ETCHY 14📷

Chapter 14

Crescentia hurried towards the audience chamber. From the moment she heard the news of Erich’s visit from Anton, her heart had been pounding wildly.

Erich had come.

Erich had come to where Crescentia was. Just that fact alone made her heart swell with emotion.

*’After all, Erich didn’t abandon me.’*

The resentment of him sending her off without a proper farewell, the indifference of him taking no action even after hearing of her marriage talks—all of it was completely erased by his single visit.

*’Erich.’*

Crescentia swallowed his cherished name and crossed the palace corridor. Normally, she would have walked with proper decorum, but now she had no time for that.

“Whoa. You should be careful.”

A young man suddenly appeared in front of Crescentia as she hurriedly turned a corner. Startled, she lost her balance and staggered, and Zig chuckled as he steadied her.

“What’s the rush, Your Highness?”

“Sorry, Margrave. Would you please step aside?”

“Are you headed to the audience chamber?”

“Let go of me.”

“His Majesty the King did not summon you. If not that, then you must be going to see the Grand Duke of Peter.”

Crescentia firmly slapped away Zig’s hand, which had been gripping her shoulder. Zig’s eyes widened in surprise at her cold demeanor, then he narrowed them and smiled.

“How amusing.”

“What is?”

“Oh, nothing. I just didn’t expect things to unfold this way.”

Crescentia glared at Zig, who spoke in riddles.

The man who had previously been a wallflower had taken root in the palace while Crescentia was away visiting the Empire—as if he had been waiting for her to leave. And in that time, he had seized Sheila’s favor and presented Crescentia with an absurd marriage proposal.

Zig had entrenched himself in the palace with the flimsy excuse of ensuring Crescentia’s engagement was finalized. And he observed Crescentia’s resistance as if it were an entertaining spectacle.

As if everything of the Regina royal family—of the Lodovini dynasty—was already in the palm of his hand.

From Zig’s perspective, Erich was practically an uninvited guest. He must have come to prevent the marriage talks between Crescentia and Linus.

But even with Erich visiting Sheila, Zig remained at ease?

*’What is this?’*

Crescentia studied Zig closely. But he only continued to smile cheerfully. She couldn’t read him at all.

“What do you mean by that?”

“I just didn’t expect the Grand Duke of Peter to show up here.”

With an unsettling smile that made onlookers uncomfortable, he said, “Go on ahead. You seem to be in a hurry.”

“……”

Zig stepped aside and even placed a hand over his heart.

His exaggerated courtesy made Crescentia’s expression twist involuntarily. She wanted to ask what was hidden behind that smile.

But she turned away without saying another word to him. This was not the time to engage in a skirmish with Zig.

—

“……Whoever it may be, as long as the Princess is removed.”

Zig muttered, watching Crescentia’s rapidly retreating figure.

What did it matter, anyway?

In truth, Zig had designed a scenario where Crescentia Lodovini would be degraded in status by becoming the wife of Baron Linus Buck.

The talk of revolution was merely a scheme to deceive Sheila.

Zig knew better than anyone that Linus Buck was no great man capable of overthrowing the current Emperor. Linus was a man with nothing but ambition, a man of infinitely small ability.

So why had he spouted such nonsense to Sheila?

To make her sell off the Princess to a mere baron. To diminish the Princess’s status and popularity.

That was the sole purpose.

Therefore, for her to fall into the hands of the Empire’s Grand Duke and leave Regina’s soil entirely was not necessarily a bad thing for Zig.

If the Princess—who carried the people’s support for the Regina royal family, who embodied the popularity of the Lodovini dynasty—were to disappear…

That would be enough.

The downfall of the Lodovini dynasty, a trashy dynasty that treated people like spare parts.

That was precisely the outcome Zig desired.

“Your Majesty, Her Highness the Princess has arrived.”

Even with the Chief Steward’s announcement, Sheila kept her mouth firmly shut. She stared intently at the jewel presented before her, as if frozen in place like a statue.

“Your Majesty the King?”

At the Chief Steward’s prompting, Sheila’s hand gripping the armrest of her chair tightened. She barely managed to nod in reply to the Chief Steward.

Only then did the doors to the audience chamber open, and the silver-haired Princess stepped into the light. Emerging between the checkerboard shadows cast by the window, the Princess bowed respectfully and paid her respects to the King.

Sheila glanced at her daughter and swallowed dryly.

“Did I summon the Princess?”

“No, I merely… heard that the Grand Duke had come. I came to offer my greetings.”

“It’s good to see you.”

As soon as Crescentia finished her reply, Erich stepped forward. The tall young man softened his previously stiff expression and smiled at the Princess.

“Grand Duke…”

“Excellent timing. I’ve brought a gift for Your Highness.”

Crescentia, who had been gazing at the Grand Duke with dreamy eyes, heard his deep voice resonate.

“A gift?”

As Crescentia blinked, Erich slowly moved his hand to indicate the jewel that held Sheila’s attention. Only then did Crescentia notice it, her eyes widening.

A magnificent diamond, tinged with a vivid pink. A jewel that caught the sunlight and split it into hundreds, thousands of dazzling, radiant beams.

“To the Star of Regina, I offer the Light of Evalt.”

Erich spoke softly as he strode towards Crescentia. He carefully took her hand and whispered sweetly.

“This is my proposal gift.”

Crescentia stared blankly at Erich. Her heart pounded wildly as she met his warm golden eyes.

“Your Highness, will you accept my proposal?”

Erich gently pressed his lips to the back of Crescentia’s hand.

The ruler of the Duchy of Evalt, the Grand Duke of the Arthurian Empire, the Guardian of Reform, bowed his head deeply before Crescentia.

Beneath his black hair, his rounded forehead, dark eyebrows, thick lashes, and the straight line of his nose were visible.

“Grand Duke, you are too late. The Princess is already in the midst of marriage talks with another.”

Sheila intervened belatedly at the sight of Erich proposing to Crescentia. But he remained unperturbed even by the King’s interruption.

He lifted his lips from Crescentia’s hand and replied calmly.

“I’ve never heard that proposals are on a first-come, first-served basis.”

“But, already…”

“Your Highness.”

Just as Sheila was about to refuse again, Erich smiled and gripped Crescentia’s hand firmly.

“Answer me honestly. What is it that you want?”

“I…”

Crescentia hesitated and looked at Sheila. She had her arms crossed, glaring at Erich with stern eyes.

Sheila was making no secret of her displeasure with the Grand Duke’s proposal.

“I…”

Crescentia’s lips moved as she gauged her mother’s reaction. If she were to follow the royal command, she would have to refuse the Grand Duke’s proposal. No matter how desperately she had wanted it.

But Crescentia could not shake off his hand. The warmth of the man gripping her hand seemed to heat her heart as well. Just like that time at the Grand Ducal Residence when they had spent time alone together.

*’Be honest with yourself. You want me.’*

—

Ah.

Suddenly, the Erich from that time came to Crescentia’s mind.

That was it. Then as now, he had been waiting only for her consent.

Erich had given Crescentia the choice. He didn’t force royal duty upon her, nor urge responsibility upon her. He simply gave her the opportunity to voice what she truly wanted.

Then, and now.

“I… I accept the Grand Duke’s proposal.”

A resolute voice escaped Crescentia’s lips. As soon as her words fell, gasps were heard from around them.

“Tia!”

Sheila called out sharply to her daughter and rose. She searched for the guards with her eyes as she spoke.

“This is not your place to interfere. Go back.”

Sheila rubbed her forehead and waved her hand. She had expected her daughter’s usual obedience, but what returned was an unfamiliar defiance.

“Mother, this is my marriage. Please let me decide for myself.”

Crescentia held Erich’s hand in both of hers. She helped him rise and stood beside him.

“This man saved my life. If it hadn’t been for the Grand Duke during the terrorist attack in the Empire, I wouldn’t even be here right now.”

“So? You intend to repay that debt with marriage?”

Sheila cried out in shock.

“You’re saying you’ll go to a dangerous place where terrorism breaks out at the drop of a hat, trusting only one Grand Duke? Even if it means defying your own mother?”

“…I’m sorry.”

“Then tell the Grand Duke to give you a title and land in Regina instead. Let that repay your life’s debt.”

“It’s not simply because he’s my savior.”

Crescentia shook her head. Then, gripping Erich’s hand tightly, she said,

“I love this man.”