“Why is a member of our neighboring country’s royalty marrying below her rank to a Magnolian margrave? Aren’t our statuses quite different?”
My father let out a deep sigh. “What I’m about to tell you must not be repeated to anyone else. If this information gets out, we will be executed. You must be careful.”
What? This is that big of a deal? I-I don’t want to hear about it anymore! I should’ve just nodded along with what he was saying!
My father had already begun speaking, so it was too late to back out. He told me about both the publicly known and confidential truths behind the Valst Incident, which Lenarute, Magnolia, and Valst all played a part in. He even told me about the secret deals made. Welcoming the princess of Lenarute into the Magnolian imperial family would mean that the royalty of our vassal state would become a princess consort, which had no benefits for Magnolia. At the same time, the Lenarute princess marrying below her station into a noble family that was at the center of Magnolian politics could cause unnecessary conflict between factions within the empire. Because of that, margraves, who were quite far from central politics, were the ideal candidates for betrothal to the princess. As the person closest in age to her, I was the best fit for the job.
“I of course expressed my displeasure to the emperor,” my father remarked. “Making all of these decisions without informing me until after the fact was too far. However, at the end of the day, you are the son of a family that serves the empire. You would eventually have to get married. You’ll have to accept it as something that is simply happening sooner than expected.”
As he said that, there was a distant and sorrowful look in my father’s eyes. I thought about the princess of Lenarute, whom I’d never even seen before. Because of backroom deals made between countries, she had been destined to marry foreign royalty or nobility from the moment she was born. Since Lenarute was a vassal state, she couldn’t even become a princess consort and had to marry below her station into a margrave’s family. Fate was toying with this girl’s life.
“That seems much too cruel to the princess,” I remarked. “She’d already been destined to marry into a foreign country’s royal family since the moment she was born. Though the Valdias are a family of margraves, it seems wrong for her to have to marry below her station like this...”
A look of displeasure washed over my father’s face as he began to point out how naive my way of thinking was. “You cannot bring personal feelings into matters between two countries,” he said sternly. “Doing so will only ignite the flames of war. Also, the deal was to marry either a member of the imperial family or someone of the next-highest station. This doesn’t break that agreement. In Magnolia, the next-highest station applies to three titles: grand dukes, margraves, and dukes. There are currently no families that hold the title of grand duke. On top of that, if you compare the privileges that each title carries, margraves are technically above dukes in status. She is a member of the royal family, and you are a member of the nobility. You each have an obligation to protect your country by fulfilling your duty to it.”
My father’s words made me painfully aware of how little I’d understood about what it meant to be a noble in this empire and participate in politics. Unlike my previous world, this wasn’t a place where peace was guaranteed. In fact, even in my previous world, there were always deals made between nations that led to what seemed like peace. Even a small tip in the scales could cause wars—and that was even truer in this world.
I simply looked down as I processed his words. My hand had been resting on my thigh, and it was now balled into a tight fist. My father understood that his words had gotten through to me, and his stern expression faded into a gentle look.
“Still, it is indeed true that fate seems to be toying with the princess of Lenarute. If you feel sorry for Her Highness, you must care for her and love her more deeply than anyone else.”
I quickly looked back up, and my eyes met my father’s. He wasn’t looking at me as a noble with a duty but as a father who genuinely wished for his child’s happiness. There was that sort of kindness in his eyes.
“As members of the nobility, we have both a responsibility and a duty to do everything within our power to serve the empire. However, the princess is going to be your wife. You are the only one who can care for her and love her. Do not forget that. You will protect the princess. Are we clear?”
Unlike the strict tone he’d taken when he was pointing out how naive I was being, my father now sounded like a man trying to lead the way for his child. His tone was firm but kind. And he was right. I could sympathize with how cruel fate had been to the princess, but that wouldn’t solve anything. I had to think about protecting and loving her.
“Yes, father. Thank you for pointing out the errors in my way of thinking. I will do my best to make her happy.”
“Very well,” he said with a nod.
It was only then that I’d realized I hadn’t asked him an important question.
“Father, may I ask the name of the princess who will become my wife?”
“Oh, I haven’t told you yet. I apologize. You will be marrying the first princess of Lenarute, Farah Lenarute.”
Farah Lenarute, I repeated in my mind. I continued thinking about her name, trying to engrave it into my memories.