The Search for the Duchess’s Husband Chapter 167
It was Evangeline who stopped them.
“Enough.”
Evangeline spoke to the two of them, her trained mouth tightly shut.
“This is not a place to play, and as representatives of the Dukes of Edenberg, we are expected to show the dignity and intelligence befitting such a position, and from the looks of you, neither of you are fit to represent our house.”
Evangeline glanced at Artia, who sat at the head of the table.
Sitting quietly with her hands clasped together, Artia wore an unreadable expression.
“We’ll have to think about who goes to the noble council.”
Evangeline lingered after Derek and Ian left.
Evangeline asked.
“Why didn’t you tell me earlier that you were going as a representative?”
Artia’s eyes widened before she answered.
“You know, Auntie, that never in the history of the Empire has a woman attended a meeting of the nobility. I wouldn’t even be allowed in the room.”
Not only that, but criticism would be directed at the Duke of Edenberg for sending a woman as his representative.
But Evangeline’s eyes never wavered.
“Then how about this…”
“……!”
“You’ve always been like that. When you got divorced, when you petitioned for the bastard who beat her wife to get what he deserved, when you started the family business, everyone said no, but you did it, so why not this time?”
“…….”
Up until now, Evangeline had been the conservative, Artia the progressive.
But today, for the first time, their positions were reversed.
Evangeline put her hand on Artia’s shoulder and said,
“Think about it. If you decide, I will support you with all my might.”
* * *
As Artia continued to chew on her carrot stick, a low voice spoke up.
“What are you thinking?”
Killian had entered the room.
Artia didn’t show the slightest sign of surprise as she casually pulled Killian into a hug.
“I was just, uh, thinking.”
“About what?”
Artia loved to talk to Killian about anything and everything.
But today, for some reason, she didn’t want to talk about it.
Leaning in close, Killian whispered in Artia’s ear.
“What is it?”
Normally, Killian acted like a languid cat around Artia.
He never wanted anything from her, and he never showed much emotion.
But when it came to Artia, there was an insistent side to him.
He needed to know everything about her to unlock his intuition.
“If you don’t answer, I’ll be asking all night.”
Knowing Killian’s temper, Artia had no choice but to tell him everything that had happened today.
“My aunt is so fond of me, it’s ridiculous that she would ask me to attend a meeting of the nobility.”
Killian, who had been listening, spoke up.
“What’s wrong?”
“What?”
“Why are you saying things that don’t sound like you?”
“…….”
“The Artia von Edenberg I know is greedy, despite her gentle exterior. She must have what she wants or her intuition will not work.”
He continued.
“You want to be the Duke of Edenberg.”
At that moment, Artia’s heart sank.
It was as if he had revealed a secret she never wanted anyone to know.
But she hid her emotions and shook her head.
“I never wanted to be a duke, I just wanted to have the power to be untouchable. It’s ridiculous for a woman to be a duke.”
“…….”
“And speaking of which, I’m thinking of passing the dukedom on to one of my two uncles, because I can’t keep it empty like this.”
Artia added playfully.
“Of course, I’m only handing over the dukedom, and I’m going to be the Duke of Edenberg behind the scenes. Hidden ruler, don’t you think?”
But despite Artia’s cheerful voice, Killian’s expression remained chilly.
Killian glared into her pink eyes.
“You made that decision because of me.”
“……!”
There was a moment of silence between them.
After a moment, Artia spoke up.
“I thought about it when I was just beginning my relationship with your highness.”
Killian is the favorite to be the next emperor.
He can’t stay a bachelor forever.
One day he must take a wife, and when that happens, they must end this relationship.
It hurts like her heart will break, but she can’t help it.
‘Let’s love him without regret until that day comes.’
“…….”
Killian’s beautiful face twisted as if he’d heard something he shouldn’t have.
Before he could speak, Artia smiled bitterly and continued.
“Foolish and arrogant, how could I be?”
With each passing day, her love for Killian grew.
More, more, more.
Artia’s resolve crumbled like a sandcastle under the tide of emotion, until finally she changed her mind.
“I want to be by your side, even after you are crowned Emperor, and always.”
“……!”
Artia said, turning to Killian, whose eyes widened.
“It’s not impossible.”
Artia was born into a prestigious family, the Dukes of Edenberg.
She’d been married once, but she could get away with it if she could prove she hadn’t had a first night.
She only had to give up one thing.
The Dukedom of Edenberg.
The head of a family cannot be empress.
The Empress must abandon her original surname, take the Emperor’s, and become the mother of the nation.
Artia said, a little mischievously.
“I’d like to leave open the possibility of becoming your wife, because, as you say, I’m a greedy woman who only gets what she wants.”
‘Wouldn’t it be too much to ask to be his wife when he hadn’t even proposed?’
She wondered how Killian would react.
Artia swallowed hard and looked at Killian.
His beautiful face was stiffened as if he had received a gift he hadn’t expected.
It was as if she and Killian had seen each other’s hearts.
Killian laced his fingers through Artia’s and spoke.
“I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want to burden you…”
He whispered, like he was telling a secret.
“I’ve wanted to be your husband since the first day we knew each other.”
“……!”
Killian knew that his future with Artia was uncertain, and he knew he needed to work to solidify their relationship.
“I found a wizard who might be able to heal Arsen.”
Artia’s eyes widened at the unexpected news.
“It took me a long time.”
It had taken the prince’s own intelligence network, the rats, more than a decade of diligent searching, but they’d finally picked up the wizard’s trail.
“When my brother is well enough, he will be formally crowned crown prince, and I will…”
Killian said, looking into Artia’s pink eyes.
“I will renounce my claim to the throne and become the husband of Artia von Edenberg.”
“……!”
It was impossible for the Emperor to take the Duke of Edenberg as his wife.
It’s not acceptable for the Empress of a country to take another family’s surname.
But it could be done by a non-emperor, a member of the royal family.
There would be opposition and criticism, of course, but Killian was confident he could overcome it all.
So, Artia.
“I want you, the duchess, and everything else you want.”
…What a proposal.
Artia looked like she was going to cry.
“Are you sure you can do this?”
“You said you wanted me to find something I really wanted to do.”
Artia was all Killian wanted right now.
He wanted her to do what she wanted to do, to have everything she wanted, to be happy.
Knowing that, Artia hugged her tightly and nodded.
* * *
Killian was ten years old when he learned of the existence of the sorceress Charlotte.
He had been reading all sorts of texts to find a way to make Arsen’s body healthy, and a sorceress had caught his eye.
“Charlotte, one of the sorceresses of the time of the first emperor Orpheus.
She knew the answer to everything in the world.
Even Orpheus, with his omniscient powers, would ask her questions. ”
It wasn’t just the words that caught the young Killian’s attention.
“The curious thing is that no one has ever seen her body, and there have been sightings of Charlotte for hundreds of years.
This has led to the theory that she is immortal. ”
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