I’m Not the One Who Seduced the Grand Duke Chapter 37

“This is absolutely ridiculous.”

The Emperor slammed his hand down on the armrest of his chair and spat the words out darkly.

His eyes were already blazing with fury.

Why had the Temple crossed the line?

Come to think of it, ever since the current High Priest took over, there had been rumors that the Temple was becoming unusually aggressive in keeping the Imperial Family in check.

“What exactly is the disqualifying issue?”

Leon, who had been quietly listening, suddenly asked.

The Emperor, who had been glaring at the troublesome “notice” with a frown, straightened himself and answered.

“They won’t even disclose that. They claim the disqualifying issue is so serious that it cannot be explained in writing.”

“Are they playing a joke?”

“Exactly what I said. However, when I pressed the priest who came as the messenger, he said that you, Leon, had violated one of the Temple’s laws. Does anything come to mind?”

“I haven’t the slightest idea. In any case, I understand.”

Leon nodded as though he had heard enough.

“I’ll simply proceed with the engagement without the Temple’s approval.”

It was merely a formality anyway. There was no reason they couldn’t do without it, Leon said firmly.

But the Emperor’s expression remained dark.

“I don’t mind either, but there is such a thing as tradition. Especially since you’re a prince of the Imperial Family, unlike the other nobles.”

“I abandoned my status as a prince some time ago.”

“Abandoned, my ass. That status will probably follow you for the rest of your life. Even if you don’t want it to.”

Saying there was nothing they could do about that, the Emperor pressed his fingers against his temple.

He seemed exhausted by the unexpected situation as well.

“They’ll definitely claim that the engagement is invalid on the grounds of legitimacy. After all, it was the nobles and the Imperial Family who gave the Temple the authority to act as a witness to marriages in the first place.”

That we were special compared to everyone else.

That God Himself was the witness to our love.

That our union was therefore all the more noble.

Those values had produced this very situation.

“So the Temple is dragging this engagement out because they want something?”

“Exactly, Marquess. That’s what bothers me too. The Temple must have some ulterior motive if they’re willing to make such an unreasonable move.”

The Emperor pointed to a particular part of the notice sent by the Temple, as though that alone proved his point.

It stated that if we wished to explain ourselves regarding the matter, we were to come in person.

How should I put this? It was a little……

It feels as though they still consider Leon a Holy Knight of the Temple.

As though they were ordering around a subordinate under their command.

Otherwise, it was inconceivable that they would order an Imperial prince and Grand Duke to come and go at their whim.

Apparently, the Emperor thought the same.

“Apparently, our great High Priest has no intention of letting you go, Leon. Well, you were probably the best card he ever had in his hand.”

The Emperor muttered with unmistakable displeasure.

Then he suddenly began complaining to me, telling me to listen, and the story that followed was quite something.

It all began when Leon studied theology and became a priest.

Come to think of it, priests and the Holy Knights were separate entities, so I had wondered why Leon had been doing both at the same time.

Apparently, that too was because of the High Priest’s influence.

Unfortunately for Leon, who had been quietly studying at the Temple and living as a priest, he happened to possess tremendous talent with the sword.

So the High Priest recommended a position that would make the most of that talent.

Leon, who didn’t particularly care either way, accepted.

(At this point, the Emperor glared at Leon as he spoke.)

But there had been an ulterior motive behind it.

Priests were clergy who belonged to the religious order and served God, while still maintaining a certain degree of independence.

The Holy Knights, on the other hand, were under the command of the High Priest.

In other words, they were people who moved at the High Priest’s orders.

And from the moment Leon became a Holy Knight, the High Priest’s influence over him had strangely grown stronger.

“How bad was it? Not only did he openly voice his personal opinions on matters of state, but he dragged that kid around everywhere he went like some hunting dog. Almost as if he wanted everyone to see it.”

The Emperor grew angry again as he explained that the High Priest had wanted to show everyone one thing.

An Imperial prince follows his orders.

“So why didn’t Your Majesty simply order Leon to leave the Temple?”

“I wanted to. Of course I did. But look. The Imperial Family cannot interfere in the affairs of the Temple. And that kid was a Holy Knight as well as a priest. There was nothing I could do except wait for him to leave of his own accord.”

The Emperor complained with a frustrated expression.

Listening to him, I had to admit that Leon really was at fault.

“That old man would drag that kid along whenever he came to the Imperial Palace to see me, deliberately making a show of it. Do you know how infuriating it was every time I had to watch that……!”

“Is that really important right now? We need to solve this problem.”

Leon finally cut in, apparently realizing that his position was becoming increasingly unfavorable.

“Do you have a way?”

“What else can I do? I have no choice but to do exactly what the notice says.”

Leon pointed decisively at the document in the Emperor’s hand.

“I’ll go there myself.”

“What? Are you serious?”

“Yes.”

Leon nodded.

His beautiful blue eyes darkly shimmered.

“Because I can’t just sit back and watch this happen.”

Those were the eyes of a man who would do whatever it took if things didn’t go his way.

 

***

 

“Have you all heard the rumor?”

“You mean that the Temple rejected His Grace the Grand Duke and the Marquess’s engagement? I was so shocked when I heard.”

“But is it really that important?”

“Of course it is! They said there’s a disqualifying issue! There must be something wrong with the Marquess.”

“I suppose His Grace has been at the Temple all this time. But if the Temple openly went as far as calling it a disqualifying issue…… What on earth could it be?”

Indeed. What could it be?

This so-called disqualifying issue that supposedly meant the Temple could not approve Leon and me being together.

And when exactly were they going to realize that it was probably a good idea to refrain from gossiping about other people in a place with such poor soundproofing?

The person they were enthusiastically tearing apart was sitting right next door.

I let out a quiet sigh and looked at the newspapers spread out before me.

High society in Orden was as noisy as ever today.

[EXCLUSIVE] The Mark Stamped on the Marquess—What Is the ‘Disqualifying Issue’ Mentioned by the Temple?

[BREAKING] Engagement Rejected. Was the Relationship Unequal After All?

I didn’t know what the Temple’s intention was in doing this, but the effect had been considerable.

Everyone’s attention had become fixed on the phrase “disqualifying issue” contained in the Temple’s official statement.

The Temple had not clearly stated which of the two parties was responsible for the disqualifying issue, but people had naturally turned their arrows toward me.

“I suppose this is actually for the best. Honestly, don’t you all think so too? Something like, ‘If I can’t have him, I’ll destroy him’?”

“Oh, my. How frightening. That’s a bit much, isn’t it, Madam~?”

“If you’re going to compete in the first place, shouldn’t you start fairly from the starting line? Do you think the rest of us were sitting around because we didn’t want the Grand Duke?”

“Exactly. It’s not as though we have so much free time that we spend all our days diligently attending social events. He’s far too great a treasure for someone who doesn’t even make that much effort to win him.”

Rather than being upset about it, they seemed pleased.

They agreed that they should take advantage of the momentum and turn this into a “fair competition.”

I could hear them putting their heads together and making plans in great detail.

“My goodness. What a mess.”

“I know.”

When I nodded obediently, Viscount Evrel, Doresa, sitting across from me, clicked her tongue softly.

I had stopped by Hotel Eldvrel to discuss something related to business, but unfortunately, we had ended up hearing all of that from the tea room right next to the lounge where we were sitting.

“You must be having a hard time, Marquess. The Temple is really out of its mind. Interfering in a marriage involving the Imperial Family? Even if they are reluctant to give up the money, there are limits.”

“Pardon? Money?”

“You didn’t know? That’s why those ladies are acting like that. Do you know how much money they’ve donated to the Temple all this time?”

To the Temple…… Why would they donate money?

I tilted my head, wondering if she meant charitable donations, and Doresa murmured, “My goodness,” several times.

“You really didn’t know, did you? Well, you don’t seem very interested in this sort of thing, Marquess.”

Doresa nodded as though she understood, then lowered her upper body and leaned toward me.

“I hear quite a few noblewomen have donated to the Temple solely because of His Grace the Grand Duke.”

“What? Isn’t that a good thing?”

“Well, I suppose it looks that way from the outside……”

Doresa gave an embarrassed smile before cautiously continuing.

“According to the rumors, apparently there are slight preferential benefits depending on the amount of the donation. But the thing is……”