Chapter 60 – ​60

Sitting ​at ​the ​desk ​in ​his ​office, Melione was ​tapping ​his ​fingertips ​against ​the surface. He was ​lost ​in deep thought, ​and at the ​end ​of ​those ​thoughts, ​there ​was always Euro.

He ​had ​to ​admit now that ​Euro was on his ​mind. It ​wasn’t simply ​because he ​didn’t understand ​the ​man’s ​intentions, but because ​he had ​genuinely become curious about ​what kind of person ​he was.

He had dismissed ​Euro’s claim ​that ​what he wanted was love as ​nothing more than a ​pathetic ​excuse. ​However, ​it ​would be contradictory ​to dismiss ​every ​single emotion and ​mannerism ​Euro showed him as a ​mere lie.

Perhaps ​he ​had simply been ​fooled ​by ​a ​plausible ​performance. Euro, ​who ​had suddenly ​intruded into his life when no one ​else dared to ​approach, had shown ​no hesitation whatsoever.

Despite claiming ​to have ​braved death, Euro ​remained ​bright and cheerful. ​Even if he ​had stayed ​in ​Norden instead ​of ​coming to ​Silon, ​his life ​would ​have ​been in peril, ​yet ​it was ​strange ​how ​indifferent ​he was to death.

To Melione, Euro seemed free from death. He acted as if he were someone who had already died once. As if such a thing were nothing, Euro was always curious about tomorrow.

How could he be like that? In all his life, Melione had never once been curious about tomorrow. On days when he felt even the slightest bit of joy, he spent the entire night trembling in fear.

Because he was so terrified of losing such things, Melione chose to possess nothing at all. He believed that was more helpful for survival.

Just then, the office door opened, and Raymond entered quietly carrying a silver tray. Melione lifted his head slightly and gazed at Raymond as he came to a halt before him.

“What is it?”

“A letter has arrived from the Imperial Palace.”

Raymond held out the silver tray. A letter rested upon it. As Melione reached out to take it, he saw the Imperial seal stamped onto the round wax sealing the envelope.

“It seems the news of the marriage has finally reached the Emperor’s ears.”

Melione opened the envelope and took out the letter. Since they were quite far from the capital, it seemed it had taken some time for the news to reach them and for a response to be sent.

Raymond stood silently before Melione as he read the letter. He, too, was curious about what the Emperor had written.

He knew it wouldn’t be particularly good news. The instruction to pursue a marriage proposal with the Norden royal family didn’t mean that anyone would do.

It clearly implied: ‘Marry Clope Leches.’ Melione, who could not have been ignorant of that implication, had ignored it and married Euro Leches, the bastard of Norden.

There was no way the Emperor would remain still upon learning of the marriage. There had undoubtedly been an uproar in the Imperial Palace, with the Emperor demanding how such a thing could be possible.

Reading the contents with an expressionless face, Melione soon let out a hollow laugh and looked up. Raymond quickly asked:

“What did His Majesty convey?”

“Bullshit.”

“…….”

“He says he’ll act as if it never happened.”

“Pardon?”

When Raymond asked for clarification, Melione silently handed the letter to him.

“Read it.”

“…….”

“He wrote a very long-winded piece of bullshit.”

At Melione’s urging, Raymond took the letter and began to read. To summarize the contents:

‘The marriage to Euro Leches is most regrettable. For the sake of an heir, you should have married the Princess of Norden; how can this be acceptable? The Imperial House cannot recognize this marriage, so return Euro Leches to Norden and proceed with the marriage to Clope.’

The Emperor was stubbornly insisting that he could never recognize this marriage. Since they had already undergone the sacramental rite at the temple, the marriage would not be nullified just because the Emperor did not acknowledge it.

However, if the Emperor took this stance, there stolen contentwas one problem. If the Emperor refused to recognize the [unauthorized copy]marriage, Euro would not receive the courtesies befitting a Duchess the moment he stepped outside of Silon.

In short, he would only be recognized as Melione’s spouse within the borders of Silon. While it was unlikely that Euro would leave Silon alone, this was a matter of prestige.

It meant that if Euro were publicly treated as Melione’s paramour, there would be nothing to be said against it. Raymond narrowed his eyes and asked Melione:

“Will you do as he says?”

“You want me to get married twice?”

“……Actually, the temple will likely prioritize His Majesty’s orders. Even if you marry another and request the sacramental rite again, there probably wouldn’t be much opposition.”

“Ridiculous. Is Brobate beneath the Emperor’s feet?”

“…….”

“Since when did a divine sacramental rite become something that can be undone by a mere human’s word?”

Melione seemed angry.

“He claims he wanted the marriage to Clope Leches in hopes of an heir? Don’t make me laugh. Isn’t the Emperor the one who wants the bloodline to end more than anyone? If he truly wanted me to produce an heir and continue the Dukedom, he wouldn’t have left me alone and unmarried until this age.”

After Melione passed his mid-twenties, the Emperor had not interfered much with Silon. Read on Read BL NovelsThis stolen contentwas because [unauthorized copy]Melione had consistently remained unmarried.

If left alone, Melione would die without an heir, and then Silon would be directly annexed by the Imperial House. Since it was a goldmine that would drop right into his lap if he just sat there with his mouth open, the Emperor had treated Melione as if he barely existed.

And now, just because things weren’t going his way, he was throwing a fit and interfering uselessly.

“He’s gone completely senile. Even if the Princess of Norden comes to Silon, I’m sending her back.”

“…….”

“No, station people at the checkpoints.”

“Pardon?”

“Tell them to send her back immediately upon identification. Don’t let her set foot in Silon.”

“To that extent……. The Madam is also here; perhaps you should let them exchange greetings.”

Even though Clope hadn’t arrived in Silon yet, the two men were worrying for entirely different reasons. Melione stared at Raymond with a look that asked what on earth he was talking about.

“Don’t talk back and just do as I say.”

When Melione snapped coldly, Raymond finally visit our sitenodded obediently. He had Read on Read BL Novelsbelatedly understood the implication behind the words.

This wasn’t anger toward the Emperor for insisting on sending Clope to Silon. Melione simply hated the idea of Euro meeting Clope, whom Euro had once been obsessed with.

Raymond gazed intently at Melione, who had generalized his request by simply saying not to let her into Silon, rather than explicitly ordering that Euro and Clope must not encounter one another.

Euro and Melione were undergoing a subtle change. He wasn’t sure about Euro, but it was certain for Melione. Having observed him longer than anyone, Raymond had keenly noticed the shift.

The problem was whether Melione was aware of it. Raymond’s honest wish was for the two of them to end up together.

From what Raymond had experienced, Melione was certainly not an easy person. Of course, the curse had changed his personality to some extent, but hadn’t he lived his whole life that way?

If so, there was a high possibility that Melione himself didn’t know what his innate nature was. Having lived sensitively since birth, a person cannot change like magic just because a curse disappears.

He had a strong tendency to push others away and was stingy with his emotions. On the other hand, Euro knew how to win people’s favor and was a man of manners and etiquette.

Euro was the kind of person who showed no sign of offense even at Melione’s frequent rebukes. Above all, Euro pitied Melione. He was prepared to put up with almost any amount of complaining.

Therefore, there was no better partner for Melione than Euro. While continuing the bloodline was important, the lineage of the Dukedom was something that wouldn’t be strange if it ended at any time.

What Raymond, who had lived as a squire of the Spioren Dukedom for a long time, wanted most was for laughter to never cease within this mansion.

Even under the terrible curse, children were always born. Naturally, a mansion where children play is usually full of laughter. But [stolen content]what about this mansion? Had stolen contentthe visit our sitesound of a child’s laughter ever spread once?

He could assert that it had never happened. Only a gloomy atmosphere had filled the mansion. However, since Euro arrived, laughter had broken out in various places.

Even the servants who had worked in the mansion for a long time spoke of nothing but Euro whenever they gathered. It was because the desolate atmosphere had completely come alive since he arrived.

Everyone agreed that it had never been this easy to work. What the Dukedom needed wasn’t a child. It was this warm and peaceful atmosphere that they had desperately craved.

Raymond covered his mouth with a fake cough and spoke deliberately to Melione.

“The Madam went out to inspect the festival today. Are you aware?”

“I heard at lunchtime.”

Because Euro had gone out immediately after breakfast today, Melione had not been able to have lunch with him. At this, Raymond smiled and spoke cautiously.

“Then how about having dinner together when the Madam returns?”

“…….”

“You’ve been eating dinner regularly lately. The Madam would like that as well.”

Though he acted like he disliked it, Melione did not skip the dinners that Euro had [unauthorized copy]asked him to eat. He [visit our site]had [unauthorized copy]begun to take at least small meals.

It might have been because his condition had improved, but Raymond believed this was Euro’s influence. If he had been the one to suggest it, Melione likely wouldn’t have bothered to eat even if he felt better.

“……Do whatever you want.”

Melione answered nonchalantly, but Raymond beamed a bright smile. He knew that these words were the greatest affirmation Melione could currently give.