether I live or die, that is a matter for after I arrive safely in Oldenland. If word got out that I ran away before that, they would be punished in my stead—how could I escape alone?”

Once he had arrived in Oldenland, even if the bride died or ran away, the King of Cornia would be seen as having fulfilled the proposal, so the Emperor would not demand a second bride candidate from Cornia.

The King had carried out such an outrageous act solely out of spite for a responsibility that did not even exist and rage he could not quell toward his illegitimate daughter who had defied him.

If Yvette had given him even a single hint, he would be an indisputable accomplice with no room for excuse, but Rensley had known absolutely nothing about her escape plan. Naturally, it felt wretched to be made a scapegoat for venting anger simply because he was also an illegitimate child. While Rensley, newly feeling dejected, hung his head, the Grand Duke posed a new question.

“Even if Prince Malosen had no such intention, the Cornia royal family has insulted me nonetheless. Should I lodge an official protest regarding this matter and inform the Emperor, what does the King of Cornia intend to do?”

“…Cornia will say that they sent a princess as His Imperial Majesty commanded and that I acted entirely on my own accord.”

The corner of Rensley’s lips slightly twisted upward.

“They’ll say that a lowly, illegitimate son who held a grudge took the royal marriage lightly with the aim of slighting the royal family and committed this act, or that a treacherous schemer who always had sinister intentions harmed his own sister targeting that position with sodomy in mind. They can fabricate reasons endlessly, and people will simply believe whichever side is more convenient, won’t they? Yvette has already vanished and cannot testify, and I am refuse that may as well be dead.”

For a moment, only silence flowed between the two. Rensley drew a deep breath and knelt again before the Grand Duke.

“Your Highness the Grand Duke, naturally, I have not come with such a purpose. Even in jest, as a man, I have no thought of coveting the position of Grand Duchess. If you would please show mercy and spare my life, I wish to live here as Rensley Malosen, a citizen of Oldenland. Please tell Cornia only that I have run away. Then they will harbor no further questions either.”

“…”

“My origins are lowly, yet because I am still half a king’s son, in my homeland I could not do the work of commoners and lived like a parasite of the royal family. However, even so, I am skilled in swordsmanship, martial arts, and riding. I cook quite well, know how to care for livestock, and am fairly capable at carpentry. If only you will accept me, I will do my utmost and give my full loyalty in any task.”

“So you are saying you will die, or live on as one who does not exist.”

Rensley did not deny it, and the Grand Duke was quiet as if lost in thought. It was after a silence that was not very long that he let out another light sigh.

“Marriage is a matter of no importance to me either way. As I have no interest in it, I have continually neglected the matter of finding a partner, but had I known the situation would grow this complicated, I suppose it would have been better to find a suitable person and request permission first before the Emperor commanded it.”

You are quite right. If you had, Yvette and I would not have had to go through this… Rensley agreed only in his mind.

“If I say that the princess sent from Cornia has run away, the Emperor, if only to restore his authority, will send another princess from another royal family, and… well, it seems unlikely that this person, too, would wish to come here. I do not particularly wish to increase the number of victims further.”

“…If that is so…”

“Furthermore, I cannot guarantee that the princess who disappeared will be left alone. Even if Cornia quietly sweeps it under the rug, either way, this marriage was a royal union conducted under the Emperor’s authority, so you and your sister will have deceived the Emperor.”

It was a calm and precise explanation. Finding no room to argue, Rensley lowered his gaze.

The King of Cornia and Yvette had each broken the Emperor’s command in half, but if this matter rose to the surface, the end result would most likely be only Rensley himself and Yvette wholly shouldering the crime of lese-majesty. Unless she could shoot up into the sky or sink into the ground, once a formal wanted order was issued, it would be as clear as fire that Yvette would be caught.

“The Emperor is unlikely to make too big an issue out of a marriage matter, but one never knows. There are not a few cases where minor disrespect is heavily punished to set an example for the multitude.”

At a loss for words, Rensley closed his mouth, and the Grand Duke was also silent. The guards and maids must have truly withdrawn far, far away, for not a single small noise could be heard in the bedroom. While Rensley, having unconsciously spaced out, stared fixedly at only the patterns of the carpet, a pleasant low voice flowed into his ears.

“Though it is a matter of a few hundred years ago, Oldenland once had a male Grand Duchess.”

I see, a male Grand Duchess existed… Wait, what?