The Villainous Lady Doesn't Speak Chapter 124

Exchange of Shadows and Lights 2

Prince Roland continued to regard Riley with an unreadable expression, as though testing him, before finally speaking.

“Our general, Elmer Hagen, has passed away. He had complete control over our army. Our soldiers are all highly spirited, and only the general could manage them. Now that restraint is gone, this country is more vulnerable than ever to the threat of ours. But the thought of this nation, which has been so hospitable to us, being reduced to scorched earth and soaked in blood pains my heart.”

That was why he wanted to make Princess Edith Riley's fiancée, as a symbol of friendship between the two countries, Prince Roland explained. His words were strikingly similar to what Riley and Liliana had discussed just hours earlier. However, he didn’t touch on any of the concerns involved. Liliana furrowed her brow. It felt odd that the prince, who had been so kind to his younger sister since arriving in the Kingdom of Slibegrad, would now offer her up to a country that might soon become an enemy.

Yet Riley seemed unaware of the doubts Liliana harbored. Shaking his head slightly, he responded calmly.

“I understand what you're saying, but we also have concerns. First of all, even if we were to accept the princess as my fiancée, forgive me, but there's no guarantee that your country would refrain from invading ours. And secondly—”

Riley cut off Prince Roland, who had opened his mouth to respond, and continued.

“Your Highness, Prince Roland, you are here in our country on an official visit. Even if you’ve been given full authority in some negotiations, surely you don’t have the power to decide Princess Edith’s engagement. Therefore, unless we receive an official letter from His Majesty the Emperor, I cannot provide an answer.”

Of course, even if they did receive a letter from the emperor, whether or not Riley would accept the engagement was another matter entirely. Prince Roland’s expression soured, but perhaps because he recognized the validity of Riley’s argument. Princess Edith, on the other hand, appeared only partially to understand what had been said, her tear-stained eyes wide in confusion.

Still, Prince Roland wasn’t about to back down so easily. After a moment of contemplation, he smirked.

“So, if my father officially proposes it in a letter, you’ll consider making Edith your fiancée?”

“We will consider it. But I cannot promise anything.”

“—Well, that’s fine.”

Prince Roland snorted, clearly dissatisfied but apparently not inclined to push further on the matter of Princess Edith’s engagement. Liliana, sitting beside Riley, noticed him relax slightly, as if the tension had left his body.

“Well then, I have a proposal of my own.”

Prince Roland’s tone suggested that since he had been willing to compromise, it was now Riley's turn to hear him out. Riley silently urged him to continue. Riley didn’t see this as making demands—he had simply spoken common sense—but refusing outright could cause friction with the prince.

Prince Roland shot a sideways glance at Princess Edith.

“Edy has expressed a strong desire to accompany the inspection. She seems to have an interest in textiles as well. So, I’d like for her to go with you. We’ll take care of her protection, so it shouldn’t be too much trouble.”

Riley was momentarily at a loss for words, and Liliana narrowed her eyes. Adding a member of the royal family wasn’t something that could be solved just by increasing the number of guards.

There were various logistical concerns—the knights assigned to protect Princess Edith until her return, the accommodations at the inspection sites, meals, and so on. The necessary changes would be extensive, not something that could be arranged overnight. Prince Roland, noticing Riley's hesitation, grinned and looked directly at Liliana.

“If you’re worried about the preparations, you could simply leave one person behind from your original party.”

Prince Roland knew that Liliana was planning to accompany the inspection, and he was implying that she should stay behind so that Princess Edith could take her place. But it wasn’t as simple as he made it sound. Liliana was a duke’s daughter, and Princess Edith was a foreign princess. The number of guards and attendants required would be vastly different. Riley, his expression grim, shook his head.

“We’re scheduled to depart for the inspection the day after tomorrow. The destination is quite far, and ensuring Princess Edith’s safety and making adequate preparations would be extremely difficult.”

Prince Roland’s brow twitched slightly, but he didn’t seem overly concerned.

“That’s no problem. We can provide additional guards if necessary. Right, Edy? You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”

“Huh? Oh, yes! I would be absolutely delighted to accompany Lord Riley!”

Though Princess Edith had been tilting her head in confusion, it was clear she was thrilled at the prospect of joining the inspection. The dejection she had shown after being rejected as Riley’s fiancée seemed to vanish, and she leaned forward with eyes sparkling. Prince Roland glanced at Riley with a look that practically said, "What do you think?"

At that moment, a piece of information resurfaced in Liliana's mind, causing her to momentarily hold her breath. But before anyone noticed the change in her, a knock at the door echoed through the room. It seemed the ceremony was about to begin. Riley stifled a sigh, accepting the inevitable.

“—It seems we’re out of time. We’ll continue this conversation later.”

“I’ll be expecting a favorable answer,” Prince Roland replied.

With that, Prince Roland escorted Princess Edith, while Riley took Liliana’s hand and they all made their way to the venue.

Liliana, whose voice had been rendered silent, could do nothing but observe. She trusted Riley to handle the situation without issue, and for the most part, he had done well, as she had predicted. The only miscalculation had been the prince’s overwhelming audacity. His utter lack of diplomacy or consideration for his counterpart made Liliana wonder if Prince Roland had ever been involved in foreign negotiations. But as she observed the interactions between the three, Liliana found herself pondering another matter.

For Edith and Riley’s engagement to be solidified, a formal proposal would have to come directly from the Emperor of the Yunatian Empire. Publicizing the pair’s close relationship could be one strategy to make the engagement more appealing.

However, from Prince Roland’s reaction, it didn’t seem like the Emperor was particularly eager to push for Edith’s engagement to Riley. It was possible that the Emperor might be persuaded to send a letter if asked, but at this point, he did not seem to have any immediate intention of marrying Edith off to the Kingdom of Slibegrad. If that assumption was correct, then someone who wanted the engagement to happen might be working to create an atmosphere within the Kingdom that would encourage Slibegrad to propose the match themselves.

(If someone in the Kingdom of Slibegrad is looking to propose an engagement—could it be my father?) 

If the words “the Chancellor” that Edith had almost mentioned were true, then Duke Clark was undoubtedly behind it all. However, Liliana furrowed her brow. That explanation created a contradiction.

Previously, Liliana had learned from Obsidian about assassination targets within the Kingdom of Slibegrad. Among those listed were the heads of two of the three major ducal houses, but Duke Clark was conspicuously absent. It was strange for the Chancellor, a powerful duke, not to be on the assassination list. This omission had led Liliana to suspect that her father might be colluding with the Yunatian Empire.

Given that Margrave Kennys was among the targets, it seemed clear that the instigator of the assassinations was aiming to weaken the Kingdom of Slibegrad. If the kingdom’s defense was undermined, the Yunatian Empire would have a much easier time invading and subjugating it. However, it was Duke Clark who had planted the idea in Edith’s head that she could become Riley’s fiancée. Such a suggestion would only make sense if he were concerned with protecting Slibegrad from the Empire’s threats. Even if there were a plan to use Edith as a spy for the Empire, her personality made her ill-suited for such a role. It would be far more effective for Duke Clark, as Chancellor, to leak information himself.

(Why did my father suggest Princess Edith as Riley’s fiancée? Wasn’t he plotting treason? But if he’s plotting to have the princess killed...)

Suddenly, Liliana remembered something clearly—a scene from the otome game in her previous life. In only one instance did Roland ever reveal the cause of his utter despair. The line could only be heard by following Roland’s exclusive route, which didn’t appear in the common storyline. It had long since faded from her memory, which was why she hadn’t recalled it until now.

—I had a sister. A sweet, innocent princess. But she was too pure to survive in our kingdom. That’s why I sent her away to keep her safe. And yet—I couldn’t protect her in the end.

Every time Roland called his younger sister "Edy," something had felt off. He was undoubtedly referring to Princess Edith. If his words about sending her away implied that he had sent her to the Kingdom of Slibegrad, then perhaps her fate in this kingdom was to meet a tragic end.

Or had Liliana overlooked something? She pressed her lips together in thought. She wondered if Obsidian would come to her room tonight. If he did, she had a few things she wanted to ask him.

*****

The first ever patent granted in the history of the Kingdom of Slibegrad proceeded without issue. At the beginning of the ceremony, an explanation was provided regarding the background of the decision and the nature of the patent. Following this, a man with a tense expression was called forward. He was the director of the Crimson Museum in the dyeing district and the foremost expert on crimson dyeing in the Kingdom. It was then announced that if any new and novel inventions were made in the future, the inventor would be granted protection for a certain period in exchange for making their technology public. With that, the ceremony came to a close.

Prince Roland withdrew to his quarters with Princess Edith. After ensuring that the princess had entered her room, he beckoned Dormir Butler and sat down on the sofa in the reception room.

“The patent system is intriguing. I’d like to implement it in our country as well.”

“Yes, it’s a good idea, but it’s still too early for that,” Butler replied.

Prince Roland frowned at his words. Emperor Calvin Gain Yunatian was keenly aware of anything that could benefit him. However, it was unlikely he would view the idea of granting rights to inventors with favor. Even if the patent system were adopted, it would likely differ greatly from that of Slibegrad. The system would likely be exploited, with those undeserving of the patent being granted the rights. Such arbitrary application would only hinder the original purpose of protecting inventions and advancing industries.

“Well, you’re probably right. Have you learned anything about the general?”

“No, nothing yet.”

“—It would be disastrous if Kuntzel were the mastermind,” Roland muttered, scowling and clicking his tongue, an action unbecoming of a prince, though Butler did not reprimand him. His expression remained impassive as he watched the prince. With a deep sigh, Roland covered his chin, lost in thought.

There was no doubt that General Elmer Hagen’s death had been an assassination. The question was who the mastermind behind it was. The assassin was likely a loyal subordinate, but the identity of the one who gave the orders would determine the future political landscape. Count Kuntzel, one of the emperor’s closest confidants, could very well be behind the assassination. If that were the case, it would likely align with the emperor’s agenda, and Kuntzel would further consolidate his power within the court.

In the Yunatian Empire, any shift in political dynamics was a direct threat to one’s personal safety. Those without means to protect themselves were always on edge. After a moment, Prince Roland spoke in a hoarse voice.

“Do you think this will bring major changes to our country?”

“It’s hard to say at this point.”

Despite the curt response, Prince Roland didn’t seem bothered. He squinted, his face contorted in an expression of pain. Seeing this, Butler finally broke his silence.

“This country cannot expect peace for much longer. Given the king’s current state…”

“Yes, he’s been bedridden for some time. It’s been a while since the royal council was convened.”

In other words, the Kingdom of Slibegrad could see the death of its king and the rise of a new monarch at any moment. With a furrowed brow, Prince Roland looked at Butler’s unreadable, composed face.

"I assumed it would be natural for the Crown Prince to become king, but do you have any concerns?" 

"Yes, under normal circumstances, that would indeed be the case. However, this kingdom has a faction loyal to the former king, and there are even some who are pushing for the Grand Duke, the king's brother-in-law. Considering their presence, the path to the throne may not be as smooth as expected."

"Ah, yes... the former king's faction," Roland muttered.

Roland had learned about the former king’s faction during his studies, but this was the first time he had heard about nobles supporting the Grand Duke.

"Even in a country with fewer claimants to the throne than ours, a succession war could still break out," Roland scoffed. 

In the Yunatian Empire, the current emperor had not only a queen but also several concubines, all of whom had multiple children. The order of succession wasn't determined by whether one was the queen’s child or a concubine’s, nor was it decided by age. The crown prince was selected at the time the emperor chose to abdicate and named his successor. Historically, this had led to fierce struggles over succession before a crown prince was appointed. There had even been a time when only one child survived, while dozens of others were killed in the process. Signs of such a conflict were already brewing again in the empire.

However, the situation in the Kingdom of Slibegrad was quite different from the empire. The previous king had taken a mistress, but he didn’t have nearly as many as the emperor, which meant there were fewer children with claims to the throne. Roland had assumed that no succession conflict would arise in this kingdom, but it seemed that people were greedier than he had anticipated.

"—But still, this is better by comparison," Roland muttered under his breath.

Perhaps Butler hadn’t heard him, as there was no response, but Roland didn’t mind. He let out a deep sigh and closed his eyes.

—-

ToC

Chapter 125