Chapter 42 of the side story. The necessity of courtship is soil
2023.01.07.
Due to the sabotage of the Marquis of Gardenia, Esteban did not have a friendly relationship with Siana.
Immediately, the Marquis of Gardenia, who brought Sianna back to the mansion, set out to find out what the hell had happened.
The gardenia capital mansion went into an emergency system out of the blue. The Marquis of Gardenia, who became extremely sensitive, began interrogating the servants he could see.
In particular, it was the escort and maid Marie who served Siana right next to her that made her breathless the most.
“Say it rightly. What happened to Sianna?”
“That’s…”
“If there’s even one point of lies, I won’t just go over it.”
Howie and Marie looked at each other. It wasn’t an atmosphere that I could just walk around.
I fear the emperor, but I fear the owner right in front of me more than that.
“The lady went out secretly, with His Majesty, who was passing by at that time…”
“His Majesty pretended to be a knight…”
The two started talking in detail from the first meeting between Cyana and Esteban. .
As their love story progressed, the Marquis of Gardenia’s face gradually turned red.
Of course it was out of anger.
‘I thought I was meeting the former empress, so I closed my eyes.’
The back of the head of the Marquis of Gardenia, who had only thought that Cyana was meeting secretly with Pacifica while watching her, tingled.
Since he could not dare to turn the arrow of resentment toward his precious daughter, the Marquis of Gardenia’s anger was directed toward the emperor.
‘Only the emperor is absolutely not allowed.’
Of course, other aristocrats didn’t do it either, but among them, the emperor didn’t particularly suit Shiana’s mate.
‘Isn’t this the emperor who brutally abandoned the empress who gave birth to his child? It may be the same for Siana.’
What kind of father sees a daughter hanging out with a man who has already had a child in addition to being caught up in a scandal?
Even if the opponent was his monarch and the emperor of the empire, the Marquis of Gardenia’s attitude was stubborn.
‘Against association!’
Of course, Esteban wasn’t going to be quiet either.
The silent war between the two has already begun.
***
Esteban, who had been silent for a while, began to act.
The first thing he did was to correct the rumors surrounding him.
Rumors about the emperor’s personal disposition and his work on the battlefield as the crown prince were never corrected. Because it wasn’t entirely wrong.
However, only related rumors that could disgrace Pasifika, the former empress, were strictly cracked down.
Rumors that he had a new lover were also sternly controlled if there were anyone who conveyed distorted words.
In addition, some kind of contract between Esteban and Pacifica was also secretly under way.
Esteban did not hesitate to support Pasifika without revealing his existence for the legitimate succession to the duchy.
As Pacifica’s power increased noticeably, even the confused forces eventually turned their backs on Duke Donovan.
Eventually, the Donovan family’s succession war reached its end.
A family meeting where all the vassals of the Donovan family gather.
“I have no intention of inheriting the family line.”
The renunciation of the succession of Lisandro Donovan.
“We vassals honor Pasifica Donovan as the successor to the dukedom.”
A former vassal recognized Pasifica Donovan as the next Grand Duke.
It was the defeat of Duke Donovan.
The only one who couldn’t accept that self-evident fact was the person involved, Duke Donovan.
“I… can’t admit it…! You’re absolutely… trying to ruin the family…!”
The complexion of Duke Donovan, who had been forcibly dragged from the sickbed to the family meeting room, was pitch black.
Even in poor physical condition, he ran wild and criticized Pacifica.
There was no movement on Pacifica’s expression as she watched her father’s ugly outbursts.
“You… the successor… Cool, cool. Let’s go… Do you! This Goyan…!”
Pasifika looked down at the excited Duke Donovan and took a step towards him.
“There is something I haven’t told you.”
Duke Donovan’s body began to tremble like an aspen tree as he saw his daughter approaching with an expressionless face.
“Don’t come close… don’t!”
“My doctor judged that my father was not in good health to rule the family as head of household.”
“It doesn’t go off… I can’t-!”
“So, as of today, I have succeeded to the duchy.”
“…!”
Duke Donovan’s eyes widened at the thunderous sentence that would bring him down.
All the vassals remained silent and stood there.
Alone in the crowd, Duke Donovan felt put on the defensive.
The duke’s reliable supporters turned their backs in an instant.
Not a single vassal rebelled, which meant that everything had already been decided in advance.
“As long as I… keep my eyes open… never, never-!”
No one listened to his futile screams. Pasifika, who had silently watched her father’s accusations, delivered her final sentence.
“Father and mother both go to the manor and rest in peace.”
It was an exile to Yeongji under the guise of recuperation.
“Don’t… don’t…”
Darkness. Duke Donovan, who was watching the audience with a confused gaze, passed out soon after.
This changed the owner of the Donovan duchy. The retainers unanimously paid their respects to their new lord.
“Meet the newly crowned head of the household!”
“Please take good care of me.”
Pasifica was proudly placed on the empty pavilion. Lisandro followed her.
“Congratulations, sister.”
“okay.”
From Lady Donovan to Empress of the Empire and back to Lady Donovan, she proudly became the Duke of Pacifica Donovan.
***
Siana’s trip to the estate was canceled, and the Marquis of Gardenia, of course, ordered her daughter to stay away.
Cyana insisted that the Marquis of Gardenia’s disposition was unfair, but there was no way it would work.
The Marquis of Gardenia soothed her rebellious daughter.
“Don’t worry, Siana. This father will bring you a true husband.”
“Who would want to marry me because I am afraid of my father?”
“Damn it! How dare anyone reject my daughter?”
“…That’s Okay.”
Sianna was well aware that talking to her father, blinded by his overprotectiveness, would be futile.
‘How are you?’
I hadn’t seen his face since the day I forgave Esteban. The maids took turns telling rumors about the recent emperor to the heartbroken Sianna.
I wanted to exchange news at least by letter, but when the Marquis of Gardenia turned on the lights in my eyes and watched, he was also distant.
Once he tried to send a letter through a maid who said he was going out secretly, but was discovered.
“Siana. His Majesty the Emperor is not something a weak child like you can handle.”
“I know what your father is worried about. But I believe in Your Majesty’s sincerity.”
“…the day will come when you too will understand this father’s heart.”
Conversation between father and daughter was always a dodol.
At most she could only take a walk in the garden inside the house, and when Cianna complained of frustration, her escort secretly handed her a copy of the newspaper.
“Hmm. They say there’s a lot of interesting news lately.”
“…kyung?”
“Especially loud. If you just read the first letter…”
She couldn’t hear the words behind her, as they were almost whispered, but Siana understood.
Returning to her room, Ciana opened the first chapter of Ricavelli’s weekly magazine.
She took off the first letter and read it according to the words of the article.
[My love I want to see. Wait a minute.]
It was Esteban’s letter.
The spirit of roasting the newspaper and causing them to write a secret letter to their lover by completely revising the words used in the article.
Shiana smiled and buried her face in the newspaper.
“What if I bully others, Evan?”
Even though he was such a reckless lover, Shiana missed him.
Hoping that the wait would not be long, she carefully kept the newspaper.
Even after that, Esteban’s love letter was written in the newspaper that was published twice, and the Marquis of Gardenia did not know this fact until the end.
.
.
.
[But it’s a crueler wait for me.]
[I’m going to propose to you tomorrow.]
***
Noon on a particularly sunny day. Without any notice, the emperor visited the Gardenia family’s capital mansion.
No noble in the Empire would dare to refuse the Emperor’s visit.
Esteban proudly occupied the drawing room and sat down facing the Marquis of Gardenia who greeted him.
“What are you here for?”
“You know each other’s business, so don’t go around talking about it.”
“I have no idea.”
The Marquis of Gardenia had no intention of being easily caught up in Esteban’s momentum. At his ignorance, Esteban nodded slightly and raised his hand.
Aide Gustav put something into Esteban’s hand.
“What is this?”
“The marriage proposal.”
“I will refuse.”
The Marquis of Gardenia rejected the emperor’s marriage proposal without even opening it.
Esteban smiled and handed out a marriage proposal in front of the Marquis of Gardenia.
“I will welcome your daughter, Cyanna Gardenia, as my empress.”
“I refuse.”
“I refuse to refuse.”
“I will reject that refusal.”
It was truly a battle of spear and shield. After pondering for a while, Esteban asked calmly.
“I want to hear the reason for your refusal.”
“I’m sure His Majesty knows it well, but if you really want to hear it, I’ll tell you. To Your Majesty, my daughter is very undeserved.”
Gustav was frightened by the tremendous ambition that his daughter deserved more than the emperor.
That was not the end of the Marquis of Gardenia’s mouth of fear.
“Moreover, hasn’t His Majesty the Emperor already seen the heir?”
It meant that I had no intention of sending my daughter to you, who was already married and had a child.
Esteban’s troubled fingertips tapped the table.
“I agree with you that your daughter is unworthy of Jim.”
“I’m glad you know.”
“But Jim is Siana.”
“…”
“I will cherish it more than anyone else as much as I have earned it through hard work.”
The gazes of the Marquis of Gardenia and Esteban met for a long time. Esteban, who confessed his true feelings, did not hesitate or back down.
Because my true love for Siana is a proud fact that I am not ashamed of at all.
“Where would a parent send their child to such a burdensome position?”
“I understand that feeling.”
“If you do, please hand over the marriage proposal.”
Esteban firmly responded to the request of the Marquis of Gardenia.
“I refuse.”
“…”
The expression of the Marquis of Gardenia, who had tasted Esteban’s rejection just like he had, strangely hardened.
Esteban let out a low sigh and asked again.
“How are you going to give me permission?”
“There is no such thing as that.”
“Whatever?”
“yes.”
“Until you get dirt in your eyes?”
“yes.”
As if waiting for those words, Esteban snapped his fingers again. Gustav, who was waiting, put a richly decorated box on the table.
“What is this?”
“Open it.”
The Marquis of Gardenia opened the lid of the box as the emperor commanded, and her mouth dropped open.
A must for courtship.
It was a box of dirt.
“This this…!”
The Marquis of Gardenia couldn’t bear to speak. Esteban, who was expecting that reaction, asked with a smile.
“It’s dirt. Can Jim spray it directly in the ball’s eyes?”
“Clear it up!!”
Cuckoo. The Marquis of Gardenia grabbed the back of his neck. I never imagined that he would do such a ridiculous provocation.
The Marquis glared at Esteban with his eyes breathing fire.
“I sincerely hope that one day, Your Majesty, there will be a bastard who will come for your precious daughter with soil!”
Despite the curse of the Marquis of Gardenia, Esteban smiled sweetly.
The curse didn’t even reach me because it wasn’t realistic right away anyway.
“Yes. I will give birth to a beautiful daughter who looks exactly like Siana, and she will be sprinkled with soil as the ball cursed.”
At Esteban’s answer, which did not lose, the Marquis of Gardenia fell further behind.
“Who told you to look at my daughter and successor!”
“The ball.”
“When did I say that!”
“just now.”
“Clear this dirt right now!”
It was truly the scene of a catastrophic marriage proposal.
