The Last Dream
The Duke of Bless visited
the Silver King's Palace, and Sienna welcomed the familiar guest with warmth.
The Duke arrived in a
mobility chair and, upon seeing Beth in an identical chair, burst into
laughter.
“So it was you, Countess!
His Majesty said there was someone special he wanted to gift it to, so he took
my spare chair.”
Beth smiled in response.
“I heard from His Majesty
that you kindly offered it. I'm using it well, and I can't express how much
easier it has made moving around.”
“If it ever breaks down,
let me know. Not just anyone can fix it, you know.”
“Thank you for your
consideration, Duke.”
Sienna watched their
cheerful conversation with satisfaction.
Once everyone else had
left, leaving Sienna and the Duke alone, the mood shifted.
“It’s been a while, Duke
Bless. Have you been well?”
“Oh, you know me, just
managing. It’s a joy to see you again, Your Majesty. You’ve grown even more
radiant since I last saw you. Your face is practically glowing!”
The Duke exaggeratedly
widened his eyes in mock surprise, making Sienna chuckle.
“I heard you set off for
the capital a month ago, yet you arrived later than expected. Was the journey
difficult?”
“No, not at all. It's just
that once I started traveling, so many people kept stopping me along the way.”
As the Duke continued his
story, Sienna could easily guess what had happened. It seemed he couldn't pass
by any issues in his domain without stopping to help, which extended what could
have been a one-week journey into twenty days.
Typical of Duke Bless, Sienna thought.
“Where did you hear I was
coming? Was it Andre?”
“Yes.”
“That rascal, I hope he
hasn’t been too awkward and rustic now that he’s in the capital.”
“Not at all. I’ve heard
that Lord Bless is quite popular at social gatherings.”
“And what about you, Your
Majesty?”
“Pardon?”
“What do you think of my
son?”
The Duke grinned, cutting
straight to the point without any pretense.
“When I said you should
take my son, I wasn’t joking, Your Majesty.”
Sienna smiled without
saying a word.
“From what I’ve heard,
there’s no one suitable in the other ducal families as a marriage candidate for
you. It’s not just because he’s my son, but he’s a fine young man. He spends
all his time between the house and the training grounds, never wasting time on
frivolities.”
“Duke, I appreciate the
offer, but I’m sure someone better will come along for Lord Bless.”
The Duke’s eyes widened in
surprise.
“Your Majesty, are you
refusing him? Even if you intend to turn him down, shouldn’t you at least say
you’ll think about it first? You’re not just turning down my son; you're
overlooking the fact that the Bless family stands behind him.”
The Duke’s tone remained
light, but his words carried significant weight. He was advising her to think
politically.
“Duke, I have no intention
of marrying Lord Bless. If I were to string you along, knowing I would refuse
in the end, it would be dishonest of me, wouldn’t it?”
The Duke furrowed his brow.
“Your Majesty, I know your
character well enough, but if you’re too rigid, you’ll break.”
Sienna smiled softly.
“Duke, even without a
marriage alliance, I’m sure we can find a point of agreement that will satisfy
both of us.”
"There's no alliance
as strong as marriage."
"I've never understood
why the ducal families fight so fiercely to make their offspring my spouse. I
would never grant special privileges to my husband’s family. In fact, I’d
distance myself from them to avoid any abuse of power. Do I seem like the type
of person to be swayed by emotions? Especially for a marriage rooted in
political necessity?"
Duke Bless let out a deep
sigh. One can never fully know the depths of a person, but with Sienna, she was
almost too clear. It wasn’t that she lacked depth, but rather that her
convictions were so firm that persuasion was futile.
"Then, Duke, if you
wish to have an open dialogue with me, we must avoid a marriage alliance."
The Duke gave a wry smile,
shaking his head.
"I admit defeat, Your
Majesty," he said with a hint of regret, smacking his lips.
What a hopeless fool, the Duke thought to himself, silently
chiding his youngest son. I sent him to the capital early to make a good
impression, but he’s still failing.
"As his father, may I
ask—did my son fail to meet your expectations?"
"Lord Bless is a man
without fault."
"Then perhaps you
should keep him close and observe him a little longer…."
The Duke’s attachment was
persistent, not because of a hunger for power, but because he genuinely desired
Sienna as his daughter-in-law.
"Duke, I cannot hold
two people in my heart at once."
The Duke was left
speechless. He had heard the rumors about Sienna and Marquis Raad, but he
hadn’t expected her to acknowledge it so openly.
Marquis Raad? The Duke mused, surprised. He wasn’t from a
noble house, nor was he even a citizen of the Empire. How could such a
relationship have a future? Still, he didn’t point it out. Sienna was surely
aware of the challenges, and love-struck individuals rarely listened to outside
counsel.
Perhaps there’s still a
chance, he thought. Even the most
intelligent young ruler like Sienna would eventually learn that life didn’t
always follow one’s will.
"Your Majesty, there’s
something important I’d like to discuss. I will need your assistance."
"Oh? You're getting
straight to the point?"
"I thought you
disliked beating around the bush, Duke. I assumed we shared that trait."
The Duke chuckled heartily.
"What will you offer
me in return?"
"I’ll consider that
once I see what you can offer me, Duke."
The Duke laughed again,
deeply amused.
"Even if you were to
take everything I have, how could I refuse? After all, you’re the one who will
lead this empire in the future."
Sienna’s expression
darkened. She wanted to correct the Duke’s misunderstanding, but it wasn’t the
time. She couldn’t reveal the Iron King’s true origins before the secret was
exposed. Though she trusted the Duke wouldn’t spread the news recklessly, a
secret shared with even one person ceased to be a secret.
"Duke, are you aware
of what's happening in the Duchy of Rimone?"
Sienna watched the Duke’s
face, quickly realizing that this wasn’t unfamiliar news to him.
"The Duke of Rimone is
in a tight spot."
"Is it that serious? I
wasn’t aware of the full details…."
"The Emperor is behind
it."
The Duke’s eyes widened.
"Are you certain of
that?"
"Yes."
Sienna then laid out the
details of what was happening in the Rimone duchy, based on the information
Kuhn had provided.
The Duke let out a heavy
breath. The explanation was thorough and detailed, leaving him impressed. The
Silver King has quite a powerful source of information, he thought.
So much for the rumors that
the Red King and the Rimone family had blocked her ears and eyes.
"What is it you wish
me to do?"
"Help the Duke of Rimone."
The Duke’s eyebrow
twitched, but he didn’t react hastily. He knew Sienna wasn’t asking for
assistance out of personal emotion or loyalty to her maternal family.
"Tell me your
reasoning."
"If the Rimone family
has committed a crime, they should be punished through proper channels. If the
family crumbles like this, the Duchy of Rimone will become another Acheron
Duchy. You know as well as I do how much the people of the Acheron territory
have suffered since losing their lord."
"So, you know what
happened between Acheron and Rimone in the past," the Duke murmured with a
grave expression.
"Yes, I do."
"I had a hand in those
events, so I feel no sympathy for what the Duke of Rimone is going
through."
Sienna silently nodded in
acknowledgment.
"But you are right,
Your Majesty. His Majesty seems intent on repeating past tragedies. And as
always, the ones who suffer most are the innocent commoners."
"I knew you would
understand my position, Duke."
"Are you planning to
put the Duke of Rimone on trial?"
"I don’t believe
there’s enough evidence for a formal trial. If there were, the Emperor wouldn’t
have taken these steps."
"Hmm…."
"I intend to hold the
Rimone family accountable in another way."
Sienna had thought long and
hard about this. The Rimone family had to atone for their past sins, but
without hard evidence, they would never willingly admit guilt. Rather than
waste time drawing out an insincere apology, it was better to negotiate
compensation for the victims.
The Rimone family would
have to scrape together all the wealth they had amassed over the years. Even if
it left the family coffers empty, they would have to pay for their crimes. For
those who were as greedy as the Rimone family, losing their fortune would be
the most painful punishment.
That night, their
conversation continued late into the evening.
A few days later.
The Emperor announced the
death of the King of the Peroh Union. The Union was on the verge of civil war
over the next succession, and emissaries from the Union had requested
assistance from the Empire to stabilize the chaos.
For most nobles, it was
their first time learning that Marquis Rad, the Empire’s envoy to the Union,
had already left for the desert.
People murmured, "So
that’s why we haven’t seen him lately. I was starting to hear rumors that he
was gravely ill."
Following the Emperor’s
decree, an emergency state council was convened to discuss sending troops to
the Union. The council swiftly decided to dispatch the Imperial army, including
knights.
Within just a few days,
ships carrying the Empire’s forces set sail from the capital’s harbor.
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